Should Your Church Sell Advertising on its Livestream?

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June 15, 2022

thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

A number of pastors have contacted me recently because they’ve been approached by a local business to advertise on their livestream worship service. In some cases, the congregation has business owners who’d like to support the church through their company. In other cases, the COVID church lockdown revealed to marketers a significant audience out there watching church online. As a result, they’re approaching pastors about church advertising on the livestream – but those pastors aren’t sure it’s either appropriate or worth the money.

So I asked a range of highly respected pastors, marketing experts, and other Christian communication professionals what they’d recommend regarding church advertising. While we didn’t find a consensus, we did get a wide range of interesting responses.

Church Advertising – No Shortage of Opinions

– I wouldn’t allow it. The main reason is you don’t know the ethics of that business owner. Second, church is run from the tithes and offerings. Lastly, the singular focus of the online worship experience is the gospel and it tends to be blurred when we make it a profitable broadcast. Also, if that was OK, then why would you not put advertisements in your pre-roll video loop in the worship center? It’s the same concept. Movie theaters do it, but I don’t think it’s appropriate for churches. – Executive director of a national church media ministry

– I think “why not?” I’d be open to it at the beginning or at the end. As long as that company’s leadership aligns with our values. For instance, I would love to be sponsored by an organization like Pray.com or Museum of the Bible. – Pastor

– If it’s a sponsoring company or product with no value conflict (florist, clothing store, etc.) it shouldn’t be a problem. But the slippery slope is when the church starts depending on that money to the point they can’t live without it. Then compromises start to be made. The sponsors may decide the pastor should back away from a Biblical stance, or soften his doctrine. When a church or ministry becomes dependent on the revenue, then the sponsor could become too powerful, and that would never be acceptable. – Christian media producer and former network executive

– We have a local business sponsor our livestream and it offsets our expense. However, we don’t run a video commercial, but put up a “This livestream is sponsored by ____” type graphic at the start of the service like PBS does. We’ve never had any criticism. – Pastor

– I wouldn’t touch it with a 10-foot pole. It feels desperate to me. And some things should remain sacred and a place of worship is that place. – Church marketing director

– I’m not sure. I like it but part of me is hesitant. – Pastor

– I think it’s a very slippery slope. You are bound to get criticism from some people which probably could offset any gains with a decline in giving. Also how do you arbitrate who gets to advertise and who doesn’t? – Church marketing and fundraising consultant

– I think it had better be worth the money! If I did it I would be very intentional about telling the congregation. I’d want them to know that it pays the expense of the livestream, or the church mortgage, or the children’s ministry. – Marketing agency CEO

– I think a graphic on the screen at the end would work. – Church fundraising expert

– I think once you open that door you will struggle to close it. And others will come wanting to also place ads. If you say no to some (who may be members of the congregation), then it can appear to be playing favorites. I think there’s more to be lost than gained. – Church marketing consultant

– Well, churches advertise on other platforms so I’d probably treat it the same way. Does it make sense for them? Are the advertisers part of the church? – Church branding strategist

Rick Warren Surprises SBC Messengers at Annual Meeting; Reads ‘Love Letter’ in Wake of Disfellowshipping Controversy

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Jesse T. Jackson

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June 14, 2022

Saddleback Church’s Rick Warren made a surprise appearance during the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) annual meeting on Tuesday afternoon and was granted almost seven minutes of microphone time during a 15-minute miscellaneous business slot.

Warren’s appearance came mere hours after the Credentials Committee recommended a study committee into Saddleback’s use of the title “pastor” with regard to female members of its staff. (Read more about what took place here.)

With Saddleback Church’s fellowship with the SBC in jeopardy, its founder and senior pastor welcomed the thousands in attendance to Orange County and said that out of the 149 Southern Baptist churches in the area, 90 were started by Saddleback Church.

“You know, it’s customary for a guy who’s about to be hung—to let him say his dying words,” Warren said standing at one of the floor microphones in the Anaheim Convention Center. “I have no intention of defending myself. I have taught my kids and grandkids for years: I am most like Christ when I refuse to defend myself.”

Warren wrote a “love letter” to the SBC, reading it at what he called “possibly, likely, my last convention.”

“I could have not built Saddleback Church to its size and influence in any other denomination,” Warren said. “I love Southern Baptists.”

Warren, who has served as pastor of Saddleback Church for over 40 years, shared that he is a fourth generation SBC pastor. Saddleback was sponsored by the North American Mission Board (NAMB), and Warren shared that he was on staff at the California State Convention and on the Texas State Convention when he was a teenager.

“I really am grateful if this is my last convention,” Warren reiterated. He then explained that it was because of Southern Baptist polity that he was allowed to serve one church for his entire life.

“That’s not possible in most denominations,” he said. Saddleback is the single largest church in the SBC.

“Because Southern Baptist gave me a passion for evangelism and missions, we’ve baptized 56,631 new believers,” he said to roaring applause.

“Saddleback Church has also sent 26,869 members overseas to 197 nations,” Warren said, garnering even more applause from the room.

How Should Christians Respond to Pride Month? Pastor Lists 3 Ways

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Jessica Lea

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June 14, 2022

How should Christians respond to Pride Month? Andrew Bunt, an assistant pastor with King’s Church Hastings and Bexhill in England says an essential aspect of a Christian response to Pride is “gospel humility.”

“My observation is that humility is often not the instinctive response of Christians to Pride Month,” Bunt said in an article for Living Out titled, “Humility in Pride.” “Frustration, indignation and even disgust seem to be more common responses.”

Bunt acknowledged that there could be “some justification” for believers who respond in these ways. “Part of the sentiment behind Pride is a celebration of ways of living that go against God’s good plan,” he said. “Some of the ideas promoted through Pride are not honouring to God or good for human flourishing. I can acknowledge that there are elements of what Pride stands for that we should be concerned about.” However, not only does humility have “a place” but Bunt also believes that “any Christian response or reaction to Pride must be rooted in and shaped by gospel humility.”

Pride Month and the Christian

Pride Month, which takes place in June, commemorates in part the Stonewall Riots that occurred in New York on June 28, 1969. The riots were a response to police raiding the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village.

Bill Clinton was the first president to officially recognize June as Pride Month. Barack Obama recognized Pride Month throughout his presidency, while Donald Trump acknowledged it once in 2019. President Biden has recognized Pride Month in 2021 and 2022, the first two years of his presidency.

In addition to being an assistant pastor, Andrew Bunt is a writer and speaker with Living Out, a ministry founded by Sam Allberry and Sean Doherty that seeks to help believers live out their sexuality and identity in faithfulness to Jesus. In a 2021 interview on the ChurchLeaders podcast, Living Out director Ed Shaw shared his insights as a pastor who experiences same-sex attraction.

Bunt credits author Rebecca McLaughlin with helping to shape his thoughts on Pride Month and gives three areas where Christians can have humility in their postures toward it. First, believers should be humble in the way they treat the LGBTQ+ community. “Pride was birthed out of some early movements of gay and gender non-conforming people who bravely stood up against the mistreatment, in some cases brutal mistreatment, of people like them,” said Bunt. “It is a celebration of the fact that we are a society where hatred and mistreatment of sexual and gender minorities is no longer seen as acceptable…This is something Christians can, and should, get fully behind.”

All people are created in the image of God and should be treated as such, no matter who they are, said Bunt. Yet while followers of Jesus should be the primary defenders of the weak and the vulnerable, some Christians nevertheless participate in “unacceptable treatment of LGBTQ+ people.” Believers can use Pride Month as a chance to examine our own attitudes and repent of their sins in this area.

‘The SBC Needs to Return to the Fear of God’, Tom Ascol Tells Messengers at Charlie Kirk, Liberty University Endorsed Breakfast

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Jesse T. Jackson

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June 14, 2022

Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) presidential candidate Tom Ascol addressed a room full of messengers during a sold out early breakfast just hours before the election of a new SBC President will take place.

The breakfast was sponsored by Turning Point USA and Liberty University’s Standing for Freedom Center. Turning Point USA’s founder and executive director Charlie Kirk and the Standing for Freedom Center’s Ryan Helfenbein addressed the room before Ascol gave a short speech.

Ascol thanked his supporters for all helping put him in a position to win the SBC presidency in order to “change the direction” of the SBC.

Florida’s Grace Baptist Church senior pastor explained what he means when he says, “Change the direction,” sharing that he wants to see the SBC return to the fear of God.

“There is no fear of God before our eyes in the SBC, and I’m talking about us. I’m not talking about them. I’m talking about us. Just look at what has happened in our conventional churches,” Ascol said. He then said that the SBC has ministers in its midst publicly lying and then practically joking about it.

“The SBC has ministers of the gospel who have committed sexual abuse and ministers who have covered for friends who have committed sexual abuse,” Ascol said. “We have Christians that have stood for this level of godless activities, because they feel justified that their goals are warranted. Brothers and sisters, these things ought not be.”

Ascol used his common phrase, which refers to the Bible, saying, “We have a Book. Our God’s told us how we are to live in this world.”

“We are engaged in a spiritual war,” Ascol said. “We see the enemies of God all throughout our culture, just infiltrating every institution.” Ascol listed critical race theory (CRT), intersectionality, queer theory, and radical feminism as some examples.

The Founders Ministries’ founder said he’s been labeled a conspiracy theorist for saying that these cultural issues are spiritual warfare, to which he responded, “I’m not a conspiracy theorist. I’m a conspiracy realist.”

“The devil is a conspirator. How do you not see that if you read your Bible,” Ascol said.

If Ascol becomes SBC’s new president, he explained that he will continue to do what he has been doing, just with a much larger voice, urging his fellow pastors and brothers that “we can’t continue on the way we’ve been going. This world is going to hell in a hand-basket. We have the only message that redeems sinners from hell.”

“We have the only message that God has given to His world to reconcile evil to Himself. If we don’t preach the gospel, nobody else is. We have been given the Word of God to tell us what that gospel is,” Ascol said. “We are not editors of the Book. We are messengers of the Book. We must take what the Book says and declare it.”

Georgia Pastor Frank Cox Announced As Last Minute Candidate for SBC President

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Jonathan Howe

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June 14, 2022

ANAHEIM, Calif. (BP)—Ted Traylor, pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Fla., intends to nominate Georgia pastor Frank Cox for the office of SBC president Tuesday (June 14) during the 2022 SBC Annual Meeting. Cox confirmed his candidacy to Baptist Press.

Cox joins Tom Ascol, Bart Barber and Robin Hadaway as announced candidates for the position with the election scheduled to be held in the Tuesday afternoon session of the 2022 SBC Annual Meeting.

Pastor of North Metro Baptist Church in Lawrenceville, Ga., since 1980, Cox is no stranger to Southern Baptist life and leadership in the Convention. He most recently served as a trustee for New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary from 2011 through 2019, chairing the board from 2017-2019. He also chaired the search team that brought current president Jamie Dew to the school in June 2019.

In addition to his service on the board of NOBTS, Cox served as a member of the SBC Executive Committee from 1997-2006. He was elected SBC first vice president from 1999-2000 and also has served as president of the Georgia Baptist Convention (1997-1998). Cox also was a candidate for the SBC presidency in 2008 when Johnny Hunt was elected without a runoff. Cox finished second with about 22 percent of the vote.

According to Annual Church Profile information, North Metro reported 26 baptisms in 2021 and averaged 597 in weekly worship. The church collected $3,526,548.90 total undesignated receipts and gave $229,167 (6.5%) through the Cooperative Program. The church also gave $30,200 to the 2021 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and an additional $10,100 to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.

Cox, a native of Tallahassee, Fla., is a graduate of Mercer University and has an M.Div. from NOBTS and a D.Min. from Luther Rice Seminary. He and his wife, Mary, have three children and five grandchildren.

This article originally appeared on BaptistPress.com.

Pastor, Family Members To Face Trial in Child’s Alleged Exorcism Death

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Stephanie Martin

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June 14, 2022

Police in San Jose, California, have made more arrests in last September’s alleged exorcism death of 3-year-old Arely Naomi Proctor. In addition to the victim’s mother, who was arrested in January, the victim’s uncle and pastor-grandfather also are in custody now, being held without bail.

On Monday, June 13, a judge ruled that prosecutors can try all three family members together, starting August 9. The defendants, charged with felony child abuse resulting in death, could each face a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

Exorcism: DA Says Defendants Committed Violence Together

Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeffrey Rosen, who had requested the case consolidation, says the defendants worked together, making it impossible “to determine what defendant caused what specific injury.” Arely’s September 24, 2021, death was ruled a homicide by asphyxiation. Court documents indicate she also was denied food, sustained blunt force injuries, and had internal bleeding.

“Each defendant committed acts of physical abuse against Arely…during a 14-hour time frame prior to her death,” Rosen writes. “At times, all three defendants were holding Arely at different parts of her body. It is alleged that one defendant held Arely at the neck, one at the abdomen, and one was holding her legs, as they tried to induce her to vomit.”

Arely’s mother, 25-year-old Claudia Hernandez-Santos, told police she thought her daughter was “possessed” by a demon due to middle-of-the-night crying spells. Last September, the mother and Arely’s uncle, 19-year-old Rene Aaron Hernandez Santos, took a crying Arely to the small, home-based church led by her grandfather, 59-year-old Rene Trigueros Hernandez, aka Rene Huezo.

During the attempted exorcism, prosecutors say, the three adults held down and tortured Arely in front of the altar. Court documents indicate the uncle and grandfather have changed their accounts of events since police conducted initial interviews in September.

Mother of Alleged Exorcism Victim: ‘God Took Her’

In a YouTube video posted days before her January arrest, Claudia Hernandez-Santos says, “A lot of people turned on me after my daughter passed away.” Instead of admitting any role in the tragedy, she says, “God took her” for “many reasons.” About Arely, she adds, “At least she’s not suffering. In this world we suffer so much, especially nowadays. Everything is so bad. Everything is going downhill. That’s what I’m thankful for. That she’s not going to grow up in a world we live in. She’s in a better place. God knows why he allowed these things.”

Saddleback’s Status as an SBC Church in Doubt As Mohler, Ascol, Others Push For Disfellowship on the Convention Floor

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Dale Chamberlain

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June 14, 2022

Saddleback Church’s standing with the Southern Baptist Convention is in doubt after disagreement erupted among SBC messengers in response to recommendations given by the SBC’s Credentials Committee on Tuesday.

The Credentials Committee, which makes recommendations as to whether individual congregations are currently in “friendly cooperation” with the denomination, recommended a study committee into Saddleback’s use of the title “pastor” with regard to female members of its staff.

The controversy arose in May 2021 when Saddleback ordained three women and gave them the title of pastor, a move some believe is in violation of the Baptist Faith & Message, the SBC’s unifying statement of belief, which says, “While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.”

Disagreement exists in the denomination about whether the “office of pastor” applies only to lead pastors, or if women are barred from carrying the title entirely, even if their job responsibilities do not violate Baptist conviction. The purpose of the study committee would be to provide clarity on this question.

Some, however, feel that the issue is already clear enough, including Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) president Albert Mohler.

Mohler Objects

“I served on the committee that brought the Baptist Faith & Message 2000 that was overwhelmingly adopted by this Convention,” Mohler said. “My concern as a churchman, a theologian, and someone who loves this Convention—as I know everyone in this room does—if we eventually have to form a study committee over every word in our confession of faith, then we’re doomed.”

Applause erupted throughout the room.

While Mohler said that he appreciated the work of the Credentials Committee and the spirit with which they brought their recommendation forward, he emphatically said, “I am a confessional. This is a confessional denomination.”

“We say what we believe in specific words that are in the Baptist Faith & Message. The moment we start to, of necessity, have study committees decide what the words mean—The words mean what Southern Baptist said in the year 2000,” Mohler continued. “At that time, the word ‘pastor’ was used by the committee and adopted by the Convention, because we were told, that is the most easily understood word among Southern Baptists for pastoral teaching leadership.”

Greenway Proposes an Amendment

Later in the discussion, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) Adam Greenway proposed an amendment to the recommendation that would take the focus of the study committee off of female ordination specifically, in favor of more clearly defining what it means to be in “friendly cooperation with the denomination generally—that is, to what measure or degree do congregations need to align with the Baptist Faith & Message, in conjunction with partnering on missions and church planting, to remain within the fold.

Saddleback Church Clears Rick Warren’s Successor of Allegations of Abusive Leadership Style; Former Echo.Church Staffers Speak Out

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Dale Chamberlain

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June 14, 2022

Saddleback Church in Southern California has cleared Rick Warren successor Andy Wood following an investigation into allegations of an abusive leadership style.

On June 2, Saddleback announced Wood as Warren’s successor after Warren’s more than four decades of service as the church’s lead pastor. Warren plans on handing the reins of leadership over to Wood in September.

Wood planted Echo.Church in San Jose, California, in 2008, a church that has grown to a weekly attendance of 3,000 across four campuses. Wood’s wife, Stacie, serves as Echo.Church’s teaching pastor and will serve in the same capacity at Saddleback.

Following the public announcement that Wood would replace Warren, former staffers at Echo.Church spoke out on social media with allegations that Wood had an abusive leadership style, necessitating the launch of an investigation.

According to Religion News Service, Saddleback leadership disclosed the investigation in a letter to church members on Sunday (June 12), telling them that Wood had brought up potential allegations from one former staffer during his interview process and had offered to furnish Saddleback video recordings of meetings with the former staffer. That former staff member was not available for interview during the investigation.

Accusations levied against Wood included an abusive leadership style, with some former staff members being asked to sign non-disclosure agreements.

Amy Street, one former high level volunteer and later employee at Happy Childhood Preschool, which was run out of Echo.Church’s north campus in San Jose, told ChurchLeaders that she experienced firsthand the demanding environment of serving in leadership at the church.

“I never had panic attacks in my life before being employed at Echo.Church,” she said.

Street worked with Wood directly as a volunteer but later reported to different staff members as an employee of the church, but said that an expectation of overworking was a part of the culture of the entire church, telling ChurchLeaders that a common mantra on the team was, “We don’t say burnout here. Burnout isn’t real.”

Street also said that the voices of women were overlooked when it came to leadership decisions at the church.

Citing that she was often asked to work outside the scope of her pay and level of training, Street resigned and complained for not being fully compensated for the number of hours she worked performing tasks outside her normal responsibilities. After Echo.Church offered to pay Street back wages, she said she was asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Executive Committee Rescinds Previous Budget Motions in Light of Send Relief Gift

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Scott Barkley

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June 14, 2022

ANAHEIM (BP) – With $4 million now pledged from Send Relief toward funding sexual abuse reforms over the next year, Executive Committee members voted Monday (June 13) to rescind their recently approved recommendations for that same objective.

EC Chair Rolland Slade, overseeing his final trustee meeting, extended thanks for the gift to Send Relief and its president, Bryant Wright, as well as North American Mission Board President Kevin Ezell and International Mission Board President Paul Chitwood.

“We certainly appreciate you all coming together in a sign of unity,” Slade said, adding his appreciation both from a denominational leadership perspective as well as a Southern Baptist pastor.

Trustees had agreed June 2 to reconfigure overage allocations for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 budgets of up to $9 million total for funding sexual abuse reforms in the Southern Baptist Convention. A $4 million gift through Send Relief issued on June 8 led to a unanimous vote to rescind those recommendations.

The 2021-22 budget will revert back to the amount approved by messengers at last year’s annual meeting in Nashville. Addressing sexual abuse was added at that gathering as the sixth point of Vision 2025. Funding through the 2022-23 budget will revert back to what was approved by EC members at their February 2022 meeting of a $200,000 special priority allocation for Vision 2025.

Trustees Finish Terms

Interim EC President/CEO Willie McLaurin honored Slade for his two years as chairman and presented him with a commemorative Esteemed Chairperson’s Gavel.

McLaurin presented the same honor to Slade’s predecessor, Mike Stone, whose tenure as chair concluded in 2020 when the annual meeting was canceled due to COVID-19 and so did not receive the opportunity for such a sendoff.

“Pastor Mike, thank you. We appreciate you and as a way of honoring you, [here is] a similar gift that we gave to Pastor Slade,” McLaurin said.

In addition to Slade and Stone, other trustees completing their terms of service and recognized were Jim Gregory, Utah/Idaho; Tim Hight, Va.; Mike Holloway, La.; and Cheryl Samples, Ga. Those rotating off by virtue of serving through elected SBC office were SBC President Ed Litton and John Yeats, recording secretary.

McLaurin also noted the service and retirements of Bill Agee, executive director of the California Southern Baptist Convention, and John Upton, executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Virginia.

McLaurin Provides Financial Update, Details Upcoming Emphasis Future

In his address to trustees, McLaurin reported that receipts through the National Cooperative Program Allocation budget were ahead by $11.2 million for the first eight months of the 2021-22 fiscal year.

“This gracious giving signals that Southern Baptists are keeping the main thing the main thing during a difficult season,” he said. “I am thankful to be a part of a network of churches that is serious about getting people off the road to hell and getting them on the road to heaven.”

Pope Says Traditionalist Catholics ‘Gag’ Church Reforms

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AP News

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June 14, 2022

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has complained that traditionalist Catholics, particularly in the United States, are “gagging” the church’s modernizing reforms and insisted that there was no turning back.

Francis told a gathering of Jesuit editors in comments published Tuesday that he was convinced that some Catholics simply have never accepted the Second Vatican Council, the meetings of the 1960s that led to Mass being celebrated in the vernacular rather than Latin and revolutionized the church’s relations with people of other faiths, among other things.

“The number of groups of ‘restorers’ – for example, in the United States there are many – is significant,” Francis told the editors, according to excerpts published by the Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolica.

“Restorationism has come to gag the council,” he said, adding that he knew some priests for whom the 16th century Council of Trent was more memorable than the 20th century Vatican II.

Traditionalists have become some of Francis’ fiercest critics, accusing him of heresy for his opening to divorced and civilly remarried Catholics, outreach to gay Catholics and other reforms. Francis has taken an increasingly hard line against them, re-imposing restrictions on celebrating the old Latin Mass and taking specific action in dioceses and religious orders where traditionalists have resisted his reforms.

Just last week, in a meeting with Sicilian clergy, Francis told the priests that it wasn’t always appropriate to use “grandma’s lace” in their vestments and to update their liturgical garb to be in touch with current times and follow in the spirit of Vatican II.

“It is also true that it takes a century for a council to take root. We still have forty years to make it take root, then!” he told the editors.

Speaking about the church in Germany, Francis also warned that he still had an offer of resignation in hand for the archbishop of Cologne, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, who faced strong criticism for his handling of the church’s sexual abuse scandal.

Francis gave Woelki a “time out” of several months last September, but still hasn’t definitively ruled on his future. That has kept the situation in Cologne uncertain and frustrated the head of the German bishops’ conference, who has pressed for a decision one way or the other.

Abortion Foes, Accustomed to Small Wins, Ready for a Big One

By

Matt Sedensky

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June 14, 2022

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — For tens of millions of Americans who see abortion as wrong, it’s gone this way for a half-century: One woman swayed to reconsider as dozens of others follow through. One clinic’s doors closed only to see desperate patients go elsewhere. One law passed, another overturned.

A movement built of tiny steps and endless setbacks, though, now seems poised for a massive leap, with the Supreme Court weighing undoing the constitutional right to abortion found in Roe v. Wade.

“Folks are more hopeful now than we have ever been,” says Mark Baumgartner, the 53-year-old founder of A Moment of Hope, an anti-abortion organization whose workers and volunteers stand outside the Planned Parenthood clinic here every minute it’s open. They try to engage women in conversation, talk them out of an abortion if they’re considering one, and offer support if they decide to go through with their pregnancy.

A majority of Americans backs abortion rights, and one of the clinic’s rainbow-vested workers, 45-year-old Allison Terracio, believes the anti-abortion group’s sidewalk coterie uses trickery, empty promises and manipulation in the guise of kindness to sway women from something they’ve already carefully thought through. She says those due in to take an abortion pill or undergo a brief surgery have already thought through what they wanted and nothing Baumgartner and his crew can offer will change the circumstances of the prospective mother’s life.

“I’m not in the business of convincing anybody of anything,” Terracio says.

On this day, the first of A Moment of Hope’s crew arrives before the sun even rises and, for hours, they haven’t had much luck changing minds. But now, a patient pushes out of the center’s doors and heads straight into the arms of an anti-abortion counselor who, a short while earlier, asked her not to do what she came here for.

The patient walks away with the counselor, and every eye on the block seems to follow. The circle of praying Catholics, the smattering of evangelicals at every clinic driveway, even the lone protester here, Steven Lefemine, all seem riveted by the apparent change of heart.

“This is a glorious thing that’s happening here!” 66-year-old Lefemine exclaims.

Talk to someone who’s been immersed in opposing abortion long enough and they’ll tell you the disbelief they felt when news of Roe broke in 1973 and the naïve certainty they had that it would be overturned in a couple of years. They’ll tell you about the politicians who collected their votes and never delivered, and the judges seen as allies who went on to disappoint. They’ll tell you how the issue ended friendships or landed them in handcuffs or brought them heartache again and again and again.

And yet, here they are, all these years later, in the fight so long some have grandchildren at their side.

Along the way, the image of an abortion opponent cemented in some Americans’ minds became a rabid protester shouting condemnation and clutching a gory sign, who would do anything to advance their cause.

Baumgartner knows the caricature many have of anti-abortion figures like him. He shudders when noisy protesters show up. He knows a woman arriving here may see everyone on the street the same, but if he could just have her ear for a moment, he thinks he can convince her.

Canadian Megachurch Discloses 38 Reports of Sexual Misconduct by 4 Pastors

By

Yonat Shimron

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June 14, 2022

(RNS) — One week after members of the Canadian megachurch The Meeting House saw their former pastor arrested and charged with sexual assault, their leadership revealed that not one but four of its former pastors have now been credibly accused — and two convicted — of sexual abuse.

At a church town hall-style meeting last week, The Meeting House overseers, as church elders are called, disclosed that a third-party victims’ advocate hired by the church in March heard 38 reports of sexual misconduct that had largely gone unreported to the congregation. Most happened years ago.

“We are deeply sorry for the abuse and harm that has occurred,” said Jennifer Hryniw, a member of the Board of Overseers during a June 7 town hall meeting. “We are deeply sorry for how many of these stories have been handled in the past. We continue to be humbled to now be the stewards of those stories.”

Bruxy Cavey, who grew The Meeting House into a megachurch with 20 campuses across the province of Ontario, was charged with one count of sexual assault on May 31. He was asked to resign in March after an independent investigation determined he’d had a yearslong sexual relationship with a woman in the church who sought counseling.

Hryniw said the church board has formed a subcommittee to respond to each report of misconduct. Another subcommittee is updating church policies to ensure clear guidelines for accountability, supervision and best practices around sexual abuse.

She also acknowledged that in the past the church often focused on the offender before dealing with the victim.

“One trend has been a skew to prioritize the well-being of offenders over victims,” Hryniw said.

Some 30 years after clergy sexual misconduct became a scandal in the American Catholic Church, it continues to run rampant through multiple U.S.-based Christian denominations, and now in Canada, too. Although no quarter has been spared, many recent reckonings are occurring in conservative Protestant settings.

The Meeting House, one of Canada’s largest churches, is Anabaptist, part of the Be in Christ denomination. The church reported an average of 9,800 weekly livestream views two years ago. (Only Springs Church in Winnipeg had higher attendance, according to a Canadian megachurch listing by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research.)

In addition to Cavey, who will appear before a judge in the city of Hamilton on June 27, the church identified three other former pastors charged with sexual misconduct:

SBC Candidates Voddie Baucham, Tom Ascol, Javier Chavez Address Packed Room of Messengers; Baucham Loses Close Election

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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June 14, 2022

Voddie Baucham Tom Ascol — Photo by Jesse Jackson

On Sunday night (June 12), the Conservative Baptist Network (CBN) hosted an evening for Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) messengers that featured sermons by Grace Community Church pastor-teacher John MacArthur and Dean of Theology at African Christian University (Lusaka, Zambia) Voddie Baucham.

The sold out event took place in conjunction with the SBC Pastors’ Conference, and a panel discussion hosted SBC presidential candidate Tom Ascol, SBC recording secretary nominee Javier Chavez, and Baucham, who was running for SBC Pastors’ Conference president.

Baucham, who almost didn’t make it to the event due to travel delays, was asked by panel host and CBN spokesperson Brad Jurkovich why he accepted the nomination for SBC Pastors’ Conference president and why he thought the role was important.

“It’s one thing for us to be able to say there’s a need…a crisis or whatever. It’s another thing for us to say, okay, I’m willing to do whatever I can to be a part of the solution,” Baucham said.

The SBC Pastors’ Conference is significant, Baucham explained, saying, “I believe that the proclamation of the gospel is at the heart of everything we do.”

Baucham continued, “If we talk about evangelism, missions, church planting, whatever—at the heart of that ought to be the proclamation of the gospel, and I think that the Pastors’ Conference ought to be the place where we showcase that; where we say, ‘This is what we mean by that.’ Many of the crises that we’ve seen have started and have their root in the crisis in the pulpit—compromises we see, even in what we call preaching, even in what we think the role of preaching is.”

The election for the Pastors’ Conference president took place on Monday (June 13), where Baucham narrowly lost to Friendly Avenue Baptist Church senior pastor Daniel Dickard by less than 90 votes.

Ascol said that it took some convincing from some close friends for him to accept a nomination for SBC president, but further expressed, “I’m willing to do it, because I care about the SBC [and because] I love the SBC.”

“I don’t think we have much fear of God in our churches anymore,” Ascol shared. “I’m not condemning anybody. I’m including myself in this,” Ascol said, pointing to recent events in the denomination. “We’ve got people lying—bald face lying and then they say, ‘Well, you know, hey, if it’ll help you out, I’ll apologize.’ You know, as if it’s no big deal.”

The Founders Ministries’ president also referenced the sexual abuse and coverup that has taken place within the SBC, saying, “You don’t do that if you fear God!” Fearing God means you’re going to take a stand on what God says in his Word, Ascol said.

“Pastors, one day we’re gonna be called to give an account before God for the ministry that is entrusted to us. That weighs heavy on me,” Ascol said.

How To Know When a Child Is Old Enough To Accept Jesus as Their Savior

By

Dale Hudson

-

June 14, 2022

This past weekend, I was teaching the elementary group in my home church. I asked one of the girls, who is 9 years old, if she had accepted Jesus as her Savior.

Her response was, “Not yet. My mother doesn’t think I am old enough to understand.”

I have also seen the opposite happen. A parent is pushing for his or her child to “pray the prayer” and then get baptized. But the child is only 5 years old.

So how do you know when a child is old enough to step across the line of faith?

As a children’s ministry leader, it is crucial that you know what to look for and how you can help families navigate the most important decision their child will ever make.

Here are the things a child needs to know if they are going to enter a relationship with Jesus.

I have sinned. Before you can be saved, you have to understand that you are lost. If you ask a child if they have ever sinned and they say “no,” then they are not ready to be saved. Romans 3:23 makes this very clear.

There is a price for sin that must be paid. A child must understand that they cannot enter a relationship with Jesus until their sin bill is paid. (Romans 6:23)

Jesus died for our sins. He has paid our sin bill. We must ask Him to forgive our sins and trust Him and Him alone, for our salvation. (John 3:16, Romans 10:9-10)

Another way you can know is this – the child keeps bringing up the subject on their own. If they keep coming back to you about this, then it is a sign that God is drawing them to Himself.

Here’s something else to look for – you sense the child understands they need to make this decision. It is not because their friends have done this and it seems like a cool thing to do. Or they saw their friends get baptized and it looked fun to them. There’s a big difference between “wanting” to make a decision vs. “needing” to make a decision.

What age should a child be? This is different for each child. However, around age 7-8, children begin to understand abstract thoughts. Here’s an example.

You tell a child that Jesus is the bridge back to God. A 5-year-old child is thinking there is a literal bridge back to God that you have to cross. But an older child understands that this is just an example of what it means to follow Jesus.

Here’s what I often tell parents and church leaders. It is not our role to hold a child back from making a decision. It is also not our role to push children into making a premature decision. Our role is to walk beside the child and have conversations about following Jesus. As you do this, God will draw them to Himself.

It is so important to be thorough when sharing the Gospel with children. Children are the greatest mission field in the world. We know that most people come to Christ before the age of 18. We must reach them while their hearts are open to the Gospel.

If you are looking for a resource to help you lead children and parents to Christ, then Starting Point is a great resource. It has been used to lead thousands of kids to Christ. You can get more information at this link.

What a privilege we have to share the Gospel with children and their parents. May God continue to pour down His blessings upon you while you are sharing the Gospel. There is nothing that is more important than this.

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

Rep. Lauren Boebert Says She Prays for Biden’s Days To ‘Be Few’ and for Another To ‘Take His Office’

By

Jessica Lea

-

June 13, 2022

Rep. Lauren Boebert joked over the weekend that she prays that President Biden’s days will “be few” and that another will “take his office.” Boebert, who represents Colorado’s Third Congressional District, made her comments at an event hosted by Charis Christian Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

“I do want you to know that I pray for our president,” said Boebert. “Psalm 109:8 says, ‘May his days be few and another take his office.’” She smiled and laughed as the audience cheered and clapped. “Hallelujah! Glory to God.”

Psalm 109 is a psalm of David, written against his enemies. Verses 9 through 13 read:

May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow. May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven from their ruined homes. May a creditor seize all he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor. May no one extend kindness to him or take pity on his fatherless children. May his descendants be cut off, their names blotted out from the next generation.

This is not the first time one politician has invoked Psalm 109:8 against another. In 2016, Georgia Senator David Perdue applied the verse to then-president Barack Obama.

Lauren Boebert at Charis Christian Center

The event Boebert spoke at was called Family Camp Meeting, and it took place from June 8-12. The theme was “all things are possible.” Other speakers included ministry leaders Ashley Terradez, Mark Hankins, and Max Cornell, as well as Charis Christian Center’s pastors Lawson and Barbara Perdue. Charis Christian Center’s about page features an endorsement of Lawson Perdue by prosperity preacher Jesse Duplantis.

Boebert’s speech was similar to another she gave at worship leader and activist Sean Feucht’s May 20 Hold the Line event in Colorado Springs. “I can’t really stand politics, but I love the Lord,” said Boebert as she began. Her statement, “Right now is the time for the church to influence the nation,” seemed to be the thesis of her talk.

Throughout her speech, the congresswoman used various Bible passages to call attendees to political action. “You could go all through the Bible, all through Scripture, and the power, the creative power that is in your words is insurmountable,” she said.

Pointing to passages such as Daniel 9 to show that there is power in our words, Boebert drew a comparison between this principle and the action the founding fathers of the United States took in writing the Declaration of Independence. “How would you act,” she asked the audience, “if you already had that thing that you were believing for?”

Boebert took some time mid-speech to encourage attendees that God can use all people, no matter their shortcomings, because his grace empowers his followers to obey him. “God doesn’t tell you to forgive people, to honor people, to respect people because he wants you to be a doormat,” said Boebert. “He knows that you can’t do that on your own and that you will have to tap into what he has for you.”

“Glory to God,” she said. “I hope that blesses somebody.” Boebert explained she hadn’t planned to make those comments, which she immediately followed with her joke about Biden. On her Twitter profile, Boebert has pinned a photo of herself with former president Donald Trump. In it, she is wearing a dress with the words, “Let’s Go Brandon,” on it, a euphemism for the phrase, “F*** Joe Biden.”

‘I Have Hope’: Justin Bieber Speaks of Trusting God During Latest Health Scare

By

Stephanie Martin

-

June 13, 2022

‘I Have Hope’: Justin Bieber Speaks of Trusting God During Latest Health Scare — Screenshot from Instagram / @justinbieber

Health-wise, it’s been a challenging year for pop singer Justin Bieber and his wife, Hailey. But the outspoken Christian couple has used physical setbacks to share their faith with fans and followers.

Justin Bieber, 28, shared his latest diagnosis on Instagram Friday, revealing he has Ramsay Hunt syndrome. Caused by the virus responsible for chickenpox and shingles, the rare syndrome affects facial nerves and can cause facial paralysis.

In February, Bieber was diagnosed with COVID-19, and in March, Hailey Bieber had a mini-stroke due to a blood clot in her brain. The 25-year-old model later said a small hole in her heart, which has since been repaired, was partly responsible.

Justin Bieber Sidelined by Facial Paralysis

On June 7, the Grammy-winning singer announced he needed to postpone three upcoming concerts due to “non-COVID related illness.” Without naming it, he said, “My sickness is getting worse,” adding that doctors had ordered him to take a break.

Three days later, Bieber posted an Instagram video captioned: “IMPORTANT PLEASE WATCH. I love you guys and keep me in your prayers.” Looking at the camera, the singer told of being diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt and pointed out the effects: His right eye doesn’t blink, his right nostril doesn’t move, and he can’t smile with the right side of his face.

“There’s full paralysis on this side of my face,” Justin Bieber pointed out. “So for those who are frustrated by my cancellations of the next shows, I’m just physically, obviously, not capable of doing them. This is pretty serious, as you can see.”

He added, “I wish this wasn’t the case, but obviously, my body is telling me I got to slow down. … I’ll be using this time to rest and relax and get back to 100% so that I can do what I was born to do.”

Justin Bieber: Latest Setback Is ‘All for a Reason’

Justin Bieber assured fans he would get better and his face would go back to normal with time. According to health experts, prompt treatment with anti-viral medications helps reduce the risk of long-term complications from Ramsay Hunt, which can include permanent paralysis and hearing loss or deafness. The neurological condition affects an estimated five in every 100,000 Americans—usually older adults.

At the end of Friday’s video, Bieber thanked fans for their patience and prayers. “I have hope, and I trust God, and I trust that this is…all for a reason,” he said. “And I’m not sure what that is right now, but in the meantime, I’m gonna rest. I love you guys. Peace.”

Voddie Baucham, John MacArthur Emphasize Culture’s Hatred of Christians, Avoiding Compromise at Conservative Baptist Network Event

By

Dale Chamberlain

-

June 13, 2022

conservative baptist network john macarthur voddie baucham — Photos by Dale Chamberlain and Jesse Jackson

On Sunday (June 12), the lead up to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Anaheim, California, kicked off with events geared toward pastors and church messengers and which focused on the issues the Convention faces in the days ahead. One of those events was hosted by the Conservative Baptist Network (CBN) and featured speakers Voddie Baucham and John MacArthur, as well as a panel discussion with CBN-endorsed candidates for SBC offices.

The CBN is an association of Southern Baptists who believe that the Convention is “drifting in a liberal direction” and want to mobilize SBC leaders to “change the direction,” which is the campaign slogan of the CBN-endorsed candidate for SBC president, Tom Ascol.

Recurring themes at the event included the sufficiency of scripture against the backdrop of opposition to Critical Race Theory, suspicion about proposed reforms in light of revelations of sexual abuse and coverup in the denomination, and a call for expository preaching.

Voddie Baucham, who is running for president of the Pastor’s Conference, an annual event that takes place in the days leading up to the SBC’s annual meeting, was the first to address the crowd of roughly 2,000 attendees.

“I want to say at the outset that, no matter how many warnings we give, make no mistake about it. We recognize the fact that the Kingdom of God is undefeated and shall remain so,” Baucham said. “And here’s another thing that I want to say. We recognize that God doesn’t need the Southern Baptist Convention.”

“I love the SBC. I’ve been trained and educated and nurtured in the Southern Baptist Convention. I praise God for the Southern Baptist Convention,” Baucham continued. “But hear me when I say [that] God does not need the Southern Baptist Convention. Now, we pray that God will continue to use the Southern Baptist Convention, amen?”

Referencing a 2021 heart attack and subsequent quadruple bypass surgery, Baucham said that while he knows “God doesn’t need Voddie Baucham,” he is grateful that God has given him more time.

“And that’s what I mean when I say that God doesn’t need the SBC,” Baucham said. “My prayer is that He would bring not just revival but first repentance in the Convention.”

“And the reason I say that is because I recognize that God doesn’t need America…What I’m worried about is that there is this judgment that is happening simultaneously,” Baucham expressed. “There’s this judgment that we’re seeing in our broader culture that is also being reflected in a kind of judgment that we’re seeing within broader evangelicalism and a judgment we’re seeing within the Southern Baptist Convention.”

Though the SBC will spend a large portion of its annual meeting this week grappling with the Guidepost Solutions investigation that uncovered a decades-long history of sexual abuse and coverup in the denomination, Baucham set his sights on addressing an entirely different danger to the SBC: a culture that has become “an enemy of the gospel.”

Specifically, Baucham addressed when missionaries and ministers focus on benevolence, mercy programs, and social justice to the detriment of communicating the message of the gospel. Baucham argued that such emphases are a result of compromise among Christian leaders who are seeking to win the affection of a culture that hates Jesus.

Where Did All the Evangelism Conferences Go?

By

Ed Stetzer

-

June 13, 2022

The lack of evangelism conferences today is symptomatic of a problem.

For many, we have just moved on—maybe we have become too sophisticated for telling people about Jesus.

Or maybe it is the reputation of the church.

Or maybe it is just us.

There was a time not too many decades ago where the largest gatherings of denominations or regions was their annual evangelism conferences. Not to mention the largest youth gatherings were youth evangelism conferences, where as many as 15,000-20,000 students would attend in states like Texas and in the deep South.

But it’s obvious that such conferences don’t have the allure they once did. Evangelism has fallen on hard times these days—and conferences have as well. Yes, some denominations still have them, but they seem to be shrinking in attendance and enthusiasm among many who do have them.

That doesn’t mean there are no longer large gatherings of believers or leaders coming together. There are a number of events that fill arenas, including some church planting or leadership events. And we still see arenas packed out with worship bands leading nights of worship.

I’m not writing to criticize these; nor do I think that more evangelism conferences are always the answer, but the lack of many is a symptom of a larger problem. I’m all for worship gatherings and I speak at church planting and leadership events, so I of course believe in these. But I do have a concern about the lack of focus today on evangelism, and one of the symptoms of this problem is the decline in evangelism conferences.

And, I wanted to share an updated version of an article I wrote on my blog almost a decade ago, but I think we have some work to do to get people talking about evangelism again.

Let me explain.

Evangelism Tools

Over the years, evangelism was generally defined by its tools. We pretty much equated evangelistic work with a method. For example, the best-known might be Evangelism Explosion and its famous question, “If you were to die today, do you know if you’d go to heaven or hell?”

Or, maybe you’ve used the bridge illustration.

Or, the Roman Road.

Or, bracelets.

More recently some share the whole gospel Story, and some use the 3 Circles.

Most people I know are more likely to roll their eyes at the tools than use them. But, they don’t have an evangelistic alternative—all they have is an evangelistic angst. And angst does not help. The tools may seem outdated, unhelpful, or cheesy to you, but the Roman Road is probably more effective than rolling your eyes.

A recent Lifeway Research study conducted in April 2022 on behalf of Evangelism Explosion discovered about half of believers surveyed ages 18-49 weren’t familiar with any method to share Christ, while over 80% of those over age 50 weren’t familiar with any tool. Maybe 40 years ago we focused too much on this or that tool. Today, most Christians don’t have any tool. Would you rather prepare a garden with a shovel, hoe, and a rake than with no tool at all? I don’t think so. And, before you make assumptions, be sure to take a look at what Evangelism Explosion has done recently to increase the options for learning to share Christ.

As we are awash in tools, we are actually in the midst of the largest faith-based media campaign in history. The “He Gets Us” campaign, of which I am a part, is all over television, billboards, and more. It’s sparking conversations about Jesus at the office water cooler, in homes, and more.

Tom Ascol, Would-Be SBC President, Worries Churches Have Lost Hold of the Bible

By

Bob Smietana

-

June 13, 2022

(RNS) — When he first felt called to be a pastor, Tom Ascol thought God was playing a joke on him.

Ascol grew up in a troubled family in a house owned by a Texas church where his dad was a deacon and Sunday school teacher. When the family couldn’t pay the rent, a pastor tried to kick them out until a deacon intervened.

The experience left him bitter toward pastors. Complicating his view of church, his dad led what amounted to a double life: one as a respected church leader and another as “a drunk and a womanizer and an abuser,” Ascol told Baptist Press, the official Southern Baptist news service, in a recent interview.

“We’re Baptists, and you know, my dad had no business being a church member, much less a deacon and a Sunday school teacher,” he said. “That created a lot of angst. Not just in me, but in the community.”

Once he accepted his own call, Ascol decided he did not want to be an ordinary pastor. Instead, he wanted to do things by the book, the way the Bible said things should be done.

That approach to ministry has stuck with Ascol, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, Florida, and leading candidate for president of the Southern Baptist Convention.

The theme of his candidacy can be summed up in four words: “We have a book.”

But Ascol’s focus on the Bible has led him to become a vocal critic of the SBC in recent years. Liberalism, critical race theory and women preachers are leading the denomination away from Scripture, he believes. Ascol has long argued that Southern Baptists have been too eager to embrace pragmatic ideas on how to attract people to church and have been too accommodating to the broader culture.

In a recent essay for Founders Ministries, a Florida nonprofit that Ascol heads, he argued that Southern Baptists are “embarrassed of the teachings of the Scripture.”

His complaints arise from Southern Baptists who have urged the denomination to come to terms with its history, welcoming ideas drawn from academia about racism’s pervasiveness in society. Resolution 9, passed at the SBC’s 2019 annual meeting, referred to “critical race theory and intersectionality” as useful analytics tools. Ascol views the resolution as an intolerable distraction from biblical truth.

“Brothers and sisters, it should not be this way,” he wrote in his Founders Ministries essay. “The word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword and will not return void. But if we muzzle ourselves out of a misplaced desire to placate the culture, how can we expect the Word to have that effect?”

Pope Francis Cancels July Visit to Africa, Citing Knee Pain

By

Claire Giangrave

-

June 13, 2022

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Pope Francis will not be making a planned apostolic visit to the African countries of South Sudan and Congo this July due to worsening knee pain and following the advice of his doctors, according to a statement released by the Vatican on Friday (June 10).

“At the request of his doctors and in order not to jeopardize the results of the therapy that he is undergoing for his knee, the Holy Father has been forced to postpone, with regret, his Apostolic Journey,” which was planned for July 2–7, said the statement sent by Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni.

Pope Francis’ trip will be rescheduled for “a later date to be determined,” the statement added.

The 85-year-old pope is also scheduled to visit Canada July 24–30, but the Vatican has not announced whether the trip will take place given Francis’ struggles with his knee.

Francis cancelled a visit to Florence in February for a summit of politicians and bishops of the Mediterranean region, also citing knee pain.

Francis’ physical health has seen a steady decline since July 2011, when he had surgery to remove part of his colon at the Gemelli hospital in Rome. The Vatican has maintained an official silence on the pontiff’s condition, only notifying the media at the last moment before schedule changes and providing no updates on treatments.

Francis has struggled with sciatic pain for several years, but it has worsened as he ages. Starting in January 2022, the pope has sat at public events and ceremonies, apologizing to his audiences for not standing due to the pain in his right leg and knee. On his papal trip to Malta in April, the pope used a lift to descend the plane steps instead of walking down them, and a special lift was built into the Grotto of St. Paul to allow his visit to the holy site.

In May, Francis began using a wheelchair and started a series of injections to lessen the pain in his leg.

His physical maladies have given rise to speculation that Francis’ health is worsening rapidly or that he plans to retire. These rumors have been fed recently by his creation of 21 new cardinals who will bolster his already firm grasp on the election of the next pope and the announcement that he will take part in a series of events at the Vatican meant to cement his legacy in the traditionally sleepy month of August. Benedict XVI retired from the pontificate in 2013, citing his declining health, and continues to live in the Vatican as emeritus pope.

This article originally appeared here.

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