Barna: We’re Experiencing Another Reformation, and Not in a Good Way

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October 8, 2020

george barna — Ferdinand Pauwels, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

A new report released Tuesday by the Cultural Research Center (CRC) of Arizona Christian University has a troubling conclusion. American Christians are undergoing a “post-Christian Reformation,” says Dr. George Barna, Director of Research at the CRC. Unlike the Protestant Reformation, whose goal was to return to the foundational teachings of the Bible, this modern movement is one where Americans are redefining biblical beliefs according to secular values.

“While the survey cannot determine if churches are failing to teach biblical truth or whether congregants are exposed to such teaching but rejecting it, the bottom line is that we are a society that has strayed far from the path of biblical truth,” said Dr. George Barna in a summary of the findings. “It certainly seems as if the culture is influencing the Church more than the church is influencing the culture.”

In January 2020, the CRC surveyed 2,000 adults in the U.S. from four major groups: evangelicals, Pentecostals and charismatics, mainline Protestants, and Catholics. The study was part of the American Worldview Inventory 2020, and the estimated margin of error was plus or minus two percentage points.

Researchers asked respondents about their views on 51 topics, including marriage, absolute truth, the sanctity of human life, and the authority of the Bible. While there were notable differences among the four Christian traditions, researchers found that all of them showed a clear trend away from the teachings of the Bible and toward a secular worldview.

Dr. George Barna: American Christians Are Redefining Their Faith

“The irony of the reshaping of the spiritual landscape in America is that it represents a post-Christian Reformation driven by people seeking to retain a Christian identity,” said Dr. George Barna. “Unfortunately, the theology of this reformation is being driven by American culture rather than biblical truth. The worldviews embraced by the adherents of these distinct religious communities reflect contemporary, worldly influence, rather than biblical influence.”

“The most startling realization” about this secular reformation, said Barna, “is how many people from evangelical churches are adopting unbiblical beliefs.”

Evangelicals have traditionally emphasized the importance of seeing the Bible as the infallible, inerrant Word of God. Now, however, 52 percent do not believe in objective moral truth, which “equates to most evangelicals believing that the Bible is either not inerrant or trustworthy in its content.” That, said Barna, “is a radical and critical departure from the traditional teachings and biblical reliance of evangelicals.”

In addition to their shifting views on absolute truth and the authority of the Bible, evangelical views of God and humanity are also becoming more secular. Seventy-five percent believe that people are basically good instead of basically sinful, 43 percent believe Jesus sinned during his time on earth, and 58 percent believe that the Holy Spirit is merely a symbol rather than a person. A majority of evangelicals do not believe it is important to follow the Christian faith exclusively. Sixty-two percent said that having some faith of any kind was better than having none at all.

Other findings from the survey include that 44 percent of evangelicals believe the Bible’s teachings on abortion are ambiguous, 40 percent do not believe human life is sacred, 34 percent do not believe marriage is between one man and one woman, and 43 percent do not believe that God has a unified purpose for all people.

The study also found that significant minorities of those who identify as evangelical do not confess their sins daily, worship God daily, or pursue God’s will for their lives. Said Barna, “While some of the ideas gaining traction in evangelical congregations may not reflect a majority perspective, the fact that one-third to one-half of those adults embrace these ideas can only be viewed as alarming for evangelicalism.” Finally, Barna found that 28 percent of people who attend evangelical churches are not born-again Christians.

GOP Propose Bill to Keep Pastor Tony Spell From Prosecution

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AP News

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October 8, 2020

thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Republican Louisiana lawmakers trying to chisel away at Gov. John Bel Edwards’ coronavirus restrictions Wednesday sought to protect a Baton Rouge area pastor charged with violating those rules and advanced legislation that would keep emergency orders from governing churches.

The House criminal justice committee voted 6-3 for a bill by Oil City Republican Rep. Danny McCormick that would grant immunity from fines, penalties and prosecution to anyone “assembling to exercise religious freedom” during a publicly declared emergency.

“Some of the people didn’t attend church just out of the fear of being arrested and humiliated. And I think we need to send a clear message to Louisiana that our religious freedoms are alive and well,” McCormick said.

The bill is one of dozens filed in the special session that seek to undermine the Democratic governor’s coronavirus emergency rules, which currently include restrictions on businesses, crowd size limits at sporting events and a statewide mask mandate.

Republican lawmakers are proposing everything from eliminating specific rules and banning enforcement of the orders to prohibiting future enactment of restrictions and revoking the existing public health emergency declaration. They’re also looking for ways to give themselves more authority to jettison future orders in any emergency, whether a pandemic, a hurricane or an other disaster.

After Wednesday’s debates, lawmakers planned to take a break from the monthlong special session and head home ahead of Hurricane Delta, which threatens to hit Louisiana with ferocious wind and storm surge later this week.

McCormick’s church protection bill would be retroactive to March 11, a move aimed at ending the prosecution of Tony Spell, minister at Life Tabernacle Church in Central, for violating Edwards’ ban on large gatherings. Spell and several of his supporters attended Wednesday’s hearing.

Baton Rouge Rep. Ted James, the committee chairman, was among three Democrats who voted against the bill. He said the Supreme Court has cautioned against passing retroactive laws.

“I’m a criminal defense lawyer. I would love to go pass a whole bunch of laws that are retroactive and get some people out of trouble,” James said.

Spell was charged in April with several misdemeanor offenses for repeatedly holding in-person church services with hundreds of people not distanced from each other, in defiance of the governor’s restrictions on crowd sizes at the time. Spell also was arrested later on an assault charge for driving a church bus toward a man protesting his decision. The cases are pending.

Edwards has since loosened crowd size limits on churches and many other places.

But Spell’s supporters—and Republican lawmakers on the House committee—said Edwards never had the authority to enact such regulations on religious activity. A federal judge rejected those arguments in a lawsuit filed by Spell, refusing to issue an injunction against the governor.

“The church does not need the state’s permission to serve and worship our Lord as he has commanded. We belong to Christ alone,” said Susan Raborn, a Baton Rouge attorney and Spell supporter.

Spell called Edwards a “godless governor.” That provoked James to chastise Spell and defend Edwards, a devout Catholic who regularly invokes prayer and God in speeches and briefings.

“We’re not going to question the religious faith of the governor, not in here. This is not your church,” James said.

Baton Rouge Rep. Denise Marcelle was the only Democrat in the committee to support sending the measure to the full House for debate. All Republicans present for the debate voted for the bill.

“My vote needs to be for what I think God wants me to do,” said Rep. Tony Bacala, a Prairieville Republican.

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The bill is filed as House Bill 9.

Melinda Deslatte contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on APNews.com.

A Surge of Over 100 COVID-19 Cases Linked to Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry

By

Alejandra Molina

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October 8, 2020

(RNS) — A recent COVID-19 spike in Northern California’s Shasta County has been partly attributed to the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, a school operated by the Pentecostal megachurch Bethel in the city of Redding.

Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency connected 123 cases to the school over the past two weeks, Tim Mapes, a Shasta County Health spokesperson, confirmed with Religion News Service on Wednesday (Oct. 7).

Since the county released the number of cases it traced to Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, church leaders on Wednesday reported that as of Oct. 6, they had traced 137 positive COVID-19 cases among students and staff since school started in early September. These numbers are included in the county’s figures, Bethel said in a statement. Bethel said the church has not been aware of any cases that have required hospitalization.

“We have seen that a primary source of transmission has occurred in off-campus living situations and social interactions outside of school hours that are common to student life,” the statement read.

The county also found that “a large number of the students often live in close contact in communal housing arrangements,” Mapes said.

County health officials are working with Bethel to mitigate the spread, Mapes said.

With the recent rise in cases, Bethel School of Ministry is temporarily shifting to distance learning, Bethel leaders said in the statement. Students have been told to shelter-in-place and have been asked to self-quarantine, “regardless of whether or not they are experiencing symptoms.”

Students have also been instructed to only leave home for essentials and not to participate in social gatherings or visit any local non-essential businesses or public spaces, Bethel said.

Bethel, in an Oct. 1 statement, acknowledged that a portion of new COVID-19 cases in Shasta County were among its students and staff and said the church was in “near-daily communication” with the county health department to slow the spread of the virus.

Bethel said students and staff are required to “wear face coverings at all times, socially distance on campus, self-monitor for symptoms, and undergo daily temperature checks taken at the door.”

Since then, a second round of COVID-19 tests was administered on Oct. 5 for more than 700 staff and students, Bethel said.

In addition, Bethel canceled “Church on the Ball Field” Sunday services from Oct. 4-11 and asked employees who are able to do so to work from home beginning Oct. 5. People will still be allowed on campus, however, but have to adhere to the county’s social distancing and face covering guidelines.

Early on in the pandemic, Bethel church leaders said they were taking precautions in conducting its ministries.

In March, for example, they discouraged Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry students, who evangelize to strangers as they learn to pray and to heal the sick, from visiting health care settings.

While Bethel and other charismatic churches emphasize spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues, healings and modern-day miracles, church leaders said they also believe in wisdom and modern medicine. While originally under the Assemblies of God denomination, the church now identifies as nondenominational.

“We believe that wisdom, modern medicine and faith are meant to work together, and express the value for each in the pursuit of continued health and healing,” Bethel Church spokesman Aaron Tesauro told RNS in March.

Regardless, Shasta County will have to go through tighter COVID-19 restrictions for businesses due to the surge in cases, according to the Record Searchlight.

Health officials said Tuesday that Shasta County, with a population of around 180,000, reached a new milestone over the weekend as the number of confirmed cases topped 1,000 since March.

The county recorded 167 new cases over the weekend, moving the total coronavirus cases since March to 1,158. This was expected to move the county into a new level of regulations on restaurants, bars, theaters and businesses, county health officials said.

Public Health Director Robin Schurig, in the Record Searchlight, said businesses will have three days to comply and the new restrictions will go into effect Friday.

Schurig said the county could face even tighter controls.

This article originally appeared on ReligionNews.com.

A Simple Way Leaders (Or Anyone) Can Reduce Stress

By

Charles Stone

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October 8, 2020

God created our brains to help us survive in our world. Whether it’s a real threat (a bear outside your tent on a camping trip) or a perceived one (a board member or boss who acts like a bear), a part of our nervous system, the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), engages the stress response. It’s that fight-flight feeling. Essentially, the body prepares to fight or flee the source of danger by shutting down or slowing non-essential body functions to send blood and energy to vital parts of our body. In this post I explain a science-based practice that can help reduce the effects of stress on your body.

A simple practice that reduces stress

The stress response also activates other body responses. It releases chemicals in your body and brain to provide extra energy and focus if you need to fight or flee, slows digestion and saliva production, increases heart rate, dilates our eyes, and sends blood to our muscles.

Aside from running away from the bear or shooting it (you’d need a permit in most places), what can we do to quiet this stress response in our day-to-day experience?

Deep breathing from your diaphragm helps.

It has been proven to lower blood pressure, reduce stress hormones, decrease lactic acid buildup in your muscles (which causes cramping and fatigue), and make us calmer.

From a body perspective, deep breathing activates a nerve called the vagal nerve that travels from the back of your brain to your belly, tongue, heart, lungs and intestines. It’s an important part of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), the SNS’s counterpart. In contrast to fight-flight, it’s rest-digest and controls the relaxation response.

Think of the SNS as a car’s accelerator and the PNS as a car’s brake.

When you activate your vagal nerve, it releases feel-good neurotransmitters like oxytocin and dopamine and dampens the stress response. So, when you’re stressed, you want your brain to release those chemicals. Here’s how deep breathing can engage your vagal nerve and dampen your stress response.

Know your body. Look for signals that it’s under stress. Some people get a dry mouth. Shoulders tighten for others. For some, their hands shake. Others experience stomach problems. Some breath faster and from their chest. Listen to your body on a regular basis to ‘catch’ your stress.
Remember that breathing from your diaphragm is key. It’s called belly breathing. You can put one hand on your chest and one on your belly to experience the difference. If you are breathing from your diaphragm, your belly should move more than your upper chest, although your chest will also expand some.
When you know you are under stress, get away to a quiet private place and sit down if you can. In a pinch, a bathroom stall even works. The Bible often talks about the value of stillness and quietness (see Psalm 46.10).
Breathe in deeply through your nose while you count to 4.
Hold your breath for a count of 7.
Breath out through your mouth with a whooshing sound as you count to 8.
Repeat the 4-7-8 breathing 4 times. You’ll find that this takes only a minute.
Practice this every day, not just when you feel stressed.

Stress does not have to control you. You can control it with this simple breathing technique. Your body and brain will be glad you did.

What has helped you deal with stress?

This article originally appeared here.

Things We Don’t Want to Talk About (But Probably Should)

By

Scott Sauls

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October 8, 2020

Things We Don’t Want to Talk About (But Probably Should)

A few years ago, I received a call from a news reporter seeking a ‘conservative Presbyterian perspective’ on a controversial decision that had been made by another, more ‘liberal Presbyterian’ denomination.

I cringe at being labeled ‘conservative’ or ‘liberal’ because Jesus, in different ways, is both ‘conservative’ and ‘liberal’…but I digress.

I understood the reporter’s label, because he knows me to be ‘conservative’ in my view of the Scriptures — meaning that I believe that the Bible as originally inspired and written should not, in any of its parts, be subjected to censoring, revising, or downplaying.

The reporter’s call concerned the more ‘liberal’ denomination’s decision to drop Keith Getty’s famous modern hymn, ‘In Christ Alone,’ from its hymnal because of one line:

On the cross, as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied.
(You can read the full article here from USA Today)

In short, my response was that the lyric is solid and should not be taken out of the song. Why? Because biblically, wrath is just as much an attribute of God, and is therefore equally as praiseworthy, as the attribute of God’s love.

As a Christian, I am bound to this response even though I am not particularly excited about, and don’t feel particularly good or happy about, God eternally or even temporarily punishing anyone.

I am comforted by paradox and mystery…that somehow this same God takes no pleasure in the death of anyone (Ezekiel 33:11), and Jesus, as the rich man turned and walked away from him in committed unbelief, looked at him and loved him (Mark 10:21). Yet I remain perplexed, deeply perplexed actually, at the thought of everlasting ‘weeping and gnashing of teeth’ for anyone. But it’s clearly in there, unequivocally part of the Sacred Text, and therefore must be received on its own terms.

The more ‘liberal’ denomination is not the first to question the biblical teaching about God’s wrath. Former pastor Rob Bell’s controversial book of a several years ago, Love Wins, is another glimpse of similar leanings. Bell questions the compatibility of condemning people to everlasting judgment with a loving God. In a different piece, Bell also questions the long-held historic biblical teaching about sexuality — the idea that sex was given by God to be enjoyed within the context of marriage between a man and a woman. His challenge of historic orthodoxy is based chiefly on the idea that modern sensibilities about sex have changed:

“(It) is a part of life in the modern world and that’s how it is. And that cultural consciousness has shifted, and this is how the world is and that what’s happening for a lot of people, is that they want nothing to do with God and Jesus because they can’t see beyond that particular issue…That’s how the world is and we should affirm that. We should affirm monogamy, fidelity and commitment – both gay and straight.” (read the full article here)

It might surprise you to hear that — as a Christian who believes that all Scripture is God’s word for all times, all places, and all people groups — I both applaud and have concerns about Rob Bell’s statement.

First, it is right to applaud his critique of the Western evangelical church — particularly the strain that many of us as Christians do not want to be associated with — the judgmental, holier-than-thou posture that has given Christianity a black eye by becoming so singularly and obsessively fixated on the issue of same-sex relationships.

This gross mischaracterization of biblical Christianity has made nurturing respectful, kind-hearted, non-condemnatory conversation about differences — which is itself a deeply Christian value — extremely difficult in today’s polarized, ‘cancel’ climate.

Like Rob Bell, biblically-minded believers understand that Jesus is always tender, never harsh, toward sexually ‘other’ and bullied people such as the woman caught in adultery in John 8. Do we know of a single instance where Jesus shouts someone down or shames them because of their sexuality?

…there is no such instance.

What, instead, does Jesus do with the woman caught in adultery? He starts by telling her that he does not condemn her. Then — and only then — does he tell her to leave her life of sin. With Jesus, it’s always grace first, then ethics with people living out of bounds with the biblical sex ethic.

Bell rightly, then, calls for a moratorium on pulling specks out of the eyes of sexual minorities, while simultaneously ignoring and rationalizing the logs in our own. Because, truth be told, pornography habits and loveless marriages are present in virtually every Christian church. Rather than concerning ourselves what goes on in someone else’s bedroom, then, we should instead be pleading with the merciful Jesus to mend the darkness that occurs in and around our own bedrooms.

(For a better way forward, read this compelling account from gay activist Shane Windemeyer, or this beautiful testimony from Rosaria Butterfield).

And yet, Rob Bell’s words also create significant concern. Rather than looking to the Scriptures to discern what is true and beautiful — and also what is potentially harmful — Bell seems to lean his own understanding, based on modern cultural considerations versus biblical ones. This approach, to put it bluntly, is simply wrong and dangerous. A revisionist or censoring approach to the Bible on any subject about which the Bible speaks, puts the revisionist in a tenuous position:

“If anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” (Revelation 22:18-18)

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12)

“We refuse…to tamper with God’s word.” (2 Corinthians 4:2)

Disciples of Jesus are careful not to tamper with the Scriptures.

Instead, they invite the Scriptures to tamper with them.

This is precisely what makes the Bible relevant — It shows no interest in being relevant. In other words, the Bible does not seek to accommodate modern culture or human instinct. Rather, the Bible seeks to reform modern culture and human instinct in whatever ways that modern culture and human instinct are out of accord with the mind and ways of God. For God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts, and his ways higher than our ways.

The Bible is a source of encouragement where it affirms the good that’s there in our beliefs, words, and deeds. The Bible is also a source of disorientation as it messes with us, critiquing and correcting things that are wrong-headed and wrong-hearted about our beliefs, words, and deeds.

God’s grace.

God’s truth.

Always on God’s terms.

For, as Luther once said, the Christian conscience must be bound to the Word of God.

Because to go against conscience is neither right nor safe.

This article originally appeared here.

7 Ways to Show Appreciation to Your Lead Pastor

By

Greg Baird

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October 8, 2020

In our last post we talked about 5 Reasons Every Staff Member Should Appreciate the Lead Pastor.

Today, let’s talk about practical ways that we can actually do that…

7 Ways to Show Appreciation to Your Lead Pastor

1. Simply say thank you for what they do.

Most pastors don’t hear these words enough. So send them a card, say it personally or even just send an email saying thanks for who they are and what they do.

2. Thank their family.

Being a pastor’s spouse is about as hard as being a pastor! And so can be being a pastor’s kid! Do something to say thanks to them. Again, something as simple as a card, or go more elaborate and include a gift card for a family activity they can enjoy.

3. Recognize special days for the pastor & their family.

Take time to find out when their birthday’s are, their anniversaries, etc., and recognize these days.

4. Pray for your pastor.

Don’t just say it…do it! Find out what their primary requests are and pray. Follow up and ask how these things are going.

5. Organize people in your ministry (kids, parents, leaders) to provide some sort of recognition for the pastor.

This can be as simple as everyone signing a huge thank you card, or something far more elaborate—use your imagination!

6. Protect your pastor.

They are an obvious target. People talk and criticize in private very easily. Don’t let this happen. Whether you agree with your pastor or not on any given decision or issue, never, never, never undermine or engage in ungodly criticism of your pastor (this is called gossip). Instead, as a leader, you must support them. This does not mean that you must agree…but handle disagreement appropriately. And once a decision has been made or direction has been decided, give your support or get out. Do NOT allow yourself to be sucked into dissension. Knowing you’ve got their back will be a huge encouragement to your pastor!

7. Lead your ministry well.

Your pastor has more on his plate than most people realize. If they know you’ve “got it covered” with solid leadership, it’s a huge blessing to them. That’s not to say that they won’t be involved, won’t give input and won’t keep you accountable. But there’s a big difference between “getting to” and “having to” follow up with your work.

In what ways have you encouraged your lead pastor?

This article originally appeared here.

A Crisis Is Not an Opportunity for the Church, It’s a Responsibility

By

Karl Vaters

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October 8, 2020

Whenever we face a crisis like one(s) we’re currently in, I hear so many of my fellow Christians and church leaders respond with “This is an opportunity for the church.”

I understand where that sentiment comes from. I’ve even participated in some helpful conversations while using the word.

But it always makes me cringe a little.

Time To Rise Up

Words matter. A lot. Especially in a time of crisis. I propose that the word “opportunity” needs to be reconsidered in our current context.

For example, imagine receiving an email from the Red Cross following a natural disaster with a tagline that read “This disaster is an opportunity for the Red Cross!”

Uh, no.

Such a phrase has so many problems with it, not the least of which is that it centers the Red Cross in the narrative instead of the victims they are charged with helping.

Certainly, the Red Cross exists to help people in desperate circumstances, so those times are exactly when they step up and shine. But providing aid during a disaster is less an opportunity for the Red Cross than it is their responsibility – one they’ve taken on willingly and have borne well.

It must be the same for the church.

Taking Responsibility

Instead of framing difficult circumstances as an opportunity for the church, we need to see it for what it is.

A responsibility.

As we face one crisis after another we, the church, must accept our responsibility to rise up and be a blessing, an example and a hope to others.

When we do this, we’re more likely to keep our priorities straight.

The church must see trying times like these as a responsibility to meet, not an opportunity to exploit.

When we do that, several important changes take place:

First, we remove ourselves from being the focus, placing more attention where it belongs – on Jesus and on those he’s calling us to help.

Second, it frames our role better. Not as an institution fighting for our own survival, but as people working together to help the most vulnerable. Including the hurting people within our own ranks.

Third, it helps us partner with others who are looking for a way to be a blessing.

Fourth, it reduces the likelihood of being deceived by those who are looking to exploit a tragedy for their own ends.

Fifth, it humbles us. It’s easy to frame an opportunity as something we do on our own, but a responsibility is more likely to drive us to our knees in prayer and reliance on God.

Sixth, it sets the right tone for everyone, from leaders and volunteers to observers and skeptics. It reminds all of us that we’re not here to be served but to serve.

Responding well in a crisis is far more than an opportunity, it’s a great responsibility.

This article originally appeared here.

Free Kids Lesson Package: “Dinosaurs”

By

Daniel So

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October 7, 2020

Free Kids Lesson Package

From CMD, “This “king of the dinosaurs” is a strong predator. Kids will learn through the story of David that God’s love makes us strong. 1 Samuel 17:20-50, David and Goliath”

This lesson package includes:

Make It Stick! Parent Sheet
Memory Verse
Skit
Object Lesson or Kids Sermon
Large Group Lesson
Small Group Discussion
Large Group Game
Take Home Activity

Get Download Now

Resource provided by Children’s Ministry Deals

Download Instructions: Follow the on-screen directions at the download site.

20 Tips to Spice Up Your Next Bible Study

By

Andy Blanks

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October 7, 2020

Let’s face it: At some point in our time as Bible Study teachers, we all get a little, how to say this nicely … predictable. We get in the habit of teaching the same basic structure of a lesson over and over again.

The problem with this is that we lose students’ attention (at best) or fail to capture it in the first place (at worst).

And since we’re talking about teaching the Bible and not math (sorry math teachers), there’s an added importance to making sure we’re being as effective and engaging as we can be. So, I thought I’d pass along a list of ideas and tips to help you spruce up your Bible Study lesson.

Adjust your room set-up—Switching up your set-up is a SUPER easy way to liven things up a bit. Who doesn’t appreciate a change in scenery?
Use an object lesson—This is one of my go-to’s. If I’m looking at a lesson plan that needs a little life breathed into it, I find an object or an image I can use as a metaphor to drive home the theme I’m teaching.
Creative participation—Let students create something. Tie in an activity with your lesson where they are taking pictures with their phones or writing words on a giant sheet of paper. Paint is magical, for some reason. Have students use paint to draw or write.
Competition rules—Don’t be afraid to craft some group games or competitions to use in your lesson. These are a great way to spruce up a lesson.
Use video—If you don’t use video regularly, arrange to show one. Take the extra steps to borrow or otherwise finagle the necessary equipment to make it happen.
Don’t use video—If you use a video or media clip each lesson, take a break for a lesson or two. Plug in one of these or some other suggestion in its place.
Get students up and moving—With a little work, pretty much any lesson plan can be adapted to get students up out of their seats. Use stations. Ask yes/no questions of the group where one response has students standing up or sitting down.
Don’t forget current events—For some reason, when teaching teenagers we don’t always think of events in the news. Big mistake. Tying in current events is an easy way to make a lesson relevant and timely.
Use case studies—One easy way to help make lessons feel more relevant is to modernize a principle you’re teaching by creating case studies. Case studies are short, fictional vignettes where you create characters and a problem or an issue they are dealing with. Simply read them and have students respond on how they would react or what they think should happen, etc.
Play a game on PowerPoint—Create a slide-show presentation with multiple-choice questions based on the general theme of your lesson (love, forgiveness, etc.). Make it a competition. Have fun.
Let students own the spotlight—Create activities that have students talking about themselves. Maybe stories from their family’s past, opportunities to talk about their achievements, arranging to have them take pictures during the week and display them during the lesson, talking about key figures in their lives, etc.
Utilize music—Have students listen to a song (print the lyrics) and respond.
Creative prayer time—Set up prayer stations. Guide students through biblical examples of different prayer postures. Do one-word prayers. Do sentence prayers. Have student turn to their right and pray for their neighbor.
Have open-ended discussions—99.9 percent of our discussions look for predetermined “right” answers that must be spoken before we move on. They are linear discussions. What about discussions where the goal is to wrestle with a concept? The Bible is chock-full of huge concepts that can’t neatly be dealt with in a seven-minute discussion. Have some fun with those concepts.
Experiment with your environment—What if students sat on pillows instead of chairs? What if you adjusted lighting? Used candles? Decorated your room to coincide with your lesson’s theme?
Let students teach—Adapt your lesson so students are teaching each other, whether in groups or as individuals.
Role play—Any narrative passage of Scripture can be turned into a script really easily. Have students volunteer to be specific characters. When the time comes to read the lesson’s passage, it becomes a little mini-drama your students can both watch and follow along with in their Bibles.
Draw on a dry-erase board—Story through a Bible story on a dry-erase board, drawing pictures to represent characters and events in the course of a narrative.
Pop-culture narrative—Movies, TV shows and celebrities are awesome fodder for creative examples. Look to popular culture to pull analogies and stories that will help serve as examples for your teaching time.
Film festival—Give your students two weeks to shoot and edit short movies (three to five minutes) around a specific theme. Give them guidelines and rules. Then, on the day of your lesson, use them to support the biblical theme you’re teaching.

These are just a few quick ideas to spruce things up a bit.

What are ways you have added a little life to your lessons in the past?

God Among Our Brokenness—Does He Even Care?

By

Jarrid Wilson

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October 7, 2020

Sometimes feeling “OK” is the best you’ve felt in a very long time. Your brokenness entraps you because of unchangeable moments that took place in your past. You’ve yet to let go and find peace amidst the storm of remembrance. You’re hurting. You’re frustrated. You’re in repetitious, unwavering pain. You ask yourself, “Does God even care?”

God does care. He feels our pain, yet sometimes the way he responds to us might not be exactly the way we anticipate. Over the course of my life, I’ll be honest in saying I’ve found myself furious at God on multiple occasions. I’ve yelled at God, cursed at God and even threatened God for not providing what I felt was the best response for my current situation in life.

I’m sure he looked down at me, chuckled a bit and knew that I didn’t really mean what I was saying. I was just upset, and God was patient enough to let me vent to him. He allowed me to use him as a scratching post. He could handle it. That’s the beauty of God; He’s big enough to handle anything I throw at him, but wise enough to not give me everything I ask for.

When putting our lives in the hands of God, we must be ready to not understand everything that God does, why he does it and how long he will do it for. Some things only have one answer: to trust God even if it doesn’t make sense. It may seem like a shallow and cliché response, but it’s actually quite the opposite. Trusting God among our brokenness is a beautifully painful but spiritually deepening experience. Every time we put our trust in God, another scoop of our fleshly dirt is removed from our spiritual sandbox.

Trust God in your brokenness, but realize it’s OK to be mad at him, frustrated and even down-right confused. God doesn’t expect us to understand everything he does, but he does expect us to trust him in the process.

Don’t be afraid to question what’s happening. Don’t be afraid to wave your fist a little. God can handle it. Let it all out, and get honest with God about what you’re really feeling.

What Makes Communion Special?

By

Glenn Packiam

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October 7, 2020

A month or so ago, I asked my Twitter followers whether they thought the Eucharist was the centerpiece of Christian worship and, if so, why. The responses were varied. Some insisted only Jesus is the center; others touted the Gospel as the center. I then clarified by saying that unquestionably, Jesus and the Gospel announcement of Him is the center; but what symbol, what act in corporate worship reinforces that center? Here again the responses varied. Some affirmed the Eucharist as a special act; others refused any ritual or ceremony and spoke of only what the “Spirit leads us to do.” I promised to explore the question of the Eucharist and its place in our worship in a blog series, so here it is.

I simply want to examine the question of the Eucharist—or “Communion.” Is it special, or is it interchangeable? Is it a central act or a peripheral one? Let’s look at three broad ways the Church has viewed the Eucharist, drawing—admittedly, selectively—from Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant streams.

1. The Eucharist as SYMBOL.

The word “sacrament” comes from the Latin word sacramentum. Theologian Stanley Grenz wrote that in the early centuries, a sacramentum was “the oath of fidelity and obedience to one’s commander sworn by a Roman soldier upon enlistment in the army.”

Augustine expounded on this idea of the sacrament as a sign by describing it as an “outward, visible sign of an inward, invisible grace.” Centuries later, combating the Medieval belief that communion was the very thing that saved you, Protestant Reformer Martin Luther described the Eucharist as a sign of “God’s promise given to faith”—language that is unmistakably Augustinian. The Eucharist as a “sacrament,” then, is an act of faith, in which we receive and experience God’s promised grace.

2. The Eucharist as MYSTERY.

Because of the dominance of Greek in the early centuries, the Greek fathers appealed to certain New Testament texts that contain the word mysterion—like Ephesians 3:2-3—as the basis for calling these symbolic acts “mysteries” and not “sacraments.” While a sacrament may be a sign, a mystery involves room for something beyond what we can know. The Eastern Orthodox Church, as I understand it, speak of the “mysteries” and not of “sacraments.”

Thomas Cranmer, the English Reformer, refused to explain how Christ is present with the church gathered to worship at the Table. He used the words “mysteries” and “mystical” to describe the communion elements in general and the Body of Christ in particular. This may have been a reference to the Greek mysterion. The Eucharist as a mystery is a place where we tremble in worship, for something too great for words or understanding is taking place.

Bishop Found Guilty for Refusing to Allow Same-Sex Weddings in Diocese

By

Jessica Lea

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October 7, 2020

A disciplinary panel with the Episcopal Church (TEC) has determined that the Rt. Rev. William Love has violated canon law and his ordination vows by refusing to allow same-sex marriages to be performed in his diocese. Love learned of the panel’s decision on Friday, Oct. 2, and responded to it in a statement on Monday, Oct. 5.

“I had very much hoped to share with you a very different outcome regarding the Hearing Panel’s ruling,” said Love. “Unfortunately, that was not too [sic] be. With that said, I want to encourage each of us in the days ahead to keep our focus on our Lord Jesus Christ. While we don’t know what tomorrow will bring, the Lord does. He will guide and lead us through all the storms of life, if we keep our eyes on Him, trusting Him in all situations.”

The members of the Title IX Hearing Panel were unanimous in their finding that Love, who is bishop over New York’s Albany diocese, was guilty of violating canon law. In their decision, which you can read here, the panel says:

This Panel unanimously concludes that TEC has met its burden of showing, by clear and convincing evidence, that Bishop Love has violated Canon IV.4.1(c) in that his November 10, [2018] Pastoral Directive violated the Discipline of the Church…TEC has further met its burden of establishing that Bishop Love’s Direction also violated the Discipline of the Church in that it violated Canon I.18.

“The Hearing Panel has found me guilty of failing to abide by the Discipline and Worship of The Episcopal Church, and thus violating my ordination vows,” said Bishop William Love. “A separate Hearing will be scheduled within the month to discuss the terms of discipline to be carried out. Until then, we don’t know what actions will be taken. Whatever the final outcome, it will severely impact not only me and the ministry entrusted to me as Bishop of Albany, but it will also seriously impact the life and ministry of the Diocese. I continue to pray that somehow God will use all of this for His purposes.”

Bishop William Love: We Need Your Prayers

In 2015, the Episcopal Church voted to bless same-sex marriages while allowing dioceses to prohibit gay weddings. But in July 2018, the church passed Resolution B012, which said that church leaders could no longer ban same-sex unions from taking place. Rather, if priests object to performing gay weddings, their bishops have to find someone else to perform them.

Bishop William Love defied that order when in November 2018, shortly before the resolution went into effect, he read an eight-page letter stating he would not allow gay marriages in the Diocese of Albany. He said,

There is no doubt The Episcopal Church and now the Diocese of Albany are in the midst of a huge storm that can rip us apart if we are not careful. That is exactly what Satan wants…I pray the Lord will help us to see one another as He sees us; to love one another as He loves us; to forgive one another as He forgives us. I know there are people of good will on both sides of this issue, and that ultimately, we want the same thing – to know how best to show God’s love, and minister to our Brothers and Sisters in Christ who have same-sex attractions. The problem is, we have a very different understanding of how to go about it.

In January 2019, Bishop Michael Curry, who preached at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, issued Love a restriction on ministry. The restriction forbade the bishop from preventing gay unions and noted that Love’s actions might constitute a canonical offence and result in disciplinary action.

That is precisely what the hearing panel has determined. At a virtual hearing in June, Rev. Chip Strickland, who represented Love, argued that the bishop had not violated canonical law. Resolution B012 is not a revision to the Book of Common Prayer, Strickland argued, and therefore does not have canonical status. Another argument Love and his team put forward was that the resolution contradicts the Book of Common Prayer, which still states that marriage is between one man and one woman.

In their decision, the panel argued that even though resolution B012 is not explicitly designated as a “proposed revision to the Book of Common Prayer,” it does not need these “magic words” to be considered canonical. Rather, “The intent of General Convention must be gleaned from the plain language of the resolution.” Regarding Love’s argument that the resolution’s definition of marriage contradicts that of the Book of Common Prayer, Anglican Ink reports the panel rejected it on the following grounds:

The preface of the marriage rite in the Book of Common Prayer, the panel said, only applies to that particular rite and not the additional rites authorized by General Convention, and the rubrics to the catechism describe it as “an outline for instruction” that is “not meant to be a complete statement of belief and practice.

In his statement, Bishop William Love said he did not believe that appealing the panel’s decision would do any good. “I want to thank all of you who have been holding me, my family, and the Diocese of Albany up in your thoughts and prayers these past many months,” he said. “I would ask that you please continue to do so. We appreciate and need those prayers.”

LifeWay Inks Out-of-Court Agreement With Former CEO Thom Rainer

By

Yonat Shimron

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October 7, 2020

(RNS) — LifeWay Christian Resources, the publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, announced late Tuesday (Oct. 6) that it had reached an out-of-court agreement with former President and CEO Thom Rainer.

The agreement requires Rainer to keep the terms of his noncompete contract he had signed after leaving his position in 2018.

In practical terms, that means that Rainer, who had signed a book deal with a competing Christian publisher, would refrain from publishing until November 2021, when his noncompete clause with LifeWay expires.

“Our prayer has always been that this could be resolved between LifeWay and Dr. Rainer amicably,” Todd Fannin, chairman of LifeWay’s board of trustees, said in a statement. “We’re thankful Dr. Rainer agreed to honor his word and commitment to LifeWay, which has been our goal from the beginning. The trustees and Dr. Rainer are looking forward to putting this behind us.”

On Sept. 28, a lawyer for LifeWay filed a suit in chancery court in Williamson County, Tennessee, alleging that Rainer violated his noncompete clause. (He continues to serve as chief advisory officer at LifeWay until Oct. 30, with a salary and a company car—a policy extended to many Southern Baptist executives when they retire.)

The two parties haggled over the lawsuit all week. On Monday, the two sides and their lawyers held discussions to resolve the matter amicably.

Rainer, a bestselling author with a company called Church Answers, inked a deal with Tyndale, a publisher of Christian books and Bibles, in April. His first book was scheduled to be published in June. It will now be delayed by five months and publish in November 2021.

Under the terms of the agreement, a draft of which was provided to Religion News Service, Rainer must also “cease using any and all tags such as @Tyndale, #Tyndale @NLT, #NLT or any other reference to any competitor of Plaintiff, Tyndale,” on social media. (NLT is the New Living Translation, a Tyndale Bible.)

Neither party assumed or assigned blame in the language of the agreement.

LifeWay has faced steep financial challenges over the past year. In April it began cutting roughly 10 percent of its $281.3 million operating budget through staff reductions, a hiring freeze and salary cuts. Rainer himself began returning his paychecks to LifeWay.

The lawsuit against Rainer was likely the fallout of that financial crunch. It alleges that in reneging on his noncompete contract, Rainer caused LifeWay “irreparable harm” and that damages “are not an adequate remedy.”

This article originally appeared on ReligionNews.com.

Christian Sentenced to Death for ‘Blasphemy’ in Pakistan Acquitted

By

Morning Star News

-

October 7, 2020

LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A Christian sentenced to death in Pakistan on blasphemy charges six years ago was acquitted by a high court in Lahore on Monday (Oct. 5), sources said.

Sawan Masih, a 40-year-old Catholic father of three, had been handed the death sentence in March 2014 after a Muslim friend accused him of blaspheming against Islam’s prophet. The false accusation resulted in the burning down of more than 150 homes, shops and church buildings in Lahore’s impoverished, predominantly Christian Joseph Colony in March 2013.

“Hearing blasphemy cases is not an easy job, as there is a lot of pressure on the judges,” Masih’s attorney, Tahir Bashir, told Morning Star News. “I’m glad that the bench admitted our arguments on the basis of facts and set a good precedent in a country where religious sentiments and emotions often influence judgments.”

Masih’s defense had raised several objections about the police investigation and prosecution before a Lahore High Court division bench. Bashir said police registering the case 34 hours after the alleged blasphemy showed mala fide by the complainant.

“The investigation officer and the trial court ignored this material fact while deciding the case,” he said.

There were glaring contradictions between the First Information Report (FIR) and the statement recorded by the complainant, Shahid Imran, before the trial court, Bashir said. He added that no blasphemous words were mentioned in the initial FIR, and the complainant had included the sacrilegious words in a supplementary statement eight days after registration of the FIR.

“The trial court convicted Masih on the basis of the supplementary statement,” he said.

Unreasonably declaring that “the statement of single witness that somebody had made utterance for contempt of Holy Prophet even inside the house is sufficient to award capital punishment,” the trial court had ruled that a number of witnesses were not required for conviction, Bashir said.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the LHC division bench headed by Justice Syed Shehbaz Ali Rizvi ordered Masih’s acquittal, declaring that the prosecution had failed to establish involvement by Masih in blasphemy.

Masih’s Muslim friend Imran had accused him of insulting the Muhammad during a conversation in March 2013. The day after the conversation, Imran claimed that Masih had blasphemed Muhammad.

A local mosque broadcast the accusation via loudspeakers after the main Friday prayer, and a mob of more than 3,000 Muslims attacked Joseph Colony, forcing Christian residents to flee amid threats that they would be burned as their homes were.

Joseph Colony residents and knowledgeable sources asserted that a local politician had played a central role in the attack in order to help local factory owners who supported him seize Christians’ lands. Pakistan’s Supreme Court endorsed this assertion in a suo motu (on its own accord) statement on the case, but in 2017 an anti-terrorism court in Lahore acquitted all 115 suspects citing lack of evidence.

The verdict shocked rights advocates, as there was ample video proof of the suspects’ participation in the violence.

Impunity for False Accusers

With no presumption of innocence in Pakistan, anyone accused of blasphemy can be jailed while false allegations go unpunished.

In 2018, a Senate Special Committee on Human Rights and the Islamabad High Court had recommended that those making false blasphemy accusations be given the same punishments as those for blasphemy convictions, but the government dismissed the recommendation. The recommendation also stated that anyone registering a blasphemy case at a police station must bring two witnesses.

The punishment for blasphemy in Pakistan ranges from several years in prison to a death sentence. By contrast, a person making a false accusation faces potential punishment of six months in prison or a fine of only 1,000 rupees (US$6).

In a petition seeking the removal of blasphemous content from social media, Islamabad High Court Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui has stated that, though critics demand abolishing Pakistan’s blasphemy laws due to their misuse, stopping exploitation of the law was preferable to abolishing it.

Pakistan ranked fifth on Christian support organization Open Doors 2020 World Watch list of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, and on Nov. 28, 2018, the United States added Pakistan to its blacklist of countries that violate religious freedom.

This article originally appeared on MorningStarNews.org. If you would like to help persecuted Christians, visit MorningStarNews.org for a list of organizations that can orient you on how to get involved.

Report: Church of England Failed to Tackle Child Sex Abuse

By

AP News

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October 7, 2020

LONDON (AP) — The Church of England failed to protect children and young people from sexual predators for decades, preferring instead to safeguard its own reputation, and created a culture where abusers were able to hide, an independent report said Tuesday.

The report, published by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, also found examples of clergymen being ordained despite a history of child sexual offenses.

The inquiry heard that, from the 1940s to 2018, 390 people who were either members of the clergy or in positions of trust associated with the church had been convicted of sexual offenses against children.

The report found that, in many cases, the Church of England failed to take the abuse allegations seriously, and that perpetrators were “given more support than victims.”

“Over many decades, the Church of England failed to protect children and young people from sexual abusers, instead facilitating a culture where perpetrators could hide and victims faced barriers to disclosure that many could not overcome,” the inquiry’s chairwoman, Alexis Jay, wrote.

The report said sometimes sexual offenses were minimized. Citing the case of Reverend Ian Hughes, who was convicted in 2014 of downloading 8,000 indecent images of children, the report said that a fellow clergyman, Bishop Peter Foster, suggested to the inquiry that Hughes had been “misled into viewing child pornography” — even though more than 800 of the images were graded at the most serious level of abuse.

The Church of England acknowledged Tuesday that progress has been too slow in supporting abuse victims and survivors, and said it was “completely committed” to improving this.

“The report makes shocking reading and while apologies will never take away the effects of abuse on victims and survivors, we today want to express our shame about the events that have made those apologies necessary,” it said in a statement. “The whole Church must learn lessons from this inquiry.”

The church announced last month that it had set up a large compensation fund for survivors of past abuse by members of the clergy.

The report came after the inquiry held several public hearings in 2018 and 2019. The inquiry last year published a linked report focusing on disgraced bishop Peter Ball, who was imprisoned in 2015 for sexually abusing 18 young men over three decades.

Sylvia Hui contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on APNews.com.

Lecrae: What I Learned About Jesus Through Facing Racism in the Church

By

Jason Daye

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October 7, 2020

Lecrae is a Grammy award-winning hip hop artist, entrepreneur, activist, and New York Times best-selling author, but above all, he is a devoted follower of Jesus. He is internationally respected for his socially responsible advocacy work, from mental health awareness and suicide prevention to racial justice and police brutality awareness. His newest book, entitled I Am Restored: How I Lost My Religion but Found My Faith, releases Oct. 13 from Zondervan. Lecrae lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife and three children.

Key Questions for Lecrae

-In your book you say there was a difference between how the Black church and the white church each related to you as an artist. Can you explain what that was like?

-How did you start to process the reality of systemic racism?

-How did you work toward caring about God’s voice above all other voices?

-What is your hope for unity in the church and what does that look like?

Key Quotes from Lecrae

“I think there were some well-meaning and well-intentioned white pastors and leaders who did not realize that they were participating in what felt like a colonizing of sorts.”

“Initially, you feel a sense of inferiority to a lot of white leaders and pastors, and that’s just something that a lot of minorities feel because there aren’t very many books by theologians of color that you can reference, especially when you’re in certain sections of evangelicalism. And so all the major voices and influencers are white men.”

“I began a journey of collecting a group of different voices of color…and reading their books and their materials and my perspective started evolving and growing because I was seeing things I related to and resonated with, but I didn’t have language for it. And these people were putting language to the things that I was thinking.”

“First, [systemic racism] is just trauma, it’s traumatizing. And then it bubbles over to, ‘I want to say something.’ And then you say something about it and you’re shamed for saying something. And you center yourself around the people who are shaming you, instead of the people who need to be uplifted and you find yourself apologizing for telling the truth.”

“For me, I began to believe that if God’s people were pushing back on me so hard, then it must be that either—because I don’t know another theological pathway—either A) they are right and I’m crazy or B) there’s no God and all of this is a hoax. The option C) that they were wrong was never in my mind…I really had to take some time and seek the Scriptures and develop a Biblical framework for what I was experiencing.”

“Disciples are learners, and as you learn, you’re going to make mistakes…but you make mistakes in the process of trying to follow Jesus. And so for me, I just knew I needed to follow the convictions as I saw them.”

“I had to begin to say, ‘All right, Jesus was rejected, so rejection is coming.’ And I had to understand that the church as I saw it was not above persecuting me.”

Kids These Days

By

Christina Embree

-

October 7, 2020

“The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.”

PLATO IN THE REPUBLIC

That’s right. This statement did not occur yesterday, last week, or even in the last century. No, this characterization of the “youth” comes to us from the 4th century from Plato himself. It was basically his version of, “Kids these days” while despondently shaking his head at their absolute lack of understanding and decorum. You can almost hear the sigh.

He certainly wasn’t alone in his commentary. Good old Aristotle chirps ups stating, ““[Young people] are high-minded because they have not yet been humbled by life, nor have they experienced the force of circumstances. They think they know everything, and are always quite sure about it.”

I mean, I’m pretty sure I heard someone say that last sentence yesterday…oh wait, that was me.

But at least Aristotle was evenhanded, dishing it out to the oldest generation, stating, “[Elderly men] have lived many years; they have often been taken in, and often made mistakes; and life on the whole is a bad business….They are cynical; that is, they tend to put the worse construction on everything. Further, their experience makes them distrustful and therefore suspicious of evil. Consequently they neither love warmly nor hate bitterly….They are small-minded, because they have been humbled by life.”

It’s basically an Aristotelian “Okay, Boomer.”

So there you have it. This familiar story where the older look upon the younger and sighs and the younger looks to the older and groans. It’s not new. In fact, it’s kinda how we are built.

Why?

Well according to research (yes, they’ve done studies on this), it’s because we genuinely forget what it is like to be a young person. As we grow and develop, we begin to change how we see ourselves and the world around us. “People use their present self as a proxy for their past self as well as projecting onto past others.” (Source)

In other words, as adults, we can use our frontal lobe to make distinctions about life we couldn’t do as a youth and we tend to project that onto youth and expect them to see the world like we do…but they don’t. And vice versa, youth cannot understand why in the world old people can’t see what is in front of their face because it is so obvious to them .

Why does this matter?

Well, it helps us to understand why it is often so difficult for older and younger people to engage in meaningful conversations that lead to ongoing relationships. It’s hard. We are naturally biased against each other. We have to willingly fight our own bias in order to make space for the other.

But, why does it matter to us?

The primary way our faith is carried into the future is by passing it from “one generation to another” (Ps. 145:4). In the church, we call it generational discipleship. And, in order for this to happen, it is absolutely necessary that these old people and these young people are able to find spaces where they can talk, listen, and engage with one another in meaningful ways that lead to ongoing relationship.

But, boy, can that be difficult. In addition to a natural bias away from one another, our current society has many structures in place that actually perpetuate the distance. Things like…

architecture, building that have spaces specifically set aside for certain ages.
spaces, designed intentionally to be mostly accessible to one age group.
communication and technology, where information is obtained in different ways often leading to different perspectives.
relationship opportunities which tend to be fostered among similarly-aged individuals.

And yes, every one of these constructs can be found in most of our churches. Buildings with wings, spaces that aren’t kid-friendly, information offered in specific ways that may unintentionally exclude a generation, and community groups, Sunday schools, and church-related activities aimed at a certain age group or life situation.

It’s a quadruple-whammy plus an already innate bias against one another.

So, what do we do about it?

The first thing is to recognize, age segregation is an actual issue. That not only does it exist in our society, it also exists in our churches.

Next, it behooves us to consider if our church structures are such that it exacerbates the division or offers ways for generations to come together for the purpose of relationship, discipleship, and mentorship.

Finally, it makes sense that if we find that we are lacking in those opportunities, to begin looking at our faith community and start making in-roads and bridges between the generations so that generational discipleship can happen.

I mean, it’s likely that there will still be some head-shaking and eye-rolling BUT hopefully there will also be more hands held in prayer, hearts knitted in love and lives joined in relationship. Because, that is how our faith gets passed on and written in our hearts.

This article originally appeared here.

Pastoring Undocumented Workers in Civil Unrest

By

Alejandro Molero

-

October 7, 2020

Pastoring Undocumented Workers in Civil Unrest

Several years ago, I left Venezuela to plant a Spanish-speaking church in Washington, DC.

If you’ve read international news in the last 10 years, you’re likely aware that I left behind a deeply complex web of socio-economic crises and political struggles. I pastored a church in Venezuela for 14 years in my hometown. We faced intermittent seasons of political riots, marches, and protests. People in my city were often unable to find food and medicine; safety was an everyday concern. Even though I miss my home country and the church I pastored there, I admit I felt some measure of relief when I landed at Reagan National airport.

Yet here I am again: different country, similar protests; different reasons, similar chaos spilling onto the streets; different slangs and slurs, same hate-filled hearts.

A few weeks ago, just a few blocks from my house, I smelled an old, familiar smell: tear gas. And upon seeing wood panels covering storefronts all over the city, I feel an old, familiar feeling: sadness and despair in the public square. Worst of all, there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel as both the problem and their solutions are being co-opted for political purposes. As it turns out, my new home is starting to feel a lot like my old one.

SERVING & PASTORING UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS

I don’t pretend to be an experienced revolution survivor, much less a social scientist. I’m a pastor—a servant to the largest non-American minority in the heart of this nation’s capital. Most Hispanics have come here with a singular purpose: to make money. They’ve been mistreated for decades by discrimination and marginalization. Now, in a nation-wide confrontation over racism that has been exasperated by an ominously long pandemic, the people I serve are struggling to find affordable food, steady jobs, prescription medication, and trustworthy immigration processes.

Looking at the neighborhood around me, I serve a population with several fears. Many of these folks are either illegal or undocumented. Christians and pastors have different responses to America’s immigration challenges. I won’t address all the ethical and legal complexities here, but our church’s location gives us plenty of opportunity to think about loving and sharing the gospel with these folks.

The workers in our community are underpaid. Many need to work 60+ hours per week in order to care for their families. They don’t have health insurance, drivers’ licenses, or even bank accounts. They struggle through language barriers. Some of them face xenophobic assaults or episodes of discrimination they cannot report to any authority. Most of them are concerned about being deported. On top of that, businesses continue to shut down and opportunities for work are becoming increasingly rare.

In the midst of all this, our church has sought to help provide our neighbors with food for their bodies and peace for their souls. In the last 20 weeks, with the help of sister churches, we’ve assisted 576 different families. Based on James 2:15–16, we’ve prayed with them, shared the gospel, filled their bellies, and paid some of their bills. Hopefully, they know we love them. Not all of them will come to Christ, but we’re sowing seed and trusting the Lord of the harvest. We’re encouraged.

HEARTBREAKING CONVERSATIONS

But we’re also sad. Over the last 20 weeks, we’ve had several heartbreaking conversations with people in our neighborhood:

JD, a Colombian man, came to my house early one morning because he had an appointment to sign divorce papers. He feared that he was going to be deported immediately: “Pastor, I have nobody else. If I get deported, I want you to keep of my few belongings in this briefcase: my passport, my clothes, my wallet, and my most precious thing—an iPad with a lot of pictures of my little daughter. You’re the only one I can trust. Here’s some cash to mail me this briefcase when I call you from Colombia”.
DG, a Guatemalan woman, told us that her husband beat her for years. When she finally decided to run away, she went to the police and asked for a restraining order. But one day he tracked her down and beat her severely. When her husband was finally put in prison she told me, “If my husband kills me when he gets out of prison, I want you to take care of my daughter. Please, receive her in your home. You are the only ones I can trust.” That broke our hearts in a thousand pieces.
MM, a Costa Rican woman who left her family two years ago and overstayed her lawful tourist visa, was devastated when she discovered that her 21-year-old daughter died in a car accident last October. She couldn’t make it home to attend the funeral. After losing her job, she was on the brink of homelessness. Hungry and impoverished, she stood outside a food bank for several hours waiting for a box of groceries. Before she got them, the program was shut down for not complying with social distancing rules. Despairing, she cried out loud to heaven, Why so much humiliation, Lord? What else shall I go through? In that moment, somebody else in the line gave her the contact information for our church. She called us, and we were able to buy her groceries. I prayed for her, and she prayed a touching prayer of faith asking the Lord for mercy. Since that memorable moment, she has consistently joined our online church meetings twice a week with great joy in the Lord.

In all these cases and in many more, we trust the risen and ruling King Jesus to draw many to himself as we imitate his grace and kindness in shepherding undocumented workers amid civil unrest. “Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do” (Gal. 2:10).

If your church is surrounded by undocumented workers, what can you and your congregation do to love them? At some point you will need to discuss what it means to obey the government. In the meantime, maybe think of them as something like the Samaritans of our day, the class of people the establishment despises and ignores. Will you share the gospel with them, even as Christ did? Will you show hospitality?

And so we pray: Come Lord, Jesus!

This article originally appeared here.

5 Reasons Every Pastor Should Journal

By

Barnabas Piper

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October 7, 2020

I don’t think everyone needs to journal. But I have a hard time thinking of any legitimate reason why someone wouldn’t. Some might think it’s girly. Some might think it’s time consuming. Some might just hate to write. Well, here are my five best reasons you should take up, or keep up, journaling.

1) It is not a log book or a daily diary.

I think one of the biggest obstacles to journaling is the perception that it has to be done daily and you have to record everything. That’s not journaling. That’s a waste of time. A journal might be a place to record memories, but really it’s more of a place to process thoughts or experiences. You can journal weekly, daily, every couple weeks, whatever. Try to to do it regularly, but don’t be burdened by it. It should unburden you.

2) Journaling is a dumping ground for all the stuff you aren’t sure you should say or write elsewhere.

Anger, pain, venting, fears—they’re all scary and/or hurtful to offer publicly. So start in a journal. As you write, you might see that, yes, you really ought to keep that to yourself; it’s that bad. But you might find an idea developing that is beneficial to share with others. Journaling is what got me started as a writer. As I worked through different ideas, some of them coalesced into something worth sharing (or at least I thought so). Regardless, you will find yourself free of some of the burden of those confusing, scary, hurtful thoughts because you dumped them in a journal.

3) It’s the easiest way to pray.

You know what’s really doggone stinking hard? Sitting down, closing your eyes, and praying in any sort of focused coherent way for longer than about 18 seconds. You forget what you were going to pray for. You get distracted by everything including the mere thought of being distracted. You slip into “prayer language” and don’t quite feel free to really say what you’re really thinking and feeling. You know what fixes all that? Writing it down. It automatically takes focus. It slows you down. It is easier to write sensitive things than speak them. And it is between you and God, almost like a letter.

4) It connects you to your past and points your way forward.

Your journal is a photo album of your state of mind. As you look back, you’ll see where you’ve been, how you’ve progressed or matured. Or maybe you’ll be reminded of a better place, a time when you were on more solid ground and can find some encouragement in it. In either instance, it gives you a means to look ahead. So does using the journal for prayer. They show trajectory and correctives. They offer hope. They remind you of obstacles to avoid and paths to retread.

5) Writing begets writing.

Not everyone will care about this, but for those who want to make writing a habit or who want to develop as writers, journaling is a wonderful way to do so. At the simplest, it is regular practice and makes a habit of composing. On the creative side, it allows you to explore ideas all the way past their limits, jot down all your crazy, push the limits of what works. In the process, you figure out what you should write and gain new ideas you would have never thought of otherwise. Journaling will make your writing richer, more honest, more refined and more creative.

5 Ways Your Church Can Serve Single Moms

By

MM Gibson

-

October 6, 2020

Looking for effective ways to serve single moms in your church? Here are five powerful ideas.

He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” (Luke 3:11)

Jennifer Maggio was a single, unwed mom at 15 years old. Now, years later, she’s married, has three children, a successful career, and a middle-class income. But she remembers the shame, walking away from the church as a teen, needing parenting advice, financial instruction, spiritual growth opportunities, and emotional support. In a moving portrait, Jennifer describes the life experienced by as many as 13 million single moms, 27% of whom live in poverty and 24% on government assistance, and calls the church to action to reverse the national “epidemic” of single parent homes.

We know it’s not supposed to be this way, of course. Marriages are supposed to last. Children are supposed to be loved. Maggio supplies the truth of it in a detailed chapter entitled, “What in the World is Going On”:

• In 1951, about 22% of the U.S. population lived in single-parent homes. Today, nearly 50% of babies are born into single-parent homes.
• There are over 17 million single-parent homes in the United States today; most are headed by a single mom.
• Divorce rates remain over 50%.
• Children with no father in their home are 20 times more likely to go to prison than those living with both parents.
• “We are currently seeing generations of single parents raising new generations of single parents.” (p. 49)

Maggio holds out the hope of God’s power to overcome even these harsh statistics. She points the Church to the “missing 70%” of single parents who are simply not in the church. We have to go search for them! Maggio’s church, Healing Place Church, in Baton Rouge, LA, has one of the largest single mothers support groups in the nation. Here’s a summary of some of the steps a church could take in helping single moms and starting such a ministry:

1. Go find them – lots of them — whether they are Christians or not! Create flyers about Sunday services and your single mom’s ministry and put them in housing projects, apartment complexes, daycare centers, prominently promote the ministry on the church Web site – don’t hide your interest. Open a social media page for single moms.
2. Single moms may be visiting your church but not participating. Follow the 8 steps in Maggio’s book to start a single mom’s ministry. Provide childcare and a simple meal for children at meetings – many single parents can’t get home from work, pick up a child, and feed them before the meeting.
3. Offer the top 4 areas where single moms can be served best – financial instruction, parenting advice, emotional support, spiritual growth, and then stick to the four areas! Don’t forget the gospel — these activities are outreach!
4. Inform church members of how desperately single parents need to know that they are welcome!
5. Pray. Pray. Pray. Then use a formal approach to create the ministry, even on a small budget.

Jennifer Maggio has written a compelling book with a simple goal and excellent practical advice for churches wanting to serve a growing group of families with obvious needs. She focused on single moms, but many of her principles work for single dad’s ministry as well.

Maggio means to move the church to minister in the love of Christ to parents and children who are struggling all around us. The Body of Christ is up to the task, no doubt about it. Let’s get moving! Pass it on!

This blog post is a review of The Church and the Single Mom, a new book by Jennifer Barnes Maggio, CarePoint, Stone Mountain, GA, 2011,(Review copy provided to EvanTell by publisher.)

Read this next: How Do You Help the Single Dads in Your Church?

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