Franklin Graham, Russell Moore, Sean Feucht Among Many Weighing In on Trump’s Verdict

May 31, 2024

In the time since former U.S. President Donald Trump was convicted on Thursday, May 30, church leaders and Christian influencers have been sharing their opinions regarding the verdict of the 12 New York jury members.

The jury unanimously found the 45th president of the United States guilty of 34 felony charges related to falsifying business records, making him the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a felony.

Trump called the trial “a scam.” Many nicknamed it the “hush money” trial due to fact it centered on the former president paying off porn star Stormy Daniels in an attempt to keep her quiet regarding their sexual encounter so the incident would not influence voters in the 2016 presidential election. Trump also told reporters on Friday that he plans to appeal all 34 counts of his conviction.

How Church Leaders and Influencers Are Responding to Trump’s Verdict

Christianity Today’s Russell Moore, who once led the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), posted, “The question is what it has always been- fit or unfit. And the answer was obvious all along. Character matters, still.”

Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, asked his followers to pray for America. “Our country is at a crossroads. What we saw today has never happened before, and I think for the majority of Americans, it raises questions about whether our legal system can be trusted,” Graham said. “Pray for our nation, for God‘s guiding hand that this republic will be one nation under God with liberty and justice for all.”

“Regardless of your feelings for Trump (fyi-the candidate I wrote in didn’t win either of the last two POTUS elections),” said former Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) President Dr. James Merritt, “if you believe this judge was impartial, that this venue should not have been changed, that this is our justice system at its best, then discussion is over.”

Merritt’s son, Johnathan, who is a popular faith and culture writer, a graduate of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a “gay progressive Christian,” wrote, “I’m very clearly no fan of Donald Trump, but I also don’t want to live in a world where every president leaves office only to face a pile of lawsuits and indictments. We are dangerously close to living in that world.”

Michael Wear, founder, president and CEO of the Center for Christianity and Public Life, posted, “Remember to defend the convicted felon who paid hush money to the woman with whom he had an adulterous affair or else our kids might be exposed to social disorder and sexual immorality.”

Mike Cosper, host of “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill” podcast, reposted Wear’s words.

Harvest Christian Fellowship Pastor, Greg Laurie, posted, “Please, pray for America. Pray for America like you never have before.”

‘Dukes of Hazzard’ Star John Schneider: New Relationship Is a ‘Miracle’ That Saved My Life

Stephanie Martin

May 31, 2024

In a revealing podcast appearance this week, actor John Schneider spoke about his new girlfriend, implying he would be dead if he hadn’t met her.

On the May 29 episode of “Grace Begins: The Podcast,” the “Dukes of Hazzard” and “October Baby” actor opened up about love and faith. Schneider, 64, told hosts Cathy Cardenas and Catherine Sutherland that he wasn’t looking for a new relationship—and honestly “didn’t want it,” following the February 2023 death of wife Alicia Allain. But then God intervened.

“God sent a widower to a widow and a widow to a widower who [gets] it, who understands,” Schneider said. “Because I tell you what, I was ready to give it up, all of it—everything.” While gesturing to his new girlfriend, who wasn’t shown or named, he added, “Then just when I thought the very notion of dating or holding another hand was repulsive, I met this one, that crazy dame over there.”

Before meeting his new love interest, “I was done,” an emotional Schneider added. “And if that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have been here, there’s not a chance in the world.”

John Schneider on Grief and Love

John Schneider, who’s also a country singer, has been outspoken about the toll of grief. Last July, he shared that he writes a daily “letter to heaven” to Allain, whom he nicknamed “Smile.”

“There is nothing to prepare you for it,” he said of widowhood.

Last August, the actor told People magazine he was trying to “get to the point where I look around and see where she is, not where she’s not.” Schneider added that he both loves and misses his wife “more every minute.”

“And that’s the personality of grief,” he said. “I want this pain to go away, but I don’t want it diminish her in any way. I want to laugh, and when I do, I feel bad. I want to smile and mean it, but I don’t.”

Schneider and Allain were married in 2019, several months after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Although she experienced a brief remission, the cancer soon metastasized to her bones.

Following Trump Verdict, Greg Laurie Lists ‘Government Overreach’ as One of the Signs of the End Times

Jesse T. Jackson

May 31, 2024

Following the conviction of former U.S. President Donald Trump Thursday, May 30, Harvest Christian Fellowship Pastor Greg Laurie asked his followers to pray for America and warned that the “signs of the times” are telling the world that “Jesus is coming back.”

Trump, who is one of the leading candidates in this year’s presidential election, was found guilty of 34 felony charges related to falsifying business records. The records involved him paying off porn star Stormy Daniels in an attempt to keep her quiet regarding their sexual encounter so it would not influence voters in the 2016 presidential election.

Although all 12 members of the New York jury found the former president guilty, at a news conference on Friday, Trump called the trial “a scam” and said that he would appeal all 34 counts of his conviction.

Trump is the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a felony crime and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11.

Please, pray for America. Pray for America like you never have before.

— Greg Laurie (@greglaurie) May 30, 2024

“Please, pray for America. Pray for America like you never have before,” Laurie posted after Trump’s verdict was read on Thursday.

Hours later, the following morning, Laurie shared another post stating that he believes that government overreach and the rise of antisemitism are signs of the end times.

“Government overreach. The weaponization of the legal system to impose views contrary to our own. The rise of Anti-semitism, the threat of war,” said Laurie. “All of these are ‘Signs of the times’ telling us one thing—Jesus is coming back.”

“I believe the next event on the prophetic calendar is the rapture of the Church,” he added. “Then comes the Tribulation period that I do not believe Christians will go through.”

When Childless Becomes Grandchildless

Karen Swallow Prior

May 31, 2024

(RNS) — When you are childless, not by choice, the realization of this reality takes years.

But confronting the later, consequential fact that you will also not have grandchildren takes only an instant.

When you assume you will someday have children, you carry that assumption for a long, long time. You give yourself time. You try this. You try that. You hope and you pray. Then at some point you accept that it is too late.

Perhaps you never marry, despite your wishes to do so, or you marry so late into the day that the light that gives life has dimmed. Or perhaps you marry early, only to find yourself, month after month, year after year, unable to conceive or carry or give birth.

Perhaps somewhere in those years, you pursue certain medical treatments that promise to put things right. Perhaps they don’t. Perhaps they do, but it is still not enough. Perhaps you say no to more interventions, some technologies and certain arrangements because they cost so much. Or they trouble you. Perhaps they don’t trouble you at all and you throw all the money in the world at the problem, but even money can’t buy you luck.

Perhaps you assume you will adopt someday, but for one reason or another, or many, those doors don’t open. Maybe you don’t even dare to knock.

You watch friend after friend bring home baby after baby, and you assume yours will come home someday, too. But years pass and someday never comes. The window ever so slowly inches toward the sill, then finally closes.

The years you spend wondering if you will have a child are ones spent noticing what a great parent your spouse would be. You wonder if your would-be child would love fishing and sports like he does, or reading like you do. Or would the child venture into new things unexplored by either of you. The child would, of course, love dogs. Would definitely love dogs. Would your would-be child be smart and make a lot of money like this relative? Or might the child struggle with mental illness and die too young like that relative? There are, you realize, so many possibilities both bright and dark. You know you would love the child no matter what.

You know what kind of grandparents your parents would have been to your child because they have grandchildren from children that are not yours. You love to see your parents loving that role for those children. But you will never see them do that for yours. What might that have been like?

So many wonderings.

Even so, you live. You love. You work. You serve. Your life is full. Your longing for a child may diminish over time, or it may never leave. But you slowly accept the reality that longing alone can never change. You are at peace.

And then one day you realize that by not having children, you will never have grandchildren.

‘No I’m Not Back. That Guy Is Gone’—Carl Lentz Reveals ‘New Chapter’ Is a Podcast

Jesse T. Jackson

May 31, 2024

Carl Lentz, the former Hillsong NYC pastor who was fired in 2020 for “moral failure” and “narcissistic” behavior, cleared the air early Friday morning (May 31) on Instagram by telling his followers that he is not returning to ministry.

Instead, Lentz is starting a new podcast titled “Lights on” that will launch on June 4.

The speculation of Lentz’s return to ministry came earlier this week after he released a cryptic video announcing he and his wife Laura were starting a “new chapter.” The announcement depicted faint images of Carl, and images of storm clouds, a burning tree, and a shadow of the couple holding hands together as they walk towards dark clouds.

In Lentz’s latest video, images of his past controversies flash on the screen before words appear saying, “No I’m not back. That guy is gone.”

The video then proceeds to show Lentz and his wife excited for the launch of his new podcast.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Carl Lentz (@carllentz)

“JUNE 4, my podcast ‘Lights on’ is available on all platforms,” Lentz wrote in the caption. “My choices, and the road toward recovery taught me how helpful it is to have people share vulnerably the impact of their bad choices,” he continued, “the pain they caused, and the pain they suffered that led them to make those choices, and what they’ve discovered can be helpful and healing.”

Lentz added that his hope for his new podcast is “that in sharing those things from my story and asking others to share theirs, it will be helpful, hopeful and healing.”

“I’m thankful for where we are today,” said Lentz. “To be confident of the future, content in the present and healed enough to speak to the past is miraculous. If we can make it, anybody can…thank you for all the love and support!”

Systemic Change in the Foster Care System Begins With Compassion

Austin Ludwig

May 31, 2024

On average, more than 19,500 children aged out of the U.S. foster care system each year from 2019-2022. And when they age out, many of them are left utterly bereft of the social and economic resources the rest of us take for granted. They are alone, before their adult life has begun.

What does their future usually hold? A staggering 30% of former foster care youth experience homelessness by age 21, and 20% report being incarcerated by age 21. Additionally, research shows that involvement in the foster care and juvenile justice systems and/or persistent housing instability greatly increases the future risk of victimization in sex trafficking. Without proper care, the most vulnerable children in our community will become the most vulnerable adults as well.

Whether we recognize it or not, as American citizens, we are all suffering the tragic ramifications of the foster care system’s shortcomings. To care for the most vulnerable children in our community is to care for our entire community—and, in a way, for ourselves.

As a boy, I found myself in the foster care system. After over a decade of abuse and a childhood riddled with trauma, I faced the difficult and lonesome prospect of commencing adulthood without support, guidance or a place to call home. Like so many others in foster care, the trajectory of my future seemed predestined for tragedy.

Because of the ongoing abuse, my biological parents’ rights were terminated. That meant I would be in the foster care system until I was 18. After this realization, I spiraled into a deep depression. All felt hopeless, until one day a couple from a local church heard my story and began ministering to me. This Christian couple would call me and visit me, and through their local church, they discovered I needed a long-term solution.

By the grace of God, I spent my last three years of high school living in a WinShape Home. Before foster care, I missed an entire year of education—but over the next three years, WinShape worked on my behalf to provide special classes so I could graduate on time. My healing journey began as those around me equipped me as a teenager to be a whole, healthy, and successful adult—built up in Christ.

Since aging out of the foster care system, for the past 12 years, I’ve given my life to full-time ministry, being on staff at a church for nearly a decade and serving as a pastor for five of those years. Through a passion for music and speaking opportunities, I share the transformational power of the gospel through my story. I’m devoted to witnessing the healing of God’s people and to equipping them to extend that healing to others in need.

It’s also true that foster care reform is more than a moral or religious cause. It’s a matter of self-interest, as well. Every generation of foster kids eventually grows up to enter the workforce, attend churches alongside us and build families of their own. If we want to enact lasting, transformational change in our nation, the foster care system might be the most strategic focal point.

5 Ways You and the People in Your Church Grow Strength Through Weakness

Eric Geiger

May 31, 2024

strength in weakness — CC0 Public Domain

When God wrestled with Jacob (Genesis 32), God won Jacob to Himself by making Himself weak. In His love for Jacob, He withheld His power as even a slight touch to Jacob’s hip dislocated it. God has won us to Himself through weakness too. He emptied Himself, took on human flesh, and submitted Himself to the cross to make us His. Jacob won by losing too. He walked away from wrestling with God with a limp and a new name. He would no longer be the deceiver and the striver (the double meaning of the name Jacob) but the name of the entire nation of God’s people. His weakness, his losing to God, became his victory. We are His because of His weakness and we grow to be like Him in our weakness.

Years ago, I wrote a book called Transformational Discipleship with Michael Kelley (a great friend and man with two first names) and Philip Nation (who I affectionally refer to as Nation of Discipleship) on a massive research project on how people grow spiritually. The research reveals that seasons of spiritual growth are often closely connected to seasons of weakness and vulnerability.

I have thought about that research project often. Obviously, I don’t want pain for the people I serve. I don’t want pain either! And yet I believe what C.S. Lewis wrote: “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains.”

I have seen in others and in my own life how He uses seasons of weakness to show Himself strong, how He uses seasons of weakness to pry our hands off things that are not Him.

5 ways we grow strength through weakness:

1. Being overwhelmed

Those who exercise with weights know that the path to growing muscles is to overwhelm them, to lift heavier weights so that you feel weak. As you experience weakness, you are actually getting stronger. Whether it is a stressful season at work, new and overwhelming responsibilities, or challenges with relationship, God will use those moments of being overwhelmed to put us in a posture to depend on Him.

2. Change

Ministry leaders know that people are often open to conversations about faith during seasons of change. Whether a new job, new city, or new child, those changes alert us to our longing for a strong and stable foundation. When things seem to be shifting, we want something to stand on.

3. Trials

Both the apostle Peter and the apostle James encourage us to rejoice in trials (which is so counter-intuitive) because the trials in our lives can develop our endurance and maturity.

4. Failure

When we fail we are often humbled. The humbling can be beautiful if we look to the One who gives grace to the humble. Sometimes the failures are professionally. Sometimes the failures are spiritual. And in those moments we find that God’s grace is bigger.

5. Disciplines that make us weak

Spiritual disciplines can help us embrace our weaknesses. When we fast, we make ourselves weak as we depend on Him as our food. When we rest, we make ourselves weak as we give up moments of accomplishing. When we spend time with Him in His Word, we make ourselves weak as we rely on His wisdom and not our own.

While we tend to be repelled by the idea of our own weakness, God gives us strength through weakness.

This article originally appeared here.

Leaderless Small Groups

Allen White

May 31, 2024

The number of groups any church can launch and maintain is limited by the number of leaders available. It’s simple. If you have a leader, you have a group. If you don’t have a leader, then no group. The problem is most churches can’t recruit all of the leaders they need to meet the demand for groups. The problem goes even further because most people don’t regard themselves as being any kind of a leader. Without more leaders, how do you launch more groups?

Problem #1: Not Everyone Qualifies as a Leader

Churches place various qualifications for leadership. They may require church membership, leader training, apprenticing in a group, a background check, an interview, or any number of qualifications to lead. For most churches the bar for leadership is set pretty high – as it should be.

In 1 Timothy 5:22, Paul instructs Timothy, “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands.” Commissioning someone as a leader is a serious thing. In order to recognize someone as a leader in the church, they must have good character, and they must be proven as a leader. If you hand out the title to just anyone, then you dilute the meaning and authority of leaders in the church. But, this leads to the second problem.

Problem #2: Most People Don’t Consider Themselves to be Leaders

If they must be a leader to lead a group, then they must fulfill leadership requirements and receive leadership training before they can lead, but they aren’t leaders so why would they do that? My apologies for the run-on sentence, but it’s a legitimate question. How many times have you invited someone to lead a group only to be turned down with “I’m not a leader”?

Admitted non-leaders don’t get excited about meeting leadership requirements or taking leadership training. They’re not leaders. If they have to be a leader to lead a group, then it’s probably not going to happen.

What If You Don’t Need Leaders?

“We’re not recruiting elders here,” said Randal Alquist, Discipleship Pastor, Vertical Church, West Haven, CT. “We started giving people permission to jump in. We’re asking for people who love people and love God. We want people who are willing to facilitate a healthy environment where connections can happen.”

Think about this for a second – what did Jesus call us to do? He didn’t call us to make leaders. Jesus didn’t even call us to start small groups although He modeled it. Jesus called the church to “go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). What do you need to make a disciple? You need a disciple to make a disciple. How many disciples do you have?

By inviting disciples to make disciples in groups, you can help your people walk in obedience to the Great Commission. Rather than continuing to allow your people to borrow from your spirituality, you can give them an easy-to-use tool like a video-based curriculum and a coach to supervise them. They can live in obedience to Jesus by making disciples. They can prove themselves and learn to lead by doing. You can have more groups ASAP. And, eventually, these disciples can be recognized as leaders.

The bar for leadership should remain high. When you do church-wide campaigns, group launches, or alignment series, these are part of the leader recruitment process. These are not ordination events for new leaders. It’s a trial run to give them an opportunity to prove themselves as leaders. Once they’re ready, then you can commission them as leaders. As one of my leaders, Doug Howard told me, “Thank you, Pastor Allen, for showing me I was the leader I never knew I was.” I hope you hear that a lot!

This article originally appeared here.

Tech and Faith: Integrating Technology in Sunday School

Stephanie Martin

May 30, 2024

Do tech and faith go together? Can we tell the “old, old story” in ways that connect with digital natives? In the 21^st century, using technology at church seems inevitable.

Sunday school teachers who use technology in ministry can boost engagement and learning. So let’s see how modernizing children’s ministry fosters deeper faith.

The Intersection of Faith and Technology

At first, tech and faith might seem like odd partners. But technology is powerful at church. Modern touches add interest to the faith journey. Used well, tech makes Bible lessons more accessible and relatable.

3 Benefits of Integrating Tech and Faith

Here are 3 perks of using tech and faith at church.

1. Engagement

First, kids are drawn to visually stimulating content. Multimedia presentations, animated Bible stories, and apps grab attention. As a result, kids retain material better.

2. Accessibility & Inclusion

Next, tech caters to different learning needs and styles. Visual learners can benefit from videos and graphics. Auditory learners might appreciate podcasts. Plus, digital platforms can offer subtitles and translations. Then lessons are accessible to non-native speakers and kids with hearing impairments.

3. Flexibility & Convenience

Finally, digital resources allow for flexible lesson planning and delivery. Teachers can access plans and games online. Then they can tailor those to fit specific needs. Remote-learning options are another benefit of tech. When kids can’t attend class in person, they still can participate.

5 Practical Ways to Use Tech in Sunday School

Ready to take the digital plunge? Then maximize technology with these ideas.

1. Interactive Bible Apps

Several top-notch Bible apps are designed just for children. They offer interactive stories, quizzes, and games. Apps bring God’s Word to life, making it memorable.

2. Digital Storytelling

Next, keep kids’ attention with digital tools. Add videos, sound effects, and animation to enhance storytelling.

3. Online Collaboration Tools

With digital platforms, teachers can share resources and interact with students in real-time. Older kids can discuss topics and work on projects. Connecting through tech fosters community and teamwork.

Empowering Youth: Building Leadership Skills in Ministry

Stephanie Martin

May 30, 2024

Are you empowering youth at church? Do kids in your congregation play key roles in your programs? Learn about the importance of equipping teens to lead.

Youth ministry is crucial for shaping the church’s present and future. As youth workers, we must focus on leadership development. We need to equip young people with the skills and confidence to lead well.

So let’s explore strategies for empowering youth. Discover ways to nurture Christian leadership skills in your teens.

The Importance of Youth Leadership Development

Investing in youth leadership is vital. First, it ensures a hope-filled future for the church. Second, when young people discover and develop their God-given talents, they feel purpose. Finally, leadership skills acquired in ministry benefit youth elsewhere. And that grows resilience.

8 Strategies for Empowering Youth in Ministry

Here are valuable tips for empowering teens to lead.

1. Identify potential student leaders.

Begin by identifying teens who have leadership potential. Look for kids who show initiative, responsibility, and the ability to inspire others. Then engage with them personally. Ask about their interests and strengths. After building rapport, encourage each teen to consider a leadership role.

2. Provide training and resources.

Next, equip young leaders for success. Training can include workshops, seminars, and retreats. Look for topics such as effective communication, team-building, and conflict resolution. Offer books, online courses, and guest speakers for diverse perspectives.

3. Offer mentoring and support.

Mentorship is a powerful tool for growing young leaders. So pair kids with mentors who can guide them and share experiences. Regular check-ins and feedback sessions are essential. When youth feel heard and valued, their confidence and motivation soar.

4. Arrange leadership opportunities.

Hands-on experience is crucial for empowering youth. So give teens chances to lead at church. Let them organize events, lead small groups, and supervise projects and trips. By assigning kids tasks, you let them apply what they’ve learned.

At K-LOVE Fan Awards, Sadie Robertson Huff Encourages This Generation To ‘Be the Light of the World’

Jesse T. Jackson

May 30, 2024

This Friday (May 31), the broadcast of the 11th annual K-LOVE Fan Awards hosted by Sadie Robertson Huff and Brandon Lake will air on TBN at 8:00 p.m. ET and 10:00 p.m. ET.

The award show will feature live performances by Anne Wilson, Brandon Lake, CAIN, Crowder, Elevation Worship, Ellie Holcomb, Lauren Daigle, Jeremy Camp, and many more.

Huff, who is nominated for the Podcast of the Year Award for her “WHOA That’s Good” podcast, told ChurchLeaders on the red carpet that it is “such an honor” to be nominated because she said that “all the other nominees that are nominated are podcasts” she listens to.

“What an honor to know that people care about it, and are nominating it,” Huff added. “If people listen to my podcast and receive what I receive when listening to others’ podcasts, that is so special to me.”

She then encouraged this generation of young Christians to “be the light of the world.”

@churchleaders

🌟 Join Sadie Robertson Huff as she shares an inspiring message! 🌟 In this heartfelt video, Sadie encourages this generation of young Christians to “be the light of the world.” . Her words are sure to uplift and motivate you today. 💬 What resonated with you the most? Share your thoughts in the comments! ✨ Don’t forget to like, share, and follow for more inspiring content! ✨ #SadieRobertsonHuff #klovefanawards #klove #christianinfluencers

♬ original sound – ChurchLeaders

It’s what “Jesus said” for his followers to be, Huff said. “I think when things get dark, it’s so tempting to do what he said not to do and hide and be like, ‘Oh, it’s so dark,’ and get scared.”

But “you” are called “to actually help make the make the world a better place” by being that light, she added. “So it’s not the time to cower back. It’s not the time to hide; it’s actually the time to fully take him at his word and be the light.”

Huff told ChurchLeaders that she hopes that people start to take that charge “seriously and take on the call of their life” that Jesus has given them.

“In this generation, we struggle a lot with our identity—with who we are,” Huff said. “And I love that that’s one place in Scripture that Jesus says, ‘You are the light of the world.’ Like that is your identity.”

“And when you step into that,” she concluded. “I think people are gonna be a lot more confident in who they were created to be because they’ll be living it.”

Curtis Chang: A Healthy Approach to Politics in Your Church

Jason Daye

May 30, 2024

How can we practically and sincerely help people address some of the confusion and divisiveness around politics in our local churches and communities? In this week’s conversation on FrontStage BackStage, host Jason Daye is joined by Curtis Chang. Curtis is a public theologian and former pastor. He currently serves as a senior fellow at Fuller Theological Seminary and as a consulting faculty member at Duke Divinity. Curtis, along with two of his colleagues, are the founders of The After Party Project. Curtis’s most recent book is titled, “The After Party.” Together, Curtis and Jason explore how pastors who might be hesitant to address politics because of potential blowback or fallout can help their people reframe politics in a healthy way as they focus on Jesus. Curtis also shares some insights and some examples of how people from different political views have been able to find common ground through spiritual formation as they grow as disciples and grow in Christ-likeness.

FrontStage BackStage Podcast With Curtis Chang

View the entire podcast here.

Keep Learning

Looking to dig more deeply into this topic and conversation? Every week we go the extra mile and create a free toolkit so you and your ministry team can dive deeper into the topic that is discussed. Find your Weekly Toolkit here… Love well, Live well, Lead well!

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Angel Studios Responds to the Ending of Its Contract With ‘The Chosen’

Jessica Mouser

May 30, 2024

Angel Studios CEO Neal Harmon has issued a statement in response to the announcement from Dallas Jenkins that The Chosen has officially severed its relationship with the studio.

“The team at Angel Studios is honored to have been instrumental in the founding and unbelievable growth of The Chosen,” said Harmon in a statement posted May 29 and updated May 30. “Our long hours of hard work over the last 8 years by teams of programmers, marketers, translators, licensing experts, and innovators have helped it become the worldwide success that it is today.”

“Sadly, The Chosen, Inc. chose to terminate its agreement with us,” Harmon continued. “We hope that one day the agreement will be restored—and we plan to pursue the appeal provision that Angel and The Chosen agreed to as the process for resolving disagreements privately.”

Angel Studios and The Chosen Part Ways

On Wednesday afternoon, Dallas Jenkins gave a long-awaited announcement about how and when Season 4 of “The Chosen” will release to streaming platforms. Jenkins, who is creator, director and co-writer of the series, also gave some background information about the legal matters that have held up the season’s release to streaming.

“I am happy to tell you that Episode 1 of Season 4 will launch this Sunday at 7:00 Eastern Time, and as I’ve said, we will release two episodes per week,” said Jenkins in his announcement. Episode 2 will release Thursday, June 6, at 8:30 p.m. ET, and the rest of the season will release every Sunday and Thursday at those same times.

Fans can watch Season 4 in two places: the Chosen app and on DVD. This Sunday’s episode is launching as a livestream on The Chosen’s social media and The Chosen app, after which it will be available on the app “exclusively for a window of time.”

The Chosen app is available on Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku and Google TV, as well as online at thechosen.tv. Jenkins encouraged people who already have The Chosen app to update it.

In his explanation for the falling out between The Chosen and Angel Studios, Jenkins gave some background on how “The Chosen” got started and the debt that it owes to Angel for its success. He emphasized his intent to deliver simply the facts and not gossip, as well as his appreciation for Neal and Jeffrey Harmon, Angel’s co-founders.

“Our contention,” said Jenkins, “is that shortly after [a 2022 agreement was made], Angel Studios breached our contract on multiple occasions, to the extent that we believed it should be terminated, which would dissolve our relationship with Angel. Angel, of course, disagrees with that assessment.”

Student Defies Graduation Rules to Share His Faith, Risks Diploma for Powerful Message

Stephanie Martin

May 30, 2024

For going off-script at graduation and talking about his faith, Micah Price was punished by having his high school diploma withheld. But on Wednesday (May 29), five days after the ceremony, his Northern Kentucky school granted him the much-anticipated certificate.

Price had received permission to thank his “Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ” at the May 24 commencement for Campbell County High in Alexandria. But then he diverged from the approved message, urging listeners to seek God.

“Class, before another word is to leave my mouth,” Price said, “I must give the honor, the praise, and the glory to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who in his very words tells us he is the light, he is the way, the truth and life.”

His speech, which received hearty applause, continued, “Class, anyone in the audience today, I’m here to tell you that if you don’t have any of those things in your life and can’t seem to find the answer, then my Lord and Savior is your answer.”

Micah Price: ‘I Deserve to Get Punished’

After the ceremony, Micah Price said, an assistant principal “very politely and professionally told me that I was going to have to go in front of the [school] board and explain what I did because I went off script.”

The teen, who has been posting TikTok videos about the incident, admitted he was in the wrong but said he “serves a higher power.” School officials were “just doing their job,” Price said, adding, “I deserve to get punished.”

On May 27, Price said he’d talked to his principal and would receive his diploma without appearing before the school board. The new graduate also asked people to stop threatening school officials because of what happened to him. “Anybody who’s taking a hateful route to this, I please ask that you would just take a chill pill and just timeout,” Price told his online followers.

After finally receiving the diploma, Price described it as “an answered prayer.” The teen, who’s heading to the U.S. Air Force Academy next, said the graduation debacle has him pondering a ministry career.

Superintendent: Speakers Were Warned About Repercussions

In a statement, superintendent Shelli Wilson said:

All speakers were told that going off their submitted speech, or any unplanned choices at graduation, may have repercussions as they would at any school function. Off-program choices such as speech, signs, and caps in support of any cause or religion, injecting inappropriate language, or political election statements could lead to something other than this outpouring of Christian faith.

Wilson added, “While I know, personally, that many of us are proud of this young man’s beliefs and are practicing Christians ourselves, the principal has to consider the possibilities of students going off the planned program.”

SBC Seminary President David Dockery Identifies Employees Referenced in DOJ Charges Against Matthew Queen

Jessica Mouser

May 30, 2024

David Dockery, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) in Fort Worth, Texas, confirmed that Florida Pastor Heath Woolman is one of two previously unnamed seminary employees referenced in the federal charges against former seminary administrator and professor Matthew Queen.

Queen is accused of falsifying records in a federal grand jury investigation. According to accounts from Dockery and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Woolman encouraged the other previously unnamed employee, Terri Stovall, to destroy a document that was relevant to the investigation.

“This episode is a matter of deep regret to me. I am, however, grateful that several employees in whom I placed great trust acted responsibly, especially Terri Stovall,” said Dockery in a statement published Wednesday, May 29, in response to a request for comment from The Tennessean. “I commend the service and integrity of these employees. We remain resolute to continue to cooperate fully with the Department of Justice in all aspects of this investigation.”

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Employees Revealed

On May 21, Matthew Queen was charged with obstruction of justice. Queen allegedly falsified documents he provided to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and to the FBI. Since 2022, the two organizations have been investigating the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) regarding allegations of sexual misconduct and the mishandling of such allegations within the denomination.

A May 21 press release from the DOJ describes the charges against Queen, referring to a grand jury subpoena that was issued to SWBTS in October 2022. “Among other things, the subpoena required the production of all documents in the Seminary’s possession related to allegations of sexual abuse against anyone employed by or associated with the Seminary,” says the release.

That November, a person the DOJ referred to as “Employee-1” learned of a report stating that a seminary student had committed sexual abuse. In his May 29 statement, Dockery confirmed with permission that this employee was Terri Stovall, who serves a professor, dean of women, and interim associate dean of the Jack D. Terry School of Educational Ministries.

According to the DOJ, Stovall notified campus police of the sexual abuse report, but the seminary took no action in response and did not tell the U.S. Attorney’s Office about it. The DOJ goes on to say that in January 2023, Stovall created a document describing her actions in this matter, as well as the seminary’s failure to act.

The DOJ said that a meeting took place on Jan. 26, 2023, between Stovall, Queen, and “Employee-2.” During this meeting, Employee-2 told Stovall “in sum and substance, to destroy the Document.”

In his statement, Dockery corroborated that Stovall had indeed relayed the report of sexual abuse to campus police, who took no action at that time, and that she subsequently documented her actions. Dockery said Stovall “followed institutional procedure” and that the only person on campus who learned of the sexual abuse report was the chief of campus police, who is no longer employed at SWBTS.

Dockery said that at the end of January 2023, SWBTS “assisted the Burleson Police Department in arresting the student accused of sexual assault.” He then described a meeting that took place between Stovall, Queen, and Woolman, who was chief of staff at the time, at which the three discussed the document Stovall had created.

Transgender Character Featured in Remake of Nintendo’s ‘Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door’

Jesse T. Jackson

May 30, 2024

Paper Mario Nintendo Vivian — Screengrab via YouTube / @Censored Gaming

Nintendo, the beloved home of Mario Bros., just released a game for its popular handheld Nintendo Switch console titled, “Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door,” and which features a transgender character.

The game is a remake of the popular game of the same name, which won the “Role Playing Game of the Year” award at the 2005 Interactive Achievement Awards.

To date, the Japanese-owned Nintendo video game company has sold over 141 million of its handheld Switch units worldwide since it was released in 2017.

When “Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door” was released in 2004 on Nintendo’s GameCube, the character Vivian, who is a ghost-like purple figure with white gloves, a pink-and-white striped hat, pink hair, and an enemy to Mario, was called a boy in the non-English version of the game.

Vivian, which is historically used as a boy’s name, is derived from Latin, and means “life,” was identified in the English version of the game as a female—despite the fact that the Japanese version referred to Vivian as a boy but displayed the character as feminine and referred to Vivian as one of three sisters.

While the English version of the game decided to avoid any controversy in 2004 by referencing Vivian’s character as a girl, the 2024 remake allows the character to tell its player, “It took me a while to realize I was their sister…not their brother. Now their usual bullying feels heavier.”

The Japanese version of the remake is even more descriptive with Vivian’s character, telling the player, “The thing is…I…I have a boy’s body, but my heart is a cute girl’s!” That version also says that Vivian has a “girl’s feelings.”

“Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door” remake is dominating the game charts in the U.K. and sold out of its pre-orders on Amazon in the U.S. before it released on May 23.

Overly Exposed and Overly Anxious: Building Resiliency in America’s Youth Against Virtual Messages

Megan Cannedy

May 30, 2024

youth virtual messages — photo by Árpád Czapp (via Unsplash)

Modern technological advances have made life more convenient than ever. The internet and social media have created global ability for people to connect and share. Life has become more instantaneous and accessible than ever. Yet anxiety, particularly in America’s youth, continues to skyrocket in the millennium.

According to the National Institute of Health, one in three teenagers aged between 13–18 will experience an anxiety disorder. Seventy percent of adolescents report anxiety and mental health as a major concern. What exactly is happening to our youth, and how do we address it? Recently Dr. Ryan Burkhart, Dean of the School of Counseling at Colorado Christian University and Executive Director of the Colorado Counseling Association, said, “This is the most connected generation ever, and also the most lonely,” during a recent CCU Chancellor’s Lecture Series.

He’s right. America’s adolescents are overly exposed to technology, and it has become a main transmitter of developmental messages. While communication and technological advances provide benefits to culture generally, they also provide open access never seen before. A story, a photo, or a video posted can “go viral” within literal seconds. This has facilitated immense power to spread information, but it can also cause overexposure to content too developmentally advanced for youth, and even risks secondary forms of trauma. Between recent years of charged cultural divide, international conflicts, and especially the effects of the COVID pandemic, adolescents have become hyper-aware of the challenges faced in the world around them. The constant messaging received by youth has increased feelings of instability, perpetuating their anxiety.

Similarly, the rise of smartphones created unlimited social media access for adolescents, which has become a primary source of their formation. The more time adolescents report on social media, the higher their reports of corresponding dissatisfaction and anxiety. They are bombarded with limitless and often unrealistic lifestyles for comparison. These negative messages target and destroy their self-worth. In worst-case scenarios, adolescents can be subjected to bullying and harassment or victimized in unsafe situations. In turn, teenagers struggle to separate what is virtual from what is reality.

There is no slowing rapid technology. However, there are steps we can take in response to reduce our youth’s anxiety and strengthen them for the future. Resilience is built over time and through stable development. Parents and the family system have the God-given placeholder as the first line of defense. They serve as the secure foundation for youth and can take back the role as the primary source of messaging for adolescent growth.

Ronald Reagan once said, “All great change in America starts at the dinner table.” Time and intentionality from parents invested in instilling values and building conversation around these adolescent challenges are the most powerful preventative interventions a family and culture can utilize.

Similarly, parents can reclaim their teenagers’ mental health by setting boundaries in adolescent exposure to internet and social media access as a proactive step to reclaim their teenager’s mental health.

Could You Spot Judas?

Mike Leake

May 30, 2024

He appointed the twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.

Be with Jesus.

Preach.

Drive out demons.

Picture that ministry in your mind. What was the preaching like? What would you conclude about the powerful ministry where the works of darkness are being overturned? And what must we say about the preacher who has “been with Jesus”?

Now check out who appears in the list of those appointed by Jesus.

…and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Sit with that for a moment.

There is absolutely no indication that anything was “off” in Judas’ preaching ministry. No indication that he was the guy in the group who just couldn’t seem to drive out demons. And there’s no indication that he was always lurking in the shadows and being the weird guy in the group.

There is no indication that when Jesus said, “one of you will betray me” all eyes suddenly lit upon Judas. This means that his preaching was at least adequate. There was nothing that caused the other disciples to shake their head at his weird take upon the good news. Every sign pointed to Judas being one of the gang.

What Does This Mean?

A few weeks ago my wife and I stumbled upon this show on Peacock called Traitors. It’s a ridiculous show, honestly. But it hooked us and so we kept watching to the end. The concept of the show is that there are 20 people in a house, three of them are traitors. If you spent any time in youth group it’s like a glorified game of Mafia.

In order to win the money, you have to spot the traitors, banish them from the group, and then split the money with your other survivors. Or if you are one of the three traitors, your goal is to “kill” everybody without being spotted as a traitor.

What is amazing to me about this show is that the ones who are traitors are typically the last person that others would expect. It’s comical as some of the contestants say things like, “I would stake my life on it not being Person X”. But it absolutely is person X.

This show is an illustration of a painful reality of humanity–we aren’t skilled at spotting monsters in our midst. That isn’t necessarily dangerous, but what makes it dangerous is that we think we are amazing at spotting the traitor.

This is how Judas, or any other fraudulent leader, is able to last so long within an organization. They make themselves the least suspecting. Those who work with organizations battling sexual abuse tell us that it’s not only a child that is groomed, it is everyone around them as well. Judas fits in.

I would love to give you 8 steps to spotting a Judas in your mix. But my point here is simple. You and I probably can’t spot Judas. That doesn’t mean that we should always view others with suspicion or to develop an unhelpfully cynical view of humanity. Eleven disciples weren’t Judas.

But it does mean that we ought to be aware of this reality. Don’t ever say, “It could never be Person X” and bend the rules for such a person. If there is a way to spot a Judas it’s not found in results of ministry, it’s not found in eloquent speech, it’s not even found in what he/she appears to be treasuring.

We are probably healthiest when we do not treat people with unwarranted suspicion but also when we aren’t surprised by depravity. True discernment will be grounded in hope instead of suspicion. It also doesn’t insulate anyone from the reality of human depravity. Trying to root out Judas isn’t the answer. But denying the obvious when he rears his ugly head isn’t the answer either.

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

The Lazy Pastor

Charles M Wingard

May 30, 2024

At the outset of a difficult topic – pastoral laziness – I want to be clear that my purpose is to encourage both pastors and their congregations. Where conflict arises over the minister’s work ethic, I believe most of the time there is a path forward to strengthen the bonds of affection that should exist between a pastor and his congregation.

That said, here are some hard words: Apart from heretical doctrine or immorality, one of the most serious charges that can be levelled against a pastor is sloth. In the judgment of his congregation, he fails to take his cues from the “hard-working farmer,” one of Paul’s models for pastoral ministry (2 Timothy 2:6), and seems unfamiliar with Solomon’s exhortation: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

The evidence is not difficult to detect: poorly prepared and delivered sermons, failure to visit and care for the flock, chaotic administration, and invisibility in the community. Laziness is a serious sin. Haphazard shepherding of God’s flock is inexcusable, a dereliction of God-given duty. It also insults the congregation who provides his salary so that he might pursue the work of ministry “free from worldly cares and avocations” (Presbyterian Church in America, Book of Church Order, 20-6).

Fortunately, there are very few lazy pastors – and they should repent of their laziness or leave the ministry.

Far from lazy, most pastors I know are diligent and faithful laborers who love and care for their families and congregations. Unfortunately, even diligent pastors can be wrongly charged with laziness.

IDENTIFYING THE REAL ISSUE

How can a pastor who is not lazy find himself accused of just that? The accusation, undeserved, arises from two sources: first, from a difference of opinion about what a pastor’s workday should look like, and, second, from an unfortunate but correctable lack of self-awareness on the part the minister. Let’s take each in turn.

DIFFERING EXPECTATIONS FOR THE PASTOR’S WORKDAY

The workplace has changed dramatically since I was ordained in 1985. The idea of flexible hours and mobile offices had not made its way to the mainstream – and for those who have spent their working lives in 8-5 office environments, it can be difficult to understand.

It is not unusual for a pastor and his elders to have conflicting opinions on how to structure his day. For example, a pastor may find that working from home is more productive than studying at the church, with its many interruptions. Another may choose to do some work in coffeeshops where he can meet people. Neither choice is symptomatic of laziness.

But both choices can give the appearance of laziness, a fact that the conscientious pastor will admit. He also knows that his office brings temptations to idleness, whether he succumbs to them or not.

Here’s the crux of the matter: most pastors have freedom. Much of the time, the structure of his workday is left entirely up to him; he has flexibility in managing his calendar and ordering his work. For the minister skilled in the disciplined use of time, that freedom is a bonus: he can manage his own schedule, seeking optimal efficiency.

But freedom must be exercised cautiously to avoid conflict.

When the structure of the pastor’s workday is in dispute, the conflict is often one of expectations: the congregation expects the pastor on site, working in his office throughout the day. After all, that’s what most of them do – they leave home and go to work. Working at home or hanging out at a coffeeshop is not an option. If you’re not making a hospital visit or handling an emergency, you should be in the office, just like them. The assumption is reasonable.

Here’s my advice to pastors. When you take a new church, talk with your leaders about their expectations and listen carefully. As you begin your work, strive to meet those expectations. Work hard, earn their confidence, and gain a reputation as a diligent worker. Later, from a position of trust, begin to talk with your elders about alternative ways to structure your day. Share about your favored work routine and why you find it helpful. Don’t be in a hurry; be willing to compromise; be patient.

WATCH: Russell Brand Calls His First Month as a Christian a ‘Beautiful Journey’

Janna Firestone

May 29, 2024

Screengrabs from X / @rustyrockets

Comedian and actor Russell Brand is known for providing the voice of Dr. Nefario in the “Despicable Me” movies as well as for his political activism and controversial humor. Over the last few months, however, Brand has publicly shared his curiosity about and personal milestones in the Christian faith. In his latest update, the actor celebrated his first month of being a Christian.

“Can you remember your first month as a Christian?” asked Brand.

Russell Brand Publicly Recaps His First Month as a Christian

Russell Brand began exploring Christianity in January and recognized that Jesus had become “more important” to him. After accepting Christ and being baptized, he described the following month as “a big change.” He quickly explained that he didn’t change as a person, but he has “taken on a lot of new concepts.”

“Repentance means you have to continually change and acknowledge that I am in a battle against myself,” Brand explained. “I need to surrender myself to an ever-present, eternal, and accessible Jesus.”

He went on to describe another counter-cultural concept, mercy: “Mercy is something that is given to me, being grown into me that I live with through love—not something that I can sort of win or achieve by doing good things.”

Brand experienced repentance and mercy when he was baptized just one month ago. “I felt changed, transitioned,” the actor shared. He appreciated the “intimate and personal aspects” of the ceremony that, along with “bizarre incidents,” were “serendipitous and laden.”

While his faith is still new, Brand recognized that his new faith has provided more than an internal change. “It’s brought incredible people to me,” he said. “Incredible literature to me. It’s brought a sense of peace.”

He continued, “And, when I’m in doubt, I feel the instruction is there, accessible. I feel like I know what I’m supposed to do—and when I don’t do what I’m supposed to do, that’s even clearer.”

Brand spoke of an “inner illumination” that’s now a present guide and guardrail in his everyday life. “When I feel myself being selfish, or inconsiderate, or putting myself first, or not thinking about how I can be better to other people, it’s as if there’s an inner illumination available to me now.”

As he studies Scripture and other Christian books, Brand marvels at concepts central to Christianity and a relationship with Jesus. He appreciates the “simplicity of the idea of God coming to earth as a man to experience what it is to be human and to sacrifice himself—the only sacrifice that could bring us home and give us the opportunity for redemption.”

One month as a Christian, and already… pic.twitter.com/1wBt9CJYaG

— Russell Brand (@rustyrockets) May 27, 2024

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