Preach the Gospel at All Times — And Use Words

April 10, 2023

thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

As I’m headed out to the Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, I’ve been thinking about why we leave places– why I left LifeWay to come to Wheaton, and why I am leaving Wheaton to Talbot. Perhaps I’ll write more on it one day.

In thinking on such transitions, and while writing a chapter in my forthcoming book on Evangelicalism, I ran across this article that I wrote for the Washington Post when I came to Wheaton College. It is shared here by permission, and I did not change the contemporary references in the article. (The WaPo editor chose the headline.)

Call Yourself a Christian; Start Talking about Jesus Christ

“Preach the gospel at all times; if necessary, use words,” Saint Francis of Assisi is supposed to have said.

The aphorism, often quoted, expresses a well-meaning viewpoint of many Christians today. They are concerned that we’ve been too loud, demanding, and angry. Now, they say, we need to show the gospel by our lives.

It’s a good sentiment, and I certainly agree that we need to demonstrate the gospel change in our lives by caring for others. But there are two problems with the Assisi quote.

First, he never said it.

Second, it’s really bad theology.

You see, using that statement is a bit like saying, “Feed the hungry at all times; if necessary, use food.” For Christians, the gospel is good news—it’s what the word literally means. For evangelicals, our name speaks of the commitment to evangelism that defines us. The good news needs to be told.

Yet, Christians, evangelicals included, seem to love evangelism, as long as someone else is doing it. It’s time for all of us to start preaching our good news again.

Christianity Is a Missionary Faith

It’s essential to understand that, regardless of our personal comfort level, we are called to share our faith because Christianity is a missionary faith. Despite the change in our culture and the way our faith is regarded, Christians are commanded to tell people about Jesus. In Matthew 4:19, Jesus called fishermen as his first disciples and told them he would make them “fishers of men.”

His disciples are still called to be fishers of men.

Even in our multi-faith environment, this calling should not be offensive to those of other faiths or no faith at all. Evangelism does not mean coercion. We can and should respect each other and strive for tolerance across varying beliefs, but that does not require pretending those differences do not exist. One of the core beliefs of Christianity is that Christianity should be propagated.

‘Words Matter Now More Than Ever’ — Mark Batterson’s New Book Explores 3 Simple, Powerful Words

Stephanie Martin

April 10, 2023

In his new book “Please, Sorry, Thanks,” Mark Batterson makes the case that baseline standards of “treating each other with respect and honor, and…as the image of God” are more important than ever.

The lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C., says using please, sorry, and thanks should be part of our “lifestyle” rather than just empty words.

Batterson, who led an Easter sunrise service yesterday at the Lincoln Memorial, spoke to Fox News Digital about his latest book, which released on April 4. In the interview, the pastor pointed to Jesus as our standard for how to view and treat other people.

Mark Batterson: ‘Words Matter Now More Than Ever’

Today’s culture needs a “rising tide of civility,” said Batterson, emphasizing that civility must go beyond mere politeness. Because of society’s fast pace, growing tensions, and fast-changing nature, people “are not good at disagreeing” anymore, he added. “It seems as if everybody’s blaming everybody else for everything, and that’s just not going to get us where we need to go.”

Every setting, including the workplace, needs “certain baselines” of people-honoring and Christ-honoring conduct, noted the pastor. “Our words have the power to bless or to curse,” he said. “Words matter now more than ever…These words have to be expressions of how we see the person who is right in front of us. And we have to make sure that we’re humanizing people more than we’re demonizing people.”

Peacemaking is a key factor in that, according to Batterson’s new book. It sets forth important peacemaking principles such as listening well, disagreeing freely, and loving regardless. Treating other people with genuine respect, Batterson said, “creates an atmosphere where people feel seen, heard, and understood.”

Mark Batterson: ‘We Should Hear People’s Stories’

Batterson, 53, said that “Jesus set a high standard” for how to relate to and interact with one another. Humility is paramount, he said, noting that we should “reserve the right to get smarter later.” Other necessary qualities the pastor listed include empathy, understanding, and “non-anxious curiosity toward each other.”

Instead of being so “quick to write each other off,” said Batterson, we need to remember that everyone is fighting some type of battle. He urged Christ-followers to truly listen to people’s stories and to “love each other despite our differences.” Batterson also encouraged readers to “check their ego at the door” and to be impressive by not trying to impress others.

‘The Problem Is Leadership’ — Andy Stanley on the Decline of Religious Values in United States

Janna Firestone

April 10, 2023

Andy Stanley, pastor of North Point Community Church, recently spoke out about America’s “leadership problem” and the role of the church in finding a solution to the country’s loneliness epidemic.

His remarks came in response to a poll recently released by the Wall Street Journal that showed sharp decreases in how Americans view the importance of patriotism, religion, and community involvement.

“Some 38% of respondents said patriotism was very important to them, and 39% said religion was very important,” the survey stated. “That was down sharply from when the Journal first asked the question in 1998, when 70% deemed patriotism to be very important, and 62% said so of religion.”

Referring to declines in patriotism, religion, having children, and community involvement, the results further stated that “younger Americans in particular place low importance on these values, many of which were central to the lives of their parents.”

Within this polarized political and social culture, Americans have also expressed less acceptance of people different than themselves. The poll revealed, “Tolerance for others, deemed very important by 80% of Americans as recently as four years ago, has fallen to 58% since then.”

Dana Perino, anchor for “Amerca’s Newsroom” on Fox News, asked Stanley to respond to the poll results and offer insights into how the church might provide a solution.

Andy Stanley Responds to Decline in Religion and Rise in Loneliness

When asked to weigh in on why there has been such a steep decline in the importance of religion, Stanley said, “People have lost faith in institutional leadership in general—beginning with political, but also religious. And the problem is leadership, to some extent, has been reduced to, ‘Follow me because I hate the same people you hate.’ ‘Follow me; I fear the same people you fear.’ And that’s terrible leadership.”

“A leader who has to have an enemy in order to lead is a bad leader,” Stanley added. “As Christians and as a faith community, we should know better, because Jesus was clear about this. His message was, ‘Just because somebody considers you their enemy, you do not have to return the favor.'”

As the pastor of a large church, Stanley expressed that he has found that those in younger generations see a vast difference between the leadership displayed in churches and in government and the leadership modeled in the Bible.

“Consequently, they’re kind of done with institutional religion and, in some way, institutional politics,” Stanley said. “It’s a leadership problem. It’s a messaging problem.”

Stanley argued that the solution is found within the teachings of Jesus, saying, “Jesus not only modeled the answer, but he provided the answer as well.”

‘Bling Pastor’ Claimed To Have Control Over NYC Mayor as Part of Scheme To Defraud Businessman

Dale Chamberlain

April 10, 2023

New details have emerged in the case against New York City pastor Lamor Whitehead, who was charged in December 2022 with fraud and lying to federal agents. According to court documents, Whitehead claimed he could exert influence over New York City mayor Eric Adams to advance business interests.

In addition to allegedly defrauding a church member of her $90,000 retirement fund, Whitehead has been accused of extorting $5,000 from New York businessman Brandon Belmonte.

Whitehead, who pastors Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in the Canarsie neighborhood of Brooklyn, was made famous for being robbed of an estimated $1 million worth of jewelry in June 2022 during a Sunday service that was being live streamed.

Whitehead has gone on to become a high profile figure, in part for his flashy attire, expensive cars, and other luxury items. He has also frequently been in the headlines as a result of his confrontational public persona.

Since the time of the robbery, Whitehead has gotten into a verbal altercation with other church leaders during an Instagram Live video, challenged comedian D.L. Hughley to a boxing match and vowed to knock him out “in the name of Jesus,” and was briefly detained by police after forcibly removing a woman who had come to protest his preaching from a Leaders of Tomorrow service—an altercation that was also captured via live stream.

Court documents have now revealed that Whitehead allegedly claimed to have control over Mayor Adams, according to Daily News.

Whitehead was allegedly recorded telling Belmonte, whom he is accused of defrauding for $5,000 and attempting to extort for $500,000 more, that the two could “make so much money together” by leveraging Whitehead’s purported political connections and Belmonte’s financial resources.

“It’s unreal, bro. My connections, even with [Adams], but underneath connections,” Whitehead allegedly told the businessman. “But bro, we gotta be all-in.”

According to the March 29 court filing, as part of his scheme to extort Belmonte, Whitehead claimed that Adams would “sit down with whoever I need him to sit down with.”

Whitehead allegedly promised that in exchange for a sizable investment payment, Whitehead could sway city officials to act favorably toward Belmonte’s real estate venture.

Adams, who previously had a personal relationship with Whitehead while serving as Brooklyn borough president, has not been accused of wrongdoing. Prosecutors have previously indicated that there is no evidence to suggest Whitehead had the ability to influence Adams’ decisions as mayor.

Francis Focuses Easter Message on Hope, With Prayers for an End to Global Conflicts

Junno Arocho Esteves

April 10, 2023

ROME (RNS) — The joy of Christ’s resurrection can bring much needed hope to a world ravaged by war, violence and death, Pope Francis said during his annual Easter address, delivered from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica after an outdoor Mass.

“Let us make haste to surmount our conflicts and divisions, and to open our hearts to those in greatest need. Let us hasten to pursue paths of peace and fraternity,” the pope said Sunday (April 8), before delivering his Easter blessing “urbi et orbi” (“to the city and to the world”).

“Let us rejoice at the concrete signs of hope that reach us from so many countries, beginning with those that offer assistance and welcome to all fleeing from war and poverty,” he said to the crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square, estimated by the Vatican press office to be about 100,000.

The semi-annual blessing, also given on Christmas, offers a plenary indulgence, or the forgiveness of sins, to the faithful present and those watching on screens around the world.

Although his voice was slightly raspy after his recent recovery from a respiratory infection, Francis seemed in good spirits and warmly greeted the cheering crowd.

In his address, the pope told the faithful present that on Easter, “the destiny of the world was changed.” The proclamation that Christ is “truly risen” is a reminder that “our hope is not an illusion, but the truth,” he said.

Nevertheless, there are “stumbling stones” that make it “difficult and demanding to hasten toward the Risen Lord,” said Francis, before praying for the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

“Help the beloved Ukrainian people on their journey toward peace, and shed the light of Easter upon the people of Russia,” he prayed. “Comfort the wounded and all those who have lost loved ones because of the war, and grant that prisoners may return safe and sound to their families.”

Francis also prayed that the international community would work together and “strive to end this war and all conflict and bloodshed in our world, beginning with Syria, which still awaits peace.”

He also entrusted the city of Jerusalem to God, after a volatile week which saw Israeli forces raid the Al-Aqsa mosque and retaliatory attacks against Israeli citizens as well as tourists in Tel Aviv.

“On this day, Lord, we entrust to you the city of Jerusalem, the first witness of your resurrection. May there be a resumption of dialogue, in a climate of trust and reciprocal respect, between Israelis and Palestinians, so that peace may reign in the Holy City and in the entire region,” Francis prayed.

The pope also prayed for the people of Lebanon, Tunisia, Myanmar and Haiti who have been “sorely tried” by conflict, violence, persecution and economic hardship.

He also prayed for Christians in Nicaragua, Eritrea and “all who are prevented from freely and publicly professing their faith,” as well as victims of international terrorism in Burkina Faso, Mali, Mozambique and Nigeria.

Lastly, Francis prayed God would bring comfort to refugees, deportees, political prisoners and migrants, who often suffer due to “hunger, poverty, the dire effects of the drug trade, human trafficking and all other forms of slavery.”

“Lord, inspire the leaders of nations to ensure that no man or woman may encounter discrimination and be violated in his or her dignity; that in full respect for human rights and democracy these social wounds may be healed; that the common good of the citizenry may be pursued always and solely; and that security and the conditions needed for dialogue and peaceful coexistence may be guaranteed,” the pope said.

This article originally appeared here.

LGBTQ Group Condemns Point Loma Nazarene University for Theology Dean’s Dismissal

Alejandra Molina

April 10, 2023

(RNS) — A coalition of LGBTQ alumni of Point Loma Nazarene University — a private Christian liberal arts college in San Diego — is protesting the firing of the dean of the university’s school of theology, who they say was dismissed for siding with an adjunct professor who was let go due to her own public support for the LGBTQ community.

Mark Maddix, the dean for the school of theology and Christian ministry, was fired on March 15 by the university’s chief academic officer, Kerry Fulcher, according to an April 5 statement released by alumna Lauren Cazares, who founded Loma LGBTQIA+ Alumni & Allies Coalition earlier this year.

“With no previous disciplinary actions or concerns, Dr. Mark Maddix was fired due to what the provost claims as ‘insubordination’ for his support of former adjunct professor and minister Melissa Tucker,” Cazares said. Instead, the statement charges, Maddix was fired “for not standing by the homophobic and discriminatory decision,” to remove Tucker from her adjunct position.

Lora Fleming, the university’s communications director, said the school could not provide specific information on personnel issues but provided a statement saying the decision to suspend Maddix’s employment “was not based on anything related to the LGBTQIA+ community.”

Attorney Josh Gruenberg is representing Maddix as a result of his firing and told Religion News Service that he will prove the university’s statement “to be untrue.” Gruenberg said Maddix was wrongfully terminated and told the Times of San Diego that they “will give the school an opportunity to address the issue before we file anything.”

Meanwhile, on Friday, Tucker released a statement, acknowledging that she was “blocked from teaching because of my belief.” Tucker learned in January that she would no longer be allowed to teach at PLNU because of her “progressive views on human sexuality.”

As adjunct, Tucker said she respected the covenant of the school, which contains a statement rejecting sexual relationships outside of heterosexual marriage, by not explicitly sharing her views with students in the classroom, “which is consistent with my pedagogical practice regardless of subject matter.”

Tucker also detailed her March 2020 decision to leave her associate pastor role at San Diego First Church of the Nazarene, as she grew increasingly discontent with the tension between the church’s position on human sexuality and her own convictions. She relinquished her ordination credentials in 2021 and accepted a pastoral position at Normal Heights United Methodist Church.

“My firm belief, informed by my faith, is that God’s love is truly for all people. I am thoroughly affirming of the LGBTQIA+ community. I love the story and mission of Jesus Christ and equally grieve at how religion is used to harm and control people,” Tucker said.

According to Cazares, Maddix’s firing came weeks after a private meeting with Fulcher, where he learned that Tucker had been blocked from teaching.

Maddix later defended Tucker in an email to the faculty of the school of theology, Cazares said, informing them that Tucker would no longer be able to work as an adjunct. In that email, Maddix disclosed the details of his meeting with Fulcher, according to Cazares.

A PLNU employee, who wished to remain anonymous out of concern for their job security, corroborated the details in the email, adding that the school’s contention that Maddix’s firing had nothing to do with the LGBTQ community “is patently false.”

Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. Photo by Roman Eugeniusz/Wikimedia/Creative Commons

In 2015 Northwest Nazarene University in Idaho ended the job of tenured theologian Thomas Jay Oord, a beloved professor “whose supporters believe his job was eliminated because his views on evolution clash with those of some Nazarene traditionalists,” according to Inside Higher Ed.

In a Facebook post, Oord expressed his anger about Maddix’s termination, calling Maddix, who taught at Northwest Nazarene for about 15 years, a “good friend,” who “tried to protect an adjunct colleague who is LGBTQ+ affirming.”

Bob Jones President Resigns, Accuses Board Chair of Thwarting Title IX Complaint

Bob Smietana

April 10, 2023

(RNS) — The president of Bob Jones University, a prominent South Carolina evangelical school, has resigned, citing dysfunction and disunity on the school’s board of trustees.

His resignation, which takes effect at the end of the academic year, came less than four months after he signed a three-year contract.

In a press release announcing his planned departure, Pettit gave thanks for students and staff at the schools.

“It has been one of the greatest privileges of my life to serve as the president of Bob Jones University,” Pettit said in the release, according to the Greenville News. “My memories of the wonderful people, the incredible student body, and the perpetual blessings of God will linger with me throughout the rest of my life.”

But his resignation letter, dated March 23, tells a different story.

In the letter, published on a blog run by a former Jones faculty member, Pettit details his clashes with the chair of the school’s board of trustees and Pettit’s concerns about the school’s finances. The letter also alleges the board chair tried to interfere with a Title IX investigation at the school.

According to the letter, a member of the board of trustees allegedly complained that the clothing worn by female students, including athletes, accentuated their “boobs and butts.” That trustee also allegedly took photos of female students without permission.

“I don’t know if these allegations are true or not, but our obligation was (and is) to treat them the same way we would any other allegations, and in February, the Trustees agreed to refer the matter to the Title IX coordinator.”

The letter alleges the chair of the board tried to stall the Title IX investigation and manipulate its outcome.

Pettit said in his letter that he hoped his reelection for a three-year term as president meant he and the board could work in a unified manner. But that proved not to be the case.

“After much prayer and consideration, however, I have decided that I cannot continue to serve as President of Bob Jones University if Dr. John Lewis remains Chairman of the Board,” Pettit wrote, adding that if nothing changed by the end of March, he would resign.

A university spokesman confirmed Pettit’s resignation will be effective as of May 5. The spokesman declined to comment on the particulars of Pettit’s allegations about the board or the Title IX complaint.

“Bob Jones University takes seriously its obligations under Title IX as it relates to all students, faculty, staff, and volunteers,” Randy Page, chief of staff for the office of the president, said in an email. “Our Title IX Coordinator follows university policies and Title IX regulations to analyze any complaint, and, if necessary, conduct an investigation.”

An entrance sign at Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. Photo by John Foxe/Wikimedia/Creative Commons

The first president in the school’s history not to be related to the late evangelist Bob Jones Sr., who founded the school in 1927, Pettit has been popular with students during his tenure.

He took steps to soften some of the school’s rules — including changing the dress code in 2018 to allow female students to wear pants.

More than 7,500 supporters have signed a petition calling for Lewis, the chair of the university’s board, to resign.

The Great Evangelical Disaster

James Emery White

April 10, 2023

In 1984, Francis Schaeffer wrote a book titled “The Great Evangelical Disaster.” As someone who appreciated Schaeffer’s earlier work, particularly his seminal “Escape from Reason,” it was a jolting shift from cultural critique to cultural confrontation with clear political overtones.

How ironic that now, nearly four decades later, it is precisely the embrace of a political engagement with culture that has cost evangelicals their standing in public opinion. The only group in America that loves evangelicals are, well, evangelicals.

In a recently released Pew Research Center report, almost one third of all Americans expressed an unfavorable view of evangelicals – specifically Pentecostals and Southern Baptists – far exceeding negative views toward mainline Protestants or Catholics. The only groups that fared worse were Jehovah’s Witnesses, Scientologists and Satanists.

And the reason why?

To quote Christianity Today, “Evangelical identity in the United States became associated with… political baggage in recent years.” Or as president of the National Association of Evangelicals Walter Kim, raising concerns about politicized perceptions of the faith, stated, “We are in a season in which the evangelical faith is being narrowly defined and misunderstood by many, with long-term ramifications for our gospel witness.” Too many young people and people of color, he added, “have been alienated by the evangelical Christianity they have seen presented in public in recent years.”

Of course, it isn’t just politics. As Christianity Today also noted, “Evangelical institutions have continued to reckon with racism, sexism, and abuse, past and present.” Their reporting included an incisive comment from Christian apologist Dan DeWitt, the executive director of the Center for Worldview Analysis and Cultural Engagement at Southwest Baptist University:

As someone who cares a lot about apologetics, it can be easy to shrug this off as merely the price of doing evangelism in a secularizing context. But if we take Paul’s words seriously, we should care about our reputation with those outside the church. These statistics should grieve us. While we cannot water down our beliefs to make people like us, we need to listen to how the world perceives us.

Yes, we do.

And particularly when many of our “beliefs” are not aspects of Christian doctrine at all, but rather ideologies we have made into theologies.

Schaeffer was right when he wrote about the “great evangelical disaster” being rooted in compromise over biblical truth. What he failed to see was how a future disaster would entail confusing allegiance to biblical truth with nothing more than political ideologies.

And nobody likes that.

Or more to the point, no one is won to Christ through that.

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

5 Ways Your Life as a Disciple Shapes Your Effectiveness as a Leader

Dan Reiland

April 10, 2023

You are first a disciple of Jesus before you are a leader for Jesus.

The values, tone, and purpose of your leadership is shaped by the quality and depth of your discipleship.

Think about how you have been discipled as a follower of Christ. That process has a profound impact on your effectiveness as a leader.

You carry the depth, quality, and maturity of your experience as a disciple into your leadership today.

Your spiritual leadership cannot consistently out-perform your life with God.

None of us ever “arrive” as a leader, which requires us to continue to grow and mature as a disciple.

We could list ten to twelve pathways to spiritual growth, but the core basics remain the same.

Grounded in the Word
Fervent in prayer
Connected in authentic community

My growth in these three areas must keep up with or exceed my growth as a leader. My spiritual vitality sets the pace for my leadership effectiveness.

I believe this is true for all of us.

With this as a foundation, our spiritual depth and heritage as a disciple first do not in any way dismiss strategic skills, progress, and accountability.

Vision and purpose are evident in God’s plan.

Strategy is also clear in scripture from the story of Nehemiah’s leadership to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem to the early church in the book of Acts.

Jesus himself demonstrates a very intentional selection of His key followers (12 disciples). (Luke 6:12-16)

As one practical example, we should not dismiss recruiting as a secular management skill. When you consider the depth of Jesus’ words, “Come and follow me,” it’s a master’s course in recruiting on a spiritual level. From relationship to vision, recruiting is a nuanced skill that is essential in the operation of the church. Our nature as a disciple is the foundation that shapes how and why we recruit.

Our salvation is a result of grace, not work, and our maturing faith is part of our spiritual growth, but it’s connected to good works prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Leadership is a spiritual endeavor.

5 Ways Your Life As a Disciple Shapes Your Effectiveness As A Leader

1. In order to lead well, you must first be willing to follow.

There is no leadership apart from followership.

Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)

One Sign Your Church Is Terminal

Dale Hudson

April 10, 2023

6,000 to 10,000 churches die each year in America — and that number will likely grow in the days ahead.

Between 6,000 and 10,000 churches in the U.S. are dying each year. That means around 100-200 churches will close this week. The pace will accelerate unless our congregations make some dramatic changes. — Thom Rainer

Last year, I was visiting a church and I noticed something that was heartbreaking. There were no babies in the nursery, no pre-schoolers, no elementary kids and no teenagers.

I thought to myself, “This church is terminal. Once the few senior adults who attend have passed away, there will be no more church here. They will have to close the doors. If they want their church to reach young families with children, then they are going to have make some shifts in how they do church.”

If you can’t hear any babies that are crying, then your church is dying. — Dale

Across our country, you will find many churches that are about to close their doors.

The question is, what causes a church to enter the terminal category?

When a church cares more about tradition than they do reaching the next generation, they will become terminal.

When a church spends more on choir robes than they do on discipling the next generation, they will become terminal.

When a church refuses to make ministry changes, they will become terminal.

When a church tells kids to sit still and be quiet at church, they will become terminal.

When a church banishes the next generation to the basement (or other bad facilities), they will become terminal.

When a church refuses to embrace technology as a viable tool to reach the next generation, they will become terminal.

When a church continues to do what they have always done, they will become terminal.

When a church cares more about honorary plaques than they do about the coming generation, they will become terminal.

When all you can see is gray hair, the church will become terminal.

When none of the cars in the church parking lot have car seats, the church will become terminal.

When a church spends more time talking about the glory days of the past than they do about what God is doing now, the church will become terminal.

When no one wants to volunteer to serve in children’s ministry, the church will become terminal.

When a church views children as a bother rather than a blessing, the church will become terminal.

After Easter – 5 Vital Steps for What Comes Next

Ray Hollenbach

April 10, 2023

Easter Sunday has come and gone. Followers of Jesus all over the world have marked the most significant day in history, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The resurrection was the Father’s exclamation point to the ministry of Jesus; the “Temple” had been destroyed and raised up three days later. But what about Monday? Is the singing and shouting over? Jesus encountered the disciples on Easter Sunday, but what about after Easter: what about Monday, or Tuesday, or beyond? The first eleven verses of the book of Acts provide at least five vital steps for us in the days ahead.

5 Vital Steps for the Days After Easter

1. Discover what he is doing all around us right now.

The resurrected Jesus showed himself on the earth for 40 days after Easter Sunday. Many Christians celebrate the victory won at the cross (and rightly so!), but apparently Jesus had more to say and do. The gospels are about “all that Jesus began to do and teach” (Acts 1:1), but the rest of Acts reveals that Jesus was still doing and teaching in the decades after the gospels. Is it possible Jesus is still doing and teaching in our day? Our first step is to discover what he is doing all around us right now.

2. Study the meaning of the Kingdom

Jesus’ message in the 40 days of resurrection was the Kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3) During that time Jesus continued to speak about the Kingdom of God. In fact, the Kingdom of God is the “good news” preached by Jesus in the gospels. And he had more to say after Easter Sunday. In fact, the book of Acts closes with the Apostle Paul proclaiming the Kingdom of God (Acts 28: 31). Have we studied on the meaning of the Kingdom?

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Preaching Sermons That Engage Your People and Make an Impact

Ed Stetzer

April 9, 2023

Winston Churchill one commented on a speaker he heard, “He can be described as one of those orators who, before he gets up, does not know what he is going to say; when he is speaking, does not know what he is saying; and when he has sat down, doesn’t know what he has said.”¹

As preachers of God’s Word, may that not be said of us!

When we speak of preaching, our starting point is the Bible. I’ve written on engaging the Scriptures through biblical preaching on many occasions, but I’m often asked about the role of the pastor and the people in the preaching event—how do we connect to them well?

Preaching is a vital component of Christian worship. In preaching, we proclaim God’s Word, calling unbelievers to repentance and faith and believers to spiritual growth. According to Paul in Ephesians 4:11, through preaching (along with teaching) we build up the body of Christ and equip believers for ministry. However, many preachers struggle to deliver effective sermons, because they do not know how to engage their people well.

In this article, I will share some practical tips for improving sermons and communicating God’s message effectively—from the preacher to the people, bridging the gap Between Two Worlds, as John Stott wrote, from the time of the Bible to our time today.

Prepare Your Sermon

The first component of effective preaching is careful preparation. We begin by studying the biblical text and determining its meaning in its original context and then its relevance for our audience. Next, we craft a clear and compelling message that communicates God’s truth in a way that resonates with our congregation. We should take the time to outline our sermon and practice it until we are comfortable with the material. This helps us deliver a confident and engaging message that connects with our audience.

A practice that may be helpful is allowing someone else to review the sermon, or perhaps the main points of our sermon, ahead of time. This feedback can help us ensure we are making our points clearly, using illustrations wisely, and expositing the text well. This step can be helpful at various stages of sermon preparation, so different preachers may find it most useful at different stages.

Know Your Audience

Knowing our congregation—the audience of the message—is another key to effective preaching. This means understanding the needs, concerns, and interests of the people we are addressing. We need to take the time to get to know the community within our congregations. Once we grasp the meaning of the text for a given message, we then think about how this will speak to our people in our context. This is a continual habit to maintain, not a box to be checked off once or twice a year. Do we know their struggles, questions, and doubts? What are their aspirations and hopes? Do we—in our mind’s eye—sit in their seat, imagining them as they hear the message? By knowing our audience, we can tailor our message to meet their needs and connect with them in a meaningful way.

The Bible is relevant today. However, we might not know that by the way some pastors preach. Our preaching cannot be disconnected from the realities our congregations face regularly. One of the prophet Amos’ biggest grievances with the people and priests of Israel during his time was their refusal to address the reality of their cultural, religious, and national situation (see Amos 4:4-5; 7:7-17). Preaching can equip our audience to think through some of their most pressing questions in relation to the good news of Jesus Christ. This is most effective when we keep in mind those to whom we are preaching.

Use Helpful Illustrations

One of the most effective ways to connect with our audience is through illustrations. Illustrations are stories, anecdotes, or examples that enable people to better understand a biblical text or theological premise. When used appropriately, illustrations can capture people’s attention and help them remember key points from the sermon.

Practice giving your illustrations, so they make the point and aren’t too long. And be careful not to overuse illustrations, as this can distract from the overall message we are trying to communicate. Our illustrations should act like supporting cast for the main story of the text and especially the gospel. If they consume too much of our sermon time, bring too much attention to ourselves, embarrass others, or cause an unwarranted uproar, we have unnecessarily eclipsed the word of God in worship.

^[1] James C. Humes, The Wit & Wisdom of Winston Churchill: A Treasury of More than 1,000 Quotations and Anecdotes (New York: Harper Collins e-books, 1994), 2222 of 3375, Kindle.

‘Why Are They Leaving?’ and Questions Like These

Christina Embree

April 9, 2023

Whenever there’s a question about why something is happening, there’s almost always a researcher trying to answer it.

Why are young adults leaving religion? Why are older generations suffering from the highest rates of suicide? Why are youth experiencing increasing anxiety and mental illness? Why are children experiencing a lack of socialization? Why are more and more people making money through a gig economy and start-ups rather than joining established corporations?

Over the past two decades, a plethora of research has been done to answer these questions.

But for the questions listed above, research has produced a common thread – age segregation or the separation of people based on their age. An increase in age segregation and a lack of intergenerational relationships has contributed to the rise in every one of these areas.

A quick Google Scholar search of “age segregation” will send you down a dizzying path of articles, abstracts, and analyses that most of us just don’t have time to read let alone study.

But I did.

For the last five years, I’ve spent hours and hours of time pouring over this research and the answers to these questions with one goal in mind – to help the church recognize and identify the structures of age segregation in their faith communities and begin to build bridges between generations.

I asked different questions.

I asked, “What would happen if we took all of the research on age segregation that has been done in society and applied it to the church?”

I questioned, “What impact does age segregation have on young people leaving the church?”

I wondered, “If age segregation is present in the church, are we experiencing the same consequences in the church as the larger society does?”

I considered, “How does separating people based on ages and stages of life affect our great commission to ‘make disciples’ and to pass on our faith?”

And as I asked these questions, a pattern began to emerge in both the research that has been done and the application I was making to the church.

First, I began to see the structures of age segregation in four distinct places, or what we are calling Pillars at ReFocus. These are the things that hold up both age segregation AND age integration in our churches.

Institutional Pillar – This pillar includes such things as leadership structure, committee membership, programming and services offered by the church. Think of this section as the “bones” of your church body; the skeleton that gives shape and structure to your congregation.
Spatial Pillar – This pillar looks at all the things that shape your physical experience like building design, worship space design, hallway design and common spaces. Think of this section as the “flesh” of your church body; the appearance that gives context and personal touch to your congregation.
Technological Pillar – This pillar includes all things tech or media like your website, social media pages, written or print materials, and verbal announcements. Think of this section as the “senses” of your church body; the information that gives sight, sound, smell, and taste to your congregation..
Relational Pillar – This pillar is the one we tend to think about the most when it comes to community. It includes the age-integrated spaces in your church, Sunday School classes and mid-week opportunities, and church activities outside the building. Think of this section as the “life” of your church body; the actions and activities that bring movement and interaction to your congregation and into your community.

The Spiritual Battle With Weight Loss

Paul David Tripp

April 9, 2023

The spiritual battle with weight loss: today we are talking with Paul David Tripp, the author of the book Awe: Why It Matters for Everything We Think, Say, and Do.

This week we are talking about awe, and how it really does relate to everything in life, specifically to our spiritual growth, our Bible intake, our ministry aims, and even our news consumption, our anxieties, our weight loss attempts, our parenting methods, and our expectations of marriage and romantic love.

Today we talk about the spiritual battle with weight loss. Paul, the physical side of weight loss will happen in a lot of different ways for various people. But there’s a spiritual dimension to weight loss that we all need to be aware of. You mention your own weight loss journey briefly in the book. Share with us what you learned.

TRIPP: One of the things that I encountered in my own walk with God is how there are always areas of inconsistency that need to be addressed. And one of those for me was my relationship to food. I love how much of the glory of God in creation is edible. It is a sweet thing that God created a pleasurable world of food—but that pleasure of food is meant to be a finger that points me to God. It is not meant to be the thing that satisfies my heart.

And so what was happening to me is, if you gain a half a pound a month you don’t notice it, but that is six pounds a year and in five years you could put on 30 pounds. And that is all the result of the pleasure of food having too much control over the way you think about a good evening or a good day or a good week. And so I have had to confess that—confess patterns of gluttony—and completely change my relationship to food in order to eat what I should eat for the maintenance of my physical body. The result of that is a loss of about 40 pounds. For me it was not about weight—though that was an issue—as much as living in a more appropriate way.

So for a Christian who has tried diet fads, where do they start with the spiritual questions?

Well, we all need to face when it comes to weight and diet that diets don’t work. One of the things that just makes me angry—I hope it is righteous anger—is this industry, this billion dollar industry, that is making promises to people that are not true. Fad diets never address the true cause of weight gain.

And because they don’t address the cause, they don’t actually work. I mean you can’t starve yourself forever. It is not healthy to eat packaged frankenfood forever. It is only when your heart is properly satisfied with God that you now have the power to say no to other things that would tempt you to go there for satisfaction.

Thus, we return to awe in God, which is what we talked about last time. So gluttony emerged for you. When did this root cause of weight gain confront you?

It was initiated by the wedding of my son. I thought, “I have gained a lot of weight.” And I began to think about that. And what really hit me was, as I began to eat in a different way, how hungry I felt, how sort of impoverished I felt. But I wasn’t really hungry. It was just that I was so used to loading my body with so many more calories than I actually needed. And it was going through that hunger that really alerted me to the fact that food had been too much present in my life. And I am not hungry anymore.

If you would watch me throughout a day, you would probably think, “This man eats like a bird.” But I eat what I need to eat and I have kept my weight off for four years. And there is just no going back, because it is not just that I eat different things, but the lifestyle of my heart toward food has changed.

Unlocking Growth: Breaking Free from 21 Common Church Practices that Stifle Growth

Ron Edmondson

April 8, 2023

hindering church growth — Lightstock #229958

I was once asked to help a church process how to get younger people to attend. After we discussed some change recommendations, a man pulled me aside and said, “Son, we don’t need no fancy ideas around here. We like being a small church.”

21 Ways to Keep a Church From Growing

I soon learned he represented the feelings of the church as a whole. They thought they wanted to reach younger people, but the truth was—when faced with change—they were really satisfied with the church as it had been for many years.

There’s nothing wrong with being a small church.

Let me say that again: There is nothing wrong with being a small church.

In fact, in some communities, what is considered small is actually large by comparison to churches in larger cities. We are seeing trends where small churches are actually being preferred by some younger generations. So, I’m not at all opposed to small churches, but I do have a problem with some small church mentalities.

And I think there is a difference.

As long as there are lost people nearby, I believe the church has much work to do. And any organization, Christian or secular, that refuses to accept some changes will stop growing and eventually die. They will therefore fail to continue achieving our God-given mission to “Go and make disciples.”

The fact is that growing a church is hard work. It’s relatively easy to keep things small or stop growth. We could almost do nothing and achieve it.

In fact, I can come up with lots of ways I’ve seen that keep a church from growing.

Here are 21 ways to keep a church from growing:

Make the entry to serving in the church lengthy or complicated. (Serving is often the new front door.)
Develop followers, not leaders.
Squelch any dream except the pastor’s own dreams.
Refuse new people a voice at the table (and don’t greet them in the parking lot either).
Make sure everyone knows who is in charge (and, hint, especially when it is not Jesus).
Cast your vision—but only once and get bored with sharing it.
Only do “church” inside the building—don’t attempt to reach your community.
Demand that “it” be done the way it’s always been done—protect tradition at all costs.
Give up when change is resisted—don’t push through toward doing the right thing.
Make excuses when things go wrong—pretend it is never your fault.
Quit dreaming—or allowing others to do so.
Resist any organized system, strategy or plans to grow the church.
Stop praying—pretend you’ve “got this.”
Insist you have all answers before you attempt to “walk by faith.”
Never challenge people—let them chill on the sidelines
Treat new people like outsiders and let them wonder if they’ll ever fit in.
Always refer to the past as the good times and fail to recognize the ideas of the next generation.
Put more energy and resources into maintaining structures and programs than into loving and serving others.
Let gossip be more attractive than truth.
Make sure the ministerial staff does everything and “normal” people are never empowered or given permission to live on mission.
Be stingy investing in the next generation favoring those who write the “bigger checks.”

Whenever I do a post like this I get a common and expected question.

Well, if these are ways not to grow a church, then what are some ways to grow a church?

And that is one of the main topics I write about in other posts. But for simplicity’s sake try doing the opposite of some of these I’ve listed and see how they help the church to grow.

This article originally appeared here.

The Great Commission Requires so Much More Than Simply Inviting a Friend to Church

Tamara Chamberlain

April 8, 2023

Reaching the world for Jesus is a pillar of Christianity. This is our Great Commission. We love hearing about the large numbers of people who surrender their lives to Jesus at packed Easter services, conferences, and Christian events. The trouble is that too often seems to be the end of our interest in the faith journey of others.

We celebrate conversion by the masses because it appears to be an indicator of our shared success in fulfilling the Great Commission. There’s a lot of excitement in reaching unbelievers, which isn’t a bad thing.

But the issue is when we boil down our role of engaging others with the gospel as being the people who simply “invite.” Our churches, denominations, and leaders have often pushed us to “just invite one” and conveyed they will do the rest.

When we only see our role in the faith journey of another as the “inviter,” we set ourselves free of much of what the Great Commission is really calling us to. It is our faith that unites us to other believers. We ought to be tethered together, invested in each other’s lives, and care for the faith of one another further than our conversion stories.

Caring about the souls of others is about more than inviting others to church services, events, and conferences. Our care for the faith of others shouldn’t end when they proclaim faith in Jesus. This is part of the journey, certainly, but it continues on past conversion. It simply isn’t enough to see your role in the faith of others as fulfilled when you invite them to the Christian event and then pass them over to the ones who have a “call for ministry.”

Caring for the faith of others was never meant to be reduced to an assembly line. As efficient as this is to mass produce cars it’s a terrible way to interact with people wrestling with their faith.

The truth of the matter is that being part of the faith journey of another is hard. Jesus chose to work through humans to show who he is, to unite them together, and to grow them. That means that we have to stop viewing the faith of another as purely between them and God. We have to be willing to be used by God in the faith of another.

That’s how God has chosen to work since the very beginning, even though it tends to be a lot more messy than we’d like.

The Great Commission Doesn’t Take Us on a Linear Path.

One of the most challenging questions on every Christian-based job application is, “Share about your coming to faith story.”

Even as someone who grew up in the church, and has served on countless ministry teams, studied theology, and participated in just about every church function you can think of, this question still makes me nervous. It would take me multiple pages to share my coming to faith story, because there’s no specific date or singular event that I can point to expressing I crossed from unbeliever to believer.

I know there are some who have experienced something commonly described as a “Paul conversion.” God intersected his life in a miraculous way, he abandoned all of his former life, and gave his life to Jesus all in one day.

I think the majority of American Christians can relate to Jesus’ disciples. It’s unclear when they really truly understood and believed that Jesus was who he said he was. Jesus spent much of his time with them reiterating what he had been telling them since they met.

Even when they got it, they still didn’t really get it. Peter tells Jesus he believes he is the holy one of God (John 6:66), but then denies he ever knew Jesus (Luke 22:54-62). It would be difficult to outline the faith journey of many of the disciples, at least in a linear way like Paul.

God Experienced the Cross Three-fold: A Good Friday Meditation

Ray Hollenbach

April 7, 2023

I love my family. My marriage has been good—thirty-plus years day-by-day with the love of my life; I’ve watched three children grow and run and laugh. Then I try to see myself capable of willingly sacrificing any one of them on behalf of others—and not just “others,” but on behalf of my enemies and those who hate me. I try to imagine what I would feel if my children would suffer at the hands of ignorant and wicked men. Then I try to imagine it was my idea, my request, my plan. With such imagination I realized Jesus did not suffer alone. The Father and the Spirit shared the pain. It’s a Good Friday meditation – at he cross, God suffered three ways.

Every loving parent has experienced this in some measure. Your child falls and scrapes her knee. Your child falls and breaks his arm. More chilling: your child falls ill and dies. You would willingly take their place. Perhaps you have offered God that very deal.

A Good Friday Meditation

As an Easter meditation, consider this: God experienced the cross three-fold. We are familiar with Jesus’ suffering: the agonizing night in the garden where he offered up prayers through loud cries and tears; the betrayal of his closest friends; the shame and humiliation of arrest; the torture of beatings and lashes; and the slow death on a cross.

In each event the Father suffered, too. Put yourself in the Father’s place. Everything Jesus endured, the Father suffered in the way only a loving parent can suffer.

Nor did the Holy Spirit stand by, stoic and detached. The Spirit’s energizing love brings glory to the Son and the Father. In the suffering death of Jesus the Spirit’s life force was held in check while all creation rejected the Creator.

John Mark McMillan: Superman, Lois, and My Good Friday Playlist

John Mark McMillan

April 7, 2023

I’m going to share with you my Good Friday playlist, but first I want to set the table for Good Friday.

It’s often puzzled me why anyone would described the day that God died as “good”. Ok, maybe, for my theological purists in the room, let’s say God didn’t exactly die, just his perfect innocent beautiful lamb of a human self expression on earth. Splitting hairs if you ask me, but thanks for keeping us in line. Also, thanks for making it seem even less “good”.

I digress. But even applying the most transactional interpretations of scripture “the day the rent comes due” has never felt like a good one, even if you live on 60 acres by the sea.

So . . . “Good”? I’d like to make an observation.

I’m an avid fan of all types of fiction. And over the years I’ve noticed that its never the strength of a character that endears me to my favorites. Laser eyes, X-ray vision, and flight make Superman exciting, but not interesting. The real reason popular culture has obsessed over him since 1938 isn’t because he’s strong. Nope, it’s because of his one great weakness; Lois Lane.

See, his powers perpetually place the person he loves in jeopardy, and that makes him weak. It also makes him believable, accessible, and even lovable.

Maybe it’s our yellow sun that gives Kal-El his abilities, but Lois is the only reason any of us give a darn about him almost a century after his introduction. She’s his Kryptonite (see what I did there) and she’s always been his only real super power. Because it’s his weakness that gives us access to him. His weakness is the door into his story. Otherwise he’s just a program running in the background as inhuman as the elements themselves and we’re but ants in his arboretum.

Without Lois, Superman is dead on the page. Do you see where I’m going with this?

Discover John Mark’s Good Friday playlist on page two . . .

51 Easter Quotes Every Christian Should Read

Christine Yount Jones

April 7, 2023

These 51 Easter quotes will help you stop and reflect on this holy season of Easter. Each Easter quote comes from a meaningful Easter sermon on SermonCentral.com.

51 Easter Quotes Every Christian Should Read

“Jesus could have been satisfied with giving the world bread and water. He could have given them a healing clinic in every town. A leprosarium. School of exorcism. No. He gave himself. Spiritual sacrifice to God. Broke the bond of sin and death and set us free forever. He left for us an empty tomb.” Eldon Reich in Easter: What God Gave to Us

2. “Muhammad died, and was buried. His faithful followers take pilgrimages to visit his remains, the same is true of Buddha and other religious leaders. But it is not true of Jesus. You cannot visit His remains; you can only visit His empty grave, because He isn’t there. He Arose!” James Wilson in Easter: Jesus Arose!

3. “The empty tomb tells us of God’s ultimate power. A power that points to an ultimate purpose. Throughout His suffering, many times Jesus was told to show His power to escape His suffering and His death…but He knew that beyond all demonstrations of power and miracles…it was the ultimate power over death which had to be revealed.” Brad Bailey in Easter: A Tomb Tells All

4. “For the separation of humanity from God is depicted way back in the garden…We have a broken relationship with God, both in the depths of our souls and the actions of our hearts. This is precisely the reason Christ came. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. He bore our cost.” Brad Bailey in Easter: Rooted in Time and History and Yet Timeless in Its Impact

5. “An event can be thrust upon you and it takes you by surprise; you never would have predicted it in a million years. Now here it is – staring you in the face. What will you do? You can’t stay the same, you can’t pretend it didn’t happen. You may not know what to do, but this much is certain, you have to do something. This is the Resurrection.” Ken Sowers in Easter: Grave Robbers Didn’t Rob the Tomb; God Did!

6. “When it comes to believing in the resurrection of Jesus, we cannot simply seek knowledge; instead, we must seek faith. Nobody comes to faith in Jesus because of knowledge of Him. Even Satan has knowledge of Jesus, only he doesn’t believe in Jesus.” Michael Deutsch in Easter Sermon

7. “If you were to return to the scene of Christ’s execution that Sunday morning, you’d find relics of his death: A braided crown with scarlet tips. Three iron nails covered in dirt and blood. And an empty cross tinged red with the blood of God.” Scott Bayles in Easter: Empty Promises of Easter

8. “Perhaps the message this angel spoke was the most important one in Scripture. The message of the angel is still true today ‘don’t be alarmed – He is risen! He is not here; you will see him again.’ Jesus is alive!” Andy Barnard in Easter Angel

9. “Easter is the focal point of all history–because Jesus Christ is the focal point of all human history. Every time you date a check, print a calendar…every time this unbelieving world puts a date on a newspaper or magazine they are bearing witness to Him. History just cannot get away from Him.” Steve Malone in The Easter Door

10. “These angels are involved in our lives for several reasons, but one of them is to learn about God’s grace by watching us. When you study the Bible or reflect upon the person and work of Christ, you are joining in the curriculum of the angels; you are on holy ground.” Ed Vasicek in Easter Angels

Resurrection Songs to Sing Together on Easter

Bob Kauflin

April 7, 2023

One reader wrote in to ask me, “I enjoyed your blog on ‘What Christmas Songs Do You Use?’ Could you please post a similar list of resurrection songs for Easter?”

I polled some of the other guys who serve in some of the Sovereign Grace churches, and this is a tentative list. I’ve left off some of the more obvious ones like “Christ the Lord Is Ris’n Today.” I’ve included songs that focus exclusively on the resurrection, as well as those that reference it at some point.

Crown Him With Many Crowns
Including the verse:
Crown Him the Lord of life who triumphed o’er the grave
And rose victorious in the strife for those He came to save.
His glories now we sing who died and rose on high,
Who died eternal live to bring and lives that death may die.

See What a Morning
From the Church of Christ the King CD Passion for God’s Son.

Worship Christ the Risen King
Words by Jack Hayford, sung to the melody of Angels From the Realms of Glory (#286 in the Trinity Hymnal)
A sample verse:
Rise, O church, and lift your voices, Christ has conquered death and hell.
Sing as all the earth rejoices; resurrection anthems swell.
Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ, the risen King!

In Christ Alone
by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty
There in the ground His body lay, Light of the World by darkness slain.
Then bursting forth in glorious day, up from the grave He rose again.
And as He stands in victory, sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine, bought with the precious blood of Christ.

Beautiful Savior (All My Days)
By Stuart Townend
The chorus includes these words:
You’re the risen One, heaven’s champion,
And You reign, You reign over all.

Lost in Wonder
By Martin Layzell from the CD of the same name
Up from the grave victorious,
You rose again so glorious.

You Led Me to the Cross
By Matt Redman
The second verse focuses on the resurrection.

You Are My King
By Billy Foote

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Here are 21 ways to keep a church from growing:

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A Good Friday Meditation

Discover John Mark’s Good Friday playlist on page two . . .

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