Newark, NJ City Ordinance Bars Churches From Feeding the Hungry

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December 20, 2021

During the holiday season, many people from a variety of faith traditions look for ways to serve the underprivileged people in their communities. This year in Newark, New Jersey, such acts of charity may now require a city permit.

A few days before the Thanksgiving holiday, the city of Newark instituted an ordinance barring churches and relief organizations from serving food to those without homes in any public places, including parks and train stations.

This ordinance is apparently part of an effort by city officials to discourage the presence of people without homes in the city by removing the availability of cost-free food.

“The ordinance the city is working on will prohibit agencies and individuals without a permit from feeding residents without addresses,” a spokeswoman for Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said in an email to the New York Times. “All violators will be ticketed and fined.”

While seen by many as a callous move against the needs of people without adequate access to food, Newark is not the only city to enact such a policy. According to the National Homelessness Law Center, at least 17 cities in the U.S. require permits to feed the hungry in the community.

The National Homelessness Law Center describes this as the “criminalization of homelessness,” which is a strategy for decreasing the number of unhoused individuals in a city by enacting legislation that makes it so difficult for homeless individuals to remain in that city that they go somewhere else.

Many Christians believe such ordinances are a violation of their First Amendment right to freedom of religious expression, as they see feeding the hungry as an essential aspect of Christian practice.

Earlier this year, St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Brookings, OR defied a similar ordinance in order to continue serving the hungry and unhoused individuals in their community. Rather than requiring a permit, city officials in Brookings moved to restrict how often churches could offer food services to the community, which would drastically reduce St. Timothy’s efforts.

Some community members had rallied around the ordinance when they noticed an unusually high number of unhoused individuals spending time at the church in the wake of shelter closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘U.S.A.! U.S.A.!’: Trump Addresses Sunday Worshipers at Dallas First Baptist

By

Dale Chamberlain

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December 20, 2021

Donald Trump First Baptist Dallas — Pictured: Donald Trump takes the stage at Dallas First Baptist as pastor Robert Jeffress takes a seat (screenshot from YouTube).

On Sunday (December 20), former president Donald Trump presented a special address to worshippers at First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. The megachurch is pastored by Robert Jeffress, who is a frequent contributor to Fox News and served on Trump’s faith advisory team during the 45th president’s tenure.

During his address, Trump read from prepared remarks, adding his own comments about Afghanistan, inflation, and police reform. The service was streamed live to First Baptist Dallas’ YouTube page.

After the opening hymns, Jeffress came to the stage to welcome the church, promoting the church’s Christmas Eve services alongside his upcoming appearances on Fox News. Jeffress then welcomed Trump to the service, calling him a great personal friend, a friend of First Baptist Dallas, and a great friend “to Christians everywhere.” Jeffress said that Trump’s Christmas address would be the “climax and conclusion of the service.”

In his sermon entitled “What If There Were No Christmas,” Jeffress explained that Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies about Him, lived a perfect life, and died so that believers could experience salvation in Him.

After a prayer of salvation at the end of his message, Jeffress then quickly transitioned to effusively complimenting Trump before inviting him to take the stage. Trump received an extended standing ovation, and many within the crowd can be seen pulling out their phones to record the moment.

“Robert, I want to thank you so much. You know, you never told me how beautiful this [church] is. This is a real place. What a real job you’ve done too. Highly respected man,” Trump said. “And it is true, I was a little insulted when I first met [Jeffress]. I met him through watching television. He does very well on television in spreading the word. And he started talking about a man he watched and he’s been watching. And, ‘He may not know the bible as well as all of us. But he loves God. He loves Jesus. And he’s a leader, and he’s going to lead us into great things, and helping and saving Christianity.’”

Trump was referring to Jeffress’ assessment of him during his presidential campaign. During Trump’s candidacy and eventual presidential tenure, the two became close allies and friends.

“And we’ve done a real job,” Trump continued, referring to his bid to “save” Christianity. “And, as you know, we’re in trouble now. We’re in trouble. I think our nation’s in great trouble. I don’t think we’ve ever had a time like this with what happened in Afghanistan. The way that was done so badly. And you look at the borders and you look at the inflation, which is going to rip our country to pieces.”

“I will say that there’s a lot of clouds hanging over our country right now—very dark clouds. But we will come back bigger and better and stronger than ever before. I’m telling you that,” Trump said to an applauding crowd.

“We won’t let this happen. We won’t let it happen,” Trump said. “But I will say the love all over the country is incredible. They want to see things happen. They love our country and they want to see good things happen. And that will take place.”

Trump then gestured toward the binder containing his prepared remarks, saying, “And, you know, they wrote these beautiful words for me. Look at these beautiful words. But I said, ‘I really would rather speak from the heart,’ okay, if that makes sense?”

‘A Profane Perversion’: Jesus Depicted as Transgender by Germany Bible Museum, Sparking Outcry

By

Stephanie Martin

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December 20, 2021

Bibelhaus — Screenshot from exhibit website.

A controversial play presented last week at a Bible museum in Germany imagines the Son of God as a transgender “Queen of Heaven.” The drama wrapped up a six-month exhibit at Frankfurt’s Bibelhaus that explored supposed LGBTQ themes and gender fluidity throughout Scripture.

The play and exhibit led to backlash from conservative Christians. Evangelist Franklin Graham, for example, called them “a profane perversion” of God’s Word.

An Attempt to Meld Divinity With Diversity

Visitors to the museum’s “G*tt w/m/d” exhibit were told to “look at the diversity of gender identities from biblical and modern times and find a divine answer that fits all the questions: You are good as you are.” In conjunction with the exhibit, the museum offered family workshops on gender fluidity and seminars on queer theology. It also provided activities and study materials for school groups.

The Bibelhaus website, which showcases some exhibits with English translations, features images ranging from an ancient goddess statue to a modern-day drag performer. Text explains “alchemists of the Middle Ages” discovered that “God’s image is both male and female.” It adds, “In the new creation of God” gender designations don’t apply because “all are one.”

Of the play “The Gospel According to Jesus, Queen of Heaven,” transgender British author Jo Clifford explains: “I had been brought up as a Christian and taught that when you’re unsure of what to do, you should try to think, ‘What would Jesus do?’ I thought, ‘Well, what would Jesus do if Jesus came back to earth now and was me, a trans woman? What would she do, and what would she say?’”

Last week’s performance was the first time the play was performed in German. When it premiered in Scotland in 2009, Archbishop of Glasgow Philip Tartaglia said it was “hard to imagine a greater affront to the Christian faith.” John Denning, education director of the British Christian Institute, called the misrepresentation of Jesus “deeply distressing and offensive.”

Franklin Graham: This Is ‘False’ and ‘Sick’

When asked by Fox News to comment on the exhibit and play, evangelist Franklin Graham offered harsh condemnation. “The idea that there is a LGBTQ theme in the Bible is a lie,” he says, adding that biblical references to homosexuality include sin, rebellion and judgment. “Any suggestion that Jesus Christ is transgender is not only false, it’s just sick,” he says. “This is simply man trying to bring God down to his own level.”

Church Agency: Captive Missionaries Made Daring Escape

By

Peter Smith

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December 20, 2021

Captive missionaries in Haiti found freedom last week by making a daring overnight escape, eluding their kidnappers and walking for miles over difficult, moonlit terrain with an infant and other children in tow, according to the agency they work for, officials said Monday.

The group of 12 navigated by stars to reach safety after a two-month kidnapping ordeal, officials with the Christian Aid Ministries, the Ohio-based agency that the captive missionaries work for, said Monday at a press conference.

The detailed accounting of their journey to safety comes after news Thursday that the missionaries were free.

A total of 17 people from the missionary group — 12 adults and five minors — were abducted Oct. 16 shortly after visiting an orphanage in Ganthier, in the Croix-des-Bouquets area, where they verified it had received aid from CAM and played with the children, CAM has said. The group included 16 Americans and one Canadian.

Their captors from the 400 Mawozo gang initially demanded millions of dollars in ransom. Five other captives had earlier reached freedom. It is still unclear if any ransom was paid.

CAM General Director David Troyer did say supporters of CAM raised funds for possible use for a ransom, but he refused to say whether one was paid for any of the releases.

The 12 who fled last week carried the infant and 3-year-old, wrapping the baby to protect her from the briars and brambles, said CAM spokesman Weston Showalter.

“After a number of hours of walking, day began to dawn and they eventually found someone who helped to make a phone call for help,” he said, his voice beginning to choke. “They were finally free.”

The 12 were flown to Florida on a U.S. Coast Guard flight, and later reunited with five hostages who were released earlier.

CAM displayed photos at the news conferences showing the freed hostages being reunited, along with a video of the group singing a song that had inspired them during their captivity.

The missionaries were taken hostage on their way back from the orphanage on the afternoon of Oct. 16.

“They had no idea what was ahead of them,” Showalter said. Only five or 10 minutes after getting underway, they saw a roadblock up ahead. The group’s driver – the one Canadian in the group — turned around, but a pickup truck pursued them, and “gang members surrounded the van,” CAM spokesman Weston Showalter said. He said early reports that the driver was a Haitian national were not accurate.

Across US, Houses of Worship Struggle to Rebuild Attendance

By

David Crary

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December 20, 2021

When Westminster United Methodist Church in Houston resumed in-person services late last year, after a seven-month halt due to COVID-19, there were Sundays when only three worshippers showed up, according to the pastor, Meredith Mills.

Since then, attendance has inched back up, but it’s still only about half the pre-pandemic turnout of 160 or 170, Mills estimates.

“It’s frustrating,” she said. “People just seem to want to leave home less these days.”

Some houses of worship are faring better than Mills’ church, some worse. Polls by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows how dramatically church attendance fell during the worst of the pandemic last year, even as many say they are now returning to regular service attendance.

Among mainline Protestants, just 1% said in a May 2020 poll that they were attending in-person services at least once a week. In the new poll, 14% say they’re doing so now, compared to 16% who say they did in 2019.

Among evangelical Protestants, 37% now say they are attending services in person at least weekly, while 42% said they did that in 2019. In the May 2020 poll, just 11% said they were attending services in person that often.

Among Catholics, 26% attend in person at least weekly now, compared with 30% in 2019. In the 2020 poll, conducted as many bishops temporarily waived the obligation for weekly Mass attendance, just 5% were worshipping in person at least weekly.

At St. Ambrose Catholic Parish in Brunswick, Ohio, the six services each weekend drew a total of about 3,800 worshippers before the pandemic, according to the pastor, Bob Stec. Current weekend attendance is about 2,800, Stec says, with 1,600 or more households joining online worship.

Elsewhere, churches large and small have taken hits in attendance.

John Elkins, teaching pastor at Sovereign Grace Fellowship in Brazoria, Texas, says 25 to 30 people have attended services recently, down from around 50 before the pandemic.

“For some, I was not political enough,” he said via email. “Some wanted more activities, some just stopped going to church.”

Sovereign Grace, a Southern Baptist church, had never offered online worship before the pandemic. When in-person worship was halted for a month in 2020, leaving online worship as the only option, Elkins said he did more crisis counseling for congregation members than ever before.

Houston Church Records More Than 1,100 Decisions for Christ at Christmas Performances

By

Scott Barkley

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December 20, 2021

Approximately 30,000 attended Champion Forest Baptist Church's Christmas Spectacular services Dec. 8-12.

HOUSTON (BP) – In the darkness, a light appeared. Then another, and another. Quickly they grew in tandem with the applause throughout the auditorium of Champion Forest Baptist Church.

Soon, the light overwhelmed the darkness.

Through Sunday night, an official count of 1,114 people had done just that over a five-day span. Every time, Stephens said, the crowd couldn’t contain its reaction. Senior pastor Jarrett Stephens saw it every night Dec. 8-Dec. 12. At the conclusion of the church’s Christmas Spectacular concert, he asked those to signal their salvation prayer by holding up the flashlight on their phone.

“Our church would go crazy on seeing it,” he said.

Stephens brought the practice from Prestonwood Baptist Church, where he served on staff for 20 years – most recently as teaching pastor – until called to become the pastor at Champion Forest a year ago. Due to concerns over COVID-19, Champion Forest didn’t have its annual Christmas Spectacular concert in 2020.

Stephens felt its absence factored in the crowd sizes of last week’s performances.

“God is moving and to Him be the glory. It is all about Him,” he said. “I’m amazed and our team is blown away by the response.”

Single performances of the Christmas Spectacular took place Wednesday through Friday, with two performances on Saturday and Sunday, each.

Those weekend shows consisted of one in English and the other in Spanish. Because of that, choir members had to learn all of the songs in both languages.

Picking up another language in any form isn’t easy, and even more so for people in their 70s. But Gary and Nancy Pollard joined those answering the challenge, and starting in October learned all 106 pages of music encompassing the four medleys containing four to five songs each.

“When you get to our age and have spoken only one language in your life, it’s a challenge,” Nancy said. “But, I would do it again in a heartbeat.”In total, they and others learned about 20 songs in a foreign language.

While choir members remained constant for all seven performances, Spanish-speaking actors were utilized for the Spanish concerts.

Jihadists Decapitate Pastor, Force Wife to Carry His Severed Head

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International Christian Concern

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December 20, 2021

Cabo Delgado — Maurits & Marjol from Cape Town, South Africa, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Mozambique (International Christian Concern) — According to military sources, suspected Islamic extremists decapitated a pastor in Cabo Delgado last Wednesday, and forced his wife to carry his head to the police station.

Zimbabwe Daily reported the pastor’s wife told police that “suspected Islamic State-linked insurgents intercepted the pastor in a field, decapitated him and then handed over his head to his wife and ordered her to inform the authorities”.

The monstrous act took place amidst a four-year long insurgency ravaging the country, leaving over 3,000 people dead and almost 100,000 displaced.

The violence is driven by a terrorist group calling itself Al-Shabab (though not linked to the Somali terror group). They seem to be loosely affiliated with Islamic State, though the connection is somewhat tenuous.

In March of this year, Al-Shabab killed dozens in a coordinated attack on Cabo Delgado’s capital of Palma, an area where believers are often kidnapped, forced to flee, or killed at the hands of Islamic extremists.

In a statement after this attack, IS boasted that its affiliate had killed dozens of security personnel—and Christians, including westerners from what the statement termed “Crusader nations.”

Please pray that the Lord would provide comfort to the wife of this slain pastor, and that He would heal her of the trauma she has had to endure. Pray for peace in Mozambique, as well as for the hearts of those who persecute the church, that the love of Jesus would bring them from darkness to light.

This article originally appeared here.

Eight Reasons Pastors Should Look Forward to the Christmas Season

By

Chuck Lawless

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December 20, 2021

It’s officially the Christmas season. In past years, I’ve written about why the Christmas season can be a stressful one for pastors:

This year, though, I am reminded in my role as an interim pastor of the joys of leading a church in the Christmas season. Here are some of the reasons I’m looking forward to this season:

The story of Christmas is still a precious one, even if we have preached it many times. It’s an amazing story, actually. That God would come to dwell among us—especially, coming as a baby in Bethlehem—is worth telling and re-telling.
It’s another celebration we’re privileged to share with churches who love us. Nobody gets to share life with others like a pastor does (both during the times of pain and of celebration). It’s quite a privilege to shepherd God’s people and rejoice with them.
Often, this season makes us more aware of needs in the community—needs that have likely existed all year long. That “discovery” should, I trust, challenge our church to be meeting those needs throughout the year rather than only now. Christmas opens our eyes to see reality around us.
The giving nature of God’s people is usually even more evident during the Christmas season. I’ve always found most church folks to be willing to step up to meet the needs of others; during Christmas, that giving spirit is even more evident. It’s a way to show the love of Christ to others.
I will get to see some church members I haven’t seen since last Christmas. Of course, COVID has affected church attendance in general, but it’s likely some folks will still be back for Christmas this year. I look forward to seeing them again.
The doors are at times more open for evangelism during this season. I’m thinking of friends and acquaintances I’ve been sharing the gospel with, and to whom I might direct another conversation about Christmas. At a minimum, I can give others a gift that includes a simple, clear gospel tract.
The Jesus who came the first time is coming again. That truth is surely more than just a teaching of our churches. It’s a promise from the One who has always kept His Word. He came just as He said He would the first time, and He will do the same again.
The Christmas story reverberates with hope—and some of us need our hope renewed. These past two years have been difficult ones for many churches. Now’s the time, though, for us to preach the gospel to ourselves. We need to be the first ones to live in the hope wrapped in swaddling clothes.

I pray this season is a special one for each of my readers!

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

Abandoning the Idea of Truth in the Name of Love

By

James Emery White

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December 20, 2021

The most basic idea of truth is that which corresponds with reality. If I say it’s raining outside, you can go out and see if what I said corresponds with what is real. It’s either raining or it’s not. That’s the idea of truth. Not what you think is true or may want to be true, but what actually is—objectively—true. Meaning truth is something that stands outside of us. It exists. It is.

God is truth—He’s the source of all truth. This means truth is transcendent. Truth doesn’t come from us, isn’t made up or determined by us, but rather comes to us. That’s why we speak of the Bible as God’s revelation. It’s God revealing Himself and truth about Himself that could not otherwise be known.

This is a radical idea.

Truth is not something we create, it’s something that we discover. It’s not what we choose to believe as truth, nor determining a 51% majority vote to be truth, nor what ideologies embrace as truth. Truth is. Something either corresponds with reality, or it does not. Something corresponds with the revealed truth of God, or it does not. It’s not a guessing game nor some subjective art.

This is why people who dismiss dealing with whether something is true and say things like, “All that matters is that you are sincere,” miss a very important point: You can be sincerely wrong.

I can sincerely believe that when I reach into my medicine cabinet at three o’clock in the morning with a headache that I am taking a Tylenol, but if I am really taking Cyanide, my sincerity will not save me from what I’ve ingested in my system.

If I put carbolic acid into my eyes instead of contact lens solution, no matter how sincerely I may have thought it was safe, I will still go blind.

During World War II, Adolph Hitler sincerely believed that the slaughter of six million Jews was justified—he was sincerely wrong.

Sincerity matters, but it cannot be all that matters, because sincerity alone has nothing to do with reality. This is why saying things like “Well, that’s your truth and I have my truth,” or “What’s true for you is true for you, what’s true for me is true for me,” or “There’s no such thing as truth—truth is whatever you want it to be” (as though truth doesn’t even exist outside of personal opinion) isn’t being careful in our thinking.

As mentioned, the idea of truth is the correspondence between our ideas or perceptions and reality. What is true is that which actually is. If you believe that kind of objective truth doesn’t exist, or that if it does it doesn’t matter, you have some serious challenges to overcome. Even a skeptic as noteworthy as Sigmund Freud had to admit that,

[If] it were really a matter of indifference what we believed, then we might just as well build our bridges of cardboard as of stone, or inject a tenth of a gramme of morphia into a patient instead of a hundredth, or take teargas as a narcotic instead of ether.

10 Leadership Lessons From Mary (the Mother of Jesus)

By

Ray Hollenbach

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December 20, 2021

Some people think the Christmas verses are the stuff of Christmas pageants and cheesy dramas. They are also the stuff of God’s instruction to his disciples. Have you ever considered this Christmas passage from Luke as a guide to leadership lessons from Mary, the mother of Jesus? Read through the account of the angel’s visit to Mary—see if you can’t discover something about how God calls us to leadership:

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her. (Luke 1: 26-38)

10 Leadership Lessons From Mary, the Mother of Jesus

1. “In the sixth month” … God’s clock was already ticking when the angel came to Mary. Just because God announces something to me doesn’t mean it began with me.

2. “Pledged to be married” … We have our plans. God has his.

3. “You who are highly favored! The Lord is with you” … Notice the connection between His favor and His presence. How could it be otherwise?

4. “Mary was greatly troubled at his words” … When his favor is upon us, it can be unsettling.

5. “You will be with child” … Sometimes we enlist in the puposes of God, sometimes we are drafted.

6. “How will this be?” … There is a world of difference between asking God “how” and asking him “why.”

7. “The Holy Spirit will come upon you” … When God answers the “how” question, this is the usual way He starts.

8. “For nothing is impossible with God” … You heard him.

9. “I am the Lord’s servant” … Even though Mary was drafted, she responds with a willing heart. It would make all the difference over the next 30 years.

10. “Then the angel left her” … There are times when we have angelic help, and there are times when we are on our own.

Do you see any other leadership lessons from Mary, the Mother of Jesus?

This article about leadership lessons from Mary, the mother of Jesus originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

10 Powerful Prayers the Apostle Paul Prayed Over God’s People

By

Andrew Hess

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December 18, 2021

The Apostle Paul’s prayers for God’s people are a fascinating study. It’s interesting to observe the requests Paul makes. His prayers focused on hearts and minds being conformed to Christ.

D.A. Carson wrote an excellent book on Paul’s prayers, A Call to Spiritual Reformation, Priorities from Paul and His Prayers. In it, he says we should seek “to find out exactly what it is he asks God for on their [the people he prays for] behalf, and compare the results with what we normally ask for.”

Take these prayers to your next staff meeting and spend time praying them over your congregation. Better yet, pick some to memorize and pray over your people daily!

Apostle Paul’s Prayers for the People of God

1. Paul thanked God for each one of his people

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you…” (Romans 1:8-10)

“I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus…” (1 Corinthians 1:4)

“I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers…” (Ephesians 1:16)

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy…” (Philippians 1:3-4)

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you…” (Colossians 1:3)

“We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers…” (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3a)

“We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right…” (2 Thessalonians 1:3)

“I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.” (2 Timothy 1:3)

“I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers…” (Philemon 1:4)

2. Paul prayed for their wisdom and knowledge

“…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him…” (Ephesians 1:17)

Faith-Based Pic ‘American Underdog’ Tells Story of Super Bowl Champion Kurt Warner

By

Alejandra Molina

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December 18, 2021

(RNS) — A former ESPN camera operator, Andy Erwin remembers shooting Super Bowl XXXVI when the St. Louis Rams took on the New England Patriots at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans in 2002.

On one end was Kurt Warner — who became part of “Super Bowl lore,” going from grocery store stockboy to two-time NFL MVP in the space of a few years — and on the other was Tom Brady, who at the age of 24 helped lead the Patriots to a 20-17 win in a game that heralded the Patriots’ dynasty.

But to Erwin, one moment that really stood out was when he caught a glimpse of the bond between Warner and his wife Brenda.

“I just watched how he interacted on the sidelines with this spiky haired, tattooed Marine, beautiful lady in the stands, and that was his wife Brenda. The partnership between those two, I was like, ‘I want to know the story behind that,’” Erwin told Religion News Service.

Twenty years later, Erwin is telling that story.

“American Underdog,” a biopic of Warner’s life directed by Erwin and his brother Jon, opens in theaters on Christmas Day. The film had its red carpet premiere in Los Angeles on Wednesday (Dec. 15).

Zachary Levi as Kurt Warner, left, and Dennis Quaid as St. Louis Rams head coach Dick Vermeil in "American Underdog" Photo by Lionsgate

Zachary Levi as Kurt Warner, left, and Dennis Quaid as St. Louis Rams head coach Dick Vermeil in “American Underdog” Photo courtesy Lionsgate

Starring Zachary Levi, Anna Paquin and Dennis Quaid, the movie is one of other faith-based releases from the Kingdom Story Company, which includes “I Still Believe,” based on the real-life story of chart-topping singer Jeremy Camp, and “The Jesus Revolution,” inspired by the true story of a national spiritual awakening in the early 1970s.

“American Underdog” focuses on Warner and Brenda’s relationship — beginning with their first encounter at a country bar. The two fall in love, but life together is not a quick and easy happy ending. An undrafted Warner works at a Hy-Vee grocery store in Iowa, as the couple navigate financial struggles, uncertainty around Warner’s football career and raise her two children, one with disabilities. Warner finally finds some success as an arena football star before he’s given a shot with the NFL when he gets called up by the St. Louis Rams.

One scene shows the couple struggling so much they run out of gas in the middle of a snowstorm as they drive to Warner’s mother’s house to find a warm place to stay. Warner, with a few dollars, runs a few miles to the gas station and back. He returns to find their truck covered in snow, with the family safe inside, but recognizing the danger his family was in.

Throughout the film, you see glimpses of the role their Christian faith plays in the choices they each make.

Early in the movie, Brenda, who was divorced with two children, tells Warner of her early aspirations to join the Marines and start a life in “God country” after a woman at church told her, “God is going to do something great with you.”

The Resurrection of Jesus

By

Jerry Bridges

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December 18, 2021

This article on the resurrection of Jesus appears at the time of year when we are focusing on His birth, not His death and resurrection. To stop and think about the resurrection may seem like an unnecessary aside to the beautiful story of our Savior’s birth.

To think only about the birth of Jesus, however, fails to do justice to the incarnation. It fails to consider the purpose of Jesus’ coming to earth. At the occasion of His birth, the angel said to the shepherds, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). The meaning of Savior is clarified before His birth when the angel instructed Joseph: “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). How will He save His people? Paul answers in 1 Corinthians 15:3: “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.” And on the eve of His crucifixion Jesus Himself said, “But for this purpose I have come to this hour” (John 12:27). As we celebrate His birth, let us keep in mind that He came to die.

This article, based on the account in Matthew 28:8–15, focuses, not on His birth or death, but on His resurrection. However, there is actually a seamless connection between the four major events of Jesus’ life: His birth, death, resurrection, and ascension. All four events stand or fall together. At the same time each event had its own unique role to play. What role, then, does the resurrection of Jesus play in the overall story of redemption? There are at least four major truths about the resurrection that teach us about its absolute necessity.

First, it proved that Jesus was indeed the divine Son of God. Paul wrote that “[He] was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead” (Rom. 1:4). Actually it was impossible for Jesus’ body to remain in the grave. Just as it was impossible for the divine nature of Jesus to die because God cannot die, so it was impossible for the human nature of Jesus to remain dead because of its union with His divine nature. Peter said on the day of Pentecost: “God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it” (Acts 2:24). So it was not possible for Jesus’ body to remain in the grave. And in raising Him from the grave, God declared beyond all shadow of doubt that this Jesus whom lawless men crucified was indeed the divine Son of God.

Second, the resurrection of Jesus assures us of our justification. Paul wrote, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins” (I Cor. 15:17). If Christ were still in the tomb it would mean God’s wrath was not satisfied, and we would still stand guilty before God. But as Paul also wrote in Romans 4:25: “[Jesus] was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” It is not that the resurrection accomplished our justification — Jesus’ sinless life and sin-bearing death did that — but rather it assures us of our justification. It was God the Father who raised Jesus from the dead (Rom. 8:11), and by that act God declared that Christ’s atoning sacrifice had been accepted. The penalty for our sins was paid in full. The resurrection was God’s declaration that He had cancelled the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands (Col. 2:14).

Third, the resurrection assures us that we serve a living Savior who even now is interceding for us. The writer of Hebrews wrote that He always lives to make intercession for us (Heb. 7:25). Paul was even more emphatic when he wrote, “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died — more than that, who was raised — who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Rom. 8:34). The One who died for us now lives to intercede for us. When you are going through struggles of any kind, be it adversity that you face, or sin you are struggling with, remember that Jesus is interceding for you.

Fourth, the resurrection of Christ guarantees our future resurrection. In his extensive treatment of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:12–58, Paul wrote, “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ” (vv. 20–23).

Christmas Eve Traditions: 16 Fun Ways to Celebrate Jesus’ Birth

By

Stephanie Martin

-

December 17, 2021

It’s the most wonderful time of the year—time to worship our newborn King, God’s greatest gift. It’s also time to gather with loved ones and continue beloved traditions. Christmas Eve traditions not only lead to treasured memories. They also help children learn and cherish the Christmas story.

For many people, Christmas Eve traditions begin with attending a children’s program or candlelight worship service. Afterward, some families open gifts, while others wait until Christmas morning. Amid all the excitement (and, yes, chaos!), you’ll have plenty of time to include favorite Christmas Eve traditions. And try a new one this year too!

Here’s a gift-bag full of Christmas Eve traditions for the families in your church’s children’s ministry. (If you don’t see your favorite idea below, please add it in the comments!)

16 Christmas Eve Traditions and Ideas for Families

1. Make a Birthday Cake for Jesus

Make (or buy) a cake, and decorate it to celebrate Jesus’ birthday. Younger children will especially enjoy singing “Happy Birthday” to Baby Jesus and blowing out his candles.

2. Watch a Christmas movie

Gather together to watch a Bible-themed Christmas movie or TV show. Or use Bible study guides, available online, to draw out important points from classic films.

3. Look for Jesus!

Hide the baby figurine from your family’s nativity scene. Then head out on a mission to find him. Afterward, discuss ways we can “look” for Jesus in our daily lives.

4. Make a Christmas Craft

Find a fun, age-appropriate craft that your entire family can complete together on Christmas Eve.

PastorServe Names Jason Daye Chief Strategy Officer

By

Pastor Serve

-

December 17, 2021

KANSAS CITY, KS, December 16, 2021 — PastorServe today announced that Jason Daye has been named Chief Strategy Officer, effective December 16, 2021. Most recently Jason was Vice President of Ministry Mobilization at Outreach, Inc., and Executive Director of the National Back to Church Sunday movement.

As Vice President at Outreach Jason dedicated his time to encouraging and equipping churches, denominations and ministry organizations to develop their Kingdom effectiveness. He provided oversight to strategic partnerships and key ministry initiatives at Outreach, equipping Christ-followers to share their faith and engaging churches to reach their communities. In his role as Executive Director of National Back to Church Sunday, Jason led efforts to see over 50,000 churches participate with more than 5 million invitations being shared, inviting people to learn about the hope of Jesus through a local church. Additionally, Jason hosted the ChurchLeaders podcast, one of the most widely listened to podcasts for pastors and ministry leaders, celebrating over 2 million downloads. Before his role at Outreach, Jason served for over 20 years in pastoral leadership in several contexts in the US., including church plant re-launch, multisite church, multiethnic urban church, and established suburban churches.

“We believe Jason is the ideal CSO to help lead PastorServe into its next season of growth and ministry impact,” said Jimmy Dodd, Founder and CEO of PastorServe. “His commitment to encouraging and equipping pastors and developing local church ministries is inspiring. Jason has a strong track record of ministry excellence, creative collaboration, and strategic partnerships that have served the Church well. We are excited to have his leadership on the PastorServe team.”

“It is an honor and a blessing to join the PastorServe team as Chief Strategy Officer,” Jason shared. “I have a deep appreciation for the ministry of PastorServe and the heartfelt support they have provided to so many pastors and churches over the years. I believe the organization has tremendous potential to build upon the work it has championed for over 22 years and make an even greater impact for the Kingdom in the years ahead. I look forward to working with this team to enhance our services and broaden our ability to help pastors and churches experience healthy leadership that extends the hope of Jesus into our ever changing world. My focus will be on continuing to develop innovative ministry strategy while delivering on PastorServe’s commitment to support pastors everywhere.”

Contact:
Jim Fenlason
President / COO, PastorServe
jim.fenlason@pastorserve.org

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16 Christmas Eve Traditions and Ideas for Families

1. Make a Birthday Cake for Jesus

2. Watch a Christmas movie

3. Look for Jesus!

4. Make a Christmas Craft

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