Former Wayland Baptist University Wrestler Wins Olympic Gold

August 4, 2021

American Tamyra Mensah-Stock made history after becoming the first Black woman to win an Olympic Gold Medal for women’s wrestling.

Mensah-Stock started her wrestling career in the 10th grade after her sister encouraged her to become a role model in a sport that needed it. “When I first started wrestling, I wanted to be an emblem,” Mensah-Stock said in an interview following her win. “A light to younger women [to] show them that you can be silly, you can have fun and you can be strong.” Throughout her career Mensah-Stock has been just that.

After graduating from Texas High School in Texarkana, Texas, where she was back-to-back high school girls champion in 2010 and 2011, Mensah-Stock attended Wayland Baptist University and became their 2014 and 2017 Nationals Champion.

“In your wildest imagination did you think you’d ever win an Olympic Gold Medal?” a recent interviewer asked. “YES! 100 percent, yes,” Mensah-Stock said. “I knew I could do it. I knew it’d be hard. I prayed that I could do it.”

Mensah-Stock didn’t just win, she dominated in all her matches. When asked if she was surprised by her results, Mensah-Stock gave all glory to God. “It’s by the grace of God I’m able to even move my feet. I just leave it in His hands. I pray that all the practice that my coaches put me through pays off, and every single time it does.”

Saying she believes all things are possible through God’s strength, Mensah-Stock said, “It’s so weird that there is no cap to to the limit that I can do, and I’m excited for what I have next.”

With the American flag draped around her shoulders, Mensah-Stock made a heart sign with her hands. The gold medalist told everyone back home, “I love representing the U.S. I freaking love living there…I’m so happy I get to represent U.S.A.”

Mensah-Stock’s joy was infectious as she said she can’t wait to get home to celebrate with her husband and her dogs.

You can watch the full interview here.

The #1 Quality Non-Christians Look For

James Emery White

August 4, 2021

According to the research of the Barna Group, there is one quality above all others that non-Christians and lapsed Christians look for in a person with whom to talk about faith.

Any guesses what it might be?

It would be reasonable to think that perhaps it may be sufficient knowledge by which to answer their questions. Or perhaps some kind of relational tie—someone they know or are related to. It might even be suggested that having something in common – age, race, sex – would be most desired.

Ready for it?

The #1 answer is “listens without judgment” (62%).

But do we even know what that entails? Let’s see if we can unpack it a bit… through the eyes of a non-Christian, I mean.

First, it means that you listen. Really listen. You are not simply waiting for your turn to speak. You are truly engaged. You let them do the majority of the talking until they invite you to respond.

Second, it means that you empathize with what they have to say. You can empathize without agreeing, just like you can be accepting without being affirming. And when it comes time to respond, you begin with empathy. Such as, “I can only imagine how hard that must have been for you,” or “I can see why this would be so confusing,” or “I know exactly how you feel—I’ve felt so many of those very things myself.”

Third, it means that you look at them through the eyes of God, who sees them as someone precious to Him and worthy of the death of His Son to try to save. And if you can, throw in a good dose of remembering what you were like, and where you were at, before coming to God through Jesus.

This is the essence of a lack of judgment. A lack of judgment does not mean you throw out truth, discernment or conviction. It is simply the lack of condemnation. Over and over, we read how Jesus did not come to condemn, but to save. Yet too many Christians seem to believe that the only way someone can be saved is to condemn them and their actions. As I wrote in Christianity for People Who Aren’t Christians, a book written to and for those who have yet to embrace the faith,

If you have encountered this spirit, you have every right to be repulsed by it. It’s a terrible thing to experience. Even more tragic is to find it among those who claim to be followers of Jesus. We all have a desire to receive grace—that incredible commodity that sees us for who we really are, not just for our mistakes, failures and flaws; that dispenser of forgiveness; that spirit that restores those who have fallen, so amazing that we sing songs about this “Amazing Grace”; that powerful force unleashed on this planet by Jesus Himself. So it can be incredibly devastating to discover that sometimes the last place it’s found is with Jesus’ people. Why does this happen? It’s simple. Some Jesus people are not being very “Jesusy.”

Finally, when you do offer something in response, you begin with grace and work outwards to the truth. To be clear, the great dynamic of the gospel is grace and truth in equal parts. Truth without grace is just judgment; grace without truth is just licentiousness. But in regard to the art of evangelism, Jesus tended to begin with grace and acceptance first, and then, once established and having earned the right to be heard, He turned to the relevant truth for their life that was at hand.

As we read in the Bible, to the woman at the well, it was radical cultural acceptance and breaking down relational walls before addressing her serial promiscuity. With the woman caught in adultery, it was dismissing the rock-throwers and assuring her of His own lack of condemnation before reminding her she should go and sin no more. When He came to Zacchaeus, it was asking to eat in his home and get to know one another before the conviction of his financial misdeeds took root.

The only time Jesus seemed to break this pattern of starting with grace and acceptance and working outward from that foundation toward truth was when He engaged the insufferably pious who thought themselves quite fine spiritually, thank you. Then, a full undressing courtesy of truth was the opening gambit.

So, let’s return to where we began. There is one quality non-Christians and lapsed Christians look for in a person with whom to talk about faith above all others, and it is “listens without judgment” (62%).

Ready for the other eye-opening finding from their research?

Only a minority of said non-Christians and lapsed Christians (34%) say the Christians they know personally possess this quality.

Sources

“What Non-Christians Want from Faith Conversations,” Barna Group, February 19, 2019, read online.

James Emery White, Christianity for People Who Aren’t Christians (Baker).

This article originally appeared here.

Lee Strobel: Why Does God Allow Suffering ?

Lee Strobel

August 4, 2021

Nothing about the clear blue skies on the morning of September 11, 2001 hinted that America was about to be the victim of the deadliest foreign assault ever on U.S. soil. There are so many tragic stories, so much pain. And many people are asking the question, “Why? Why does God allow suffering?”

All told, 2,974 people were killed in the 9/11 attacks, which President George W. Bush called “evil, despicable acts of terror” and “acts of mass murder.” In the decades since, nearly 4,000 firemen and first responders have died from cancers and other 9/11-related medical conditions. This tragedy has prompted many to ask the question, “Why?”

Why Does God Allow Suffering?

And those tragic events are on top of the everyday pain and suffering being experienced in individual lives—maybe including yours. There’s illness, abuse, broken relationships, betrayal, sorrow, injuries, disappointment, heartache, crime and death. And perhaps you’ve been asking the question, “Why? Why me? Why now?”

That why does God allow suffering question goes back thousands of years. It was asked in the Old Testament by Job and the writers of the Psalms, and it was especially relevant during the 20th century, where we witnessed two World Wars, the Holocaust, genocides in the Soviet Union and China, devastating famines in Africa, the killing fields of Cambodia, the emergence of AIDS, the genocide in Rwanda and the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo. Why all of this if there’s a loving and powerful God? Why do bad things happen to good people?

Several years ago, I commissioned a national survey and asked people what question they’d ask if they could only ask God one thing. The number one response was “why does God allow suffering in the world?” (Incidentally, I did find an interesting statistical quirk—people who are married were much more likely to want to know why there’s so much suffering. I’m just sayin’.)

Why Does God Allow Pain?

But if you’ve never asked why our world is infected with pain and suffering, you will when they strike you with full force or they come to a loved one. And Jesus said they are coming. Unlike some other religious leaders who wrote off pain and suffering as just being illusions, Jesus was honest. He told us the truth. He said in John 16:33, “You will have suffering in this world.” He didn’t say you might—he said it is going to happen.

But why? If you ask me point-blank, “Why did God allow the terrorists to do this?” the only answer I can honestly give consists of four words: “I do not know.”

I cannot stand in the shoes of God and give a complete answer to that question. I don’t have God’s mind. I don’t see with God’s eyes. First Corinthians 13:12 says, “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.”

Trying to Run From God (and Failing)

Ethan Renoe

August 4, 2021

It felt like there a lump was in my lung today on my run. It was most assuredly the normal out-of-breath-ness that comes when you’re not exercising the way you should, you feel half-sick, and you start running again. And that’s exactly what I was doing. Getting back into the habit of my summer runs.

However, with the scares of an invisible and imminent virus floating around, mixed with my doctor telling me I had cancer a few months ago mixed with the fact that I am still sick after 19 months, tossed in with a local boy who took his own life last week. It felt like a lot more than a mere burning in my lungs.

Trying to Run From God

Most 28-year-olds believe they’re not even close to the halfway point of their lives. I, however, need to continually remind myself that I probably have over half of my own life left.

Jesus says to Lazarus, “this sickness will not end in death,” and what does Lazarus go and do? Die.

Will my sickness end in death? I can’t help but wonder if the answer is always going to be no, even after I die.

Because no one born of the Spirit ever really dies, do they?

I don’t know what it all means, and I’m not yet convinced it’s not all ancient Sanskrit gibberish, but I really want to believe that the man Jesus Christ was as wonderful as I see Him being: A man who critiques toxic power structures, less of the political world, and more the religious one.

A man who gives the finger to the holier-than-thou judges and breaks bread with the sinners. A man who kills death. What do you do with a man like that?

Reading through the gospels slowly has been a huge boon in disguise to me in this season. A season filled with doubt — and don’t go ooing and ahhing, because doubt, when truly experienced, feels like the thin shelf on which you perched (we will name it ‘paradigm’ or ‘metaphysic’) is being shattered and you have no idea what form of existence lies beneath this shelf.

Is it a river running wild as Semuc Champey in Guatemala, waiting to suck you into an underground vortex? Or is it something more sinister — perhaps the one thing more chaotic than water: fire?

Or is it neither, as we will neither drown nor burn, because God doesn’t want those things for us?

Because this sickness will not end in death.

This death will not end in death.

My lungs burned as the silky, sexy sunlight slid downward, shooting off pink and blue confetti cannons into the Colorado sky, but all I could think about was what to do with my remaining minutes of life on this side of the casket.

Moreover, how would I ensure that the skirt-wearing Egyptian guard dog gods would grant me safe passage to the pleasant afterlife? How do we know the Hebrews got it right, not the Egyptians? Or maybe the Hittites were the ones with the correct answer to the Great Mystery, but King David wiped them out and here we are, trusting a crazed Carpenter from Galilee who says His forefather did the right thing.

See what I’m saying?

History and scriptures are written by winners and passed down by a lot of scared people who are hoping that the straw they grasped was the right one.

The thing I can’t escape, however, is Jesus. The man. The human.

Hear me out — it’s not just Christianese mumbo-jumbo, I promise. Joseph Smith and Muhammad invented the same religion (if you don’t believe me, watch this), and it’s garbage. Their messages; the ‘truths’ they preached were utter manmade nonsense. Actual feces. On the level of Harry Potter, but less entertaining.

Joseph and Mo were men. They died and stayed that way.

The Buddha and Dalai Lama and Ghandi were legit — more legit than many American pastors today who wear thousand dollar clothes and preach other garbage messages (I’ve heard more accurate truths creep out of my bum) — but they were not gods. They were also men who died.

Also thrown into the mix is the cultural environment in which these manmade religions took root: They reflect the culture and ethics of the people groups they represent. Mormonism is undeniably a white, American religion, no question about it, just as Islam reflects the Medina of Muhammad’s youth and doesn’t easily bend its message for those outside the Middle Eastern (or Arabic-speaking) world.

Jesus, however, deconstructs the human, lawful elements of His own religion of Judaism and frees people from the burden of lifting themselves into heaven by following the Code.

Historically, there is no point in time to which His coming could have been better-suited. The gospel took advantage of the Roman road system which spanned Africa, Europe AND Asia, and used the common, global languages — Latin and Greek — to communicate it. The timing in the belt of history is just too perfect.

Ask yourself — as I am while writing this —

“If I were God and I wanted to interact with humans, how would I do it? When would I do it?” Purely strategically speaking, of course.

And what would I be for/against? Or, what would my message be?

Here’s my thought process:

Well, I would first need to show people that no power structures — political, religious, economic, or otherwise — can affect Me.

I would humiliate people who thought they were gods and lift up people who felt sub-human.

Because of people’s fickle hearts, I would need to show them a few tricks just to wow them with my powers. Show them I’m really God after all.

Then I would show them two things: How much they should sacrifice for one another…Why? Because God Himself is willing to sacrifice for them. To maintain relationship. It wouldn’t be pretty.

Jesus somehow meets my expectations and defies them simultaneously. When I really think about it, it is nearly impossible for me to talk myself away from Him because of the love He shows and the truth He speaks.

Not because I want to — because there are a lot of Christians in the world I’d rather not associate myself with. See above, re: rich, famous pastors.

Not because it’s popular.

Not because I believe it easily all the time.

Not because it makes scientific sense.

Not because it’s just the way I was raised.

Not because I’m scared of going to hell.

But because It is what it is. God is who God is. And this Jesus person may not get me all the way to the ground, but He gets me a lot closer than any other joker who has claimed to carry the truth in his jaw.

Because when I embrace the Bible as true, not just ancient writings or a feel-good manual, Jesus simply must be the cause of creation.

The ground of all existence.

The source of knowledge and the foundation of my metaphysic.

That thing that is greater than all things.

That thing that is before all things, breathing meaning into matter.

So on my run, while I was having an existential meltdown over the burning in my lungs, I felt a small voice whisper one of the names of Yeshua into my ear: The Prince of Peace.

Because no other title will serve to set my fickle, fearful heart at ease. No other person will arrive and put a healing finger on my wounds, not unlike the alien from E.T.

Try as I may to rage against Him indefinitely, I can’t bring myself to escape Him.

Perhaps that’s the point.

Perhaps it’s why marriage is such a strong tool for communicating what life with God is like: Someone you want to escape from and caress at the same time. A slow way to be crucified.

Perhaps even my anger at God has led me back to Him again, and here I sit, like a little kid who’s still pouting about not getting their way while they’re wrapped up in the arms of their mother.

So despite my best efforts, I haven’t escaped being a Christian quite yet.

Maybe next time I’ll get away.

This article on trying to run from God originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

Churches Without Broken People Are Broken Churches

Ed Stetzer

August 4, 2021

It is a natural thing for Christians to want to be around other Christians. Something special happens in the fellowship of believers but too much of a good thing can lead to broken churches.

We can worship freely, study deeply and communicate clearly. Hanging out with like-minded people who (appear to) “have their stuff together” can be a wonderful thing.

But how well are we engaging those who aren’t as spiritually stable as we (think we) are?

Churches Without Broken People Are Broken Churches

I’ve been fascinated by the fact that a lot of Christians don’t seem to like non-Christians—otherwise known as “the lost,” “the unchurched” or whatever other term you may want to use. They want to keep away from the messy people—perhaps missing the obvious, that we are messy as well.

Who Is on Your Friends List?

It is kind of interesting that after coming to Christ and growing in knowledge, we often end up distancing ourselves from some of our former friends. And then, as we begin to grow in spiritual maturity, we find that we have less and less time for the hurting and struggling.

We have found the one thing that meets the need in our lives, but we keep our distance from those who need the very thing we’ve found. I don’t think this separation is intentional, but it does happen, and in the end, our intentions don’t matter.

Our needs get met and we move on, oblivious to a world that is falling apart all around us.

That is not the way of Christ.

Jesus lived differently. One of the common criticisms Jesus faced was that He spent too much time with sinners. He associated with the unwelcomed and unappreciated of society. How many of us could be accused of spending too much time with the “riff raff”?

A church without the broken is a broken church.

It wasn’t that Jesus was waiting for Paul to write “bad company corrupts good morals” in 1 Corinthians. No one better understood the importance of spiritual maturity, scriptural knowledge, a robust prayer life and positive influences than Jesus.

But He also knew that these things were not just for His personal benefit. These disciplines and lifestyle choices need to be shared with those who are lost. The Christian life is not about finding safety and comfort; it’s about finding yourself in a dangerous place of vulnerable compassion.

Separated From the Separated

Personally, I came from a dysfunctional family—I could list our issues, but that is not my point. One day, I was talking with one of my daughters about the dysfunction I experienced growing up. That kind of life is hard for her to imagine because of how our family works today. Though we have our own issues, we just don’t have the same kind of dysfunction I had growing up.

She asked why some families go our way and others go the way of dysfunction. I told her there are several factors that determine personal and family stability, but in our case, we were changed by the power of the gospel.

But in talking about that, I was struck by the fact that having grown up in a broken home, I know what it looks like to be in the mess of day-to-day living. But my daughters, they know it a lot less.

I praise God they don’t have to deal with some of the problems that come through such brokenness. But I think my daughters may, in a sense, be representative of what many Christians have experienced—they don’t know what it’s like.

If the Government Enforces New COVID Restrictions, Will Your Church Survive?

Jesse T. Jackson

August 3, 2021

Last week, the COVID-19 Delta variant surge prompted President Joe Biden to hint at the possibility that the U.S. may experience another round of restrictions and possible lockdowns like it did during the onset and height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

When Biden was asked whether America should expect an increase in COVID-19 restrictions, he said, “In all probability.”

Biden’s comments came after the CDC released new guidelines recommending vaccinated people, not just the unvaccinated, wear masks indoors as a result of uncontrolled spread of the highly contagious Delta variant, which is a mutation of the original virus. Current data shows the Delta variant spreads to an average of 8 to 9 people for every person infected, while the original strain of the virus spreads to an average of 2 to 3 for each person infected. The Delta variant produces a viral load roughly 1,000 times higher than the original strain. Nearly all COVID deaths in the U.S. are now among unvaccinated people.

The government has been grappling with vaccination mandates throughout the U.S. in an effort to get the pandemic under control. New York’s Mayor Bill de Blasio recently announced “Key to NYC Pass,” which requires all employees and customers of indoor restaurants, gyms and entertainment centers to show proof they have the COVID vaccine, or they cannot work, dine or participate.

Is Your Church Prepared?

The President’s and the CDC’s comments last week may foreshadow future restrictions around the U.S. Because we have been here before, it seems pertinent for churches to be discussing the possibility of reinstated COVID restrictions. Churches may need to answer questions such as:

What did we learn from the first experience that we can put into practice now?
What if our church must require masks for everyone for in-person worship?
What if our church must return to social-distancing guidelines?
How will small groups and specialized ministries continue to function?
Will we have to provide more worship gatherings and options?
Will we need to worship outside? What would that look like?
What if our church is asked to return to strictly virtual worship services for season?

The “what if’s” can be endless. The main question, though, is whether your church leadership is talking about the possibilities and how best to respond.

What Did Prior Lockdowns Teach Us?

If prior lockdowns taught the church body anything, it was that we have a need to pray for our leaders more than ever. Pastors are faced with hard decisions on a regular basis, but the pressures of last year’s pandemic made those decisions much tougher. Many pastors left or are planning to leave ministry altogether because COVID-19 pushed them to a breaking point.

UPDATE: ‘Praise God!!!’—Billy Graham’s Grandson Is Home

Jessica Lea

August 3, 2021

UPDATED August 3, 2021: “PRAISE GOD!” Anne Graham Lotz posted on Facebook updating her followers that her son Johnathan Lotz is now home after an eight-day COVID-19 battle that landed him in the ICU.

Jonathan contracted the Delta variant that led to him developing pneumonia.

“God has heard and answered your prayers for my son,” Anne said, before quoting from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership…” in prayer …”from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who has begun a good work…in Jonathan…will carry it on to completion…”

Jonathan’s mother asked for continued prayers a for her son’s recovery, who is shown in the photo still receiving oxygen. “Blessing upon blessing to each of you who have helped carry him in prayer,” she said.

UPDATED July 29, 2021: Jonathan Lotz, grandson of the late Rev. Billy Graham, is no longer in the intensive care unit. Lotz’ mother, Anne Graham Lotz posted an update on her Facebook page Wednesday with the good news.

“PRAISE GOD!!!” said Anne Graham Lotz. “Praise our prayer-hearing, prayer-answering God! Jonathan has just been moved out of ICU. Now he begins rehab!!” She posted a picture of her mother, Ruth Bell Graham, with Jonathan, saying, “My precious mother taught me the following poem that seems appropriate now.” The poem reads:

Trust Him when dark doubts assail thee,

Trust Him when they strength is small.

Trust Him when to simply trust Him is the hardest thing of all.

Trust Him He is ever faithful.

Trust Him for His will is best.

Trust Him for the heart of Jesus is the only place to rest.

Trust Him then through tears and sunshine,

All thy cares upon Him cast.
Till the storms of life are over and the trusting days are past.

“Thank you, thank you for carrying Jonathan on your knees! Please continue to pray he will go from strength to strength with no permanent side effects!” said Anne Graham Lotz, concluding by quoting from Psalm 18:1-3, which says in part:

I love you, LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies.

ChurchLeaders original article written on July 6, 2021, below:

Jonathan Lotz, one of the grandsons of the late evangelist Billy Graham, has been hospitalized in critical condition with COVID-19. Lotz’ mother, Anne Graham Lotz, posted on her social media pages asking for prayer for her son.

“Jonathan is in ICU,” said Anne Graham Lotz in a post on Sunday evening. “Genesis 41:52 came to mind when I read the following text Jonathan sent me this morning. He is being fruitful in the land of his affliction: ‘I am physically exhausted yet Spiritually overflowing! I am continually pouring over the Psalms of Ascent (120-134) in ICU. I have had the privilege of sharing Jesus with the ER & ICU staff! What a Savior! God is so good!’”

Jonathan Lotz—Placed in the Arms of Jesus

Jonathan Lotz is an ordained minister who has worked for Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. He is now the director of Jonathan Lotz Ministries.

When Billy Graham passed away in February 2018, Lotz told with the Winston-Salem Journal that he was saved at eight years old after hearing his grandfather share the gospel at a televised crusade. “That night, I asked Jesus to come into my heart and he changed my life,” said Lotz.

Anne Graham Lotz, who herself has a ministry as an author and evangelist, said in a Saturday post, “Fifty years ago I could hold my son in my arms. Now I have placed him in the arms of Jesus.” Her brother, Franklin Graham, shared that post on his own Facebook page.

Anne Graham Lotz’ Sunday post about her son continues:

Please be encouraged that God is hearing and answering your prayers—just please don’t let up. Pray he will not have to go on a ventilator, that his oxygen levels would increase, that his lungs will be strengthened, healed and that his health will be fully restored—with no long term complications. My heart is filled with gratitude for your prayers.

Jay Kim: How COVID-19 Has Impacted My View of Online Church

Jason Daye

August 3, 2021

Jay Kim serves as lead pastor of teaching at WestGate Church in the Silicon Valley and as teacher-in-residence at Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz, Calif. He also serves on the leadership team of the ReGeneration Project and co-hosts the ReGeneration Podcast. Jay is featured in an in-depth interview in the March/April 2020 issue of Outreach magazine, and he is the author of “Analog Church: Why We Need Real People, Places, and Things in the Digital Age.” Jay and his wife, Jenny, live with their two kids in Silicon Valley.

Other Ways to Listen to This Podcast With Jay Kim

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

Key Questions for Jay Kim

-Did the COVID-19 pandemic change any of your views on digital versus in-person connection, or did it confirm what you already believed?

-Do you think church leaders were able to accomplish effective, transformative discipleship, even when not able to meet in person last year?

-One of the results of the pandemic is that many who had been attending church in person began attending online and have not returned to in-person services. What are your thoughts on this trend?

-There are pastors and church leaders who believe that authentic community can be developed exclusively online. Would you agree or disagree?

Key Quotes from Jay Kim

“I definitely have a greater appreciation for what digital can do…I am more grateful for those tools today in very pragmatic ways than I was pre-pandemic.”

“If you go back and read the book, I think I’m very clear that the problem is not technology. The problem is misuse or abuse of said technology.”

“Embodied human beings need embodied human beings. It wasn’t long after we went into lockdown that we began reading article after article about digital fatigue and Zoom fatigue.”

“What the pandemic has shown, more than anything in my opinion, is that digital is not enough. It’s a great tool, we’re grateful for it for sure, but it’s not enough.”

“Discipleship is a patient, deep, communal process, and a lifelong process.”

“Discipleship is about proximity and practice, that we live closely with Jesus and that we practice the way of Jesus and that way is by its very nature communal.”

Union Gospel Mission Seeks High Court Ruling on Hiring Case

AP News

August 3, 2021

SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission filed a petition Monday asking the U.S. Supreme Court to decide a case in which the Washington Supreme Court ruled in favor of a bisexual lawyer who sued the mission over its anti-LGBTQ hiring policy.

Attorney Matt Woods sued Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission in 2017 when the nonprofit refused to hire him to its free legal aid clinic after he disclosed he was in a same-sex relationship, the Seattle Times reported.

The mission, one of the largest homeless services nonprofits in the Seattle area, argued it was exempt from the state’s anti-discrimination law as a religious employer. A King County Superior Court judge agreed, dismissing Woods’ lawsuit.

The Washington Supreme Court overturned the judge’s decision, kicking Woods’ case back to the lower court and questioning whether the exemption applied to a staff attorney at a legal aid clinic within a religious organization. Monday’s petition argues this ruling showed hostility to the mission’s religious beliefs.

“Churches and religious organizations have the First Amendment right to hire those who share their beliefs without being punished by the government,” said John Bursch, a mission lawyer.

Lawyers for Woods said the services provided at a legal aid clinic, which helps homeless clients resolve issues like old warrants and immigration problems, weren’t covered by the state’s exemption for religious employers.

This article originally appeared here.

Singer and Cancer Survivor Nightbirde Leaves ‘AGT’ to Fight Illness

Jesse T. Jackson

August 3, 2021

UPDATED August 3, 2021: Jane Marczewski shared with the world on Monday that her time on ‘America’s Got Talent’ (AGT) must come to an end due to deteriorating health in her ongoing battle with cancer.

Marczewski, who goes by the stage name Nightbirde, said, “My point of view this summer has been astounding. What a miracle that the pain I’ve walked through can be reworked into beauty that makes people all over the world open their eyes wider.”

“Since my audition, my health has taken a turn for the worse, and the fight with cancer is demanding all of my energy and attention,” Marczewski shared. “I am so sad to announce that I won’t be able to continue forward on this season of AGT.”

The former Liberty University student’s uplifting attitude is contagious when you read her updates and hear her talented voice. As Marczewski thanked her supporters, she offered with these words of hope, “Stay with me; I’ll be better soon. I’m planning my future, not my legacy.”

Please keep Nightbirde in your prayers as she fights her battle with cancer.

ChurchLeaders original article written on June 10, 2021:

Liberty University Alumna and 3X Cancer Survivor Wows ‘AGT’ Judges

Zansville, Ohio, native and former Liberty University student Jane Marczewski performed an original song on ‘America’s Got Talent‘ (AGT) Tuesday night and wowed the judges and audience with her voice and story.

The 30-year-old singer goes by the stage name Nightbirde. She shared with the judges and audience that she is a three-time cancer survivor. The song she wrote and performed, ‘It’s Okay,’ poetically tells the story of the last year of her life.

Before her performance, AGT Judge Howie Mandel asked, “Do you sing for a living?”

“Not recently,” Marczewski said, because she has been battling cancer for “quite a few years.”

AGT Judge Simon Cowell asked Marczewski how she is doing now. “Last time I checked, I had some cancer in my lungs, and in my spine, and in my liver,” she replied. Cowell responded with a somber, “Wow,” and Mandel said, “So you’re not okay.”

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

“You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy.” – Nightbirde

Then, her incredible performance and unforgettable voice brought everyone in the auditorium to its feet, including all four judges. Cowell again said, “Wow!” and then told Marczewski, “Your voice is stunning…absolutely stunning.” The visibly emotional Cowell said he wasn’t going to give her a “Yes” to go to the next round. He instead pressed the Golden Buzzer that automatically advances Marczewski to the live competition.

“You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy,” Marczewski told the AGT viewers. She later said, “I have a 2 percent chance of survival, but two percent is not zero percent. Two percent is something, and I wish people knew how amazing it is.”

Marczewski Has Asked God Tough Questions

Marczewski poured her heart out in a blog post and welcomed those reading to peer through the window of her life’s emotions and faith. “I have had cancer three times now, and I have barely passed thirty. There are times when I wonder what I must have done to deserve such a story,” she wrote. “I fear sometimes that when I die and meet with God, that He will say I disappointed Him, or offended Him, or failed Him. Maybe He’ll say I just never learned the lesson, or that I wasn’t grateful enough. But one thing I know for sure is this: He can never say that He did not know me.”

The vulnerable post ended with an encouraging note. “Even on days when I’m not so sick, sometimes I go lay on the mat in the afternoon light to listen for Him. I know it sounds crazy, and I can’t really explain it, but God is in there—even now.”

During an interview, Marczewski shared what her encounters with God looked like during her dark and uncertain times battling cancer. She said, “For those people that are brave enough and courageous enough to look at God in the face during these seasons of questioning and disappointment and rage, there is a special piece of himself that The Lord reserves for those that are hurting as bad as you are.”

Why the Simone Biles Story Is a Lesson for All Christians

Jessica Lea

August 3, 2021

After withdrawing from most events at the Tokyo Olympics, gymnastics champion Simone Biles won a bronze medal Tuesday for her performance on the balance beam. Biles’ decision to withdraw from competition drew both praise and criticism from Christians and has sparked ongoing conversations about identity, mental health, and the definitions of strength and courage.

“I understand that some people may be disappointed,” says Ed Stetzer, executive director of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center and editor-in-chief of Outreach Magazine, “but I can’t imagine any Christian leader criticizing someone making a mental health decision. Simone Biles is a tremendous athlete, a role model, and now an example on how to speak up for one’s own mental health. Anyone with any sense (and Christlikeness) will come to the side of those who struggle—like Jesus did and called us to.”

Simone Biles: I Didn’t Quit

Simone Biles’ bronze medal is the seventh of her career, tying Biles with Shannon Miller for earning the most Olympic medals in the history of U.S. gymnastics. Biles went into the event not expecting to medal. “The pressure was there,” she said, “but I was doing it more for myself.”

The superstar’s win followed her stunning decision to withdraw from the team final after a shaky vault performance. Biles also withdrew from the all-around and other individual events because she could not overcome a mental block and feared seriously injuring herself. Her actions generated widespread support, as well as a surprising level of criticism. You can read more about them here.

Some Christians Labeled Simone Biles a ‘Quitter,’ ‘Selfish,’ ‘Sociopath’—But Pastors Should Applaud Her

Biles later explained that she was experiencing “the twisties,” meaning she was losing track of where she was in the air while vaulting. “It’s honestly petrifying trying to do a skill but not having your mind and body in sync,” she said. “Literally can not tell up from down. It’s the craziest feeling ever. Not having an inch of control over your body. What’s even scarier is since I have no idea where I am in the air I also have NO idea how I am going to land. Or what I am going to land on. Head/hands/feet back…”

Said the gymnast. “I didn’t have a bad performance and quit. I’ve had plenty of bad performances throughout my career and finished competition. I simply got so lost my safety was at risk as well as a team medal.”

However, “quitting” is exactly what Biles’ critics have accused her of doing. Some high profile Christians have said that Biles lacked the toughness to push through her challenges. They believe she let her country down and should have let someone else take her place on the team if she were unable to handle the pressure. Jenna Ellis tweeted that Charlie Kirk (who called Biles a “selfish sociopath”) was “right about Simone Biles selfishly abandoning her @TeamUSA teammates to ‘do what’s best for me.’ This is the pathetic mantra of the day.”

Seth Dillon, CEO of Christian news satire site The Babylon Bee, accused Biles of “cowardice” and “weakness.” The Bee later mocked Biles and those praising her with the headline, “Simone Biles Awarded Non-Participation Trophy.”

Simone Biles Prompts Important Conversation

The conversation surrounding Simone Biles’ decision is more than the latest cultural controversy. It highlights the stigma that remains around treating mental health as important as physical health, and it also reveals the values of American culture and the American church. How are we defining “strength” or “courage”? Is it strength never to show or acknowledge weakness?

One Twitter user observed, “For all the talk about ‘toughness’ I’ve yet to see a good definition of what real toughness is. Breaking your ankle so people can have entertainment? Losing a medal for your team so people can have entertainment?”

Gold-Medal Swimmer Caeleb Dressel Finds Happiness in ‘What God’s Given Me’

Stephanie Martin

August 3, 2021

Caeleb Dressel leaves Tokyo with five gold medals and with the heavy weight of expectations off his shoulders. The 24-year-old U.S. swimmer and committed Christian also shares how trusting in God helps him deal with the intense pressure of competition.

Dressel, a co-captain of the American men’s swimming team, set two World Records and two Olympic Records at the 2020 Summer Games. Before heading home to Florida, the athlete opened up about the challenges and thrills of being in the world spotlight.

Caeleb Dressel’s Tattoo Is Inspired by Scripture

During his events, Caeleb Dressel was easy to spot, thanks to a large eagle tattoo on his left shoulder and chest. The design, he says, is based on a favorite Bible verse, Isaiah 40:31. In previous competitions, the swimmer has written Bible references on his face.

In 2015, Dressel told the Baptist Standard, “It’s the reason I’m in the sport—not just to go fast times, but to inspire people and show them where I find my happiness with what God’s given me.”

Although he was raised in a Christian home, Dressel describes wrestling “with some mental demons” and his relationship with God during high school. He even quit swimming for six months. But when he emerged from that tough period and resumed the sport, Dressel says he “really just put all my trust in God and knowing that he’s going to take care of everything for me, good or bad.”

When Dressel attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, his faith was nurtured—and become more personal—at Campus Church of Christ. “I learned to see the light at the end of the tunnel and trust what God is doing, whether it be a rough point in your life or a top pinnacle in your life,” he says. “You’ve just got to take pauses and really trust what [God] is doing.”

Dressel also shares his faith via social media. One tweet, for example, states, “When you avail yourself of God’s grace and power, your comeback is always greater than your setback.”

Swimming Is What Caeleb Dressel’s ‘Meant to Do’

Of completing his events in Tokyo, Dressel says, “I’m proud of myself. I feel like I reached what my potential was here at these Games.” He also admits he’s “really glad to be done,” speaking openly about the intense pressure to succeed.

“This is not easy, not an easy week at all,” he says. “Some parts were extremely enjoyable. I would say the majority of them were not. You can’t sleep right, you can’t nap, shaking all the time. I probably lost 10 pounds. … It’s a lot of stress we put on the body.”

Journaling usually helps Dressel cope, but he says he was too exhausted to write in Tokyo. “Pressure is fine,” he says. “It is when you turn it into stress, that’s when it becomes a problem.” Although competing isn’t “the most enjoyable process,” he says, “every part of it is worth it.”

Swimming is “what I’m meant to do” and has led to great relationships and memories, says Dressel. “Swimming is my life, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. This is what I’m supposed to be doing, and God gave me the talent, and I’m going to do that for him, myself and my family and all my friends.” In February, Dressel married Meghan Haila, his former high school swimming teammate.

How Do I Pull My Friend Out of the Rabbit Hole of Conspiracy Theories?

Eric Geiger

August 3, 2021

In the last few months more and more people have asked me, “How can I get my friend out of the rabbit hole of falling for a conspiracy theory?” Pastor friends, on phone calls and over dinner, have asked similar questions, “What will it take to help some people come of out of the rabbit hole, and how can we let them know they will be received with grace when they do?”

University of Miami professor Joseph Uscinski has researched and written extensively about conspiracy theories. He, alongside a team of researchers, analyzed more than 100,000 letters written between 1890 and 2010 to the New York Times editors and found 875 that contained concerns about a conspiracy theory. Concerns ranged from Truman covering up Communist infiltration to the attacks of September 11^th being coordinated by our own government. According to Uscinski, those who fall into conspiracy theories is “evenly distributed across the political spectrum,” meaning people from all backgrounds can fall for a conspiracy theory. According to Uscinski it is not true, though some have insinuated it is, that one type of political ideology is more susceptible to falling for a conspiracy theory.

Conspiracy theories are not new, but our hearts break when people we love spiral away from Truth because of them. They lose joy, tend to become more isolated or divisive, and see the world through the lens of the conspiracy. We want better for them. Of course, they see themselves as uncovering Truth – so it seems unlikely that people will be reasoned out of a rabbit hole. Researchers from Harvard concluded “Conspiracy theorists are not likely to be persuaded by an attempt to dispel their theories.” So, if pointing out the lack of logic behind a conspiracy theory won’t work, what will? By God’s grace, what can we do? Here are a few thoughts that have emerged from wise friends who I have discussed this with:

1. Pray for an increased awe for God.

In Joseph Uscinski’s book on conspiracy theories (written in 2014 so not written about our current context), there is a chapter entitled “Conspiracy Theories Are for Losers.” In the chapter he articulates that people are drawn to theories when they fear they have lost power or control. A conspiracy theory can serve as a tool to help them explain why their power or control is gone. It can help them make sense of the world, and all of us look for a story that helps us make sense of our world.

The prophet Isaiah was among a group of people who were in fear and who were espousing conspiracy theories. God gave this command to Isaiah, to keep Isaiah to Himself:

“For this is what the Lord said to me with great power, to keep me from going the way of this people: Do not call everything a conspiracy that these people say is a conspiracy. Do not fear what they fear; do not be terrified. You are to regard only the Lord of Armies as holy. Only he should be feared; only he should be held in awe.” (Is. 8:11-13)

A conspiracy theory won’t grab our hearts if our hearts are in awe of God. When we hold large thoughts about God, we won’t be pulled down small rabbit holes of fear. Andrew Murray beautifully wrote: “A soul filled with large thoughts of the Vine will be a strong branch, and will abide confidently in Him.”

2. Show the kindness of Jesus.

I have learned in this season that it is typically futile to reason with a conspiracy theorist. For example, I had one person insist I said some things in a message that I did not say. When I sent a link to the video of my message, the person insisted “you changed the video from what was played online over the weekend.” The message was the same, recorded in one take, but the rabbit hole clearly made the person paranoid or at least suspicious of so many things – including me. Reasoning would not work, and it deeply frustrated me. But then I remembered that Jesus did not reason me to Himself, He loved me to Himself. He won me with kindness. And I should be kind as He has been kind to me. After all, it is His kindness that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4).

3. Encourage better influences

Some have pointed out that 2020 was the perfect cocktail for conspiracy theories to spread – a divisive time coupled with people working from home and mixed with lots of content online to dive into. One of my best friends asked a group of people in his church, a group who was filled with the angst and anger in the rabbit hole, to get off social media for six weeks. Essentially, “Will you see what happens in your heart if you will delete your aps and spend more time reading the Scripture?” They took him up on his challenge and the change in their lives was profound. The better influences resulted in better fruit – fruit of joy and peace.

So how do we help someone leave the darkness of the rabbit hole for the light? We must pray that awe for Jesus will increase – that fear of Him will rise and fear of everything else will subside. By God’s grace, we must show His kindness. And we can must encourage better influences – less time in a YouTube rabbit hole and more time in the Scripture.

This article about falling for a conspiracy theory originally appeared here.

Evangelical Division: Why Have We Christians Suddenly Become So Divided?

James Emery White

August 3, 2021

Ponder this assessment of evangelical division from Timothy Dalrymple, President and CEO of Christianity Today:

“One group within American evangelicalism believes our religious liberties have never been more firmly established; another that they have never been at greater risk. One group believes racism is still systemic in American society; another that the systemic racism’ push is a progressive program to redistribute wealth and power to angry radicals. One is more concerned with the insurrection at the Capitol; another with the riots that followed the killing of George Floyd. One believes the Trump presidency was generationally damaging to Christian witness; another that it was enormously beneficial. One believes the former president attempted a coup; another that the Democrats stole the election. One believes masks and vaccines are marks of Christian love; another that the rejection of the same is a mark of Christian courage.”

Why is there so much evangelical division today?

It is, of course, an apt description of what he calls “the splintering of the evangelical soul.” But why is it so pronounced? He writes of two dynamics: the plausibility curve and the information curve.

First, the plausibility curve. “Imagine,” he writes, “a horizontal plane that curves downward into a bowl, rises back again and returns to a horizontal plane.”

“The curve, from one end of the bowl to the other, represents the range of claims an individual finds believable. Let’s call it a plausibility curve. Claims that fall in the center of the curve will be perceived as most plausible; they require little evidence or argumentation before an individual will consent to believe. Claims falling near the edges are increasingly implausible as they deviate from the center, requiring progressively more persuasion. Claims falling entirely outside the plausibility curve are beyond the range of what a person might believe at a given point in time, and no amount of evidence or logic will be sufficient.”

Image from Christianity Today — Image from *Christianity Today*

From this, what determines the plausibility of any given claim is “how well it conforms to what an individual experiences, already believes, and wants to believe.” It stands to reason that it will require more persuasion for us to embrace claims we do not want to believe than those we do. It also goes without saying that personal plausibility curves can change with time and circumstance, and what I might find plausible another might find inconceivable.

This, writes Dalrymple, is where the information curve comes into play.

“Imagine a mirror-image bowl above the plausibility curve. This is the information curve, and it reflects the individual’s external sources of information about the world—such as communities, authorities, and media. Those sources in the center of the information curve are deemed most trustworthy; claims that come from these sources are accepted almost without question. Sources of information on the outer ends of the bowl are considered less trustworthy, so their claims will be held up to greater scrutiny. Sources outside the curve entirely are, at least for this individual, so lacking in credibility that their claims are dismissed out of hand.”

The center of the information curve, he notes, will generally align with the center of the plausibility curve. In other words, the relationship is “mutually reinforcing.”

“Sources are considered more trustworthy when they deliver claims we find plausible,” he writes, “and claims are considered more plausible when they come from sources we trust.”

Together, we have an “informational world.” An informational world “encompasses how an individual or a community of individuals receives and processes information,” says Dalrymple. “Differing informational worlds will have differing facts and sources. Our challenge today is that we occupy multiple informational worlds with little in common and much hostility between them.”

And it is that which has created the splintering of the evangelical soul. Again, Dalrymple:

“This sense of commonality grew increasingly strained as groups not formerly identified as evangelical came to be lumped together, defining the category “evangelical” less in theological terms and more in social, cultural, and political terms. This broader evangelical movement today is dividing into separate communities that still hold some moral and theological commitments in common but differ dramatically on their sources of information and their broader view of the world. Their informational worlds have little overlap. They can only discuss a narrow range of topics if they do not want to fall into painful and exasperated disagreement.”

So, what can be done about evangelical division? We must “move the information curves toward a common center.” Then, “the plausibility curve will follow.” And information comes from three sources: media, authorities and community. In short, we must: 1) bring sanity to our media consumption; 2) reestablish trusted leadership; and 3) rather than withdrawing into “communities of common loathing, the church should be offering a community of common love.”

There is much more in the article—it is worth taking the time to read in full. But fewer words are more needed and truer than those by which he concludes:

“So perhaps we can begin to build bridges across our informational worlds. Perhaps we can nurture a healthy media ecosystem that offers a balanced view of the world and a generous conversation about it. Perhaps we can restore a culture of leadership defined by humility over celebrity and integrity over influence. Perhaps we can invite those who have found counterfeit community in their political tribes to rediscover a richer and more robust community in Christ. All of these things will be essential to rebuilding a shared understanding of the world God created and what it means to follow Christ within it.”

This article about evangelical division originally appeared here.

UPDATE: Court Declines to Hear Maine Church’s Attack on COVID Restrictions

David Sharp and Patrick Whittle

August 3, 2021

calvary chapel bangor — Calvary Chapel Bangor Pastor Ken Graves. Source: Facebook

UPDATED August 3, 2021: WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court declined Monday to hear a lawsuit by a Maine church that sought to take a preemptive strike against future restrictions associated with a variant of the virus that’s spreading across the country.

Calvary Chapel in Orrington asked the U.S. Supreme Court to stop Democratic Gov. Janet Mills from enforcing or reinstating any pandemic-related restrictions due to the delta variant of the coronavirus.

The request was denied by Justice Stephen Breyer without even asking the other side to respond or asking his colleagues to get involved.

The Maine attorney general’s office previously said that the governor’s civil emergency already expired, making the lawsuit unnecessary.

But church officials were worried that restrictions could be reinstated, violating their religious liberties protected by the Constitution. The church’s attorneys described Mill’s previous restrictions as a 14-month “reign of terror.”

The injunction was important because the Supreme Court won’t be meeting until late September to consider cases that will be heard in the coming year, according to Florida-based Liberty Counsel, which is representing Calvary Chapel.

ChurchLeaders original article written on July 29, 2021 below.

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A Maine church that sued over coronavirus restrictions last year is taking a preemptive legal strike against future restrictions associated with a variant of the virus that’s spreading across the country.

Calvary Chapel in Orrington is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to stop Democratic Gov. Janet Mills from enforcing or reinstating any pandemic-related restrictions due to the delta variant.

The state responded by noting that the governor’s civil emergency already expired, making the lawsuit unnecessary.

“For more than two months, there have been no restrictions whatsoever on the size of gatherings, and the state of emergency expired at the end of June. Given that, we are disappointed that Calvary Chapel continues to waste public and judicial resources by attempting to litigate an issue that is now moot,” said Marc Malon, spokesperson for the attorney general’s office.

But church officials are worried that restrictions could be reinstated. Describing Mills’ previous restrictions as a 14-month “reign of terror,” church officials claimed in their request for a preemptive injunction that any restrictions would violate their religious liberties protected by the Constitution.

“No pastor, church, or parishioner in America should have to choose between worship and criminal sanction flowing from demonstrably discriminatory restrictions,” the church’s attorney wrote.

The Supreme Court has heard similar requests on behalf of religious organizations and lifted limits in California.

The injunction request was filed last week, pending a Supreme Court decision on whether to hear the case.

The injunction is important because the Supreme Court won’t be meeting until late September to consider cases that will be heard in the coming year, according to Florida-based Liberty Counsel, which is representing Calvary Chapel.

In other pandemic-related news:

VACCINES AND SCHOOLS

Maine is going to support free coronavirus vaccine clinics in schools and promote education about vaccines as part of a push to protect schools from the virus.

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services and Maine Department of Education said Wednesday they’re working on the effort in the wake of new guidance from the federal government. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended universal masking in schools.

Why Not Expand Your Approach to Video Sermons — and Keep Your Congregation Engaged?

Move 'n See

August 2, 2021

You can create easy, dynamic sermon videos with auto-follow and auto-zoom for a reasonable cost. Automatically film, record, share live your services or sermons and spread God’s Word more easily.

Each week, pastors spend time preparing their sermons and message from the Lord that they want to share. But delivering your message is not enough: You have to make sure your whole community can have access to it. Maybe people missed the last service, or they want to re-listen to a great sermon they related to. And what if your congregation members would like to share your precious words with friends because they think it might help them? The list is long for why having a recorded version of your message is a great idea — but above all, recording and sharing your videos is important for your church.

So here you are, wanting to record your message and wondering: How can we make good, lively videos that attract our community? Will a static, unmovable camera on a tripod be good enough? You won’t be able to move from your position, and the lack of visual movement might be boring to watch. How can you ensure that all expression and detail is transmitted on camera if no one is there to zoom in on you when needed? And will someone be available every Sunday to direct the camera, zoom and record? Last but not least, publishing sermons online requires work and, most importantly, time. Someone must begin and end the recording, save the file, edit the audio, and then upload the sermon to the internet. This can take hours, and the weekend message ends up being published on online days or weeks later (and sometimes never).

There are many questions and many technical aspects of video sermons to think about.

Save time and trouble.

Forget about a boring, static camera! Get an auto-follow robot that will track you onstage and make your videos dynamic and interesting to watch. No more standing still in front of the camera while losing bored viewers. You can move across the church stage while your robot cameraman tracks and films you, and you’ll capture your viewers’ attention with a lively video. Offering a dynamic video typically increases viewers’ attention from about 3 minutes to dozens of minutes. This means your videos will be viewed and shared by more people, and ultimately your message will be more heard and spread.

Why do churches with a big enough budget hire one or more cameramen to film? Simply because cameramen can follow a speaker and make a dynamic and interesting video. But having a cameraman isn’t an affordable solution for all churches. The right solution (and at a fraction of the cost ) is an auto-follow robot camera like PIXIO for cameras or PIXEM for smartphones and tablets.

Say No to Boring, Static Video Sermons With PIXIO and PIXEM!

Move 'n See

August 2, 2021

Create easy, dynamic videos with auto-follow and auto-zoom!

Automatically film, record, share live your services or sermons and spread God’s Word more easily!

No More Boring, Static Video Sermons With PIXIO / PIXEM!

There are many questions and many technical aspects of video sermons to think about.

Save time and trouble.

Why do churches with a big enough budget hire one or more cameramen to film? Simply because cameramen can follow a speaker and make a dynamic and interesting video. But having a cameraman isn’t an affordable solution for all churches. The right solution (and at a fraction of the cost ) is an auto-follow robot camera like PIXIO for cameras or PIXEM for smartphones and tablets.

You’ll find two types of robot depending on what you prefer to film with: PIXIO for compatible cameras (check the list here) and PIXEM for smartphone and tablet. Simply set up your robot (with camera, smartphone or tablet) on a tripod, setup the three mini-beacons around filming area, wear the special tag on your wrist or pocket as you present, and that’s it! The robot will automatically follow you, film you and keep you in the frame — no matter where you go on stage. A simple static camera will lose you and forces you to remain within its frame. Along with tracking feature, robots can also zoom in and out depending on where you are to capture details and expressions. You can even set the zoom level you want and save it for future uses. You’ll finally be able to record dynamic videos that engage your community in a way that lets them feel they are with you and fully experiencing the moment.

Both robots offer the ability to live stream your service to reach local members of the congregation and churches around the world. If you choose PIXIO robot filming with camera, you’ll also want a magewell dongle that connects from camera HDMI output to computer so you can live stream using Facebook, YouTube, Zoom, and more. For PIXEM with smartphone or tablet, you’ll simply use our free application MOVE’ N APP on your filming smartphone or tablet to access the streaming service through Facebook or YouTube. As for sound on the video, you can simply set a receiver on the camera, smartphone or tablet and use your usual mic to transmit sound.

Catch the attention of your community with good, dynamic videos. Add several robots and you’ll be able to film from different angles! If you are using one of the compatible cameras compatible with PIXIO here, you’ll also be able to use any editing and management software to add titles to your videos and switch from one angle to another during live streaming. You can even get extra views and shots from pastor to soloist (for instance) within one second.

Why You Need a PIXIO

Film record sermons easily thanks to automatic tracking, zoom and record features.
Allow your church members to view and rewatch your sermons as if they were present thanks to tight zoom, accurate tracking and good image quality of a camera with PIXIO.
No camera? Film with your smartphone or tablet mounted on the PIXEM.
Share videos easily with your community thanks to standard video format — through blog, website, social media, and more.
Connect with your community and beyond by sharing your videos online thanks to live streaming ability combined with unrivaled tracking.

Why a Youth Lock In Schedule Makes a World of Difference

Brooklyn Lindsey

August 2, 2021

Youth ministry is synonymous with the youth lock in. Teenagers enjoy being together and staying up all night and telling everyone about it the next day. But without a solid youth lock in schedule, you might be in for a rude awakening.

After experiencing my 12th all-night lock in, I seriously doubted my ability to do this much longer. The blood vessels in the whites of my eyes were telling. Maybe lock ins should be limited to youth leaders of a certain age. Or maybe I’m just not cut out for them any more. Maybe none of us are cut out for them. Are lock ins even healthy?

Every time I participate, I feel like I’m shaving years off my life. Every year, my eyes get redder. I’m delirious and speak nonsense. And the leaders who’ve been with me the longest know I should never, under any circumstances, operate a vehicle when I’m tired. They could tell you stories, but they wouldn’t, because they love me and know I’ve seen them tired too. Experiencing a lock in together is a sacred thing! One friend who’s been at my side for five lock ins knows this: What happens at Denny’s stays at Denny’s.

Why I Decided to Stick to a Youth Lock in Schedule

One year, I wasn’t really looking forward to this special annual tradition. In fact, I was praying and thinking, “How can I avoid feeling like a truck hit me afterward?” That’s when I decided to focus on students and remember how much they love lock ins. Like a student in trouble, I repeated the mantra:

Kids love this. They’ll remember this.
Kids love this. They’ll remember this.
I love them. I’ll get to know them.
I love them. I’ll get to know them.
God loves them more. There will be moments for them to know this.
God loves them more. There will be moments for them to know this.

Then I came up with a plan. I decided to take a nap before the lock in (on my husband’s recommendation). Now, I know you’re thinking, “Well, Captain Obvious, what a concept.” But it took me more than a decade to figure this out and to make a few other tweaks to the youth lock in schedule.

The results? Afterward, I didn’t find one red blood vessel in my eyes. I welcomed the morning with my husband and kids without talking gibberish or being too grumpy. In fact, I slept soundly until noon and woke up feeling refreshed. Plus, I celebrated the fact that we had a great lock in without the need for first aid, a “sit-down talk” or an intervention.

Try These Tips for a Youth Lock in Schedule:

My suggestions aren’t medically proven or research-based. And I’m the only test subject so far. These tips worked for me and made my lock in lovely this round. If you have your own tips for a youth lock in schedule, I’d love to know them for next time. Because we all know…there’s always a next time.

Before the lock in:

Set your registration and forms deadline a week before you actually need everything. You’ll always have a few last-minute things to take care of. But setting the deadline early ensures there aren’t dozens of last-minute chores.

And because we worked as a team, we were able to do some of the things listed below. If you don’t have a team, recruit someone today! Start investing in them every chance you get.

Take a mid-morning nap the day of the event.
Hydrate all day long.
Eat light; you know you’ll be eating later on.
Going into the evening, drink a smoothie with protein and other nutrients.
Eat only the toppings of the pizza. Go easy on carbs.
Find leaders who love teenagers and having fun.
Have a semi-healthy snack every two hours or so. (We all know that “totally healthy” doesn’t exist.)
Hire drivers if you’re traveling. Don’t even try to be super human or take risks.
Come up with creative (and time-consuming) activities to pass the time. I used two pairs of glasses to get our students to Instagram each other/get to know each other.
If you have your own kids, get a sitter, clear the schedule the next morning, and sleep for a few hours.

Yes! Success.

What youth lock in schedule tricks have you learned, and how have they helped? Please share your tips in the comments below. Together we can make these events better than ever—for everyone.

CA Man Charged in Jan. 6 Violence After Prayer Group Member Tipped Off FBI

Jessica Lea

August 2, 2021

A California man named Glenn Brooks has been arrested for allegedly participating in the riots at the U.S Capitol on Jan. 6. A member of his church prayer text group tipped off the FBI after Brooks sent the group photos that included a selfie from within the Capitol building.

“On or about January 30, 2021, the FBI received an electronic tip from Witness #1, who stated that a member of his/her church prayer text group, Glenn BROOKS, boasted of his active participation in the January 6, 2021, events at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.,” says a criminal complaint filed July 27. “Witness #1 also stated that BROOKS sent photos of his attendance at the Capitol to the church text group that included other people at the riots/protest and a selfie photo of himself inside the Capitol.”

Glenn Brooks Charged for Actions on Jan. 6

Federal agents with assault weapons and fully body armor arrested Huntington Beach resident Glenn Brooks, 61, on the morning of Thursday, July 29. The criminal complaint against Brooks begins by summarizing the events of Jan. 6 when rioters broke into the U.S. Capitol as a joint session of Congress was certifying the electoral college votes for the 2020 presidential election. In the months that have followed, officials have been tracking down and arresting people allegedly involved in the violence.

After tipping off authorities at the end of January, the person who was part of Brooks’ prayer group supplied Brooks’ address, phone number, email address, and a photograph of Brooks to the FBI during a Feb. 9 interview. Authorities then surveilled Brooks and used photographs and video footage from Jan. 6 to confirm his identity. Brooks has been charged with unlawful entry and disorderly conduct on restricted grounds.

Glenn Brooks is not the only person with ties to the Christian faith to have been arrested for participating in the Jan. 6 violence. Three men connected to Global Outreach Ministries in Melbourne, Fla., were arrested on June 24 and were charged in federal court with entering restricted grounds, disorderly conduct, and violent entry of the Capitol building.

Many have noted the Christian imagery and practices used by the people who stormed the Capitol. During testimony last week before a congressional committee investigating the riot, District of Columbia police officer Daniel Hodges said, “It was clear the terrorists perceived themselves to be Christians. I saw the Christian flag directly to my front. Another read, ‘Jesus is my savior, Trump is my president.’ Another: ‘Jesus is king.’… Another had crossed rifles beneath a skull, emblazoned with the pattern of the American flag.”

Such imagery has galvanized cultural conversations that were already taking place around the topic of “Christian nationalism,” an ideology in which being an American is intertwined with one’s Christian identity.

Hodges also expressed shock that this demographic of people, which is typically very pro-police, were assaulting officers. He said, “To my perpetual confusion, I saw the ‘thin blue line’ flag — a symbol of support for law enforcement — more than once, being carried by the terrorists. They ignored our commands and continued to assault us.”

Rape Allegation Going Public Leads to Alabama Pastor Resigning

Stephanie Martin

August 2, 2021

Pastor Micahn Carter, who had been undergoing “ministerial restoration” at Alabama’s largest megachurch, has resigned following a rape allegation by an assistant at his former congregation.

Micahn Carter Resigns

In a statement last week, Birmingham-based The Church of the Highlands announced:

In 2019, Micahn Carter’s Pastoral Overseers from Washington state asked Church of the Highlands to assist them in directing a ministerial restoration process for him. Highlands agreed to do so, and since then we have been working with Micahn and his family. Recently, Highlands received correspondence raising new allegations about events that occurred over two years ago in Washington state. When we shared this information with the Carters, they resigned from their positions on staff to work through these issues themselves. Highlands is no longer involved in the restoration process.

The “new allegations” are from Mary Jones, who had served as Carter’s assistant at Together Church in Yakima, Washington. On July 21, she came forward by detailing sexual abuse accusations against her former boss. Her blog post is now making the rounds on the internet.

Meanwhile, Church of the Highlands emailed staff, requesting that they “please do not feel the need to engage in the online conversation” about Carter’s resignation.

Congregants Weren’t Told of Micahn Carter’s Background

When The Church of the Highlands founder and pastor Chris Hodges introduced Micahn Carter to members in July 2020, he indicated that Carter had “pastored previously” but didn’t offer details. Hodges added that Carter had “actually been on our team for more than 13 months,” which meant he had switched congregations swiftly. Carter left Together Church in April 2019 for undisclosed reasons.

In a July 21 blog post titled “Moving Forward,” Mary Jones describes working at Together Church “as Assistant to the Lead Pastor and his wife, who served as Executive Pastor.” She initially viewed the staff members as “superheroes” and the pastors as parent-figures. But soon, she writes, the pastor became “very lovey” and physical, and Jones recalls feeling ashamed and confused. “There wasn’t really a manual for how to politely turn your boss, pastor and father figure down but still maintain a relationship and keep your job.”

In late April 2019, Jones alleges, “My pastor raped me in my office while most of our staff, teams and my family stood just outside the door.” She quit because she would’ve had to report the “nonconsensual and horribly traumatic event” to the executive pastor, Carter’s wife. Days later, Carter “confessed to ‘an affair’” and stepped down from Together church.

Alabama Church Has Attempted Rehabilitation Before

Micahn Carter isn’t the first pastor who’s found a home at The Church of the Highlands following an inappropriate relationship elsewhere. After Dino Rizzo resigned for that reason from a Louisiana church in 2012, the Alabama megachurch welcomed him for a yearlong “restoration plan” and supervised ministry.

Back then, Hodges said Rizzo and his family “needed a place to go for the next season,” and Rizzo responded in a sermon, “I just want to thank God for men who will stand by you.” Rizzo remains on staff at The Church of the Highlands in senior leadership; he also helped to found ARC, the Association of Relational Churches.

Last summer, Pastor Chris Hodges made headlines for “liking” several social media posts by Charlie Kirk that had racist undertones. He apologized, but the church lost some community partnerships because of the uproar.

Clarification: This article has been updated to more accurately reflect Dino Rizzo’s role in founding the ARC.

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