Pakistani Father Recovers Forcibly Converted, Married Daughter

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February 22, 2021

forced conversions — Police found Farah Shaheen, 12, chained in a home in Faisalabad, Pakistan on Dec. 5, 2020. (Morning Star News)

LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – Asif Masih beamed with joy to have his 12-year-old daughter back home on Tuesday (Feb. 16) in Faisalabad, Pakistan following her alleged kidnapping and forcible conversion and marriage to a 45-year-old Muslim.

“Praise God, for He has answered our prayers and rescued my daughter,” Masih said hours after Faisalabad Session Judge Rana Masood Akhtar ordered that Farah Shaheen be released from a government shelter “because she wants to go with him.” In a Jan. 23 hearing, Farah had told the court that she wanted to live with her so-called husband, Khizar Hayat – a statement made under threats and pressure at the shelter, her lawyer said.

The court verdict states that since the marriage between Farah and Hayat was not registered and a Nikahnama (Islamic marriage contract) was not verified by the area union council, she could not be kept in the shelter indefinitely.

“She’s deeply traumatized and fearful, but my child is very happy to be back in her family,” Masih told Morning Star News. “Just when we thought that we had lost her, this miracle happened. May God keep all daughters in His protection.”

Masih, a Roman Catholic daily wage laborer, had fought for Farah’s recovery since she was allegedly kidnapped by three Muslims from the family’s home in the Ahmedabad area of Faisalabad in June. The child was allegedly raped, forcibly converted to Islam and forced to marry Hayat.

Although intercourse with a girl below age 16 is statutory rape in Pakistan, in most cases a falsified conversion certificate and Nikahnama influences police and courts to pardon kidnappers.

Hayat was taken into custody and released on bail, but he has yet to be charged for alleged kidnapping or rape, and fears for Farah’s security remain.

Police found Farah chained in the suspect’s home on Dec. 5 after Masih reported she had been kidnapped on June 25, and a judge ordered her to be kept in police custody; she was then sent to a government-run shelter home while her case went to court.

Church leaders and rights activists said they fear that such shelter homes, police and courts were facilitating the forced conversions of Christian girls.

Rights activist Lala Robin Daniel told Morning Star News that Hayat and his alleged accomplices would remain a threat to Masih and his family until they are taken into custody and punished.

“All those who were involved in this case should be given exemplary punishments so that people have a fear of the law,” Daniel told Morning Star News. “Unless stern legislation is brought against forced conversions of minor girls and the accused are punished, there is little hope for safety of our children.”

SBC Church Braces for Disfellowship Over LGBTQ Inclusion

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AP News

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February 22, 2021

Jim Conrad, pastor of Towne View Baptist Church, looks at a copy of a letter from the Southern Baptist Convention's credentials committee on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Kennesaw, Ga. During an SBC meeting in late February, its executive committee will discuss a recommendation that Conrad's church be ousted from the SBC because it accepted LGBTQ people into its congregation. (AP Photo/Angie Wang)

Divisions over race, politics, gender and LGBTQ issues are roiling America’s largest Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, ahead of a meeting of its executive committee next week.

On the agenda are two items reflecting those divisions: A recommendation that a church in Kennesaw, Georgia, be ousted from the SBC because it accepted LGBTQ people into its congregation, contravening Southern Baptist doctrine; and a report by an executive committee task force criticizing the widely respected leader of the SBC’s public policy arm, the Rev. Russell Moore. Among the grievances against Moore: His outspoken criticism of Donald Trump during Trump’s 2016 election campaign and his presidency.

Jim Conrad, the pastor of Towne View Baptist Church in Kennesaw, said he’s at peace with the likelihood that his church will be “disfellowshipped” by the executive committee during its meeting Monday and Tuesday.

But Conrad sees broader challenges for the SBC as its stances on various sensitive issues are questioned from inside and outside.

Pastor Jim Conrad stands in the Towne View Baptist Church in Kennesaw, Ga., on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021. During a Southern Baptist Convention meeting in late February, its executive committee will discuss a recommendation that his church be ousted from the SBC because it accepted LGBTQ people into its congregation. (AP Photo/Angie Wang)

“The problem the SBC is facing right now is this: In order to work with them, you’ve got to be in lockstep agreement with them on every point. Nine out of 10 won’t get you by,” Conrad said. “That’s just a shame. They’re going to limit themselves in terms of who’s able to work them.”

Some of the most volatile topics facing the SBC aren’t on the executive committee agenda but have fueled passionate blog posts and social media exchanges in recent weeks. Among the issues:

— Some Black pastors have left the SBC and others are voicing their dismay over pronouncements by the SBC’s six seminary presidents — all of them white — restricting how the subject of systemic racism can be taught at their schools.

— Several prominent SBC conservatives, citing church doctrine that bars women from being pastors, have questioned why the denomination’s North American Mission Board has supported a few churches where women hold titles such as children’s pastor and teaching pastor. The board says it seeks to persuade such churches to change those titles.

— The leadership continues to draw criticism from victims of church-related sexual abuse over promises made in 2019 to combat that problem. Activists say inquiries related to sex abuse should be handled by independent experts, not by the SBC’s credentials committee.

Moore has been president of the SBC’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, or ERLC, since 2013. Though staunchly conservative on issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage, he has gained an audience outside the SBC with his speeches and writings, including criticism of Trump, condemnation of Christian Nationalism and support for a more welcoming immigration policy.

Tony Evans Has COVID and Says Ministry Offices Were Damaged in TX Freeze

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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February 22, 2021

Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Pastor Tony Evans has COVID-19. In an Instagram post on Friday, Evans said he is undergoing treatment for the virus and asked for prayers for his ministry, family, partners, and church members during this time.

In spite of his positive diagnosis, Pastor Evans preached a sermon on Job which was titled “A Spiritual Weather Forecast.” Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, located in the Dallas, Texas area, had to cancel many of their services this past week due to record-breaking weather conditions that left many without power, water, and heat in Texas. Evans preached Sunday’s sermon from his home, and it was broadcast via the church’s website and social media.

Evans told his viewers “Please do not miss God in this,” referring to all that has been happening in the world over the past year and the unpredictable weather Texas faced over the past week.

In Friday’s Instagram post, Evans also revealed the offices of his ministry The Urban Alternative were heavily damaged by the Texas winter freeze that swept through the state last week.

Evans explained he was sharing the photos of the damage to “encourage more people to pray for those who are truly impacted by this weather.”

Pastor Evans said in his post that their offices “will be fine. We will rebuild….But because Texas is not a cold-winter-state, many people have lost much more than this,” and asked people to pray for those struggling from the effects of the storm. “Prayers make a difference,” he said as he thanked those for bringing others who are in need before the throne of our great King.

You can read Dr. Tony Evans post from his Instagram page below:

It’s been a difficult week for us at The Urban Alternative, but we are continuing to thank God for His grace, covering and presence.

It started last Friday with my positive COVID diagnosis for which I’m continuing to seek treatment, and coveting the prayers of our ministry family, partners and church members. I shared this news with our church last Saturday.

Then, the winter freeze hit Texas and has caused so much damage to so many people’s homes, health, businesses, churches and more. These two photos are of our offices for The Urban Alternative where dedicated team members have been shipping anything and everything you’ve requested from our ministry over the years (books, CDs, DVDs). As you can see, the pipes burst and the entire facility is flooded. I share this to help encourage more people to pray for those who are truly impacted by this weather. Our offices will be fine. We will rebuild. We will continue serving those who partner with us in ministry. But because Texas is not a cold-winter-state, many people have lost much more than this. Power grids have completely shut down in some areas causing internal temperatures to get dangerously low. Many are now without water. Frozen pipes have caused homes, churches and businesses to flood. Livestock has been affected. The elderly have been shut in, some unable to get the medical help they need.

Will you join me in praying for everyone struggling through this storm? Will you remember to bring those in need before the throne of our great King? God bless you as you do this for others. Prayers make a difference.

Lord willing, I plan to preach a sermon on Job which we will post on Sunday, on our church’s channels and on our ministry’s social media channels. Please pray for me as I prepare for this message. And check back in on Sunday to hear what God has put on my heart for so many facing a difficult season right now. God is good and He IS faithful.

Pastor Evans did preach that sermon on Sunday. The sermon, titled “Spiritual Weather Forecast,” addressed the recent winter storm that crippled most of Texas and the current pandemic the world is facing. You can watch the full sermon below.

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A post shared by Tony Evans (@drtonyevans)

What to Do When a Child Is Lying

By

Dale Hudson

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February 22, 2021

There will be times when you, as a parent or children’s ministry leader, will have to confront a child about lying.

Whether it’s lying about something they did or didn’t do, you can use the lie as a time to help them grow spiritually and as a teaching time about why we shouldn’t lie.

First of all, get to the bottom of why they lied. Did they tell the lie for fear of punishment? Or maybe they were bragging to impress their friends? Or trying to avoid something they didn’t want to do? An attempt to get attention? Trying to cover up something they did? Whatever the reason, find out why they felt the need to tell a lie.

Next, explain why God doesn’t want us to lie. Lying is one of the 10 commandments. Why would God place it as one of the 10 commandments?

Encourage children to tell the truth by emphasizing the importance of honesty. Explain the main reason why God doesn’t want us to lie. God is a God of truth. He is always truthful and honest. As His child, He wants you to reflect this character as well. He wants you to be truthful. Honest. A person of integrity. Encourage children to tell the truth by emphasizing the importance of honesty.

Call the child up instead of just calling them out. Call them up to be a person of honesty and integrity. Encourage them to walk in His truth. Reflect His truth. Live in His truth.

Create clear rules that emphasize honest communication. This will show kids that you value the truth.

Talk with them privately…not in front of other kids. Discipling kids for lying is not something you do TO THE CHILD. Rather it is something you do FOR the CHILD. Give them consequences rather than punishment.

Help them see that lying is a sin and is something we choose to do or not to do because we have a sinful nature. Parents and leaders don’t have to teach kids how to lie. It is part of this sinful world we live in. Yes, God could have made us robots that were programmed to always tell the truth. Instead, He has given us the free will to choose to lie or not to lie. There is no true freedom and love without the ability to choose right or wrong.

Be a role model for honesty. Example – you just checked out from a grocery store and you realize the cashier gave you too much money back. Acknowledge what happened in front of your child and have them watch as you return the extra money.

Honor honesty. Your child or a child at church drops a vase they are playing with and using to splash water on other kids. Catch the child telling the truth and provide positive reinforcement. Praise them by saying, “I know that must have been hard to tell me that you broke that dish, but I’m so glad that you chose to be honest about it.”

All kids will lie occasionally, but it’s vital to catch it and deal with it, so that it doesn’t become habitual. Kids have a variety of reasons for lying but the most common one is keeping out of trouble. Once the child knows you expect the truth (and you consistently back up this expectation with consequences), you’ll likely see much more honesty in your home and at church.

This article originally appeared here.

The Two Largest Groups Who Have Not Returned to In-Person Worship Since COVID

By

Thom Rainer

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February 22, 2021

“I really want to see all of our members return to in-person services. I really miss them.”

This sentence was from a pastor in North Carolina. We were in a conversation about a church consultation. His comments quickly turned to the often-asked question today: When will our churches get back to normal?

As I have noted on several occasions, if “normal” means pre-COVID behavior, we will not return at all. We will, however, experience a new normal. We have to be ready for it when it comes.

I have notes from recent conversations with over 60 pastors. Some of the conversations were by Zoom or phone, others were interactions at Church Answers. While 60 conversations do not constitute a large sample, they do provide us some guidance on reality in churches today.

In that regard, we are hearing about the two largest groups who have not returned to in-person service. These groups are mentioned consistently when we hear from church leaders.

Senior Adults

The pastors with whom I spoke categorized senior adults in one of three groups: 65 and up; 70 and up; and 75 and up. The most common group noted was 70 and up.

The reasons for many of these seniors’ hesitancy to return are obvious. They are one of the greatest at-risk groups for COVID. Secondly, many of them have not received both COVID vaccinations.

Families with Young Children

As a rule, parents whose children are back in school classrooms are likely to be comfortable bringing those children to in-person church gatherings. But if the child is younger than school age, the hesitancy to return is greater. The entire family typically does not return to church.

This group of non-returnees is typically not as large in number as the senior adults who have not returned. But the combination of these two groups can be a significant number in a given church.

Will They Ever Return?

The good news is that, at some point, the pandemic will abate significantly. Eventually, the deadly virus will run its course through vaccines and natural immunity.

The challenging news is that many of these stragglers are not planning to return at all. Any discipline, including the discipline of attending church, develops through habits. Those who have not returned are out of the habit of attending church. Many have already decided they can do fine without attending church.

What can church leaders do in the meantime? You can stay in touch with the stragglers. A simple contact can go a long way. You can start a new digital Bible study group. Though it’s not as good as the in-person experience, it can connect them to others. And you can minister to them. Start a prayer ministry or use your existing prayer ministry to pray for these stragglers. Ask them for prayer requests. Follow up with them.

We will continue to monitor the post-quarantine church carefully. In the meantime, let us know what you are seeing in your church regarding non-returnees. Comment here and share your knowledge and wisdom with others.

It’s a challenging time.

But it is also a time of great opportunity as God’s Spirit continues to work in our churches.

This article originally appeared on ChurchAnswers.com

The Lord’s Prayer for Dummies

By

Daniel Henderson

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February 20, 2021

In our information age, complexity abounds. Noise pollutes our yearning for spiritual equilibrium and simplicity. E-mails, text messages, tweets, and Facebook clutter our lives with more than we can possibly digest in any given day. Clear answers are often buried in a sea of tangential information and advertising, found in books, magazines, the internet, or the media.

Perhaps that is why the For Dummies series is one of the strongest and most instantly identifiable brands in publishing. On their website, the company describes their success: “With more than 200 million books in print and more than 1,600 titles, For Dummies is the most widely recognized and highly regarded reference series in the world. Since 1991, For Dummies has helped millions make everything easier . . . presenting even the most complex subjects in plain English.”^[i] The subtitle of the books reads, “A Reference Guide for the Rest of Us.”

The Core of Prayer

Concerning the Lord’s Prayer, John MacArthur writes, “One of the marvels of the infinite mind of God is His ability to speak of vast themes in a few words . . . No set of volumes, no exhaustive themes of great length, no series of teaching or preaching offered by men could ever have captured the fullness of what prayer is, and is to be, as does that profoundly simple model. It sets the standard for all praying. It encompasses all elements in prayer. It’s for you, to change your prayer—and more, to change your life.”^[ii]

The “Lord’s Prayer,” as we are accustomed to calling it, really is the ultimate pattern of prayer Jesus gave to His disciples. He repeated it twice in the gospels. The first delivery (Matthew 6) occurred near Galilee before a large crowd in the context of an extended sermon. His second iteration (Luke 11) occurred near Jerusalem after the disciples observed Him in prayer. He repeated this specific pattern after they made a request to learn how to pray. In the original Greek, Jesus’ admonition to “pray this way” was a “present imperative” which makes this a command that we are to always and continually obey. Jesus was serious about our need to learn to pray according to this pattern.

In the original Greek, Jesus’ admonition to “pray this way” was a “present imperative” which makes this a command that we are to always and continually obey. Jesus was serious about our need to learn to pray according to this pattern.

Simple and Applicable

In recent years I have discovered a very simple way to understand and implement this incredible prayer. I call it the “For Dummies” version because is it so simple and immediately applicable—and memorable. It has become a standard approach for my personal prayers. Every time I look at a biblical text as a springboard to prayer, I think in terms of this pattern. It is almost as if this diagram is engraved on my bifocals.

I have also taught this pattern to thousands of pastors, prayer leaders, and church members. In my books PRAYzing!, Transforming Prayer, Old Paths, New Power, and How to Pray in a Crisis, I also explain this pattern. I hope it helps you experience new clarity in your personal prayer life. This is a worship-based approach to seeking God’s face in order to then trust Him for the vital issues of your journey.

The 4/4 Pattern

I grew up with a love for music. I played a couple instruments, sang in high-school all-state choirs, and received a scholarship for vocal music for two of my four years of college. So, it was natural that I experienced a convergence between my love for the Lord’s Prayer and my love for music. The result is what I call the “4/4 Pattern” of prayer.

In music, the 4/4 pattern is the most basic beat. In adapting the elements of that pattern to the Lord’s Prayer, it looks like this:

As you think about this pattern, keep in mind that our prayers begin in the Scriptures. So I always start with an open Bible. Very often I use a Psalm—but really any text of God’s word can initiate our praying, using this pattern. We also know that our teacher is the Holy Spirit. We come to the text with a ready mind, but also with a heart entirely surrendered to the instruction of the Holy Spirit as we pray.

THE STARTING PLACE: REVERENCE

Imagine a conductor before an orchestra. The conductor raises a hand and fixes it high to capture the attention of the musicians. Every member is at full attention. In the prayer pattern Jesus gave His disciples, He instructs us to begin with this upward focus of worship (“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name”). We call this upward focus or reverence. In keeping with Jesus’ instructions, prayer begins with the character of God as we take time to focus on the wonders of who God is according to His word.

As our “Father,” He is caring and intimate. As the One who is in “heaven” He is transcendent, holy, and separate. Striking this perfect balance, Jesus teaches us to draw near with assurance and awe, in heartfelt intimacy and holy imagination, in Abba adoration based on His glorious name.

As our Father, He is caring and intimate. As the One who is in heaven He is transcendent, holy, and separate. Striking this perfect balance, Jesus teaches us to draw near with assurance and awe, in heartfelt intimacy and holy imagination, in Abba adoration based on His glorious name.

Speaking of the priority of this first element of prayer, one writer says that this focus “calls for us to think about God, and in particular his Name. Our prayers are to be suffused with large thoughts about God. We are to take the attributes of God, which are suggested by his various names. If our prayers are not focused on God we are guilty of ‘idolatry’ as we are putting someone (or something) else in God’s place.”^[iii]

A.W. Tozer said it famously: “What comes to mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us . . . and the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like.”^[iv] Spending quality time with an opened Bible, delighting in the names and character of God, is the most important engagement in our lives and the vital starting point of prayer. This rivets our entire being on His name, and sets our hearts on His glory as the goal of all prayer. This allows us to abide in Him as His word abides in us. This brings us into conformity to the Lord Jesus so that we truly pray “in His name.”

Spending quality time with an opened Bible, delighting in the names and character of God, is the most important engagement in our lives and the vital starting point of prayer. This rivets our entire being on His name, and sets our hearts on His glory as the goal of all prayer.

Not only is our reverence a springboard to intimate, biblical, extended worship but it is vital to the exercise of real faith in prayer. Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Consider that all our praying may not please God if we do not pray in the faith that comes from the Word of God (Romans 10:17). This “upward” start puts our hearts in full attention and awe of who God is, and assures us of His character and commitment to reward us as we set our hearts to seek Him, not just things from Him.

THE DOWNWARD STROKE: RESPONSE

Next, the musical conductor gives the downbeat and the composition begins. In this prayer pattern, our “music” of worship and praise has already commenced. Now we respond to God’s character. Jesus taught the essence of this when He said, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This response to God’s character in prayer involves yielding to the control of the Holy Spirit and recommitting to God’s kingdom purposes. Introspection and surrender mark this time of yielding to the Spirit’s promptings. It is a season of pledged obedience to the will and word of God, desiring the accomplishment of His purposes in our lives.

Scottish writer Robert Law said, “Prayer is a mighty instrument, not for getting man’s will done in heaven, but for getting God’s will done on earth.”^[i] Warren Wiersbe explains that this moment of prayer involves “the devotion and dedication of our entire being to Jesus as we eagerly anticipate seeing him.”^[vi] It involves praying with the obedience and surrender to Jesus who said, “Not my will but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42), for the sake of the Father’s glory and kingdom purposes.

“Prayer is a mighty instrument, not for getting man’s will done in heaven, but for getting God’s will done on earth.” — Robert Law

THE INWARD STROKE: REQUESTS

From the downbeat, the conductor now moves the baton, slanting upward and left, setting the tempo for the music. In prayer, we are now ready to express trust in God for the needs of our lives by way of our requests. I often say that we do not really know what to ask for until we have worshiped well and surrendered completely. Psalm 9:10 says, “Those who know your name will put their trust in You.” From this position of spiritual alignment, we come to the Father with our requests.

We do not really know what to ask for until we have worshiped well and surrendered completely.

“Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” invites us to pray about the resource and relationship issues of life. If we looked at the average prayer list, virtually every request would ultimately be a resource concern or a relationship concern. Jesus, in His divine wisdom, knew our journey and our struggles. This segment of trusting Him with a variety of “inward” matters allows us to lay it all out before Him.

“Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” invites us to pray about the resource and relationship issues of life. If we looked at the average prayer list, virtually every request would ultimately be a resource concern or a relationship concern.

Praying about “daily bread” is more than hoping we can scrape some funds together to buy a fresh bagel at Panera. This idea represents “all that we need to sustain life as we serve the Lord.”^[vii] This is not a time of informing God of our needs, because He knows what we need before we ask (Matthew 6:8). Rather, this is an expression of conscious trust in God as the perfect definer and provider of our needs. It involves prayer about personal concerns, family and friends, daily circumstances, and even ministry matters.

Relationships matter to God. As the word and Spirit are working in us, leading us into prayer “according to the will of God” (Romans 8:27), we will be compelled to evaluate our relationships to be sure that our conscience is clear and relationships are right (Acts 24:16). We come to a place of relational alignment in this moment of prayer. This requires our confession of any sin that is revealed, leading to confession and restoration—both vertically (with the Lord) and horizontally (with others). Christians are a forgiven and forgiving people.

This element of the prayer addresses the inward realities of our heart to align us with the heart of the One who is the God of self-sacrificing, gracious, merciful, and forgiving love.

THE OUTWARD STROKE: READINESS

As the music continues, the conductor moves the beat to the right, keeping tempo. As our prayer continues, the outward stroke reminds us of the spiritual contest before us and, more importantly, reassures us of the spiritual resources within us. We know the time comes when we must get off our knees and re-enter the warfare zone. We must be battle ready.

When we pray, “Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one,” we recognize our own inability to overcome the temptations and snares of daily life. We entrust our welfare for the warfare to the One who is our victor. Borrowing from the great spiritual combat text of Ephesians 6:10–20, we prepare or hearts and minds to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” as we “put on the whole armor of God . . . to stand against the wiles of the devil” (v. 10–11). In this moment of readiness for the battle, we affirm that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (v. 12).

When we pray, “Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one,” we recognize our own inability to overcome the temptations and snares of daily life. We entrust our welfare for the warfare to the One who is our victor.

We are praying to be battle ready through our trust in Christ. He is able to “make a way of escape” (1 Corinthians 10:13) and His word is sufficient to equip us in the face of any temptation (see the example of Jesus in Matthew 4:2–11).

I often say, “The comfort zone is the danger zone.” As we come to the concluding moments of a prayer time, we not only anticipate but also embrace the responsibility to “fight the good fight.” We are called to be praying menaces to the devil. Prayer is not an escape from the battles of life but a great equipping to fight them in supernatural power. The very fact that we are seeking God’s face and engaging in life-giving prayer alerts the enemy to our increased threat to his dominion. When we pray, we pick a fight with the devil at a completely new level.

We are called to be praying menaces to the devil. Prayer is not an escape from the battles of life but a great equipping to fight them in supernatural power.

Yet, this is why we are on earth—not to cruise along on a luxury liner until Jesus comes but to stay actively engaged in our “search and rescue mission” in the midst of the global spiritual battle for the hearts and minds of people.

As you learn to obey Jesus in your prayer life, everything will change. I trust this simple approach will spark personal transformation and a new enthusiasm to seek His face in your family, church, and community.

(This article was adapted from Daniel Henderson’s popular book, Transforming Prayer: How Everything Changes When You Seek God’s Face.)

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[i] http://www.dummies.com/about-for-dummies.html

[ii] John MacArthur, Jesus’ Pattern of Prayer (Chicago: Moody Press, 1981), 10

[iii] Derek Thomas, Praying the Saviour’s Way (Ross-shier, Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 2002), 43

[iv] A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy, (San Francisco: Harper-San Francisco, 1992), 1

[v] Robert Law, The Tests of Life (Edinburg: T & T Clark, 1909) 304

[vi] Warren Wiersbe, : On Earth as It Is in Heaven—How the Lord’s Prayer Teaches Us to Pray More Effectively (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2010), 68

[vii] Ibid, 91

This article originally appeared here.

Should We Cancel Ravi Zacharias? Christian Leaders Weigh In

By

Jessica Lea

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February 19, 2021

ravi zacharias books — Screengrab Facebook @Ravi Zacharias

As Christians continue to grapple with the appalling news about Ravi Zacharias’s true character, one of the questions many are asking is: Should we pull all Ravi Zacharias books from publication? Not surprisingly, how leaders answer this question is closely tied to how they perceive the severity of the apologist’s crimes.

“I find it quite alarming that a church leader’s reaction to learning that a man committed sexual assault was, ‘But let’s not be too hard on him – that totally could have been me doing that crime, after all,’” said author and speaker Tanya Marlow. “I noted that among the Christian leaders who said this, there were no women.”

Zacharias’s actions, which were horrific and premeditated over a period of many years, should not be compared to the average person’s temptation to sin, said Marlow. “We all lie sometimes, we all lose our temper sometimes, we all fall short of the glory of God. We do not all torture people. We do not all rape women. We do not all so much as feel tempted to sexually abuse others.”

Not surprisingly, Marlow supports halting publication of Ravi Zacharias’s books. She asked,

What does it say to survivors of abuse everywhere when the church quotes from sexual predators as authorities on human life or the things of God? What does it say to the whole world that Christian academics will continue to read and promote the works of sexual predators as necessary as “important theologians”—as though we can offer no better theology than that written by rapists? Do we hear how this sounds?

To Halt or Not to Halt Publication of All Ravi Zacharias Books

Ravi Zacharias, who passed away from cancer last May, was a renowned and respected apologist whose life was exuberantly celebrated at his memorial service. But an independent investigation, commissioned by Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) and released on Feb. 9, revealed that throughout his ministry Zacharias had committed spiritual abuse, sexual abuse, and rape. He even justified the rape by saying the woman he coerced was his “‘reward’ for living a life of service to God.” Zacharias used RZIM funds to pay some of the women he abused, and the report found the apologist was in the habit of soliciting photos, inappropriate and otherwise, from hundreds of women throughout the world, even up to a few months before his death.

The investigation, conducted by law firm Miller & Martin, confirmed the account of Lori Anne Thompson, who settled a lawsuit with Zacharias in 2017 over allegations that he had groomed her for a sexual relationship. Zacharias denied Thompson’s story during his lifetime and instead claimed that she and her husband, Brad, were trying to extort money from him. The Thompsons signed an NDA at that time, and the executrix of Zacharias’s estate still has not released them from it. There is currently a petition, which you can find here, to release Lori Anne Thompson from her NDA.

The information that has come to light has also shown that RZIM, which has since issued a public apology, failed to hold its namesake accountable, failed to investigate credible allegations of abuse, and even suppressed people who raised questions that could have stopped Zacharias from preying on numerous women throughout the world. The ministry has still not published the names of its board members, nor has it publicly taken steps to overhaul its culture.

For more information on these developments, see the following articles:

The Story Behind the Ravi Zacharias Allegations (Part 1): Lawsuits, NDAs, and Email Threads

The Story Behind the Ravi Zacharias Allegations (Part 2): ‘Cursory’ Investigations and More Accusations

RZIM Apologist: Ministry Needs to Apologize to Victims and ‘Overhaul’ Culture

RZIM UK Cutting Ties After US Board Response to Abuse Report Found to Be Inadequate

RZIM PR Manager Says She Was Shunned For Asking Questions

Beyond $1,000 Sneakers: Carl Lentz, Hype Priests and the Cult of Celebrity

By

Tyler Jones

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February 19, 2021

hype priests — In this July 14, 2013, photo, then-Pastor Carl Lentz leads a Hillsong NYC Church service at Irving Plaza in New York. (AP Photo/Tina Fineberg)

(RNS) — When Hillsong New York popular preacher Carl Lentz was fired last November for “moral failures,” he joined an exclusive crew of other high-profile pastors who have turned out to be fallible humans after all.

Like these other ministers, Lentz had attracted an expansive following through his charismatic sermons, inspirational books and geometric jawline. But the leather-clad minister was unique in that he was widely known for being a spiritual adviser to A-list celebrities like Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, who reportedly received VIP treatment whenever they worshipped at Hillsong Church. One report even claimed the church “ operated like a nightclub ” that included reserved seating for celebrities that ordinary attendees waited hours to secure.

Lentz’s coveted connections, according to The New York Times, catapulted the preacher into “a new stratosphere of fame, in which he became not just a friend to celebrities but a celebrity himself.” It’s the fame-by-proximity approach.

A number of other super-fresh preachers — such as Rich Wilkerson Jr., Chad Veach, John Gray and Steven Furtick — have replicated Lentz’s celebrity-centric approach to Christian ministry. These religious leaders often show up in tabloids such as TMZ. Their social media accounts regularly (before COVID-19, that is) depict them partying on private yachts with elites, attending Kanye’s Sunday Service or mingling at Kourtney Kardashian’s 40 birthday party.

The way these pop-culture prophets have catered to celebrities seems to have had a trickle-down effect. A religious caste system can be observed in many churches across America, where it’s relatively common for pastors to enjoy private entrances, reserved parking spaces and security details. In these churches, if you’re even remotely famous — say, the town’s mayor or a wealthy businessman — you’ll likely be offered a range of church perks, including direct access to the pastors who are often shielded from interacting with many of their congregants.

Whether intentional or not, a chasm stretches between the well-known “talent” and the normal folks who are being asked to sacrificially fund the talent’s lifestyle. This chasm can limit a leader’s ability to offer encouragement and hope to all who enter the church’s doors, and worse, it can give congregants the distinct impression that some people matter more than others in God’s kingdom. As if the Trinity operates like Instagram, handing out verified blue checks and a bag of exclusive perks to users boasting the greatest notoriety.

A pastor friend of mine once said, “God can use kings but often uses peasants.” The idea checks out with the Bible, a book replete with stories about obscure and ordinary people being used by God to make a subtle but eternal impact on the world. The poor and powerless are called “blessed” by Jesus, and in the New Testament, the rich and privileged are often chastised.

If one of these pastors is questioned about whether a celebrity approach to ministry is problematic, they dismiss the critique by noting the rich and famous need Jesus, too. That’s true, but it’s not really an answer to the question of whether these tactics embody Christianity’s core teachings.

Others defend their posture by pointing out that when celebrities with expansive platforms become Christian, it brings more attention to the Christian gospel. But reimagining fame as an asset for Christian ministry is a far cry from the movement’s origins highlighting the poor, weak, lonely, marginalized and overlooked instead of the wealthy, powerful, attractive and popular.

A Christian can believe it is their job to “make Jesus famous” without making the massive leap to the problematic idea that fame is itself good and an effective tool for ministry. Additionally, this defense objectifies celebrities, who are still actual human beings, as tools to be used for a greater good.

Christians throughout the centuries have often taken a countercultural posture, but a prominent portion of the American church is now taking cues from the celebrity-culture craze that grips Western society at large. Many churches now function similarly to the rest of the world — even, yes, like a nightclub. Though pietistic evangelicals have long attacked Hollywood, their churches, institutions and leaders now celebrate and reward the “blessing” of fame, popularity and influence. Talk about irony.

I entered this conversation by accident when I started the @PreachersNSneakers Instagram account as a kind of social experiment. All I did was post photos of well-known pastors wearing shockingly expensive shoes next to the price of those shoes on the online market. It struck a nerve with thousands of Christians, the account went viral, and I was flooded with more content than I could possibly post by myself. A couple of years later, I’m realizing I was only scratching the surface of a much larger problem. The way some modern pastors are fusing faith and fame goes well beyond $1,000 sneakers.

In the past, the job of a pastor was geographically constricted. They were hyper-focused on the community that immediately surrounded their parish. But thanks to television, social media and the internet, a pastor’s reach is no longer limited. As a result, a pastor is now required to be a charismatic performer and function as a spokesperson for their church’s “brand.” And as any advertising major can tell you, any brand will benefit from a celebrity endorsement or two.

Christians are now forced to wrestle with the most basic question of what the role of a pastor is, exactly. Sure, the book of Hebrews charges pastors with caring for the souls of their entire “flock.” But can’t that job be delegated to a church’s middle managers? And if so, does that free up the pastor to focus on being a charismatic communicator and figurehead whose main job is to attract more people with a culturally relevant worship “experience?” I don’t have all the answers, but I know these are important questions that can no longer be avoided.

Perhaps fusing fame and faith is exactly what American Christianity needs to thrive in the 21 century. Or maybe it’s just one more roadblock for spiritual seekers who want something distinctly different from what the world is offering. If the latter is true, then Lentz and others may have committed a bigger “moral failure” than they realize.

This article originally appeared on ReligionNews.com. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ChurchLeaders.com.

RZIM Canada to Disband, Christian and Missionary Alliance Revokes Zacharias’ Ordination

By

Stephanie Martin

-

February 19, 2021

In the wake of the independent investigation detailing sexual abuse by Ravi Zacharias, more groups are cutting ties with the late apologist. After the devastating report was released last week, the British branch of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) immediately cut ties to the U.S.-based RZIM organization (which has suspended all fundraising activities). Now RZIM Canada has announced it will end operations, and the denomination to which Zacharias belonged has posthumously expelled him.

RZIM Canada: ‘The messenger’ Harms the Message

In a February 18 statement, the RZIM Canada board of directors say that “after much prayerful consideration” it is “compelled to begin winding down” its operations. The organization, which calls financial support from donors “a sacred trust,” also has inactivated its donation page “in the spirit of integrity” while its future is under review.

RZIM Canada, an independent organization, says apologetics-based evangelism is still necessary. But in light of findings that Zacharias engaged in sexual misconduct, it says people “are now at risk of rejecting the message on account of the messenger.” The board adds it will share an update on its “plans and direction” by the end of March.

Denomination Expels Zacharias

In what’s believed to be a first for the 134-year-old Christian and Missionary Alliance (CMA), the denomination has revoked Zacharias’ 1974 ordination. Although the CMA has been criticized for its prior handling of an accusation against Zacharias, it rejects the notion that it failed to hold him accountable.

When Lori Anne Thompson alleged abuse by Zacharias in 2017, both the RZIM U.S. board and the CMA cleared the apologist of wrongdoing after conducting investigations. But CMA vice president Terry Smith now tells Christianity Today the denomination did only a preliminary inquiry in 2018 and, based on those findings, didn’t proceed with a full investigation.

“We weren’t declaring him innocent,” Smith says of Zacharias. “We simply didn’t have evidence to support the accusations—part of which may have been related to the [nondisclosure agreement].” If the information involving massage therapists had been available earlier, he notes, “then obviously we would have had corroborating evidence to believe the accusations.”

Though Smith acknowledges the CMA bears “some level of responsibility for all of our official workers,” he rejects the notion that it caused or enabled abuse by Zacharias. “I wouldn’t say we didn’t hold him accountable,” Smith tells Christianity Today. “Part of sin is deceit. So is it possible for someone to cover up sin? Obviously it is. But I can tell you when we do discover it, and clearly discover it, we don’t look to find a rug to sweep things under.”

As a result of this scandal, the CMA says it will now license evangelists at the local level, not nationally. It also asked the Sensitive Issues Consultative Group to look into the denomination’s internal cultural as well as its response to abuse allegations.

In related news, HarperCollins Christian Publishing (which includes Zondervan and Thomas Nelson) says it will no longer offer books and resources by Zacharias. Apologist Lee Strobel is revising The Case for Faith to remove an interview with Zacharias.

How Will She Relate to the Guys?: Thoughts on Women in Youth Ministry

By

Brooklyn Lindsey

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February 19, 2021

I’ve heard a question asked by curious and well-meaning board members, camp directors, youth pastors, and leaders when hiring a female youth leader or speaker.

How will she relate to the guys?

Maybe you’ve asked this question yourself or you’ve had to answer it.

But before we chat it up, I think we’ve gotta raise the “it’s really not about us at all, but all about sharing a very unforgettable and connecting Jesus with others regardless of where we come from or what skin we’re in” flag. So now that’s it’s waving. Here’s my take on the topic.

I understand that I’m not a guy.
But I really do believe that God has given us what we need, when we need it.
And I know that God gave my own male youth pastor an ability to relate to me in a way that ultimately changed the trajectory of my life.

I don’t think he took a special class in seminary. I’m not sure if he went to seminary.
I don’t think it was because he had an awesome wife (even though he did).
I don’t think it was because he always made sure to have the door open when we talked (he also was great at that).

I do think he was great at listening.
I do think he was passionate about following Jesus.
I do think he was purposeful about putting me in places where I could experience the hope of Christ.

God has called us to love people.
And love doesn’t know gender.
And when I speak at different places and I’m encountering new teenagers, new faces, new leaders, and differing ideas of what it means to teach, preach, or to share, it’s then that I’m tempted to wonder if someone is weighing out my “connect factor”.

I’m tempted to think, when female youth leaders approach me to tell me how much their girls have LOOOVEEED having a female speaker, that maybe I’m only connecting with half of the audience. Maybe I’m robbing myself of a bit of joy that is meant to bless rather than cause me to question when I let my mind run down the temptation trail?

But temptation is different from actually believing something. And for me it ends right there. Temptation is cut off in the presence of an audacious belief that God has called and is calling us to connect with people in love–calling us to be with–calling us to share His Word–calling us to give up weak desire for strong and completely crazy amounts of trust.

After the last session of the middle school retreat I was speaking at this weekend I felt like God had set up a little affirmation station just for me. The kind you might find at a youth workers convention, the ones with little candy bars and sketched out notes reminding you that you’re awesome and loved and on the right track.

It came from the voices of the male leaders too, even those who may have been a little uncomfortable approaching a female, thanked me and I could see it in their eyes that they knew we were “same team” and that I understood them and that I could smell what they were stepping in as they loaded up vans and buses to travel home with kids who may or may not have taken showers in three days. I always feel like I’m the one who is blessed most to meet and experience new people–to get to see new and unchartered parts of God’s image all over the country and world.

Sometimes I can’t believe that I get to do this.

And hearing back from teenagers who wrestled with God’s Word over an intensely fun and focused weekend is my favorite part. And the middle school guys didn’t let me down…

They said:

Thanks for sharing this weekend.
Thanks for being yourself.
You’re a great talker.
You’re good at telling stories.
You made me think.
We’re going to go back to our youth group and be the leaders now.
Will you take a picture with our purple monkey?
Those are some sweet hater blockers…or do you call them stunna shades in Florida?
I really like your sweater.
Do you like the Beastie Boys?
Can I have your number? (ummmm, no! But I’d be happy to sign your shirt and fist bump you outta here!)

The only tangible dream that I was given as a child was to become a model. To pose in print ads or walk a runway wearing designer clothes. And there were moments when I was tempted to believe that that dream couldn’t happen once I became a Christian. I’m so glad that I didn’t let temptation keep me from becoming a supermodel anyway–the kind who wears Jesus and walks with people down the runways of their lives–and stops to take pictures with purple monkeys in her stunna shades.

The Rise of Relational Pornography

By

Ethan Renoe

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February 19, 2021

The Rise of Relational Pornography

Several years ago I heard about a device created in Asia which allowed two lovers to ‘make out’ digitally via the internet. Even if they were separated by miles, they could kiss this robotic mouth and it would respond instantaneously with the corresponding device of their partner, as if the two of them were making out together with the others’ disembodied mouth.

Crazy, I thought at the time. Who would be so desperate for human connection that they’d need to make out with a robotic extension of one?

Well, it turns out, millions of people.

The website OnlyFans, for instance, was created in 2016 and is officially referred to as a ‘creative content subscription service,’ but anyone who’s heard of the platform before knows what it’s really used for. It’s telling that in order to sign up for a profile, everyone must be over 18, and that the company’s logo is a keyhole, as if peeping on the creators.

The company claims to host chefs and personal trainers, but the company experienced a MASSIVE growth during the global pandemic and it was not because of recipes and workouts. It was because people by the millions wanted some sort of human connection to remove them from the reality of quarantine and panic.

OF and sites like it promise not just the opportunity to gaze at the bodies of beautiful people, but the opportunity to interact with them. To comment or message them directly, and hear back.

Going are the days where people were satisfied to watch nameless bodies in random videos on the major porn websites—those were far too impersonal. If the pandemic has revealed anything it’s that we are absolutely starved for human connection and (men especially) are willing to pay for that connection.

In looking into it a bit more (accountability software firmly in place lol), I found that this seems to be the direction most pornographic websites are heading. I don’t want to name any more, but every conceivable niche site offers the ability to chat and follow every type of model: tattoos, fetish, exotic, et al.

So I coined the term ‘relational pornography’.

Users have found some sort of connection on these sites which the porn of the past was not able to meet. You can only watch so many videos of random people before feeling dehumanized enough to move on. Now, however, with the perception of some sort of relationship with the person on the screen, the same itch can be satisfied but in a slightly…slightly more personal way. You login and see the same person or people in your feed, not unlike the people you follow on Instagram and are accustomed to their content and style.

“What OnlyFans customers crave,” said Tim Stokely, the founder of OnlyFans, “is a level of interaction and intimacy with the creator that they don’t typically get on Instagram or Twitter, where celebrities tend to share the most manicured version of themselves.”

Add in the fact that the models interact back with you (it boosts their status on the algorithms), and you basically have a real, honest-to-God relationship! Who needs to become one flesh with their beloved when you have OnlyFans? This is, without question, the next step in our progress toward becoming that dude in Japan who married an anime hologram.

I considered titling this post “The Rise of Interactive Pornography,” but then realized that this wasn’t strong enough—that people are not just interacting with the models on the screen, but through paying them and chatting with them, feel an actual relationship with this person, even if, in the back of their mind, they know this is her job.

The explosion of this relational pornography reveals that Covid is not the only pandemic ripping across the world these days:

It shows that we are turning to digital means of satisfying our deep need of connection.

It shows that people want this badly enough to ‘vote with their wallets.’

It shows that the market is heartless enough to profit off of broke people’s broke-ness and insecurities (read: low enough value of their bodies to sell them online).

It shows that we (mostly men) have become timid enough to prefer paying for this relational porn over asking out a real human in person.

It shows that, when the potential for personal connection is removed as in, say, a global plague, we are still willing to pay for digital interaction because it is such a deep need in the human soul, and that many of us are in positions where that need is not being met. I live with great roommates and close to my family, so loneliness has not been THAT bad for me, but I could see how my sanity would quickly devolve without my people.

We can clearly see that there is a real problem here, so the question is, what do we do about it?

The only advice I can offer is this: If you or someone you know seems to be drowning in the suffocating sea of loneliness, reach out. Offer alternatives. Even if it’s just a phone cll or FaceTime, it’s better than the other forms of digital interaction they may be contemplating.

Because I’m painfully extroverted, every single time I get in my car, I think, Who could I call right now? You never know, maybe those calls could be a much-needed lifeline in this age of isolation.

There are dozens of ways we can reach out and connect with people who may be settling for these digital means of connectedness and belonging. Those of us who are Christians especially should feel an urgency to unite and comfort the Body of Christ where it’s hurting, for as Paul put it, we are members of one another. When one of us is in pain, it should affect all of us.

When we are starving for human connection, the church should be the ones to rise and meet that need. We are ‘Little Christs’ with skin on who want to stop the bleeding of the world. That means showing up—in person wherever possible—for the lonely and timid.

May we be the antidote to the growing pandemic of relational pornography.

This article originally appeared here.

‘I Believe in Jesus, But Don’t Call Me Christian’

By

Christina Embree

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February 19, 2021

“Younger people are less religious than older people.”

Across the board, this proves to be true. Doesn’t really matter what country one observes or what metrics one uses; statistically, research finds that younger generations tend to be less religious than those who have come before.

However, it turns out, what does matter is which religion is being studied.

According to recent Pew Research, Christianity not only has the most predominant age gap, in that it affects nearly every country that identifies as Christian, it also has the largest one by percentage meaning there is a larger gap in between the ages than other religions.

“Age gaps are also more common within some religious groups than in others. For example, religion is less important to younger Christian adults in nearly half of all the countries around the world where sample sizes are large enough to allow age comparisons among Christians (37 out of 78).

For Muslims, this is the case in about one-quarter of countries surveyed (10 out of 42). Among Buddhists, younger adults are significantly less religious in just one country (the United States) out of five countries for which data are available.

There is no age gap by this measure among Jews in the U.S. or Israel, or among Hindus in the U.S. or India.¹ (Source)

PEW RESEARCH, 2018

The highest retention rates for religions are found in the Hindu, Muslim and Jewish communities. The lowest retention rates are found in Mainline Protestants, Buddhism, Jehovah’s Witnesses and atheism (Source).

Why?

There are so many people asking and answering this question. There’s a lot of research being done not only on why younger generations are leaving their faith and/or their church and why some choose to stay. More precisely, many younger generations are saying, “I still believe in God and Jesus and the Bible, but I don’t want to be called a Christian.” They are opposed to many of the movements that have been labeled as “evangelical” or “Christian” in the past decades and desire to distance themselves from that label and institution. Here are some common reasons for younger generations distancing themselves from church.

Some stay away from church because they don’t feel like they belong. A study shared by Christianity Today found that about “58 percent of young adults indicated they dropped out because of their church or pastor. When probed further, they said:
- Church members are judgmental or hypocritical (26%).
- They didn’t feel connected to the people at their church (20%).
- Church members were unfriendly and unwelcoming (15%)
- Religious, ethical or political beliefs (52%)
Others leave because their faith or their church was never truly theirs, just something they had to do for their parents or because children’s ministry or youth group was a fun social hangout. “Consider this finding: when students involved in the College Transition Project were asked what it means to be a Christian, 35 percent “gave an answer that didn’t mention Jesus at all.” (Source)
Still others leave because they have no relationships the church or a compelling reason to stay. According to an interview with Dr. Kara Powell of Fuller Youth Institute, “The number one reason why young people are walking away from their faith—it’s a lack of intergenerational worship and relationship” (Source).
A more recent development, the perpetuation of conspiracy theories, political agendas, and nationalism within the church. A recent study by Lifeway found that 49% of pastors frequently hear members sharing conspiracy theories and predominantly these belong to the 65+ generation and are part of a predominantly white church (Source). This is a major issue for younger generations who both reject this mixing of church and state and racial divide and also call out conspiracy and nationalism on a regular basis.

Of course, there are more reasons, but these are some of the big ones. And the thing is, some of these can be resolved!

Basically, each of these reasons boil down to this: We need faith communities that are, as Dr. Powell stated another interview, “ruthless about focusing on Jesus [and] realize that Christianity can be awkward and sometimes confusing, but Jesus is always magnetic.” And this starts when they are young, when they are children, not once they have left.

We need communities that foster a sense of belonging to something bigger, create space for intergenerational connections that are meaningful and long-lasting, and invite a willingness to engage in conversations of doubt, faith, and culture.

We can keep moving forward with age-segregated ministries, church services, and programs or we can step back, see the bigger picture, listen to what we are hearing from generations to come, and begin implementing the changes needed to address the concerns listed above all while remaining stalwartly focused on Christ.

It won’t always be comfortable for many of us to “change” and to embrace new ways of thinking and “doing” church, but it’s time to think bigger than today, bigger than “us” and consider our children, grandchildren and generations to come.

For more on these topics, check out the posts below and share your own thoughts in the comments

Who’s staying? Those Who Stay: 3 Reasons for NOT Leaving the Church, Millenials are NOT Leaving their Faith.
Who’s going? Unaffiliated, The Loneliest Generation and the Church’s Role
What is Age Segregation? Age Segregation and Generational Gap: What do these mean and why does it matter to the church?

This article originally appeared here.

For the Long Haul, Go Deep

By

Darryl Dash

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February 19, 2021

My early years were characterized by a mad rush to the pastorate. I took a Bachelor of Theology Honors degree, which was a Master of Divinity with a year tacked on for those with no undergraduate degree. I graduated and took my first pastorate at the age of 24. I was ordained less than two years later.

I don’t regret any of it. The professors who taught me in seminary were world class. My first pastorate had some hard moments, as all pastorates do, but was a gift from God. But looking back, I think I made a mistake I see many younger people making today. I couldn’t wait to get in the game instead of preparing to play for the long haul.

If God allows, I’ll be pastoring for over four decades. If I’d been wiser, I may have spent more time mastering the languages, serving under mature leaders, reading formative texts, and growing my soul. An extra four or six years seemed like an eternity then, but the payoff from those extra years would have been significant.

I can’t go back, but I can adopt that approach now. In a world of endless distraction, decide how you’re going to spend your remaining years.

You can’t keep up with all the new releases. Don’t even try. Find a hero from church history and read everything about them. Don’t be afraid to pick someone who will take years of reading.

Keep two lists of books: those you must read, and those you’d like to read. Zero in on those books that you must read, and commit to making progress. You’ll find, as I do, that the list of must-read books grows at such a rate that you won’t have any time to read those on the second list. Life is too short for anything but the best books. Read for pleasure too, but decide that you will invest most of your time in reading the best books.

Get a Bible, an actual paper Bible. Spend the money on one you like, even if it breaks the bank. Get a set of highlighters. Pick a scheme for marking your Bible, and determine to wear that Bible out. Start saving now to get it rebound. Treat that Bible well, and get to know it so well that you can picture where key passages appear on the page.

You get the idea.

Tremper Longman III tells the story of skipping a dinner with colleagues one night at the age of 39 to think about his writing aspirations. He set a writing goal, and made some other key decisions: to write more than one book at a time, and to write for different audiences. His plans that evening helped shape his energy for years to come.

Nobody can predict the future, and we know that the Lord determines our steps (Proverbs 16:9). But we could all do what Longman did: to take some time and reflect on how we want to spend the remaining time God gives us, and begin to make some long-term investments.

Start today. Skip social media or dinner if you must. Start planning and pacing yourself for long-term fruitfulness, even if you won’t see an immediate payback.

This article originally appeared here.

It’s Time: Use an iPhone as Your Video Camera

By

Phil Cooke

-

February 18, 2021

When I started out in television production, the cost of a camera was out of sight. And depending on it being a film or video project, the cost continued to climb. But today, we carry around a TV studio in our pocket and more and more filmmakers are embracing the idea of producing projects on mobile phones. That’s right: an iPhone as your video camera.

The bottom line is that it’s time to stop complaining that we don’t have a budget or the right equipment to make a high quality project. In fact, I don’t have to defend myself. Just take a look at some amazing examples:

This is a short documentary filmed in Paris on an iPhone X:

Here’s Steven Soderbergh’s trailer for his Netflix feature: “High Flying Bird”:

And here’s video from Apple about some amazing student films that were produced on an iPhone:

And if you enjoy wacky comedy, here’s an episode of the brilliantly original “Kid Scripts” featuring Chris Guerra and Ryan Gaul:

And here’s the story of a movie shot on an iPhone by Oscar-winning Director Claude Lelouche That premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.

With a wide range of tripods, jib arms, and other production gear designed for a mobile phone camera, it’s time to take it out of our pockets and start filming!

This article on using an iPhone as your video camera originally appeared here, and is used by permission. If you have a powerful message or story that could influence the world, media producer, consultant, and author Phil Cooke will teach you what you need to know about creativity, communication, Hollywood, media, culture, and the faith to make it happen. He’s produced TV and film programming in more than 60 countries around the world, and in the process, been shot at, survived two military coups, fallen out of a helicopter, and in Africa, been threatened with prison. And during that time – through his company Cooke Media Group in Los Angeles, California – he’s helped some of the largest Christian and nonprofit organizations in the world use the media to tell their story in a changing, disrupted culture.

Black History Can’t Be Told Without the Bible

By

Nicole Martin

-

February 18, 2021

(RNS) — Black Americans are leading the charge when it comes to religious practice in America. According to Pew Research, nearly 8 in 10 African Americans (79% percent) identify as Christian — more than any other ethnicity.

It is worth noting that this legacy of faith was forged under slavery and in the years of oppression that ensued, even as their oppressors attempted to keep slaves from engaging with God’s Word.

The Slave Bible, for example, widely distributed to reinforce slavery, omitted significant passages about freedom. Many Christian organizations in the 1800s were ambivalent at best about encouraging enslaved Blacks to read the Bible and in some cases even refused to distribute it to slaves.

Yet despite these challenges Black Americans persisted in faith and hewed closely to the Bible as a means of survival. It has been a source of healing, hope and refuge from danger. Its stories were passed on through songs and sermons so that they infiltrated their common language, even among those who could not read. During the Civil War, freed slaves joined the Union Army and found jobs or places to settle in the North, and found new freedom to read the full Bible and express their faith in powerful ways.

Demand for the Bible became so strong that on May 20, 1864, Capt. Charles B. Wilder, superintendent at Fort Monroe, the largest of the camps for former slaves, asked the American Bible Society to provide 1,000 Bibles and 2,000 New Testaments for the refugees. Earlier in the war, ABS had faced criticism for failing to require its Southern affiliates to distribute Bibles to freed slaves. In this case, however, it responded to Wilder’s request by providing 18,424 volumes of Scriptures to the freed slaves at Fort Monroe.

“The eagerness of these poor people to receive and to learn the Scriptures is most affecting,” said the Society’s 1865 annual report. “They have kissed the Bibles and Testaments when given them, wept over them, carried them upon their persons, and rejoiced in them with joy unspeakable.”

The Bible was also a source of hope and driving force for American civil rights leaders, from Bishop Richard Allen to Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman to Sojourner Truth, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to Congressman John Lewis.

These Black heroes of the faith, including my grandparents, knew that the Bible had to be at the center of life as free men and women in the United States. They were forging the path we all benefit from today.

Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s documentary series on PBS this week, “The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song,” shares many of these stories of resilience through faith.

Consider Henry Dray, born and raised in slavery in Texas. He gained his freedom and became an educator for freed people, making it his mission to get the Bible into the hands of former slaves.

In 1876 Dray wrote to American Bible Society and other ministries for copies. Christian leaders like Dray — and later John Percy Wragg, who established American Bible Society’s Agency Among the Colored People of the South, and the Rev. William F. Bard — spurred a movement among African Americans to establish Bible societies of their own throughout the South to meet growing demand.

In 1911, S.E. Harris became the first Black female colporteur, selling Bibles door to door. She helped establish Bible distribution in Oklahoma, including in the historic Greenwood District of North Tulsa (also known as Black Wall Street).

By 1920, 16 more Bible salespeople traveled the South and among them put nearly 625,000 holy books in the hands of Black residents of Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Texas, Florida and Oklahoma. As Blacks moved north in search of more economic opportunity, Black Bible distribution expanded as well.

African Americans today are “the most Bible engaged in the U.S.,” according to our American Bible Society 2018 State of the Bible study. Black Christians generally demonstrate a higher regard for and deeper devotion to Scripture than other demographic groups in America: A 2017 Barna study showed that many more Black Americans own a Bible — 93% versus 82% of Americans overall — and Blacks are more than twice as likely to say Bible reading is crucial to their daily routine.

The deep faith and spiritual traditions of African Americans, as well as Christians of all backgrounds, need to be highlighted and taught in our families and houses of worship. The teachings of the Bible sustained many of our forebears through the trauma of slavery and through segregation and other injustices throughout the generations. The journeys of the leaders before us tell a compelling story of conviction and commitment to unity and justice for all, with God’s Word as their guide.

This article originally appeared on ReligionNews.com. The views expressed in this op-ed are Nicole Martin’s and do not necessarily reflect those of ChurchLeaders.com.

Candace Cameron Bure’s Bible Is an Amazon Bestseller

By

Bri Lamm

-

February 18, 2021

Candace Cameron Bure has never been one to shy away from her faith. This week, the Fuller House star is giving God all the glory in the success of her recent Bible release with DaySpring.

Her One Step Closer Bible, which was released Monday, has now become a bestseller and sold out on Amazon.

Candace took to Instagram with a shout of praise on Wednesday, gushing about the Bible’s success.

“Wow!!! My new One Step Closer Bible is #1 in Christian Faith books on Amazon right now!!” she wrote, sharing a screen shot of the Amazon listing.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Candace Cameron Bure (@candacecbure)

“I’m freaking out excited that so many of you want to read God’s word, dig deeper and know His truth. God’s word will never return void. Isaiah 55:11 Go God!!!”

“So many people are reading the word of God and that just excites my heart so much,” she echoed in an Instagram story.

The One Step Closer Bible is a New Living Translation of all 66 books of the Bible. It features the Help Finder Index, which provides easy topical references to thousands of Bible verses, as well as application notes, key verses, and 177 callouts that highlight God’s promises to His children.

Be sure to check out Candace’s Jesus Every Day Devotional Guide series, an interactive Bible study devotional to help develop and deepen your faith in Christ.

MacArthur Cites Gov’t ‘Threats’ in Decision to Postpone Shepherds’ Conference

By

Jesse T. Jackson

-

February 18, 2021

John MacArthur and Grace Community Church announced last Friday their decision to postpone their annual Shepherds’ Conference that draws upwards of 3,000 male attendees each year. The decision comes in response to “threats” the church received from the county of Los Angeles and the State of California.

ANNOUNCEMENT:

In light of our ongoing litigation and recent threats from the County of Los Angeles and the State of California, we have decided that the most prudent course of action at this time is to postpone the Shepherd’s Conference.
— Grace Church (@GraceComChurch) February 12, 2021

Due to the pandemic, in the past year, churches across the nation have had to make hard decisions to follow or not to follow guidelines and restrictions their states have placed on places of worship in an attempt to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Grace Community Church has been in the national news since Pastor John MacArthur expressed in a statement last July that the state does not nor should not have authority to close churches. MacArthur said, “As pastors and elders, we cannot hand over to earthly authorities any privilege or power that belongs solely to Christ as head of His church.”

Since then Pastor MacArthur and Grace Community Church have been fined, sued, and harassed by Los Angeles County and the state of California for refusing to close the doors on their indoor worship services.

The Shepherds’ Conference announcement said the County of Los Angeles and the State of California have threatened the conference if they met. Postponing instead of canceling gives church leadership time to seek answers from key health officers and county officials for the actions the government plans to take against them. The announcement also indicated the church would, once again, be taking legal action against the state.

The statement reiterated Grace Community Church’s commitment “to the truth that Christ is the head of the Church and we will not yield to government’s infringement upon the biblical command to worship and gather together.”

A recent ruling from the Supreme Court of the United States granted churches in California the legal right to resume indoor worship services, as long as they follow the statewide guidelines that their spaces can only be filled to 25% capacity and no signing or chanting is allowed.

You can read Grace Community Church’s official statement on the decision from their website below:

In light of our ongoing litigation and recent threats from the County of Los Angeles and the State of California, we have decided that the most prudent course of action at this time is to postpone the Shepherds’ Conference. We will be deposing the key health officers and county officials and requiring them to answer for their oppressive actions under oath, and requesting all documents and information supporting their arbitrary attempts to restrict our religious liberty as a church. Our church leadership remains firmly committed to the truth that Christ is the head of the Church, and we will not yield to government’s infringement upon the biblical command to worship and gather together. We intend to steadfastly defend this truth and obtain appropriate constitutional and legal protections and further relief from the Court.

Lee Strobel Will Revise ‘The Case for Faith’ to Remove Ravi Zacharias Interview

By

Jesse T. Jackson

-

February 18, 2021

Christian author Lee Strobel has announced that he is halting the printing of his book, The Case for Faith, which features an interview with the late apologist Ravi Zacharias. Strobel said the decision was in response to a devastating report released earlier this month which confirmed that Zacharias had been guilty of sexual abuse during his time on earth.

Strobel shared on Twitter he and his publisher have decided to “halt printings of the book (The Case for Faith), and I am working on a revised edition,” due to the “horrific” sexual sins and deception Zacharias perpetrated against so many.

Strobel has a background as an award-winning legal editor of The Chicago Tribune. He also used to be an atheist, who turned to Christ while investigating for his best selling book The Case for Christ. In the book, Strobel interviewed thirteen evangelical scholars, including D.A. Carson and J.P. Moreland. The book even prompted a full length feature film that was released in theaters on April 2017 by Pure Flix Entertainment. In 2000, Strobel released a follow up to The Case for Christ entitled The Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity. The book address common doubts such as, “Since evil and suffering exist, a loving God cannot,” and “A loving God would never torture people in Hell,” by interviewing Christian scholars.

The fifth interview in the book was with Christian apologist Zacharias, who Strobel described as “an expert who has a crisp, analytical mind, a sound philosophical background, and extensive experience with a wide range of different world religions.” He asked the now late Zacharias “isn’t it grossly arrogant for Christians to claim Jesus is the one and only way to God? Why do Christians think they’re justified in asserting that they’re right and that everybody else in the world is wrong?” Zacharias’ interview covers roughly fifteen pages in Strobel’s book.

The report on sexual sins by Ravi Zacharias is horrific. He deceived so many. My heart goes out to his victims. Ravi was among those I interviewed 20 yrs ago for The Case for Faith. My publisher and I decided to halt printings of the book, and I am working on a revised edition.
— Lee Strobel (@LeeStrobel) February 12, 2021

Hymns in a Woman’s Life

By

Drew Bratcher

-

February 18, 2021

Among the first songs I remember hearing are the hymns my great-grandmother sang: “I’ll Fly Away,” “Do Lord,” “I Am Bound for the Promised Land.” Doubtless I had heard other hymns before these, and still others with greater frequency, but to this day when I think of hymns, it is my great-grandmother who comes to mind.

Her name was Elmay (pronounced “Elmy”). She lived in a holler in West Virginia, on land owned by the company for which my great-grandfather dug coal. We would see them twice, maybe three times, a year, once at their house on Thanksgiving, and at least once at my grandparents’ place in Nashville, where they visited for a couple of weeks each summer.

I was the first of the fourth generation of the family, and, being the oldest by several years, spent considerable time with my great-grandmother, much of it alone. I liked her. She was very short, and I suspect her height had much to do with my affection for her. Grownups were tall, which meant removed, but from an early age, she and I were within range.

Her blue eyes were big and blurry behind thick bifocals. Her hair, once blonde, had thinned and faded smoky white. She was the oldest woman I’d ever met, the oldest person alive for all I knew, but, in retrospect, she wasn’t so ancient. She’d had her children young, and they’d had their children young, and those kids, the first in the family to go to college (my mother among them), the first to never once step foot inside a coalmine, had had children, too. As a result, she’d become a great-grandmother while still in her eighth decade.

Mostly she sat in chairs, which is not to say she was idle. While the men hunted squirrels or stood around tailgates telling stories, she shucked corn, peeled potatoes, snapped beans, and stitched quilts. While she worked, between chatter about the weather and what I wanted to be when I grew up, she sang hymns.

In particular, she sang hymns about heaven. “I’ll fly away, O glory.” “There’s a land that is fairer than day.” “When we’ve been there 10,000 years, bright shining as the sun.” Her voice was quiet. In a mountain accent, dulcet for all its strange diphthongs, she spoke, more than sang, the words. She had them from memory, which is to say by heart. At times they seemed almost as natural, as necessary, as breath.

Filled with glassy seas and golden shores and mansions outshining the sun, her hymns, it struck me even as a child, described places that were unfamiliar to her. She came from Appalachia, from hills and hollers, creeks and caves. The nearest sea was 400 miles away. The sky was just a wedge between two mountains. Even in summer, sunshine was scarce.

Like the land, she was well-acquainted with shadows. I had heard the stories. How every morning she’d send her husband down into the mountain darkness. How every second of every day she tried not to listen for the bell, the ringing of which meant the worst had happened, a collapse in the tunnel, an explosion in a shaft. In the evening she filled a wooden tub with well-water she’d heated over fire. From my great-grandfather’s hair, face, neck, and arms, she washed and washed the rank coaldust that never fully washed away.

She kept bees, kept chickens, kept hillside gardens, kept a good heart. It was a matter of survival. My grandfather was the oldest of six: five sons and a daughter. When weather or economics shuttered the colliery and the miners traveled north to find work in factories, my grandmother’s family (her future in-laws) dropped leftovers by the house anonymously, so worried were they that the children might starve.

What did hymns mean to my great-grandmother? How did they figure into her hard life? Was it nostalgia that endeared them to her memory? Was singing them just one of many mindless ways to while away the time?

In his essay “Hymns in a Man’s Life,” the British writer D.H. Lawrence confesses an abiding love of church songs. “They mean to me almost more than the finest poetry,” Lawrence writes, “and they have for me a more permanent value, somehow or other.” For Lawrence, a coal miner’s son who grew up attending a Congregationalist church but no longer counted himself among the believers, the power that hymns continued to exert over him was a source of surprise, even amusement.

In the end, it isn’t their faculty for inspiration, let alone their spiritual import, that make hymns indelible to Lawrence. It’s their capacity to generate what he calls “wonder.” The mere look and sound of certain words and phrases from the hymnbook—“sun of my soul,” “lake of Galilee,” “beauty of holiness”—fill Lawrence with a sense of absentminded awe. “I don’t know what the ‘beauty of holiness’ is exactly,” he writes. “But if you don’t think about it—and why should you?—it has a magic.”

I cannot say for sure, but for my great-grandmother, I think something like the opposite was true. It wasn’t mainly aesthetics, sentimentality, or wonder for wonder’s sake, that made hymns about heaven so dear to her. It was the hope they articulated, the future they described. It was their promise of a better life than the one she deserved or had endured. It was their assurance of a final judgment and of an eternal rest, one that she believed awaited her—as it awaited all those who’d placed their trust in Christ—on, as one of her favorite hymns put it, “the farther shore.”

The summer I turned eight years old, my family took a trip to Florida. We rented a passenger van and drove down from Tennessee. It was a big deal because my great-grandparents came with us. It was their first time seeing the ocean.

The morning after we arrived, my great-grandmother took me for a walk on the beach, and if I close my eyes, I can still picture her now.

She’s barefoot in the sand. Her pants are rolled. Her heavy arms are hanging by her side. The wind presses against her white hair. Through her glasses, thick as ever, she is gazing out at the expanse, at the water, at the sky, at all that blue.

She didn’t sing then. She was silent. It was as if, there at the edge of the land near the end of her life, she had stepped inside the hymns she’d carried with her, tuning her heart by them all the while and focusing her faith, which at that moment seemed very close to sight.

This article originally appeared here.

Distinguishing Between Overwhelmed and Overworked and Why It Matters

By

Eric Geiger

-

February 18, 2021

Distinguishing Between Overwhelmed and Overworked and Why It Matters

2020 was, according to many and for many, a year of being completely overwhelmed. According to research by Gallup, 2020 marked a year of a twenty-year low in mental health for Americans. While people longed for the calendar to flip, the beginning of 2021 did not offer the relief people hoped for. We are still in an overwhelming season.

Being overwhelmed is real. People I serve alongside have experienced it. Close friends have shared this season has been the most overwhelming in their careers or their ministry lives. I too have experienced it. One day while discussing challenges, a close friend asked me “Eric, have you discerned if you are overwhelmed or overworked? Because you will deal with being overwhelmed differently than being overworked.”

It was an extremely wise question. I thought about it for days afterwards and discussed it with a therapist. I realized I was experiencing moments of being overwhelmed. The uncertainty. The changes in approaches to fulfill our mission. The grief over aspects of my role that are not the same in a Co-Vid environment. The compounding impact of many things. I was not being overworked; I was overwhelmed.

Why does it matter to properly discern the difference? Because to misclassify being overwhelmed as being overworked can cause you to address the wrong set of issues.

If overworked, one should look to simplify aspects of his or her role. If overworked, one should look to adjust work rhythms. If overworked, one should look at the most fruitful parts of their role/job and make a case to spend less time on other aspects. While those are always good to look at, those changes will not solve the issue of being overwhelmed.

So, what do we do when we recognize we are overwhelmed?

Rejoice that you are overwhelmed.

The apostle James encourages us to welcome trials with joy because we know they will result in the maturing of our faith. For years I have encouraged leaders to be intentionally overwhelmed. You cannot grow and develop without seasons of being in over your head. If you view a challenging season as a gift, being overwhelmed can force you to learn new skills, to develop your leadership, and to expand your capacity. For the Christian, being overwhelmed brings to the end ourselves and helps us depend more on God’s grace and power. On the other side of seasons of being overwhelmed, believers are typically more sanctified. And on the other side of seasons of being overwhelmed, leaders are always typically more skilled. May we be both.

Yet be overwhelmed as wisely as you can be.

The key to growing muscles is lifting more weight than you have previously while not putting so much on the bar that you are completely crushed. The person who works out with more weight must work out wisely. Being overwhelmed for too long of with too much weight can be crushing. Wisdom is needed on how to navigate this long season of being overwhelmed. On my next blog post, I will share some thoughts on being overwhelmed as wisely as we can be.

This article originally appeared here.

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Rejoice that you are overwhelmed.

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