Four Months After Giving Birth, Pastor’s Wife Dies by Suicide

August 31, 2021

Paige Hilken suicide — Screenshot from Instagram / @paigehilken

On March 24, 2021, Paige Hilken gave birth to her fifth child with pastor and husband Christopher Hilken. The Hilkens named the little girl Finley Mae, honoring Paige’s maiden name. Just four months later, in a tragic and heartbreaking turn of events, Paige took her own life. She had struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and mental health issues. She was just 28.

Since the beginning of the year, Paige had experienced health issues. The expectant mother had contracted COVID-19 while 7 months pregnant and experienced mild symptoms. Less than a week after Finley was born, Paige was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism. On her Instagram page, which has over 18,000 followers, Paige described her diagnosis. She began the post, saying, “Postpartum reality…” then explained, “I’ve been processing so much mentally the last few days and clinging tightly to God. We have been so incredibly grateful for our community of prayer warriors who have been praying and continue to pray for the road ahead.”

As his wife’s struggles with mental health worsened, Christopher made the difficult decision to admit her to a mental health facility for intensive treatment. Just days later, Christopher received a phone call that his wife had taken her own life.

During a message to North Coast Church’s congregation the day after Paige’s death, teaching pastor and elder Larry Osborne said pastor Hilken had previously taken a break from his duties at the church to attend to his wife’s needs. Osborne said that although the facility Paige was receiving help at was one of the best in the nation, “Sadly, it wasn’t enough.”

“It’s a broken world, but the beauty is that Paige is in the presence of the Lord right now…no longer tormented by the demons of those thoughts,” Osbourne said. “The whole sense of fear and compulsiveness had just kind of taken her over, and we were praying for her and we were counseling her. We were doing everything we can.”

Paige Hilken’s Memorial Service

North Coast Church’s senior pastor Chris Brown spoke at Hilken’s memorial service on August 7, 2021. In the emotional address, Brown told those in attendance and watching online: “I promise you, there is not a right sentence, there is not a right prayer, there is no verse in the Old Testament or in the New Testament that’s going to help on a day like today. We are going to go through a really bad morning together…That’s the honesty of days like today.”

“Billy Graham once said ‘One day you’re going to hear that Billy Graham is dead, but don’t believe a word of it because it’s not true,’ ” Pastor Hilken said as he stood before the audience at his wife’s memorial service. “Because I’ll be alive more-so on that day than I’ve ever been before,” Hilken recalled Graham saying. “I feel that with Paige. You’re here because of a rumor that Paige is dead. It’s false. My wife has never been more alive than she is right now. The memorial’s not for her. It’s for those of us who’s been left behind who are jealous of her glory.”

Southern Baptists Prepare Response To Massive Hurricane Ida

Brandon Elrod

August 31, 2021

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) – Sixteen years to the day after Katrina’s historic landfall, Hurricane Ida arrived in Port Fourchon, La., around noon Sunday (Aug. 29) as a Category 4 storm. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) teams will start assessing damage and preparing their response today.

With 150 mph winds, Ida is one of the strongest storms to hit the mainland United States. By Monday morning, the storm finally decreased to a tropical storm and is expected to track across the Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee before continuing its northeastern trajectory into New England and back out into the Atlantic.

“We hurt with the people of Louisiana and Mississippi, particularly Louisiana after they were hit so hard last year by hurricanes Laura and Delta,” said Coy Webb, disaster response director for Send Relief. “We pray for them and know how difficult it is for them.”

SBDR and Send Relief, the compassion ministry arm for Southern Baptists, anticipate a major crisis response. Already, SBDR volunteer teams from Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and North Carolina are on standby to serve in Louisiana. Some teams began driving and sheltered just outside of the storm’s path so they could respond more rapidly.

Louisiana SBDR teams began conducting their assessments as soon as they were able Monday to prepare to welcome in outside SBDR teams to assist with the response. Mississippi disaster relief teams anticipate working primarily in their state, at least initially, Webb said.

“We appreciate our great Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers who are preparing to roll in and the many who have already started rolling in,” Webb said. “We are grateful for the help and healing they are always ready to provide after disaster events.”

So far, SBDR expects to set up multiple kitchens across the affected areas, each with the capacity to prepare at least 10,000 meals a day. As assessments continue, those locations are still being determined. Those needs are expected to ramp up as those who have evacuated return to assess the damage done to their homes and property as widespread power outages persist.

Send Relief delivered initial supplies – temporary rolled roofing, meals and other supplies – on Friday (Aug. 27) ahead of the storm. An additional semi-truck was being loaded Monday from a Send Relief ministry center in Ashland, Ky., to send more temporary roofing, 175,000 meals, flood recovery supplies, chainsaw fuel and generators along with other resources.

The Send Relief truck should reach affected areas by Wednesday (Sept. 1), dropping supplies first in Mississippi on its way south to provide support to SBDR in Louisiana.

So far, damage has not been as widespread as initially projected, but that could mean those who did get hit were hit much harder, said Sam Porter, national director of SBDR with Send Relief. With multiple teams on standby, SBDR expects to assist with the recovery for several weeks. If you’ve experienced storm damage, contact storm damage repair and roofing services like the ones from Carolina Home Specialists ASAP.

“Southern Baptists served for two and a half months following Hurricanes Laura and Delta,” said Porter. “We were there right after it hit in August, and we did not close up shop until November. Once we get there, we will be there for the long haul.”

Stan Statham, Louisiana’s SBDR director, and Hubert Yates, SBDR director for Mississippi Baptists, requested prayer for their teams as they survey damage and plan to respond to those in need.

Those looking to support Send Relief and SBDR can give through the Send Relief website or give directly to Louisiana SBDR or Mississippi SBDR.

This article originally appeared at Baptist Press.

8 Strong Coronavirus Sermons You Can Preach

Christine Yount Jones

August 31, 2021

In partnership with SermonCentral, here are eight strong coronavirus sermons. Each provides perspective, inspiration, challenge, and hope. Perhaps a specific coronavirus sermon will inspire and equip you as you seek to speak the Word of God in this unprecedented time.

Coping With the Coronavirus Sermon

Contributed by Brian Bill, pastor of Edgewood Baptist Church in Rock Island, Illinois

Summary: In the midst of our problems, let’s pause, pivot and praise God!

Key Scripture: Psalm 46:1-11

Sermon Topics: Pain, Stress, Disaster, Pandemic, Coronavirus, Covid

The God of the Plague Sermon

Contributed by Joel Pankow, pastor of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bay City, Michigan

Summary: Where do we find God in the midst of virus and death? Right in the middle of it.

Key Scripture: Habakkuk 3:5-6

Sermon Topics: Virus, Plague, Coronavirus

The Church’s Response to Coronavirus Sermon

Contributed by David Mende, pastor in Hyderabad, Telangana (India)

Summary: In this sermon, Dr. David Mende reminds us that the church is the agent of healing and hope in this world. This sermon talks about seven ways the church can respond to this pandemic.

Key Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Sermon Topics: Coronavirus, Covid19

Amidst the Pestilence – Coronavirus Sermon

Contributed by Terry Laughlin, pastor at CrossRoads Messages in Norton, Kansas.

Summary: There are key B=biblical truths to live by when the world is facing a pandemic. Living by the truths in this message will enable you to enjoy God’s peace while those in this world panic.

Key Scripture: Psalm 91:1-6

Sermon Topics: Pestilence, Coronavirus, Pandemics

Truth for Troubled Times (Coronavirus Sermon)

Contributed by Scott Bayles, pastor at Blooming Grove Christian Church in Palmyra, Illinois

Summary: In troubled and uncertain times, 1 John 5 provides us with five truths of which we can be certain: our promise, our prayers, our protector, our place, and our Prince!

Key Scripture: 1 John 5:13-20

Sermon Topics: Peace, Hope, Prayer, Assurance

The Coronavirus and Worry Sermon

Contributed by Davon Huss, pastor at Grace Hospice in Cincinnati, Ohio

Summary: Five reasons God says we should never worry about anything from Matthew 6:25-34

Key Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34, Philippians 4:6-7

Sermon Topics: Worry, Unbelief, Unhelpful, Unreasonable

The Lord Is My Shepherd and the Coronavirus

Contributed by Rick Gillespie-Mobley, pastor at New Life At Calvary in Cleveland, Ohio

Summary: This sermon deals with what should be a believer’s response to the crisis of the coronavirus. Our hope is to be in the Lord who is our Shepherd.

Key Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6, James 4:13-15

Sermon Topics: Trust, Worry, Panic, Coronavirus

A Christian Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic

Contributed by Richard Tow, pastor at Life Church in Springfield, Missouri

Summary: This message provides three simple responses for the Christian to follow during the coronavirus pandemic. Pastor Tow recommends a balanced approach of prudence and faith. We are given ample instruction in Scripture for dealing with any crisis.

Key Scripture: Psalms 91, Luke 4:12,

Sermon Topics: Faith, Fear, Trust, Crisis

Comparison Is the Thief of Joy ? No, It’s Worse . . .

Ethan Renoe

August 31, 2021

Here’s how I learned the reality of the phrase, comparison is the thief of joy, a phrase originally attributed to Franklin Roosevelt:

Every morning I would descend the ancient stone steps to my classroom at the bottom of the hill. Some days I’d slow down as I walked, soaking in the green mountains with their permanent blanket of clouds nestled in their creases. From atop the hill, you could see all of Quetzaltenango, the colonial stone houses butted up against the slabbed-together sheet metal shacks.

As was my routine, I’d write in a coffee shop after school for an hour every day and as I paced the cobblestone streets to the gym, I’d often think about how much I hated to be there. I couldn’t appreciate the beautiful rustic buildings or the slow-paced rhythms of the Mayan town.

Looking back at it, I see how crazy I was. I’d give anything travel back to that time and place and routine and city. I’d love to go back to that season of my life because everything, in retrospect, looks so perfect.

Comparison is the thief of joy? No: it’s the slaughterhouse.

I grew up hearing Roosevelt’s (or whoever’s) phrase, and always thought of it the same way you are now: That if you compare yourself to other people, or what you have versus what they have, you will be unhappy.

Today, as I reflected on my time in Guatemala, Cape Cod, Los Angeles, and a myriad other places, including Colorado (where I am presently0, I realized that it applies much more broadly. I realized that if I compare this season of my life in Colorado to that one when I was in Guatemala, I’ll always come out unhappy.

Just as how, when I was living in Guatemala, I was comparing it to other places I’d lived and was unhappy there, too.

You could live near the most beautiful beach and complain that it doesn’t have high enough mountains, like Colorado does. You can live in Quito, a beautiful UNESCO city in Ecuador, and be disappointed that it doesn’t have the infrastructure of Kansas City.

So it’s true that comparison is the thief of joy, but there’s more. The list goes on.

The more you compare anything to, well, anything, you seem to be less happy.

This applies to seasons in your life a well. Presently, I’m technically unemployed and longing to land a full-time job soon. But when I do, I’ll bemoan the fact that I have less free time like I did when I was jobless.

See how you can get into a habit of comparing things? The seasons of your life, places you live, jobs, or pretty much anything—and it’s a road straight to disappointment and complaint.

The happiest people I know seem to be the ones who aren’t doing this—they’re happy where they are. They can praise the crazy waves they rode in Australia without necessarily comparing it to where they are now, in Chicago. They were happy to live in the rush of a big city like New York, and now they’re happy to work in the slow suburbs like Littleton, Colorado.

They’re just appreciative of the differences between things, places, and people rather than comparative.

I’m trying to be more like this, but God knows I’m struggling. I catch myself constantly looking backward, imagining that that season I was in was empirically better than this one. For this reason or that one.

When we stop comparing places, for instance, we are suddenly free from expectations. We no longer need to think negatively about how Xela, Guatemala isn’t a good place because it’s not next to the ocean. Instead, we can let it be it’s own place—a beautiful place bursting with culture, life, and creativity, if only we’d stop comparing it to all the other cities we’ve loved in the past.

Stop comparing your present season to past ones—you have no idea what could happen tomorrow, propelling you into the greatest season of your life if only you’d stop comparing it to others you’ve had before. Time is a blank slate and you’re the one who gets to choose what happens next in your life.

Will you continue to hold onto all the experiences you’ve had before, hoping the next ones you’ll have will measure up, or will you just enjoy the ride, as it happens in the present moment?

This article on comparison is the thief of joy originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

Retro Preaching for High-tech Pastors: I Actually Used a Flannelgraph

Charles Stone

August 30, 2021

I’m a techno geek; I stood in line for 5 hours to get the latest iPhone, I use a MacBookPro, I use an iPad on stage when I preach, I tweet, and I write a regular blog. Yet sometimes technology gets in the way. I once tried a retro version of communication: a flannelgraph. It worked.

Our church is techno: we use video extensively, power point, YouVersion which allows people to follow the sermon on their mobile phone, and we’ve done texting feedback during services.

Yet, sometimes I feel like I’m drowning in too much technology.

Recently during our programming meeting, our creative director suggested that we use a different medium to help the sermon delivery…the old flannelgraph.

In case you’ve never heard of a flannelgraph, it was a Bible teaching technique extensively used many years ago. Sunday school teachers would prop up the flannelgraph on an easle (a large piece of cardboard with flannel on the outside) and as she taught us the Bible lesson that day, she’d stick cardboard images of people and Bible objects on the flannelgraph. The flannel on the back of the images would stick to the flannel on the board. Thus, the flannelgraph. Today the flannelgraph is being used quite extensively in areas around the world with illiterate populations.

I taught from Ephesians 2 and 3 where Paul uses several word pictures. These metaphors made it easy to find and cut out images.

Here’s how it added to my teaching.

It was drastically different from how I usually teach. Its novelty helped the message stick.
It helped those familiar with the flannel graph feel a bit of nostalgia, which endeared them to the medium which enhanced the message.
It helped me easily remember the next point. I simply picked up the picture and stuck it on the board.
As I walked back to the board, it was easy to keep reviewing the main points when I referred back to the images.
It built interest as the people wondered what was next.
It helped visual learners stay more focused.

So, if you’d like mix things up a bit, give it a try. All it takes is a board (wood or foam core), some felt, and some pictures (I used velcro on the back to make them more sticky) and … PRESTO, you have a flannelgraph.

Although we still used powerpoint images on the screens so people could see the images in detail, I now have a new tool in my preaching toolbox.

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

Who Made God? Sunday School Lessons on Creation for Children

Stephanie Martin

August 30, 2021

Teaching young children about Creation is a true delight. As Sunday school teachers describe how God spoke all things into existence, we can watch the awe in kids’ faces. We also might see the wheels in their heads start turning! Kids rightfully ponder: If God made everything, then who made God?

For Christians of all ages, the first two chapters of Genesis spark amazement plus loads of questions. Little learners are especially interested in how God was created (or “invented”), where God came from, who are God’s parents, and how old is God. As kidmin workers recount how God lovingly crafted people in his image and made us who we are, kids are likely to challenge you to explain who made God.

How will you respond when a child asks, “If God made us, who made God?” To help you prepare, check out this wide variety of lessons about Creation for Sunday school

Who Made God: 7 KidMin Lessons to Use

1. Days of Creation Game

This free printable game helps children learn about what God made on each day of Creation. Have fun while emphasizing that God carefully spoke everything into being—and declared it all very good.

2. Creation Mini-Book Printable

This fun-to-color craft is available in several Bible versions. Use it to teach kids that God, who has always existed, fashioned all things into being.

3. Creation Corner

At this site, you’ll find three Creation-themed lesson plans for kids of various ages. Age-appropriate discussion questions help reinforce the Bible verses and get children thinking about the story’s life application.

4. God Is Good

This interactive 15-week Creation series uses the NLT version of the Bible. The material emphasizes God’s goodness, as seen in all the wonderful things he made, including people.

5. In the Beginning

This site is filled with teaching resources and tips to help Sunday school staff and parents explain Creation. Adapt the material to your children’s learning styles. Then enjoy answering their questions about what God made and who made God.

6. Creation Bible Studies

Geared toward preschoolers, this Bible-based material also reinforces reading, writing, and memory skills. “Kiddos have questions,” the site notes. So it’s vital to “include more intentional Scripture study” in our precious time with children.

7. Created for a Purpose

Although this Sunday school lesson on Creation isn’t from Genesis, it reveals an important biblical truth: God made me who I am—and God made me for a reason. By exploring the Old Testament story of Esther, it offers reminders that God created us each with great value.

How to Answer Tough Questions

Kids’ questions get more complex as they grow up, but don’t be intimidated! If you’re stumped, turn to insightful Christian resources online for answers.

Answers in Genesis is especially helpful, with kid-friendly activities and videos, plus more in-depth material for adults. For example, this relevant article about who made God is titled “Jesus—He Was Before Creation!”

What other materials and resources do you recommend for teaching children about who made God? Please share your ideas in the comments below!

Explainer: What Is Wicca?

Religion News Service

August 30, 2021

(THE CONVERSATION) Wicca and witchcraft are popping up in pop culture these days, from teenage witches on TikTok to a Marvel comic superhero called Wiccan. It has even led The New York Times to ask: “When did everyone become a witch?”

Wicca, an alternative minority religion whose adherents, regardless of gender, call themselves witches, began in the U.K. in the 1940s. Wicca and Witchcraft are part of the larger contemporary pagan movement, which includes druids and heathens among others. All these spiritual paths, as pagans refer to them, base their practices on pre-Christian religions and cultures.

Ever since Wicca arrived in the United States in the 1960s, it has been growing – sometimes by leaps and bounds, and other times more slowly. It is estimated that there could be around 1.5 million witches in the U.S.

As I am aware from my own research of more than 30 years, however, not all witches consider themselves Wiccans. Based on my most recent survey data, approximately 800,000 Americans are Wiccans. The increasing numbers that have been witnessed in surveys and the growth of groups, such as those on TikTok, suggest that the religion is continuing to grow.

An independent practice

The religion differentiates itself from more mainstream religions, such as Christianity, by celebrating a Goddess as well as a God. In addition, Wicca lacks a formal institutional structure such as a church and puts more emphasis on ritual and direct spiritual experience than belief. Adherents refer to themselves as practitioners, not believers.

A yearly cycle of rituals, known as sabbats, celebrate the beginning and height of each of the four seasons of the Northern Hemisphere. Each ritual encourages participants to celebrate the changes the seasons bring to nature and to reflect on how those changes are mirrored in their own lives. For example, at Beltane – which takes place May 1, at the height of spring – Wiccans celebrate fertility in both the Earth and in people’s lives. The rituals are constructed to not only celebrate the season but to put the participant in direct contact with the divine.

Wiccans have one overriding rule, “Harm none and do as you will,” and no single religious text that they draw beliefs from. Most Wiccans practice alone and are free to develop their own unique practice. They are nonetheless in regular contact, networking on the internet and congregating at large gatherings to conduct rituals, learn about magical and spiritual practices from one another, and enter what they see as a magical space where they can more readily encounter and embrace divinity.

A religion for the 21st century

Although many Wiccans claim to draw inspiration from ancient cultures, such as pre-Christian Anglo-Saxon and Celtic traditions, it can be seen very much as a religion of our times. The Goddess provides a female face for the divine, appealing to feminists and those who seek “girl power.” Wiccans see divinity in nature, which resonates with growing environmental concerns, particularly among the young.

Most Wiccans practice magic, which they believe taps into a spirit world often referred to as the “otherworld.” Others think of magic as drawing on an energy field they view as surrounding all of us. They do magic to heal themselves and others or to find a new home or job, among other things, and emphasize that magic must not cause harm. Magic is viewed as changing the practitioners as much as their circumstances, encouraging adherents to pursue self-growth and self-empowerment.

There is currently an increase in the U.S. of those with no formal religious affiliation, with just over a quarter of all Americans considering themselves spiritual but not religious. As sociologist Courtney Bender has noted, many members of this group tend to avoid formal religious structures but instead participate in occult practices that enhance their self-development – in these ways, echoing spiritual practices of Wiccans.

The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. The Conversation is wholly responsible for the content.

Helen A. Berger is an author, a researcher, and a resident scholar at Brandeis University.

This article originally appeared here.

Belief in ‘Eternal Life’ Is Why People in MS Are ‘Less Scared’ of COVID, Says Governor

Jessica Mouser

August 30, 2021

Mississippi governor Tate Reeves told attendees at a fundraiser last week that the reason why people in Mississippi and elsewhere in the South are not as afraid of COVID-19 as people in other areas is because of their belief in eternal life.

“I’m often asked by some of my friends on the other side of the aisle about COVID,” said Gov. Tate Reeves, according to the Daily Memphian, “and why does it seem like folks in Mississippi and maybe in the Mid-South are a little less scared, shall we say.”

The reason, said the governor, is that “when you believe in eternal life — when you believe that living on this earth is but a blip on the screen, then you don’t have to be so scared of things.”

The governor was not offering faith in God as a reason not to take steps to prevent catching the COVID-19 virus. “God also tells us to take necessary precautions,” he said. “And we all have opportunities and abilities to do that and we should all do that. I encourage everyone to do so. But the reality is that working together, we can get beyond this. We can move forward. We can move on.”

Gov. Tate Reeves Faces Crises

As of this writing, Mississippi is second only to Florida as the state with the most cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents within the past seven days, according to data from the New York Times. At the same time, Mississippi is bracing for the impact of Hurricane Ida, which has now been downgraded to a tropical storm.

“As eye of #Ida hits central MS know we are 18-22 hours from it departing our state – stay diligent,” Reeves tweeted Monday. “Tornado threat remains for Coast. Heavy rainfall up to 8”. Downed trees across roadways in SW MS. Downed power lines with 130,000+ without power. Stay aware! Be safe! God bless!” Currently, residents are vulnerable to flash floods, tornadoes, and damaging winds.

Gov. Tate Reeves has encouraged Mississippi residents to get vaccinated, but was criticized in March for ending the state’s mask mandate, as well as capacity limitations on businesses. President Biden called this, “Neanderthal thinking.” Reeves responded to Biden by citing data showing that ICU bed occupation, hospitalizations, and positive COVID-19 cases were down.

Now that COVID-19 cases are rising in the state, Reeves says the primary challenge that hospitals face is not a lack of beds, but a labor shortage.

Two-Time NFL Super Bowl Champion Retires: ‘I’m Going to Be a Pastor’

Stephanie Martin

August 30, 2021

For many people, playing in the NFL and winning two Super Bowl rings might seem like a career pinnacle. But for 10-year player Stefen Wisniewski, who announced his retirement last week, the best is yet to come.

In a video posted to social media, the Kansas City offensive lineman says “it’s time to move on” after a decade of football. As for his next move? “I’m going to be a pastor,” he shares. “The absolute best part of my life is my relationship with Jesus Christ, and I can’t imagine a better full-time job than teaching people the Bible and sharing the love of Christ with others.”

Stefen Wisniewski: Joy in Jesus Surpasses All

In a written statement, also shared online, Stefen Wisniewski expresses gratitude to loved ones, starting with Jesus, “King of the Universe and my life.” He writes, “You were my strength, joy, purpose, anchor, life, peace and passion through it all. I only made it through the tough times because of Your presence and because of the promises in Your Word. And the intense joy from knowing You far surpasses any joy that came from even the best parts of the game of football. And all glory that people try to give to me for what I’ve accomplished truly and rightfully belongs to You. Romans 11:36.”

Wisniewski thanks “all my Christian brothers who I’ve played with” for “the wisdom, the prayers, the deep conversations about life and struggles and faith.” He adds, “That brotherhood was one of the best parts of playing.”

The athlete also thanks his wife, Hilary, “for following Jesus and working so hard for the Seed Company to help translate the Bible for those with no Bible in their language.” Hilary Wisniewski is a financial analyst for the Seed Company, which works to “end Bible poverty” by making translations of Scripture available in every language by 2025.

NFL Player Stays Focused on Faith

As ChurchLeaders has reported, Stefen Wisniewski was an outspoken Christian throughout the ups and downs of his playing career. In interviews and on social media, the guard and center often quoted Bible verses and glorified God.

NRB Spokesman Dan Darling Fired After Pro-Vaccine Statements on ‘Morning Joe’

Bob Smietana

August 30, 2021

(RNS) — The spokesman for a major evangelical nonprofit was fired for promoting vaccines on the MSNBC “Morning Joe” cable news show, Religion News Service has learned.

Daniel Darling, senior vice president of communications for the National Religious Broadcasters, was fired Friday (Aug. 27) after refusing to admit his pro-vaccine statements were mistaken, according to a source authorized to speak for Darling.

His firing comes at a time when Americans face a new surge of COVID-19 infections due to the highly contagious Delta variant even as protesters and politicians resist mask mandates or other preventive measures.

During a broadcast on Aug. 2, Darling, an evangelical pastor and author, told host Joe Scarborough about how his faith motivated him to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Darling described the vaccines as an amazing feat of discovery by scientists, some of whom share his Christian faith.

Darling said he was proud to be vaccinated.

“I believe in this vaccine because I don’t want to see anyone else die of COVID. Our family has lost too many close friends and relatives to COVID, including an uncle, a beloved church member and our piano teacher,” Darling told Scarborough.

He expressed similar views in a recent USA Today opinion piece.

Earlier this week, leaders at NRB, an international association of Christian communicators with 1,100 member organizations, told Darling his statements violated the organization’s policy of remaining neutral about COVID-19 vaccines. According to the source, Darling was given two options — sign a statement admitting he had been insubordinate or be fired.

When he refused to sign a statement, Darling was fired and given no severance, the source told RNS.

Troy Miller, CEO of NRB, confirmed Darling was no longer with the organization. He did not respond to a question about the role Darling’s statements about vaccines played in his departure.

“Dan is an excellent communicator and a great friend. I wish him God’s best in all his future endeavors,” Miller told RNS in an email.

Daniel Darling appears on the MSNBC show, “Morning Joe” on Aug. 2, 2021. Video screengrab

Daniel Darling appears on the MSNBC show “Morning Joe” on Aug. 2, 2021. Video screengrab

In a statement reported by Ruth Graham of the New York Times, Darling said that he was “sad and disappointed that my time at NRB has come to a close.”

Ed Stetzer: The Church Is on the Move

Ed Stetzer

August 30, 2021

In 2020, we were the church on our heels. A global pandemic shut down much of our world including public services for Easter. But the church has been on the move since it was birthed; it will continue to be on the move until God makes all things new.

I want to remind us of the remarkable and unique spread of Christianity around our world. In the West in particular we can easily lose sight of this with all the issues facing the church these days.

It’s easy to forget the remarkable spread of Christianity over the past two millennia across the globe from a geographical perspective. We can read the New Testament with eyes and ears that are largely ignorant to the places Luke mentions in Acts or Paul writes about in the prison Epistles.

Most Christians know of Jerusalem — the place where Jesus was crucified and risen. The geographical center of the Christian faith was clearly, early on, in and around Israel.

But while the Ancient Near East was the birthplace of our faith, it didn’t just stay there. By God’s grace, the gospel began to spread all around the world. We read about the Ethiopian eunuch who first heard the gospel message from Philip. Some disciples went to Asia Minor, Thomas went as far as India, Paul tried to get to Spain, and onward the gospel spread. Places like Cyprus, Caesarea, Damascus, Athens, Rome, and Ephesus are mentioned throughout the book of Acts as Paul and his followers embark on four long missionary journeys.

The gospel has been advancing for centuries.

The gospel has been advancing and spreading for centuries. The Holy Spirit has compelled believers everywhere to share the message of Christ crucified and risen in places both near and far. As demonstrated by Paul and Christ’s own disciples, this was to include continents and people groups far from the place where the Christian faith was first founded.

A South Carolina Pastor Quit His Church. His Followers Revolted To Get Him Back.

Bob Smietana

August 30, 2021

(RNS) — On Sunday, July 11, the Rev. Todd Elliott got up in front of his church to say goodbye.

The 50-something Elliott, dressed in an untucked short-sleeved button-down shirt and sneakers, stood next to a pair of gray-haired church elders dressed in slacks and navy blue sport coats on the stage at Beach Church in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

“This is a sad day for our church,” one of the elders said before the other announced Elliott’s departure.

For several years, the church’s elders had clashed with Elliott over who should run the nondenominational church of about 1,600, which had been twice named one of the fastest-growing churches in the country.

The Beach Church bylaws and the Bible put most of the authority on the elders, David Dodge, chairman of the elder board, told worshipers. Elliott disagreed, believing the pastor should have more authority. Things had finally come to a head. Elliott resigned and would be receiving a year’s severance. And the church would begin the search for a new leader.

“I just want to thank you,” Elliott said to thunderous applause from the congregation. “Thank you for letting me serve and be your pastor and teacher over the last 14 years.”

He and the elders then prayed together and walked off stage, ready to part ways.

But Elliott would be back.

In what has been described as a coup or a revolt, a group of angry church members — organized on a Facebook page called Beach Church Together — rose up to defend Elliott. Within days, the Beach Church elders had resigned, the locks on the church had been changed and the doors opened for Elliott’s return.

He never even missed a Sunday.

“You people,” Elliott said, shaking his head and smiling, back in his pulpit just one week after his resignation — but now with a new message.

First, he laid out a bit of the church’s history, blaming the bylaws for holding the church back and causing previous pastors to leave.

Things would be different, he promised, if the church were to change bylaws to put the pastor in charge. If the church did that — and if the bylaws met with his approval — Elliott said he’d return as pastor and lead the church to its best days ever.

“You will not see a church that will be kicking down the gates of hell like Beach Church will be,” Elliott said, his voice rising to a crescendo. “Because I’m telling you, baby, you’re going to want to invite your neighbors, you’re going to want to invite your friends, you’re going to want to invite your co-workers and your family because we’re going see God move freely in this church like it’s never been seen before. I’m telling you that right now.”

The dispute between Elliott and the Beach Church elders has left chaos in its wake. After all the church’s leaders resigned, Beach Church staff and other supporters of the pastor organized an emergency meeting to suspend the bylaws and appoint a transition team so the church could operate. That team also began to pave the way for Elliott to officially return.

Meanwhile, the church’s elders say their resignations were invalid — claiming the church bylaws did not allow the entire board of elders to step down. The elders claim their resignations were rejected by the church’s president and other corporate officers and that any moves made by the transition team are invalid because they violate the church bylaws.

As a result, the church has two rival groups claiming to be in charge. It is unclear which group’s position is legal. The two sides had planned to meet the week of August 23 to discuss their differences, but that meeting has been postponed.

The Beach Church dispute also reflects larger conflicts in congregations big and small, where the presence of a charismatic and engaging preacher often draws newcomers and holds the keys to a church’s success.

10 Outstanding C.S. Lewis Quotes

Andrew Hess

August 30, 2021

You can find C.S. Lewis quotes anywhere, but too often pastors and writers use the same ones over and over, which is a shame because there are so many great quotes from him.

Here are some of our favorite (lesser-known) C.S. Lewis quotes:

On being heavenly-minded:

“A continual looking forward to the eternal world is not a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do.”
On evangelism:

“The glory of God, and, as our only means to glorifying Him, the salvation of human souls, is the real business of life.”

3. On convictions and rules:

“An individual Christian may see fit to give up all sorts of things for special reasons – marriage, or meat, or beer, or cinema; but the moment he starts saying the things are bad in themselves, or looking down his nose at other people who do use them, he has taken the wrong turning.”

4. On delighting in God:

“The Scotch catechism says that man’s chief end is ‘to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.’ But we shall then know that these are the same thing. Fully to enjoy is to glorify. In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him.”

5. On evolution:

“If the solar system was brought about by an accidental collision, then the appearance of organic life on this planet was also an accident, and the whole evolution of Man was an accident too. If so, then all our present thoughts are accidents- the accidental by-product of the movement of atoms. And this holds for the thoughts of the materialists and astronomers as well as for anyone else’s. But if their thoughts are merely accidental by-products, why should we believe them to be true? I see no reason for believing that one accident should be able to give me a correct account of all the other accidents.”

6. On God as Father:

“We want, in fact, not so much a father in heaven as a grandfather in heaven: a senile benevolence who, as they say, “liked to see young people enjoying themselves” and whose plan for the universe was simply that it might be truly said at the end of each day, “a good time was had by all.”

7. On the material world:

“There is no use trying to be more spiritual than God. God never meant man to be a purely spiritual creature. That is why He uses material things like bread and wine to put the new life into us. We may think this rather crude and unspiritual. God does not: He invented eating. He likes matter. He invented it. I know some muddle-headed Christians have talked as if Christianity taught that sex, or the body, or pleasure, were bad in themselves. But they were wrong. Christianity is almost the only one of the great religions which thoroughly approves of the body – which believes that matter is good, that God Himself once took on a human body, and that some kind of body is going to be given to us even in Heaven and is going to be an essential part of our happiness, our beauty, and our energy.”

8. On preaching heaven and hell:

“I know that many wiser and better Christians than I in these days do not like to mention heaven and hell even in a pulpit. I know, too, that nearly all the references to this subject in the New Testament come from a single source. But then that source is Our Lord Himself… These overwhelming doctrines…are not really removable from the teaching of Christ or of His Church. If we do not believe them our presence in this church is great tomfoolery. If we do, we must sometime overcome our spiritual prudery and mention them.”

9. On family:

“God gave us family. And what a precious gift! But it is a gift, not the Giver. Jesus will not allow Himself to be demoted to High Priest in the Temple Of Family Values. When we come to Christ, we leave that Temple behind, never to return, and we spend the rest of our lives recruiting our families to worship Jesus.”

10. On tested faith:

“You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you.… Only a real risk tests the reality of a belief.”

R.C. Sproul – We All Struggle to Read the Bible

R.C. Sproul

August 30, 2021

Virtually every Christian at some point has resolved to read the entire Bible. If we believe the Bible is the Word of God, it’s natural not to want to miss a word of it. If God delivered a letter to your mailbox, I am sure you would read it. But the Bible is a pretty big letter, and its sheer bulk is somewhat daunting, even to the person with the best of intentions. Therefore, few Christians actually keep a resolution to read through the Bible.

At seminars, I often ask for a show of hands indicating how many people have read the entire Bible. Rarely do even 50 percent of the people answer “yes.” I ask, “How many of you have read the book of Genesis?” Almost everyone raises his hand. Then I say, “Keep your hand up if you’ve also read Exodus.” Only a few hands are lowered. “Leviticus?” That’s when hands start dropping quickly. With Numbers it’s even worse.

Why Do Many Christians Struggle to Read the Bible?

Reading Genesis is almost like reading a novel. It is mostly narrative history and biography. It tells of important events in the lives of important people such as Noah, Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph. Exodus is likewise gripping, as it tells the poignant story of Israel’s enslavement in Egypt and of its liberation under the leadership of Moses. The contest with Pharaoh is exciting. But when we get to Leviticus, everything changes. It’s difficult reading about the ceremonies, the sacrifices, and the cleansing rituals because they are foreign to us today. We lack a road map to help us through these difficult portions of the Bible.

Begin with an Overview of the Bible

Here’s my recommendation: begin with an overview of the Bible. Get the basic framework first. If possible, enroll in a Ligonier Connect course online that will give you such an overview. We have also produced an audio and video series titled Dust to Glory. It gives the basic structure of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. It does not go into details, but it covers the high points of redemptive history. In addition to this series, I collaborated with Robert Wolgemuth to produce What’s in the Bible? The goal of this book is to help the person who has never had a simple introduction to the Bible. In 1977, I published a book titled Knowing Scripture, which is designed to help people master the basic rules of biblical interpretation. I frankly think this book is one of the most important helps that I’ve ever been able to provide for people in studying the Bible, because it provides basic, foundational principles of biblical interpretation to keep people from falling into errors that would lead to distortions of the teaching of Scripture.

Once you understand the basic framework, you are much better equipped to overcome the struggle to read the Bible. Here is a pattern I recommend for people who have never read the Bible.

The Old Testament Overview:

Genesis (the history of Creation, the fall, and God’s covenantal dealings with the patriarchs)
Exodus (the history of Israel’s liberation and formation as a nation)
Joshua (the history of the military conquest of the Promised Land)
Judges (Israel’s transition from a tribal federation to a monarchy)
1 Samuel (Israel’s emerging monarchy under Saul and David)
2 Samuel (David’s reign)
1 Kings (Solomon and the divided kingdom)
2 Kings (the fall of Israel)
Ezra (the Israelites’ return from exile)
Nehemiah (the restoration of Jerusalem)
Amos and Hosea (examples of minor prophets)
Jeremiah (an example of a major prophet)
Ecclesiastes (Wisdom Literature)
Psalms and Proverbs (Hebrew poetry)

The New Testament Overview:

The Gospel of Luke (the life of Jesus)
Acts (the early church)
Ephesians (an introduction to the teaching of Paul)
1 Corinthians (life in the church)
1 Peter (an introduction to Peter)
1 Timothy (an introduction to the Pastoral Epistles)
Hebrews (Christology)
Romans (Paul’s theology)

By reading these books, a student can get a basic feel for and understanding of the scope of the Bible without getting bogged down in the more difficult sections. From there, he or she can fill in the gaps to complete the reading of the entire Bible.

We have compiled a thorough list of various Bible reading plans to help you develop a regular habit of reading through the Bible.

This excerpt about the struggle to read the Bible is adapted from Five Things Every Christian Needs to Grow by R.C. Sproul.

10 Steps to Awesome Children’s Ministry

Dale Hudson

August 30, 2021

Let’s look at the 10 ingredients it takes to create an awesome children’s ministry.

10 Steps to Awesome Children’s Ministry

1. VISION

Behind every awesome children’s ministry is a big, bold, compelling vision.

The vision drives everything and is the foundation that the ministry is built upon.

Every staff members knows what the vision is. Every volunteer knows what the vision is. Every parent knows what the vision is and how it relates to their children.

If you want to go somewhere new and exciting, somewhere lives are changed and families are reached, then get a big vision and it will take you there.

2. LEADERSHIP

Everything rises and falls on leadership. And that includes children’s ministry as well. It takes a strong, talented, focused leader to build an awesome children’s ministry. If you’ve hit a lid in your ministry, it could be your leadership has hit a lid and the ministry can’t seem to grow above that lid. You can only go as far as your leadership can take you. Push yourself. Grow yourself. Invest in your leadership. Check out my book – Lead Well in Children’s Ministry. It will give you a great blueprint for growing as a leader in children’s ministry.

3. VOLUNTEER TEAM

The “awesomeness” of your ministry depends on the “awesomeness” of your volunteers. Focus on building strong volunteer leaders and you will see your ministry expand and push to the next level. Remember, it’s not what you can do. It’s what you can empower others to do. Your role as a ministry director is to equip your volunteers for the work of children’s ministry. Need help building your team? Check out my book “The Formula for Building Great Volunteer Teams.” I used this formula to build a volunteer team of 2,600 at my last church.

4. DYNAMIC SERVICES / CLASSES

Boring is not a word that is associated with an awesome children’s ministry. When parents pick up their kids and ask the question – “Did you have fun today?” Their children respond with a “yes.”

Now don’t get confused. Just because a service or lesson is fun doesn’t mean it can’t also be “deep.” It’s not about your content, it’s about your teaching methods. You can deliver deep, faith growing lessons that are fun to experience. It’s not either or. It can be “yes” and “yes.”

5. CULTURE

An awesome children’s ministry has a culture of fun. A culture of family. A culture of faith-building. A culture of anticipation. A culture of unity. A culture of passion.

Speak Up for Life: 12 Powerful Quotes About Pro Life

Esther Laurie

August 29, 2021

Many pastors speak up for life on Sanctity of Life Sunday, but I think we should take a moment during the year and honor those who have and are fighting for life. Here are some current and quotes about pro life.

“The right to life is the first among human rights.” – Pope Francis

“This is a debate about our understanding of human dignity, what it means to be a member of the human family, even though tiny, powerless and unwanted.” – Henry Hyde

“Sweeter even than to have had the joy of children of my own has it been for me to help bring about a better state of things for mothers generally, so that their unborn little ones could not be willed away from them.” – Susan B. Anthony

“Children and unborn children should be protected by law and welcomed into life.” – George W. Bush

“I was once pro-choice and the thing that changed my mind was, I read my husband’s biology books, medical books, and what I learned… At the moment of conception, a life starts. And this life has its own unique set of DNA, which contains a blueprint for the whole genetic make-up. The sex is determined. We know there is a life because it is growing and changing.” – Kathy Ireland

“The fight for the right to life is not the cause of a special few, but the cause of every man, woman and child who cares not only about his or her own family, but the whole family of man.” – Dr. Mildred Jefferson

“I do not believe the promises of the Declaration of Independence are just for the strong, the independent, the healthy. They are for everyone-including unborn children.” – George W. Bush

Where Is the Power of God?

R.C. Sproul

August 28, 2021

The last sermon Martin Luther preached was in the second week of February 1546 in his hometown of Eisleben. Two days later, he would become ill and soon after perish. In this last sermon, Luther preached with passion about his concern for Germany. He observed that after the gospel had been rediscovered—after light had dawned and pushed aside the darkness that had eclipsed it during the Middle Ages—people were now becoming somewhat jaded to the gospel. They could hear it from virtually every pulpit in Germany, but it was no longer something that ignited fire in their bones. Instead, peasants were journeying to see relics throughout various villages in Germany, which signified a return to the system of medieval Roman Catholicism.

The peasants were going to these villages because in one town, they boasted the possession of the trousers of Joseph, and another one had a vial of milk from the breast of the Virgin Mary. And so, people flocked to these places just to get a glimpse of the pants of St. Joseph and the milk of Mary the Mother of Jesus. Luther was very upset about this. He wondered, “Why in the world would peasants anywhere make an arduous journey just to see a piece of cloth that was worn by Joseph?” The answer was very simple: they were looking for power. They believed that the relics of the saints contained power—power to heal, power to forgive, and power to transform their lives.

In his dying sermon, Luther pled with the people not to be fooled by impotent articles that weren’t the real thing. He implored them not to seek after these things as if they were an improvement to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The problem that Luther had identified is that the people were departing from the power of God.

Departing From the Power of God

When Paul introduces himself at the beginning of his epistle to the Romans, he says that he is “set apart for the gospel of God” (Romans 1:1). That’s the first mention of the gospel in his epistle, an epistle that is itself an exposition of the gospel. Notice whose gospel it is: he is set apart to the gospel of God. Paul is saying that the gospel is God’s possession. He owns it. He is its author.

This gospel is the very gospel of the kingdom crystallized into a message about its King. The gospel is objectively about the person and work of Jesus. That’s God’s gospel. And anyone preaching any other gospel is not preaching God’s gospel. My personal testimony may be meaningful to somebody, but it’s not the gospel. The content of the gospel is Jesus.

Paul continues speaking about his indebtedness for having been set apart to preach this gospel. He’s a debtor to the Jew and to the Greek, to the wise and to the unwise, to the cultured and to the barbarian, to every place that he goes (Rom. 1:14–15). He has a debt to pay. He has an obligation to fulfill to preach that gospel.

But what he says next is what we most need to understand: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel.” Why? “For it is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16).

That’s what Luther was trying to say in his last sermon. Where’s the power? It’s in the Word, and we’re looking for it everywhere else. I doubt if any of us have relic collections, but some churches seek power in adding a coffee shop to their church or pursuing the latest trendy church-growth method. These things don’t have power. There is a formula for a prosperous and successful ministry, and that formula is in preaching the Word of God in season and out of season.

This article on the power of God was adapted from the 2008 Ligonier Ministries Pastors Conference message from Dr. R.C. Sproul titled “Preach the Word.”

Randy Alcorn: We Don’t Define God’s Love – Scripture Does

Randy Alcorn

August 28, 2021

If we asked people to vote on a divine character quality they most appreciate, God’s love would surely receive far more votes than His holiness. Christians tend to reflect our culture, and because our culture values love and devalues holiness, we do the same. We have taken one precious divine attribute, love, defined it as we please, then used our redefinition to neutralize other attributes of God’s that don’t appeal to us.

Consider, for example, this comic:

The artist explains,

Jesus says to a group of people holding their bibles, “The difference between me and you is you use scripture to determine what loves means and I use love to determine what scripture means.” This upsets some because to them Jesus IS the Bible, conflated and equated. And the Bible is love, conflated and equated. They commit the unavoidable hermeneutical method of reading into the text their understanding of what it means. We all do it. In fact, it can’t be helped! They may presume they’re doing letting the Bible speak for itself, but that’s impossible. We all have our own hermeneutic.

…We all bring to the text our own minds (open or closed) and our own hearts (hard or soft) and will read into the text our own predispositions. This is why we see the perplexing reality of terrorists and peace-activists inspired by the same Bible. So, it comes down to the personal internal work of self-awareness, humility, and a willingness to learn and grow. This almost always happens during deconstruction.

I agree that everyone brings assumptions and an interpretive grid to the text of Scripture. We all have a systematic theology—it’s just that often it’s full of holes and not biblically based. That’s why we must engage in smart study of God’s Word, seeking to understand what He is communicating throughout the entirety of the Bible rather than trusting our own “personal internal work.” (This artist mentioned deconstruction. For an excellent treatment of progressive Christianity, see Another Gospel: A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity by Alisa Childers.)

Defining God’s Love

It concerns me when those who profess to be Christians simply redefine what Scripture says in order to accommodate whatever the culture currently believes, supposing they are more loving, kind, and relevant Christians. Once we deny parts of God’s truth, we’re no longer under the authority of Scripture. We become our own authority. The Jesus we speak of will not be the Scripture-believing Jesus of the Bible who was full of both grace and truth. He will just be the “loving Jesus” remade in our culture’s image—and in our image—in which we redefine love as absolute tolerance and moral indifference.

Is it possible for Christians to act in harsh ways that are profoundly unloving, and to use Scripture in ways that dishonor Christ? Yes, sadly, it is. Let’s not forget that Jesus rebuked the religious leaders because they imagined they could love God without loving people (Luke 10:25-37). If we don’t genuinely love people, who are created in God’s image, we can’t love God (1 John 4:8).

There are two temptations when it comes to love: to imagine we are speaking the truth, but neglect to show grace; and to err on the side of grace, and never speak the truth. When we do the later, we might think, “Love means that you approve of people, and you never say or do anything to make them uncomfortable.”

God’s Word shows us that if you truly love someone, you’re looking out for their best interests. Scripture says we are to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Love is not always comfortable. Jesus is our ultimate example of this authentic love—a love that acted, intervened, and was willing to take the greatest risks and most severe consequences to rescue mankind from destruction and to satisfy the demands of His holiness.

Jesus shows us exactly what God looks like. Problems arise when we trust our own subjective picture of Jesus over what the Bible says and shows. The same Jesus who spoke words of tender love and forgiveness also spoke some of the harshest words of condemnation in Scripture.

God did not cease to be uncompromisingly holy when Jesus came into the world. God’s eternal character does not change (see Malachi 3:6; James 1:17). That means the following Old Testament declarations remain just as true now as when they first appeared in Scripture:

Who is like you—

majestic in holiness,

awesome in glory,

working wonders? (Exodus 15:11)

Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God? (1 Samuel 6:20)

Your ways, O God, are holy. (Psalm 77:13)

Exalt the LORD our God

and worship at his footstool;

he is holy….

You were to Israel a forgiving God,

though you punished their misdeeds.

Exalt the LORD our God

and worship at his holy mountain,

for the LORD our God is holy. (Psalm 99:5, 8–9)

God’s attributes of holiness, purity, and righteousness prompt Him to hate evil, including some human attitudes and actions; and yes, even some people. David writes, “He [God] is angry with the wicked every day” (Psalm 7:11, NLT). David also says, “You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell. The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong. You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors” (Psalm 5:4–6).

These statements make clear that our loving God won’t allow the wicked to dwell in His presence. Certainly, He hates sin; but passages such as this go further by saying, “You hate all who do wrong.” If we place God’s love above His holiness, such statements will seem appalling. And they will seem especially jarring when we hear John, the “apostle of love,” say something like, “Whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains [present tense] on him” (John 3:36).

The God of love is also a God of wrath (see Romans 1:18). Evil angers God. He hates evil, despises it, and will punish it. Yet the God who punishes is the same loving God who chose to bear our punishment in Christ and offer us pardon. If we don’t accept His atoning work, however, we remain subject to eternal punishment. Any affirmation of God’s love that fails to acknowledge the demands of His holiness distorts God’s character and truth, and undermines the gospel.

This article on defining God’s love originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

Salvation Message for Kids: 4 Things You Should Stop Saying

Dan Scott

August 27, 2021

Because I’ve written about Five Principles for a Salvation Message, I try to be acutely aware of the words and phrases I use. When talking to children about putting their faith in Jesus, it’s important to remember that they understand abstract concepts differently from adults. To clearly explain the meaning of believing in and following Jesus, use care when presenting a salvation message for kids.

It’s best to avoid these 4 caveats and phrases when sharing a salvation message for kids:

1. “Invite Jesus into your heart.”

After giving a talk on creating a meaningful salvation message for kids, a leader asked, “Why aren’t the kids responding to our invitation to have Jesus come live in their heart? Who wouldn’t want Jesus living inside them?!”

And while I agree with that intent, think about the reality of how children might understand this concept:

Jesus—who you’ve just told them is a real adult human being—will somehow INHABIT THEIR BODY. How does He get in there? Do you swallow Him? Do I need a special surgery? Where will He live? What will He eat?

Children have many questions about this phrase, which yield confusing and possibly disturbing answers. Kids attach what they hear to what they know. Kids have a hard time understanding metaphors and abstract associations. So for a child: Jesus + Inside + My + Heart = GROSS!

2. “Once you believe in Jesus, everything will be better.”

Sure, of course this is true. But it’s not true how a child might envision this being true.

Let’s say… I’m living in poverty. I have one full meal a day. I sleep on the floor. And wear the same clothes every day. Or my parents are separating with no hope of reconciliation. Or I’m not that great in school. I can never get higher than a C on my test and quizzes.

Then one Sunday I hear a message about this Jesus who lived and died and rose again for me. And that when I put my faith in Him, everything will be better because He is with me. I put my trust in Him with all my heart. I believe that this, all that you just told me about my new life with Christ, is true.

And I wait… Wait for my economic position to change. Wait for my parents to reconcile Wait for my grades to improve.

After all, I was told that my life should be better, right? But it’s not.

And now I start to wonder if this Jesus thing didn’t work. Maybe my prayer wasn’t the right prayer or I didn’t have enough faith. Because I was told my life would be better… But. It’s. Not.

As adults, our brains can understand that “better” might mean something emotional, something closer to a peace with our situation or a new-found determination to help change it. “Better” might be having a community of like-minded friends who will help us through what we’re facing.

Jesus never promises that life will be “better.” He actually promises that life will often be difficult because of our faith in him (see: Matthew 7:13-14 , Mark 8:34-35 , Luke 10:3 , John 16:33). But he also promises to be with us. And that’s what makes life better. We’re no longer alone. We have hope that Jesus has overcome the world. No matter what we face, we know He has won, and eventually, all will be made new.

In the meantime, we’re promised a peace that passes understanding as we travel in a world still broken by sin. “Better” is true. But only in as much as a child can understand the abstract meaning behind that word. Be careful that the words in your salvation message for kids don’t set them up for disappointment.

President Biden Quotes Isaiah 6:8 After Telling ISIS-K America Will Hunt Them Down

Jesse T. Jackson

August 27, 2021

President Joe Biden quoted an Old Testament Bible verse as he addressed the recent terror attacks in Kabul that killed 12 U.S. Marines and one Navy medic during a press conference on Thursday.

Attacks took place on Thursday when two suicide bombers and a gunman targeted the large crowds of Afghan people swarming Kabul’s airport in an attempt to flee the Taliban’s reign. The Islamic State group (ISIS-K) took responsibility for the attacks, which in addition to the deaths of 13 U.S. troops, claimed the lives of at least 92 Afghans and injured over 140 more (these numbers continue to rise).

The President of the United States directed stern words toward the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), the group believed to behind the attack, during his Thursday afternoon press conference. Biden said, “To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this: We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay.”

“I will defend our interest in our people with every measure at my command,” Biden reassured the country. The President then shared that terrorists will not deter the United States aggressive Afghanistan evacuation mission.

U.S. Commanders have been ordered to develop plans to strike ISIS-K assets, its leadership, and facilities. The U.S. response to the attacks will be of the U.S.’s choosing and timing, Biden explained.

“These ISIS terrorists will not win…America will not be intimidated.”

Drawing Inspiration From the Book of Isaiah

The President, who is Catholic, referenced the Bible in an effort to honor the servicemen and servicewomen who willingly go places such as Afghanistan. Using the Old Testament passage Isaiah 6:8, Biden said, “Those who have served through the ages have drawn inspiration from the book of Isaiah when the Lord says, ‘Whom shall I send? Who shall go for us?’”

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

“American military has been answering for a long time, ‘Here I am, Lord, send me,’ ” Biden declared. “Each one of these women and men of our armed forces are the heirs of that tradition of sacrifice of volunteering to go into harm’s way to risk everything not for glory, not for profit, but to defend what we love and the people we love.”

Biden then asked for everyone to join him in a “moment of silence for all those in uniform and out uniform – military and civilian, who have given the last full measure of devotion.”

Before taking questions from reporters, the President said, “Thank you. May God bless you all. And may God protect those troops and all those standing watch for America. We have so much to do. It’s within our capacity to do it. We just have to remain steadfast.”

Using Scripture Out of Context

Some faith leaders took to Twitter after Biden used the Bible reference in his address and pointed out that the Scripture was used out of context. Pastor Dwight McKissic agreed with pastor D.J. Jenkins when he posted, “No. Just no. This is the type of ridiculous attributing Scripture out of context to something directly in the United States that we’ve seen on the Right. It’s no less wrong when the Left does it. The Kingdom of the United States ≠ The Kingdom of God.”

Agreed! https://t.co/sqglyHrUyJ

— Dwight McKissic (@pastordmack) August 27, 2021

Outreach Magazine’s editor-in-chief Ed Stetzer wrote: “It was deeply jarring for me and other Christians to hear Isaiah 6:8 used by President Biden in his recent address… Let me be clear: It is never appropriate to take the mission of God in Scripture and apply it to the American military, the American dream or the American way of life. They are not interchangeable. The Kingdom of God and earthly kingdoms are not one and the same, nor does the kingdom of God depend on the success of earthly governments, movements, campaigns or wars.”

You can watch President Biden’s press conference below:

Paige Hilken’s Memorial Service

Comparison is the thief of joy? No: it’s the slaughterhouse.

Who Made God: 7 KidMin Lessons to Use

1. Days of Creation Game

2. Creation Mini-Book Printable

3. Creation Corner

4. God Is Good

5. In the Beginning

6. Creation Bible Studies

7. Created for a Purpose

How to Answer Tough Questions

An independent practice

A religion for the 21st century

Gov. Tate Reeves Faces Crises

Stefen Wisniewski: Joy in Jesus Surpasses All

NFL Player Stays Focused on Faith

The gospel has been advancing for centuries.

Here are some of our favorite (lesser-known) C.S. Lewis quotes:

Why Do Many Christians Struggle to Read the Bible?

Begin with an Overview of the Bible

The Old Testament Overview:

The New Testament Overview:

10 Steps to Awesome Children’s Ministry

1. VISION

2. LEADERSHIP

3. VOLUNTEER TEAM

4. DYNAMIC SERVICES / CLASSES

5. CULTURE

“The right to life is the first among human rights.” – Pope Francis

“This is a debate about our understanding of human dignity, what it means to be a member of the human family, even though tiny, powerless and unwanted.” – Henry Hyde

“Sweeter even than to have had the joy of children of my own has it been for me to help bring about a better state of things for mothers generally, so that their unborn little ones could not be willed away from them.” – Susan B. Anthony

“Children and unborn children should be protected by law and welcomed into life.” – George W. Bush

“The fight for the right to life is not the cause of a special few, but the cause of every man, woman and child who cares not only about his or her own family, but the whole family of man.” – Dr. Mildred Jefferson

“I do not believe the promises of the Declaration of Independence are just for the strong, the independent, the healthy. They are for everyone-including unborn children.” – George W. Bush

Departing From the Power of God

Defining God’s Love

It’s best to avoid these 4 caveats and phrases when sharing a salvation message for kids:

1. “Invite Jesus into your heart.”

2. “Once you believe in Jesus, everything will be better.”

Drawing Inspiration From the Book of Isaiah

Using Scripture Out of Context

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