ERLC Leader Reacts to Biden’s First State of the Union

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March 3, 2022

WASHINGTON (BP) – President Biden’s first State of the Union speech received from a Southern Baptist ethics leader both commendation for its support of Ukraine and objection for its endorsement of abortion rights and gay rights.

Speaking Tuesday night (March 1) to a joint session of Congress and a national television audience, Biden began the traditional address by praising the Ukrainian people for their resolve in the face of Russia’s six-day-old invasion of their country. “We, the United States of America, stand with the Ukrainian people,” he said. The president led those in attendance in an extended standing ovation for Oksana Markarova, the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States, as a sign of solidarity with her country.

Yet, Biden also called for protecting the right to abortion while the Supreme Court considers a case this term that could result in the reversal of the 1973 Roe v. Wade opinion that legalized the procedure throughout the country. In addition, the president urged Congress to pass the Equality Act, a far-reaching gay and transgender rights proposal that opponents warn would significantly threaten religious freedom.

Brent Leatherwood, acting president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), told Baptist Press, “It has been a long time since bipartisanship can be said about something in Washington, but we witnessed that in response to the president’s remarks about Ukraine last night. Confronting [Russian President] Vladimir Putin about his illegal and ghastly invasion should inspire broad consensus across party lines.

“Unfortunately, the latter part of the president’s remarks highlighted a laundry list of divisive items like the misnamed Equality Act and abortion,” Leatherwood said in written comments. “It is lamentable that the address went that direction, as our nation has big challenges before it right now and we need leadership that unifies.”

A Southern Baptist member of Congress, Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., expressed similar thoughts about Biden’s 62-minute address.

“It was good that the loudest, longest applause through the entire speech was actually right at the beginning for the ambassador from Ukraine to be able to tell the world that we are standing with” the Ukrainian people, Lankford said. “We should do what it takes to be able to make it very, very clear to Russia that the world will not put up with their aggression and continue to be clear on that.”

He was pleased the president began with Ukraine, but the speech “went downhill from there,” Lankford said.

By invading Ukraine, Putin “thought he could roll into Ukraine, and the world would roll over,” Biden said of the Russian invasion. “But he badly miscalculated.”

Putin met “a wall of strength he never anticipated or imagined,” Biden said. “He met the Ukrainian people. From President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy to every Ukrainian, their fearlessness, their courage, their determination literally inspires the world.”

Describing the Putin-ordered invasion as “premeditated and totally unprovoked,” Biden said the Russian president “is now isolated from the world more than he has ever been.”

The U.S. president briefly described economic sanctions imposed by America and its allies against Russia. He also announced that the U.S. would follow the example of other countries in closing its air space to all Russian flights.

Churches Work Toward Resuming Missions to Pre-COVID Levels

By

Scott Barkley

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March 3, 2022

Missions — A women's team from Grand Avenue Baptist Church stands with a group of pastors' wives for a discipleship training in Tanzania. Photo courtesy of Baptist Press.

NASHVILLE (BP) – Not too long ago it was normal for Grand Avenue Baptist Church in Fort Smith, Ark., to take 20-25 mission trips in a year. Perhaps a half-dozen of those would be reached by van, but most required a flight.

COVID-19 changed all that.

“I had many trips ready to go in 2020, but COVID pretty much shut us down,” said Scott Ward, missions minister. “There were three scheduled for that spring break, and I was planning on taking another team to South Asia. About a week before, we decided to cancel.”

Instead, the church took a few trips in 2020 and only one in 2021, to Wyoming. Spring break missions returns next month with college students assisting some of GABC’s church plants in Columbus, Ohio. In May a group will travel to Central Asia, with another returning to the Wind River Indian Reservation near Riverton, Wyo., in July.

In addition, GABC teams will go to Tanzania in June, Panama in July and South Asia in August, Ward said.

The pandemic was an interruption. But as it did for others in literally every part of society, it forced churches like Grand Avenue to take a closer look at how to adjust. A hiccup doesn’t have to become a hinderance.

One church’s way of being part of the Great Commission doesn’t have to mirror others’, said Kevin Prewett, manager of field relations for the International Mission Board. For congregations who scaled back on travel the last two years or those wanting to re-establish a missions culture, it always helps to look ahead.

“For churches that have taken a few trips previously, the pathway is shorter,” Prewett said, “but there are necessary steps for setting up a healthy missions strategy and plan.”

It begins with a church taking stock of how God has blessed it, to discover the ways it has been equipped “both corporately and individually,” Prewett said. “That will help them determine where and how to engage in the overall mission.”

Grand Avenue, for instance, had to adjust for a season on its approach.

“COVID certainly interrupted our mission trips,” Ward said. “But it benefited us in that it forced us to really work hard on our local mission efforts.”

For churches who feel they may not have the resources for numerous trips abroad, Prewett pointed out other ways to support the Great Commission.

“They need to consider what training they might need, what areas of the globe or people groups they want to prayerfully consider and how they want to engage in the mission,” he said. “The question is much broader than simply ‘Should we go on a short-term mission trip or not?’ Looking at prayer opportunities, ways to support field work financially and how would a short-term trip lead to a longer-term partnership are other issues to consider.”

Prewett added that the IMB’s Church Mobilization Team can assist churches with those questions through info@imb.org or by calling (800) 999-3113.

Vaccination considerations have also become the norm for planning mission trips, largely depending on your destination.

You’re Not a Leader If You Never Say You’re Sorry

By

Eric Geiger

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March 3, 2022

You are not a good leader if you never tell people you are sorry. There are a myriad of issues in the heart of a leader who never apologizes. If you never apologize, at least one of the following is also true:

You reveal you think you are infallible.

If you never apologize, if you never say, “I was wrong,” you show people you actually believe you are always right. You reveal your foolishness, not your wisdom, if you never admit to being wrong. People are hesitant, as they should be, to follow someone who thinks he/she is always right. There is only One who is faultless, and it is not you.

You are never having difficult conversations.

If you never need to look at someone on your team and say, “I am sorry, but…” then you are ignoring difficult conversations that would make the person and the team stronger. If you talk about people instead of to people, you are not a good leader. If you work around deficiencies instead of confronting them and providing opportunities for growth, you are shirking your responsibility.

You are afraid of making mistakes.

If you take risks and try new things, you will make mistakes. And wise leaders own those mistakes and learn from them. If you hate saying you are sorry, if you hate ever being wrong, you will be much more risk adverse and unwilling to try new things to advance the mission.

You are never repenting.

Most importantly, a leader who never apologizes is a leader who is not repenting. Great leaders repent. Tertullian said, “We were born for nothing but repentance.” The first of Martin Luther’s 95 Theses is “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ‘Repent’ (Matthew 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.” If you never admit your wrongs and ask for forgiveness, you have an elevated view of your holiness and a woefully incomplete view of His.

This article originally appeared here.

R.C. Sproul: Abundant Love

By

R.C. Sproul

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March 3, 2022

Love of Complacency

In his monumental biography of Jonathan Edwards, George Marsden cites a passage from Edwards’ Personal Narrative:

Since I came to this town [Northampton], I have often had sweet complacency in God in views of his glorious perfections, and the excellency of Jesus Christ. God has appeared to me, a glorious and lovely being chiefly on account of his holiness. The holiness of God has always appeared to me the most lovely of all his attributes. (p. 112)

If we take note of Edwards’ language, his choice of words to describe his enraptured delight in the glory of God, we observe his accent on the sweetness, loveliness, and excellence of God. He reports of enjoying a “sweet complacency” in God. What does he mean? Is not the term complacency a word we use to describe a certain smugness, a resting on one’s laurels, a sort of lazy inertia that attends a superficial sort of satisfaction? Perhaps. But here we see a vivid example of how words sometimes change their import over time.

What Edwards meant by a “sweet complacency” had nothing to do with a contemporary dose of smugness. Rather, it had to do with a sense of pleasure. This “pleasure” is not to be understood in a crass hedonistic, or sensual, sense but rather a delight in that which is supremely pleasing to the soul.

The roots of this meaning of “complacency” are traced by the Oxford English Dictionary (vol. 3), where the primary meaning given is “the fact or state of being pleased with a thing or person; tranquil pleasure or satisfaction in something or some one.” References are cited for this usage from John Milton, Richard Baxter, and J. Mason. Mason is quoted, “God can take no real complacency in any but those that are like him.”

I labor the earlier English usage of the word complacency because it is used in a crucial manner in the language of historic, orthodox theology. When speaking of God’s love, we distinguish among three types of that love—the love of benevolence, the love of beneficence, and the love of complacency. The reason for the distinctions is to note the different ways in which God loves all people, in one sense, and the special way He loves His people, the redeemed.

Love of Benevolence

Benevolence is derived from the Latin prefix bene, which means “well,” or “good,” and it is the root for the word will. Creatures who exercise the faculty of the will by making choices are called volitional creatures. Though God is not a creature, He is a volitional being insofar as He also has the faculty of willing.

We are all familiar with Luke’s account of the nativity of Jesus in which the heavenly host praises God declaring: “Glory to God in the highest. And on earth peace, goodwill toward men” (Luke 2:8–14 NKJV). Though some argue that the blessing is given to men of goodwill, the root meaning is the same. The love of benevolence is the quality of good will toward others. The New Testament is replete with references of God’s good will to all humanity even in our falleness. Though Satan is a malevolent being (one who harbors bad will both toward us and God), it can never properly be said of God that He is malevolent. He has no malice in His purity, no maliciousness in His actions. God does not “delight” in the death of the wicked—even though He decrees it. His judgments upon evil are rooted in His righteousness, not in some distorted malice in His character. Like an earthly judge weeps when he sends the guilty for punishment, God rejoices in the justness of it but gets no glee from the pain of those justly punished.

This love of benevolence, or good will, extends to all people without distinction. God is loving, in this sense, even to the damned.

Love of Beneficence

This type of love, the love of beneficence, is closely linked to the love of benevolence. The difference between benevolence and beneficence is the difference between disposition and action. I may feel well-disposed toward someone, but my goodwill remains unknown until or unless I manifest it by some action. We often associate beneficence with acts of kindness or charity. We note here that the very word “charity” is often used as a synonym for love. In the sense of beneficence, acts of kindness are acts of the love of beneficence.

Pray for the Precious People of Ukraine (and Russia), Traumatized by War

By

Randy Alcorn

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March 3, 2022

When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, But when a wicked man rules, people groan. (Proverbs 29:2)

The sight of Russian tanks rolling into Ukraine will never be forgotten by many of us. Incredibly, Russian President Vladimir Putin, now a war criminal, asserted that Ukraine does not truly exist as a nation. The sense of entitlement and the implicit return to the mindset of the old USSR, dismantled 31 years ago, was and is stunning.

Here’s a video of a Ukrainian husband and father saying goodbye as his wife and daughter attempt to escape the country, which he is staying, presumably to fight and defend. As a father of daughters, this really gets to me.

I am struck by how close to home the situation in the Ukraine is to many of us who are what seems a world away. One of our board members is part of a second family to a woman from the Ukraine who has eight close family members there. Another board member, a public high school teacher, says, “I have an 18-year-old exchange student from Ukraine. So he is here living with a host family while his actual family is all back in Ukraine.” A third board member said, “Broken hearted for all involved in oppression. I can’t believe it has gone this far already! I wasn’t expecting it.” One staff member told me, “I read lots of fiction set in WW2. Hard to believe it’s 2022, and war is in Europe.”

On hearing the news of the invasion, my own mind immediately went back to 1991, when my longtime friend and pastor Steve Keels and I spent two weeks in Russia and Ukraine. It was the very year Ukraine would assert its independence, just months after we were there. In my first report on our trip just after returning in May 1991 (How Can We Help Churches in the Soviet Union?) I told the story of how we freely passed out Bibles in public schools and shared the gospel in Ukrainian classrooms for what we were told was the first time ever in that city, Kamanets-Podolsky (alternately spelled Kamianets-Podilskyi), since 1920 when Ukraine became part of the original USSR. (When we were there it was sometimes known as “the Ukraine,” or “the Soviet Ukraine.”)

The photo below is of me speaking, with Bill Kapitaniuk translating, at a rally in a Ukrainian philharmonic auditorium formerly open only to card-carrying members of the Communist party. The whole community was invited, and thousands attended. We shared the gospel, and many came forward to receive Christ, with hundreds asking for Bibles. People literally pressed against us, a sea of humanity reaching to grab hold of God’s Word. Forty-five minutes after the rally was over, people still crowded around us, asking us to sign their Bibles (as if we had written them!).

1991 was a unique and historic time in Ukraine. Change and the hope of freedom were in the air we were breathing. Just the previous year, Latvia and Estonia had declared their independence and other countries of the USSR were moving toward doing the same. It was becoming clear that USSR general secretary Gorbachev could not much longer control the territories beyond Russia.

Steve and I were in the Ukrainian city of Kamianets-Podilskyi on April 22, 1991. That was what was then one of the most prominent Soviet holidays, Lenin’s birthday. 121 years after Lenin was born, on the very day of, we were awoken by shouts and loud noises, and looked out our hotel window to the public square below, only to see hundreds of Ukrainian citizens. Some had ropes in hand, and all were attempting to tear down a huge statue of Lenin. It symbolized their rejection of the Russian control of what was once their country and in their hearts still was. We watched soldiers march out and point their weapons toward the protestors. For a few horrifying hours we thought we were going to witness a bloodbath. It seemed miraculous that it didn’t happen. This photo below shows the tearing down of a similar Lenin statue in a different Ukrainian city. Finally the statue came down and not a single shot was fired.

On August 24, 1991, only four months after we left, Ukraine officially declared itself an independent country. The parliament of Ukraine proclaimed that the nation would no longer follow the laws of USSR but only the laws of the Ukrainian SSR, thereby declaring Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union. That was made final when the USSR dissolved December 26, 1991, eight months after we left.

What hit me when I saw the invasion of the Ukraine is this: the vengeful bloodbath we thought we were about to see in 1991 is actually happening now, 31 years later.

Putin’s actions felt to me like the second coming of Stalin, who committed horrific crimes against the Ukrainian people, worst of all the enforced starvation that killed something like four million people. I mentioned in my letter just after returning home, that we shared the Gospel with a Ukrainian man on a train who a few hours later came to faith in Christ. What I didn’t mention in that letter was that Sergei, in the photo I took below, stunned us by saying that his mother was the only surviving member of her family—both her parents and all her siblings starved to death under Stalin’s horrific, even demonic, acts of murder. Both Steve and Bill appear taken aback by what Sergei was saying, which makes me think I took the photo when he was telling us the part of his story about Stalin starving the people of Ukraine and his mother being the only survivor in her family.

Get Along With God and Others: 11 Biblical Precedents

By

Josh Hunt

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March 3, 2022

What does the Bible have to say about getting along – with other people and how to get along with God. Quite a bit, actually. Paul said, “If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody.” Romans 12:18 (MSG) A more straightforward translation: “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (NIV) The John Maxwell translation goes like this: “Do the best you can to get along with everyone. Yet realize that once in a while you are going to have a relationship with a difficult person that may fall short of the ideal.”

Get Along With Others, Get Along With God

“If it is possible” reminds us that it is not always possible, at least not completely. We can get along with most of the people most of the time, but you can’t get along with all of the people all of the time. Paul said he tried to, “please everyone in every way,” (1 Corinthians 10:33) while acknowledging that he couldn’t—at least not and be a servant of Christ. “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10 NIV)

Proverbs 18:1 (GNB) says, “People who do not get along with others are interested only in themselves; they will disagree with what everyone else knows is right.” The NIV calls this man “unfriendly.” God’s Word Translation calls him a “loner.” The sense of this verse is that the loner will cut himself off from wisdom. He didn’t need to cross-reference his opinion with yours; he always has all the information he needs.

The person who can’t get along with others stands in opposition to the Proverb that says, “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.” (Proverbs 11:14 NIV) People who don’t know how to get along cut themselves off from many advisers and, thus, from wisdom.

Hebrews 12:14 points out that getting along with others is hard work. The writer commands that we work hard at getting along and connects getting along with holiness. “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14 NIV) The Message has this: “Work hard at getting along with each other.” Indeed. It is hard work.

This word dioko is usually translated “persecute.” It was used for an animal chasing down its prey or a runner pushing his chest toward the tape. As a secondary meaning, it came to refer to chasing down Christians or persecuting them. It is a strong word. A.T. Robertson said, “Give peace a chase as if in a hunt.” It is the word Paul used in Philippians when he said he “pressed on toward the mark.” We are to chase down the ability to get along with others. Perhaps he was thinking of the Psalm that says, “seek peace and pursue it.” (Psalm 34.14) Paul probably had a similar thing in mind in 2 Timothy 2.22. He exhorted Timothy to flee a list of things and pursue a list of things. One of the things he was to pursue (dioko) was peace.

The writer connects getting along with holiness. In other words, we are to pursue getting along with the same diligence we give to pursuit of holiness. Jerry Bridges wrote a classic book by that title: The Pursuit of Holiness. Great read. Perhaps he needs to follow up with a book on the pursuit of getting along.

In Malachi 2.10, the prophet laments, “Don’t we all come from one Father? Aren’t we all created by the same God? So why can’t we get along?” Malachi 2:10 (MSG)

He goes on to lament the fact that husbands and wives can’t get along. God says, “I hate divorce.” I hate it when man and wife can’t get along. He hates divorce because He has experienced divorce. “I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery.” (Jeremiah 3:8 NIV) God is pictured in the Bible as a broken-hearted, jilted lover. He knows the pain of not being able to get along.

In Romans 1:29, Paul has a long list of characteristics of sinners. One of them is that they are hard to get along with. Whatever else is true of sinners is that they are hard to get along with. “They are evil, wicked, and greedy, as well as mean in every possible way. They want what others have, and they murder, argue, cheat and are hard to get along with. (Romans 1:29 CEV)

In contrast, God has called us to be easy to get along with. God has called us to be gracious, winsome and kind. One of the first verses I memorized was, “Be ye kind one to another.” (Ephesians 4.32 KJV) Paul said, “Let your gentleness be evident to all.” (Philippians 4.5)

Paul was quite intense in this desire for the churches to get along and to get along with God. In 1 Corinthians 1:10 (CEV), we read, “My dear friends, as a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, I beg you to get along with each other.” Eugene Peterson paraphrased it this way: “I have a serious concern to bring up with you, my friends, using the authority of Jesus, our Master. I’ll put it as urgently as I can: You must get along with each other.” (1 Corinthians 1:10 MSG)

The God of the Bible is deadly serious about the work of getting along – with both others and how to get along with God.

This article about about how to get along with God and others is excerpted from How to Get Along With Almost Anyone, 2014.

Preschool Sunday School Lessons: 3 Ideas for Children’s Messages

By

Vanessa Myers

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March 2, 2022

Do you need fresh ideas for preschool Sunday school lessons? These three brief lessons are a hit at our preschool Chapel Chat every Thursday. During that time, 3- and 4-year-olds worship in the sanctuary with our pastor. Children sing songs and listen to a short message. Occasionally, I get to fill in. I so enjoy interacting with these vibrant worshipers!

Check out the three preschool Sunday school lessons below. Maybe you can use one at your next Chapel Chat with preschoolers or Children’s Sermon on Sundays.

3 Quick Preschool Sunday School Lessons

1. Preschool Sunday School Lessons: Words Can’t Go Back In

Theme: Be kind to each other

Scripture: Ephesians 4:32

Supplies Needed: Toothpaste, Paper Towels

Show children the tube of toothpaste. Ask what we do with it. Then invite one of them to squirt out some toothpaste on the paper towel.

Say: Now that you’ve squirted the toothpaste out, I want you to put it back in the tube.

The child will give you a funny look. But encourage the child to try to put it back in. It may get a little messy, so have extra paper towels handy.

After the toothpaste fails to go back in, then ask:

Why can’t you put toothpaste back in the tube once you’ve squirted it out? (It’s not made to do that.)

This reminds me: We’re not made to be hurtful to others by saying mean words. Every word that comes out of our mouth, we can’t put back in. Once it’s spoken, then we can’t take it back. That’s why it’s so important that we be careful with the words we speak. We need to say kind and loving words to our parents, friends, brothers and sisters. God made us to be kind and loving to others, not mean.

Bible Application

Ephesians 4:32 says: “Be kind, one to another; tenderhearted forgiving one another.”

What are some kind words we can say? Allow kids to answer.

Let’s remember to use kind words like this every time we speak. We want to love others by showing them kindness. Jesus wants us to do that!

On days when we do say hurtful or mean words, we can ask for forgiveness from God. Plus, we can say we’re sorry to the person we hurt.

Let’s practice saying kind words. Turn to a friend and say a kind word to them. Allow a few seconds for this.

Remember: We can’t take our words back. So we need to make sure we think about what we say before we say it. God made us to be kind to each other. Now let’s go out today and be kind to everyone!

Prayer: Dear God, thank you that we can talk. Help us use our words in kind and loving ways every day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Youth Ministry Tough Questions: 5 Topics You Must Be Ready to Address

By

Aaron Helman

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March 2, 2022

I want to share five youth ministry tough questions…because somewhere, sometime, someone will ask them. And that’s the wrong moment to realize you don’t have a solid answer.

So take some time now to think about how you’ll respond. You’ll be very glad you did. And believe me, in youth ministry tough questions will happen!

There’s no excuse for being caught totally off guard by totally predictable youth ministry tough questions. Every now and again, you’ll get a question or problem that’s impossible to anticipate. You’ll hesitate and stammer, and that’s okay.

But if you’ve been in youth ministry more than five minutes, you should expect and prepare for a few difficult questions.

My goal isn’t to instruct your theology or give you answers. Instead, I hope you’ll take some time now to think. That way, you won’t trip over the tough questions when they arise.

5 Youth Ministry Tough Questions You’re Bound to Hear

1. Any question about homosexuality

Someone will ask these questions and probably pretty soon, too. Think about it and pray about it. Also figure out your church’s position on the issue. You’ll want that information before you blurt out a hasty answer.

In relation to this, consider how you’ll respond if and when a student comes out to you.

2. My (friend, grandparent, neighbor, coach) died and wasn’t a Christian. Is he/she in hell?

Yep, we’re talking about heaven and hell. That’s because your students are talking about it. And they’re scared about it, usually more for others than themselves.

If you don’t talk about hell, your students will ask. So you’d better be ready with a solid, biblical answer.

24-Year-Old Preacher’s American Idol Audition Brings America to Tears

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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March 2, 2022

american idol — Screengrab via YouTube @American Idol

Preacher Tyler Allen brought America to tears with his rendition of “I Believe in You and Me,” a Four Tops song made popular by Whitney Houston, on American Idol’s 20th season premiere.

Allen shared why he was auditioning, a story that had judge Katy Perry ugly crying before he even sang a note.

The recently married Allen is an ordained elder at Ark of Safety Church Ministries in Mobile, Alabama and began ministering to people at the age of nine. Allen also has his own ministry organization called “Tyler Nicholas Allen Ministries,” where he can be booked to sing at weddings, conferences, revivals, and more.

The 24-year-old singer told the judges he was there to make them smile and hopefully make them feel good after they heard him sing.

Perry asked Allen why he was auditioning.

“Today is a special day for me. I’m dedicating this to my nephew who passed away this past April. He and his mother (Allen’s sister) [were] in a terrible accident. They were hit by an 18-wheeler and died instantaneously,” Allen emotionally responded.

Allen’s nephew, Noah, was only one when he died and had just started walking and talking. “I never thought I’d have to go through something like this for my family,” Allen shared.

The rising star used to sing “I Believe in You and Me” to Noah when he would rock him to sleep and explained that singing brings him comfort when thinking about his nephew. Allen shared that he would get through it, “but putting him to rest was the hardest thing.”

“Though he’s not here, I do believe he’s in a far better place,” Allen said. “And I’m gonna see him again.”

Singing is healing for Allen, who leapt at the opportunity to showcase his talents on one of America’s number one singing competitions. Before he started singing, Allen told the judges, “What better way to honor [my nephew] than to sing a song by Whitney Houston.”

Allen received a standing ovation from all three judges and was flooded with emotion after the completion of his song.

Judge Luke Bryan told Allen that he checked off a lot of amazing boxes judges are looking for in the next American Idol.

“You are a star,” judge Lionel Richie said. “You’re at the top of my food-chain right now.”

With mascara running down from her eyes, Perry described Allen’s voice as, “God-given” and “beautiful.”

On the same episode wherein two of the judges told Aretha Franklin‘s granddaughter she wasn’t ready, all three judges unanimously told Allen that he was going to the next round of the competition in Hollywood.

“Yes, Lord,” Allen shouted after what he heard.

Multiple videos on Allen’s Instagram prove just how talented this young preacher is. If he doesn’t become American Idol’s next big winner, his audition in itself has definitely made him a household name.

Ash Wednesday Sparks Reflections on God’s Love, Humor, Prayers for Ukraine

By

Jessica Lea

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March 2, 2022

People all over the world today are observing Ash Wednesday, a day on the Christian calendar that marks the beginning of Lent and reminds us of the frailty of our lives and our need for repentance. Quite a few observers posted prayers for the war in Ukraine, while others focused on God’s love or offered humor.

“Ash Wednesday is not a day to manufacture guilt,” said Pastor Rich Villodas. “It’s a day to recognize our brokenness, frailty, and trust in God’s love. It’s a day to freely come before God and declare, ‘I am human, I am dust, and I am loved.’”

“Have a blessed Ash Wednesday,” said actor Mark Wahlberg, posting a picture of himself with the traditional cross-shaped ashes on his forehead. Wahlberg, who is Catholic, included a video where he said, “God bless you, and happy start to a Lenten season. Please, make sure we continue to spread love and pray for everybody all over the world.”

Ash Wednesday Begins Season of Lent

As we have written before at ChurchLeaders, Lent is a season in the Christian liturgical calendar that anticipates Jesus’ resurrection; it starts on Ash Wednesday and ends during Holy Week, the week leading up to Easter Sunday. Other seasons in the Christian calendar include Advent, Easter, and Ordinary Time.

Some believers reject the observation of Lent as an unbiblical, man-made tradition, but the roots of Lent go back to the practices of Christian converts in the early church, who would fast in preparation for being baptized on Easter morning. Eventually, Lent became associated with Jesus’ 40-day fast in the wilderness.

It is common for modern Christians to choose something to fast from during Lent, whether a type of food, habit, or some comfort. Participants can break their Lenten fast on Sundays, which are “feast days” that foreshadow Easter.

“You don’t need to observe Ash Wednesday. This isn’t a command,” says Colorado pastor Glenn Packiam. “But it is a beautiful way to join with the Church—for the past 1,200 years—and with the people of God—for thousands of years before that!—and humbly repent and seek God’s face.”

Several people have used this year’s Ash Wednesday to focus on the war in Ukraine. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, “On #AshWednesday we face our frailty and mortality. As we are invited to place all of our hope in God’s triumph over death and destruction through Christ, we pray especially for Ukraine and all those who are suffering, scared, and aware of fragility today.”

Pope Francis also posted a tweet for Ash Wednesday, alluding to the war and calling on believers to “dedicate themselves intensively to prayer and fasting.” President Biden observed Ash Wednesday and prayed for the people of Ukraine. The president also declined to answer why he “supports abortion as a Catholic.”

Dr. Ruth Valerio, Global Advocacy and Influencing Director for Tearfund, gave an Ash Wednesday meditation and prayer focused on Ukraine, saying, “Ash Wednesday acknowledges the brokenness of this world, while also pointing us to the ultimate reconciliation and peace that we can all experience with God through his son Jesus.”

Valerio prayed that the war in Ukraine would end, adding, “Please bring comfort, safety and provision for those fleeing the war or trapped in their homes. We pray for wisdom for political leaders, and we pray that in this darkness you would shine a light.”

Sacramento Man Arrested on Felony Charges Days Before Murder-Suicide Involving His Three Daughters, Church Elder

By

Dale Chamberlain

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March 2, 2022

In this undated photo provided by the Merced County Sheriff's Office is David Mora, who was under a restraining order and not supposed to have a gun, allegedly fatally shot his three daughters, a chaperone and himself during a supervised visit with the girls at a California church, officials said Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Court documents paint a disturbing picture of verbal and physical abuse inflicted by 39-year-old David Mora on his girlfriend, who is the mother of their three daughters, one of whom would have turned 11 on Wednesday. (Merced County Sheriff's Office via AP)

More details have begun to emerge regarding the tragic murder-suicide that took place at The Church in Sacramento located in California on Monday evening. The assailant has been identified as David Mora, 39, and the victims were his three daughters (ages 9, 10 and 13) and Nathaniel Kong, 59, who was an elder at the church.

Mora was at the church for supervised visitation with his daughters when he opened fire with an AR-15-style rifle.

Just a few days before the tragic incident, he was arrested on charges of resisting arrest, battery on a police officer and driving under the influence. During the arrest, Mora assaulted a California Highway Patrol officer, causing injuries to the officer.

According to court documents (in which Mora is identified as David Fidel Mora Rojas), Mora’s former girlfriend of 15 years filed a domestic violence restraining order against him in April of 2021, saying that she feared for the safety of herself and her daughters.

In the filing, the former girlfriend claimed that Mora had threatened to kill her if she ever cheated on him, and that Mora had also said the only reason he had not already killed her was because he wouldn’t know how to care for the children.

“He has choked me in the past,” the filing also said.

After authorities took Mora into custody on a psychiatric hold and administered a mental health evaluation, a five-year restraining order was placed against him. He was barred from visitation with his daughters unless a chaperon was present and was disallowed from possessing firearms or ammunition.

Authorities have not released any details regarding how Mora came into possession of the murder weapon, and the investigation is ongoing. According to Julie Bornhoeft, a domestic violence victim advocate with crisis intervention service WEAVE Inc., gaps exist in the enforcement of restraining order restrictions when it comes to firearms.

“It is left to an honor system with a person who has already hurt or threatened a partner being relied upon to abide by the law,” Bornhoeft said to Yahoo! News. “It is a flawed system.”

Mora’s visitation was limited to no more than four hours a week under the supervision of a mutually agreed upon chaperon. The chaperone that the couple selected was The Church of Sacramento elder Nathaniel Kong.

Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputies gather outside the scene where a man shot and killed his three daughters, their chaperone and himself during a supervised visit with the girls at a church in Sacramento, Calif., Monday, Feb. 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Dominique Dubois Gilliard: What Joseph, Pharaoh, and the Apostles Teach Us About Privilege

By

Jessica Lea

-

March 2, 2022

The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast · Dominique Dubois Gilliard: What Joseph, Pharaoh, and the Apostles Teach Us About Privilege

Dominique Dubois Gilliard is the Director of Racial Righteousness and Reconciliation for the Love Mercy Do Justice initiative of the Evangelical Covenant Church. An ordained minister, he has served in pastoral ministry in Atlanta, Chicago, and Oakland. Dominique also serves on the board of directors for the Christian Community Development Association and Evangelicals for Justice. His latest book is “Subversive Witness: Scripture’s Call to Leverage Privilege.”

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Key Questions for Dominique Dubois Gilliard

-Can you define privilege for us? Why do people deny that privilege exists and what are the consequences of doing so?

-How do we define what privilege people have or don’t have?

-Can you give pastors advice on how to begin to have conversations around privilege?

-What would you say to someone who asks, “Can’t I just lead my congregation to serve the poor? Why do I have to get into addressing ‘privilege’?”

Key Quotes From Dominique Dubois Gilliard

“Privilege is not about condemnation, shaming, or guilting one another into coerced actions.”

“There’s a social currency that’s been ascribed to how bodies are formed and shaped in this country in particular. And because of that, there has been the creation of this kind of sliding scale of humanity that is diametrically opposed to the biblical truth we find in Genesis 1:27.”

“Historically, if we try to unpack what we’re talking about, we’re talking about the fact that there has not been equitable access and opportunity for all people in the history of this country.”

“Privilege is not about saying that your life has always been easy. Privilege is not about saying that you have never endured hardships.”

“Joseph is somebody who’s born with the silver spoon in his mouth, but ultimately he endures hardship because his brothers essentially sell him into trafficking and he endures humiliation, persecution. He is discriminated against and God lifts him out of that place. And when God lifts him out of that place, God places him into a position of privilege. And in placing him in the position of privilege, God puts Joseph in the second most powerful place with a position within the land. And Joseph has the opportunity when his brothers come back before him, where he’s now in a position of privilege and power to ultimately exploit that privilege, to enact revenge.”

Germany to Give $720 Million to Holocaust Survivors Globally

By

Kirsten Grieshaber

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March 2, 2022

holocaust survivors — Natalia Berezhnaya, left, is seen in Odessa, Ukraine, in this undated photo with her home care worker as one of approximately 5,200 Holocaust survivors in Ukraine who receives ongoing home care funded by the Claims Conference and implemented by the Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and Hesed Social Service network. The organization that handles claims on behalf of Jews who suffered under the Nazis says that Germany has agreed to extend funding by another $720 million that will be distributed to more than 300 social welfare organizations globally to provide help for Holocaust survivors. (Alexander Vdovichenko/The Jewish Joint Distribution Committee via AP)

BERLIN (AP) — The organization that handles claims on behalf of Jews who suffered under the Nazis said Wednesday that Germany has agreed to extend another $720 million (647 million euros) to provide home care and supportive services for frail and vulnerable Holocaust survivors.

The New York-based Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, also referred to as the Claims Conference, said the money will be distributed to more than 300 social welfare organizations globally.

“We are proud to announce this significant allocation at a time when these funds are critical, due to the age, poverty and increasing disability of our waning survivor population,” said Gideon Taylor, the organization’s president.

“We know these funds provide vital support during these difficult times,” he added.

The additional funds constitute the largest amount ever allocated for the Claims Conference for welfare services in a single year, the organization said in a statement. It estimates the funds will pay for services for approximately 120,000 impoverished Holocaust survivors.

Since 1952, the German government has paid about $90 billion to individuals for suffering and losses resulting from persecution by the Nazis.

The Claims Conference last year distributed $653 million in grants to hundreds of social service agencies worldwide.

The funds are distributed to social welfare organizations in regions where significant numbers of survivors live, to ensure vital services, such as home care, medical care, emergency assistance and food are available for Holocaust survivors there.

“Survivors will be supported wherever they live, whether war-torn areas or conflict zones, and no matter the obstacle,” said Greg Schneider, the Claims Conference’s executive vice president.

Vatican Megatrial Ready to Address Financial Crimes After Dismissing Defense Motions

By

Claire Giangrave

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March 2, 2022

vatican trial — A Vatican trial of 10 people accused of financial crimes, including Cardinal Angelo Becciu, resumes after a chief judge ordered the prosecution to give the defense more access to evidence and to question defendants who were not given the right to speak earlier, at the Vatican, Nov. 17, 2021. Photo by Vatican Media

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — After seven months of preliminary hearings, the Vatican’s trial of 10 individuals accused of corruption, fraud and money laundering will continue after judges dismissed final objections by the defense on Tuesday (March 1).

According to latest estimates provided by Vatican prosecutors, the Catholic institution was defrauded of more than $242 million through the controversial purchase of real estate in London’s fashionable Chelsea neighborhood. According to the prosecutors, the 10 defendants, comprising Vatican employees, clergy and outside entrepreneurs, colluded to plunder a church charitable fund called Peter’s Pence.

Cardinal Angelo Becciu, once the third-highest-ranking prelate at the Vatican, now stands accused of abuse of power, witness tampering and corruption and will be the first defendant to be interrogated as the trial proper begins on March 17.

“It’s finally time for truth. The debate begins. I’ve waited for seven months and now I can speak,” Becciu told Vatican reporters after the hearing. “I’m happy,” he added.

At the next hearing, the cardinal will answer charges that he sent funds loaned by the Vatican bank and the Italian Bishops’ Conference to foreign accounts belonging to his brother and niece. The cardinal has denied any wrongdoing and said that the money — amounting to more than $780,000, according to prosecutors — was intended for charity.

As sostituto, akin to a Vatican chief of staff, Becciu oversaw the London property purchase with the help of Italian financier Raffaele Mincione. When the Vatican realized that the investment was losing money — through unspecified fees and contractors — it sought to exit the deal. In 2018, Becciu’s successor, Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra, brought in Italian entrepreneur Gianluigi Torzi to help the church buy out Mincione and other investors (whose identities are at the heart of the current inquiry) and sell the property.

Instead, Torzi retained a portion of ownership and, prosecutors claim, extorted the Vatican to pay over $16 million to get free of the deal.

Becciu will also be asked about his relationship with an Italian political analyst, Cecilia Marogna, whom Italian papers refer to as “the cardinal’s lady” and who is also charged with embezzlement in the trial. Prosecutors say that Marogna was paid exorbitantly for advising Becciu, using the cash to buy expensive designer bags and furniture.

On Tuesday, Marogna’s defense lawyer said that the Vatican tribunal will have to clear his client’s testimony with the Vatican and Italy’s Secretariat of State as well as NATO, as she claims it would force her to share Italian and Vatican state secrets. He also claimed that Marogna fears for her safety.

Vatican judge Giuseppe Pignatone said he will appeal to the Vatican Secretariat of State but pointed out that NATO “right now is busy with other things,” referring to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

There are suggestions that the cardinal and Marogna’s dealings went beyond business. Becciu refused to attend a Jan. 25 preliminary hearing, saying he “did not wish to listen” to a recorded interrogation with Monsignor Alberto Perlasca, who once managed the Vatican Secretariat of State’s funds, hinting that Becciu and Marogna had an “intimate” relationship.

Florida Pastor Willy Rice to be Nominated for SBC President

By

Jonathan Howe

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March 2, 2022

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (BP) — Willy Rice, pastor of Calvary Church in Clearwater, Fla., will be nominated by Clint Pressley, pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist, for the president of the Southern Baptist Convention this summer at the 2022 SBC Annual Meeting in Anaheim, Calif.

The announcement comes a day after current SBC President Ed Litton of Saraland, Ala., announced he will not seek a second term.

Rice, who has pastored Calvary since 2004, was a member of the church during high school, was called to ministry there, and met and married his wife, Cheryl, at the church.

“Willy Rice represents who Southern Baptists are at their best,” Pressley told Baptist Press in a statement. “He loves Southern Baptists, believes in Southern Baptists, and has demonstrated at every level of our convention his ability to lead Southern Baptists.”

Rice, a current trustee for the North American Mission Board, served as president of the Florida Baptist Convention from 2006-2008, served as president of the SBC Pastors’ Conference in 2015, chaired the 2010 SBC Committee on Committees and chaired the 2016 SBC Committee on Nominations. He also delivered the convention sermon at the 2021 SBC Annual Meeting where Litton was elected.

“In his convention sermon at the 2021 SBC Annual Meeting, Willy Rice issued a prophetic call to our Convention, warning us of the dual threats of theological drift and of a pharisaical spirit of pugilism and condescension,” Pressley said. “He is more than a statesman—he’s a man who understands the times, sees the challenges before us clearly, and has the vision, wisdom, and courage to lead us. I can say with all confidence that he is the man to meet the challenges of this moment.”

Rice’s “Great Commission passion” and “fierce dedication to Scripture” were also noted by Pressley.

During his tenure as pastor, Calvary has grown to include three campuses, and in 2016—the church’s sesquicentennial—the church adopted goals that included partnering through church planting and revitalization with 150 congregations across the country and around the world by 2025 as well as seeing members support 150 children through adoption or foster care. To date, Calvary has been part of more than 90 church plants or revitalization efforts, and more than 50 families and 120 volunteers are involved with adoption and foster care. In addition, there are seven missionary units from Calvary on the field or in the appointment process with the International Mission Board.

According to its Annual Church Profile statistics, Calvary reported 218 baptisms in 2021 and giving through the Cooperative Program of $532,533.41, approximately 7.5% of its annual budget, along with Annie Armstrong Easter Offering giving of $27,902.62 and Lottie Moon Christmas Offering giving of $52,023.01 in 2020. Giving totals for 2021 have not yet been reported.

Prior to the pandemic, the church averaged more than 3,600 people in weekly worship attendance across its three campuses.

Before coming to Calvary, Rice pastored churches in Florida and Alabama. He is a graduate of Samford University in Birmingham, Ala., and has an M.Div. and a D.Min. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He and Cheryl have three children and six grandchildren.

This article originally appeared at Baptist Press.

Polish Baptists, Southern Baptist Mission Board Rally to Aid Ukraine

By

Bob Smietana

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March 2, 2022

Polish Baptists Ukraine — Ukrainian refugees arrive in Poland. Photo courtesy of IMB

(RNS) — In Chelm, Poland, a dozen miles from the Ukrainian border, a Baptist church has opened its doors to refugees since the Russian invasion began, offering a hot meal, clothing and place to stay.

“As we watched news about the expected invasion,” Pastor Henryk Skizypkowski told Religion News Service in an email, “we stepped out on faith and purchased 20 cots, mattresses, blankets, and other provisions in the event that we might be able to help, since we knew we were the first church they would come to after entering Poland.

“The very first day of the war, 20 refugees showed up,” he wrote. “We then converted our entire facility into a shelter, purchased more supplies, and have now had 200 every night. The Polish border agents direct the refugees to us.”

According to data from the Baptist World Alliance, there were 96 Baptist churches in Poland, with about 5,200 members as of 2017, the latest numbers available. But Skizypkowski’s church and others, working with the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board, have committed to hosting about 1,000 refugees.

Traffic jams are seen as people leave the city of Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

With its extensive network of missionaries around the world, the IMB has had missionaries in Ukraine for at least 30 years, since the country split from the Soviet Union in the 1990s. There were about 2,600 Baptist churches, with more than 100,000 members as of 2017, according to data from the Baptist World Alliance. Last fall, the IMB announced plans to work with Ukrainian Baptists to start missionary training centers in Ukraine.

When the Russians invaded, the IMB relocated staff in Eastern Europe, said Paul Chitwood, IMB’s president, who is visiting Poland to assess needs for Send Relief, a humanitarian relief organization, which IMB runs.

He planned to visit the Polish border on Tuesday (March 1) to observe relief efforts and meet with local partners to determine how best to assist those fleeing the war.

Anatoliy Shmilikhovskyy, a Ukrainian Baptist pastor who started a church through the Generation Church planting network founded by the IMB, left Ukraine in order to get his young family to safety in Poland. Now he is working to send food, water, medical supplies and other relief into Ukraine.

“They came out because of the risks and dangers there,” said Chitwood. “Now he’s working — and we are going to be working with him — to get aid back for those who have stayed.”

Chitwood told RNS that any funds given for Send Relief are used directly to help those fleeing the conflict. Any other overhead will be covered by the IMB from other sources. The IMB runs Send Relief in partnership with the SBC’s North American Mission Board.

Senate Rejects Attempt To Expand Abortion Rights

By

Tom Strode

-

March 2, 2022

WASHINGTON (BP) – An effort by congressional Democrats to enshrine an unprecedented abortion right in federal law failed Monday (Feb. 28).

The Senate refused to consider the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), voting 48-46 against invoking cloture. All the Republicans who were present – as well as a single Democrat, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia – opposed the procedural move, which required 60 votes to cut off debate so a vote on the bill could occur. The House of Representatives had already approved the legislation, and President Biden had endorsed it.

The attempt by Democrats in Congress to expand abortion rights came as the Supreme Court considers a case that could result in the reversal of its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide. The WHPA would go beyond the Roe opinion, however, by prohibiting federal and state regulations of the procedure that are now permitted by the high court.

Southern Baptist public-policy specialist Chelsea Sobolik decried the bill and the Senate’s timing in acting on it.

“It is unconscionable that the U.S. Senate would bring the fallaciously named ‘Women’s Health Protection Act’ to the floor today, in the midst of the cruel, illegal invasion underway in Ukraine,” said Sobolik, director of public policy for the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), in written comments.

“Senators should be focused on protecting life, not ending preborn lives by bringing one of the most extreme abortion bills in history to the Senate floor,” she said. “Divisive and partisan bills are not what America needs in this moment.”

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., a Southern Baptist, also criticized a vote on the bill the day the Senate reconvened after a week out of session.

“[M]y Democrat colleagues decided not to talk about Ukraine when we got back together, but instead they want to talk about expanding abortion in America,” Lankford said on the Senate floor before the vote. “How incredibly tone-deaf is that? The whole world is talking about Ukraine and the oppression they’re experiencing, and the United States Senate is talking about how do we get more abortions in America.”

Other pro-life advocates welcomed the failure of the proposal.

The bill “would have endangered women and unborn babies by prohibiting most – if not all – of the reasonable state regulations on abortion currently in place,” said Denise Burke, senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, in a written statement. “This legislation was just the latest example of the extreme lengths to which congressional Democrats will go to cater to abortionists.”

The WHPA would nullify, according to the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), such state, pro-life regulations as:

A waiting period for a woman before an abortion;
Information for a woman considering abortion regarding her unborn child and alternatives to the procedure;
A ban on sex-selection abortion;
A prohibition on abortion after 20 weeks based on evidence the child feels pain by that point.

German Archbishop Offers Resignation on Return From Timeout

By

Geir Moulson

-

March 2, 2022

BERLIN (AP) — A prominent Roman Catholic archbishop who faced strong criticism for his handling of the church’s sexual abuse scandal in Germany said Wednesday that he has offered his resignation to Pope Francis following a “spiritual timeout” granted by the pontiff.

Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, the archbishop of Cologne, marked his return to work with a lengthy letter to the faithful in which said he was “not returning unchanged, as if nothing had happened in this time.”

Woelki has become a deeply divisive figure in the German church. In September, the Vatican said that Francis had decided to leave him in office but also give the cardinal the several-month timeout after he made what it termed “major errors” of communication.

In his letter to the faithful, Woelki said he has “reflected and meditated” repeatedly about his actions and the situation in the archdiocese.

He said that he has “made my service and my office as archbishop of Cologne available to the Holy Father, so that he is free to decide what best serves the good of the church.”

The Cologne archdiocese said Francis would make a decision on accepting Woelki’s resignation “in due course,” without elaborating.

Woelki said the timeout had been necessary because he was suffering from “physical and mental exhaustion” in the fall. He asked for the faithful to “give me — no, us — another chance.”

A report commissioned by the archbishop and issued last March found 75 cases in which eight high-ranking officials — including Woelki’s late predecessor — neglected their duties to either follow up on, report or sanction cases of alleged abuse by clergy and lay church employees, and failed to take care of the victims.

Hamburg Archbishop Stefan Hesse, previously a senior church official in Cologne, was faulted for 11 cases of neglecting his duty. Hesse offered his resignation to Francis, who eventually rejected it in September.

The report absolved Woelki himself of any neglect of his legal duty with respect to abuse victims. He subsequently said he made mistakes in past cases involving sexual abuse allegations but made clear that he had no intention of resigning.

Woelki infuriated many local Catholics by citing legal concerns to keep under wraps a first report on how local church officials reacted when priests were accused of sexual abuse. He commissioned the new report — an 800-page investigation based on church files and put together by a German law firm.

The furor over Woelki was followed in January by the release of a long-anticipated independent report commissioned by the Munich archdiocese into decades of abuse cases there. The report faulted their handling by a string of church officials past and present, including retired Pope Benedict XVI, who as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was archbishop of Munich from 1977 to 1982.

Benedict subsequently asked forgiveness for any “grievous faults” in his handling of clergy sex abuse cases, but denied any personal or specific wrongdoing.

This article originally appeared here.

Parents, Don’t Avoid Ukraine-Russia Conversation. Lean Into It.

By

Andrew Linder

-

March 2, 2022

When the world seems to be falling apart, our kids need us to have family conversations, not avoid them. After finding out about Russia invading Ukraine this past week, one of our children said “I’m scared” as I was tucking them into bed. They had heard about the situation at school and we had discussed it that night over dinner.

When their world gets shaken, kids need parents who will not simply gloss over the realities of the broken world we live in but will help them navigate it through a spiritual lens. Here are 3 practical ways to lean into family conversations about Russia and Ukraine with your kids.

Lean in with CLARITY.

Kids have questions. We need to give them answers from a biblical worldview. We live in a fallen world where people are driven by real evil, greed, and power. This is nothing new. If our children are old enough to ask the questions, they’re old enough to understand this. And when it happens on such a global scale as it has this past week, no one is left untouched by it, even our kids.

But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse… (2 Timothy 3:13)

We can help our children understand that the same evil, greed, and power that harms the world can also harm our own family and friendships when it comes from our hearts. Sin always destroys.

Lean in with COMPASSION.

More than ever before, Ukraine needs our prayers and support. There are many believers within Ukraine who are prayerfully standing fast in the midst of it all. As Christians, we can pray for Ukrainians’ safety, their success, and even their salvation. Times like this can and will be used by God to turn people to him.

I exhort therefore, that… prayers… be made for all men… For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1,4-5)

Compassion helps us and our kids place ourselves in the shoes of Ukrainian parents and children who are living with the life-changing realities of this war. A good question to ask your kids is this, “If you were in their shoes, how would you want others to be praying for you?” This is all an important part of properly teaching our kids how to respond to tragedy.

Lean in with CONTEXT.

One of the best things we can do in times like these is to help our kids understand the context of the bigger picture at play through world events. When we see such things happen in a broken world, it should remind us that one day Jesus will come and make all things new in his forever kingdom! And we can be a part of that eternal kingdom if we have believed in Jesus Christ as our Savior. Times like these are a beautiful way to point our kids to Jesus and his big story that is unfolding in the world.

What Are Some Creative Ways to Recruit More Group Leaders?

By

Allen White

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March 2, 2022

This great question comes from Ashley Calabro, Small Group Director at 5 Points Church, Easley, South Carolina. And, this is THE question for small group point people, isn’t it? If you don’t have a leader, well, you don’t have a group. Here are some “creative” ways to recruit leaders:

Look at Your Current Group Members

Often your best new leaders are already in a group. Who is the group important to? Who’s always there? You could start by making these dedicated group members co-leaders. When the group grow to be over eight members, then the co-leader could lead a portion of the group when it sub-groups for the discussion. (If you didn’t catch it there, if your group is more than eight people, it is too large for everyone to get a word in. Sub-group and give everybody a chance to talk).

Now, a word of caution here: North American churches have a hard time to get groups to divide. I know that you’re supposed to say “multiply.” But, in this part of the world, “birthing” a new group might as well be called getting a “small group divorce.” You’re breaking up the family! Don’t lead with this thought. Develop co-leaders. Raise up apprentices. But, don’t go strong with the “birthing” thing. Now, there are a few other things to consider.

Train the Whole Group to Lead

Just like you would pass around a signup sheet to have different members bring refreshments, ask them to sign up to lead the discussion. Here’s how this DOESN’T work: “Would anyone like to?” After seeking the Lord, most of the group members will feel that God wants them to remain comfortable and not lead. (I’m only joking, but it’s basically that response.) What DOES work is: “Today is the first and only day that I’m going to lead the discussion. Everyone needs to take a turn. Please sign up.” They will! Once they’ve had the experience of leading, they will gain confidence and lead more. Maybe they’ll eventually lead your group or their own group.

Let the Group Get Themselves into Trouble

Since North American groups don’t like to divide, just let them become too big. You see if you are pressuring your groups to divide, then YOU are the only one feeling the pain. But, when the group gets too big, then they will start feeling the pain: first the leader, and then the members.

Great groups love to invite and include people. Let them keep inviting. Monitor the group as it grows. Ask their coach to check-in with them (Do you have coaches?). Ask them how they are managing the group growth. Are they sub-grouping? (This is the first step to starting another group). Let the group continue to grow until it’s unmanageable. When they come to you (notice the sequence), then ask them what they are going to do. Let them raise the issue to the group. Just don’t give them a bigger room at the church!

Look at Your Church Membership Role

What committed members of your church are not in a group or are not leading another ministry? Ask them to lead. Ask the ones you think would be great group leaders. “Have you ever thought about leading a small group? I think you would be great at that.” (But, only say this if you truly believe it.)

For the members who might seem out of your relational reach, enlist your senior pastor to invite them. If you don’t have credibility with some folks, then borrow from your pastor’s credibility! One way or another, invite them!

You reveal you think you are infallible.

You are never having difficult conversations.

You are afraid of making mistakes.

You are never repenting.

Love of Complacency

Love of Benevolence

Love of Beneficence

Get Along With Others, Get Along With God

This article about about how to get along with God and others is excerpted from How to Get Along With Almost Anyone, 2014.

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1. Any question about homosexuality

2. My (friend, grandparent, neighbor, coach) died and wasn’t a Christian. Is he/she in hell?

Ash Wednesday Begins Season of Lent

Other Ways to Listen to This Podcast With Dominique Dubois Gilliard

Key Questions for Dominique Dubois Gilliard

Key Quotes From Dominique Dubois Gilliard

Lean in with CLARITY.

Lean in with COMPASSION.

Lean in with CONTEXT.

Look at Your Current Group Members

Train the Whole Group to Lead

Let the Group Get Themselves into Trouble

Look at Your Church Membership Role

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