Beat the Summer Slump: 15 Sermon And Worship Resources For Summer

July 18, 2018

thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Many churches experience “the summer slump,” where attendance, giving, and participation might decrease. Use these powerful sermon and worship resources to beat the summer slump. Read more…

You’ll find these sermons and more…

1. Vacation in Paradise

We are strangers in this world, on vacation in a foreign land, with advantages the natives of this world don’t even begin to understand. But do we realize what those advantages are, and what difference those blessings can mean to our lives?

2. Knowing Your Season and Its Fruit

God said that as long as the earth exists, seasons will also exist. Somewhere there will always be a summer, fall, winter and spring and thus we will continue to live our lives according to the seasons.

3. Beating the Summertime Blahs

Summer takes its toll on church attendance. The truth is that we still need one another even when the world is calling you to a season of recreation.

4. WWJD: Days Off / Vacations

What Would Jesus Do… with regard to vacations, hobbies, sports, amusements, break-times, fun & relaxing activities? For the answer, we take a trip back 6,000 years…

5. Surviving the Summer Slump

I’ve got friends who are pastors and on staff at churches all around this country, and at some point during the months of June through August…they face the same thing. I’m not saying that it is ok; but I am saying that we are not alone. So, is it possible for us to avoid the “Summer Slump” and still enjoy the summer?

6. How to Kill a Church Without Trying

Many churches find themselves in the predicament of not growing as the Lord would have them to do. When this happens many reasons are given and blame is placed on this person and on that person, usually without foundations.

7. Reverse the Curse

It is terrible and tragic to have access to your blessing yet you are blocked by your curse. For it is true that countless individuals who call themselves Christians live a seemingly picture perfect existence that appears to be marked by blessings, joys, serendipities, pleasures, and grace gifts; but in reality—from God’s perspective, the Word’s promise, and eternity’s point of view, they are stifled, held back, and handcuffed by the misery of their curse.

8. Jesus the Lifeguard

The image of Jesus as a shepherd is one that has been captured by artists and poets throughout the years. The picture of Jesus sitting in the midst of a flock of sheep with a lamb on his shoulder, captured in stained glass, has adorned many a church building. But what does that image of Jesus mean?

9. Summer Fruit

Micah longed for the time when righteousness would reign once again in Israel. He felt as though the was living in the time of gleaning the fields instead of the time of great harvest.

Media

10. PowerPoint Package: Church Attendance

Increase your church attendance with a message on the importance of a church family using these colorful backgrounds. Perfect for Back to Church Sunday.

11. PowerPoint Package: Summer Palms

Use this colorful Summer-themed media to enhance your next worship service or other community gatherings. A font file is included for simplified customization.

12. PowerPoint Package: Summer Mission Trip

Use this captivating media to help promote your church’s upcoming mission trip and to encourage members of your community to sign up. A free font file is included for simplified customization.

13. PowerPoint Package: Summer Events

Summer is here! It’s a great time to get your congregation together over shared meals, shared events, and shared interests. Use this ‘Summer Event Pack’ to promote fellowship in your congregation. Use one image or all the images to promote your plans and get your church engaged.

14. PowerPoint Package: The Time is Now

Use this background set to talk about the importance of using time wisely and making urgent spiritual decisions.

15. Video: Don’t Go to Church (Summer Edition)

It’s Summer! Time for vacations, sunshine, and trips to the beach. Time to let your Bible collect some dust and maybe sleep in on a Sunday. After all, you’ve worked hard. You deserve a church break…right? This summer, don’t ignore the God who has never once ignored you. It’s summer…see you at church!

Find all of these here.

25 Easter Ideas for Sermons and Worship After Easter

Daniel So

July 18, 2018

Once Easter is over, these 25 Easter ideas for sermons and worship will keep the momentum going.

One of the best ways to follow up with your Easter guests, as well as to encourage your church members, is by preaching about living out the new life we have in Christ. Read more…

Sermons

1. Resurrection Power

Scripture: Acts 1:1-3

Summary: Jesus has unleashed resurrection power on the earth. What happens because of that resurrection power?

2. A New Life

Scripture: Isaiah 1:18

Summary: There is a power that each believer can receive and attain from Almighty God. According to the Bible, we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Our greatest need is the forgiveness of Almighty God, that we may walk in his will.

3. Our New Life in Christ

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:1-11

Summary: Our New Life in Christ: What’s it all about? Right living, regular praying, rich loving, rich giving, and radiant serving.

4. What Should I Leave Behind?

Scripture: Joshua 6:15-7:15

Summary: This sermon deals with letting go of our past so that we can find freedom to enter a new life in God.

5. New Life in the Spirit

Scripture: Romans 8:1-4, Romans 8:1-6

Summary: The New Life in the Spirit, made possible through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord of Life, brings deliverance from the old bondage of sin and death.

6. A New Creation

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Summary: God has given us newness of life through Jesus Christ, therefore (1) do not live in the past, and (2) live with a renewed purpose.

7. New Life on Purpose: Worship

Scripture: John 4:23-24

Summary: We were created to worship our creator in spirit and in truth.

8. New Life on Purpose: Work

Scripture: John 13:3-17

Summary: We are committed to minister to each other and our community in humble service.

9. New Life on Purpose: Witness

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-29:18

Summary: We were commanded to share the truth of the gospel with every living creature.

10. Change What You Are Wearing

Scripture: Genesis 41:14-46:14

Summary: Something must change when God wants to do a new thing. Look at story of 3 people who experienced a new thing. They had to change something. Everyone in scripture who experienced a major New Thing had to change something.

11. New Life, New Way

Scripture: Acts 4:32-35

Summary: As we emerge “this side of Easter,” Luke’s description of the early church community in Acts makes us think deeply about the effects Jesus’ resurrection might actually have on our lives.

12. Get Out of Those Grave Clothes

Scripture: Ephesians 4:17-5:17

Summary: Paul in these verses tells us how to walk in this new life. (Ephesians 5)

13. Count Yourselves Dead to Sin

Scripture: Romans 6:11-14

Summary: A strategy for spiritual victory is given that focuses on appropriating Christ’s power in your life.

14. Beating Controlling Habits

Scripture: Galatians 5:1

Summary: People struggle with controlling habits. The Lord wants to set us free.

15. Paul: A High Impact Person, Moving From Success To Significance

Scripture: Philippians 3:4-4:4

Summary: We all can learn from Biblical characters/scoundrels because they were all thoroughly changed when they encountered God. From the example of Paul we can see how God can change and use us to be “High-Impact People” for Him.

Worship

16. Video: Let’s Go

Jesus is alive! That powerful Easter moment was not an ending but a beginning. After His resurrection, Jesus commanded us to go and tell the world. To share the hope of Easter with everyone, everywhere. Easter may be over, but our commission is clear…Let’s Go!

17. PowerPoint Package: Transformation

A perfect set of preaching backgrounds for a message about Transformation.

18. Graphic: New Life

An exciting, high resolution image of new spring leaves. Great for use in your church bulletins or to display worship lyrics, announcements, and key sermon points.

19. PowerPoint Package: From Death to Life

Bring the message of the new life to your congregation and visitors.

20. Video: Transformation is Possible

We are easily captivated by imaginary stories brought to life on the big screen and yet these stories pale in comparison to the story of a life transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This video draws that comparison in an entertaining and humorous way. It’s the perfect intro for a message on the power of the cross to change and transform us.

21. PowerPoint Package: Grafted Into New Life

This simple but elegant image of a leaf falling reminds that we can come into New Life.

22. Video: Follow the Call of Jesus

Life can seem like a constant race. This film tells us to follow God and our paths will be made straight. We can walk by faith and not by sight.

23. Video: Work in Progress

We are all a work in progress and our fears and failures have not won. God has made us a new creation in Him. Let us go out and show the world what Jesus can do through us.

24. Video: Love is Alive

At the cross, they thought it was over. Jesus was dead. Hope was lost. Love was dead. Three days later, all of that changed. Jesus was victorious. Sin and death were defeated and hope was restored. Jesus couldn’t stay in the grave because love is alive!

25. Video: We Will Rise

Churches will celebrate the resurrection of Christ, and for good reason. But what if the resurrection is inviting us – even challenging us – to allow the life of Christ to rise up within us, for the sake of the world? His story didn’t end in the grave. Neither will yours.

25 Father’s Day Sermons and Worship Resources

Daniel So

July 18, 2018

This Father’s Day, here are 25 powerful Father’s Day sermons and worship ideas — including sermons from Chuck Swindoll and Rick Warren — to help highlight the love of our Heavenly Father and to raise up godly fathers in your churches. Read more…

This Father’s Day, here are 25 powerful resources for preaching and worship — including sermons from Chuck Swindoll and Rick Warren — to help highlight the love of our Heavenly Father and to raise up godly fathers in your churches.

Father’s Day Sermons

1. The Merit of Our Mission, by Chuck Swindoll

All of life is a preliminary to the dawning of that day of the Lord, when He shall come riding on the clouds to claim His own. This place is not our home. We are pilgrims passing through, and we shall not rest until we rest IN HIM.

2. How God Tests Our Faith, by Rick Warren

We tend to get what we expect out of life. According to our faith, it will be done to us. Pastor Rick and Pastor Holladay teach four ways that God tests our faith.

3. How to Raise Positive Kids in a Negative World, by Chip Ingram

Chip Ingram offers advice from years of pastoring and parenting on how to raise spiritually strong kids in the midst of a godless world.

4. Present and Involved — A Real Father

Sermon highlights the importance of fathers being present, involved and speaking positively into the life of their children. Preached on Father’s day to challenge fathers to get involved in the life of their children.

5. Men Behaving Godly

Most of us have been exposed to the television’s portrayal of MEN BEHAVING BADLY. But I wonder how many of us have been exposed to the Bible’s portrayal of MEN BEHAVING GODLY? Would you agree with me that what the world needs today is not more men behaving Badly… What the world really needs today is more men behaving Godly.

6. The Legacy of Dad

This sermon will encourage the dads of your congregation for Father’s Day, not roast them… Dads need positive reinforcement on Fathers Day and this encourages dads to be all they can be in Christ.

7. A Father’s Day Message

Christian fatherhood is an important part of God’s plan and design the family. Paul writes that there are three important functions that Christian fathers must carry out.

8. The Inner Man

Strength from the Spirit of God in the inner man; strength in the soul; the strength of faith, to serve God, and to do our duty. If the law of Christ is written in our hearts, and the love of Christ is shed abroad there, then Christ dwells there.

9. Father’s Day

Notice that one of the responsibilities of John the Baptist was to “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children.” If ever there was a time that this needed to happen it is now.

10. A Father’s Fear

What will happen in the future with these four kids? How will I know they will survive or be safe in a harsh world? How can I know the future will be OK for them? In a real world of corrupting influences, where friends can be enemies, a world of economic downturns, where death and disease can strike with no warning, …oh, we fear for them.

11. Jairus (Father’s Day)

What did Jairus’ daugher see in her father as he sought the Saviors help on her behalf?

12. Dear Dad

The focus of this sermon is the important of young boys and men having positive male roles such as fathers, and uncles actively participating in their lives.

13. Father’s Day: Joseph

We are introduced to Joseph in the middle of a personal crisis. Having become engaged to a beautiful young girl, he has worked hard to establish an income to support his new bride and begin a family. He’s in love. He’s committed to Mary. He believed she loved him—that is, until he hears the news that his precious bride is pregnant.

14. The Fatherhood of God

Not everyone has the same experience with their earthly fathers. Some were tormented, even abused, by a godless man. Others were dominated by a tyrant. Others were ignored, or even deserted. And then there are some who never even knew who their earthly father was. But here is the hope – the promise – this morning: NONE OF US need live without the Fatherhood of God.

15. How to Become a Man After God’s Own Heart

If King David can become a man after God’s own heart, so can you; that if you desire to be all that God wants you to be.

16. Healing the “Father Absence” Wound

Today we take time to acknowledge and to thank those men in our lives that have served us as fathers. They may have been fathers, our grandfathers, our uncles, our older brothers, our coaches, our teachers, our counselors, our pastors, or that neighbor down the street. We thank those men who have taken the time to invest some of themselves into us, which has made us a better person today.

Father’s Day Media

17. PowerPoint Package: Father’s Day Tools

This colorful set of Father’s Day images is designed to welcome the dads in your church on their special day.

18. Video: I’m Sorry, Dad

There’s nothing like becoming a parent to give you perspective and appreciation for all of your dad’s sacrifices through the years. “I’m Sorry, Dad” is a comical, yet heartfelt, apology and expression of gratitude that’s perfect for Father’s Day.

19. Video: Father’s Day Prayer

There are a wide variety of fathers in your church, and Father’s Day provides a great opportunity to honor ALL of them.

20. Video: Father’s Day Quotes

This inspiring video uses quotes and verses to remind audiences of the important role fathers play in the growth, development, and lives of their children and families.

21. PowerPoint Package: A Father’s Love

This image series will warm hearts as it depicts a loving father with his precious baby. Use for Father’s Day or as a symbol of the heavenly Father’s love for His children.

22. PowerPoint Package: Father’s Day Tie

A great set of background images especially for your Father’s Day message.

23. PowerPoint Package: Father’s Day Photos

A great set of backgrounds featuring a collage of images especially for your Father’s Day message.

24. PowerPoint Package: Man of God

An excellent choice to support a Father’s Day sermon or a message to your men’s ministry.

25. Video: Teaching Moment

It’s easy to think that being a father comes down to the big moments, but it’s the everyday choices we make that define fatherhood.

Update: Andrew Brunson Allowed to Leave Turkish Prison

Bob Ditmer

July 18, 2018

UPDATE: July 25, 2018

American pastor, Andrew Brunson, held for two years on terrorism and spying charges, is leaving his prison cell.

A Turkish court has ruled that Brunson should be moved from Kiriklar prison to house arrest in Turkey, according to World Watch Monitor.

Brunson’s release comes a day after his daughter described Turkey’s two-year persecution of the pastor to delegates at the US State Department’s first-ever religious freedom ministerial being held in Washington, D. C.

Brunson will remain in pre-trial detention until the next hearing, scheduled for October 12.

UPDATE: July 18, 2018

A Turkish court has ruled that Andrew Brunson, an American pastor being tried on terrorism and spying charges, will be kept in jail pending trial.

The Second High Penal Court in İzmir decided to continue listening to the testimonies of witnesses in the next hearing on Oct. 12. Turkish judges previously denied his requests for release on April 16 and May 7.

In the courtroom, Brunson said the court had no concrete evidence as he denied the testimony of two witnesses who claimed he supported Kurdish militants. “The disciples of Jesus suffered in his name, now it is my turn,” he said, Reuters reported. “I am an innocent man on all these charges.”

The trial of a North Carolina pastor facing up to 35 years in prison over terrorism charges began on Monday.

Andrew Brunson, a 50-year-old evangelical pastor from Black Mountain, North Carolina, has spent the last 23 years living in Turkey, where he and his wife raised their daughter and two sons.

Brunson was arrested in October 2016, shortly after a failed military coup. Turkish officials claimed recently that Brunson took part in the attempted overthrow of the Erdogan government by aiding terrorist groups or spying. At the time of the uprising Brunson was leading the Resurrection Church in the western city of Izmir and applying for permanent residency.

“I don’t accept any of the allegations or accusations,” the state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Brunson as telling the court. “I did not engage in any illegal activity. I had no relations with anyone engaged in such activity.”

He added: “I am a Christian pastor. I did not join an Islamic movement. Their aims and mine are different.”

The agency said the pastor delivered his defense statement in Turkish.

The pastor’s lawyer, Ismail Cem Halavurt, told NBC News before the trial that he’s not been told who the witnesses are and that Brunson denies the charges.

Brunson, 50, appeared in court on Monday in the town of Aliaga for the first day of his trial. Also in court were Sam Brownback, the U.S. ambassador at large for religious freedoms, and U.S. Senator Thom Tillis.

Brunson’s lawyer, Cem Halavurt, has called the charges “totally unfounded,” saying they are based on testimony from secret informants. He told the AFP news agency ahead of the hearing that his client was “both nervous, but also excited because it is the first time he will appear before a judge. He has expectations and a hope.”

Brunson’s daughter, Jacqueline Furnari, told NBC News that relatives were happy the case was moving forward but concerned it could drag on further. “I’m not sure exactly why my dad was chosen. He’s a pawn in a political game between Turkey and the U.S.”

The case has strained relations between the U.S. and NATO ally Turkey.

Meanwhile, it appears the U.S. government hoped Brunson would be released, avoiding a trial. U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Chairman Dr. Daniel Mark issued a statement saying he was disappointed that Turkey decided to prolong their prosecution and unjust imprisonment of Pastor Andrew Brunson.

“Pastor Brunson is an innocent religious leader whose imprisonment for over 18 months on false allegations is an abomination. This latest development is yet another reason for the international community to condemn his imprisonment and for Congress and the administration to consider stronger steps against Turkey, including the imposition of targeted sanctions against those involved in this miscarriage of justice.”

According to CeCe Heil, executive senior counsel at the American Center for Law and Justice, Brunson has lost 50 lbs during his detention and been denied private meetings with his lawyer.

Jacqueline Furnari told a U.S. commission investigating the crackdown in Turkey that she had postponed her wedding in her father’s absence.

“I’m still waiting for my dad to walk me down the aisle, and I’m still waiting for that father-daughter dance,” she said.

Brunson is facing up to 35 years behind bars if convicted.

Numbers of Enslaved Predicted to Explode. What Can the Church Do?

Bob Ditmer

July 18, 2018

It is estimated that 45.8 million people alive today are enslaved. But a new report suggests the number is about to get a lot bigger thanks to the onset of robot manufacturing.

The annual Human Rights Outlook suggests automation will result in drastic job losses, especially in South East Asia.

The report predicts that slavery and trafficking will spiral as a result.

“Displaced workers without the skills to adapt or the cushion of social security will have to compete for a diminishing supply of low-paid, low-skilled work in what will likely be an increasingly exploitative environment,” says Verisk Maplecroft’s Head of Human Rights, Dr. Alexandra Channer. “Without concrete measures from governments to adapt and educate future generations to function alongside machines, it could be a race to the bottom for many workers.”

But it’s not just governments that should respond. Gary Haugen, Founder, CEO and former President of International Justice Mission, sees an opportunity for the church.

It’s an opening that Haugen believes the church has missed for too long. He told the ChurchLeaders podcast that although Christians have responded to evangelism and many charitable needs, “the one category where we could not see where the body of Christ had very much capacity to respond was where the poor were the victims of violence. One of the biggest forms of violence that the poor suffer around the world is slavery.”

Recalling the biblical story of the Good Samaritan, Haugen asks, what if the person in need is not laying injured in the aftermath of an attack but being beaten as you walk by? What would Jesus have you do?

Haugen said the answer lies in the Golden Rule. “If I’m being beaten up on the side of the road and a Christian comes along, what do I want him to do? I don’t want that Christian to just wait until the beating is done and give me care…I would want that beating to stop.”

“If I could transport our congregations to those places,” Haugen says of the brothels or the fishing villages that enslave children, “no one would be wondering, ‘does Jesus really think this is important? What should we do?’”

He said, instead, “love would compel us is to raise our voices and do what we can to bring rescue.”

The Effort to Stop Slavery Will Be a Big Job

One of IJM’s primary points of emphasis is ending the sex trade; a daunting task. President Donald Trump recently called human trafficking worse “than it’s ever been in the history of the world.”

Statistics from government agencies and non-government organizations (NGOs) back Trump’s claim to a certain extent. Some studies say that global human trafficking is, in nominal terms, at a historic high point. The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) estimates that there are more than 21 million victims of human trafficking worldwide as part of a $32 billion industry. Five and a half million of these 21 million victims of human trafficking are children, according to UNICEF estimates.

Social media is helping the traffickers. In the past year, the UN reports, sex traffickers have used the encrypted communications app Telegram to set up online slave auctions, circulating photos of captured Yazidi women, including their age, marital status, current location and price.

Recently, a member of Islamic State attempted to sell two enslaved women on Facebook. Displaced female Syrian refugees in Lebanon have been traded on WhatsApp, and Islamic State relies increasingly on secure apps such as Surespot and Threema for its communications.

Haugen is undaunted. “On our best days God is calling us to lead our churches in the tough things because that’s when we’ll need God.” He told the podcast audience that church leaders want this challenge, “Pastors yearn for their people to be revitalized and alive to God. There is nothing that revitalizes that experience of God more than being his witness in difficult places.”

Churches Unite to Stop Slavery

In fact, Haugen thinks slavery can be ended in this generation, if the church gets involved. More than 3,000 churches around the world agree with him and have dedicated themselves to Freedom Sunday.

On September 23rd, churches around the world “will focus on God’s passion for the fight against slavery,” Haugen announced.

Haugen believes the effort is not only what Jesus would have the church do, but will also help them grow and increase their influence in the world. In fact, he said it’s not a new plan, it’s rooted in Scripture. “The early church grew because of the supernatural way Christians loved the weak and vulnerable that couldn’t be explained.”

He’s praying for a repeat performance.

This Is Why the Church Needs a Better Narrative About Sex

Bob Ditmer

July 18, 2018

Two items in the news this week highlight the ongoing debate in culture over sexuality. Is it possible that sexual norms are changing drastically because Christians don’t know how to answer the question, “what does the Bible say about sex?”

Recently, the United Methodist Church appointed a transgender deacon. Rev, M Barclay, as the appointee requests to be called, is the first non-binary member of the clergy in the one of the largest denominations in America.

“I understand the rules of the church,” Barclay said. “But here’s the truth: I’m queer, and I’m called to this. I tried to walk away”.

Barclay identifies as neither male nor female and prefers to be called by the pronoun “they”.

In the other development, pedophiles are rebranding themselves as “MAPs” or “Minor Attracted Persons” in an effort to gain acceptance and be included into the LGBT community, according to several reports from LGBT news sites.

According to Urban Dictionary, the blanket term MAP includes infantophiles (those attracted to infants), pedophiles (pre-pubescent children), hebephiles (pubescent children), and ephebophiles (post-pubescent children). Some MAPs also refer to themselves as NOMAPs or “Non-Offending Minor Attracted Persons”.

The stories will likely make many churchgoers uncomfortable but clinical psychologist Juli Slattery says that’s because sexuality, outside of a list of do’s and don’ts, isn’t discussed on Sundays.

“Sexuality from the very beginning was created with this embedded spiritual significance that nobody really talks about”.

Slattery, the author of Rethinking Sexuality was recently a guest on the ChurchLeaders podcast.

She told host Jason Daye that her passion is helping people make the connection “about why God cares so much about sexuality and how we steward our sexuality”.

“Why did God create sexuality the way he did? What’s the purpose of our sexuality if everything in creation has something spiritual to teach us; what’s the spiritual thing our sexuality is supposed to teach us? Why is spirituality so passionate; why is it so vulnerable? Why does it embody so much of who we are as people? Why is it constantly under spiritual attack? As I’ve studied this in Scripture what I’ve come to learn is sexuality is first and foremost, not just to have babies, but to teach us about the nature of God’s covenant love”.

Why Isn’t the Church Asking ‘What Does the Bible Says About Sex?’

The vacuum left behind by those unasked questions is being filled by the culture.

“Christians just don’t talk that explicitly about sexual things. We’re far more comfortable with secular talk related to sexuality than spiritual talk related to sexuality and that has accelerated in the last decade or so.”

“The culture at large has a narrative to help us understand the purpose of our sexuality” Slattery pointed out. “It’s a narrative rooted in humanism and individualism, but it’s a story that helps us make sense of why I might be attracted to women instead of men or what do I do if I’m in an unhappy marriage. They tell you what to do with that and how to make sense of that.”

“The church at best has given us a list of do’s and don’ts about sexuality that don’t involve a narrative. So when you’re looking at that list and it doesn’t make sense for your life….you tend to view your sexuality through the cultural narrative.

“We need to embrace a biblical narrative that helps us make sense of sexuality not just a list of rules that we keep reciting.”

The recent news stories feature people who claim they are simply being true to themselves and in some cases only acting the way God made them.

“This whole idea of being true to yourself has evolved because we have rejected God as a reliable source of truth and shifted to humanistic society where I can be the source of truth,” Dr. Slattery countered. “Even if you are a committed Christian, you can’t underestimate how that has affected how we reason with ourselves. You don’t find truth by looking inward, the heart is wicked, but you can find truth by looking to God.”

What the Bible Says About Sex Is More than Just Homosexuality and Porn

But Slattery also feels the church is being hypocritical when it wades into the sexual debates of the day.

“A church that has never considered a theology of sexuality will start talking about why gay marriage is wrong or why pornography is such a great evil. It smacks of hypocrisy because now all of a sudden we’re talking about this one issue that isolates a few people. Instead what we have to start with is laying the groundwork for a holistic theology of sexuality including how all of us are at some level broken, including the pastors, including the leaders, how we struggle. All of us need God’s grace.”

Juli Slattery: Embracing a Biblical Narrative of Sexuality

Jason Daye

July 18, 2018

Juli Slattery is a recognized expert in the integration of biblical truth and sexuality. She is a clinical psychologist, author, and speaker, with over twenty-five years of experience counseling, discipling, and teaching women.

Key Questions for Juli Slattery:

– How do questions about our sexuality relate to our spirituality?
– How does what we find in scripture relate to sexuality?

[SUBSCRIBE] For more ChurchLeaders podcasts click here!

Key Quotes from Juli Slattery:

“Not only are my opinions and actions about sexuality based on my beliefs about God but also my sexual experiences impact how I view God.”

“Understanding how God created our sexuality teaches us about his covenant love.”

“We’re far more comfortable with secular talk related to sexuality than spiritual talk related to spirituality and that has accelerated in the last decade or so.”

“The church, at best, has given us a list of do’s and don’ts about sexuality that don’t involve a narrative…you tend to view your sexuality through the cultural narrative.”

“We need to embrace a biblical narrative that helps us make sense of sexuality not just a list of rules that we keep reciting.”

“We have rejected God as a reliable sense of truth and shifted to humanistic society where I can be the source of truth.”

“If I worship the creator and strive to live with integrity to him that will get me further to a place of fulfillment and joy than trying to be try to what I want.”

“Pastors are in a real difficult spot related to sexuality because it’s divisive but also because we have no models to follow.”

“God’s word is always divisive. Jesus told us the world hated hm and it will hate us.”

“We have to start laying the groundwork regarding how we all struggle with sexuality.”

“Humility toward God helps me stay grounded in truth. Humility toward people keeps me grounded in love.”

Links Mentioned by Juli Slattery in the Show:

Rethinking Sexuality

Authentic Intimacy

Juli Slattery on ChurchLeaders:

The “Why” for Every Sexual Question

Juli Slattery: The True Purpose of Discipline

5 Tips for Evaluating Your Worship Experience

Carl Barnhill

July 17, 2018

Evaluation is a vital part of making your Worship Experiences better.

There are times, as media leaders in our church, where I believe we may feel timid about critiquing the work of a volunteer. Although I do think that we need to be more delicate in our approach with volunteers, knowing that they are serving for free, I believe volunteers do want to serve our church with the best of their ability. To lovingly come alongside them to cast vision and evaluate Worship Experiences to make them better is to their benefit, to the benefit of your team, and to the benefit of your congregation.

Let me give you 5 ways I have found to improve the way you evaluate your Worship Experiences with your team.

1. Ask Your Volunteers their thoughts before Telling Them Things to Fix.
I started to use the approach of asking questions to the team first instead of going down my list of critiques. For example, during Run-Through on a Sunday morning, I would make a list of things that I saw that needed to be tweaked or fixed going into the first service of the day. When our production team met before the start of the first service, instead of running down my list of tweaks, I would ask the team what they thought of the Run-Through and what areas we might could [sic] tighten up.

What I found with this approach is that most of the time, the team members vocalized with each other exactly what was on my list. If they didn’t, I would ask questions to steer them to think about possible improvements. Asking questions instead of rattling off my list of fixes allowed them to feel ownership in the process. It also allowed them to think for themselves and not rely on me for all the answers. It allowed me to let the team operate on their own.

2. It’s okay to Push for Excellence.
I’m not sure where our mentality to think that just because we are working with volunteers means we need to ‘accept the inevitable’ that our Worship Experience is going to be sub-par, but I’d like to bust this stigma. Why not strive for the most excellent Worship Experience we can craft as a team together ever, every Sunday? When did it become not okay to push for excellence with our team, staff members or volunteers?

If we set the expectations for our team, cast compelling vision, I’ve found that the team can rise to the occasion. If I act like I don’t want to be there, that I have a million other places I’d rather be than on church on Sunday morning, that I don’t care if the Experience for our guests is the best it can be, my team feeds off that.

It’s okay to push for excellence. Don’t be a jerk. Be loving and kind. Encourage a lot more than you critique. But lead your team.

3. The Details Matter.
At the risk of sounding too picky, details in our Worship Experiences matter. Fix the extra space, the typo, the wrong font size in the lyrics for that worship song. Adjust that light fixture where it is balanced on both sides of the stage. Fix the choir or worship band so that [they’re] symmetrical or in a great place to be lit on stage. The details show you care.

I am not saying to be overly sensitive about every little, tiny thing, especially if the audience will never be distracted by it.

I am encouraging us to take pride in everything that is presented on Sunday. If we, as leaders, care about the details, our team will pick up on that. They start caring about each element as well. If the details start to slide, our experiences can start to look sloppy and not well put-together. Details matter.

4. Look for common Themes and Mistakes.
Common mistakes from multiple team members could be a great opportunity to plan a training event to cover that topic. If your camera operators are consistently struggling with the focus of their camera shots, take note of that. If your ProPresenter Operators are continually behind on lyrics or missing cues, plan a training night for ProPresenter Operators only to work through common mistakes and possible solutions.

A good time for a training night could be the same night your band rehearses. This provides live people on stage to practice with. Be sure to talk with your Worship Leader and explain your vision to them so they know what you are thinking.

Common themes and mistakes might give you an opportunity to add items to your training guides or checklists for each position. Finding solutions to common problems help when newcomers are added to your team. It allows you to speak into possible mistakes before they happen.

5. Be specific.
I have struggled in the past with either not wanting to hurt someone’s feelings or not communicating well what I’d like to see in the Worship Experience. One thing I’m realizing more and more as I serve in ministry, is that at times ‘to be unclear is to be unkind’. Meaning, it can cause more confusion or heartache to be vague about something you want changed in the Worship Experience than to be specific.

Sometimes, this is extremely hard. We are dealing with volunteers. We are dealing with people.

Try asking questions to your team as I suggested above first.

But there are times when we need to lead and we need to be specific about what we want to see. Be kind, be loving, but be clear and specific.

BONUS TIP:
If you video record your services, try uploading your service to Vimeo. You can make your video private and only give the password to your team members. Then you can type notes in the Description section in the Settings of your video. When typing in a timecode in the comments, Vimeo automatically makes the timecode clickable and will jump straight to that timecode in your video.

So when evaluating your Worship Experiences, you can point to specific times in the service and make a note to encourage your team or challenge your team through a critique.

For example:

4:15 – Great stage camera shot! That’s what I’m talking about! Wow! The rack focus shot into the keys was amazing!

24:12 – Let’s work on leading lyrics here, I felt like the congregation struggled singing because our lyrics were a touch behind.

I have found these tips useful for evaluating the Worship Experiences I’ve been involved in. I hope they help you as you lead your team to excellence this Sunday!

This article originally appeared here.

The Growing Church Series | Reflections on Church Governance

Chris Pascarella

July 17, 2018

In 2016, Brandon Kelley introduced 10 Characteristics of Churches that Grow. Reading over the list reminded me that my own church implemented many of the same changes recommended in the series, even though I didn’t know of Rookie Preacher at the time! So I wanted to look over the list again and implement all of the recommendations and see if the church would continue to grow. The model of church governance commended in the series had actually already been installed in the church before I arrived on staff. Here are some reflections on how a “staff led, elder protected” governance model has worked for us.

A Brief History

My church began (before I was born!) as a nondenominational Bible church. The founding pastor was the senior pastor for a long time. He then left to do missions work but eventually came back for a second stint. After he left the second time, the church went through senior pastor after senior pastor. So about 10 years ago, the deacon board decided to move to a “plurality of elders” model of church leadership. In many ways, my church operates as a “staff led, elder protected” church as detailed in the article. The results have been astounding. The church has continued to grow sustainably over the last 10 years. There has been much less staff “turbulence” with pastors coming and going. I am the least tenured staff member and I have already been on staff for five years!

Church Governance and Growth

I have actually seen a direct correlation between church governance and growth. I went back to our attendance archives and averaged out the attendance year-by-year. I also overlaid the tenure of the senior pastors on top of the attendance and what I discovered was that every time the senior pastor left, the church declined!

Church governance matters. It matters not just from a biblical-faithfulness perspective but also from a fruitfulness-growth perspective.

How “Staff Led, Elder Protected” Works on the Ground

The first article in the series lays out the various church governance models and suggests that a “staff led, elder protected” model is the best way to go. I agree. In fact, when the church moved to a plurality of elders model, it also began to function as being lead by the staff and protected by the elders. Here’s how our church governance handles the practical realities of ministry.

Money

In our model, the entire church membership gets one major vote every year: the overall budget. The elders develop the budget for the year and once the budget is passed, the entire church does not weigh in on every expenditure. Each ministry is given a budget and then the pastors and/or ministry leaders are free to use that money as they see fit. Such a process keeps the leadership accountable to the wider church but also streamlines the day-to-day functionality of the budget.

Vision

The elders and staff pastor collaborate on the vision for the year. We, as staff pastors, will usually “pitch” a vision going into our summer leaders retreat. We then refine the vision for the year with input from the elders. We present the refined vision at our annual vision meeting in September (which kicks off our ministry year).

Controversy and Criticism

The number one way the elders protect us as staff pastors is by taking on controversy and backing us up when criticized. They will often meet with those going through difficult times or confront those in serious sin without the staff pastors having to shoulder the load. This frees us up for more ministry and service to the body. They also provide unflagging public support for us as pastors. Although they may not agree with every decision we make, they will back us publicly. In doing so, we can minister with confidence and courage.

This article originally appeared here.

21 Questions to Ask Those You Lead

Kathie Philips

July 17, 2018

I have had the privilege of being a wife and mom for over 20 years now. One of the (many) things I’ve learned during that time is how important it is for me to ask great questions when I communicate with my family. Stress and strain can result in my relationships if I don’t communicate well. Can you relate?

Healthy relationships thrive on being able to reciprocate good, healthy communication strategies. My mom refers to this as ‘tossing the ball back’ when having a conversation. I speak, you listen. You speak, I listen.

Sure, there are lots of ingredients that go into having a conversation with someone (talking, listening, eye contact, body language, tone, etc.) but I think some of it boils down to asking great questions. Great questions can often determine the course of the conversation. Some conversations can come to a screeching halt before they even start if we’re not careful! I certainly haven’t mastered this, but I have made significant strides in this department. For example, I now ask open-ended questions that don’t garner a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response. Sometimes I push the “How did you feel about that?” question and sometimes I don’t. More often than not, I find that pausing to pray before speaking and asking God for wisdom has saved me quite a few times! I’ve learned, too, that it’s not always what I’m saying but how I’m saying it.

This same principle applies to ministry relationships. Effective communication is vital in leading others and to the health, growth and success of our ministry. In addition, good communication develops trust between a leader and those they care for.

If you want to engage someone in conversation, you have to be intentional about setting both of parties up for success. Here are just a few questions to help get those important conversation started:

Questions for Your Staff

What do we do well?
What can be improved?
Who can we invite to be part of our ministry team?
How does this program or event fit into our ministry vision and goals?
Who should we invite to be part of this discussion? Who needs to be around the table?
How can I pray for you?
How can we grow together as a team?

Questions for Your Volunteers

What worked well?
What can be improved?
How can we better equip you to lead well?
Is there anyone you know who would be a great addition to our team?
We are thinking of [insert idea]. What are your initial thoughts about that?
Do you feel challenged in your role right now?
How can I pray for you?

Questions for Parents/Families

How would you describe our ministry?
How can our ministry better serve our church’s families?
What can we do to better equip you to disciple your family?
What conversations are your family having? Where are these conversations taking place?
How can we pray for you?
What is your child struggling with?
How can we better strengthen the relationship between your home and the church?

Of course, there are risks involved when questions are asked. We see vulnerabilites in people and become vulnerable ourselves. We also have to be open to receive feedback (both positive and negative) that might trigger a certain response. But think about this…how much are you and I missing out on because important, strategic questions aren’t being asked?

This article originally appeared here.

For more great articles on leading volunteers, check out 25 Best Articles on Leading Volunteers (That Get Them to Stay and Thrive!)

Some Churches Should Die & Be Reborn

Ed Stetzer

July 17, 2018

Sometimes churches die, and sometimes they should. As shocking as this may be, the death of a church might be the best thing that could happen for the sake of the gospel within a given community.

Churches are not meant to be mere holding tanks for folks who remember “the good old days,” and if they cannot or will not fulfill their purpose, they don’t need to exist.

Don’t misread me here. Not every struggling church needs to die. Some churches go through rough spots and come out stronger on the other side.

Many that appear to be in their winter years can be revitalized and become effective again through leadership changes or, more likely, through a powerful move of God that stirs their affections and motivates them to love and good deeds. Revitalization happens and should happen more.

Facing the Death of a Church

Many struggling churches in their twilight years, however, face issues that may have a chokehold on them spiritually, financially and/or relationally. In these cases, it may be best to, as graciously as possible, close the doors.

Many churches just need to close. And for many that feels like a failure.

What If the Death of a Church and Its Replanting Are Connected?

But what if, instead of merely closing the doors and walking away, there was another way? What if there could be a changing of the guard? What if, in the fertile composting soil of the dead church, a new, healthier church could be birthed to pick up the mantle of gospel work the first had begun?

Replanting is a healthy approach to dealing with a dying congregation, and it should be considered as people find themselves facing the death of a church. I’ve written on replanting before here, but today I’d like to quickly discuss what healthy replanting might look like, since it’s becoming a more common practice.

Keep in mind that much of what follows will need to be worked out well in advance before a replant actually happens. Replanting does not happen overnight—at least healthy replanting doesn’t.

Don’t try to force it, but do consider pursuing it.

Here are some short ideas.

First, Create a New Identity After the Death of a Church.

A new church will need a new identity so the community will know it’s a new church. You see, they’ve already decided the old church was not for them. They may decide the same thing about the new church. However, a new identity is a new opportunity for engagement.

Movements Come and Go, the Church Remains

Stephen Altrogge

July 17, 2018

Church movements come and go. Case in point: I just finished Greg Thornbury’s outstanding biography of Larry Norman, Why Should The Devil Have All the Good Music? which I highly recommend.

Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?: Larry Norman and the Perils of Christian Rock

Gregory Thornbury – Convergent Books – Kindle Edition

If you have any interest in the history of Christian music, are puzzled as to how the Newsboys are still in existence 52 years after their inception, or wonder why most Christian music sounds pretty much the same, read the book.

As I read it, I couldn’t help but reflect on how so-called “revolutionary” church movements come and go within the church, but always seem to burn out after awhile.

Larry was on the front edge of both the Jesus Movement and Christian rock.

He wanted to create something big. Culture shaking. Revolutionary. Something that would rattle the Christian landscape and achieve massive and unique things for God.

Larry felt like the church was full of hypocrites and a total failure, and so he wanted to spearhead something unique and new and big for God. A sort of “Jesus without all the trappings of the church” movement. Something “real” and “radical” that would achieve things for God that the church couldn’t. He thought of himself as a true Christian revolutionary, somewhat in the vein of Martin Luther (although he didn’t use that particular reference).

And while the Jesus Movement was certainly an amazing work of God (not Larry) that transformed thousands of lives (including my dad’s), ultimately it just kind of faded away.

I’ve seen a few church movements come and go in my life as well. Both the Emergent Church and the Neo-Calvinism church movements appeared around the same time, occupying most of my college years and a few years after.

Rob Bell was supposedly this new breed of pastor who didn’t preach so much as converse with his audience in artistic, story-driven ways. He wore cool glasses and wrote books that featured an odd amount of white space between the paragraphs.

Guys like Mark Driscoll, Francis Chan, D.A. Carson, Al Mohler and Tullian Tchividjian gathered huge crowds as they preached old doctrines in new and engaging ways. Mars Hill (Driscoll’s, not Bell’s) appeared to be some sort of new, edgy, punk rock, yet also orthodox Christianity that could be a model for other churches to follow. The kind of place where the worship leader might smoke cigarettes and everyone was cool with it.

I was never a fan of the Emergent movement, but I did dig what was happening in the Reformed world. Being young, restless, and Reformed (to quote Collin Hansen) was cool and it felt like I was part of something much bigger happening in Christendom. It felt like God was on the move. It also felt like we had discovered something new, which in hindsight is utterly ridiculous, but that’s a characteristic of every movement.

For the most part, both those movements have seen their heyday and passed. To be clear, there are loads of men and women still faithfully preaching and writing the same things (both good and bad), but it’s happening in the local church or, in Rob Bell’s case, on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

This is why I’ll take the local church over “movements” any day. Yes, God does unique things in history where he refreshes and revives his people. He sends revivals and awakenings. But in order for movements to keep moving, they have to keep pushing the boundaries, which often leads to problems.

Faithful ministry isn’t about pushing boundaries, for the most part. It’s about proclaiming the same gospel truths, again and again.

And ultimately, the manifold, saving, redeeming wisdom of God is displayed in the church.

Church movements tend to be made up of people who are similar in age, preferences, etc. It’s not particularly difficult to get a group people riled up about a particular cause. With social media, it’s easier than ever.

Not so the church. In the church, God gloriously gathers people from all walks of life, unites them in Christ, and builds them together into a temple for himself.

There are a variety of movements happening now in the church, many of which are good. But I’m increasingly becoming a local guy. I’ve seen too many “revolutionary” things quickly spring up and just as quickly fade away. I’ve seen some of the leaders of these movements fall either into egregious sin or heresy.

I’ve also seen how true, lasting change happens primarily (not exclusively) in the context of the local church.

So yes, I’ll pray for revival and fresh moves of God. But the church is here to stay, and I’ll stay with it.

This article originally appeared here.

How Malaysia and North Korea Inspire Us to Pray Impossible Prayers

Dean Walker

July 17, 2018

I recently returned from Malaysia (No. 23 on the World Watch List) where secret believers at a secret church told us how their government had been persecuting Christians for decades. They said Malaysia had recently gone through an election in May to vote for a new prime minister. Malaysian Christians had been praying for a change that would give them the freedom to follow Jesus in their country.

Answered Prayers for the Malaysian Church

At the same time as the election in Malaysia, hundreds of churches around the United States had joined a 30-day prayer campaign for the country.

But this convergence wasn’t planned.

The U.S. churches didn’t choose the dates to coincide with the election. I doubt few even knew about it. Still, the Spirit called them to pray for Malaysia—and to join with the Malaysian church—during the exact same time as this pivotal turning point for the country and Malaysian Christ followers.

The election outcome was a surprise to the whole country. For the first time in 60 years, the government changed leadership. Now, for the first time in 20 years, the country has a different prime minister who has pledged more freedom for Christians.

The Lord answered prayers in Malaysia.

Answered Prayer Beginnings in North Korea

We’ve also recently witnessed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meet with President Trump in a historic meeting. North Korea is currently ranked No. 1 on the World Watch List as the most difficult place to live as a Christian. For decades, believers in North Korea and around the world have been praying for the isolated country and religious freedom.

While we have yet to see what the June 11 summit will produce, we do know that the meeting is unprecedented. Never before has a sitting U.S. president met with the leader of the North Korean regime. We continue to pray that God will use the summit and that it will be the beginning of religious freedom for the underground church of 300,000 believers in North Korea.

3 Powerful Truths About Prayer

Neither of these major political events in Malaysia or North Korea was predicted or expected to happen. However, both provide hope for Christians, persecuted and free. They inspire us to continue to fervently pray, especially when it seems as if we’re praying impossible prayers. And they show us that prayer does indeed bring change:

Prayer changes hearts. Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord.” Scripture shows us that through prayer, the Lord can change the hearts of leaders and advance His Kingdom.

2. Prayer changes the world. Through our prayers and petitions, the Lord hears us. He hears our groans for our persecuted brothers and sisters and does indeed change the circumstances of this world. The election of Malaysia’s new prime minister and the U.S. meeting with Kim Jong Un are recent examples of how the Lord can and does begin to put the wheels of change in motion through our desperate prayers.

I love what Open Doors Founder Brother Andrew says: “Our prayers can go where we cannot…there are no borders, no prison walls, no doors that are closed to us when we pray.”

3. Prayer is ongoing; we need it now as much as ever. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Paul reminds us, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

The secret believers in Malaysia asked that we continue to pray for them. They have renewed hope with a new prime minister and a new government, but they’ve asked that we pray now more than ever that their new leader would do as he said and provide freedom to persecuted Christians. We must also continue praying for our persecuted family in North Korea as world leaders meet and provide hope for their future.

The Lord answers prayers and has called us to pray without ceasing. Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:12 that we are in a spiritual fight “against the rulers of the darkness of this world.” Please join us as we lift hearts and voices in prayer for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ. We need you in the battle.

Want to make a difference in your community? Learn more about being a connector here.

8 Must-Have Elements of the Best Coding Boot Camps

Leslie Massey

July 17, 2018

Coding is an important job skill for the future and the best coding boot camp can help you build it.

When looking into the number of businesses relying on computer code, we realized that eight of the top 25 jobs this year are tech positions, according to Glassdoor.

In 2015, seven million job openings were in occupations that required coding skills, and programming jobs overall are growing 12 percent faster than the market average. As a result, coding has become an in-demand skill that can significantly boost a candidate’s opportunity of obtaining a high salary.

Many great coding boot camps are available and most of them provide excellent curricula and produce great results. Their main focus is teaching students how to code and build apps.

In a world where ethics and belief systems are as important as the career you’re pursuing, it’s beneficial to look into schools that can bridge the gap between the tech space and Christianity.

Learning how to code and grow in technology can be bolstered by programs that can also strengthen students spiritually along the way, according to Bethel School of Technology.

Great coding boot camps offering spiritual growth in conjunction with excellence in tech development give students added value with these nine things.

Caring about your spiritual well being – not just code. Look for a school that sees their students first as world changers and second as soon-to-be great developers.
A great pastoral mentorship. What opportunities for mentorship exist in and around the coding program?
Shared vision. A great Christian tech community shares common visions and goals.
Options for students. Does the school enable students to become a Fullstack Developer or Filemaker Expert?
Varied skill development. Make sure the program will help you master tools like HTML/CSS/JS, Reactjs, Angular, Java, C#, Ruby, Databases, Project Management, Security, Deployment, Responsive Design and more.
Access to experienced developers who are available to answer any questions. Developers must dedicate time to making sure their students are getting what they’re paying for.
Long-term success from a school that will strengthen your career finding skills. Look for a program that will partner with you to write up attention-grabbing resumes as well as personally connect you with companies that are in search of developers.
Ongoing development. The best programs are at the forefront of a competitive, ever-changing industry with lifetime access to courses, (typically at no cost), allowing graduates to return at any time to learn new technology and refresh their skills on existing technology.

The coding boot camp at Bethel Tech meets students where they’re at and requires no previous knowledge in web development. Learn more at betheltech.net.

Making Quiet Time with God

Josh Weidmann

July 17, 2018

Having a quiet time focused on spending time with God should not be irrelevant to your daily life.

Often, we talk about our “Meeting With God” or “Quiet Time” as if it is unrelated to the rest of the busy day we are facing. We speak of it as reading, learning, or doing something altogether different than what would be pertinent to our day. When did God ever say that He desired His Word and our meeting with Him to be a burden for us? He is too kind to be a burden. He is too loving to be irrelevant. He is too knowledgeable of your life to not avoid the details.

The Importance of Spending Time with God

When we prioritize spending time with God on a daily basis, it should be something that impacts the rest of our day. If we are just reading something to accomplish a Bible reading plan, stay up with a recent book, or fulfill an obligation, our time with the Lord will be more obligatory than life-giving. It will be more legalistic than graceful. Our time with God should be something that flows from God’s Word and has an immediate application into our life.

Our time with God should include talking with Him about what is ahead in our day. It should be filled with thanksgiving for what He gave us the day before, but requests for His providence again on this day. We should be asking God how He would like us to handle an ensuing situation. In our meeting, we should receive the truth of His Word and the prompting of His Spirit as the directive. Akin to the meeting we have with our boss (but much more loving and relevant), we should walk away with clarity, direction, next actions and applicable truths.

Why do people love Jesus Calling? Because they feel it is relevant to their daily life. It makes Jesus personal, His Word applicable and it is not a legalistic chore to read, but rather provides grace, hope and encouragement for the issues they are facing that day. I have nothing against Jesus Calling, but I do have a bone to pick with boring (and therefore often avoided) quiet times that are based on God’s Word. We should be able to read straight from the source and be deeply impacted by what we read, not confused or unaffected. While Jesus Calling may be a fine supplement, we should not always need a supplement to make the Bible relatable. It is relevant already.

Perhaps what is keeping us from being habitual Bible readers is that we have not found it relevant to our life. However, this book is the only book that has lasted the test of time to be our textbook for life and godliness. It has relevance to every area of our life. It doesn’t read like an encyclopedia and you can’t type in your problem and search the pages like Google. But if you are willing to meet with God as you read it, He can show you the principles and precepts in its pages that are relevant to your life. He wrote the Bible as a textbook for life by applying its principles within the stories of others who lived before us. The various genres of the Bible do not hinder us from applying it to modern-day, but the stories and genres can assist us to find how it applied to those who went before us.

I want to invite you to join me on a 20/20 journey*. For the next 20 days, for at least 20 minutes a day, we will read our Bible and meet with God. This should include:

Reading the Bible. Obvious, I know, but let’s start here. If you are looking for a place to begin reading, I recommend reading John, Philippians, or a Psalm and Proverb of the day. You can also use the index to find a passage relevant to your life-matter today and then go read that passage in context. Whatever you do, just get in the Word. (Download my free 20/20 Journey Gospel of John Reading Plan Workbook)
Pray on what the Bible said. Now, review the passage by praying through it to the Lord. Ask Him to make it real and relevant to what you are facing right now.
Apply the Bible to your immediate context. Write down three to four action items that you think pertain to your day today from your time in God’s Word and prayer. They should be specific, measurable (meaning you know when they are done), attainable, realistic and timely.

Abiding in Christ is applying the Words of Christ. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments,” he said. So, find time to be with Christ and meet with Him habitually and relevantly in your immediate context.

*Join the 20/20 Journey! Read through the Gospel of John in 20 days. Download your free 20/20 Journey Workbook HERE.

This article about spending time with God originally appeared here.

4 Biblical Tips for Parenting Your 2 Year Old That You’ll Thank Me for When He’s 16

Brian Berry

July 17, 2018

If you’re parenting a 2-year-old, you’re most likely trying to figure out how to get a little more sleep! The last thing on your mind is what that 2-year-old is going to be like as a teenager. But if you don’t want to lose sleep now, just imagine how much you’re still going to be wanting sleep when that 2-year-old is 16!

4 Biblical Tips for Parenting Your 2 Year Old Into a Teenager You’ll Enjoy

Teach Your 2 Year Old How to Think (process-based) Not Just What to Think (product-based).

Romans 12:2 says, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.” (NLT)

One of our jobs as a parent is to do just that. Not merely copy the behaviors and parenting patterns of those (even good-intentioned) people around us, but to rethink some stuff. I think we need to rethink how it is that we are teaching our kids to make good choices. If we don’t want to raise teens who follow every idea or thought their friends or this world musters up and calls cool, then it’s imperative to introduce this at preschool.

The key word here is “why.” This is not an issue of “what” we let our kids do or “how” it is that they will do it. It’s largely about helping our kids t answer the “why would I do this or that?” question on their own in a manner that reflects solid reasoning and good choices.

As little ones, this means:

Don’t just provide healthy snacks, help them understand why one food is better for them than another. “My mom doesn’t let me eat that” is not going to last as a de-motivator for the long haul. When our kids understand that they want to have a strong body and that certain foods won’t help them do that, it’s a better parenting process that leads to the same behavior we could have simply forced anyway.
Limit the “because I said so” to a last resort parenting card you play. Even if I must use that phrase to gain obedience today, I must also explain how I came to that conclusion at some point with them in ways they might understand. A 2-year old that knows not to cross the street without looking is great. A 2-year-old who knows why you don’t cross the street without looking is better.
Help kids understand why. Help kids decide why a TV show, music choice, or movie might not be the best option for them instead of just ruling it out.
Allow kids to be themselves. Don’t demand that they do everything your way, just demand that their way needs to have solid reasoning. So if you want socks folded and they want them tossed in a drawer, let them argue why their way works before forcing your way upon them. Help them learn the process and articulate solid reasoning in decision making. This will be critical when the issues aren’t how organizing socks, but instead, who will I date or how do I want to decide what to do on Friday night. The ability to reason out a solid decision is a mission-critical life skill we must all work toward developing in our kids.

2. Expect your 2-year-old to be maturing (experience-based), not to be mature (evaluation based).

Ephesians 4:12-13 reads, “Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ. ” (NLT)

Our goal as parents is future tense. We are working toward maturity which is a continuum. As a pastor to teens, my primary problem is not with a teen who is acting 16, it’s with a parent who is. If we all learned to act our age, we’d be better off across the board in my opinion.

This means you should expect your 2-year-old to spill stuff, try out new words she heard someone else say, pitch a fit now and again, and cry when hurt in ways you no longer cry about as an adult.

For parenting 2-year-olds, this means:

- Give them age and capability related responsibilities. If they can’t carry a whole grocery bag in after groceries are bought, give them something from the bag they can carry. Help them to be as mature as they are able. Maybe they’re not ready to do their own laundry, but maybe they can put away their own laundry once it’s folded. When our kids were younger, one of our pumpkin patch rules was that you could only have one as big as you could carry all the way to the car. No cart. No help. Seems silly, but it reminded our kids that they are responsible for what they are able to do in a subtle way. We’ve often used the pumpkin patch as a teaching illustration for them when they ask to do that which is inappropriate for them, either too small or too big.
- Give them the freedom to fail. We all make mistakes. We desperately need houses of grace that help us to learn from and move on after falling short. Our kids will jack up life. When they do, be quick to use them as teachable moments that move them toward maturity…. even if it constantly feels like 5 steps forward and 3 steps back.
- Treat each child as an individual. As age increases, consider and evaluate each kid individually as parents and work toward healthy behavior and responsibility expectations for their current age. Remember, the goal is to work yourself out of a job. You are trying to set patterns that are moving your child closer to a full-fledged self-motivated and capable adult who is able to care for their own needs.

3 Books That Will Improve Your Prayer Life Immediately

Kie Bowman

July 16, 2018

Every believer knows prayer can move mountains, draw us closer to Christ, help us live the Christian life more effectively, connect us to answers from Heaven, and so much more. Yet, most of us also readily admit we don’t pray enough and often struggle to pray in faith. Perhaps you can identify with the Christian writer Marshall Segal who recently wrote, “Prayer might be, at the same time, the most pivotal and most puzzling activity in the Christian life. It is the lifeline and life-mystery for believers. We know we need to pray, but we know we don’t pray enough. And we’re not always sure we’re even doing it right when we do pray.”

Because prayer is both powerful and perplexing, I suggest you read one or all of these books to jolt your prayer life back into a healthy rhythm. This isn’t an exhaustive list because if it was I would have to include books by Leonard Ravenhill, David Brainerd, E.M. Bounds, John Franklin, Jack Taylor, Samuel Chadwick, Anne Graham Lotz, Ronnie Floyd, Daniel Henderson, Bill Elliff, Steve Gaines, Bill Bright, Al Mohler and many others. The three books I’ve chosen for this list are easy to read, perfect for getting your prayer life started, or for starting over. So, here’s a brief idea what each book is about and why you should read it.

**1) THE HOUR THAT CHANGES THE WORLD by Dick Eastman**

For many years, when the low cost paperback edition was available, I led the churches I’ve served to give away hundreds—maybe thousands—of copies of this book. I have recommended it to everyone I know. I once wrote the author and jokingly told him I had singlehandedly made his book a best seller! He wrote me back an encouraging note.

This book divides an hour into 12 segments of five minutes each. It shows the reader how to incorporate the different aspects of prayer, like praise, confession, intercession and eight other categories (praise is listed twice), into our daily communion with God. The book is full of inspirational quotes and uses enthusiastic, simple language to motivate us to pray more regularly and confidently. It is, for all of its rich content, a short book too, so it won’t take you long to read it.

**2) WRESTLING WITH GOD by Greg Laurie**

There are three things I like about this book. For one thing it is written in a positive, sometimes humorous, common sense way, using everyday language. You don’t need a big theological vocabulary to read this book. Secondly, the book uses numerous examples and stories, excellent quotes and Greg Laurie’s own life experiences to help us overcome one of our biggest challenges in prayer—we get discouraged and tend to give up too quickly. Finally, the book is short. It’s a quick read and you can start benefiting from it right away.

3) FRESH WIND FRESH FIRE by Jim Cymbala

This book is one of the most influential books I’ve ever read. The story of how God transformed a struggling congregation of about 25 people into one of the leading churches of our time is pure gold! In one sense it’s more than a book about “how to pray.” In fact, it’s not that at all. Yet, in order to grasp in a contemporary context what is possible when people pray, this is “must reading.” The first chapter hooked me and I couldn’t put it down. The entire book is loaded with personal stories of contemporary people who received incredible answers to prayer and transformed lives as a result of prayer. I urge everyone to read this book and I beg every member of my church to read it. If you’re a pastor you have to read this book!

There you have it—a summer reading list on prayer that can revolutionize your prayer life!

This article originally appeared here.

Guilt, Conviction and Freedom

Regi Campbell

July 16, 2018

After watching 10 episodes of The Staircase on Netflix, my wife and I feel like lawyers. Or jurors. We’ve been schooled in the difference between “guilty” and “not guilty” and a lot of other legal stuff.

Did you realize our legal system never says someone is innocent…just that there’s enough evidence to find the accused guilty beyond a reasonable doubt? Or not.

I doubt anyone reading this post sees themselves as innocent of sin. Come on…we all screw up! Some big. Some small. Some rarely. Some often. Sometimes we choose to disobey God, our conscience, or both. Sometimes we don’t mean to…we just kind of wake up and realize we said or did something we shouldn’t have. We feel a twinge of guilt in our spirit. We did it, we know it and we regret it.

But now what? What do we do? How do we deal with it and move on?

I believe guilt is a catalyst for conviction, forgiveness and freedom. Guilt happens the minute we ‘do the deed.’ Conviction happens when the verdict arrives. It says “you are guilty and this is the penalty for what you did.” Freedom comes after the price is paid and forgiveness is received.

There’s an old saying: “Keep short accounts with God and men.” Often the man we have the hardest time forgiving is ourselves. When I screw up, I try to force myself to confess, ask forgiveness from the other person and then forgive myself. That last step is the one many of us forget.

This happened to me just last week. I was meeting with a sharp young guy who was really paying attention to my input. Out of my mouth comes a filthy word that had no purpose other than to prove my manhood and hubris. I immediately felt the Holy Spirit kick me in the conscience. I had to confess and ask his forgiveness. It didn’t feel good. It still doesn’t. But it’s over. I dealt with it. I’m not carrying it around and letting the devil keep beating me up with it.

If we ignore these twinges of guilt, we cut ourselves off from one of God’s best ‘guidance systems’ for our lives. We can become callous in our words and actions and over time, become hard-hearted on the outside and guilt-ridden on the inside. Not where we want to be.

But if we’ll ‘keep short accounts,’ act when we’re convicted and deal with our guilt, we can live in freedom, grateful for His love and forgiveness. Over time, we might even become a little more like Jesus, avoiding sin in the first place.

“It is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, God’s job to judge and my job to love.” – Billy Graham

Scripture: Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. (James 5.16a” data-version=”esv” data-purpose=”bible-reference”>James 5:16a)

This article originally appeared here.

Parents, You Can’t Build Heaven Here

Stephen Witmer

July 16, 2018

Have you received the annual Christmas letter from The Perfect Family? You know, the one with the kids who captain the lacrosse team, jump horses, make the dean’s list, play violin, serve at the homeless shelter, and learn Greek and Latin, all while mentoring other children? By the time you finish reading the letter and set it down with trembling hands, your Christmas spirit has evaporated. You have a panicky fear that maybe you haven’t provided enough opportunities for your kids.

In moments like this—and in a thousand other moments of parenting panic—it’s good to remind ourselves of where we’re headed and what counts the most:

…straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13–14)

Paul doesn’t solve every parenting decision in these verses, but he does point to the ultimate goal of life, and, by implication, the ultimate goal of parenting. These verses can turn panicky parents into pilgrim parents with a purpose.

The goal of Paul’s life—everything he does—is future resurrection in the new creation. This final goal doesn’t render obsolete all his daily activities, such as eating, sleeping, working, evangelizing, talking and traveling. Rather, it orients and aligns them. It gives them a purpose. And it does that for our parenting, too.

We’re called to parent our children toward eternity. This is a major challenge. It turns out to be remarkably difficult to keep our hearts fixed on God’s future new creation rather than attempting to seize that future in our present. Parents attempt to establish heaven on earth in at least two common ways. Some of us expect our children to be heaven for us. Others expect to build heaven for them.

Making Our Kids Our Heaven

I know parents who require perfection from their children. Failure is not an option. Demanding heaven on earth from them, they make it hell instead, squeezing, scolding and cajoling them into the very sense of failure they’re desperate to help them avoid.

Perhaps you don’t fall into that trap in such an extreme way. But isn’t it easy for the successes or failures of our children to assume too great an importance? Hold a penny close enough to your eye and it will obscure an entire building. Hold a child too close and she’ll obscure your view of heaven.

Our goal as parents is to reach the new creation together with our children. We’re to be a pilgrim people, journeying toward future perfection, but never there yet this side of heaven. We’re to say with Paul, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect…” (Philippians 3:12).

Worship Leader, Stop Trying to Be Cool

David Santistevan

July 16, 2018

I wonder…if Jesus were to evaluate our worship, would cool be a value?

If the Son of God stepped into our Sunday morning services, would impressed be a word He’d use?

It’s time for the worship leaders to arise who care deeply about people and care deeply about the presence of God. A kind of worship leader who knows the people he serves and knows the God he worships.

If you enjoy fashion, that is no problem. But that’s not your strength as a worship leader.

If you have a trendy voice, that is a great gift. But it’s not your strength as a worship leader.

If you are a skilled songwriter, that is wonderful. But it’s not your strength as a worship leader.

If you have a ton of on-stage energy, that will serve you well. But it’s not your strength as a worship leader.

What sets you apart? What makes you a great leader? It’s your ongoing hunger for God’s presence and a deep compassion for people. Period.

I don’t care if you’re 65 and wear baggy pants. You have a place if you have an ongoing hunger for God and a compassion for people.

I don’t care if you’re young and inexperienced. Hunger for God. Compassion for people.

Cool isn’t a value. At times, our drive for relevance has simply left us with a Christian alternative to what the world gives. Let’s pursue transcendence. Let’s recapture the mystery of Heaven on earth.

To be honest, the problem is when we think we’re something. When we carry a pride that leaves us impressed with ourselves and more concerned about what people think of us than the ministry we are doing.

Banning Liebscher, pastor of Jesus Culture, said it well in a recent podcast: Some of us are more passionate about pursuing a dream than we are about Jesus. We are more driven by our reputation than the praise of God.

Instead, let’s be:

– Real

– Biblical

– Compassionate

– Committed

– Worshipers

– Nameless

– Brokenhearted

– Simple

– Christ-centered

– Holy

– Outward

– Teachable

– In pursuit

– Flexible

– Humble

– Passionate

That might not make you known, but it will serve to make the beauty of Christ more visible.

Who Are You Pleasing?

It comes down to who you’re aiming to please. Listen to what Paul says in Galatians:

“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).

Paul goes so far to say that if his aim was to please people, he literally couldn’t be a servant of Christ. Crazy, huh?

Let me ask you—who are you aiming to please?

Worship leader, do you want to entertain people for a service or lead them to the Fountain that will never run dry? Do you want to raise up worshipers who are dependent on your charisma and talent or a people who can worship in the midst of their storms?

Do you want to be known or to make the Eternal, Glorious God known to as many people as possible?

Are you fostering a local church of fans or true worshipers?

I know these are big questions. This is intense. But the conversation is worth it.

What do you think? Are we trying too hard to be cool rather than biblical? What is your experience?

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1) THE HOUR THAT CHANGES THE WORLD by Dick Eastman

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**1) THE HOUR THAT CHANGES THE WORLD by Dick Eastman**

**2) WRESTLING WITH GOD by Greg Laurie**