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Update: Methodist Church Seeks Release of Three Missionaries in the Philippines

By
Bob Ditmer
-
communicating with the unchurched

UPDATE: July 16, 2018

All three Methodist missionaries detained in the Philippines have now been allowed to leave the country.

Miracle Osman left the Philippines after the Bureau of Immigration (BI) served her an order to leave due to her alleged involvement in political activities. She exited the Philippines on Thursday, July 12. She was the third Methodist missionary recently expelled—and blacklisted—from the Philippines.

Earlier, Methodist missionaries Adam Thomas Shaw and Tawanda Chandiwana also left the Philippines for supposedly engaging in political activities. The BI also accused Shaw and Chandiwana of overstaying.

Chandiwana spent more than eight weeks in detention.

United Methodist officials are calling for the release of a missionary who has been held in the Philippines since May 9. They also asking authorities to let two other church workers leave the country.

Tawanda Chandiwana was arrested for overstaying his visa. While in custody, Philippine authorities discovered he was on a “watch list” of suspected subversives. Chandiwana has denied any wrongdoing.

Chandiwana is part of the Global Mission Fellows program of Global Ministries, which places young adults ages 20-30 in mission service.

The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries has been working for weeks with Filipino United Methodist bishops and others to secure Chandiwana’s release. He was moved from Davao City to Manila on June 4 and currently is in the Bicutan Detention Center.

The church is also asking government officials to allow Miracle Osman and Adam Shaw to leave the country. Osman’s passport was confiscated over a visa violation and also reported to be a “watch list” and Shaw has been informed that an order to leave is imminent. His passport was confiscated.

“We vigorously protest this treatment of our mission personnel,” said Mr Thomas Kemper, general-secretary of the United Methodist Global Ministries.

“It is unconscionable that Tawanda has been held for six weeks… We are respectfully asking that these young people be allowed to leave.”

This isn’t the first run-in with government authorities for the trio. They were detained at police checkpoints in February while taking part in an international ecumenical fact-finding investigation of alleged human rights violations, including the deaths of nine indigenous people.

Human rights groups have been documenting cases of abuses since President Rodrigo Duterte placed Mindanao under martial law in May last year, after Muslim militants seized large parts of Marawi city in southern Mindanao.

The five-month siege was the Philippines’ biggest security crisis in decades, killing more than 1,100 people, mostly militants.

The group Karapatan has tallied at least 49 victims of summary executions and 22 cases of torture, purportedly at the hands of security forces.

Critics allege the government has been targeting those who have criticized not just human rights abuses in Mindanao, but also Duterte’s war on the narcotics trade.

The three were assigned to Initiatives for Peace, a movement that supports peace negotiations among those involved in armed conflict.

Chandiwana, 28, from Zimbabwe, is a lifelong United Methodist who says he wants to serve God by serving others. He has a master’s degree in public policy and governance from Africa University, a United Methodist institution.

Osman, 24, is from Blantyre, Malawi. Her bio says she believes missionary work is God’s perfect plan for her life. She holds a social work degree from the Catholic University of Malawi and has been the young women’s coordinator for The United Methodist Church in Malawi.

Shaw, 29, of Brunswick, Ohio, is the son of the Rev. Thomas and Susan Shaw, who were missionaries in Tunisia and Germany from 1994 through 2003. He has been a Global Ministries’ missionary in Mindanao since 2016 with Save Our Schools, an education network for indigenous children, and previously served in the region as a mission intern.

7 Major Warning Signs When Hiring Staff

By
Dan Reiland
-
communicating with the unchurched

Hiring someone to join your staff is one of the coolest things ever, and simultaneously can scare you spitless.

Especially if you’ve ever had a newly hired staff person go from a dream come true to your worst nightmare.

I always love the privilege to get to add someone to the team. It represents newness, progress and taking new territory. But it’s far better to have an unfilled position, no matter how long it takes, rather than hire the wrong person.

The hiring process is complicated, it’s honestly a study in human nature. Even done well, you never remove all the risks. But there are certain things you can watch for.

Over the course of three decades of hiring experience, I have observed definite patterns and behaviors that either draw me in or drive me away from a potential staff member.

Snap judgments and quick opinions are never wise, but there are specific caution flags that I’ve learned that should not be ignored.

Sometimes a caution flag turns out to be no big deal. It’s just a small piece of the candidate’s story, and in context of their larger story, it’s not something that defines who they are as a person.

In order to grasp and fully understand this kind of nuance in a person’s story it requires that you:

  • Pay close attention during the interview process.
  • Ask open ended questions, ask for stories, and ask more questions directly from their answers.
  • Don’t hesitate to ask tough questions.
  • Involve a team, and never have only one person make the hiring decision.
  • Never rush the process.

I’m sure you could add a warning flag or two, but here are seven you should not ignore.

7 Major Warning Signs:

1) It seems like a job more than a calling.

I’m not suggesting that you over spiritualize or even romanticize the hiring process. The position receives a paycheck, but it’s also a church and a sense of calling needs to be evident to some degree.

It’s a delicate balance I know; you don’t want to have someone play the God card.

For example, “God told me He wants me here.” There must be room for God to speak to both parties. But a genuine sense from the candidate that God is in the process is vital.

2) Their spouse is not fully supportive of the idea.

If the spouse isn’t enthusiastic, you need to proceed with great caution.

If the candidate says, “My husband or wife will get happy when we get here,” no they won’t. If they aren’t happy about the decision before they join the team, it only gets worse after. Don’t force it no matter how much you like the person.

It’s not that you are “interviewing” the spouse, but you do want to get to know them. It’s also important that they attend worship at your church at least once and love it.

They need to want to attend your church, not just work there.

3) Spiritual life and community appear to take a back seat to advancement.

It’s good to know the potential staff member has aspirations to rise in responsibility within the organization. Ambition is good. But there’s more to this idea.

It’s true that you are hiring a person to fulfill a specific responsibility. Be very clear on your expectations. However, in the local church, spiritual life and community cannot be separated from the job.

It’s critical that your candidate expresses a genuine longing to grow as a Christian, be part of your community, and develop in their spiritual maturity.

4) The focus is on what they’ll receive more than what they’ll contribute.

The good news is that this one is generally easy to see. The tough part is that you may be dazzled by their talent and experience and tempted to overlook it.

Things like salary and benefits, time off each week, advancement, opportunity to teach, a voice in leadership, a seat at the table, decision-making, etc., are all legitimate interests.

But if these things become the primary focus of the conversation rather than a desire to make a significant contribution and see lives changed, that’s a huge warning flag. Go slow and make sure!

5) They are critical of their former church and the leadership.

A potential staff member’s willingness to be candid is good. And telling the story of why they want to make a change sometimes contains a less than ideal current scenario. However, it’s never necessary to be harsh or critical about your previous church and or bosses.

When someone is coming from a less than ideal situation, or even a toxic one, it’s important to hear what part of that situation they take responsibility for.

The essential thing you’re looking for is the person’s willingness to take responsibility for something, or it is always someone else’s fault.

6) Humility seems to be minimal or possibly even missing.

Confidence is a good thing, but the source of a person’s confidence is important.

Do they give credit to others, tell stories of gratitude about their mentors and coaches, and acknowledge God’s part in their successes?

This is a huge indicator of their teachability, their maturity to remain positive when they don’t get their way, and ability to play team ball.

7) They appear to be uncomfortable in their own skin.

Every potential staff member needs some grace because they may be a little nervous. They want to do well, that’s natural. So, help make them feel at home and comfortable.

If, however, the candidate never seems to relax and enjoy the conversation and has trouble being himself or herself, it’s a good indicator they will continue to behave the same way when on staff.

Look for things like, do their answers seem genuine or contrived? Do they have a natural sense of humor? Are they telling their story or “reading their resume”?

I hope these seven warning signs are helpful to you.

What warning sign would you add?

The original article appeared here.

The Worth of a Woman

By
Gary Thomas
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communicating with the unchurched

If you’ve been a longtime reader of this blog, you know I don’t typically speak out on topical issues, news items or politics. There are plenty of places you can go to for that kind of information, written by people much more in the know and more capable of immediately writing about late breaking events, scandals or controversies.

The way my brain works (slow, slower still, and then come back and rewrite), I shoot for what could be called “timeless truths.” Blog posts should hold up and be true regardless of who is in the White House or what pastor did what thing in what church, or what denomination invited what speaker to what convention.

One timeless issue we have been facing is the way women are viewed and treated, especially by men in the church. Just as important is how women are viewed and treated by other women in the church. A woman fully alive to who she is called to be in Christ makes for the best wife, the best friend, the best sister and the best servant of Christ.

So this week I’m going to excerpt a bit from Loving Him Well: Practical Advice on Influencing Your Husband. While trying to set women up to have the most influence they can have in their marriage and on their husband, I stress the need to first ground themselves in their identity in Christ—that we matter not because someone chose to marry us, but because God adopted us. That we have security not because someone else contributes to the family income, but because God has promised to meet all of our needs in Christ Jesus. That we have worth not because our spouse is still attracted to us and interested in us, but because God calls us “chosen and dearly loved.” Once we know who we are in God, we are better able to handle the inevitable hurts and pains of being married to an imperfect spouse in an imperfect world.

What I set out to show in Loving Him Well is how the Bible affirms women in a way that was quite radical for the time in which it was written. Because some passages seem to suggest husband and wives share different roles in marriage, there are those who see the Bible as an accessory to the oppression of women, when in fact, even the Old Testament became an agent of radical change in a world that viewed women as children or property.

For example, the Old Testament stepped outside its cultural milieu to insist that women mirror God’s own character and image just as fully as do their male counterparts: “So God created man in his own image, he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female” (Genesis 1:27). Right from the start, we learn that women and men together mirror the image of God. Since God is above gender, males alone (or females alone) fail to adequately represent his character and image.

Just as tellingly, the admonition to shape this world and even to rule over this world is given to women just as much as it is to men: “God blessed them [the man and the woman] and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth’” (Genesis 1:28, emphasis added).

Women are not told to sit passively on the sidelines and cheer for their husbands as the men run the show. On the contrary, from the very beginning, women share God’s command for humans to rule, subdue and manage this earth. They are co-regents.

This strong, affirming view of women continues into the first book of the New Testament, with the inclusion of women in the genealogy of the Messiah (a literary act that breaks with the tradition of the first century). Yes, there is Abraham and David and Joseph?—?but there is also Rahab, Ruth, Mary and Bathsheba. Who would expect such a thing from a very patriarchal and even misogynistic culture? It took both men and women to set up the human events that led to the birth of the Messiah. God chose women of diverse personality and status to build the human line that ushered in the Savior of the world.

Rahab, of course, was a prostitute. Bathsheba may well have been raped (when the king calls for you, consent isn’t an option). Ruth was a Moabite, a tribe whose genesis came from a grotesque act of incest, and it was her taking action (“Let me go to the fields,” she pleaded with Naomi) and bold proposal that set up not just the birth of King David, but the human ancestry of Jesus as well.

Including each one of these women in the hallowed ancestry of Jesus is God’s way of saying that even if you’ve been sexually abused or come from a horrific background, God still has a plan to use you mightily.

Jesus came into this world through a woman; not a single male had anything to do with the immediate conception or birth of our Lord. Mary, a woman, is the only human who contributed to Jesus’ DNA.

Jesus also elevated women in his teaching. In Mark 10:11, Jesus astonishes his disciples when he tells them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.” Why was this astonishing? According to rabbinic law, a man could commit adultery against another married man by sleeping with that man’s wife, and a wife could commit adultery against her husband by sleeping with another man; but no provision stipulated how a husband could commit adultery against his wife. Jesus was telling those first-century men, “Your wife has equal value in God’s sight. It is possible for you to sin against her every bit as much as it is possible for her to sin against you.”

And let’s look at Jesus’ death. While one male disciple betrayed our Lord and the others cowered behind locked doors, some very courageous women dared to watch Jesus’ final minutes on this earth. Mark goes out of his way to emphasize the scene at the foot of the cross: “There were also women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. In Galilee these women followed him and took care of him. Many other women had come up with him to Jerusalem” (Mark 15:40?–?41). In Jesus’ most trying moments, he was supported by many women. Modern readers might read right over this narrative fact—but in the first century, this was a startling truth and a challenge to any false view of male superiority.

But perhaps the boldest statement came after Jesus died and was raised from the dead. According to ancient Pharisaic law, a woman’s testimony was inadmissible in a tribunal as too untrustworthy. Only men could give witness. So when Jesus rose from the dead—the most important event that has ever occurred or ever will occur—who was present to give witness and testimony? Women! Jesus pointedly uses women, whose testimony could not then be heard in contemporary courts of law, to proclaim his glorious resurrection.

This elevation of women at all points?in theological pronouncements, historical accounts and practical teaching?should astonish us, given the male-oriented culture in which the Bible took shape. It should form the way we respect our wives as women and teach our children to honor their moms with the respect given them by God.

We don’t have to tear down the Bible or men to lift up women; the story of God’s redemption took millennia to unfold and is even yet unfolding. What matters most is that women understand who they are in Christ, and that their husbands and fathers and sons also let their thinking be shaped by Scripture’s arc.

As much as the above Scriptures challenge me however, I still have to confess that few things have motivated me as a man more than having God reiterate to me that Lisa is his daughter and I’m to treat her accordingly. As a father with three children, including two women, this image shapes, corrects, inspires and challenges my every interaction and thought in marriage. The more I respect my wife in particular, the more I respect other women in general. I don’t want any other man sexualizing my wife, making her feel uncomfortable, or putting her in the miserable position of spending nine hours a day in a creepy environment or find some other place to work—so I’m going to go out of my way to not do that to someone else’s wife.

It would break my heart if a son-in-law was harsh or abusive to a daughter; that motivates me to be encouraging and gentle with Lisa.

It comes down to this: If we would look at people as God looks at them, and treat men and women the way God calls us to, all these news items would be resolved. They’d never happen to begin with.

I have great respect and appreciation for those who push necessary conversations, who bring abuse to the surface, and who have the fortitude and demeanor to enact change. The world needs activists and prophets, and I thank God for them. We need servants who cry out, “This is wrong.” We also need some, and I hope this blog can be such a place, to cry out, “This is right.”

Treating all women, but especially our wives, with respect and dignity, is right.

3 Places to Find New Church Leaders

By
Ron Edmondson
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communicating with the unchurched

I was working with a church a few years ago that was facing a growth barrier. They had experienced rapid growth, but the staff was stretched beyond what they could do. There were holes of responsibilities not being filled. My opinion, and they agreed, was they couldn’t continue growing unless something changed.

The “genius” suggestion I gave them is not genius at all. It’s commonsensical. They needed to find new leaders, empower them with authority, and spread the load of responsibility.

Duh! And, to think I sometimes get paid for this stuff.

Yet, in every church, sometimes finding volunteers feels like searching for a needle in a haystack.

The obvious question: Where do we find these new leaders?

And, that’s a great question!

I suggested they look for three types of people:

People currently “doing” who need to be leading.

These are people who are consistently serving. They are the reliable people you couldn’t do without. They have been given responsibility, but never been tapped for authority. Not all “doers” have the capability of being leaders, but many do if given the opportunity. Seek them. Recruit them. Empower them.

People serving in one area, who could lead in another area.

These are people who are serving in the children’s ministry, for example, who could be leading in the parking ministry—or vice-versa. Many times people are serving in one area, because there is a need, but they could easily be stellar leaders in another area. And, it might even build new enthusiasm to them and their service. In fact, discerning these types of people early enough often keeps them from burning out where they are currently serving.

People leading outside the church.

This is absolutely my favorite, yet one I don’t see many churches doing. There are often people in the church who are tremendous leaders in the secular world, but they’ve never been given an opportunity to lead in the church. These are sometimes “big asks,” but in my experience they won’t often get involved until they are asked. In my last church, some of our best leaders on our finance committee, for example, had never served in leadership in the church. They were, however, tremendous leaders in their careers.

The final thing I would say is you have to be intentional in leadership recruitment. People come to your church and see things working. They don’t know you need help, because everything appears to be working. There doesn’t seem to be a place for them. Again, in my experience, you’ll have to ask the best leaders to join your team.

The original article appeared here.

How You Should Spend Your Day Off

By
Aaron Helman
-
communicating with the unchurched

If there’s one thing that youth workers seem to be universally terrible at…

…it’s actually taking a day off every once in a while.

Even though we know the Sabbath is a Commandment.

Even though we know we’re exhausted.

In fact, most of us admit we don’t take a full Sabbath day even once a month.

Worst of all, some of us even boast about how we don’t take time to rest—we’re just too important!

And that’s a problem…

In a profession with the burnout toll of ministry, we owe it to ourselves to follow the fourth Commandment: Sabbath.

 So let’s start there. The Sabbath is a real, actual Commandment. We’re not talking about some obscure case law from the deepest part of the Book of Numbers. We’re talking about a Commandment, listed right between keeping the Lord’s name Holy and honoring your parents.

And while I’m not a legalistic Sabbath-keeper (because hey, things happen!), I’m also not a flippant Sabbath-basher. The next time you’re tempted to boast about your busyness or mock someone else because they take time off and you don’t, imagine you’re talking instead about theft or adultery. Your tone will change quickly.

The truth is that Sabbath is a spiritual necessity, and that’s why it’s in the Bible. But it’s also a physiological, mental and emotional necessity; which is why secular scientists are on board with the idea just as much as religious ones.

It’s a miracle. Bill Nye and Ken Ham and atheists and Christians can all agree on this: Human beings need to take time to rest. We all acknowledge that. It’s just that we don’t always do it.

And when we do it, we don’t always do it well.

So as you prepare for your next Sabbath, I’ll share a simple idea with you that I like to keep in mind, to make sure I get the most out of my Sabbath:

It doesn’t count as rest if you’re more tired when it’s finished. 

That idea guides my Sabbath. There are differences between “not working” and “actively rested.” That’s why it’s so important to be so intentional about how we’re resting and restoring ourselves for another week of work and ministry.

HERE’S HOW I SPEND MY DAY OFF

 Get (a little) extra sleep.
On my day off, I’ll sleep in if my kids will let me, or I’ll take a nap later in the day. I’ve found personally that if I get more than an hour of extra sleep, I feel groggy the rest of the day, so I try to limit that extra sleep to an hour.

Light exercise and fresh air.
I’m a big-time cyclist, but my Sabbath is scheduled as a “rest day.” That doesn’t mean I’m just laying around on the couch though. I enjoy and am renewed by exercise and fresh air. So while I’m not doing hill repeats until I puke, I’ll go for an easy ride with my kids or a walk in the woods.

Eat well and eat healthy.
The worst thing I can do is eat fast food or greasy food or too much food. I feel groggy and wake up the next morning not feeling as well as I usually do. I prefer sushi, salads and fresh fruit because I like those things better and because they make me like me better.

Quiet time with God.
I focus on prayer and Scripture. As a youth minister, I find it difficult to read any kind of spiritual book (other than the Bible) without analyzing it or feeling like I’m working. And when I’m on Sabbath, I’ve found it’s important to avoid work and things that feel like work.

No screens.
I spend a lot of time working at a computer, and even though I may not be working at the computer on my day off, it still feels like work. Besides the insatiable pull of email, social media and my to-do list, it’s just more restful not to be sitting at a desk on a desk chair in front of my computer.

LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR DAY OFF

 I understand how difficult it is to build a habit of Sabbath. I understand how difficult it is to maintain that habit and to make the tough decisions to protect it. If you are not currently taking a regular, healthy Sabbath, start right here:

Pick ONE DAY in the next month to be your Sabbath.
You’ll probably have other “days off” in your calendar, but target just one to be your real, actual Sabbath. Make sure your date doesn’t fall immediately before a huge event. It’s nearly impossible to Sabbath your brain ahead of a high-stress event.

Make at least ONE POSITIVE APPOINTMENT on that date.
Schedule a haircut or make plans to have a nice lunch with a friend followed by a hike. Decide what movie you’ll see. Tell your kids NOW that that’s going to be your Zoo Day. You’ll be less likely to cheat if you’ve already got plans.

That’s it for today.
That’s how easy it is to begin to build a healthy habit of Sabbath. When you’ve done those things, leave a comment below to share what you’re doing and when.

5 Ways to Deal With Bullying Parents

By
Trisha Peach
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communicating with the unchurched

Sadly, if you haven’t yet, you may encounter bullying parents this year. What will you do?

Last week, I talked to a public school teacher who mentioned to me that her dinner meeting with a friend had been cancelled the night before. I asked why. Well, according to her, her teacher friend had been having repeated problems with a little girl kicking other students, slapping them and threatening them. After repeated warnings and consequences, the behavior happened again, only worse. This teacher followed policy and sent the child to detention, to hopefully deescalate the situation and to protect the other children. But then the bullying parents showed up at the school office at 3 p.m. with their team of attorneys. Her friend, and several of the other staff, were forced to stay as the whole situation blew up.

You may have seen several news programs lately on the problem of teachers being bullied by bullying parents. As the saying goes, the parents used to hold the child responsible for their behavior and grades—today the teacher often takes the blame for a child’s behavior and grades. The article “Teachers face a storm of bullying—by the children’s parents” had me concerned and shaking my head.

Among other things, the article states: “40 percent of teachers quit in their first year, because of the excessive workload and the harsh realities of life in the classroom.” That’s four out of every 10 new teachers quitting after the first year! The article also states this frightening fact: “40 percent of teachers reported abuse from parents in the past year, compared with 27 percent in 2014.” The problem is clearly growing worse.

And how does this affect the church and those of us who work in ministry to children and families? Like in many cases, what is affecting the schools is affecting the church. Many children’s pastors have reported having bullying parents shouting at them publicly, threatening them, teasing them, name calling, etc., over lost books, a prize, behavior issues and so forth. I have seen it happen myself. For example, I rounded the corner on a Wednesday night to see a dad shouting at an AWANA leader for going five minutes over time. The AWANA leader handled the situation well, but it was embarrassing to be called names in a crowded church hallway. I intervened and tried to calm the situation, and pull the parent’s attention to me and to a less public area. This has happened in the past when we have enforced new policies, changed classroom locations or changed service times, for example.

So how can the church respond to the growing problem of parents bullying those who serve their children? Here are a few ideas that I have discovered from our staff and from other churches who have handled this well:

1. Realize that we are called to minister to broken people—broken families and hurting parents.

Many are facing the fallout of tragedy, divorce, loss, mental illness, violence, stress and more. If we are going to err, let us err on the side of grace. This is one more reason why the church MUST disciple parents and families, educating them as to what family was first meant to be. Families need help, encouragement and support. Many are struggling.

2. Our culture explicitly and implicitly seems to teach us that the “GOOD” parents are the ones who “get in there and fight for their kids.”

Some parents are trying to fight for their kids, but they don’t know how, and/or they are fighting the wrong battles, fighting against the wrong people. Try your best to tear down those walls and partner WITH the parents. When a parent seems to be trying to start a battle, do not engage head on; do your best to try to diffuse the situation.

3. Several churches have begun reaching out to the public school teachers with baskets of school supplies, prayer days for teachers, gift cards, cards of encouragement and more.

This has made a huge impact in communities. Do not assume that the schools and the teachers do not want any help or input from you. Where others may have burned bridges, you can make inroads to minister, simply by serving and loving.

4. You can eliminate a lot of problems by clearly posting your rule policies in every classroom.

Communicate those policies every chance you get. This can help parents understand expectations, and it helps YOU not look like you are singling out one child.

5. Always remember and tell your volunteers: “You do not deserve to be verbally abused or threatened.”

If you see that happening you must intervene right away, and let your church leadership know what is happening. Confront the situation lovingly, in private, with a witness—preferably your lead pastor. But make it clear that you are making church a “safe place” where name calling and yelling are not going to be tolerated. Keep working for and modeling a better way.

What about you? Have you or your volunteers encountered incidences of parent bullying? How did you respond? What advice would you give to kids workers encountering this problem?  

“Dragging” Kids Away From God’s Plan

By
Dale Hudson
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communicating with the unchurched

There is an agenda that has risen over the horizon and is now going all out to “drag” kids away from God’s design for individuals and families.

Two new animated television shows about drag queens are targeting children.

Drag Tots

One is called “Drag Tots” and is a show about toddler drag queens.  The show features transgender model RuPaul.

Super Drags

The other show is called “Super Drags” and is set to debut on Netflix.  The promo says “By night, they tighten up their corsets and transform into the baddest Super Drags in town, ready to combat shade and rescue the world’s glitter from the evil villains.”

This is saddening as pop culture continues to push an agenda to children that doesn’t line up with God’s Word.

What should we do when we encounter a message like this?  A message that clearly is in contradiction with God’s Word?   An agenda that is trying to “drag” kids away from God’s plan for relationships?

First of all, we must equip parents to have conversations with their children.  There are some subjects that you shouldn’t talk with elementary-age kids about at church.  That’s because it’s their parent’s job.  This is one of those topics.

Let the parents in your ministry know about these and other tv shows that promote LGBTQ agendas.  In many cases, parents allow their children free reign with the remote control, even when they are not in the room with them.  Parents need to know these are just a click away for their children.

There are a couple of approaches parents can take.  One is to hide it from children all together by homeschooling them and carefully monitoring what they see and hear.  The second option is to briefly expose them to it and then teach them why it doesn’t line up with God’s plans for relationships and family.

Your role is to resource parents and equip them to have these conversations with their children.

Model what healthy, Biblical relationships look like.  The best way to recognize a false plan is to know the true plan.  This goes back to the parents again.  As parents model what a Biblical marriage is and looks like, it will help children recognize and avoid false models.  The biggest impact comes from parents who love each other and show by a living example, what God wants for the family.

Love those trapped in a false lifestyle.  If parents teach their children to hate those who blatantly defy God’s plan for the family, they will grow up to hate both the sin and the sinner.  And that’s not what Jesus wants.  He was called the “friend of sinners” for a reason.  We must teach children to care about people trapped in a lifestyle that’s the opposite of God’s plan, while simultaneously caring enough to speak the truth in love.

At the end of the day, we must remember that we are in a race to capture the hearts of the next generation and help them grow up to have healthy, Biblical relationships.  This means we must get there first with the truth.

This article originally appeared here.

Why Sharing Stories Is So Important in Small Groups

By
Mike Mack
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communicating with the unchurched

Helping people in our churches, classes and small groups understand and experience God’s grace is vital. What is the best way to teach and, better yet, experience this fundamental doctrine?

Use stories, says Kyle Idleman.

In a recent interview for CT Pastors, Kyle Rohane and Andrew Finch talked with Idleman, teaching pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, about his new book, Grace is Greater (published by BakerBooks; also available as a small group study, pastor’s kit, leader’s guide, and journal).

“We have found that an effective way to help people experience grace is by telling stories,” Idleman says. “It’s not difficult to find biblical examples. In the Gospels, Jesus didn’t use the word grace, he didn’t give a long theological explanation of it, but his whole earthly ministry was marked by stories of grace.”

Idleman says the church is learning to be more intentional about vulnerability, and he explains the important difference between vulnerability and authenticity. Vulnerability, he says, is being honest about our struggles. Authenticity is no longer pretending, but vulnerability is revealing.

“When we ask someone to give a testimony about, say, a health struggle,” says Idleman, “we tell them not to feel like they have to have the whole thing wrapped up. It doesn’t have to be a happily-ever-after story. Instead, we ask them to be honest about the journey, to share why it’s hard and where they feel like God has let them down. That takes things further than authenticity.”

Idleman discusses how this plays out in small groups. “It takes just one person being a little bit vulnerable, pulling back the veil a little, for everyone else to do the same thing,” he says. “If people are going around the room and sharing their stories, and someone shares a struggle or a challenge they’re going through, just watch. The rest of the room will join in.” But he points out that if people share only superficial stories and refuse to go deeper, they will set the tone for the rest of the group as well.

“As a pastor,” says Idleman, “I want to set that temperature so others will want to celebrate their weakness. In doing so, we will point to the beauty of God’s grace.”

______

Quotes and information excerpted from, “Kyle Idleman: God Never Wastes What We Go Through” in Christianity Today,’s “CT Pastors.”

This article originally appeared here.

If You Know a Christian Hypocrite, Help Them Stop Doing These 5 Things

By
Jarrid Wilson
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communicating with the unchurched

If you know a Christian hypocrite or two (or you can look and the mirror and see one), please help them stop doing these 5 things.

1. A Christian hypocrite tells people “I’ll pray for you” without actually praying for them.

Guilty as charged. I can’t think of anybody who hasn’t done this at one time or another. And while most of us don’t actually mean to forget, it’s probably best that we just set aside time on the spot to pray for people. Are we really so busy that we can’t stop and pray for someone’s needs? We need to make sure we are fulfilling our duties as Christians and actually follow through with them. One prayer could be the tipping point to someone coming to know the love of God. Don’t miss the opportunity to speak life into someone because you don’t think you have time.

2. A Christian hypocrite attends church on Sunday, but ignores God’s voice the rest of the week. 

Ouch! This one stings a little. Many of us get in the habit of making God just another addition to our weekly check-list, but the reality is that our entire lives should revolve around him. God deserves #1 priority in each of our lives, and to treat him any differently would go against the foundations of the Christian faith. Evaluate the way you are spending your time, money and energy. If you want to see a change in your life then you need to begin giving God the place of honor he deserves. Stop treating God like the last kid picked in doge-ball.

3. A Christian hypocrite prays for God’s provision when we have yet to use what he has already provided.

Way too many of us tend to treat God like a personal genie. Prayer was given to us as an open line of communication between us and God, but the harsh reality is that way too many of try to use it like a drive-thru at a fast-food restaurant. You don’t get to pick and choose the way God provides, but you do get the opportunity to trust his plan and have faith in his promises. I can’t begin to explain how many times I’ve ignored God’s provision because it wasn’t wrapped the way I intended it to be. Every time we purposely ignore God’s provision, we are indirectly telling him, “I don’t trust your plan.”

4. A Christian hypocrite tries to be so relevant that we actually hurt the message of Jesus. 

There is nothing wrong with trying to be relevant, but we need to understand that there is a BOLD line between being trendy, and then completely disfiguring the message of Jesus. We can’t expect to bring any change to the world when we don’t look any different from it. I’m a firm believer that Jesus came to reclaim culture and not abolish it, but this doesn’t mean we need to water down His message so that it’s easier to swallow.

5. A Christian hypocrite tells people that “God will never give you anything you can’t handle.” 

Why should we stop saying this? Because it’s a lie. … We’ve completely twisted 1 Corinthians 10:13, as this verse is pointing toward temptation, and even then it states God will be there if things get too tough. The reality is that God just might give us things we can’t handle so that we will gaze toward him for the extra help. Mind blowing right? Realize that not everything is going to go the way you plan, think or hope. Sometimes stuff is going to hit the fan, and in order for you to get through it, you are going to NEED to rely on God’s comfort, peace and understanding. We weren’t meant to do life alone.  

Five Reasons a Wave of Revitalization Is Likely

By
Thom Rainer
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communicating with the unchurched

In my post on Monday, I asserted that a revitalization wave is about to come to our churches, and I am really serious and optimistic about it. In that article, I shared how churches will be impacted from a high-level perspective. In this post, I will explain why I see this major trend on the horizon.

I began with the total number of churches in North America, about 350,000. For many reasons, we can’t get a precise number, but I believe our estimates are close.

In the article Monday, I also stated that 300,000, or 85 percent, of all churches needed some level of revitalization, from modest to radical revitalization. In our research we released a year ago, we found that 65 percent of churches were declining or plateaued. Based upon our interactions with other congregational leaders, we see about another 20 percent of churches with modest but declining growth rates. The sum of those two is thus 85 percent.

Here is where I take a contrarian position compared to many others, including positions I have held in the past: Of the 300,000 churches in need of revitalization, 100,000 will revitalize organically or internally, and another 100,000 will be revitalized through replanting. It’s a bold assertion, but something that could very well unfold over the next five to ten years.

Why I am optimistic? Am I in a state of denial? Bear with me as I share five reasons for the likelihood of a wave of revitalization.

  1. Thousands of church leaders are facing reality. They are not denying the difficult state of their churches. This awareness is the first step toward revitalization. Admittedly, some of these leaders are at the stage of desperation, but even that stage is a major step toward facing reality. As I shared on Monday, I have been amazed how church leaders are utilizing our Church Health Report™ to help them understand reality.
  2. Revitalization has become a prominent topic among church leaders. It is openly discussed among church leaders and members, denominational leaders, and network leaders. This discussion and openness is moving these organizations to action and solutions. We will be announcing in two months the launch of a new nonprofit network, Revitalize Network, for the purpose of bringing churches to work together toward revitalization.
  3. Church replanting has become accepted, even normative. I can remember just a few years ago when no one mentioned church replanting. I have been grateful for the huge emphasis on church planting for many years. Now I am equally grateful to see a wave of interest and action toward church replanting.
  4. The multisite movement is instrumental in the revitalization and replanting movement. Multisite churches are key to this movement. They have been the primary vehicles for church replanting. We are years ahead of where we would be otherwise without multisite churches.
  5. We are seeing more and more a movement of prayer in our churches. If this revitalization continues on its current trajectory, it will not be powered by the latest methodologies and acts of men and women. It will be because God has chosen to revitalize our churches. He is the power of revitalization. There is a growing movement of prayer in our congregations, an indication of the work of God. As the prayer movement grows, church revitalization grows.

These are paradoxically the most challenging days and the most hopeful days for many of our congregations. Let us know if we can do anything for you and your churches as we move toward a movement of revitalization. It is my honor and joy to serve you.

Let me hear from you.

This article originally appeared here.

3 Ways to Make Bible Engagement Easier

By
Chris Swain
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communicating with the unchurched

I remember the very first book I read. It was an old pulp novel from the 1980s. I was in trouble for something and my mother handed it to me just before doling out my punishment: grounded for a week. Little did I know then that this was the perfect storm leading me toward a voracious appetite for reading. I had a week suddenly free of distraction. I had an interesting book. And I had plenty of alone time.

So I read and I did not stop reading until the book ended. Although the quality of this particular novel was certainly suspect, it helped me move from being a non-reader to an avid reader. When I became a believer a few years later, this appetite for reading did not translate to reading the Bible. I would read all kinds of books about the Bible. I would read all kinds of books by Christian authors. But there was something about the Bible that made it more difficult for me to engage. As every believer knows, the Word of God is not just a book. Reflect on Hebrews 4:12:

“For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 (CSB)

The more we read the Word the more the Word reads us. And this process is much more life-changing than reading any novel or biography or self-help book. It’s the living Word of God. So how can we make reading the Bible easier. That is not to say we should dumb down our reading or treat it as an assignment. But how do we engage with scripture so that we develop into consistent readers and doers of the Word? Here are three ways to make bible engagement easier:

Follow a Doable Plan.

If you are like me, perhaps you have tried to read through the Bible in a year. An admirable goal to be sure. While some are able to make it happen, many simply get lost in the wilderness around Leviticus a few months into the plan. The last thing we want to do is become a box checker, skimming pages of the Bible as we try to succeed with a rigorous goal. But having a plan doesn’t have to be difficult. What we need is a doable plan. A doable plan will look different for different people. If you don’t struggle at all with reading consistently, then maybe a read through the Bible in a year five chapter a day plan is best for you. For the rest of us, a plan to read less and digest more is the perfect way to ensure we succeed. The reality is that we rarely apply the little we do know about the Word. So having a plan that is a chapter or two a day doesn’t mean we won’t be impacted as much as those who read several chapters a day. The truth is, we could read the same sentence in the Word every day for a week, and the depths of God’s Word would continue to grow as we engage with it more. Regardless of your plan, the goal is that you have one. Find one that works for you and follow it.

Take Advantage of Tech.

There are ups and downs to technology, but one of the wins is that there are a ton of Bible reading apps. Whether you want a Bible app like YouVersion, or a study Bible with commentary like the CSB Study Bible app, or a journaling app for sharing your readings with others like the Replicate app, you have tons of options! As an auditory learner, I prefer having the Bible read to me. Many Bible apps support this feature and have zero cost. You can listen to Scripture as you get ready for your day, during your daily commute, or even as a family together after supper. There are plenty of ways to engage the Word with technology, find what works for you and implement.

Don’t Go It Alone.

Bible reading is much easier when you are on the journey with others. You might be surprised at how effective positive peer pressure to read the Bible is when you have committed to joining others in the process. Sometimes it is the only thing that motivates me to read on a particular day when I am tired, running behind, and have so many other things to do. I have found that having a group of guys who hold me accountable to reading has increased my reading exponentially. But they also help make reading easier. There’s just something about helping each other stay accountable that results in me picking up my Bible or listening to the Scriptures as I head into work. Like anything, accountability encourages and spurs us on, but I also believe it makes the process simpler as it forms into a habit over time. It is more difficult to journey through the Word on your own. Find a group of two or three people who will read, share and hold you accountable as you engage with God’s Word.

Reading the Bible doesn’t have to be hard, but we all struggle with this discipline from time to time. By finding a doable plan, taking advantage of technology, and journeying together with others, we can make it easier. And as we engage with the Word, God works in and through us to impact our world for the Gospel.

This article originally appeared here.

Church Small Groups and New Visitors

By
Jay Sandt
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communicating with the unchurched

I’m reminded of a blog entry by Seth Godin where he talks about two different organizational models. He discusses for-profit industries, but the organizational concepts are the same for any organization. One model is easy and straightforward where you get paid for your creation or service. The other model, which Seth goes into more detail, discusses organizations that attempt insanely difficult missions. When these organizations succeed, they’re the organizations people look to as the true leaders in their respective areas; like Dave Ramsey, Rick Toone, Henry Ford, and Rollin Thurlow. He ends his blog entry with this question:

‘How do we do something so difficult that others can’t imagine doing it’?

All organizations and their processes can take two paths — the easy or hard path. Let’s elaborate on these two paths:

Easy Path – the easy path is the one that is often mimicked, mass-produced, or copied by others very quickly and little changes. The organization implements a process from another organization — like visitor assimilation. This path is incredibly competitive as other organizations are doing the same thing and nothing is unique. When organizations try to copy a way of doing things, then the pool of potential people gets smaller. Why? Because each organization is going after the same pool of people, using the same method. Additionally, no single process can capture every person where complex human relationships are concerned. Why is this important? Because most churches fall into a trap of mimicking what another church is doing, in faith, that people will just start coming to them in [droves]. Rarely does this happen — if ever.

Hard Path – the hard path is where organizations focus on the organization’s uniqueness and how it can best form new relationships with people — either new visitors or long-time attendees. It uses its strengths to its advantage to build stronger relations with the people already in small groups or participating in other areas of the church family. Building relationships with people that are coming to church is definitely a longer, slower and more involved path when human relationships are involved. While this method may take more time, it pays off in huge dividends when educating people within your organization. Why? When relationships are formed and kept, then information about your organization spreads via word of mouth. When more people spread the word about the unique strengths of the organization, the pool of people becomes larger. People, from all walks of life, learn about your organization and want to be part of its mission, whatever that may be — discipling new people, missionaries, local community volunteerism, and much more.

Is your church going down the hard path by doing something so incredibly difficult, like building long-lasting relationships, that others wouldn’t even dream of trying? Or are they trying to use some replicated process in hopes that they grow larger — the easy path?

When it comes to building relationships, every church should develop their own processes, as no one knows better how to reach people in your neighborhood better than you. Software should facilitate different follow-up processes for visitation, small groups, staying connected, human relationships, and assimilation. Church management software, like IconCMO, gives you more than one way to have people flow through your organization instead of one process to use like the church down the road.

– From Icon Systems

A Challenge to Create Word Pictures with Meaning Instead of Banal, Trivial, and Mostly Useless Content

By
Yvon Prehn
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communicating with the unchurched

Word pictures, inspirational sayings, wise and funny quotes are all over the internet. I imagine your Facebook feed and every other social media site you visit is full of them. Instead of mindlessly reading and passing them on, we can do better — we can use this opportunity to create word pictures that share Scripture and challenge people to live godly lives. First I’ll rant a little more about the problem and then present a very fun and easy solution to it.

The junk that clogs social media

We’re told pictures get passed on and short text is read and there is some truth to these statements. But whatever the reason, social media is clogged with images and short statements. Here are a few from my Facebook feed today…….

I have lost my mind and am making no effort to look for it.

Hey you, yes you. Stop being unhappy with yourself. You are perfect.

Making a hundred friends is not a miracle. The miracle is to make a single friend who will stand by your side even when hundreds are against you.

Though these sentiments may have a tiny modicum of humor or inspiration in them, at best they are dryer dust to the mind — useless fluff that clogs coherent thinking processes. At worst, some are flat-out biblically wrong and dangerous thinking for a Christian who wants to grow in Christ.

What isn’t helpful to anyone who wants to grow as a disciple of Jesus

I feel like an out-of-touch shrew in commenting on this, but constant repetition of unbiblical sentiments isn’t a harmless, trivial thing. Our life is shaped by what we look at and think about. Here is one example of how this can have a negative effect on our spiritual growth.

The many variations of “We are perfect,” as quoted in the sample above, constantly come up to assure us it’s OK to eat too much, be mean if we feel like it, and continue in whatever other habit we know we ought to change.

It’s obvious that we aren’t perfect. We never will be in this life. At the same time our Savior expects us to work on perfection, our growth in Christ, and progressive sanctification. The biblical term “perfect” or “perfection” has the meaning of completeness and maturity, and though the Lord is always there to help and forgive when we fail, we are expected to strive toward this goal. From the Old Testament command to Abram:

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. Gen. 17:1, KJV

To the New Testament commands:

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matt. 5:48, NIV

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Rom. 12: 2, NIV

It isn’t OK to tell ourselves we are perfect as we are and to pass on quotes that encourage people to smother realistic guilt that can motivate change.

Even if many of the quotes are not as blatantly false from a biblical perspective as this one is, they certainly do not fit into the command to think about “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Phil.4:8, NIV)

To compound the challenges, not only do people read this junk, but they comment on it, praise it, and pass it on to others.

Are there no alternatives?

That’s the question I asked myself and of course there are — sometimes a true and worthwhile quote comes up. But there needs to be more and I wanted to come up with a way for people to create Word Pictures like these easily and to post worthwhile and true thoughts (many great quotes from Christian writers) and Bible passages. After trying various ways to create these, and there are many, the one I liked the best, is to create them using PicMonkey. I like this program because it has the ability to create good-looking backgrounds and put great-looking type on them easily and cheaply (for free if you don’t mind some advertising on the system).

PicMonkey is a funny little program. It started out as a photo editing one and one for adding special effects to photos, but it has matured into a really great program that allows you to create good-looking Word Pictures. The interface is unique, but not difficult. What I like most about it is that the typefaces available in the program work quite well for word pictures and if you don’t have an image you want to superimpose them on you can create a variety of special backgrounds from within the program.

For more to help you create church communications that will help your church fully fulfill the Great Commission, go to: http://www.effectivechurchcom.com

Tamar Listens to Psalm 61: A Reflection on the Impact of Misused Spiritual Authority

By
Brad Hambrick
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communicating with the unchurched

The context of Psalm 61 requires some explanation. Most scholars believe[1] the Psalm was written while David was on the run for his life from his son Absalom (II Samuel 15:13-37). Absalom had killed his brother Amnon for raping their sister Tamar (II Samuel 13:1-33). Absalom killed Amnon after David, his father, did nothing to defend or seek justice for Tamar (II Samuel 13:37-39). When David did not seek justice for the murder of Amnon, Absalom saw his father as weak and began to lay the ground work for a coup (II Samuel 14:1-15:12). Again, even knowing of Absalom’s actions, David did nothing and so abused his spiritual authority.

Psalm 61: Misused Spiritual Authority

The purpose of this post is not to criticize David as a father, although there is ample evidence that there were significant deficits in this area of his life. The purpose of this post is to reflect on the experience of Tamar, who would have doubtlessly heard Psalm 61 sung in the temple as an account of David’s trials and God’s deliverance. But it will take us a moment to get to this point.

Pause: In light of this probable context, read Psalm 61. What are your impressions? What would your response be if you spoke with a father in David’s situation and this is how he summarized his situation?

To get to Tamar’s experience, we must examine David’s level of self-awareness and the desire of Israel to believe David’s account of history. In getting to know David, we realize that he was given to self-deception; notice how blind his heart was when he sexually assaulted Bathsheba in multiple ways (spying on her while bathing and sending messengers—palace guards—to bring her to him for sex; II Samuel 11:1-4) and the subsequent follow up (resulting in him murdering Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband; II Samuel 11:14-17). It took a confrontation from the prophet Nathan to get him to acknowledge these sins and their effects (II Samuel 12:1-23).

Notice that all of the passages listed are five consecutive chapters in II Samuel. The author of II Samuel is tying these events together.

Notice also that David had sought no justice for Tamar as Deuteronomy 22:25-27 would require. This would have been David’s obligation as king. Furthermore, based on Absalom’s reaction, we are left to believe that David did not even punish Amnon as father. Then David’s passivity toward Amnon led to his threat from Absalom. The most striking aspect of David’s response and how he handled his spiritual authority is his indifference. When, as a king, David did nothing, the people around him were powerless to act. Tamar was invisible and ignored. Tragedy follows. David’s spiritual authority and political authority made his indifference have graver consequences.

It was the threat of Absalom, not the rape by Amnon, which Tamar heard as the center of David’s prayer as he ran for his life. David makes himself the central character in this story. David is the victim, not Tamar. All of Israel is singing along. David is praying for his life and throne which are at risk because his actions (or inaction), not his daughter’s trauma and pain which were no fault of her own.

David again—just like with Bathsheba—doesn’t get it. How much does he not get it? David was praying about his “vows” to God, which he thinks he’s kept (v. 5), and asking God to be for him a rock, refuge and strong tower (v. 2-4). The very things David had failed to be for Tamar as her father. This is the refrain that David was asking Israel to sing about him and subsequent kings for generations to come (v. 6-7). David thinks he is still being faithful to his “vows” as king as he writes the psalm (v. 8). Israel affirms this as they sing along.

Could you imagine being Tamar listening to this Psalm? I can imagine her crying out, “Where is Nathan to awaken my father’s conscience this time?”

I write this post with no sense of condescension toward David. David was “a man after God’s own heart” (I Samuel 13:14) but not a man who had arrived at God’s heart. There is no deceptiveness in David’s heart for which my heart is not capable (Jeremiah 17:9-11). That should humble us all.

We cannot emotionally distance ourselves from these kinds of atrocities. How often, in our day, when a great spiritual leader fails morally do we mourn their fall, pray for their restoration, and forget those affected by their actions when they abused their spiritual authority? In the leaders’ pain, they invite us to mourn and pray as they experience the consequences of their actions as threats to their wellbeing.

But before we go further with our need for humility, let’s not leave Tamar’s experience behind. Too often, we leave the experience of the abused behind when we see something about ourselves that needs to change.

Discerning Your Next Ministry Move

By
Mark Dance
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communicating with the unchurched

Some of you may be worried that I am writing this post to you or about you. Yes, I definitely am.

We all have a call to follow and want to hear clearly from God. This time of year in particular is flush with requests for resumes and recommendations. Perhaps it is because we are fast approaching the end of our school and church calendar year.

It is normal to wonder if you are ready to move on to the next ministry assignment. Nobody wants to stay too long or leave too early, so we end up playing resume roulette by dropping hints and resumes. It is impossible to always resist the occasional ministry wanderlust. The next time you find yourself daydreaming about a better church in a better location, keep this in mind:

  • Sometimes finding God’s will is easy, but usually it is not.
  • Sometimes our current ministries are fulfilling, but sometimes they are naturally frustrating.
  • Sometimes search committees are awesome, but most are awkward, if not downright awful.

If you have recently pulled up to the proverbial traffic light to ask God for discernment about your next ministry move, you are wise to proceed with caution. You are understandably asking the Lord to give you a green light to GO, or a bright red light to STAY. What are you going to do when Jesus gives you an unbearably boring yellow light to WAIT?

The next time you pull up to a ministry yellow light, consider these options.

Accelerate before the light changes.

You can ignore everybody and just put your pedal to the metal. Some ministers get so frustrated and exhausted by their ministries that they do not want to wait for the light to change colors. If that describes you, I implore you to resist the temptation to play resume roulette. Instead, forge some time this summer to deepen your walk with Jesus. Rest in him until your soul is restored. Make sure your identity is tied more to the Groom than his Bride. If you expect a church to fill a void in your life that God has already filled, you are are in for more disappointment.

Honk mercilessly at the other cars.

Yellow lights are important, but temporary. As you wait on God’s direction, guard your heart and tongue from burning bridges with those around you. Discerning God’s will is a tough spiritual discipline. I assure you it won’t help to rush or push others as you wait on the light to change.

A foolish heart publicizes stupidity. (Proverbs 12:23, CSB)

Turn around and go home.

Finding God’s will is rarely fast or fun, so some just react by quitting. That may bring you short term relief, but you will certainly regret a hasty exit later.

I will instruct you and show you the way to go; with my eye on you, I will give counsel. (Psalms 32:8, CSB)

I recently spent a season of prayer and fasting about a tempting ministry opportunity, which I ended up passing on. I do not enjoy fasting—at all—but it works! Fasting with prayer is God’s proven cure for spiritual attention deficit, as well as spiritual immaturity.

Slow down and wait for the light to change.

Your ministry yellow light this summer might just be God calling you to himself afresh. My season of prayer ended with a flood of peace that I will never forget. I came to a much greater appreciation for God’s gifts and calling on my life. I pray that you will find that same peace as you try to discern your next ministry move.

You will keep the mind that is dependent on you in perfect peace, for it is trusting in you. (Isaiah 26:3, CSB)

The original article appeared here.

The “Why” for Every Sexual Question

By
Juli Slattery
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communicating with the unchurched

When children reach the age of two, they begin asking a question they never stop asking. Why? If you are parenting a young child, you are faced with endless why questions. Why do I have to go to bed so early? Why do I have to eat brussel sprouts? Why do you have to go to work? Why does he get more pizza than I do? Why can’t I drive the car?

In their exhaustion, some parents defer to the age old response to every why question. Because I said so! This answer is not very satisfying to a child, no matter their age. In truth, it’s not very satisfying to us as adults either.

In my ministry, I still get asked why questions. Why should I save sex for marriage? Why would God care about two men getting married? Why is it a big deal to look at porn? Why should I stay in an unhappy marriage? Unfortunately, we typically defer to the age-old cop out in response to these questions as well. Because God said so. There are bumper stickers and plaques reinforcing the idea that “God said it, I believe it, and that settles it!”

God created us as rational creatures who long for the answers to our why questions. Certainly, there are some situations in which we simply cling to faith and trust God in spite of never understanding the why. However, God is a wise parent who often gives us a why. There is a reason why sexuality matters and why every sexual issue has spiritual significance.

The why for every sexual question is found in this truth: God intentionally created our sexuality as a powerful metaphor for His covenant love.

Everything God has created for us here on earth has a spiritual purpose, revealing something about God. Our sexuality was intentionally created as a holy symbol or analogy reflecting how God loves us. Throughout the Scripture, the one-flesh union of marital sex, sexual infidelity and sexual immorality are used as pictures to describe Christ’s relationship with the church and our call to be faithful to our covenant with God.

Practically we experience this connection through our own lives in three ways.

  1. Sexual desire invites us to pursue covenant. Our bodies remind us that we were not meant to be alone. Sexual desire is not a bad thing! Although it may lead us to temptation and sin, God has given us sexual desire to remind us that we were made for love. Our romantic and sexual longings compel us not just to have sex, but to pursue covenant. We were created for more than a hookup; we were created for committed love and intimate knowing. Spiritually, you were not created to be alone. God invites you into a covenant, eternal relationship with Him, promising that we can never be separated from His love when we trust in Christ Jesus.
  2. Sexual intimacy is the celebration of covenant. Having sex within marriage is a physical way of celebrating the vows we made within marriage. Sexual intimacy within marriage is, in some ways, similar to a sacrament. We physically give each other our bodies in such a vulnerable and passionate way, mirroring how we have vowed our entire lives to each other. Sexual intimacy within symbolizes that our intimacy with God is meant to be passionate and vulnerable, and it requires giving of ourselves.
  3. Sexual fidelity is the promise of covenant. The greatest call within marriage is faithfulness. Broken vows are a tragedy and create waves of pain. The despair of broken vows and sexual betrayal is a metaphor of the spiritual reality of breaking our covenant with God.

When we think about sexuality or have sexual questions, we need to view these through the filter of remembering the significance of this spiritual metaphor. This is the why…why sexual intimacy is reserved for the covenant of marriage, why male and female matters, why sex is under such spiritual attack in our world, and why it’s worth it to pursue sexual integrity and sexual healing.

In Ephesians 5:21-33, Paul makes a direct connection between marriage and the one-flesh intimacy between husband and wife as a reflection of Christ and the church. Paul says this is a “mystery,” which means we can’t grasp the fullness of this metaphor. Yet, Paul’s teaching here and references throughout the Scripture remind us that sexuality and marriage were created by God to teach us about His love, His pursuit, His faithfulness and His passion toward His people.

Want to learn more? Dr. Juli Slattery’s newest book Rethinking Sexuality comes out on July 24th and dives into this conversation! You can sign up for our free webinar to hear Juli teach more on the deeper meanings around sexuality. Even if you can’t watch the webinar live, we will send you the recording after.

The original article appeared here.

Study Finds Openness to the Gospel in Generation Z

By
Bob Ditmer
-
communicating with the unchurched

The consistent decline in church attendance over the past few years has been largely blamed on a lack of faith among millennials. Nearly 4 in 10 young adults claim no religious identity. Six in 10 say they stopped believing in the teachings of their childhood religion, according to a 2016 study by the Public Religion Research Institute.

But there are signs that the 18- to 24-year-old Generation Z, the generation following millennials, might end the trend. At least the seeds of that thinking can be found across the pond.

A major new survey of 4,087 British adults on their attitudes toward religious people revealed that those of Generation Z are less likely to have a negative perception of Christians than millennials are.

Researchers found those in the ‘Gen Z’ age group—what many consider the first genuinely post-Christian generation—are most likely to agree that they have had a positive experience of Christians and Christianity (51 percent), are the most likely to report that they go to church services (33 percent), and also feel comfortable discussing their religious beliefs with people at work (62 percent).

Conversely, they are also the the most likely to report that being an atheist or non-religious is ‘more normal.’

“The churches are addressing basic moral and existential questions that are very important for people in their late teens and early 20s,” Simon Oliver, Van Mildert professor of divinity at the University of Durham, told the Telegraph, “questions about identity, meaning of life and vocation. We are addressing them in a way that they are not addressed in the current education system.”

The results have many believing Gen Z is showing the greatest openness and positivity towards faith.  

Reaching Generation Z

Kolby Milton a youth worker in British Columbia, Canada, has written that Gen Z puts great importance on what their friends are talking about. That underlines the importance of Christian students understanding the gospel to influence their friends. And along those lines, reaching Gen Z means answering the questions they are really asking. Given the fact that Generation Z is the first post-Christian age group in America, that might mean answering a lot of questions.

Too many Christians view their young people as entertainment seekers, said James K.A. Smith, professor of philosophy at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich. As a result, churches tend to over-entertain their youths.

“We thought if we could make church entertaining for kids we would keep them,” Smith said. “But really, I think all that means is we keep them in this sort of ‘Jesus club.’ I don’t necessarily think it means we’re making disciples.”

He encouraged youth leaders to honor the intelligence of their children and not “dumb things down.” Rather, believers should challenge their church’s youths and give them opportunities to serve.

Jaquelle Crowe, writing about her generation for The Gospel Coalition, provided a laundry list for reaching her peers:

“What we need is to see the church loving one another. We need to see Christians of all generations (especially older, wiser generations) in covenant together remaining faithful in an unfaithful culture. We need to see the church standing up for biblical truth and not compromising their convictions. We need the church going out to reach the lost and bringing them in to grow and be fed in the context of the community. What we need is to see the church being the church.”

The Growing Trend of Multiracial Congregations

By
Bob Ditmer
-
communicating with the unchurched

The idea that Sunday morning is the most segregated hour in America is beginning to change.  

Protestant churches in the U.S. have become three times more likely to be racially diverse than they were 20 years ago according to new research from Baylor University.

The percentage of Protestant churches where no one racial group makes up more than 80 percent of the congregation tripled from 4 percent in 1998 to 12 percent in 2012. Evangelicals and Pentecostals show even higher levels of diverse churches, up to 15 percent and 16 percent, respectively.

Overall, nearly 1 in 5 of all American worshipers belong to a multi-ethnic congregation.

The findings are based on data from the most recent National Congregations Study and are good news to evangelicals who have been working to integrate worship services.

Sam Rodriguez, President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, saw the trend earlier this year when he told Jason Daye, host of the ChurchLeaders podcast, “I’m seeing the emergence of multi-ethnic, Christ-centered Bible-based churches. To me that is the hope of a nation.”

He called it the “number one trend” in evangelical churches today, adding, “That puts a smile on my face because it’s the answer to the racial angst in the nation. A divided church will never heal a broken nation.”

If healing comes from congregations resembling the communities they’re in, the study finds churches are moving in the right direction. “The average congregation was eight times less diverse racially than its neighborhood in 1998 and four times less diverse in 2012,” Kevin D. Dougherty, Baylor sociologist and the lead author of the study, pointed out. But the research also indicates there is more work to be done. “Congregations are looking more like their neighborhoods racially and ethnically, but they still lag behind,” Dougherty said.

Multiracial Congregations Don’t Grow on Their Own

“The church wants diversity but we aren’t doing enough to achieve it,” Pastor Choco De Jesus, Senior Pastor of New Life Covenant Church in Chicago, told ChurchLeaders. “You need to be intentional.”

Much of the multi-ethnic church growth has come from church planting. But De Jesus says it has to be done thoughtfully and prayerfully.

“When we go into a community (to plant a church) we need to respect the churches that are already there. I think it’s pretty arrogant of a pastor who doesn’t connect with anybody in the community to say I’m going to change this community.”

“When I first went down the trail of Christ-exalting diversity, and planted a multi-ethnic church in 2003, there were sparse examples I could look to pattern our ministry after,” Bryan Loritts, founder of The Kainos Movement, told Christianity Today.

“But now the volume has been turned way up on wanting to see multiethnic churches launched, and it’s even become the new normal,” he said. “When I talk to young church planters who are eager to get started, it’s a little overwhelming to hear them say they want to be a multi-ethnic church. This is a relatively new and growing development—one I’m overjoyed with.”

It’s also good news to Rodriguez, who said, “When all the colors come together, it reflects the brightest light.”

The Power of Facebook Events

By
Ernesto Alaniz
-
communicating with the unchurched

Many churches have realized the ubiquity of Facebook. It is a place where grandmothers and teens alike hang out. It has become a place to link the sermon, post pictures of big events, and even communicate that Wednesday has been canceled due to inclement weather. But many churches haven’t taken advantage of bringing their largest events to their community.

WHAT IS A FACEBOOK EVENT?

A Facebook Event is just that — an event. It happens at a certain place at a certain time for a certain reason. It is a free service from Facebook, and there is no limit to how many Events you can set up. Is your church having a big Trunk or Treat? Facebook Event. Having an Easter play? Facebook Event. Whatever occasion or outreach you want to promote, creating a Facebook event is a very effective option to get the word out.

CREATING A FACEBOOK EVENT

To set up an event, you must be an administrator of your church’s Facebook Page (because you want the event to be linked to the church). First, you will navigate to the Events tab on your Facebook Page. Then press the “Create Event” button. After that, you need only know the time and the place. If you have some artwork for this event, you will be able to attach it as well. And just like that, you have created a Facebook Event.

INVITE LEADERS AND GUESTS

The first thing you want to do is invite your key leaders and volunteers. I actually let my team know beforehand that they are going to be invited. I do this because I don’t want an event out there for our neighbors that looks like it has no one going to it. So my leaders all jump on right away to give it some starting momentum. After the first wave, I invite the people in our church that may be interested.

SHARE THE EVENT

This is the part that makes Facebook Events so amazing. Not only can the administrator invite as many people as they like, but each leader/volunteer can share this event to their friends and network. So the event begins showing up on timelines all over the community. This viral sharing is amazing because every person that shares the event is vouching for it to their group of Facebook friends. If people in the community see multiple people sharing the same event, it may begin to draw their interest.

EVENT PROMOTION

This is the only part that costs money, but it is entirely optional. Everything before this was free. When you set up a paid promotion, you get to decide how much to spend, and who your target audience is. If you are a small rural church, you might choose a 5-mile radius. If you are a more regional church, you might choose a 30-mile radius to advertise to. You can also determine other demographics, life stages, and interests to make sure your money is being spent well. Then you choose how much money you want to spend. I will often set my budget at $100. This is cheaper than the yellow pages, a billboard, or even door hangers. This is honestly the best $100 I spend for most events that our church does. I have had many visitors come to our small church and tell me, “I saw this church on Facebook, and decided to come and visit.” That still blows me away.

Even without the paid portion, Facebook Events brings our major outreach events to people who are not a part of our church family. It is easy, inexpensive, and even equips your people to spread the word.

This article originally appeared here.

8 Ways to Stop Biggering and Start Bettering the Church

By
Brandon Cox
-
communicating with the unchurched

Remember the Once-ler? From The Lorax by Dr. Seuss? He was a fairly normal guy who wanted to build a big business at the expense of the environment, so he kept “biggering and biggering” until all the trees were gone, the wildlife had vacated the landscape, and his business crashed.

The little children’s book seems to leave us with the impression that biggering is bad. But I’m not convinced that should be the big lesson.

The story is told of Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A, that he once sat quietly through a board meeting listening to his executives brainstorm about how to get bigger. He suddenly interrupted the chatter with a declaration: “If we get better, we won’t have to worry about getting bigger.” Talk about an Aha! moment!

We can make the church grow, or we can watch the church grow, and the difference boils down to bettering instead of biggering.

I often warn people who attend Grace Hills that if they’re just looking for a smaller church, we hope to disappoint them. And I further explain that the church must be intentional about growing larger because of our mandate to keep on making disciples out of a lost culture until Jesus comes. Then I follow up with the truth that while the church should grow larger, our energy should actually be invested in making it smaller. That is, we must put time and effort into turning the crowd into a congregation of committed Jesus followers who are in close relationships with a smaller number of people within the larger community.

This is why we talk a lot about how to spread out as we are growing up. America doesn’t need another enormous event center packed to the rim with spectators of a fantastic religious show. But America desperately needs a movement of Christians who spread out and infiltrate every pocket of our culture with the good news of Jesus.

I believe we’re seeing the beginnings of a bettering movement within our own Grace Hills Church family. We started small, with less than a hundred people when we launched. Now, somewhere around 600-ish people attend Grace Hills. But the really amazing story is happening behind the scenes where lives are really changing. *

I sat down at lunch not long ago with a couple in our church who lead a team of volunteers on Sundays and asked a simple question, “How are you guys doing?” Their response moved me. “Better than ever.” Their marriage is stronger than ever. They’re struggling through some disappointment and a difficult period of waiting in a very healthy way. And their intense passion for serving Jesus inspires me and makes me hunger to see many others share their experience.

What really grabbed me, though, was the part where they said, “Ever since we started coming to Grace Hills, and especially since we got involved in our small group…”

In their story is a big answer to what should be next for our church, and probably for yours too. We must focus on bettering and we won’t have to worry about biggering. So how do we get better? These are the principles forming in my own heart and mind about how I want to see the church at large improve…

Bettering the Church

  • We need to depend upon the Spirit’s influence and empowering, and to unashamedly confess that dependence in our prayer and worship.
  • We need to learn to tell God’s redemptive story, the good news, in a way that relates to our surrounding culture. We need to make the gospel central to our message and mission.
  • We need to focus on people—connecting with people, connecting people to other people, and meeting the needs people experience on a daily basis.
  • We need to make disciples and develop leaders rather than simply attracting more fans. Attracting isn’t bad, but failing to challenge those we attract to take the next step is a severe flaw.
  • We need to get bold about our vision for a world touched and changed by a God-sized movement. It’s time to stop apologizing for an intense desire to influence and impact the culture with truth and grace.
  • We need to sacrifice our comfort, our preferences and our personal agendas, and embrace change—radical, catalytic, movement-shaking change.
  • We need to be strategic, pragmatic and effective. These are curse words in some pockets of evangelicalism, but they are absolutely NOT at odds with biblical Christianity. We can be both faithful and fruitful.
  • We need to work together, in unity, as a team. Structural and institutional unity isn’t necessary, but working hand-in-hand for Kingdom-sized causes is.

The world doesn’t necessarily need bigger churches. But it definitely needs better churches, and better churches usually wind up bigger, and bigger isn’t bad.

Where does your church need to start? And what’s your role in the equation?

This article originally appeared here.

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