10 Things Every Preschooler Needs From Your Ministry

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October 28, 2023

Here are 10 things that every preschooler needs from your children’s ministry.

Prayer

Nothing of eternal value will be accomplished without prayer. God can do more in seconds than we can do in a lifetime.

Pray regularly for the preschoolers in your ministry. Encourage the volunteers to pray for the children in their class or program. Pray with the children each weekend.

Teach the children to pray. Some of the sweetest, most genuine prayers that have ever been uttered came from preschoolers.

Call parents and ask them how you can pray for their children.

Put a prayer verse on the wall in each preschool room—a unique prayer for this year in a child’s life. Pray it each week for the children in that room.

Recognition

Every child wants to be known and to know that he or she is valued. Preschoolers need to be recognized and called by name. Learn children’s names and use them. Every week find at least one good thing to recognize about each child and acknowledge it.

Eye Contact

Children need to be looked in the eye when engaged in conversation so they feel that you’re genuinely in them. This usually means getting down to a preschooler’s eye level.

Security

Preschoolers are growing up in a scary world. Parents hold them closely for fear of kidnapping, abuse or endangerment. Church must be a safe place. Go the second mile to make sure every team member has been background-checked, interviewed, reference-checked and approved.

Have a thoroughly secure check-in and check-out system. Put in place volunteer procedures and policies that provide security.

Care

Even at their young ages, preschoolers can sense when someone genuinely cares for them. They need leaders who’ll care enough to pray for their boo-boo, send them “miss you” cards when they’re absent and cheer for them at their kindergarten graduations.

Happy Birthday

Birthdays are a big deal for a preschooler. They need you to celebrate their special day. So sing, bring a birthday cake and give a small gift to the birthday child.

How To Generate Solutions By Brainstorming—The Right Way

By

Charles Stone

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October 28, 2023

Brainstorming can often improve creativity when you need many possible ideas. Consider these 12 suggestions the next time your team needs to generate solutions to a problem.

How To Generate Solutions By Brainstorming—The Right Way

Encourage debate, dissent, and healthy criticism of ideas. Healthy debate has shown to produce more ideas than the traditional, “don’t criticize any idea” mentality (Nemeth et al., 2004). Set these rules beforehand, though, to keep the debate healthy and the ideas coming.
- Don’t personally attack people.
- Use such phrases like, “I have a different view,” “I see things differently,” or “What about this?”
- Reiterate the other’s person’s viewpoint before offering your own.
- Clarify the other person’s viewpoint first.
Keep your creative teams diverse. Include new people (women and men).
Make sure the brainstorming leader is affirming and not overbearing and that he doesn’t unintentionally drive his personal agenda.
Create spaces in your office area that encourage frequent and spontaneous interactions.
Don’t allow one person to dominate brainstorming sessions. Sometimes a ‘know-it-all’ can shut down creativity.
Be observant of something called ‘social loafing,’ our tendency to feel less responsible for a project in a group than when doing a project alone. Some on your team may sit back and let the rest of the team generate the ideas. Guard against that. Studies with a rope tug-of-war showed that blindfolded people who believed they were pulling a rope alone pulled 18% harder than those who thought they were on a team (Karau & Hart, 1998). However, the more cohesive the group, the less social loafing.
When beginning a creative session, the leader should acknowledge that everyone is on equal footing and that she wants everyone to feel that they can contribute.
Before your brainstorming session, ask the team members to generate solutions on their own and to submit them in writing before the session.
Be wary of too much group harmony in creative sessions. Artificial harmony that fosters a ‘too nice’ atmosphere can stifle appraisal of alternatives.
When trying to generate solutions in a brainstorming session, challenge the group to present counterintuitive solutions (i.e., what’s obviously not the solution to the problem). This approach can foster even more creativity.
Provide an incubation period to let ideas simmer. If you give the team a brain break and encourage daydreaming, when they come back to the problem, solutions often arise (Sio & Ormerod, 2009). Sometimes ideas come to us while doing something moderately taxing and daydreaming at the same time (i.e., taking a shower or walking on a treadmill). It’s called unconscious thought theory, UTT, (Dijksterhuis & Nordgren, 2006) that proposes that solutions to complex problems often come when we are intentionally not trying to solve them.
When trying to generate solutions, encourage your team to imagine themselves a year from now instead of imagining themselves tomorrow. Studies show that this time perspective fosters more creativity (Förster et al., 2004).

What has helped your brainstorming sessions be more productive?

This article on how to generate solutions through brainstorming originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

Reference notes for this article:

Nemeth, C.J., Personnaz, B., Personnaz, M. & Goncalo, J.A. (2004) The liberating role of conflict in group creativity: A study in two countries. European Journal of Social Psychology, 34 (4), pp.365–374.
Karau, S.J. & Hart, J.W. (1998) Group cohesiveness and social loafing: Effects of a social interaction manipulation on individual motivation within groups. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 2 (3), pp.185–191.
Sio, U.N. & Ormerod, T.C. (2009) Does incubation enhance problem solving? A meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin, 135 (1), pp.94–120.
Dijksterhuis, A. & Nordgren, L.F. (2006) A Theory of Unconscious Thought. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 1 (2), pp.95–109.
Förster, J., Friedman, R.S. & Liberman, N. (2004) Temporal Construal Effects on Abstract and Concrete Thinking: Consequences for Insight and Creative Cognition. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 87 (2), pp.177–189.

Loneliness Epidemic: How You Can Minister to Lonely Teens

By

Youth Ministrycom

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October 27, 2023

The loneliness epidemic has escalated since the pandemic. Even before then, Springtide™ Research Institute was researching the consequences of loneliness among young people. Read on to discover helpful insights for youth workers who minister to teens.

Loneliness Is Rampant Among Teens

The findings are astonishing, heartbreaking, and hopeful. Belonging: Reconnecting America’s Loneliest Generation documents these findings and offers a research-based path forward.

Young people feel increasingly disconnected from institutional ties that have historically provided a stable web of relationships. For many, this is most obvious—and most poignantly felt—in the context of declining church attendance.

Our research largely confirms these trends but extends the findings by surveying kids as young as 13. We uncovered stories of young people almost entirely disconnected from caring institutions and, critically, from trusted adults.

Among the most salient—and alarming—findings:

Nearly 1 in 3 young people has only 1 or 0 “trusted adults” in their lives.
Almost 40% of 13- to 25-year-olds report they often have nobody to talk to.
One in 3 young people feels alone much of the time.

We expected to find that attendance at religious gatherings—worship services, Bible studies, small groups—would ward off loneliness. Instead, even for kids who feel connected to religious organizations, these feelings persist.

Indeed, data shows no difference between the sense of loneliness among young people who attend religious services and those who don’t. In fact, one-fifth (20%) of young people who attend a religious service at least weekly still report feeling completely alone.

Belonging

Our passion is to discover what does help youth feel connected and cared for. Belonging found that 62% of young people with zero trusted adult relationships feel completely alone. But, incredibly, for those with five or more trusted adult relationships, only 9% feel alone.

The data makes our heartfelt response clear. We must increase the number of trusted adult relationships in teenagers’ lives.

What do meaningful connections, trusted adults, and caring relationships look and feel like? And how do we become a force for good in young lives?

SBC Sexual Abuse Survivors Respond to Executive Committee’s Amicus Brief Statement

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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October 27, 2023

sbc_annual_meeting_vote — More than 8,100 messengers to the 2022 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting June 14 raise ballots to vote on various resolutions during the two-day meeting at the Anaheim Convention Center. Messengers receive the paper ballots when they register at the meeting. Photo by Adam Covington

The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Executive Committee (EC) has released a statement responding to the criticism of an amicus brief that was quietly submitted on its behalf to the Kentucky Supreme Court earlier this year. In the brief, lawyers representing SBC entities argued against statute of limitations reform for sexual abuse survivors attempting to sue non-perpetrating parties who failed to report abuse.

SBC EC Responds to Uproar Over Amicus Brief

The EC, which was listed on the brief alongside the SBC, Lifeway Christian Resources, and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said in its statement on Friday (Oct. 27) that “not one SBC Executive Committee trustee was involved in the decision to join this amicus brief.”

The statement went on to say that the EC is “wholly committed to engaging with survivors and working toward eradicating sexual abuse from Southern Baptist churches, institutions, and entities, and to bringing about meaningful abuse reform across the SBC.”

The EC then explained that it “joined a brief making legal arguments to the Supreme Court of Kentucky on a discrete legal issue that has a direct impact on the Committee’s and Convention’s legal and fiduciary interests,” adding that the EC “must continue to defend itself, and its interests, within the judicial system as appropriate.”

The statement argued that the goals of “eradicating sexual abuse and legally defending itself are not mutually exclusive.”

“While there are issues about which we will not agree,” the statement added, “we remain steadfast in our desire to fulfill the will of the messengers and to implement meaningful sexual abuse reform within the Southern Baptist Convention. Tension and disagreement on one matter are not reasons to abandon the broader effort to eradicate sexual abuse from all Southern Baptist churches.”

In an attempt to provide further clarity, the EC said both it and the SBC “are currently facing multiple lawsuits in Kentucky.” Further, the brief was requested by their legal counsel with the intent of focusing “the court on a discrete legal issue that has significant impact on pending and potential future litigation in the state of Kentucky, namely, whether or not the Kentucky legislature intended the extension of the statute of limitations to apply to non-offender third parties.”

“We recognize and respect survivors’ strong feelings, opinions, and statements on this issue and will continue to work with them as reform efforts move forward,” the EC said.

“We can disagree and have meaningful discussions,” the statement continued. But “we do, however, want to be clear about the brief and the limited position it advocates for. The amicus brief does not take a position on the underlying litigation, and it is not a lobbying effort to restrict statutes of limitation. Rather it urges the court to apply the current Kentucky statute as it was drafted and intended.”

New Film Imagines C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Wrestling With Mortality, the Existence of God

By

Jessica Lea

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October 27, 2023

freud's last session — Image courtesy of Sony Pictures

A new film starring Anthony Hopkins as Sigmund Freud and Matthew Goode as C.S. Lewis explores the idea of the existence of God through a fictitious conversation the two men have on the brink of World War II. “Freud’s Last Session” is based on Mark St. Germain’s play of the same name, which in turn is based on Armand Nicholi’s book, “The Question of God: C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life.”

“On the eve of the Second World War, two of the greatest minds [of] the twentieth century, C.S. LEWIS and SIGMUND FREUD converge for their own personal battle over the existence of God,” says a synopsis of the film from Sony Pictures. “FREUD’S LAST SESSION interweaves the lives of Freud and Lewis, past, present, and through fantasy, bursting from the confines of Freud’s study on a dynamic journey.”

‘Freud’s Last Session’ Depicts a Meeting of Giants

“Freud’s Last Session” is directed by Matt Brown (“The Man Who Knew Infinity”). Its stars, Hopkins and Goode, are acclaimed actors and winners of numerous awards; most notably Hopkins has won two Academy Awards for Best Actor, one for 1991’s “Silence of the Lambs” and one for 2020’s “The Father.” Goode is known for his roles in “The Imitation Game,” “Downton Abbey,” and “The Crown.” The film also stars Liv Lisa Fries as Freud’s daughter, Anna.

Notably, Hopkins played C.S. Lewis 30 years ago in “Shadowlands,” a movie about the author’s relationship with Joy Davidman.

Sigmund Freud, an Austrian neurologist who lived from 1836 to 1939, is sometimes called “the father of modern psychology.” He is known for his views on sexuality, the unconscious, and dreams. Freud was an atheist who saw the belief in God as a fantasy stemming from the desire for a father figure.

C.S. Lewis was an Irish scholar who lived from 1898 to 1963 and who taught at Oxford University and Cambridge University in England. He famously converted from atheism to Christianity and became a well-known apologist for the latter. Lewis was the author of numerous books, including “Mere Christianity,” “The Weight of Glory,” and “The Screwtape Letters.” He is perhaps best known for his children’s series, “The Chronicles of Narnia.”

It is not known that Freud and Lewis ever met in real life, but “Freud’s Last Session” imagines what it could have been like for the two great thinkers to have had a day-long conversation about God and mortality a mere two days after the start of the Second World War. “Both characters wind up in their own therapy sessions, and by the end, they’re both having to confront their own demons,” Brown told Vanity Fair.

“At the core…we’re all cowards before death,” Freud tells Lewis in the trailer.

Son of Henry Blackaby, Pastor and Author of ‘Experiencing God,’ Requests Prayer for Dad’s ‘Heart Issues’

By

Stephanie Martin

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October 27, 2023

Richard Blackaby, president of Blackaby Ministries International (BMI), is requesting prayers for his father, bestselling author and influential evangelical pastor Henry Blackaby. On Oct. 19, Richard Blackaby shared that his father had been admitted to the ICU “due to some form of blockage that is causing him to have excessive fluids and trouble breathing” plus lots of coughing. In an update four days later, the news was looking up and Henry was out of ICU.

But early on Oct. 27, Richard Blackaby shared this message on social media: “Henry Blackaby update: Dad took a turn for the worse last night. Heart rate dropped dramatically. He has not been eating well and his organs are in distress. Please pray his heart issues are resolved and he is able to eat more and regain his strength. We appreciate your prayers!”

Henry Blackaby update: Dad took a turn for the worse last night. Heart rate dropped dramatically. He has not been eating well and his organs are in distress. Please pray his heart issues are resolved and he is able to eat more and regain his strength. We appreciate your prayers! pic.twitter.com/ctr0AD8Vyj

— Richard Blackaby (@richardblackaby) October 27, 2023

‘Experiencing God’ Author Henry Blackaby

Dr. Henry Blackaby, founder and president emeritus of BMI, has pastored churches in Canada and California. He also planted churches and served as a music director and an education director.

Blackaby’s many books about Christian faith and leadership have been translated into 40 languages worldwide. His bestseller “Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God,” first published in 1990, has sold more than 7 million copies. It led to the award-winning devotionals “Experiencing God Together” and “Experiencing God Day by Day.”

Blackaby, 88, also served in several leadership roles within the Southern Baptist Convention. He was on staff at the North American Mission Board, was a special assistant to the presidents of the International Mission Board and Lifeway Christian Resources, and served as president of Canadian Baptist Theological College for seven years.

In September 2022, Blackaby’s wife of 62 years, Marilyn Blackaby, died at age 83. The couple have five children, and 14 grandchildren. All five Blackaby children—including four sons who earned Ph.D.s—serve in Christian ministry.

Henry Blackaby Had a Health Scare a Decade Ago

Ten years ago, Henry Blackaby had successful quadruple bypass surgery after a frightening incident. The pastor, who has diabetes, suffered a heart attack in September 2013 while driving in Atlanta. For 29 hours, he went missing and drove around the area disoriented. Hundreds of volunteers—including many from his church—searched for him.

“God heard and answered the prayers of his people!” Blackaby’s family said in a statement after he was located. “We believe God has some special tasks remaining for Henry to do.”

‘Simply a Lie’—Ken Ham Disputes Claim That 2015 Suit Filed by New House Speaker Mike Johnson Forced Taxpayers To Fund Ark Encounter

By

Dale Chamberlain

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October 27, 2023

Ken Ham Mike Johnson Ark Encounter — Left: Cimerondagert, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Right: Mike Johnson, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

When Louisiana congressman Mike Johnson was elected to be the new Speaker of the House earlier this week, evangelicals celebrated that one of their own had been installed to the third highest office in the nation.

Johnson, who is a proud Southern Baptist, has personal connections with a number of high profile evangelical leaders and institutions—including Ken Ham, a creationism apologist, and Answers in Genesis, the organization Ham founded and leads.

In the days since his election, news outlets have begun profiling Johnson, exploring the background of the congressman, who was largely unknown to the American public until this week.

A number of those publications have pointed out that Johnson provided legal representation for Answers in Genesis in 2015 after the state of Kentucky withdrew tax breaks from the Ark Encounter theme park on the grounds that it requires employees to affirm young earth creationism.

Johnson filed a suit against the state of Kentucky, alleging that the state was guilty of “viewpoint discrimination” for denying Answers in Genesis a tax benefit enjoyed by other organizations developing similar tourist attractions. Answers in Genesis eventually won the case, and the tax benefits were reinstated.

“One would expect that any project that will bring millions of dollars in new capital investment, create hundreds of jobs and be a tremendous asset to the communities of Northern Kentucky would be enthusiastically welcomed by every Kentuckian,” Johnson wrote at the time.

“This is clearly not a government ‘grant,’ as the secularists have claimed, because not a single penny will be pulled from the existing state treasury to help build or support the Ark project,” Johnson went on to argue. “Instead, the commonwealth has merely agreed as an incentive that it will refund a portion of the brand-new tax dollars that are generated by the park itself, if and when the park meets certain attendance-performance levels at the end of each year.”

Nevertheless, some news publications have characterized the outcome of the case as tantamount to the government being forced to fund the construction of the Ark Encounter.

Clint Rainey of Fast Company wrote in an article published on Thursday (Oct. 26) that “Kentuckians ultimately had to help pay for the wooden boat.” Similarly, Robert Tait of The Guardian wrote that Johnson “won taxpayer funding for a Noah’s Ark amusement park while working as a lawyer, in a graphic illustration of his uncompromising rightwing Christian beliefs.”

Charlottesville’s Robert E. Lee Statue Melted Down

By

Jack Jenkins and Adelle M. Banks

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October 27, 2023

(RNS) — Community leaders in Charlottesville, Virginia, have melted down a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, the removal of which spurred violent protests in 2017 that resulted in the killing of a counterprotester by a white supremacist.

Among the leaders of the project, known as the Swords Into Plowshares initiative, is Jalane Schmidt, a religious studies professor at the University of Virginia, where throngs of protesters marched with torches the night before the August 2017 Unite the Right rally.

On Thursday (Oct. 26), Schmidt, who is also director of the Memory Project at UVA’s Karsh Institute of Democracy, an effort launched in the aftermath of the Charlottesville violence, opened a news conference by reciting Scripture that calls on believers to beat swords into plowshares.

“We’re here to announce that we’ve melted the Lee statue,” Schmidt said, to applause. She later added: “Creativity and art can express democratic, inclusive values. We believe that art has the potential to heal.”

Organizers said they plan to hire an artist to use the bronze from the statue to form a new art piece, although details have yet to be worked out.

The announcement is the coda in a yearslong legal battle over the statue. After the white supremacist rally ravaged the city, local elected officials voted unanimously to donate the statue in late 2021 to the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, a local Black-led nonprofit that funds the Swords Into Plowshares initiative. Shortly thereafter, two groups — Trevilian Station Battlefield Foundation, which oversees a Civil War battlefield elsewhere in Virginia, and the Ratcliffe Foundation, which manages a museum in Russell County with ties to a Confederate general — filed suit in an attempt to halt efforts to melt the monument down.

But the groups, both of which had submitted unsuccessful bids for the statue, ultimately failed in court. A judge removed the Ratcliffe Foundation from the case in May and dismissed most of Trevilian Station Battlefield Foundation’s case in July. Trevilian Station effectively ended its legal efforts later that month.

Andrea Douglas, executive director of the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, said during the news conference that project leaders are just beginning the process of selecting a jury to help decide which artist or group will create the replacement artwork. They hope to gather sculpture specialists, historians and “people who understand our narrative deeply,” she said.

The destruction of the statue, which was removed from a city park in July 2021, actually began over the weekend: The head was melted down in an undisclosed location, as was the sword.

The Rev. Isaac Collins, a United Methodist minister in Charlottesville, was part of a small group allowed to witness the melting of the statue. He told Religion News Service he spoke to the assembly shortly before the process began and quoted Psalm 135:15-18, which states “the idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. … They have mouths, but they do not speak. … Those who make them, and all who trust them, shall become like them.”

Collins said he had used the Scripture passage before in a 2019 public Bible study in Charlottesville that focused on racism because it helped “define the role that these statues played as idols for white supremacy.” He also reflected on events surrounding the erection of the statue in 1924, when the Klu Klux Klan staged cross burnings in the city and organized a march through a predominantly Black neighborhood.

“All of these things were connected in creating a culture of death that the Lee statue symbolized,” he said. Melting it down, he explained, was a literal enactment of Isaiah 2:2-4 — turning “swords into plowshares.”

Christian Doctor Slain in Nasarawa State, Nigeria

By

Morning Star News

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October 27, 2023

Stephen-Angbas-was-killed-on-Oct-17-2023-in-Nasarawa-state-Morning-Star-News- — Stephen Angbas was killed on Oct. 17, 2023 in Nasarawa state. (Peter Anthony) Courtesy of Morning Star News.

ABUJA, Nigeria (Morning Star News) – A Christian doctor was killed in a machete attack on him and his motorcycle driver on Oct. 17 in Nasarawa state, Nigeria, sources said.

Terrorists attacked Dr. Stephen Angbas, head of Angbas Hospital in the town of Lafia, at about 4 p.m. as he was returning from his farm in Awe County, in the southern part of the state, said area resident Jackson Habila in a text message to Morning Star News.

Angbas was a member of the Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ, Habila said.

Police spokesman Rahman Nansel of the Nasarawa State Police Command said in a press statement that Angbas’ commercial motorcycle driver, Mikailu Dahiru, was wounded in the attack along Jangargari-Awe Road.

Eyewitnesses informed Punch news outlet that the assailants attacked them with machetes, and that Dahiru was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment of severe wounds.

It was unclear if the attack was religiously motivated, although the gruesome nature of the attack was similar to that of Nigerian terrorist attacks on Christians. Punch indicated robbery may have been the motive, though neither media nor police indicated any money was stolen.

Nasarawa state has suffered increasing attacks by Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists who have moved into the state. From April 24 to April 29, Fulani herdsmen killed 12 Christian farmers in Ajimaka, Doma County in attack there and in 13 other villages.

By mid-March, armed attacks by Fulani herdsmen on predominantly Christian communities in Nasarawa state had left more than 200 people dead and destroyed homes and farms, according to Nasarawa-based Ajiri Afo Development Association.

Nigeria led the world in Christians killed for their faith in 2022, with 5,014, according to Open Doors’ 2023 World Watch List (WWL) report. It also led the world in Christians abducted (4,726), sexually assaulted or harassed, forcibly married or physically or mentally abused, and it had the most homes and businesses attacked for faith-based reasons. As in the previous year, Nigeria had the second most church attacks and internally displaced people.

In the 2023 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Nigeria jumped to sixth place, its highest ranking ever, from No. 7 the previous year.

“Militants from the Fulani, Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and others conduct raids on Christian communities, killing, maiming, raping and kidnapping for ransom or sexual slavery,” the WWL report noted. “This year has also seen this violence spill over into the Christian-majority south of the nation… Nigeria’s government continues to deny this is religious persecution, so violations of Christians’ rights are carried out with impunity.”

Numbering in the millions across Nigeria and the Sahel, predominantly Muslim Fulani comprise hundreds of clans of many different lineages who do not hold extremist views, but some Fulani do adhere to radical Islamist ideology, the United Kingdom’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief (APPG) noted in a 2020 report.

“They adopt a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity,” the APPG report states.

Christian leaders in Nigeria have said they believe herdsmen attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians’ lands and impose Islam as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds.

If you would like to help persecuted Christians, visit https://morningstarnews.org/resources/aid-agencies/ for a list of organizations that can orient you on how to get involved.

If you or your organization would like to help enable Morning Star News to continue raising awareness of persecuted Christians worldwide with original-content reporting, please consider collaborating at https://morningstarnews.org/donate/?

This article originally appeared here.

Pastoral Calling: What, Who, How and When

By

Brian Croft

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October 27, 2023

The only way for a pastor to avoid the many distractions of life and to remain steadfast throughout his life and ministry is to know what God has truly called the pastor to do. The pastoral calling is not to run programs for the masses. The pastoral calling is not to do whatever is necessary to please everyone in his church. God’s calling for the pastor is different and clearly outlined in God’s Word. The Apostle Peter exhorts elders/pastors (same office) to one undeniable task:

Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. (1 Peter 5:2-4)

Peter’s exhortation to pastors can be summarized in this way, “Be shepherds of God’s flock under your care until the Chief Shepherd appears.” Peter is quite clear of the what, who, how and when of the pastor’s true biblical pastoral calling:

What: Be shepherds of God’s flock.

Who: The flock that is under your care.

How: Not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

When: Until the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ, returns for his flock placed in your care.

The true biblical pastoral calling is to shepherd the souls of God’s people humbly, willingly, eagerly and on behalf of the Chief Shepherd. This was the calling for those leading the local church in Peter’s day, and it is the same calling for the busy pastors of the 21st century.

Jesus Never Told Us To Fill Church Buildings

By

Karl Vaters

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October 27, 2023

Going to church has never been the point. Jesus didn’t tell us to “work really hard to gather people into large crowds to fill up your church buildings. Then I’ll know that you love me.” But when you look at how most pastors (including me) spend much of our time and energy, sometimes it feels like we think that.

Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of Facebook posts and blogs longing for the “good old days” when churches were full on Sunday mornings, evenings and during the week. This expression is especially prevalent on sites where small church pastors tend to congregate.

I understand that longing. After all, I’ve experienced many a Sunday with depressingly small church attendance. But I have three big problems with the “good old days” mindset.

First, the “good old days” weren’t so good.

We have selective memory. If we were transported back there, we’d all want to catch the first DeLorean back to today as fast as we could.

Second, longing for the past is setting ourselves up for defeat.

We can’t go back there! Time travel only works in one direction and at one speed. No church or pastor should ever want to go backward. Let’s honor the past but live in the now and plan for the future.

Third, I don’t want to hear about churches filling up as a sign of revival, renewal or spiritual awakening any more!

I want to hear about churches emptying out. Out into their community to minister, to serve and to share the good news. That’s a greater sign of revival than an increase in church attendance will ever be.

Our world doesn’t need bigger churches or filled-up small churches. We need transformed lives, families, cities and nations. That’s hard to do when all the Christians are cloistered inside church buildings.

Let’s Emphasize What Jesus Emphasized

Take a look at the Gospels. Did Jesus spend his time in church? Did he try to get people to go to church? Did the disciples?

No. Jesus and the disciples never emphasized going to church. They emphasized being the church and Mark 16:15 “going into the world.”

Jesus never told us to pray that church buildings would be filled. He told us to Luke 10:2 “ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (emphasis mine)

Church isn’t about filling a building. It’s about filling the neighborhood with the good news of the love of Jesus.

(For one idea of what that can look like, click here for a three-minute video of something our church calls Share Days.)

Yes, I know some readers are already warming up their keyboards to remind me that Jesus told us to go the highways and alleyways Luke 14:23 “that my house will be full.” But any honest reading of the Luke 14 (entire context of the chapter) or any other similar passage, shows us that Jesus’ emphasis was on us going out, not bringing them in. And even then, the “in” he was talking about had nothing to do with filling up church buildings. It was about filling up heaven at “Luke 14:14“>the resurrection of the righteous.”

It’s About Going Out, Not Just Gathering Into Church Buildings

Of course it’s great when a church is filled with enthusiastic, worshiping believers and sincere seekers. But filling a church building should never be the goal.

Church buildings are tools God wants to use to reach the world, not an end in itself.

There have been too many times in history when church buildings have been filled while the neighborhood around them has gone to hell—in both senses of that term.

Every truly great church experience should be aimed toward two things:

Magnifying the risen Christ.
Sending believers out better equipped to love, serve and share the good news in word and deed.

Maybe we should start measuring church health and spiritual renewal by how we empty our churches, not just how we fill them.

So what do you think? Have you struggled with emphasizing bringing people into church buildings over sending them out?

Elijah Was a Man Just Like Us – So What Can We Learn From Him?

By

Ray Hollenbach

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October 27, 2023

Elijah was a man just like us. (James 5:17) In my experience many Christians consider Christlikeness impossible in this life, yet expect an almost magical transformation of their character and faith immediately upon entry into the next life. I wonder: why would God, who shows the utmost respect for our freedom of choice and personality while we live on earth suddenly take control of our faith and choices in heaven? Does that sound like the Father’s way?

The Apostle James suggested that if becoming conformed to the image of Jesus is unimaginable, perhaps we could set our sights lower–on someone like Elijah. “Elijah was a man just like us.” The same Elijah whose voice and piety intimidated kings and queens, whose trust in God manifested in his personal control of the weather for three years, and whose appetite for the power of God called down fire from heaven. That Elijah.

Elijah was a man just like us

Why would the scripture include such incredible stories of people like Elijah? How can his narrative impact our lives? One of my younger friends replied that we should not expect the same miracles as the life of Elijah, but he is included in the Bible so we might imitate his faith. For me, the message of Elijah is precisely the opposite–faith for miracles may be easier than faith to believe that God cares for us, or faith to hear his voice. Here’s what I make of Elijah’s example:

“Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let anyone get away!” (1 Kings 18:40) Elijah used the astonishing manifestation of fire from heaven as authority to order the execution of 400 men. Wouldn’t that have been the perfect moment to invite the pagan prophets to abandon their false gods in favor of the one True God? Yahweh was a demonstrably better choice. Instead, Elijah appealed to an impressionable crowd of people–themselves wavering in faith–to execute a humiliated foe. Could the tacit lesson be that miracle-working faith does not guarantee we have God’s heart? Jesus suggested that very thing in Luke 9:54-55.

“I am the only one left” (1 Kings 19:10) Even after winning a spiritual showdown of Olympian proportions, Elijah felt isolated and alone. This rings true in our day: internationally-known preachers and musicians display a public image of confidence and power but are privately ravaged by their relational poverty. Having become rich in faith–the currency of the Kingdom–they discover their Kingdom riches do not guarantee intimacy with the Father. I have no idea why this is true, but I have seen it time and again.

“After the fire came a still, small voice.” (1 Kings 19:12) The Father’s voice is not a matter of power, but of intimacy. Elijah, the prophet of the grand gesture, gravitated to the fire, the earthquake, and the windstorm. Yet the Lord was present in the stillness, not the tumult. E. Stanley Jones described the authority of God’s voice in this way: “the inner voice of God does not argue, does not try to convince you. It just speaks. It has the feel of the voice of God within it.” Another way of saying this is, “the entrance of your word brings light.” (Psalm 119:130)

I believe James when he says Elijah was a man just like us. I am capable of mistaking the grand gesture for his voice and missing the stillness of his presence. I am capable of misinterpreting God’s display of power as justification for violent actions. I am capable of making God’s work “all about me,” foolishly thinking I’m the only one when in fact there are thousands close by.

Yet Elijah’s example needn’t be a cautionary tale: his life is also a picture of how God comes close to the depressed and broken. His life is a picture of how God provides for us even when we run from our problems and simply would prefer to quit. His life is a picture of God’s desire to work through men to accomplish His ends, and in the process shape and transform those men in their weakest moments. His life is a picture of an older man who chooses and trains another to take his place–choosing to share freely what was purchased dearly.

Elijah’s life gives me hope not only for the miracles, but for the friendship of God. It assures me that I do not have to choose between the two.

This article exploring the meaning of “Elijah was a man just like us” originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

How to Create Connection Content Is Everywhere

By

Gavin Adams

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October 27, 2023

It feels like yesterday. I was standing in the back of our church auditorium, watching our volunteers duplicate sermon CDs for people wanting to purchase them for review or to give to friends. For some of you, that brings back fond memories of simpler times. People came to church for community and content. To draw a crowd and create interest in your church, you could grow if you could create connection and community and offer helpful, practical content. That’s perhaps a bit too simplistic, but the basics are accurate. Times have certainly changed.

How to Create Connection When Content is a Commodity

I love the Internet. While writing this post, I’m using it to check my grammar and spelling.

I also love how the Internet has brought people, content, and ideas directly to our fingertips. We no longer need to attend a conference or a church service to hear helpful content.

In fact, we are overwhelmed with practical, helpful content of every variety.

This overpopulation and accessibility of content have commoditized sermons and speeches. This certainly doesn’t mean that people are actually listening to more and better content, but it does mean they can. The ability to get content without leaving my house, car, or phone makes going to a physical church location for content unnecessary and unappealing.

Content matters, but it’s not a draw.

Create Connection – It’s All About Community

Yes, but, like content, community has also changed dramatically over the past few decades. And we cannot blame the internet. Research shows that social media makes us all more lonely, but it feels a little communal. Especially if you’ve found your tribe or “people.”

But there is more to this story. With the rise in kid’s sports, vacation travel, time spent at work, and such, people can find community just about anywhere they go.

Like content, the availability of community doesn’t mean that people take full advantage. Or that these versions of community are healthy and substantial. In many cases, these communities are counterfeit, superficial, and often temporary. But they are available. Readily available.

Therefore, people don’t see church as necessary for finding connection and community. They have that in other places that don’t take up extra time.

When community is already incorporated into a person’s routine, they are unlikely to add church community in addition to what’s already part of their life.

Yikes! Sounds Like Bad News.

It’s certainly troubling. The old methods of attracting people and growing disciples are changing. But that’s nothing new. We’ve always had to adjust our “going into all the world” and “making disciples” to accomplish the Great Commission in our culture.

The question is, how should we adjust? If we cannot rely on community or content, then what’s left?

Pray in the Spirit – At all Times, Always!

By

Chet Gladkowski

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October 27, 2023

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:18

You can have different reactions to someone saying that we need to pray. Now, very few people jump up and down with excitement over an invitation to pray. For some reason, people seem to like to ask me to pray about something for them. The assumption is that I’ll say OK and move on. But being me, I do something different. Something unexpected. I change the request into action. I say, “Of course. Let’s pray right now.”

That throws some people off. They thought that I’d put the prayer request in my pocket and pray somewhere else. Pray some other time. But my thinking is that if we pray right then, they know that I prayed.

Pray in the Spirit

Being told that we are to pray on all occasions is a nice, general way of saying that we are to reach out to God at different points along the way. Like praying every time a commuter bus or subway comes to a stop. And that’s a nice way of looking at it.

But I think it’s trying to say something a little bit different. Yes, we absolutely are to pray on all occasions. All the time. At every stop along the path of life. Constant, intimate communication with our heavenly Father is the foundation for all of life. But not all of life is the same.

Sometimes life is just rolling along. Sometimes it seems like life is going really well without a lot of work or trouble. Sometimes life just seems to be stuck. Going nowhere. Sometimes life is hard. An uphill climb. Everything takes more energy. More concentration. More effort.

And then there are those times just before something big is about to happen. You believe that a change is getting close. Things are coming to a head. There is a sense of anticipation that life is about to come to a fork in the road. This is just the right moment and situation for something to happen. Something to change.

And that’s how we’re supposed to pray. Pray with anticipation. Pray with excitement. God is in control, and no one can stand against him. When he says that he’s going to do something, it gets done. Period. Since God is in control, things are going to change. And we can depend on God acting and changing things.

Yes, sometimes life can see dull. Even boring. One day followed by another where you don’t see anything dramatic changing. Your life has a pattern. But pattern is just another, fancier word for rut. You’ve done the same thing over and over so many times that you’re stuck and can’t seem to get out.

Fall Craft for Preschool: Make These Seasonal Sensory Boxes

By

ChildrensMinistry.com

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October 26, 2023

Need a creative fall craft for preschool children? Then check out this neat idea! Help kids make “feely fabric boxes” from sensory scraps such as cotton balls, feathers, felt, fake fur, and burlap.

Young children will enjoy making this tactile fall craft (with a bit of adult help, if needed). Then the sensory box will provide hours of learning and entertainment. Send the boxes home with preschool children so they can show family members what they made and learned.

Preschool Fall Craft

Supplies

tacky craft glue
ribbon
lace
rickrack
small boxes (1 per child)
various nature items (leaves, pine cones, twigs, flowers, grass, pebbles, sand)

Directions

Give each child an empty box for this preschool fall craft. Then take children on a nature walk and invite them to collect items to fill their autumn boxes. Suggest items such as leaves, twigs, flowers, sand, pine cones, grass, and pebbles.

Set out glue and bits of ribbon, lace, and rickrack. Have kids glue ribbon, lace, rickrack, and a few of their nature items to the outside of their boxes.

Invite children to place the extra nature items inside their boxes. Talk about how the different items look and feel.

Kirk Cameron’s New Book Is About Loving Your Enemies; He Plans To Sit Down With His

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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October 26, 2023

Kirk Cameron’s new children’s book, “The Fox, the Fair, and the Invention Scare,” was released this week by BRAVE Books and explores the biblical theme of loving your enemies found in Matthew 5:43-44.

The story is about a young fox named Asher who learns to be kind and even help his enemy, Stewart the Giraffe, win the Hive Haven Invention Fair.

Cameron told ChurchLeaders that “parents have a sacred responsibility to do everything we can to provide a good future for our children and our grandchildren. And right now, we are tanking their future by fighting with one another over everything.”

“We’re fighting over politics. We’re fighting over money. We’re fighting over moral values. We’re fighting over religion,” he added. “Look at Ukraine and Russia. Look at the Palestinians and the Israelis. Look at the Republicans and the Democrats. These things can all be traced back to brothers fighting against brothers for hundreds and thousands of years.”

Cameron asked, “Who’s gonna stop the crazy train here and give our kids something better?”

Several years ago, Cameron heard a testimony from parents of a son who was murdered by a gang member. He said that they “spoke about their unwavering faith in God, about his goodness and faithfulness and his ability to bring good things out of evil things.”

Then the couple invited a young man onstage, and he shared that he violently killed the couple’s son before being sent to prison. The former gang member said that the parents of the young man he killed visited him in prison, telling him that they didn’t hate him and sharing the gospel with him.

“We love you, and we will be committed to praying for you,” they told the young man who murdered their son. Cameron said that when the former gang member got out of prison, the parents legally adopted him and raised him “in a loving home with a mother and father who treated him as their own natural born son.”

Cameron said that after he heard that story, it changed his view on how to deal with enemies and is the inspiration for “The Fox, the Fair, and the Invention Scare.”

After the book was finished and Cameron read it again, he shared how it deeply impacted him. “I thought to myself, you know, it’s not enough for me to just write a book and tell kids, ‘You need to do this.’ I need to practice what I’m preaching.”

Amber Albee Swenson: Is Worry Getting in Your Way?

By

Jason Daye

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October 26, 2023

How can we overcome one of the most often overlooked hindrances to our spiritual well-being? In this week’s conversation on FrontStage BackStage, host Jason Daye is joined by Amber Albee Swenson. Amber is a podcaster, speaker, and the author of seven books, including her latest, titled “Soul Care.” Together, Amber and Jason explore how worry can seep into our ministries and derail our spiritual well-being. Amber also shares some reminders and disciplines that can help us embrace healthy soul care.

FrontStage BackStage Podcast With Amber Albee Swenson

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
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Shareable Social Graphics – Feel free to post them on your church social accounts, your personal accounts, or use them as graphics in your communications

10 Christian NBA Players To Watch This Season

By

Stephanie Martin

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October 26, 2023

christian nba players — L: Jonathan Isaac. Mogami Kariya, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. C: Michael Porter. All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. R: Steph Curry. Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The 2023-2024 NBA season kicked off this week, with 30 teams hitting the court for the first of their 82 regular-season games. Amid all the hype, competition, and statistics are Christian NBA players, coaches, assistants, and chaplains who follow Jesus and aren’t afraid to talk about their faith.

Here’s a look at 12 Christians in the NBA—10 players and two coaches—who glorify God while in the sports spotlight.

10 Christian NBA Players for 2023-2024

1. Jonathan Isaac

In addition to being a power forward for the Orlando Magic, 26-year-old Jonathan Isaac recently launched UNITUS, an anti-woke clothing brand. The target audience, he said, includes “parents who want to buy their kids sneakers and clothes but wanna give their money to a company that they know is gonna work towards bolstering their values.”

Isaac, who refused to kneel during the national anthem amid the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, encourages Christians to be proud, not ashamed, of their beliefs. “As the day continues to get darker and darker and crazier and crazier,” he said, “you standing up for what you believe is only going to get harder. But it’s only going to become more and more necessary.”

In 2022, Isaac released the book “Why I Stand.” In it, he shares his Christian testimony and describes how he lives out his faith. At Liberty University‘s Convocation last month, Isaac encouraged other young Christians to stand up boldly for God. “God is trying to equip each and every one of you with purpose, and you’re going to carry out something for the Kingdom of God,” he told students.

“It’s going to be a stand in one way or another, if it’s before the Lord or in your everyday life, and you’re going to have to do it or you will not be who God has created you to be.”

SBC Lawyers Side Against Sexual Abuse Survivor in Amicus Brief to Kentucky Supreme Court

By

Dale Chamberlain

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October 26, 2023

SBC amicus brief — TEDD LiGGETT, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) continues to embroil itself in scandal regarding sexual abuse as it was revealed this week that lawyers representing SBC entities submitted an amicus brief to the Kentucky Supreme Court. The brief argued against statute of limitations reform for sexual abuse survivors attempting to sue non-perpetrating parties who failed to report the abuse.

In addition to an outcry from abuse survivor advocates, some Executive Committee members have expressed that they had no prior knowledge of the brief.

Filed in April, the amicus brief was submitted by four lawyers representing four entities: the SBC, the EC, Lifeway Christian Resources, and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS).

The brief comes in the context of a sexual abuse case that has no connection to any of these entities. However, its outcome will likely affect present and future litigation against the SBC.

The case centers on Samantha Killary, who was sexually abused as a child by her adoptive father, Louisville Police Officer Sean Jackman. Jackman has pleaded guilty to multiple sex offenses and is currently serving a 15-year prison sentence.

As reported by Andrew Wolfson of Louisville Courier Journal, Killary subsequently sued Jackman, as well as Linda Thompson, whom Jackman dated from 2001 to 2003, and Jackman’s father. Killary claims Thompson and the elder Jackman knew about her abuse but failed to report it. Louisville Metro, which employed all three individuals, was also named in the suit.

The case was dismissed on the grounds that the statute of limitations, which stated that an abuse survivor only has five years after turning 18 years old to sue, had expired.

In 2017, the Kentucky legislature extended the statute of limitations to 10 years. In 2021, the legislature said that survivors had the right to sue not only the perpetrator but also entities such as police departments, government agencies, or religious institutions that had failed in their duty to protect them.

The Kentucky Supreme Court is now tasked with determining whether this new legislation should be applied retroactively to abuse that occurred before the new standards were implemented.

If so, then Killary’s lawsuit can move forward. This is exactly what the lawyers representing SBC entities are seeking to avoid, presumably to limit the SBC’s own legal exposure.

Of note is that the SBC, the EC, Lifeway, and SBTS are all named in a lawsuit that was filed in 2021 by abuse survivor Hannah-Kate Lee Osborne (formerly Hannah-Kate Williams). In the suit, which was filed in Kentucky, Osborne alleges that these entities failed to properly respond to the child sex abuse she endured from her father, who was an SBTS student, employee of Lifeway, and SBC pastor.

Spiritual Renewal Through Fasting

By

Full Strength Network

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October 26, 2023

In the whirlwind of responsibilities, deadlines, and constant demands, pastors often find themselves facing burnout. The weight of guiding a congregation, counseling, and fulfilling the myriad roles within the church can leave even the most dedicated pastors feeling spiritually drained. In these moments, it’s essential to turn to the teachings of Jesus for guidance and solace.

One powerful practice he emphasized was fasting, a transformative spiritual discipline that can bring renewal and refreshment to weary souls. In this blog, we will explore the profound teachings of Jesus on fasting and provide actionable steps for pastors to incorporate this practice into their lives, finding strength and rejuvenation in their spiritual journey.

Understanding Fasting in the Light of Jesus’ Teaching

Fasting, as taught by Jesus, goes beyond abstaining from food. It is a deliberate, focused commitment to seeking God through prayer and meditation while temporarily setting aside physical needs. In Matthew 6:16-18, Jesus said:

When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

The Transformative Power of Fasting

Fasting, when practiced with sincerity and a humble heart, can lead to spiritual breakthroughs. It fosters intimacy with God, cleanses the soul, and heightens spiritual awareness. Through fasting, pastors can gain a fresh perspective on their ministries, find clarity in decision-making, and experience the boundless peace that surpasses all understanding.

Actionable Steps for Pastors

Set Clear Intentions: Define the purpose of your fast. Is it for spiritual clarity, guidance, or a specific need within your ministry? Setting a clear intention helps you stay focused and committed.
Choose the Right Type of Fast: Depending on your health and circumstances, opt for a partial fast (abstaining from certain foods or meals) or a complete fast (abstaining from all food for a specific period). Consult a healthcare professional if you have any health concerns.
Create a Supportive Environment: Inform your close friends, family, or fellow pastors about your fasting journey. Their support and encouragement can be invaluable during challenging moments.
Deepen Your Prayer and Meditation: Use the time you would normally spend eating to delve deeper into prayer, meditation, and Scripture reading. Let the words of God rejuvenate your spirit.
Practice Gratitude: Cultivate a heart of gratitude throughout your fast. Reflect on the blessings in your life, both big and small. A thankful heart opens the door to spiritual renewal.
Stay Hydrated and Rest: While abstaining from food, ensure you drink plenty of water and get adequate rest. Taking care of your physical well-being is essential during a fast.

Prayer

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Security

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‘Experiencing God’ Author Henry Blackaby

Henry Blackaby Had a Health Scare a Decade Ago

First, the “good old days” weren’t so good.

Second, longing for the past is setting ourselves up for defeat.

Third, I don’t want to hear about churches filling up as a sign of revival, renewal or spiritual awakening any more!

Let’s Emphasize What Jesus Emphasized

It’s About Going Out, Not Just Gathering Into Church Buildings

Church buildings are tools God wants to use to reach the world, not an end in itself.

Elijah was a man just like us

How to Create Connection When Content is a Commodity

Create Connection – It’s All About Community

Yikes! Sounds Like Bad News.

Pray in the Spirit

Preschool Fall Craft

Supplies

Directions

FrontStage BackStage Podcast With Amber Albee Swenson

Keep Learning

Podcast Links

10 Christian NBA Players for 2023-2024

1. Jonathan Isaac

Understanding Fasting in the Light of Jesus’ Teaching

The Transformative Power of Fasting

Actionable Steps for Pastors

New Articles

New Podcasts