Give Young Leaders an Unreasonable Seat at the Table

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October 6, 2023

In the marketplace, leaders of different departments and divisions often make the case to “have a seat at the table”—meaning that they, as the leader of the particular division, should be on the leadership team. By being “at the table,” they would be able to influence the direction of the overall team and give the overall team insight into their team’s challenges and opportunities. “It is reasonable that I would be at the table because of …” is often the argument.

When it comes to leadership development, give young leaders an unreasonable seat at the table. Meaning, put someone or multiple people on the team whose role or level of responsibilities would not warrant being “at the table.” An example: when I led in the marketplace, in publishing, I put future leaders on the leadership team though the portfolio they were responsible for, in terms of revenue and employees, was dwarfed by others on the team. By looking at employee headcount or a P&L statement, it made zero sense for them to be on the leadership team. It made zero sense except for leadership development.

Christians can uniquely appreciate the value of someone receiving an unreasonable seat at the table. As Christians, we are only at the table because our King has invited us into a relationship with Himself. Just as Jesus’s first disciples were viewed as uneducated and untrained (Acts 4:13), the Apostle Paul invited Christians in Corinth to “consider your calling.” Not many were wise from a human perspective, not many were powerful, and not many were of noble birth. “Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27). We are like Mephibosheth who, though crippled, always ate at the king’s table because King David invited him (2 Samuel 9:13). Our King has invited us and so by His grace we understand what it means to invite others.

Three outcomes from giving an unreasonable seat at the table…

1. A Seat at the Table Invites Younger Leaders Into Escalated Development.

A young leader who has a seat at the table is exposed to learning through the regular rhythms of the team’s work. The one being developed ends up being developed by the whole team rather than just the leader of the team. Returning to the example from my time in publishing: by giving an unreasonable seat at the table, the leaders were prepared when significant opportunities opened up. They were ready to move into a larger role because of all they had been exposed to—from the team dynamics, to P&L responsibilities, to an understanding of our values and strategy.

2. A Seat at the Table Sends a Strong Signal to the Whole Organization.

Young leaders at the table are a constant reminder to the whole team of the collective responsibility to raise up new leaders. Their presence sends a constant message to the whole organization that younger leaders have a place here.

3. A Seat at the Table Provides the Team With Learnings From Younger Leaders.

Including younger leaders makes the team collectively better. Yes, younger leaders can bring passion to the team, but young leaders also bring different perspectives, understand common worldviews from their generation, and have insights into opportunities to serve their generation.

It is often unreasonable to put a young leader at the table, but be unreasonable for the sake of leadership development.

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

15 Engaging Questions To Ask Your Kids After School

By

Andrew Linder

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October 6, 2023

For many families, school has either just started or is about to get underway soon.

This means back to the hustle and bustle of getting up early, getting back into a scheduled routine, and living another round of the school year life with your family.

In the 365 days of the year, approximately 180 of those days for your kids will be spent in a classroom with authorities and friends other than you, their parents. That’s a lot of time and a lot of influence that other people are having in your children’s everyday life.

For the parent who wants to be intentional and stay engaged in their child’s day-to-day school life, it’s important that the conversation that follows each day of school is more than just “How was school today?”, and a robotic response of “Eh, it was okay.”

Yet, unfortunately, that’s often the extent of the conversation in many families. Little is said. Very little if anything is really known by the parent about what’s going on in their child’s daily life at school. And the gap of disengagement throughout the school year widens as oftentimes kids naturally develop stronger loyalties at school with their friends than they do at home with their families.

So here are 15 random yet engaging questions to ask your kids at the end of a school day throughout the year. They’ll help you keep your kids in check, keep yourself in check, and hopefully help you to get more of a response than, “Eh, it was okay.” 🙂

1. Who did you spend the most time with at school today, and how did you two become good friends?

2. What subject do you feel you are doing the best in, and which subject are you struggling in the most?

3. Are the other kids in your class showing respect for the teacher and their rules? What about you? How would your teacher respond to this question?

4. How do you decide who you’ll sit with during lunch? Who did you sit with at lunch today? Have you ever tried looking for someone else who might need a friend at lunchtime?

5. What were one or two favorite parts of your day today? Tell me specifically what you liked about them.

6. Is there anyone in your class that’s being treated unfairly? Have you been treating anyone unfairly?

7. Do you have any homework? If so, how much and in what subjects? Is it anything I can help you with?

8. What’s one way that you helped someone out, or showed kindness or respect for someone else in your school today?

9. Can you think of anything you did today that would make your teacher proud to have you in their class, or that would have made us proud of you?

10. If I were to ask your classmates to give me a description of you and how you treat others in the class, how do you think they would describe you?

11. What is one thing your teacher said today that you remember most?

5 Reasons Introverts Make Great Pastors

By

Dale Chamberlain

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October 6, 2023

introvert pastors — Photo by Manuel Filipe (via Unsplash)

Many times, people think that being an extrovert is a prerequisite for being a good pastor.

In fact, when I was a pastor, most people assumed that I was an extrovert. They saw me speak from stage, lead ministries and events, and start conversations with church guests whom I did not know, and they assumed that it simply wasn’t possible for me to be an introvert. In fact, some would even argue with me whenever the topic arose, trying to convince me that I am, in fact, an extrovert.

Nevertheless, despite how introversion and extroversion are often described, “introverted” is not a synonym for “socially inept.” In fact, some of the most emotionally intelligent and relationally impactful people I know are introverts.

I am not, nor will I ever be, an extrovert. Ever since I was young, I have always enjoyed solitude. I have always preferred small gatherings to big parties. And while I have spent hundreds of hours of my life on a stage or behind a microphone, I don’t have any real emotional need to be the focal point of any social event.

For some time, I thought that in order to become a truly dynamic leader and pastor, I would need to turn myself into an extrovert—to become endlessly energetic, relentlessly optimistic, the life of the party. But at the end of the day, that just isn’t how God wired me.

For as much as we celebrate pastors who are extroverts (as well we should), we need to equally embrace and honor the ways God has uniquely equipped introverts for the task of pastoring. Here are at least five reasons why introverts make great pastors.

1. Introverts Are More Likely To Make Decisions Collaboratively.

The strength of any leader, and especially any pastor, is the team around him. And one of the best ways to attract great leaders to work alongside you is to give them influence and ownership over key decisions.

One of the strengths of introverts is that they are less likely to struggle with needing to be the one who solves a problem, comes up with the best idea, or outshines the rest of the team. This works to their advantage when they invite the input of other capable ministry leaders, whether it is their elders or deacon board, the ministry leaders who report to them, or trusted allies and confidants.

2. Introverts Don’t Micromanage.

Introverts have little patience for unnecessary interactions or unneeded conversations about the minutiae of life. This means that they will often mentally drift away from social interactions where the main topic of conversation is the weather, sometimes making them less than engaging dinner party guests. But it also means that they simply do not have the emotional energy to micromanage others.

No one, particularly not high capacity leaders, wants to be micromanaged. In fact, when pastors micromanage the ministry leaders on their team, they stifle growth and innovation, and themselves become the lid on the potential of the church in reaching the community for Jesus.

The best leaders are the ones who empower others and entrust them with responsibilities that are aligned with their gifts and passions. In a pastoral context, this is even more important, as our God-given calling is not simply to do the work of the ministry, but to equip and empower others to do so (Ephesians 4:12).

One Nun’s Mission To Save Souls, From Death Row to the Met Opera

By

Meagan Saliashvili

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October 6, 2023

Joyce DiDonato as Sister Helen Prejean and Ryan McKinny as Joseph De Rocher in Jake Heggie’s “Dead Man Walking.” Photo by Karen Almond / Met Opera

NEW YORK (RNS) — With low ticket sales and changing tastes, New York’s Metropolitan Opera at times might sound like its future is all too well summed up by its season-opening “Dead Man Walking.”

But the new opera by the American composer Jake Heggie, with libretto by Terrence McNally, has been hailed as the first sign of the Met’s revival: newer productions pitched to a younger crowd. Fittingly, they’ve begun with a redemption story, of a nun vying to save a death row convict, first from execution, then from hell.

Opera is full of mayhem, but “Dead Man Walking” delivers it with HBO-like immediacy. The show begins with a violent sexual assault, filmed and depicted on a projected screen, and closes with an execution, clinically and silently. A nurse disinfects the title character’s arm with an alcohol wipe, then inserts a needle that injects lethal drugs in a moment both poignant and, by that point in his spiritual and political arc, absurd.

Since Sister Helen Prejean published her 1993 memoir about spiritually advising two death row convicts in Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, her story has been adapted into an Oscar-winning film starring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn, and Prejean has become a leading advocate to abolish capital punishment. After a meeting with Prejean in 2018, Pope Francis announced new language of the Catholic Catechism that unequivocally condemned the death penalty as an attack on the dignity of a person.

The Met adaptation follows the story of convicted rapist and murderer Joseph (Ryan McKinny), who avoids admitting his crimes until shortly before his execution. Sister Helen (Joyce DiDonato) gently coaxes his confession — “the truth will set you free!” — finally allowing him to receive love and forgiveness from himself, God, Sister Helen and, with luck, the audience.

Heggie wrote “Dead Man Walking” in the late 1990s with the libretto by McNally. It has resonated with audiences worldwide since premiering 23 years ago in San Francisco.

But it has held up well through its various iterations and is as wrenching a story as any Romantic era classic. “It was incredibly powerful and very difficult to watch,” said Kathryn Reklis, associate professor of religion and culture at Fordham University, at a panel co-hosted by the Met Opera and the Sheen Center for Thought and Culture in New York on Sept. 25.

The topic has, if anything, become more urgent. Capital punishment is authorized in 27 states and by the federal government for serious offenses. Under the previous presidential administration, federal executions were conducted for the first time in decades. While support for the death penalty has steadily declined since the ’90s, a majority of Americans (55%) still favor the death penalty for convicted murderers, according to a 2022 Gallup poll.

Prejean believes most Americans would oppose the death penalty if they knew more about the issue and witnessed state executions. “When I had that experience of being brought to that first execution and here I see before my eyes this man was alive who I had known for two and half years, and I see him being killed … the first thing I did was throw up,” she said on stage at the Sheen Center. “And I remember thinking that people are never going to see this.”

Part of Prejean’s motivation to write her memoir was to provide an inside look at death row. While her book includes theological and political arguments about the morality of the death penalty, the opera consciously only raises questions — chiefly: Will Joseph’s death give the victims’ families peace?

Prejean has her own redemption as much as Joseph. In a pivotal courtroom scene, Joseph’s mother reads a letter Prejean helped her to write, asking the judge to appeal her son’s death sentence. Afterward, parents of the two teen victims ask Prejean why she wasn’t there for them. “We are all Catholics! We take the sacraments!” a mother sings defiantly. “It’s right or wrong, his side or ours!”

“I made a big mistake in the beginning when I took the first man on death row,” said Prejean, recalling the moment the scene is based on during the panel discussion. “I didn’t know what to do with the victims’ families. I stayed away from them. They were in such pain.”

Environmental Faith Groups Laud Pope Francis’ New Climate Exhortation

By

Jack Jenkins

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October 6, 2023

climate change pope — Italian physicist and Nobel Prize winner Giorgio Parisi, second from right at table, speaks during a news conference to present Pope Francis’ latest letter on the environment, “Laudate Deum,” at the Vatican, Oct. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

(RNS) — Catholic organizations and other faith-based groups pushing for global action on climate change are celebrating Pope Francis’ new apostolic exhortation on the environment, a sequel of sorts to his 2015 encyclical that some said “highlights the stark realities” of a climate crisis that only gets graver in the pontiff’s view.

Unlike the pope’s earlier encyclical, which offered a sweeping overview of various scientific and economic causes of climate change, the new, 12-page “Laudate Deum,” unveiled on Wednesday (Oct. 4) to coincide with the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, focuses on what Francis argues are the persistent failures of global governments to respond to global warming over the past eight years.

“With the passage of time, I have realized our responses have not been adequate, while the world in which we live is collapsing and may be nearing the breaking point,” Francis writes, later noting that the world’s poor are most likely to be impacted by the ravages of climate change.

The Catholic Climate Covenant, a group dedicated to helping people “care for creation and care for the poor,” lauded Francis’ newest writing as timely, pointing to hurricanes and wildfires that ravaged the U.S. and other parts of the globe this summer — natural disasters scientists believe are made worse by climate change.

“Eight years ago, Pope Francis rang a clear alarm bell for humanity to wake up and protect our common home. Instead, many of us pushed the snooze button. As this summer has shown, and as Laudate Deum emphasizes, we no longer have time to spare,” Jose Aguto, executive director of Catholic Climate Covenant, said.

“Either we wake up now, or we will doom our Common Home, our Earth, its most vulnerable inhabitants, and all future generations. For people of faith, this apostolic exhortation reminds us that to praise God we must honor his creation and give hope to the future.”

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops was more subdued, noting in a statement that the group’s president, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, is currently participating in the Synod on Synodality at the Vatican. The statement added that Broglio and other bishops “look forward to spending time with the exhortation in prayer and identifying ways to continue their shared witness on behalf of God’s creation.”

But in the introduction to “Laudate Deum,” Francis made sure to refer to a 2019 USCCB declaration on climate change, commending the American bishops for having “expressed very well” the “social meaning of our concern about climate change.” The USCCB has also issued statements in support of climate-focused legislation, such as President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, and criticized Supreme Court decisions that limited the power of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.

But at the individual level, U.S. bishops are better known for activism that focuses on voicing opposition to abortion and LGBTQ rights efforts, sometimes drawing fire for ignoring Francis’ push for action on climate change. According to the National Catholic Reporter, when Catholic Climate Covenant organized a letter to Congress in support of the Inflation Reduction Act — widely seen as the most significant climate-related legislation in U.S. history — more than 250 Catholic institutions and organizations signed on, but only nine of 176 U.S. dioceses added their name.

Although China remains the world’s largest emitter of carbon dioxide by a significant margin, Francis singled out the U.S. in “Laudate Deum,” arguing Western nations need to do more to reduce their emissions.

“If we consider that emissions per individual in the United States are about two times greater than those of individuals living in China, and about seven times greater than the average of the poorest countries, we can state that a broad change in the irresponsible lifestyle connected with the Western model would have a significant long-term impact,” Francis writes.

Meanwhile, U.S. Catholics overall appear to support aspects of Francis’ message. A new PRRI poll released on Wednesday found that, among major religious subgroups, Hispanic Catholics are tied for first with the religiously unaffiliated in their willingness to say climate change is caused mostly by human activity (75% for both). White Catholics are further down the list, but a majority — 56% — still cite humans as the chief cause of climate change.

Foundations for the Fellowship of Believers

By

Paul Detterman

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October 6, 2023

One of the great lessons of he pandemic is: Be mindful of the health of the fellowship of believers. As we make our way through the maze of ministry, keep an eye on the foundations.

SCENE ONE: I was talking with a close friend about the music ministry he helped to create. At the time the pandemic was wearing on. They had spent decades building a strong foundation of fellowship of believers that defined the ministry. “Every month this goes on,” he said, “another layer of that foundation erodes.”

SCENE TWO: I was on a regional Zoom call with other pastors. When we got into our virtual breakout rooms I was surprised at the level of vitriol. Granted, the event was 90 minutes of life we would never get back, but there was frustration and anger that people who planned this gathering, intending to be supportive and helpful, seemed totally oblivious to real life issues many pastors are dealing with, especially those with young children at home who need (and deserve) loving care and e-learning supervision along with trying to shepherd a congregation.

Foundations for the Fellowship of Believers

1. Nurturing the Fellowship of Believers

These two instances point to an under-mentioned reality. We’re in trouble. We never imagined (nor could we) what life during a pandemic would actually be like. And while Scripture commands us to be mindful of the health of the fellowship of believers, rarely does that make the top five slots on many to-do lists. In my experience it’s the unusual congregation, the anomalous choir or worship team that spends much time at all nurturing the fellowship of their group with the anticipation that some day that fabric might be severely tested (by, say, isolation for the better part of a year). Even those who have are seeing the foundations they’ve created wash away like many places on the shores of the Great Lakes.

Ask Malchus: Jesus Heals What His Followers Break

By

Mike Leake

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October 6, 2023

Malchus, running his finger through his hair, makes contact with his ear.

His ear.

It shouldn’t be there. Just a few weeks ago it was lopped off by one of those Jesus’ followers. Peter was his name. This revolutionary saw the hoard and believed it was time to fight. Malchus, commissioned by the high priest, was doing his job. He was loyal to the institution. Peter believed that Jesus was building a different kingdom—one which stood against both Rome and the present temple leaders. For Peter it was time to fight.

Malchus bore the pain of Peter’s misapplied conclusions about the Messiah. He’d only been a few steps behind Judas, the betrayer, when he heard the question. “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” Suddenly, Malchus felt a sharp pain while all the voices around him became faint and distant. Pain and confusion marked those moments as this Jesus-follower had struck him with a sword.

Jesus Heals What His Followers Break

It’s what happened next that had Malchus remembering that day whenever he’d touched his ear. Jesus, the one who was supposed to be guilty of overthrowing Rome and the temple, picked up the bloody ear of this lowly servant and restored it. He restored what his disciple had wrecked.

Thankfully, Jesus is still in the business of doing this. How many believers and unbelievers have endured harm at the hands of an aggressive and misinformed disciple of Jesus? How many have endured harm from those who are bearing the name of Jesus but wielding swords of their own fury and personal brokenness? It’s incredibly good news for those of us who have bloodied ears. Jesus even fixes what his disciples break.

Why We Are Unlikely to Experience Church Revival

By

Chuck Lawless

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October 6, 2023

First, a caveat: I strongly believe that revival is the gift of God, and He grants it sovereignly according to His plan. My point with this post about church revival, though, is not that we somehow control God’s event calendar; instead, it’s that our church culture doesn’t exhibit some of the characteristics that have preceded God’s great movements.

Here’s Why We Are Unlikely to Experience Church Revival:

1. We’re not really desperate for God.

We may use that kind of “desperation” terminology, but the words don’t always reflect our heart. It’s been some time since I’ve seen a congregation that pleads for God’s presence.

2. We tend to speak about the sin of others rather than deal with our own sin.

We preach strongly against sins that we sometimes tolerate under our own roof. Few people are so broken over personal sin that they can only cry out to God for church revival.

Fall Family Events: 5 Fail-Proof Tips for Harvesting Success

By

ChildrensMinistry.com

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October 5, 2023

So you’re planning fall family events for children’s ministry? Good for you! Whether it’s a Fall Festival, Backward Trick-or-Treat, Trunk or Treat, or something else, you’re on the right track for reaching families in your community. That’s because parents are looking for safe, fun activities to do with their sweet kids.

In the many years we’ve created Fall Festivals, we’ve learned how to ensure your event reaches families for Jesus.

5 Tips for Successful Fall Family Events

1. Have lots of candy.

The Apostle Paul said he becomes all things to everyone in order to reach them for the gospel. If Paul were here now, we think he’d say to load up on the candy. That’s the sweet treat that pulls kids in. If you’re not providing candy, children will go elsewhere (like to the mall where the candy’s aplenty). This is not a time to be a sugar disciplinarian!

2. Communicate costume filters.

Let guests know ahead of time they’ll need to wear appropriate costumes for the good of younger children—nothing scary. Remember, families are looking for a safe place for the kids.

3. Focus on one point.

What’s the point of having a family event if you have no point? And what’s the point? It’s not about candy and costumes and games, at least not if you’re trying to reach families for Jesus. “The point” is the truth you want families to walk away with.

‘Only in America Would We Monetize the Spirit of Unbelief’—Sean Feucht Calls Out G3 Ministries’ Cessationist Conference

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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October 5, 2023

Yesterday, “Let Us Worship” founder and leader Sean Feucht posted a video urging Christians not to attend G3 Ministries’ Cessationist Conference, which is scheduled to take place October 2024 at John MacArthur’s Grace Community Church (GCC). Feucht said that “only in America, my friends, would we monetize the spirit of unbelief.”

“You can spend $299” to “hear scholars tell you that you cannot do the things Jesus told you you could do, like heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons,” he added.

Alternatively, Feucht invited his followers to attend a Let Us Worship event, because “all of our events are always free.” Feucht said he has seen “God moving” and that this is a “season of revival.”

“Don’t buy unbelief but step into faith,” Feucht concluded.

Feucht has shared many videos of God delivering people from substance abuse and the occult, including videos of others being physically healed during his TPUSA Faith-sponsored “Kingdom to the Capitol” tour.

On Instagram, Feucht posted that “just because you haven’t seen God heal the sick, raise the dead, or cast out devils in your cold dead American church doesn’t mean He’s not doing this ALL OVER THE WORLD TODAY.”

“The whole world knows God heals, saves, frees and speaks THROUGH EVERYDAY CHRISTIANS,” he added. “Jesus told us we would do it, the disciples and apostles modeled it and it did not end with them. That’s the most American made up thing ever LOL. Some of y’all need to get out of America, visit the underground church and see for yourselves.”

Describing the Cessationist Conference, the G3 Ministries website says, “On any given week, countless Christians gather and participate in strange practices they believe are true expressions of the power of God.”

“From speaking in tongues to attempting to raise the dead, Charismatic Christians believe they are participating in modern miracles,” the site continues. “Are these miracles real, and are the Apostolic sign gifts in operation today?”

“Sadly,” G3 says, “the debate over this issue has often produced more heat than light. But in the end, only one factor should determine how we answer that question: What does the Bible say?”

A Pastor Who Escaped Depression

By

Full Strength Network

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October 5, 2023

My name is David. And I’m a pastor who deals with bouts of depression.

I don’t write as one who is specialized in the medical or psychological field, but as one who fights a personal battle while refusing to let others stand alone in theirs. My depression is considerably lower than others, and happens, perhaps, less frequently than yours. I will not compare my pain to yours but would implore you from the beginning of this post:

You are not alone.
You have hope.
You can get help.

Out of all of my blogs, my blog on depression from Aug. 11, 2014, is, by far, the most read and shared article I’ve ever written. It tells me that there are thousands out there that have experienced this “darkness” and/or know someone who does. And lately, I’ve felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to write another blog on the “funk” that shows up periodically in my life.

My two goals in writing this: First, to help bring a bit of clarity to those who absolutely do not understand those of us who deal with this. If I can remove some ignorance to create compassion, then I see this as a “win.” Second, to give a clear message of hope. I want to confront the feelings of hopelessness that you have with the truth of who Christ is. And the rule I live by: Truth always trumps feelings. My emotions and feelings will rise and fall, but truth remains solid. And the truth I remind myself is this:

Regardless of my emotions, I must purpose to fix my eyes on God (Psalm 42:5).

I have victory in Christ (Romans 8:37) and nothing can separate me from his unconditional love (Romans 8:38-39).

Christ is with me regardless of whether my senses can detect him (Isaiah 43:2; Matthew 28:20).

Jesus is my light in the midst of my darkness (2 Samuel 22:29).

Often, when reading Scripture, I come across scenarios that make me leap up and say, “That’s exactly how I feel.” And when I think about how to describe to people what I deal with, I think about a man named Bartimaeus.

And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. Mark 10:46

Two strong words jump out at me: “blind beggar.” Why? Because feeling “blind” and “begging for help” is what I personally experience physically, mentally, and emotionally. My senses are numbed and cannot detect any direction to take.

I get this “feeling” of being immobilized and unable to move forward. Things that should make sense don’t. I feel stationary while the rest of the world is passing by.

And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. – Mark 10:47

Kidnapping Charges Against ‘Sound of Freedom’ Backer Dropped

By

Dale Chamberlain

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October 5, 2023

Fabian Marta charges dropped — Screengrab via YouTube / Angel Studios

Accessory to kidnapping charges against Fabian Marta, a financial supporter of the film “Sound of Freedom,” have been dropped.

The 51-year-old Missouri native was arrested in July on charges that his lawyer characterized as “unfounded.” He had been facing at least 10 years in prison if convicted.

Marta’s arrest quickly became headline news in light of the fact that a financial backer of a hit film about the fight against human trafficking was arrested and charged with a crime related to the very evil that film was created to combat.

However, Angel Studios, which is the film’s distributor, quickly clarified that as a crowdfunded project, “Sound of Freedom” obtained financial support from thousands of individuals and Marta was not considered a main contributor.

“Just as anyone can invest in the stock market, everyone who meets the legal criteria can invest in Angel Studios projects,” said CEO Neal Harmon at the time.

Following the dropping of the charges, Christine Bertelson, the circuit court’s public information officer, told USA TODAY the case involved “a misunderstanding…There was no kidnapping.”

Marta had been providing housing for a woman who was in a custody dispute with a relative involving two children. Marta had been providing a living space for the woman and her children in exchange for the woman’s help in renovating some of his properties.

The charges were dropped after a grand jury determined that there was not enough evidence to convict.

On Sept. 25, the day the charges were dropped, Marta posted the grand jury memorandum online, saying, “Sound of Freedom is an important movie, go see it.”

“As far as all the demons out there who are trying to tie me to some bulls**t story, here you go,” he continued. “Grand jury could not indict. No crime was ever committed.”

“My Freedom, livelihood and reputation [were] Attacked,” Marta posted the next day before asking followers for financial support to pursue legal action against his accusers. “I want to fight back by holding Saint Louis PD responsible for the Malicious Prosecution and also bring suit against the Defamers.”

You’re Doing It Wrong: 7 Terrible Ways People Use QR Codes

By

Steve Baney

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October 5, 2023

You’ve seen them…QR codes are squares full of tiny black and white boxes. Think of it like a bridge between the physical and digital worlds. A code lives inside those tiny boxes. A smartphone can use that code to supply a website link, message, or even a game. Instead of having to type a website address to learn more about a product or service, people can simply aim their camera. Poof! The next time you see a QR code, point the camera on your smartphone toward it. Then watch for a message or link to tap.

You can make your own custom QR codes for free (I’ll teach you step-by-step below). Once you see their potential, you’ll find many new ways to include them in your communications.

It’s important to use the tools of technology in your ministry because they are instant, contact-free, engaging, and efficient multimedia. It shows your willingness to embrace technological advancements, an important part of your forward-thinking communication to those who are concerned about the Church being stuck in the past.

An Example

This example will work best when you’re looking at it on any device other than your smartphone (explanation below).

How You Can Make a Custom QR Code

I find that it’s easier to do this from my computer rather than my phone or tablet. You’ll need to start with a website that generates the QR code. I like using goqr.me because it’s simple and free. Most often, I use it to create a QR code that points to a web address (but it can also be used to send a message, share contact info, send an SMS text, make a call, pinpoint a map location, send an email, or connect to wifi). At the goqr.me website, select the type (web address URL, text, etc.) in the top left. Then type the content, such as the web address or message you want to include in the QR code. Let’s say you want the code to point to yourchurchwebsite.com. As soon as you type, the QR code is already generated on the top right.

Your next step is to test it. Point your smartphone camera at your newly created QR code. So long as it functions the way you hoped, you’re good to go.

Next you need to get a copy of it from the website to your document. Right-click it to copy or save the QR code. Then paste or insert it into your poster, handout, brochure, or bulletin. There are some places you do not want to use QR codes (listed below).

One last step: If your QR code points to a website, you’ll want to include a web address for those who don’t have (or like to use) smartphones (see number 5 below). Head on over to tinyurl.com and type or paste your super long website address. One click later on the Shorten URL button and you have an aptly named tiny URL. Take the guess work out of the QR code by including a phrase like “Scan this code to [insert goal here: learn more, etc.] or go to www.yourawardwinningwebsite.com.” (I don’t prefer Google’s web address shortener goo.by because it requires you to have an account. In case you’re wondering, yes, I do see that QR button on the tinyurl website; but it only makes QR codes for websites, not for the bazillion other things QR codes can do.)

If you followed along, you just made a QR code, maybe your first ever! Way to go, you tech genius! Now that we’ve covered how to create your own custom QR codes, let’s talk about the good, bad, and ugly ways that people use them in ministry. Before we go QR crazy, we should address best practices (or in this case, the worst).

There’s a problem with QR codes: some churches are using them all wrong. You’re smarter than those people though, right? Here’s a list of wrong ways to use QR codes so you know what to avoid.

1. QR on Your Website or Social Media

You may be thinking to yourself, “But I thought these things were digital. Aren’t websites and social media digital too?” They are. But this isn’t how QR codes work. People need several things in order for a QR code to work: the code and a smart device (like a phone, etc.) with a camera that can see the code. That part is key. Because your smartphone camera can’t see your smartphone screen, you can’t point the camera at a QR code on its own screen. Your eyes can see it. But your smartphone can’t. See the problem? The code has to located somewhere else, not on the social media post you just made. If you’re putting QR codes on your social media, you’re doing it wrong.

2. QR in Your Video Projection

This one might earn me some pushback because it’s more of an opinion than an absolute dumpster fire. Picture it with me. You’re preaching. People are listening to you deliver the Word of God. Just as minds are stirred and hearts are convicted, a number of people in the room lift of their phone and aim the camera at the video projection screen because you put a QR code in your sermon slides. You could put one there. It would function. But I think it would ruin the moment. Don’t do it.

11 Traits of a Foolish Pastor

By

Charles Stone

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October 5, 2023

When you think of a “fool” often a humorous movie character comes to mind like the Three Stooges, Don Knotts, or Jerry Lewis. But Proverbs gives a different slant on a fool. We are to avoid them, not argue with them, or refuse to employ them. Proverbs describes fools as unwise, unteachable, proud, and blinded to their foolishness. But can pastors sometimes act like fools? I think so. Consider these 11 traits of a foolish pastor.

Foolish pastors live in a black or white world. Very little is gray for them.
Foolish pastors think they have all the answers. Because of their education, experience, or “God’s anointing,” they believe God made them the repository of all correct answers and good ideas.
Foolish pastors are blind to their own weaknesses. When someone tries to help them see their blind spots they often respond with, “Yea, but….” They seldom receive correction well. They give an excuse for everything.
Foolish pastors shift blame and minimize responsibility instead of owning up to their mistakes and errors of judgment. They often defensively react.
Foolish pastors take credit instead of giving credit to others.
Foolish pastors see themselves as victims…of misunderstanding from others (they just don’t know what it’s like being a pastor), a bad church situation, or a resistant board they inherited when they came to their church.
Foolish pastors think they deserve special treatment like discounts at stores or deference from others because of their position.
Foolish pastors resist accountability. They like to make their own loosey-goosey schedule. Since they are “always on” they justify not keeping a reasonable office schedule.
On the other hand, some foolish pastors think they are at the beckoned call of everyone in the church. They take pride in being available to others 24/7. Unfortunately, their family and personal life suffers.
Foolish pastors don’t see how they suck the life from others with their demands, passive aggressiveness, or whiney attitudes.
Foolish pastors ultimately flame out, burn out, or compromise their morals and integrity. They simply will not last in ministry.

Fortunately, I’ve only met a few foolish pastors. One foolish pastor I knew destroyed two churches, his marriage, and sullied the reputations of the good pastors in his community (guilt by association).

Most pastors are men and women of integrity who sacrifice greatly for a call greater than themselves.

I applaud you.

I love you and hope my blogs and books encourage you.

But…if you are a foolish pastor, please turn from your foolish ways and find someone who will help you before it’s too late.

What are some other traits you’ve seen in foolish pastors?

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

How To Avoid the Spiritual Growth ‘Trap’

By

Ray Hollenbach

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October 5, 2023

The best lies always use a bit of the truth. That’s certainly true of spiritual growth. After we understand the importance of responding to God’s grace, we are tempted to believe the lie that God has done everything he’s going to do. “The rest is up to me,” we think. “I must meditate, pray, serve, study, contemplate, isolate, and even celebrate on my own. Jesus showed me how it’s done, died on the cross, paid the price, and now it’s on me.”

And of course, we should do these things, but that’s where the lie takes hold. These activities are important not because of our effort, but because the Father is willing to do still more on our behalf. Many small group leaders have fallen into this (well-meaning) trap. Leaders sometimes urge their group to “do more” and become hard core disciples of Jesus.

And it’s completely true. A small group can be a place for spiritual growth and responsibility, yet even though self-discipline has great power, it comes at the risk of locating the source of that power in us instead of the grace of God. If willpower alone brings spiritual growth, we have no need for God’s daily presence. The distinguishing mark between grace-empowerment and the pride of self-discipline is that self-discipline says to others, “If I can do it, why can’t you?” If small group leaders are not careful, the “I can do it” message can drown out the message of grace.

Spiritual Growth Is the Result of Grace

James 4:6 reminds us: “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ ” More grace. Greater grace. When we humble ourselves, we position ourselves for greater grace, and so it is with all the spiritual disciplines. Pride is deadly. God’s zealous love is the engine of his grace. He always wants to give more, because he loves so deeply. God’s grace is the disciple’s fuel for spiritual growth. Grace is the yellow sun; but pride is kryptonite.

As mentors like Richard Foster and Dallas Willard have pointed out time and again, the spiritual disciplines are not hurdles to be cleared by the “serious” student of Jesus. The disciplines are practices that put us into position to receive more of his grace. The startling truth is that those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus need more of God’s grace than others who have no interest in spiritual growth. Richard Foster sets us straight: “Grace is not a ticket to heaven, but the earth under our feet on the road with Christ . . . Grace saves us from life without God—even more, it empowers us for life with God.”

Small group leaders must always keep in mind that spiritual growth is God’s work. It is accomplished as we present ourselves to “greater grace” again and again. We can use our small groups to open ourselves up to his infinite grace. Then our destiny is the infinite God.

4 Strategies to Read People To Better Lead People

By

Gavin Adams

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October 5, 2023

better lead people — Adobestock #314821983

Wouldn’t it be easier if your staff learned how to best work with your personality rather than you trying to learn how to work with each of their personalities?

This thought has crossed my mind more than I’d like to admit.

When you lead a team, you lead a diverse group of personalities. You’ve probably got some introverts and extroverts. Processors and reactors. Organized and not so organized. Agreeable and challenging.

It’s a good thing to have a diversity of personalities. A diverse group helps ensure better decisions are made via varying perspectives. You never want diversity of culture or character, but some variety of personalities is helpful.

Helpful, yes, but not always easy. You’d probably get more done if everyone on your team had your personality. And get it done more quickly. And you’d certainly understand your team members more! But that isn’t what’s best for your organization, department, or team.

So How Do You Lead a Team of Diverse Personalities?

The lazy leader expects (or demands) that each personality acquiesces to their nature. After all, it’s much simpler for ten people to learn the personality of one leader than the one leader attempting to learn ten personality types. That’s infinitely more difficult. Or at least ten times more difficult.

It’s also lazy.

Leaders get the best from their teams when they learn to work with each team member the way they best work. Leading people requires that we know people. That’s why we should master the art of reading people before leading people.

How can you do this better? I’m glad you asked.

Here Are Some Strategies to Better Understand Who Is on Your Team and How You Can Better Lean in Their Direction:

Learn About Their Personalities

I love utilizing personality profiling systems within teams. Not to reduce people to a collection of numbers, letters, and colors, but these systems provide insight into prototypical behaviors, motivations, and fears. Pick a profiling system and allow each team member to discover more about themselves. Then, review their findings with them, allowing each staff member to explain what they believe is true and what might not be as relevant. One more thing: Ask them how YOU, as a leader, can better understand how to work with THEM based on these findings.

Study Each Team Member

Whether in meetings or the hallway, pay attention to your team members. What brings them energy? What brings them down? Do they respond or react? The more you study each person, the better you’ll be able to lead them individually.

In Sequel to ‘Green’ Encyclical, Pope Urges Rich to Do Their Part to Combat Climate Change

By

Claire Giangrave

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October 5, 2023

Green Encyclical — Copies of Pope Francis’ latest letter on the environment, "Laudate Deum," are on sale in a bookshop in Rome, Oct. 4, 2023. Pope Francis shamed and challenged world leaders on Wednesday to commit to binding targets to slow climate change before it’s too late, warning that God’s increasingly warming creation is fast reaching a “point of no return.” (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Pope Francis published a follow-up to his encyclical on climate change Wednesday (Oct. 4), just as Catholic prelates, faithful and theologians gather at the Vatican for a historic meeting to discuss the future of the church.

In the 12-page document, the pope blasts the selfishness and greed of the wealthy few and urged world leaders meeting later this year at COP28 to put “petty interests” aside and come together for the good of the environment before it’s too late.

The pope stressed that for any kind of effective process to take hold, it needs to be “drastic, intense and count on the commitment of all.”

The new document, “Laudate Deum,” Latin for “Praise the Lord,” builds on the concepts of Francis’ 2015 encyclical, “Laudato Si’,” which promoted the care of creation and underlined the interconnectedness of humanity and the world. The publication of the new document coincides with the feast of the pope’s namesake, St. Francis of Assisi, the 13^th century friar famous for his concern for the poor and the environment.

The publication also occurs on the first day of the Synod on Synodality, a historic summit of Catholic faithful at the Vatican who are poised to discuss some of the most hot-button issues in the church, from female ordination to the welcoming of LGBTQ Catholics.

Concerns over climate change were raised in the local parish discussions leading up to the synod and were shared by faithful in dioceses all over the world.

“With the passage of time, I have realized that our responses have not been adequate, while the world in which we live is collapsing and may be nearing the breaking point,” the pope wrote. “Despite all attempts to deny, conceal, gloss over or relativize the issue, the signs of climate change are here and increasingly evident,” he added.

While he acknowledged that the effort of all is essential to change the culture and mindset concerning protection of the environment, Francis called out wealthy elites for their conspicuous consumption.

“The reality is that a low, richer percentage of the planet contaminates more than the poorest 50% of the total world population, and that per capita emissions of the richer countries are much greater than those of the poorer ones,” Francis wrote in the document.

The poor, the pope continued, are the first victims of climate change. But citing the emissions per individual in wealthier countries such as the United States — which are greater than those of individuals in China or poorer countries — Francis said that “a broad change in the irresponsible lifestyle connected with the Western model would have a significant long-term impact.”

Francis shot down climate change deniers, stating that the “extreme weather phenomena, frequent periods of unusual heat, drought and other cries of protest from the earth” are happening at an unprecedented rate and are directly correlated with human activity and pollution.

Global problems need global solutions, the pope underlined. But this doesn’t mean handing power over to a “world authority concentrated in one person or in an elite with excessive power.” Instead, countries must come together in a multilateral and democratic way, he said.

Survey: US Religious Groups Do Not View Climate Change as a Crisis

By

Yonat Shimron

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October 5, 2023

(RNS) — On the same day Pope Francis issued a new call for climate change action, a group of mostly mainline Protestant and Jewish leaders launched a seven-year campaign to advocate for meaningful climate solutions.

“One Home One Future” is the latest multifaith effort intended to engage congregations in caring for the Earth.

But a new survey released by the Public Religion Research Institute suggests that work won’t be easy.

Beliefs on the severity of climate change have not shifted much among religious traditions over the past decade and few religious Americans view climate change as a crisis, according to the PRRI study published Wednesday (Oct. 4).

Overall, 27% of Americans say climate change is a crisis, just a few percentage points up from 23% in 2014. Among the nation’s religious groups, beliefs on the severity of climate change have not shifted significantly. In fact, among white evangelicals the view that the Earth is in crisis actually dropped — from 13% in 2014 to 8% today.

No religious group topped one-third of respondents agreeing climate change is a crisis. American Jews were the most likely to say so at 32%, followed by 31% of Hispanic Catholics, 22% of white mainline Protestants, 20% of white Catholics, 19% of Black Protestants and 16% of Hispanic Protestants who say there’s a climate crisis.

The survey of 5,192 adults in all 50 states, conducted online June 8-28, 2023, shows that despite growing climate calamities, American opinions have not moved dramatically.

“The fact that it remained unchanged was pretty remarkable to me,” said Melissa Deckman, CEO of PRRI. “It’s just really concerning,”

So far in 2023, the United States has had 23 separate weather and climate disasters that cost more than $1 billion each in damage, The New York Times reported. Those include Hurricane Idalia in Florida and the wildfires in Hawaii, which are believed to have killed 97 people. The month of August was the planet’s hottest in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 174-year record.

While religious Americans mostly agree that climate change is caused by human activity, such as burning fossil fuels, here too there are exceptions. Nearly half of white evangelicals (49%) still believe climate change is caused by natural patterns in the environment.

To a great extent, these unyielding views of the climate crisis may be shaped by politics. Evangelicals and Latter-day Saints, who overall don’t see climate change as a crisis, are stalwart Republicans, a party that has resisted acknowledging climate change. (Former President Donald Trump, the Republican Party’s presumptive nominee in 2024, has called the extremely settled science of climate change a “hoax.”)

“I’m not at all surprised to find that white evangelicals and Latter-day Saints tend to be the least likely to think that climate change is caused by humans or see any sort of policy to address it because we know that the Republican Party’s official position has often denied climate change and it’s certainly not advocating for policies that mitigate climate change effects,” Deckman said.

Fate of Historic Sofia Church Unclear as Bulgaria Accuses Abbot of Spying for Russia

By

David I. Klein

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October 5, 2023

Sofia Church Bulgaria — The Russian Church of St. Nicholas the Miracle-Maker in Sofia, Bulgaria. Photo by Antoine Taveneaux/Wikimedia/Creative Commons

(RNS) — After three high-ranking members of the Russian Orthodox Church were expelled from Bulgaria on charges of espionage last month, their former church is not only at the center of a diplomatic rift between the Russian and Bulgarian governments but an ecclesiastical one between the two countries’ Orthodox churches.

On Sept. 21, Bulgarian authorities arrived at the residence of Archimandrite Vassian (archimandrite is the equivalent of an abbot), head of the church of St. Nicholas the Miracle-Maker in Sofia, and informed him and two other priests, both Belarusians, that they were being deported from the country, before shuttling them to the border with Serbia.

According to Bulgaria’s state security service, Vassian and his colleagues had been involved in “the Implementation of various elements of the Russian Federation’s hybrid strategy to purposefully influence socio-political processes in the Republic of Bulgaria in favor of Russian geopolitical interests.”

But in a statement, the Russian Orthodox Church said Bulgaria was acting out of anti-Russian bias. “The expulsion of priests, whose calling is service to God and people and the preaching of peace and brotherhood among nations, is an outrageous act dictated by Russophobic motives and the desire to erase the glorious pages of the common history of Bulgaria and Russia.”

“We are outraged and shocked by what happened,” Russia’s ambassador to Bulgaria, Eleonora Mitrofanova, said. “Their current goal seems to be a break in the relations between the sister Russian and Bulgarian Orthodox churches and the brotherly ties between the Russian and Bulgarian people.”

Bulgaria’s prime minister, Nikolai Denkov, fired back more simply: “Russian priests were not expelled, people who worked against the national interests of Bulgaria were expelled.”

Russian Orthodox clergymen have recently been accused of acting on behalf of the Russian state in the United States.

Last month, Foreign Affairs magazine reported that the FBI had warned Russian and Greek Orthodox parishes in the U.S. that Russian intelligence services may be using their churches to recruit assets. The head of the Russian church in Moscow, Patriarch Kirill, has been accused of having served the KGB since the 1970s and, later, modern Russia’s FSB intelligence service.

“Cooperation between the Moscow Patriarchate at the highest levels and the Russian state is taken for granted by all observers,” Samuel Noble, a scholar of Orthodox Christianity, told Religion News Service.

The two countries’ shared faith has long been a foreign affairs boon for Russia, Noble added. “In Bulgaria, Orthodox Christianity, alongside linguistic and other cultural ties, is often an important source of pro-Russian sentiment, even if the Bulgarian church has been quite divided over Russia even well before its invasion of Ukraine.”

Suspicions that Archimandrite Vassian may have ties with Russian intelligence were first raised in neighboring North Macedonia, where he represented the Russian Orthodox Church as well. Macedonian leaders accused him of working to halt plans by North Macedonia’s branch of Orthodox Christianity to separate itself from the Serbian Patriarchate.

In May of last year, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, which has often acted as a mediator between the Orthodox world’s bishoprics and patriarchates, recognized the Macedonian church’s independence from Moscow, as it had done for Orthodox Church of Ukraine in 2018. The Moscow Patriarchate severed its communion with Constantinople and other aligned patriarchates in retaliation.

5 Ways to Increase Small Group Size

By

Adam Erlichman

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October 5, 2023

Need more people in your small group? Not sure where to find them? Surely, not everyone’s already in a group in your church? Where are they hiding? How can you find them? Don’t worry, sometimes Christians hide, and that’s ok, but we don’t want them to stay hidden. Other times, they’re looking for you too. Here are five ways you can find new people to increase your small group size.

5 Ways to Increase Small Group Size

Way #1 – Sunday Service

Before the service, after the service, in between services (if you have multiple services), coffee bar, Kids/Preschool check-in areas, student ministry entrance area, or sit in the same seating section for the worship service. Most are creatures of habit. Church folks are quite ritualistic about their seats. They traditionally will go back to the same seat or section out of familiarity. You will likely find them there the next week and can get to know them, talk to them, and invite them to your group.

1. A Seat at the Table Invites Younger Leaders Into Escalated Development.

2. A Seat at the Table Sends a Strong Signal to the Whole Organization.

3. A Seat at the Table Provides the Team With Learnings From Younger Leaders.

1. Introverts Are More Likely To Make Decisions Collaboratively.

2. Introverts Don’t Micromanage.

Foundations for the Fellowship of Believers

1. Nurturing the Fellowship of Believers

Jesus Heals What His Followers Break

Here’s Why We Are Unlikely to Experience Church Revival:

1. We’re not really desperate for God.

2. We tend to speak about the sin of others rather than deal with our own sin.

5 Tips for Successful Fall Family Events

1. Have lots of candy.

2. Communicate costume filters.

3. Focus on one point.

An Example

How You Can Make a Custom QR Code

1. QR on Your Website or Social Media

2. QR in Your Video Projection

Spiritual Growth Is the Result of Grace

So How Do You Lead a Team of Diverse Personalities?

Here Are Some Strategies to Better Understand Who Is on Your Team and How You Can Better Lean in Their Direction:

Learn About Their Personalities

Study Each Team Member

5 Ways to Increase Small Group Size

Way #1 – Sunday Service

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