How God REALLY Sees You

May 17, 2022

Last I checked, there were 861,000 self-help books available on Amazon. The sheer popularity of self-help books points to the reality that humans live with an insatiable longing for something more, something better. This is why we keep making resolutions every New Year even though we will almost certainly not follow through with them. How are your resolutions from this January going so far? Mine, not so great! But I think that’s okay, and I hope here to convince you of the same.

Most of us are plagued with an inevitable frustration toward ourselves. We were made for more, we are made to be more, and we know it. As we are reminded in Paul’s letter to the Romans, we groan under the weight of this longing (Romans 8:22-24). When the light of God is active within us, this frustration can be a hopeful sign of what’s to come but has not yet been realized. Call it a holy dissatisfaction, a frustrated anticipation of what we know will one day come true: that we will be like Jesus Christ, for we will see him as he is (1 John 3:2-3).

Our innate, unshakable longing to be better suggests that deep down, we don’t really believe that to err is human after all. If we are governed by Scripture, filled with the Holy Spirit, and aware of our calling to become perfect, as our Heavenly Father is perfect, we will always feel a tension with this popular sentiment. The very fact that we confess our sins betrays the idea. As those who are created in the image of God, it is in our hardwiring to long for more for ourselves and from ourselves. As Blaise Pascal has written in Pensees:

“The greatness of man is so evident, that it is even proved by his wretchedness. For what in animals is nature we call in man wretchedness; by which we recognize that, his nature being like that of animals, he has fallen from a better nature which once was his. Who is unhappy at not being a king, except a deposed king?”

Put more simply, we are meant to grow.

We are meant to improve.

We are meant to become unstuck.

But the question remains, “How?”

When the Apostle Paul taught about how Christians grow in the fruit of the Spirit, he chose a botanical metaphor to help us understand what growth actually looks like and how it progresses. He begins with the hopeful words, “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law” (Galatians 5:16-18).

You are not under law. Wonderfully and profoundly, this statement declares that we are no longer under the ominous threat of God’s judgment. On the cross, Jesus took the punishment that our sins deserve, thereby moving our judgment day from the future to the past. In Jesus, we are already completely forgiven, so we have nothing left to fear.

Did you know that the most repeated command in the Bible is, “Do not fear?”

Scripture also tells us the reason why we no longer have anything to fear: God is with us, and God is for us. And if God is with and for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)?

Being “in Christ” and not under law also means we are considered perfect in God’s eyes. We have nothing left to prove. The impeccable, perfectly virtuous life of Jesus Christ—his love, his joy, his peace, his patience, his kindness, his faithfulness, his gentleness, and his self-control—were forever credited to us at the cross. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

No pedigrees or pedestals necessary.

Through faith, we are blameless in God’s eyes, positionally perfect, not because of our goodness but because of his.

And it keeps getting better. In Jesus, we are also loved by God in the longest, widest, highest, and deepest ways, such that nothing can ever separate us from that love—not even ourselves (Romans 8:31-39). Therefore, we have nothing left to hide. We can strip off our religious masks, forsake the imposter, and start living our lives freely again, “naked and unashamed” before the eyes of our Judge who has now become our Savior.

With our lives bound up in the finished work of Jesus, we are the recipients of God’s blessing pronounced over him at his baptism: beloved daughters and sons with whom the Father is well pleased. In Jesus, the Father has no punitive anger left for us. In Jesus, the Father takes great delight in us, will quiet us with his love, and rejoices over us with love songs (Zephaniah 3:17). In Jesus, the Father invites us to address him intimately. He is our Abba, meaning “Daddy” or “Papa.”

This is how God sees us.

And this is how God wants us to see him.

In Christ, we are safe with God.

In Christ, we are treasured by God. And deeply so.

We are now, through the finished work of Jesus, invited to assume the identity that God has given us. As Brennan Manning put it in a way that only Brennan Manning can, “Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is an illusion.”

We are simultaneously sinners and saints, but defined in Christ solely by the latter. Fully known and fully loved. Found out and never rejected.

The cross, to every Christian struggling with the gap between who they are and who they wish they could be, represents God’s final pronouncement made centuries ago, before any of us drew our first breath: The last words of Jesus’ life, “It is finished,” are now the very first words of your life in Christ.

Hey Christian! The work is finished. As a child of God in Christ, you are no longer a slave to a wearying religion or a hollow philosophy that says you must earn God’s approval through willpower and moral resolve. The burden is not on you to become your own savior. The pressure is off! Instead, you are set free by the assurance that God’s heart is already in your hands, even as he is eager for you to put your heart entirely into his. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden,” Jesus said, “and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28-30).

What could possibly be better than this?

This article originally appeared here.

Helping Small Groups Learning to Pray Out Loud

Mark Howell

May 17, 2022

We have all been there. You come to the end of the meeting. You ask, “How can we pray for you this week?” Most of your group members share a prayer request. You say, “Let’s pray.” And no one else prays. At least, no one else prays out loud. What can you do? How can you help group members learning to pray out loud?

Learning to Pray Out Loud

It was the end of our second meeting. I said, “Prayer is just talking with God. That’s all it is. And if you think about it, we would definitely do some things differently if Jesus was physically here with us tonight. Wouldn’t we? If He was sitting right here (I patted the empty chair next to me), we probably wouldn’t close our eyes to talk with Him. Right?”

(It was a fun moment. No one knew where this was going.)

I continued, “If Jesus was sitting right here, if He was physically part of our group, we probably wouldn’t use any kind of special language…like refer to Him as ‘Thee’ or ‘Thou.’ Right?”

(Everyone was nodding. They still didn’t know where it was going.)

“Well, the Bible says, ‘Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am with them.’ (Matthew 18:20 NIV) So really, He is here right now.”

“Here’s what I want you to do. I want you to imagine that Jesus is sitting right here, right now. And I want you to think of one thing you’re thankful for, one thing, not a lot of things. I want you to keep your eyes open and tell Jesus the one thing. It can’t be a long thing. Just one, simple thing.”

And my group, all 12 of them (9 from backgrounds where they’d never prayed out loud), went around the circle and said one thing, eyes open, to the empty chair.

Very cool.

Learning to Pray Out Loud: the Next Week

The next week (our 3rd meeting), we came to the end of the meeting, and I split the group into four groups and sent them to their own rooms or areas with this assignment. I said, “Imagine that you each have Jesus with you in your little group. I want you to share with Jesus one need that you personally have. Eyes open. Look at a spot in the circle if you need to. Just take a few minutes to do that and then we’re done.”

The Week After That

The next week, I sent them back to their little groups of 3 and said, “This week, I want you to imagine that Jesus is with you again. Right in your little circle. I want each of you to share a need that you have with Jesus and your group. After you’ve done that, I want each of you to pray for the person on your right, eyes open, and just ask Jesus to meet their need.”

6 Months Later

Does everyone pray out loud when our meetings end? Not all the time. But many more do. And if we subgroup, it’s very common for everyone to pray. Even better? Last week when we ran out of time, I asked everyone to connect with one other group member (from their little group) and share a personal prayer request. As the meeting broke up, I noticed several little prayer meetings going on. Pretty cool, I have to say.

This article about learning to pray out loud originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

The #1 Quality of Good Video Editing is . . . Storytelling

Phil Cooke

May 17, 2022

When editors talk about good video editing, generally speaking, they want to talk about:

1. What editing software they use. (Final Cut, Avid, Adobe Premier—whatever)
2. What effects software they use. (After-Effects, Photoshop, Maya—whatever)
3. What cameras they like to edit footage from. (RED, DSLR, Canon C300—whatever)

Good Video Editing is . . . Storytelling

But I rarely talk to a video editor who wants to talk about storytelling. It seems really low on the food-chain for most editors. But the truth is, being able to tell a story is the single most important skill you need. That’s one reason I hate to see directors or editors sending demo reels that are “compilation” reels. You know the kind—they pick some hot tune and then cut single shots together from the last 50 projects they worked on. I’ve written before on why I hate to see those kinds of demo reels. You can read that here.

So—if you want good video editing here’s what I’d do:

**1. Read the book Story, by Robert McKee.**

Most people think it’s just for screenwriters, but it’s a fascinating analysis of how to put a story together.

2. Start reading novels.

Put down the video magazines and pick up Moby Dick. Novels will help you understand the flow, pacing and style of great stories.

3. Watch story driven films and videos.

I say “story driven” because sadly, a remarkable number of videos, TV programs and even movies today are driven by something other than a great story. Learn to tell the difference and recognize good video editor.

4. Start exploring stories on a regular basis.

There are plenty of books, conferences and seminars on the subject.

The bottom line is that with commercials, short films, TV or movies, unless you can look at a file folder full of shots and craft a great story out of those images, you’ll never make much of a mark in the industry.

Experienced editor: What’s your best recommendation for improving storytelling skills?

This article about good video editing originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

Spanish Christian Songs for Kids: 9 Musical Praise Resources

Kayla Alonso

May 16, 2022

Spanish Christian songs for kids are a great way to be inclusive with worship. Plus, church songs in Spanish encourage English-speaking children to become bilingual.

These musical resources certainly have helped our family. And I hope they’re a “hit” in your home too. They also work great in Sunday school classes and children’s church services.

Singing is a great way for children to begin a bilingual journey. So enjoy praising God with these church songs in Spanish!

9 Awesome Spanish Christian Songs for Kids

1. Generacion 12 Kids

By far, this is our family’s favorite kids band. We have a dance party with them daily. Plus, a lot of the songs are actually Bible stories. So as kiddos listen and learn the song, they’re actually learning the important stories of faith heroes.

2. Xtreme Kids

This is another favorite in our home. It has a similar sound and feel as Generacion 12 Kids: generally upbeat and fun to listen to for the whole family.

3. Yancy Pequeña Fiesta de Alabanza

You may have heard of Yancy. This worship pastor saw a disconnect between kids worship and adult worship. So she started writing music that the whole family could worship with together. This is her “Little Praise Party” album in Spanish.

4. Biper y Sus Amigos

I first heard of these singers when I was on a mission trip to Nicaragua. We were working with a children’s ministry who used their songs. They sound a little like “Alvin and the Chipmunks” and are generally a fun pick for young kids.

5. Hillsong Jr. Español

This is exactly what it sounds like: Hillsong Kids in Spanish.

‘We Are Still Here,’ Says Bobbie Houston, Despite ‘Current Narratives Running Havoc’

Jessica Mouser

May 16, 2022

In an Instagram post over the weekend, Bobbie Houston told her followers that she and her husband, Brian Houston, are “pressing on” and trusting the “righteous courts of heaven.” Brian and Bobbie Houston are former co-pastors of Hillsong, a global megachurch that has seen considerable controversy over the past few years.

“For those interested we are still here,” wrote Bobbie Houston. “Pressing on with trust in the Living God & the righteous Courts of Heaven. Enemies of the Cross (& maybe others who should know better) forget that everything that concerns His Son & His Bride plays out ultimately before the Courts of Heaven.” She continued:

I don’t speak of these things often or lightly —but there IS a holy Heavenly Father who is very engaged & watchful of our every move, thought, word, intent, action. Ultimately because He loves us & is redemptive. If the Word says He counts the sands on the seashore; the hairs on our head; that He knows when a sparrow falls to the ground; & is mindful of the flowers of the field (here one day and gone the next) — then trust me, He is more present & watchful of those human hearts than we realize.

Brian and Bobbie Houston at Hillsong

Brian and Bobbie Houston founded Hillsong in Sydney, Australia, in 1983. The church has since grown into a worldwide megachurch with congregations in 30 countries. Hillsong has experienced several scandals in recent years, including those involving former Hillsong NYC pastor Carl Lentz and former Hillsong Dallas pastors, Reed and Jess Bogard.

In August 2021, the New South Wales Police Force charged Brian Houston with allegedly concealing child sex offenses committed by his father, Frank Houston. In September 2021, Brian Houston announced he was stepping aside from his roles on Hillsong Church’s boards “so that these boards can function to their fullest capacity during this season.”

On Jan. 30, 2022, Houston announced during a church service that he would be stepping away from his role as Hillsong’s pastor for all of 2022 to focus on the charges against him. On March 18, 2022, Hillsong’s board revealed that the pastor’s sabbatical was also the result of disciplinary action taken due to Houston’s inappropriate behavior toward two women.

Less than a week later on March 21, Brian Houston resigned from all of his roles and responsibilities at Hillsong Church. Since then, several of Hillsong’s U.S. congregations, including Hillsong Boston, Hillsong Atlanta and Hillsong Phoenix, have disassociated from the global megachurch.

Brian Houston’s resignation impacted his wife’s position at Hillsong, although he and the church have differing accounts of how events transpired. On April 8, Brian Houston criticized Hillsong on Instagram for a text that was sent to his wife that Houston said made her “redundant (effective immediately) through no choice of her own.” Houston said the church was disparaging Bobbie’s four decades of faithful work, adding, “Our beautiful church is losing its soul.”

Hillsong responded with a statement on April 9 explaining the context for Bobbie “departing from her role at Hillsong Church” and denying Brian Houston’s version of events. Said the church, “We are saddened by Brian’s public response and hope that he and Bobbie will understand the heart behind the decisions that are being made. The goal was to work together with them and keep the church safe in the process, not to hurt anyone.”

Buffalo Mass Shooting Victims Include Licensed Missionary, Church Deacon

Stephanie Martin

May 16, 2022

After Saturday’s mass shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, community members are grieving 10 victims of the Buffalo shooting while authorities investigate possible racial motives behind the attack.

An 18-year-old white man is in custody after allegedly opening fire inside a Tops Friendly Market, located in a predominantly Black neighborhood. The heavily armed suspect, who traveled 200 miles to Buffalo, posted a lengthy diatribe about targeting Black people, according to officials. On Monday, they revealed that he planned to carry out more attacks.

Buffalo Shooting: Alleged Shooter Is ‘Pure Evil,’ Says Sheriff

FBI spokesman Stephen Belongia says Saturday’s shooting is being investigated “both as a hate crime and racially motivated violent extremism.” Erie County Sheriff John Garcia calls the alleged shooter “pure evil,” saying, “It was straight up a racially motivated hate crime.”

Of the 10 people killed and three injured, 11 were Black. All but one was age 50 or older. Victims include a retired police officer, the mother of a former Buffalo fire commissioner, and several people known for their strong faith in God.

Buffalo Shooting Victims: Pearl Young Was ‘Full of Giving’

Pearl Young, who was killed while shopping, is being remembered as a beloved teacher, missionary, and “true pillar in the community.” Young, 77, served as a substitute teacher in Buffalo’s public school system and as a Sunday school teacher who showed up to church at 6:45 a.m.

On Sunday, congregants at Good Samaritan Church of God in Christ told reporter Madison Carter about Young’s constant smile and her “love of God and people.” One tearful woman said the church family wouldn’t “be the same without her.”

Over the weekend, a tweet by Carter went viral, with a description of Young’s dedicated service to the community: “… For 25 years she ran a pantry where every Saturday she fed people in Central Park [Plaza]. Every. Saturday. She loved singing, dancing, & being with family. She was mother, grandma, & missionary. Gone too soon.”

Bishop Glenwood Young describes his sister-in-law’s dedication to a local soup kitchen. “Even if it was nothing but soup and bread, whatever she could do, she would just always avail herself to help the people,” he says of Pearl. “Her life was full of giving.”

He adds, “In all aspects, she was a missionary. She was a licensed missionary in the denomination, so she not only did speaking engagements, she was just involved in so many different things to help humanity. That was her goal in life, seemingly, whatever she could do to help someone.”

Christian School Criticized for Assignment Involving Letter to Friend ‘Struggling With Homosexuality’

Dale Chamberlain

May 16, 2022

Christian Academy of Louisville, a private Christian school in Kentucky, has come under fire for a controversial assignment wherein students are asked to write a letter to a hypothetical friend “struggling with homosexuality” to “persuade them of the goodness of God’s design.”

The assignment was leaked to Facebook by JP Davis, a Louisville resident and openly gay man whose friend has a child attending the school. The friend shared the assignment with Davis after feeling troubled by it.

“This is deplorable,” Davis wrote on Facebook. “Christian Academy of Louisville teaching kids to write letters to their homosexual friends explaining it’s wrong. Middle school. It’s not about me anymore but the trauma is real. My heart breaks for this age of kids. This is not my Christianity. The time is now to stop this type of abuse.”

In the essay prompt, seventh grade students are asked to “write a letter to a friend of your same gender who is struggling with homosexuality. Assume that you have known this friend since Kindergarten, that you go to the same church, and that you have been pretty good friends over the years until now. This friend is your same age.”

“The aim of your letter should be to lovingly and compassionately speak truth to the person you’re talking to in a way that does not approve of any sin,” the prompt continues. “Instead, TRY TO PERSUADE THEM OF THE GOODNESS OF GOD’S DESIGN for them.”

In an essay of at least eight sentences, students are asked to show their friend from the Bible, reason, and their personal relationship with them “that God’s design for them is good,” “that homosexuality will not bring them satisfaction,” and “that you love them even though you don’t approve of their lifestyle.”

Davis told Courier Journal, “The statistics speak for themselves on suicide among LGBTQ+ people, and these are seventh-graders that are being subjected to hate and division, and it’s not necessary. I know it’s a Christian school, but that’s not my Christianity.”

In a statement responding to backlash regarding the assignment, Christian Academy superintendent Darin Long said, “We have been made aware that a student assignment from one of our middle school bible elective classes has been posted on social media. The assignment is part of a unit of study which discusses ‘What are humans and where is their identity.’”

Heroic Pastor, Churchgoers Tackle Gunman Who Killed One and Wounded Five Others

Jesse T. Jackson

May 16, 2022

On Sunday (May 15), a man walked into Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, California, where a Taiwanese congregation has met for 10 years, and opened fire. The gunman killed one person and injured five others, all of whom were senior citizens.

More lives could had been lost if it weren’t for the church’s former pastor Zhang Xuanxin (Billy Chang) who reportedly took a chair and hit the gunman from behind while he was attempting to reload his gun. According to reports, churchgoers then jumped on the gunman, disarmed him, and hogtied him with an extension cord to subdue him until authorities could arrive.

Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Jeff Hallock told the media, “It’s safe to say that if people had not intervened, it could have been much worse.”

Chang, who is now pastoring in Taiwan, had returned to the church he previously pastored for 21-years in Southern California to visit the congregation for a worship service and luncheon. The church was holding its first after-service meal since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in order to honor Chang.

The fatal shooting took place around 1:26 p.m. during the meal, not far from a community known for its elderly population, especially those from Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong.

Reports shared that the gunman, an Asian man who has been identified as a 68-year-old from Las Vegas, used two handguns to carry out the deadly assault. Authorities report they also found a knife on the suspect.

The gunman, whom no one in the congregation recognized, opened fire while church members were taking pictures with their former pastor.

Church congregant Jerry Chen shared that shortly after he stepped into the church’s kitchen, he heard gunshots and screaming.

“I knew someone was shooting,” Chen said. “I was very, very scared. I ran out the kitchen door to call 9-1-1.”

Chen explained that he was in such shock that he had to “ask someone else for the address” when he called 9-1-1. “It was amazing how brave [the pastor] and the others were. This is just so sad. I never, ever thought something like this would happen in my church, in my community,” Chen said.

The church, called The Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, has around 100 members, mostly senior citizens, who worship in their native Taiwanese language.

The victims were between the ages of 66 and 92.

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office tweeted about the shooting, saying that they are monitoring the investigation and working closely with local authorities.

“No one should have to fear going to their place of worship,” the statement said. “Our thoughts are with the victims, community, and all those impacted by this tragic event.”

A day after the shooting, pastor and author Duke Kwon said, “Everything about the scene prior to the shooting—seniors gathered for a teriyaki lunch to honor a former sr. pastor now planting a church overseas, with a 40yo son in attendance with his mom—is something I can 100% picture taking place at my parents’ church only a few miles away.”

Grove City Board Accepts Full CRT Report, Says College Promoted CRT

Kathryn Post

May 16, 2022

(RNS) — In the latest development in Grove City College’s critical race theory saga, the board of trustees at the Pennsylvania school accepted the report from an ad hoc committee Friday (May 13) that acknowledged instances of “CRT advocacy” at the school.

In accepting the report, the board also agreed to restore the word “conservative” to the school’s mission statement and adopted a list of “remedial actions” to curb CRT going forward, all while denying allegations of “going woke.”

“Today, Board chair Ed Breen announced that the Grove City College Board of Trustees voted to accept and adopt the ad hoc committee report on CRT. The Board thanked the committee for its service,” Warren Throckmorton, a professor of psychology at Grove City, tweeted Friday afternoon. Another faculty member independently confirmed that news of the vote had been shared at a faculty-trustee luncheon.

Some Grove City stakeholders have condemned the report and authored additional petitions calling for the board to reject it and apologize to Jemar Tisby, who had once spoken at the college and was named in an earlier parent petition.

Others celebrated the report, including the original petitioners — who said the report vindicated them — and some professors.

Grove City and Breen did not respond to requests for comment in time for publication.

The conservative Christian college has been at the center of a politicized clash over critical race theory since November. At issue is whether the school promoted CRT — an academic and legal framework that examines how systemic racism has shaped society — in school-sponsored classes, chapels and trainings.

The report, which the board-appointed committee published April 20, contradicts the claims of several professors that they have never promoted CRT ideas. At least two of the professors have criticized the committee’s investigation, saying they were “interrogated” by committee members and subjected to biased questioning.

The April report was spurred by a torrent of follow-up petitions, counter-petitions and news articles after parents of Grove City students objected to a 2020 chapel presentation by historian Jemar Tisby, among other things. The parents’ petition included the chapel in a list of alleged instances of CRT infiltration. The report found that a majority of school leaders said inviting Tisby to speak in chapel was a “mistake.”

Tisby, who earlier told RNS the allegations that his sermon promoted CRT are “ludicrous,” said on Friday that the board’s acceptance of the report makes the situation more concerning.

“They’re not going to be able to get Black students and students of color. The student body is already over 90% white,” Tisby told Religion News Service. “I would suspect that other Christian colleges and universities are watching this unfold, and my inclination is that it will further imperil racial justice efforts. Even if college personnel want to see change, they see just how much controversy it entails.”

Tisby added that Christian colleges may now shy away from inviting speakers to discuss racism.

Pope Rallies From Knee Pain to Proclaim 10 New Saints

Nicole Winfield

May 16, 2022

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis created 10 new saints on Sunday, rallying from knee pain that has forced him to use a wheelchair to preside over the first canonization ceremony at the Vatican in over two years.

Francis stood for a long period at the start to greet priests concelebrating the Mass, presided over the nearly two-hour ceremony and then stood and walked for a good 15 minutes after it ended to greet dozens of cardinals and bishops. Vatican cameras lingered on the scene as if to showcase the pope’s mobility and refute speculation about his health and the future of his pontificate.

Francis, 85, then took a lengthy, seated popemobile ride around St. Peter’s Square and the boulevard leading to it to greet some of the tens of thousands of people who came out to celebrate the Catholic Church’s newest saints. They include a Dutch priest-journalist who was killed by the Nazis, a lay Indian convert who was killed for his faith and a half-dozen French and Italian priests and nuns who founded religious orders.

Francis told the crowd of more than 45,000 that the 10 embodied holiness in everyday life, and said the church needs to embrace this idea rather than an unattainable ideal of personal achievement.

“Holiness does not consist of a few heroic gestures, but of many small acts of daily love,” he said from his chair on the altar.

Francis has been complaining of strained ligaments in his right knee for months, and has recently been seen using a wheelchair at public audiences. Sunday’s ceremony was evidence that Francis is still able to still walk, but appears to be taking it as easy as possible to let the ligaments heal before an intense period of travel starting in July: The Vatican has confirmed two trips that month, one to Congo and South Sudan and one to Canada.

It was the first canonization Mass at the Vatican since before the coronavirus pandemic and, aside from Easter celebrations last month, drew one of the biggest crowds in recent times.

The Italian president, Dutch foreign minister, French interior minister and the minister for minorities of India, as well as tens of thousands of faithful packed the sunny piazza, which was adorned with Dutch flowers in honor of the Rev. Titus Brandsma, a martyr saint who was killed at the Dachau concentration camp in 1942.

In the runup to the canonization, a group of Dutch and German journalists formally proposed that Brandsma become a co-patron saint of journalists, alongside St. Francis de Sales, given his work to combat propaganda and fake news during the rise of Fascism and Nazism in Europe. According to an open letter sent to Francis this month, the journalists noted that Brandsma successfully argued for a ban on printing Nazi propaganda in Catholic newspapers. There has been no immediate response from the pope.

In addition to Brandsma, the new saints include the 18th-century Indian convert Lazarus, known also as Devashayam, who mixed with India’s lower castes and was considered treasonous by India’s royal palace, which ordered him arrested and executed in 1752.

“He is for the poor people,” said Arachi Syril, an Indian pilgrim from Kanyakumari who was in the square for the Mass. “He hated the caste system, still it is going on, but he is the martyr for that,” Syril said.

Honest Faith Can Cry out to God

Randy Alcorn

May 16, 2022

As I shared recently with a friend, it’s a new world I’m living in without Nanci. I miss the old one. The house is profoundly changed by Nanci’s absence. Not hearing her laugh is maybe the hardest part. But I’m sure looking forward to the great reunion, and eternal life with Jesus in a far better world. And to hear her laugh, louder and more vibrant than ever! Here’s a tiny sample of that laugh:

One of the many quotes that Nanci included in her journals was this one from our precious friend Joni Eareckson Tada:

It is when your soul has been blasted bare, when you feel raw and undone, that you can be bonded to the Savior. And then you not only meet suffering on God’s terms, but you meet joy on God’s terms. You cry out to God and He gets your heart pumping for heaven. He injects his peace, power, and perspective into your spiritual being. He imparts a new way of looking at your hardships. He puts a song in your heart.

Scripture models this crying out to God:

My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning.
O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer;
And by night, but I have no rest.
Yet You are holy,
O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
In You our fathers trusted;
They trusted and You delivered them.
To You they cried out and were delivered;
In You they trusted and were not disappointed.

(Psalm 22:1–5, NASB)

Here’s what I wrote in my book 90 Days of God’s Goodness:

What an honest cry to God for help: “Why, God? Why does it seem like you’re not answering my prayers?” As he wrestles with this, David turns to Scripture, where God’s deliverance of His people is documented. David reflects on their trust in God. In the end, God’s faithfulness to Israel inspires David to believe that God will prove faithful to him as well.

God’s Word contains countless expressions of concern and anguish about the hard times people experience and the fact that they sometimes don’t feel God’s closeness. In this fallen world, “Why?” is a common question.

Randy Butler, a pastor, told me about his teenage son’s death. “For twenty years, God gave me a perfect life, family, and ministry. Then Kevin died, and nearly every morning, for three or four months, I screamed questions at God. I asked, ‘What were you thinking?’ And, ‘Is this the best you can do for me?’ And finally, ‘Do you really expect me to show up every Sunday and tell everyone how great you are?’ In the silence I began to hear the voice of God…then, without any announcement, when I became silent, God spoke to my soul. He had an answer for each of my three questions.”

Had Randy not been unreservedly honest with God, he couldn’t have completely grasped how the God he spoke to had watched His own Son die long before Randy had. God the Father had endured the horrible death of Jesus, His only Son. So, better than anyone in the universe, God empathized with Randy’s pain.

4 Ways Churches Can Build a Culture of Radical Hospitality

Brian Dodd

May 16, 2022

People find community in many places—at work, in a book club, in a neighborhood group, or by joining a gym—all fantastic ways to connect and build relationships with others. Our church lobbies play a critical role in building true community by giving people a space to encounter God together. Engaging in a church experience is about developing a deep relationship with God and fostering meaningful relationships with others.

Designing for Radical Hospitality

These days, relationships aren’t necessarily being built in spaces people have to seek out, like Fellowship Halls. They’re happening when a person first walks through the front door of your church. Because connecting with others is a vital part of the discipleship journey, hospitality needs to be one of every church’s highest priorities. We’re serving a broken and hurting world—people want to sense immediately that they’re welcome and that they belong. It’s not just about staff and volunteers greeting people, but more of a complete shift to the entire congregation modeling hospitality.

“A lobby’s number one job is to make people feel welcome and to build relationships. It goes beyond greeters. It’s about building a culture of radical hospitality that permeates the entire congregation.” –Greg Snider, Ministry Space Strategist, Aspen Group

Four Zones for Hospitality and Generosity

1. The Welcome Desk

Churches that have a welcome desk smack-dab in the entry way, are unintentionally creating a barrier to people when they walk in the door. It might seem like a logical idea—giving people a place to stop to get information or ask a question—but it actually works against the natural flow of the space and doesn’t offer people a place to stop and connect first.

Moving the welcome desk back and creating casual groupings of furniture, like the above example from Chapelstreet Church‘s North Aurora, Illinois campus, lets people know they’re welcome and that there’s a space for them. It also allows them to navigate the space at their pace, and invites them to relax and build relationships.

Chapel Pointe, in Hudsonville, Michigan (above) added a two-story focal point fireplace, giving the space warmth and expressing their unique DNA. Soft seating surrounding it, encourages people to linger in the space.

2. The Café

Church cafés aren’t necessarily drawing people in from the community like we had hoped—they’ve become a space for the people in the church, so it’s an important tool to build hospitality. Relationships are built around food and drink, so we need to do whatever we can do to lower those barriers so people can authentically connect. Consider reinventing your café to not just serve food and drink, but good food and drink—and not just serve good food and drink, but be served by people who have been trained to love people well and draw them into relationship.

Waypoint Church, in St. Charles, Missouri (above), installed overhead garage doors between their cafe and their patio, to fully take advantage of their outdoor space. On nice days the doors can remain open and people can connect indoors and outdoors.

“We need to reinvent our cafes to not just serve food and drink . . . but be served by people who have been trained to love people well and draw them into relationship.” –Greg Snider, Ministry Space Strategist, Aspen Group

3. The Family Room

Family Rooms have become a unique way to add relational space with a more subdued atmosphere. These rooms, which are typically located right off the lobby, can offer a variety of seating, be outfitted with technology, and serve many purposes. They can be encased in glass, include a warming fireplace, or a connection to an outdoor patio. These spaces are perfect for a quiet chat, or as worship overflow or for those who feel less at ease in a larger worship venue. They can even be used for small group meetings and gatherings.

Why Our Childrens Ministries Should Be More Like Mr. Rogers and Less Like Disney

Sam Luce

May 16, 2022

One of the pressures that kids pastors face from parents, leaders, or themselves, and sometimes it’s all three, is to be like Disney. I have often looked at how Disney engages kids as inspiration in engaging the kids I lead. I have had people suggest kindly to me that we take a look at how Disney does things. I even went to Disney and have sent staff members to Disney for inspiration for ministry. The older I get and the longer I do kids ministry, the more I realize that Walt’s idea of child formation was wrong, and Mr. Rogers was right. (Editorial note I am not a Disney hater, I have taken the required pilgrimage to Orlando with my family.)

When you look at the aesthetics of the two kingdoms they both built, they reflect how each saw the world. Walt’s world was a perfect version of what our world should look like. His world is shiny songs playing everywhere. Every restaurant serves chicken strips and hotdogs. Never any dust, never chipped paint. Excellence and creativity abound. Fred’s world was simple, even plain. His puppets showed wear, and his set grew old along with Fred. Two worlds trying to reach the same kids.

The two kingdoms they built were the result of two visions of the world. Walt created a world that was an escape from the real world. Fred lived in a neighborhood and showed kids how to navigate through the real world.

Walt built a fantasy world. Fred lived in a neighborhood.

There is nothing wrong with fantasy. Kids need fairy stories. Tolkien and Lewis were both shaped by fairy stories. They have different takes as to the ontological value of stories. Tolkien believed that fairy stories were reflective of God in that they were an example of sub-creation. Lewis thought that you could smuggle truth in fairy stories and steal past the watchful dragons that would not give faith a hearing. In this debate, I side more with Lewis. Fairy tales are more valuable in helping us escape this world, not for the escape alone but to show us what is broken and how to fix our world. Fairy stores should not be only an escape but should contain truth that entertains our minds but be filled with truth that changes our hearts.

Walt’s world, on the whole, is an escape from reality, sustained by entertainment. You enter the park, and you enter the world as it should be – no trash on the ground, no gum on the sidewalk, and no tears in any eye. It’s perfect. It plays to our right desire for a better world. It reminds us in miniature form that our world, the real world is a shadow, and our heart longs for a perfect world free of sin and pain.

Fred’s world had fantasy elements in it. But Fred never lied. He said we are going to the land of makebelieve. His fiction was grounded in reality and founded in faith. Fred lived in a neighborhood like you and me. His set was old, his puppets were tired, but he connected with kids in a way few others have. Mr. Rogers had friends come by who struggled with difficult issues like divorce, physical disability, and even race. He didn’t create an alternate universe by which he could escape reality. He lived in a house and told kids when makebelieve was happening. He used fairy stories to smuggle truth.

Walt Entertained Kids. Fred Empowered Kids.

Walt’s world is all about connecting kids to fun to entertain them. This is a trap I fell into early in my years of children’s ministry. For years I would ask kids if they had fun at the end of the service. I wanted the church to be an escape for kids from the difficulties of home and school. The problem with entertaining kids is you have to out create yourself every week. Kids go to Disney once to a few times a year max. They come to church once to a few times a month. Entertainment may bring them, but we don’t have the budget, creativity, and time to create programs for kids that rival or compete with Disney’s magic.

What Fred did was different. He didn’t distract kids from the pain and questions that were making them sad or scared. He looked in the camera and spoke from his heart to theirs. He did this because he remembered what it was like to be a child once. He wasn’t trying to force kids to grow up and act older than who they were. He was interested in helping kids understand that we grow, learn, and love in families, communities, and neighborhoods. It isn’t castles and clouds that make us forget our problems for a day. It’s the embodiment of being in a particular time and a particular place.

Kids don’t need to be entertained as much as they need to be loved and listened to. Anyone can put on a video and walk away. Anyone can create an event that is non stop excitement, and I think the church has gotten really good at production values and excellence. What we need to get better at is remembering that we were kids once. At telling kids the truth. At listening to kids and looking at them in the face when they are speaking to us. Kids like Disney, but they live in neighborhoods.

Walt was more concerned about your experience. Fred was more concerned with who you are becoming.

Walt was concerned with how his park made you feel. There is close attention to sights, sounds, and smells. Fred was more concerned with who you are becoming. In his now-famous interview with Mr. Rogers in Esquire Magazine, Tom Junod said of Fred that “There was an energy to him, however, a fearlessness, an unashamed insistence on intimacy.” This is the problem with entertainment; it leads to a consumer-driven faith where we show up and get our money’s worth. The production values are high, and we expect nothing less—excellence matters. God is a God of creativity and excellence we tell our selves. Yet when God sent his son into the world, he did so in such an ordinary way. He sent him in a way that most people missed Him because they were looking for a conquering King, not a helpless baby.

Fred’s idea was different. He was not driven by flash but by substance. He was not about entertainment. He was about incarnation. He showed us that loving your neighbor well matters. We must be more obsessed with who our kids are becoming, not just how we can get more kids coming. Who our kids are becoming will force us to lead different to love different to focus on things that don’t just take their mind off their pain. But instead, point them to the one who can destroy their pain with the power of his love.

Mr. Rogers was not against big things; he just knew that they came from small beginnings. “He wanted to tell children that what starts out little can sometimes become big, and so that could devote themselves to little dreams without feeling bad about them.” Mr. Rogers reminds us as kids ministry workers as parents of kids that presence trumps production value. To show up. Listen. Insist on intimacy. Tell your kids the truth; they like to be told. Remember that you were a kid once. Most of all, remember that God was a kid once.

This article originally appeared here.

Does Same Sex Attraction Disqualify Someone From Ministry?

Dave Zuleger

May 16, 2022

We’ve all seen the ever-increasing barrage of Christian posts, comments and opinions about the LGBT movement in America. Many have responded with angry rebuttals and a fearful cowering to a culture that so openly celebrates and affirms same sex sexual activity and marriage. Others, even whole denominations, are joining the culture in celebrating and affirming same sex sexual activity and marriage. Then there’s the question of same sex attraction but not same sex activity. So, who holds the right perspective?

Does Same Sex Attraction Disqualify Someone From Ministry?

The Bible states that the only place for God-honoring sexual activity is within the confines of a marriage between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:23–25). God never changes his mind on marriage and sexuality because there are such beautiful realities about him on display in it. Therefore, we cannot afford to change our minds about it, either. But does the Bible speak about same sex attraction as something different?

A response of angry fist-shaking and fearful finger-pointing does not reveal that we are standing humbly and confidently in an unshakable gospel. Instead, it shows the world that our hope was ultimately in a system of government and a shrouded sense of prioritized American citizenship. Joining the cultural celebration of homosexual activity and marriage does not prove that we are more advanced or loving; it shows we have abandoned the biblical teaching and regressed from the love embodied and called for in the gospel. We must be courageous enough to stand on the Bible and advance sacrificial gospel love without fear, and without anger.

Back to the Bible

If we could overcome our natural responses of fear and anger, we could again stand on the sure foundation of what Scripture actually says. The problem is that too often we do not appeal to the Bible for answers, but rather to our emotions. Many of us miss the fact that same sex sexual activity was a reality 2,000 years ago, and are surprised when it occurs now (1 Corinthians 6:9–11).

This is not an us versus them issue, because there are people—God-fearing, Christ-exalting people—living with same sex attraction in many of our churches. Is there a place for people with same sex attraction in the church? How about in your church? Could there even be a place for same sex attracted people to serve and lead in ministry?

Free Church Bulletin Board Ideas: 11 Kid-Friendly Creations

Stephanie Martin

May 15, 2022

Free church bulletin board ideas are always in high demand. So we wanted to share some favorites we’ve seen online!

In the digital age, it’s important to keep ministry websites and social media pages current. But don’t overlook the role of low-tech yet high-impact bulletin boards. Kidmin hallways, Sunday school classrooms, and children’s church areas can use bulletin boards to share schedules, news, photos, and Bible verses. To help, we’ve assembled 11 fun free church bulletin board ideas for you.

Bulletin board ideas range from Bible studies and themes to seasonal and holiday displays.

For fall and back to school, a bulletin board can welcome new children and families, provide directions and classroom assignments, showcase teacher and volunteer photos, and even feature pockets filled with forms and handouts.
As winter approaches, bulletin boards can keep people updated about Christmas rehearsals, family-focused activities, and donation and service opportunities.
During spring, use bulletin board ideas to chart attendance, memory-verse progress, fundraising goals, and more. Easter bulletin boards can celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. Be sure to publicize Promotion Sunday too, congratulating children for moving up to a new class — or to the next age-based ministry within your congregation, such as preteens or youth.
Summer bulletin board ideas for church include VBS, camps and daycare programs, and updates about worship schedules.

Craft stores and the internet are filled with supplies to help you bring free church bulletin board ideas to life. If you’re short on time, ask a creative parent or youth volunteer to contribute their ideas and know-how.

To jumpstart your brainstorming, we’ve gathered 11 innovative, free church bulletin board ideas for children’s ministry. Try them out to capture the attention of everyone who walks through your church or children’s space!

11 Free Church Bulletin Board Ideas

1. Children of God

At the start of a new Sunday school year, welcome kids with this brightly colored photo display. “I Am a Child of God” appears across a rainbow, with room underneath for children’s photos and first names.

2. Sing It Out!

Publicize children’s choir, worship, concerts, and programs. This music-themed bulletin board idea is based on Colossians 3:16.

3. All Aboard for Bible Fun

This railroad-themed bulletin board is based on Proverbs 3:4. Its message reminds young learners to “Stay on the Right Track.” This display is sure to be a big hit with toddlers and preschoolers.

Finding Contentment In The Multiverse Of Madness

Tamara Chamberlain

May 14, 2022

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is the first MCU movie to hit theaters in 2022. And while I’m one of the least likely people to see just about any movie on opening day, there I was in the theater with my popcorn and Red Vines, excited about an evening without cleaning dinner off the floor and urging toddlers to keep the water inside the tub during bath time.

Now, I’m ready to talk about the movie.

By no means am I attempting to write a critical review that will share deep insights into the Marvel Cinematic Universe of characters and intersecting storylines. I’ve been told that there are a lot of exciting connections between this movie and other movies and Disney+ series.

So if you’re into all of those exciting details, I’m sorry, I will most certainly disappoint you.

Another disclaimer: if you haven’t seen the movie yet and don’t want me to spoil anything for you, I suggest you stop reading now. But, please, come back after you watch the movie!

Plot And Major Themes Of Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness

The movie opens with a version of Doctor Strange in a dream sequence fighting a demon in order to prevent it from taking America Chavez’s multiversal traveling powers. Things get out of hand, and Doctor Strange is clearly losing. So he attempts to take America’s powers, because it seems to be the only way to keep them from falling into the hands of the demon. Doing so will certainly kill her.

But before this can happen, America inadvertently opens a portal into a different universe to save herself. This version of Doctor Strange dies.

Strange wakes up from what we think is just a bad dream. He then gets dressed to attend the wedding of his former love interest, Christine Palmer. What follows is the first introduction to a theme that will appear throughout this movie. At the wedding, Christine asks Strange if he’s happy. Of course he says, yes.

But you get the sense that his answer isn’t honest.

Then a giant, one-eyed octopus-type creature begins wreaking havoc in the city, so Strange leaps away to save the day.

Again, America Chavez is being attacked. During the fight sequence, Strange realizes his dream from earlier wasn’t a dream. America Chavez has the ability to travel through multiple universes and she’s being targeted for this power. Once Strange realizes this, he goes to the one person he can think of to help him: Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch.

It turns out she’s actually the one behind all the attacks on America.

Preschool Coloring Pages: 12 Activity Sheets for Young Learners

Stephanie Martin

May 13, 2022

Preschool coloring pages engage young learners while introducing them to Bible lessons. Developmentally, many toddlers and preschoolers can begin coloring. Plus, they love to create and experiment! So provide kid-friendly supplies such as large crayons and washable markers.

For content, it’s best to offer simple coloring sheets that won’t overwhelm kids. Avoid sheets with lots of small details and words. Instead, look for free downloadable preschool coloring pages that feature large shapes and smiling faces.

While searching for coloring pages, you can filter by Scripture verse, Bible story, book of the Bible, Bible character, and more. Favorite Bible stories for young students include anything with animals (Creation, Noah’s Ark, the Good Shepherd) and accounts of Jesus interacting with children.

Use preschool coloring pages in Sunday school classrooms, the church nursery, after-school day care, and more. Incorporate the pages into each week’s lesson, either during craft time or as take-home papers.

Options abound for using preschool coloring pages in your children’s ministry. For example, you can insert them in children’s bulletins so kids can create quietly during worship. Find a sheet that matches that week’s sermon theme. Or you can mail coloring pages to preschoolers, maybe in birthday or get-well cards.

Also consider displaying children’s finished masterpieces throughout the church. Kids will love pointing out their drawings to friends and parents!

To help you get started, we’ve found a dozen fun, Bible-based preschool coloring pages. We hope you enjoy this wide range of resources!

Preschool Coloring Pages Your Kids Will Love

1. Free Printables for Kids

Scroll down to access fun coloring pages that are ideal for preschoolers and younger kids.

2. Creation Coloring Pages

We love these simple yet meaningful coloring pages about the days of Creation.

3. Print-and-Fold Bible Story Books

These “create your own” books featuring Bible stories are kid-friendly and free!

4. Daniel and the Lions’ Den

Ideal for children under 5, this free coloring page features brave Daniel.

Bullets Interrupt Woman Sharing Gospel on Facebook Live

Jesse T. Jackson

May 13, 2022

Jacksonville, Florida, resident Loveyd Walker was preaching the gospel on Facebook Live Wednesday night when stray bullets from a street fight pierced through the walls of her home, nearly hitting her.

According to First Coast News, three bystanders were shot outside of Walker’s home while she was preaching on Facebook. An estimated 50 bullets rang out during a street fight that broke out around 8:45 p.m. Stray bullets made their way into cars and homes, one of which was Walker’s.

Around the 33:27 mark of Walker’s live video, the barrage of gunfire can be heard. A startled Walker looks around in an attempt to interpret the noise, which sounds like fire-crackers, when bullets pierce through the walls of her home, sending drywall debris into the air.

Walker leaps to the ground for safety as at least one more bullet can be heard hitting something in the room.

After the gunfire stops, Walker slowly appears back in view of the still-streaming Facebook Live video and immediately calls out the devil for trying to stop her from preaching the gospel.

“Oh my God, they just started shooting,” Walker said into the camera. “Do you see the devil? When you try to do something that has something to do with God and try to expose him, you see how the devil does.”

“He doesn’t know me,” Walker said while clapping, indicating that she isn’t going to stop preaching.

Walker didn’t know exactly what had happened outside, but she knew that someone was shot. “Look! [The bullets] literally came through,” Walker told those watching, holding up a cup that appeared to have been struck by one of the bullets.

“That was crazy,” she exclaimed. She then jumped right back into preaching. “Let’s go back to the Word,” she said, “because who’s not going to stop me—is the devil.”

Still visibly shaken, Walker said, “The devil is so freaking wicked,” sharing that, for a moment, she thought she had been shot.

“To God be the glory,” Walker said, saying that God “curved” the bullets so they’d miss her.

“The devil really thinks that he was gonna stop me from preaching the gospel. Nope. He could have never. He wanted me to get shot for trying to tell his secret. That’s what it was. But guess what? The God that I serve covers me. [Satan], sorry that you don’t know how to cover your people,” she said, referencing the gunmen.

Walker went on to say that the devil doesn’t love you, nor does he care about you.

“Bullets flying in the house. Ain’t afraid to preach the gospel. Ain’t afraid to get up and still preach the gospel. Because the God I serve is not going to let nothing hurt, harm, or endanger me—so to God be the glory,” she said.

Democrats and Republicans Should All Feel Welcome at Your Church, Says Andy Stanley

Jessica Mouser

May 13, 2022

andy stanley — Photo courtesy of Andy Stanley

Is your church welcoming to all people, whether they are Democrats, Republicans or affiliated with another political party? It should be, said Andy Stanley in a recent interview on the Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast.

“If the Democrats are as evil and as anti-family and as anti-God as they have been made out to be,” said Stanley, “then they are the mission field. Well, if they are the mission field, why in the world would we want to position our church so that the people we’re convinced are lost and hell-bound aren’t welcome in our church?”

Andy Stanley: Don’t Politicize Your Church

Andy Stanley is an author and pastor who founded North Point Ministries in 1995 in Atlanta. He joined Ed Stetzer and co-host Daniel Yang to discuss his new book, “Not in It to Win It: Why Choosing Sides Sidelines the Church,” released on May 10. Because the interview was recorded before Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s draft was leaked, the discussion did not touch on Roe v. Wade or the current debate among some evangelicals about what it means to be truly pro-life.

Stanley emphasized the danger of churches becoming politicized and said that at a very surface-level, most Christians would agree with him on that point. Yet many don’t understand that true believers can come to different conclusions about which political party they will support. He said,

If I were to do a message on, ‘Don’t wrap your faith around your politics, you need to adjust your politics according to your faith,’ everybody listening to me would go, ‘That’s exactly right. And that’s exactly what I’ve done—the reason I’m a Republican is because I’m a Christian.’ And there’s another group that’s like, ‘No, the reason I’m a Democrat is because I’m a Christian.’ And so it is so difficult to tease this out and figure this out and to be honest with ourselves and to listen to others.

Pastors need to be aware of how their comments from the pulpit could unnecessarily alienate people in the congregation, said Stanley. His point was not that church leaders should avoid taking a moral position on a particular issue. Rather, pastors should be cautious about indicating if they are for or against a particular political party. Stanley explained:

The cheap shots pastors take about Biden or Trump or any other local official, to preach in such a way or use illustrations in such a way that it’s very, very clear that if I’m a Democrat, I’m probably not going to love it here. If I’m a Republican, [I won’t feel welcome].…that’s politicizing. It’s elevating a political party or a political platform with political terminology over the purpose of the local church. And it’s so anti-missional…and it is so anti-Great Commission.

It can be difficult for Christians to see when they are politicizing their faith, said Stanley, but one way for them to tell if they are is to evaluate if they are supporting their party no matter what. He said, “If I’m not willing to break ranks with my political party when my political party gets it wrong on an issue where the New Testament…is clear, then I have elevated my party over my faith.”

Another sign of danger is if Christians are not willing to be truthful and open with others about their disagreements with their party. “If I just remain silent in order not to rock the boat or not to lose friends on the Left or Right,” said Stanley, “as a Christian, I have just said not, ‘One nation under God.’ I’ve said, ‘My God, under my nation.’ That’s what I’m declaring.”

Yet while many Christians would agree that elevating one’s country over God is wrong, Stanley believes many of us do so without realizing it. “Because of the nature of what’s happened in our culture politically and because everything is so politicized, so many Christians, I think unintentionally end up there,” he said. “And it’s our responsibility as church leaders to call that out and, of course, to examine our own hearts, because we are all so susceptible to that.”

In Wake of Roe’s Possible Overturn, Differing Visions Within Pro-Life Movement Come Into Focus

Dale Chamberlain

May 13, 2022

For nearly five decades, the pro-life movement in America has been united in its vision to overturn Roe. Now that it appears that vision may be soon realized, the ensuing discourse among pro-lifers has brought into focus the fact that this big tent movement is far from monolithic.

After a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion revealed that Roe may soon be overturned, returning the question of abortion’s legality to individual states, cascading battles to pass responsive legislation have ensued.

On Wednesday (May 11), Democratic senators presented a bill that would federally protect abortion rights, which was ultimately struck down by a 49-51 vote.

Had it passed, the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) would have provided federal protections for abortion rights up to the point of birth, striking down regulatory laws surrounding abortion at the state level. Every Republican senator voted against it, and Democratic senator Joe Manchin crossed party lines to join them.

Conversely, a Louisiana state bill proposed that women who procure abortions should be subject to criminal prosecution and imprisonment. The reasoning behind the proposed law is that the intentional killing of an unborn child should be treated the same under the law as murder.

While a subset of the pro-life movement favors this line of reasoning, another contingency of pro-lifers strongly opposes legislation that would impose criminal prosecution on mothers who have sought an abortion.

In response to such possible legislation, leaders from 66 different pro-life organizations signed an open letter to all state legislators, arguing that women who have abortions are “victims” and “require our compassion and support as well as ready access to counseling and social services in the days, weeks, months, and years following an abortion.”

“If the Supreme Court does overturn Roe v. Wade, they will be honoring the unambiguous division of powers described in the Constitution, returning abortion policymaking back to our elected state and federal legislators,” the letter says. “This will be a tremendous opportunity for states to create durable policy that can stand the test of time. But in seizing that opportunity, we must ensure that the laws we advance to protect unborn children do not harm their mothers.”

“In fighting for our country’s future generations, we are called to act with love and compassion as we seek fairness, justice, and liberty for unborn children and their mothers,” the letter goes on to say. “Criminalizing women is antithetical to this charge…We call upon all pro-life legislators to stand with us.”

The sponsor of the Louisiana bill abruptly pulled the proposal from debate Thursday night after House members voted 65-26 to totally revamp it, eliminating criminal penalties.

Among those to sign the open letter to state legislators was Brent Leatherwood, acting president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), which is the public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). The appearance of Leatherwood’s name on the document drew sharp criticism from some within his own denomination, including one pastor vying for the SBC presidency this June.

Learning to Pray Out Loud

Learning to Pray Out Loud: the Next Week

The Week After That

6 Months Later

Good Video Editing is . . . Storytelling

So—if you want good video editing here’s what I’d do:

1. Read the book Story, by Robert McKee.

2. Start reading novels.

3. Watch story driven films and videos.

4. Start exploring stories on a regular basis.

9 Awesome Spanish Christian Songs for Kids

1. Generacion 12 Kids

2. Xtreme Kids

3. Yancy Pequeña Fiesta de Alabanza

4. Biper y Sus Amigos

5. Hillsong Jr. Español

Brian and Bobbie Houston at Hillsong

Buffalo Shooting: Alleged Shooter Is ‘Pure Evil,’ Says Sheriff

Buffalo Shooting Victims: Pearl Young Was ‘Full of Giving’

Designing for Radical Hospitality

Four Zones for Hospitality and Generosity

1. The Welcome Desk

2. The Café

3. The Family Room

Does Same Sex Attraction Disqualify Someone From Ministry?

Back to the Bible

11 Free Church Bulletin Board Ideas

1. Children of God

2. Sing It Out!

3. All Aboard for Bible Fun

Plot And Major Themes Of Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness

Preschool Coloring Pages Your Kids Will Love

1. Free Printables for Kids

2. Creation Coloring Pages

3. Print-and-Fold Bible Story Books

4. Daniel and the Lions’ Den

Andy Stanley: Don’t Politicize Your Church

New Articles

New Podcasts

**1. Read the book Story, by Robert McKee.**