Marathons, Ministry and the Power of Running Together

July 3, 2018

This article was written by Greg Stier and Randy Davis, a partner from the National Network of Youth Ministries (NNYM).

Legend has it that when the Greeks defeated the Persians in the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC, a warrior named Philippides ran the extremely long distance back to Athens, burst into the assembly and proclaimed “We have won!” just before collapsing and dying. This story has inspired countless runners to run and keep on running (and hopefully not die) in marathons around the world.

In many ways, youth ministry is like a marathon. If we sprint it, we’ll burn out. We must pace ourselves to get that final prize.

And just what is that prize we are working for? It’s every teen in our youth groups growing deep in their faith and sharing it widely with their peers! It’s every teen everywhere hearing the Gospel from a friend! It’s revival that starts in our youth groups and spreads across our communities!

I (Randy) have had the honor (OK maybe not an honor) to run a mini marathon. That is 13.1 miles. Why run a mini marathon? Because a full marathon is just too long!

As I trained for those 13 miles, I was told to keep putting one foot in front of the other because each step combines to make it 13 miles. It starts with the first step.

So does reaching the next generation.

It can be overwhelming to think about what it’s going to take to reach 26,000,000 teenagers on 67,000 high schools and junior highs across the United States. Not one person, one church, one ministry or even one denomination could ever reach them all. But if we work together, we have a chance!

Training for a mini marathon is difficult. It is always good to have a partner or a running group to go through the training together. It helps when you can cross the finish line together while cheering each other on.

What’s true of running is true of ministry. We are better together and we have exponentially more of a chance to accomplish our vision together than separately.

So how can a youth leader network help you cross that finish line of seeing every teen in your community hear the Gospel from a friend? Here are three critical ways a network can help you reach that bold goal!

1. Shared Gifts and Coaching

Well, first of all, through shared effort.

Everyone has a gift, talent or skill, but no one has every gift, talent or skill. A network creates the opportunity for a community to see all of the needed gifts, talents and skills working together for a common vision.

Some youth leaders are better at evangelism, others at discipleship, others at programming and others at relationships. What if we shared with each other our best practices to help each other “run the race to win” (1 Corinthians 9:24)? What if we considered how “to spur one another on to love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24), especially when it came to making and multiplying disciples?

I (Greg) am not a runner. I hate running with the white hot intensity of a thousand suns. Sadly, in high school, I quit the 100-yard dash during field day because I was so far behind.

But, I did try to run a long distance with a friend once, just to see if I could do it. Lane Palmer, my college roommate, was a long distance runner and I decided (in a spur of the moment decision) to join him on one of his training runs. Sadly, I was wearing jeans and high top basketball shoes. But I ran eight miles with him.

How did I do it? Well, other than sheer determination (and being in somewhat good shape at the time), Lane coached me every step of the way. He helped to pace my running stride and gave me pointers as we went along. By God’s grace and through the coaching of my highly experienced running buddy, I was able to complete a training run with him.

In the same way, we need each other to coach, encourage and help us keep stride for stride with the Holy Spirit as we run this race for the next generation together.

What Do Families Need Most? More Fathers

Sam Luce

July 3, 2018

The debate over family ministry has been alive and well over the past 10 years, and for that I am grateful. One of the things I was not aware of is how Dads were removed from being the primary spiritual leaders of their homes through the industrial revolution. Up to that point, there was no separation of duties within the family. The husband and wife were partners in both the economics of their home as well as the more domestic duties of child-rearing within the home. What’s crazy is the church let it happen.

In her book Total Truth, Nancy Pearcey describes the role of fathers:

Dad was called to sacrifice his own interests—to be dis interested—in order to represent the interests of the whole. Husbands and fathers were not to be driven by personal ambition or self-interest but to take responsibility for the common good of the entire household.
Being a father was not a separate activity to come home to after a day at work; rather, it was an integral part of a man’s daily routine. Historical records reveal that colonial literature on parenting—like sermons and child-rearing manuals—were not addressed to mothers, as the majority are today. Instead, they were typically addressed to fathers. Fathers were considered the primary parent, and were held to be particularly important in their children’s religious and intellectual training.

As a result, the most striking feature of child-rearing manuals of the mid-nineteenth century is the disappearance of references to fathers. For the first time we find sermons and pamphlets on the topic of child-rearing addressed exclusively to mothers rather than to fathers or both parents. Men began to feel connected to their children primarily through their wives.

“Women took men’s place as the custodians of communal virtue,” Rotundo writes, but in doing so, they “were freeing men to pursue self-interest.” In other words, men were being let off the hook instead of challenging the growing secularism among men, the church largely acquiesced—by turning to women. Churchmen seemed relieved to find at least one sphere, the home, where religion still held sway. Whereas traditional church teaching had held that fathers were responsible for their children’s education, in the early 1800s, says one historian, “New England ministers fervently reiterated their consensus that mothers were more important than fathers in forming ‘the tastes, sentiments, and habits of children,’ and more effective in instructing them.” As a result, “mothers increasingly took over the formerly paternal task of conducting family prayers.”

We need godly women and godly mothers, but I have to say that I agree with Nancy our culture in general and the church, in particular, has let men off the hook. We preach to mothers and expect them to translate it to fathers. We seek the path of least resistance and it has hurt both the church and the family. I have been guilty myself at times in decrying the feminization of the church. I will be the first to admit many times I have given into the idea that women are the bastions of virtues and guys are the lucky recipients of said virtue. The church has taken its parenting cue from the culture that says parenting is women’s work and dads get a pass. Who suffers? Our kids. If I am honest I gear most of my “parental partnership plans” to mothers. This has to change.

What also must change is our tone in how we train, educate and treat men. There have been many wrongs committed by me to be sure, but in our right desire for justice we must be sure to be specific or we will do damage that will take generations to recover from. So many in culture today demonize “Patriarchy.” The problem is that in demonizing men and the role they play, women get more of what they think they want and less of what they actually need. The problem isn’t patriarchy, the problem is sinful patriarchs. We need to address the sins that we see rather than demonize and further push men to the fringes of society. The answer to the evils our society blames on patriarchy isn’t feminism, it’s the recovery of biblical manhood and womanhood.

Nancy’s damning statement cuts so deep every time I read it: “Instead of challenging the growing secularism among men, the church largely acquiesced—by turning to women.” I think the next wave of family ministry focus needs to be geared toward dad. How do we help dad engage in the home? How do we help dads win? How do we move the deeply entrenched idea that raising children is not women’s work?

Lastly, in our stance against gender confusion let’s clearly define how God sees the family unit as it functions best. Not rejecting hundreds of years of orthodoxy because we are afraid of challenging the growing secularism in our culture.

Dads, be who God has called you to be where he’s placed you. Being a good dad comes from a place of understanding the heart of the Father who while you were still a sinner sent his only son at grave cost to redeem you to restore relationship with you. It doesn’t matter what kind of father you did or didn’t have. You have been rescued by almighty God. Be the dad your kids need, that only grace allows and the gospel demands.

This article originally appeared here.

Why Is There a Constant Exodus in Your Youth Ministry?

Tony Myles

July 3, 2018

It happens.

Around this time of year, various families in your church will simply leave and won’t return.

This type of exodus has no bias. They may have been irregular or regular attendees, some of your newest visitors or some of your longest leaders.

If you’re fortunate, you’ll get a phone call or be invited out to lunch so the break-up seems more empathetic and personal. Regrettably, it’s more common to receive a one-sided email or Facebook note explaining, “It’s not you, it’s me. So give me some space and don’t reply.”

There are other households that will be more aloof about it all. They’ll stop attending and count how many days, weeks or months it takes for you to notice they pulled back. If you don’t follow up quickly, it will only further validate the reason they began to leave in the first place.

I see this happen at the end of every December. While some use the “new year” to dig in and grow, others use it to fade off and go. You may see a few hints in what they post online or share socially, but it will still hit you hard as it happens.

I’m speaking from experience. Even though I know it’s coming, it always deflates me as it unfolds.

Can you relate?

They’ll begin to attend a different church, and you’ll wonder why. You won’t literally say, but you literally wonder, “Is that church sexier than ours?”
They’ll explain that another youth group is offering a unique program or class, and so they won’t be around for a season. “I hate that,” you’ll think, but instead you’ll force yourself to say, “Well, churches aren’t in competition with each other, so it’s no big deal.”
They’ll tell you that they’ve prayed about it and God led them to make this move in this timing. “Funny how ‘God’ always seems to tell people to do this in January,” you’ll further note to amuse yourself.

Make no mistake about it…this will hurt. You will take it personally. It will feel as if you’ve been betrayed. Cynicism will dominate your future.

Unless…

Jesus Christ really is the center of your life and the ministry you serve.

I’ve already confessed that I struggle with this. Perhaps you do, too.

We tend to think that the biggest competition to serving God is sin (or our own carnal nature). Truth be told, church itself can become your biggest competition for a Jesus-centered life and ministry.

The question is if that’s how you’ll roll.

It’s easy to think of all the time you’ve put into “your ministry” and “your church.” It’s harder to realize that the ministry and church doesn’t belong to you (or even the students), but to God Himself.
It’s easy to spot the (alleged) immaturity of other people who pull out of your particular congregation for the wrong reasons. It’s much harder to admit there may be valid reasons for why they’re leaving…reasons that may or may not have anything to do with you.
It’s easy to be offended by how effortlessly someone can choose to not show up anymore. It’s harder to admit you’re simply jealous that you have to project more commitment and maturity than that.

I have no solutions for you other than Jesus Christ.

He hears our whining like he did when Peter complained, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” (Matthew 19:27)
He enlarges our perspective like he did when James and John demanded, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” (Mark 10:37)
He remains faithful to us and carries his cross like he did even when the Bible says, “Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.” (Matthew 26:56)

God isn’t bound by time. I personally think it’s short-sighted when people use the calendar to make spiritual decisions. Maybe there’s some obscure Bible verse that you can use to correct me on this, but the fact that we use a certain time of the year to retreat from him, relationships or church seems lame. As Jesus said, “Deny yourself. Carry your cross. Follow me.”

On the other hand, my attitude serving Jesus isn’t to be bound by what’s going on in the church. Whether people are leaving or staying shouldn’t affect how faithful I am to Christ. Maybe it bears repeating that Jesus said, “Deny yourself. Carry your cross. Follow me.”

Can you relate?

Thank you for loving students!

What You Need to Know About the ‘Clashes’ in Nigeria

Bob Ditmer

July 3, 2018

Church leaders in Nigeria are pleading for help from the international community and the United Nations in the wake of what they call “pure genocide” in the African nation at the hands of radical Fulani herdsmen.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and church denominational heads in Plateau State issued the plea in a press release last week.

Since January, 6,000 Christians, mostly women and children, have been killed, prompting the organizations to demand that the attacks “be stopped immediately.” Many others have been injured.

In the statement, the church leaders called on the government of Nigeria “to stop this senseless blood shedding in the land and avoid a state of complete anarchy where the people are forced to defend themselves.” They also fear that the fighting could spread to other countries in the region.

Nigerian Christians Take to the Streets

The attacks have ignited protests and the arrest of a pastor who organized the demonstration.

The Rev. Isa Nenman, a pastor in Jos, was arrested on Thursday after the protests reportedly resulted in property destruction when he led demonstrators to the Government House, the residence of the governor of Plateau state, on Wednesday (June 27). Nenman is northern zone chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Plateau state chapter.

Paul Dekete, one of the facilitators of the protest march, said in a press statement that Rev. Nenman “is in police custody, and there is a directive from Abuja to make arrests.”

News reports describe thousands of Christians dressed in black marching to the Governor’s House to protest the attacks and killings. Some carried posters calling for the government to “Declare Fulani herdsmen as terrorist.” Another read, “Ransack Fulani settlements.”

When the Plateau state governor declined to meet with the protesters, they reportedly tried to storm the premises, threw stones at cars and offices, and chased government officials. The demonstrations were preceded by two days of fasting and prayer.

The latest attacks, between June 23-25, took the lives of 218 people including the Rev. Musa Choji and his family members.

CAN said the attacks are taking place on a daily basis and have been largely unchallenged by President Muhammadu Buhari’s government. Buhari is a is a Muslim and a Fulani former military ruler.

Nigerian Christians Reject Claim That Fighting Is Over Land

Although some of the attacks have been characterized as battles over grazing land, Open Doors USA and International Christian Concern said Christians are being deliberately targeted.

“We reject the narrative that the attacks on Christian communities across the country as ‘farmers/herdsmen clash,” the church leaders statement read. “The federal government has been so immersed in this false propaganda and deceit while forcefully pushing the policy idea of establishing cattle ranches/colonies on the ancestral farming lands of the attacked communities for the Fulani herdsmen as the only solution to the problem.”

“How can it be a clash when one group is persistently attacking, killing, maiming, destroying; and the other group is persistently being killed, maimed and their places of worship destroyed? How can it be a clash when the herdsmen are hunting farmers in their own villages/communities and farmers are running for their lives?” the church leaders asked.

The attacks and the lack of a response are getting reaction on social media.

.@ProfOsinbajo The police have been unresponsive to media enquiries regarding the Plateau State. How many arrests have been made? How many convictions have been secured? 218 dead in Jos??? @BBCWorld @Telegraph @CNN @FoxNews @SkyNews @ABC

— Tom Price (@abetterhope) July 2, 2018

https://t.co/uICB1tL3GX

— Liesl Warton (@lieslwarton) June 30, 2018

Christians make up 51.3 percent of Nigeria’s population, while Muslims living primarily in the north and middle belt account for 45 percent.

Nigeria ranked 14th on Open Doors’ 2018 World Watch List of countries where Christians suffer the most persecution.

The Quiet Spiritual Revival Brewing in the US Army

Bob Ditmer

July 3, 2018

spiritual revival — Screengrab Facebook @BlessedLife

Almost 1,000 soldiers in basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri have given their lives to Jesus Christ since March in what can arguably be called a spiritual revival.

There is no question God is doing something amazing at the army base and that He is using Captain Jose Rondon, a chaplain at the base, to carry out His plans.

Rondon, a native of Venezuela, told churchleaders.com that in his 25 years of preaching the message of salvation, he has never seen such a great response.

Rondon came to faith in Christ in the 1990s through the witness of a Southern Baptist missionary. He emigrated to South Carolina, where he attended North Greenville University—and then worked on master’s and doctoral degrees at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He became a United States Citizen in 2010 and a year later joined the military with the goal of becoming a chaplain.

Intentional Preaching Spurs Spiritual Revival

In a Facebook post, Rondon wrote that the key to seeing so many people come to Christ “is summed up in one word: INTENTIONAL.”

“If we want to see people coming to Christ,” he said, “we must be intentional to speak clearly about: 1. Our problem as sinners; 2. God’s solution to the sin-problem through Christ’s death, burial and resurrection; and 3. Our individual response to God’s desire to forgive us of our sins and His desire that nobody will go to Hell. To Christ’s church: Stay INTENTIONAL.”

Rondon said soldiers in basic training, the first stop in their military career, are more open to the gospel having abruptly found themselves separated from loved ones and facing a harsh and demanding military culture.

“I believe that the message of salvation goes to the core of these individuals because they have finally come to realize that God has always been there to love them, guide them and protect them,” he wrote in an email. “In other words, through the encouragement of God’s Word life starts to become meaningful for these soldiers in training as they realize that it is not as bad as they think with the help of God and the encouragement of practical applications to live tougher lives in the Army setting.”

Rondon, who preaches the Sunday morning services at the Main Post Chapel or the 43rd Battalion Chapel, also believes the Holy Spirit is moving at the base “because now thousands of Southern Baptists are praying for me, who weekly send messages letting me know that they are praying for my family and me and what I am doing amongst our soldiers.”

Shepherd and Companion Leading Spiritual Revival Among Troops

Watching videos he posts on his Facebook site, it’s obvious the new recruits have a great love and affection for Rondon. He said he’s gained their trust by being their shepherd and their companion.

“They see me running with them, attending their major events, being in the field with them when they are training, visiting with them when they go to the range, going to the mess hall with them, speaking with all of them to encourage them through bringing the military expectations and culture into their world.”

Some have pointed out that new soldiers often turn to God as they face a dangerous and uncertain future.

Rondon doesn’t dismiss that observation but said he’s never seen nor heard a response of this magnitude at military bases. He also is working on a discipleship plan that will follow the soldiers who have made professions of faith as they continue their military careers around the world.

In the meantime, he is asking Christians to pray for him and his fellow chaplains at Ft. Leonard who he calls “the hands and feet of God to our present and future warriors.”

“We are seeing such amazing numbers of conversions to Christ through the power of prayer,” Rondon wrote to churchleaders.com. “I thank those all over the country who have been praying for us faithfully. Yet, I challenge our Christian brothers and sisters in Christ all over the nation to join hands around the name of Christ and to pray in unison to Him that He will change hearts and minds for His glory alone and for the salvation of millions upon millions. That is only possible with God answering the prayers of His people.”

Can we get “hooah” for Captain Rondon and his fellow chaplains?

Awakening the Sleeping Giant by Focusing on Teenagers

Greg Stier

July 2, 2018

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Admiral Yamamoto, leader of the Japanese forces, was asked about how he felt. His answer was stark, “I am fearful that all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with terrible resolve.”

It is time to awaken the sleeping giant in the church (called “teenagers”) and fill them with holy resolve.

But, with so many age demographics in the typical church, why should we focus on reaching teenagers?

1. God has a track record of choosing teenagers to accomplish great spiritual feats.

From Joseph, to Timothy, to Esther (who won a beauty contest then saved a nation), God has used young people in big ways to do even bigger things.

In 1 Samuel 16 when the prophet Samuel goes to the house of Jesse, it’s not the strapping, strutting older brothers of the house that God chooses to be king. It’s the underage runt of the litter that got anointed as the future leader of Israel. One chapter later, this kid named David, who was delivering cheese and crackers to his older brothers in the war, got ticked off that a nine foot giant was talking smack against the God of Israel. His anger left an impression on Goliath…a deep one.

But its not just in the Old Testament that God demonstrates his predisposition to choose and use teenagers. For the most part Jesus mostly picked teenagers to be his disciples. In Matthew 17, when Jesus, Peter and the disciples go into Capernaum, only Peter and Jesus pay the temple tax (although all of the disciples are there!). According to Exodus 30:14 the temple tax was only applicable to those 20 years old and older. If I’m reading that right, that means that Jesus was a youth leader with only one adult sponsor…and one really rotten kid.

And God used this “youth group” to reach the world! He can use yours to do the same!

2. God receives glory when the “foolish things of the world” confound the wise.

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 makes this crystal clear, “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”

If this passage is not a case for working with teenagers I don’t know what is. Teenagers are foolish, goofy and hyper. I love it! God loves it! He wants to use them as twitchy revolutionaries to change the course of nations and to launch a global awakening of biblical proportions just like his Son did 2,000 years ago!

Last week we had hundreds of teenagers at our Chicago Lead THE Cause. It was outstanding! Not only were these teens trained and equipped in intercessory prayer and evangelism, they were unleashed to do it! These teenagers braved the elements to reach the people of Chicago with the Gospel in exciting and love-drenched (and rain drenched) ways. God did a mighty work. The same thing is happening this week in Austin, Texas.

God is raising up an army of underestimated “foolish things” to confound the wise and advance his kingdom in unprecedented ways!

3. It just makes sense.

Teenagers are wet cement. They form to the forms layed out for them. While working with adults is definitely important, sometimes a jackhammer and wheelbarrow is required before the wet cement can be poured in their souls.

Five Marks of Effective Prayer

H.B. Charles, Jr.

July 2, 2018

The key to effective prayer is a heart of dependence. Pray with the holy urgency of one who has a need that only Jesus can meet. Your prayers will not mean anything to God until they mean everything to you. These are the marks of effective prayer.

The last passage of chapter 1 (verses 40-45) records the miracle of Jesus cleansing a leper. It is also recorded in Matthew 8:1-4 and Luke 5:12-15.

Leprosy was the most dreaded disease in the Bible. The term “leprosy” was used to describe anything from a skin rash to Hansen’s Disease (the modern name for leprosy). Luke 5:12 says this man who came to Jesus was “full of leprosy.” This was no skin rash. It was full-blown leprosy in its advanced stages. In his desperation, he came to Jesus for help. And Jesus made him clean (Mark 1:41-42).

This story is about the miracle-working and divine authority of Jesus. This leper is only a trophy of amazing grace. The priority of this passage it what it teaches us about Jesus. But there is a lesson about effective prayer in the actions and words of the leper. The way he came to Jesus shows us how to go to God in prayer. Mark 1:40 teaches us…

Five Marks of Effective Prayer…

Urgent Prayer

Mark 1:40 begins, “And a leper came to him.” This was a scandalous act. Lepers were unclean (Leviticus 13:45-46). According to the Talmud, the closest a leper could come to someone without the disease was six feet. If the wind was blowing, the distance extended to 150 feet. But this leper disregarded the regulations and came to Jesus. It is an indication of how desperate his case was. It is also an indication how strong his faith was. He had a need no one but Jesus could meet. And nothing would stop him from getting to Jesus. Is this how you pray? The key to effective prayer is a heart of dependence. Pray with the holy urgency of one who has a need that only Jesus can meet. Your prayers will not mean anything to God until they mean everything to you.

Reverent Prayer

The leper came to Jesus and begged him to make him clean. Mark 1:40 says he did so kneeling. Luke 5:12 says he fell on his face before Jesus. He said, “If you will; you can make me clean.” Matthew 8:2 and Luke 5:12 add that the leper addressed Jesus as “Lord.” This leper came to Jesus urgently. But he did not come irreverently. He recognized he was an unworthy leper and Jesus was the sovereign Benefactor. The first petition of the Lord’s prayer is, “Hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9). Prayer is worship. When we pray, we recognize that God is God and we are not. When a child’s language gets a little too aggressive, the parent asks, “Do you know who you’re talking to?” This is a vital question for effective prayer. Do you know who you’re talking to when you pray?

Simple Prayer

Against all odds, this leper gained an audience with Jesus. Kneeling before the Lord, he said, “If you will; you can make me clean.” No long speech. No eloquent petition. No emotional appeal. He simply presents his situation to the Lord in prayer. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns us not to think our prayers will be heard by the words we say, or how many words we say (Matthew 6:7-8). Prayer should be simple, direct and straightforward. Do not prayer is like presenting an oral report in a class filled with a stern teacher and rowdy students. Consider prayer to be a loving conversation between a father and his children. Learn from this leper and bring the matters of your heart simply to God in prayer.

Believing Prayer

Mark tells us that the leper implored Jesus to help him. But when Mark quotes the leper, it is not a prayer request. It is a statement of faith: “If you will, you can make me clean.” The Bible speaks of lepers being cleansed, not healed. And it was believed that only God could cleanse a leper (2 Kings 5:7). This leper did not know any cleansed lepers. Yet the reports he heard about Jesus convinced him it was possible. And he came to Jesus, begging for help, and declared, “You can do it!” Effective prayer is believing prayer (James 1:6-8). As you pray, you must believe the Lord is willing to hear and able to answer prayer. Whatever the need is—even if it seems to be something impossible, like cleansing leprosy—trust that Jesus can do it.

Submissive Prayer

When the leper said, “If you will,” to Jesus, he was not mixing doubt with his faith that Jesus could make him clean. And he was not questioning the love of Jesus, while affirming the power of Jesus. To the contrary, his prayer was an appeal to the tenderheartedness of Jesus. The leper believed Jesus was able to make him clean. But he recognized that his faith did not obligate Jesus to act. He did not claim his cleansing. He did not speak it into the atmosphere. He did not “declare and decree” himself healed. He put his situation in the hands of the Lord and trusted him with the outcome, whatever it would be. The most difficult prayer to pray is, “Your will be done.” It is also the most important prayer to pray. Effective prayer gets real when faith in the Lord’s ability learns to submit to the Lord’s authority.

What steps do you need to take to learn to pray more effectively?

This article originally appeared here.

12 Things Leaders Are Talking and Thinking About

Brian Dodd

July 2, 2018

As a leader I try to stay abreast of what top leaders are talking and thinking about. One of my go-to resources when I am traveling is the USA Today. While not only being a fast read in hotels and on airplanes, it is a wealth of leadership knowledge.

The following are 12 Things Leaders Are Talking and Thinking About I have gleaned from the paper over the last several months.

Leaders Are Talking About Taking a Moment and Being Proud of the Work They Have Done – After winning the snowboarding gold medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics, Shaun White said, “I don’t think you could ever forget this day in the sport of snowboarding. I’m proud that I’m on top, and I don’t say that often about myself because I try to stay hungry for that next win, but I’m changing my ways and I’m really proud of myself.” – February 15, 2018
Leaders Are Talking About How Pornography Is Destroying the Lives of Countless Leaders – Kansas City Royals general manager Dayton Moore’s comments on educating his players on the dangers of pornography said, “When you sit down with young men and they open up and talk about their struggles, oftentimes you can track it back to pornography. It’s been a major issue in their lives… Educating our players about the harmful effects of pornography is similar to the importance of honoring women, respecting women and looking at them as human beings and not sexual objects. Most of these young men are going to be husbands and fathers. It’s our job to educate them.” – March 14, 2018
Leaders Are Talking About Their Responsibility in Solving the Pornography Epidemic – Moore added, “When you’re committed and relentless about trying to lead and do the right thing and you’re presented with information that you think is important for your players to know and you don’t do it, it’ll haunt you. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t share this.” – USA Today, March 14, 2018
Leaders Are Talking About Trust Issues – Senate Commerce Committee chairman John Thune asked Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, “After more than a decade of promises to do better, why should we trust Facebook on privacy?” – April 11, 2018
Leaders Are Talking About Owning Mistakes – Zuckerberg said, “We didn’t take a broad enough view of our responsibility, and that was a big mistake. It was my mistake, and I’m sorry. I started Facebook, I run it, and I’m responsible for what happens here.” – April 11, 2018
Leaders Are Talking About How Hard Work Works – Wisconsin Badgers head football coach Paul Chryst said, “For the longest time, the narrative was that Wisconsin was going to have a great offensive line. Well, that just doesn’t happen. You’ve to work at it.” – April 11, 2018
Leaders Are Talking About Managing Expectations – On living up to his $210 million contract, Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer said, “If you go out there and try to prove your contract or worth your head is in the wrong spot. I try to avoid falling down the trap of living up to my contract or proving I’m worth it. Good or bad, I can’t go down that path.” – May 1, 2018
Leaders Are Talking About Creativity and How to Keep Things Fun and Interesting – When asked for advice for how to get in the comedy business, Jimmy Fallon said, “Don’t worry about money, just do it because it’s fun and it’s interesting for you. Keep it interesting and stay creative and keep dreaming and keep believing and it will all fall into place.” – May 22, 2018
Leaders Are Talking About the Importance of Self-Confidence – Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry said, “You’ve got to block that (criticism) out and really be your own worst critic and your own biggest fan. It’s hard to do at times, because everybody’s human. But consistently that (confidence has) gotten me through some tough times.” – May 22, 2018
Leaders Are Talking About Thriving in Chaos – Warriors assistant coach Bruce Fraser on Curry’s ability to thrive in chaos, “His disposition, and the way he views not only basketball but the world, is that the glass is always half full. One of his (favorite) lines to me is that he thrives in chaos… He actually embraces chaos. I think that kind of stuff strengthens his mind.” – May 22, 2018
Leaders Are Talking About Eliminating Unnecessary Mistakes – Air marshal instructor Gary Decker said, “At 37,000 feet, we can’t call for backup. We’re in a confined space, we can’t make mistakes.” – May 22, 2018
Leaders Are Talking About Being the Last Line of Defense for Their Organizations – Assistant supervisory air marshal Mike LaFrance added, “We are the last line of defense on board an aircraft. If everything else fails, the air marshal is there to take down anything that may happen.” – May 22, 2018

As a leader, are you talking about any of the issues above?

The original article appeared here.

Seize the Season

Gary Thomas

July 2, 2018

My wife and I are joining my extended family this week for a cruise to celebrate my dad’s upcoming 90^th birthday. It’s a special treat for Lisa and me to have all our children and daughter-in-law together, within walking distance.

Most of you reading this post have your kids with you every day, and it’s a bit difficult to truly appreciate something that is always there. But perhaps you can let an empty nester look back so that you can make the most of this blessed (but temporary) season when your children are at home.

If I could say anything to myself 20 years ago, it would be, “Gary, raising children is a season. It won’t last forever.”

I always knew that, but it didn’t drive my heart, even though there were occasional glimpses.

I was away on a speaking trip once, walking through a mall, when I saw a little girl run up to her dad, his arms laden with packages.

“Daddy? Will you carry me? My legs are tired.”

The young father sighed, moved all his packages from one hand to the other, and scooped up his little girl into one arm.

That’s when it hit me: When was the last time I had carried one of my children through the mall because their little legs were too tired to walk?

I couldn’t remember.

How I wish someone had told me, “Gary, this is the last time you’ll get to do this. Take a mental snapshot of this moment. Relish it. Taste it. You’ll never experience it again.”

In a desperate attempt to recapture what was lost, I returned home and asked my then 12-year-old daughter, “Kelsey, can I carry you through the mall one last time?”

You can imagine how a 12-year-old girl would respond to that.

One day you’re looking for a changing table, a crib, a clean diaper bag, becoming familiar with the smells of baby powder and Desitin; the next day you’re buying a bed that looks like a car, or decorating a room to make it look like a castle; then you’re purchasing shin guards or ballet slippers or a violin; one month later, it feels like you’re actually talking about whether to buy or rent the graduation gown (never buy).

And then it’s over.

The house goes quiet.

The backseat of your car is actually clean: no Cheese-its; no sippy cups. No fast food wrappers or sweaty uniforms. In fact, you can go 5,000 miles without anybody ever sitting in the backseat.

I wish I had known that all those vacuum jobs were signposts of abundance, as if I was depositing ridiculously large checks in a bank account of rich memories. Sign the check, deposit. Vacuum the car, remember why it got dirty.

I wish I had done that.

I wish.

It’s hard to believe, but there was a time when we just wanted to get Graham to pee into a toilet bowl.

My wife had tried everything, but Graham preferred the diaper. Lisa read about a brilliant idea and we decided to test it. I drew a picture of a fire on a piece of toilet paper, threw the toilet paper into the bowl, and yelled, with great urgency, “Hey, bud, come put out the fire!”

Graham took one look at that fire and did what a fireman has to do…

Is it possible to miss potty time?

Yes, it is.

One day, we clapped because Graham finally peed in the toilet bowl. Today, he’s getting an MBA from Harvard.

I love it that I can call Graham and discuss Plato’s Symposium. I appreciate that he knows far more about investments than I ever will. But part of me still misses a little boy just learning to “put out the fire.”

Don’t let this season slip away. Seize it. Every day of it. Early church father John Chrysostom offers much wisdom when he tells ancient husbands, “Show your wife that you value her company and prefer being at home to being out.”

It’s a good sign if you can’t wait to get home; it’s a bad sign if you’re finding more and more excuses to stay away from home.

I’ve seen both husbands and wives, at various points in their lives, find creative ways to get out of the house. Everybody needs some time away once in a while. But when you prefer to stay out of the house, that’s a problem. You’re missing something very special.

If God offered me and Lisa three months of luxury accommodations and an unlimited budget to explore Europe, or one weekend back in our tiny townhouse when the kids were all younger than 10 and money had to be counted by the pennies (and we drove a car that died every time we took a sharp right-hand turn), we’d both take the weekend with our little kids, without even hesitating.

Young parent—this is a rich season. It’s tiring. It’s messy. It keeps you awake, but someday, sooner than you can believe, I bet you’d give up a luxury vacation just to get one of these weekends back.

Seize this season. Remember it. Let it wash over you and treat these days with your kids like the golden treasures that they are.

This article originally appeared here.

What I Hope Goes on My Record

Joe McKeever

July 2, 2018

“Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its services” (Nehemiah 13:14). “Remember me, O God, for good” (Nehemiah 13:30).

In the 18 months since I moved back to Mississippi, twice I have had men approach me, introduce themselves and thank me for something I did over three decades ago.

After graduating from seminary in New Orleans in 1967, my young family and I moved to the Mississippi Delta region where I pastored a church for three years. Then, we moved to the capital city of Jackson where for another three years, I served on staff of the great First Baptist Church. Following that, we lived in Columbus, Mississippi, for nearly 13 years as I pastored the First Baptist Church. Then, we moved away.

That was 32 years ago, 1986.

In October of 2016 I moved back to the Jackson area, and the following January married Bertha Fagan, the widow of a seminary classmate Dr. Gary Fagan. We joined the FBC of Jackson, while I travel far and wide–as the invitations come in—to preach and minister as the Lord leads. My retirement ministry is far more rewarding than I could ever have anticipated.

Twice this has happened.

A man comes up and calls my name. “I’ve been wanting to meet you for years,” he says.

And the story from both men is almost the same.

“Over 30 years ago, you counseled a college girl not to have an abortion. Because of what you said to her, she kept the baby. I was the father of the child. She and I later married. And she gave birth to a daughter.”

One said, “The child was born handicapped. She lived 11 years and was the joy of our lives.”

The other said, “That daughter is now over 30 years old and I do not have words to say how much she means to me.”

They each seemed to struggle to find words to thank me enough.

I told them the same thing. “You know that I don’t have any memory of this.”

“I understand,” they said.

“But,” I said, “I sure hope I did that! I sure hope you’ve got the right minister! I want this on my record!”

They laughed, we shook hands, and they left.

I’ve been grateful ever since for this little foretaste of Heaven. In glory, we believe, people will be coming up thanking others for a witness, a prayer, a gift, a sermon, a word of counsel that made an eternity of difference.

So the Lord just gave me a little advance taste of it. I am forever humbled and grateful.

What else I want on my record…

–I want the Lord to say of me that I loved Him with all my heart and backed it up by my deeds, my obedience. After all, the Lord Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

–I want it on my record that I grew in Christ and was a far better man toward the end than I was early on. After all, Scripture says, “We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Wouldn’t it be something if the final space between what I am here and what I am about to become there was small? “We shall be like Him,” we read, “for we shall see Him as He is” (I John 3:2). “We shall be changed” (I Corinthians 15:51).

–I want it on my record that I loved the unlovely and stood up for the oppressed and was kind to the undeserving.

–I’d love for the Lord to note that I was kind to those who were unkind to me, that I did a few loving things to the neighbor who cursed me out because my tree was shedding in his yard, that I blessed the elderly church member who was so critical and wrote such a scathing letter to me. When we do loving things to our enemies, Jesus said, we “will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil” (Luke 6:35).

And something not on my record…

I want my record to have a few blank places where something was there, something I did but which I’m ashamed of, where “the blood of Jesus Christ” has “cleansed me of my sin” (I John 1:7). After all, when He cleanses the sin, it is gone. “Buried in the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19). “Separated from us as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12).

I have sat in the back of a funeral home while ministers were eulogizing someone who had devoted himself to opposing everything I tried to do. And I prayed, “Father, I forgive him. Would you forgive him too? Please take him to yourself for eternity. May I meet him in heaven someday, please?”

I figure that when I stand before the Lord, I’m going to need all the mercy I can get. Since “blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy,” I want to show mercy.

May that be on my record. Amen.

This article originally appeared here.

New Era, Old Models: Top 10 Christian Leaders of All Time

Pam Williams

July 2, 2018

Editor’s Note: In this feature, Pam Williams lists what she believes to be the top 10 Christian leaders of all time. We invite you to share your thoughts, discuss and add your own Top 10 in the comment section below.

No doubt, the greatest Christian Leader of all time is Jesus of Nazareth, the Savior of the world. As time passes, we are blessed by the influence of certain other Christian leaders that leave a legacy unparalleled by any other. No matter what the denomination, most will agree that some Christian leaders have had a huge impact on our community, our nation, and even our world. As I look at all the Christian leaders that have been and even still are today, I have chosen those that I believe are ten of the most influential Christian leaders of all time.

Elder John Leland (1754-1841)

John Leland was a faithful minister of the gospel for 67 years. Leland was what some would call a “circuit preacher,” traveling on foot or horseback from Massachusetts to South Carolina. He traveled more than a hundred thousand miles in his preaching journeys [1]. He was most famous for his plight for religious freedom in the United States of America. In 1787, Leland was a great supporter of James Madison as he pursued his election to the Virginia Convention to ratify the U.S. Constitution and to adopt the Bill of Rights. He endorsed Mr. Madison and convinced many fellow Baptists to do the same because he knew Madison would pursue a federal amendment for religious freedom. Elder Leland spent more than 60 years fighting for what has commonly been called “separation of church and state” in the United States today. Elder Leland wrote his own epitaph: “Here lies the body of John Leland, who labored 67 years to promote piety and vindicate the civil and religious rights of all men.” [2]

William Carey (1761-1834)

A self-taught English cobbler, William Carey set out to evangelize the people of India. When Carey was called to missions, the vision of world evangelism was not clear in England. He was, in fact, considered to be the father of modern Protestant missions. Carey’s first six years on the field were nothing short of outrageously awful. He survived malaria, dysentery and cholera. During his years in Bengal, he and his family tolerated inhabitable conditions, disease, grief and wild animals. He buried two wives and one young child in the field.

Williams Carey was best known for penning the original translations of the Bible into Bengali, Oriya, Marathi, Hindi, Assamese and Sanskrit, and parts of it into 29 other languages and dialects.
Carey was co-founder of Serampore College and a member of the Baptist Missionary Society.
One Famous Quote of William Carey is: “I can plod, I can persevere to any definite pursuit.”

Dr. Jerry Falwell (1933-2007)

Dr. Falwell had a vision to train young people for Christ. He was a faithful husband, father and grandfather, as well as a servant for the Lord. In 1985, he hoped to see Liberty University train 50,000 students. Today more than 70,000 students are enrolled in onsite and offsite classes, thereby fulfilling his vision. Dr. Falwell often took heat for his pro-life, pro-family, and favor for a national defense stance but stuck to his guns. He was a strong supporter of seeing Ronald Reagan elected as President of the United States.

Dr. Falwell was best known for his radio and television ministry “Old Time Gospel Hour” and as the founder of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.
Dr. Falwell was also the founder of Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Va.
Dr. Falwell often said that his heart was to “train young Champions for Christ.”

Rev. Billy Graham

Billy Graham is an Evangelist, best known for his televised crusades. He preached the message of Christianity for forty years. He was advisor to several American Presidents. It is believed that he has led thousands to profess Jesus Christ as personal Savior.

Rev. Graham is best known for his worldwide evangelist crusades.
Rev. Graham is founder of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA).
Rev. Graham once said: “It is not the body’s posture, but the heart’s attitude that counts when we pray.”

Rev. Jesse Jackson

As a civil rights activist and minister, Rev. Jackson has been in the limelight for both for his accomplishments and for his controversial stand on popular political topics. He was with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at his march in Selma, Ala. And in the 1980s, he became the leading spokesman for African Americans.

Rev. Jackson is best known for his civil rights activism but also twice ran for President of the United States.
Rev. Jackson is founder of Rainbow/PUSH Coalition whose goal is to seek equal rights for African Americans and women.
One famous quote of Rev. Jackson is: “We must not measure greatness from the mansion down but from the manger up.” ^[3]

The Father Daughter Dance That Made Prison Guards Cry

Bob Ditmer

July 2, 2018

“Just because a father is locked in doesn’t mean he should be locked out of his daughter’s life.”

That’s the premise behind a unique father-daughter dance that happened in an unlikely place– a jail.

In this Ted Talk, Angela Patton, founder of Camp Diva, a nonprofit organization that helps African-American girls prepare for their passage into womanhood, explained how the unique event came about and what it means for those involved.

Patton said she meets with girls on a regular basis and in one of the gatherings the girls decided to hold a father-daughter dance as a way to encourage healthy relationships with their fathers.

The idea caught fire as the girls starting planning where it would be held, what they would eat, what they would wear and what their fathers could and could not wear.

But the discussion stopped when one girl said, “My dad can’t come to the dance and this whole thing is making me sad.” Brianna’s father is in jail.

So the suggestion was made, “Let’s have the dance in the jail.”

A bold idea that was met with skepticism. As one girl observed, “Who would let a bunch of little girls go to a jail for a dance?” But Patton said, “You never know unless you ask.”

She contacted C. T. Woody, the Richmond City Sheriff. He loved the idea. After all, he told Patton, “Whenever there’s an opportunity to connect inmates with their children’s lives there’s less chance they’ll return.”

16 inmates and 18 girls were invited. The girls showed up in their Sunday best and the men traded in their prison jumpsuits for shirts and ties.

They hugged and laughed and enjoyed a catered dinner of chicken and fish.

Patton called the evening beautiful adding, “Even the guards cried.”

But more importantly, Patton said the fathers and daughters had a chance to make a physical connection and make video recordings of each other that they could enjoy when they were once again separated.

One girl asked her dad on the video, “when you look at me, what do you see?” Patton said it’s important for young girls to have that information because “our daddies are our mirrors that we reflect back on when we decide what type of man we deserve and how they see us for the rest of their lives.”

The father-daughter dance has become an annual event.

Francis Chan: If You Think a Loving God Wouldn’t Judge, Have You Read the Bible?

Megan Briggs

July 2, 2018

As morality becomes more and more subjective, the concept of judgment becomes increasingly offensive. This means that the determination of what is right or wrong becomes located within the individual instead of an ultimate objective standard of right and wrong which is none other than God. Over time, the very concept of judgment diminishes and ushers a culture into moral chaos.

Francis Chan: Do Not Ignore God’s Judgment

Popular Christian author and speaker Francis Chan issues an urgent plea for us not to ignore God’s judgment. Chan asserts that in our modern culture no one really believes in judgment anymore—not even many Christians! The common mantra that is heard is that a loving God would not judge people. The problem with this thinking is that we barely get out of page 2 of Scripture before we run right into God’s judgment. We read about God killing whole people groups in ways that would make anyone pause in sober reflection. As hard as this biblical reality may be, the answer is to not find the wrong in the Scripture but to find the wrong within our own human hearts.

Chan puts it this way: Whenever he disagrees with Scripture he assumes he is wrong.

Practically, this truth should serve as an important motivator for unity within the church. Yes, there are godly and ungodly ways to judge, and the church must discern with clarity and conviction when she displays God’s judgment, but what the church must NOT do is to be quiet about God’s judgment.

Kari Jobe’s ‘Heal Our Land’ Is the Exact Thing We Need to Be Praying Over America Right Now

Megan Briggs

July 2, 2018

This is an awesome song from Kari Jobe that we need right now! There have been several periods in history where times of crisis divide people and leave many victims. We are living in one of those times. It’s no secret that the American church has undergone (and is still going through) an incredibly tumultuous and divisive season this past year.

In times of crisis, often the arts pick up the slack when the culture is unable to accurately speak on a given topic. Art has a way of expressing what we cannot in speech, writing, or actions. True to the calling of art, Kari Jobe’s song “Heal Our Land” adequately expresses the prayer on the heart of Christians distraught over the division present in the American church right now.

As the lyrics suggest, our land does need healing and we do need to be unified again. The only way we are going to see this happen, though, is through the grace and power of Jesus Christ. In short: It’s time to pray.

If you don’t know where to start or how to pray, borrow the lyric’s from this song to get started:

Spirit of God
Breathe on Your church
Pour out Your presence
Speak through Your word
We pray in every nation, Christ be known
Our hope and salvation, Christ alone

So, God we pray to You
Humble ourselves again
Lord, would You hear our cry
Lord, will You heal our land
That every eye will see
That every heart will know
The One who took our sin
The One who died and rose

Understanding the Hebrew Word for ‘Listen’ Will Change Your Relationship with God

Megan Briggs

July 2, 2018

The meaning of the word “listen” in Hebrew can teach us a lot about our relationship with God.

Oftentimes we falsely assume that having ears equates to listening. This is especially applicable to a western culture that is saturated with headlines, texts, hashtags, posts, ear buds, and tweets. We are swimming in a sea of words while listening to very few of them.

I remember as a Communications major in college taking a class on listening (the only one of its kind in the nation at that time). I learned that research indicates that we “listen” more than we do any other communicative activity. However, that same research showed that we do a poor job of listening. An argument can be made that we shouldn’t have to listen to so much of the useless information that bombards us daily. As believers, we have someone—the Grand Informer Himself, God—we really need to listen to.

Do the scriptures address this important issue of listening? The answer is a resounding and ancient “yes”!

The Meaning of ‘Listen’ in Hebrew

In the following video from The Bible Project, a short word study is provided for the Hebrew word “shema”, which means “listen” or “hear”. Shema is the first word of the daily confession about God Jewish people have made ever since antiquity. The confession is referred to as the Shema and upholds the important theological truth about the oneness of God. The first mention of the shema is located in Deuteronomy:

“Hear, (or “Shema”) O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might and these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. ⁷You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. ⁸You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. ⁹You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (ESV)

We read in scripture that God is the maker of our ability to shema (Prov 20:12, God equates listening to Him with keeping the covenants made by Him. Listening then, according to the wisdom of God, is to listen AND to obey. In Hebrew, which is the original language of the Old Testament, there is no distinct word for “obey”. In fact, according to Old Testament usage, to listen and to obey is the singular word of “shema”. So in light of the meaning of listen in Hebrew: How are we doing at truly listening to God?

In Exodus 19:5, God equates listening to Him with keeping the covenants made by Him. Listening then, according to the wisdom of God, is to listen AND to obey. In Hebrew, which is the original language of the Old Testament, there is no distinct word for “obey”. In fact, according to Old Testament usage, to listen and to obey is the singular word of “shema”. So in light of the following video: How are we doing at truly listening to God?

Watch this video!

Beth Moore on Parenting: Which Matters More…Your Child’s Success or Godliness?

Megan Briggs

July 2, 2018

There is no lack of advice when it comes to parenting, especially for Christians. Parenting books, seminars, conferences, and blogs drill into us the importance of raising our children “in the Lord” while offering training to implement this. In the midst of all this parenting clamor, is there one indispensable attitude that parents must own while raising their children? In this Beth Moore parenting video, the popular Bible teacher shares that she believes so and that attitude is “guts”!

Learning from a Beth Moore Parenting Video

In the following video, Moore explains why parents have to have the capacity to pray some pretty gutsy parenting prayers for their children. She uses a story from her own parenting experience that brings the point home.

When our children are rebelling, are we willing to ask God to bring hard circumstances into their lives in order for them to see the folly of their rebellion? Many parents will not pray that prayer because we are more concerned about our kids being successful than being godly. Do we as parents have guts enough to have our children strive toward fulfilling the plan that God has ordained for them before the foundation of the world, or will we incessantly coddle (and thereby worship) them? When we don’t parent with godly guts, we will produce children who, when they turn 60, will sadly say to themselves, “how on earth did I get to this point?”

U.K. Abortion Clinics Becoming No-Prayer Zones

Bob Ditmer

July 2, 2018

Pro-life activists in the United Kingdom lost their first challenge of a law that prevents them from praying, demonstrating and offering help in front of an abortion clinic in London.

The high court ruled that Ealing council can create a 100-meter, protest-free buffer zone around the Marie Stopes clinic. The council was the first in the country to make such a decision in an attempt to shield women from demonstrators.

The high court in the U.K. is the first stop for high value and high importance cases. The court’s rulings can be appealed.

Mr. Justice Turner found the ban interfered with the activists’ human rights, but said the council was entitled to conclude it was a “necessary step in a democratic society.”

“There was substantial evidence that a very considerable number of users of the clinic reasonably felt that their privacy was being very seriously invaded at a time and place when they were most vulnerable and sensitive to uninvited attention,” he said.

The public spaces protection order (PSPO) was adopted in April after reports of “intimidation, harassment and distress” from women using the facility.

In his ruling, Justice Turner wrote, “It also follows that, in this regard, I am also satisfied that the defendant [council] was entitled to conclude that the effect of the activities of the protesters was likely to make such activities unreasonable, and justified the restrictions imposed.”

Buffer Zones Challenged by Woman Helped by Protesters

A challenge to the buffer zone was brought by Alina Dulgheriu, a mother who was helped by pro-life vigils. Dulgheriu said she was offered financial, practical and moral help, as well as accommodation, from pro-life protesters, and now has a “beautiful” six-year-old daughter.”

Lawyers acting on her behalf said that the Council’s decision to ban pro-life vigils around the clinic was “unlawful, invalid and unjustified.”

In a statement following the ruling, she said she is looking into options to challenge the judge’s decision.

She added: “I am saddened and shocked that the court has upheld a PSPO that prevents good people giving help to mothers who desperately want it.

“I am devastated for those women that, since the introduction of the Ealing PSPO, have not been able to access the loving help that I did.

“I feel desperately sorry for the vigil members who since the move to create this PSPO have been consistently subject to abuse on the street and slander online.”

Antonia Tully of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), said it is shocking “that the high court is allowing a council to ban peaceful public acts of witness and freedom of expression and stop members of the public offering charitable help to pregnant women. A mother who was herself given this help and has a beautiful six-year-old daughter as a result brought this challenge, and a judge has decided that no other mothers may be helped this way, and no one else’s sons or daughters may be saved.”

Ealing council’s leader, Julian Bell, said the local authority was delighted by the decision. “This sends a clear message… The harassment and intimidation of local residents and those accessing legally available medical services was totally unacceptable,” he said.

According to the Guardian, eight councils in England are considering setting up similar abortion clinic buffer zones.

When You’re Lied About, Looked Down Upon or Doubted

Kevin Thompson

July 1, 2018

Outlast it. Two simple words, but the only two words needed for you to get through some situations in life.

The Pain of Being Looked Down Upon

Everybody faces moments in which they feel under attack.

A co-worker tells half-truths about a situation and now everyone at work thinks you are incompetent.
You don’t respond to a situation the way you desire and now your reputation is in question.
You have a horrible lapse in judgment and years of establishing your credibility is lost.
In an attempt to justify themselves, someone spreads lies about you that have no basis in fact.

No one is immune from times in which they are lied about, looked down upon or doubted. Sometimes it’s the natural consequences of our own poor decisions. On other occasions, it is the unfortunate response to others doing horrible things to us. In most situations, it is the outcome of people not knowing all the information and making lazy judgments which are not fair.

Whatever the case, everyone must endure tough seasons when their relationships with others are tense, their self-confidence is shaken, and they feel as though they want to run and hide.

In these moments, the only answer is to outlast whatever criticism is coming your way. Allow time and the consistency of good choices to prove the lies are not true. It’s tempting to do other things. It doesn’t seem most effective to allow time to do its work. But it is the most effective strategy.

Don’t fight for your reputation…they won’t believe you. There are times in which we should stand up for ourselves. It’s OK to call actions wrong and say that others have not told the truth. However, in most cases, fighting for your reputation won’t work. People will believe what they want to believe. If someone asks, tell them your side. But if they don’t ask, don’t bother. Whatever you do, don’t use social media to post a defense. It draws the attention of others who previously didn’t care and it in no way changes the opinions of those who have already made up their mind.

Don’t degrade your accusers…it will rightly cause people to question you. My children have a pattern. When one pushes or yells at the other, the other pushes and yells back. My kids are just like yours. It’s what children do. Sadly, many adults do the same thing. Degrading others who are degrading you feels good in the moment, but is not a successful strategy. When others call you names, refuse to call them names in return. When others lie about you, refuse to slant your own truth. No matter how others are treating you, continue to consistently treat them with respect. Be careful and draw boundaries, but don’t stoop to their level of childish behavior.

Don’t give up…it will confirm the lies. The temptation to hide, stop engaging and give up are real when times are tough. But don’t do it. Opinions change. Attentions shift. Few things stay the same. Just because people are down on you today doesn’t mean they will be down on you tomorrow. If you quit—working, serving, loving, giving, contributing—people will assume the lies about were true or the flaws in your character were all-consuming. Quitting proves the accusers right. Continuing to do the right thing causes them to doubt. Over time, it will allow them to change their minds.

Outlast it.

It’s the advice I give to:

A couple dealing with the heartbreak of an affair. The community may find out. If they do, they will talk. But outlast it.

A successful businessperson caught up in a questionable deal. Rumors may fly. Mistakes might have been made. Admit what you need to admit, but then outlast the rest.

A man embarrassed by a horrible mistake. Some will rejoice. Many will mock. But outlast their ridicule and make it past the days when yours is the name associated with failure.

By focusing on making wise choices, every day, and believing a day will come in which the truth will be revealed or a reputation will be restored, a person can endure a great deal of sorrow.

People will lie about you. They will doubt you. Some of it will be unfair. Other aspects of it will be the natural response to your mistakes. And you will make mistakes. But the only way for one event, one decision or one season to define you is if you allow it to. Instead, when others lie about you, look down upon you or doubt you, just outlast it.

The original article appeared here.

Are You a Thief Without Realizing It?

Melissa Vello

July 1, 2018

Gossip. It feels exhilarating. Entertaining. Our imaginations take over and we’re intoxicated by the rush. It’s no big deal. Just harmless fun. They deserve it! We shrug it off and steal it from them. We snatch it and never look back. Never break a sweat. Success is ours!

And they never saw it coming.

Our victims are always unsuspecting and never present. We sneak in through the shadows, completely undetected. Otherwise, it would be impossible to steal what we’re after!

Afterward, we retreat as if nothing ever happened. We will steal again. We’re good at it.

We are gossipers. A thief who steals our receiver’s right to the truth. Who steal our target’s dignity—something they can never fully recover. Jewelry, money and material items—all of these can be replaced; this isn’t so with someone’s reputation. We have stolen something worth more than any material item by carelessly casting a stain on their reputation.

Rumors ignite and quickly catch fire through our hushed conversations and gasps or with our critical texts and posts. In most cases, we aren’t even certain if the rumor is true, nor do we care. It isn’t hurting us and it satisfies an insatiable craving.

Interestingly enough, Marge and Homer Simpson put it best. “Homer, it’s very easy to criticize…” said Marge. “And fun, too!” replied Homer.

But this is the kind of entertainment that hurts. It’s a spiritual smack-down for all involved.

It’s the boss blacklisting his employee. The friend turning her back. It’s the desperate seeking popularity. The neighbor thirsty for a new story. It’s the self-righteous in their ignorance. The church member casting judgment. It’s the viral body-shamers. The jealous retaliating. It’s the big, bad bully scoring his next fix. The petty politician seeking ratings. It’s the listeners who don’t speak up. The Mom-shamers keeping score. It’s those swimming around in this spiritual cesspool. The weak pretending to be strong.

We have all been guilty of using our powerful voices to weaken others.

“Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark” (James 3:5).

Yet, the thief is not without injury. Gossiping is a spirit-saboteur. Any negativity casts a dark shadow on our spirit. It plants a seed of contempt and takes up space where goodness could grow instead.

As Deepak Chopra states in the best-selling book The Shadow Effect, “Judgment is guilt wearing a moral mask to disguise pain.”

There is a deeper reason we gossip; it is rooted in our own insecurities and pain. Our culture teaches us to be competitive at all costs. Loving others is secondary. Loving ourselves is even farther down on the list. Gossiping about others is just another way to destroy our competition and to project our own pain.

It can only come from a thief with a broken spirit.

Take a glimpse at the latest headlines or listen intently to your next conversation. It’s everywhere. It’s cultural crack. It’s become in vogue to devour others—some twisted sign of strength. Accusations are flung about without any remorse; legacies become casualties with an impulsive tweet or post.

Words have become weapons.

Sadly, the presence of criticism is born in the absence of perspective. You never truly know what someone is battling, and gossiping only makes life harder for them. Life is hard enough for us all. Why should we make it any harder?

You don’t have to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes; you just have to take a minute to consider how they may be feeling.

Our words have the astounding capability to be used as a salve for another’s spirit, not a tool used to destroy them. They can be a glistening reflection of another’s good qualities, not a blaring spotlight shone on their bad ones. Our words can grow our own goodness by pointing out the goodness in others.

So instead of gossiping, let’s choose to lift each other up! To encourage. To allow our consciences to respond before our mouths or fingers do. To refuse to listen passively. To offer others grace and offer it to ourselves at the same time. To be loud about the truth and silent about the nonsense. To be a comrade to others throughout the battles of life.

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Ephesians 4:29)

The next time you’re in a conversation where someone else is being criticized, think to yourself…

Will I be a thief or a comrade?

The original article appeared here.

Setting Up A Click Track For Your Worship Team

Mike O’Brien

July 1, 2018

Adding a click track (metronome) to your worship team setup is easy and the video below shows you how to do it. Despite what some believe, adding a click will not automatically void the Holy Spirit from your church or kill the “feel” of your musicianship. Here are some reasons why I love having a permanent click ready to go at the church:

It is a helpful tool to have for younger drummers, as timing is usually the #1 issue.
You can easily reference the tempo of a song before you rehearse or lead.
It’s a great tool for drummers in training if they use the church drumset during the week to practice.
Your musicians can learn the art and joy of pushing and dragging against the click.
Familiarizing your church culture with a click will give musicians a tool that will aid them if they enter a recording studio.
If you are recording your services you can sync other musical elements later with more ease.
Metronomes are standard tools for most world-class musicians.
You don’t have to use it on every song, but the tool is there if you want it.

This video above shows my process for setting up a permanent click (metronome) next to the drum set.

WHAT TO BUY:

Tama Rythm Watch: https://amzn.to/2Lhrq0e
Power Adapter for the Tama Rythm Watch: https://amzn.to/2LTOQdu
The Mount for the Rythm Watch: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/deta…
Clamp for Holder (clamp to the high hat or other stand): https://amzn.to/2LPXnhj

Here is a little chart showing you how the audio will be run for the click:

The finished project will look something like THIS.

The original article appeared here.

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