Memphis Church Gives $1K Each Week to Local Nonprofits

February 15, 2023

MEMPHIS (BP) – Brown Missionary Baptist Church’s $1,000 weekly anonymous gift to area nonprofits has morphed into a partnership to train such groups for maximum impact and engender church-community cooperation.

It began in November 2020 with the church anonymously giving $1,000 to every nonprofit honored as a Community Changer in an outreach the church negotiated with local CBS affiliate WREG.

Brown Baptist gave more than $100,000 in the outreach before revealing its identity as the donor in November 2022, WREG reported. The church is continuing to give $1,000 to each group WREG recognizes in the weekly feature, Orr said.

“We didn’t want it to be about Brown, but just all of these other great organizations in the community,” Senior Pastor Bartholomew Orr told Baptist Press. “Sometimes if we’re not careful, it becomes about the organization rather than about the greater good.”

At the church that received $12.5 million in undesignated giving in 2022, according to the Annual Church Profile, Orr said the identity of the Community Changers donor was unknown even to Brown’s membership.

“Our own members didn’t know that we were the ones behind it, as part of our overall outreach that we were doing,” Orr said. But he revealed the church’s identity to the congregation to show members their “giving has been impactful over the last couple of years in this (COVID -19) pandemic, and (to tell members) we couldn’t have done what we’ve done without you.

“And then reveal it so that we can go to the next level as well.”

The next level is to work with Mission Increase, a national group headquartered in Portland, Ore., offering free training to help nonprofits operate effectively and to help churches and other nonprofits and parachurches work together to meet broader goals.

“We’re working now to actually bring Mission Increase to the area,” Orr said in January. “We’re doing this now so that all of the nonprofits in our area can benefit from a company that focuses in on how do you make nonprofits more evangelistic, as well as more equipped in building their donor base, and so forth.”

Scott Harris, a Brentwood (Tenn.) Baptist Church member and Mission Increase’s vice president of church and global engagement, is working with Orr to establish a Mission Increase chapter in west Tennessee. Mission Increase will station a coach in Memphis, Harris said, to train nonprofits in subjects including board governance, strategic planning and fundraising.

Instead of charging the nonprofits for the service, Mission Increase covers its costs through local funders including individuals, churches and foundations. Healthy community nonprofits are a benefit to Gospel outreach, Harris believes.

Conflict in the Church: 7 Biblical Keys to Crisis Management

Brad Whitt

February 15, 2023

thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” Nehemiah 6:3. Every pastor no doubt begins the ministry with the ideal in mind. He will spend his life doing what God called him to do. His days will be spent reading his Bible, praying, telling people about Jesus, and ministering to his church and community. He will go off to the office in the morning and spend peaceful nights at home with his family. Everybody will love him and look up to him. Then, he’s called to his first church, calls to order his first business meeting, or hears of meetings held in the homes of the power brokers in the church. And he realizes his dream has turned into a nightmare: conflict in the church.

Like so many young preacher boys, I began my first church with such naive notions. I was so excited about how God was moving. People were being saved, baptized and joining the church. We were beginning to make a difference in our community. The church had voted to build a new building to prepare for the current and coming growth. It was a dream come true.

Then, I began to pick up on comments and put together developing alliances within the church. The Chairman of the Personnel Committee stopped me one day to ask a few odd questions about my schooling and leadership. I noticed two Sunday school teachers huddled up after service one morning, whispering in a back corner. I remember standing on the stage with the Music Minister and commenting that something was wrong. Their actions were out of place, and it smelled like trouble. I’ll never forget him asking with a shocked tone, “How did you notice that?” I said, “It’s my job to notice that.”

Sadly, I noticed it too late to try to avert the coming conflict.

I was informed of a meeting with the Personnel Committee the next Saturday morning. During that eight-hour meeting, I became aware of their months of meeting with another local pastor, their quest for control and the division that they had sown in our growing, young church. I was devastated.

After a fender-bender on the way home, and some tear-soaked minutes with my young wife telling her what was going on, I called my dad. He’d been a pastor for decades. Surely, he would have just the word, a plan, for what to do to help heal the hurt in my young pastor’s heart and the division that was our young church.

See page two for practical tips regarding conflict in the church:

Great Youth Pastor: 6 Ways to Become Better at Your Role

Josh Evans

February 14, 2023

Want to become a great youth pastor or church leader? All youth pastors want to be good at their job. In fact, we all want to excel at what we do. This applies to all occupations, both inside and outside the church

Now, I don’t claim to be a perfect youth pastor. Way more people out there are better at the role than I am. I make mistakes…lots of them. But I’m working on six things to become better at what I do.

6 Ways to Become a Great Youth Pastor

Check out these 6 tips for boosting your effectiveness:

1. Prioritize your personal relationship with Jesus.

We all admit this is the most important step. Yet we often neglect to do it. We get busy preparing sermons, planning events, meeting with students, working on discipleship methods. And we forget we need to be personally discipled ourselves.

Make time with just you and God every single day. This doesn’t include your Bible study time for sermons. Your time with God should be more valuable than any other relationship. When your relationship with God is right, all other relationships fall into place.

2. Commit to equipping the entire family.

Family ministry is much more important to me now. Your job as a youth pastor is to the entire family. Many families reject this kind of thinking, but it’s the truth. Try reaching the entire family. Plan events and discipleship for the entire family. Equip parents with resources to help them be more effective in today’s society.

3. Link the student ministry and church.

Often, youth groups tend to separate themselves from the local church. Soon, they become their own church. Look for opportunities to connect the two together. Involve teens in the local church, not just the youth group.

4. Making disciples should be your main objective.

Outreach is important and should always be in our mind. But the ultimate goal is to make disciples. When you’re effectively making disciples of Jesus, outreach and other ministries come together well.

Disney Star Declares Faith in Jesus, Gets Baptized at Bethel Church

Jessica Lea

February 14, 2023

Joshua Bassett, one of the stars of Disney’s “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” got baptized at Bethel Church in Redding, California, on the evening of Sunday, Feb. 12. Bassett posted a clip of his declaration of faith in Jesus at the church on his TikTok, Twitter and Instagram accounts.

“My name is Joshua,” said Basset after taking the stage to explain why he wanted to get baptized, “and long story short, I grew up Christian, and I ran the other way as far as I could go in pursuit of ‘truth’ and that only ended in addiction, depression, suicidal ideation, eating disorders, etc. And no other teacher gave me anywhere near the peace that Jesus Christ did. And I’m here to publicly declare him as my Lord and Savior.”

pic.twitter.com/npQt9z5xqm

— Joshua Bassett (@joshuatbassett) February 13, 2023

Joshua Bassett Gets Baptized at Bethel

Joshua Bassett stars as “Ricky” in “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” on Disney+. He released his first single, “Common Sense,” in 2020. His single, “Lie Lie Lie,” featured on his first EP (released 2021), went viral due to rumors it was connected to his alleged relationship with fellow “High School Musical” cast member Olivia Rodrigo. Bassett released his fourth EP, “Different,” in October 2022.

Bassett has shared publicly that he was sexually abused as a child and a teen and that he has struggled with anxiety and depression. In 2021, he came out as a member of the LBGTQ+ community.

On Jan. 5, Bassett posted a tweet saying, “Jesus Christ is the only way. His death and resurrection are historically documented. turn away [from] hate, seek forgiveness and come home to Him.” At the end of January, the singer posted in his Instagram stories, describing some encounters with God that he had had.

Many congratulated Bassett on his baptism in the comments on his new video, yet many also expressed concern about his association with Bethel. “Hey josh this church promotes conversion therapy and is extremely questionable,” said one Twitter user. “happy for you for finding something you believe in but please do more research. your queer fans are counting on you to promote the right ideals here.”

“Proud of you!!” said another fan. “But this church doesn’t have the strongest doctrine, try finding another one.”

Another fan was less direct: “So happy for you! but always do a little research on the church you’re going [to] and always read the Bible to know if what the pastor preaches goes according [to] the word of God. Love you.”

After posting his video, Bassett posted a follow-up comment stating, “I visited this church and happened to get baptized here- I was unaware of some of their policies and beliefs, and do not endorse all of them. my heart is for Christ and Christ alone!”

Others encouraged fellow fans to simply be happy for Bassett instead of criticizing his decisions. “CONGRATS JOSH!!” said one follower. “Gods [sic] been using you in an amazing way and I can’t wait to continue to see how he works through you!!”

Christian Leaders Plead With Alabama Governor Kay Ivey for Public Review of Death Penalty Procedures

Janna Firestone

February 14, 2023

Kay Ivey and Alabama death penalty procudures — 187th Fighter Wing, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In a letter to Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, 170 pastors and professionals pleaded with the governor to fully and publicly review the state’s death penalty procedures. While they applauded Ivey for pausing executions, they called for a much more thorough and public investigation of the current state’s practices.

The letter begins by calling out Ivey’s “strong Christian faith that is central to your life and your leadership of our state.”

Similarly, the signers of the letter impart their own calls to action: “As faith leaders, we are responsible for guiding and shepherding thousands of Alabamians to daily live out the tenets of their faith, to be ethical, moral, compassionate human beings. Our beliefs are varied and our communities diverse, but we all agree that the unnecessary pain and suffering at the hands of the state where we live and worship demands our response.”

The letter goes on to quote Micah 6:8, calling on the governor “to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.”

A History of Botched Executions in Alabama

Back in November 2022, Ivey paused executions in order to review the state’s processes. The decision came after three attempted executions went terribly wrong. Joe Nathan James’ death took more than three hours in July 2022. In September 2022, Alan Miller’s execution warrant expired before staff could secure the IV line for lethal injection. A similar mishap with an IV line and subsequent called-off execution happened in November 2022 for Kenneth Smith.

However, the pause on executions and review of death penalty procedures isn’t enough for this group of state leaders. As summarized in the letter, “Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Hamm recently shared publicly that the review should be completed in a month or two.” This attempt at an internal review is far from what is needed, according to the letter.

Governor Kay Ivey Called To Review the Death Penalty Processes

The group, instead, is calling for “transparency, accountability, and humility in how the State of Alabama undertakes responsibilities.”

Other conservative states, such as Tennessee and Oklahoma, experienced similar execution malfunctions and underwent independent reviews.

Republican Governor of Tennessee, Bill Lee, asked a third party to review the state’s execution processes. The review exposed multiple cases of failure to follow the state’s procedures. Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin likewise called for an independent review of processes after the state had used an unauthorized drug for lethal injection. The review found other breaks in protocol to be addressed.

“We speak with a united front in requesting an independent, external, comprehensive review of Alabama’s execution protocols and procedures, as has been done in other states with similar problems,” the letter continues.

Author-Influencer Dave Hollis, Ex-Husband of Rachel Hollis, Dead at 47

Stephanie Martin

February 14, 2023

Author and social media influencer Dave Hollis died “peacefully” at his Texas home Feb. 11, three days before his 48^th birthday. Hollis, a former Disney executive, was the ex-husband of fellow author and influencer Rachel Hollis. Although family members said Dave had recently been hospitalized “for some heart issues,” an official cause of death has not been released.

Rachel Hollis, author of quasi-Christian self-help books, posted on Instagram today (Feb. 14): “I have no words and my heart is too broken to find them. Please wrap the kids in prayers as we try and navigate through the unthinkable.” The couple have four children.

Dave Hollis: Corporate Exec Turned Lifestyle Guru

During his 18-year career at Walt Disney, Dave Hollis worked his way up to president of worldwide theatrical distribution. In 2018 he made news for quitting to join his wife’s video company, later rebranded as The Hollis Co.

Rachel Hollis, who first gained a following after posting mom-body bikini photos, shot to fame with her New York Times bestseller “Girl, Wash Your Face,” published by Thomas Nelson in 2018. After the pair launched the “Rise Together” podcast, they began hosting counseling events for couples, charging up to $1,800 for admission.

A June 2020 divorce announcement from the Hollises shocked their fans. Afterward, Dave began a relationship with fitness influencer Heidi Powell. The first time he met Powell was while discussing their respective divorces on air.

In fall 2021, Dave Hollis apologized after an Instagram Live rant at fans (for not buying his $18 book he called life-changing) and then at his 4-year-old daughter Noah (for requesting breakfast during his taping). Soon afterward, he took a three-month break from social media.

Dave Hollis wrote two self-help books: “Get Out of Your Own Way: A Skeptic’s Guide to Growth and Fulfillment” and “Built Through Courage: Face Your Fears to Live the Life.” Last November, he released the Thomas Nelson children’s title “Here’s to Your Dreams: A Teatime With Noah Book.”

Last fall, Hollis wrote that the new kids series was inspired by the need to teach children early on about the importance of believing in yourself. “What if you could have the capital-t Truths around self-worth so fundamentally set as a child that we didn’t believe the lies we’re sold?” he asked. And what if we “didn’t need some self-help as adults book because we’ve just believed in ourselves and our dreams for so dang long that the alternative seems crazy?”

Dave Hollis Remembered as Good, Loving and Inspiring

On Instagram, motivational author Brendon Burchard posted a tribute to Dave Hollis, calling him “a good man, a loving father, an inspiring teacher, and a dear friend.”

Newly Released Footage Shows Pastor Charged With Capital Sexual Battery Denying Allegations, Praying During Interrogation

Dale Chamberlain

February 14, 2023

Paul Dyal interrogated — Screengrabs via Action News Jax

Police footage of the interrogation of Florida pastor Paul Dyal and his sons, Shawn and Darrin, has been released in advance of Dyal’s trial for two counts of sexual battery on a child. Dyal was charged alongside two members of his church, Jerome Teschendorf and Vernon Williamson, last year.

Longtime pastor of The Jacksonville Assembly of the Body of Christ, Dyal has been accused of sexual and physical abuse dating back at least 30 years. His charges, along with the charges against Teschendorf and Williamson, are capital offenses.

Dyal’s alleged abuse was perpetrated against a victim under the age of 12 at the time of the assault. The survivor told police that Dyal molested her five to six times per year for five to six years—a total of 20 to 30 individual instances of sexual assault.

Police interrupted a service at the church in March 2022 to bring Dyal and his sons in for questioning. Dyal was taken into custody that same night.

“It should be noted that through the course of the investigation we have identified and spoken to numerous victims and witnesses,” said the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at the time of the arrest. “As a result, investigators believe there are additional suspects involved in the reported crimes. This long-term investigation was conducted in partnership with the U.S. Marshals, State Attorney’s Office, and the Florida Department of Children and Families.”

Following the arrest, eight women shared accounts of the physical, mental, financial and emotional abuse they experienced at the hands of people at The Jacksonville Assembly of the Body of Christ, revealing that the crimes for which Dyal had been charged had occurred within the broader context of a church culture that was oppressive and abusive.

“Oppression doesn’t seem like oppression if it’s really all you’ve ever known,” said Lisa Stroud, one of the survivors.

One of the women said that when she was a teenager, church leadership set her up with a 40-year-old man who sought to court her. Another said Dyal beat her with a paddle until she was bruised all over her body.

Newly released footage of Dyal’s interrogation reveal some of the moments leading up to Dyal’s arrest. The interrogation spanned multiple hours.

Throughout the course of their interviews, Dyal and his sons denied that Dyal had committed any wrongdoing.

In reference to the accusations, Dyal’s son Darrin told investigators, “I have a hard time believing that, because my father, just, you know—he don’t even like music. He’s, you know, that’s not his thing. You know, it’s just not his proclivity.”

Dyal’s other son, Shawn, told police, “I just know that the ones that brought up the allegations at the time were people that always stir up trouble and were looking to cause problems.”

Neither of the two sons has been charged with a crime.

When Dyal himself was questioned by detectives, he roundly denied the allegations against him.

“What are you suggesting,” Dyal asked the interrogator, to which she replied, “Well, there was definitely some sexual abuse that was going on with her.”

Google, YouTube Taking Steps To Protect Users From Explicit Content

Diana Chandler

February 14, 2023

kid_online — Photo via Unsplash.com @ltoinel

MOUNTAINVIEW, Calif. (BP) – Google will automatically blur sexually explicit images in search results regardless of security settings, the company announced Feb. 7 in one of the latest moves among tech giants to limit unintentional pornographic viewing online.

The announcement comes months after YouTube demonetized content with sex, violence and profanity. Videos with such content within the first eight seconds of play are ineligible to receive ad revenue, Gamespot.com reported.

Such changes are welcomed, but more is needed to safeguard the public from damaging content online, technology ethicist Jason Thacker told Baptist Press.

“Technology companies have a moral responsibility to empower parents and guardians with the tools necessary to protect themselves and their children online,” said Thacker, director of the Research Institute and chair of research in technology ethics at the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.

“These tools can allow space for families to have healthy conversations about the benefits but also the real dangers of online activities,” Thacker said. “There is not a one-size fits all approach to the digital age, and we all must cultivate wisdom for navigating these new opportunities and challenges in light of the Christian ethic.”

Google’s change applies to the company’s SafeSearch filter. Within the “coming months,” Google said, “a new setting will blur explicit imagery if it appears in search results when SafeSearch filtering isn’t turned on. This setting will be the new default for people who don’t already have the SafeSearch filter turned on, with the option to adjust settings at any time.” SafeSearch filtering is already on by default for signed-in users under 18.

The changes are especially important in shielding children from inappropriate content, Thacker said.

“Amid much of the gripping polarization in our current cultural and political environment, one thing we seem to all agree on is the necessity of protecting our children from many of the harmful effects of technology and social media,” Thacker said. “While we will never be able to truly shield our children from all dangerous content and activities online, recent changes like this are a welcomed development and more is needed.”

The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) and the Parents Television and Media Council (PTC) have also noted the changes.

“NCOSE is thrilled that Google has taken this positive step forward to help create a safer internet. Now there is one more level of protection,” NCOSE said in a press release responding to Google’s move. “Children could easily stumble on sexually explicit images even by typing an innocent search term in Google.”

Google’s new policy can also benefit victims and survivors of sexual exploitation, NCOSE said, referencing assaults and sexual abuse that are recorded and uploaded online.

The PTC commended YouTube for its advertising restrictions, but warned that “YouTube is still a Wild West when it comes to children.”

“We hope YouTube will continue to implement policies to better protect children from harmful content and to discourage bad actors,” PTC Vice President Melissa Henson said in a press release. “Kids are overwhelmingly watching online video – YouTube in particular.

“While YouTube’s new advertising policies are a step in the right direction, explicit or graphic content is still able to be used in videos after the first 8 seconds without being demonetized.”

In its November 2022 report ‘A Tik-Toking Time Bomb’ the PTC reported that Hollywood is marketing TV shows with explicit adult content to young teens through social media sites like Instagram that are popular with 13-17-year-olds.

Facebook must do more to protect children from such targeted advertising, the PTC urged in January, describing the content as “explicit TV-MA and R-rated entertainment.”

“Currently, Hollywood does an end-run around parents by enabling shows with explicit adult content to be marketed to children through social media channels,” Henson said. “Stopping this needs to be a priority for Meta, and for all social media channels.”

This article originally appeared at Baptist Press.

Christian Girl Kidnapped by 60-Year-Old Muslim in Pakistan

Morning Star News

February 14, 2023

Christian-Girl-Kidnapped- — Photo via Pexels.com @cottonbro studio

LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – Arif Gill said he lost hope of finding his 15-year-old daughter – abducted by a 60-year-old Muslim who forcibly married her and converted her to Islam – until police in Pakistan finally registered a case after nearly two months.

Sitara Arif, also known as Saira, was kidnapped on Dec. 15 by Rana Tayyab in the Yousafabad area of Faisalabad, Gill said. Tayyab is the husband of Naila Ambreen, a Muslim government school principal for whom Saira worked as domestic help.

“I went to the police station to report my daughter’s kidnapping, but they refused to accept my complaint and forced me out of the building,” said Gill, a physically handicapped Catholic.

He said he made repeated attempts to register a case against Tayyab, with police ignoring his pleas.

“Madam Naila is a government employee, and both she and her husband have considerable influence on the police, which is why they outright rejected my application,” Gill told Morning Star News. “After repeated humiliation and intimidation to stop pursuing the matter, I surrendered to my fate thinking that I won’t be able to see my daughter again. It’s been nearly two months since my wife and I haven’t seen our daughter or heard anything regarding her safety and well-being. Only God knows our pain and suffering since the day she was taken from us.”

Gill said poverty forced the family to send their daughter to work in a Muslim household.

“I’m unable to earn a livelihood, so my wife and daughter work as domestic helps to provide for the family,” he said. “We have always been very protective about our daughter, and it never occurred to us that she would be targeted by a man five times her age.”

Sitara is the oldest of Gill’s children.

Gill’s lawyer and chairman of the Minorities Alliance Pakistan, attorney Akmal Bhatti, said he learned of Gill’s ordeal on Feb. 3 and immediately arranged for the family to meet with Faisalabad’s regional police chief. Protesting police indifference, they demanded immediate registration of a First Information Report (FIR).

An FIR was registered against Tayyab on Feb. 4 at the Madina Town Police Station on the orders of the regional police chief, and officers have begun raids for his arrest and the recovery of Sitara, Bhatti said. The case was registered under Section 365-B of the Pakistan Penal Code relating to kidnapping, abducting or forcible marriage.

Bhatti said that when the police raided Tayyab’s house in Yousafabad, his wife Naila Ambreen handed the officials the Islamic marriage certificate between him and Sitara.

“This is the modus operandi in all cases involving forced marriages of underage minority girls,” Bhatti said. “The accused first rapes the victim and then uses the cover of an Islamic Nikah [marriage certificate] to escape punishment for this heinous crime.”

Though police are now acting, it is unfortunate that the family is deprived of justice because they are poor and Christian, Bhatti said.

“If the police had acted when the crime was first reported, the child could have been recovered sooner, but the prolonged delay has given the accused ample time to change his locations,” he said. “Some sources have told us that the accused has taken Sitara to Islamabad, and we are now pressing the police to find them there.”

Police took two of Tayyab’s relatives into custody for questioning, and later they were released.

“We are continuing to build pressure on the officials nonetheless, so that they don’t slack in their responsibility,” he said.

The Flight of Afghan Christians to Pakistan

International Christian Concern

February 14, 2023

The-Flight-of-Afghan-Christians-to-Pakistan — Tahirshah999, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

02/09/2023 Washington D.C. (International Christian Concern) – Christians and other refugees looking to leave Afghanistan have few choices. Neighboring Pakistan had potential exit routes, but the Pakistani government has clamped down on refugees wishing to enter the country.

Pakistan was not equipped to manage a refugee crisis, but thousands of refugees crossed the border after the Taliban takeover. Once Afghan Christians step foot in Pakistan, however, their plight and journey are far from over.

ICC found 60 Christian families that had fled Afghanistan for Pakistan. At least three decided to return to Afghanistan after months of turmoil as refugees in Pakistan.

Sardar and his Christian family initially had difficulty getting into Pakistan after the Taliban takeover. He was abducted by the Taliban en route to the border and held until his family could pay a ransom. They managed to scrape the money together, devastating them financially.

Once in Pakistan, Sardar and his family were not well received. Like nearly all refugees, they faced hunger and poor living conditions. With no means of work, they were at the mercy of Pakistan’s refugee system.

While Pakistan received refugees previously, the number of families that arrived following the collapse of Afghanistan was unprecedented. Thousands of Afghans flooded into Pakistan, so Sardar’s family was insignificant and their struggles commonplace. As with all the Christian refugee families, these struggles would undoubtedly have been worse had they been discovered as Christians.

Sardar and his family considered it better to return to Afghanistan. The fact that he had been subjected to the Taliban’s cruelties firsthand and still decided to go back illustrates the dreadful state of Afghan refugees in Pakistan. He has experienced what the Taliban is capable of and knows how much worse it will be if the Taliban captures him again. Despite the ever-present danger to him and his family in Afghanistan, he felt there was a better chance of survival hiding in the shadows of the Taliban rather than eking out a life in Pakistan.

This article originally appeared here.

Docuseries on Black Church Highlights History, Links To Biblical Orthodoxy

Adelle M Banks

February 14, 2023

Docuseries-on-Black-Church-Highlights-History — The Rev. Justin Giboney. Photo courtesy of the AND Campaign

(RNS) — A new docuseries featuring Black clergy and scholars aims to explore the resilience of the Black church and highlight how many of its influential members tie their accomplishments in society to their adherence to the Bible.

“How I Got Over,” a five-part series, examines the history of seven historic Black denominations and highlights major Black Christian leaders — well-known and lesser-known — who have contributed to American society. Officials of the AND Campaign, a nonpartisan think tank that promotes Christian civic engagement, are set to release the first episode on YouTube at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Monday (Feb. 13).

AND Campaign leaders who are featured in the documentary’s half-hour episodes note that the Black church is not monolithic, pointing out that the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was not supported by all Black churches. Black churchgoers are not all progressive or liberal, they observe, but many have long embraced a more conservative Christian orthodoxy.

“Orthodoxy, or true belief in Scripture, doesn’t belong to any one culture,” said the Rev. Justin Giboney, president of the AND Campaign, in an interview with Religion News Service. He said part of the goal of the series is to highlight the conservative theological stances of many Black Christians.

“What we’re saying is orthodoxy has always been in the Black church. It’s still strong, and we think that’s part of the Black church’s future.”

In the documentary, the Rev. C.J. Rhodes, pastor of Mount Helm Baptist Church, in Jackson, Mississippi, describes what he calls the “sanctified seven” major Black denominations, divided among three strains of Christianity: Methodist (African Methodist Episcopal Church, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and Christian Methodist Episcopal Church), Baptist (National Baptist Convention, USA; National Baptist Convention of America; and Progressive National Baptist Convention) and Pentecostal (Church of God in Christ).

“In today’s moment of the Black church, there’s a lot of overlap and confluence between these three groups, which was a very interesting turn of events, given about 100 years ago they fought vehemently about which one was truer to the biblical witness,” Rhodes said in the first episode.

The series, timed to start during Black History Month, follows another documentary, PBS’ “The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song,” based on a 2021 book by Harvard historian Henry Louis “Skip” Gates Jr. Giboney praised the overall content of that four-hour documentary but said he thought “it did tell us that we need to go left,” and his organization wanted to offer a different perspective.

Giboney said the new series notes that the origins and differences among the plethora of Black denominations were based on “secondary issues” such as baptism, women preachers, speaking in tongues and levels of training.

“We wanted to show the substantive differences between the denominations but also show that the primary arguments were not about orthodoxy,” he said.

Majority of American Teens Open To Learning About Jesus, but Who Is Teaching Them?

Scott Barkley

February 14, 2023

teens discipleship — Billy Christol prays with students at Burning Bush Baptist Church.

NASHVILLE (BP) — It isn’t groundbreaking to say teenagers and young adults are curious about the world and – to quote Michael W. Smith – their place in it. The amount of available information, however, may also be contributing to a distrust beyond those in their immediate vicinity.

Billy Christol has worked with teenagers over the last 33 years, 23 of them in student ministry. Recent events, he said, have generated an environment where the pursuit of truth is still as relevant as the day Pontius Pilate asked about it.

“It is a unique generation in that students have the world’s most powerful search engine in their pocket during their teen years,” said Christol, associate pastor of students at Burning Bush Baptist Church in Ringgold, Ga. “At the same time, they are seeing heightened cultural and political unrest mixed with the lowest morals in marketing and advertising ever.

“As a result, they’re desperate to find truth.”

A recent Barna Group study of those ages 13-17 revealed that 77 percent of U.S. teens are at least “somewhat motivated” to continue learning about Jesus Christ. Respondents were divided into groups defined as “Committed,” “Nominal” and “All Others.”

In the study’s terms, “Committed” Christians self-identify as Christian and say they have made a personal commitment to follow Christ. “Nominal” Christians also self-identify as Christian, but have not made a personal commitment to follow Christ. “All Others” do not identify as Christian or do not know who Jesus is.

Teens are not as helpless in a technology-laden world as adults may think, Christol said. They are the natives and can navigate the landscape, and thus are more savvy than given credit for.

“Teens are more curious than ever and have the tools to satisfy that curiosity,” Christol said. “They know that almost nothing is true at face value and almost everyone and everything that influences them is lying. As a result, they will research anything they find interesting.”

Unsurprisingly, 95 percent of “Committed” teens view the Bible as a trustworthy source of information to learn more about Jesus. Other categories like “another Christian” and “a church leader” each received similarly high marks (88 percent).

But respondents also placed a high level of faith in themselves as a source for knowing about Jesus. “Committed” Christian teens led the way at 83 percent, followed by “Nominal” Christians at 68 percent. A little over half of “All Others,” the group that did not identify as Christians or were unsure who Jesus is, felt they were nevertheless a trustworthy source.

“Nominal” Christian teens placed faith in themselves as a trustworthy source just less so than they did the Bible (71 percent), but more than “another Christian” (65 percent) or “church leader” (63 percent). Only “family” (58 percent) was seen as a more trustworthy source among “All Other” teens, after themselves.

Matthew Emerson, professor of religion and dean of theology, arts and humanities at Oklahoma Baptist University, called that finding a function of modernity/post-modernity.

“If you can’t trust Authority with a capital ‘A’ – in this case, the Church and the Bible – you feel you can trust your own cognitive abilities and community,” he said.

That part of the study also concerned Christol.

“Those numbers should be much lower than any other source,” he said. “Students have lost trust in the Church and church leaders. Their parents are making little effort to be the spiritual leader and, as a result, they find the Bible irrelevant.”

But, he added, there is an upside.

“This is an opportunity. If we act now, we can flip ‘entertainment ministry’ to true discipleship evangelism. That what teens want,” Christol said.

5 Things To Never Say to Your Pastor

Dale Chamberlain

February 14, 2023

never say these things to your pastor — Adobestock #364459708

People say the goofiest things to their pastors.

To be sure, most pastors are aware that sometimes remarks made against them are more a reflection of the person making them, and they are good natured enough to let most things roll off their backs. In fact, pastors may even find some of the more outlandish things congregants tell them amusing or humorous.

But then there are the times that congregants cut their pastors deep with their words. This may happen in a single instance, but it more often is the aggregate effect of multiple offhand remarks and unwarranted criticisms that begin to weigh them down over time.

Pastors work hard to serve the people of their churches well, and so it stands to reason that those people should also strive to serve their pastor well—particularly when it comes to how they can use their words to lift him up rather than tear him down.

Here are at least five things to never say to your pastor.

1. ‘People Are Saying…’

For all the criticism a pastor receives on a weekly basis, almost none of it is offered to him directly. He will hear about it through notes on connection cards, second-hand accounts, and warnings that “people are talking” from congregants who put themselves forth as personal confidants but really only have personal agendas.

A wise pastor I once served under was always quick to respond to anyone who implied that “people are talking” with a simple question: who and how many?

Sometimes, no one is really talking—except the person who is saying that people are talking. Other times, the talking is taking place among a small group of individuals within the church who neither carry much sway nor contribute much by forward missional progress.

This isn’t to say that their feelings aren’t important or that they aren’t valued members of the community created in the image of God. It is to say, however, that it is not the wisest course of action to let their opinions set the decision making framework for the entire congregation.

If you are one who is often tempted to bring up the issues that “people are talking” about, you may be one of these individuals. Remember that Paul warns us not to tolerate the behavior of Christians who “are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies” (2 Thessalonians 3:11).

If you have a legitimate concern about certain leadership decisions that are being made, speak for yourself sincerely and directly, without any guile or manipulation. Otherwise, just be about the work of the gospel and encourage others toward the same.

2. ‘So That’s Where My Tithe Is Going’

To some congregants, it is a mortal sin for pastors to have anything nice, and they aren’t afraid to remind their pastors where their paycheck comes from.

4 Common Mistakes That Will Cause Your Church To Struggle

Dan Reiland

February 14, 2023

common leadership mistakes — Adobestock #400051224

Let’s face it, leadership isn’t easy.

If leadership was easy, more people would lead and lead more successfully. But leadership is nuanced. It’s relational, situational and most of the complex stuff isn’t limited to one right answer.

Leadership is often the fine art of the right decision at the right moment for the right people.

The same decision in the same situation at a different time with different people could be disastrous.

We all make mistakes. That’s part of the territory if you are a leader.

Fortunately, there are a number of foundational principles and leadership values that if consistently followed will dramatically reduce the mistakes we make, or at least lessen the level of their impact.

In fact, we’ve learned so much from these principles that we know many of the common mistakes.

So why do we repeat these mistakes?

There are several reasons we repeat mistakes.

We are tempted to take an easier or shorter path.
We are under pressure that we want to avoid or escape.
We are convinced we can do it on our own.
We did not learn from past experience.

Sometimes we repeat mistakes because the church is larger, the stakes are higher and the pressure is greater. The remedy is to never stop growing. Don’t allow all the demands on your time to crowd out time for you to invest in your continued growth as a leader.

Sometimes we lack the faith that we can ever truly be a better leader. But I’m writing today to tell you that you can.

You can become a better leader.

If we could have a cup of coffee together, I’d share some of my leadership mistakes and we could talk about how you can avoid some of your own. But for today, let me share four of the more common mistakes that if you put your mind to it, you can avoid.

4 Common Mistakes

1. Choosing Performance Over Reliance

Performance mode is a great temptation. It comes from a good place, the gifts, talent, energy and drive God gave you. But when that replaces reliance upon God as the source it’s always a mistake.

Performance rather than reliance is essentially doing things God isn’t asking you to do and carrying a load He doesn’t need you to carry. It’s when we take ministry into our own hands and out of His.

I describe it like trying to “muscle” things forward. If it’s not working, you just push harder. (I’ve done this way too often.) Don’t misunderstand, working hard is necessary, but that’s different than performing so you look good or gain a certain amount of success.

Christians Aren’t Called To Pull Weeds But To Sow Seeds

Greg Stier

February 14, 2023

“Jesus told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. ‘The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’ ” Matthew 13:24-30

Sow Seeds

Later Jesus explained to his disciples that the field is the world, the one sowing seed is Jesus, the seed is the Word of God, the enemy is the Devil, the wheat are God’s people and the tares (poisonous weeds) are the people of the Evil One.

What a powerful picture of the church in the fallen world! Jesus is using his church to sow Gospel seeds and his harvest is growing. More and more people around the world are hearing the Good News of Jesus and saying “yes” to the Gospel!

But Satan is sowing too. He is sowing tares, a poisonous weed which, in its early stages of growth, looks just like wheat.

There is a battle for the harvest going on. Jesus is using us to spread seeds of hope. Satan is using a form of spiritual bio-terrorism to spread poison. Jesus comes to bring life to us and to the world. But Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10.)

Chuck Swindoll preached an excellent sermon on “A World Full of Wheat and Tares” that can give us some insight into this passage as well as our current moral quandary as believers. In this sermon he makes it clear that, like the servants working in the field, many of us have the same knee jerk reaction to the tares around us. We want to pull them out by the roots, deal with evil and be done with it.

That’s what the disciples wanted to do in Luke 9:52-56 when Jesus tried to bring the Good News into a Samaritan village, “…but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, ‘Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?’ But Jesus turned and rebuked them.”

James and John wanted to pull the weeds out by the roots and burn them up right then and there. But Jesus made it clear to these “Sons of Thunder” that this was not the plan of God.

It’s Noisy Out There: Why We Need Intergenerational Community

Christina Embree

February 14, 2023

My family loves to make fun of me for my restless nights. Any noise at night will wake me up and getting back to sleep is a chore. When I think about what keeps me up at night, the first thing that comes to mind is “Everything!”

But, as I reflect, I realize what really keeps me up at night is the noise. Not necessarily actual noises but the noise that fills this world; the anger, the hurt, the hatred, the sadness.

It breaks my heart because I fear we can’t hear one another because of all the noise.

But in the morning, when I quiet myself and listen to God, the noise quiets and His voice beckons to places of grace, healing, love, and joy. I long for others to experience that peaceful place too.

That is why I am so passionate about connecting generations within churches to one another in meaningful relationships and corporate worship.

It’s not about championing a program or jumping onboard a movement. It’s about cutting through the noise and creating spaces where we can both hear and be heard; where our center is the gentle, beckoning voice of God and our experience is one of openness and humility.

Our kids are being raised in a time where, if left to their own devices, they would rarely interact with generations beyond theirs.

The noise is deafening.

A recent study on kids’ app usage and habits show that kids ages four to 15 now spend an average of 85 minutes per day watching YouTube videos, compared with 80 minutes per day spent on TikTok. YouTube, not surprisingly, remains one of the most-used apps among children, the study found (Source).
Another study tells us that kids ages 8-12 are involved in video games via a console 44 minutes a day, on a mobile device 34 minutes a day, and on a computer 11 minutes a day (Source).
All in all, on average, children ages 8-12 in the United States spend 4-6 hours a day watching or using screens, and teens spend up to 9 hours (Source).

But in a loving and intentional community of faith, the volume can be lowered and other voices heard.

Studies show us that the development of conversation and social skills is dependent upon opportunities for children to interact with peers and adults, as part of supportive and enriching experiences (Source).
Studies have also shown us that intergenerational relationships have proven to be the most impactful way of stimulating faith development among children, youth, and adults (Source).

In healthy relationships, in community, in family – we can hear.

What keeps me motivated to continue sharing with churches and homes the need for intergenerational relationships and ministry? The desire to help us find places of peace with one another in the midst of the noise. We need each other if we are to ever find rest in this world.

God has created us for community; behold, how good and how pleasant it is (Ps. 133:1).

This article originally appeared here.

Worship Tech Director Advice From Experienced Leaders

Chris Huff

February 14, 2023

Check out this gathering of some of the best in the business, and get your top tech advice from worship tech director positions in audio, technical directors, and worship leaders:

Worship Tech Director Advice From Experienced Leaders

Steve Dennis – Q: What’s the best part of your job?

A: That there is a purpose behind what we do. I think that all of us who run sound dream of going on tour with a band. But what we do each week hopefully has a positive impact on people’s lives. It is so important to never forget that. It is extremely easy to get caught up in the technical aspect of what we do and lose sight of our ultimate goal, to facilitate worship and win people for Christ.

Jeremy Blasongame – Q: What’s the hardest instrument to amplify correctly and how do you do it?

A: Gotta be the kick drum. If you can make the kick drum sound natural, you can EQ anything. Almost always, there’s too much click from the beater or too much low thump, or both. And few kick drums sound great to begin with. I use two microphones; one is on the inside on the pillow, usually a pencil condenser. The second is a Shure Beta 52 kick drum mic placed at the sound hole.

I boost 2kHz on the Shure and give it a HPF while the pencil condenser gets a LPF. Usually that microphone also gets a very narrow Q boost at a low frequency that sounds smooth in the room, 47Hz, 54Hz or 67Hz are popular boost points. All that’s left is to balance the faders between the click and the thump. Job done.

Beau Brown – Q: A musician walks in with an acoustic upright bass. The bass has no built-in electronics. How do you mic it?

A: This has happened to me several times this year believe it or not! I’ve tried several things with different levels of success. The last thing I used was an AKG 414 on a short stand at bridge height between the f-hole and bridge. I really liked the results and will use that again if the room allows. I’ve also used wireless lapel mics on the bass player, on the bridge and clipped to the inside of the f-hole.

Grow Bigger by Growing Smaller

J.D. Greear

February 14, 2023

In 2005, almost by accident, The Summit Church moved to a multi-site strategy. We made the move because our worship services were full, and we had already multiplied the number of services to the breaking point. It’s the sort of “problem” any church would love to have! We learned on the fly, and over the past 15 years we’ve been adjusting how we approach the multi-site model. As I’ve said before (and we’ve written extensively), we believe the multi-site model can be evangelistically effective, pastorally helpful and biblically faithful, and help your church grow bigger. With nine campuses in Raleigh-Durham (10, if you count our budding campus in Wake Correctional), it seems to be working.

Grow Bigger by Growing Smaller

There are, to be sure, bad ways of leading a multi-site church—just as there are a host of bad ways to lead a single-site church. So we constantly repeat one of our plumb lines to remind us of one of the key reasons why we do multi-site: Stay where you are; serve where you live; be the church in your community.

Every now and then we will survey our congregation to find out, among other things, where people are driving from. It’s one of the key details we use in assessing areas for a potential new campus. When we see clusters of people driving from more than 20 minutes away (and past several other Summit campuses), we have two reactions: (1) we’re honored you love our church enough to make that drive; and (2) please stop it.

There are two key reasons we want people to attend church close to where they live—evangelism and community. Sure, you, as a mature disciple, might drive 45 minutes each weekend for a church you love. But let’s be real for a moment: That unbelieving neighbor in your cul de sac isn’t going to make the same trek. The stranger you struck up a conversation with at Starbucks won’t do it. Inviting people to church can be hard enough. Inviting them to a church 45 minutes from where they live? Don’t bet on it. You can criticize people for not being committed enough, but wouldn’t you rather eliminate obstacles for your guests?

It’s also hard to cultivate community when you live so far away from the place you attend church. Again, imagine yourself driving 45 minutes to the worship service. You love it, so you’ll do it…once a week. If there is a prayer meeting, or a student event, or anything else on the church calendar, you will be reluctant to climb back in the car.

But let’s assume, just for argument’s sake, that you are that committed. You’ll drive any distance at any time for your church! Even so, it still doesn’t foster community, because community goes well beyond the organized events of the church. At the Summit, for instance, our primary vehicle for community is the small group. But if you’re only seeing the people in your small group during the designated weekly meeting, that’s a far cry from true community. The best small group relationships are the ones where your friends bring you a meal when you’re sick, come to your kid’s birthday party or run into each other at the local grocery store. You may love every single person in your small group, but for real, organic community, those people have got to be near you. As Proverbs says, “Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away” (Proverbs 27:10).

At the Summit, we have often said that as we grow bigger, we also want to grow smaller. So instead of building a massive central facility and forcing people to drive there, we encourage people to stay where you are, serve where you live and be the church in your community.

Grow Bigger by Growing Smaller – This article originally appeared here.

Classroom Emergency Procedures for Church and Children’s Ministry

Angela Lewton

February 13, 2023

Classroom emergency procedures are essential for churches and Sunday school programs. We can’t always stop emergencies from happening. But children’s ministry workers and volunteers can be prepared. In case of emergency or evacuation, are you and your staff ready?

The worst time to prepare for an emergency is during one. As Benjamin Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

A disorganized response can result in injury, damage, and loss of property and life. That’s why it’s crucial to have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for staff, volunteers, and leadership. An EAP sets procedures for responding to emergencies. It also defines the roles and responsibilities of individuals.

An emergency can include natural disasters (fire, flood, tornado, earthquake, blizzard). It also can involve manmade disasters (arson, intruder, active shooter, bomb threats). No matter the emergency, you need a plan, especially with children in your care.

Considerations for Classroom Emergency Procedures

To prepare for emergencies, consider these areas:

What situation would determine if an evacuation is necessary?
- Create a list so everyone is on the same page and knows when to act.
Identify each person’s roles and responsibilities. What does the chain-of-command look like?
Ensure all staff members know their role and how to proceed.
Specific evacuation procedures should include:
- Set routes and exits. Train all employees about the layout and alternative escape routes.
- Prepare for children who have a disability. Know exactly what’s required to get them out safely.
- Determine a procedure to account for everyone (children, employees, visitors).
- Create an emergency contact list. Include police, fire, utility companies, poison control, facilities management, and a locksmith.
Keep instructions handy for any special processes or required equipment.

Youth Group Promotion Ideas: 7 Ways to Publicize Your Teen Ministry

Stephanie Martin

February 13, 2023

Youth group promotion ideas are vital for every size and type of youth ministry. Whether your teen program is small or large, urban or rural, you need to inform kids and families about it. And if you need ideas, keep reading!

Sure, social media is great for spreading the word about faith-based Christian programs for teenagers. But you can extend your outreach and publicity efforts in many other ways too.

So get creative and get busy! The tips below will help you broaden your youth group promotion ideas and attract more participants. By making people aware of your meetings and events, you’re taking big steps toward growing the youth group and impacting lives.

7 Youth Group Promotion Ideas

Try one (or more!) of these ideas to promote your youth group:

1. Customized Apparel

Teens love T’s! Wearing youth group shirts and caps is a great way to publicize a program for teens. Apparel with hope-filled slogans and messages also opens doors for conversations about Jesus and faith.

2. Yard Signs & Banners

These versatile promotional pieces work well in the church lawn, reaching neighbors and passing vehicles. Youth group members and their families also may be eager to post a sign for outreach purposes.

3. Fun Flyers

Print promotional pieces may draw extra attention in this age of online over-saturation. So design catchy flyers to post near schools and teen hangout spots. Remember to advertise friendly fellowship opportunities…and free food!

4. After-School Clubs

Welcome kids with open arms right where they’re at. Bring clubs and Bible studies to their schools after hours. If your church is located near a high school, invite local students to a free low-key lunch at your facility.

See page two for practical tips regarding conflict in the church:

6 Ways to Become a Great Youth Pastor

1. Prioritize your personal relationship with Jesus.

2. Commit to equipping the entire family.

3. Link the student ministry and church.

4. Making disciples should be your main objective.

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1. ‘People Are Saying…’

2. ‘So That’s Where My Tithe Is Going’

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1. Choosing Performance Over Reliance

Sow Seeds

It breaks my heart because I fear we can’t hear one another because of all the noise.

The noise is deafening.

In healthy relationships, in community, in family – we can hear.

Worship Tech Director Advice From Experienced Leaders

Grow Bigger by Growing Smaller

Considerations for Classroom Emergency Procedures

7 Youth Group Promotion Ideas

1. Customized Apparel

2. Yard Signs & Banners

3. Fun Flyers

4. After-School Clubs

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