10 Commandments for Teens: How Young People Can Live for God

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November 4, 2023

I compiled these 10 commandments for teens because young people are precious in God’s sight. He wants the best for their hearts and lives. These 10 commandments for teens are adapted from the commandments the Lord gave Moses in the Old Testament. And they can help kids stay focused on Jesus and following him.

John Piper, who clearly articulates we are not under the Ten Commandments, states, “Love God and do as you please is not bad advice if you are bent on holiness. If you are bent on love, the Ten Commandments are really important. You should hang them on your wall and live your life by them. But in a very different way than when you were under them, because they have been kept for you.”

Because Christ kept all the commandments for us, we obey out of love and gratitude. Because Christ perfectly fulfilled the Law on our behalf and gave us His perfect record, we are not under the Law. The Law no longer speaks against us because Christ has spoken for us.

But as believers, we delight in God’s truth and commands. Through the lens of the gospel, we can look to these OT sayings for clarity and direction on how to live as the rescued people of God. When the Lord gave Israel the commandments, He gave them to the people He had miraculously liberated from slavery.

So take a look at these 10 commandments for teens. Then share them with the kids in your church and youth ministry!

10 Commandments for Teens

1. Seek Christ first (Do not have other gods besides Him)

For young people, a whole new world of choices is available. Amid everything you can join and all the activities available to you, seek Jesus first. Only Christ has rescued you, and only He can satisfy you.

2. Beware of idols, even the good ones (Do not make an idol for yourself)

Because, as John Calvin said, “our hearts are idol factories,” we become tempted to bow before good things (grades, friends, career options, even ministries). Don’t give those things your ultimate affections.

3. Study in His name (Do not misuse the name of the Lord)

You carry Jesus’ name if you are His. You represent Him to your teachers and peers. “Do everything in the name of the Lord” (Colossians 3:17). Offer your studies, mind, and thoughts to Jesus.

4. Rest and reflect on Him (Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy)

As God’s son or daughter, you are always at rest from your works to earn His favor and love. But take time each week to slow down, rest, and reflect on His goodness to you.

5. Honor people who helped you get here (Honor your father and mother)

Many teenagers can point to a parent or both parents for their love, encouragement, and example. Some look to a caregiver or mentor. Whoever has helped you along the way, honor them by giving your best.

Disciplines for Spirit Filled Worship

By

Worship Cohort

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November 4, 2023

What is Spirit filled worship? “Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.” (Ephesians 5:18b-19)

Successful, but Unspiritual

Samson was born to lead. The Lord blessed him and filled him with the Holy Spirit (Judges 13:24-25, 14:6,15:14). As Israel’s appointed judge, he fought their battles and defeated their enemies with immense, matchless strength. He was the quintessential picture of power and success among God’s people during a very dark time.

But as we all know, the story takes a tragic turn: Samson shared the truth about his strength with the infamous Delilah, whom the Philistines had hired to seduce him and find out his secret. Consequently, she exploited Samson’s secret, and thus when the Philistines came for him, “he did not know that the Lord had left him. And the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and bound him” (Judges 16:20-21).

The Spirit of God left Samson and he didn’t even know it. His overconfident, presumptuous sense of success desensitized him to God’s absence. Worship leader, if the Spirit were to leave your ministry today, would you even notice? Would his absence make any difference in the way you sing, plan, manage your time, and relate with your team?

Many worship leaders today maintain an appearance of success, but their lives are void of Spiritual power. Sure, we might make great music; we may execute our set lists each week with seamless precision; we might have excellent production value, but without the Holy Spirit’s power, it’s all smoke and mirrors. Apart from him, there is no success; only pretense and illusion. Therefore we must learn to lead by the power of the Spirit, or like Samson in Philistine custody we will be blinded and bound by the deceitfulness of sin.

Spirit Filled Worship

In Ephesians 5:18b-19, Paul instructs the saints in Ephesus to be continually filled with the Spirit. He associates this ongoing Spiritual fullness with a heart-felt, joyful outpouring of song. Within the context of Ephesians 5, this kind of Spirit filled worship is contrasted with sin and immorality—drunkenness, crude speech, sexual sin, covetousness and the like (see 5:1-18a).

This means that people who sing fervently ought to be people whose lives are characterized by a gospel-motivated commitment to holiness. Their passion is the overflow of their pursuit. So if you want to be a Spirit-filled worship leader, seek holiness with reckless, grace-fueled abandon.

At its core, this pursuit is a matter of confidence, meaning that if your confidence is in anything but the grace and power of Christ, you are guaranteed to find sin festering and wreaking havoc in your life and ministry.

Thus in order for sin to be killed and holiness to thrive, we must put our whole confidence in Jesus and his provision for us in the outpouring of his Spirit. After all, to pursue holiness is to pursue Jesus himself, and to be confident in him alone. Apart from this, there is no such thing as ministry success in God’s economy, or Spirit filled worship.

Spirit Filled Worship DisciplinesLead to Extraordinary Holiness

Therefore we must create space in our lives for the practices that the Holy Spirit uses to instill within us a greater confidence in Christ. Practically speaking, the path of confidence in Jesus is littered with trusted disciplines, which have been used throughout history to saturate lives with the gospel of life-transforming grace. These disciplines are nothing new, but when observed faithfully, they serve as means of gospel formation by which we receive more of and from the Holy Spirit:

A personal, well-rounded devotion to the Word and to prayer—these are the chief of all disciplines, especially for leaders in the church (Acts 6:4).
The development of relationships with godly people who can commit to speaking the truth to you in love by partnering with you in prayer, identifying areas of sin and weakness in your life, and helping you progress in holiness (Prov. 26:7, 17; Eph. 4:15; Jas. 5:16-20).
The practice of observing a Sabbath at regular intervals—probably at least one day a week (Ex. 20:8).
Reading solid, gospel-centered, theologically astute books that equip you to grow personally (Prov. 9:9; Eph. 4:11).
Meditate upon and preach the gospel to yourself constantly (Ps. 42:5, 11).
Worship God alongside the members of your congregation—this may seem obvious for worship leaders, but the significance of this practice as a Spiritual discipline can be easily overlooked, especially by us (Rom. 15:5-7; Eph. 5:18-19; Col. 3:16; Heb. 10:23-25).
Lead your family before you lead others—too many worship leaders are far more comfortable leading sung-worship in the sanctuary on Sunday morning than they are in their living room on Monday night (Deut. 6:4-7).

Dear worship leader, do not underestimate the power of these ordinary spiritual disciplines for your everyday life. You and I are responsible to instruct and admonish the church to sing well, but effective gospel-powered leadership begins with what the Lord is doing in us. Therefore we must be faithful in observing the ordinary means of grace that God uses to work out the extraordinary miracle of Spirit-brimming, Christ-confident holiness in us.

This article on Spirit filled worship originally appeared at WorshipCohort.org.

Serving and Thanksgiving: 9 Combo Activities for Youth Ministry

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Youth Ministrycom

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November 3, 2023

Are you looking for ways to combine serving and Thanksgiving with your kids? Then check out these 9 activities that integrate servanthood and gratitude.

These youth group activities provide ideas for service during the Thanksgiving season. Plus, they offer fun ways for your youth group to gather food for a Thanksgiving meal.

In Matthew 10:8 Jesus says, “Freely you have received; freely give.” Our lives may not always be everything we hope them to be. But the vast majority of Americans are richly blessed. One way we can show our thanks to God is by helping others.

The Thanksgiving season is a great time for your youth group or families to meet the needs of others in your community. By serving, you show people Christ’s love.

9 Youth Activities: Serving and Thanksgiving

1. Volunteer at a food kitchen or food bank.

2. Take kids to visit someone who lives at a nursing home or is confined at home because of poor health.

3. Buy some (or all) of the holiday-dinner groceries for a family in need in your community.

4. Have teens go through their winter clothes and coats, selecting items they no longer fit or wear but are still in good condition. Then give them to people without homes in your area or donate them to a local shelter.

5. Make some bag lunches and distribute them to people living on the streets.

SBC Pastor Found Dead After Apparent Suicide Days After Secret Life Exposed

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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November 3, 2023

bubba_preaching — (L) F.L. “Bubba” Copeland screengrab via Facebook / @First Baptist Church Phenix City

UPDATE: According to WRBL News, Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones confirmed that F.L. “Bubba” Copeland was found dead Friday evening off a Lee County Road. He died by suicide.

“I can confirm he took his own life,” Sheriff Jones told WRBL News.

Lee County Sheriff’s Office Investigations posted the following on Facebook:

On November 3rd 2023 at approximately 4:14 PM , the Lee County Sheriff’s Office received information that a welfare check was needed for Mayor Fred ‘Bubba” Copeland from Smiths Station. Deputies located Mayor Copeland in the Beulah community of Lee County and a slow pursuit was initiated. Mayor Copeland turned off of Lee road 279 on to Lee road 275 just north of Yarbroughs Crossroads and pulled over. He exited the vehicle, produced a handgun and took his own life. An ongoing investigation is being conducted by Investigators at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

Copeland was the pastor of First Baptist Church of Phenix City, a Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) church in Alabama; the mayor of Smiths Station, a town of less than 6,000 in Lee County, Alabama; and a convenience store owner.

Earlier this week, it was discovered by 1819 News that Copeland, who is married and has a family, had an online presence as Brittini Blaire Summerlin, a transgender woman who posted explicit content and images, including fictional erotica.

Copeland referred to himself as a “curvy transgender” on social media, which has now been deleted.

Phenix City Pastor: ‘It’s a Hobby’

When confronted by 1819 News, Copeland said he has been dressing up as a woman since his youth and claims he does it as a “hobby” to relieve “stress.” While his wife is aware of his transgender persona, Copeland informed 1819 News that the rest of the community is not.

“Just my wife knows about it,” he said. “It’s a hobby I do to relieve stress. I have a lot of stress, and I’m not medically transitioning. It’s just a bit of a character I’m playing…I don’t go out and seek solicitation or anything like that.”

Calling his trans persona something he does in private, Copeland said, “It’s something that I don’t intermingle with the other. It’s private. I don’t do it in the public or anything like that…it’s just a fictional character I made up to relieve stress.”

“It’s just a hobby that I have inside my own home that has not traveled outside of my home,” he added. “I have not done anything outside of my own home besides post or publish anything on the internet, and that does not affect anything with inside my jurisdiction.”

Copeland believes that what he does in private shouldn’t affect his life as a pastor. “What I do in private life has nothing to do with what I do in my holy life,” Copeland said.

“Does this have any effect on me being mayor, that I sometimes put on a dress or sometimes put on makeup? Does that have anything to do whatsoever with me being mayor or being a pastor?” he asked 1819 News. Copeland said that he hopes to serve another term as Smiths Station’s mayor.

On Wednesday, the day 1819 News released its report, Copeland used the pulpit at First Baptist Church of Phenix City’s Wednesday night worship service to claim he was a victim of an “internet attack.”

Dolly Parton Defends Collaboration With Kid Rock, Says She Loves Him in ‘That God Way’

By

Jessica Lea

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November 3, 2023

Music legend Dolly Parton has defended her decision to collaborate with Kid Rock on her forthcoming album, saying that she loves and forgives everyone just as God does.

“I love everybody. I don’t criticize, I don’t condone nor condemn,” Parton told The Hollywood Reporter (THR) in an interview on Nov. 2. “I just accept them. But anyhow, just because I love you don’t mean I don’t love Kid Rock in that God way.”

Dolly Parton To Release New Album, ‘Rockstar’

Dolly Parton is a country music star and one of the bestselling female artists of all time. During a career that spans more than five decades, she has received numerous awards and accolades. Parton is also an actor and is known for her Dollywood theme park and philanthropic efforts.

The singer was recently invited into the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame, an honor she initially declined because she is a country music singer. However, she accepted after learning that the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame includes artists outside of the rock genre. “But I still didn’t feel great about it,” she said. “I still thought I needed to earn it.”

So Parton created her first rock album, “Rockstar,” which will release on Nov. 17. The album features a star-studded list of collaborators, including Sting, Lizzo, Steven Tyler, Stevie Nicks, Miley Cyrus (Parton’s goddaughter), Pat Benatar, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and Elton John.

Track seven on the 30-track album is a duet between Parton and Kid Rock titled “Either Or.” When fans found out about the collaboration, a number of them criticized Parton for working with Kid Rock.

Kid Rock is the stage name of Robert James Ritchie, a rapper and country rock singer who rose to fame through his fourth album, “Devil Without a Cause.” Ritchie is known for hits including “Cowboy,” “Bawitdaba,” “All Summer Long,” and “Picture,” a duet with Sheryl Crow. He is reportedly an ordained minister and is known for various controversies including arrests for assault and substance abuse, displaying a Confederate flag during his concerts, and using homophobic slurs.

Notably, Parton has a substantial gay following and is known for her support of the gay community. “I have some of everybody in my own immediate family and in my circle of employees,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. “I’ve got transgender people. I’ve got gays. I’ve got lesbians. I’ve got drunks. I’ve got drug addicts—all within my own family. I know and love them all.”

Author Gavin Ortlund Leaving Pastorate To Become Full-Time Theology YouTuber

By

Dale Chamberlain

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November 3, 2023

Author and theologian Gavin Ortlund has announced that he will resign his pastorate at First Baptist Church in Ojai, California, to pursue ministry as a full-time YouTuber.

Ortlund announced his upcoming transition in a video posted to his Truth Unites YouTube channel, which has more than 47,000 subscribers.

While Ortlund said that “there’s a heaviness and sadness” associated with saying farewell to his California church family, he expressed that the move is “an ‘all the stars aligning’ opportunity.”

Truth Unites, which “exists to promote gospel assurance through theological depth,” will be merging with Renewal Ministries, the teaching ministry started by Ortlund’s late grandfather, Ray Ortlund Sr., and which is now led by his father and mother, Ray Ortlund Jr. and his wife Jani.

Ortlund will also serve as theologian-in-residence at Immanuel Church in Nashville, a congregation that his father founded and where his father serves as lead pastor.

Ortlund will conclude his time as pastor of First Baptist Ojai in mid-December.

In his announcement, Ortlund explained that he began his YouTube channel three years ago in the hope of helping address the religious decline in America, something that has become “the greatest passion” of his vocational life.

While he expressed his love for pastoring, Ortlund explained that the growth of Truth Unites over the past year has made it difficult for him to faithfully fulfill all of his ministry responsibilities while also maintaining a healthy family life.

“It’s been a busy three years. We’ve had two more children in that time period; we have five kids now. I’m a full-time pastor, and I’m doing all these different kinds of things. And I love them all, so I’ve been able to kind of try to navigate things,” Ortlund said. “Over the last year or so, it’s ratcheted up to one level further of busyness. And so that is a part of this.”

“This change allows me to focus a little more,” Ortlund continued, “and not feel like I’m doing five different things all at once.”

Catholic Groups Protest at White House To Call for Gaza Cease-Fire

By

Jack Jenkins

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November 3, 2023

Catholic activists participate in a “pray-in” protest, advocating a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, outside the White House, Nov. 2, 2023, in Washington. (RNS photo/Jack Jenkins)

WASHINGTON (RNS) — Catholic activists hosted a “pray-in” protest outside the White House on Thursday (Nov. 2), calling on President Joe Biden to advocate for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip as Israel continues its advance into the region in the wake of a Hamas attack.

Huddled in a circle near the White House fence, the dozens of protesters condemned the assault into Israel by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7, which left more than 1,400 Israelis dead and more than 200 taken hostage. But the Catholic demonstrators focused their frustration on the subsequent retaliation on the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces that has killed more than 9,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

The protesters noted that the violence wrought by the Israeli advance has spurred calls for a cease-fire across the globe — including from Pope Francis — but that President Joe Biden, who is Catholic, has yet to express support for the idea.

“President Biden and Pope Francis are not on the same page,” said Eli McCarthy of the Franciscan Action Network.

Demonstrators sang, chanted “cease-fire now!” and prayed. One of the speakers also read a prayer meant to illuminate the human cost of the ongoing violence in Gaza.

“Let us burn incense, not children. Let us break bread, not bodies. Let us plant olive groves, not cemeteries,” she said.

At one point, demonstrators paused to announced that Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat and a Catholic, had voiced support for a cease-fire earlier that morning — making him the first senator to do so. The announcement sparked applause.

Durbin later distanced himself from “cease-fire” in a conversation with The Associated Press, explaining that he preferred the term “humanitarian pause” but acknowledging that “the notion is the same: to interrupt the hostilities and bring peace to the situation.”

The distinction matters to White House officials, who told The New York Times on Thursday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken would push the Israeli government to allow for short pauses of their military operations in Gaza to allow for the distribution of humanitarian aid and time for hostages to be released.

Asked about Biden’s proposal after the protest, Jean Stokan, justice coordinator for Sisters of Mercy, called it a “minimalist” approach.

“It should be a cease-fire, and it should be permanent,” she said, arguing that only a full cease-fire allows for a diplomatic solution to emerge.

“The security of Israel is intimately tied to the justice for Palestinians,” she said.

7 Ways To Identify Constructive Criticism

By

Ron Edmondson

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November 3, 2023

How do we give constructive criticism? It’s something all of us see and want to share, but how do we do it in a way that actually helps?

Constructive: Serving a useful purpose; tending to build up.

Criticism: The act of passing judgment as to the merits of anything.

You’ve heard the term. As a leader, I hear it all the time.

So, what does “constructive criticism” mean?

I’m thinking we often misuse the phrase.

And it’s not just with leaders. It’s in every phase of life. I think it’s a societal issue. It’s even on social media. We think we are offering “constructive criticism” when we update our Facebook status or Tweet about our service with an airline or a restaurant or a school system—for example. Or anywhere else we feel a need to criticize for some reason. We may not label it that way, but I’m convinced it’s what we think we are doing.

In reality, I’ve learned that phrase is sometimes just a nice way to say, “I have a personal complaint about a personal issue, but it will make me sound less self-serving and more justified if I label it (maybe just in my mind) as constructive criticism.”

I have been thinking about the term lately—even as I might use it personally.

First, let me be clear, I’m not down on constructive criticism. I think it’s good. And often needed.

Using the definition (serving a useful purpose; tending to build up) this serves a place within any organization—even the church. It can, by definition, help us all.

How can we make sure the criticism we offer is actually constructive?

And how do we know when it is “constructive criticism” and how do we offer it to others?

7 Indicators of Constructive Criticism:

It Builds up the Body or Organization for Everyone

It’s helpful for the good of the entire vision. Everyone can benefit from constructive criticism.

It Is Not Self-Serving

This is a huge one. Constructive criticism doesn’t seek a merely personal gain. Scripture makes humility an ideal, encourages unity among believers and commands us to consider others better than ourselves—even to pray for our enemies.

It Offers Suggestions for Improvement

I’m not saying it does every time. Sometimes we just know something is wrong, but this would certainly be an indicator the criticism is actually constructive (again, simply by definition).

It Creates Useful Dialogue

And, here again, this may not happen every time, but if conversation can lead to the benefit of everyone, then it could be an indicator of being constructive – it helps build – construct.

It Affirms Others or the Vision

As I understand the terms, constructive criticism would never tear down the overarching goals and objectives of the body or organization. This would seem to contradict the definition. Criticism might, but not constructive criticism.

20 Keys To Keeping the Kids at Your Church Safe

By

Dale Hudson

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November 3, 2023

Life can be a scary place for today’s kids. They are growing up knowing they could be attacked anywhere they go.

At…

school

parent’s work

store

movie theater

concert

and yes…even at church.

And then there is the pandemic.

Parents are on high-alert when it comes to their kids being safe while they are at church.

Churches that want to reach families in today’s culture must have a clear safety and security plan. They must also have a way to keep Covid-19 from being spread at church.

And this plan should be communicated to new parents as they are checking in and and being walked to their child’s classroom / environment. This will help new families feel more comfortable leaving their children in your care.

These 20 keys are locks that you can use to keep the kids in your ministry safe. None of them are foolproof when used alone. But the more locks you add, the safer the kids in your ministry will be.

20 Keys To Keeping the Kids at Your Church Safe

Ready? Let’s check them out.

Background check. Every person who serves must first have a background check ran.

2. Reference calls. Yes. You need to actually call the references. I was recently at a church where the previous pastor committed adultery and was dismissed from his role. He went straight to another church and the same thing happened there as well. This could have been avoided if the second church had simply picked up the phone and asked a few pertinent questions before hiring him.

3. No one ever alone with a child. Not in a classroom. Not in a car. No place. No exceptions. I was recently made aware of a very high-profile church where a child was abused in the bathroom. The volunteer should never been alone with the child.

4. No one go in the bathroom with the child. This goes back to the previous point about not being alone with a child.

5. Minimum of 2 volunteers in each room (husband and wife doesn’t count as two). The volunteers in the room should have been through training and know the safety precautions they must take.

6. Lock the children’s ministry doors once service begins. Ideally, lock the hallway doors or entrance doors that lead into the children’s ministry area. At a very minimum, lock each classroom door once service starts. This will slow down a shooter that is targeting that area.

7. Volunteer security team. Enlist a team of volunteers who help with these steps. Checking doors. Making sure exit doors are secure. Walking hallways.

8. Hire a policeman. You may think having a policeman in your kids’ common areas is overkill. Actually it is not. Parents (whose number one concern is the safety of their children) will welcome this. The officer should be in uniform.

9. Personal interview with each potential volunteer. Sit down with them and ask the hard questions. If you’d like a list of the questions I ask, email me and I will be glad to send it to you.

10. Ratios. Proper ratios are crucial to keeping kids safe at church. Putting 2 volunteers in a room with 30 preschoolers is not a good thing when it comes to keeping kids safe. In this article, I share what the ratios should be for each age group.

11. Put alarms on each door. Place an alarm on each door that is not supposed to be gone through. This will help you and your volunteer know if some is trying to access or leave through a wrong door.

12. Security name tags (check-in and check-out) Establish the rule that no one (no exceptions – not even the pastor) can take a child without having a matching name tag. This must be a non-negotiable.

13. Check the bathroom before a child goes in. Have the child wait outside the bathroom while you take a quick step into the bathroom to make sure no one is in there. The best plan is to only let kids use these designated bathrooms (kids’ only sign on door). Of course, the best scenario is to build bathrooms in your children’s ministry areas so they don’t have to leave the kids’ areas.

14. Security cameras. Install security cameras in each classroom and record when the children are present.

15. Only allow people with a security tag inside your children’s ministry area. Ask to see their security tag before they enter.

16. Stay connected to the parents during the service. This will allow you to contact them as needed. You can use a pager system, text to a cell phone, numbers on the screen, etc.

17. Don’t allow men to change diapers. This one is pretty straightforward.

18. Have a lock down plan in case of an active shooter or intruder. Train each leader about what to do in this type of situation.

19. Each room should have a window so people can see inside the room from the hallway.

20. Ask about allergies. Most parents will tell you, but play it safe by asking each new family if the kids have any allergies that you need to be aware of.

When you follow these steps, you will create a safe place for kids and families. Parents will feel comfortable enough to leave their child with you. And your church will begin to reach and keep more young families.

This article originally appeared here.

How God Uses Pain

By

Seth Barnes

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November 3, 2023

As a leader, sometimes I’m called upon to inflict pain. I have to make decisions that hurt people in order to achieve some larger purpose. The danger in doing so is that I can keep that pain at arm’s length. It’s hard to embrace pain, even when that may be what God is calling you to do. I have to continually press into pain in life if I’m to lead well, because God uses pain.

If you have proven yourself trustworthy to God, watch out! He may trust you with one of his most precious and misinterpreted of gifts: the gift of pain. The prosperity gospel people have it wrong. God is probably more interested in our response to testing than he is in showering us with material blessings.

How God Uses Pain

How will you do in tough times? This is the age-old bet that Satan makes with God, the best example of which we see in the book of Job. It goes like this: “I’ll bet your servant is just in it for the good times, let’s see how he does with a little pain in his life.”

You may say to me, “Yeah, that’s easy for you to say, you’ve never gone through what’s happened to me … you don’t understand my pain.” And my answer is, you’re right. I can’t understand your pain. But while our family is exceedingly blessed, we have also known pain of our own.

Our personal pain.

In particular, my youngest daughter has experienced more pain than anyone should ever have to go through. When she was young, she had a chronic infection in her ears that was extremely painful, making it hard for her to hear. In addition to her physical pain, she struggled just to understand what people were saying. Then, when she was a little older, we discovered that her palate wasn’t fully formed. Issues of memory and learning became more apparent.

Despite numerous surgeries, she has not been able to articulate words as most people do. When she was a teenager, she began having seizures. She has been labeled by professionals and isolated from her peers. She has struggled with what it means to be different. Loneliness is her frequent companion. Every week, Karen used to take her an hour away to see specialists.

And we as parents have carried the burdens of crushed hopes while trying to meet all the special needs.

I don’t have any answers for her when I see her heart broken because other people have friends and she doesn’t. When she looks at me with eyes that say, “Daddy, it’s not fair,” I don’t have answers for her.

It’s not fair! Why is it that some people never seem to catch a break? All I know is that the pain they experience can send them to Jesus’ feet faster than other people. It’s one of the ways God uses pain. That’s why he said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” The broken-hearted need Jesus more than the rest of us.

We have a choice.

Because it’s not fair that my daughter—or anyone else—should be saddled with so much pain, we have a choice. We can either shake our fists at an all-powerful God who seemingly put us in this mess, or we can choose to trust and worship him, knowing that somehow he will redeem it.

Pope Francis Mobilizing Vatican Papal Diplomats To Quell a World War He Says Has Begun

By

Claire Giangrave

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November 3, 2023

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Already engaged with the conflict in Ukraine, Pope Francis and the Vatican have opened a new front in diplomacy efforts to address the violence in the Holy Land, with papal diplomats working to promote peace through official and unofficial channels.

Like religious leaders around the world, Francis has made official statements on the war that has followed Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. “I encourage faithful to take only one side in this conflict, the side of peace,” Francis said during his weekly audience on Oct. 18.

Nine days later he called for a day of prayer and fasting for peace, repeating the appeal spoken by Pope Pius XII at the onset of the Second World War: “Nothing is lost in peace, all can be lost with war.”

Vatican officials joined international calls for renewed pursuit of a two-state solution as a long-term answer to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, establishing a viable Palestinian state alongside security guarantees for Israel, which has been the Holy See’s position since 2013.

Francis reaffirmed the Vatican’s support for the strategy in phone calls with U.S. President Joe Biden and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, while the apostolic nuncio to the United Nations, Archbishop Giordano Caccia, told the Security Council on Oct. 24, “while the path of dialogue appears narrow at present, it is the only viable option for a lasting end to the cycle of violence that has engulfed that land, so dear to Christians, Jews and Muslims.”

The Vatican’s secretary for relations with states, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, meanwhile has reached out to other leaders in the region, conveying to Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in a phone conversation “the Holy See’s serious concern for what is unfolding in Israel and Palestine, underlining the absolute need to avoid enlarging the conflict and to realize the two-State solution for a stable and lasting peace in the Middle East,” according to a Vatican statement.

The Holy See, which recognized the state of Palestine in 2013 and signed the first comprehensive agreement with the Palestinian Authority in June 2015, also has diplomatic relations with Jordan and Egypt.

But the church’s real diplomatic work is being performed by organizations and leaders outside the Vatican walls. The lay movement of St. Egidio, a Rome-based Catholic organization focusing on peace promotion and poverty relief efforts, has become the arm of the pope’s invisible diplomacy.

When war broke out in Ukraine, Francis tapped Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, archbishop of Bologna, and cardinal-priest of St. Egidio, to be his personal peace envoy. It remains unclear whether the pope will appoint another envoy for the Mideast, but in the meantime Zuppi has weighed in on the hostilities in Gaza, underlining the need “for an authoritative Palestinian leadership that is capable of defending its people” in comments to journalists on Oct. 26.

If the pope sees the need for a dedicated representative for the Israel-Hamas war, “the front man who knows the context, the people and the literal roads best in the Holy Land is of course Patriarch (Pierbattista) Pizzaballa, the newly elevated cardinal,” said Victor Gaetan, author of “God’s Diplomats: Pope Francis, Vatican Diplomacy and America’s Armageddon.”

“I don’t know if there is anyone in Vatican diplomacy with higher knowledge and who is better respected in the region than Pizzaballa,” Gaetan added.

Francis also depends on a network of more anonymous Catholic clergy and laypeople on the ground who keep him informed about what is happening in Gaza. He has said he speaks with a parish priest and nuns who oversee The Holy Family Church in Gaza where 563 people, mostly Christians, sought refuge. “For the time, thank God, the Israeli forces respect that parish,” he said.

Cigarettes and Black Leather . . . And Worship?

By

Adam Russell

-

November 3, 2023

Art and rebellion go together like cigarettes and black leather, pessimism and sleeping in, anger and fear. And it sort of makes sense, because every new thing is, in a way a reaction against the past, an unwillingness to go along with the popular current. Even when this begins without a trace of angst, and everything is as sunny as the seventh of May, good natured change is soon challenged by the status quo – questions are raised, motives are examined with suspicion and resentment hardens resolve like soil baked in summer’s sun without one drop of relief.

Cigarettes and Black Leather

There is no question this cycle exists. There is no question it is anti-kingdom-of-God.

“Honor your father and mother…”

As artists, writers, and musicians we would do well to examine our selves and see if there be any trace of rebellion, any seed of contention tucked inside our creative impulses. The tendency to create from a place of reaction runs deep and only leads to the dissolving of community and the destruction of the very expression that we have invested all our efforts.

When we compete with the previous generation, we are unwittingly sowing those very same seeds into our own sons and daughters – developing a culture where advancement, breakthrough, and progress all come with the steep price of discord – one that we are all to ready to pay, because we know nothing else.

Why Are You Preaching?

By

Gavin Adams

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November 3, 2023

Why do you take the stage on Sundays? Is your message about what you’re saying or why you’re saying it? You didn’t read that wrong. We always ask WHAT are you preaching about on Sunday. We can all answer that question. But if we don’t have complete clarity on why are you preaching, what we preach is somewhat irrelevant. Why are you preach should define what we say and how we say it.

Why Are You Preaching?

I really enjoy preaching. As a leadership coach and strategic consultant for churches (and some businesses), I preach several weekends a month around the country. My travels give me great exposure to a myriad of other pastors and preachers. And to a lot of sermons.

Why are you preaching? I’ve noticed a few apparent “whys.” Things like:

Converting the lost
Convicting sinners
Building up the body
Connecting with the congregation
Challenging your congregation
Capturing everyone’s imagination

On some level, great preaching may combine many of these. Yet none of these answers the question, why are you preaching. Or at least they don’t answer our question well.

My Original Goal for Preaching

We all tend to be sender-centric, meaning our natural personality and desired outcome dictates our why.

I’m a bit of a challenger (or challenging, some may say). I like to push a bit. I tend to say what needs to be said as I see it. I try to do it lovingly, but clarity was certainly my goal. From our above list, my instincts are to challenge the congregation. I also prioritize getting a few laughs, which is a terrible priority, but nevertheless.

When I first preached at North Point, I was confidently terrified. Preaching on any platform carries weight. Some of that weight is healthy and should be felt. In my earlier days of pastoring, my insecurity plus Andy Stanley’s stage (and mic pack) created some serious emotional turmoil.

I made it through the message, and honestly, I felt pretty good about it. A few days later, I had a feedback meeting with one of our senior leaders and seasoned communicators. His feedback was precisely what I needed to hear:

“You did a great job. It was very clear.”

Then he said,

“But I’m unsure if anyone liked you.”

That’s a direct quote. And after years of counseling, I’ve stopped crying.

I actually appreciate his feedback. He was correct. My goal was clarity, and I was really, really, REALLY clear. But I wasn’t relational. I didn’t bring much/any emotion to the conversation. People did laugh, and I was clear, but that’s a poor WHY.

I worked hard after this feedback session to become more relationally connected. And I improved a lot. However, I found that being less clear and more relational wasn’t a great goal, either. It was better than all-out challenging! But I knew I could do better. And I knew the answer wasn’t to become the most relationally connected preacher in the world, either. I’ve seen these guys speak, and while they’re likable, their approach doesn’t feel like a great purpose.

The Best Preaching Why

To discover our best why, let’s consider our hope. Or better yet, the hope of those who hear our sermons.

People are looking for hope and help. They aren’t necessarily looking for Jesus, although we know that eventually, that is what they need most.

That leaves us here: We know they need more Jesus, and they think they need some hope and help with an issue in their life. If this is true (and it is), our WHY should combine what people need given through what people want.

To say it more simply, our purpose of preaching should be the application of truth that leads to a transformation of spirit.

That’s the path that practical teaching can offer.

Helpful information that inspires practical application creates the context for life transformation.

This should be our WHY.

Preaching for Practical Application

Once we have a clear purpose, we build everything to that purpose. This includes our content creation, presentation skills, and preparation time.

Content Creation

When you craft content for practical application, you study, write, rewrite, and build a content journey that takes people from where they are to inspiring an application opportunity for their lives.

Presentation Sills

When you know your why, you work to ensure your presentation aids application. That means using props well, incorporating screen content, and using your body language appropriately to assist in the purpose.

Preparation Time

When you recognize your goal is practical application that leads to life transformation, you begin to prepare differently. Not to overstate it, but sharing information is easy. Almost any pastor can stand up and ramble through Scripture. We’ve all studied the Bible enough to teach the Bible to people.

If we want to move our preaching past information to application, we must prepare well and refrain from relying on the information we know. Preaching information is lazy. Preparing information in a way that leads to application takes time. It’s harder. And it’s worth it.

Refuse to Preach to What

The Gospel, congregation, and community are too important to settle for preaching WHATs without prioritizing the right reason why are you preaching.

As you look at your content for this Sunday, what’s your point of application? Are you more focused on WHAT or WHY? Take some time today to consider a better purpose for this Sunday. Why are you preaching?

This article on why are you preaching originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

Pleasing God Means Finding Your Purpose

By

Chet Gladkowski

-

November 3, 2023

There are two ways to please my wife, Mary Ann. The one that I think about is where I do something that meets a need, or say something that makes her smile. When I bring in a glass of iced tea in the morning with toast slathered with butter and jelly, that’s sure to please her. But there is another way for Mary Ann to be pleased. When she finishes sewing something, she holds it up and smiles at the work of her hands. Or when she picks a big, delicious tomato from her garden. She holds it up to the sky, letting the morning sunlight twinkle on the morning dew, she smiles. Here we have the second form of pleasing God. Sometime in the past, God made a plan to devote Paul to a special purpose. This happened before Paul was even born. And this pleased God.

Pleasing God

But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. (Galatians 1:15,16)

As modern people, we don’t like this. We want to be in charge of who we are and what we do. We want to choose our education, our careers. We want to decide for ourselves. After all, who knows best about us than us?

And since this was such a big job, there should have been an interviewing process. How do we know that the best, most qualified person was picked for the position?

Paul says that God choose him for a special purpose even before his birth. Think about this for a second; whenever there is a choice for something, you are also choosing against everything else.

Thanksgiving Activity: Wall of Thanks KidMin Outreach Idea

By

ChildrensMinistry.com

-

November 2, 2023

In this Thanksgiving outreach idea, kids give thanks as they point out what God does for all of us. This Thanksgiving activity can turn into a form of evangelism. The seasonal idea works well for a variety of Sunday school outings and community events.

Remind children (and adults) to express gratitude to God for all their blessings!

Thanksgiving Activity: Wall of Thanks

You’ll need:

Bible
roll of butcher paper or newsprint
ink pads
wet wipes
sticky notes
markers
Now & Later candies

The Experience

Contact a local mall or shopping center about hosting a “Thanks Wall” around the week of Thanksgiving. This works especially well on busy shopping days such as Black Friday.

Gather kids together and read 1 Chronicles 16:8.

Say: This Thanksgiving, we’re going to give thanks and help our community see what God has done for us. Have kids make the wall by using an ink pad to create handprints all over a long piece of butcher paper or newsprint. Decorate a headline that reads, “We’re thankful for…”

Citing ‘Inevitable Consequences of Burnout,’ The Babylon Bee Founder Leaves Company

By

Jesse T. Jackson

-

November 2, 2023

Adam Ford, founder of The Babylon Bee and cofounder of Not the Bee, announced this week (Oct 31) that he has sold his remaining stake in the two popular sites.

The Babylon Bee claims that it is the “world’s best satire site, totally inerrant in all its truth claims” and focuses on Christianity, politics, and everyday life.

On the other hand, Not the Bee describes itself as a “humor-based news, opinion, and entertainment site” and writes about real news that is so absurd that it should be satire.

Ford sold The Babylon Bee to Seth Dillon in 2018 in order to focus on The Christian Daily Reporter, a Drudge Report-style Christian news site that morphed into Disrn and eventually became Not the Bee.

On Tuesday, Ford posted a portion of Ecclesiastes 3:1 on social media: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven…”

The satire king then told his followers that his “season at The Babylon Bee and Not the Bee has come to an end.”

“I have sold my remaining stake in The Babylon Bee, as well as my stake in Not the Bee, and now it’s time for me to ride off into the midday sun,” Ford added. “I have not been operationally involved with the Bee for some time now, so no changes there. At Not the Bee, Dan Dillon, who co-founded the company along with myself and Seth Dillon, took over in recent months as majority owner and head dude in charge.”

Ford said the he had always believed that he could “go on forever working like a maniac and seeing every terrible thing that happens around the world in real-time.” However, describing his current state of mind, Ford said that he had hit “a concrete wall.”

Reflecting on a Decade of Digital Satire: Adam Ford’s Legacy and Departure

Ford’s burnout has not abated, even after he attempted to find a solution that would allow him to continue, Ford shared. “This is all quite bittersweet and difficult for me. I love these companies dearly and always will,” he said. “They have been my entire life for the better part of a decade, and what an adventure it has been.”

Pastor at John MacArthur’s Grace Community Church Has Been Removed From Key List of Christian Counselors

By

Stephanie Martin

-

November 2, 2023

Grace Community Church — Pigby at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) has reportedly removed Bill Shannon, a pastor at John MacArthur’s Grace Community Church (GCC), from its list of approved counselors.

The Christian Post obtained a copy of a letter, written in September, from former GCC elder Hohn Cho. In it, he described filing a “concern or complaint” with ACBC, the world’s oldest and largest biblical counseling organization, about the practices of Shannon, who oversees GCC’s counseling ministry.

In addition to removing Shannon from its database of approved counselors, ACBC also removed him from the speaker list of its annual conference, held earlier this month. GCC remains on ACBC’s list of approved training centers for counseling, but ACBC is investigating multiple complaints against the megachurch’s counseling practices.

GCC & Pastor Bill Shannon Under Fire for Counseling Tactics

As ChurchLeaders has reported, GCC has faced controversy for allegedly fostering a culture of abuse that shames victims and protects perpetrators. In February 2022, a Christianity Today article contained accounts from eight women who said church counselors encouraged them to reconcile with abusive spouses.

GCC, based in Sun Valley, California, strongly denied the allegations, calling them “lies.” The megachurch stated, “Myriads of Grace Church members who have sought counsel at our church will testify that the counsel they receive is biblical, charitable, supportive, and liberating.”

Cho, an attorney, wrote in his September letter that “friends who appreciate ACBC” encouraged him to report concerns about Shannon to the counseling organization. Earlier this year, Cho described “awful patterns” of victim-endangerment by GCC’s counseling ministry. Cho said he realized his friends and loved ones “could effectively be playing Russian roulette if they ever needed counseling at GCC, especially anything involving the care of women or children.”

In April, a woman submitted testimony to ACBC investigators about GCC and Shannon, later sharing details with The Christian Post. Back in 2009, she sought marriage counseling and cited evidence of questionable behavior by her husband. He wanted her to co-sign a large loan without any explanation, for example, and punished their children by shoving tissues in their mouths.

The woman said Shannon refuted evidence of an affair and advised her to sign the loan papers. After her husband moved out, the woman testified, GCC offered no assistance; instead, it warned she’d be kicked out of the church. Shannon eventually “stopped the discipline process after a tearful appeal from the woman,” according to The Christian Post, but the woman said she and her children suffered harm.

Clients Said GCC Counselors Shamed Them

Pastor Shannon has served at GCC since 1989. As of Nov. 2, his biography on the church website still indicates he is “a member of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) where he serves as a fellow.”

Shannon and GCC haven’t responded to requests for comment from The Christian Post. ChurchLeaders contacted ACBC for comment and will update this article in the event of a reply.

Nation’s Largest Christian University Ordered To Pay $37.7 Million for Allegedly Lying About Cost of Programs

By

Dale Chamberlain

-

November 2, 2023

The United States Department of Education has handed down a record-setting $37.7 million fine to Grand Canyon University (GCU) for allegedly lying to more than 7,500 former and current students about the price of its programs.

Grand Canyon University is the nation’s largest Christian university with 118,000 students, roughly 92,000 of whom are enrolled in online programs.

The Education Department’s Federal Student Aid (FSA) office alleges that GCU has been lying to doctoral students and applicants as far back as 2017.

Since that time, GCU has been telling students that programs would cost between $40,000 and $49,000. However the FSA said that data from the school showed that 78% of students paid between $10,000 to $12,000 more.

“GCU lied about the cost of its doctoral programs to attract students to enroll,” said FSA chief operating officer Richard Cordray. “FSA takes its oversight responsibilities seriously. GCU’s lies harmed students, broke their trust, and led to unexpectedly high levels of student debt.”

“Today, we are holding GCU accountable for its actions, protecting students and taxpayers, and upholding the integrity of the federal student aid programs,” Cordray added.

In addition to the fine, the Education Department is ordering GCU to begin accurately reporting the average cost prospective students can expect to pay. GCU will also be required to inform current students of how to report concerns about the university to the federal government.

The Education Department is handing down these penalties as part of a larger plan within the Biden administration to create greater accountability for U.S. universities with regard to student debt.

For the past four years, GCU has disbursed more federal student aid than any other U.S. college or university, according to AP News.

In response to the historic fine, GCU has denied any wrongdoing, saying that it has more than exceeded government requirements by providing cost estimates to applicants to its doctoral programs.

Ellen Dykas: Healing After Unfaithfulness in Marriage

By

Jason Daye

-

November 2, 2023

Unfaithfulness and betrayal in marriage is incredibly painful. What does the healing journey look like, whether we’re experiencing this in our own marriages or we’re seeing it in the marriages of those we serve? In this week’s conversation on FrontStage BackStage, host Jason Daye is joined by Ellen Dykas. Ellen is the Director of Equipping for Ministry to Women at Harvest USA. Ellen has written a number of books, workbooks, devotionals and is also a contributor to the Life Counsel Bible. Ellen received her master’s degree from Covenant Theological Seminary and is a certified biblical counselor. Together, Ellen and Jason look at the healing journey for those who have experienced betrayal in their marriages. Ellen also offers some incredible insights of how our local churches can compassionately minister to those who are experiencing this type of betrayal in their own marriages.

FrontStage BackStage Podcast With Ellen Dykas

View the entire podcast here.

Keep Learning

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

Podcast Links

Video links to this week’s episode – easily share with the ministry leaders in your church
Audio links to this week’s episode – easily share with the ministry leaders in your church
Additional resource links from this week’s conversation – so you and your team can easily find what is mentioned or referenced
Ministry Leaders Growth Guide – key insights and concepts from this week’s conversation as well as engaging questions for you and your team to consider and process
Full-text transcript of this week’s episode – review something you heard, pass along snippets, post tweets, create presentations to share, or use in whatever way you find most helpful in developing your ministry leaders
Shareable Social Graphics – Feel free to post them on your church social accounts, your personal accounts, or use them as graphics in your communications

The Effectiveness of Missional Discipleship: 5 Reasons Your Local Church Should Be Supporting Missions

By

Dustin K. Manis

-

November 2, 2023

Many churches work together to support foreign missionaries in faraway places, send congregants as either long-term or short-term missionaries and/or serve as giving partners to ministries that prioritize evangelism and discipleship internationally.

Some ministries contribute to the efficient process of building up local evangelists reaching their own people for Christ; just as we are each effective in our own locales, national ministers are also highly effective in their own communities. They intimately know the languages, cultures and people to whom they are ministering—and they don’t need a passport to do it!

I once read somewhere that Jesus did not say, “Send someone from your church to all the nations.” Sometimes our best ministry is in helping and building up those evangelists and pastors worldwide who are already moving for the kingdom in their own communities. Any church of any size can pray for and give to these ministries and have a direct connection to what God is doing around the world.

However if we choose to obey the Great Commission, can we agree that reaching the lost quickly and efficiently is of primary importance and doing so as effectively as possible is pleasing to the Lord?

It is of utmost importance that our churches support missions. Here’s five reasons why:

1. Support Missions Because if Believers Do Not Tell the Story, It Won’t Be Told.

The billions of lives at stake make this a high priority for each of our churches. Twenty-five years ago, in a hostel in Mozambique, I found a treasure of a book by Norm Lewis. He wrote, “To evangelize the world with God’s Good News is not an option for the follower of Christ. Jesus made worldwide witness the business of every believer.”

We must do what only the church can do. There are many good things we can do around the world to help others, such as feeding the poor, helping orphans, digging water wells and providing for the medical needs of the sick. These are all great acts of benevolence that we should do for others. Yet, as believers in Christ, we cannot do those things in place of reaching the lost and making disciples. When we serve in these tangible capacities, we must also bond them with evangelism and discipleship.

Evangelism and discipleship. If the church doesn’t do these things, no one else will. The souls of people everywhere depend on it. As believers, we are his ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), and Paul describes the seriousness of our job “as though God were pleading through us.”

Are we pleading with others to follow Christ?

But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15)

2. Support Missions Because It’s Almost Quitting Time.

Time is running out. God has turned over the hourglass of time, and soon, the last drop of sand will fall. Our world is an utter mess. If we ever needed evidence that sin separates people from God, we can simply look around.

10 Commandments for Teens

1. Seek Christ first (Do not have other gods besides Him)

2. Beware of idols, even the good ones (Do not make an idol for yourself)

3. Study in His name (Do not misuse the name of the Lord)

4. Rest and reflect on Him (Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy)

5. Honor people who helped you get here (Honor your father and mother)

Successful, but Unspiritual

Spirit Filled Worship

Spirit Filled Worship DisciplinesLead to Extraordinary Holiness

9 Youth Activities: Serving and Thanksgiving

Phenix City Pastor: ‘It’s a Hobby’

Dolly Parton To Release New Album, ‘Rockstar’

7 Indicators of Constructive Criticism:

It Builds up the Body or Organization for Everyone

It Is Not Self-Serving

It Offers Suggestions for Improvement

It Creates Useful Dialogue

It Affirms Others or the Vision

20 Keys To Keeping the Kids at Your Church Safe

How God Uses Pain

Our personal pain.

We have a choice.

Cigarettes and Black Leather

Why Are You Preaching?

My Original Goal for Preaching

The Best Preaching Why

Preaching for Practical Application

Content Creation

Presentation Sills

Preparation Time

Refuse to Preach to What

Pleasing God

Thanksgiving Activity: Wall of Thanks

You’ll need:

The Experience

Reflecting on a Decade of Digital Satire: Adam Ford’s Legacy and Departure

GCC & Pastor Bill Shannon Under Fire for Counseling Tactics

Clients Said GCC Counselors Shamed Them

FrontStage BackStage Podcast With Ellen Dykas

Keep Learning

Podcast Links

1. Support Missions Because if Believers Do Not Tell the Story, It Won’t Be Told.

2. Support Missions Because It’s Almost Quitting Time.

New Articles

New Podcasts