4 Traits of Leaders Who Thrive in Developing Volunteers

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June 19, 2023

Why do some leaders seem to be more natural at developing volunteers while others struggle? The good news is that this is not a mystery, and the principles and skills can be learned.

Leading and developing volunteers isn’t as simple as “Do you want to be an usher?” It’s part of a spiritual process, a transforming process that moves a person from a predominantly natural worldview to a Kingdom mindset.

If we treat volunteers like a mere transaction, (we need you to fill this role,) rather than part of transforming a community, the end results will always be less than desired.

I’m not suggesting that any leader would treat volunteers poorly, isn’t appreciative or has the wrong motives. But issues of pace and pressure, (demands of ministry,) can cause us move more quickly than we are able to communicate our heart while building teams.

The following are three fundamental principles that help establish a strong foundation for leading and developing volunteers.

Our passion for building great people must be greater than our passion for building a great church.
People are not the means to an end in church ministry, they are the focus of our attention, and the purpose for which we serve.
Leaders and volunteers alike are human, the process is messy not perfect. Therefore, a measure of grace in both directions is essential.

4 Traits of Leaders Who Thrive in Developing Volunteers

1. They Demonstrate an Awareness and Understanding of Human nature in Contrast to Redeemed Nature.

Even the apostle Paul said about himself, “What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise” (The Message, see Romans 7:14-23).

This is true of all of us. And we’re aware of simple realities like the difference between those who sign up and those who show up. I’m obviously not suggesting that’s a sin, but it is human nature.

However, in order to avoid frustration and intentionally extend grace there are basic realities we need to understand.

Human nature does not naturally and consistently seek to serve others. Human nature tends to drift back to self and put self first.

I catch myself “drifting back” often, like in traffic or in line at a grocery store behind someone who is looking for their coupons. I can be far too impatient with others, and then I remember how patient God is with me.

There is good news.

4 Tools To Help Understand Your Church Data

By

Matt Engel

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June 19, 2023

According to the Barna organization only 35% of Americans attend church weekly. In the article Christian America is in Decline, authors, Anthony B. Pinn and Tom Krattenmaker explain, “One reason so many are opting out of religion, or never opting in to begin with, is that churches are addressing the wrong questions.” In short, members leave because they feel their church doesn’t provide enough spiritual engagement. Some want more opportunities to serve, while others look for ways to solve frustrations or doubts. Many even feel church is irrelevant, and list the struggle to connect as the primary reason they leave—or never get involved at all. It’s time to rethink the decline in church attendance, learn about data, and discover how you can use church data to reach your communities and retain congregants.

Churches that Adopt New Ways to Connect are Thriving

Not all churches are declining. Some churches are thriving as they discover new ways to meet the spiritual and communal needs of those in their congregations and communities. One of the newest ways churches can determine these needs is with church data.

Carl Kuhl, lead pastor of Mosaic Church writes in Outreach Magazine, “The typical church is not good at tracking data. We keep track of how big the offering is. We keep good track of attendance. But we honestly don’t use data well.” It’s understandable why many church leaders are skeptical about data. Measuring success in a spiritual environment can be tricky—especially when you’re working with various demographics and opinions. “However,” Khul shares, “what has happened is we have gone so far into the ‘numbers don’t matter’ realm that we don’t have enough helpful data.” This proves a need for a healthy balance and understanding of data usage in churches.

Patricia Lotich of Smart Church Management writes in her article, 7 Keys to Church Growth, “Church members are one of the key customer groups in a church. Understanding their unique needs and ensuring their needs are met—within the scope of the vision—is critical to church growth.”

Using church data is an accurate and efficient way to gain insights about your people and make confident decisions, but before we jump into the ways you can use data in your church, let’s take a minute to discuss how data became big data.

How Church Data Became Big Data

Google defines data as “facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis.” Similarly, Google defines big data as “extremely large data sets that may be analyzed to reveal patterns, trends, and associations, especially relating to human behavior and interactions.”

Though the terms are relatively new, the idea of using data to guide decisions is not. In fact, data-informed decision-making dates back to ancient cultures. Ancient tribespeople tracked data by carving notches in bones or sticks, calculating trade activities, and determining how long their supplies would last.

In the 1660s, John Graunt collected mortality data and analyzed it to determine the frequency of various causes of death. He used that same data to refute the idea that the bubonic plague spreads by contagion. He even theorized an early warning system for the plague. Though mortality information had been collected for years, Graunt was the first to use the information to make connections to disease and population. The key here is that he used the data.

Today, analysts use data to predict heart disease or the spread of malaria and, of course, to track buying habits and encourage new purchases. But, just as John Graunt used data to draw conclusions to certain illnesses and disease, the data collected today does little good if it doesn’t drive action.

R.C. Sproul: God Is the Source

By

R.C. Sproul

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June 18, 2023

During the nineteenth-century potato famine in Ireland, my great-grandfather, Charles Sproul, fled his native land to seek refuge in America. He left his thatched roof and mud floor cottage in a northern Ireland village and made his way barefoot to Dublin—to the wharf from which he sailed to New York. After registering as an immigrant at Ellis Island, he made his way west to Pittsburgh, where a large colony of Scots-Irish people had settled. They were drawn to that site by the industrial steel mills led by the Scot, Andrew Carnegie.

My great-grandfather died in Pittsburgh in 1910, but not until he instilled a profound love for the tradition and yore of Ireland in his sons and grandsons. Thirty years ago, one of my cousins made a pilgrimage to north Ireland to seek his roots in the town from which our great-grandfather came. As he inquired about the whereabouts of any Sprouls, he was told by an elderly gentleman that the last surviving member of our family had perished when he stumbled on his way home from the local pub in a profound state of inebriation. He fell into a canal and drowned.

This leaves us with the stereotype of the Irish as hard-drinking, two-fisted men, who consider bricks to be “Irish confetti.” This caricature of the Irish, however, obscures some very important dimensions of Irish history. In the eighth century, missionary settlers to Ireland were very important to the Christianization of the British Isles that had been inhabited largely by pagans and barbarians. The monasteries in Ireland were noted for their devotion to scholarship, for copying biblical texts, and especially for adorning the biblical texts with magnificent illuminations. Their passion for scholarship and art quickly spread to Great Britain where the codification of ancient law was established, which has made an impact even on our land to this day.

One of the most important scholars of this period was a man called Bede, known as the “Venerable.” He resided in England and is considered to be the first great European historian. The Irish also produced a masterpiece that combined scholarship and beauty in the famous Book of Kells.

But it was in the second part of the eighth century that the great impetus for a revival of scholarship took place. It was under the reign of Charles the Great (Charlemagne), crowned as the first holy Roman emperor, that a new revival of arts and sciences took place. This revival, called the “Carolingian Renaissance,” foreshadowed the great Renaissance that would sweep through Europe in the late Middle Ages, beginning chiefly with the work of the Medici patrons in Italy, which found its zenith in the labors of Lorenzo the Magnificent.

Since all truth is God’s truth, all aspects of scientific inquiry are to be within the province of biblical and Christian learning.

In the Holy Roman Empire of the eighth century, Charlemagne was determined to recover the best of classical and biblical learning. He became a patron of scholarship and appointed as his chief intellectual assistant Alcuin, who was from Great Britain. Charlemagne was one of the most illustrious members of the Carolingian dynasty that began with his father, Pepin the Short, and lasted until the tenth century. The Renaissance was a recovery of classical language and biblical truth. The later Renaissance at the time of the sixteenth century with its most famous personage, Erasmus of Rotterdam, found its motto in the words ad fontes, that is, “to the sources.” The motto declared the intent of the scholars of that day to return to the wellspring—“to the sources” of ancient philosophy, culture, and especially the biblical languages. So a renewed study of the Greek philosophers, Plato and Aristotle, coupled with a zeal for the recovery of the biblical languages, spearheaded both the later Renaissance as well as the Carolingian Renaissance that came about under the leadership of Charlemagne.

5 Ways to Show Your Kids You’re in Love With Their Mother

By

Andrew Linder

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June 18, 2023

It has been rightly said that “one of the greatest gifts a father can give to his children is to love their mother.” I couldn’t agree more. The success of your children’s future marriages will in large part depend upon the example of yours.

So here are five practical ways to show your kids that you are madly in love with their mother:

Respect Her

…husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife… (I Peter 3:7)

Men, if we want our children to have great respect for their mother, we must start by having great respect for our wife. Find creative ways to honor your wife in front of your children. Speak highly of her, because your view of her will be reflected in your children.

Praise Her

Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. (Proverbs 31:28)

Learn to practice praising your wife…after a good meal, or…after a bad one. Praise her when she’s up; praise her when she’s down. Praise her in public; praise her in private. Believe me, your kids will notice and take note of how they are to treat both their mother and their future spouse someday.

Touch Her

Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice in the wife of thy youth. (Proverbs 5:18)

Physical touch speaks volumes to small watching eyes. Hold hands in the store. Put your arm around her while sitting in church. Kiss her when she brings dinner to the table. Hug her in the kitchen for no reason. Flirt with her in front of your children. Little eyes are paying close attention and taking mental notes for themselves someday. And although they may say, “that’s gross” what that really translates into is “that makes me feel loved and secure.”

Spoil Her

So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. (Ephesians 5:28)

God is very clear that once a man makes the marriage commitment, he is to care for and treat his wife as his own flesh. Men, this simply means that there is nothing that we should be doing for ourselves that we aren’t equally doing for our wives, and even more so. If anyone in the family gets the best, it ought to be Mom. If anyone in the family gets spoiled with the nicest things, it ought to be Mom. Our children need to see their mother as the queen of the family who is treated as such.

Prioritize Her

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it. (Ephesians 5:25)

Christ gave his Church utmost priority. And in doing so, he set the example for us as husbands to follow toward our wives. Show your children that you prioritize her by pursuing her, doing the dishes for her, spending time alone together, taking her out on dates, and allowing nothing less than respect for her in your home. Whatever you do, don’t ever apologize for letting your children know that mom comes first.

Can the Pastor Refuse To Do a Religious Task and Still Be a Servant?

By

Mike Leake

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June 17, 2023

A pipe busts in your house. You call the local plumber. He comes by, looks at the pipe, and bluntly says, “I’m not going to fix that for you. I don’t think you’ve properly cared for your pipes. And I’m not going to put another one in. That’ll be $80 for the house call.”

You’re pretty livid, right?

Plumbers fix pipes (usually for an exorbitant amount). You’re a plumber. Fix my pipes!!!

A dying man requests to receive the Lord’s Supper from a local Anglican clergyman. The pastor comes to his house, speaks to him for a bit, and rather uncomfortably informs the man that he cannot in good conscience administer the sacrament.

Isn’t this your job? How dare he refuse to give this solace to a dying man!?!?! Do your job!

That’s an actual historical situation, by the way. In 1765, John Newton (who had only been a curate for a year) was uneasy about administering the sacrament to Thomas Abbott. Abbott was a wealthy lace-maker and landowner and from what Newton says in his diary he “wants smoother doctrine than I can give him”.

We don’t know many more details but Newton refused to give him communion. Less than a week later, Mr. Abbott found another pastor to give him communion. The pastor was paid handsomely (for doing such a great job, I’m sure). As for Newton, he wrote in his diary that he was thankful to “the Lord that he enabled me to act according to my judgment and conscience in this business.” (Newton’s Diary, 1765, Oct 22)

What Would You Say You Do Here?

Now, the Book of Common Prayer does say that Newton had every right to refuse communion if he had good reason. In that regard Newton was not in any dereliction of duty. And more importantly, Scripture would be on his side. But this introduces an important discussion concerning the pastor’s duty. What does faithfulness look like?

We know that the work of a plumber can be important for human flourishing, as is also true of a pastor. None of this is to demean the work of a plumber or unduly elevate the work of the pastor. But it’s to acknowledge that it has a different shape, and when we fail to recognize this pastor and parishioner alike miss the mark.

Pastors aren’t being hired to do a service. In his book, Working the Angles, Eugene Peterson reflects upon the difference between the calling and “what people are asking me to do”. He reflects upon all of the things which he has done pastorally,

…solely because people asked me to do it and it didn’t seem at the time that it would do any harm and who knows it might do some good. Besides I think there is a pastor down the street who would do anything asked of him but whose theology was so wretched that he would probably do active harm in the process. My theology, at least, was evangelical and orthodox. (Eugene Peterson, Working the Angles, 13)

What is the job of the pastor? Do the directives come from the people or from another quarter? Some questions are easy to answer in theory, but more difficult in practice.

7 Creative Ways To Collect Offering at Church

By

David Jennings

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June 17, 2023

What would you do with $100,000? What would your kids do?

Baylor Bonham is a remarkable 11-year-old boy I read about this week. Despite his young age, this young man has a large heart. In 2011, he earned $27,000 at a national stock show. When asked what he was going to do with his winnings, Baylor said he was going to set some aside for college and give part of it to the children’s ministry at his church in Newcastle, Okla. His parents, who hadn’t told him what to say, were moved to tears by his willingness to give back.

In January of this year, Baylor’s hard work paid off again when another one of his steers earned him an astonishing $106,000 at the stock show. Once again, Baylor showed he had a heart for giving when he said he planned on tithing on his winnings to his church. In fact, his parents said he would give it all away if they let him.

What an amazing kid! To have giving back to his church be one of the first things that popped into Baylor’s mind after winning that much money tells me he is wise beyond his years. I think a lot of kids have giving hearts, and we should give them an opportunity to give not only their money but also their time and talents. Group’s Sunday school curriculum KidsOwn Worship gives kids a chance each week to give an offering to God. For those of you who give your kids a time for giving at your church, I want to share some creative ways to collect offering at church.

7 Creative Church Offering Ideas

Church Offering Idea

Say: One way to thank God for meeting our needs is to let him use us to meet the needs of others. We should look for ways to care for others as God cares for us. (Give each person a small envelope and a pencil.)

Ask: Why does God want to use us to meet needs? (Because we are Christians; because we are supposed to be a light to others.) How can we help meet the needs of others? (Give some of our things to charity; listen to a friend who is sad; share with others.) How does giving our offerings show God we’re thankful he meets our needs? (We are giving back to God; we are giving our extra money to help others.)

Say: On your envelope, list specific ways God has met your needs, or draw a picture of how God takes care of you. Then, if you brought an offering, place it in the envelope and seal it. As you put your envelopes in the bowl, thank God for meeting your needs.

Pass the offering bowl, and have children put their envelopes in it.

2. Church Offering Idea

Say: Today we’ve been talking about responding to God in worship. Our offering is also a way to worship God and to thank him. Second Corinthians 9:7 says, “God loves a cheerful giver.” Let’s give our offerings joyfully today. But before we bring our offerings, think of the one thing you love most about God. Praise God for that thing when the offering bowl comes to you.

Pass the offering bowls.

3. Church Offering Idea

Give each child a tissue. Have children tear the tissues into heart shapes. Tissues generally come in two-ply thicknesses. Have the children separate the layers of the tissues so they have a heart shape that’s only one ply thick.

Say: See how easily we can see through these hearts? The Bible tells us God sees inside our hearts. He knows what we’re thinking and feeling. He knows when we’re worshipping him with sincere hearts. And he knows when we’re just going through the motions. God has done so much for us, and he deserves our honest, sincere worship. As we take the offering this morning, talk to God. Think about promising God you’ll worship him with a sincere heart. If you’re ready, you can make that promise to God.

Take the offering. Have the children take their hearts home as reminders to worship God with sincere hearts.

4. Church Offering Idea

(This one is used with a lesson on the fruit of the spirit.)

Pass out small pieces of construction paper and pencils or markers to the kids.

Say: We’ve learned a lot today about God’s Spirit living in us. We learned when his Spirit lives in us, we become his children. We learned he wants us to grow to be like him. Think about the fruit of his Spirit that we talked about today. Which one do you need more of?

Take the paper I gave you and tear it into the shape of a fruit, such as a banana or an orange. Then write one word or draw a picture that represents what you want God’s Spirit to help you with. When the offering bowl comes to you, put your piece of fruit in the bowl along with money if you brought some. Ask God to help you grow this week in that area.

Give kids a few minutes to make their fruit. Then take the offering.

5. Church Offering Idea

Say: As Christians, we know everything we have really belongs to Jesus, our Lord. When we give a portion of what we have back to Jesus, we’re telling him we understand it all belongs to him. We’re telling him we’ll let him be in charge of what we do and how we spend what we have. Let’s give our gifts to Jesus. If you didn’t bring money for the offering, you can still tell Jesus he’s Lord of your life. When the offering bowl comes to you, you can pretend to put in your life as an offering to Jesus.

Take the offering.

6. Church Offering Idea

Hand each child a slip of paper and something to write with.

Say: Today as we take our offering, I want you to write the name of one person who has not been kind to you on your piece of paper. As the offering bowl comes by you, put the piece of paper in it, and ask God to help you love that person and treat him or her in a way that would honor God. Remember—as you show God’s love to that person, you are worshipping God in your everyday life. If you can’t think of a name to put on your paper, write the name of a friend who might need God’s help in a hard situation. If you have an offering today, put that in the bowl also.

Choose several children to help collect the offering. Encourage older children to assist younger children with the writing if necessary.

7. Church Offering Idea

Direct the children to sit in a circle on the floor.

Say: Let’s celebrate God’s love and care with a balloon offering! First we’re going to worship God by giving to him. God has given us so much. Let’s thank him with our gifts of money. Pass around the offering bowls.

Pray: Dear God, please accept these gifts. We know you can do all things, including taking away our fears. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Pass around uninflated balloons, and have each child take one. Distribute permanent markers, and have the children carefully write their names on the balloons. Make sure older children help any younger children who need help writing their names.

Direct the children to blow up their balloons and hold on to the ends tightly. Have older children blow up balloons for younger children. Explain that, all together, children will thank God for releasing them from fear and will then release their balloons. Lead the children in thanking God for releasing them from fear, and let children release their balloons.

***

Many of these ask kids to make an offering of something besides money. That’s important. Some kids don’t have money to bring and shouldn’t feel left out and like they are not able to give to God. Give kids notecards and allow them to write down something they can give to God besides money, like volunteering their time or making a pledge to show love to someone who needs it. This way everyone can be involved, and kids learn that giving to God involves their whole life, not just their money.

Teen Marijuana Use: What Today’s Youth Leaders Need to Know

By

Stephanie Martin

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June 16, 2023

Teen marijuana use has been on the rise for several reasons. Weed is now readily available and inexpensive. Plus, more than 20 states have legalized recreational marijuana for people age 21 and older. That also means teenagers and even preteens have more exposure and access to pot. One result is an increase in marijuana abuse and misuse among teens.

In fact, researchers found that cases of teen marijuana abuse increased 245% in 20 years. A recent study from Oregon Health & Science University reveals that while alcohol abuse has steadily declined among teens, cannabis abuse has soared. From January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2020, more than 338,000 cases of intentional marijuana misuse and abuse exposures occurred in children. More than four-fifths of those cases occurred in teenagers (ages 13 to 18).

The popularity and availability of edible marijuana products plays a key role. The study’s lead author, Dr. Adrienne Hughes, says, “These [marijuana] edible and vaping products are often marketed in ways that are attractive to young people, and they are considered more discrete and convenient.” The study’s findings, she adds, “highlight an ongoing concern about the impact of rapidly evolving cannabis legalization on this vulnerable population.”

Teen Marijuana Use and the Developing Brain

A spike in teen marijuana use and abuse has multiple consequences. Driving while high or impaired can lead to traffic accidents and fatalities. The potential for addiction exists as well. In fact, about one-third of marijuana users end up with “marijuana use disorder.”

Teen marijuana use can be the result of peer pressure, or desiring to fit in. Yet ironically it also can lead to problems with one’s social life and relationships. Plus, marijuana use negatively affects academic performance, which can ruin long-term educational plans. Weed also reduces coordination and hampers problem-solving and learning.

Church Journeys: Clear Communication Matters

By

Ed Stetzer

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June 16, 2023

Calvary Church in Westlake Village — Photo courtesy of Ed Stetzer

Now that I am (mostly) in Southern California, I’m getting to know some of the local churches in the area. One of them is pastored by my friend (and current DMin student) Shawn Thornton. It’s a church in a unique part of Los Angeles Country, in an area next to the more famous Malibu, but called Westlake Village.

Calvary Church in Westlake — Photo courtesy of Ed Stetzer

While I was there, I could see that the area is wealthy, like much of Southern California. Churches need to find ways to engage their community, but also challenge them not to be driven by wealth. One example of that might be the very message Shawn preached the week after I was there. It was about how God does not judge the outer appearance, but by the heart.

The church is engaged in its community and in global mission, reminding people that it is not all about us. I guess we all need that, but it is good to see a pastor speaking about such things.

The church is quite beautiful. It seats about the same number of people as Moody Church does, but it is designed in such a way that people feel close. It was a joy to preach there. The worship service was vibrant and encouraging.

Communication Is Key

As I often do, I made some observations about the church. Being at Calvary Church in Westlake Village inspired me to encourage you as you think about connecting with and communicating to those in your congregation and beyond.

It’s vital to maximize communication. George Bernard Shaw observed that the greatest problem in communication is the illusion that it has been accomplished. Churches are obviously in the communication business, because our mission is based on a message that we are called to communicate with one another and to proclaim to the world.

How often do you and your leadership team have discussions about connecting and communicating? One of the most glaring issues unearthed during the pandemic was how churches weren’t generally prepared to communicate outside the normal space of Sunday services and worship guides. Our digital age compels us—and allows us—to connect with people at a variety of levels through a number of tools.

There is still no replacement for being in the room to worship together. We all need the physical proximity of small group engagement. But we can amplify our community through technology.

Connection at Calvary Westlake

I loved how Calvary Church in Westlake Village made connection simple. Loretta Peña, who serves there as Adult Ministries Executive Director, walked us through the ways to connect. It was simple, so I clicked on the QR code, a common feature today. It took me to a simple webpage, and—this is key—Loretta walked through the key things that people could select. I’ve attached screenshots, but you can check it out yourself at calvarywestlake.org.

Service times on campus (with a virtual tour!) and online involvement are clear, as are links to sermons. The menu on the home page is very user-friendly. It’s easy to find key beliefs, core values, and the leadership team, things that are not always readily found on church websites.

Sean Feucht Responds to Announcement of Satanic ‘Let Us Burn’ Capitol Tour

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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June 16, 2023

Sean Feucht — Screengrab via Instagram @seanfeucht

Lucien Greaves, cofounder and spokesperson for The Satanic Temple (TST), announced Tuesday (June 13) that his band, Satanic Planet, plans to mimic Sean Feucht’s “Kingdom to the Capitol” tour, a series of worship events visiting every state capitol in America.

According to its website, TST is the “only Satanic religious organization recognized as a church by the IRS and the Federal Court System” and claims the organization doesn’t believe in the “existence of Satan or the supernatural.”

Greaves wrote, “Special thanks to @seanfeucht and his state Capitol-wide ‘Let Us Worship‘ tour for paving the way for @satanicplanet’s ‘Let Us Burn‘ Capitol tour, coming soon.”

In a statement, Greaves said that his satanic, experimental, avant-industrial band is vowing to play at the same public venues that Feucht has played.

“According to law, the government must remain neutral regarding religious viewpoints when granting permission to parties seeking to take advantage of public accommodations,” the statement read. “For this reason, the fact that public representatives have allowed Feucht to perform openly Christian Nationalist events within state capitol buildings, leaves little in the way of a legal rationale whereby Satanic Planet might be denied.”

Satanic Planet has submitted a request to perform at the Indiana State Capitol on Aug. 12 and is raising money to begin its “Let Us Burn” Capitol tour. As of today, The Satanic Temple has only raised 13% of its $15,000 goal.

“We will not be able to sell tickets to the capitol grounds, we will surely draw protests, the stage and sound will likely be difficult, and the cost will not be insignificant,” Greaves said. “However, we can not stand by idly as theocratic extremists are given such an elevated public platform to spread their divisive message without reminding everybody that that stage is equally theirs as well.”

Greaves concluded by saying, “Feucht seeks to use the stage to announce a theocratic stranglehold over the United States government, and we seek to rectify that by re-establishing pluralism.”

If the request is denied to perform at the Indiana State Capitol, the money raised will be used to towards legally upholding what TST describes as “religious freedom.”

Feucht responded to Greaves’ announcement on Twitter, saying, “Imitation is the highest form of flattery. And Satan has never had creative ability. He only tries to pervert what has already been created. And guess what…it’s always weaker, a rip off and way more pathetic than the original 🤠.”

SBC Task Force Believes Database Helped Expose Sexual Abuser Before Its Launch

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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June 16, 2023

ARITF — SBC's Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force (L-R) Mike Keahbone, Marshall Blalock, Rachael Denhollendar, and Dr. Heather Evans. Photo credit: Jesse T. Jackson

Earlier this week, nearly 19,000 people converged in New Orleans, Louisiana, over the course of two days for their annual meeting. 12,737 of those in attendance were representatives, called messengers, from Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) churches across the country—a considerable increase from last year’s annual meeting in Anaheim, California, which only reported 8,133 messengers.

During the meeting on Wednesday, which was led by SBC president Bart Barber (who is senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Farmersville, Texas) the Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force (ARITF) was given another year to carry out the mandates of SBC messengers in the regard to fighting sexual abuse within SBC churches.

An overwhelming majority of messengers raised their yellow ballots to recommit the denomination to the course of action set last year in Anaheim.

ARITF chairman Marshall Blalock and vice chairman Mike Keahbone, alongside task force advisors Rachael Denhollendar and Dr. Heather Evans, held a press conference after the chairman presented the task force’s report to the messengers.

“This was a historic day,” an emotional Blalock said during his opening remarks. “For many years, it was said that Southern Baptists couldn’t produce a database—couldn’t do what Southern Baptists have done today. So,” he paused, “today is an important day.”

Blalock commended those who have worked to get the denomination to the place it is today. “But no one has given what many survivors of sex abuse have given,” Blalock said, acknowledging the sexual abuse survivors in the room, who included Tiffany Thigpen and Jules Woodson.

“Our hearts are united to do all we can, by God’s grace [and] God’s mercy, to bless and to care, but also to act on behalf of survivors to keep this from happening again,” Blalock said.

Blalock stressed how complicated the role of the ARITF is because the SBC is a voluntary association of independent churches. “But today, what you saw was thousands of Baptist folks from around this country” affirm the work the task force and express their desire for it to continue. Blalock said, “Let’s keep going.”

The sbcabuseprevention.com website was designed to help churches respond to and prevent abuse by providing best practices.

The database is a work in progress and is currently populated with “dummy names,” Blalock informed. The reasoning for that is “because we are in the process of doing what Baptists expected us to do,” Blalock explained. “And that is to carefully vet every single name, including those names that were put on the website last year, who were apparently convictions in court.”

“We have to make sure, so we’re going back through now to make sure every name has been vetted carefully because we can’t afford to have a mistake on there,” Blalock said. “But they’re going on there.”

Closing Arguments in Brian Houston Case: A Cover-Up or ‘Reasonable Excuse’ Not To Report Dad’s Abuse?

By

Stephanie Martin

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June 16, 2023

Closing Arguments in Brian Houston Case: A Cover-Up or ‘Reasonable Excuse’ Not To Report Dad’s Abuse? — Screenshot from YouTube / @JamesRiverChurch

In a Sydney courtroom this week, the Crown prosecutor and a defense attorney offered two contrasting versions of Brian Houston and how he handled knowledge of his father’s predatory behavior. During closing arguments, the two sides portrayed starkly different motives behind the actions of Houston, founder of the embattled Hillsong megachurch.

Houston, 69, has been on trial for allegedly failing to report sexual abuse by his now-deceased father, Frank Houston, from the 1970s. Brian Houston, who has pleaded not guilty, faces up to five years in prison if convicted. A judge will issue a ruling mid-August.

Prosecution: Brian Houston Covered Up Father’s Crimes

In closing arguments, Crown prosecutor Gareth Harrison portrayed Brian Houston as dishonest, controlling, and eager to “protect the reputation of the church and his father.” The entire Hillsong organization, Harrison said, maintained a culture of cover-up, and even when Houston did speak about his father’s abusive actions, he used vague terms such as “serious moral failure.”

Houston, Harrison added, intended to conceal “the true extent” of his father’s behavior rather than offer specific details. The prosecutor said people at Hillsong viewed Frank Houston with “entrenched reverence,” which “enforced a culture of silence.” As a result, Harrison said, Brian Houston was able to “control the narrative” and prevent people from reporting abuse to police.

Victim Brett Sengstock, now 61, went public with abuse accusations against Frank Houston on “60 Minutes Australia” in 2018. He claimed that Frank Houston raped him repeatedly between the ages of 7 and 12, later offering a cash settlement, but no apology. Sengstock said Brian Houston, while facilitating the settlement, told him he was at fault because he “tempted my father.”

Defense: Brian Houston Had ‘Reasonable Excuse’ of Protecting the Victim

Phillip Boulten, Houston’s attorney, called allegations of a cover-up “very unfair” and “so flimsy.” The defense case is based on the Australian legal concept of “reasonable excuse,” which allows some exceptions to reporting sexual abuse. One recently added exception is if the adult victim requests that the abuse not be reported.

During Boulten’s closing arguments, he said Sengstock insisted back in 1999 that Brian Houston not go public with details of the abuse. “There can be absolutely no doubt that [back then] Brett Sengstock did not wish a word of this to be published,” argued Boulten. “He was concerned that he might be portrayed as someone with inappropriate sexual attitudes.”

Lysa TerKeurst Reveals She Has a New Love Interest: ‘It’s Been the Biggest Surprise’

By

Jessica Mouser

-

June 16, 2023

Author and ministry leader Lysa TerKeurst has shared with her Instagram followers that she has a new love interest. The news comes a year-and-a-half after TerKeurst announced her marriage of 29 years was ending due to the repeated unfaithfulness of her now ex-husband, Art TerKeurst.

“The hard parts of our story aren’t the end of our story,” said TerKeurst, 53, in the caption of a video she posted Thursday showing her enjoying life with her new beau. “If you would have told me this years ago, I would have thought ‘that sounds good in theory but it’s not my reality.’ I will never understand the twists and turns of life. But I am so grateful that when everything else feels so uncertain, the goodness and kindness of God is something we can count on.”

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A post shared by Lysa TerKeurst (@lysaterkeurst)

Lysa TerKeurst Turns a Page to a New Chapter

Lysa TerKeurst is the president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, as well as the author of several books. In 2017, TerKeurst announced that after 25 years of marriage, she was getting divorced because her “husband, life partner and father of my children, Art TerKeurst, has been repeatedly unfaithful to me with a woman he met online.”

As someone who has helped other women fight for their marriages, TerKeurst shared she had pursued various strategies to save her own, but without avail. Art “has continued to abuse substances, be unfaithful and refused to be truthful,” she said.

However, a year later, the couple was still together. In December 2018, the two renewed their vows, celebrating the restoration of their union. “A million prayers. A miracle answer. A marriage restored,” TerKeurst wrote at the time.

But that particular miracle was not to be. Three years later on Jan. 1, 2022, TerKeurst revealed that she was ending her marriage for good as her husband had continued to be unfaithful.

“Over the past several years, I have fought really hard to not just save my marriage, but to survive the devastation of what consistent deception of one spouse does to the other,” she wrote. “It’s brutal and heart crushing to constantly fear the hurtful choices of someone you love. I’ve had to learn the hard way there’s a big difference between mistakes (which we all make) and chosen patterns of behavior that dishonor God and the biblical covenant of marriage.”

A court filing later revealed that Art had spent over $118,000 of the couple’s money on an affair with a woman he met on SugarDaddy.com.

In December 2022, TerKeurst said she had come a long way in her healing journey. “I’m honestly surprised by how far I’ve come and how honest my laughter is now,” she shared. “My life looks different but it is full and joyful and I’m more grateful than I’ve ever been.”

On May 27, TerKeurst announced that she had news to share about someone special in her life. She acknowledged the recent years of “devastating heartbreak. Countless hours of counseling. Wondering. Asking. Years of being in crowded rooms but feeling absolutely alone. Feeling awful. Making a tiny bit of progress. Then regress. Feeling so intensely unsettled.”

‘It’s Got To Be Spiritual’—Ron DeSantis Seeks To Woo Evangelical Voters Away From Trump in Interview With CBN News

By

Dale Chamberlain

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June 16, 2023

Ron DeSantis CBN — Screengrab via CBN News

As Florida governor Ron DeSantis seeks to win the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential election, he is making a concerted effort to win over evangelical voters, touting his Catholic faith and pro-life bona fides.

In the Republican primary, DeSantis is facing off against Donald Trump, a man whose evangelical support has been ironclad, even despite multiple scandals, two impeachments, and now criminal indictments. Nevertheless, DeSantis apparently feels confident that he can woo evangelical voters away from the former president with his vision for a “war on woke.”

In a recent interview with CBN News, DeSantis described his upbringing as “a working class kid” whose parents made sure he went to church every Sunday.

When asked about his upbringing, particularly his experiences attending a Catholic grade school, DeSantis said, “I think by and large I liked it. But again, I think the things that I didn’t like about it were because they were doing the right thing by making sure that we were disciplined.”

“You would pray every day. Some of the nuns were very strict about what your obligations were,” DeSantis continued. “And again, as a young kid, maybe not the most fun at the time, but I think was the right approach.”

DeSantis expressed that he seeks to instill the same values in his own children.

“Our household is a Christ-centered household, and we’re raising our kids, you know, with those values. We think that that’s very important,” DeSantis said. “It’s great for us when our kids are coming back from preschool or kindergarten, talking about David and Goliath and talking about some of these things.”

“So we’re very, very appreciative of being able to do that,” DeSantis continued. “My son—he was four for Christmas this year—he wanted a sling to be like David slaying Goliath, and so that really warms our hearts when we see that.”

DeSantis said that during times of difficulty, such as when his wife, Casey, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021 or when his sister died suddenly at the age of 30 in 2015, he turns to the words of Scripture.

“I would point out, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life,’” DeSantis said, quoting Jesus’ words found in John 14:6. “I mean, that’s ultimately what the faith centers around. Yes, there’s a lot of traditions, you know, and I think a lot of those are nice. But at the end of the day, it’s kind of, you know, where is your heart with respect to God, and what is that relationship?”

Pope Francis’ Message for Peace Now Orbits the Earth, to Be Heard Across All Borders

By

Claire Giangrave

-

June 16, 2023

Pope Francis discusses the space mission before blessing the Spei Satelles on March 29, 2023, at the Vatican. Photo © Vatican Media — Pope Francis

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Pope Francis’ message for unity and peace can now be heard from space, after a satellite containing a nanobook of his teachings was launched into the Earth’s orbit on Saturday (June 10), “to create new ways to show and promote ‘the seed of hope’,” according to a Vatican statement.

The satellite hitched a ride aboard Space X’s Falcon 9 rocket launching from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, after being blessed by Pope Francis on March 29 at his General Audience in St. Peter’s Square.

The Spei Satelles mission, the Latin words for Satellite of Hope, was inspired by this papacy’s most memorable moment during the pandemic, when Pope Francis stepped out into an empty St. Peter’s Square on a rainy evening in late March 2020 to issue a message of unity as the world began to grapple with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“If that evening Pope Francis, from St. Peter’s Square, used the colonnade as a symbol of embrace to all of humanity, with the voyage of this satellite we wish to prolong that embrace,” said Msgr. Lucio Adriàn Ruiz, the secretary of the Vatican communication department, during a press conference in March.

The highlights of that historic moment were written down in a book titled “Why Are You Afraid? Have You No Faith?” which was converted into a “nanotechnological version,” a silicon plate measuring 0.08 square inches by 0.008 inches wide, by Italy’s National Research Council.

An olive brach compared to the nanobook, right, which is carried on the Spei Satelles. Courtesy photo

An olive brach compared to the silicon plate nanobook, right, which is carried on the Spei Satelles. Courtesy photo

“For those of us who are used to seeing space as the privileged place from which to observe the world and communicate to it without borders, it was easy to imagine a quick, humble and effective solution to offer wings to the Holy Father’s message,” Giorgio Saccoccia, president of the Italian Space Agency, said in a statement.

The satellite, built by the Polytechnic University of Turin and operated by the Italian Space Agency, weighs less than 6 pounds. It contains the pope’s message on March 27, 2020, and the names of all those who collaborated and supported the project. During its orbit, the satellite will transmit small messages of hope by Catholic popes “to signify the continuity that the Church’s message has had through history.”

The logo of the mission pulls together the symbols of Christ, the Virgin Mary, the Holy Trinity and the pope orbiting around a stylized version of the Earth made with the Holy See’s initials. It was created by the students of the Salesian University Institute in Venice.

In 2022, the pope’s message was also memorialized in the Svalbard Seed Vault, a depository in the Arctic that contains more than 1 million seed samples from all over the world to ensure their survival. It was registered as “a seed of hope.”

In this undated photo, students at the Polytechnic University of Turin work on "Spei Satelles," a small CubeSat satellite they built. The satellite carries a "nano" version of Pope Francis' book, "Why Are You Afraid? Have You No Faith?" It is also built to send signals back to earth for ham radio operators to hear the pope's messages of hope and peace. (Photo courtesy Vatican Media)

Students at the Polytechnic University of Turin work on “Spei Satelles,” a small CubeSat satellite they built. The satellite carries a nanobook and will send signals back to Earth for ham radio operators to hear papal messages. Photo courtesy Vatican Media

The project was coordinated by the Vatican’s Dicastery of Communication with the help of other Catholic institutions. People could acquire a virtual “boarding pass” aboard the satellite by signing up on the Spei Satelles website and committing to making a gesture of mercy for peace and hope.

“We are all in the same storm,” Paolo Ruffini, head of the Vatican Dicastery of Communications, said at a press conference, describing modern struggles ranging from the pandemic to the conflict in Ukraine.

“We need to look beyond. We need to look up. We need to look from above. And we must look deep, deep within us. Because, as the pope said speaking to God, this is not a time for your judgment but for our judgment,” he added.

This article originally appeared here.

4 Historically Black Churches Awarded Grants To Preserve Work of Pioneering Architects

By

Fiona Morgan

-

June 16, 2023

(RNS) — The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund announced a $3.8 million grant on Tuesday (June 13) aimed at helping to preserve 40 historical sites related to African American history, including theaters, swimming pools and four Black churches.

Founded by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2017, the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund has dedicated more than $20 million given by the Lilly Endowment for the preservation of African American historic sites that tell “the story of Black Americans’ activism, achievement and resilience,” said the fund’s executive director, Brent Leggs.

The fund is dedicated, in particular, to supporting Black houses of worship. “Black churches are the oldest American institutions founded by Black people. They are at the center of communities,” said Leggs.

In January, the fund awarded nearly three dozen historic Black religious sites $4 million in preservation grants.

Announced in anticipation of Juneteenth, which celebrates the effective end of slavery in America, the grants, which range from $50,000 to $155,000, will contribute not only to the restoration of buildings but to maintaining staff capacity, project development and educational programs.

The fund partnered with Conserving Black Modernism, which focuses on preserving modern architecture by Black architects and designers, and the collaboration was reflected in the four Black churches the fund designated for grants.

The Fourth Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia, founded by 23 former slaves in 1859, received a grant to preserve its educational wing, designed by Ethel Bailey Furman, a self-taught architect who was also the first Black woman to enter the profession.

The Second Baptist Church of Detroit, Michigan’s oldest congregation, also received funding to repair its education building. Designed in 1968, this futuristic-looking building is the work of Black architect Nathan Johnson. The church, established in 1836 by 13 African American slaves, was an important station of the underground railroad itinerary, the route enslaved African Americans took to reach free states and Canada.

The 136-year-old Zion Baptist Church of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, received a grant to renovate its current main building, designed by Black architect Walter Livingston, Jr. in 1973 after a fire completely destroyed the old one. The money will be used to perform a building condition assessment.

“We are looking to make some physical improvements to the building as well as layout strategies on how we can continue our legacy of serving people,” said the Rev. Michael Major, associate minister at the church.

The First Baptist Church-West, Charlotte, North Carolina’s oldest Black Baptist church, was redesigned in 1977 by Harvey Gantt, a pioneering architect who was also Charlotte’s first Black mayor. The church will use its grant to restore the roof and the baptismal area.

‘I’m Mainly a Christian so I Don’t Go to Hell…’

By

Ethan Renoe

-

June 16, 2023

Today I got a message in my inbox:

Hi Ethan! I came across your article on ChurchLeaders, and I’m just so thankful I finally found someone who explains exactly what I’ve been feeing for so long…I do have a question though, how can I know if I’m even saved in the first place? Just like the student you mentioned in your article, my main reason for believing is really just my fear for hell…

I began to reply to her but then realized that it is not a simple reply, but (at least) an entire blog post. So here are some thoughts. If I can make just a few people a little less scared of God, it’ll be a massive success.

–

I distinctly remember the morning: I was probably in fourth grade(ish), and at a Colorado summer camp that no longer exists. The sermon that morning had been on the gospel, with a special emphasis on hell. My small group sat outside in a circle and I told my counselor that, yes I was indeed scared of hell, so I’d be praying to accept Jesus.

It was probably my sixth time accepting Jesus (phrase open to interpretation) but, like the respondent today, I wasn’t sure if the other give times had yet worked. I didn’t feel any different.

Fast forward to Australia when I was 19. I was getting baptized and hoping very badly that I would feel different when I emerged from the water. Yet again, I rose up from the ocean and felt the same as before.

It would be almost a decade before I began to unpack a lot of what the Bible teaches about salvation, the gospel, heaven and hell, knowing Jesus, et al., and realize that the way it’s all packaged to Americans is tragically below what is actually in the Bible.

Too often, the gospel is presented as a golden ticket on a one-way train to heaven for a bunch of undeserving sinners. As long as your faith is good enough. And you love nothing more than praying and worshiping. And you cry every time you think of Jesus. And you give up all material possessions in order to free your desires. Et cetera.

I think that a lot of our conversionist language emerges more from Middle Ages feudalism, or Muslim conquests, than from Jesus. We have the verse which always pops into mind, Romans 10:9: “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” That’s it, right? That’s the train ticket, yah?

The thing is, if you look at the chapters before and after, you find no mention of the afterlife. We never stop and ask important questions like, “What does Paul mean by the word ‘saved’?” We are so accustomed to reading the Bible through this lens of afterlife terror that we assume that any reference to being saved refers to heaven or hell. We sift all of the Bible through a filter that sorts things into ‘heaven and hell language’ even when it’s not there.

Most passages about being saved conjure images of a life raft being tossed to us in a torrential sea sucking us down to the depths. Thank goodness we are saved from an eternity down there! Better hold on tight or I’m doomed!

Contentment Turns All It Touches to Gold

By

Randy Alcorn

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June 16, 2023

I’ve been finding treasures in emails that Nanci sent. For years she was part of a Moms in Touch group, praying with several friends for all their children, who are all now grown, many with children of their own. One of the members shared this quote:

Content is the philosopher’s stone which turns all it touches into gold; happy is he who has found it. Content is more than a kingdom, it is another word for happiness. —C. H. Spurgeon

Nanci wrote this in response:

So, this quote is phenomenal! It is taken from “The Treasury of David,” a compilation of writings by Charles Spurgeon sent out to his church in London during the years of about 1870-1885. This particular quote is taken from Spurgeon’s study of Psalm 23, verse 5. Read the context of this quote:

“My cup runneth over.” He had not only enough, a cup full, but more than enough, a cup which overflowed. A poor man may say this as well as those in higher circumstances. “What, all this, and Jesus Christ too?” said a poor cottager as she broke a piece of bread and filled a glass with cold water. Whereas a man may be ever so wealthy, but if he be discontented his cup cannot run over; it is cracked and leaks. Content is the philosopher’s stone which turns all it touches into gold; happy is he who has found it. Content is more than a kingdom, it is another word for happiness.

To explain: The philosopher’s stone was an unknown substance, also called “the tincture” or “the powder,” sought by alchemists for its supposed ability to transform base metals into precious ones, especially gold and silver. Alchemists also believed that an elixir of life could be derived from it. The philosopher’s stone was thought to cure illnesses, prolong life, and bring about spiritual revitalization. Obviously, Spurgeon did not believe in the philosopher’s stone, but he referred to it here as a means to clarify his point. To be content in one’s circumstances, while knowing Jesus as your Savior, is “more than a kingdom”! It changes everything into the “silver and gold” of God’s blessing. Yay, yay, yay!

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

5 Ways We’re Fooling Ourselves About Church Growth

By

Rich Birch

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June 16, 2023

Ninety-four percent of churches are losing ground against the population growth of their communities. In 2050 the percentage of the U.S. population attending church will be half of 1990. [ref] I’m crazy enough to think that your church should be growing. I think healthy things grow. I am obsessed about seeing the gospel of Jesus expanding in our day through church growth. I believe that the best is yet to come in the local church. I see signs of life all over the place. But I also see church leaders kidding themselves and their community by saying that their church is growing when, in fact, it isn’t.

I know that counting weekend service attendance isn’t a comprehensive metric for discerning the impact and effectiveness of your church, but it is a starting point. If we can’t get people into our weekend services, we are unlikely to see them in any other environment.

The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. Making clear what is really happening regarding church growth with your leaders is the first step to making an impact in your community. I’ve seen many church leaders try to convince themselves and their people that they are growing, which is dangerous because then you won’t be motivated to change or do what is needed to reach the people God is calling you toward. Let’s be honest…do you sense that you’re trying to convince yourself you’re growing when you really aren’t?

5 Ways We’re Fooling Ourselves About Church Growth

1. What It Feels Like:

We stand on the platform and it looks like there are more people attending then there were last year. We never had parking lot issues, but now it seems as if we’re running out of space all the time out there. The church used to clear out in five minutes after the service, but now people are still trying to get out after 20 minutes. All of these “metrics” can be explained by something other than actual attendance growth. Often, we look at the evidence that helps us feel like we’re making a bigger impact than we actually are. Church growth isn’t a feeling; instead, it’s a metric.

Choosing a Worship Leader – Worship First; Technical Excellence Second

By

Mike O’Brien

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June 16, 2023

Choosing a worship leader means more than assessing tech skills, or even music skills.

One of the most fruitful worship leaders I know is a 58-year-old mediocre singer who’s DEAF in one ear. He leads a racially diverse worship ministry of over 100 volunteers in a church of 2,500 people.

Another worship leader I know is 65. He’s taken a very dated service to a well done, technologically savvy worship expression with one of the best social streams I’ve seen. He rarely leads a song but has developed dozens of young worship leaders in a church of 500.

Choosing a Worship Leader

I know worship directors that don’t play guitar or piano, yet they lead the whole worship ministry from a soundboard or drum set, in churches of more than 3,000 people! Most senior leaders think too small when when it comes to choosing a worship leader. Their goals are typically someone young with exceptional stage presence, high anointing, and low cost.

It’s been my joy to help multiple churches in choosing a worship leader. I received probably 100 phone calls in the past five years, pastors asking for help to expand their idea of “I need a worship guy.” What if I told you your next great worship leader would be a much better worship pastor than a worship performer? What if I told you they might do things that build God’s kingdom in ways that don’t translate well to YouTube or on live streaming? What if I told you they would need to be paid a significant living wage, but in return might produce disciples tenfold?

I appreciate that each church has a unique journey and this advice might be something for 5 or 10 years down the road. This very well might be the time you need a solid chief musician on stage, but consider the idea that the right person may not fit the persona of a typical worship leader.

Volunteers: 5 Tips for Finding the Right Youth Ministry Helpers

By

Doug Franklin

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June 15, 2023

Why are volunteers so essential for youth ministry? A youth leader simply can’t have an impact on every student in a youth group. There are too many students and not enough youth pastors. However, when youth pastors multiply themselves through volunteers, they can reach more students. A youth group with great assistants can reach more students and have a longer-lasting impact on them.

Unfortunately, youth pastors often struggle with recruiting great volunteers. To meet this need, here are 5 simple tips for finding great helpers.

5 Ways to Find Youth Ministry Volunteers

1. Target Vocations

Begin by targeting potential volunteers who already have an invested interest in the lives of students. Some potential vocations that lend themselves to working with teens include teachers, coaches, social workers, and counselors.

2. Target Demographics

By targeting certain groups and life stages of church members, youth leaders can recruit key volunteers. Some of these demographics include retirees, stay-at-home parents, and college students.

One youth pastor I know asked a retired church elder to volunteer in the youth group. He had plenty of time and resources to spend on kids. Students loved going to his house for pool parties and other events. Plus, the youth pastor gained a major resource in having an elder as a volunteer. From that moment on, the elder committee supported everything the youth pastor did with the teen ministry!

3. Volunteer Care

A volunteer who feels cared for and well utilized will love being involved in your group. As a result, he or she can therefore be a great recruiting tool. Show your volunteer staff you value their time with students by providing training opportunities for them.

One youth group we work with plans two volunteer-training meetings per semester. One is an all-day event with multiple training sessions. The other is a few-hour training meeting on a Wednesday evening during midterms, when youth group attendance is usually lower.

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