Beth Moore Shares What She ‘Didn’t Realize’ Before Watching the New Duggar Docuseries

June 5, 2023

“Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets” has revealed to author and Bible teacher Beth Moore just how much the teachings of Bill Gothard, which the Duggars promoted, have shaped her communities.

“I didn’t realize how much influence that whole Gothard movement had on my church and on my social circles until watching those couple of episodes,” said Moore in a Twitter thread Monday morning. “I didn’t realize that’s where the umbrella talk all came from. I didn’t realize that’s where saying parenting stuff like ‘first time every time’ came from.”

Bill Gothard is the founder of the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP), an organization that aims to teach people to follow Bible-based concepts in order to lead flourishing lives. IBLP has come under fire in recent years due to its alleged legalism and fear-based teachings, as well as sex abuse allegations directed at Gothard.

Moore said that Gothard’s teachings pervaded her social spheres, despite the fact that she never attended one of Gothard’s seminars or consumed any of his content. She also did not “get into” the Duggars’ reality show, “19 Kids & Counting.”

Duggar Family Docuseries Explores Impact of IBLP

The Duggars are a homeschool family from Arkansas who were featured in TLC’s reality show, “19 Kids and Counting” (2008-2015) and in the spin off, “Counting On” (2015-2020). TLC canceled “19 Kids and Counting” after news broke that Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s oldest child, Josh, had molested five girls, including four of his sisters.

The network later canceled “Counting On” after Josh Duggar was charged with receiving and possessing child sex abuse materials. Josh was convicted of those crimes on Dec. 9, 2021, and was sentenced to over 12 years in prison.

On June 2, Prime Video released four episodes in its docuseries, “Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets.” Among those featured in the docuseries are Jill Duggar Dillard, the fourth child of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar; Jill’s husband, Derick Dillard; Jim Bob’s sister, Deanna Duggar; Jill’s cousin, Amy King; and Duggar family friends, Jim and Bobye Holt.

In an interview with ChurchLeaders in February, Jim Bob and Michelle’s sixth child, Jinger Duggar Vuolo, described her experience growing up under the teachings of Bill Gothard, saying they were “based on fear, manipulation, control and superstition.”

“When I was a young mom, many of the peer families we knew were getting neck deep in [Bill Gothard] events & materials,” said Beth Moore Sunday night. “Couldn’t do it. He made my skin crawl. For one thing, I don’t trust heavy duty fundies pushing & policing girls’ purity. That’s a NOPE. In my view, that’s not for protection. That [is] for training predators and grooming prey.”

‘Affirm Evangelism by Saying NO to Factionalism’—Rick Warren Pens Open Letter to SBC

Janna Firestone

June 5, 2023

In the lead-up to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), Pastor Rick Warren has made it known that he will challenge the SBC Executive Committee’s decision to disfellowship Saddleback Church. Most recently, Warren expressed his views in an open letter “to Southern Baptists.”

In the letter, Warren called on Southern Baptist representatives who will be present at the annual meeting, called “messengers,” to vote to keep Saddleback within the fold of the denomination.

“Our appeal to reverse the Executive Committee ruling is NOT asking any Baptist to change their theology. Not at all,” Warren clarified. “The overwhelming majority of Southern Baptists are complementarian. But we reject the idea that Southern Baptists who disagree are an existential threat to our Convention, and not true Baptists.”

Rick Warren’s Open Letter to the SBC

“Thank you for reading this letter,” wrote Rick Warren. “As a Southern Baptist pastor with multi-generations of pastors in my family, my life has been shaped and nurtured by the SBC.”

Warren noted two reasons for writing such a letter: to share his deep “concern about our denomination’s 17 years of decline and the loss of a half million members just last year” and to “explain why Saddleback Church is appealing an Executive Committee ruling.”

With regard to the denomination’s decline, Warren pointed to the denomination’s sexual abuse crisis. Even with the SBC’s recent attempts to right the wrongs it has committed over the years, the denomination lost a half million members in 2022.

“That is a devastating, historic loss,” Warren said, “and nobody’s talking about it. It’s the largest single decline in the past 100 years of Southern Baptist history…and should be the number-one topic of discussion at the New Orleans convention,” he continued, referencing the denomination’s upcoming Annual Meeting (June 11-12).

Warren listed the SBC’s treatment of women among the top two reasons for such a decline within the denomination:

Coverups at the highest level in the Executive Committee of sexual assault, sexual abuse, sexual harassment in our agencies, in our seminaries, and in our churches, and even the exposure of demeaning conversations [that] reveal a deeply rooted disrespect and disregard and even contempt toward women with leadership and spiritual gifts.

The Executive Committee Decision on Saddleback Church

The SBC has a long and rich history, Warren argued, which began with the intent of bringing unique people together for a common purpose in the Great Commission.

“We are general Baptists (the original founding Baptists of 1609), revival Baptists, fundamentalist Baptists, Calvinist Baptists, and many other varieties of Baptists,” Warren reflected. “From the start, our unity has always been based on a common mission, not a common confession.”

He further reasoned that “every version of The Baptist Faith & Message has called itself a ‘consensus of opinion,‘ and it repeatedly warns us that it is not a creed to be used to enforce doctrinal uniformity or exclude members of our denominational family.”

Christian NBA Player Jonathan Isaac Announces Anti-Woke Apparel Line

Stephanie Martin

June 5, 2023

Jonathan Isaac, an NBA player who made headlines for refusing to kneel for the national anthem and refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, is creating an alternative sports-apparel company that champions Christian values. The 25-year-old forward, who plays for the Orlando Magic, announced an upcoming anti-woke clothing brand called UNITUS. Merchandise is expected to be available by August.

In the June 1 announcement video on Twitter, Isaac said his goal with UNITUS is “bringing people together over the love of God and country.” Just as other companies have the freedom to “attack or undermine” Christian and conservative values, the athlete noted, “we also have the freedom to create what we want to create.”

Jonathan Isaac: Standing Up for Beliefs Is Tough, but Necessary

As he prepares to launch his clothing line, Jonathan Isaac said he hopes to “sign athletes across all different sports.” One target audience, he said, includes “parents who want to buy their kids sneakers and clothes but wanna give their money to a company that they know is gonna work towards bolstering their values.”

In a clip from the Prager U short documentary “Unwoke Inc.,” Isaac said, “We can be proud of what we believe in. We don’t have to hide or be ashamed of it.” The basketball player added, “As the day continues to get darker and darker and crazier and crazier, you standing up for what you believe is only going to get harder. But it’s only going to become more and more necessary.”

In response to Isaac’s UNITUS announcement, Christian actress Candace Cameron Bure commented, “Go Jonathan!!!” Another person wrote, “Can’t wait to buy your clothing. Already burned the Nike woke garbage!”

Someone else pushed back, tweeting at Isaac: “Time out, time out… so what if you’re Christian and not conservative? Is this not the alienation you oppose?” Isaac responded: “If you’re for freedom in the marketplace, timetested values of faith, family, love of country, and can in fairness see that divisive sentiments are overtly pushed through media and [corporations] then UNITUS is for you, or you just want dope merch without the extras.”

Eddie Byun: Pastors Need Prayer

Jason Daye

June 5, 2023

If you’re in ministry and you’re feeling tired, hurried, anxious, and burned out, how can you find refreshment for your soul? In this week’s conversation on FrontStage BackStage, host Jason Daye is joined by Eddie Byun. Eddie is a professor and the Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program at Talbot School of Theology at Biola University. He has written a number of books, including “Praying for Your Pastor.” Together, Eddie and Jason look at the incredible importance of raising up a team of intercessors to pray for you, your family, and your ministry. Eddie also shares some great insights on how you can overcome ministry fatigue.

FrontStage BackStage Podcast Eddie Byun

View the entire podcast here.

Keep Learning

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

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Herdsmen Kill Dozens of Christians in Benue State, Nigeria

Morning Star News

June 5, 2023

Benue-River-in-Makurdi-Benue-state- — Benue River in Makurdi, Benue state, Nigeria. (Bandele Femi, Ashinze, Creative Commons)

ABUJA, Nigeria (Morning Star News) – A Roman Catholic catechist and his wife were among dozens of Christians killed in central Nigeria’s Benue state last month, a local official said.

Fulani herdsmen killed Dominic Dajo and his wife at the St. Peter Catholic Church in Hirnyam village, Guma County on May 8 in the course of massacring dozens of other Christians, said Christopher Waku, a member of the Guma Local Government Council.

Herdsmen on the same day attacked Tse Vambe, Tse Ortim and Torough Mbanyiar villages in the county, he said. Over the next two weeks they also attacked the Guma villages of Agasha, Gbajimba, Mbawa, Iyer, Tse Iortim, Yogbo, Nyiev, Yelwata, Ukohol, Ortese, Hirnyam, Uvir, Nzorov, Mbawa, Mbadwem, Mbabai and Semaka.

“On Wednesday, 24 May, the Fulani herdsmen attacked several of these communities, killing and destroying whole villages, and displaced thousands of these Christians from their communities,” Waku told Morning Star News in a text message.

Fulani herdsmen on May 11 invaded another set of villages, including Mbawa, killing 28 Christians, Waku said.

“So also, on Tuesday, 9 May, the herdsmen who are collaborating with Muslim terrorists killed more than 22 Christians in other villages as listed above,” he said.

Area resident said most of those killed in the attacks were women and children.

Nigeria led the world in Christians killed for their faith in 2022, with 5,014, according to Open Doors’ 2023 World Watch List (WWL) report. It also led the world in Christians abducted (4,726), sexually assaulted or harassed, forcibly married or physically or mentally abused, and it had the most homes and businesses attacked for faith-based reasons. As in the previous year, Nigeria had the second most church attacks and internally displaced people.

In the 2023 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Nigeria jumped to sixth place, its highest ranking ever, from No. 7 the previous year.

“Militants from the Fulani, Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and others conduct raids on Christian communities, killing, maiming, raping and kidnapping for ransom or sexual slavery,” the WWL report noted. “This year has also seen this violence spill over into the Christian-majority south of the nation… Nigeria’s government continues to deny this is religious persecution, so violations of Christians’ rights are carried out with impunity.”

Numbering in the millions across Nigeria and the Sahel, predominantly Muslim Fulani comprise hundreds of clans of many different lineages who do not hold extremist views, but some Fulani do adhere to radical Islamist ideology, the United Kingdom’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief (APPG) noted in a recent report.

“They adopt a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity,” the APPG report states.

Christian leaders in Nigeria have said they believe herdsmen attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians’ lands and impose Islam as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds.

If you would like to help persecuted Christians, visit https://morningstarnews.org/resources/aid-agencies/ for a list of organizations that can orient you on how to get involved.

If you or your organization would like to help enable Morning Star News to continue raising awareness of persecuted Christians worldwide with original-content reporting, please consider collaborating at https://morningstarnews.org/donate/?

This article originally appeared here.

Virtual Worshippers Often Satisfied, but More Americans Choose In-Person Services

Adelle M Banks

June 5, 2023

online_church — Photo credit: Samantha Borges / Unsplash.com

(RNS) — In the height of the pandemic, many Americans who attended in-person worship services turned to their computers and their couches instead for virtual viewing.

Now, the Pew Research Center finds a third of Americans regularly attend in-person worship services while a bit more than a quarter regularly watch religious services on TV or online.

Its new survey paints a detailed picture of which, why and how often Americans continue worshipping online or on TV:

Half of those who are regular online watchers of religious services usually do so alone.

More than half (61%) of those who virtually attend do not participate in worship activities as they did in person, such as singing, kneeling or praying out loud. But Black (49%) and Hispanic (47%) online worshippers are more likely to continue these practices virtually.

And while the majority (60%) of virtual viewers watch the worship service of one congregation, 32% watch those of two or three houses of worship and 6% watch four or more different congregations. One-quarter of regular online worshippers say they exclusively watch services of the congregation they usually attend.

“Regular” attenders were defined as those who said they watched or attended services in the month before the survey or had attended or watched at least monthly.

Chart by the Pew Research Center

The online survey of more than 11,000 Americans reports significant levels of satisfaction among those who are worshipping online.

“Broadly speaking, the survey finds that most Americans who watch religious services on screens are happy with them,” states the report on the survey, which was released on Friday (June 2). “Two-thirds of U.S. adults who regularly stream religious services online or watch them on TV say they are either ‘extremely satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with the services they see.”

A similar share of U.S. adults (68%) say they are extremely or very satisfied with the sermons and a bit more than half say they’re also quite satisfied with the music they hear at worship services they view online or on TV.

Still, a larger share of U.S. adults express significant satisfaction with aspects of in-person worship, with 74% of those who attend in person saying they are very or extremely satisfied with the sermons and 69% saying the same about the music.

Researchers delved into the nuances of religion and technology to report on the state of virtual and in-person worship in a survey taken in November, after the pandemic had waned but before the end of the national health emergency.

Chart by the Pew Research Center

The top major reason adults say they watch religious services online is because they’re convenient. While 43% of regular virtual viewers cite convenience, just a quarter cite safety, specifically a concern about contracting or spreading COVID-19 or other diseases.

But COVID remains a factor for some Americans who say they attend in-person services less often than they did before the pandemic. While 21% of less frequent attenders say they found other ways to pursue spiritual interests, an almost equal percentage (20%) said “I am still worried about COVID-19.”

Is It Okay for a Christian To . . . (Google Autofill)

James Emery White

June 5, 2023

thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Have you ever Googled “is it okay for a Christian to . . . ” and then filled in the blank with everything from watching Game of Thrones to cremation, attending a gay wedding to getting a tattoo, practicing yoga to drinking wine?

You’re not alone. But don’t get the answer off the internet. There’s a better way.

I sketched the following out on a whiteboard at the start of a weekend series offered at Mecklenburg Community Church (Meck), and one of my faithful staffers polished it up a bit for better consumption. I used it as a schematic of sorts on how to walk through things that present themselves to us in our modern day.

Let me take you through “is it okay for a christian to” and see what you think.

Finding out whether something is “okay” begins with the top left box, that reflects going to the Bible to see what it has to say. If you want to know whether something is okay for a Christian, then you need to start with the authoritative guide for Christ-following.

The Bible gives you one of three answers: permission, prohibition or principles.

If blanket permission is granted, your investigation is complete. You are free to partake or pursue. If there is a direct prohibition, then you are not.

But most of the time, particularly in regard to many of the issues puzzling Christians in our culture, there is neither a blanket permission nor prohibition. More often than not, the answers are thrown into the “freedom” box of life.

But it’s not cut-loose freedom; it’s freedom within the confines of a set of biblical principles. These principles form the boundary lines for freedom in Christ.

So is that the end of it? You simply pursue the freedom you’ve been given in light of the principles of the Bible?

No.

There’s Another Box, Best Labeled “Wisdom.”

While you and I may have joint freedom in Christ on a particular issue, it might be foolish for me to exercise it, but not for you. We all have backgrounds and dispositions, histories and inclinations, strengths and weaknesses.

Less sophisticated is just common-sense wisdom. Just because you’re free to do something doesn’t mean it’s smart.

(You may be free to get that tattoo but having “I love Samantha” inked on your arm at 16 may not be smart when you might start dating Sarah at 17, or want to marry Sharon at 23.)

Finally, there is the consideration of living out our lives before a watching world. In this regard, the apostle Paul gives two primary guidelines: first, do not do anything that would lead the world to believe you have disavowed Christ and worship another god; and second, do not exercise your freedom in a manner that would lead a fellow believer in close proximity into sin themselves.

Let’s call these ideas “witness” and “weakness.”

This is the gauntlet you run the questions of life through.

Sounds simple enough, but knowing how to do so is one of the principle lessons of discipleship, and few invest the time and energy needed to engage its dynamics.

As mentioned, at Meck we completed an eight-week journey through “is it okay for a christian to?” Here were the eight topics we explored:

Is it okay for a Christian to . . .

… watch Game of Thrones? (or anything rated “R”)

… drink wine or smoke marijuana?

… gamble?

… practice yoga?

… participate in, or even go to, a gay wedding?

… vote for _________? (many ways to fill in this blank!)

… get a tattoo, be cremated or have cosmetic surgery?

… not go to church?

If you’re interested in the series, you can get it here. It was one of the most popular series in the history of our church through various metrics we track.

Why?

People want to know what’s “okay.”

They just don’t know how to find out.

This article about “Is it Okay for a Christian To . . .” originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

What is the Cost of Healing?

Brandon Cox

June 5, 2023

Healing comes with a heavy cost. We can release our grip on resentment and rebellion, receive help, and experience renewal in every part of our lives. But if we do that, if we embrace the kind of healing available to everybody who is broken and in pain – we’ll have to let go of some things that are quite precious to us. That’s the cost of healing.

Like our pain, which we nurse closely. Or pride, which tells us we’re more okay than everybody else. Or shame, which tells us we’re way worse than everyone else. Or resentment, which we use as a weapon toward those who have harmed us and a wall for those who would try to get closer to us.

What is the Cost of Healing?

John, the evangelist, shares a story that is quite intriguing about an unnamed man who had been ill for 38 years. And for all of those years, he’d been waiting on something magical and mythical to make him well. (It’s found in John 5:1-9)

The legend, according to some manuscripts of John’s gospel, was that an angel would descend upon the Pool of Beth-zatha and stir the waters. The first one in the pool when the waters were stirred would be healed of their ailments, whether blindness, paralysis, or some other chronic issue.

The myth of the angel’s stirring of the waters made for a pretty fantastic story for those who were looking for false hope. Stories had probably been shared and embellished of people who had stepped into the waters and had received their miracle before a watching crowd. It’s the kind of story that appeals to our curiosity and our superstition while offering us a fleeting hope of an escape from our pain.

But when Jesus shows up, he ignores the myth of the angel and focuses instead on what is happening inside this one, broken man. Jesus challenges the man: “Do you want to be made well?”

Want? Why in the world would Jesus lead with that particular question? Who wouldn’t want to be made well? Who, in their right minds, wouldn’t snatch the first opportunity that came along to be healed and to be able to walk again?

Recall, however, that the man had a couple of things going for him.

First, he’d made a lifestyle out of doing nothing but waiting and being miserable. Obviously, he had survived for 38 years somehow. We don’t know how. Maybe he had well-to-do family members or friends. Or perhaps he begged for money and sympathetic strangers managed to meet his daily needs.

Whatever he was doing for those 38 years might sound miserable to most of us, but it worked for him. And that’s true for all of us sometimes. Misery is miserable, but it’s familiar.

Why would anyone hang onto pain? Because we get sympathy. Others step in to meet our needs. And we don’t have to do the deep soul-level work of wrestling through all of our issues.

And second, he had a couple of good excuses. “I don’t have anybody to help me…” And before Jesus can argue with that, he offers another, “when I try on my own, someone else always beats me to it.”

Do you ever get cynical like the man in this story? Resenting those who have plenty, or who are healthy, or who seem to have opportunities handed to them?

The cost of healing: Do you really want to be healed?

It’s not such an outlandish question after all. I love that Jesus pays absolutely no attention whatsoever to the myth the locals keep telling. And he also ignores the man’s excuses and self-pity. Instead, he gives him a simple challenge…

“Stand up, take your mat and walk.”

Imagine, for a second, that standing up was a life-sized challenge for you for almost four decades of life. Along comes a man who seems to refuse to recognize your plight. This Jewish Rabbi comes across as pretty insensitive at this moment.

I think we’d be apt to be offended. But on the other hand Jesus offers a glimmer of hope.

And hope is the ONE thing that tends to woo us away from our places of brokenness and bitterness.

As the story goes, the man obeyed. He stood up. He walked away completely healed and forever changed by his encounter with Jesus.

Healing, whether I want to admit it or not, is all for the asking. It’s in plentiful supply for those who are willing to hope just enough to let go.

Think about it. Prayer is at our disposal. And whether you believe prayer has actual, divine, supernatural power or simply that it points our minds in a more positive and hopeful direction, prayer is a helpful tool.

People are available, too. We often hide from those who would most like to help us, but they’re out there.

The world is also wealthy with knowledge about human nature, how the mind works, and how we move through grief and trauma.

Healing is out there. It may be that healing and hope are completely within grasp for you, and have been so for years, but you’re still stalling at the question…

Do you want to be well? What’s the cost of healing?

The cost of healing is letting go of some of the things most precious to us. Our pain. Our pride. Our ego. Our protective wall of fear. Our resentment, which serves as a nice imaginary weapon of revenge.

Whether it’s saying a prayer, calling a friend, reaching out to a counselor or therapist… standing up and walking is the easy part.

What is the cost of healing? It’s the decision to actually do so that feels impossible.

This article about the cost of healing originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

Top 10 Worship Leading Tips

Tony Guerrero

June 5, 2023

I spent some time considering what the main worship leading tips are that I not only recommend to people in classes I teach and the articles I write but that I also use in my own weekly ministry. I have a hard time calling these my Top 10 worship leading tips since at various times other tips not mentioned here could be extremely important, but these were the ones that I tend to rely on frequently.

Top 10 Worship Leading Tips

1. Don’t Be Late

There is simply, in my opinion, no excuse for being chronically late. Lateness happens occasionally to all of us, but chronic lateness is a sign that something is out of order in someone’s life—either pride, organization, priorities, over-commitment…something. Whatever the reason, it does not honor God to hold everyone else up on a regular basis. If you struggle with this, make it a top priority to deal with it.

2. Lead Individually

There are no catch-all rules for dealing with people. The way you deal with one singer on your team may not work for another singer. Get to know your team members individually—what makes them tick, what they love, the dynamics their families and jobs bring to the equation. Give extra time and grace to those who need it. Your expectations and methods should be flexible enough to allow many types of personalities to coexist in your ministry.

3. It’s Better to Stop a Song

Among worship leading tips, this is tial: Guitar horribly out of tune? Stop. Did the drummer start playing in 3/4 instead of 4/4? Stop. Are the singers singing a different song than the band is playing? Stop. Too often, our performance mentality dictates that we’re supposed to pretend that nothing is going wrong so the audience won’t notice. They notice. Just stop and fix it. I don’t have perfect pitch, so one time when my keyboard accidentally got transposed, I didn’t realize it right away. Until the singer started to sing and couldn’t reach the notes. I should have stopped and fixed it, but my inexperience told me to keep going and pretend nothing was wrong. I think that singer has just now almost recovered from his head explosion.

4. Give Creative Authority Away

Are you the only person on your team making creative decisions? Shame on you. Start giving your team members creative input and authority. They have a responsibility to work within the parameters you set, but ultimately, they will shine when given ownership over some of the creative expression. My pastor, Rick Warren, wrote, “When you give authority with responsibility, you’ll be amazed at the creativity of your people.”

5. Don’t Let the Trends Dictate Direction

Just because the latest and greatest worship song is a rocker doesn’t mean your congregation can no longer worship God with a favorite hymn. It is our human economy that lets us believe God cares at all about trends—He doesn’t. He’s already heard the latest fad long before it came out. And besides, fads are based on generalities that are often easily disproved. For example, modern worship, which is arguably most heavily influenced by U2’s music, tends to be marketed toward the 18-30 crowd. But U2 came out in the early ’80s, which means their music is just as relevant to people in their 40s and 50s. Age, styles, tempos, volumes, instruments—it’s all up for grabs. Don’t get pigeonholed by trends. Authenticity beats hipness any day.

Carey Nieuwhof: 7 Kinds of People You Can’t Afford to Keep

Carey Nieuwhof

June 5, 2023

In leadership, you always face your share of critics. Everyone has an opinion, and if you’re like me, you can get focused on keeping people happy, which is always a critical leadership mistake. Your church or your organization isn’t for everyone (here’s why). Usually, the discussion at the leadership table will end up with someone saying: Look: we can’t afford to lose people. Sometimes that’s true. Often, it’s simply not. In fact, often the opposite is true. The people you are most afraid of losing are the people you most need to lose. Truthfully, you can’t afford to keep them.

Who You Can’t Afford to Keep

So who can you not afford to keep if you want your mission to move forward?

1. You can’t keep perpetual critics.

2. You can’t afford to keep people who are opposed to everything.

3. You can’t afford to keep people who drain the energy and health out of a church or organization.

4. You can’t keep people who contribute nothing and criticize everything.

5. You can’t afford to keep people who have no vision of what the future should be, only a vision for what the future shouldn’t be.

Are Your Teenagers Daring To Share?

Greg Stier

June 4, 2023

When I was 15, I was eager to share my faith and wanted to reach all the teens in my city, but I knew that I—or even my youth group—couldn’t do it alone.

So I picked up a phone book; called nearby Community Baptist Church; and asked the youth pastor if I could come train his group to share the Gospel. He agreed, and within a couple days I found myself on my bike, pedaling the five miles up the road to teach the CBC teens how to share their faith.

I’ve been pedaling ever since.

In the 42 years since that Wednesday night youth group meeting, I’ve had the privilege of training millions of teenagers to share the Gospel. I’ve trained teens in countless youth rooms, arenas, conference centers, open fields, and living rooms. I’ve trained teens through livestreams and live events, through books and curriculum, through YouTube clips and summer camp event centers.

New Generation, Same Message

Over that time, some things have changed. Gen Z is different from Gen X. But one thing that hasn’t changed is the Gospel and every generation’s need for it.

That’s why I’m super-excited to tell you about a free four-week curriculum we’ve developed. It will train your teenagers to:

bring up the Good News of Jesus naturally with those they know and meet.
pray for, care for, and share the Gospel with their friends (out loud, with words).
explain the whole message of the Gospel in a clear and compelling way.
give them an opportunity to respond to the Good News right then and there.

This curriculum leverages what I’ve learned in four-plus decades of training teenagers to share the Gospel. What’s exciting is how simple it is!

What’s in the Curriculum?

We call it Takeoff to Touchdown: How to navigate a Gospel conversation, and in it, we compare flying a plane to sharing the Good News of Jesus. How do you fuel up with the right motivation? How do you get people on board? How do you take off (begin the conversation)? How do you follow the flight plan (share the message)? How do you land (wrap up the conversation)?

The curriculum comes with videos, games, a leaders guide, digital-download handouts, and PowerPoints—everything you need for a successful lesson series.

Use this series to equip your teenagers to share the Gospel with their friends and watch how your teenagers will grow as they go! There’s no better discipleship accelerator to get your teens growing in Christ than peer-to-peer evangelism.

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

Why It’s Great to Be a Faceless, Nameless Pastor

Bill Rose

June 4, 2023

Why It’s Great to Be a Faceless, Nameless Pastor

When it comes to pastors, it seems like people are looking for something a little extra, a Pastor+, a rockstar. Err’body wants to be that “cool” pastor. The one with a slick insta, clever quotes and 🔥 sermon clips.

I used to try so hard to be that guy, but I’m over it. I don’t want to be an entertaining, self promoting, personal brand anymore. My calling is to lay my life down, not lift myself up. I am supposed to serve, protect, and equip others for the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12). I do not expect people to serve me, protect me, and put me on a pedestal, even in the name of “honor”. Don’t get me wrong, I think honor is important. You should honor your pastor, and your pastor should honor you. But sometimes honor looks more like idolatry, putting a man on a pedestal, clothing him a mysterious veil of Godliness, and delightfully seeking his affirmation & praise. We should prayerfully discern the difference.

Unfortunately, many of the men who “inspired” me in my early years of ministry were all celebrities who have since been released from their pastor jobs. Almost all of the pastors I looked up to back in 2011, 2012, 2013 are now considered cheaters, liars, abusers, drunks, and narcissists. I could name names but too many fanboys would be offended and come after me in the comments.

This year I sat back and began reevaluating things. What is ministry, the purpose of the church, the actual purpose of a pastor? Honestly, part of me was just tired of celebrity culture in the church, the pressure to be cool, the church growth conferences and trainings. I grew tired of church shoppers and hoppers who are looking for the next or the nearest megachurch. The false belief that big is better, or the idea that “growth” is the premiere sign of health.

Anyway, as I was saying…Pastors aren’t supposed to be cool. We are not supposed to be “fashionistas” or even “visionaries.” We are ALL called to decrease, so that Jesus can increase (John 3:30). HIS name should be popular, not mine.

Someone on FB in a pastor support group recently asked “which preacher/pastor has influenced your ministry the most?” Everyone threw celebrity names in the pot, but I threw in names like Mark Whitfield, Bill Rose Sr, Cutty Peacock. Nobody knows their names, but they are the ones who truly influenced and formed me. I might have lusted after some celebrity pastors in my twenties, but these were the faceless, nameless pastors who were on the phone with me at midnight, or meeting me for coffee randomly to discuss my marriage issues, and helping me make important life decisions.

The church doesn’t need more rich celebrity pastors who get likes and clicks and retweets because of their shoes. Instead, we need more underdogs who dive on the ball and come up bruised, but make the play anyway. We need more transparency, more brokenness, more humans in ministry who are simply doing the work of feeding, leading & protecting the “flock” God has given them.

We need faceless, nameless, pastors who will never get the adoration of the world because their desire is for Jesus to have all of the glory. I want to be that guy. The guy who teaches other guys how to read and understand the Bible. I want to be the guy who takes random midnight phone calls, teaches the importance of sexual purity, and spends time talking with younger dudes about Jesus instead of clothes, brands, or other celebrity church stuff.

Pastors, we don’t need to look awesome, we don’t need to be cool. We just need to be Pastors.

This article originally appeared here.

So We’re Unmarried but Living Together—What’s the Big Deal?

Phil Smidt

June 4, 2023

If you are a pastor, counselor or church leader, you will increasingly encounter unmarried couples who are living together. Cohabitation is increasing and becoming more widely accepted as an alternative to marriage, with the result that marriage is being delayed or disregarded altogether. Cohabitation is here to stay. How do we counsel those for whom living together is the expected norm?

Many cohabiting couples are not actively part of a church community. They might attend church service, but have minimal involvement outside of that.

Counseling such couples is an important opportunity to help get them involved in church community and service. As they begin to make friends and receive support in preparing for life and marriage now, it prepares them for helping others in the future.

Counsel each couple on an individual basis instead of trying a one-size-fits-all approach. All cohabiting couples have unique situations they are facing.

Most People Living Together Fall into One of 3 Categories

Willful couples

Couple living together who care little about what pastors say because they have a low view of Scripture and the authority of the church. They usually claim to be Christians and will tell us their Christian parents and friends are fine with their lifestyle. They often ask to be shown a verse that says they can’t live together. They need to be taught about God’s design for marriage in Scripture.

Stuck couples

Couples who know it is sinful and wrong to be living together, but feel trapped and ashamed. Most of these couples want to make changes, but need support, encouragement and a plan to act upon.

Unaware couples

These are couples who have never heard the biblical view and once they do, they want to change. They are soft to Scripture and want to be led. They are quite often either not yet Christians or very young in the faith. Often, they are in difficult living situations in which separation won’t be helpful or practical (for example, they own a house together, are raising kids together, or are new to the city with no family or friends). They need prayerful help crafting a plan, ongoing counseling and care from the church.

Anxiety in Children’s Ministry: How To Deal With It

Dale Hudson

June 3, 2023

ministry anxiety — Adobestock #108151387

You look down the hallway and see two classrooms without teachers because they called out this morning….anxiety.

VBS starts in 2 weeks and you still need 3 teachers…anxiety.

One of your best teachers resigned yesterday…anxiety.

You are working on your day off…anxiety.

A parent is upset because they lost their pick-up tag…anxiety.

You have a meeting with the Pastor because a few parents are complaining…anxiety.

You’ve got so much on your mind that you are having a hard time sleeping…anxiety.

A child breaks their arm at kids’ camp…anxiety.

You have a meeting with a volunteer that is upset…anxiety.

You haven’t been able to take a vacation in over a year…anxiety.

You have to take work home because there is so much to do…anxiety.

You planned for 10 children to show up for the event…but 50 show up…anxiety.

All of your plans for kids’ camp were on a laptop and the laptop crashes…anxiety.

A parent is 45 minutes late to pick-up their child after an event…anxiety.

It rains out your big, outside event…anxiety.

You feel like you are under constant pressure…anxiety.

You feel overwhelmed with what you are being asked to do…anxiety.

No matter how hard you work you can’t seem to catch up…anxiety.

You are being asked to do something that requires additional budget money, but you have no extra budget funds to cover it…anxiety.

You are struggling with your health while trying to keep a happy face…anxiety.

There are way too many things to get done in a 9am to 5 pm work day…anxiety.

Do you relate to any of these scenarios? I do.

Around 15 years ago, I was under so much stress in ministry that I begin to have extreme anxiety. The church had grown from 8,000 to 16,000 in three years. The children’s ministry I led grew by thousands of kids.

It happened so fast that we could barely keep up. There were some weeks when we would have 200 new families check in.

I was working 60-70 hours a week to keep up. As my ministry anxiety continued to ramp up, I developed clinical depression. My anxiety led to extreme insomnia. I went an entire week without sleeping. Yes…you read that correctly…one week.

Ministry anxiety can take you to a dangerous place where you do not want to be. It can even take you out of ministry if you don’t learn how to deal with it.

Anxiety can cause you to feel nervous.

Anxiety can cause you to feel helpless.

Anxiety can cause you to have a sense of impending danger or doom.

Anxiety can cause your heart rate to increase.

‘I Want To Be a Spokesman For Jesus’—Jase Robertson on the K-Love Fan Awards Red Carpet

Jesse T. Jackson

June 2, 2023

Jase and Missy Robertson of 'Duck Dynasty' on the red carpet at the K-Love Fan Awards. Photo credit: Isabel Jackson

ChurchLeaders had the opportunity to talk with Jase Robertson from the “Unashamed with Phil & Jase Robertson” podcast and the hit television series “Duck Dynasty” on the red carpet of the K-Love Fan Awards this past Sunday (May 29).

The popular duck hunter was accompanied by his wife, Missy, and joined his brother Al, and father Phil, greeting fans on the red carpet in hope of claiming the K-Love Fan Award for “Podcast of the Year.”

The Robertson’s podcast describes itself as taking the listener “beyond the four walls of the church to experience God’s Word, take on the culture, and laugh along with funny and inspiring stories of faith and family.” Instead of calling it a podcast, the Robertsons—especially Phil—call it a Bible study.

ChurchLeaders asked Jase what it meant to him to be walking the red carpet at the K-Love Fan Awards.

“It’s special because we’re connecting over air waves—we’ve done almost 700 episodes—and it’s not about us,” Jase said. “You know, we tell a few quirky stories, but we have the greatest script the world has ever known. We’re out there sweating, doing all-night prep sessions, just to try to convey who Jesus says in a real meaningful way.”

He explained that it “means a lot for us now to see” people loving the podcast. “It’s a little bit overwhelming, to be honest.”

The celebrity has taken criticism for unashamedly talking about Jesus and praying on the show “Duck Dynasty.” ChurchLeaders asked Jase how he would encourage not just pastors but all Christians in today’s world to be bold and to not back down when faced with opposition regarding their faith.

“I think it just comes from staying in the Word,” he said, and realizing what it means when Jesus was talking about being “blessed when people insult you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:10).

“You know, I’m trying to love everybody,” Jase said. “I’m trying to get people to put their faith and trust in Jesus because really, the benefits are not offered out in the world here. We get forgiveness. We get community. We get forever!”

Jase said Jesus tells his followers that they will be persecuted. “So I tend to not look at each individual case more than just that I want to be a spokesman for Jesus. And if I get persecuted, you know what, so be it.”

Watch the K-Love Fan Awards on TBN or the TBN app Friday, June 2nd at 8 pm and 10 pm est.

‘The Chosen’ Creator Responds to Dustup About Employee’s Pride Flag

Stephanie Martin

June 2, 2023

Dallas Jenkins, creator and director of the “The Chosen,” has addressed the latest controversy surrounding his TV series about Jesus’ life and ministry. After an openly gay cameraman’s Pride flag was visible on set, some people criticized “The Chosen” for “going woke” and even called for a viewer boycott.

In a June 1 Instagram post, Jenkins wrote, “I’m currently too busy filming our Jesus show to extensively discuss our crew personal workspace policies with the world, but I’ll release some thoughts and answer some questions in the near future.”

In the comments, Jenkins added, “Here’s what I briefly said to the Daily Caller when the so-called ‘story’ first broke: ‘We’ve made it clear from the beginning we don’t have a religious or political litmus test for who can work on our show. I love our cast and crew, especially because even though they all come from different backgrounds and beliefs, they work their butts off for the show and the viewers. The show’s official stance on anything is to be found in the content of the show.’”

Dallas Jenkins: Employees Encounter Christ on ‘The Chosen’ Set

During a June 1 interview with The Christian Post, Dallas Jenkins explained that what matters most is an employee’s qualifications to help tell this story. “We are not a church in which all of our employees are going to fit under one particular mission statement, one particular belief system,” Jenkins told reporter Jeannie Ortega Law. Because he leads a for-profit public media company that has investors, Jenkins explained, the top objective is who’s the best person for each job.

“When it comes to [employee] personal belief systems or what they wear,” Jenkins continued, “we’re not going to do what we’ve seen other people do, where sometimes you’ll see a Christian not allowed to wear a hat or express themselves or put a sticker on their desk that expresses their beliefs…We’re not going to do the same thing in reverse.”

As long as employees continue to work toward making “The Chosen” as great as possible, Jenkins added, “We think our viewers should be saying thank you, especially to those who might have different beliefs than we do and yet are still willing to work their tails off for this show and for the message of the show.”

Valedictorian Goes Viral After Boldly Delivering Gospel Message in Graduation Speech

Janna Firestone

June 2, 2023

Lydia Owens speech — Screengrab via Twitter @waynebray

Lydia Owens, valedictorian of Woodmont High School in Piedmont, South Carolina, surprisingly and boldly shared the gospel as she addressed her fellow graduating seniors.

Owens “clearly communicated that Jesus alone determines value, defines success, provides real satisfaction, and gives us hope when everything around us falls apart,” shared Pastor Wayne Bray. “She unashamedly made much of her Savior.”

“Yes, tragedy struck Lydia’s life, and its impact was great. But she is a living example that God’s grace is greater!” As a pastor’s kid, it may not be a surprise that Owens included Jesus in her speech, but “this young lady took it to the next level,” shared Bray.

Valedictorian Speech Includes the Gospel Message

Owens began her speech by addressing the crowd and welcoming them. She then went on to confess her own temptations with perfectionism and a high focus on achievements.

But, the valedictorian proclaimed, “You are so much more than how well you perform.”

“If you place your identity in what you accomplish, and you believe you are only good enough if you succeed, what happens when you fail?” Owens proposed in her speech. “What happens when you don’t have a lot of money or you don’t have a lot of friends?”

Owens continued, “Placing your identity in the things of this world will disappoint you, because they are only temporary.”

“I had that reality check almost two years ago when my mom passed away,” she shared. “When tragedy struck my life, it was not my grades or my accomplishments that helped me navigate through that loss.”

The valedictorian spoke of the hope she had experienced, saying, “When everything else in my life felt uncertain the only person that I could depend on to stay the same was Jesus.”

The crowd erupted with applause.

Owens shared, “My perspective of success drastically changed, because I realized the many years I spent placing my worth in my academics meant absolutely nothing in eternity.”

“Speaking from my experience, constantly striving to be perfect has never satisfied me,” she said. “But what does satisfy me is knowing that my worth is not found in my successes or my failures.”

“My worth—and your worth—is found in Jesus because he is the only one who will ever satisfy us.” Owens said.

“No matter what your future holds, please remember that life is so much more than how successful you are. Even if you accomplish all of your dreams or none of them at all, you are still valuable and still good enough, because you are made in the image of God,” Owens concluded, “You don’t have to worry about whether or not you’ll be successful because God promises that his grace is sufficient for us and his power is made perfect in our weakness.”

Lydia Owens recently delivered a speech at the Woodmont High School graduation ceremony, where she was recognized as the school’s Valedictorian and Senior Class President. Lydia is the daughter of our Executive Pastor, Brian Owens. So it might not surprise you that she mentioned… pic.twitter.com/MISArwjjPn

— Wayne Bray (@waynebray) June 1, 2023

One person commented after she watched the graduation. “I was in attendance & was blown away at her boldness in truth. I was admittedly surprised, but also thrilled she was permitted to have all of it in her speech,” she said. “When she started talking about however you define success will leave you empty, I thought – go girl. Overheard: ‘preach.'”

‘One of the Largest Pastor Gatherings of Its Kind’—A Recap of TPUSA Faith’s Pastors Summit

Jesse T. Jackson

June 2, 2023

TPUSA Faith's Pastors Summit in Nashville, TN. Photo credit: Jesse T. Jackson

Over the course of three days last week (May 24-25), Turning Point USA Faith (TPUSA Faith) encouraged over a thousand pastors in Nashville, Tennessee, to boldly stand for conservative values in an ever-changing world.

The event including testimonies, panels, speakers, and worship from various pastors, subject matter experts, and leaders in the faith community. Those in attendance included TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk, Dave Ramsey, Rob McCoy, Jentezen Franklin, Eric Metaxas, Allen Jackson, Frank Turek, James Lindsay, E.W. Jackson, Michael Knowles, Riley Gaines, Danny Gokey, Troy Maxwell, Russell Johnson, Steve Berger, Kevin McGary, Kelly Shackelford, Scott Macleod, Michael Chandler, Michael Oher, John Amanchukwu, David Engelhardt, David Barton, Ian Gilchrist, Pierre Wilson, Leanne Matthesius, Raleigh Washington, Lily Hate, Michael O’Fallon, Chad Connelly, Bill Federer, Victoria Robinson, Clint Mosley, Rich Green, and Fox News’ Pete Hegseth.

In a tweet, Kirk said of the event, “WOW! 1,100 pastors and wives in Nashville, TN for one of the largest pastor gatherings of its kind. Fighting for liberty and biblical values. Praise God!”

Rob McCoy

Pastor Rob McCoy of Godspeak Calvary Chapel in Newbury Park, California, told those in attendance that “the loudest voice of opposition” they encountered when they were sued by Ventura County for violating COVID-19 pandemic restrictions “was for many in the church itself.”

“I want you to understand the sole purpose of this conference is to equip you to protect your ability, for your sheep, to hear the truth and to know the truth, and that truth would set them free,” McCoy said.

Charlie Kirk

Kirk exhorted church leaders to “hate evil,” citing Psalm 97:10. He also warned, “If you’re not educating your congregation on what’s happening in the news, then they’re gonna go somewhere else.” Kirk urged those in attendance to ensure that the “church is never labeled non-essential again.”

In-N-Out Burger

Sean Ellingson, husband of In-N-Out Burger owner and president Lynsi Snyder, shared how their company refused to enforce California COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

“My wife is an unbelievable warrior,” Ellingson said. “She’s like, ‘Well, what if I get arrested?…I’ll go to jail.’ And I’m thinking, oh, gosh, I gotta take care of the kids. I’m not kidding, you guys. She really was willing to sacrifice, even to that extent, to stand for [what she believes in].”

“That decision had everything to do with our faith,” Ellingson said.

Ellingson shared some of the spiritual disciplines he and his wife turn to during tumultuous times. “We fast. We pray. We’re actively involved with our church. We have a Monday night study group that we lead and have been a part of for many years now.”

One of the most important things is recognizing the need for the body of Christ, he said. “The Holy Spirit will reveal and lead us, but sometimes we’re not so keen to following his lead or recognizing where he’s leading us or what he’s saying to us. And for that, we need the rest of the body of Christ.”

‘Pro-Family’ or ‘Grossly Unjust’? Evangelicals and Conservatives Debate New Anti-Gay Law in Uganda

Dale Chamberlain

June 2, 2023

Anti-Gay Law in Uganda — FILE - A gay Ugandan couple cover themselves with a pride flag as they pose for a photograph in Uganda on March 25, 2023. Uganda's president Yoweri Museveni has signed into law tough new anti-gay legislation supported by many in the country but widely condemned by rights activists and others abroad, it was announced Monday, May 29, 2023. (AP Photo, File)

As LGBTQ+ Pride Month is officially underway, discussions about queer rights and representation have loomed large in the American public discourse, leading to controversy and cultural embattlement.

Both Target and the Los Angeles Dodgers have recently come under fire for the religious overtones of their recognition of Pride this year, with some conservatives calling for a boycott of Target in response to their 2023 Pride Collection and denouncing the Dodgers’ decision to honor an LGBTQ+ activist group that dresses as nuns in drag.

Beyond arguments about the cultural influence of the LGBTQ+ community in America, a new anti-gay law in Uganda has provided an opportunity for some conservative and right-wing voices to offer their endorsement of a gay rights rollback, while others have joined a chorus of diverse voices condemning the legislation as inhumane.

Though homosexual acts were already illegal in Uganda, this new legislation, which was signed into law earlier this week, enacts stricter punishments. These sentences reportedly include life imprisonment for offenders and the death penalty for those convicted in “aggravated” cases. Aggravated cases include an offender having sex with someone who is a minor or in cases where someone is infected with a serious illness, such as HIV, whether accidentally or on purpose.

Parliamentary Speaker Anita Among said in a statement that the bill had “answered the cries of our people.” Roughly four-fifths of Ugandans identify as Christian.

The law has been decried by various governments around the world, as well as the United Nations, which characterized it as a “systematic violation of nearly all” human rights. Health experts are warning that the legislation may result in an increase in HIV cases, as those who are infected could be afraid of reprisals if they receive testing or treatment.

With news of the law quickly traveling the globe, a number of prominent evangelical leaders, as well as elected officials, have weighed in with their opinions.

U.S. Senator for Texas Ted Cruz decried the law on Monday (May 29), tweeting, “This Uganda law is horrific & wrong. Any law criminalizing homosexuality or imposing the death penalty for ‘aggravated homosexuality’ is grotesque & an abomination.”

“ALL civilized nations should join together in condemning this human rights abuse,” Cruz added.

While many voiced agreement with Cruz, with some noting that they were pleasantly surprised by the Republican senator’s stance, others were quick to voice their disagreement.

Jenna Ellis, former Trump lawyer and political commentator, said, “I stand with Uganda on this because the definition of ‘aggravated homosexuality’ (subject to the death penalty) is raping children.”

A day later, Florida pastor Tom Ascol told Cruz, “Tell it to God, Ted.”

Dave Ramsey Sued for $150 Million by Former Fans Who Followed His Timeshare Exit Advice

Bob Smietana

June 2, 2023

(RNS) — A group of former followers of Dave Ramsey has sued the Christian finance guru and radio host, along with his company and a marketing firm, for endorsing a failed timeshare exit company that allegedly defrauded customers out of millions.

Seventeen former Ramsey listeners filed a class-action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for Western Washington alleging Ramsey was paid as much as $30 million from 2015 to 2021 to endorse Timeshare Exit Team, a Kirkland, Washington-based firm that collected $200 million from clients — many of them Ramsey listeners — in exchange for a promise to free them from their timeshare obligations.

That promise came with a money-back guarantee.

But the company, which often collected more than $5,000 per customer, failed to live up to its promises. In 2021, Reed Hein & Associates LLC, which did business as Timeshare Exit Team, paid $2.61 million to settle a deceptive business practices lawsuit filed by the attorney general of Washington state and later went out of business.

The lawsuit alleges that Ramsey, Timeshare Exit Team and Happy Hour Media Group, a marketing firm with ties to Brandon Reed, one of the founders of Timeshare Exit Team, violated the Washington Consumer Protection Act by defrauding customers, committed “negligent malpresentation” and were guilty of “unjust enrichment” and conspiracy.

The lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $150 million.

Plaintiffs allege they relied on Ramsey’s enthusiastic support for Timeshare Exit Team and his expertise in finance when they decided to do business with the company.

Known for his hatred of timeshare companies, Ramsey had boasted about his confidence in the expertise of the Timeshare Exit Team. In a 2018 segment of his show, a video of which remains on the YouTube page of “The Ramsey Show,” Ramsey told listeners he had looked for years to find a company that could help people get out of timeshares.

“I never could find anything until I found this company called Timeshare Exit Team,” he said in the segment, which touted the company’s money-back guarantee. “About three years ago, we started endorsing them and I’ve had so much fun pissing off the timeshare people.”

As previously reported by Religion News Service, Ramsey stuck by the company, despite its legal troubles and allegations it had defrauded customers — claiming government officials, reporters and the timeshare industry had conspired against them.

“Instead of acknowledging the deception, Ramsey recorded a nine-minute radio segment in which he lashed out at anyone he felt to be responsible for Reed Hein’s woes,” the complaint alleges.

The complaint also details the tactics allegedly used by Reed Hein to defraud Ramsey’s listeners. After signing contracts with customers, the company would allegedly tell them to stop paying their timeshare fees and created fake property deeds aimed at convincing those customers they were free of their timeshares.

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