Making All Things New: Hymns Modernized

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March 14, 2022

Last week I was asked to lead worship at a small church plant. It was a new church where I, a 31-year-old, would be one of the older attendees. So I looked through my song list and chose three songs that would be fitting for the night before Easter. I wasn’t looking for any particular kind of song, just songs that conveyed the message of the cross and that might be familiar and singable in this group. It wasn’t until after I picked out the songs that I realized all three were hymns. My advice for those trying to use hymns modernized in modern worship is to stop trying. Stop trying to include hymns, and instead try only to use good, meaningful songs. That will inevitably include hymns

Making All Things New: Hymns Modernized

Hymns Modernized: The Reasons

There is no reason that “hymns” and “praise songs” need any distinction in your modern worship service. They are two sides of the same coin.

So when I plan worship, I look for songs that have good theological depth, are singable and fit the direction of the service I am planning for. It doesn’t matter if they are hymns or contemporary songs, and nowadays I often don’t even notice. If your worship repertoire is devoid of hymns altogether, than you are missing some powerful tools for leading meaningful worship. There are a lot of good reasons to include hymns in the modern worship repertoire, but there are a lot of bad reasons as well. As with all things in worship, the key is to be intentional and thoughtful.

Many hymns contain a great theological depth that can be rare in any form of worship. The song “Before the Throne of God Above” contains one of the greatest summaries of Christ’s atoning work outside the scriptures themselves. Hymns can also be accessible to many generations. Though most hymns may be familiar with only older generations, some will be able to connect with all ages, especially hymns modernized.

There are probably very few people in your congregation of any age who don’t know “I Surrender All” or “How Great Thou Art.” In addition, hymns can fit many styles of worship. “Mighty to Save” would sound awfully strange on a pipe organ, and “How Great Is Our God” might sound a little strange coming from a gospel choir, but “Amazing Grace” can sound natural coming from a grey haired piano player or a millennial with an acoustic guitar and skinny jeans.

Though hymns can be a natural part of a modern worship service they can also feel unnatural and insincere if done for the wrong reasons, the most common of which is sentimentality. If rampant emotionalism is the Achilles heel of contemporary worship then unchecked sentimentality is the same to hymnody.

I often receive requests to include certain hymns in worship. Sometimes the reason for the request is the great theology or musicality of the song, but many times it is simply for the sake of nostalgia. That particular hymn stirs a certain emotion in someone, often connected to childhood memories. That is the same shallowness for which contemporary music is often criticized. Good music will always cause an emotional reaction, but that emotional reaction itself is not to be worshipped. Our worship must pursue Christ first, and let emotions and sentimentality be a secondary effect.

Hymns Modernized: The Music

So you have some powerful, theologically rich hymns you’d like to include in your modern worship service, but how do you do so without being inauthentic to the culture of your church?

There are many ways to present hymns modernized, but these efforts fall into two general approaches: preserving the lyrics while changing the melody and musical setting of the hymn, or preserving the lyrics, melody and basic structure while changing the underlying musical style.

The advantage of keeping the original melody is that it is already familiar to many, which is one of the reasons to include hymns in the first place. The disadvantage is that some melodies sound very dated and can be harder for younger worshippers to pick up on. There are good times to use both approaches, but in this article I will be addressing the latter.
Before talking about the specifics of how to “modernize” hymns, I need to give a disclaimer. Much of playing hymns in a modern context is subtle and stylistic, it is about interpretation. Two technically proficient pianists could sit down at a piano and play the exact same piece of music “perfectly,” yet one could be moving and powerful, the other dry and unappealing. Much of modernization is about interpretation, so the best advice I can give is to become familiar with the piece before you play it. Once you are very familiar with the song, it will start to sound less mechanical and more natural to your own setting and style.

The second most important piece of advice is to play it like you mean it, play it with heart. You must believe in and understand what you are singing. If you are playing a hymn only because someone asked you to but have no investment in the song yourself, that hymn will sound insincere and out of place. How can you sing “here I raise my Ebenzer” with heart if you don’t know what an Ebenzer is?

From a technical standpoint, the process of “modernizing” a hymn is primarily simplifying chords, adding greater dynamics and relaxing the melodic rhythm. Many hymns are written in homorhythm; a chord on every beat with a melody that follows that rhythm exactly. Since most of modern music has fewer chord changes and rhythmically looser melodies, the older homorhythmic style can sound sterile and unemotional to the modern ear. (Not to mention, playing a chord on every beat sounds much better on an organ than a guitar.) So keep only the chords that must stay to support the melody.

Another attribute common in hymnody is lack of varied dynamics. Modern worship music relies much more on dynamics, or getting “bigger” and “smaller.” Barreling through the whole hymn as loud as possible can make it sound dated and tiring. Add some dynamics; a quiet verse followed by a bigger verse, or a big verse followed by a soft chorus.

As for the rhythm of the melody, since you’ve put some space in between chord changes, the melodic rhythm will have some room to relax just a bit as well. While I don’t recommend hitting the notes whenever you want and leaving the congregation in the dust, your melody can be less staccato and more legato. But always remember you are doing this to help worshippers that are used to modern melodies, not hinder them. If your melody is so rhythmically loose that it is hard to follow, then you have not modernized the song, you’ve just made it into a performance.

Hymns Modernized: The Band

If you are playing hymns with a full worship band who is only used to playing contemporary worship, you will need to be very intentional about how you want each member to convey the hymn. While all bands are different, here are a few general tips for band members:

This Is Not Our Home

By

Nicholas Batzig

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March 12, 2022

After a decade of church planting and pastoring in the beautiful Southern coastal city of Savannah, Ga., my family and I moved on to a new place to begin a new ministry and a new season of life. As our time in Savannah came to a close, my heart began to fill with sadness over the fact that we were leaving behind beloved friends, a house we loved, and a delightful city. At the same time, I was reminded of C.S. Lewis’ statement about “pleasant inns” in his book The Problem of Pain. He wrote, “The settled happiness and security which we all desire, God withholds from us by the very nature of the world: but joy, pleasure, and merriment, He has scattered broadcast. . . . Our Father refreshes us on the journey with some pleasant inns, but will not encourage us to mistake them for home.”¹ We are meant to feel this whenever God in His providence carries us from one place to another. We are also meant to feel this when we see the turmoil in the world around us.

This Is Not Our Home

As believers, we are called by God to train our minds and hearts to firmly latch onto the biblical teaching that we are passing through this world as pilgrims and strangers. We can never allow ourselves to become comfortable here. We are merely sojourners passing through this world on our way to glory. From the first promise of redemption in the garden (Gen. 3:15) to the glorious heavenly vision of the City of God (Rev. 22), the totality of the Bible focuses on the pilgrimage for which God has redeemed His people.

When God called Abraham to leave his family and his homeland, he “went out, not knowing where he was going” (Heb. 11:8). “By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise” (11:9). Moving from place to place, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob walked by faith in the promises of God. The Lord had promised Abraham that he would inherit the land; yet, the only land he ever possessed during his pilgrimage was a tiny plot that served as a burial place for him and for his wife, his children, and his grandchildren. The act of burial was the last great act of faith. It proved that he was looking for something better—the hope of the resurrection. Abraham never had a permanent home until he died. When he died in faith, he settled in “the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God” (Heb. 11:10).

Joseph also lived and died as a pilgrim and stranger on the earth. Abraham’s great-grandson spent the better part of his life as an alien in a foreign land. He was cut off from his earthly family until the end of his father’s life. He was instrumental in the rest of his brethren coming and dwelling in a foreign land. When he died, Joseph “made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones” (Heb. 11:22). By charging his brethren to take his bones up from Egypt and into the promised land (which would not occur until some four hundred years after he died), Joseph was teaching the Israelites that there was a better city—one for which God would raise him up, body and soul.

After Moses fled from Egypt into the wilderness of Midian, he married the daughter of the Midian priest Jethro and fathered a son with her. Moses named his firstborn son Gershom (literally meaning “stranger there”). Scripture teaches us the rich biblical theological meaning of this name in Exodus 2:21–22, where we read: “Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah. She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, ‘I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.’”

We discover the secret to spiritual pilgrimage when we read:

These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.(Heb. 11:13–16)

The writer of Hebrews set out the history of the exilic status of old covenant saints to comfort suffering new covenant believers. There is a parallel between the experiences of old and new covenant saints. Throughout the new covenant era, Christians have had their homes and possessions taken from them. Many have been persecuted and martyred. Like the prophets before them, they were men and women “of whom the world is not worthy.” The world may not have been worthy of them, but “the world to come” was prepared for them (Heb. 2:5). The common status of all believers in this world is that of being “sojourners and exiles.” When the Apostle Peter wrote to the early church, he addressed them as “elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.” James, writing to the new covenant church, addressed believers as “the twelve tribes in the Dispersion.” These allusions to the “pilgrim” motif bring the concept to the forefront of the church’s identity in the world.Jesus came to make us heirs of the world to come.

There is, however, another pilgrim and sojourner in the Scriptures upon whom we must fix our gaze. Jesus Christ—the Son of Abraham and greater Moses—was the ultimate sojourner and pilgrim on the earth. This was not His home. He came from His Father in glory and returned to His Father in glory. It was He who told His disciples, “I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38). As He went to the cross, He told them: “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going” (John 14:2–6). Jesus is the heavenly Sojourner, traveling through the foreign land of this fallen world to the eternal inheritance He came to possess by way of the cross. He came to inherit the world by passing through the world and finishing the work of redemption. The Old Testament saints typified the coming Redeemer. Jesus is “the Pilgrim of pilgrims, the Sojourner of sojourners, the Hebrew of the Hebrews, the One appointed from the foundation of the world to be a pilgrim as they were, to be a sojourner as they were—the One who would incarnate a Hebrew’s life; the One who would sojourn in flesh and blood though he was from all eternity not flesh and blood, but eternally very God of very eternal God.”²

When the Son of Abraham came, He traveled throughout the promised land and yet had “nowhere to lay his head” (Luke 9:58). Like Abraham, He never settled into any one place in the promised land. Unlike Abraham, He didn’t even possess His own burial place.

In tempting Christ in the wilderness, the devil offered to give Him the world. Having taken Jesus up to a high mountain, he offered Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment if He would just bow down and worship him. Rather than succumb to the evil machinations of Satan, the Son of God trusted the promise of His Father to give Him “the nations for His inheritance and the ends of the earth for His possession” (Ps. 2). But, He would do it in accord with his Father’s command. Jesus fulfilled the legal demands of the covenant by keeping the law, and He took the curse for those who broke the covenant. To receive the promised inheritance of “the world”—which God had given to Abraham and his seed (Ps. 37:11, 22; Rom. 4:13; Matt. 5:5; Gal. 3:16)—the Son of God had to travel through this world as a stranger. He ultimately had to be exiled from the presence of His Father on the cross (Matt. 27:46). During His sojourn in Israel, the covenant Lord was dealt with as if He was a “stranger” from the gentiles. The chief priests and elders used Judas’ betrayal money to purchase a “field as a burial place for strangers,” as a cemetery for those who belonged outside the camp of God’s people (Matt. 27:7). The body of the Savior would have ended up in a trash heap—with the other crucified gentiles and criminals—were it not for Joseph of Arimathea’s providing a more dignified burial place for Him (Matt. 27:57–60; see Isa. 53:9). The eternally glorious Son of God was treated as a stranger among His own people (John 1:10–11). But He came to make us heirs of the world to come. He came to fulfill the hope of Abraham, Joseph, and Moses. He entered that state of sojourning to secure redemption for His people. He identifies with the true sons of Abraham who also pass through this world as sojourners. In the words of Henry Van Dyke:

Thou wayfaring Jesus a pilgrim and stranger,
Exiled from heaven by love at Thy birth
Exiled again from Thy rest in the manger,
A fugitive child ‘mid the perils of earth
Cheer with Thy fellowship all who are weary,
Wandering far from the land that they love
Guide every heart that is homeless and dreary,
Safe to its home in Thy presence above.

This article about this is not our home originally appeared here.

Lessons From an Agnostic New York Times Journalist

By

Scott Sauls

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March 12, 2022

Many of us unconsciously build our lives on a foundation of religious behaviors and even sound doctrine, yet our lives lack an essential sign of love for God—which is to love our neighbors who are made in his image, and most especially those Jesus called “the least of these.”

Where we do indeed fail, there is still indeed hope for us.

Even if we’ve been stuck in a doctrinally accurate yet relationally dead or comatose faith, today can mark a new beginning for us. Why? Because God loves bringing dead bones to life with living flesh, and because his mercies are new every morning (Ezekiel 37:1-14; Lamentations 3:22-23). If salvation can come to the house of a formerly self-serving, greed-driven, poor-exploiting Zacchaeus, then salvation can come to our houses as well (Luke 19:1-10).

With Jesus, as long as we are breathing there is opportunity for the Holy Spirit of God to breathe his mercy-loving, justice-seeking, salvation life into us. And when he does, neighbor love and concern for the poor will begin flowing out from us.

Like a doctor catching cancer early and calling for surgery, or a father who loudly warns his toddler to stop running in the direction of a busy street, warnings about our neglect of the poor are a kindness from God. His warnings provide us with fresh opportunities to consider how “Christ has regarded [our] helpless estate, and has shed his own blood for [our] soul,” and how receiving mercy from Christ can transform us into participants in his mission of mercy to the hurting.

As Martin Luther said, “We are all mere beggars telling other beggars where to find bread.”

Living in the Spirit-filled awareness of Christ’s love toward us will cause love to flow out from us toward others. “Majoring” in the things of Jesus will, over time, become more natural to us as the Spirit transforms us into his likeness. “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19) becomes more than a pithy saying and vague aspiration. Instead, it becomes a very real description of our lives as we begin living out what it means to be redeemed, restored, forgiven, adopted into God’s family, and welcomed to God’s banquet table by grace.

In our own community at Christ Presbyterian in Nashville, this energy poured into the poor or “the least of these” shows up in many ways. Some of our people invest their money, time, and skills to help those who’ve been released from prison find meaningful work and become life-giving contributors to society.

Others live and serve among people with disabilities and special needs.

Some welcome orphans and foster kids into their homes, while others form support communities to wrap around them.

Others partner and serve with local nonprofits that provide healthcare for refugees, post-trauma resources for women coming out of prostitution and poverty, healing community for those caught in addiction, care and support for those facing a crisis pregnancy, counseling, resourcing, and friendship for those suffering divorce or bereavement or unemployment or loneliness or anxiety or depression.

And there is so much more!

John Cooper, Eric Metaxas, Allie Beth Stuckey, and Darrell Harrison Discuss ‘Engaging a Hostile Culture’ at NRB

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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March 11, 2022

John Cooper, Eric Metaxas, Allie Beth Stuckey, and Darrell Harrison — Photo by Jesse T. Jackson.

The National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) 2022 convention took place over the past four days at Nashville, Tennessee’s Gaylord Opryland, where their Board of Directors unanimously approved a resolution on Tuesday denouncing critical theory (the broader term that umbrellas critical race theory or CRT).

According to their website, the NRB is “a nonpartisan, international association of Christian communicators whose member organizations represent millions of listeners, viewers, and readers.” They work to protect the NRB members’ free speech rights in a variety of ways including advocating those rights in government, corporate, and media sectors, the NRB explains.

NRB’s members include Christian media organizations, radio stations, television shows, movies, streaming services, podcasts, and more. The conference was attended by Eric Metaxas, Kirk Cameron, Darrell Harrison, Alley Beth Stuckey, John Cooper, and Greg Locke to name a few.

The resolution that was passed is titled “Opposing Critical Theory and Anti-Christian Ideology.”

“Critical theory places culpability for human suffering at the feet of anyone who thrives within, benefits from, or upholds an authority structure subjectively deemed corrupt by the secular culture,” the resolution reads. “Including God-given institutions such as the church, traditional family, and much more.”

“Critical theory advances the erosion of shared history and values, the yielding of human agency to tyranny, the supremacy of mob rule, and the deterioration of family and community bonds, producing great human suffering and alienation from truth,” the resolution continues. “As Americans, we inherit founding principles (equality of mankind, God-given rights, and self-government) that point to worthy and Biblical ideals for an orderly society, and we endeavor to advance these cherished promises for all.”

“NRB urges Christian leaders to reject anti-Christian cultural systems that hold out salvation apart from Christ, oppose the influence of critical theory in education, academia, Christian ministry, and Bible teaching, and faithfully apply historic truths of Scripture to contemporary cultural issues,” it concluded.

John Cooper, Eric Metaxas, Allie Beth Stuckey, and Darrell Harrison Discuss ‘Engaging a Hostile Culture’

On Thursday afternoon, the NRB brought together a panel of well known Christian voices to discuss the topic of “Engaging a Hostile Culture.”

The panel included popular BlazeTV podcast host and author, Allie Beth Stuckey, New York Times Bestselling Author and host of the Eric Metaxas Radio Show, Eric Metaxas, John MacArthur’s Grace to You’s Dean of Social Media and co-host of the Just Thinking podcast, Darrell Harrison, and Skillet frontman and author, John Cooper.

Lucas Miles, pastor of Nfluence Church in Indiana, filmmaker, and author, moderated the panel and told the audience that his hope was to encourage them. “We’re fighting cancel culture, we’re fighting transgenderism, we’re fighting an LGBT agenda, we’re fighting socialism—there’s a few things today that are really pushing against the purpose and the mission of the church,” Miles said, sharing that he’s heard stories from many who are doing well but others who are struggling because they’ve been kicked off social media platforms.

How Pastors Can Know If They’re ‘Not Ok’; Gravity Leadership Talks to Chuck DeGroat

By

Jessica Mouser

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March 11, 2022

There are five warning signs that pastors can look for to tell if they are “not ok” and are approaching burnout, says Chuck DeGroat. DeGroat, who is an author, pastor and licensed therapist, shared his insights in a conversation Thursday with Gravity Leadership’s Ben Sternke and Matt Tebbe.

“We’re supposed to be sort of above fatigue,” said DeGroat, observing that because of their role, church leaders have more challenges than the average person with addressing these warnings signs. Pastors have to deal with “the trauma of everyday life in ministry…the moral injury of bearing witness to the events of people’s lives in a way that other people don’t bear witness to…the fatigue that comes from sitting with people in multiple spaces over the course of a day and hearing stories of abuse or vocational dissatisfaction.”

It is all the more important, therefore, for pastors to be able to recognize the signs that they are approaching burnout before burnout actually happens.

Chuck DeGroat: 5 Warning Signs of Burnout

The first warning sign church leaders should pay attention to, said Chuck DeGroat, is what he calls the “internal dashboard.” The dashboard has four categories, and people can imagine lights lighting up and blinking in each, signaling something is wrong. The first category is cognition or a person’s “self-talk.”

“Particularly when we’re unhealthy and on the verge of burnout, our self-talk becomes much more catastrophic,” said DeGroat. “So listen for that.” The other categories on the dashboard that pastors should pay attention to are their emotions, their bodies, and their social awareness. Concerns for each of these categories could include, respectively, irritability, anxiety or shame; insomnia or digestive issues; and withdrawing from other people.

Said DeGroat, “Sometimes, it’s just a yellow blinking light of just becoming a bit more irritable, and sometimes you’ve got four or five of those going off at the same time, and you need to pay attention to that.”

The second category DeGroat mentioned was “relational rupture.” Essentially, this means that church leaders are taking the symptoms from their dashboard into their relationships. Instead of relating to people in a healthy way, they resort to freeze, flight, fight, or fawn. The last term refers to not being honest and being too compliant toward others. DeGroat encouraged viewers to look for changes, such as withdrawing or being combative, in the relationships that are most important to them.

The third warning sign is fantasizing about living a different life. Pastors should watch out for feeling trapped and believing they just need to get out of their situation to survive. DeGroat cautioned that simply changing to a new job will probably not make the problem better, echoing advice Carey Nieuwhof gave recently on the Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast. “If you quit your job, guess what?” asked Nieuwhof. “You bring you into your next assignment, and if you just naturally run at an unsustainable pace, you’re going to have that problem.”

DeGroat acknowledged that there are times when it is wise to leave a job, but said that discerning whether that is necessary is typically a process that happens in relationship with other people, versus being motivated by panic or a need to escape.

The fourth warning sign is unhealthy coping mechanisms, that is, numbing pain with activities such as drinking or binging television. However, DeGroat, Tebbe, and Sternke agreed that any behavior—whether it is negative, trivial or even good—can be used in an unhealthy way to avoid pain. Even activities such as sermon prep or morning Bible readings can be ways of “avoiding connection to one another, connection to God,“ said DeGroat.

Indian Christian Prudy Ray: Keep ‘Patriarchal Garbage’ Out of My Country

By

Stephanie Martin

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March 11, 2022

Prudy Ray, an Indian Christian who often tweets about abusive pastors, sparked an online conversation about the damage caused by messages of “biblical manhood.” In a lengthy Twitter thread this week, Ray writes that people in other nations would be “baffled” by the domestic violence (and its normalization) to which Indian women are subjected.

Ray, 23, identifies himself as Shudra and Dalit, the lowest castes of Indian society. “Please don’t enable men to be more abusive,” he urges fellow Christians. “Don’t bring this patriarchal garbage into my country,” he adds, referencing “the so-called ‘biblical manhood.’” That “will only make women suffer more.”

Indian Women Experience Normalized Suffering

A study published in June 2020 found that 1 in 3 Indian women experiences domestic violence, but only 1 in 10 reports it. “Y’all have no idea how things go in my country,” Ray’s post begins. “Wives think it’s normal” to be beaten, and arranged marriages make matters worse. “Some church pastors know the sufferings of these women and yet be silent,” he adds. Or they tell women to submit and give cheating husbands a pass. Although neighbors know what’s happening, they refuse to get involved.

“The only comfort for these Christian women is church,” writes Ray. “But most of the sermons are focused on how you’re wearing clothes, if you’re late to church you’re not pious enough, tithing.” While abused women stay silent, most pastors “are focused on mint and cumin like Christ says [in Matthew 23:23]” yet “they ignore the weightier matters.”

Ray describes attending a prayer meeting and hearing “the most wonderful prayers” from women, some of whom can’t even read. “They knew Christ even though they didn’t know theology,” he says. “They showed it in their actions.”

Because abuse is normalized throughout Indian society and “daughters are considered a burden,” women “don’t even know they’re being abused,” he writes. “They don’t even know they have so much value and worth in them because they’re made in the image of God.”

Ray indicates that he, his mother, and sisters “have endured the abusive moments” but that “my dad has changed.” He states, “No one should be told that they have to just suck it up and pray and repent for being abused. That’s not the gospel.”

Commenters Thank Purdy Ray for Speaking Out

Ray’s Twitter thread has already received more than 400 likes. Many commenters thank him for speaking up about the topic. “I’ve never considered how toxic theology taught by missionaries can worsen the lives of already marginalized people,” one person writes. Another notes, “I believe today that ‘missionaries’ are White supremacist in disguise. Spreading the lies of the colonialist, capitalist patriarchy, wherever they go.”

One comment reads, “I’ve been sponsoring native missionaries in India for yrs. sadly this thread doesn’t surprise me, but I think it’s important for this to be seen by US [evangelicals] (& UK). I do worry when I see some of the fundie theobros on here talk about going to non-western countries w/ their poison.”

Youth Pastor Among Seven Arrested for Child Pornography in Floyd County, GA

By

Dale Chamberlain

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March 11, 2022

25-year-old youth pastor Austin Wray Perkins is one of six adults who were arrested along with one teenager in Floyd County, GA on multiple charges related to the production and distribution of child pornography. Police discovered and rescued an underaged victim who had been living with Perkins and had been a victim of molestation and exploitation.

In a press conference held on Thursday (March 10), Sergeant Chris Fincher of the Floyd County Police Department shared that the arrests were a part of a joint two-day operation with the Secret Service Cyber Crimes Task Force, dubbed “Operation Spring Cleaning.”

“Everyone arrested in this operation was found to be in possession of child pornography that was being circulated worldwide and stored locally on hard drives and devices,” Fincher said.

Fincher went on to express excitement about the fact that one underaged victim is now safe, saying, “The big news today is that we were able to rescue one teen who was living in the home where assaults were occurring and child pornography was being produced.”

“Even if that was the only case we were able to report today, we’re excited that we were able to rescue that child from that home,” Fincher said.

Perkins has been accused of “coaching the child about how to act in videos and also engaging in acts of child molestation,” and police said that the child had no family support and had come under the care of Perkins.

Investigators recovered phones, tablets, computers, gaming consoles, and cameras from the suspects, amounting to gigabytes of sexually explicit material involving minors. Fincher explained that police worked from tips they received from the public, filing for and executing search warrants after being alerted to suspicious activity.

“The images that were found on these devices were very graphic in nature. Some of these pictures depicted sex acts with children between the ages of two and 12 years old,” Fincher said. “This is very obscene material, and we’re very happy to get just a small bit of it off the streets.”

Those arrested included the youth pastor Austin Wray Perkins, 25, who was charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of children and aggravated child molestation and Jackie Steve Autry, 65, who was charged with sexual exploitation of children and possession of methamphetamine, both of whom remain in custody without bond.

Those who have been released on bond include Richard Castleman, 26, who was charged with computer pornography; Jason Gass, 27, who was charged with computer pornography, possession of marijuana, THC oil, and drug-related objects; Tyler Johnson, 22, who was charged with computer pornography; and Joab Stewart, 24, who was charged with sexual exploitation of children.

Details regarding the arrest of the seventh suspect have not been released, as that suspect is a minor.

The investigation is ongoing, and Floyd County police anticipate that more arrests will be forthcoming in the near future.

Russia-Ukraine War: Some Pastors Wonder About ‘End of Days’

By

David Crary

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March 11, 2022

End of Days — FILE - Ukrainians cross an improvised path under a destroyed bridge while fleeing Irpin, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

(AP)—Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted some of America’s most prominent evangelical leaders to raise a provocative question — asking if the world is now in the biblically prophesied “end of days” that might culminate with the apocalypse and the second coming of Christ.

There’s no consensus on the answer, nor on any possible timetable.

Megachurch pastor Robert Jeffress, addressing his congregation at First Baptist Dallas, said many Christians are wondering, in the face of carnage in Ukraine, “Why does God permit evil like this to continue? …. Are we near Armageddon and the end of the world?”

“We are living in the last days,” Jeffress said, “We’ve been living in the last days for the last 2000 years. We don’t know, is this the end? Is this the beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning?”

The curators of raptureready.com — which shares commentary about “end of days” prophesies – suggest things could move quickly. Their “Rapture Index,” — on which any reading above 160 means “Fasten your seatbelts” — was raised this week to 187, close to its record high of 189 in 2016.

One of the most detailed alerts came from televangelist Pat Robertson, who came out of retirement on Feb. 28 to assert on “The 700 Club” that Russian President Vladimir Putin was “compelled by God” to invade Ukraine as a prelude to an eventual climactic battle in Israel. Robertson said verses of the Old Testament Book of Ezekiel support this scenario.

“You can say, well, Putin’s out of his mind. Yes, maybe so,” Robertson said. “But at the same time, he’s being compelled by God. He went into the Ukraine, but that wasn’t his goal. His goal was to move against Israel, ultimately.”

“It’s all there,” added Robertson, referring to Ezekiel. “And God is getting ready to do something amazing and that will be fulfilled.”

Also evoking Ezekiel – and a possible attack on Israel — was Greg Laurie, senior pastor at a California megachurch whose books and radio programs have a wide following.

“I believe we’re living in the last days. I believe Christ could come back at any moment,” Laurie said in a video posted on YouTube.

Citing the war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic, he said biblical prophesies “are being fulfilled in our lifetime.”

Orthodox Priest Reportedly Arrested in Russia for Sermon Decrying Invasion of Ukraine

By

Jack Jenkins

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March 11, 2022

(RNS) — A Russian Orthodox priest was reportedly arrested this week after he preached a sermon denouncing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, an unusual example of the Russian government cracking down on a cleric from a faith tradition that has long operated in lockstep with President Vladimir Putin.

According to a BBC report citing Russian activists, the Rev. Ioann Burdin was charged with “discrediting the use of the Armed Forces” because of the sermon he preached on “Forgiveness Sunday.” The sermon included, among other things, descriptions of destruction inflicted on Ukraine by Russian forces.

Burdin, whose church is in the village of Karabanovo in western Russia about 80 miles outside Moscow, also reportedly shared anti-war images and a petition on the church’s website.

It was not immediately clear which petition Burdin posted, but his name appeared on a public letter signed by more than 285 Russian Orthodox priests and deacons over the past week calling for the “cessation of the fratricidal war” against Ukraine and bemoaning the “trial that our brothers and sisters in Ukraine were undeservedly subjected to.”

On Wednesday (March 9), the Very Rev. Andrey Kordochkin, a Russian Orthodox priest in Madrid who helped initiate the letter, confirmed to Religion News Service that the Burdin who signed the letter was the same one arrested this week.

“Yes, that’s him,” he said via text, adding that the arrested cleric’s case is expected to be considered by a court as early as Thursday.

Kordochkin later added that he has heard reports Burdin is currently facing fines instead of jail time, but expressed concern that making “calling for peace a criminal offense” amounts to a “warning” to others.

The arrest comes amid a small but growing wave of dissent globally among Russian Orthodox priests against the invasion. The clerics have directed their frustration at the political leaders responsible for the invasion — particularly Putin — but also, in many cases, at the head of their church, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow.

In Ukraine, some Russian Orthodox priests have stopped commemorating Kirill during their worship services, arguing that his statements about the war — which include references to “evil forces” in Ukraine — amount to a tacit endorsement of the attack. A few have even asked regional Russian Orthodox leaders in Ukraine to consider breaking away from the church, also known as autocephaly.

With War in Ukraine, Pope Francis’ Yearslong Outreach to Kirill Appears to Be in Ruins

By

Claire Giangrave

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March 11, 2022

Francis Kirill — Pope Francis, left, reaches to embrace Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill after signing a joint declaration at the Jose Marti International airport in Havana on Feb. 12, 2016. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, Pool, File)

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — High-ranking Vatican officials criticized Patriarch Kirill of Moscow this week for his failure to push for peace in Ukraine, nearly ensuring that among the casualties of Russia’s invasion may be Pope Francis’ yearslong campaign to strengthen the Catholic Church’s bonds with Russian Orthodox Christians.

Only a month ago, the Vatican still eagerly anticipated a possible meeting between Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and Pope Francis this summer, building on a historic 2016 meeting in Havana, where they signed a 30-point joint declaration calling their churches “to prudence, social solidarity and to action aimed at the construction of peace.”

That document cast Europe’s two dominant Christian churches as peacemakers in the region and specifically in Ukraine. The pope promised to promote harmony between the Orthodox communities in Ukraine, which had already begun to fracture over Russian political meddling.

Expectations have increased ever since that the pope might crown ecumenical efforts begun by his predecessors by becoming the first pontiff to visit Moscow, or that the two leaders would meet in the southern Italian town of Bari, which increasingly under Francis has become a hub of Catholic ecumenical efforts. In 2003, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave the town a statue of St. Nicholas, beloved by Catholics and Orthodox, as a sign of reconciliation.

Before becoming patriarch, Kirill visited Rome as chair of the Russian church’s department for external church relations and was a familiar face to many at the Vatican. As patriarch, he joined Francis in his push for further cooperation, focusing on charitable work and the promotion of religious freedom rather than attempting to reconcile complex theological issues.

But with Russia’s entry into Ukraine Feb. 24, the possibility of a meeting between Francis and Kirill began to fade. Francis abruptly canceled his appearance at a meeting with Mediterranean bishops and politicians to promote peace, citing knee pains, but days later he left the Vatican to meet with the Russian ambassador to the Holy See.

The pope did not openly condemn Russia as the conflict began, possibly attempting to retain a diplomatic disinterest in hopes of serving as an intermediary. But at a prayer service on Sunday (March 6), he pushed back against Russian claims that the invasion of Ukraine was a minimal “special military operation.”

In a sermon the same day, Kirill sided heavily with Putin, providing a spiritual platform for the aggression in Ukraine and condemning Western influence, particularly what he alleged was an LGBTQ agenda.

“We have entered into a struggle that has not a physical, but a metaphysical significance,” Kirill said, accusing Western powers of promoting values contrary to Christian teaching.

Francis’ No. 2 at the Vatican, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, spoke candidly about the repercussion of Kirill’s remarks. “Kirill’s words do not favor or promote an agreement. Instead, they risk heightening spirits toward an escalation and not solve the crisis peacefully,” Parolin, who heads the Vatican Secretariat of State, said at an event in Rome on Wednesday.

Asked about the possibility of a meeting between Francis and Kirill, the cardinal said that “the situation is complicated by the tensions that exist between the churches, so at the moment there hasn’t been the opportunity” to plan a meeting.

Parolin spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier this week but said he “was given no reassurance” by Moscow concerning the protection of civilians in Ukraine and seemed to express doubts about the possibility of a peaceful solution to the conflict.

Report: AME Church Suspends Payments to Retirees, Investigates Missing Pension Funds

By

Bob Smietana

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March 11, 2022

AME African Methodist Episcopal Church — The African Methodist Episcopal Church's annuity investment department location in Memphis, Tennessee. Screen grab from Google Maps

(RNS) — One of the nation’s largest Black Protestant denominations has stopped making payments to retired ministers on its pension plan, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.

The paper reported Thursday (March 10) that the African Methodist Episcopal Church, which has reported as many as 2.5 million members in the past, suspended payments to retirees after discovering possible financial irregularities involving the denomination’s pension fund. In a statement, the church told the Journal that it was working with law enforcement to investigate a possible crime.

“The AME Church takes this crime seriously,” the church told the Journal. “We are also committed to making every fund participant whole by restoring their full investment plus interest.”

The AME’s Department of Retirement Services, based in Memphis, could not be reached for comment.

Concerns about the pension fund had circulated for months. In December, church leaders told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that problems with the pension fund were discovered during a leadership transition in the retirement services department, which serves about 5,000 retired clergy and church workers.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we immediately engaged outside legal counsel and forensics experts to conduct an independent and comprehensive investigation into holdings managed by the Department of Retirement Services,” church leaders told the Journal-Constitution in August.

The denomination’s Council of Bishops also published a statement in October about problems with the pension fund, saying the pension department had “reported a material loss in the value of one or more of its departmental funds.” The statement also said that the church had requested a detailed report from an independent law firm and accountants investigating the matter and that the report “will be made available publicly upon its receipt.”

As of 2017, the church had about $120 million in retirement assets, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Unlike other private retirement plans, church pension funds are exempt from federal laws regulating such funds and are not covered by federal insurance, according to the Pension Rights Center. In 2017, the Supreme Court ruled that federal pension laws do not apply to affiliated hospitals.

Bishop Jeffrey N. Leath of the AME’s 13^th Episcopal District has been critical of how troubles with the pension plan have been handled. On his personal blog, he said that the pension fund was “overvalued by as much as 70%” in past years and described the issues with the pension fund as a crisis that will cost millions.

“The fix will be large, painful, and not loved by anyone. Let’s gird up our loins and DO IT,” wrote Leath, who did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Founded by Black Methodists who were part of the Free African Society in the late 1700s, the AMEC now has members in 39 countries, organized into episcopal districts. Decisions in the denomination are made primarily by the AME’s 21 bishops, according to the denomination’s website.

This article originally appeared here.

Resolving Team Conflict

By

Dale Hudson

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March 11, 2022

Kumbaya my Lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya my Lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya my Lord, kumbaya
Oh Lord, kumbaya.

You may have sung this song around a campfire before. It is an American spiritual and folk song.

What does Kumbaya mean?

Kumbaya refers to moments of harmony and unity.

That is what we strive for in ministry. We know that God blesses ministries that are unified by a vision to reach the world with the Gospel.

But sometimes there can be conflict on a staff or volunteer team. Team members bring different perspectives and knowledge to the table. And this can lead to conflict. Conflict is going to happen. Conflict between staff members. Conflict between volunteers.

As a leader, it is important that you help resolve conflict in a biblical manner. Let’s look at some ways you can do this.

Champion Unity.

Teach team members the importance of unity. Share verses like these.

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. (1 Corinthians 1:10)

Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. (2 Corinthians 13:11)

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:35)

How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! (Psalm 133:1)

Help resolve conflict.

Here are some tips for this.

Listen to both parties. Give those involved in the conflict an opportunity to express their perspective on the situation. It is important that everyone is given time to state their opinion and be heard.

Make sure both parties are heard. Don’t let one person dominate the conversation or try to intimidate the other people. Ask them to pause and let others express their opinions uninterrupted. People with domineering personalities will do just that—dominate if you let them. Make sure those who are introverted have the opportunity to express themselves as well.

Articulate what you heard. Repeat the key points of what people said to make sure everyone heard the same thing.

Take steps to bring reconciliation:

1. Bring both parties together. It is vital to talk it out together.

R.C. Sproul: The Biblical Basis for Missions

By

R.C. Sproul

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March 11, 2022

What is mission, and what is the principal foundation for the mission of the church? The word mission itself comes from the Latin verb missio, which means “to send.” So, literally, missions has to do with sending. In the Scriptures, we see the verb to send being used over and over, in a multitude of ways. But there’s a sense in which the whole life of the church and the whole experience of the Christian are rooted ultimately in some kind of sending that is founded in the authority and the action of God Himself.

It is God who institutes, sanctifies, and mandates the mission of the church. One of the most famous passages in the Bible speaks to this mission: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Many people know this verse, but how many know the next verse? “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (v. 17). The motive behind the divine action of redemption crystallized in John 3:16 lies in the action of God in sending His Son into the world. The purpose was not negative but positive; God didn’t send the Son for the purpose of judgment, but rather for the purpose of redemption. Verse 34 reveals more about that mission: “For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.” Who is the one whom God had sent? It’s Jesus Christ, and He was sent speaking the words of God and giving the Holy Spirit without measure.

Jesus speaks also in His High Priestly Prayer of speaking the words of God and of having been sent by the Father: “For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me” (John 17:8). As He continues to pray for the disciples, He says, “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world” (v. 18). Here we see the basis for the mission of the church. God sent Christ; Christ sent the church. The biblical basis for missions is the Word of God spoken in divine authority; it is the mandate of Christ.

We live in a time wherein the secular culture and many ecclesiastical authorities dismiss the whole concept of world missions. Some claim that the time of world missionary activity is over. One argument offered for this is that missions are not only unnecessary but are a destructive force unleashed upon the world. The charge is that world missions have been nothing more than a platform for imperialism and for the exploitation of the underdeveloped nations by the industrialized nations in the world. There is also the sociological consideration that civilization is a corrupting influence upon innocent natives who would have greater well-being and peace without the problems of the Western world that are inevitably carried in the carpetbags of the missionary.

This is pure nonsense, of course, and not supported by evidence. Modern missions provide valuable medical, educational, and agricultural resources, in addition to the important work of preaching the gospel. Unfortunately, the number of missionaries in the field continues to decline, because a significant portion of the church no longer believes that it’s necessary to fulfill the mandate from Christ to carry the gospel to the ends of the earth.

But the mission of God has always been a sending program. God spoke to Abram in the land of the Chaldeans and sent him to a new land where he would be the father of a great nation. He came to Moses in the midst of the Midianite wilderness and sent Moses to Pharaoh with the message, “Let my people go.” God sent His children out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. When they were disobedient to the covenant that God had made with them, He sent the prophets to warn them. When that didn’t bring them around, He sent His Son.

The word apostle means “one who is sent.” In the time of the New Testament, an apostle was one who would carry the authority to speak in the name of the one who had sent him. In the New Testament, the first Apostle is Christ Himself, the one sent by the Father. Then, the Father and Son sent the Holy Spirit. Then, the Spirit was poured out on the church, and the church was sent to complete the ministry of Christ in all the world—to every tongue, to every nation, to every tribe.

Discover “Jehovah Shalom:” The Lord is My Peace

By

Russell Henderson

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March 11, 2022

How strange it is to discover “the Lord is my peace” in an Old Testament book like Judges. The period of the judges in the Old Testament was nothing short of a rollercoaster ride. When God would raise up a new judge. (For example, read Judges 6) Israel would follow Him, but when that judge would die they would fall back into their old ways of serving foreign Gods. As a matter of fact this sin—salvation—sin cycle happens seven times throughout the book of Judges. The story of Gideon is just one remarkable story out of seven, but it is in this narrative that we are given a new characteristic and promise of God.

Judges chapter 5 tells us that Israel lived in rest for forty years under the leadership of Deborah, but once again they fell into sin after her death. In this instance God allowed the Midianites to come and raid the land of Israel. The Midianites would destroy all of their crops, livestock, and everything else that would contribute to their livelihood. It was during this time that the Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and told him that he would single-handedly defeat the Midianites.

Gideon was so frightened at the sight of the Angel of the Lord that he knew he was as good as dead, but the Angel said, “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” With that comfort Gideon built an altar and called the place Jehovah Shalom: The Lord is my Peace.

The Lord is My Peace

If I could sum up Gideon in two words it would be frightened and wimpy. After all when the Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon he was threshing wheat in his father’s winepress so the Midianites would not find it. Even after the revelation of Jehovah Shalom, Gideon was instructed to tear down his father’s Baal idol, but Gideon waited until dark so no one would see him do it. This guy lived in fear every day. How ironic that the Lord chose Gideon to reveal Himself has the God of Peace.

This tells me that God will always meet you where you are, but it also tells me that God’s ways are not our ways. 1 Corinthians 1:27 tells us that God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;…that no flesh should glory in His presence. I don’t know why God chose Gideon. It doesn’t make sense to my human logic. I don’t know why God would choose a scrawny, smelly kid like David to be a King. I don’t know why God would send His only Son to be the sacrifice for my sin. All I know is that His ways are far higher than mine.

God wants to give you peace in your situation. You may feel more turmoil in your life right now than ever before, but God wants to reveal Himself to you as Jehovah Shalom. You may be frightened and worried about the state of the economy. You live from day to day wondering if you or your spouse is going to get laid off from your job. But God wants to give you His peace.

This peace can only truly come to those who are willing to look upon the face of God. Gideon did not receive the peace of the Lord until He saw God face to face. The same concept applies to us, and the only way that we can come face to face with God is in worship.

The apostle Paul gives us a wonderful context for having peace.

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-9

In this passage Paul gives us four points of instruction that deal directly with prayer and worship:Rejoice in the Lord, pray, give thanks, and meditate. He goes on to say that if you do these things then you will position yourself to be surrounded by the peace of God.

The Old Testament defines the word peace as being a state of safety, health, prosperity, and favor. The New Testament defines it as being whole, or complete, secure, and prosperous.

It is definitely the Lord’s desire for you to live in peace. I find it interesting the Hebrew word for “hello” and “goodbye” is Shalom. If you have ever attended a Catholic mass, you will never leave without the priest declaring “Peace be to You”. The peace of God is a very powerful state of being because it is literally bringing Heaven to earth.

Paul also said in Philippians 4 that the peace of God is something that goes beyond our understanding. It is just like God to take something that goes against our logic and use if for good. Peace only comes from God. It does not come from the world. The world is full of hurt, confusion, and uncertainty. Peace does not come from man because man is full of sin, doubt, and faithlessness. But when God brings His peace it provides a protection from the things of the world and the things of man.

In the armor of God (Ephesians 6) peace is not worn over the heart nor over the head, but it is worn on the feet. That means that we have to take the peace of God with us everywhere we go. It is only discovering that “the Lord is my peace” that we can stand against doubt, confusion, and anxiety.

Today, no matter what state you find yourself in you can discover “the Lord is my peace” and let the peace of God rule in your hearts. (Colossians 3:15) Seek His face in worship because it is in the countenance of God that we find perfect peace.

Hillsong UNITED’s Taya Smith Testimony: Worship Is Being Honest Before God

By

Megan Briggs

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March 11, 2022

If you have attended a church in the past 10 years that uses contemporary worship music, chances are pretty high you’ve sung along to a Hillsong UNITED song. Additionally, if you keep up with contemporary Christian music even remotely, you will likely recognize the voice of Taya Smith, a member of Hillsong UNITED. In this Taya Smith testimony about she speaks candidly about worship and being vulnerable before God. In her view, it’s the only way to worship.

Taya Smith Testimony

“Worship is a weapon,” Taya Smith said recently in a video where she shared her thoughts on the subject.

The musician, whose voice is featured on the incredibly successful “Oceans” song, shares there have been times where she experienced going through “heavy” things and worship was used to cut off “things I don’t need to be thinking about or feelings that are quite heavy and would hold me back from what I’m actually meant to be.”

Taya Smith gets emotional and candidly opens up about a leadership struggle as she recalls times when she’s questioned “the very thing that you’re singing over people.” Despite the doubt she’s struggled with, Taya Smith attributes the kindness of God to help her realize that worship is about being honest before God.

“We worship in spirit and truth…sometimes it’s embarrassing because you bring all of yourself before God and there’s like ugly parts.” To be completely honest before God requires bringing all of yourself in his presence as you worship, and this means we have to bring the “ugly parts” like our doubts and our evil thoughts and feelings.

“I’ve experienced the kindness of God in those moments when it would have been so easy to pull away and go ‘I actually can’t do this and it’s not for me right now.’” Instead of discouraging Taya Smith from leading worship, she says those moments caused her to “press in and go after the things of God and put the words in my mouth when I needed to believe it.”

Watch the full Taya Smith testimony above.

‘Every Moment Is a Gift’—How the Church in Poland Is Helping One Ukrainian Woman and Her Family

By

Jessica Mouser

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March 10, 2022

Operation Mobilization (OM), a group that works to spread the gospel to unreached people, recently shared the moving story of a Ukrainian woman who has taken refuge in Poland. Despite her loss and heartache, believers there are doing what they can to ease her suffering.

“I would like to say thank you for people who have big hearts,” said Viktoria, a refugee who left Ukraine with her mother and her two children, one of whom is a newborn. Her husband, Roman, is still there.

Ukrainian Woman: We Often Say, ‘I Love You’

Viktoria described being on a bus with other children and their mothers, who also had to leave their husbands behind. She said that her daughter, hearing stories of Ukrainians who had died, asked why that was happening. “It’s a war,” Viktoria told her, recounting the conversation with emotion, “but you can pray for [your] dad and for [your] grandma and for your uncle, Radim. And maybe one day we will see them.”

Viktoria said that OM has helped her and her family by providing “very simple, but very useful things,” such as food, shelter and other necessities. “We often say, ‘I love you,’” said Viktoria through tears, “because we understand that every moment is a gift.”

OM said that they, their “church partners, and volunteers will continue to welcome and serve those who come seeking refuge.”

“Pictures of thousands fleeing Ukraine & horrific headlines can make us numb to individual stories of precious lives,” said Rev. Dr. Glenn Packiam, associate senior pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colo. He tweeted the video of Viktoria’s story, saying, “This was sent by a congregant who works for OM. It’s a glimpse into how the church in Poland is welcoming refugees. May it provoke prayer.”

Watch Viktoria’s story below:

Finding Refuge – A Ukrainian Mother’s Story from OM on Vimeo.

‘We Should Manifest the Fruit of the Spirit’: Willy Rice Responds to Criticism of Voddie Baucham

By

Dale Chamberlain

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March 10, 2022

Willy Rice Voddie Baucham — Pictured: Willy Rice speaking at 2021 annual meeting of the SBC (image courtesy of Baptist Press)

Willy Rice, who is the pastor of Calvary Church in Clearwater, Fla., and will accept a nomination for the SBC presidency at the 2022 annual meeting of the Convention, has released a statement regarding another potential contender for SBC president, Voddie Baucham.

After Ed Litton announced that he would not seek a second term for the role of SBC president last week, the field opened up with speculation about who would take his place. One day after Litton’s announcement, it was reported that Rice would accept a nomination, and some evangelical leaders began expressing their desire to see Baucham accept a one as well.

While Baucham confirmed that he had been asked to accept a nomination, he expressed uncertainty regarding his eligibility. While he planted and pastored an SBC church in Spring, Texas, and is in leadership for more than one SBC-affiliated entity, he is serving as Dean of Theology at African Christian University in Lusaka, Zambia, and is thus not weekly attending an SBC church.

Since a requirement for holding an SBC office is that a candidate must be a member of a church in friendly cooperation with the SBC, Baucham’s eligibility hinges on how his home church in Texas defines membership and whether they still consider him a member in good standing as he serves in Zambia as a missionary.

Whether Baucham ends up accepting a nomination or not, the mere possibility has sparked both avid support and staunch denunciation among prominent voices within the SBC. Baucham, who has sounded alarm bells about what he believes to be the dangers of social justice and critical race theory, has become a polarizing figure.

Recent Criticism of Baucham

Shortly after speculation about a possible Baucham nomination began circulating on social media, Baptist New Global (BNG) published an opinion piece authored by Rick Pidcock, which bore the title “Plagiarism is the least thing to worry about with Voddie Baucham, who is a threat to children, women and daughters.”

Baucham has been the subject of accusations that his 2021 book, “Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalism’s Looming Catastrophe,” plagiarized the works of other authors and misquoted the authors whom the book critiques. The book’s publisher has denied these claims, arguing that any misunderstanding on the part of the reader is a result of poor formatting, not plagiarism or intentional misrepresentation.

In his opinion piece, however, Pidcock argues that these accusations should be the least of the SBC’s worries, going on to argue that Baucham’s views on marriage and parenting represent a very real danger to women and children. Baucham adheres to a conservative understanding of complementarian theology and has been vocal in his support of parents disciplining their children with corporal punishment.

Based on what Baucham has said in the past about having an “orderly household,” Pidcock accused Baucham of being “ignorant” and said that Baucham advocates for solving discipline problems “through physical violence with the threat of eternal violence.”

“Baucham reveals himself to be one of the most extreme voices of complementarianism,” Pidcock also wrote, quoting a sermon Baucham gave in 2009, in which Baucham said, “There’s a person who’s in an abusive marriage. That is not biblical grounds for divorce and remarriage.”

A separate BNG news article also pointed out that Stephen Bratton, the man who succeeded Baucham as pastor at Grace Family Baptist Church in Spring, TX after Baucham moved to Zambia, is currently serving a 17-year prison sentence for multiple counts of sexual assault on a minor. The victim was one of Bratton’s own family members.

Franklin Graham Thanks Mike and Karen Pence for Visiting Samaritan’s Purse Relief Team in Ukraine

By

Stephanie Martin

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March 10, 2022

Relief efforts continue in and around Ukraine, with numerous faith-based groups delivering food and medical supplies to refugees and injured civilians. This morning, Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham tweeted his thanks to former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen Pence, “for coming to Ukraine to visit our @SamaritansPurse team there and meet many refugees crossing the border into Poland.”

Mike and Karen Pence met with the organization’s Disaster Assistance Response Team set up in Poland before crossing into Ukraine to meet with some soon-to-be refugees.

Mike Pence tweeted that “2.4 million refugees have already fled Ukraine and nearly 400,000 have already come through the Korczowa border crossing.” He added, “The impact of the Russian invasion on these families is heartbreaking and the need for support is great. We encourage everyone to pray and contribute to @SamaritansPurse and other relief organizations today. Let’s stand together as one with the people of Ukraine.”

Samaritan’s Purse Deploys Field Hospital, Medical Personnel

Graham, who shared photos of Mike and Karen Pence interacting with Ukrainians, tweeted, “One Ukrainian told Vice President @Mike_Pence what an encouragement their visit was and the former Vice President responded, ‘No, you are the ones who inspire and encourage us.’ He assured them of our continued prayers and support.”

Edward Graham, operations VP for Samaritan’s Purse and Franklin’s son, also expressed gratitude for the visit. “We’re very grateful that Vice President and Mrs. Pence care so much about the Ukrainian people,” he says. “They were a great encouragement to our team today. This situation is heartbreaking, and we are here to do all we can to help relieve suffering.”

Samaritan’s Purse is setting up an emergency field hospital near Lviv, Ukraine. The facility will have almost 60 beds, including four ICU beds, plus two operating rooms and an ER with a 100-person daily capacity. Medical personnel also will provide maternity care and deliveries.

In addition, Samaritan’s Purse set up a Medical Stabilization Point at the Lviv train station to assess the health needs of refugees as they pass through. The organization has already sent numerous airlifts of relief materials to the area, including Poland and Moldova.

“Ukrainian families are hurting and in desperate need of physical aid and prayer during this difficult time,” says Franklin Graham. “We are deploying life-saving medical care to aid people who are suffering. We want to meet the needs of these families in their darkest moments while pointing them to the light and hope of Jesus Christ.”

Other Christian Relief Groups Are Busy Too

As ChurchLeaders has reported, other humanitarian groups with religious ties are working to meet needs during the crisis. Send Relief, a collaboration between the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board and North American Mission Board, is working with local churches in Ukraine and Poland to provide assistance.

Missouri House OKs Guns on Buses, in Churches

By

Associated Press

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March 10, 2022

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri’s GOP-led House on Wednesday passed a bill that would allow guns in churches and on public transportation.

The House voted 101-40 in favor of the measure, which now goes before the Republican-led Senate for approval.

Currently, people need permission from religious leaders to bring firearms into churches, synagogues, mosques and other places of religious worship in Missouri.

The pending bill would allow people with concealed carry permits to bring guns into worship sites without permission.

The measure also would allow people with concealed carry permits to bring firearms on buses and other public transportation. Guns would still be banned on Amtrak trains.

Yet another part of the bill would allow 18-year-olds to get concealed carry permits, which currently are only available to people at least 19 years old or 18-year-olds in the military.

The bill also would make it a misdemeanor crime to fire a gun in city limits, with a number of exceptions.

This article originally appeared here.

Vatican Replaces Puerto Rico Bishop Who Alleges Persecution

By

Dánica Coto

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March 10, 2022

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The bishop of the Arecibo diocese in Puerto Rico said Wednesday that the Vatican dismissed him against his wishes, a rare move for the Holy See.

The announcement comes nearly a year after Monsignor Daniel Fernández declined to sign a decree issued by the Puerto Rican Episcopal Conference declaring that unvaccinated parishioners would be separated from vaccinated ones during activities including the presentation of bread and wine at the altar.

The Episcopal Conference also suggested that unvaccinated parishioners avoid other in-person church activities until further notice.

“We’re taking this measure for your own safety, and for that of priests, religious people and also relatives and parishioners,” the Aug. 24, 2021, decree stated.

Days before the decree was signed, Fernández issued a statement noting, among other things, that “it is legitimate for a faithful Catholic to have doubts about the safety and efficacy of a vaccine.”

Pope Francis has been a vigorous champion of vaccines, describing them as a way to protect others as well as oneself against COVID-19.

Fernández did not specify the reason for his substitution in a lengthy statement but said that he felt “blessed to suffer persecution and slander,” adding that “God is my judge.”

He said he was never formally accused of anything nor faced any kind of process.

Fernández added that he was informed that he had not committed any crime but that he allegedly “had not been obedient to the Pope nor had he had sufficient communion with my brother bishops of Puerto Rico.”

A spokesman for the Vatican did not respond to a request for comment, while a spokeswoman for the Arecibo Diocese declined comment. The office of Puerto Rico’s archbishop issued a statement calling the dismissal “painful news” and urged people to pray, while the Puerto Rican Episcopal Conference said in a statement that it was “such a painful moment” for the Arecibo diocese.

“Out of deference and respect for the internal canonical processes of the Church, these will be the only official expressions that will be made,” it said.

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