‘Christianity Is Not What I Thought It Was’—Danica McKellar Shares More About Her Newfound Faith

November 27, 2023

Danica McKellar loves a great story. The actor and author has starred in the sitcom “The Wonder Years” and countless romcom favorites on the Hallmark Channel and Great American Family. For years, McKellar rejected the idea of Christianity and faith. But a visit to a friend’s church introduced McKellar to God’s beautiful story—and how she belonged.

“In my life, starting in childhood, I had been made aware of all the hypocrisy in the various religions of Christianity, it being used for evil, power & control throughout history, and that had definitely biased me. But that’s just people, that doesn’t represent God’s actual love for us,” McKellar said in a 2022 Instagram post.

‘It’s About a Relationship With God’—Danica McKellar Continues Her Faith Journey

At one point in time, Danica McKellar wasn’t interested in anything having to do with faith. She had always struggled with how Christianity had been used to abuse and exert power throughout history. She told Christian Headlines, “That was really my kind of awareness of Christianity before.”

But visiting a local church with a friend gave her a new perspective on faith. It’s no secret that actor and Great American Family executive Candace Cameron Bure and McKellar are close friends. Bure invited McKellar to a Passion Play at her church on Palm Sunday in 2022.

“It just hit me like a wave. It was immediate,” McKellar told Christian Headlines. “It was, like, the Holy Spirit just flooded me.”

McKellar shared more about her friend, Bure. “Candace has been wonderful. After we watched the play, I was like, ‘This is what I’ve been looking for my whole life and didn’t realize it’…And it’s been wonderful. It’s been a wonderful gift.”

Since that first visit, McKellar has been exploring her new faith. She said, “I’ve been discovering the pure part of it, that part that’s actually the core of it.”

McKellar explained, “It’s about your relationship with God, you get to have a personal relationship with God. And that was like such a revelation.”

Along her faith journey, she has come to grips with how Christianity has been misused in history. “Those aren’t authentic Christians. And so just realizing that—it just opened the whole thing up.”

McKellar is continuing to learn and grow in her faith. “I’ve been reading the Bible all the way through this year. And I will be done by the end of the year. I’m on track,” she said.

“This is the first time I’ve read the Bible,” the actress continued. “And I had read the gospels before, but never the Old Testament, and I’m starting from the beginning.” McKellar continued to reflect on Leviticus, which is “a little dry, but that’s ok…It’s actually kind of fascinating when you feel like you’re in that world, and you know what the materials look like, and what the food was. Anyway, it’s pretty amazing.”

As she learns more about Christianity, McKellar isn’t afraid to admit she has quite a bit to learn. McKellar plans to reread the Bible next year as well. She recognizes “it’s a lot of information” and wants to “soak in more.”

A Film Sheds Light on 11 Daring Women Whose Defiant Act Changed the Episcopal Church

Yonat Shimron

November 27, 2023

(RNS) — Ten minutes into a new documentary on the battle for women’s ordination in the Episcopal Church, a short archival clip shows the first time women were seated as full voting members in the denomination’s House of Deputies.

But even as women took that minor step forward, they were introduced by a male priest who described the women deputies as “bringing us something the House has needed desperately for a long time — some beauty.”

Such were the belittling attitudes toward women four years before a group of 11 seminary-educated female deacons challenged their church to accept them as priests in 1974.

“The Philadelphia Eleven,” a new documentary dozens of churches are now screening across the country, depicts the buildup toward the so-called irregular ordination at which three bishops (with a fourth observing) ordained 11 women as priests without the denomination’s approval. The ordination — often described as an act of disobedience — caused deep divisions in the church. The women were vilified in the media and in personal attacks. But they also paved a path toward the full embrace of women priests by the denomination two years later, in 1976.

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of that irregular ordination and the documentary casts a fresh light on that momentous time and on the methods used to achieve it.

Six of the 11 women ordained — all white — are still living, and their eloquent testimonies that they are equal to men form the essence of the documentary. In contrast, male priests and bishops appear in archival images railing against the idea of women priests, intoning that “priesthood implies fatherhood,” and as one priest insists, “We cannot have a female rooster.”

A still from "The Philadelphia Eleven" documentary. (Courtesy image)

A still from “The Philadelphia Eleven” documentary. (Courtesy image)

Old-fashioned as those comments may sound, their sentiment is still widespread in Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, where women have yet to be ordained, as well as in the Southern Baptist Convention, where women may not serve as pastors.

The documentary also comes at a time when gender equality has stalled as state legislatures restrict abortion and legislate against trans youth.

“We’re in a space where women’s rights are starting to get rolled back, and to understand the stories of the women who come before us and the shoulders we stand on is the only way we move forward,” said Margo Guernsey, the film’s director and producer.

An independent, Massachusetts-based filmmaker, Guernsey said she never heard about the Philadelphia 11 until she had a phone conversation with one of its leaders, the Rev. Carter Heyward, and came away wanting to know more.

Margo Guernsey. (Courtesy photo)

Guernsey set about filling in that gap in her knowledge. It turned into an eight-year odyssey that included interviews with the surviving Philadelphia 11 and the people around them, deep dives into reams of archival footage and, most difficult of all, raising money for the documentary, underwritten by 1,200 individuals.

Several of the Philadelphia 11 are now attending the church screenings. A wider distribution of the documentary is expected in late 2024.

Heyward is featured prominently in the documentary. She and Emily Hewitt were among the group’s leaders. In the early 1970s, both were studying at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. They were joined by Suzanne Hiatt, who was working as a social justice organizer at Church of the Advocate in Philadelphia.

The Episcopal Church had no rule forbidding female priests, but ordaining them just wasn’t done. After several attempts to allow women’s ordination failed at General Conference, the three began to plot to shake up the status quo.

Oklahoma Christian Leaders Seek To Join Suit Opposing State-Funded Catholic School

Fiona Andre

November 27, 2023

(RNS) — Four Christian leaders and education advocates are seeking the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s permission to join a lawsuit filed by the state’s attorney general that aims to prevent the opening of an online Catholic charter school.

The plaintiffs—Melissa Abdo, Bruce Prescott, the Rev. Mitch Randall and the Rev. Lori Walke—contend that the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board’s decision to sponsor the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School undermines religious freedom in the state and will lead to discrimination against nonreligious students.

“The separation of church and state is not the sole responsibility of the state; the church has to do its part to hold that line and continue to honor that separation,” said Walke.

St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School would be the country’s first publicly funded religious charter school.

Attorney General Gentner Drummond has argued in his own filings that the decision violates Oklahoma’s Constitution. He has said he is ready to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court if needed.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond speaks during an interview, Feb. 1, 2023, in Oklahoma City. The Statewide Virtual Charter School Board, a state school board in Oklahoma, voted June 5, 2023, to approve what would be the first publicly funded religious school in the nation, despite a warning from the state’s attorney general that the decision was unconstitutional. Drummond had previously warned the board that such a decision clearly violated the Oklahoma Constitution. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)

The Oklahoma faith leaders are represented in their effort to sway the case by Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Education Law Center and the Freedom From Religion Foundation. They previously filed a separate lawsuit in a district court this summer.

The board is represented by the Christian legal group Alliance Defending Freedom.

When she learned about the board’s decision to allocate public funds to St. Isidore, Abdo, a Catholic resident of Tulsa County, immediately felt the need to counter assumptions that the lawsuit was an anti-Catholic effort.

“I’m Catholic; this happens to be a Catholic school effort, but I would never expect people of another faith to pay for educating children in the Catholic faith,” she said.

A longtime public education advocate, Abdo sits on the public school board in Jenks, Oklahoma, a suburb of Tulsa, and the Oklahoma State School Boards Association board of directors. Besides her misgivings about religious freedom, she also expressed concerns about whether St. Isidore will be able to comply with all obligations imposed on public schools, such as holding open meetings and keeping records open.

“It’s a very big responsibility when we are accountable to the taxpayers because they’re paying for school,” she said.

The senior minister of Mayflower Congregational Church in Oklahoma City for the past 15 years, Walke said her advocacy for the separation of state and church stemmed from her Southern Baptist upbringing.

Her church, which is aligned with the United Church of Christ, counts many queer parishioners, and Walke said she is worried St. Isidore will discriminate against LGBTQ+ students.

“They explicitly state that they are going to be part of the evangelizing mission of the church. … Of course, they mean their particular flavor and brand of Christianity, which does happen to be homophobic, not to mention misogynist,” she said.

She said she also fears that support for St. Isidore will siphon funds from Oklahoma public schools.

Wisdom From Experience for Church Planters and Pastors

Ron Edmondson

November 27, 2023

11.27-Wisdom-from-Experience-Churchplanters — Adobestock #434099133

I was meeting with a potential church planter and some wisdom from the years of experience flooded my mind. I think they are valuable for all leaders, but especially my friends in ministry.

Some of these were given to me by others. Others were learned firsthand by experience.

Wisdom From Experience for Church Planters and Leaders:

Seek Approval Among the People to Whom God Sent You To Minister.

All of us need assurance at times from other people what we are doing matters. Church planting is often unpopular among established churches. In a growing established church your critics will be those who resist change inside the building. Either way there will be critics.

This nugget of wisdom was spoken to me by a seasoned church planter. Most likely God didn’t call you so you could be popular—or even to simply satisfy people who already love their church the way it is. He sent you to reach hurting, broken people—to be his witness to a dark world.

My guess is those whom you are reaching are happy with your efforts.

Love God and You’ll Love People Wherever God Sends You.

I just knew Cheryl and I were supposed to plant a church in New York City. It was something I wanted to do and even felt “led” to, at times. But still, there never seemed to be the peace or an opportunity to do so. While walking the streets of NYC one morning, I asked God to give me a clear heart for the people of New York if it was where he wanted us to be.

Then came one of the clearest words from God I’ve ever heard. If I truly love God, I will love the people and have a heart to make disciples among them, wherever I go. I felt released from the burden and freer to serve wherever God placed us next.

Don’t Ignore Churched People When Planting a Church.

When I was a new church planter, we ran from anyone who had any church affiliation. They weren’t our target. We didn’t want to offend other churches. In doing so, we robbed ourselves of potential leaders and kept some people from following the ministry God had laid on their heart.

The same is true in the established church. It can’t be all about the “new” people. You have to love the people who are already there. They are your best resource and partners to reach the lost and hurting.

Your Spouse May Have To Trust You Even More.

My wife has often known we were supposed to do something, but her heart has often been more tender when it comes to leaving the people we love. Her faith follows quickly, but her heart often lingers with the previous church.

At times, I have had to ask her to trust me, and my walk with Christ, when she can’t seem to force her heart to shift. (You actually can’t force a heart to change.) Unless she has a conviction against moving forward, if she’s willing, it is often helpful if she relies on my logic more than her emotions. Her emotional commitment always follows in time.

Peace Often Only Comes Through Obedience.

Sometimes the complete peace in a decision doesn’t come until I’ve said “Yes Lord” to what I sense he’s calling me to do. Saying yes, before I have all the assignment or all my questions are answered, seems to open the door for God to bring peace about the move. And, his blessing and glory.

How to Preach a Text You Don’t Fully Understand

Mike Leake

November 27, 2023

There are many advantages to preaching through books of the Bible. One “disadvantage” is that you’ll occasionally have to preach a text that you really do not yet fully understand. But even this, I believe, is healthy for the preacher and the congregation. So what do you do when you spend your week laboring over a difficult text with a couple valid options and you still don’t know where you land before you preach a text?

Let’s say you are preaching through Matthew 11 (or Luke 16) and you come upon this doozy:

From the days of John the Baptist

This is a very difficult verse to translate (you’ll notice this by the different translations). The word for “suffered violence” only appears here and in Luke 16. And its form can be either in the middle voice or the passive voice. This leads to a couple of questions. First, is the kingdom advancing violently or is the kingdom being violently acted upon? Second, are the ones “taking it by force” doing a good thing or are they the persecutors?

How you interpret this passage will have a bearing on the way you preach/apply this passage.

If it’s in the middle voice then you’d perhaps share an illustration about standing in line at Wal-Mart on a Black Friday. You don’t just passively sit outside the store and quietly wait your turn in line. If you want that big screen television you push and claw your way to being one of the first ones in line. Likewise, if your heart has truly been changed then you go after Christ with this type of vigor. Are you desperate for Christ? Or can you take him or leave him?

If it’s in the passive voice then you’ll talk about the persecution that Christians face. You would share illustrations about the kingdom of God being attacked and how violent men will always oppose the kingdom of God.

Personally, I take a view that it’s in the middle voice “the kingdom is forcefully advancing” but I don’t see the “forceful men” as positive. Therefore, I’d be a bit uncomfortable making the Wal-Mart illustration. I don’t see this as standing in line on Black Friday but a call to endure in the simple gospel because it will continue to advance in spite of serious opposition. But I’m not absolutely convinced that I’m right.

That makes for a couple different sermons. And you don’t want to preach and apply a text when it very likely could be saying something different. So what do you do?

How do you preach a text if you aren’t absolutely certain of its meaning?

1. Does either option contradict any other doctrine? If not, then preach both and give a bit of application for both.

So what I would do with Matthew 11 is outline the various options, give a few reasons why each are plausible, and then make some application. I would say something similar to what I did above. Perhaps this is calling us to take the kingdom of God as serious—so serious that we’d stand in line overnight just to get in. Or maybe this is calling us to endure in the face of persecution. Either way the point is somewhat similar. Jesus is worth every ounce of suffering we might have to endure. And the kingdom will advance.

2. Don’t be dogmatic.

There is a Bible commentator whom I absolutely loved early on in my Christian walk. I appreciated the certainty with which he’d explain a particular text. And then I got to studying deeper and I realized that what was “obvious” to him wasn’t so clear cut. It caused me to lose respect for him. It’s one thing to be unmoving in clear gospel truth. It’s quite another to not engage and leave open very valid options.

3. Don’t get lost in the weeds.

Very seldom do you need to go into incredibly lengthy explanations about the difficulty of the text. The last thing you want to do is have people not having confidence in the text or to feel as if they need advanced theological training in order to read their Bibles. Don’t spend a ton of time laying out the various options. Know them well, explain them quickly and move on.

4. Unite it all under the banner of Christ.

If you aren’t able to see how both options relate to Christ then you either aren’t fully understanding the passage or one of them can’t be true. You should be able to preach Christ in both options. Consider Matthew 11. No matter how it’s translated the point is actually somewhat similar—it’s about the sufficiency and worthiness of Christ. Either he is worthy of standing in line on Black Friday and clawing your way in or he is worthy of our suffering.

5. There is much to be gained by honest wrestling.

If the preacher stands in the pulpit and says “I don’t know” every week, then perhaps he needs to look at a new career. But if we occasionally come to a text and say that we aren’t quite sure what it means, this actually adds to the confidence folks will have in not only their own ability to exposit but also in our ministries. This will add weight to the times when we do speak with absolute confidence.

This article about how to preach a text you don’t understand originally appeared here.

10 Winning Strategies for Worshipping With Kids

Jenny Funderburke Smith

November 27, 2023

Let’s be honest. Typically, adult worship services are geared toward… well… adults. Here are our strategies when we take taking our kids, especially our very youngest, to worship that help make worship meaningful for both our kids and us.

Strategies for Worshipping With Kids

Keep realistic expectations.

Your kid is not going to sit through the service like a forty year old might. Kids just aren’t designed to pretend to be adults. But you can make clear what you expect of them. They should stand up and sing. They should be quiet during the sermon. They should not crawl under the pews.
Take them to the bathroom before going into the worship space.

Yes, they will still ask you later. But the older they are, the more capable they are of making it through the service if you include this preemptive step.
Sit around people who like you.

Social distancing rules will mean you can’t sit real close to people anyway. But you will still be nervous that your kid is disturbing someone else. The truth is that most everyone will be understanding during this season. You will feel better, though, if you know the people you are disturbing.
Recruit a teenager.

This suggestion probably breaks social distancing rules, but if you have several littles, consider borrowing a teenager from another family. (They are probably ready for a break from their family anyway). Coach the teenager to help keep the kid engaged and quiet, not just distracted. Teenagers are often miracle workers when we are at the ends of our parenting ropes.
Let them wiggle a lot during the music.

All kids can participate in the worship time. This is the perfect opportunity for them to move before the sermon. Make them stand up. If you can find out the song list from your worship pastor ahead of time, listen to the songs throughout the week so your kids will know them and can participate.
Prepare ahead of time.

Have some things for your kids to do. Bring paper and crayons. Encourage them to draw or write something that they hear in the sermon. You can give older kids a note-taking sheet like this. I’ve also been coaching older kids and teenagers to try their hand at sketch noting.
Snacks are excellent bribes.

When my kids were small I had two levels of snacks. Level one was for when my child started to get restless and just needed a distraction. Gummies, cheerios, or other small snacks work for this. Level two snacks were when I could feel we needed a stronger incentive. M&M’s or Skittles worked well because I could slip one or two them every now and then and the bribe worked longer. Sometimes a lollipop works too because they have to keep their mouth closed.
Use technology as a last resort.

Kids rarely can watch YouTube or play a game and also pay attention to what is happening. Yes, screens will keep them quiet. But screens also bring a high level of disengagement from everything else. However, I will never say never on this one. Sometimes you are just trying to survive.
Take them out if needed, but do your best to bring them back.

You do not have to be the martyr to the cause who is going to stay in the worship space no matter how loud your child is. Don’t be that parent. When they become a distraction, go ahead and take them out. Try your very best to get them back in, though. Some days you will just have to throw in the towel. And that’s ok. There is always next week.
Talk about the service on the way home.

Do not create an inquisition. Rather, look for common ground to discuss. Ask kids what song they liked and why. Ask what they remember from the sermon. Ask what they thought about a verse that was read. Tell them what they did really well during church. Encourage the positive behaviors. Challenge them, in a positive way, about what to work on next time. Thank them for worshipping with you and tell them why it was special.

Parents, you CAN do this. It will be harder. You may have many have weeks where you feel like you wrestled a bear rather than worshipped. I’m praying for precious memories to be created over these weeks of family worship throughout our country. Your kids will be different because of it!

This article originally appeared here.

Why the Christmas Season Can Be Hard for Pastors – 10 Reasons

Chuck Lawless

November 27, 2023

I love the Christmas season but the Christmas season can be hard for pastors. I love decorating our house with my wife, giving gifts and celebrating the birth of Christ. I must admit, though, that the work of being a pastor during the Christmas season was sometimes stressful.

10 Reasons the Christmas Season Can Be Hard for Pastors

1 . We minister to folks who are especially hurting during the holiday season.

Some families are celebrating the holiday for the first time without a loved one. Others have experienced painful divorce in the past year. Some are struggling so much financially that they can give few gifts for Christmas. Our calling is to minister to all these folks, regardless of the time of year.

2. The parties are often numerous, and the expectations are high.

Everybody invites the pastor and his family, and everybody expects them to come. It’s possible to have an entire month of December without a free night if you don’t schedule well. Yet, heaven forbid if you miss a Christmas party!

Something for Everyone in the Christmas Story – 20 Examples

Joe McKeever

November 27, 2023

In more ways than we expect, there really is something for everyone in the Christmas story. Just off the top of my head here are 20 examples of how the Christmas story has something for everyone.

Something for Everyone in the Christmas Story – 20 Examples

Do you like a true-life adventure story? This one is the best. It’s found in only four chapters in the Bible: Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2.

You like genealogies? Then check out the birth narratives about our Lord Jesus. See Matthew 1:1-14 and also Luke 3:21-38.

You like mysteries? Try to figure out how those two lists of ancestors works out for the lineage of Jesus. If you finally give up, then (and only then) go to a commentary written by a Bible-believing scholar. Your church library probably has several.

You are a history student? Then check out Luke 2:1-3 where “the beloved physician” gives the historical setting for the birth of our Lord. Then, move up one chapter and see how Luke does the same thing for the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry some three decades later.

You love conspiracies? (There’s a lot of that going around today. Is Elvis really dead? Who shot JFK? Was General Patton murdered?) Then, check out King Herod in Matthew chapter 2 and notice his murderous rampage against anyone who appears to be a threat, even little babies. Sheesh. What a monster. And notice how the Lord Jesus sent the Magi with funds (“gold”) to finance the trip of the little Holy Family to Egypt, just ahead of Herod’s legions. They slipped away just in time.

You are a woman and you love babies? (I’m a man and I love babies. But concerning the pregnancy/birth process, we men are on the outside looking in.) Then, do not miss the entire first chapter of Luke. It begins with the announcement/birth of John the Baptist and moves seamlessly into the announcement and birth of his cousin, the Lord Jesus. It’s pretty special. Your heart goes out to Mary.

You love old people or (ahem) happen to be one yourself? Don’t miss Simeon and Anna in Luke 2 Simeon had been told a secret by the Holy Spirit, that he would live to see the Messiah. Then, as Mary and Joseph entered the temple for His dedication, the Holy Spirit nudged him. “All right, Simeon. You’re on! This is the moment you have lived for!” Who among us does not resonate with pleasure at his exclamation, “Now, Lord, you can call me home! I’ve seen it all!” The blessed Anna, on the other hand, just seems to have been in the right place at the right time.

Do you love Bible prophecy? It’s throughout this wonderful story. In Matthew 1:22-23, we have the connection of “Jesus” with the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14. And in Matthew 2:5, the theologians advise King Herod that according to Micah 5:2 the Christ will be born in Bethlehem. Or see how the song of Mary (Luke 1:46ff) shows her acquaintance with Psalm 18.

Are you a guy who loves doing macho things like going on sudden fishing/hunting trips or mission excursions to difficult parts of the world? Then, take a look at the Magi of Matthew 2. If ever there was a “guy thing” in Scripture, this is it. A group of men in some distant eastern country who were studying the heavens came to the conclusion—no one is sure how—that “the King of the Jews” was to be born in this tiny kingdom. And they decided to come and see for themselves! These men put their lives on hold, convinced their wives they would be home in time for the children’s birthdays, and at great expense and incredible hardship started out on a trek to (don’t miss this!) follow a star! Meanwhile, back at home, you can imagine how the wives are taking this. We shake our heads at the daring of these men and so admire how God used them. (And can you imagine the stories they had to tell on their return!)

Are you a nobody wondering how God could ever use a cipher like you? You have come to the right place, my friend. Check out Luke 1:26ff where the angel Gabriel informs Mary of Nazareth that God has chosen her for hazardous duty. Her responses come down to variations of “Who me?” And do not miss her song, recorded in Luke 1:40-55, which reeks of praise to God for choosing to bless the lowly and the nobodies.

(See page wo for more examples of how the Christmas story has something for everyone.)

He Who Is a Happy Creator Is a Happy Redeemer

Randy Alcorn

November 26, 2023

If we are going to fully trust God, it’s vital that we believe in a happy God who cares deeply for our welfare and is active in creation and redemption.

In his sermon “A Free Salvation,” Charles Spurgeon said,

Let a man truly know the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and he will be a happy man! And the deeper he drinks into the spirit of Christ, the more happy will he become! That religion which teaches misery to be a duty is false upon the very face of it, for God, when He made the world, studied the happiness of His creatures. You cannot help thinking, as you see everything around you, that God has diligently, with the most strict attention, sought ways of pleasing man. He has not just given us our absolute necessities, He has given us more—not simply the useful, but even the ornamental! The flowers…the stars…the hill and the valley—all these things were intended not merely because we needed them, but because God would show us how He loved us and how anxious He was that we should be happy!

Now, it is not likely that the God who made a happy world would send a miserable salvation! He who is a happy Creator will be a happy Redeemer!

God spun the galaxies into being and spoke life into His creation. What joy we feel when we see His handiwork and realize that He made it not just to keep it to Himself but to share it with us. I can imagine Him laughing out loud as He formed some of this world’s crazy-looking creatures. (Some of them, in the deepest part of the oceans and perhaps in other worlds, haven’t even been discovered yet!)

God has kindly entrusted to us a glorious variety of gifts. And in the ages to come He won’t cease to be a Creator of what’s new and wonderful!

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

Is There Spiritual Safety in Numbers?

Clint Archer

November 26, 2023

If you visit one of our South African game reserves you may be exposed to the stark brutality of the food chain in action. I’ve seen zebra, wildebeest, and even a giraffe, harangued into fatigue, pulled to the ground and torn to shreds by lions.

“Nature, red in tooth and claw,” as Tennyson said. When you see a herd of impala grazing, you get a distinct feeling that they are just some predator’s meal waiting to happen.

Imagine a young buck learning the facts of life from his dad: “Son, we antelope are totally harmless, we munch on grass all day, we can’t crouch down or hide in any way, oh and we are made of meat. Lions are built for speed and strength, they have fangs, claws, and camouflage, and eat only meat. Any questions?”

“Yeah. How do we survive?”

There is only one hole: find safety in numbers. Lions, leopards, and other predators tend to catch and eat one antelope every few days. So if the prey huddle together in a herd and then scatter, they only have to be faster than the others in the herd to survive.

There is safety in numbers.

Some people treat their spiritual lives the same way. They think, “God is holy and just and he hates sin, will punish it forever in Hell, but I don’t need to be perfectly holy, just holier than most of the people I’m with. If I belong to a world religion consisting of millions of adherents, then God can’t possibly disregard that religion. There is safety in numbers.”

But Jesus disabuses us of that misconception…

3 False Assurances Many People Have That They Will Be Saved

1. Awareness Of The Gospel

And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. (Luke 13:23-24)

This man wanted to know how many people go to heaven and Jesus doesn’t say “Don’t worry, most people get to heaven, so you only have to beat the axe-murderers and Satanists.” No, he says…“Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”

Yikes. Only those who strive (or “agonize” from the Greek) get to heaven?

But then Jesus goes further. He says there are even people who want to get in who won’t!

Pretty shocking! Doesn’t the Bible teach whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life?

Notice that Jesus uses two different words to describe similar actions with two very different attitudes.

Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

Both types of people desire to enter the narrow door to salvation, but the one wants to enter with an agonizing, blood-earnest striving, while the other wants to enter with a casual seeking.

It’s the difference between a browser who merely flips through books for sale and the determined shopper who knows exactly which hardcover he wants and won’t let the shop assistant rest until he has located it.

God Sustains the Weary with a Word

Brandon Cox

November 26, 2023

This isn’t a private message, but it is a deeply personal one. This morning, I opened my Bible to Isaiah 50:4-9, one of the passages assigned for this coming weekend in The Revised Common Lectionary. And God met me there. The first few lines of the passage address the needs of the weary:

The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word.

When I stepped away from Grace Hills in April of 2021, Angie and I were hopeful for a season of rest and refreshing. But the last few months have, instead, been the darkest valley through which I’ve ever walked. I’ve been overwhelmed with doubt, especially about myself.

God Sustains the Weary with a Word

If I’m not a Pastor, who am I? Of what use is my life? Do I have a word for a weary world anymore? Will anyone even care? Has God given up on me? In my final year at Grace Hills, I spoke often concerning the application of the gospel to the lives of the oppressed, the marginalized, the poor, and the underprivileged.

I learned the hard way about the level of pushback one receives when challenging the privilege of predominantly white, conservative, middle-class Americans living comfortably in a fairly affluent community.

Honestly, my message hadn’t radically changed, but the culture around me was becoming more volatile. Certain issues had become politicized and weaponized, particularly by conservative media personalities.

The message I kept hearing was simple… Stick to the gospel and avoid “politics.” (Translation: Only talk about the aspects of the gospel that don’t challenge the privileged.)

But there were words shut up in my bones, like a fire in my stomach. I was weary of holding back. The world needed to know that God particularly favors the least, the last, and the lost — and the weary.

Jesus came to challenge our American Dream version of the gospel. As evangelicals, we’ve spent decades framing the gospel as purely a matter of personal salvation. We’ve ignored the reality that Jesus’ life and death were also intended to obliterate oppressive power structures and gather a new community of people following the way of Jesus.

Perhaps one of my greatest regrets in life is having allowed all of those opposing voices to convince me to hold my tongue. While leaving Grace Hills was the right decision at the time for a variety of reasons, I made the tragic mistake of believing that my voice wasn’t needed or valued anymore.

So, back to Isaiah’s words.

My wife, Angie, ever the encourager of my soul, continues to remind me that there is a calling and gifting upon my life for the task of teaching, speaking, preaching, and writing. My friends and family have often echoed her message. But I’ve admittedly been stubbornly resistant to their positive reminders and have instead languished in a sea of self-pity.

And today, God highlighted these words to me afresh…

The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word.

I don’t believe any scripture can be lifted from its context and given a new meaning. But I do believe that God uses all kinds of messages to communicate personally to our hearts. His Spirit turned this verse toward my heart with his own powerful reminder about who I am and what I’m on earth to accomplish.

So… it’s time to speak up.

To be faithful to God’s urging, and for the sake of my relationship with him, it’s time for me to repent of selfishness and self-pity, of making excuses and giving myself over to distraction from my life mission. It’s time to forgive and to commit to loving God and loving people and living out the way of Jesus intentionally and passionately.

It’s time to speak again. To write. To preach. To teach.

This may or may not happen in the context of a pastoral ministry within the church. I leave that to God and will be obedient to whatever he makes clear about his will. I just know that I’m weary of being quiet. Of believing I don’t matter anymore. I’m ready to ascend from the valley and I’m so grateful to God for sustaining me there.

Please pray for me. Pray for my spirit to be humble and my heart to be strong and bold. Pray for a fresh wind of creativity and vision to break through in my head.

The world is weary, and I have a word.

This article on God sustaining the weary originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

Shadow Side of Mission: Fostering Learning and Healing in Missions

Ed Stetzer

November 25, 2023

I recently spoke at Missio Nexus next week in Orlando, FL. The theme is social transformation and the gospel, and they asked me to talk about some of the issues on the shadow side. You can still join us at Missio Nexus here.

As I was thinking about my topic, I wrote this article and thought I’d share it with you in three parts. This is Part 2. (Read Part 1 here.)

An important link between our identity as God’s missional people and our participation in God’s mission is the kingdom ethic that gives shape to the shared live of God’s holy, yet imperfect people.

What does it truly look like to live out the implications of God’s distinct nature and character in a fragmented, fallen world?

We Should Foster a Learning Community.

In Matthew 28:20, Jesus states that discipling others is an essential aspect of our mission. Genesis 18:19, an Old Testament Great Commission text affirms this central truth: “For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him” (emphasis added).

Wright reminds us of the importance of the first Great Commission where he states: “God’s people must be taught and must pass on that teaching about what it means to walk in God’s ways and demonstrate righteousness and justice. There is an unavoidable ethical dimension to the Mission of God’s people.”¹

The foundation of Christian community rests on truth, essential for its survival; communities devoid of truth crumble. The prevailing culture of outrage I’ve written about highlights this. Amid a trend to “find personal truth,” the church’s role is to embrace the enduring truths of the Christian faith. Christian community is rooted in collective commitment to these doctrines, guiding life and transcending hobbies, politics, or culture. Jesus personifies truth as the way, life, and truth itself.

Our role is not to define but to uncover truth in Christ’s mission. A learning community centered on God’s truth, passing it on to others in a culturally appropriate way is of great importance to God’s mission and ours.

We Need to Embrace a Healing Posture.

Too often in our cultural moment is the church categorized as a place of hatred, division, and hypocrisy, rather than a community of love, purpose, and life. Our God is defined by a welcoming, redemptive, and loving posture toward his creation—a posture that brings hope and healing, rather than hatred and discord. Our Triune God reflects in his nature the unity, community, and diversity that should be lovingly on display among his people.

As people with a distinct kingdom ethic, we need to display a sense of discontinuity with the world’s agenda. In his discussion on the “going” aspects of the biblical mission, Wright posits that our “leaving and going” as followers of Jesus need not always refer to a geographical setting:

Christians who commit themselves to the mission of God in the world have to start with a certain going out from the world. For we still live in the land of Babel and Sodom. We need to recognize the idolatrous nature of the world and its claims and ideologies.³

¹ Wright, C.J.H. (2010). “The Mission of God’s People.” (Zondervan, Grand Rapids), 95.
² Stetzer, Ed (2018). “Christians in the Age of Outrage.”
³Ibid, 78.

Character Is More Important Than Communication Skills

Phil Cooke

November 25, 2023

character communication — Adobestock #608232841

Over the last 20+ years, I’ve noticed a very common situation whenever I’ve been called in to help a church or ministry communicate the news of a leader’s moral failure. In the vast majority of situations, the leader in question was a brilliant communicator.

Perhaps he was a powerful preacher or charismatic leader. Maybe she was very eloquent and could captivate an audience. In many cases, the person had built a business, church, or nonprofit to a significant degree on the back of their amazing communication gifts.

But sad to say, they apparently spent more time developing their communication skills than their character.

We should all be great communicators because we must share our message effectively.

But if you prioritize your communication skills over your character, it probably won’t end well.

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

9 Teaching Methods of Jesus

Brandon Hilgemann

November 25, 2023

Jesus was the master teacher. Thousands would gather to hang on his every word. People traveled far and wide just to hear him. The lessons he taught spread like fire and literally changed the world.

As pastors, if there is anyone we should emulate in our preaching and teaching it is Jesus! Right?

So how did Jesus teach?

Here are nine methods Jesus used that we can apply:

JESUS SPOKE BY HIS AUTHORITY

Other teachers quoted credible teachers or teachings to borrow authority. Jesus, on the other hand, boldly declared, “You have heard this, but I tell you…” (Matthew 5:22, 28, 32, 34, 39, 44).

The crowds were amazed because He taught as one who had authority, unlike other teachers (Mark 1:22).

Application: We cannot preach on our authority, but that’s OK. Jesus gives us his. Preach the Word. Our power and authority come from Christ alone.

JESUS TOLD STORIES

As you are aware, Jesus told countless parables. He pulled spiritual truths from everyday life. Not only did these stories make his teaching more memorable, they also connected in a much more profound way.

Think about the parable of the Prodigal Son. Jesus could have taught, “God loves you so much that He will welcome you back no matter how sinful you have lived.”

Instead, Jesus tells the story of a boy who disowned his family, partied away his inheritance, came home to beg for mercy, but was surprisingly welcomed with open arms by his father who waited daily for his return.

Which is more powerful?

Application: Tell stories. Lots of them. Use everyday life to teach profound spiritual truths.

JESUS SHOCKED PEOPLE

Jesus often used hyperbole. He used outrageous examples, exaggerations or shocking statements to get your attention. These statements were not all meant to be taken literally, but they definitely got the point across.

For example, Jesus didn’t really mean we have to rip out our eyes and amputate our hands for causing us to sin (Matthew 5:29-30). He was making a point.

Jesus said things that shocked people and exaggerated the truth to emphasize his point.

Application: Shock people. Exaggerate a little. Say outrageous things that aren’t meant to be literal, but grab attention and communicate the point clearly.

JESUS CRAFTED MEMORABLE SAYINGS

Jesus spoke poetically. He used catchy sayings and plays on words. This isn’t always apparent in English translations. However, in the original language, Jesus made it much easier for his listeners to remember what he said.

For example, Jesus memorably said, “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you” (Luke 6:37-38a, ESV).

Application: Craft sticky statements. As Andy Stanley says, “Memorable is portable.” If your people remember the lesson, they will carry it with them wherever they go.

5 Life-Changing Secrets of Kingdom Living

Seth Barnes

November 25, 2023

There’s something in us that loves a good mystery, that revels in paradox. Perhaps it’s because we’re made in God’s image, and he loves it, too. I’m not sure why it’s so. But it’s everywhere in Scripture, beginning with the Old Testament that tells us what we can’t do followed by the New Testament that dispenses with rules and introduces us to grace. When I was younger and bored by sermons during church, I’d meditate on the paradoxes of the faith. While the preacher was droning on, I would write an essay about a particular paradox. On the outside, it looked like I was just taking good sermon notes. But what I was really doing was exploring secrets of kingdom living. I have a group of guys that I disciple on Tuesdays. It’s the sort of thing we love to talk about. In fact, here are five conversations we might one day have about God’s secrets:

5 Life-Changing Secrets of Kingdom Living

1. You were made to be dangerous and fight against comfort.

Everything in us wants to be comfortable, but there is nothing comfortable about faith. We were made to fight evil, to be a threat to the forces of injustice in the world. We have access to the power of God as we put comfort at risk. There is a verse where God declares, “You are my battleaxe.” It’s poetic because it’s true – we are dangerous weapons in God’s hands.

2. You have to leave on a journey to find your true self.

People with the best of intentions can keep friends and family members from discovering the deeper aspects of their identity in kingdom living. One reason “no prophet is welcome in his hometown” (Luke 4:24) is that they have to leave to discover their gift. Harsh tests may await you out on your journey, but beyond them is an understanding of who God made you to be.

Holiday Tips to Help You Thrive Throughout the Christmas Season

ChildrensMinistry.com

November 24, 2023

Holiday tips can help you avoid burnout at Christmas. So read on to discover seven ways you can thrive this season.

This time of year opens up more opportunities to minister to first-time or occasional guests. It’s an exciting time when families come back to church—even if it’s just for one service. We know you realize how important their experience is. So you and your children’s ministry staff work triple hard to make things excellent and smooth. And that can be stressful!

Amid all that, you can wear yourself out. Don’t let that happen this Christmas! These seven holiday tips will help you not only survive but also thrive.

7 Holiday Tips for KidMin Workers (and Everyone!)

1. Make time for God.

First and foremost, don’t let your daily time in the Word and prayer slip away. Guard it with everything you have so God can pour into you.

2. Make time for friends and family during the holiday season.

It’s easy to be task-oriented at Christmas. After all, there’s so much to do. You need to connect with people who energize you (especially if you’re an extrovert).

3. Make time for yourself.

Carve out time to read a book that feeds your soul or imagination (especially if you’re an introvert).

4. Make time in your to-do list.

What can you not do this year? Let the annual Christmas card go. Or the cookie exchange. Or decorating the outside of the house. Put up 50% of your normal decorations. Buy pies instead of baking. Commit to a simple menu for holiday dinners so you can enjoy your family this season. Give yourself permission to do less!

5. Make every moment count.

Power-shop for gifts online. Ask family members and friends to tell you what they want—and even send links for easy shopping. That will take the stress out of the gift-guessing game. In a pursuit-of-peace opinion, avoid the malls at peak hours. Shop at off times; going late at night can be quite relaxing!

Who Was Jesus’ Best Friend? A Look at the Disciple Simon Peter

Jeremy Berg

November 24, 2023

Who was Jesus’ best friend, kids may wonder. When you’re talking about Jesus’ earthly life and ministry, introduce teens to Simon Peter. Read on for one youth minister’s moving letter to his young son.

Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” John 13:33-37

Dear Peter Bjorn,

I want to introduce you to a very special person. He’s so special we named you after him. Simon Peter was one of Jesus’ original disciples — and one of the first people Jesus called to be his full-time disciple.

Peter, along with James and John, made up Jesus’ inner circle. They had a special glimpse into the things of God, and among this inner circle, Peter often acted as leader and spokesperson. His name heads every list of the Twelve in the New Testament.

Peter was passionately devoted to Jesus. He claimed he would never deny Jesus and promised to fight to protect him from any harm.

Who Was Jesus’ Best Friend on Earth?

In fact, you might say if Jesus had a best friend on earth, it was most likely Peter. After Jesus called him to leave his fishing business and devote his life to the ministry of the Kingdom, Peter seemed to never leave Jesus’ side. He was never more than a step behind, covered in the dust Jesus’ sandals kicked up. When Jesus was walking up a hill and stopped abruptly, Peter’s nose probably bumped into his butt. Peter vowed to follow Jesus anywhere.

Good disciples want to mimic and copy their rabbi’s every move. Peter seemed to have taken this to an extreme level once while out at sea. All the disciples were shocked and scared when they saw their rabbi, Jesus, walking on the water out at sea.

Generational Discipleship: It Starts With Connection

Christina Embree

November 24, 2023

We have to start somewhere. Generational discipleship doesn’t just happen. No matter what structures or programs we have in place, no matter how stunning our stage presence or powerful our preaching, no matter how nice our facility or how big or small our building, without the connections that lead to meaningful relationships, we will miss out on the greatest opportunity for lifelong disciples within our faith communities.

In the Connect Generations case study in 2022, one interesting insight into how connection plays out in the participating churches emerged.

For starters, in the ten churches that were surveyed, there were ten different understandings of connection, relationship, discipleship, and mentorship. Definitions of these words were intentionally not given to the participants.

The goal was to see if generational discipleship, the passing of faith from one generational to another, was being observed by the participant without input or bias from the researcher.

In the end, only two participants differentiated between connection (a chance or space to interact), a relationship (something that moved beyond the greeting at church), and discipleship/mentorship (a passing on of faith or life lesson from one person to another). Only one participant could articulate a path from connection to relationship to discipleship/mentorship where the passing of faith was the primary intent.

In general, mentorship was primarily seen as simply passing a skill or task to another such as how to run the sound board or cook the meal for the yard sale or cut the lawn or teaching someone to take over a vacated role on a committee. Mentorship was only spoken of by one participant in a way that involved any form of spiritual formation or the sharing of personal life lessons.

The ways in which discipleship was understood were equally vague, with all but one referring to a discipleship program or curriculum as the primary context for discipleship. One participant responded to the question on mentorship/discipleship by saying, “We don’t use a lot of religious language…Mentoring is still a thing but not necessarily spiritual or religious.”

Another offered their church’s definition of discipleship as simply “embodying faith” but offered no practice tied to the experience of discipleship in their church other than starting a mentoring program in January.

Finally, another answered the discipleship/mentorship question by sharing, “Intergenerational relationships are more about hanging out and having fun not intentional discipleship or mentoring.”

Why is this important? Because if we are to take seriously our call to make disciples on all, including the all that shows up in our church each Sunday, we need to know what it is we are doing.

This is what generational discipleship is all about. It’s the passing of our faith from one generation to another. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Our faith doesn’t accidentally get passed on by way of a good book or a great worship song. Our faith is passed from one generation to another. It is passed in relational community.

The 5 Essential Practices of Leaders Who Multiply Leaders

Dave Ferguson

November 24, 2023

Five…four…Ferguson picks up his dribble…three . . . two . . . one . . . Ferguson shoots and scores! They win! They did it! Ferguson’s last-second shot has won the championship!

With my hands raised in victory, I shouted those words in the driveway of my house as a kid. In fact, I created a heroic drama like this hundreds of times every summer.

I bet you did too.

If it wasn’t a game-winning last-second shot, how did you imagine yourself as the hero somewhere?

My wife, Sue, who became a teacher, saw herself being like Anne Sullivan: teaching the next Helen Keller and helping her students discover how to learn.

Maybe you dreamed of taking a spaceship into outer space as the whole world watched to see whether you would land safely.

Perhaps you envisioned yourself in front of ten thousand screaming fans, nailing a face-melting solo on your electric guitar.

Maybe you imagined dancing so beautifully that when the music stopped, the crowd erupted with a standing ovation.

I believe God put that dream to be a hero within each of us as our way to make a difference and to leave our mark on planet Earth.

Jesus as a Hero Maker

Jesus’ death on the cross was heroic. Jesus told his Father, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42), and then he stretched out his arms and gave his life for us.

But Jesus didn’t stop with being a hero. He made heroes out of his closest followers. We know that Jesus was a hero maker by how he allocated his time and energy as a leader.

When you think of Jesus’ ministry, do you picture him speaking to the crowds—Sermon on the Mount, feeding of the five thousand—or spending time to train the Twelve? One researcher says the Gospels put 3/4’s of their emphasis on the training of the Twelve. He calculates that from the time Jesus told the Twelve that he’d teach them to multiply (“I will send you out to fish for people” [Matt. 4:19]) until his death, Jesus spent 73 percent of his time with the Twelve. That’s 46 events with the few, compared with 17 events with the masses. The ratio of time Jesus spent with the few versus time he spent with the many was almost three to one.

Undistracted Holidays

Daniel Henderson

November 24, 2023

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone. If you are like me, you probably feel deep unrest with the world’s blatant devaluing of the day that has been set aside to reflect on the good gifts of our God and His abundant blessing on our lives. Instead, the world is consumed with secular parades, multiple NFL games and endless marketing to our consumer-driven culture about Black Friday specials. Even for the devout, distractions abound during this season of celebration. Preparations for an unprecedented day of feasting, complications of travel and even engagement in the complexities of family relationships can draw us away from a focused heart of gratitude. What does it mean to be undistracted during the holidays?

As we gathered to express our thanks for the Thanksgiving meal, I shared a reflection that was a bit morbid, but a good reminder. I said, “If we knew that this would be the last Thanksgiving for someone among us, how would this affect the way we cherished our time together?” We talked about taking some time to all share the things we were most grateful for in 2018. With good intentions, we failed to really capitalize on the moment. The distractions of seven small and very active children, cleaning up the kitchen and, for some, tuning in to football caused us to lose focus.

Undistracted Holidays

With the Christmas season now kicking into full gear, it isn’t going to get any better. We must think clearly about the little but dangerous distractions, and brace ourselves for a better focus.

The First Christmas

Recently, I read a commentary about the potential distractions that even Mary and Joseph may have faced at that first Christmas. In their much simpler environment, there were diversions that may have derailed their savoring of all that God was doing. This writer proposed the following possibilities:

‘It’s About a Relationship With God’—Danica McKellar Continues Her Faith Journey

Wisdom From Experience for Church Planters and Leaders:

Seek Approval Among the People to Whom God Sent You To Minister.

Love God and You’ll Love People Wherever God Sends You.

Don’t Ignore Churched People When Planting a Church.

Your Spouse May Have To Trust You Even More.

Peace Often Only Comes Through Obedience.

How do you preach a text if you aren’t absolutely certain of its meaning?

1. Does either option contradict any other doctrine? If not, then preach both and give a bit of application for both.

2. Don’t be dogmatic.

3. Don’t get lost in the weeds.

4. Unite it all under the banner of Christ.

5. There is much to be gained by honest wrestling.

Strategies for Worshipping With Kids

Keep realistic expectations.

Take them to the bathroom before going into the worship space.

Sit around people who like you.

Recruit a teenager.

Let them wiggle a lot during the music.

Prepare ahead of time.

Snacks are excellent bribes.

Use technology as a last resort.

Take them out if needed, but do your best to bring them back.

Talk about the service on the way home.

10 Reasons the Christmas Season Can Be Hard for Pastors

1 . We minister to folks who are especially hurting during the holiday season.

2. The parties are often numerous, and the expectations are high.

Something for Everyone in the Christmas Story – 20 Examples

(See page wo for more examples of how the Christmas story has something for everyone.)

3 False Assurances Many People Have That They Will Be Saved

1. Awareness Of The Gospel

God Sustains the Weary with a Word

We Should Foster a Learning Community.

We Need to Embrace a Healing Posture.

Here are nine methods Jesus used that we can apply:

JESUS SPOKE BY HIS AUTHORITY

JESUS TOLD STORIES

JESUS SHOCKED PEOPLE

JESUS CRAFTED MEMORABLE SAYINGS

5 Life-Changing Secrets of Kingdom Living

1. You were made to be dangerous and fight against comfort.

2. You have to leave on a journey to find your true self.

7 Holiday Tips for KidMin Workers (and Everyone!)

1. Make time for God.

2. Make time for friends and family during the holiday season.

3. Make time for yourself.

4. Make time in your to-do list.

5. Make every moment count.

Who Was Jesus’ Best Friend on Earth?

Jesus as a Hero Maker

Undistracted Holidays

The First Christmas

New Articles

New Podcasts