Encouraging Words for Volunteers: 16 Things People Need to Hear

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February 22, 2022

thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Is volunteer retention a problem in your youth ministry? Maybe you need to assess the messages you’re sending to these valuable helpers. I believe these 16 simple but encouraging words for volunteers will keep them coming back for more:

“Thank you! You are making a difference. You’re such a great ______. I’m praying for you!”

16 Encouraging Words for Volunteers

Gary Eilts has been a volunteer in our junior high ministry for many years. When I joined the team in 1997, Gary was introduced as a veteran helper. Alli is a senior in high school who co-leads my daughter’s eighth-grade small group. She’s been on our team for about four months.

Even though Gary and Alli are in completely different worlds when it comes to junior high ministry experience and life stage (Alli was in junior high three years ago, and Gary was in junior high somewhere around the time Kennedy was president!), they both need to hear some things over and over.

Let’s take a look at these basic but very vital encouraging words for volunteers.

Thank You…

We all know that tweens and teens don’t say that phrase often enough. And I would venture to guess that youth pastors don’t either. Every volunteer on your team regularly needs to hear a genuine thank you.

You are making a difference…

In fact, just tag this on to your “Thank you.” How often have you wondered if what you do matters? The same is true for the volunteer leaders on your student ministry team.

You’re such a great _________…

In fact, just tag this on to your “Thank you, you are making a difference” line. It feels good when people verbally recognize what we bring to the table. Make it a habit to point out the little, subtle things your volunteers are good at as well as the more obvious ones.

I’m praying for you.

In fact, just tag this on to your “Thank you, you are making a difference. You’re such a great _________” line. I like telling people I’m praying for them, because then I kind of have to actually do it! What volunteer doesn’t appreciate knowing that the leader they serve alongside is lifting them to God the Father?

“Thank you, you are making a difference. You’re such a great ________. I’m praying for you”

Those 16 simple yet encouraging words for volunteers are sure to keep people coming back for more ministry, more service, and more encouragement. Even after the seventh-grade guys shove a potato up the tailpipe of their car.

TBN Honors Billy Graham’s Last Message Four Years After His Death

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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February 22, 2022

On Feb. 21, 2018, world-renown evangelist Billy Graham took his last breath. Counting the nine months he lived his mother’s womb, God gave Graham 100 years of life on this side of eternity.

Yesterday, on the four year anniversary of Graham’s death, TBN featured Graham’s last recorded message, titled “Are You Ready to Die?”, with footage of him preaching at his crusades throughout his lifetime.

Graham’s son, Franklin Graham, shared, “Four years ago this Monday, my father went home to Heaven. Before he died, his heart burned with the desire to share the Gospel one last time.”

“The moment you read in the paper that Billy Graham is dead, you’ll know that he is more alive than he’s ever been before and I’m in heaven,” Graham could be heard saying in a clip from a previous sermon.

Before the video got to the evangelist’s last sermon, it showed clips of Graham’s funeral procession and the prisoners who built the casket he was buried in. “It’s just something for that man to even want me to build his casket,” one prisoner told the camera.

Sitting in the fireside room of his North Carolina, mountaintop home, Graham shared that he never thought he’d become friends with so many people from all over the world. God’s plan was to have his devout servant preach and share the gospel with large audiences, something Graham said he had no idea was the case. “God has done this,” he said.

“Of all the things that I have seen and heard, there’s only one message that can change people’s lives and hearts,” Graham said in his last recorded message. “I want to tell people the meaning of the cross. Not the cross that hangs on the wall or around someone’s neck. But the real cross of Christ that’s scarred and bloodstained.”

Knowing he was near his physical death, Graham told those who would listen to his last message that he wanted to leave them with the truth.

Graham said that America is in great need of a spiritual awakening while sharing that he has wept numerous times while traveling from city to city, because he’s witnessed how far people have wandered from God. “People don’t want to hear that they’re sinners—to too many people it’s an offense. The cross is offensive because it directly confronts the evils which dominate so much of this world.”

‘This Is Only the Beginning,’ SBC EC Member Assures Survivor After Abuse Investigation Update

By

Jessica Lea

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February 22, 2022

sexual abuse in the SBC — SBC president Dr. Ed Litton addresses members of the Executive Committee the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 22. YouTube / @Baptist Press

At the meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) Executive Committee (EC) in Nashville, Tenn., on Tuesday, SBC president Dr. Ed Litton said investigation into sexual abuse in the SBC is moving forward successfully. Survivor Hannah-Kate Williams attended the meeting and continued her push for accountability in the denomination, but said that her main focus was on giving hope to other survivors.

“The work is progressing,” said Litton in a brief update on the morning of Tuesday Feb. 22. “Let me commend the staff of the EC for their cooperation on every level, the cooperation among the EC members. You may have had misgivings…yet you have cooperated and continued to cooperate, and I would encourage you to do that. The process is working, it’s moving. The committee on cooperation has had a few challenges to help bring people together, and I’m happy to report that those challenges seem to be resolved, and we are cooperating, and the people that we’re asking to cooperate at this point are cooperating. That’s my report.”

Sexual Abuse in the SBC

The topic of investigating allegations of sexual abuse in the SBC has been a contentious one over the past year. In June, messengers voted to approve an investigation into claims that the EC mishandled allegations of sexual abuse, stipulating there must be a waiver of attorney-client privilege (ACP). The EC nevertheless spent several weeks in the fall debating and discussing whether or not to waive ACP before finally agreeing to do so. Following that decision, several EC members resigned from the committee, including EC president Ronnie Floyd.

In a Feb. 7 update on the investigation’s progress, the Sexual Abuse Task Force said that Guidepost Solutions, the organization conducting the investigation, “has reviewed and processed a substantial amount of information in support of its independent investigation through the review of documents and contacting and interviewing a substantial number of current and former Southern Baptist Convention (‘SBC’) Executive Committee (‘EC’) staff and Trustees.”

In his update, Litton clarified that he is not a member of the Sexual Abuse Task Force (although he appointed those members), but is chair of the committee on cooperation, which liaises between the EC and the task force.

During a question and answer period, Litton explained that the task force would get Guidepost’s report 30 days before the 2022 Annual Meeting of the SBC, set to take place June 12-15 in Anaheim, Calif. After evaluating the report for one week, the task force will release it to the EC and the general public. Litton was not precisely sure if the EC would have access to the report prior to its public release or how the report would be released, but agreed that it would be beneficial for committee members to have access to it first.

EC member Guy Frederick asked why there were three terabytes of data handed to Guidepost in what was supposed to be a “narrow” investigation (the task force actually said that Guidepost had received over four terabytes of information). The EC’s legal counsel spoke to this question, explaining that the “search terms” Guidepost requested for the investigation were actually narrower than what the legal team advised. So while there is a “whole lot of data,” he said, it is nevertheless “squarely within the confines” of investigation.

SBC abuse survivor Hannah-Kate Williams asked Litton about publicly documented instances of sexual abuse in the SBC that fall outside the scope of the current investigation. “What is the task force or the SBC looking to do to handle that as it relates to the ongoing investigation?” asked Williams. “Is there any immediate action like if you know someone is in danger?”

Insights From Keller on Contextualizing

By

Ed Stetzer

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February 22, 2022

This article is the second of six in a series on preaching in light of cultural shifts and biblical illiteracy. Read Part 1 here.

When we look around us, we know we’re not in Kansas anymore. Our culture has shifted in the last few decades away from biblical literacy and familiarity to biblical illiteracy and skepticism. In Part 1, we looked specifically at biblical illiteracy. In this second article in the series, I want to look at how pastors can think about preaching the Bible effectively to a changing culture. In addition to studying the Bible and my background in missiology, both Tim Keller and Rick Warren have influenced me on this topic. I am very passionate about preaching effectively in our world and I want to share some of the most helpful perspectives on this subject with you.

Tim Keller has been a helpful voice in effective preaching in our contemporary world. He has faithfully proclaimed the Bible in the secularized context of New York City for decades. He explains the challenge we face as pastors:

Through centuries of habit most Christian preaching and teaching still assumes that listeners have the fundamental understandings of reality that they had in the past. Even the most outwardly focused, evangelistic churches continue to reach mainly people with traditional mind-sets because their communication expects hearers to carry the historical imprint of Christendom. Yet fewer and fewer people find the messages comprehensive, much less persuasive.

We’re often communicating in traditional ways to traditional mindsets, which means the group of people we are effective at reaching is shrinking, while groups like the religious ‘nones’ continue to grow. For example, explaining that we should do something solely on account of God’s authority is increasingly ineffective for today’s audiences, churched and unchurched. God’s authority is not necessarily a “given” even in our congregations as in the past, so we must reveal the Bible’s scope and purpose before some people can trust God’s authority.

Keller on Contextualizing the Gospel

Tim Keller explains that to contextualize the gospel means “to resonate with yet defy the culture around you.” Both of those things—resonate and defy—matter. He adds, “It means to antagonize a society’s idols while showing respect for its peoples and many of its hopes and aspirations. It means expressing the gospel in a way that is not only comprehensible but also convincing.” Keller gives six principles for this.

The first principle is to “use accessible or well-explained vocabulary.” People are not dumb. They can understand the Bible, they may just need to be shown what some religious terms mean. We all struggle to understand people communicating in a field we aren’t conversant in, whether it’s an IT expert, a military official, or a doctor who uses unclear medical terms. One of the effects of today’s biblical illiteracy is that your average American may not know what terms like “sanctification” or “eschatological” means, so we must explain them as we use them.

Second, contextualization should “employ respected authorities to strengthen your theses.” There are Christians whom non-Christians would know, like C. S. Lewis or Tolkien, that we can draw on to illustrate our points. We can also glean from people who are not believers but who recognize and speak truth in ways consistent with the Bible. Using the work of Christian and non-Christian people demonstrates that the truth of the Bible pervades all aspects of our life. This helps today’s culture grasp the gospel more fully.

These authorities may also be concepts rather than people. We can demonstrate the Bible’s coherence with what people know. For example, people agree that the world is beautiful; if we talk about how God has made the world beautiful while mentioning the Grand Canyon, no one will disagree with us. Similarly, few would deny that something’s gone wrong with the world in some way. This world is broken, and it is not how it’s supposed to be. These are common ground areas we can use to show that what God reveals in the Bible is true.

Keller also calls us to “demonstrate understanding of doubts and objections.” Doubt is normal; not all the problems we face are so easily solved. Therefore, we shouldn’t be simplistic when simplicity undermines the truth. Christians and non-Christians alike may at some point reach times of doubt in their life or faith. We want to help them walk through that time with hope, not dismiss their doubts and objections as irrelevant or adversarial to our faith. Keller says, “affirm in order to challenge baseline cultural narratives.” This requires a level of empathy.

The Un-Talked About Pain of a Pastor: Recovering From Burnout

By

Dan White

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February 22, 2022

5 years ago, I remember arriving, extremely tired, to a quaint vacation bungalow in Virginia Beach. For 25 years, my wife and I had been serving the church full-time in various roles, we learned the value of a vacation every year. But this vacation felt different. I didn’t bring any books to read, and I was grumpy. That first day, I slept 14 hours and woke up at 2pm.

Leading up to that vacation was a 2 year stretch of pastoring that felt like walking through a driving range praying not to get whacked by a golf ball—an Elder I had to fire for infidelity but publicly resisted it; a funeral for a teenager in our church gunned down by a local gang; my best friend leaving our church because my sermons weren’t good enough; a collapse in the literal foundation of our church building that drained our savings; a small group leader I had to confront who began teaching polyamorous relationships; a women accosting me after a Sunday sermon for not being there for her when she wanted counseling; a conservative fella sending a blazing letter to our congregation that I was a dangerous liberal and a progressive couple, sharing at a church town hall that I was heartless and didn’t care about injustice because I didn’t attend a protest they organized.

I meandered out to the kitchen, saw the beach in the distance, and even that felt like labor just to go out there. I scooched up to the dining room table, still a bit groggy, and began munching on a bowl of cereal. My wife looked across the table and asked, “Why are your hands shaking?” I brushed it off as low blood sugar but the shaking never went away. This was my lifelong habit: to bypass exploring why I was hurting with reflexive statements like “I’m fine” or “it’s not a big deal.” A part of me is always afraid to explore why I’m weary and wounded.

It took a neurologist, therapist, and a spiritual director to diagnose the source of the tremors. I remember after a battery of tests being pulled into the neurologist office to be given the diagnosis — “Dan, you have an active tremor attributed to Cumulative Traumatic Stress Disorder.” Honestly, my first gut instinct was to think they were quacks. But it didn’t take me too long to realize that the last 25 years of ministry (conflict, loss, betrayal, scapegoating, etc.) had taken a toll. An EKG had also shown heart damage from the stress disorder. My body had been keeping the score all along.

All In but Alone

I love the local church. Through Bible college, seminary, refining my preaching craft, numerous conferences, ordination, spiritual direction, and 20+ years of faithfulness was invested in being the pastor and church planter, I sensed God calling me to be. But there was so much torque on my soul.

I have new emotional insight into when the Apostle Paul shares in 2 Timothy chapter 4 “… come shortly unto me Timothy: For Demas has forsaken me, departing unto Thessalonica; Crescens left me to Galatia, Titus abandoned me and went to Dalmatia…” And he explains a little early in chapter 4, “At my first defense before Rome no one took my part, but all forsook me.”

What is going on here? The Apostle Paul gave his life and his love to bring the message of Christ across the Roman and Mediterranean world, and only Luke is with him. He’s alone and abandoned, and ironically feeling unloved. I now understand the ache Paul has and it’s not for lack of people around me, or even a lack of ministry impact. It’s because a part of his soul has been injured.

No Room to Talk

I have met many pastors over these last few years, from small and big churches who have never had the space to explore why they were soul-tired and experiencing burnout. There is something about the culture of “being a pastor” that keeps us from talking about it. There is a lot that is un-talked about. Where is it safe? We must first acknowledge the reality—pastors are in pain. Is that a controversial statement? For some it is. We’ve seen a lot of pastors abuse their platforms publicly. Many perceive that categorically pastors are the problem. With all the headlines of bad pastors, it seems uncool to talk about being beat up and burnt out as a ministry leader.

I know pastors are in ministry for God’s glory, but we cannot sweep under the carpet how decimated we are inside. The polarizing presidential election. Unrest around racial injustice. A global pandemic. Never before have so many expectations been placed upon pastors to be absolutely perfect or experience severe backlash.

When I lost my best friend because he didn’t like my preaching, I might have grumbled to my wife about it, but I certainly never grieved. Such a deep loss, a moment of rejection, and I never cried because I had volumes of ministry to do. Yet, I was carrying that searing sadness in my body and no way to talk about it.

Unrealistic Expectations

A lot of theologizing has been done on why Jesus sweat blood in the garden. One thing I know we must do is not disconnect it from that full day of washing his friends’ feet, sharing a meal with them, having them fall asleep when he needed them and then knowing he was going to be betrayed by someone he invested in. One of the reasons Jesus was in anguish, fully God but also fully human, was he was alone and with no one to be there for him. Relational pain hurts the most, even Christ.

Barna Reveals New Findings on How Americans Perceive Pastoral Credibility

By

Stephanie Martin

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February 22, 2022

The role, reliability, and resilience of American pastors all have been under the microscope, especially amid the pandemic. New data from Barna Research shows that improper stewardship of pastoral power may be contributing to Americans’ mistrust of spiritual leaders.

In his new book “The Resilient Pastor,” Barna senior fellow and Colorado pastor Glenn Packiam reveals some startling statistics about how pastors are perceived—by Americans in general, by Christians, and even by pastors themselves. The conclusion is that pastors tend to have an image of being quaint and kind yet not very credible.

American Pastors: Glenn Packiam Unpacks Statistics About Pastoral Trustworthiness

Based on a survey of 1,520 U.S. adults in October 2020, Barna found that just 57 percent “agree at least somewhat that a pastor is a trustworthy source of wisdom.” Among Christians, that number goes up to 71 percent, and among non-Christians, it falls to 18 percent.

Barna also asked 408 Protestant senior pastors in the U.S. to gauge whether they’re viewed as trustworthy. Eighty-two percent said their neighborhood “somewhat” considers them as a reliable source of wisdom, while 100 percent said their congregation does so.

When pastors were asked if they consider themselves to be “reliable as sources of information and counsel for how people can live out their convictions privately and publicly,” 70 percent responded either “very reliable” or “somewhat reliable.” Regarding if they consider themselves to be “reliable as sources of information and counsel for how Christians should inform our political and justice systems,” only three percent responded “very reliable” and 29 percent responded “somewhat reliable.”

According to Packiam, who is associate senior pastor at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, the research reveals that “pastors, for the most part, are peripheral and ornamental. Quaint, but not entirely necessary. Kind, but not wholly credible.” It’s not necessarily a shock that non-Christians aren’t big fans of Christian pastors, he says, but those numbers are “still telling and discouraging.”

Meanwhile, Americans generally consider Christianity to be “archaic and outmoded, prude and rude,” says Packiam. Instead of being a key element of the local community, churches now don’t play a very major role, he says, “unless they can provide tangible help or practical care.”

Hillsong Interim Senior Pastor Claims Upcoming Docuseries Is Seeking To ‘Hurt the Church’

By

Dale Chamberlain

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February 22, 2022

Hillsong Phil Dooley — Screengrab from YouTube.

Last week, Discovery Plus released a trailer to its upcoming docuseries called “Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed,” which will center on the culture of Hillsong Church and highlight its recent scandals, such as the extramarital affair of former Hillsong NYC pastor Carl Lenz.

Earlier this year, Hillsong Church’s global senior pastor Brian Houston announced that he would be stepping aside from the role as he battles against criminal charges, which allege that he concealed his late father’s child sex offenses. Houston had previously announced in September of 2021 that he was stepping down from Hillsong Church boards.

In Houston’s absence, Hillsong South Africa pastors Phil and Lucinda Dooley have stepped in as Hillsong Church’s global senior interim pastors. In a service that was streamed live on YouTube on February 19, Phil Dooley addressed the upcoming docuseries directly, arguing that its producers are deliberately mischaracterizing Hillsong Church in order to hurt it.

In a vision casting message entitled “Year of the Lord’s Favour,” Dooley discussed Jesus’ reading from the prophet Isaiah in the synagogue in His hometown of Nazareth. Emphasizing that Jesus came so that believers could experience the favor of God, Dooley said, “Jesus is saying, ‘I came to bring God’s favor to you and remove His vengeance from you.’”

“My prayer is that…together as a church that we would be people who go, ‘You know what? I have found freedom. I have been set free,’” Dooley went on to say. “We have found freedom in Jesus, and I pray we would celebrate that freedom.”

Later in the message, Dooley said that whenever anyone seeks to build something for God, enemies will rise up against them, pointing to the opposition Nehemiah faced in rebuilding the Jerusalem city wall and drawing an analogy to Hillsong Church’s current controversies.

“Sadly, there is a documentary about our church coming out soon. Surprise, surprise. And that picture it paints is far removed from, I believe, the truth of who we are as a church,” Dooley said. “There are people who have been hurt by their experience in our church. And that saddens me. For those people, I say we are deeply sorry and we pray that you’ll find healing. But there are also producers behind this documentary, and their purpose is not the healing of people but simply to hurt the church.”

“And if those producers were truly attempting to do an exposé, I would like to expose them to a place called Gugulethu, a township in Cape Town. And a school called Tembaletu with Xhosa speaking disabled young people who live a pretty tough life,” Dooley continued. “And yet our church collectively around the world provided them with accommodation, so that they could experience a better life and an opportunity for a better education. And we have continued to do that with these beautiful kids.”

Dooley went on to describe Hillsong Church’s efforts to provide digital education for children in a village outside Johannesburg, South Africa in order to improve their employment opportunities by bringing services like the Lehi staffing company, as well as their work to provide shelter and care to Syrian refugees who had fled to Europe. He also highlighted Hillsong’s partnerships with humanitarian organizations like Compassion International and Vision Rescue.

Referring to these global humanitarian efforts, Dooley said, “I wish that was the exposé, because that’s the church that I know. It’s never claimed to be a perfect church. I’ve been part of this church for thirty years.”

Lifeway Research: Most Open to Spiritual Conversations, Few Christians Speaking

By

Aaron Earls

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February 22, 2022

lifeway research spiritual conversation — Photo by Anna Vander Stel (via Unsplash)

Americans are curious about the religious devotion of others and are willing to discuss the topic, but most say they rarely have conversations about faith with their Christian friends. An Evangelism Explosion study conducted by Lifeway Research found Americans are widely receptive to spiritual conversations in a variety of settings.

“This study reveals that most Americans are open to talking about faith,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “It really isn’t about religious liberty, people not wanting to hear, or religion being off-limits. The reason conversations are not happening about the Christian faith is that Christians are not bringing it up.”

Half of Americans (51%) say they’re curious as to why some people are so devoted to their faith, including 60% of the religiously unaffiliated. Curiosity is also more likely among younger adults. Those 18 to 34 (61%) and 35 to 49 (55%) are more likely than those 50 to 64 (43%) and those 65 and older (40%) to say they’re curious about others’ religious devotion.

Amid this curiosity, however, most say their Christian friends don’t often bring up their religious beliefs. Six in 10 (60%) Americans say many of their friends who claim to be Christians rarely talk about their faith, including 52% of the religiously unaffiliated.

Most Americans (61%) say the pandemic has not changed their interest in spiritual matters. For a third of Americans (32%), however, COVID-19 has made them more interested. Few (7%) say they are less interested now compared to before the pandemic. One in 5 religiously unaffiliated Americans (20%) say they are more interested in spiritual matters now.

Still, for many, religion is not something they think about unless others broach the subject. Two in 5 Americans (40%) say they wouldn’t think about faith on their own unless a friend or family member brought it up. The religiously unaffiliated (50%), young adults 18 to 34 (49%) and men (47%) are among those more likely to say they do not think about matters of faith unless others bring up the topic.

“There is a quiet chasm between the religiously devoted and those who have no religion in the U.S.,” said McConnell. “The irony is that religious devotion intrigues many people, yet many avid Christians fail to share why faith is so important in their lives.”

Heavenly Certainty

Most Americans (55%) say it’s very important to be sure they will go to heaven or have eternal life, and another 19% say it’s important. Fewer say it’s somewhat important (9%) or not important at all (12%). Even among the religiously unaffiliated 1 in 5 (19%) say it’s very important.

Despite how important most Americans say eternal life is, few say they have such certainty. Slightly more than a third (37%) say they are sure they will be with God in heaven. Another 11% say they are somewhat sure, while 23% say they hope they’ll be in heaven. Few (4%) don’t expect to make it, and 6% are sure there is no God or heaven. According to 17% of Americans, no one can know if they’ll go to heaven.

Colombia’s Highest Court Legalizes Abortion up to 24 Weeks

By

Manuel Rueda

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February 22, 2022

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia became the latest country in Latin America to expand access to abortion Monday as the nation’s Constitutional Court voted to legalize the procedure until the 24th week of pregnancy.

The decision by the tribunal of nine judges fell short of the expectations of pro-choice groups that had been pushing for abortion to be completely decriminalized in Colombia. But it was nevertheless described as a historic event by women’s rights groups, which estimate 400,000 women get clandestine abortions in the country each year.

Before the ruling, Colombia allowed abortions only when a woman’s life was in danger, a fetus had malformations or a pregnancy resulted from rape.

Now women in Colombia will be able to get abortions until the 24th week of their pregnancy without having to provide any justification. After the 24th week of pregnancy, abortion will still face restrictions.

“We were trying to get the complete decriminalization of abortion … but this is still a historic step,” said Cristina Rosero, a lawyer for the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights, an advocacy group that was one of five organizations that filed a lawsuit in 2020 to get the high court to review Colombia’s abortions laws.

The lawsuit argued that restrictions on abortion discriminated against women from low income areas for whom it was harder to get legal abortions, because they had less access to doctors, lawyers or psychologists who could help them to prove that carrying out pregnancies would put their health at risk.

Rosero said the changes made to Colombian law will now make it easier for people of lower income levels to access safe abortions.

“Our challenge now is to ensure that this ruling is implemented” she said.

Elsewhere in Latin America, Argentina, Uruguay and Cuba also allow abortions without restrictions until certain stages of pregnancy, while in Mexico a supreme court ruling recently said that women cannot cannot be tried in court for terminating their pregnancies.

Latin America is also a region where some countries prohibit the termination of pregnancy without exception, like in El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras and the Dominican Republic.

Reggaeton Star Farruko Roils Fans by Preaching About God

By

Adriana Gomez Licon

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February 22, 2022

MIAMI (AP) — Concert-goers had packed a Miami arena expecting Reggaeton artist Farruko to perform his hit “Pepas” — a club sensation and party anthem since its summer release.

But Farruko refused to sing the song in full, leaving out rousing choruses about taking drugs and partying, and apologizing for those lyrics. He spoke profusely about God throughout the concert and lit a cross in neon pink, leaving fans stupefied and questions swirling around the future of his music career.

The Puerto Rican singer is not the first artist to make a dramatic transformation, but this one seemed to happen on stage in real time last Friday, catching fans off guard. Some had paid more than $300 for tickets, and many walked out well before the show was over.

Despite rumors of Farruko’s retirement, his tour is scheduled to go on, with performances planned for Newark, New Jersey; Cleveland; and Rosemont, Illinois, this weekend, but fans are confused, with some taking to social media to say his show was “trash,” and others comparing it to Sunday service. Farruko said he will continue performing his hits but with a “message of love, union and reflection.”

“The time will come when the sermon you are complaining so much about now will help you,” he said in an Instagram video Wednesday, adding that the show in Miami was all his doing. “Artists are free to express themselves on stage as they wish.”

His new persona also has drawn support, with some fans leaving posts of appreciation on Instagram. Fellow Puerto Rican Reggaeton artist Tito El Bambino wrote in Spanish: “I love you. I am proud of you. Don’t stay quiet and keep talking.”

Farruko told fans at last Friday’s concert he realized he had all the money he wanted. He had success with a single peaking at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 last October and remixes released by David Guetta and Tiesto.

But he felt empty.

He told fans he had “destroyed” his family and was unable to see his kids as much as he wanted. Farruko also has run into legal problems. In 2019, he pleaded guilty to not declaring nearly $52,000 in cash discovered in his luggage and shoes when he arrived in Puerto Rico by helicopter from the Dominican Republic.

“Farruko had an encounter with God, the Father, who made him reach deep inside,” he said in recorded footage of the concert, speaking of himself in third person. “I was inviting people to take a pill and act happy and live a crazy life. You know what? I am not proud of myself. God knows how many of your children I’ve harmed. Today I am here, standing like a man asking for you to forgive me.”

Noelia Croft of Chicago said she paid $120 for her ticket to the upcoming concert in a suburban theater but now wants a refund. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, and also from Farruko’s hometown of Bayamon, Croft said she’s long been a fan.

Ed Litton Stresses ‘Removing Stains’ of the SBC in Executive Committee Address

By

Timothy Cockes

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February 22, 2022

NASHVILLE (BP) During his address to members of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee Monday night (Feb. 21), SBC President Ed Litton said in order to fulfill the “sacred effort,” of the Convention, Southern Baptists must first address the “stains” that have been left on the Convention.

Identifying those stains as racism and sexual abuse, Litton said addressing those issues with integrity will be vital in fulfilling the cooperative mission of the SBC.

“The SBC exists because of mission,” Litton said. “We cooperate together to reach the world for Christ. This is our one sacred effort. That every person, everywhere, every man, woman and child will have an opportunity to hear and to know the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

“We all love to see the progress and we all love to see good examples, but in order to do Gospel work we must regain moral credibility, we must deal with the stains on the Southern Baptist Convention.”

Litton mentioned two ways the SBC is attempting to deal with the stain of sexual abuse – the ongoing investigation into the potential mishandling of sexual abuse claims by the SBC Executive Committee and the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission’s convention-wide assessment on the handling of sexual abuse, which will take place over the next three years.

Though the results of the investigation and the assessment (both to be conducted by Guidepost Solutions) remain unknown, Litton said it is already clear sexual abuse has left a negative mark on the SBC.

“This last fall’s EC meeting was painful for everyone,” Litton said, referring to the long and at times contentious meeting Sept. 20-21, 2021, which was followed by several long, online meetings to work out the details of the EC investigation. “The meeting was complicated, and it was difficult. I watched this body face something, and I watched fear pour out into this room and fill this place up. I’ve told people there was two kinds of fear – there was the fear of man and there was the fear of God. You sided on the fear of God.

“We don’t fully know what we will learn from this upcoming report. We don’t fully know what we will learn from the assessment that the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission just began. Yet, what we do know is that there has been a culture among us where predators found safer places to hide than the vulnerable found safe places to rest. That is a stain. And it can’t be solved in one meeting or by one vote. It requires intentionality over the long haul.”

Litton also spoke about the stain of racism on the history of the SBC. Referencing an essay written by Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohler, Litton expressed that eradicating racism will take much more than acknowledging the evil of slavery (such as the 1995 SBC resolution repudiating the convention’s previous defense of slavery).

“That (the 1995 resolution), was a horribly delayed but important start,” Litton said. “But today, far more is required of us. Repudiating slavery is not enough. We must repent and seek to confront and remove every stain of racism that remains and seek with all our strength to be the kind of churches of which Jesus would be proud – the kind of churches that will look like the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.”

Forty Eight Things You Can Do to Relieve Anxiety

By

Josh Weidmann

-

February 22, 2022

Trying to relieve anxiety can be an up-and-down journey. The hills and valleys come when you least except them. We would love to just take the short cut to avoid them, or the straight path that will cut right through them, but it is not always that easy. Believe me, I know.

Anxiety is a frequent feeling that I have dealt with, but by the grace of God, I am able to find victory often. I have learned that to deal with anxious feelings, I must get ahead of it. If I only try to react to the anxiety when it appears, sooner or later it will win. If you prayerfully and intentionally discipline yourself to change your thinking and behavior we don’t have to let anxiety have victory.

I’ve written these forty-eight actions items like biblical counseling homework for myself. If they help you, then by all means, please try them. A constant diet of Scripture will renew our minds and bring that much needed cut-through the hills of anxiety (Rom. 12:1-2). I hope this is helpful for you to relieve anxiety in your life.

Forty-Eight Ways to Relieve Anxiety

Act: Make a list of ten to twenty things you think God may be developing in you through this season of anxiety. Carry the list with you for the next week, reflecting on it and why a good, all-powerful God would allow you to go through this season. Then share your list with a friend.

2. Pray: Spend some undistracted time in prayer asking God to show you what true joy looks like in your current circumstances.

3. Memorize: Philippians 4:4: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”

4. Reflect: Keep a journal of when you feel fearful. Write down the date, time, circumstance, and what you were thinking and saying to yourself at that time. Evaluate what needs to be renewed in your thinking to avoid fear in the future (Romans 12:1-2).

5. Read: Psalm 56:3-4 in three different translations and ask God to make this passage a reality in your life.

6. Discuss: Find a trusted person in your life with whom you can talk about your fears and ask them to help you believe what is true and what may be mostly in your imagination.

7. Act: Make a list of what you “Believe” and what you “Know” about God. Post these on social media and pray them to God, affirming that what you cling to about His character is the very thing that gives Him the right to “overthrow” your situation and emotions.

8. Reflect: Where are you dealing with anger or disappointment with God the most? Honestly confess your resentment toward Him and prayerfully ask Him to help you change your attitude and perspective.

9. Read: Isaiah 40 and see how God comforts His people and encourages us to trust Him.

10. Act: Is there someone you need to go confess your sin to, owning where you went off course and caused them pain? Take time to make that call, meet with them, or write that letter, acknowledging your own wrongdoing and asking for their forgiveness.

11. Memorize: 1 John 1:9–10

12. Repent: Repentance is when the Holy Spirit enables a supernatural change of our motive, thoughts, and behavior. What areas need to change in your life? Ask God to help you recognize and repent.

13. Reflect: Read Romans 5:3-4 again, and for each mention of the words “perseverance” “character,” or “hope,” write down at least three corresponding ways you see God developing you in these areas.

14. Discuss: Meet with a friend and discuss what sin of doubt may “so easily entangle” you, and what you could do to stand strong the next time you face those doubts.

15. Read: Get a copy of Elyse Fitzpatrick’s devotional Doubt: Trusting God’s Promises. Start this thirty-one-day journey to learn how to battle doubts.

16. Act: Write down your anxiety, fear, or worry on a card and then give it over to God. In the end, destroy the card, knowing that God will stay true to take care of what you entrust to Him.

17. Reflect: The reason we can have joy and peace is because of the reality of His future reign and the closeness of Christ. How and where do you sense the closeness of Christ in your life right now?

Why People Choose (Fill in the Blank) Over Attending Your Church

By

Gavin Adams

-

February 22, 2022

You’ve invited them to church over and over and they still refuse to come.

You’ve offered to buy them lunch after the service, but they still don’t show.

You know they need help with…marriage, parenting, purpose, grace, salvation, et. al. AND your church could be the answer, but they still have excuses to miss every Sunday.

You have tried everything. And so has the rest of your church—to no avail!

Why won’t your unchurched friends just come with you to church ONE TIME? Why won’t they accept your invitation just ONCE?

While there is no “one-size-fits-all” answer, there are certainly some solutions for the most common reasons unchurched people resist church invitations.

First, why people resist church invitations:

I recently experienced one of the most prominent reasons to miss church. The last Sunday of the year, our church is closed. We take the day off to give our staff and volunteer base a day to relax, recharge, and spend with their family and friends. So as I woke up on 10:00 a.m. Sunday morning, I caught a glimpse of what most of the world experiences on a Sunday—rest. No alarm. No rushing to get ready. No yelling at the kids. I eased into the day, and it was great. Life is so busy. We are all over-committed. We are all tired. Most families are just as busy on Saturday as during the week. So Sunday becomes the ONE day to actually rest. To sleep in.

But that’s just one reason. Here are a few more you know to be true:

Time at church is time away from…the lake, the beach, the bed, the family room, the golf course, the tennis courts, etc.
Most unchurched people have been to church before, and that one visit was enough!
Unchurched people have met too many church people!

But we church leaders and church attenders can successfully invite if we just do a few things right (or better):

Church Leaders:

1. Make Church Valuable

The primary reason unchurched people push back on invitations to church is because they do not value church in their life. To be brutally honest, most unchurched people see almost everything as more valuable than attending a church service. That’s why sleeping in, going to the lake, allowing their kid’s to play in Sunday rec games, and even golf takes priority over church. The perceived value of these actives trumps your church. But that doesn’t have to be the case!

You can make your church more valuable by simply making it helpful. When you shift your focus from information to application, you immediately raise the perceived value of your church. Infuse grace and remove guilt and you’re well on your way to winning the battle.

Most churches I visit refuse to acknowledge his connection, yet continue to struggle to fill their seats and parking lots—especially with younger families. It’s hard to differentiate between pride and doctrine. But you must consider the difference. If pride is causing you to resist changing your approach to church, your approach will die when your church dies.

If you’re still reading, here are a few options to consider:

Application should be a focus of your preaching, but there are many other ways to refocus on application over information.
Share stories of life change whenever you can. Personal stories highlight the value found by others, making value (and a better life) seem achievable and applicable for everyone.
Keep it short. If you only need an hour to execute a great service, don’t take two hours. Remember, we are talking about unchurched people here. Your church people will stay all day, but I would bet your unchurched friends will give you an hour. For them, the service loses value as the clock ticks by. And your sermon should be no longer than a sitcom (30 minutes).

Worship Multitracks for Church Plants

By

Duke Taber

-

February 22, 2022

Recently my wife and I started off on a new adventure. We are planting a church. This is my 3rd church plant and this was the first time I didn’t have musicians for the new church. Before I could always lead worship myself if I had to. However as I have gotten older, my skills as a musician have diminished and my voice is not what it used to be. I wouldn’t call it “good enough” anymore. So I started looking for options. One of the technologies that I had become aware of was worship multitracks. However, most of those options were more expensive than our church plant could afford.

That led me to have to start digging to find some low-cost alternatives to Ableton Live Performance and the Prime App used by Loop Community.

Ableton Live performance is an expensive piece of software and does a lot of things well but its learning curve is steep. It was going to take me a lot of time to learn how to use it and the worship multitracks that work with it are expensive. They range around 20 bucks a song. This wouldn’t work for us. That would have been 800 bucks for the songs plus the cost of the software.

The Prime App used by Loop Community is free but it only works on Apple Products. That meant that I needed to buy an iPad and then still buy the expensive worship multitracks. The tracks range from 10 dollars to 30 dollars. Still too far out of our budget.

Free Multitrack Software

Some of the worship multitrack companies offer free apps but only work on their multitracks. That ends up tying you into buying their tracks. I needed a solution that was 100% free, or at least under a hundred bucks or so. Finally, I found a solution.

The app is called WorshipSong Band. It works on both PC and Mac. It not only plays tracks but will display the lyrics to your projector or flat-screen as well. It also allows you to import tracks from other providers. I have used it and it works quite well. The only hiccup I experienced was when I tried to start the next song before it had fully loaded. That will cause the program to freeze but once realizing that and being a little patient, (2 seconds worth), the software worked like a charm.

The second thing I needed was free praise and worship tracks. They have 68 free multitracks at WorshipSong. Now most of them are not today’s top 40 Christian worship hits, but they have a great selection of songs with solid lyrics that are easy to learn and full of worship to God.

Our first gathering service was on a Sunday night last October. We had 12 people, great worship, and just my wife leading worship. It went well.

So if you are a church plant, small church, or just want to practice leading worship, this is the solution for you. This will get you started until you grow large enough to afford some of the other praise and worship multitracks out there.

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

Christian ‘America’s Got Talent’ Contestant ‘Nightbirde’ Loses Her Battle With Cancer at Age 31

By

Jesse T. Jackson

-

February 21, 2022

Singer Jane Marczewski (31), who went by the stage name Nightbirde, lost her battle with breast cancer on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022.

The former Liberty University student became a household name after she warmed the hearts of “America’s Got Talent” (AGT) fans last June with her powerful performance and testimony.

Marczewski was a three-time cancer survivor, and during her AGT performance last year, she shared that her cancer had returned. Before singing her original song titled “It’s Okay,” she told AGT judge Simon Cowell that she wasn’t in great health, saying, “Last time I checked, I had some cancer in my lungs, and in my spine, and in my liver.”

The matter-of-fact Cowell was left nearly speechless and could only respond with a somber, “Wow.”

AGT judge Howie Mandel said, “So, you’re not okay.”

“Well, not in every way, no,” Marczewski said. “It’s important that everyone knows: I’m so much more than the bad things that happen to me.”

Marczewski’s talented voice and songwriting moved Cowell so much that he pressed the shows coveted Golden Buzzer, which automatically sends the performer to the live portion of the show.

“You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy,” Marczewski said. “I have a two percent chance of survival, but two percent is not zero percent. Two percent is something, and I wish people knew how amazing it is.”

Unfortunately, Marczewski’s AGT journey was cut short. She announced a month later that she had to drop out of the competition because her battle with cancer had continued to deteriorate her health.

Nightbirde’s AGT appearance landed her spots on news programs, music charts, podcasts, and regular rotations at Christian radio stations. Marczewski also blogged about her relationship with God and her battle with cancer.

‘Heartbroken’ Christine Caine Asks for Prayers for Ukraine; Franklin Graham Criticized for Asking for Prayer for Putin

By

Jessica Lea

-

February 21, 2022

Among the many believers calling for prayer for the current Ukraine crisis are Christine Caine and Franklin Graham, the latter of whom has drawn criticism for asking for prayers for Russian president Vladimir Putin.

“Pray for President Putin,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. In a Feb. 18 Facebook post, Graham said, “This may sound like a strange request, and I might get some angry comments, but we need to pray that God would work in [Putin’s] heart so that war—and the loss of thousands of lives—could be avoided at all cost. May God give wisdom to the leaders involved in these talks and negotiations, as well as those advising them. Our prayers might make the difference between life and death.”

Ukraine Crisis: The World Watches Russia

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine dates back years, most recently to the Russo-Ukrainian War in 2014. Russia has been sending troops to the Ukrainian border since early 2021, but the build up to what appears to be imminent war has been progressing since the end of January.

Russia currently has 150,000 troops along Ukraine’s borders, reports AP News, “along with tanks, warplanes, artillery and other war materiel.” In a speech on Monday, Putin recognized two Ukrainian territories as independent states, a move many European leaders are condemning as a violation of international law. There have been reports of violence in eastern Ukraine, and U.S. officials believe a Russian invasion is only a matter of time.

Many people commented on Graham’s Facebook post saying that they were praying about the Ukraine crisis, although some criticized Graham for not requesting prayers for President Biden. Those criticisms were echoed on Twitter, despite the fact that Graham expressed hope that God would give wisdom to all leaders involved. One Twitter user pointed out that the Samaritan’s Purse president has requested prayer for Biden in the past.

Commentator David French defended Graham, saying, “I’ve had my criticisms of Graham, but attacks on him here are off base. This is Putin’s war, if he chooses it, and praying that he would seek peace isn’t merely justifiable, I think it’s imperative. That’s what I’m praying.”

Propel Women and The A21 Campaign founder Christine Caine reposted a picture of Ukrainian nationals praying, and said, “I know & love so many people in this nation. I’ve been going for over 20 years. We have an office there. Would you join us in prayer? I’m heartbroken.”

11 Families File Suit Over Christian Assembly at W.Va. High School

By

Stephanie Martin

-

February 21, 2022

A walkout was just the beginning for some students at Huntington High School in West Virginia who say they were forced to listen to an evangelical preacher during school hours. Now 11 families, with help from the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), are suing the school district, superintendent, and principal in federal court. The goal is a permanent injunction against such religious activities, which reportedly have occurred before in district schools.

As ChurchLeaders reported, about 100 students at Huntington High School walked out of classes earlier this month, protesting the student-led religious assembly. A school-district spokesperson explained that two teachers didn’t realize the event was voluntary and accidentally took their entire homeroom classes—including some Jewish students—to listen to Nik Walker.

The 25-year-old evangelist, described as a “Perry Stone protégé,” says he’s on a mission to bring the hope of Jesus to a generation who needs it. Walker insists he speaks at schools only at the request of students—in this case, by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter.

Huntington High School: FFRF Says the Problem Runs Deeper

FFRF attorney Chris Line takes issue with the district’s explanation—and also with its history. “It sounds like the district believes the only problem is that two classes were forced to attend this religious revival, when the problem is there should not have been a religious revival at the school in the first place,” he says.

Line adds that it’s insufficient to take the district’s word that a similar incident won’t occur again. “In the past, they’ve had all these different incidents, and they’ve said they’re going to take care of it, and we keep seeing these problems crop up,” the attorney says.

Complaints about religious assemblies and clubs were lodged against the Cabell County School district in 2017 and 2019. “For years, school system employees have violated the constitutional rights of students by promoting and advancing the Christian religion, as well as by coercing students into participating in Christian religious activity,” states the lawsuit.

It requests a permanent injunction against such events and activities, saying they violate students’ First Amendment rights. By seeking just $1 in damages for each plaintiff, the FFRF and families say they’re focusing on changing policy, not on seeking a payday.

High School Senior Leads Walkout, Rallies Support

Most plaintiffs in the lawsuit aren’t identified, with the exception of Max Nibert. The Huntington High senior led the February 9 walkout, encouraged people to sign an online petition, and then joined the federal lawsuit.

Are Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber Gay? Phil Vischer, Semler Weigh In

By

Dale Chamberlain

-

February 21, 2022

Phil Vischer Semler — Big Idea Entertainment, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

VeggieTales creator Phil Vischer has responded to a question about the sexual orientation of Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber, two characters he created for the Christian children’s show, the former of which he voiced himself.

In a tweet that appears to have been deleted, Twitter user Quinn Smith said, “@philvischer was in Milwaukee at a @relientK concert, and @gracebaldridge suggested that Bob & Larry are gay, can you confirm?”

Vischer replied to Smith’s tweet with one word: “Nope.” From his response, it is unclear whether Vischer was denying that the VeggieTales characters are gay, or if he was simply saying that he couldn’t publicly confirm the theory.

Either way, queer Christian musical artist Grace Baldridge, who goes by the stage name Semler, was not satisfied with Vischer’s answer. Tweeting a screenshot of the interaction between Smith and Vischer, Semler said, “LET THE CARTOON VEGETABLES BE GAY PHIL.”

Semler is currently on tour with Christian band Relient K.

This isn’t the first time Semler has called on another Christian public figure to express affirmation for the LGBTQ community. In September of last year, Semler chronicled her journey to see where Christian band Switchfoot stood on LGBTQ inclusion in a series of TikTok videos.

Speaking about why this question was of such personal importance, Semler said, “In Christian spaces, Switchfoot’s music was the safe music. [Switchfoot Frontman] Jon Foreman was like that message of safety…then you learn about the bait-and-switch, and for so many of us it was like ‘Jon wouldn’t do that,’ because he was such a leader. The Christian community is so disproportionately harmful to LGBTQ+ people, so you can’t just be like lukewarm on it.”

Though Semler wasn’t able to get Foreman’s attention while he was onstage at a concert, Foreman later replied to Semler’s question with a TikTok video of his own.

“Yes, I support your rights to freedoms. I want you to feel loved and supported. I want you to feel treasured and valued and seen. I want all love and joy and beauty and truth for you,” Foreman said in the video. “We need our differences. I am so glad that you were there last night. In fact, it breaks my heart to think that you would not be accepted. Let me correct that. You and your journey and your story are welcome at a Switchfoot show.”

While Foreman made further comments about holding space for differing views, leaving some ambiguity as to whether he believes homosexuality is sinful, Semler interpreted his response as affirming.

Nickelodeon ‘Kid of the Year’ Nominee Wants to Protect God’s Creation

By

Timothy Cockes

-

February 21, 2022

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (BP) – After learning his home town of Chattanooga is one of the most polluted cities in the world, 12-year-old Cash Daniels knew he had to do something.

Daniels began mobilizing and organizing various cleanups efforts in and around the Tennessee River. To date, Daniel’s efforts have helped remove more than 12,000 pounds of garbage from the river.

His efforts have received nationwide attention, including recently being named one of five nominees for the “Kid of the Year” award, in a partnership between Nickelodeon and Time for Kids magazine.

Daniels told Baptist Press he was glad to be nominated, but the main goal of his efforts is simply to help take good care of God’s creation.

Cash Daniels (third from right) recruited kids and adults from his church’s youth group to help clear debris from the Tennessee River in his hometown of Chattanooga. Submitted photo

“I was shocked when I found out I was top five out of thousands of kids and even though I didn’t win the whole thing, just being top five is a huge honor,” Daniels said.

“I got started because I’ve always loved animals and wildlife, especially fish and all bodies of water. It’s very important to take care of the Earth because God only gave us one Earth and God commands us to be good stewards of what He has gifted us. Once I figured out the Tennessee River was more polluted with micro-plastics than any other river in the world then I knew I had to do something.”

Daniels said he began researching about pollution as young as 6 or 7 years old. Over the next few years, he would spend hours mobilizing cleanup efforts and raising awareness about pollution through word-of-mouth and social media.

Examples of these cleanup efforts include organizing community outings to pick up trash from the Tennessee River, partnering with local businesses to help recycle aluminum cans and taking initiative to install fishing-line recycling containers along the river.

Additionally, Daniels wrote a book about his passion for taking care of the environment titled “One Small Piece” and founded an organization called “Cleanup Kids,” which encourages kids to fight against pollution.

Cash’s mother Erin Daniels said she initially thought her son’s cleanups efforts were great, but may just be a phase he was going through. She said that idea was “completely wrong,” and it was been fun to both watch her son’s passion grow, and also to grow as a parent.

“It’s been fun to watch him, and he just kept doing more and more things like researching and meeting other kids like him all over the place,” she said.

“We’ve learned a lot, and as parents, honestly we’re not the best at this. We didn’t recycle, we didn’t pay attention to how much plastic we used, and there were so many things that we didn’t do that we’re doing now.”

She said one of the highlights has been watching Cash use his passion to share the love of God with people.

“People focus on mission fields being oversees … but really the river in Tennessee is what we see as his mission field,” Erin Daniels said.

“That’s where he wants to be and make a difference. He’s met so many people who have heard his story just because that’s where he is. He’s on the river talking to fishermen and outdoorsmen who might not hear that side of his story in church. He gets to talk with people and share his story, his love for the outdoors, his love for God and for our church in a totally different way that some might not consider a mission field.”

Among the people Cash has partnered with in his cleanup efforts has been the youth group of his church, Morris Hill Baptist in Chattanooga.

Like in Arizona, Botched Baptisms Roiled Michigan Church

By

Ed White

-

February 21, 2022

archdiocese of detroit — The Catholic Church said baptisms performed by priest, Rev. Andres Arango, who served in Arizona for 16 years are now presumed to be invalid because he used incorrect wording on a subtle but key component of the sacrament, including at St. Gregory Parish Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

DETROIT (AP) — One word caught the ear of a young priest a few years ago when his father shared a video of his 1990 baptism at a suburban Detroit church.

“Wait,” the Rev. Matthew Hood recalled thinking. “Something doesn’t seem right here.”

Indeed, an error by a deacon who said “We baptize” instead of “I baptize” spoiled Hood’s baptism in the eyes of the Catholic Church — and, in domino-like fashion, erased his other sacraments and meant that he wasn’t really a priest.

It was perhaps the most significant consequence from a controversy that emerged nearly two years ago at St. Anastasia Church in Troy, after the Vatican said the use of “we” invalidates baptisms in the Catholic faith.

Thousands of Arizona Catholics recently made headlines when they learned that they, too, may have been improperly baptized with the wrong words in a separate but similar matter involving a popular pastor, the Rev. Andres Arango, who resigned Feb. 1.

In Michigan, Hood was baptized, given other sacraments and swiftly ordained again to the priesthood within days in 2020. But the Archdiocese of Detroit still hasn’t heard from hundreds of people whose rites at St. Anastasia are considered invalid, despite outreach efforts and publicity.

It immediately caused confusion and anger as frustrated members of St. Anastasia wondered why the Catholic Church was hung up on a single word expressed by a deacon during baptisms in the 1980s and ’90s.

“Why do you think so many people are leaving the Catholic Church?” a woman, who wasn’t identified, said during a 2020 question-and-answer session with clergy that’s posted online. “This is a great example why. This is just awful.”

An unidentified man at the meeting posed a question commonly asked in thorny situations: “What would Jesus do?”

“I think he would be on a different side here and say by what you’re doing you have disrupted so many lives, so many people,” the man said.

The archdiocese said Deacon Mark Springer, now retired, performed nearly 800 baptisms at St. Anastasia from 1986-99. After the decree by the Vatican, local church officials said all were presumed invalid unless there’s clear evidence that he didn’t use the phrase “we baptize.”

It’s not the “we” of the congregation doing the baptizing, but rather the “I” of Jesus Christ, working through a priest or deacon, that makes a baptism valid, the Vatican said in a global order.

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Thank You…

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You’re such a great _________…

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Why won’t your unchurched friends just come with you to church ONE TIME? Why won’t they accept your invitation just ONCE?

First, why people resist church invitations:

Church Leaders:

1. Make Church Valuable

Free Multitrack Software

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