Rehab for the Fault-Finding Addicts We’ve Become

By

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April 20, 2022

thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

There is a lot of faultfinding in the world these days. The problem with the world, it seems, is other people. Many have given up loving one another for the sake of “othering” one another instead.

It starts in our hearts. We have our list of concerns, the echo chambers we are part of, and our ideological tribes that bring us “together” in condemnation of a common enemy. When outrage becomes our norm, we lose focus on the matter of ultimate concern — namely, organizing our lives around the agenda of Jesus as opposed to fixating on how “the other” is failing to do so.

What is the agenda of Jesus? That we love God with our whole selves and our neighbor as ourselves.

Who is our neighbor? Jesus said we must start with our ideological and political enemies to find the answer to this question. A Jew and a Samaritan in the same story, where one is helpless and “the other” comes to his aid. Ideological differences are put aside in deference to human dignity. Culture wars are laid to rest in deference to loving neighbor as self. End of story. Now go and do likewise.

Whenever we de-center neighbor love as Jesus defined it (again, think Samaritans serving Jews) we also de-center him as our Lord. As we do so, we declare our opposition to the only Kingdom inside of which cultural enemies can learn to love one another. Consider, for example, how Matthew the tax collector and Simon the anti-taxation zealot were both among Jesus’ twelve disciples. They lived and died together while ministering together, as brothers. Incidentally, they were also both sharply rebuked by Jesus for wanting to call fire down on a Samaritan village (see Luke 9).

In 21st century America, we fancy calling down fire on other people. When we do, we become disciples of another kind as we turn partisanship into our new doctrine, pundits into our new prophets, and politicians into our new Jesus. This happens on both sides of the aisle. It happens when we are glad about who is in power and when we are not. This unholy trinity is failing us as a society and, wherever it gains a foothold, as the Body of Christ. Our Christian “will to love” gets usurped by a Christ-less “will to power,” proving Nietzsche’s theory that when we fixate on gaining power over our ideological enemies more than we fixate on loving our ideological enemies, God becomes functionally dead to us.

We remain, in Christ, one Body with many members. But fixing our eyes on Washington instead of Jesus will lead us to dis-member one another over time. The solid ground of our fellowship through union with Christ will become like eggshells under our feet. We will bite and devour, shame and cancel, attack and un-friend…and Jesus will lose visibility in our midst.

The solution is to repent and reverse course by renouncing the unholy trinity (partisanship, pundits, and politicians as our preferred doctrine, prophets, and saviors) because the Kingdom of our Jesus is decidedly not of this world.

Neither progressivism nor conservatism, neither activism nor pacifism, neither moral outrage nor moral restraint, neither wokeness nor anti-wokeness, neither favorite pundits nor favorite preachers, count for anything. What counts is faith expressing itself through love.

As Shakespeare reminds us, the fault is not in our stars but in ourselves.

Chesterton was allegedly asked, “What’s wrong with the world.” His answer? “I am.”

Can we start there? None of us can boast of having the moral high ground. This is why we all need Jesus, and sorely so. We are his chosen people, not his choice people.

May we grieve the logs in our own eyes more than we grieve the specks in other people’s eyes. Only then will we have moral authority to speak meaningfully and persuasively to the specks that are elsewhere. Only then will we cease to be fruitless, clanging cymbals. May we get back to Matthew 18 (when we’ve been wronged) and Mark 5 (when we’ve done wrong) as our strategy for engaging conflict. Lastly, may we cease behaving as if Washington is the nexus for the Kingdom of God. It is not.

Hopefully, the following thoughts will provide helpful guidance for how to get started.

Culture-weary, but still hopeful in Christ,

Scott

Once in a sermon, the great Baptist preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, spoke strongly against owning slaves. In that sermon, he said about the emancipator William Wilberforce:

“Not so very long ago our nation tolerated slavery in our colonies. Philanthropists endeavored to destroy slavery; but when was it utterly abolished? It was when Wilberforce roused the church of God, and when the church of God addressed herself to the conflict, then she tore the evil thing to pieces. I have been amused with what Wilberforce said the day after they passed the Act of Emancipation. He merrily said to a friend when it was all done, ‘Is there not something else we can abolish?’ That was said playfully, but it shows the spirit of the church of God. She lives in conflict and victory; her mission is to destroy everything that is bad in the land. “(The Best Warcry, March 4, 1883)

Another great British thinker, CS Lewis, said that Christianity, too, is a fighting religion. Just as Jesus loved the world by combatting evil in the world, his followers will do the same. Advancing the good includes “picking fights” with everything that threatens and diminishes the good.

But before we are ready to fight the wrong out there…

The Fault In Ourselves

In Julius Caesar, Shakespeare’s Cassius says, “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.” It is easy to look around and identify things that are wrong with the world and with others. But Jesus directs us to look first at ourselves. Before we can effectively address the fault in our stars, we must face the fault in ourselves.

“Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:3-5)

Scripture highlights a universal truth about the human condition: None of us is what we should be. Whether a short temper, a lustful eye, a haughty heart, a lying tongue, or some combination of these and other issues, each of us lives with a sickness of the soul – a sickness that keeps us from loving God as we are meant to love him.

When the body is sick, we who desire health will attack the sickness in multiple ways. We take our medicine, do our exercises, get plenty of rest, eat healthy, and whatever else the medical professionals tell us we must do. Similarly, sickness of the soul requires focus, energy, and action. It also requires honesty about the seriousness of our condition. The soul that is not carefully tended to—the soul whose health is not consistently fought for—will erode spiritually, emotionally, relationally, and in every other way. This is why the fight against the wrong in us is a most important and necessary fight. Emotionally intelligent and spiritually healthy people answer the question, “What’s wrong with the world?” in the same way that Chesterton is said to have answered the same:

“I am.”

Our love for God is diminished wherever we are willing to dismiss or disobey him. And when we dismiss or disobey God, we don’t merely go against him; we also go against ourselves…because our enjoyment of his love – of that love we can never lose because no one, not even ourselves, is able to snatch us out of his hands (John 10:28) – is intimately connected to our enjoyment of his law.

To see the law of Christ fulfilled,
to hear his pardoning voice
turns a slave into a child
and duty into choice.

Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments…I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you…And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him…If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words…Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you…Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:15-27)

Boundaries > Dysfunction

Jesus has not left us as orphans. He has come to us, he has come for us…and his love can never be taken from us once we have received it through faith in Jesus. As my long-time friend and gospel sage Scotty Smith likes to say, “God cannot love us more, and he will not love us less.” But as in any romantic relationship, the enjoyment and full manifestation of God’s love will happen in a setting of mutual surrender. In Jesus, God has fully surrendered himself to our deepest need – the need to be forgiven, loved, restored, and made new. And when our heart’s cry becomes, “LORD, your wish is our command,” these truths about his love become more than truths – they also become experiential.

Imagine a loving wife who, after discovering that her husband is seeing another woman, begins to withhold intimacy from him. She simply cannot live with an arrangement in which she shares her husband’s affections with another.

The husband, not wanting to lose the benefits of having her as his wife—for he still enjoys her company, is attracted to her, and enjoys having access to her trust fund—begs her to reconsider. He reminds her of the flowers he has given to her, of the weekly date night that he has never missed, and of how often he affirms her with his words. Every now and again, he will even pull out a guitar and sing a love song to her.

The husband reasons with her, “The other woman only gets 10% of me and you get 90%. Doesn’t that count for something? Isn’t 90% enough for you? Why would you withhold the experience of your warmth, affection and smile from me when I’m 90% committed to you?”

Because she is a healthy wife and not dysfunctional, she calmly responds, “When you give 90% to me and 10% to her, do you know what that makes you? It makes you 100% unfaithful. If you’re not going to give me all of you—if you are bent on keeping a girl on the side, and have no intention to fight against that urge—then I have no choice but to withhold intimacy, to withhold the invitation, “This is my body, given for you…” from you. Integrity to our covenant demands that I not share my bed or warm affection with you under these conditions. When your lips are close to me but your heart is far from me, when you share a bed with a mistress with no intent to turn from her and toward me, I have to keep my distance. This is for your sake as well as mine.”

“It’s Not You…It’s Me”

In times when God seems distant, when I struggle to connect with him, when I find my heart wanting to avoid him – it is sometimes helpful to ask myself (and also the people around me), “Am I actually chasing a mistress? Is there something or someone – other than Jesus – that has me around the neck, that has become my true north and my controlling center, my deeper desire and passion, the functional love of my life? Is there a ‘must have,’ an obsession or an addiction – whether physiological or emotional – the applause of others…the urge to eat, or shop, or monitor social media, or make money, or control things excessively…the urge to gossip and complain and tear down instead of building up…might there be a cause / effect relationship between one or more of these things and my spiritual malaise? Might it be because I remain unmoved by, passive about, and are unwilling to fight against, a known fault that is in myself?”

Sometimes these are questions worth considering. Because as it says in Proverbs 7, all forms of adultery – physical, emotional and spiritual – rob God of the affection owed solely to him, and rob me of surrender’s joy.

“Be attentive to the words of my mouth. Let not your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths, for many a victim has she laid low, and all her slain are a mighty throng. Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.” (Proverbs 7:24-27)

Conversely, falling into the arms of God is the path of life and fullness:

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11)

Because God put Jesus away on the cross, he will never put us away.

Isn’t this enough reason to set our hearts on “forsaking all others” – to the end that his wish becomes our command, and his face becomes more compelling to us than his hand?

This fight against the fault in ourselves…it’s a worthwhile fight.

This article originally appeared here.

To Share Your Faith You Should Mark Your New Testament

By

JDPayne

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April 20, 2022

I frequently train others that you share your faith using a marked New Testament. While this is not the only model for evangelism, it is a simple way to equip churches to communicate the gospel. It requires no memorization of Bible verses, prayers, or scripts. As Charles Brock often stated, “What God’s Word says is more powerful and effective than anything I could ever say about God’s Word.” A marked New Testament allows the Word to speak for itself as one shares it with another person.

Often the model uses Romans 3:23; 6:23; 5:8; and 10:9 & 13. People write Romans 3:23 and the corresponding page number near the front cover of their Bibles. When sharing the gospel, they open the cover, see the page number, and turn to Romans 3:23. Once they arrive at the passage, the text is underlined and Romans 6:23 (with the corresponding page number) is written in the margin. After sharing the initial verse, the person turns to the page on which Romans 6:23 is found.

The process repeats itself, generally concluding with a “Sinner’s Prayer” written in the back cover of the Bible.

Share Your Faith Using a Marked New Testament

While cleaning out my mother’s house, I recently came across my grandmother’s Bible. I was surprised and encouraged to see that someone had taught her how to use the New Testament to share your faith.

While the verses found there include more than the “Roman Road” and do not follow precisely the paradigm I just described, it is a variation on the model.

If you do not have a Marked New Testament in your evangelism toolbox to share your faith, add it now. It is a simple way to share the gospel without memorization and with simple prompts written in the margins. If you already use this model, be sure to train others how to use it too. Church members frequently state they do not know what to share with someone. A marked New Testament is a simple tool that helps alleviate their concern.

This article about how to share your faith originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

Pastoral Leadership: 4 Essential Behaviors for Success

By

Charles Stone

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April 20, 2022

I began serving as Lead Pastor in Canada almost nine years ago at a great church West Park Church. I began to practice four essential behaviors that helped me get a good start and experience some early leadership success. I believe leaders would do well to practice these four behaviors for success.

4 Essential Behaviors for Success

1. Communicate often and well.

A new pastor must gain the trust of those he leads. One way to build that trust comes through effective and regular communication. People want to know what’s going on. If they don’t, they will connect dots that don’t exist. Here’s what I did (and do) to maximize communication.

- - I send a short weekly staff report to our board appraising them of our staff’s weekly activities. We answer these three questions each week.
Listen and learn.
- In my first message when I arrived in Canada I communicated to the church that I had much to learn. I told them that during the first few months I would listen and learn by asking lots of questions. I held listening sessions with over 100 people asking them about the history and the strengths/weaknesses of the church. I asked many of those people these four questions.
- - Would you tell me about yourself?
  - What’s going well here (this parallels one of the above questions)?
  - What’s not going well?
  - If you were in my shoes, what would you focus on?
Wisely manage change.
- When a new leader or pastor arrives, he or she often falsely assumes that the organization/church expects dramatic and quick change. Sometimes circumstances warrant such change if something is ‘on fire.’ Often, however, a leader must build trust before the church will receive dramatic changes. That doesn’t mean that we don’t bring change, however. It’s important that a new leader secures some early wins which requires some change. That in itself fosters trust. But, whether or not you are a new leader, thoughtfully managed change will bring the greatest lasting change.
Keep healthy margins.
- I heard someone once say that at the end of each day, the average number of items left to do exceeds 30. This side of heaven we can always find more tasks to fill our time. In my first few months it was difficult to keep consistently healthy margins. When I arrived we were significantly short staffed so I had to take up some of the slack. I realized, though, that I couldn’t maintain the pace I was running. So, to keep myself and my family healthy, I practiced these ‘margin keepers.’

1. 1. I didn’t say yes to everybody that wanted to meet with me. I learned to politely say no.
  2. I asked the board to handle some of the tasks staff otherwise might have handled.
  3. I made my time more productive. I sometimes took an afternoon or two outside the office where I could minimize interruptions and maximize productivity.

What crucial behaviors for success have helped you?

This article on essential behaviors for success originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

Why Grace Is Important in Every Youth Ministry Program

By

Cameron Cole

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April 19, 2022

Recently, the priority of the Gospel of grace in youth ministry has become a battle cry. Through my involvement with Rooted, I’ve interacted with many youth workers who share this passion for ministry anchored in the Gospel. They express several reasons for their conviction of why grace is important.

Why Grace Is Important: Reasons to Emphasize the Gospel of Grace

Some wave this banner out of principle. Their theological tradition emphasizes biblical teaching and Gospel proclamation. They believe the church’s primary function is to declare that Jesus died and rose for sinners. This convicted crowd takes pride in pronouncing at every gathering why grace is important.

As a result, this camp tends to keep youth ministry grounded. They promote grace-driven ministry not because it’s attractive or because it personally helped them. Instead, they advocate for the Gospel of grace because it’s the Bible’s core theme.

Others preach grace in the name of reform. They were raised in legalistic religious environments that wounded them. This crowd sat through high-pressure exhortations centered on behavior modification, mainly premarital sex and drinking. Rarely did they hear about forgiveness and unconditional love.

Many of those people had a burnout or meltdown. And they link it to their moralistic spiritual upbringing. The message of why grace is important has healed their wounds and freed them from the performance treadmill. These folks long for a better experience for young people in their flock. Above all, they passionately want kids to know why grace is important.

The reform crowd brings a passion for the Gospel to youth ministry. They remind us of the burden and despair teenagers commonly carry. Then they push us to care for kids by reminding them why grace is important.

But the cry for grace hasn’t come only from reformers and theological purists. Another camp makes a strong argument for Gospel-centered ministry on pragmatic grounds. What do I mean? Simply put, many church leaders promote grace-saturated ministry because it works.

Research Into Grace-Filled Youth Ministry

Researchers identify Gospel clarity as one of the most important practices of youth ministries for helping students remain faithful to Jesus and the church after high school. In their multi-year, longitudinal study, Fuller Youth Institute’s College Transition Project identified a student’s understanding of grace as a key indicator of long-term sustainability as a Christian.

‘The Chosen’ Director Responds to Billboard Backlash: ‘I Was Wrong and I Want To Genuinely Ask For Your Forgiveness’

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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April 19, 2022

“The Chosen” director Dallas Jenkins took to Facebook Live to apologize for the show’s latest billboard marketing campaign that misled a handful of fans.

Billboards around the United States promoting “The Chosen” appeared to be defaced. Graffiti-like art crossed out words and persuaded people to visit a website titled “ChosenSux.com,” which took them to a site called “The Chosen Is Not Good.”

The show’s marketing team is behind the site, which features a satirical video that includes Satan teaching demons how to get people not to watch “The Chosen.” Additionally the site has a link titled “Don’t download the FREE chosen app,” but takes a person to the app to stream the show and also has a link to an online game called “disciples invaders game” where Satan’s head shoots characters who play the disciples in the show.

The b illboards also appeared to be graffitied with sayings like, “Come and see Poopy butts,” “The Chosen is boring,” and “Binge Salad (gross).”

Fans of “The Chosen” were duped into thinking the defaced billboards were the work of a hate group targeting the show’s wildly successful viewing audience.

Comments like, “How sad…what is wrong with people…why are they so afraid of God..??? This series literally saved my life the past year…I am so grateful I found it…Love it so much,” and “There will always be haters, even for the son of man. Sad as this may sound but our faith has withstood more than the emotions of people that are lost with their hate. Not only does this make our faith stronger but gives us more drive and purpose to spread the good word.”

The show later shared that it was actually behind the billboards and that they were an effort to get those who hadn’t yet seen the show to give it a try. “As you may have heard, these billboards are one part of a larger marketing campaign that launched yesterday,” a tweet from the show’s Twitter account read.

Before livestreaming episodes seven and eight from season one, Jenkins addressed the reasoning behind the marketing campaign. Jenkins explained that the show’s new campaign was intended to be “a bit of this reverse psychology,” like Chick-fil-A ads featuring cows telling people to eat more chicken.

After sharing the thought behind the video, Jenkins told their fans, “We made a big mistake. I made a big mistake, and I want to apologize to you who are watching who saw those billboards is a core passionate, loyal fan of the show, and felt defensive of the show.”

The fans’ passion for “The Chosen” is great, he said. Many “didn’t know that this was us didn’t know that this was part of a marketing campaign and the reason you didn’t know is because we didn’t tell you and we told you too late.”

“In retrospect, last night, I was up very late, stressed about the fact that I screwed up and there’s no excuse for it,” Jenkins said, apologizing to fans.

Easter Points to Signs of Hope After Two Hard Years of COVID and Unrest

By

Ed Stetzer

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April 19, 2022

Despite what you might have seen on social media, the Christian faith is not about a political party or a particular nation. In reality, the Christian faith is rooted in a cosmic story throughout history of a God who creates and redeems. It is a story of a God who sees our suffering, our rebellion and our lostness and responds in love.

And at the center of this story is Easter. It is where God fulfills his promises of victory through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is both of these events—Good Friday and Easter Sunday—that together capture God’s abiding love for his creation. On Good Friday, Christians celebrate God’s victory over the brokenness of our world through Christ’s death on the cross.

Just looking around, we see the effects of sin on our world. Hostility, suffering and oppression are so prevalent today, yet the Christian hope is that all these scourges are defeated through Jesus’ death on the cross.

On Easter Sunday, Christians celebrate Jesus’ resurrection as victory over death itself. Through his resurrection, Jesus offers eternal life to those who believe in him.

In a pandemic season where both the brokenness of this world and the pain of death have been lived realities for many, Easter is the story of God’s love that transcends even seemingly insurmountable loss.

So when a Christian invites you to church services for Easter, it’s because of the belief that there is no better news than the good news, or the “gospel.”

That’s the hope we have in Jesus to forgive sin and free our hearts to love God and others.

In other words: It’s a story that Christians believe we must tell.

Church During COVID Pandemic

For the past two years, COVID-19 has forced the church to find new means of telling this story. In 2020, when the pandemic was still fresh and restrictions necessarily high, fewer churches held Easter services in the United States than ever.

Just before Easter 2020, only 3% of regular attendees said they planned to attend in-person services, according to one study, though 61% planned to watch online or on TV.

Though in-person attendance increased to 39% by last year, churches continued to struggle with celebrating Easter face to face.

With recent surveys suggesting that 62% of U.S. Christians could attend Easter services Sunday, and 1 in 10 of those who are religiously unaffiliated plan to do so as well, it appears we are returning to a sense of normalcy. And church leaders cannot wait to again tell the story of Easter.

Celebration Church Pastor Announces Resignation Amid Bitter Legal Dispute

By

Jessica Lea

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April 19, 2022

Stovall Weems, who on Jan. 7 was suspended as the senior pastor of Celebration Church in Jacksonville, Fla., announced on Instagram Monday night that he was resigning from his positions at the church effective immediately. Weems’ resignation comes in the middle of a bitter legal dispute with Celebration Church.

“Hello, Friends,” said the caption of a post on the Instagram account for Stovall Weems and his wife, Kerri. “We wanted you to hear directly from us about our recent decision, made on Friday, April 15, to separate and resign from Celebration Church of Jacksonville (CCJ).”

The post is an image of a letter from Stovall Weems addressed to Celebration Church’s trustees, directors and officers. In it, he states he is resigning as the church’s senior pastor, president and CEO, chair and member of the board of trustees, and registered agent.

Stovall Weems: Resignation Won’t Impact Legal Claims

Stovall Weems, who with Kerri founded Celebration Church in 1998, said that he has “spent much time in prayer and received counsel from other pastors here in the city, the region, and around the world. The Trustees’ actions lead me and my family with no choice but to legally separate from CCJ and continue our ministry elsewhere, placing ourselves under the proper accountability and oversight of a council of apostolic pastors and elders in our city, nation, and world that understand and model biblical governance.”

Celebration Church’s leadership, alleges Weems, has abandoned “the clear biblical principles and scriptural qualifications for spiritual covering, spiritual authority, and ecclesiastical governance and oversight.”

Stovall Weems was suspended as pastor of Celebration Church in January due to “possible improper financial practices and/or failure to fulfill duties and responsibilities.” On Feb. 23, Stovall and Kerri Weems filed a lawsuit for injunctive relief against the church, making requests that include the restoration of their base salary, benefits and back pay and the restoration of the status quo to what it was when the church suspended Weems.

Celebration Church responded with a motion to dismiss the injunction, alleging that it “presents the latest chapter in a campaign of deception, manipulation, distraction, and abuse of power by Stovall and Kerri Weems against Celebration.”

Hillsong Boston Pastor Josh Kimes Announces ‘Difficult Decision’ to Resign

By

Stephanie Martin

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April 19, 2022

After almost a year in the spotlight, Hillsong Boston co-pastors Josh and Leona Kimes are departing the global megachurch. “While it’s never been in our plans to leave Hillsong,” Josh Kimes wrote Monday on social media, “we’ve made the difficult decision to resign as we know God is directing our steps to walk confidently and humbly into the unknown and trust Him to open the right door and plant us somewhere new.”

The couple, who helped build the now-embattled Hillsong New York City, say they appreciate prayers as they “carefully consider what’s next.” Josh Kimes also apologizes if he ever hurt anyone as a leader, and he praises his wife’s bravery and resilience.

Hillsong Boston Pastor Josh Kimes Commends Courage of Wife, Leona

Last spring, Leona Kimes accused former Hillsong NYC pastor Carl Lentz of sexual abuse, saying the misconduct occurred during the seven years she served as the family’s nanny. Lentz, who was fired for moral failures in November 2020, denies the allegations. But last week, a leaked report of an independent investigation revealed rampant abuse by Lentz, partly attributed to a “lack of oversight.”

Kimes described feeling “trapped and silenced” by Lentz’s unwanted sexual advances. Investigators said the power imbalance between the two made it “unlikely that Leona was capable of achieving the distance necessary to exercise true choice.” The report mentions that Laura Lentz punched Leona Kimes in the face after catching Carl and Leona together. A rep for Carl and Laura Lentz has labeled various claims “libelous” and “rooted in lies and misinformation.”

In Monday’s resignation post, Josh Kimes describes Leona as “kind, confident & courageous,” adding, “She’s the bravest woman I know.” He continues: “What it takes for anyone to speak up against any form of abuse is painful, lonely & costly & comes at a price I wouldn’t wish on anyone, especially when it’s public.” Josh commends his wife for choosing “love, humility, resilience & personal growth” over “hate & bitterness toward those who’ve abused, hurt, judged, lied [and] tried to shame & silence her.”

Departing Pastors Still Love ‘Broken but Beautiful’ Hillsong

While at Hillsong Boston, Josh Kimes faced allegations of overworking staff members and volunteers. Two years ago, former volunteer Tiffany Perez said she received just $150 per week to babysit, dog-sit, and clean for the family.

In his lengthy post, Josh Kimes writes, “I’m deeply sorry that many have been hurt a long [sic] the way. I apologize for any part my leadership has played in that hurt by perpetuating a culture that at times valued the building of the church at the expense of those building it.”

London Street Preacher Acquitted of Hate Speech After Preaching Biblical Definition of Marriage

By

Dale Chamberlain

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April 19, 2022

72-year-old street preacher John Sherwood has been cleared of charges of hate speech, a year after an incident in which he was arrested after preaching the traditional definition of marriage in an open air sermon near London’s Uxbridge Underground Station in April 2021. Sherwood, who serves as pastor of Penn Free Methodist Church in north London, was preaching from the book of Genesis.

“God’s design in creating mankind was to set human beings in families, headed by a father and a mother, not by two fathers or by two mothers. The distinction within mankind of just two genders, male and female, made in the image of God, constitutes the essence of God’s created order,” Sherwood said in the sermon.

Police arrived on the scene in response to multiple complaints of “alarm and distress.” Officers warned Sherwood to avoid making any homophobic remarks.

In response, Sherwood told the police that “to uphold God’s moral law and to speak about the dangers of sin in respect of LGBT issues implies absolutely no hatred or unpleasantness towards any individual or group of people. Indeed, it is an act of love to one’s neighbor. Nevertheless, the Bible’s description of homosexuality as sinful is plain and clear-cut.”

Pointing out that the LGBTQ Pride parade taking place nearby was affirming beliefs that Christians would find offensive, Sherwood argued that there is no law against offending people. Sherwood then resumed preaching. After bystanders began voicing their displeasure with his message, officers stepped in and took Sherwood into custody.

During the arrest, which was caught on camera, police and Sherwood can be seen engaged in a mild physical altercation, but Sherwood was ultimately taken into custody without serious incident. While Sherwood was released without charges after being held overnight, he was later charged in September 2021.

“I wasn’t making any homophobic comments. I was just defining marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman. I was only saying what the Bible says. I wasn’t wanting to hurt anyone or cause offense,” Sherwood said after his initial arrest. “I was doing what my job description says, which is to preach the gospel in open air as well as in a church building.”

During the trial, Sherwood’s defense centered on Article 10 of the 1998 Human Rights Act, which guarantees freedom of expression.

“This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority,” the article says.

SBC Executive Committee To Hold Special Called Meeting

By

Brandon Porter

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April 19, 2022

NASHVILLE (BP) – Chairman Rolland Slade announced Monday (April 18) that the SBC Executive Committee will hold a special called meeting Thursday, April 28. The meeting is being called primarily to discuss the relocation of the 2023 SBC Annual Meeting currently slated to be held June 13-14, 2023, in Charlotte, N.C.

“The good news is the attendance at the annual meeting is trending up, which is the primary reason for the move,” Slade said. “The footprint or space needed to hold our meeting is significantly larger than back in 2016 when the city was chosen.”

Charlotte was confirmed as the 2023 host city by messengers to the 2016 SBC Annual Meeting in St. Louis. Since that meeting, however, attendance at the annual event has grown, which means the 280,000-square-foot Charlotte Convention Center is not large enough to host the event, which is expected to draw more than 15,000 attendees. Space requirements for hosting an SBC annual meeting now exceed 400,000 square feet.

With the city unable to fulfill its commitments, the SBC Executive Committee has a duty to secure a replacement city per the SBC Constitution. The replacement city is slated to be New Orleans.

“I imagine the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina is going to be disappointed, yet at the same time be understanding,” Slade said. “We are not second guessing the decisions made in the past. We are trying carry out our duty to have the annual meeting be successful and comfortable for all who will attend.”

Todd Unzicker, executive director-treasure of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, said North Carolina Baptists “have been excited to host and welcome our national brothers and sisters,” but added that they “understand the challenges presented by the ever-growing number of attendees.”

“It is a good thing that so many Southern Baptists want to be on mission together, and we look forward to joining them in New Orleans,” Unzicker said.

New Orleans last hosted the SBC annual meeting in 2012 – a historic meeting in which Fred Luter was elected SBC president. The meeting would be held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, the same location as the 2012 meeting. The dates for the gathering would not change.

“New Orleans easily meets the four main objectives for a host city,” said Jonathan Howe, vice president for communications for the SBC Executive Committee. “We look for cities with ample space, with available dates, with available hotels, and that are in proximity to Southern Baptists. New Orleans was the only city in the southeast United States that met those criteria just 14 months from the scheduled gathering.”

Howe told Baptist Press that New Orleans boasts more than 4,000 hotel rooms within a 10-minute walk and more than 500,000 square feet of space for events at the convention center – easily meeting the needs of convention attendees and organizers.

Meeting in New Orleans would also mean Southern Baptists from around the country would have the opportunity to visit one of their seminaries – New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

Baptist Leader Helps Train Churches to Reach, Protect Those With Disabilities

By

Timothy Cockes

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April 19, 2022

disabilities — Tom Stolle's (right) journey in caring for his son Jimmy has led to an intentional effort to equip laypeople and churches in the Baptist Convention of Maryland and Delaware for ministering to individuals and families with special needs.

DAGSBORO, Delaware (BP) – For Tom Stolle, associate executive director and chief financial officer for the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware (BCMD), helping equip churches to care for those with disabilities is a deeply personal endeavor. His son, Jimmy, now 20, was born with severe autism.

Stolle’s latest involvement is serving as chair of the state convention’s task force meant to analyze and address sexual abuse. Stolle said part of his reason for wanting to lead the task force is that those with disabilities are at a very high risk to be sexually abused.

He cited research from the Bureau of Justice Statistics that states the rate of rape and sexual assault against individuals with disabilities is 7 times the rate of those without disability. According to the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, more than 90 percent of people with intellectual disabilities will experience sexual abuse at some point in their lives.

“What these statistics mean for someone like my son is that it’s not a matter of if, it’s almost a matter of when,” Stolle said.

“People should experience the love of God and who God is within the Church. They should not experience things that would make them think that God does not love them and that the Church does not care about them. If they are not protected and these things happen to them, these are the things they experience. The Church needs to be better than that, and that’s what I want.”

His passion for educating churches about special needs ministry comes from his own journey with Jimmy. Despite the many blessings Stolle said his family has experienced, the road has been challenging and unexpected.

“In all the things we discussed when preparing to have a third child, the thought of disability entering into our lives was just something that never occurred to us,” Stolle said.

Jimmy’s autism caused serious developmental disorders. To this day, he remains nonverbal.

Stolle and his wife Shelley became accustomed to their routine of caring for Jimmy, but the teenage years brought an unexpected danger.

The onset of hormones combined with Jimmy’s autism would frequently elicit violent outbursts from Jimmy, in which he would scratch and hit his parents. Stolle described the attacks as severe and sometimes lasting up to an hour.

The episodes went on for several years, and the Stolles still bear physical scars from them. But Stolle said he and Shelly never responded with violence against Jimmy.

The road was hard, but one place the family was able to find some relief and encouragement is through their church – High Tide Church in Dagsboro, Del.

Why Leaning Into the Beauty and Power of the Church, at Its Best, Matters

By

Dan Reiland

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April 19, 2022

When you think of the church, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind?

To a large degree, your answer has a dramatic impact on how you lead, perhaps even on how you pursue God.

I love the Church, even with its flaws.

That’s the two-sided tension. God is perfect; we are not.

The Church is imperfect, so there will always be problems to solve, but if we’re not careful, we’ll only see the problems because, as leaders, it’s our responsibility to solve them.

There are problems to solve, and as leaders, we must solve them. However, we must also lift our eyes above the problems to see the beauty and power of the church at its best, to remember where we are headed and why.

We tend to see what we look for and focus on, so it’s important not to allow human imperfection to blind us from the beauty of the Church as God designed it to be.

The source of beauty in the Church is the eternal nature of God’s unending love and Jesus’ selfless sacrifice for our redemption.

We see the beauty in things such as:

Grace
Compassion
Forgiveness
Generosity
Sacrifice
Kindness

The source of the power in the Church (the body of Christ) is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father sent in Jesus’ name. (John 14:26)

We see that power in action through things such as:

Spiritual wisdom far beyond our own.
Transformation to new life
Answers to prayer
Communities, cities, and countries impacted for good
Miraculous intervention

See the Church as God intended:

His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. (Ephesians 3:10-12)

As you read through the five points, take a moment of reflection for two things:

What are the areas in which you can thank God for His presence and power in your church?
What one area might your church step up for an even stronger ministry?

1. In Its Purest Form, the Church Seeks Nothing for Itself.

When you see the church as Jesus sees it (The Father’s love, redemption, unified community, and hope), you know the potential. You see only problems when you see the church through conflict, hurt, disappointment, or even cynicism.

The nature of God’s love and the example of Jesus’ life seeks nothing for self. That may seem way out of reach for us, yet, that is our example.

Let’s look at an obvious and practical illustration.

Extraordinary Acts of Love in Ukraine, Directed at the Most Vulnerable – Children and Orphans

By

Heather Dyer

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April 19, 2022

A “dark historical first.” That is how James Elder, a spokesperson for UNICEF, described United Nations data from last month revealing that children were making up nearly half of the refugees who had fled Ukraine since the war began. Since that time, things have only gotten darker. Multiple sources reported that Manuel Fontaine, UNICEF’s emergency programs director, just a few days ago said that having 4.8 million of Ukraine’s 7.5 million children displaced in such a short time was “something he hadn’t before seen happen so quickly in 31 years of humanitarian work.”

With men ages 18-60 needing to stay in-country to be part of the resistance, families have been separated at an escalating speed, and most are uncertain as to whether they will ever be reunited. Even as mothers and children head towards safety, fathers have been left behind, tears in their eyes, as they watch those dearest to their hearts seek safety.

“Today is the hardest and most difficult day for me,” said Maksim, as he watches his wife and young son head out of Uzhgorod. “I have to hold back tears in the presence of my wife. I understand this is all for a while, but how long? Will I be able to see them again? It’s very painful and difficult, but I make these decisions for their life and good.”

Tragically, Maksim’s story is not unique for Ukrainian families in the midst of the current crisis. It’s estimated that more than 4.7 million people have been forced to flee Ukraine in the past seven weeks, many leaving behind husbands and fathers to defend their country’s freedom.

For many of us working in the child welfare and orphan care space, we know from past crises that this kind of temporary family separation puts children at an increased risk of being permanently separated from their families. Women who were forced to leave their husbands behind struggle to provide for their children as refugees in a foreign country, and poverty leads to increased risks for their children, including some of these women making the impossible choice to place their children in an orphanage to meet their needs. Residential care facilities like orphanages may be able to provide for physical needs like food, water, and shelter, but they can’t provide all of the developmental, social, and emotional support a child fleeing a war-torn country will require to thrive long-term.

Inside Ukraine, efforts are being made to bring a semblance of order into a very chaotic reality.

Nikolai Kuleba, former Child Ombudsman (Minister of Children’s Rights) of Ukraine, coordinates a large-scale national effort to evacuate tens of thousands of children and families to neighboring Poland. As Nikolai and his team work through the logistics of transporting, housing, and providing food and water for hundreds of children and families at a time, he can only respond this way when asked how he is doing: “I am not safe if Ukraine’s children are not safe.”

In the western part of Ukraine, Jane and Barbara run a family restoration center called the Ark that is seen as a model for care by the Ukrainian government. For years, the Ark has been caring for children and working with biological parents by providing support services that will help them reunite with their children. After the outbreak of the war, Barbara and the rest of the Ark staff moved the children to a bomb shelter for safety where they stayed for eight days — no daylight, no showers. They have since evacuated to a temporary shelter in Germany as they figure out their next steps. The ongoing destruction of homes and livelihood for vulnerable families makes the possibility of reunification for these children even more challenging.

In the eastern part of the country, Petr and Tamara are helping to evacuate families from the war zone while caring for the many foster and adoptive families and children in the church where Petr serves as a pastor. For those who are unable to evacuate, the couple is providing food, medicine, personal hygiene products, and water. Serving these children and families is not new to Petr and Tamara—for years, they have been leaders in church orphan care ministry, leading hundreds from their congregation to foster and/or adopt children who would have otherwise languished in orphanages.

Inside of Ukraine are heroes like Maksim who have made the hard decision to do what is best for those they love. There are heroes like Nikolai, Jane, Barbara, Petr, and Tamara who are sacrificing their very lives for the sake of children who are unable to provide for themselves.

And for families who are seeking safety on the other side of the border, there are hundreds—thousands—of churches and Christians who are opening up homes and buildings and providing tangible resources for those seeking safety and rest. In Romania, there are people like Alex, who leads Romania’s national orphan care movement, and who is one of many who are welcoming in the thousands of women and children now entering their country. With an established network of partners, Alex is helping families stay together at a short-term facility to provide immediate shelter and food; assisting at a long-term refugee center to provide housing, food, and necessities; and offering food to those standing in line in Ukraine waiting to cross over.

7 Sexual Lines No Pastor Should Ever Cross

By

Joe McKeever

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April 18, 2022

boundaries for pastors — Photo by Keira Burton via Pexels

There are 7 distinct sexual lines no pastor should ever cross in order to protect his marriage, church and himself.

Recently, we did an article on “7 Women That Pastors Need to Watch Out For.” Someone who just read it wanted to know why we put the blame on the women when pastors are more likely to be the sexual predator. “Google that,” she suggested, “and see for yourself.” My only defense is that in the body of the article, we said, “Sometimes women are the victims; sometimes they are the victimizers.” However, my critic is correct. And thus, what follows …

I’ve known more than one pastor who was a sexual predator. And, if it makes the reader feel any better, every one of them is out of the ministry now.

My observation, however, is that no serial adulterer occupying the pastor’s office entered the ministry with such sordid intentions. He fell into sin and one thing led to another. (Sound familiar? It’s how life works.)

So, what follows is for young ministers in particular who have not been snared in the lust trap and wish to make sure they don’t. (For your information, I invited my wife Margaret to add her observations.)

Here are seven lines pastors do not want to cross.

1. Do not use cologne.

Women are sensitive to fragrances, my wife says, which is why they wear them in the first place. When a man wears them, he sends out a subtle signal, the type no wise minister needs to be emitting.

2. Do not hug women.

One pastor said he hugs no one between the ages of six and 66.

To the minister who argues that, “Well, I am a toucher and people need to be hugged,” I reply:

a) Granted, but let women hug women and men hug men, if necessary and appropriate.

b) In most cases, your “touching” indicates some physical or emotional need in yourself, and is not what healthy ministers do.

Even if your intentions are pure, you make yourself vulnerable to charges of inappropriate touching. And—do not miss this—in the minds of many, to be charged is to be convicted.

Best to guard against these dangers.

3. Do not be in your office with a woman alone.

A pastor of a large church told some of us why he does not counsel in his office. “All she has to do is run out of the office screaming and your ministry is over.”

When someone catches him following a worship service with, “Pastor, could I come by and talk with you about a problem?” he answers, “Let’s sit in a pew right over here and talk now!”

Their visit is in public, but far enough removed from people so that no one hears their conversation.

Ministry Leader Responds to Backlash Against Viral Video of Christians Worshiping on Airplane

By

Jessica Lea

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April 18, 2022

Composite image. Screenshots from Facebook / @Jack Jensz Jr. and TikTok / @jackjenszjr

An April 9 video of a man leading passengers in worship during a commercial flight has gone viral, drawing reactions from other Christians, Rep. Ilhan Omar and even the Church of Satan. Jack Jensz Jr., who posted the video to social media, gave further context for what happened after the incident received widespread praise and backlash.

“We are taking this flight over for Jesus!” says the description on the video Jensz posted to TikTok. The video features a man identified as Jonathan Neo playing the worship song, “How Great Is Our God,” in the middle of a flight while passengers participate, record the moment on their phones or simply observe.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jack Jensz Jr. (@jackjenszjr_)

Jensz wrote in the caption on Instagram, “Worshipping our King Jesus 30,000 feet in the air!” However, not everyone in the video appears enthusiastic about the worship, particularly a man wearing a teal and blue plaid shirt seated next to Neo. And while many have praised what happened, the post has received quite a bit of criticism from Christians and non-Christians alike.

Jack Jensz Jr.’s Video Divides Viewers

Jack Jensz Jr. is the founder of prayer and healing ministry, Kingdom Realm Ministries, whose website appears to be under construction. According to his Facebook page, Jensz attended the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, and he describes himself on TikTok as a “Preacher of the Gospel.” Jensz and his team have been doing ministry and providing aid in Ukraine, and they reportedly led in-flight worship on an EasyJet flight, likely somewhere over Europe.

Jensz’s post drew mixed reactions on Instagram. “So bold! Blessings!!” said one user. “Dream team!” said another. But another person asked, “How would you guys feel if Twin Temple performed on the plane (if you have no idea who they are, their music is ‘Satanic Doo Wop’)? Would you guys appreciate that? I doubt it. Neither is it appreciative disrupting others who just wanna relax before they arrive to their destination…I don’t care what someone’s faith is. Just don’t be so obnoxious about it.”

Facebook users’ responses were also varied. Some of the positive comments included, “Love this!!!!!”, “Praise God!” and “Love you bro! This is fire.” Someone who disapproved said, “This is not how you win people to Christ. This is gross and invasive.”

User Raelyn Meader said, ”This is unacceptable. How would you feel if Muslims started praying in the aisles? Not happy, I’d bet. I would have demanded my money back if I were on this flight. Those passengers weren’t there asking for your guidance and wisdom. Have some respect.”

Meader was not the only person to speculate how people would be reacting had a Muslim led the plane in worship. Ilhan Omar, who represents Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives and who is Muslim, tweeted the video, saying, “I think my family and I should have a prayer session next time I am on a plane. How do you think it will end?”

Omar’s tweet has drawn criticism from several Republican candidates, some of whom have accused her of hating Christianity.

Canadian Church Hosts Assisted Suicide Service for Member

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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April 18, 2022

assisted suicide — Photo via Pexels.com @Ksenia Chernaya

Churchill Park United Church is a progressive, affirming Canadian church located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, whose leadership says “is a church that makes you feel at home.” So much at home that it even provides its sanctuary as a place members can feel welcome to bring their lives to an end. On March 9, 2022, 86-year-old Betty Sanguin did just that in an assisted suicide ceremony.

Last spring, Sanguin was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, named for the famous baseball player who was diagnosed with it. According to the Mayo Clinic, ALS “is a progressive nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control.” The disease currently has no cure.

Sanguin’s daughter, Renée, said Sanguin’s health rapidly declined and “within a very short period of time, (the doctors) were talking about a feeding tube, because she couldn’t eat and swallow anymore.”

“My mom saw other people that were further along in their (ALS) diagnosis and all she knew is that she didn’t want that. That’s what my mom struggled with the most,” Sanguin’s other daughter, Lynda, shared.

“As the sun streamed through the stained glass windows in the music-filled sanctuary,” Sanguin’s obituary reads, the mother and grandmother was surrounded by her children, grandchildren, and close friends during her planned death.

The assisted suicide, which is legal in Canada, was called a “simple Crossing Over Ceremony” where Sanguin was able to “let go of her hold on this life.”

Sanguin visited with her family and friends during the ceremony hosted at the church. The lethal injection started at 1PM. An hour later, she was no longer present on earth. At 4PM, the funeral home arrived to take her body.

Sanguin was described as someone with a servant’s heart and an inspiration to others. Her ALS diagnosis came as shock to her family, and after the passing of her husband, she began to rapidly decline. Sanguin leaves behind six children, twelve grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren.

In May 2017, Churchill Park United Church’s denomination passed a resolution that allows for a “case-by-case approach to medical assistance in dying.”

“We are not opposed in principle to the legislation allowing assistance in dying and to such assistance being the informed, free choice of terminally ill patients,” The resolution reads. “There are occasions where unrelenting suffering and what we know about the effect of pain on the human body can make Medical Assistance in Dying a preferable option. However, we urge a cautious approach by legislators and medical professionals implementing these laws, as well as by individuals, families and communities of faith who are considering making use of this new legislative option. To this end, we advocate community-focused and theologically robust discernment on a case-by-case basis that also ensures the protection and care of those potentially made vulnerable by this new law and others like it.”

Daffodils Amid Destruction: Pastor Who Lost House in Colo. Fire Shares Easter Hope

By

Stephanie Martin

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April 18, 2022

bill stephens — Pastor Bill Stephens gives the message on Easter Sunday, April 17. Screenshot from Facebook / @ascentcommunity

When the Marshall Fire destroyed more than 1,000 homes in Boulder County, Colo., last December, 26 of those belonged to families who attend Louisville’s Ascent Community Church. That includes the home of Lead Pastor Bill Stephens, who’s spent the past few months coming to terms with the losses.

As the congregation gathered for worship yesterday, Stephens said Easter provides the hope and the victory “that a lot of us need” right now. He also used striking visuals from the fire to show how Easter represents new life amid a backdrop of earthly pain.

Bill Stephens: Easter Means Death Won’t Win

When wind-whipped flames swept through 6,000+ acres on December 30, 2021, the Stephens family was out of state and unable to save any possessions. (On Facebook afterward, the pastor wrote, “As it turns out, if you buy a fire safe a couple months before a fire, you should actually put things in it.”)

For the past few months, Bill Stephens and other families in the church and community who lost everything have tried to pick up the pieces. Being “buried” beneath debris and insurance claims has felt overwhelming, the pastor admitted. “If there was ever a year that I have needed life out of death and hope out of being buried, it’s this year,” he said.

During his sermon, Stephens showed an image of daffodils springing up amid the burned remnants of his house. Like those flowers, the Easter message represents hope, rebirth, and new life, he said, even though destruction is still visible in the background. “Death is not gonna win,” he said. “That is Easter.”

Stephens also rolled out a wheelbarrow of debris he’d recently collected from his property. Included were remnants of his family’s 12-foot Christmas tree, which once held about 250 treasured ornaments. Seeing all that loss and sadness in the backdrop of hope is painful, the pastor said, just as Jesus endured the cross and the weight of the world’s sins. But because God so loved the world, we have victory and new life through our Savior—even when day-to-day life “isn’t all daffodils.”

Bill Stephen: God Grants Joy ‘In the Heart of Pain’

Stephens decided that Easter would mark a much-needed turning point in his disaster-recovery process. He had been frequently revisiting the loss—both mentally and physically—but “the other day, I just finally said, ‘You know what Bill? Enough.’”

‘God Gives Us Access to a Greater Story’: Hillsong Atlanta Relaunches As Story Church

By

Dale Chamberlain

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April 18, 2022

Story Church Hillsong Atlanta Sam Collier — Screengrabs from Facebook.

On Easter Sunday (April 17), Story Church in Atlanta, Ga., held its first service. The church has taken the place of Hillsong Atlanta after that congregation disbanded in the wake of the resignation of its lead pastor, Sam Collier. Collier cited scandals within the Hillsong global church as the reason for his departure.

Collier, who had been Hillsong Church’s first African American pastor to lead a congregation, announced on March 27 that Hillsong Atlanta would dissolve. The announcement came less than a week after the resignation not only of Collier, but also Hillsong Church’s global senior pastor Brian Houston. Houston resigned the church he planted nearly four decades ago after it was revealed that he had acted inappropriately toward two women in separate incidents.

During the announcement regarding Hillsong Atlanta’s dissolution, Collier announced the launch of Story Church, which has retained much of Hillsong Atlanta’s leadership team with Collier as the lead pastor.

The launch of Story Church in place of Hillsong Atlanta came with the blessing of Hillsong Church’s leadership, as interim global senior pastor Phil Dooley expressed his hope that Story Church would flourish via video message to Hillsong Atlanta on its final Sunday gathering.

“We want to be a Spirit-filled environment,” Collier said as he invited Story Church into a time of worship through music on Sunday. “Which just simply means this: we believe that God is still alive, and He’s still moving throughout our midst.”

“We are praying for revival in this city and in this nation: an outpouring of God’s Spirit on every person. That every person that walks the earth that doesn’t know Christ would experience him in a transcendent moment,” Collier went on to say. “And in that moment, past all of the confusion and past all of the doubts and past all of the worries, the revelation of who God is would push through. That it would cut through and all would know that God is real. That Jesus is real. That we have access to Him that gives us the ability to overcome.”

Later in the service, Collier brought some members of the Story Church staff onto the stage to introduce them. He also invited those in attendance to a “family meeting” that will take place next week. During that meeting, Collier said that all the staff and board members will be introduced and congregants will be able to ask questions about the church.

“One of the things I want to point out is you’ll notice that we have women in leadership here,” Collier said as the church cheered and applauded. “Which, at some churches, is not a thing. But it will be true here. Women will find freedom and be empowered in this church.”

“Obviously, the men will as well,” Collier added, “but that really hasn’t been the issue, has it?” After some laughter from the congregation, Collier went on to reiterate that diversity is a core pillar for Story Church and that he hopes the church will be a place that “uplifts both women and men.”

Grand Rapids Pastors Mobilize in Wake of Fatal Shooting of Patrick Lyoya

By

Kathryn Post

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April 18, 2022

(RNS) — Pastors in Grand Rapids, Michigan, are taking action as the city reels in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of 26-year-old Patrick Lyoya by a Grand Rapids police officer on April 4. Video footage of the shooting was released on Wednesday (April 13), sparking protests outside the city’s police department.

Lyoya, who is Black, was pulled over last week for a mismatched license plate. Video footage shows a white officer shooting Lyoya in the head after a brief scuffle. Lyoya and his family arrived from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2014 as refugees, and he leaves behind his parents, two young daughters and five siblings.

In the days since Lyoya’s death, a group of Black pastors in Grand Rapids, called the Black Clergy Coalition, has been organizing community events to promote dialogue, healing and justice.

“We think that our faith perspective is critical in this hour, to not just discuss policy change, which is necessary, but to also discuss the spiritual and faith dynamic,” said Pastor Jathan K. Austin of Bethel Empowerment Church in Grand Rapids. “We must continue to keep our trust in the Father so that people don’t lose trust in this time because of the heartache, the pain.”

On Sunday (April 10), the group helped organize a forum for community discussion in response to Lyoya’s death. The discussion took place at Renaissance Church of God in Christ in Grand Rapids — the location was intentional, according to the church’s senior pastor, Bishop Dennis J. McMurray, who noted the wider church’s historic role in guiding civil rights movements and said the Black Clergy Coalition is drawing on that legacy.

“It was unreal, the level of cooperative dialogue and understanding that took place,” McMurray told Religion News Service. “If these conversations would have started almost anywhere else, the volatility that could be associated to something as devastating as what we’re facing could have been a bomb that goes off that would cause so many other issues.”

The group also helped host a Thursday press conference at the Renaissance Church of God in Christ and a noon Good Friday service at the church, where they took up a collection for the Lyoya family.

The Rev. Khary Bridgewater, who lives in Grand Rapids, said the city’s racial and religious landscape informs how local leaders are responding to Lyoya’s death. Grand Rapids has a population that’s over 65% white and about 18% Black. It’s also the headquarters for the Christian Reformed Church, a small, historically Dutch Reformed denomination, and is home to over 40 CRC churches. According to Bridgewater, leaders shaped by the CRC’s reformed theology are often more likely to advocate for change within existing systems.

According to Bridgewater, “It’s very hard for most CRC churches to look at a system and say, ‘This is wrong, we’re going to act as activists to push the system into a different state.’ They’re more inclined to say, ‘Hey, let’s sit down and have a conversation with the leaders and try to do things differently.’” Bridgewater says this theology can bump up against the Black church’s prophetic tradition of change-making. For this reason, he said, Christian groups in Grand Rapids need to have theological discussions around topics like justice and citizenship.

Nik Smith, a Grand Rapids activist and member of Defund the GRPD, agrees the city’s religious culture is shaping local leaders’ responses.

“The nonprofits are run by Christian folk who are just waiting for Jesus to come, not realizing not only was he here already, but he’s given us things to live by,” said Smith. “So we have to be seeking justice actively in our community. We can’t just say, let’s pray. Prayer is not going to bring Patrick back.”

For Many, Easter Sunday Marks a Return to in-Person Worship

By

Steve LeBlanc, Giovanna Dell'Orto and Deepa Bharath

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April 18, 2022

in-person worship — The faithful packed St. Peter Claver church in St. Paul, Minn., for the first indoor, in-person Easter Sunday service since the pandemic hit, on Sunday, April 17, 2022. The Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis rescinded all pandemic restrictions on April 1, while encouraging parishes and congregants to follow their own pace in loosening COVID-19 protocols. (AP Photo/Giovanna Dell'Orto)

BOSTON (AP) — For many U.S. Christians, this weekend marked the first time since 2019 that they gathered in person on Easter Sunday, a welcome chance to celebrate one of the year’s holiest days side by side with fellow congregants.

Notable events included a 6 a.m. sunrise Mass outdoors near the waterfront in South Boston, and a joyous, hug-filled service at St. Peter Claver, a historically Black congregation in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Another mostly Black congregation, Watson Grove Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, had hoped for an outdoors service at a downtown park. But rain forced a last-minute change of plans, and about 700 mask-wearing worshippers met instead in the church’s sanctuary for what senior pastor John Faison said was by far their biggest indoor gathering during the pandemic.

“We hadn’t seen a crowd like this for two years,” Faison said. “Eyes were lighting up. People just felt good.”

The pandemic erupted in the country in March 2020, just ahead of Easter, forcing many churches to resort to online or televised worship. Many continued to hold virtual services last spring after a deadly winter wave of the coronavirus and as vaccination campaigns were still ramping up. But this year more churches opened their doors for Easter services with few COVID-19 restrictions, in line with broader societal trends.

Among them were Catholic parishes in the Archdiocese of Boston, which since last June has once again required most churchgoers to attend Mass in person — though those with health risks may still watch remotely, and pastors have been asked to make space for social distancing in churches.

MC Sullivan, chief health care ethicist for the archdiocese, said celebrating Mass communally is important to how Catholics profess their faith. Church attendance has been trending upward, and parishioners are excited to gather again to commemorate Christ’s resurrection.

“It has been quite wonderful to see how well-attended Mass is right now. … It seems to have brought a lot of people back to the idea of what’s important to them,” she said.

At St. Peter Claver in St. Paul, there was whooping, applause and exultant pounding on the wooden pews when the Rev. Joseph Gifford told more than 200 faithful that the church’s usual sign of the peace was back – no more pandemic-era nodding or mild handshakes.

“The place just explodes,” said longtime parishioner Lynette Graham. “When he said we could do it, people were all over the church,” hugging each other.

Another highlight of the service: the first performance by its Cameroonian choir – with its spirited drumming and West African melodies – since the pandemic hit.

“We’re back and He’s risen and it’s huge,” choir director Brendan Banteh said. “The ministry in our culture is very celebratory, being one in church – the choir, the priest, the people. Not being able to come to church had created a disconnect that we had never experienced before.”

Share Your Faith Using a Marked New Testament

4 Essential Behaviors for Success

1. Communicate often and well.

Listen and learn.

Wisely manage change.

Keep healthy margins.

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1. In Its Purest Form, the Church Seeks Nothing for Itself.

Here are seven lines pastors do not want to cross.

1. Do not use cologne.

2. Do not hug women.

3. Do not be in your office with a woman alone.

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