Bible App for Kids Celebrates 100 Million Downloads in 10 Years

April 25, 2023

One decade since its launch, the Bible App for Kids is celebrating the milestone of 100 million downloads. The free app, which resulted from a partnership between YouVersion and the faith-based organization OneHope, helps children learn and engage with Scripture.

In a social media post about reaching the mark, YouVersion describes the Bible App for Kids as “a tool that helps children all around the world fall in love with God’s Word through interactive stories and activities.” The post also encourages people to make financial donations to “help us bring God’s Word to everyone, everywhere.”

The app features 41 key Bible stories, allows users to share Scripture with friends, and offers resources for parents and church leaders. The Bible App for Kids has been translated into numerous languages, from Spanish and French to Mongolian and Swahili.

Bible App for Kids Sets a ‘Foundation’ for Faith Growth

YouVersion founder and CEO Bobby Gruenewald said, “We know that the most important influence in a child’s life is their family. With that in mind, we’re really encouraged to see millions of families around the world choose to turn to the Bible and learn about God together.”

Rob Hoskins, president of OneHope, addressed the app’s role in spiritual growth and outreach. “Through this Bible experience, we’re seeing children in every country fall in love with God’s Word,” he said. “We’re passionate about equipping the global church to engage the next generation with interactive stories from the Bible and help lay a foundation for future spiritual growth.”

As an example of the app’s impact, YouVersion quotes Melissa Glynn, children’s ministry director at Life Valley Community Church in San Jose, California. “We love using Bible App for Kids and the matching curriculum,” she said. “Just recently, I had a mom tell me that her 5-year-old ran through the house quoting Joshua 1:9! These resources are making a difference in our children’s lives, and they’re such a blessing to our congregation.”

Safety Expert: Some Kids Misuse YouVersion’s Original Bible App

In related news, a precaution is being raised for older children and teens who have graduated to YouVersion’s original Bible App. Some users apparently use workarounds to turn the platform into an unintended form of communication.

On the Instagram account Protect Young Eyes, family digital-safety expert Chris McKenna recently described how some kids are misusing the Bible App. A mother contacted him to warn that it can become a type of “shadow social media.”

When the mom logged into the school email account of her seventh-grader (who doesn’t have a cell phone), she noticed his notifications “started going off like crazy…all from the Bible app.” She realized “it was essentially Instagram within the app.”

‘Jesus Revolution’ Holds No. 1 Spot on Amazon Best Sellers Chart, Beating ‘John Wick’ and ‘Top Gun: Maverick’

Jessica Lea

April 25, 2023

“Jesus Revolution,” which released today on DVD and Blu-ray, is the No. 1 bestseller on Amazon’s Movies & TV chart. The film is based on the life of Pastor Greg Laurie, who has encouraged believers to use it as a tool for evangelism.

“This movie is a gift,” said Laurie in an interview on the Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast. “It’s a gift to the church. It’s a tool.” When “Jesus Revolution” was out in theaters, people could invite their friends to see it with them. Now that it is out on DVD, Laurie suggests Christians “bring evangelism to your home, tablet or phone and share it with others…Have a watch party and then explain the gospel to them after. Let’s do this!”

Bring Evangelism to your Home, tablet or phone and share it with others. @JesusRevMovie is now available at a retailer near you on DVD and Blue-ray. You can order it at https://t.co/WwgkUvbKIx. This movie is a tool the touches the hearts of people. Have a Watch Party and then… pic.twitter.com/jvqdy5A2vU

— Greg Laurie (@greglaurie) April 25, 2023

‘Jesus Revolution’ Has Ongoing Impact

“Jesus Revolution” (starring Kelsey Grammer, Jonathan Roumie, Joel Courtney, Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Anna Grace Barlow) dramatizes the events of the Jesus People Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. It is based on the book, “Jesus Revolution: How God Transformed an Unlikely Generation and How He Can Do It Again Today” by Greg Laurie and Ellen Vaughn. The movie focuses on the lives of Calvary Chapel pastor Chuck Smith, hippie evangelist Lonnie Frisbee and Pastor Greg Laurie, who now leads Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California.

The film depicts how Laurie came to faith in the midst of what he calls “the last great spiritual awakening in America.” Said Laurie, “It was not until some time later that I realized how significant that particular time was.” The timing of the film’s release was notable as it came out shortly after the end of a two-week worship service at Asbury University, an event many view as a revival.

“Jesus Revolution,” a Lionsgate film, opened at the No. 3 spot in theaters, earned over $15 million during its opening weekend, and gained an A+ rating from CinemaScore. After nearly three weeks in theaters, the movie had made over $40 million domestically, surpassing the amount made by “The Expendables 3,” also distributed by Lionsgate. Box Office Mojo reports that “Jesus Revolution” ran in theaters for eight weeks and grossed over $52 million before ending its run.

“We had people accepting Christ in the theaters,” said Laurie. “I had one person say, ‘I heard people around me praying out loud asking Jesus to come into their life.’”

The “Jesus Revolution” DVD and Blu-ray editions hold the top two positions, respectively, on Amazon’s chart, where the movie is beating films such as “John Wick: Chapter 4,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” and “Super Mario Bros.”

People have shared online the impact the movie has had on them. “WOW!!! What an AMAZING, POWERFUL movie!” said Twitter user Jared Nel.

“Not me crying while watching jesus revolution,” said another.

Christian Group To Organize Prayer, Evangelism Campaign at Sold Out SatanCon

Dale Chamberlain

April 25, 2023

SatanCon IFA — The Satanic Temple unveils its statue of Baphomet, a winged-goat creature, at a rally for the first amendment in Little Rock, Ark., Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. The Satanic Temple wants to install the statue on Capitol grounds as a symbol for religious freedom after a monument of the Biblical Ten Commandments was installed in 2017. (AP Photo/Hannah Grabenstein)

As leaders of The Satanic Temple (TST) prepare to host SatanCon 2023 in Boston, leaders of Intercessors for America (IFA) are preparing to travel to the event so that they can pray for and share their faith with attendees.

The conference, which is set to take place on April 28-30, has billed itself as “the largest satanic gathering in history,” boasting sellout attendance and promising a “weekend of blasphemy and remembrance.”

The theme of the conference is “Hexennacht in Boston.” Hexennacht, a German feast that takes place every April and commemorates the canonization of Saint Walpurga, is one of the five religious holidays TST celebrates.

Though TST employs satanic imagery, the organization is a nontheistic institution that uses Satan as a satirical symbol of their skepticism and adversarial relationship with the cultural dominance of Christianity.

SatanCon was borne out of this very conflict, as the first event of this kind was held in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2021 after TST was denied their request to deliver the invocation at a City Council meeting. The location of this year’s gathering was selected after TST was similarly denied the opportunity to deliver the invocation at a Boston City Council meeting.

Suzie MacAskill, one of the regional leaders of IFA in Boston, told the Christian Post that while her first impulse was to pray for the event’s cancellation, she soon had a change of heart.

“I initially went to prayer with a preconceived idea that God would want this to be prayed away. It was following this assumption that I was awakened through the night with a clear sense of ‘this is my harvest field,’” she said.

MacAskill added, “Since truly seeking God’s will for this event, and not coming with my own ideas, I believe I’ve been able to more clearly hear of his love for those who are lost and his strategy for praying for this event.”

MacAskill’s sister and fellow IFA Boston leader, Lynn, said that “several people [are] receiving words and visions about the angel armies surrounding Boston.”

”Suzie and I have only just come to understand that God has been preparing us for this for some time, which is very comforting as we get close to going into the battle zone,” Lynn said.

SatanCon will take place the same weekend as Revive Boston, a conference focused on training in street evangelism. Leaders from IFA plan to attend the latter event and then go out into the streets of Boston on Saturday, April 29 to evangelize.

Islamic Extremists Kills Pastor, Herdsmen Slaughter 134 Christians in Nigeria

Morning Star News

April 25, 2023

ABUJA, Nigeria (Morning Star News) – Islamic extremists killed a pastor in northeast Nigeria, and terrorists in the country’s middle belt state of Benue killed 134 Christians the first week of April, sources said.

The Rev. Yakubu Shuaibu of the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria (EYN) was killed in Borno state by terrorists from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) who on the night of April 4 broke into his house in Madlau, Biu County, said EYN leader Salamatu Billi.

They also shot and wounded his pregnant wife, who was receiving treatment at Biu General Hospital in Biu town, Billi said. The pastor is also survived by another child.

Pastor Shuaibu’s body was buried in his hometown of Dzangwala, Gombi County, Adamawa state, Billi said. The couple began work in the area with the EYN church four years ago.

“Please let us all pray for his wife’s recovery, for God to comfort his entire family, and for the church of God and ministers of the church working in the danger zones of Borno and Adamawa states,” Billi said. “The hunt for Christians, especially ministers serving in the church, by terrorists in northeast Nigeria continues. This is the third EYN pastor to be killed in cold blood within a short time by these terrorists.”

ISWAP also attacked predominantly Christian Njimtilo, Pulka and Ajiri Mafa villages at the same time the pastor was slain, said area resident Josephine Joseph.

“During the attacks, the terrorists destroyed houses of Christians and looted their homes of food items,” Joseph said.

In Benue state, in Nigeria’s middle belt, Fulani herdsmen killed 134 Christians from April 2 to April 10, said Benue Gov. Samuel Ortom in a press statement.

“Within one week, 134 Christians have been killed by herdsmen,” he said. “This apart from the fact that of the 23 local government areas of the state, 18 of them have been ravaged by herdsmen attacks, and most Christians in these council areas displaced.”

The herdsmen attacked the local government areas of Makurdi, Guma, Otukpo, Apa and Logo, area residents told Morning Star News in text messages. They also attacked Kwande County, said area resident Dominic Anza, president of the Universal Reformed Christian Church (NKST).

“Armed Fulani herdsmen have been attacking our Christian communities for years, but recently, these attacks became so intense that hardly any day passes without a community being attacked,” Pastor Anza said. “My village of Turan in Kwande Local Government Area was also attacked by these Fulani herdsmen, and many Christians in my village killed.”

Christians affected in the areas are mostly members of the NKST, the Roman Catholic Church, the Methodist Church and Pentecostal churches, and they are now unable to hold worship services, he said.

“My family’s house been burned down by the herdsmen, and all my relations have been displaced,” Pastor Anza said. “It’s impossible for me to even attempt to visit my village, because these herdsmen have completely taken over the affected communities.”

Most Christians slain were women and children, and thousands of the displaced are living in camps, he said.

“They’re not even safe there, as within this period, these camps have also been attacked and many Christians killed,” Pastor Anza said.

Herdsmen attacked a facility housing displaced Christians in Ngban village, Guma County, on April 7 at about 10 p.m., killing 38 Christians and wounding 36 others, said community leader Dennis Shemberga. Catherine Anene, spokesperson for the Benue State Command, confirmed the attack on displaced Christians at the Ngban village camp.

Armed herdsmen invaded predominantly Christian Umogidi village, Otukpo County, on April 5, killing 52 Christians, a council official told Morning Star News.

In Texas, Republicans Push Bills Aimed At Enhancing Faith’s Role in School

Jack Jenkins

April 25, 2023

In-Texas,-Republicans-Push-Bills-Aimed-At-Enhancing-Faith’s-Role-in-School — Photo credit: Charles Fair / Unsplash

(RNS) — Texas’ Republican-dominated legislature is working its way through a slate of bills aimed at increasing religion’s presence in the state’s public schools, drawing criticism from Democrats, clergy and activists who say the proposals violate the separation of church and state and are emblematic of Christian nationalism.

The controversy revolves around three bills: One mandates the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools; another allows school districts to require local campuses to set aside time for staff and students to pray and read religious texts; and a third allows administrators to furnish schools with chaplains in addition to existing counselors.

The state senate passed the first two bills last Thursday (April 20), and the proposal involving chaplains is expected to come up for a vote this week. Lawmakers have yet to vote on companion bills in the Texas House of Representatives.

Leading the charge in the state senate are Sen. Phil King, the lead author on the Ten Commandments bill and co-author on the Scripture-reading proposal, and Sen. Mayes Middleton, who is listed as an author or co-author on all three bills. Both are first-year senators after serving in the Texas House.

In his initial statement of intent accompanying the Ten Commandments bill, King insisted the Bible’s moral code would remind students of the “fundamental foundation of American and Texas law.” He also frames the bill as a response to a U.S. Supreme Court decision last June that backed a public high school football coach who prayed on the field after games, arguing his actions were protected by the Constitution.

During debate over Middleton’s chaplains bill on Monday, Sen. Nathan Johnson, a Democrat, was one of several lawmakers who expressed concerns. He noted that while the amended bill did not conscript the faith of a chaplain, the positions are likely to be filled by Christians.

“I still have great concern that we are continuing to break down this wall the framers of our Constitution insisted on having between church and state,” Johnson said.

In response, Middleton dismissed the separation of church and state as “not a real doctrine” — an argument long popular among purveyors of Christian nationalism.

“It’s a pretty real doctrine to some of us,” Johnson fired back.

Neither King nor Middleton agreed to be interviewed about the bills, although Middleton sent a statement celebrating the passage of the prayer proposal.

Sen. Mayes Middleton speaks about his proposed bill to allow administrators to furnish public schools with chaplains, Monday, April 24, 2023, at the Texas Capitol in Austin, Texas. Video screen grab

“Our founders certainly never intended separation of God from government or schools, despite the lefts’ attempts to mislead people on this fact,” read the statement. It went on to insist that pastors were among those who have “asked that prayer be put back in our public schools.”

But Cantor Sheri Allen, a hospital and hospice chaplain and co-founder of the Jewish congregation Makom Shelanu in Fort Worth, vehemently opposed all three bills. She took particular umbrage at Middleton’s bill allowing schools to hire chaplains and potentially pay them with public funds. Although the legislation has been amended from its initial proposal, which would have allowed schools to replace school counselors with chaplains, Allen expressed concern that the bill does not require chaplains to be certified by the State Board for Educator Certification.

“As a chaplain, I’m the first to admit, I am not qualified to play the role of the school counselor,” Allen told Religion News Service in an interview.

Allen argued the three bills amount to a “blatant violation of the separation of church and state” and appear to privilege Christians. The Ten Commandments bill requires the text, taken from the King James Version of the Bible, to appear on a poster at least 16-by-20 inches and legible “to a person with average vision from anywhere in the classroom.”

The King James Version of the Bible is rejected by many Christians — not to mention Jews, as Allen noted.

New Study Suggests Thinking About God Can Make People More Generous to Outsiders

Bob Smietana

April 25, 2023

New-Study-Suggests-Thinking-About-God-Can-Make-People-More-Generous-to-Outsiders — Photo credit: Allef Vinicius / Unsplash

(RNS) — Religion is often seen as a source of conflict — giving insiders a source of community and support while drawing boundaries against outsiders.

A new study suggests religion can also prompt people to be generous to outsiders, even those from groups they distrust.

For the study, entitled “Thinking About God Encourages Prosociality Toward Religious Outgroups,” researchers asked more than 4,700 people in the United States, the Middle East and Fiji if they were willing to share money with people from a different religious group.

Asking those participants about God — or about what God wanted them to do — led to an 11% increase in giving, according to the study, which was published in Psychological Science.

That result surprised some of the researchers, including Michael Pasek, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Illinois Chicago and one of the lead authors of the study.

Michael Pasek. Courtesy photo

Some suspected prompting participants to think about God would make them more generous to people from their religious group but not outsiders. Others thought that thinking about God would increase generosity across the board.

For the study, researchers recruited participants from Muslim, Hindu, Christian and Jewish communities to take part in a series of behavioral economics experiments. During the experiments, research assistants gave people small amounts of money in large envelopes.

Participants were also given two smaller envelopes, one labeled “Mine” and the other labeled “Give to Another Person.” They could keep all the money for themselves, give it all away or divide it up. Those who wanted to give money away could put funds into the envelope labeled “Give to Another Person.” That envelope was then placed back in the larger envelope.

Participants were first told to do whatever they thought best when dividing the money. Later, they repeated the experiment after being asked either to think about God or to think about what God wanted them to do.

The experiments in Fiji and some of the experiments in the Middle East were done in person. Others, in the United States and Israel, were done online. All the money that was designated “Give to Another Person” was given away.

In person, they gave people a large envelope with money in it as well as two smaller envelopes. While participants made the decisions, the research assistant would step away so no one would know what participants were doing.

People in Fiji participate in a study entitled “Thinking About God Encourages Prosociality Toward Religious Outgroups," in 2018. Photo courtesy of Michael Pasek

People in Fiji participate in the study entitled “Thinking About God Encourages Prosociality Toward Religious Outgroups.” Photo courtesy of Michael Pasek

“We always made sure that people were assigned with different people across rounds, so their earlier decisions couldn’t influence their later decisions,” said Pasek.

Azim Shariff, director of the Centre for Applied Moral Psychology at the University of British Columbia and one of the lead authors of the study, has taken part in a previous study about religion and social behavior, including a 2007 study entitled “God is Watching You” and a 2019 study on religion and selfishness.

4 Bad Assumptions About Church Size

Dale Chamberlain

April 25, 2023

“What’s your church’s weekly attendance?” Depending on your answer—and depending on the church size of the person asking you—this question may fill you with pride or shame.

And that’s because you didn’t go into ministry to be ineffective or to make only a small impact. It’s just that sometimes we have a funny idea of what constitutes effective church leadership. Mix in our unhealthy tendency to compare our ministry “success” with the success of others, and we can get all jacked up about the numbers.

To be sure, numbers aren’t nothing. However, we certainly shouldn’t let them define us in a way that causes us to be boastful on the one end or ashamed on the other.

Here are four bad assumptions we tend to make when it comes to church size.

1. ‘Healthy Things Always Grow.’

When advocating for strategies that will better help a church reach its community and increase its weekly attendance, pastors and church leaders often repeat the refrain, “Healthy things grow.”

And that’s true enough. As a father with toddlers, I always remark and celebrate when my sons grow physically, mentally, or emotionally. While their physical growth often means that I need to purchase larger pajamas for them and place my valuables a little further back on the countertop to elude their clutches, growth is a good thing. If my boys weren’t constantly growing at this stage of their lives, both their pediatrician and I would quickly grow concerned.

So healthy things do grow. But they aren’t always growing at the same rate of speed or to a size that exceeds the healthy limits of their capacity. In fact, the rare disorders of Gigantism and Acromegaly cause children and adults to grow beyond what is healthy. These conditions are serious, painful, and even deadly.

Not every church and its leadership has the same capacity for growth, or even has the same capacity in every season. There may be times in the life of a church when it experiences rapid growth spurts, and there may be other times when its growth is slowed or stopped.

While the call of the church is to live on mission until the return of Jesus, there may come a point when a particular local expression of the church has reached its capacity for growth and, while healthy, will not experience much more substantial net increase by way of membership numbers.

This does not diminish the call for that church to live missionally, but it also does not mean that a church is necessarily unhealthy because it is no longer doubling or tripling in size over a given span of time.

2. ‘Megachurches Don’t Disciple Their People.’

To be sure, I would rather be part of a church with 50 people who are being deeply formed in their faith through intentional discipleship than a church with 5,000 people who are simply attending a worship service two or three times a month but whose faith is having no real impact on their lives.

Christ’s Resurrection Means Our Old Bodies Will Be Made New

Randy Alcorn

April 25, 2023

In 1 Corinthians 15:17-19, Paul says that if Christ hadn’t risen from the dead, we’d still be in our sins—meaning we’d be bound for Hell, not Heaven: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.”

He doesn’t just say that if there’s no Heaven, the Christian life is futile. He says that if there’s no resurrection of the dead, then Christianity’s hope is an illusion and we’re to be pitied for placing our faith in Christ. Paul has no interest in a Heaven that’s merely for human spirits.

Wishful thinking is not the reason why, deep in our hearts, we desire a resurrected life on a resurrected Earth instead of a disembodied existence in a spiritual realm. Rather, we desire it precisely because God intends for us to be raised to new life on the New Earth. It is God who created us to desire what we are made for. It is God who “set eternity in the hearts of men” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). It is God who designed us to live on Earth and to desire the earthly life. And it is our bodily resurrection that will allow us to return to an earthly life—this time freed from sin and the Curse.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Becoming a new creation sounds as if it involves a radical change, and indeed it does. But though we become new people when we come to Christ, we still remain the same people.

Conversion is a blend of change and continuity. When I became a Christian as a high school student, I became a new person, yet I was still the same person I’d always been. My mother saw a lot of changes, but she still recognized me. She said, “Good morning, Randy,” not “Who are you?” I was still Randy Alcorn, though a substantially transformed Randy Alcorn. My dog never growled at me—he knew who I was.

Likewise, this same Randy (who is now very different) will undergo another change at death. And I will undergo yet another change at the resurrection. But through all the changes I will still be who I was and who I am. There will be continuity from this life to the next. I will be able to say with Job, “In my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another” (Job 19:26-27).

Conversion involves transforming the old, not eliminating it. Despite the radical changes that occur through salvation, death, and resurrection, we remain the unique beings that God created. We have the same history, appearance, memory, interests, and skills. This is the principle of redemptive continuity. God is not going to scrap his original creation and start over. Instead, He will take His fallen, corrupted children and restore, refresh, and renew us to our original design.

If we don’t grasp the principle of redemptive continuity, we cannot understand the nature of resurrection. “There must be continuity,” writes Anthony Hoekema, “for otherwise there would be little point in speaking about a resurrection at all. The calling into existence of a completely new set of people totally different from the present inhabitants of the earth would not be a resurrection.”

First Corinthians 15:53 says, “The perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.” This (the perishable and mortal) puts on that (the imperishable and immortal). Likewise, it is we, the very same people who walk this Earth, who will walk the New Earth. “We will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:17, emphasis added).

The empty tomb is the ultimate proof that Christ’s resurrection body was the same body that died on the cross. If resurrection meant the creation of a previously nonexistent body, Christ’s original body would have remained in the tomb. When Jesus said to His disciples after His resurrection, “It is I myself,” He was emphasizing to them that He was the same person—in spirit and body—who had gone to the cross (Luke 24:39). His disciples saw the marks of His crucifixion, unmistakable evidence that this was the same body.

Keeping Kids Busy While Limiting Screen-Time

Cassie Baker

April 25, 2023

thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

As a work-from-home-mother of a young child, I am raising a screen-time kid. Screens have been an aspect of my daughter’s world since the pediatricians said it was safe to introduce them… okay, let me be real, they’ve been part of her world even before that. While I admire families who are entirely screen-free, it has not been our reality. To be honest, a screen in front of my child is the best chance I have to get through a meeting with a client without multiple interruptions. While I feel like being able to work and be at home with my daughter has been the best of both worlds, I have often relied on screens to make that possible. I am always on the hunt for ideas, tips, and tricks to help limit my daughter’s screen time without compromising my work time.

Here are some of my favorite go-to resources for getting things done without relying on screens!

1. Time Blocking. I have been a big fan of time-blocking and task-batching to balance out my work time with my mommy time: i.e. spend 30 minutes of focused time playing with my daughter, followed by 60 minutes of work. I find that if my time spent with my daughter is focused and not divided, she is more content to play independently for a longer block of time afterward.

2. The Play Café. Pre-pandemic, I was fortunate to take full advantage of this wonderful trend of “play café’s.” We had two in the city where we were living, and I could take my daughter to play while I sat at a table drinking coffee and working. What a gift! Sadly, I know some of these businesses have not survived the pandemic. However, some hardy ones remain, so if you are fortunate enough to live in a city that still has one or two close by, take advantage of them!

3. Ideas from the “experts!” I have found fantastic ideas for occupying my child’s time through sites like The Busy Toddler.

4. Don’t let the name fool you: this mommy blogger has activities well beyond the toddler years and just recently, one suggestion on her Instagram page gave my five-year-old 90 minutes of independent play. Ninety whole minutes! And more the next day … and the next. (Disclaimer: results may vary.)

5. Groups of parents with a shared vision. Facebook groups like this one on Limited Screen Time Families are a great place to find shared ideas and resources. I like this particular group because it assumes there is some screen time, whereas some groups sharing ideas for no screen time can feel a bit shaming, in my opinion. Great ideas abound with those, too, however!

6. The Dollar Store, Hobby Lobby, Michaels, etc. In a pinch, these stores are wonderful resources for busy activities for kids, and they are usually inexpensive or on sale. My daughter can busy herself with glue, googly eyes, and popsicle sticks in ways I would never have thought.

7. Ask for help. A lot of moms wrestle with this, but if you don’t have a support system around you, build one. Make this a priority. I don’t have family nearby, and even in a community where I’m new to town, I’ve made building my support system a high priority. I’m learning to ask for help, and have been surprised by friends’ willingness to cheerfully lend a hand. (And when possible, I offer a hand to someone else who may need it! )

8. Josh Weidmann’s book, Raising Screen Time Kids, has some wonderful suggestions that he has used with his six kids to limit their screen time. This is a quick read with guiding biblical principles and practical tips. (And rumor has it, there will be an audio version very soon, which is a popular format with busy moms.)

As they say, “the struggle is real.” But limiting screen time and getting things done IS possible. It’s not easy, but a little creativity, asking for help when needed, and seeking resources from those who face the same challenges can give you a plan for releasing the screen.

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

Do Animals Go to Heaven? How to Answer Your Child’s Questions

Garrett Kell

April 24, 2023

Do animals go to heaven? That’s a common question from children, especially when they experience the loss of a pet. Discover what the Bible says…and how you can respond to kids.

This morning, we were awakened by the tears of one of our children. They had found our dog dead on the floor. Nellie the cross-eyed Chihuahua was relatively new to our family. But she had already brought us much joy. She was about as good a dog as a Chihuahua can be.

As the tears flowed, the questions did as well. “Why did Nellie have to die?” “Why did God take Nellie so soon?” “Will we see Nellie in heaven?”

Although some people may think these questions are silly, I do not.

Do animals go to heaven?

The longer we live on this fallen planet, the more sorrow we face. Some sufferings are small; others are great. But it all hurts. Some families experience tragedy early and often. Ours has been spared significant tragedy, but times like these leave their mark.

So we talked about what we were feeling and what questions we were processing. Here are a few highlights:

1. We know why our pets die.

Death is one of the saddest and most certain realities of this life. Few things like death sober us, whether it be a pet or a fellow image bearer. A cold, stiff body that lacks the life it once supported is a heavy reminder that something is wrong with our world.

So why does death happen? The Bible tells us plainly that when Adam and Eve sinned against God, all creation was cursed (Genesis 3:14, 19.) Because of this, death comes for all of us, people and animals alike.

Some may want to shield their children from discussions of death, but we don’t.

In Deuteronomy 6, God instructs Israel with His commands and gives parents this charge, “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Deuteronomy 6:7).

Discipleship in the home happens as we live life together, and as we bury pets together. We tell our children that death is in the world because of the curse of sin. All of us will die, and days like these remind us that even our beloved pets aren’t exempt.

2. We don’t know why our pets die when they do.

Death comes for all of us in a time and a way that is most normally unexpected. Nellie was, as far as we could tell, a healthy little dog. She seemed to go peacefully in her sleep. I’ve also lost other pets in more traumatic ways. When my daughter asked, “Why did she have to die now?” I simply held her and said, “I don’t know.”

God never tells us when our time is up. When we love someone, it always seems like our time with them was too short. I encouraged my daughter that our family loved Nellie well, and she loved us in like measure. I also reminded her we need not be afraid of losing those we love. But while they’re with us, we must love them as well as we can.

Teens and Church: 6 Things Young People Need From You

Bill Nance

April 24, 2023

“What do teens want in a church?” someone recently asked me. Wow! That’s a tough question to answer. It’s like asking, “What kind of music do people like?” or “What food do kids eat?”

When people choose a church, personal taste often plays a big role. Relevant factors include location, denomination, and where their parents worship. Other considerations are music, youth program, people they know who attend, type of building, and on and on.

Asking what teens want from church is the wrong question. What teenagers desire from a faith community doesn’t compare to what they need. So let’s look at the topic from that angle.

What Teens Need From Church: 6 Considerations

1. A place with Jesus

This is the number-one thing kids need in a church. If they aren’t meeting Jesus, then attending is a waste of time. Making kids more moral, knowing the Bible, and being nice people are all pointless without Jesus. Don’t just teach students about Jesus. Help them know Jesus.

2. A place with adults who care

Teens need adults who can invest and pour their lives into them. They need adults who can mentor and guide them on the right path. So many adults tells kids they’re not worth the time or effort. That’s why teens need adults who genuinely care.

3. A place to belong

Teens yearn for belonging. Yes, they often do stupid and damaging things to belong. What if we gave them a place to belong before they even came through the door? Our congregation and youth group should be a place where any student can be “home.”

4. A place to serve

It always amazes me what a bad rap teenagers get for being lazy and selfish. I’ve been on too many group mission trips, work camps and church service projects to see the zest and joy of teen servants. It’s a rare thing to see in adults, but young people love to serve. So churches and youth ministries need to provide opportunities. Otherwise, kids will end up being lazy and selfish adults.

Caring For Your Body

Full Strength Network

April 24, 2023

Jesus said, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,” implying that our physical bodies and energy levels do have an impact—for better or worse—on our spiritual lives and ability to be there for others.

If we do not maintain good physical health practices, we compromise the quality of our ministry spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually. Sound physical care is concerned with stewardship of the body, including consistent cycles of work, sleep, and recreation, as well as attention to healthy nutrition and stimulating exercise.

Here are five things you can do, beginning today, to take care of your body.

Know that your body matters. Many Christians believe the body is inferior to the spirit and can be ignored. We often privilege the “spiritual” over the physical. But that attitude is closer to the ancient heresy of Gnosticism than to Christianity. God created your body, and it is therefore sacred. It will one day be raised again to a glorified form. To be human is to have a body. Your body matters. What has been your attitude toward your body? How do you treat your body? Do you act as if your body is not important compared to your spirit? Have you been neglecting your body?
Get a good night’s rest. Being a pastor sometimes makes it challenging to get to bed at a decent hour. However, consistently burning the candle at both ends will have negative effects on all aspects of your well-being. Your body, mind, and spirit will work together much better with a good night’s rest. Your emotions might be more stable too. Be consistent. Don’t hesitate to see a sleep specialist if necessary – it is that important! Do you go to bed consistently at the same time? What prevents you from sleeping well?
Exercise consistently. Because God created us as integrated beings (body, mind, spirit), exercising your body will have a positive impact on the other aspects of your being. It is a mistaken notion to think physical exercise is not important compared to spiritual exercises. You will be better available to others in ministry if you take care of your body. First, check with your doctor to make sure you are okay to begin an exercise program. Then, find an activity you enjoy – that is key to making it a long-term habit! Cycling, walking, jogging, and swimming are some popular forms of exercise. A minimum of 3x a week is often thought to be the minimum for cardiovascular exercise. How much physical exercise are you engaged in weekly? What kind of exercise would you actually enjoy? What could you begin doing this week? Is there someone you could exercise with to make it more sociable?
Eat right. Eating right is often a challenge for pastors. Coffee shop chats, home visits, and lunch meetings often add up to way too many calories of the wrong kind. Be mindful of what you put into your body. Drink lots of water. Eat balanced meals with a proper ratio of proteins, complex carbs, and fat. Avoid pre-packaged foods. Eat a healthy breakfast and healthy snacks between meals. Take time to examine your eating habits. Are you eating healthy foods? Is there something healthy you need to add to your diet? Something to start eliminating? What one adjustment can you make to your diet today that can begin to put you on a path to a more healthy body?
Get a health check-up. Some warning signs of a health issue are obvious such as obesity and shortness of breath. However, it is easy to ignore these warning signs (and we often do ignore them). But you might not know there is a problem unless you have a thorough physical exam that includes blood work. What you do not know can possibly hurt you. Our families and parishioners are also affected by illnesses that might strike us down. When was the last time you had a physical check-up? What is your attitude toward taking time to invest in a physical check-up? Do you tend to think it is not important compared to the time you take for ministry to others? Why not make an appointment today?

This article originally appeared here.

Oklahoma Pastor Is Not Sorry About Blackface Costume, Despite Outcry

Stephanie Martin

April 24, 2023

Years-old photos recently went viral of an Oklahoma pastor dressed as Ray Charles and a Native American woman, sparking outrage by community groups and online commenters. But Sherman Jaquess, who is white and is pastor of Matoaka Baptist Church near Bartlesville, Oklahoma, is defending his actions and refuting claims of racism.

In an image from 2017, Jaquess wears blackface, an Afro wig, bright lipstick, and sunglasses to portray late musician Ray Charles. In an image from 2014, which the pastor said is from a church youth camp, he’s dressed as a Native American woman, complete with brown face makeup, a dress, and a braided wig.

Oklahoma Pastor: ‘I’m Not Racist at All’

In an April 19 sermon posted online, Jaquess told congregants, “I don’t have a racial bone in my body. I’m not racist at all.” About the Ray Charles impersonation, the pastor said he loves the musician’s work and was “honoring” him, not being derogatory.

“How can you portray Ray Charles if you’re not a Black man?” asked the Oklahoma pastor. He told worshipers that people are “blowing this thing up” and are too easily offended. Jaquess, who said he’s received death threats because of the photos, added he has “a lot of racial friends.”

Speaking to a reporter, Jaquess said, “I don’t apologize,” adding, “This church is multiracial, has all different kinds of racial people in it.” On the church website, the pastor’s page indicates his congregation “will strive for unity, while walking in love.” Yet on his personal Facebook page, Jaquess has posted material that could be deemed offensive—including an image comparing former President Obama to monkeys.

Regarding the time he dressed as a Native American woman, the pastor explained it was at a camp from when he served as youth pastor. The night’s theme, he said, was “Cowboys & Indians.” Jaquess defended his outfit by saying he had “Cherokee blood.” The church’s name, Makoata, is another name for the Native American historical figure Pocahontas.

Jaquess, who has been a vocal opponent of community drag performances, refuted claims that his costume was one. The pastor said he “was fully clothed” and “did nothing sexual or lewd.”

‘He Gives a Bad Name to Real Christians’

Marq Lewis, a community organizer who shared the photos of Jaquess in costume, said it’s “very troubling” that the pastor isn’t apologetic. “You can honor anyone by not putting on blackface, and he is ignoring the historical references and all of the satirical types of caricatures that African Americans have gone through in this country,” Lewis said.

“For him to say that’s not racist says to me that he is completely out of touch with the reality of what this world and this country has dealt with,” he added. “It’s actually a slap in the face of African Americans and all people of color.”

‘American Idol’ Contestant Hopes Song About God’s Grace Will Get Her in the Top 12 Tonight

Jessica Lea

April 24, 2023

After making it to the Top 20 on “American Idol,” Christian singer-songwriter Megan Danielle is seeking a spot in the Top 12 with her performance of We The Kingdom’s “Holy Water.” Danielle, who is one of several Christian contestants who made it to the Top 20, says her desire is to use her platform to share God’s love.

“I was born to share the love of Jesus,” said Megan Danielle in a social media post after she was approved to go to Hollywood. “Even though I fail everyday, I sin and I’m not perfect… I would never claim or want to be perfect. I know it is so easy to get trapped into what the world wants of you and lose focus of His word because of what the world wants… but I am here to tell you, it is all going to be okay. God loves us & WE need to share more of Him!”

Megan Danielle Shares God’s Grace on National TV

Megan Danielle, 21, is a native of Douglasville, Georgia, and previously competed on “The Voice.” For her audition for “American Idol,” she performed “You Say” by Lauren Daigle, who surprised Danielle by walking into the audition and joining her in the middle of her performance. The contestant was shocked and delighted. “I feel like this is not even happening,” she said.

Danielle has revealed that her parents divorced when she was 7 years old and that she has struggled with confidence in herself her whole life. “I put a lot of blame on myself for my dad leaving,” she said. “It made me feel kind of worthless, like I wasn’t a good daughter or even a good sister.”

The singer credits her grandfather with encouraging her to use her talents for God. She told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that she sees “American Idol” as “an opportunity to share my love of God. I want to be able to just lead people where the world is missing and the world is missing God. That’s what I strongly believe. And I want to really do better for myself and lead people in the right direction.”

The lyrics of “Holy Water,” which Danielle performed Sunday night, express a deep need for God’s grace and forgiveness:

Your forgiveness
Is like sweet, sweet honey on my lips
Like the sound of a symphony to my ears
Like holy water on my skin

I don’t want to abuse Your grace
God, I need it every day
It’s the only thing that ever really
Makes me want to change

39 Bodies Found on Property of Kenyan Pastor, Alleged Leader of Starvation Cult

Dale Chamberlain

April 24, 2023

Police have discovered the bodies of 39 people on the property of Paul Makenzie Nthenge, a pastor in the Kilifi County of Kenya who was taken into custody earlier this month after allegedly encouraging his followers to starve themselves to death in order to “meet Jesus.”

After receiving a local tip that Nthenge was engaging in cult-like practices, police raided Good News International Church, of which Nthenge had been pastor.

Police went on to discover 15 victims who had been convinced to starve themselves. Four of those victims died from starvation, and the remaining 11 were rushed to the hospital for medical care. The group of victims include men and women ranging between 17 to 49 years old.

The concerned community members who alerted the police reportedly characterized the victims as “brainwashed.” Police said the victims had been “radicalized.”

Nthenge had previously been arrested in connection with the deaths of two toddlers who died by starvation. The parents of those children were attenders of Good News International Church. Nthenge was released on bond after being charged.

At the time of Nthenge’s latest arrest, police were advised that his property, which is in a forested area, might have been the final resting place for more victims. Though police initially said that the search was made difficult “by virtue of [the] vast land (area) and hostile residents in the forest,” they have now discovered dozens of bodies in shallow graves.

According to the Associated Press, local politicians have urged the court not to release Nthenge as it has in the past, decrying the spread of cults in the area.

William Ruto, president of Kenya, said on Monday Nthenge’s alleged crimes are “akin to terrorism.”

Nthenge is reportedly on a hunger strike while being held in custody.

At Memorial, Charles Stanley Honored by Franklin Graham, Donald Trump, Tony Evans, Chuck Swindoll, CeCe Winans, and Others

Janna Firestone

April 24, 2023

Charles Stanley Memorial — Screengrab via YouTube @11Alive

It was fitting for the legacy celebration of Pastor Charles Stanley to be held at First Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia—the church where Stanley served for nearly 50 years. Pastor Anthony George of First Baptist Atlanta hosted, guiding guests through the service for this “warrior of the faith.”

Stanley passed away on April 18 at the age of 90. He served as the pastor of five churches and founded a TV program that later became “In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley.” According to In Touch Ministries, Stanley’s sermons have been heard in “127 languages around the world via radio, shortwave, the Messenger Lab project, or TV broadcasts. Stanley was the country’s longest-serving pastor with a continuous weekly broadcast program.”

Notable Guests Pay Tribute to Pastor Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley influenced lives around the world. Throughout his life, he was invited to pray for and counsel celebrities, government leaders, and fellow pastors. Many people honored the late pastor at his service, whether in person or via video.

Pastor Chuck Swindoll of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas, shared sentiments via video. He said, “We say, ‘Goodbye,’ as Heaven says, ‘Hello.'”

“His presentations were always lively and on target, accurate and meaningful. I give thanks for his life,” Swindoll reflected. “He is at home with the Lord in that perfect place, in that perfect setting with the Savior he preached and loved and knew so well.”

Former United States president Donald Trump said via video message that he remembered meeting Stanley. Trump offered, “I will always remember his incredible kindness and humble spirit when he met with me in the Oval Office. As he prayed for me and the nation, I knew God was hearing that prayer.”

Tony Evans, pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas, said, “We have all been impacted, influenced, and transformed by his ministry locally, nationally, and internationally. Evans continued, “Through the hard times and the celebratory times, he has stood on the Word of God, preaching it week in and week out.”

Others, including Pastor Robert Morris of Gateway Church, Rev. Franklin Graham of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and Pastor David Jeremiah of Shadow Mountain Community Church, added their words and reflections on the late pastor. The service also included hymns sung by Greater Vision, CeCe Winans, and the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.

‘Screwtape Letters’ Meets ‘Silence of the Lambs’—Christian Horror Film ‘Nefarious’ Aims To Expose the Reality of Demons

Jesse T. Jackson

April 24, 2023

“Christian horror film” may sound like a bit of an oxymoron, but that is exactly what filmmakers Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon (“Unplanned,” “God’s Not Dead,” “Do You Believe”) have sought to create with their latest release, titled “Nefarious.”

“Nefarious” is a horror-thriller film that tells the fictional story of a convicted serial killer who, on the day of his scheduled execution, must be certified as mentally competent by a court-ordered psychiatrist. As the psychiatrist conducts his evaluation, he discovers that the killer is possessed by a demon, who tells him that before the day is over, the psychiatrist will have committed three murders of his own.

The killer is played by veteran actor Sean Patrick Flannery (“The Boondock Saints,” “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles”). The psychiatrist, played by Jordan Belfi (“Entourage,” “Moonlight”), wars with the demon, who calls himself “Nefarious.”

Solomon described “Nefarious,” which has received a 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, as a mature version of C.S. Lewis‘ “Screwtape Letters” meets “Silence of the Lambs.”

One reviewer said, “There are not going to be very many films released this year that are going to make you think on the level of ‘Nefarious.’ It is a film that is not only entertaining, but also makes you question what side of the battle between good and evil you are truly on.”

The film received an R rating, although it does not feature any explicit language or sexual content. The film does contain two scenes of violence, but some could argue that a PG-13 rating would be more appropriate.

“The R rating is political. It’s the same thing they did with us on ‘Unplanned,’” Solomon told ChurchLeaders. “They gave us an ‘R’ because they know that Christians will not go to our movies…People have to realize that Hollywood hates Christians,” he said, and does not want Christian films “to see the light of day.”

The directors believe that the devil was behind both “Unplanned” and “Nefarious” receiving R ratings, due to the fact that an R rating is likely to deter Christians, who constitute a majority of their viewing audience.

“Nefarious” grossed $1.3 million in its opening weekend, but was only shown in 933 theaters. For comparison, Russell Crowe’s demonic horror film “The Pope’s Exorcist,” which debuted the same weekend, was shown in 3,178 theaters and grossed $9 million.

Solomon and Konzelman shared that the film was made due to God’s perfect timing. When they were presented with the idea, they loved it, but they didn’t expect to make the movie right away. In fact, they said that they received the film’s budget before even having a completed script.

‘Duck Dynasty’-Backed Gen Z Jesus Musical ‘His Story’ To Debut in Texas

Kathryn Post

April 24, 2023

his story — Cast workshops “His Story: The Musical” in New York City. Photo by Rachel Monteleone

(RNS) — Sixteen-year-old Anna Miriam Brown didn’t know how to play piano in 2017, but she knew God was calling her to write a musical.

The homeschooled daughter of evangelical missionaries, Brown was sitting in a bus recovering from heat stroke on a mission trip in Kenya when a friend played her the hit “Hamilton” album. Brown thought musicals were cheesy but was stirred by the rap-infused songs about the ambitious Founding Father.

“I was praying and talking to God, and I felt like God spoke to me and told me that my way of sharing the faith I’d found wasn’t going to be through traveling or telling people the old-fashioned way,” Brown told Religion News Service. “It was going to be through music, and through the way this ‘Hamilton’ musical had impacted me.”

On May 5, “His Story” — a new musical about the life of Jesus with book, music and lyrics by Brown — will begin previews just north of Dallas in a “tent village” designed and built for the show’s open-ended run. Audiences of up to 1,300 will sit in plush, velvet seats surrounding the stage in the main tent, which is rigged with heating and air conditioning.

Anna Miriam Brown. Courtesy photo

The show was made possible through an unexpected alliance of Broadway veterans and evangelical celebrities. Bruce Lazarus (who produced “Say Goodnight Gracie,” nominated for best play at the 2003 Tony Awards) and Jeff Calhoun (who was nominated for best director at the 2012 Tony Awards for “Newsies”) joined producers Willie and Korie Robertson of “Duck Dynasty” fame.

The entire process has felt “blessed,” according to Calhoun.

“Normally it takes, like, seven years to put a musical together; we put this together in, like, 14 months, and we raised 7.5 million dollars in a very short period of time,” Lazarus agreed.

Brown never envisioned her musical onstage. She wrote the album by improvising melodies and lyrics over chords her sister taught her to play on a children’s keyboard, aiming to reach other Gen Zers who are anxious about life’s meaning and purpose. In 2019, she and a team of hired professionals released a concept album for the show. Brown figured that would be the end of it.

But then the album landed on Lazarus’ desk.

At first, he was skeptical. “I thought, ‘oh, 17-year-old girl writes sweet little musical about Jesus, how nice.’” But, he said, by the time he reached the third song on the album, he was weeping.

Lazarus, who described himself as a “product of the 12 steps” whose life changed after he made “conscious contact with God,” met with Brown in New York City and secured the rights to do the show worldwide. Soon, he teamed up with Calhoun, who was also hooked on the album.

“Coming out of the pandemic, it gave me time to look at my career in the rearview mirror. I was going to an insecure or dark place,” said Calhoun, who was raised Lutheran but now considers the theater his church. “This show fulfills many voids. I felt confident I could turn it into a beautiful piece of art for the stage, but also it was healing for me, too, being around this material. It’s been healing for me, both professionally and personally.”

Jeff Calhoun. Courtesy photo

Philadelphia Archdiocese Accused of Transferring Known Abuser to Catholic College

Kathryn Post

April 24, 2023

Kevn Barry McGoldrick — The Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia, located in downtown Philadelphia. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia/Creative Commons

(RNS) — In 2013, then-Catholic priest and would-be artist Kevin Barry McGoldrick was transferred from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to the Diocese of Nashville, where he became chaplain of Aquinas College.

In the lawsuit filed on Tuesday (April 18) in Philadelphia, it alleges that archdiocesan officials transferred the priest — and issued a letter of support on his behalf — knowing that he had a history of sexual abuse. The lawsuit accuses the archdiocese of enabling the priest’s abuse in 2017 of the lawsuit’s 27-year-old plaintiff, identified only as “Jane Doe.”

“To know he should never have been at Aquinas College, and he was put there and I was put in harm’s way knowingly, was perhaps the most traumatic,” Jane Doe told Religion News Service.

The five-count lawsuit, entered in the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia County, names both McGoldrick and the archdiocese and asks for hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages.

Jane Doe’s lawyers write in the complaint that the archdiocese’s “callous indifference” to the safety and wellbeing of young women in their care “was a function of their paramount desire to protect the Church, even at the expense of innocent young persons.”

A spokesperson for the archdiocese said they “would not comment on pending litigation.”

Stewart Ryan, an attorney representing Jane Doe, said this case fits into a broader pattern of abuse coverups in the archdiocese. Too often, he said, priests suspected of abuse have been simply transferred from assignment to assignment. The lawsuit claims McGoldrick was re-assigned at least seven times.

The lawsuit also alleges that McGoldrick committed civil assault and battery. He could not be reached for comment in time for publication.

In the summer of 2017, Jane Doe, then 22, had just completed her junior year at Aquinas College, a 61-year-old school operated by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia. McGoldrick, who was both a chaplain and her spiritual adviser, began regularly inviting her and other female students to his rectory for drinks and dinner, the lawsuit alleges.

On one of these occasions, according to the lawsuit, he provided the plaintiff with so much alcohol she vomited, and he began touching her inappropriately. The plaintiff believes the sexual assault “continued and escalated” even after she had lost consciousness.

Jane Doe claims the alleged assault took a severe toll, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, emotional distress and other symptoms and forms of trauma. Jane Doe reported the assault to the Nashville diocese in 2019, but no action was taken until she filed a police report in 2020. She settled a lawsuit against the Nashville diocese in 2020 for $65,000.

How To Raise A Generous Child

Ron Edmondson

April 24, 2023

Looking to learn how to raise a generous child?
I have had conflict most of my life between what I think I want and what I really need.

Most people share this conflict with me.

That conflict also appears in our children, as well.

We don’t have to teach children to struggle with determining between wants and needs. It’s a natural response to life. And if they need any help doing so—they can easily learn the struggle from us.

As parents, we are the primary shapers of our children’s attitudes toward money, things, and desires. Our children will either be “givers” or “takers” in society, and that will be greatly influenced by the life they live in our home.

How do we raise a generous child?

How do we help our children (and ultimately ourselves) be people who genuinely enjoy living sacrificial lives—considering the interest of others—being givers rather than takers as the Bible commands us to do?

Here are 10 tips that we tried to practice in our own home. It has been amazing to watch our boys, now young adults on their own, having developed generous hearts toward others. They are far more generous than I was at their age.

And let me be clear. The fact that they turned out that way is all grace. God has blessed us greatly. But we have been intentional to live out biblical principles—and we have learned that they work when applied “generously.”

Here are 10 ideas on how to raise a generous child:

1. Have fun and be generous parents.

The story is told of Jesus and the disciples attending a wedding. The party had been going for a while when something tragic happened. They ran out of wine. That was a serious problem to the host of the party. It was a huge cultural embarrassment to run out of food or wine. Jesus took some big barrels of water and turned them into the best wine the people had that night. The people were overwhelmed.

The Bible says that was the very first miracle Jesus ever did. As culturally important as weddings were in those days, it still sounds like God met a want, rather than a need.

It is very clear that God is not trying to keep us from having what we want or from having fun in life. God is not opposed to blessing us with things we want but may not even need. We should not be afraid to do the same with our children. If we can afford to, and if our children are living within the boundaries set for our home, we should not be afraid to give them gifts they simply want but may not even need. (I thought I would start with an easy one first.)

2. Help children understand the difference between a need and a want.

It is understandable why it is difficult to raise children who understand the difference between a need and a want when we as parents struggle with the same issues. This will take a lifetime of teaching.

As much as God wants to bless us with wants, if we study the Bible, God seems far more interested in helping fulfill our needs than He does in giving us everything we want. In fact, God never promises to provide our want list, yet He does promise to meet all our needs (Philippians 4:19). Granted, there are some that take verses like this out of context and teach that God gives us everything we ask for, but that doesn’t line up with the rest of Scripture.

The problem from a biblical perspective is that we have a messed up system of determining need versus want. That thing inside us that chooses good over evil, better or best, need versus want, is broken.

When we apply biblical understanding, most actual needs go beyond just enjoyment for today or even just for me. For something to fall into the category of need it should provide some lasting value to society or at least to my own character. Needs, beyond basics such as food and water, become things like righteousness—and love, and joy, and peace, and contentment.

We can even ask ourselves, does this “thing” benefit someone more than just me? Does it add value to someone’s life or to my own character? A true need, in this context, almost becomes something that money cannot buy.

We should consistently invest biblical principles into our children—helping them understand the things that matter to God. Helping children develop a hunger for things they need as much as—or even more—than things they want.

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‘Jesus Revolution’ Has Ongoing Impact

1. ‘Healthy Things Always Grow.’

2. ‘Megachurches Don’t Disciple Their People.’

Do animals go to heaven?

1. We know why our pets die.

2. We don’t know why our pets die when they do.

What Teens Need From Church: 6 Considerations

1. A place with Jesus

2. A place with adults who care

3. A place to belong

4. A place to serve

Oklahoma Pastor: ‘I’m Not Racist at All’

‘He Gives a Bad Name to Real Christians’

Megan Danielle Shares God’s Grace on National TV

Notable Guests Pay Tribute to Pastor Charles Stanley

Here are 10 ideas on how to raise a generous child:

1. Have fun and be generous parents.

2. Help children understand the difference between a need and a want.

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