‘I’m Greatly Concerned’—Rep. Jon Dunwell Talks to ChurchLeaders About The Satanic Temple Controversy

December 15, 2023

Rep. Jon Dunwell of the Iowa House of Representatives joined ChurchLeaders Friday, Dec. 15, to discuss the criticism he has received for defending the religious freedoms of The Satanic Temple (TST), which recently erected a holiday display in the Iowa State Capitol. Dunwell, who is also a pastor, angered Christians this past week, opposition that culminated in Mississippi resident Michael Cassidy allegedly vandalizing the TST display Thursday.

On Dec. 2, The Satanic Temple Iowa announced that the group had a holiday display featuring a depiction of Baphomet at the Iowa State Capitol building. While many Christians viewed the display as demonic and argued that Dunwell should fight to remove it, he instead defended the right of The Satanic Temple, a religious organization, to have the display. TST is a non-theistic organization but is recognized by the IRS as a religion and has tax-exempt status.

Numerous people responded by criticizing Dunwell, and quite a few accused the pastor of opposing God and needing to repent. ChurchLeaders spoke to Dunwell about his experience as a pastor and politician, as well as his thoughts about the TST display and the backlash he received. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Kat Von D on Living in a Parsonage, Attending a Small Church and Choosing Gratitude

Stephanie Martin

December 15, 2023

Tattoo artist Kat Von D, who was recently baptized after returning to the Christian faith, revealed that she and her family are currently living in an Indiana parsonage. During the pandemic, Von D left California, seeking a town in the “middle of nowhere.”

She and her family ended up in Vevay, Indiana, a town of 1,700 people near the Kentucky border. Because the 1874 mansion they purchased needs extensive renovations, Von D’s pastor is letting them stay in the unused parsonage.

Von D talked about her new community and church on a recent episode of comedian Theo Von’s podcast “This Past Weekend.” The tattoo artist and TV star, whose parents were Seventh-day Adventist missionaries in Mexico, shared details of her upbringing. She also discussed her sobriety, facing criticism from other Christians, and homeschooling her son.

Kat Von D on the Benefits of a Small Church

Kat Von D, 41, is a member of Switzerland Baptist Church, where she attends Bible studies and relishes the small church environment. When people are absent, they’re missed, she said, adding that she genuinely misses her church family when she travels back to Los Angeles for work. “I’ve never really had that before,” she said, noting that she is estranged from several family members.

Von D said she still gets teary-eyed seeing the video of her baptism. She described making her way back to Christianity in the past five years and having a different understanding of it than when she was a child. Her desire to learn, coupled with 17 years of sobriety, have led her in the direction of growing her faith. “It’s such an intimate and personal thing,” she said. “My relationship with God is my own and…I’ve never really felt like I belonged anywhere.”

Going public with her faith put her under a microscope, Von D said. “I get criticized from all sides now, which I don’t care because at the end of the day…my relationship’s with God, not you.” The tattoo artist, who dresses in black, said people seem to be “close-minded” about her appearance.

“I get called demonic a lot, or ‘you’re serving two masters,’” she said. “There’s no dress code to be a Christian…I thought I was going to get hate from my existing fans [but] they’ve been super loving and open-minded…It’s been the other side that I was just so surprised [about],” she said, referencing criticism from fellow believers.

Kat Von D Is Determined To Keep Praising God

Kat Von D, who used to be a “big-time drug user,” said quitting cigarettes has been her biggest challenge. When her son, now 5, caught her smoking one day and asked what the smell was, she said, “I just felt like such a loser. I was like, I can’t be that mom.”

Von D, who moved from California partly due to the state’s governmental restrictions, is homeschooling her son. “Indiana is very supportive to homeschool families,” she said. “The less government the better.”

‘Do Not Fear, for I Am With You’—YouVersion Shares App’s Most Popular Verse of the Year

Jesse T. Jackson

December 15, 2023

The YouVersion Bible app recently revealed that Isaiah 41:10 was its most shared, most bookmarked, and most highlighted verse in 2023. The verse says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

According to a YouVersion press release, this is the third year since 2020 that the “do not fear” verse has been the app’s Verse of the Year—the others were 2020 and 2022. In 2021, the Bible app’s most favored verse was Matthew 6:33: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

It was a record-breaking year for the YouVersion family of apps (Bible App, Bible App Lite, Bible App for Kids), which have surpassed 625 million downloads since the Bible app was introduced 15 years ago. YouVersion recorded an increase of more than 100 million installations on devices in 2023 alone.

It is estimated that over 12 million people engage the digital Bible app on a daily basis, and that number is increasing across the world.

Bobby Gruenewald, founder and CEO of YouVersion, said that “throughout this year, we’ve seen our global community engage with Scripture at impressively high rates.”

“From what we’re seeing, this isn’t just a momentary surge but something that will last,” he added. “We anticipate an even greater level of excitement around Bible engagement in the years to come.”

Initially launching in 2008 with English and Spanish versions of the Bible, YouVersion has blossomed into a global app that ministers to people in India, Africa, and Latin America.

YouVersion’s goal is to make the Bible accessible to everyone throughout the world—a feat it cannot accomplish alone, Gruenewald said.

“More than ever before, we’re seeing the global Church unify around God’s Word, and it’s exciting to think about how many more people will grow closer to God because of the passion and commitment of our partners to work together,” said Gruenewald.

Former Georgia Youth Pastor Sentenced to 15 Years After Pleading Guilty to Child Molestation

Dale Chamberlain

December 15, 2023

Former youth pastor Austin Wray Perkins has been sentenced to 15 years behind bars after pleading guilty to child molestation and possession of child sex abuse material.

Perkins, 27, was one of seven suspects arrested in March 2022 as part of a larger operation involving the Floyd County Police Department in Georgia and the Secret Service Cyber Crimes Task Force.

Perkins had been a volunteer youth minister at Grace Fellowship Baptist Church in the rural town of Cave Spring. At the time of his arrest, the church had been without a lead pastor or any paid staff, and members of the congregation, which is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), expressed shock at Perkins’ actions.

“We fully support law enforcement in this investigation,” Georgia Baptist Mission Board Executive Director Thomas Hammond said following Perkins’ arrest. “Praying for them as they search out facts and take appropriate action.”

“The Georgia Baptist Mission Board has partnered with MinistrySafe for 10 years to provide training for awareness and prevention of these types of crimes,” Hammond went on to say, referencing the abuse prevention training used by many SBC churches and institutions. “We will continue to make training like this a top priority.”

Hammond added, “Let us join together in asking God to bring healing to these victims and their families.”

In addition to his 15-year sentence, Perkins was sentenced to 25 years probation.

Perkins was arrested after police discovered that he had been exploiting an underaged boy who was estranged from his family and had no other support. The child had been living with Perkins.

In a press conference following Perkins’ arrest, police said that he had been “coaching the child about how to act in videos and also engaging in acts of child molestation.”

At the time of his arrest, Perkins was in possession of child sex abuse material.

Lawsuit: Priest Says First Gas Execution in US Poses Threat to Religious Liberty

Kathryn Post

December 15, 2023

(RNS) — The last time Kenneth Smith was slated for execution, he was strapped to a gurney for an hour while workers repeatedly attempted to insert intravenous lines in his chest, hand, arm and neck to execute him by lethal injection. His was the third botched execution in Alabama last year.

Now, Smith, who was convicted in 1996 for his role in the 1988 murder of Elizabeth Sennett, is scheduled again for execution on Jan. 25, this time via nitrogen hypoxia. If it occurs, it will be the first time a person is executed by this method in the United States. But in a lawsuit filed Wednesday (Dec. 13), Smith’s spiritual adviser, the Rev. Jeff Hood, a priest in the Old Catholic Church, argues that the restrictions imposed on him via waiver would violate his right to the free exercise of religion.

That waiver, which is included in the lawsuit, informs Smith that “in the highly unlikely event that the hose supplying breathing gas to the mask were to detach,” free-flowing nitrogen gas could create a “small area of risk.” The waiver therefore instructs Hood to remain 3 feet from Smith’s mask.

These instructions not only demonstrate the risk posed to witnesses of the execution, Hood’s lawyers argue in the lawsuit, but inhibit Hood’s right to minister to Smith by forcing him to stand apart from Smith during the execution. The lawsuit names the commissioner of the Alabama Department of Corrections and warden of Holman Correctional Facility as defendants.

“Here, the ADOC’s (Alabama Department of Corrections) actions are not neutral,” the lawsuit says. “They are hostile toward religion. Indeed, they deny a prisoner his chosen spiritual advisor’s touch at the most critical juncture of his life: his death.”

Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Ramirez v. Collier that a spiritual advisor is permitted to touch prisoners during execution. In a news conference Thursday morning, Hood said Smith, whom he described as a “follower of Jesus” with a “deep love for God,” comes from a tradition where the laying on of hands “is a means by which a deeply spiritual moment happens.”

“I don’t think it’s our place to question the value of certain religious exercises,” Hood added. “I think it’s our place as a free society to protect them.”

Hood, who opposes the death penalty, isn’t alone in speaking out about Smith’s case. A petition opposing “the introduction of the gas chamber as a form of execution” had been signed by nearly 12,000 Jewish community members as of Thursday afternoon.

US Christians Support Solution to Conflict that Benefits Israel and Palestinians

Aaron Earls

December 15, 2023

Most American Christians have been following the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Ultimately, they say they want negotiations, Hamas to be subdued, and a result that benefits both Israel and Palestinians.

Almost 9 in 10 self-identified Christians in the U.S. have kept up with the current war between Hamas and Israel, according to a Lifeway Research study sponsored by The Philos Project. More than 2 in 5 say they have been following the events closely since the war began (44%).

Another 42% say they have heard several updates since the war began. Few (13%) say they knew the two sides were fighting but not much more. Only 1% say they weren’t aware of the war at all.

“American Christians have been following the war between Israel and Hamas, and two-thirds of those who attend church most often say their church has prayed for peace in Israel,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “While a majority of American Christians support military action by Israel now, a much larger group believe lasting peace must come by mutual agreement of Palestinians and Israelis.”

Chart - Most Christians have kept up with the Israel and Hamas war

In general, U.S. Christians (52%) believe America does too much in trying to solve the world’s problems. Another 30% say the U.S. is doing the right amount, while 12% say the nation does not do enough. Fewer (6%) aren’t sure. Specifically with Israel, however, 50% of U.S. Christians believe America is doing the right amount to help. A quarter (26%) say the U.S. does too much in trying to help Israel. Around 1 in 6 (16%) say America doesn’t do enough, and 7% aren’t sure.

Complicated situation

American Christians tend to have nuanced perspectives on the circumstances surrounding the war between Israel and Hamas but clear views on the reality of Hamas, the rights of Israel and the need to protect innocent lives.

Three in 4 self-identified Christians in the U.S. (75%) say Hamas is “an extremist group that is isolated from most other Arabs who live in Israel and neighboring countries.” More than 4 in 5 (83%) agree Israel “must take bold measures to defend itself against Hamas’ decades-long campaign of terrorism against Israel.”

Most American Christians (88%) say Israelis have the right to determine their own statehood and government. Around 3 in 4 (76%) say the same about the Palestinians’ governance. A similar number (74%) agree Palestinians “have the right to defend themselves and the land their families have lived on for generations.”

Fewer (31%) believe “the Palestinian people in Gaza are responsible for the attacks carried out by Hamas.” Less than half of U.S. Christians (43%) say most of the Palestinian people in Gaza have supported Hamas’ fight, while 31% disagree and 26% aren’t sure.

“The Israel-Hamas war is the latest episode in a series of long-standing disputes in the region, and American Christians are aware these relationships have been complex,” said McConnell. “Most American Christians recognize the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians to defend themselves while also wanting Hamas’ terrorism to be stopped.”

Black Church Coalition Names Reparations, Voting, Health Equity Among Priorities

Adelle M Banks

December 15, 2023

(RNS) — The Conference of National Black Churches has called on African American congregations to embrace a list of priorities — from “government-sponsored reparations” to improved access to health care — as they move out of a pandemic era and into an election year.

“We believe Black life must be valued and the humanity of all descendants of African descent must be affirmed,” said the conference’s board in a statement approved Tuesday (Dec. 12), the opening day of the organization’s national consultation, titled “Coming Out of Darkness, Finding Light: The Black Church Responding to the Continuing Pain of the Pandemic.”

“The Conference of National Black Churches presents ‘Ten Black Faith and Justice Ideals’ for uniting and mobilizing to push for reparative justice, freedom, global healing, empowerment and flourishing,” said the statement.

The consultation, which was held in Orlando, Florida, through Thursday, included speeches from Mandy Cohen, director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Brandi Waters, senior director of African American studies in the College Board’s Advanced Placement Program. About 300 people attended.

The CNBC is a coalition of leaders of historically Black denominations, including the African Methodist Episcopal Church, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Church of God in Christ, Progressive National Baptist Convention and National Baptist Convention, USA.

The listed priorities provided to Religion News Service also call for a constitutional amendment to protect and guarantee the right to vote and for community policing policies that will prevent “stop and frisk” activities.

“The Black Church, and this entire nation, find themselves still at a pivotal crossroads as it relates to our future,” said the Rev. W. Franklyn Richardson, CNBC chairman, in a statement to RNS.

“There are so many pressing issues, from the future of COVID-19 and mental health to gun violence and voting rights, that must be addressed. The CNBC Board of Directors entered this Consultation committed to adopt a common set of principles that provide practical steps for our congregations to act on social justice issues from a civic and personal standpoint. We are showing that the Black Church stands as a single unit against threats to our health, our vote, or our future.”

On Wednesday, in a keynote speech at a consultation dinner, the Rev. Al Sharpton, president of the National Action Network, announced a new joint get-out-the-vote initiative with the CNBC that will start training clergy and other organizers early next year.

Other specific concerns among the CNBC principles included economic equity, Black maternal health, a criminal justice system “driven by restoration rather than retribution,” and equitable funding for public schools and historically Black colleges and universities.

The CDC has partnered with the CNBC to address vaccine hesitancy in the Black community and to increase vaccination access, with some denominational leaders appearing in public service announcements to dispel misinformation.

Cohen, who became the new CDC director in July, thanked the Black church leaders for developing more than 600 vaccine sites at churches and helping get more than 1 million vaccines administered.

In Texas, Debate Over School Chaplains Escalates School Board Culture Wars

Jack Jenkins

December 15, 2023

schoolbus — Photo credit: Nick Quan/Unsplash

HOUSTON (RNS) — It’s been more than seven months since the Texas Legislature passed a bill allowing public schools to hire school chaplains, but for the Rev. Dave Welch, his work has just begun. Dining last month at the Taste of Texas, a sprawling restaurant/museum on the outskirts of Houston with 750-pound replica cannons made to resemble those from the Battle of the Alamo bolted to its entryway, the longtime conservative Christian activist outlined his two-pronged plan for what comes next.

“Number one is winning over the leaders currently in the school system, the school boards — or changing them,” said Welch, who runs the Houston Area Pastor Council. “Number two is persuading and winning over enough pastors to see this as a mission field.”

Strident rhetoric is nothing new from Welch, a seasoned veteran of the culture wars who was once a national field director for the Christian Coalition, a conservative advocacy group. It also echoes the messaging of the National School Chaplain Association, the activist group that helped push SB 763 — the controversial school chaplains bill — through the Texas Legislature earlier this year and is now primed for a nationwide push.

“As NSCA officers engage state legislators we are energized to know that this school chaplaincy bill will pave the way for spiritual care, support, and Biblical guidance for children, teachers, and staff in public schools throughout many states,” read an email to NSCA supporters, according to The Texas Tribune.

But the idea that public schools could turn into spaces of overt religious recruitment has worried liberals across the Lone Star State ever since Gov. Greg Abbott signed the bill into law. Despite objections from outnumbered Democrats in both chambers of the Legislature, the chaplains bill was approved without outlining a chaplain’s role or mandating any specific training requirements. Instead, lawmakers required the state’s 1,200-plus school districts to define those details themselves as they each vote on whether to allow chaplains in their schools by March 2024.

The result has been a heated war of words waged in one of America’s most well-trodden political battlegrounds: school boards. According to locals, the fight over school chaplains has tapped into ongoing power struggles over public education and has pit religious voices against each other, with supporters framing the policy as a way to assist student mental health and detractors blasting it as a Christian nationalist attempt to convert children to a specific form of faith.

Victor Perez. (Photo courtesy Katy ISD)

Victor Perez. (Photo courtesy of Katy ISD)

To Cameron Samuels, a 2022 graduate from a school in the Katy Independent School District outside of Houston, the chaplains debate is part of a broader faith-fueled fight over local education that began in the aftermath of the pandemic. Speaking to Religion News Service over the phone, Samuels argued that early conservative pushback against mask mandates slowly transitioned into other political efforts, such as opposition to critical race theory, an academic ideology that became a target of conservative ire in 2021.

The trend eventually snowballed, opening the floodgates for an influx of conservative voices on school boards statewide, said Samuels, who heads the activist group Students Engaged in Advancing Texas. Samuels recalled attending a November 2021 Katy ISD school board meeting in which a man named Victor Perez approached the microphone to rail against CRT, decrying it as “a fundamentally racist worldview.”

A few months later, Perez, after endorsements from local Christian magazines, was elected to the Katy ISD board, which he now leads as president. A year later, three more conservative candidates backed by Texans for Educational Freedom — a conservative PAC dedicated to opposing critical race theory “and other anti-American agendas” — were elected to the seven-member board.

Could You Summarize the Christmas Story with One Word?

Paul David Tripp

December 15, 2023

If you had to summarize the Christmas story with one word, what word would you choose? Now, your word would have to capture what this story points to as the core of human need and the way God would meet that need. Do you have a word in mind? Maybe you’re thinking that it’s just not possible to summarize the greatest story ever with one word. But I think you can. Let’s consider one lovely, amazing, history-changing, and eternally significant word.

It doesn’t take paragraph after paragraph, written on page after page, filling volume after volume to communicate how God chose to respond to the outrageous rebellion of Adam and Eve and the subtle and not-so-subtle rebellion of everyone since. God’s response to the sin of people against His rightful and holy rule can be captured in a single word. I wonder if you thought, “I know the word: grace.”

But the single word that captures God’s response to sin even better than the word grace is not a theological word; it is a name. That name is Jesus. God’s response wasn’t a thing. It wasn’t the establishment of an institution. It wasn’t a process of intervention. It wasn’t some new divine program. In His infinite wisdom God knew that the only thing that could rescue us from ourselves and repair the horrendous damage that sin had done to the world was not a thing at all. It was a person, His Son, the Lord Jesus.

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

How to Really Measure Church Size

Allen White

December 15, 2023

thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

HMost pastors realize their church’s Easter attendance is a better indicator of true church size than its weekly attendance. Albeit there are a significant number of visitors on Easter Sunday, the reality is many of these visitors are not visiting. This is their church. They don’t attend another church. They claim yours.

In his book, Connect: How to Grow Your Church in 28 Days—Guaranteed, Don Corder writes, “On any given Sunday, 80 percent are regular attendees and 20 percent are non-regular attendees” (p. 30). He goes on to explain that the 80 percent attend about 33 times per year, while the 20 percent of non-regular attendees are there only 2.4 times per year, based on researching The Provisum Group’s database of church clients. What does this mean?

Church Size – 100 Is Really More Like 559.

A true church size of 100 people is really made up of 559 people. By Corder’s calculation, 126 people attend 33 times per year on average, while another 433 make up the other 20 percent of weekly worship attendance. So, how many people actually attend your church?

If your church averages 1,000 people on the weekend, then your actual attendee number is somewhere around 5,590. By the same calculation used above, 1,260 of your people attend about 33 times per year, while another 4,333 attend about 2.4 times per year. If you have any doubts, look at the total number of records in your church’s database. It’s not so far fetched, is it?

What Does This Mean for Discipleship?

Often the measuring stick for church size is comparing group membership to the weekend attendance. If you’re in a church of 500 and have 250 people in groups, then you could claim that 50 percent of your people are connected into groups. But, that’s not realistic in light of this new calculation.

A worship attendance of 500 really represents 2,167 people who attend your church over the course of the year. If you have 250 people in groups, you actually have about 12 percent of your people in groups. Well, you weren’t supposed to be proud of numbers anyway, right?

The church’s mission is to “go and make disciples…” (Matthew 28:18-20). Sermons don’t make disciples. How do you engage the 77.46 percent of your congregation who only attends an average of 2.4 times per year?

Get Them While They’re There.

What are your church’s peak worship services of the year? Christmas and Easter, right? The first pastor I served would often say in Easter services, “Well, if I don’t see you for a while, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas,” and the reverse at Christmas. Rather than ridicule your infrequent attendees, why not invite them to something?

A pastor’s immediate reaction is, “But, it’s impossible to get any airtime on Easter Sunday (or Christmas)…” That’s true. And, it’s OK. If you could get airtime in the worship service, that would be great. But, what’s more important than airtime is a plan.

Make a Plan to Connect Your Infrequent Attendees.

Your infrequent attendees took a step to attend a service. You just need to give them another step. What are their needs? Where do they need help? What issues in their lives do they need answers to? If they checked their children into your children’s ministry on Easter, then a parenting group which is appropriate to their stage of parenting might be of interest. Are they married or single? How far do they live from the church? Is there a small group in their neighborhood? What groups could you promote to these folks? As long as you have their contact information, you can promote a group that meets their needs. Or, better yet, a group leader could call and invite a few to their group. Better still, a person who knows an infrequent attendee could call and invite them to a group (or start a group).

It doesn’t matter if an announcement wasn’t made in the service or didn’t appear in the bulletin on Easter Sunday. For most parents, their children have overdone the sugar and just want to get home. They’re not thinking of signing up for a group on Easter or Christmas anyway. But, since they’ve just attended a recent service, the church is on their mind. Then, when they receive an invitation by email or a phone call from a warm, friendly group leader, they might be open to join a group.

While You Have Their Email Addresses…

Remember, infrequent attendees are only coming to your church for the most part. They may not attend very often, but they aren’t going anywhere else. If you invite them to a group launch or connection event, they just might join a group.

Many pastors look at that overly bloated part of the church database and wonder why they keep all of those records anyway. Many folks don’t appear to attend much or give anything, so why not purge the database? Don’t purge the database. These folks are familiar with your church. They are more likely to attend a service or join a group than people who have never attended. Invite them to your next connection event. Use the Summer for groups to host open houses and invite infrequent attendees who live in their neighborhoods.

**How Many People Actually Attend YOUR Church?**

If you want to make the calculation for yourself, then you’ll need to check out Don Corder’s book, Connect: How to Grow Your Church in 28 Days—Guaranteed. In the meantime, don’t write off your infrequent attendees. They need to join groups and be discipled too.

Don’t rest on your laurels. Your connection percentage just got blown out of the water. Start thinking about turning every group member into a group leader (or every church member into a group leader). The harvest is plentiful. The workers are few.

This article on church size originally appeared here.

How To Be Transparent in Ministry (and Why)

Jen Thorn

December 15, 2023

There is a lot of talk about transparency these days and about being transparent in ministry. The need to “be real” and “do life together.” So we sit around and share about how we don’t clean our house the way we should and are always behind on the laundry. We get coffee and chat about how we have been unkind with our kids and impatient with our spouse or dissatisfied with our jobs. Maybe we share that we spend too much money or fail at reading our Bibles on a regular basis.

We laugh and hug and say it’s OK. We may share a few Bible verses and some helpful practical tips, but this is not real transparency. It’s a spiritual opaqueness that lets only a little light through. This is superficial at best and deceptive at worst. It can be deceptive because we are pretending to be open and honest when really we are sharing what is easy while leaving out the very things we are supposed to lay before each other.

Transparent in Ministry Might Be Painful

Real transparency between fellow sisters (and brothers) in Christ is much deeper and much more difficult than what we commonly practice. Transparency is difficult both for the teller and the hearer because we are uncovering our deepest desires and disobedience. James tell us in no uncertain terms that we are to confess our sins to each other (James 5:16). While being impatient or snarky is a part of it, that is only the tip of the iceberg. We need to go deeper and get to the root. Being transparent in ministry is painful, embarrassing, humbling work, for the teller as well as for the hearer.

But Transparent in Ministry Is Profitable

But being transparent in ministry is also profitable, because through it we obey God, mortify sin, seek accountability and bear one another’s burdens.

Obedience

The best and most important reason we have to be real with each other is that we are obeying our Redeemer by confessing our sins. This is often the beginning of repentance and freedom. As believers, this should be enough, but there is more.

Mortification of Sin

Knowing my mother is coming to visit is all the motivation I need to get some projects done around the house that otherwise would lay unfinished for years. I find that in a similar way, I delay dealing with my sin when no one else can see the mess. We are called to put to death the sins that lurk in our lives, both the big and the small. But it’s easy to get lazy in this area until we share them with others.

Often that is the push we need to start dealing with and killing those dear sins that we have been indulging. Maybe your sins are not yet affecting anyone but yourself. Maybe they are ripping apart your marriage. Both are deadly and coming clean with them before your friends is the first step in putting them to death.

Accountability

Accountability is so very important. Having someone who loves us, checks on us, who knows where to press in on us, will help us overcome sin and grow in holiness. We don’t need sisters who merely listen to us, but who will speak as well.

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Bearing Burdens

Accountability is not about morbid introspection but helpful assistance in believing the gospel and following Jesus Christ.

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

Your sin must be taken to the cross daily for freedom from guilt and condemning thoughts. But in confessing them to others is another way of finding relief. By no longer pretending to be what we are not, we give our friends permission to see who and what we really are. True friends will gladly bear our burdens with us as we continue to seek God’s grace.

Rules for Being Transparent in Ministry

As important as it is to live transparently among our brothers and sisters, there are some guiding principles that we will do well to follow.

1. Transparency is not about building a life out of glass, allowing everyone to look in and see everything that goes on. Don’t broadcast everything to the world. Social media is relatively new. We are still learning how to handle having “friends” we have never met before, having followers we have never talked to. While there is much good to be found online, and a whole new world has been opened to us in terms of reaching people with the gospel, it is not the place to bear our hearts and lay before everyone the darkness that lies within. Not everyone is wise or trustworthy.

2. Find a church that preaches the word clearly and is made up of biblical community. It is often in healthy, gospel centered small groups that you will have the opportunity to make deep friendships that foster transparency.

3. Ask the Lord to reveal your sins to you, to see if there is any “hurtful way” in you. While we could all list hundreds of ways in which we fail, I have found that God often lays on our hearts one or two at a time that go deep and need to be confessed, repented of and dealt with.

4. Praise the Lord if there are no majorly heinous sins that are plaguing your life. But beware of pride, which will try to make you think you are better than the one dealing with unfaithfulness or addiction. Remember that even that sigh of impatience nailed Christ to the cross.

To wear this jewel of transparency, we must tear away the mask of spiritual pretense. This takes wisdom, courage and a brutal honesty. But transparency comes with a caveat: Vulnerability with other sinful people may mean that trust will be broken, hurt will happen and forgiveness will need to be practiced. But that’s for another post.

We wear the mask that grins and lies.

It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes—

This debt we pay to human guile;

With torn and bleeding hearts we smile …

—Paul Laurence Dunbar

7 Great Suggestions for Pastors Preparing for Christmas

Ron Edmondson

December 15, 2023

I have a few suggestions for pastors preparing for Christmas services.

I often have said to our staff that “Christmas is the new Easter”. It isn’t something I can say as easily on Sunday morning without receiving the ALL CAP Monday morning emails. This requires a bit of an explanation.

Easter will always be the most important holiday for believers. Christianity is just a religion without the resurrection of Jesus. But in terms of reaching unchurched people – Christmas is the new Easter. From my experience, it appears easier to get people to attend at Christmas than it is on Easter Sunday.

Much of this has to do with the cultural implications we already deal with every Sunday. No longer is Sunday reserved as a day of rest from other activities.Going to the lake, attending a sporting event, or participating in traveling ball/dance is no longer taboo.

Some of it has to do with the schedules of our church services. Typically, churches offer Easter services over a weekend. You could have a dozen services total. I’ve noticed churches starting their service offerings earlier in Easter week. (And I think that’s a good idea.)But regardless of the number you likely only have them over a few days.Christmas-themed services can go from Thanksgiving through the New Year. (And if you want to follow the retail trend you can start decorating for Christmas in September!)

If it’s true and Christmas is the new Easter in terms of reaching people who don’t regularly attend church, then our preparing for Christmas must be more intentional than ever. I wanted to share a 7 suggestions for preparing for Christmas your church to consider.

Suggestions for Pastors Preparing for Christmas

1. Recruit new volunteers.

This one can potentially serve the church long after the Christmas celebration. You can onboard people easier during the Christmas season. Much like Easter, especially with vision-casting, church members will understand the need for new volunteers during a busier season. Use this as an advantage to get more people into key roles, but also as a discipleship tool knowing that people who serve are in a better position to be growing personally.

The Pentatonix Hallelujah Video Reminds Us Christmas Can Be Bittersweet

Megan Briggs

December 15, 2023

Pentatonix Hallelujah — Screengrab Youtube @Pentatonix

Pentatonix released a Christmas album a few years back, including Christmas classics like “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.” You’ll also find a curious choice: a cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” The Hallelujah Pentatonix video has already been viewed over 9 million times. Fans new and old cannot get enough of this haunting song. Using Biblical references to King David and Samson, the song explores love found and lost and the resulting brokenness it leaves in its wake.

The Hallelujah Pentatonix video is a bold move at Christmastime. The lines, “Love is not a victory march / It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah” speak to the bittersweet nature of love. In fact, the whole song can be a little confusing, especially on a Christmas album. Christmas songs usually try to point us to Christ and the gift we were given in him.

Perhaps, though, it does explain the nature of Christmas better than we realize at the first listen. The fact that God gave us the gift of Jesus Christ was a profound act of love. One can only imagine the pain he felt in giving his one and only Son, knowing the suffering he would endure and the fact that some would reject him. We are still living in a time of tension—knowing that Jesus has already come to reverse the curse of sin and to save us all from death, yet living day by day in eager anticipation of the consummation of his kingdom. It’s hard to hold the two together in the same thought. And this is similar to what Christmas feels like.

Christmas can certainly be a bittersweet time—perhaps even for the God of the universe. We don’t know if Pentatonix meant to highlight this tension in their song, but the theme is there anyway.

You can also find the Hallelujah Pentatonix video on YouTube.

Find another great Christmas video here.

Christmas Jokes You Can Tell Kids: 25 Laughs for the Holidays

Dale Hudson

December 14, 2023

Christmas is such a great time for children’s ministries. You can teach kids who Jesus is, why He came, and what it means to follow Him. It’s important to focus on sharing the true meaning of Christmas. Yet it’s also a great time to connect with kids through Christmas jokes. You can use these with one child before a service or in a large or small group.

Often at Christmas, churches have guests. It’s also when all the CEOs show up (Christmas & Easter Only). You’ll want to engage these kids and families while they’re at your church. If the kids have a great experience, then they’ll bug mom and dad to bring them more often!

So have fun using these Christmas jokes this season to connect with kids. All it takes is one funny joke to bring down the wall a child may have put up. Then once that wall is down and kids have decided to engage with you, you can share God’s Word with them heart to heart.

First, start with a joke that gets kids to laugh and helps them connect with you. That means you’ll have a great opportunity to share the true meaning of Christmas.

25 Christmas Jokes You Can Tell Kids

What do you call a greedy elf? Elfish.

2. Which of Santa’s reindeer has bad manners? Rude-olph!

3. What is a skunk’s favorite Christmas song? Jingle smells!

4. What did Santa name his dog? Santa Paws!

5. Where do snowmen keep money? In a snow bank.

6. What’s the best thing to put into Christmas dinner? Your teeth!

7. What did Adam say on the day before Christmas? It’s Christmas, Eve!

8. How much did Santa pay for his sleigh? Nothing. It was on the house.

9. Why is Santa so good at karate? ’Cause he has a black belt.

10. What’s Santa’s favorite candy? Jolly ranchers.

11. What does the gingerbread man put on his bed? Cookie sheets.

12. What is an elf’s favorite kind of music? Wrap music!

13. What do monkeys sing at Christmas time? Jungle bells, Jungle Bells.

14. What do you call Frosty the Snowman in May? A puddle!

15. Why are Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen always wet? Because they are rain deer.

Youth Sermon Topics: A Fresh Approach to Preaching

Rachel Blom

December 14, 2023

Coming up with new youth sermon topics can be challenging for youth leaders and pastors. If you’re in that boat, don’t fret. You’re not the only one. So how do you keep coming up with fresh topics for youth sermons, especially when you preach weekly?

Pinpointing Solid Youth Sermon Topics

Two traditional ways of finding youth sermon topics are the expository route and the topical route. But here are three more approaches for brainstorming great subjects for youth messages or sermons.

1. Find a story.

Research show that stories appeal greatly to this postmodern generation. The Fuller Youth Institute has explored “sticky faith,” meaning faith that lasts. Findings confirm that stories matter and have lasting impact.

Questions to help you find youth sermon topics:

What (unfamiliar) story in the Bible can you preach about? What familiar story can you use to share new and fresh insights?

Example: I’d heard about David and Goliath many times. But when I read Max Lucado’s Facing Your Giants, I got a whole new perspective. So I promptly used that for a youth talk.

Can you translate a “topical study” into a story?

Example: You want to preach on being satisfied and not always wanting more. You can use the story of David and Bathsheba to illustrate that.

Could a current news story serve as a starting point for a sermon? Or maybe an older story that kids might not know about yet?

Example: Think of the rock climber who cut off his own arm to survive, or the 9/11 heroes aboard Flight 93. Each story can serve as the starting point for a youth message.

Does someone you know have a powerful life experience or testimony? Can you build a sermon around this?

Example: A woman in our church was told her baby wouldn’t survive. Doctors advised her to have an abortion. Instead, she launched a massive prayer effort. Her baby not only survived but is healthy. We used her testimony to show that God still performs miracles.

LSU QB Jayden Daniels Thanks God, ‘My Rock,’ in Heisman Speech

Stephanie Martin

December 14, 2023

After winning college football’s top award on Dec. 9, Louisiana State University (LSU) quarterback Jayden Daniels began his acceptance speech by expressing gratitude to God. “He’s my rock, my Savior,” said the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner. “He blessed me with the talents and ability to get here. All the special people here to develop these skills.”

Daniels, who turns 23 next week, transferred to LSU from Arizona State, where he played for three years and earned his degree. Instead of entering the NFL draft after graduation, however, he moved across the country to play for two years in the high-powered SEC.

Along the way, the outspoken Christian overcame injuries, on-field disappointments, and personal loss. And he credits God, his family, teammates, and team personnel for their support along the way.

Heisman Winner Jayden Daniels Overcomes Challenges

Jayden Daniels, who edged out Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. in the Heisman voting, led the LSU Tigers to a 9-3 record this season, scoring 50 touchdowns in the process. He ended the year with the highest passer rating in FBS history and became the first player to rack up at least 350 yards passing and 200 yards rushing in the same game.

Daniels, whose father was a college cornerback, was so lanky in high school he had to visit two doctors for approval to take the football field. But his speed, footwork, and passing ability earned the California native numerous college offers.

At the end of Daniels’ three years at Arizona State, his team was struggling on the field, and he was struggling off it. During the pandemic, both of his paternal grandparents died from COVID-19 within one month of each other. Their funerals were held on the same day, in March 2021.

Because of COVID restrictions, Daniels couldn’t say goodbye in person to his grandfather, who often took him to football practice as a child. In an Instagram tribute, Daniels called his grandfather “my best friend.”

Jayden Daniels Learned To ‘Give Everything to God’

Although Daniels was raised in a churchgoing family, he struggled with his faith during college—especially after moving to LSU. But a special bond with the team’s player relations manager, Sherman Wilson, helped bolster Daniels’ faith.

“He’s behind the scenes, but he’s like my right-hand man,” Daniels said of Wilson. “Being around him, I kind of got back into my faith more, always giving glory to God. He died on the cross for us; anything is possible with him. Coming back out here, trying to figure out my life, I wanted to stop trying to put so much pressure on me and just give everything to God, letting him take care of it.”

As his faith has matured, Daniels has learned not to “worry about things I can’t control” and to trust in “God’s plan with everything.”

Lecrae Reaches Out to Lil Nas X, Encourages Christians Not To Condemn the ‘Satan Shoes’ Creator

Jesse T. Jackson

December 14, 2023

On Tuesday (Dec. 12), Grammy Award-winning Christian rapper Lecrae shared his thoughts regarding Satan Shoes‘ creator and rapper Lil Nas X’s announcement that he is entering his “Christian era.”

The comments came in the context of Lecrae’s podcast, “Deep End With Lecrae.”

Lil Nas X, who is a 24-year-old outspoken gay man, was criticized after he teased last month that he might jump into Christian music. One critic was “Fast and Furious” actor Tyrese Gibson, who warned Lil Nas X that “God is not to be played with.”

Lecrae informed his fans that he and Lil Nas X have had a “few interactions” throughout his career, sharing that the last time they spoke, Lil Nas X told Lecrae that his dad, who is a devout Christian, was a big fan of Lecrae.

That comment “made me feel old,” Lecrae joked, but the information also made him aware that Lil Nas X was familiar with him and his music.

“I can only imagine what his experience has been being an outright gay man growing up in a religious environment,” Lecrae said, expressing curiosity about whether Lil Nas X has any “frustrations or presuppositions or ideas about how Christians act toward him, because potentially…he wasn’t treated well historically” by the church.

Lecrae added that its “not a secret the Christian community does not treat the gay community well—has not historically. That’s because there are varying degrees of perspectives and objectives as it pertains to Christians engaging culture.”

Before discussing his thoughts on Lil Nas X’s “Christian era,” Lecrae shared that he is “firm believer” that same-sex attraction “is not a choice for everybody.” In other words, “if you are born with a propensity or an attraction toward the same sex, that in and of itself is not condemnable—that is not something you condemn someone for.” Yet that is what is “consistently taking place in churches nowadays,” Lecrae believes.

People who are same-sex attracted who aren’t acting upon their desires are not “going to hell,” he explained, adding that “that’s not okay” to condemn those people.

Lecrae encouraged Christians to act like Jesus and not like the Pharisees. “Why do we not expect sinners to sin?” he asked at one point. “It’s not our job to condemn them for their lifestyle choices. It’s our job to show them where love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, kindness, self control exists.”

Video of Pastor Sharing How Serving on a Church Coffee Team Changed His Life Goes Viral

Dale Chamberlain

December 14, 2023

Stephen Foster — Screengrab via X (formerly Twitter) / @MichaelRWear

A video of a pastor sharing how serving on a church coffee team changed his life is going viral on social media, with Christian leaders praising the testimonial.

The video was originally posted to TikTok by Stream Studios, an account that features interviews to explore “refreshing conversations about faith,” and featured Stephen Foster, who serves as rector of St Aldates Church, an Anglican congregation in Oxford, England.

“If I’m honest, I never really liked the church,” Foster said at the beginning of the video. “I didn’t even really like Christians that much.”

He continued, “I used to think of it like a packaged deal. Like, you get Jesus, and so you get the church and Christians thrown in. It’s just part of the package and there are some bits you like—Jesus—some bits you don’t like so much, which is like the church and Christians.”

“I used to find that a bit annoying,” Foster added. He went on to say that while he attended church regularly, he “didn’t really enjoy going to church.”

But one Sunday, that began to change.

“I was at the back of our church in East London and someone said to me, ‘We need help to run the coffee team,’” Foster recounted. “And I was like working 70, 80 hours a week and I’m like, ‘What?’ And they’re like, ‘Yeah, Steve, we need your help running the coffee team on a Sunday.’”

Foster, who was a lawyer prior to becoming a pastor, remembered thinking, “I’ve got a job. I don’t need another job to run the coffee team.”

Nevertheless, he begrudgingly agreed to serve on the coffee team the next Sunday.

“As I handed these cups to people, something really changed in me. I found myself, as I handed coffee to these people, growing in love for them,” Foster said. “I thought, ‘These people are amazing. This is this extraordinarily diverse community that’s been gathered from across the area. There’s probably not another place that looks as diverse and integrated as this. This is a miracle.’”

“And even people I found a little bit more frustrating and complicated, as I handed them their coffee, I kind of grew in love for them,” Foster continued. “And I kind of basically fell in love with the church.”

Foster went on to say that after serving on the coffee team, he went back to the person in charge of the ministry and said, “We need new coffee machines. We need better beans. We need better mugs. Come on, these are amazing people! I want this to be the best coffee that they get.”

“And as I made coffee for people, I suddenly realized, oh, the church is like the bride of Jesus Christ. It’s like the thing he gave himself for,” Foster continued. “The church is God’s plan for the salvation of the world. There’s no Plan B. And God is going to build his church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. God is putting all his eggs in the church basket.”

Boosting Staff Morale This Christmas

Full Strength Network

December 14, 2023

Christmas is right around the corner, and with all the holiday buzz, it’s time to spread some cheer to your hardworking church staff. If your crew is gearing up for a marathon of Christmas Eve services and pulling extra hours, showing appreciation doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are some wallet-friendly, work-related ways to lift your team’s spirits and give them the boost they need during this festive season.

Personalized Shoutouts in Meetings:

During your staff meetings, take a moment to give each team member a personalized shoutout. Acknowledge their efforts, share a specific instance where they went above and beyond, and let them know their hard work doesn’t go unnoticed. It’s a simple, free gesture that goes a long way in boosting morale.

Flexible Break Times:

Recognize the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season by offering flexible break times. Let your staff take short breaks when they need to recharge. Sometimes, a few moments of downtime can make a world of difference, especially when the to-do list seems never-ending.

Encourage a Virtual ‘Gratitude Wall’:

Create a virtual space where team members can post shoutouts, words of encouragement, or even funny memes to lighten the mood. It’s a low-cost way to foster a positive and appreciative atmosphere, lifting everyone’s spirits as they navigate the holiday workload.

Share Inspirational Content:

Boost morale by sharing motivational and inspirational content with your team. It could be a short video, an uplifting quote, or a relevant podcast episode. Remind them that they’re making a difference, even when the days are long and the tasks seem never-ending.

Provide Snacks or Coffee:

Surprise your staff with a small, free treat during those intense Christmas Eve rehearsals or long planning sessions. It could be a platter of homemade cookies, a pot of coffee, or a stash of their favorite snacks. Sometimes, a little comfort food is just what the tired soul needs.

Offer ‘Work From Home’ Options:

If feasible, consider allowing your staff to work from home for a day or even a few hours. This provides a change of scenery, reduces commute stress, and allows them to tackle tasks in a more relaxed environment.

Create a Fun Playlist:

Collaborate on a playlist filled with uplifting and feel-good tunes. Share it with the team and encourage everyone to add their favorite songs. Music has a way of boosting mood and energy levels, creating a positive work atmosphere.

As you gear up for those Christmas Eve services and long hours, remember that appreciation doesn’t always come with a hefty price tag. Simple, thoughtful gestures can go a long way in boosting morale and reminding your staff that their hard work is valued. Let’s spread the love, lift each other up, and make this Christmas season one filled with joy and camaraderie. You’ve got this!

This article originally appeared here.

When Ministry Begins to Suck the Life Out of Us

Charles Stone

December 14, 2023

suck the life out — Adobestock #687738700

In the 1992 presidential race Ross Perot coined the phrase, “giant sucking sound,” to describe his concern that a proposed treaty would cause American jobs to go overseas. I believe it aptly describes how ministry can sometimes feel to church leaders. Every day church ministry demands that we sooth someone’s hurt feelings, solve a ministry problem, seek new ways to grow our churches, or satisfy what seems to be some church members’ increasing expectations. Ministry does feel like a “giant sucking sound” that can suck the life out of us. How do we know if our ministry is drowning us?

Major crises can certainly increase our stress as church leaders. But often lots of small stresses converge at once that unless we see the warning signs, we can end up casualties of ministry.

When Ministry Begins to Suck the Life Out Us

Several years ago several church issues converged at once and I found myself not liking ministry, feeling stressed, and not being a very nice person to be around. I had to step back to re-calibrate my life. My first step was to take inventory and define reality.

I’ve listed below what I saw happen to me as ministry stress began to t suck the life out me. As you read these, ask yourself if you can identify with any.

Kat Von D on the Benefits of a Small Church

Kat Von D Is Determined To Keep Praising God

Complicated situation

Church Size – 100 Is Really More Like 559.

What Does This Mean for Discipleship?

Get Them While They’re There.

Make a Plan to Connect Your Infrequent Attendees.

While You Have Their Email Addresses…

How Many People Actually Attend YOUR Church?

Transparent in Ministry Might Be Painful

But Transparent in Ministry Is Profitable

Obedience

Mortification of Sin

Accountability

Bearing Burdens

Rules for Being Transparent in Ministry

Suggestions for Pastors Preparing for Christmas

1. Recruit new volunteers.

25 Christmas Jokes You Can Tell Kids

Pinpointing Solid Youth Sermon Topics

1. Find a story.

Questions to help you find youth sermon topics:

Heisman Winner Jayden Daniels Overcomes Challenges

Jayden Daniels Learned To ‘Give Everything to God’

Personalized Shoutouts in Meetings:

Flexible Break Times:

Encourage a Virtual ‘Gratitude Wall’:

Share Inspirational Content:

Provide Snacks or Coffee:

Offer ‘Work From Home’ Options:

Create a Fun Playlist:

When Ministry Begins to Suck the Life Out Us

(See page two for Charles’s list of life-sucking burnout indicators)

New Articles

New Podcasts

**How Many People Actually Attend YOUR Church?**