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Andrew Peterson Apologizes for All-White Music Video

By
Bob Ditmer
-
communicating with the unchurched

Musician Andrew Peterson is apologizing for a new music video because of its lack of diversity.

The song “Is He Worthy?” is based on Revelation 5:9, which reads, “From every people and tribe, every nation and tongue, he has made us a kingdom of priests to God to reign with the Son.” In the video, the camera swings past all the white faces just before he sings that line.

Peterson called the sequence “the very definition of ‘painfully ironic.’”

Social media posts were quick to point out the oversight. One viewer wrote, “Man, that’s a lot of white people in one video!” Others said they wouldn’t or couldn’t share it with friends of color because it would cause them pain.

On his blog, titled “Waking Up to ‘Is He Worthy?’: An Apology” Peterson wrote:

“What was meant to be a video drawing attention to the glory of Jesus, one that opened the door for all people to praise him, had become, for some, a source of grief. I immediately thought of some friends of mine and wondered if I had unintentionally hurt them. I called them and my worst fears were confirmed. They were very encouraging even as they helped me understand what it was like for them to watch the video, and in the end we cried and prayed together on the phone.”

Peterson called the oversight unintentional saying they relied on an open casting call to fill the chapel where the music video was shot but only white people came. He said he didn’t notice the lack of diversity until “the fourth or fifth chaotic take.” Even then he wrote, “Honestly, the lack of diversity didn’t occur to us again until the day of the release when I read the comments.”

“So, as a white American singer/songwriter whose only hope is Jesus, I’m asking forgiveness of the friends and listeners to whom this video brought any measure of grief. I’m also asking the good people who have come to my defense to refrain from using social media to do so. Be silent long enough to really listen. And then, if the Spirit leads, engage with love and patience and humility. As I said, the only way to learn something is to screw up. What was only a small voice in my head a few weeks ago will, I assure you, be a loud, clear voice of wisdom in the future. I’m sure I’m going to make a mountain of mistakes in the days to come, but, Lord willing, this won’t be one of them.”

Peterson’s blog does not mention re-shooting the video but instead the singer hopes and prays “this song and the accompanying video will continue to be an instrument of peace in spite of the broken vessel through whom it came.”

In marketing the song to radio programmers Peterson wrote, “Every two or three years, a song that follows none of the rules and checks none of the boxes rises up and becomes something special, something bigger than a typical hit song. We think this could be that song…George Bernard Shaw said, ‘You use a glass mirror to see your face, you use works of art to see your soul.’ The human soul is drawn to beauty like a magnet. And if it’s our goal, and presumably your goal as a radio station, to engage people deeply on the level of the soul, we figure how can we not take a chance at this song?”

“Is He Worthy?” will be released on iTunes and Amazon on March 30.

4000+ Volunteers Focus on Hurricane Harvey Relief

By
Bob Ditmer
-
communicating with the unchurched

It has been almost seven months since Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas. Hundreds still can’t return to their homes. And thousands of Christian volunteers standing alongside helping them rebuild.

The category 4 storm left 108 dead, caused an estimated $125 billion in damage, and left more than 780,000 people in Texas and Louisiana at least temporarily homeless, making it among the costliest natural disasters ever in the United States.

While the media and much of the nation has forgotten about the storm-ravaged region, 4,696 volunteers from 47 states have been in Texas helping the victims rebuild. They’ll be there for another five days. The army of volunteers was organized by Eight Days of Hope, a Christian nonprofit organization that is both evangelical and non-denominational. The group’s website says it exists to demonstrate the love and hope of Jesus Christ by serving those in need.

Eight Days of Hope began in 2005 as a one-time relief effort following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana. In the 13 years since, the ministry has sent thousands of volunteers to help people devastated by hurricanes, tornadoes and floods across the U.S. with one goal—to love and serve those in need.

Volunteers for the ministry have helped 285 families rebuild their homes, at no charge, following Harvey. One of those volunteers is pastor Daniel Owolabi from New Point Church in Ohio. He told Fox 26 in Houston that he volunteered because “Jesus has called us to make a tangible difference in people’s lives.”

Gina Ledford came with a group of volunteers from Arizona. She said, “We all go through storms, we all have troubles, and if we can lend a helping hand to someone else when they are in trouble, then it’s kind of like what the Lord has done for us.”

Seventeen-year-old Cohen Perez gave up his spring break to drive 20 hours from Ohio to help. He told the television station he considered it a small sacrifice: “It’s not about us, it’s about the people who need help—to give them a sense of hope.”

And they are succeeding. An unidentified victim of Hurricane Harvey thanked the volunteers by telling them how much their efforts are appreciated, “For the first time in six months my house feels like a home because I have walls.”

The ministry calls this the largest 15-day recovery-relief effort in U.S.history.

Eight Days of Hope began sending volunteers to the Houston area in early September and have remained throughout the rebuilding process. The volunteers “muck” out homes, remove furnishings, clean up debris and do some construction work for as many families as possible.

The primary goal of the ministry’s Rapid Response team is to show the love of Jesus Christ to disaster victims 48-72 hours after a disaster strikes anywhere in the contiguous 48 states. During their efforts, the volunteers seek to build bonds with home owners, community leaders and other disaster relief organizations for immediate relief and in hope of laying a foundation for future disaster-recovery efforts.

If You Don’t Love Your Work, You Need to Re-Evaluate

By
Keith Robinson
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communicating with the unchurched

According to recent data from Gallup, there are twice as many “actively disengaged” workers in the world as there are “engaged” workers who love their jobs.

The serious demands of ministry can often separate joy and work, leaving us drained or worse, full of dread. Because the work of the ministry is more of a calling than a career, 0ur level of work joy is inseparably linked to our spiritual, emotional, and mental health.

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” ~Steve Jobs

Remarkable things happen when leaders love their work. When people ask us what we do at Slingshot Group, our associates will often say, we help people love their work. We believe the abundance Jesus offers extends into our vocation as ministry leaders. Here are a few helpful tips you can use to rediscover abiding joy in your calling as a kingdom leader.

  1. Know your True North.

If you’ve ever driven your car in an early morning dense fog, you suddenly appreciate the value of unobstructed vision. Even a few miles behind the wheel in low visibility can be a white-knuckled adventure!

Rediscovering your Why?

When you hit a patch of fog in your work, the once clear path from here to there becomes clouded by circumstances beyond your control. At some point in ministry, the future you preferred will seem uncertain or even impossible to reach. In moments like these, work joy can feel elusive unless you orient your internal compass toward a deeper sense of purpose, your True North.

Remember, just because you can’t see the road ahead doesn’t mean you have to change your destination. While you can rarely control what goes on outside, you can always control what goes on inside. One of my mentors used to say to me “never make a permanent life decision based on a temporary storm.”

Often, our first reaction when we encounter difficulty is to try to do more than we’re capable of doing. But, you don’t have to burn out to break through! If you’re struggling for clarity, take a day off, get away for the weekend with your spouse and kids, call a trusted friend or mentor, or even take a long nap! A quick pitstop to check your instruments won’t set you back as much as you think. It could be the very thing that prevents you from crossing the center line or hitting a ditch.

  1. Stay hungry.

When I dove into full-time ministry as a naive 20-year-old, a mentor challenged me, “Once you discover what you’re good at, you have a responsibility to become great at it.”

In our field research, even the best leaders experience a loss of joy and satisfaction in their work when they stop feeding themselves. The weight of responsibility that comes with 52 Sundays a year in the local church can subtly become more duty than delight. Fighting the tyranny of the urgent often feels like waging war against the wind, robbing us of lasting joy.

Ministry monotony can drain you slowly. To avoid apathy, you’ll need to fight boredom aggressively. At Slingshot Group we often ask candidates, “What sources are you looking to for inspiration?” If a leader struggles to answer that question we know they’re already in danger of dying on the vine.

Although it’s helpful when someone comes along to help kickstart us out of our funk, what happens when you don’t have a cheerleader in your corner? Rediscovering work joy starts with a personal commitment to getting better. When we raise the bar on ourselves, those expectations will eventually help us develop new capabilities.

Stop expecting your boss to do for you what you won’t do for yourself. Ask to go to that leadership conference, but don’t stop there. Sign up for a seminar, download a new podcast, put together a book list by getting recommendations from those you admire. If you find your work joy tank getting low, maybe it’s time to light a fire under yourself again!

  1. Count What Matters.

If you’ve ever seen an interview with a professional athlete after winning a championship, at least one reporter will ask something like, “What does this win mean for your future with this team?” More often than not, the athlete responds, “I’m not trying to think about what the future holds right now. Tonight, it’s about celebrating this win.” 

Ministry leaders often feel relentless pressure to perform. Don’t be so quick to move on to the next thing before giving yourself time to relish your victories. When is the last time you slowed down long enough to celebrate the impact of your ministry? Remember that even God paused to step back and observe his creation. He called it good. Sustaining work joy is possible only to the degree we permit ourselves to exhale.

Step away from your desk for a minute. Survey the contributions you’ve made in your work. Don’t allow what hasn’t been accomplished to determine your level of joy. Count what matters. Ultimately, what you choose to celebrate is the leading indicator of what you value.

How to Help Your Ministry Team Love Their Jobs

By
Monty Kelso
-
communicating with the unchurched

“You know you’re working in a JOYFUL work environment when……”

Regardless of whether you are leading a church or any other organization for that matter, the abundant life you long for is a closer reality when the people you lead actually love their work. But how do you know if that’s the case? Here are eight ways to know if you are really promoting what we call “WorkJoy”….and some helpful tips to make your team love their work even more.

  1. People are genuinely engaged in what they consider “meaningful work”! They will naturally engage in their work with enthusiastic fervor if they know the bigger why behind what they do. If they are working in their “sweet spot” and they are truly talented, they are unstoppable. Tip: Hire the right people (cultural fit) with a clear job description that allows for them (and you) to measure their success.
  2. Conversation cannot be contained. When people feel connected to one another, they can’t help but relate to one another on many levels. Personal “connectivity” does not undermine productivity. In fact, it elevates productivity. If the work environment feels more like a library than a coffee house, it’s likely missing the joy factor. Tip: Design office spaces with ample natural light, current furnishings and colors, open spaces for staff meetings and socializing and of course, a coffee bar with an open food policy. Foster an environment where there is a slight “buzz” in the air that comes naturally from human connection.
  3. Creativity flourishes. The more joyful the environment, the more people are free to engage in ideation. There is a freedom that comes with the joyful disposition of others. A freedom to explore new ways of doing things better. TIP: Plan occasional brainstorm sessions including everyone. No idea is a bad idea. Keep it flowing by not over analyzing or rushing to the paralyzing logistics.
  4. People have each other’s back. Joyful teams develop a sense of interdependence with their co-workers. There is a sense that “we’re all in this together”. And their common purpose fuels a sense of healthy teamwork. Competition is undermined by a spirit of mutual success. TIP: Be sure to call out both individual and corporate wins in public. Praising the team for their mutual efforts and successes fuels a spirit of camaraderie and positivity.
  5. Failure is considered a part of the process. Winston Churchill said, “the road to success is paved with failure”. Work places that allow for people to experiment with new ideas even when they fail are likely to foster growth not only among the people who serve there, but in the overall mission of the organization. TIP: Foster a culture of critical evaluation that not only recognizes what worked, but also what didn’t work and why. This can be facilitated in a way that elevates people even when they fail at an attempt that was carefully planned and executed. No risk…no reward.
  6. Work flows naturally….and then some! Joyful work environments not only afford an atmosphere where people get the job done, they often go above and beyond the expected by delivering tasks early, with greater quality and outcomes. Their motivation is fueled by a positive environment where precision praise is common and celebration just happens. TIP: Recognize the remarkable contribution of people by rewarding them with everything from public recognition promotions. People who feel un-noticed or under-appreciated are less motivated to contribute their best work. And sometimes will choose to work elsewhere.
  7. People feel secure: Organizations are like families. And just like children feel more secure when Mom and Dad are thriving, employees feel more secure when leadership has their act together. Vision clarity, missional strategy and precision branding all help fuel a sense of organizational health and future success. TIP: Experienced leaders know that in the real world, “vision leaks, and mission drifts”. Therefore, the best leaders consistently keep the team secure and on track by amplifying their deep conviction as to why we do what we do and how we go about accomplishing it. Unless the vision, mission and values filter down in to every fiber of the organization, we risk them becoming only platitudes that look good on a wall but have little effect on the people who makes things happen.
  8. People are grateful. The healthiest work environments are filled with people who love their work. And more importantly they love where they work. And when that’s the case, they don’t hold back from sharing how grateful they are to be working there. They are actually proud to say that they work there! You’ve likely, at least “tasted” the horrible feeling of a negative work environment. Few things compare to the emotional drain of this kind of work culture. TIP: Fuel a grateful team by promoting a joyful work environment with calculated effort on a weekly basis. Without a deliberate action on your part as a leader, a positive culture will eventually erode. It is your job to keep the vision clear, the mission on point, and the culture healthy. Start by engaging one of one with each of your team members affirming them for the work they day and why it makes a difference to the organization.

The Difference Between Good and Bad Small Group Messiness

By
Logan Gentry
-
communicating with the unchurched

Every community faces messy seasons where things are not perfect in the community. This is true in group therapy, where they call this the storming phase of group development, and this is true of every small group in the church. This is an important phase for a community and especially for a missional community in the church.

For the church, when messiness arises in the missional community, there needs to be an assessment of whether this is the result of good or bad messiness. Identifying the reasons for messiness guides the response, whether celebrating messiness for good reasons or seeking to change things for bad reasons.

Below are three good reasons and three bad reasons for messiness in missional communities.

The Good, Gospel-Centered Reasons

Gospel-Centered Confession & Transformation

Yesterday, I outlined the majority of this idea. When a community is centered on and celebrating the gospel of Jesus Christ, people bring out past hurts, current sins and struggles to the community to seek transformation and change. This is to be celebrated, but can be difficult to recognize as good because of a false understanding that morality equals spirituality.

Raw Questions from Exploring & Potential Believers

Another good reason for messiness comes from people exploring Christianity, either new to the faith or exploring it for the first time. This typically leads to raw questions that are unfortunately uncommon in church settings, but must be dealt with as people explore how Christianity truly affects life. These questions can cause messiness because they confront people’s beliefs, their values and way of life.

This is what missional communities are intended to be. The best place to explore Christianity amongst people that love God and seek to live for Him. One thing we encourage our leaders to be aware of is the desire to always have the “right” answer. We encourage our leaders to be comfortable in saying “I don’t know, but I’ll try to find out.” It’s better to seek out the gospel-centered scriptural truth than feel pressured to share personal advice. Missional communities have the best opportunity to cultivate this type of messiness as people from all walks of life are invited to explore Christianity.

Inter-Generational & Racially Diverse Convergence

This has been common since the establishment of the church as you see this type of convergence in the book of Acts, and later Paul explains to the Ephesians church the benefit of racial diversity as a celebration of the gospel. This type of messiness results from misunderstandings and pretenses that can arise from interactions between different races and generations.

It can get messy as pride, ignorance and poor understanding come to light that most of us can be unaware of. The gospel of Jesus Christ invites us to put down our preferences (conscious or subconscious) to value everyone based on God’s value of them, not their contributions, life stage or race. Paul celebrates this in the church at Ephesus that their unity is based on faith and not racial preferences or similarities. It’s a mark of the gospel because the greatest treasure in a community.

The Bad, Avoidable Messiness

Undefined and/or Unshared Leadership

Missional communities demand that shared leadership and defined leadership exist. A community needs multiple voices to guide the aspects of their community to insure that the community is cared for and the gospel is extended. It cannot be on one or even two people to accomplish all that a missional community is made to do.

When there is unclear leadership, things get messy. Despite some people’s ideas of organic-everyone-lead missional community life, a community naturally recognizes who is the leader over time and needs direction to be centered on the gospel. When leadership is not shared, it gets messy because it can feel as though the leader is simply inviting people to accomplish their ideas, instead of the community forming around a collective vision.

Unclear Vision & Direction

Another bad reason for messiness comes from a missional community that has not set the direction or vision. For some communities, this is about setting the aim for honoring God as Christ followers through the lifestyles that we choose to live while others involves setting the direction in extending the gospel so that the community is on mission together rather than a collection of individual missionaries.

Lack of Mission & New People

The last, but certainly not final, reason I want to highlight for bad messiness occurs from a lack of new people and mission. This typically results in an inward focus, trying to perfect the community, and eventually plays out in cattiness between people in the community. When new people come into a community, they can break up some norms that result from dysfunctional relationships that have formed.

Often people are nervous about including new people that come with new ideas and questions, but these new people often bring the community into a healthier life stage. Lacking mission will eventually be the death of the gospel-centered community because the gospel was intended to move outward to the rest of the world. It was not intended to be hidden and much frustration can result from a lack of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ.

What does a missional community do with all this messiness?

These are simply a few of the reasons messiness exists within missional community and each community could likely expand on these and tell specific stories. As each community faces this type of messiness, they must return to the gospel of Jesus Christ to explore how to respond.

This article originally appeared here.

Does Kidmin Even Matter?

By
Christina Embree
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communicating with the unchurched

If you keep up with trends in children’s ministry, you know that one of the major concerns facing those of us who serve in the church is the decline of regular attendance at Sunday morning worship times. Some studies indicate that a regularly attending child could be present up to four times a month but may only be in church once or twice a month.

Other studies remind us that in the 168 hours in a week, only one of those will be in church. Additionally, there is a rising recognition that the home is the primary place of spiritual formation and that the parents are the greatest influence of faith in their children.

Lately I’ve seen a new concern rising among those who serve within the realm of children’s ministry; that kids are no longer coming to their Sunday morning programming but instead parents are choosing to keep their children with them in corporate worship. While I, myself, see this trend as a positive thing, I understand the sense of frustration expressed by children’s pastors who are wondering, “Why even bother?” when it comes to their job and their ministry.

When considering these facts, it can begin to feel as though the Sunday morning church and children’s programming is becoming…well, inconsequential. Pointless. I mean, if our time with the children is so minuscule and our influence so secondary, why do we pour so much time, effort and love into what we do? Why do we sink hours into preparing lessons and recruiting volunteers and coming up with busy bags and sermon notes and way to help kids engage and participate and…all the things?

Does our time serving the children at church even matter?

Yes. Yes. Yes! A thousand times…Yes!

You see, right from the start, God intended the faith community to be an integral part of the spiritual growth of children. When Moses shared with parents that they should talk about their faith when they sit at home and when they walk along the road, and when they rise and before they sleep, he did so in the presence of the entire Israelite community (Deut. 4:10).

All of Israel was there.

All of Israel heard the commands. They all understood that the responsibility to nurture the following generations. They all understood that if things were going to go well for them and if they would increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey then THEY ALL needed to pass on their faith to their “children and their children after them” (Deut. 6:1). It’s part of why I see children joining their church family in worship as a positive thing.

The parents were never supposed to do it alone.

They were supposed to pass on their faith at home in the midst of a faith community who joined them in their discipleship and supported them in their work of faith formation.

That’s what the church is supposed to be doing today! As a faith community, the church is the place where parents find nurture, support and equipping for the work they are called to do. And we, as those who minister to families and children, whether paid or volunteer, have the unique privilege to be the hands and feet of that partnership.

And that’s why that hour or two, that short period of time each week, is so important. Because it impacts what happens the other 167 hours.

In 1976, developmentalist John Westerhoff wrote a book titled Will Our Children Have Faith? and concluded with this answer: “That depends on whether or not they are embraced and formed within a faith community.” In other words, yes, even though parents have the greatest influence, his studies found that how children are engaged in the church has profound effects on how their faith grows.

Children need the formative influence of the faith community. They need relationships with each other, with the youth in church and with the adults in church (Dr. Catherine Stonehouse, 2016).

How to Deal with Criticism

By
Chuck Lawless
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communicating with the unchurched

I don’t like criticism. I don’t like it when someone negatively critiques my sermon, my blogs, my teaching, or anything else. I want to be humble and teachable, but I still struggle every time criticism happens. So, I’m still learning to do these things that help me in those times . . . .

  1. Take a breath before doing anything. Even the old suggestion of counting to 10 is not a bad one. The point is, I don’t want to react without thinking.
  2. Ask God to make me teachable. When I immediately blow up and move toward defending myself, I’m not teachable. That’s a bad place to be.
  3. Assume my critic honestly cares. Even if I don’t know him or her, I can still assume my critic cares about the gospel and the glory of God. That allows me to hear the criticism differently.
  4. Try to separate the point from the tone. Much of the criticism I receive comes in writing. When that’s the case, it’s easy to assume in the words emotions that may not be there—so I try not to do that.
  5. Consider the possibility of kernels of truth somewhere in the criticism. To be honest, I can’t remember the last time I received a criticism from which I could learn nothing.
  6. If the criticism is entirely invalid, thank the critic—and move on. Sometimes I’ve needed to say, “Thank you for pointing out your concern. We don’t agree, but I commit to considering your point in the future.”
  7. Take appropriate steps to grow from any valid criticism. I might need to re-state something on a blog, correct an impression I wrongly left, or confess a wrong to a friend. I usually can’t rest with the criticism until I’ve responded rightly.
  8. Thank the critic. It’s not always easy for me to say, “Thank you for your honesty,” but it’s the right move.
  9. Ask God to help me rest at night. To be honest, I so much don’t like to be, say, or do wrong that I fret much over my failures. They keep me awake at night unless God grants me rest.
  10. Press on with my work. I want to learn and grow from criticism—not get stifled by it. Any thoughts of just stepping away from the task because of my mistakes aren’t warranted.
  11. Be a better critic in the future. Knowing the pain of criticism makes me want to be a more fair, Christian critic in the future.

Let’s help each other – what have you learned to help you deal well with criticism?

This article originally appeared here.

Do We Care That Our Family Is Hurting? : How the Church Can Respond to Christian Persecution

By
Shane Pruitt
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communicating with the unchurched

One of the most natural responses we have as humans is the drive and the desire to protect our families. We’ll fight for our loved ones, sacrifice our well-being for them, and most of us would put our own lives in danger so that our families could continue to live. More than once I’ve said, “Listen, you can do or say whatever you want to me and I’ll get over it. However, if you mess with my wife or five children then it is on! I can preach in prison! Understand what I am telling you?” These statements are usually followed by folks laughing as I chuckle with them. But I’m only somewhat joking because it is natural for us to want to take a stand and fight for our families. We’re deeply connected to them. We laugh when they laugh, and we cry when they cry. We’ll rejoice when they rejoice and we’ll suffer when they suffer. We care deeply about them, don’t we?

If that is the case, why do we seem to be so passive about our faith family being harmed every day? The Bible refers the Christian community as the family of God, and with it comes a command to love and serve one another as a family. “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19). “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality” (Romans 12:10 – 13).

The website opendoorsusa.org defines Christian persecution as “any hostility experienced from the world as a result of one’s identification as a Christian. Beatings, physical torture, confinement, isolation, rape, severe punishment, imprisonment, slavery, discrimination in education and employment, and even death are just a few examples of the persecution they experience on a daily basis.” According to The Pew Research Center, over 75 percent of the world’s population lives in areas with severe religious restrictions, which means that Christians in more than 60 countries face persecution from their governments or from others for simply confessing Jesus as their King (United States Department of State).

As the church, we can’t just be bothered by this truth. We must be broken over it. These are not just numbers. These are people. We are a family. Millions of our brothers and sisters in Christ are suffering simply because they are a part of our family, and because our Heavenly Father is their Father. Just like we would be devastated and motivated to action if it were our physical family, we need to be equally (if not more) devastated and motivated to action because it is our spiritual family.

Here are at least four things we should be doing as a church for our persecuted family:

Pray: As a church family, we should never talk to people about God until we talk to God about people. Every great movement starts with a prayer movement. May our family’s house be known as a house of prayer. “Even those I will bring to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples” (Isaiah 56:7). Prayer is one of the most beautiful mysteries of God because it moves His heart to action in a way that our finite minds can’t truly comprehend. Pray, family. Then pray some more.

Educate: Keep the reality of our hurting family ever before us. We’d never forget, ignore or move past the fact of one of our family members is suffering. Therefore, we should never do that with our faith family. The leaders of the church, such as pastors, elders, small group leaders, etc., should always keep this reality in front of the local churches they are called to lead. There are many helpful websites to educate us on the persecuted church. Here are a few of them: Open Doors, Voice of the Martyrs, The Joshua Project, Samaritan’s Purse, Barnabas Aid and Christian Freedom International.

Write: This is a great ministry for a small group or Bible study class within the church. Write letters to your persecuted family that are prayers for them, words of encouragement to them, or letters simply filled with Scripture. Some areas don’t have access to the Word of God and your letters could be the only copy of Scripture that they can obtain. Many of Paul’s writings in the New Testament are sent to hurting Christians that are facing persecution: “For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last” (1 Thessalonians 2:14 – 16).

Advocate: As a church, consider petitioning those with political power to do something about Christian persecution. In the past, the United States has often been long-delayed in recognizing Christian persecution when it begins to arise in certain areas outside of our borders. Most of the time, it is only after pressure from the people of God who are broken over what is happening to their brothers and sisters in Christ that our government will move to action with appropriate measures.

This is our family. These are our brothers and sisters. It breaks the heart of our Father to see His children being persecuted, and it should break our hearts as well. As a church, let’s make sure they are never ignored or forgotten.

“Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.” Hebrews 13:3

This article originally appeared here.

7 Potentially Deadly Church Sicknesses

By
Thom Rainer
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communicating with the unchurched

For the past two years, I have been monitoring the comments and challenges mentioned by church leaders. I am attempting to answer the question: What is hindering many of our churches from achieving health and vitality?

As I have categorized the problems and challenges the church leaders shared, I have seen seven distinct categories of hindrances. Since I am primarily concerned about church health, I call these hindrances “church sicknesses.”

The good news is that none of these sicknesses have to become terminal. They can be reversed from sickness to health. The bad news is that, without intervention, each illness can potentially lead to the decline and death of the church. Let’s look at all seven sicknesses:

  1. Attitudinal Angst: a church illness where church members are most focused on getting their own desires and preferences met, rather than being a serving member of the body of Christ. It is also called Church Country Club Membership.
  2. Slippage Syndrome: the church illness where a church stops focusing on its primary purposes. Evangelism slippage is the most common.
  3. Detail Distraction: a church illness where there is too much focus on minor issues to the detriment of major issues. For example, routine meetings can become more important than compelling missions.
  4. Institutional Idolatry: a church illness where the members have an unbiblical devotion to inconsequential matters such as facilities, order of worship or styles of worship.
  5. Activity Acclimation: a church illness where the members see busyness to be the same as commitment and/or godliness. The church calendar becomes the guiding document for the congregation.
  6. Purposeless Prayer: the church illness where corporate prayer is non-existent or steeped in non-useful tradition. Such prayers can be perfunctory, showy or gossipy.
  7. Detrimental Defensiveness: a church illness where the members and leadership are fearful to move forward because of memories of past conflicts and the presence of troublemakers and bullies.

I plan to cover these sicknesses in detail in a series of videos on “The Rainer Report,” our Wednesday video blog at this site, ThomRainer.com. The series begins on March 21. I hope you can join us. In the meantime, give us your feedback on these seven sicknesses. Do you recognize any in your church?

This article originally appeared here.

Everyone’s Doing It: 6 Tips for Teaching on Sex

By
Todd Jones
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communicating with the unchurched

Youth ministry is full of awkward and difficult situations, but very few more awkward than having to breach the topic of sex. Giving a talk on sex is uncomfortable, embarrassing and flat out weird, and many times that is the exact reason it is avoided. Too many youth workers avoid the difficulties by omitting the talk and therefore do an extreme disservice to the students with whom God has entrusted them.

Giving the sex talk is so necessary! We live in a world that is constantly teaching our students about sex and how they should engage in it. Everywhere they turn students are filled with thoughts on how they should view sex and sexuality, and how to handle sexual situations. The problem is 99 percent of the time God’s view of sex is left out. It is crucial we teach our students what God says about sex and His plan for sex in their lives.

But necessity doesn’t make it any easier; the conversation is bound to be awkward, embarrassing and result in giggles. So, here are six tips for giving the sex talk:

1. Acknowledge the Awkwardness

There WILL be awkwardness during the talk, it is absolutely inevitable and unavoidable. Which is why it is best to acknowledge it. Tell students in the beginning of your talk that it will be awkward, and lay out a standard of behavior that is expected of them. If you fail to acknowledge it, no one will know what to do with themselves when the awkwardness arises.

While acknowledging it won’t keep all of the giggles, sideways glances, comments and uneasiness at bay, it will break the ice and allow you to set a standard and expectation. Instead of pretending the elephant doesn’t exist, acknowledge it and move forward.

2. Be Direct

Don’t allow the awkwardness to keep you from being direct and tackling the issue straight on. Students are not getting the watered down version from the world around them, so there is no need to dance around the issue or be ambiguous with the truth about sex from God’s Word.

3. Be Real

Present the lesson with authenticity and genuineness. When talking about an issue that makes you uncomfortable, the tendency is to present the material in a very impersonal and inauthentic way. Make sure you stick to who you are and be genuine.

4. Don’t Be Crude

Being direct and real does NOT give you license to be crude. The talk shouldn’t be an anatomy lesson. Don’t use crude slang, make sex jokes or make light of sex itself. Sure, adding humor and making the talk light is great since it is such an intense topic, but joking or talking crudely about sex should not be done. They are not the laughs you want, and will definitely communicate the wrong message.

5. Stick to God’s Word, Not Public Opinion

For years the church has been known for what they are against more than what they are for, especially when it comes to sex. Many Christians who grew up in the church were brought up to believe sex is dirty and wrong, which is obviously not true. God Himself created sex, but the public opinion of the church turned it into something different.

On the flip side, the public opinion of the world is also completely contrary to God’s Word. Stick with God’s Word and don’t lean on the bias of public opinion when teaching on sex.

6. Make It Practical and Applicable

Simply teaching what the Bible says about sex and telling students to wait does next to nothing in helping them stay pure. When you teach on sex, make it attainable and applicable to their real, everyday lives. Give them practical application to help them navigate this difficult area of their lives.

The sex talk is not an easy one to give but it is essential. Hopefully these six tips can help calm your anxiety and make the talk more impactful for the students in your ministry. If you have questions or would like ministry coaching in speaking or any other area, email StokedOnYouthMinistry@gmail.com. Thanks so much for being a youth worker!

This article originally appeared here.

All Other Ground Is Sinking Sand

By
Shannon Popkin
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communicating with the unchurched

As I stood out on my front porch, chatting with a friend, I noticed something across the street. I said to her, “Does it look like that chimney is tilting?”

A couple of weeks later, it was obvious that I hadn’t been imagining things. You could see a thin line of daylight shining between my neighbor’s house and the beautiful two-story stone chimney that used to be attached. It was definitely tilting.

Then one morning, a month or so later, there were loud creaking, groaning and cracking noises as the chimney pulled away and started to collapse. It landed on the ground within an hour—narrowly missing the other neighbor’s house by only a few feet. The once beautiful stone chimney now lay in a giant heap of rocks, leaving behind the naked corner of the house.

Foundation of Integrity

I later learned that the builder of this beautiful house had cut corners by not placing a foundation beneath the chimney. He built a two-ton chimney—literally—on shifting sand.

Integrity, the Bible tells us, is like a load-bearing foundation for life. Proverbs says,

“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out” (Prov. 10:9, emphasis added).

Are you a woman who craves security? Most of us do. No woman wants to wake up to creaking and groaning as some part of her world collapses. Nor does any woman want a gaping hole torn into her life. The Bible says that we can have the security we crave by walking—step by step, one decision after another—with integrity.

I’ve heard it said that honesty is telling the truth to other people, but integrity is telling the truth to yourself. Integrity is doing what is right, no matter who’s looking. It’s living a life that lines up with what God—who sees just as well in the dark as in broad daylight—says is good.

Wise and Foolish Living

Integrity isn’t based just on what you know, but how you live. Jesus told a story about the difference between knowing what you should do and actually doing it:

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it” (Matt. 7:24–27, emphasis added).

Usually I think of wisdom as something you know. But Jesus, speaking of wisdom, puts the emphasis on what you do. He says, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man” (v. 24).

Jesus used this story as the punctuation mark at the end of His Sermon on the Mount. He had just addressed anger, lust, divorce, retaliation, loving your enemies, giving to the needy and laying up treasure in heaven. It was as if He laid out the blueprints for a sturdy life, then asked, “Now, who’s going to build according to my plan?”

I’ve heard people say, “It sure would be nice if God would show Himself and tell us exactly how we should live.” But God did. Jesus showed up in the flesh and devoted this whole sermon (among many) to laying down measurements for right and wrong, good and evil, wisdom and foolishness. These people heard God Himself tell them how they should live.

But then so have we.

Unless you’re new to this blog or new to Jesus and His church, I’m guessing you have a Bible puts it—“crooked”?

Three Tips From Jesus on Building Security

Consider with me three observations from Jesus’ story about the two houses. Let’s think through what it means to lay a foundation by having integrity—by doing what we know is right.

1. Lay a foundation now.

In Jesus’ story, by the time the storm comes it’s too late to think about weatherproofing the house. The foundation has already been chosen.

It’s true in life, too. Picture two women who sit with their families in the same row at church, week after week. Both women hear the sermons. Both listen to truth. But when they file out each Sunday, their lives head in different directions. The first woman acts on her convictions on a weekly basis—even in drastic ways. But the second woman talks herself out of any conviction she feels. She rationalizes or procrastinates or gets busy.

So which woman is prepared to withstand the coming storms? Jesus says it’s the first woman, who has built her life on the rock. And why? Because back when she was filing out of church each week, she didn’t cave in to rationalization, procrastination or busyness. She didn’t lie to herself about her sin. Instead she acted on her convictions. She followed God’s blueprints for her life. Over time, her obedience and convictions have cemented into place. Her security in the storm was put down long before the first crack of thunder.

The second woman, however, never laid a foundation. She has always caved in to her selfishness or fear or laziness. And now, when the stakes are higher, she stands only on shifting sand. She has no rock-solid foundation of obedience to steady her as the winds of fear, disappointment, grief and anger howl.

Picture yourself, sliding out of your row each week at church. How do you respond to conviction? Is your heart tender to the Lord’s prompts? Are you quick to lay aside your pride or selfishness and realign yourself with God’s standards? Or do you lie to yourself about your sin and easily dismiss the Spirit’s conviction?  

Is Your Youth Ministry Ready for the Unchurched?

By
Jeremy Zach
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communicating with the unchurched

Every student pastor would say “yes” to this question. Ideally, youth pastors want to reach unchurched students. Many student pastors that I talk to strongly believe that their student ministry is always ready to welcome “outsiders.”

But do we really know what it entails when reaching unchurched students?

The problem is—unchurched students will cause a lot of problems in your youth ministry.

For example, here are a few problems I have observed and heard about when student pastors start reaching unchurched students.

Issues That Arise When Reaching the Unchurched

1. Committed, engaged Christian parents will not like having unchurched students influencing their students, and strongly vocalize their concerns.

2. Unchurched students are really noncommittal.

3. Unchurched students really don’t care about your theology or church tradition.

4. Unchurched students are going to be disrespectful, distracting and will destroy stuff at the church.

5. Senior leadership may not like having the “rougher” crowd in their church building.

6. Unchurched students don’t know the church rules and they will break them a lot.

7. Unchurched guys will have no problem hitting on the Christian ladies in your student ministry.

8. Churched students will feel hurt and annoyed that their “space” is being invaded by “outsiders.”

9. Unchurched students have no problems sharing their hurts, pain and doubts.

10. Unchurched students are not that willing to pay for church events.

11. Unchurched students will make fun of churched students.

12. Unchurched students have no biblical knowledge, and in fact, they don’t care what the Bible says and are careless about your “deep” Bible teaching.

13. Unchurched students will “test” you and your adult leaders with their psychological warfare and tactics.

My point: Ministering to unchurched students is very frustrating.

And there’s an increasing number of more and more unchurched cities across the country.

Recently Barna released a report that ranked the most and least “Bible-minded” cities by looking at how people in those cities view the Bible. Some of the top Bible-minded cities were a lot of Southern cities: Knoxville, Tenn., Shreveport, La., Chattanooga, Tenn., Charlotte, N.C., Birmingham, Ala. and Jackson, Miss. Some of the least Bible-minded cities were: Providence, R.I., Albany, N.Y., Burlington, Vt., Portland, Maine, Hartford, Conn., Boston, Mass., San Francisco, Calif., Phoenix, Ariz., Las Vegas, Nev., Buffalo, N.Y. and New York, N.Y.

barna_biblemindedcities_preview1

 

It’s clear that cities across the country are becoming more and more unchurched, which means that there’s going to be an insane urgency to reach unchurched students and families.

All youth pastors would agree we must reach unchurched students.

But some realize the difficulty when really trying to reach unchurched students. Reaching the unchurched requires a different method and it is really difficult.

And a few may not be willing to change their method in order to reach unchurched students. My worry is that some student ministries will be OK just  programming student ministries for “Christian students only.” My hope is that some student ministries consider really trying to reach the crowd of students who really need Jesus. I smile when I hear about how student ministries do everything in their effort to go after that one lost sheep (Luke 15.3-7).

_______________________

My two questions to student pastors:

(1)  Are we ready to reach the growing population of unchurched students?

(2)  What is our approach to reaching unchurched students? How will our approach influence:
a. how we recruit and train leaders?
b. how we teach students?
c. our student ministry philosophy and programs?
d. the way we create and design our student ministry environments?
e. the way we communicate to the already Christian and church families and students?

The Death of Billy Graham: What Place Does Music Hold in His Legacy?

By
Bobby Gilles
-
communicating with the unchurched

Billy Graham died today. It’s hard to say what exactly we’ve lost with this death. For the next several weeks you’ll have the opportunity to read or hear countless opinions, tributes, critiques and remembrances of a man who was an undeniable giant among evangelists.

We talk a lot about worship music here at My Song In The Night so it’s fitting to reflect on the place of music in Billy Graham’s ministry. (Here’s a fun tidbit: The first time Graham’s long-time worship leader George Beverly Shea sang for him was on Graham’s Chicago radio program called Songs In The Night, in 1944 on WCFL.) Through Graham’s campaigns and media programs, gospel hymns such as “Just as I Am” and “How Great Thou Art” became some of the most well-known and beloved songs in Christian hymnody and Western popular music.

But one of the most interesting stories I’ve heard about Billy Graham and music comes from Cliff Barrows, the long-time Music Director of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Barrows told of a campaign in England where Graham decided to put “Just as I Am” on hiatus and conduct alter calls in silence, due to critical newspaper reporters who wrote that people were coming forward simply because of the emotion in the song.

But of course music would continue to be a fixture of Graham’s services for decades. I only saw Billy Graham in person once, with nearly 60,000 others on June 24, 2001, at the closing night of his last Louisville Crusade. The artists who sang that night tell you everything you need to know about Graham’s music strategy and his open-handedness on the issue of stylistic preferences: southern gospel quartet legend the Gaither Vocal Band and CCM southern rockers Third Day.

The fact that those 60,000 ate up every measure of every song from both artists says something about the allure of music in general, or the aura of Billy Graham, or the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. Maybe each of those things.

Graham gave a platform to many African American Gospel singers too, even in the mid-20th century when racism was accepted by large segments of society and codified by the laws of various states.

After the explosion of the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) movement and industry in the 1970s and ’80s, Graham began featuring CCM artists in his crusades, alongside Shea, Barrows, Gaither and other long-time music ministers. Rock, rap, pop, and even occasional country & bluegrass artists like Ricky Skaggs sang for Graham. While typically just one or two bands would play during Graham’s major nightly service, the other artists would perform at various daytime Crusade events.

We can look at the kind of musical plurality that Billy Graham encouraged in one of two ways:

  1. This “smorgasbord” of musical styles at different events reflected and aided the consumer culture in the modern American church, where we pick and choose between “contemporary” or “traditional” based on our preferences.
  2. Having diverse artists on the main stage requires us to lay aside our preferences and realize that true worship isn’t about singing in your favorite musical genre.

As with many other aspects of Billy Graham’s ministry, scholars, theologians, arm chair quarterbacks and the press may debate these points for a long time. The one thing we see clearly is that the most far-reaching evangelist of the 20th century understood the power and appeal of music, and utilized it fully.

On a personal note, Kristen and I feel sadness and an inevitable sense of loss at the death of Billy Graham, a man who labored so hard in the Lord’s vineyard, for so long. But we celebrate the truth that this aged, tired soldier of the cross is finally home, free from the constraints of mortality. Can you imagine how Billy Graham must feel right now, and how wonderful to have heard his Lord and Savior say:

“Welcome home”

This article originally appeared here.

What Did I Do Wrong?

By
Gary Thomas
-
communicating with the unchurched

When a family member—a spouse or a child—misbehaves or breaks your heart, the most natural reaction is to ask, “What did I do wrong?”

Wrong question entirely.

A therapist friend of mine, who has worked with thousands of couples in heartbreaking situations, always asks such people, “When God created the perfect world for Adam and Eve and even that wasn’t enough to keep them from sinning, do you think the Trinity asked, ‘Where did we go wrong?’”

When God blessed David, called him out of nowhere to make him a man of significance, put him on a throne, and David responded with adultery and murder, do you think God asked, “What could I have done differently?”

When Jesus lived as the perfect Messiah, giving Judas copious amounts of wondrous teaching, perfect counsel and absolutely the best example anyone could ever demonstrate, and yet all that proved not to be enough for Judas, did Jesus ask, “What did I do wrong? Why did Judas stray?”

A near universal response for wives who find out their husbands have had affairs or been dabbling in porn—in fact, I’ve heard this from just about every wife I’ve talked to whose marriage has been marred by this—is, “What’s wrong with me? Am I not pretty enough? Am I not creative enough in bed?”

Wives, it’s never about you. Sex can’t and shouldn’t be reduced to either spouse thinking they have to be more beautiful, younger, more creative and better “mechanically” than anyone else in the world or their spouse might be unfaithful. Think about that line of thinking for just a second—that’s not marriage, that’s not real intimacy. It’s sick to even consider all that as necessary for a spouse to be faithful. It turns sex into an ugly performance instead of a cherishing act.

Thinking that we can be such good parents or such good spouses that our loved ones will never stray is to think we can “outdo” the Trinity. You cannot, as a parent, create a perfect Garden of Eden experience for your kids, but even if you did, they’d mess it up. You cannot, as a partner, be a truer companion than Jesus, but even if you were, you’d face betrayal.

There may be a time, later, when you reflect on what you could have done better, as a parent or a spouse. We can all improve, and the Bible urges us to grow in every area. But that’s different than thinking you can be such a good parent or such a good spouse that your loved ones will never stumble. “We all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2).

If anything, the real answer to “What did I do wrong?” is, “You were born in sin and you live in a world where every family member has been born in sin.”

God’s remedy to this isn’t you, it’s Jesus. His grace, his forgiveness, his wisdom, his power, his redemption—that’s the ultimate solution. As much as we’d like to be, we’re not the answer; Jesus is.

So let’s stop wondering, “What did I do wrong?” and start asking, “How can surrendering to Jesus’ grace and presence help us find our way back?”

This article originally appeared here.

John Bevere Wasn’t Set Free From Porn Addiction Overnight

By
Bob Ditmer
-
Porn Addiction
Screengrab Youtube @Pure Passion Media

Pornography is a problem in America.

Every second 28,258 users are watching pornography on the Internet.

Forty million Americans regularly visit porn sites.

Thirty-five percent of all Internet downloads are related to pornography.

Every 39 minutes a new pornography video is being created in the United States.

About 200,000 Americans are “porn addicts.”

Many of those addicts are Christians. Some are in ministry.

Christian author and speaker John Bevere used to be in that group. In the video below, he shares his struggle with pornography that began when he was 11 years old.

He described himself as a “frat boy” before coming to know Christ, with many of the habits you would expect in an unbeliever. He drank too much and he watched pornography.

After receiving Christ his taste for alcohol left immediately. But pornography did not.

Then he got married to a woman who he described as “the most beautiful woman he’d ever known.” He thought this would end his struggles. His porn addiction got worse.

A few years later Bevere entered the ministry. And his preoccupation with pornography came with him.

One day, while on staff at a prominent church, he confessed his addiction to the late pastor Lester Summrall, who had a deliverance ministry. Bevere worried that he would lose his wife and his ministry because of porn.

Summrall let him have it, “like any good father.” He prayed over Bevere and laid hands on him. “You know what happened?” Bevere asked the audience, “Nothing.”

Nine months later Bevere went on a fast and the urge to view pornography left him.

For the next year or two a question kept nagging away at Bevere, “why wasn’t he freed when Summrall prayed for him?” Why did it take another nine months for him to get victory over his addiction?

Bevere said he’s always had a vibrant prayer life. He prayed to cast out demons and to win multitudes to Christ. He prayed big prayers. But the Lord told him his prayers were off target.

He said Jesus told him, “You can cast out devils, heal the sick and win multitudes and still go to Hell. Judas did those things and he’s in Hell.”

“I started quaking when he said that to me,” Bevere admitted.

That day, Bevere’s prayers changed. Instead of praying to win nations, he prayed to know Jesus intimately.

It was then that he realized that when he confessed to Sumrall he was scared he’d be judged. He thought pornography would cost him his marriage and his ministry. In short, he was worried about himself.

Nine months later, when he was freed from pornography, he was no longer worried about how the consequences could hurt him, he was broken knowing that his sin had hurt God. “Earthly sorrow says what’s going to happen to me, what are people going to think? Godly sorrow focuses on him and says, ‘God I’ve broken your heart.’”

Are you worried that you might be addicted to pornography and breaking God’s heart in your actions? There’s a way to find out. The Center for Internet and Technology Addiction has an online test you can take to find out.

It might help you start the process of asking God to help you in your fight.

https://www.facebook.com/JohnBevere.page/videos/10155868138533011/

Update: Why Would an Atheist Want to Be a Military Chaplain?

By
Bob Ditmer
-
communicating with the unchurched

Update March 23, 2018

The U.S. Navy turned down the application of an atheist who wanted to serve in the Navy Chaplain Corps. The decision follows a letter from 43 members of Congress warning that the very definition of what it means to be a chaplain is at stake if the Navy appointed an atheist to be a chaplain.

“Act naturally,” “found missing” and “deafening silence” are examples of oxymorons. Now you can add another to the list, “atheist chaplain.”

The Navy Chaplain advisory board is recommending the appointment of Jason Heap, a secular humanist, to look over the spiritual needs of sailors, marines and naval airmen.

But more than 20 Senators and 40 members of the House of Representatives have signed letters to the secretary of the Navy, asking that he deny the application. In fact, Senator Roger Wicker, one of the signers, says the plan to appoint an atheist as a chaplain appears to be based on political correctness rather than a concern for military members. In an opinion piece the lawmaker wrote, “The central question here is how an atheist chaplain can be expected to fulfill a role that, by its very nature, is supposed to serve the religious needs of our service members.”

Rep. John Fleming, R-La., is also opposed to the appointment. He told Christian News,

“What you’re really doing is now saying that we’re going to replace true chaplains with non-chaplain chaplains. It’s just total nonsense, the idea of having a chaplain who is an atheist,” he continued. “A chaplain is a minister of the faith—someone who believes in a deity of a spiritual life who is assigned to a secular organization.”

This isn’t the first attempt by Heap to join the chaplain’s corp. In 2015 he tried to sue his way into the chaplaincy. The Navy rejected him because he planned to associate with two humanist groups instead of a religious denomination. Ultimately, the military ended up in court defending the notion that religious leaders should serve a religious purpose. They won.

Now, Heap is trying again. He holds degrees from Oxford University and Brite Divinity School, and has experience in human resources.

“As both a humanist and a scholar of religion, I have a deep knowledge and understanding of world religions,” he told the Los Angeles Times. “My purpose and focus as a chaplain will be for holistic well-being of anyone who is in need of pastoral care.”

The American Humanist Association has argued that nonbelievers suffer the same fear and pain that affects every service member and should have representation from chaplains, but Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, asks, “Isn’t that why the military has psychologists?  

“The idea is even more ridiculous when you consider that barely three percent of our service members even identify as atheist or humanist. To fling open the chaplaincy to any ideology or philosophy would fundamentally change an institution that’s older than the country itself! Not to mention, the House letter reminds the Navy, that “The Department of Defense’s own guidelines also reinforce the uniquely religious purpose of the chaplain corps, defining ‘religious organization’ as ‘an entity that is organized and functions primarily to perform religious ministries to a non-military lay constituency’ and defining a religious ministry professional as ‘an individual endorsed to represent a religious organization and to conduct its religious observances or ceremonies.’”

Sen. Wicker also worries that allowing an atheist to be a chaplain would fundamentally change the chaplaincy.

“I hope our Navy leaders recognize that it is well within their authority to create programs outside of the Chaplain Corps to serve humanist or atheist service members. However, allowing a non-religious worldview to be represented among the Chaplain Corps would set a dangerous precedent for the military.

“What is to stop future demands for other philosophical preferences to be included in the Chaplain Corps as well?  

“Today’s Chaplain Corps includes leaders from a wide spectrum of faiths. None of these faiths challenge the religious purpose of the Chaplain Corps or the calling of these men and women to serve our troops. This service to God and to our nation, as the Corps’ motto describes, should not be trivialized.”

The Chaplain’s Corp was created in 1775 by General George Washington to serve the specifically religious needs of the troops.

Building Your Church Emergency Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide

By
Andrew Conrad
-
communicating with the unchurched

Your church is a sanctuary. It’s a building where your community can find solace, compassion, and relief from the harsh, outside world.

At least, that’s the way it’s supposed to be.

Unfortunately, reality doesn’t always follow our expectations. While it won’t do us any good to play Chicken Little and recap the struggles experienced the world over in 2017, we have to be prepared for the new (and repeat) emergencies that will inevitably occur.

And — just like the principal of a school or manager of an office — as a church leader you’re responsible for the safety of those who come to your church, and that starts with having a church emergency plan in place.

Over the past year, I’ve written about everything from how to livestream your services to finding a church technology job and building your church social media strategy. On this blog, we typically write about the ways technology can make your life as a church leader easier.

This post is a little different, but no less important.

While we’ll look at some ways that technology can help you prepare for an emergency, the primary goal of this post is to help you prepare for an emergency situation at your church. After researching and reviewing several church emergency plans, I found that the most important thing is to prepare ahead of time and have some type of plan, no matter how minimal.

As the saying goes: “Pray for the best, prepare for the worst.”

What is a church emergency plan?

Just like church management software helps you navigate your routine, daily operations, a church emergency plan helps you navigate situations when something goes wrong.

Emergencies are unpredictable. You could experience a fire, a shooting, or a tornado. Unless you have a precog on staff who can predict exactly what dangers are headed your way, there’s no way to prepare for every potential situation.

Below, I’ll lay out five steps for you to put into practice in your emergency plan. While they may seem a bit general, these widely applicable tips can be used in a broad range of circumstances.

For a list of response plans for specific emergencies — everything from bomb threats to hostage situations — check out the emergency action plan developed by First United Methodist Church of Santa Rosa, Calif.

Church emergency plan: your five-step guide

1. Stay calm

Church emergency plan: Stay calm!

Stay calm!

No matter what happens, panic is never helpful. As a church leader, you can’t control how others behave in an emergency, but you are responsible for staying calm yourself and restoring order when chaos ensues.

When I was a teenager I worked as a lifeguard, and one lesson we learned during training that remains with me today is that you can’t rescue a drowning person if you’re drowning yourself. When everyone else is running around in a panic, one clear, calm voice can make all the difference.

As Dr. Gail Gross wrote in a Huffington Post article, “you are at a great disadvantage whenever you approach any emergency emotionally, rather than logically.”

Gross goes on to recommend using muscle relaxation, breathing, visualization, and stretching exercises to practice staying calm in stressful situations.

Bonus tip: Consider taking classes in first aid, CPR, and other emergency preparedness techniques so that you’re comfortable and well-prepared when an emergency develops. FEMA offers a great list of related resources.

2. Trust your instincts

Church emergency plan: Trust your instincts

Keep your eyes open, though

You know your church, you know your congregation. If something doesn’t feel right or seems off, it probably means something is wrong. Trust your gut.

If you see a suspicious package that looks out of place or if someone is behaving unusually, look into it. You are the one who needs to take charge and speak up; don’t wait for someone else to make a move.

As science writer, Alaina G. Levine wrote in a Physics Today article, “your gut…always wants what’s best for you. So whether your gut gently moans, happily or sadly cries, or howls in excruciating pain, listen to it. And when it pushes you to do something, act on it.”

Bonus tip: Designate a second-in-command from among your church leadership team to train with you and act as an understudy in emergency situations. By having a second pair of eyes and ears, you increase your chances of catching an emergency before it becomes a disaster.

3. Call for help

Church emergency plan: Call 9-1-1

Don’t be a hero

You’re a church leader. You deliver sermons, organize small groups, and deploy volunteers. You don’t predict the weather, make arrests, or put out actual fires. There are professionals in every community trained for these situations, and the sooner you get them involved, the better.

Don’t wait for the situation to improve. As soon as you’ve determined that your church is in imminent danger, call 9-1-1 and explain what is happening in as much detail as possible. If you wait for your situation to become a “real” emergency, you’ll waste crucial time that you can’t recover later.

According to 911.org, “If you are ever in doubt of whether a situation is an emergency you should call 9-1-1. It’s better to be safe and let the 9-1-1 call taker determine if you need emergency assistance.”

Bonus tip: Have a hard-wired phone (or several) on-site. Landlines don’t rely on a cellular network to call for help, and they have their own dedicated power source through the wiring, making them vital in the event of an extended power outage.

4. Get to safety

Church emergency plan: Fallout shelter

The thumbs up means everything is fine

Safety could mean moving outside in the case of a fire, or to the church basement in the event of a tornado. The key is preparation and communicating your plan ahead of time so that if such a situation occurs, you and your congregation know where to go. Post maps prominently throughout your church, and ensure that exits and hallways are clearly marked.

There’s a reason we’ve all experienced fire drills, and you should have them at church, too. Remember: people first, stuff later. You can always rebuild your space and replace your things. You can’t replace a person.

In most cases, common sense will dictate what exactly getting to safety means. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s guide to Workplace Emergencies and Evacuations:

“Protecting the health and safety of everyone in the facility should be the first priority. In the event of a fire, an immediate evacuation to a predetermined area away from the facility is the best way to protect employees. On the other hand, evacuating employees may not be the best response to an emergency such as a toxic gas release at a facility across town from your business.”

Bonus tip: Stock your church basement with drinking water, canned food, and first aid supplies so that it can be used as a shelter in an extreme weather event. If you’re really serious about things, consult the 1967 Department of Defense guide on converting your basement into a full-on fallout shelter.

5. Put technology to work

Church emergency plan: Use your technology

You have technology, use it!

We live in an unprecedented age of technological advancement. The entire world is connected at all times, and everyone carries emergency response devices in their hands.

Tap into that network. Use the member directory in your church management system to keep an updated list of all members and establish a protocol under which information can be shared quickly and clearly.

Don’t forget to set up a child check-in system to ensure that the most vulnerable members of your congregation are safe and accounted for at all times. This system also allows you to quickly share information with registered parents/guardians in any emergency situation.

In the wake of a natural disaster, information can be as valuable as food, first aid, and fresh water.

As geologist Trevor Nace points out in Forbes, “Immediate information on the most damaged areas of a city or locations of where people remain stranded saves lives.”

Bonus tip: Some volunteer management systems include optional background checks. By screening volunteers ahead of time, you can prevent situations or emergencies that arise out of allowing untrustworthy individuals into positions of authority.

What’s your plan?

These five tips will help you outline a basic church emergency plan, but it’s important to remember that your plan will never be complete. The world is constantly changing, and you should always be learning and adapting. One great way to keep up on the latest in church technology and leadership is to follow our blog.

Do you already have a church emergency plan in place? Have you ever had to use it?

This article originally appeared here.

The Top 5 Policies to Include in Volunteer Training

By
Matt Morgan
-
communicating with the unchurched

As I scan the online networks of Children’s Ministry leaders, I see common questions about what policies and procedures should be included in volunteer training. We all want our volunteers to be properly equipped, so I think these are great questions to make sure we don’t miss something important.

In our ministry, we supply volunteers with a Policy and Procedure Manual that includes 11 pages of important information. While every page is important, we know that this is only one part of a training event and therefore can’t all be explained in detail. So, for our Volunteer Orientation Training, we focus on the Top 5 Policies that every volunteer needs to know.

I thought it might be helpful to share those Top 5 Policies here.

(If you would like to see a copy of the full Policy and Procedure Manual or learn more about what else we cover in our volunteer training, leave a comment with your email or email me.)

1. Two-Adult Rule

At least two adults (or one adult and one High School student volunteer) should remain in a classroom at all times. No volunteer should ever be alone with children. Occasionally, leaders will find themselves without another adult present due to unforeseen circumstances. The following procedures should be followed.

  • Immediately inform the Classroom Support Leader (CSL) or Fellowship Kids staff for assistance so that the policy may be maintained.
  • Visible location—For any time when there is only one adult present, the group must be in a location that is visible to others with an unobstructed window, open door, etc.

2. Bathroom & Diaper Policies

Policies regarding diaper changing are as follows:

  • Only female adult volunteers may change diapers.
  • Diapers are only changed in classrooms with children 35 months and under.
  • Diapers are only to be changed on the changing stations.
  • NEVER leave a child unsupervised while on the changing table.
  • Always wear disposable gloves when changing any type of diaper.
  • All children should be checked and changed before parents return for pick-up.

Policies regarding bathrooms located inside the Preschool classrooms are as follows:

  • Allow only one child in the bathroom at a time.
  • If a child can go on their own, let them. Stand by the door ready to help if needed.
  • Only female adult volunteers may assist children in the restroom.
  • If a child needs help or has not finished up after some time, talk through the door or slightly crack the door so you can talk without looking.
  • If your assistance is required, ask another volunteer to stand at the door and watch you as you assist the child. NEVER be alone with a child in the bathroom.

Policies regarding bathrooms located in Preschool or Elementary hallways are as follows:

  • Hallway bathrooms labeled KIDS ONLY should never be used by adult or student volunteers.
  • Before allowing kids to enter bathrooms, check to make sure there are no adults or students in the room. While kids are using the bathroom, do not allow any adults or students to enter.
  • Only allow as many children as stalls in the bathroom (4 toilets = 4 children in bathroom at once).
  • Keep the bathroom door slightly propped open to monitor that only appropriate behavior is happening during the bathroom break.
  • If a child needs assistance, only enter the bathroom with another adult or student volunteer in the doorway (with door open) watching you.
  • Never be alone in the bathroom with a child.

3. Secure Check-In

Every child MUST be checked-in through an electronic kiosk. When the child arrives to class, they must be wearing their name tag. If a child arrives without a name tag, please direct the family to the nearest Check-In Desk for assistance.

Child Drop Off
Be sure to write the four-digit alphanumeric security code on the classroom roster when a child arrives to the class. If a child should lose their name tag during the service, the roster may be used to match the parent pick-up tag.

  • For Nursery & Preschool children, be sure to collect items and necessary information from parents that will help you care for the child during service. Make sure all items are labeled.

7 Ways I Partner With My Wife in Ministry

By
Ron Edmondson
-
communicating with the unchurched

The following question is an actual question I once received from a blog reader, but it’s representative of one I frequently receive:

Could you share or possibly write a post about your relationship with your wife and how you incorporate or make her feel a part of your ministry and relationships?

Great question. I think it is one everyone in ministry should be asking.

My wife, Cheryl, is a partner in my ministry. No doubt about it. Everyone in our church knows it. Our staff and the church see her as an equal part of my role within the church.

It’s important to note, Cheryl was my partner before I was in vocational ministry. We taught Sunday school together. She has certainly been a partner now as a pastor’s wife. She’s very visible and always ready to join with me in anything we do at the church.

In every church we’ve been in she’s been widely loved and popular. (I have joked that when I’ve left one ministry for another, they’ve usually told me I’m free to go, but I need to leave Cheryl behind.)

I thought about this question of how this works for us. Some of these might work for others.

Here are seven ways I partner with my wife, Cheryl, in ministry:

I tell my church she’s my partner.

This may seem obvious, but I believe it is huge. I want the church to know her value to my ministry. She’s not a silent bystander. She’s a vital part of who I am to the church.

Emotionally it also encourages her if she hears me saying how much I need her beside me. (And I do.) I try to be clear with her of ways she can assist me on Sundays and during the week.

I keep others from assigning her commitments.

This to me is also huge. I realize it won’t work for every church or couple, but I’ve always been clear with the leaders of the churches where I’ve pastored that Cheryl will not be assigned a specific task, unless she volunteers to do so.

She often leads short-term Bible studies on times other than Sunday mornings. She has a servant’s heart, so she’s willing to do anything necessary. But, I help her keep Sunday mornings mostly free of an ongoing assigned task. Both of us want her available to assist me in ministering to people.

Again, I realize the size of the church may make it necessary for the pastor’s spouse to be a key volunteer in some area. I’m not even recommending this one necessarily, unless it works for you, but Cheryl and I like her being able to greet people. She shakes lots of hands and hugs lots of necks. We can tag-team with visitors, for example. She catches some and I catch others. We constantly introduce people to each other. It would be difficult to attend our church for long—as large as it is—and not meet one of us.

I let her work in her area of passion.

Cheryl loves to be busy. She loves greeting people, holding babies and leading women’s Bible studies. She also loves to invest in women in our church, including some of the wives of other staff members. She does a lot of one-on-one mentoring. It fuels her.

I feel part of my role in partnering with her is to assist her in our schedule to allow her the freedom to participate in the things close to her heart, realizing her ministry is equally important to mine.

I keep her informed.

I work long days, but before we go to bed or in the morning, we unpack my day. It could be over dinner, on a long walk or before we turn out the lights at night or as we walk to breakfast in the morning. I try to make sure she’s as informed as anyone about what is going on or happening in the church. I don’t want Cheryl to have many surprises, because I didn’t tell her something.

At the same time, I don’t put Cheryl in the middle of a controversy. I never expect her to speak on my behalf. She’s good about saying, “You’ll have to talk with Ron,” on issues which she may not have an answer to or that we haven’t yet addressed together.

I seek her input.

Cheryl is often my biggest sounding board of ideas in the church. I want to know her opinion. She protects me with an insight and intuition I don’t have. Especially when it comes to making people decisions, Cheryl is my most trusted adviser.

Why Can’t Pastors Agree on What a Pastor Is?

By
Erik Parker
-
communicating with the unchurched

What DOES a pastor do anyway?

Ask 10 pastors what a pastor is, and you will get 10 different definitions. Read 10 different blog articles on what a pastors is and should be doing, and you will get 10 different opinions. The job title and ecclesiological office of pastor is one that encompasses a variety of definitions, often confusing and contradictory ones.

This vagueness around the job description and theological concept of being a pastor is one of the most frustrating parts of my vocation. The debate lately seems to be between the pastor as CEO vs. pastor as Shepherd. Just check out the titles of some relatively recent blog posts:

Why you should be thankful if your pastor behaves like a CEO by Carey Nieuwhof
CEO-style pastorates all the rage but offer little to those seeking deeper faith by Jim Brumley
Quit Telling Pastors We Have to Stop Pastoring to Have a Successful Church: Great churches don’t need spiritual enablers or high-achieving CEOs. by Karl Vaters

The current debate raging online, and probably in churches and among colleagues, about what a pastor is and does is nothing new. It is simply a symptom of the church facing the changing world and some dim sense that part of facing that change means pastors and churches updating their understandings of each.

Even in my short millennial life-time, I have seen pastors of different generations try to live up to different and changing ideas of what it means to be a pastor.

A different time, a different pastor

In my first congregation, a small farming community where the church had been the central focus for nearly a century, pastors were understood to be something akin to the “community professional.” In the early part of the 20th century, pastors were often called upon not only to shepherd the flock, but also provided medical knowledge, taught school children, provided legal and mediation services among other things.

In my Grandfather’s generation in the ’40s and ’50s, pastors were public moral paragons. They were (supposed to be) living examples of moral living who were required to lead the faithful in their own moral living and a disciplined faith full of regular devotion and study. Pastors were expected to be public moral authorities whose credibility was rooted in their character and leadership position. They were called upon to serve on public boards, public offices and positions, and were often in the public eye.

And then in the ’60s and ’70s, Clinical Pastoral Education and a trend toward psychology and therapy transformed again the role of the pastor. No longer was the pastor a voice for morality and divine authority, but now a counselor, therapist even. Someone to hear your troubles (sometimes on God’s behalf) and direct you to the help you need. And pastors started using as much the language of psychology as theology.

And then ’80s and ’90s, when, despite the early signs of decline, the trend was for established and growing congregations to program their ministry. This meant large facilities and increased staff positions. Pastors became middle managers, overseeing growing churches that had become corporatized. Business language become the vernacular at board meetings and for church leadership.

And then in the 2000s, pastors were called upon to become entrepreneurial CEOs, revitalizing the unwieldy and declining organizations that had been started by the community professionals and moral paragons, grown by the pastoral care providers, and managed into decline by the middle managers. Pastors were and are expected to be the source of mission and vision renewal for churches longing for a return to the glory days. The glory days of course depend on which of the previous eras felt the most glorious for a given person. And the new glory days also include incorporating all the new technology of a changing digital and online world.

These are, of course, not the only dominant forms of pastor that have risen up recently. There are several other images and ideas about what the primary role of a pastor is:

There is the social justice warrior, who leads their faith community in striking out to address all the evils of the world. This pastor strives to lead people in activism and to organize communities of resistance beyond congregations who will fight for justice among all the injustices that exist in the world.

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