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How the Holy Spirit Speaks Through the Entire Group

how the Holy Spirit speaks
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When considering how the Holy Spirit speaks, it is quite clear that the Holy Spirit worked through the early church with spiritual gifts. Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, “Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant… There are different kinds of gifts [charismata], but the same Spirit” (I Cor. 12:4). The Greek word charismata is related to the word charis, which we translate “grace.” The Holy Spirit graced the people of God with the personal empowering presence of God to enable them to act as the extension of God in the world. In other words, they were empowered by the Holy Spirit to be the body of Christ.

How the Holy Spirit Speaks Through the Entire Group

Even more, these gifts were given to all in the church. In talking about how the Spirit worked through individuals in the church, Paul observes, “When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church” (1 Cor 14:26). At that church, “everyone” participated. Edification of the people of the church through worship and gifting was not limited to those with special privileges, or those with official titles. Each one had something to contribute. Of course, the problem at Corinth was that the times of worship were out of order, but Paul in no way chides them on the fact that all of them were participating.

Such a model of everyone participating seems very foreign in expressions of the church where only people in special positions have the freedom to practice their gifts. We see this when churches only practice gifts in public worship services. Some have taken Paul’s instruction to mean that everyone in a church service should be ready to offer a gift to the body if the Spirit leads them, even if the church is quite large. But Paul did not say “you are ready to offer your gifts to others when the Spirit moves.” He said, “When you come together, everyone…” (I Cor. 14:26). Paul assumed that in his churches, everyone was participating in some form or fashion. Therefore, we must imagine that the instructions he provides regarding spiritual gifts specifically apply to small groups.

‘I’m a Christian Man and I’m Waiting ’til Marriage’–Young Man Working at Five Guys Rejects OnlyFans Creator’s Proposition

OnlyFans Five Guys employee
Christian employee at Five Guys rejecting OnlyFans star's proposition. Screengrab via X / @harry_1514

video showing a popular 25-year-old pornographic actress and OnlyFans creator, Bonnie Blue, propositioning a young man at Five Guys is going viral. In the video, the young man tells Blue, “I’m a Christian man and I’m waiting ’til marriage.”

The controversial OnlyFans creator is known for filming herself having sex with college-aged students, preferably between the ages of 18 and 19 years old and posting the videos on her OnlyFans page.

During an interview she gave last November, Blue shared that she makes an average of over $740,000 a month posting her adult content.

Blue posted a TikTok video of her walking up to an employee inside the fast food made-to-order burger restaurant, Five Guys, propositioning him to have sex with her.

RELATED: ‘The Lord’s Very Forgiving’—20-Year-Old OnlyFans Star Sees No Conflict Between Her $43 Million Porn Career and Her Faith

Approaching the young man under the “Order Here” sign, Blue asks, “I just wondered. I can’t see it on the menu, but where do I get the five guys from?”

Confused, the employee responded, “The—huh?

“The five guys? I didn’t know if there was like a special room or you can take me out back,” Blue clarified.

“No, I don’t think that’s happening,” the young man responded.

Blue then asked, “What about after your shift? I mean, I want to give you a good rating.”

The employee told her, “I’m a Christian man and I’m waiting ’til marriage.”

‘You Will Become an Idolator’—Jackie Hill Perry Warns Passion 2025 Attendees of the Dangers of Refusing Hope

Jackie Hill Perry
Jackie Hill Perry speaking on Jan. 7 during Passion 2025 in Atlanta. Screengrab via Passion 2025 livestream.

Thousands of 18- to 25-year-olds gathered in Atlanta for worship, biblical talks, and community at the sold-out Passion 2025 conference. Author and speaker Jackie Hill Perry was among the special guests who addressed the crowd. She spoke transparently on hope—how misplaced hope can lead to idolatry.

“I personally struggle with the idea of hope,” admitted Perry.

Jackie Hill Perry at Passion 2025

In her talk, “In Defense of Hope,” Perry began with an analogy of hope being on trial—in a courtroom with a prosecution, a defense, and a thoughtful, deciding jury. In her argument, hope has failed us all and has some explaining to do.

“We look at hope, and we despise it,” Perry said. “When we needed hope to do what it promised us it would do, it let us down. It failed us.”

RELATED: Churchgoing Woman in Gay Marriage Asks for Jackie Hill Perry’s Thoughts

“Christians, we love talking about faith, about belief, about trust. We know that without faith, it is impossible to please God,” Perry said in the recorded session. “But hope? I feel like we don’t discuss that enough, and we should.”

Perry offered the idea that, especially in churches, we discuss faith plenty of times, but we often skip over hope, which is so connected to faith.

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, meaning faith and hope are not the same thing, but you cannot have faith without having hope,” Perry said, referring to Hebrews 11:1. “Your faith is a confident expectation that the blood [of Christ] does actually work. It is hope because you can’t see it.”

“Faith that is directed toward the future is what you can call ‘hope,'” she said. When hope has so many benefits, Perry asked, “why do we struggle with it?”

“To put it simply, our struggle with hope all comes down to our struggle with God,” Perry argued.

She recognized the vulnerability everyone experiences when their hopes are unmet. People can easily transfer that disappointment to how they feel about God.

RELATED: ‘Gay Girl, Good God’ Author Jackie Hill Perry and Husband Discuss Whether They Would Attend a Gay Wedding

‘Send Prayers and Strength’—Chris Pratt, Candace Cameron Bure Post About LA Wildfires

los angeles fires
Wildfires rage in Los Angeles. Screengrab from Facebook / @KRIS 6 News

As wind-fueled infernos continue spreading throughout Los Angeles County, some of the area’s famous residents are urging people to pray for safety. Chris Pratt and Candace Cameron Bure, two actors who are outspoken Christians, have been posting social media updates about the dangerous California wildfires.

By midday Wednesday (Jan. 8), flames in and around Pacific Palisades, California, had claimed at least two lives and burned more than 1,100 homes and businesses. Crews are fighting multiple fires sparked by Santa Ana wind gusts of up to 100 mph.

RELATED: Texas Pastor Survives Tornado While on His Boat: ‘God Can See You Through the Storm’

According to one estimate, the Palisades Fire is burning at a rate of about five football fields per minute. That blaze alone could be the “costliest” wildfire in U.S. history, according to climate scientist Daniel Swain.

Actors: Please Pray About Los Angeles Fires

On Tuesday evening (Jan. 7), actor Chris Pratt posted two requests for prayers. First, he wrote: “Join me in praying for the brave firefighters sacrificing so much to save our houses and our town. Jesus protect the lives of those battling the flames and the lives of those who couldn’t evacuate.”

Shortly afterward, Pratt shared photos of the flames, writing:

Please send prayers and strength tonight to everyone in Los Angeles affected by these devastating fires. Los Angeles is in a state of emergency and over 30,000 have been ordered to evacuate. Thank you to the brave firefighters and first responders who are working tirelessly to protect lives, homes, and wildlife as they battle fast-moving wildfire fueled by fierce winds. You are true heroes, and we are endlessly grateful for your sacrifice and courage. Let’s all come together to support one another during this tough time.

Actor Candace Cameron Bure also asked for prayers for the L.A. area. “This is devastating to watch,” she wrote Tuesday evening. “Please pray the winds die down as it’s expected to get worse into the early morning hours.”

“Please pray for the safety of firefighters and emergency crews who are fearlessly trying to tackle this disaster,” Bure added. “Pray for the safety of every resident. I’m soooo sad.”

On Wednesday morning, Bure posted:

Pacific Palisades, Altadena, Sylmar and Sepulveda pass are still burning. I woke up to the same flames. Our sweet Palisades is destroyed. So many memories. We are praying God pours rain down on Los Angeles. Thank you firefighters and first responders for everything you’re doing to keep people safe and fight these fires. You are true [heroes]. So many memories.

Woman Asks John Piper’s Advice on Dealing With Man Who Says God Wants Her To Marry Him

ask pastor john
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During a recent episode of “Ask Pastor John,” author and Bible teacher John Piper addressed a young woman’s dilemma about a persistent suitor at her church. The man insists that it is God’s will for the pair to marry, despite the woman’s request that he leave her alone.

The anonymous woman asked Piper for “a God-honoring way to address a church situation like this, when someone is convinced they know God’s will for you, and you disagree with them.” Piper, founder of Desiring God, responded with five suggestions, from praying and trusting Scripture to intervention and restraint.

On ‘Ask Pastor John,’ Piper Advises Woman Who Is Being Harassed 

In her letter to Piper, the woman explained that soon after she joined a new church, “a guy I barely knew asked me out on a date, and I declined without feeling any regret then or since.” Months later, she added, “he’s still convinced that we are meant to be together, to the point that he corners me after church events to reiterate that I’m exactly the wife he’s prayed for.”

RELATED: Former AFA Vice President Sues Christian Right Group for Alleged Sexual Harassment

Although the woman doesn’t want to hurt the man’s feelings, she also described being “mystified and a little angered by the way he treats me and his insistence that this is God’s will.” She has “asked him to leave me alone” and is willing to “draw others in as needed in the church” to address the difficult situation.

Piper’s first recommendation was that the woman trust God and “ask him to intervene in this situation in a way that will protect you spiritually and physically and will help this man think and feel in a more mature and biblical and discerning way.” The longtime pastor provided several Bible verses for the woman to pray about in trust.

Next, Piper suggested explaining to the man that the revealed Word of God is the only way to test claims about knowing God’s will. “If he thinks that he has an infallible insight into God’s will for you, he’s not thinking biblically,” Piper said of the unwanted suitor.

John Piper: Church Leaders May Need To Step In

Piper’s third suggestion was that the woman urge the man to seek counsel from pastors and other church leaders. “If he’s thinking in a biblical way, he will be glad for their input,” he said. “If he’s resistant to the counsel of the church leaders or other wise friends, then he’s showing that he’s not walking in the truth.”

Joby Martin: What Happens When Pastors Finally Understand Grace

Joby Martin
Image courtesy of Joby Martin

Joby Martin is the founder and lead pastor of The Church of Eleven22 in Jacksonville, Florida. In addition to providing The Church of Eleven22 with vision and leadership, Joby is a national and international preacher and teacher. He is also an author whose latest book is, “Run Over by the Grace Train: How the Unstoppable Love of God Transforms Everything.”

“The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast” is part of the ChurchLeaders Podcast Network.

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Transcript of Interview With Joby Martin

Joby Martin on The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast.mp3: Audio automatically transcribed by Sonix

Joby Martin on The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast.mp3: this mp3 audio file was automatically transcribed by Sonix with the best speech-to-text algorithms. This transcript may contain errors.

Ed Stetzer:
The Setzer Church’s podcast is part of the Church Leaders Podcast Network, which is dedicated to resourcing church leaders in order to help them face the complexities of ministry. Today, the Church Leaders Podcast Network supports pastors and ministry leaders by challenging assumptions, by providing insights and offering practical advice and solutions and steps that will help church leaders navigate the variety of cultures and contexts that we’re serving in. Learn more at Church leaders.com/podcast network.

Voice Over:
Welcome to the Stetzer Church Leaders podcast, conversations with today’s top ministry leaders to help you lead better every day. And now, here are your hosts, Ed Stetzer and Daniel Yang.

Daniel Yang:
Welcome to the Setzer Church Leaders Podcast, where we’re helping Christian leaders navigate and lead through the cultural issues of our day. My name is Daniel Yang, national director of Churches of Welcome at World Relief. And today we’re talking with Joby Martin. Joby is the founder and lead pastor of the church of 1122. In Jacksonville, Florida, and in addition to providing leadership and vision to the church. Of 1122, Jobi is a national and international preacher and teacher. He is also an author whose latest book is run over by the Grace train. How the Unstoppable Love of God Transforms Everything. If you enjoy our interviews, make sure you like and follow us on Apple Podcasts. Now let’s go to Ed Stetzer, editor in chief of Outreach Magazine and the dean of the Talbot School of Theology.

Ed Stetzer:
All right, Jobi super great to have you on the podcast, and you’ve written.

Ed Stetzer:
A couple of books, and your most recent one has to do with what we’ve heard kind of announced and shared run over by the Grace train. And I want to talk about the metaphor. I want to talk about all those things. But you say, I’m going to quote you that grace is one of the most important yet, quote unquote, misunderstood, misapplied and most abused concepts in Christianity. I don’t think anyone would disagree with that. The question is, how has it been misunderstood, misapplied, and misused? Why do you say that?

Joby Martin:
Well, we hear the word grace a ton. We hear the old school definitions, which I think are really great, like Unmerited Favor and the acronym God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense. All very, very true. There’s this old Scottish proverb that I love. It says for every mile of road there’s two miles of ditch. And when it comes to grace, a lot of folks fall in one of two ditches. One could be, well, it doesn’t count for me because you don’t know how bad I am or what I’ve done. I’m beyond the grace of God. Well, that’s not true. And then the other ditch is. Well, I discovered first John one nine in my Bible, and now I can do whatever I want because I prayed a prayer at youth camp when I was 14. And Grace is going to cover it all. And neither of those is the grace that the Bible explains or that Jesus talks about.

Ed Stetzer:
Okay, so and of course, our audience is going to be pastors and church leaders. And that’s part of what and also part of your story, though, and run over by the Grace train, talk to us what it means to be you’re a pastor. As you began to walk through some of these truths, what was that like to discover?

Joby Martin:
Well, I was radically saved. I grew up in the South, so I would have thought that I was a Christian because I was southern and I believed in God like I do. I don’t know the Second Amendment and SEC football and Santa Claus. You know, we.

Ed Stetzer:
Couldn’t tell you grew up in the South, but that’s helpful to get that out early in case people.

Joby Martin:
Like me in heaven.

Ed Stetzer:
So that’s okay.

Joby Martin:
I think so. Uh, yeah. Man. And I went to this little camp and they reenacted the crucifixion of Christ. And this is way before Mel Gibson’s The Passion. And they did it. And my football coach led the camp. And watching this thing acted out somehow. I mean, now I have language that, you know, God wooed me and softened my heart and ripped my heart of stone out and gave me a heart of flesh. And and I believe that it counted for me. And, uh, and then I was still probably under the misunderstanding that grace was just like the entry door into Christianity. But then you better earn your keep. And then over time, through being sanctified, I began to learn that grace not only invites you to the relationship, but when you fall down, you fall on that same grace that saved you.

Ed Stetzer:
Yeah, I think I think for me, I think that pastors may ironically, be one of some of the people who least live in grace. Um, partly because they’re trying to maybe encourage and sometimes push along God’s people. And that feels like performative, performative, performative. They sometimes have to live that way. Performative. Performative. Performative. So when is it like you’re a pastor and a leader? When does grace come into that space?

Joby Martin:
Well, it’s so dangerous. I mean, right, like you’re trying to if you’re a good shepherd and you’re trying to lead people to to still waters and green pastures and you tell them God loves you no matter what, you’re really afraid they might do the whatever. What? Right. This whole book is the anti cheap grace book. I mean, the whole point of the book is if you say, well, because of grace, I can do whatever I want, then you’ve never actually experienced the grace of God because it it frees you from sin not to sin. It frees you from sin, like Billy Graham used to say, from the penalty of sin, from the power of sin, and one day from the presence of sin. And and where else in your life does the verdict come before the performance? It doesn’t come to church that way. Sure. Like a church didn’t just call you and say, hey, by Grace, we want you to be our pastor and we’re going to see how the preaching goes. You actually go preach in view of a call. Literally you perform and then they give a verdict. And with grace, it’s completely different. It’s because of the performance of Christ. I mean, one of my favorite things to share with pastors is Jesus’s baptism. And we know it. He goes into the water, the heavens open up. God the father speaks out loud and says, behold, my son, in whom I am well pleased. And he hasn’t done any ministry other than the incarnation. He hasn’t preached or done any miracles, died on the cross, or been resurrected. Right. And before he does it, God places his approval on his son. Mhm. That might be a really good passage for pastors to review every weekend before they stand on stage and teach the Bible. Like before you ever try to preach your sermon, and before anybody ever evaluates how you did that, maybe we could hear the voice of God by the grace of Jesus, say, you know what, buddy? I’m really proud of you. Behold my son or my daughter, in whom I am well pleased.

Ed Stetzer:
God is already has already accepted us. Use the famous Tim Keller quote I’m accepted, therefore I obey. And and I think one of the reasons that caught on people you know, every other religions I obey, therefore I’m accepted, is that we continually need to be reminded of that. And so much of the New Testament is reminding us of that. So which is fascinating how we get into that. And again, partly my own journey. I mean, performative, performative, performative. I love doing things. I remember planting a church. I need to have more people next week. I need to work harder. I need to make God happy by continuing to reach people. And sometimes it just burns you up. So how did you navigate some of those things?

Joby Martin:
Well, I mean, Dallas Willard has this brilliant quote about grace. He says, Grace isn’t anti effort, it’s anti earning. And when you realize that God has already placed his approval on you because you’re his son? Yeah. That you’re more than a conqueror. That should drive a grace driven effort to do all the things that he’s called us to do. And the reason that you can swing for the fences is because, you know, the results aren’t up to you. I mean, one of my favorite things in Matthew chapter 25, the parable of the talents, is that the five talent guy and the two talent guy get the same reward and the reward. The reward is well done, good and faithful servant. He does not say good and fruitful servant. So whether you’ve got a huge church or not, a huge church, that’s not the point, because the fruit is up to God. Right. The key is where we will be held accountable is where you. Were you faithful to steward what God has given to you for his glory? Mhm.

Ed Stetzer:
Okay. So you know, I actually teach pastors and church leaders to be more fruitful. Now what I say is I want you to be faithful and fruitful for sure. So how do you then engage in. I mean, you have practices at your church. You have processes at your church. You probably work with excellence at your church. So you’re trying to be fruitful, but you want to be faithful. How do you balance those out, and how do you keep your heart from being driven by fruitfulness, not faithfulness?

Joby Martin:
Man, one of the things I’m most stoked about at 1122 for we’re about 12 years old now and it’s going real good, is we’re still doing the same thing we started out doing when it was just a dream. Yeah, we worship our faces off, man.

Ed Stetzer:
I remember when you were just when you were ten years, 15 years younger.

Joby Martin:
I was 38 when we planted them. 51 now, you know, I have aged like a banana. And it’s because the church people. I didn’t have one gray hair before I started being a lead pastor. But that’s all we do. Man, we preach the gospel. We preach the text, we lift up Jesus.

Ed Stetzer:
But you’re still. I mean, you plan your worship to make it excellent. You’ve probably got an assimilation strategy. You got a small group strategy that’s focused on fruitfulness. And if you don’t have that, then faithfulness actually can also be hindered. So how do you think about I want you you focused on the faithfulness, but how do you also focus on the fruitfulness?

Joby Martin:
We’re doing that because we think that is what it means to be faithful. I mean, one of the prayers I pray and the prayers I pray and I share with our staff as I tell them, we should never expect God to bring us more people than we can disciple. So if we are not set up with seats and staff and prayers and systems to help people take next steps of obedience, that’s a good definition of discipleship. Discipleship is just saying, what’s my next step of obedience? If we’re not set up for that so that we can help the sheep get to still waters and green pastures, then why in the world would we expect God to bring more people for us if we can’t disciple those people? Because that’s what we’re supposed to be. We’re in the discipleship business, not the crowd business. If we were in the crowd business in Jacksonville, Florida, monster truck shows, that’s what you should get into. It draws the biggest crowds ever. But that’s not what we’re into. It comes once a year, and it’s fun for a minute. But we’re trying to make disciples that make disciples, to make disciples.

Ed Stetzer:
You actually go to those monster truck shows, don’t you?

Joby Martin:
Everybody in Jacksonville, it’s like a law. Well, what’s crazy in Jacksonville? It’s such a the same crowd at the TPC with like, loafers. The Players Championship the biggest golf tournament in the world.

Ed Stetzer:
Sports Reference. Yes, sir. I’m not big on sports ball. I know, I know.

Joby Martin:
But you’re smart. Okay. Try it. Uh. Same group. There is the same group at the Jaguars game. Is the same group at the Monster truck. Game is the same group at church. It’s all the same people. They just have different uniforms on.

Ed Stetzer:
All right. I did not know that. Yeah. Okay, so in the book, you talk about nine key lessons, by the way. Remind everyone the name of the book is run over by grace. The grace train, how the unstoppable love of God transforms everything. And you talk about nine key issues central to understanding God’s grace. I want you to list nine, but give me a couple that might help us understand it better.

Joby Martin:
Well, basically, chapters one and two are just to establish what grace is. We just go verse by verse through Ephesians two. In Romans chapter three, and I’m a verse by verse guy. And then the next bunch of chapters, we just look at where Jesus encountered people in the scriptures and how his grace changed everything. And then the last few chapters are really about how grace changes us, too. We talk about forgiveness. We talk about anger, and then we talk about the reinstatement of Peter and the idea behind the Grace train. The reason I started using this reference is, imagine you were late today and you came walking in the door and I said, where you been? And if you were to say to me, I just got hit by a freight train, I would look at you and go, I don’t think you did. Like your hair is all slicked, just perfect. Your glasses are just right. Your shirt’s still tucked in. You have all your teeth and eyeballs. You’re not bleeding. That’s true. The external evidence doesn’t look like you’ve encountered something that powerful. Okay. And yet, our churches are full of people that claim to have encountered something more exponentially more than a freight train. And their lives show no difference. Okay, so I’m just saying that when you meet Jesus, everything changes. See the woman at the well in Samaria? She meets Jesus. He digs down to the deepest parts of the darkest things that she was most ashamed of and trying to hide. Everything changes. She goes and tells the world every encounter that people have with Jesus when they taste it and see that the Lord is good, their life was different, not perfect. It’s progressive sanctification. And we don’t all check the sanctification boxes in the same order. But God changes us. And Spurgeon used to say, you know, the grace that doesn’t change you won’t save you.

Ed Stetzer:
That’s good, that’s good. Okay. So then, you know, remember our audience, pastors, church leaders, men and women, maybe on staff of churches or pastors or churches or key volunteers. What does it look like when a leader has been run over by the grace train? What’s different? I know like as a Christian, I know what some of what’s different. But is it different too, as a leader?

Joby Martin:
Yeah, I think, um, I think one of the biggest things is back to what we talked about before, that God has already placed his approval on you have.

Ed Stetzer:
To try to run around, be a people pleaser or a God pleaser.

Joby Martin:
So yeah, he’s I mean, he he sings over his children. He dances over his children. A.w. Tozer says the most important thing about you is what you think when you think about God. I think the second most important thing is what you think God thinks when he thinks about you. And most of us think even as pastors, maybe especially as pastors, that God’s a little frustrated with us because it’s not going as good as it could be going.

Ed Stetzer:
I would say that’s a regular expression I hear from pastors, and they don’t say quite that, but you can tell that’s in their hearts. Yeah.

Joby Martin:
And yet, um, in first John chapter four, the Bible tells us that this is love, not that we first love God, but God first loved us and sent His Son as the propitiation for our sin. Propitiation means a payment that satisfies the wrath of God, the justice of God. And so if you are in Christ, and he is the payment that satisfies, this means that God cannot be dissatisfied in you. He knew exactly what he was getting, not only when he saved you, and then he decided to draft you on his team to be a full time participant, to be a communicator of the gospel. And so the best thing that you could do is be the you that God created you to be as faithful as you can be, and then trust him with the results. It’s so hard to do good, and.

Ed Stetzer:
I think whole books have been written on people pleasing pastors. I know one book that I think that, you know, when you’re when when you’re doing it for an audience of one, it changes everything. I wonder, you know, we’re here in Dallas and, you know, I spoke yesterday. You’re speaking today at the Right Now conference. And if I hear one news story that begins with the phrase Dallas area pastor, I’m going to just throw throw something against the wall, a lot of, a lot of moral failures, things of that sort. And when you talk about grace, it’s like people respond to it. Well, you know, grace leads to licentiousness, and we’ve seen some of that. But I think maybe more of what we’ve seen is a is a lack of understanding. Grace causes people to act out in wrong and inappropriate ways. Does does grace and the grace train speak to how Christians excuse me, how pastors persevere or get knocked off track?

Joby Martin:
Yeah, I think one of the one of the biggest problems, when you don’t fully understand the grace of God is it will cause you to hide things in the dark and really gross things grow. So every pastor.

Ed Stetzer:
Gross things grow. Yeah. That’s why I like listening to you preach, bro. That’s that’s kind of like a southern expression, but I like it.

Joby Martin:
I just thought, like a normal person.

Ed Stetzer:
That’s true. That’s true. Well, normal person in your region of the country? Yes. There are different normal kinds of people.

Joby Martin:
They’re all moving to us. I promise you, I’m not.

Ed Stetzer:
Moving your way. I’ve seen the numbers.

Joby Martin:
I’ll meet em in the hallway.

Ed Stetzer:
For the record, a lot of people. But 30 million of them. But. But you’re. Every day you’re taking some of them.

Joby Martin:
I know, I know, we just got to teach them to not feed the seagulls.

Ed Stetzer:
You have to literally tell them. Don’t feed the seagulls.

Joby Martin:
Alright. But when you don’t understand the grace of God, I mean, it fundamentally is this if you don’t understand the grace of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and you screw up, you think, oh, don’t tell dad, right? But when you understand the gospel, you think, oh no, I’ve screwed up. I need to tell my dad. I gotta call my dad. You run to him, you don’t run from him. And essentially, what happened in these pastors lives that we all know. And what’s sad, man, is when this used to happen back in the day for me, 20 years ago, I didn’t know these people. Right. It might as well have been Elvis and Madonna. I didn’t know him now. Yeah, we know them all. We’ve been in these rooms, in these green rooms, at these kinds of conferences. And I think fundamentally, what begins to happen is somebody starts going down a road, a pastor, and the Spirit of God taps him on the shoulder and he’s like, whoa, whoa, whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa. What are you doing? And the person, the pastor, the three most dangerous words anybody, especially a pastor can say is I got this. Mhm. And you ain’t got this. And the moment you shirk the spirit of God. Yeah. Everything else is just details. Yeah. Whether it’s money’s or honeys or whatever it is, it’s all just details from then on, little.

Ed Stetzer:
Little compromises without responding to the prompting spirit lead to bigger compromises lead to. Because again, I you know, I know some of these people. I don’t know that they they got up one day and said, I’m just going to fall into gross immorality. There’s no way. But there they go. And something along the way. And I don’t think it’s just grace. I think it has to do with accountability. But I do think it has to do with the soul itself. I remember asking Rick Warren once says, what do you think about accountability groups? I don’t want an accountability group. It says, why aren’t you accountability groups? Is everyone, every pastor I know who’s fallen was in an accountability group. It has to do what’s in the heart. And I don’t think that’s true. Not everyone. I have some people. I’m you know, I’m accountable to Eric Geiger, your friend. My friend. You know, we’re close friends, but but that being said, so much of it takes place in the darkness of the heart where grace doesn’t shine.

Joby Martin:
I’ve seen, uh, a few things that seem to be consistent in these guys that fall big. Um, one is they don’t have actual friends. Um, and if you haven’t been the butt of a joke lately and you’ve only been pastor, something’s wrong. Right? Like, if you walk in the room and everybody has to, like, perk up and people can’t make fun of you, there’s a problem. And if you’re only friends can be in other states where they don’t know you, that’s a problem, man. Uh, ministry does not have to be isolating and miserable. That’s good. Secondly, uh, you better have some local authority, right? I mean, I think Paul is pretty clear about local elders and a part of the reason. So we have local elders at our church because it’d be one thing, and I do think like a board of directors in another place that understand kind of some of the things that you and I go to that my local elders don’t, there can be really beneficial, but they never hear my tone of voice towards my wife. They only see me at conferences. You know how awesome I am at these conferences. We’re all the best version of me is going to be 30 minutes an hour from now up there.

Ed Stetzer:
I don’t want to hurt these pastor’s feelings, but those conference talks we’ve done, we’ve done them 15 other places as well.

Joby Martin:
You’ve heard this one many times. Um, and then and then this one is a lot of, I don’t know, this is definitely applicable to me in a lot of men. Pastors don’t have hobbies. Yeah. If your church is your hobby, bro, you were in big, big trouble. I’m just telling you. And so now if you’re married with children, you only get one hobby. So choose wisely. But you should find something healthy, or at least not unhealthy. That kind of steals your mind away. Um, whether it’s golf or surfing or something athletic or reading books or poetry, it doesn’t matter what the thing is. I love to hunt. I hunt so much. I’ve got a trip coming up Sunday. I’m counting down the sermons until I can get on a plane and go to South Dakota with a bunch of my buddies and go hunt. And when I am walking through the fields of South Dakota watching the dogs work, I am not thinking about church or church people. I’m thinking about Jesus a lot, and it just steals my mind.

Ed Stetzer:
To know that nobody listening to this was wondering if hunting was your hobby. Well, God knew. They all.

Joby Martin:
Knew. I’m hoping I’ll get some invitations. You Midwestern folks with the really big white where they are.

Ed Stetzer:
I don’t even know the big.

Joby Martin:
Whitetail live in South Texas just right in the middle of the country.

Ed Stetzer:
Are you ready for this? I went fishing and hunting the other day. Took my daughter fishing. Good for you. Didn’t kill nothing.

Joby Martin:
Well, no problem.

Ed Stetzer:
But I went down. Floated down the salmon River. Got some. I caught a fish. Anyway, I’m trying to be more outdoorsy. You probably don’t hear my problems, but anyway. Okay, so. So those things, there are patterns that are rooted in a lack of understanding of grace that probably right now, people who love Jesus have some areas in their lives right now where you see the Holy Spirit’s tapping them on the shoulder and they’re not listening. What’s the right response for a pastor right now who’s listening, who’s like, you know, I’ve been doing. I’ve been maybe moving some direction with small compromises. What would you say?

Joby Martin:
One thing I would find somebody trusted and tell them ASAP. I mean, man, I would say this thing out loud. Confess your sins to one another, that you would be healed. I mean, you know, we’re obviously Protestants, but sometimes you throw the baby out with the bathwater, and confessing our sins to one another was a is a tool that God gives us to help us.

Ed Stetzer:
Right there in the Bible, man.

Joby Martin:
Understand that Jesus has already cleansed our hearts. I love it. Um, I would get after that really, really quick. You know, something that’s interesting is the last chapter is about Peter being reinstated, right? He denies Jesus three times. Jesus resets the table. Basically same charcoal fire there on the same seashore where they met. Peter denied Jesus three times. And when Jesus reinstates Peter, he doesn’t ask. He doesn’t say, Simon, son of John, are you going to do better next time? Are you sure you’re going to try harder? This is going to be the last time we have this conversation, right? It’s not what he asked. He just says, do you love me? Mhm. I think that’s the fundamental question. Do you love Jesus? And if not, like if you’re like, well my heart is kind of shrinking towards him. I would get into some John 15 abide in him and he will abide in you. Do the things that stirred your affection for him. Maybe look at the letter to the church at Ephesus. Hey man, everything’s going great in your church. But have you lost your first love? Why don’t you go and do the things that you did at first? And they did all kind of crazy stuff. I mean, they were like burning books of incantation. They were cutting out the things in their life that were demonic, that were shrinking their heart for Jesus. And then they were pouring themselves wholeheartedly into the mission of God. Do those things.

Ed Stetzer:
Yeah. It seems that a lot of pastors, their love can grow cold. Maybe they’re so focused on the work of the Lord that they forgot to focus on the Lord of the work. Yeah, and I think grace kind of brings them back into that. So kind of, you know, when, when we look right now, I mean, there’s a lot of shaking going on in the church, a lot of shaking going on in the culture and more. You know, we’re doing a series of releases with Barna and Glue on the state of the church. Right. And in the midst of the state of the church, it’s it’s tentative in a lot of ways. And the state of the culture is tentative a lot of ways. So what would your hope be? Maybe last thought. What would your hope be for pastors? Again, I want to first encourage them to get run over by grace, by the grace train. How the unstoppable love of God transform everything. What would your hope for be for pastors and church leaders in regard to grace? To walk in grace and be leaders who are shaped by grace?

Joby Martin:
So back to John chapter 21. I think that the question Jesus asked and the response to Peter he gives are are linked for the pastor. Do you love me? And Peter’s like, yeah, Lord, you know that I love you. And so basically he says, be a pastor. Feed my sheep. Tend to my lambs. That’s the job of the shepherd. The danger that I see in the modern church. And you’re an expert on this stuff. I just pastored my church and I don’t know what’s going on, but the one one of the things that I see is that over and over and over, the Bible calls us shepherds. And our current situation, we got way more cowboys than we do shepherds. And I’m not anti cowboys. Cowboys are way cooler than shepherds. Anybody seen Yellowstone? Yeah. It’s awesome. All right. They ain’t making shepherd movies. Maybe the chosen, but not real Shepherd movies, right? Everybody wants to be a cowboy. I mean, look, right now, man, I’ve got on cowboy boots, cowboy pants, a cowboy shirt. I got a cowboy belt buckle, I guess. I don’t know, a cow.

Ed Stetzer:
That’s fair, that’s fair. So you’re basically cosplaying.

Joby Martin:
There are there are cowboy games that you can compete and see who the best cowboy is. Really?

Ed Stetzer:
Oh for sure. I don’t get out enough. Rodeos. Rodeos.

Joby Martin:
That’s what rodeos.

Ed Stetzer:
Are.

Joby Martin:
Rodeos are. They’re not. I mean, who knew? These people aren’t taking care of cows. Okay. Okay. All right. And cowboys love being a cowboy. Don’t love cows. When this thing that we do as pastors became, like a vocation that you could be famous at, there may be a lot of people that love love being in ministry more than they love ministering to people. They love, they love. They’re like cowboys. And we come to conferences like this and everybody is like the cowboy games, man. And everybody asks the wrong question. How many of you run it? And everybody lies. Everybody’s counting ears, not noses. And we’ve got to get back to tending sheep and doing what shepherds do. Loving sheep knowing their name, caring for them. And if your church is big, you better have a bunch of under-shepherds to make sure every single person is loved, cared for, fed, and led. And that’s a big question. Do you love Jesus and do you love sheep? Or do you just love being the shepherd? I think that’ll keep you in the game.

Ed Stetzer:
So, Martin, run over by the grace train. How the unstoppable love of God transforms everything. Thanks for coming on the podcast.

Joby Martin:
My pleasure.

Daniel Yang:
We’ve been talking to Joby Martin. Be sure to check out his book, Run Over by the Grace train How the Unstoppable Love of God Transforms Everything. You can learn more about Joby at Joby martin.com. And thanks again for listening to this Church Leaders podcast. You can find more interviews, as well as other great content for ministry leaders at Church leaders.com/podcast. And again, if you found the conversation today helpful, I’d love for you to take a few moments to leave us a review, give us a like and a follow, and that will help other ministry leaders find us and benefit from our content. Thanks for listening. We’ll see you in the next episode.

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You’ve been listening to the Stetzer Church Leaders podcast for more great interviews as well as articles, videos, and free resources, visit our website at Church leaders.com. Thanks for listening.

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Key Questions for Joby Martin

-How has grace been misunderstood and misapplied in Christianity?

-What was it like for you as a pastor to learn what grace really is?

-How do you focus on fruitfulness as well as faithfulness at your church?

-What does it look like when a leader has been run over by the “grace train”? 

Key Quotes From Joby Martin

“When it comes to grace, a lot of folks fall in one of two ditches. One could be, ‘Well, it doesn’t count for me because you don’t know how bad I am or what I’ve done. I’m beyond the grace of God.’ Well, that’s not true.”

“[When I was first saved], I was still probably under the misunderstanding that grace was just like the entry door into Christianity, but then you better earn your keep. And then over time, through being sanctified, I began to learn that grace not only invites you to the relationship, but when you fall down, you fall in that same grace that saved you.”

“If you say, ‘Well, because of grace, I can do whatever I want,’ then you’ve never actually experienced the grace of God because it frees you from sin, not to sin.”

Psalm 73 – “Until I Entered the Sanctuary of God”

Psalm 73
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As a worship leader and songwriter, I often find myself deeply identifying with the musicians and lyricists mentioned in Scripture. When reading Psalm 73, I find myself identifying with no contributor to Israel’s songbook more than Asaph. Psalm 73 is a lyrical triptych if you will. A triptych is a hinged painting of three panels that illuminates, through visual art and storytelling, an altar of encounter in a sacred space.

In the first half of the Psalm, the left panel if you will, a pained Asaph gets deeply honest with God. Even the opening words can be heard as coming from a pained heart and an aching mind.

“Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold” (Psalm 73:1-2).

Asaph goes on to express what seems to be an unchecked envy for the prosperity of the wicked – their freedom from common human burdens (v. 5) and their always, never-ending, always confounding, wealth-driven, carefree life (v. 12).

When reading this left panel of the Psalm, the lyrics seem destined to affirm the utter uselessness of devoted living and purity of heart.

We can imagine hot tears rolling down Asaph’s cheeks as he writes the words we translate,

“All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments.”

“Until I Entered the Sanctuary of God”

Then, it happens. A single verse that forms the center panel of our triptych, and holds the two halves of the Psalm together, emerges.

“When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood…” (v. 16-17).

The Problem With Altar Calls – 4 Reasons NOT to Give Them

the problem with altar calls
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Altar calls, when properly handled, are certainly effective. Let’s start with the advantages instead of the problem with altar calls. First of all, they remind the listeners that the gospel demands a response. As Billy Graham said, “You cannot give God a definite maybe. It has to be a definite yes or a definite no.” When altar calls are properly handled, lost people are asked to trust Christ as the only way to heaven. The issue is responding to Christ, not to you. The person, therefore, knows that to trust Him is to receive His free offer of eternal life, and to reject Christ is to reject that free offer.

In addition, when a person responds to an altar call, he or she is right there in front of you. Of all the invitation methods, this is the easiest way to get with the person one-on-one. You have not asked them to meet you in another room after the service, which they may not find, nor have you asked them to meet you at another time, allowing them to forget when. Instead, you have said, “Come see me, and come see me now.” With them right before you, you can speak to them one-on-one, either immediately or after they are escorted to a side room.

A third advantage is what altar calls say to other listeners. As a lost person sees another walk forward indicating a need of Christ, he/she is tempted to think, “If that person is unashamed to admit his need, what’s wrong with me?” The one responding encourages others to respond.

That said, there are situations and reasons where giving altar calls is not only wrong, it is dishonoring to God. What is the problem with altar calls?

The Problem With Altar Calls

1. When altar calls are made a condition of salvation

This first reason is the absolute worst. A television evangelist once proclaimed, “There are two conditions for salvation—one is to come to Christ, the other is to come forward.” He continued to make it clear that, in his opinion, if one does not come forward, he/she cannot come to Christ.

May God have mercy on such a person—he has changed the terms of the gospel. Jesus so simply said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.” (John 6:47) Not one word was said about walking forward through an altar call. Furthermore, if an altar call were essential to salvation, we would be confronted with two huge problems: For one, it means the thief on the cross, contrary to Christ’s declaration, went to hell. The man did not and could not “go forward”; there on the cross, though, he acknowledged Christ to be the One He said He was. Jesus so lovingly assured him, “Today you will be with Me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

More from Churchleaders.com: Top 3 Mistakes Churches Make with New Believers

The problem with altar calls comes up in John 12:42, where we are told, “Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue.” “Believed in Him” is the Johannine phrase for “salvation” used throughout the Gospel of John. It’s the same phrase used in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Other verses where this same phrase is used include John 3:18, 3:36, 5:24, 6:35, 6:40, and 6:47. Here were Jewish leaders who had sincerely trusted Christ, but they were afraid to confess Him lest they should be excommunicated from the synagogue. Such a verse makes it clear that trusting Christ, “believing in Him,” is a separate issue from confessing Him publicly.

One might ask, “But what about Romans 10:9-10?” There we read, “…that if you confess with your month the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Space will not permit me to develop Paul’s argument throughout Romans, but the context clarifies the issue. The “saved” Paul speaks of here is not salvation from damnation, but salvation from the damages of sin in present-day living. How does one escape these damaging consequences? Paul’s answer is, “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness.” The words “believes unto righteousness” are a translation of the Greek word for “justified” – the same word used in Romans 5:1. There we read, “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God.” Paul continues in Romans 9:10, “And with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

The point is powerful. One becomes a Christian by simply trusting Christ, but to experience victory over sin, one must be willing to confess Him publicly. Confession is important not for justification, but instead for living a victorious Christian life. Need help making such a confession? Paul exhorts them to “Call upon the name of the Lord” (Romans 10:13), a phrase that has the idea of worshipping God and invoking His assistance (cf. Acts 9:13-14, 1 Timothy 2:22).

It is therefore not surprising that Paul continues in Romans 10:14-15 by saying, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!'” Note the clear distinction made between a public profession of Christ and believing in His name.

In Scripture, a public confession of Christ is never made a requirement of salvation. It is indeed a requirement for victorious Christian living, as made clear in Romans 10:9-10.

7 Blessings of Tithing

7 Promises God Gives People Who Tithe
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The blessings of tithing are more than financial principles—they’re spiritual promises backed by the unchanging Word of God. In Malachi 3:8-12, God extends a unique invitation to His people: “Test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts. It’s one of the only places in Scripture where God gives us permission to test Him—to take Him at His Word and watch what He will do in response to our obedience.

When we bring the tithe—the first tenth of our income—into God’s storehouse, He promises to act. These aren’t vague spiritual rewards. They are specific, tangible blessings that reveal God’s heart to provide, protect, and prosper His people when they honor Him first.

Let’s take a closer look at the 7 blessings of tithing, all rooted in Malachi 3.

7 Blessings of Tithing

1. “I will not open for you the windows of heaven”

This phrase paints a powerful picture. The “windows of heaven” are not cracked open with hesitation—they are flung wide open. The same language is used in Genesis 7:11-12 to describe the floodwaters that covered the earth in Noah’s time. That was a sudden and overwhelming deluge—except here in Malachi, it’s not judgment that’s pouring down, it’s blessing.

God promises an outpouring—not a trickle—when we trust Him with our finances. The tithe opens the heavens over your life. And when heaven opens, earth has to respond.

2. “And pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.”

This isn’t just a drop of favor—it’s an overflow. An outpouring so generous that it cannot be contained. The blessing of God isn’t limited to money. It may come in the form of unexpected provision, open doors, restored relationships, peace that doesn’t make sense, or health in your body.

God knows exactly where you need His overflow—and He promises it when you put Him first.

3. “Then I will rebuke the devourer for you”

In Malachi’s time, “the devourer” likely referred to crop-destroying insects like locusts and caterpillars. Today, we still have devourers—they just look different. They may come in the form of financial emergencies, job instability, chronic setbacks, or even emotional and spiritual fatigue.

But here’s the good news: God Himself says He will rebuke the devourer on your behalf. That means He takes personal responsibility for protecting what belongs to you. When you tithe, you’re not just sowing into God’s Kingdom—you’re inviting His divine defense over your life.

New Year, New Children’s Messages To Share at Church

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If you need new children’s messages for the new year, keep reading! These 11 quick children’s messages for elementary kids work for any time of year. 

Try any or all of these 11 faith-forward experiences. The messages encourage students to enjoy the new life Jesus gives.

11 Children’s Messages for a New Year

1. Stay Away, Sin!

First, use this children’s message to help kids learn to “flee sin.” It’s based on James 4:7-8. Kids do a fun experiment with paper and soap in a cup of water.

2. From the Heart

Next, use this message with ages 6 to 9. It’s based on Romans 8:38-39. Kids make a twisty heart to learn about God’s love.

3. New From Old

Teach kids ages 8 to 12 how God changes us when we believe in Jesus. With a trash scavenger hunt, kids learn that they are new creations.

4. See It and Believe It

With this “impossible” experiment, kids ages 8 to 12 learn about faith.

5. Faith Like a Seed

Young kids, 3 to 6, will enjoy learning about the mustard seed parable with this fun craft.

6. Washed Clean

Early elementary-aged kids will love this song and quick craft centered around 1 John 1:7-9.

New Year’s Tradition To Reinvigorate Your Youth Ministry

new year’s tradition
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Start a new year’s tradition based on an old wedding custom. Although it’s mostly been forgotten, this practice offers a great challenge. Plus, it works in ministry settings too. So check out how trying something old, new, borrowed, and blue can energize your youth ministry program for the new year ahead.

Brides used to incorporate the following items into their wedding day: something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Believe it or not, this can be a fun way to help you plan the first few months of the new ministry year!

Try This New Year’s Tradition for Youth Ministry

1. Something Old

Youth workers are notorious for wanting to be creative. But because we’re fascinated with the “new,” we often shelve older stuff way before its time. So go back into your archives of lessons, events, activities, games, fundraisers, and training themes. Find an old classic—something that was awesome a few years ago. Wipe off the dust and give it new life. You’ll save time, and young people will benefit from the return of a classic.

2. Something New

The new year is a great time to try something new. (Call it an “experiment.” That way if it bombs, you can discontinue it right away.) Can you add a new twist to the annual New Year’s Eve party? Is there a new angle for teaching the series on sex and dating? Would you like to add a new event or activity to the calendar? Try something innovative to ring in the new year!

3. Something Borrowed

A wise man once said there’s nothing new under the sun. That’s good news for youth workers, because it means virtually any idea you have has already been tried by somebody else. What do you need that you can borrow: a game idea? a winter retreat theme? a T-shirt design? old props?

Former Saliva Singer Josey Scott Credits ‘Holy Spirit-Filled’ Wife’s Prayers for Saving His Life

Josey Scott
Josey Scott in his interview with Levi from Leviticuss. Screengrab via YouTube / @Leviticuss

Josey Scott, former lead vocalist of the rock band Saliva, credited the prayers of his wife, Kendra, as the reason he is alive today.

During an interview with Levi, frontman for the Christian metal band Leviticuss, Scott discussed his faith and how God used his wife to help deliver him from the addiction of drugs and alcohol.

“I am blessed and lucky and fortunate enough to have my beautiful wife at home, a good, praying wife at home, that has always had my back and never given up on me,” Scott shared. “I wouldn’t be alive” if it wasn’t for “my wife, because she walked me right through the fire of this life.”

In 2013, Scott left the Saliva, a band that was nominated for a Grammy in 2002 for their chart-topping song “Your Disease.” Scott had gained more popularity after his 2002 collaboration with Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger, titled “Hero,” was featured as the theme song in “Spider-Man,” starring Toby Maguire.

RELATED: Shock Rocker Alice Cooper Tells Greg Laurie Who Jesus Christ Is to Him

After leaving Saliva, Scott remained relatively quiet, taking what could be considered a 10-year hiatus from music and touring. But in 2024, he returned to the music scene and is headlining a tour this year with a brand new band.

“We celebrated 20 years of marriage this year,” Scott said. He then reiterated, “I don’t think I would be alive were it not for my wife and her being a praying, believing, Holy Spirit-filled wife.”

Scott shared that his wife and two sons travel with him on tour, which helps him stay accountable and sober. Scott said that Kendra made it “easy and supported me when I decided to leave the band because I was gonna die.” He didn’t leave the band to just “go home and be a father and a husband.” Scott said, “I was going to die…it was just a matter of the clock.”

“I was lucky and fortunate and blessed enough to be able to walk away from the band and go home and clean up my side of the street, and begin to rebuild my life in a spiritually-based way, because I was going down the wrong road,” he added. “It was just a matter of time until I expired.” Being alive is something, Scott told Levi, that he thanks God for everyday.

RELATED: ‘I Am the One That Jesus Loves’—3 Doors Down Lead Singer Has Concertgoers Repeat Words of Apostle John

Steven Furtick, Brandon Lake, Chandler Moore, Chris Brown, Pat Barrett, and Leeland Mooring Form Christian Worship Supergroup

sons of sunday
Members of Sons of Sunday perform together. Screengrab from Instagram / @thesonsofsunday

Steven Furtick, Brandon Lake, Chandler Moore, Chris Brown, Pat Barrett, and Leeland Mooring are releasing two singles Jan. 17 as part of the new group, Sons of Sunday. The supergroup has been posting on social media for a couple months teasing the members’ new collaboration.

“Well, I’m not too sure I have the words to describe this special journey I’ve been on with my friends except that, the discovery of the living God in the mystery of making music might be one of the common denominator’s [sic] in this group of sons,” said Mooring in a post Dec. 18. “We can’t wait to share it with you JAN 17.”

RELATED: Brandon Lake, CeCe Winans, Anne Willson, and Forrest Frank Win at 55th Annual GMA Dove Awards

Sons of Sunday To Release ‘God Did!’ and ‘Runnin With Angels’

Sons of Sunday does not yet appear to have a website, although the group does have a TikTok account, an Instagram account and a YouTube channel. All of the group’s members have been posting on social media promoting the band, revealing clips of themselves collaborating and showing snippets of their new songs, “God Did!” and “Runnin With Angels.” Pastors who responded with enthusiasm to Furtick’s Instagram post about Sons of Sunday include Levi Lusko, Rich Wilkerson Jr. and Mike Signorelli.

 

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A post shared by Steven Furtick (@stevenfurtick)

Steven Furtick leads North Carolina megachurch Elevation Church, which launched Elevation Worship in 2006. Elevation Worship is a Billboard Music, Dove and Grammy Award-winning music collective. In 2024, the group took the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s year-end Top Christian Artists chart for the first time in the collective’s history.

“We’re blown away by the response to our new album and how it’s pointing people to Jesus,” Elevation Worship frontman Chris Brown told Billboard. “It’s reminding us that he is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine in and through our lives.”

Sons of Sunday features a star-studded collection of accomplished artists. In addition to Brown, Brandon Lake is a Dove and Grammy Award-winning musician who has collaborated with Bethel Music, Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music. Chandler Moore is a Grammy Award-winning Christian artist, has been a member of Maverick City Music, and has collaborated with Justin Bieber.

RELATED: Maverick City Music Leaders Give the Real Reason for Pausing Their Professional Relationship With Dante Bowe in 2022

Pat Barrett is a Christian worship artist and Dove Award nominee who was formerly in the bands Unhindered and Housefires. He is a co-writer of the popular song “Good, Good Father.” Leeland Mooring is lead singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist for the Grammy and Dove Award-nominated band LEELAND. He is married the daughter of Michael W. Smith.

Trump Bible Gets New ‘Inauguration Day Edition’ Just in Time for Jan. 6

god bless the usa bible
FILE - Then former President Donald Trump endorses the “God Bless the USA” Bible in a video in March 2024. (Video screen grab)

(RNS) — The makers of the God Bless the USA Bible, endorsed by President-elect Donald Trump, have issued a new edition just in time for Trump’s second inauguration.

Launched Monday (Jan 6.), the limited-run “Inauguration Day Bible” costs $69.99—or four copies for $59.49 each—and features an embossed cover with Trump’s name and the date of his upcoming inauguration. The Bible includes the King James translation along with the text of the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance and the lyrics to the chorus of “God Bless the USA,” the 1984 Lee Greenwood hit. It also comes with a DVD of a concert honoring Greenwood’s career.

Trump fans can still order the original God Bless the USA Bible for $59.99. There’s also “The Day God Intervened” edition, embossed with the date of the failed assassination attempt in July. Some of Trump’s supporters have claimed God spared Trump’s life. The website also offers a signed Trump Bible for $1,000, Trump-related apparel and links to Trump-themed guitars and God Bless the USA coins.

RELATED: As Trump hawks Bible, debate over ‘Christian America’ spreads outside church

First announced in 2021 by a marketing company with ties to Greenwood, the God Bless the USA Bible has been a source of controversy ever since. An initial version featuring the New International Version translation was canceled after a number of authors published by Zondervan, which also publishes the NIV, objected. The Bible was then resurrected when the marketing company switched to the King James version, which is in the public domain.

It was largely forgotten until this past spring, when Trump began hawking the God Bless the USA Bible in video ads, tying it to the need to reverse the decline of Christianity in America. A video ad claims Trump is bringing faith back to the “forefront of American life.”

“Christianity has been experiencing a recent surge, and now more than ever, every home needs to have Bibles readily available,” the ad claims, urging Trump fans to buy the edition before Jan. 19. A press release for the new edition says Trump has not yet decided which Bible to use during his swearing in on Jan. 20.

Trump has a complicated history with the Bible. As a candidate in 2016, he referred to the Apostle Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians as “Two Corinthians” during a speech at Liberty University. In 2019, he created more uproar by signing Bibles during a visit to an Alabama church, while in 2020, police expelled a priest from an Episcopal church near Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C., so then-President Trump could have his photo taken with a Bible during the protests that followed the death of George Floyd.

This past fall the state of Oklahoma put out a request to buy 55,000 Bibles that had to include the Constitution and other patriotic documents—a description that seemed tailor-made for the God Bless the USA Bible. That request was later amended.

The God Bless the USA Bible, like almost all other Bibles sold in the United States, was printed in China, a nation Trump has loudly criticized. In 2019, Bible publishers in the U.S. worried proposed tariffs during the first Trump administration would raise the cost of Bibles, but Bibles were later exempted from the tariffs.

Pastors Encourage Personal Bible Reading Among Churchgoers

Bible reading
Photo credit: Unsplash / alexandrajf

Churchgoers may hear the Bible preached every Sunday, but their pastors also want them to engage with Scripture during the week.

Almost all U.S. Protestant pastors (99%) say they encourage those in their church to read the Bible on their own using at least one of seven methods, according to a Lifeway Research study. On average, pastors say they use around five ways of encouragement. Less than 1% say they don’t use any or are unsure.

Dwayne Milioni, pastor of Open Door Church in Raleigh, N.C., said pastors often work hard to help their people understand the Bible through their sermons each week, but they hope that’s not the congregation’s only interaction with Scripture. “As we’re preaching and teaching, it would be so much better if we knew our church members were reading and studying the Word of God on their own,” he said. “How much more glorious would the assembling of God’s people be if every day of the week our people were engaging God’s Word?”

RELATED: 5 Reasons I’m Starting To Read a Paper Bible Again

Scriptural Encouragement

The most likely ways a pastor will work to spark individual Bible reading among their churchgoers is by providing free Bibles to those who need one (93%) and reminding them during sermons (92%).

Three in 4 pastors (73%) say they have Bible readings during worship services in addition to the passages used in the sermon. Most U.S. Protestant pastors say they provide a printed Bible reading plan (59%) and send reminders on social media (56%). Half (49%) use email to remind their congregation to engage with Scripture during the week. Around 2 in 5 pastors (37%) say they provide a digital or online Bible reading plan.

Because of Milioni’s own passion for God’s Word and the impact he has seen in his congregation from Scripture reading, he has worked with Holman Bibles to develop the “Jesus Daily Bible,” which provides readers with a one-year plan to read through the entire Bible.

RELATED: Gracie Hunt, Daughter of Kansas City Chiefs Owner, Cites Bible Verse for Fox News Before Games

“What’s amazing about the Bible is that every time you read it, regardless of where you read it, it’s going to be relevant because the God who gave us this book is still alive,” Milioni said. “He knew exactly what we needed to hear when He gave us this book.”

As a pastor, Milioni has seen the results of his congregation reading through the Bible together. “It not only increases their knowledge of God but deepens their relationships,” he said. “It helps a church grow closer to God and one another.”

Biblical Changes

Pastors today are more likely than in 2016 to use some methods to encourage Bible reading among their congregants, including providing a free Bible to those needing one (up 7 percentage points from 86%) and reminders in sermons (up 6 percentage points from 86%). They are less likely to say they provide a printed Bible reading plan (down 5 percentage points from 64%). All other methods of Bible reading encouragement are statistically unchanged from eight years ago.

“In an increasingly secular culture, pastors are not assuming people have a Bible,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “More churches are prepared to give a free Bible to someone who needs one to encourage them to read more about the message the church shares.”

Is Your Technology Use Hurting Your Church?

Technology
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There are countless articles and statistics online showing how technology use can help churches with administration, worship, and communication. We write about it a lot here at Capterra. But are there downsides to all of this technology? Is it possible that while it may be aiding worship in some ways, it could be hindering it in others? According to a Tyndale University College and Seminary survey, 35 percent of church leaders believe that churches are too focused on technology, 13.6 percent believe that there are more important things to focus on than technology, and 11.5 percent believe that technology distracts people from worship.

Since that survey was completed, smartphone ownership has more than doubled from about 35 percent of American adults to 77 percent.

Pope Francis himself recently said that “It’s so sad when I’m celebrating mass here or inside the basilica and I see lots of phones held up.”

He added: “At a certain point the priest leading the ceremony says ‘lift up our hearts’. He doesn’t say ‘lift up our mobile phones to take photographs’—it’s a very ugly thing.”

What are the negative effects of technology use in church?

These days, we have everything at our fingertips. Answers to any question are just a Google search away. While incredibly useful, this environment has fostered self-reliance and reflexive turning to the internet instead of seeking out other people for help.

In church communities, the same logic applies—instead of going to a pastor or spiritual leader for advice, most people open up the web for answers.

While the internet and technology in and of themselves aren’t bad, they become a problem when technology becomes a substitute for human interaction. Connecting and interacting with other humans face-to-face is essential for life, and for churches.

For churches, technology enables email marketing, church management software, and the automation of various administrative tasks. Technology helps churches run smoother and be more efficient. But, it can turn into a roadblock to deeper human relationships if it prevents people from interacting with each other.

How To Study the Bible for Teens: 8 Key Reading Tips

how to study the Bible for teens
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Knowing how to study the Bible for teens is incredibly important. Faith can’t flourish and grow without connections to Scripture. Youth leaders play a big role in this, teaching teenagers to love and understand God’s Word.

Let me begin with a story. I grew up in a home without a dishwasher. More accurately, I grew up in a home of four children. We were the dishwashers. Then one summer in high school, I landed a nannying job watching two little boys. And everything went well…until I broke their kitchen.

how to study the Bible

Trying to be helpful, I loaded the dishwasher after lunch one day and decided to run the wash cycle. Next, I fished around under the sink and found a solo container of soap. Dish soap.

Did I mention my family didn’t have a dishwasher?

So I loaded that little dispenser area with the blue gel and ushered the boys into the playroom. Twenty minutes later, I returned to find child-size mountains of bubbles building on the hardwood floors. They overflowed from the dishwasher like lava from an industrial volcano.

While writing this post about how to study the Bible for teens, I recalled that mortifying experience. And this is the first time I’ve been grateful for such an embarrassing mistake.

Sometimes we approach the Bible like an unfamiliar machine. That is, we fear we’ll get something wrong and ruin the whole experience.

Well, I have good news: You can’t break the Bible! Yet as kids start reading and studying God’s Word, I recommend 8 tips to keep in mind (and in heart).

8 Tips: How to Study the Bible for Teens

Consider these suggestions for teaching how to study the Bible for teens.

1. Ask.

Begin by talking with God. Let him know you want to hear from him. Quieting your heart is vital to learning how to study the Bible. Put away your to-do list and don’t give space for random thoughts of squirrels and shiny things.

I keep a notebook nearby to write down things that may distract me from my time with the Lord. Then after those on are paper, I don’t have to give them further thought.

2. Seek love, not knowledge.

“Knowledge puffs up while love builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1b, NIV).

It’s easy to read Scripture for the sake of knowledge or to check it off the list. But that’s the lesser option. Instead, look for the love in what you read because God is love. Don’t settle for knowing about him. We want to know him, and that level of knowing comes when God talks with us through what we read. I spent so many years learning facts and trivia about God. But trust me: Knowing him is way better.

3. Choose a version.

We’re blessed with access to many Bible translations. Many new believers prefer the NIV. The most accurate translations for in-depth study are the KJV,  NKJV, and ESV.

There’s no harm reading other versions. I like to read the same passage in multiple versions to see what wording God uses to speak to me. I especially enjoy the modern wording of The Message (MSG), though I find it most helpful to read alongside other versions for word study. “The goal of The Message is to engage people in the reading process and help them understand what they read. This is not a study Bible, but rather ‘a reading Bible.’” Read about The Message here.

For example, consider these different wordings:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17, NIV).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16, ESV).

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again” (John 3:16, MSG).

4. Explore!

Here are more insights about how to study the Bible for teens.

  • Context. What’s happening in this scenario? Who is the audience? A particular Bible verse may speak to you, but what does that verse mean in the context of the whole passage?
  • Word meaning. What’s the meaning of the word in the source language? The Old Testament was written in Hebrew and a few books in Aramaic, and the New Testament was written in Greek. Looking up words in the source language gives a depth of understanding you don’t get when just reading in English. For example, I may read “For God so loved the world” in John 3:16. My mind naturally thinks of “love” as affectionate or romantic, but that’s not what this verse means. In the original Greek, “love” here is agapao, which means goodwill, to be fond of. God’s love for us, the love that led him to give Jesus for our sins, wasn’t an emotional response. It was prompted by love of goodwill. If you’re interested in doing word studies, I recommend the free website Blue Letter Bible. Pick the KJV and check the box for “Strong’s,” and you’ll see concordance links next to words. That way, you can easily see what they mean in the original language.
  • Connections. The next step in how to study the Bible for teens involves looking for connections within the passage and to other passages. How does John 3:16 relate to the rest of the chapter? What other passages speak to the same topic? For example:

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, NIV).

  • Application. How does this passage apply to your life? What is God saying to you through it?

Ideas for Children’s Church Lessons: 10 Bible Topics To Explore

ideas for children’s church lessons
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With ideas for children’s church lessons, “classic” Old Testament stories tend to come to mind first. Think Noah’s ark, Jonah and the big fish, Daniel in the lions’ den, and so on. But Bible topics for kids can extend far beyond these beloved accounts of heroes and adventures.

In fact, you can adapt almost all Bible study topics and themes into age-appropriate ideas for children’s church lessons. God’s Word speaks eternal truth to everyone, whether young or old, new believer or seasoned Christian.

No matter if you’re teaching preschoolers, conducting ministry to youth, or holding virtual classes for homebound church members, many ideas for children’s church lessons work well for all learners. With Bible lessons for kids, keep in mind children’s ages, developmental stages, and attention levels.

10 Ideas for Children’s Church Lessons

1. Love

First, children need to hear that God loves them unconditionally. They also need to hear that God is love (1 John 4:8). So include these important reminders in every lesson.

2. Prayer

Next, people in the Bible speak to God and get results. During his earthly ministry, Jesus used prayer as a powerful relationship-builder with God. Offer object lessons and character studies to reinforce the message that God wants to hear from us and is always listening.

3. Ten Commandments

God’s Ten Commandments are more than just stone tablets entrusted to Moses. God gave his law out of love for the people he created in his image. Children need to hear that obedience flows out of our love for our Creator.

4. Forgiveness

The idea that God wipes away our sins through Jesus’ blood can be tough to fathom, even for adults. Assure children that no matter what they may do, they can say sorry to God, who makes them clean and new inside.

5. Kindness

Next, Jesus’ Golden Rule is a must-teach topic. Children need to hear biblical instructions about how to treat others. Help young people learn Godly behavior they can apply to all interactions, whether at home, school or church.

‘Recovery Has Been Slower Than Expected’—Grace Community Church Provides Update on John MacArthur’s Health

John MacArthur
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Grace Community Church (GCC) elder Tom Patton provided an update on Pastor John MacArthur’s health during worship services on Sunday, Jan. 5.

MacArthur is 85 years old and has served as GCC’s pastor-teacher for over 55 years. His health kept him out of the pulpit for more than half of 2024 following complications related to a heart valve replacement.

Last Thursday (Jan. 2), executive director of Grace to You and Grace Community Church elder Phil Johnson used social media to respond to a rumor that MacArthur’s health was doing so poorly that MacArthur “needed palliative care.”

Johnson sharply rebuked the rumor.

RELATED: John MacArthur Hospitalized To Receive Treatment Related to Heart Valve Replacement

“Those who attend Grace Church or follow the ministry of our pastor already aware that he suffered a series of health issues that kept him out of the pulpit and required three surgeries in the second half of 2024,” Patton told the congregation on Sunday. “His recovery has been slower than expected, with occasional setbacks affecting his heart, lungs, and kidneys.”

Patton added that MacArthur’s doctors have not been able to pinpoint “any single root cause for these diverse troubles.”

As a result of his complications, MacArthur has been in the hospital for the past two weeks. Patton said MacArthur has had to “undergo tests and treatments.”

“So please pray for him and for the physicians that are handling the case,” Patton said. “For the physicians that they will identify a suitable treatment or treatments and for John that he will recover strength and health enough to resume public ministry.”

RELATED: ‘My Thanksgiving Has Increased,’ Says John MacArthur As He Returns to the Pulpit After Heart and Lung Issues

“Pastor John and his family covet your prayers. Please pray earnestly and steadfastly. Our pastor desires to return to his beloved church soon,” Patton concluded.

Gavin Ortlund Explains How We Can Know Which Books Should Be Part of the New Testament

gavin ortlund
L: Dr. Gavin Ortlund. Screengrab from YouTube / @TruthUnites. R: Folio from Papyrus 46, containing 2 Corinthians 11:33-12:9. University of Michigan, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

How do we know which books should be part of the canon of the New Testament, i.e., the books considered to be the actual Word of God? Author and theologian Dr. Gavin Ortlund believes that the answer to that question can be found in the authority of the church and in having faith that God guided the process of canonization. 

“We can trust God’s guidance of the process of canonization in the early church, even though it was a fallible process,” said Ortlund in a video published Dec. 31, adding, “The church’s reception of the canon can be fallible and yet still trustworthy.”

Gavin Ortlund: ‘A Fallible Process Can Be Trustworthy’

Gavin Ortlund referenced a YouTube video from his friend Cameron Bertuzzi of Capturing Christianity that also addressed the topic of the New Testament canon, although Ortlund said his video is not a refutation of Bertuzzi’s. 

Ortlund said that his own video, which is nine minutes long, would answer the question as “briefly and compactly as possible,” even though it would consequently be “more vulnerable to criticism.” Viewers who wish to dive deeper into the topic can explore Ortlund’s other videos and the books linked below his video. 

Ortlund’s first reason for relying on church authority and faith to determine the New Testament canon is that the Old Testament was assembled by fallible people, yet Jesus referred to the Law, Psalms, and Prophets as Scripture.

RELATED: Does the Early Old Testament Talk About the Afterlife? Gavin Ortlund Shares His Thoughts

Second, the early and medieval church used the same fallible process to receive the New Testament. “There were no infallible operations deciding the canon during that first 1,500 years of the church,” said Ortlund, who said that the late 4th century councils were “local” and “fallible.”

“And yet despite the absence of any infallible operations, the church came to a virtually universal agreement about the New Testament somewhere around the 4th century, or really a little earlier than that, but totally finalized around then,” Ortlund said, explaining that the process of canonization was “organic and cumulative and gradual.” It was “a bottom-up process,” not a “top-down” decision, and there was  “widespread consensus” based on a variety of criteria, “not an official proclamation.”

Ortlund noted that the question of canonicity is relevant to Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox believers as well as to Protestants. “If a fallible reception of the canon is a problem for Protestants, that’s a question that other Christians, like the Oriental Orthodox will have to face as well,” he said.

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