How to Establish Spiritual Goals for Teens

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July 7, 2020

One of the leadership axioms I adhere to is that leaders cannot take people further than they are themselves. In order for teens to consistently grow in their faith, ask them to establish spiritual goals. As part of this, talk about how good goals are tangible and measurable so as to allow teens to determine whether or not they’ve successfully reached them.

After establishing these goal-setting basics, challenge student leaders to set two or three spiritual goals for themselves—things they want to do outside of your youth ministry in order to grow in their faith. Give student leaders a definitive time limit in which to reach their goals. In my ministry, we typically do this twice a year: Once over the summer, when we set goals for September through December and again at the start of the new year, when we set new goals for January through May.

Because the broadness of this task can sometimes be daunting for teens, if you see teens struggling to come up with their spiritual goals, give them additional guidelines. For example: Ask student leaders to make one of their spiritual goals about reading scripture, one about praying and one about serving.

After giving teens time to think and pray about their spiritual goals, ask them to write them on an index card along with their name. Then invite them to share their goals with one another. As they do, ask student leaders to explain why they chose their goals and how their faith might change if they successfully reach them. Doing so helps leaders articulate why their goals are important and how meeting them will help them grow in their faith.

As teens share their goals with one another, offer gentle feedback where appropriate. In particular, be on the lookout for unrealistic goals. While it’s good (and even healthy) for goals to push student leaders, you want leaders to have a shot at realistically completing them in order to ward off perpetual frustration. For example: If a teen says their spiritual goal is to read the entire Bible, encourage them to break it into smaller chunks. Since most teens won’t actually be able to read the entire Bible in four to five months, encourage them to instead establish a goal of first reading the New Testament.

Once all your leaders have shared their spiritual goals with one another, copy their index cards. Give them their card to take home and put in a place where they can see it frequently as a reminder of their spiritual goals. Then keep a copy for yourself. At least monthly, revisit your team’s spiritual goals—on your blog, in your meetings, or both. Ask teens to share an honest assessment of how well they’re doing with meeting their goals. As teens share failure stories, offer grace. Ask them to consider why they haven’t been able to fulfill their goal and what they’ve learned in the process. Give them an opportunity to revise their goal if need be. As teens share success stories, celebrate with them and process. Again, ask them to consider what they’ve learned, how their faith has grown, and why continuing such a habit might be important to their spiritual growth in the future.

Over time, what you’ll find is that the simple act of setting goals, writing them down and frequently revisiting them will prompts spiritual growth in your leaders. When leaders are growing themselves, they’ll be able to authentically challenge and encourage other teens to do the same. What’s more, by working toward their spiritual goals, leaders will begin establishing spiritual habits that will help them sustain and strengthen their faith long after their specific goals are met.

Five Lessons I Learned from a Covid-19 Spike at Our Church

By

Derek Allen

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July 7, 2020

In March, April, and May, our church staff braced for a wave of Covid-19 cases to sweep through our church family. It never happened. In fact, for the first three months of the Covid-19 outbreak, our church family of about 1,500 only experienced a handful of coronavirus cases. As far as we know, none of those cases were spread at one of our events. Two weeks ago, that all changed with a Covid-19 spike.

Like most churches, we moved to an online-only format in March, but as soon as our governor and state department of health gave us the green light, we started meeting in socially distanced services. A few weeks into those services, we had a coronavirus scare, but it was short-lived and impotent. One of our staff members was exposed to someone who later tested positive for Covid-19, and our entire staff was with the exposed staff member in a two-hour staff meeting a few days later. The exposed staff member tested positive so we had the rest of our staff tested. Everyone else tested negative. No one, including the one staff member who tested positive, showed any symptoms.

We breathed a collective sigh of relief, and many of us, including myself, came away from that experience more convinced than before that the only real threat we faced from Covid-19 was the threat of our services being shut down again.

Then a Covid-19 spike happened. The first phone call came on a Friday from a staff member. “Bad news. I’ve got a fever, body aches, and 6 out of the 11 symptoms on the CDC’s checklist.” The next week was filled with phone calls and text messages about symptoms and tests and who had been exposed to who. By midweek, we learned that the virus, which would eventually work its way through about half of our staff, had spread to some of our volunteers.

Almost two weeks after that first phone call, we are still waiting to find the end of the virus’ spread among our church family. This has been extremely challenging as a pastor and leader, and I hope I can share my experience with others who might learn from our mistakes dealing with Covid-19.

Here are five lessons I learned from this Covid-19 spike at our church.

1. There is a second wave.

While I’m not going to get into the debate about the national and international second wave of Covid-19 cases, the second wave is real for our church family. In fact, this is really the first wave. We didn’t see anything like this in March, April, and May, but what we are watching now can only be described as a wave of infections spreading through our church.

2. It happens fast.

One week from the time I received the first phone call reporting symptoms, we were aware of more than a dozen people showing symptoms. What was even more shocking was that we could track four generations of transmission from the original person. We are two weeks in, and the numbers are growing at a faster rate now than they were last week.

3. Assume every sniffle is Covid-19, and act quickly.

Like most churches and organizations, we had been following the recommended steps of isolation, testing, and notifying those who have been in contact with anyone who tests positive. We’ve learned that the tests take too long, and false positives are possible along with false negatives. We’ve experienced both. We’ve also learned that most Covid-19 cases mimic other common illnesses and even allergies in the early stages. The phrase, “I thought it was just allergies” has been heard all too often among our staff in the past two weeks.

At first, we followed the health department guideline of quarantining anyone who had been within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes of someone who is showing symptoms. Now, we quarantine anyone who even walked by the same building as someone with symptoms. If we had acted quickly to quarantine the entire staff, we would have cut our church-wide cases by at least 50%.

4. Covid-19 is a serious illness.

Some of our staff experienced a day or two of mild symptoms, but several are still dealing with severe fever, fatigue, breathing problems, and other symptoms. It has been a harrowing and demoralizing journey for our team, and the first symptom reporter has just started feeling some relief in the past few hours. Thankfully, we only had one short hospitalization, but please don’t let that keep you from taking this seriously. Remember, we are less than two weeks into this, and at least one staff member is dealing with complications that could result in hospitalization. Hospitalizations asides, it has been heartbreaking to watch those I love and lead suffering intensely.

5. Isolation and social distancing work.

I’m convinced that one of the reasons the virus hasn’t spread faster and farther is that we have been following procedures designed to isolate sick people and keep everyone else socially distanced. At the same time, we had gotten comfortable, and on a few occasions, we were a little lax in those policies. We can trace almost all of the infections back to one of those times.

The physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual impact of Covid-19 is significant. We’ve all blamed ourselves in some ways, and the last two weeks have presented new challenges daily. We trust the Lord is working through our suffering for His eternal glory and our eternal good, and perhaps part of that good and glory is that you can learn from our journey.

This article about lessons learned from a Covid-19 spike originally appeared here.

18 Prayers to Pray for Unbelievers

By

Tim Challies

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July 7, 2020

A friend asked the question: What are prayers for unbelievers I should pray? How do I pray effectively? I trust that every Christian regularly prays for family or friends or colleagues or neighbors who do not yet know the Lord. And while we can and must pray for matters related to their lives and circumstances, the emphasis of our prayers for unbelievers must always be for their salvation.

Here are some ways the Bible can guide our prayers for unbelievers.

Prayers for Unbelievers for their Salvation

We begin with prayers for unbelievers for salvation. Each of these prayers seeks the same thing, but in a different way or from a different angle or using different language. Each of them is grounded in a specific text of Scripture.

Pray that God would circumcise their hearts. Circumcision was the Old Testament sign of entering into God’s covenant, of being God’s people. To have a circumcised heart symbolizes having a heart that is fully joined to God, fully submissive to him. “And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live” (Deuteronomy 30:6).

Pray that God would give them a heart of flesh. The Bible contrasts a heart of flesh, a heart that is alive and responsive to God, to a heart of stone, a heart that is cold and unyielding. Pray that God would work within these unbelievers to change their hearts. “And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh…” (Ezekiel 11:19).

Pray that God would put his Spirit within them. The great joy of salvation is being indwelled by God himself. Pray that God would grant this honor to those unbelievers, that he would choose to take up residence within them. “And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules” (Ezekiel 36:27).

Pray that they would come to Christ. If unbelievers are to come to salvation, there is just one way. They must come through Christ and Christ alone. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:6). Remember, too, that he is the one who calls them to come and to be relieved of the burden of their sin (see Matthew 11:28-30).

Pray that God would open their hearts to believe the gospel. Once more, God must initiate and people must respond. So pray that God would open the hearts of these unbelievers so they can in turn believe, just as Lydia did. “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul” (Acts 16:14).

Pray that God would free them from the slavery of sin. Unbelievers may believe they are free, but they are in fact enslaved. They are slaves of sin, bound by their sin and sinfulness. Pray that God would liberate them by his gospel. “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed” (Romans 6:17).

Pray that God would remove Satan’s blinding influence. Unbelievers have been blinded by Satan and will only ever be able to see and appreciate the gospel if God works within them. So pray that God would give them sight—spiritual sight. “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Pray that God would grant them repentance. Unbelievers cannot repent without the enabling grace of God. So pray that God would grant them repentance, that this repentance would lead them to a knowledge of the truth. Pray as well that they would come to their senses and that they would escape from the devil’s snare. “God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:25-26).

Prayers For You

With your prayers for unbelievers you’ve used different words and approaches from different angles. But you should also pray for yourself.

Pray that you will develop relationship with them. For people to be saved they must first hear the good news of the gospel. For them to hear the good news of the gospel, they must first encounter Christians—Christians like you. Pray that you would develop deeper, more significant relationship with them so you can, in turn, speak truth. “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Romans 10:14).

Pray for opportunities to minister to them. Many people come to faith after seeing Christ’s loved displayed through the ministry of Christians. Pray for opportunities to minister to unbelievers so that your ministry can have an evangelistic effect. “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Pray for them faithfully and persistently. Our temptation is to grow discouraged in prayer, to pray for a while and, when we see no visible results, to give up. But God calls us to persevere in prayer. “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2). (See also the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-8.)

Pray for a burden to plead for their souls. Paul was willing to tell the church at Rome of his great longing to see the salvation of the lost. Do you share this deep longing? Pray that God would give you a great burden for souls. “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved” (Romans 10:1).

Pray for boldness in generating and taking opportunities to speak the gospel. Even Paul longed for this boldness and for the confidence that he was speaking the right and best words. Pray that God would give you the boldness and, that when you take the opportunities, that he would then guide your words. “[Pray] also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel…” (Ephesians 6:19).

Pray for other believers to encounter them. God almost always uses a succession of people to share the gospel with people before they are saved. Pray, then, that God would lead other Christians into the lives of the unbelievers you love, that they too would provide an example of Christian living and that they too would speak the gospel. “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6).

Other Prayers for Unbelievers

Here are a few more biblical emphases to guide your prayers.

Pray that God would use any circumstance to do his work in them. We pray to a God who is sovereign and who sovereignly works his good will. Often he saves people through difficult circumstances, through bringing them to the very end of themselves. Pray, then, that God would arrange circumstances, whether easy or difficult, to lead them to salvation. “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word” (Psalm 119:67). As you pray for the unbelievers you love, always pray to God: “your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

Pray that God would extend his mercy to them. God assures us that he wishes for all people to turn to him in repentance and faith. He receives no joy from seeing people perish. Pray, then, that God would be glorified in the salvation of these people. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Pray with confidence. Finally, pray with confidence. God expects we will pray, God invites us to pray, God commands us to pray. Why? Because God loves to hear us pray and God loves to respond to our prayers. So as you pray for unbelievers, pray with confidence that God hears your prayers. “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16).

This article about prayers for unbelievers originally appeared here.

John Ortberg Under Fire Again, This Time for Hiding Son’s Identity

By

Jessica Lea

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July 6, 2020

John Ortberg, senior pastor of Menlo Church, has come under fire again for his actions surrounding a former children’s ministry volunteer who confessed that he experiences sexual attraction to children. Ortberg allowed the volunteer to continue working with children for months after learning that information, and it has now come to light that the volunteer is his own son, John (“Johnny”) Ortberg, III.

“The volunteer was my brother, John Ortberg III,” said Daniel M. Lavery, who broke the news on Twitter on June 28. Lavery, formerly known as Mallory Ortberg, is one of Ortberg’s three children and is transgender. “When we last spoke, he admitted to seeking out unsupervised contact with children (including overnight travel) for well over a decade.”

Lavery was the one who originally contacted Menlo Church staff on November 21, 2019, and revealed that John Ortberg was allowing someone who experienced sexual attraction to children to serve in the children’s ministry. The church responded by initiating an investigation, putting Ortberg on “personal leave,” and removing Johnny from children’s ministry, in addition to barring him from any other church work.

However, concerned over what Lavery believes was an inadequate investigation, Lavery decided to reveal the volunteer’s identity: “I make this public in the absence of institutional accountability, so that members of the community can create a democratic, transparent process for investigating this volunteer’s history of unsupervised visits to, trips with, and work involving children.”

I make this public in the absence of institutional accountability, so that members of the community can create a democratic, transparent process for investigating this volunteer’s history of unsupervised visits to, trips with, and work involving children.

— Daniel M. Lavery (@daniel_m_lavery) June 28, 2020

The church responded with a statement to the congregation acknowledging that people “may be processing this information in a new way and may have questions or concerns.” The statement said that pastors, elders, or counselors were available to church members and assured members that the church staff are required to undergo background checks and training. Said the church, “We love and care deeply for our students.”

How Menlo Church Dealt with Some Troubling News

In early February 2020, ChurchLeaders reported that Pastor John Ortberg had returned from “personal leave” after allowing a church volunteer (now known to be his son, Johnny) to serve in children’s ministry for months, even though Ortberg knew the man was sexually attracted to children. In the November email communicating this news to Menlo Church staff, Lavery wrote, “Last Friday, my younger brother John Ortberg III (Johnny), who is thirty years old, disclosed to me that, for as long as he can remember, he has been sexually obsessed with children—especially, he says, boys between the age of 8 and 13.” Johnny admitted to telling their parents about his struggle in July 2018, which was about 18 months prior.

Lavery told Menlo church leaders that after confronting Ortberg, saying that Johnny needed to stop working with children immediately and get therapeutic help, “My father became enraged and defensive.” The pastor told Lavery that Johnny would become suicidal if he were to stop working in children’s ministry. Lavery told Religion News Service (RNS) that after speaking with Ortberg, “I became convinced that my parents do not have my brother’s best interests at heart.” Lavery then sent the email to the church and broke with the Ortberg family.

Ortberg went on “personal leave” the day after Lavery’s revelation to Menlo Church and the church initiated an investigation, which took about six weeks. At the time, Menlo did not share this information with church members. Johnny was removed from working in children’s ministry, and he stopped his volunteer work coaching an Ultimate Frisbee team of high school students.

Menlo Church issued a statement to church members on January 21, 2020, explaining the situation and informing them that Ortberg had been absent for not following church policy. When learning of his son’s struggle, Ortberg asked if Johnny had acted on his impulses and was satisfied when Johnny said he had not. According to the statement, Ortberg encouraged his son to get counseling and then let him continue serving in children’s ministry without telling anyone at the church.

Menlo told church members that Ortberg had shown “poor judgment,” but that the investigation had not found any “misconduct” or evidence that any children were harmed. The pastor returned from leave on January 24 and went back to work at the church under the guidance of church staff. He returned to preaching in March.

Menlo Church’s Investigation

Menlo Church did not pursue an investigation through Boz Tchividjian’s Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE) because of a conflict of interest. Ortberg had previously worked with Tchividjian to investigate the allegations of misconduct against Willow Creek founder Bill Hybels. Tchividjian acknowledged this conflict of interest on Twitter in February 2020, but suggested GRACE could help Menlo find people who are qualified to help them.

Andrew Wommack Ministries Issued Cease and Desist Order

By

Megan Briggs

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July 6, 2020

Editor’s Note: 7/10/2020: This article has been updated to include statements and information given by a spokesperson for Andrew Wommack Ministries International (AWMI). Additionally, please see our follow-up article about this story and the measures AWMI took to mitigate risk.

Andrew Wommack Cease and Desist

Andrew Wommack Ministries International (AWMI) has been issued a cease and desist order from the Colorado state Attorney General. The Woodland Park, Colorado-based ministry was issued the order in the middle of its Family Summer Bible Conference which Andrew Wommack says accommodated about 1,000 people. County officials where the ministry is located had only approved 175 attendees for the conference.

“In light of the fact that protests with thousands had been permitted and even encouraged, and retail stores were allowed unlimited numbers in their stores without near the safety measures we employed, I felt completely justified in what I was doing,” Andrew Wommack wrote in a post shared to the ministry’s Facebook page.

On July 4, 2020, the ministry leader told his followers that they had been served the cease and desist order on July 2nd. Wommack explained they received the order with one day remaining of their Family Summer Bible Conference.

Not only did AMWI conclude the family conference after receiving the letter, they also went ahead with another event they had scheduled for July 4th—a patriotic “In God We Trust” Performance. This performance was live-streamed to the ministry’s Facebook and YouTube pages, and included a musical depiction of “our great American heritage,” a dramatized reading of the Gettysburg Address, and patriotic songs.

The ministry has since decided to adjust some of its upcoming events. This includes canceling the Kingdom Youth Conference which was scheduled for July 10-11. Additionally, they are continuing to work with county officials concerning any future events: “The college has been working closely with the Teller County Public Health and Environment department (TCPHE) with the goal of developing agreed operational safety plans for all upcoming events.”

Wommack believes the content of the Summer Family Bible Conference “must have made the devil mad” and in turn incited the cease and desist letter. The conference included a discussion panel with William Federer, General William Boykin, Tony Perkins, E.W. Jackson, and Janet Boynes. Wommack writes, “we discussed all the current issues of the day in light of what the Bible teaches and made a strong appeal for Christians to get out and vote according to godly principles.”

Additionally, Wommack cites an argument many faith leaders have been making lately concerning the double standard that appears to be happening across the country concerning public protests and church services. Some governors and mayors appear to either be turning a blind eye to the protests that are happening over racial tensions (with masses of people crowded in streets together) or they are encouraging it. After Governor Gavin Newsom of California issued a statewide ban on signing and chanting in church services, Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, said it’s “completely discriminatory” to ban singing in churches after allowing “tens of thousands to march in protest without wearing masks.”

However, an argument can be made that the two scenarios—a church service and outdoor protests—present different risks due to a number of factors. Protestors marching or even sitting outside in the open air presents less of a risk than people sitting in an auditorium or church building together. A camera shot of the crowd at AWMI’s July 4th celebration shows participants not wearing masks, sitting close to one another, and singing. These are all things the CDC warns against in public gatherings.

While it’s unlikely that everyone protesting outdoors is wearing a mask, video footage of protests around the country shows many people wearing masks—especially if they are in close proximity to one another. In fact, a case study of a protest in Washington state suggests that attending a party represents a higher risk activity than attending an outdoor protest. A more comprehensive study including data from multiple cities suggests the protests have not led to a spike in coronavirus cases overall. Researchers found “no evidence that urban protests reignited Covid-19 case growth during the more than three weeks following protest onset.” However, a spike in coronavirus cases among Los Angeles police officers suggests the protests did contribute to a jump in cases. Gov. Newsom also asked protestors ahead of the July 4th weekend to consider others and stay home from the protests.

As far as what measures were in place to mitigate the risk of spreading the coronavirus during the conference, an AWMI spokesperson told ChurchLeaders the following measures were taken during the conference:

Attendees were given a health screening questionnaire
Attendees’ temperatures were checked
Social distancing was practiced between staff and between guests
Personal protection equipment was utilized (masks and gloves for employees)
Appropriate COVID-19 and social distancing signage was used
One-way traffic flow was used
Sanitation stations were placed throughout all areas of the building
Medically-approved sanitation protocols were in place

Additionally, they encouraged attendees to wear masks but did not require them. The spokesperson disclosed many people chose to wear a mask, along with AWMI staff.

Teller County, Colorado, where AWMI and Charis Bible College is located, was granted its variance request to the state’s Public Health Order 20-28 Safer at Home that was issued on June 1, 2020. Since the county has a “low level” of confirmed coronavirus cases, gatherings of up to 175 people are permissible, given proper social distancing guidelines were being followed and subject to the approval of the county. State guidelines stipulate only gatherings of 10 people are authorized.

Teller County does not have a hospital with ICU beds, however, which means critical patients would need to be transferred to hospitals in Colorado Springs in neighboring El Paso County, which currently has a higher percentage of coronavirus cases than Teller county does.

The situation with AWMI raises a more philosophical question the church in the U.S. is currently grappling with: When do we, as Christians, push for our civil liberties and when do we submit to the authorities?

Please see our follow-up article on this story.

James MacDonald’s Lost Vision For the Body of Christ?

By

David Fitch

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July 6, 2020

One should be careful in criticizing another pastor, especially one in the neighborhood (we both serve in the Northwest suburbs). So I am engaging James MacDonald – not criticizing him – because he invites engagement in his post provocatively titled Congregational Form of Government is From Satan. This post caused a good bloga-stir last week. Like a grenade thrown into the room, it cleared the debris and asked the core questions “Wherein lies authority in the church? How is that authority exercised?” Pastor James answered by arguing that the authority of Christ in His church is best carried out in a hierarchy composed of a senior pastor surrounded by a group of elders, the form of church government otherwise known as “elder rule.”

I’m not much interested in the argument for “elder rule” over congregational forms of church government. Instead, I think pastor James’ post reveals much about his attitudes and understandings of what it means to be body of Christ in N America, and serve that body as a pastor. “Elder rule” is certainly one valid form of church government that has its roots in the Majesterial Reformation. It has made sense in many cultural contexts related to Christendom over the past 500 years. What I am more concerned about however in this post is the apparent loss of a very important part of the NT vision of the local body of Christ. My big question is – are we seeing a loss of vision for the active living organic body of Christ in the world. I offer 3 questions/observations.

1.) Is there Submission of the Leader(s) to the Body (in this post)? Jesus said “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first must be the slave of all. Because the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:42-45. The NT church built its understanding of church leadership upon these words. This is why the NT uses the term diakonia (servant, slave) far more than any other term to describe leadership in the church. I take these words of Jesus to be an overthrow of all authoritarian leadership in the church. Instead we pastors are to be yielding, serving the local Body in submission to each other out of mutual submission to Jesus as our Lord and reigning King. We are to trust together that God the Holy Spirit is working in the arena of His people where Jesus is Lord (1 Cor 12). The pastor, prophet, teacher, even apostle or elder always serves in this pattern. I could go on how this pattern is evident everywhere in the NT but instead I refer you to chapter 3 of my 2005 book The Great Giveaway.

What I hear in pastor James’ post is an account of church government that puts one man (or woman?) in charge in a top-down authority alongside a set of elders as support. This form of church government, he says, “frees the pastor from the tyranny of the untrained and the untrainable.” Huh? Where then is the submission of the pastors to the body as servants one to another? To me, the servant nature of leadership, driven by the mutual submission one to another in reverence to Christ is the very foundation of church life (Eph 5:20). How does the pastor lead in submission to the body with a statement like this? How are the elders chosen from among several thousand people church except as they are handpicked by the pastoral authority? How does this form of government not become a single personality driven church where the body has little or no voice?

When we give up the submission of the pastor to the body, I suggest we have lost Christ’s vision of the body of Christ. Has pastor James lost this vision of the body of Christ?

2.) Is There a Body of Christ Active Here in Discerning the Future? In Matt 18:15-20 Christ gives us an account of discernment (“binding and loosing” is a Rabbinic term for discerning disagreements and conflicts). Here the community of Christ, from ground up, discerns disagreements and sin among themselves by going to each other and speaking truth and confessing in love. From these on the ground conflicts we see key issues in the church rising up to communal wide discernment. Together we gather and a council forms, and we discern together (1 Cor 2:16) the mind of Christ. We engage new territory for the gospel together. Pastor James seems to think all division is bad. It is “good people being held hostage to bad people.” On the contrary, I suggest, conflict is ground zero for moving the church into mission (see this link here).

This way of being a people is admittedly untidy, often inefficient (although I don’t think it needs to be). But frankly, this is (one of the places) where Christ inhabits the church (“there am I with you”)and the future is discerned. But under “the elder rule,”as pastor James describes, it seems as if one man should dictate which way to go. The one senior pastor goes up to Mt Sinai, gets a word from the Lord, comes down and delivers from God the way we are to go. You as a parishioner can then decide to stay or go. I don’t think we should trust one man or a group of men (notice it’s mostly men) because I think any one man or woman is too narrowly constrained to see where God might take us. We need the body to discern, and as we engage new and different cultural challenges that we’ve never seen before, we need the body fully activated to discern. Admittedly this is impossible when you get over 200 people.

A top heavy organization run by “elder rule” naturally moves its people in and upward. The people are always looking to the one man and his elder rule for rulings on matters of “should we do this?” or “how do we reach these people, needs in our community?” The community becomes inward focused and centered on a single voice who unilaterally drives the vision of the church. I believe a church loses its dynamism and its flexibility under these conditions. It is driven by one man’s vision for a single time and place. The body of Christ created in Christ by the Spirit for mission (John 20:23) becomes static. When this happens, churches run this way via “elder rule” have lost the vision for the active living body of Christ?

3.) Is There an Alive Body Engaging Fully in the Ministry of the Kingdom? 1 Cor 12, 14 give us a vision of the body of Christ functioning in all its gifts. Eph 4 shows how 5 gifts are prominent. This fully alive body is discussed in Rom 12 and elsewhere. It is called by the apostle Paul “the fullness of Christ” Eph 4:13. This is where the body comes to life to bring forth the fullness of life in Christ.

Where does this full participation in the body of Christ take place in a church governed by “the elder rule” polity he proposes. For pastor James, the “priesthood of all believers” refers to the protestant denial of any mediator between the individual and God. He grieves the “eldership of all believers” where each person, regardless of training,” considers their thoughts about the future to be of equivalent value” (to those with training?) Huh? Again?

The true pneumatocracy of the church relies on the plurality of the gifts all recognized within the body. Is there a place for this in James McDonald’s “elder rule”? Too often, in an “elder rule” church, I fear “gifts” and “gift inventories” turn into another organizing matrix to train volunteers to sustain a top heavy organization. The gifts become internally focused. They are not mutual participants in what God is doing in the church and the church in the world. This to me is the real tragedy of the lost vision of the body of Christ this kind of church polity represents. You tell me, have I missed something?

Conclusion

In summary my three concerns can put in the following three statements for discussion.

A. The Elder Rule form of church government (as outlined above) is prone to work for Christians who want minimal involvement in church life and want to be spoon-fed Scriptural teaching/spiritual upliftment as a regular product on Sunday morning Yes? No?

B. The Elder Rule form of church government (as outlined above) is prone to encourage pastors to function as dictators versus participants in the flowing life of God’s Kingdom at work in the living Body of Christ. Yes? No?

C. The Elder Rule form of church government does not work to develop a dynamic flexible externally focused social body that can engage new cultural challenges easily (without first getting approval from the hierarchy) Yes? No?

To those who see these things regularly occur in this form of church, who seriously wonder if there is any other way to be church, I encourage you to read this link, and then look for a missional community being birthed in a neighborhood near you.

OK, thanks to pastor James MacDonald for spurring on the conversation. That’s it for now … just putting all these questions out there … over and out …

This Is Why Singing and Chanting Are Banned in CA Churches Right Now

By

Stephanie Martin

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July 6, 2020

As COVID-19 cases continue spiking in California, Gov. Gavin Newsom has temporarily ordered a ban on singing, chanting, and group recitation in places of worship. In-person worship is still permitted, at reduced capacity and with face coverings, but the state’s public health department recommends that churches continue providing online services.

The order, issued on July 1, includes sanitation guidelines for church buildings, suggests shortened services, and temporarily prohibits items that move among congregants, such as offering plates. Churches aren’t the sole focus of the order, with venues such as bars, restaurants, theaters, and museums being shuttered for at least three weeks.

CA Seeks to Limit Community Spread

Though it was one of the first states to shut down, California has experienced a major setback, with record numbers of COVID-19 cases during the past two weeks. Health officials say relaxed social distancing policies and inconsistent hygiene measures have contributed to community spread.

In the July 1 order, California’s health department states, “Practices and performances present an increased likelihood for transmission of Covid-19 through contaminated exhaled droplets and should occur through alternative methods like internet streaming.”

Earlier this year, the CDC raised concerns about singing after 87 percent of members of a Washington state chorale tested positive for Covid-19 and two died. “The act of singing, itself, might have contributed to transmission through emission of aerosols, which is affected by loudness of vocalization,” stated a CDC report, which also warned about the impact of “super-emitters.”

Pastors Call the Order ‘discriminatory’

Some California faith leaders aren’t happy with the order, often pointing to racial-justice protests where crowds engaged in singing and chanting. The Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, says it’s “completely discriminatory” to ban singing in churches after allowing “tens of thousands to march in protest without wearing masks.”

Sean Feucht, a Bethel Worship pastor who recently lost a primary election for Congress, launched a petition against the order, calling it an “unprecedented attack” on religious liberty. On Instagram, the worship leader says it’s time to “fight back and go on the offensive!” Feucht, who’s led worship in Iraq and North Korea, says he never expected worship would be “illegal” in California.

UK Church Uses Creative Alternatives

In England, where restrictions on public gatherings have recently eased, communal singing is also temporarily prohibited. But that isn’t stopping worshipers from praising God in creative ways. Chris Demetriou, pastor of Cornerstone the Church in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, says, “We cannot sing, but we can stand, we can clap, and there is nothing wrong with finding other ways to express yourself.”

During the shutdown, congregants were invited to record themselves singing at home. The church then combined those clips to create a “chorus” that’s now played as a worship prelude. Some older worshipers at Cornerstone admit being nervous about returning to in-person worship but say they’re being careful. Many are matching their face masks and outfits.

Pastor Demetriou believes the pandemic will cause a spiritual awakening. “People need God’s touch,” he says. “At the moment, I think God’s got a lot of people’s attention that he didn’t have before.”

Death of Darrin Patrick Is Officially Found to Be Suicide

By

Jessica Lea

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July 6, 2020

Seacoast Church in South Carolina has announced that a medical examiner has ruled the death of Pastor Darrin Patrick to be a suicide.

“We are devastated by this news,” said the church in a statement posted to its website on July 2. “We do not know, and may not ever know or fully understand the reasons behind this tragedy. We are reminded that we are often unaware of the ways that those close to us are hurting and struggling. We will recommit ourselves to loving those around us and making sure that they truly know how precious their lives are.”

Darrin Patrick died at age 49 on May 7, 2020, from a bullet fired at close range while he was target shooting with a friend in rural Franklin County, Missouri. Authorities did not suspect foul play and were waiting on the autopsy report to close the case. Thursday, the Office of the Regional Medical Examiner in St. Charles released its findings that the gunshot that took the pastor’s life was indeed self-inflicted. Patrick leaves behind his wife, Amie, and their four children.

Seacoast Church: Please Reach Out for Help

Darrin Patrick was the teaching pastor at Seacoast Church and the founder of The Journey church in St. Louis, Missouri. He pastored at The Journey for 14 years before being fired in 2016 for “historical patterns of sin” and for “inappropriate meetings, conversations and phone calls with two women,” although not for adultery. Describing himself as “horrified” by his sin and the harm it had caused, Patrick pursued a path of restoration that included in-depth counseling and apologizing to those he had wronged.

Seacoast Church’s founding pastor, Greg Surratt, was involved in this process and called it “deeply flawed” and “destructive at times.” Even though Surratt voiced his concerns, Patrick told him he wanted to see his restoration plan through. Said Surratt, “The landscape was littered at that point with leaders who fell and chose not to submit to a process of restoration. And he didn’t want that.” As Patrick recovered and began sharing his story, he eventually came on staff at Seacoast. He and Surratt started a podcast called The Pastors Collective with the goal of helping church leaders with their challenges.

Seacoast Church concluded its statement by imploring people not to hide their mental health struggles: “We urge anyone who is struggling with depression, despair, or suicidal thoughts to reach out for help. We have resources available for anyone who needs them, as well as more information about Darrin and ways to support his family, at seacoast.org/darrinpatrick.”

How to Talk to Kids About Racism

By

Dale Hudson

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July 6, 2020

It is heartbreaking to see that racism still exists in our country. The recent murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police is a stark reminder of this. And it’s critical that we talk to kids about racism.

Did you know that 10% of black men are behind bars on any given day? This is twice as high as Hispanic men and five times higher than white men. Roughly 20% of black men have spent time in jail compared to 3% of white men.

This has to stop. We cannot allow this injustice to continue. One way we can help change the racist culture we live in is to help the next generation avoid this sin. Here are some tips as you talk about racism with kids.

If you have children, then racism, civil disobedience and police brutality are areas that you need to talk with them about. It’s important to address the killings and protests honestly and in an age appropriate way. Many parents struggle with how to protect their children from seeing the worst of the protests and violence while trying to explain the sin of racism at the same time.

Here are some tips that can help you talk to kids about racism.

It’s important to start early when you talk to kids about racism. According to Dr. Jacqueline Doug’e, a pediatrician and child health advocate, children can internalize racial bias between the ages of 2 and 4. Doctors say while children younger than 3 aren’t going to understand what is happening on television, they will be able to pick up on the “fear, urgency or anger in people’s voices and behavior. Stress will show up in fussy or unregulated behavior.” To keep this from happening, parents should watch the news when the child is not present.

And according to Dr. Marietta Collins, a clinical psychologist at Morehouse School of Medicine, if you have preschoolers, you should start discussing racial differences in a positive way. A parent can explain what melanin is and talk about how wonderful it is that the world has so many different kinds of people.

Older children will be more in tune with what’s going on. Parents should assume that their children know what is going on. They will pick up news from social media, talking with friends or seeing the emotions of those close to them. Once you access what they know, you can talk with them about what is happening without being too explicit.

Dr. Collins said that with older children, you should focus on how unfairly black people have been treated throughout American history to the present day, because fairness is something all children can understand.

Dr. Dougé suggested starting with something like: “There are things happening in the news that are upsetting us. Unfortunately there were police officers that made bad choices for the wrong reasons because of the color of someone’s skin.”

Children may also become afraid when they see or hear about all the violence that has been taking place so it’s important to talk to kids about racism. Assure them that you will keep them safe. Let your child know that there are people working really hard to make sure racism doesn’t continue. And let them know what you are doing to help with this.

How do you talk to kids about racism when they’re preteens or teens? Pre-teens and teens will most likely be seeing all the news coverage on their personal smartphones. Parents can ask them whether they have seen anything like about the riots and protests, what they think and what about it was upsetting or inspiring.

Many pre-teens and teens communicate with their friends through social media. Reposting. Retweeting. Instagram post. Facebook post. Messenger. Social media gives them an avenue to be part of online activism with their friends and family.

It is not enough to talk about racism, you must strive to be anti-racist and fight against racist policies and practices. If you have the privilege, make space, speak up or amplify issues of inequity and injustice. Children see everything. -Dr. Heart Garris

You can also talk to kids about racism by providing your child with books and movies that have racially diverse characters. Parents can make good use of movies and documentaries that can educate older teens on the history of discrimination. These can be used to jump start conversations about racism and how they can help fight it.

To me, one of the best things about heaven will be the diversity of those that will be there. We get a great description of this in Revelation 7:9: “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.”

Let’s continue to stand against racism. Proactively stand. The more we work toward seeing racism defeated, the more we will have a little bit of heaven on earth.

This article about how to talk to kids about racism originally appeared here.

Right and Wrong Pastoral Ambitions

By

Phil Newton

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July 6, 2020

Ambitions are tricky. Functioning well, they motivate to action, pursue the worthwhile, steer away from the ignoble, and provide energy to persevere. Yet pride, selfishness, bitterness, and a host of sins, like parasites, sicken once healthy ambitions toward destructiveness. In guarding our hearts, we must also guard our pastoral ambitions.

Pastoral calling and ministry training do not inoculate from wrong ambitions. But men who are humbly lashed to God’s Word, with character shaped by the gospel, will pursue right pastoral ambitions.

Jesus alone had entirely pure ambitions, evident in his obedience, focus, and selfless love. He obediently sought to do the Father’s will (John 8:28; John 4:34; Ps. 40:8; Heb. 10:7); focused on his Father’s mission, even when the crowds wanted to make him king; and demonstrated selfless love toward his followers, laying down his life as a substitute for sinners (John 15:13).

As pastors, we can learn from this. If we want to reorder out pastoral ambitions, then we must emulate Christ.

What does this look like when it plays out into real-life, pastoral settings? Let’s think about it by considering two wrong and two right ambitions.

WRONG PASTORAL AMBITIONS

1. This church needs me to get them in shape.

It goes like this. “I’m tired of seeing so many bad churches and carnal people. I know what a church needs to look like. I’ll shape people up or ship them out.” During college, I watched a pastor squeeze people into his “brand” of Christianity, complete with a list of dos and don’ts to be in his favor. Staff and church members feared him and his heavy-handedness. He got what he wanted but it lacked grace.

Some churches might cross their “T’s” and dots their “I’s” with the best of them. But they’ve simply been hammered into shape by an authoritarian pastor. Such pastors haven’t listened to Peter; they domineer and lord over the flock (1 Pet. 5:3). They’ve ignored Paul; they bully and push their weight around to keep the church conformed to their ideas (Titus 1:7). They’ve neglected John’s warning; like Diotrephes, they “love to be first,” refuse counsel, and spend inordinate time criticizing ministers who don’t applaud them (3 John 9–10, NASB). They might be successful when it comes to nickels and noses, but they fail miserably in reproducing healthy disciples. Richard Sibbes counseled , “The ambassadors of so gentle a Saviour should not be overbearing, setting up themselves in the hearts of people where Christ alone should sit as in his own temple.”

2. With my gifts, I can build this church.

I knew a pastor whose membership grew enormously under his leadership. He was a gifted organizer, worked tirelessly, mastered programs, and regimented his staff. The denomination applauded him. He had plenty of people but he didn’t faithfully preach Christ. He built the church on his organizational gifts. He “succeeded” in numbers but neglected to establish his church on the gospel. He had accidentally, I assume, erected a monument to his own skills. Years later, it imploded. His “gifts” were too weak to hold the church together. This is no surprise. If our gifts hold the church together, then it’s built on shifting sand (Matt. 7:24–27).

Others may preach God’s Word but fail to personally apply what they’re preaching. In doing so, they build the church on pulpit ability. Crafting masterful sermons, such men love attention, feed on notoriety, and shape ministry to center on their gifts. Numerous times, I’ve heard church members oohh and aahh over a pastor’s preaching skills, only later to shrivel on the vine due to him making church about his performance. Preaching gifts can easily hide wrong ambitions. That’s why Paul’s preaching aimed to demonstrate the Spirit and power, “so that your faith would not rest in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1 Cor. 2:4–5). ^[1]

RIGHT PASTORAL AMBITIONS

1. By God’s grace, I seek to live as a follower of Jesus Christ.

As Timothy labored in pastoral responsibilities at Ephesus, with insistence to teach and exhort the church, Paul told him, “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim. 4:11–12). Before focus on preaching, give attention to living as Jesus’ follower. Model discipleship. Paul set a standard for pastors to emulate. “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1; Heb. 13:7). Similarly, Peter charged the elders to shepherd God’s flock, “being examples to the flock” (1 Pet. 5:3).

Every now and then, someone will ask me what to look for in a senior pastor. I always tell them not to overlook the obvious. The New Testament gives more attention to a pastor’s character than his duties. We do want gifted men who will labor in expositional preaching. But first, we want holy men. Derek Tidball, commenting on Paul’s aim with Timothy and Titus, notes, “He was concerned about their achieving the task, but was even more concerned about the kind of people they were.” Major on faithful preaching and shepherding, but foremost, major on living as an example of Christlikeness to the church.

2. By God’s grace, I will lead the church to make much of Christ and his gospel.

Churches have personalities. Often, they reflect the passions and proclivities of their pastoral leadership. A pastor concerned with his legacy or status among peers tends to build a church around himself. Those focused on size tend to resort to faddish practices, with the church joining in as part of a carnival. The church, then, is about the pastor—his sayings, his mannerisms, his jokes and stories and clever remarks and catchy sermon outlines. Sadly, the congregation never tires of admiration. His ego grows. He believes the press reports. But where is the beauty of Christ as all in all? Nowhere to be found.

The New Testament paints a different picture. Healthy churches are centered on Christ and the gospel, never on the pastor and his programs or prominence. When Jesus first mentions the church, he emphasizes that it ishis, which he builds and he defends and to whom he delegates authority (Matt. 16:13–20). The church’s foundation is Christ himself (1 Cor. 3:10–11), who is also the cornerstone by which every detail is shaped and governed (Eph. 2:19–22). He purchased it with his own blood, a truth which the gospel declares (Acts 20:28; Romans 3:19–26; Eph. 1:7–12). He calls the church his bride who will dwell with him forever (Eph. 5:22–33; Rev. 21:9–14). For eternity, the church will fall before her Savior with worship and praise (Rev. 5:9–10).

Because of this, the pastor’s primary ambition must be to make much of Jesus and his gospel. When the Reformers described what constituted a true church, they focused on the gospel and the ordinances. John Calvin wrote in his Institutes, “Wherever we see the Word of God purely preached and heard, and the sacraments administered according to Christ’s institution, there, it is not to be doubted, a church of God exists.” The Word “purely preached” referred to what Calvin called “the heavenly doctrine” that “has been enjoined upon the pastors” to preach. He cannot make the church about himself or he will be derelict. As Paul reminds the Corinthians, “For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Cor. 4:5). We must forget neither our message nor our status. Jesus is Lord; pastors are servants.

More pastoral ambitions, right and wrong, surface day-by-day in the pastor’s mind. Here are a few questions to help assess them:

Do my ambitions call attention to myself or Jesus?
Does this pursuit magnify or cloud the gospel of Christ?
Does this ambition exalt Jesus while humbling me?
Will this ambition shepherd or manipulate the flock?
Does this ambition require the Spirit’s power to accomplish?

Let us guard pastoral ambition by keeping in mind our standing before the Lord in judgment. May we share the same ambition as Paul, “whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to him” (2 Cor. 5:9, NASB).

This article about pastoral ambitions originally appeared here.

10 Worshippers You’ll Find at Your Local Baptist Church

By

Brian Orme

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July 5, 2020

On any given Sunday, you’ll see a variety of worship expressions. God made us all unique and these differences reveal the complexity of our personalities, preferences and passions.

These differences can be a very positive thing, for sure, especially when our motives for worship are lined up correctly–to see the name of God lifted up! Here’s a list of the top 10 worshippers you might find at your average Baptist church on any given Sunday.

*This is a narrow list, focused on one denomination (the one I know best), and it’s meant to be light-hearted, not serious, but there is a little truth to it. 🙂

10. The Off-Key and Lovin’ Every Minute of It Worshipper

This person looooooves to sing, but the only problem is…they’re tone deaf and completely unaware. It’s best to avoid eye contact and let them do their thing.

__

9. The Charismatic Visitor

This person is either travelling through, or looking for a new church, and decided to try out the local Baptist church. They understand that “Baptists” are typically more reserved than their charismatic brothers and sisters, but it’s hard to contain themselves—once the worship starts everyone else disappears.

__

8. The Conscientious Objector

This person DOES NOT appreciate the style or volume of the worship, but they don’t want to make a scene so they stay quiet, lips sealed.

__

7. The Feeler

This person doesn’t sing loud, but their expression lets you know they’ve got something deep going on inside. Typically seen with eyes closed tight, nodding.

__

6. The Aisle Stepper

Sometimes there’s just too much worship to be contained in the tiny space of a pew, or theater seat, and it’s necessary to step out to gain more real estate. Like this.

__

5. The Pew-Sitting Conductor

This person has a background in music theory and a passion for hand gestures. It’s their job to conduct the church from their seat with enthusiasm and vigor.

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4. The Walk Out

This person loves the preaching but feels like the music is just too loud, too modern or too secular and decides to make a statement by walking out mid-worship. Do not be alarmed by this. They will eventually return, like magic, during the post-worship prayer.

__

3. The Wannabe Charismatic

This person desperately wants to let loose, but years of church experience tells them to keep it cool. So they end up somewhere in between—almost raising their hands, but pulling back at the last minute.

__

2. The I-Forgot-to-Follow-the-Slides Worshipper

This person gets so wrapped up in worship they forget to read the slides and start singing the wrong verse. Caught somewhere in between, they can’t help but smile, because it happens every Sunday.

__

1. The I’m-Too-Cute Kid Worshipper

This kid has all the moves and feels it. When you see them it’s hard not to tear up a little. It’s also a powerful reminder to stop looking around and dig deep into worship yourself. 🙂

__

Do you recognize any of these? Do you fall into one of the categories? Did we miss any?

5 Ways to Help Your Team Memorize Songs

By

David Santistevan

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July 3, 2020

When you hear the word “memorize,” you probably have one of two reactions.

I can’t do that.
Not a chance.

There’s something about memorizing that is scary to us, but I don’t think it has to be.

We all know there is something good about it, right?

It helps us be more present in the moment.
It serves congregational worship by having a more prepared team.
It helps your rehearsals go smoother (if people practice).
It helps move the music from a math equation to art.
It’s a powerful tool for maturing your musicians.
As worship musicians, it helps us engage in worship more.
It also means we don’t have to kill as many trees or purchase a handful of expensive iPads.

Win-win, right?

I am on a quest to obliterate the music stand from our worship teams. We’re fully there at one campus, and almost there at our second. For many worship leaders that I talk to, this is a scary transition.

You can’t just announce this and expect it right away. The musical accuracy would most definitely suffer. You might have a revolt.

That’s why you need a transition plan.

Five Steps for Transitioning Your Team to Memorize

As we approached this transition, here’s the process I took:

1. Cast Vision—Before we made this a regular thing, I cast vision for it months in advance. I said, “Here’s where we’re going,” and I gave people reasons why. I even opened the floor up for questions. My goal here was to start a conversation rather than a mandate. I wanted to feel people’s hesitation and coach them through the transition.

2. Set Your Team Up for Success—Make sure your team has what they need weeks in advance: chord charts, mp3s and lead sheets are great. You can’t expect fully memorized music if you are a last minute planner. I do my best to stay six weeks ahead of the game with song lists (I’m a bit behind right now) and keep Planning Center updated with mp3s, youtube links and chord charts.

3. Start Small—Before you require a completely memorized worship set, start with just memorizing one song one week. Then, advance to two. You see where I’m going with this. Start small and build little by little. For us, a worship set isn’t usually more than four or five songs, so it’s not as daunting as people think.

4. Be Patient—Some of your team members won’t have much trouble with this. Particularly those who already have perfectionist tendencies. They want to know the music inside and out. Others are busier and don’t have as much discretionary time to invest in personal practice. Be patient with them, remind them during the week, and keep encouraging them that they can do it!

5. Lead by Example—You’d think this could go without saying, but I’ve seen some leaders demand what they don’t apply. You’ve got to lead by example. Memorize your lyrics. Know your chords. Be confident with your arrangements and transitions way before rehearsal. Your team will follow you if they respect your musicality and commitment to excellence.

Let’s have a conversation. Where are you on this “memorization” bandwagon?

Does your team memorize their music?

Do you print and file paper chord charts?

Do you have iPads running OnSong or Music Stand?

Guaranteed Small Group Failure This Summer

By

Rob Bentz

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July 3, 2020

School’s out, your summer vacation is planned, and you’ve geared down. What are you going to do with your small group during the summer months?

If you’re looking for a sure-fire way to destroy your small group this summer, put these four tips into motion and watch your small group fall apart like an old baseball stadium on implosion day.

1. Stay in touch on Facebook only
Be sure to avoid any face-to-face time. Don’t get together for a barbeque. Don’t meet together for a few minutes at church. Don’t even set up play-dates for the kiddos. Just type out a friendly message every other week or so.

2. Don’t Mention your Family’s Summer Plans
Going away for a week this summer? Go stealth with your groupmates. Just leave. Enjoy yourself. Then when you return, don’t tell anyone. Be sure not to tell your group members about your summer schedule. Hide your family calendar at all costs!

3. Don’t Pray for Each Other
Praying for your group members might actually draw you back into getting together as a group again—you know, a heart connection. So keep it simple—don’t pray for them. Tell them on Facebook that you’ll pray, but be sure not to follow through.

4. Agree to Get Together in the Fall
If you can go an entire summer without meeting, you’ve set a pattern that will continue in the fall—no small group meetings! No more times of Bible study and discussion. No more group prayer times. No more “doing life together”. Congratulations, you’ve successfully ensured that your small group is a thing of the past!

The Exodus, Deliverance, and the Meaning of Baptism

By

Toni Ridgaway

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July 3, 2020

This five-minute video from Granger Community Church unpacks the history and the meaning of baptism–connecting our new life in Christ to Israel’s passing through the Red Sea.

“Baptism gives us a new identity of freedom in Christ. Your sins may seem to pursue you, but they’ve been drowned in the blood of Christ shed at the cross.”

Practical Idea: E-mail this video to those who are thinking about baptism or still have questions about what baptism is all about. You might even play this video at the beginning of your next baptism service as a practical teaching moment.

Church Hurt and 4 Steps for Healing

By

Alison Cook

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July 3, 2020

Have you ever experienced church hurt? As a counselor, I’ve seen the various wounds that people experience from unhealthy leaders while attending church. Here are some examples of church hurt:

• A single mom whose church promised to stand by her, then disappeared after she got a divorce from her abusive husband

• A kind-hearted woman who was told that she would “burn in hell” if she made friends with the “wrong” kind of people

• A young couple forced out of their church after they stood up to a narcissistic pastor

• A man who opened up about his struggles only to be told his depression meant he lacked real faith

I’m a psychologist, and I’m also a follower of Jesus. I believe faith and psychology can work hand-in-hand. So, one of the problems that irks me the most is when a church leader in a position of authority misrepresents or distorts someone’s view of God by acting abusively.

Church hurt can cut you to the core. Much like our parents, we see church leaders as having authority. We look to them to lead us and shepherd us well. We trust them with our hearts and with our areas of vulnerability.

When the people whom we trust manipulate, shame, reject, or use others for selfish gain, the effects are extremely painful and confusing. It hits us where we are most tender, causing us to question both God and our own sense of worth. In some cases, the pain can cause to wonder, “If church can hurt me so deeply, then what does that say about God? Who is God anyway? Can He really be trusted?”

In addition, church hurt can damage how you think about yourself. Rationally, you might know the pain is not your fault. But, parts of you can still wonder if you did something wrong. Toxic shame enters your mind, and you might start wondering, “If that church represents God, then how could they be wrong? What if I am the problem? What if I deserved what I got?”

Church hurt is soul crushing.

I’ll be honest. The process of healing from church hurt is not easy. It can be hard to face the pain. It can be hard to disentangle the God who loves you from the misrepresentation of God by an unhealthy leader. Understandably, many people get angry and stay bitter. Others decide to leave the church all together.

But, I believe there is another way through. I have walked this path with countless individuals, and it is some of the most gratifying work that I do.

If you’re struggling with pain of church hurt or if a church misrepresented God to you through toxic, abusive actions or words, please know you are not alone. You are still in the center of God’s love AND God’s justice. God hates church hurt, too (See Matthew 18:6).

Here are four steps that I recommend to heal from church hurt:

4 Steps to Heal from Church Hurt

Step 1. Define Church Hurt as Abuse

Church leaders hold power. But, great power includes great responsibility. If someone misuses their power, the result is defined as “abuse,” which means to act in a manner to cause “bad effect or for a bad purpose; misuse” (Oxford Languages Dictionary). Church hurt stems from experiencing someone else abusing their power.

A church has power to gather, encourage, and heal God’s beloved people. On the positive side, church can help you:

Encourage yourself and others (1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 10:25)
Give thanks and marvel at God’s wonders (Colossians 3:16)
Grow in humble, honest self-awareness (James 4:8)
Pray with other people (Acts 2:42)
Grow in wisdom and knowledge of God (Ephesians 3:10)
Care for those who are most vulnerable (James 1:27)

In contrast, when a church leader abuses his or her power, it has the opposite effect, such as causing:

Discouragement and disappointment in yourself and others
Feelings of anger, confusion, and bitterness toward God
Toxic movement toward rigid self-denial and self-hatred
Bypassing or denial of pain and emotions (vs. bringing them to God honestly)
False ideas about God (vs. the God Jesus embodied)
Further wounds on the most vulnerable

The first step toward healing, then, is to name the church hurt as “abuse.” Here are some examples:

He attacked the young girl that God made. That was an abuse of church power.
She taught me I wasn’t worthy of God’s love. That was an abuse of church power.
They told my secrets to others and called it prayer. That was an abuse of church power.
He told me that my abusive husband’s behavior was my fault. That was an abuse of church power.
She said my depression was evidence that I lacked faith. That was an abuse of church power.

The purpose of this step is not to harbor resentment. Instead, the initial process of healing hinges upon you naming the wrong behavior that occurred.

Step 2. Separate the Church Hurt from God’s Character

Some aspects of God’s character are crystal clear throughout the Bible. If you feel busted up or beaten on by a church community, it is important to step back for a moment and remind yourself who God is apart from the hurtful actions. For instance:

God loves justice, mercy, and humility. (Micah 6:8)
God is for the poor in spirit, the grief-stricken, the humble, the broken-hearted, and the peacemakers (Matthew 5:1-12)
God stands against the proud, and for the humble (James 4:6)
God is love (1 John 4:7)
God’s presence shows up as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)

You might also look to the life of Jesus and notice how he interacted with various types of people. He was clear about his stance toward individuals in these three categories:

Abusers of Power:

Jesus gave his harshest words to religious leaders who judged, criticized, oppressed, and left people out. These folks created cliques and always attempted to maintain their power. If you’re not convinced that Jesus was harsh with unhealthy religious leaders, read these passages: Matthew 23, Mark 9:42, Luke 11:43–44.

The Sufferers:

Jesus drew close to people who were hurting, wounded, sick, and suffering. He didn’t blame them for their suffering, nor did he marginalize them. Instead, he encouraged them, helped them, and treated them with respect. Read some of the life-giving stories of how Jesus interacted with suffering in these passages: Luke 17:12–16, John 9:6–7.

The Marginalized:

Jesus also showed a soft spot for those on the outs, such as “sinners,” rebels, and the people who others tended to despise. For example, do you remember the woman who got caught in adultery? Jesus purposefully intervened to protect her. In another story, Jesus first revealed his true identity to a woman four times divorced. She was from Samaria, a place equivalent to “the wrong side of the tracks.” Read more stories of Jesus siding with marginalized individuals in these passages: Mark 2:15–16, Luke 7:36–39, John 4:25, 26.

As you identify God’s desire to help hurting people, you will find a powerful ally. God is on the side of those who have suffered, not on the side of those who abuse their power.

Step 3. Recover Your Power

If you’ve experienced church hurt, it can cause you to feel helpless and alone. In order to reclaim your power, you need to set boundaries with those responsible for the pain. Then, you also need to heal the agony inside your own soul. But, in order to heal, you’ll need the help of safe people. Here are some ways to start that process:

Prioritize your own emotional recovery first.

It’s not your job to have empathy for those in power who hurt you. There might be a time for forgiveness and/or reconciliation way down the road. But, it is far more important that you separate yourself out from the harm and restore the parts of yourself that were wounded.

Seek support outside of the church.

If your church culture is toxic, it’s crucial to get a healthy perspective from someone who is outside that environment. For instance, contact a counselor or trusted adviser who can help you stay clear and grounded as you name the church hurt and find your way to solid ground.

Wait to communicate until you have a strong support network.

Once you are clear about the nature of your church hurt, you might try communicating boundaries with the leaders of a church community. But, please do NOT take this step alone.

It is wise to enlist help to ensure that you don’t get pulled back up into a web of toxicity and experience more harm. If you do decide to confront a hurtful leader, make sure you have support. Then, pay close attention to the response. You will quickly learn if that person is messy-but-loving, or someone who is truly toxic. If it’s the latter, it is probably time to find a new church community.

Step 4. Reclaim Your Spiritual Practices

As you begin to reclaim your personal power, you can also reclaim some spiritual practices. But, just like any physical wound, certain situations may rekindle more pain. With emotional pain, there may be specific words and practices that seem normal to everyone else, such as prayer or listening to a sermon, but they bring up uncomfortable, painful feelings within you. That’s because those practices got twisted due to the leader’s abusive actions.

For example, if someone betrayed your trust while claiming to “pray” for you, their actions could make the idea of prayer feel uncomfortable. Likewise, certain Bible verses may have been used to manipulate you, which might bring up painful feelings when you hear those passages again.

In those situations, notice the feelings and be gentle with your reaction. It doesn’t mean that you don’t love God. In fact, it’s the opposite! You are developing important skills to help you discern when to trust versus when to sound the danger alarm. You’re learning how to discover Jesus apart from the leaders who misrepresented him. You can reclaim your spiritual practices from the ones who stole them from you.

Turn the negative into a positive by redefining old harmful words into new terms. For example, think of “prayer” as just a loving way to talk with God. You could even keep your eyes open and look at something beautiful or comforting that reminds you of God’s love. Talk to God out loud, listen to soothing music, walk with a friend, or write in a journal. When several people are gathered in meaningful, honest connection, God is there with them.

Above all, God is against “church hurt.”

God desires to meet you in the tender places and provide healing. He doesn’t force, control, or manipulate. He wants to restore the goodness in your life that was taken away by an abusive leader.

Begin your healing process by defining church hurt as abuse, separate the hurtful behavior from God’s character, recover your personal power, and reclaim your spiritual practices. You are never alone in the miraculous power of God’s love.

This article originally appeared here.

4 Reasons Pastors Ought to Be Gentle

By

Dane Ortlund

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July 3, 2020

As leaders of God’s people, we all long to make a difference for Christ. We don’t want to be unfruitful. We want our lives to matter. We see the clock ticking and know that we’ll be dead soon, our one opportunity to make an impact gone forever. And so it is easy to let zeal and ardor and intensity and hurry to color our ministry—our preaching, our counseling, our staff reviews, our newsletters, our emails. What may get overlooked in this is the pursuit of a gentle spirit.

LESSONS IN GENTLENESS

Consider what the Bible says about gentleness:

“A gentle tongue is a tree of life . . . ” (Prov. 15:4).

“Blessed are the meek . . . ” (Matt. 5:5).

“But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . gentleness . . . ” (Gal. 5:22–23).

“With all humility and gentleness . . . ” (Eph. 4:2).

“Pursue . . . gentleness.” (1 Tim. 6:11).

“The wisdom from above is . . . gentle . . . ” (James 3:17).

In this short article, I’d like to ask pastors to consider cultivating gentleness in their leadership. Let me give you four reasons why, and then propose a road to get there.

FOUR REASONS TO BE GENTLE

1. Gentleness surprises people.

In this angry, irritated world, gentleness sticks out. It catches us off-guard. Amid the clamor, above the din, a gentle voice arrests us.

Gentleness, then, may be considered a powerful apologetic. Not that we wish to be gentle in order to get attention, but as we follow Scripture’s call to gentleness, we can be calmed by the knowledge that this will surprise others. It may feel counterproductive, but that is only because we live in a culture (sometimes even a church culture) of loudness and aggression.

2. Gentleness woos people.

Like a sea anemone slowly being coaxed to open up again, gentleness coaxes people to open up. Gentleness makes people feel safe.

When we are harsh or needlessly assertive toward others, they may not show it, but they are putting up defenses. They are on their guard. We may win the argument, but we have not won the person. Gentleness wins the person, whatever happens at the level of rational argumentation.

3. Gentleness dignifies people.

The subtext of hasty aggressiveness is superiority. We get impatient and harsh and raise our voices because, deep down, we think we are superior.

The subtext of gentleness, on the other hand, is: You matter. You have significance, and I dare not neglect that. God made you in his own image.

Not only is everyone made in God’s image, everyone is a sufferer. Every human being is walking around loaded down with a heavy backpack of disappointments, rejections, and anxieties. Gentleness treats people according to their inherent glory, however, not according to the adversities of life that may cause them to be difficult people.

4. Gentleness gives people a living picture of Jesus himself.

Outside of word and sacrament, the closest thing to Jesus himself that people will get in this fallen world is Christ-like Christians. Christians are walking vessels of the gentle love of Christ. Your treatment of others tells them what you really think Jesus is like, whatever you may say you believe Jesus is like.

THE SOURCE OF GENTLENESS

But where will we find this elusive gentleness?

It does not come naturally. But the call in Scripture to be gentle is a call toward godlikeness. We may conclude from the tsunami and the elephant that God is anything but gentle, but the Bible says:

He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young. (Isa. 40:11)

This is who God is.

And gentleness is not only godlike in general, but Christlike in specific. The one place in all four Gospels where Jesus tells us what his heart is, he says it is “gentle and lowly” (Matt. 11:29). This does not contradict Jesus’ wrath or righteous anger—as C. S. Lewis put it in a letter late in life,

“Gentle Jesus”, my elbow! The most striking thing about our Lord is the union of great ferocity with extreme tenderness. . . . Add to this that he is also a supreme ironist, dialectician, and (occasionally) humorist. So go on! You are on the right track now: getting to the real man behind all the plaster dolls that have been substituted for him. This is the appearance in human form of the God who made the tiger and the lamb, the avalanche and the rose. He’ll frighten and puzzle you: but the real Christ can be loved and admired as the doll can’t.

But we tend to imitate Christ’s zeal out ahead of our imitation of his tender gentleness. I am asking you to consider stepping into a gentleness your life and ministry have, perhaps, never known.

And I am suggesting that you will only do that as you ponder Christ’s gentle ways toward you. How many sins does he alone know? How many times have you failed him, sidelined him, taken him for granted? And in how many of those instances has he come to you in harshness? Does he not deal with you tenderly, gently? Have you not found in your own case that “a bruised reed he will not break” (Matt. 12:20)?

Trust God enough to soak your ministry in gentleness. Let the Spirit do the work that our aggressiveness cannot. Pass on through your own gentle and lowly heart the gentle and lowly heart of Jesus himself.

* * * * *

Editor’s note: Content adapted from Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund. A version of this article and artwork first appeared on Crossway.org; used with permission.

This article originally appeared here.

How to Accomplish More With Short Periods of Time for Productivity

By

Phil Cooke

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July 3, 2020

One of my greatest failures as a creative person is underestimating what can be accomplished in a short period of time. I tend to block out my days usually in big chunks, and write my books, teaching notes, or do client work inside those chunks. However, as we all know, there end up being loose ends – five minutes here, 10 minutes there, 20 minutes over there that are left over. The question is – what can we do with those short periods of time? Waste them or make them accomplish more?

My tendency is to blow them off and check social media, grab a coffee, or chat with a co-worker. Certainly there are times when we need to take a break, but if we never learn to be productive during these unexpected short time slots, we won’t accomplish much.

How to Accomplish More

I’ve discovered that I can do far more in those short periods than I think, so when it comes to your productivity, here’s a few suggestions:

1) Accomplish more by taking short blocks of time seriously.

I’ve started experimenting just to see how much I can get done in 5, 10, or 15 minutes. Can I finish reading a book chapter while the plane rolls up to the gate? Can I schedule a meeting in the next few minutes before the conference call begins? How quickly can I write a draft of a blog post or script? Push it, and see how much you can actually accomplish. I’m sure you’ll be surprised.

2) Accomplish more by taking a list of short actions that you need to finish, and have them available when a short amount of time becomes available.

An update phone call, checking a calendar issue, responding to an email – even a short prayer time are all things than can be done in a short period if you’re ready.

3) Accomplish more by carrying work with you.

You rarely find me without a book or my Kindle. If I have a few minutes at the airport, I force myself to leave my phone in my pocket, and instead, read a few pages. I also carry magazines for even shorter opportunities. Waiting in line at stores or at the doctor’s office is similar. Never be caught just sitting there checking out the worn out, germ-ridden magazines on the doctor’s coffee table. Having podcasts ready to go on your phone can serve the same function. And above all, fight the temptation to check your social media.

Try it. You can add so much productivity to your schedule, simply by refusing to waste the multiple small periods of time that become available every day.

This article originally appeared here.

10 Reasons Churches Are Not Reaching Millennials

By

Frank Powell

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July 2, 2020

Many people are pessimistic about Millennials, but I believe the next generation is poised to transform the culture (and the world) for the good. For many churches and leaders, however, Millennials are (to borrow from Winston Churchill) “a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.”

I would agree with Churchill’s statement on some levels, but the riddle can be solved. Once you find out what makes Millennials tick, they are not that puzzling. They simply have a unique set of passions, interests and viewpoints on the culture and the world.

But the church has largely failed to take stock in this generation because they are different. This is a problem. A lack of knowledge breeds fear, and this is true of the church in relation to Millennials. Many churches do not take the time to know the next generation, so they are stuck with attaching stigmas (many untrue) to them.

There are churches, however, that are thriving with Millennials, and if you did some investigation I believe you would find similar results, regardless of the church locale.

So, what differentiates a church culture that attracts Millennials from one that repels them? There are many factors, but I want to highlight 10 really important ones. If your church wonders why reaching the next generation is difficult, the following points might shed some light on your struggle.

1) There is a strong resistance to change.

The next generation doesn’t understand why churches refuse to change a program, activity or even an entire culture if they aren’t effective. Millennials don’t hold traditions close to their heart. In fact, for many (myself included) traditions are often the enemy because many churches allow traditions to hinder them from moving forward.

Is this right? Maybe. Maybe not. But it is a reality nonetheless. One that must be understood.

Millennials are tired of hearing the phrase “this is how we have always done it.” That answer is no longer acceptable. Millennials want to change the world. Many times traditions hold them back from this. Change is necessary to remain focused on the vision and be externally focused, among many other things. The next generation understands this.

2) A compelling vision is lacking or nonexistent.

If creating an environment totally void of the next generation is your goal, especially those with any initiative and talent, refuse to cast vision in your church. That will drive Millennials away faster than the time I saw a rattlesnake in the woods and screamed like a girl. Don’t judge me. I hate snakes … and cats.

It baffles me when a church doesn’t value vision and planning. In no other arena of life do we refuse to vision and plan, but for some reason the church is different.

If your vision doesn’t compel, move or stir people, your vision is too small. —Craig Groeschel

What to Do With Teens Who Go Silent in Your Small Group

By

Andy Blanks

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July 2, 2020

I’ve led Bible studies with teenagers pretty much weekly for the last 14 years or so. I still have a lot to learn and a lot of improving to do. But one thing I have learned is what to do when teenagers simply won’t respond or participate in a discussion. I’ve learned this because over the years, it happens. Not a lot. But it happens.

And I’ve learned that you don’t have to freak out or automatically assume you’re a terrible teacher.

Here are five thoughts to help you process those semi-dreaded moments when you find yourself facing a silent group of teenagers staring back at you.

1. Don’t panic. There’s (probably) nothing out of the ordinary with your students or your teaching.

Here’s a truth you probably already know: Depending on how old your students are and how comfortable they are in their own collective skins, they just might never respond in a group. Your students’ unwillingness to jump into a discussion may have more to do with their identify formation and self-esteem than anything else.

I’ve been teaching a group of seventh graders this year. In the beginning of the year, the girls and guys were both super responsive. But as this year has gone on, the girls have almost completely stopped discussing. Talking to some of our female leaders, it seems to be due to the fact that they are simply more scared of saying something “dumb” or being embarrassed in front of the guys. This is a pretty normal part of adolescent development. It isn’t a reflection on their spiritual depth or on my teaching. It’s just a byproduct of where these girls are in their social development.

2. Don’t stop asking questions. Silence doesn’t necessarily mean disengagement.

When we teach groups that fall on the more silent end of the spectrum, the tendency can be to lecture more and ask fewer questions. This is not a good response on our part. Asking good questions is a part of helping teenagers wrestle with and apply God’s truth in their lives.

Just because people are quiet doesn’t mean they aren’t listening and processing. It doesn’t mean the Holy Spirit isn’t doing awesome things in their hearts and minds. Group dynamics differ. I have lost count of the different groups to whom I’ve taught Bible study over the years, both adults and teens. But I can tell you that there were some groups that were super-responsive, other groups that were really quiet, and a lot of other groups that fell somewhere in between. I have learned to keep being engaging and interactive, trusting that silence doesn’t mean disengagement.

3. Fight the tendency to answer your own questions.

This is the fallback for us when we encounter the wall of silence. But we have to resist it. Some students just need more time to process a response. Our job is to be comfortable with silence.

Ask good, clear questions. Then wait five to seven seconds for a response. While you’re waiting, think about the question you asked. Was it clear? Did you ask one question or two? Does it need to be rephrased? If you need to rephrase it, do so and then wait another five to seven seconds. Then, and only then, is it OK for you to answer your own question.

4. Consider changing your format to provide a “safer” place for discussion.

I have learned this year that while our girls won’t stand in line to answer questions in our larger group (we average about 20 or so), when we break up into small groups the last 15 minutes of our class time, they are all into discussions. They simply feel safer with a small group leader, which makes total sense.

If you have a group that tends to be less responsive, think about how you might change up your format to help create a safer place to open up.

5. You MIGHT need to rethink your teaching style.

If you consistently over time struggle with groups that won’t engage, you might need rethink your teaching style. There are plenty of good resources online about leading group discussions. If you’re at all interested in what I have to say about it, there is an entire chapter devoted to leading good discussions in my book The 7 Best Practices for Teaching Teenagers the Bible. It’s a pretty practical resource that will really help you rethink how you lead discussions, among other things.

A quiet group doesn’t mean failure, if you know how to handle it.

Instagram From Your Desktop Made Easy

By

Yvon Prehn

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July 2, 2020

Though much of the focus of technology is on the big and splashy and all the ways to get services filmed and streamed, etc., do not forget the power of less splashy, but potentially equally powerful tools such as Instagram. Instagram is a visually compelling social media tool—over 1 billion people a day access it the app. True, there are a lot of selfies and celebrity pictures on Instagram, but it can also be a way to push out inspirational messages, scripture, quotes, and challenges. And here’s the best part: And you can do them these things without touching your phone; you can do Instagram from your desktop computer.

I always wanted a way to communicate short messages, lessons from my devotional time, and quotes I liked to some younger people I love, who aren’t particularly interested in sitting still for hour-long podcasts on books of the Bible or reading my inspiring blog posts. (You can check out my personal Instagram account.)

I liked their Instagram sharing and wanted to respond with my own but creating on the phone was hard for me. I am a Boomer and Boomers were born to type. My little fingers fly when I touch type. And when I try to type with my thumbs, I am well, all thumbs. In frustration, I poke around at the tiny keyboard with one finger. It takes forever and I make mistakes. I sit at a computer all day. I like creating on the computer and writing on the computer. I wanted to create and post on Instagram using my desktop computer.

Here’s a procedure for creating and posting images and comments (or micro-blogging) for Instagram from your desktop computer

Create your image with either an inspiring quote or a verse. You have several options on how to do this (all of these are illustrated on a video on my website – see the Instagram from your Desktop video.
1. #1—you can create your Instagram image directly in Canva or Snappa. Both programs have large image libraries and Templates for Instagram
2. #2—you can create your Instagram Image in MS Publisher. Create a file that is 1080 x 1080 pixels (or 11.25 x 11.25 inches). Bring in a photo you want to use. If you don’t have one, Unsplash; Prexels, or Pixabay are three great sites for totally legal, copyright free, and free images you can use. Save as a JPG file with Web 96 dpi.
Save the completed image to a file on your computer.
Download the app “Desktop for Instagram.” It is super-easy and fun. It runs as a Chrome extension and after you download it, you just click on it and up pops an image of your smart phone with your Instagram account.
Click on the “+” sign on the phone image, load up your image, click “next” to write a caption and then save all.
On writing a caption: Instagram allows 2,200 characters for caption or about 365 words. These longer captions get into the realm of “micro-blogging.” There are many ministry possibilities with this format.
I recommend creating your caption content in MS Word, where you can edit, spell and grammar check, and keep track of word count. After you have perfected your words, then copy and paste into Instagram in the caption section.

I imagine the Apostle Paul had no idea what we’d be doing to obey his example of “becoming all things to all people that we might win some, (1 Cor. 9:22)” and that one day we’d follow his example with an Instagram app, but these are challenging times.

Here are five lessons I learned from this Covid-19 spike at our church.

1. There is a second wave.

2. It happens fast.

3. Assume every sniffle is Covid-19, and act quickly.

4. Covid-19 is a serious illness.

5. Isolation and social distancing work.

Here are some ways the Bible can guide our prayers for unbelievers.

Prayers for Unbelievers for their Salvation

Prayers For You

Other Prayers for Unbelievers

How Menlo Church Dealt with Some Troubling News

Menlo Church’s Investigation

Andrew Wommack Cease and Desist

CA Seeks to Limit Community Spread

Pastors Call the Order ‘discriminatory’

UK Church Uses Creative Alternatives

Seacoast Church: Please Reach Out for Help

Here are some tips that can help you talk to kids about racism.

WRONG PASTORAL AMBITIONS

RIGHT PASTORAL AMBITIONS

10. The Off-Key and Lovin’ Every Minute of It Worshipper

9. The Charismatic Visitor

8. The Conscientious Objector

7. The Feeler

6. The Aisle Stepper

5. The Pew-Sitting Conductor

4. The Walk Out

3. The Wannabe Charismatic

2. The I-Forgot-to-Follow-the-Slides Worshipper

1. The I’m-Too-Cute Kid Worshipper

Five Steps for Transitioning Your Team to Memorize

• A single mom whose church promised to stand by her, then disappeared after she got a divorce from her abusive husband

• A kind-hearted woman who was told that she would “burn in hell” if she made friends with the “wrong” kind of people

• A young couple forced out of their church after they stood up to a narcissistic pastor

• A man who opened up about his struggles only to be told his depression meant he lacked real faith

Church hurt is soul crushing.

4 Steps to Heal from Church Hurt

Step 1. Define Church Hurt as Abuse

Step 2. Separate the Church Hurt from God’s Character

Abusers of Power:

The Sufferers:

The Marginalized:

Step 3. Recover Your Power

Prioritize your own emotional recovery first.

Seek support outside of the church.

Wait to communicate until you have a strong support network.

Step 4. Reclaim Your Spiritual Practices

Above all, God is against “church hurt.”

LESSONS IN GENTLENESS

FOUR REASONS TO BE GENTLE

1. Gentleness surprises people.

2. Gentleness woos people.

3. Gentleness dignifies people.

4. Gentleness gives people a living picture of Jesus himself.

THE SOURCE OF GENTLENESS

How to Accomplish More

1) Accomplish more by taking short blocks of time seriously.

2) Accomplish more by taking a list of short actions that you need to finish, and have them available when a short amount of time becomes available.

3) Accomplish more by carrying work with you.

1) There is a strong resistance to change.

2) A compelling vision is lacking or nonexistent.

Here’s a procedure for creating and posting images and comments (or micro-blogging) for Instagram from your desktop computer

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