Newsletters
Home Blog Page 1103

3 Things That Blow Up Relationships

By
Kurt Bubna
-
communicating with the unchurched

I want you to think back to the last fight or conflict you had with your spouse, parent, child or friend.

Got it?

I’d be willing to bet that one of three things caused that altercation.

  • An unmet expectation
  • An unresolved issue
  • Unforgiveness

At the root of almost every disappointing and negative experience is one or more of the things mentioned above.

Either something wasn’t done that you felt should have been done (an unmet expectation), something irritated you again that resulted in an emotional eruption (an unresolved issue), or you became harsh and bitter (due to unforgiveness).

Add to this the tendency we humans have to stockpile our hurtful experiences rather than openly address them in a godly manner, and you can see why we end up demolishing relationships.

In this blog, I’m not going to address in depth the ways to avoid these relationship challenges. (You can read more about that in this book I wrote.)

The short version is to talk it out as you walk it out.

In other words, don’t stuff, don’t hide and don’t run from the tough relational challenges. Lovingly face them head-on (and get professional help if needed).

Unmet expectations, unresolved issues and unforgiveness have power only when we stop caring, stop communicating and choose to stay stuck. For the record, doing so always leads to bitterness, and being bitter never makes us better.

What I am going to focus on in this short post is what to do after you’ve blown it.

In fact, I’m going to give you the 10 most powerful words you can use to repair a broken relationship.

Ready?

Here are the 10 absolutely most incredible words you can use after nuking somebody: You were right, and I was wrong; please forgive me.

Thanks, Dad, for Not Always Showing Up

By
Bryan Loritts
-
communicating with the unchurched

I have a lot of reasons to say, “Thanks Dad.” I’m so thankful my dad didn’t come to all of my football, basketball and baseball games. He was thankful too. He never even pretended that perfect attendance at our ball games was a goal, or that his identity was tied into whether or not he showed up. Of course I was excited to see him on occasion standing down the first base line just outside the fence, with his tie loosened cheering me on while I tried to crush the ball. But those days he wasn’t there I knew why—he was working. His absences were a real gift to me, a gift I didn’t fully appreciate until decades later. Dad refused to make me the center of his world.

I recently stumbled upon a pretty gross disorder called Pradar-Willi Syndrome (PWS). The few who are diagnosed with this annually never get full when they eat. Left without the sensation of satisfaction the individual keeps eating and eating and eating, right into obesity and possibly an early grave. When an individual is inflicted with PWS, good things (like food) can become deadly things.

Many children today are being over-served in the attention department. When children take the place of Jesus as the center of the home, they’re set up for failure outside the home. A sociologist has quipped that ours is the boomerang age, where children leave the home only to return and settle in for extended adolescence. How did this happen? When you were the one everyone orbited around in your home, and then when you left and discovered you’re not the center of the world, of course you’d want to come back to the one place you were.

Thanks Dad

In hindsight, my father’s refusal to allow me to overdose on attention gave me three gifts:

1. The gift of not being number one. My parents are deep lovers of Jesus, and they always reminded us that we’ve been called into something so much bigger than us, the kingdom. Our extra-curricular activities were scheduled around church attendance, missions trips and service projects (not the other way around).

2. The gift of seeing a man work. Dad’s absence communicated loudly he works. When kids (on occasion) would ask where my dad was, I could tell them he was at work. Work is a good thing. His work paid for my athletic fees, cleats, equipment and uniforms.

3. Resilience. Children are a lot more resilient than we give them credit for. My father was easily gone over 100 days a year, and that’s a conservative estimate. While he came to everything he could, he missed a lot. What were the results? Me and my three siblings are all educated, contributing, healthy members of society. We’ve ventured into almost every region of the country hundreds and thousands of miles away from our parents and each other, where we’ve had to start lives and build churches, businesses and community. We’ve got a grit to us because our parents refused to coddle. Thanks dad (and mom).

So relax. Missing a game or a piano recital isn’t a bad thing, it can actually do your children some good.

This article originally appeared here.

10 Books Every Christian Teenager Should Read

By
Tim Challies
-
communicating with the unchurched

A reader recently asked the question: Do you have a suggested list of books for teenagers, something like a “10 best books every Christian teenager should read”? It surprised me that I have never compiled such a list, especially since I’ve got two teenagers of my own. I decided I’d better remedy this oversight straight away. Here, then, is a list of 10 great books every Christian teen ought to read—or at least consider reading.

Please note that these are not necessarily the 10 best books your teens will read in their lifetime. Not all of these books will stand the test of time as Christian classics. But each of them is suited to 21st-century teenaged readers and together they will provide a foundation for the Christian life that will prove both deep and wide. I list them in no particular order.

The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul. It is rare that a book is elevated to the ranks of the classics, but The Holiness of God is a prime candidate. Sproul’s book will introduce teens to the concept of holiness, to the necessity for holiness, and to their own deep unholiness. But it will also lead them to the one who delights to make them holy even as he is holy. This book has shaped many lives and may just shape theirs as well.

Counter Culture by David Platt. This is a book about issues that Christians need to be prepared to address, issues that are relevant here in the 21st century. The subtitle gives us details: “A Compassionate Call to Counter Culture in a World of Poverty, Same-Sex Marriage, Racism, Sex Slavery, Immigration, Abortion, Persecution, Orphans and Pornography.” If your teens read this one they learn how “the gospel moves Christians to counter all of these issues in our culture with conviction, compassion and courage.”

The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges. Jerry Bridges carried out a long and faithful ministry and this book was one of his most important. In it he offers a thorough explanation of the gospel and shows how the gospel pertains to every Christian every day. Teens who read it will learn the important discipline of preaching the gospel to themselves every day and they will become convicted that the very same gospel that saved them will sustain them to the end.

Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung. There are many books that teach Christians how to know and do the will of God, but none is better suited to young believers than this one. In a clear, biblical and entertaining manner, DeYoung shows how so many people are so wrong in the way they think about God’s will. “With pastoral wisdom and tasteful wit, DeYoung debunks unbiblical ways of understanding God’s will and constructs a simple but biblical alternative: live like Christ. He exposes the frustrations of our waiting games and unfolds the freedom of finding God’s will in Scripture and then simply doing it.”

Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper. This book began with John Piper’s address to thousands of young adults gathered for a Passion conference. Piper laments how many people—even professed Christians—go through life with no passion for God, “spending their lives on trivial diversions, living for comfort and pleasure, and perhaps trying to avoid sin.” Teens who read this will hear Piper’s passionate warning not to waste their lives, not to waste their youth, but to “live and die boasting in the cross of Christ and making the glory of God their singular passion.”

Director of INCM Resigns over Satirical Site Scandal

By
Bob Ditmer
-
Satirical Site Scandal
Screengrab YouTube @INCM

Matt Guevara, the Executive Director of the International Network of Children’s Ministry (INCM), has resigned after it was revealed that he targeted certain children’s ministry leaders for ridicule in stories he wrote anonymously on a website called the Flannelgraph Gazette.

In an emailed statement, Brodie Swanson, Chairman of the Board of Directors for INCM, said the board became aware of “troubling” actions by Guevara a number of weeks ago and placed him on a leave of absence. The statement suggested the board was not aware that Guevara was the writer of the Flannelgraph Gazette. The site has since been taken down.

THE SATIRICAL SIDE OF CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

In his explanation, included in the INCM statement, Guevara describes the Flannelgraph Gazette as satire and sarcasm that he used in “humorous articles that poked fun at the challenges of being a Children’s Pastor.”  

“But while many of the articles were simply entertaining, several took aim at kidmin leaders that I took issue with, however misguided. I specifically called out Ryan Frank, Martijn Van Tilborgh and their ministry. My words were critical, sinful and born out of my own deep shame and pain.”

Martijn Van Tilborgh, co-owner of Kidmin Nation, told churchleaders.com they endured “eighteen months of cyberbullying” in which Guevara “systematically tried to sabotage our organization and ministry efforts.”

Van Tilborgh said he doesn’t know why Kidmin Nation was targeted and isn’t aware of any issue between him and Guevara. But it appears Kidmin Nation was also producing some satire and sarcasm of their own. In November of 2016, Van Tilborgh and Frank produced a video to promote their upcoming Kidmin Nation Megacon in Nashville. The first four minutes of the video were reasons why no one in youth ministry would want to meet in Orlando. INCM meets every year in Orlando.

When asked if there was a history of satire and sarcasm between the two groups, Frank told churchleaders.com in hindsight he shouldn’t have produced the video. He said they later apologized to the INCM board and staff and took the video off the Internet. The video was still available at the time of publishing this article.

HISTORY OF THE FLANNELGRAPH GAZETTE

Van Tilborgh said INCM sent an email blast to its constituents in January 2017 touting the top 5 websites to watch in 2017. Flannelgraph Gazette was on the list. After reading some of the articles that Van Tilborgh said were geared toward “discrediting” himself, Frank and Kidmin Nation, he contacted the INCM board asking about the website and why it was considered a top site given its content. He said the board promised to investigate and get back to him. They never did.

In September, 2017, after conducting his own investigation, Van Tilborgh contacted INCM again saying he had found out who was behind the Flannelgraph Gazette. It was then that Guevara confessed his involvement and was placed on leave.

ATTEMPTS AT RECONCILIATION

For the past 10 weeks the two sides have been trying to repair the rift that Van Tilborgh said has caused “significant” financial damage to his organization but the talks have not led to any “mutually agreeable conclusion.”

In his statement, Guevara wrote,

“I am seeking and will continue to seek forgiveness and healing. The healing piece is harder than I had imagined, which is probably why I put it off for so long. As it turns out, facing your demons is harder once you’ve hurt yourself and others trying to outrun them. Because of God’s overwhelming love, I am finding forgiveness and grace in Christ, as well as from the people I have hurt along the way. It is profoundly humbling because it is profoundly undeserved.”

Frank says he has forgiven Guevara and the organization and is praying God’s best for the ministries of both Kidmin Nation and INCM. But when asked if a lawsuit is in the offing over what has transpired, Frank said “that’s probably not going to happen” but says he believes there are grounds for one.

It appears that in the world of children’s ministry, it’s going to take more than a flannelgraph lesson on Joseph and his brothers to bring peace to this conflict.

 

Breaking News: Houston Churches Denied FEMA Funds for Constitutional Reasons

By
Christine Yount Jones
-
communicating with the unchurched

A Houston federal judge has denied an emergency request by three Texas churches for access to funds to rebuild sanctuaries damaged during Hurricane Harvey in a case that tests the constitutional boundaries separating church and state, according to an article in The Houston Chronicle. 

After three Houston area churches–the Harvest Family Church, the Hi-Way Tabernacle and the Rockport First Assembly of God–filed a lawsuit for FEMA funds, President Trump tweeted the following:

fema funds 2

Government relief from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is available under the Stafford Act for certain nonprofit organizations. The question is whether nonprofit religious entities can use federal money to repair and rebuild their church buildings. And opponents and proponents of church/state separation are weighing in.

According to the Texas Lawyer’s law.com:

To receive disaster funds from FEMA under the act, the private nonprofit must operate an eligible facility that provides noncritical, but essential government service. However, the act excludes some services, including facilities used for political, athletic or religious services. But when a private nonprofit facility provides multiple services, it is allowed to receive funding if FEMA determines that less that 50 percent of the facility’s physical space is dedicated to ineligible services.

FEMA says it’s not saying “no”; it’s just saying “wait.” According to a report from the heraldonline.com, “FEMA says it hasn’t denied the churches’ applications but has placed them on hold while a change to its policy is reviewed. Pressure to change the policy has been mounting after this year’s series of devastating hurricanes damaged many churches in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico.”

In his 9-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Gray Miller said he “based his decision on the current FEMA policy and not on the proposed changes, which are currently “speculative and does not impact the challenge to the current policy.” The review of FEMA’s new policy could take up to 90 days to complete.” (wral.com)

Can churches have it both ways? To be separated from the state for tax reasons but to benefit during natural disasters, some wonder. Ultimately, though, those who support the decision argue on the basis of the constitutionality of the decision.

In a Nov. 30 amicus brief, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Anti-Defamation League and other organizations said  “The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment prohibits public funding of repairs of church sanctuaries and other buildings that are used principally for religious activities,” the groups said in the brief.  “And the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause does not supersede that prohibition or otherwise require public funds to be put to the support of religious uses,” according to the article Ban on Disaster Aid for Churches Likely Constitutional.

Breaking News: Confusion About Evangelicals Could Hurt the Gospel

By
Christine Yount Jones
-
communicating with the unchurched

Evangelicals are getting a bad rap in the news these days, but recent research shows that just because people say they are evangelicals doesn’t necessarily mean they hold evangelical views.

According to Many Who Call Themselves Evangelical Don’t Actually Hold Evangelical Beliefs from Lifeway Research:

Fewer than half of those who identify as evangelicals (45 percent) strongly agree with core evangelical beliefs, according to a new survey from Nashville-based LifeWay Research.

“There’s a gap between who evangelicals say they are and what they believe,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research.

In reference to the Roy Moore debacle in Alabama, The Atlantic reports that evangelicals have changed their views of what’s morally okay for a political candidate. In fact, they report that evangelicals’ views have taken a nose dive in the last few years:

“As recently as 2011, a poll by the Public Religion Research Institute found that only 30 percent of white evangelicals believed “an elected official who commits an immoral act in their personal life can still behave ethically and fulfill their duties in their public and professional life.” But by the time Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, that number had risen sharply to 72 percent. White evangelicals are now more tolerant of immoral behavior by elected officials than the average American.”

Are evangelicals losing their grip with the Bible? Or could it be that “evangelical” is just the answer many are choosing on surveys without understanding all that entails?

One wonders when according to the Lifeway Research: “A significant number of evangelical believers reject the term “evangelical.” Only two-thirds (69 percent) of evangelicals by belief self-identify as evangelicals.”

One also wonders if the perception of evangelicals will facilitate the cause of the gospel being hijacked as The Atlantic alludes to: “To many on the secular left, the race has only confirmed all the worst things they’ve long assumed about social conservatives. But what’s taking place in Alabama is actually the product of a dramatic, and relatively recent, shift in the political ethics of the religious right—a shift that could have far-reaching consequences in American politics.”

As church leaders, our call is not to American politics but to a higher kingdom whose cause is completely and totally bipartisan! Can I get an amen?

Breaking News: It’s a Boy, Girl, or X on Birth Certificates

By
Christine Yount Jones
-
communicating with the unchurched

The Washington State Department of Health is asking for public commentary on a proposal that would add a third, gender-neutral option for sex designation on birth certificates, according to an article on King5.com news site.

Not only are the checkboxes potentially changing, but the requirements for sex designation on birth certificates would change also. The proposed rule removes the requirement for medical verification for adults making a request, so the people who can verify the gender change for minors need less credentials.

According to USA Today in  When Asked Their Sex, Some Are Going With X, ‘Non-binary people have always been part of the population. But for the first time, state governments in the U.S.. are beginning to recognize their identity. The District of Columbia began offering the gender-neutral choice of “X” on driver licenses and identification cards Tuesday. Washington was following Oregon’s example, which began offering option “X” earlier this month. California’s Senate passed a law with the same aim, and similar legislation has been introduced in New York.”

Once again, the issue of transgenderism makes the news. And church leaders must come to terms with the social/cultural issue vs. the emotional issue for people in pain. Andrew T. Walker writes in 5 Things Every Christian Must Know About the Transgender Debate,  “While we resist the attempt being made at a cultural and legal level to view gender as a matter of choice, we must also recognize that caught up in all this are deeply hurting people. Those who experience gender dysphoria are not necessarily trying to win a culture war. They need to know that (even while we may not agree with them) Christians love them, are there for them, are ready to listen to them and seek to understand the pain they are facing, and deeply desire what is best for them. Compassion and dignity for dysphoric individuals is not in tension with disagreeing with transgenderism as a social movement.”

The Bible is clear: “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27

And the Bible is also clear that we live in a broken world. Walker, Director of Policy Studies for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, writes, “A Christian worldview informed by the Bible can fully explain why people experience feelings of gender dysphoria. The Christian worldview is one that acknowledges that creation has been disrupted and is not the way it once was, nor how it will eventually be in the New Creation (Genesis 3; Romans 8; Revelation 21). No part of our existence in the universe has been left undisturbed by sin’s effects.”

Your Youth Ministry Christmas Wish List

By
Jeremy Zach
-
communicating with the unchurched

** I learned this youth ministry wishlist technique from Lars Rood— the youth ministry resource guru.

Has your youth ministry been naughty or nice?

My assumption is your youth ministry has been nice unless you-the beloved youth pastor has been illegally downloading music, stealing content from blogs, and preaching the prosperity gospel and not preaching repentance.  But still we are all saved by grace and all youth ministries deserve a Christmas gift like the free gift of Jesus Christ.

The problem is due to our current economic recession, church budgets do not exist. My youth ministry experience was in small church ministry, so I had to always think of new ways to get stuff for our youth ministry without spending a dime.  In another words, I tried to get really good at getting stuff for free and being frugal, even though finances are not my strength.

My solution: Just ask. But how do you ask? By making a youth ministry wishlist.

That is correct.  Make a youth ministry wishlist like you would a Christmas gift list. So get a sheet of paper, a (color)pencil/pen/marker, a brain, all your parent/church email addresses, and 3-5 key students/adult volunteers you love and trust; and get ready to work.  Ask yourself and 3-5 key students/adult leaders what does your youth ministry need?  Dream big and don’t worry about money or the actuality of getting it.

Possible items to ask parents and congregation members for:

– TV

–  DVD player

–  candy

– video game systems

– athletic equipment (skis, snowboard, surfboards, basketballs, footballs, soccer balls)

–  bibles/books

– sleeping bags

– camping gear

– church leadership conference tickets (including lodging/food)

–  ping pong/pool/fusball table

– pillows

–  music equipment (drums, guitar, bass, amps, etc.)

– chairs/bean bags

– tables

-lamps

-movie tickets

– computer

– snack/beverage items

Once you have compiled a long wishlist for your youth ministry, get ready to send it out to the church.  Make sure to put your contact information on the list and don’t ask for money. Only ask for materials.  I found that church folk are more willing to give “stuff” to a youth ministry department rather than writing a check.  Church members like to feel as though they are literally “buying” into the youth ministry by providing actual and physical resources.  Plus what a great way for outside adults to contribute to a ministry in the church. The church members have the security that their junk is consider gold in the youth ministry department.

3 Ways to Focus on God’s Presence This Christmas

By
Corey Ray Jones
-
communicating with the unchurched

If you’re like most people alive today, Christmas is a scheduling nightmare with parties, pageants, purchasing of presents and preparing pastries. You know that Christmas should be a time of prayer, peace and the presence of God but every year seems to become more and more busy.

This year, let’s prepare for Christmas the right way by stepping into the presence of God. Here are three ways to focus on God’s presence this Christmas.

1. Prepare your heart by focusing on God’s Word. This year, why not start a tradition of reading the biblical account of the birth of Jesus in Scripture? There are many ways to do this. You can simply open up your Bible and read these passages: Matthew 1:18-25. Or maybe you want to start a Christmas reading plan using the YouVersion Bible App. Or maybe you want to gather your kids around and check out the Christmas story in the Bible App for Kids. Each day’s video teaches a memory verse or a key truth using music, movement and other concrete ways to help abstract truths stick.

2. Verify your authenticity by keeping your motivation in check. Why do you want to give that special gift to your loved one? Why must the house be decorated just right? Why are you so worried about having the perfect Christmas morning? Is your motivation to bring glory to God or is it about you? Check your motivations and remember this simple yet profound quote from Paul Tripp: “Worry forgets God’s presence.”

3. Don’t expect it to just happen; do the work. James 4:8  says, “The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth.” Just because the holiday is all about the presence of God coming to earth doesn’t mean that we will experience that gift. You must do the work and position yourself to draw near to God. Maybe for you, this means that you go outside and be in His creation, or maybe it means you find solitude or simplicity. For some of you, it will mean listening to some praise music and worship Him in your room, or sharing His love with others and seeing God’s presence grow in them.

Don’t let this Christmas distract you from your priorities, rather position yourself this Christmas to experience the presence of God.

This article originally appeared here.

Missing God at Advent?

By
Glenn Packiam
-
communicating with the unchurched

This Christmas, as images of wise men and shepherds and Mary and Joseph and animals and baby Jesus cover our refrigerators with all the familiar greetings of the season, what strikes me is all the people who aren’t part of the Christmas Story.

No doubt you’ve heard sermons on the unlikely cast of characters who found themselves in the thick of God’s arrival on earth. Lowly shepherds who were serenaded by angels, wise men from faraway lands, and, of course, young Joseph, and his pregnant-out-of-wedlock wife, Mary.

But what about all those who weren’t there but could have been or maybe should have been?

The real mystery of the first Christmas is how people who were longing, praying, hoping, looking for the Messiah missed Him.

Top on the list for me is Herod. Here’s a guy who hears about the star and all the prophecies about where the Messiah was to be born and yet instead of being remotely glad becomes insanely insecure…and then brutally murderous.

So, who was Herod?

  • His father was a weak, but brilliantly manipulative king and high
    priest.
  • When his brother took power from him, he eventually sought help from
    Rome, the rising power in the East. Each Roman leader—culminating with the
    great Julius Caesar—gave Herod’s father the sacred and respected role among
    Jews as High Priest.
  • As part of his father’s ambitious plans, Herod was made governor of
    Galilee at only 25.
  • Herod impressed Roman rulers with the way he collected taxes and
    suppressed revolts—two things Rome valued highly.
  • When Cassius and Brutus murdered Julius Caesar, they allied with
    Herod, giving him a larger governorship, knowing that he could generate revenue
    for them until they killed Antony and Octavian. But when Cassius was defeated
    by Antony, Herod aligned himself with Antony and Octavian, instead, allowing
    them and the Roman senate to anoint him “King of Judea.”
  • Through a strategic marriage and a display of brutal betrayals and
    murders, Herod finally became “King of the Jews.”
  • During the later period of his reign, around the time of Christ’s birth, Herod wrote six wills, changing the succession plan. He had 10 wives who each had sons that they wanted to be the next King, but Herod was determined to script the outcome.

Key Concepts for Planning Your New Year Groups Strategy

By
Mark Howell
-
communicating with the unchurched

Do you want to connect people no one else is connecting? You know, not just the men and women that are looking for a group but the ones that never seem to respond to ordinary and routine groups campaigns. Not just the same old people that sign up and then don’t show up…but the people who desperately need community but are the last to figure it out.

Want to develop group leaders who truly shepherd their members? Know how to make better disciples? Are inspired to do more than open their home, arrange for a few snacks and play a video?

Need to identify, recruit and develop a team of coaches who will care for and help group leaders learn to shepherd their members? To make better disciples?

Maybe you need to figure out how to build a rhythm into the year that enables a more productive year. One that has a why behind the what and the how of your groups ministry.

Here is the essence of what I’ve learned about building a thriving small group ministry.

First, if you want to connect people no one else is connecting, you’ve got to do things that no one else is doing.

First, if you want to connect people no one else is connecting, you’ve got to do things that no one else is doing (a version of Craig Groeschel’s quote). Simply put, if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.

Want to catch different fish? Try different bait or a new lure. Move to another part of the stream, lake or ocean. Get up earlier or stay out later.

This has everything to do with planning your annual grouplife calendar with a keen awareness of the needs, wants and motivations of unconnected people.

Second, if you’ve lowered the leader bar in order to increase the number of potential leaders recruited…

Second, if you’ve lowered the leader bar in order to increase the number of potential leaders recruited, you’ll need to raise the bar in terms of the care you provide leaders and the on-the-job training and encouragement you provide.

Simply put, these two realities are inextricably joined at the hip. They have an inverse relationship. If you do one, you must do the other.

This has everything to do with putting a leader development strategy in motion at the same time you’re trying to connect beyond the usual suspects.

If You Want Your Church to Be More Like Christ, Preach the Gospel

By
David Smith
-
communicating with the unchurched

Q: Why is it necessary to preach Christ in every sermon?

A: Because without seeing Christ, we will not become like him.

When asked to give an answer for why preaching Christ is necessary, there are many biblical answers I could give. Because:

?  This is how the apostles preached in Acts.
?  The Scriptures were inspired by the Spirit to lead us to Christ.
?  The Father wants to glorify the Son in redemptive history and revelation.
?  Scripture teaches us how all creation and redemption center on Christ.

Still, to my thinking the most powerful reason for preaching Christ is the transformative effect of seeing Christ. As 2 Corinthians 3:18 puts it,

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

WE BECOME LIKE WHAT WE BEHOLD

In conjunction with the truth that we become like what we behold (see Ps. 115:8; 135:18), this verse teaches us that when we “see” Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 4:5–6) in his beauty and glory, his humility and love, we will become like him. However, when we read Scripture without seeing Christ, or worse, if we read Scripture with an intention of not seeing how every passage relates to him, then we will grow in knowledge of the Bible but without growing our affections for Christ. Ever wonder how men and women who know the Bible could be so arrogant or divisive? Might it be due to reading Scripture, without falling in love with Christ?

Indeed, this is why we have the Bible—to know the triune God through the full and final revelation of Christ (see Heb. 1:1–2:4). And when led by the Spirit, such knowing comes with the stirring of affections. And with those affections, our hearts are enlarged for God through our loving trust in Christ. Then, as a result, our lives are transformed from one degree of glory to another.

For me, this is why preaching Christ is not an exercise in erudition, but a necessary part of faithful exposition—showing how the whole Bible comes together in Christ (Ephesians 1:10). And thankfully, this approach to Christ is not novel. Indeed, it is the way many in the church have approached Christ in Scripture. For instance, in reading Puritan preacher Richard Sibbes (1577-1635) recently, I came across his own passion for seeing Christ.

Christmas Giving: 10 Ways to Transform Your Christmas

By
Joe McKeever
-
communicating with the unchurched

Those of us who love the Christmas season—I plead guilty!—often are in the market for ways to make it more meaningful.

I polled some friends and would like to share some of the results.

Give more. Give yourself. Give the unexpected. Give 10 times as much as they expect. Give more than ever before. 

Shop less. Buy fewer. Spend less. Stress less.

Quit giving to the adults; give only to the children.

Give no more than three presents per child.

Emphasize the personal aspect.

Write more notes. If you send Christmas cards, write personal notes on them. Don’t be afraid to tell people you love them, even if you need to vary the verb and make it “I treasure you.” (Or, cherish, adore, appreciate or thank God for you)

OK. Now, our 10 ways to transform your Christmas season …

1)  Never pass a Salvation Army kettle without dropping in some money.

My friend Annie got me started on this. Recently, I noticed on her Facebook page that she was re-emphasizing this commitment, and told how after finding herself with only big bills on one occasion, she has made it a practice of having a number of ones and fives in the front of her purse, just for this reason.

I suggest the Lord’s people do something similar every time the offering plate comes by in church. Give something. It’s a wonderful habit, a thrilling privilege.

2) Volunteer with some organization that is ministering to the homeless and needy.

Especially on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, volunteers will be scarce, so that would be the best time of all to work.

In my city, we have homeless shelters and a seafarers’ ministry.

Breaking News: It’s Official: Australia Says ‘Yes’ to Same-Sex Marriage

By
Bob Ditmer
-
communicating with the unchurched

Australia’s parliament voted overwhelmingly to legalize same-sex marriage on Thursday, December 7, 2017 following four days of debate and featuring hundreds of speakers.  The vote followed a non-binding referendum sent out by mail.  More than 60 percent of Australians who took part in the plebiscite voted to allow same-sex marriage.  The Senate passed the legislation last week.

The marriage equality laws cleared parliament unchanged despite a push from conservative politicians for additional religious protections.

The vote broke a string of 22 unsuccessful attempts to legalize gay marriage in Australia since 2004 when lawmakers said that marriage is only between a man and a woman.

Hundreds came in person to watch the vote tally from the gallery.  After the vote, many sang “I am Australian,” a well-known anthem, while lawmakers, some in tears, looked up from the house floor.

Following the vote, Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull told the house that:

“Australia has done it—every Australian had their say, and they said ‘it’s fair, get on with it’.”

Brian Houston, head of the Hillsong Church Movement, became embroiled in the issue during the plebiscite when he told Christians to vote “whatever your view.”  He later clarified that statement saying he supported the biblical definition of marriage and called for lawmakers to protect the rights of pastors and churches to hold to their beliefs.  

After the plebiscite, showing Australians clearly favored allowing same-sex marriage, Houston said he would continue to hold to a Biblical definition of marriage.

He said in a statement, “I believe every person is created by God with a plan and purpose, and the focus of Hillsong Church has always been—and will always be—to point people to Jesus.”

Australia now becomes the 25th country to recognize same-sex marriage.  It’s believed that the first gay marriages could occur as early as January 8th, 2018.

Breaking News: Southern California Fires Threaten Churches

By
Christine Yount Jones
-
communicating with the unchurched

As flames rage with Southern California fires, there is nothing treated as sacred that stands in its way. Homes and churches are threatened.

According to a report in The New York Times, the California Fires Enter the Heart of Los Angeles: “By Wednesday evening, the fire in Bel-Air consumed at least 475 acres and a handful of structures, small figures compared with some of the other blazes. But in such a densely populated area, the prospect of warm, dry Santa Ana winds whipping the flames into other neighborhoods had many residents of Los Angeles’ west side preparing for possible evacuation. Officials ordered 700 homes in Bel-Air evacuated.”

As residents evacuate, they pray. Abe Hagigat, 61, told The New York Times as he packed up his car outside his home in Bel-Air and watered his roof: “We’ve all been through this before. We stay calm, do what they tell us, and pray.”

The Chicago Tribune reported that “Out of Control” Southern California Fire Explodes as Growing Blazes Force 27,000 to Flee. And containment doesn’t look like it’s coming any time soon.

The Chicago Tribune reports: “The prospects for containment are not good,” Ventura County Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen said at a news briefing as the fire was beginning its aggressive expansion. “Really, Mother Nature’s going to decide when we have the ability to put it out.”

Homes and churches are at risk. In The Presbyterian Outlook’s Presbyterian churches in Ventura face new wildfire threats: “It’s obviously in the very early stages right now and there is little containment of the fire,” said Katie Wiebe, executive director of the Institute for Congregational Trauma and Growth, as well as a member of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance’s National Response Team. “We have at least two churches, possibly three, that are directly impacted, where they’ve had members evacuated.”

The CovenantCompanion.com reported on December 6, 2017, that no Evangelical Covenant Churches were currently impacted by the fire.

Referencing the “weird wind pattern” of the Santa Ana winds with this fire, The L.A. Times reported what we would see as answers to prayer: “At daybreak Thursday, Ojai officials said it was ‘a miracle’ that fierce Santa Ana winds had subsided on Thursday, as firefighters battled wildfires that have encircled the mountain community and continued to burn largely untamed on surrounding ridgelines.”

Church leaders in the area ask for prayer for the people who’ve been evacuated and for the brave firefighters to be safe as they contain the fire.

Francis Chan: We Need a New Approach to the American Church

By
Bob Ditmer
-
communicating with the unchurched

Are we doing church wrong in America?

That’s the question Francis Chan asks in this brief video.

Chan says the Bible defines the church in four ways:

  1. Love
  2. Evangelism
  3. Communion
  4. Equipping

But he says sadly, it is rare to find an American church that fits that description.  Chan suggests some experimentation to find our way back to a biblical understanding of church.

In fact, he recommends turning our assumptions upside down.  Instead of starting a church by looking for a pastor, a building, a music minister, etc.,  Chan would start with followers of Jesus who love one another.

Then he would apply four principles.

First, the church would meet in homes–not a formal church building. Chan says that would allow the members to get to know and love each other without the distractions of salaries and mortgages.

Second, after one year the church would split into two.  He admits this would be uncomfortable for a group that has gotten to know and love each other but he says this model prevents the goals of evangelism and mission from being overlooked in favor of comfort and preference.

Third, the group would commit to reading through the Bible in one year. Rather than listening to a sermon from a pastor each Sunday morning, the church would discuss what they’ve read with several members sharing and teaching what they’ve learned.  There would also be an emphasis on prayer and meeting needs.

Fourth, the church would be committed to training leaders.  When the church splits after a year, a new leader is needed to shepherd the new group.

Chan isn’t saying this is the only way church should be done but he says this plan follows the biblical model.  He says it also closely aligns with what’s happening in China where it’s estimated that 100 million believers have responded to the gospel from the efforts of the house church movement.

Interesting suggestions that will make many uncomfortable, but hasn’t that always been true of Christianity?

Breaking News: Willow Creek Church Sends Christmas Gifts to Every Inmate in Illinois

By
Christine Yount Jones
-
communicating with the unchurched

Once again, Willow Creek Church in Barrington, Illinois, leads the way in modeling for other churches. Their noble act? Sending Christmas gifts to every inmate in Illinois. The church’s volunteers are ensuring that every single inmate in the state of Illinois will receive a special Christmas gift bag.

The act of kindness is part of an ongoing prison ministry Willow Creek has been engaged in for many years now.

Willow Creek Church is living out this Scripture from Matthew 25:31-40.

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “

And this act of love and support is nothing new to Willow Creek. In fact, churchleaders.com reported on their act of service in…

Willow Creek Packs and Delivers 70,000 Gifts to ‘Forgotten’ Prisoners in 2016

Willow Creek Church Gives Christmas Gift Packs to Every Prisoner in the State of Illinois in 2015

It’s nice to see that Willow Creek Church is in it for the long haul–year after year–to show love to the least of these.

Breaking News: World Reacts to Trump’s Jerusalem Decision

By
Christine Yount Jones
-
Jerusalem
JERUSALEM, ISRAEL - JULY 26, 2015: Palestinians in Old City of Jerusalem protest against ascent of religious jews to Temple Mount during Tisha B'Av - important annual fast day in Judaism.

President Trump’s declaration of the United States’ recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel sparks violent protests in Jerusalem, Ramallah, and Bethlehem. Jerusalem has been at the center of political debate for decades since both Israelis and Palestinians claim it as their capital.

According to the CNN article Protests Break Out Following Trump’s Jerusalem Decision: “Trump made the controversial announcement on Wednesday, saying that the U.S. would move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, drawing condemnation from world leaders and sending shock waves through the Muslim world.”

As Trump’s declaration relates to regional politics, there are Three Key Things to Know About Trump’s Jerusalem Gambit, according to The Washington Post:

  1. There is no real peace process to disrupt.
  2. The recognition does matter for U.S. regional strategy.
  3. Regional politics will determine whether the gamble succeeds.

Why does this matter to church leaders? Joshua Pease writes in The Surprising Shift in the Way Evangelical Millennials View Israel that “for evangelicals who believe the Bible teaches a literally-restored nation of Israel, the sovereignty of Israel is seen as a Biblical must; however, within many evangelical denominations, this eschatological approach has shifted from ‘must’ to a ‘maybe.’ ”

Even so, 13 Christian leaders warned Trump of the hatred, conflict, violence, suffering, and irreparable harm that a change in U.S. policy on Jerusalem would create in the area. “The letter was signed by the heads of the Greek, Syrian, Armenian, Ethiopian and Coptic Orthodox patriarchates, the Latin church, the Franciscan Order, the Greek-Melkite-Catholic patriarchate, the Maronites, the Episcopal Church, the Armenian and Syrian Catholic churches and the Evangelical Lutherans,” according to an article in The Times of Israel.

Escape the Flawed History of Youth Ministry

By
Cameron Cole
-
communicating with the unchurched

Youth ministry in its modern manifestation is relatively young, having only emerged in the first half of the 20th century. Scholars have dedicated much ink to youth ministry’s problems in its initial generation. In particular, the field has drawn much criticism for its failure to form students with lasting faith. Some surveys estimate that as many as 70 percent of young people left the church after high school.¹ However, youth ministry has learned a great deal in the last decade, and continues to move forward.

Looking back at the flawed history of youth ministry can help us avoid past mistakes and cultivate our vision and practice for the future. Here is a brief history of youth ministry’s past flaws in three sentences and less than 400 words.

1. Youth ministry had the wrong purpose.
The concrete vision of the church, as ordained by Christ in the Great Commission, is to make disciples. In the youth context, that means forming students with a solid, lasting relationship with Christ who can handle the challenges to their faith in adulthood.

Too often, youth ministries focused on getting kids in the door, and then overly-focused on their moral behavior in the present. In many contexts, the purpose was to make “good” kids now, without proper consideration for the hard work of building a firm foundation of faith for the future. Since so many churches had the wrong purpose in their youth ministries, students failed to stick with their faith.

2. Youth ministry used the wrong provisions.
God has provided his means of grace—prayer, scripture and sacraments—in the context of relationships and community for making disciples. All of these means point back to the Gospel as the ultimate vehicle that draws people into lasting relationship with Jesus. Effective discipleship necessitates proclaiming the Gospel of grace, the reality of sin, teaching God’s word and praying for kids, all while mentoring them and bringing them into Christian community.

When churches had the right purpose, they still often relied on entertainment, moralism and emotionalism as the means by which they tried to make disciples. The research from the National Study on Youth and Religion, the College Transition Project, and other research demonstrated that kids fundamentally had a view of Christianity that contrasted diametrically with the portrayal offered in the Bible. Kids had poor spiritual, biblical and theological foundations for the challenges to faith that awaited them in the real world.

(3) Youth ministry operated in the wrong place.
The Bible calls for the discipleship of kids to be a cooperative effort between both the whole church and families. Churches are meant to educate, equip and empower parents to invest in their kids’ spiritual lives. Kids are meant to worship and serve with the whole church and not be exclusively segregated to the youth room and children’s chapel.

Unfortunately, the majority of kids’ spiritual formation occurred in the youth room on Sunday mornings or Sunday night. Parents were not educated or equipped. Kids were separated from the many generations of the church and not prepared to worship or serve as church members when they grew into adulthood.

We can lead more effective youth ministries by focusing on the right purpose, provisions and place.

¹ Lifeway, 2006

This article originally appeared here.

Sexual Misconduct, Allegations and Leading in KidMin

By
Jenny Funderburke Smith
-
communicating with the unchurched

Even though it was over 10 years ago, I’ll never forget the night that my best friend from home called and asked if I was watching the news. I thought this was a strange question since we were living in different cities at the time. She informed me that a gentleman who was our former youth pastor, who was serving as a senior pastor of a church close to me, and who was a man we both dearly loved had been arrested for sexually abusing children. To say I was shocked was an understatement.

I think many Americans have been shocked in recent weeks as every news cycle presents reports of allegations of sexual abuse, misconduct or harrassment. The crazy part is that no part of American culture seems to be exempt: Hollywood, elected officials, journalists and business CEOs have all lost their jobs as well as their reputations in recent weeks.

Many words have been written and spoken concerning this epidemic in recent days. Here are a few of my thoughts…

1. Sexual sin is a pervasive problem. We all know that sex is everywhere. As sex has taken over our culture, secret sexual sin, including the mistreatment and assault of others, has grown rampant. For whatever reason, this is the season in which it is being exposed in high profile cases. My prayer is that God will use some of this to give courage to those who have been sinned against. I pray that just maybe these situations might open up society’s eyes to the dangers of using sex as business and entertainment.

2. The church is not immune. One night last week I stumbled upon the Twitter feed for #churchtoo. This feed was filled with heart-breaking stories of women who had been harassed, molested and even raped in church settings, many by church leaders. I wish I didn’t know people who have survived these situations, but I do. I wish I didn’t know people who had offended in this way, but I do. Many churches have failed many people in this area. For us to pretend otherwise is naive.

3. No person is immune. Each of us is one moment, one temptation, one choice away from stupid. It is easy for me to point fingers. It is easy for me to be judgmental. It is a whole lot harder for me to remember that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Scripture in 1 Peter 5:8 teaches that “the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.” These weeks have shown that he is indiscriminate in his devouring.

In light of these realities, it is our responsibility as believers and as leaders to do what we can to protect ourselves, our families, our ministries and our church members. Sexual sin is real and it can come in a form that is destructive to others. Here are five ways you and I can seek to better protect those God has put in our care:

1...1,1021,1031,104...1,200Page 1,103 of 1,200
855,266FansLike

New Articles

kids need Jesus

Kids Need Jesus and These 4 Key Truths from the Bible

ChildrensMinistry.com -
Kids need Jesus and these biblical truths. Encourage children to take heart because they can trust Jesus.
short children’s sermons

Short Children’s Sermons: 5-Minute Bible Messages for Kids

Bible verses about independence

Bible Verses About Independence — and Freedom in Christ

growing faith

Growing Faith: How To Build Lasting Faith in Young Hearts

New Podcasts

Joby Martin

Joby Martin: What Happens When Pastors Finally Understand Grace

Jessica Mouser -
Joby Martin joins “The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast” to discuss what happens when a church leader has truly been run over by the “grace train" and understands the profound love and grace of God.
Jennie Allen

Best of 2024—Jennie Allen: Why Church Leaders Need To Pay Attention...

Jon Acuff

Best of 2024: Jon Acuff—How To Pursue Success Without Destroying Your...

Libin Abraham

Libin Abraham on God’s Surprising Job Description for the Pastor

ChurchLeaders.com is dedicated to resourcing, informing, and connecting a community of church leaders for greater Kingdom impact worldwide.
Contact us: support@churchleaders.com

Company

Trending

Popular Categories

© ChurchLeaders