Liz Evan (L) and Scarlett Nokes (R) speak at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Orlinda, Tenn., on July 31. Evan served on the Sexual Abuse Task Force and Nokes is an attorney for Bradley legal. (Facebook photo)
ORLINDA, Tenn. (BP) — Bivocational Pastor Mark Carroll is the only paid staff member at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, a congregation of about 50 worshipers in the farming community of Orlinda, Tenn., where less than 1,000 people live.
But the church is embracing its cooperation with the Southern Baptist Convention in creating ministry spaces safe and free from sexual abuse, bivocational Pastor Mark Carroll told Baptist Press.
Pleasant Hill invited longtime Southern Baptist laypersons Scarlett Nokes and Liz Evan to the July 31 worship service to update the church on the work the SBC has begun in fighting sexual abuse, receiving and responding to abuse accusations and ministering to victims.
While Nokes is an attorney with Bradley Legal, serving as interim legal counsel for the SBC Executive Committee, and Evan served on the SBC Sexual Abuse Task Force(SATF) that commissioned a lengthy investigation of the EC’s handling of sexual abuse complaints, neither spoke in those capacities, Carroll said.
“I asked those two ladies if they could come and share, not as a lawyer and a member of the task force, but just personally what they have experienced, what they’ve been through working on the task force and working with the Executive Committee, and then kind of where we’re headed as a convention,” Carroll said. “We wanted to update our folks.”
Carroll is committed to following requests the SATF made in its report of how the EC handled sex abuse allegations from 2000-2021, and is looking forward to the upcoming work to be done by the Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force yet to be named.
“We’re already doing things to protect our kids and our flock, but we’ll be more diligent about it going forward,” Carroll said. “We background check our children’s workers and of course, we’re a single-staff (member) church, but we will use the database (of convicted and credibly accused offenders). Anybody that has any contact with our children or anybody in the church will be looked at. We just need to do our due diligence to protect our flock.”
Nokes is a lifelong Southern Baptist and a member of Temple Baptist Church in White House, and Evan is a member of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Clarksville.
“I was taking off my lawyer hat and talking to them as someone who has read the report, knows a little bit about the issue and is concerned, and as a friend. He was the associate pastor at my home church,” Nokes told Baptist Press. “I was just there as a Southern Baptist who’s read the report and the recommendations, and hopefully could help them understand what’s going on and the changes that are taking place.”
Nokes expressed appreciation for Pleasant Hill’s interest in and commitment to preventing sex abuse among Southern Baptists.
NASHVILLE (BP) – Two Southern Baptist pastors with recent leadership experience in addressing sexual abuse in the SBC will fill similar roles with the Abuse Response Implementation Task Force (ARITF).
Marshall Blalock, pastor of First Baptist Church in Charleston, S.C., will be chair while Mike Keahbone, pastor of First Baptist Church in Lawton, Okla., will serve as vice chair, SBC President Bart Barber announced today.
“Both of these pastors are well-respected by Southern Baptists, by survivors of sexual abuse, by state-convention leadership and by their peers,” said Barber. “I’m delighted at their willingness to serve and optimistic about the solutions that they will lead the Implementation Task Force to propose.”
Barber announced on Twitter Sunday, July 31 that the rest of the names making up the ARITF would be released later this week.
Blalock served last year on the Sexual Abuse Task Force, whose report at the SBC annual meeting was widely accepted by messengers. That experience, he told Baptist Press, greatly impacted how he viewed the subject.
“I think that most, if not all, pastors have a heart to want to help and serve people,” he said. “But if you want to lead and pastor well, it’s important to understand how sexual abuse has affected the people in your church.
“I, along with the other pastors on the Task Force, didn’t realize the depth of the trauma that’s involved with someone who is abused. It’s much more traumatic and life-altering than I ever understood or knew.”
Keahbone is a member of the SBC Executive Committee and served on the 2022 Committee on Resolutions that proposed the resolution “On Lament and Repentance for Sexual Abuse.”
“Through those areas of service, Mike is well acquainted with the work that has gone into refining and revising various proposals for how the SBC should respond to clergy sexual abuse,” said Barber. “He is therefore well-equipped to lead us as we continue that process.”
Church membership should not consist of rules to keep people out, but ramps to help people grow. Membership in a local church may seem outdated or unnecessary, but if led well, it adds great strength to your church. We need to be aware that there are definite reasons people don’t become church members.
Candidly, nearly all churches have some form of “membership.”
Some formal, calling it church membership.
Others informal, using words like belonging, discipleship, culture, team, or community, etc.
Both are referring to the same idea, but with different words, in a different style, and with differing amounts of emphasis.
I’ve served in two churches that are part of The Wesleyan Church, a great denomination. In both churches, I’ve taught all or part of the membership class for many years.
It’s been my practice to remain after the class and field questions from anyone who wants to talk. I’ve listened to thousands of questions over thirty years.
These are among the five most often asked questions from people who don’t become church members.
What if my spouse is not a believer?
What if I’m not sure about being baptized?
What if I don’t have time to serve in a ministry?
What if I can’t give a full tithe?
What if I’m not qualified to be a leader?
These questions are packed with doubt and uncertainty for people who don’t become church members. Those who have asked these questions wonder if they measure up to what they’ve been encouraged to embrace for spiritual growth.
In each case I emphasize a grace-filled path for growth rather than an either-or, you are in or out, kind of membership loaded up with a list of do’s and don’ts, rules and requirements.
Church membership is most effective when you emphasize vision, values, teamwork, and life change. Church growth is essential, but focus on the growth of the person, not the growth of the church.
I’ve wondered at times why questions like the five I mentioned arise in a class taught with so much grace, encouragement, and opportunity. So, I’ve asked those who attend and people who don’t become church members.
The most common response for people who don’t become church members includes two things:
1) Their church background.
Their previous experience is not always positive. They have often only known a list of do’s and mostly don’ts.
2) Culture is changing – rapidly.
Membership is no longer something desired unless there is perceived value. People want to be part of something they value.
Membership in current culture does work, from frequent flyer miles on Delta to discounts at Costco, and from a free sandwich at Subway to Prime Membership with Amazon where you receive free shipping.
People do join where they perceive value.
This might sound like an approach that builds consumer Christians, that’s not at all what I want to communicate.
In fact, it’s the opposite. Let’s not use the word membership for a minute.
Maybe you communicate; become part of our church family, or find a place to belong within our community, or discover your place on the team.
Use whatever language you would prefer and fits your culture.
The concept of belonging to a body of believers, (whether you call it membership, team, community or family, etc., is about spiritual growth, a call to maturity, and giving yourself away to others.
The foundational leadership principle that makes this work is: You as the leader(s) give first.
Good leaders always give first and invest more. When you model this lifestyle, the people in your congregation discover that you really do want more for them than from them.
One of the greatest opportunities I’ve had in life was working at Fellowship Church and being a member of the creative team that helped Pastor Ed Young plan creative messages. I remember hearing Ed often say he never preached a 25-minute sermon he didn’t like. I agree.
The reality is, there are few people who can preach longer than 30 minutes without losing their audience. A good philosophy is to leave them wanting more, not wanting to get out!
10 Secrets of a Powerful 25-Minute Sermon
1. Cut Your Introduction.
Don’t spend so much time trying to set things up. Get in and get out by avoiding too much detail and long stories. One secret of a 25-minute sermon is to shoot for a three-minute introduction.
2. Minimize Lists.
Long lists of examples can add length, especially if you comment on each one. Try combining similar points and using these examples in a sentence rather than a list.
3. Stick to the Point.
The best way to preach a 25-minute sermon is to define the main thing you want people to walk away with and stick to this thought. Cut information that is not relevant to this idea. Remember, you can always use it later!
4. Plan the Landing.
Know how you want to land the plane and don’t ramble at the end of your message. Focus on one main challenge or thought, develop a power statement, or (perhaps) refer back to your introduction by stating how the problem can be solved.
While a fog machine may not be something used on a regular basis for Sunday morning services unless you have a very contemporary worship service, every church can benefit from having one of these machines on hand to use for special events. A great fog machine can really help to set the stage for special plays, youth performances, and more, but they have to be powerful, easy to operate, and won’t malfunction. Choosing the best fog machine for the money for a church to use can be tricky and frustrating, especially when working with a limited budget. No matter how much money you have in your budget, you want to make sure that you choose the best fog machine for your church.
Pastors and purchasing committees need to be careful when shopping for best fog machine for the money so that they can be sure that they choose the right one. Rather than shopping blindly for this equipment and hoping to get the best option, many churches can benefit from investing in the Chauvet Hurricane 1301.
This is a popular fog machine that many churches turn to not only because it is reasonably priced, but also because it boasts a number of great features that make it the perfect choice for both regular and sporadic use.
Considerations for Buying the Best Fog Machine for the Money
It can be tricky to choose the best fog machine for the money if you don’t have any experience with them. To make sure that you choose the best one for your church there are a few things to consider.
Output – the output of a fog machine tells how much smoke or fog it will be able to produce in a minute. To ensure the best possible coverage in your church or on your stage, you will want to opt for one with a higher output.
Weight – the weight of a fog machine will easily dictate who can move it and how easily it can be moved from one location to another.
Tank Capacity – fog machines with larger tanks will be able to hold a lot more liquid in them before they run out and need to be refilled. When a tank is too large, however, then it can add to the overall weight of the machine and make it difficult for some people to lift and carry.
Warm-up Time – all fog machines take a little while to warm up before they can start producing fog. This can be frustrating for some people who may want to be able to use their new machine right away without any delay.
Compact, lightweight, high output fog machine with DMX control
Variable output control from DMX or the included timer Remote allows for precise effect operation
Always ready technology provides fog on demand
Advanced fluid sensor, with automatic shut-off protects the pump from overheating
(If you buy from Amazon, we earn a very small commission at no charge to you.)
The Chauvet Hurricane 1301 is one of the safest fog machines on the market today, making it an obvious choice for use by any church who wants to keep their staff, children, congregants, and visitors safe when the machine is in use.
The LED tank is designed to shut off the machine as soon as it runs out of fluid, which prevents it from accidentally overheating. Not only that, but it comes with a fluid sensor that allows users to easily see how much fluid is still in the tank so that topping it off is faster and easier than ever before.
Unlike some compact fog machines, the Chauvet Hurricane 1301 emits incredibly thick bursts of fog that can easily fill a small room or cover a stage without much delay. The manual fog button on the machine is easy to use, but since it ships with a basic remote, it can easily be controlled from a distance, as well.
The remote allows users to set it for timed on and off production, turn it on for continuous production, or set manual production using the interval and duration buttons. This ensures that you always have the perfect fog for any event.
What We Like and Dislike About The Chauvet Hurricane 1301
There are some great features of the Chauvet Hurricane 1301 that make it an obvious choice as the best fog machine for the money for any church. One of the top features of this fog machine is that it comes with a powerful remote so that it can easily be controlled from a distance.
Another benefit of this fog machine is that it has an automatic shut off that will turn off the machine when it runs out of fluid. This prevents it from overheating and being damaged.
Additionally, the Chauvet Hurricane 1301 has a very short heat up time of only five minutes, which means that it can start producing fog right away.
The Chauvet Hurricane 1301 also has a large 3.3-liter tank, which means that users won’t have to worry about refilling it on a regular basis during shows or plays. The empty machine is just under 20 pounds, which means that even when filled it can easily be carried.
One drawback of the Chauvet Hurricane 1301 is that it has a slightly lower output than some models, which means that it can take a longer time to produce enough fog for an event.
Additionally, this fog machine has a long recharge time, which can be frustrating when trying to fill a larger church or venue.
Why We Feel You Should Consider This Fog Machine
While fog machines may not be the most expensive equipment that a church has to budget for and buy, it is still important to make sure to choose the best fog machine for the money and to ensure that it offers the power and control necessary for a great show.
The Chauvet Hurricane 1301 may, at first glance, seem like a basic fog machine, but it is shockingly powerful and able to produce a lot of fog quickly, making it a wonderful addition to any church for plays and special events.
Because it can be controlled from up close, as well as from far away via the remote control, the Chauvet Hurricane 1301 is perfect for any event. Its basic operations are easy to adjust and it always produces thick fog that doesn’t quickly dissipate.
The large tank is easy to see and to fill and because it will automatically shut down the fog machine when there isn’t enough fluid in the tank to operate, there aren’t any safety concerns for even young children to be around the machine. All of the pros of this fog machine outweigh its few cons, making it a great option for any church to invest in.
This article on the best fog machine for the money originally appeared here.
Does God call leaders? What does God’s call to leadership mean? Years ago, a sweet lady in our church handed me a little slip of paper to encourage me on my journey. I unfolded it and it read: God doesn’t call the qualified; he qualifies the called.
Does God Call Leaders?
I’m not sure who said it originally, but I’ve heard and repeated it many times since.
Often truly authoritative leadership falls on someone who years earlier dedicated themselves to practice the discipline of seeking first the kingdom of God. Then, as that person matures, God confers a leadership role, and the Spirit of God goes to work through him. When God’s searching eye finds a person qualified to lead, God anoints that person with the Holy Spirit and calls him or her to a special ministry.
I think the distinction we sometimes miss is that God welcomes everyone into his family, entirely by grace and on the basis of the blood of his Son, Jesus, without respect to any qualification in us. We’re all welcome—every last broken one of us.
But when it comes to leadership, God will call leaders, and bestow influence and authority on those who have proven to be faithful stewards of smaller responsibilities.
In other words, leaders must be prepared.
But what does that mean? What kind of preparation is pre-requisite to being used mightily by God? How does God call leaders?
It’s not simply a matter of time—the Apostle Paul preached days after his conversion (though he did then go to Arabia for three years of study under Jesus).
It’s a matter of having a heart fully surrendered to God.
Notice what Sanders points to as the sign of a person ready for God’s full anointing as a leader—“someone who years earlier dedicated themselves to practice the discipline of seeking first the kingdom of God.”
God will call leaders, raise them up and bless and anoint them for great impact on the world those who have sought the Kingdom of God first and foremost in their lives.
I’ve been guilty, at times, of building my own little kingdom. Without realizing it, a few steps in the wrong direction spiritually places us at the center of our own universe. There, our objective becomes building a life all about our comfort and accomplishments.
But when we realize and acknowledge that King Jesus alone belongs on the throne, as loyal subjects our prime objective must become the ushering in of the Kingdom of Jesus all around us.
If you want to lead, seek more of Jesus. And seek more for Jesus—more souls in need of him and more glory for him.
This article asking “does God call leaders” originally appeared here.
Kindergarten promotion is a highlight of every back-to-school season at our church. In our children’s ministry, it’s a way to celebrate and welcome new students and reach out to parents. Read on for some surefire kindergarten promotion ideas…
Every August, our church holds a Promotion Weekend, when children move up a grade in Sunday school. These transitions are easy for some kids (and parents) but tougher for others. Either way, it’s a great opportunity to help kids and parents make stronger connections.
And with our newest students, we can capitalize on parents’ attention from the very beginning. That’s why our kindergarten promotion ideas emphasize both kids and families.
On the other end of our children’s ministry, we also help upcoming middle schoolers adjust to their new classrooms and groups. Focusing on key transitions helps calm the nerves and fears of kids as well as their parents.
Kindergarten promotion is significant at our congregation because kids move from preschool to elementary classes. These are two distinctly different environments.
So we spend two weekends in a row giving pre-K kids a taste of the elementary experience in 30-minute doses. We also host a “Kindergarten kNEXTion” the first week of August. It’s in the evening, with free pizza for dinner and a night of fun for parents and kids.
For the first 30 minutes, parents and kids get a taste of the large-group experience. Skits, messy games, and worship are all great kindergarten promotion ideas. Then for the last 30 minutes, we send kids off with volunteers. They complete different activities much like kids will experience in small groups on the weekends. During that time, we pull parents aside and talk to them about important topics.
Kindergarten promotion: 3 areas of focus for parents
Here’s what we share with parents of new kindergartners:
1. Who we are
This never gets old! Every time we have an audience with parents, we should share our mission and vision. We always review these with parents so they know why we’re here.
2. What they can expect
I want to give parents a glimpse down the road. Their child is currently 5 or 6 years old. In the next few years, they will begin digesting and internalizing the gospel message. The Truth will become personal to them, and they’re likely to respond to that Truth.
How much does a youth ministry environment matter? Can it make a difference in who attends—and who returns? This may seem weird, but I’m always concerned about what unchurched kids are thinking when they first attend our program.
I like to sit back and watch newcomers process their experience, especially if they’re unfamiliar with churches in general. What are their first impressions? How do our regular attendees treat them? And how do the visitors respond?
Here’s What I Wonder About Our Youth Ministry
What are visitors thinking? Do they seem overwhelmed? Do they think church youth group is stupid and irrelevant?
Am I communicating that the Bible matters for how they live? In fact, do they even respect the Bible?
What do they think about the worship, especially the lyrics they’re supposed to sing?
Do they feel included or judged?
What adults greet them and make them feel important? Do any other students meet and greet them?
I’m learning that it’s okay to constantly consider the unchurched students who show up.
Creating a Safe Environment
As youth workers, it’s wise to ask. How can our youth ministry create an environment that’s safe for kids who say no to church and God?
It doesn’t matter what youth outreach strategies you adopt:Inside/Out approach (go on to the unchurched students’ turf) or Outside/In approach (unchurched students come to our turf, church). What does matter is forming places and spaces where unchurched students feel comfortable with students and leaders who follow Jesus.
When I was in Los Angeles circa 2004-2005, I was on a mission. I wanted to figure out how to build warm, nonjudgmental, accepting, and inclusive youth ministry environments. The goal? Communicate to unchurched students that they could be in “church environments” and not feel weird or judged.
In my pursuit, I stumbled on Mosaic Church (aka Erwin McManus’ church). I learned how they created spaces and places that encourage believers and nonbelievers to fellowship together. The major value McManus injected in Mosaic’s culture was creating places where unchurched people didn’t have to believe in order to belong.
He says the church/youth group is often a 1st space that doesn’t allow outsiders. The 2nd space is a generic set of relationships; not everyone is like you, yet relationships still exist. The 3rd space is where no relationships exist, and they won’t unless they’re invited.
The Need for 3rd Spaces
Third spaces are when nonbelievers feel included in “neutral” spaces. Third spaces allow students to belong before they have to believe.
Whitehead made national headlines a week ago after he and his wife were robbed at gunpoint during their Brooklyn church’s livestream. The thieves got away with approximately $1 million in jewelry.
Mere days later, it was made known that Whitehead is being sued by a 56-year-old congregant for allegedly stealing $90,000 in retirement savings. The congregant had allegedly given Whitehead the funds to help her purchase a house—money the pastor supposedly used as a downpayment on a property for himself.
Bishop further went viral when he yelled at multimedia personality and pastor Larry Reid as an unplanned guest on Reid’s Instagram live last week, a video that also included Apostle Geneses Warren.
Reid, who is the founder of the The MBN Network, owner of LDREnterprises, and is the spiritual leader for the Reformation Church of Atlanta, is supposedly the person who first posted the video of Whitehead getting robbed live on camera, which was later picked up by national news outlets.
Warren was a guest on Reid’s Instagram Live, and the topic of discussion was the robbery that took place at Whitehead’s church. The two church leaders can be seen laughing and appear to be mocking Whitehead’s actions while making fun of Whitehead’s diamonds and the church’s stage backdrop.
Reid made it clear to Warren that he doesn’t appreciate Whitehead’s traditional beliefs regarding homosexuality, further saying that he finds it offensive when Whitehead uses the word “gay” and calls people the f-word, referring to the word “f*gg*t.”
“I can’t get with that,” Reid said. “You know, because that’s what he was trying to say—that everybody, people like you and me who embrace the LGBTQ community—they say ‘We gay’ or ‘We compromise’ because we’re not trying to send them to hell.”
Warren told Reid that she felt bad for laughing when she watched Whitehead getting robbed, but she shared that she was “scream-laughing.” Expressing that the robbery, wherein a gun was put to the head of Whitehead’s 8-month-old child, was “horrible,” Warren nevertheless said that she was laughing at the stage backdrop behind Whitehead’s pulpit.
Warren also called the whole ordeal very “Tyler Perry-ish,” implying that Whitehead may have had something to do with the robbery, saying, “Maybe someone that knows him had him set up.”
Mark Driscoll, left, is interviewed by Pastor Andy Wood at Echo Church leadership conference. Video screengrab from conference
(RNS) — Concerns about spiritual abuse have become common in recent years — at churches large and small — following the fall of megachurch pastors like Mark Driscoll, of the now-disbanded Mars Hill Church in Seattle, and Bill Hybels, founder of Willow Creek Community Church outside Chicago, both accused of creating toxiccultures ruled by fear and intimidation.
Elders at Saddleback Church, one of the nation’s largest congregations, recently said an investigation found “no pattern of abuse” at a church run by Andy Wood, who has been named successor to Saddleback founder Rick Warren. The elders noted there had been conflict at Echo Church, where Wood and his wife, Stacie, were longtime pastors, but added that “disappointment and hurt are not the same as abuse.”
Elders at Hope Community Church in Austin, a small multiethnic community, came to a similar conclusion after the conflict there led to allegations of spiritual abuse. As a result, half the church left amid calls for an outside investigation.
At the heart of these conflicts is a question: when does a disagreement, an unhealthy culture or the normal challenges of church life turn abusive? The answer is not always clear. But there is a growing consensus that spiritual abuse is real and something to be worried about.
Spiritual abuse, at its core, involves the misuse of spiritual authority. And it goes beyond run-of-the-mill church conflict, said Scot McKnight and Laura Barringer, co-authors of “A Church Called Tov: Forming a Goodness Culture That Resists Abuses of Power and Promotes Healing.”
Instead, there’s a pattern of using spiritual ideas to manipulate or coerce others, they said.
“What is good is used to harm and deceive,” said Barringer.
In their book, McKnight and Barringer describe what they call a “power through fear culture” at unhealthy churches, which often revolve around a powerful pastor or leader. In that kind of culture, even a small disagreement with a pastor could lead to a spiritual war.
The backlash to questions is often disproportionate, said McKnight, and can lead to people being shunned or fired. In response, some people do whatever they can to prove their loyalty, while others will keep their concerns to themselves, putting up with unhealthy behavior out of fear of hurting the church.
Lisa Oakley, associate professor in applied psychology at the University of Chester, describes spiritual abuse in her co-authored book “Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse,” as a “systematic pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour in a religious context” and sees it as related to emotional and psychological abuse.
“This abuse may include: manipulation and exploitation, enforced accountability, censorship of decision making, requirements for secrecy and silence, coercion to conform, control through the use of sacred texts or teaching, requirement of obedience to the abuser, the suggestion that the abuser has a ‘divine’ position, isolation as a means of punishment, and superiority and elitism,” she wrote.
One of the most widely publicized examples of allegations of spiritual abuse in recent years took place at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, which was retold last year in a popular podcast from Christianity Today.
Southern gospel singer Ben Waites, who recently wowed the judges on “America’s Got Talent” (AGT), spent this past Sunday morning singing and delivering a message at Christian Challenge Worship Center in Pineville, Louisiana. In the middle of performing a series of gospel songs, Waites told the congregation that helping people understand the love of Jesus is more important to him than fame or even his passion for singing.
“I don’t want to just sing fun songs, make people laugh,” he said. “I’m not even interested in being on national TV. I’m interested in letting you know that Jesus loves you.”
Ben Waites: ‘He Is Worthy of Everything’
Ben Waites is a 33-year-old Southern gospel singer and vocal coach originally from Ball, Louisiana, who now lives in Nashville, Tennessee. He told the congregation that he started singing and traveling in a quartet with his grandfather at age 11.
Waites has a condition called arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, which refers to “a variety of conditions involving multiple joint contractures (or stiffness). A contracture is a condition where the range of motion of a joint is limited. It may be unable to fully or partially extend or bend.”
The singer performed Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors” in his audition for “America’s Got Talent,” moving judge Sofía Vergara to tears, as shown in a video of the audition, released July 8. All of the judges gave Waites a green light to the next round.
Waites performed a number of Southern gospel songs on Sunday, including “My Wonderful Lord,” “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” Hank Williams’ “House of Gold,” and “I’d Rather Have Jesus.”
“He is worthy of everything,” said Waites. “All praise, all glory, all honor and reverence, fear. And he is our everything.” The singer said he loves pondering the names of God and was recently struck by the name that means, “the God who sees me.”
“I know that every one of us here can relate to a period in our life where we felt like we were completely abandoned,” said Waites, “and how am I going to get through this? How am I going to press on one more day, one more hour?”
Said the singer, “He will not leave you. He will not forsake you. I’ve learned that through my life.”
Ben Waites had some encouraging and challenging words for the congregation. “God is looking for repentance and submission,” he said, adding that he has been singing for over 20 years in churches across the country and the world and that “repentance isn’t a word I hear a lot. And then we wonder why the church is having problems.”
He continued, “We’ve taken these fig leaves of self-righteousness and tied them around ourselves so tightly we can’t even see or feel the seeping wounds that lie underneath them. They’re hurting out there, but so are you. And it’s ok to admit that. I hurt too.”
The most revered trophy in sports always has a busy summer, traveling the world with championship hockey players and coaches. Each member of the Stanley Cup-winning NHL team is allowed 24 hours with the 35-pound trophy, which frequently serves as a food bowl and drinking chalice.
Lord Stanley’s iconic Cup has been atop mountains and at the bottom of a swimming pool. Players have taken it to movie premieres, the Kentucky Derby, and even a strip club. Now, for the fourth time in its venerable history, the Stanley Cup has been used as a baptismal font.
Stanley Cup: Baptisms of Player’s Kids Were Already Scheduled
On June 26, the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, clinching its first championship in 21 years. Avs defenseman Jack Johnson, who signed a one-year deal with Colorado in October 2021, had a standing promise with his kids: If he ever won the Stanley Cup, they could eat ice cream out of it.
That opportunity finally arose, after 16 NHL seasons with five different teams. On July 16, Johnson, 35, took his three young children to an Ohio ice cream shop to enjoy an extra-large sundae out of the Cup. “I made sure with the [Cup’s] keepers if it was okay to eat ice cream out of it,” Johnson says, “and they said, ‘Yeah, have at it, so I was able to keep my promise to the kids.”
It turns out that’s not all the Johnson family used it for. Because their children were already scheduled to be baptized that weekend, they incorporated the trophy into the ceremony. Kelly Johnson, the player’s wife, shared photos of the special occasion, with the Stanley Cup serving as the baptismal font. Also in attendance were other athletic members of the family, including NFL players Brady Quinn and A.J. Hawk.
The Cup first was used during a baptism in 1996, by Avalanche player Sylvain Lefebvre. The trophy also has been present at weddings, always attended by its white-gloved handlers.
Jack Johnson’s Hockey Future Is Uncertain
Johnson, an Indiana native, is now an unrestricted free agent. “I’d love to go back to Denver,” he says of the Avs. Conversations are in the works, he adds, but “right now I’m just enjoying my day with the Cup, and we’ll see what happens.” Johnson recently completed a college degree from the University of Michigan.
The defenseman has bonded with Avs teammate Josh Manson because of their shared Christian faith. In a recent episode of the “Sports Spectrum Podcast,” Manson says of Johnson: “He’s a believer as well, and so I was able to have conversations with him a little bit just about prayer on the bench and whatever it may be.”
Mugshot of Deshawn Longmire via Houston Police Department
A suspect has been arrested in connection with the murder of Houston pastor Dr. Ronald K. Mouton Sr. of East Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, who was killed in an apparent road rage incident on June 24.
On Friday (July 30), 23-year-old Deshawn Longmire of Pearland, Texas, was charged with Mouton’s murder. Police have identified Longmire as allegedly being the man caught on surveillance footage running back and forth in the street just prior to Mouton crashing his car.
Mouton, who was 58 and had pastored East Bethel Missionary Baptist Church for over 30 years, had been described by community members as “a man of service,” “a hard worker,” and “a staple” of the Houston area community.
While Longmire, who is an Uber driver, had originally told investigators that he wasn’t in the area at the time of Mouton’s death, upon a thorough search of Longmire’s phone, authorities discovered that Uber records placed Longmire in the location of the murder at the time it occurred.
One witness said that they could see Mouton and Longmire arguing prior to the shooting, and records show that a witness described seeing Longmire stretching his arm out of the window of his car with a pistol and shooting Mouton.
On Saturday, the state asked that Longmire be held on a $1 million bond. While Longmire’s public defender pointed out that Longmire’s previous offenses were nonviolent misdemeanors and requested the amount be lowered to $35,000, the judge settled on $500,000, according to a local ABC affiliate.
Mouton’s family released a statement regarding Longmire’s arrest, which said, “We are grateful for all the love and concern the community continues to express. The horrific loss of our beloved, Rev. Dr. Ronald Mouton, Sr., is painful beyond words.”
“We are still grief-stricken over this senseless tragedy. We want the man who took his life to understand the seriousness of his crime. He took the life of a husband, a father. Our confidence and hope are in the proficient work of the police,” the statement continued. “We also hope the work of the entire criminal justice system is done thoroughly and that justice is duly served.”
“We understand the public’s interest in this case, but we are not ready to speak publicly. We have authorized our trusted family friend, Bishop James Dixon, to interact with the media on our family’s behalf,” Mouton’s family said. “Thank you for respecting our need for privacy as we seek to heal from this traumatizing circumstance.”
“Thank you to all those offering prayers and well wishes for Amy after her bike crash yesterday,” a tweet said on Thursday. “She is in the hospital receiving treatment but in stable condition. She is expected to go home later this week where she will continue to heal. Your kind thoughts and heartfelt prayers are felt and received. Amy was wearing her helmet and we would remind you to all do the same!”
On Friday, Grant’s team disclosed more details regarding her accident, sharing that while biking with a friend, Grant hit a pothole. Grant’s injuries were severe enough that doctors admitted her for observation.
Grant, who was wearing a helmet, is currently recovering at home.
“Following a brief hospitalization to treat her injuries, doctors have ordered additional recovery time at home, where she is now resting comfortably,” Grant’s team said.
While it was previously announced that the Christian music star’s upcoming concert dates wouldn’t be affected by her accident, Grant’s team said, “Due to the doctor’s orders she has had to postpone her upcoming August concerts (Knoxville, Chattanooga, Johnson City, Wilmington). The concerts have been rescheduled for April and June, 2023. All tickets will be honored at the new performance dates.”
Grant is scheduled to join Michael W. Smith in November for some Christmas tour dates and will join her husband, Vince Gill, later in December for a handful of Christmas shows in Nashville, Tennessee.
The “El Shaddai,” and “Baby, Baby” singer will join fellow honorees U2, Gladys Knight, George Clooney, and Tania León on December 4 at The Kennedy Center Honors—an event that will honor Grant for her lifetime artistic achievements.
Woody Walls (right) embraces his son Jarrett after Jarrett's baptism Easter Sunday. Submitted photo courtesy of Baptist Press.
NASHVILLE (BP) – It’s always a joyful experience for pastors to baptize a fellow child of God, but it’s an even more joyful experience for them to baptize their own child.
For Woody Walls, associate pastor of Beach Road Baptist Church in Southport, N.C., baptizing his 27-year-old son Jarrett was the culmination of a long and sometimes difficult spiritual journey.
After running from a call to ministry for much of his life, Walls joined the staff at Beach Road a few years ago and is currently pursuing an M.Div. at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Walls said he and his wife had raised their children in the church and always tried to teach the Gospel to them. Jarrett made a profession of faith when he was young, but the evidence of spiritual fruit was thin.
Walls said it became clearer after Jarrett left for college that something was not right in his walk with God. Walls maintained a relationship with him, while also trying to have spiritual conversations and asking close friends to fervently pray for his salvation.
“I looked at my wife one night and just said ‘I’m just going to have to turn this over to the Lord,’” Jarrett said. “The best thing I can do for Jarrett at this point is just pray for him.”
Jarrett moved back to Southport close to his parents with his wife and newborn baby a couple years after college. Walls began to notice a change in Jarrett’s life as he wanted to become more involved with Beach Road.
Eventually Jarrett would acknowledge his need for true conversion.
“Jarrett told me, ‘I need to get serious with my faith, as I’m a Dad and a husband now,’” Walls said. “He told one of our pastors that he never lived out [his] faith before and was always trying to walk the fence and play the game.”
When Jarrett wanted to be baptized after being truly born again, his Dad did the honors.
“For me to be able to baptize him on Easter was a culmination of a lot of things,” Walls said. “As my son, I was excited that he is committed to following Jesus and being the husband and father that the Lord’s called him to be. Baptism really meant something to him.
“Our relationship was also so much better and stronger at that point, and I remembered all the prayers that had been lifted for him. Every baptism is special, but this one was just really special. There was a lot of emotion, and he embraced me afterwards. I was soaking wet, but I didn’t care.”
For other pastors, baptizing their children can look like patiently talking with young kids through the meaning and implication of the ordinance.
Lee Hall at 2021 Unity at the Rim: Grace Christian Center Senior Pastor Lee Hall, third from right, with police officers who participated in the 2021 Unity at the Rim basketball tournament and rap session to improve relations between first responders and youth.
DENVER (BP) – White pastor Mark Spence understands the challenges Black drivers face caused by what many call “driving while black,” or DWB. In advance of the Unity at the Rim basketball event to build bridges between first responders and diverse youth, Spence relates an experience of about 20 years ago.
“I was in the car with a friend who was pulled over, ‘cause he was driving my nice car, and he was African American and he was doing nothing wrong. So I’ve had that experience, being in the passenger seat while he got pulled over for DWB,” said Spence, senior pastor of Mississippi Avenue Baptist Church in Aurora. “But at the same time, I’ve never had to worry about it, and these other pastors have.
“Guys who love the Lord, who are good citizens. There’s no sense of any wrongdoing, and yet they’ve had bad experiences before with police, or with first responders.”
Lee Hall, an African American and senior pastor of Grace Christian Center in Denver, and Spence are Southern Baptist pastors who have worked to build cross cultural bridges in the Denver metroplex since tragedies including the 2019 death of Elijah McClain after a police encounter, and the 2020 police murder of George Floyd.
When communities were marching to protest the deaths of McClain and Floyd, Hall and Spence corralled a denominationally and ethnically diverse group of pastors to address racial profiling by first responders, hoping to build bridges and improve relations between Denver metroplex first responders and youth.
Unity at the Rim, a July 30 co-ed basketball tournament and rap session between first responders and youth, is a result of their work in its second year, Hall said. Pastors from Missionary Baptist, Church of God in Christ, Assemblies of God and nondenominational congregations are active in the outreach.
“We thought that the best way to reach the community was to reach it through our young people. They’re more open. And at the same time, we’ve seen the police come out to the community and our youth take off running,” Hall said. “That’s not a good thing to see.
“We want them to not only be comfortable around police, but at the same time, we want the police to begin to recruit our young people to become police officers in the future as well. We thought it best to bring them together, play together … to begin a dialogue.”
More than 110 youth and 25 first responders had registered for Unity at the Rim through July 27, Hall said, including about half a dozen firefighters.
Denver Police Department Community Relations Officer LaTrisha Guss, who has recruited about 10 departmental officers to participate, expressed appreciation for the pastors’ work in building community relationships.
“We definitely love our houses of worship. They’re the same community members that we’re trying to address and fellowship with and communicate with and build those bridges with,” Guss said. “The fact that Pastor Lee Hall was excited about allowing us to partner with him and be able to build that relationship is phenomenal. We also participate in other functions with houses of worship, such as the Faith & Blue.”
Such work is more important now than ever, Guss said.
David Allen, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary distinguished professor of preaching and director of the Center for Expository Preaching will make July 31 his last day on faculty. (Facebook photo)
FORT WORTH (BP) – A longtime professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has announced his resignation, according to a seminary statement. David Allen, Distinguished Professor of Preaching and Director of the Center for Expository Preaching will make July 31 his last day on faculty.
In a statement, the seminary said it was “disappointed” Allen rejected the role of Senior Professor as he planned to return from sabbatical in the fall semester.
Allen said in a July 28 Facebook post that Adam W. Greenway, seminary president, had let him know in an April 22 email “that his full-time faculty position would be eliminated at the end of July. Greenway advised Allen further that his employment status had been unilaterally designated for retirement with the title of ‘Senior Professor’.”
In the release on Allen’s page it says, “On May 28th, Allen informed Dr. Greenway and the SWBTS’s Board of Trustees in a nine-page letter that he had no intention to retire or resign from his Distinguished Professorship at the Fort Worth, Texas seminary.”
However, the seminary says Allen offered a “de facto letter of resignation” to Greenway before a special-called meeting of the board of trustees on June 3.
The seminary also took exception to Allen’s referral of the role of senior professor as a retirement post, “Contrary to Dr. Allen’s portrayal, the role of Senior Professor is a position of honor for faculty members who have served a significant period of time in their roles. At Southwestern Seminary, this position is held by individuals like Craig Blaising, Jack Terry, Ken Hemphill, Dan Crawford, and more. It is unfortunate that Dr. Allen suggests that the service these men continue to render to Southwestern Seminary is second-class service.”
Allen had been on staff at the seminary since 2004, according to his website. He had previously served at the dean of the school of theology and held the George W. Truett Chair of Pastoral Ministry. Before his time at SWBTS, he had served as the W. A. Criswell Chair of Preaching at Criswell College and had pastored churches in Texas. He also has been an active interim pastor over the years.
Pope Francis speaks to journalists aboard the papal flight back from Canada Saturday, July 30, 2022, where he paid a six-day pastoral visit. Pope Francis wrapped up his Canadian pilgrimage by meeting with Indigenous delegations and visiting Inuit territory in northern Nunavut. In one of his addresses, he assailed the Catholic missionaries who "supported oppressive and unjust policies" against Native peoples in the country's notorious residential schools and vowed to pursue truth and healing. (Guglielmo Mangiapane/ Pool via AP)
ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (RNS) — On his return flight from a six-day “penitential pilgrimage” to apologize to the Indigenous people of Canadaon Friday, Pope Francis spoke about his health struggles and what their implications might be for the future of his papacy.
“I don’t think I can continue going on trips with the same pace I had in the past. At my age and with my limitations, I need to save energy in order to serve the church,” the pope told reporters aboard the papal plane, while being seated for the first time during the traditional inflight press conference.
“On the other hand, I might need to think about the possibility of stepping aside. It wouldn’t be a catastrophe. The pope can change, that is not a problem,” he added.
Francis traveled throughout the vast country July 24-29, meeting with First Nations, Metis and Inuit communities in on their own lands. From Edmonton to Quebec City to the far-northern island city of Iqaluit, the pope embarked and disembarked the plane by using a lift and met with Indigenous people on his wheelchair.
Despite the obvious toll the trip had on the pontiff, he appeared lively and energetic during the press conference aboard the papal plane, addressing a wide range of issues. Speaking to journalists, the pope reflected on the pressing issues of his trip by condemning as “evil and unjust” the papal justification for colonialism in the past, enshrined through the Doctrine of Discovery. He described the forceful assimilation of Indigenous people and the attempted erasure of their culture as genocide.
“It’s a genocide,” Francis said, referring to the state and church led practice of “taking away children, changing the culture, the mentality and the conditions and a race” of Indigenous people. The pope said he apologized and condemned the role the church played in the administration of residential schools, which often forcibly removed children from their families and traditions.
The pope said the papal bulls that in the past provided a justification for the colonization and forceful conversion of Indigenous lands were “grievous” and suggested the Vatican is working to amend the Doctrine of Discovery. He encouraged “going back and fixing the wrong that was done” but underlined that colonization continues today in new forms of homogenization and extinction of local diversity.
As an example, Francis spoke about the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar who “don’t have citizenship rights and are considered inferior.”
The papal trip to Canada focused especially on St. Anne, the grandmother of Jesus and a beloved figure in Catholic Indigenous communities. The pope underlined the important “role of women in the transmission and development of the faith.”
“The church is a woman. The church is a wife. The Church is not a man,” he said, adding that the vision of the church as a mother must prevail above any “macho power.”
As many women in the world fight for reproductive rights, Pope Francis weighed in on contraceptives, which were deemed “intrinsically wrong” by the church following Paul VI’s controversial 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae, On Human Life, because they deny an openness to life.
“When dogma or morality develop it’s a good thing,” the pope said, before signaling some possibility of developing a revised Catholic doctrine on contraceptives, while insisting this must be done within the church and respecting tradition. “A church that doesn’t develop its thinking in an ecclesial sense is a church that goes backward,” he added.
In the early hours on the morning of July 11th in the city of Lafayette, Indiana, Nick Bostic noticed a house on fire while driving through a neighborhood. As told in this article, he immediately stopped his car and ran into the burning home to alert anyone inside who may be in danger.
He found an 18-year-old woman babysitting her three younger siblings as well as a teenage friend of the family. The babysitter was able to get three of the children out but after hearing a faint voice, Bostic then searched the burning and smoke-filled home and located the remaining child, a 6-year-old girl name Kaylani.
A Heroic Rescue
Holding her in his arms, he broke out a second-floor window with his arm and jumped to the ground saving Kaylani’s life. He was then met by first-responders who treated him for injuries and smoke inhalation. Bostic was released from the hospital two days later.
A police body camera video of the rescue and medical treatment is shown below. After watching the riveting video below, I will then provide five subsequent lessons on heroic leadership.
As promised, the following are five lessons we learn about heroic leadership from Nick Bostic and the video above.
1. People Who Run Into Burning Buildings While Others Are Running out Are Heroes
It is in moments like this when we should all remember that our first responders do things very similar to this every single day. Their commitment to serve and level of bravery is indescribable. The men and women who make up our armed forces, police, correctional officers, fire and rescue, and medical personnel deserve our utmost respect, funding, and support.
2. Heroes Are People of Action, Not Just Words
Bostic could have easily called 9-1-1 as he headed to his destination and reported a house fire. Others may have stopped and watched. I may be wrong, but I feel this is what the average citizens would do if faced with a similar situation.
However, there was something innately grafted into Bostic’s character that when he came upon a burning house and the potential danger faced by those inside, his involvement required more than a phone call or being a bystander. He needed to personally get involved at a deeper level, a level which would cost him something. Bostic needed to take a risk and engage the issue immediately.
He told WLFI-TV, “I slammed on the brakes, I turned the steering wheel, I did a 180. I ran into the back of the house and I was yelling for anybody. Four faces, three or four faces, came out the top.”
3. Heroes Are More Concerned With the Safety of Others Than Their Own
Bostic cared more about those in need than himself while driving down the road. And he still cared more about those in need than himself afterwards. When Bostic and the young girl made it safely to the street, his first response was not about his injured arm or difficulty breathing due to smoke inhalation. He asked the first responders, “Is the baby OK? Please tell me the baby’s OK.” He was concerned about the baby.
4. Heroism Comes With a Significant Cost
People love the perks of leadership but so few are willing to pay the price. Bostic paid a significant physical price to help rescue those in the house. But as he told WLFI-TV, “It was all worth it. I kept reminding myself what a small sacrifice. This temporary pain…it’s so worth it.”
The psalmist asked the question: “If the Lord marks iniquity, who should stand?” This query is obviously rhetorical. The only answer, indeed the obvious answer is no one.
The question is stated in a conditional form. It merely considers the dire consequences that follow if the Lord marks iniquity. We breathe a sigh of relief saying, “Thank heavens the Lord does not mark iniquity!”
Such is a false hope. We have been led to believe by an endless series of lies that we have nothing to fear from God’s scorecard. We can be confident that if He is capable of judgment at all, His judgment will be gentle. If we all fail His test—no fear—He will grade on a curve. After all, it is axiomatic that to err is human and to forgive is divine. This axiom is so set in concrete that we assume that forgiveness is not merely a divine option, but a veritable prerequisite for divinity itself. We think that not only may God be forgiving, but He must be forgiving or He wouldn’t be a good God. How quick we are to forget the divine prerogative: “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” (Rom. 9:15, NKJV)
In our day we have witnessed the eclipse of the gospel. That dark shadow that obscures the light of the gospel is not limited to Rome or liberal Protestantism; it looms heavily within the evangelical community. The very phrase “preaching the gospel” has come to describe every form of preaching but the preaching of the gospel. The “new” gospel is one that worries not about sin. It feels no great need for justification. It readily dismisses the imputation of Christ’s righteousness as an essential need for salvation. We have substituted the “unconditional love” of God for the imputation of the righteousness of Christ. If God loves us all unconditionally, who needs the righteousness of Christ?
The reality is that God does mark iniquity, and He manifests His wrath against it. Before the Apostle Paul unfolds the riches of the gospel in his epistle to the Romans, he sets the stage for the need of that gospel: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” (Rom. 1:18).
This text affirms a real revelation of real wrath from a real God against real ungodliness and unrighteousness of real men. No appeal to some invented idea of the unconditional love of God can soften these realities.
The human dilemma is this: God is holy, and we are not. God is righteous, and we are not. To be sure, it is openly admitted in our culture that “No one is perfect.” Even the most sanguine humanist grants that humanity is marred. But, on balance . . . ah, there’s the rub. Like Muslims we assume that God will judge us “on balance.” If our good deeds outweigh our bad deeds, we will arrive safely in heaven. But, alas, if our evil deeds outweigh our good ones, we will suffer the wrath of God in hell. We may be “marred” by sin but in no wise devastated by it. We still have the ability to balance our sins with our own righteousness. This is the most monstrous lie of all. We not only claim such righteousness; we rely on such righteousness, which righteousness in fact does not exist. Our righteousness is a myth, but by no means a harmless one. Nothing is more perilous than for an unrighteous person to rest his future hope in an illusion.
It was against such an illusion that Paul stressed by citing the psalmist: > For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.” (Rom. 3:9–12, NKJV)
What comprises just under four verses of the New Testament is so radical that if the modern church would come to believe it, we would experience a revival that would make the Reformation pale into insignificance. But the church today does not believe the content of these verses: There is none righteous—not one.
Who believes that apart from Jesus not a single human being, without exception, is righteous. Not a single unregenerate person can be found who understands God.
Seeking God? We have totally revised corporate worship to be sensitive to “seekers.” If worship were to be tailored for seekers, it would be directed exclusively to believers, for no one except believers ever seeks God.
Joby Martin joins “The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast” to discuss what happens when a church leader has truly been run over by the “grace train" and understands the profound love and grace of God.
