Ukraine Enters Winter at War: Russia’s ‘Trying To Freeze People’ to Death

By

-

November 17, 2022

war in ukraine — Slavik Pyzh is prayed over by the Encouragers Sunday school class at First Baptist Church of Nashville earlier this month. Photo by Scott Schrecker

LVIV, Ukraine (BP) – Russian missiles that have fallen closest to Ukrainian Baptist Theological Seminary (UBTS) President Yaroslav “Slavik” Pyzh’s home destroyed an electrical substation in Lviv as Russia revamps its war on Ukraine.

“What they’re doing for winter, they’re trying to freeze people,” Pyzh, also a pastor and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary graduate, told Baptist Press as Ukraine enters its coldest months of the year in the midst of war.

Pyzh describes Russia’s tactic, coupled with the nearly 7,000 civilian war deaths to date, as genocide.

“They’re purposefully destroying Ukrainians because they are Ukrainians,” Pyzh said. “That’s genocide, big time.”

Many national leaders globally, including U.S. President Joe Biden, have accused Russia of genocide in its latest war on Ukraine. The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution Nov. 14 calling for Russia to pay war reparations to Ukraine as compensation for loss, damage and injury, and to establish a registry to document evidence and claims for compensation.

But the UN has not officially charged Russia with meeting the requirements of genocide as it is defined in international law.

Pyzh points to mass graves found in such cities as Bucha and Kharhiv after Ukrainian troops retook the territory from Russia.

Since Feb. 24, Russia has killed at least 6,557 people and injured at least 10,704 in Ukraine, including 6,149 men and women, and 408 boys and girls, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reported in its Nov. 15 civilian casualty update. Millions have fled Ukraine.

“They were just killing people for being Ukrainians,” Pyzh said, pointing out Russia denies Ukrainians’ existence. “And they do not believe that Ukraine exists, and they do not believe that Ukrainians exist. Officially they’ve said it many times, there is no such nation as Ukraine. It’s all Russia.”

In one of its most intense missile strikes of the war, Russia spewed 85 missiles over urban areas including Lviv in a span of two hours Nov. 15, NPR reported, targeting energy infrastructure and leaving millions without power. Reports included a missile strike that killed two on a farm in Poland bordering Lviv.

Pastor Is First Burmese-American Elected to Indianapolis-Area School Board

By

Timothy Cockes

-

November 17, 2022

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (BP) – In his new role on the Perry Township Schools Board, Southern Baptist pastor Hre Mang hopes to help provide quality education to the community’s diverse population.

Mang, senior pastor of Falam Christian Church in Indianapolis, was elected to one of the school board’s three positions during last week’s midterm elections. He will serve a four-year term.

He received the highest percentage of votes of any of the seven candidates with 18.46 percent, and becomes the first-ever Burmese-American to be elected in the history of the Perry Township Schools Board, according to local media reports.

According to local Indianapolis news station WTHR, central Indiana has the largest concentration of Burmese Americans in the nation with around 25,000 people.

“I’m really passionate about learning, school and education,” Mang told Baptist Press. “I’m really passionate for the younger generation and a diverse community demands diverse leadership.

“We can no longer keep the policies considering the diverse needs of the student body. There are certain things we need to change, and I want to initiate any change that we have to do to produce quality students when they graduate.”

Since coming to the United States, Mang spent more than 10 years earning multiple degrees at various schools. He hopes good education can open doors of opportunity for the next generation the same way it did for him.

“I don’t want to see immigrants or children born in the states become public dependents, and I don’t think that’s God’s design,” Mang said.

“I think God’s design is everyone is capable of making money for their livelihood. I see quality education is one way that people can become self-reliant, grow up to take responsibility for themselves and their family. This is for the glory of God and for the good of society.”

Even before his election to the school board, Mang had lived in the Indianapolis area since 2002 and pastored Falam Christian Church since 2009.

Falam is a congregation made up of the Chin people group, and services are held in the Burmese language.

Some of the main priorities for the church include engaging the next generation and expanding its reach beyond the local community.

Senate Takes Step Toward Codifying Same-Sex Marriage

By

Tom Strode

-

November 17, 2022

WASHINGTON (BP)—The U.S. Senate took the first and an apparently decisive step Wednesday (Nov. 16) toward codifying same-sex marriage into law with the aid of more than one-fifth of Republicans in the chamber.

Senators voted 62-37 to invoke cloture, as the procedural move is known, and thereby bring up for a final vote the Respect for Marriage Act (RMA). All 50 Democrats and 12 Republicans voted in favor of the motion, which needed 60 votes to succeed. The bill would repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and require federal and state recognition of same-sex marriages considered legal in the jurisdiction where they took place.

The Senate is expected to vote soon to approve passage of the RMA, which will require only a majority and will serve as a watershed, congressional redefinition of the institution of marriage if enacted.

The House of Representatives approved the RMA in July, when 47 GOP members joined all Democrats in a 267-157 vote. The Senate legislation, however, includes amendments to the House-approved bill that primarily attempt to address religious liberty concerns, though critics say they fall short. If senators pass the measure, another vote by the lower chamber would be required before it can go to the White House. President Biden is expected to sign it into law.

If enacted, the RMA would largely serve as the legislative version of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision that legalized gay marriage.

Despite amendments regarding religious freedom, the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) – as well as other defenders of the biblical view of marriage and conscience rights – has remained opposed to the RMA.

“It is disappointing to see a majority of our U.S. Senators vote in support of a bill that goes directly against God’s design for our most foundational institution — the family,” ERLC Policy Manager Hannah Daniel told Baptist Press. “The ERLC will continue to oppose the Respect for Marriage Act as it moves ahead and, if signed into law, will work to address the serious religious liberty ramifications from it.

“In a time where Congress has no shortage of important concerns to tackle, our representatives should prioritize solutions for the pressing issues facing the American people rather than divisive bills that harm people of faith,” she said in written comments.

The amended bill still “does not provide adequate protections for religious liberty,” Daniel said in a post on the ERLC’s website Wednesday. “Through reiterating the protections that already exist in the law and using unhelpfully vague language, the amendment appears to offer people and institutions of faith more additional protection than it actually does.”

The Religious Freedom Institute said the Senate amendments “purport to protect religious freedom, but in fact do not.”

While same-sex marriage is the focus of consideration regarding the RMA, the bill’s language prohibits denial of the recognition of marriage between two people on the basis of their “sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin.” The U.S. Supreme Court invalidated state bans on interracial marriage in its 1967 Loving v. Virginia decision.

The Religious Freedom Institute protested what it described as the RMA’s juxtaposition of same-sex marriage and race. “In short, the RMA is discriminatory to its core,” the institute said in a three-page analysis of the proposal. Even with the amendments, the RMA’s premise remains – “namely that opposition to same-sex ‘marriage’ is akin to racism. That claim is not only false but profoundly disingenuous. There is no real or perceived threat to marriage based on race in any state in America.”

How Opposition to Prop 8 Led Latter-Day Saints To Back Senate’s Same-Sex Marriage Bill

By

Bob Smietana

-

November 17, 2022

(RNS) — In the summer of 2008, leaders in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints drew a line in the sand against same-sex marriage, urging Mormons in California to do all they could to support Proposition 8, a referendum that would restrict marriage to heterosexual couples in the state via a constitutional amendment.

“Our best efforts are required to preserve the sacred institution of marriage,” the church’s First Presidency wrote in a letter read to all California Latter-day Saint congregations that June.

Voters narrowly approved Proposition 8, but their victory proved short-lived. A California court ruled that any ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.

The church’s public image took a beating, said Benjamin Park, a scholar of Mormonism at Sam Houston State University. “Church leaders recognized the writing on the wall,” said Park.

The defeat led LDS leaders to back the Respect for Marriage Act, a bill that would protect same-sex marriage that Congress is now expected to pass this week with bipartisan support. In Wednesday’s 62-37 vote in the U.S. Senate to end debate on the bill and advance it, Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah was among the yeas.

Benjamin Park. Courtesy photo

The LDS’ backing of the bill, which came as a surprise to many who haven’t followed the church’s history, didn’t stem from their disappointment over Prop 8 alone. After the Prop 8 fiasco, church leaders converted to a strategy of compromise on LGBTQ rights, at least in the public square, said Park. They saw that expanding rights for same-sex couples could also provide protection for religious groups.

That realization eventually led to the so-called Utah compromise of 2015, in which LDS leaders backed an anti-discrimination law to protect LGBTQ people in Utah that carved out religious liberty protections.

The current bill, Latter-day Saint leaders said, also guarantees the rights of both LGTBQ Americans and religious groups with more traditional views of marriage.

“We believe this approach is the way forward,” church leaders said in a statement Tuesday (Nov. 15). “As we work together to preserve the principles and practices of religious freedom together with the rights of LGBTQ individuals, much can be accomplished to heal relationships and foster greater understanding.”

Park said the Latter-day Saints realized that their support for nondiscrimination creates the social capital needed to protect the rights of churches to govern their own affairs.

Other religious leaders who believe that same-sex marriage is sinful took a different approach.

Catholic bishops have labeled the Respect for Marriage Act a threat to both marriage and religious liberty and claimed in a letter this past summer that it could open the door to legalizing polygamy.

Cardinal Asks Bishops To Challenge Lawmakers Who Want To Cut Ukraine Aid

By

Jack Jenkins

-

November 17, 2022

BALTIMORE (RNS) — America’s newest cardinal called on his fellow bishops to challenge lawmakers who want to cut Ukraine aid, urging prelates to speak out against leaders of a Republican majority in the next Congress angling to reduce U.S. support for the country as it battles Russian invaders.

Cardinal Robert McElroy of San Diego, who was elevated by Pope Francis in August, offered his challenge Wednesday (Nov. 16) after bishops heard a presentation on the situation in Ukraine by Ukrainian Catholic Archbishop Borys Gudziak, who oversees the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia. Gudziak detailed the horrific devastation wrought by Russia‘s invasion, telling personal stories and showing images of the destruction.

After Gudziak finished, McElroy went to the microphone on the assembly floor. Nonviolence is important regarding issues of war and peace, he said, but the situation in Ukraine “is an instance where justice requires resistance.”

He then warned that some incoming members of Congress have stoked “rumblings of cutting support to Ukraine from the United States.”

“That could be very ominous in terms of the continuity, the flow of weapons and support, that is essential to convincing the Russians that they cannot succeed,” McElroy said. “I would urge the conference to make it a very high priority to move quickly to preempt, in all the ways available to us, any moves in our national policy in that direction.”

As he finished, his fellow bishops burst into applause.

His remarks were directed at lawmakers who have called for cutting aid to Ukraine — particularly Republicans such as House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California, who has signaled the possibility of cutting Ukraine aid should the GOP retake control of the House, an increasingly likely scenario as votes continue to roll in from last week’s midterm elections. The sentiment has been echoed by Republicans such as J.D. Vance, an Ohio Catholic who just won election to the U.S. Senate.

As Trump Launches New Presidential Bid, Will Former Faith Advisers Back Him?

By

Jack Jenkins

-

November 17, 2022

WASHINGTON (RNS) — When Donald Trump launched his 2020 reelection bid in Orlando, Florida, three years ago, the event was riddled with faith-speak. Both Trump and then-Vice President Mike Pence repeatedly referenced God, arguing the Almighty had blessed America. Trump’s closest evangelical adviser, Florida pastor Paula White-Cain, opened up the event with a passionate invocation in which she insisted the “hand of God” would work for Trump.

But when Trump announced yet another White House bid from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Tuesday (Nov. 15), he did so with a speech devoid of overt religious references. It was unclear if the event included an invocation, and while some of Trump’s stalwart evangelical supporters were seen milling about the resort’s carpeted floors Tuesday evening — namely, conservative commentator Eric Metaxas, pastor Mark Burns and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell — many of the former president’s longtime religious defenders were nowhere to be seen.

Instead, most have remained silent about his new campaign, while others have hinted at allegiances to other potential 2024 presidential contenders such as Pence and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Texas pastor Robert Jeffress, one of Trump’s most stalwart religious supporters, who preached a sermon to Trump on his Inauguration Day titled “When God Chooses a Leader,” signaled the former president may not be his candidate in the primary.

“Donald Trump was a great president, and if he becomes the GOP nominee in 2024 I will happily support him,” Jeffress told Religion News Service in a statement.

Hours before Trump’s speech on Tuesday, Jeffress encouraged his Twitter followers to buy Pence’s new book, “So Help Me God,” and described the former vice president as “a great friend, a committed Christian, and a true American hero.”

In his daily podcast “The Briefing,” Albert Mohler, the president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Trump critic in 2016 turned Trump supporter in 2020, briefly mused on Trump’s reelection bid but said, with the late hour of the announcement, “it is sufficient to say he made the announcement in what was described as a rambling one-hour speech.”

“By the way, the last candidate to have served as president, lost an election and come back to win another election was Grover Cleveland. Well over a century ago,” Mohler added.

Another of Trump’s former evangelical advisers, Tony Suarez, the chief operating officer of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, encouraged fellow conservatives to rally around Trump but stopped short of declaring his ascendancy inevitable.

“Tonight’s announcement was the worst kept secret in recent memory. If recent history had taught us anything it’s that there’s no such thing as a ‘sure thing,’” Suarez, who recently praised DeSantis, said in a text message. “That said, I expect President Trump to be our nominee. Now is not the time for conservatives to be divided. We need a unified front to take back the White House and Senate.”

12 Things Leaders Must Demand From Their Teams To Be Successful

By

Brian Dodd

-

November 17, 2022

Jackson State University head football coach Deion Sanders, known as Coach Prime, has changed the culture of this Historic Black College’s football program. So much so that ESPN’s College Gameday was hosted on the Jackson, MS campus today.

One of Coach Prime’s strengths is his superlative motivational and communication skills which you can see in the video above. Four of his most impactful quotes were the following:

“The one thing a coach really wants to have is a team full of men who love the game.”
“Whatever you’re giving is going to require sacrifice. What are you sacrificing?”
“The sacrifice needs to be greater than the gift.”
“90% of you are not going pro whether you believe it or not…So I’ve got to prepare you for life. I’ve got to spend more time on the life part than the pro part.”

But what resonated with me most was when he communicated what he needed from each young man for the team to dominate their opponent that week. Great leaders are always calling out the best in their teams and expecting them to go to the next level.

12 Things Leaders Must Demand From Their Teams To Be Successful

The following are 12 Things Leaders Must Demand From Their Teams To Be Successful as asked for by Coach Prime. First is the principle followed by the quote and supporting comments.

You Need To Be Rested And Fully-Recovered – “I need you to get seven-to-eight hours of sleep from here on out every night.” Pro tip – Be in bed every night by 10:00 PM.
You Need To Eliminate The Relationships, Hobbies, Activities, and Habits Which Prevent Success – “I need you to eliminate distractions.” The most successful people have learned how to edit their life.
You Need To Prepare – “I need you to show up prepared.” You will either prepare or repair.
You Need To Be Consistent – “I need you to be consistent.” Consistency is the defining characteristic of excellence. For more on the topic of consistency, click A Leader’s Truest Measurement Of Performance.
You Need To Know Your Job – “I need you to know your job.” You need to have mastered your craft or at the very least, mastered its fundamentals.
You Need To Do Your Job – “and do your job.” This speaks to execution and acting upon what you have mastered.
You Need To Have Passion – “I need you to play with passion.” You must own the result.
You Need To Have Purpose – “purpose.” There must be intentionality to all you do.
You Need To Have Love – “and love.” You must have a deep affection for your task or assignment.
You Need To Empty Yourself – “I need you to empty yourself. I want you to leave with nothing left. I don’t know how some of you can party after a game.” You should leave it all on the field. Giving 90% effort is 10% short.
You Need To Self-Evaluate – “I need you to look in that mirror after the game and honestly ask yourself did you give it everything you got and did you do your best.” You should have higher expectations on yourself than anyone else does.
You Need To Start Today – “But don’t start that on Saturday, start that today in practice.” Success is a daily thing.

What is one thing you need to start doing TODAY to help your team become more successful?

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

The Best Systems: Project Management for Churches

By

Jordan An

-

November 17, 2022

When choosing a software for project management for churches, there are several factors to consider. Finding the “perfect” solution for project management for churches means finding the right balance between budget, desired capabilities, and the platform’s usability.

Because every church is unique, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to solve all of your organizational needs. It’s vital to explore the options and find the best solution that meets your team’s unique needs and uses.

To help you identify the best project management solution, here’s a quick rundown of five popular systems, a few pros and cons, and their price points.

The Best Systems: Project Management for Churches

Planning Center

Planning Center describes itself as “a set of software tools to help you organize information, coordinate events, communicate with your team, and connect with your congregation.” It’s less of a full-scale project management system and more of a database; however, churches of all sizes use this popular platform, and with its workflows and suite of features, you may be able to tailor the system to work for you.

👍 Pros: Because Planning Center is for churches, it has many ministry-focused features to help you manage volunteers, gather event sign-ups, track giving, and more services you won’t find in different software.

👎 Cons: Planning Center is not a project management system in the traditional sense, so you may have to work creatively to manage projects that aren’t related to Planning Center’s core products.

💸 Price: Planning Center utilizes a product-tiered monthly subscription system, so the price ranges vastly depending on your usage—however, the core “People” product is always free. Try out the entire suite of products with your first 30 days free.

See page two for more project management for churches.

Lessons From Narnia for Small Group Leaders

By

Chet Gladkowski

-

November 17, 2022

lessons from Narnia — Screengrab via YouTube / @lucypevensie5451

There is an overlooked insight into Small Groups that C. S. Lewis desperately wants us to get. The Chronicles of Narnia have sold over 100 million copies in 47 different languages, The three movies released by Disney have grossed over half a billion dollars. So yes, I’m going to assume that you know something about it. And there are lessons from Narnia to teach us about small groups.

And by a wide margin, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe is the most popular of the seven novels. When you watch or read this story, I bet you do what the rest of us do. You pick a character that you most identify with. Or, should I say, which character you most want to be like.

Lessons From Narnia for Small Group Leaders

No matter if you’re male or female, young or old, many of us want to be Lucy. She’s the most optimistic, cheerful, kind, and brave. For most of the story, she’s the main character until Aslan arrives on the scene. She’s the one who first discovers Narnia. She’s more loving and sensitive towards Aslan. She’s the most spiritually mature of the four Pevensie children.

Isn’t that who you want to be? The spiritually sensitive and senior in your part of God’s family. The one who immediately responds to God’s voice. God’s call. God’s command. After all, isn’t that why you’re involved with Small Group Network and the Small Groups within your community?

And then there’s Susan. The one who’s always sticking her nose into everybody else’s business. Mothering and smothering them. She’s totally insensitive to everyone. She’s the most cautious, the least adventurous. She’s very apprehensive about the unknown. She’s concerned with her own comfort and shows her selfishness, especially toward Lucy.

Lessons from Narnia – Lucy & Susan

As you reach out and connect with people about Small Groups, you quickly discern if they are a Lucy or a Susan. Between Lucy and Susan, it’s a slam dunk to choose Lucy. Isn’t Lucy the one that you want in your Small Group? You pray to God for more and more people like Lucy while ignoring people like Susan. You quickly return any and all communications from Lucy types while giving low priority to people like Susan.

Commanding Respect (Not Demanding It) as a Leader

By

Rachel Blom

-

November 16, 2022

Commanding respect is a worthy goal for church leaders. But you can’t demand respect. Instead, your followers must freely give it to you. You can only command and earn respect; you can’t demand it.

Not commanding respect may be frustrating at times. This is especially true for young leaders who may perceive this as an attack or personal affront. They often respond by demanding respect, mostly based on the fact they have a certain position. (“I’m the small-group coordinator, so I make the decisions, not you.”) That’s completely understandable, but it’s also a sign of immature leadership.

Commanding respect from followers takes time and effort. But it’s well worth the investment! Once you’ve gained people’s trust and respect, leading them becomes much easier.

Every leaders longs for the respect of his or her followers. But respect has to be commanded, not demanded. You have to earn it.

What’s required for commanding respect? I’ve found that living out this Bible passage day-by-day makes a big difference:

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4, NKJV)

5 Lessons for Commanding Respect

From that Bible passage, here are five important leadership lessons:

1. Be honest.

Don’t use manipulation or conceit to get your way. Be open and honest about where you want to go and try to persuade people to come with you based on vision, not deceit or force. Don’t play out people against each other, make them choose sides or spiritually manipulate people to support you. Be very, very critical of your own ambitions and constantly search your heart to check your motives (Psalm 139:23-24).

2. Be humble.

Don’t ever forget that you are a leader by the grace of God. It has God who deserves all the glory, you’re just a vessel in His hands. Treat your leadership as a gift, not an entitlement. The minute you feel you deserve certain things because of your leadership role, is the minute you’ve become proud.

3. Admit your failures.

You may feel this is a sign of weakness, but it’s actually a sign of strength. Having the courage to admit your mistakes honestly or to say you were wrong and change your mind is a great way of gaining your followers’ trust. They see you’re not pretending to be perfect or better than them, not covering up your mistakes and that will go a long way in making them respect you.

Candace Cameron Bure Takes Heat From LGBTQ Advocates for Comments on ‘Traditional Marriage’

By

Jessica Mouser

-

November 16, 2022

Former Hallmark movie and “Full House” star Candace Cameron Bure is taking heat for implying that her new cable channel, Great American Family, is unlikely to feature same-sex couples. Bure is known for being vocal about her Christian faith, and her comments have provoked criticism from fellow celebrities, including JoJo Siwa, with whom Bure recently resolved a public conflict.

“Honestly, I can’t believe after everything that went down just a few months ago, that she would not only create a movie with intention of excluding LGBTQIA+, but then also talk about it in the press,” said Siwa in an Instagram post Tuesday.

Candace Cameron Bure’s Vision for Great American Family

After spending over 10 years with Hallmark, Candace Cameron Bure announced in April of this year that she was leaving the Hallmark Channel to join Great American Family, a channel launched in 2021 by Bill Abbott. Abbott, who has worked with Bure professionally for 15 years, founded Great American Family after leaving his position as the president and CEO of Crown Media, Hallmark’s parent company. He is now chief executive of Great American Media, which oversees his new channel. Bure is chief creative officer with Great American Family and told Variety that in her executive role, she has a say in conversations that impact “the network as a whole.”

In a Nov. 14 article in The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Bure explained why she was drawn to Great American Family. “My heart wants to tell stories that have more meaning and purpose and depth behind them,” she said. “I knew that the people behind Great American Family were Christians that love the Lord and wanted to promote faith programming and good family entertainment.” Regarding Hallmark, Bure said, “It basically is a completely different network than when I started because of the change of leadership.”

Hallmark will release its first movie featuring an LGBTQ love story, “The Holiday Sitter,” on Dec. 11. When WSJ asked Bure if Great American Family will move in a similar direction, she said, “I think that Great American Family will keep traditional marriage at the core.”

Regarding his thoughts on the matter, Abbott said, “It’s certainly the year 2022, so we’re aware of the trends. There’s no whiteboard that says, ‘Yes, this’ or ‘No, we’ll never go here.’”

Celebrities Respond to Candace Cameron Bure

JoJo Siwa rose to fame after appearing at age 9 in Lifetime’s “Dance Moms,” a reality show that followed children as they trained and competed in competitive dance. She also came out as LGBTQ early in 2021. Siwa called Bure’s remarks “rude and hurtful to a whole community of people.”

Siwa’s fellow “Dance Moms” alumna Maddie Zieglar commented, “go off jojo!!!!!!!” while Bure’s “Full House” and “Fuller House” co-star Jodie Sweetin told Siwa, “You know I love you ❤️❤️.” Siwa and Bure made headlines in July after Siwa called Bure the “rudest celebrity” she has met. Bure later said the two had talked and resolved the conflict.

“One Tree Hill” actor Hilarie Burton Morgan, also a Hallmark movie star, called Bure a “bigot,” adding, “I don’t remember Jesus liking hypocrites like Candy. But sure. Make your money, honey. You ride that prejudice wave all the way to the bank.” Morgan also called Abbott, Bure and Great American Family “disgusting.” [Editor’s note: The previous link contains language some may find offensive.]

‘The Chosen’ Star Jonathan Roumie Doesn’t Feel Responsible To ‘Be Jesus,’ but Cites Prayer and Scripture as Essential to Playing Role ‘Authentically’

By

Dale Chamberlain

-

November 16, 2022

As the release of Season 3 of “The Chosen” approaches, actor Jonathan Roumie sat down for an interview with CBN News to discuss his preparation for playing the role of Jesus, as well as how he feels about being seen by many as the “21st century personification” of Christ.

While Roumie expressed a measure of uneasiness about people grafting their personal experiences with Jesus Christ onto his likeness, he did express that he wants to portray Jesus as authentically as possible—something that requires a considerable amount of spiritual preparation.

“I start all of my prep for this show with prayer. And even outside of this show, prayer is just part of my life, part of the fabric of my life, everyday. I couldn’t get through a day without prayer. So it’s part of my identity, you know, it’s part of my DNA,” Roumie said. “I think that in order to, for this show, for me to serve this show the best, I have to be as attuned to my spirituality and my commitment to my faith above anything else.”

“And when I’m doing that, that helps me bring more of an authenticity to the character,” Roumie went on to say. “So I think that’s a huge part of what I do in service of the show.”

Jonathan Roumie: I’m either reading or listening to the Word

“Every day, I’m either reading or listening to the Word…or listening to reflections on the Word,” Roumie said. “I’m always kind of staying connected that way, because it is profound. It is profound in a way that people who have never read the Bible won’t really understand until they start reading the Bible—and then seeing that like there’s infinitely profound implications for just reading and just digesting it, and letting it affect your spirit.”

Speaking to the fact that for many viewers, he has become the face of Jesus, Roumie said, “There are times where I feel a little overwhelmed, but I don’t feel—and I might even be contradicting myself in some ways, but I think it’s just because I haven’t quite figured out how to explain it—I don’t feel like a responsibility to be Jesus to people.”

“I have a responsibility to play this role as authentically as possible, knowing that it will impact people in a way that only God can understand,” Roumie continued. “I can sort of get the sense of it when they relate their stories to me.”

Recounting one story of a person who shared with him that the show helped save their marriage and another who told him that the show actually saved her life amid her suicidal thoughts, Roumie said, “I didn’t do that. God did that through me and through this work, this show.”

“So, in that sense, I’m not responsible, but I do feel a little overwhelmed when people are looking at me as if I’m the 21st century personification of the relationship they hold most dear to their own hearts,” Roumie explained.

Speaking to the more practical aspects of his portrayal, Roumie addressed the accent he uses when playing Jesus.

Andy Stanley: Are You Missing This Key Part of Your Sermon Prep?

By

Jessica Mouser

-

November 16, 2022

The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast · Andy Stanley on Why His Sermon Strategy Makes Him Easy To Misunderstand

Andy Stanley is a communicator, author and pastor who founded Atlanta-based North Point Ministries in 1995. Today, North Point consists of eight churches in the Atlanta area and a network of 180 churches around the world, serving over 200,000 people each week. Andy is the author of more than 20 books, and each month people access over 10.5 million of his messages, leadership videos, YouTube videos, and podcasts.

Other Ways to Listen to This Podcast With Andy Stanley

► Listen on Apple
► Listen on Spotify
► Listen on Stitcher
► Listen on YouTube

Other Episodes in the Great Communicator Series

Rick Warren on the Kind of Preaching That Changes Lives

Wilfredo de Jesús: How (Not) To Turn Your Sermon Points Into Stop Signs

Charlie Dates: Why Your Church Needs To Identify and Raise Up Young Preachers

J.D. Greear: How Your Sermons Will Benefit From a ‘Multitude of Counselors’

Beth Moore on the ‘Most Important Part of the Process’ of Teaching God’s Word

Ralph Douglas West on the Benefits of Being Shaped by Black and White Preaching Traditions

Max Lucado: ‘The One Thing That Has Helped Me More Than Anything Else’ as a Preacher

Sam Chan: How the Topical Preacher Can Avoid Getting on a Hobby Horse

Priscilla Shirer: ‘Message Preparation Is the Hardest Thing I Do in Ministry’

Key Questions for Andy Stanley

-How do you craft your messages in a way that draws people in?

-How is a one-point message different from having three or four points, and why is this structure important to you?

-You tend to stretch your argument across multiple messages, which often causes people to react to the parts while you’re building your argument. Why do you do that?

-How do you develop “sticky phrases” for your sermons?

Key Quotes From Andy Stanley

“Here’s what impacts me: preparation and passion.”

“When a communicator begins with a topic or a what instead of a who, I think that impacts how they put messages together.”

“My temptation is to ask the question, what am I going to talk about? What am I going to cover? What’s the topic? What’s the text? But the better question, if we can discipline ourselves to ask it, is who am I talking to Sunday?”

“I stumbled upon something that I’ve done intuitively that I’d never put words around. And I said, I think I do it this way. You know, what’s going on with me that’s probably going on with you. What does God have to say about it? What should you do about it? And what if we all did something about it?”

“I don’t follow that meticulously because sometimes that same framework creates a series of messages, not just a single message, but that simple way: me/we/God/you/we…has become kind of a driver.”

“I’m not against it, but I mean, most of the time when I hear somebody say, “And the fifth thing and the sixth thing,” I immediately think, wow, that is a message series. You just used up a lot of good stuff in one week…if it’s worth saying as a point, why not just preach a whole sermon around it?”

“If I’m preaching for life change and if I want to make it portable and memorable, then just craft one really good statement and…say it over and over in such a way that people walk away with the point of the message.”

French Catholic Leaders Mired in Sexual Abuse Scandals Dig Themselves Deeper

By

Tom Heneghan

-

November 16, 2022

france catholic — Bishops and others kneel outside the Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire basilica in Lourdes, southwestern France, Nov. 6, 2021. France’s Catholic Church has paid financial compensation to 23 victims of child sexual abuse as the reparation process recently started, the body in charge of making the decisions said on Sept. 30, 2022. The Independent National Authority for Recognition and Reparation said that over 1,000 victims have come forward to claim reparation since the body has been set up earlier this year. (AP Photo/Bob Edme, File)

PARIS (RNS) — Like any modern Catholic official, Archbishop Éric de Moulins-Beaufort, president of France’s Catholic bishops’ conference, realizes clergy sexual abuse is a systemic problem, one that calls for serious reform of the church’s uncertain rules and ingrained secrecy.

But recent revelations of sexual misconduct by a cardinal and a bishop on Moulins-Beaufort’s watch show how complicated, time-consuming and personal stamping out abuse can be.

These new cases, which come a year after a report that estimated that France had seen 330,000 ordained and lay abusers since 1950, have tangled Moulins-Beaufort in a web, caught between falling public confidence in the bishops’ ability to solve the problem — which only increases the pressure to act — and a pope who firmly condemns clerical sexual abuse but offers only vague guidance when faced with concrete cases.

The revelations last week, both involving popular and well-respected clerics, were bigger than any cases to date.

Bishop Michel Santier of Créteil, an eastern suburb of Paris, had a reputation as a prelate open to other faiths and to people sidelined in the church. In 2020, he took early retirement, citing health reasons, but it turned out he had admitted to Pope Francis in 2019 that he had made at least two young men do a striptease as part of a confession. Only after Santier later repeated his admission to his successor did the Vatican impose canonical restrictions on him.

The story finally came out in a Catholic magazine in October, forcing Moulins-Beaufort to acknowledge that he also knew the facts but could not publicize them because the Vatican hadn’t.

Three weeks later, Moulins-Beaufort read out a letter from Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, who was twice elected head of the French bishops’ conference in the 2000s, confessed that he had “acted in a reprehensible way with a 14-year-old girl” 35 years ago.

From left, Monsignor Olivier Leborgne, bishop of Arras and vice president of the French bishops’ conference; Monsignor Éric de Moulins-Beaufort, archbishop of Reims and president of the French conference of bishops; and Monsignor Dominique Blanchet, bishop of Créteil, talk to reporters at the end of a news conference, in Rome, Dec. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

When Moulins-Beaufort unveiled the Ricard scandal, it came to light that several church leaders had been informed but had taken months to inform French law enforcement or the Vatican. Bishop Dominique Blanchet, who took over from Santier, later described how he tried to keep a distance from his popular predecessor without divulging the reason. “I was in an untenable position,” he said.

French Catholic leaders initially played down clerical abuse when news of U.S. cases made headlines in The Boston Globe two decades ago, but the issue has now gone far beyond the “few bad apples” stage.

“Neither ordination nor honors protect someone from making mistakes, including some legally serious ones,” a worn-down Moulins-Beaufort said at the end of the French bishops’ Nov. 3-8 plenary session in Lourdes. “Every person can be haunted by troubled forces that he does not always manage to control.”

Tennessee Preacher and MAGA Celebrity Greg Locke Claims YouTube Has Banned Him

By

Bob Smietana

-

November 16, 2022

(RNS) — Greg Locke, a Tennessee pastor known for his viral videos about COVID-19, election conspiracies and witchcraft, claims another social media giant has given him the boot.

Locke, pastor of Global Vision Bible Church just outside of Nashville, Tennessee, was in Ohio, getting ready for a preaching gig on Tuesday (Nov. 15), when he got word his YouTube channel was gone.

“I saw it on Twitter,” said Locke in a phone interview, adding that he had not received any official notice.

The link to Locke’s YouTube account led to a message saying the page was not available. The link to the Global Vision Bible Church YouTube page led to a similar message.

A spokesman from YouTube told Religion News Service he was looking into the matter.

Locke told RNS his personal account had more than 100,000 followers and more than 800 videos at the time. All of those videos — many of which were from church services — are now lost, he said.

“All we have left is what is in the camera from the other day,” he said.

A Donald Trump supporter who has been featured at Christian nationalist events such as America’s Revival and disgraced former Trump official Mike Flynn’s ReAwaken America tour, Locke was banned from Twitter last year for spreading misinformation.

Locke, who founded Global Vision Bible Church in 2006, has long had a knack for attracting attention, often for fundraisers. In the church’s early days, he backpacked hundreds of miles for Bibles, spent three nights in the freezing cold atop a scissor lift to support a homeless ministry and rode a bike across the country to raise money for a church building.

He gained national attention for posting viral Facebook videos protesting Target’s gender-neutral bathroom policies.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic changed his life.

Mismatched Message & Method: Are Today’s Global Teens Issuing Church Leaders a Challenge?

By

Joe Jensen

-

November 16, 2022

Being the father of three teenagers and having worked with teens for years in ministry, I was not surprised by what I saw in our latest research on Gen Z from The Open Generation. Church leaders today are at a crossroads. This younger generation is calling them out on what they are seeing when it comes to the discrepancy of what the Bible says and how Christians are living.

Church leaders might be tempted to be defensive if they feel judged or critiqued. But before doing that, those in leadership positions would do well to listen to what teens today are saying when it comes to the Bible and their perceptions of it — and where leaders can adjust so that the unchanging message of the Bible meets the method of delivery this generation is seeking.

Quick Note About The Open Generation Study

The Open Generation is Barna’s largest study to date, with nearly 25,000 teenagers ages 13-17 from 26 nations represented. The study is designed to help church leaders understand teenagers around the world, and their views around three things in particular: Jesus, the Bible, and justice. Teens came from both faith and non-faith backgrounds.

This may not come as a surprise, but today’s teens are open and inclusive. They seek truth, authenticity, and change. They are open to different perspectives, faiths, and cultures. Believe it or not, this is all good news for church leaders! Because among the things they’re receptive to, today’s teens have indicated that they are open to Jesus, the Bible, and making a difference in the world.

So What’s the Problem?

This is encouraging; however, the problem is that while this generation seems to think highly of the Bible, they aren’t engaging with it much and aren’t finding it particularly enjoyable. Here are some quick stats:

40% of all teens believe that the Bible is “good”
39% believe the Bible is “meaningful”
44% believe the Bible is “holy”
However, only 8% are Bible engaged (have a high view of the Bible and read it several times a week); only 16% of Christian teens are Bible engaged; and only 32% of all teens call the Bible “enjoyable.”

Teens today are growing up in a world which offers few absolutes, much relativism, and a lot of negative messaging. And yet, they long for goodness and truth that has both stood the test of time and is also fitting for today. And many see this in the Bible: 46% say that “seeing that the Bible promotes good in the world around me is a priority.” Unfortunately, as they consider the methods being used, they see a discrepancy: proof texting, a lack of fruit in those who serve as models, and little space for them to authentically sit and ask the hard questions.

As I have read through our latest data and considered its implications, I want to share at least two “methods” that can help this generation to personally engage with the Bible.

1. Community

For decades, many of us embraced a simplified form of faith that was etched out in the popular children’s song: “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” At its core, faith necessitates a pure and innocent belief in things we can’t see. But faith also demands that we go deeper into experiencing and understanding God and his Word. This generation wants a new way of engaging scripture which is more inductive in nature. They want to ask more questions of scripture — and they long for a space to do that. They aren’t seeking judgments from their leaders; instead, they desire (and demand) open pathways for communication and dialogue.

For them, enjoyment of scripture lies in part in the communal nature of the Church and our connection as seekers of truth and goodness. In this study, we see that teens who feel comfortable and satisfied with their religious community are more likely to be Bible engaged. Church leaders today must create spaces in a non-judgmental atmosphere that allow for this type of meaningful community to flourish and for the Spirit to move.

After all, isn’t this what discipleship should look like? For too long, many of us have engaged in “drop-off discipleship” and have turned to our churches or youth groups to grow our kids into fully devoted followers of Jesus who regularly engage with the Bible. Today’s teens need a “walk-along discipleship” where we create extended space and time to journey with them, teach them, and model for them what it means to live a life engaged in Scripture.

1...454455456...1,198 Page 455 of 1,198

12 Things Leaders Must Demand From Their Teams To Be Successful

The Best Systems: Project Management for Churches

Planning Center

See page two for more project management for churches.

Lessons From Narnia for Small Group Leaders

Lessons from Narnia – Lucy & Susan

5 Lessons for Commanding Respect

1. Be honest.

2. Be humble.

3. Admit your failures.

Candace Cameron Bure’s Vision for Great American Family

Celebrities Respond to Candace Cameron Bure

Jonathan Roumie: I’m either reading or listening to the Word

Other Ways to Listen to This Podcast With Andy Stanley

Other Episodes in the Great Communicator Series

Key Questions for Andy Stanley

Key Quotes From Andy Stanley

Quick Note About The Open Generation Study

So What’s the Problem?

1. Community

Psalm 46:10 Meaning

New Articles

New Podcasts