How to Set Your Small Group Launch Up for Success

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January 5, 2023

An ill-timed small group launch is nearly as bad as no small group launch at all. You probably launch groups along with everything else in the fall and in the New Year. Those are great windows to launch groups, so what’s the problem?

In most churches, the senior pastor wants to kick off a big fall series as soon as everyone has settled back into church. The pastor will give a “State of the Church” message right after New Year’s Day, then launches into a major sermon series. If these sermon series are aligned with a small group launch, then when do you recruit group leaders? And, when do you form groups? Before everybody gets back?

How Does a Small Group Launch Work?

Let’s say that everyone is back onsite in the fall around mid-August. This will vary from church to church by a few weeks either way. If your pastor plans a big fall kick off with a sermon series starting in mid-August, you have to recruit leaders and attempt to form groups in July and early August. For most churches that means you are trying to recruit leaders when many of your people are on vacation.

The same goes for the New Year. If your small group launch begins in early to mid-January, then you are recruiting group leaders and forming groups in December. But just in case you haven’t discovered this: nothing happens in December expect for Christmas.

Attempting to recruit leaders in the middle of summer or in December is completely futile. (Okay, maybe you recruited a couple of leaders once, but for the most part it’s futile.) You have to recruit leaders and form groups when your people are actually back. What does this mean?

Bible Reading Plan for Keeping Families in God’s Word

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ChildrensMinistry.com

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January 4, 2023

Are you looking for a family-friendly Bible reading plan? Get parents and children reading (and talking about) the Bible! This one-year Scripture-reading plan offers an overview of key events and people in God’s great story. Click here to submit your email address and then access the free download.

Children’s ministry workers, pastors and parents all want kids to develop a lifelong love for reading the Bible. And what better way than to make it a wonderful opportunity for families to spend time reading, talking, and bonding?

Share this easy Bible reading plan with parents and kids. When families commit to the plan, they’ll discover an overview of key biblical people and events. Together they’ll build good devotional habits and learn to think more deeply about God’s Word.

The Friends With God resources are a great supplement for kids to use during this Bible reading plan. The Friends With God Story Bible allows kids to see how God has always loved and worked through everyday people just like them. And the Friends With God Devotions for Kids gives kids a fresh look at God—who knows them, loves them, and is eager to draw close to them.

Bible Reading Plan: One Year in the Bible

Here’s how this plan works for families:

1. Post this Bible reading plan.

Place it somewhere the entire family will see it, like on your refrigerator.

2. Find the week’s passage in the Bible.

Read it together or on your own. (We suggest reading longer passages together over a few days.)

3. After each family member has read the passage, discuss the following questions:

What surprised you about this passage?
What do you think this passage shows us about God?
How do you think this passage relates to your life today?
What did you learn about the people in this passage?

Grow Your Children’s Ministry in the New Year With 10 Key Steps

By

Dale Hudson

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January 4, 2023

thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Want to grow and strength your children’s ministry in the new year? The next 12 months will bring challenges plus great opportunities to impact kids and families for Christ. Many children’s ministries will plateau or even decline. But some programs will reach even more kids and families.

How does a children’s ministry grow? What sets thriving ministries apart from stagnant ones? Here are 10 important considerations for growth.

10 Ways to Grow a Children’s Ministry Program

**1. A children’s ministry that grows wants to grow. (I mean, really want to grow.)**

Everyone says they want to grow. But kidmin programs that actually do are willing to change what’s not working. They also venture into new territory and take risks. Ministries that are stagnant continue to rest in complacency. Meanwhile, ministries that grow passionately strive to spread the Gospel.

2. A children’s ministry that grows makes sure it has room to grow.

If your space is 85% full, then your growth will be capped. This includes adult worship space, parking lot, hallways and classrooms. You can create more space by obviously building more space. But you can also start additional services, ask key families to move to a different service hour, or launch an additional campus.

Here’s an easy way to check if you have room to grow. Take your total room capacity and multiply it x .85. For example, If your children’s ministry rooms have a total room capacity of 100, then multiply that x .85. The answer is 85. If more than 85 kids attend at once in that space, then your growth is capped. If you want to grow, you need to adjust.

3. A children’s ministry that grows offers guests a great experience.

Following up with guests certainly helps. But the main factor in seeing guests return is giving them a great first experience. This includes convenient parking, quick check-in, and great signage. Also provide welcoming greeters and someone to walk families to classrooms.

Stats show that church visitors decide in the first eight minutes if they’ll return. Ministries must work hard to ensure those eight minutes are great for families

4. A children’s ministry that grows gets kids and families excited about bringing guests to church.

Without new people coming into the church, no growth occurs. Which ministries will have guests come? Those that create a culture of investment and invitation among attendees. They provide invite tools and tell the stories of people who bring friends to church.

5. A children’s ministry that grows has safe and secure environments.

In today’s world, safety is a big deal for parents. If parents don’t feel their kids are safe at church, they simply won’t return.

Ministries that grow will have a check-in/check-out process that’s followed. They’ll have volunteer or even uniformed officers in hallways. Plus, they need a clear process for on-boarding new volunteers. Guidelines must be in place; for example, volunteers can’t be alone with a child, classroom doors must be secured once the service starts, etc.

Find great advice for keeping your ministry safe at the Safety and Security in Children’s Ministry webinar. Hear from top experts, including a former Secret Service agent who guarded the president. Find more info at this link.

6. A children’s ministry that grows has good volunteer-to-child ratios.

Having a solid team of kidmin volunteers is essential. Growing ministries know this and focus on building a healthy, solid, growing team. The right volunteer ratios not only make it safer for the children. It also helps them be personally known and receive care and prayer. When this happens, kids return and attend more frequently.

Tod Bolsinger: The 1 Key to Adapting and Leading in a Changing World

By

Jason Daye

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January 4, 2023

How can we lead effectively in ministry when we are faced with the onslaught of an ever-increasing frequency of changes in the world around us? In this conversation on FrontStage BackStage, host Jason Daye is joined by Tod Bolsinger, executive director of the Church Leadership Institute at Fuller, founder of AE Sloan Leadership, and the best-selling author of Canoeing the Mountains and his latest, Tempered Resilience. Together, Tod and Jason look at the personal transformation that must take place in a ministry leader’s life to help them create adaptive capacity, so they can lead most effectively in our changing world.

FrontStage BackStage Guest Tod Bolsinger

Watch the entire podcast here.

Keep Learning

Looking to dig more deeply into this topic and conversation? Every episode we go the extra mile and create a free toolkit so you and your ministry team can dive deeper into the topic that is discussed. Find your Weekly Toolkit here… Love well, Live well, Lead well!

Video links to this week’s episode – easily share with the ministry leaders in your church
Audio links to this week’s episode – easily share with the ministry leaders in your church
Additional resource links from this week’s conversation – so you and your team can easily find what is mentioned or referenced
Ministry Leaders Growth Guide – key insights and concepts from this week’s conversation as well as engaging questions for you and your team to consider and process
Full-text transcript of this week’s episode – review something you heard, pass along snippets, post tweets, create presentations to share, or use in whatever way you find most helpful in developing your ministry leaders
Shareable Social Graphics – Feel free to post them on your church social accounts, your personal accounts, or use them as graphics in your communications

Podcast Links

YouTube https://youtu.be/NgynAmBFWPs

Apple https://apple.co/3Xmtmue

Spotify https://spoti.fi/3TWpltC

‘I Saw the Vision of Jesus Christ’–‘Paper Planes’ Rapper Shares She Has Become a Born-Again Christian

By

Jessica Lea

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January 4, 2023

M.I.A. — Interscope Records, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

British rapper M.I.A., known for her singles “Bad Girls” and “Paper Planes,” has become a born-again Christian after having a vision of Jesus. The artist, whose real name is Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam, spoke out recently against people who have been critical of this spiritual change.

“The fact that the biggest back lash [sic] in my career and life I’m facing after saying ‘Jesus is real’ is such a revelation to me,” Arulpragasam tweeted Dec. 28. “People who control these apps rather me be a bad girl, [than] a good one.”

The fact that the biggest back lash in my career and life I’m facing after saying “Jesus is real” is such a revelation to me. People who control these apps rather me be a bad girl , then a good one.

— M.I.A. (@MIAuniverse) December 28, 2022

M.I.A.: ‘It Was Jesus’

Mathangi Arulpragasam was born in London, England, to parents of Sri Lankan Tamil heritage. Her parents moved back to Sri Lanka when she was six months old, but when she was 11, the family returned to London as refugees due to the Sri Lankan Civil War. The war has heavily influenced M.I.A.’s work, and defining themes of her music include resisting excess, economic inequality, and unity among all people.

M.I.A. is notable for being one of the earliest artists to become known through the internet. She has released a total of six albums at this point in her career, the latest of which was “Mata” in October 2022. In 2009 she was nominated for an Academy Award for the song, “O…Saya,” which was on the soundtrack of the film “Slumdog Millionaire.” The single “Paper Planes,” also on the soundtrack, was an international success, making Top 20 charts in multiple countries and rising to the fourth position in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100.

In an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Arulpragasam shared that in 2017, she had “a weird spiritual experience.” She was in the Caribbean when, she says, “I had a vision and I saw the vision of Jesus Christ…it’s a very crazy thing because it turned my world upside down. Because everything I thought and believed was no longer, like, the case. And I think that was maybe a sign that something major was going to happen in the world, you know, and that people were needing to be introduced to this concept.”

When Lowe asked Arulpragasam if she is now a born-again Christian, she responded, “I am. I’m not going to lie…even if it costs me my career, I won’t lie. I will tell the truth, and I will tell you what’s on my mind and my heart.”

Lowe pointed out there are people who will rationalize Arulpragasam’s experience, explaining it with scientific instead of supernatural reasons. She responded that she was not using drugs when she had the encounter with Jesus and that she was not even interested in the Christian God.

“I was very comfortable in Hinduism at the time it happened. Like, I loved it,” said Arulpragasam. She says she does not know why the vision happened, but speculated, “Maybe there was just enough Christians praying for me.”

At one point in the interview, Lowe observed that “fundamentalist” religion comes with rules and requirements, and he questioned whether Arulpragasam would have to comply with those. The rapper countered that there are extremes in every area of life, including music, and implied that she will attempt to avoid such extremes when it comes to her religious beliefs. “I think this is going to be my journey for a while,” she said.

ESPN Analyst Dan Orlovsky Prays for Damar Hamlin on Live TV—‘Maybe This Is Not the Right Thing To Do, but I Want To’

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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January 4, 2023

On Tuesday (Jan. 3), ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky told viewers, “Maybe this is not the right thing to do, but I want to,” right before praying for Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin during an episode of NFL Live.

Hamlin was injured during the first quarter of Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals after tackling Tee Higgins. Hamlin appeared to be unaffected by the tackle, but roughly three seconds after rising to his feet, he fell lifelessly to the ground because of cardiac arrest.

Medical crews and team trainers worked on Hamlin, administering CPR, while teammates and Bengals’ players helplessly surrounded their injured brother on the field.

As the ambulance pulled off the field, Bills’ players and team personnel were seen kneeling and praying where Hamlin had been seconds before—an image that was later released on the Bills’ social media and has become a rally cry for people’s prayers about the 24-year-old’s athlete’s health.

NFL players praying on the field is not an uncommon site, especially when a player is injured or at the end of a game. Conversely, what retired 13-year NFL veteran quarterback Orlovsky did during ESPN’s NFL Live is unprecedented.

Joined by host Laura Rutledge and former NFL defensive end Marcus Spears, Orlovsky said, “Football gave me everything. You know, and I think even through the midst of absolute tragedy last night, I think some of the beauty of football as well is that has brought us all here together.”

“I’ve heard the phrase ‘thoughts and prayers’ all day, and people asking others to pray for Hamlin,” Orlovsky said. “I’ve heard the Buffalo Bills organization say ‘we believe in prayer,’ and maybe this is not the right thing to do, but I want to—it’s just on my heart that I want to pray for Damar Hamlin right now.”

As Spears voiced agreement, Orlovsky explained that he was going to close his eyes, bow his head, and pray aloud.

“God, we come to you in these moments that we don’t understand, that are hard, because we believe that you’re God, and coming to you and praying to you has impact,” Orlovsky prayed. “We’re sad. We’re angry, and we want answers. But some things are unanswerable. We just want to pray, truly come to you, and pray for strength for Damar, for healing for Damar, for comfort for Damar to be with his family to give them peace.”

Orlovsky continued, “If we believed that prayer didn’t work, we wouldn’t ask this of you God. I believe in prayer. We believe in prayer. We lift up to Damar Hamlin’s name in your name. Amen.”

Christine Caine to Passion Attendees: Pursue and Linger in God’s Presence

By

Stephanie Martin

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January 4, 2023

During the opening session of Passion 2023 yesterday (January 3), Australian-born speaker, author, and activist Christine Caine told young people to use their “all-access passes” to enter and linger in God’s presence. She also reminded Christians and leaders who’ve become discouraged to remember that God is still covering and protecting them.

Caine, 56, recently received a master’s degree in evangelism and leadership. She’s part of the Passion 2023 lineup in Atlanta; Dallas/Fort Worth is the second location for this year’s conference, themed “For the Fame of Jesus.” Although sessions are sold out, viewers can register and watch online.

Since its 1997 founding by Louie and Shelley Giglio, the Passion Conference has assembled 18- to 25-year-olds to worship and live for Jesus.

Christine Caine: God Is Faithful and Will Prevail

Christine Caine based her 50-minute talk on Exodus 33, just after the children of Israel had made a golden calf. At that point, she says, God’s people were “very traumatized”—not unlike us today. Because they forgot about God’s deliverance and felt abandoned, they did “really dumb stuff,” she notes. But despite their—and our—unfaithfulness, God remains faithful. “God cannot be unfaithful to his promises and to his purposes in your life,” Caine says, adding, “It’s God’s purpose that will prevail, not our plans.”

Pointing to her own challenges, including childhood poverty and years of sexual abuse, Caine assures listeners that the enemy can’t quench God’s purpose for their life. Rather, focusing on God and surrendering to him will lead to the “greatest harvest,” which she says God will usher in through this generation.

Caine warns listeners not to pursue anything “at the expense of God’s absence,” because there’s no point of getting anything unless God’s in it. He is what we ultimately desire, she says, noting, “I’d rather be in the wilderness with God than in the promised land without him!”

Jesus’ Followers Have Unlimited Access to Him

Moving to verses 7 through 11, Christine Caine describes the tent of meeting, where anyone could consult with the Lord. Although going there required “great intentionality” amid life’s distractions, the payoff was enormous.

In the tent, Moses could speak to God like “a friend,” yet the rest of the people just watched from afar. Although they were reverent and bowed, they didn’t boldly enter God’s presence. Citing Hebrews 10, Caine points out, “We don’t have to make sacrifices or clean ourselves up” first, thanks to Jesus, our great high priest.

Pointing to the all-access pass hanging from her lanyard, she says, “Imagine if I had this pass and yet didn’t ever use it.” If you’re in Christ, you too have an all-access pass, she says.

‘SatanCon’ To Take Place in Boston; Event Dedicated to City Officials Who Barred Satanic Temple From Delivering Invocation

By

Dale Chamberlain

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January 4, 2023

The Satanic Temple (TST) is bringing SatanCon to downtown Boston, Massachusetts, on April 28-30. In an Instagram post promoting the event, TST boasts that it will be “the largest satanic gathering in history.”

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

A promotional video for the conference includes the Latin phrase “Sicut matribus sit satanas nobis,” which roughly translates to “Let Satan be to us as a mother.”

While TST has confirmed the conference’s location and reserved a hotel block, presenters and vendors have yet to be announced. The event will also commemorate the 10 year anniversary of TST’s founding.

Founded in 2013, the Satanic Temple is really more of a secular humanist organization that employs religious imagery than an actual occult enclave. Nevertheless, they received tax-exempt status as a recognized religion in 2019.

According to its website, the mission of TST “is to encourage benevolence and empathy among all people, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense and justice, and be directed by the human conscience to undertake noble pursuits.”

TST is dedicating the SatanCon event to Boston mayor Michelle Wu “for her unconstitutional efforts to keep TST out of Boston’s public spaces.” TST brought a lawsuit against the city of Boston in 2021 after being denied multiple requests to deliver the invocation at a City Council meeting.

TST has argued that this was a violation of their First Amendment rights, as the City Council has long allowed clergy and representatives from other faiths to deliver the invocation.

Similarly, the conference was held in Scottsdale, Arizona, last year and was dedicated to Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane and Council member Suzanne Klapp, who also denied the group’s request to deliver the invocation at a City Council meeting there.

TST had likewise sued the city of Scottsdale for an alleged First Amendment violation, though the court eventually ruled in favor of the city.

Robby Gallaty: Why It Will Cost You To Ignore Discipleship

By

Jessica Lea

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January 4, 2023

The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast · Robby Gallaty: Why It Will Cost You To Ignore Discipleship

Robby Gallaty has served as senior pastor of Long Hollow Church in Hendersonville, Tennessee, since 2015 and is the founder of Replicate Ministries. He is the author of several books, including “Rediscovering Discipleship: Making Jesus’ Final Words Our First Work” and “Growing Up: How to Be a Disciple Who Makes Disciples,” which has recently been revised and updated.

Other Ways To Listen to This Podcast With Robby Gallaty

► Listen on Amazon
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► Listen on YouTube

Key Questions for Robby Gallaty

-What happened at Long Hollow after you took over the reins as pastor?

-What is the American church doing well regarding discipleship and where do we need to improve?

-How do we have the kind of growing discipleship that doesn’t cause us to lose our evangelistic passion?

-How would you advise a pastor to implement disciple-making strategies?

Key Quotes From Robby Gallaty

“I always like to pause and say sobriety without Christ is a dead end street. I tried it before. You need something, someone outside of yourself to set you free from the sin that captures you and controls you.”

“I put the little bit of faith I had in as much of Jesus as I knew, and it was enough to be radically saved.”

“For two years, David Platt and I met twice a week to memorize Scripture, study the Bible. And people say, what was it like to learn from David Platt? Did you talk about the finer tenets of systematic theology and eschatology? Yes, we did, but I don’t remember really any of that. I remember how he lived his life.”

“I’m the product of discipleship, you know, that’s why I’m so passionate about discipleship.”

“Exponential growth, it’s not magic. I tell people it’s math. Really, Jesus was the first, ‘network marketer.’ I mean, he knew the power of investing in a few.”

“[When I came to Long Hollow], we were putting people in the church as fast through the front door as they were going out the back door. It was like this escalator evangelism, I call it.”

Congress’ New Class Has Much Higher Percentage of Christians Than American Public

By

Adelle M Banks

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January 4, 2023

(RNS) — The religious makeup of the new Congress bucks the trends seen in American religious life, a new report finds.

The Pew Research Center says the Senate and House members are “largely untouched” by the continuing decrease in the portion of Americans who identify as Christian and the comparable increase in the share of those who say they do not have a religious affiliation.

Christians comprise 88% of the voting members of the 118th Congress who are expected to be sworn in this week (week of Jan. 3), a number that has not changed much since the 1970s, when 91% of members said they were affiliated with that faith.

The American population, on the other hand, has seen a drop in those identifying as Christians, from 78% in 2007 to 63% currently. Close to 3 in 10 Americans (29%) say they are religiously unaffiliated — atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular” — a far larger portion than 16% in 2007.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an independent from Arizona, remains the only member of the new Congress who uses the description of religiously unaffiliated. Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., described himself as humanist. Huffman also said he was “the token humanist in Congress” when he spoke via videotaped remarks to the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s annual convention in October.

Another 20 members are listed as having no known religious affiliations. Most of them declined to state an affiliation when asked by CQ Roll Call, whose data is the primary source of analysis for the Pew biennial report. The “Faith on the Hill” report noted that Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., was “moved to this category following revelations that he misrepresented parts of his life story and resume during his 2022 midterm campaign.”

The number of Christians — 469 — within the new Congress does mark the lowest number since Pew began its analysis of religious affiliation of the 111th Congress at the beginning of the 2009-10 session. But just by a hair. The number of Christians in Congress was above 470 in the eight most recent sessions and exceeded 500 as of 1970.

Overall, the 118th Congress looks similar to the previous body when comparing the two religiously.

Of the 534 total congressional members, 303 Protestants are being sworn in for the 2023-24 session, compared to 297 in the one that just ended. The number of Baptists remained the same — at 67 — while the number of Methodists and Episcopalians dropped by four each; Presbyterians had one fewer member. Catholics saw a drop of 10, with a new total of 148, but still comprise a greater share of Congress (28%) than they do the overall U.S. population (21%).

The members of Congress aligned with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormon church, remained unchanged: nine. And the number of Orthodox Christians increased by one to eight. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., is the sole member of the new Congress who identifies herself as Messianic Jewish; she has also described herself as a Christian.

The number of Jews decreased by one to 33 members and all three Muslims and two Hindus were reelected in the House as well as all three members who identify as Unitarian Universalist.

Here are some of the other findings related to Congress’ religious makeup:

Both chambers are dominated by Christians numerically.
Almost all Republicans — 268 out of 271 — and three quarters of Democrats — 201 of 263 — identify themselves as Christians.
All nine members of Congress who are Mormons are Republicans while Orthodox Christians are evenly split, with four from each major political party.
Almost two-thirds (64%) of newcomers to Congress are Protestant; a bit more than half (55%) of incumbents identify with that branch of Christianity.
There are fewer Catholic first-timers than returning members of Congress (22% compared with 29%).

This article originally appeared here.

Open Doors USA Leaves Open Doors International, Relaunches as Global Christian Relief

By

Emily McFarlan Miller

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January 4, 2023

global_open_doors_usa — Open Doors USA is rebranding as Global Christian Relief. Image courtesy of GCR

(RNS) — Open Doors USA, the U.S.-based arm of the global Christian persecution watchdog, has parted ways with Open Doors International and relaunched this month as Global Christian Relief.

It maintains the same board of directors and CEO, David Curry.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Open Doors said it will maintain a presence in the U.S. and announced Lisa Pearce as interim CEO of its U.S. office.

Global Christian Relief will continue to protect and encourage persecuted Christians around the world, according to a written statement from Curry, who is a member of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. It also will equip the Western church to advocate and pray for those Christians, he said.

A pop-up on the Global Christian Relief homepage states the organization changed its name to reflect “a larger vision to mobilize dedicated Christians like you to support our persecuted family.”

According to Curry’s statement, the leadership of Open Doors USA and Open Doors International began to pray about and discuss their relationship in June 2022: “How could each entity best fulfill its complementary missions and long-term strategies?” he said.

“Both boards prayerfully agreed that their respective missions would be best achieved by moving forward without a formal affiliation. Both organizations remain committed to serving the persecuted church and will continue to work independently to advocate and mobilize support and prayer for this vital cause,” Curry continued.

However, Open Doors said on its website that the organization “continues in the U.S., fully dedicated to the mission and vision of our late founder Brother Andrew to serve persecuted Christians.”

Andrew van der Bijl, known widely as Brother Andrew, founded Open Doors in 1955 to support persecuted Christians around the world. Van der Bijl died in September at age 90.

Open Doors works with churches and local partners in countries around the world to provide Bibles, Christian materials, training and advocacy for Christians who are persecuted for their faith.

The organization also releases a World Watch List every year detailing countries where Christians are most persecuted. The list will mark its 30^th anniversary when Open Doors releases its 2023 report on Jan. 18.

Pearce, the new interim CEO of the U.S. office, has worked with Open Doors for 16 years, serving as CEO and board member for Open Doors UK and Ireland and later as chief development and advocacy officer for Open Doors International.

“We remain steadfast in doing whatever it takes to support both the visible and the underground church in the countries where it is most dangerous to live as a Christian,” she said in the message on the Open Doors website.

Open Doors’ homepage now directs users to a new U.S. website at www.opendoorsus.org.

A statement from Open Doors announcing Pearce as interim CEO did not name Global Christian Relief but said Curry had left Open Doors to lead a “separate unaffiliated organization.”

This article originally appeared here.

Street Apologetics

By

Greg Stier

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January 4, 2023

street apologetics — Adobestock #293370691

According to George Barna, this current generation of teenagers—nicknamed “Gen Z”—is the first “post-Christian” generation in U.S. history.

So, as we seek to equip our teenagers to reach their non-Christian friends, we need to teach them apologetics. What is apologetics? According to the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry (carm.org): “Apologetics is the branch of Christianity that deals with the defense and establishment of the Christian faith.”

Why Street Apologetics?

STREET apologetics is a term I use to describe helpful insights I learned while doing evangelism on the streets. Teenagers (and adults!) can use these strategies on any “streets” they walk on—social media conversations, the halls of their schools, and of course, actual streets!

It’s also a simple acrostic that spells out “street”:

Stay dependent on the Spirit.

Trust in the truth.

Remember to ask – admire – admit.

Engage them by using four questions.

Explain the Gospel no matter what.

Treat them with kindness.

Each of these six points will help your teenagers learn to effectively navigate the sometimes difficult conversations that happen when they engage their peers with the Gospel.

Stay Dependent on the Spirit.

“…do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” (Matthew 10:19-20)

It’s so important for teenagers to learn what it means to lean fully on the Spirit of God, who will give them the wisdom to know what to say and the power to say it boldly, as they share their faith. The Holy Spirit can fill them with divine power to be his witnesses (Acts 1:8) anytime, anywhere, to anyone.

Trust in the Truth of God’s Word and the Resurrection of Christ.

The Bible was written by 40 men from three different continents and a variety of backgrounds (kings, shepherds, fishermen, scholars, and more) over a period of 1,500 years, yet there are no unexplainable errors or contradictions. It continually proves to be historically, geographically, and archeologically accurate. The only way this could have happened is if the Holy Spirit guided the writers and the process, and that it’s the actual Word of God!

As Proverbs 30:5 reminds us, “Every word of God is flawless.” And God Himself inspired every word in the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16).

The evidence of Jesus’s resurrection also substantiates Christianity. As Paul wrote:

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:3-6)

More than 500 people encountered Jesus in physical form after His well- documented and horrific execution at the hands of Roman soldiers. Many of these witnesses were willing to suffer torture and death because they refused to deny what they saw. As someone once said, people may die for what they think to be the truth, but nobody will die for what they know to be a lie.

Let’s Stop Over-Interpreting Agape vs Phileo

By

Kenny Burchard

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January 4, 2023

agape vs phileo — Lightstock #300944 / 300942

When I was about 19 years old and a very new Christian, one of my friends who was an older Christian was encouraging me to love Jesus with my whole heart, and to hold nothing back. That is the best kind of encouragement a person can give a young Christian. In order to accomplish this, though, my friend turned in his Bible to the Gospel of John 21:15-17. Through tears, my friend read these verses, opposing agape vs phileo to me in the following way, using Greek words after English words in several places just as I do below:

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me—agape love—more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you—phileo love.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me—agape love?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you—phileo love.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me—phileo love?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me—phileo love?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you—phileo love.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

My friend then took off his glasses to wipe his tears away, and said something like, “See! If you don’t know the Greek words, you don’t see what’s going on in this text. Jesus was asking Peter if he loved him unconditionally, and Peter kept saying that he only loved Jesus like a brother. Finally, Jesus asked if he really loved him with phileo love, but Jesus really wanted Peter to love him with agape love, which is perfect, God-like, unconditional love!”

I remember thinking that it would be cool to have such amazing “insight” back then. Problem is, it’s not really insight at all. It’s actually a case of over-interpreting Greek synonyms, and then making more of the over-interpretation than the text would ever lead anyone who actually knows better to make. I have sat through more sermons than I can count and listened to pastors give protracted overviews of the (so-called) “three kinds of love” in the Bible.

Agape vs Phileo and the 3 Kinds of Love

Eros – Erotic or sexual love (the bad kind, or lowest kind in the matrix)
Phileo – Brotherly or familial love (a better kind than eros, but still not the best kind in the matrix)
Agape – Perfect or unconditional, or even “The God-kind,” of love (the best kind in the matrix)

This is what we may call “Strong’s Concordance” Greek. It’s done by lots and lots of people who have learned to look up the lexical forms of Greek words in their Strong’s Concordance without knowing much of anything about Greek grammar, or the ways in which word usage is a primary aspect of determining word meaning in biblical literature (just as it is in our own language and literature). These gaps in understanding often lead to these kinds of exegetical fallacies that come off sounding deep and insightful to others who are just as uninformed. Additionally, these Greek gymnastics actually lead to missing the actual point of a text that is often right in front of our faces in favor of more “oooh-aaaaah deep and insightful” conclusions that are really not good conclusions at all.

An example of Agape vs Phileo

In reality, when Jesus was asking if Peter loved him (agape love), and Peter was answering that he loved Jesus (phileo love), they both would have understood that their words were completely reasonable synonyms. The third instance in which Jesus asks Peter if he loves him (phileo love) is interpreted by the narrator, John, to be a repetition of the first two occurrences, in which Jesus uses agape (cf. Jn. 21:17). The point of Jesus’ thrice-repeated question to Peter is not secretly hidden from our English-speaking eyes in the use of two different Greek words. Rather, the point is that Jesus, sitting by a fire made with charcoal, fully restored Peter by giving him a three-fold opportunity to undo what he had done three times by another charcoal fire three chapters earlier (see Jn. 21:9 and compare Jn. 18:18). What Peter had done three times by the first charcoal fire (denied that he even knew Jesus) he reversed, with the help of Jesus, three times by the second charcoal fire (confessed his love for Jesus three times).

But let me prove (based only on how the apostle John uses both Greek words) that we should just stop categorizing these synonyms for love as fundamentally and essentially different kinds or qualities of love in which one is lower (but good) love compared with higher (best and unconditional) love. Both words can be used as synonyms for love. It is not agape vs phileo, but it is context (the actual situational usage) that tells us what is meant. For instance:

Agape vs Phileo in John’s Gospel

John uses agape (in various forms) about 37 times

Hover over these references to see them if you like (Jn. 3:16, 3:19, 3:35, 8:42, 10:17, 11:5, 12:43, 13:1, 13:23, 13:34, 14:15, 14:21, 14:23, 14:24, 14:28, 14:31, 15:9, 15:12, 15:17, 17:23, 17:24, 17:26, 19:26, 21:7, 21:15, 21:16, 21:20).

To John, does agape always mean “the God kind of love” or “perfect unconditional love” every time he uses it? Answer: Nope. If John thinks that’s what the word means, then why does he say that…

People loved (agape love) the darkness rather than light in Jn. 3:19.
The Pharisees loved (agape love) the approval of men more than the praise of God in Jn. 12:43.

Does John really mean to say that people had God’s perfect self-giving unconditional and holy love (the supposed and often-asserted meaning of agape love) for darkness and the approval of men? Be honest, doesn’t that sound weird? Yes it does. And when we load up Greek words with meaning that they don’t always have (ignoring situational usage as the key to word meaning), we won’t land in the right place.

Okay, but what about phileo love?

Evangelists: Stop Spending All Your Time with Unbelievers

By

JDPayne

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January 4, 2023

The image that often comes to mind whenever we hear the word “evangelist” is a Billy Graham, Billy Sunday, or George Whitefield. Maybe we think of a John Wesley or a Francis Asbury. Or, the image is that guy on the college campus stopping students on the way to classes or the gal on the sidewalk with a microphone in hand. Or, maybe it is that person sharing the gospel via an app or in a virtual world using a VR headset. The imagined paradigm usually includes someone who heralds the evangel, calls for responses from unbelievers, and moves on down the road. While such is one important manifestation of an evangelist’s ministry, it is only part of the calling. And because we often limit our thinking to those actions, we create a stereotype that fails to provide a complete understanding of the work of evangelists.

Evangelists & Unbelievers

But let’s take a moment to consider the few times, three to be exact, the word “evangelist” is found in the Bible. Philip is called an evangelist (Acts 21:8). He preached the gospel in Samaria and to the Ethiopian (Acts 8). That makes sense: An evangelist heralds the good news to unbelievers with an expectation they will repent and believe (Acts 20:21). Philip had the title; he had the actions.

Paul sends Timothy back to the Church in Ephesus that was already well-established and had elders (Acts 20:17-38). One of the exhortations to this young apostolic worker included him doing the work of an evangelist (2 Tim 4:5) which included preaching to those far from God but, in all likelihood, involved another expression.

Pastor: Leave Before You Have to Leave

By

Ron Edmondson

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January 4, 2023

I’ve watched people in organizations – in government, business, nonprofits, and, sadly, far too often in the church — some leaders (people) simply stay too long. Leader, leave before you have to leave.

Does that sound cruel for me to say? I certainly don’t mean it to. Yet, some leaders simply stay beyond their welcome. Beyond their usefulness. And beyond their ability to make an impact and leave a positive legacy.

At the same time, I’ve known some people – and some strong leaders – that left when thing were going really well. They could have stayed longer, but they wanted to transition out during a good season. That always seems to work better, in my observation.

So, I have some advice:

Leave before you have to leave

When you are tired of attempting to attain the vision – or have a competing vision
If you can’t support the senior leadership – publicly or privately
When you have no heart left to give the organization – and that’s okay to admit
If you consistently struggle to stay motivated – if coming to “work” is a chore – everyday

Youth Group Games: 3 Go-to Games Your Teens Will Love

By

Josh Griffin

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January 3, 2023

Need some quick youth group games? When time is short, what do you do? Chances are, you pull out an old standby that works time and time again. Here are 3 easy, classic youth group games.

3 Have-a-Blast Youth Group Games

1. Cell Phone Shootout

The game host has a cell phone. The first person to call the number on the screen and get connected wins a prize. It works best when everyone in the crowd has access to a cell phone. And you must be okay with kids breaking them. Want to spice up this youth group game? Have kids race to be the first person to text the host a specific message.

2. Sit Down If…

This is another instant-classic game you can make up as you go. Have everyone stand up. The winner is the last person standing.

Begin to call out things, one at a time. If they apply to someone, that person needs to sit down. Here are some examples:

Sit down if … you’re wearing jeans.
Sit down if … you didn’t brush your teeth today.
Sit down if … you’re wearing a hat.
Sit down if … you can’t roll your tongue.
Sit down if … you’ve ever been to a Justin Bieber concert.

You can spice it up by adding some “Stand back ups.” Those always get a laugh as well. Keep going until just one person is left. Then give him or her a prize!

John MacArthur Sparks Concern After Falling Ill, Unable To Preach Second Service

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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January 3, 2023

John MacArthur, 83-year-old pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church (GCC), made headlines after he fell ill and wasn’t able to preach the megachurch’s second worship service on Sunday.

On Monday, GCC released a statement saying, “Many of you are praying for Pastor John’s health due to his absence from the pulpit during the second service. We are pleased to report that he is doing well. He saw a doctor on Sunday afternoon and he is in good health, and just needs rest from a busy holiday week. Thank you for your continued prayers for Pastor John.”

According to polemical news site Protestia, a GCC elder informed worshipers attending the service that MacArthur had become sick earlier in the week.

“Just so you know, Pastor John had a bug this week and preached our first hour but asked if he might be able to take a break for the second hour. So Mike Riccardi is going to be answering the call. It’s pretty amazing we have guys with sermons in their Bibles wherever you go, and so Mike’s going to be here,” the GCC elder said.

Over the past few years, MacArthur has found himself in the news for refusing to close the doors of GCC or restrict gathering sizes in accordance with California state mandates in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an article titled “Christ, not Caesar, Is Head of the Church,” MacArthur encouraged other churches would stand with them, saying, “In response to the recent state order requiring churches in California to limit or suspend all meetings indefinitely, we, the pastors and elders of Grace Community Church, respectfully inform our civic leaders that they have exceeded their legitimate jurisdiction, and faithfulness to Christ prohibits us from observing the restrictions they want to impose on our corporate worship services.”

GCC and MacArthur were fined and threatened with jail time if they did not comply with the state’s mandates.

With the help of former Trump lawyer Jana Ellis, along with Charles LiMandri, the church filed a lawsuit against California Governor Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and public health officials.

Last February, MacArthur celebrated 53 years as GCC’s senior pastor.

‘Prayer Is Real, and It’s Powerful’—Teammates, NFL Players Rally Behind Damar Hamlin Following Injury

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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January 3, 2023

bills_hamlin_prayer — Screengrab via Twitter @BuffaloBills

On Monday, the world witnessed of horrific injury to 24-year-old Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin during the NFL’s final game of week 17 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

With approximately six minutes left in first quarter, the Bengals were leading the Bills 7-3 when Hamlin tackled Bengals’ wide receiver Tee Higgins near the 50-yard line.

Anticipating Hamlin’s tackle, Higgins legally drove his shoulder into Hamlin’s chest. Hamlin made the routine tackle and stood to his feet, but roughly three seconds later, he shockingly collapsed to the turf at 8:55 P.M.

An official immediately signaled for an injury timeout as players ran to his aid, waving and shouting to the team’s trainers for assistance. After stabilizing Hamlin to be moved, medical personal had to lower him back down and administer CPR for nine minutes. Hamlin was placed in an ambulance on the field at 9:25 P.M. and transported to University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

As seen in video before the game, Hamlin’s family was in attendance, and they were allowed onto the field while Hamlin was being attended to. Nina, Hamlin’s mother, rode with her son in the ambulance to the hospital.

Following a 43-minute temporary suspension, wherein both teams return to their locker rooms, the game was officially postponed at 10:01 P.M.

Hamlin’s friend and marketing representative, Jordan Rooney, provided an update a little over an hour after Hamlin was removed from the Bengals’ home playing field.

“His vitals are back to normal and they have put him to sleep to put a breathing tube down his throat. They are currently running tests. We will provide updates as we have them,” Rooney posted.

Rooney shared an announcement from Hamlin’s family thanking everyone for their love and support, expressing that they are “deeply moved by the prayers, kind words, and donations from fans around the country.”

“We also want to acknowledge the dedicated first responders and healthcare professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who have provided exceptional care to Damar. We feel so blessed to be part of the Buffalo Bills organization and to have their support,” Hamlin’s family continued. “We also want to thank Coach Taylor and the Bengals for everything they’ve done…Please keep Damar in your prayers”

After news of Hamlin’s injury spread, donations totally over $4.4 million began flooding into a GoFundMe page the Bill’s safety setup two years ago, titled “The Chasing M’s Foundation Community Toy Drive.” According to the page, Hamlin created the fundraiser to support “toy drives, back-to-school drives, kids camps, and more.”

In a statement released Tuesday (Jan. 3), the NFL shared that the postponed game would not resume play this week. The league has not made a decision “regarding the possible resumption to the game at a later date.” The league said it hasn’t made any changes to the season’s final week of games, which are scheduled to take place Saturday (Jan. 7) and Sunday (Jan. 8).

Players Pray on the Field

Players and coaches from both teams were visibly shaken by Hamlin’s injury.

As they watched Hamlin fight for his life, tears could be seen running down the faces of multiple teammates, including the Bill’s Pro-Bowl quarterback Josh Allen and wide receiver Stefon Diggs.

Likewise, Bengals’ players, including Pro-Bowl quarterback Joe Burrow, could be seen consoling Bill’s players with hugs and prayers.

As the ambulance drove off the field, Bill’s players, who are led by outspoken Christian coach Sean McDermott, along with coaches and other personnel, gathered and prayed in the area where Hamlin had been lying lifeless.

The Bills posted a moving image of the team praying, surrounded with tweets from multiple teams and players around the league echoing that they were praying for Hamlin.

Former NFL Player, Pastor Derwin Gray Shares His Reaction

Former NFL defensive back, Derwin Gray, who is now the lead pastor of Transformation Church in North Carolina, was watching the game Monday night and shared with ChurchLeaders how he felt after witnessing Hamlin fall lifeless on the field.

‘Ideal for the Patriots’—Donald Trump Jr. Promotes ‘We the People Bible’

By

Jessica Lea

-

January 3, 2023

Donald Trump Jr., the eldest child of former president Donald Trump, is promoting the recently released “We The People Bible,” marketed as “ideal for the patriots who believe it is time to give America back to God.” A video of Trump Jr. promoting the Bible has gotten over 2 million views on Twitter as of this writing.

“With American Judeo-Christian values under attack, there could be no better time than to re-up our commitment to America and to the Christian values that this country was founded on,” says Trump Jr. in the video, adding that the We The People Bible was made, printed and assembled in the United States. “You’re gonna love it, and I think the people in your life probably need it too.”

Donald Trump Jr. made headlines in December 2021 for disparaging Jesus’ command to “turn the other cheek.” While speaking at Turning Point USA’s 2021 AmericaFest in Phoenix, Trump Jr. said, “We’ve turned the other cheek. And I understand. I understand sort of the biblical reference. I understand the mentality. But it’s gotten us nothing, okay? It’s gotten us nothing.”

Donald Trump Jr.: ‘Faith Is Being Targeted’

The website for the We The People Bible says it was released “just before” the 2022 midterms. The site features a picture of Donald Trump Jr., executive vice president of The Trump Organization, and quotes him saying, “Faith is being targeted and our country’s founding beliefs are being targeted. The ‘We The People Bible’ is restoring what there is an attempt to remove. Preservation of Faith, preservation of America.” ChurchLeaders has reached out to We the People Bible representatives for comment and for clarity about Trump Jr.’s relationship with the site.

According to the We The People Bible website,

The We The People Bible was designed with the patriot in mind and features a vertical reversed American flag design that represents a country in distress. Our bible is proudly made in the USA and has been designed with large print that delivers an easy reading experience to anyone looking to explore the tried-and-true King James (KJV) translation.

Included in the We The People Bible are copies of the Pledge of Allegiance, the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. The Bible costs $79.99, and the website has other patriotic items for sale as well, including a We The People t-shirt, a We The People / In God We Trust hat, and an In God We Trust Challenge coin. People can buy these and other items in different combinations, such as the Patriot Bundle, the Liberty Bundle or the Save America Bundle.

Other ‘Patriotic’ Bibles

The We The People Bible is not the only Bible of its kind. The Founders’ Bible, for example, features a copy of the New American Standard translation of the Bible, along with “over 1,000 pages of in-depth culturally relevant articles, insightful Biblical commentary from the Founders on a wide range of topics, and some of the most inspiring history of this nation’s founding and the destiny and purpose God intended.”

Gym Evangelist Disrupts Exercisers by Urging Them To Accept Jesus

By

Stephanie Martin

-

January 3, 2023

Ryan Foley, a Christian influencer who often preaches in public places, went viral last week for shouting his message in a gym. While people lift weights and work out, Foley urges them to “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

Since a Twitter user posted video of Foley preaching on December 29, it’s been viewed almost 4 million times. It’s captioned: “A Christian ‘influencer’ causes a scene at the gym to force his religion on people.” The location of the gym isn’t disclosed.

Reaction to the clip is mixed, with some people praising Foley’s witness for Christ and others questioning his methods.

Ryan Foley: ‘I’m Just Preaching the Word of God’

In the clip, Ryan Foley shouts and points at the gym clientele, asking, “Will you all deny Christ on this day? Are you under the father of deception, which flies in this city, or under the Father of God? On the day of judgment, will you inherit the kingdom of heaven? Or are you living in sin? Sin will drag you to hell. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

Most people seem to ignore Foley’s preaching, though one person requests help from security. “Turn to God today,” Foley continues. “You laugh, you mock, but God said in the last days many will laugh and mock. They don’t want to hear the Word of God.”

Shortly after asking, “Does anyone want to make a stand for Jesus today?” Foley notes that no hands were raised. “You are all cowards,” he then says.

When confronted, apparently by security, Foley says, “I’m just preaching the Word of God… They all have ears to hear.” He also asks, “Who just touched my phone and deleted the video of me talking about Christ? Why does it upset you so much?”

Mixed Reactions to Gym Sermon

On social media, several people credit Foley for publicly sharing his faith. One posts the words of Jesus’ Great Commission, while another writes, “Well done Ryan. God is on your side. May [the] Holy Spirit continue to guide you.”

Other comments aren’t favorable, with people calling Foley’s actions extreme and disrespectful. One writes, “It is a marvel that these folk think spending an eternity around people like them is anything anyone would actually want.”

Another notes, “Nothing at all wrong with being Christian… this isn’t being a Christian. Him quietly helping a person at the gym is what Christ wants, not proselytizing.”

Other people are okay with Foley’s message but not necessarily the situation and location. “I don’t really hate this,” someone comments. “I think he shouldn’t have done it there though. You’re supposed to spread the word, but read the room lol.”

How Does a Small Group Launch Work?

Bible Reading Plan: One Year in the Bible

1. Post this Bible reading plan.

2. Find the week’s passage in the Bible.

3. After each family member has read the passage, discuss the following questions:

10 Ways to Grow a Children’s Ministry Program

1. A children’s ministry that grows wants to grow. (I mean, really want to grow.)

2. A children’s ministry that grows makes sure it has room to grow.

3. A children’s ministry that grows offers guests a great experience.

4. A children’s ministry that grows gets kids and families excited about bringing guests to church.

5. A children’s ministry that grows has safe and secure environments.

6. A children’s ministry that grows has good volunteer-to-child ratios.

FrontStage BackStage Guest Tod Bolsinger

Keep Learning

Podcast Links

M.I.A.: ‘It Was Jesus’

Christine Caine: God Is Faithful and Will Prevail

Jesus’ Followers Have Unlimited Access to Him

Other Ways To Listen to This Podcast With Robby Gallaty

Key Questions for Robby Gallaty

Key Quotes From Robby Gallaty

Why Street Apologetics?

Stay Dependent on the Spirit.

Trust in the Truth of God’s Word and the Resurrection of Christ.

Agape vs Phileo and the 3 Kinds of Love

An example of Agape vs Phileo

Agape vs Phileo in John’s Gospel

Evangelists & Unbelievers

Leave before you have to leave

3 Have-a-Blast Youth Group Games

1. Cell Phone Shootout

2. Sit Down If…

Players Pray on the Field

Former NFL Player, Pastor Derwin Gray Shares His Reaction

Donald Trump Jr.: ‘Faith Is Being Targeted’

Other ‘Patriotic’ Bibles

Ryan Foley: ‘I’m Just Preaching the Word of God’

Mixed Reactions to Gym Sermon

New Articles

New Podcasts

**1. A children’s ministry that grows wants to grow. (I mean, really want to grow.)**