Would Jesus Park in a Bike Lane? For Philadelphia Churches, It’s a Real Question

August 14, 2024

(RNS) — If all goes well, worshippers at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia will be able to park on the streets near the church in peace.

They just may have to walk a little bit farther to do so.

Earlier this week, after months of protest by Philly Bike Action, a local association of cyclists, the church decided to give up a city permit that allowed congregants to park on the street outside the building. Those temporary parking spots, which were valid on Sunday mornings, were located in what is otherwise a bike lane.

RELATED: Pastor Greg Laurie Encourages the Church To Speak Out Against the Anti-Israel Protests

That drew the ire of Philly Bike Action, which staged 18 weeks of what organizers called “bike lane parties” in front of the church on Sundays, where cyclists often held signs of protest and took photos of church members parked in bike lanes.

While church leaders defended the congregation’s right to park in the bike lane, they also realized they were alienating the community. As a result, the church decided to work with the city to find alternative parking.

“The point is that many of our neighbors see us as self-centered, pursuing our own interests and unconcerned with their welfare,” Tim Geiger, executive pastor of Tenth, told church members in a video posted to the church’s Facebook page. “That’s something that could easily become a stumbling block for them, as we try to invite them to know the Lord and to know us as a church.”

(Photo by Andrew Gook/Unsplash/Creative Commons)

The growing popularity of bike lanes has caused unintended challenges in older cities like Philadelphia — where city officials have to balance access for bikers with the needs of the broader community, including churches, on narrow streets first designed for horses and buggies.

In Washington, D.C., for example, work on a bike lane on Ninth Street NW was delayed for years after leaders of nearby Black congregations said the bike lane, which included a protective barrier, would limit access to their buildings. Earlier this year, leaders at Asbury United Methodist Church in D.C. complained that a bike lane blocked an accessible entrance to the church.

Kurt Paulsen, a professor of urban planning at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said that allowing street parking for churches can make sense, especially since their services usually happen at times of low traffic. Cities often make accommodations for churches or other institutions that lack off-street parking lots.

“The city certainly doesn’t want to make it hard for people to attend an historic church downtown and normally there isn’t a lot of business or tourist traffic on Sunday mornings,” he said in an email.

But adding bike lanes can make that complicated — especially as the best practice for those bike lanes calls for adding a concrete barrier or other dividers.

Christopher Dascher, a board member of Philly Bike Action, which was organized about a year ago, said the group has been focused on ending street parking on Spruce and Pine streets, which he said were popular east-west routes for bicyclists in Philly. They identified seven congregations — four churches, a pair of synagogues and the Philadelphia Ethical Society — that had street parking permits on a mile-and-a-half stretch of road. The group had hopes of getting those congregations to give up the permits.

Five of the congregations have found alternatives or given up their permits, according to the Philly Bike Action website. Two remain in discussions over the permits, said Dascher. He said Philly Bike Action sees all the congregations as vital to the city.

Demonstrators attend a bike lane party organized by Philly Bike Action in Philadelphia. (Photo courtesy Philly Bike Action)

Demonstrators attend a bike lane party organized by Philly Bike Action in Philadelphia. (Photo courtesy of Philly Bike Action)

“We very much believe that having these congregations is part of what makes our city great,” he said.

But Dascher, who said he often rides with his two young kids, also said the practice of parking in bike lanes is inherently dangerous. Doing so means bicyclists have to enter lanes designed for auto traffic, which can be unsafe.

He said protests over the bike lanes heated up after a bike rider was killed this summer when a car veered into the bike lane. Dascher said the accident proved more safety measures are needed. Along with the ending of street parking, he’d like to see some kind of protective barrier set up.

If David Is a Man After God’s Own Heart, Why So Many Wives?

Kelly Williams

August 14, 2024

It has seemingly become an everyday occurrence to open your favorite Christian news outlet and learn of yet another pastor or ministry leader who has been involved in a sexual indiscretion. For some, it occurred last week. For others, it was 35 years ago.

If you are like me, it can make your head spin with more questions than there seems to be answers to. These sorts of situations drive us, hopefully, back to God’s Word to get direction and insight into such problematic matters.

And yet, when we open the Old Testament, we learn that a man who committed adultery, had the woman’s husband killed, and covered it up was referred to as a man after God’s own heart. And not only that, but he was also considered a righteous King of Israel while having multiple wives. His name? King David.

How do we wrestle with the tension and answer the question, “If King David is a man after God’s own heart, why so many wives?”

I want to first go back to the beginning of David’s life. The genesis of his conception.

David says in Psalm 51:5: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.”

David made this statement upon reflecting of his affair/adultery with Bathsheba. I think he was potentially tying his actions to how he himself came into existence in his own life.

The Bible does not mention King David’s mother by name. A Jewish legend has named her Nitzevet, but there is no biblical confirmation of that name. David’s father lived in Bethlehem and was from the tribe of Judah. David was the youngest of eight brothers. He also had at least two sisters, Zeruiah and Abigail. The only thing we know from the Bible about David’s mom is what he said about her in Psalm 86:16: He referred to her as a woman who served God as he did.

Some scholars believe David’s sisters, Abigail and Zeruiah, may have been his half-sisters and that their father was not Jesse but Nahash.

Nahash was an Ammonite king. Speculation suggests that David’s mother had been married to Nahash when she bore the half-sisters and then later became the second wife or mistress of Jesse. Further speculation implies that David’s mother was not yet married to Jesse when she became pregnant—that perhaps she was still married to Nahash when she conceived David.

This theory could explain why David was not accepted by his family. The theory might also shed some light on Psalm 51:5: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.”

Let’s assume the extrabiblical info tells us that David sadly repeated the sin of his mom. He had an affair with Bathsheba. Now we are not yet answering the question, “Is polygamy okay for a follower of Jesus who is termed a person after God’s own heart?” But here is what we do know from Psalm 51:5 and the extrabiblical literature. Adultery is a sin in God’s eyes, David’s eyes, and it would seem David’s mom’s eyes.

The Early Church and Small Groups

Larry Kreider

August 14, 2024

How could the 120 disciples in the upper room possibly have taken care of 3,000 new converts? (See Acts, chapter 2.) These disciples were trained by their Master to take responsibility to disciple these new believers. Part of the secret of the early church is found in Acts 2:46-47: “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”

The Early Church and Small Groups

The House to House Principle

God’s people gathered at the temple and met in small groups in homes, “and they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). They began to minister to one another and to the unsaved on an individual basis, and the Lord kept adding to the church daily! In Acts 20:20, the Apostle Paul declares to members of the church at Ephesus, “I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house.”

The letter that Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome was written to believers in Jesus Christ who met in peoples’ homes. In his letter to the Romans, Paul indicates that one of these groups met in the home of Priscilla and Aquila: “Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house” (Romans 16:3-5).

Paul also sent his greetings to the household of Aristobulus and the household of Narcissus (Romans 16:10-11). When Paul wrote to his friend Philemon, he expressed his greetings to the church in his house, ”…to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house” (Philemon 1:2).

What Was the Early Church Really Like?

Imagine living in the days of the first century church. T.L. Osborne once told the story of a possible conversation with Aquila in Ephesus, from the book of Acts:

“Good evening, Aquila. We understand you’re a member of the church here. Could we come in and visit for a while?”

“Certainly. Come in.”

“If you don’t mind, we would like for you to tell us about the way the churches here in Asia Minor carry on their soul-winning program. We read that you have been a member of a church in Corinth and Rome, as well as this one here in Ephesus. You should be very qualified to tell us about evangelism in the New Testament Church. If you don’t mind, we’d like to visit your church while we’re here.”

“Sit down, you’re already in the church. It meets in my home.”

“You don’t have a church building?”

“What’s a church building? No, I guess we don’t.”

“Tell me Aquila, what is your church doing to evangelize Ephesus? What are you doing to reach the city with the gospel?”

“Oh, we already evangelized Ephesus. Every person in the city clearly understands the Gospel… We just visited every home in the city. That’s the way the church in Jerusalem first evangelized that city (Acts 5:42). The disciples there evangelized the entire city of Jerusalem in a very short time. All the other churches in Asia Minor have followed that example.”

Periodically, down through the ages, the church has lost the New Testament component of meeting in small groups in the homes of individual believers and has placed an emphasis on the church as it meets in large buildings. In fact, according to church history, it was in 323 AD, almost three hundred years after the birth of the church, that Christians first met in a “church building.” For all three hundred years before that, the church met in homes.

“Temple ministry” is beneficial for corporate worship, teaching and celebration, but the Lord wants us to get back to seeing the church as people, not as a place where believers meet. Our homes, places of business schools, and other circles of contact provide excellent places for the church to meet as we infiltrate our spheres of influence with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

This post on the early church was adapted from an original article by Larry Kreider titled “The Underground Church,” found on Dove International’s website.

Men Needed: 3 Reasons Godly Men Should Serve in Children’s Ministry

Sam O'Neil

August 14, 2024

Men have many opportunities to pitch in with children’s ministry. Guys can help kids learn about God, pray with and for kids, and build godly, faith-based relationships with students. Read on for more insights.

The church I attended growing up had a team of middle and high school kids who served in children’s ministry. This “Timothy Team” was inspired by Paul’s exhortation to Timothy. “Don’t let anyone despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:11-12).

I served on that team from seventh grade through sophomore year of high school. I worked mostly with lower elementary ages, and I loved it. But along the way I got it into my head that I, as a young man, shouldn’t serve with kids. So aside from summers volunteering as a camp counselor, I mostly stopped doing so.

Then my first year out of college, my pastor issued an “all-call” for kidmin helpers. I thought, “Well, I don’t think this is what I’m supposed to do. But I’m willing to serve wherever I’m needed.” I applied, interviewed, and was placed on a team serving second- and third-grade boys. God re-revealed to me my favorite ministry area, and I haven’t looked back.

I’ve realized that kids ministry is an amazing place for young men to serve. Here are three simple reasons why:

3 Reasons Men Should Serve in Children’s Ministry

1. It’s not weird.

It’s common for young men, especially childless or unmarried ones, to feel awkward expressing a desire to serve with kids. An idea exists that kids ministry is a place for women to nurture and care.

In some ways, the image of an older woman sitting with a felt board to teach kids makes it tough for young men to step in. With the increased awareness of the risks and dangers of sexual abuse, walking into a kidmin classroom can feel like a minefield.

But here’s the thing. Any safe, conscientious kids ministry thoroughly screens volunteers. That includes lengthy applications, screening processes, background checks, and wise policies that protect kids and volunteers.

If you take steps toward serving and your church accepts your service, parents should know you are safe and their kids are safe with you. Nothing is weird about an older, wiser person taking an interest in helping parents disciple the next generation of the church.

2. It’s not difficult.

Horror stories abound about children’s ministry. Kids running around like crazy, diapers exploding and covering everything in poop, everything devolving into chaos, and tiny barbarians placing pig heads on spikes to warn away neighboring tribes. Okay, that last one is from The Lord of the Flies, which is (thankfully) fiction. But you get my point.

People in kids ministry love to swap war stories. I’m guilty of this. Unsurprisingly, the hardest thing about children’s ministry is enlisting people to serve.

The Difference Between “Church for the Unchurched” vs. “Church Unchurched People Love to Attend”

Gavin Adams

August 14, 2024

Often when people in the community talk about Watermarke Church, a similar comment can be heard: “It’s a church for unchurched people, right?” When I hear that comment, I find myself both excited and frustrated.

Excited:

Excited because we ARE a church where people who don’t normally go to church can and frequently do attend. In fact, our surveys show roughly 40 percent of our attendees were had no church hiome prior to attending (not regularly attending any church for five years prior to attending Watermarke).

Excited because people in our community see our church as a place an unchurched person can come to church. Many people who attend OTHER churches invite their unchurched friends to OUR church.

That’s exciting (and weird). I’m not sure why anyone would attend a church where they couldn’t invite people who don’t normally go to church!

Frustrated:

But that statement is a little frustrating too because we are NOT a church for unchurched people. Better said, we are not JUST a church for people who don’t normally go to church .

We are a church that people who don’t normally go to church love to attend. We are also a church that church-people love to attend—especially church people who have a desire to reach the unchurched.

6 Key Differences

1. Preaching and teaching.

A church for unchurched people must limit their teaching content, because there is only so much that a room full of unchurched people can take in (or are willing to take in). At Watermarke, we see NO limit to what we can teach.

Now, we do closely monitor HOW we teach, and that’s the difference. A church unchurched people love to attend is built on a communication style that is comprehensible, not shallow or diluted, and helpful for everyone. The churched and unchurched can appreciate and apply this type of message.

2. Spiritual growth.

Obviously, a church for unchurched people is driven and created to attract unchurched people. We often label these churches “seeker sensitive.”

That said, it can be difficult for Christians to find any depth of engagement in this type of church.

On the other side, a church for people who don’t normally go to church will attract both the churched and unchurched in the community and, in doing so, create a healthy dynamic with a wealth of opportunities for each group to engage and grow together.

Does God Really Inhabit the Praises of His People?

Daniel Henderson

August 14, 2024

If you are like me, you are sometimes confused by obscure, out-of-context verses that are used to encourage our singing in a worship service. One very often-quoted verse utilized by worship leaders comes from the King James translation of Psalm 22:3: “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabit the praises of Israel.” By “claiming” this verse, these leaders are likely sincere in a desire to experience the Holy Spirit in the context of the corporate gathering. Yet, an obsession with this vague verse, as they are interpreting it, is not actually supported by New Testament teaching and, sadly, breeds significant confusion and false expectations. More importantly, it ultimately undermines the truths that are very clear in the New Testament about the person and work of the Spirit in the context of our corporate worship.

Does God Really Inhabit the Praises of His People?

We Need Clarification

Commenting on the frequent use of this verse, worship pastor Zach Hicks confesses, “In an effort to elevate singing to nearly ‘sacramental’ status, (many have observed that evangelicals . . . have made congregational singing the ‘third sacrament’ of Protestantism because of how much weight we give to experiencing God’s presence in the midst of singing), this verse would be a slam dunk argument in less than ten words.”[i]

After a very careful examination of the original Hebrew translation, Hicks confesses, “Ultimately, it comes down to integrity. Will I approach the Scriptures as honestly as possible, and will I model that honesty thoroughly before the people I lead, even when it eliminates what I considered a major tool in my ‘worship theology shorthand’ arsenal? Sometimes (and I am guilty of this, too), we allow a little mis-exegesis to slide because ‘it’s just too good.’”[ii] (You can read Hick’s blog and certainly do your own study.)

Language and Context

Most scholars agree, and I am convinced, that the correct translation reads: “Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises” (NIV). “But you are enthroned as the Holy One, the one whom Israel praises” (GNB). Young’s Literal Translation reads, “And Thou art holy, Sitting—the Praise of Israel.” Hebrew scholar, John Goldingay states, “The idea of Yhwh’s being enthroned on or inhabiting Israel’s praise is unparalleled, and if either of these is the Psalm’s point, one might have expected it to be expressed more clearly.”[iii] His conclusion is that the idea of God “inhabiting” our praises is not a normal translation and not emphasized elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Worship pastor and blogger, Jonathan Aigner notes,

There’s another huge context clue we’ve got to look at. Read the whole of Psalm 22, especially the first half. It’s written out of the unpleasant and uncomfortable reality that God seems to be absent. It’s a powerful lamentation, crying out for an invisible God. It’s similar in tone to Jesus’ anguished cry on the cross (Psalm 22 is the lectionary Psalm reading for Good Friday). While this Psalm is certainly valuable for those of us who have felt God’s absence, the glib way we use verse 3, either as manipulation or justification, simply does not fit here. It is not a description of God reveling in human celebration.[iv]

Aigner continues,

The bottom line is this: the verse doesn’t give us carte blanche to sing (or preach, or pray) whatever we feel. Worship is not simply about singing and feeling nice things to God so that God will be able to take his rightful place. We cannot possibly add anything else to God’s glory by what we do in worship. God is Most High no matter what we think or feel. In worship, God is the subject, the great Mover and Shaper, and we are the ones being moved and shaped by God’s story. I know it sounds and feels sooo good to say that God inhabits our praises, but I don’t think we can get there from this text. I certainly don’t say it anymore, and if you share any part of my doubt, I’d encourage you to do the same.” [v]

I would simply reiterate that there is no New Testament verse teaching that music is a means of making God more than He already is — or in any way mediating the presence of the Holy Spirit. In some gatherings it seems that the worship leaders are trying to improve God’s status or even “channel” the Holy Spirit through the music, which is far more akin to mysticism than to biblical Christianity.

There is no New Testament verse teaching that music is a means of making God more than He already is — or in any way mediating the presence of the Holy Spirit. In some gatherings it seems that the worship leaders are trying to improve God’s status or even “channel” the Holy Spirit through the music, which is far more akin to mysticism than to biblical Christianity.

Bible Interpretation 101

7 Foundations for Church Unity

Ray Hollenbach

August 14, 2024

With understated simplicity, God reveals something of his nature in just 62 words. He loves church unity and bestows his blessing wherever he finds it.

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!
It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe.
It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore. (Psalm 133)

His very existence models unity before creation, unity before knowledge and unity forevermore. Tim Keller calls it the “dance of reality”: the Creator of the universe is somehow three and also One. Unity is simply another way of saying “God is love.”

We have trouble with this. We mistake uniformity for unity. We mistake intellectual agreement for unity. But there is no mistaking the oil of anointing in life lived together. There’s no mistaking the refreshment of a saturated mountain-morning when God’s kids learn how to play nicely together.

7 Foundations for Church Unity

Here are seven starters for church unity, all from the New Testament. These points come from Paul’s letter to a healthy church in a place called Ephesus:

We are—all of us—adopted into God’s family. This means we must learn a new way to live. We are called to take on a family identity that was previously alien to our way of thinking and acting. To carry our old ways into the new family of God is to refuse the new identity he gives us.
Our eyes of our hearts must be enlightened, not the thoughts of our intellects. More than knowledge, we need the Spirit of wisdom and revelation.
He wants to show us the “incomparable riches of his grace,” but we frequently mistake the moment of adoption as the beginning and end of his grace. Having breathed the air of grace the first time, we think we received all there is. There is more grace to discover; it starts within the family of God and migrates outward.

Hot Seat Questions for Kids: Get Acquainted in 60 Seconds

Youth Ministrycom

August 13, 2024

Hot seat questions for kids make great icebreakers and conversation starters. They’re ideal to help tweens and teens get to know one another quickly. With lighthearted, no-pressure hot seat questions, students can discover shared traits and likes.

Plus, visitors and new kids can feel welcome and included. They’ll realize the common ground they share with fellow attendees.

In our youth ministry, we play a game called 60-Second Hot Seat. This super-simple activity highlights an individual who shows up to the ministry event.

Here’s a handy countdown video we use for the game:

Hot Seat Questions for Kids: How to Play

The steps for playing the 60-Second Hot Seat game could not be any simpler:

First, play the video.

2. Next, ask the questions.

Ask These 14 Hot Seat Questions for Kids

What’s your full name?

2. Favorite ice cream?

3. Favorite movie?

4. Who is your hero?

5. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

6. What is your biggest fear?

7. What’s your favorite family vacation?

‘I’ll Do Better’—Kirk Franklin Tells Lecrae He’s Willing To Be Challenged About His Actions

Jessica Lea

August 13, 2024

Gospel artist Kirk Franklin joined Christian hip hop artist Lecrae on Lecrae’s podcast for a conversation that covered topics including purity culture, the challenges of the music industry, and Franklin’s thoughts on some of the controversies he’s faced this year.

“I want people to know that I am ok and embrace and accept the criticism and the judgment,” Franklin told Lecrae, referring to the criticism he received after performing in Jamaica earlier this year. “I think that it’s people’s right as believers to judge.” He added, however, “I think the challenge is that in modern-day Christianity, [it’s] not biblocentric judgment, but Christian cultural judgment. It is never with the agenda to redeem; it’s the agenda to crucify.”

“What is the goal?” Franklin asked. “Because here’s the thing: I, Kirk, I want to know when I get it wrong…So I welcome people [who] say if I’m dancing too much a certain way. Say something. You can say something.”

Kirk Franklin: ‘I’m Trying To Do Better’

Kirk Franklin is a well-known gospel artist and choir director, who, as Lecrae pointed out to him during the interview, has received 31 Grammy nominations—not counting his 20 Grammy wins and other awards, which include BET Awards and numerous GMA Dove Awards. Lecrae is an award-winning artist himself, counting among his accolades four Grammys, nine Grammy nominations, and multiple BET Awards and Dove Awards.

Notably, Franklin announced in 2019 that he would be boycotting the Dove Awards, as well as the Gospel Music Association (GMA) and the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), after comments he made about racial conflict were edited out of two separate acceptance speeches. Lecrae supported his decision, saying, “I only came cause you came. You know I’m out.” A GMA spokesperson said Franklin’s speech was edited because the entire show had to be edited for the sake of time.

Franklin drew criticism for his performance at a Christian festival in Jamaica in April of this year. The artist, who wore a tank top and shorts, received negative comments for his attire and the way he was dancing. Critics accused him of behavior that did not glorify God.

Later this year, Franklin received more criticism for performing at the White House for Juneteenth; during the performance, he brought Vice President Kamala Harris on stage.

Lecrae and Franklin, who are friends, addressed the controversy over Franklin’s dancing and attire at the beginning and end of their conversation. “I’m like, the man is in Jamaica,” said Lecrae. “I don’t know what he supposed to be wearing in Jamaica.” The hip hop artist acknowledged, however, that people have a “perception and thought process, that, ‘Hey you represent Jesus. You cannot dress like a civilian.’”

“For my own soul’s salvation, I never want to be to a point where people cannot check and challenge me,” Franklin said. “I want people to, because I understand the necessity of how lackadaisical the pursuit of Jesus in 2024 can be for all of us. It’s because it’s hard out here. It’s very hard out here.”

‘The Chosen,’ Season 5, Is Fully Funded Thanks to More Than 100,000 People Around the World

Jesse T. Jackson

August 13, 2024

Come and See, a faith-based non-profit that exists to share the story of Jesus with the world, announced on Tuesday (Aug. 13) that Season 5 of “The Chosen” has been fully funded, thanks to the support of 104,000 across 151 countries.

According to its website, Come and See “is committed to funding the production costs of all seven seasons of The Chosen through donations from generous supporters like you.” The organization says it is “on a mission to ensure that all seven seasons of ‘The Chosen’ are globally distributed, translated into 600 languages, and free for all.”

Stan Jantz, Come and See’s CEO, said in a press release that “Season 5 is fully funded because more than 100,000 people from around the world gave to make Season 5 of this groundbreaking series possible.”

“The extraordinary generosity we witness daily is inspiring because it enables us to continue making the authentic Jesus known to the world one episode at a time,” he added.

“At Come and See, our goal is to present the greatest story of the greatest person to the greatest number of people in a language they know best,” Jantz said. “The momentum we’re seeing behind this movement is like no other as the world responds to the story of Jesus through ‘The Chosen.’”

Dallas Jenkins, creator, producer, director, and writer of “The Chosen,” shared, “The only reason I’m able to focus on show running ‘The Chosen’ is because viewers continue to give to Come and See.”

“And even more beautiful is the impact the show is having all over the world because of Come and See’s work in keeping the show free and translating it into so many languages,” Jenkins added.

Jenkins told ChurchLeaders earlier this year that Season 5 of “The Chosen” will depict “the most important and impactful week in the world, which is the triumphal entry—Holy Week.” Season 5 is expected to be released sometime in early 2025.

‘One of the Most Controversial Gender Issues in Modern History’—Albert Mohler Discusses Olympic Women’s Boxing

Jesse T. Jackson

August 13, 2024

Albert Mohler Imane Khelif Lin Yu-ting — (L) Photo credit: ChurchLeaders (M) ALGÉRIE PRESSE SERVICE | وكالة الأنباء الجزائرية , CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (R) 宋育廷, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Dr. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, recently weighed in with his thoughts on the two athletes who competed in women’s boxing at the 2024 Paris Olympics despite the fact they both have XY chromosomes.

Earlier this week, Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif both defeated their opponents during their gold medal matches, stoking the ongoing conversation about whether they should have been allowed to compete in the women’s division.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), “humans and most other mammals have two sex chromosomes, X and Y, that in combination determine the sex of an individual. Females have two X chromosomes in their cells, while males have one X and one Y.”

Despite their XY chromosomes, neither Yu-ting nor Khelif identify as transgender or intersex, but as women. Both athletes were disqualified at the International Boxing Association (IBA) Women’s World Boxing Championships New Delhi 2023 for test results that indicated that they “did not meet the required necessary eligibility criteria and were found to have competitive advantages over other female competitors.”

Describing the matter as “one of the most controversial gender issues in modern history,” Mohler shared his views during “The Briefing” on Monday.

“When you have women’s boxing at different weight levels as an official Olympic sport with all the medals and everything else, then you better know who a woman is, and you better know who a woman is not,” said Mohler.

The theologian pointed out that when the human body goes through puberty, especially male puberty, it has “advantages just in terms of structure and skeleton and strength.”

Mohler went on to say that “skeletal changes in the male body after the process of puberty do not disappear.” Even “if the athlete declares some kind of transgender identity and takes some kind of hormones or hormone blockers, still the bones are the bones and the frame is the frame.” This also includes organs like the “lungs,” Mohler explained, arguing that this would give a swimmer who has XY chromosomes an advantage over a challenger who doesn’t.

“Looking at the case of the boxers…it is clear that in a previous round of competition, both of them failed or were disqualified because of a chromosomal test that almost assuredly indicated they have XY chromosomes,” Mohler said. “That is to say they have a male chromosomal structure.”

However, Mohler added, “in both cases, you had the Olympic authorities with the Olympic committee coming back and saying, ‘No, they are women. They’ve always been women. They have never identified as male.’”

Greg Laurie to Elon Musk, Richard Dawkins, and Other ‘Cultural Christians’: Take the Next Step

Stephanie Martin

August 13, 2024

After Elon Musk and Richard Dawkins both recently labeled themselves as “cultural Christians,” evangelist Greg Laurie is encouraging those men—and others with similar views—to “come into a relationship with Christ himself.”

In a video posted to social media, Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, addressed what he called “surprising” statements from Musk, a tech mogul, and Dawkins, an avowed atheist.

“These men are acknowledging the positive effect that Christianity has had in the world, the positive effect that Christianity has on a nation, and the positive effect that Christianity has on a person,” Laurie explained. “So in a way, it’s an acknowledgment of the reality of the truth of the Christian message, the truth of the biblical message, the truth of Christ.”

@jordanbpeterson recently interviewed @elonmusk and Musk declared himself a “Cultural Christian”. Not only that, but well-known atheist Richard Dawkins recently said pretty much the same thing. What is a ‘Cultural Christian?”.

Is it the same as being a true follower of Jesus… pic.twitter.com/BfkGxUI3Hx

— Greg Laurie (@greglaurie) August 13, 2024

Cultural Christianity: ‘A Step in the Right Direction’

Being a cultural Christian is only a start, Greg Laurie emphasized. But he said it’s encouraging to hear prominent figures like Musk and Dawkins talking about faith in constructive ways.

“Of course to be a real Christian, you must call out to Jesus Christ and ask him to be your Savior and your Lord, and admit that you’re a sinner,” said Laurie. “But when someone says they’re a cultural Christian, especially an avowed atheist like Dawkins, or a man of such great influence and innovation and creativity as Elon Musk, I think it’s a step in the right direction.”

“And I would encourage both of them—and anybody else who identifies himself as a cultural Christian—to come into a relationship with Christ himself,” he continued. “That’s what Christianity is.”

Then Laurie shared the gospel message, noting that all other world religions require people to “do,” while Christianity is summed up by the word “done.” Jesus paid for our sins by dying on the cross, accomplishing what we could not.

Citing hymn lyrics, Laurie continued, “Jesus paid it all. All to him I owe. Sin has left a crimson stain. He’s washed it white as snow.”

The pastor concluded, “Being a real Christian, which means having Christ in your life, that’s the ultimate answer.” He urged people to pray for Musk, Dawkins, and “anybody else that is truly searching for truth…that they will find that relationship with God.”

Cultural Christian Label Has Been Trending

Last month, Musk identified himself as a cultural Christian during an interview with Jordan Peterson. Although he’s not “religious,” the Tesla CEO said he’s searched for meaning and is curious. “I do believe that the teachings of Jesus are good and wise,” said Musk. “I’m actually a big believer in the principles of Christianity.”

What’s a Pro-Life Christian To Do in This Election?

Ed Stetzer

August 13, 2024

Unprecedented events in the 2024 United States presidential election have jarred us in recent weeks, sending shock waves through our society. First, on July 13, a would-be assassin nearly succeeding in killing Donald Trump. Then, only eight days later, President Joe Biden dropped out of the race. The AP reported this decision came “after a disastrous debate with Donald Trump that raised doubts about the incumbent’s fitness for office.”

Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place, urging Democrats to rally behind her. After a contest between Trump and Biden seemed clear for months, Harris’s presumptive nomination has cast her as the new voice of Democratic Party. Even more recently, Harris announced her choice for Vice President, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

In an interesting turn, enthusiasm for the Democratic Harris-Walz ticket has grown alongside increasing disappointment in the Republican Trump-Vance campaign.

There are many reasons for this, of course, but as a Christian, the tragedy of abortion is of significant concern. And, thus, for both campaigns, we must take a sober look at abortion policy.

First, the Republican National Committee has abandoned its pro-life plank for the first time in decades, reminding us again that the party is committed to Donald Trump and his views, and quick to jettison positions that it held only weeks before.

When the party dropped the language (and ignored the pro-life leaders who spoke up), I said, “I’ve voted for a convictional pro-life candidate in every presidential election since I was allowed to vote. It’s not a political choice, it’s a moral choice. I’ll vote pro-life again this time, because the unborn still matter.”

I still will.

Most evangelical Christians will factor in the life issue, because for them, like me, life is a paramount issue. I encourage you to value the unborn as well.

Affirm Life Regardless of Party

I’ve written often about the importance of the pro-life position. After Dobbs overturned Roe v. Wade, something for which many of us worked and prayer, I said in USA Today, “In a sense, our work is just beginning…we still have to work to make abortion unthinkable, by helping people to see the value of unborn life and demonstrating consistent and holistic values of life.”

And, as Christians, we do need to speak up on these issues. When Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey posted a picture of himself wearing an abortion pin with a heart inside the first “o,” I noted the irony: “A tiny heart? Do they not even see the irony? Pastors, I encourage you to speak up on issues of life. Help build a culture of life that changes hearts and minds.”

I still think we should.

As I’ve said before, Christians should approach an election like an umpire approaches a baseball game. We don’t uncritically join or cheer for a team. We call balls, strikes, and fouls. We support a candidate when they speak for biblical values, and we call them out when they fail to do so. I’ve consistently criticized and commended presidents and candidates of both parties– which, it appears, bothers some peope.

I cried foul when Republicans softened their stance on pro-life matters this July. With the Republican Party becoming a pro-choice-by-state party and with the Democratic Party portraying Republicans as the radical side on abortion, it is important to know where the new Democratic ticket stands.

The Harris-Walz ticket’s views on abortion are completely unacceptable and quite radical, and Christians must say so.

Man Involved in Livestreamed Robbery of ‘Bling Bishop’ Lamor Whitehead Sentenced to 7 Years

Dale Chamberlain

August 13, 2024

Say-Quan Pollack, one of the assailants involved in the armed robbery of Bishop Lamor Whitehead of Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in Brooklyn, New York, has received a prison sentence of more than seven years.

The robbery made headlines in 2022 after it was caught on the church’s livestream. Pollack and his co-conspirators, Juwan Anderson and Shamar Leggette, reportedly stole $1 million worth of jewelry from the pastor, although that figure has since been disputed.

Pollack pleaded guilty in November 2023.

Following Pollack’s conviction, Whitehead took to social media to express his desire for a harsh sentence.

“People like these guys should be off the street,” Whitehead said at the time. “If they can rob a church, then they can harm anybody. Prison is established for a reason.”

Notably, the 25-year-old Pollack received a lighter sentence than the one handed down to Whitehead himself. Whitehead was found guilty of unrelated fraud charges in May.

Specifically, Whitehead was convicted of fraud, attempted extortion, and lying to federal agents. The jury ruled that Whitehead defrauded Pauline Anderson, a former congregant who entrusted her retirement savings to Whitehead after Whitehead promised to help her purchase a home.

Instead, Whitehead used the reported $90,000 sum to contribute to his lavish lifestyle of designer clothing, jewelry, and a Rolls Royce. His flashy attire has earned him the moniker “Bling Bishop.”

Whitehead also extorted $5,000 from a businessman and attempted to get the same man to lend him $500,000.

Whitehead has been sentenced to nine years in prison.

This will not be the first time Whitehead serves a prison term. He previously served five years after being convicted of charges of identity theft and grand larceny.

Latino Evangelicals Push for Immigration Reform Ahead of Election

Aleja Hertzler-McCain

August 13, 2024

immigration — Pastor Tony Suarez leads a tent revival in the Texas border town of McAllen. (Video screen grab)

(RNS) — On Good Friday (March 29) this year, Pastor Tony Suarez, founder of the evangelical Christian ministry Revival Makers, drove a stake into the ground in the middle of a tent in McAllen, Texas. “This entire southern border belongs to Jesus,” he declared to a crowd of mostly Latino Texans.

Suarez’s stop in McAllen was one of a series of tent revivals on the southern border that his ministry said have drawn more than 9,000 people. He doesn’t just preach: As vice president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, Suarez advocates with politicians for immigration reform that prioritizes border enforcement, assimilation and a non-amnesty path to legal status.

A member of Donald Trump’s informal evangelical advisory board since 2016, Suarez endorsed the former president in June as one of the campaign’s “Latino Americans for Trump.” Suarez has, however, at times expressed disappointment in the Republican party’s policies at the border. In this he is representative of Latino evangelical leaders who lack trust in either major political party’s action on the issue while pushing them for reform.

“We went to the border and we asked the Lord to intervene, to be in the midst of this, to give wisdom to legislators and to give patience to frustrated citizens,” Suarez told Religion News Service earlier this month. “In Genesis chapter 2, there was an angelic guard at the Garden of Eden. And so we prayed and asked the Lord to do something similar at the southern border.”

For Suarez and the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, the “free flow” of migrants crossing the border is an “unprecedented crisis” that led the NHCLC to launch its immigration reform campaign, “The Urgency of Now,” in March.

Even as illegal border crossings have dropped following Biden’s recent changes to asylum policy, Suarez said the border remains in crisis, “with no real resolution or end in sight,” calling Biden’s actions “politically motivated but really just empty words.”

“We are a nation of immigrants. We love immigrants and we support immigration reform, but we have to know who’s in the country,” Suarez said.

Since the last presidential election, nearly 4 million more Latinos are eligible to vote, putting the U.S.’s 36.2 million eligible Latino voters at about 14.7% of the electorate. As the Trump campaign has made reducing immigration a number one campaign issue, Latinos, especially those who call themselves evangelical, are far from a unified bloc.

In 2022, Pew Research Center found that 15% of Latinos are evangelical Protestants, half of whom are Republican or Republican-leaning, and 44% are Democrats or Democratic-leaning. That represents a much higher percentage of Republicans than among Latino Catholics.

Suarez said that immigration is just one of the issues the NHCLC’s 40,000 member churches are concerned about in this election, saying that Democrats’ “woke ideology” on marriage, life and gender are the “No. 1 issue.”

But the Rev. Gabriel Salguero, president and founder of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, said that surveys show economics, poverty and education are the most important issues for Latino evangelicals, prompting his coalition to emphasize the child tax credit, earned income tax credit and nutrition assistance programs like WIC and SNAP.

“Protecting the poor is an issue for the Gospel because Jesus told us that,” said Salguero, who is a pastor at The Gathering, an Assemblies of God church in Orlando, Florida. “Latino evangelicals are not one-issue voters, and we’re certainly not a monolith.”

3 Certain Ways To Be Disappointed in Your Church

Michael Kelley

August 13, 2024

Leaving a church is a serious decision. It’s a decision that should be made only after much prayer and reflection. There are valid reasons, of course, for someone to leave a church. If the church, for example, ceases to be faithful in preaching and teaching God’s Word, then Christians should find a church that is. Unfortunately, though, most of the time we leave churches not because of a vitally important issue like biblical faithfulness; we instead leave churches because something—or someone—has not met our expectations.

We leave because we get disappointed.

At the risk of oversimplifying the issue, I’d offer you three basic reasons that might drive that disappointment:

1. We Forget Our Pastor Is Human.

Eugene Peterson, in reflecting on the state of the church, wrote this: “In these communities of sinners, one of the sinners is called pastor and given a designated responsibility in the community.”

We get disappointed when we forget that our pastor, like all of us, is a human being. He’s a human being that gets happy and sad. He gets angry and tired. He gets enthusiastic and energetic. And in all that humanness, he is also a sinner. He is not perfect by any stretch, and so it is unfair for us to have either the explicit or implicit expectation that he is.

We would do well to remember that these last several years, for many if not most pastors, are the most difficult and challenging they have ever faced. They have had to lead and make decisions in “no win” situation after “no win” situation. Their decisions have not been perfect because they are human beings. And when we forget that, we will inevitably be disappointed in our churches.

2. We Forget Our Fellow Church Members Are Human.

Similarly, we might forget that our fellow church members are human. It would certainly be nice if all the folks we go to church with knew the most appropriate and compassionate way to respond when we talk to them about our struggles. And it would be nice if all those people were as full of grace and mercy as we ourselves are. And it would of course be even nicer if all our fellow church members held our same views about culture, politics, and societal issues.

But they aren’t. And they don’t.

Though difficult, it seems easier most of the time to extend grace to ourselves when it comes to our shortcomings while withholding that same grace from others.

No church is perfect. No church will ever be perfect. That’s because the church is a collection of sinful human beings. When we forget that fact, we will always, always be disappointed in what happens in our churches.

3. We Forget the Real Reason We Are There.

Finally, we get disappointed in our church when we forget the real reason we are there.

Part of the reason behind that forgetfulness is the consumer mindset we often bring with us to church.

What Is Guaranteed To Destroy Your Organization’s Culture

Brian Dodd

August 13, 2024

Environmental science project manager Ian Bartoszek and biologist Ian Easterling were walking through the Florida Everglades this past December when they heard a rustling in the bushes. What they found was a shocking discovery. The team found an 18-foot Burmese python weighing a remarkable 215lbs. This was the largest invasive species ever caught in America, shattering the previous record of 140lbs. It took their team 20 minutes to apprehend the snake.

What also surprised the scientists was what was found inside the python. The snake’s contents included the remains of a white tail deer and 122 python eggs.

After being introduced into the Florida ecosystem in the 1970s as a result of the exotic pet trade, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) now estimates tens of thousands of pythons live in Florida. The Burmese python is now considered Florida’s apex predator, even more so than alligators.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis said in a June 17 press conference, “It’s just unbelievable what they will ravage when they’re there. These snakes are destroying the natural food chain, and you can’t have a healthy environment without a healthy food chain.” The USGS called the Burmese python “one of the most concerning invasive species in the Everglades National Park.” Florida has set aside over $3 million for the removal of the species.

So what does this have to do with leadership? Well, it has everything to do with leadership and establishing a healthy culture in your organization.

Culture is who you hire. Let me say that again, culture is who you hire. You may currently have a healthy workplace culture. Warning, it should be protected and intensely guarded. By inserting an “invasive species” (hiring the wrong person) into your ecosystem, your entire culture could be disrupted or destroyed.

The wrong hire could destroy trust, lower performance, create divisions in the organization, cause good employees to leave, change your message, create negative or sideways energy, lose customers, and harm your brand.

There is much to learn from the state of Florida. If an “invasive species” enters your workplace ecosystem, immediately deal with the issue. Otherwise, your problems will grow to overwhelming proportions and your entire culture will be severely impacted.

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

When to Fire a Church Volunteer (And Why)

Caleb Neff

August 13, 2024

Once upon a time, I found out that our church had a member that had worked in a recording studio with a couple of my favorite artists (back in the ’80s). The guy came across as a gentle and wise person. He had been a part of the church for a year already and was part of a small group. I invited him to become a church volunteer on the sound team: wouldn’t you? We desperately needed him! We had nobody in the building that was confident about what the mute button did. Now we had a guy who brought a soldering iron with him and suggested new ways of hooking everything up . . . Aaaand that’s where the trouble began.

When to Fire a Church Volunteer (And Why)

Remember the decade that I referenced with his studio work? It’s not exactly the perfect fit with modern pop/rock worship sound, and it showed from day one. Most of you already know what his mixes sounded like: no low-end impact at all, acoustic and electric guitar at the same volume (or the acoustic louder), the lead vocal way out front and sounding displaced. It was terrible, and we had conversation after conversation about it that went nowhere. Our first few conversations where we listened to the recordings we were trying to emulate went all right, but after that, it became increasingly tense. He was trying his hardest to make me happy; I didn’t hear any real changes in his mix; everyone got more frustrated, and I walked on eggshells for a year. I felt like every time I was going to ask for the kick drum to come up in the mix I needed to buy him dinner first. Looking back, there’s a clear answer and I wish I had arrived at it sooner.

I fired him.

Church leaders look at me like I have three heads when I talk passionately about firing volunteers, like somehow this is the unpardonable sin. But when you step out of a situation to look at it, everyone is miserable, the level of dysfunction around the situation is growing, and ministry is suffering. Leaders make hard calls, and this is just one of them. If there were a nursery team member that was annoyed by babies and was rude to parents, he or she wouldn’t last long. Unfortunately, things are not always as objective with sound tech, and we have lots of mercy for people in support roles. To be honest, I think what we tell ourselves it’s kindness (“let’s just give them one more chance”), but it’s usually just our fear of conflict, and/or our fear of that person (who has often been there longer than you) getting mad and leaving the church.

I have not encountered this situation just once or twice, but dozens of times (I’m not exaggerating). Something about the sound and tech areas attracts a certain type of personality. These often-forgotten folks need to be lead and pastored wisely. The worship stage also does, too, but they are people with different types of issues, and that’s another article for another day.

Here are some signs that you need to consider making a hard call of “firing” your church volunteer sound tech:

Why Fire a Church Volunteer

1.) Everything is a battle.

Should it really be a 10-minute conversation when you’d like something turned up or down? Should you really be anxious leading up to that conversation and exhausted when it’s over? Would you accept the same behavior and attitude from a band member? Is there constant pushback to every (or nearly every) suggestion?

2.) Your church volunteer is avoided by other members of the team.

I’ve been in situations where every time the sound tech starts talking the band members look at each other and roll their eyes. When you can sense a clear divide happening between the stage and the booth, the time for addressing the situation is overdue.

3.) The sound person owns or buys a lot of the stuff.

I know this one may be surprising, but almost anytime I have seen this it is a red flag that other problems exist. The type of personality that tends to cause problems in this area is territorial and controlling, and what seems like on the surface a generous gift is often leverage to further entrench themselves in ownership of their domain. I could tell you story after story after story. Let’s just say that if your sound person buys batteries and doesn’t turn in a receipt, that’s fine; but don’t let them purchase your sound system or instruments.

Not every one of these situations turns out the same way. When the situation is addressed head-on as early as possible and clear expectations can be established, sometimes the situation can be saved. But you cannot be afraid to move people out of a role when all the signs in the universe point to this not being where God wants them. As I’m working on this article, just this last Sunday I was called in at the last minute to cover for a large church that had lost their one and only sound guy after years of bad behavior — and now no one knows how to work anything because it was this guy’s “territory.” I could literally finish the worship leaders sentences as he was telling me about this person I’d never met.

It’s not all bad. To end on a bit of hope:

[Do] you know what happened in my situation? Of course, I’m not saying this is the norm — sometimes people get mad and leave your church, and you can’t stop it. But I had a hard conversation with “Jeff” (not his real name) and after deciding that we bring the frustrating situation to an end, I had another suggestion. I said “Jeff, why don’t you take the next season of your life and spend it on encouragement for the team. Everyone knows that you’re an expert in this area and compliments mean a lot coming from you. I’ve got a lot of younger players that could really use some affirmation.” Not only did he take that suggestion to heart, but also within a few months of him being removed from that role and on a new mission, he became one of the most relationally sought out people in our church. A couple [of] years later when my own life was turned on its head, he was one of the first people I called for advice.

Sometimes people are just on the wrong seat on the bus, and we’re ignoring the signs. When we aren’t afraid to have hard conversations, we can work in step with the Spirit to direct a church volunteer to a place of fulfillment in their calling.

Do Not Disturb Setting – The Surprising Secret To Sanity

Jonathan Smith

August 13, 2024

Do Not Disturb setting — Adobe Stock #246367936

Interruptions are a part of life, and managing them is key to productivity. We are surrounded by technology that while enabling productivity is also helping us wastes a ton of time. Over the past few months I’ve tried a little experiment to limit interruptions and distractions. I keep my phone on the Do Not Disturb setting DND all the time. Wait! What? That’s madness! How do you survive?

I’ll be the first to admit that it was an adjustment, but it has been a good adjustment. Here’s why.

3 Reasons To Use DND On Your Phone

1. Focus

I’m constantly amazed at how folks stop everything they are doing to look at their device every time they get a notification, even if that notification is for a 1-degree change in the temperature outside. This seems the very definition of an addiction, but it is also rude. I’ve often wondered if folks are only interacting with me (or others) in order to kill the time between notifications on their devices.

Having my device on the Do Not Disturb setting allows me to stay focused on the task at hand, whether that’s a conversation, a project, writing an email, a meeting, or spending time with the fam. This allows me to check my device when I want to and not feel anxious because my device is constantly beckoning.

Who Do You Trust in Your Small Group?

Chet Gladkowski

August 13, 2024

If trust has become an endangered species, how can we turn the tide towards restoration? It almost seems that the word trust has disappeared from our vocabulary. How often do you use or think the word trust in your daily experience? But perhaps more than disappearing from our language, trust is becoming more and more rare in our daily lives. Trust is seen so rarely these days that you can almost think of it as an endangered species. Let’s start with: Who Do You Trust

Who Do You Trust?

We’ve come to the point of asking the same question that The Joker asked in the original Batman movie. “And now folks, it’s time for Who Do You Trust.

For more than 20 years, the Edelman Trust Barometer has independently surveyed trust and credibility. They call trust “the ultimate currency” when it comes to relationships. You can well imagine their findings.

The world is ensnared in a vicious cycle of distrust, fueled by a growing lack of faith in media and government.
Failure of leadership makes distrust the default assumption in all areas of life.
While government and media are primarily responsible when it comes to distrust, all stakeholders are accountable.
Social media leads the pack in the distrust category, falling further and further behind.

You can see trust shrinking in all areas of life: at work, in our families, with our friends, at church. We distrust leaders and their motives at every level of life, from the local PTA up to the highest levels of our national government.

Listen to how Edelman defines trust:

Trust is the foundation of all deep and meaningful personal relationships. It is what makes you feel safe being vulnerable to another, allows relationships to endure through difficult times, and gives you the confidence to bet your future on someone. Without trust, there is no intimacy and very little long-term potential for a relationship to grow and deepen.

Who Do You Trust in Small Groups

Trust is the foundation – trust is not one of many things that make up a foundation. No, trust is THE one and only foundation. Period. Without trust, deep and meaningful personal relationships are flat impossible. There is NO substitute.
Trust makes you feel safe – you can have all the data in the world, even have apps repeating safe messages. But without trust, there will be no vulnerability, there will be no transparency, there will be no accountability.
Trust allows relationships – without trust, you cannot get through the tough times. This lack of trust certainly helps explain why so many people have struggled mightily during the pandemic.
Trust gives confidence – no one opens-up, becomes vulnerable, without trust. Trust is the glue that allows people to commit, giving their time, money, talents, lives to something bigger than themselves.
Trust makes intimacy possible – the deepest hurts, the most sensitive parts of life, remain shutoff, buried, unreachable without trust. We are only willing to open-up and uncover ourselves with people we trust.
Trust nourishes growth – we are all stuck in our ruts of life without trust. Trust is the good soil where relationships grow. Trust feeds an openness and optimism towards God, life, and others.

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1. It’s not weird.

2. It’s not difficult.

Excited:

Frustrated:

6 Key Differences

1. Preaching and teaching.

2. Spiritual growth.

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We Need Clarification

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Kirk Franklin: ‘I’m Trying To Do Better’

Cultural Christianity: ‘A Step in the Right Direction’

Cultural Christian Label Has Been Trending

Affirm Life Regardless of Party

1. We Forget Our Pastor Is Human.

2. We Forget Our Fellow Church Members Are Human.

3. We Forget the Real Reason We Are There.

When to Fire a Church Volunteer (And Why)

Why Fire a Church Volunteer

1.) Everything is a battle.

2.) Your church volunteer is avoided by other members of the team.

3.) The sound person owns or buys a lot of the stuff.

It’s not all bad. To end on a bit of hope:

3 Reasons To Use DND On Your Phone

1. Focus

Who Do You Trust?

Who Do You Trust in Small Groups

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