United Methodist Leader Shot, Killed in Carjacking Near Memphis

July 19, 2022

On Monday (July 18), Rev. Dr. Autura Eason-Williams, United Methodist pastor and district superintendent for the Memphis Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, was killed in a carjacking near her home in Whitehaven, Tennessee.

Whitehaven is a suburb roughly 10 miles outside of Memphis.

The murder took place around 4:15 p.m. after gunfire erupted on the 1000 block of Whitehaven Lane. Eason-Williams was rushed to the hospital for her injuries but did not survive.

Police are searching for three male suspects last seen driving a four door hatchback, according to FOX13.

In addition to being superintendent of the United Methodist district covering the Memphis metro area, Eason-Williams was also the pastor of a Memphis area church, where she had served since 2002.

Eason-Williams earned a Master of Divinity from Memphis Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from Wesley Theological Seminary, a United Methodist school headquartered in Washington D.C.

Eason-Williams leaves behind a husband and four children.

A district gathering was held at Colonial Park United Methodist Church in Memphis on Monday night.

“We ask your prayers for the family and friends of Rev. Dr. Autura Eason-Williams who died on July 18 after being shot during a carjacking outside of her home,” Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference said in a statement. “If you have any information about where or with whom Autura may have been on that Monday between the hours of 2:30 and 4:30 p.m., it may be helpful for the police investigation. Please contact the Memphis Police at Sgt. Q. Smith at 901-636-3413.”

“We all are shocked and saddened by this senseless act,” the statement went on to say. “May the love of Christ carry all those who love her during these days of grief ahead. We will rely on God together.”

The investigation into Eason-Williams’ murder is ongoing.

Lifeway Research: Most Pastors Know of Deconstruction, Fewer See It in Their Pews

Aaron Earls

July 19, 2022

For some pastors, the only construction projects they worry about are building renovations, but others say they’re facing churchgoers who are tearing down aspects of their faith.

A Lifeway Research study of U.S. Protestant pastors finds almost 3 in 4 (73%) are familiar with the concept of deconstruction, and more than a quarter (27%) of those say people in their churches have deconstructed their faith.

When asked how familiar they are with “the concept of an individual deconstructing their faith in which they systematically dissect and often reject Christian beliefs they grew up with,” 25% of pastors say they are very familiar, 21% say familiar and 27% say somewhat familiar. While 12% say they’re not that familiar with the concept, 14% say they haven’t heard the term before, and 1% aren’t sure.

“In recent years many Americans have stopped associating themselves with Christian churches,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “While surveys have shown that many who don’t attend or claim to belong to a church still maintain many Christian beliefs, for a noticeable minority, the journey away from the Christian church begins with a change in beliefs.”

Age and education are key indicators of how knowledgeable a pastor may be about the concept. Younger pastors, those 18-44, are the most likely to say they’re very familiar with deconstruction (36%), while pastors 65 and older are the least likely to possess that same level of familiarity (12%). Pastors with doctoral degrees are the education level most likely to be very familiar (43%), and those with no college degree are the least likely (8%). Pastors without a college degree are also the most likely to say they’ve never heard the term before (27%).

Additionally, African American pastors (24%) are more likely than white pastors (13%) to say they’ve never heard of deconstruction before. Female pastors are twice as likely as male pastors (22% vs. 11%) to say they’re completely unfamiliar with the concept. Pastors in the West (20%) are more likely than those in the Midwest (11%) to say they’re completely unaware of deconstruction.

Deconstruction Zone in the Pews

Among pastors who are familiar with the concept of deconstruction, around a quarter say they’ve recently seen the effects in their congregations. More than 1 in 4 (27%) U.S. Protestant pastors who have heard the term before say they’ve had attendees of their church who have methodically deconstructed their faith in the past two years. Close to 7 in 10 (68%) say that hasn’t been the case for them. Another 5% aren’t sure.

“The use of the term ‘deconstruction’ emerged in the last few years and has been used both by those questioning their own beliefs and those desiring to help them find the truth,” said McConnell. “Despite the growing awareness among pastors, it may be easier to find people in the midst of deconstructing their faith on social media than within churches.”

Excavation of Graves Begins at Site of Colonial Black Church

Ben Finley

July 19, 2022

Excavation-of-Graves-Begins-at-Site-of-Colonial-Black-Church — FILE - Reginald F. Davis, from left, pastor of First Baptist Church, Connie Matthews Harshaw, a member of First Baptist, and Jack Gary, Colonial Williamsburg's director of archaeology, stand at the brick-and-mortar foundation of one the oldest Black churches in the U.S. on Oct. 6, 2021, in Williamsburg, Va. Archaeologists in Virginia began excavating three suspected graves at the site on Monday, July 18, 2022, commencing a months-long effort to learn who was buried there and how they lived. (AP Photo/Ben Finley, File)

Archaeologists in Virginia began excavating three suspected graves at the original site of one of the nation’s oldest Black churches on Monday, commencing a monthslong effort to learn who was buried there and how they lived.

The First Baptist Church was formed in 1776 by free and enslaved Black people in Williamsburg, the colonial capital of Virginia. Members initially met secretly in fields and under trees in defiance of laws that prevented African Americans from congregating.

A total of 41 apparent burial plots have been identified. Most are 4 to 6 feet (1.2 to 1.8 meters) long and up to 2 feet (0.61 meters) wide. The soil is discolored in places where holes were likely dug and filled back in. Only one grave appears to be marked, with an upside-down empty wine bottle.

Before excavations began Monday, a private blessing was held.

“It was important for us to have that ceremony — to bless the ancestors,” said Connie Matthews Harshaw, a church member and board president of a foundation that preserves First Baptist’s history. “Because we don’t know their names. Their names are known only to God.”

First Baptist’s original church was destroyed by a tornado in 1834. The second structure, built in 1856, stood there for a century. That building was bought in 1956 and razed to build a parking lot for Colonial Williamsburg, a living history museum that was expanding at the time and that now has more than 400 structures.

For decades, the museum failed to tell the stories of colonial Black Americans — many of them enslaved — who made up more than half of the 2,000 people in Virginia’s 18th century capital. But in recent years it has made an effort to tell a more complete story, placing a growing emphasis on African-American history.

When the church’s original structure was uncovered last year, First Baptist Pastor Reginald F. Davis said it was “a rediscovery of the humanity of a people.”

“This helps to erase the historical and social amnesia that has afflicted this country for so many years,” he said.

If human remains are found in the plots that are being targeted, DNA tests and analyses of bones will be conducted, said Jack Gary, Colonial Williamsburg’s director of archaeology.

DNA analysis should be able to determine the person’s eye color and skin tone as well as propensity for certain diseases and genomic ancestry. Analysis of bones can show a person’s age when he or she died as well as their quality of life and the physical stresses they endured, Gary said.

The remains will be taken to the Institute for Historical Biology on the campus of William & Mary, a university in Williamsburg, for cleaning and bone analysis. The University of Connecticut will conduct the DNA testing.

Church members eventually want to submit DNA to determine familial links with those who are buried there. The human remains will eventually be reinterred.

“I would say that by the late 1800s or early 1900s, they had stopped burying people there and it started to fade from memory,” Gary said.

The suspected burial plots were a surprise for many, said Harshaw, a member of First Baptist. But some older congregants had long believed descendants were buried there based on stories passed through the generations.

“When your grandmother tells you something, normally you can count on it,” Harshaw said.

This article originally appeared here.

Greek Church Protests Baptism for Celebrity Same-Sex Parents

Derek Gatopoulos

July 19, 2022

baptism — Photo by Ron Lach (via Pexels)

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s Orthodox Church says it will send a letter of protest to the archbishop who heads the church in the United States after he baptized the children of celebrity fashion designer Peter Dundas and his partner, Evangelo Bousis.

Archbishop Elpidophoros of America presided at the July 9 ceremony near Athens while in Greece on a private visit. Dundas and Bousis have a son and a daughter born via surrogacy.

Dundas, who has designed red-carpet and performance outfits for leading artists including Beyoncé, Ciara and Mary J. Blige, agreed to have his children baptized as Orthodox, the religion of his partner. Bousis is of Greek heritage.

In a statement published on its website Tuesday, the governing Holy Synod of the Greek Orthodox Church said it would send letters of complaint to the U.S. church leader as well as to the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who is based in Istanbul, Turkey.

The Greek Orthodox Church does not recognize same-sex unions. Greece allows same-sex couples to enter into legal cohabitation agreements but does not allow same-sex marriages.

Archbishop Elpidophoros did not immediately respond to the Greek church’s objection. His official Twitter account featured an excerpt from a July 2 speech in New York in which he spoke out about the need for religion to heal divisions in society.

“Every person, no matter who they are, or what they have done – for better or for worse – is worthy of God’s love. And if they are worthy of God’s love, then they are worthy of our love, too,” Elpidophoros said. “The Church will never reject anyone on the basis of their personhood.”

The Holy Synod complaint was made in response to a letter to the church leadership from Metropolitan Bishop Antonios of Glyfada. He granted permission for the baptism of Dundas and Evangelo Bousis’ children but said he did not know the ceremony involved a same-sex couple.

“His eminence the Archbishop of America acted unilaterally, on his own initiative and in an improper manner, in the full knowledge that these children (of God) do not belong to our (religious) family,” Antonios wrote.

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Follow Gatopoulos on Twitter at https://twitter.com/dgatopoulos

This article originally appeared here.

New 988 Suicide, Crisis Lifeline Active, Ready To Help Everyone

Diana Chandler

July 19, 2022

988_hotline — (L) Photo courtesy of Baptist Press. (R) Photo via Unsplash.com @gadiellv

LA GRANGE, Ky. (BP) – Tony Rose says it’s unlikely he would have dialed 988, the new national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline he commends today, had it been around when he began battling depression as a young pastor 30 years ago.

“As most Christians and especially pastors going through depression, I still would have been very hesitant to call it,” he told Baptist Press days after the new number was activated nationwide July 16. “But knowing what I know now, I would be extremely grateful for it.

“I know the life-threatening nature of the suffocating darkness of depression,” said Rose, a retired pastor who counsels and coaches pastors as a Send Relief relational leadership trainer.

Jeremiah Johnston, associate pastor of apologetics and cultural engagement at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas, commends the new 988 number for its ease of use. He knows the importance of quick memory in crisis situations, augmented by the night he called 911 and couldn’t remember his home address.

“Abel, our firstborn triplet, was having trouble breathing. We got on the phone with our pediatrician. It was the middle of the night. We were worried he had COVID. He couldn’t breathe. We put him in the shower,” Johnston recalled. “And even with that intervention he still was unable to breathe. I pick up the phone. I dial 911. And they ask me for my address, even though I’m calling from my cellphone, and I was blanking. What is my home address? And I’ve lived here for five years.

“It was in the middle of the night. These crises happen,” Johnston said. “And when someone is in immediate danger of hurting themselves or harming themselves, we need a 911. I could remember 911 when I was having a challenge with my little guy — I think he was 5 years old – but I couldn’t remember my home address.”

Dialing or texting 988 automatically connects callers to the National Suicide Prevention lifeline network of services with greater ease than dialing the traditional 1-800-273-8255, which still works. Callers are connected with a Lifeline counselor at the crisis center geographically closest among a network of 200, according to 988lifeline.org.

Both Rose and Johnston encourage pastors to be familiar with the 988 number and the services it provides in locations across the nation. The number should be the first reference before calling police, who are not always trained in handling mental health emergencies, Rose said.

“Though, most of the time they do a great job, they’re not trained for this,” he said of police officers. “Now that we have this, [people in crisis] will get directly connected to somebody equipped to deal with it on the phone. And as is often the case in mental illness and crises, a telephone call and a contact can be the difference in life and death.”

988 is a government-driven initiative that Johnston affirms as an example of the government working properly. He encourages the number’s widespread use.

More Than 100 Florida Churches File Lawsuit to Leave United Methodist Church

Emily McFarlan Miller

July 19, 2022

(RNS) — More than 100 churches are suing the Florida Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church to immediately disaffiliate from the denomination.

The lawsuit comes amid a slow-moving schism in the United Methodist Church largely over the ordination and marriage of its LGBTQ members.

And, according to the head of a new, theologically conservative Methodist denomination that recently split from the United Methodist Church, it likely won’t be the last.

“Florida is the first of what I would anticipate might be a number of similar lawsuits occurring,” said Keith Boyette, transitional connectional coordinating officer of the conservative Global Methodist Church.

In the lawsuit — filed Thursday (July 14) in Bradford County, Florida, by the National Center for Life and Liberty — 106 churches allege the requirements for disaffiliation approved by a special session of the United Methodist Church’s General Conference are “onerous, and in many cases, prohibitive.”

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

The annual conference is using the disaffiliation plan and the denomination’s trust clause to “hold for ransom Plaintiff Churches’ real and personal property,” according to the suit, when previously existing provisions in the Book of Discipline allow churches to simply deed their properties to other evangelical denominations.

Meanwhile, the lawsuit alleges the Council of Bishops and its past president — Bishop Ken Carter, who heads both the Florida and Western North Carolina conferences — are not abiding by the same Book of Discipline. Among other things, it said they did nothing as the California-Nevada Annual Conference elected the denomination’s first openly LGBTQ bishop, the Illinois Great Rivers Conference certified its first drag queen as a candidate for ministry and the Western Jurisdiction declared itself a “safe harbor” for LGBTQ clergy.

In a written statement in response to the lawsuit, Carter said the Florida Annual Conference was “deeply grieved by this, as we seek to be a church united in love and in mission.”

Bishop Ken Carter. Photo via FLUMC.org

The Florida Annual Conference is committed to the “gracious exit” provided in the Book of Discipline and has tried to engage churches in that process, according to its bishop’s statement.

Leaving abruptly without making the payments required by the disaffiliation plan approved in 2019 could damage benefits and pensions for retired pastors, he wrote. Apportionments support camps, campus ministries, natural disaster responses, missions abroad and the United Methodist Children’s Home.

“We ask that, despite their haste, these groups seeking to break away live up to the responsibilities established by the General Conference in 2019, and that they not cause pain, damage or disparage other United Methodist churches, other members in their churches or other pastors, or the Conference,” Carter wrote.

The Activist Behind Opposition to the Separation of Church and State

Jack Jenkins

July 19, 2022

(RNS) — In October of last year, Josh Mandel, a candidate in Ohio’s Republican primary for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat, insisted during a debate that “there’s no such thing as separation of church and state.” Three months later, Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch made an off-hand reference to the “so-called separation of … church and state” during oral arguments.

In April, Pennsylvania gubernatorial primary candidate Doug Mastriano, now the Republican nominee, dismissed the separation of church and state as a “myth.”

By June, Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert, speaking at a Colorado church, proclaimed, “I’m tired of the separation of church and state junk that’s not in the Constitution. It was in a stinking letter, and it means nothing like what they say it does.”

The growing popularity of these kinds of declarations is striking given the place the separation of church and state has occupied in American politics going back to the Founding Fathers. Though the phrase “separation of church and state” does not appear in the U.S. Constitution, the notion is deeply rooted in American jurisprudence and popular culture.

More immediately, the rhetoric has alarmed some Americans who associate the constitutional debate over the church-state split with extreme versions of Christian nationalism.

Yet, antipathy toward the separation of church and state among conservatives is not new but, rather, is a decades-old argument popularized primarily by a controversial Texas activist in the early ’90s, when the religious right was ascendant.

In 1993, the Rev. Jerry Falwell Sr., founder of Liberty University and co-founder of the Moral Majority, promoted a book called “The Myth of Separation” by a Texan named David Barton. According to a Christian Century report, less than a month later on Falwell’s television show, “The Old Time Gospel Hour,” he preached a strident sermon in which he said, “Let everyone know that this separation of church and state business is bogus.”

In 1988, Barton, a self-taught historian and activist, had founded WallBuilders, a group dedicated to “presenting America’s forgotten history and heroes, with an emphasis on the moral, religious, and constitutional foundation on which America was built.”

The organization has dutifully forwarded Barton’s Christian vision of American history ever since, serving as a one-stop shop for his books, videos and materials. It has consistently taught that the separation of church and state is a modern fabrication.

While Barton was not necessarily the first to make the claim, Kristin Kobes Du Mez, a historian and professor of history at Calvin University, said Barton is “extremely influential in evangelical spaces, and has been for decades.”

Barton did not respond to a request for an interview, but his argument has been articulated in presentations and books over the years. He focuses on an 1802 letter penned by then-President Thomas Jefferson to the Baptist Association of Danbury, Connecticut, in which Jefferson assures the Baptists that the “establishment clause” in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution builds a “wall of separation between Church and State,” when it declares Congress shall “make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

Micah Schwartzman, a professor at University of Virginia School of Law, said Jefferson’s wall metaphor was “widely viewed among many in the founding generation to capture the sense that the ends of the state were not the same as the ends of the church.”

“What the state wasn’t for was saving souls,” Schwartzman said. “There was a deep separation between the legitimate purposes or ends of the state as compared to religious institutions — the church.”

Faith on the Field: Coaches Were Watching Supreme Court Decision Closely

Scott Barkley

July 19, 2022

coach_prayer — "You can't separate Christ from who you are," said Brannon Rodgers, who recently accepted the head football coaching job at Sundown High School in Sundown, Texas. Photo by Misty Rodgers. Courtesy of Baptist Press.

SUNDOWN, Texas (BP) – Brannon Rodgers knows well how bright the lights burn over football fields in the Texas panhandle. They shine on teenagers barely old enough to drive as the main players on a stage, a stage that even in the smallest of towns, on Friday nights feels like the center of the world.

Rodgers experienced it as a quarterback and safety for the Petersburg High Buffaloes, where his dad, Steve, was defensive coordinator. Now a veteran coach himself, Rodgers has only recently begun to fully appreciate another aspect of the game he loves.

Coaches do more than coach. They are role models and parental figures. In motivating young athletes, a coach can’t turn off where he or she gets their sense of right and wrong, honor and thankfulness. The motivation to press on not only points toward the end zone, but a goal of eternal value.

Those truths are why he paid close attention to the recent Supreme Court decision of Kennedy v. Bremerton School District.

By a 6-3 margin, justices said that the school district violated the First Amendment rights of Joseph Kennedy, a football coach in Washington state, by removing him from his position after he refused to stop praying at midfield following games. Kennedy began the practice on his own as a way of expressing thanks to God for the opportunity to coach, but eventually athletes chose to join him.

“The case caught my attention from the beginning,” said Rodgers, who recently took the head coaching position at Sundown High School after five seasons at Jacksboro High, 52 miles northwest of Fort Worth.

Rodgers is a south plains guy with roots throughout the Lubbock area. Before going to Jacksboro, he coached for 11 seasons in Crosbyton, 35 miles southeast of Petersburg. A drive between them takes you through Floydada, his wife Misty’s hometown.

No masks

His head coach as a player, Joe Robertson, walked the sidelines with Steve Rodgers at Petersburg for well over 20 years. Their own Christian walk knew no boundary, however.

“They lived their lives in the field house, on the football field and in the community the same way,” Rodgers told Baptist Press. “They didn’t take off their Christian mask and put on their coaching hat. They led by example. We prayed before, after and during games. It was part of our fabric.”

Around Gadsden, Ala., the coaching influence of Charles and Kim Nails has spread across generations. Now at Southside High, they spent the majority of their careers with Gadsden High School – he as defensive coordinator for the football team and she as girls basketball coach. In between, Kim spent seven years as women’s basketball coach at Gadsden State Community College. Her husband has always been a common presence as an unofficial assistant on the bench.

Charles was lured out of coaching retirement at Southside in 2011 to help with the Panthers’ program. He and Kim both stepped down from football and basketball after the recent season, though Kim will continue coaching cross country.

Five Facts About America’s Broken Mental Health-Care System

Jeremiah Johnston

July 19, 2022

Did you know the average age of onset for mental illnesses is 14? This is not when individuals are diagnosed, but looking back, this is the average age when many begin struggling. And three-fourths of people with mental illness have it by the age of 24. Therefore, people with mental illness ‘hit the wall’ of life much earlier than the rest of us.

The National Comorbidity Survey (NCS) states that 48% – almost half of the world’s population – will have a direct experience with mental illness themselves over the course of their lifetime. Patients with severe mental illness live 13-32 years less than average. Bipolar disorder shortens the average lifespan by 9 years and schizophrenia by 12-15years. Did you know: Patients with heart disease are twice as likely to die if they have depression. Research even suggested depression may be as great a risk factor for heart disease as smoking. The facts are, left untreated, mental illness is a physical, bodily dysfunction that can kill you (hurt others), disable you, and may shorten your lifespan if left untreated.

Here are five facts you need to know about the current state of mental health care in America:

The US spends only 5 percent of total health care expenses on mental health: $225 Billion, and it is not enough.

Stigma remains a major problem in providing adequate mental health care treatment and the stigma is reflected in the financials of health care. According to The World Health Organizations Mental Health Atlas studying 171 countries, “good intentions are not being met with investment.”

Restrictive Standards and Unreasonable Criteria Keep Health Insurers from covering Treatment and Therapy Expenses.

That’s right; if you want to seek therapy it is very difficult for our insurance carriers to cover it. You will be out of pocket up to $300 for an initial screening and up to $250 per 45-minute session.

90 million Americans live in Federally Recognized Shortage regions for mental health care professionals – and the pay is not good if you feel called to help.

With the cost of gas soaring, more than 1 and 3 Americas are forced to travel long distances to see someone for help. We must do more. We live in the age of technology. Mental health professionals can offer in-home care via zoom-like tools. When there is a crisis we should be able to access the best of the best coping methods and intervention strategies.

The national average wait time for mental health services is 48 days.

The greatest act of courage when one faces mental pain is to ask for help. When someone in mental pain finally does ask for help and learns there is a one to two-month wait to see a counselor for help, it is extremely disheartening and discouraging.

Children are placed on a waitlist for up to one year to see a child psychiatrist and other mental health professionals – especially for the economically disadvantaged.

There is a mental health crisis of dramatic proportions unfolding with our children and grandchildren. Social media is toxic. Addictive gaming may cause depression. Isolation is the worst punishment our youth are experiencing. Parents are not mental health experts, and some are told we must wait up to a year to see one.

No one is unaffected by mental illness. We must build awareness of the problem and remove the stigma. To be sure, we must offer better patient care to those struggling with mental and emotional pain because more Americans die because of mental illness than from war, cancer, HIV, malaria, and homicide combined.

What can help fill the immediate gap and offer hope? Our churches. Our ministers provide 138-million hours of mental health services per year; services provided at little to no cost to those who seek them. Let’s be part of the healing equation.

The Bible Is Sufficient for Everything We Face

Josh Weidmann

July 19, 2022

We live in a world where God’s Word is seen as a good source of wisdom, but not as sufficient for life. Sadly, many Christians see the Bible as one of several good reference materials to find answers— just above Google and perhaps no better than many other Christian books. Is that okay? Does God want His Word to be seen as just a good encyclopedia of information to be added to our research list, or does He want us to view the Bible is sufficient for all that we face? I believe it is the latter.

God’s Word is necessary and sufficient for life and living

The Bible, along with the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit, co-exists as the final authority in the life of a believer. “The written Word, correctly interpreted, is the objective basis of authority. The inward illuminating work of the Holy Spirit is the subjective dimension.” The Bible is sufficient for all aspects of the Christian life. It is guidance for the believer, and not only sufficient but a necessary part of one’s sanctification. The Bible is essential to the growth of a Christian in their walk with God. His Word is the ‘light unto the path’ and a necessary part of the believer’s life so that they may understand God’s will and standard for them (Ps. 119:105). It is to be understood and followed, not only in letter but also in concept. No part of the Bible is irrelevant, unnecessary, or insufficient for the believer to apply to all parts of life. All sixty-six books of the Bible are the believer’s most prevalent and accessible way of knowing God and His will for their life.

The sufficiency of Scripture makes Biblical Counseling possible and powerful

Our experiences are framed by the human condition described in Scripture. The heart of man is desperately wicked (Jer. 17:9). Our sinful nature is part of our “old self” and must be put off with the help of the Holy Spirit and the truth of God’s Word (Eph. 4:22-24). The only way we can know our need for Jesus Christ is by the Bible revealing it to us. The Bible places our issues and concerns in the context of God’s redemptive story and in contrast with God’s perfect nature. As our nature is revealed in light of God’s character through His Word; our hearts are exposed and the need for the Gospel of Jesus Christ becomes apparent. When we are counseling others, the Bible is all we need to reveal the need and define the solution.

When providing biblical counseling, our philosophy of counseling grows from Scripture as opposed to simply comparing outside results against Scripture. Because the Bible is sufficient for both the problem and the solution, we can depend on it fully to tell us how a counselee will act and think. This is different than how an integrationist counselor or Christian psychologist would provide care. Though they may agree with the basic principles of the Bible, they will rely on their own training or other secular psychology to “diagnose” a person and provide a solution. Although they may give some biblical advice, it will not be solely based on the Bible.

We must be cautious to accept teaching from those who present Scripture as insufficient

Henry Cloud is a best-selling Christian author and Ph.D. from Biola University in clinical psychology. In his book, 9 Things You Simply Must Do in Love and Life (Thomas Nelson 2004), he addresses the idea of “hate” in chapter 9 of his book. On page 141, Dr. Cloud gives a list of reasons why we hate. While they may be true, they do not address any of the reasons the Bible would say about harboring bitterness and growing hatred. He continues by saying that hatred is not a problem to be solved, but something to do correctly. He does not provide a biblical perspective of the idols of our hearts and the way we hate because we are striving to get something we do not have or keep something we do not want to lose. Hate is a result of the root of pride and sin. Rather, Dr. Cloud provides a simple and non-biblical solution by saying that we must ask, “Is our hatred constructive or destructive.” This is undermining to the sufficiency of Scripture. He gives advice for hating well rather than a biblical perspective on hatred and how we can use the truth of Scripture to transform our minds (Rom. 12:2). Therefore, changing our hearts to be more Christ-like. While Cloud’s message may be popular, it is problematic because it does not present Scripture as enough.

Let’s be cautious about adding to God’s Word or believing that human wisdom is equal to God’s wisdom. The Bible is sufficient to help us for all we face. Yes, it takes effort, prayer, and persistence in study, but it will never return void.

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

Words Are Cheap; Repentance is Costly

Ray Hollenbach

July 19, 2022

Words are cheap. It’s easy to tell someone what they want to hear. Deeds are costly, because we can only do one thing at a time. To do one thing is to say “no” to 10,000 others in that moment. To merely say something is to leave our options open: who knows what might happen next? Tucked away in Matthew’s gospel (and only Matthew’s gospel, 21:28-32) is the short parable regarding repentance:

“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

“‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

“Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.”

You can tell it’s a repentance story by the way Jesus connects it to John the Baptist’s ministry, which was all about repentance. But there’s a key moment before last verse. The first son “changed his mind” (v 29, and also 32) and then went out to work in the vineyard. This isn’t the normal word we associate with repentance, it’s closer to the idea that he changed his cares. It’s as if the very moment he said “no” it created a kind of anxiety that dogged his steps the rest of the day—until he simply headed out to the vines and started doing the work.

As in so many parables, perhaps Jesus invites us to read behind the lines. I began to wonder, “What kind of son blurts out ‘No’ but then lives out ‘Yes?’” And why didn’t the father try to correct the son immediately? And why does the second son so easily say “Yes” but so easily does his own thing without regard to either his father or his own words? Clearly there are at least two kinds of people in the small world of this story: people who lead with their feelings and those who cover their feelings with the “right words.”

The first son doesn’t want to go to work that day, and he doesn’t care who knows it. But something tugs at him. We don’t know how long the tug-of-war went on but we do know the result: the son does what the father asks. Not long after Jesus tells this story, we see Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane telling his Father that he would prefer another path. From the many Biblical descriptions of that prayer in the garden we learn that it was powerfully charged with emotion; it was raw with honesty and struggle.

The second son knows exactly what the father wants to hear and says it immediately, even easily. Jesus leaves us to wonder whether the second son ever had any intention of going to work. Maybe he did; maybe not. Maybe he was on his way to the vineyard and fell prey to distraction or amusement. Maybe he knew from the start that he was going to stay home and play video games. Maybe the father knew it, too. (This is part of the beauty of parables: there are so many maybes!)

But Jesus has a definite purpose in the parable. His audience are the religiously-minded Pharisees, who were experts in saying the right things while doing the wrong ones. They were practiced in appearances. They were religious professionals. They were also among those who demanded the death of Jesus.

But just so we wouldn’t miss his meaning, Jesus jumps from the parable to real life. The tax collectors and prostitutes of that culture know the tug-of-war. They care about what they say—and do. They are capable of feeling remorse and changing direction. The beauty of John the Baptist’s ministry was how he provided a way for those who were on the outside to find their way back into God’s kingdom: it was “the way of righteousness” (v 32). Remorse that leads to repentance means return and restoration. It’s the way back. In a chilling final application of the parable, Jesus pointed out that those who were practiced at saying the right things may be the very people incapable of feeling the right thing.

As with so many of the Lord’s parables, we are left to wonder which group we are in. It is a common weakness among Christians to mistake knowing the right answer for living the right answer. Life with God is never a written exam; it is always a practical one. Will I find myself playing religious games with religious friends, or will I find myself among God’s true people, doing God’s good work?

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

How to Use Church Presentation Software Effectively

Steve Dirks

July 19, 2022

Building church presentations is a vital part of excellent worship events. There are five key items to implement as you build your presentation. These tips can apply to any church presentation software you use. For the best church presentation software, I recommend using either ProPresenter, MediaShout or EasyWorship.

Steps to Using Church Presentation Software

The first thing to do when building your church presentations is to create a file (document/part) for each element of your service. The temptation, at times, can be to just create items for big events in your service (songs, videos, and sermons). I make placeholders for every part of my service including prayers, pre/post service slides, bumper videos, offerings, closing announcements, and more. The reason for this is that I find that if you have prepared a document for each part of the service in Planning Center, you will be able to easily and quickly add to these areas if last-minute changes occur.

By planning ahead with the needed documents for everything listed in Planning Center, you will be best prepared to adapt and change as special requests occur.

Secondly, I mentioned the software Planning Center. If your church isn’t using this program, then I would highly recommend that as the first step your church takes.

Planning Center is a tool that allows administrators (you, your pastor, and worship pastor) to schedule teams and plan and track services live. Planning Center allows the church where I serve to put everything together in one place. Then, when I am building my presentation, I build off the plan and changes made in Planning Center. If you aren’t using this program, then I would encourage you to approach your team and suggest its importance.

Planning Center allows many people to review and plan services so that when you begin these worship experiences, everyone involved has an idea of the plan of action.

Third, review the scheduled music in Planning Center. Check for notes about the song form from your worship pastor or band. Review these notes and make the edits to the arrangement in your presentation software (like the ones listed above). You want to try to ensure early on that you get the song form correct so that you are prepared for rehearsals and discussions regarding the service.

A fourth tip that I utilize is to import content into your church presentations. PLEASE DO NOT just play media off of a device or desktop. Instead, load it into the software so that you can pull the videos from within the presentation file archives. As you import content, check it. Don’t just import and assume that someone else has checked the file.

Always take personal ownership of what is going to be shown. Review the video, slides, and images personally and confirm that the quality is the best it can be, the content plays as expected, and the transitions in and out of the video and slides run as expected. Take ownership of what the service looks like.

A fifth tip for building your church presentations is to format your presentation for a Sunday service so it looks similar to Planning Center. List every item in the way it is listed on Planning Center. This will help you or your volunteer to follow along with the flow of the service and be prepared for what is to follow.

One last tip is to I always check the song slides’ format as I am preparing the presentation. Then, I also get a document together with slides formatted for my sermon notes, so that when I receive those, I can just put in the information.

All these tips for building your presentation really have one thing in common: PREPARATION IS KEY!

A goal I strive for in everything I do related to church presentation software is this: “Prepare as much as you can beforehand so that you are ready for the arrival of the moment for which you have been planning.”

This article about church presentation software originally appear here, and is used by permission.

Tim Keller Answers Questions on Theology, Abortion, Ministry Hurt, Health, and More

Jesse T. Jackson

July 18, 2022

On Monday morning (July 18), Tim Keller made a rare personal appearance on Twitter to answer questions posted with the hashtag #asktk by his social media followers.

“For those who didn’t see this yesterday,” Keller posted, “while I’m not quite ready to return to social media regularly, on Monday July 18th, I’m going to do an #ASKTK for an hour at 9am. Send questions in with that hashtag #asktk. Looking forward to answering questions live with you.”

The best-selling author and the founding pastor of New York City’s Redeemer Presbyterian Church has remained off social media after experiencing side effects from a cancer treatment he was undergoing last month. In a tweet thanking everyone for their prayers, Keller’s son Michael said, “Things were scary for a bit but God was gracious, working through your prayers and the skill of the doctors, and now he is doing much better.”

Keller answered questions regarding his health, parenting advice, ministry, abortion, theology, church planting, politics, books, and personal likes.

The following are those questions.

How are you doing? How’s the church, the family, ministry? Praying for you and grateful for you, Dr. Keller.

TK: In the middle of an immunotherapy protocol. I feel great, but it will be months before we know if it is effective. As for the church, I have not been the pastor of Redeemer since 2017. The daughter churches are all doing well. My family is a great source of joy and happiness.

Best parenting advice?

TK: Forgive and Repent in front of your children and do it often.

What is your go to book on Christian parenting and fatherhood?

TK: My friend @drantbradley recommends Raising Boys by Biddulph, and it’s been helping my family right now.

What is one thing you would tell young Tim Keller just starting off being a pastor?

TK: That’s easy, pray more.

Why have you been silent about the Dobbs decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and Casey?

TK: I’ve been silent about everything because I have not been online. In addition, I tend not to speak about current events. However, this is an important one. If you’ve read How to Reach the West Again you know I’m pro-life. I believe the church must be too. I believe the Dobbs decision was morally and judicially right. But there’s much more to say about the ramifications of Dobbs. Two of the best summaries are the practical next steps outlined well by Lauren Green McAfee: After Roe, How Do We Stand for Life? and the cautionary next steps sketched out by Ross Douthat: The End of Roe Is Just the Beginning.

Best advice for deep ministry hurt?

TK: This is a big question. If that means the hurt has made you bitter, I wrote about this in the Forgive book coming out this Fall. If it means a loss of vision for the ministry, you need a long sabbatical to see what you should be doing next.

Hatred of Christianity Is ‘One of the Animating Forces on the Other Side,’ Says Tucker Carlson

Jessica Mouser

July 18, 2022

tucker carlson — Tucker Carlson speaking with attendees at the 2018 Student Action Summit hosted by Turning Point USA at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Religious faith, and Christianity in particular, is “a natural check” on the power sought by those across the aisle from Republicans, says Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who believes that hatred of Christianity is one of the driving motivators of “the other side.”

“Hostility to faith, but to Christianity, traditional Christianity in particular, is really one of the animating forces on the other side,” said Carlson in a speech he gave Friday, July 15, at The FAMiLY Leadership Summit in Des Moines, Iowa. “I know that there are Christian leaders who pretend otherwise, but they’re not telling the truth.”

Carlson continued, “Anyone who sincerely believes in God, an actual God, probably not going to hand unlimited power to any person, right? So religious faith is a natural check on their power. That’s true always and everywhere. And Christianity, specifically, is that. So if you’re a Christian conservative, holy smokes, you on a gut level feel threatened. And I feel it too.”

Tucker Carlson on the Politicians To Support

The FAMiLY Leadership Summit was put on by The FAMiLY Leader (TFL), a group whose mission is to “strengthen families, by inspiring Christ-like leadership in the home, the church, and the government.” The organization started in 1996 as the Iowa Family Policy Center “through Dr. James Dobson’s vision of local organizations in each of America’s 50 states advocating for righteous, God-honoring public policy.” Over the years, the group has expanded its priorities beyond public policies toward supporting the church in promoting godly leaders in different areas of society.

Tucker Carlson, who has spent his career in media and currently hosts Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” was a featured speaker at The FAMiLY Leadership Summit alongside Dr. Tony Evans of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas. Other speakers included various church leaders, as well as Iowa’s governor, Kim Reynolds.

Carlson believes that the 2024 presidential election offers Republicans a unique opportunity to leverage their power as voters. “However high the dissatisfaction Republican voters have for their own leaders, the other side is so menacing, so scary at this point,” he said, that members of that side are impossible to support. They have “fully embraced delusion, extremely high levels of aggression.”

The news host stated that it is obvious President Biden will not run again. And even though people have suspicions as to who will run as the next Republican candidate for president, there will be a “mad scramble for power” as the next presidential campaign begins following the midterm elections this November. At this point, voters will “have all the power.”

Voters should leverage this power, said Carlson, by asking for candidates who focus on issues that are truly important. For example, he believes Russia’s war in Ukraine is not nearly as important as the soaring cost of fuel. Other issues Carlson mentioned as not being of primary importance include trans swimmers and climate change.

‘We Will Have Two Presidents’: MS Pastor Predicts Trump Will ‘Take Back Over the Government’

Dale Chamberlain

July 18, 2022

Mississippi pastor Shane Vaughn has predicted that former president Donald Trump will gain control of the government following the midterm elections, wherein many are expecting the Republican Party to regain a majority in the House of Representatives.

Vaughn is the pastor of First Harvest Church in Waveland, Mississippi. In addition to his pastoral duties, Vaughn broadcasts a weekly web show wherein he refers to himself as “Professor Toto,” the leader of a “Conservative College.” He refers to his viewers as “Toto’s Army.”

The web show is simulcasted on Rumble and Facebook. The show was also previously streamed on YouTube, but Vaughn has been suspended by the platform for violating community guidelines.

In a recent episode of the web show, Vaughn, who throughout the course of the show referred to the United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack as a “witch trial” and a Democrat majority in Congress as “darkness,” predicted that former president Donald Trump would “take back over the government” four months from now, running his base of operations out of his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.

January, which is four months away, is when newly elected or re-elected members of Congress will be sworn in.

“No, I didn’t say he goes back into the White House. I said he takes back over the government, because you can believe your bottom dollar [that] the House and the Senate will be taking their orders, if you will, from Mar-a-Lago—their direction from Mar-a-Lago,” Vaughn clarified. “It is from there that we will have two presidents operating the country.”

“You’ll have the fake president, which is Joe-Bama. Obama is president number one,” Vaughn said, alluding to a prevalent conspiracy theory that former president Barack Obama is secretly controlling the Biden Administration. “And then Trump is president number two. One of those presidents lives in the White House. One lives in the other White House.”

“It’s an amazing thing,” Vaughn remarked. “America has two mistresses, if you will. Interesting times we’re living in to be for sure.”

“So anyway, we need to be prepared for the end of a long, dark night. It’s coming. It’s right around the bend. And that’s when the Obama administration comes to a screeching halt,” Vaughn continued. “They will have no more power in government, because they don’t have the purse string, and they will not have the Senate. So it’s a great day that’s almost here. Four more months and we will be back in the control of the conservative party.”

Later in the show, Vaughn expressed his belief that Donald Trump would still be president had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic, which Vaughn referred to as the “plandemic,” denoting his belief in a conspiracy theory that the COVID-19 crisis was fabricated by leftist elites for social and political control.

Vaughn made headlines last year when he claimed in a sermon that the pandemic would not end until Christians stopped wearing masks and placed their faith in God rather than vaccines.

US Houses of Worship Increase Security After Shootings

Luis Andres Henao

July 18, 2022

worship-increase-security-after-shootings — FILE - Crime scene tape surrounds Geneva Presbyterian Church on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, in Laguna Woods, Calif. A gunman opened fire on May 15 during a luncheon at the church, killing one and injuring five other members of a Taiwanese congregation that met there. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Rev. Steven Marsh never thought he would see the day his church in Laguna Woods, California — a town of 16,500 populated largely by retirees — would be spending $20,000 a month for security.

Then a gunman opened fire on May 15 during a luncheon at Geneva Presbyterian Church, where Marsh is senior pastor, killing one and injuring five other members of a Taiwanese congregation that met there. Officials said the man, who was motivated by political hatred against Taiwan, chained the church’s doors shut and hid firebombs inside before shooting at the gathering of elderly church members.

Houses of worship are meant to be places of shelter, reflection and peace, where strangers are welcome. But the recent string of high-profile mass shootings in the U.S. is a reminder violence can happen anywhere, prompting some faith leaders to ramp up security.

At Geneva Presbyterian, armed security guards now stand watch every weekday and during Sunday services. The church also is adding more security cameras, developing an active shooter plan and applying for Department of Homeland Security funding.

“We’re not trying to militarize the church,” Marsh said. “We prayed about it and made a decision to have armed security as an act of faith.”

Without the new security measures, Marsh predicted that a mass exodus by the congregation and the schools on the church’s campus would have followed the shooting.

Creating a space that is both safe and welcoming is possible, said Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, the former spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas.

In January, he and three others were taken hostage by a pistol-wielding man during a Shabbat service. Cytron-Walker threw a chair at the gunman — a courageous act that helped them safely escape — after a nearly 11-hour standoff. He credits the several rounds of active shooter training he has taken.

“When you are unable to run away or find a hiding place, you need to find a way to act and to fight back,” Cytron-Walker said. “When we were most afraid he was going to kill us, I saw a moment I had been looking for all day long.”

Cytron-Walker now leads Temple Emanuel in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. As he works on a security plan with his new congregation, he is being mindful of how a welcoming synagogue can enhance safety “because someone who wants to do harm can see that they are not going to be able to walk in anonymous.”

Russian Baptist Church Helps 40 Slavic Refugee Families Resettle in U.S.

Diana Chandler

July 18, 2022

Russian-Baptist-Church-Helps — Newlyweds Maryna Stupak and Dmytro Yefimov immigrated to Sacramento, Calif., when they were unable to return to Ukraine after their honeymoon. Russian Baptist Church there has helped them with housing, getting documentation, and other needs. Photo courtesy of Baptist Press.

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (BP) – Russian Baptist Church in West Sacramento has honed its purpose while helping diverse refugees of Russia’s war on Ukraine resettle here, Senior Pastor Mikhail Avramenko told Baptist Press.

“In all, we see that God is working with all of us, bringing us to a deeper understanding of who we are, why we are here and what can be done for the glory of God in this situation,” Avramenko said. “One thing we had noticed for the last two months, is that there are many refugees who come not from Ukraine, but from Russia or the former Russian republic. We are helping all newcomers.

“Ethnicity, language or nationality should never be a basis for any argument or disputes.”

Avramenko and other leaders of the church of about 2,700 Russian, Ukrainian and other Slavic worshipers decry the war. He and other pastors there have led the church in settling 40 refugee families in California since April, hiring a temporary employee to work with and coordinate volunteers focused on the outreach.

Russian Baptist welcomes refugees to worship services and encourages them to participate in fellowship. Transportation, housing, court appointments, banking, social services, medical care and school enrollment are among necessities the church helps refugees navigate.

“That is an endless service and very appreciated by refugees because most of the time, they don’t know where to start,” Avramenko said. The church received a family of six July 12 and helped them apply for social services including food stamps and medical assistance the very next day, he said.

Tatiana Vinnikova, a Ukrainian member of the church, is the new hire. She helps refugees not only find housing, but navigate governmental regulations and documentation.

“During these months, I realized that I like to serve such families. I myself am from Ukraine and my heart is breaking from what is happening now in my country,” Vinnikova said. “Ukrainian refugees need, first, moral and emotional support, housing, transportation, work, (and help) in matters related to documents and legalization in the United States. I will do this as long as they need me.”

The U.S. is poised to welcome about 180,000 Ukrainian refugees as a result of the war, the Migration Policy Institute estimates, including the nearly 60,000 eligible for Temporary Protected Status for 18 months announced in March, 100,000 the Biden administration authorized in April through a combination of the Uniting for Ukraine program and other more permanent entry pathways, and a reported 20,000 Ukrainians who arrived through Mexico without authorization to enter in a practice that ended in April.

Vinnikova recalls Ukrainian couple Maryna Stupak and Dmytro Yefimov, who married in Kyiv in early February before the invasion, but were unable to return home after their honeymoon because of the war.

“They heard about such a program as Uniting for Ukraine and decided to fly to the USA. They had to fly from the Dominican Republic. It was not an easy way for a young family,” Vinnikova said. “Our church helped them with housing. They lived for more than two months in a family where they were taken care of, they received the necessary documents and passed for driving.”

How to Find Peace in the Midst of Difficult Circumstances

Tamara Chamberlain

July 18, 2022

difficult circumstances — Lightstock #434822

Life isn’t always easy, and it definitely seems like some seasons are far more difficult than others. And the truth is that we can’t avoid the hurt and pain that comes with difficult circumstances.

Maybe you’re facing a difficult circumstance and you couldn’t have seen it coming. Or maybe you did see it coming, and the pain is still just as great.

Facing circumstances that could potentially unhinge everything you ever knew is nothing new for humanity. But when we’re under the pressure and anxiety of a difficult, life-altering circumstance, one of our greatest challenges is finding peace.

How can you find peace when you’re in the midst of a circumstance that could alter the course of your life? Here are three things.

1. Trust God, Not the People Making Decisions.

In the midst of difficult situations, there’s often a decision that needs to be made. The hard part? The decision that will eventually be made is completely out of your control.

When waiting on a decision, it becomes far too easy to be filled with fear, despair, frustration, or even hurt. The unknown is terrifying. When a decision is left in the hands of someone else, it feels like there isn’t anything you can do. But there is.

You can choose peace.

Choosing peace means trusting God with the decision being made, regardless of whose hands it’s in. It can be someone you love and trust or someone who has everything but your best interest in mind. It doesn’t matter who the decision maker is. God is the one you can trust.

Look at the story of Joseph. He was sold into slavery by his own brothers. They most definitely were not trustworthy, nor did they have his best intentions in mind. Then the Midianites turned around and sold him to an officer of Pharaoh. After all of that, he winds up in prison!

This entire time, Joseph didn’t get a say in what happened to him, where he went, or how he was treated. He was not the decision maker in any of these situations, and yet the outcomes all affected his life directly.

Now you may not be in a circumstance where people are actively seeking evil against you. But you might be in a place where you don’t get to call the shots. You don’t get to determine the fate of this situation that will dramatically affect your life.

So, how do you find peace when the decision is out of your hands? You trust God.

At the end of Joseph’s long journey, he declared to his brothers that what they meant for evil, God meant for good.

If we really trust the goodness and faithfulness of our God, then we can be filled with peace. We can know that regardless of anyone else’s intentions, God will use it for good. You might not see that goodness being worked out right away. But you can fully trust that God is true to his word.

2. Stay Faithful to What You Know You Are Called to Do.

I don’t know about you, but when I’m faced with difficult circumstances, I try to run through every outcome in my head. I attempt to analyze and figure out the best way for me to respond in this situation.

Ugh. If only things were that black and white. It’d be nice to just be able to calculate the situation and know exactly how to move forward.

If We Fear God, We Can Trust His Provision

Randy Alcorn

July 18, 2022

There are people who reason, If I give generously, I’ll have to worry about where the money will come from to replace what I’ve given. But Jesus actually says the opposite. Immediately after He commands us not to store up treasures on Earth but store them in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-21), He says we are to adopt the right perspective (verses 22-23) and serve the right master—God, not money (verse 24).

Our Lord immediately follows this statement by saying three times, “Do not worry” (Matthew 6:25, 31, 34, NIV). Anyone who is investing in the right treasury, adopting the right perspective, and serving the right Master has nothing to worry about. In contrast, those who invest in the wrong treasury (Earth, not Heaven), adopt the wrong perspective (the temporal, not the eternal), and serve the wrong master (money, not God) have every reason to worry.

“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15, ESV). Since we can’t serve two masters, our fear of not having enough reveals our true master.

Jesus specifically tells us not to worry about life’s necessities—food, drink, and clothes. Then He says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). According to our Lord, giving isn’t what leaves us short of material provision. In fact, it’s part of the solution to our material needs. God promised to provide for givers in Old Testament times (Malachi 3:8-11). And Jesus promised the same in the New (Luke 6:38). When we give away our treasures, we are seeking God’s Kingdom first. And therefore, “all these [material needs] will be added to” us.

Paul told the Philippians, “I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God” (Philippians 4:18, CSB). Their financial gifts were gifts to God. Since they gave so generously to provide for him and his work, Paul was confident God would provide the same for them: “My God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19, CSB). This is a familiar promise, but most people don’t realize that in context, it is specifically for givers who have stretched themselves to become sacrificial partners in Kingdom ministry. “For even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times” (v.16).

In some cases, God’s provision is obvious—we get an unexpected check in the mail or are given something we thought we’d have to buy. One time Nanci and I discovered an error we’d made in our bank balance, finding we had significantly more money than we realized.

In other cases, God’s provision is less obvious but equally generous. A washing machine that should have broken down a decade ago keeps working. A car with more than two hundred thousand miles runs for three years needing no repairs. A checking account that should have dried up long before the end of the month somehow makes it through. As God miraculously stretched the widow’s oil supply in Elisha’s day (2 Kings 4:1-7), and as He made the Israelites’ clothes and sandals last forty years in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 8:4), I’m convinced He sometimes graciously extends the life of things that would normally need replacement.

The God who fed a million-member family in the wilderness for forty years, fed five thousand with one boy’s lunch, and who is perfectly capable of turning water into wine and stones into bread, will not have any trouble providing whatever He knows you need.

In this video, I talk about what it means to be fearless and not worry about money, but trust that God will provide:

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

How A New Generation Is Changing What Quality Looks Like In A Thriving Small Church

Karl Vaters

July 18, 2022

Millennials are not the church of tomorrow. They’re raising families in and outside of our churches right now.

Mostly outside of them.

Unfortunately, some people have written off the current generation spiritually. That is a mistake – for the church and for them.

Millennials, Gen Y, and whatever we name the generation that follows them (Coronials?) are raising the stakes on discussions of

Spiritual life
Sexuality
Community
Workplace power dynamics
Economic and environmental responsibility
Racial reconciliation
Gender identity

and more.

These are all vitally important issues that the Bible addresses and that thoughtful Christians have talked about for 2,000 years.

As such, current generations are seeking dialogue about the very topics that healthy small churches should be good at, in an atmosphere of genuine relationships and intimate worship. Sadly, this is not our reputation.

But it’s not too late to change. If we’re willing to engage in biblically-based conversations about the vital issues, we can bring about the greatest opportunity for small church ministry in 2,000 years.

But this opportunity comes with one big condition.

Current generations won’t give up quality to gain intimacy.

And they shouldn’t have to.

Not Their Parents’ Church

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that current generations have the same needs people have always had. Needs that include a desire to worship something (someone) bigger than themselves, and to do so with others who are also seeking for meaning.

In other words, church.

But they’re not being drawn to the kinds of churches their parents built. Many of them don’t want a big Sunday morning stage show as much as they want genuine intimacy and relationships.

Because of this need, new generations are willing take a peek at the small church alternative. But they’re used to a high-quality experience in everything and they won’t settle for less.

Thankfully, for those who lead small churches, that’s not as intimidating as it sounds.

Quality = Health

Small church doesn’t mean cheap, shoddy, lazy or low-quality. At least it shouldn’t.

Too often, quality has meant excess for my generation (Boomers). We love glitz. Over-the-top. Bling. What the New Testament calls “adornment”. (1 Peter 3:3-4)

(Interesting, isn’t it, that a lot of ministries properly reject the sin of immodesty but they have no problem with the flip-side sin of adornment? Some even revel in it as evidence of God’s blessing.)

Quality for a small church can be summed up in one word.

Health.

It starts by getting the basics right.

Real-world Bible teaching
Genuine relationships
Practical ministry opportunities
Helpful conversations about important issues
And sincere, passionate worship

The good news is, your church doesn’t have to be big to do any of that.

Do New Generations Even Care About God?

Here’s how I addressed this question in my book, The Grasshopper Myth.

In They Like Jesus but Not the Church, Dan Kimball relates some of the feelings new generations of non-believers have about Jesus and the church. The main result is reflected in the title, of course, but other findings were interesting too.

One young woman expressed her desire for a church that was smaller and more intimate. As she so beautifully put it, “Make church a book club with soul.” She’s not alone in that longing.

Another unchurched friend of Kimball’s told him, “… I think the meetings should be smaller. Every once in a while a big meeting is cool, but not as the norm.”

Yet another asked, “Didn’t Jesus spend most of his time in smaller settings, with smaller groups? … I bet that is where they learned the most from him, not when he was in the masses with larger crowds.”

Some of what younger generations want and need from the church has nothing to do with the style of the worship band. Many of them just don’t like the corporate vibe of a bigger church. What speaks to their heart can only happen in a smaller setting.

– from The Grasshopper Myth: Chapter 8 – Small Church, Big Vision

Small groups, small churches and “book clubs with soul” (I just love that last one).

What’s going on here? Can we really take these anecdotal stories as an indication of a trend? I think so. Because the evidence is coming in to back it up.

In a recent poll, the highly-respected Pew Forum found what everyone has suspected. Millennials attend church less often than their parents. But it also included this important caveat. “Among Millennials who are affiliated with a religion, however, the intensity of their religious affiliation is as strong today as among previous generations when they were young.” (emphasis theirs)

So fewer Millennials attend religious services, but the faith of those who do is as strong as ever. And that dedication is likely to grow, as it typically does when you find yourself in the minority.

Which means what? Everyone has their own interpretation, of course. Here’s mine.

It’s Time to Lead

Churches follow trends as much as anyone. Usually about 20 years behind.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. We can lead.

Not in a “look how cool they are” way, or a “look how smart they are” way. But in a “look how they love one another” way.

There’s no better place to express or sense that kind of love-leadership than in a small church.

Megachurches won’t disappear, despite all the predictions to the contrary. I hope they don’t. Instead, alongside megachurches I see a growing hunger for healthy, high-quality, innovative small churches to meet the needs of upcoming generations.

If small churches can provide opportunities for genuine relationships with God and each other, in a thriving church with practical ministry to the surrounding community, we can be the vanguard of a new church movement. But it really won’t be a new movement. It will be the oldest one of all.

Since the day of Pentecost, thriving small churches have been the way the majority of Christians have done church. They’ve just stayed under the radar for 2,000 years.

Now may be their turn to come out of the shadows.

It’s about time.

This article originally appeared here.

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