If You Miss Youth, You Miss the Movement!

By

Greg Stier

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September 1, 2022

Every major spiritual awakening in the history of the United States has had teenagers on the leading edge.

If you miss youth, you miss the movement.

The vast majority of people who come to faith in Christ do so by the age of 18.

If you miss youth, you miss the movement.

Teenagers not only come to Christ quicker, but they can spread the Gospel faster than adults (through proximity to the lost at school and social media.)

If you miss youth, you miss the movement.

The trajectory of the rejection of the historic Christian faith in the United States is skyrocketing! If we don’t start strategically focusing on reaching, discipling and mobilizing teenagers to reach their own peers, we will NEVER close the gap!

If you miss youth, you miss the movement.

God chooses to use “the foolish things of the world (and there’s nothing more foolish than the typical teenager) to shame the wise” 1 Corinthians 1:27.

If you miss youth, you miss the movement.

Jesus chose primarily teenagers to be his 12 apostles (Only Peter & Jesus were old enough to pay the Temple Tax in Matthew 17:24-27, 20 years old and above.)

If you miss youth, you miss the movement.

Youth leaders don’t just entertain teens, train them! Equip them to grow deep in their faith and go wide with the Gospel. Get them to share Jesus with their friends. As they do that, empowered by the Spirit, they will own their faith like never before and set the pace for the entire church. Choose student leaders who are willing, not just to set the chairs up for youth group, but fill them with the teens they are seeking to reach and disciple.

Pastors, make sure you prioritize mobilizing teenagers in your budget. Hire a youth leader who is truly Gospel Advancing (or make the 7 values of a Gospel Advancing leader your current youth leader’s new job description!) Speak directly to teenagers at times during your sermons. Take them seriously. Champion them in front of your church. Tell stories of how they are shaking their campuses for Jesus in powerful ways!

Youth leaders and pastors consider having your church as a site for the free Dare 2 Share Live simulcast coming up on November 12th. Your church could be the city-wide convening place where teens gather, are equipped and mobilized to share Jesus with everyone!

Parents, demonstrate to your teenagers what it looks like to live a life that advances the Gospel. As Jesus said in Luke 6:40, “No student is above their teacher but, when they are fully trained, will be like their teacher.” What’s true of teachers in Jesus’ day, is true of parents in ours. If your teens aren’t sharing their faith you don’t need a bullhorn. You need a mirror.

It’s time to strategically focus our church’s efforts on reaching, discipling and mobilizing teenagers.

Why? Because if you miss youth, you miss the movement!

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

Tech Review: Mackie ProFX16v3 Mixer

By

Duke Taber

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September 1, 2022

If you’re a house of worship and interested in getting a professional PA system for your sermons and live productions, it’s good to know that you can get just that regardless of your budget. Let’s face it, smaller churches and synagogues don’t always have large budgets for PA equipment, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be able to find something that perfectly suits their needs, especially if they know where to look. If you’re going to have speakers and video cameras and other equipment, you’ll need an effects mixer to complete the setup and bring everything together. The Mackie ProFX16v3 16-channel professional effects mixer is a reasonably priced mixer that does most of the things that the big boys do, only you can purchase it without breaking your budget. PA equipment is made to work together to get the results you need for your on-site and remote events, and this mixer is so versatile that you’ll be glad you purchased it in the end.

What Is the Mackie ProFX16v3 16-Channel Professional Effects Mixer?

The ProFX16v3 16-channel mixer helps bring everything together so that your PA system can provide you with excellent sound and easy maneuverability, in part because it can accommodate most setups with ease. With this mixer, you get Onyx mic pre-amps with 60dB of headroom, allowing for great sounds from all instruments and the ability to keep everything in check with simple single-knob compression. It is a mixer that makes the job at hand a lot easier on the operator because it is both logical and versatile.

With this mixer, you can record tracks in 24-bit/192kHz quality, and it can be done with 2×4 USB I/O and zero-latency hardware monitoring. You also get two software packages to make the system easier to operate: Pro Tools First and Waveform OEM. In fact, once you get the mixer, you’ll likely be surprised by how many things come with it that enables you to start using it right away.

Who Is This Mixer Designed for?

A lot of organizations will appreciate this 16-channel professional mixer, but if you’re a small or medium-sized house of worship on a budget, you’ll appreciate it even more. Priced at around $500, it not only gives you a lot of bang for your buck, but it’s also a very reliable mixer that you can count on using for many years to come. Even when the mixer starts to age and is covered in dirt and grime, you’re going to be surprised by how great it sounds once you plug it in and start to use it.

When you want a professional mixer but your budget won’t allow you to spend hundreds of dollars on one, the ProFX16v3 16-channel mixer is definitely one to consider. In fact, everything you’re looking for in a mixer is found in this particular one, providing you with the peace of mind you need and deserve.

What Is Included When Purchasing the Mackie ProFX16v3 16-Channel Mixer?

Fortunately, you get everything you need to start using this mixer immediately. This includes your professional software tools, Waveform DAW, two 1/4” to 3.5 mm adaptors, a total of eight different XLR and TRS cables, 10 cable ties, and a microfiber cloth. In all, you get a total of 21 pieces that help you set up the mixer properly so that you can start enjoying it in no time. The mixer also comes with a one-year warranty to give you the peace of mind you deserve, which is definitely an added perk.

Primary Features of the Mixer

Some of the many advantages of purchasing this mixer include:

Three-band EQ and 100Hz low-cut filter on all channels
48-volt phantom power on all mic channels
Built-in channel compression
Eleven Onyx mic pre-amps for 60dB of gain and a great clear signal
GigFX effects engine with 24 effects that include delays, reverbs, and choruses
Great audio quality thanks to 24-bit/192kHz A/D
Headphone output with separate volume to get more comfortable monitoring
USB to record into your computer and for playback music

In fact, when it comes to top-notch features, the Mackie ProFX16v3 mixer has it all. This mixer is indeed a high-tech device that allows you to be versatile with it whether you’re inside at a live production or out on the road in a remote location. You also get perks such as 16 60 mm faders, 8 mono and 4 stereo channels, a 1/4-inch I/O for a footswitch, and most importantly, a very rugged design that means you can abuse it and it will still keep on going!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How big is this Mackie 16-channel mixer?

Its measurements are 17.7” x 17.1” x 4.3”.

Is the mixer complicated to get set up?

No. This is essentially a plug-and-play setup that you can have up and running in minutes, not hours, making it perfect when you are on the road in many different locations.

What cables do you get with the mixer?

You get four Mophead 10-foot TRS cables and four 10-foot XLR cables, as well as two adapters and 10 cable ties.

What types of jobs can this mixer accommodate?

You can use the Mackie ProFX16v3 mixer for home recording, live sound, live streaming, and content creation, making it a very versatile mixer.

One of the things that make the Mackie ProFX16v3 mixer such a great piece of equipment is its versatility. You can use it inside and outdoors, in small venues and large, and for a variety of recording tasks. It is reasonably priced, making it perfect for houses of worship that tend to be on a budget, and it comes with everything you need to begin using it immediately. To make it even better, it is a well-built device that you can bring with you to various locations without worrying about how well it will work next time.

Thi sarticle on the Mackie ProFX16v3 originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

Harvest Festival Games: 11 Autumn Activities Kids Will Love

By

Stephanie Martin

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August 31, 2022

Harvest festival games and Trunk or Treat gatherings bring huge smiles to young faces. They also bring loads of people to your church and children’s ministry. A harvest event for the community takes some planning and budgeting. But with the help of volunteers and donations, you can pull off a memorable fall festival.

In the process, you might introduce someone to Jesus or encourage a family to visit your worship services and programming.

Food, fellowship, worship music, and family-friendly costumes all can be part of a fun fall festival. Hayrides, candy, a photo booth, and carnival decorations add to the festive environment. Also be sure to incorporate lots of harvest festival games! Kids of all ages love classic games such as pumpkin ring toss, plus creative new variations.

Pro Tip: Preteens and teens love to operate the games and distribute prizes to young players. So recruit helpers from your church’s junior high and youth ministry programs.

Harvest festival games are a hit at any autumn gathering or Halloween alternative event. So adapt these ideas for carnivals, picnics, fundraisers, Trunk or Treat nights, and more!

11 Fun Harvest Festival Games

Enjoy planning and playing these harvest festival games for children.

1. Pumpkin Putt-Putt

Young players will have a blast trying to putt a golf ball into the mouth of a carved pumpkin. Adapt the distances according to children’s ages.

2. Stack ’Em

For older kids, try this Minute-to-Win-It type game. You’ll need a stack of orange cups, with a black cup at the bottom.

3. Pumpkin Patch Walk

Instead of a traditional cake walk, adapt this favorite fall activity by creating a pumpkin path.

4. Candy Corn Bowling

This harvest festival game uses candy-like pins. Use the ball provided, or have children roll a small pumpkin or gourd.

5. Fall Photos

Create a kid-friendly fall-themed photo booth. Families will enjoy taking home a special keepsake from your church’s harvest event.

6. Amazing Maze

No corn maze nearby your church or school? Then try this neat maze made out of yellow caution tape.

7. Three in a Row

We love this simple yet engaging game idea! Set up a large Tic-Tac-Toe board on a haybale. Instead of X’s and O’s, have players use an orange gourd and a white (or green) gourd.

Dove Award-Winning Artist Canceled by MLB Partner League Team Because of Pro-Life Stance

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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August 31, 2022

The Rocky Mountain Vibes, an MLB partner and independent baseball team located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, cancelled their Friday night family event on August 26 due to the pro-life stance of the event’s sponsors.

The night was slated to feature Matt Hammitt, the former lead singer of the Grammy nominated and Dove Award winning Christian band Sanctus Real. The event was cancelled on Friday morning.

Hammitt was waiting to board his flight with his two boys when he heard the news.

“I was supposed to be performing at a baseball game in Colorado tonight, but my boys and I had to head back home from the airport just before our flight,” Hammitt tweeted. “Needless to say the boys were disappointed, and confused when I had to explain why.”

A statement released by the Vibes to Fox News said, “While we value all our sponsors and ticket holders, they do not make decisions regarding the nature of our post-game entertainment, or groups that come out to our stadium to raise awareness for their causes. The Vibes made this decision after seeing the proposed assets from the partner in question because they felt that the partner would hinder the team’s mission in providing fun and affordable family entertainment. Any statement placing blame on any outside party for cancelation of tonight’s events is inaccurate. The Vibes made this decision internally and stand by their choice.”

Vice President of event sponsor Pikes Peak Citizen’s for Life, Julie Bailey, expressed her disappointment in the cancellation, saying, “We’ve been working on this several months. We’re just very disappointed. This is just a reflection of the culture we’re in.”

Save the Storks, who was also sponsoring the event, stated on Facebook, “We were cancelled, plain and simple. Save the Storks, cancelled. Our fellow pro-life ministry in Colorado Springs and co-sponsor of the event, Pikes Peak Citizens for Life, was also cancelled. The first pitch by former pro-soccer player and pro-life ambassador Luke Vercollone, cancelled. Matt and Bowen’s concert, cancelled. The run around the bases by our family-friendly mascot Storky, who has delighted kids at other local events, cancelled.”

“How sad that the local baseball team cancelled our ‘Family Night’ just hours before the first pitch. It is heartbreaking to hear how Matt Hammitt had to tell his 12-year-old son, Bowen, the real reason why they were disinvited from delighting fans with a concert after the game,” Save the Storks continued.

Women Are ‘Disproportionately Hurting’ American Churches, Education and Healthcare, Says Dennis Prager

By

Jessica Mouser

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August 31, 2022

Women are “disproportionately hurting” the United States of America, according to conservative radio talk show host and writer Dennis Prager. Prager recently wrote an article arguing that women are leading the way in harming American education, healthcare and churches.

“It should be obvious that at least two generations of parents — especially among the well-educated — did not teach many of their daughters to control their emotions and think rationally,” says Prager in his Aug. 30 article, “Women Are Disproportionately Hurting Our Country.” “The result is that women are disproportionately active in doing damage to our society.”

Dennis Prager: Women Need To Control Their Natures

Dennis Prager, who has been broadcasting on radio since 1982, is the host of The Dennis Prager Show, which became nationally syndicated in 1999. He is also the founder of the conservative video site, PragerU. According to his website, PragerU draws one billion views per year, over half of which are from people younger than 35. The site’s presenters include Candace Owens, Ben Shapiro, Charlie Kirk, Tucker Carlson, Allie Beth Stuckey and Jordan Peterson.

Prager opens his Aug. 30 post by mentioning a 1974 book by George Gilder called, “Naked Nomads: Unmarried Men in America.” According to Prager, the book “drove home the point that the biggest factor concerning violent crime was that it is overwhelmingly committed by single men.” Gilder’s book made a significant impact on Prager regarding the need for men to control their behavior, but Prager says he did not realize at the time that “society” was ignoring the need for women to do the same.

“Most people thought that girls just didn’t need to be raised to control their natures nearly as much as boys did,” says Prager, “But they do.” He believes that women are less likely than men to be violent or to be sexual predators. Women, however, have a propensity to cause harm in other ways by letting their emotions get out of control.

Says Prager, “Just as the male sexual drive and violent impulses can overwhelm their conscience and their ability to think and act rationally, emotions can do the same thing in girls and women: overwhelm their conscience and their ability to think and act rationally.”

Prager sees evidence for this belief in several areas of society. Education is the “most obvious example.” Public schools are indoctrinating children, he says, and far more women than men are teachers. Therefore, women are primarily responsible for indoctrinating American children. Some of the harmful ideas Prager mentions are teaching children there are more than two genders and teaching children to feel guilty for being white.

Prager notes that a woman (Nikole Hannah-Jones) was the creator of the “poisonous ‘1619 Project,’” which taught “young people to despise their country.” Prager also blames teachers and teachers’ unions for the COVID-19 lockdowns: “Teachers and their unions did great damage to young people during COVID-19. They demanded — because of their hypochondria and an apparent inability to apply reason to COVID-19 risk — that schools be closed for nearly two years.”

Healthcare is another sector of society where women are leading the way in destroying America, according to Prager. He writes:

Women physicians and health care workers are at the vanguard of ruining young people’s lives at children’s hospitals that push giving young people puberty-blocking hormones and opposite-gender hormones, performing hysterectomies and mastectomies on healthy girls who say they are boys, and chemically or physically castrating healthy boys who say they are girls.

Satanic Temple To Host Back-to-School Night in Pennsylvania as Part of Nationwide Effort To Increase ‘Religious Representation’

By

Dale Chamberlain

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August 31, 2022

The Satanic Temple is set to host a back-to-school night at Northern High School in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, on September 24. The event will be coordinated by the After School Satan Club and has been approved by the Northern York County School District.

The Satanic Temple has been making inroads in American schools this year with its After School Satan Club (ASSC) program, which provides self-guided activities such as science and craft projects, puzzles, and games, while offering lessons in benevolence, empathy, critical thinking, and creativity.

ASSC programs have been established at schools in several states.

More of a secular humanist group draped in religious imagery than an actual occult movement, the Satanic Temple does not offer any religious teaching at ASSC. The group was formed in response to Christian Bible studies being part of public schools’ lineup of after school offerings.

The Satanic Temple is allowed to use Northern High School’s facilities based on a 2001 Supreme Court case that ruled in favor of religious institutions being allowed to rent public school spaces after class hours and conduct programs according to their religious convictions. Prohibiting or restricting religious expression would be a violation of that group’s First Amendment rights.

Northern York County School District Superintendent Steve Kirkpatrick said in a statement, “At its meeting on Tuesday evening, the Board approved an application by the Satanic Temple to use our facility as we were required to do so by Board policy No. 707. According to the application of the organization, the event will occur on September 24, 2022. As required by Board Policy No. 707, the organization is required to comply with all of the provisions of the Policy, and is required to pay rental, custodial, security, & auditorium tech fees.”

“As a public school district, the use of our school facilities must be permitted without discrimination. We cannot and do not arbitrarily pick and choose which organizations may or may not use our facilities,” Kirkpatrick continued. “If we allow one organization, we must allow all organizations, provided they satisfy the conditions and application requirements as set forth in Policy 707.”

Kirkpatrick clarified, “In approving any request, the School District does not endorse the activity of any outside organization that rents our facilities, nor are those entities permitted to use the School District’s name or logo.”

Daniel Darling: How To Disciple Your People To Use Social Media

By

Jessica Mouser

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August 31, 2022

The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast · Daniel Darling: How To Disciple Your People To Use Social Media

Daniel Darling is the director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and the host of the popular podcast, “The Way Home.” He has served in churches in Illinois and Tennessee and he is also a bestselling author of several books, including “The Original Jesus,” “The Dignity Revolution,” and “A Way With Words: Using Our Online Conversations for Good.”

Other Ways to Listen to This Podcast With Daniel Darling

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

Key Questions for Daniel Darling

-What would you say to people who believe controversial conversations should not be held online at all and are better held in person?

-What social media advice would you give to people who are not public commentators, but are pastors and church leaders of local congregations?

-How do you coach church leaders to confront and to lead church members who are being destructive online?

-What are some social media mistakes you see that pastors can help people avoid or even avoid themselves?

Key Quotes From Daniel Darling

“Social media is where a lot of the conversations are happening. And as much as maybe we’d like to, we’re not going to go back to the 1950s.”

“I do think Christians should be engaged in the sort of marketplace of ideas where things are happening. On the other hand, I do think there are some conversations best [held] offline.”

“As a leader, I think you have to think through not just what you’re saying, but how you’re saying it. Because people are watching you and, you know, the thing with leadership is that people will do in excess what leaders do in moderation. So we’re modeling for the people watching us how to conduct ourselves.”

“The demand and pressure that every pastor has to have an opinion on every single current event…is really unfair.”

“Pastors and church leaders, if they’re too active on social, it might have people wonder, are they doing anything else?”

“I think you can have hard words and prophetic words, but also to do it with civility and not demean people.”

They Called For Female Leadership at the Vatican. They Were Arrested.

By

Claire Giangrave

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August 31, 2022

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — The seven women stood outside the gates of the Vatican dressed in cardinal red, each carrying a scarlet parasol emblazoned with a phrase of female empowerment. “Ordain Women.” “Reform Means Women.” “It’s Reigning Men.” They were there to greet the 197 cardinals arriving Monday morning (Aug. 29) for a highly anticipated discussion with the pope — and to protest the absence of women in the meeting.

As the men in red filed past, the women in red handed them pamphlets and urged them “to remember your sisters who remain outside.”

About 15 minutes later, the delegation of seven women from Women’s Ordination Worldwide were approached by the police and later taken to a nearby police station where they were held for three hours.

“It shows how dangerous women can be considered outside the Vatican,” Kate McElwee, one of the women arrested and the director of Women’s Ordination Conference, told Religion News Service over the phone on Tuesday.

The cardinals were gathering to participate in a consistory, a closed-door meeting convened by Pope Francis to discuss changes he made in March to his apostolic constitution “Preadicate Evangelium” (Preach the Gospel), that among other things allows laypeople, including women, to occupy Vatican leadership roles traditionally reserved for clergy.

Pope Francis has stated that female ordination is “off the table,” but he created two commissions to study the possibility of opening the diaconate to women, which would allow them to preside over some services but not to administer Mass or perform sacraments. The reports from the commissions have not been published.

Francis has pushed for greater female participation in the church by appointing women to a number of influential Vatican leadership roles, including the first female undersecretary of the Vatican department overseeing the summit of bishops.

When journalists began interviewing the group and taking photos of the cardinals with the open parasols visible behind them, a police car flashed its lights at the women, said Miriam Duignan, a spokesperson for the Wijngaards Institute for Catholic Research and Women’s Ordination Worldwide.

Duignan, who was carrying a parasol reading “Sexism is a Cardinal Sin,” said she was asked to leave as she was being interviewed. The police officers began moving the seven women toward St. Peter’s colonnade and placed a barricade around them using wooden panels.

The Italian police did not respond to request for comment in time for publication.

The women were kept there for one hour, Duignan said, where they were clearly visible by the cardinals entering the Vatican. “You can’t ignore seven women dressed in red, penned in and surrounded by 20 police officers,” she told RNS over the phone on Tuesday. One cardinal walked up and acknowledged what was happening but did not say anything to the police, she said, adding that the others simply walked by.

McElwee said she knew being arrested was a possibility — the women have had their brushes with Italian police officers before — and even though she felt “shaken by the experience,” she hopes “it will rally more people to our cause because it shows that even just seven women can have a huge impact on the conversation.”

According to Duignan, police said the women needed to get a permit next time. But she said they have tried that before, and the times they weren’t denied permits outright, they were forced to protest far from the Vatican where they went unheard and unseen.

The women were released pending charges just as the cardinals, having finished their morning discussions, made their way toward lunch.

“It’s 197 men talking about the future of the church, never mentioning women, and then seven women — completely harmless, carrying delicate little paper parasols — are so threatening to them that they had to wrongfully imprison us, humiliate us and try to intimidate us to never do it again,” Duignan said.

“The reality is that we are a threat to the status quo,” McElwee said.

This article originally appeared here.

For a Small Chicago Church, Closing Down Was an Act of Faith

By

Bob Smietana

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August 31, 2022

Grace Covenant Church — Congregational youth lead a blessing during the final service at Grace Evangelical Covenant Church on Aug. 28, 2022, in Chicago. RNS photo by Bob Smietana

CHICAGO (RNS) — Like so many pastors around the United States, the Rev. Amanda Olson has kept one eye on the Bible and another on the evolving religious landscape.

She knew change was coming to the church in America.

Yet she hoped her congregation might be spared the worst of it.

“Everyone thinks that churches are going to close,” said Olson, the longtime pastor of Grace Evangelical Covenant Church on Chicago’s North Side. “But nobody thinks it is going to be their church.”

For more than a century, the small congregation at Monticello and Berteau avenues in Chicago had proved resilient, ready to adapt to the many changes that came their way. In the early 1900s, the church switched from Swedish and began worshipping in English, in order to make a younger generation feel more welcome. When the church building burned down on the morning of Jan. 28, 1940, members met the next day in the parsonage across the street and made the decision to rebuild.

They reopened 10 months later.

In the 1960s, when the congregation, then known as Irving Park Covenant Church, had shrunk to only a handful of people, it merged with another small church and relaunched as Grace. Another revival followed in the late 1990s, when the then-aging congregation, afraid the church might close, welcomed a young pastor and a group of young families who helped it find new life.

The church during those years was always a place of welcome. When a small Hispanic church, led by a former political prisoner from Chile and his wife, needed a place to worship, Grace welcomed the group in. When young men from Sudan arrived in Chicago from a refugee camp and needed help resettling, the church welcomed them as well.

More than a decade ago, the church launched Fed by Grace, a food pantry that became a lifeline to the community, staffed by church members and neighborhood volunteers working side by side. And for years, the church was home to students from a nearby seminary, a place where they could find community while getting a taste of real-life ministry.

The church never became huge — at its peak it was close to 175 people. It was never perfect, but it was a place filled with life and love and grace.

Yet all good things come to an end. This past Sunday, Aug. 28, was the church’s final service.

In early August, church leaders sent out a letter with news that was hard to receive but not unexpected. “It is with sadness that we inform you that our congregation has voted to close the church,” they wrote.

The story of Grace’s closing was like many other churches’.

A 2021 study from Lifeway Research, based on data from three dozen denominations, found that 4,500 churches closed in 2019, while only 3,000 were started.

Twenty years ago, the average congregation in the United States had 137 people, according to the Faith Communities Today study. Today, that number is 65, or about the size of Grace.

When churches get that small, there are just enough people to keep things going — to lead worship, to teach Sunday school, to greet, to volunteer at ministries like the food pantry — but little margin. And not enough people to invest the time and energy needed to make things new.

Stallings of ‘War Room’ Fame Finds Choice Role in First Leesburg’s ‘No Vacancy’

By

Diana Chandler

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August 31, 2022

Actor T.C. Stallings (left) plays Cecil Johnson, a former drug addict, in the movie "No Vacancy," based on a true story. Actor Dean Cain (right) plays pastor Cliff Lea. Photo courtesy of Baptist Press.

LEESBURG, Fla. (BP) – Love, listen and love again. That’s the formula Christian actor T.C. Stallings of “War Room” fame uses in describing the journey of agape love depicted in his latest film, “No Vacancy.”

In the true story of the ministry of First Baptist Church of Leesburg, Fla., Stallings plays real-life Cecil Johnson. He enters the film as a gun-wielding drug dealer, crack cocaine addict and former prisoner without a home, but by movie’s end is a sober, born-again business owner, deacon and leader of First Leesburg’s 12-step recovery ministry.

“I hope that when people see Cecil, they see the Cecils that are in their neighborhood or on their blocks that they may or may not drive by every single day,” Stallings told Baptist Press. “And some people don’t even want to do anything to help them, and other people want to help them, but maybe they are hesitant or don’t feel like they have any answers for them, like the problem is just too big.

“There are other people who probably don’t even like the homeless and hungry and strung out on drugs to even be in their neighborhood. And a lot of those types of people are reflected in this film.”

No Vacancy is the 2008 story of First Leesburg’s struggles and triumphs in buying a blighted motel adjacent to its downtown campus and converting the property into housing for the homeless. The motel is now Samaritan Inn, one of many outreaches through nonprofit Christian Care Center founded by First Leesburg and supported by many area churches.

Stallings sees in No Vacancy the potential to change the way many approach godly love.

“I’m hoping that for people in the real world that are seeing this in their neighborhood, when they see what can happen when you just simply take time to love somebody, listen to their problems, and them love them again,” Stallings told Baptist Press. “But this time you’re going to love them the way that the Lord leads you to love them, that it could change that person’s life. And then that person change the lives of so many others, because that’s exactly what happens in this film.”

No Vacancy marks the first time Stallings portrays a real-life character. Cecil suffered poor opportunities and poor choices. By the time he first met his earthly father, according to the story, the older man’s body lay in a basket for burial. Cecil’s struggles are captured in his mother’s impassioned prayer petitioned in their Florida home as he smokes crack in another.

“I buried three boys, I ain’t letting this one go. The devil has a strong hold on him. It’s going to have to be You to break the devil’s knuckles,” Cecil’s mother pleads. “Please, please Lord.”

Cecil ministered at First Leesburg until his death in 2019.

Moviegoers have seen Stallings as the hellbent gangster T.J. in 2011’s “Courageous,” the repentant husband Tony to Priscilla Shirer’s character in the blockbuster “War Room” and a dependable, faithful assistant pastor in 2017’s “A Question of Faith.” Stallings also is detective Tre Millwood in the faith-based crime drama Vindication.

Life on the Road Extends to a Never-Ending Mission for Campers

By

Scott Barkley

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August 31, 2022

rv_mission — Rick and Cindy Truesdail have worked at several Christian camps and other locations in the Midwest, staying in their RV while serving through Campers on Mission. They lead the Michigan chapter, which meets next month and will host next year's CoM annual gathering. Photo courtesy of Baptist Press.

GRAND BLANC, Mich. (BP) – Rick and Cindy Truesdail’s retirements a few years ago came with plans. They took their camper and drove to Florida, setting up close to the beach. The couple prepared to take life easy.

“We loved it,” said Cindy, “but we also loved working for our church. We figured that God doesn’t want us just sitting on a couch.”

In 2019 a friend introduced them to Campers on Mission, a national ministry that includes many Southern Baptists. Chapters exist in 30 states and look for ways to connect missions opportunities to those who have made life on the open road anything but temporary.

The Truesdails, members of Heritage Baptist Church in Grand Blanc, had always camped with their kids. They built family memories courtesy of a 37-foot pull-behind camper before moving up to a 40-foot motorhome.

Rick Truesdail helps in a Campers on Mission project with youth in Flint, Mich. Photo from Michigan CoM

But soon after Cindy retired as a paralegal in Flint’s 68^th District Court and Rick after 32 years with General Motors, the couple joined others for a different kind of building.

Campers on Mission (CoM) was formerly funded by the North American Mission Board, but now chapters generally fund themselves. The Michigan Baptist State Convention has pledged to help fund its chapter’s annual meeting next month as well as the national gathering in 2023.

Speaking from Moorcroft, Wyo., CoM national directors Jerry and Renee McGovern noted that much of CoM’s work is with helping Christian camp facilities. But they also work in nursing homes, pregnancy centers, Christian schools and other locations.

“We also communicate with pastors,” Renee said. “You name it, they’re dealing with it and need to talk to somebody about it. That takes a lot of our time.”

The Truesdails lead the Michigan chapter of Campers on Mission, which will have its annual meeting Sept. 8-10 at Bambi Lake Baptist Camp in Roscommon. The chapter will also host the annual CoM meeting next year, June 7-9.

Like the Truesdails, the McGoverns did not feel God wanted them to slow down in retirement.

“I started working as a plumber when I was 19 and worked my whole life at it,” Jerry said. “I owned my own business and retired as a master plumber at 55 but then realized, ‘You’re still young. Get up and go.’”

More are doing just that.

At CoM’s most recent annual meeting, the McGoverns shared that membership had grown from 2,460 in 2020 to 3,256 in 2021 to partner with 146 churches and associations. Work hours increased as did the professions of faith, with 71 recorded in 2020 before jumping to 228 last year.

Like other ministries, the COVID-19 pandemic left its mark on CoM in several ways. A significant increase was noted in food ministry work, for instance. But COVID also made people want to get outdoors and go exploring.

Stop Hiring People Who Are Just Like You

By

Phil Cooke

-

August 31, 2022

One of my greatest early failures leading our team at Cooke Media Group was hiring people that were just like me. For years, I assumed I should hire people I liked, so I hired outgoing, creative, people-oriented employees – essentially, people just like me.

I loved the team, and we had a great time working together, but it didn’t take long to start losing money fast. I finally realized that I’d already hired me, and what we needed were people with gifts and talents I didn’t have.

So I started hiring people who loved working with budgets, tech, schedules, and details – definitely not my strengths.

So if you’re like I used to be, and wondering why your team isn’t operating more effectively, then stop hiring people like you.

And be secure enough to hire people smarter than you – especially in areas where you’re weak.

That insight alone transformed our team.

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

Church Communication Guide to Social Media Analytics

By

Rachel Syens

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August 31, 2022

Through the pandemic, many of us also became more tech-savvy and adaptable, learning how to Zoom and watching countless Instagram Lives. But a year out, with vaccinations steadily increasing and hope for normalcy on the horizon, what will your church communication plan look like? After a full year at this digital-first mentality, it’s important to evaluate which platforms are working best for you and how you can change your social media strategy to accommodate changing trends. We know more people are using social media—in fact, Renderforest reports that every 6.4 seconds, someone new joins social media. There are now 3.96 BILLION active users on social media. So it’s important to make social media ministry work for your church.

Church Communication Analytics

The most important tools in your church communication inventory are social media analytics. Here’s how to use analytics to your advantage, and the trends for sharing content.

Church Communication Analytics for Facebook

Facebook is one of the largest and most brand-friendly social media platforms. According to Backlinko, there are 1.73 billion daily active users on Facebook (defined as the number of registered users who log in on any given day). If social media is part of your communication strategy, your church likely has a presence on Facebook. But how can you tell if Facebook is working for you? Facebook provides in-depth insights that tell you everything from a post’s total reach to what time of day most of your followers are online. Here are four of the most helpful tools:

Overview: while in admin mode on your church’s Facebook Page, you have access to Page Insights, which provides useful data and information for measuring success on Facebook. These are a couple of important insight terms:
Reach: the number of people who saw any of your posts once.
Engagement: the number of people who engaged with your post through reactions, comments, clicks, and shares.

Reach is a great tool to see how many people view your posts, but we want to focus most of our attention and efforts on engagement. Engaged audiences are interested in connecting with your Page, sharing your content, and visiting your website—helping to grow your social media presence.

Followers: this provides information about your growth in followers, and when people are following and unfollowing your Page. The followers section is an excellent way to look at change over time and as a big picture way to see if your posts are bringing in new followers.
Posts: this section of your insights is a goldmine and probably my most frequently used insights tool. The posts section is where you’ll find the time of day when most of your followers are online, as well as what days of the week are most popular. According to SproutSocial, the highest engagement time on Facebook is Wednesday at 11 a.m. However, each Page has a unique set of followers, so we recommend using the tools on your insights page to guide you in deciding when to post.
People: this section will give you insight into your audience—including gender, age range, and location. If you’re trying to broaden your audience, this is a great tool to see who you might be missing, as well as how to cater your posts to specific audiences.

Church Communication Analytics for Twitter

Twitter has gained popularity, with 9.6% of adults significantly increasing their usage of the platform during the pandemic. Twitter also has a reputation as a platform for news, popular culture, and current events. How can you tell if Twitter is benefiting you? Fortunately, Twitter provides free analytics tools available at analytics.twitter.com. On this page, you’ll find:

28 Day Summary: this includes the number of tweets from your account, impressions (similar to reach on Facebook), profile visits, mentions, and followers. The summary also shows changes over time from your last 28-day period.
Monthly Statistics: Twitter will break down your statistics month by month, including your top tweet based on impressions, your top mention based on engagements, and total impressions, mentions, profile visits, and new followers. I track all of these numbers but am most interested in engagements and new followers.
Tweet Activity: you can click “view tweet activity” under your top tweet for the month to see a breakdown of how well individual tweets performed. Tweet Activity can help you determine what type of content is most popular. You’ll also see a graph on the sidebar called “link clicks.” This tool shows how many people clicked on the link you tweeted out. It’s especially beneficial if you often share links to your own website and use web tracking tools like Google Analytics.

Church Communication Analytics for Instagram

Instagram is the newer social media platform on this list but its growth has snowballed. Over 1 billion people use Instagram worldwide, with 200 million users visiting at least one business profile daily. My first Instagram tip: make sure you list your church’s page as a business page. Business accounts can access insights, as well as the ability to run ads. You can find a helpful guide to making that switch here. Speaking of insights, what are the best insight tools on Instagram?

Recent Highlights: you can navigate to your insights by clicking the “insights” button below the “edit profile” button on your page. Recent highlights provide an overview of reach, interactions, total audience, and content you shared.
Interactions: think of interactions like engagements on Facebook and Twitter. This page includes the number of interactions over a period of time, breaking it down into likes, saves, and story interactions.
Audience: this is the most helpful tool I use when tracking Instagram insights. Insights show the age range, gender, and location of your followers, as well as their most active times each day of the week. This information can help you figure out when to post, as well as how to cater to your target audience.

Another Instagram tip is to utilize stories. Instagram provides excellent insights on your story reach, profile visits, and much more. Five hundred million people use stories each day, and brand stories have a completion rate (how many people viewed the story from start to finish) of 86%. Though Facebook and Twitter also have features like stories, they remain prevalent and useful on Instagram.

I hope this guide has helped you find, interpret, and review the analytics of three major social media platforms. As David Kinnaman and Mark Matlock write in their book Faith For Exiles: 5 Ways for a New Generation to Follow Jesus in Digital Babylon, “[S]creens demand our attention. Screens disciple.” Your church has an important message to share, and we hope these insight tools help guide you to reaching many through digital media.

Note: Facebook recently announced that Analytics will be going away on June 30, 2021. This article specifically references Facebook Insights, which are not scheduled to disappear.

This article appeared here.

Biblically Accurate Angels: 10 Images of God’s Heavenly Messengers

By

Stephanie Martin

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August 30, 2022

What are biblically accurate angels? What does the Bible say about angels and how they appear? Teens may know that God sent angels as messengers throughout Scripture. But they likely wonder what angels look like and what they do.

A youth Bible study about angels, including seraphim angels, is sure to hold listeners’ attention. For preteens and teens, start with details in passages such as Ezekiel 1:5-11. Tailor the material to kids’ ages and interests. And be prepared to answer lots of questions. For example, do angels really have wings and halos? Do angels still exist today?

The Bible describes various types of angels, including seraphim angels, as part of God’s heavenly host. Seraphim, mentioned in Isaiah 6:2-3, are depicted as fiery beings with six wings, who worship and serve in God’s presence.

To help you research biblically accurate angels, we’ve collected a range of materials. Use these insights and images to dive into this fascinating topic. Then, in the comments, share your thoughts about angels!

10 Images of Biblically Accurate Angels

What do angels look like? Check out these helpful materials:

1. ‘More Bizarre Than Blissful’

This resource offers biblical and historical insights about angel appearance.

2. Bible-Based Angels

Explore Old Testament and New Testament descriptions of what angels look like.

3. Fear Not?

This fascinating video will spark kids’ imaginations about biblically accurate angels.

4. Angel Awareness

Although this site mentions mythology, it also refers to Bible passages about what angels look like.

5. All About Angels

This site is filled with Bible-based facts about God’s heavenly messengers. It also points to many Scripture references.

SBC Abuse Survivor Shares How Survivors Can Be ‘Triggered’ by News of Matt Chandler’s Inappropriate Online Behavior; Boz Tchividjian Agrees

By

Jesse T. Jackson

-

August 30, 2022

News of Matt Chandler’s leave of absence from preaching and teaching due to inappropriate online direct messaging with a woman who is not his wife was shocking and heartbreaking to many who first heard about it on Sunday. For some abuse survivors, it is “triggering.”

On Monday, an SBC abuse survivor, who goes by the name Lori K. on Twitter, posted a thread sharing how news of Chandler’s moral failure could trigger a survivor’s memory of being groomed by an adult clergy sexual abuser.

Lori K. made it clear that she isn’t accusing Chandler of grooming the woman he was messaging. Rather, she wanted to explain to others not familiar with situations like hers that “his actions look identical to our abusers.”

“Want to know why survivors are being triggered by this #mattchandler news? Because THIS is how it happens,” she wrote. “Pastors groom victims and one way they do it is through frequency and familiarity. They text relentlessly, they bring you fully into their world, they normalize abnormal behavior. They involve the spouses to make everything seem harmless.”

The survivor recounted her own story, saying, “One day, the secretary of the church plopped down a HUGE pile of papers on my desk and accuse me of having an affair with the pastor because all of those papers were records of texts between us.”

“An affair was the very last thing on my mind,” she said, sharing that she was “appalled she would accuse me of something like that. My pastor did text with me all the time. But a lot of those texts were group text with spouses. He’d become our friend, he saw potential in me and was mentoring me.”

Similar to Chandler’s admission, Lori shared, “Yeah, sure there was some crass joking, but that’s because we’re friends and the pastor has to have SOMEone to be able to just be human with. But, an affair??? That was insane. He would never do anything like that. He was a man of God. He was safe.”

“In the next two months the texting increased, the crass joking became sexual comments directed to me, inappropriate comments about me, and then ‘the line’ was crossed and the sexual abuse began,” she said.

“This is how they do it,” she continued. “They don’t have access to physically BE with the target all the time.”

Lori went on to say, “A LOT (most in my case) of the grooming took place over text and DM’s. When those papers were plopped in front of me, I did not know that I was neck deep in the grooming process. In fact I blamed myself. But, I was. She may have not known I was being groomed. but she knew something was not right and was disturbed enough to say something.”

‘Woke’ Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Means, Says Benjamin Watson

By

Jessica Mouser

-

August 30, 2022

benjamin watson — Screenshot from YouTube / @Benjamin Watson

The word “woke” has been co-opted, redefined and weaponized against the community that originated the term, says former NFL player and outspoken Christian Benjamin Watson in a recent blog post. Watson argues that culture warriors who have appropriated “woke” to represent a vague set of harmful ideals are actually communicating opposition to racial equality.

“I grew up before ‘woke‘ became a four-letter word and before it became embattled in a culture war where misappropriation and redefinition are the weapons of choice,” said Watson as he opened his post, “You Can’t Define ‘Woke.’ So I Will.” “It is a menacing and cruel transaction when a larger power broker sledgehammers a monument of remembrance and hurls its fragments as weapons of destruction against the community it was erected to empower.”

Benjamin Watson: What It Means To Be ‘Woke’

Benjamin Watson was a first-round draft pick and Super Bowl champion. He is also a father of seven and a vocal pro-life advocate. His 2020 documentary, “Divided Hearts of America,” explores the abortion debate in the U.S. In 2021, Watson criticized Planned Parenthood’s efforts to distance itself from the beliefs of its founder, Margaret Sanger, who supported eugenics and who once spoke to the women’s auxiliary of the Ku Klux Klan.

“Whether [Planned Parenthood’s leaders] personally identify with Sanger’s ideology or not,” said Watson, “they continue to carry out her mission, by serving as the leading executioner of our children. The same Sanger they claim to disavow would applaud their efforts and results, as a disproportionate percentage of Black children have been killed in Planned Parenthood’s abortion clinics.”

Now, for those who are unaware, Watson is shining a light on the history of the word, “woke,” and its racial implications. In his post, he takes to task those who misuse the term, particularly calling out “politicians and pundits” who are “out-woking each other, stoking fear for likes and votes.”

Such people, says Watson, “have purposefully misled hordes of followers without apology.” He linked in his post an article about Florida governor Ron DeSantis and embedded images of DeSantis and Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson.

What does “woke” mean then? Watson says that “one of the earliest public appearances” of the word is from singer, Huddie William Ledbetter, known as Lead Belly, who used “woke” in reference to his song, “Scottsboro Boys.” The title refers to nine Black boys who were falsely accused in 1931 of raping two white women on a train near Scottsboro, Alabama. The lyrics repeatedly warn Black people against going to Alabama. “I advise everybody,” said Lead Belly, “be a little careful when they go along through there — best stay woke, keep their eyes open.”

“While the word sometimes referred to other scenarios like being wary of a cheating partner or slang for being awake instead of asleep,” says Watson, “it was always rooted in an awareness of racialized violence against black people by white America, whether by individuals or institutions, carried out intentionally or in innocence.”

Coach Jim Harbaugh Makes a Call From King Solomon’s Playbook

By

Stephanie Martin

-

August 30, 2022

To address a quarterback competition, University of Michigan football coach and outspoken Christian Jim Harbaugh says he followed the example of the Bible’s wisest person: King Solomon. Faced with two strong QB contenders—Cade McNamara and J.J. McCarthy—Harbaugh has decided to let them each start one of the Wolverines’ first two games.

“Some people have asked, ‘How did you come to that decision? Was it based on some kind of NFL model?’” Harbaugh tells reporters. He adds, “No, it’s really biblical. Solomon, he was known to be a pretty wise person.” In 1 Kings 3:16-28, the king cleverly solved a dispute between two women by suggesting they cut a baby in half.

Jim Harbaugh: ‘No Person Knows What the Future Holds’

Jim Harbaugh, who’s beginning his eighth season at the Big Ten powerhouse, also mentions the Bible’s message about uncertainty. “No person, that’s biblical, no person knows what the future holds,” he says. Landing on a starting quarterback is “a process” that will “be based on performance,” adds Harbaugh, “but we’re not going to withhold any good thing.”

Some sports commentators are questioning the reference. One asks, “Is Jim Harbaugh a prophet or just a college football coach?” The unattributed column at On3.com adds: “Solomon was known to be perhaps the wisest man in the history of the world, according to the Bible. Though even he, wise as he was, succumbed to major sin. So is Harbaugh essentially saying that even the wisest man in the history of the planet couldn’t choose between Cade McNamara and JJ McCarthy? Because the future is forever unpredictable? And even the wisest among us make the wrong decisions sometimes? Guess so.”

Michigan Coach Is a Vocal Pro-Life Supporter

Last month, Harbaugh, who is Catholic, made headlines for speaking at a pro-life event near Detroit. As Church Leaders reported, he told attendees, “In God’s plan, each unborn human truly has a future filled with potential, talent, dreams and love.” The coach added, “To me, the right choice is to have the courage to let the unborn be born.”

Harbaugh and his wife, Sarah, who also spoke at the event, say they aren’t afraid of being canceled for expressing pro-life views. “If someone believes in what they stand for, they are choosing to stand for that position,” Jim Harbaugh said. “What kind of person are you if you don’t fight tooth and nail for what you stand for? You get to change hearts by fighting for what you stand for.”

Abortion supporters weren’t happy with Harbaugh’s talk. One tweets: “The decision by Jim Harbaugh to speak at an anti-choice event in this moment is nothing short of reprehensible and frankly raises concerning questions about @UMich’s commitment to the health and safety of people with uteruses.”

Scammers Posing as Mississippi Pastor on CashApp Steal Hundreds of Dollars in Gifts

By

Dale Chamberlain

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August 30, 2022

Congregants at Brown Missionary Baptist Church in Southaven, Mississippi, thought they were sending CashApp gifts to their pastor, Bartholomew Orr, for his birthday. Unfortunately, their gifts were going to someone posing as the pastor, using his picture and an almost identical user handle.

“It’s sad that people not only use me but even just the church to defraud individuals,” Orr told FOX13.

Orr said that he and his church make “a big deal” about birthdays. In fact, he tries to call every member of his sizable congregation on theirs. So when his birthday came in June, some of his congregants sought to honor him with a gift via CashApp.

However, multiple accounts on CashApp bear the pastor’s name and photo. One account is nearly indistinguishable, using a capital “i” in the place of the “l” in “Bartholomew.”

“I discovered that someone had created, what looked like, was the exact same Cash Tag as mine. It just had a little green symbol, making it seem authentic, and they were actually receiving gifts from people,” Orr said.

“I was preaching in a church in Memphis, and someone said, ‘Pastor, I just CashApped you. Did you receive it?’ I’m like, ‘No, I didn’t receive it,’” Orr recounted. “And sure enough, it was the fake account.”

Addressing the scammers directly, Orr said, “Get a job…It’s wrong. You shouldn’t do it. You wouldn’t want anyone to take from you and to steal from your family.”

Hundreds of dollars have gone to the scammers. Orr said that he has contacted CashApp repeatedly by email and phone to report the scammers, but months later, the fake accounts continue to remain active.

According to CashApp, to avoid sending money to a fraudulent account, users should only send payments to people they know and trust, verify and double check with the person that the account is correct, and never send money to anyone promising something in the future.

Evangelical Group Releases Climate Change Report, Urges a Biblical Mandate for Action

By

Jack Jenkins

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August 30, 2022

evangelical-climate-change — A man who scavenges recyclable materials for a living walks past Marabou storks feeding on a mountain of garbage amid smoke from burning trash at Dandora, the largest garbage dump in Nairobi, Kenya, Sept. 7, 2021. The alteration of weather patterns like the ongoing drought in east and central Africa, chiefly driven by climate change, is severely undermining natural water systems, devastating livelihoods and now threatening the survival of most of the world’s famed migratory bird species. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga, File)

WASHINGTON (RNS) — The National Association of Evangelicals unveiled a sweeping report Monday (Aug. 29) on global climate change, laying out what its authors call the “biblical basis” for environmental activism to help spur fellow evangelicals to address the planetary environmental crisis.

“Creation, although groaning under the fall, is still intended to bless us. However, for too many in this world, the beach isn’t about sunscreen and bodysurfing but is a daily reminder of rising tides and failed fishing,” reads the introduction of the report, penned by NAE President Walter Kim.

“Instead of a gulp of fresh air from a lush forest, too many children take a deep breath only to gasp with the toxic air that has irritated their lungs.”

But the authors admit persuading evangelicals is no small task, considering the religious group has historically been one of the demographics most resistant to action on the issue.

The nearly 50-page report, titled “Loving the Least of These: Addressing a Changing Environment,” opens with a section that insists protecting the environment is a biblical mandate.

“The Bible does not tell us anything directly about how to evaluate scientific reports or how to respond to a changing environment, but it does give several helpful principles: Care for creation, love our neighbors and witness to the world,” the report reads.

The authors go on to cite passages such as Genesis 2:15 (“God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it”), Matthew 22 (“Love your neighbor as yourself”) and Deuteronomy 15 (“Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart”).

“We worship God by caring for creation,” the report reads.

Another section outlines the basic science behind climate change, but the report, produced in partnership with the NAE’s humanitarian arm World Relief, returns often to the real-world impacts of climate change, such as how air pollution created by fossil fuels can have negative outcomes for children’s health or disproportionately affect the poor.

Kim suggested the emphasis on lived experiences, which are often tied to churches or evangelical organizations, is by design.

“One of the things that you’ll see in this document is not simply scientific information, though that is there, or biblical argumentation, although that is there, but you also hear stories of actual impact on communities,” he told Religion News Service in an interview.

Real-world examples help readers “understand the human dimension of the impact of climate change,” he explained.

“I think people of faith responded very deeply, because we’re wired to follow in the footsteps of Jesus of loving God and loving our neighbor.”

Nia Riningsih, one of few residents who stayed behind after most of her neighbors left due to the rising sea levels that inundated their neighborhood on the northern coast of Java Island, checks salted fish she dries as her daughter Safira plays at their house in Mondoliko village, Central Java, Indonesia, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Dorothy Boorse, a biology professor at Gordon College and the chief author of the report, agreed.

A Lesson From a Culture Gone Wrong

By

James Scott Jr.

-

August 30, 2022

Why is the church so ineffective in influencing or changing our culture?

That question is the cause for a proliferation of new books by church leaders, and a leading focal point in their blogs and conferences. In spite of the fact many of today’s church leaders seem almost obsessed with the topic of culture, the church has been losing its influence within our culture rather than making significant gains.

Why?

Perhaps we could find some answers in scripture by contrasting our experience with the story of a different culture gone very wrong.

If you think the culture in America is bad, be grateful you don’t live in Nineveh during the days of Jonah. In the short Old Testament book of Jonah, we see a culture in this great city that’s gone so wrong God is preparing to destroy the entire city! But in the final outcome, the city was spared and a culture was dramatically impacted.

Here are three things we can learn from that story of a culture gone wrong:

It’s People, Not Culture

Some of today’s church leaders have lost sight of what is of primary importance to God: people, not culture. I’m not saying God isn’t concerned with culture. Wasn’t it a failed culture that brought about God’s judgment in Ninevah?

No.

It was the sin of the people.

Certainly, a city full of people steeped in sinful living creates a culture God would abhor. But it’s not the culture that is God’s primary focus; culture is the outcome of how individuals choose to live. God’s primary concern was the people who created the culture:

The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” (Jonah 1:1-2)

God didn’t say His judgment was coming because of how wicked the culture was, but how wicked the people were. That’s not an issue of semantics; God understood something today’s church leaders seem to be consistently missing.

A popular Christian writer who is influential within the church on the topic of culture argues that you change culture by creating more culture. By doing that, you’re simply adding to the existing failed culture. You change culture not simply by contributing to it and making more of it, but by changing the people who create the failed culture!

That’s why Jesus called us to make disciples rather than to make culture. Change will come to our culture more dramatically when those who contribute to our culture become disciples of Jesus Christ. Ironically, though, we fail at impacting our culture in this way by putting a focus on changing culture rather than primarily on making disciples.

Being focused on “culture” can cause us to put our primary concern on a nameless, faceless blob of humanity. It makes ministry impersonal specifically because it’s not oriented to the person but, rather, the collective outcome of personal behaviors.

An Unaligned Will

God’s desire wasn’t to destroy the city of Nineveh, but to save the people in it by calling them to repentance. To accomplish that, He instructed Jonah to deliver His message to the Ninevites. But Jonah’s will wasn’t aligned with God’s, as is glaringly obvious in his response to God’s commission to him:

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4. Angel Awareness

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