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John Piper and Tim Keller Discuss: We Are Saved by Faith Alone, but What About Sanctification?

By
Megan Briggs
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Tim Keller John Piper
Source: YouTube screen grab via Desiring God

John Piper sits down with Tim Keller to discuss the concept of justification by faith and the resulting sanctification that happens. There are a handful of common misconceptions Christians hold about sanctification and justification, which Piper and Keller seek to address in the following video.

The pair start off by kicking around the concept of obeying the law (which a sanctified person should be able to do). “I absolutely believe in what the reformed people call the ‘third use of the law’: that now that I’m a Christian and I’ve been saved by the gospel, I’m still obligated to obey the law, but the law demands both inner holiness—inner change—as well as external righteousness—behavior,” Keller says.

However, “I’d say what the gospel does is give me profoundly new motives” for obeying the law. Keller then quotes Walter Marshall, who says, “You need the comforts of the gospel in order to fulfill the law.”

Piper then poses this question to Keller: How is justification by faith alone different from sanctification? Are they both necessary for salvation?

Keller responds: “You’re really saved by faith, not by how sanctified you are. But if you’re not getting sanctified, then you don’t have saving faith.” “Sanctification is the signs of salvation, but not the cause.”

Keller then addresses a problematic way of thinking many Christians adhere to: Justification is just the pardon and then it’s up to the Christian to sanctify him or herself. Some simple Christians are caught in the thinking that sanctification is “what I do to keep God happy with me.”

So how exactly does faith work through love? Aren’t we just working out an obligation we now have to Christ?

Keller tells a story about a woman who was floored upon hearing the message of faith vs. works. She explained it was “scary” because “if you’re saved by works, there’s a limit to what God can ask of you. You’re like a taxpayer, you’ve paid your dues, and he can ask certain things of you, but not anything. But, if I’m really saved by grace, because of what Jesus has done, there’s no limit to what he can ask of me, and my obedience would have to be unconditional.”

And here is the crux of their discussion: We are saved by faith alone, therefore our response is gratitude that manifests in wanting to do things for the one who saved us.

This is when Piper throws a curveball by discussing a principle Paul talks about in the New Testament. When we are justified by faith, it makes us want to do more for Jesus. But as we take steps to work for him, we realize that we are still relying on his strength and grace to do the things we’re doing. So we’re essentially getting further and further into his debt.

So even after all that discussion: Justification by faith alone comes full circle. Not only is our salvation dependent on God’s mercy and grace toward us, but so also is the working out of our sanctification.

Pew Research: 46% of US Evangelicals OK with Premarital Sex in a Committed Relationship

By
Jessica Lea
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communicating with the unchurched

Given the Bible’s teaching on premarital sex, a new survey from Pew Research Center has concerning news for church leaders. A majority of American adults who identify as Christian see no problem with having sex outside of marriage, particularly if two people are in a committed relationship. 

“Most U.S. Christians say it’s acceptable in at least some circumstances for consenting adults to have sex outside of marriage,” said Pew, in a tweet about its findings. However, people from different Christian traditions have different opinions on the subject. In his summary of the findings, Pew writer Jeff Diamant observed that out of all the respondents, “Evangelical Protestants are less likely than most of the other Christian groups in this analysis to find these practices acceptable.”

The “practices” Pew asked people about included having casual sex, having sex in a committed relationship, having an open relationship, and sending sexually explicit images.

Americans, Christians and Premarital Sex 

Researchers conducted the survey from Oct. 16 to 28, 2019, taking a national random sampling of the home addresses of adults in the U.S. Said Pew, “The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories.” The survey sample size was 3,998, which was not large enough to evaluate answers from other religious groups, although Pew did report on the views of the religiously unaffiliated.

Diamant noted that the survey did not ask respondents to answer based on what they personally would do, but based on what they believe, irrespective of their own choices.

Pew found that 57 percent of U.S. adults who identify as Christians believe that sex in a committed relationship is sometimes or always acceptable, while 49 percent think that casual sex (two consenting adults not in a committed relationship) is sometimes or always acceptable. As might be expected, the percentage of people who are religiously unaffiliated and approve of both of these practices is much higher than the percentage of Christians who do. Seventy-nine percent of American adults not affiliated with any religion believe that sex in a committed relationship is sometimes or always acceptable, while 83 percent believe casual sex between consenting adults is sometimes or always acceptable.

Both Christian adults and the religiously unaffiliated expressed less approval of having an open relationship and of having sex on a first date. Eighteen percent of Christians said that having an open relationship is sometimes or always acceptable compared to 54 percent of the religiously unaffiliated. Only 19 percent of Christians thought having sex on the first date is sometimes or always acceptable versus 49 percent of the religiously unaffiliated.

As noted, evangelical Protestants were the least likely to approve of the sexual practices Pew researchers asked about in the survey. Only 36 percent said that casual sex was sometimes or always acceptable. This contrasts with 54 percent of mainline Protestants, 56 percent of Protestants in the historically Black tradition, and 62 percent of Catholics.

Diamant observed that “the gap between Christians and the unaffiliated is less stark” when it comes to premarital sex in a committed relationship. Forty-six percent of evangelical Protestants said that sex in a committed relationship is sometimes or always acceptable, compared to 57 percent of Protestants in the historically Black tradition, 64 percent of Catholics, and 67 percent of mainline Protestants.

Another interesting finding was that there is a connection between how often people attend worship services and how likely they are to disapprove of premarital sex (and the other practices the survey asked about).

Out of American adults who attend worship services at least once a month, 46 percent said that sex in a committed relationship was sometimes or always acceptable. That number jumped to 74 percent among U.S. adults who attend worship services less frequently. Thirty-five percent of American adults who attend services once a month said that casual sex was sometimes or always acceptable, whereas 75 percent who attend services less frequently said the same.

Diamant pointed out that younger adults are less likely to identify with a particular religion and to take issue with the practices mentioned in the survey. Age, therefore, could be a determining factor in how the respondents answered these questions. 

The Greatest Humanitarian Crisis Worsens—3 Things We Can We Do to Help

By
Esther Laurie
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communicating with the unchurched

Tens of thousands of Iraqi Christians are being persecuted by ISIS. There have been abductions of more than 100 Assyrian Christians. Men, women and children have been raped, killed, sold, treated brutally and subjected to other horrors. Those who have escaped are living in limbo, such as the 57,000 Iraqis in Jordan who have received aid, but are not allowed to work.

The Christian Post writes, “As the largest humanitarian crisis the world has ever known continues to unfold, more than 4 million Iraqi and Syrian refugees attempt to escape the clutches of the self proclaimed Islamic State.”

Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil shared, “that over 100,000 Christians and other minorities have sought refuge in Erbil over the past year, fleeing the Islamic State terror group.”

These amazing Christians have relentlessly sought God and held on to their faith. Warda shared, “People come and tell their stories of persecution and how they were really terrified, having to walk eight to 10 hours during the night,” the Iraqi archbishop continued. “In the end, they would tell you, ‘Thank God we are alive. Nushkur Allah. We thank God for everything.’ That’s the phrase they end with. That’s strengthening, in a way.”

Our brothers and sisters are forced with a choice every day to stand for His name and risk death. There are organizations that are making a difference, but it’s not enough. We must join with them.

Silence in the face of evil is itself evil… Not to speak is to speak. Not to act, is to act.”
– Bonhoeffer

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“A young girl’s hair becomes stuck in barbed wire while crawling through a fence with her family into Hungary from Serbia near Roszke as thousands of migrants pour across the border seeking a better life in Europe” from DailyMail.com

 

What do we do about this crisis? Certainly we can do something for someone. Children are raped, women sold, babies and men slaughtered. People are hungry. People are hungry for food, clean water, health, medicine, freedom, a home, and a whole family – the loved ones they’ve buried and the living ones they cling to. We can’t pretend to know what they’re going through. To say we understand, for most of us, would be a mockery.

We can pray, yes. And we should pray. We should pray until we wear down the carpet from kneeling so long and hard. But what more can we do? We, who have been blessed with resources of time, money, freedom, safety, and health – what can we give?

Only God knows the answer to this heart wrenching crisis. But I know he loves to use imperfect people – his children to be love in a dark place. How can we be love? How can your church be love?

As tensions rise, can our prayers rise higher?

As lives are taken, can we pray more life into existence?

As children are being killed, can we pray for their childlike faith to be ours?

Can we pray for the brokenhearted to be made whole?

The cross always wins, like Ann Voskamp shared. It’s time to link arms and pray, give, strategize, intercede, resource and love … for such a time as this.

Here are a few things we can do.

  1. Learn – let’s learn all we can about this crisis. Let’s read and talk and discern together.
  2. Give – Give what you have to give whether it’s money, prayer, time, material items, and support organizations that are already working on the ground. The Christian Post encourages readers to write to their representatives and to partner with churches.
    Here are a few organizations helping the persecuted:

  3. Pray – Pray for hope, renewal, safety, freedom and life for every man, woman and child. Be specific and informed as you pray.  And be brave for our brothers and sisters.  Release International gives a prayer guide to pray for persecuted Christians.
    • Pray for protection
    • Pray for aid and long-term partners
    • Pray for the refugees and persecuted Christians
    • Pray for an end of violence and bloodshed

“Brothers, pray for us.”
1 Thessalonians 5:25

Do you know of organizations to partner with, resources for learning more and how to pray? I’d love to learn about them.

 

John Gray Apologizes for Putting ‘God’s Name in Harm’s Way’

By
Megan Briggs
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communicating with the unchurched

Pastor John Gray, leader of Relentless Church in Greenville, South Carolina, is the subject of controversy once again. After a tumultuous 2019, in which the pastor fought two lawsuits, denied rumors of an affair, pushed back against an eviction, faced pushback for meeting with President Trump, and came under public scrutiny for his lavish spending, 2020 doesn’t seem to be going any better for Gray. New allegations of an inappropriate relationship with another woman surfaced last week. On Sunday, a somewhat deflated-looking Gray addressed the ongoing controversy and apologized to his wife and his congregation. 

“I am sorry,” Gray said, addressing the congregation watching online. “You’ve gone through enough, from cars to meetings with leaders that have caused great pain and deep division amongst political ideologies, to one thing after another. I want to tell you I’m sorry. The standard has not changed. Holiness is still right.” 

Some of the Rumors Are Accurate, Pastor John Gray Says

While not mentioning any details, Gray said there were “bloggers” who were determined to see him fall and who have been publishing all kinds of things about him, including more rumors of an inappropriate relationship. Last year, Gray admitted to participating in an emotional affair with a woman who was not his wife. Gray said there have been things posted online about him recently, “some of it accurate, some of it not, but all of it my responsibility.” The pastor admitted to putting “the name of God in harm’s way.”

He also said he had left areas of his life “unattended” and said there were areas “where I have treated the calling of God, the grace of God, and the hand of God casually in my life.” He also admitted to failing to deal with some of the issues that came to a head last year in a proper way. Gray said he failed when he didn’t submit to “process”, didn’t stay accountable, didn’t utilize the voices available “to teach me the tools.” These failures caused Gray to “make bad decisions.” 

Speaking to his wife, Aventer Gray, Gray said he hadn’t honored her as he should have. “Aventer, I am sorry for the pain I have caused you, and my prayer is that the life from this moment will be worthy of the love that you have extended that our family receives from,” he said. 

A common theme throughout Gray’s 45-minute message is that he’s a broken person in need of healing. While addressing Aventer, the pastor said, “You know more than anyone else the areas of pain I have carried around for years, the horrific self-fulfilling prophecies that you told me, ‘stop confessing those things.’”

Not Speaking as Pastor John Gray…

At one point, Gray said he wanted to stop speaking as a pastor and switch to speaking “as a man.” He then talked about how he was working through a “consistent pattern of self-sabotage rooted in a lack of identity and a shame that I can’t shake” with the help of a therapist. Therapy has been “critically, profoundly impacting” for him. He’s been making “radical changes, leaving old patterns and old habits.”

Gray said one of the reasons he didn’t address his brokenness sooner is because “I assumed that if I left this seat that the church would fall apart,” adding, “What pride, to assume that a holy God needed an unholy, unsubmitted vessel to do his work.”

Defending the preaching he’s done, even while in this pattern, Gray said “I have never preached a sermon, in my conscious mind, that was self-serving. I have always tried to lift Jesus up. I’ve never preached a judgmental sermon because I know the myriad areas of brokenness in my own life.” 

Gray then said that God had “whooped” him publicly after he failed to address his issues on his own. “What I’ve learned about God is he will always address you privately before he addresses you publicly.” So now, Gray says, he is submitting to the Lord’s chastening, not out of shame, but out of thanksgiving.

“I’m so grateful that God has whooped me publicly because the Bible says we endure chastening as sons. When your father loves you, he corrects you,” Gray explained.

The pastor shared he had friends who confronted him in love and told him “John, I’m distancing myself because I don’t like how you handle your money and I don’t like how you live your personal life. It’s unsafe and it’s unbecoming of a man of God.” 

“If God needed someone who was stuck in sin to help him, then I ain’t read the Bible,” Gray said after informing the congregation he would be in and out of the church as he seeks the help he needs and “deserves.”

Bloggers Are Like Delilah

During his message, Gray talked about Samson and the failures that led to his demise. Delilah was paid to sabotage Samson, Gray noted. In the same way, there are people who have “made brokenness a commodity, seeking the worst about people to monetize their pain and vulnerable moments.” Here, he was addressing the “bloggers” who are publishing rumors about him. To these people, Gray said, “May the Lord heal whatever broken places in you that needs to see someone fall for you to feel better about yourself. I’m a man. I’m not a god. I serve God and I’m God’s man and my failures will not be the final chapter of my life.”

Concluding his message, Gray said he hoped the Church would move past its hang ups over failure. “May the body of Christ grow up and may we reflect the restorative power of Jesus on the beach instead of trying to kill our wounded,” he said, referencing John 21. 

Gray also asked members not to abandon the church but to “fight for me like I would fight for you right now.” He asked them to “maintain your commitment to tithe and offering so we can serve this present age.”

5 Ways Churches Will Have Changed One Year From Now

By
Thom Rainer
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communicating with the unchurched

I am not prophetic. And if I am prescient, it’s only because I have the incredible vantage point of hearing from tens of thousands of church leaders at churches every year.

While it is admittedly difficult to project trends in typical times, it is exceedingly difficult to do so in a time of pandemic headed for, hopefully, a post-quarantine era. Because we hear from so many church leaders and church members, allow me to venture where local churches will be in one year.

  1. At least 20 percent of those who attended before the pandemic will not return to church. Of course, this number will vary from church to church, but early indicators point to this level of losses. Some of the former in-person attendees will become digital-only attendees. Most of this group, however, will not attend at all.
  1. More pastors will leave vocational ministry over the next twelve months than any time in recent history. Pastors suffer a death by a thousand cuts. It’s usually not just one or a few factors that push their limits, it’s the drip-by-drip effect of constant criticisms and conflicts they experience. That continuous pressure and discouragement has been exacerbated by the incredible pressures brought by the pandemic. 
  1. Churches will move to a new emphasis on conversion growth. Churches have been quietly disobedient to the Great Commission for three decades. We are seeing signs of a new wake-up call. Church leaders are becoming increasingly convicted that they must lead their churches to reach those who are not believers in Christ. Church members are reflecting that same conviction and commitment. Most church growth for the past three decades has been transfer growth, Christians moving from one church to another. That dismal reality is about to change. 
  1. Churches will start more churches, many of them as microchurches. Churches are moving from vertical growth (getting as many to attend as possible at one place on Sunday morning) to horizontal growth (growth beyond one site on Sunday morning). A lot of this new growth will include the starting of microchurches, congregations of around 25 to 30 people. As a side note to be unpacked later, these trends will have huge implications for the future of church facilities. 
  1. Two movements will grow rapidly: church adoption and church fostering. There will be more unhealthy churches needing help in the next few months. There will be more struggling churches without pastors. Some of these churches will be adopted; they will be assumed into another church family and become a site of the adopting church. Others will be fostered, which means a healthier church will help those struggling churches for a short season. I will address both of these movements next week.

While it has become cliché to say we are living in unprecedented times, we are living in unprecedented times. Those organizations that view this new reality as an opportunity will indeed see limitless possibilities. This perspective is especially true for the organizations we call churches.

It’s a challenging time. It’s an exciting time.

The next twelve months will be incredibly telling for the future of local churches around the world.

Let me know what you think.

For further reading, check out “Five Types of Church Members Who Will Not Return after the Quarantine.”

This article originally appeared here.

Conflict That Builds Up and Doesn’t Tear Down

By
Scott Sauls
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communicating with the unchurched

Everyone assigns a different meaning to the word “peace.” To some, peace is a calm feeling, an ability to relax, and a care-free life. To others, peace is the end of hostility, a white flag raised to end a terrible war. To others, it is something that happens when we avoid conflict, ignore faults in others, affirm and flatter and “sweep it under the rug” rather than challenge hurtful actions or patterns.

Biblical peace is none of these things. Rather, biblical peace is something that we make by engaging in healthy, redemptive, life-giving conflict when necessary—especially with those whose actions and patterns are hurting us, other people, and/or them. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peace-makers.” But what does this mean?

To make peace is to rescue a hurtful person from himself

Paul writes that if anyone is “caught” in a transgression, those who are “spiritual” should restore him (Galatians 6:1). If a person is caught in a transgression, it means he has actually been overtaken by a sin. It now controls him and, if he is to be freed of it, he will need outside intervention. Some of us have participated in an intervention with a drug addict or an alcoholic. When friends or family notice that a loved one is being overtaken by an addictive substance, they come together and lovingly seek to rescue the addict from his own, self-destructive patterns. To ignore the problem would be terribly unloving. To do everything in your power to block a person from continuing in destructive patterns—this is true love and true peace-making.

Peace-making is counterintuitive

None of us wants to confront. We fear uncomfortable conversations and potential rejection, so we may choose to ignore hurtful patterns in others, or, perhaps worse, to flatter them into thinking that there is nothing wrong with their behavior. When Paul says to “restore” a person caught in transgression (Galatians 6:1-2), the same word in other ancient writings refers to the re-setting of a broken or dislocated bone. The re-setting of a bone is excruciating at first, and is usually followed by a low-grade pain that could last for weeks or even months. But once the bone is fully healed, it is usually stronger than it ever was before it was broken. When friends confront friends, and loved ones confront loved ones for sinful and destructive patterns, it is comparable to the re-setting of a bone. But instead it is a re-setting of the heart and of the person’s character. It flows from a vision to see God restore the person’s original moral beauty to him, to heal and re-align his life to the way things are supposed to be. It is a small, tangible way to bring the peace, or ‘shalom,’ of heaven to the present earth.

True peace-making is done in a gentle, humble inviting spirit

Galatians 5:15 warns against our potential to “bite and devour” each other. We are warned because whenever we are offended—whenever someone fails (fails us!)—we tend to become aggressive toward the perpetrator in one of two ways. We may become active-aggressive (the fight impulse) by telling them off, asserting our rights, pointing fingers, making ourselves out to be the sole victim, beating them up with our words. Or, we may become passive-aggressive (the flight impulse) by withdrawing relationally, making the person pay with our silent snubs, gossiping about them to others, or even leaving the relationship altogether.

We must see that both forms of aggression—active and passive—are self-medicating strategies employed to soften our own pain by increasing the pain of the enemy. But the Bible calls for a different kind of confrontation—the kind that prizes the healing of the enemy and the restoration of the relationship. So we are to approach this effort in a spirit of gentleness and humility. Biblical peace-making is confrontation in a sinner-safe environment. The goal is two-fold. First, we must do everything in our power to ensure the person feels safe with us and not condemned (because we are just as capable of the sin). Second, we must do everything in our power to ensure that the person is rescued from patterns that are harmful to him and/or to others.

Peace-making requires a heart that is saturated with the Gospel

The only way to gain the emotional wealth needed to respond to an offense with gentleness and humility instead of active or passive aggression, is if our hearts and identity are secure in the Gospel. To the degree that we are experiencing freedom from condemnation in God’s eyes through our union with Christ, we will not fear rejection from the person we confront. If we understand that we are fully loved and secure in our relationship with God as Father—that God loves us as much as he loves Jesus, all the time—we will envision even our enemies flourishing in the Gospel. We will view ourselves as partners with God, on a mission not to put offensive people in their place but, as J.I. Packer says, to make people great by calling them to a more beautiful, Christ-like heart and character.

This article originally appeared here.

How to Do an Amazing Race at Your Church

By
Steve Cullum
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communicating with the unchurched

I am a huge fan of The Amazing Race. My wife and I have talked about applying for many years, but we’ve never actually tried signing up (yet). It’s such a great idea for a game, filled with physical challenges, mental puzzles, and teamwork. But what does it look like to put on your own Amazing Race for your church or youth group?

We recently did a church-wide photo scavenger hunt, and our families had a great time. It got them out of the house to participate in something together, but they were able to still remain socially distant (Covid-19 times still). So we knew we needed to do something like that again, but what? Then we thought about The Amazing Race! Could we actually pull that off? Yes!

This can be done a number of ways, but here is how we did it:

Location: While the TV show takes people around the world, we decided to keep it all in the same town as our church. They also used their own vehicles to transport themselves (one per team). If you live in a city, you could consider using public transportation if you want to get closer to how they do it in the show.

Length: The show takes a few weeks, but we didn’t have that kind of time. While some would enjoy an all-day race, we decided on three hours. We had them show up at the church parking lot around 9:45 am, the race began at 10:00 am, and the race ended at 1:00 pm.

Audience: We wanted to make sure to include as many people as possible of all ages, so we had two races happen at the same time. The beginner race was for those with really young children. It had one less checkpoint, and the challenges were easier. The advanced race was for elementary-age kids through adults, had one more checkpoint, and more difficult challenges. (I do not recommend this for everyone, but we did it this first time.) We also had a minimum of three and maximum team size of how many will fit in your team’s vehicle. Some of our teams were families, and some were friends, neighbors, coworkers, etc.

Checkpoints: You will need enough checkpoints for teams to actually fill the time, but you don’t want to give them too many, or no one will finish in time. We decided to have everyone begin at the church with some “spot-it” type puzzles. Once their team finished that puzzle, they received a clue to take them to their first checkpoint. They then journeyed to each checkpoint around town before ending at the finish line in the church parking lot.

Clues: As stated above, in order to get to each checkpoint, the teams needed to first solve a clue. Some of the clues had them deciphering a code to get an address. We had a couple with latitude and longitude coordinates. Some were riddles. And others were identifying the location from a set of photos. Some did not have any problems, while others struggled with things like deciphering. If you want, you can allow teams to ask for hints via text, like we did. How much you help them, though, is up to you. Remember you want everyone to be challenged, but you also want them to keep having fun. Each clue was also printed off and placed in an envelope with our Amazing Race logo on it (to make it look official).

Challenges: The challenges at each checkpoint varied. Some involved eating, others involved a physical challenge, and others involved solving a mental puzzle. Once they solved one challenge, they received an envelope, which contained a puzzle or riddle that led them to their next checkpoint. We purposely spaced out our checkpoints around town, often having the teams double-back, which helped us fill the time. Some of the locations were at church members’ houses, some were at local businesses, and others were in public parks. I recommend personalizing this for your community as much as possible. Here are a few of our challenges: make five free-throws at a park, thaw and put on a frozen t-shirt at the church, drink a cup of salsa at a local Mexican restaurant, and make five paper airplanes that flew 5 yards each at the airport.

Volunteers: An event like this requires a lot of people! Do not even try to do this alone. You’ll need a team around you to help with all the prep work beforehand but also a host of people to help the day of the event. Not only did we have volunteers help with setup and cleanup, but we had a few people at each checkpoint. And because we ran two races at the same time, that meant we needed double the volunteers. Each of those volunteers required strict information about what to do at their checkpoint. Again, this event has a lot of moving pieces, so make sure to over-prepare and over-communicate with your team.

The Race: Due to our self-imposed time restraints, instead of sending everyone off to the first checkpoint, we decided to split them up so that each checkpoint did not start with more than four teams. This also meant we did not have to have enough resources for all the teams at each checkpoint. To win, all teams needed to complete all the checkpoints, but they did not all start in the same location. For example, as one team finished their initial set of puzzles at the church, their first clue sent them to checkpoint one. Another team, however, received a clue sending them to checkpoint five. While the first team will end up going from one to ten, the second team will go from five to ten and then one to four.

Finish Line: Once a team completed their final checkpoint, they received their clue, which led them back to the finish line at the church. Because each team had a different starting and ending checkpoint, we could not simply have the final clue at our final checkpoint. So our volunteers were instructed to which envelope to hand to which team. Going by the example above, the first team would receive their final clue after completing checkpoint 10, while the second team would receive it after completing checkpoint four. To help them with this, we gave a list of all teams to checkpoint volunteers and also added the team names to the final clue envelopes, so they made sure to get the correct one. In the future, we might help that even more by putting team names on all the envelopes. If you don’t split up the teams like we did, you can simply give the final clue at the last checkpoint and avoid this potential confusion.

Prizes: You can do prizes however you want. We decided to give a prize to the first place winners from each race. We also wanted to award other teams who were not as fast, so we gave prizes to the best team name, best team spirit, and the best singing/dancing team (one of the checkpoints required them to sing a song from memory). Since we did this race during COVID-19, we had our opening and closing ceremonies in the church parking lot, and we asked only the winning teams to come up and claim their prizes when they were announced, in order to keep everyone socially distant.

Other things to keep in mind: While the above list covers all of the basics of putting on an Amazing Race event, I also wanted to include a few additional ideas that should help you along the way. Some of these are tips, others are administrative ideas, and some are just further information on how we did our race:

  • Be sure to practice the race at least once! Not only do you need to make sure each challenge is possible, you need to make sure they do not take too long to complete. You also need to make sure the entire race fills your time adequately. You don’t want everyone done too early, but you also want to make sure you have teams that actually complete the race in the allotted time. If you have a three-hour race like us, I recommend making sure the race is able to be completed in about two and a half hours. Not all teams will complete it, but you want to make sure it is possible. (About 20% of our teams completed the race this first time.)
  • We chose to keep our race as simple as possible, so we did not include things like Speed Bumps, Detours, Road Blocks, Switchback, or any of the additional types of tasks or clues. They can certainly add to the fun, but they do make the race more complicated.
  • It’s okay to have teams zig-zagging across town. Just remind them that they must do their checkpoints in order. Even if they pass another checkpoint on the way, they must not stop, or it will really mess things up. In order to help this, you might consider having numbered signs at each of the checkpoints, which will help teams know if they are at the right one.
  • You will need a way to communicate with volunteers and teams. We used a mass texting service and had two groups (one to send messages to the volunteer team and one to send to the participating teams). This service also allowed people to text us, which helped when teams got really stuck and needed help.
  • Start as early as possible when putting together your plan, gathering volunteers, and organizing the entire race. It will take more time than you think, as there are a lot more moving pieces than something like a scavenger hunt. We started planning around six weeks out. I would recommend starting at least that early. If you can do two months early, that would be even better.
  • Be sure to leave yourself enough time to rework things, as you will most likely not get everything as it needs to be in your first draft.
  • Be as clear as you can with your checkpoint volunteers exactly what they are required to do, especially if you end up spacing out the teams like we did (see above).
  • Our race began at 10 am, so we had our main team show up early to get everything ready. But our checkpoint volunteers showed up at 9:15 to grab all of their things (materials for their checkpoint, tables, tents, water, etc.). And we had participating teams show up by 9:45 am.
  • Our race ended at 1 pm, so we sent out a mass text message to all teams at 12:40 pm, telling them even if they hadn’t finished everything, they should complete their current checkpoint and then head back to the closing ceremonies at the church.
  • While this is a fun event for a youth group, consider hosting it for your entire church. We had several teams of adults, who had a blast. We also had some teams of all different ages. This can easily become an event that goes beyond your youth group, and in my opinion, it should. (And when it does, you can probably get more people to help you!)
  • Make sure to create your own logos for advertising. Please do not get yourself or your church in trouble for using the original The Amazing Race images without permission!

The Amazing Race is an awesome event that I really hope to do myself some day. In the meantime, though, I’ve really enjoyed putting together a miniature version for our church family. Participants have already told us how much fun they had playing along. I hope all of this helps you have a great event as well.

This article about how to do an amazing race originally appeared here.

It’s a Miracle! God Heals This Pastor as He Preaches on Healing

By
Megan Briggs
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healing
Source: YouTube screen grab via C3 Church NC

This story of Duane Miller’s healing is, well, almost too miraculous to believe. Incredibly, though, it was caught on an audio recording.

As Pastor Matt Fry of C3 Church in North Carolina explains in the following video, Miller was a pastor in Texas who got sick with something like the flu. This particular flu was so severe that it attacked Miller’s vocal cords and left him without much of a voice. Miller was so desperate to recover his voice, he consulted over 200 doctors, including 63 specialists. All to no avail.

A year after losing his voice, Miller had to step down from his position at his church and went through great difficulty as he tried to find a different job he could do without the use of his voice. Miller and his family eventually ended up as members of a large church in Houston.

One Sunday, a Bible study teacher wasn’t able to teach due to sickness, and knowing Miller’s background, the church asked him to teach the class. Miller was hesitant at first, but eventually agreed and was outfitted with a special microphone that would be able to pick up whatever sound he was able to produce.

It just so happened that the lesson queued up for that week was on Psalm 103—which speaks of the fact that God heals our sin, but doesn’t always heal our physical bodies.

At about [4:30] in the following video, you’ll hear the voice Miller had grown accustomed to speaking with for three painful years—strained and barely audible. Yet as he is speaking of the Lord’s goodness and explaining that God still performs miracles in our day and age, something incredible happens. All of the sudden his voice loosens and he is able to speak clearly.

Miller’s shock is audible and so is the crowd’s. You can hear nervous laughter in the audience as the room starts to realize what is happening before their very eyes. Miller resumes talking—hesitantly at first. “I don’t understand this right now…I’m a bit overwhelmed at the moment…I’m not quite sure what to say or do.” More gasps and curious laughter from the crowd. “Sounds funny to say: I’m at a loss for words!”

As he realizes what is happening, though, Miller breaks out with a “Thank you Lord.” You can hear him choke up (with emotion this time) as he does the only thing he can think to do: Read the Scripture with his newly recovered voice.

Honestly, you have to hear it for yourself to grasp the full significance. It’s nothing short of hearing God perform a miracle in real time.

Read more about this amazing event in Miller’s book Out of the Silence.

Want more inspirational stories? Check out the latest on FaithIt.

One Body, One Head, Many Parts: Why We Need Each Other

By
Kathleen Ward
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communicating with the unchurched

To be functioning at its peak, a body needs every part to be working effectively. Our role as the body of Christ is to equip and build one another up “until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:13). To this end, those of us who are stronger, more mature or given gifts, ought to use what we have to empower and equip others in their journey.

This doesn’t make us more important—quite the opposite, it requires an attitude of servanthood. Instead of the “hierarchy” of the world, where people jostle for power, prestige and privilege, we have a “low-rarchy” in the church—in God’s kingdom, the way up is down, the first shall be last and the last shall be first.

We follow a king who rode a donkey, who washed his followers’ feet, whose coronation was a crucifixion, who laid aside his right to equality with God and took on the form of a servant. Unlike the power-hungry ways of the world, “leadership” in the church is always framed in terms of servanthood or building others up. We are never to “lord it over” or “exercise authority over” one another as the “rulers of the Gentiles” do (Matt 20:25)—the way of love ushers in an entirely new paradigm of inverted hierarchy, where those of us with high status need to step down the ladder to lift up those on the bottom rungs. We go down, not to debase ourselves, but to lift others up. “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matt 20:27-28).”

Here is what that looks like in the church:

The mature mentor the immature.

The elders instruct the younger.

The rich share with the poor.

Those who have gifts equip others for acts of service.

The powerful defend the powerless.

The strong bear with the failings of the weak.

And nobody ever positions themselves in Christ’s rightful place, as head of the church.

Our current structures for church are holding us back from empowering and building one another up by positioning us either as performers or audience members, as broadcasters or passive listeners. Pulpits and pews separate us into two camps, and prevent the mutual ministry and one-anothering described over and over again in Scripture. We need to rethink our meeting spaces, our seating arrangements, our use of music and our information delivery methods to find creative ways that release all of God’s people to be active participants in their journey toward unity and spiritual maturity. We need to be willing to step off the stage and into the circle, to talk less and listen more, to use our status to lift others high, and to get out of the way and let God work in his people.

This is an excerpt from the chapter I contributed to Simple Church: Unity Within Diversity. Order a copy now to learn about simple church practices from some great writers.  

 

How to Meet the Emotional Needs of Your Group Members

By
Allen White
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communicating with the unchurched

Small Groups can meet some of our basic emotional needs. Everyone needs to feel that they belong. This is a high value among Small Groups. The Bible teaches us, “Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others” (Romans 12:4-5). We all want to be included by others. Our Small Group is the place where we’re always included. We belong.

We also need to feel accepted. Regardless of where we’ve come from or what we’ve done, Small Group is a place where we can come as we are to learn, to connect and to encourage each other. That doesn’t mean that our group will allow us to stay where we are. If there are things going on in our lives that are harmful or damaging to our well-being and our spiritual growth, then it’s the group’s place to address these things in our lives. Sometimes we are blind to things about ourselves that are very obvious to others. The group should never approach anyone with a judgmental or self-righteous attitude. The rest of the group has their issues too.

Our couples’ Small Group in California was a diverse group. We had a broad age range. Some couples had small children. Others had teenagers. One couple had grown children. One member enforced the law, while another member gave us the impression that he might be running from the law. It was a mixed bag of folks.

Two of our guys would always end the evening by going out in front of our house for a smoke. The rest of the guys were a little jealous of the fellowship they enjoyed out there. For a brief time, we even considered taking up the habit. Word got out to other Small Groups that we had a couple of smokers. In fact, a member of another group approached me at church one day, “It must be embarrassing that you as a pastor have small group members that smoke in front of your house. What do your neighbors think?”

I said, “I know it’s terrible. But, what’s even worse is that I’ve heard that some of our groups are full of gossips.” Okay, I didn’t actually say that. But, if I had, wouldn’t that be awesome?

We have to accept people where they’re at. Think about it. Where else are we going to accept them? I suppose we could put some prerequisites for being accepted into our group. But, why make it harder to be accepted in our group than it is to be accepted by Jesus Himself?

While Small Groups can meet some important emotional needs for our members, groups can’t meet all of their emotional needs. And, I’ll go ahead and say it, they shouldn’t try to meet all of their emotional needs, either. While the Bible does tell us to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). John Townsend and Henry Cloud do a great job of explaining this in their book, Boundaries.

As a group, we can help people process what’s going on in their lives. We can care for them. We can pray for them. We can follow up with them. But we can’t allow the needs of one member to dominate the group. If we begin to see this happen, we need to gently recommend other resources to address their issues. At that point a support group or counselor could help them work through their issues. If someone is struggling in a relationship or with a life controlling problem, the group can certainly support them in his progress, but the group cannot become his “support group.”

Now, I didn’t say kick them out of your group. I didn’t say that. In fact, the leader should let them know that they are welcome to stay for Bible study and that the group will gladly support them in their journey. But the work that needs to be done has to happen in another setting.

It’s important to know what we can and cannot do in a Small Group. We can offer teaching from God’s Word. We can offer fellowship. We can offer prayer. We can offer acceptance and belonging. We can’t offer anything that caters solely to one group member and excludes the others. We can’t take on all their problems. We can’t meet all of their emotional needs. We can’t do for them what only God can. But, we can keep pointing them back to God.

A member of my group was struggling with how to help a friend who had a financial need. He wasn’t sure about how much more involved he should be. He had already paid some of this person’s bills. I asked him what he felt led to do. He gave one of the most honest answers I’ve ever heard. He said, “I’m codependent. I feel led to solve all of the problems. That’s why I need the group’s insights.” We helped him figure out where to draw the line.

What is your group carrying for your members? Where might your group be trying to carry the member’s whole load as well? How do you know when it’s time to ask for help? I would encourage you to check in with your coach and determine what help is truly helpful.  

LA County Terminates Lease Grace Community Church Had for Parking Lot

By
Jesse T. Jackson
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communicating with the unchurched

On Friday, Los Angeles County terminated the lease to a parking lot Grace Community Church has been using since 1975. It is the latest attempt by the county to shutdown the indoor worship services John MacArthur and the church have been holding despite the county’s orders for all indoor church services to be postponed in an effort to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

A letter received on August 28, 2020 by Grace Community Church from the Director of Public Works, Mark Pestrella, informed the church the Los Angeles County Flood Control District is exercising their right to terminate the lease agreement they have had for over 40 years. The letter states that Grace Community Church has 30 days to vacate the property. The letter shows that they have been paying $8,301.41 a month to rent the parking lot.

Screenshot: YouTube, Biblethumpingwingnut Network.

John MacArthur and Grace Community Church’s attorney Jenna Ellis stated in a press release from the Thomas More Society:

Los Angeles County is retaliating against Grace Community Church for simply exercising their constitutionally protected right to hold church and challenging an unreasonable, unlawful health order. In America, we have a judicial system to ensure that the executive branch does not abuse its power, and Grace Community Church has every right to be heard without fear of reprisal. The Democrats’ message to Americans is clear—if you don’t bow to every whim of tyranny, the government will come after you. The church has peacefully held this lease for 45 years and the only reason the county is attempting eviction is because John MacArthur stood up to their unconstitutional power grab. This is harassment, abusive, and unconscionable.

On August 25, 2020 a judge found the church to be an essential service allowing them to remain open until their September 4, 2020 court date. This lease termination represents the county’s fifth attempt to shutdown Grace Community Church’s indoor worship services. John MacArthur filed a Declaration against the county of Los Angeles on Sunday August 23, 2020 giving testimony of how essential Grace Community Church is and why it should be allowed to gather for indoor worship. President Trump has also expressed his support by phone to MacArthur for taking a stand against the county’s mandates earlier this month.

How to Grow in Christ-Like Humility

By
Mark Altrogge
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communicating with the unchurched

We must put Christ-like humility on. This doesn’t mean we fake it, but that we begin to do it, even though it takes effort. Putting on humility isn’t easy. After all, it’s not easy to be humble when we’re as great as we are.  But it can be done.

One of my favorite cartoon characters is a skunk – Pepe Le Pew, and one of my favorite sayings of his is “Makes me feel humble, yet sort of proud.”  I regularly quote this to my wife.

Another one of my favorite quotes is by Mohammed Ali: “It’s hard to be humble when you’re as great as I am.”

I think deep down inside, most of us think of ourselves a lot like Mohammed Ali. Only most of us are smart enough to know not to say it aloud. If we don’t think we are great, we’re depressed because we think we should be great.

I think that’s why Peter says to “Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another.” Humility isn’t natural to fallen humans. But when Jesus saves us and fills us with his Spirit, we begin to change. It doesn’t happen automatically. We must make an effort – clothe ourselves – with humility.

Here are a few suggestions for how to put on Christ-like humility:

Listen to others.

And while you are listening, don’t try to think of the next thing you’re going to say. If you find yourself interjecting, “But…But…But,” it’s usually a tip-off that you’re probably not listening. And sticking your fingers in your ears and saying,”Ah-ba-ba-ba-ba” is not a real good sign you’re listening either.

Be teachable.

A sign you’re not teachable is if you can’t wait for people to stop telling you something. You keep thinking, I know that, I know that…yes, I already know that – aargh! I know everything you’re going to say in advance.

Don’t blame others for your sins.

Well, I wouldn’t have smashed your windshield if you hadn’t first given me that funny look. I wouldn’t have gotten angry with you if you hadn’t rolled your eyes at me. You see, when someone rolls their eyes at me I fly into an uncontrollable rage. In fact, you caused my rage. It’s actually your sin.

Don’t be so sure you’re right all the time.

I have news for you – there are actually people in the world who know more than you. And I hate to break your heart, but there are actually people in the world who are more discerning than you.

Take an interest in others.

Here’s another top-secret tip for you – other people are really interesting and fascinating. Probably not as interesting and fascinating as you, but try to take an interest in them anyway. A humble person tries to draw others out. Here’s how you can do it – ask them questions about themselves, for example,“Oh, so you are into beekeeping? How did you ever get interested in that bor–I mean, fascinating hobby?  How many times have you been stung? Have you ever gone into anaphylactic shock? Are you any relation to Billy the Exterminator?” Humble people are interested in others.

Ask for forgiveness; don’t just say I’m sorry.

Say “Please forgive me for…” rather than “I’m sorry if…” Don’t say, “I’m sorry if you were offended by my oh-so-tactful comments. I’m sorry you’re so dang sensitive and immature that I can’t call you an idiot without you getting all in a dither about it.”

Ask for prayer for areas of weakness and temptation.

And don’t ask for prayer for an “unspoken request.” Where did unspoken requests come from anyway? I don’t remember reading anywhere “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another’s unspoken requests.” It’s humbling to ask others to pray for us because that’s admitting we’re weak. And we want everyone to think we’re strong.

Clothe yourself with humility. Cover yourself in it. If God’s command alone isn’t enough, then do it for this reason – “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  You don’t really want God opposing you, do you? And you want God to give you grace – favor – right?

Find more humility quotes here.

Man Fined $2,900 for Holding Online Bible Study in China

By
Jessica Lea
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communicating with the unchurched

On Aug. 11, a Chinese preacher in Yunnan province received a notice from the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau (ERAB) that he would be fined nearly $3,000 for holding an online Bible study. Regarding the penalty imposed on Zhang Wenli, International Christian Concern said,

This shows that it will be increasingly risky for any Christian in China to hold Bible study or conduct church activities online. From Wuhan, Sichuan, to Yunnan, the local authorities have been keeping their eyes on Christians, especially those from house churches. Many of their online activities were bugged and interrupted. The objective of their action is to coerce the house church members to join state-sanctioned churches.

ERAB: Shut Down Your Online Bible Study

The ERAB issued Zhang Wenli an administrative penalty, accusing him of violating Article 41 of the Regulations on Religious Affairs by launching an “online religious educational and training project.” According to the article in question, “religious educational and training projects should not be facilitated by non-religious groups, schools, or be held on non-religious sites.”  

Any institution or individual that is not registered with the Chinese government, says ChinaAid, is legally defined as “non-religious.” Authorities ordered Zhang to stop his online activities and levied him a fine of 20,000 yuan, which is roughly equivalent to $2,900. The notice said that if Zhang disagreed with the penalties, he could submit an appeal within three working days. 

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many ministries in China have moved their activities online, but that does not mean they have escaped government interference. According to a report from Church in Chains, in February authorities in Shandong Province banned all online preaching, even from state-approved Three-Self Churches. 

There have been reports of churches in other areas of the country that have had their online services mysteriously shut down, as well as reports of the government monitoring the online behavior of church members. On Easter Sunday, officials interrupted the online service of the much-oppressed Early Rain Covenant Church and arrested several of the members. 

The news about Zhang Wenli’s fine comes amid continuing reports of religious persecution in China, including an update from Bitter Winter that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has removed over 900 crosses from state-approved churches in Anhui Province since the beginning of this year.

“I feel sad thinking that all crosses in our church have been demolished,” one church member told Bitter Winter. “Even though it is a symbol of our faith, who dares to disobey the central government order?”

The cross removal is in line with the CCP’s campaign of sinicization through eliminating any imagery it perceives as “western,” or as a threat to the authority of the state. As ChurchLeaders reported in May, the Chinese government is removing crosses from church buildings in different parts of the country, even if congregations are registered with the state-approved Three-Self Church. 

One believer told Bitter Winter, “United Front Work Department officials said that all crosses taller than government buildings must be demolished because they overshadow state institutions. Only churches that look like enterprises are considered legal. To ‘sinicize’ Christianity, Xi Jinping does not allow churches to have Western crosses.”

Officials are also forcing people to take down the religious imagery in their own homes and to replace it with pictures of President Xi Jinping and Chairman Mao Zedong. The government is threatening to deny people their welfare benefits should any resist.

Christian Fundraising Site Aids Teen Accused of Killing Two Protesters

By
Stephanie Martin
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communicating with the unchurched

After reportedly being turned away from crowdfunding sites such as GoFundMe, supporters of Kyle Rittenhouse are using the Christian platform Give Send Go to support the Illinois teen. As of Monday noon, almost $270,000 has been raised for Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old who faces five felony charges for allegedly killing two protesters and wounding a third in Kenosha, Wisconsin, during unrest over the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

The campaign for Rittenhouse, which has been trending on Give Send Go, is raising money for the teen’s legal bills. His attorney says Rittenhouse, a supporter of the police, acted in self-defense.

Give Send Go Defends Its Involvement

On Twitter, Give Send Go says it “hasn’t fallen into the censorship/cancel culture that we see today.” Heather Wilson, one of the site’s founders, tells Newsweek the platform is “committed to giving both sides of the political culture in our society an equal chance to let their voices be heard.”

Wilson says the support for Rittenhouse isn’t surprising. “We made the determination to allow this campaign, due to the fact we found enough conflicting information on what really took place,” says Wilson. “We will continue to allow the raising of funds for Kyle’s legal defense team from willing donors, despite death threats and thousands of hate messages.”

The fundraising post for Rittenhouse says he “defended himself from a brutal attack by multiple members of the far-leftist group ANTIFA—the experience was undoubtedly a brutal one, as he was forced to take two lives to defend his own. Now, Kyle is being unfairly charged with murder 1, by a DA who seems determined only to capitalize on the political angle of the situation. The situation was clearly self-defense. … Let’s give back to someone who bravely tried to defend his community.”

An update to that post thanks supporters for their generosity, saying they’re “the light of the world” in these “dark times.” It credits Rittenhouse with reinvigorating “the faith of many that this country and its founding principles are indeed founded upon the rock, not built upon the sand.” It also says of the teen: “His success is our success.”

Rittenhouse’s Role Is Under Debate

People who’ve donated to the campaign are praising Rittenhouse for his courage and convictions. “As Americans, we must stand for what is right and Godly,” one writes. “I’m sorry (for him) that he had to take lives, but it was to protect his own.” Another writes, “He did what the police should do—stop terrorists! Thank you Kyle. God bless you and your family.”

Other people, however, are questioning the teen’s actions, as well as the involvement of Give Send Go. “Thanks for supporting domestic terrorists in the name of [Christ]?” one person replied on the platform’s Twitter account.

Last week, Rittenhouse made the 20-mile journey from his Illinois home to Kenosha, saying he wanted to protect businesses and people during the unrest. He reportedly viewed himself as part of a militia, and an interview conducted prior to the shooting shows him holding a rifle and receiving words of thanks from police officers.

6 Ways We Make Life Harder Than It Needs to Be

By
Paul David Tripp
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communicating with the unchurched

This is an oversimplification, but I believe the following statement is true: if Christians lived as if eternity were real, many of our problems would disappear.

Each week at church, you and I affirm our belief in heaven and hell, but there is a significant difference between our confessional theology and our functional living.

How often did you think of eternity last week, and how did it impact your decisions? If I’m honest, not very much. What about you?

Consequently, our lives are much more complicated than they need to be. Our struggles reveal more about our eternity amnesia than it does about the world around us.

Let’s consider some of the ways that forgetting about Forever complicates today:

1. We focus too much on self. God created us to live with more in view than just the present moment’s comfort, pleasure, and happiness. Add the fact that we are not in charge, we do not live in the center of the universe, and life moves by the will and purpose of Another! When we shrink our existence down to momentary wants, feelings, and needs, we’re fighting against God’s sovereign narrative and intended design for our joy.

2. We ask too much of people. If we try to make today our paradise, we unwittingly ask the people around us to provide that paradise for us. How tremendously unfair! They cannot give us the constant inner peace and satisfaction that we can only ever experience in eternity. It will only end in disappointment, frustration, conflict, and division.

3. We are too controlling and fearful. At some point, everyone will feel like life is passing them by; unfulfilled dreams are inescapable. Instead of chasing them in futility, view them as alerts that God designed us for another world. If you live with the coming world in view, these will be gentle (but still painful) reminders.

4. We question the goodness of God. If we don’t understand God’s eternal narrative, we will doubt his character. God’s promises only reach their fulfillment in the world that is to come; if we forget, we will feel that we have been hit with a divine bait and switch. Life in a fallen world is enormously more complicated when you don’t have confidence that you have a loving Father.

5. We are more disappointed than thankful. Many of us are unthankful, not because God has failed us, or we have suffered much, or the people around us have been particularly challenging to live with, but because we approach life hoping that it will deliver to us things that we can only experience in eternity. Grumbling people don’t have much joy and miss out on the gifts God provides today!

6. We lack motivation and hope. When life inevitably disappoints, you will either lose enthusiasm and optimism, or remember that God’s plan is marching toward a moment when he will restore all that the fall has broken. Yes, life is hard, and you will experience things you never imagined, but eternity fills you with a reason to get up in the morning and press on.

Do you want to experience life to the fullest today, as you wait for paradise? Remember that today is never meant to make you complete—it’s a preparation for a final destination.

You are not living in the final chapter of the story. What is broken will be fixed, what has been bent will be straightened, and what has decayed will be restored. Eternity will give you a reason to continue, be thankful, and find joy, even when nothing right now seems as if it is working.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. How often did you think of eternity last week, and how did it impact your decisions?

2. Think of a God-honoring decision that you made recently because you remembered eternity. What might you have done differently had you neglected to consider Forever?

3. Which of the six reasons can you identify most with? How have you complicated your life recently because of it? Be specific.

4. Consider that same area. How can you practically live with heaven in view, and what difference might that make moving forward? What steps will you take today to remember eternity?

5. Do you want to be known as a thankful, joyful, motivated, and hopeful person? What difference will that make in your relationships with non-believing neighbors? How does living in light of eternity make you a better evangelist for the Gospel?

This article originally appeared here.

for KING & COUNTRY – “Ceasefire”

By
Megan Briggs
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3 Improvements for Leading Worship Online

By
Brenton Collyer
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communicating with the unchurched

If you thought standing on stage and addressing a room full of people was scary, try leading worship online for a camera. Terrifying.

No one’s posture is more stoic, stare more blank, or voice more silent than a video camera. Talk about a tough crowd. This year has thrust many of us (kicking and screaming) in front of a camera to lead worship. It’s hard!

Here are three improvements I’ve discovered for leading worship online that will remove some of that fear and discomfort and help you engage with your unseen church family.

1. Start Strong When Leading Worship Online

Before you begin, take a moment to look directly into the camera lens, welcome the church family, and invite them to sing.

I’ve watched dozens of church’s online services, and many miss this critical step. The worship leader will simply begin playing and never engage with the online audience.

This mistake can keep people at a distance from the beginning and chances are, you won’t be able to recover this lost ground.

In addition to your intro, look at people (ie. the camera lens) throughout the worship set. Offer encouragements like, “Let’s sing together,” “Even though you’re at home, sing out loud,” or instructions like, “Let’s sing that chorus again.”

2. Choose Familiar Songs When Leading Worship Online

The same thing happens every time we lead a new song at church. We look out over the congregation and are greeted with blank stares and closed mouths. This shouldn’t continue as the weeks go on and the song becomes more familiar but the first or second time? It’s inevitable.

That disconnect we feel in our Sanctuaries is magnified by the distance on an online service. We want to love and serve our church by doing whatever we can to help them see, worship, and adore our Savior. One way we can do that is by leading familiar songs.

But I’ll warn you, I know from experience this concept can be taken too far. I shared only one new song between March and July this year. As the months of quarantine lingered, our song list became increasingly stale.

Share new, timely songs from periodically. Just be sure to surround them with familiar songs in the set list.

3. Practice When Leading Worship Online

A regular habit of practice is essential for any worship leader. Intimate familiarity with the songs, lyrics, chords, dynamics, and structure allows us to lead with freedom and confidence.

My first at-home worship recording for our online service looked something like this:

  • iPhone on a tripod

  • Audio interface plugged into my computer

  • iPad with lyrics on an end table

  • Dog barking

  • Baby sleeping

  • Sun glaring

Whether you’re leading by yourself with a primitive at-home setup or on your church stage with a full production team – distractions abound. The internal monolog is constant.

Where do I look?

Will my computer crash?

Why is it so hot in here?

You can see every wrinkle on my shirt with this camera.

You can hear every crack in my voice with this microphone.

If practice was necessary before it’s crucial now. Practice, practice, practice. Put yourself in a position to lead each song fluidly. There’s enough to think about without wondering which chord comes next.

If you implement these three principles, not only will you feel more confident, but your church will feel more included.

What are some things you’ve found helpful for leading worship online?

This article about leading worship online originally appeared here.

Scripture or Experience, Which Matters Most?

By
Dan DeWitt
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communicating with the unchurched

The Apostle Peter witnessed Jesus’ glory and heard the voice of God the Father. Mark’s gospel records that Peter was also joined by James and John. When they all became speechless due to fear, Peter decided to fill the awkward silence by saying something stupid (Mark 9:6). That was nothing new. But in Peter’s letters, Peter places the focus on Scripture, not on how powerful it was to see and hear everything they witnessed on the mountainside.

It is easy to make our experience the focus of our relationship with God. To be clear, if you have a relationship with God through faith in Christ, you will have experiences with God. The big issue, however, is what is primary. Do you use Scripture to evaluate experience, or do you use your experience to evaluate Scripture?

Look at how Peter describes his experience in 2 Peter 1:16-21

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honour and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased”, we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Peter tells his readers his death is imminent and that he wants to remind them of what matters most. That sets the backdrop for his testimony here. But after describing how mind-blowing it must have been to be eyewitnesses to this whole thing, he says something remarkable, “And we have something more sure . . .”

What can be more sure than a mountain top worship service with Jesus in all his glory where you hear the very voice of God the Father?

Glad you asked. It’s almost like Peter (or more correctly the Holy Spirit through Peter) anticipated that question. Here’s Peter’s answer: Scripture. The prophetic word is more certain than our experience.

For full disclosure, Bible translators have waffled on how to best translate this passage. Some translators take the verse to say that Peter’s experience made more certain the prophecy. His experience affirmed, or validated, Scripture. But that doesn’t seem to fit Peter’s argument where he goes on in this passage to emphasize the trustworthiness of God’s inspired Word. Translations like the newest edition of the ESV and the NASB go this route making the verse read that the experience makes more sure the prophetic word.

The UK edition of the ESV, the King James Version, and others, place the emphasis where Peter’s argument is directed, that the more sure thing is Scripture itself. I think this better fits the shape of the text. I like how New Testament scholar Kenneth S. Wuest translates the passage, “And we have the prophetic word as a surer foundation, to which you are doing well to pay attention, as to a lamp which is shining in a squalid place, until day dawns and a morning star arises in your hearts.”

Translation issues aside, the question still needs to be considered. Will you use your experience to interpret Scripture, or use Scripture to interpret your experience? The New Testament shows us how the first century disciples did it. They used Scripture to make sense of their experience (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). The first followers of Jesus understood even the crucifixion and the resurrection through the lens of Old Testament Scriptures. It was a big deal that Jesus died and rose again, but the first disciples didn’t separate the historical event from the Scriptures.

This is important because you will forever second guess your experiences. You may misunderstand them. You may remember them wrongly. You may even forget them. But don’t fear, you have something more certain. You have a stronger foundation than your experience, you have the Word of God. That’s a firm foundation for your faith and for your soul. The center of faith is Jesus. Make no doubt. But like the first disciples, it is Jesus “according to the Scriptures.”

This article originally appeared here.

What Does A Church Website REALLY Cost?

By
Duke Taber
-
communicating with the unchurched

If you are like me, when you went to Bible college or seminary, they didn’t have classes on church website technology. So now you have been asked to get all the information on what does a church website cost? You can make an informed decision on whether the cost of a church website is worth it for your church.

What Does A Church Website Cost?

That, in all honesty, is tough because it depends on the objectives that you have for your church website. If you want what is called a one-page postage stamp website that gives your name, service times and location, then you can do it for free. However, that is not the best use of the opportunity that there is with a church website.

If you want something that becomes a tool to attract people to your church, you can still do it for free, but I would not recommend it. Free comes with its own set of costs.

Reasons Not To Pursue A Free Church Website

  • Your content is not considered your own. – Many free website providers like WordPress.com, Blogger.com, Wix.com, and Squarespace.com allow you to build a website for free, but the caveat is that they control what is put on their website. That means that if they do not like that you are promoting a pro-life event on the website on their platform, they can delete the page or the entire website that you built. In today’s anti-Christian environment, especially in the tech world, that is a risk that I would suggest you do not take.
  • Free website platforms reserve the right to place advertising on websites built on their platform.  – In my opinion, nothing is tackier than to have display ads on a church website. However not only is it tacky, but many times the ads displayed are inappropriate. They are alcohol ads, political ads, and even ads from other religions or cults. Not a right mix for a church website.
  • Many of the free website building platforms are not suitable for search engine optimization. – In their effort to make things, so simple to do, they have eliminated some of the necessary things you need to be able to do to rank on the first page of Google. Stuff like heading tags, image alt attributes, and meta descriptions. This makes it harder for people to find your church when they are searching for a church in your town.

Low Church Website Cost Options For Small To Medium Size Churches

In my guide to building church websites, I have gone through step by step how to create your church website for a reasonable price. I suggest you take a look at it.

There is a couple of free church website hosting providers where you can maintain control of your content and what is placed on your church website. They are…

I have never used either of these services so I cannot recommend them personally. All I know is that whom you choose as your hosting provider is essential. The quality of the computers and hardware they use for hosting can make a big difference in how fast your website is and the user experience on your website. Slow sites cause a terrible user experience, and many people will leave a slow website.

However if you are tight financially and not just someone who thinks everything about running a church should be free, then you might give them a try.

Using free hosting will eliminate about $40.00 to $60.00 per year in the cost of having a church website.

The Realistic Cost Of Having A Church Website

Hosting

If you want to do it right, then it will cost a little bit to have a church website. However, that cost is less than what you used to pay for an ad in the yellow pages.

I suggest you use a premium hosting provider like Siteground or A2 Hosting. Both of these hosting providers give a great price and quality service. My church’s website is hosted by Siteground.

Cost: Under $60.00 per year.

Themes

You will need a program that will dress up your website. It is called a theme. There are free themes on the WordPress Repository. Here are a few of them.

However once again, I am going to recommend that you do not use a free theme unless you have to. Getting support and updates can be difficult. Most free themes are very limited in options that will make your website unique. So I would suggest you spend the money on a premium theme. Premium themes will cost you anywhere from $25.00 to $90.00. Here are a few options for you.

Now there may be a couple of premium plugins you want to use, or you might need to hire somebody to set up your website if you are just entirely technically challenged. However, I taught myself how to do this stuff, and I believe you can too.

So what does a church website cost? Realistically you can do it for under $200.00 for the initial set up and then under $100.00 per year after that.

Like I said, less than the cost of a yellow pages ad years ago.

 

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

Don’t Let Selfish Ambition KILL Your Leadership

By
Carey Nieuwhof
-
communicating with the unchurched

Most leaders are ambitious, or at least somewhat ambitious.

And some of that’s good and God-given.

But let’s ask an awkward, difficult and, at times, piercing question:

What motivates your ambition?

Mostly, I don’t like that question because I don’t like the answer to that question.

Sometimes my motivation is selfish.

Most of us secretly want to be better known, valued and appreciated than we are.

I know I’ve struggled with this over the years. When I was starting out in ministry, I wanted to be that guy who spoke at conferences and was well respected as a leader in ministry. You don’t talk about that kind of thing much, but if you were to gain access to my sinful mind, the thought spun around in my head from time to time.

It doesn’t matter what court you play on, the game’s the same. Many of us long to be better known and recognized in whatever our field is: to get the promotion, to see our product sell, to finally have that album cut, book published, our blog get traction or to find thousands of new Twitter followers, Facebook fans or Instagram likes.

Almost a decade ago now, God wrestled my ambition down. Well, that’s putting it nicely.

He snapped my ambition. 

He crushed it. 

He took me to a place where I realized that as much as I didn’t want to admit it, even to myself, much of my motivation was selfish and not God-honoring.

Through a long season of prayer, God finally brought me to a point where I could see myself serving as an effective pastor without anyone ever knowing who I was. Without seeing meteoric growth. Without being in any way “successful.”

I hated that definition of success.

And I fought God on that.

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