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Ministry Branding for Maximum Outreach and Impact

July 14, 2021

For many local churches, ministries and Christian nonprofits, branding and marketing can be difficult practices to grasp. Some churches use a logo that shows they haven’t thought about their ministry branding for at least half a century. Meanwhile, some youth pastors are so concerned about their ministry logo and matching T-shirts that they spend way too much time with Photoshop.

But church branding and marketing aren’t really about logos, websites, signage or even advertising. Branding merely entails communicating who you really are (or perhaps more accurately, who you’re striving to be).

Due to the dishonest nature of much marketing in our culture, some ministry leaders bristle at the thought of deliberately branding and marketing their church or programs. In reality, every church “markets,” whether they intend to or not. Ministry branding entails all the ways you communicate something about the church to people (both those who are part of the congregation already and those who aren’t). The trick is to do church branding in a way that communicates what your church is about (or again, what you’re striving to be “about”).

Best of all, you don’t need to be a marketing expert to brand your church or youth ministry. Thankfully, Jesus actually addresses the issue of how leaders can successfully brand a local church and its individual programs.

Surprised? I figured you might be. But Jesus did all that, centuries ago.

A Lesson From Jesus About Ministry Branding

Jesus actually let us know 2,000 years ago what brand his followers were supposed to use. He revealed what would let other people know that his disciples were serious about following him. Jesus may not have provided ministry branding to us in the form of a logo. But he was abundantly clear about it nonetheless:

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

—John 13:34-35

For Christian churches and youth ministries, that’s our brand. Those Bible verses sum up how we’re supposed to proclaim to our communities why we’re here and what we’re about. That message clearly reveals how people are supposed to know that your church is a church.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not suggesting you ditch your church logo, all those youth group T-shirts, or any billboards and advertisements. These days, all those media are part of our culture’s language. So church leaders and administrators are wise to use that language well as we reach out to other people.

But maybe we need to take more seriously the brand that Jesus gives us. Maybe we should use his advice. After all, it’s a lot better than anything we can brainstorm on our own. Plus, nothing we come up with will “wow” people as much as we hope it will.

After all, if we don’t love one another—and our communities—in ways that show people at least a glimpse of Jesus, then all the marketing in the world won’t help our local churches one bit.

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Be sure to check out

Church Branding: Step-by-Step Course to Develop a Brand That Shines

Youth Pastor’s Swimsuit Apology Goes Viral

Jesse T. Jackson

July 14, 2021

Bryce Brewer has been a youth pastor throughout the last 20 years and is a father of two children, one of whom is a teenage daughter. Earlier this week, Brewer took to Facebook and posted an apology to his female students at summer camp for the swimsuit mandate he placed on them all. The social media post now has more than 51,000 shares and 35,000 reactions.

Brewer’s Not-So Modest Apology

“ONE-PIECE SWIMSUITS ONLY” is what Brewer said he told all the female students they must wear while swimming at church-sponsored events. And he said, “I am sorry.”

Brewer said he is still a fan of the “No-Produce Rule” which means not showing “buns,” “bananas,” or “breasts” but went on to post five apologies, which started with “I am sorry that I didn’t teach boys to control themselves.”

The father a 20-plus-year-old son addressed the females: “I am sorry I laid the weight of purity on a girl’s swimsuit while she was swimming, and not on the boys responsibility to not be gross.” Brewer then apologized for making it a hard shopping experience to find a swimsuit appropriate for his church-sponsored functions. “I am sorry to all the girls that frantically searched for an appropriate one-piece so that some male youth pastor could deem them appropriate.” He then shared a recent shopping trip that sparked his apologies. Brewer said it “sucked” and was hard finding a cute, camp-appropriate one-piece for his fiancé’s daughter.

“I am sorry that we have deemed a young women’s body as something that ‘needs to be covered’ and let young men’s bodies be ok to be seen,” was Brewer’s next apology. Lastly, said he was sorry he ever let the issue be an item of discussion. Brewer said the modesty discussion was “usually lead by men, at any youth-leader meeting,” recognizing that it was probably “awful” for all his “female leaders and students to be part of.”

Saying his swimsuit rule was wrong, Brewer added: “I am sorry if you felt sexualized by us telling you to cover up. I am sorry I didn’t teach boys to be men, and laid that responsibility on young women.”

Brewer advised male students to control themselves and to stop being disgusting. He called out fellow youth pastors for making female students feel bad they have breasts and told them to stop being “chauvinists.” Christians should live like Jesus, he said, and let female students know they should wear a swimsuit that lets them have fun.

NBC’s TODAY Parents Interviews Brewer

NBC’s TODAY Parents posted an interview with Brewer a few days after he posted the Facebook apology.

Recounting the swimsuit-shopping adventure he referenced in his apology, Brewer told TODAY Parents, “I watched a frustration build with both of them, almost a dejection” because of how difficult it was to find the mandated appropriate swimsuit.

After witnessing the frustration in those he loved, he said it hit him how many times that must have happened to the female students in the youth groups he pastored because of rules he put in place. Brewer said he went home and posted the now-viral social media post.

“The number one thing I hope comes from this is that we as leaders, especially in the church, would walk in humility and stop pretending we’re the ones who have the answers,” Brewer told TODAY Parents. “I truly am sorry, and my intention was to say that and to say that while my heart may have been in the right place, I missed the boat in this area.”

People’s Reactions Vary

The viral post has received over 20,000 comments, some agreeing with Brewer and others not so much. Here are a few examples.

One female wrote: “Finding one-piece bathing suits (cheaper ones) is almost impossible. I had to have two for my daughter one year, but in the end she just wore shorts and a shirt. You’re not always going to have a tiny body, so enjoy it while you can. If someone makes something of it, that’s usually on them.”

A mother wrote: “My daughter would appreciate this. Nothing wrong with modesty, but I truly hate the fights over what she wears because I don’t want attention drawn to her body. Truth is, boys/men are gonna look no matter what she’s wearing, whether it’s jeans or a bikini.”

Another girl thanked Brewer: “I don’t know you, but this post of yours made it across my screen. Just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated it. Thank you!”

“Teaching a young girl that her body is the problem contributes to rape culture. Thank you for putting the onus onto men to control their own urges rather than on women to cover up as though somehow our very existence is sinful,” one commenter posted.

An unpopular comment read: “All y’all shaming the boys and expecting boys to not look and all is ridiculous. I’m all for not shaming girls, but this has to be handled equally.”

Another said: “As a youth pastor….this is an inappropriate post.”

“Are you freaking kidding me???? Is this a serious post? I really hope not. It’s so ridiculous. This just places all blame on boys. Girls still need to dress modestly. Each gender should dress modestly and respect themselves and the other gender,” another wrote.

‘Modest Is Hottest’ Video Causes Uproar

Christian singer Matthew West underwent major scrutiny for a satire video he made with his daughters and wife titled “Modest is Hottest.” The video was deleted from all platforms shortly after it was released.

One critic of West’s video said, “Since we’re teaching girls about dressing modestly, and I believe it’s important to teach them to ask themselves the question, but isn’t it just as important to teach the boys as well….just a thought.” Another said, “Purity culture has messed up a bunch of us so maybe this is a little tone deaf.”

Skillet’s John Cooper and former ZOEgirl artist and author Alisa Childers were guests on Childers podcast. They discussed feeling that the “woke mob” was attempting to “cancel” West because his song talked about modesty.

“Isn’t it possible to encourage our daughters to dress modestly—for lots of reasons, not just because of what it’s going to do to guys—while at the same time helping them understand that they’re not responsible for men’s lust?” Childers asked.

Cooper encouraged other Christian parents to “protect their kids out of love.” The Skillet singer, who has an 18-year-old daughter, said, “it’s really silly” to say the Bible doesn’t speak to purity issues.

UPDATE: TN Church Comments on Youth Pastor Arrested in Human Trafficking Operation

Stephanie Martin

July 14, 2021

UPDATED July 14, 2021: The church where Tennessee resident Matthew Brewer served as a youth pastor has issued a statement in response to his recent arrest. Brewer, who is also a chaplain with the National Guard, was one of 18 men recently apprehended as part of a human trafficking investigation and has been charged with solicitation of a minor.

“Our Fairfield Baptist Church family was shocked and saddened with the situation this past weekend involving our youth minister,” said the Centerville church in a statement to WKRN. It continued:

We are prepared to work with law enforcement if asked and, like many others, are hoping to receive information from law enforcement that will help us better understand all the details.

The content of what was shared with us is not aligned with our Biblical values. We met with our church family Sunday to share what little we knew, and our youth minister has been suspended indefinitely from his duties and the church campus pending court proceedings.

We ask that people would pray for the Brewer family and the church family and anyone else involved as we work through what’s happened.

Lieutenant Justin Whitwell is with the Spring Hill Police Department in Spring Hill, about an hour from Centerville. Commenting on Brewer’s arrest, Whitwell said, “It’s a big concern. This guy is dealing with our juveniles every day or every Sunday.”

ChurchLeaders original article written on July 12, 2021, below:

As the result of an ongoing human-trafficking investigation in Tennessee, authorities recently arrested 18 men, including one who is a youth pastor, coach and chaplain. Matthew Brewer, who was until recently listed as the Minister of Students at Fairfield Baptist Church in Centerville, was charged with solicitation of a person under the age of 18.

Brewer, 47, has worked at that church since December 2013, according to information posted (and since removed) on Facebook. He’s also been identified as a girls soccer coach at a local middle school and as a military chaplain. Before they also were removed, various social media accounts featured photos of Brewer and youth group members serving on a June mission trip to Guatemala.

Undercover Sting Used Fake Online Ads

In a press release, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) indicates it began an undercover operation about a month ago, focusing on Middle Tennessee. Officials placed fake advertisements on websites that have known links to prostitution activities. The goals, authorities said, included finding perpetrators and rescuing victims of human trafficking.

The 18 men, arrested on various charges, were booked into jail. The TBI says their investigation is ongoing and that additional charges are pending.

Records indicate that Matthew Brewer was arrested on July 9 and released on July 10. By Monday morning, social media users were posting comments and questions about the news on Fairfield’s Facebook page. “Please explain your youth pastor being arrested for solicitation of a minor,” one woman wrote. By midday, the church had disabled its account.

The Tennessee National Guard, where Brewer served as a chaplain, released a statement saying “the charges made in this incident do not reflect or meet [our] standards.”

Following a law-enforcement press conference Monday, investigative journalist Burton Skaggs writes, “Officials made it clear that all of the men charged knew that that [sic] were agreeing to meet a 16-year-old for sex in a Spring Hill hotel.” Various agencies tracked the suspects electronically, authorities said.

Skaggs adds, “Officials said of the arrest of Matthew Brewer who serves as a youth pastor, coach and chaplain for the U.S. Army that his actions were a ‘blemish’ on the U.S. military [and] that Brewer’s [alleged] action betray the trust the community placed in him.”

Trafficking Has Links to Prostitute, Porn

The Department of Homeland Security defines human trafficking as the “use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act.” Officials emphasize that trafficking is based on exploitation and differs from human smuggling.

Studies show an alarming increase in child sex trafficking throughout the world, and America clearly isn’t immune. In Atlanta alone, an estimated 7,200 children are exploited every month. According to the International Justice Mission, sex trafficking generates approximately $150 billion in profits annually.

Numerous high-profile figures are working to put an end to human trafficking, which has links to the porn industry. Last week, child-protection advocates received the welcome news that pornography website XTube would cease operations in early September. Anti-porn activists continue targeting similar sites, which they say ultimately profit from human trafficking, child sex abuse and other forms of exploitation.

USA Soccer Star Abby Wambach Shares That After Childhood Experience in Church, ‘I Chose Myself’

Jessica Lea

July 14, 2021

On July 6, soccer champion Abby Wambach appeared on a podcast hosted by her wife, Glennon Doyle, where Wambach opened up about her childhood experience with church. The soccer star shared she is still healing from years of feeling like she needed to make a choice between God and her identity.

“My first memories of church are actually very beautiful,” said Wambach, who was raised in a large, Catholic family. “I remember the music, I remember loving to sing, my feet planted on the pew while holding the back pew in front of me and just belting out the songs.”

As time went on, however, Wambach came to realize that there was a discrepancy between how she felt inside and what the church expected of her. “Slowly but surely,” said Wambach, “it wasn’t ever something that somebody said…it was a feeling, like an overwhelming sense of understanding both at the same time of who I was inside and who the church expected me to be, and both of those things didn’t match. They didn’t meet up.” The result was, “I understood that I had a choice to make, and it was like, I was either going to choose me or God.”

Abby Wambach: I Chose Myself

Abby Wambach is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and FIFA World Cup Champion, as well as an activist for equality and inclusion. She is married to Glennon Doyle, an author and well-known mommy blogger who was previously married to Craig Melton.

“I just remember feeling completely seen and held in this community, you know?” said Wambach on the July 6 episode of Doyle’s podcast, explaining that she enjoyed going to church even when she wasn’t with her family. But the tension between how she felt inside and what the church expected from her increased. Wambach described a moment when she was 16 or 17 and she told a church friend of hers that she was gay. After that, the girl stopped being friends with her.

“I love the church,” said Wambach, “and I loved that community and I loved feeling like I was a part of something. But then when it immediately started to feel like I didn’t belong and I wasn’t accepted, there was a choice I had to make, there just simply was, and I chose myself from a pretty young age.”

This tension is something that Wambach feels even to this day. She told Doyle, “I was the kid that sat in that pew hating myself for so long and in some ways I still have it in me, you know, I still have homophobia in me.”

Abby Wambach’s description of her childhood resonates with parts of what Messy Grace Group executive director Caleb Kaltenbach shared with ChurchLeaders on the LGBTQ and the Church Podcast Series.

When Kaltenbach was young, his mother and father divorced, after which they both came out and became activists in the gay community. When Kaltenbach saw the hatred his parents experienced from Christians, he decided he could never have anything to do with Jesus. But he encountered Jesus at a Bible study in high school and now helps churches and other organizations to welcome LGTBQ people without compromising Scripture.

“Nobody is going to leave one community and make their church their primary community if they don’t feel safe there or comfortable there,” said Kaltenbach, noting that God, as “the most empathetic being in the entire universe,” is our example of how to sacrifically love people who are different from us. “We have to be willing to be uncomfortable.”

To be clear, both Glennon Doyle and Abby Wambach believe that for people not to affirm a gay identity is inherently un-loving. But the radical love of God for us, no matter how broken we are, is something Doyle said she has never doubted. She described being “stoned out of my mind,” yet still aware that God loved her totally and unconditionally.

UPDATE: ACNA Archbishop Steps in to Help With Investigation Into Abuse Claims

Jessica Lea

July 14, 2021

UPDATED July 14, 2021: A third-party investigation into claims that leaders in the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) mishandled allegations of sexual abuse and assault has been handed over to a Provincial Response Team, the denomination’s archbishop announced.

“A Provincial Response Team is being formed by Provincial leaders to take oversight of this process, committed to act with thorough professionalism and with deep care for the survivors,” said ACNA archbishop Foley Beach in a July 10 letter. “This team will include diverse representation of women and men with experience in these areas. We are prayerful and hopeful that this will help bring forth truth and confidence so healing and restoration can be facilitated.”

Beach explained that he had received and granted a formal request from the Bishop’s Council of the Diocese of the Upper Midwest for the ACNA to oversee the investigation and also to review the leadership structures of the Upper Midwest diocese, where the allegations are concerned.

Beach’s letter comes two days after the diocese’s bishop, Stewart Ruch III, announced that he is taking a leave of absence. “I want you to be able to trust me as your bishop and pastor,” said Ruch in a letter dated July 8. “I feel like the best way to walk in integrity now is to step aside as this process moves forward and as efforts are made to serve any survivors of abuse. Therefore, I have requested permission from Archbishop Foley for a temporary leave of absence during the investigation, and he has granted that request, effective today.”

The ACNA was founded in 2009 by former members of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and the Anglican Church of Canada as a conservative alternative to those denominations. The ACNA currently has about 1,000 congregations and 127,000 members.

UPDATED July 2, 2021: The Upper Midwest Diocese of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) has agreed to publish the results of an investigation it commissioned to examine allegations that ACNA leaders protected a sexual predator. Joanna Rudenborg, a survivor who has accused former lay leader Mark Rivera of raping her and sexually assaulting others, says this victory is a small one.

“I am exhausted,” said Rudenborg on Twitter. “I am angry, I am heartbroken, and I am grieving. I want to say the announcement @esaumccaulley links to here is a victory. In some ways it is. But it is a small victory won at far too great a cost.”

On June 26, Rudenborg posted an extensive Twitter thread documenting Rivera’s abuses and implicating multiple ACNA leaders, including Bishop Stewart Ruch III, in mishandling the allegations against Rivera. Ruch is Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the Upper Midwest. After Rudenborg posted her thread, Rev. Dr. Esau McCaulley responded, tweeting, “A brief note to say that @Tish_H_Warren and I are aware of the sexual abuse allegations in our province and we are in communications with our Bishop about them. We stand with and support all victims of abuse.”

Rev. Tish Harrison Warren also sent a tweet, saying, “I’m still not on Twitter this summer but this came to our attention and is too important not to address. Thank you to the victims for their bravery in coming forward. May we all do right by you. We stand with and support all victims of abuse. Amen.”

On June 29, McCaulley tweeted, “I am grateful Bishop Ruch and the Diocese of the Midwest have committed to a full unredacted report on the sexual abuse allegations. I spoke with Bishop Ruch on the phone yesterday and he assured me this would be was [sic] the case.” McCaulley then linked to a June 29 update where Ruch indeed promised to publish the report, something he had not previously said the diocese would do.

In her explanation of why this victory feels hollow, Rudenborg said,

Five different times in our email correspondence with the Bishop’s team we asked for the investigation’s final report to be made public. FIVE times. There may have been more. I do not have the emotional capacity to dig through more emails right now to check…Every time he put us off and evaded commitment. Then, on June 29, one man with public clout and social standing was able to get Bp. Stewart to make this basic, obvious commitment that a whole team of survivors and advocates couldn’t extract from him despite months of begging.”

In Jaw-Dropping Move, Conference Assumes Management of Megachurch

Heather Hahn

July 14, 2021

management of megachurch — Rustin Parsons, co-lay leader for the congregation of Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church in Marietta, Ga., announces that the church is beginning the process of disaffiliating from denomination during an April 26 press conference. Amid a continued fight over who should be the church’s pastor, the North Georgia Conference announced late July 12 that it was assuming management of the congregation’s assets. Screenshot of livestream by UM News, courtesy of Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church.

Citing strife over a new pastor’s appointment and other issues, North Georgia Conference leaders voted to take over management of the conference’s largest-membership congregation.

The conference’s Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson, district superintendents and a church-property board “unanimously determined that ‘exigent circumstances’ have threatened the continued vitality and mission of Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church,” the conference said in a statement.

Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church leaders and attorneys received notification July 12 of the immediate transfer of assets from the Marietta congregation to the conference board of trustees. The notification said church leaders must complete the transfer to the trustees within 10 days, the conference said.

Mt. Bethel, which counts more than 10,260 members, includes two campuses and a kindergarten-12^th grade Christian Academy. According to records the church submitted to the conference, the market value of the church land, buildings and equipment is about $34.6 million.

Employment, instruction, activities and worship at the church and academy will continue but under the direction of the conference board of trustees, the conference said.

“What has occurred is simply a rejection by the leadership at Mt. Bethel of the rules and procedures for our church as outlined in the Book of Discipline and amount to an obstruction of the appointment process and polity of The United Methodist Church,” Haupert-Johnson said in a statement.

She told United Methodist News that the conference leaders made their decision in consultation with legal counsel and conference committees.

Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson, North Georgia Conference. Photo courtesy of the North Georgia Conference.

Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson, North Georgia Conference.
Photo courtesy of the North Georgia Conference.

In a statement, Mt. Bethel leaders said Haupert-Johnson’s actions threaten the church’s vitality.

“The people of Mt. Bethel Church will do all in their power to resist the aggressive actions against their church, and they will do all they can to restore the reputational damage Haupert-Johnson is inflicting on many local United Methodist churches that simply want to do ministry,” the Mt. Bethel statement said.

Leaders at Mt. Bethel shared the statement after UM News’ request for comment.

The conference is acting within its authority under the Book of Discipline, the denomination’s policy book, said the Rev. Anne L. Burkholder. She is an associate dean at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology in Atlanta as well as co-author of “Quick and Easy Guide to United Methodist Polity.”

For centuries, the denomination has maintained a trust clause, which states that churches hold property in trust for the entire denomination.

Comedian John Crist Tells Nate Bargatze He’s Happy Sexual Misconduct Was Exposed

Jesse T. Jackson

July 14, 2021

Last month, Nate Bargatze, the popular “clean” comedian who has multiple Netflix specials and grew up Southern Baptist featured Christian comedian John Crist on his podcast “Nateland.” Bargatze, along with fellow comedian and co-hosts Brian Bates and Aaron Weber, welcomed Crist to sit around their podcast table and discuss John’s past controversies, the evolution of Christian comedy, doing Christian jokes, and being labeled a “Christian” comic.

Is Nate Bargatze a Christian?

Yes, Nate Bargatze identifies as a Christian. Growing up in a Southern Baptist home, his faith has influenced both his life and career. While Bargatze doesn’t overtly label himself as a “Christian comedian,” his clean comedy reflects his values and upbringing. By avoiding profanity and explicit content, Bargatze’s humor appeals to a wide audience, including faith-based communities. His willingness to engage with topics of faith, such as inviting Christian comedians like John Crist onto his podcast, shows his connection to the Christian community and his openness to discuss the intersection of faith and comedy.

Crist became a Christian household name in the summer of 2016 when he and pal Aaron Chewing released a video title “How It’s Made: Christian Music” that has over 2.8 million views on YouTube to date. In 2017, Crist sold out his twenty-city “Captive Thoughts” headlining tour, but the pastor’s son’s growing fame came to a crashing halt when Charisma News released an exclusive article in November 2019 detailing testimonies from five young women whom Crist allegedly had manipulative sexual relationships with.

John Crist Talked About Controversy

Crist said he got pulled over for speeding on his way to the podcast and the cop told him that he Googled him because he thought he looked familiar. Crist said he made a joke to the officer, saying, “Well, look me up on socials. Don’t Google me,” alluding to the negativity regarding the comedian’s sexual misconduct and harassment that has surrounded him in recent years.

“You got to the root of the problem,” Bargatze said, telling Crist that he had started out performing at churches. “Now, you’re doing no churches.”

Crist said rehab taught him to put himself in other “people’s shoes” so he could understand their feelings instead of his own. He said he gained popularity because Christian moms who were known in their churches and communities shared his videos with friends, saying, “Look at this guy, John Crist. He’s hilarious. We love him.” He acknowledged that for this audience to read about him regarding sexual misconduct is “probably a huge bummer.” Crist said, “If I were her, I’d be pissed because, [she is thinking] I shared my platform with you to everyone I know. I’d be mad, too, because you were saying something that you were not [living].”

“I got in trouble for behaving narcissistically in rehab,” Cris said, because he wasn’t looking for or caring about other people’s perspectives. Bates then asked Crist if he was happy that the Charisma News article had been written.

“100 percent,” Crist replied. He said he remembered the day the story was published because Charisma News notified him it was about to be released. He described the dire anticipation he felt about waiting for the story to go live for the world to read.

Dennae Pierre: This One Thing Is Essential to Effective Racial Healing

Jason Daye

July 14, 2021

Dennae Pierre is the executive director of the Surge Network in Phoenix, Ariz., and serves on the North American leadership team for Redeemer City to City. A graduate of Covenant Theological Seminary, Dennae has been involved in multi-ethnic church planting and community transformation for years and has recently been named co-director of The Crete Collective. She is the author of the book, “Healing Prayers & Meditations to Resist a Violent World.” Dennae is married to Vermon, and they have two sons and two daughters: Marcel, Mya, Judah and Jovanna.

Other Ways to Listen to This Podcast With Dennae Pierre

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

Other Podcasts in the Race and the Church Series

John Onwuchekwa: Why ‘Racial Solidarity’ Is a Better Term Than ‘Racial Reconciliation’

Raymond Chang: Global Christian Persecution Can Help You Understand Racism in America

Doug Logan: Why True Racial Reconciliation Has to Start With Jesus

Key Questions for Dennae Pierre

-What does individual inner healing have to do with the work of racial reconciliation?

-What would you say to people who argue that continuing to have conversations about racial divisions is simply perpetuating those divisions?

-What are practical ways ministry leaders can pursue racial reconciliation and solidarity in an effective way?

-What insights can you offer about the Hispanic community in the United States?

Key Quotes from Dennae Pierre

“I would say probably 2015 to 2018, 2019, there was just this a growing tension that I think the whole nation has now tasted in 2020, especially if you were in multi-ethnic space. If you’re part of the local church and were in an evangelical setting, the experience and lived reality of people of color, African American, Latino, Asian-American, and white evangelicals was just so drastically different.”

“I wrote almost all the prayers [in my book] in between when Ahmaud Arbery’s story broke and then when George Floyd‘s story broke.”

“As Christians, our heart should be to see the church be able to be leaders in repentance and lament and practicing reconciliation. And we’re in the season where our divisions and our polarization have us continuing to struggle to be faithful in those ways. And so what’s left except to intercede, to pray? And to get to work.”

Ed Stetzer: What Is Missiology?

Ed Stetzer

July 14, 2021

As I start my time at Outreach Magazine and ChurchLeaders.com, I wanted to explain a bit about what I do as a missiologist and what missiology is.

The gospel message never changes.

We can’t improve upon it.

It’s the once-for-all hope for humanity.

Cultures, however, are ever-changing. Communicating the gospel in a timely way in a given cultural context matters even more in a time of rapid change like today. Therefore, an ever-present reality for the church — from pastors and staff, to leadership in denominations, networks, and movements, and including all believers — is becoming more effective in communicating the gospel in a given culture. This is why the work of missiologists and the field of missiology matter so much. But what do we mean by missiology?

And what is the work of a missiologist?

What Missiology Is NOT

Let me start by describing things missiologists are not, though people often assume these traits describe the work of a missiologist.

First, missiology is not simply giving an angst-driven look at current church norms.

Sometimes missiologists are perceived in this way because they are constantly asking questions about how we can most faithfully and fruitfully engage in God’s mission in this time. When we ask these questions, we sometimes find that the church is not being so faithful or fruitful. Most of us would rather see our church through rose-colored glasses than really assess how we are doing. When the church is not being faithful at living an embodied mission or being fruitful in seeing people come to Christ, some may perceive missiologists who ask hard questions about these issues as being angst-driven. No, they are simply doing their job.

Second, missiology is not merely being critical of what doesn’t work in the church.

Criticisms about the status quo can certainly arise when questions about faithfulness and fruitfulness are asked, but the work of missiology in service to the church is not the same as that of a film critic to the theater. Missiologists don’t only critique other models; they critique those they advocate as well. For instance, if you are an advocate for the micro-church, you won’t merely criticize megachurches. Or perhaps you have a number of criticisms of multisite. If you don’t also demonstrate the capacity to be self-critical of your own model for the purpose of greater effectiveness and faithfulness, you aren’t doing the work of missiology; you are just a critic (and the quota for critics has been met).

Missiology looks at all models and seeks to help them to be more biblically valid and practically effective.

Third, missiology is not the same as evangelism.

Missiology is an academic discipline that studies Christian mission. Evangelism is telling people about Jesus, whereas missiology is understanding them before we tell them, understanding them as we tell them, and understanding them as we shape a Christian community that flows from the gospel we are sharing as we evangelize.

5 Youth Lessons on Prayer for Your Ministry to Kids

Stephanie Martin

July 13, 2021

For any Christian program aimed at educating young people, prayer is an important topic. Kids need to hear that God listens to and answers all their prayers—and that they can intercede for anyone about anything at any time. That’s why we’ve collected several helpful youth lessons on prayer.

Use these teaching plans during a regular youth group meeting, at youth Sunday school classes or on a youth ministry retreat. The youth lessons on prayer will help young disciples of Jesus better understand this powerful gift of spiritual communication. They’ll discover that prayer is more than just asking God for things; instead, prayer involves praising and thanking God, as well as confessing our sins and seeking forgiveness.

Through all these youth lessons on prayer, kids will explore various ways to make prayer a regular habit in their daily lives.

Check out these 5 great youth lessons on prayer:

1. Closer to Jesus Through Prayer

This Bible lesson engages kids by first showing clips from popular movies. That springboards into biblical discussions about the language of prayer, various components of prayers, and how God uses the gift of prayer to help grow our relationship with him. Then it concludes with youth leaders encouraging teens to pray every day for the next month by focusing on four key words: petition, thanksgiving, requests and peace.

2. Prayer Object Lessons Using Household Items

Convey key concepts about prayer in concrete ways. These seven fun object lessons work well with older children as well as preteens. Students will discover connections between prayer and everyday objects such as a cell phone, a bowl of cereal, a bag of rocks and even a PB&J sandwich. Just as Jesus used parables and common items to teach spiritual truths, these youth lessons on prayer will grab kids’ attention and have lasting life impact.

3. The Importance of Prayer

Tune in to this YouTube video and watch a children’s pastor present a cool object lesson about prayer. To share the Bible lesson with your own kids, all you need is a clear glass (or vase) full of water, foamy shaving cream or hair mousse, and food coloring. Students will see a visual demonstration of how fears and worries can’t block our prayers to God (see Psalm 56:3-4). God is always listening, and he’s always in charge.

4. Prayer Hands for Kids

Use this “hands”-on craft to remind students about various things they can pray for. No matter their age, kids (and adults!) will appreciate visual guidance that prompts them to converse with God often. The site also provides a free printable document containing the prayer cards; simply click this link.

5. Pretzel Prayer Object Lessons

Use a simple snack to teach biblical truths in this study. First, you’ll explore how a pretzel’s shape symbolizes praying hands as well as God’s eternal, omnipresent nature. Next, you’ll talk about broken pretzels, which can remind us to pray for people who are hurting or struggling. “God can heal broken people,” the lesson concludes, pointing to Isaiah 41:10.

What youth lessons on prayer do you recommend? In the comments below, we’d love to hear what has been most effective with your students.

Lawyer Who Represented Trump, John MacArthur Is Leaving the GOP in Protest

Jessica Lea

July 13, 2021

Jenna Ellis, a former lawyer for Donald Trump who has also represented Pastor John MacArthur, has left the Republican Party. Ellis, who is an evangelical Christian, argues that the GOP does not represent true conservative values.

“I am leaving the Republican party until the Republican Party comes back home to conservatives,” said Ellis, speaking to Newsmax’s Greg Kelly. “I will stand up and champion truth, conservative principles, our Declaration of Independence as America’s charter, and the U.S. Constitution, but I will not stand and abide by a party that says that we have to support everything that comes under the banner of ‘R,’ even if it is not conservative.”

As one example of not being truly conservative, Ellis cited Republican National Committee (RNC) chairperson Ronna Romney McDaniel’s recent tweet in support of Pride month. Ellis also mentioned the current infrastructure bill (which has bipartisan support) and Sen. Mitch McConnell’s comments about Trump after what Ellis called the “second impeachment hoax.” The Senate acquitted the former president in February, but McConnell nevertheless said that Trump was “morally responsible” for the Jan. 6 attacks on the U.S. Capitol and that Trump had been guilty of “a disgraceful, disgraceful dereliction of duty.”

After listing those examples, Ellis said, “All of these things are not conserving our principles of liberty and justice for all.”

Jenna Ellis’ View of Conservative Values

Jenna Ellis serves as special counsel with the Thomas More Society and as the chairwoman of the board of the newly founded American Greatness Fund, which seeks to preserve election integrity. Ellis also served with Rudy Giuliani on the legal team that challenged the presidential election results in 2020.

Prior to the 2020 election, Ellis came on in August as special counsel for John MacArthur’s Grace Community Church in its extended battle with the state of California over the right to meet in person. The church’s lawyers and the county are still working on reaching a settlement. Ellis has been affiliated with the Standing for Freedom Center, formerly the Falkirk Center, although she no longer appears on the website among the list of fellows.

Ellis’ argument that the Republican Party has betrayed conservative values follows new revelations that last November RNC chief counsel Justin Riemer called Ellis’ efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results “a joke.” On July 13, author Michael Wolff released a book titled, “Landslide: The Final Days of the Trump Presidency.” Wolff says that in an email in November, Riemer said, “What Rudy and Jenna are doing is a joke and they are getting laughed out of court. They are misleading millions of people who have wishful thinking that the president is going to somehow win this thing.”

Ellis told Kelly that it was “sinister” that RNC leaders, including Riemer, were “actively undermining” Trump even as they publicly told Americans that they supported him. Riemer, who remains in the RNC, reiterated the views he expressed in the email in a statement:

I led the RNC legal team in over 55 lawsuits on behalf of the President’s reelection, winning a majority of them, including the only successful post-election lawsuit. Any suggestion that I did not support President Trump or do everything in my power to support the RNC’s efforts to reelect President Trump is false. I will say publicly now what I then said privately: I take issue with individuals who brought lawsuits that did not serve President Trump well and did not give him the best chance in court.

For Ellis, however, true conservative values seem to be intertwined with supporting Trump’s fight for a second term; Republicans who fail to do so are therefore not true conservatives. Her views stand in contrast with those of other pro-Trump leaders, such as Jeremiah Johnson, a charismatic ministry leader who came to believe that continuing to support the former president after he lost the election was a form of idolatry.

Planned Parenthood, ACLU Go After TX Abortion Bill Granting Informers Up to $10K

Stephanie Martin

July 13, 2021

On Tuesday, the American Civil Liberties Union, along with Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers and advocates, filed a federal lawsuit aiming to block a controversial Texas abortion bill. The so-called “heartbeat” legislation, signed in May and set to take effect in September, will essentially block most abortions in the state, say critics. They claim the measure is unconstitutional, will intimidate abortion providers, and will pit citizens against each other by incentivizing snitching.

How the Texas Abortion Bill Is Different

Numerous states have recently tightened abortion restrictions, but Texas is trying a new approach designed to prevent federal challenges. Enforcement powers rest in the hands of private citizens, not government officials, meaning anyone can sue abortion clinics and other violators. Although the abortion-seeker herself can’t be sued, anyone who provides money for the procedure, transportation to a clinic, or even pastoral advice related to pregnancy is fair game. For a successful challenge, a citizen can receive up to $10,000.

Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, says the Texas abortion bill is putting “a bounty” on the heads of people who support pregnant women. Law professor Melissa Murray says, “If the barista at Starbucks overhears you talking about your abortion, and it was performed after six weeks, that barista is authorized to sue the clinic where you obtained the abortion and to sue any other person who helped you, like the Uber driver who took you there.”

The Reason for a New Legal Strategy

This spring, more than 300 legal professionals described the bill as an “unprecedented abuse of civil litigation” and said it “weaponizes the judicial system.” Giving enforcement power to citizens, says law professor Stephen Vladeck says, makes the measure tough to challenge and block.

John Seago, legislative director for Texas Right to Life, says pro-life groups decided to “try a different route” because federal judges were blocking abortion restrictions passed by other states. Even with the new Texas bill, he says, “There’s still quite a lot of hoops to jump through for a claimant to prevail.”

Will the Threat of Lawsuits Shutter Abortion Clinics?

The mere possibility of being sued will reduce the number of abortion providers in Texas, say abortion supporters. Marva Sadler, who oversees four clinics in the state, says, “Not only is it an attack on [abortion] access, but it absolutely feels like a personal threat as well.” Others say the law will disproportionately harm people of color and low-income women.

In May, a group of faith leaders gathered at the Texas Capitol to protest the bill. Presbyterian Pastor Andries Coetzee said it exposes too many people to legal liability. “The relationship between a parishioner and a pastor is one of sacred trust and cannot be legislated,” he says. “God alone is Lord of the conscience and not Caesar.”

When Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, signed the bill in May, he said, “Our creator endowed us with the right to life, and yet millions of children lose their right to life every year because of abortion. In Texas, we work to save those lives.”

Although the bill doesn’t include exceptions for pregnancies that occur due to rape or incest, it does offer a provision for medical emergencies.

UPDATE: ‘Lord, We Didn’t Want To Be In the News. Not for This,’ TX Pastor Prays After Large COVID-19 Outbreak

Stephanie Martin

July 13, 2021

UPDATED July 13, 2021: For a second straight week, Clear Creek Community Church in Texas was forced to hold worship services online due to a large COVID-19 outbreak that originated from its church camp.

It is unclear how many more individuals have been infected outside of the initial report of 125 from the camp who tested positive. Pastor Bruce Wesley confirmed in a statement last week that the church is facing a second wave of positive cases. According to reports, some of the infected cases have tested positive for the COVID-19 Delta variant. There were over 450 campers attending Clear Creek Community Church’s camp in June.

In its online worship service this past Sunday, Pastor Wesley prayed for all those who have suffered through the church’s outbreak. “Lord, we didn’t want to be in the news. Not for this. I mean, maybe for serving generously or for some extreme generosity…but not this,” Wesley prayed. “We ask for your mercy. We ask for your healing for all of those who became sick with this virus and for their families who’ve been caring for them as well. We pray for complete recovery so that people don’t have any lingering effects and we pray that there would be a stop…you would be a stop to the spread of this virus.”

Although many more have become sick, the church says it is unaware of any hospitalizations.

Clear Creek Community Church said they are hoping to return to in-person worship services this coming Sunday.

You can watch the online statement and message from Sunday below:

ChurchLeaders original article written on July 7, 2021 below:

‘Our Hearts Break’—TX Pastor Says 125 Campers Test Positive for COVID-19

More than 125 teens and adults who attended a late-June event in Galveston County put on by Clear Creek Community Church have tested positive for COVID-19. Health officials have confirmed that at least three cases involve the highly transmissible Delta variant.

This is the second coronavirus outbreak tied to a church camp this summer. Last month, at least 85 people tested positive for COVID-19 after attending The Crossing Camp in Quincy, Illinois.

Clear Creek Community Church’s Pastor: ‘Our Hearts Break’

Clear Creek Community Church, a five-campus interdenominational ministry headquartered in League, Texas, organized the camp for sixth- through 12^th-graders. More than 400 campers and adult chaperones gathered for the five-day faith-based event.

Bruce Wesley, the church’s lead pastor, expresses sorrow about the outbreak’s widespread impact. In addition to those people who tested positive, he says, “hundreds more were exposed to COVID-19 at camp, and hundreds of others were likely exposed when infected people returned home from camp.”

Wesley says he’s been informed about “a number of families where everyone got sick after camp,” he says, “and obviously that’s horrible. That breaks our hearts.” The pastor adds that “from the beginning of the pandemic,” all of Clear Creek’s campuses “have sought to love our neighbors by practicing strict safety protocols. We are surprised and saddened by this turn of events. Our hearts break for those infected with the virus.”

Because of the outbreak, the church cancelled in-person worship services for July 4 and 7 at all its locations.

Health Officials: Outbreak Could Be a Research Opportunity

Because no other groups were at the camp and no attendees left the premises during the event, experts say the outbreak could provide an opportunity to learn more about the Delta variant. “We know when they were exposed, and we can see how well they’ve done and see how many people are breaking through,” says Dr. Phillip Keiser of the Galveston County Health Department (GCHD).

The Delta variant could explain why the virus spread “so rapidly” among campers, Keiser adds. “The Delta variant is highly contagious, more so than other strains, and people who are unvaccinated are at most risk.”

So far, the FDA has granted emergency use authorization for COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 12 and up. Experts fear continued outbreaks among young people, especially in areas of the country with “patchwork” vaccination rates.

“This is a reminder that COVID-19 is still here, and we have to take precautions,” says Dr. Keiser. “In this outbreak, at least as of now, it appears most of the people who have tested positive are old enough to be vaccinated. These vaccines are safe, effective, and they offer the best protection against COVID-19 to you, your family and your community.”

Contact tracing continues throughout the county, with some lab results reportedly being delayed because of the recent holiday. Some of the church-camp cases involve self-reports, and at least six represent breakthrough cases, meaning patients were two weeks past their second COVID-19 vaccination. Officials urge anyone associated with the camp or its attendees to get tested and quarantine at home if they experience symptoms.

Should Pastors Tithe? Here’s Why Pastors MUST Tithe

Shane Bishop

July 13, 2021

Should pastors tithe? Here’s the deal. Pastors have to tithe — they have to. I know many pastors don’t, but you simply have to tithe if you are going to lead a church. And you need to tithe to your current church. The one whose name is on your pay check. Give your offerings anywhere you want, but tithe to your church.

Melissa and I celebrated our 30th wedding a few years back, and it brought to mind a story from our first week as a married couple. I was finishing up college and Melissa was babysitting, making an astounding $60 per week. That was our income, $240 per month. When it was time to write the bills, we discussed how much to give. Melissa said, “Let’s give 10 percent; let’s tithe and believe God will one day entrust us with much more to give.” Right then we settled the question, should pastors tithe. We wrote a check for six bucks. It was wonderful advice.

Should Pastors Tithe? Here are 10 reasons:

1. Tithing to your current church is a powerful expression of your “buy-in” to your current context.

The very first reason pastors should tithe is that church leaders need to know their pastor is “in this thing.” Few things are more powerful than putting your money where your mouth is.

2. Saying yes to God’s call to ordained ministry is not a discipleship exemption.

People in all careers had to sacrifice to get where they are, start off making a pittance and have student loans, just like pastors do. They need to tithe as well.

3. A non-tithing pastor can never preach the fullness of Christian discipleship (with any authority anyway).

Consultants agree that a church can’t properly address God’s resources without a pastor leading from the pulpit and pen. I truly think many pastors don’t preach it because they don’t live it. Failing to proclaim the whole Gospel because you aren’t willing to tithe is NOT a virtue. Discipleship IS a virtue. Should pastors tithe? Let’s not fool ourselves here.

4. Your church will NEVER reach its potential without a critical mass of tithers.

The primary leader HAS to be one of them. I just don’t know of any exceptions to this.

5. Even if no one knows you don’t tithe, you do and God does.

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Second, missiology is not merely being critical of what doesn’t work in the church.

Third, missiology is not the same as evangelism.

Why Pastors Quit

Check out these 5 great youth lessons on prayer:

1. Closer to Jesus Through Prayer

2. Prayer Object Lessons Using Household Items

3. The Importance of Prayer

4. Prayer Hands for Kids

5. Pretzel Prayer Object Lessons

What youth lessons on prayer do you recommend? In the comments below, we’d love to hear what has been most effective with your students.

Jenna Ellis’ View of Conservative Values

How the Texas Abortion Bill Is Different

The Reason for a New Legal Strategy

Will the Threat of Lawsuits Shutter Abortion Clinics?

‘Our Hearts Break’—TX Pastor Says 125 Campers Test Positive for COVID-19

Clear Creek Community Church’s Pastor: ‘Our Hearts Break’

Health Officials: Outbreak Could Be a Research Opportunity

Should Pastors Tithe? Here are 10 reasons:

1. Tithing to your current church is a powerful expression of your “buy-in” to your current context.

2. Saying yes to God’s call to ordained ministry is not a discipleship exemption.

3. A non-tithing pastor can never preach the fullness of Christian discipleship (with any authority anyway).

4. Your church will NEVER reach its potential without a critical mass of tithers.

5. Even if no one knows you don’t tithe, you do and God does.

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