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An Illustration on Misfits and Brokeness

By
Kenny Conley
-
communicating with the unchurched

So, here’s a huge illustration I’m working on and I’m still not 100% sure on what direction I should go. So, please send me some of your ideas. Let me give you the premise.

One of the major themes for camp is about being a misfit. When we “Chase the Light” and follow Jesus, we’re going to be seen as a misfit. The world around us isn’t going to understand or see why we’re doing the things we do. So, we’re playing with the different perspectives of being a misfit.

The initial thought I had was to have a container of tennis balls and another container of ping pong balls… or something else that is even more different than the tennis balls. I was going to illustrate how to the tennis balls, another tennis ball seems normal and acceptable. To the ping pong balls, another ping pong ball seems normal and acceptable. Nothing out of the ordinary. However, if I were to put a ping pong ball in with the tennis ball, the ping pong ball becomes the misfit. It becomes the strange and different item in the batch. In a ways, that is what we are when we follow Christ. We don’t completely fit with the world around us and although media, peer pressure and other factors will push us to conform and become more like the “tennis balls” we have to remember that:

  1. God is calling us to be different. He knows that we’re a misfit and we’re to chase after him in a world of others that don’t always chase after him
  2. Being a misfit is only a matter of perspective. The ping pong ball isn’t a misfit with all the other ping pong balls. Even though the ping pong ball is a misfit with the tennis balls, it shouldn’t forget it’s identity as a ping pong ball. It has a home, it has a fit and has an identity and one day will no longer be a misfit.

So, I feel pretty okay about this illustration and that it would work; however, I feel I can illustrate the same thing but take it even a bit further. It’s undeveloped and needs some work. Here is what I’m thinking:

I take some common objects (maybe metal) that I haven’t determined yet and while I’m talking to the kids, I pull out a hammer and start denting, breaking, and deforming these objects. I can talk about how this is a picture of who we are. God created us good and perfect and whole… but our sin and fallen state has broken us. We’re very far from what God intended us to be. However, when we decide to Chase the Light, to run after Jesus, he actually makes us whole again. I can replace  one of the broken objects with an untouched and unbroken object. I’ll set the ridiculous scene of how in a huge batch of broken objects, being broken is considered normal and acceptable. The whole and perfect object is the misfit. It doesn’t fit. The other objects won’t understand the whole object. In our lives, when we chase after Jesus, we’ve people who have been made whole living in a world of broken people. Many of them will look at us with contempt. They may make fun of us because we’re different. They may label us as a misfit because we’re different… which is ridiculous because in reality, they are the ones that are broken.

I like this illustration because it’s not so randome as tennis balls and ping pong balls, but very much attached to the human condition. At the very end of the talk, I’m going to speak to the person who has made fun of other kids. I’m going to hold up the broken object and point out the ridiculousness of that situation, that what is truly happening is that something (or someone) who is broken and deformed is poking fun at something or someone else. All in all, it sets the stage of the messages we’ll be leading into during the week of being made whole and becoming a misfit.

So, I just don’t know what these objects should be? What would communicate well? Maybe it can be something that is common, it just needs to be easily broken, dented and deformed. Do you have any other thoughts or points I might need to draw some attention to?

Eugene Cho: Politics, the Fruits of the Spirit, and How Not to Be a Jerk

By
Jason Daye
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communicating with the unchurched

Eugene Cho is the founder and visionary of One Day’s Wages, a grassroots movement focusing on alleviating extreme global poverty. He’s the founder and former senior pastor of Quest Church in Seattle and has written number of books, including his latest, Thou Shalt Not Be a Jerk: A Christian’s Guide to Engaging in Politics. Eugene is married to Minhee, and they have three children.

Key Questions for Eugene Cho

-There’s a lot of division in our country right now. How can we navigate our cultural chaos in a Christ-like way?

-How does cultural Christianity impact our politics?

-How can ministry leaders personally engage in politics in a way that honors Jesus?

-What would you say to pastors receiving pushback for trying to talk about politics in a God-honoring way?

Key Quotes from Eugene Cho

“Jesus himself in John 16:33 says, ‘You’re going to have hardship’…so it shouldn’t surprise us. And it doesn’t mean we should not be empathetic and engage and care.” 

“As followers of Jesus, we have to, on a regular basis, be reminded who we worship, who we are, and what we’re about.”

“It’s not necessarily our jobs to save the world, but simply to stay engaged, be faithful and have integrity.”

“I’m a proud, naturalized American citizen, but I constantly hear from people that this is a Christian nation, and we say it with a lot of fanfare. And yet it appears as if our values system isn’t consistent with what it means to follow Christ.” 

“Sometimes I’m concerned that we could be heralding a particular message and yet we use it as something to promote our agenda and at the end, we sprinkle a little piece of Jesus or Jesus fairy dust on it.”

“Cultural Christianity, particularly as it engages politics, is when we allow our politics to shape our theology.” 

“I struggle with this book. It’s part of the reason why I felt really convicted in writing this book. There were numerous occasions where I felt the Holy Spirit really speaking and convicting my own heart about needing to repent.”

“Politics is not the end, it’s not the answer to all things, but I would suggest and kindly encourage Christians to understand that politics matters because it influences policies that impact human people.” 

Aren’t We Supposed to Pray in Jesus’ Name?

By
Mark Roberts
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communicating with the unchurched

[A]nd forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation. 

Luke 11:4

For those of us who are used to saying the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus’ model prayer in Luke 4 ends abruptly and too soon. “And don’t let us yield to temptation” is the final line. Nothing about delivering us from evil. Nothing about God’s kingdom, glory, and power. Not even a resounding “Amen.”

The brevity of this prayer in Luke suggests that Jesus did not teach one single prayer that was to be uttered verbatim by all of his followers. Rather, he employed a model prayer that could be lengthened or shortened and adapted for different situations. This does not imply that we should not memorize some version of “The Lord’s Prayer” or “Our Father.” But it does mean we shouldn’t fret about getting all the words exactly right. I doubt God is worried about whether we ask to be forgiven for our debts, trespasses, or sins. I, at least, need forgiveness for all three!

But it is perplexing to some Christians that Jesus’ model prayer does not end with “in my name” or “in Jesus’ name.” Isn’t that how Christians are supposed to end their prayers? Didn’t Jesus himself teach this in John 14:13-14: “You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask for anything in my name, and I will do it!”? Is Jesus’ model prayer in Luke defective or incomplete without “in Jesus’ name” added to the end?

As a boy, I was taught that all of my prayers should end with the words “in Jesus’ name” or something like that. I prayed faithfully using those words because they seemed to be almost magic. If I failed to say “in Jesus’ name,” I feared that my prayers would not be answered by God. Worse yet, I worried that omitting “in Jesus’ name” was somehow dishonoring to him.

Several years ago, I did an in-depth study of what it means to pray in the name of Jesus. (You can find a summary of that study in my blog series: Praying in the Name of Jesus.) I found that praying in his name is not a matter of saying certain words at the end of our prayers, such as “in Jesus’ name” or “through Christ our Lord” or something similar. If Jesus had wanted his followers always to say “in Jesus’ name” at the end of their prayers, surely he would have included this in his model prayers in Matthew 6 and Luke 11. In fact, when Scripture mentions praying or acting in the name of someone, this is not a matter of saying certain words. Rather, it’s talking about something much bigger and more significant. For us, praying in the name of Jesus means praying in his authority and for his purposes. Praying in Jesus’ name involves bowing before his sovereignty and seeking his sovereign will.

If saying the words “in Jesus’ name” helps you to pray in this way, then by all means say “in Jesus’ name.” But, whether you say these words or not, all of your prayers should be in the name of Jesus. Every time you pray, you are doing so because Jesus himself has opened up access to God. You stand before the Father’s throne, not in your own authority, but in that of the royal Son. Moreover, your goal in prayer is not to convince God to change his will. Rather, you are seeking to pray according to his will (“Thy kingdom come; thy will be done”). In this way, you are truly praying in the name of Jesus.

So, we ought not to worry that Jesus’ prayer in Luke does not include “in Jesus’ name” at the end. In fact, when we use this prayer of Jesus as our guide, when we pray for God’s name to be holy and when we ask for his kingdom to come, we are praying in the authority and for the purposes of Jesus…which is to say, in his name.

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: Were you taught to say “in Jesus’ name” or “through Christ our Lord” at the end of your prayers? How have you understood this practice? How might your prayers be different if you understood yourself to be praying in the authority of Jesus? How might your prayers be different if you sought to pray according to his will and for his purposes?

PRAYER:

Father, may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
Give us each day the food we need,
and forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation.

How Often Should Preachers Practice Their Sermon?

By
Charles Stone
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communicating with the unchurched

I’ve served in ministry over 39 years and I’ve preached a lot of sermons. Some have been good and some, well, not so good. Three factors have made the biggest positive difference for me: preparing my heart before the Lord, scheduling adequate study time to avoid feeling rushed, and practicing preaching my sermon. In this blog I suggest a few benefits from practice and describe my practice/preparation process (pre-covid 🙂 ).

As a framework, a few insights about me.

  • I’m not an A++ communicator. I’d say I’m a solid B+. God has gifted me with a good mind and relatively good speaking abilities, but I don’t command a multi-thousand person church audience. I’ll speak to several hundred people on an average Sunday.
  • I don’t have a photographic memory that allows me to memorize my sermons.
  • I don’t have unlimited energy, need 8 hours of sleep at night, and go into a semi-comatose mode at about 8:30 each night. So, I can’t pick up extra study hours at night. If study gets done, it must happen during daylight hours.
  • I study slow. I can’t quickly craft a message. Even after three decades of doing it, I still need 15 hours or so to create a message, excluding practice time.

Even with my limitations, I’ve discovered that practicing my sermon yields several benefits.

  1. Familiarity: When I practice, I become more familiar with the homiletic part (how will I say it), a different kind of familiarity than hermeneutic familiarity (what the Bible says).
  2. Improvement: When I practice my message, I notice how I can say things differently which improves what I eventually do say.
  3. Shortening: Practice often helps me realize that I can remove some parts of my sermon without affecting the message I want to convey. I almost always shorten my sermon as I practice it.
  4. Confidence: The more familiar I become with my sermon, the less I have to think about what “comes next” when I preach which increases my confidence during delivery.
  5. Memory: Although I don’t memorize my messages (I work from a complete manuscript), the more I practice, the more it imbeds into my subconscious which frees me to connect better with the congregation through eye contact and body language when I deliver it.
  6. Timing: I usually try to use humor in each message. Professional comedians practice a lot to improve timing in their humor. When I practice, it helps me improve my timing.

Here’s my routine.

I complete my study and write my manuscript at least two weeks ahead of time.

On the Thursday prior to the Sunday when I will deliver it, I review it again, tweak it, and highlight key phrases (all in Microsoft Word).

I save it as a PDF to my iPad app Notability, one of the best PDF markup apps available. I preach from an iPad mini, instead of paper notes. You can read about my experience with an iPad here.

I go to an upstairs closet in the church and preach it out loud once.

On Friday, I slowly and silently review it, further tweaking it directly on Notability.

On Saturday, I preach in out loud in my bedroom closet (second practice).

On Sunday morning, I practice it out loud one more time in my closet (third practice).

So, I repeat it out loud three times and silently tweak it twice.

I’ve found that this pattern allows me to best prepare, without overdoing the practice.

What is your prep routine?

This article originally appeared here.

5 Surprising Things Corona Has Unmasked in the Christian Family

By
Andrew Linder
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communicating with the unchurched

Over the past few months, it has been undeniable that the world has changed. Covid-19 and recent social justice issues have swept across our nation. And both have changed us. There are 5 things corona has unmasked in the Christian family.

My youngest son asked me this past week, “Dad, what if robbers come to our house or rioters spray paint on our house, what will we do?” (then he proceeded to show me where he had hidden his pocket knife just in case 🙂)

These are unique times for sure when the youngest among us are asking such questions. But thankfully, as the world gets crazier, we have the opportunity to reassure our children of our love and their safety by making our home the safe place that they crave and deserve.

While there are so many things of concern that could be addressed right now, one of them is what I would call the ‘corona family fallout.’ The last few months have been surprisingly revealing on a number of fronts when it comes to the current state of the Christian family. Here are a few things that Corona has exposed in the Christian family: (Thankfully, these are not true for every Christian family, but sadly they are for many. What about your family?)

Corona has unmasked that the church isn’t as essential as many say it is.

According to statistics, nearly half of church families didn’t attend any online services in recent months, and of those that did, only 1 out of 4 watched the services offered by their own church. These numbers ought to be concerning as to the priority (or lack thereof) of the Church in Christian homes. Which begs the question, ‘Is the church necessary for most families, or just nice?’

Corona has unmasked that parents don’t actually consider themselves to be the primary spiritual influencers in their home.

Children’s ministries for the most part have been closed in recent months. Online viewership of children’s services is even lower than adult services. On a large scale, children have missed out on a huge chunk of spiritual training from the church. So some questions come to mind… Are families opening the Bible together at home?… Are spiritual issues being discussed and spiritual investments being made?… Has the spiritual well-being of children been given a priority or a back seat in the home?… If parents are truly the primary spiritual influencers of their children, these questions matter.

Corona has unmasked that we aren’t as grace-filled as we often should be.

Our family has 7 core values, and our first one is something we try to intentionally prioritize and instill into our children – being grace-filled. This carries over into all areas of family life, from the way we relate to each other, as well as the ways we relate to other people whose opinions differ from ours. As Christians, unity does not require agreement (on non-scriptural issues). But sadly, there is a great lack of unity nowadays, including among Christians (I know I don’t have to tell you this, but all it takes is a quick look on social media). The Biblical command for unity supersedes agreement, and there is no way to do this apart from being grace-filled.

Corona has unmasked that it’s easier to live by fear than by faith

If we’re not careful, it would be very easy for even Christians to live in fear, when God has clearly called us to live by faith. It’s important that we help our family understand what to believe, what not be believe, and where our focus needs to be, especially in times like these. If we saturate our minds with the negative news of the day more than we do the eternal truth of God’s Word, we run the risk of operating out of fear over faith, and leading our children to do the same. We must guard ourselves from leaning more heavily upon our current opinions than we do God’s unchanging truth. (For more thoughts on this, please read… The Power of Being Convinced)

Corona has unmasked that the physical often trumps the spiritual in our mentality.

One of the glaring things that current events have revealed about the Christian family is that many parents have forgotten that we are not up against a physical battle, but a spiritual one. And future generations of our children will be the ones who are most greatly affected by the outcome of it. As a result of knowing that, it is important that we are asking the right questions… What is God trying to teach our family through this?… Did God allow this to happen to show us how to better prioritize our family, our time, our resources, etc.?… How does God expect me to lead and grow and prepare my family through times like these?… 

Maybe God wanted to push us out of our comfort zone in some areas. Maybe we’ve been guilty of thinking, “it’s all political… or it’s all personal“… when maybe it’s actually all spiritual, and our children are in the crosshairs (Ephesians 6:12). As Christians, may we always take on a spiritual mindset towards physical circumstances, and may we lead our children to do the same. They are watching us.

Does your family need to give attention to the ‘corona family fallout’ in any of these 5 areas?

This article originally appeared here.

10 Best Things Billy Graham Ever Said

By
Esther Laurie
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Billy Graham
Lightstock #514915

This article with Billy Graham quotes was originally published in 2015. Billy Graham has since passed on, but his sermons and the example of his life will live on well into the future. Several people have written about the impact Billy Graham had on their lives. Below are some of his most famous quotes and our personal favorites.

Billy Graham is proud to be 96-and-a-half years old and hopes to live to 100. His son, Franklin says he’s quieter now, but still sharp.

Billy Graham has been widely known as the “Evangelist to the World” and “Pastor to Presidents.”

Franklin said he thinks God still has him here on earth to encourage Christians around the world.

“Especially now that we see Christians under attack in this country—and this is something, we’re going to see more and more of this—my father is still present. Even though he’s not able to speak as much as he used to, he’s still present, and I think that is a great encouragement to many people to know that Billy Graham is still with us,” said Franklin.

Some even speculate he might be holding on until Jesus comes back. Anne Graham Lotz, Billy’s daughter, said perhaps “the Gospel will be preached to the whole world” before her father passes. That would certainly be in line with the mission Billy Graham embarked upon as he extended the reach of his ministry with the help of media. His sermons were heard on radios and seen on television during the height of his influence. Several leaders in the Christian world can trace their spiritual journey awakening back to hearing the great evangelist preach either in person or through another medium.

To honor Billy Graham, here are ten of the best Billy Graham quotes with things he said:

“Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion; it is like a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ.”

Billy Graham Quotes

“My home is in Heaven. I’m just traveling through this world.”

“God never takes away something from your life without replacing it with something better.”

“The will of God will not take us where the grace of God cannot sustain us.”

Billy Graham Quotes

“It’s the Holy Spirit’s job to convict. God’s job to judge, and my job to love.”

“God has given us two hands—one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for sharing.”

Billy Graham Quotes

“My prayer today is that we will feel the loving arms of God wrapped around us, and will know in our hearts that He will never forsake us as we trust in Him.”

“We are the Bibles the world is reading; We are the creeds the world is needing; We are the sermons the world is heeding.”

“Christ not only died for all: He died for each.”

Billy Graham Quotes

“I’ve read the last page of the Bible. It’s all going to turn out all right.”

These are only our favorite Billy Graham quotes. Share others not listed here in the comments section.

Billy Graham Quotes

This Is Why #Christianity Was Trending on Twitter Today

By
Megan Briggs
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communicating with the unchurched

If you looked at Twitter today, you might have noticed the hashtag #Christianity and #CancelChristianity trending on that platform. On the best of days, Twitter can be a mixed bag. But when the world is in the throes of a pandemic and mass protests resulting from racial tension, Twitter feels more like a war zone. Shots have been fired lately over “white Jesus” or the depiction of Jesus as a white man, and the debate has sparked the #CancelChristianity trend. Some are using the hashtags to point out how Christianity has been used as a crutch for white supremacist ideologies while others don’t agree and feel like their religious beliefs are being attacked.

The hashtag, and the subsequent debate, seems to have evolved from a tweet by Shaun King, a social activist and former pastor. King said he thinks “statues of the white European they claim is Jesus should also come down,” referring to the recent moves across the country to take down monuments to Confederate leaders. King says the fact that these icons portray Jesus as a white person are “a form of white supremacy.”  

Additionally, King said “All murals and stained glass windows of white Jesus, and his European mother, and their white friends should also come down. They are a gross form white supremacy. Created as tools of oppression. Racist propaganda. They should all come down.”

 

 

What’s Wrong With White Jesus?

Several people responded to King’s tweet, countering his opinion by pointing out different cultures portray Jesus in different ways, with a variety of skin colors. Some cultures, like the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, depict him as having dark skin and more African features, whereas Syrian portrayals of Jesus make him look more Middle-Eastern than African. Others have pointed out that while Jesus’s parents may have taken him to Egypt, it may not have been to “blend in” so much as to live outside the realm of Herod’s reign. Still others say that Egypt itself has historically had so many different ethnicities and shades of humanity, so to speak, that the holy family could, in theory, have fit in among fair-skinned people there. 

Still, King isn’t wrong in saying that a white portrayal of Jesus has been used by white, colonizing cultures as a means of elevating their own culture and justification to dominate other ethnicities. (For a more in-depth discussion on this topic, check out this video.) In an article King wrote some years ago in which he offers more explanation for his views than Twitter allows, he writes, “When the man who is deemed the central figure of a religion and indeed the savior of the entire world is consistently portrayed to look like a Scandinavian sailor when he more likely resembled a Syrian refugee, it’s being done to advance an Anglo-Saxon, white supremacist agenda.”

Since posting his opinion about the murals on Monday, King says he has received death threats and a barrage of messages from irate people. King believes the fact that some people are so upset over the notion that white portrayals of Jesus are tied to white supremacy “pretty much proves my point. Your religion is actually whiteness with a Christian patina.” He goes on to explain that he is a Christian himself, implying that he wouldn’t jump on the #CancelChristianity bandwagon that became associated with his comment. 

Some have taken the opportunity in the heated discussion to link Christianity with patriotism. That seems to be the case with Jenna Ellis’ tweet. 

Kristian A. Smith, pastor of Faith Community in Atlanta, Georgia, said that a problem he sees is that protesting white supremacy has been tied to trying to cancel Christianity. 

Bernice King, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter and a pastor, also posted a tweet on Monday speaking about the need to delineate Christianity from white supremacy. 

When someone replying to her tweet linked what she was saying with Shaun King’s comments on white Jesus, she said her comments weren’t in reference to Shaun’s, although the two seem to be saying the same thing about Christianity being co-opted by white supremacy. 

Do We Need to Re-Think White Jesus?

The debate raging on Twitter reminds me of the #metoo movement and its church iteration, #churchtoo. As our culture in America (and abroad as well) grapples with its racist history, we shouldn’t be surprised that the broader culture is holding a magnifying glass over the church as well. The question is, though, whether the church will take the opportunity to examine ourselves or ignore the relevant points brought up by our critics. And especially when that criticism is voiced by one (or many) of our own, how will we respond? 

Perhaps what King’s comments show is that just as the broader culture is being asked to reevaluate its monuments and effigies, the western church also needs to reevaluate the images that we associate with Jesus and the disciples. Do our portrayals of him reflect who he is, or are they more indicative of who we think we are?

At the same time, instead of cancelling Christianity, perhaps a better, more accurate description of what is needed right now is #redeemChristianity or #reformChristianity, a trend many have been championing well…as far back as Martin Luther or even the time Paul rebuked Peter in Galatians.

New Satanic Church in South Africa: We Are Not Anti-Christian

By
Jessica Lea
-
communicating with the unchurched

In February 2020, Adri Norton and Riaan Swiegelaar co-founded the South African Satanic Church, which is the first satanic church in the country of South Africa. Despite what some people think, Swiegelaar says the church is not anti-Christian and its members have no interest in converting people to Satanism—he does not even believe it is possible to do so.

“I completely understand where you guys are coming from,” said Swiegelaar in a video addressed specifically to Christians. “I myself come from an extreme Christian background, and I have been involved in Christian ministry in the past.” 

Saying there’s been social media “hysteria” surrounding the new church, Swiegelaar wanted to clarify that “our mission at the South African Satanic Church is certainly not to convert Christians to Satanism or, as a matter of fact, other people to Satanism as well.” He added, “Satanists are born Satanists.”

Why Start a Church for Satanism?

Swiegelaar, who is 39, told IOL News that he got involved with Satanism four years ago when he read Anton LaVey’s Satanic bible and resonated with what it said. He started connecting online with others who felt the same, which is how he met Norton, who is 32. She was also drawn to Satanism when she read LaVey’s bible and felt that it validated her experience and identity. This, say the two, is how people know whether or not they truly are Satanists. They wander through different belief systems until they realize that Satanism is what they have been looking for all along.

Together, Swiegelaar and Norton decided to open a satanic church in Century City in Cape Town with Swiegelaar as the presiding reverend and Norton as the church’s spokesperson. Their church is not affiliated with the Church of Satan or its offshoot, the Satanic Temple. The leaders say that one of the main reasons why they decided to open a church at all is because of how they see Satanism being misrepresented in the media and in culture. 

In a video explaining the origins of their church, Norton said, “Learning about Satanism was one thing, realizing ‘I am a Satanist’ was one thing. The biggest moment for me was when I realized that Satanism is being used as an excuse for people to blame their own behavior and their criminal behavior on Satan or Satanism in that sense. And there wasn’t a body or a federation or some form to represent Satanism in that way.” Since she and Swiegelaar started the church, Norton has been struck by how many people have reached out, thanking the founders for making it easier for them to be themselves.

Norton and Swiegelaar explained to IOL that contrary to what some might think, they do not perform sacrifices, nor do they believe that Satan is an actual demonic being whom they should worship. “As it clearly states in the Satanic bible, which is our doctrine, we do not practise or condone human or animal sacrifice,” said Swiegelaar. Rather, the focus of their religion is on personal freedom, autonomy and self-expression. Their website states, “Satan to us is a symbol of Pride, Freedom and Individualism, and it serves as a projection of our highest potential.”

The key difference between Satanism and other religions, said Norton, is “there is no external being that you are worshipping…everything comes back to you and your center and who you are and expressing the best version of yourself, the highest potential of yourself.” According to the website, “We don’t spend our lives living in guilt, or waiting for someone to punish us for who we are. We accept all consequences of our actions. We are the only ones whose forgiveness we need. Hail Yourself! Hail Satan!”

Even though the church promotes satisfying one’s own desires, Swiegelaar and Norton say they do not have orgies or “partake in anything that is self-destructive like drinking or drug abuse.” Their practices do include baptism reversals, bible studies, and using Ouija boards to “contact” the dead. 

The two leaders were reluctant to say how many people were currently members of their church, but did say that in the month of June alone they had over 300 new applications. When reviewing applicants, Swiegelaar and Norton do not accept anyone who talks about Satan as though he were a real being. They also do not accept people who are hostile to Christianity and are seeking to join the satanic church because they have been wounded by Christianity. Swiegelaar did, however, ask Christians who are concerned about the satanic church to instead consider praying for all of the people who have been hurt by Christianity, such as women and children who have been subjected to ongoing abuse in God’s name.

Complementarians in Closed Rooms

By
Ed Stetzer
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communicating with the unchurched

“Locker room talk,” President Trump called his Access Hollywood hot mic recording. His defenders quickly came to help, saying that kind of talk happens when the guys are alone.

Well, I’ve never heard a conversation quite like that in a locker room, but I’ve heard more than one dismissive conversation about a woman leader in complementarian settings.

Complementarians in closed rooms too often show their misogyny, not just their theology.

Geneva Commons

Yesterday, many saw what some Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) and Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) elders were saying about Aimee Byrd, commenting on her appearance, her face, her sexuality, and her relationship with her husband, all at a Facebook group called Geneva Commons.

These are quotes from some of the screenshots which Byrd linked/posted, published from a private Facebook group, allegedly including some officers in her Orthodox Presbyterian denomination. They include comments about her and about women in general, and many more than these are at Byrd’s site, but here are a few examples:

“I wish her husband loved her enough to tell her to shut up.”

“they become man-haters because they’ve used up their sex capitol.”

“Why can’t these women just take their shoes off and make us some sandwiches!?!”

The comments are quite stunning, but also are revealing.

Beth Moore

This incident reminded me of an online interaction between Beth Moore and Thabiti Anyabwile. In 2018, Beth posted an open letter that courageously called on her brothers in Christ to stand against inappropriate treatment of women.

If you have not read it, you should.

4 Things About a Great Worship Pastor You Probably Didn’t Know

By
Visible Music College
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communicating with the unchurched

To the average church congregant, the job of a worship pastor seems simple enough. You learn the songs, play the songs, and then leave the stage, right? But as anyone in ministry knows, being a great worship pastor involves being an expert at multiple, highly varied skills.

Here’s the four major aspects of a worship pastor’s job that many people take for granted.

A GREAT WORSHIP PASTOR IS COMMITTED TO MUSICAL EXCELLENCE

Great worship pastors love how well-crafted music can create a connection between people and God. They are keenly aware of how chords and lyrics and songs flow together to move a congregation into the presence of God with both their mind and hearts.

Worship pastors know they probably aren’t the most talented musician around, and they aren’t trying to be a celebrity, but they do take their craft seriously, making beautiful music to make us aware of a beautiful God.

A GREAT WORSHIP PASTOR KNOWS HIS WAY AROUND TECHNOLOGY

Worship pastors may not be computer gurus, but they know their way around Planning Center, Pro Presenter, or whatever programs they use. They’re familiar with the technical side of their instruments and sound equipment too, getting the most quality they can from the budget they have.

While the technological side of their role may or may not be their speciality, they learn what they have to, and in many smaller churches function as the de facto sound mixer, IT guy, and graphic designer.

A GREAT WORSHIP PASTOR IS A GREAT TEAM LEADER

A worship pastor who loves their job is a worship pastor passionate about training a team of musicians to worship together. They take the time to develop their crew of musicians both in terms of technical skill, and spiritual depth. They are quick to remind their team that worship isn’t a performance, it’s catching the wind of what God is doing and responding to it.

A great worship pastor keeps people organized, plans out their music sets, coordinates with the pastor, and also serves as the personal pastor to his crew of fellow worshippers.

A GREAT WORSHIP PASTOR IS A GREAT PASTOR!

And along those lines, a great worship pastor takes the “pastor” part of their title seriously! A worship pastor believes they are literally teaching their church community about God during the music time, both in the songs they pick and in how they walk their congregation through worshipping collectively.

Worship pastors see themselves as musicians second, shepherds first, and they have a pastoral, protective heart for their church members.

IN OTHER WORDS, WE ASK A LOT FROM OUR WORSHIP PASTORS

This is why it’s so important that we as the “big C” Church take training our worship pastors seriously. They aren’t just glorified musicians, they are a jack of all trades with a pastoral calling on their lives. At Visible Music College we are committed to raising up more of them. At our college, students will find a tight-knit family experience, where our 1:6 teacher/student ratio ensures each student is known, seen, and discipled. We believe in holistically preparing students to be worship pastors, teaching them music theory and technical skills, but also the theological and practical training they need to be great shepherds, not just musicians.

We want every church to experience the gift of a great worship pastor, because we’ve seen how God can move. Automatically get a $5,000 scholarship when you attend Visible Music College! Click here to get the offer.

How We Engaged Families in Our First Sunday Back

By
Jenny Funderburke Smith
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communicating with the unchurched

Our church campuses reopened this Sunday! We reopened with services only and no kids’ ministry, student ministry, or small groups meeting. Having kids in the sanctuary is obviously more challenging than only having adults. It is not our norm and we needed to engage families. But, to me it presented a unique season for families to worship together and for our church to function a little bit differently (in a good way).

How We Engaged Families the First Sunday Back

We communicated upfront with parents. We found out what some of our parents’ concerns were. We tried our best to address them both internally by making changes and externally by communicating to them what to expect on Sunday.

We made it a celebration. We didn’t want church to feel awkward, even though to some degree that was inevitable. Our intern recruited several teenagers to greet everyone in the parking lot (socially-distanced of course) with signs, waving, and lots of excitement.

We shortened our service. We made our services forty-five minutes (down from the typical hour) for two reasons. We needed plenty of time in between to sanitize. We know kids can only sit for so long.

We restructured our service. We got some great input from our parents. We moved the sermon towards the beginning of the service and put the majority of worship towards the end. That way by the time kids were extra wiggly, it was time to stand up again.

We split the sermon with an interactive moment. Another great tip from a parent was to split the sermon rather than expect kids to listen for 20+ minutes. We split it with a moment directed at kids, but involved everyone and also directly related to the sermon. This week we included a minute-to-win-it game that had our senior adults cheering as well.

We made sure a couple of the songs were songs the kids knew. Our worship pastor is awesome and included two songs that our adults and our kids both sing. He even specifically encouraged kids to jump around and participate in the high energy song.

We provided bags with activities as well as sermon note papers, with a competition. Our bags included crayons, notebooks, Wiki Stix, a bag of gummies, and a lollipop.

We welcomed all families from the beginning of the service, assuring them that the kids were wanted. Our welcome was directed to families who might be anxious. We said from the start that the service might look a bit different. We assured them that we knew there would be extra noises. We invited kids to participate.

So, how did it actually go? We had a great morning of worship. Many of our young families were brave enough to try it. Overall, we had about 50% of our typical attendance which is higher than we expected. The greatest win to me is I did not see families having to get up and leave worship because of their kids. Families were able to engage in worship. Kids were worshipping. It was a good day.

We will continue to adapt in this crazy season. I would love to hear your comments and ideas of how you are engaging families.

This article about how we engaged families originally appeared here.

5 Things I Am Preaching to Myself While Preaching to a Camera

By
Eric Geiger
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communicating with the unchurched

Last week I shared six things I am greatly missing from teaching in old-school physical gatherings among people I love who are singing to God and ready to hear a message from His Word. When preaching to a camera, it can easily feel like I am preaching to God’s people without being among God’s people. And I miss preaching to them from the posture of being among them, of hearing them sing, of being able to look at them as they hear the Word, and from being able to hang out with people in between services. I long for those days again, but in the meantime, here are five things I am preaching to myself as I am preaching to a camera.

1. God sees “this moment” and “that moment” with equal vividness.

I can’t see the moment on Saturday or Sunday when people are watching in their homes, but God sees that moment. Because God exists outside of time, He sees the moment I am preaching to a camera with the same clarity as He sees the moment when people are watching in their homes. He can lead me in the moment I am heralding for the moment people are hearing. I pray to this end each time I am preaching in this season: “Jesus, you see the moment when people will watch this. Please lead me in this moment for that moment.”

2. Jesus is still working.

In John 5:17 Jesus stated the Father has always been working and He is working too. The room with only our worship and production teams is not nearly as spectacular and electric as our worship center filled with people singing and responding. Yet Jesus is still working. He has always been working.

3. He cares more than I care.

I care deeply for the people I have been called to serve and the message the Lord has given me. So, I can get frustrated that the current limitations don’t serve the message or the people the best. In those moments of frustration, I can remind myself that the Lord cares infinitely more than I do. He loves the people more than I do and He has exalted His Word higher than I will ever be able to. Because He cares more than I care, I preach to myself that He knows what He is doing and He is doing something good for His people.

4. God’s Word does not return void.

When Martin Luther reflected on the reformation, he wrote: “I simply taught, preached, and wrote God’s Word; otherwise I did nothing… I did nothing.  The Word did it all.” The Lord has promised that His Word will not return empty, that it will accomplish what He pleases (Isaiah 55:11). As I preach to a camera, I remind myself that the Lord is taking His Word and doing a work I cannot see. But I can trust He is doing His work.

5. Jesus will keep building His Church.

Jesus promised that He will build His church and the gates of Hades won’t be able to stop it (Matthew 16:18). A global pandemic won’t be able to stop His Church. Gathering restrictions won’t be able to stop His Church. Jesus promised He would build His Church; He not burden me with building His Church. He is ultimately the Senior Pastor and the One really in charge of it all. I just keep reminding my soul of His promise.

Yes, I am ready to get back together! Those who have suggested preachers are enjoying this “down time” and aren’t eager to get back together have likely never preached a sermon in their lives. (And trust me, it is not a “down time.”) I don’t know of one preacher who wants this season we are in. But in this season, we are. And as we are, we can remind ourselves that the Lord is taking His Word and doing a work we cannot see.

This article originally appeared here.

The Commitment Required for Small Groups

By
Ben Reed
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I have a small group that I am a part of that meets every week.  And I’m going to have to miss it soon.

I’m going out of town, and there’s no way I can make it back in time.  And that really bothers me.  Even though it’s only the 3rd time I’ve missed the group in 2 years.

Because I made a commitment to the group.

When I joined, I committed to being there every week.  The people in my group aren’t imposing any guilt on me for missing.  They’re not upset.  The group will carry on without me, no problem.  Somebody else will lead the discussion that night.  Somebody else will take up the prayer requests.  Somebody else will make sure the group keeps moving forward.  The group isn’t dependent on me.

But I’m bummed I can’t be there.

I’m missing out on

  • a dynamic discussion
  • a broken-hearted request
  • a cry for help
  • an opportunity to praise God for His goodness
  • a belly laugh
  • a good meal
  • catching up on life
  • sharing my own difficulties
  • sharing my own triumphs
  • doing life with friends
  • praying for a friend
  • being prayed over

You may not like my small group (I wrote about it HERE).  But I do.  These guys challenge, encourage, and equip me to do what God’s calling me to do.  Their influence in my life is beyond measuring.

To get the most out of your small group, you’ve got to make a significant commitment.  Otherwise, a small group is just a Bible study.  A group of acquaintances.  An I-have-to-go-to-that-again? meeting.  A burden.  A time-waster.  Something that takes you away from what you really want to do.  A place of forced community.

Make the commitment to the folks in your small group.  They’ll be glad you did.

And so will you.

Have you ever made the level of commitment necessary to really invest in a small group?

Have you ever seen someone not make that commitment and burn out quickly?

Federal Commissioner Works for Freedom of Imprisoned Ministers

By
Jessica Lea
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communicating with the unchurched

Dr. James W. Carr, who is with the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), has become an advocate for two church leaders who were arrested and imprisoned because of their faith. Carr has committed to working for the release of A Dao, the lead pastor of an unregistered church in Vietnam, and for Deacon Zhang Wen Shi, who ministered to North Koreans in China’s Changbai region. 

“Deacon Zhang committed no crime and took no action against North Korea,” said Carr in a press release, “and yet he now languishes in a prison camp because the regime is terrified of religion. Sadly, Deacon Zhang is far from unique. He is one of the thousands of Christians and other religious believers held in political prison camps. In the U.S. government’s continued negotiations with the North Korean government, we must not forget about victims like Deacon Zhang.”

USCIRF Advocates for Deacon Zhang and Pastor A Dao

Zhang Wen Shi is the Chinese name of Jang Moon Seok, who is of Korean descent and a Chinese citizen. He lived in Changbai, a region in China that lies along the border of North Korea, where he ministered to North Koreans who illegally traveled back and forth between the countries to buy and sell items at Chinese markets. Working with pastor Han Chung Ryeol, Deacon Zhang shared the gospel and also provided shelter, food, clothing, and supplies to the people he met. Some trusted in Jesus, and the two ministers served believers who returned to Changbai by teaching them God’s Word and how to share the gospel with their families.

North Korean authorities kidnapped Deacon Zhang in November 2014, arresting him and sentencing him to 15 years in prison. Pastor Han, whose story has been dramatized by Voice of the Martyrs, was killed 15 months later. His body was found in the Changbai Mountains with multiple knife and axe wounds. 

In January 2020, Open Doors released its latest World Watch List, which categorizes the top 50 countries in the world where Christians face the worst persecution. North Korea made the number one spot for the eighteenth year in a row. According to Open Doors,

If North Korean Christians are discovered, they are deported to labor camps as political criminals or even killed on the spot. Driven by the state, Christian persecution in North Korea is extreme and meeting other Christians to worship is nearly impossible unless it’s done in complete secrecy. 

According to USCIRF’S own report, the North Korean government is especially hostile to Christianity, but looks down on any type of religious faith: “Anyone caught practicing religion or even suspected of harboring religious views in private is subject to severe punishment, including arrest, torture, imprisonment, and execution.”

The other man Carr is “adopting” is A Dao, the lead pastor of Montagnard Evangelical Church of Christ in Vietnam. Authorities arrested the Protestant pastor in August 2016 after he returned from an international conference. In April 2017, A Dao was sentenced to five years in prison. 

Vietnam ranks number 21 on Open Doors’ latest World Watch List on account of “Communist suspicion, tribal tensions.” Says Open Doors, “Christians in Vietnam are targeted by both the government and, especially in rural contexts, tribal leaders. The government has some level of tolerance for Christian groups, particularly Catholics, but if any believers are deemed to be politically active, they can be imprisoned.”

USCIRF says that A Dao had advocated for religious freedom on behalf of his congregation, and religious freedom was a subject of the conference he attended before being arrested, supposedly for trying to help people illegally leave the country. Authorities reportedly tortured A Dao when interrogating him and the pastor has continued to receive “frequent beatings” while in prison. His health is suffering as a result, and his family had to sell their land and move in with relatives, his wife living separately from their children. 

Said Carr, “Nobody should be arrested simply because they led an unregistered house of worship or attended an international conference. USCIRF urges the government of Vietnam to release Pastor A Dao early as an act of compassion.”

Should We Sell Everything and Give to the Poor?

By
Jojo Agot
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communicating with the unchurched

In Matthew 19, we see the story of the rich young ruler who came up to Jesus to ask what else he needed to do in order to inherit eternal life. Jesus’ answer was nothing short of explosive. He told the guy to sell everything, give away the proceeds to the poor, and follow Jesus.

The history of interpretation of this text is interesting. R.T. France says scholars down through the ages are divided between those who believe this should be taken literally and those who try to find an exegetically sound way to avoid literal application.

Both camps have compelling reasons. The Bible, after all, has plenty of stories of people who are rich and yet the Lord did not require them to give their possessions away. Think of Abraham, Job, Joseph of Arimathea, the female supporters of Jesus, and Zaccheaus who only gave away half of his money.

On the other hand, a large group of people believe this is a literal command that demands obedience. The entire monastic order of the church, from the desert saints to the present day monastics, is a historical proof for this line of interpretation. The argument is that it is intellectually dishonest to treat all of Jesus’ words literally except for this one. Flannery O’Connor said it well when she argued that ‘the truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.’

The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.

~Flannery O’Connor

Those who think that this command is very specific to the rich young ruler and therefore not applicable to the rest of us should be wary of circumventing by mere technicality what Jesus explicitly commanded. Robert Gundry rightly warns that those who sigh a sigh of relief that the command does not apply to them are precisely the very people to whom Jesus would issue this command.

While many people are so fixated on the controversy on whether we should give away all our money to the poor, we miss one very important detail of the narrative: the fact that Jesus actually said something else. Take a look at the verse again:

Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

~Matthew 19:21 (ESV)

If you look at the punctuations of the sentence, you will see two clauses separated by a semicolon. First is to sell everything and give away to the poor that results in having treasure in heaven. The second is the command to follow Jesus.

Don’t miss the second part because that is the key to the entire passage. The acts to sell everything and give away money were commanded to give way to following Jesus. Going for broke was not the goal. Discipleship is.

In other words, what Jesus was really saying here is that the rich young ruler needed to remove whatever was standing in the way of his coming to Jesus. In this case it was money. You can easily surmise, judging by his reaction, that he loved his money more than the prospect of entering into eternal life.

I believe the reason why Jesus’ words sounds so shocking is because we are so immersed in a culture where we think money is so precious that losing it is considered a tragic loss. Jesus teaches us that the loss of money is not that devastating. The real tragedy is losing our souls to greed.

What makes this story brilliant is the fact that Jesus’ command to give to the poor sort of hits two birds with one stone. When moneyed people divest themselves of their wealth in order to follow Jesus, the needs of the poor are met. The blessing goes both ways. The rich are cured of their idolatry with Mammon and go on to follow Jesus unhindered; the poor are able to eat one more day.

What is the one thing that is standing between you and the call of Jesus for your life?

This article about should we sell everything originally appeared here.

Why I’m Wearing a Mask to Church Next Sunday

By
Ken Braddy
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communicating with the unchurched

Well, it’s finally here. My church reopens in just under a week. May 31 will be our first time to reopen for worship since the initial physical distancing orders were put in place by state officials about ten weeks ago. Since that time I have watched with bewilderment as well-meaning people polarized over wearing masks. “To wear a mask or to not wear a mask, that is the question.” There is a cacophony of voices sharing their sentiments about the viability or absurdity of wearing masks. Some insist this whole COVID-19 thing is a hoax, a move by the government to grab our freedom. Others blame it on China who they say released the virus on purpose. And still others blame the president or one of the two major political parties. People have posted passionate rantings on Facebook about their right not to wear a mask. Others have taken a different position and plan to wear a mask. I’m in that latter group. When the church reopens next Sunday, you’ll find me wearing a mask.

Here’s why I’m wearing a mask to church.

1. I will relinquish my “rights” in order to serve others. Theologians have labeled Philippians 2:5-8 as “the great kenosis” passage. It is a Greek word that describes the self-emptying of Jesus in order to live among us on His way to the cross. “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Jesus chose to serve us by humbling himself. As the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, he wanted the mind of Christ to reign in their hearts. Laying aside my preferences, rights, and position for the sake of someone else means that I have matured to the point of placing the other person’s needs before my own. It is one way that I mimic my Lord. He served us first, died, and calls us to serve others today. I must decrease and He must increase.

2. Jesus has called me to love my neighbor. Jesus boiled the law and prophets down to just two verses. Two. We are told to love the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. We are then told to love our neighbors. I choose to wear a mask as a visible sign of my love for the members of my church family. My mask may hide my face and my smile, but it communicates volumes. My mask says, “I love you enough to inconvenience myself for one hour.” It says, “I don’t want to accidentally transmit a virus to you.” You may not see my entire face, but my mask will say it all. I love yo

3. There are vulnerable people in my congregation. There are some wonderful senior adult members of my congregation. They have wisdom, life experience, and are just great to be around. They are the “Builder” generation who sacrificed so much and built many of the churches we’ll worship in next weekend. I could not forgive myself if I did not do everything I can to provide as safe a place for them to worship as possible. I do not want to attend one of their funerals, and I certainly don’t want to preside over one. There are also people who have underlying health issues who are more vulnerable to catching COVID-19. For the sake of these more vulnerable people, I’ll wear a mask.

4. It’s just temporary. It’s not like this is going to be “the new normal” (I sure hope not!). I may wear a mask for a month. Maybe two. It could be three. Who knows? But in the grand scheme of life, what is a few months?? Nothing at all. Just an hour a week. It’s a small price to pay, and it’s not forever.

5. Because my governor says so. Scripture tells us to submit to our authorities.  Romans 13:1-5 says, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.” Remember that first-century Christians who first read this had Emperor Nero to deal with, and he wasn’t the most pro-Christian leader the world has ever seen. Quite the opposite. Whether or not you believe our government has done a good job or a bad job managing COVID-19, our calling as believers is to submit to our authorities. If my state’s governor says he and his team of experts highly recommend wearing masks (and they do), then I will. If my governor asks me to live by certain guidelines he and his team have put in place for houses of worship, so be it. If the CDC strongly encourages wearing masks in public, then I can do that. I will submit to my authorities so long as they do not ask me to do something  that is opposed to Scripture. So far my state’s governor has not done this. Neither has the CDC. I also want to be a good witness, not one known for rebelling against my state and national leaders.

6. The virus is real and it is dangerous. You must acknowledge that COVID-19 is not going away any time soon. Some predict it will make a comeback in the cooler weather of fall and winter. We’ll see. It’s true that people are dying from it daily. And yes, the majority of people do recover, but that doesn’t mean it is not harmful and/or deadly. Young adults, children, older adults, and everyone in between are susceptible.

7. If I’m wrong, there’s no harm. If you’re wrong, people will get sick and possibly die. If I have misread everything and I’m wrong in my belief that wearing a mask is helpful to you, then there’s no damage. I’ll be hot, slightly uncomfortable, but you won’t die, and I won’t transmit anything to you. But if you are wrong and choose not to wear a mask, you may pass COVID-19 along to me, or to a senior adult, or to a child. Then what? They may recover, but they may not.

8. The Bible commands us to obey our pastors. People who have ranted and raved against their pastor’s decision to either (1) require masks be worn or (2) strongly encourage congregants to wear masks should rethink their position. Adrian Rogers once said that church works best when “pastors lead and feed, and the people follow and swallow.” He was describing the shepherding role that all pastors have. What we are seeing in our churches is open rebellion to pastors. This is the “issue behind the issue.” It’s not truly about wearing masks or not wearing masks. It’s about submission to authority. If a pastor and his team of fellow pastors decides masks are required or are to be strongly encouraged, the only biblical response on the part of members is “yes.” The division in our churches over wearing masks really comes down to people’s rebelliousness towards authority. Period. Finito.

Next Sunday I choose to wear a mask as a way to serve, as a way to love, and as a way to do my part to protect the most vulnerable people in our congregation. It is my way to place the needs of others above my own. Am I looking forward to wearing a mask? No. Will it be hot and uncomfortable? Yes – for about an hour. I’m convinced I can persevere.

Wearing a mask is not a sign that a person has no faith. Nor is it a sign that a person is fearful (yes, members of my congregation have leveled those accusations at me on Facebook this past weekend). It certainly is neither! As I had to remind one female member of my church, wearing a mask is about loving the other person. It’s about leading and pastoring the church. It is about being a good shepherd (the last time I checked, shepherds love and protect their sheep). That’s all that is happening here. I am not afraid of COVID-19, nor do I lack faith. Quite the opposite.

No matter what you decide to do as your church reopens, next Sunday you’ll find me wearing a mask. I hope you’ll consider wearing one, too. For the sake of others.

This article about wearing a mask to church originally appeared here.

Counsel From a Black Pastor to the Church

By
André Ballard
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communicating with the unchurched

Being a Christian, a pastor of a local church, and a black man has given me a unique vantage point on life. As a believer in and follower of Jesus Christ, I work hard to see how Jesus responded to different issues of his day and apply those same behaviors to my own activities of daily living. As a Christian, I have been called by God to lead unbelievers to Christ by faithfully proclaiming him with my life. As a pastor I am called to lead believers to the Holy Scriptures so that we may all learn to imitate Christ and grow in Christ-likeness.

But lately, it has been extremely difficult to navigate the thoughts, concerns, and emotions which fill my own heart. While I can’t speak on behalf of all black people, my experiences have not happened in a vacuum. I pray that my words provide a glimpse into the similar experiences of many people of color and equip us—black, brown, and white people together—to look to Jesus Christ for help and hope.

I Speak from Experience

I am a black man who has been alone in an elevator with a white woman who tightly gripped her purse in fear. I am a black man who is broken every time I hear that another black man was arrested because he “fit the description” of some other black man. I am a black man whose heart beats faster whenever a police car appears in my rear-view mirror.

For me, these recent weeks following the murder of George Floyd have been emotionally compromising, to say the least. My emotions have been all over the place. Anger, frustration, sadness, and the loss of many nights of sleep have been my experience and that of many black people throughout the world. It has been especially painful to watch friends and church members embracing polarizing positions, all because of the color of their skin.

For my wife, these days have also been challenging. She works as a physician caring for an underserved patient population. Some of the medical clinics in her group recently had to close due to violent protests. At one location, a looter at an Aldi store across the street later walked into the clinic and said, “You guys are next.” Some of the riots and destruction of property have resulted in the boarding up of local stores, thus preventing several patients (who rely on public transportation) from being able to pick up their medicines and groceries. My wife chooses to work in this underserved area. While others choose to look away from the horrors of racism, she looks into weary eyes, sees the trauma, and responds with empathy and compassion.

What the Church Can Learn

Here are five concepts my white brothers and sisters in Christ could better understand.

Experiences in the black and brown communities are remarkably different from those of white people.
The four-year-old daughter of a close friend was watching the news and listening to surrounding conversations when she asked, “Mommy, are they going to kill us, too, because we are black just like that man?” As Christians, our biblical convictions might require us to lay down our lives for the Lord (Mk. 8:35). But we should never be required to surrender our lives simply because we are black, nor because we were caught running in a neighborhood, and especially not over a fake or real $20 bill.

Racism and systemic injustices have been felt deeply by people of color for hundreds of years.
It makes a difference if laws are written but not lived. Black lives are taken because some members of our police departments are not always protecting and serving. Black lives are taken because our legal and justice systems do not consider everyone innocent before proving them guilty. Black lives are taken because our country’s leaders lack humility and unity. We all must pause to “weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12:15) over the loss of black lives before we rush to uncover the past deeds of the dead or to defend the actions of the living.

Christians and non-Christians alike are responding to pain and devastation.
Not everyone knows how to properly process their emotions. Don’t let the rioters distract you from the sentiment behind the protests or cause you to protect property while disregarding the dignity and value of every person. Remember that we Christians are called to love our neighbors even when they might be committing a grievous sin. So, we must “love one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).

White Christian leaders must not hesitate to lead through crisis.
There is no need for a delay. Some people have said the Church developed a better response to COVID-19 than we did when tragedies hit black and brown communities. In this way we are failing black and brown people within our congregations. I’m certain that if a wife said her husband was physically abusing her and she feared for her life, or if a member of our biological family passed away, we would clear our calendars to address the crisis and then set up whatever long-term counseling plan was needed. Why, then, are we slow to respond during this and other racial crises? Scripture warns against a failure to love generously, for “if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” (1 John 3:17).

Many people of color, in predominantly white spaces, do not freely express their thoughts and feelings.
Often they fear being misunderstood or devalued. They may want to fit in but feel completely silenced. The church should be a place of belonging where all can experience love and hope for the future, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, or cultural context.

How the Church Can Respond

Here are five practical actions the Church can implement today and in the days ahead.

Pray
My church1 is planning a peaceful prayer walk in the city of Chicago. Even if you pray alone in your own home, I encourage you to call out to the Lord, for the “prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16).

Reach out to black and brown people in your local congregation.
I had a few people call and text me to say simply that they “didn’t know what to say” except “we love you and let us know how we can serve you at this time.” They said exactly what they should have said!

Broaden your circle of friends.
As diverse as the Church is becoming, many do not have a diverse circle of friends. Invite a new friend to dinner, and seek to build a relationship by listening to his or her story.

Use your voice and relationships to help influence lasting change.
Speak to the governmental leaders in your community. Call them to action, and then hold them accountable.

Ask the Lord to search your heart and reveal any hypocrisy.
Many are set on defending their families and property from the violent protests and looters. Yet they do not defend those who are poor and defenseless, having suffered their entire lives with a lack of resources necessary to support their families.

As we consider how to move beyond this emotional moment in our nation’s history, let’s galvanize the Church to serve our neighborhoods, villages, and cities. Let’s pursue long-lasting, Christ-like living. To do this, we must first yield to the influence of the Spirit of God and not fulfill the desires of our own flesh.

Most of all, Christians must plead for people to come to Christ as we pray for regeneration. Hearts need to be changed and minds transformed by the Holy Spirit, the enabling power who is at work in all who learn and live in Christ.

This article originally appeared here.

Brene Brown: Boundaries, Empathy and Compassion

By
Megan Briggs
-

Free Printable: “Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet” Coloring Page

By
Daniel So
-
communicating with the unchurched

Free Printable

Download and print this coloring page to help teach your kids the Biblical story of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet. The download page also includes a link to a free lesson.

John 13:4-6, (Jesus) rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”


Get Download Now

Resource provided by Ministry-to-children.com


Download Instructions: Right-click on the link that says “download the printable PDF” and choose “Save As.”

10 Ways to Grow Your Marriage While Having Young Kids

By
Gavin Ortlund
-
communicating with the unchurched

Is it possible to grow your marriage while having young kids?

My wife, Esther, and I live in a small parsonage next to our church. So does Isaiah. So does Naomi.

With biblical names like these, you’d think Isaiah and Naomi would be the ideal roommates. But we’ve noticed that Isaiah (who just turned 3) can be pretty moody, and Naomi (who just turned 1) has a powerful set of vocal chords.

I love being a parent, and we have awesome kids. They give me so much joy. But it’s not always easy. Having kids permanently changes marriage. You try to have a conversation, and you’re constantly interrupted; you plan time to connect and you’re completely exhausted; you try to plan a date night and then realize how expensive a babysitter is. You get the idea.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about something my mom once said: Being a parent, for all the strains it can put on your marriage, also allows your marriage to grow deeper and richer. It’s like going into battle with someone, coming home and then realizing what good friends you’ve become because you were in the trenches together. So I’m learning to see this challenging season as an opportunity for our marriage, not merely a phase to endure.

After my walk with Christ, nothing should take a higher priority in my life than cultivating intimacy and friendship with my wife—not even being a dad. In fact, I know I can’t be the dad God calls me to be unless my marriage is strong. Here are some strategies we’ve reflected on that might be helpful to other young parents in a similar season of life.

10 Strategies for Growing Your Marriage with Young Kids

1. Kiss/hug/flatter your spouse intentionally throughout the day.

Let this be the first thing you do when you get home each day. I get mobbed by my kids at the front door, who want to wrestle. I want to give them attention, but I also want them to see that Esther is a priority that nothing can displace. Little daily installments of touch, affirmation and attention go a long way.

2. Shell out the money for babysitters and vacation, as much as you can.

It’s expensive, but it’s a worthy investment. When planning a date night, I often think, Can we afford this? But when we do it, I always think, I’m glad we did this—we needed it. It’s so important to have times of laughter, recreation and play with your spouse. The old saying is corny but true: “Families that play together stay together.”

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