‘We Are Not Confused’: Christian Publisher Responds to Controversy Surrounding Pride Month Reading List

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June 8, 2022

William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, an historic evangelical publisher founded in 1911, has responded to criticism regarding the company’s LGBTQ+ Pride Month reading list.

“Wherever you stand or whatever you think you know, #PrideMonth is an important time to take a step back, listen to real stories, and seek to understand,” the publisher said in a tweet linking to the reading list, which was hosted on the company’s blog, EerdWord.

The company removed the tweet after a wave of criticism over the weekend. On Tuesday, Eerdmans posted a link to the list on Twitter again, this time with further explanation.

“Regardless of your doctrinal and ethical convictions, #PrideMonth is a good time for listening to LGBTQ+ voices,” the Twitter thread said. “This weekend, we took down our post because the overwhelming vitriol was alarming, and we wanted to protect our authors. We stand by our EerdWord post, so we have tweeted the link again. But we think we should also offer some explanation.”

“Some of the replies to our original tweet could be summarized as: ‘With this tweet, you have gone over to the dark side. Your company is now useless and we hope you go bankrupt and your employees become jobless,’” Eerdmans’ statement continued. “For those who thought that cursing and reviling would be an appropriately Christian response to an invitation to try to understand LGBTQ+ Christians, we offer no response. Their self-revelation speaks for itself, and it grieves us.”

Addressing those who had moral qualms about the reading list, Eerdmans said, “For our conservative Christian readers and friends who may be disturbed by the slander of the revilers, we want to explain the misunderstandings they voiced.”

“The revilers say we have changed our position and begun to teach heresy. There are several problems with that accusation,” Eerdmans argued. “We do not think it is for us as a publisher to define doctrine for the church. We are not the pope, or an ecumenical council, or even a pastor. Our role is to publish books, representing both settled and experimental positions, that serve the church in its ongoing deliberations.”

The Eerdmans statement went on to say that the publishing company has no issue with publishing works that contradict each other on important theological issues, adding that they publish books written by Protestants, Roman Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox Christians alike, adding, “We are not confused. We are a publisher that serves the ecumenical church.”

“With regard to Christian understandings of LGBTQ+ people, Eerdmans has been publishing books for quite a few years by authors who have come to an affirming conclusion on biblical and theological grounds. This is not new for us,” Eerdmans said. “At the same time, Eerdmans has continued and will continue to publish books by and for people who have not come to this conclusion.”

Daniel Yang: How People on the Margins Can Help Save the American Church

By

Jessica Mouser

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June 8, 2022

The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast · Daniel Yang: How People on the Margins Can Help Save the American Church

Daniel Yang is the director of the Church Multiplication Institute at the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center, a think tank for evangelism and church planting. He has pastored and helped plant churches in Detroit, Dallas-Fort Worth, Toronto and Chicago. He earned an M.Div. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, a B.S. in computer science from the University of Michigan, and is currently earning a Ph.D. at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. His new book, co-authored with Eric Costanzo and Matthew Soerens is “Inalienable: How Marginalized Kingdom Voices Can Help Save the American Church.”

The New Churches podcast offers practical answers to real ministry questions. Rather than offering lofty pie-in-the-sky theories, New Churches helps people in their real ministry contexts with their real thoughts, questions, and issues.

Other Ways to Listen to This Podcast With Daniel Yang

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

Key Questions for Daniel Yang

–You write, “If anything other than the kingdom of God is the framework for Christianity in America, let’s be okay with God removing it and let’s pray with Jesus for his kingdom to come.” What are you seeing about American Christianity that led to that statement?

-Your premise is that marginalized voices are helping to save the American church. Who are those voices?

-What is the way forward that you are offering to the problems you’re diagnosing?

-How can local church leaders get more practical about paying attention to the influence of the global church?

Key Quotes From Daniel Yang

“We were talking through not just what’s wrong with Christianity in America, but we were talking through what are the places and the people and the kinds of people that don’t get the same amount of airtime that I think typically you would see in American evangelical circles specifically. And we started asking the question, how does the global church actually have influence here in the U.S.?”

“If you study what happened to the Assemblies of God in America 20 years ago, there were 1.8 million white members in the denomination. Fast forward 20 years, the denomination has grown quite significantly. And the number of white members in the Assemblies of God church is 1.8 million people. And so the growth almost has been completely non-white growth in the Assemblies of God.”

“We have such a difficult time actually living out a true holistic gospel.”

“We’re saying that the global church, marginalized voices are helping us to better understand the Kingdom of God, image of God, Word of God and mission of God. And so that’s what we’re saying: These four things are inalienable to Christianity.”

“We talk about the decline of the church in the West. For my family’s story, it’s always been incline. So decline doesn’t make sense. It’s always been on the up and up…They came as refugees, immigrants from Laos.”

Police: New York Anti-Abortion Center Damaged by Arson

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AP News

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June 8, 2022

AMHERST, N.Y. (AP) — Police are investigating a fire at an anti-abortion center in a Buffalo suburb early Tuesday as a likely arson — one the center’s operators suspect is the work of women’s rights extremists.

The fire was reported at about 3 a.m. and left the building temporarily unusable, CompassCare Chief Executive Jim Harden said.

“Essentially, they firebombed the operation,” Harden said. “They broke the two main windows in the reception area and the nurse’s office and lit the fires.”

The Amherst police news release announcing the investigation did not include a suspected motive. The FBI declined to comment on whether it was involved in the arson investigation.

On its website, the center said it and others like it have faced online and in-person threats in recent weeks following the leak of a draft opinion that suggests the U.S. Supreme Court could be poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide.

Last month, the office of a prominent Wisconsin anti-abortion lobby group was damaged by fire after two Molotov cocktails were thrown at it. Police said an anti-abortion organization in Salem, Oregon, also recently was damaged by two Molotov cocktails during an unsuccessful break-in attempt.

Harden said CompassCare provides free health care to women and encourages them to seek alternatives to abortion. The Buffalo office serves about 20 patients each week, he said.

Services will resume Wednesday at an undisclosed location, he said. The Rochester-based organization has increased security at its Rochester and Albany locations and plans to install armored glass in the Buffalo office.

At a news conference, Harden said the vandals who set the fire wrote “Jane was here” on the building.

“This is the face of abortion,” he said. “They’re revealing it to us.”

The fire took place in the same Buffalo suburb where Dr. Barnett Slepian was murdered by an anti-abortion extremist in 1998.

That killing followed a period in which Buffalo was ground zero in the nation’s anti-abortion movement, with protesters converging on the city from around the U.S. in an attempt to close clinics down.

After Abortion Vote, Colorado Catholic Bishops Ask Lawmakers to Refrain From Communion

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Kathryn Post and Jack Jenkins

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June 8, 2022

abortion colorado — The Colorado Capitol, left, in downtown Denver. Photo by Acton Crawford/Unsplash/Creative Commons

(RNS) — Catholic bishops from Colorado asked Catholic lawmakers who voted in favor of abortion rights legislation earlier this year to “voluntarily refrain from Holy Communion,” according to an open letter signed Monday (June 6) and provided to Religion News Service.

“Voting for RHEA was participating in a gravely sinful action because it facilitates the killing of innocent unborn babies,” the bishops’ letter said, referring to the Reproductive Health Equity Act, “and those Catholic politicians who have done so have very likely placed themselves outside of the communion of the Church.”

The letter was signed by the Rev. Samuel J. Aquila, archbishop of Denver, and his auxiliary bishop, the Rev. Jorge H. Rodriguez; the Rev. Stephen J. Berg, bishop of Pueblo; and the Rev. James R. Golka, bishop of Colorado Springs.

The legislation, signed into law on April 4, prohibits state and local public entities from denying an individual’s right to use or refuse contraception, and their right to continue with a pregnancy or have an abortion.

“A pregnant individual has a fundamental right to continue a pregnancy and give birth or to have an abortion and to make decisions about how to exercise that right,” the act says. “A fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have independent or derivative rights under the laws of this state.”

According to the bishops’ letter, hundreds testified against the bill in the Colorado House and Senate. The bishops wrote that they have made efforts to speak with the Catholic lawmakers who voted for the bill to “ensure that they understand the Church’s teaching on receiving Holy Communion,” but note that few lawmakers have accepted the invitation to meet.

The Rev. Samuel J. Aquila, archbishop of the archdiocese of Denver, conducts Christmas Eve Mass in Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception on Friday, Dec. 24, 2021, in downtown Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

The Rev. Samuel J. Aquila, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Denver, conducts Christmas Eve Mass in Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception on Dec. 24, 2021, in downtown Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

The letter condemns these Catholic lawmakers for viewing “pre-born babies” as “worth less than those who have the gift of being born” and thanks four Catholic lawmakers who voted against the bill.

In an email to Religion News Service, Colorado Catholic Conference executive director Brittany Vessely said the conference estimates that around 10 baptized Catholic lawmakers voted for the legislation. By asking these lawmakers to “voluntarily refrain” from communion, Vessely said, the bishops place the burden of the decision “upon the consciences and souls of those politicians who have chosen to support this evil and unjust law” rather than on church leaders.

“The bishops also pray that these Catholic lawmakers will publicly repent and seek absolution through the sacrament of reconciliation,” she added.

Jamie L. Manson, president of Catholics for Choice, said in a statement that Colorado’s Catholic bishops should listen to their people, noting that one in four abortion patients is Catholic.

“Instead, in typically self-aggrandizing fashion, they’ve closed their ears, hardened their hearts, and dismissed these people of faith and the pro-choice majority who supports them as ‘unworthy,’ turning Jesus’s gift of his Body and Blood — his ultimate example of welcome and inclusion — into a weapon of division and exclusion,” wrote Manson. “The contrast between these so-called ‘shepherds’ in Colorado and the Good Shepherd they claim to serve speaks for itself.”

The RHEA cites rising attacks on abortion access and reproductive health care across the U.S. as well as Colorado’s history of supporting reproductive health care as reasons for the bill, which codifies a person’s right to make reproductive health care decisions independent of government interference. In 1967, Colorado became the first state to decriminalize abortion.

30 Cases in a Month: Abortion, Guns Top Justices’ To-Do List

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Mark Sherman

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June 8, 2022

WASHINGTON (AP) — Curbing abortion rights and expanding the right to be armed in public are long-sought goals of the conservative legal movement that the Supreme Court seems poised to deliver within the next month.

The justices also could ease the use of public funds for religious schooling and constrain Biden administration efforts to fight climate change.

These disputes are among 30 cases the court still has to resolve before it takes an extended summer break, typically around the end of June. That’s a large, though not unprecedented, haul for the court at this point in its term.

June typically is a tense time at the court, where justices are racing to put the final touches on the most controversial cases. But this year, the tension seems to be even greater, with a potentially historic abortion ruling and in the aftermath of a leaked draft opinion that seems to have led to discord inside the court and heightened security concerns.

At least one of the 30 remaining cases will be decided on Wednesday, the court indicated on its website.

Slower Than Usual

The pace of the court’s work has been slower than usual, and it’s unclear how much that has to do with a leaked draft opinion suggesting a conservative majority will overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision on abortion rights and for the first time strip away an individual constitutional right.

The leak occurred in early May and Justice Clarence Thomas has suggested the breach of the court’s confidential opinion-drafting process has done serious damage to the court. “You begin to look over your shoulder,” Thomas said last month at a conference in Dallas.

Abortion and Guns

With three appointees of former President Donald Trump, the court now has a 6-3 conservative majority, and abortion opponents might consider anything less than the overruling of Roe and the 1992 Planned Parenthood v. Casey decision that affirmed the right to end a pregnancy a bitter defeat.

But even short of explicitly jettisoning the abortion cases, the court is on the verge of dramatically weakening abortion rights. At issue in the case is a Mississippi law that bans abortion after the 15th week of pregnancy, far earlier than the court has previously indicated states can prohibit abortions.

Even before the leak of the draft opinion, the court seemed poised based on arguments in December to uphold the Mississippi law at the very least.

Arguments in November in a case over New York’s gun permit requirements also strongly suggested the court would make it easier to carry a gun in public, a decision that could affect many of the nation’s largest cities.

It’s not clear whether a series of mass shootings in recent weeks has had any effect on the court’s deliberations, or when to release the decision in the New York case.

Religion, Environment

Among the other significant cases awaiting decisions is a challenge from Republican-led states and coal companies that could hamstring the administration’s efforts to reduce climate-warming carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. President Joe Biden has set an ambitious goal of slashing planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030, and power plants account for roughly 30% of carbon dioxide output.

First Transgender Bishop of Largest Lutheran Denomination Resigns

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Alejandra Molina

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June 8, 2022

(RNS) — The first transgender bishop of the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States has resigned amid criticism over the decision to remove the pastor of a Latino congregation on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in December.

“The constant misinformation, bullying and harassment has taken too hard a toll in the Synod I love, my family and myself,” the Rev. Megan Rohrer, who presided over the Sierra Pacific Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, said in a resignation letter posted Monday (June 6) on Twitter.

However, questions remain about the timing of the resignation.

Rohrer’s post came an hour after Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, head of the ELCA, announced on Twitter that she would be “initiating the discipline process immediately, including suspension of Bishop Rohrer, based on additional information that has come to light.”

Rohrer’s posted resignation letter was dated two days prior — Saturday.

“The ELCA has decided to move forward with a discipline process, even after I resigned, without providing any specifics about what I allegedly did, and that appears to be in conflict with their own procedures,” Rohrer said in a Monday tweet thread accompanying the resignation letter.

The ELCA has decided to move forward with a discipline process, even after I resigned, without providing any specifics about what I allegedly did, and that appears to be in conflict with their own procedures. 3/3
— Megan Rohrer (@mmrohrer) June 6, 2022

Eaton did not elaborate on the additional details, but late May Eaton said she did not plan to pursue disciplinary charges against Rohrer. She had, however, requested Rohrer to resign.

Rohrer, who uses they/their/them pronouns, had been criticized by the Asociación de Ministerios Latinos de la ELCA as showing a “lack of empathy and understanding toward their Latinx siblings” for removing the Rev. Nelson Rabell-González on one of the most culturally significant and sacred days for Latinos.

Rohrer apologized in a written statement in late December, saying they “did not understand the impact on the greater church.” Rohrer said the Sierra Pacific Synod — which covers central and northern California as well as northern Nevada — provided pastoral care for those affected and had “private pastoral conversations” with individuals from Misión Latina Luterana, the congregation in Stockton, California, from which Rabell-González was removed.

An undated selfie of the Rev. Megan Rohrer, who was elected bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Sierra Pacific Synod on Saturday, May 8, 2021, becoming the first transgender person to serve as bishop in any of the major Christian denominations in the United States. Photo courtesy of Meghan Rohrer

An undated selfie of the Rev. Megan Rohrer, who was elected bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Sierra Pacific Synod on May 8, 2021, becoming the first transgender person to serve as bishop in any of the major Christian denominations in the United States. Photo courtesy of Meghan Rohrer

Eaton appointed a listening team to review the Dec. 12 disruption. The team issued a report that found Rohrer chose to remove Rabell-González even after being made aware that doing so on the sacred day would be “potentially devastating.”

The decision in December to vacate Rabell-González’s call simultaneously ceased funding for the congregation, according to the report. The congregation changed its name to Iglesia Luterana Santa María Peregrina, or Holy Mary Pilgrim Lutheran Church, “as a way to describe their experience of feeling assaulted and forced to become pilgrims,” the report noted. The congregation now worships in a parking lot.

Judge Orders Church Led by CBN Spokesman Brad Jurkovich To Turn Over Financial Records

By

Bob Smietana

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June 8, 2022

(RNS) — A Louisiana church led by the spokesman for the Conservative Baptist Network — which claims the Southern Baptist Convention has become too liberal — has been ordered to turn over nearly a decade of financial records to former members.

In a pair of court filings, members of First Baptist Church of Bossier, Louisiana, accused pastor Brad Jurkovich of diverting to the CBN funds meant to support missionaries. They also allege that Jurkovich blocked them from seeing church financial records, in violation of Louisiana nonprofit law, and that the pastor illegally changed the church’s bylaws.

In late May, Judge Charles Smith of the 26^th Judicial Court in Bossier Parish ruled that the church had to turn over financial records dating back to 2013. Those records include bank statements, W-2 statements, paid invoices, purchase orders and bank deposits and transfers. The church was also ordered to turn over details of staff housing allowances, names of staffers holding church credit cards and cellphones, and any loan documents or nondisclosure agreements related to the church.

Smith said in a May 27 ruling on a writ of mandamus that the church could withhold information on donations and denied the former members access to the church’s servers.

The ruling is the latest development in a long-running feud at the church between Jurkovich and a group of members over finances and bylaws at First Baptist. According to a complaint filed in Louisiana court in mid-May, the feud began last summer after a group of members sent a letter to Jurkovich with a list of concerns, including staff turnover and lack of financial transparency.

The letter led Jurkovich to send an angry email telling the dissident members, “you either trust and follow the leadership or not,” according to the complaint. Jurkovich later agreed to allow the church members to see some church records, provided they sign a nondisclosure agreement. After signing the agreement, the two sides could not agree on what records would be available for review.

“On or around October 3, 2021, One Hundred Sixty-One (161) members of the congregation sent a letter, via email, to Dr. Jurkovich calling for his resignation over his misrepresentations, staffing turnover, personnel decisions, lack of accountability in FBB finances, and inability to lead,” according to the complaint.

Also at issue: changes made to the church’s bylaws in 2014, giving Jurkovich the ability to remove church members from the congregation — which had previously been a decision made by the church’s board of directors.

“The sole power to expel members of FBB is vested with Dr. Jurkovich, the self-appointed President/Chairman-for-life of FBB,” according to the complaint, which alleges the changes to the bylaws were not valid.

The church members also claim Jurkovich failed to inform church members that funds meant for supporting missionaries were instead used to support the CBN, where along with being spokesman, Jurkovich serves on the group’s steering council.

TikTok: Could ‘Algorithm-Based Evangelism’ Be a Bigger Opportunity for the Gospel Than Radio and Television Combined?

By

R. York Moore

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June 8, 2022

Social media has changed forever with the rise of TikTok, which is now officially the most opened and watched app in the social media ecosystem. It has become so successful that Meta, YouTube, and Twitter have altered the way they function in order to maintain their footing-and that’s a good thing for the gospel.

First, a bit of my experience as an evangelist on TikTok. When I jumped on in July 2021, I was skeptical—seeing the constant money grab and little return on investment on other social platforms over the years.

Immediately, however, I began to see results, real impact, and a loyal following of brand new believers hungry to devour God’s Word. As I write this, I’ve had over 50 million views, nearly 400,000 followers, nearly 4 million likes and most importantly, over 140,000 indications for a decision for Christ! Certainly, not all of these decisions are real or first time decisions, but even if that number is a sliver of the total, this has changed gospel communication for me forever!

Here are five things I’ve learned that can be applied to many, if not all, algorithm-based platforms for your ministry.

1. Metrics

The Algorithm only cares about one thing. Watch time that converts to followers. With the data I get from TikTok, I can objectively see when viewers scroll away, how many watch to the end, and with clear calls to action, I can see exactly how many are responding to the gospel in the comment section. Clear metrics are good for me but they are also really all the algorithm cares about, except, of course, obeying the terms of service (so don’t get banned for violations!).

Because I have a clear call to repentance and ask viewers to indicate their decision for Christ, I get comments like this every day, “I prayed the prayer and am shaking. I’ve never felt anything like this. I’m crying my eyes out.”

2. Consistency

The Algorithm wants consistency in messaging and content: I post 3-5 short videos a day, on a variety of things—mostly basic doctrines of sin, judgment, righteousness and addressing common struggles like pornography, anxiety, fears, family pressures and the like. The algorithm can depend on my account to provide fresh, engaging content on a specific niche (Christianity) and, in turn, it pushes my content to the ‘For You Page,’ or FYP.

Normally, over 80% of the views on my posts are not coming specifically from my followers but from views on people’s curated FYP’s. Here’s a recent comment: “You popped up on my FYP and now I’m following you everyday. You’ve changed my life and I’ve grown so much!”

3. Value

I have a very consistent following base I can push private content to and go deeper in discipleship with because I provide something unique in their lives—biblical teaching with an evangelistic edge. One follower recently wrote these words, “Before I found your account, I didn’t know anything about God. Now I am a Christian and am getting baptized!”

I wake up to comments like this literally EVERY SINGLE DAY and the main reason is I provide distinct value in the form of constant teaching. Out of the 280,000 followers, I estimate 8,000 users are engaging my content every day throughout the day.

4. Residual Returns

I’ve spent nearly 30 years traveling the world preaching Christ. Countless hours hoping when I got to the destination, there would be people to preach to, that there would be fruit. I’ll never give that up but there has not been a single day where I’ve not seen decisions for Christ on TikTok.

Balancing Intellect and Emotion for a Fully Orbed Faith

By

Tamara Chamberlain

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June 8, 2022

Recently, I’ve become intentional about staying away from the phrase, I feel, instead trading it for I think. It’s surprising how this shift in vocabulary has granted me more credibility in many conversations. And that’s because being emotional or making any decision based on an emotion is seen as inherently negative.

Feelings are known for being unreliable and changing with the wind. Women are often described as more emotional beings, contrasting with men, who are seen as more rational. I’m not denying the biological differences between men and women and the rippling effect they have in many aspects of life, but the trouble we run into is when conveying, trusting in, or expressing anything related to your emotions is seen as inherently negative and unreliable. A negative view of emotions has seeped into the church and can have harmful effects on a person’s faith. Emotions are not a sin, yet they are often treated that way.

Emotion is part of what makes us human. When a loved one dies, we feel deep sorrow or even anger. When a baby is welcomed into the world, we experience excitement or even fear about becoming a parent. Emotions are the way we respond to the world around us. And that’s a good thing.

In fact, it’s concerning and even deeply unhealthy when someone shares that they don’t feel anything during a life altering moment. Emotions are not something we need to rid ourselves of or push down at all costs.

Have emotions been tainted by the Fall? Of course. But we lose part of what it means to be human when we wage a war between intellect and emotion.

Certainly, our emotions can’t lead every decision we make. But neither should our thoughts. There are many thoughts I have that should never leave my mind. Emotions are no more irrational than many of the thoughts we have on a regular basis.

There is a place for both emotion and intellect to work together. For one to thrive, it doesn’t mean you must be void of the other. In our spiritual life, we need both.

Our Pursuit of Jesus Is Intellectual and Emotional.

Throughout the New Testament, the Pharisees are described as experts on scripture. Yet, this is the group of people for whom Jesus had the strongest rebukes. If the Christian life were all about right doctrine and correct theology, then we would be called to look to Pharisees as models of the faith.

Yet, Jesus harshly speaks against the Pharisees in Matthew 23. Essentially, the Pharisees used doctrine as the gatekeeper for who would get into heaven and who wouldn’t. But all of their righteous thinking and knowledge was worthless, because it hadn’t actually changed who they were. They just wanted to tell people how they ought to live, having no compassion or empathy for those they taught.

This is the opposite of what the Christian life is supposed to be. We are not called to be stoics. Our faith can’t be so entrenched in having perfect doctrine that we view emotion as sinful, as weakness, or even as a lack of faith.

To be sure, there are some Christians who are more at risk of living by unhealthy emotionalism. And defining your faith by the presence of or lack of an emotion is equally as harmful as stoicism. Christians often define highly emotional experiences in their faith as “mountaintop experiences,” and they are trying to get back to that moment.

The Apostle Paul had a mountaintop moment when he was on the road to Damascus and his life changed forever. It’s safe to say the Apostle Paul had more than a change in his thought process. He didn’t go from wanting to murder anyone who called themselves a Christian to being a Christian merely based on his intellectual opinion changing. He went from hating Christians to loving them and caring about them to the point of his own death.

5 Ways Covid Has Brought Leadership Changes

By

Ron Edmondson

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June 8, 2022

My leadership is different now than it was at the beginning of 2020. Covid has forever brought leadership changes–including for me.

5 Ways Covid Has Brought Leadership Changes

1. More short term planning.

I’ve almost dropped the five and 10 your plans from my leadership. Of course, we still have long-term visions that drive us forward continually but it’s just hard to plan very far down the road these days. I’m doing more quarterly in six months planning.

2. Adaptable to change quicker.

People seem more willing to jump into a change project faster than they might have in past. That’s a good thing for leaders.

3. More appreciative of all team members.

Communication department. Tech department. Facilities people. What could we have done without them during the pandemic? Who on our team have we taken for granted? Everyone matters.

4. Appreciation for practitioners.

The people doing the work are the ones I want to learn from most. I continue to consult with leaders but I never want to lose the experience on the ground. I always say “you can’t see what I see until you sit where I sit“.

5. Less fear of the unknown.

I’m not saying there’s no fear. That will always be a part of leadership, as well anxiety and worry. Hopefully, we learn to manage those emotions. Yet, I am less surprised these days when the unexpected happens.

How has your leadership changed since the pandemic began?

Check out my leadership podcast where we hopefully help limit bad decisions and discuss issues of leadership in a practical way.

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

Father’s Day Videos for Church: Honor Men With These Media Clips

By

Stephanie Martin

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June 7, 2022

Father’s Day videos for church are fun, meaningful ways to honor special men in your congregation. Every June, children enjoy creating special keepsakes and tributes to their dads, granddads, and other important male figures.

So don’t overlook the importance of Father’s Day observances and celebrations. Instead, take advantage of increased church attendance that day to recognize the vital role of dads. (Pro Tip: Mail these postcards ahead of time to invite fathers to worship!)

During the service, read Scripture verses about the responsibilities and honor of raising children. Say prayers for dads and other male role models. And attract worshipers’ attention with some Father’s Day videos for church.

Please note that some of these videos require payment or a subscription. Preview each Father’s Day video ahead of time to make sure it’s a good fit for your congregation. Then turn down the lights and open a worship service or sermon message with Father’s Day videos for church. (Or create your own video ahead of time, featuring kids from Sunday school classes.) Enjoy!

Check Out These Father’s Day Videos for Church!

Showing a video is a wonderful way to quiet a group of people and grab their eyes and ears. Plus, the content can make them think, reflect, and act.

1. A Father’s Letter to His Kids

This touching Father’s Day video has a four-minute run time.

2. A Broader Perspective on Father’s Day

Use this video to honor and bless all dads and men in your congregation.

3. A Father’s Strength

Celebrate the open arms of fathers (and our heavenly Father) with this video for church.

4. A Letter to Dad

Use this Father’s Day video for church to thank dads…and to thank God for our dads.

5. This Is a Dad

This brief video clip makes a great addition to any Father’s Day worship service.

Risky Behavior in Adolescence: The Dangers Facing Generation Z

By

Joshua Pease

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June 7, 2022

When it comes to risky behavior in adolescence, a study of today’s teenagers reveals both troubling and encouraging findings. For parents, pastors, and youth leaders concerned with reaching “Generation Z,” information about modern risky behavior in adolescence is critical.

According to research, teenagers in the early 2010s tried alcohol later and had sex far less often than their predecessors. About 54 percent of high-schoolers in 1991 reported having had sex, while only 41 percent did in the early 2010s. For student pastors who’ve been fighting the war against partying, pregnancies, and STDs, this is encouraging news. However, the results seem to come with a cost.

For GenZ, Risky Behavior in Adolescence is Different

Generation Z students (those born between the early 1990s and mid-2000s) are less likely to drive, work for pay, go on dates, or socialize without their parents. While at home, students are largely glued to their smartphones. They are highly active on social media sites that create an illusion of community that research shows actually increases isolation.

In The Atlantic, Jean M. Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University and author of Generation Me and iGen, warns about the effect smartphone obsession is having on teens. “The twin rise of the smartphone and social media has caused an earthquake of a magnitude we’ve not seen in a very long time, if ever. There is compelling evidence that the devices we’ve placed in young people’s hands are having profound effects on their lives—and making them seriously unhappy.”

Twenge speculates this may be why, for the first time in 24 years, suicide passed homicide as the leading cause of death for teenagers. It’s important to note that suicide rates were actually higher in 1991, before the advent of smartphones. However, Twenge says it’s clear that increased screen time coupled with isolation has a direct impact on teen mental health.

Generation Z: Screens and Depression

“The more time teens spend looking at screens, the more likely they are to report symptoms of depression,” Twenge said. “Eighth-graders who are heavy users of social media increase their risk of depression by 27 percent, while those who play sports, go to religious services, or even do homework more than the average teen cut their risk significantly.”

Celebration Church Sues To Evict Former Pastors Following Defamation Suit

By

Jessica Mouser

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June 7, 2022

Celebration Church in Jacksonville, Florida, has filed an eviction suit against its former pastors, Stovall and Kerri Weems. The eviction suit comes days after the Weemses filed a defamation lawsuit against the church they founded.

“The Weemses remain in possession of the Shellcracker Property despite Stovall Weems’ resignation of employment, the Weemses’ refusal to pay rent, and the church’s demands that the Weemses vacate the premises,” says the eviction suit filed by Celebration Church on June 1. “There is no oral or written agreement for the Weemses to remain in possession of the Shellcracker Property. The Weemses have no right, title, or interest in or to the Shellcracker Property.”

Celebration Church vs. Stovall and Kerri Weems

In January 2022 Celebration Church suspended Stovall and Kerri Weems, who helped found the church in 1998, and commissioned an investigation into their leadership. On Feb. 23, the Weemses filed a lawsuit for injunctive relief against Celebration, making requests that included the restoration of their base salary, benefits and back pay and the restoration of the status quo to what it was prior to the suspension.

Celebration Church responded with a motion to dismiss the injunction, alleging the Weemses were conducting “a campaign of deception, manipulation, distraction, and abuse of power” against the church. On April 15, Stovall Weems resigned from his roles at the church and accused Celebration of abandoning “the clear biblical principles and scriptural qualifications for spiritual covering, spiritual authority, and ecclesiastical governance and oversight.”

On April 24, Celebration released the findings of the investigation on Stovall and Kerri Weems, a 22-page report which found the Weemses guilty of fraud, narcissism and “rampant spiritual and emotional abuse.” The couple responded on May 28 by filing a defamation lawsuit claiming that the church’s intention in conducting the report was to “destroy Plaintiffs’ livelihood and reputation, discredit them, publicly humiliate them, punish them, and try to prevent them from continuing their ministry anywhere else.” The Weemses have been continuing ministry since leaving the Celebration Church, such as by posting spiritual reflections and conducting Q&A sessions on Instagram.

Former Megachurch Pastor Bruxy Cavey Arrested, Charged With Sexual Assault

By

Stephanie Martin

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June 7, 2022

Bruxy Cavey, who was forced to resign from one of Canada’s largest churches earlier this year, has been arrested and charged with sexual assault. A court appearance is scheduled for June 27. Police say more people may have been victimized and encourage them to come forward.

Cavey, 57, had been a pastor at The Meeting House Church in Toronto for 25 years. In late 2021, after learning of sexual misconduct allegations against him, the church placed him on leave and conducted an independent investigation.

The Meeting House, which has hired a victim advocate, is holding a community gathering tonight. The event is for worship and prayer, a “brief Q&A,” and talk of “charting our next steps together.”

Bruxy Cavey Had Apologized for an ‘Extramarital Affair’

In March 2022, Meeting House leaders shared the results of a third-party investigation. It revealed an “extended” sexual relationship between Pastor Bruxy Cavey and his accuser, which “constituted an abuse of Bruxy’s power and authority as a member of the clergy and amounted to sexual harassment.”

At the board’s request, Cavey resigned, and the church’s Anabaptist denomination removed his ministry credentials. Days later, the disgraced former pastor posted a blog titled “My Confession.” He acknowledged having “an extramarital affair,” adding, “This adulterous relationship is my greatest failure, my darkest sin, and I take full responsibility for my actions.”

Before linking to that post in March, Cavey’s last tweet was from November 2021. It reads: “When tempted to judge, remember: We are not [omniscient], so we don’t have all the info. We are not objective, so self-interest infects us. We are not perfect, so our [judgment] is hypocritical. Let’s stop playing God, because we are not good at it and the position is taken.”

Nature of Relationship Had Been Questioned

During church meetings in March, Meeting House leaders debated the nature of the relationship between Bruxy Cavey and his accuser. A board member read a statement from the accuser, who indicated she had been “in crisis” when she sought counseling from the pastor. At the time, Cavey was 46 and the alleged victim was 23.

“This for me was not an extramarital relationship or affair,” the victim’s statement noted. “It was a devastating twisting of pastoral care into sexual abuse.”

Danielle Strickland, a teaching pastor who resigned from the church in March “in solidarity with the victim,” objected to The Meeting House categorizing the relationship as sexual harassment and abuse of power. She also accused the church of trying to silence the woman.

Abortion Activists Strip Off Clothes, Shout Expletives During Joel Osteen Church Service

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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June 7, 2022

On Sunday (June 5), abortion activists from the group “Texas Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights” planted themselves in the floor section of Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, strategically interrupting the 16,800-seat worship service.

The abortion activists jumped out of their seats and ripped off their dresses, exposing their underwear, after Osteen finished leading the congregation in prayer.

Shouts of “My body, my [expletive] choice,” and “Overturn Roe! Hell no,” came from three women who were protesting the Supreme Court of the United States‘ (SCOTUS) potential upcoming overturn of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which made abortion a constitutional right.

“I am who I say I am. I do what I say I can do, because I have a choice. I have a choice! I have a choice,” one of the protestors yelled as Osteen continued to preach.

The women were immediately escorted out of the worship service by security. They continued protesting outside of Lakewood Church’s building. As they were being removed from the congregation, a video shows one of the protestors stumbling over people’s feet and falling into a church member’s lap.

As the protestors disrupted the service, Osteen told the worshipers, “We’ll wait just one moment here, but God is good and He’s on the throne and He’s in control.”

The megachurch crowd cheered at Osteen’s words with clapping and gleeful howls as the security team removed the protestors.

“We’ll just take one moment here and we’ll get started, but I know this,” Osteen said. “I’m glad to be in the house of the Lord with people of faith. So thank you, Lord, for a good service.”

“Alright, y’all, we love everybody, so we just thank the Lord that He’s in control and He has all things in His hand, and I think as long as I keep talking, you can’t hear what everybody else is saying,” Osteen can be heard saying on the video before the protestor filming the incident was removed.

While demonstrating outside the church’s building still in her underwear, Julianne D’Eredita, one of the protesters who also used to attend Lakewood Church, explained why they chose to stage a protest during Osteen’s prayer, saying, “[Today is] the day to break the silence and stand up, because Christians are not afraid to bother us and healthcare clinics and doctors’ offices trying to get a central healthcare.”

Rethinking Mental Health Care: How the Church Can Transform a Broken System

By

Matthew S Stanford

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June 7, 2022

mental health — Image Credit: Adobe Stock

Since its very beginning, the Church has been involved in social justice movements to serve and comfort the “least of these.” It has always stepped up to be the hands and feet of Jesus here on earth, whether the problem was orphans, widows, slavery, poverty or disease. Many of these causes were popularized within the Church through broad movements. Often these movements began out of necessity because a particular need was so great. Hundreds of millions of people have been served through these church movements and, even more importantly, hundreds of millions around the world have heard the Gospel. Presently, active social justice movements within the Church include HIV/AIDS, homelessness, human trafficking, access to clean water, and hunger. All of these are important and significant issues, but I have often wondered why there has never been a movement focusing on mental illness.

The statistics are truly overwhelming. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that worldwide, 450 million individuals are struggling with a mental health problem. In the United States, nearly one out of every five adults (18.6%) struggles with a mental disorder in a given year. The annual prevalence of mental illness in adolescents 13-18 years old is even greater, at 21.4%. More disturbing is the fact that 60% of adults and 50% of children/adolescents diagnosed with a mental disorder receive no treatment at all. This last statistic is perhaps the most significant evidence of our broken mental healthcare system.

For those wrestling with a mental health disorder, even in one of the world’s richest and most developed countries, obtaining proper care can be hindered by a wide range of barriers that are difficult and, oftentimes, impossible to overcome. Too few mental healthcare professionals, a shortage of psychiatric facilities, no transportation, limited financial resources, a lack of knowledge and education, stigma and shame, and misguided cultural beliefs all serve as significant barriers to individuals trying to access critical services. This inability to obtain proper care frequently leaves the afflicted and their families confused, frustrated, and hopeless.

People With Mental Health Issues Often Go to Church First for Help

The problems associated with accessing mental healthcare is one of the reasons individuals in psychological distress are more likely to seek out a member of the clergy before any other professional group. Clergy members are more readily available and do not charge for their services. Psychologists have long viewed clergy as “mental health gatekeepers,” meaning… pastors serve as our first responders and the front door to the mental healthcare system.

Viewed through the eyes of faith, it is obvious that this is not an accident, but a heavenly orchestrated, divine opportunity for the Church. Unfortunately, few pastors have the necessary training and expertise to recognize a mental health problem in a congregant, and even fewer have relationships with mental healthcare providers within their communities to which they are willing to make a referral. Thus, when presented with a mentally ill congregant, pastors provide temporary comfort and spiritual guidance, but fail to recognize the more significant and complex underlying mental health issues. As a result, treatment is often delayed, perpetuating suffering and shame both for the individual and his or her family.

Because of the power of Christ within His people, our churches can be sanctuaries for the suffering. 1 Peter 3:8 says, “Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.” God is sending those broken by mental illness to us so they might receive hope and healing. Mental health is the great mission field of the 21st century, and it is time the Church recognized its God-given role. The involvement of the Church in mental health is the missing piece necessary to transform our broken system, making it accessible and even more effective.

4 Reasons the Church Can Assist Those Struggling With Mental Health

Faith communities offer the mental healthcare system four elements it presently lacks: 1) a hope that transcends circumstances; 2) a holistic perspective; 3) accessibility; and 4) the support of a caring community.

Hope is the fuel that drives the engine of mental health recovery. As long as one has hope, there is motivation and opportunity for change. Hopeless people too often just give up. Historically, severe mental illness has been conceptualized as a chronic medical condition in which stability is the best possible outcome for treatment. The hope offered by the mental healthcare system is symptom reduction and illness management. The Church, however, understands that hope is more than a feeling; hope is a person, Jesus Christ. Hope in Christ transcends circumstances and sustains us when the world around us sees the situation as hopeless.

Debate About Sexual Abuse Report Erupts Among SBC Leaders Following Guidepost Solutions’ Pride Month Tweet

By

Dale Chamberlain

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June 7, 2022

guidepost solutions — Screengrab via Twitter

With the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention roughly one week away, tensions are continuing to rise among key SBC leaders regarding the Guidepost Solutions report of how the Executive Committee handled sexual abuse allegations from 2000 to 2021 and the recommended response being put forth by the Sexual Abuse Task Force (SATF) in accordance with the report.

Earlier this week, some SBC leaders raised concerns about how the cost of implementing reforms may affect budgeting constraints for missions. Now leaders are raising alarm bells after Guidepost Solutions tweeted their support for LGBTQ+ Pride Month on Monday (June 6).

“Guidepost is committed to strengthening diversity, equity and inclusion and strives to be an organization where our team can bring their authentic selves to work,” Guidepost’s tweet said above an image featuring pride colors and the organization’s logo. “We celebrate our collective progress toward equality for all and are proud to be an ally to our LGBTQ+ community.”

Guidepost Solutions, whom the SBC Executive Committee tasked with performing an independent third-party investigation, was originally contacted under the direction of former Executive Committee president and CEO Ronnie Floyd and under the advice of sexual abuse survivor advocate Rachael Denhollander.

After Floyd resigned from the Executive Committee following the committee’s decision to waive attorney-client privilege, the Sexual Abuse Task Force, appointed by SBC president Ed Litton, decided to move forward with hiring Guidepost Solutions.

Following the release of the report, the Executive Committee voted to allocate funds to implement suggested reforms. The final decision regarding how the SBC moves forward in light of the report will be determined, in large part, by the votes of SBC messengers at the annual meeting in Anaheim, California, next week.

Guidepost Solutions has established itself as a reputable independent third-party investigator for organizations seeking to uncover failures of policy and institutional structures, including Christian organizations, having also performed an investigation about sexual harassment claims within Christianity Today.

Nevertheless, Guidepost Solutions’ affirmation of Pride Month was enough to give some SBC leaders pause about implementing any of their suggested reforms, particularly those leaders who were already reticent or reluctant to begin with.

“Hey, SBC! You might want to consider this as you contemplate adopting the solutions they offer our convention,” tweeted Texas SBC pastor Tom Buck. “Not sure their voice should be listened to by any Christian organization. They don’t hold a biblical worldview and their recommendations reflect that.”

Former Executive Committee member Rod Martin also tweeted with frustration, saying, “Some people will make any excuse whatsoever to hide the fact that they want a bunch of LGBTQIA+ activists to rewrite our ecclesiology.”

German Church Convicts Catholic Ex-Priest of Abusing Boy for Years

By

AP News

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June 7, 2022

German Church — Photo by Eduard Militaru (via Unsplash)

BERLIN (AP) — A Catholic diocese in Germany said Tuesday that a former priest has been convicted in a church trial of sexually abusing a minor over several years almost three decades ago.

The man, who wasn’t identified, was ordered to pay 10% of his income to a charitable organization that helps victims of abuse, the diocese of Limburg said.

While financial payouts have been included in confidential settlements between the church and victims of abuse, the announcement of a financial penalty against a priest as a result of a canonical investigation is unusual.

The male victim had filed a complaint about the abuse in 2018 following the publication of a study into sexual abuse within the church.

German prosecutors declined to open an investigation because the alleged crimes had passed the 20-year statute of limitations, but church authorities launched a probe.

The crimes were committed between 1986 and 1993 in the Limburg diocese.

After receiving a dossier from the diocese, the Vatican asked it to open criminal proceedings.

The diocese said that the church now considers the man to be a convicted sex offender. It said the man would have been defrocked as part of his conviction, but he left the priesthood during the trial.

The verdict can’t be appealed.

The Limburg diocese made news several years ago when Pope Francis removed its bishop following an uproar over his lavish spending on a new residence complex.

His successor became the head of the German Bishops’ Conference, which in 2020 announced a new system to compensate survivors of sexual abuse by clergy with up to 50,000 euros ($58,400) to each.

This article originally appeared here.

Nigerian Forces Hunt for Gunmen Who Killed 50 at Church

By

AP News

-

June 7, 2022

OWO, Nigeria (AP) — The gunmen who killed at least 50 people at a Catholic church in southwestern Nigeria opened fire on worshipers both inside and outside the building in a coordinated attack before escaping the scene, authorities and witnesses said Monday.

Although Nigerian security forces have not yet identified who carried out Sunday’s attack on St. Francis Church in the town of Owo in relatively peaceful Ondo state, analysts suggested they came from elsewhere in the West African nation, which is plagued by violence from various armed groups, kidnappers and extremists.

No one has claimed responsibility for the church killings, in which children were among the dead and the gunmen detonated some kind of explosive, according to witnesses. A state lawmaker from the region said the death toll was at least 50, and scores of people were wounded, although an exact number was not released by overwhelmed hospital workers.

“The attack is undoubtedly terrorist in nature, and the scale and brutality suggests it was carefully planned rather than impulsive,” said Eric Humphery-Smith, senior Africa analyst at Verisk Maplecroft risk intelligence company, in an interview with The Associated Press.

State Police Commissioner Oyeyemi Oyediran said security forces, including the military, pursued the attackers, “but unfortunately, we could not catch up with them.”

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and other government officials visited the church Monday. A day earlier, he pledged that “we will keep standing against evil, and Nigeria will win.”

Nigeria, which is Africa’s most populous country with 206 million people, has grappled for over a decade with an insurgency in the northeast by Islamic extremist rebels of Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province. The extremists, who have killed more than 35,000 people by a U.N. count, are fighting to establish Shariah law and to stop Western education.

Ondo, however, has long been considered one of the safer states in the country.

Sunday Adewale, who works in the palace of the local chief, said the gunmen used the element of surprise to their advantage.

“Everybody felt relaxed and had gone to church,” he said. “Within 30 minutes, they did what they wanted and went away.”

The attack came as worshippers were celebrating the feast of Pentecost, an important Catholic post-Easter holiday. Bishop Jude Arogundade said some gunmen entered the church while others stayed outside to shoot anyone who fled.

The priest celebrating the Mass was giving the blessing to end the service when the attackers came in and opened fire, said John Nwovo, 35, who added that he narrowly escaped with his five children by running and hiding in the church’s sacristy, along with more than 30 people.

“We had to pack ourselves inside that place to take refuge from the storm,” he told AP.

Faith Leaders, Labor Advocates Push for White House Meeting on Poverty

By

Jack Jenkins

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June 7, 2022

WASHINGTON (RNS) — Faith-led advocacy group the Poor People’s Campaign is pushing for a broad-based meeting with President Joe Biden to discuss poverty, arguing the White House has not adequately responded to requests for a summit despite the president endorsing the group while running for office and speaking at their events.

Speaking at National City Christian Church in downtown Washington on Monday (June 6), the Rev. William Barber, a Disciples of Christ minister and the group’s co-chair, called on Biden to meet with the Poor People’s Campaign to discuss poverty and the plight of low-wage workers.

“Why don’t poor people get the same audience in the Oval Office that corporations get?” asked Barber, a prominent anti-poverty advocate who preached at Biden’s inaugural prayer service.

The Rev. Liz Theoharis, a Presbyterian minister and fellow campaign co-chair, echoed Barber in her own remarks. She pushed for a meeting with the president before declaring that “when we lift from the bottom, everybody can rise.”

The pair was followed by the Rev. Melanie Mullen, a priest and denominational official who delivered a message on behalf of Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop the Rev. Michael Curry, and Rabbi Jonah Pesner, senior vice president of the Union for Reform Judaism.

“We join the call to President Biden and his administration with a demand: to meet with those whose voices need to be heard,” said Pesner, speaking via Zoom.

Representatives for the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Monday’s event marks the third time the Poor People’s Campaign, which advocates for liberal-leaning economic policies, has publicly requested a summit on poverty at the White House. The group released a public letter detailing their hopes for an event with the president that includes faith leaders, impoverished people, labor groups and economists.

“The (Poor People’s Campaign) delegation to the White House would be made up of Black, low-wage medical workers, white farmers, Latino meat plant workers, Indigenous fast food workers from Mississippi to Massachusetts to North Carolina to New York to Kansas to Kentucky to Texas to California to Illinois to Georgia,” read a separate statement from the group.

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