SBC President Bart Barber Says Implementation Task Force Strengthened by Different Perspectives, Backgrounds

August 11, 2022

FARMERSVILLE, Texas (BP) – Diverse experiences and opinions related to the SBC and sexual abuse among members of the recently-named Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force (ARITF) will enhance that group’s ability to present recommendations at next year’s annual meeting, said SBC President Bart Barber in a video release.

Sexual abuse reform could very well be a constant point of discussion on the floor of SBC annual meetings for years to come. As such, Barber said the makeup of the ARITF needed to reflect those differences of opinion as seen each June.

“The investigation is over. And so, this group is going to be deciding how to make implementation of best practices for the Southern Baptist Convention and [for] our member churches to have all the tools that we need to be able to work to prevent and respond well to sexual abuse,” he said. “When we make decisions and … try to implement things, that’s something that our Southern Baptist churches do together.”

The task force is expected to bring a report to messengers at next year’s annual meeting in New Orleans, but periodic updates are also expected.

Barber said a “deliberate diversity” among the task force members came about due to the current polarized environment and “probably” means there is someone on the task force “to make you uncomfortable.”

And he believes that’s okay.

“The measure of this task force is not how many people on it I like or how much I like them or dislike them,” he said. “[It’s] whether they bring good recommendations to New Orleans …[and] whether those recommendations, when implemented, actually reduce and prevent sexual abuse in our churches and improve our responses within our churches to sexual abuse.”

In the video, Barber also addressed public complaints surrounding the appointment of Indiana pastor Todd Benkert and allegations by Texas pastor Tom Buck and his wife, Jennifer, that Benkert was involved in the mishandling of a story revealing Jennifer’s past abuse.

However, Barber went on to cite Benkert’s work related to supporting sexual abuse survivors and reform efforts. That included a booth at this year’s SBC Pastors’ Conference in Anaheim, a breakout session during the annual meeting on teaching trauma-informed ministry and consistently building relationships with abuse survivors. In addition, Benkert can provide his own perspective as someone who has survived a false accusation of abuse.

The task force “needs to have good ideas about preventing and responding to clergy sexual abuse,” said Barber. “Todd has demonstrated that he’s thinking about those ideas and he’s working to try and implement them.”

Barber had never experienced an in-person conversation with many of the task force members and needed to introduce himself on his initial phone call with several of them. Backgrounds range from serving at the national SBC level regarding sexual abuse, as is the case with Marshall Blalock and Mike Keahbone, as well as on the state level like Melissa Bowen, Brad Eubank and Jon Nelson.

Pastor’s Second-Grade Teacher’s Impact Drives His Educational Outreach

Diana Chandler

August 11, 2022

educational outreach — Neighborhood students and passersby participated in a back-to-school community outreach at The Favor Church in Decatur, Ga. (Submitted photo)

DECATUR, Ga. (BP) — Church planter and pastor Emory Berry Jr.’s passion for serving the educational community has its roots in his second-grade public school teacher of decades ago, Lillie Courtney, who also taught him Sunday School.

Berry, who holds a doctorate in theology, had begun the second grade at Palmetto Elementary School in Pinecrest, Fla., as the lowest ranking member of his class in reading comprehension.

“This teacher could have easily labeled me and put me in special classes, remedial classes, but she took a personal investment,” said Berry, founding pastor of The Favor Church. “I guess she saw the potential was there, but I did not have the skillset. And she worked with me and worked with me.

“By the time I finished the second grade, I was still in a reading group by myself, but now I was in the highest reading group. So, I experienced incredible gains with my literacy because this one teacher took an investment in me,” he said. “I know the power of educators. She helped give me a hunger or taste for achievement.”

Berry counts nearly 20 active and retired educators and school administrators among the 100 or so worshipers who attend The Favor Church, which Berry planted at Easter, including his wife Julie Ann Berry who is an assistant principal. The church sees the three local public schools in its community as a mission field.

How a Latino Congregation in California Found Itself at the Center of ELCA’s Racial Reckoning

Alejandra Molina

August 11, 2022

ecla — Members of Iglesia Luterana Santa María Peregrina receive an apology on behalf of their congregation during the ELCA Churchwide Assembly at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 9, 2022. RNS photo by Emily McFarlan Miller

STOCKTON, Calif. (RNS) — A joyous celebration honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe was well underway at Misión Latina Luterana last December when the Rev. Megan Rohrer, then-bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod, announced to the Latino congregation that its pastor, the Rev. Nelson Rabell-González, had been fired.

After a few moments of confused chaos, the parishioners walked out, carrying their statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe with them. “The Virgin goes toward the front!” a woman advised as they left the sanctuary.

Rohrer — who had made history months before by being elected the first transgender bishop in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the United States’ largest Lutheran denomination — stood by and watched the congregants leave. One parishioner asked the bishop, “Do you know what you’re doing?”

“We’re a community under the same faith,” another woman said. “If they don’t respect this special day, what else can we expect?” the woman was heard saying in live video of the service.

Eight months later, the 100 or so members of Misión Latina Luterana — now renamed Iglesia Luterana Santa María Peregrina — find themselves at the center of a racial reckoning in the ELCA, one of the nation’s least diverse denominations.

Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, left, speaks during the ELCA Churchwide Assembly at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 9, 2022. RNS photo by Emily McFarlan Miller

Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, left, delivers an apology to members of Iglesia Luterana Santa María Peregrina during the ELCA Churchwide Assembly at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 9, 2022. RNS photo by Emily McFarlan Miller

Rohrer’s insensitivity in choosing to remove Rabell-González on Our Lady of Guadalupe’s feast day — a high point of Mexican Christianity — followed by the ham-handed handling of the aftermath by denominational leaders, “exposed the depth of systemic racism that we wrestle with as a church and in society,” said ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton in an apology delivered Tuesday (Aug. 9) at the denomination’s triennial meeting in Columbus, Ohio.

Leaders of the denomination, which is 96% white, say they’re striving toward “becoming a multiethnic and multicultural church” as they grapple with the disruption.

What was truly demeaning, congregants told Religion News Service in a visit to the church last month, is that they were never taken into account. If church leaders truly felt their pastor posed a threat, why weren’t they properly informed about anything?

And though the congregation walked out after Rohrer’s announcement on Dec. 12, its members say they were the ones who were eventually abandoned. With Rabell-González’s firing, the congregation lost its funding and support from the denomination.

Bertha and Tony Castro, congregants of Iglesia Luterana Santa María Peregrina, listen to an apology during the ELCA Churchwide Assembly at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022. RNS photo by Emily McFarlan Miller

“They kicked us out of the church that day and they forgot about us,” Bertha Castro, of Iglesia Luterana Santa María Peregrina, told RNS in late July. “They left us with no one.”

Rohrer, who has since resigned as bishop, fired Rabell-González after receiving “continual communications of verbal harassment and retaliatory actions” by the pastor, which he has denied. “The severity of the situation required immediate action to safeguard the Latinx community,” according to the statement from the Sierra Pacific Synod.

Now, Bishop Claire Burkat, who has stepped in as interim bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod, has promised the congregation an investigation into the circumstances of Rabell-González’s removal and an opportunity for the pastor to publicly address the complaints against him. The congregation will also participate in the investigation.

53rd Dove Award Nominations Include Multiple Nods for Phil Wickham, for King & Country, and Anne Wilson

Timothy Cockes

August 11, 2022

NASHVILLE (BP) – Nominations for the 53^rd annual GMA Dove Awards were highlighted by multiple nods for Phil Wickham, for KING & COUNTRY, Maverick City Music and newcomer Anne Wilson.

Wilson was nominated 6 awards including “New Artist of the Year,” and “Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year,” for her single “My Jesus.”

Maverick City Music received seven nominations, including “Artist of the Year.” Maverick City’s joined fellow artist Matthew West, who also received seven nominations.

Wickham received 5 nods, including “Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year” for “House of the Lord,” and “Worship Recorded Song of the Year” for “Hymn of Heaven.”

Pop duo for KING & COUNTRY, last year’s award winner for Artist of the Year, were once again nominated for the award, along with 5 other awards for a total of 6 nods.

The full list of nominees nominated for “Artist of the Year,” also includes Maverick City Music, CeCe Winans, We The Kingdom and Zach Williams.

Other notable nominees include songwriter and producer Jeff Pardo (his 9 nominations were the most for an individual), Brandon Lake, Steven Furtick, Skillet, Lecrae and Crowder.

Non-musical nominations included notable nods for Inspirational Film/Series of the Year for American Underdog, The Chosen, and The Jesus Music.

The Dove Awards are scheduled to air Friday, October 21 at 8:00 pm ET and 10:00 pm ET on TBN.

This article originally appeared at Baptist Press.

Pope Francis Meets Transgender Guests of Rome Church

Nicole Winfield

August 11, 2022

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has met with a fourth group of transgender people who found shelter at a Rome church, the Vatican newspaper reported Thursday.

L’Osservatore Romano said the encounter took place Wednesday on the sidelines of Francis’ weekly general audience. The newspaper quoted Sister Genevieve Jeanningros and the Rev. Andrea Conocchia as saying the pope’s welcome brought their guests hope.

The Blessed Immaculate Virgin community in the Torvaianica neighborhood on Rome’s outskirts opened its doors to transgender people during the coronavirus pandemic.

Francis previously met with some of them on April 27, June 22 and Aug. 3, the newspaper said.

“No one should encounter injustice or be thrown away, everyone has dignity of being a child of God,” the paper quoted Sister Jeanningros as saying.

Francis has earned praise from some members of the LGBTQ community for his outreach. When asked in 2013 about a purportedly gay priest, he replied, “Who am I to judge?” He has met individually and in groups with transgender people over the course of his pontificate.

But he has strongly opposed “gender theory” and has not changed church teaching that holds that homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered.” In 2021, he allowed publication of a Vatican document asserting that the Catholic Church cannot bless same-sex unions since “God cannot bless sin.”

Recently, Francis wrote a letter praising the initiative of a Jesuit-run ministry for LGBTQ Catholics, called Outreach. The online resource is run by the Rev. James Martin, author of “Building a Bridge,” a book about the need for the church to better welcome and minister to LGBTQ Catholics.

Francis praised a recent Outreach event at New York’s Jesuit-run Fordham University, and encouraged organizers “to keep working in the culture of encounter, which shortens the distances and enriches us with differences, in the same manner of Jesus, who made himself close to everyone.”

This article originally appeared on APNews.com.

8 Signs Your Church Is Actually Reaching Unchurched People

Carey Nieuwhof

August 11, 2022

So are you really reaching unchurched people at your church? How would you know…for real?

8 Signs Your Church Is Actually Reaching Unchurched People

Just because a church is growing doesn’t mean it’s filling up with unchurched people.

Hoping to reach unchurched people is one thing. Reaching the unchurched is quite another.

When unchurched people actually start connecting with your church, things change deeply.

So how can you tell you’re really making inroads with the unchurched?

When you see these eight signs pop up in your church, you will know that you are really making inroads with the unchurched.

1. YOUR DATA TELLS YOU IT’S HAPPENING

At the most obvious level, you should find out from the guests themselves whether they have a church background.

Too many church leaders never bother to ask people about their church background. As a result, too many leaders guess they’re reaching the unchurched, or think they’re reaching their community, or they hope they’re reaching their community.

But thinking, hoping or guessing isn’t the same as doing.

But the best thing you can do is specifically ask people about their background. Then you know. So start by surveying new guests and ask them about their attendance patterns.

How do you do that discreetly and appropriately? At Connexus Church, where I serve, we invite new people to fill out a connection card (name, address, next steps etc.). Amidst the information we collect on the connection card, we ask them how often they attend church by selecting one of these four options:

I don’t attend church.

Once or twice a year.

Once a month.

Almost every week.

If they check one of the first two options, we consider them unchurched. If the check either of the last two options, we consider them churched.

That gives us baseline data we can use from year to year and helps us gauge how effective we are in accomplishing our mission, which is to create churches unchurched people love.

Our data tells us that almost 50 percent of our new guests self-identify as being unchurched. (By the way, that number is probably a little artificially low simply because a churched person is far more likely to fill out a welcome card than an unchurched person.) (Here’s more on how we assimilate new guests.)

But of course, there’s a greater shift that just numbers can’t tell you. You can really tell that you’re reaching unchurched people when the dynamic in your church starts to change.

Your church will simply not be the same anymore. Which leads us to seven other things you’ll notice.

2. PEOPLE AREN’T SINGING MUCH DURING THE SERVICE

If you think about it, this shouldn’t surprise you. Christians are about the only people left in our culture who sing corporately on a weekly basis. Unchurched people may like your music, but they won’t necessarily sing it. Be OK with that. We’ve learned to be.

Even though we’re moving into an era where more expressive worship is back (and attractional church as we’ve known it has likely peaked), unchurched people won’t immediately gravitate toward singing out loud during the service.

Churched people visit our church all the time and remark that not everyone sings (even though we have an exceptional band).

I’ve just decided I don’t care. The goal is not to get unchurched people to sing…it’s to lead them into a growing relationship with Jesus. Think of it this way: Christians get to sing. Unchurched people appreciate the band, the atmosphere, and the way Christians engage with their faith.

And through it all, people’s lives get changed.

3. LONG-TIME CHURCH PEOPLE GET UNSETTLED

When unchurched people show up, not all long-time church people will be upset, but some will be.

They’ll be concerned that people who don’t look like them, behave like them, or share their moral value system are now sitting beside them on Sundays or in a group with them mid-week.

This is a good sign. Some of those churched people will leave, but you will also have a group of people that have waited for this day all their lives.

They will have unchurched friends who are coming and they’ll be thrilled that the church is (finally) accomplishing its mission. Run with them.

Think about it: If everyone in your church looks like you, acts like you, votes like you, believes like you and thinks like you, you’re probably not the church anyway.

4. IRREGULAR ATTENDANCE IS REGULAR

This unsettles pastors. Normally, if a church person is away for a month, it’s a ‘sign’ of something.

Often that’s not the case with unchurched people. In the same way that if you don’t make it to the gym in a week you don’t panic, unchurched people will come when they can. Remember: This is the most they’ve attended church ever.

I wrote this post on how to increase engagement, but just know this comes with the territory.

Sure, you want to encourage them to get connected and to prioritize the time they invest in their faith, but regular attendance isn’t automatic.

5. YOUR TIDY CATEGORIES ARE FALLING APART

As you engage more and more unchurched people, you’ll realize that your neat and tidy theological and sociological categories for people will erode and collapse and you realize we’re all just people in need of a Savior.

LGBTQ+ will stop being a term and start becoming people. Rich and poor will become names and faces.

That doesn’t mean your theology changes, but it probably means your compassion does. And it likely means that your easy answers instead become involved conversations.

6. YOU’RE GETTING SURPRISINGLY CANDID QUESTIONS

As you surround yourself with unchurched people, you will see more of the pain and messiness of life.

Long-time church people often experience the same pain and life issues as unchurched people; it’s just unchurched people feel freer to talk about them.

So get ready. Have a list of counselors nearby, and get ready to engage more real-life issues from the platform. When you speak into real life, people listen.

7. EVERYONE’S TOLERANCE FOR HYPOCRISY IS PLUMMETING

People with little to no church background hate hypocrisy. And they will call it out. If you don’t deal with it, they will leave.

Churched people have learned to live with hypocrisy for years. Losing that tolerance is awesome for everyone.

8. YOU SEE REAL LIFE-CHANGE

This is the best part, of course. But people are in radically different places than they were even a year or two ago. Unchurched people have really only one motive for being at church: they want to investigate Jesus. And when they do, it changes many—deeply.

Sure, not everyone decides to follow Christ. But then there are many people who have attended church their whole life who have managed to resist transformation for decades.

When it comes to unchurched people, measure change over several years and you’ll be amazed at the progress.

This article originally appeared here.

The Impact of a Committed Church Small Group

Phil Cooke

August 11, 2022

thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

A number of years ago in Christianity Today magazine, the late John Stott wrote about the power of committed Christians as a group. It’s a great reminder that even as a minority in society, the impact of a church small group can be enormous. It reminded me again of the importance of the unseen, and especially of the importance of a committed church small group. At that time he wrote:

“Christians have the power of group solidarity—the power of a dedicated minority. According to the American sociologist Robert Belair, at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University, “We should not underestimate the significance of the small group of people who have a vision of a just and gentle world. The quality of a whole culture may be changed when two percent of its people have a new vision.” That was the way of Jesus. He began with a small group of only 12 dedicated people. Within a few years, Roman officials complained they were turning the world upside down. There is a great need for dedicated Christian groups committed to one another, committed to a vision of justice, committed to Christ; groups that will pray together, think together, formulate policies together, and get to work together in the community.”

Rather than “every man for himself,” (which is sadly the way of most churches and so many ministries today) what do you think might happen if we actually worked together for social change–even it it wasn’t the whole church but simply a church small group? The implications are enormous. The challenge is – how do we make that happen? I suspect that big changes can happen from the small seed of a church small group.

This article of church small groups originally appeared here, and is used by the author’s kind permission.

Solving Problems Creatively for Your Small Group

Chet Gladkowski

August 11, 2022

solving problems creatively — Adobestock #431440711

Every problem has multiple, potential solutions. Some changes can make small, modest improvements while others can greatly advance your small groups and their effectiveness. Here are the best six steps to crack the code for solving problems creatively.

Solving Problems Creatively: 6 Steps

Curious.

Always be curious and on the lookout for new ideas for your small groups. You need to make it your mission to be curious and looking to discover new, exciting, and even frightening potential ideas. Practice being curious each and every day. Make curiosity a habit. Don’t be afraid to put a question mark at the end of statements or assumed truths. You need to embrace uncertainty.

2. Imperfect.

Don’t go looking for the perfect small group solution right out of the gate. Effective problem solving involves lots of thinking, lots of trial and error, lots of small steps forward. While Neil Armstrong took the “giant leap for mankind,” it came at the end of lots and lots of smaller steps. Early on, every rocket blew up on the pad. Every step forward comes along with its siblings; sideways and backwards.

3. Replay.

Think of solving problems creatively like instant replay. Look at a single event from all sorts of angles. Even from a blimp or drone. Look at the problem in slow motion. Only when you see the problem from different positions will you receive insight. Replay what’s going on in your small groups from different angles, at different speeds to learn as much as you can. Don’t be afraid to hit replay again and again.

4. Restless.

Your small groups might be percolating along nicely. You might be in a season of harvesting. But could your small groups be better? Don’t settle for what works, but restlessly explore what could be better. You need some restlessness in your heart and mind if your small groups are to grow to all they could be. This means being willing to take risks by tweaking what’s working in order to make it better.

5. Sources.

Don’t assume that the smartest and most spiritually mature people on the planet are already inside your leadership team. Look outside your congregation, and even outside your denomination. And dare I say it, look outside the church itself for insights and ideas. Yes, God is big enough to use the NY Times, Washington Post, NPR and secular resources. I can’t tell you how many great ideas I have found from non-Christian sources[1].

6. Story.

When it comes to communicating problems, ideas, and potential solutions, the traditional approach is to use a bulleted list. This is guaranteed to push people away and into a comatose state with no creativity. Instead, tell stories that are charged with action and emotion. Stories energize and electrify. Stories draw people in, they invite everyone to actively participate, offering questions and creative alternatives.

Solving problems creatively is not for the faint of heart. It’s not for people that are afraid to fail. It’s the stuff that great leaders and kings are made of.

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings. Proverbs 25:2, NIV

Which brings up a potentially convicting question: how desperately do you want your small groups to flourish? What are you willing to do? What risks are you willing to take for them to grow both spiritually and numerically?

May God grant you wisdom, strength, and courage to creatively solve the problems that are holding your small groups back.

[1] The inspiration for this article was “Six problem-solving mindsets for very uncertain times” by Charles Conn and Robert McLean, McKinsey Quarterly, September 15, 2020

This article on solving problems creatively originally appeared at the Small Groups Network, and is used by permission.

Product Review: HP LaserJet Pro – Dream Laser Printer for Your Church Office

Duke Taber

August 11, 2022

Every church needs to invest in a durable and reliable printer that will make it easy to print bulletins, mailings, and sermon notes. Rather than buying multiple pieces of office equipment to fax, scan, print, and copy, opting for an all-in-one laser printer allow churches to not only save money but also save space. This makes this type of equipment ideal for use in churches of all sizes. There are a lot of different laser printers on the market, but the HP LaserJet Pro M227fdn is not only packed with great features, but also a highly affordable option that’s worth the consideration.

What Is the HP LaserJet Pro M227fdn?

This is an impressive and powerful all-in-one printer that is able to print, copy, scan, and fax, allowing it to take the place of many pieces of office equipment. It’s just one of HP’s line of LaserJet printers and is right in the middle, as there are both larger and smaller options available.

While it’s only been on the market for a few years, it is still reliable and an updated option for most users.

The intuitive LCD control panel ensures that most users can easily handle operating the HP LaserJet Pro M227fdn. Thanks to the powerful HP Smart app, users can manage their printing tasks and even scan on the go, making it possible to scan documents when away from the printer and then print them at a later time.

Who Is this Printer Designed for?

This powerful all-in-one printer is designed for use in smaller church offices. It can easily handle printing between 250 and 2,500 pages per month, which is a little lower for some larger churches and may make it difficult for them to handle all of their monthly printing needs. However, it can print up to 30 pages per minute and easily holds 35 sheets of paper in the auto document feeder.

While it’s not the best option for larger churches who have a lot of printing to do each month, the HP LaserJet Pro M227fdn is a great consideration for most churches because it can do so much more than just print. It can easily take the place of an outdated fax machine and is great for helping scan and save documents for a church office to finally go paperless.

The HP LaserJet Pro M227fdn ships with everything that is needed to set up this printer and start using it right away. In addition to the printer itself, it ships with an HP LaserJet Imaging Drum, HP Black LaserJet Toner Cartridge, getting started guide, and setup poster.

Additionally, it includes a power cord, as well as printer documentation and a software CD. The one thing that isn’t included and is necessary for operation is a USB cable, so churches need to have one on hand before setting up this printer.

Primary Features of the LaserJet Pro M227fdn

The HP LaserJet Pro M227fdn is absolutely packed with features that make it a great option for use in any church. It’s a powerful all-in-one laser printer that can fax, copy, scan, print, and AirPrint quickly and easily.

It also has the following features, which serve to set it apart from other options on the market:

Printing up to 30 pages in a minute
Tray capacity of 260 pages
Duty cycle up to 2,000 pages per month
Small size fits into compact spaces

Because this printer can be used with a variety of phones, computers and laptops, and tablets, it’s an ideal option for churches looking for mobile printing options. It can be easily used over WiFi as well as with NFC advanced touch-to-print technology. Churches will love that the HP Laserjet Pro M227fdn can warn them of any security breaches. This is a wonderful way to limit any security problems and to ensure that all information printed is safe and secure. Additionally, the write-protected memory helps to prevent any intrusion from malware.

Alternatives to the HP LaserJet Pro M227fdn

Even though the HP LaserJet Pro M227fdn is really affordable, it can still be a bit expensive for some churches, making the HP LaserJet Pro M203dw a good option. Even though it has a lower price tag, it is still packed with great features that make it easy to use, as well as surprisingly powerful. It has a 250 sheet tray and offers mobile printing, making it easy for church employees to print from anywhere.

Churches with a little more money in their budget and who want a more powerful printer will want to consider the HP LaserJet Pro M477fdn. This is a color laser printer that boasts duplex printing, impressive security, and the ability to print on a wide range of different types of paper. With printing speeds up to 8.9 seconds per page for monochrome and 9.8 seconds per page for color, it’s easy to see how this printer can benefit a church.

Conclusion – Will You Be Happy with this Printer?

Smaller churches are sure to love not only the great price tag of the HP LaserJet Pro M227fdn but also how easily it can take the place of multiple pieces of office equipment.

It’s designed to be very user-friendly, making it great for church employees of all ages to use. It’s recommended for up to five users to rely on this printer, which means that it’s not the best choice for larger churches, but can easily be used in a private office by a pastor, youth leader, or financial director.

When buying an all-in-one printer for a church, it’s important that it can handle the monthly printing requirements. This printer may not be able to handle printing weekly bulletins due to the lower recommended monthly printing volume, but it is ideal for printing reports, bulletins for special events, and financial information.

It’s also such a reliable copier, fax, and scanner, that churches looking for a backup printer may be happy to overlook the lower printing capabilities of the HP LaserJet Pro M227fdn.

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

Ministry Position Switcheroo: 12 Questions to Ask During an Interview

Trisha Peach

August 10, 2022

Considering a new ministry position can be exciting and intimidating. In 16 years as a full-time children’s pastor, I’ve done plenty of interviewing. I’ve also interviewed many potential staff members. Along the way, I’ve compiled the most important questions to ask early on in the process. They’re essential!

Admittedly, these questions are most relevant to a children’s or family ministry position. But I hope anyone interviewing finds these topics helpful.

Accepting a New Ministry Position: What to Ask

Here are 12 questions you need to ask. Make sure you receive satisfactory answers before accepting a ministry position:

1. Is this church looking for a children’s pastor or a children’s leader/administrator?

Learn if the ministry position is for a pastor, administrator, or a bit of both. Obtain a copy of the job description! When I review kidmin job descriptions, I see many buzzwords. Examples include cutting edge, relational, team player, family minister, creative, leader of leaders, self-starter who can hit the ground running, not a one-person show.

More churches, especially larger ones, want more of an administrator to oversee their programs. The sheer volume of details and coordination requires a “Joseph” (or several) with much wisdom and great organization. What is the difference, really? Which does your church need or want to hire? Which one are YOU? Here’s how to tell:

Children’s Pastor: Provides leadership, vision, strategy, recruitment, and volunteer coordination. Has a background in pastoral work. The ministry position is pastoral. As a pastor, this person baptizes, visits homes and hospitals, and has a pastoral calling.

Children’s Director: This person does more administration. Usually, a previous children’s pastor or the lead pastor already provides direction for the children’s department. The kidmin director is the “person in the trenches” carrying out that plan. The children’s director typically doesn’t have a background in pastoral ministry. But he or she may be gifted in organization, networking, and communication.

Many positions are a mix of both. It’s crucial to clearly understand your role before signing on the dotted line. Expectations matter. If your church expects a children’s “pastor” but you don’t ever want to do baptisms or kids worship, you may have an awkward clash of expectations. Or if your church thought it wanted a visionary children’s pastor but needed an organized administrator, problems also will occur.

2. Are you looking for someone to provide vision or to carry out a pre-existing vision?

If this is a “director” position, managing a pre-existing vision, who formed the vision? And who sets that vision now (former children’s pastor, senior leader, Family Life Director, a curriculum)?

3. Who chooses the curriculum we use?

Am I locked into the current one? If so, for how long? Who would have to approve a curriculum change?

4. What is your church’s policy on providing childcare for events?

Would I be responsible for organizing childcare for church events? How many per month?

5. Does the church do evangelism/outreach? (Not all do!)

What and how many outreaches and serving opportunities does the church do? How would I be involved?

6. What expectations would the church have for my spouse/children?

Ministry is always a family affair. So clarify what roles, if any, your family members will have.

7. What is the typical work schedule/hours for staff members?

Get the numbers in writing. But also realize that every ministry position requires a healthy dose of flexibility.

8. What is the senior leader’s vision for the children’s department?

This is crucial because that vision automatically becomes your vision. Then you must uphold and defend it. If you accept that position, the senior leader’s vision is what you’ll be working to bring to life! So you must be 100 percent on board with that vision.

Clean Heart Clear Mind: Can’t-Lose Spiritual Disciplines

Rachel Blom

August 10, 2022

Clean heart clear mind. Read on to discover how spiritual disciplines lead to a winning relationship with God!

I was a huge fan of Friday Night Lights. If you watched that TV series, the phrase “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose” will sound familiar. It’s the chant, the rallying cry of the Dillon Panthers football team.

Every time players run onto the field, they shout this. The words help them stay focused and keep their heads in the game.

I thought of that while watching an interview with Charles Stanley. It was part of the webinar “Preach Better Sermons” from Preaching Rocket. Someone asked what the most important thing was in preaching. Time and again, Stanley emphasized that your relationship with God matters more than anything. Your spiritual discipline matters most.

When asked what that looks like, Stanley said (1):

Clean heart
Clear mind
Balanced life
Healthy body
Right relationships
Courage to be obedient to God

The first two struck me most: Clean heart clear mind.

Clean Heart Clear Mind as Spiritual Disciplines

1. Clean heart

A clean heart means a heart free of sin. It doesn’t mean sinning disqualifies us from preaching or from doing ministry. Instead, it means we need to deal with our sins. A clean heart surrenders fully to God. No hidden corners of darkness or sin exist anymore. It’s the result of David’s daily prayer: “Create in me a clean heart and renew the right Spirit within me.”

2. Clear mind

A clear mind focuses totally on God and seeks His will alone. I love Isaiah 26:3:

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed in You, because he trusts in You.

Focusing on God like that brings an incredible peace to our life. I’ve definitely found this to be true. Focusing on God brings about an unrivaled clarity to your actions and a deep contentment from knowing you’re doing the right thing. It’s been a constant struggle though, with so many things trying to distract me from Him.

‘We Are Losing Our Freedoms’—Franklin Graham Blasts FBI for Raiding Former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Residence

Jesse T. Jackson

August 10, 2022

Franklin Graham told his 2.5 million Twitter followers that Americans are losing their freedoms on Tuesday, the morning after the FBI executed a search warrant at former president Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.

“It is an issue of freedom—as Americans we are losing our freedoms,” Graham said. “Our nation has become so corrupt politically and morally. We need to repent and turn from our sins and call on the name of God, asking for His forgiveness.”

The FBI was searching for National Archive documents the president allegedly took with him upon leaving the White House in 2021.

Graham, the son of the late evangelist Billy Graham and current president and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, said that the FBI lost a lot of credibility long ago.

“Thirty years ago the FBI lost a lot of credibility over the unfortunate events that surrounded Ruby Ridge. Last night as we watched the events that unfolded at Mar-a-Lago, I couldn’t help but think that the FBI and DOJ are losing credibility and the trust of the American people again,” Graham wrote. “I have no idea what was in former President Trump’s safe, but if the government thought there was something there that belonged to them, they certainly could have asked for it.”

The 70-year-old evangelist shared that he is concerned that politics have entered the FBI, IRS, and DOJ, weaponizing departments to act against Americans.

“Should we be concerned that there are plans to supercharge the IRS and hire 87,000 new agents? Definitely,” Graham said. “This is a step in weaponizing the IRS to act against people, organizations, and businesses who have a voice of dissent against government agendas. It is an issue of freedom—as Americans we are losing our freedoms. Our nation has become so corrupt politically and morally.”

Graham called for the nation to repent and stated that America needs new leadership, saying, “We need men and women who respect Biblical principles and values to run for office at the local, state, and national level. Join me in praying for this country. Ultimately, our hope is not in politicians or leaders, but in Almighty God.”

During an interview with TBN Centerpoint’s Doug McKelway, Graham was asked what he believes Jesus would have done in a situation like the FBI’s raid on Trump’s residence. Instead of directly answering McKelway’s question, Graham said, “Our freedom is being eroded in this country.”

“Our forefathers gave us the freedom of speech, the freedom to come together, to elect our officials and so forth. But this is disappearing so quickly,” Graham continued. “And it’s frightening to see government agents going to a former president’s home and going through his personal files, breaking into his safe and taking things that they want.”

Why Do We Commit Sexual Sin?

David B. Hawkins, ACSW, Ph.D.

August 10, 2022

As Christian therapists, we are fighting an epidemic. Conservative estimates indicate three to six percent of adults are involved in some form of compulsive sexual behavior. This equates to seven to 14 million adults who are creating untold damage in their marriages and families through sexual sin. This is a largely unseen, unrecognized, and little discussed phenomenon, though the consequences are horrific. Sexual acting out ruins marriages, families, and the lives of the ones engaging in this wrongful behavior.

Sexual Sin: What Is Going On?

Nothing new. Societies have been plagued with sexual sin since the beginning of time with people behaving in egregious ways, harming others and themselves in the process.

We all know about “acting out”—expressing needs in indirect and destructive ways. We eat when distressed, get angry and rage when frustrated, pout when hurt—all forms of acting out. This article specifically addresses sexual acting out. We take our pain and anesthetize it with some substance or activity, which only serves to exacerbate the problem.

Men and women have always been tempted to sin. Sexual acting out is one way many attempt to minimize pain and make themselves feel good. Though God created sexuality for our pleasure, many of our clients have distorted His gift. They have taken this pleasure and twisted it through the use of pornography, affairs, visiting massage parlors, and more.

Sexual misbehavior is never innocent and always causes great harm. It can create the potential for sexual addiction, hurting innocent victims, and harming one’s self in the process. There is a biochemical component to these harmful behaviors. Having sex for sex’s sake is a selfish act, occurring partially because of our limbic system and the seat of core drives and emotions; it does not involve our more sophisticated brain, our neocortex. In the limbic system, we are more apt to act impulsively, do whatever feels good, and defer consequences until later.

As clinicians, we must bear in mind that sex and sexual acting out makes people feel good. Through the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that activates the reward center of the brain, people are able to dull their pain. Studies show that sex and cocaine actually have some things in common. This helps explain why people can become rapidly addicted to various forms of sexual stimulation.

It is no wonder that people want to replicate the feelings they get from sex. We all want to feel good. We want to relieve our stress, get rid of depressive symptoms (yes, sex has been associated with antidepressant qualities), and feel the temporary suspension of worries. However, sexual acting out is more often than not a temporary fix to a far more complicated problem.

So, what is the real problem? Where do we need to apply our clinical skills and expertise? We should first look for the deeper problems being masked by the acting out. Where are your clients or congregants really hurting? Where are their wounds? What are they not talking about and what are they covering up with their behavior? We must go to their emotional pain, expose it, and offer true help. Also, we must critically explore character traits of impulsivity and compulsivity—acting without considering the consequences and in ways to create ritualized and compulsive behavior. We must help them see that their solution creates even more problems.

Why are people so prone to these sexual problems? We must explore the possibility that they have competing drives. Their impulsive brains want pleasure and want it now. They do not want to feel emotional pain or think about the consequences of their actions. If flooded with dopamine, which will make them impetuous and self-centered, they may impulsively “choose” to act out. Ignoring the logical part of their brain, the neocortex, they take the chance of getting caught in exchange for the “high” they receive.

Sexual Sin: Acting Out

We are all familiar with the Garden of Eden story. Adam and Eve had everything they could ever want, but were tempted by the serpent to eat the forbidden fruit. “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate” (Genesis 3:6).

What causes our clients, like Eve, to make painful, costly, high-risk decisions that ultimately hurt themselves and others in their world? They know better. They may be aware, at least at some level, that succumbing to the temptations of the world will ultimately destroy them…yet, they give in anyway.

We are all like Eve. In various ways we all make poor choices in spite of adverse ramifications. We give in to temptations… acting out what is inside us. Why do we place ourselves in dangerous situations and do dangerous things in spite of inevitable negative consequences?

Knowing what we know, what should we look for to help our clients? Here are a few character traits to observe and monitor as we help our struggling clients to better manage their lives, delay gratification, and make healthier choices:

Impulsivity: Many of our clients are frustrated and impulsive. They give way to their emotions and behavioral temptations. You might reason that they would have learned to deal effectively with frustration, thinking before they act and then acting maturely; however, this is not often the case. Many fail to sit with their emotional pain and succumb to temptation for immediate relief.

Passive-aggression: Some of our clients are driven to act out sexually because of buried anger toward their mates. They feel justified because they consider themselves victimized in some way. When individuals lack the ability to heal problems in a healthy manner, those problems only grow and manifest in overt behaviors.

Unmet needs for love, attention, and excitement: Vulnerability plus opportunity equals catastrophe with our clients. If their needs are not met within the relationship, and within themselves, they will be tempted to find solutions externally. When needs for love, attention or even excitement are not met within a relationship, acting out is always a temptation.

Addiction: Behavior that is pleasurable is more likely to be repeated. If repeated frequently enough, addiction is very possible. Secret sin and “forbidden fruit” lead to ritualized behavior, often culminating in sexual addiction. We know that addictions play an important role in repeated compulsive sexual acts.

Consider each of these issues as they might relate to your clients. Then, consider how each is ultimately fueled by denial. Denial allows your clients to be immature. Through the power of denial, they rationalize and justify their behavior. The Apostle James describes the problem like this: “… but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire is conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:14-15).

‘We Still Believe In Dad’s Innocence’—Ravi Zacharias’ Son Continues To Defend Father

Jessica Lea

August 10, 2022

Nathan Zacharias, son of the late disgraced apologist Ravi Zacharias, has posted his first blog in seven months to explain that his recent silence is not due to him having changed his mind about his father’s character.

“Many people have written in to ask if a quiet blog means something has changed,” said Zacharias in a post dated Aug. 4. “As was the case before, no, nothing has changed. We still believe in Dad’s innocence, we still believe the investigation was biased and unethical, and we believe RZIM’s leadership mishandled many things, as well.”

Nathan Zacharias Maintains His Position

Ravi Zacharias was a Christian speaker and apologist who founded Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). He passed away from cancer in May 2020 at the age of 74. In the months that followed, reports surfaced, one of the most notable of which was from Christianity Today, that Zacharias was guilty of sexual misconduct. ChurchLeaders did its own articles on these allegations, which you can read below.

The Story Behind the Ravi Zacharias Allegations (Part 1): Lawsuits, NDAs, and Email Threads

The Story Behind the Ravi Zacharias Allegations (Part 2): ‘Cursory’ Investigations and More Accusations

After initially denying the claims against its founder, RZIM hired law firm Miller & Martin to do an independent investigation that had devastating findings. Miller & Martin’s report, released in February 2021, found that Zacharias had encounters with multiple women in multiple countries, encounters that included sexting, unwanted touching, spiritual abuse, and in one case, rape.

Fallout from the report was immediate and continues. Various RZIM leaders resigned from the ministry and some apologized for their roles in perpetuating Zacharias’ abuse.

In March 2021, RZIM announced it would rebrand as a grant-making organization. In October 2021, Zacharias’ daughter, Sarah Davis, stepped from her role as RZIM’s CEO to start her own ministry. Former donors to RZIM have filed a class action lawsuit against the ministry, alleging it concealed Zacharias’ abuse and misrepresented his character.

In February 2022, Guidepost Solutions released a report that found RZIM had been aware of inappropriate conduct by Zacharias since at least 2008 and that the ministry had used donor funds to sue abuse survivor Lori Anne Thompson.

Church’s Unauthorized ‘Hamilton’ Production Creates Duel With Fans After Message Labeled Homophobic

Jesse T. Jackson

August 10, 2022

hamilton_church_ — (L) Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (R) Screengrab via Twitter @hemantmehta

The Door Christian Fellowship Ministries of McAllen, Texas, was denounced by the “Hamilton” theater team after it performed its own version of the award-wining musical, which edited lines to reference Jesus.

The nondenominational church is known for using plays to reach people for the gospel. In the past, the church has done productions of “Beauty and the Beast,” “Toy Story,” and “Despicable Me.”

The hip-hop Broadway musical, which details the life of Alexander Hamilton and won 11 Tony Awards and a Pulitzer Prize, was performed by the church last weekend (Aug. 5 and 6). News of the performance, which was livestreamed on YouTube, made its way to playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s team before Saturday’s show.

“Hamilton” producers sent the church a cease-and-desist letter demanding that The Door McAllen remove its livestream video from social media. According to various news outlets, including Religion News Service’s Bob Smietana, producers previously told the church that they could perform Saturday’s production as long as they didn’t record or post images of it online.

A statement released by the “Hamilton” musical on Monday explained that they do not grant amateur or professional licenses for stage productions, which included the one witnessed by thousands over the weekend at The Door McAllen.

“On Saturday, August 6, we were made aware of the unauthorized staging of ‘Hamilton’ by The Door Church in McAllen, TX that took place on Friday, August 5, and their plans for additional performances,” the statement read. “We issued a cease and desist letter for the unauthorized use of ‘Hamilton’s’ intellectual property, demanding the immediate removal of all videos and images from previous productions from the internet, including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, their own website, and elsewhere.”

The musical’s producers shared that they told the church they could continue with their Saturday performance, as long as they adhered to specific demands.

“‘Hamilton’ informed the Church after receiving a response to the cease and desist letter, that they could proceed with the August 6 performance, on the conditions that (a) it was not live-streamed or recorded; (b) no photos or videos of the performance be posted; (c) they not mount any further productions; (d) this limited permission was without prejudice, and we reserved all rights and remedies; and (e) we would be discussing this matter with the parties behind this unauthorized production within the coming days once all facts are properly vetted,” they stated, thanking fans for making them aware of what the church was doing.

The original musical contains multiple uses of explicit language, including the words “God d*mn” and “sh*t,” which were edited from the production. The church and RGV Productions (which works in conjunction with The Door McAllen) also changed lyrics and lines to incorporate the gospel message.

The line “What is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see. I wrote some notes at the beginning of a song someone will sing for me,” was changed to “What is a legacy? It’s knowing that you repented and accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ that sets men free. You sent your sinless son of man on Calvary to die for me.”

Pastor Murdered by Wife After Years of Forcing Her To Have Sex With 50 to 100 Men; Sentencing Underway

Dale Chamberlain

August 10, 2022

Sentencing is underway for Oklahoma woman Kristie Evans, who pleaded guilty to the first-degree murder of her husband, pastor David Evans. According to Kristie, the pastor had emotionally, physically, and sexually abused her for years, forcing her to have sexual encounters with between 50 to 100 men.

David Evans, 50, was shot while sleeping in his bed on March 22, 2021, by 27-year-old Kahill Deamie Square, who was Kristie Evans’ secret lover. Evans admitted that she “begged” Square to shoot her husband. The murder weapon was David Evans’ own gun, which Kristie had placed outside her home’s unlocked backdoor for Square to use.

Earlier that day, David Evans preached a sermon at Harmony Church in Ada, Oklahoma, about spiritual warfare.

“Who’s believing in Jesus because of us?” he said in that sermon. “And if we’re doing anything in that direction, expect for the enemy to come to destroy you. So don’t be shocked and start whining and crying. Expect it. Be prepared for it. If the devil is not attacking you, there is a reason. If the devil is attacking you, there is a reason.”

David had returned from a mission trip to Mexico earlier that week.

Kristie Evans called the police after Square fled the couple’s home following the shooting. She later turned herself in to police and confessed to the murder, due to the guilt she felt and to “get right with God.”

Evans is facing a maximum sentence of life without the possibility of parole, though her attorney is requesting that part or all of her sentence be suspended.

Evans’ Story of Sexual Abuse

According to Evans, her husband was addicted to sex and pornography, and had for years routinely arranged for the two to have sexual encounters with other men. She said these types of encounters first began when the couple were at a clothing optional resort in Texas. Evans recounted that she came back to their resort room to find her husband and another man naked, waiting for her.

“I didn’t feel like I had an option to say no,” she said.

This occurred while David Evans was pastor at Harmony Church in Ada.

After that encounter, Evans said that the couple would routinely meet up with men in rented rooms in the cities of Moore, Norman, and Oklahoma City. They met between 50 and 100 men, and Evans recalled twice when they met with another couple.

“I just felt like a piece of property. I wasn’t valued,” Evans testified.

Evans met Square at one such encounter in January 2021 after her husband arranged a threesome at a Super 8. The three met up more than once, and at one of their meet-ups, Evans slipped Square her phone number. Evans testified that she enjoyed the attention Square gave her, which stood in contrast to her husband’s physical and verbal abuse, and the two began a secret relationship.

Evans said that she had considered divorcing her husband, but felt she had no option to leave. If she were to go into hiding, she would lose her job, and thereby health insurance, which would result in her being unable to afford medication made necessary by a kidney transplant.

Alan Hirsch: The Church Needs To Stop Making Jesus in Its Own Image

Jessica Lea

August 10, 2022

The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast · Alan Hirsch: The Church Needs To Stop Making Jesus in Its Own Image

Alan Hirsch is the founder of 100Movements, Forge Mission Training Network, and Future Travelers. He is known for his innovative approach to mission and is widely considered to be a thought-leader and key mission strategist for churches across the western world. Alan is the author of several books, including “ReJesus: Remaking the Church in Our Founder’s Image,” which he co-authored with Michael Frost and which has recently been revised and updated.

Other Ways to Listen to This Podcast With Alan Hirsch

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

Key Questions for Alan Hirsch

-As an outsider who has been living in the United States for some time, what observations do you have about the problems in the American Church?

-What about American church leadership has led you to feel discouraged? What about it do you see that is hopeful?

-Should American Christians embrace marginalization or still seek to have cultural influence?

-What does becoming more like Jesus actually look like in practice?

Key Quotes From Alan Hirsch

“I came to America 2007 and feeling a deep sense of call and deep within the will of God and believing that if we’re going to change the trajectory of Western Christianity, you have to address the church in America.”

“I think we are dealing with here something that is extremely dangerous, the ideological co-option of the faith from either side of the political spectrum, but largely in our time, I think, from the Right.”

“We’re facing a very, very clarifying moment. And this is why I think the ‘ReJesus’ thing is calling the church back to the absolute centrality of Jesus for the life and the expression and the witness of the movement that claims his name.”

“I think leaders have been unable to, in spite of all the things that we do…fundamentally disciple the church to Jesus.”

“Leaders are trying to lead a church that doesn’t recognize Jesus.”

“A group of people claiming to be Christians, claiming to be a church, who do not look, sound and think like Jesus—is it a church? I don’t know.”

State of the Bible: Swath of Committed Christians Don’t Attend Church Monthly

Diana Chandler

August 10, 2022

State-of-the-Bible — Photo via Unsplash.com @Gregory Hayes

PHILADELPHIA (BP) – Most of the youngest generations who identify as committed Christians likely do not attend church at least once monthly, the American Bible Society (ABS) said in the latest release from its 2022 State of the Bible.

Among Generation Z, Millennials and Generation X Christians whose personal commitment to Christ is still important in their life today, fewer than a third are described as practicing Christians, a descriptor that includes at least monthly church attendance.

“These are adults up to age 57 who at some point have made a commitment to Christ that’s still important to them. It’s likely that more than two-thirds are not attending church even once a month,” according to the report. “What happened here? Are we seeing a division between a private faith and a public church connection? Are people saying yes to Jesus but no to the church?”

In the chapter that focused closely on Gen Z adults, ages 18-25 in 2021, the characteristic of not attending church neither onsite nor online was prevalent among Gen Z, Millennials (ages 26-41) and Gen X (ages 42-57).

“Can they be wooed back into a vital church connection, in which they are engaging with Scripture, sharing their faith, and growing in the company of other flawed believers?” ABS asked in the study. “And how can we set the stage for that?”

The study is not meant to divide or demean, ABS said, but to encourage unity.

“We long for each generation to connect meaningfully with God’s Word and God’s people. Our challenge is always to see what’s in the data, independent of our hopes, fears, and assumptions,” ABS wrote. “If our churches and ministries are led by older people who criticize younger people for being youthful, they’re in trouble. Different is not necessarily bad. God uses old and young alike. Even now we see many Millennials using their distinctly Millennial traits to serve the church effectively, and we anticipate similar contributions from Generation Z in the decades to come.”

Among other findings, Gen Z faces unprecedented levels of stress, but Scripture engagement aids stress management. The study gauged stress through 10 questions about the most common stress symptoms used in mental health contexts, including sleeplessness, hopelessness, loneliness, anxiety and other negative feelings. On a stress scale of 0-40, Gen Z measured the highest at 14.9, followed by Millennials at 12, Gen X at 9.5, Boomers (born from 1946-1964) at 6.6 and Elders (born from 1928-1945) at 4.4.

“The State of the Bible research shows that (Gen Z) is facing a mental health crisis, with stress, anxiety, and depression far beyond the norm,” the study reads. “This mental health crisis can be viewed as a ministry mandate for churches and Christian ministries, for individual believers and families of everyone in Gen Z, but especially for Gen Z women. What can we do to alleviate these alarming levels of stress, anxiety, and depression?”

Gen Z women reported higher incidents of depression. Across the board among all ages, women reported higher anxiety, with Gen Z women standing at 35 and nearly twice the national average.

“People who read the Bible regularly and apply it to their lives report fewer symptoms of stress, anxiety, or depression. This is true throughout the survey data, and especially among Gen Z women,” the study found. “As high as the anxiety and depression levels are for Gen Z women, they’re even higher when these women are Bible Disengaged. The stats for Scripture Engaged men and women in Generation Z show normal levels of anxiety and depression symptoms.”

Throughout the study, ABS measures Scripture engagement based on responses to 14 survey questions gauging the frequency of Bible use, its impact and centrality.

ABS researchers collaborated with the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center to survey a nationally representative group of American adults on topics related to the Bible, faith and the church. The study conducted online via telephone produced 2,598 responses from a representative sample of adults 18 and older in all 50 states and Washington D.C.

The fifth chapter of the study is available here.

This article originally appeared at Baptist Press.

‘Online Missionary’ Streams Video Games, Bible Studies To Reach Internet Audience

Timothy Cockes

August 10, 2022

‘Online-missionary’-streams-video-games-Bible-studies-to-reach-internet-audience-Baptist-Press — Online missionary Joshua Clayton livestreams on his channel while engaging through gaming. He is on staff at Claremore FBC in Claremore, Okla. as a online missionary to the gaming community. Courtesy of Baptist Press.

CLAREMORE, Okla. (BP) – For Joshua Clayton, talking to people about Jesus has always been a part of who he is, even while playing video games or creating online content.

He now uses these two passions together in his new role as “online missionary,” at Claremore First Baptist in Okla.

Clayton began livestreaming his video game play during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Broadcasting the content was initially an attempt to earn extra income to pay for his wife’s unexpected medical bills.

After several months of livestreaming video game content, Clayton garnered more than 40,000 followers across a variety of social media including Facebook, YouTube, Tik Tok, Twitch and Discord.

He soon began averaging up to 10,000 views per video and reaching viewers from dozens of countries.

While he livestreams playing the games (typically sports games such as NBA2K or NCAA Football 2014), Clayton is able to communicate with viewers as they post comments that appear on the side of the screen as he is playing.

These conversations can often turn serious, and Clayton simply says what comes naturally.

“I started making content for the purpose of taking care of my family, not to tell people about Jesus, but telling people about Jesus is just what I do and who I am,” Clayton said.

“You put me working out in a field or in the oil industry or whatever, I’m going to find a way to talk about Jesus. A large part of what I’m doing now as an online missionary is stuff that I’ve been doing since as early as high school. I use the forum of online gaming to meet people, talk and build relationships. I use opportunities like that to tell people about Jesus.”

Claremore First Baptist noticed the impact Clayton was making and reached out to him about joining the church staff in a unique position to help bolster its online influence during the pandemic.

In the position, Clayton simply continues what he has been doing on his previous gaming channels, while also hosting an apologetics-type bible study every week called “Unseen Hope” on behalf of the church.

He also helps with the church’s tech and media teams and helps oversee its social media accounts.

Keith Wiginton, senior pastor at Claremore, said he came across Clayton’s content while watching videos with his son.

Clayton had previously served as an intern at the church, and his wife is the daughter of one of the church’s staff members.

Although the position might be unconventional, Wiginton said there is a great need for online ministry.

“There may be a generation gap in understanding,” Wiginton said, “but to a younger generation, watching someone play video games is just the same as watching a football game is to my generation. It’s just entertainment.

“We knew Josh and realized he had thousands of followers and that he was getting to have Gospel conversations with people online almost every week. We thought, ‘How many missionaries would we have to send and how much money would it cost to reach all the different people that he does?’ We saw there was a need and thought it was worth it to try and support him.”

A self-described natural extrovert, Clayton said Southern Baptist seminary training helped him be better prepared for the serious Gospel encounters he has online.

He graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with an M.Div. focused in biblical counseling, and was a doctoral student at Midwestern Seminary while also working full-time on the campus.

Why the Largest US Lutheran Denomination Apologized to a Latino Congregation

Emily McFarlan Miller

August 10, 2022

COLUMBUS, Ohio (RNS) — When the Rev. Megan Rohrer was elected bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Sierra Pacific Synod in May 2021, the election was celebrated as a revolution in and outside of the United States’ largest Lutheran denomination. Rohrer became the first transgender bishop of any of the Christian churches known as the Protestant mainline.

Barely a year later, the top bishop of the ELCA asked for Rohrer’s resignation after Rohrer’s removal of the pastor of a Latino congregation on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

What happened in the intervening 12 months can only be understood as a “perfect storm” of charismatic personalities clashing amid a heightened awareness of racism in one of the country’s whitest denominations, said Shruti Kulkarni, who maintains a website called “What Happened in the Sierra Pacific Synod?”

“Regardless of the intents of the people involved or whether it was justified or not, just the optics alone are terrible: You’ve got this white bishop from a predominantly white denomination that ruined this Latiné celebration of faith that was deeply cherished in their cultural tradition,” said Kulkarni, a recent graduate of Wartburg Theological Seminary.

On Tuesday afternoon (Aug. 9), leaders of the denomination delivered an apology to Iglesia Luterana Santa María Peregrina, formerly Misión Latina Luterana, and expressed a commitment to anti-racism at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly, the triennial meeting of the 3.3 million-person denomination taking place this week in Columbus, Ohio.

“This is in response to recent events in this church that have caused harm to people, communities and the whole body of Christ,” said a church press release.

Bishop Megan Rohrer speaks to the press before their installation ceremony at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco on Sept. 11, 2021. Rohrer is the first openly transgender person elected as bishop in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. (AP Photo/John Hefti)

The celebration that followed Rohrer’s election last year wasn’t just about Rohrer’s identity — Rohrer, who uses the pronoun “they,” is also neurodivergent — ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton said at the time. It was about all the gifts they bought to the church, including their focus on those who have been marginalized.

“What this means for the whole denomination, I believe, is that when we say, ‘All are welcome, and there’s a place for you here,’ we mean this,” Eaton said at the time.

Rohrer had only officially been in office three months when they appeared at another celebration on Dec. 12, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a sacred and culturally significant day for many Latino Christians. Misión Latina Luterana, a Latino congregation in Stockton, California, had planned a service featuring Aztec dance and prayers and liturgical music by a mariachi band.

But, according to a listening team report on the day’s events, Misión Latina Luterana’s pastor, the Rev. Nelson Rabell-González, was not in attendance. The service was led instead by the Rev. Hazel Salazar-Davidson, the synod’s assistant to the bishop for authentic diversity, inclusive community and service. When the congregation began to shout questions about Rabell-González’s whereabouts, Rohrer, who was sitting in the pews, went to the front of the sanctuary and informed the congregation that they had removed Rabell-González from his position that morning.

In a statement on the Sierra Pacific Synod’s blog, the synod council said it had unanimously decided to vacate Rabell-González’s call at Misión Latina Luterana after receiving “continual communications of verbal harassment and retaliatory actions” by the pastor “from more than a dozen victims from 2019 to the present,” it said.

“The severity of the situation required immediate action to safeguard the Latinx community,” according to the statement.

8 Signs Your Church Is Actually Reaching Unchurched People

1. YOUR DATA TELLS YOU IT’S HAPPENING

2. PEOPLE AREN’T SINGING MUCH DURING THE SERVICE

3. LONG-TIME CHURCH PEOPLE GET UNSETTLED

4. IRREGULAR ATTENDANCE IS REGULAR

5. YOUR TIDY CATEGORIES ARE FALLING APART

6. YOU’RE GETTING SURPRISINGLY CANDID QUESTIONS

7. EVERYONE’S TOLERANCE FOR HYPOCRISY IS PLUMMETING

8. YOU SEE REAL LIFE-CHANGE

Solving Problems Creatively: 6 Steps

Curious.

2. Imperfect.

3. Replay.

4. Restless.

5. Sources.

6. Story.

What Is the HP LaserJet Pro M227fdn?

Who Is this Printer Designed for?

Primary Features of the LaserJet Pro M227fdn

Alternatives to the HP LaserJet Pro M227fdn

Conclusion – Will You Be Happy with this Printer?

Accepting a New Ministry Position: What to Ask

1. Is this church looking for a children’s pastor or a children’s leader/administrator?

2. Are you looking for someone to provide vision or to carry out a pre-existing vision?

3. Who chooses the curriculum we use?

4. What is your church’s policy on providing childcare for events?

5. Does the church do evangelism/outreach? (Not all do!)

6. What expectations would the church have for my spouse/children?

7. What is the typical work schedule/hours for staff members?

8. What is the senior leader’s vision for the children’s department?

Clean Heart Clear Mind as Spiritual Disciplines

1. Clean heart

2. Clear mind

Sexual Sin: What Is Going On?

Sexual Sin: Acting Out

Nathan Zacharias Maintains His Position

Evans’ Story of Sexual Abuse

Other Ways to Listen to This Podcast With Alan Hirsch

Key Questions for Alan Hirsch

Key Quotes From Alan Hirsch

New Articles

New Podcasts