Poll: Nearly Half of Americans Think the US Should Be a Christian Nation

October 27, 2022

(RNS) — Forty-five percent of Americans believe the U.S. should be a “Christian nation,” one of several striking findings from a sweeping new Pew Research Center survey examining Christian nationalism.

But researchers say respondents differed greatly when it came to outlining what a Christian nation should look like, suggesting a wide spectrum of beliefs.

“There are a lot of Americans — 45% — who tell us they think the United States should be a Christian nation. That is a lot of people,” Greg Smith, one of the lead authors of the survey, said in an interview. “(But) what people mean when they say they think the U.S. should be a Christian nation is really quite nuanced.”

The findings, unveiled Thursday (Oct. 27), come as Christian nationalism has become a trending topic in midterm election campaigns, with extremists and even members of Congress such as Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene identifying with the term and others, such as Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Pennsylvania Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano, expressing open hostility to the separation of church and state. In the road show known as the ReAwaken America Tour, unapologetically Christian nationalist leaders crisscross the country spouting conspiracy theories and baptizing people.

Pew’s findings suggest the recent surge in attention paid to Christian nationalism has had an effect on Americans, although some suggested politicians may be staking out positions to the right of those who merely say America should be a “Christian nation.”

“I used to think it was a positive view, but now with the MAGA crowd, I view it as racist, homophobic, anti-woman,” read one response to the question, according to the report.

According to the survey, which was conducted in September, 60% of Americans believe the U.S. was originally intended to be a Christian nation, but only 33% say it remains so today. Most (67%) say churches and other houses of worship should keep out of political matters, with only 31% endorsing faith groups expressing views on social and political issues.

Even those who believe America should be a Christian nation generally avoided hard-line positions. Most of this group (52%) said the government should never declare any particular faith the official state religion. Only 28% said they wanted Christianity recognized as the country’s official faith. Similarly, 52% said the government should advocate for moral values shared by several religions, compared to 24% who said it should advocate for Christian values alone.

But the pro-Christian America group was more split on the separation of church and state: 39% said the principle should be enforced, whereas 31% said the government should abandon it. An additional 30% disliked either option, refused or didn’t know.

Most in the group (54%) also said that if the Bible and U.S. laws conflict, Scripture should have more influence than the will of the people.

Smith stressed that some respondents who expressed support for a Christian nation “do mean that they think Christian beliefs, values and morality ought to be reflected in US laws and policies.” But many respondents “tell us that they think the US should be guided by Christian principles in a general way, but they don’t mean that we should live in a theocracy,” he said. “They don’t mean that they want to get rid of separation of church and state. They don’t mean they want to see the US officially declared to be a Christian nation. It’s a nuanced picture.”

Among U.S. adults overall, only a small subset believe the U.S. government should declare Christianity the national faith (15%), advocate for Christian values (13%) or stop enforcing the separation of church and state (19%).

4 Types of Itching Ears and What Pastors Are Charged to Do

Eric Geiger

October 27, 2022

Technology experts have said that humanity is doubling its data creation every 18 months, and clearly one implication is that there is an article online somewhere right now to further validate and affirm anything you already believe or desire to believe. We have seen this tangibly throughout the pandemic – as there are articles citing experts to affirm any view on any subject related to the pandemic that one has already adopted. The explosion of information online makes it increasingly easier to choose a viewpoint and then find someone to validate that viewpoint, rather than researching and studying before forming one’s viewpoint.

Sadly, the same happens, and has always happened, when it comes to teaching about God, the faith, and the Scripture. Instead of beginning with truth, people can easily begin with what they desire to believe, what they wish were true, and find teachers or teaching to validate their viewpoints. With increasingly more access to different teaching, we can decide what we want to believe and then easily find teachers to affirm what we desire to be true. In the midst of charging pastor Timothy to preach the Word of God, the apostle Paul warned him that this would happen.

I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and because of his appearing and his kingdom: Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and teaching. For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear. (II Timothy 4:1-3)

According to the apostle Paul, people will find teachers to tell them what their itching ears want to hear rather than what the Scripture teaches. Here are four types of itching ears that seem to be common:

1. Theological Itching Ears

God reveals Himself to us in the Scripture as holy and compassionate, sovereign and caring, angry towards sin and gracious towards us. In my finite mind, there are times I have struggled with some of His attributes, but sitting under His Word is what matures me and increases my trust in Him. To sit under the fullness of the Word is to sit in the discomfort and the comfort of realizing God is beyond our figuring out and tracing. Discomfort because He is challenging us. Comfort because we have a God who bigger than us. Itching ears cause people to find teachers that only speak of the attributes of God they prefer, so as to fashion a God for their own tastes – which is a God too small to worship.

2. Lifestyle Itching Ears

Often itching ears don’t begin with beliefs; they begin with behavior. The person with itching ears wants to live a certain way and searches for teaching that validates that approach to life. Surely, we all face the temptation to seek confirmation that our behaviors are acceptable before the God we sing to each week. But do we really want at God who is never challenging us, who has given up on forming us? Joy comes not by editing the Bible to fit our lives, but by allowing the God of the Bible to edit our lives.

3. Ethical Itching Ears

Ethics deals with moral principles that govern how we live, and every generation is confronted with ethical debates. Instead of looking to the Scripture about what God has already made clear, those with itching ears decide what they want to believe about the ethical issues of the day and find teaching that supports those viewpoints.

4. Political Itching Ears

Because we are thankful for our Country and the amazing freedoms we enjoy, we rightly care about the political leaders and political decisions that impact our Country. But being too attached to a world that is not our home can lead to itching ears that searches for teaching that affirms one’s strong political viewpoints — even if other aspects of the teaching are outside of “sound doctrine.” Rather than starting with the Word, a political itching ear starts with a political viewpoint and finds teaching to support that viewpoint.

With all the itching ears, the starting point is the error. Instead of beginning with the Scripture, the person begins “with what they want to hear.” Itching ears are never sanctified ears because instead of being conformed by teaching they curate teaching “for what they want to hear.”

The sad reality is that we can find teachers, even teachers who hold Bibles in their hands, to support whatever we want to believe. The charge to the preacher is both simple and profound: “Preach the Word.” Instead of twisting Scripture for an itching ear, the preacher is to preach the pure and faultless Word in season and out of season.

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

4 New Frontiers in Digital Communications Every Church Should Master

Jason Caston

October 27, 2022

The digital age has brought about a revolution in communication. Never before have we been able to communicate so easily with people all over the world. The advancement of the web, email, social media, and mobile has played an enormous role in giving instant access to millions of people. What will be the next big thing as digital communications continue to evolve?

Digital communications and the new “normal”

When you talk to church leaders about digital communications, you can see a clear distinction in how they view their digital communication efforts; let me explain.

The first group sees digital communication as a necessary supplement to traditional ministry communications. These leaders see digital communication as the evolution of the church’s communication strategy, providing more ways to reach people both within and outside the church.

There’s a second group of church leaders, though, that view digital communication as not nearly so necessary. A thought propels this view of digital ministry that the church will go back to “normal”—not just pre-pandemic, but often the person is thinking of the good ole days of how they used to “do” church, viewing history through rose-colored glasses.

Whichever camp you find yourself in, it’s critical to remember change is a constant throughout our lives, including in digital communications. For some reason, many churches are not embracing this latest change by embracing digital communication as a tool for ministry. The new “normal” is just the continued progression of communication for humans, as it has been since the beginning of time.

Digital communications right now

Before we jump into the future of digital communications, let’s take a snapshot of the current digital communication landscape. When you think of digital media, you probably think of these things:

Web: Websites, Blogs, Microsites, Landing pages
Social: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Linkedin, Snapchat
Mobile: Text, App notifications, Whats App, Facebook Messenger
Email: Eblasts, Newsletters
Video (short and long form): YouTube, Facebook and Instagram Stories, TikTok, Vimeo

These digital tools are the foundation of a great digital communication strategy and are quite effective in their usage. Digital communications have come a long way since the early days of email and social media. We’ve seen the rise of new platforms, the fall of others, and the evolution of communication methods. As digital platforms and tools progress, we need to prepare for the changes that will come, the continued technological evolution.

Digital communications on the horizon

Let’s look at some critical digital communication platforms that will be very effective in helping us think forward about how we connect and engage with people.

1. Augmented Reality (AR)

Augmented Reality places digital information over the real world. For example, you could be walking down the street and see a digital image of a friend appear in front of you, telling you they are nearby. Or you could look at a building and see digital information about the building overlayed next to it. One potential ministry use for AR: have digital signs that guide a person through the building to different areas. AR could help a new person find the children’s ministry, sanctuary, and other vital areas of the building. Or imagine watching a sermon using AR glasses. While the pastor is preaching the story of Jesus on the mount, there’s a digital re-enactment next to them, helping you better visualize the story. Some popular mobile games, like Pokemon Go, have already used AR. Augmented Reality is on the path to becoming even more popular in the coming years.

2. Virtual Reality (VR)

Virtual Reality technology has the potential to change the way we communicate forever. Imagine being able to meet with someone in a virtual world, where you can see and hear them as if they were physically in the room. You could even shake their hand or hug them. Imagine attending worship services all around the world while feeling like you’re actually in the sanctuary or visiting them without the need to travel—that may be possible in the metaverse using VR technology. Virtual reality is still in its infancy, but some companies already use it for training and communication. It’s only a matter of time before virtual reality becomes mainstream.

3. Voice Assistants (Alexa)

That’s right, the digital assistant you can talk to and ask questions is the future of digital communication. Alexa is constantly learning and evolving, which means it will continue to better understand and respond to our needs. With Alexa, we can easily communicate with people worldwide without ever having to leave our homes. So if you’re looking for the future of digital communication, look no further than Amazon Alexa.

4. Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence led by Google’s smarter internet is communication between devices and humans. With the ever-growing popularity of digital communications, it’s no surprise that AI is becoming more involved in our lives. We’re already seeing AI become more ubiquitous with things like Siri and Alexa, but there are many other ways people can use AI to improve communication. For example, imagine having a conversation with a digital assistant that can understand your emotions and give personalized recommendations based on your interactions. This type of AI would be a huge step forward in digital communication and make connecting even easier for people. As digital communication continues to evolve, we can expect to see more and more AI being used to improve the experience for everyone involved.

Artificial intelligence is the key to all of these new digital communication platforms. AI is not only bridging the gap between humans and devices but also learning how humans communicate better. So why is AI so important? I’m glad you asked!

Personalization and customization are key to ministry

The key to the future of digital communication is not just the platforms we discussed above; it is personalization and customization. The rise of chatbots and digital assistants shows us the beginning of customizing digital messaging. These digital tools can provide a more personalized experience for the user. They can learn your preferences and offer you tailored content and recommendations. The key to engaging people on digital platforms is to reach them on the platform people are already using and give them the content they want when they want it.

So what’s all this mean for your church? The solution to engaging people outside your church is to take the life-saving gospel message to them—that mission has never changed. But let’s look at how people interact with technology today. We understand that taking the gospel to unreached people means we must begin using an evolving method (digital communication) and personalize that life-saving message, so it helps them answer questions they’re asking today. The answers they receive help them live the best life that God has for them. This is the great commission—and these digital communication platforms will help us in our mission.

This article on digital communications originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

Small Group Advice: How to Double Your Class

Josh Hunt

October 27, 2022

[This article is an exerpt from Josh Hunt’s book, You Can Double Your Class in Two Years.] I once heard my friend Mike Draper say that there are three types of football coaches: innovators, thieves, and the unemployed. He admitted he was no innovator, but he still has a job. In fact, he and his team are doing quite well. His secret? He is a skillful thief! Similarly, Rick Warren says, “If my bullet fits in your gun, shoot it.” I freely admit that there is hardly a thing in this book I didn’t steal!

You have heard of the person who said he would be original or nothing. He ended up being both. Don’t make the same stubborn mistake. You can double your class by learning from others.

How to Double Your Class

You will probably never be able to come up with enough original ideas to do your job or run your small group ministry adequately. It is much easier (and much smarter) to be a thief. That is the attitude with which I hope you will read this article—not to slavishly follow every detail, but to gain ideas.

Humans love two things: change and consistency. We love the seasons because they are both different and yet always the same. Your leaders loves variety, too. If you are not giving them some new ideas, they will get bored. Where do you get these ideas?

You steal them (and of course give credit where credit is due by referencing your sources where applicable)

I have stolen ideas from a wide variety of places. For example, I stole ideas about disclemaking from the Navigators. Though I am not an evangelist, I stole from people who wrote books on evangelism. The most productive source of ideas for me has been the whole school of church growth. Books on leadership proved enormously useful. I started with books on Christian leadership and then I crossed the bridge to secular books on worldly leadership. I am now embezzling from the account of marketing books. The point is—all these ideas are laying out in the open, with no lock or key. They are just begging to be stolen.

But enough about me. Who are you stealing from? What is the last book you read that really stretched you? Have you gotten ideas from any unlikely sources lately? Have you stolen anything recently? Cultivate laziness by giving the ministry away. Be humble enough to accept your ignorance and stay hungry to learn. And if you fail, there is grace.

This except on how to double your class recently appeared here, and is used by permission.

‘The Chosen’ Director Clears Up Book of Mormon Misconception: ‘It’s Not a Direct Quote’

Jesse T. Jackson

October 26, 2022

On Tuesday (Oct. 25), director for “The Chosen” Dallas Jenkins addressed the recent criticism of the show’s Season 3 trailer, wherein Jesus delivers a line that some believed was a paraphrase of a verse from the Book of Mormon.

The show is distributed by Angel Studios, which was co-founded by brothers Neal and Jeffery Harmon, who both belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, leading to accusations earlier this year that the show is produced by Mormons.

This caused a social media uproar among fans, prompting “The Chosen” to clear up the misconception, assuring viewers that “we’re not produced by Mormons.”

On Tuesday, Jenkins said that despite the controversy surrounding Jesus saying, “I am the law of Moses,” responses to the Season 3 trailer had been “over the moon,” with some calling the much maligned moment “one of the best lines in the whole trailer.”

“99% of people who’ve seen it went crazy and loved it. There’s just 1 percent—well, less than that, actually—who pointed out or said, ‘Hey, in the Book of Mormon, there’s a phrase where Jesus says I am the law in the light [3 Nephi 15:9],” Jenkins said.

“Very quickly, because I don’t want to take this too seriously,” Jenkins continued, “number one, it’s not a direct quote from the Book of Mormon, and it wasn’t referring to the law of Moses in that quote, and the quote is, I am the law in the light.”

Jenkins stated that he has never read the Book of Mormon apart from people sharing it with him, such as in this instance.

“I went, looked it up,” Jenkins explained. “I’m like, ‘Okay, no, it isn’t. But okay, it’s a cool line.’”

“I believe it’s a really great line, and I believe it’s also theologically plausible. I am the Way the Truth and the Life. I am the word. I am the light. I am the light of the world. I am the Creator,” Jenkins said. “So when someone is saying like, ‘We’re gonna follow the law of Moses,’ and Jesus is like, man, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath [Mark 2:27].’ God is over these things. Jesus is over these things. He is these things. He owns these things. They came from Him. And so Jesus makes many I am statements. He’s called the great I AM.”

“So no,” Jenkins affirmed, “I didn’t pull this quote from anywhere else. I just think it’s a theologically plausible line and it’s, I believe, a cool Jesus as King moment.”

‘Scary Christian Nationalism’ Is a ‘Smokescreen,’ Says Voddie Baucham on Allie Beth’s Stuckey’s Podcast

Jessica Mouser

October 26, 2022

voddie baucham — Composite image. Screenshot from YouTube / @Allie Beth Stuckey

Concerns about Christian nationalism are distracting Christians from engaging in the public square, argues author and former pastor Dr. Voddie Baucham Jr. Baucham joined author and cultural commentator Allie Beth Stuckey on her Relatable podcast in an Oct. 24 episode titled on YouTube, “’Christian Nationalism’ Sure Beats Progressive Globalism.”

“I remember it seemed like things started to get traction, right, in terms of people waking up to the problems with this whole social justice movement,” said Baucham. “People started to speak up, you know, and speak out and all of a sudden, the folks on the other side, I think, got a little nervous. And then they started going, ‘Yeah, well what about this Christian nationalism?’”

Voddie Baucham: Nationalism Is Better Than Globalism

Dr. Voddie Baucham Jr. is Dean of the School of Divinity at African Christian University in Lusaka, Zambia, and the author of “Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalism’s Looming Catastrophe.” In the past, he served as pastor of Grace Family Baptist Church in Spring, Texas.

Topics that Baucham and Stuckey discussed included leftism, critical race theory, diversity and whether parents should send their kids to public schools.

Near the end of the conversation, Stuckey asked Baucham what encouragement he could give to Christian parents. Baucham replied that it is important to remember that while this is not our home, we do live in a place that has been “incredibly blessed” by God and that “we have an opportunity to turn the tide.” Furthermore, it is important that we desire to change the culture, not just for the sake of the U.S. but also for the sake of the gospel.

“To me the greatness of the United States is the fact that the gospel has prospered here and born fruit here unlike anywhere else or any other time in the world,” said Baucham. “And so my desire is for all of those things that allowed that to happen to continue to flourish so that the work of the gospel can continue to flourish here and continue to be a blessing elsewhere.”

“But Dr. Baucham, isn’t that very scary Christian nationalism?” asked Stuckey.

“Absolutely it is,” said Baucham, joking that Stuckey had opened up “another can of worms.” He believes that “there is no clear definition” of Christian nationalism, and “so there are different people who are defining it in different ways…essentially, it was a smokescreen.”

Baucham continued, “If you don’t want Christian nationalism, what other kind of nationalism do you want? Right? Do you want, you know, secular nationalism, Muslim nationalism?…Or if it’s not the Christianity that’s the problem, is it the nationalism that’s the problem? If we don’t want nationalism, what do we want? Do we want globalism? You know, no thank you, please.”

Mars Hill Leaders Planned To Accuse Him of Adultery, Claims Pastor Mark Driscoll

Stephanie Martin

October 26, 2022

During a recent sermon about Nehemiah and “the best way to deal with cruel enemies,” Pastor Mark Driscoll describes a “trap” allegedly set for him at his previous congregation. In 2014, he resigned from Seattle-based Mars Hill amid allegations of bullying and abusive leadership.

Driscoll, now at The Trinity Church in Scottsdale, Arizona, said that God told him to resign because “a trap is set.” Later, while meeting with former friends and staff from Mars Hill, which he founded, Driscoll inquired about the possible existence of a trap. Their response, he says, was “the nuclear option was that we were going to accuse you of adultery.” Driscoll indicates being shocked by such a tactic, saying he adores Grace, his wife of almost 30 years, and has always been faithful to her.

Mark Driscoll: ‘Evil People Tells Lies About Wise People’

The goal of that plot, Mark Driscoll says, was to get him out of the pulpit, at least during what would have been a lengthy investigation. He says other Mars Hill leaders hoped to wrest control of the church from him—something they have denied. As ChurchLeaders has reported, last year Mars Hill leaders urged Driscoll to resign from Trinity, alleging he was continuing “a pattern of sinful actions toward staff members and congregants.”

In his sermon, Driscoll spoke about various biblical figures facing false accusations, from Joseph in Genesis to Jesus in the New Testament. “If you can’t disqualify someone because of character, if you can’t divert them from their mission, you try to destroy them with a lie,” he says. “Evil people tell lies about wise people, and then foolish people in the middle have to decide who they’re going to trust.”

Driscoll describes the psychological concept of projection, when people in denial are “blind” to their own sin. “Guilty people accuse innocent people of their wrongdoing,” he says. For example, Nehemiah’s enemies accuse him of being a false prophet but then hire false prophets of their own.

Interacting with certain people is like playing tennis with a grenade, Driscoll adds, so you shouldn’t even engage with them. “Don’t meet with your enemies but do meet with your God,” he advises.

‘I’ll Always Tell You the Truth,’ Says Mark Driscoll

Mark Driscoll, who says he’s been “canceled by whole countries,” admits that Nehemiah 6 “brings up a certain amount of oppression on me.” That prophet, he says, was “a very godly man, more godly than me, and he’s being attacked and accused.” All “high-profile” Christian leaders land in the same situation as Nehemiah, adds Driscoll, with enemies trying to take you down.

Scottish Venue That Canceled 2020 Franklin Graham Event To Pay Over $100K for Violating UK Equality Act

Dale Chamberlain

October 26, 2022

franklin graham — Left: William Starkey / *View by the SSE Hydro Arena*; Right: Cornstalker, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

On Monday (October 24), a Scottish court ruled in favor of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) in a lawsuit against Scottish Event Campus Limited (SEC), which canceled an evangelistic event at the Hydro Arena in Glasgow featuring Franklin Graham in 2020 on the grounds of Graham’s stated beliefs about human sexuality and Islam.

Sheriff John N. McCormick ruled that SEC would be obligated to pay over $111,000 (£97,000) for violating the UK’s Equality Act.

SEC was one of seven UK venues that canceled BGEA events, part of Graham’s “God Loves You” tour, in January 2020 after facing pressure from LGBTQ+ advocates. Multiple groups argued that Graham’s public remarks regarding LGBTQ+ issues and the Muslim faith constituted dangerous hate speech.

Graham, who is the son of legendary evangelist Billy Graham and president of BGEA, has often publicly rebuked LGBTQ+ values and has referred to the Muslim faith as “wicked and evil.”

In his Monday ruling, McCormick wrote, “Briefly put, if it is correct that the event was evangelistic, based on religion or philosophical belief, then it follows that the decision to cancel was a breach of the Equality Act 2010 in that the event was cancelled as a commercial response to the views of objectors.”

McCormick ruled that SEC had discriminated against BGEA “on the basis of a protected characteristic” and would be required to pay $111,503.19 (£97,325.32) in damages.

Though SEC argued in the case that the cancellation of the event came in light of concerns regarding protests and security, McCormick ruled that these concerns were not the sole reason for the cancellation. While SEC’s board did discuss security concerns, they never raised these concerns when meeting with Glasgow City Council.

“I heard no evidence to suggest that Franklin Graham had intended to pursue a toxic or dangerous agenda at the event. On the contrary, it is not disputed that the event would have been an evangelical outreach event for up to twelve thousand people,” McCormick wrote. “That is not to say that his opinions are not offensive to some whether in Glasgow or elsewhere. However, the pursuer’s right to engage a speaker at the evangelical event — in furtherance of a religious or philosophical belief — is protected by law.”

According to the Christian Post, Graham said that he is “grateful to God for this decision,” viewing the ruling as “a clear victory for freedom of speech and religion in the UK.”

Graham further stated that the lawsuit was not about receiving a settlement but “about the preservation of religious freedom in the UK.”

Trevin Wax: Christians Are in Danger If We Stop Being Thrilled by Orthodoxy

Jessica Mouser

October 26, 2022

The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast · Trevin Wax: Christians Are in Danger If We Stop Being Thrilled by Orthodoxy

Trevin Wax is Vice President of Research and Resource Development at the North American Mission Board, is visiting professor of theology at Cedarville University, and has taught theology courses at Wheaton College. He served as general editor for The Gospel Project and is a regular columnist at The Gospel Coalition. Trevin is the author of several books. His latest is, “The Thrill of Orthodoxy: Rediscovering the Adventure of Christian Faith.”

Other Ways to Listen to This Podcast With Trevin Wax

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Key Questions for Trevin Wax

-How would you define “orthodoxy”?

-You begin your book, “The church faces her biggest challenge, not when new errors start to win, but when old truths no longer wow.” Why do you say that?

-The creeds don’t address issues of sexuality at all. Does that issue rise to the level of orthodoxy?

-How can people discern what fits into the category of primary issues versus secondary ones?

Key Quotes From Trevin Wax

“The church rises and falls with what the church confesses about Jesus.”

“Orthodoxy really matters if we’re all about God or if we’re all about his mission, if we want to see his kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.”

“If you’re not careful, you’ll take this approach to theology where you’re basically just looking for errors all over the place. And what I want to say with this book is, yeah, we’ve got to take error very seriously. But before errors really gain in popularity, generally it’s because the old truths are no longer at the forefront of the church’s minds.”

“I am talking about orthodoxy as those beliefs of Christians that have been…held always by everyone, everywhere, like the essential, like the classic Christian tradition.”

“I would say that the creeds actually explain and describe what the Bible teaches about who God is—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—and what he’s done to save us. So I don’t think the authority resides in the creeds.”

“There are really two different ways to look at the creeds. You can take a minimalist approach or a maximalist approach.”

“There are a number of people who say, ‘I believe the creeds, I just differ from the church for the past 2,000 years on our understanding of the human body and the theology of the body and sexuality.’ To me, it’s like trying to take shelter under the creeds to get out from under the authority of Scripture, which is a really strange approach.”

Matt Chandler Says He Is ‘Eager To Return to The Village Church Soon’ in Instagram Post

Jesse T. Jackson

October 26, 2022

On Sunday, August 28, pastor Matt Chandler shared with The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas, that he would be taking a leave of absence from preaching and teaching due to an inappropriate direct messaging relationship with a woman who wasn’t his wife.

The direct messaging relationship was described as non-romantic and non-sexual but included “coarse and foolish joking.” Chandler further described his behavior as “unguarded and unwise.” The popular Southern Baptist megachurch pastor called his leave of absence both “disciplinary and developmental,” sharing that he was fully submitting to the elders’ decisions and guidance in the matter.

On Monday (October 24), Chandler said in an Instagram post, “Jesus I don’t want to do this without you,” going on to share his thoughts regarding the last few months. He also described his eagerness to return to The Village Church.

“That sentence has been my mantra these past few months,” Chandler said, referring to his previous comment. “It has rolled through my mind and heart on repeat. Whether it has been going on a walk, heading out to our river cabin or even walking into Jiu Jitsu I have been more aware than ever of that earnest and angsty prayer of David’s in Psalm 27:4.”

Author of “The Mingling of Souls: God’s Design for Love, Marriage, Sex, and Redemption,” Chandler said, “[Jesus] has been my sustaining grace and the strength of this season. I am eager to return to @tvcfm soon and am grateful for a family of faith that have loved me and @laurenchandler so deeply in this season. What a picture of gospel formed community you are. Eager to see what the Lord has for us in the next 15-20 years! #grace #family“

Chandler’s wife, Lauren, commented, “Amen. Love you, babe 💜.”

A spokesperson for The Village Church told The Roys Report, “The elders are working with Matt to discuss a plan for his return to preaching, and they are encouraged by his posture. As of today, we have no further comment on those details.”

Following the news of Chandler’s leave of absence, an SBC abuse survivor shared how moral failures like Chandler’s can trigger a survivor’s memory of being groomed by an adult clergy sexual abuser. While the abuse survivor made it clear that she wasn’t accusing Chandler of grooming the woman he was messaging, she took the opportunity to explain to others not familiar with situations like hers that “his actions look identical to our abusers.”

Attorney advocate for abuse survivors Boz Tchividjian told ChurchLeaders that he agreed with the abuse survivors’ thoughts, sharing that he believes these types of incidents can be triggering for survivors of abuse.

Leaders Urge Christians To Defend Selves After Militants Kill 70

Diana Chandler

October 26, 2022

BENUE, Nigeria (BP) – Leaders in Benue, Nigeria, are seeking to give Christian farmers AK-47s for self-defense after suspected militant herdsmen killed at least 70 Christians in several days of attacks there.

“We are standing on our request for the federal government to give us a license for our Volunteer Guards to bear AK-47s and other sophisticated weapons,” Morning Star News on Oct. 25 quoted Anthony Ijohor, a spokesman for Benue Gov. Samuel Ortom. “The security agencies have been overstretched and, that being the case, our people have to defend themselves.”

Gabriel Suswam, an area senator and former Benue governor, also called on Christians to defend themselves.

“Since the federal government has gone to sleep and does not care about the security of the people,” Leadership Nigeria quoted Suswam Oct. 22, “it is time for them to rise up and defend themselves. We cannot continue to allow herdsmen terrorists to keep on killing these peasant farmers and destroying their property.”

Ijohor and Suswam made the comments following days of attacks during the week of Oct. 16 by terrorists suspected to be militant Fulani herdsmen. More than 70 residents in majority Christian areas of Benue state were killed, more than 100 were injured and thousands were displaced, Morning Star reported.

“In just two days, over 70 Christians were killed by Fulani militiamen in Gbeji community in our local government area,” Morning Star quoted Terumbur Kartyo, chairman of the Ukum Local Government Council in Benue. Udei and Yelewata villages were also attacked, Terumbur told Morning Star.

The killings were likely revenge attacks following the alleged killing of five Fulani herders in three different incidents on Oct. 18, Morning Star said, referencing remarks by a Benue state police official who was not named in the report.

At least 36 corpses had been recovered, area resident Bede Bartholomew told Morning Star, adding that at least 56 Christians were killed in Gbeji alone.

Area resident Terrence Kuanum listed several villages among those attacked, including Vaase, Daudu, Tyotyev, Udei and Yelwata.

“Fulani herdsmen have been wreaking havoc in many parts of the state,” Morning Star quoted Kuanum.

Officials said residents should be given weapons to defend themselves since national security was too busy to respond.

“I want to commend the bravery and gallantry of our security agencies but they are overstretched,” Leadership Nigeria quoted Suswam. “And I want to say here that I cannot sleep in Abuja while our mothers who are producing food that we eat are killed in this way.”

Southern Baptists Anticipate Inaugural Student Baptism Sunday

Timothy Cockes

October 26, 2022

NASHVILLE (BP) – This Sunday (Oct. 30), will mark the first official observance of Student Baptism Sunday on the Southern Baptist Convention Calendar, and leaders across the convention are preparing for the celebration.

Shane Pruitt, national next gen director for the North American Mission Board (NAMB), told Baptist Press this date on the calendar provides an opportunity for churches to show what is most important.

“One of the things I learned as a pastor of a local church is that whatever we celebrated the most is what we were either intentionally or unintentionally discipling our people to believe is what is most important,” Pruitt said in comments to Baptist Press.

“The principle is ‘celebrate what you want to replicate.’ If we’re saying that evangelism, discipleship, living on mission and baptisms are most important, then that is what we should be celebrating the most.

“If reaching students with the Gospel is extremely important to us, then we should be intentionally celebrating when students are reached with the Gospel. The best way to celebrate this is to publicly show the world that God is saving a generation through believer’s baptism.”

Pruitt said pastors should continue to prioritize equipping the students in their ministry to reach their peers.

“I honestly believe the most effective person at reaching a college student or teenager with the Gospel is another college student or teenager that has a heart that beats with passion for Jesus, and that same heart is broken over the spiritual lostness of their own generation,” Pruitt said.

“If students are Christians with the Holy Spirit, they are not the future of the church, they are the church right now. So, we must ‘equip the saints for ministry’ to know Jesus and make Jesus known. Sometimes, those saints are teenagers and college students. Students being diligent to evangelize their friends is an extremely effective form of discipleship.”

He added that getting baptized as a public display of faith can be used as a form of evangelism itself.

“Baptism is also a great way for students to evangelize their friends and family,” Pruitt said.

“Often, people may not come to church with you when you invite them on a typical weekend. However, they will come watch you get baptized. I tell students all the time that when they get baptized, they need to use that as an opportunity to invite other people to come, because you never know what may happen; they could hear the Gospel and be saved.”

Drake Caudill has been the senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Carmi, Ill., since 2018. In that time, he has seen the church grow both spiritually and also numerically.

The Nun Who Became a Star Shares Her Wisdom in New Book of Letters

Yonat Shimron

October 26, 2022

(RNS) — Sister Wendy Beckett was both a contemplative, deeply devoted to a life of prayer, and also, improbably, a BBC star, and later the subject of a British musical.

For years, Beckett had lived as a hermit in a trailer on the grounds of the Quidenham Carmelite Monastery in England. Then, beginning at age 61, she soared to international stardom with a series of BBC documentaries in which she toured museums across the world in her billowy black nun’s habit, speaking about art with awe and wonder and showing people how to appreciate it.

In the years before her death in 2018, she began a three-year correspondence with Robert Ellsberg, the publisher and editor in chief of Orbis Books, an imprint of the Maryknoll order. Earlier in life, Ellsberg had been the managing editor of the “Catholic Worker” and spent five years assisting the movement’s founder, Dorothy Day, whom Beckett much admired.

Ellsberg has now published a collection of his near-daily correspondence with Beckett, “Dearest Sister Wendy… A Surprising Story of Faith and Friendship.” The book includes three years’ worth of emailed letters back and forth on such subjects as saints, holiness, beauty, suffering and prayer.

RNS spoke to Ellsberg about Beckett, who combined a fierce intellectual capacity with a zealous devotion to Jesus and a growing willingness to open up about her life. The following interview was edited for length and clarity.

How did this correspondence come about?

Sister Wendy sent me a note asking if we had damaged copies of an expensive series of books on Vatican II that we might donate to the monastery where she lived. After that we exchanged notes from time to time. But her handwriting (made it) so hard to read her letters that it didn’t encourage prolonged correspondence. When she was too old and infirm to live in her trailer, Sister Wendy began dictating letters to Sister Lesley Lockwood. That meant it was possible to have completely legible messages from Sister Wendy.

Sister Wendy took very seriously her life as a contemplative and minimized all contact with the outside world. Why do you think she wanted to correspond with you?

“Dearest Sister Wendy… A Surprising Story of Faith and Friendship" by Sister Wendy Beckett and Robert Ellsberg. Courtesy image

“Dearest Sister Wendy… A Surprising Story of Faith and Friendship” by Sister Wendy Beckett and Robert Ellsberg. Courtesy image

I piqued her interest in things that were of infinite interest to her — saints, spiritual masters, holiness. Early on, I said, ‘I would love it if you would write about your personal life, your life of prayer or your own spiritual journey.’ She didn’t have any interest. But at some point, we did venture into personal things, I think partly prompted by sharing my own story. I would describe things that happened to me and ask what she thought of it. She would respond to what I shared and shared more about herself. A kind of trust emerged between us. We realized we were creating something together. She knew her life expectancy was short. It put her in mind to reflect on things.

Why were saints so important to Sister Wendy?

The veneration of saints goes back to the early Christian church. Originally it was martyrs. Then it was realized there were other ways of laying down your life through prayer, service and dedication. The church recognized people who were emblems of the holiness of God. They were not perfect but achieved a distinction in their spiritual life that would inspire others. Sister Wendy was interested in those exemplary figures who serve as special inspiration and models and the everyday holiness we’re called to. She was also interested in people who may not be officially canonized as saints but whose questing and longing for God may inspire others.

You worked for one of those who may one day be declared a saint: Dorothy Day. How did that come about?

I had taken a year’s leave of absence from college when I was 19. I had been raised as an Episcopalian but was inspired by Gandhi. That’s what drew me to the Catholic Worker. It reflected the Gandhian approach to nonviolence, living in community, valuing common work and the works of mercy, protesting against structures that gave rise to poverty. I wrote articles about Gandhi for the Catholic Worker (newspaper), which Dorothy Day liked very much. She asked me if I would edit the Catholic Worker when I was 20.

I ended up remaining at the Catholic Worker for five years. It grounded my values and sense of myself in the Catholic Church, and I was ultimately received in the church in 1980. Dorothy Day died soon after that, and I immediately began editing her selected writings that were published later. I spent many of the decades since she died reflecting on her life and promoting her legacy, and that has involved promoting her cause for canonization.

Sister Wendy wrote that she would go to bed at 6 p.m., get up at 11:30 p.m. and pray all night long. What kind of order is that?

Sister Wendy lived on the grounds of the Carmelite order but she was not a member of it. She had taken private vows as a consecrated virgin and hermit. As a hermit, she considered her whole life prayer. She would be in the darkness of her cell and pray. It was a total silence, sitting there in the presence of God, opening her mind and heart to the love of God. In the morning she went to Mass. Then she spent the morning reading or looking at pictures of art, which for her was a contemplative practice. She considered all things referred her to God.

No Tricks! Church Trunk or Treats Are a Halloween Tradition

Emily McFarlan Miller

October 26, 2022

Attendees play games during the Baker Memorial United Methodist Church trunk or treat, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in St. Charles, Illinois. RNS photo by Emily McFarlan Miller

ST. CHARLES, Illinois (RNS) — On Sunday (Oct. 23), just over a week before Halloween, the “Monster Mash” blasted from the back of an SUV decorated with tinsel ghosts and orange and black garland in the parking lot across the street from Baker Memorial United Methodist Church.

The Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man, from the movie “Ghostbusters,” handed out candy from one vehicle, while nearby a small Princess Tiana from Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog” chose a treat from another festooned with smiling Jack-o’-lanterns.

“Jesus, shine in me,” read one paper pumpkin.

A banner across the car’s trunk read, “Seek his light.”

It was Baker Memorial’s annual “trunk or treat,” an alternative to house-to-house Halloween candy gathering that has grown in popularity around the country in recent decades. Many are hosted by churches to draw a crowd who might otherwise avoid religious institutions.

Costumed kids stop at different cars during the Baker Memorial United Methodist Church trunk or treat, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in St. Charles, Illinois. RNS photo by Emily McFarlan Miller

For Baker Memorial, the event is a way to serve and get to know their neighbors in this Chicago suburb along the Fox River.

“We love it from the church perspective because we get to see all the kids and talk to the families and bless them with sweet little treats and games,” Pastor Kim Neace said.

While Halloween can be traced back to the Roman Catholic observance of All Saints’ Day and the Celtic New Year celebration of Samhain, trick-or-treating began its rise to its current popularity after World War II, according to Lisa Morton, author of “Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween.” It had some help from candy and costume companies and depictions in popular culture.

Trunk-or-treating came later — around the 1980s — although Morton said she can’t pinpoint an exact date.

Like trick-or-treating, children dress in costumes in their hunt for candy, but instead of walking door to door, they walk car to car in a setting where candy-dispensing adults are part of a community like a church or school.

“When it’s used in place of Halloween, it can be because of safety concerns or religious objections,” said Morton, who noted some churches celebrate harvest festivals or Hallelujah Night in place of Halloween.

But communities like Baker Memorial, which began hosting its trunk-or-treat event in 2015, also use them as outreach to their surrounding communities.

Deconstruction or Reconstruction? Pastors Discuss a Reboot of Evangelicalism.

Bob Smietana

October 26, 2022

evangelicalism — Panelists Joel Lawrence, from left, Malcolm Foley, Gavin Ortlund, Elizabeth Conde-Frazier, Doug Sweeney and Kristin Kobes Du Mez participate in the Reconstructing Evangelicalism Conference, Monday, Oct. 24, 2022, at Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, Illinois. RNS photo by Bob Smietana

OAK PARK, Ill. (RNS) — A conference about the future of the nation’s largest religious tradition began with a bit of honesty. “Nobody knows exactly what an evangelical is,” said Joel Lawrence, executive director of the Center for Pastor Theologians, at the opening of the Reconstructing Evangelicalism conference Monday (Oct. 24).

The conference, which drew about 400 pastors and other church leaders to Calvary Memorial Church in the Chicago suburbs, was inspired by a recent trend among evangelicals and other Protestants to “deconstruct” the faith they grew up with — examining core beliefs and often rejecting the conservative politics, sexism and racial divides evangelicalism has come to be known for.

The question “What is an evangelical?” led to a spirited, thoughtful and sometimes pointed conversation during the conference’s opening panel about the movement’s flaws and how to mend them.

Doug Sweeney, dean of Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama, admitted that for much of the American public, the word evangelical is synonymous with MAGA-style politics. “That would not be one of my favorite characteristics,” said Sweeney, who argued that “evangelical” should be tied more to theology than politics.

Historian Kristin Kobes Du Mez, who gave a plenary address Monday evening, defined evangelicalism as a political and consumer culture. She said she has long wondered if the more important thing to ask is, “Who is not an evangelical?”

“Who gets to decide that?” she asked.

Joel Lawrence. RNS photo by Bob Smietana

Elizabeth Conde-Frazier, academic dean of Esperanza College in Philadelphia, said the theological gatekeeping among evangelicals is often “quite ruthless.” Evangelical Christians from Latin America or other parts of the church outside the United States, she said, are largely ignored by American evangelical pastors.

“Why don’t you know their names?” she asked the pastors at the conference. “Why don’t you quote them in your sermons?”

Conde-Frazier argued that any reconstruction of evangelicalism must include a more robust understanding of human sinfulness. While evangelicals often focus on personal sin, they tend to miss the way that power can be misused by sinful church leaders or movements.

“Sin turns into a monster when you have power,” she said.

Malcolm Foley, who directs the Black church studies program at Truett Theological Seminary in Waco, Texas, advocated for an activist form of evangelicalism, one that combines evangelism with social action. “That is the only evangelicalism that I think is worthy of talking about,” he said.

At the same time, Foley was skeptical that the word “evangelical” could be saved or reconstructed.

Pope Francis Condemns Nuclear Weapons as Putin Threatens Escalation in Ukraine

Claire Giangrave

October 26, 2022

nuclear — Pope Francis, seated center, attends a joint prayer at Rome's Colosseum, Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022, during the final day of the "Cry for Peace" international conference for peace organized by the Community of Sant'Egidio. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — At an interreligious event on Tuesday at Rome’s famed Colosseum, Pope Francis made an impassioned appeal for peace and the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons as the Russian war in Ukraine risks escalating to catastrophic heights.

“We are at a crossroads: We can be the generation that lets the planet and humanity die, that hoards and sells weapons in the illusion of saving only ourselves against others, or we can be the generation that creates new ways of living together, doesn’t invest in arms, abolishes war as an instrument for solving conflicts and halts the extraordinary exploitation of the planet’s resources,” the pope said.

Francis, seated in a wheelchair due to his chronic knee pain, spoke to a crowd gathered before the arches of the Colosseum, where religious and political representatives met on Tuesday (Oct. 25) to appeal for peace and interreligious dialogue.

“With firm conviction we say: No more war! Let’s halt every conflict,” the pope said. “War only leads to death and destruction. It’s a trip with no return where we are all losers.” Francis’ speech focused on the priority of dialogue over violence and underlined the importance of reenergizing discussions for the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons.

The pope’s appeal takes place as Russian President Vladimir Putin threatens the use of nuclear weapons in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The Vatican and Pope Francis have attempted to mediate a peace between Ukraine and Russia, but while Vatican diplomats work tirelessly for a ceasefire and seek to maintain dialogue with the Kremlin, their efforts have so far yielded few practical results.

“Today, in fact, something we dreaded and hoped never to hear of again is threatened outright: the use of nuclear weapons, which even after Hiroshima and Nagasaki continued wrongly to be produced and tested,” Francis said.

Tuesday’s “The Cry for Peace,” an ecumenical event, was organized by the Catholic lay movement of Sant’Egidio, which works closely with the pope on matters of war, conflict, migrants and refugees.

Eminent religious representatives took part in the two-day conference and cosigned a “Rome Peace Appeal” at the Colosseum on Tuesday. Attending the event were religious leaders from all over the world, including the Patriarch Mar Awa III Royel of the Assyrian Church in Iraq, World Methodist Council President Jong Chun Park and the Orthodox Archbishop Dionysius John Kawak of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch.

The prayers during the service were read by an evangelical Christian refugee from Cameroon whom the pope met while on the island of Cyprus. Attendants held banners with the word “peace” written in numerous languages, while a group of migrants and Edith Bruck, a Holocaust survivor, offered their witness for peace.

“This year our prayer has become a heartfelt plea, because today peace has been gravely violated, assaulted and trampled upon, and this in Europe, on the very continent that in the last century endured the horrors of two world wars,” the pope said.

Religions play a key role in building peace, the pope said, praising the many developments that have taken place in interreligious dialogue. “Peace is God’s gift, and we have implored that gift from him. Yet peace must be embraced and nurtured by us men and women, especially by those of us who are believers,” he added.

Helping Kids Deal With Sorrow and Death

Sam Luce

October 26, 2022

One of the more difficult things I have had to do in my years of pastoral ministry is talk with kids about death. Explaining death and sorrow to kids has a profound influence on kids and a refining influence on us.

Recently a friend of mine gave me a book to read written by Jonathan Gibson entitled The Moon is Always Round. The book tells the story of his family dealing with the loss of their baby at 39 weeks. Dr. Gibson, a professor of theology, explained to his three-year-old son the goodness of God through a powerful metaphor of the shape of the moon we can see versus the shape the moon is always.

Dr. Gibson would often ask his son what is the shape of the moon and he would respond that it was a crescent; his dad would ask, what shape is it always? His son would reply, “Dad, the moon is always round.” Dr. Gibson would ask what does that mean? His son would say, “God is always good.”

What a profound metaphor. To have a metaphor that is biblically faithful and continually available is a gift and mercy. There is a part of the moon that we can see, the sorrows we face, but no matter the shape, the reality is that the moon is round because God is always good.

What Gibson is saying is that we see the face of the moon as half, full or crescent. But the shape of the moon we can see is not always the shape of the moon. The moon, no matter what we can see, is always round. He uses this illustration to show us that we don’t always see everything God is doing. We see parts but what we can’t always see is what is really true. Just like the moon’s shape never changes, God’s nature never does either. The moon is always round, and God is always good.

In a recent podcast, Jonathan Gibson recounts the conversation that led to the creation of his book. I highly recommend it.

Talking to our kids is important because death and sorrow are unavoidable and inevitable. We live in a culture that avoids death, but even in our greatest sorrows, we can and should point our kids to the goodness of God.

We live in a world that deifies youth and runs from death. We live in a culture obsessed with cheating death because they are convinced that this life is all there is. We have this idea that God is limited if he exists at all, but we are limitless because of medical advancements and scientific discoveries. Scripture tells us the truth that we are limited. Our days are literally numbered by God, and God is limitless in his care and in his person.

Christians fall victim to this thinking because the materialistic secular worldview is the air we breathe. C. S. Lewis said that everything in this life is marked by death. In A Grief Observed, Lewis talks about how his life was marked by the death of his wife.

You tell me, “She goes on.” But my heart and body are crying out, come back, come back. . . . But I know this is impossible. I know that the thing I want is exactly the thing I can never get. The old life, the jokes, the drinks, the arguments, the love-making, the tiny, heartbreaking commonplace. On any view whatever, to say “H. is dead,” is to say “All that is gone.” It is a part of the past. And the past is the past and that is what time means, and time itself is one more name for death.

Lewis is talking about something he had grown to understand because of the love he had for his wife. That death is pervasive that death will eventually claim everything and everyone we love. The problem is not if we will die but when. This is not something you hear much about in our modern culture. We don’t want to admit that we are dying and the thing we love will all pass away. Death reminds us that this world is not our home that this world is not all that there is but we avoid death in the hope that death will avoid us.

Matt McCullough in Remember Death, points to the power of life over death. Death’s power has been destroyed and even had its hold turned back on itself because of the resurrection of Christ. McCullogh says, “Jesus draws our attention to the grave to break our attachment to foolish hope in false gods, but not to pull us back from joy. He would rather return the good things of life to their proper place in our minds and hearts: they are gifts, not gods.”

3 Steps to Leading the Most Incredible Worship Service Ever

David Santistevan

October 26, 2022

“Wow, that worship service was amazing.” It’s a phrase we all hear, all the time. Whether you’re leaving the arena after a Jesus Culture concert or driving to the buffet after Sunday’s worship, we’ve all said it.

But what is it, I wonder, that constitutes “incredible” worship? Because you may be reading this article and thinking, “My church’s worship is far from great. Matter of fact, it’s terrible.”

Oftentimes, our judgement of a worship service comes down to how it makes us feel. If it was charged with emotion, we like it. If the band has it together, we like it. If it’s not so loud that our ear drums hurt, we like it. If they sang “Oceans,” we like it.

That’s also what scares me about our modern worship culture. We attend concerts, idolize artists and chase experiences because of how they make us feel.

But it can leave us discontented with the local church God has called us to and distract us from asking the most important question of all.

The Most Important Question

The question?

“What kind of worship is incredible to God?”

That truly is what matters. Because worship is for God. Worship is an offering that rises to Him. It’s for His praise, glory, adoration, fame, honor, renown, exaltation.

Can you hear it? Romans 11:36 echoes throughout the world:

“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

“What kind of worship service is incredible to God?”

The question is important for various reasons. First, it puts the responsibility on behalf of the worshiper. It undercuts consumerism.

Great worship isn’t just the performance of a great band, it’s God’s holy people laying their lives down (Tweet that). I have a responsibility. You have a responsibility. We are all called.

Second, it reminds us that God is the only One who can judge the quality of worship. It’s not based on how many top CCLI songs you cover as good as the artists. It’s not about how well your worship set flows.

It’s “was my heart, soul, mind and strength fully engaged in the exaltation of God the Father, through the Holy Spirit, by Jesus Christ?”

Three Steps to Leading Incredible Worship

So—people of God—what is a great worship service? And how can we do our part to make sure it happens every time?

1. Spirit and Truth

When the Bible says, “These are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks,” we should be paying attention.

“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks” (John 4:23).

God desires worship that is based in truth and led by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit leads our hearts to the true knowledge of God. We must worship God for who He is in all of his glory, wonder, goodness, terror, beauty, tenderness and grace.

2. Obedience

On the other hand, when God says, “Away with the noise of your songs. I despise your sacred assemblies,” in Amos 5:23, we should also be listening. In this passage, Israel, God’s chosen people, was having worship services. They were celebrating, singing and lifting praise to God.

The problem with this celebration was that they were a disobedient people. They were singing praises while ignoring God’s commands to meet the needs of the marginalized. “But let justice roll like a river, mercy like a never-failing stream.”

Incredible worship will always be rooted in a singular desire to obey God. We want to do what pleases Him. That is the truest expression of our worship. Don’t allow yourself to raise your hands at a worship concert while ignoring the will of God the next morning.

3. Fear

“Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in his steadfast love” (Psalm 33:18).

If you want God’s attention during worship, you must fear him. Without the fear of God, our worship is flippant. It keeps us humble, gazing, bowing, trusting (for more on this idea of fear, check out this post).

But the verse doesn’t stop there. It seems to equate fearing God with hoping in his steadfast love. Which tells me that the fear of God isn’t just a mental assent to respecting His majesty and holiness. A true fear of God will take action, place hope, bank its life on Jesus.

I know this post didn’t outline some practical pointers on what songs to sing, instruments to use, DB level to run and how many musicians to have on stage.

Why? Because a great band or a great song doesn’t make an incredible worship service. It’s about what God seeks, what God desires, what God has said.

God is seeking spirit-and-truth worshipers. He is after an obedient life. His eyes look to those who fear Him. This is the most incredible worship service to God’s heart.

Is Forgiving Adultery Possible?

Dave Dunham

October 26, 2022

Christians must forgive. We understand from Matthew 18, and the parable of the “Unmerciful Servant” (Matt. 18:21-35), that Jesus expects us to forgive adultery and all sin. But the divine command does not mitigate the emotional difficulty. Forgiving adultery is hard. That is especially true in cases where there has been a betrayal by a spouse. This means counselors need to think carefully about how they encourage the betrayed spouse to pursue forgiveness. There are two common dangers in counseling after adultery as it relates to forgiveness.

Forgiving Adultery Too Quickly Is Risky

The first great danger in counseling those who’ve been betrayed by their spouse is to push for forgiving adultery too quickly. The pain of betrayal and the tension between couples afterward can be so unbearable that many victims of adultery will be tempted to move quickly, to just put the event behind them. They don’t want to feel the way they do, so it seems better to simply “forgive” and move on. This, however, is often not real forgiveness. Rather, it is pretend. It is an effort in denial that tries to live as though things are not broken, as though the past never happened. It seems appealing at first, but this kind of denial rarely lasts long. The pain and brokenness do exist, and without working through the adultery and its impact, the hurt will eventually resurface.

When the spouses are two Christians, the temptation to move quickly is accompanied by a sense of obligation. Evelyn was devastated when she discovered her husband Tom’s sin. He was the pastor at their church, and for months he had been sneaking around with his administrative assistant. The pain was real, but she knew that Jesus had taught the priority of forgiveness. “I have to forgive him,” she said to me at our first meeting. Her words revealed a begrudging responsibility, not a sincere desire. In her mind, her forgiveness was Tom’s right, and she had to grant it. In a sense, she was right, she needed to forgive her husband, but she also needed to process what had happened, what his repentance should look like, and seek God’s help in cultivating the heart of forgiveness. That last part, the heart of forgiveness, is key. Jesus warns us in the aforementioned parable not simply that we must forgive adultery, but that we must forgive “from the heart” (v. 35). She had a semblance of forgiveness, but it was definitely not heart forgiveness.

Avoiding Forgiveness

The second danger counselors run into is a reluctance to encourage forgiveness at all. It is natural to want to give the betrayed spouse time to grieve and process the betrayal, but if we allow this to go on without ever encouraging them to work on forgiveness, they will easily become bitter and resentful. The temptation for counselors is to continually justify and excuse hurt spouses’ lashing out, their rehashing of details, their anger. While these emotions and practices are somewhat expected—though they may still be sinful—in the beginning of counseling, eventually they must be addressed. Sometimes a counselor can be afraid to say hard things to those who are living with sorrow, but if we don’t we will do them more harm than good. Bitterness is a poisonous root that will cause all kinds of “trouble” (Heb. 12:15); we must help our counselees avoid it or cut it out.

It’s also tempting for a betrayed spouse to seek punishment instead of reconciliation. Forgiveness lets go of the right to exact payment for an offense, but for some spouses the desire is to “make them feel my pain.” So, they become police officers in their own home, constantly scouting out evidence of wrong in their spouse, investigating, presenting evidence and enforcing “jail time.” This makes the ultimate goal revenge rather than forgiveness, and the process of policing does not help a betrayed spouse learn to forgive adultery. Understanding the importance of accountability, some counselors may be inclined to let this practice continue, but they are setting up their counselees for a future of distrust and bitterness. Good counselors will restrict, as best they can, the level of responsibility a betrayed spouse has for their loved one’s accountability. Counselors should hold the betrayer accountable and do the appropriate investigation on behalf of the betrayed spouse, freeing them up to move toward forgiveness.

Forgiving adultery is essential for healing, not just for the marriage but for the betrayed spouse himself or herself. The sad reality in our fallen world is that not all marriages survive. Forgiving adultery and reconciliation are not the same thing. A betrayed spouse may be ready to forgive, but unless the betrayer repents, there can be no reconciliation (Luke 17:3). Adultery can be devastating to a marriage, and spouses sometimes refuse to give up their illicit relationships. The victim of the betrayal can find peace and progress through the development of a forgiving heart. Good counselors must help them develop such hearts slowly, over time and in the right ways.

Join the Conversation

How have you helped spouses after the discovery of an affair?

This article on forgiving adultery originally appeared here on the Biblical Counseling Coalition site.

“God is Something Else, Man”—Steve Harvey Tearfully Credits God for His Life and Success

Bri Lamm

October 26, 2022

Steve Harvey has long been a household name, and a warm presence on TV screens across the country. Since his comedy career first launched in 1990, Steve has become one of the biggest stars in show business with success in live comedy performances, film, TV, radio, and books. And Steve Harvey credits God for his success.

Steve Harvey Credits God for His Successes

Steve Harvey’s career finally took off in his late 30’s after decades of hardship–including years he spent homeless. But in a tearful speech to mark the closing of a chapter in his life, Steve credits God for his success in all he’s been able to do, and the life he’s gotten to live.

“God has given me a life far beyond anything I ever dreamed about,” Steve said in a speech at his “Grand Finale” comedy show at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. While the special came at the end of his popular talk show, The Steve Harvey Show, as well as his time hosting the popular series Little Big Shots, Steve simply called it a turning of the page in his life.

As he thanked a series of people who have been alongside him for most of his 27-year career, Steve quoted Bishop T.D. Jakes who said in a sermon, “I would hate to die and never do the thing I was born to do.”

Steve continued, “God let me do it,” talking about his decades on stage, in front of audiences, and with the Steve Harvey Show.

“I’m not a perfect christian, ya dig? But my life has gotten to this point…God has positioned me just this way, to be just like I am, to say what I say how I say it. And I am just a living witness that you can be an imperfect soldier and still be in the army, fighting for God almighty.” He continues, “Don’t you think you’ve got to be perfect, ‘cause I ‘aint.”

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Steve Harvey Credits God for His Successes

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