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

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June 16, 2023

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

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

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A post shared by Lysa TerKeurst (@lysaterkeurst)

Lysa TerKeurst Turns a Page to a New Chapter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By

Dale Chamberlain

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June 16, 2023

Ron DeSantis CBN — Screengrab via CBN News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By

Claire Giangrave

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June 16, 2023

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This article originally appeared here.

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

By

Fiona Morgan

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June 16, 2023

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By

Ethan Renoe

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June 16, 2023

Today I got a message in my inbox:

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

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

–

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Contentment Turns All It Touches to Gold

By

Randy Alcorn

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June 16, 2023

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

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

Nanci wrote this in response:

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

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

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

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

5 Ways We’re Fooling Ourselves About Church Growth

By

Rich Birch

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June 16, 2023

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

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

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

5 Ways We’re Fooling Ourselves About Church Growth

1. What It Feels Like:

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

Choosing a Worship Leader – Worship First; Technical Excellence Second

By

Mike O’Brien

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June 16, 2023

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

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

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

Choosing a Worship Leader

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

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

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

Volunteers: 5 Tips for Finding the Right Youth Ministry Helpers

By

Doug Franklin

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June 15, 2023

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

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

5 Ways to Find Youth Ministry Volunteers

1. Target Vocations

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

2. Target Demographics

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

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

3. Volunteer Care

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

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

SBC 2023: What You Need To Know About What Happened at the Annual Meeting

By

Jessica Mouser

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June 15, 2023

southern baptist convention 2023 nola — Photo credit: Jesse T. Jackson

The 2023 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), which took place in New Orleans on June 13-14, has come to a close—but the decisions made during the meeting will have an ongoing impact. Among the most significant events from the week were those pertaining to women in church leadership.

What follows are highlights from the annual meeting of the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S.

Southern Baptist Convention 2023 Annual Meeting

‘Shame on Me’—Rick Warren Apologizes to Christian Women Leading Up to Saddleback’s Appeal at the Annual Meeting

One of the biggest news items from this week was Saddleback Church’s decision to appeal being kicked out of the Southern Baptist Convention for ordaining female pastors. Because of that decision to ordain women, the Executive Committee (EC) of the SBC ruled in February that Saddleback was not “in friendly cooperation” with the Convention. The church appealed the decision prior to the meeting, where founding pastor Rick Warren had an opportunity to defend Saddleback’s decision.

Warren posted extensively online in the weeks leading up to the meeting, presenting arguments as to why Saddleback should be allowed to remain in the denomination. He even apologized to Christian women for holding “them back from using the spiritual gifts and leadership skills that the Holy Spirit had sovereignly placed in them.”

SBC Messengers To Vote on Constitutional Amendment Banning Women Pastors

On Monday, June 12, the SBC Executive Committee decided to give messengers (i.e., local church delegates) the opportunity to vote on whether to amend the SBC constitution to include a permanent ban on female pastors. The amendment was introduced by Virginia pastor Mike Law at the 2022 annual meeting in Anaheim, California.

The SBC’s statement of faith, the Baptist Faith & Message 2000 (BFM), already takes a position on this issue, saying, “While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor/elder/overseer is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.”

Several members of the EC voiced concern Monday over adding a statement about women’s roles to the constitution and said they believed including the SBC’s position in the BFM is sufficient. The EC nevertheless decided to bring Law’s amendment to messengers “while also expressing our opposition to the suggested amendment.”

‘Theological Transgenderism’—SBC Presidential Candidate Mike Stone Preaches on Female Submission to Male Authority Ahead of Annual Meeting

Other significant news of the meeting in New Orleans concerned the SBC presidential race that took place between two candidates who represent different views, most notably on how the Convention should address sexual abuse. Incumbent president Bart Barber ran against Mike Stone Tuesday, the first day of the meeting.

The Sunday before the annual meeting took place, Stone preached a sermon addressing the problems he sees in the denomination. During his sermon, Stone said that those who support women serving as pastors are supporting “theological transgenderism,” and he specifically called out Rick Warren, former SBC president J.D. Greear, and Bible teacher Beth Moore (the latter of whom left the SBC in 2021).

Paul Chitwood Addresses Missionary Vaccine Requirement: We Would Have ‘Lost Access to More Than 2 Billion Lost Souls’

Messengers heard a report from the International Mission Board (IMB) on Tuesday morning. During that report, IMB president Paul Chitwood responded to a question from a messenger, who asked if Chitwood would like to apologize for mandating that SBC missionaries get the COVID-19 vaccine. The messenger further asked if IMB would reimburse missionaries who suffered long-term medical effects as a result of getting the shot.

‘Unity, Buy-in, and Consensus’—Newly Re-Elected SBC President Bart Barber Emphasizes Shared Beliefs on Abuse Reform, Male-Only Pastorate

By

Dale Chamberlain

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June 15, 2023

Newly re-elected Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) president Bart Barber emphasized unity and consensus during a press conference at the denomination’s annual meeting on Wednesday (June 14), focusing his comments on missions work, male eldership, and abuse reform.

To open the press conference, a smiling Barber told those in attendance that “one of the great blessings of this past year” has been getting to know members of the press, adding that they are not “everything they say you are.”

Bart Barber: Southern Baptists ‘Stay Together’ Because of Missions

Barber quickly moved on to what he sees as one of the most important stories of this year’s annual meeting: sending missionaries.

“We have appointed and sent 76 new missionaries. And if you’re Southern Baptist for a long time, you don’t even really know how newsworthy that is,” Barber said. “There are Baptist denominations in our country whose total mission force would be half or less of just the number of new missionaries that we appointed to put on the field in our time yesterday morning.”

Barber added, “Maybe that’s newsworthy because it’s not controversial. Everybody in that room is supportive of that effort. And it’s that work that we do that draws [people to] the Southern Baptist Convention.”

“We stay together because of that,” Barber said. “Because we are committed to a mission of letting everyone in the world know about and hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and have an opportunity to make a decision to follow him.”

Barber: Southern Baptist Are ‘Unified’ on the Issue of Women Serving as Pastors

Barber then moved to address the SBC’s ongoing conversation about the role of women in pastoral leadership.

Referencing the decision to uphold the disfellowshipping of two churches with women serving as pastors, as well as a proposed amendment to the SBC constitution explicitly barring such churches from cooperation with the denomination, Barber said, “In every one of those cases, Southern Baptists demonstrated, from the messenger body, strong consensus around the idea.”

“And it’s not something that we made up. We have our governing documents, but then in addition to our governing documents, we have ancient, sacred documents that shape what we do as believers,” Barber said, referring to the Bible. “We believe that the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.”

Barber went on to clarify that Southern Baptists believe in the “priesthood of all believers,” which is why local churches are congregationally governed, which includes women actively participating in decision-making. Further, the denomination is governed by local churches as represented by delegates, called messengers, many of whom are women.

Nevertheless, Barber reiterated that most Southern Baptists are unified in the belief that the office of pastor, a term which Barber uses interchangeably with “elder” and “overseer,” is limited to men.

Saddleback’s SBC Removal Upheld; Rick Warren Believes He Sinned by Not Allowing Women To Be Pastors

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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June 15, 2023

On Wednesday morning (June 14) the results from the votes of three churches appealing their removal, which included Saddleback Church (Lake Forest, California), Fern Creek Baptist Church (Louisville, Kentucky), and Freedom Church (Vero Beach, Florida) from the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) were announced.

Rick Warren’s Official Argument To Overturn the EC Judgment Failed

The SBC delegates, who are called messengers, voted overwhelmingly to uphold the Feb. 21 ruling of the SBC Executive Committee, which determined all three churches had been found to be “not in friendly cooperation with the Convention.” Both Saddleback Church and Fern Creek Baptist Church were removed for having women functioning in the office of pastor. Freedom Church was removed for failing to cooperate with the Convention to resolve concerns regarding an abuse allegation.

Of the 11,000-plus messengers present during the time of the vote, 9,437 messengers (88.46%) voted to uphold the removal of Saddleback Church, with 1,212 (11.36%) voting to allow the church to remain part of the Convention.

Fern Creek Baptist Church, which has been pastored by Linda Popham since April 4, 1993, received 9,700 votes (91.85%) in favor of upholding the removal. Only 806 messengers (7.63%) voted in favor of retaining Fern Creek as an SBC church.

Of the three, Freedom Church received the largest number of messengers in agreement with the EC, with 9,984 (96.46%) voting for removal and 343 (3.31%) voting for the church to stay.

Rick Warren Calls SBC Ruling ‘Hypocritical’

Saddleback Church’s founder and former senior pastor Rick Warren held a non-SBC-affiliated press conference shortly after the tallies were announced.

During his opening remarks, Warren said, “We lost. I wasn’t expecting to win. I think I’ve been saying it since February. We didn’t have any expectation, [especially] when it was in New Orleans. We actually had about 700 more votes than I figured we’d get.”

Warren went on to say he believes the Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) might be the “healthiest thing of the Southern Baptist Convention.”

“They are arguing over a word that isn’t even in the New Testament English Bible,” Warren said of the SBC. ”The single word, the English word, pastor—singular—you can’t find it in any English translation of the New Testament. It’s not there. You can only find the plural word, one time.” Warren referred to Ephesians 4:11, where he says the use of the word can be found.

The best-selling Christian author said, “People will say, ‘Show me in the Scripture where there’s a woman called pastor.’ I can’t, because there’s no man in the Scriptures called pastor, either. So that’s a moot question. While there’s no women called pastors, there is not a single man in Scripture called a pastor [either].”

While Rick Warren and Saddleback Church are no longer part of the SBC, Warren said he still considers himself a Southern Baptist. “I don’t consider myself part of the national Convention because obviously they don’t want me here, [and] that’s their prerogative.”

“I fought for this because if you love something, you fight for it,” Warren said.

Southern Baptists Reaffirm Commitment to Abuse Reforms, Preview Database of Abusers

By

Bob Smietana

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June 15, 2023

SBC abuse reform — Pastor Mike Keahbone, center, leads prayer with the Southern Baptist Convention’s Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force during the SBC annual meeting at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Wednesday, June 14, 2023. RNS photo by Emily Kask

NEW ORLEANS (RNS) — For more than a decade, Southern Baptists called for their leaders to set up a database to track abusive pastors, hoping to stop abusers from preying on one church after another.

In the past, their leaders said creating such a list was impossible.

That has changed this week, as leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force unveiled a “Ministry Check” website Wednesday (June 14) as part of their report on the convention’s annual meeting.

The website was part of a series of abuse reforms passed last year by Southern Baptists in the wake of an investigation that found SBC leaders had mistreated abuse survivors for years and sought to block any attempts to address the issue of abuse on a national level.

Getting that website off the ground was a historic moment, said Heather Evans, a social worker and a member of the task force charged with implementing those reforms. Evans said she’d had the privilege of watching with a group of abuse survivors as the site, sbcabuseprevention.com, went live.

“They had been told for years and years this could never be done,” she said during a press conference on Wednesday.

The website is still a work in progress, said task force leaders. While the site works, all the names to be added to the site are still being vetted, said Marshall Blalock, the Charleston, South Carolina, pastor who chaired the task force.

The Rev. Linda Barnes Popham at the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in New Orleans, Wednesday, June 14, 2023. RNS photo by Emily Kask

Delegates at the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in New Orleans, Wednesday, June 14, 2023. RNS photo by Emily Kask

Those names will include leaders from three categories: those convicted of abuse, those who have confessed to abuse and those who have had a legal judgment against them for abuse.

Last year, messengers approved a fourth category — those credibly accused of abuse.

According to the abuse implementation task force, “an independent third party hired by any church or other Baptist body, may determine, by preponderance of the evidence following an inquiry, that a pastor, denominational worker, or ministry employee or volunteer is credibly accused.”

However, the task force decided to hold off on the fourth category — in response to pushback from critics of the process who worry that pastors will be falsely accused of abuse. That pushback led to a motion from the floor to permanently remove that category. The motion was rejected.

Blalock told the gathered crowd of more than 12,000 local church representatives, known as messengers, that the fourth category was essential. Most abuse goes unreported, he said, and few abusers end up convicted or facing legal consequences for their actions.

Southern Baptists Start Constitutional Step Naming Only Men as Pastors

By

Adelle M Banks

-

June 15, 2023

(RNS) — Southern Baptists, after lengthy debate Wednesday (June 14), voted on new language for their constitution that would state only men can be pastors of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination.

The wording, which must be approved two years in a row, would be added to an article of the constitution that describes ways that churches can be in “friendly cooperation” with the Southern Baptist Convention, which the current constitution defines as churches that agree with the SBC’s statement of faith, contribute to its funding program or entities, do not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity and do not condone sexual abuse.

The new language would add that a church “affirms, appoints, or employs only men as any kind of pastor or elder as qualified by Scripture.”

At the 2022 annual meeting, Virginia pastor Mike Law recommended an amendment that would only allow churches to cooperate with the SBC if they do not “affirm, appoint, or employ a woman as a pastor of any kind.”

He spoke to his intent at a microphone at New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on the second day of the two-day annual meeting.

Law, pastor of Arlington Baptist Church, described being in an area with a small percentage of evangelical Christians when he spoke on the floor of the convention on Wednesday.

“Over a year ago, I realized that five Southern Baptist churches within a five-mile radius of my congregation had women serving as pastors, including senior pastors,” he said. “When an unbeliever looks for a Southern Baptist church in my area, we want them to find a church that holds the Bible’s teachings and our convention’s beliefs.”

Juan Sanchez, senior pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church in Austin, Texas, introduced a substitute motion with language that focused on men instead of women.

“This motion states what we believe positively: We agree that both men and women are gifted for service in the church,” he said. “Women are a gift to the church, and we affirm their vital roles in the ministry of the church and church staffs.”

The SBC Executive Committee voted Monday (June 12) to approve placing the amendment before the messengers, or delegates, during this year’s meeting. But they also noted their opposition to changing the constitution to address the issue, with some members saying during the meeting that the faith statement is the place for such doctrinal issues.

4 Ways To Leave Your Denomination: How Churches Are Disaffiliating From the UMC

By

Emily McFarlan Miller and BeLynn Hollers

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June 15, 2023

Leave UMC — Denise Edlund, family ministry coordinator and finance chair of Christ United Methodist Church in Greenfield, Wisconsin, shares that the Wisconsin Conference of the United Methodist Church approved the church’s disaffiliation before worship on June 11, 2023. RNS photo by Emily McFarlan Miller

GREENFIELD, Wisconsin (RNS) — The news was met quietly on Sunday (June 11) at Christ United Methodist Church, a small church outside Milwaukee that welcomes about 30 people each week.

The church’s disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church — along with the departures of 42 other churches in the denomination’s Wisconsin Conference — had been approved days before by delegates to the annual conference meeting in Green Bay.

The final vote by the annual conference came “after a lot of blood, sweat and tears,” Denise Edlund shared with the congregation. In the end, she said, the conference meeting was “a very graceful service,” where “they were very kind and respectful — what we expect to see in a church.”

“So stay tuned for the next step, because we’re going to be moving on,” added Edlund, the church’s family ministry coordinator and finance chair.

Some congregation leaders shared after Sunday morning’s worship service that they felt a mix of relief and sorrow, excitement and lament after years spent walking through the required steps to leave a denomination that some of them, like Edlund, had belonged to since they were children.

People celebrate two members' 60th wedding anniversary in the fellowship hall, Sunday, June 11, 2023, after a service at Christ United Methodist Church in Greenfield, Wisconsin. RNS photo by Emily McFarlan Miller

People celebrate two members’ 60th wedding anniversary in the fellowship hall, Sunday, June 11, 2023, after a service at Christ United Methodist Church in Greenfield, Wisconsin. RNS photo by Emily McFarlan Miller

But most of the day’s emotion was reserved for a more immediate cause for celebration: the 60th wedding anniversary of two church members. Nearly 50 people, a larger-than-normal weekly turnout, gathered after the service around colorful plastic tablecloths in the church’s fellowship hall to toast the couple.

To date, more than 5,550 of the United Methodist Church’s approximately 30,000 U.S. churches have disaffiliated from the country’s second-largest Protestant denomination since 2019, according to the unofficial tally kept by United Methodist News.

And while most of those churches have followed the disaffiliation plan outlined by the United Methodist Church’s General Conference, other congregations and annual conferences have tried different ways to leave the mainline denomination — to varying degrees of success.

According to the Disaffiliation Plan

In 2019, as long-simmering disagreement about the ordination and marriage of LGBTQ United Methodists finally boiled over, delegates gathered for a special session of the denomination’s global decision-making body, the General Conference.

Those delegates strengthened existing language in the denomination’s rulebook banning same-sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy.

FILE – A gay pride rainbow flag flies along with the U.S. flag in front of the Asbury United Methodist Church in Prairie Village, Kansas, on April 19, 2019. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

They also added a disaffiliation plan to the Book of Discipline (Paragraph 2553, for those with a copy handy) allowing churches to leave the United Methodist Church for “reasons of conscience” related to the denomination’s stance on sexuality through the end of this year. To leave with their properties, which are held in trust by the denomination, congregations must take a vote and meet certain financial obligations, including paying the rest of the current year’s apportionments, the next year’s apportionments and its pension liabilities.

In the years since, divides have deepened: A protocol to officially split the denomination was proposed, then scrapped as the 2020 General Conference was postponed to 2024; a new theologically conservative Methodist denomination called the Global Methodist Church was launched; and disaffiliations have accelerated as the extended window to complete the process closes.

A Step-by-Step Guide To Creating a Meaningful Family VBS Experience

By

Christina Embree

-

June 15, 2023

As churches begin to focus more and more on ways they can bring the family together, Vacation Bible School has increasingly been viewed a place where that can happen. The number of churches offering Family VBS where the family attends, learns, and plays together is on the rise. At ReFocus, we field a number of inquiries about Family VBS every year and this year, several churches have told us they are using our Family Faith Formation curriculum to structure their VBS experience.

Planning a Family Vacation Bible School (VBS) requires careful consideration and intentional decision-making. Hopefully, the information here will offer a helpful guide in the process of designing a Family VBS that aligns with a church’s mission and engages families in a meaningful way. We explore key elements such as defining your “Why,” refining your “What,” designing your “How,” and aligning your “Who” to ensure a successful Family VBS experience.

Define Your Why

The first step in planning a Family VBS is to clearly define your purpose or “Why.” This will serve as the foundation for your entire event. What are the reasons you feel that hosting VBS for the whole family is the right call for your church, your community, or your mission? If you don’t have a compelling reason to embark on a new venture, it can be hard to muster up buy-in from your community and have the stamina needed to create something new.

Some examples of “Whys” include:

To provide a distraction-free environment for families to interact and grow in their faith together.
To create a space where families can deepen their faith and foster community.
To offer free, enjoyable activities that bring families from the church and community together.

Refine Your What

Once you have established your “Why,” it’s time to evaluate how the traditional VBS format aligns with your purpose. A traditional VBS typically involves week-long sessions, a few hours each day, where children are dropped off. Volunteers play a crucial role, snacks are provided, media and music are incorporated, and crafts and teaching are central to the programming.

Using your “Why” as a filter, consider how this traditional format can be adapted to fulfill your purpose. What specific elements would your Family VBS need?

Here are three examples:

Introduce intentional family activities that encourage interaction and faith formation like games and crafts that the whole family can do together.
Incorporate opportunities for families to grow deeper in their faith both individually and in community. For instance, have follow-up handouts for deeper discussions at home or follow-up activities like service projects and community experience that help the family put what they’ve learned into action. During VBS, have times where the family practices faith talks together.
Offer a range of free and fun activities that engage families from the church and the local community. This could be a meal or an event like a Trikes-and-Treats bike ride or a group hike. It doesn’t have to be big or costly; it should just be something that accentuates your “Why” and keeps momentum.

Design Your How

With your “Why” and “What” in mind, it’s time to start designing the flow of your Family VBS. Brainstorm ideas and create a program that aligns with your “Why.” Consider activities that foster meaningful interactions, faith discussions, and spiritual growth for families.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Interactive games and challenges that encourage collaboration among family members.
Small group sessions for parents and children to explore faith-related topics together.
Engaging worship experiences that incorporate music and multimedia.

Healthy Disciples – Inside and Out

By

Jim Egli

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June 15, 2023

healthy small groups — Adobestock #507392857

A little over a week ago I was taking a prayer walk through the woods and saw this toppled oak tree. Just days before it stood tall and majestic. But a wild windstorm swept through our area and it came crashing down. Though everything looked fine on the outside, carpenter ants had eaten away its core. Large oak trees are sometimes like that. They can look strong and impressive but actually be weak, ready to fall when the next storm hits. There was a connection between what I saw and healthy disciples.

I find it sobering because our lives can be that way. Perhaps we look strong and capable to others and ourselves. And maybe our lives are even producing good things. All the while, however, things can be out of whack and getting hollow inside.

Healthy Disciples

I want to listen to the lesson of this oak. I want to be strong inside and out. Looking at this tree made me ask, what do I need to give attention to in this season of life for inner strength and long-term resilience?

Death Toll Surpasses 300 as Bodies of Kenyan Pastor’s Starvation Cult Victims Continue To Be Exhumed

By

Dale Chamberlain

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June 14, 2023

Bodies of victims to Kenyan pastor Paul Makenzie Nthenge and his starvation cult continue to be discovered. The death toll has now surpassed 300.

The total of known victims rose to 303 after 19 more bodies were discovered in a mass grave in a forested area of Nthenge’s vast property in the Kilifi County of Kenya, which Nthenge had reportedly purchased under the guise of learning how to farm.

Authorities expect the number of victims to rise, as they have more exhumations planned. Local journalists told the Associated Press that 613 missing persons had a connection to Nthenge’s Good News International Church.

Nthenge was taken into custody in April after four people died under his instructions to starve themselves in order to “meet Jesus.”

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

11 other victims were rescued at that time, most of them emaciated and in critical need of medical attention.

A month previous, Nthenge was charged in connection with the deaths of two toddlers who had starved. The children’s parents were attenders of Good News International Church. Nthenge was released on bond after being charged with those two deaths.

Shortly after Nthenge was arrested and charged in April, authorities began searching Nthenge’s property after being alerted to the possibility that it was the resting place for his many victims. Within a week, 39 bodies had been discovered.

The scope of Nthenge’s deadly influence in the area has come as a shock to many, including retired Anglican Bishop Julius Kalu of Mombasa, whose home is near the area.

Now an NBA Champ, Michael Porter Jr. of the Denver Nuggets Clings to God’s ‘Divine Plan’

By

Stephanie Martin

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June 14, 2023

NBA player Michael Porter Jr., an outspoken Christian, is now a world champion. The fifth-year pro celebrated with his Denver Nuggets teammates Monday night (June 12) as they clinched the first title in the franchise’s 47-year history.

Unfortunately for Porter, or MPJ, shooting woes struck during his appearance on the sport’s biggest stage. The 24-year-old wing out of Missouri struggled throughout the Finals, which Denver won in five games against the Miami Heat.

That shooting funk finally eased a bit Monday night, when MPJ scored 16 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. “Just didn’t quit,” he captioned an Instagram photo of him holding the Larry O’Brien championship trophy.

After the victory, head coach Michael Malone was overheard congratulating and encouraging MPJ. “You helped us win a championship,” he told the athlete. “Don’t [say] like, ‘Oh I didn’t make shots.’ We won the championship because of you.”

Amid Uncertainties, MPJ Trusts in God’s ‘Divine Plan’

In the 2018 draft, MPJ fell to number 14 due to a back injury from college. He’s had three back surgeries and missed most of last season. But through all the uncertainty, the basketball player tries to put everything into God’s hands.

After being injured in February 2022, MPJ shared what he called “GOOD NEWS” on Instagram, writing: “There is a good, loving God named Jesus who died for all of us! All we have to do is believe and put our faith in Him!”

“Through all the heartache, adversity, and tough times in life continue to trust in HIM and His divine plan,” MPJ continued. “‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’ Isaiah 55:8-9.”

Before this month’s Finals, MPJ described how he keeps a gratitude journal, tries to “stay in the moment,” and does his work while leaving “the rest up to God.”

The basketball player has said he wants to harness his athletic skills and opportunities for evangelism. “It’s been a dream of mine to influence people for God’s kingdom, because no matter how down I am, I know in the back of my head—God is what matters,” said MPJ. “Getting people to heaven is what matters. It’s been a dream of mine to get as good at basketball as I can. My platform is so big, maybe I can influence a generation. Maybe I can influence thousands, perhaps millions of people. That’s my end dream.”

For MPJ, God Serves as a ‘Stable Source’

Although MPJ grew up in a Christian home, it wasn’t until college when he “finally realized I wanted to choose Jesus and God.” During an appearance last year on the Truth Over Tribe podcast, he described realizing that he wanted to be known as a Christian, even though “I’m not going to be perfect.”

Lecrae Says Watching ‘The Secrets of Hillsong’ Reminded Him the Importance of ‘Journeying With Jesus’ Together

By

Janna Firestone

-

June 14, 2023

Lecrae Secrets of Hillsong — Screengrab via Instagram @lecrae

Christian rapper, singer, and songwriter Lecrae addressed his fans and followers after he watched the docuseries, “The Secrets of Hillsong.” While he didn’t intend to start a full conversation against the “megachurch,” Lecrae advocated for genuine spiritual growth.

“I been minding my business and staying out of trouble and want to continue to do so. I just wanted to share a few thoughts I hope are helpful.” Lecrae continued, “I not anti mega church. It can be done well. I’ve experienced it. But I am PRO spiritual growth. This doc reminded me how important it is to foster a community of people around journeying with Jesus.”

Lecrae Addresses the Challenge of a Megachurch

As an example of a megachurch, Lecrae mentions Hillsong Church—a megachurch that had been expanding around the world but recently fell hard. Lecrae said he has seen the tabloids and interviews with certain pastors and watched the docuseries centered on the corruption within Hillsong.

In the trailer for the docuseries, disgraced former pastor of Hillsong East Coast Carl Lentz said, “You do not want to be in this chair. I cannot stress that enough.”

“The Secrets of Hillsong” includes further corruption within leadership, as former global senior pastor Brian Houston stands trial for hiding his own father’s child sex crimes. The series “goes beyond the sensational headlines and behind the velvet rope to examine the church’s long pattern of covering up misconduct to protect itself.”

Lecrae Focuses on One Central Problem Within the Mega Church

“Let me give you my two cents,” Lecrae offered. “I think, personally, that megachurches create some crazy challenges for people in terms of spiritual formation, discipleship, and pastoral care.”

Lecrae continued, “I mentor a lot of younger believers, and right now I notice that they are far more influenced off of the social majority, social media, and cloud culture—than they are from a consistent community of believers that are integrated into their lives.”

“As long as they show up on Sunday…amongst 2,000 other people, it appears like they’re ‘good,'” Lecrae said. “The modern church follows the structure of an American business institution—more than it is a community shepherded by leaders and sharpened by a community.”

The rapper further described many megachurches. “The focal point is like this great day of presentation, oratory speeches, and musical production,” Lecrae said. “And, there’s nothing wrong with that—but it’s usually just that, and not a consistent community of people who are walking through life together.”

Lecrae concluded, “I don’t have anything against the megachurch. I just think it presents some crazy challenges because, oftentimes, when you’re trying to build a business—the end goal is capital growth. But, when you’re trying to build a church, it’s spiritual growth.”

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