10 Ways Worship Leaders and Audio Techs Need to Work Together

October 12, 2023

Worship teams and audio techs exist in order to help lead our congregations to worship and love God. We all have the same goal, to provide excellence in leading worship. So why do audio techs and worship leaders frequently experience conflict, having a hard time supporting and respecting one another?

It’s a relationship that is more often strained than healthy. That’s not good because these two people need each other to be successful. Regardless of which role you hold, here are 10 ideas to help you have a great relationship with your counterpart.

10 ways audio techs can support the worship leader

1. Be on time for rehearsal and sound check. Don’t waste the worship team’s time. This usually means mics in place and checked in advance of the scheduled start of rehearsal or sound check.

2. Communicate questions or needs with your worship leader as early as possible so there is still time to accommodate and adapt.

3. Have everything needed set up and turned on before the band gets there. There is much to accomplish in a short time. Use rehearsal time to try different eq’s and mixes in the house or your headphones, but not in the monitors.

4. Do not yell to or at the worship leader from the sound booth. Use a talk back mic or go up and talk to him/her.

5. Ask your worship leader how he wants the mix to sound from a musical perspective. Then, try to accomplish that. More lead? More snare? Less background vocal?

6. If the worship leader asks you to do something, do it as soon as possible and with a smile.

7. If you have to question the worship leader about something, or need to make a suggestion, do it privately and not in front of the worship team. It’s important that the leader can trust your intentions and it’s hard if they feel embarrassed.

8. Remember the worship leader has many things to consider and is looking out for the good of the whole congregation. Remember there are no sides, everyone is in this together.

9. Own up to your mistakes.

10. Pray for your worship leader and remember that, just like every artist, they have insecurities and are putting their art out there for everyone to judge. Take every opportunity you can to be supportive and encouraging.

Synod on Synodality Finds Its Voice After Pope Francis Enforces Silence

Claire Giangrave

October 12, 2023

synod on synodality silence — An individual takes a photo of the 16th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, Oct. 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — The first rule of the Synod on Synodality: Don’t talk about the Synod on Synodality.

The long-awaited monthlong summit of Catholic cardinals, bishops, priests and laypeople called by Pope Francis to address the biggest challenges facing the church has been wrapped in a veil of silence or — as the pope calls his gag order on participants — “fasting” from discussing what is going on inside the plenary sessions and small groups at the Vatican.

In his inaugural address to the 364 synod participants and the theologians and other experts on hand to guide them, Francis called for “a certain type of fasting of the public word” to protect the spiritual conversations that he hopes will overcome the church’s polarization.

Francis later declared that “the church is taking a break” so it can turn its gaze inward to resolve the issues it faces.

What little has been said, even from the synod’s most vociferous critics, has been muted. On Thursday (Oct. 5), a former Vatican doctrine czar, Cardinal Gerhard Müller, spoke briefly about the synod to EWTN, the conservative Catholic news network based in the United States, saying only, “The experience at the table was very good, therefore I have some form of optimism,” and adding that the end will be determined by “the decisions behind the scenes.”

Francis’ decision to put a lid on the synod came at the last minute before it convened, surprising the church’s public relations officials, who were left with the impossible task of putting a positive spin on a secret synod.

“An institution as large as the church is giving itself a moment for common discernment in silence, listening, faith and prayer,” said Paolo Ruffini, who heads the Vatican’s communications department, during a briefing to journalists Thursday.

Part of the pope’s motivation may be to give the synod’s participants a safe space to express themselves on delicate topics put before them by Catholics in parishes around the world, who contributed to drafting questions for the synod. Those topics range from sexuality and LGBTQ inclusion in the church to female ordination and priestly formation, accountability for sexual abuse and reform of power structures in the church.

According to the Rev. David McCallum, executive director of the church’s Discerning Leadership program and one of the guides at the synod, the pope’s “boundary” on speaking outside the synod protects the participants “from influences that would in some way, shape or form, co-opt the conversation or try to influence it intellectually.”

By closing the doors to the synod hall, McCallum added, the pope ensured that small interest groups cannot interfere. But the Jesuit priest admitted that it comes at a price. “When we don’t get information, we either assume the worst or create completely ungrounded expectations,” he said.

There are risks, of course, no matter which course the Vatican press office goes. Previous synods under Francis have been hijacked by public opinion and the media’s tendency to focus on hot-button issues such as married priests or allowing Communion for divorced and remarried Catholics. But shutting the doors can also backfire, allowing radicals to grab attention, such as when a right-wing activist tossed a sacred Amazonian image into the Tiber River during the 2019 synod on the Amazon region.

The official rules of the synod mandate that “each of the Participants is bound to confidentiality and discretion regarding both their own interventions and the interventions of other Participants.” So far, the rule has proved effective, without having to apply a formal ban known as pontifical secrecy on the gathering, which would allow violators to be excommunicated.

In the Church: People Over Technology

Phil Cooke

October 12, 2023

I was reading in 2 Kings 12:13-15: “The money brought into the temple was not spent for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets or any other articles of gold or silver for the temple of the Lord; it was paid to the workmen, who used it to repair the temple. They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty.” It’s interesting that the writer actually noted that the workman were important. Their skill had value that was worth paying before anything else was paid. We can learn something about people over technology.

People Over Technology

But in today’s churches, ministries, and nonprofits, leaders are happy to pay for technology and equipment first, and then pay employees just above the poverty line.

Listen to this carefully: I’d rather have top quality people and below level equipment, than state of the art equipment and below level people. People drive creativity, innovation, and success. Bells and whistles are nice, but I’ve seen too many clients over the years who spent all their money on great equipment, but refused to pay qualified people to run it.

Without great people, even the best equipment becomes a boat anchor. So to see results, invest in really talented and dedicated people first – then look at your equipment needs later.

This article about people over technology originally appeared here, and is used by permission. Phil Cooke works at the intersection of faith, media, and culture, and he’s pretty rare – a working producer in Hollywood with a Ph.D. in Theology. His client list has included studios and networks like Walt Disney, Dreamworks, and USA Network, as well as major Christian organizations from Voice of the Martyrs, The Museum of the Bible, The Salvation Army, The YouVersion Bible app, to many of the most respected churches in the country.

Ruined Church: The Surprising Impact of Working in Children’s Ministry

Sonny Lemmons

October 11, 2023

Working in children’s ministry ruined church for me. Seriously. At the church in Athens, Georgia, where I attended, worked, and volunteered, I was about as committed as humanly possible. I served with the Teaching Team (outlining the weekly sermons and series as well as trying to keep our pastor on track), the Creative Team (designing and building the environments for said series), and the Youth Ministry (coming in on Wednesdays, team-teaching with two other adults).

Plus, I took to the “pulpit” on Sundays sometimes to greet, welcome, and generally act like a loon. I was as busy as many of the paid staff. But I steered clear of one area: Kids Ministry.

When it was time to repaint and refurbish kidmin rooms so they looked less industrial and more inviting, I pitched in. When it was time to clean up the play areas so they’d be safe, I was there. But that was it. I drew the line in the sandbox at working directly with children. Until…

How KidMin Ruined Church for Me

The Family Minister held a luncheon one Sunday for all volunteers who served under his areas. It was early May, and he wanted to outline some needs for the upcoming summer. One specific area he mentioned was Children’s Ministry.

Because most adult volunteers were also school teachers during the academic year, he made an impassioned plea. It would be the height of Christian generosity and lovingkindness if we could give them a full summer off: no teaching in school, no teaching at church.

Given how many of us were present that afternoon, the numbers were clear. If we all signed up, we’d each have to serve only two to three Sundays during only one of the services, during a three-month stretch.

So being the sucker/wonderful person I am, I signed up. “Why not,” I thought. “I won’t be doing this by myself. Other adults will be present to talk to while I just supervise the game room. It won’t be that bad. Plus, it won’t last that long.”

How That Turned Out: Ruined Church

Jump cut to a year and a half later… I was still serving people half my size and a third of my age week in and week out, sometimes by myself, during both church services, thereby effectively causing me to miss worship for months on end. Other volunteers backed out a week into our “fill-in” run. The “we need you” card was played repeatedly. Although it frustrated me, I felt like I was at times being used unappreciatively as a free servant, that’s not what ultimately ruined church for me.

It was the kids. The third- through fifth-graders I worked with modeled what church is supposed to be about.

Greg Locke Tells of How He Went From Being a Cessationist to Deliverance Minister in New Book

Jesse T. Jackson

October 11, 2023

Greg Locke, founder and lead pastor of Global Vision Bible Church in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, released his new book “Cast It Out: The Call to Set People Free” in August.

In it, Locke highlights the Bible’s teachings on deliverance and what he believes is the universal call for the church to engage in this ministry.

Locke told ChurchLeaders that he wrote the book so that people could experience the journey of “a guy that was full-blown cessationist” turned “full-blown deliverance minister.” The book adds details to the story explored in the film “Come Out in Jesus Name,” which was released in the spring.

“I wanted to take the fantastical out of it, the spookiness out of it, and I want people to see this is the ministry of Jesus,” Locke said. “It’s New Testament. It’s biblical. And it doesn’t have to be scary.”

Locke shared that he wrote the book with the hope that Christians will come away with an understanding that deliverance ministry is a “theological concept that I can wrap my mind around.”

The majority of churches in America do not truly believe that there are angels and demons fighting an unseen war, Locke said, arguing that many Christians and pastors say they believe that “demons flee at the name of Jesus, but would be freaked out” if they ever encountered one.

“I think it’s just an ignorance” for followers of Jesus to not believe in the supernatural, Locke said. “In theory, we believe in the supernatural, but as far as practicing our theology, we do not.”

“If we assume, as a cessationist, that all the gifts have ceased, then there’s no need for the gifts,” he added. “Then there’s no need for the use of the gifts, which is really spiritual warfare.”

Therefore, what happens is Christians “play like we believe in demons and angels but we really don’t.” This result, Locke said, is “we’ve medicated demons, we’ve counseled demons, and we’ve even prayed for demons.”

Locke clarified that not everything is a demon. “I get it,” he said, “that’s one of the big arguments against deliverance ministry. Not everything’s a demon. But if it is, and many times it is, and if it is, there’s only one remedy for it. And it’s not prayer, it’s not counsel, and it’s not medicine. It is deliverance. It’s casting it out through the power of the name of Jesus. It’s the only remedy.”

Progressive Christian Jen Hatmaker Promotes ‘Libido Gummies,’ ‘Arousal Oil’ to Her Audience

Jessica Lea

October 11, 2023

Progressive Christian author and influencer Jen Hatmaker is promoting sexual wellness products, including supplements designed to increase libido and oils that create arousal. In a Sept. 28 Facebook post, Hatmaker introduced the products as being in line with content she has been creating since January.

“Around here, we have been having the sex talk and chatting about sexual wellness since January, between podcast series, Me Course, Book Club selection, and more,” said Hatmaker in the caption of her post [Editor’s note: An account that commented on this post contains pornographic images]. “Well, I have something exciting for you in this category…I’ve been looking forward to the day when I could tell you this was ready.”

RELATED: 8 Bible Verses About Sex

Hatmaker then proceeded to describe two types of products: “libido gummies” for men and women and lubricants for intimacy and arousal.

Jen Hatmaker Markets Sexual Wellness Products

Jen Hatmaker is a self-described “progressive Christian” who says she “used to be a darling of evangelical women’s subculture but now I am a bit of a problem child.”

Hatmaker rose to prominence as a Christian influencer following a viral blog in 2013, as well as her family being featured on HGTV’s reality show, “My Big Family Renovation” in 2014. She is the author of several books, including “Ms. Understood: Rebuilding the Feminine Equation” and “Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire: The Guide to Being Glorious You.” Hatmaker and her ex-husband, Brandon Hatmaker, co-founded Austin New Church in Austin, Texas, and Legacy Collective, a community that works to solve systemic problems.

In 2016, Jen Hatmaker publicly affirmed LGBTQ+ relationships, after which Lifeway pulled her books from its shelves. Several years later, in a June 2020 episode of her podcast, Hatmaker shared that her oldest daughter, Sydney, is gay and the two discussed how they have navigated that journey. Later that year, Hatmaker announced that she and Brandon were getting a divorce after being married since 1993.

Hatmaker spoke out after the reversal of Roe v. Wade in 2022, saying, “Words fail me today, sisters. Please let me say that women matter, you matter, we matter. We don’t let a tiny ruling minority tell us differently.”

In addition to being a New York Times bestselling author, blogger, and social media influencer, Hatmaker has a podcast called “For the Love.” She also features a number of products on her website that followers can purchase at a discount, including totes, hair products, and wellness products.

Podcast episodes from earlier this year address different issues relating to sexuality, such as being free from shame, bettering one’s sex life, and female sexual satisfaction. Hatmaker’s podcast deals with a variety of other topics as well, including empty nesting, parenting teenagers, gun safety, body positivity, resting well, and supporting the LGTBQ+ community.

‘Israel Is God’s Chosen People’—David Jeremiah Urges Christians To Pray Following Hamas Attack

Dale Chamberlain

October 11, 2023

On Wednesday (Oct. 11), San Diego pastor Dr. David Jeremiah expressed his support for Israel amid its conflict with Hamas following a surprise attack by the Islamist militant group over the weekend.

In addition to being the longtime pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church, Jeremiah is the author of numerous books, including “Agents of the Apocalypse: A Riveting Look at the Key Players of the End Times” and “Is This The End? Signs of God’s Providence in a Disturbing New World.”

Since Jeremiah is a popular proponent of dispensational theology, a system of teaching that emphasizes end times predictions, his parishioners and readers are quick to ask for his insights during international conflicts, particularly those involving Israel.

However, rather than offering prophetic interpretations, Jeremiah expressed grief over Hamas’ attack on Israel. In a statement given to ChurchLeaders, Jeremiah urged Christians to pray for Israel, even offering the prayer that he will be bringing to God.

“Israel is God’s chosen people, and her borders are the boundaries of the Promised Land. Today, I am grieved by the attacks that have besieged the nation of Israel over the last few days,” Jeremiah said. “The loss of life, the bloodshed, and the destruction of property are heartbreaking.”

“But in this time of chaos and terrorism, I am reminded of God’s words to Abraham when he chose him to be the father of this great nation, ‘I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you.’ (Gen. 12:3),” Jeremiah added. “As Christians we recognize God’s purpose for Israel, and we must stand with her.”

“Today, and in the coming days, I ask that you join me in petitioning the Lord on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Israel with the prayer below,” Jeremiah said.

The prayer Jeremiah offered is as follows:

Heavenly Father,

The psalmist tells us to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem.”
So I pray for peace for Your chosen people, Israel, and their beloved city today.
You have planned for Israel, provided for Israel, and protected Israel for thousands of years.

Jen Wilkin & J.T. English: Everyone Is a Theologian. But Are You a Good One?

Jessica Lea

October 11, 2023

The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast · Jen Wilkin & J.T. English: Everyone Is a Theologian. But Are You a Good One?

Jen Wilkin is a Bible teacher from Dallas, Texas, a co-host of the “Knowing Faith” podcast, and the author of multiple Bible studies and books, including, “Ten Words to Live By: Delighting in and Doing What God Commands” and “Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds.”

Dr. J.T. English is a professor and the lead pastor of Storyline Fellowship Church in Arvada, Colorado, as well as a co-founder of Training the Church and a co-host of the “Knowing Faith” podcast. He is the author of “Deep Discipleship: How the Church Can Make Whole Disciples of Jesus.”

Jen and J.T.’s new book is “You Are a Theologian: An Invitation to Know and Love God Well.”

Other Ways To Listen to This Podcast With Jen Wilkin & J.T. English

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Key Questions for Jen Wilkin & J.T. English

-How do church leaders make the case to regular people that everyone is a theologian?

-You are both in ministry. How are you seeing a lack of discipleship in local churches?

-What goes badly when we don’t see ourselves as theologians and how does this perception impact our lives?

-What have you seen in women’s ministry spaces regarding whether women are expected to be theologians?

Key Quotes From Jen Wilkin

“When you think about the Great Commission, it says, ‘Go and make disciples’—we all know that part—and teaching them to observe all that he has commanded. And I think that’s the part that gets lost, is that teaching others to observe everything that Jesus commanded.”

“When you think about the statistics that we’re seeing that are coming out around the theological understanding of the average evangelical, it would seem that we have actually not taught others to observe all that Jesus commanded.”

“What J.T. and I have both seen in the churches that we serve in and beyond is that when people are introduced to these theological categories, they come alive. It’s almost like watering a plant that was waiting to be watered.”

“People are hungry to have a thoughtful approach to their faith. They are hungry for faith to be more than a feeling.”

“What has developed over the last 30 or 40 years has been what we would call the expert/amateur divide. The expert stands on the platform and delivers expert content to the amateur who sits in the pews. And what we’re very committed to is restoring to the life of the church what we call active, dedicated learning environments.”

“What we get from the study of theology is good categories for reading the Bible. We can’t assume that just because we’re willing to sit down and read it, we are in a space to understand it the way that we should.”

“Women have gathered for the last 30 or 40 years and been resourced almost entirely at the feelings level. They have been told that the way that they are spiritually formed is through devotional reading of the Scriptures.”

“Much of what I have tried to do and others have tried to do is to remind women that the call to love God with their minds is every bit as incumbent on them as it is for men.”

“I would say that women’s spaces have been bereft of theology, and some of that is because of the mechanics of the local church. The ‘pink ghetto’ often operates under a benign neglect where the pastor who is overseeing it is not really sure what should happen in there.”

One House Music’s New EP Hopes To Be Christian Music for a Non-Christian Audience

Kathryn Post

October 11, 2023

(RNS) — With an eclectic mix of R&B, pop, gospel and hip-hop, the new EP “Eyes Up” from One House Music, a collective from the Los Angeles-based church One: A Potter’s House Church, is explicitly designed for non-Christians.

The mainstream electronic sounds are paired with messages about relying on God, overcoming addiction and finding courage in dark times. And the counterintuitive combination seems to be working: “I’d Be Lying,” an Afrobeats-inspired single featuring U.K. Christian musician Sondae and Grammy-winning songwriter and music leader Mitch Wong, has already been featured on Spotify’s hugely popular New Music Friday playlist.

“I’d be lying, I’d be lying if I said I don’t need your love,” the chorus repeats over a syncopated dance beat. “I’d be lying, I’d be lying if I said I don’t need you, God.”

Touré Roberts, who co-leads the church with his wife, Sarah Jakes Roberts (daughter of Bishop T.D. Jakes) and founded the One House music label in 2020, said he never imagined being an influential church leader shepherding a music collective.

“If you would have told me that I’d be doing it about 25 years ago, I would ask you what you had been smoking and where I might inquire about how to get some,” Roberts joked in a recent interview with Religion News Service.

Roberts wields his background in tech and entrepreneurship as a successful online preacher and on the ground in North Hollywood, where his church is known to attract people from every sector of the entertainment industry, including the likes of Tyler Perry, Mariah Carey and Chance the Rapper. But while Roberts’ style is practical and approachable, he believes One House Music can take that relatability a step further.

“We recognize that not everyone is ready for the Hallelujah song, to lift their hands,” said Roberts, who added that One House Music aims to “meet them with melodies and lyrics that can reach a broad audience.”

One House producer and music director Brunes Charles, who was working for the “Dr. Phil” show when he first joined One Church in 2017, came up with the idea to do a pop/R&B record after One House Music’s debut worship album, “Live Again,” which was released earlier this year.

“There are times I’ve been in church, in my younger days, and I’d leave feeling the same thing. My questions and prayers didn’t get answered. I still felt broken, still didn’t feel close to God, still struggling,” said Charles. “We’re hoping it will allow people to rip off the mask, and not feel shameful for sharing where they are honestly at in their walk of life.”

The song “Last Time,” which features vocals from Roberts’ 20-year-old son, Isaiah Roberts, encapsulates the transparency and vulnerability of the EP. In July, Charles invited Isaiah Roberts to join other collaborators in an LA studio for a songwriting camp, and the group began brainstorming a song about repentance. The topic instantly hit home with Isaiah Roberts, who told RNS he has his “own testimony with struggling with addiction.” In two days, the group had finished “Last Time,” a single that’s since had over 150,000 streams across platforms.

“If I told you I was done, would you ever believe me? I know that we’ve been here a million times,” Isaiah Roberts sings in the song’s chorus. “And I only want freedom, from all these demons I try to hide.”

Isaiah Roberts said he’s been amazed by the early success of the song, which is his first professional release. He added that he’s been “pretty much crying after every DM” he’s received from listeners.

Is Religion Good for You? The Answer Is Complicated, New Global Gallup Report Finds.

Bob Smietana

October 11, 2023

Religion — Photo by Pedro Lima / Unsplash

(RNS) — A new report from Gallup finds that religious people around the world report being more positive, have more social support, and are more involved in their communities than those who are not religious.

The study, based on 10 years of data, also finds the well-being of religious people varies from country to country and is often hard to measure. Even if researchers find that religion is good for you, people who are not religious may not care about its benefits or want anything to do with it.

“Gallup World Poll data from 2012-2022 find, on a number of wellbeing measures, that people who are religious have better wellbeing than people who are not,” according to the report, which was published Tuesday (Oct. 10).

The study included data about nine aspects of people’s lives, from their positive interactions with others and their social life to their civic engagement and physical health. Each of the nine indexes included a score of 0 to 100, based on answers to a series of questions.

For the positive experience index, respondents were asked questions such as “Did you smile or laugh today?” and “Were you treated with respect?” For civic engagement, they were asked questions about whether they gave to charity or helped a stranger. The physical health index asked if they had health issues that kept them from doing things people their age usually do and whether they were in physical pain. For community basics, they were asked about housing and infrastructure.

“Basic Relationship of Religiosity and Wellbeing Outcomes” Graphic courtesy Gallup

Religious people scored higher on five of Gallup’s indexes: social life (77.6 compared with 73.7 for nonreligious people), positive experience (69 to 65), community basics (59.7 to 55.6), optimism (49.4 to 48.4) and civic engagement (35.8 to 31).

They scored about the same as nonreligious people in two indexes: a “life evaluation” of whether they were thriving or suffering and their local economic confidence.

Religious people scored lower on two indexes: negative experience and physical health.

The differences between religious and nonreligious people were most prominent in highly religious countries.

Report: LGBTQ Americans Tend to Be Younger and Have No Religion

Researchers noted that even small differences can have a significant impact on a global scale.

“Each one-point difference in index scores between religious and nonreligious people represents an effect for an estimated 40 million adults worldwide,” according to the report. “For example, the four-point difference between religious and nonreligious people on the Positive Experience Index means that an estimated 160 million more adults worldwide have positive experiences than would be the case if those adults were not religious.”

“Basic Relationships of Religiosity and Wellbeing Outcomes by Country Level of Religiosity, Gallup World Poll Data, 2012-2022” Graphic courtesy Gallup

The report suggests religion and spirituality could be a possible asset in dealing with the mental health crisis in many countries. However, they noted, the number of people interested in or involved in religion is declining.

10 Potential Idols in My Life

Chuck Lawless

October 11, 2023

I’m just opening my heart to my readers today. I’ve been burdened recently about identifying, confessing, and overcoming things in my life that I sometimes elevate to the level of idolatry. Meaning, I sometimes let these things distract from my time with the Lord, dominate my thinking, or rob me of my sleep. Here are some of those things I allow to grip my heart too often:

Worry. I’ve written previously about why worry is such a problem—and how to overcome it. Foundationally, it can be idolatry. I’m still learning. . . .
I-phone. It’s always near me. In fact, it’s almost hard to believe that we once lived without these things—and life was still okay.
Lust. I thought I would eventually outgrow this issue of the heart, but not entirely yet.
Recognition. I would be lying to say there’s no part of me that wants people to know who I am.
Sports/working out. I realize that exercise really does matter, but it’s a problem when taking care of my physical body trumps care for my soul.
Work. I don’t rest well, and it’s partially because effectiveness and recognition in my work build my self-esteem.
Dollars. My issue isn’t that I just want to be wealthy; it’s instead that I get too anxious and untrusting if our financial cushion isn’t as big as I want it to be.
Perfectionism. I don’t like messing up—and this post will show how my striving for perfection has cost me. I linger far too long on my mistakes.
Anger. I work hard not to let the anger with which I grew up consume me—but it’s there. Even when I express my anger only in my mind or under my breath, I’m choosing to do what David Powlison warns against: talking to myself rather than talking to God.
Self. Particularly, I have to think about this possibility when I don’t pray like I should. Prayerlessness says to God, as I’ve written elsewhere, “I don’t really love you like I say I do” and “I don’t need you very much.”*

Here’s the good news, though, I must cling to even as I’m evaluating my own life:

“And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true one. We are in the true one—that is, in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” (1 Jn 5:20)
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 Jn 1:9)

———

* Chuck Lawless, The Potential and Power of Prayer: How to Unleash the Praying Church (Church Answers Resources) (p. 33). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

This article about idolatry originally appeared here and is used by permission.

5 Church Innovations You May Never Have Heard Of

Rich Birch

October 11, 2023

It seems like about a dozen churches across the country get all the attention of church leaders when it comes to looking for innovative approaches to ministry. Even though there are over 100,000 churches in the country we all seem fixated on just a few! Today I wanted to highlight some great stuff happening in churches that aren’t a part of that super-elite group. A part of our role as a church leader to keep our ears to ground to learn from other leaders. People have solved the issues that you face in your ministry today. These are five church innovations that I’ve taken note of and that I’m learning from as I think about our ministry.

5 Church Innovations You May Never Have Heard Of

**1. Hosting a Celebrity One Month After Easter!**

At Easter one year Northstar announced that film actor Stephen Baldwin would be coming in about a month’s time. This move built huge momentum for them in the “post Easter” time frame. (The church leveraged a relational connection with Stephen and asked him to come last weekend.)

The Sunday was an all around success … great local press coverage, 220% bump in attendance from an average Sunday, massive first time guests contact information and 34 people made commitments to follow Jesus! Albany is the most post-Christian city in America and I’m excited to see what Northstar is doing to make an impact!

What “even bigger day” could your church plan a month out from next Easter?

2. Launching a Home Grown Kids Curriculum

What do you do when your church has particular passions or concerns that don’t seem to be covered by the “generic” kids and student curriculum companies? The Meeting House decided to take action, create church innocations targeted at their own community, and pull together custom made curriculum called “Survive the Street” for grades 1-5 and Jr. High. [You have got to check out the trailer.]

The core of the curriculum uses a “reality tv” premise of dropping two young people on the streets of a major urban center for 24 hours. The curriculum will be walking through life lessons on the Book of Ruth. I love the creativity bubbling out of this project … it’s been a long time in development but it’s fantastic to see it come to life this month!

How are you communicating your church’s unique voice and vision to your students?

3. Tvotions … 280 Characters of Inspiration

Next Level is a rapidly expanding church in New England (4000 at Easter!) that I think you are going to be hearing more about in the future. There are many things about Next Level that look really cool but I was particularly attracted to their Tvotions service. They are 140 character messages from Lead Pastor Josh Gagnon to help their community stay focused on Jesus all week long sent via text messages.

These church innovations aren’t news and updates about Next Level, and they don’t send more than 1 per day. Just short but powerful encouragement from their pastor sent straight to their people. There is no doubt that people’s phones are some their most personal possessions and I love that Next Level is looking to leverage that close technology to help people take steps closer to Jesus!

What could you church do to get a Tvotions service going?

Can Your Church Be Found?

DJ Chuang

October 11, 2023

church be found — Photo credit: Susan Q Yin on Unsplash

Just as your church’s physical location matters, so does your church’s location on the Internet. There are 823,000 monthly searches for “churches near me.” Can your church be found?

When people are looking for a church and they’re scrolling through search results, they are 25% more likely to click on a web address that contains the keyword they are searching for. Having your web address exactly match your church name can mean getting 25% more traffic! Examples of churches doing this right include Life.church, Menlo.church, and Freshlife.church.

There’s only one way to get an exact-match domain name for instant recognition and to be found online–.church domain names.

.church gives you instant recognition.

For new visitors to your website, there’s no room for questioning who you are or what you do. A .church web address gives you instant recognition. With a web address that matches your church name exactly, you get efficient and effective brand messaging every time your church is mentioned online or in-person. Action.church, for example, blends its mission to “put faith in action” with a domain that is not only memorable, but also on-brand. Menlo.church and CCV.church are other examples of churches who have leveraged a .church domain as part of their rebranding strategy.

.church is trusted.

.church is trusted by some of the most well-known and respected churches, including Battlecreek.church and Free.church. In fact, more than 30% of churches on the Outreach 100 lists use .church and tens of thousands of other churches, regardless of their size, age, and denomination, also use .church to connect with people online and spread the word of the Gospel.

.church is SEO-optimized.

.church domain names allow for valuable keywords on both the left and right side of the dot. The word church is already a strong keyword, paired with the name of your brand, the city or municipality where you’re located, or your denomination will make for a shorter, keyword-rich domain name that’s search-friendly and SEO-optimized.

Nampacatholic.church is the perfect example of this—Nampa, ID is the location, Catholic is the denomination, and .church makes it immediately evident that this is a church website. Another strong example is Westseattlechristian.church. Keywords baked into your domain send a strong signal to search engines and help churches rank higher in relevant search results—translating to more website visits and higher engagement.

.church is secure.

Your web address brings people to your church. But, if you’re not careful, it could also lead them to an undesirable destination, to being lost in cyberspace, to a broken link, or worse, a phishing site or even something obscene. By using confusingly similar Unicode letters and characters, hackers can spoof your domain name, then use this lookalike for fraudulent phishing schemes. When you register a .church domain, all potential malicious variations of your domain name are automatically blocked, preventing hackers from registering false, lookalike names and using them against you.

.church helps bring people together.

For a world in need of hope, a .church domain lights the way for people to find the community and connection they’re looking for. Canvas.church is among the largest, fastest, and most reproducing churches on the Outreach 100 list—bringing community together at scale. On the other hand, Mygen.church is a small, New York-based church focused on bringing together its neighborhood community. Whether people seek a church, youth organization, serving opportunity, or spiritual content, the path to finding you is increasingly simple with a .church domain.

Be found with a .church domain name

Equipped with a memorable, inviting domain name, you’re ready to bolster your online presence with a church website, too. The following website builders make it easy to build a website using your .church domain:

Ready to strengthen your online presence and be found online? Get your .church domain today.

3 Features of a Great Web Address for Your Church

2 Great Examples of Churches Doing Digital Ministry

5 Ways to Increase Online Engagement

5 Tips For An Engaging Website

4 Groups Your Hybrid Church Can Better Reach

What is the Very First Impression of Your Church?

Five Kinds of Thinkers Every Pastor Must Know

Regi Campbell

October 11, 2023

As I think about the guys I’ve mentored, what strikes me is how differently they think. In rummaging through some old files, I found this little piece on different kinds of thinkers. (I know I didn’t write it, so kudos to whoever I stole it from!) Once I know how a guy thinks, I can better challenge him to think through an issue and make a good decision.

Five Kinds of Thinkers

1. Analytical Thinker

They see all sides of a problem, weigh the possibilities against each other, and reach a decision. They have a realistic view of current circumstances as well as a view of the future results of their present decisions.

2. Intuitive Thinker

They have little regard for heavy analysis but respond because ‘it feels right.’ They quickly respond with sensitivity to the joys and trials of others. They may make decisions on the emotion of the moment, disregarding the long-term results of those decisions.

3. Creative Thinker

Their ideas are far out and ahead of the majority of the crowd. They love new, imaginative, innovative ways to approach life. Their minds are fertile and active. They often generate 10 ideas to every one that can be effectively implemented, but that doesn’t discourage their flow of ideas. They discard the other nine and keep right on thinking.

Commit to Worship: Throw Your Cap Over the Wall

David Manner

October 11, 2023

cap over the wall — Adobestock #598668966

Our calling to lead others in worship during this strange season of ministry hasn’t changed even though how it had to be manifested has. Now that some of those worship leading strengths or sweet-spots we so depended on and were revered for may no longer be available in the near future, how are we going to continue to lead? Maybe it’s time for us to throw our cap over the wall.

In his 1961 autobiography, Irish author, Frank O’Connor gives an account of his childhood when he and his friends were out in the Irish countryside. They would come to an orchard wall that seemed too high and difficult to climb, especially if it was one they hadn’t attempted to climb before. So, to continue on their journey, they would take off their caps and throw them over the wall. Since their caps were valuable they had no choice but to follow them.

In an address in San Antonio on the day before he was assassinated, John F. Kennedy referred to this same story before declaring, “This nation has thrown its cap over the wall of space, and we have no choice but to follow it.”

Throwing our cap over the wall during this season meant that some of us had to learn new skills to help us fulfill our calling. It meant that what we once learned in college or seminary was no longer enough to sustain our ministries. Throwing our cap over the wall meant we couldn’t be ones who shrink back and are destroyed…but those who are sure of what we hope for and certain of what we can’t see (Heb. 10:39-11:1).

Throwing our cap over the wall as uncertainty continues in the future may require us to take risks, not biblically or theologically but certainly systematically. It will require us to be entrepreneurs and innovators instead imitators. And it will mean we have to become artisans instead of assembly line workers.

We don’t know how or when this difficult season of leading worship might end. We would all love for God to allow us again to lead from those sweet-spots of ministry. But if he doesn’t, we need to continue throwing our cap over the wall even when what’s on the other side is uncertain. Uncertainty doesn’t change our call to worship and lead others in worship. How it occurs may continue to change…that it occurs shouldn’t.

This article originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

8 Hiring Red Flags for New Church Staff

Paul Alexander

October 11, 2023

hiring red flags — Adobestock #274613810, #162910618

As staff recruiting in ministry world continues to evolve and become more competitive and sophisticated in recent years, churches and recruiting firms have developed a keen sense of hiring red flags during the recruiting process that relate to whether a candidate is a good fit for your church or not. Those hiring red red flags may be a bit different from church to church, but there are many red flags that are fairly consistent across the board.

Now a red flag doesn’t necessarily mean that a church should stop recruiting a candidate, even though that’s very possible, but it is a cause for concern and gives reason to hit the breaks on the speed of the process and dig deeper with the candidate.

So after being on both sides of recruiting, both being recruited and recruiting a number of hires, here are some of the biggest church staff recruiting red flags.

8 Hiring Red Flags for New Church Staff

1. Candidates That Are Overly Concerned With the Opportunity to Teach

If teaching is really important to the candidate and you’re not hiring them to a teaching role then don’t hire them. Let them go plant or pastor their own church.

2. Indecisive Candidates

If they need to go date other churches then let them. Just don’t marry them.

3. Candidates Speak Negatively of Their Current Church

If they talk badly about their current church, they may have a difficult time taking personal ownership and as a result have a low E.Q. And by the way, if they talk badly about others, they’ll probably talk badly about you.

8 Reasons Why Your Church Management Solution Isn’t Working

Steve Caton

October 10, 2023

If your church management solution isn’t accelerating your ministry forward, then it is holding you back. There is no neutral position. When your church management solution isn’t aligned with your ministry processes, you are limited in your ability to stay connected between Sundays. Having worked with many churches and leaders across the country, there are some common reasons why a church’s ChMS isn’t working for them:

8 Reasons Why Your Church Management Solution Isn’t Working

1. Only a few people are allowed access to the system.

The whole point of a ChMS should be to facilitate community and maintain connections. If the only time you access your church software is for a contribution statement or to verify your address, you’ve missed the point entirely.

2. It isn’t valued by executive leadership.

If senior leadership doesn’t encourage the staff and lay leaders to use the system, then you’ll have an uphill battle from the beginning.

3. The primary concern is control and not impact.

Your church software is much more than an address book and a way to track contributions. If that’s all you wanted, you could have saved a lot of money and put everything into a spreadsheet.

Youth Ministry Publicity for Fall: 5 Ways to Engage in Outreach

Youth Ministrycom

October 10, 2023

Youth ministry publicity goes into hyperdrive in the fall. Autumn is prime outreach time for teen groups. It’s when students are injected back into their mission field. And I’ve learned that as youth ministers, one of our many jobs is to create a place where it’s easy for students to invite their friends. Especially their unchurched friends.

So here are five tips to help you create excitement around your youth ministry this fall. Plus, these youth ministry publicity tips will help students promote the program to friends, classmates, and teammates.

5 Tips for Fall Youth Ministry Publicity

1. Create a teaching schedule.

First, know what you’re teaching ahead of time. That gives you the opportunity to be super-creative with promoting each week’s activities to teens.

2. Create a fun theme.

Now, I’m not talking about a theme that’s super-insider or super-spiritual. I’m talking about out-of-the-box thinking. Use a seasonal theme that’s fun and relatable to all students, whether Christian or not. Here are a few ideas:

Serving – Fill the coming months with small- and large-group serving projects to which students can invite their friends.
Own it – Allow students to own an element of the youth gathering each week. It might be the program or a service event before or after the message.
Rep your school – Highlight some great things happening at some of your students’ schools.

You can “theme out” in many ways this fall! It’s an easy way to create hype and help your core students invite non-churched friends.

3. Use social media.

Embrace social media and use it to your advantage. It’s the easiest way to get the word out about what’s coming up.

Create a running hashtag for the fall for students to share.
Create a schedule-related meme that’s funny yet informative.
Hold a video contest for students that promotes upcoming events.
If you haven’t noticed, you probably have fewer students and more parents on Facebook. Create something for parents to share, promoting the fall schedule.
Create a 3-minute recap video you can post to social media to promote the next week.

Fall Kidmin Ideas: 9 Fabulous Activities for Children & Families

ChildrensMinistry.com

October 10, 2023

Need innovative fall kidmin ideas for your church or children’s ministry program? Make the most of this wonderful season by engaging kids, families, and the entire congregation.

Colorful leaves, football, hayrides, apple cider, a return to school, and fuller Sunday school rooms. Fall must be here! This autumn, create new memories with an amazing assortment of tried-and-true fall kidmin ideas.

Not only will children and families have a blast with these fall kidmin ideas. But they’ll also get to know one another—and God—even better.

9 Fun Fall KidMin Ideas for Churches

Choose one or more of these fall kidmin ideas for memorable learning experiences.

1. Remember When…

Summer never seems to last as long as we’d like. But you can help families preserve their cherished memories.

Get Ready

You’ll need:

card stock
markers
glue sticks
scrapbooking embellishments (stickers, buttons, ribbon)
some sample pages or scrapbooking magazines for ideas

Recruit a scrapbook enthusiast to provide tips and possibly share a die-cutting machine. Hold this in a large room with several tables.

Get Set

Next, have families bring in pictures from their summer activities and outings—vacations, staycations, birthdays, family reunions, VBS, the zoo, amusement parks, and so on. Then have them spread out their photos, group them by topic, and work together to assemble some pages. Encourage families to journal on their pages and spreads so they can remember all their adventures for years to come.

Faith Talk

Read Psalm 118:24. Ask:

What will you remember most from this summer?
What are ways God was with you during the good days and the tough days of summer?

Even Easier

Another option is to give each family an inexpensive mini-album, available at craft stores or online. If you have access to a computer and printer, people can print their comments and then paste them in their scrapbooks.

2. Kids Day

Celebrate Children’s Day this year.

Get Ready

Ask parents to write a letter to each of their children, telling how much they love and appreciate them—and why. Encourage them to keep the letters a surprise and either mail or hand-deliver them to you. Make sure you have a letter for each child. If a parent doesn’t return one, write a letter to that child. Also have some generic letters on hand for extra children who show up that day.

You’ll need:

decorations (balloons, banners, table centerpieces)
a variety of snacks
ribbons or flowers to pin on each child
small gifts or certificates

Get Set

Greet all the children by pinning a ribbon or flower on them as they arrive. In every segment of your service or lesson, create ways for children to be in charge. For example, let them vote for which game to play from a shortlist of options.

Discuss a Bible passage that involves children: God calling the boy Samuel (1 Samuel 3), David working as a shepherd boy (1 Samuel 16:1-13), Jesus welcoming children (Matthew 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16). In advance, select a few letters to read aloud. Present each child with his or her special letter. Remind children they’re all special to God, who loves and appreciates them every day.

Conclude by handing out small gifts or certificates. For example, give children each a 100 Grand candy bar with a sticker that says, “You’re priceless to God!” Or hand out official Kids Appreciation certificates, rolled up and tied with blue ribbon.

3. Walk Through Walls

At Halloween, all sorts of zombies arise in costume. But we know there’s only one true Savior who can raise people from the dead—the greatest Tomb Raider of all: Jesus. Kids will transform a simple piece of paper into something they can step right through!

Get Ready

You’ll need:

11×17-inch sheets of paper (1 per child)
child safety scissors

Get Set

Show kids the sheet of paper and ask them if they think they could miraculously walk through it. Then follow the steps below to show children how to cut the paper so they can walk through it.

Paper Directions

1. Fold the paper in half and cut from the folded side to about half an inch from the open side. Do this on both ends of the paper, about half an inch in.

2. Cut down the fold in the paper, but don’t cut the folded part of the two strips from step #1.

3. Alternating from one side of the paper to the other side, cut strips about every half-inch, ending each cut about half an inch from the opposite edge of the paper. (The closer together guests cut their strips, the more space they’ll have to walk through.)

4. Carefully open the paper, which will be a large paper hoop kids can walk through.

Faith Talk

Read Luke 24:1-9 about a genuine miracle. Ask:

What surprised you about this game?
Why do you think the women were so surprised by Jesus’ miracle?

Amy Grant Releases Long-Awaited ‘Lead Me On Live 1989,’ Including Unreleased Tour Footage

Jesse T. Jackson

October 10, 2023

Amy Grant, who is known as the queen of Christian pop and has multiple Grammy and Dove Awards, released her highly anticipated new project “Lead Me On Live 1989” last Friday (Oct. 6).

Grant’s new release was recorded during her Lead Me On World Tour (1988-89) and offers many unreleased recordings, as well as songs from her “Lead Me On (20th Anniversary Edition),” which was released in 2008.

The project allows fans to hear songs that were kept in a vault for more than 30 years.

According to a press release, “All salvageable film footage from the 1989 show is finally seeing the light of day, the first of which is the music video for ‘Wait For The Healing’ now available on YouTube.”

Grant’s team plans to release a total of 15 full-length music videos “from the original film footage along with fun shorts, reels, behind the scenes and more.”

Grant won a Grammy Award for “Best Gospel Vocal Performance” for a female in 1988 for her album “Lead Me On.” She took home three Dove Awards in 1989 for “Lead Me On,” including Artist of the Year.

“When I first heard the recordings from 1989 from the Lead Me On Tour, the thing that bowled me over was just what a talented band I had on the road,” Grant said in an interview. The band included up-and-coming CCM superstar Michael W. Smith.

The CCM hitmaker shared that she has “loved every band configuration I’ve ever had on the road and all are so special to me, but there was something unique about that group of players and singers during the Lead Me On Tour.”

She further explained that “there were so many of us on the stage and so many types of instrumentation like harmonica solos, flute solos, saxophone, mandolins, lots of keyboards and stacks of vocals, it just felt like one big family reunion every night.”

Recalling the late-1980s tour and the scope of its production, Grant said, “The energy of the crowd felt like an infinite number eight with energy coming from us on stage, it circling through the audience and then coming back to us. And it brought back so many amazing memories. I’m so grateful we captured that moment in time.”

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5 Church Innovations You May Never Have Heard Of

1. Hosting a Celebrity One Month After Easter!

2. Launching a Home Grown Kids Curriculum

3. Tvotions … 280 Characters of Inspiration

.church gives you instant recognition.

.church is trusted.

.church is SEO-optimized.

.church is secure.

.church helps bring people together.

Be found with a .church domain name

Read More

Five Kinds of Thinkers

1. Analytical Thinker

2. Intuitive Thinker

3. Creative Thinker

8 Hiring Red Flags for New Church Staff

1. Candidates That Are Overly Concerned With the Opportunity to Teach

2. Indecisive Candidates

3. Candidates Speak Negatively of Their Current Church

8 Reasons Why Your Church Management Solution Isn’t Working

1. Only a few people are allowed access to the system.

2. It isn’t valued by executive leadership.

3. The primary concern is control and not impact.

5 Tips for Fall Youth Ministry Publicity

1. Create a teaching schedule.

2. Create a fun theme.

3. Use social media.

9 Fun Fall KidMin Ideas for Churches

1. Remember When…

Get Ready

Get Set

Faith Talk

Even Easier

2. Kids Day

Get Ready

Get Set

3. Walk Through Walls

Get Ready

Get Set

Paper Directions

Faith Talk

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**1. Hosting a Celebrity One Month After Easter!**