Pastors: 7 Reminders for Christmas Season Planning

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December 1, 2023

I want to share some quick reminders for pastors regarding Christmas season planning. You already know all of these, but sometimes we get so busy with all the season’s activities that we failed to do some of the more important things. If you are intentional, Christmas can be one of your church’s best momentum-building times of the year.

7 Reminders for Christmas Season Planning

1. Recruit new volunteers.

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.

2. Ask members to sacrifice.

Christmas affords you a unique opportunity to ask your most committed people to serve in ways they may not otherwise. It is important to be fully staffed from the parking lot to the baby room. You will need extra greeters. People need to be willing to give up “their” seat for visitors. I personally believe you should always be thinking for your guests every Sunday. You should plan every detail you possibly can for them to experience excellence. In times where there are more visitors this is even more important.

Pastors, this is an excellent time to vision-cast about the guest experience you want to create. Make it a big deal, because it is a big deal.

3. Let the story be the story.

As a pastor, I feel the pressure of the Christmas message. The fact that it is so well known and a part of the culture only adds to the pressure. My best advice is don’t try to find the new twist you’ve never shared. People watch Rudolph and Charlie Brown Christmas every year for a reason. “It’s a Wonderful Life” never gets old for some and Elf for others.

The story of a baby, born to a Virgin, and laid in a manger is timeless. You don’t have to find something new.

Lauren Daigle Made an ‘Adoption Pact’ With Friends, Might Have More Adopted Children Than Biological

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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November 30, 2023

The Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum Christian singer Lauren Daigle will be performing alongside CeCe Winans, Pentatonix, Gavin DeGraw, and David Foster and Katharine McPhee at this year’s 25th “A Home for the Holidays.”

The program focuses on “uplifting stories of adoption from foster care to help raise awareness” regarding this important issue and will air on Dec. 22 at 8 p.m. on CBS. According to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, the annual special has inspired “thousands of people” to seek more information on becoming an adoptive parent.

Daigle told People that she was “so elated” when she got the call to perform on the show and didn’t hesitate to say yes. “Opportunities where we encourage people to get involved in foster care and in these children’s stories, I think it’s the most important thing we can do,” she said.

Earlier this month, the 32-year-old was named Billboard’s top Christian artist of 2023 and shared with the entertainment publication that she’d like to leave a legacy of changing legislation regarding children in our country.

“I’ve seen some children’s stories that haven’t turned out the best,” Daigle said. “I’ve seen children get turned back into the hands of their predators. I’ve watched it in my own family’s story. When people ask me, ‘If you could do anything with your career,’ I always say I want to rewrite legislature for children in this country.”

The not-yet-married Daigle hopes to adopt more children than she has biologically. She said, “I tell my friends all the time, ‘Why don’t we all just say we’ll adopt at least one kid and just see where that goes?’ I feel like if we all can do it together as a sisterhood, then we’ll be able to support each other.”

“It’s like an adoption pact,” she added. “I tell them I might adopt more children than I have biologically.”

Daigle tells her friends that if she’s not married by the time she turns 40, she hopes to just adopt. “There’s only a few of us that are actually married. A lot of us are very much single and in our 30s,” she said. “I’m like, ‘By 40, let’s go ahead and just adopt some kids. Why not?’”

Daigle also shared that when she invited a child onstage to dance during a recent concert in Spokane, Washington, God prompted her to ask the child if there was anything she wanted to share with the crowd.

Judge Orders Guidepost Documents Unsealed in Johnny Hunt’s Lawsuit Against SBC

By

Stephanie Martin

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November 30, 2023

Johnny Hunt, a former Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) president and North American Mission Board (NAMB) executive, has succeeded in efforts to unseal four Guidepost Solutions documents in his defamation and invasion of privacy case against the SBC.

In March, Hunt sued the denomination, its Executive Committee, and Guidepost Solutions, the independent firm that the denomination hired to investigate allegations of sexual abuse within Southern Baptist churches.

As ChurchLeaders has reported, Hunt was forced out of his NAMB role in May 2022. That month, Guidepost Solutions released a scathing report about sexual abuse within the SBC. Among the incidents listed was an alleged forced sexual encounter between Hunt and another pastor’s wife in 2010, near the end of Hunt’s SBC presidency.

Hunt, 71, has adamantly denied any abuse or assault, saying the encounter was consensual, though sinful. The pastor, who retired from First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Georgia, in 2019, maintains a lucrative career as a conference speaker. Hunt also has returned to the pulpit, saying that he went through a restoration process and that a team of pastors cleared him for ministry in November 2022.

Four Guidepost Solutions Documents Unsealed

On Nov. 29, Baptist News Global reported that in the court docket for Hunt vs. Southern Baptist Convention et al, more than 80 court entries have already been filed. According to the latest entry, Judge Jeffery Frensley approved Hunt’s request to make public four previously sealed items.

They include audio recordings of counseling sessions involving the alleged victim and her husband, the husband’s private journal, and information the couple provided to Guidepost investigators, including text messages and interview notes.

While requesting that portions of the record relating to the couple remain sealed, Guidepost pointed to its contractual terms with the SBC as well as its desire to protect the alleged victim. But the judge ruled that because names are redacted, the unsealed documents reveal no private information about the woman or her husband.

Baptist News Global reports: “Guidepost’s own brief arguing against disclosure describes the accusations against Hunt more succinctly and graphically than the [original Guidepost] report itself.” The brief alleges that Hunt “systematically” groomed the alleged victim during his SBC presidential term and then tried to “gaslight” her and her husband.

According to unsealed documents, Hunt arranged for the couple to obtain marriage counseling from Roy Blankenship, an unlicensed staff member at First Baptist Woodstock. Guidepost claims that Blankenship told the alleged victim and her husband not to mention, discuss, or write about Hunt by name—because that would “negatively impact the over 40,000 churches Hunt had represented” as SBC president.

Johnny Hunt Questions Motives Behind Redacted Information

Hunt’s legal team countered the attempt to keep materials sealed by saying that Guidepost “redacted information relating to Hunt that directly conflicts with the allegations made against him by Guidepost, which is likely the true reason Guidepost seeks to prevent the public from seeing them.”

‘How Far Would You Go To Prove You’re Not a Nobody?’–‘The Book of Clarence’ Film Set in Bible Times

By

Janna Firestone

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November 30, 2023

Filmmaker Jeymes Samuel (“The Harder They Fall”) is continuing his work on the big screen with “The Book of Clarence,” a comedy set in Bible times. Starring LaKeith Stanfield, “The Book of Clarence” tells the tale of a struggling young man who sets out to make a better life for himself and his family. He just goes about it in all the wrong ways.

“How far would you go to prove you’re not a nobody?” the trailer asks.

‘The Book of Clarence’ Will Be in Theaters Jan. 12

“The Book of Clarence is a bold new take on the timeless Hollywood era Biblical epic,” said Sony Pictures Entertainment. “Streetwise but struggling, Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield) is trying to find a better life for himself and his family, make himself worthy to the woman he loves, and prove that he’s not a nobody.”

Clarence sets out to learn the ways of Jesus Christ—only to scam crowds with fabricated miracles. He and his friends seek to profit from the acts. After being captured by the Roman government, Clarence faces a soul-deepening decision.

Samuel wrote and directed the film. “I want to tell the tales that we’ve never had before,” Samuel said to Deadline. “We’ve never had Black people in the Bible days of cinema. There’s not even a template for us to go, ’Well, like that movie?'”

“Even when Andrew Lloyd Webber made something as nuanced as Jesus Christ Superstar, there’s no Black people in it, except Judas,” Samuel added. “Judas was the Black guy.”

“I always wanted to explore the Bible stories, but from the angle of the person that sells Jesus his sandals, the woman or man that owns the hair salon,” Samuel explained to Vanity Fair. “Clarence is a person that doesn’t believe in anything outside of what’s in front of him, what he can see and hear.”

“Captivated by the power and glory of the rising Messiah and His apostles, he risks everything to carve his own path to a divine life, a journey through which he finds redemption and faith, power and knowledge,” Sony said.

Clarence Devises a Plan

“I’m Clarence. Where I’m from, you fight to survive,” the trailer begins. “I’m not a bad person, just playing the cards I was dealt.”

Throughout the movie, Clarence interacts with his own family, especially his mother. “Mom, one day I’m going to get you out of here,” he tells her. “I have a plan.”

As Clarence carries out his devious plan, he takes his friends to a nearby town to watch the work of the Messiah. “What are we doing here?” one of his friends asks. Clarence answers, “Jesus lives here.”

Clarence and his friends observe Jesus with a crowd, and a friend utters, “I want to be like that in 10 years.” Clarence says, “I want to be like that now.”

“I need to figure out what inspires him. I can just replicate what he does,” Clarence continues. “Imagine the money people will give us.”

Preston Sprinkle Responds to Rosaria Butterfield’s Claim That He Is a Heretic

By

Dale Chamberlain

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November 30, 2023

Preston Sprinkle Rosaria Butterfield — Screengrab via YouTube / @Preston Sprinkle

This week, theologian Dr. Preston Sprinkle publicly responded to the claim that he is a heretic. That claim was made by author Dr. Rosaria Butterfield during a convocation speech at Liberty University earlier this month.

Butterfield, who is well known for her personal journey from being a gay activist working as a tenured professor of English and women’s studies at Syracuse University to becoming a Christian leader and pastor’s wife, has recently taken aim at a number of public theologians and Christian organizations that hold to what she believes is errant doctrine with regard to human sexuality.

During her convocation address at Liberty on Nov. 10, Butterfield specifically singled out Sprinkle alongside the Revoice conference and Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ), alleging that he promotes “lies.” She also referred to The Center for Faith, Sexuality & Gender, which Sprinkle co-founded and leads, as “heretical.”

The “lies” Butterfield accused Sprinkle and others of promoting included the claims that “same-sex attraction is a sinless temptation and only a sin if you act on it,” “people who experience same-sex attraction are actually gay Christians called to lifelong celibacy,” “people who experience same-sex attraction rarely if ever change and therefore should never pursue heterosexual marriage,” and “God doesn’t care about whether men live as men and women live as women.”

This was not the first time Butterfield has expressed her belief that Sprinkle is a heretic. In an appearance on “The Great Awokening” podcast in October, she referred to Sprinkle’s ministry and others like it as “all of that heresy” and “false teaching.”

In June, she criticized Sprinkle’s book, “Embodied,” saying of the work, “This is not a Christian book, and this is not Christian theology.”

On Wednesday (Nov. 29), Sprinkle published an article-length response on the website of The Center for Faith, Sexuality & Gender in which he clarified that he doesn’t actually affirm the beliefs that Butterfield has accused him of affirming.

In the introduction of the article, Sprinkle praised Butterfield’s work and indicated that he would have preferred to speak to her directly, whether privately or publicly, but that she had rebuffed his request for a personal conversation.

Sprinkle said that he reached out to Butterfield via email, but that “her husband, Kent, who is also one of her pastors, responded with an email he and his co-pastor had written, declining on her behalf.”

“When I asked for permission to quote publicly from their reply, Kent requested that I not do so and provided me with this public statement: ‘Rosaria’s pastors stated there is a difference in understanding of the gospel and therefore see no basis for discussion,’” Sprinkle added.

Sprinkle then went on to explain where he shares agreement with Butterfield’s views of human sexuality, where he disagrees, and where he felt he has been misrepresented.

Poll: Less Than Half of Jewish College Students Feel Safe on Campus

By

Yonat Shimron

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November 30, 2023

Jewish college students — Jewish Rutgers University students and members of the community gather holding placards and flags in solidarity and vigil for Israel on Oct. 25, 2023, in New Brunswick, N.J. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

(RNS) — The number of Jewish students who feel safe on U.S. campuses dropped substantially after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, a new poll released Wednesday (Nov. 29) by the Anti-Defamation League and Hillel International, the Jewish campus organization, finds.

The poll, conducted by College Pulse, an online survey and analytics company, found that 66% of Jewish students felt “very” or “extremely” safe on campus prior to Oct. 7, but now only 45% feel the same.

The poll of 3,084 American college students, of whom 527 were Jewish, comes as both antisemitism and Islamophobia have spiked in the wake of the Hamas attack and Israel’s subsequent siege on Gaza. Many Jewish students have reported feeling harassed and intimidated by pro-Palestinian rallies. Muslim students or those protesting in support of Palestinians have also reported doxxing and surveillance of their activities by Jewish groups.

The ADL and Hillel poll focused on campus antisemitism, which it has been tracking in regular polling since 2021. It comes amid growing cries for more vigorous enforcement of antisemitism and Islamophobia at schools that receive federal funds.

"Jewish Students Felt Physically Safer Before 10/07 Than They Do Now" (Graphic courtesy Anti-Defamation League and Hillel International)

“Jewish Students Felt Physically Safer Before 10/07 Than They Do Now” (Graphic courtesy of Anti-Defamation League and Hillel International)

On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation into Harvard University, The Boston Globe reported. The investigation was prompted by a complaint alleging Harvard “discriminated against students on the basis of their national origin (shared Jewish ancestry and/or Israeli) when it failed to respond appropriately to reports of incidents of harassment.”

The Office for Civil Rights has opened nine such college investigations since Oct. 7, according to its website.

Meanwhile, Congress’ Committee on Education and the Workforce is calling a hearing next week with the presidents of Harvard, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Pennsylvania. The House committee wants to question the university leaders about mishandling antisemitic and violent incidents against Jewish students on their campuses.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gather for a protest at Columbia University, Oct. 12, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Opposing Communities Plan Separate Memorial Services for Carlton Pearson

By

Adelle M Banks

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November 30, 2023

(RNS) — In a video released shortly before he died, Bishop Carlton Pearson described the kind of memorial service he hoped for. It would be “slammin,” he said, with gospel musicians and a eulogy from his longtime friend Bishop Yvette Flunder.

“I want to see the excellence of what we are, what we do under the anointing with class,” he said in the YouTube video recorded from his hospice room and released by Larry Reid Live. “I want to show diversity.”

In the days since Pearson died on Nov. 19 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the how and where and with whom to celebrate the life of the controversial preacher and musician has become a point of contention among the many communities, some at odds with each other, who are grieving his death from cancer at age 70.

There are now three churches planning services in Tulsa and two in Atlanta. Flunder will not appear at any of the services in Tulsa. At the root of the separate services is also what caused the rifts in Pearson’s own life: a rejection of hell and an embrace of an inclusive gospel that saw legitimacy in a range of religions and identities.

“(T)he whole world is saved, but they just don’t know it,” Pearson famously said after his theological shift in his 2006 book, “The Gospel of Inclusion: Reaching Beyond Religious Fundamentalism to the True Love of God and Self.”

Pearson, who went from being hailed as a minister and musician to being labeled a “heretic” by the Joint College of African-American Pentecostal Bishops in 2004, was raised in the Church of God in Christ, a predominantly Black denomination, and became an associate evangelist with the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association and a member of the White House’s first faith-based advisory council under the George W. Bush administration.

While leading the interracial Higher Dimensions Family Church, he announced that he no longer believed in a literal hell. When Pearson’s theology changed, some who attended Higher Dimensions, back in the 2000s and more recently, moved to Transformation Church, a predominantly Black, nondenominational megachurch now co-led by Pastor Michael Todd.

It’s at that church where one of the Tulsa services will be held. Several people, including Reid and faith leaders who spoke with Religion News Service, said organizers of the Transformation Church service, set for noon Friday (Dec. 1), have made it clear that the word “inclusion” is not to be uttered.

Bishop Yvette Flunder, left, and Bishop Carlton Pearson. (Photo courtesy Flunder)

Bishop Yvette Flunder, left, and Bishop Carlton Pearson. (Photo courtesy of Flunder)

That is not what Pearson told her he wanted, said Flunder, the leader of the Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, an organization whose congregations are predominantly African American and led by LGBTQ or LGBTQ-affirming clergy.

“That was not what he asked me to do,” said Flunder, describing how she had wanted to fulfill Pearson’s wishes. “And that is to speak out loud about the gospel of inclusion, to speak out loud about an understanding of God that is big enough and broad enough to welcome people.”

Flunder, who said she had long expected to preach Pearson’s eulogy at his request, told RNS she was disinvited by the organizers of the Transformation Church memorial service.

“I could be present but I could not speak,” she said.

Transformation Church did not respond to questions regarding the matter of inclusion, Flunder’s participation or whether or not they disinvited her.

It did acknowledge the range of Tulsa services occurring to honor Pearson.

Why and How I Know What I Am Preaching 12 Months From Now

By

Eric Geiger

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November 30, 2023

According to the teaching calendar, one year from now I will be preaching a message on wisdom and how we use our tongues from James 3:1-18 in a teaching series walking through the book of James.

Yes, I know what I will be preaching a year from now.

Here is why advanced sermon planning works for me practically and why I believe I have the freedom to work this way both biblically and theologically.

Practically

Being advanced in sermon planning enables our team to align the planning of worship services and coordinated discipleship opportunities around what we will be studying. And it is good for me too. A blank page on a Monday morning would be debilitating to me. And overwhelming. Knowing what I am teaching many months in advance helps me see life through the lens of passages and topics I will be teaching. Illustrations come more easily as I know what I am looking for. Time spent driving and exercising are more easily maximized as I can choose podcasts and sermons to listen to that are aligned to where I am going. If I believed my preference violated Scripture or the character of God, I hope I would have the faith to discard my preference. But biblically and theologically I believe I have the freedom to operate this way.

Biblically

The Apostle Paul used the metaphor of “a skilled master builder” to describe his approach to ministry (1 Corinthians 3:10). A skilled builder does not wing the project being constructed. There is ample time for planning, designing, and executing a project.

Theologically

Because God exists outside of time, He is able to lead me months out with the same clarity that He is able to lead me in the moment. Being led by His Spirit can happen months out, moments before, and within the moment. If a person equates spontaneity with spirituality, the person likely disagrees with how I plan our church’s teaching calendar. Because I don’t equate being Spirit-led with being spontaneous, I don’t live with the pressure of having to prove myself to be spiritual by being spontaneous. Of course, there are times we pivot, change our calendar, or adjust a sermon because we seek to stay sensitive to His leading through the whole process.

So what is the process?

People commonly ask me and people on our team about our planning process for preaching/teaching. Below is a snapshot: During my annual study break, I map out the teaching calendar for the next calendar year—typically 7-8 teaching series a year. I return from the annual study break with a series brief for each sermon series. Weekly, I meet with a team to look at a teaching manuscript for an upcoming sermon.

Teaching Calendar: An Excel spreadsheet that is an overview of 12 months, the teaching series within those 12 months, and the message/teacher within each teaching series.

Series Brief: A 3-to-4-page Word document that is an overview of a teaching series. The brief contains goals for the series, opportunities for alignment across different ministry areas, and a 4-5 sentence summary of each sermon in the series. These are refreshed and distributed to teams 2-3 months before the series begins.

Teaching Manuscript: A manuscript of a message within a teaching series that is reviewed with a teaching team before it is delivered to receive feedback and coordinate illustrations, slides, songs, etc. This meeting typically happens 3-4 weeks before the message is delivered.

8 Easy Ways To Be Missional

By

Jonathan Dodson

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November 30, 2023

Missional is not an event we tack onto our already busy lives. It is our life. Mission should be the way we live, not something we add onto life: “As you go, make disciples;” “Walk wisely toward outsiders;” “Let your speech always be seasoned with salt;” “Be prepared to give a defense for your hope.” There are easy ways to be missional everyday without overloading our schedules.

8 Easy Ways to Be Missional

1. Eat With Non-Christians.

We all eat three meals a day. Why not make a habit of sharing one of those meals with a non-Christian or with a family of non-Christians? Go to lunch with a co-worker, not by yourself. Invite the neighbors over for family dinner. If it’s too much work to cook a big dinner, just order pizza and put the focus on conversation. When you go out for a meal, invite others. Or take your family to family-style restaurants where you can sit at the table with strangers and strike up conversation. Cook out and invite Christians and non-Christians. Flee the Christian subculture.

2. Walk, Don’t Drive.

If you live in a walkable area, make a practice of getting out and walking around your neighborhood, apartment complex or campus. Instead of driving to the mailbox, convenience store or apartment office, walk to get mail, groceries and stuff. Be deliberate in your walk. Say hello to people you don’t know. Strike up conversations. Attract attention by walking the dog, taking a six-pack (and share), bringing the kids. Make friends. Get out of your house! Take interest in your neighbors. Ask questions. Pray as you go. Save some gas, the planet and some people.

3. Be a Regular.

Instead of hopping all over the city for gas, groceries, haircuts, eating out and coffee, go to the same places. Get to know the staff. Go to the same places at the same times. Smile. Ask questions. Be a regular. I have friends at coffee shops all over the city. My friends at Starbucks donate a ton of left over pastries to our church two to three times a week. We use them for church gatherings and occasionally give to the homeless. Build relationships. Be a Regular.

4. Hobby With Non-Christians.

Pick a hobby that you can share. Get out and do something you enjoy with others. Try city league sports. Local rowing and cycling teams. Share your hobby by teaching lessons. Teach sewing lessons, piano lessons, violin, guitar, knitting, tennis lessons. Be prayerful. Be intentional. Be winsome. Have fun. Be yourself.

5. Talk to Your Co-Workers.

How hard is that? Take your breaks with intentionality. Go out with your team or task force after work. Show interest in your co-workers. Pick four and pray for them. Form mom groups in your neighborhood and don’t make them exclusively Christian. Schedule play dates with the neighbors’ kids. Work on mission.

Get in on the Growing Impact of Digital Missions

By

Phil Cooke

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November 30, 2023

A few years ago, when we launched our nonprofit, “The Influence Lab,” our motivation was to change how the Church looks at missions in today’s digital age. Aside from the increasing number of requests the Lab receives to teach and train Christians internationally to strategically use digital media more effectively, investing in digital missions can significantly expand your local church’s reach and impact in a multitude of ways.

The Impact of Digital Missions

1) Global Outreach:

Digital missions break geographical barriers, allowing even small local churches to reach individuals worldwide and spread their message to a broader audience. Today, a single person can force a major corporation to change course through the momentum created on social media. What could that kind of influence mean when reaching the world for Christ?

2) Engagement:

Digital platforms facilitate interaction and engagement. While many traditional churches still refuse to acknowledge this, statistics prove that churches that connect with their congregation more regularly through live streams, social media, and other online channels foster a stronger sense of community. Remember that the largest church in America (Life.Church in Oklahoma City) has invested heavily in digital outreaches and shows no signs of slowing down.

It’s the Most Wonderful Time . . . for Small Groups!

By

John Tyler Black

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November 30, 2023

It is the most wonderful time of the year! Churches worldwide are bustling with activities and finding ways to serve families within their community during this holiday season. Small groups own such a unique role within each of these special moments. As the year comes to a close and calendars fill up, it is essential to talk about ways to have a merry small group.

It’s the Most Wonderful Time to . . .

1. Party, Party, and Party.

Christmas and the holiday season is a beautiful time of year. The Church celebrates the birth of Christ, and small groups should lead the charge. Designate a time to bring your group together with one purpose in mind… to party! Celebrate Jesus, your relationships with each other, and all God is doing within your small group. Roast some marshmallows, seek out Christmas lights, or wear ugly Christmas sweaters. There is no wrong way to do this, but it is essential to ensure a merry small group.

2. Be Present.

Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s holidays always mean something very different to each of us in different seasons. There are moments of excitement, sadness, and everything in between. As a small group leader, it is valuable to know what each season brings for individuals and families within our care. We will never be able to say the right thing and make it all better, but we can be present and share our love with everyone. Or, maybe this season is challenging for you. No matter who needs support, keep your group leadership or pastors informed, and remember to be present in the lives of those in your small group.

3. Press Pause.

Many church group systems operate on a semester schedule, and some are coming to a close over the coming days and weeks. Even if you are not breaking, these holidays provide natural moments to press pause. Do not use semester or holiday breaks to disconnect from your small group entirely, but use this time to break from your typical group schedule. Use this time to rest, replenish, and spend time with your friends and family. This pause will help you have a merry small group and launch into the coming year and group semester with more pep to your step.

Which of these steps are simple? Which of these steps are more natural for the group, and what steps would be a stretch? I encourage you to practice these three steps, add some of your own, and ensure you enjoy the most wonderful time with a merry small group.

This article on how small groups can mark the most wonderful time of the year originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

Campus Ministry Tips: 5 Ways to Expand Your Effectiveness

By

Todd Jones

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November 29, 2023

Do you lead a campus ministry, or are you thinking of starting one? Then check out these veteran youth ministry tips for effective campus outreach.

If I had a dollar for every time I heard a youth pastor say they can’t get on school campuses, I’d be rich! We all know the public school system isn’t a welcoming place for religion. And it’s only getting worse.

But most of us in youth work also know schools are the best place to reach students. After all, that’s where kids are! So how do we get on campuses to develop a campus ministry? Start with these five key tips.

5 Tips for Campus Ministry Outreach

1. Change your mindset.

First, let me address the “I can’t get on campus” objection. I’d guess what you’re really saying is, “The school won’t let me start a Bible study.” Or “The school is against me just coming to hang out at lunch time.”

While Bible studies are cool and hanging out at lunch is awesome, that can’t be the standard for campus ministry anymore. We need to change our mindset about what “getting on campus” means and how we actually do campus ministry. Plenty of ways exist to get involved and get on campus. We just need to change what we’re looking for.

2. Volunteer!

Next, remember that schools always need volunteers. They need people to help out and be part of what they’re doing. Look for ways to volunteer and serve the school. Choose opportunities that give you exposure. Then you’ll be able to meet lots of students. For example, you can be a:

ticket taker at a sporting event
volunteer on fee and photo day
classroom aide
tutor
Career Day speaker
mentor
club facilitator
lunch server
dance or trip chaperone

Those are all areas where schools regularly need assistance. So be a volunteer. Not only will you meet tons of students. You’ll also build your reputation and relationship with the schools.

3. Coach.

Coach a sport or help out with the band. This is a great way to get on campus and do amazing ministry. Use the talent God has given you. Some people have athletic talent. Others are gifted musically or in theater. Some have neither but would make an awesome “team parent.”

Former IHOPKC Staff Members Stage Silent Protest in Prayer Room

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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November 29, 2023

ihopkc_protest — Screengrab via X @HeavenBentPod

Former International House of Prayer of Kansas City (IHOPKC) staffers wore strips of red tape inscribed with the word “TRUTH” over their mouths as they staged a silent protest in the IHOPKC prayer room Tuesday morning (Nov. 28).

The protest was organized by former IHOPKC staffer Susan Tuma and Charlea Taylor. They posted the protest as an event on Facebook, saying, “We stand in solidarity with the survivors of Mike Bickle and IHOPKC.”

They are hoping the protest will convince the executive leadership team (ELT) to adhere to an “acceptable level of transparency” regarding the sexual abuse allegations brought against IHOPKC founder Mike Bickle recently.

The event’s description stated that details were “intentionally vague” and instructed those with questions to contact the event’s admins.

Heaven Bent, an investigative podcast, was at IHOPKC during the protest. Heaven Bent shared on social media that IHOPKC’s prayer room, which is usually streamed live 24 hours a day, was showing a prerecorded feed of the prayer room during the silent protest.

Referring to the protesters, Heaven Bent posted, “These bold-ones have worshipped here for years, but are speaking out against alleged sexual and spiritual abuse in their community.”

One protestor, a former IHOPKC staffer named Deborah, told Heaven Bent that she ran into an old friend she met while working there. “She was pacing in the back of the prayer room and I just hugged her. I was not expecting to just sob,” Deborah said. “It’s just heartbreaking seeing so many people who have just invested years and years and years of their lives here.”

Deborah said it bothered her when IHOPKC leaders approached her and her husband, Kirk, in the prayer room during the protest and acted like everything was fine.

She explained that one IHOPKC leader came over smiling and tried to give them a high five. The leader asked Kirk if he was still playing the bass guitar. Deborah shared that she just shook her head because “this place destroyed that part of Kirk’s life.”

This is Deborah. Along with her husband Kirk, and other former IHOPers, they’re right now staging a silent-protest in the #IHOPKC prayer room; asking for an “acceptable” level of transparency from the ELT, in regards to allegations of sexual clergy abuse against #MikeBickle. pic.twitter.com/HHRxwZSeA8

— Heaven Bent (@HeavenBentPod) November 28, 2023

Theology Lecturer Files Lawsuit for ‘Unjust Treatment’ Following Termination Over Controversial Social Media Post

By

Janna Firestone

-

November 29, 2023

Aaron Edwards lawsuit — Screengrab via YouTube / @Together Podcast

After several years as a theology lecturer at Cliff College in the United Kingdom, Dr. Aaron Edwards was fired from his position one month after he posted a controversial statement about homosexuality on social media. In response to his dismissal and treatment by the college, Edwards has recently begun legal action, claiming his rights were violated.

“Anyone concerned about academic freedom, Christian freedoms and free speech should be deeply concerned by what has happened to me,” Edwards told Christian Concern.

Theology Lecturer Dr. Aaron Edwards Takes Legal Action After ‘Unjust’ Dismissal

The controversial social media post, which Edwards authored in February, was said to bring the college into “disrepute,” according to The Christian Post. Cliff College put Edwards on a leave of absence while it conducted an investigation. After a month, Edwards was dismissed from the school.

According to Christian Concern, after the social media post, “Dr. Edwards was abused online, suspended by Cliff College and threatened with being reported to Prevent during an investigation and subsequent hearing.”

Christian Legal Centre, which is the legal arm of Christian Concern and which is representing Edwards, said the legal team will argue that Edwards’ “rights under the European Convention of Human Rights were violated.”

Edwards, 37, is a husband and father to five young children. “The impact on me and my family has been very significant,” Edwards told Christian Concern. “I have lost many friends as a result, and been slandered by people who do not know all of the details but who now see me as an unkind or hateful person.”

Following his dismissal, Edwards set up a crowdfunding project to support his family as he plans to write new projects in “shamelessly Biblical theological education.” In less than two months, 400 supporters helped him reach the £50,000 goal.

Edwards further explained, “The reaction to my tweet and the unjust treatment I have experienced by Cliff College and the Methodist Church in Britain completely illustrates the problem my tweet addressed.”

“The tweet was not defamatory; it was not an attack on any colleague or individual; it was not abusive; and it was not an extremist religious view,” he continued. “It was addressed to evangelicals as a point of doctrine, and it has been misunderstood by many who wish to cause personal and institutional trouble for those who express that view.”

Cliff College has denied accusations made by Edwards that the school terrorized him during its investigations. However, according to Christian Concern, the minutes from the disciplinary hearing suggest otherwise. A review of the minutes revealed “the intimidation tactics used by college bosses.”

A full employment tribunal hearing is expected in 2024 to address Edwards’ claims of damages and unfair dismissal.

Pastor Charged After One of His Sons Accidentally Shoots Other Son in the Head

By

Dale Chamberlain

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November 29, 2023

Adam Vines charged — Screengrab via WSOC-TV

Roughly a month after a 3-year-old accidentally shot his 2-year-old brother in the parking lot of their church, pastor Adam Vines, the boys’ father, has been charged with a misdemeanor weapons offense.

The incident took place on the night of Sunday, Oct. 15, shortly after the conclusion of the evening service at River Valley Baptist Church in Morganton, North Carolina, where Vines serves as pastor.

Witnesses described hearing a single shot fired inside a vehicle in the parking lot. That vehicle was Vines’ van, where one of his toddler sons happened upon Vines’ firearm and accidentally shot his younger brother in the back of the head.

Vines said at the time that the bullet did not hit the toddler’s brain. The child, whose name is Daniel, was airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, where he underwent surgery. He was later transferred to Levine Children’s Hospital, where he received physical therapy.

At the time of the shooting, Vines requested prayer for both of his sons, describing the toddler who accidentally fired the shot as “in shock for the most part.”

After weeks of recovery, Daniel was sent home and was back in church on Sunday, Nov. 26, according to WSOC-TV.

As members of the community celebrate the boy’s recovery, the Burke County Sheriff’s Office believes there should be consequences for Vines’ alleged negligence with regard to his firearm.

In a press release, the Sheriff’s Office said that Vines has been served a criminal summons for “Failure to Store a firearm to Protect Minors.” The summons alleged that Vines should have known that a minor would be able to access the firearm.

If convicted, Vines, 29, could face 45 days of “community punishment,” per state law.

As for the charge, Vines appears to be taking it in stride.

Matt Chandler, Part 1: How the 2022 Controversy Has Impacted His Life and Ministry

By

Jessica Lea

-

November 29, 2023

The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast · Matt Chandler, Part 1: How the 2022 Controversy Has Impacted His Life and Ministry

Matt Chandler is an elder and lead pastor at The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas, and the executive chairman of the Acts 29 Network. He has authored several books, including “Family Discipleship: Leading Your Home through Time, Moments, and Milestones,” co-authored with Adam Griffin. You can sign up for Matt’s newsletter and check out his podcast, “The Overcomers,” at pastormattchandler.com.

Other Ways To Listen to This Podcast With Matt Chandler

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Key Questions for Matt Chandler

-How did the controversy you dealt with in 2022 begin?

-Did your elders overreact?

-What is it like for you at the church now?

-How would you exhort pastors based on your experience in that situation?

Key Quotes From Matt Chandler

“I walked over and told the chairman of the elder board and the other lead pastor, ‘Hey, this is what just happened,’ and I went home and told Lauren. And then, from there, I thought it was over.”

“With that group of men [my elders]—and I think this is really important…that those men deeply love Jesus. They deeply love the Word of God…and then they genuinely love my wife and I and my family. If any of those three are missing, this is probably a completely different story.”

“To me, it was, these are men given to me by God to protect me and to, when necessary, discipline me. And so for me, it was, we’re going to come under their care. And that was just the decision Lauren and I made.”

“I am currently in a season of watching the fruitfulness of me submitting to [my elders’] leading. And so it wasn’t my call as to whether or not [their response] was heavy-handed.”

“I think there were parts of the process that were real frustrating and more hurtful. But I think everybody was doing the best that they could.”

“It was a confusing situation.”

“I’m as committed to the men and women of The Village Church as I’ve ever been in my life.”

Vatican Legal Expert Backs Pope Francis’ Recent Disciplining of Dissident Bishops

By

Claire Giangrave

-

November 29, 2023

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — As Pope Francis grapples with defiant bishops in Germany and the United States, a high-ranking Vatican official who oversees church law clarified on Tuesday (Nov. 28) the protocols for disciplining a bishop, saying any failure to act in communion with the church and the pope can be cause for dismissal.

“There is no official mechanism for the firing of bishops, which can be evaluated by the college of bishops and by the pope,” said Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta, secretary of the Vatican Department for Legislative Texts, at a meeting with the press organized by the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.

Arrieta explained that a church trial is only necessary if the bishop is accused of a crime. “Sometimes it’s a question of a single act, others it’s an issue of conduct,” he said, while in other cases the bishop’s behavior may require “an evaluation of communion” with fellow bishops and the pope.

Popes rarely take the step of firing dissenting bishops, instead preferring to request a letter of resignation that is in turn accepted by the pontiff. But on Nov. 12, Francis dismissed Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, a fierce critic of the pope and a leading voice of the conservative opposition to Francis in the United States. Strickland’s diocese had been placed under Vatican investigation earlier this year after he had made a habit of passing along criticism of the pope on social media.

Francis also recently ended American Cardinal Raymond Burke’s privileges at the Vatican, withdrawing his salary and right to a subsidized apartment. In a Nov. 20 meeting, according to The Associated Press, the pope called Burke a source of “disunity” in the church.

In Germany, the Vatican has reined in the movement known as the Synodal Path, which has seen bishops embrace progressive positions in the course of a two-year-long consultation with lay Catholics on the questions of LGBTQ inclusion, women’s ordination and lay control. After a committee was commissioned to implement the movement’s proposals, the Vatican ruled that such a body would undermine the role of the bishops’ conference.

In a letter last week to German critics of the Synodal Path, Francis added his “concern” that the German church risks breaking from communion with the rest of the church.

Arrieta made clear the pope didn’t oppose the creation of the Synodal Path’s committee but said the whole church needed to move together on doctrine. “The contrast takes place when the doctrinal symmetry is lacking,” Arrieta said. “When bishops in a specific location want to intrude in a field that concerns the unity of the church, it’s clear that it creates problems.”

Arrieta also emphasized that canon law already leaves ample space for lay involvement and participation.

“The Second Vatican Council did a great job on the episcopate,” he said, referring to the reforms set in motion by the world’s Catholic bishops in the 1960s. The council gave bishops wide powers in their jurisdictions, which led to “great decentralization in the church,” said Arrieta.

Pope Francis Cancels Trip to Dubai for COP28 Upon Doctor’s Advice

By

Claire Giangrave

-

November 29, 2023

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Pope Francis, taking the advice of his doctors, has canceled his upcoming trip to Dubai, where he was scheduled to attend the COP28 conference on climate change, the Vatican announced on Tuesday (Nov. 28).

Despite the improvement of his health after contracting the flu, “doctors asked that the pope not carry out his planned trip to Dubai in the next few days,” read a statement by Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni.

The 86-year-old pontiff “accepted the doctors’ request with great regret and therefore the trip is canceled,” Bruni said.

Francis was slated to attend a series of meetings with decision-makers gathered at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference, which begins Friday, and was set to speak at the inauguration of the first-ever “Faith Pavilion” at the summit along with other religious leaders, including the United Kingdom’s Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, president of the Divine Shakti Foundation.

The Vatican statement said the pope and the Holy See still wish to take part in the discussions remotely, saying that announcements will follow as to how exactly that will take place.

Francis has taken a strong interest in the issue of climate change, recently publishing an apostolic exhortation on the topic, “Laudate Deum,” renewing the call he made in his 2015 encyclical, “Laudate Si’,” for political leaders to act quickly on protections for the environment.

On Saturday the Vatican announced that Francis had contracted a mild flu and had been taken to Gemelli Hospital in Rome for a CT scan of his lungs to make sure it hadn’t turned into pneumonia. During his customary Sunday prayer in St. Peter’s Square the following day, Francis told the audience he was suffering from “an inflammation of the lungs” and he appeared tired and out of breath.

According to official data from Italy, there has been a surge in the number of people who contracted the flu in the early weeks of November, coinciding with a wave of unusually cold temperatures across the Italian peninsula.

Last year, Francis canceled a scheduled visit to Congo and South Sudan, citing knee problems. His predecessor, Pope John Paul II, canceled several trips due to his medical condition.

The current pope, who turns 87 in December, has seen his physical ability slowly decline in recent years, primarily due to sciatica and knee pain, and has also been subject to frequent respiratory infections. A small part of Francis’ lung was removed when he was a teenager in his native Argentina after an infection.

This article originally appeared here.

The Misuse of Leadership Influence and Wasted Opportunities

By

Brian Dodd

-

November 29, 2023

One of the marks of leadership maturity and organizational health is the level of problems are you dealing with. For instance, a leader who is having to negotiate petty squabbles between employees is probably not spending enough time on innovation and creating solutions which advance its culture, mission, and vision.

Leaders will always have problems. But they should always be trading little problems or bigger problems. Haven’t you said, “Do you remember when when all we had to deal with was…?” Every new level has a new devil. The larger the problems, the more likely the greater success you are having as a leader.

I thought a lot about that lesson after reading the following story.

An Issue Which Needs (Or Not Need) Addressing

Because of its down-the-middle coverage, one of the online newspapers I subscribe to is Morning Brew. Just give me the facts. As reported in their Nov. 7 edition, legendary singer Barbra Streisand encountered a problem which needed her attention.

Was it a problem with the poor and under-resourced in our country or around the world? No.

Was it a problem with our educational system? No.

Was it a problem in our political system and the way government serves its citizens? No.

Was it a problem in the entertainment industry? No.

Was it her concerns related to the Gaza Strip? Well, she may be concerned about that but the article did not point it out.

Streisand’s problem was she discovered Siri was mispronouncing her name. She said, “My name isn’t spelled with a ‘Z.’ It’s Strei-sand, like sand on the beach. How simple can you get?”

Was Streisand going to let this AI-generated miscue pass? Absolutely not! So what would someone with her notoriety, fame, and influence do? Well, she called Apple CEO Tim Cook directly and asked for a correction.

To Cook’s credit, he solved the problem. Streisand described him as “lovely.”

What Does It Mean to Carry Your Cross?

By

Robin A Riggs

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November 29, 2023

What does it mean to carry your cross? As a teenager, I once heard my pastor say that Jesus has many admirers, but not enough followers. That statement stuck in my mind. There are many who attend church weekly, but their professions of Christianity may be lived out superficially, or at any rate at their convenience. Following Jesus is not merely acknowledging His existence, or “agreeing” with His teachings. Following Jesus means to walk in His footsteps. It means to take upon yourself His purpose and mission in the world. It means braving the dangers of an evil world for the sake of an unbendable love for God and for people.

Carrying Your Cross

“take up your cross…”

The Christian lifestyle can be validly called “the lifestyle of the cross” because, just as it is impossible to take the cross out of Christianity and still retain true Christianity, so we cannot take the cross out of our Christian lives and live as genuine Christians.

It is true that the cross represents victory over sin, and the Christian life is indeed characterized by joy, peace and power, but it also represents suffering. The cross represents God’s love and redemptive plan, a plan that was accomplished through suffering. Jesus rose and lives, but still we cannot deny the cross its full meaning; and so, as we talk about abundant and victorious living, we will also see that we cannot escape the quality of sacrifice found in true Christian living in a sinful world.

The Joy in Carrying Your Cross

The message of the cross was never sad or negative for the first Christians. They rejoiced in it, even in the midst of suffering. They were so in love with the One who died for them that the suffering they endured for His name was considered entirely worthwhile. They were not lovers of pain, but they loved God and knew the only meaning their lives could have was in Him. If sinners, out of hatred for God or the message of salvation from sin, inflicted pain on them, the disciples of Christ remained undaunted.

When many think of cross-bearing, they think off an an attitude of resignation to human frailties (which all too often leads to excusing ourselves from being all that God has made it possible for us to be in Christ). Instead, the Bible is speaking of the complete and loving identification of our lives with Christ, what He stands for, and what He wants to accomplish through us in this dark world. The gospel of health, wealth and prosperity may attract some people by appealing to their desire for pleasure, comfort and success but it will not convict them of their sins.

Today, our hope lies in the cross. We must not try to change it.

This article about carrying your cross is an excerpt from Lifestyle of the Cross by Robin Riggs.

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