Is It OK for Pastors To Drink?

September 25, 2023

I grew up in the south and in a denomination where pastors who drink beer (or any alcohol) was frowned upon for the average church attender and definitely considered taboo for pastors.

I served in the central valley of California where I could drive to several wineries within five minutes and where the church didn’t frown upon social drinking.

I served in another part of the country when, at my first elders meeting, it was literally an open bar. I was offered a choice of about a half-dozen alcoholic beverages.

I’ve noticed in the past years that some leaders seem to portray through their teaching, blogs and twitter profiles an “I drink and that makes me really cool” attitude. I heard one well-known teacher whom I respect play off the popularity of the WWJD craze by changing What Would Jesus Do to What Would Jesus Drink. He then spent several minutes talking about how much he enjoyed alcohol.

On the other hand, I know a guy who won’t even go to a restaurant if they serve alcohol.

I’ve never preached a message against alcohol and I don’t believe the Bible prohibits drinking in moderation. After all, Jesus turned water into wine and Paul encouraged Timothy to drink a little wine for his stomach.

I even occasionally go to a bar with my improv class friends to hang out. But as being among pastors who drink beer? I order a “beer” of the root beer variety.

Why I Am NOT Among Pastors Who Drink Beer

1. I need all my brain cells.

As I understand it, alcohol even in moderation can kill those cells. I want to make the wisest health choices for my body. I can get the limited health benefits from red wine in other nonalcoholic ways. I hope to keep my ‘senior moments’ down to a minimum as I get older.

2. I don’t want to play Russian roulette.

A quarter of people who drink are considered problem drinkers, and almost 10 percent are considered alcoholics. And pastors who drink beer are certainly contained in these statistics. I guess I don’t want to risk becoming one of those statistics.

3. I believe in the principle of deference.

Based on Paul’s admonition in Romans 14:21, I would not, by my drinking, want to cause a weaker brother to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble. (NLT)

4. As a leader, I’ve chosen a higher standard for my leadership life.

Proverbs 31:4 has influenced my thinking about pastors who drink beer: It is not for kings, Lemuel — it is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer. (NIV)

If you are a pastor or youth leader, what do you think?

If you are not a pastor, what do you think about pastors who do?

4 (Free) Ways to Show Appreciation to Your Pastor

Bob Pritchett

September 25, 2023

While October 8th is officially known as Pastor Appreciation Day, the whole month of October is observed as a time in which we can recognize, honor and serve our church’s leaders.

Pastors carry a heavy biblical responsibility of shepherding God’s flock. It is a role that comes with its fair share of blessings and challenges, as any pastor would tell you.

Our team at Faithlife recently did an informal poll of church leaders on social media and found that of those who responded on Facebook, one-fourth of pastors said they rarely feel appreciated. Similarly, only 38 percent of Twitter responders said they feel appreciated all the time and 12 percent said they rarely feel appreciated.

Although a pastor’s primary job is to serve their congregation, congregants are likewise called to serve their pastor. Appreciation for our pastors should be shown all year long, including during October’s Pastor Appreciation Month.

4 (free!) Ideas to for Pastor Appreciation Month

Here are four easy ways you can make sure your pastor knows they are appreciated:

Ask How You Can Pray for Them

Pastors spend a lot of time praying for the Church, for their family and for their weekly messages. But like everyone else, pastors experience struggles, ones that the congregation may not know about or even suspect. The Bible tells us that those in positions of authority have difficult roles, so they need our prayers especially.

Serve Within the Church

There is always that one ministry within the church looking for more volunteers. Whether it’s a need for daycare workers or small group leaders, decide to step up this month and give back to the Church. In this way, you will alleviate stress on pastors who are looked to for solutions when congregants don’t fill their roles.

Connect with them on Sundays

Pastors spend dozens of hours each week researching, praying and sermon-prepping; so if you feel impacted by their Sunday morning message, speak up! A quick, “That sermon really helped me,” or “Thank you so much for taking the time to present that,” to your pastor will mean a lot to them.

Send an encouraging word

Sometimes Sundays can be difficult days to connect one on one with pastors as they are so busy with other obligations. Take time throughout the week to send them an encouraging email about how much you appreciated their sermon on Sunday or their ministry to you and your family. Make it even more personal by sending a written note or card in the mail. You can also let others know how much you appreciate your pastor by posting a social media message about how much your pastor means to you, tagging them in the post. The public acknowledgment could inspire others to add their thanks, as well, helping your pastor know just how much he or she is truly appreciated.

No Christian is immune to experiencing hardships or needing encouragement, and this includes pastors. During October, consider the ways that you like to receive appreciation and look for opportunities to extend the same to your pastor. A small act of thoughtfulness can make a great impact in the life of your church leader.

Singing Hymns in Church – 4 Reasons You Should Keep Them

Matt Boswell

September 25, 2023

Singing Hymns in Church - 4 Reasons You Should Keep Them — For every three contemporary songs, try one hymn.

I love old hymns. I keep a stack of hymnals on my nightstand and have an ever-growing collection in my library. I cut my teeth on Charles Wesley and John Rippon. I hope to write academically on the pastoral theology of hymns. I even have a dog named Watts. It will come as no surprise that I write about the importance of singing hymns in church.

While I certainly don’t think that historic hymns are the only thing we should sing in corporate worship, I am concerned that omitting older hymns in our gatherings silences the rich voices of church history. Some churches seem uninterested in any song that is more than two years old, much less two hundred years. Yes, the church will continue to write and sing new songs (Psalm 96:1), but it is also good and helpful for us to sing old songs.

4 Reasons You Should Keep Singing Hymns in Church

When I mention the importance of singing hymns in church, maybe you cringe as you recall a “worship war” in your local church. Maybe you’re eager to only sing the old hymns. Or maybe you wonder why it is important at all. My aim is not to renew local church disputes or bolster mere sentimentality, but to commend something else altogether—to encourage younger churches to remember their history by joining with the countless men and women who have shared these songs over hundreds of years.

Our society is fixated on what’s new and what’s next, but the importance of hymns reminds us that what’s next is not always what’s best. Singing the historic hymns of our faith reminds our congregations that we are not the first generation who have wrestled and prayed, asked and believed. We are not the first to write hymns of praise to God. We walk gladly in the footsteps of our fathers who have written praises to Christ that have stood the test of time.

With a steady diet of merely new choruses, we can develop both modern idolatry and historical amnesia. Perhaps we should adopt this paraphrase of C.S. Lewis? Sing at least one old hymn to every three new ones.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise him all creatures here below,
Praise him above ye heavenly hosts,
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
—Thomas Ken, 1674

1. Hymns Teach Us

Hymns are portable sermons that articulate, exegete and pronounce biblical truths. They shape the way we view God, man and Christ, and how we are to live in light of the gospel. The truths they communicate preach to us throughout the week following the style of Deuteronomy 6—at home and away, when lying down and waking. As R.W. Dale famously said, “Let me write the hymns of the church and I care not who writes the theology.”

Singing hymns in church is a form of teaching that uses poetry to open to us the word of God. When Isaac Watts published Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs, his intention was not to sing Scripture line by line, but to create poetic and emotive renditions of Scripture that enabled the church to sing the truths of Scripture.

Singing for the Christian is formative and responsive, and therefore must be informed by Scripture. The importance of hymns is that we learn what we sing.

The Church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord,
She is His new creation
By water and the Word.
From heaven He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her
And for her life He died.
—Samuel Stone, 1886

Bring the Family Together at Church

Christina Embree

September 24, 2023

If your church is looking for a way to get the family together at church, here are five different approaches that could help make that happen. These ideas come from a variety of different church backgrounds and traditions, so they may not ALL work for your ministry context, but chances are one might strike a chord and you will be able to begin working towards more and more times where the family experiences faith formation together with their faith community.

Family Worship Sundays

Many churches have begun offering times of Family Worship, often once a month or on fifth Sundays, where the family stays together and worships as a unit. These Sundays should not be confused with Children’s Sundays or times where kids perform for the church. While these are special times for the church as well, they are more focused on children than they are families.

A Family Sunday will incorporate ways for the family to experience worship together such as communion, prayers said aloud with the whole church, worship songs that everyone know and can sing to, a sermon that is appropriate for all ages and elements of the service that invite participation of parents/caregivers and children such as Scripture readings by families and prayer as families. For ideas on how to include families in worship on Sunday, check out jensfrontporch.org.

Family Worship Experiences

There are a few subtle difference between a Family Worship Sunday, where the family joins with the whole congregation in a regular worship service time, and Family Worship Experiences where families are specifically targeted and ministered to. Often these experiences take place at a time other than Sunday morning and incorporate a variety of interactive activities, worship, and teaching.

Some great examples can be found at www.dandibell.com and if you want a group to come in to host, Seeds Family Worship has one they do in connection with Phil Vischer and What’s in the Bible? with Buck Denver.

Family Faith Formation

For some, inviting the family to stay together takes place best in a mid-week experience. This is what a church I served at did and we had a lot of fun using these nights to explore the Bible together. We wrote our own curriculum in 5-week blocks based on what families have indicated they want to learn. Each family sat in chairs in a circle and explored Scripture, did activities, and participated in a time of affirmation and blessing each night. Our topics included Prayer, Salvation, The Bible, God as Creator, and Service.

Kids absolutely loved spending this time with their parents. Of all the programs we had at church, this one got the highest praise from children (See information below).

Family Activities

If your church isn’t ready yet to host a Family Sunday or Family Worship Experience, one idea is to begin hosting Family Activities on a monthly basis. These activities should have as their central theme the idea of having family spend time together either with/around the larger faith community, around service to the larger community, or around worship and the Word as a family unit. Putting these focuses on a rotating basis can help your families begin to spend intentional time together around the topics of faith, community, and outreach.

For instance, one month you could host a Family Game Night at church (time with faith community), and the next offer an activity that families can do at home that include a Faith Talk and time in God’s word (time with worship/Word), and then the next month offer a service experience in the community that families can do together (outreach). By offering a variety of ways for families to come together around the themes of faith, community, and service, you can begin to cultivate times of faith formation for the whole family to engage in together.

Family Service Projects

What better way to bring the family together than in an opportunity to serve Christ and others as a unit? There are many ways to engage the family in service. Check with your local food pantries and Salvation Army to see if there are ways families can work together stocking shelves or organizing donations. Many local soup kitchens or churches who serve meals will welcome family groups to serve together. Check also with local mission and ministries that serve the poor, homeless or other marginalized groups to see how families can offer assistance.

3 Lessons on Change From Nehemiah

Charles Stone

September 24, 2023

If your church is not changing, it’s not growing. I heard someone once say, “Don’t be afraid of change. You might lose something good, but you’ll gain something better.” However, bringing change in a church is often difficult. One of the greatest leaders of all time, Nehemiah, effected change in the setting that surrounded the building of the wall around Jerusalem. He modeled for leaders three essentials necessary to bring change.

In Nehemiah 5, after Nehemiah faced opposition from without (criticism from his adversaries) and opposition from within (discouraged people), he faced a new crisis. Wealthy Jews were exploiting the poor by charging excessive interest rates. As a result, the poor faced hunger, crippling debt, and even slavery because some had to sell their children into slavery to pay off the debts.

In the midst of that crisis Nehemiah engaged three essentials that resulted in the guilty party changing. The rich repented of their abuse and paid back the money they had taken from the poor.

He engaged these three parts of himself to bring that change.

His heart: he engaged his passion.

In verse 6 he writes, When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. In other words, this issue gripped his heart. It stirred his passion and emotions that motivated him to action.

His head: he carefully thought.

Rather than reacting to the situation and letting his emotion override good judgment, verse 7 says, I pondered them in my mind…In other words, he paused long enough to get a clear picture of things before he acted. James reminds of this.

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. (James 1:19-20)

His hands: he did something.

Finally, he took action by taking these four steps.

Define reality by clearly defining the change you want to bring (the rich were exploiting the poor and that needed to stop).
Bring the right people to the table (vss 7-12). He had to engage the right people to solve the problem. So, he confronted the guilty party and informed the rest of the people what he had discovered.
Secure commitment (v 12). He held the guilty accountable by asking them to take an oath that they would give back what they had taken.
Set a good example (vss 14-16). Nehemiah didn’t simply expect others to change. He, too, took responsibility by setting a good example. He sacrificed by refusing the king’s food allotment usually given to governors like himself. He committed to never exploiting the people as former leaders had. He committed to being a different kind of leader.

Nehemiah wisely managed change by using his heart, his head, and his hands to effect that change.

What has helped you create change in your church or ministry?

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

Bomb Threat Forces Evacuation at Screening of John MacArthur’s ‘The Essential Church’ at G3 National Conference

Jesse T. Jackson

September 23, 2023

A screening of John MacArthur’s “The Essential Church” at the 2023 G3 National Conference had to be evacuated in Atlanta Friday night after a bomb threat was reported.

The annual conference is put on by G3 Ministries, a Christian organization that stands for “Gospel—Grace—Glory,” and was created in 2013 to hold a “theology conference that would focus on God’s Word as opposed to the pragmatism and techniques that are so often the focus of evangelical conferences.”

Due to the growth of the conferences over the years they now also “educate, encourage, and equip local churches with sound biblical theology for the glory of God” throughout the year.

This year’s conference in Atlanta had nearly 8,000 people in attendance and featured speakers Paul Washer, Voddie Baucham, Steven Lawson, Justin Peters, Ken Ham, Phil Johnson, James White, James Coates, Virgil Walker, Darrell Harrison, Owen Strachan, Josh Buice, and many others.

While details are still uncertain, some reports claim that just before a screening of “The Essential Church” was about to be shown, a man went on the stage and made the claim that there was a bomb in the building.

According to those reports, 33-year-old Timothy Mixon was apprehended by security and later turned over to the the authorities.

Pastor Tom Buck, one of G3 Ministries directors and speakers at this year’s conference, informed ChurchLeaders that information is still being gathered as to what really happened. Buck said he was having dinner with the speakers when they were told they had to evacuate the building.

Shannon Paul Halliday, the writer and director of “The Essential Church,” shared how he was about to speak to viewers at the screening when the bomb threat occurred.

“I was mic’d up and ready to go on to talk about the Essential Church movie, and a bomb threat, came into the building. G3’s been evacuated. Interesting timing @JennaEllisEsq @ArlenysBuckelew,” Halliday posted on social media.

John MacArthur’s and Grace Community Church’s lawyer, Jenna Ellis, who appears in the film posted, “Praying for everyone at @G3Conference.”

Ellis told ChurchLeaders, “I’m very glad to hear the situation was managed and everyone attending is safe. I hope G3 will afford Grace Productions another opportunity to show ‘The Essential Church’ movie because every Christian needs to see this important documentary and prepare to stand firm in the future for God against tyranny. It is also currently streaming on SalemNOW online.”

Pastor Carl Hargrove posted a video of conference speakers and attendees gathering together in their hotel lobby singing hymns after they were forced to evacuate the convention center.

There is a bomb threat at the Convention Center. Our evening was cut short #G32023 . Many of us made our way back to the hotel lobby. Then we sang some praises to the Lord! God is always in control! pic.twitter.com/Oc3Pxb2JTU

— Carl A. Hargrove (@CarlHargrove) September 23, 2023

4 Prayers for Teachers This Fall

Michael Kelley

September 23, 2023

prayers for teachers — Adobestock #143395557

These are hard days for teachers. For the last several years, this is one particular group of people who have been on the frontlines of shutdowns, reopens, shifting guidelines, and cultural shifts. They have found themselves at the center of issue after issue, all while trying to do a very difficult job without all these issues complicating it.

This is not a position they asked to be in; no, these are the men and women who have for some time done the good, hard, faithful, but often unnoticed work of education. These are the people in whom we have subconsciously put our trust; the ones on whom we have consistently relied; and the ones who have shouldered that burden on behalf of our families so strongly. But now they are increasingly in the public eye, and so now is an important time for us to pray for them.

In light of that here are several specific ways to pray for our teachers this fall:

1. Protection.

There is a terrible amount of violence in our schools. Regardless of what you may believe to be the solution to that violence, we live here, in the meantime, when going to work every day for this group of people comes with a level of risk. Let’s pray that the Lord would protect our teachers, along with our students, from harm:

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)

2. Courage.

Our teachers need courage not only because it takes much courage to step in front of a classroom every day, but also because they deal with a near constant barrage of questions, criticism, and second-guessing. The vast majority of these folks are playing the hand they have been dealt; they do not set policies, curriculum, or standards on their own. To do that takes tremendous bravery.

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

3. Patience.

If someone has been teaching for a long time, they have a general kind of routine and preparation established, but all that has been disrupted in the past three years. Their regular yearly cycle has been changed. Their practices have been adapted. And this will not be the last time. Surely in the next few weeks or months another policy will be changed, another rule will be enacted, another procedure approved, and they will yet again have to rework the method of their teaching. Added to this are the calls, emails, and other messages they will receive from well-meaning, but often frustrated parents, all expressing these opinions to teachers who in reality have little control over the overarching direction of the school in which they serve.

A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1)

4. Ministry.

As these teachers care for and educate our children, they have an opportunity to be a voice of comfort and stability for them. We should pray that the influence of our teachers would be a calming and steady one; that the Lord would help them to be ambassadors of peace even in the midst of such a turbulent time. We can pray that through both their words and deeds, teachers can be a constant reminder to the children and teenagers of a Greater Teacher.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

This is a group of people who need our support, friends, and the greatest way we can support them is through actively praying for them. Let’s be intentional about this for the sake of our teachers, and also for the sake of our children.

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

Before You Worship

Joe McKeever

September 23, 2023

Before you worship, before we settle ourselves in to hear a sermon, when we enter God’s House, when we gather with the Lord’s people, when we do anything which smacks of churchgoing–we would do well to begin by asking, “Why am I here?”

Before You Worship

“What am I looking for in church today? What do I expect to happen?”

–I venture to say that most of the Lord’s people who enter His house on typical Sundays expect nothing. They are there for a hundred reasons, but have small expectations other than to get through that service.

It simply has never occurred to them that they should be expecting something.

–What should they expect to happen? For starters, the Lord’s people who gather for worship should expect a) to give something of themselves, b) to do something–such as humble themselves, pray, submit, commit, listen, learn, and change, and c) to get from the Lord whatever He wishes to give on this particular day.

–What we should be wary of is focusing our expectations on the preacher. That is one of the great errors in modern Christendom. Even the most faithful enter the Lord’s house and put much of their expectations on the minister.

We expect to be taught, lifted to the heavens in worship, to be entertained, to be…something, I’m not sure what. And we are quick to register our disappointment if the poor preacher did not accomplish some or all of what we were expecting.

“I didn’t get anything out of that service.” Ever heard that before? Ever said that?

Those words constitute a rejection of the entire worship event that day, a denial of the sermon the Lord gave the pastor to preach, a putdown of the pastor’s ministry itself, and a thumbs-down regarding whatever the Lord had for this one who is so quick to spread the discontent.

Scripture nowhere tells us to enter the Lord’s House “expecting to get something out of it.” Rather, we read that we are to “give unto the Lord the glory due His name.” “Bring an offering.” “Come before His presence with a song.” There must be a thousand such commands in the Word.

I love these opening lines from Ecclesiastes 5:

“Guard your steps as you go to the house of God, and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.

“Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in Heaven and you are on the earth; therefore, let your words be few.”

Imagine that. “Let your words be few in the Lord’s house.” We are a vociferous people, genetically engineered to give God instructions, to chat endlessly with friends in church, and to make our prayers monologues.

To be quiet in church? Are you serious?

Try it, Christian.

Before you worship try approaching worship expecting to give instead of getting.

What do you expect before you worship?

Expect to humble yourself, to silence your mouth and still your spirit. Expect to listen, to give yourself anew to the Father, and to encourage all others who come to worship Him also.

Expect to exit the service with a prayer of thanks to the Father for His mercy (in not giving you what you deserve!), for His grace (in giving you blessings untold), and for His continuing work in your life as He makes you more and more into the image of Christ.

And one more. Expect to give thanks to the Lord for all that transpired in the service you just attended. Good or bad, poorly done or professionally presented, God can use it all so long as His children are faithful and humble in His presence.

This article on before you worship originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

10 Signs You’ve Become an Unaware Leader

Ron Edmondson

September 23, 2023

There have been times in my leadership career where, unknowingly at the time, I became the unaware leader. It can be a dangerous place to be. Thankfully, there are indicators to look for.

Years ago there was a consistent problem in one of our areas of ministry. It was something, which I would have quickly addressed, but no one brought it to my attention. I’ve learned the hard way what I don’t know can often hurt my leadership or the organization the most.

Therefore, I try to be good at asking questions and being observant. Through my normal pattern of discovery I encountered the problem, brought the right people together, we addressed the problem and moved forward.

So, end of story.

10 Signs You’ve Become an Unaware Leader

Yet, if only it was the end of the story – every time. I’ve missed problems many time since. Fact is, the same for every leader, I only know what I know, and it’s often what I don’t know is what I need to know.

The leader is often the last to know when something is wrong. Therefore, I have consistently told this to the teams I lead. You only know what you know. Many times, because of the scope of responsibility of the leader, he or she isn’t privy to all the intricacies of the organization. Plus, there are people, who for a variety of reasons, tell others the problems they see before they share them with the leader. Without intentionality of discovering problems the leader may be clueless there was one.

Not knowing is never a good excuse to be an unaware leader.

As a leader, you may not know all the facts – and you don’t need to know every detail of the organization (in fact you shouldn’t). Attempting to know everything keeps an organization very small and very controlled. I spend lots of energy on this blog denouncing that style of leadership.

But you should figure out how to be aware enough, as a leader, to discover the facts which you need to know. Each unaware leader have some commonalities among them. So, there are indicators you are the unaware leader.

10 signs of an unaware leader

Not attempting to discover the real health of a team or organization.
Remaining clueless to what people are really saying.
Being unsure of things which could be measurable, simply because they are never measured.
Not asking hard questions for fear of an unwanted answer.
Not exploring/dreaming into the future; becoming content with status quo.
Preferring to not know when there is a problem in a certain area of the organization (or with certain people).
Dismissing all criticism as negativity.
Not learning anything new; instead relying on “the way things have always been done” and hoping they consistently work.
Making every decision without input from others.
Assuming everyone supports and loves your leadership.

Those are just some of the indicators of an unaware leader. There are possibly many others. Some things the leader will never know. That’s okay. There are issues within the life of an organization, however, that while the leader may not know readily, or even want to know, he or she should explore continually.

One of my rules of thumb in determining what I need to know and what I don’t is if it has the potential to impact the long-term health of the organization then I need to know about it. It could be a change we are about to make, a mistake we made, or just perceptions people have within or outside the organization. But, if I’m eventually going to hear about it anyway I want to hear about it as early in the process as possible.

Want to test your awareness?

Try this simple experiment. Send an email to a fairly sizable group of people you trust – key leaders, staff members, friends – people who know your organization fairly well. These could be from the inside or outside depending on the size of the organization. Also, make sure there are some people on the list who you know will be honest with you. Tell them you are trying to be more aware as a leader and need their help.

Pick some or all of these questions and ask people to respond to them:

From your perspective, what am I currently missing as a leader?
What do you see that I don’t see about our organization?
If you were in my shoes, what should I be doing that I’m not doing?
Do you think we are changing fast enough to keep up with the needs of the people we are serving?
What are people saying about me or our organization which I’m not hearing?
Would you say I am generally aware of the real problems in our organization?
Who on my team is keeping from me how they really feel?

If you really want to a challenge from this experiment, let them answer anonymously. You trust them, right? Plus, you get to set that in the parameters of who you asked to answer. So, set up a Survey Monkey or Google Survey doc and let them respond without having to add their name. Then, see what responses you receive.

Not ready to do that? I understand. Frankly, I’ve gone to that extent only a few times in my leadership – when I especially felt tension in the organization or that I wasn’t losing touch with reality. (You have to be self-aware as a leader to diagnose this one.)

You could simply address the indicators above and see how that improves your awareness as a leader. Whichever you choose. Let’s just always strive to be better leaders.

This article on the unaware leader originally appeared here, and is used by permission. Check out Ron’s leadership podcast where we hopefully help limit bad decisions and discuss issues of leadership in a practical way. Plus, check out the other Lifeway Leadership Podcasts.

Why Small Groups Should Not Try To Fix Others

Josh Hunt

September 23, 2023

One of the interesting insights coming out of the 12-step literature is that it is counter productive to try to fix others. We can only fix ourselves. An atmosphere where we are constantly trying to fix others will quickly squelch honesty. I do not want a group that is constantly trying to fix me. If the group tries to fix others, no one will be honest. It does not matter how well-meaning the group is in this, fixing kills honesty.

Why Small Groups Should Not Try to Fix Others

I have seen this happen in groups many times. One person will bravely risk sharing something that is not working. Someone will tell them, “You just need to pray.” Another will tell them to, “Just forgive and forget. Another will tell them to, “Have more faith.” Another will tell them that if they just had more discipline all would be well. Everyone has simple answers to enormous problems. And no one puts a bandage on the wound. This is where Sunday school gets a bad name. To give a “Sunday school answer” is synonymous with a simplistic, unrealistic, or poorly thought through answers.

People do this fixing in a well-meaning way. They are honestly trying to help but it does not help. It only squelches the atmosphere of honesty. There is something almost magical that the Christian community can do for one another. If they will hear one another, really listen to the feelings as well as the facts, and bring those together to the Father, the group will find healing. As long as we are trying to fix each other, God isn’t allowed to do much fixing.

Teen Volunteers Can Help Your Children’s Ministry Thrive

ChildrensMinistry.com

September 22, 2023

Teen volunteers can be a fantastic solution when you’re short on children’s ministry helpers. Wondering where to find people who can connect with younger kids? You may have an entire group of these wonderful folks right in front of you: teenagers!

Teens have a lot to offer your children, your ministry, and your church. Here’s how veteran children’s workers successfully include teen volunteers in their ministries.

Teen Volunteers Contribute to Ministry

For 13 years, Sue Lennartson provided an intensive all-summer-long daily children’s program at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in Mahtomedi, Minnesota. She did so with the help of 50 or 60 teenagers.

“We couldn’t have done the program without them,” says Lennartson, now a consultant. “We hired many as part-time staff while they were still in high school, and they returned later as college interns.”

According to Lennartson, training is a key component for a successful ministry with teenagers. Over the years, she developed a training program dubbed “20/20 Vision.” The program, designed to help teenagers see clearly into ministry, helps teenagers develop a repertoire of 20 activities they can pull out at a moment’s notice. In the 20/20 Vision program, each teenager prepares to lead five songs, games, crafts, and devotions.

Bob Shaw, a church school director at the First Congregational Church in Greeley, Colorado, trains the 25 teenagers who volunteer in his children’s ministry. “If the teens are doing any teaching, they participate in ongoing teacher training alongside adult teachers,” he explains. Shaw conducts a couple of two-hour training sessions each August. In addition, teenagers attend monthly teacher-enrichment meetings that focus on theme-related topics. One year’s topic was “Recognizing and Helping Hurting Children.”

Teen Volunteers Exceed Expectations

Requiring accountability is another key factor for success. Carolyn Reed, a children’s pastor at First Baptist Church in Oxnard, California, requires her teen workers to provide references and to complete an application with standard volunteer screening questions. They also provide a statement describing their Christian faith, including important faith lessons they’ve learned recently. Reed consults with her church’s youth ministry staff before accepting applications.

If accepted, these teenagers commit to a one-year rotation of one month on, two months off. During their months off, they’re expected to participate in church services or youth activities.

“We have a regular list of what’s expected,” says Reed. “Teens are required to call if they’ll be gone. They have to help clean up and check with the teacher before leaving for the day.”

Some adult teachers enlist teenagers to help with weekly lesson preparation. These teachers become mentors who positively impact teens’ faith development.

Mary Ann Bethea, a children’s ministries coordinator at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Spartanburg, South Carolina, has seen teenagers rise beyond her expectations. “It’s given me a new perspective on teenagers,” she says. “Before, teenagers really weren’t my thing.”

Bethea used her church’s youth group to staff a vacation Bible school outreach to inner city kids one summer. It went so well that she plans to invite teenagers from their urban community to join her church’s teenagers for training.

Teen Volunteers Connect With Younger Kids

Beyond their ability to be playful with younger kids, a familiar teenage face can ease separation anxiety for young children. Teenagers can also aid in classroom management by providing important one-on-one attention for easily distracted children. And since teenagers can still remember what it was like to be little, they may be able to relate better to what kids are going through.

Fall Festival Recruiting: 4 Simple Ways to Enlist Volunteer Help

ChildrensMinistry.com

September 22, 2023

Fall festival recruiting is essential for the success of any children’s ministry harvest event. What’s the secret to recruiting? It may sound basic, but the ultimate secret to recruiting for your fall fest comes down to this. If you want volunteers, you need to ask.

Asking is the step missing in most recruitment efforts. We announce a need, create bulletin boards, post signup sheets, and even show snazzy commercials during worship services. But we don’t look potential team members in the eye and ask, “Will you help?”

If you settle for publicizing your event in the hope that publicity will generate team members, you’ll be disappointed. People will hear announcements all day long and think, “Someone should do something about this.” Not until you ask for a personal response will they add, “And maybe that someone is me.”

Here are four steps to take for fall festival recruiting. Do these and you’ll not only have the people you need. But you’ll also have the right people in the right roles!

4 Steps to Successful Fall Festival Recruiting

Step 1: Fill out the key leadership roles first.

First, find people to head Outreach, Setup, Experiences, and if you like, Preschool Activities. Please don’t skip this step or think you’ll be able to go back and slide those key leaders into place.

Start here. After those four people are on board, they’ll help recruit, too. But you’re the public face of your fall fest. Keep recruiting to support the efforts of your Leadership Team.

Step 2: Pick the low-hanging fruit first.

When you’re starting to recruit, you want to gather momentum and recruit folks who are likeliest to sign up. Go after these groups: kidmin workers, parents, grandparents, volunteers in helping ministries, and the youth group.

Some of these folks won’t have the specific skills you know you’ll need. But not every job requires specialized skills. For example, most fall festival games are easy to run.

Shadow Side of Mission: Ethical Considerations for Missional Work

Ed Stetzer

September 22, 2023

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

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

We place a lot of value on someone’s last words before they pass into eternity. When someone places such value on a message that they commit their final moments with friends and family to communicating that message, it should cause us to weigh that message with reverence and sobriety. I often say that Jesus’ last words should be our first priority.

While Jesus remains very much alive and well, his final words to his followers are recorded by Luke in the book of Acts. Before ascending to the Father, Jesus looked at his disciples and, in his final moments with them before his future return, said, “[Y]ou will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all of Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8 CEB).

Each of the Gospel accounts have their own version of what’s come to be known as the Great Commission.¹ John 20:19f relates the sent and sending nature of Christ himself. Matthew 28:19f is known for its focus on the nations of the world. Luke 24:46–48 is gospel-oriented, focusing on the importance of repentance and faith in Christ, while Acts 1 speaks of the how the fruit of being filled with the Holy Spirit will result in witnesses globally.

Luke’s reminder of Jesus’ last words with which he sent out his followers on mission, not simply to their fellow Jews in the areas around Jerusalem, but to all the nations of the earth. That mantle of mission to the nations has been handed down from generation to generation, and it rests upon us today to faithfully steward.

As I argued in the book, “Finish the Mission,” evangelicals, especially in the Global North, appear to gravitate towards two distinct paths when discussing God’s mission. On one hand, there’s a tendency to follow the “sentness” path, focusing on the church’s role as sent and exploring the implications of being “missional” in this world. On the other hand, there’s the “nations” path, which highlights the church as the sender to various parts of the world, and among all peoples of the world.

Although these paths are not inherently contradictory, they often diverge in practice more frequently than not. Luke is clear that we are called to reach our own, to those who are near, and to all who are far off with the gospel of Jesus Christ, but there’s a shadow side to our Great Commission endeavors that requires a shift (like the theme of this year’s Missio Nexus gathering), to consider the social and transformational impact of our mission.

Illuminating the Shadow Side

We see in the New Testament two characteristics of the Church’s task of reaching the nations. First, we see mission itself in action—the Spirit sending out God’s people on mission, first following Pentecost, then the diaspora following the death of Stephen, and then again in the missionary journeys of the apostles.

But secondly, we also see a shadow side with which the Church has had to wrestle and contend since its infancy—the racial and ethnic tension that has accompanied the missionary expansion of the Church. If we’re to be faithful to the commission God has given us, we must be truthful about both.

While over the past 100 years we’ve made strides toward repenting of the sins of the past, the task of cultivating a flourishing multi-ethnic global Church that fosters dignity for people of every tribe and tongue is a never-ending enterprise in which we must always be engaged.

¹ I’ve written a chapter in John Piper’s book “Finish the Mission” on the topic of the four commissions of Christ: Stetzer, E. (2013). “Reaching Our Neighbors and the Nations.” In J. Piper & D. Mathis (Eds.), Finish the Mission: Bringing the Gospel to the Unreached and Unengaged (pp. 56-72). Crossway.

Caught in the Cross Hairs

Full Strength Network

September 22, 2023

feeling overwhelmed — Source: Adobe Stock

Crossbow and gun enthusiasts use a sight to lock in on the center of a target. Where one hair (or line) crosses another, the center of that union is referred to as “the cross hairs.” Literally, this center point is under fire.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by life, like something was zooming in on you, and you were under fire in the cross hairs?

In my book, “At Full Strength: Navigating the Risks All Pastors Face,” I [Denny Howard] apply this cross hairs shooting metaphor to the helping professions, including pastors: “A distinct and predictable low period in life, often without a known cause, is a cross hair. These low times are marked by a lack of resiliency, satisfaction, and vision.”

As a pastor, it’s not a question of if you’ll find yourself in the cross hairs, but when.

The key to surviving the cross hairs is preparation. Three activities can prevent and help with the low times that will come:

Rest
Restoration
Renewal

Rest: ‘What Is a Day Off?’

Does that question sound familiar? Rest comes in many forms and varies from person to person. Where does your most restful time come from? Remember, rest is not limited to sleep. Giving your brain a rest from all church responsibilities, situations, and event planning qualifies. It might mean reading a book or spending time with loved ones.

It’s important to know what you need to create to achieve true rest.

Restoration: What Restores You?

More than simply resting, you also need to be restored. What kind of things energize you? What helps you recover after a long week? It might be a hobby or time spent outside or doing things with your family.

Renewal: What Excites You?

Finally, you need to be renewed. This can come from a new excitement or energy about your work. This is more than coming back fully charged, it’s about having a fresh perspective and attitude toward your work. It’s not merely coming back for more of the same, but ready to scale higher heights or tackle something new.

What kind of activities can do that for you? It might be a retreat or other focused spiritual time. It might be seeing what other ministries are doing and being inspired.

Recover & Re-Engage

Pastors are frequently in the line of fire. But if you create personal times of rest, restoration, and renewal, then you will be able to manage the cross hairs while improving resiliency, satisfaction, and vision.

This article originally appeared here.

Newly Baptized NFL Legend Jim Kelly: ‘Becoming a Christian Is the Best Decision I’ve Made’

Stephanie Martin

September 22, 2023

Jim Kelly, a Hall of Fame NFL quarterback who has experienced life’s highs and lows, was baptized during the summer and proclaimed, “God changed my life.” Kelly, 63, has been outspoken about his Christian faith and how it sustained him through the death of his son and his own cancer diagnoses.

During 11 seasons with Buffalo, Kelly led the Bills to four straight Super Bowls. (The Bills lost all four of those championship games.) Hunter, the infant son of Kelly and his wife, Jill, was diagnosed with Krabbe disease, a rare genetic condition, in 1997 and died eight years later. Kelly dedicated his Pro Football Hall of Fame acceptance speech to Hunter in 2002.

In 2013, Kelly was treated for squamous cell carcinoma in his upper jaw. The cancer returned in 2018, requiring more surgery.

Jim Kelly Gets Baptized, Says ‘God Changed My Life’

This week, Jill Kelly posted a video and photos of her husband getting baptized in a swimming pool. “The very best of Summer 2023,” she wrote. “Jim’s t-shirt says, ‘God’s Real.’ He is! I have witnessed God at work in this man’s life for over 30 years…and I can tell you that God isn’t just REAL, He is faithful, trustworthy, kind, loving, compassionate, powerful, gracious, GOOD, merciful, forgiving…and so so much MORE.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jill Kelly (@jillmkelly)

“[God] is immeasurably MORE than we can imagine! He is EVERYTHING!” continued Jill Kelly. She included three Bible verses with her post: Galatians 3:26-27; Matthew 28:19-20; and Acts 22:16.

The next day, Jim Kelly also shared video of the big event. “I’m not a man of many words and I don’t speak ‘Christianese,’” he wrote in the Instagram caption. “All I know is that God changed my life. After Hunter went to heaven I was so lost and angry at God. But God loved me anyway and he never gave up on me.

“I’m far from perfect but God helped me humble myself and seek him for help,” Kelly continued. “Becoming a Christian is the best decision I’ve made in my life. I wish I would’ve come to him sooner. But his timing is perfect. And finally I was baptized. I have so many people to thank especially all of the people who have prayed for me for so long. THANK YOU.”

Before baptizing Kelly, his pastor referred to the spiritual journey the former athlete has undergone. It’s been “15 years of Bible study and prayer and growth,” said the pastor. “We’re proud of you, how far you’ve come—and where you’re going, it’s even better.” When the pastor asked Kelly if he loved Jesus, the former QB shouted, “Yes, I do!”

One of the many encouraging comments on Kelly’s post is from Pastor Derwin Gray, who played for the Colts from 1993 to 1997. “Let’s go!” Gray wrote. “We are in the same team now! Team Jesus.”

‘God Had a Plan for Me,’ Says Jim Kelly

During a 2021 appearance on Sports Spectrum’s “Weekly Slant” show, Jim Kelly talked about his Christian faith and how he tries to put it into action. Despite the challenges he and his family have faced, Kelly said, “It didn’t take me very long to realize that God had a plan for me, and that was to be able to share what I’ve been through to others that may be looking to give up, to not persevere through the tough times.”

Coach Prime Shouts Jesus’ Name to Make Demons ‘Tremble’ and ‘Haters Agitated’; Tim Tebow Says Sanders Is Genuine

Jesse T. Jackson

September 22, 2023

Earlier this week, Colorado Buffaloes head football coach Deion Sanders, or Coach Prime as he is also known, went viral after proclaiming the name of Jesus on social media.

“JESUS! I had to say that to make Demons tremble and haters agitated. JESUS IS MY LORD & SAVIOR so get use to me proclaiming his name daily. God bless u now please have a blessed day because I am,” Sanders posted.

JESUS! I had to say that to make Demons tremble and haters agitated. JESUS IS MY LORD & SAVIOR so get use to me proclaiming his name daily. God bless u now please have a blessed day because I am. #CoachPrime

— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) September 19, 2023

The post received over 1.8 million views and 37,000 likes. It was re-shared more than 4,900 times.

Some of his followers made comments on Coach Prime’s statement saying, “Love to see it! Stay blessed! 🙏,” “And God is STILL undefeated!,” “Now and forever 🙏🏾,” and “Amen.”

Many thanked Sanders for speaking about his faith in Jesus. One follower wrote, “Thank you coach Prime. This open and passionate faithfulness can impact a whole country. The spotlight is on you and you are turning it to your faith.”

Coach Prime ‘Really, Really Genuinely Cares About People,’ Says Tim Tebow

Yesterday, ESPN college football analyst and Heisman Trophy winner, Tim Tebow, validated his friend’s character during an interview with Fox News where he shared how Sanders genuinely loves and cares about people.

“I’ve been friends with (Deion) for quite a while now since, honestly, the end of college or early time in the NFL. He was just so encouraging, so supportive, so kind. Always gave me words of encouragement or words of wisdom,” Tebow said. “And, honestly, he would go out of his way to do it in a very nice way. Not just like when cameras are there doing it but behind the scenes.”

The Florida Gators football standout told the story of how he and Sanders did an event last year where Tebow witnessed how Coach Prime loves and genuinely cares about people.

Can Christians Be Demon-Possessed? Evangelist Greg Stier Answers

Jessica Mouser

September 22, 2023

Can someone who is a follower of Jesus Christ be possessed by a demon? The answer to that question, says evangelist and ministry leader Greg Stier, is an emphatic, “No.”

“When movies like #TheExorcistBeliever start coming to theaters it often raises a lot of questions about Satan and demon possession,” said Stier in a social media post Friday morning. “One of the most common questions I get asked is ‘Can a Christian be demon possessed?’”

CAN CHRISTIANS BE DEMON POSSESSED?

When movies like #TheExorcistBeliever start coming to theaters it often raises a lot of questions about Satan and demon possession.

One of the most common questions I get asked is “Can a Christian be demon possessed?” Here’s how I answer…

— Greg Stier (@gregstier) September 22, 2023

“Here’s how I answer this question,” Stier continued. “A true Christian cannot be demon possessed because they are now the possession of God (1 Peter 2:9) and are now God’s temple, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20.).”

Greg Stier: ‘God Rents No Room…To the Devil’

Greg Stier is an evangelist, author, and speaker, as well as the founder of Dare 2 Share Ministries, which trains teens to share their faith. He is the author of several books, including “Gospelize Your Youth Ministry: A Spicy New Philosophy Of Youth Ministry (That’s 2,000 Years Old)” and “Unlikely Fighter: The Story of How a Fatherless Street Kid Overcame Violence, Chaos, and Confusion to Become a Radical Christ Follower.”

The movie Stier alluded to is titled, “The Exorcist: Believer,” and is a sequel to the iconic 1973 horror film, “The Exorcist.” The 1973 movie told the story of a 12-year-old girl who becomes possessed by a demon and her mother’s subsequent attempts to exorcise the demon with the help of two Catholic priests.

Ellen Burstyn, who played the role of mother Chris MacNeil, reprises her role in the 2023 sequel, set to release on Friday, Oct. 13. The new movie focuses on two young girls who become demon-possessed and their parents’ attempts to save them.

Stier stressed that a true Christian cannot be possessed by a demon. “God rents no room in his temple to the devil,” he said.

“If Satan cannot possess a true Christian, the question you must answer is this: Are you a true Christian?” Stier continued. “If you are not, demons can possess you. They can take control of your soul and turn your life into a living hell.”

Growing Southern Baptist Churches More Likely in Northeast, Among Newer Churches

Aaron Earls

September 22, 2023

bapstism — Photo credit: Vince Fleming / Unsplash

If you’re looking for a Southern Baptist church, you’re most likely to find one in the South. If you want to find a growing Southern Baptist church, however, you might want to try the Northeast.

Analysis of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Annual Church Profile (ACP) by Lifeway Research revealed the convention is made up of mostly smaller churches dotting the southern United States. Still, more than 1 in 5 churches are outside of the South. And the only region where Southern Baptist churches are growing numerically is in New England. Additionally, churches started since 2000 are the most likely to be currently growing.

“The trends revealed in this analysis confirm that Southern Baptists must prioritize church planting in our effort to reach people for Christ,” said Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board. “As we do that, not only will we see lives changed with the gospel, we will also grow our base of churches which will expand our Great Commission efforts throughout the world. I’m grateful for every church that is planting new churches, but we need even more to take up this challenge.”

Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, noted that the largest Protestant denomination is growing in the least Protestant region of the U.S. “While it’s easiest to achieve high percentage growth in areas with fewer Southern Baptists to begin with, the growth is a sharp contrast to numerical declines throughout much of the country,” he said.

General picture of Southern Baptist churches

The Southern Baptist Convention mostly reflects its name, as 78% of its churches are in the South. Far fewer are in the Midwest (10%), West (9%), Northeast (3%) or U.S. territories (less than 1%).

Not quite half (45%) of churches are in suburban areas with a population of at least 2,500 but less than 50,000. The remaining percentage are split between urban areas (28%) with at least 50,000 in population and rural places (27%) with less than 2,500. Churches in the Northeast and West are more likely than those in the other regions to be in urban areas, while churches in the Midwest and South are mostly in rural and suburban places.

Most Southern Baptist churches (52%) were founded since 1950, including 23% that were started since 2000. Another 21% began between 1900 and 1949, while 27% trace their founding to before the 20th century.

The newest group of churches, those founded since 2000, make up an increasingly larger percentage of all Southern Baptist churches, climbing from 19% of churches in 2017 to 23% in 2022.

“Southern Baptists are the most prolific starter of new churches, but older churches continue to close at a slightly faster pace,” said McConnell.

Almost 3 in 4 churches (73%) have an average worship service attendance below 100, including 46% who have fewer than 50 for a typical service. One in 5 (19%) are between 100 and 249, while 5% average between 250 and 499. And 3% usually have at least 500 for their weekend worship service. Churches in the Northeast (53%), Midwest (55%) and West (53%) are more likely than those in the South (43%) to have an average worship service of fewer than 50 attendees.

The Porter’s Gate Hopes to Bridge Gap Between Mental Health and Faith With New Album

Kathryn Post

September 22, 2023

(RNS) — A wave of energy and emotion coursed through the 5,000-person crowd in London’s Royal Albert Hall in early May as the band onstage debuted its latest album.

Surrounded by the Victorian era architecture, the audience stood for The Porter’s Gate, a self-described “worship project” founded in 2017 by longtime worship leader Isaac Wardell and his wife, Megan. Though the songs were new to the audience, many sang along and were visibly moved.

“It was a really holy, almost out of body experience to see the songs impacting people,” said Daniel Whitehead, CEO of Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries and one of the collaborators on the album.

Though worshipful, the songs weren’t about flying away to glory or leaving the pain of this world behind. Instead, they aimed to make space for those feeling hopeless and abandoned, while reminding listeners that God is present in the here and now.

“As we were singing these songs, I was aware of my own grief, and my own faith at the same time, and the consolation of God,” recalled Canadian Christian artist Matt Maher, one of the musicians onstage. “It felt integrated in the best way. “

Attendees of the album-writing retreat brought nearly 50 people, not all pictured, to an island off the coast of Vancouver to collaborate and write the twelve-track album. Photo courtesy The Porter’s Gate

An album-writing retreat brought nearly 50 people, not all pictured, to an island off the coast of Vancouver, Canada, to collaborate and write the 12-track album “Sanctuary Songs.” Photo courtesy of The Porter’s Gate

“Sanctuary Songs,” a 12-track album inspired by conversations about mental health and faith and released on Friday (Sept. 15), is another timely and topic-driven album from The Porter’s Gate that follows earlier projects on climate justice, lament and vocation. It was birthed in partnership with Sanctuary at a five-day retreat in fall 2022 where a group of roughly 20 Sanctuary staff and 30 songwriters — including Jon Guerra, Doe Jones and Andrew Peterson — gathered on an island off the coast of Vancouver, Canada, to craft the album.

Many of the musicians, who represented a range of theological and cultural backgrounds, had personal connections to the topic.

“In that particular year, when Isaac asked me about this retreat, I had been struggling a lot with anxiety, I think like most people during the pandemic. And for the first time I came to an awareness of the physical symptoms of anxiety,” Maher told Religion News Service. “I realized I experienced them all for a long time. I just didn’t have the right language.”

Beloved NC Baptist Charity Leader Steps Down Over Alleged Misuse of $89,000 in Donations

Bob Smietana

September 22, 2023

(RNS) — The longtime leader of a North Carolina Baptist charity stepped down this week after an internal investigation found he had used almost $90,000 in charitable funds for personal expenses over the past three years.

The investigation also found that 81-year-old Michael Blackwell, who had led the Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina since 1983, had diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations to a special account set up for his benefit.

He also bought his wife a new car using charitable funds, according to a report from forensic auditors.

Blackwell, who had been on leave since May, when the investigation was launched, has agreed to pay back $88,803.14 in personal expenses charged over a three-year period to his company credit card.

“The Forensic Report describes the personal nature of these expenses, which include snacks, drinks, nutritional supplements, clothes, health care costs, subscriptions, and stays at Structure House—a self-improvement center where program participants stay in ‘luxury apartments,’” according to an investigative report made public this week.

Blackwell denied any wrongdoing in an interview with the Biblical Recorder, a state newspaper for North Carolina Baptists, and in a statement sent to the paper and Baptist leaders.

“There were some misunderstandings, (but) there certainly was no deliberate misuse of anything, ever on my part,” Blackwell said in the interview. According to the Biblical Recorder, Blackwell was allowed to see a summary of the financial review before it was published.

Blackwell also said in the statement that he “had never deliberately done anything to bring harm to this ministry that is so deeply personal to me,” the Biblical Recorder reported.

Todd Unzicker, executive director of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, called the Children’s Homes, which operates residences for children in 35 locations in the U.S. as well as an orphanage in Guatemala, a “beloved ministry” in the state.

“The actions identified by the summary report represent a betrayal of trust with the people that love and support the ministry,” Unzicker said. “We are encouraged to see BCH trustees move toward a change in executive leadership and seek restitution. They should be commended for commissioning an independent financial review and then acting swiftly upon receiving the results.”

Blackwell is the latest in a series of Southern Baptist leaders to step down due to controversy, scandal or alleged mismanagement.

Why I Am NOT Among Pastors Who Drink Beer

1. I need all my brain cells.

2. I don’t want to play Russian roulette.

3. I believe in the principle of deference.

4. As a leader, I’ve chosen a higher standard for my leadership life.

4 (free!) Ideas to for Pastor Appreciation Month

Ask How You Can Pray for Them

Serve Within the Church

Connect with them on Sundays

Send an encouraging word

4 Reasons You Should Keep Singing Hymns in Church

1. Hymns Teach Us

Family Worship Sundays

Family Worship Experiences

Family Faith Formation

Family Activities

Family Service Projects

1. Protection.

2. Courage.

3. Patience.

4. Ministry.

Before You Worship

What do you expect before you worship?

10 Signs You’ve Become an Unaware Leader

Not knowing is never a good excuse to be an unaware leader.

10 signs of an unaware leader

Want to test your awareness?

Pick some or all of these questions and ask people to respond to them:

Why Small Groups Should Not Try to Fix Others

Teen Volunteers Contribute to Ministry

Teen Volunteers Exceed Expectations

Teen Volunteers Connect With Younger Kids

4 Steps to Successful Fall Festival Recruiting

Step 1: Fill out the key leadership roles first.

Step 2: Pick the low-hanging fruit first.

Illuminating the Shadow Side

Rest: ‘What Is a Day Off?’

Restoration: What Restores You?

Renewal: What Excites You?

Recover & Re-Engage

Jim Kelly Gets Baptized, Says ‘God Changed My Life’

‘God Had a Plan for Me,’ Says Jim Kelly

Coach Prime ‘Really, Really Genuinely Cares About People,’ Says Tim Tebow

Greg Stier: ‘God Rents No Room…To the Devil’

General picture of Southern Baptist churches

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