Jill Duggar Dillard in ‘Counting the Cost’: My Dad Treats Me Worse Than My ‘Pedophile Brother’

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September 12, 2023

More revelations are emerging from Jill Duggar Dillard’s memoir “Counting the Cost,” released today, Sept. 12. As ChurchLeaders has reported, the former reality TV star has a fractured relationship with her father, Jim Bob Duggar, patriarch of the “19 Kids and Counting” family.

In the book, Dillard, 32, describes a tense encounter with her father that almost became physical. She expresses disgust about her parents’ decision to “protect” her oldest brother, Josh Duggar, who was convicted of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse images. Dillard also is speaking out against the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP), the conservative Christian organization her parents belong to, calling it a “cult” driven by fear.

Other bombshells from the memoir include financial disagreements and conflicts about filming expectations. Dillard, the fourth Duggar sibling, co-authored the memoir with her husband, Derick Dillard. The couple, married since 2014, have three sons.

Jill Duggar Dillard: Dad Treats Me ‘Worse Than…My Pedophile Brother’

In an exclusive memoir excerpt published by People magazine, Dillard describes a mediation session with her husband and parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. Dillard said her parents were hurt by communications she had sent them, including a text to her dad that referenced his alleged verbal abuse.

“You’re not going to apologize? Really?” Jim Bob reportedly asked his daughter, who became emotional. “You know why you’re crying, don’t you?” he then said. “Your conscience is talking to you.” Dillard said her father was “yelling, stabbing a finger at me, standing right over me.”

In response, she told him, “You want to know why I’m crying? It’s that you think I’m some kind of horrible person just because I wear pants and have a nose ring…I’m evolving and changing…but you can’t see it. You treat me like I’m a prodigal who’s turned her back on you. You treat me worse than you treat my pedophile brother.”

The memoir also recounts how Dillard “felt sick to my core” about her parents’ efforts to “guard Josh’s privacy and keep him from being publicly humiliated” when they learned he had been molesting girls, including her and three of her sisters. Although Josh Duggar admitted to his father that he had touched girls inappropriately, Jim Bob didn’t alert authorities until the statute of limitations had run out.

Pastor Says It Was a Mistake To Allow DeSantis To Speak at Vigil for Victims of Jacksonville Shooting

By

Dale Chamberlain

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September 12, 2023

Jacksonville pastor John Allen Newman has expressed regret for allowing Florida governor Ron DeSantis to speak at a vigil remembering the lives of Black victims in a racially motivated shooting at a Dollar General store, which took place last month.

DeSantis’ presence at the vigil, which took place one day after the Aug. 26 shooting, was not welcomed. When DeSantis was given a microphone to address the crowd, he was met with booing and heckling.

In the wake of the racist shooting, DeSantis has been criticized for his ongoing “war on woke,” which many argue has emboldened hatred toward communities of color. DeSantis’ anti-woke agenda has largely centered on policies targeting the perceived use of critical race theory (CRT) in school curriculums, as well as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training in government agencies.

Newman, who serves as pastor of The Sanctuary @ Mount Calvary Church in Jacksonville and who emceed the vigil, has now said that it was a mistake to allow DeSantis speak at the event.

The vigil was organized by Jacksonville city council member Ju’Coby Pittman, who had asked Newman to help lead it. Newman said in an interview with News4Jax that DeSantis had not been invited to the vigil, and his moment at the microphone was “a fluke.”

According to Newman, Pittman alerted him to the fact that DeSantis would be present shortly before the event, adding, “There was not a lot of lead time from finding that out.”

Newman went on to express that when the time came, he misread the event’s program. While DeSantis’ presence was meant to be acknowledged, Newman ended up handing DeSantis the microphone.

“That was my mistake, by misreading the program,” Newman said.

During the same interview, Pittman addressed the backlash she has faced for her attempt to calm the crowd after the vigil attendees began loudly booing DeSantis.

“I will tell you that the crowd, they had every reason to be angry, upset, because of what had happened the day before,” Pittman said. “But unfortunately, I have been criticized, threatened about the whole situation.”

Dr. Tony Evans Announces Engagement, Asks for Prayer: ‘It Is a Tender Time’

By

Jessica Mouser

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September 12, 2023

Dr. Tony Evans, pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship (OCBF) in Dallas, has announced his engagement to Dr. Carla Crummie. The news comes nearly four years after the death of Evans’ wife, Lois, and the pastor asked his congregation for prayer during what is a “sensitive time.”

“As I come up to the fourth year of the loss of Lois, my wife of 49 1/2 years, it is a tender time. There are reminders everywhere of her life and of her influence on me, my family and this ministry,” said Evans in a video posted to OCBF’s YouTube account on Sept. 11. The announcement appears to have taken place during Sunday service on Sept. 10.

Dr. Tony Evans Engaged to Dr. Carla Crummie

Dr. Tony Evans, who just celebrated his 74th birthday, is a widely respected pastor, prolific author and veteran speaker. As he began his announcement, his children, Priscilla Shirer, Jonathan Evans, Anthony Evans Jr. and Crystal Evans Hurst, came on stage, flanking their father.

“We are a very close family,” said Evans, “and all that has happened in my life, family, church, Urban Alternative, books, tapes, everything, has been defined by [Lois], so we’ve had over these four years the ups and downs and the roller coaster of emotions, sometimes high, sometimes low, but it comes with it.”

People who have had similar losses will understand, said Evans, who noted that “right after she passed was COVID, and we had to deal with that as you did too.”

“And I want to just thank so many of you who have been grievers with us,” he said, “and allowed us to grieve with you on some of your times. And so that’s part of life—it’s outside of our hands. We had to put it in the hands of a sovereign God.”

Evans said as he “worked through the ups and downs of singlehood, God in his sovereignty has brought someone into my life.” At these words, the congregation interrupted Evans with applause. The pastor said, “This someone has traveled this similar road. In fact, she and her husband were on their way to Lois’ funeral when her husband died.”

‘We Get To See You in Person Again!’—Beth Moore’s Living Proof Ministries Re-Opens Its Doors

By

Janna Firestone

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September 12, 2023

Living Proof Ministries Beth Moore — Screengrabs via Instagram / @livingproofministries

Author and speaker Beth Moore and her organization Living Proof Ministries (LPM) have announced that they’re reopening the ministry’s doors to the public. People can visit LPM, located in Houston, for prayer or to study God’s word in the theological library.

On Monday (Sept. 11), LPM posted the news on its Instagram account: “We’re celebrating big at the ministry because we get to see you in person again!!!!🎉 This month, we’re so excited to re-open the doors of Living Proof Ministries to the public for opportunities for prayer and studying the Word. And we’re kicking it off TOMORROW! ❤️”

Beth Moore’s Living Proof Ministries Is Open for In-Person Visitors

Moore posted, “This little clip delighted me not only because we’re ecstatic to reopen our doors to the public at LPM but because you get to see the radiant faces of most of my co-laborers at LPM.”

Moore added, “I say this with deep gratitude to the Lord: I don’t know a group of people who exude more love, joy, faith & hope in Christ and, when I need prayer, these are the 1st people I turn to.”

Prayer is integral to LPM. The team—whether meeting in person or online—focuses on “praying His perfect will be done, His beautiful love shared for all, with great glory to His Holy Name.”

Now offered in person again, the Prayer Hour is an opportunity to join “a safe space to share your prayer requests and receive intercessory prayer right then and there.”

LPM offers a Prayer Hour regularly throughout the month. “Every second and fourth Tuesday of every month, we’ll have openings between 12 and 1 p.m. CST. Because our team is really small, we have to do this by reservation only,” LPM said. “We hope this also helps those of you planning to stop by during your lunch break. You can reserve your prayer time slot at the link in our bio!”

Those not local to the Houston area can still join the Prayer Hour online or via phone. “Our prayer phone line will be open between 12 and 1 p.m. CST every second and fourth Tuesday of each month,” the ministry said.

LPM also has a theological library onsite that will reopen to the public on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., beginning Sept. 18. The stocked library holds commentaries, language study books, theological works, classics, fiction books, poetry collections, and books focused on Christian living. Men and women are invited to “enjoy a good cup of coffee, and study away.”

“It’s been a while since we’ve been able to host guests at our Study, but we’re excited to also relaunch this opportunity for teachers, pastors, speakers, writers and students of any kind who wish to study Scripture and theology,” shared LPM.

The ministry added, “What we want more than anything else at Living Proof is to be of assistance to you in your pursuit of Jesus Christ. We can’t wait to see you!!!!!!”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Living Proof Ministries (@livingproofministries)

Friends, family, and fans couldn’t be happier. One person commented, “Your gals are so amazing! Warm, kind & welcoming at every event. Fierce, discerning, delightful prayer warriors on the phone! One day, bucket list, to visit LPM in person!”

After Accusations by Top Ukrainian Official, Vatican Bank Denies Receiving Funds From Russia

By

Claire Giangrave

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September 12, 2023

Vatican bank — Pope Francis meets the journalists during a press conference aboard the airplane directed to Rome, at the end of the 37th World Youth Day in Lisbon, Sunday, Aug. 6, 2023. (Maurizio Brambatti/Pool Photo Via AP)

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — After a close aid to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Pope Francis of being a Russophile and the Vatican of receiving Russian funds, the Catholic Church issued a statement denying the accusations on Sunday (Sept. 10).

“The IOR does not receive or invest money from Russia,” read a statement by the Institute for Religious Works, using the Italian acronym IOR for the institution more commonly referred to as the Vatican Bank. “The IOR strongly rejects the allegations of the Councilor, according to whom the IOR would be investing Russian money.”

The Vatican Bank insisted the institute only provides financial services to Catholic organizations and that it is held to the highest possible international standards.

“Any statements made to the contrary in the media are based on nothing and must, therefore, be considered as such,” the statement concluded.

Mykhaylo Podolyak, a top adviser to Zelenskyy, called Pope Francis a “Russophile” in an interview on Ukrainian television Channel24 that aired Sept. 8. “The Vatican can’t have any mediation role, because it would betray Ukraine and justice,” he said.

Podolyak also stated that the Ukrainian government plans to “look into the Russian investments that are being made in the Vatican Bank” and promised to “study this more in detail.”

Pope Francis has promoted peace in Ukraine after the Russian invasion in February of last year, but has stopped short of openly criticizing Russia and its leader, Vladimir Putin. Vatican diplomacy has been focused on attempting to build a bridge between the warring factions and to promote a lasting peace.

The pope sent a peace envoy, the experienced diplomat and Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, to visit Russian elites in Moscow and meet with Ukrainian leaders. The cardinal also met with members of the United States government, and the pope hinted that the next stop for Zuppi might be Beijing. While Zelenskyy has publicly thanked the Vatican for its peace efforts, especially in helping displaced children to reunite with their families and other charity work, he has also made it clear Ukraine is not interested in the pope’s mediation offer and will seek peace “on its own terms.”

A few diplomatic blunders have also hindered Pope Francis’ chance to bring peace. In a message to young people in Russia in late August, the pope was quoted praising the great history and legacy of Russia, including Russian historical figures like Catherine the Great and Peter the Great, which was interpreted by some as a papal sanctioning of Russian imperialist aims.

Addressing those comments, Podolyak said that “it doesn’t make sense to speak of Pope Francis as a mediator, if he takes on a Russophile position that is obvious to all.”

“I was not thinking of imperialism when I said that,” said Pope Francis, while justifying his comments aboard the papal flight returning to Mongolia (Sept. 4). “Maybe it wasn’t the best way of putting it, but in speaking of the great Russia, I was thinking not so much geographically but culturally.”

Meet the Pastor Behind That ‘Quitting the Church’ Essay

By

Bob Smietana

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September 12, 2023

quitting the church — The Rev. Alex Lang. Courtesy photo

(RNS) — Alex Lang thought he was done with the pastorate for good.

On Sunday, Aug. 27, Lang bid farewell to the congregation at First Presbyterian Church in Arlington Heights, Illinois, where he’d served for a decade.

His final sermon done, Lang sat down and typed out some thoughts on why he left not only First Presbyterian but the pastorate altogether. Lang posted that essay a few days later on his website, thinking his few hundred regular readers might be interested.

He was partly right. His regular readers were interested. And so were about 350,000 of Lang’s colleagues.

Lang’s essay, entitled “Why I Left the Church,” went viral — and prompted a national conversation among clergy about the pressures of the profession and how they talk about those pressures. Over coffee and in Facebook posts and denomination offices, Lang’s essay became the topic du jour for clergy around the country. Some resonated with his concerns, while others saw his leaving as a lack of faith.

“I’ve done more than 50 articles,” said the 43-year-old Lang during an interview at his home outside of Chicago. “Usually nobody cares.”

His more recent essay became a blank slate for people to write their own experiences on. Many of those experiences are difficult — as pastors have become burnt out caring for people’s souls amid the decline of organized religion known as the “Great Dechurching” and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Alex raised issues that are relevant and resonated with clergy serving congregations and other institutions,” said Rev. Craig Howard, executive presbyter of the Presbytery of Chicago, which First Presbyterian is a part of. “These issues include isolation, organizational calcification, burnout, and bullying.”

After reading Lang’s essay, Howard said he emailed other clergy in the Presbyterian Church (USA) in the Chicago area, inviting them to meet up and talk. That meeting, he said, led local leaders to work on some resources to help pastors with spiritual care and mental health issues.

In his essay, Lang talked about the burden of knowing his congregation’s secrets and their sorrows — which became, at times, more than he could bear.

“What you don’t realize is that, over time, the accumulation of all that knowledge starts to weigh you down,” he wrote. “Your mind is a repository for all sorts of secrets and, if you’re human, you feel sympathy and empathy for their suffering.”

The Rev. Alex Lang preaches his last sermon at First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights, Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023. Video screen grab

The Rev. Alex Lang preaches his last sermon at First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights, Illinois, Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023. Video screen grab

That portion of Lang’s essay resonated with the Rev. Devyn Chambers Johnson, co-pastor of Covenant Congregational Church in North Easton, Massachusetts. She said it’s hard for congregation members or those outside the church to understand that part of a pastor’s life.

While helping professionals like therapists or counselors also support people in crises, they don’t do so on the scale that a pastor does, something she said her husband and co-pastor, Ryan, helped put into perspective.

Virtual Mission Field

By

James Emery White

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September 12, 2023

virtual mission field — Adobestock #123643513

The Church has entered a new era—a post-Christian, digital age. But simply having a website, social media, and an online campus should not be our only forays into a digital post-Christian world. We should enter the virtual mission field.

According to DataProt, it is estimated that there are 3.24 billion gamers worldwide, which is approximately 40% of the world’s population. Writing for Outreach magazine, Jonathan Sprowl asks, “What is the church doing to reach these people whose lives are increasingly lived online?” Or as David Roach titled an article for Christianity Today, “The Next Mission Field Is a Game.”

Generation Z and Generation Alpha, says AdAge, are “growing up in virtual worlds in a way no previous generation has—with Fortnite and Roblox going mainstream and blockchain technologies” making waves. AdAge adds, “The metaverse has been set up to scratch the itch of socialization in a way that didn’t exist until this moment.”

In June 2016, D.J. Soto purchased his first virtual-reality headset. Then he discovered AltSpaceVR, a virtual-reality meeting space. He soon envisioned planting a church in a virtual environment. On the Sunday he held his first service, five people showed up, one of whom was an atheist from Denmark. From that point on, Soto knew he could potentially reach anyone in the world with the message of Christ in virtual-reality environments.

Joining Soto in AltspaceVR is Life.Church, which in late 2021 announced it would be hosting services on the virtual-reality platform, offering its first services in December of that year. “While critics might question if real connections can be made in the metaverse, Life.Church has seen countless lives changed through relationships in digital spaces over the years,” said spokeswoman Rachel Feuerborn. In the church’s experience, she said, people “are often more willing to let their guard down and have deep, meaningful conversations more quickly from the safety of anonymity than they are face-to- face.”

Not only can virtual-reality environments extend our reach but the metaverse can offer enhanced virtual-reality experiences. New environments can be created to allow participants to explore various aspects of the biblical story. They can cross the Red Sea as the Israelites did, experience a storm at sea as the apostle Paul did, or walk the streets of Jerusalem. “It’s a 360-degree immersive experience that brings the Bible to life,” notes Sprowl.

An additional benefit is the safety of the environment: “because everyone interacts with one another through avatars, a range of people from every faith to no-faith backgrounds feels comfortable participating in virtual small group discussions, where they can examine Christianity in a safe environment.”

Jason Poling, lead pastor of Cornerstone Church in Yuba City, California, began ministry in the metaverse in 2019. He too discovered that many people were willing to have a spiritual conversation within the first five minutes. The anonymity made people much more comfortable to ask deeper questions sooner.

Ministry in the virtual world is also critical to reach people in younger demographics, such as Generation Z and Generation Alpha. Consider that the livestreaming platform Twitch, where participants of various games talk with each other as they play, has an estimated 15 million daily users, of which 73% are under the age of 35.

I know of one member of our church who is active on Twitch and uses it to direct people to our online campus, and then, through Twitch, watches a service with them. He has a following in a unique interest group that has nothing to do with spiritual things, but through that shared interest and his expertise in it, he and his followers have both a relationship and trust. He just casually mentions that if anyone wants to join him as he watches Meck’s online campus, much the way they join him to watch him pursue their shared interest, he would welcome the time together.

Many do.

Chicago-based NewThing, a ministry of Community Christian Church, launched a digital church-planting campaign it hopes will result in hundreds of new churches. “The plan is to start looking at digital space and the metaverse,” says Jeff Reed, director of NewThing’s digital realm, “as communities where people are gathering.” The goal is to capitalize on the “increasing number of people who have wide social networks that exist entirely online.”

Spiritual Formation: The Way On

By

Ray Hollenbach

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September 12, 2023

John Wimber, the founder of the Vineyard movement, had a saying: The way in is the way on, by which he meant the very actions and attitudes that empower the miracle of new birth in Jesus are the same actions and attitudes that empower spiritual growth. In much of the North American church, however, the saying could be changed the phrase, “the way in is all there is.”

I once attended a meeting of pastors who were planning a “city-wide revival.” The pastor of a respected and growing church opened the meeting with these words: “God is only going to ask each of us two questions when we get to heaven: ’Do you know my Son?’ and ‘How many others did you bring with you?’” It was a memorable opening because it was short, dramatic, and wrong. The record of the first century church, preserved for us in the book of Acts and the letters written to newly-planted churches, reveals a profound concern for a spiritual transformation – the way on – that flows from a decision to follow Jesus.

Consider the Apostle Paul’s prayer for the people of the church in Colosse:

Since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1: 9-14)

Paul prayed for the spiritual transformation of people who already knew Jesus. This prayer lays out at least three priorities each follower of Jesus. Perhaps we can discover the way on through Paul’s prayer.

The Way On

1. We need to be filled.

Paul asked God to pour “the knowledge of his will” into the believers in Colosse. The next step after coming to Jesus as Lord is to be filled with the knowledge of his will. It requires something more than mere human intellect–it requires spiritual wisdom and understanding. I believe Paul prayed these words because he understood our tendency to apply the old way of living life to our new life in Christ. The problem is, we were “born again” into a new kingdom. How many babies know how to find their way around their new environment? If we take the image of the new birth seriously we should realize there’s a whole new life ahead. The new life ahead requires something beyond our old resources. It requires seeing things–and understanding them–from God’s perspective.

Millennial Parents: 7 Ways To Reach Young Families Today

By

Chris Reinolds

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September 12, 2023

Millennial parents and young families are causing a paradigm shift in churches and children’s ministry. Until now, the church attracted generations of families based on tradition. So they just stuck with it.

A common bond always tied families to the church. Bonds included the community, similar jobs and economic status, a common race, and familial relations. Although these identifiers aren’t bad, they can be isolating.

Paul makes it clear in Ephesians 4:1-6 that church unity isn’t to be based on personal similarities. Rather, the foundation is our one God and his one work of salvation. That common bond should unite us with other believers. Unfortunately, we’ve allowed insignificant differences to separate us.

One major issue facing the local church is a lack of young families. Millennial parents and their children are more culturally diverse than previous generations. Although young families may seem minor right now, in the next 10 to 15 years they’ll be a force like no other. So why should we concern ourselves with them now? Simply put: If we don’t adjust our ministry methods, we’ll lose these next-gen families.

Lifeway Research found that many young adults leave the church because they don’t find it relevant. That trend can’t continue!

The good news is that church leaders can slow this decline. Use these tips to reach millennial parents and develop them into kingdom builders.

7 Ways to Connect With Millennial Parents

1. Develop new forms.

For the overall direction of the church, two areas are key: form and function. The church’s essential function must encompass at least two tasks. The first is to glorify God. The second is to fulfill the Great Commission.

These two things take place in a variety of ways; that’s “form.” We always must carry out the “function” of the church. But the “form” in which we accomplish that can be extremely diverse.

Can You Spot Background Check Red Flags?

By

Daniel Raley

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September 12, 2023

background check red flags — Adobestock #273708211

There are many hurdles toward selecting quality employees or volunteers; passing a background check shouldn’t be one of them. Background checks are often the final litmus test before extending a job offer. They are (rightly so) an increasingly common requirement in ministries hiring procedures and vetting policies for volunteers. A thorough background investigation, such as one conducted by a nationally-accredited Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA) like Protect My Ministry, will deliver information on a person’s criminal record, credit history, drug test record, education verification, and reference checks. This is essential information for recognizing background check red flags.

Many ministries whose employees work with children or other vulnerable populations also require that candidates pass an abuse safety training course in addition to a background check. More and more ministries are incorporating mandatory child safety training for all of their childcare workers and volunteers who participate in Vacation Bible School and after school programs.

Can You Spot Background Check Red Flags?

There is No Such Thing as Perfect

It’s unlawful to run background checks on a candidate without his/her consent. It’s also totally normal to have some reservations about agreeing to a background investigation. With so many misconceptions about background checks, it’s hard to know what information is being gathered about a job candidate, how it’s being assessed, and why it can affect candidates’ employability.

Ministries need to be aware that even the best applicant on paper may not seem so squeaky clean after a background check. It’s important that your ministry has a standardized policy when it comes to background check red flags that will disqualify someone from employment or volunteerism. Even red flags such as behavior or character traits need to be thoughtfully weighed as they could expose your church to increased risk.

Connecting With Kids: 7 Children’s Ministry Tips for Breaking the Ice

By

Greg Baird

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September 11, 2023

Connecting with kids is key to any children’s ministry program or activity. When children attend for the first time, it’s important to establish connection and develop truth. With children you know well, it’s important to continue building the relationship. Connecting with kids is important whether they appear outgoing and confident or shy and tentative.

Sometimes we prioritize focusing on parents rather than connecting with kids. Sometimes we’re too busy putting out kidmin fires. Often we just don’t know how to break the ice.

Whatever the case, anyone who leads and serves in children’s ministry must be connecting with kids. Do it early (as soon as they walk in) and often (in different situations and ways).

Here are 7 ideas for connecting with kids of all ages:

1. Make sure you see eye to eye.

This means you need to get down to children’s level. Kneel down on one knee and look them in the eye as you greet them with a smile.

2. Don’t be afraid of (appropriate!) physical touch.

A gentle squeeze of the shoulder, a high five, or a pat on the head can go a long way. Just don’t invade physical space. Some kids can be very shy about someone touching them, just like us big people. So always use touch appropriately.

3. Make kids primary in your interactions.

It always bugs me when I see leaders engage in conversation with parents and completely ignore the kids. How about we give a quick hello to parents and then kneel down to strike up a conversation with kids? Usually this goes a long way with both the kids and the parents.

4. Know children’s names.

I’m terrible at remembering names. But our names are some of the most important words a person can speak to us. It’s no different with kids. In fact, if you’ve been in kidmin more than a week or two, you’ve no doubt had a kid come ask if you remember their name! So find ways to learn and remember names.

5. Have a toy or game with you at all times.

This is especially great for shy kids. It’s amazing what a Gumby or Pokey bendable toy will do. (Yes, these two favorites of mine work great because most kids today don’t know who they are!) Likewise, a quick game of Jacks can warm up a conversation. (Yes, another old school game. But it’s novel for today’s kids, easy to carry, and takes about 30 seconds to play.)

Christian Rock Icon Mylon LeFevre Dead; John Cooper Shares How He Was a ‘Great Friend’ and ‘Mentor’

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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September 11, 2023

Mylon LeFevre John Cooper — (L) Mylon LeFevre (R) John Cooper. Photo courtesy of John Cooper

Christian rock icon Mylon LeFevre, best known for his work with his band Mylon and Broken Heart, died Friday, Sept. 8, at the age of 78 after a long battle with cancer.

LeFevre recorded over 20 albums and won both a Grammy Award and a Dove Award for his 1987 album, titled “Crack the Sky,” with his band Mylon and Broken Heart.

Much like his father Urias, his mother Eva Mae, and his uncle Alphus, all of whom were part of the southern gospel singing group The LeFevres, LeFevre was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2005.

LeFevre’s last album, “Bow Down,” was released in 2003 and was produced by his son-in-law and former Newsboys lead singer Peter Furler.

LeFevre’s wife, Christi, posted 1 Timothy‬ ‭6‬:‭12 on social media the day after her husband’s death: “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” She went on to write, “My precious, strong and courageous husband laid hold of eternal life last night.”

“When we discussed heaven through the years, Mylon was most excited about receiving the soul winner’s crown,” Christi added. “With his contemporary Christian rock band, Mylon and Broken Heart, he had the privilege of leading over 250,000 youth to Jesus. He cherished all the years of music ministry and the countless lives touched through his songs but his greatest joy was teaching the Word of God, especially through our broadcast, On the Road to Freedom.”

Over the years, LeFevre traveled the nation preaching at churches and could often been seen on networks such as TBN, Victory Channel, and Daystar.

Christi continued, “Throughout the last years of this intense non-stop battle, never once did I hear him falter in his good confession of faith. In every broadcast and church service, many witnesses can attest to his bold declaration: JESUS IS MY HEALER.”

“Until his very last breath he fought the good fight of faith. He finished his race. He kept the faith,” she wrote, adding that she knows he is hearing, “Well done good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”

Concluding her post, Christi told her husband, “My love, you are finally enjoying in this moment what you affectionately referred to as ‘the first day of forever.’ It has been my highest honor and privilege for God to trust me with you these past 25 years.”

‘I Began To Drink’—Max Lucado’s Ministry Was Booming, but His World Had ‘Gone Crazy’

By

Jessica Mouser

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September 11, 2023

Twenty years ago, it appeared that the ministry of best-selling author and “America’s pastor,” Max Lucado, was thriving. At 50 years old, his church’s numbers were growing, tourists often visited during Sunday services, and his writing and speaking career was moving full steam ahead. However, what was not apparent to observers, said Lucado, was, “I was a mess.”

“Our staff was struggling,” Lucado wrote in an op-ed for Fox News published Sunday, Sept. 10. “Departments were squaring off against one another. Tacky emails were flying like missives. Ministers were competing for budget dollars. A couple of invaluable employees, weary from the tension, quietly resigned. And since I was the senior pastor, it fell to me to set things in order.”

But Lucado was too busy to address these problems. “I had lessons to prepare,” he said. “The problem with Sundays is that they happen each week! In addition, I led a midweek prayer service and taught a weekly early morning men’s gathering. Deadlines were coming at me from all sides. I needed time to think, to pray, to study.”

Max Lucado Has a ‘Divine Wrestling Match’

Max Lucado’s congregation is Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, where he presently serves as teaching minister. He is a prolific author whose books have sold 145 million copies, and his op-ed was adapted from his latest book (releasing Sept. 12) titled, “God Never Gives Up on You: What Jacob’s Story Teaches Us About Grace, Mercy, and God’s Relentless Love.”

In addition to being too dominated by deadlines to address the conflicts within his ministry, Lucado was having heart problems from the stress. Feeling pressure from his staff, his church, his publisher and, in fact, the “entire world,” Lucado was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation.

“So I did what came naturally,” he said. “I began to drink.”

In a September 2022 interview on “The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast,” Lucado shared that abusing alcohol is something he struggled with at a young age. “I was a mess in high school and college,” he said. “I was the guy you did not want your daughter to date. I was drunk at least three nights Thursday, Friday and Saturday or Friday, Saturday, Sunday, all the way. I was a barroom brawler.”

Lucado was raised in church and learned about the Holy Spirit through a traveling evangelist while he was a senior in high school, but he went back to his “old ways” before he returned to Christ in his early twenties. And while Lucado’s op-ed described a watershed moment in his life at age 50, in his podcast interview with Dr. Ed Stetzer and Daniel Yang, Lucado described a different pivotal moment that occurred while he was in his 30s.

New Orleans Saints’ Demario Davis Uses Post-Game Presser To Proclaim, ‘Jesus Is Knocking’

By

Stephanie Martin

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September 11, 2023

After his New Orleans Saints won their season opener Sunday, veteran linebacker Demario Davis used his five-minute press conference in what he admitted was an “untraditional” way. The 34-year-old pro athlete spoke about the power of prayer, God’s miraculous healing, and our responsibility to open the door when Jesus knocks.

Addressing the media after defeating the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 10, Davis said, “Since so many of us didn’t get to go to church today, I have a word that I want to share.” Then he read Revelation 3:20, about Jesus standing at the door and knocking, and relayed a personal story about “a knock that I heard this week.”

Demario Davis on Daughter’s Miraculous Recovery

Davis, a father of five, described a harrowing scene from last Friday, when his 4-year-old daughter, Carly-Faith, had her “worst” epileptic seizure yet. The girl seized for 30 minutes, foaming at the mouth, and stopped breathing twice in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.

At that point, said Davis, “You start to fear there could be development issues. It could mess with her brain.” He and his wife, Tamela, spent the night praying in their daughter’s hospital room. About 3 a.m., Davis recalled, “I heard a knock, and the knock was my daughter. I said, ‘God, let this just be an attack from the enemy that’s just trying to be a distraction, and let him have overplayed his hand and my daughter come back stronger than before.’”

In the middle of the night, Davis said, Carly-Faith started “talking clearer than before.” And by morning, she was “sharper than before.” Most people with epilepsy are groggy for a few days following a seizure, he noted, yet his daughter came home “and it was as if nothing was happening.” She was even able to play for a while at her older sister’s birthday party.

Carly-Faith had been a month away from being able to stop taking epilepsy medication, her father said. Now she must start the clock over again with that. When she was 10 months old, Carly-Faith survived retinoblastoma.

Saints Linebacker: ‘Get Up and Open the Door’

Although football is a great game where “amazing things” happen, Davis said, “when we leave this game, we go back to being regular people. And regular people are living life, and people are waiting for a knock. And the Word says who Jesus is. He’s knocking at the door. All you’ve got to do is get up.”

Davis admitted being nervous as his daughter seized and was rushed to the hospital. “But I’m praying, and I’m trusting, and I’m believing,” he said. “And I’m not asking for my daughter to make it through; I’m asking that she’s better than before. And God gave me just what I asked for, plus some. I was blown away.”

‘Pray for Those Who Feel the Ache of Today’—Lysa TerKeurst, Franklin Graham, Greg Laurie Remember 9/11

By

Janna Firestone

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September 11, 2023

9/11 — https://www.loc.gov/resource/ppmsca.02121/?sp=173, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

As the hashtag suggests, those who lived through the terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, will #neverforget. Premeditated attacks killed 2,977 people in New York, at the Pentagon, and on Flight 93. The U.S.—and the world—forever changed.

While many are comforted by how the nation rallied together and the lessons learned from the tragedy, there is still significant pain surrounding the events 22 years ago.

Franklin Graham Remembers His Father Billy Graham Offering Hope Following 9/11

Franklin Graham posted, “On the 22nd anniversary of 9/11 we remember the men, women, and children whose lives were cut short by a terrible act of evil. It was a day that changed our nation forever.”

As the son of evangelist Billy Graham, Franklin reflected on how his father participated in the continued healing of the country. “In the aftermath of 9/11, President George W. Bush asked my father @BillyGraham to share a message of hope at the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance Service in Washington, D.C.”

Billy addressed those gathered and the entire nation, understanding the wide range of emotions each person was feeling and noting that “words simply cannot express the horror, the shock and the revulsion we all feel over what took place in this nation.”

“Why does God allow evil like this to take place? Perhaps that is what you are asking. You may even be angry at God,” Billy said. “I want to assure you that God understands these feelings that you may have.”

On the 22nd anniversary of 9/11 we remember the men, women, and children whose lives were cut short by a terrible act of evil. It was a day that changed our nation forever. In the aftermath of 9/11, President George W. Bush asked my father @BillyGraham to share a message of hope… pic.twitter.com/VDovB9kDre

— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) September 11, 2023

Lysa TerKeurst Calls for Prayer As She Remembers 9/11

Lysa TerKeurst has lived through significant trials in her own life and has no patience for surface answers or light encouragement. “And God help me if I think I’m going to make things better by thinking up a clever Christian saying to add to all the dialogue.” She continued, “God certainly doesn’t need people like me—with limited perspectives, limited understanding and limited depth—trying to make sense of things that don’t make sense.”

On the anniversary of such a global tragedy, the writer and speaker posted, “On one of the darkest days this nation has ever known, we remember that we lost and we pray for those who feel the ache of today so deeply because they never got to hug their loved one again.”

On one of the darkest days this nation has ever known, we remember those that we lost and we pray for those who feel the ache of today so deeply because they never got to hug their loved one again. pic.twitter.com/SHBdX3mmYL

— Lysa TerKeurst (@LysaTerKeurst) September 11, 2023

‘Soaking It All in’—SportCenter Under Fire for Coverage of Coco Gauff’s Prayer Following US Open Victory

By

Dale Chamberlain

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September 11, 2023

On Saturday (Sept. 9), 19-year-old Coco Gauff defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the U.S. Open women’s single finals, becoming the youngest American to claim the title since Serena Williams won in 1999 at the age of 17.

Gauff’s victory has garnered praise from fans, many of them high profile celebrities and politicians, including President Joe Biden and former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.

“I feel like I’m a little bit in shock in this moment,” Gauff told ESPN, noting that her loss in the French Open last year was heartbreaking. “But I realized God [puts] you through tribulations and trials and that makes this moment even sweeter than I could have imagined.”

Immediately after recording the victory, Gauff knelt by a bench near the court in a moment of silent prayer.

SportsCenter captured the moment on film, posting it to X (formerly Twitter). However, SportCenter’s coverage of the prayer soon came under fire from people who thought the caption accompanying the video was out of place.

“@CocoGauff took a moment to soak it all in after winning her first Grand Slam title,” the post read, resulting in a wave of responses from fans who pointed out that the 19-year-old tennis star was obviously praying.

“It’s called ‘prayer,’” one person stated. Another said, “Soaking it all in looks a lot like praying thankfully to God.”

“I think there’s another word for this. Not sure but think it starts with a p,” joked Christian author Drew Dyck.

Jared C. Wilson, a pastor, author, and professor at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, joked, “Soak it all in without ceasing,” a reference to Paul’s encouragement to pray without ceasing, given in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. Wilson also remarked that his grandmother was “a real soaking it all in warrior.”

Outreach Magazine editor-in-chief Ed Stetzer posted, “When you need a religion reporter on your team.”

In the Desert Above the Dead Sea, Evidence of Jewish Rebels’ Capture of Roman Weaponry

By

Michele Chabin

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September 11, 2023

Bar Kokhba revolt — Archaeologists remove newly discovered Roman swords from a cave near the Dead Sea in eastern Israel in Aug. 2023. Photo by Emil Aladjem, Israel Antiquities Authority

JERUSALEM (RNS) — Fifty years ago, Israeli archaeologists discovered an ancient Hebrew inscription on a stalactite in a remote cave in the desert east of Jerusalem, where the land begins to slope down toward the Dead Sea. In June, hoping to find additional inscriptions not visible to the naked eye, three researchers—an archaeologist, a geologist and a photographer trained in multi-spectral photography—returned to the cave.

While exploring a new level of the cave, one of the researchers discovered the iron head of a Roman javelin, known as a “pilum,” in a hidden narrow crevice.

The trio immediately contacted the Israel Antiquities Authority, which has been conducting a systematic search of Judean desert caves for the past six years with the goal of keeping any remnants of Dead Sea scrolls or other ancient artifacts in the archaeology-rich region out of the hands of looters and off the black market.

Soon after discovering the javelin, the archaeologists discovered a cache of four 1,900-year-old swords, all of them remarkably well-preserved. Even more remarkable were the swords’ wood and leather accessories, which the desert’s arid climate had prevented from decaying.

Three of the swords were identified as Roman spatha swords, with 2-foot-long blades, and a shorter weapon, a ring-pommel sword, with an 18-inch-long blade.

The weapons were most likely left in the cave by Jewish rebels involved in the 132 to 136 C.E. Bar Kokhba revolt, the Jews’ final attempt to force the Romans out of the ancient land of Israel after nearly two centuries of occupation. During the revolt, bands of Jewish fighters and refugees lived in the caves that dot the forbidding Judean landscape.

The uprising failed, and the Romans expelled most of the surviving Jews and changed the territory’s name from “Judaea” to “Syria Palaestina.”

The swords may represent a small victory amid this defeat. “It appears that the weapons were hidden by the Judean rebels, after they were seized from the Roman army as booty,“ the IAA said in a statement.

For the archaeologists, the discovery is a major triumph. “Finding a single sword is rare—so four? It’s a dream! We rubbed our eyes in disbelief,” the researchers wrote.

The swords were discovered in what is today the En Gedi Nature Reserve, about 100 miles from Jerusalem, according to Eitan Klein, who co-directed the IAA’s sweeping excavation of the cave after the first weapon was discovered.

‘You Can Count on Us.’ Synod Organizers Attempt To Dismiss Fears Ahead of Fall Meeting

By

Claire Giangrave

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September 11, 2023

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — As Catholic bishops and lay people prepare to gather in Rome this October to begin discussions on the main challenges facing the church, tensions over the topics — and the stakes — of the summit have grown.

Papal allies and organizers of the October 4-29 event — the “Synod on Synodality: Communion, Participation and Mission” — are trying to defuse the tension and reassure faithful that the church has nothing to fear from the discussions even if they will take place behind closed doors.

“The way we will communicate the synod is very important for the discernment process of the entire church,” said Paolo Ruffini, who heads the Vatican communications department and will conduct briefings on the event during the month of October, at a press conference at the Vatican on Friday (Sept. 8).

With its unassuming title, the Synod on Synodality could be easily dismissed as a gathering of no consequence. When describing the event, organizers use the terms “walking together,” “enlarging the space of our tent” and “ecclesiology.” But the summit is actually the culmination of a three-year process initiated by Pope Francis to engage the church at every level and has the opportunity to not only radically subvert power structures in the traditionally hierarchical institution, but also to create a new system of governance that can overcome growing polarization.

The success of this ambitious project greatly relies on how much people who participate in it believe in it, organizers said. Members of the Vatican’s Synod office have structured the event in such a way as to promote healthy dialogue, with short discussions interrupted by prayer and meditation, group retreats and small working groups. Individuals trained in synodality, called facilitators, will guide the event and help participants engage in a spirit of unity and fraternity.

Despite the efforts the Vatican has made to ensure the discussions at the synod occur in a collegial and thoughtful way, the church has little to no control of how the event is perceived from the outside. The Catholic Church is currently addressing controversial issues concerning the welcoming of LGBTQ Catholics, the creation of leadership roles for women and female ordination, and the accountability of bishops on questions ranging from sexual abuse to financial mismanagement. Anxieties abound over how the synod will grapple with these polarizing topics.

Local synodal expressions, such as the Synodal Way in Germany, have taken a very progressive stance on some of these issues and even defied Vatican recommendations by blessing same-sex couples.

Pope Francis talks to reporters during the return flight from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Monday, Sept. 4, 2023, at the end of a historic four-day visit to a region where the Holy See has long sought to make inroads. (Ciro Fusco/ANSA via AP, Pool)

Pope Francis talks to reporters during the return flight from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Monday, Sept. 4, 2023, at the end of a historic four-day visit. (Ciro Fusco/ANSA via AP, Pool)

To ensure attendants can speak freely, the Vatican Synod office has maintained that the speeches and conversations within the hall will remain secret. “We have to preserve the synodal environment,” Pope Francis said, answering questions by journalists on his return flight from Mongolia on Monday (Sept. 4). “This isn’t a television show where everything is on the table, no, it’s a religious moment, a religious exchange.”

Ruffini quoted the pope’s words during the conference on Friday, underlining the need to preserve “the sacredness” of synodal discussions. He also underlined that most institutions don’t publicly share the internal debates leading up to a decision.

At the end of the synod event, attendants will approve a synthesis document that will be made public. But it won’t be the final report, Ruffini specified, since there will be a second synod meeting at the Vatican in the fall of 2024 that will issue a final document.

“We are really counting on how media will be able to communicate this communal effort of ours,” he said, before adding: “You can count on us.”

Ruffini specified that the opening Mass, the first general assembly meeting and the opening sessions of each sections, or modules, will be livestreamed. The five modules will focus on the topics of synodality, participation, mission and communion and a final synthesis and approval of the synod report.

Former AFA Vice President Sues Christian Right Group for Alleged Sexual Harassment

By

Bob Smietana

-

September 11, 2023

(RNS) — A former vice president of the American Family Association, a Mississippi-based conservative group that promotes “the biblical ethic of decency in American society,” has sued the religious-right group, accusing leaders of firing him after he reported alleged sexual harassment and financial irregularities.

In a complaint filed Tuesday (Sept. 5), Robert Chambers, former vice president of policy and legislative affairs for AFA from 2015 to 2022, alleges that another staffer, Ron Cook, made repeated sexual advances toward him, beginning in January of 2022.

Those advances allegedly included grabbing hold of Chambers’ face and ear and making comments about masturbation, according to the complaint.

“I see you’re really good with that wrist action,” the complaint alleges that Cook told Chambers. “You’d really like me to take you and get a hold of you.”

Chambers claims he was fired for reporting the harassment. The complaint alleges that AFA and its leaders violated federal law by retaliating against him as a whistleblower, creating a hostile work environment, unlawfully terminating him and slandering him.

The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, names Cook, along with AFA President Tim Wildmon, several of Wildmon’s family members who are on AFA’s staff, AFA Vice President Ed Vitagliano and others.

AFA denies all of Chambers’ claims.

“Since 1977, our ministry has continued to maintain the highest standards of morality and personal conduct for our staff and leadership,” Steve Crampton, AFA’s assistant general counsel, told Religion News Service in an email. “The claims made against our organization by a disgruntled former employee are unfounded gross mischaracterizations of the facts. We will use every tool at our disposal to prevail in this matter. Due to current enquiry, we cannot comment further.”

AFA did not respond to a question asking if Cook was still employed at AFA. Cook’s LinkedIn profile describes him as AFA’s director of localization. His Facebook page describes him as a former director of localization.

Cook declined to comment by text.

Long active in promoting conservative politics, the AFA “believes true morality flows from biblical principles” and has been outspoken in its opposition to gay marriage, LGBTQ rights and abortion. The AFA promotes its view in print publications and radio broadcasts and reported $28 million in revenue for the fiscal year ending in June 2021, according to the group’s IRS financial disclosures.

In 2022, ProPublica reported that AFA changed its tax status with the IRS and is now classified as a church.

Chambers alleges he reported the harassment to AFA’s leadership, including Walker Wildmon, son of AFA President Tim Wildmon.

“Defendant W. Wildmon provided Plaintiff with an incident report — which Plaintiff completed immediately — and articulated to Plaintiff that Plaintiff was not the first employee of the AFA to have complained against Defendant Cook’s sexual misconduct.”

AFA’s statement of faith limits sex to married heterosexual couples: “As such, any extramarital conduct is decried by God as sinful conduct and it is defined by God’s Word as fornication and/or adultery.”

The complaint alleges that Chambers repeatedly followed up on his allegations of harassment and a hostile work environment, but leaders took no action for eight months.

“During this time, Plaintiff continued to suffer increasing discomfort in the workplace due to Defendant Cook’s ongoing engagement in verbal and physical conduct of a sexual nature targeted at Plaintiff, and the threat that it could happen at any time, inside or outside the office building,” according to the complaint.

Chambers, who also served on the board of AFA Action, AFA’s lobbying arm, also alleges that he had repeatedly raised concerns about the organization’s finances, including failing to file financial disclosures on a timely basis. In 2019, AFA Action’s tax exemption was revoked by the IRS because of the failures. It has since been restored.

Three Dozen NC Churches Have Agreed To Leave the UMC Under Approved Plan

By

Yonat Shimron

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September 11, 2023

Districts of the Western North Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Image courtesy UMC

(RNS) — A group of 36 United Methodist churches in North Carolina that had sued, demanding to sever their ties to the denomination, have agreed to leave using a plan approved by church leaders in 2019, the Western North Carolina Conference announced.

The group, which includes some of the biggest churches in the conference, will formally exit the denomination at a special session of the conference, or regional geographic body, on Nov. 4.

United Methodists across the country are mired in a messy divorce over theological differences, mostly regarding ordination and marriage of LGBTQ Christians.

A North Carolina Superior Court judge dismissed the churches’ case in March, but the churches and the conference continued talking and reached a resolution late last month. The churches will leave the denomination using the denomination’s exit plan. That plan allows churches to take their properties with them but requires they meet some financial obligations before doing so.

The churches were represented by the National Center for Life and Liberty, a legal ministry that is representing thousands of United Methodist churches in multiple states. In May, the center won a lawsuit on behalf of 185 churches in Georgia who challenged a decision by the North Georgia Conference to pause the disaffiliation process.

In the North Carolina case, the center’s lead counsel, David Gibbs III, had argued that some churches needed to sue because the disaffiliation plan approved by the denomination was too onerous and amounted to ransom.

Suing to leave the denomination has not been the standard practice. Most churches wanting to break away from the United Methodist Church have followed the approved plan, known as Paragraph 2553 of the Book of Discipline. That plan expires on Dec. 31.

Since 2019, 233 churches have left the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, a region that spans the western half of the state and includes 757 churches. A conference spokesperson said another 100 churches — including the 36 that had unsuccessfully sued — may leave in November.

While most of the departing churches have been smaller and more rural, the 36 now breaking away include two of the conference’s larger churches, Good Shepherd in Charlotte and Weddington United Methodist in a suburb of Charlotte. Wesley Memorial United Methodist in High Point, a historic church, is also departing. Members of Long’s Chapel in Waynesville, adjacent to Lake Junaluska, a conference retreat center in the Blue Ridge Mountains are voting on disaffiliation on Sunday.

To date, 6,240 U.S. churches have departed the United Methodist Church, the nation’s second-largest Protestant denomination with some 30,000 churches, or about 20% of the total number.

Some of the departing churches will likely join the Global Methodist Church, a new denomination formed last year with a more conservative set of beliefs. It takes a traditional view of marriage as between one man and one woman. As of July, the Global Methodist Church counted 3,100 congregations and 3,400 clergy.

The Rev. Keith Boyette, the Global Methodist Church’s chief executive, was traveling and unavailable to comment.

This article originally appeared here.

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