How to Build Sticky Small Groups

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August 18, 2022

sticky small groups — Adobestock #485398728

Since the pandemic, our lives have been deeply disrupted. We were forced to make sudden and significant changes. With so many interruptions to daily life, lots of people started to reevaluate so many things. Where and how they work. How to take care of family. Where and how they spend their time. This is a very unique point in time to reach out as people are thinking about what’s important. To help them make wise decisions, and to thrive, you need to build sticky small groups.

And a natural byproduct of all those changes and choices will influence where and how they participate in small groups.

Have they returned to their small group?
How do they view the people and relationships they have within their small group?
How much time, energy, and focus will they purposefully devote to their small group

How to Build Sticky Small Groups

A sticky small group is one where people don’t just come. Yes, you welcome people. Yes, you make them feel comfortable. Yes, you reinforce their value. And of course, you feed them. But it’s more than that.

There is a glue, a cement that holds sticky small groups tightly together. And that stickiness, that glue, is something that is purposefully placed between people. And that glue is Jesus.

But whoever is united (i.e. glued) with the Lord is one with him in spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:17

The first step is to be glued with the Lord. That sticky relationship drives everything else in life. And it also gives us other sticky opportunities for growth.

3 Steps Toward Sticky Small Groups

There are three things that we can do to create and enhance the “stickiness” of our Small Groups.

1. Sticky Community

What are the things that you can do to create and cultivate community? This starts with a sense of trust, that anyone can come and be safe. It grows as people are vulnerable with their faults, their failures, their frustrations, their frailties.

2. Sticky Questions

Of all the skills to be developed, asking questions must be Job-One. Ask questions that require thought and a personalized answer. Ask questions that gently probe feelings more than knowledge. Let them release their pain in a safe and comfortable place.

3. Sticky Opportunities

Be the kind of person that encourages and gives opportunities for personal growth. Gently challenge people to leave their safe harbor and venture out into deeper waters. Allow people to creatively come up with their own sticky opportunities, where they spread their wings for personal growth.

There is lots of noise out there. People are being inundated with it from all sides. But it’s also a most unique time to uptick the “stickiness” of yourself and your Small Groups. You never know what the outcome might be.

Some of the people became followers of (stuck to) Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others. Acts 17:34

Paul was a sticky kind of guy and created sticky small groups of people following him. When people followed, they stuck to him. And after sticking around for a while, they became believers. But not just anybody became believers.

Dionysius – This was a person of importance both from a leadership standpoint in the community. As a judge at the Areopagus Court in Athens, he was a well known person within the community.
Damaris – in a time and culture said that women were inferior, she is highlighted as an important new believer. This shows that becoming united with the Lord, to be stuck with him, was for everyone.

Isn’t it time for you and your small groups to increase your stickiness?

This article on sticky small groups originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

What Pastors Need Now More Than Ever

By

Ray Hollenbach

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August 18, 2022

what pastors need — Adobestock #283780955

Church leaders, particularly pastors and ministry staff leaders, are struggling like never before.

A recent issue of Christianity Today had the cover story is “Emptied Out: Tens of Thousands of Pastors Want to Quit But Haven’t. What Has That Done to Them?”

Let me first assert that, sometimes you need a break. Don’t apologize for needing rest. And if God points you in a new direction, go confidently. We’ve already gotten plenty of guilt trips in the past. Sometimes you make a hard decision even when people don’t understand.

So if you’ve stepped out of pastoral leadership for any reason, that’s a personal spiritual issue and not one that is up for evaluation by the public.

And how should we minister to those still serving on the front lines of the church? Those who have endured social and political unrest, and everything else happening in our world and our culture these last couple of years? One word sums up what what pastors need now more than ever:

What Pastors Need – ENCOURAGEMENT

Every pastor I know needs a Barnabas right now who will offer encouragement without assessment. Acts 9:27 says,

But Barnabas took him, brought him to the apostles, and described for them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. (NRSV)

Barnabas told the church in Jerusalem one simple thing about Paul:

Jesus, by the grace of God, has made all the difference in this man’s life – you guys should listen to him.

There are plenty of pastors and ministry leaders with whom I might disagree about theology, politics, and approaches to leadership and ministry. But I know they are good women and men because, by the grace of God, Jesus has made all the difference in their lives.

Your words of confidence about a pastor or ministry leader, spoken not only to them but to those to whom they minister each week, can make a world of difference right now. It’s energizing to be encouraged, both privately and publicly.

And just as every leader needs a friend like Barnabas, everyone needs a Paul and a Timothy (or several of each).

That is, we all need to be learning from mentors and mentoring learners. There is always someone ahead of us, and always someone just behind us. It is the role and responsibility of a leader to give another leader a lift.

So how can we, in a practical way, give another leader a lift? I have five suggestions:

5 Ways to Give What Pastors Need Most

1. Call a fellow leader on the phone and mentor them.

You don’t need permission to do this. You don’t even need to say that you’re mentoring them.

Just ask them a ton of questions about how things are going in their soul, their family, and their realm of leadership. Then offer encouragement and perhaps a little bit of advice. And pray with them and over them.

2. Connect a fellow leader into a valuable relationship.

I’m forever saying, “Oh, you need to know so-and-so.” It’s my way of putting people together when I think they need to learn from one another.

How many connections is too many? I’ve been connecting with leaders and connecting leaders to other leaders for years now and my capacity to learn and be led by others has yet to fill up.

3. Send a book.

People tell me all the time what I should read next, but some of my closest mentors have simply sent me the book they knew I needed.

Personally, I’ve given or sent copies of these favorites to various leaders over the years:

Jeffrey Gitomer’s Little Black Book of Connections. It’s not a faith-based book, but Gitomer knows how to influence others by adding value to their lives.
Rich Villodas’ The Deeply Formed Life. Rich reminds us that what keeps us steady isn’t our performance but our prayer life.
Bill Hull’s The Disciple-Making Pastor. Bill’s book is a classic on gathering friends the way Jesus did and helping them grow up spiritually.
Brene Brown’s Dare to Lead, because nobody can help you go deep, dump shame, and live boldly and authentically quite like Brene.
Henri Nouwen’s The Inner Voice of Love, because Henri was a man any leader could identify with and he pointed to what really mattered – love.
Joshua DuBois’ The President’s Devotional. A collection of the devotionals Joshua sent every morning to President Barack Obama. (Politics aside, it’s a good book.)
Shawn Lovejoy’s Measuring Success. Discouragement often comes from scoring ourselves according to a flawed scorecard and Shawn points us back to the factors that should be the source of our confidence.

And of course, there are others, too, but those are a few of my favorites.

4. Ask a leader for help.

Asking for a favor is empowering to people. I love helping others, and so do you. So allow others the blessing of helping you from time to time.

A friend called me yesterday for advice about an opportunity before him. The opportunity was out of my league, but he wanted to know what I thought. I’m not sure if my advice was worth much in the end, but it meant a lot that he would ask me.

Pastors are notoriously unwilling to ask for help from others, but asking a pastor to help you with something as simple as a word of advice opens the door to helping each other mutually.

5. Produce something for others.

I get frustrated with the number of great leaders I know whose heads are filled with wisdom but who won’t write, won’t blog, and won’t speak anywhere. It’s not that you have to do these things, it’s that you can and therefore should share your collected wisdom with others.

It’s free, quick, and simple to start sharing your knowledge with the world. And it’s only going to get easier. It’s a matter of being a good steward of the wisdom God has given you.

You can’t save the world. That’s Jesus’ role and he has fulfilled and is continuing to fulfill it perfectly. But Jesus wants to involve YOU in his work of restoring, renewing, and refreshing those around you.

The best and easiest way to get started giving what pastors need most? Yep. Encouragement.

This article on what pastors need most originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

8 Reasons Why Church Change Is SO Hard

By

Ray Hollenbach

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August 18, 2022

Wise leaders and pastors understand that lasting church change requires individuals to change first before an organization will change. Your change won’t last or will disrupt your church unless those in your teams personally embrace the change first, at least at some level. So it behooves us to first understand why most people initially resist church change (or any other kind of change). Brain insight helps us understand hidden processes around which we can design our change initiatives. Awareness of how people’s brains work in response to change can help you craft more lasting changes. Here are eight reasons why church change is difficult.

8 Reasons Why Church Change Is SO Hard

1. People naturally assume the worst.

Our brain is wired to pick up threats and negative possibilities around us more than the positive. Two-thirds of the brain cells in the flight-fight part of our brain, the amygdala, are wired to pick up on the negative (Hanson, 2010). Most people’s initial response to change comes from these emotional centers rather than from their thinking centers.

2. People usually fill in knowledge gaps with fear instead of faith.

Uncertainty about the future (and change) breeds this fear. The less information and the more people have to fill in the knowledge gaps, the greater the fear and resistance to change.

3. We don’t have a second chance to make a good first impression.

That’s not simply a quaint saying. Neuroscientists have shown it to be true (Lount et al., 2008). Poorly introduced change will always start your change on the wrong footing.

4. Emotions influence receptivity to change.

Just presenting facts without engaging positive and hopeful emotions will seldom move your team forward. Although we may prefer it not to be so, most people make decisions based on emotion.

5. The brain can only handle so much change at once.

Trying to create too much change too quickly can engage the brain’s fear center and cause people to resist, thus hindering change (Hemp, 2009).

Tips on Switching From Church Media Pro to Movie Career

By

Phil Cooke

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August 18, 2022

During the last month, I’ve spoken at a number of church media conferences, and time after time, I’ve met church media directors and filmmakers who tell me their real goal is to produce and direct feature films. I’m thrilled at the ambition, but there’s often a bit of a disconnect, because I’m not really seeing them actively moving in that direction. So as a public service, here’s some advice from people who understand where you’re coming from and have some recommendations about a movie career:

Tips on Switching From Church Media Pro to Movie Career

From Ralph Winter –

Producer of X-Men, Wolverine, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek, Adrift, Hocus Pocus 2, and many more. Essentially, Ralph has spent most of his career producing $200 million movies. Here’s what he’d recommend:

It’s all about the story. That sounds easy, but it’s not. Only 1% of the scripts I read are any good at all. Which means it’s not about having the right script software, it’s about talent. All stories have value, no doubt – but knowing what story an audience will pay for is different.

It’s also important to understand that it is a business. Play for the long game, a movie career, not just one movie. And it’s not just about production – how will you market and distribute the finished film? If you don’t consider that, it’s just a home movie.

For example, 5,000 movies are submitted to the Sundance Film Festival every year:
125 get chosen to be screened for audiences.
10 get bought by a studio or distributor.
2 make money.

I’m not trying to scare you off a movie career, but the bottom line is that if you are taller than 6’2” you have a better chance of playing in the NBA.

– Ralph Winter

(See page two for Korey Scott Pollard’s tips on a movie caeer.)

Youth Ministry Attendance Tracking: Save Time With Management Tools

By

Jeremy Zach

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August 17, 2022

Discover how youth ministry attendance tracking can increase your productivity and effectiveness. By using youth ministry management tools, you’ll spend less time on administrative tasks and more time on relationship-building.

You’ll never have enough time to do everything you want in youth ministry. I hear youth pastors say repeatedly: “I’m just in a busy season. When it’s done, I’ll have time to _________.”

Assuming you’re a full-time youth worker, you have only 40 hours a week. In this field, time will easily escape you.

Youth ministry is all about relationships, which take time. You need to focus on building relationships with students, leaders, and parents.

Youth Ministry Time-Wasters

doing data entry and database management
writing talks that most students will never remember
developing and maintaining budgets
youth ministry attendance tracking
creating expense reports
searching and engaging social media platforms
writing and returning emails
creating creative elements (series graphics, newsletter templates, ministry logos, funny videos, etc.)

These are only a few time-wasters in student ministry. My hope is to get youth pastors to spend more time on what really matters: BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS. Save time by automating. Youth ministry management tools let you spend more time doing what really matters.

I’m a big advocate of finding areas you can automate. Automating doesn’t mean you’re lazy. It means you’re smart.

Automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. —Bill Gates

Let’s explore different areas and ways to automate. These tools go well beyond youth ministry attendance tracking!

Youth Ministry Attendance Tracking & Other Youth Ministry Management Tools

Here’s a list of eight ways youth pastors can save time with online tools:

1. Email marketing

Emailing parents and leaders about ministry news is vital. One way to automate emails is by creating auto responders. These are sent out automatically in a sequence you determine. My favorite email marketing online tool is Mail Chimp.

2. Social-media management

How do you possibly manage all your social-media profiles? And how do you know who to engage and respond to? My favorite social-media management tool is Hootsuite. You can access all your social media in one place. Then select which “streams” you view. That can even include keywords you’d like to track. Plus, you can schedule multiple posts on multiple platforms.

The Bible, ‘Gender Queer,’ Anne Frank Adaptation Among 41 Books Removed by Texas School District

By

Jessica Lea

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August 17, 2022

keller isd — Sources: Adobe Stock, AnonymousUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Bible, Maia Kobabe’s “Gender Queer: A Memoir,” and a graphic novel adaptation of Anne Frank’s “The Diary of Young Girl” are among 41 books that were pulled from the shelves yesterday by officials with the Keller Independent School District (Keller ISD) based in Keller, Texas. Keller ISD has been at the center of a heated statewide controversy over which books should and should not be allowed in public schools.

“Attached is a list of all books that were challenged last year,” said district curriculum director Jennifer Price in an email sent Tuesday to school principals, according to The Texas Tribune. The email and book list were also posted to Twitter by a parent of four students in the district. “By the end of today, I need all books pulled from the library and classrooms. Please collect these books and store them in a location. (book room, office, etc.).”

The email continues, “More information will be sent regarding action for these books…Once this has been completed, please email me a confirmation. We need to ensure this action is taken by the end of today.” Wednesday, Aug. 17, was the first day of classes in the district.

Keller ISD Pulls Previously Challenged Books for Another Review

As ChurchLeaders reported, on May 1 Gateway Church’s senior pastor, Robert Morris, encouraged his congregation to vote for 13 people running for office in upcoming local elections. Morris, whose church is in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, named pornographic content in public schools as a primary concern and pointed out Keller ISD as a “very important school district.”

In the fall of 2021, parents confronted Keller ISD over books they deemed to be pornographic, including a graphic novel titled “Gender Queer,” which contains explicit illustrations of oral sex. This book has caused controversy in other parts of the country as well.

In October 2021, state Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth, sent a list of 850 books to schools across the Texas, inquiring whether they had any of the books on the list (including “Gender Queer”) on their shelves. On Nov. 1, 2021, Texas Gov. Greg Abott issued a letter directing the Texas Association of School Boards to investigate allegations of pornographic content in Texas school systems and to remove any such content it finds.

That same month, over 1,500 people signed a petition organized by Texas mothers calling for 90 books to be removed from the libraries of Keller ISD. In December 2021, The Texas Tribune reported that the Texas Education Agency was investigating whether or not Keller ISD libraries are carrying pornographic material.

Keller ISD appointed a committee to review all books that parents challenged. A full list of these books and the committee’s decisions on each can be found here. The committee had decided to pull “Gender Queer” from circulation and to keep the Bible and the Anne Frank adaptation in circulation.

Now, all of those books are being reviewed again. In response to a request for comment, Keller ISD sent the following statement:

Keller ISD has received questions about an email sent Tuesday to principals and librarians. Keller ISD’s Board of Trustees approved policies EFA (Local) and EFB (Local) at its August 8, 2022, Special Meeting. These policies relate to the acquisition and review of instructional materials and library books. Right now, Keller ISD’s administration is asking our campus staff and librarians to review books that were challenged last year to determine if they meet the requirements of the new policy. All of the books included in Tuesday’s email have been included on Keller ISD’s Book Challenge list over the past year. Books that meet the new guidelines will be returned to the libraries as soon as it is confirmed they comply with the new policy.

‘Show Me the Money!’ Pastor Rips Into Church for Being Cheap, Apologizes After Clip Goes Viral

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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August 17, 2022

Carlton Funderburke, senior leader of the Church at The Well Kansas City, came under fire this week after a clip of his August 7 sermon, which has since been deleted, went viral. In the sermon, he called his congregation cheap for not buying him a new luxury watch.

Funderburke, who leads the church alongside his wife Sylvarena, told his Missouri congregation that they are “poor, broke, busted, and disgusted,” because they’ve been honoring him with their “McDonald’s money” and not their “Red Lobster money.”

The clip has been viewed over 550,000 times on TikTok.

“I ain’t worth your St. John Knits (a luxury American fashion brand),” Funderburke scolded, adding that the people in his congregation couldn’t afford it anyway. “I ain’t worth your Louis Vuitton? I ain’t worth your Prada? I’m not worth your Gucci?”

“I’m saying this because I want you to understand just what God is saying,” Funderburke said. The pastor then ranted about his congregation not buying him a luxury watch made by Movado (worth between $398.00 and $3,295.00), which he requested a year ago.

“Found out that you can buy a Movado watch in Sam’s [Club]. And y’all know I asked you for one last year. Here it is, the whole way in August and I still ain’t got it. Y’all ain’t saying nothing. Let me kick down the door and talk to my cheap sons and daughters,” Funderburke yelled.

On Tuesday (August 16), Funderburke issued an apology, which was posted on the church’s social media accounts. The video is the most viewed piece of content on their YouTube channel.

“I want to take this moment to address the now viral video clip of me from a sermon given August 7, 2022. Though there is context behind the content of the claim, no context will suffice to explain the hurt and anguish caused by my words,” Funderburke said. “I’ve spoken to those I am accountable to and have received their correction and instruction. I’ve also privately apologized to our church, who has extended their love and support to me. I’m privileged to do life with him.”

Funderburke admitted that his words were “mishandled and mismanaged” and asked for forgiveness from those who heard the sermon.

“The video clip does not reflect my heart, or my sentiments toward God’s people, yet that’s not discernible in the clip,” the pastor said. “Therefore, I offer this sincere apology to you today. No context could erase the words I used. I apologize to all who have been hurt and angered or in any way damaged by my words.”

Albert Mohler To Join DeSantis, Hawley, and Rubio at Upcoming National Conservatism Conference

By

Stephanie Martin

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August 17, 2022

On Twitter, some Southern Baptist Convention pastors are criticizing the scheduled appearance of Dr. Albert Mohler at the upcoming National Conservatism Conference. Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, the denomination’s flagship school, is slated to be a keynote speaker at the event next month in Miami. His address is titled “‘Your God Will Have Been Supplanted by an Idol’: The Dangerous Illusion of a ‘Secular’ State.”

According to its website, the National Conservatism Conference “brings together public figures, journalists, scholars, and students who understand that the past and future of conservatism are inextricably tied to the idea of the nation, to the principle of national independence, and to the revival of the unique national traditions that alone have the power to bind a people together and bring about their flourishing.”

On August 17, North Carolina Pastor Ben Marsh tweeted an image of the conference lineup, featuring three Republican politicians: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. Other speakers include Peter Thiel, a gay right-wing billionaire, and Christian Adams, a conservative activist who warns about voter fraud.

Marsh writes: “Look at this pic man. I can’t get over it. @SBTS is this what you’re all about? Election deniers, COVID hoaxers, all politics all the time. I’m saddened. We have a shortage of pastors as it is, and now we’re training them to care more for politics than Christ.”

National Conservatism Conference: Some SBC Pastors Warn Against Extremism

Texas Pastor Dwight McKissic, who has pushed back against the SBC’s denunciation of critical race theory as incompatible with Christianity, retweeted Marsh’s post. McKissic writes: “This picture makes me cringe for the SBC. It’s extremely unappealing for multiple thousands I engage with. Not because they’re Republicans—Condi Rice, Colin Powell, E.V. Hill were Republicans. But, for all the reasons mentioned in this tweet+adherence to Christian Nationalism.”

Marsh and McKissic add to the online conversation, with Marsh tweeting: “Who knows— Maybe Southern Seminary President Al Mohler will stand up and say: ‘For the sake of truth we must admit that Jesus is Lord. That means Donald Trump is not. It is time to leave him behind. The election was not stolen. Admit this and move on. [The] passions behind those events were incited and flamed by the 45th president of the United States, Donald J. Trump. The mob was encouraged by the president, whose undeniable sins of commission and omission on that day will be debated for generations to come. It is time to move on. MOVE ON.”

Marsh adds: “Forgive me if I overstate this, but it strikes me that President Mohler speaking on ‘The Dangerous Illusion of a ‘Secular’ State’ is more of a transgression of the Baptist Faith and Message (and Baptist history) than women serving with the title of Pastor.”

God Is ‘a Nationalist’: Marjorie Taylor Greene, CA Pastor Rob McCoy Discuss Globalism at TPUSA Event

By

Dale Chamberlain

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August 17, 2022

Marjorie Taylor Greene Rob McCoy — Screen grab via Twitter

At a conservative political event for students held in July, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene argued that Christian nationalism would be vital to the success of the Republican Party moving forward.

“I think Republicans really need to recognize the people they represent, okay? Their voters—not the lobbyist donors, not the corporate PACs, not those people,” Greene said in an interview during Turning Point USA’s Student Action Summit in Tampa, Florida. “That’s not who the Republican Party should represent.”

“We need to be the party of nationalism,” she continued. “And I’m a Christian, and I say it proudly: we should be Christian nationalists.”

“Now if the Republican Party becomes a party that actually does the things we say we’re about, then we are going to be a party for nationalism. Isn’t that right,” Greene reiterated during a speech at the event. “So, you see, I also call myself a Christian nationalist. And that’s not a bad word. That’s actually a good thing, right?”

At the time, Greene’s comments represented a marked shift in language for conservatives, who had previously rejected the term “Christian nationalism,” seeing it as a pejorative. Nevertheless, it appears that Greene’s embrace of Christian nationalism has emboldened a small number of other conservatives to reimagine their own relationship with the term, including some high profile evangelical leaders and pastors.

Among those evangelical leaders is California pastor Rob McCoy, who has spoken at Turning Point USA (TPUSA) events in the past. In a more recent event held by the conservative media organization aimed at influencing college students, McCoy sat down with Greene to discuss his belief that supporting international organizations and alliances is not only unwise but misaligned with God’s character.

“And they believe in this idea of globalism; World Economic Forum, World Health Organization. And they’ve been told that America’s bad,” McCoy said. “And I love what Dennis Prager says: ‘America’s faults are universal, but our successes are unique.”

Greene nodded in agreement, saying, “Yes.”

“And this is—for four percent of the world’s population, more patents, Nobel Peace Prize winners, more symphonies, more accumulation of wealth—because we’ve had freedom. And I think people have forgotten how great America is, and you don’t have to be ashamed,” McCoy continued. “God is not a globalist. He’s a nationalist.”

Podcast Special: Dave Ferguson Gives 4 Habits for Healthy, Lasting Ministry

By

Jason Daye

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August 17, 2022

Dave Ferguson — Image Source: YouTube Screengrab

What are some of the practices that we can embrace as ministry leaders that will help sustain our joy through both the highs and lows of ministry? In this conversation on FrontStage BackStage, host Jason Daye is joined by pastor, best-selling author, Kingdom collaborator, and movement-maker Dave Ferguson for a candid backstage discussion, highlighting some habits and some practices that we all can embrace to help us serve for the long haul and finish well.

FrontStage BackStage Podcast with Jason Daye

Watch the entire podcast here.

Podcast Links:

YouTube https://youtu.be/Ve0G2lbTpDA

Apple https://apple.co/3PkvNt4

Spotify https://spoti.fi/3PhwyTF

Weekly Toolkit https://bit.ly/3IQGOQ8

Doug Sweeney: Discipleship Isn’t Sexy, but We Need To Get Back to It

By

Jessica Lea

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August 17, 2022

The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast · Doug Sweeney: Discipleship Isn’t Sexy, but We Need To Get Back to It

Dr. Doug Sweeney is dean of Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama. In this role, he provides strategic leadership and helps prepare men and women for faithful gospel ministry. Doug is a world-renowned scholar of American theologian Jonathan Edwards and is the author and editor of more than 20 books.

Other Ways to Listen to This Podcast With Doug Sweeney

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

Key Questions for Doug Sweeney

-Why have you called for revival in the year 2022, as opposed to calling for it 5, 10 or 20 years ago?

-What encouragement or practical advice can you give pastors to help fight biblical illiteracy as a problem in discipleship?

-Have we been in similar cultural situations in the past, and what’s gotten us out of those problematic moments?

-What about the church encourages you?

Key Quotes From Doug Sweeney

“Our churches have taken a beating in the last few years…I think generally speaking, there’s some malaise and there’s a lot of decline taking place in our churches. And I think we need genuine spiritual revitalization these days. We need a special movement from the Lord.”

“I have a lot of hope for the future of the church. I think we need to do some serious discipleship work and some pretty basic ways in the near term, in the evangelical movement and particularly in North America.”

“Clearly in the history of Christianity, there is such a thing as special seasons of revival and renewal in the church. We serve a God who is ready to respond to prayer and to use his people if they’re faithful and humble and clean vessels, fit for his service to do the work that needs to be done. But there’s a lot of work that needs to be done.”

“I don’t want to give up on the word ‘evangelical,’ let alone the evangelical movement. I think God has used the evangelical movement historically in some very powerful ways to build up his church and bring people to Christ and edify the saints.

Executive Committee, No Individuals Subpoenaed in DOJ Investigation

By

Scott Barkley

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August 17, 2022

NASHVILLE (BP) – A Department of Justice investigation into the Southern Baptist Convention is currently directed at one entity and no individuals.

As of Aug. 15, only the SBC Executive Committee had been subpoenaed. Jon Wilke, media relations director for the Executive Committee, confirmed the news to Baptist Press Tuesday (Aug. 16).

Wilke was unable to provide specifics as to what triggered the DOJ’s interest, what potential criminal activities are being examined or the scope and time frame of the investigation, citing it as an ongoing legal matter.

“The SBC is fully cooperating with authorities, and remains committed to addressing the scourge of sexual abuse,” Wilke said.

Speculation has pointed toward the Guidepost Solutions report, released in May, as the genesis for the investigation. However, a Guidepost representative told BP that the organization would not be commenting at this time.

A statement signed by all SBC entity heads, seminary presidents and SBC President Bart Barber on Aug. 12 acknowledged the investigation into “multiple SBC entities.”

“Our commitment to cooperate with the Department of Justice is born from our demonstrated commitment to transparently address the scourge of sexual abuse,” the statement read.

The Tennessean newspaper reported a statement from David Boling, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.

“While we are aware that the SBC has made certain confirmations about this matter, the U.S. Attorney’s Office does not confirm or deny the existence of an investigation,” Boling said in the statement.

WCA Calls on Conservative Churches to Withhold Dues From United Methodist Church

By

Emily McFarlan Miller

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August 17, 2022

(RNS) — “Let our people go!” reads a statement shared over the weekend by the Wesleyan Covenant Association, a network of theologically conservative United Methodists.

While the phrase might be borrowed from Moses in the Book of Exodus, the WCA is not exactly calling for a series of escalating plagues.

Nevertheless, the outcry is not without threat.

The organization is calling for churches to stop paying dues, or apportionments, to regional annual conferences it believes are making disaffiliation for churches difficult to impossible amid the United Methodist Church’s slow-moving schism, largely over the ordination and marriage of LGBTQ members.

Those apportionments, determined by each annual conference, fund bishops’ salaries and support the work of the mainline Protestant denomination around the world.

“I think as long as a church continues to send money to the people who are holding them captive and not allowing them to disaffiliate under fair terms, they’re continuing to fund the misbehavior — and it’s time to stop doing that,” the Rev. Jay Therrell, president of the WCA, told Religion News Service.

Therrell announced Friday (Aug. 12) that the association was calling on conservative members of United Methodist churches to lead their church councils to immediately begin withholding apportionments from 19 of the denomination’s 53 annual conferences.

Those conferences include Baltimore-Washington, California-Nevada, California-Pacific, Eastern Pennsylvania, Florida, Greater New Jersey, Illinois Great Rivers, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Mountain Sky, New England, Northern Illinois, Oregon-Idaho, Peninsula-Delaware, South Carolina, Susquehanna, West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania.

Members of other annual conferences wishing to show their solidarity should consider withholding their apportionments to the denomination’s episcopal fund, which pays its bishops, according to Therrell’s statement.

The WCA president wrote that the 19 annual conferences are adding “onerous and punitive requirements” to disaffiliation provisions in the denomination’s rulebook, the Book of Discipline. He told RNS such efforts range from requiring churches to pay more than two years of apportionments to requiring them to complete a six-month discernment period before they can move to disaffiliate.

Jay Therrell. Courtesy of Therrell

“We would simply ask them to follow the golden rule: to treat these churches that wish to disaffiliate the way they would want to be treated if they were trying to disaffiliate,” Therrell said.

The Book of Discipline allows through 2023 for churches wishing to leave the denomination over its stance on sexuality to take their properties with them after paying two years of apportionments and pension liabilities. Those provisions were added to the Book of Discipline by General Conference delegates in 2019 alongside legislation called the Traditional Plan that strengthened the denomination’s language barring the ordination and marriage of LGBTQ United Methodists.

Contextualized Ministry Guides Montana Pastor in Outreach

By

Scott Barkley

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August 17, 2022

Contextualized-ministry-guides-Montana-pastor-in-outreach-Baptist-Press — Shelby, Mont. teen Wyatt Doty, foreground, joined other skaters to take advantage of a clinic hosted by First Baptist Church. Photo from Facebook, First Baptist Shelby. Photo courtesy of Baptist Press.

SHELBY, Mont. (BP) – You wouldn’t think a pastor would have much in common with the bassist for one of rock’s legendary bands, but there’s a connection to be made.

Chad Scarborough and First Baptist Church will mark nine years together in October. As a Texas native, Scarborough could identify with the Old West culture in Big Sky Country. As a pastor, he operates through a lens of “contextualized ministry,” as he calls it.

Two examples came this summer through First Baptist’s third Rodeo Bible Camp as well as its first skateboarding clinic and contest.

Beginning June 9, the church hosted cowboys and cowgirls from the Marianas Valley every other Thursday. As many as 30 showed up for instruction and competition in events such as barrel racing, goat tying and steer chasing as well as a Gospel message.

That’s a novel idea, yet a little more conducive to the surrounding culture than the second.

“My kids rodeo. I team rope. We kind of live in that whole world. But when I was in student ministry in Texas, we did something similar,” Scarborough said. “We made some connections through the Missouri Baptist Convention who travel around and do different skateboard exhibitions.

In recent years Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament has paid for or helped pay for at least 27 skate parks in his home state. Growing up in the town of Big Sandy, where his dad was the mayor as well as a barber and bus driver, Ament knew well the need for teens to have something to do.

Pastor Chad Scarborough’s daughter, Jadis, rides in a rodeo. First Baptist Church of Shelby, Mont., holds a Rodeo Bible Camp each summer for kids ages 4 months through 17.

Montana wouldn’t normally be considered a skateboarding destination, but Ament has changed that. Those skate parks in rural areas of the state attract young people who wouldn’t normally darken a church door.

“It’s a good place for us to make those connections and share the Gospel,” Scarborough said.

Richard Dujardin, Long-Time Religion Reporter, Dies in Fall at 77

By

Bob Smietana

-

August 17, 2022

(RNS) — Richard Dujardin, a lifelong newspaperman who covered religion for more than three decades for the Providence Journal, has died at age 77 from an accidental fall from a bridge.

Dujardin and his wife, Rose-Marie, were on vacation in Milwaukee and headed to an afternoon Mass on Monday (Aug. 15) when a city drawbridge opened up beneath him.

His wife had already made it to the other side, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, but Dujardin was in still the middle of the bridge. He tried to make it to the other side and was unable to. He clung to a railing before falling to his death.

The accident is being investigated.

Dujardin’s loss was mourned by former colleagues on the religion beat.

“This is a heartbreaking loss,” said Manya Brachear Pashman, former president of the Religion News Association, which honored Dujardin with its lifetime achievement award in 2015. Dujardin played a key role for RNA, serving as a president and a board member.

“Richard was a veteran of our great profession who never lost his zeal for what we do and its greater purpose,” said Brachear Pashman. “He was a kind soul too, whom even the most curmudgeonly among us wanted to throw their arms around and hug at conferences. He was that much of an inspiration.”

Peter Smith, a longtime religion journalist, and another former RNA president said Dujardin and Rose-Marie were faithful supporters of religion reporters, even after his retirement.

“Richard was an exemplary religion reporter, and he was a mentor and friend to me,” Smith said. “Through his leadership in RNA, and through his enthusiastic participation at RNA conferences, which he and Rose-Marie attended faithfully even into his retirement, he encouraged and supported many of us as we sought to follow his example in providing in-depth coverage of religion news.”

Born in New York City in 1944, Dujardin grew up in Queens and later, in the village of Merrick on Long Island. After graduating from Chaminade, an all-boys Catholic high school, he attended Fordham University, studying journalism and working for a school newspaper, according to a 2015 profile.

He began working at the Journal in 1966 and remained there for nearly five decades, interrupted only by a three-year stint in the U.S. Navy Reserve, as an officer on an ocean-going tug and the U.S.S. Butte, an ammunition ship.

Dujardin applied for the religion writer post at the Journal in 1975 but was turned down. He was offered the job two years later and hesitated for a moment, before realizing that he would always have something interesting to write about. By 1978, he was standing on a roof overlooking St. Peter’s Square as John Paul II was installed as leader of the Roman Catholic Church. He would return to the Vatican in 2005 to cover the installation of Pope Benedict XVI and again in 2013 for Pope Francis.

Moving Forward – 5 Indicators of a Strong and Spiritually Healthy Church

By

Dan Reiland

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August 17, 2022

spiritually healthy — Adobestock #517860855

Is the church different than it was just three years ago?

Of course.

Life is different, so people are different, and we see life through different and changing lenses. That clearly impacts the church.

As culture changes, people see the church differently; they are asking questions and making decisions about church. As leaders, we need to rise above the distractions, love people, and keep Jesus as the unapologetic focus.

The truth and centrality of the gospel of Jesus Christ should never change, but it continues to be challenged, questioned, and doubted. That isn’t new. What is new is that other topics are trying to take center stage.

Sadly, sometimes Jesus is dismissed not because of who He is but because of how the church is perceived.

The church is still the hope of the world, but we have work to do. Of course, we do; we’ve had stuff to work on since the early New Testament Church!

Those who lead think about things like preaching the gospel, strategic focus, meeting needs, the power of the Holy Spirit, reaching the lost, and budgets.

Those who attend think about things like, are you friendly, do they fit in, do you care about what they care about, do their kids like to attend, and are you clear about your convictions and beliefs?

The point… those who lead the church think about it and therefore evaluate it differently than those who attend. We need to understand the lens through which people view the church and lead accordingly without sacrificing the mission.

This reality can make church leadership feel like a daunting responsibility.

So I’m writing today with some practical help and guidelines.

Candidly…

I’m writing with a healthy hesitation about making a list to describe something as deeply spiritual and humanly complex as the local church.

Because…

I will unquestionably leave off something really important to you.
Every church is unique in its expression of the grace of God.
I’ve written several such lists over the years. Here’s one from a couple of years ago.

So why again?

I sense a prompt to write something fresh for today, and I hope you find it helpful.

6 Main Traits of Preacher Eater Churches

By

Thom Rainer

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August 17, 2022

thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Preacher eater churches?

I had never heard the term until I became a pastor.

While I was serving as a pastor at a church, a search committee representative from another church called me. She wanted to know if I would prayerfully consider coming to her church.

Immediately after the call, I got on the phone with a friend who served as pastor at another church in the same town. What did he know about the other church in his town? His words were, at least at the time, strange and enigmatic to me.

“Don’t even consider it. That is a preacher eater church.”

I would soon learn what he meant. A preacher eater church has a series of short-term pastors, and those departing pastors have few positive words to say about them. As my pastor friend noted, “That church will eat you alive.”

Over the past three decades, I have learned much about preacher eater churches. Most of the time, they can be described with six main traits:

Their pastors don’t stick around long. These churches hardly get to know their pastors before they are gone. Some pastors leave voluntarily but unhappy. Others feel coerced to leave. And many are fired.
The church has bullies and power groups. Those bullies and power group members see their roles as primarily to get the pastor to do their bidding. When the pastor refuses, it’s time to get the pastor to move on. Often the power group is connected to a single family.
The church is in perpetual conflict. Even nonbelievers in the community know about the “fighting church.” Church business meetings become war zones. Pastors often receive enemy fire and friendly fire.
The church has nonbiblical expectations of the pastor. Pastors are welcome to stay as long as they are omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent. But if they fail to make one visit, their time is up.
The church does not believe pastors should be compensated adequately. I have actually heard a form of this direct quote at least a dozen times: “If we pay our pastor as little as possible, it will teach him humility.” Of course, the speaker of those words has no intention of practicing the same humility.
The pastor’s family is not supported. I had this conversation with a pastor this week. He said, “I had to leave the church because they were so mean to my family. If my wife did not show up when they demanded she did, they talked about her incessantly. And they had expectations of my kids they never expect of their own.”

I know. Pastors are not perfect either. But this post is not really about pastors. It’s about those churches that run their pastors off every few years.

They are called preacher eater churches. Many of those churches are having difficulty finding pastors these days.

I wonder why.

Trunk or Treat Games for Church: 12 Fun Ideas to Try This Fall

By

Stephanie Martin

-

August 16, 2022

Need some easy trunk or treat games for church harvest events? Then read on for fun trunk or treat ideas that children will love!

For many families in your church and community, fall festivals are a highlight of the programming year. Fun seasonal activities such as carnivals, hayrides, and Trunk or Treat evenings lead to lots of smiles and great memories. Plus, they’re a nonthreatening way to introduce people to your children’s ministry and to Jesus.

Trunk or Treat—basically a car-based trick-or-treating event set in your church parking lot— is a popular Halloween alternative. Choose an overall theme, or let each vehicle owner decorate as desired.

In a separate area, you can set out games for children of all ages to enjoy. These fun Trick or Treat games for church also work well for any type of autumn activity. That includes carnivals, congregational picnics, outreach events, and fundraisers.

Pro Tip: Be sure to recruit lots of energetic helpers! Youth and preteen volunteers are perfect for leading easy games for younger kids. Remind them to smile as they share the good news of Jesus with children.

Enjoy these 12 easy Trunk or Treat games for church

Discover a bushel of fun Trunk or Treat games for church and children’s ministry:

1. Poke a Pumpkin

Although this church game requires setup and maintenance, it’s sure to be a hit with little ones. Players poke through a tissue-paper portion of a pumpkin shape to grab a small treat or prize.

2. Candy Corn Tic-Tac-Toe

For this simple, self-explanatory game idea, gather candies and basic game boards. For an extra-large version, play tic-tac-toe in a grassy area, using different-colored bean bags as X’s and O’s.

3. Caution Maze

Corn mazes are a popular family activity in the autumn, but not every community has fields nearby. So when you’re planning Trunk or Treat games for church, grab some long rolls of caution tape and then start unspooling. You’ll need an assistant or two, but the resulting maze will have players smiling as they try to find the exit.

4. Caught in the Web

In children’s ministry, you may have encountered some “sticky” situations before. But this one is all in good fun! You’ll need painters tape and bags of fake spiders to set up a web for kids to crawl through.

5. Hop & Drop

For this active trunk or treat game, teams of players must transport apples in creative ways. At the end, you can tie in Galatians 6:9. It promises that “we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

6. Pumpkin Ring Toss

Giant ring toss games using hula hoops are fun for all ages. To add more of a challenge, set some pumpkins at various heights, using hay bales as props.

7. Crazy Cans

For this classic carnival game, which involves throwing balls or bean bags at stacked cans, you can decorate the cans with crazy faces. Or, if you’re brave, paste on photos of children’s ministry staff members!

8. Pumpkin Pickup

Children are drawn to water-themed games, such as the much-loved kiddie-pool fishing activity. For Pumpkin Pickup, kids select one bobbing mini-pumpkin or gourd and read the number printed on the bottom. That corresponds with the prize they then receive.

9. Pumpkin Sweep

For this fall version of curling, gather pumpkins and brooms and have players race to see who can “sweep” their pumpkin across a leafy lawn to the finish line the fastest.

10. Gourd Bowling

Trunk or Treat games for church often feature some type of bowling. Using either gourds or mini-pumpkins, players see how many pins they can knock down. (Get creative to determine what those pins might be!)

11. Pin the Stem on the Pumpkin

This straightforward game is just like Pin the Tail on the Donkey but with a fall focus. Have some blindfolds handy, and spin older kids around first to make the task more challenging.

12. Passing Pumpkins

Many Trunk or Treat game ideas come in variations and are easily adaptable. For Passing Pumpkins, you can play like Musical Chairs, passing pumpkins around a circle until fall-themed music stops. Or you can have relay teams race to pass pumpkins along a line of players without using their hands.

What other easy Trunk or Treat games ideas for church are a hit with your children? How do you share Jesus with local kids each fall? Please share your comments below!

Find easy Trunk or Treat ideas here!

TobyMac Releases New Album He Began Writing After Son’s Death, Shares ‘It’s Been a Hard, Hard Road’

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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August 16, 2022

Seven-time Grammy award winning Christian musician TobyMac (Toby McKeehan) is releasing his first album since the unexpected death of his first born son Truett (21), which took place in October 2019.

McKeehan’s new album, which drops Friday, August 19, is titled “Life After Death.” The album features 15 tracks, including already released hits “21 Years,” “Help Is On the Way (Maybe Midnight),” and “Promised Land.”

“Life After Death” also features collaborations with Sheryl Crow, Zach Williams, Tauren Wells, Blessing, Offor, Jon Reddick, Sarah Reeves, Cory Asbury, Terrian, Wande, his DC Talk brothers Kevin Max and Michael Tait, and his daughter Marlee.

McKeehan described his new album as a chronicle of the journey he’s been on the last two years.

“As most of you know, it’s been a hard, hard road for me the last couple of years,” McKeehan shared in a press release. “I began writing this record right after losing my first born son—the first few songs I wrote, 21 Years, Promised Land, and a song called Everything About You, were just really sad songs, lamenting songs, which you kind of would expect.”

After writing those three songs, McKeehan was asking himself, “Am I just going to live here? Is this my journey for the rest of my life?” However, the “Jesus Freak” shared that “God began giving me glimpses, starting with Help Is On the Way, I started to really stand on that promise, and really believe that help is on the way.”

One day, McKeehan wrote on a napkin, “You’re still the goodness in my life.” Later, he said that he “started to believe that,” realizing how God is good to him. The experience led him to write a song featuring Blessing Offor titled, “The Goodness.”

“It felt like a celebration, because I began to think about how gracious God is, and how He gives us little glimpses of His goodness, even in the valley,” McKeehan said. “Then I read a quote, and it led to a lot of the lyrics in this song, it said, ‘a saint is not someone who is good, but someone who experiences the goodness of God.’ I have experienced the goodness of God my whole life. There is LIFE AFTER DEATH.”

TobyMac will hit the road with his Diverse City bandmate Terrian in September to support his new album, which releases this Friday.

‘We’re Definitely Living in the End Times,’ Says Stryper Frontman Michael Sweet

By

Jessica Lea

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August 16, 2022

We are living in the end times, said Stryper frontman Michael Sweet in a recent interview on the Chuck Shute Podcast. Sweet and Schute got on the topic of Armageddon when discussing the Christian metal band’s upcoming album, “The Final Battle.”

“If you say that in today’s world, boy, you are labeled an instant loon,” said Sweet regarding the idea that the end of the world is imminent. ‘You’re crazy and you need to be committed, and you’re out of your mind. But yet at the same time, when you go through the Bible, if you were to really dive deep into the Bible and have someone explain the theory of it to you and the stories that are behind the stories—so someone really smart who isn’t me—they could explain to you stuff that would make your chin hit the floor.”

Michael Sweet: ‘I Believe the Bible’

Michael Sweet is one of the founding members of Stryper, which began as the secular band Roxx Regime before becoming a Christian metal band in 1983. The name, “Stryper,” refers to Isaiah 53:5, which includes the phrase “by his stripes we are healed.” The verse is even part of the band’s logo.

Stryper attained mainstream success in the 80s, and while the band broke up for several years during the 90s, its members officially reunited in 2003. The title of Stryper’s new album, set to release in October, is not a reference to the band coming to an end, says Sweet: “I don’t think it’ll be our last album, but you never know.” Rather, the story behind the title, “The Final Battle, and the album’s artwork is the Battle of Armageddon, “which is ultimately the final battle, biblically speaking.”

Sweet, who is a guitarist and lead vocalist for Stryper, told Shute that there are events the Bible predicted that have already occurred and “really the only thing left is God’s return and what follows after that, one of those things being the Battle of Armageddon.”

“So people can laugh and sneer and think Christians are crazy,” said Sweet, “and that’s fine. I believe in the Bible. I believe what it says, and I think those times are coming. I think we’re living in those times, absolutely, for sure.”

Shute noted that the people who get called “crazy” tend to be the ones who predict that the world is going to end on a particular date. Sweet agreed and referenced Matthew 24:36, where Jesus says no one knows the “day or hour” of his return.

“I think we’re definitely living in the end times,” said the musician, “but that could be short, that could be relatively soon, in the very near future, or that could be in a relatively distant future.”

How to Build Sticky Small Groups

3 Steps Toward Sticky Small Groups

1. Sticky Community

2. Sticky Questions

3. Sticky Opportunities

What Pastors Need – ENCOURAGEMENT

5 Ways to Give What Pastors Need Most

1. Call a fellow leader on the phone and mentor them.

2. Connect a fellow leader into a valuable relationship.

3. Send a book.

4. Ask a leader for help.

5. Produce something for others.

8 Reasons Why Church Change Is SO Hard

1. People naturally assume the worst.

2. People usually fill in knowledge gaps with fear instead of faith.

3. We don’t have a second chance to make a good first impression.

4. Emotions influence receptivity to change.

5. The brain can only handle so much change at once.

Tips on Switching From Church Media Pro to Movie Career

From Ralph Winter –

Youth Ministry Time-Wasters

Youth Ministry Attendance Tracking & Other Youth Ministry Management Tools

1. Email marketing

2. Social-media management

Keller ISD Pulls Previously Challenged Books for Another Review

National Conservatism Conference: Some SBC Pastors Warn Against Extremism

FrontStage BackStage Podcast with Jason Daye

Podcast Links:

Other Ways to Listen to This Podcast With Doug Sweeney

Key Questions for Doug Sweeney

Key Quotes From Doug Sweeney

Enjoy these 12 easy Trunk or Treat games for church

1. Poke a Pumpkin

2. Candy Corn Tic-Tac-Toe

3. Caution Maze

4. Caught in the Web

5. Hop & Drop

6. Pumpkin Ring Toss

7. Crazy Cans

8. Pumpkin Pickup

9. Pumpkin Sweep

10. Gourd Bowling

11. Pin the Stem on the Pumpkin

12. Passing Pumpkins

Michael Sweet: ‘I Believe the Bible’

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