Making Disciples Makes Me

July 12, 2021

The astounding news of the gospel of the Kingdom is that we have been called to look like Jesus. It’s exciting when Christians begin to realize spiritual formation is possible. They begin to pursue their destiny in Christ. But there is a second part of our destiny in Jesus: we have been called to not only be disciples, we’ve been called to make disciples as well. Making disciples is at the heart of the Great Commission, but as Dallas Willard says, it’s often the Great Omission of the church.

You might think: “this is a no-brainer, you’re talking about evangelism.” But it’s not so easy. For many, the Great Commission in Matthew 28:16-20 has been a call to evangelism. The problem is, evangelism in North America has consisted chiefly of proclaiming the gospel of “Go-to-heaven-when-you-die.” The substance of most evangelism focuses upon the price Jesus paid for our redemption and the new birth required to receive his free gift. When there is a new decision for Christ, the follow-up may encourage converts to find and attend a local church, but that is not the same think as making disciples.

Other believers, the kind who readily embrace spiritual formation, focus on the call to become like Jesus. They embrace the disciplines capable of changing their lives without looking beyond their own welfare in God. But what if the task of making disciples is central to our calling to become like Jesus? What if we are called to the kind of evangelism that causes us to say, “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ”? (I Corinthians 11:1) How would that change our walk with God? How effective would our “evangelism” become?

Jesus modeled every aspect of life with God. Sometimes we miss one of the most obvious aspects of his example: he called and trained others. His personal influence drew them closer to the Father, and after three years of intensive life-sharing he released them into the care of the Father and the Spirit. His command at the end of Matthew’s gospel and the evidence of the book of Acts reveals that he expects us to do the same.

Following Jesus means making disciples. It’s part of the path to Christlikeness. Part of this path is the change worked in us when we pour our lives into others: both will find themselves changed day-by-day into the image of their common Master.

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

Children’s Ministry Leadership: 7 Essential Qualities

Dale Hudson

July 12, 2021

As with any other area of the church, programs aimed at children require strong, effective leadership. Solid children’s ministry leadership teams make great children’s ministries possible.

Do you feel called to children’s ministry leadership? Or maybe you want to improve as a leader? What qualities should be in your personal DNA? What qualities do you need to focus on and seek to grow in?

I made a list of seven important skills for children’s ministry leadership. The list isn’t exhaustive, but it’s a great place to start. Read through them and then take some time to ponder the self-reflection questions. Also write down action steps you can take to improve in each area of children’s ministry leadership.

7 Must-Have Children’s Ministry Leadership Skills:

1. Innovation

As the leader, it’s important to be able to consistently generate fresh, new ideas for the ministry. This keeps the program from getting stale or falling into a rut. At times you’ll need to reinvent the ministry to keep it relevant.

Being innovative doesn’t mean the entire children’s ministry leadership team needs to be creative geniuses. In fact, the best way to bring innovative new ideas to the table to is have everyone around the table work together to create the ideas. Innovative leaders know how to pull the best ideas out of the group.

Ask yourself:

How do I keep the ministry fresh and exciting? How can I improve at this?

Do I bring key leaders together to brainstorm new, innovative ideas? How can I improve in this area?

Do I lead through change by example? Am I willing to let go of the sacred cows (even if they’re ones I created) so the ministry can stay relevant?

2. Passion

The passion level of the ministry will never rise above your personal level of passion. A children’s ministry leader must be able to stand before kids, families, parents and volunteers and then communicate with passion. You must be a thermostat rather than a thermometer. The difference? A thermostat sets the temperature. A thermometer only measures the temperature.

Sharing the ministry’s vision should cause people’s hearts to beat faster. That happens only when they see and feel passion from you, as the children’s ministry leadership. Passion isn’t taught; it’s caught. In my book If Disney Ran Your Children’s Ministry, I share the story of when Walt Disney tried to convince the financial board to provide the money to build Disneyland. Here’s what happened:

“As he stood before the board, he admitted it was hard for them to envision Disneyland the way he could, but he assured them, ‘There’s nothing like it in the world. I know because I have looked. That’s why it can be great: because it will be unique. A new concept in entertainment, and I think…I know…it can be a success.’ When he finished there were tears in his eyes. The members of the board were persuaded.”

Disney parks exist today, as the world’s number-one vacation destination for families, because of one man’s passion. If Walt could be that passionate about building the Magic Kingdom, how much more should we, as leaders, be passionate about building God’s kingdom!

Ask yourself:

Am I a thermostat or a thermometer? How can I improve in this?

What gets me fired up and passionate about children’s ministry?

What are some ways I can raise my personal passion for the ministry?

3. Self-Awareness

For effective children’s ministry leadership, team members need to identify their strengths and weaknesses. They also should know their personality type, spiritual gifts, peak productivity times, warning signs about being stretched too thin, and so on. Leaders must be committed to growing personally in all these areas.

They also gather people around them to help with the quality of self-awareness. These people help them see their blind spots, hold them accountable for their words and actions, and provide tools for becoming more self-aware.

Ask yourself:

How self-aware am I? What are my strengths? What are my weaknesses? Am I working to improve myself?

Do I have people around me who help me see my blind spots and hold me accountable?

What steps can I take to continue growing personally as a leader?

Student Worship: 5 Steps for Building a Youth Praise Team

Chris Wesley

July 12, 2021

I’ll never forget the first time I attended the Purpose Driven Youth Ministry Conference and saw the Saddleback Church student worship band perform. They were professional and effective, conducting youth-led worship at a high level. At the time, our church didn’t have much of a student band. In fact, it wasn’t a band at all. The lead worship guy from the adult services simply volunteered his time for the teen service. He was good, and kids enjoyed his music. But something needed to change.

If your youth ministry can have a student worship band or youth praise team, it will powerfully impact the way teens worship and connect with God. Youth led worship sets a model for peers and gives kids ownership in the ministry.

Starting a student worship band isn’t always easy. In fact, maybe you’ve tried before to assemble a youth praise team, a choir or even just a soloist now and then. Sometimes recruiting can be a challenge; other times, kids are inconsistent about showing up. And talent can vary widely. Building a high-quality student worship team is a process, but with the right approach you can eventually hit all the right notes (or most of them, at least).

Use these five steps to create a powerful student worship team:

1. Define its purpose.

First, consider the reason and role for your student worship leaders. Do you want a youth praise team to lead the entire service or just set the mood at the beginning? One reason worship bands tend to “disband” is a lack of vision. To create one, ask yourself, “How will this take our ministry to the next level?” If you can’t answer that question, then you aren’t ready to start putting together a student worship group.

2. Budget for the youth praise team.

If you want a student worship band, you need to prioritize it in your budget. Expenses include quality equipment (i.e., microphones, drum set) as well as a worship leader. You might be fortunate and receive donated equipment. You also might find someone who’s willing to commit a huge chunk of time to train, recruit and prepare teen musicians. But that’s not always realistic, and equipment will break. Plus, by financially investing in a leader, you create an accountability system that expects excellence.

3. Outsource the leader.

I can play guitar and piano, but as a youth minister my focus is on too many things. No matter your ministry’s size, if you can stipend a volunteer or hire someone, then it takes a huge burden off your back. This person can host tryouts and practices and select music. Find someone who loves God, likes teens and is focused on growing musicians and disciples of Christ simultaneously. Although it would be beneficial to budget for a leader, you don’t have to pay a lot…just enough to show appreciation. No matter the pay, treat the position like a job. Interview the person and make sure the fit is right for your ministry.

4. Publicize the student worship team.

The next step is to promote the youth worship band or team like crazy. If you host tryouts, announce them at all the services, send emails to parents and kids, and post an ad on your web page. Give the worship leader permission to plug and promote the band each time your ministry meets. Create buzz so you can recruit students who want to play and learn how to worship through music. No matter what, be persistent. In the beginning, you might not get much response. But the more you plug away, the more momentum will build.

5. Create a commitment.

Teens belong to so many clubs that you’ll face competition for their time. After tryouts, ask kids to sign a commitment similar to one they might sign for a sports team. Be sure to set out your expectations for practice, attendance and even conduct. And remember: You don’t have to recruit teens who are Christians. In fact, the student worship band might be an effective evangelization tool. Just set and enforce a moral code, because kids are leading their peers. Committing to a student worship team holds kids accountable.

Again, forming a student worship band isn’t easy and doesn’t happen overnight. Starting one takes time and money; however, your labor will yield fruit. Through a student worship band, our ministry has grown. It also prepares teens for the message and their small groups. And we’re excited to see how it continues to grow young disciples.

What solutions have you discovered for “orchestrating” student worship? Please share them in the comments below!

Did Amy Grant Affirm the LGBTQ Community on Apple Music’s Proud Radio?

Jesse T. Jackson

July 12, 2021

Six-time Grammy-Award winning artist and contemporary Christian music icon Amy Grant was a recent guest on Apple Music’s Country LGTBQ-themed Proud Radio hosted by Hunter Kelly.

Kelly, a veteran journalist and broadcaster who came out near the beginning of his career, has been hosting the country radio show since it debuted in August 2020. Grant appeared on his show Sunday July 11, 2021, to promote the 30th anniversary of her first mainstream album “Heart in Motion.” The album that gave the world “Baby Baby,” “Every Heartbeat,” “That’s What Love Is For,” “I Will Remember You,” and “Good For Me,” sold more than 5 million copies and was number one on the Christian albums chart for 32 weeks.

Grant told Kelly, “Who loves us more than the one who made us?” Then she explained that we as individuals are not a surprise to God. “Nothing about who we are or what we’ve done. That’s why to me it’s so important to set a welcome table,” she said. “Because I was invited to a table where someone said, ‘Don’t be afraid, you’re loved.’ Gay. Straight. It does not matter.” She told all those listening that it “doesn’t matter how we behave. It doesn’t matter how we’re wired. We’re all our best selves when we believe to our core, ‘I’m loved.’ And then our creativity flourishes. We’re like, ‘I’m gonna arrange flowers on your table and my table.’ When we’re loved, we’re brave enough to say yes to every good impulse that comes to us.”

Kelly shared with Grant that her song “Ask Me” helped him understand what had happened to him when he was sexually abused at age three. The song helped him explain to his parents what had happened to him and they helped him get therapy when he was in 5th and 6th grade. “That abuse does not cripple me today because I was able to hear that song and get that help,” he said. “I was so grateful in that moment for God using you and your music to help me…every part of my life…professionally [and] personally is touched by ‘Heart in Motion.’ ”

UPDATE: Mark Dever’s Capitol Hill Baptist Church Win’s COVID-19 Lawsuit; District of Columbia Ordered to Pay

Jesse T. Jackson

July 12, 2021

UPDATED July 12, 2021: The District of Columbia has been ordered to pay Pastor Mark Dever’s Capitol Hill Baptist Church (CHBC) $220,000 for placing COVID-19 restrictions on them that banned worshiping together as an entire church body. The money will cover the legal fees CHBC acquired during the lawsuit.

CHBC filed the lawsuit back in September 22, 2020. The lawsuit stated that Mayor Bowser and the District of Columbia violated CHBC’s rights under the First and Fifth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

The city also agreed it will “not enforce any current or future COVID-19 restrictions to prohibit CHBC from gathering as one congregation in the District of Columbia.” The city also agreed that “it will not impose restrictions on CHBC that are more restrictive than the restrictions on comparable secular activities, as defined by the Supreme Court.”

CHBC’s legal counsel Hiram Sasser said, “All Capitol Hill Baptist Church ever asked is for equal treatment under the law so they could meet together safely as a church. The church is relieved and grateful that this ordeal is behind them. Government officials need to know that illegal restrictions on First Amendment rights are intolerable and costly.”

Pastor Mark Dever did not livestream the sermons of Capitol Hill Baptist Church during the pandemic because “a video sermon is not a substitute for a covenanted congregation assembling together.” The church holds the belief that corporate worship gatherings of its entire congregation is a “central element of religious worship commanded by the Lord.”

The settlement can be read here.

ChurchLeaders original article written on September 24, 2020 below:

Capitol Hill Baptist Church (CHBC), pastored by well-known author and Senior Pastor Mark Dever, is suing the capitol city of the United States (District of Columbia) and Mayor Muriel Bowser for restricting their right to hold mass worship gatherings. The lawsuit filed on September 22, 2020 in the U.S. District Court, states that Mayor Bowser and the District of Columbia are violating CHBC’s rights under the First and Fifth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

CHBC, a Southern Baptist Church, is located just six blocks from the United States Capitol and has 853 members. The church welcomes between 900 and 1000 people at their Sunday morning worship gatherings in normal times.

A statement released on September 22, 2020 by Justin Sok, one of CHBC’s pastors, says the church is asking to be treated in a similar manner as area businesses:

Since its founding in 1878, CHBC has met in-person every Sunday except for three weeks during the Spanish Flu in 1918. That changed following Mayor Bowser’s first orders concerning COVID-19 on March 11, 2020. Since that time, the members of CHBC—most of whom live in the District—have been unable to meet in person, as one congregation inside District limits (even outdoors).

We are thankful for our mayor and her dedicated efforts to support various interests in D.C. balancing First Amendment freedoms with public health concerns. Meeting in-person as one congregation is a deeply-held religious conviction for which there is no substitute. Our simple desire is to have a community and one that meets together safely.

CHBC has applied for multiple waivers to the policy, but District officials refuse to provide CHBC with a waiver beyond 100 persons as part of a mass gathering. The lawsuit filed Tuesday simply asks that CHBC be permitted to meet in-person, with similar restrictions as area businesses and other gatherings have employed to protect public health.

A church is not a building that can be opened and closed. A church is not an event to be watched. A church is a community that gathers regularly and that community should be treated fairly by the District government.

Mayor’s Orders Restrict Outdoor Gatherings

The 26 page lawsuit explains that Mayor Bowser’s orders, issued in March of 2020 and which currently remain, prohibit worship gatherings over 100 people even if they are held outdoors and worshipers are practicing social distancing and wearing masks. According to the suit, this order will remain in effect until a vaccine has been developed and made widely available. On June 10, 2020 CHBC attempted to obtain a waiver from Mayor Bower’s office that would allow them to gather, but their application was rejected the third week of September (last week).

Mass Gathering Protests Were Permitted

On June 6, 2020 Mayor Bowser not only permitted a mass gathering protest, but gave a speech at it. As she spoke to a densely-packed crowd into a microphone, Bowser pulled her face mask off. The lawsuit says tens of thousands of people attended the event, and four other events similar to it happened between June and August 2020. In its suit, CHBC claims the Mayor, by her own admission, has favored “certain expressive gatherings” over worship gatherings citing, “First Amendment protests and large gatherings are not the same” because “in the United States of America, people can protest.”

Family Loses Appeal in Lawsuit Over Rev. Don LaCuesta Funeral Remarks

AP News

July 12, 2021

TEMPERANCE, Mich. (AP) — A priest who criticized a teenager’s suicide during his funeral is protected by the religion clauses of the First Amendment, the Michigan Court of Appeals said.

The court affirmed a decision by a Monroe County judge who had dismissed a lawsuit by the mother of Maison Hullibarger.

The 18-year-old, who was an athlete and honors student in the Monroe area, died in 2018. Mourners were shocked when the Rev. Don LaCuesta gave a critical sermon. He said suicide was a “secular crime” and a “sin against God with dire eternal consequences.”

Linda Hullibarger sued the priest and the Detroit Archdiocese, alleging intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy and other claims. She said LaCuesta had reneged on an agreement to celebrate her son’s life.

“Father LaCuesta’s conduct was protected by the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine,” the appeals court said in a 3-0 decision Thursday. “As such, we cannot pass judgment on the content of his sermon. Consequently, all of plaintiff’s claims necessarily fail.”

After the funeral, the archdiocese said it regretted that an “unbearable situation was made even more difficult” by LaCuesta’s remarks at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Temperance.

This article originally appeared here.

‘God Bless Abortions’ Banner Hung on Statue of Jesus by Guerrilla Art Activists

Jessica Lea

July 12, 2021

On July 9, an activist art collective called Indecline draped a banner saying, “GOD BLESS ABORTIONS,” over a giant statue of Jesus in Eureka Springs, Ark. The collective said its reason for hanging the banner over the seven-story Christ of the Ozarks statue was to protest restrictions the state of Arkansas is imposing on abortion.

“The project, entitled ‘God Bless Abortions,’ is in direct response to the dramatic attempts being made in Arkansas and throughout the South, to ban abortion services to women in need,” said Indecline in a statement.

On March 9, Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed a bill into law that bans abortions in Arkansas, except when necessary to save the life of the mother. The bill made no exceptions for cases of incest or rape. Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union have sued to strike down the new law before it takes effect on July 28.

Christ of the Ozarks Defaced

Christ of the Ozarks is a 67-foot tall statue that sits atop Magnetic Mountain near Eureka Springs, Ark. The statue is on the property of the Great Passion Play, an organization that holds dramatizations from May to October of the final week of the life of Jesus. The performances, which have a run time of nearly two hours, feature 170 actors and are held in an outdoor amphitheater seating 4,000 people. In addition to Christ of the Ozarks, the Great Passion Play’s other attractions and projects include a Holy Land Tour and mission trips.

Before sunrise on the morning of Friday, July 9, Indecline members disguised as a construction crew snuck onto the Great Passion Play property and hung the 44-foot “GOD BLESS ABORTIONS” banner across the Christ of the Ozarks. Founded in 2001, Indecline says it is “responsible for some of the most infamous guerrilla art and protest campaigns in the U.S.” Defacing property is par for the course for the group. In March of this year, Indecline altered a Christian billboard in Mississippi that read “Worried? Jesus offers security” to “Worried? Planned Parenthood offers abortions.”

In an Instagram post about the banner, Indecline said, “In Arkansas, there is only one 65-foot statue of Jesus. There is also only one abortion clinic. No professional sports teams. Just a bunch of angry men with no outlets, writing outrageous laws…That, and the second highest rate (by state) of infant mortality. It’s hard to see how ‘pro-life’ can be so myopic in its vision of what life is” [Editor’s note: This post contains language that some may find offensive].

The post continued, “We think Jesus would understand the concept of a difficult decision. He supposedly had to make a few of them and understood sacrifice very intimately. The Christ of the Ozarks is visible from miles away, so we just treated it like a billboard.” The group said it is neither “pro-choice” nor “anti-life,” but thinks that abortion is a “miracle worth celebrating.”

Indecline also mentioned that the Christ of the Ozarks was conceived of and built (in 1966) by Nazi sympathizer Gerald L.K. Smith, who blamed the Jews for Jesus’ death. According to the Arkansas Times, the Great Passion Play has since distanced itself from that view and now includes a statement at the beginning of performances saying that all people, not just one group, are responsible for Jesus’ death on the cross.

The Great Passion Play’s director, Randall Christy, said he will be pressing charges against Indecline. Director of operations Kent Butler said, “They trespassed on our property. They put themselves at risk when they were putting it up. Then they put our staff at risk when they were taking it down. And they tried to use our platform, our statue as a platform for themselves.”

He added, “The people who hung the banner on the Christ of the Ozarks, I would like them to come and see Jesus hung on the cross that’s right behind me because Jesus’ mission was that of love and people’s lives matter.”

The Great Passion Play organizers hired a tree company to remove Indecline’s banner and posted a video of that process on Facebook. Indecline reposted the same video to its own Instagram account, mocking the passion play’s participants.

Billy Graham’s Cottage, Bought in the 1940s, Is for Sale at $600,000

Bob Smietana

July 12, 2021

Billy Graham's cottage — This four-bedroom house at 198 Mississippi Road in Montreat, North Carolina, was Billy and Ruth Graham’s first home. Photo courtesy of Single Point Media

(RNS) — If you want to buy a piece of American religious history, then — as Billy Graham might have said — the time is now.

A North Carolina cottage that the famed evangelist and his wife, Ruth Bell Graham, once called home is for sale. The Grahams bought the four-bedroom house at 198 Mississippi Road in the 1940s to be close to Ruth’s parents.

“I was born during the time my family lived in the house,” the Grahams’ daughter Ruth said in a press release announcing the house being for sale. “The Los Angeles Crusades and (my father’s) tour of England happened during those years … it is where it all began.”

The house, which has two bathrooms and is listed for $599,000, is not far from the Montreat Conference Center, a famed Presbyterian retreat — Ruth Bell Graham’s parents were Presbyterian missionaries, and she remained a Presbyterian after marrying her Baptist husband. She died in 2007. Her husband died in 2018.

An online listing for the house in Montreat, North Carolina, includes photos of the cottage’s large fireplace, outdoor patio, wood floors and paneled interior. The cottage also includes “original furnishings, books, photos and mementos.”

“This hidden gem is a chance to own a piece of history,” according to the listing.

In recent years, the cottage has been used for vacation rentals, listing on the short-term rental site VRBO.com for $332 a night. (It is currently booked for most of July.) A video flyover and tour of the property is posted online.

The Grahams moved from the house in 1957 but remained in Montreat, according to an interview with the younger Ruth Graham in the Ashville Citizen-Times. She said she is selling the house to help pay for her daughter’s medical costs.

She told the newspaper she has approached her siblings about buying the house but did not speak with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, run by her brother Franklin.

A spokesman for the BGEA told the Citizen-Times that the Graham siblings are close, and that “they love each other deeply and support each other.”

Potential buyers will have to act quickly. Viewings of the home will be held July 19 to 22, with offers to be reviewed on July 23.

“No drive-bys, please,” the listing requests.

This article originally appeared here.

7 High Standards of Leadership

Dan Reiland

July 12, 2021

Leaders are often under scrutiny.

Unfortunately, it’s often in an attempt to catch them doing something wrong, and we all know that if you look for the flaws and shortcomings, you’ll find them.

That’s true of anyone, not just leaders.

Yet, leaders are rightfully held to higher standards.

That doesn’t mean that leaders are better than anyone else, but we are accountable for our actions because of our influence on people.

Why higher standards? Is that really right?

Yes.

First, Scripture (1 Timothy 3:1-10) says it plainly.

Those who carry leadership authority must live according to higher standards.

Leaders set the example. It’s not about perfection. We are surely flawed, but we first lead by the lives we live.
Leaders must earn respect. Respect is never automatic; it’s earned over time by serving faithfully and actually making a difference.
Leaders serve for the good of the people. But, ultimately, the quality of leadership is based on the quality of people’s spiritual lives. It’s not how many; it’s the quality.

It’s understood that people choose how they will respond, but we must do all we can for every person who wants to grow, change and live more like Jesus.

1 Timothy 3:1-10 makes the high standards of leadership clear.

The long list included in this passage can be overwhelming, so I find it helpful to start by simplifying it into categories. I see seven important standards:

7 High Standards of Biblical Leadership:

(These seven standards will be in my next book available this Fall, When Your Leadership Isn’t Enough: 40 Devotions Strengthen Your Soul.)

1) Leadership is a godly calling.

Christian leadership is based on biblical values and carries with it eternal consequences; it’s a noble task that lives according to high standards.

Christian leadership is something set in motion by God, activated by gifting, and affirmed by elders or oversees.

Godly leaders are part of the body of Christ and serve as a representative of God.

It’s a privilege to lead God’s people. It’s not an easy road, but it’s so worthwhile.

2) Leadership is not automatically open to everyone.

Christian leadership is not an elitist proposition, but there are specific biblical standards that describe who is eligible.

For example, this passage says a leader must not be a recent convert. That makes sense. Consider just a few of many other careers.

The #1 Thing Nick Saban Learned From Bill Belichick

Brian Dodd

July 12, 2021

I am a subscriber to the daily sports newsletter The Athletic. It is one of the best annual investments I make from a leadership perspective.

On June 24th, writer Joe Smith posted Championship culture: Real or overhyped? Coaching titans Kerr, Maddon, Arians, and Saban weigh in. It is one of the most insightful articles I have red in 2021.

One of my favorite parts was Alabama head coach Nick Saban discussing how players must reinforce the values of the organization. He said, “I tell guys they have to reinforce the values of the organization to be a leader, have to set a good example and have to help somebody win. You have to care enough about other people to help them for their benefit, not yours. If they’re not willing to do that, this is not a role for them. You can’t be on the leadership group and walk into meetings late or miss class. That won’t work.”

There are perks to leadership and there is also a price and responsibility to leadership. Coach Saban pointed this out well with his comments. The article also included an audio clip with Coach discussing his time with Bill Belichick.

The following is The #1 Thing Nick Saban Learned From Bill Belichick along with 7 Additional Lessons On Creating Winning Cultures I captured from the clip:

“I think the biggest thing I learned from Bill was he defined the role that everybody had in the organization and the expectation he had for everyone.”
“He defined the kind of players he wanted to bring to the team, the kind of critical factors we wanted them to have.”
“You was very specific about, you know, how and what we were going to do in the organization.”
“Even though we worked extremely hard, you knew exactly what the expectation was.”
“Define the culture.”
“Define the expectation.”
“Your team reflects that because you defined exactly what you want.”
“If you want big linebackers and you don’t define that, you got a bunch a little guys and they’re not going to be able to do what you want to do… You’re not getting what you want because you didn’t define it to start with.”

Coaches Belichick and Saban teach us that selecting talent for your organization is about elimination. Your culture creates the decision grid and defines the individuals you wish to add to your organization. No matter how talented someone may be, if they do not fit your culture, they should not be an option for your team.

For more leadership from Coach Nick Saban, click the following:

This article originally appeared here.

My Spouse Had an Affair! Now What?

Dave Willis

July 10, 2021

My wife, Ashley, and I love encouraging married couples from all over the world through our ministry at MarriageToday and the XO Marriage Conferences. We love hearing stories of good news when a couple gets engaged or overcomes a hardship in their marriage, but we also hear many stories of heartbreak from couples facing tragedy like discovering evidence of an affair.

Just this morning, I opened my inbox and another familiar message came through. It was from a husband who just found out his wife has been having an affair with his best friend. I can’t imagine how much this double-dose of betrayal must sting. Despite his obvious pain and heartbreak, he was asking about what he could do to try and save the marriage. I told him that I’d be praying for a miracle and then I shared the seven steps to recovery I believe every couple must follow to heal from the aftermath of infidelity.

7 Things To Do to Start the Healing Process After an Affair:

Choose to forgive. This does NOT mean you trust your spouse at this point. Forgiveness and trust are two different things. Forgiveness is simply saying, “Because I love you, I’m choosing to pursue restoration instead of revenge. I’m choosing to pursue healing instead of hatred.”
Insist on your spouse breaking off ALL contact with the other person involved. If your spouse won’t break off all contact, there’s no opportunity for trust or healing to happen.
Create a policy of total transparency in the marriage. This should include accountability software (like X3Watch or Covenant Eyes) on all phones and devices to block porn and to monitor contacts. Your marriage must have a “Secret-Free Guarantee” from both spouses for the marriage to heal. All marriages need complete transparency regardless of whether or not there’s been an affair.
Begin counseling right away with a professional Christian marriage counselor to help you navigate the path to rebuilding trust and intimacy. Another aspect of counseling could be to go to a retreat specifically for married couples in crisis. There are many offered throughout the country.
Prioritize time together to rekindle the intimacy in your relationship. You need lots of time just to talk. You need to pray together. You need to laugh and cry together.
Spend plenty of time alone with your spouse, BUT don’t try to do life alone. You need a community of support around you, which should include a healthy church home. You need other trusted people praying for you, providing accountability and support.
Decide in advance you’re not going to give up when it gets hard. There are going to be moments of great pain and emotion even after you thought you’d “gotten over it.” There will be lasting wounds from this kind of betrayal, but you must decide in advance not to keep holding this over your spouse’s head. You must also decide in advance not to quit. If you’re both committed to healing, you will get through this and God’s grace will prove to be sufficient for you both. The peace that Christ brings is more powerful than our worst sins.

As an important addendum here, I need to remind you that if you’re doing everything in your power to forgive your spouse and save your marriage, but your spouse chooses to walk away, it’s not your fault. Do everything you can to promote healing and hope, and if he/she chooses to leave, let them go in peace. They may choose to end the marriage, but that’s is NOT the end of your story. God has a beautiful plan for you and He will carry you through this.

For those couples where both spouses are willing to move forward together, don’t quit! The road will be long and it will be difficult, but it will be worth the effort! The Lord will give you grace and strength for the journey and this deep scar can become a powerful part of your testimony someday. We are praying for you and cheering you on.

This article originally appeared here.

7 Excuses for Not Doing What God Calls Us to Do

Ron Edmondson

July 10, 2021

There’s always an excuse if we’re looking for one for when God calls us.

I’ve made so many excuses in my life. For years I may have sensed God was calling me into vocational ministry, but I knew I had to provide for my family. Also, I would be leading with the limps of previous failures—how and why would God use me? I didn’t have the most pastoral qualities either. For example, I’m far more of an organizational developer than I am a caregiver for the sick. There were a dozen others. If anyone had an encouragement for me to be in ministry—and I received lots—I had an excuse why it wasn’t a good idea.

Even when we are certain God has called us to something, we will stall because an excuse is always near. But when God calls, we need to listen.

And, most excuses seem reasonable at first glance. Common sense even. Think about the excuses Moses made for following God. I have to be honest—when I hear them, they make sense to me. I mean, if you’re not a good communicator—why send you as the chief spokesman for God?

But, God’s ways are not my ways—or Moses’—or yours.

The reality is following a God-inspired, God-sized dream always requires stepping into the unknown and always demands we overcome our excuses.

Are you stalling? Maybe you’re even running out of another good excuse. If an opportunity is still staring you in the face, let me encourage you from some of the best excuses I’ve used or heard—which have more times than not been proven wrong.

Here are seven of the most common excuses I’ve used or heard when God calls:

I can’t!

Your excuse is you don’t have what it takes. And, the sad part of this excuse—this also means you aren’t trusting God to provide what you lack. Saying I can’t to a God thing is an indicator of faith. If God calls you to it—you can do it because whatever you lack He will supply. (Gideon would love to weigh in on this excuse. Judges 6.)

I don’t know how!

The task seems overwhelming and you may be too proud to ask for help. So, I don’t know how will just have to do for now. If you trace its roots—this excuse is often fueled by either laziness, apathy or fear. (Do you think Noah knew how to build a boat the size of an ark? See Genesis 6.)

I don’t have time!

God calls for obedience now, but you’re preoccupied. And, chances are—with this as an excuse—you never will have time. This one has worked for me before too—for a season. What it really means is I have my time and God’s time. And, more specifically, I have my agenda and God’s agenda—and there is no time left in my agenda. (See how Jesus liked this excuse in Luke 9:57-62.)

I’m all alone!

Leading out by faith feels this way sometimes, doesn’t it? Sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees when it comes to being obedient to God’s call. I once thought I was the only one with a burden to plant a church. It seemed to be a lonely burden until we stepped forward in faith. Little did Cheryl and I know God had an army of core members prepared just waiting to be asked. (Remember, Elijah thought He was alone—and he found out otherwise. 1 Kings 19.)

I’m afraid!

And, the reality of this excuse is you can choose to let fear control you. I have. Many times. Fear is simply an emotion and it’s a powerful, often motivating excuse. Much could go wrong with your dream. You could mess it up! You could have misunderstood what you sense God calling you to do. Plus, our mind is capable and skilled at quickly creating worst-case scenarios. But, know this. Trusting God, even when you’re afraid to do so, always produces God-appointed and God-sized victories. In fact, you can’t possibly get to the victory until you face the fear. (Could we learn anything here from Esther? Esther 3.)

I can’t afford it!

You’re afraid the dream will be more expensive than the provision of God. You wouldn’t verbalize this one, but it’s real, isn’t it? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the money fear raised by potential church planters. I often say the money is in the harvest. (Tell this excuse to the widow in 1 Kings 17 or the disciples who picked up 12 baskets of leftover bread in Matthew 14.)

I won’t!

This may be the boldest excuse. With this excuse you simply refuse. You may disguise it lots of ways, but the fact is you’re doing things your way—instead of God’s way. You can combine all the other excuses here, because you won’t even give it a try. In fact, if the truth is known, you’d rather run some more. I did this one for years. (How did this excuse work for Jonah?)

There will always be an excuse not to follow the dreams God lays on your heart. Obstacles in life are plentiful. You can keep making excuses, or you can address them one excuse at a time. The one who achieves most is often the one most willing to overcome excuses.

What excuse are you using to stall on God’s plan?

This article originally appeared here.

Don’t Worry: Jesus Sees Your Value, Even When You Don’t

Brandon Cox

July 10, 2021

As Christians, we often have the tendency to approach God as the rule-giver. We want him to tell us what we’re supposed to do and what we’re not supposed to do so that we can try our best – with a lot of failure along the way – to keep his rules. Take, for example, the time Jesus said, “Don’t worry.” (Matthew 6:25)

We know what is expected of us – that we don’t give in to worry. So we try. We try to resist the sin of worry. We shame ourselves when we feel worried. We sometimes shame others because we perceive that they are worried. And while we fail often, we feel this is better than not trying at all, right? Keep reading.

What I love about Jesus’ commands is how he often gave us a much deeper motivation than what we come up with on our own. Our intrinsic motivation is: Don’t worry, or you’ll disappoint God. But Jesus tells us not to worry and then gives us a surprising motivation: Don’t worry, because you’re valuable to God.

Here it is, in Jesus’ words:

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

~ MATTHEW 6:26 NIV

Our feeble, legalistic approach leads us to try to stop worrying so that God won’t be mad at us. And in that motivation, we completely underestimate the value God places on us. We see ourselves as people he merely tolerates as long as we don’t get too far out of line.

Jesus, on the other hand, ties our need to live worry-free to our value before God. Because you are much more valuable than any bird, which God cares for out of his goodness and love, he will definitely take care of you.

So here’s the challenge today. Move from I shouldn’t worry because that would upset God to I don’t have to worry because God values me and loves me.

This article originally appeared here.

Does It Matter How the Preacher Dresses?

Joe McKeever

July 10, 2021

Does It Matter How the Preacher Dresses?

(I posted a paragraph on Facebook calling for pastors to dress “to inspire confidence”—and not look like they’d been out hitchhiking all night. It’s important to note that I did not say he should wear the uniform of the previous generation—a coat and tie—but merely to “dress one step in front of most of the men in the church,” whatever that means. Twenty-four hours later, we had 245 comments. Clearly, people have strong feelings about this.)

“If I see you standing at the pulpit wearing a suit and a tie, I’m out of there.”

I smiled at that. The fellow who said it is so dead-set on making sure the church does not put too much emphasis on appearance that he…well, puts too much emphasis on appearance.

As I write, the television set in this motel room is running the results of last night’s Iowa caucuses. At some point I noticed something about the [male] candidates for nomination for president.

All were wearing suits and white shirts and ties. Why? Watch any newscast. The anchormen are wearing custom uniforms. How come? This cannot be accidental. It cannot be because they are stuck in a rut. Nor can it be because they are trying to flaunt their wealth or impress the world. These people never do anything—repeat, never do anything!—without good cause. So, why do the candidates and the anchor people dress up when they go to work? We will pause here while you consider your answer.

At the same time, drop in on the typical church and you may be stunned to see that the fellow who looks like a hitchhiker just in from a day on the highway turns out to be the preacher. His jeans need pressing and the t-shirt he’s wearing looks like he has worn it all day. His shoes? Sneakers with lots of miles on them.

Some in the congregation actually take pride in the sloppiness of the preacher’s attire. They say the object is to make the outsider comfortable on entering the Lord’s House. They say the preacher is making a statement against the over-emphasis of the previous generation on externals, on “dressing up” for church.

Casting Crowns Former Drummer Andy Williams Is Resting in the Arms of His Savior

Jesse T. Jackson

July 9, 2021

UPDATED July 9, 2021: Casting Crowns lead signer Mark Hall shared on Instagram Friday July 9, 2021, that their former drummer Andy Williams passed away at the age of 49, in the early morning hours around 1 a.m.

Hall shared a post from Williams’ wife Kelly which said the motorcycle injury Williams suffered from his accident on June 27, 2021, took too much of toll on his body, although he fought the good fight.

Kelly told all those following their Gofundme page that God had answered prayers, saying, “While we mourn that Andy isn’t here with us, and that we didn’t get to witness the miracle we longed for here on earth, all of our prayers were answered. He is healed, he is awake and we believe that he is more alive today than he has ever been.”

“We celebrate that Andy is in the arms of his Savior and we are grateful for the memories and laughter that Andy brought to all who knew him,” Kelly said, thanking everyone for their prayers, support, unending love.

Please keep the Williams family in your prayers.

UPDATED July 6, 2021: “Your prayers are desperately needed and so is your support,” Casting Crowns lead signer Mark Hall posted on Instagram a couple of days ago, along with an update on the band’s former drummer, Andy Williams.

Williams was involved in a serious motorcycle accident on his way to church on June 27, 2021. After almost dying at the scene, Williams was rushed to the ER and placed on a ventilator because of extensive brain and bodily injuries.

The husband, father, and music teacher had to have his leg amputated just above the knee. Much is still unknown about what the upcoming days will bring for Williams and his family.

Doctors were able to eradicate bacteria from Williams’s lungs that was causing a fever, Pastor Jeff Boyet from Grace Chapel Fairview wrote in an update on Gofundme. Boyet asked people to pray for Williams’s complete healing and for his doctors. He also thanked those who had given to Williams’s Gofundme campaign, which was set up to help with medical bills and other unknown future financial needs. “The family can feel the love of Jesus from your generosity and continued prayers. Love to all,” Boyet wrote.

The Andy’s Army Gofundme campaign has raised over $43,000 of its $250,000 goal.

ChurchLeaders original article published on June 28, 2021, below:

Popular Grammy Awarding winning Christian band Casting Crowns posted on Instagram Sunday pleading for everyone to pray for their former drummer Andy Williams, who was in a serious motorcycle accident.

Williams was hit by a vehicle while riding his motorcycle on his way to church Sunday.

His former bandmates shared that Williams is alive after being resuscitated at the scene of the accident. He was rushed to the ER and is currently on a ventilator in very serious condition. “Severe trauma” to his body and brain occurred, and the extent of his injuries is still unknown.

Williams left the band in 2009 and was replaced by Brian Scoggin, who recently announced his departure from Casting Crowns to pursue local discipleship, teaching, and counseling opportunities.

Casting Crowns’ Instagram post read:

“This morning Andy Williams, our beloved drummer, was struck by a vehicle while on his motorcycle on his way to church. He was resuscitated at the scene and rushed to Vandy ER. Currently, Andy is on a ventilator with severe trauma to his body and brain. The doctors have performed scans and are continuing to identify the trauma suffered. He is ALIVE, but his needs are many. The doctors say right now that the best thing that can happen is for him to wake up on his own. So please stop what you’re doing and pray for Andy to wake up. Pray for his wife Kelly, his two sons Asher and Aiden, and his sister Mary.”

Mark Hall, Casting Crowns’ lead singer and youth minister at Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church in McDonough, Georgia, turned to Instagram to urge his followers to pray for Williams, posting: “PRAY FOR ANDY our friend and former drummer for Casting Crowns, Andy Williams, Was in a motorcycle accident this morning and really need your prayers!”

Over 26,000 people have commented on Casting Crowns Facebook post and it has received over 95,000 reactions.

Please join ChurchLeaders.com in praying for Williams and his family.

Ed Litton Urges Southern Baptists to Pray as He Names Task Force to Review Executive Committee

Jesse T. Jackson

July 9, 2021

Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) President Ed Litton announced Friday on July 9, 2021, that he has appointed a task force consisting of seven members that will oversee a third-party review of the SBC Executive Committee’s alleged mishandling of sexual abuse claims.

The task force was formed by Litton as a result of a nearly unanimous vote by the 15,000-plus SBC messengers last month at their annual meeting in Tennessee, demanding a third-party investigation into the Executive Committee’s actions. The passed motion gave Litton 30 days to appoint a task force that will, according to the Baptist Press, “have the discretion to begin its own review or to oversee an independent review already initiated by the Executive Committee.”

The task force consists of pastors, law professionals, counseling professionals, and abuse advocacy professionals. Bruce Frank, lead pastor at Biltmore Baptist Church in Arden, North Carolina, will chair the task force alongside vice chairman Marshall Blalock, pastor of First Baptist Church of Charleston, South Carolina.

Former gymnast and attorney Rachael Denhollander, who was the first woman to come forward to publicly accuse former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar of sexual assault, will serve as the task force’s advisor. In addition to Denhollander, pastor, author, and counselor Chris Moles will also serve as an advisor. Both served together on a sexual abuse advisory group constructed by recent President J.D. Greear.

Litton posted the following statement on his Twitter page Friday urging Southern Baptists to pray for the process and task force.

“As your president, few things are clearer than the instructions and responsibilities assigned to me by the messengers at the 2021 Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. My first priority has been to form a task force independent of the Executive Committee to engage a third party to review the handling of abuse cases. I believe the members of this team are men and women who genuinely pursue God, seek truth, and desire for survivor voices to be heard. They represent pastors, as well as professionals in law, counseling and abuse advocacy. Southern Baptists, I urgently call you to pray for this process and to bear the burden alongside the is task force as they pursue truth, identify issues, and move forward toward greater health in the area of response to abuse.”

SBC Task Force Members

Bruce Frank, lead pastor of Biltmore Baptist Church of Arden, North Carolina

Marshall Blalock, pastor of First Baptist Church of Charleston, South Carolina

John Damon, CEO of Canopy Children’s Solutions, Jackson, Mississippi, and member of Broadmoor Baptist Church, Madison, Mississippi.

Liz Evan, judicial law clerk at Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, Nashville, Tennessee, and member of Hilldale Baptist Church, Clarksville, Tennessee.

Heather Evans, director of Evans Counseling Services, Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, and member of Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Center Valley, Pennsylvania.

Andrew Hébert, lead pastor of Paramount Baptist Church, Amarillo, Texas.

Bucas Sterling III, senior pastor of Kettering Baptist Church, Upper Marlboro, Maryland.

Litton’s Plagiarism Allegations

Litton’s first SBC President task force comes in the wake of recent allegations he plagiarized sermons given by former SBC President J.D. Greear. The accusations led Litton and his team to delete over 100 sermons from their church’s website and YouTube page. Litton apologized saying he should have given Greear credit, but added he had Greear’s full permission to use “chapter-and-verse” breakdown of Greear’s Romans’ sermon series, a statement Greear confirmed.

The news led to a New York Times article titled “‘Sermongate’ Prompts a Quandary: Should Pastors Borrow Words From One Another?” The article quotes Southern Baptist Theological Seminary’s President Al Mohler as calling Litton’s actions “despicable,” while notable author and theologian John Piper said Litton’s actions were “unthinkable.”

Former Trump Official Russ Vought’s Nonprofit Calls CRT a Threat to ‘Colorblind Society’

Bob Smietana

July 9, 2021

(RNS) — Russ Vought believes in fighting racism — as long as it is defined properly.

A former Trump administration official and Wheaton College graduate, Vought defines racism as “personal prejudice that flows from ignorance and treating people differently as a result of that prejudice.”

By contrast, he said, proponents of critical race theory see racism as a systemic problem — not an individual one — that has infected every part of society. That’s led Vought, president of the Center for Renewing America, to become a behind-the-scenes leader in the battle over CRT being fought in churches and school boards around the country,

In an interview with Religion News Service, Vought said his organization does not object to discussions of racism or discrimination. But CRT advocates go too far.

“They don’t want equality of opportunity, they want equality of outcomes,” he said. “That is problematic because then you have no ability to ever live in a colorblind society. And it’s the rejection of a colorblind society that we find so problematic.”

The debate over critical race theory, an academic field of study dedicated to understanding the effects of systemic racism, has led to fisticuffs and angry debates at local school boards around the country, with claims that schools are teaching dangerous and divisive ideology that creates racial animosity.

Vought became involved in anti-CRT efforts during the Trump administration. While he was director of the Office of Management and Budget, part of his role was to implement the president’s executive order banning funding for CRT and other diversity training.

“The days of taxpayer funded indoctrination trainings that sow division and racism are over,” Vought tweeted in September 2020.

The days of taxpayer funded indoctrination trainings that sow division and racism are over. Under the direction of @POTUS we are directing agencies to halt critical race theory trainings immediately.https://t.co/dyMeJka9rt

— Russ Vought (@RussVought45) September 4, 2020

Judge Defers to Islamic Sharia Law Over U.S. Law Regarding Woman’s Divorce

Jesse T. Jackson

July 9, 2021

In Texas, Judge Andrea Thompson ordered a Muslim woman who was seeking to divorce her husband to appear before a tribunal governed by Sharia law.

U.S. citizen Mariam Ayad was ordered to forgo the typical legal path the justice system provides for a divorce because she signed a prenuptial agreement in which she agreed to abide by Sharia. Court documents cite that Ayad was “defrauded” into signing a premarital agreement, believing she was signing two copies of the customary marriage form.

Judge Thompson ruled that the prenuptial agreement is binding, disregarding federal and state laws and forcing her to enter a court that favors men. Mariam’s legal counsel argued that the prenuptial agreement violates her right to Equal Protection under the United States Constitution and the Texas Constitution.

“In Islamic law, the rules concerning witness testimony discriminate between men and women,” Mariam’s legal counsel wrote. “For example, a woman’s testimony is worth half that of a man’s, according to the following instructions from the Quran: ‘And get two witnesses out of your own men, and if two men are not there then a man and two women…so that if one makes a mistake, the other can remind her.’ Apparently, a man is presumed to be a competent witness, whereas a woman is not.”

In June, a new court ruling said it “has no discretion but to enforce the agreement of the parties in their prenuptial agreement signed on December 26, 2008, and refer the parties to arbitration per the terms of their agreement.”

One of the largest Islamic groups in Texas, the Islamic Association of North Texas, will be where Mariam’s divorce proceedings will take place. The Islamic Association of North Texas’s three-man panel of Muslim imams will decide the outcome of Mariam and her husband’s marriage — including alimony, child support, custody of their 6-year-old son, and any division of property.

“Judge Thompson’s ruling requires this American woman citizen to submit to a non-American, unconstitutional, male-run, Muslim religious court to ask for permission to divorce her husband where her right to a divorce could very well be denied to her under Sharia law’s family code,” Mariam’s lawyer said in a statement.

Mariam has filed a writ of mandamus with the Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas in the hopes of restricting the lower court’s ruling enforcing the prenuptial agreement.

View the marriage contract here.

What Is Sharia Law?

The moral code and religious law of Islam is known as Sharia law, or Islamic law, and is sourced from the Quran and the Sunnah, and the traditions and deeds of the Prophet Muhammad. Joe Carter, Christian author and associate pastor of McLean Bible Church, lists the five types of Sharia behaviors followers adhere to. Fard is obligatory, mustahabb is recommended, mubah is neutral, makruh is discouraged, and haram is forbidden. “Every human action belongs in one of these five categories,” Carter states. Only a few countries around the world follow the entire code.

Sharia Law Punishment

A report early this month shared that an Acehnese woman was sentenced and publicly flogged 100 times in Indonesia for engaging in premarital sex, an offense that goes against Sharia Law. Other offenses include adultery, LGBTQ affiliation, and alcohol consumption. Aceh, the only province in Indonesia that enforces flogging, also sentenced her counterpart to the same 100 lashes, and a man who provided the couple lodging to 75 lashes. Two other men were flogged 40 times for drinking alcohol. The woman passed out after her 100th lashing and had to be carried by ambulance for care.

Read these other related articles regarding Sharia Law:

Former Muslim From Sudan Forced Into Hiding

Seven Christians Killed in Christmas Eve Attacks in Nigeria

Life Sentence for Christian Changed to Death Penalty

Conversion to Christianity No Longer Punishable by Death in Sudan

Miracle in Pakistan: Christian Asia Bibi Freed From Death Sentence

Air Force 60% Responsible for 2017 Deadly Mass Shooting at Texas Church

Megan Briggs

July 9, 2021

Texas Church shooting — Law enforcement officials investigate a mass shooting at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017. (Nick Wagner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)

UPDATED July 9, 2021: U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez ruled that the United States Air Force was 60% responsible for Texas’s worst mass shooting to date that took place at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs during a Sunday morning worship service in 2017.

The federal judge in San Antonio wrote that former serviceman Devin Kelley, who was responsible for the shooting that claimed 26 people (including an unborn baby), had not been entered into a criminal database that would have prevented him from legally purchasing the firearms he used. Judge Rodriguez said it was the U.S. Air Force that failed to follow the law.

Judge Rodriguez wrote: “The trial conclusively established that no other individual, not even Kelley’s own parents or partners, knew as much as the United States about the violence that Devin Kelley had threatened to commit and was capable of committing.”

Approximately 450 rounds of ammunition was fired at worshipers by the former Air Force serviceman three years after he was discharged for bad conduct. Kelley was convicted of cracking his stepson’s skull and assaulting his former wife. The domestic violence felony conviction was not filed into the FBI database, which would have prevented him from legally purchasing firearms and body armor.

Kelley purchased four firearms in 2014 after his discharge. He carred three of those firearms into the church the day he killed 26 people, some of whom were children.

“It is more likely than not that Kelley would have been deterred from carrying out the church shooting,” Judge Rodriguez wrote, had the U.S. Air Force properly filed the felony conviction.

In 2018, a government report showed that the U.S. Air Force failed six times to report Kelley’s information to the FBI.

An upcoming trial stemming from a lawsuit against the federal government filed by the survivors and victims’ family members will determine the damages owed.

First Baptist of Sutherland Springs dedicated a new building in spring of 2019, a year and a half after the deadly shooting took place. Pastor Frank Pomeroy said, “Evil’s going to continue to lose. We are moving forward. There are still highs and lows, but I think even on the lows, we’re still climbing.”

ChurchLeaders original article written on November 5, 2017, below:

At least 26 people have died and about 20 are injured after a gunman opened fire today during a service at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. To the tight-knit congregation of about 50, this is an inconceivable blow.

“We heard semi-automatic gunfire… we’re only about 50 yards away from this church,” a witness, Carrie Matula, told NBC News.

According to witnesses at the gas station across the street from the church, the gunshots started at 11:15 am central time on November 5, 2017. Within minutes of the first gunshot, emergency personnel were on the scene. FBI agents have also arrived.

While an official statement on the succession of events has not yet been released, police have confirmed the shooter died while attempting to flee. It is unknown whether he was killed by police or himself.

The pastor of First Baptist, Frank Pomeroy, spoke to ABC News after the shooting. Pomeroy was out of town when the shooting happened, a rare occurrence for the pastor. He confirmed his 14-year-old daughter, Annabelle, was one of the victims. Considering its small size, everyone who died in this pastor’s church was a close friend of his.

Another pastor, Paul Buford of River Oaks Church located in Sutherland Springs, told reporters his congregation heard of the incident while they were also gathered in worship. “We have some first responders in our church who immediately left and went down there. And then my church went to do what we do—we started praying… we knew the best thing we could do was stay out of the way,” Buford said.

The community of Sutherland Springs was quick to gather to pray, although the prayers were understandably halting and interrupted by expressions of grief.

One reporter on the scene shared this clip of a group attempting to pray.

Families in tears wait to see if their family and friends are safe. Praying for the safety of all those involved. pic.twitter.com/yjzK7lZJ1S

— Max Massey (@MaxMasseyTV) November 5, 2017

Survey: White Mainline Protestants Outnumber White Evangelicals, While ‘Nones’ Shrink

Jack Jenkins

July 9, 2021

(RNS) — White Christian decline has slowed. Mainline Protestants now outnumber white evangelicals. New York is home to several of the most religiously diverse counties in the U.S.

These shifts and findings are among some of the notable revelations documented in a sweeping and exhaustive survey of the U.S. religious landscape by the Public Religion Research Institute.

The 2020 Census of American Religion, released on Thursday (July 8), is based on what researchers called an “unprecedented” dataset that includes hundreds of thousands of respondents surveyed between 2013 and 2019.

Clergy and other faith leaders will be perhaps most interested in PRRI’s finding that religiously unaffiliated Americans, or “nones” in religion demography parlance, have lost ground, making up just 23% of the country. The complex group — which includes atheists, agnostics and some people who say they pray daily but don’t claim a specific faith tradition — peaked at 25.5% of the population in 2018.

White Christians, meanwhile, have expanded their share of the population, particularly white mainline Protestants. That group sits at 16.4%, an increase from 13% in 2016, whereas white evangelicals — who PRRI delineated from white mainliners using a methodology researchers said is commonly utilized by major pollsters — now represent about 14.5% of the population, down from a peak of 23% in 2006. White Catholics now hover around 11.7%, up from a 2018 low of 10.9%.

The percentage of white Christians ticked up overall, rising from 42% in 2018 to 44% in 2020.

PRRI CEO Robert Jones said in an email that the survey doesn’t provide precise explanations regarding the shift among white Christians. But he pointed to “circumstantial evidence” that suggests “over the last two years in particular, white mainline Protestants seem to have absorbed at least some folks leaving white evangelical and other churches who may have otherwise landed in the religiously unaffiliated camp.”

Even with these small gains, however, white Christians have shrunk dramatically as a proportion of the population over the past few decades, having represented 54% of the population as recently as 2006.

And the political power of unaffiliated Americans continues to grow. Mainliners represent the same percentage of each political party in 2020 as they did in 2006 — 22% of Republicans, 16% of Democrats. They are also politically split three ways: According to the report, 33% identify as Republican, 35% identify as Democrat, and 30% identify as independent. By contrast, the percentage of unaffiliated Americans has expanded in both parties: They now represent 23% of Democrats (compared with just 9% in 2006) and 13% of Republicans (compared with 4%).

Further complicating the political calculus are the ages of each faith community. White evangelicals are now the oldest religious group, with a median age of 56. White mainliners and Black Protestants share the same median age — 50 — with white Catholics skewing closer to evangelicals at 54.

The youngest religious Americans are Muslims, with a median age of just 33. They’re followed by Hindus and Buddhists (both 36), unaffiliated Americans (38), Hispanic Protestants (39) and Hispanic Catholics (42). Jewish Americans (48) and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (47) make up the middle of the pack alongside Jehovah’s Witnesses (49) and Orthodox Christians (42).

The survey noted that most religious groups have seen their median ages increase, with the exception of Jewish Americans and white mainliners. Jones pointed to the mainline median age — which has actually decreased since 2013, when it was 52 — as more evidence mainline churches may be taking in people disaffiliating from other religious groups, who he said “tend to be younger.”

7 Must-Have Children’s Ministry Leadership Skills:

1. Innovation

2. Passion

3. Self-Awareness

Use these five steps to create a powerful student worship team:

1. Define its purpose.

2. Budget for the youth praise team.

3. Outsource the leader.

4. Publicize the student worship team.

5. Create a commitment.

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Here are seven of the most common excuses I’ve used or heard when God calls:

What excuse are you using to stall on God’s plan?

Here it is, in Jesus’ words:

Casting Crowns’ Instagram post read:

SBC Task Force Members

Litton’s Plagiarism Allegations

What Is Sharia Law?

Sharia Law Punishment

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