Waiver Sought by SBC Entity Leaders Granted To Help Puerto Rico Recovery

September 30, 2022

WASHINGTON (BP) – The Biden administration granted a waiver Wednesday (Sept. 28) to aid the recovery by Puerto Rico from the devastation of Hurricane Fiona on the same day Southern Baptist leaders joined others in asking for the action.

Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, announced his approval of a “temporary and targeted” waiver of the Jones Act to enable the delivery of diesel fuel to the United States territory, which suffered a massive power outage when Fiona hit Sept. 18. The 1920 federal law limits the transport of goods between U.S. ports to American-flagged and -built ships unless a waiver is granted in the interest of national defense.

Four presidents of Southern Baptist entities had urged President Biden in a Wednesday letter to provide the waiver immediately: Brent Leatherwood, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC); Bryant Wright, Send Relief; Kevin Ezell, North American Mission Board (NAMB); and Paul Chitwood, International Mission Board (IMB).

In their letter, the Southern Baptist leaders cited the presence of Southern Baptist churches – 51, according to the SBC’s latest Annual Church Profile – and the work of Send Relief on the Caribbean island. Send Relief, the convention’s compassion ministry carried out through the cooperative efforts of NAMB and IMB, is operating seven response sites through local churches around the island. Each location is able to provide as many as 2,000 meals a day.

“I am grateful this has now been resolved in a way that will directly help our churches and relief efforts on the ground in Puerto Rico,” Leatherwood told Baptist Press in written comments. “This is exactly why our cooperative efforts are so vital, because we were able to advocate directly to our nation’s leaders on behalf of Southern Baptist pastors who voiced a very real need in the moment.

“While many voices appealed for this result, I am thankful that Send Relief, IMB, NAMB and the ERLC provided leadership when it was needed most.”

Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi and some members of both political parties in Congress had also asked the president to provide the waiver, according to a Politico report.

The SBC entity heads told Biden in their letter, “The feedback we have received indicates resources like diesel fuel are needed immediately due to the continued outages of large portions of the electrical grid.”

They commended Biden for specific steps his administration has taken to fulfill his promise to aid in Puerto Rico’s recovery. The president’s prompt declaration of the hurricane as a major disaster and pledge to cover the cost of search-and-rescue efforts “proves you are willing to act,” they wrote.

“Granting a temporary waiver of the Jones Act for the purposes of allowing fuel to be brought to Puerto Rico would be consistent with these moves,” according to the letter. “But, in an emergency, time is of the essence.”

The SBC leaders told the president failing to provide the waiver soon “would undermine your own pledge of help and unnecessarily hamper recovery efforts while, at the same time, placing individuals, families, churches, and communities under intense strain.”

A foreign-flagged ship with 300,000 barrels of diesel fuel from Texas had been waiting off Puerto Rico’s coast for permission to unload its cargo before the waiver was granted, according to news reports.

Survey: Confederate Memorials Still Divide Americans and Religion Is a Big Predictor

Yonat Shimron

September 30, 2022

confederate monuments — An 2020 image of the late Georgia congressman and civil rights pioneer U.S. Rep. John Lewis is projected onto the pedestal of the statue of confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, in Richmond, Virginia. The statue was removed in 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

(RNS) — “The past is never dead. It’s not even past,” William Faulkner once famously quipped.

The Mississippi writer had it right — at least when it comes to the Civil War, anyway. A war that split America as it was fought continues to do so in its memory.

When it comes to memorializing the nation’s Civil War legacy, Americans are nearly evenly divided over whether to preserve Confederate symbols, memorials and statues, according to a new Public Religion Research Institute survey.

The new PRRI survey conducted with E Pluribus Unum, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a more equitable and inclusive South, finds that 51% of Americans favor preserving Confederate history, memorials and statues, while 46% are opposed.

That division can be found on a host of issues. Take the Confederate flag: 50% see it primarily as a symbol of Southern pride, while 47% see it mostly as a symbol of racism.

The divisions fall along party, race and religious lines: Republicans and white evangelicals overwhelmingly support preserving memorials to Confederate history, while Black Americans, non-Christians, Jews and unaffiliated Americans see those memorials as a symbol of racism.

“One of the things the report is telling us is that we still have not resolved one of the fundamental conflicts that has haunted us throughout American history,” said Robert P. Jones, president and founder of PRRI. “It’s the question of whether the country is a promised land for European Christians that has white supremacy embedded in that idea, or whether we’re a pluralistic democracy where everybody stands on equal footing before the Constitution.”

The Southern Poverty Law Center’s database shows there are more than 2,000 Confederate symbols in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, disproportionately in 11 Southern states.

But the country’s divisions over the legacy of the Confederacy are bigger than geography. They exist in all parts of the country and can best be predicted by party affiliation, race and religion.

Nearly 9 in 10 white Republicans, or 87%, support efforts to preserve the legacy of the Confederacy, compared with 23% of white Democrats. When examined by race, 57% of white Americans support efforts to preserve Confederate legacy, compared with 23% of Black Americans.

Religion is also a predictor of attitudes toward the Confederacy. Majorities of Protestants, Catholics and Latter-day Saints support such efforts to preserve Confederate monuments and memorials, with white evangelicals besting all others at 76%.

Support falls to 35% among non-Christian Americans, Jewish Americans (33%) and religiously unaffiliated Americans (33%).

Black Church Leaders Say Public Lands Should Better Reflect African American History

Adelle M Banks

September 30, 2022

black history — A memorial at Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, where four girls were killed in a bombing on Sept. 15, 1963. RNS photo by Adelle M. Banks

(RNS) — Growing up in Charleston, South Carolina, the Rev. Carey A. Grady heard about the history of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church and its connection to a slave revolt planned by Denmark Vesey — long before it was the site of a 2015 massacre.

And Grady knew of the church through his father, the late AME Bishop Zedekiah Grady, who worked with church leaders from Emanuel AME and other congregations to support the 1969 hospital strike in that city. He wishes more people could learn these lesser-known stories of the church, of his father, of the hard work they did on behalf of African Americans in the city.

“Their members were the ones who were the orderlies or the ones who cooked or the ones who cleaned up waste and trash, and they couldn’t get good-paying jobs,” said Grady, now senior pastor of Reid Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Columbia, South Carolina. “They stood up for better wages for their members.”

The Rev. Carey A. Grady. Photo courtesy of Grady

Grady was one of hundreds of Black church leaders who were surveyed earlier this year for a report from the National Religious Partnership for the Environment. The nonprofit has found a significant majority of them say Black history is not told adequately through national and local parks.

“Stories on the Lands: Showcasing Black History on Public Lands” was released this month (September) after interviews, roundtable discussions and follow-up questionnaires were used to learn the views of Black religious leaders.

“You don’t have American history without African American history; they’re mutually connected,” said the Rev. Michael McClain, national outreach director for the Washington-based partnership. “And so often, the younger generations don’t know that because we’re not telling them. Unfortunately, we know more about Confederate monuments than we do about African American events that took place.”

The partnership, an alliance of faith groups including Christians and Jews, asked 600 Black leaders a number of questions, including what Black leaders are underrecognized and what African American stories are missing from public lands. When an open-ended question asked which Black figures should have their stories preserved, Nation of Islam leader Malcolm X was cited most, followed by Rosa Parks, Colin Powell, Frederick Douglass and Trayvon Martin.

In some instances, prominent figures such as Harriet Tubman, Medgar Evers and Booker T. Washington were cited.

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., center left, and Malcolm X speak after King's press conference at the U.S. Capitol about the Senate debate on the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Photo by Marion S. Trikosko/Library of Congress/Creative Commons

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., center left, and Malcolm X speak after King’s news conference at the U.S. Capitol about the Senate debate on the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Photo by Marion S. Trikosko/Library of Congress/Creative Commons

“Since these leaders already have existing monuments named in their honor, this indicates that the awareness and promotion of national monument designations is sorely needed,” the 20-page report states.

The report also notes that only about 180 of the 2,600 historical landmarks in the country are considered African American historical landmarks. And of the 129 national monuments designated by U.S. presidents since 1906, 12 represent the history and stories of Black people.

Leaders of the partnership hope to convince President Joe Biden to further diversify the country’s monuments by highlighting the history of slavery and civil rights, Black schools and cemeteries, lynchings and racially motivated massacres, through designations permitted under the Antiquities Act.

In 2016, the centennial year of the National Park Service, bishops of historically Black denominations topped the list of names on a 609-page petition telling then-President Barack Obama: “Our public lands — the places where we play, pray, and take Sabbath — need to be a full reflection of the faces of our country, should respect different cultures and histories, and should engage all people.”

Following Papal Reforms, Vatican Departments Are Ready to Help Local Bishops

Claire Giangrave

September 30, 2022

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — In another step aimed at flipping the Catholic Church’s traditional top-down hierarchy, the Vatican has invited bishops facing immigrant crises in their dioceses to call directly on the church department in Rome charged with dealing with immigration issues — a section Pope Francis heads up personally.

The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, as it’s officially called, was created in 2016 when Francis combined the work of four pontifical councils. It deals not only with immigration but human rights, health, justice, disarmament and peace, the economy, work, the environment, refugees and migrants, and humanitarian emergencies.

Francis personally heads the migrants and refugee section of the department, signaling the importance of the issue to the pontiff, but also for the “quickness and flexibility needed to respond to situations that may arise,” said Sister Alessandra Smerilli, an economist and secretary to the department.

At a news conference at the Vatican on Thursday (Sept. 29), officials at the dicastery said they hope to “become a bridge” between local churches and dioceses.

Immigration, said Cardinal Michael Czerny, the discastery’s prefect, is “a good example of an issue where, if they bring it to us, we might offer direction on how to respond to it,” adding, “It’s up to them to ask.”

The office, which includes only 50 full-time employees and a rather small cast of project advisers, is assisted by a number of people working on the ground in Latin America, Asia and the United States who, Smerilli said, will help the department keep its finger on the pulse of what is happening around the world. “If we want to listen, not all the listening can happen in Rome,” she said.

“If there is a problem, like a large pollution problem that doesn’t look like a priority for that diocese, we simply reach out and ask for information.” The purpose is to “turn on a lightbulb,” she said, but “without substituting local authority.”

The dicastery will be divided into three sections: The first will focus on dialogue with local churches; the second will further research what comes out of those conversations, examining both the science behind the issues and the relevant doctrine of the church; the third will look for practical measures and issue documents.

In March, Francis released his apostolic constitution “Praedicate Evangelium” (“Preach the Gospel”), which outlined his reforms of the departments and offices that make up the Roman Curia and cemented the changes already underway. Reflecting his focus on service, rather than authority, the pope’s reforms are aimed at promoting synodality — a vision in which Catholicism’s hierarchy attends more closely to local churches and laypeople and their hopes for the church.

In 2020, Francis launched a massive consultation of Catholic parishes and organizations in preparation for a Synod on Synodality, a summit of global bishops at the Vatican in October 2023. Over the past year, Catholics have met in small groups to discuss their views on the church’s challenges. In recent months, those views have been gathered by national bishops’ conferences and forwarded to the Vatican.

Dan Busby, Longest-Serving President of Evangelical Financial Watchdog, Dies at 81

Adelle M Banks

September 30, 2022

(RNS) — Dan Busby, who was president of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability for more than a decade, has died after a monthslong bout with cancer.

The expert on nonprofit finance and tax issues, who served the ECFA for more than three decades in all, died Wednesday (Sept. 28) at his Winchester, Virginia, home, according to the organization. He was 81.

“ECFA was remarkably blessed by Dan Busby’s humble and dedicated service to the ministry for over 30 years, and the continued impact of Dan’s legacy will be felt within the ECFA team and membership far beyond the next three decades,” said Michael Martin, the current president and CEO of ECFA, in a statement.

Taking office in 2008, Busby became the longest-serving president of the organization, which offers a Good Housekeeping-like seal of approval for ministries and churches, aiming to build trust for potential donors and volunteers.

In 2009, after being targeted by Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley’s investigation of six prominent religious organizations for questionable use of donations, Joyce Meyer Ministries joined the ECFA. Busby welcomed the move and the senator called it “a positive development.”

Founded in 1979 to be a watchdog on financial and ethical wrongdoing, the ECFA has grown from 150 charter members to more than 2,600 members in the U.S. Busby, who conducted hundreds of on-site compliance reviews of ECFA churches and other ministries, was credited with much of that increase.

Busby helped create a national Commission on Accountability and Policy for Religious Organizations that responded to Grassley’s request to study ways to encourage “self-reform” among religious groups after the Senate probe concluded in 2011. The next year, Busby and other members of the multiyear commission recommended “reasonable” compensation for nonprofit leaders and said such information should be available to donors who request it.

Busby’s organization also announced when some ministries were determined to be no longer in compliance with its standards. During his tenure it also was criticized for waiting too long when it terminated the membership of Harvest Bible Chapel, a Chicago-area megachurch, in 2019.

“We are committed to applying our standards rigorously and consistently,” said Busby at the time.

He retired and was named president emeritus in 2020.

“Dan Busby was a genius at connecting, communicating, leading and innovating as he served the members of ECFA and the Kingdom of God,” said ECFA board Chair Wayne Pederson in a statement. “Dan was not only an esteemed ministry colleague, but a dear friend who cared deeply about the family of God and the people he served.”

Prior to joining ECFA, Busby founded a certified public accounting practice in Kansas City, Kansas, taking on mostly Christian ministries as clients and serving as the financial officer of the Wesleyan Church. His work with the ECFA began in 1989 when he volunteered to be a member of its standards committee, and he served in senior leadership positions for a decade before being named president.

What Does America Need for Its Post-COVID ‘New Normal’?

James Scott Jr.

September 30, 2022

Are you one of those people who watches a movie over and over again? I’m not. In fact, I rarely watch any movie more than once. But there are exceptions.

The greatest exception for me takes me back to when I was a kid in fourth grade. I still remember riding my bike from our house on Willetta Street in Scottsdale, Arizona over to Los Arcos Mall.

I secured my transportation in the rack out front and hurried to the theater inside. The premiere showing of “The Poseidon Adventure” would soon start. I excitedly bought my ticket, purchased a soda and some popcorn, then settled into my seat.

That’s where I would remain transfixed for the next hour and 57 minutes as I watched a gripping story unfold about a luxury ocean liner full of passengers that was capsized by a tidal wave.

One minute the passengers were eating, drinking, and dancing, the next minute their world was upside down. Literally.

How would they survive? Would they survive? If they did, how could life ever be the same again?

___

A scenario similar to that occurred off the screen and all around the world early in 2020.

People were eating, drinking, dancing, and otherwise living their “normal” lives. The next minute, a novel coronavirus broke out and a pandemic, like a towering tsunami, turned the world upside down.

How would we survive? Would we survive? If we did, how could life ever be the same again?

___

Well, congratulations, you have survived a global pandemic. Not everyone made it, but most of us did.

Life, however, will likely not return — at least not fully — to the “old normal” we experienced prior to the onset of the pandemic.

And, truth be told, for most of us it shouldn’t. It certainly shouldn’t for much of Christ’s church.

I understand not everyone will agree.

When the pandemic first hit, we were all shocked and surprised, but initially thought it probably would be little more than a short-lived inconvenience.

As the pandemic lingered on, it was common to hear people (and especially church leaders) talk about how they couldn’t wait for “things to get back to normal again.” Going back to the “old normal” was priority one for many.

Now, more than two years since we first started taking note of the coronavirus, COVID-19 still lingers and many local, state, and national jurisdictions still have not officially declared the pandemic to be over yet.

If it isn’t, one thing that is over is the “old normal.”

Like it or not, we are already more than ankle deep into the “new normal” that has been a matter of great curiosity and speculation for people around the world.

If we can’t, or won’t, or shouldn’t return fully back to life as it was prior to the pandemic, what will the “new normal” look like? How will it be different? What changes that occurred in the pandemic should we keep? What from the “old normal” should we hang onto? How should we attempt to shape life moving forward from here?

___

You can’t make wise decisions about moving forward if you aren’t honest about where you’re coming from. The truth is, the “old normal” wasn’t nearly as “good” for people, or the church, as many like to remember it as.

And it’s all much worse now.

Prior to the pandemic, it was common for people to reduce their interactions with other human beings — including family members and the closest of friends, to text messaging. People commonly asserted, “If It can be sent in a text, don’t call.” That at a time when nations of people were reporting an epidemic of loneliness.

Before the onset of COVID-19, we had a pre-existing mental health crisis in America. Now, according to Dr. Tim Clinton, President of the American Association of Christian Counselors, that mental health crisis has morphed into a mental health disaster.

Before COVID-19 became a household name, not only were we mentally and physically unhealthy, we had significantly spiritually atrophied as well, and it’s getting worse.

In an effort to get a measure of what’s happening to us spiritually, and to Christ’s church, there has been a string of studies, surveys, and other research efforts, and the data collected isn’t good news. Some of the data being reported includes news that is nothing less than shocking. One researcher claims “We’re experiencing another reformation, but not in a good way.” Here’s some of the most recently gathered data garnered from people who self-identify as Christians:

Only six percent hold a biblical worldview.
Only 37 percent of pastors hold a biblical worldview.
One survey, which included more than 3,000 Americans between age 18 and 55, revealed that born-again Protestants experienced the greatest level of decline in Bible-based beliefs from 2010 to 2020. During that decade, the percentage of people who agreed with core Christian doctrines fell from 47 percent to 25 percent.
62 percent say the Holy Spirit isn’t a real, living being.
61 percent say all religious faiths are of equal value.
60 percent believe if a person is good enough, or does enough good works, they can earn their way into heaven.
35 percent believe in karma.
42 percent believe “having faith” matters more than which faith you pursue.
75 percent argue people are basically “good” rather than basically sinful.
43 percent believe Jesus sinned during His time on earth.
52 percent don’t believe in objective moral truth and the authority of the Bible.
44 percent believe Bible teachings on abortion are ambiguous.
34 percent don’t believe marriage is between one man and one woman.
One study found significant minorities of those who identify as “evangelical” don’t confess their sin daily, don’t worship God daily, and don’t pursue God’s will for their lives.

Martyn Lloyd Jones on Sin

Randy Alcorn

September 30, 2022

thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

“What is the matter with the world?” Martyn Lloyd-Jones asked. “Why . . . war and all this unhappiness and turmoil and discord amongst men? . . . There is only one answer to these questions—sin. Nothing else; it is just sin.”

Addiction provides a picture of all sin patterns. At first, the happiness it causes seems to outweigh the misery. But eventually the periods of misery increase while the periods of happiness fade. This is called the law of diminishing returns. Life is promised; death is delivered. Every drug, alcohol, and pornography addict is living proof that the next high is less satisfying than the last.

If insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results, sin not only leads to insanity—it is insanity. Regardless of your drug of choice—materialism, cocaine, pornography, power, anger, slander—the nature of any sin is saying, “This time will be different.” Yet it just keeps killing us—in the name of happiness.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones shares these helpful definitions of sin, and why we must avoid it, in his book Life in Christ in 1 John:

What is sin?

When we disobey God’s holy Law, his revealed will.
Sin is whatever is condemned in Scripture—‘Thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal; thou shalt not commit adultery…’ We have sins of ‘commission’ and sins of ‘omission’—in other words, it’s just as bad to do what you shouldn’t do as to not do what you ought to do.
Sin is violating your conscience—going against your conscience (Romans 14). If we are doubtful about a thing, we ought not do it (1 Thessalonians 5:22).
Sin is being governed by our desires and not by truth.

Why must we not sin?

Sin is condemned and hated by God. It goes contrary to the very nature of God.
Sin is ugly and destructive by its very nature. It’s wrong in and of itself. Just look at what sin produces.
Sin is the terrible and foul thing that caused our Savior to die. The problem of sin is what brought the Son of God to earth to die. Why would we desire that which cause the Savior so much pain and grief???
Sin is dishonorable to the gospel and its claims. We claim to believe the gospel and have victory over sin but then don’t walk in patterns of victory. There’s no point in saying you want to walk with God and deliberately sin. In other words, we say we want to fellowship with God and then break that fellowship with deliberate sin. Sin is inconsistent with our profession to hate sin.
Sin leads to an evil conscience. We suffer guilt and condemnation for sin.
Sin robs you of joy. You should avoid sin at all costs because you know what it does to you.
Sin leads to doubts about your salvation.
Sin hinders prayer. It’s impossible to pray as we ought to when we are holding onto sin.
Sin leads to a sense of utter hopelessness.

First John 3:21 says, “If our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God.” Without the convicting work of the Holy Spirit (see John 16:8), there’s no hope for any of us to turn to God—and without repentance and forgiveness, there’s no restoration to relationship with our joyful God.

Though those of us who have accepted Christ are forgiven of our past sins, including some we don’t remember, we are called upon to confess our sins as we become aware of them: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

It may seem confusing that we must continue to confess recent sins in order to experience new and fresh forgiveness. But while we have a settled once-and-for-all forgiveness in Christ, we also have a current ongoing relationship with Him that is hampered by unconfessed sin.

Scripture says, “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy” (Proverbs 28:13). Confession means agreeing with God that we have sinned against him.

Charles Spurgeon said, “It does not spoil your happiness . . . to confess your sin. The unhappiness is in not making the confession.”

While true conversion begins with admitting we’re wrong, it doesn’t end there. It involves repentance. Repentance is more than reciting well-calculated words with a view toward minimizing our losses. Repentance, when it is genuine, is in fact not accompanied by calculation at all. It is utterly vulnerable, and demonstrates this by a radical change in behavior, a new humility, and a willingness to accept God’s discipline.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick” (Jeremiah 17:9). Sin requires a radical solution—salvation in Christ, which transforms our nature and dramatically affects our capacity to embrace greater happiness in God. Our justification by faith in Christ satisfies the demands of God’s holiness by exchanging our sins for Christ’s righteousness (see Romans 3:21-26).

God grants believers new natures that free us from sin’s bondage. Now we can draw upon God’s power to overcome evil. Because our hearts are changed when we become new people in Christ, we want a better way. “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you” (Romans 8:9).

Once believers are born again, we cannot continue to sin as a lifestyle because of our new natures (see 1 John 3:9). Sin is still present in our lives (see Romans 6:11-14; 1 John 1:8–2:2), but we have supernatural power to overcome it since we’ve died to sin (see Romans 6:6-9). God’s Holy Spirit indwells us and helps us obey Him (see 2 Timothy 1:14).

The result? With the Holy Spirit’s help, we’re free to reject sin and its misery, and embrace righteousness, with its true and lasting happiness.

This article originally appeared here.

Pastors: 4 Reasons Not to Homeschool Your Kids

David Walker

September 30, 2022

Before I share reasons not to homeschool, and just to be clear, I am a pastor and we homeschool. This is our first year homeschooling both of our grade school children, and we have a preschooler that we plan to homeschool in kindergarten next year. My wife and I have had a great experience and are excited about the future. It’s hard work, especially for my wife who is the primary teacher, but we have felt peace as we follow God’s leading in this area of our lives.

As many church leaders will have noticed in their communities, the popularity of homeschooling is increasing. One recent statistic showed that over 2 million students are now learning at home. I attended pastor’s conference recently where I learned that the percentage of pastors’ families that are choosing to homeschool is on the rise as well.

The purpose of this article is not to debate whether this is a positive trend or not. The reality is that homeschooling families represent a growing demographic in our communities. Many of them are already connected in our churches, but a significant number have no connection to a church at all. A growing number of parents who homeschool are doing so because of dissatisfaction with the public school system, and not because of personal religious reasons. But there are still some reasons not to homeschool.

The old stereotype of super-conservative families with 10 kids who all dress the same and fall asleep listening to Answers in Genesis every night doesn’t fit reality anymore. The Barna Group reports that, “Half of all homeschool parents said they are ‘somewhere in between’ being politically conservative and liberal.”

There are two major lessons to be drawn from this:

1. Our churches, and pastors specifically, should be sensitive to the perspectives and needs of homeschooling families.

2. Pastors who choose to homeschool should be careful how and why they publicly articulate their own reason to do so.

There are plenty of reasons that school at home is a great educational option, perhaps especially for pastors’ families. Increased family time, different options in curriculum, safety and security, specialized emphasis on your child’s strengths and interest areas are some of the leading pros.

But there are also reasons not to homeschool, especially for pastors. By that I mean that there are motivations for home education that should not be a part of a pastor’s public case for his family’s private choice to homeschool. If your motivation is poor, or poorly communicated, it will harm your ministry.

4 Reasons Not to Homeschool Your Kids

Mistake #1. We had an awful experience in public school, and we want to spare our kids from that pain.

Perhaps you did have an awful experience in public school growing up. Jesus enters our lives and heals all sorts of scars and wounds from our past. There is a difference between gaining wisdom and insight from past experiences, and a life of choices driven by fear.

Among the reasons not to homeschool, we should realie that public school is not the enemy. The world is a broken place and we cannot escape it. We are not meant to. We are meant to participate with Christ in His work to redeem it. That may sound like a rationale to stay in public school. If fear is your reason to leave public school, then perhaps repentance would mean re-enrollment for you.

Samson Bible Story for Kids: 19 Resources to Build Strong Faith

Stephanie Martin

September 29, 2022

Looking for a Samson Bible story for kids? The Old Testament account of the last Israelite judge (found in chapters 13 to 16 of Judges) is a classic. Samson’s long locks, his heroic feats, Delilah’s deception, and Samson’s dramatic finale capture kids’ attention while providing important faith lessons.

As with all intense Scripture accounts, age-appropriateness is key for a Samson Bible story for kids. Be sure to engage young learners with resources such as crafts, games, videos, and coloring sheets.

While teaching about Samson and Delilah, remind children where true strength comes from. Point out ways that God intervened in Samson’s life. And pray with kids that God will build their strength “muscles” throughout their lives.

Check out this wide variety of Samson Bible lesson resources for Sunday school and children’s church. Pro Tip: Adapt these 19 ideas for family devotions too!

19 Ideas for a Samson Bible Story for Kids

Bible Stories and Lessons

1. God’s Strong Man

Use this kid-friendly Bible lesson from Sermons4Kids.

2. Samson & Delilah

This material emphasizes the importance of good friends and the danger of peer pressure.

3. Mighty Warrior

The storybook format at this site brings Samson’s exploits to life.

4. Samson the Strong

Here’s a complete Bible lesson for children about Samson.

5. Samson Bible Lesson

Another free lesson about Samson is available for download here.

Samson Videos for Kids

On YouTube, you’ll find a variety of free, kid-friendly videos about the OT hero Samson.

6. Silly Scriptures

This animated video is aimed at younger kids.

John MacArthur Tells Gavin Newsom His ‘Soul Lies in Grave, Eternal Peril,’ Pleads With Him To Repent in Open Letter

Jesse T. Jackson

September 29, 2022

John MacArthur Gavin Newsom — (L) Gavin Newsom Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (R) John MacArthur https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/John_F._MacArthur_Jr..JPG

On Thursday (Sept. 29), Grace Community Church Senior Pastor John MacArthur shared an open letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom pleading with him to repent and make Jesus Christ his Lord and Savior in light of Newsom’s billboards supporting abortion.

MacArthur’s letter, which was addressed to Newsom’s office in Sacramento, California, tells the governor that he has failed in his responsibility as a civic leader.

“Almighty God says in His Word, ‘Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people’ (Proverbs 14:3). Scripture also teaches that it is the chief duty of any civic leader to reward those who do well and to punish evildoers (Romans 13:1–7),” The 83-year-old pastor wrote. “You have not only failed in that responsibility; you routinely turn it on its head, rewarding evildoers and punishing the righteous.”

“The Word of God pronounces judgment on those who call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20), and yet many of your policies reflect this unholy, upside-down view of honor and morality,” MacArthur continued. “The diabolical effects of your worldview are evident in the statistics of California’s epidemics of crime, homelessness, sexual perversions (like homosexuality and transgenderism), and other malignant expressions of human misery that stem directly from corrupt public policy.”

“I don’t need to itemize or elaborate on the many immoral decisions you have perpetrated against God and the people of our state, which have only exacerbated these problems. Nevertheless, my goal in writing is not to contend with your politics, but rather to plead with you to hear and heed what the Word of God says to men in your position,” the pastor pleaded, writing out Psalm 72:11, 2 Samuel 23:3–4, and Proverbs 16:12.

MacArthur told Newsom that he should take what God told Cyrus in Isaiah 45 to heart, a passage in which God proclaims there is no other God but Himself.

MacArthur called Newsom’s recent pro-abortion billboards, which Newsom launched in seven pro-life states across the nation earlier this month, a rebellion against God, saying, “You revealed to the entire nation how thoroughly rebellious against God you are when you sponsored billboards across America promoting the slaughter of children, whom He creates in the womb.”

“You further compounded the wickedness of that murderous campaign with a reprehensible act of gross blasphemy, quoting the very words of Jesus from Mark 12:31 as if you could somehow twist His meaning and arrogate His name in favor of butchering unborn infants,” MacArthur said. “You used the name and the words of Christ to promote the credo of Molech (Leviticus 20:1–5). It would be hard to imagine a greater sacrilege.”

Newsom chose to use Jesus’ words while deliberately omitting the first part of the commandment, which Mark 12:30 records: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength,” MacArthur explained.

Francis Chan: Communion, Not Preaching, Should Be Central in Corporate Worship

Stephanie Martin

September 29, 2022

On a recent episode of his “Theology in the Raw” podcast, Preston Sprinkle shares a recording of Francis Chan speaking at April’s “Exiles in Babylon” conference. In his message, Chan urges church leaders to keep the Lord’s Supper at the center of worship, saying a shift toward emphasizing sermons has harmed Christian unity.

The podcast also includes a Q&A session between Chan and Sprinkle afterward. During that, Chan describes how he now looks more closely to the early Church for answers on theological issues. And after years of viewing the meal as only a symbol, he now leans toward the Eastern Orthodox view on communion.

Francis Chan: ‘The Body & Blood Were Always Central’

For the first 1,500 years after Jesus’ earthly ministry, notes Chan, “the body and blood were always central” when Christians gathered for worship. They were in awe of the meal and were excited to participate as one body.

But 500 years ago, Ulrich Zwingli “moved communion off to the side,” Chan says, putting a wooden pulpit in the center of worship instead. When other pastors followed suit, the unifying elements of communion faded. Instead, worshipers began comparing pastors and their theologies, “fighting about who’s right.”

Chan describes the first 1,000 years of Christendom by saying, “There was one church!” And for the first 1,500 years, he adds, “Everyone believed in the real presence of Christ in the bread and the cup.” Although that presence was a mystery, it was accepted as truth.

In today’s church, meanwhile, Christians divide ourselves by saying “we can’t break bread with certain people.” Chan asks, “Do you really believe that could be God’s will, that we have like 20 different tables?”

Eucharist Is More Than Remembering, Writes Michael Bird

In a September 28th blog about Chan’s message, Australian priest Michael Bird agrees that “the mere memorialism and marginalization of the Lord’s Supper to elevate the role of preaching” is unfortunate and incorrect. Bird shares an anecdote he heard about a chapel’s ironic layout. Directly above the communion table is a stained-glass window showing the women visiting Jesus’ empty tomb on Easter. Inscribed below are the angel’s words, “He is not here!”

That “sums up how many people feel about the Lord’s Supper,” writes Bird. “Jesus is remembered, but he is not present!” That view is deficient, he says, because “Jesus’ presence is the whole point!”

Porn Accountability Platform Covenant Eyes Responds To Accusations of Violating Privacy, Being ‘Shameware’

Dale Chamberlain

September 29, 2022

Covenant Eyes, an online accountability software, is responding to accusations that its platform is being used by pastors and church leaders to violate users’ privacy and shame them.

Founded in 2000, Covenant Eyes is a platform aimed at helping users “live porn-free through transformative accountability relationships.” To accomplish this goal, the software tracks a user’s online activity, flagging potentially pornographic content and alerting an accountability partner, whom the company refers to as an “ally.”

Covenant Eyes is a leading platform in the accountability software space, which includes other platforms such as Accountable2You, NetNanny, and Bark. The company also organizes conferences and events to educate churches and pastors about the dangers of pornography and how to address it.

However, Covenant Eyes and platforms like it have recently come under scrutiny following an article written by investigative data reporter Dhruv Mehrotra and published on WIRED.

In that article, Mehrotra tells the stories of Covenant Eyes users who expressed that they felt coerced and shamed by church leaders while using the platform, and that their privacy had been violated.

One of those users was Grant Hao-Wei Lin, who was required to install the app after coming out to a leader at Gracepoint Church, a Southern Baptist network of collegiate churches and parachurch ministries headquartered in Alameda, California.

Within a month, Hao-Wei Lin said that the level of detail in the report given to the church leader by Covenant Eyes began to weigh heavily on him. Hao-Wei Lin recounted receiving accusatory emails from the leader over website content that he had hardly even remembered viewing and was not pornographic.

Another former church member referred to the platform as “shameware.”

WIRED reported that Covenant Eyes and Accountable2You monitor far more than pornography usage. In the case of Android devices, WIRED discovered that both companies exploit an accessibility API, which is intended to help developers create features for people living with disabilities, to capture and record essentially everything a user does on their device.

For Hao-Wei Lin, this meant that even his Amazon purchases became subject to the scrutiny of the church leader. A former Accountable2You user also told WIRED that she was confronted by her pastor in a sit down meeting after viewing a Wikipedia article about atheism.

Dante Bowe Apologizes for Behavior That Resulted in Maverick City Music ‘Pausing’ Their Relationship

Jesse T. Jackson

September 29, 2022

Grammy award-winning gospel singer Dante Bowe released a statement late Wednesday night (Sept. 29) apologizing for his behavior, which led to Maverick City Music “pausing” their professional relationship with him.

Maverick City Music announced on Tuesday (Sept. 27) that “due to behavior that is inconsistent with our core values and beliefs, we have decided to put a pause on our professional relationship with Dante Bowe. Decisions like these are not easy because of the level of nuance, both professionally and personally, but we felt it necessary to address.”

Dante Bowe Releases Statement

Bowe released his statement on Instagram, which he switched to private earlier this week after sharing he was taking a break from social media. Bowe’s account was subsequently changed back to a public account, so those who weren’t following him could see his apology.

“This platform of success I enjoy is a blessing that is both gifted to me and shared with YOU, my faith community, family, friends, supporters and fellow artists,” Bowe’s message read.

Referencing his recent online behavior, which has been the subject of criticism, Bowe wrote, “I sincerely apologize for the impact of my behavior and that it has offended many people on the platform we share together. This experience has been a very real reminder of the importance of being incredibly intentional with how I utilize and engage with the tools social platforms provide.”

“Throughout this process, I have received wise counsel which influenced my decision to take a step back and reflect about my actions so that I may recommit to living in the purpose God has for my life,” Bowe went on to say.

Bowe concluded, “I want to say thank you to Maverick City Music for their continued support now and always. Throughout this process they have remained by my side and for that I am truly grateful.”

Bowe’s apology has received thousands of supportive comments, including one from the daughter of Hillsong Church’s former Global Senior Pastors Brian and Bobbie Houston, Laura Toggs, who said, “You’re altogether wonderful Dante. Thank you for sharing your humanity with us. You didn’t have to. Your songs have blessed so many. No shame nor judgment. Just real, beautiful, compassionate grace, mercy and kindness from a God that has been SO gracious to us hey. Keep your head held high and stay away from the noise. Your best song is yet to be sung.”

Poor People’s Campaign Asks Congress To Vote on Wages, Voting Rights Before Midterms

Adelle M Banks

September 29, 2022

WASHINGTON (RNS) — Clergy from across the country have joined the leaders of the Poor People’s Campaign in calling on Congress to vote on issues related to fair wages, voting rights and poverty reduction ahead of the midterm elections.

“Too many Americans are being negatively impacted by the lack of living wages, voting rights, and lack of policy support,” wrote the Rev. William Barber II and the Rev. Liz Theoharis, co-chairs of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival in letters to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the minority leaders of the U.S. House and Senate.

“When we asked poor and low-income people who did not vote in the 2018 midterms why they did not turn out, the number one reason we heard was because they did not hear politicians speaking to them and the issues that impact their lives,” they wrote in the letters sent Tuesday (Sept. 27).

The letters were the latest plea for policy change by the movement that has since 2018 modeled itself on the original Poor People’s Campaign started by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. that brought together a wide range of activists to focus on what King called the “three evils” of racism, poverty and militarism.

Today’s Poor People’s Campaign, which also addresses environmental justice, focused on poverty in its letter to congressional leaders. While there was a decrease of millions of poor people after the American Rescue Plan was signed by President Joe Biden last year, “the failure of the Senate to extend those provisions and the pressure of inflation are together pushing more people to the edge,” it reads.

The co-leaders of the campaign and dozens of clergy from Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths gathered on Thursday in a Capitol Hill briefing room before half a dozen Democratic members of Congress for a discussion of how those issues are affecting their congregants and communities.

From left, Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill.; Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif.; Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.; Rep. Kathy Manning, D-N.C.; and Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., attend the Poor People’s Campaign’s congressional briefing on Sept. 22, 2022, at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington. RNS photo by Adelle M. Banks

Calling the current national situation a “moral emergency,” Barber said the three-point request aims to help voters know where members of Congress stand before they head to the polls for the Nov. 8 election.

Theoharis, likewise, urged action in the coming weeks.

“We’re not coasting into the midterm,” she said. “We’re asking Congress to put forward legislation that could lift the load of poverty, to do this before November,
and to show that if there are representatives, if there are senators who are willing to stand against lifting tens of millions of people out of poverty and economic precarity that it’s within the power of people, especially for low-income people, to vote those politicians out.”

Barber countered the notion that restricted voting rights — a concern since key provisions were removed by the Supreme Court in 2013 — affect only one group of people.

“Why do we keep framing voting rights as a Black issue only? Why?” he asked, saying tens of millions of people are facing voting restrictions “because for nine years we have not restored the Voting Rights Act.”

The Democratic representatives who attended the briefing seemed supportive of the campaign’s aims. They were addressed by speakers including Bishop Vashti McKenzie, interim president of the National Council of Churches; Rabbi Jonah Pesner, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism; and Imam Saffet Catovic, leader of the Islamic Society of North America’s interfaith office.

Joni and Friends Helps Evacuate Families With Special Needs Out of War Zone

Timothy Cockes

September 29, 2022

NASHVILLE (BP) – With the war in Ukraine continuing to make worldwide headlines, Joni and Friends, the ministry organization of Joni Eareckson Tada, is expanding its usual outreach to disabled persons by assisting them in evacuating the country.

In written comments to Baptist Press, Tada said the devastation caused by Russia’s invasion has left disabled persons among the most vulnerable.

“In-country senior services and disability support programs have been significantly damaged and special-needs families are struggling to survive,” Tada said. “The urgent plight of elderly and disabled Ukrainians is more desperate than ever.”

Tada, founder and CEO of Joni and Friends, has herself been a quadriplegic since the age of 17 after experiencing a pool diving accident. She established Joni and Friends in 1979 to minister to families affected by disability.

Over more than 40 years, the organization has ministered in a variety of ways including providing wheelchairs to those in need, hosting a nationwide radio program and holding ministry events.

Jason Holden, vice president for global operations, told Baptist Press that Joni and Friends has hosted many events in Ukraine over the years, and was even in the process of building a Joni’s House relief center in western Ukraine.

Some of the “legacy” programs the organization has held in the country include Wheels for the World and International Family Retreats.

When the conflict made events like these impossible to host in the country, the ministry began to shift its focus toward evacuations.

A hot-line was established stateside where displaced Ukrainians could call in and let the organization know where they were and what needs they had. Once the phone line was set up, the gravity of the situation became clear.

“We’ve received a lot of emails and phone calls and the stories are just of despair,” Holden said.

“People are living with disabilities in tall apartment buildings who were stuck because their caregivers did not come back once the invasion began. They are hearing all the bombs and explosions and not knowing what to do or who to call. They are fearful, scared and often trapped. There are many stories of great fear of the unknown and of who can come and help them.”

Working alongside one of the ministry’s international regional coordinators who lives in Ukraine as well other partners, Joni and Friends began to help transport people out of conflict zones in the western part of Ukraine to a safer location.

Once they got them to a safe place, volunteers helped evacuees fill out paperwork to cross the border into the nearby countries of Poland or Romania. Some went on to final destinations such as Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands.

In total, Joni and Friends has partnered with local ministry connections to help evacuate more than 600 people, made up of disabled Ukrainians and their families and caregivers.

“When we started receiving these calls we started to ask, who is doing this, and the answer was no one,” Holden said.

“We said, ‘Well then, we have to do this.’ It wasn’t a choice. This is what we were called to do because we knew if we didn’t do it, we didn’t think that anyone else would. We had the capability and the partnerships, so we just made it happen.”

One evacuated family was so inspired, they have continued to travel to other surrounding countries to help support other families with disabilities even after they became settled themselves.

Interfaith Group Hosts Hill Briefing on Christian Nationalism

Jack Jenkins

September 29, 2022

WASHINGTON (RNS) — An interfaith group of activists and religious advocates voiced concerns about the rise of Christian nationalism on Wednesday (Sept. 28), arguing the ideology is a threat to democracy during a briefing on Capitol Hill.

“We are convening this Christian nationalism briefing because we feel it represents a clear and present danger to our democracy and to an inclusive vision of religious freedom,” said the Rev. Paul Raushenbush, head of the group Interfaith Alliance, which organized the event.

Speakers at the hourlong briefing outlined what they said were specific threats posed by Christian nationalism, a fusion of faith and national identity that swelled during the tenure of former President Donald Trump and has continued to gain steam ever since.

Author and lawyer Wajahat Ali noted the visibility of Christian nationalism during the attack on the U.S. Capitol that took place on Jan. 6, 2021. He said it has become common to hear versions of the ideology articulated by Republicans ahead of this year’s midterm elections.

“Christian nationalism was a major motivator for the violent coup that sought to overturn the free and fair election by any violent means necessary,” Ali said, referring to Jan. 6. “Fast-forward to today, and we have GOP Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene openly embracing Christian nationalism and palling around with antisemitic white nationalist Nick Fuentes.”

Fuentes, a right-wing extremist who heads the group America First, has begun openly identifying as Christian nationalist, as has Greene. Meanwhile, Republican candidates such as Pennsylvania’s Doug Mastriano have given voice to versions of the ideology on the campaign trail.

Lawyer and author Wajahat Ali answers a question during the Interfaith Alliance’s talk about Christian nationalism and it’s impact on religion and democracy in America. RNS photo by Jack Jenkins

Ali, who is Muslim, noted members of his faith have long been targeted by Christian nationalists, and he referred to the ideology as the “greatest threat to our national security today.”

“Another word for this growing Christian nationalism movement is fascism,” he said. “Another word is national security threat. Another word, in specific contexts, is terrorism.”

Connie Ryan, who serves as executive director of Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, specified more local concerns. Ryan argued Christian nationalism has driven efforts in her state to allow for Bible classes in public schools, as well as what she described as an overall “demonization” of public schools and the teachers who work there.

“We have legislators who would have been moderate five, six, seven years ago, and they are moving and shifting toward Christian nationalism,” she said.

Tayhlor Coleman, a voting rights advocate who has been touring Texas in a van converted into a “voter registration mobile,” said the rise of Christian nationalism and its impact on the Capitol insurrection reminded her of America’s racist past. She recounted when white racists stormed majority-Black voting precincts in Texas during Reconstruction, sparking violence that resulted in lynchings.

“When I look at the folks who are leading this (Christian nationalist) movement, I don’t see any Christianity,” Coleman said, adding that she was raised Southern Baptist. “What I do see is the very same racism we always have.”

After Supreme Court Backs Praying Coach, No Sweeping Changes

Luis Andres Henao

September 29, 2022

praying_coach — FILE - Former Bremerton High School assistant football coach Joe Kennedy stands on the field at Bremerton Memorial Stadium, Nov. 5, 2015. After the June 27, 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of the high school football coach’s right to pray on the field after games, there were predictions of sweeping consequences from across the ideological spectrum. But three months after the decision, there’s no sign that large numbers of coaches are following Kennedy’s high-profile example. (Larry Steagall/Kitsap Sun via AP, File)

Across the ideological spectrum, there were predictions of dramatic consequences when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of a public high school football coach’s right to pray on the field after games.

Yet three months after the decision — and well into the football season — there’s no sign that large numbers of coaches have been newly inspired to follow Joseph Kennedy’s high-profile example.

“I don’t think there has been a noticeable uptick in these sorts of situations,” said Chris Line, an attorney for the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which advocates for the separation of church and state.

“But the real issue is not going to be the number, because there’s always going to be people like that who want to use their position to push religion on other people,” Line said. “The difference now is whether school districts are going to do the right thing about it.”

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 for Kennedy on June 27, saying the Washington state coach had a constitutional right to pray at the 50-yard-line. The conservative justices were in the majority and the liberals in dissent.

In a phone interview, Kennedy and his attorneys at First Liberty Institute, a Christian legal group, lauded the ruling. But the former assistant coach said he hasn’t seen “really any difference, good or bad” since June. As far as football games go, he said, “it seems to be pretty much the same.”

“I think everybody’s trying to figure out what’s next and especially at the high school level ’cause this came out right before the season,” he said.

A majority of U.S. adults approve of the Supreme Court’s decision, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

The poll shows 54% of Americans approve of the ruling, while 22% disapprove and 23% hold neither opinion. The survey also shows that solid majorities think a coach leading a team in prayer (60%), a player leading a team in prayer (64%) and a coach praying on the field without asking the team to join in (71%) should all be allowed in public high school sports.

Kennedy began coaching at Bremerton High near Seattle in 2008. He initially prayed alone on the 50-yard line at the end of games. Students started joining him, and over time he began delivering short, inspirational talks with religious references. Kennedy did that for years and also led students in locker room prayers. When the school district learned what he was doing in 2015, it asked him to stop out of concerns of a possible lawsuit over students’ religious freedom rights.

Kennedy stopped leading prayers in the locker room and on the field, but wanted to continue kneeling and praying on the field after games. The school asked him not to do so while still “on duty” as a coach. When he continued, it put him on paid leave. The head coach of the varsity team later recommended he not be rehired because, among other things, he failed to follow district policy.

A Little Encouragement for the More Senior Pastor Who’s Been Doing It Right for Years

James Scott Jr.

September 29, 2022

Nearly all of the attention and encouragement given to pastors in conferences, podcasts, books, videos, or otherwise, is pointed to a stereotype of a younger pastor who is out there trying to change the world.

A person who is often overlooked is that more senior pastors who has been out there ministering with excellence for at least a couple decades. The kind of pastor I’m talking about is the last guy described here in an insightful little story told by Jonathan Alexander which I shared recently, but this tidbit bears repeating here …

I remember having lunch with John for the first time. John was on our elder leadership team, and I had just arrived as the new Pastor of Community Life. So John and I are at lunch having some light conversation, and he says this to me: “You won’t be really effective until you’re in your 40s.” Mind you, I had just turned 30. And when I left my 20s behind I remember thinking, “Finally, I’m 30 years old … now people will take me seriously.” And here I have John telling me I have 10 more years before I can even be effective.

I’ll confess, I wasn’t too pleased in the moment. But instead of getting up and walking out (and stiffing him with the bill), I listened to what he had to say. He began to explain, “When you’re in your 20s, you’re trying to figure out who you are, what your gifts are, and what you’re good at. Then when you hit your 30s, you know 4-5 things that you’re good at and you hone in on them. And then finally, when you hit your 40s you know the 1 or 2 things that you are great at and you maximize those through your 40s and 50s. Then in your mid to late 50s, in your 60s and beyond, you’re figuring out how to pass those things on to the next generation.”

It’s these guys who have been ministering for so many years they have refined their ministry and they have been pouring into younger leaders for years. They have led their congregations with humility and excellence, and have made a real impact for the kingdom of God. These are the guys who have written the books all the other ministers read to learn from, and whose examples they reference. It’s these more senior leaders I’d like to take notice of and offer some encouragement with a pinch of challenge.

Even though these are the guys who have been blazing the trails, setting the examples, and providing encouragement for all the rest of us, they can use some of their own encouragement. Today’s church in Western culture is ageist, it worships young pastors who preach in skinny jeans and fitted shirts and are members of the same gym you are. Often overlooked are the men who have spent decades in their study and on their knees so they could competently lead all the rest of us. As churches search for “young ministers with young families” who can “attract” young families from the communities, these more senior of pastors can be overlooked and vastly under-valued. Here’s a few words of encouragement for them:

You’re not even close to being done, you’re just hitting your stride!
Now that you’re arriving at a place in your relationship with Jesus that you’re more mature in your faith than most everyone you lead and minister with, it’s not time to back off! Now is the time to bless your congregation, community, and the greater church with the wisdom you’ve gained through a longer, sustained journey of faith. While you encourage and support younger ministers coming up in the church, they’re still trying to figure out life (marriage, parenting, what servant leadership is) and they’re still coming to you for advice because you’ve “been there, done that,” there’s little they’ll experience you haven’t already been through. Reaching this level of maturity doesn’t mean it’s time to step aside, it means it’s time to step up even more! Unleash all that God has been teaching you for the benefit of everyone you serve, and let the church benefit from years of consistent excellence.

It’s time to raise the bar, not pass the baton. Growing wiser in the faith is an opportunity to grow deeper in Jesus. You know from decades of experience that everything you’ve accomplished really was achieved through Christ, and all for His glory. So use that depth you’ve gained to go deeper with Jesus, and then do what you’ve done for all these many years — pass on to everyone else an even deeper experience with the Lord.

9 Secrets Your Pastor’s Wife Won’t Say Out Loud

Christina Stolaas

September 29, 2022

The pastor’s wife is always there. Sometimes in the background, sometimes with a welcoming smile up front, sometimes noticed and appreciated, sometimes being silently judged. Your pastor’s wife: the powerful force behind most church leaders often perceived as a mystery by the rest of the church. It doesn’t have to be that way.

What if we just asked our pastor’s wife to candidly, honestly, even anonymously, share some of their secrets? What if we invited them to share their hearts and tell us what they wished the church knew?

I posed a simple, open-ended question to a panel of pastors’ wives in different states, from different denominations, with various years of service: “If you could tell the church a few things about your role as a pastor’s wife, what would you say?”

The women selected are the wives of music ministers, children’s leaders, senior pastors and youth pastors. Some of them serve in churches with large staff and even larger budgets, others in newer church plants, and even some from old and barely surviving congregations. Despite such different backgrounds, their responses were strangely similar and in several cases, almost identical.

I’ve sat for coffee, exchanged emails and had lengthy conversations with many who freely shared their secrets with me in exchange for the promise of anonymity.

Understanding the Pastor’s Wife

What follows is a condensed collection of their words to help us understand our pastor’s wife.

1. “I wish people knew that we struggle to have family time.”

There was one common response that I received from every single pastor’s wife. Every. Single. One. Over and over again, many pastors’ wives shared numerous occasions where planned vacations had been cut short (wouldn’t that be hard?). They told me tales of family evenings being rearranged for crises of church members, middle of the night emergencies and regular interruptions. A true day off is rare; even on scheduled days off, their husbands are essentially on call 24/7.

2. “Almost every day, I’m afraid of screwing it all up.”

They don’t have it all together. They battle many of the same issues every other woman battles: marriage issues, extended-family difficulties, sickness, finances, children who make poor decisions, fear and insecurities. Some seasons of life are obviously harder than others; but remember, ministry wives are not Wonder Woman with special powers. Please have a little mercy and extend grace.

3. “Being a pastor’s wife is THE loneliest thing I’ve ever done and for so many reasons.”

Personally, I think this is surprising to many (it was to me). Several ladies shared the difficulties of finding friendships that are safe, being looked at (or treated) differently, and even the desire to be invited for an occasional ladies night out. One woman shared, “Invite us to something just to get to know us. We like being known.” People in the church often assume that the pastor’s wife is always invited and popular. In reality, for whatever reason, many ladies fear befriending them. On Sunday mornings, pastors’ wives are often sitting solo, and those with children are essentially single parenting.

Can Rich People Go to Heaven?

Randy Alcorn

September 29, 2022

In the story of the rich young man, we’re told that he “ran up to [Jesus] and fell on his knees before him” (Mark 10:17, NIV). The man’s eagerness and sincerity are evident.

“Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” So far, so good. This man wants to live with God in Heaven forever.

After the rich young man spoke to Jesus, we read something remarkable that’s often overlooked: “Jesus looked at him and loved him” (Mark 10:21, NIV).

When you love people, you act in their best interests. What Jesus said next should be seen in light of the immediately preceding statement that Jesus loved him: “One thing you lack. . . . Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Mark 10:21, NIV).

Unlike many of us, Jesus clearly grasps eternal realities, and that knowledge informs His love for rich people. He knew what stood between this young man and the good life God offers: his wealth. He wouldn’t have been seeking something more from Jesus if he already had the abundant life. His question suggests unease, dissatisfaction, and discontentment with the life he’d been living.

Because of His loving grace, God desires to remove any obstacle between us and eternal, abundant life. Sure, Jesus showed love for the poor by commanding the rich man to donate his wealth to them. But He simultaneously showed love for the man by offering him liberation from the false god of wealth.

Tragically, we’re told, “At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth” (Mark 10:22, NIV). What the rich man thought he owned actually owned him. Money was his god. “No one can serve two masters . . . You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24, NIV).

The rich young man thought he was acting in his own best interests by clinging to his wealth. He couldn’t have been more wrong. He didn’t understand that Jesus, by telling him to give it away, was actually offering him freedom, joy, and the life that’s truly life.

Seeing the rich young man’s unwillingness to be freed from the bondage of wealth, Jesus turned to His disciples and said with sadness, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! . . . It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:23, 25, NIV).

Many books and sermons, and even some commentaries, claim that there was a narrow passage or gate in Jerusalem called “the eye of a needle.” Supposedly camels had to be unloaded of everything they were carrying before they could fit through it. Some say the camels could enter on their knees. Therefore, rich people can enter God’s Kingdom, but only if they dump all their baggage and enter Heaven in humility.

This all sounds very spiritual, and indeed endless articles online suggest that such a gate existed. Commentator William Barclay is sometimes cited as a source for this idea, but Barclay doesn’t document this claim; he simply indicates, “It is said that . . .” which of course is no help. In fact, despite my extensive search for a credible historical reference to back this up, I have never seen any evidence there was actually a gate called by ancients the “eye of the needle.”

Jesus used the normal word for a sewing needle, and what’s translated “eye” means “hole.” We don’t have to come up with a creative way to negate the possibility of a camel going through a needle’s eye. Obviously a camel can’t go through a needle’s eye—and that’s the whole point, humorously pictured by Jesus. Apart from a miracle, rich people can’t stop trusting in their riches and instead turn to Christ. That’s what the disciples understood Jesus to be saying, which explains their shocked response: “They who heard it said, ‘Then who can be saved?’” (Luke 18:26, NASB).

Why their astonishment? Because in Jesus’ day, wealth was seen as a sign of God’s approval. The logic went like this: if the wealthy, whom God obviously approves of, have a hard time going to Heaven, how could the poor, whom God apparently disdains, ever make it?

But Jesus qualified His shocking statement by saying, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God” (Luke 18:27, amp). Just as it’s impossible for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, it’s impossible with people—but not with God—for a rich man to enter Heaven. Jesus can and ultimately did provide a way for rich people—and all who believe in Him—to enter God’s Kingdom.

Peter seemed stunned by Jesus’ statement that it’s humanly impossible for the rich to inherit God’s Kingdom. He said, “We have left everything to follow you!” (Mark 10:28, NIV).

Instead of rebuking him, Jesus said to Peter, “Truly I tell you, . . . no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life” (Mark 10:29-30, NIV).

Jesus indicated here that not just some but all of His followers must turn away from various forms of wealth that get in the way of following Him, whether that wealth comes in the form of money, property, security, family, prestige, or popularity. Short-term rewards and eternal ones await anyone who follows Christ. The life we obtain far surpasses anything we leave behind.

After saying we should take up our crosses to follow Him, Jesus taught, “If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it” (Matthew 16:25, NLT).

At first glance, we might imagine Jesus calls us to utter disregard for our self-interests. In fact, His call is the opposite. Jesus supplies the reason we should give up our lives: to save them. We give up empty lives and grab hold of the good life. We give up an impoverished spiritual life to enjoy the abundant life in Christ. This is like being offered ownership of Coca-Cola in exchange for a sack of pop bottles. Only a fool would pass up the offer.

This article about the rich young man originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

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