Texas Church Holds AI-Generate Worship Service ‘To Consider the Nature of Truth’

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September 19, 2023

Violet Crown City Church — Photo by Matheus Bertelli (via Pexels)

Ever since ChatGPT was released to the public late last year, users have been utilizing the generative AI tool for a variety of tasks, with some seeking to push the bounds of exactly what it can accomplish.

In the church world, pastors have leveraged ChatGPT to assist in brainstorming for sermons and even in researching and preparing for them, though some have raised ethical concerns.

Nevertheless, one church recently took its use of ChatGPT for spiritual purposes to the next level by holding a worship service that was generated entirely by artificial intelligence.

On Sunday, Sept. 17, Violet Crown City Church in Austin, Texas, live streamed a traditional service in which the order of worship, prayers, sermon, liturgy, and even an original song were created by ChatGPT.

The congregation, which is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, previously announced the AI-led service on their Facebook page, noting that “it would be easy to race to judgment about a service like this.”

However, the church said that the purpose of this “one-time experiment” was “to invite us to consider the nature of truth and challenge our assumptions about what God can make sacred and inspired.”

“Well, in case you haven’t noticed, we’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” joked Jay Cooper, the church’s pastor, at the beginning of the service. “We are entering somewhat uncharted territory.”

Cooper then explained how he went about using ChatGPT to create the service. He started by giving ChatGPT the following prompt:

Create a Sunday morning worship service for a church that values sharing life and belonging to one another, inclusivity for all, working for justice, and following in the way of Jesus. Include four familiar hymns or contemporary worship songs, a call to worship, pastoral prayer, children’s message, offering time, communion, liturgy, sermon, and one original song to reflect the message of the sermon.

“My assumption was that ChatGPT would kick out a full hour-long worship service as is traditional in many churches,” Cooper said. “[It] turns out ChatGPT is Methodist and had no intention of sticking around that long and gave us about a 15 minute service.”

Is a Pastor’s Sin a Private Matter? Johnny Hunt Lawsuit Makes That Claim.

By

Bob Smietana

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September 19, 2023

Johnny Hunt suit — Pastor Johnny Hunt speaks in 2020. Video screen grab

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) — In the middle of 2010, not long after his term as Southern Baptist Convention president ended, Johnny Hunt took time off for his annual vacation.

He planned to return to the pulpit at First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Georgia, in early August. But just before his first Sunday back, Hunt announced he was taking a leave of absence, citing his health and a sense of exhaustion.

What no one knew at the time was that Hunt had another reason for his leave.

On July 25, 2010, while vacationing in Florida, Hunt had kissed and fondled another pastor’s wife in what his attorneys would later call a “brief, consensual extramarital encounter.”

Then Hunt spent more than a decade covering the incident up.

Without telling his congregation — or the millions of Southern Baptists he had represented as their president — Hunt went through a secret restoration process that included counseling sessions with the woman he had fondled and her husband. He then returned to the pulpit.

For a dozen years, no one was the wiser. Hunt retired from First Baptist in 2019 and took on a new role as a senior vice president for the SBC’s North American Mission Board and continued his busy and often lucrative career as a preacher and public speaker.

Then, in 2022, an investigation into how SBC leaders dealt with the issue of abuse was released, and his name was included in the report.

Over the course of their inquiry, investigators from Guidepost Solutions, the firm hired by the SBC, had heard about Hunt’s misconduct and learned that the woman involved in the incident — who has not been named publicly — described it as a sexual assault and as non-consensual.

“We include this sexual assault allegation in the report because our investigators found the pastor and his wife to be credible; their report was corroborated in part by a counseling minister and three other credible witnesses; and our investigators did not find Dr. Hunt’s statements related to the sexual assault allegation to be credible,” investigators from Guidepost concluded.

When the report became public, Hunt first denied it and claimed the incident was consensual. He resigned from NAMB, went through another restoration process, then made a defiant return to the pulpit earlier this year.

This past spring Hunt filed suit against the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee and Guidepost, claiming they had ruined his life by revealing his misconduct and including him in an abuse report.

An Open Letter to a Pulpit Bully

By

David Manner

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September 19, 2023

When Theodore Roosevelt coined the term “bully pulpit,” he observed that his position of influence as president gave him a unique platform from which to persuade, exhort, instruct and inspire. Roosevelt famously used the word bully as an adjective meaning great, superb excellent or wonderful. But there is such a thing as a pulpit bully.

Dear Potential Pulpit Bully

As a pastor, you have been given a similar position of influence from which to speak out, advocate and encourage. Your unique bully pulpit gives you a platform for persuasion, exhortation, instruction and inspiration. It is dangerous, however, if you choose to invert that bully pulpit from a place of influence to a position of control. Transposing from advocacy to autocracy will degrade your platform from a bully pulpit to the platform of a pulpit bully.

There is no virtue in bullying disguised as righteous indignation. So pastor, if you give in to that temptation you’ll believe all problems originate in someone else’s office. You’ll reject cooperation, compromise and kindness in order to guard territory and filter information. You’ll outgrow the need to learn anything new. You won’t share ministry because accountability will threaten your position of authority. Collaboration will always be suspect because you’ll view those with different perspectives as insubordinate.

Once you adopt an attitude of entitlement and invulnerability you may achieve compliance from others, but rarely buy-in. Even those within your so-called inner circle will submit to your leadership out of fear not friendship, out of caution not loyalty, out of submission not conviction. As a result, your position will also be one of profound loneliness.

So pastor, is being a pulpit bully really what God intended when he called some to be apostles, some to be prophets and some to be evangelists? Maybe giving in to that temptation is just the fear of losing control of something that was not yours to begin with. It’s not too late to realize that the final word doesn’t always have to be yours. There’s time to pray and plan together with others as partners instead of pawns. It’s never too late to pastor with an attitude of mutuality and no ulterior motive. And when you do, your church and staff relationships will never be the same.

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

7 Tips for Leading Small Group Worship

By

Rick Muchow

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September 19, 2023

Over the years I have led small group worship, and I love it! Almost every small group I have led worship for has been grateful for the music as if they had a deep hunger to worship together in their intimate setting. One thing I have found in common with vibrant small groups is that they worship together. These groups find a way to sit together during most weekend worship services, attend Nights of Worship, talk about worship, include worship in their group time and more. However, many groups, sadly, have yet to discover or incorporate this missing jewel.

The two most significant barriers to having meaningful worship in small groups are musical leadership and the misconception that worship is synonymous with music. Biblical worship is, of course, more than music and is not synonymous with it (see Romans 12). The essence of worship is faith, not the soundtrack! Biblical worship is faith expressed! There are many ways to worship God without music. However, one of the most common, most beautiful, most effective ways to express faith corporately involves music.

“Music is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us.” Martin Luther

7 Tips for Leading Small Group Worship

1. CALM THEIR FEARS

If public speaking is the number one fear of most adults, then public singing was overlooked in the survey! Most people like to sing but prefer to vocalize privately or in a setting where their individual voice will not be noticed. Getting people to sing in small group worship can be a challenge. An affable worship leader encourages participation by intentionally gaining the group’s trust.

Being friendly, relaxed and likable will help calm fears about the “singing” part of the worship time.

Worship leaders should avoid making direct eye contact with the group members while singing words directed to God. Staring in general makes people nervous, but during singing it can be particularly weird. Picture singing the words “I love you, Lord” while staring directly at someone just five feet away from you. Direct eye contact is important when you are speaking to the group but will feel awkward while leading worship in small groups.

Simple Rule: Be caring without staring

2. CHOOSE FRIENDLY

When leading small group worship use songs that are group friendly, well liked, and in sing-able keys.

Singing gets better with confidence. Confidence grows with familiarity. Avoid using songs that are unfamiliar, hard to learn and difficult to sing. Another way to be friendly is to put the song in the right key. Most groups stop singing when the key is too high. This is because many people have to sing louder when they sing higher. Some can’t reach the high notes and most people become self- conscious if they hear their voices above the rest and will stop singing.

Simple Rule: Use familiar songs and friendly keys.

3. CONTROL VOLUME

People follow voices! Be careful not to drown out the voices with your guitar or other accompaniment. There’s a difference between loud and energetic.

Simple rule: Sing brighter and strum lighter. Your guitar can be louder than you realize.

4. CONTEXTUALIZE SONGS

Participation will increase when the group relates to the song. The worship leader can share interesting facts about the song: what the song means to them personally, its scriptural reference or how it relates to the group study.

Simple Rule: Plan your speaking and be brief.

5. CONNECT THE GROUP

One of the goals of leading worship in small groups is connection: connection with God and each other. Music is a language that speaks directly to the soul. The worship leader’s job is to make the introduction and then stay out of the way.

Simple Rule: Focus on connecting, not performing.

6. COME PREPARED

Know your music and sing from the overflow. The Bible says, “If we are leaders we should do our best” (Rom 12:8). The worship leader should know their music and words well enough that their leading is easy for the group to follow. Effective worship leaders are more than just skilled troubadours. The worship leader must have an authentic relationship with the Father, faithfully living a life of worship.

Simple Rule: Leading worship with music requires spiritual and musical preparation.

7. CONTINUE PRAYING

Think of small group worship as a form of prayer. When leading small group worship, don’t just play your songs: pray them. People respond to sincere prayers especially in an intimate group setting.

Be aware of those you are leading while staying focused on the conversation with God while singing. Approach worship leading as more of a prayer time than “special music” or a mini concert.

Simple Rule: Pray and play.

Pope Francis Warns Bill Clinton of ‘Wind of War That Blows Throughout the World’

By

Claire Giangrave

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September 19, 2023

Bill Clinton and Pope Francis — Former President Bill Clinton, left, speaks with Pope Francis, on screen, via video during the Clinton Global Initiative, Monday, Sept. 18, 2023 in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — In an online conversation with former U.S. President Bill Clinton on Monday (Sept. 18), Pope Francis stressed the importance of people and nations coming together to care for the environment and to put an end to global conflicts.

“It’s time to shift toward peace and brotherhood. It’s time to put down the weapons and return to dialogue, to diplomacy. Let us cease the pursuit of conquest and military aggression. That’s why I repeat: no to war!” the pope said, answering a question by the former U.S. president.

The conversation between the political and spiritual leaders was livestreamed at the 2023 meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, taking place in New York City Sept. 18-19. The event seeks to address urgent global issues, such as climate change and the flow of refugees.

To these challenges, Francis added another: “the wind of war that blows throughout the world,” fueling what he described as “the Third World War, fought piecemeal.”

The pope urged all nations to take responsibility and stressed that “no challenge can be faced alone — only together, sisters and brothers, children of God,” he said.

Pope Francis has been a vocal advocate for peace following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has sought a diplomatic resolution to the conflict. He appointed Cardinal Matteo Zuppi as a peace envoy to meet with the main stakeholders in the war, including President Joe Biden in July.

In his message, the pope also stated that “it is time to work together to stop the ecological catastrophe, before it is too late,” and repeated his intention to publish a new version of his “green” encyclical, “Laudato Si,” for the care and protection of the environment.

Clinton said he had a “wonderful meeting” with the pope at the Vatican in early July.

“You make us all feel empowered and that is perhaps your greatest power as the pope,” Clinton said during the conference. “You make everybody, even those who aren’t members of the Catholic Church, feel like they have power and share in the responsibility.”

The Clinton Global Initiative was created by Bill Clinton in 2005 and collaborates with over 10,000 organizations aiming to provide actionable solutions to global challenges.

Among the main reasons for the online meeting was raising awareness for the Pediatric Hospital Bambino Gesù, commonly referred to as the “pope’s hospital.” The pope spoke of the care that the hospital provides despite its small size, including helping Ukrainian children fleeing the conflict.

“There are illnesses that cannot be cured, but there are no children that cannot be cared for,” he said.

This article originally appeared here.

African Churches Urge US Congress To Reauthorize PEPFAR

By

Fredrick Nzwili

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September 19, 2023

NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — African church leaders have sent a letter to the U.S. Congress urging them to reauthorize one of President George W. Bush’s signature achievements, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR, which expires Sept. 30. The program, passed in 2003, has afforded significant gains toward an HIV/AIDS-free generation on the continent, helping save more than 20 million lives, according to the leaders.

“PEPFAR has been a lifesaving, pro-life program that has succeeded in protecting our families and children beyond our greatest expectations. It has been an answer to prayer,” said the leaders in the letter.

“We ask you to reauthorize PEPFAR in order to consolidate the gains so far achieved, and continue progress toward a generation free from HIV/AIDS.”

The leaders are writing in response to a letter sent to Congress in June by religious groups and legislators asserting that the funds for the program were financing family planning and reproductive health programs, including abortion.

The June letter, titled “PEPFAR and African Values,” cautioned against reauthorization without assurances that the program will remain true to its original mission and respect the norms, traditions and values of the country.

Local pastors in Kenya bore witness to the success of PEPFAR. “People in my community have benefited in a big way. They have been able to access medicines and treatment,” Pastor Nyabuto Marube of the Evangelical Church of Christ told Religion News Service.

The Rev. Pauline Wanjiru Njiru, an Anglican priest who works on HIV and AIDS prevention in Eastern Africa, said, “It is important for the funding to continue to help complete projects that are already started.”

Of the claims that PEPFAR is used to promote abortion, Marube said, “It’s all unfounded. We have never heard or seen the fund being used for abortion programs.”

Reauthorization for the program, which requires a vote in Congress every five years, has occasionally been attacked by those who want it to focus on education and abstinence from sex to prevent the transmission of HIV, but over its 21-year existence, new funding has passed with bipartisan support.

But in May the conservative U.S. think tank Heritage Foundation released a report recommending the program be restructured as a development program that would shift more funding to local health providers. It also called PEPFAR an “entirely Democratic-run program” that made abortion and LGBTQ issues a priority.

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey, chair of the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee, has echoed some of the report’s findings and demanded that any new funding come with language barring groups that promote abortion rights.

In July, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops also issued a letter calling PEPFAR’s distribution of condoms inconsistent with Catholic teaching.

It Will Be Well – PDF’s & Postcards From 700 Years Ago

By

Yvon Prehn

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September 19, 2023

All will be well. All will be well. All manner of things will be well. Whenever I read this saying from Julian of Norwich, it puts my heart at peace. I know both theologically and from personal experience, how true these words are: it will be well.

I created some cards with this saying on them ten years ago. It was during the recession. The company I’d worked with for 17 years had terminated my traveling to teach seminars with no notice and no benefits; I had a serious health challenge. Many people struggled far more than my husband and I did. God got us through as He always does.

It’s ten years later and the world has a challenge that makes the previous recession seem minor in comparison. The good news is that we have the same strong and good God. I was going over some things and remembered this saying and what an encouragement it was to me and others at that time. I have the older file of postcards I did up for people available again, plus I did up some new postcards and Instagram images—all free for you to use to encourage your congregations and friends.

It Will Be Well

Below are the sets along with the links to download them and then below them is the context of the saying and a little more about the woman who wrote it. Please make them for your people, pass them on and use them as continuing encouragements.

Former Liberty Football Coach, Now Auburn Head Coach Helps Baptize Over 200 Auburn Students on Campus

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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September 18, 2023

Over 200 Auburn University students were spontaneously baptized on the university’s campus in Auburn, Alabama, after a worship event last Tuesday (Sept. 12).

Auburn University is a public university that boasts an enrollment of more than 30,000 students.

The event, which was titled “Unite Auburn” and hosted approximately 5,000 students, featured author and Bible teacher Jennie Allen, Texas pastor Jonathan Pokluda, and Passion Music.

Unite Auburn was created after five girls began to regularly meet in the university’s basketball arena to pray. Soon, their prayer group grew to a couple hundred students.

Tonya Prewett, wife of Auburn University assistant basketball coach Chad Prewett, helped put the event together after local ministries caught wind of what was happening and reached out with the desire of creating an evangelistic event.

Allen encouraged students to be ambassadors for Christ, urging them to be accountable to one another by confessing their sins to one another. Pokluda spoke on sexual purity and gave a gospel message.

The unplanned baptism happened after one student shared a desire to be baptized. It was then that Tonya Prewitt and Allen asked if anyone else attending the worship event wanted to get baptized.

Over 2,000 students then walked over a half mile to a lake at Auburn’s Red Barn where they witnessed more than 200 people get baptized under the headlights of cars that surrounded the lake.

“A revival is happening tonight in Auburn. People are getting baptized at Red Barn with hundreds of people cheering them on. The baptisms started following an event at Neville arena tonight called Unite,” Kristen Carr, an Auburn University senior, journalism major, and editor-in-chief of student newspaper The Auburn Plainsman, posted on social media.

A revival is happening tonight in Auburn. People are getting baptized at Red Barn with hundreds of people cheering them on. The baptisms started following an event at Neville arena tonight called Unite. @TheAUPlainsman @AUFAMILY pic.twitter.com/PzEza1UWKz

— Kristen Carr (@kristencarrau) September 13, 2023

Former Liberty University head football coach Hugh Freeze, who is off to a 3-0 start in his first year as Auburn University’s head coach, was not only at the event but baptized one of his players during the spontaneous baptism.

Rabbi Jason Sobel Gives a Glimpse Into What It’s Like To Be a Spiritual Advisor on ‘The Chosen’

By

Jessica Mouser

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September 18, 2023

Rabbi Jason Sobel, one of the spiritual advisors on the TV series, “The Chosen,” shared in a recent interview with ChurchLeaders what the process of giving input on the show’s content looks like. Sobel joined ChurchLeaders to discuss his new book, “Signs and Secrets of the Messiah: A Fresh Look at the Miracles of Jesus.”

“I’ve been an advisor on ‘The Chosen’ since its inception,” said Sobel. “I was the original spiritual advisor and got to take Dallas [Jenkins] and the team to Israel as they were raising the money and dreaming of doing ‘The Chosen’ and have been involved ever since.”

Rabbi Jason Sobel Helps Shape Content of ‘The Chosen’

Rabbi Jason Sobel was raised in a Jewish home and came to believe in Jesus as Lord after having a dramatic encounter with God. He is the founder of Fusion Global and the author of several books, including “Mysteries of the Messiah” and “The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi,” the latter of which he co-authored with Kathie Lee Gifford. During the interview on his latest book, “Signs and Secrets of the Messiah,” Sobel took some time to share his experience advising on “The Chosen.”

The popular TV series based on the life of Jesus has faced controversy at different times throughout its run, and some of those controversies relate to its content. Certain people, for example, have claimed the show is influenced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS).

For example, some interpreted a quote from Season 3 of “The Chosen” as a reference to the Book of Mormon. However, the show’s creator and director, Dallas Jenkins, said that the quote (where Jesus says, “I am the law of Moses”) was not a quote from the Book of Mormon, but was simply a “theologically plausible line.”

In an interview earlier this year on “The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast,” Jenkins emphasized that it is his priority to be faithful to the Bible while creating “The Chosen.” “I come from a conservative, Bible-believing background,” he said. “I’m a strong evangelical who believes that the Bible is God’s Word. So we start with that as our primary source of truth and inspiration, and we don’t change it.”

Jenkins and the show’s other writers consult with a group of spiritual advisors as they create the “The Chosen.” Sobel said there are three spiritual advisors who give feedback on the content before episodes are filmed and who “read the scripts for biblical accuracy, as well as historical and cultural accuracy.”

“Obviously, my focus besides the Bible accuracy is how the Jewish context is playing out within the story,” said Sobel. One example of how his input has impacted “The Chosen” comes from Season 1 when the writers decided to “have Peter fishing on Shabbat.”

Max Lucado: God’s Grace in Our Ministry Struggles

By

Jason Daye

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September 18, 2023

What do we do when we struggle in ministry, when we face disappointments, or when we don’t always get it right as we lead? In this week’s conversation on FrontStage BackStage, host Jason Daye is joined by Max Lucado, a passionate pastor, incredible ministry leader, and best-selling author with more than 145 million books in print around the world. Max’s latest book is titled, “God Never Gives Up On You.” In this conversation, Max reflects on the life of Jacob in Scripture and shares from his personal experiences how we can navigate some of those challenges that we face in ministry, as well as how we can accept God’s love, grace, and mercy in the midst of those struggles. Now, for those of you watching the video on YouTube, you will notice that near the end of our conversation Max does encounter some technical difficulties and his camera freezes. However, we were able to capture all of the audio and encourage you to listen through to the very end because Max offers some heartfelt encouragement and guidance for pastors and ministry leaders.

FrontStage BackStage Podcast With Max Lucado

View the entire podcast here.

Keep Learning

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

Podcast Links

Video links to this week’s episode – easily share with the ministry leaders in your church
Audio links to this week’s episode – easily share with the ministry leaders in your church
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Children’s Pastor in Custody After Allegedly Attempting To Stab Wife and Children, Then Setting Fire to Home

By

Dale Chamberlain

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September 18, 2023

Matthew Lee Richards — Screengrab via Johnson County Sheriff's Office

A Kansas man was arrested and charged on Saturday (Sept. 16) after he allegedly attempted to stab his wife and five children before setting his home on fire. Matthew Lee Richards, 41, had been a pastor on staff at Crossroads Christian Church in Shawnee.

The Shawnee Police Department said in a statement that Richards faces five counts of attempted murder and one count of aggravated arson with risk of bodily harm. Four of Richards’ children are minors, with his eldest child being 19 years old.

Police said that firefighters responded to a call, which came from inside the home and reported a disturbance and a fire in the basement, at 3:47 a.m. When they arrived at Richards’ home, they waited for the police to tell them it was safe for them to enter, according to Shawnee Mission Post.

Upon entering the home, emergency personnel found that the “victims had sustained laceration injuries of varying degrees.” All seven people, including Richards, were transported to the hospital, and firefighters extinguished the fire.

The 19-year-old and two of the minors have since been released from the hospital.

Richards is in police custody. Police have not disclosed a possible motive.

Richards has been removed from Crossroads Christian Church’s staff page but was previously listed as the church’s children’s pastor. According to his profile on the website, he has been a part of the church since 2016.

That same profile explained that Richards has “three rules” for his family: Love God, love people, and love sports.

In a social media post, Crossroads senior pastor Kurt Witten said that the church is “aware of the situation involving our Children’s Pastor, Matt Richards.”

“We are gathering more information and will have a full statement at a later time. Please be respectful of this situation as it is still an ongoing investigation,” Witten continued. “And please join us in prayer for the Richards family during this time.”

Vatican Brings Its Message for Peace in Ukraine to Beijing

By

Claire Giangrave

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September 18, 2023

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Pope Francis’ envoy for peace in Ukraine, the Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, made history on Thursday when he became the first Vatican prelate to meet with Chinese officials in Beijing. The meeting was the latest step in the pope’s diplomatic efforts to put an end to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

An experienced diplomat and the president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, Zuppi met with the Chinese Special Representative for Eurasian Affairs, Li Hui, who was charged with promoting Beijing’s 12-point peace plan for Ukraine. Hui was also the Chinese ambassador to Russia and has traveled to Moscow and Kyiv.

“The meeting, which was open and cordial, focused on the war in Ukraine and its dramatic consequences, underlining the need to join efforts to favor dialogue and find paths leading to peace,” read a Vatican statement on Thursday (Sept. 14).

The Vatican and Chinese representatives also discussed the question of food security and underscored the need to restore Ukraine’s grain exports to countries at risk of food shortages, the statement said.

The Chinese government has not published any official statement on the meeting, and Chinese Catholic outlets have made no mention of it. The Vatican and Beijing recently renewed a controversial secret deal on the appointment of bishops, rekindling hopes of official relations between the two states, which have historically been at odds.

China has maintained a neutral stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and even offered its own peace proposal. Speaking to the Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore on Friday (Sept. 15), Zuppi said he believes the Vatican’s peace negotiations in China “have gone very well,” but he didn’t offer any specifics.

Pope Francis appointed Zuppi in May to lead a peace mission to Ukraine focused on charitable aid, especially helping children displaced by the conflict. Between July and September, the cardinal has met with Ukrainian, Russian, U.S. and now Chinese representatives to bring the pope’s appeal for peace.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the Kremlin is “ready to meet with anyone, we are ready to talk with anyone,” during a roundtable discussion on Friday (Sept. 15). He also said Zuppi will be returning to Russia “soon” to continue discussions.

This article originally appeared here.

From ‘Nights on Broadway’ to ‘1963’: Candi Staton Recalls 16th St. Baptist Bombing

By

Adelle M Banks

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September 18, 2023

(RNS) — Before she became known for R&B, soul and dance music, singer Candi Staton was a musician in an Alabama church. On a Sunday in the middle of September, 1963, she accompanied her church’s minister when he was invited to preach at a Birmingham congregation about 20 miles away.

Her plans to play the piano and sing with the choir were interrupted by the news that the nearby 16th Street Baptist Church had been bombed. Sixty years later, she has composed “1963,” a song and soliloquy to mark the tragedy and to name the four people who died at the church that day:

“Four little girls lost their lives/Little Cynthia Wesley/Little Carole Robertson
Little Denise McNair/And Little Addie Mae Collins/Between the ages of 11 and 14/
They never made it that day/Lord, have mercy.”

“Their lives were lost, and people should know their names,” Staton said in a Wednesday (Sept. 13) interview. “They just said ‘four little girls,’ and that could have been anybody.”

Staton, 83, a member of an Atlanta-area Word of Faith church, continues to sing gospel and secular music, including during recent European music festivals, decades after receiving four Grammy nominations. “1963” is set to release on digital platforms on Friday.

The Hanceville, Alabama, native spoke to Religion News Service about her memories of Sept. 15, 1963, what it was like being a child singer in a gospel trio, and why she returned to gospel music later in life.

The interview was edited for length and clarity.

Was ‘1963’ something you wrote over time or something you composed quickly?

I composed it quickly because I lived it. I was there. I was in Birmingham the Sunday that it happened with my two little boys. One was almost 4 and one was a baby at the time. And we were at a church during that day when it happened.

We had been invited to do the morning service (at the nearby church). And I would play the piano, and I would sing with the choir. We had already started when one of the deacons come bursting through the door screaming, “Get out, get out. They’re rioting down the street. Four little girls have got killed at the 16th Street Baptist Church.” I was shaking. I’ve never been in anything like that. I was 23. And with two small children and you’re thinking about how are we going to make it?

I was thinking about trying to protect my children. And we had to drive right through the worst part of the riots — downtown Birmingham.

What was it like to leave the church you were visiting and trying to head home on that day?

It was horrible. People were running. They were screaming. They were cursing, crying. They were trying to get out of the way. And we were trying to get through the crowd. The traffic was horrible. We were just going at a snail’s pace, just trying to get through all of it, plus trying to dodge some of the rocks they were throwing through the windows of the stores downtown. They were pushing over cars, and I was praying they wouldn’t push ours over.

FILE – Firemen and ambulance attendants remove a covered body from 16th Street Baptist Church, where an explosion ripped though the structure during services, killing four girls, on Sept. 15, 1963. (AP Photo, File)

Members of the Ku Klux Klan planted the bombs and were convicted for their crime at 16th Street Baptist, but I understand you had other memories of the Klan as well.

I was about 6 or 7 years old. And I remember them so well. We were so afraid. We stayed afraid all the time because the Civil Rights law had not been established. We were lesser citizens, and they never let us forget that.

5 Life Changing Things You Can’t Do in a Hurry

By

Dan Reiland

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September 18, 2023

Quicker, faster, hurry and now. These are words we are all too familiar with as we attempt to keep up with all our responsibilities as leaders.

In fact, the ability to handle an increasing pace and greater pressure is a common leadership lid to break through in a growing organization. If not in actual tasks, but in responsibility.

However, though we may typically feel the need to keep moving fast, there some things in a leader’s life that simply cannot be rushed and still realize the desired outcomes.

This doesn’t mean that every time a more measured pace is needed that it also requires a lot of time.

Haven’t you said to yourself something like, “If I just had fifteen minutes to focus and think this through, I could make a good decision.” I sure have many times.

You might need 15 minutes, or an hour or three hours. The point is not to assume the purpose of the article is that all things requiring a thoughtful and deliberate approach also requires days or even weeks of time.

The point is that if your life as a leader is one of constant hurry, little margin, and skimpy time for deeper thought, process and connection, eventually the quality of your life and leadership will begin to break down.

Escaping the tyranny of hurry requires an intentional cultivation of margin and the discipline to use that time wisely.

I’ve found that the most rewarding, productive and enjoyable use of that time thrives on an inner disposition that is closely connected to our walk with God.

These 4 dispositional attributes are key:

Focused not distracted: knowing our calling and purpose helps us say no to the good things and say yes to the right things.
At peace not anxious: low grade anxiety is common and hurry doesn’t help it. Quiet moments with God bring peace we can’t manufacture.
Prepared not winging it: slowing down gives us opportunity to do the deeper work. If you only have an hour or two, come prepared to use the time well, or you end up right back in hurry.
Hopeful not worried: we invest much of our time to solving problems in order to move forward, and our faith in God overcomes our worry about problems to come.

5 Life Changing Things You Can’t Do in a Hurry

If you could add one, what would it be? Tell us in the comments below.

1. Have a Difficult Conversation With a Productive Outcome

Many of the great breakthroughs in life come from an honest yet difficult conversation. Rarely can we solve conflict, restore a relationship, find unity, or bridge a chasm in a hurry. It takes courage, honesty and time.

Of the mistakes I’ve made as a leader one near the top of the list is attempting to have a hard conversation in a hurry. It just doesn’t work, but worse, it devalues the other person or persons in the conversation. It communicates we already have the answer, and they need to catch up quickly.

Let’s be honest about our time and our attempt to not always be in a hurry. The truth is that we can’t have every tough conversation that presents itself to us. Right?

What are the difficult conversations that only you can handle, and which ones can you have someone else take care of?

2. Listen to Someone Who Is Hurting, in a Way They Know You Care

For those of us in ministry, much of why we love what we do is because we love and care about people. How ironic that we can find ourselves in a such a hurry to meet the deepest needs of those people because there is so much to do.

As an aside, I sometimes wonder that if we have too much to do, perhaps we’re doing things that God hasn’t asked us to do, or doesn’t need us to do. That’s perhaps a bit philosophical, I get the realities of leadership, but I still wonder.

Some of the most powerful life changing moments for a person come because you showed up and you listened. That human connection made a way for God’s presence and power to break through.

I’ll bet you can recall some times where you didn’t say much, and quite possibly nothing profound, and yet years, (maybe decades) later, someone says those moments you spent with them changed the direction and quality of their life.

The ministry of presence should never be underestimated.

R.C. Sproul: Don’t Pray Like a Pagan

By

R.C. Sproul

-

September 18, 2023

Jesus was saying in Matthew 6:7 that we must not regard prayer as some kind of magical incantation, for that is how pagans pray. They recite certain phrases over and over again, with no understanding of what the words mean. In these contexts, prayers are used as mantras, with the hope that they will change the environment or the circumstances in which a person lives. New Age thinking is filled with this type of thing. Jesus did not commend such exercises as godly forms of prayer; rather, He linked the use of vain repetitions to paganism.

And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. (Matthew 6:7)

Christians can easily fall into a pattern of praying in a repetitious fashion, without engaging their minds. It bothers me sometimes when Christians gather for a meal and the host will say to someone there, “John, will you please say the grace for us?” The host doesn’t ask for someone to lead in prayer but to say the grace. That kind of language suggests a mere recitation, not a prayer that comes from the heart.

We can even treat the Lord’s Prayer this way. The Lord’s Prayer is an integral part of the worship of multitudes of Christians. Worship services often include the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer. The use of the Lord’s Prayer has a rich history in the church, and whenever we pray it or hear it, we are reminded of those priorities that Jesus sets before us as objects for prayer. Don’t get me wrong—I’m not opposed to the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer. However, there is a danger that this use of the prayer may be nothing more than a recitation. The praying of the Lord’s Prayer can become as mindless and as vain a repetition as the magical incantations and mantras that pagans use.

Jesus did not give the Lord’s Prayer with the intention that it would be repeated mindlessly. When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we need to pray it thoughtfully, giving attention in our minds to its content. It is not a mantra to be repeated without the engagement of the mind or heart. It is an example of godly prayer.

Of course, repetition has great value. I’ve often said that one of my favorite liturgies in the life of the church is the traditional marriage ceremony. You’ve heard it many times: “Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here today in the presence of God and of these witnesses to unite this man and this woman in the holy bonds of marriage, which was instituted by God,” and so it goes. It’s a very brief service. It contains pledges, vows, charges, and prayers. For me, the more often I lead this liturgy or hear it, the more blessed I am by the content of it. That is, the more familiar I become with the language, the more I think about it and meditate on it, and I see afresh how rich it is in explaining to us the sanctity of marriage. So it is with the Lord’s Prayer. Hearing it over and over again may lead us to mindless repetition, but it also may burn these words, and the underlying principles, into our minds. Repetition in and of itself is not a bad thing. In fact, it’s one of the most important ingredients of learning, because it’s the rare person who masters a concept or a principle by hearing it once.

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

Opening the Windows of the Echo Chamber

By

Karl Vaters

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September 18, 2023

It’s hard to learn anything new when all you hear is your own voice coming back at you.

This is one of the most disheartening aspects of our current cultural climate. So many of us can’t bear to hear anything that doesn’t fit our previously-held worldview. Instead, we retreat into our echo chambers, with social media gladly (and very profitably) reinforcing that behavior.

I hold very strong views, both theologically and politically, so it would be easy for me to feel like I’m moving forward when I’m retreating into the comfort of only hearing voices that reinforce my preconceived notions.

But the further I go into the echo chambers of my own belief systems, the less I like what I find. Even when I agree with the content, the attitudes feel dangerous – and not in a good way.

Soon, the familiarity becomes a trap, then a chokehold, tightening its grip and threatening to strangle the life out of me.

Clearing Out The Toxic Atmosphere

Staying inside an echo chamber is like being locked in a room, breathing recycled air. It’s familiar, but soon it gets stifling and eventually the atmosphere becomes toxic.

Getting out of my own head and listening to people outside my own belief systems is like opening a window and letting fresh air in.

I don’t have to agree with an idea in order to learn something from it.

Echo chambers may feel comfortable for a while, but in the long run they are confining and restricting.

Creativity thrives in the open spaces. By walking among the opinions that challenge me.

Faith blooms there, too. Not in the clamping down of alternative viewpoints, but in the freedom to speak, listen, disagree, argue – and ultimately to be challenged, stretched, and renewed.

Let In Some Fresh Air

So I’m opening the windows.

Breathing in the fresh air of hearing diverse, even wrong opinions and comparing them to my own ideas and (possibly wrong) conclusions.

If what I believe is threatened by hearing another opinion, it’s not true enough to be worth fighting for.

But if my opinion is changed in the process, then I’ve come even closer to the truth.

Truth does not fear different opinions. So neither will I.

Instead, I will strive to keep the windows open.

To let the air in.

To let the light shine.

To let the truth breathe.

This article originally appeared here.

What Happens When We Pray for One Another? 7 Staggering Things!

By

Mark Altrogge

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September 18, 2023

what-happens-when-we-pray — Lightstock #378897

In his Word, God commands believers to pray for one another. Praying for one another is part and parcel of the Christian life. What happens when we pray for one another? These seven staggering things.

Many people have prayed for me over the years. My Mom and Dad prayed for me. Brothers and sisters have at times laid hands on me and prayed for me. People have texted and emailed me telling me they are praying for me. I pray for others. I pray for my family members to be saved. I pray for our children and grandchildren and every single one of my wife and my descendants. Praying for one another is part and parcel of the Christian life. Paul told the Ephesians to pray for one another and asked them to pray for him:

…praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel (Ephesians 6:18 – 19).

Think about it for a second.

Paul, the great apostle, who led thousands to the Lord, who had been caught up to the third heaven, appealed to his fellow believers to pray for him. He didn’t think he was so strong in the Lord that he didn’t need others to pray for him.

He asked them to strive in prayer to God for him.

He asked them to pray for his safety.

He asked them to pray his service would be acceptable to the saints in Jerusalem.

What humility Paul had! He knew he needed the prayers of others and he asked for them. As I look at these Scriptures I’m freshly motivated to humble myself and seek the prayers of others.

Paul also prayed constantly for others. He told the Colossians that he prayed for them:

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding (Colossians 1:9).

Paul didn’t assume the Colossian believers would automatically keep growing in their spiritual knowledge and wisdom. He prayed for them.

What happens when we pray for one another? These 7 staggering things.

Paul’s example demonstrates how incredibly important it is for us to pray for one another. We desperately need each other. Jesus never intended for us to live the Christian life alone. So often I forget just how much I need others. I need to live my life out with others and I need others to pray for me.

God tells us to lift one another up. We need one another to get through this life. To get through afflictions. To get through temptation.

God tells us to pray for one another. God never tells us to do anything he doesn’t intend to respond to. He would not tell us to pray for one another if he didn’t intend to answer those prayers.

What happens when we pray for one another?

#1 – When We Pray for One Another, God Answers

Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven (Matthew 18:19).

God tells us here that he will answer the prayers of just two believers who pray for “anything” in agreement together. This is absolutely breathtaking. When two believers pray, God will do anything they ask.

Nothing is impossible for God, and he responds in uniquely powerful ways when believers join together to pray.

#2 – When We Pray for One Another, God Heals Us

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.

The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit (James 5:13-14).

James tells us that if we’re sick we should ask our pastors to pray for us and anoint us with oil. The result is that God will use those prayers to heal us.

We Cannot Pursue Godliness Without Community

By

James Emery White

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September 17, 2023

John Stott tells of a Scottish minister who visited a church member who had drifted away from the community of the church. Upon entering the home, the minister sat down with the man in his den before the fireplace. Neither said a word.

Finally, the minister leaned forward, picked up the fireplace tongs, and took a burning coal from the fire. He laid the coal off to the side and, in just a few moments, what was once a bright, burning coal turned to cold, gray ash and eventually went out altogether.

Then the minister picked it back up and put it with the other coals. Within a few seconds, it was on fire again. Then the minister got up and left the man. Neither said a word through the entire visit, but the point was made.

The next weekend, the man returned to his family of faith.

So how do you experience the rewards of the new community?

By joining one!

You cannot develop yourself spiritually to the degree God intends apart from others. This is why finding a community—and committing to it—is one of the most important spiritual steps you can take. Apart from life in community with other believers, you can’t practice the “one anothers” that lie at the heart of not only community, but spiritual growth.

Here’s a sampling of those directives:

Be devoted to one another. (Romans 12:10)

Live in harmony with one another. (Romans 12:16)

Be patient, bearing with one another in love. (Ephesians 4:2)

Spur one another on toward love and good deeds. (Hebrews 10:24)

Accept one another. (Romans 15:7)

Stop passing judgment on one another. (Romans 14:13)

Be kind and compassionate to one another. (Ephesians 4:32)

Therefore encourage one another. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. (Colossians 3:13)

Offer hospitality to one another. (1 Peter 4:9)

And then, over and over again in Scripture you find this phrase, first uttered by Jesus himself:

Love one another. (John 13:34)

Which of these can be experienced, much less pursued, outside of community?

Not a single one.

Doctrine, Denominations, and Divisions

By

Nicholas Batzig

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September 17, 2023

The 20th Century will be likely be remembered as the Century of ecclesiastical ecumenism. The 21st Century is shaping up to follow suit–not simply because of a widespread desire for co-belligerency, but on account of a doctrinal reductionism that seeks to dilute Christianity down to the most basic creedal statements of the early church.

One of the driving forces behind the push for ecclesiastical ecumenically is the quest for societal community–as evidenced by the rise of Marxist and Communist ideology in Western society. Ironically, many of those seeking radical community also (perhaps unwittingly) embrace elements of the radical individualism of post-modernity. Champions of our current ecumenism view previous communal labors for doctrinal continuity as being either archaic or overly restrictive. While doctrinal statements such as the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechism, were once considered ecumenical–among various ecclesiastical bodies in the Reformed and Protestant world–they are now frowned upon (sadly even by many ministers who vow to uphold their teachings in a number of Presbyterian denominations). All of this leads us to reopen the question as to whether or not denominations and doctrinal divisions are antithetical to the unity of the church throughout the world.

In 1985, J.I. Packer delivered a lecture at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia titled, “Divisions in the Church,” in order to tackle the important issue of doctrinal and denominational unity and diversity. In this particular lecture (and in the subsequent related essay in The Collected Shorter Writings of J.I. Packer, vol. 2), Packer dealt with the following three categories: shameful divisions, inescapable divisions and dealing with divisions. Starting with the biblical call to unity among the one community of believers throughout the world, Packer noted, “Neither you nor I are the only pebble on God’s beach.” He then went on to affirm the unity that all believers have, regardless of the denomination in which they have bound themselves:

The church may be pictured like the wheel of a bicycle. Christ is the hub. You and I are spokes. Because we are linked with Christ we belong to the church and have something to give by way of stability and usefulness to the rim of the wheel, that is, the church’s outward witness, worship and life. United to the one Saviour we are united to each other in the one universal church. This church is the family of God. It is also the body of Christ. The New Testament speaks of ‘members,’ not of the church, but of Christ; “membership” is part of the notion of the church as Christ’s body. “Members” means “limbs,” not people who sit in pews and pay their dues but people vitally united to Christ–limbs, organs and units in his body. which is the visible church worldwide. The church is also the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Believers share in the life of the Spirit, giving and taking in the fellowship which the Spirit sustains. “Give and take” is the constant formula of Christian fellowship.

Shameful Divisions

The Bible’s emphasis on the unity of all true believers–by virtue of their union with Christ and of the subsequent indwelling of the Spirit within each believer–is always at risk of being lost. In the New Testament, we find the Apostles laboring tirelessly to preserve the unity of the members of the body of Christ. Packer explained:

Paul was distressed to discover that at Corinth…there were people separating into parties according to which was the favorite preacher for each group: “I belong to Paul,” “I belong to Apollos,” “I belong to Cephas.” And evidently there were a few people who, in the face of this, tried to keep their end up as simple Christians saying, “I belong to Christ; I don’t know about you, but Christ is the one to whom I give loyalty.” It distressed Paul that there should be divisions in that congregation.

If we are going to study divisions in the church, we had better recognize that we are studying something pathological. We are studying a form of spiritual ill-health in Christ’s body. Our study is compared to a doctor studying blindness in the eye or paralysis in the limbs. Division in the church means that “something is wrong.” The body is out of sorts.

Inescapable Divisions

To this point, all true believers should be pronouncing a loud ‘Amen!’ However, a close consideration of Scripture’s teaching on the subject of divisions in the church reveals that there are what may be deemed necessary of inescapable divisions. Packer suggests that “not all division is the same sort of division. We can never think clearly about division in the church until we have recognized that this is so. Not all division is the same sort of division. Divisions take place for different reasons and the ethics of division are different in different situations.” He then gives five categories by which we may give consideration to such inescapable divisions: “(1) Divisions about beliefs and doctrine, (2) the faithful church withdrawing from the scandalous church, (3) a forthright church withdrawing from a fuzzy church, (4) divisions over church order, and (5) divisions for non-theological reasons.” A brief consideration of each of these categories is essential to understanding the biblical data on inescapable divisions:

Divisions about beliefs and doctrine. “In the New Testament,” insists Packer, “you have divisions whereby the authentic church differentiates itself from what is really the non-church, where previously the two were confused. This sort of division, which identifies the body rather than divides it, can clear the air in a helpful way. This is one of the things John wanted his readers to understand when he wrote his first letter. There had been a split in the fellowship, because some folk claimed to have received new understanding and eventually left the fellowship to pursue it. John writes to those who stayed behind to assure them that in staying with the apostolic preaching they were showing they were true believers and that the others were not Christians at all. It was a necessary sorting out. John says, ‘They went out from us but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that some of them belonged to us.” (1 John 2:18,19)

The Faithful Church Withdrawing from the Scandalous Church. “The historical sixteenth century Reformation was one such case…It is ruinous to add anything to Christ as mediator. Salvation is through Christ alone. Any church which is taken in by any form of ‘Christ-plus’ teaching is scandalous and in deep spiritual trouble…When the Reformers opposed these errors, they found resistance at every point. So they had to withdraw to preserve the Gospel. Protestantism was thus born. It is sad that it happened. But it did have to happen, or the Gospel could never have been preserved for us. That is one kind of division that has sometimes been necessary.”

6 Simple Strategies That Help Me Pray More

By

Chuck Lawless

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September 16, 2023

Earlier this week, I posted at Thom Rainer’s Church Answers site an article called, “7 Things that Happen When Church Leaders Don’t Pray Much.” This battle is real for me, so I, too, have to work at building prayer into my life. I’ve written about some strategies for prayer in the past, but here are some more practical ways that help me these days. Maybe one of these ways will help you, too:

I pray for our Southeastern Seminary faculty members and our International Mission Board cross-cultural workers on their birthdays. I keep the faculty names on my personal calendar, and I get a monthly IMB birthday prayer list here. You might do the same kind of praying over your extended family members and your church staff. I’ve also known some pastors and small group leaders who do the same thing on the wedding anniversaries of their church members.
I use my morning treadmill time to pray. I realize many folks can’t multi-task well, but all of us can pray while we walk or run. If I walk for an hour, I plan to spend all that time with God. Even when I don’t know what to pray about in the moment, I just revert to praising God for His goodness – or simply to meditating on Him.
Though I use the morning time to pray, I assume God wants to hear from me at any time, about anything. That means I have a running conversation with God throughout the day. I’m sure folks would think I’m strange if they heard me said too loudly things like, “Man, Lord, gas is really high now!” or “Thank You, God, that this 20-year-old car still runs” or “Help me do just one more rep at this weight” – but I love that kind of conversation with my Creator.
I’m trying hard to invest in non-believers—and those relationships have beckoned me to prayer. You can’t spend much time with unbelieving folks without realizing you can’t change their lives in your own power. Only God does that, and He does that through the proclamation of His Word and the prayers of His people. In fact, I think He’s deepened my burden so I almost can’t help but fall at His feet on behalf of others.
I join parents I love in praying for their kids every day. Pam and I don’t have children, but that doesn’t mean we can’t pray for kids. I pray for our nieces and nephews, the children of my IMB team, and the kids of young men I’ve mentored. Particularly, I pray the Lord will save each of them, and He will use them mightily in His work in the decades to come. In that way, I get to pray for gospel work that will go on long after God has called me home.
Contrary to the way I used to be, I’m more concerned now about the frequency of my prayers than about the length of my prayers. In fact, I’m reminded that long prayers can sometimes be pretense (Matt 6:7-8, Luke 20:45-47). Ongoing, short prayers throughout the day now seem much more on target to me than a lengthy prayer that I pray only once a day.

I have much, much room to grow in prayer, but I hope at least one of these ideas helps you. The cost is simply too great if we church leaders don’t pray much.

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

Dear Potential Pulpit Bully

7 Tips for Leading Small Group Worship

1. CALM THEIR FEARS

2. CHOOSE FRIENDLY

3. CONTROL VOLUME

4. CONTEXTUALIZE SONGS

5. CONNECT THE GROUP

6. COME PREPARED

7. CONTINUE PRAYING

It Will Be Well

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5 Life Changing Things You Can’t Do in a Hurry

1. Have a Difficult Conversation With a Productive Outcome

2. Listen to Someone Who Is Hurting, in a Way They Know You Care

Clearing Out The Toxic Atmosphere

Let In Some Fresh Air

What happens when we pray for one another? These 7 staggering things.

What happens when we pray for one another?

#1 – When We Pray for One Another, God Answers

#2 – When We Pray for One Another, God Heals Us

Shameful Divisions

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