The Set of ‘The Chosen’ Is Literally Built on the Word of God

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August 4, 2023

“The Chosen,” the hit TV series based on the life of Christ, has been a success for numerous reasons. One reason might be that the show was literally built on the Word of God. Unknown to the cast and viewers, Scripture verses exist beneath many painted walls of the Texas-based set.

B.J. Forman, the show’s art department coordinator, told Christian Headlines that before construction workers finished the set, they adorned walls with their favorite Bible verses, some in English and some in Spanish.

“We sent the army of workers that we had building the city and armed them each with a giant black magic marker and said, ‘Go in there and graffiti the place—write down your favorite Scripture, your favorite inspirational words, your favorite verse,’” Forman said. “So they took that idea and ran with it to every other unfinished room within the city.”

Crew of ‘The Chosen’ Is ‘Here for a Purpose’

The cast and crew of “The Chosen” consists of Christians as well as non-Christians. Forman explained that some crew members didn’t know which show’s set they were building until they arrived. “They were hired to do a job like they would build a Kroger,” Forman said. “Our stonemasons would come in and they just knew they were putting up a wall, but they didn’t know what for.”

Forman added, “It turns out many of them were fans of the show that we weren’t even aware of. They were just here for a job, and it turns out [they] were here for a purpose.”

The first Bible-times home that construction workers wrote Bible verses on belonged to Zebedee, father of Jesus’ disciples James and John. Interestingly, the character who plays Zebedee in “The Chosen,” Nick Shakoour, recently converted to Christianity.

According to a crew member, the entire construction crew gathered to pray that an actor would receive the Holy Spirit and would become a seed to spread the Gospel. “It has been one mind-blowing thing after the next with what has been happening in and outside the show,” Shakoour said.

Continued Success of ‘The Chosen’

“The Chosen,” which as an independent production received an exemption from the ongoing writers strike, just completed filming Season 4. That entire season might appear in theaters, director Dallas Jenkins said. Producers are planning to create seven seasons.

Dr. Henry Cloud: How Church Leaders Can Know If They Are Building Trust With Others

By

Jessica Mouser

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August 4, 2023

“How many of you have ever been hurt in a relationship by somebody that you trusted?” asked psychologist and best-selling author Dr. Henry Cloud at the Global Leadership Summit 2023 the morning of Friday, Aug. 4.

The answer, of course, is that we all have. The problem is that human beings cannot function in life without trusting others.

“You are wired to trust,” said Cloud. “We do it naturally, like you breathe.” But we have all been wounded or betrayed by someone at some point. So how do we know if people are trustworthy? And how can we be trustworthy ourselves?

Dr. Henry Cloud: 5 Steps to Building Trust

Trust seems to be a theme of this year’s Global Leadership Summit. During his opening presentation Thursday morning, Life.Church founder and senior pastor Craig Groeschel discussed why trust is crucial for all leaders.

Nowadays, people are less likely than ever before to trust leaders. In fact, said Groeschel, over half the population will not trust someone else until they see evidence for that person being trustworthy. That reality is a massive problem for all leaders because “if they don’t trust you,” said Groeschel, “they won’t follow you.”

Cloud has written a new book, titled “Trust: Knowing When to Give It, When to Withhold It, How to Earn It, and How to Fix It When It Gets Broken.” During his presentation, he gave five qualities that are essential for building trust, which together he referred to as a “map.”

The first of these qualities is understanding. “We trust someone when we feel like they understand us,” said Cloud, using the example of going to see a surgeon about a knee replacement. He is not likely to agree to the surgery if the doctor does not take time to understand his problem and to empathize with him.

When we have a disagreement with someone else, many of us focus on trying to persuade them of our point of view. But we must not try to persuade someone to do what we want. We have to start by listening to them, said Cloud, calling this truth a “neurological fact” that is even referred to in Scripture. Proverbs 18:13 says, “To answer before listening—that is folly and shame.”

“Listening is based in deep empathy,” Cloud said.

Remembering Rick Blackwood: A Megachurch Pastor and Amazing Preacher You Probably Didn’t Know—By His Intent

By

Ed Stetzer

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August 4, 2023

Rick Blackwood was born on Nov. 2, 1956, and lived his younger days in Rock Hill, South Carolina. He leaves behind his wife Rhonda and two daughters, Natalie and Rebecca.

Once convinced of God’s call Rick completed his undergraduate degree at Baptist Bible College in Missouri. He earned a master’s degree at Southeastern Bible College in Birmingham, later earning two doctorates: the DMin from Grace Theological Seminary; and the EdD from Southern Seminary.

He came to First Baptist Church of Perrine in south metro Miami in 1996. The church was still recovering from the devastation caused in the region by Hurricane Andrew. The church later changed its name to Christ Fellowship Miami. Christ Fellowship grew dramatically into a large and growing multicultural congregation. Christ Fellowship has been listed as one of the Top 100 Fastest-Growing Churches in the country, although Miami is not a hotbed of evangelical work. Rick retired from his role as senior pastor in 2019, handing the baton of leadership to Omar Giritli. Since then, he’s taught for me at Wheaton and at other schools.

His book, “The Power of Multisensory Preaching and Teaching,” was a Preaching magazine Book of the Year winner.

Photo courtesy of Christ Fellowship Miami

Pastor Rick’s Approach to Ministry

Pastor Rick led Christ Fellowship to become one of the fastest growing churches in America and one of the more multicultural congregations with over 70 nationalities represented. When he arrived in Miami years ago he had a vision to reach the city. With the rise of multisite the church sought to put a campus in every community in Dade County.

In his early days at the church he faced opposition from members who sought to leverage the church bylaws against him. His response, he explained, was to preach the Bible, walking through Ephesians, and let God’s Word do the work. His approach was to preach through books of the Bible but do so by preaching smaller series within the book.

“I think the pulpit is the most strategic place to lead the church,” he observed in my interview with Rick on Ed Stetzer Live. By preaching through exposition of a book week after week, “the Bible becomes the diet.” Rick’s approach to expository preaching is what he calls “high impact expository preaching” that focuses not only on imparting information but in life application as well.

His book “The Power of Multisensory Preaching and Teaching: Increase Attention, Comprehension, and Retention” shows how to help people engage with the sermon to become doers of the Word and not only hearers. He used a listening guide to help congregants to interact more with the message and make application. It shifts the focus from hearing only to hearing as the Word is proclaimed, seeing through visual aids, and writing in the form of taking notes, all of which together create a more personal and applicable experience in the context of preaching.

For several years, I served as his teaching pastor at Christ Fellowship, including a year when he was sick– I came down from Nashville 2-3 times a month those days. We became friends, and I was thrilled when he started to teach preaching for me at Wheaton College.

Rick was a humble pastor, preaching to 10,000 people a week, in one of the largest churches in the country. But, you probably did not know that. And, that’s the way he wanted it.

Enter your rest, Rick.

The Sound of True Freedom

By

Greg Stier

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August 4, 2023

sound of freedom — Screengrab via YouTube / @IGNMovieTrailers

I’m a movie freak—always have been.

Even when I was a committed-to-Christ teenager attending an independent fundamentalist church that frowned upon going to the movies, I’d regularly break ranks, walk to the Westminster 6 theaters, and watch the latest, greatest cinema masterpiece.

I remember watching “Rocky” there for the first time, in 1976. This boxing movie gut-punched me, and I ran all the way home with the “Rocky” theme music blaring in my brain as I shadowboxed the imaginary Apollo Creeds in front of me.

Ten years later, when the masterpiece “The Mission” played at my local theater, I sat in tears, not budging until the credits stopped rolling and the lights came up (this was decades before Marvel started adding post-credit bonus scenes).

Another decade later, I was ready to buy a kilt and a broadsword after watching “Braveheart.” And just last week, I saw another movie that stirred my soul: “Sound of Freedom.”

Why ‘Sound of Freedom’ Is Worth Seeing

Great movies are rare, and “Sound of Freedom” is a rare, great movie.

It’s good on several levels.

The child actors, Lucás Ávila as Miguel and Cristal Aparicio as Rocio, are such preciously sweet siblings that your heart drops when they’re taken. The rest of the movie chronicles their story and the story of Tim Ballard, the real-life Homeland Security agent whose story inspired the movie. He quit his job to find and rescue children kidnapped by sex traffickers.

The plot of “Sound of Freedom” is simple, the acting is good, the bad guys are bad, and the good guys are great. From square one, this movie hooks you in, not with “Mission Impossible“–type special effects, but with the simple premise: “What if it were your child? How far would you go?”

I strongly encourage everyone to see this movie.

Sound of Freedom Controversy

Yes, there’s some controversy about “Sound of Freedom.” Some say the organization that Tim Ballard started to rescue trafficked children has exaggerated its impact and reach. But even if this is true, it shouldn’t keep anyone from making a difference by supporting solid organizations that rescue trafficked kids. Two ministries I would recommend are the International Justice Mission and Destiny Rescue. I’m sure there are more. As you would with any nonprofit ministry, do your research before giving.

Another criticism I’ve heard is that the plot of “Sound of Freedom” is greatly exaggerated when compared to actual events. To me that doesn’t matter. Whenever I see a movie that begins with the words “Based on a true story” or “Inspired by actual events,” I immediately know it’s a movie, not a documentary. Those phrases are movie-speak for: “We took some liberty with the plot so you would enjoy the movie even more.”

Purely by film standards, this movie is worth watching. I’ve seen enough corny Christian movies to say that this is no sanctified version of a Hallmark movie. Instead, this one is on par with “Jesus Revolution.” It paints a powerful, heart-wrenching picture of a horrific, global problem: millions of children and teenagers being trafficked for sex.

This partially crowd-funded movie has blown the box-office expectations away. At the time of this writing, it had surpassed $100 million in sales.

How Can Christians Fight Sex Trafficking?

So, how should we, as Christians, react to the reality of sex trafficking? To be honest, my gut reaction to watching this movie was an impulse to watch “Taken” again, get on a plane, fly to who-knows-where, take out the bad guys, and rescue all the children!

But as I thought about my “particular set of skills” that I’ve honed over 30 years of ministry, I realized they have nothing to do with fighting the bad guys.

They have everything to do with advancing the Gospel.

The real problem reflected in this movie—and in this fallen world—is the pure evil lodged deep in the human heart. The root of evil that is in the heart of the worst sex trafficker is in our hearts as well.

16 Satanic Lies About Worship

By

Joe McKeever

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August 4, 2023

If worship is powerful–that is, if kneeling before Almighty God in humility and rising to praise Him in gratitude and going forth to obey Him in faithfulness has power in the world to change lives and redirect society–then the enemy will be working to put a stop to it, whispering lies about worship.

Count on that.

If God uses our worship to transform sinners, starting with us, then the enemy use lies about worship to do all in his power to neutralize it. So–how is your worship these days? Are you working at worship, at learning to humble yourself and praise Him more effectively? Are you giving yourself anew to the Savior throughout the day, every day?

Notice the one question we did not ask: Are you getting anything out of your worship? Scripture does not allow us to ask that. We are promised nothing from worship. In worship, we do the giving. We give Him praise and prayers, offerings and love, our time and our attention, and ultimately ourselves.

Warren Wiersbe used to say, “Worship pays. But if you worship for the pay, it won’t pay.”

What has the evil advisor told you in the secret recesses of your mind and heart to dissuade you from worship?

“God is Spirit. And they who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

“Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; tremble before Him all the earth” (Psalm 96:9).

16 Satanic Lies About Worship

1. Worship is all about you.

You’ll need a worshipful setting, worshipful music, in a building with worshipful architecture. The leaders of the worship service must do things just right, otherwise, if you do not worship, the fault is all theirs.

2. You should be “getting something” out of worship.

If you leave the church campus unable to identify what you “got out” of the service, someone has failed you mightily.

3. Worship is irrelevant; it doesn’t matter.

Millions of Americans are buying into these lies about worship. All you have to do is see how most people skip church altogether on Sundays.

4. Only exciting, emotional worship matters.

If it’s not loud, fast, and intense, it doesn’t count.

Listen to people put down the more traditional, more restrained, more formal type of worship and you will know that lie is being bought into. We speak of worship services being dull, dead, sleep-inducing, and cold. One wonders if it ever occurs to us that the Father in Heaven alone judges worship.

5. Boring worship does not count.

6. Worship matters only inside the church building.

7. You can worship on the creek bank as well as you can in church.

8. The quality of your worship does not matter; all that matters is you’re giving it to God.

Read the Old Testament book of Malachi to see the folly of this. People were bringing diseased animals to the temple as their offerings. The Heavenly Father was/is no fool; He understands an insult when one is given.

Jesus Is Not a Cosmic Vending Machine – But He Responds to Faith

By

Mike Leake

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August 4, 2023

cosmic vending machine — Adobestock #557789837

God isn’t a genie. He’s not some passive deity who responds to our every whim—dispensing answers to our deepest wishes. He’s not a cosmic vending machine where we put in our quarters, hit the correct button, and then enjoy the soda or candy bar we purchased.

I carry that theology with me into Mark 5.

Jairus, he’s my dude. He does it correctly. He has a desperate need, he makes a passionate request, falling at his needs and imploring Jesus to act. That’s not treating Jesus like a vending machine. It’s treating Him like the sovereign He is.

And Jesus, no doubt impressed by this dude’s faith and respect, goes along with Jairus to provide healing for his daughter. But he’s interrupted by this great crowd.

Mark stops his story about Jairus to tell us about one of those in the crowd. It’s a woman who is as desperate as Jairus. But that’s about all they have in common. They are on different ends of the social, religious, and economic ladder. Jairus is a powerful dude. She’s simply “a woman”…a woman that is ritually unclean, filled with shame, slinking in the shadows, and flat broke with a massive pile of medical bills.

Jesus Is Not a Cosmic Vending Machine

What she does next shows how sharply her theology diverges from mine. Mark tells us that she comes up behind him (a sneak attack) and touched his garment. And then Mark exposes her horrible theology, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.”

That’s magical and superstitious thinking. Vending machine theology. She has Jesus in an entirely passive role. She doesn’t care about relationship. She isn’t even acknowledging him. Her love of Jesus seems about as profound as my love for the outlet I found when my phone’s batter is at 1%. It’s entirely transactional.

But it works. I’m not sure why Mark tells us this. It’d be much better for my theology if she’d have come up empty. “God isn’t some impersonal force you can tap into, lady! If you want help from Jesus take the path of Jairus.” But Mark doesn’t seem to care about my theological assumptions.

What Makes a Compelling Worship Service?

By

Charles Stone

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August 4, 2023

compelling worship service — Lightstock #203848

In an article I wrote years ago for Churchleaders.com, 8 Surprising Insights from a Former Pastor, I shared 8 key insights I’ve learned during months I was a former pastor. I’ve served 32 years in vocational ministry and took off the past 18 months to write, coach pastors, travel, and begin another master’s degree. I also began to consider what makes a compelling worship service. The Churchleaders.com article prompted many comments and one pastor emailed me to specifically ask about this point I made in the article.

Churches must plan and deliver a compelling, Spirit-filled worship service and sermon each Sunday. I’ve known this intellectually, but now since I’m on the receiving end I see even more its importance. If someone takes three hours out of their day of rest to attend church, they better feel that it was worth their time.

What Makes a Compelling Worship Service?

Having visited many churches over the years and then joining one as a non-staff member, here’s what I believe can help make a compelling worship service that would encourage people to want to come back.

1. Transcendent:

When people come to church, I believe they should experience what they wouldn’t have at a ball game or a movie. Those services that I attended that made me most want to come back left me with a sense that I had truly met God, that I had felt his presence and power in the service and that Jesus was elevated high.

When Kids Wander Away From Faith, Parents Can Cling to 12 Truths

By

Kami Gilmour

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August 3, 2023

Wandering away from the faith was unthinkable in my Christian household. My parents were heavily involved as ministry volunteers, so we weren’t just at church every week. We were there for every single service every Sunday. And we attended every church event: Bible studies, dinners, concerts, family nights, fundraisers, retreats, service projects, mission trips. Everything!

As a young teenager, I was active in the church youth group and confirmation classes. Plus, I started a Young Life club in our hometown.

Doubts Can Be Part of the Faith Process

But like many kids, I eventually had doubts about my faith and religion in general. I had deep questions that no one could answer. I felt constrained by my parents’ super-strict rules. Plus, I witnessed church politics that were divisive and ugly. I experienced hypocrisy and betrayal by church leaders who were supposed to be role models. Christianity seemed more focused on rules, judgment, and external appearances than love.

I told my parents I was “over it” and quit attending youth group and Young Life. I spouted my disdain for the Christian institution with fierce vehemence. Every Sunday became an epic argument about going to church. I usually sat in the back row reading a People magazine to keep from being grounded for not going at all.

By college, I carried faith in my back pocket like an insurance card—only for dire emergencies. I believed I was still going to heaven because I hadn’t totally renounced my foundational belief in Jesus. So I partied like there was no tomorrow, with nothing to lose.

Every Sunday morning, I called my parents for our weekly chat. I smugly informed them I wasn’t ever going to church again and was thoroughly loving the fact that I’d be going back to sleep after our call.

Away From the Faith and Back Again

My faith remained dormant until years later, when my first child was born. My daughter had a traumatic birth injury—one she barely survived. Her life hung in limbo as she lay in the PICU attached to cords and monitors. “There’s nothing we can do but wait,” doctors said.

I was devastated, but thankfully my mom was there. And she reminded me that God was there too. She set up post by my daughter’s bassinet, keeping one hand on her tiny leg as she prayed. The nurses told us my baby’s vital signs improved dramatically when my mom laid praying hands on her, and my mom gently invited me to try.

It had been a long time since I’d prayed or reached out to God. But when I opened my heart again, I felt like I was coming back home to something I already knew. Hope, peace, and comfort beyond my understanding filled me. I knew at that moment my true faith journey was beginning. For real, this time.

My daughter is now a healthy, vibrant young woman. Her thriving faith has also taken the scenic route through dark valleys and dry deserts. As her mom—and the mother and stepmother of other young adults—I’ve discovered that my kids are each on their own unique path on God’s time frame, not mine.

Kids in Your Ministry Won’t Tell You These 10 Things: Listen Up!

By

Andrew Linder

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August 3, 2023

How well do you know the kids in your children’s ministry? Do you ever wonder what those students are thinking but not saying?

Here are 10 things kids won’t tell you but wish you knew.

10 Things Kids in Your Ministry Want You to Know

1. We can tell when you come unprepared.

Just because we’re kids doesn’t mean we don’t notice!

2. We love it when you use our names when speaking to us.

That simple step makes us feel special and like we belong.

3. We really do want to learn.

Sometimes we just need you to think outside the box to hold our attention. Even though we may not always act like it, we care about what you have to say. Remember that we have lots of energy that’s trying to get out at the same time.

4. We can tell whether you really love us or just put up with us.

It’s just as easy for us to see through a fake as it is for us to spot someone who’s the real deal.

5. We don’t mind being corrected, but we hate coming to church and being yelled at.

We don’t like being yelled at or talked down to anywhere. But we especially shouldn’t have to expect it to happen at church and children’s ministry.

6. Just as you can tell from the very start how things will go the rest of the day, so can we.

We know from the get-go whether or not you’re in charge or we are. So we need you to lovingly yet firmly take control from the very beginning. We will respect you and our ministry leaders for that.

7. We like it when you use pictures, objects and anything we can see, touch or pass around to remember your point.

What we remember most is not the words you said but the point you made. Give us something more than just your words so we can remember your point forever.

Tim Tebow’s Foundation Has Helped Bring Over 500 Human Trafficking Perpetrators to Justice

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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August 3, 2023

In commemoration of World Day Against Trafficking on July 30, former football star Tim Tebow shared how his Tim Tebow Foundation has helped more than 2,000 human trafficking victims across the globe over the past 10 years.

“I believe that human trafficking and child sexual exploitation are two of the greatest evils we face today,” Tebow said in an Instagram post. “@timtebowfoundation has been in this fight for more than ten years and been blessed to expand our impact across 30 countries. Through our team and partners, we have created and operate 20 safe homes with 22 more in progress, and protected more than 2,000 victims while helping bring 500+ perpetrators to justice.”

Tebow expressed his belief that every person on earth is “created in the image of God—uniquely, beautifully, and perfectly” and described each of those unique humans as priceless individuals who aren’t “for sale.”

The former Heisman Trophy winner announced that his foundation is launching a fundraiser called “unKNOWN” in honor of his 36th birthday. “We have to do everything we can to continue identifying and protecting victims, caring for survivors, and working to prevent it from happening in the first place.”

“Children around the world are suffering from horrific sexual abuse, many from the very people who are meant to protect them,” Tebow said. “CSAM, or child sexual abuse material, is an evil that has been hiding in the darkness of our communities, our homes, and the internet for too long and it’s past time we exposed it to the light.”

Tebow’s hope and prayer for his birthday is that people would join together and raise $1 million, which will go towards protecting as “many children as possible” from “this horrific evil.”

The “unKNOWN” website says that more than two videos or images depicting child abuse are produced every second.

“There are more than 50,000 children’s images of sexual abuse sitting on a global database,” Tebow said. “Law enforcement can see them, but their identity and location is unknown. 50,000 children, that’s a city of children we need to find and protect!”

To date, Tebow’s birthday fundraiser has raised over $339,000 and follows the continued success of Angel Studios’ “Sound of Freedom,” which is based on a true story about the fight against human trafficking.

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19-Year-Old Arrested While Street Preaching Outside Wisconsin Drag Queen Story Hour

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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August 3, 2023

According to reports, police in Watertown, Wisconsin, arrested a 19-year-old street preacher at a drag queen event during the city’s annual “Pride in the Park” on Saturday, July 29.

A Facebook advertisement described the event as a “day of celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community” with “loads of family entertainment,” which included “a Children’s Dance Party, Drag Story Hour, 2 Drag Shows, Food Trucks, and an EXPANDED vendor showcase.”

A video of the incident was recorded by Jason Storms, who is an evangelist on staff at Mercy Seat Christian Church in Brookfield, Wisconsin. In the video, which has gone viral, 19-year-old Marcus Schroeder and a fellow church member can be seen being detained by police officers.

Schroeder can also be heard preaching and reading the Bible towards those attending “Pride in the Park,” using a microphone and an amplifier on the sidewalk near the park, but behind a barrier of the event.

Police surrounded Schroeder, and one officer grabbed the microphone from him, unplugging the street preacher’s equipment.

One person informed the officers that they were told they could “speak outside on the sidewalk freely.”

“You can speak, but there is no amplified devices,” one of the officers replied.

Three officers then grabbed the young man, placed his hands behind his back, handcuffed him, and took him to a police cruiser. Schroeder was charged with unlawful use of sound amplification and resisting arrest.

“You guys are acting like thugs,” Storms told the officers. “He has every right to be out here engaging in speech…you know that you just did wrong.”

According to Storms, Schroeder was one of more than 200 protestors from various groups gathered at the park to protest the drag queen show. Schroeder is a member of a group that calls itself “Warriors for Christ.”

Condoleezza Rice Shares Key Lessons From a Lifetime of Leadership at GLS 2023

By

Jessica Mouser

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August 3, 2023

Dr. Condoleezza Rice, former U.S. national security advisor and former secretary of state, has navigated racism, being a woman in male-dominated spaces, and leading the U.S. during the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Rice appeared at the Global Leadership Summit 2023 (GLS) Thursday, Aug. 3, where she shared key lessons she has learned from her experience as a leader.

“You have to own your past, but you also can’t be prisoner of your past,” Rice said, specifically addressing growing up as a woman of color in Birmingham, Alabama, which she has elsewhere referred to as “the most segregated city in America at the time.” Resilience has been a theme of Rice’s life, and it is an attribute for which she gives a great deal of credit to her parents.

Condoleezza Rice’s Upbringing

Condoleezza Rice, whose father and grandfather were pastors, grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, in the 1960s. She referred to her parents several times throughout the interview, describing them as significant role models in her life. Her father, a theologian, “allowed me to be a questioner,” said Rice. From him, she learned that “it’s ok to ‘go there'” with one’s faith, that is, to wrestle with God during difficult times, such as when Rice lost her mom to breast cancer when her mother was only 61.

“God gave us a mind, and I think he expects us to use it,” Rice said, emphasizing that this use includes asking critical questions about our faith.

Rice’s parents were crucial to fostering a resilient mindset in the face of the racism their family and the rest of the Black community faced in Birmingham. Rice personally knew Denise McNair, one of the four girls killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing that occurred on Sept. 15, 1963. In fact, everyone in Rice’s community knew at least one of the girls who were killed.

In a 2020 interview, Rice explained there was a lot of fear at the time. They could not trust the police because the police were just as likely as anyone else to set off bombs targeting Black people. White knight riders with the Ku Klux Klan would come through their community, so Rice’s father and his friends ended up forming a militia of sorts to protect people from the KKK. “All we could do in those days was to pray,” said Rice, “and I have to say, it was sufficient.”

Rice told the GLS attendees that her parents raised her never to see herself with a victim mentality. They were “fantastic” at not allowing her to see anything but “upward mobility, the ability to get things done.” While they told Rice she would have to work twice as hard as others for her achievements, they never presented that reality as something shameful. So she and others did work twice as hard, and “now we’re twice as confident.”

“You own your past, it has shaped you,” she said, “but never become a prisoner of it.”

Leading During 9/11

Rice was National Security Adviser on Sept. 11, 2001. She said that she still feels “deep remorse” about the lives lost because of those attacks, although “I can tell you we did everything we knew how to do” with the imperfect intelligence they had.

Dallas Jenkins Discusses What He Has Learned About Jesus, Leadership While Filming ‘The Chosen’

By

Dale Chamberlain

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August 3, 2023

Dallas Jenkins, creator and director of “The Chosen,” the hit series following the life and ministry of Jesus, was recently interviewed for the Global Leadership Summit (GLS). In the interview, which was shown to attenders of GLS on Thursday (Aug. 3), Jenkins described the effort that has gone into creating an authentic portrayal of Jesus and what he has learned along the way.

The interview, which was conducted by California pastor and author Erwin McManus, was shot on the set of “The Chosen” during the filming of the show’s fourth season.

The show’s set was constructed on a campground owned by the Salvation Army in Texas. In describing the set, Jenkins said that the crew worked by the axiom, “We sand the underside of the drawer,” meaning that the crew paid attention even to the details that might not end up being visible to viewers of the show.

“The attention to detail is part of the authenticity that we’re so obsessed with on ‘The Chosen,’” Jenkins said. “And we feel like when you watch the show, we want you to feel like this could really have happened. And that begins with a place like this.”

Jenkins said that some set pieces even include wood that is over 1,000 years old, adding to the ancient feel of the set.

When McManus asked Jenkins about his motivation for creating the show, Jenkins said, “We want over a billion people around the world to experience the authentic Jesus, and that really is what gets me up in the morning…I want this show to take hold in people so that they want to know and love Jesus more.”

“And every step of the way, including the logistics, including the sets, including something like this, is in many ways all in service of that ‘why,’” Jenkins added.

The Story Behind the Making of ‘The Chosen’

In describing the origins of the show, Jenkins recounted his failed 2017 film, “The Resurrection of Gavin Stone.” The project had represented a huge opportunity for Jenkins to partner with a major studio, but after the movie bombed at the box office, Jenkins thought his directing career was over.

In that moment of despair, Jenkins said that his wife felt compelled by God to read the New Testament story of Jesus feeding the crowd of 5,000. Neither of them understood why, but the story was sticking in their minds.

LISTEN: Dallas Jenkins on Why ‘The Chosen’ Is Not ‘Adding to Scripture’

Later, Jenkins said he was writing a 15-page post mortem memo about why he thought his film had failed, placing the blame on himself and trying to understand what went wrong. As he was writing, he received a Facebook message from a man whom he had never met in person, but with whom he had occasionally conversed online.

For Bisi Gbadamosi, Fighting Racism Began With Going to Therapy

By

Bob Smietana

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August 3, 2023

racism Bisi Gbadamosi — Bisi Gbadamosi. Courtesy photo

(RNS) — Adebisi Gbadamosi might still be going to her home church were it not for COVID-19.

Until spring 2020, Gbadamosi, who goes by “Bisi,” worked in children’s ministry at her Baptist church in Florida and was usually hanging out with kids during the sermon. When COVID-19 restrictions moved services online, she was reassigned to run the church’s social media.

For the first time in years, she was watching when the pastor gave his sermon, and she was shocked.

Her first Sunday in the new role, the pastor went on a tirade against the protests that followed the death of George Floyd. Gbadamosi, who is Black, recalled the pastor saying that protesters were “baby children who had not been raised right.”

That sermon turned out to be one in a series condemning the protest and liberals. The pastor’s lack of concern about Floyd’s death or the issue of racism — in a church not far from where Trayvon Martin was killed — made Gbadamosi feel like an outsider among people she thought loved her. The comments in the church’s social media feed cheering the pastor on made things worse.

“It was as if my presence did not matter,” said Gbadamosi, now 26, who said she’d been outspoken with her concerns about racism in the broader culture.

She walked out of the church service that day and eventually left altogether.

Like many Americans in the current era of rapid polarization, Gbadamosi found herself estranged from the faith community she had grown up in. In Gbadamosi’s case, her home congregation was also affected by an ongoing fight in the Southern Baptist Convention, where a so-called woke war over critical race theory and social justice has been waging in recent years. That conflict, too, has left some Black Christians in evangelical spaces feeling they no longer belong.

Bisi Gbadamosi. Courtesy photo

The loss of a spiritual home and feeling rejected in particular because of her race and her concerns about racism can be a twin trauma. “It made clear to me that there was nothing I can ever do to be enough for some of them,” Gbadamosi said in a recent phone interview.

Gbadamosi, a therapist working on finalizing her Florida license, was in grad school at the time and fulfilling a school requirement to go through therapy herself. It was, she said, a godsend.

In her own practice, Gbadamosi said she works with clients who have had similar experiences with spiritual trauma. There are few therapists who understand that particular mix of emotions and experience, she told Religion News Service. Those who have experienced faith-based traumas can go through an identity crisis, as if the foundations they built their lives on are unstable.

“That can be a really lonely space,” she said.

The sense of being betrayed by people who said they loved you, said Gbadamosi, can make it difficult to trust faith communities in the future. Gbadamosi said she eventually found a new church but for a long time just sat in the pews and did not get involved, needing time to recover.

10 Heartaches of Being a Pastor

By

Chuck Lawless

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August 3, 2023

a pastor's heart — Adobestock #361337228

I make no claim that pastors are perfect people. We mess up. We can be arrogant and uncaring at times. At the same time, though, most pastors I know are genuine, faithful followers of God who love their congregations. They’ve learned, too, that the work of pastoral ministry often carries heartache with it.

Here are some of those aches:

We mourn when marriages fall apart. We usually hear both sides of the story, and we’re privy to both anguish and sin. Often, we’ve seen the pain that divorce can cause.
We hurt when young people make decisions that lead to trouble. None of us wants our church young people to go down paths that could lead to long-term difficulty. Nor can we always stop it, however.
We occasionally beat ourselves up when our sermon wasn’t nearly as strong as we thought it would be. We’re usually our own worst critics. And, some of us will think for days about how we could have done better.
We sometimes grieve the sin of others more than they do. We know we can’t bring them to repentance on our own, and it’s agonizing to watch them continue toward destruction.
We ache when our church must carry out church discipline. In all my years of ministry, few situations were as painful as removing a church member who chose to ignore our attempts at guidance and reconciliation. It felt like I had failed in reaching him as his pastor.
We struggle when the churches we lead aren’t growing. I realize that we can become idolatrous of numbers, but most pastors I know aren’t comfortable when the churches they lead are not reaching people.
We sometimes hurt alone when we see the loneliness and struggles of our families. I’m casting blame on no one here; I’m simply making the point that some pastoral families struggle under the weight of the task—and we keep that struggle to ourselves.
We quietly grieve funerals for persons who showed no evidence of Christian conversion. We have to lead in those situations, but the tears sometimes come in the quiet rooms of our lives.
We wrestle with loneliness when we don’t know how to develop strong friendships. Frankly, I think this problem is more often our issue than our congregation’s issue, but it nevertheless can lead to aloneness.
We often feel guilty even expressing any of these thoughts. Maybe I’m the only pastor who’s ever felt these things, but I doubt it—so I use this post to ask for prayer on behalf of all my pastoral colleagues.

Say a prayer for your pastors this weekend.

This article about a pastor’s heart originally appeared here.

Re-Think the Role of Church Communications Director

By

Phil Cooke

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August 3, 2023

church communications director — Adobestock #561003317

Since the church shutdown began in March of 2020 I started telling pastors that while outreaches like missions, education, and children’s ministry are all important, during the pandemic it was the communication and media team that was keeping your church in business. If there’s been a remotely positive outcome of the virus, it’s been that church leaders are finally realizing that their online congregation matters, and communicating and connecting with that congregation is more important than ever. As a result, churches around the world have been re-thinking their communication strategy, and particularly the lead role of church communications director. Our team at Cooke Media Group has been deeply involved in these conversations, so I asked our Lead Strategist, Dawn Nicole Baldwin to share a little about how she sees this transition happening and what church leaders need to consider:

Dawn: “Communications” wasn’t always considered important in most churches. Actually, there was a time when it was not considered at all— church secretaries updated bulletins and even websites in their free time using whatever clipart they could find.

As ministries evolved, most created a dedicated Church Communications Director position and built departments with supporting roles as needs required. But these roles were still primarily designed to serve the needs of ministries, and typically were not allowed to say “no” to requests. A drive-thru mentality became the standard operating procedure, with many ministry leaders filling out an order form of sorts, listing all of the ways they wanted to promote their event. (Do you want fries with that?)

This led to ministries inevitably competing with each other for the congregation’s attention, and “success” was determined by how many people showed up at an event.

COVID-19 Changed the Role of Church Communications Director

Without live events many ministries were forced to reconsider their end games, and the role of communications has shifted once again to become more strategic than ever. People still need to feel connected and belong, even if you’re not meeting in person. They need to know how the church’s vision may have adjusted to meet immediate needs, and what role they have to play in all of this moving forward.

‘Reacher’ Star Defends Christianity Against Satanist Who Claims ‘Your God Is Evil’

By

Jessica Mouser

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August 2, 2023

“Reacher” star Alan Ritchson has made a video responding to TikTok user Jessie Jarma, who criticized Christians for believing that God answers prayers. Ritchson addressed Jarma’s claim that God answering prayer would be interfering with free will, as well as her view that “God is evil” for not answering the prayers of children who are suffering.

“There’s a video making its rounds where a girl on TikTok confidently eviscerates a Christian for believing in prayer,” said Ritchson, “and ultimately concludes that God is evil.” He then played Jarma’s TikTok video, which starts with a clip of a woman saying that God answered her prayer. [Editor’s note: This video contains language some may find offensive.]

Alan Ritchson Tackles the Problem of Evil

Jarma, who is a Satanist, starts her rebuttal by burping in response to the woman’s claim. “I live in the Bible belt, and I see people talk like this all day long on the internet,” Jarma said. “For one, God cannot answer prayers because that would be interfering with free will.”

However, even if God does answer prayer, Jarma believes that would still be a problem. “When you spout on the internet or in front of people that a God has answered your prayers, do you know what you’re really saying?” she asked. People who believe that God has specifically blessed them are saying that he is “picking and choosing who to bless.” That means he is choosing not to bless others, such as people experiencing significant suffering.

“Do you know how many children are praying not to get raped?” Jarma asked, also noting that many children go hungry. “But your God blessed little ol’ you. Honey, your God is evil. Evil.”

Alan Ritchson, an actor whose credits include “Fast X” and “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” said that Jarma’s video has been widely shared, but that he has noticed in the comments people are not questioning Jarma’s point that God is interfering with free will when answering prayer. “But that’s not only theologically unsound,” said Ritchson, “it’s…the point.”

“The point of prayer is to build a relationship with this all-powerful, all-knowing deity who desires to interfere with our lives,” Ritchson continued. “I pray all the time that God interfere with my life in a way that aligns the path that I walk with his will.”

The actor explained that God is not treating him like a puppet, forcing him to live a certain way, but rather wants to bless people by helping them follow him. Ritchson quoted Jeremiah 33:3, which says, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

‘Home Sweet Home’—Tori Kelly Is Home From the Hospital, Grateful for Prayers and Flowers From Beyoncé

By

Janna Firestone

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August 2, 2023

After quite a scary ordeal, Christian singer Tori Kelly is happily recovering at home. She spent more than a week in the hospital after collapsing due to blood clots, some dangerously near vital organs.

Kelly continued to keep her fans as updated as she could, even from the hospital. “I love you all so much & I’m truly overwhelmed by all of the love & care I have received. Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” she said in a recent online post.

Fans—Including Beyoncé—Encourage Tori Kelly As She Recovers

The Grammy Award-winning and Dove Award-winning singer and songwriter has impacted the lives of many around the world. Fans such as Greg Laurie, Brandon Lake, Andy Mineo, and Tedashii joined thousands of others praying for her, her family, and her recovery.

Kelly revealed in an Instagram post that someone messaged her, saying, “Hi! Hope you’re feeling good!” The text continued, “Beyoncé sent flowers to the house. No one was home so they left them under this tree.”

Kelly replied in disbelief, “ummmmm. beyonce?”

Kelly is now home and taking time to recover. She was disappointed to miss events and commitments, but admitted to her fans, “I know my health must come first.”

In the full Instagram post, Kelly captured the warm welcome she received from her dogs, Frodo and Dobby. The trio sat on the floor and cuddled for quite some time. And the pups might have had some help writing a get well card to Kelly, complete with purple paw prints.

Several bouquets of flowers line the breakfast bar in the kitchen as beautiful reminders of friends, family, and fans who are praying for Kelly’s recovery. And recovery isn’t complete without Kelly playing her video games on her Nintendo Switch and reliving her favorite “Friends” moments while resting on the couch.

The Christian artist is embracing health—and a box of specialty donuts—while she focuses on doctors’ orders and recovery.

Nearly 200,000 likes later, fans everywhere are sending their well wishes and encouragement as Kelly continues to recover.

Model Ashley Graham posted, “Our girls [sic] home🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼so do those flowers mean there’s a collab coming? Bc I def need a Bey / Tori track!”

Another fan said, “Prayed for your fast recovery. Glad your [sic] home sis. Continue to bless the world with your gift.”

Former Pastor Pleads Guilty in Transgender Sex Worker Murder Case

By

Dale Chamberlain

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August 2, 2023

Former Detroit pastor Albert Weathers has pleaded guilty to second degree murder and felony firearm in connection with the death of Kelly Stough, a Detroit native who identified as a transgender woman.

Stough died of a single gunshot wound to the left underarm. The 36-year-old was well known in Detroit’s Ballroom scene, a community of largely Black and Latino drag performers.

Weathers, then pastor of Logos Baptist Church in Detroit, had contacted police after fleeing the scene of the shooting, which took place on Dec. 7, 2018. He alleged that Stough was attempting to rob him when his firearm accidentally went off.

However, authorities have alleged the shooting stemmed from a dispute over payment for sex services.

Weathers was subsequently arrested.

Kyra Butts, a trans sex worker in Detroit, testified in 2019 that Weathers frequently saw sex workers in the area. Butts reported avoiding Weathers, because he was allegedly known to give sex workers the “run around” when it came to payment.

“His attitude was aggressive and kind of intimidating,” Butts testified.

Weathers bonded out following his arraignment in February 2019 and has spent the pretrial period out of jail, something that has indirectly contributed to the delay of his trial. With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing jury trials to be put on hold, prosecutors reportedly prioritized cases with defendants in custody after pandemic-related restrictions began to loosen.

Weathers’ guilty plea is part of a sentencing agreement in which Weathers has agreed to serve eight years for the second degree murder charge and two years for the felony firearm charge.

According to MLive, Stough’s mother, Jessica Chantae Stough, has agreed to the plea deal.

Kenny Jahng: What Church Leaders Need To Know About AI

By

Jessica Mouser

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August 2, 2023

The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast · Kenny Jahng: What Church Leaders Need To Know About AI

Kenny Jahng is an entrepreneur, strategic advisor, and former pastor. He is the editor-in-chief of ChurchTechToday.com, founder of AiForChurchLeaders.com, and founder of Big Click Syndicate, a strategic marketing advisory firm helping Christian leaders build marketing engines that work.

Joining Ed in this week’s conversation is Steele Billings. Steele is a technologist who currently leads Gloo’s AI & the Church initiative, which includes a $25 million fund that invests in faith-driven organizations leading research and development around the responsible use of AI in ministry.

Other Ways To Listen to This Podcast With Kenny Jahng

► Listen on Amazon
► Listen on Apple
► Listen on Google
► Listen on Spotify
► Listen on YouTube

Other Podcasts in This Series

“Mihretu Guta: How the Church Should Respond to the Ethical Dangers of AI” by Jessica Lea on ChurchLeaders
“Yvonne Carlson: How To Use AI Effectively in Your Ministry” by Jessica Lea on ChurchLeaders

Key Questions for Kenny Jahng

-What are the different types of AI and why do they matter?

-What are some of the ethical dangers of AI for church leaders?

-Why is it important for the church to be involved in technological innovation?

-How can ministry leaders use AI? What are some mistakes they should avoid?

Key Quotes From Kenny Jahng

“At the end of the day, that’s what the whole promise of AI is, is that AI is going to help ministries scale personal relationships with technology.”

“We’ve had AI baked into our lives for years and years and years, whether you’ve already been using GPS or Google autocomplete in searches or Netflix queue or an Amazon recommendation feed…all that stuff is behind the scenes. And what this latest version, which we’re calling ‘generative AI’ is, is basically taking all that brainiac AI machine learning and then adding on top of that a layer called ‘natural language processing.’”

“Now, instead of having to learn code or again, be a nerd, you really could just use plain English or any other language and talk to the machine as if you and I are in Starbucks and asking a question.”

“What’s so interesting about this development, this innovation front that we’re calling generative AI, is it’s not industry specific. It’s not just for accountants, it’s not just for law.”

“This AI technology hallucinates, as we say. It doesn’t actually give back factual information all the time. Sometimes it’s off, sometimes it’s wrong, and it says it with confidence.”

Crew of ‘The Chosen’ Is ‘Here for a Purpose’

Continued Success of ‘The Chosen’

Dr. Henry Cloud: 5 Steps to Building Trust

Pastor Rick’s Approach to Ministry

Why ‘Sound of Freedom’ Is Worth Seeing

Sound of Freedom Controversy

How Can Christians Fight Sex Trafficking?

16 Satanic Lies About Worship

1. Worship is all about you.

2. You should be “getting something” out of worship.

3. Worship is irrelevant; it doesn’t matter.

4. Only exciting, emotional worship matters.

5. Boring worship does not count.

6. Worship matters only inside the church building.

7. You can worship on the creek bank as well as you can in church.

8. The quality of your worship does not matter; all that matters is you’re giving it to God.

Jesus Is Not a Cosmic Vending Machine

What Makes a Compelling Worship Service?

1. Transcendent:

Doubts Can Be Part of the Faith Process

Away From the Faith and Back Again

10 Things Kids in Your Ministry Want You to Know

1. We can tell when you come unprepared.

2. We love it when you use our names when speaking to us.

3. We really do want to learn.

4. We can tell whether you really love us or just put up with us.

5. We don’t mind being corrected, but we hate coming to church and being yelled at.

6. Just as you can tell from the very start how things will go the rest of the day, so can we.

7. We like it when you use pictures, objects and anything we can see, touch or pass around to remember your point.

Condoleezza Rice’s Upbringing

Leading During 9/11

The Story Behind the Making of ‘The Chosen’

COVID-19 Changed the Role of Church Communications Director

Alan Ritchson Tackles the Problem of Evil

Fans—Including Beyoncé—Encourage Tori Kelly As She Recovers

Other Ways To Listen to This Podcast With Kenny Jahng

Other Podcasts in This Series

Key Questions for Kenny Jahng

Key Quotes From Kenny Jahng

New Articles

New Podcasts