Worship From a Bomb Shelter

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March 17, 2022

My friend Rob Hoskins, president of OneHope sent me a note early one Sunday morning: “One of our OneHope partners, Pastor Yuri Kulakevych of Peace Pentecostal Church in Ukraine is meeting in a bomb shelter this morning and zooming their worship from a bomb shelter online before their men go out to fight and serve.”

Worship From a Bomb Shelter

Pastor Yuri said:

“Let those who will be blessed with a stable online connection and electricity to see faces of our beloved, pray together and be fed from above. After a short message every one will get back to his ministry. Deacons are already in the field.

What is my Bible text for the sermon, you ask? 2 Cor. 9-10: Known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, poor, yet making many rich, having nothing, and yet possessing everything… ‘

Then they had this young woman play the violin from the bomb shelter in Kharkiv:

I’m reminded of how many pastors and leaders in America have told me over the last two years, “Phil, I don’t mind putting our worship services online, but that’s not real ministry.”

From a remote bomb shelter in a war zone, I think pastor Yuri would beg to differ about worship from a bomb shelter and the value of live streaming.

This article on bomb shelter worship originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

Phil Cooke works at the intersection of faith, media, and culture, and he’s pretty rare – a working producer in Hollywood with a Ph.D. in Theology. His client list includes studios and networks like Walt Disney, Dreamworks, and USA Network, as well as major Christian organizations from Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, The Museum of the Bible, The Salvation Army, The YouVersion Bible app, and many more.

Bill Maher in Favor of Fla.’s Controversial ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill: ‘Shouldn’t Parents Know Everything?’

By

Jessica Mouser

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March 16, 2022

don't say gay — Screenshot from YouTube / @Real Time with Bill Maher

Political commentator Bill Maher has expressed support for a bill in Florida that bans teachers from discussing sexual orientation or gender identity with young children. Maher, who is extremely critical of religion, believes the parameters of what opponents call the “Don’t Say Gay” bill are reasonable.

“We’re talking about very young kids,” said Maher on an extended portion of his March 11 episode of “Real Time with Bill Maher” [Editor’s note: Video contains language that some viewers may find offensive.] “It’s not like there is no kernel of truth in that maybe kids that young shouldn’t be thinking about sex at all.”

Maher referenced the fact that critics of the bill are concerned it will lead to children being “outed to their parents.”

“The phrase struck me as odd,” said Maher. “Shouldn’t parents know everything anyway?”

‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill Likely to Become Law

Bill HB 1557 passed the Florida Senate on March 8 and is now awaiting a signature from Florida governor Ron DeSantis, who has indicated he will sign it. The portion of the bill that has received the most attention states: “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”

Exactly. You have every right to oppose it and disagree, just be honest about what it actually says/doesn’t say. Is has nothing to do with “don’t say gay.” https://t.co/kOhmcZEIaE

— Dean Inserra (@deaninserra) March 8, 2022

The bill’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Joe Harding, has said, “It’s actually providing boundaries and it’s fair to our teachers and our school districts to know what we expect.”

Republican Sen. Dennis Baxley said, “I know how important it is to empower parents in this relationship. I want to encourage parents across Florida to own it. They’re your kids, and it is tough — it’s tough to figure out what influences will be on them and what kinds of decisions they will make and how that all comes out.”

The bill has drawn national attention, as well as criticism from the Biden administration and Saturday Night Live. Hundreds of students in Florida have staged walkouts to protest the bill. Florida Rep. Carlos G. Smith said the bill “sends a terrible message to our youth that there is something wrong with LGBTQ people, that there is something so dangerous or inappropriate about us that we have to be prohibited and censored from the classroom.”

Planned Parenthood Promotes Abortion Rights Using a Children’s Ice Cream Truck

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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March 16, 2022

ice_cream_pp_ — Screengrab via Twitter @alexismcgill

President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Alexis McGill Johnson posted an image of ice cream truck the company used promote abortion rights at South by Southwest (SXSW)—an annual festival of film, media, music performances, and conferences that takes place in Austin Texas.

On the second day of the festival, March 12, 2022, Johnson posted the image on Twitter, saying, “Ice cream, you scream, we all scream for abortion rights!”

“Catch us around SXSW and stop by to grab some free Bans Off swag, condoms, and education on the cold hearted policies of the Texas legislature,” she wrote.

The truck is reminiscent of one that someone might see driving around neighborhoods playing an enticing children’s tune in order for them to beg their parents to buy them an ice cream treat.

Bright white with popping pink graphics, the ice cream truck flies an American flag attached to its driver’s side, and passenger’s side mirrors contain logos referencing both abortion and women’s rights.

One logo calls out Texas’ politicians, saying, “Ice cream as cold as TX politicians,” which is a reference to the state’s controversial “heartbeat ban” that went into law September 2021. At the end of 2021, the Supreme Court upheld the Texas law that bans abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which is usually before most women even know they are pregnant. New data released in February estimates that the new ban is saving 100 lives a day.

Other logos in the shapes of candy read, “Don’t Tread on Me,” and “My Choice,” and “Don’t Mess With Texas Women,” and “My Body.” A large image of an ice cream come next to a condom and a pregnancy test asking people to “join the fight to defend abortion access” while encouraging people to text a number.

The menu that would normally display images of ice cream treats was replaced with images of condom wrappers made to look like ice cream bars. “Ribbed, Glow in the Dark, Sponge (made to look like Sponge Bob SquarePants), Bubblegum, Studded, and Spidey (depicting an image of Spider-Man) were all names listed as the flavor of condoms.

With hashtag #BansOffOurBodies, a campaign started to fight back against reproductive healthcare, the truck drove around SXSW as Johnson and Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas’ president Ken Lambert handed out ice cream, Bans Off Our Bodies swag, and condoms.

An image posted by Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas on Twitter shows a young child handing out Planned Parenthood swag to supporters.

Christianity Today News Editor Reports CT’s Failure to Properly Address Sexual Harassment Allegations

By

Dale Chamberlain

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March 16, 2022

Christianity Today Sexual Harassment Daniel Silliman — Image via Adobe Stock, logo courtesy of Christianity Today.

On Tuesday (March 15), Christianity Today published a report detailing the organization’s failure to properly address sexual harassment allegations about former advertising director Olatokunbo Olawoye and retired editor in chief Mark Galli.

Olawoye was fired from CT in 2017 after he was accused of attempting to pay for sex with a teenage girl, a crime for which he served a three-year prison sentence. Complaints about Galli’s inappropriate behavior span more than a decade, including after his retirement.

The allegations against these two men included unwanted hugs and touching of the small of women’s backs, their legs, and the straps of their bras. Olawoye was accused of inviting himself into the offices of female employees for long, personal conversations about his marriage and sex life. Galli once barged in on a female employee who was known to be pumping breast milk. Both men were known for commenting on the appearance of female employees.

When Olawoye was arrested for a sex crime, Galli delivered an address to employees about suspending judgment.

An independent Guidepost Solutions assessment did not find any allegations of harassment or abuse outside of these two former employees but identified where CT’s procedures for reporting and response to harassment allegations allowed the problem to persist.

Further, while Guidepost “did not find a wider pattern or culture of systemic harassment engrained at CT,” they did find that “CT’s work environment and culture can feel inhospitable to women at times.”

“While many believe that this aspect of CT’s culture has improved under its current leadership, others believe that women are still discounted and treated as ‘less than’ in the CT workplace,” the report said.

Daniel Silliman, who serves as news editor for CT, also interviewed more than two dozen current and former employees regarding the pattern of harassment with these two former employees in an investigation that ran concurrent to but independent from the Guidepost assessment.

Silliman reported his findings in an article published on March 15. While the article was edited by CT’s senior news editor Kate Shellnutt, it was not reviewed by members of CT’s executive team prior to its publishing.

What Silliman found was that CT did not have “clear corporate guidelines laying out the consequences” for sexual harassment violations, which led to HR opening files and taking notes but ultimately nothing being done by executive leadership in response to complaints. Multiple female employees were not even certain whether HR was responsible for sexual harassment complaints during the time period when the harassment occurred.

ND Pastor Pranked With Kmart Sign on Lawn, Sparking a Selfie Trend

By

Stephanie Martin

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March 16, 2022

Anyone who’s ever been “flocked” with flamingos for a church fundraiser can surely empathize with Paul Knight. Last week, the North Dakota pastor discovered a giant Kmart “K” sign in the middle of his snow-covered front lawn.

Although no one has claimed responsibility for the prank, Pastor Knight suspects it was some fellow staff members at Hope Evangelical Covenant Church in Grand Forks. “I don’t know who to call, ’cause I don’t know who put it up,” he says, but “you’re welcome to remove it any time.” He adds, “My wife hopes it’s gone by June, I think.”

Paul Knight’s Kmart Sign Leads to Hashtag

As news of the sign’s appearance spread, church and community members “made the pilgrimage to take pictures and selfies with this 8^th wonder of the world!” as one resident describes. On Facebook, people have been posting photos of themselves next to the sign, using the hashtag #ksignselfie. Others have edited images of famous people into the shots, including the former and current U.S. president and even Jesus.

Pastor Knight posted his own selfie with the huge K, which “dwarfs” his garage. He writes: “I have a large ‘K’ for sale $100 – you pick up. No deliveries.” In the comments, someone informs him, “You probably need to stuff [the sign] in the corner of your garage for 50 years for it to be worth money.”

Referring to an article titled “Pastor requests those responsible to please remove giant Kmart ‘K’ from his front lawn,” one person writes, “Don’t believe the title… Paul is eating this up! Get out and take your selfie… If you need the location DM me.”

Kmart Sign Came From Land the Church Is Developing

In 2015, Paul Knight’s church purchased Grand Cities Mall, in central Grand Forks, with a vision of “Enriching the Community While Glorifying God.” Last year, the church sold the empty Kmart building on that property, and it’s undergoing extensive renovations. Knight believes someone on his church team arranged the delivery of the huge K from that site. But he admits he doesn’t really know who the sign “belongs to right now.”

Aubrey Sampson: Pastor, God Is for You—But Do You Really Believe That?

By

Jessica Mouser

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March 16, 2022

The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast · Aubrey Sampson: Pastor, God Is for You—But Do You Really Believe That?

Aubrey Sampson serves on the teaching and preaching team at Renewal Church in West Chicago, which she co-planted with her husband, Kevin. She speaks at churches and events around the country, writes regularly for Christine Caine’s Propel Women and is the author of three books: “Overcomer,” “The Louder Song,” and her latest, “Known: How Believing Who God Says You Are Changes Everything.”

Other Ways to Listen to This Podcast With Aubrey Sampson

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

Key Questions for Aubrey Sampson

-Why do we accept certain labels for ourselves, whether true or false, and how do the names we live by impact our lives?

-It’s easy to read the Bible and agree that God loves us and sees us as worthy, yet still go through life believing lies about ourselves. How can we actually take what God tells us to heart?

-How does Jesus show us how to live out of our true identity, rather than a false one?

-How can understanding they are known by God impact ministry leaders, and what are the dangers if they do not grasp this truth?

Key Quotes From Aubrey Sampson

“I was seeing two simultaneous things happen, at least here in evangelical America. One, this just intense pressure to build a ministry and professionalize our calling and get influence.”

“It feels like there’s a lot of pressure to build towers unto our own name. And I feel that pressure as much as anybody else does.”

“We’re in pastoral ministry ministering to so many Christians who are walking around like with their heads hanging low because they really don’t know this very basic, foundational truth that God loves them and God is for them.”

“Let’s remember that God is good. God is for us. And then to let’s also remember why we’re here, and that is for the name and renown of Jesus and for the flourishing of others, not for our own names.”

“We tend to go to other people or other people, groups or affiliations or tribes or you name the category, and we go, ‘OK, I’m going to put myself on that group’s or that person’s scale, and I’m going to say, ‘You tell me I’m worthy. You name me, you tell me who I am.’”

Woman Who Says Priest Abused Her Settles With Church

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AP News

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March 16, 2022

Eds: UPDATES: This story has been updated with a statement from the archdiocese.

BOSTON (AP) — A woman who says she was sexually abused by a Roman Catholic priest who taught at her high school in Massachusetts has reached a financial settlement with the church, her lawyer said Tuesday.

The settlement with the Archdiocese of Boston reached late last year “was in the high five figures,” attorney Mitchell Garabedian said at a news conference.

The priest, the late Rev. Michael J. Regan, has not previously appeared on any list of credibly accused clergy, including the archdiocese’s own list, Garabedian said. He died in 2020.

“No substantiated claim of abuse was received while he was living,” the archdiocese said in a statement.

The now 60-year-old woman was sexually abused multiple times from 1977 until 1980 when she was from 14 to 17 years of age and attended the now-closed Pope John XXIII High School in Everett where Regan taught economics, Garabedian said.

Ordained in 1962, he served at multiple parishes, schools and church facilities around the archdiocese during his career.

Regan said he would not let her graduate if she did not comply with his sexual demands, the attorney said.

“She was terrified,” Garabedian said.

Officials at two church watchdog groups, BishopAccountability.org and the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, said they had never before heard of Regan.

“This is the first time we have seen this name,” SNAP’s Michael McDonnell said.

Terry McKiernan of BishopAccountability.org said new names of accused church employees are coming up with increased frequency.

“We are seeing a surprising number of new accused priests that have never before been on our radar,” he said. The organization has a nationwide database of about 7,400 priests, members of religious orders, nuns, seminarians and deacons who have been accused of abuse, he said.

The Boston Archdiocese’s list of about 130 credibly accused clergy is sorely lacking, he said.

Ukrainian Catholic and Diplomatic Leaders Urge Aid, Weapons

By

Luis Andres Henao

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March 16, 2022

The top leader of Ukrainian Catholics in the United States and Ukraine’s ambassador to the nation made an urgent appeal to the world Tuesday for more weapons to fight against Russia’s invasion and aid to address the worsening humanitarian crisis.

The Most Rev. Borys Gudziak, metropolitan archbishop of Philadelphia for the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States, said at a news conference in Washington that there is a dire need for armored ambulances, medical supplies and food — but also arms.

“What good is it if you feed the stomachs of these children, these women, these people in cities, if their brains are going to be blown out, if their apartment buildings are going to be rendered into rubble?” Gudziak said. “There needs to be massive defensive and massive humanitarian aid.”

Ambassador Oksana Markarova also called for more sanctions against Moscow and increased aid and diplomatic efforts to keep humanitarian corridors open. She accused Russian forces of committing genocide.

“They’re targeting civilians. They’re killing children, pregnant women. They’re killing the elderly,” Markarova said.

More than 3 million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the war, now in its third week, and thousands of soldiers and civilians have died.

On Tuesday, Russia stepped up its bombardment of Kyiv, the capital, and civilians fled Mariupol along a humanitarian corridor in what was believed to be the biggest evacuation yet from the besieged port city.

Gudziak said it was “sad” to see the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church supporting President Vladimir Putin and the war, and he criticized Patriarch Kirill for giving a large icon of the Virgin Mary to a leader of the Russian national guard.

“This is happening in the biggest church in the capital of Russia. The patriarch is giving the mother of God to these war criminals,” the archbishop said.

Gudziak, who also heads the department of external church relations for the Kyiv-based Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, added that he met with Pope Francis five weeks ago, before the war, and asked the pontiff to call Putin.

The Vatican has called for peace, humanitarian corridors, a cease-fire and a return to negotiations, and has also offered to mediate between the sides. Francis went to the Russian Embassy in Rome last month to personally “express his concern about the war,” in an extraordinary papal gesture without recent precedent. But Francis has not publicly condemned Russia by name or publicly appealed to Kirill.

Mayor of Kyiv Makes Plea for Visit by Pope Francis, Calling It ‘Key for Saving Lives’

By

Claire Giangrave

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March 16, 2022

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — The mayor of Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital under bombardment by Russian forces, invited Pope Francis to visit the city in a letter sent last week, saying the pontiff’s presence “is key for saving lives and paving the path to peace.”

The letter from Mayor Vitali Klitschko, dated March 8, offers to help the pope go to Kyiv while recognizing that the journey may be impossible. The letter also offers to hold a joint recorded or live videoconference with Francis. “Efforts will be made to include President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy on this call,” the letter said.

Klitschko concluded, “We appeal to you, as a spiritual leader, to show your compassion, to stand with the Ukrainian people by jointly spreading the call for peace.”

The Vatican confirmed receiving the letter in a statement sent to journalists on Tuesday (March 15). “The Holy Father received the letter by the mayor of the Ukrainian capital and is close to the suffering of the city,” including those who have fled and its political leaders, the Vatican said.

Before the war began, the pope had received several invitations from religious and political leaders in Ukraine, but the Vatican made no announcements about plans for a papal visit, nor has any conversation between the pope and Zelenskyy been made public.

Klitschko’s invitation seemed to be aimed at stopping the Russian army from firing. “They killed an American journalist, they shoot at churches and this is a genocide,” he told Vatican journalists in a phone call, apparently referring to Brent Renaud, a filmmaker and journalist who was shot Sunday near Kyiv. “My question is: And the pope?” Klitschko asked.

Let us make Kyiv the capital of humanity, spirituality and peace.#StopTheWar #United #StandTogether #Ukraine #Kyiv #StandWithUkraine #FreeUkraine #WeAreAllUkrainians #StopWar #ActNow @Vitaliy_Klychko pic.twitter.com/MoBCiiTpri

— Klitschko (@Klitschko) March 5, 2022

Kyiv has been a primary target of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attack on Ukraine. Russian troops have been stalled in their advance on the city, but over the weekend fighting had reached the suburbs and residents have suffered heavy bombing.

Ukrainian leaders have made urgent personal appeals to corporations, individuals and other nations part of their strategy for surviving the war, with Zelenskyy appearing by video on both social media and in Britain’s House of Parliament and aides contacting Elon Musk and other company chiefs for assistance.

On Tuesday, the prime ministers of Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic will meet with Zelenskyy in Kyiv to bring aid and show “the unequivocal support of the entire European Union for the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.”

Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of the Greek Catholic Church of Ukraine said in a statement on Tuesday: “Today once more I would like to address the mighty of this world: Do not be outside observers of the pain and sorrow of Ukraine! Don’t just watch on television how they are killing us! Do something! Let us do everything to stop this war which is today a wound for all of humanity.”

While only 10% of Ukraine is Catholic, Francis has become an important voice for the Eastern Orthodox Christian majority as a prospective mediator between Russian Orthodox leaders and Orthodox communities that have become estranged from the Moscow patriarchate. After years of outreach to Patriarch Kirill, Francis has avoided calling out Russia and Putin by name when condemning the war, but he has been vocal about the need to end the violence.

“With pain in my heart I join my voice with that of common people who beg for an end to the war. In the name of God, may the scream of those who suffer be heard and may there be an end to the bombings and attacks!” Francis said during his Sunday prayer service in Rome.

“In the name of God, I ask you: End this massacre!” he added.

This article originally appeared here.

Study: Black Catholics in US Are a Tiny Minority Increasingly Drawing on Immigrants

By

Yonat Shimron

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March 16, 2022

black catholics immigrants — Cardinal Wilton Gregory, Archbishop of Washington, places ashes on the forehead of a parishioner during the Ash Wednesday Mass at Saint Matthew the Apostle Cathedral in Washington, Wednesday, March, 2, 2022. Ash Wednesday which marks the beginning of Lent. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

DURHAM, N.C. (RNS) — The congregation at Holy Cross Catholic Church is an anomaly in one sense: a historically Black congregation led by the Rev. Pius Wekesa, one of just 250 or so Black priests in the United States.

Many Black Catholics, a minority within a minority, rarely see a Black priest celebrate Mass at their church. Founded by the Jesuit order in 1939, Holy Cross has about 400 families, 70% of whom are Black. But it never had a Black priest before Wekesa became pastor last July.

Wekesa, and some in his congregation, are typical of Black Catholics in one way: They are immigrants.

Black Catholics, at about 3 million total, comprise only 6% of U.S. Blacks, most of whom are Protestant. And they’re an even smaller share of U.S. Catholics — 4%, according to a new analysis of Black Catholics published Tuesday (March 15) by Pew Research.

The study, which included 562 Black Catholics among 8,660 Black adults, found that most Black Catholics worship in predominantly white churches. Only about 25% of Black Catholics attend churches where the majority of congregants are also Black.

The Catholic Church has 798 predominantly African American congregations across the country, according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Most of those are on the East Coast and in the South.

The study, originally fielded in 2019 and 2020 , found that 68% of Black Catholics are U.S.-born. A growing number — about 12% — are, like Wekesa, from Africa. The rest were born in the Caribbean (11%) or in other parts of the Americas (5%).

Wekesa, 59, was ordained a priest in his native Kenya and came to the Diocese of Raleigh in 2005 to work with the growing numbers of Swahili-speaking Catholics.

The Diocese of Raleigh, which spans the 54 easternmost counties of the state, has 12 Black priests.

The bigger reason why Black Catholics are such a small population is that they are the least likely of all Catholics to remain in the fold. While Catholics generally are prone to religious switching, Black Catholics have the highest rates. Only 54% of U.S. Black Catholics who were raised in the faith remain so as adults (compared with 61% of white Catholics and 68% of Hispanic Catholics.)

Some Black Catholics explain this number by pointing out that they tend to be more liberal than their mostly white Catholic counterparts when it comes to immigration and race (possibly because there are more immigrants among Black Catholics than among white Catholics).

Most Black Catholics say that opposing racism is important to how they think about being Christian. About three-quarters of Black Catholics (77%) say opposition to racism is essential to what it means to be a Christian.

Black Catholics are also more liberal on abortion and homosexuality: 71% said abortion should be legal in all or most cases and 78% said homosexuality should be accepted in society.

Honest Faith

By

Randy Alcorn

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March 16, 2022

My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning.
O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer;
And by night, but I have no rest.
Yet You are holy,
O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
In You our fathers trusted;
They trusted and You delivered them.
To You they cried out and were delivered;
In You they trusted and were not disappointed.
(Psalm 22:1–5, NASB)

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

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

Jackie Hill Perry writes, “While reading the Psalms, I’m struck by how often God is questioned. Why He’s allowing this. Why He’s forsaken that. Suffering makes you curious and to me, it seems, being inquisitive is in fact a healthy part of prayer. Even Jesus, in His dying hour, asked God a question.”

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

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

A lot of bad theology inevitably surfaces when we face suffering. When people lose their faith because of suffering, it suggests a weak or nominal faith that didn’t account for or prepare them for evil and suffering. Any faith not based on the truth needs to be lost—the sooner, the better.

Suffering and evil exert a force that either pushes us away from God or pulls us toward Him. But if personal suffering gives sufficient evidence that God doesn’t exist, then surely I shouldn’t wait until I suffer to conclude He’s a myth. If my suffering would one day justify denying God, then I should deny Him now in light of other people’s suffering.

Believing that God exists is not the same as trusting the God who exists. A nominal Christian often discovers in suffering that his faith has been in his church, family, career, or social network, but not Christ. As he faces evil and suffering, he may find his beliefs shaken or even destroyed. But genuine faith—trusting God even when we don’t understand—will be made stronger and purer.

If your faith is based on lack of affliction, it’s on the brink of extinction and is only a frightening diagnosis or a shattering phone call away from collapse. Token faith will not survive suffering. Nor should it.

Thank you, Lord, for welcoming the honest cries of our hearts. Thank you for allowing us to ask, “Why?” It’s a gift to us that your prophets and King David asked, “Why,” and even your Son, Jesus, asked, “Why?” as He hung on a cross. But give us the grace and wisdom, Lord, to ask our questions while looking to your Word and to your Holy Spirit for answers.

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

Guidepost Begins Drafting Final Sex Abuse Study Report

By

Diana Chandler

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March 16, 2022

NASHVILLE (BP) – Guidepost Solutions is drafting its final report based on an investigation of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee’s handling of sexual abuse complaints, the Sexual Abuse Task Force said in its latest update.

“Of note, Guidepost has begun drafting its final report, including its independent recommendations, in preparation for the publication of the full report and recommendations prior to the SBC Convention in Anaheim in June 2022,” the task force said in the March 11 update.

Guidepost investigators have met with Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission leaders and are reviewing archived ERLC documents, the task force said.

The ERLC interviews and document reviews were “within the scope of the EC investigation process,” Task Force Chairman Bruce Frank, pastor of Asheville, N.C.-area Biltmore Church, told Baptist Press.

An additional 12 interviews are scheduled with Executive Committee current or former trustees, and Guidepost is in the process of contacting 22 additional trustees, according to the update. The research will add to information received in 133 interviews already conducted with trustees.

Guidepost had already interviewed about 170 current and former Executive Committee trustees and employees.

“These interviews are essential in conducting a full, fair, and comprehensive investigation and assessment,” the task force said. “The interviews also provide an opportunity for interviewees to offer recommendations and provide feedback as to how the SBC EC can create a safer community going forward.”

With more than five terabytes of data collected, Guidepost has continued to meet with survivors who contacted Guidepost to provide information, has received remaining documents requested from former Executive Committee external legal counsel Guenther, Jordan & Price law firm and has reviewed Executive Committee presidential papers and ERLC documents on file at the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives, the task force reported.

Guidepost had received approximately 4,230 documents from Guenther, Jordan & Price as of its Feb. 8 update. The law firm, which held a long-term role as legal counsel for the SBC EC, severed its relationship with Southern Baptists shortly after the EC voted to waive attorney-client privilege in the investigation.

“Additional updates will be forthcoming as the investigation proceeds,” the task force said in its update.

As messengers to the 2021 SBC Annual Meeting voted, Guidepost must submit its report to the task force at least a month before the 2022 SBC Annual Meeting. The task force will review it and release it publicly in advance of the 2022 meeting in June.

This article originally appeared at Baptist Press.

However You Treat the Lord’s Pastors, He Takes Personally

By

Joe McKeever

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March 16, 2022

Have you really thought about how to treat your pastor?

“Whoever receives you, receives Me. Whoever listens to you, listens to Me. Whoever rejects you, rejects Me.” (Matthew 10:40 and Luke 10:16)

Pastors are reluctant to preach this because it sounds self-serving. “People, the Lord in Heaven is taking note of how you treat me. Whatever you do to me, Jesus considers it the same as though you were doing it to Him.”

He’ll not be saying that.

So, I’ll say it for him. Because it’s true.

Know How to Treat Your Pastor

As you’re considering how to treat your pastor, consider this. “A king arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding. And they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready; come to the wedding.” But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.” (That’s Matthew 22:1-6.)

We must not miss the reaction of the king in the Lord’s story. “But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And his sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers and burned up their city” (Matthew 22:7).

However the people treated the king’s messengers, it was the same as doing it to him.

In I Samuel 8:7, the Lord said that when the people rejected Samuel, he shouldn’t take it personally (because the Lord would be doing that!). ”They have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.”

So, stop your whining, pastor. This is not about you.

Almost nothing you do, servant of God, is about you!

Consider this both a warning to those who would mistreat these God-called servants sent to His churches as well as an encouragement to those who honor them.

This must not be abused. No pastor should be trying to feather his own bed by promising the people heavenly riches if they would treat him nicely now. No messenger of the Lord should ever promise people, “If you will send me a love offering now, God will prosper you.” Those who have done such have brought great shame on themselves, on the church and on the gospel.

Woke Thinking Has Infiltrated the Church at Higher Levels Than You Think

By

Phil Cooke

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March 16, 2022

I had an interesting experience recently when one of the largest ministry organizations in the world called and asked me to do an online training session with about sixty members of their global leadership team. After my talk, one of the questions asked was about cancel culture and how they should prepare if the cancel crowd comes after them. In the process we discussed woke thinking and how cancel culture is a symptom of that woke thinking, and how it’s almost become a religion – but a religion without forgiveness, redemption, or the possibility of salvation. From a Biblical perspective, it’s the antithesis of what the Church stands for and teaches.

Woke Thinking Has Infiltrated the Church

It was a good discussion, but after the session, I got a call from one of top leaders who shared how offended many of the ministry’s leaders were after my talk. Apparently, many of their younger leaders felt being woke was exactly what Christians should be doing today – and worse, the global director of the ministry wasn’t even sure if that was a problem or not.

That experience taught me that wokeness has infiltrated church and ministry organizations at a higher level than many of us thought. Plus, the top leaders of many of these organizations don’t know enough to correct the erroneous theology.

As a result, we all need to look around and see exactly who our churches, ministries, and nonprofits are raising up, and what they believe about woke thinking. Without being too dramatic, the future of the church may depend on it.

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

Bible Apps for Teens: Help Kids Connect With Scripture

By

Youth Ministrycom

-

March 15, 2022

As you encourage teenagers to dive into their Bibles, consider leveraging some new approaches. For this high-tech generation, Bible apps for teens can be a helpful tool.

Youth workers need to reach kids where they’re at. And you need to provide tools they’re comfortable using. Otherwise, those tools won’t…get any use. That’s where Bible apps for teens come in handy.

Bible Apps for Teens: 5 Options to Try

Try these five digital avenues to help tether teens to the ultimate text, God’s Word.

5 High-Tech Ways to Connect Teens to the Bible

1. YouVersion Bible app

This free app offers hundreds of Bible-reading plans, including ones specifically for teenagers. Other topics range from leadership to dating. To search plans inside the YouVersion app, click “Plan” and “Discover.” Then just start scrolling. To search plans on your computer, click here: https://www.bible.com/reading-plans

2. Memory verse apps

Two stand out, and both are available for iPhone, Android, and online use. With Fighter Verses (http://fighterverses.com), you get everything the app has to offer for just $2.99. Scripture Typer (https://scripturetyper.com) offers a free version. But for $9.99 you can download the full-featured app. This video explains the process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTPPKa7lY38

3. Insta-devos

It’s easy to post Bible verses, devotional thoughts, and photos on Instagram. One great resource for this is PocketFuel (https://www.instagram.com/pocketfuel/). Encourage students to follow that. Or create your own material with apps such as Word Swag (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/word-swag-cool-fonts-typography/id645746786?mt=8) or Canva (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/canva-graphic-design-photo/id897446215?mt=8).

Vacation Bible School Ideas: 70 Tips for Your Best-Ever VBS

By

Christine Yount Jones

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March 15, 2022

VBS! It’s never too early to start thinking about Vacation Bible School ideas. This summertime ministry is a kid-favorite. Plus, it’s a tremendous outreach opportunity for your church and community. We know how much love, work, and energy that kidmin workers and volunteers pour into the lives of kids. So we want to share dozens and dozens of great vacation Bible school ideas.

Your children’s ministry can use and adapt these VBS suggestions this summer. Check out all the games, strategy tips, and ways to support volunteers. Plus, you’ll find general, helpful ways to save time and maximize your impact.

Have a blast getting ready for VBS with all these vacation Bible school ideas! (And be sure to share your own favorite tips in the comments below.)

KidMin | Vacation Bible School Ideas …FROM YOU!

This article contains 14 leader-submitted vacation Bible school ideas. The helpful, in-the-know suggestions cover a broad range of VBS topics. People in the “trenches” of VBS offer the most applicable insights for their peers!

Our best idea has been to make vacation Bible school a summer long event instead of a one-week event. We spread our VBS out through the summer doing it every Wednesday night while our other discipleship ministries are going on. We bookend it with a big kickoff and closing. This gives us an opportunity to bring the families in more than just the kids. The families are able to stay and take part in our other ministries going on, giving them an opportunity to connect to the church.

12 Tips to Supercharge Your Vacation Bible School

Field-tested ideas abound for creating the biggest ministry impact you can. How can you apply all these tips to your church’s own VBS program this year?

As a children’s pastor, I’ve led a lot of VBS events and kids camps. For many years the events were good, but nothing spectacular. That’s when I changed my approach and implemented new principles. At one church I served in we went from around 80 kids per event to over 300 kids. Our VBS Family service actually beat our Easter attendance two years in a row. Vacation Bible school became our church’s favorite week of the year.

Vacation Bible School Ideas: 6 Ways to Keep VBS Volunteers Energized

Volunteers are such a key part in making VBS a success. But recruiting is just the first step. Once you’ve recruited these helpers, how can you keep them engaged and energized? Find out here.

I was unsure how I would keep my volunteers excited about five back-to-back nights full of kids following them around, but somehow they loved every minute of it. We even had new volunteers each night because our volunteers would tell their friends to come join us. Here are six ways we have found to be successful at keeping our vacation Bible school volunteers energized:

13 Sanity Savers for Vacation Bible School Directors

We’ve all been there: the sleepless nights, the stress…and also the incredible joy of seeing kids encounter Jesus in powerful ways! Find out how you can lead a VBS successfully with these strategies.

When it’s all said and done, I rely on tried and true strategies that keep me sane before, during and after the madness—I mean planning.

Jared Olivetti Mishandled Sexual Abuse Claims Within Church; Ordination Revoked by Presbytery

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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March 15, 2022

Immanuel Reformed Presbyterian Church’s former pastor, Jared Olivetti, had his ordination and elder status officially revoked by the Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America (RPCNA) last week after an investigation determined he mishandled child sex abuse allegations within the church.

Immanuel recorded an attendance of 137 members in 2018, making it the fifth-largest reformed Presbyterian congregation in the state.

In addition to Olivetti’s defrocking (the removal of a clergy’s rights to exercise their functions in the ordained ministry), his church membership privileges were also suspended, meaning that the former pastor will not be allowed to partake in the sacraments, such as communion.

According to the announcement sent to the IndyStar regarding the investigation, Olivetti’s church membership privileges will not be reinstated until “penitence and new obedience on his part has shown him worthy of the exercise of those privileges, and until this Court restores his ordination.”

The West Lafayette, Indiana pastor resigned along with three other church elders in January after he was suspended by the denomination.

Last December, the IndyStar released a report accusing the now defrocked Olivetti of protecting an underaged relative from an investigation relating to the sexual abuse of multiple children, within the church and outside the church.

An order by a Tippecanoe County juvenile court revealed at least eight of the fifteen children abused by the pastor’s relative belonged to families within the church. The sexual abuse, which occurred both on and off the church’s property, took place between the spring of 2019 and March 2020.

The young victims reported that their abuser inappropriately touched them both over and under their clothing and additionally made oral-to-genital contact and penetration.

The IndyStar reported that a juvenile judge found the underaged abuser to be “delinquent on what would be multiple felony counts of child molesting and was remanded to a residential facility.”

The Synod commission (a Presbyterian ecclesiastical court above the presbyteries that is subject to the General Assembly) was prepared to tell Olivetti, “May God have mercy upon you, not only because your sin is real, but because Christ’s mercy is great,” but the pastor did not attend the trial or the verdict reading.

They found Olivetti guilty of failing to conduct himself “in a way that was above reproach…resulting in distrust and disunity within the church, threatening dishonor in the name of Jesus Christ, the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, Immanuel Reformed Presbyterian Church, and himself,” as well as other counts.

Florida Pastor, Church Members Face Life in Prison or the Death Penalty After Arrest for Sexual Abuse That Spans Over 30 Years

By

Jessica Mouser

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March 15, 2022

Fla. Pastor, Church Members Face Life in Prison or the Death Penalty After Arrest for Sexual Abuse That Spans Over 30 Years — Pictured from left to right: Paul Dyal, Jerome Techendorf and Vernon Williamson (via WFLA News Channel Eight)

A pastor in Jacksonville, Fla., was arrested on Wednesday, March 9, and charged with capital sexual battery in a case where the abuse dates back at least 30 years, according to authorities. Two other church members, Jerome Teschendorf (68) and Vernon Williamson (85), were arrested on the same charge as Paul Dyal (78), founder and pastor of The Jacksonville Assembly of the Body of Christ.

“It should be noted that through the course of the investigation we have identified and spoken to numerous victims and witnesses,” said the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO). “As a result, investigators believe there are additional suspects involved in the reported crimes. This long-term investigation was conducted in partnership with the U.S. Marshals, State Attorney’s Office, and the Florida Department of Children and Families.”

One of Paul Dyal’s victims told News4Jax, “Living with it and just knowing that all those years nobody would listen to me and he was free and now he’s actually in jail, it’s numb, surreal but some kind of a little bit of closure.”

Paul Dyal, Pastor, Arrested With Fellow Church Members

Paul Dyal founded The Jacksonville Assembly of the Body of Christ, which currently has at least 78 people, in Jacksonville in the 1970s. A school connected with the church, as well as Dyal’s house, are on church property, and the pastor also ran a music store at one point.

JSO raided Jacksonville Assembly on Wednesday, interrupting worship services and subsequently arresting Dyal. Teschendorf and Williamson were arrested in Oklahoma.

All three men were charged with capital sexual battery, a crime involving a perpetrator aged 18 years or older and a victim under the age of 12. According to Musca Law, the penalty for capital sexual battery is life imprisonment without parole or death by lethal injection or electrocution.

JSO says an investigation began in September 2020 after JSO’s Special Assault Unit received a tip. Following that, “The investigation revealed both long-term sexual and physical abuse of minors in the church spanning a period of over thirty years.”

Attorney Cynthia Crawford, who represents several of the survivors, says the abuse goes back for more than 40 years. Crawford also said the case involves other states in addition to Oklahoma and Florida.

One survivor says Paul Dyal molested her five to six times per year for five to six years. News4Jax found that Dyal was booked under the same case number as one of the survivor’s incident reports that is nearly 20 years old.

On Monday, March 14, eight women shared accounts of physical, mental, financial and emotional abuse they experienced from people at Dyal’s church. They described a controlling, isolated environment at both the church and school connected with it. One of the women said that as a teenager, the church set her up with a 40-year-old man. Another said Dyal beat her with a paddle till she had bruises all over her body.

Should Kids Watch Disney’s New ‘Turning Red’ Movie? One Mom’s Honest Review

By

Bri Lamm

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March 15, 2022

Disney’s done it again. In its latest animated release to hit the streaming platform this year, “Turning Red” is the coming of age movie that no child needs and no parent asked for. It’s another attempt for Disney to shape the way our kids perceive the world, and project very mature topics onto unsuspecting viewers.

The Disney and Pixar film, which hit the parent company’s streaming platform on March 11th, “follows 13-year-old Mei Lee, a confident-but-dorky teenager with a tight nit group of friends who are passionate about a boy band called 4-town.”

**IF ONLY THAT’S WHAT TURNING RED WAS ABOUT.**

My key takeaways are that “Turning Red” is about normalizing puberty in a completely obnoxious way, poking fun at periods and sex in a way that makes even adult viewers uncomfortable, and that it’s okay to disobey your parents as long as you’re honoring yourself.

In a lot of ways, it’s like a 13-year-old girl’s version of a Rachel Hollis book—preaching self love, self gratification, and not caring what anyone else thinks as long as you’re making yourself happy.

But friends, that’s not the message our kids need. Especially in the way it’s conveyed through “Turning Red.”

The movie is directed by Domee Shi, who won an Oscar for her animated short film, “Bao.” Having seen “Bao,” I had high hopes for “Turning Red.” They quickly fell very, very flat.

“The number one rule in my family? Honor your parents,” 13-year-old Mei begins the movie narration. “Honoring your parents sounds great, but if you take it too far, well, you might forget to honor yourself.”

“Luckily,” she adds, “I don’t have that problem.”

And that friends, is the first place Disney missed the mark.

“I’m Meilin Lee,” She introduces herself 90 seconds in. “Ever since I turned 13, I’ve been doing my own thing, making my own moves, 24/7, 365. I wear what I want, say what I want, and I will not hesitate to do a spontaneous cartwheel if I feel so moved.”

She continues, “I accept and embrace all labels.”

Within the first ten minutes of the film, we get our first taste of the discomfort to come as Mei tucks herself under her bed to draw inappropriate pictures of herself and a 17-year-old boy she has a crush on in a very sexual manner. Her mother discovers the drawings and is mortified, asking, “did he do these things to you?”

TBN to Launch News Program With Fox News Alums to Host, Produce

By

Dale Chamberlain

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March 15, 2022

Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) has announced that it will launch a news program titled “Centerpoint,” which will air nightly at 7:30pm and 10:30pm ET.

The show will be hosted by Doug McKelway, former Washington correspondent for Fox News, and will be co-hosted by journalist Blynda Layne, who is also the wife of Todd Lane, executive senior pastor at Robert Morris’ Gateway Church in Southlake, TX.

“We’re at a pivotal time in history, where people are starving—not for ‘your truth’ or ‘my truth’—but for ‘THE truth.’ That’s what we plan to offer,” said 40-year news veteran McKelway to Religion Unplugged.

“Centerpoint” will be produced by Michael Clemente, former Newsmax CEO and Fox News Executive Vice President of News. Clemente also previously served as a producer at ABC News.

While TBN, one of the largest Christian broadcasting networks in the world, is best known for programming featuring the sermons of preachers such as David Jeremiah, Charles Stanley, Joel Osteen, Greg Laurie, Joyce Meyer, T.D. Jakes, and Max Lucado, the launch of “Centerpoint” is part of an effort to pivot the network toward building a “Christian lifestyle brand,” said TBN VP of Marketing Nate Daniels.

Senior producer of Centerpoint Michael Clemente told Axios that the show “will cover news of the day and other top stories.” Clemente plans to expand the roster of reporters working for TBN and anticipates that TBN will launch more news programs.

According to Daniels, TBN feels confident about moving forward with news commentary and lifestyle programming, given the success that the network has experienced with such programming thus far.

In 2017, TBN launched “Huckabee,” a political talk show hosted by former Arkansas governor and Baptist minister Mike Huckabee. The show ran on Fox News from 2008 to 2015, beginning after Huckabee’s presidential campaign in the 2008 election and ending before he turned his attention to focusing on another presidential bid in 2016.

In November of 2021, TBN also launched “Takeaways,” an interview show hosted by Kirk Cameron aimed at helping viewers “find actionable takeaways that everyone can use throughout life to bring more of Heaven to Earth.” Recent guests on “Takeaways” include John Cooper of Skillet, Christian apologist Greg Koukl, conservative political commentator Allie Beth Stuckey, and pastor and author Francis Chan.

“We’re working on building more towards a daytime lineup,” Daniels said.

A preview to the “Centerpoint” program will air on March 25.

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2. Memory verse apps

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IF ONLY THAT’S WHAT TURNING RED WAS ABOUT.

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**IF ONLY THAT’S WHAT TURNING RED WAS ABOUT.**