Like a Child: Drawing Near to Christ in Days of Distance

By

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May 23, 2020

Oh that we could become like a child and draw near to Christ.

It was on a quiet, quarantine morning when I saw them. Maybe it was the consecutive days of social distance that prepared me for this encounter. Perhaps it was the loneliness of isolation that humbled me for this moment. Surely it was the Lord’s nearness, through His Word and by His Spirit, that opened my eyes to see six words leaping right off the page of my Bible. There they were in the text of Mark 10:16, familiar and at-once brand-new.

“He took them in his arms.”

What was it about this simple sentence that captured my attention and tugged at my emotions? Those six words tapped a longing within me, caused by weeks of physical separation from dear family members and friends, and my beloved church congregation. The mere thought of being enveloped in Jesus’ arms, His presence tangible, was very moving for me that morning.

Minutes later, I was shaken out of my reverie as my little girl came bounding down the stairs and made a beeline for my arms. Her early morning embrace is one of my favorite things about our relationship. Every day without fail, this joyful child wakes up and runs straight to me. She doesn’t stop to wonder if I’d like to see her or hug her; she doesn’t question whether or not she belongs to me. Rather, she implicitly (and correctly!) assumes that she is welcome in my presence. How I long to embrace my heavenly Parent with that same trust and joy like a child at the start of each day!

Jesus Responds to Our Longing

All of us are experiencing longing in one way or another, aren’t we? In these days of distance, quarantine has kept us away from the places that hold our attention and the people who hold us in their arms. We long for a return to the closeness of these places and people that we knew before a tiny virus wrecked our routines and shook our security. We all feel a degree of distance from normal reality. Some of us feel distant to the degree that depression and anxiety have left us hovering at the periphery of everyday life. Some feel distant in the form of shifting status and identity. For some, our work has been deemed non-essential, and we slowly drift away from the sense of purpose we knew before. Perhaps this distance has left some of us feeling utterly insignificant, even child-like in our helplessness and inability to control the circumstances that seem so much stronger that we are.

By God’s grace for the Christian believer, days of distance and seasons of longing are attended by the loving presence and response of Jesus Christ. James 4:8 promises, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” How are we to draw near to the Great I AM, who is seated on His throne in Heaven, invisible and physically intangible to us now? Scripture helps us with many pictures of people and Jesus drawing near to one another during His earthly ministry. Jesus regularly and willingly came physically close to those who were poor, lowly, hurting, and rejected by others. The mighty King of Kings even drew near to little children, as Mark 10:13-16 reveals.

And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all share nearly identical details of this scene where Jesus drew near to little children (Matthew 19:13-15, Luke 18:15-17). In this story, Jesus’ loving response to children reveals three life-giving truths.

1. Jesus invites us to draw near… when we long for Him.

“Let them come to me.” (Mark 10:14)

Despite His disciples’ rebuke, Jesus invited the children to draw near. He gathered them out of the crowd. He touched them with his hands. He took them in His arms. It was His act of choosing them that determined their value. He declared them valuable and welcomed them to draw close. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we have full access to a relationship with Him in which we will find our value. When we trust Him with our lives, He returns a blessing on us!

2. Jesus makes His presence available… when we come to Him unhindered.

“Do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14).

The people bringing their children to Jesus were hindered by His own disciples. The disciples lacked belief that Jesus would want to make time for such little ones. What hinders us from drawing near to Jesus? What sin leads us to question if He would want to give us His attention? To wonder if He does delight in drawing close to us and covering us with the blessing of His presence? To doubt there is a place for us in God’s kingdom? The writer of Hebrews calls us to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” (Heb. 12:1). When we humble ourselves and repent of sin, we can have intimacy with Christ because He has declared us to be His children. His Spirit will remind us of His presence now and for all eternity!

3. Jesus welcomes us into God’s kingdom… when we have faith like a child.

“Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” (Mark 10:15)

In his preface to The Chequebook of the Bank of Faith, Charles Spurgeon writes:

God is glorified when His servants trust Him implicitly. We cannot be too much like children before our heavenly Father. Our young ones never question our will or our power. Instead, having received a promise from their father, they rejoice in the prospect of its fulfillment, never doubting that it is as sure as the sun. [1]

What is child-like faith? It is wholehearted trust in God’s power to perfectly carry out His will. It is wholehearted joy in the anticipation of God’s fulfillment of every promise in His Word. It is wholehearted delight in being welcomed into God’s Kingdom.

Jesus Blesses Faith Like a Child

When we long for Him, Jesus welcomes us! When we receive Christ with child-like faith, we receive access to all that God has promised in His Word. Reading these promises in Scripture is good for the eyes of our faith. The more we read them, the more we will see that He blesses us with grace to believe that they are true. This grace helps our eyes to “see what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are” (1 John 3:1).

However we experience longing in this life, however weak and helpless we may feel, there is “a promise prepared for our present emergencies. And if we will believe it and plead it at the mercy seat through Jesus Christ, we will see the hand of the Lord stretched out to help us. Everything else will fail, but his Word never will” [2]. As we draw near to Christ, we will find His arms lovingly outstretched toward us.

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[1] Charles Spurgeon, Preface to The Chequebook of the Bank of Faith, revised and updated by Tim Chester (Wheaton: Crossway, 2019), 3.

[2] Spurgeon, Preface to The Chequebook, 2.

This article about being like a child originally appeared here.

3 Tips to Becoming a Better Bible Teacher

By

Andy Blanks

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May 23, 2020

I’ve been in youth ministry for about 14 years, in a lot of different aspects. But the thing I love more than anything is opening up the Bible and engaging teenagers with God’s Word. I’ve learned some key things for being a better Bible teacher.

For me personally, I feel like I am closest to what God has called me to do with my life when I am teaching the Bible. Am I a great Bible-study leader? I don’t think so. I routinely find myself noticing something I could have done better or differently. But as a student of good teaching and preaching, I have learned a few things that have really helped me be a better Bible teacher of God’s Word.

Here are three of things to help you be a better Bible teacher:

1. You are only as good as your preparation.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. … You know this right? And it’s not a particularly flashy point. But here’s the deal: Smart, focused preparation is the single most important aspect of being a great Bible-study teacher. I know we’re all busy. We all have other things to do. But if you spent 30 minutes a day in preparation for the three or four days leading up to your teaching time, you’d be amazed at the difference it makes. On the other hand, cramming an hour in the night before or morning of will always leave you falling short of what you’re capable of.

Most great athletes are great because they have mastered the fundamentals. I read a story this week where Kobe Bryant once wouldn’t leave the gym until he made 600 free throws … AFTER practice! Free throws are as basic as it gets. But Kobe is a sure-fire Hall of Famer in no small part because of his commitment to the basics. Preparing for your lesson is a basic practice, kind of like free throws. But if you can commit to good, focused preparation, your proficiency as a Bible teacher will soar.

2. A passion for the Bible is caught as much as it is taught.

Put simply, if you’re passionate about God’s Word, your teenagers will pick up on this. The best Bible teachers and preachers I know make me want to engage with the Bible like they do. When you approach the Bible like it’s a text book, and your teaching time like it’s a college lecture, don’t be surprised if you lose teenagers’ attention. But if you’re excited and engaging, your students will “catch” this. You’ll show them the Bible isn’t an antiquated text, but is the living word of God.

3. See yourself as a facilitator, not as a speaker.

What do I mean? A speaker is mostly about one-way communication. A speaker has an audience. A speaker speaks, an audience listens. On the other hand, a facilitator is by nature interactive. A facilitator sets the table for an experience to happen. Your goal should be to facilitate a time of interactive learning, a discussion-driven, participatory experience. Your goal is not an information dump, but a two-way journey through a text where you guide teenagers in interactive discovery of God’s truth.

What would you add?

What truth has helped you be a better Bible teacher?

Conflict Resolution: 7 Ways to Respond When You Want to Punch Someone—and You’re a Christian

By

Carey Nieuwhof

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May 22, 2020

Feel like you want to punch someone? Or at least not deal with them anymore?

What do you do when the person in question goes to your church?

How do you handle that tension when you’re a … Christian?

Christian Conflict Resolution

It’s strange, but being a Christian doesn’t automatically make you good at conflict resolution. In fact, many Christians and many churches are terrible at it.

Unresolved—or poorly resolved—conflict sinks a lot of potential in the church. It also causes thousands of staff and volunteers to leave every year. And it makes millions of church goers simply miserable.

Fun, isn’t it?

Chances are you already know exactly what I’m talking about. Even better. You know exactly who I’m talking about.

In the United States alone, 70 percent of the people who will go to work today will tell you they don’t like their jobs. I don’t think that’s just an American issue. It’s a people issue.

So many people I know get frustrated at work. And one of the top frustrations?

The people they work with.

Ditto for the church world (no stat … I’ve just visited enough churches to feel comfortable saying that).

Sometimes the people we’re most frustrated with are the people we work with (staff and volunteers) and the people we worship with.

How do you fix that without becoming a jerk or letting the tension simmer unresolved?

Why Do Christians Struggle With Conflict Resolution So Much?

Before we jump to how to resolve conflict, let’s understand why we have it.

First, on this side of heaven conflict is inevitable. But that said, here’s why I think Christians often struggle with conflict:

In the name of grace, Christians sacrifice truth.

In the name of truth, Christians sacrifice grace.

We worry about hurting other people’s feelings when really one of the best things we can do is offer honest feedback.

And in the end, we’re not sure how to support someone we genuinely disagree with; we swing the extremes: We avoid the situation or we blow it up.

None of that needs to be.

6 Ways for Lonely Leaders to Develop Friendships

By

Rick Warren

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May 22, 2020

Leaders are often lonely. It’s tragic when ministry leaders can preach to large numbers of people while slowly dying of personal isolation. For the sake of your emotional and relational health and your long term effectiveness, you need to develop friendships. Here’s why:

• God formed you for fellowship and for friendship.

• Friends help us to grow spiritually.

• Friends hold us up and support us when we suffer.

• Friends keep us accountable to live with integrity.

• Friends are fun! We need to enjoy life with people.

Obviously the best place for people to find friends is at church. This is why we encourage people to get involved in a small group and volunteer alongside others on a ministry team. But pastors often struggle to know whether or not they should get close to people, especially people in the church. But the risk we take by getting close to people is always worth it. It was worth it for Jesus, and it’s worth it for you as a church leader.

Knowing that you need friends is only the beginning. Actually building friendships is vital. So how do you do that? If you really want to have great, deep, meaningful, lifelong friendships, then be the friend that you would like to have.

You’re not going to have deep friendships unless you’re a deep kind of friend. You don’t attract what you want. You attract what you are. If you’re a shallow person, you’ll attract shallow people. If you’re a loving person, you’ll attract loving people. You attract what you are.

So how can you develop friendships and be the friend you hope to have? Here are six ways…

1. Invest the time

Deep friendships are not accidental. They’re intentional. They’re a choice. Deep friendships are not instant. Deep friendships are not cheap. You must choose to invest time, energy and effort. And no friendship is going to flourish without time spent together.

Proverbs 18:24: “A man that has friends must show himself friendly” (KJV). You’re not going to have friends unless you put forth the effort to be friends. You’ll get more friends by becoming interested in others than you ever will by waiting for people to take an interest in you.

2. Earn their trust

Trust is what makes a friendship a friendship. You talk to acquaintances, but you trust your friends. If you don’t trust them, they’re not your friend. Proverbs 20:6 (MSG) says, “Many people claim to be a friend, but it’s rare to find someone who is truly trustworthy.”

Reliability is the difference between a friend and a flake. You all have flakes in your life. And they’re flaky. But friends are reliable.

3. Listen with empathy

You can’t love people without listening to people. We all need to learn how to listen better. There’s a big difference between hearing and listening. You can hear something and not really be listening. James 1:19 (NLT) says this: “Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to get angry.”

What does it mean to listen with empathy? Empathy is a fancy word that means having the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Sometimes healing comes simply by knowing that someone is listening.

Trump: Churches Are ‘important to the psyche of our country’

By

Stephanie Martin

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May 22, 2020

After high-profile delays and disputes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is expected to release a roadmap soon for reopening religious organizations during the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier this week, the CDC published guidelines for a variety of other institutions and programs, and administration officials said none would be issued for faith-based groups.

But during a visit to Michigan yesterday, President Trump indicated that plans had changed. “I said, ‘You better put it out,’ and they’re doing it,” he said of the CDC. “We got to get our churches open.” Churches are “essential” and “so important to the psyche of our country,” the president added.

Trump, who had hoped to have churches and the country back open by Easter, said on Thursday, “People want to be in their churches. It’s wonderful to sit home and watch something on a laptop, but it can never be the same as being in a church or be with your friends and they want to have it open and I think that’s going to be happening very shortly.” The president also blamed “a lot of Democrat governors” for keeping churches closed and for not treating churches “with respect.”

CDC Guidelines for Churches Has Become a Political Football

Tensions between the White House and the CDC have escalated during the pandemic. Earlier this month, the White House shelved initial CDC guidelines, and reports emerged that the Trump administration feared they were too heavy-handed regarding churches. Instead, decisions about reopening places of worship were left to individual states, where legal battles about public health vs. religious liberties ensued.

According to administration officials, Trump—who’s counting on his evangelical Christian base to win re-election in November—feared it wasn’t proper to tell churches how to proceed. The CDC guidelines that got tabled were “more draconian and less optimistic” than desired, said one official. Recommendations apparently “tilted toward not opening places of worship” while allowing restaurants, schools, and other places to begin reopening.

CDC officials, meanwhile, say they’ve “been muzzled” by the Trump administration. “If you look at our guidance documents online, they have been watered down a lot,” one tells CNN. “The message we received in previous administrations was, ‘You guys are the scientists.’ That’s not the case this time. If the science that we are offering up contradicts a specific policy goal, then we are the problem.”

What Churches Must Consider

The new CDC recommendations are expected to focus on social distancing, sanitizing buildings, and encouraging high-risk individuals to continue worshiping online. They’ll also likely urge church-based children’s programs to follow already-issued guidance for schools, daycares, and camps.

For all phases of reopening churches, the CDC recommends establishing and continuing “communication with local and state authorities to determine current mitigation levels in your community.” It also says churches should “encourage use of a cloth face covering among adults at all gatherings and when in the building” but adds that not using a mask “may also be appropriate at times for some individuals who have trouble breathing or need assistance to remove their mask.”

Other considerations include limiting the size of church gatherings and spacing out seating, which may require the addition of more services per week. Facilities should undergo regular deep cleanings and provide proper ventilation, hand sanitizer, and no-touch trash cans. The CDC also recommends that churches continue offering virtual and drive-thru services, as well as online counseling sessions and virtual visitations whenever possible.

Rick Warren: Sin of Prejudice Particularly Acute Right Now

By

Megan Briggs

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May 22, 2020

As the global pandemic drags on, Pastor Rick Warren believes an old and ubiquitous sin is rearing its ugly head. The Bible refers to this sin as partiality, but we are more familiar with partiality’s synonyms: prejudice, discrimination, and bigotry.

“When people are in a crisis, they often look for scapegoats to blame and they become more wary and even fearful of people not like themselves,” Warren explained in a recent sermon titled “A Faith That Shows Respect to Everyone.”

What Is Partiality?

Warren defines partiality as “showing favoritism and bias toward some people and showing prejudice and bias against other people.”

The pastor of Saddleback Church explained that when people experience stress for a long period of time (like we have been with this pandemic), it tends to “bring out the worst in us.” What’s more, under stress “your natural biases tend to rise…we’re more prejudiced toward other people.” Warren says it’s not surprising that during this time “racial and cultural tensions have actually increased since people are on edge and stressed out.”

Pointing to examples like the killing of Ahmaud Arbery and the cultural wounds such an incident reopens, Warren said “none of us want to live in that kind of culture” where such an injustice could run unchecked. He also said we should be “fearful for the safety of our brothers and sisters of every color–both in our own church family and in the larger body of Christ.”

As it may be hard to identify prejudice or discrimination in ourselves, Warren gave examples of how this sin might show up in more subtle ways:

Are you quick to judge others with hairstyles you consider weird?
How about people with tattoos or piercings in different parts of their bodies?
People who are fat or skinny?
People who dress differently?
People who have a different religion than you do?
Immigrants?
People who are younger or older than you?
People who make more or less money than you do?

While we may question the significance of these subtle partialities, Warren emphasizes there’s a reason it’s labeled a sin. “It’s a big deal to God” and that it is the subject of James chapter 2, the Scripture passage of study for the week. Referring to Deuteronomy 10:17, Warren explains that God is never unfair, never unjust, never prejudiced. And because God is this way, the Bible says in 2 Chronicles 19:7, he does not tolerate injustice, partiality, or corruption. In other words, showing favoritism or prejudice is a big deal to God.

Why Does God Hate Partiality So Much?

Warren argues there are at least four reasons God takes the sin of partiality so seriously:

It questions God’s creation – it was God’s idea to make us all different, Warren explained. You are essentially saying you know better than God when you wish everyone thought like you or looked like you.

It’s a sign of ignorance – “If I am prejudiced,” Warren says, “I’m revealing my foolishness-I don’t understand God’s plan. I don’t understand God’s purpose. I don’t understand God’s people.” 1 John 2:11 says those who hate their brothers walk around in darkness and don’t know where they are going. In contrast, in James 3:17 we’re told that true wisdom is free from prejudice and hypocrisy. “Don’t call yourself wise if you think people are less or more than you. We’re all the same,” Warren emphasized.

It disobeys the Great Commandment – Jesus told us the Great Commandment is to love God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself. “We’re living in a time right now where there’s more division and partisanship and angry words than I’ve known in my lifetime,” Warren said. When the Pharisees asked Jesus who we should consider our neighbors, Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan, a story, Warren said, which is about racial reconciliation. “The church is to be the answer to racism, sexism, and economic prejudice and every other kind of prejudice,” he argued.

In faith communities like the Duggars, abuse victims are encouraged to be filled with grace. It’s not that simple.

By

Mary DeMuth

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May 22, 2020

Originally posted at the Washington Post. Used with permission.

It’s never simply over.

Yesterday was hard for me. I opened my computer to the news of several instances of sexual abuse reported (within the church), including the claims about Josh Duggar’s gross indiscretions and his subsequent confession. And something in me sunk, particularly because of this statement by his parents: “Even though we would never choose to go through something so terrible, each one of our family members drew closer to God.”

While I’m grateful that this travesty produced fruit and closeness, as a victim of sexual abuse, I am skeptical. Though we may not know the details of recovery during these years, it’s easy to sweep something away by pointing to God in a statement.

But it’s not so simple to get over sexual violation. Recovery takes years of stops and starts, and forgiveness is not a one-time easy decision, particularly if it’s demanded or expected right away for the sake of peace and putting something shameful behind you.

Often we see in communities of faith that victims are admonished to be grace-like, offering instant forgiveness to their abuser as if it could be doled out like a trinket or candy. And when someone is pressured to “be like Jesus” and forgive swiftly, often this pressure causes harm.

Sexual violation cuts deeply. It eats away at worth, esteem and personhood. I believe it is one of Satan’s greatest weapons against humanity, paving the road for future self-destructive behavior, suicidal thoughts, feelings of utter worthlessness, sexual dysfunction, guilt, shame and any manner of disorders. And moving beyond it is excruciating, long and sometimes debilitating.

Instant forgiveness and “putting it behind you” only delays the healing process, a journey that only begins by stating the awfulness of the violation. By shoving the story under the rug for the sake of your family or church community, you may save the perpetrator’s reputation and the reputation of those near him or her, but you lose important ground in becoming free.

An untold story never heals. It just festers until it comes out in unwanted behavior.

Easy “forgivism” may gloss over the terrible situation in the short term, but it reinforces to everyone that the egregious, soul-siphoning sin committed against the victim was trivial, easy to get over. It forgets Jesus’ strong admonition that “whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.”

Of course I’m not advocating bitterness. And I fully welcome grace. God has the most beautiful ability to make beauty from ashes, and we are most like Him when we extend forgiveness. But that journey must be allowed to take the course in due time, not rushed, not forced, not prescribed.

I first forgave the teenage boys who molested me as a five-year-old when I was in college, a decade and a half after they spent a year violating and demeaning me. In that moment, I believed, naively, that I was done, that I would never have to revisit the pain of that year.

Instead, I found that healing happens in layers.

When I got married, my sexually abused past roared to life, and, once again, I had to choose forgiveness. I had to seek more counseling. My husband had to choose to forgive what those boys did too. Even today, when I suffer a flashback of memory, triggered by yesterday’s news, I have to breathe out forgiveness. I finally had the courage to write it all down 41 years post-abuse. But even so, today I am shaky and mad.

Those who know me see great redemption (thanks to Jesus, who took on my sin, the perpetrator’s sin, and all sexual sin upon his shoulders). They see joy. They see a changed life. But I would be perpetrating a myth if I told folks it was simple and easy to get past it.

I don’t know the dynamic of the Duggar home other than what’s portrayed on TV and through their public statements yesterday. I hope and pray that they are working through this very dark issue and finding hope and healing through honesty and authenticity. But I also hope that this situation doesn’t shame victims into thinking they’re less-than if they struggle still to forgive the person who stole their innocence.

Read more from Mary at marydemuth.com and notmarked.com.

6 Lessons Losing My Job Taught Me

By

Clint Archer

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May 22, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic will leave a scar on every person in our society. We cannot expect anyone to be unscathed by something of this magnitude. Some will experience the harsh medical trauma of the virus, others the loneliness of isolation. And with nearly 30 million Americans who have lost their job now, many scars will come through the loss of work.

There is an acute pain for those who lost their job through no fault of their own. Despite heroic leadership and careful planning, it is an the economic reality of this pandemic. Last week this became true for me, when the impact of the Coronavirus took its toll on our workplace.

Because this is my story, it has given me a fresh perspective on what millions of others are going through right now since they’ve lost their job.

It is one thing to be humbled, it is another to be humiliated. Being laid off can be a compound fracture that accomplish both. It is humbling to leave a workplace you love for the final time, and it can also be humiliating to start over, tell the story a hundred times while pursuing the next vocation.

Shame may say hide it, for fear of what others may think. Worry can’t help but appear, over concern of how to provide for my family. Even the most decisive person can still battle uncertainty over how to move forward navigating the unknown. While the full spectrum of human emotions and sinful temptations attempt to contaminate every thought, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit using the antidote of Scripture to guide us through these days.

Whether you are in this situation, sensing it on the horizon, or caring for others in the midst of this it, let me give you some advice. Bring your concerns and worries out in the open. One text that repeatedly stands out is 1 Peter 5:5-11:

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.

There are six practical steps this passage gives to help those who’ve lost their job:

Those who’ve lost their job can embrace our humiliations.

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God…” This pandemic takes no prisoners and is erasing what we called “normal” at an exponential rate. Peter tells us to embrace the humbling circumstances as God uses them to expose pride, spotlight idols, and draw us back to dependency our Savior’s provision. This is a humbling time, embrace it. Don’t search for distractions, don’t flinch on integrity. Refuse to give ground to any root of bitterness. Do not wallow in self-pity or be paralyzed by the “what if’s” and “if only’s”. While we loved our work, our coworkers, and those we served, never confuse what we did vocationally with our true identity. Earthly titles are significant, but they mean nothing when God call us “beloved” (Colossians 3:12).

Our identity is in Christ, in the settled reality that He has forgiven us our sin, His Spirit irrevocably dwells within us and our eternity is secure. In humble dependence, submit to what God is unfolding. Endure each step with His peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7), never failing to simply pray as Jesus instructed, give us this day our daily bread (Matthew 6:11). Yield as God reduces our world to the pursuit of what we truly need and watch as He provides (Matthew 6:25-34).

Those who’ve lost their job can remember that God owns the clock.

“…that He may exalt you at the proper time…” When will this be over? At the proper time. When is that? Ultimately, when we reach Heaven and we have the awesome privilege of worshiping God forever. For now, only God knows. He knew when this trail would start, only He knows when it will end. This is a marathon and we cannot see the finish line from the starting point. Proverbs 16:9 says, “The mind of man plans his way, But Yahweh directs his steps.” Make a plan and work tenaciously, while God controls the clock. Yes, it is frightening to think how to pay the mortgage or rent, how to provide food and the rest of the bills. God loves what is His and you belong to Him. He does not let His children go without what they need. While we trust His timing, rest in His incredible promise to provide (Psalm 127:2).

Those who’ve lost their job can cast their cares on Him.

Peter compassionately reminds to at all times to be “casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” Literally it means throw the things that cause you worry on Him. We can’t cling to our anxiety and at the same time surrender it to Him. We have to throw it on Him in prayer but catch this, the Creator of the Universe, the King of eternity, the Inventor of humanity, He cares for you. God cares. Not just at a distance, but in detail and He says to cry out to Him so that what terrifies us falls into the sea of His endless compassion, mercy and love.

Dwell on David’s words in Psalm 55:22, “Cast your burden upon Yahweh and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” Follow that with Christ’s reminder in Matthew 6:32-33:

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Here are just a few of God’s promises that are timely reminders for this season:

God will provide for our needs – Philippians 4:19
The Holy Spirit is interceding for us – Romans 8:26
This situation will ultimately be good – Romans 8:28, Psalm 84:11
The peace of God will guard our minds – Philippians 4:6-7
Christ alone provides rest for our souls – Matthew 11:28-30
Scripture restores our weary souls – Psalm 19
Christ will give us His peace – John 14:27
God is faithful to all of His promises – Lamentations 3:21-27
God will provide wisdom – James 1:5
Our home in Heaven is secure – John 14:2-3
God will never leave us or forsake us – Hebrews 13:5-6

Those who’ve lost their job can stay alert.

“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” This season is like a mental minefield. Internally we ferociously fight the onslaught of temptations that show up in self-pity, bad attitudes, and excuses. Outwardly there is always gossip, slander and idle laziness that must be mortified. Our accuser, the slanderer is spring loaded to attack, do not give any opening to his attempt to drain the life out of us through his assaults.

Peter writes, resist him, firm in your faith. Scripture repels Satan. Read it, sing it, say it, memorize it, write it. This is war, do not set down the Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). Keep an open Bible nearby at all times, submerge your mind in it, let it restore your soul (Psalm 19) and bring it into every conversation with those around you.

Stay alert for how you are influencing your family through this season. Drain the fear by reminding everyone continually that our Creator, Owner and Sustainer goes before us each day. On managing family emotions, we found something that works for us. Every day I give a “5:00 Family Update.” I spend the entire day working on whatever lead I can discover or create and then take 15 minutes to walk through a verse and some highlights of the hunt. That time slot lets me prepare edifying and encouraging statements, answer questions and alleviates the pressure of having to give an update every time I hang up the phone or receive an email.

Those who’ve lost their job can understand that we are not alone.

“…knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.” Knowing that millions of others are in this same situation isn’t necessarily comforting. It’s actually terrifying. However, there are so many other brothers and sisters in Christ who either are in this situation now or have been at some point in the past. The family of Christ is with us. If something like this is in your past, reach out to anyone you know going through it and extent “the love of God who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (1 Corinthians 1:4).

If this is your time to experience this loss, draw close with every opportunity to worship, fellowship and draw from the strength of those who can help you through this time of weakness. At the same time, do not step back from opportunities to disciple others too. We must live our theology and that theology includes walking through trials together.

Those who’ve lost their job can see what God is doing.

“After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” Look beyond the trauma of today and lock your eyes on what God is accomplishing. It’s not complicated: God is doing an incredible work through this experience not just in our hearts, but in His church and ultimately throughout this world.

Peter says there are four actions God is taking. By perfecting Peter is saying, God is putting everything in order. Our priorities become very clear when a facade of security is ripped away. This experience is refining character and burning away pride as it is discovered. Second, God is confirming us. That is to say He is stabilizing us in His love, reminding us of His irrevocable love (Romans 8:26-39). Third, He is strengthening us moment by moment as His indwelling Spirit comfort us with His hope-filled promises that are new every morning (Lamentations 3:21-27). Forth, God is establishing us by anchoring in His sovereign plan.

Believer, we are never alone (Hebrews 13:5-6). You may feel alone and the dark of night is no time to second guess God’s love, watchcase or provision for you. The waves of anxiety will wash over, but as they pass, be comforted that the King who controls the universe cares for each of us. His Spirit indwells us with supernatural power to fight against the worry and fear. We join with believers from every generation many of whom had far worse experiences to endure. To all of us the Apostle James writes “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance” (James 1:2-3).

It is on this firm foundation that we can all say, To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.

This article for those who’ve lost their job originally appeared here.

How to Pray for Your Pastor During Lockdown

By

Christopher Ash

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May 22, 2020

If you pray for your pastor, as I hope you do, how will you pray for him during this coronavirus lockdown?

Of course, this global lockdown affects us all differently. We live under widely varying regulations in different countries or even in different counties within the same country. But there are some things you can pray for your pastor—regardless of his circumstance.

Consider these five ways to pray for your pastor.

1. Pray for him to entrust his flock to the Chief Shepherd.

Any pastor worth his salt cares deeply for the men and women under his leadership. He loves them, he watches over their souls (Hebrews 13:17), and he longs to lead them into maturity in Christ, laboring with all the energy that Christ so powerfully works within him (Colossians 1:28, 29). It is therefore deeply—deeply!—frustrating not to be able to visit them, hold their hands, pray with them in person, sit with them, and listen to their hopes and fears.

Oh, sure, the ubiquitous Zoom means he can speak to and “see” most of them, unless they cannot manage the technology. But video calls are tiring for all parties and, at the very best, second-best. There really is no substitute for face-to-face, person-to-person proximity. All the more important, therefore, for your pastor to remember that he is an under-shepherd and that the pastoring is both ultimately and presently being done by Jesus the Chief Shepherd. Pray that he will be given grace to entrust his people to the Chief Shepherd when he keenly feels this frustration.

2. Pray for him to bear up under the shadow of death.

Pastors often feel the shadow of death more keenly than others. They sit with the dying, they weep with the bereaved, they conduct funerals, and they visit the grieving for weeks afterward. For most of us, death is an occasional visitor; for pastors, it’s a familiar intruder.

These days, funerals are small, as the nearest and dearest are self-isolating and not allowed to attend. Gone are larger funerals, where mourners cheer and encourage one another as they grieve together. Pray for your pastor, that more than ever he will be deeply convinced that Jesus offers life and immortality to all who come to him in faith.

3. Pray for your pastor to sleep and take a day off.

Working from home makes it harder than ever to draw healthy boundaries between the day’s work and the night’s sleep, between the six days of work and the one day of rest. Work is everywhere. It shouts at you from your laptop, your tablet, your iPhone. It comes into the bedroom. Under normal conditions, you might spend your day off outside, or even a coffee shop. Not now.

Pray that your pastor will be given grace to turn off his mind and rest—perhaps literally that he would turn his devices off and rest.

4. Pray for your pastor to be given grace to go on interceding.

Your pastor is called to the apostolic ministry of prayer and the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:2, 4). To pray faithfully and purposefully for those whom he leads is an integral part of his work. Such prayer is demanding and draining; it involves a wrestling. It’s hard enough in normal days; it’s harder than ever under lockdown. In theory, we might think it becomes easier, as more time may be available. But I doubt many pastors feel this way.

Even if a pastor has a wife who is a loyal and faithful partner in prayer (as I do), it’s hard not to be able also to pray in person with one’s fellow elders and others. So pray that your pastor will be given grace to go on praying.

5. Pray for your pastor to keep his eyes on the final “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

In the UK, where I live, the great heroes of the day are the National Health Service. Every Thursday evening, we are encouraged to come out of our front doors and applaud the doctors and nurses, the ambulance drivers and cleaners, all who are in the front line of the battle against the virus. In daily news briefings, alongside the government ministers, the scientific advisers and medical officers are called upon to give us their expertise. I hope all these men and women know they are deeply appreciated, as is entirely right.

In our secular societies, at no point will pastors be praised like this. We won’t be asked to prepare the world to deal with death. We won’t be asked to share how the gospel of the Lord Jesus gives us hope in the face of death, or how we can love our neighbors as ourselves in these days. At no point will a President or Prime Minister turn with gratitude and respect to a pastor and ask him to speak.

Under normal circumstances, pastors can feel both warmth and appreciation when they preach to their people. Nowadays, when he speaks via live-stream or a pre-recording to a microphone and a camera, all that is gone. Some might take the trouble to thank him afterward, but it’s not the same.

So pray that your pastor. He might feel unappreciated. Pray that he will not fall victim to self-pity and say to himself, “I wish they would applaud me!” Pray that he will keep his eyes on the only word of affirmation that will ultimately matter: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Pray that he will walk gladly in the footsteps of his Master who was despised, mocked, and scorned.

This article originally appeared here.

Memorial Day Is a Big Deal, So Let’s Think About It Theologically

By

Kevin DeYoung

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May 22, 2020

This post probably has something to make everyone unhappy. But here goes. With Memorial Day on Monday (in the U.S.) and, no doubt, a number of patriotic services scheduled for this Sunday, I want to offer a few theses on patriotism and the church. Each of these points could be substantially expanded and beg more detailed defense and explanation, but since this is a blog and not a term paper about Memorial Day, I’ll try to keep this under 1,500 words.

Some Theological Thoughts About Memorial Day

1. Being a Christian does not remove ethnic and national identities.

In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, slave nor free (Gal. 3:28), but this does not mean men cease to be male or Jews ceases to be Jewish. The worshiping throng gathered around the throne is not a bland mess of Esperanto Christians in matching khaki pants and white polos. God makes us one in Christ, but that oneness does not mean we can no longer recognize tribes, tongues, nations and peoples in heaven. If you don’t have to renounce being an American in heaven, you shouldn’t have to pretend you aren’t one now.

2. Patriotism, like other earthly “prides,” can be a virtue or vice.

Most people love their families. Many people love their schools, their home and their sports teams. All of these loves can be appropriate. In making us for himself, God didn’t mean to eradicate all other loves. Instead he wants those loves to be purer and in right proportion to our ultimate Love. Adam and Eve should have loved the Garden. God didn’t intend for them to be so “spiritual” that they were blind to the goodness around them. In the same way, where there is good in our country or family, it is right to have affection and display affection for those good things.

Of course, we can turn patriotism into an idol, just like family can be an idol. But being proud of your country (or proud to be an American or a Canadian or a Russian or whatever) is not inherently worse than being proud of your kids or proud to be a Smith or a Jones or a Dostoevsky. I find it strange that while it is fashionable to love your city, be proud of your city and talk about transforming your city, it is, for some of the same people, quite gauche to love your country, be proud of your country and talk about transforming your country.

3. Allegiance to God and allegiance to your country are not inherently incompatible.

Sometimes Christians talk like you should have no loyalty for your country, as if love for your country was always a bad thing. To be sure, this must never be ultimate loyalty. We must always obey God rather than men. But most Christians have understood the fifth commandment to be about honoring not only your parents but all those in authority over you.

When It All Still Hurts a Month After Easter

By

Scott Sauls

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May 22, 2020

It’s a month after Easter, and the resurrection has been sung about, preached about, and celebrated. And yet, the world is still bruised.

As one writer has said, we are Easter people living in a Good Friday world. At least for now, we still live with the groans spoken of in Romans 8, the thorns in the flesh spoken of in 2 Corinthians 12, the sorrows and fears spoken of in the Psalms, and the death, mourning, crying, and pain spoken of in Revelation 21.

With or without a pandemic, the mortality rate is still one person for every one person. Some are afraid to die, while others are even more afraid to continue living.

And it shouldn’t be lost on us that after Jesus rose from the dead, one by one, each one of Jesus’ disciples walked a path that led to martyrdom. The only one who was spared was John, who died as an unjustly incarcerated man.

The following reflection is written with all of these past and present realities in mind.

Horatio Spafford, an attorney and minister, was also a man who knew suffering. After losing four daughters in a tragic Atlantic Ocean shipwreck, he lamented his “sorrows like sea billows” through the writing of a now-famous hymn, “It Is Well With My Soul.” This particular hymn has resonated throughout the generations, especially during unprecedented times like these as the world battles a global pandemic. Just days ago, some of our friends and Nashville neighbors posted a masterful rendition of the hymn as a gift to us in a season of anxiety and lament.

Like most time-tested hymns, as well as every book of the Bible, “It Is Well” was created from a place of deep pain. Whenever our church sings it together, I look around the congregation to see how it is impacting our people. Without fail, those who sing the hymn with the most gusto are the sufferers. People battling cancer, mental illness, addiction, bereavement, social rejection, unemployment, COVID-19 fears, and any number of other trials, bellow the lyrics in such a way that says, “This is my song.”

What enables these afflicted souls to keep singing? What empowers them to keep hoping, to keep believing and to keep pressing forward in the face of gut-wrenching, heart-breaking, life-busting circumstances and cry out from the gut, “It is well…?” It is nothing more and nothing less than the promises of Scripture passed on to us by fellow sufferers, combined with the animating work of the Holy Spirit pressing these promises into their hearts and daily lives.

At Christ Presbyterian Church, the family of believers in Nashville that I have the privilege of serving as pastor, there are scores of people who have endured deep sorrow and loss and who have done so exceptionally well. It’s not that these men and women have denied suffering or somehow swept its assaulting realities under the rug. Like Jesus at the tomb of his friend Lazarus, they have let themselves feel the anger and sadness of their losses, with weeping and even an anger that says, “This is not ok. This is not how things are supposed to be.” Along with this, they have also joined the chorus first penned by the Apostle Paul when he wrote, “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55). With similar strength, the oft-persecuted and maligned and imprisoned and thorn-in-the-flesh assaulted Apostle wrote:

“We are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39).

My friend and singer-songwriter, Sandra McCracken Nicholson, captures this sentiment marvelously in her song, “Fools Gold,” in which she sings, “If it’s not okay, then it is not the end. And this is not okay, so I know this is not the end.” Put another way, while death, mourning, crying, pain, sorrow, and pandemics may afflict us for a time, they do not get to dictate God’s storyline.

All believers in Christ are currently living in a middle chapter of God’s Story. The middle chapters, like all good stories, are fraught with drama and setback and angst and loss. And yet, the final chapter — which happens to be a chapter that has already been written — is the chapter of “world without end.” It is the chapter that goes on forever, and that promises what another singer-songwriter friend, Jeremy Casella, calls, “death in reverse.” Indeed, it turns out that Tolkein’s notion of everything sad coming untrue…is true. And C.S. Lewis’ parallel notion of the last and everlasting chapter being one in which every day is better than the day before…is also true.

As a pastor, I’ve had the privilege of sitting with people in their final moments. These are valiant souls facing our worst and final enemy with both sobriety and hope. Deteriorating from terminal cancer, the 35-year old Brian says to me, “I’ve learned to thank God for the good I cannot see.” Al, another cancer victim in his early sixties, pledges to wear his “Happy Socks” every day for the remainder of his life as a reminder that sickness, sorrow, pain and death will not get the last word…but resurrection will. Susan, a third cancer victim, peacefully thanks God for the life he has given her, plans her own funeral — the players, the songs and hymns, the Scriptures — with a note of joy that she, through her own death, will get to tell those she leaves behind one more time that “it is well” because of Christ who died, who is risen, and who will come again. John, who is fading rapidly in the later stages of ALS, says that he is just as happy now as he has ever been. “I’ve been a Bible reader all of my life,” he says, “and somewhere along the way, I guess it all sunk in.” Janet, whose dementia is progressing quickly, says that her greatest fear is that she will forget Jesus. Her husband grabs her hand and reminds her that even if she does forget Jesus, Jesus will never forget her.

And the saints cry, “It is well, it is well with my soul.”

For better and for worse, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, may we never forget — especially in times of pandemic, instability, loss, and even death — that the promises of God remain true yesterday, today and forever. Not one of those promises risks being negated by horrible circumstances or tragedies, even by losses as tragic as those endured by Horatio Spafford and his wife. In fact, such tragedies, in the hearts and through the stories and lyrics of hope written, have the effect of establishing the promises of God. While there are things that can temporarily “distance” us from our health, our family and friends, our financial security, and even from this world, nothing in all creation will ever be able to distance us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. If this was true for Paul who “faced death all day long,” then it must also be true for us.

Indeed, this pandemic and all other forms of pandemonium are not okay. And if it’s not okay, then it is not the end.

This article about it is well originally appeared here.

7 Ways to Engage Kids Who Are Easily Distracted

By

Dale Hudson

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May 21, 2020

From the time they are toddling around, today’s kids are immersed in a digital world. From being entertained by Mom’s iPad to watching countless TV shows on networks designed just for them, they are constantly distracted. It’s hard to figure out how to help a child focus when they are used to distractions.

And they bring those very short, easily distracted attention spans to your ministry.

So…how can you engage the distracted generation and effectively communicate God’s Word to them? Here are 7 ways…

How To Help A Child Focus

1. Encourage dialogue.

Ask open-ended questions and follow-up questions
Listen to their responses

2. Build relationships.

The way to capture a child’s attention is through their heart.

Show them you care
Invest in them

3. Give them clear expectations.

Tell them upfront when you want them to talk and when you want them to listen

4. Use hands-on, real-life examples.

Teaching about faith being like a mustard seed? let them touch and feel a real mustard seed

5. Use cooperative learning.

Give them projects and activities that require them to work together

6. Use peer-to-peer learning.

Allow them to teach each other what you taught them
Retention rate goes up to 90% when kids teach each other

7. Use different learning styles.

This allows all the kids to learn in a way that is comfortable to them.

If you’re looking for more ways to get kids to pay attention, here’s a list of 12 easy ways. Another great idea is to make sure your children’s ministry is really thriving. Try a kids’ focus group to help evaluate your ministry.

Having a child with focus issues can have its difficulties, but if you follow these tips you can help them grow in their attention span and focusing abilities, their maturity level, their self-esteem, and as a person overall.

Feel free to leave a comment below about any other tips you have or that other leaders might find useful when helping a child with focusing issues.

We Can’t Help it: It’s Pentecost

By

Andrew Hess

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May 21, 2020

5 Rules For Zoom Newbies To Share With Your Staff

By

Bryan Haley

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May 21, 2020

Editor’s Note: Is it possible that there are still Zoom newbies out there? Incredibly, Yes! Contributor Bryan Haley from Reframe Media’s ChurchJuice website has assembled a list of basics every user should know. Why not share them — and require them — for everyone on your staff?

Are you new to Zoom? Video conferencing can be a great way to keep people engaged, even when we’re practicing social distancing.

There are alternatives to Zoom, of course. If you’re looking for other options, check out Google’s Hangouts Meet, join.me, and Skype. But Zoom is what we are receiving the most questions about right now—and it’s what our ReFrame Media team uses on a daily basis.

So here are 5 rules for Zoom newbies:

Mute Yourself

Zoom newbies: When you enter a meeting, mute your audio right away. Only unmute your audio when you’re ready to speak. Unmuting yourself is like the digital equivalent to raising your hand—it lets the host know you would like to speak. Have something quick to add to the conversation? Pressing the spacebar is like push-to-talk. It temporarily unmutes your audio.

Pro Tip: When you create a Zoom meeting, you can select an option to automatically mute everyone’s audio when they join the call.

Turn on Your Video

Zoom newbies: Make sure your video is on when you join a Zoom call. But remember that your video is on! I was recently on a call with dozens of people, and one person had his video on but clearly forgot people could see him—we watched him pick his nose throughout the entire meeting! Don’t be that guy. Turning your video on helps other people on the call know that you’re there and engaged in the conversation. It might be a good idea to invest in a slightly better webcam, too, so that people can enjoy your smiling face even more.

Use the Chat Feature

Zoom newbies: The chat feature is an oft-overlooked addition to a Zoom call. Rather than having everyone on the call try to talk over each other, use the chat box to take a poll, ask for opinions, or have people add their prayer requests. Then the host can go through and address the items that need attention.

The Free Account Is Probably All You Need

Zoom newbies: If you want to have group meetings that last more than 40 minutes, you’ll need one paid account for the person creating the meeting. If you’re going to have more than 100 people on the call, you’ll need to look at the paid options for the host, too. But for the vast majority of situations, your Zoom call will involve less than 100 people and will last less than 40 minutes—and if that’s the case, you don’t need to pay for an account.

Pro Tip: One-on-one meetings are not limited by time, even on the free account.

Only Password-Protect Your Highly Sensitive Meetings

Zoom newbies: Adding a password to enter your Zoom call is just one more barrier for entry. So don’t do it. Keep things as simple as possible. When you create a Zoom meeting, you have the option to add a password. The only time I suggest adding a password is if you have lots of people utilizing the same Zoom account, and you want to be sure that only certain people are able to join a specific meeting. For example, if all of your church staff has access to the church’s Zoom meetings—but you need to have a senior leadership meeting—that might be worth adding a password. Otherwise, keep it simple.

Do you have questions about how to utilize Zoom for your ministry? Did we miss a tip you think should be added? Add a comment below and let us know!

By the way, join our daily Zoom call for church communicators at 2pm ET! Each day we are coming together to encourage one another, brainstorm, problem-solve, and pray. It’s a great time to be in community with other church communicators.

This article originally appeared here, and is used by the author’s kind permission.

8 Virtual Icebreakers to Get Teens Talking

By

Megan Briggs

-

May 21, 2020

The challenge of making teens comfortable enough to share their thoughts and feelings during youth group meetings has been a thorn in the side of youth pastors for decades now. But with our current social distancing restrictions in place and many youth groups meeting virtually, this challenge has been taken to a whole new level: How do you break the ice on a Zoom call? Enter virtual icebreakers.

Any youth pastor worth his or her salt knows that a well-timed and thoughtful icebreaker can represent a fast-track to getting teens to open up a little. Which is why we’ve put together seven virtual icebreakers to help your teens feel more comfortable in virtual meetings—even the introverts.

8 Virtual Icebreakers for Youth Group Meetings

1. Agree or Disagree

This game is perfect for getting your teens to start thinking about the topic of discussion for the meeting. You may have used this icebreaker or participated in it before in a physical setting. Participants are presented with a statement and asked whether they agree or disagree with it. Those who agree are asked to move to one side of the room and those who disagree move to the opposite. Participants can also add nuance to their responses by moving somewhere in between the two sides.

For a Zoom call or virtual meeting, participants can express their level of approval or disapproval with their fingers. One finger up means strongly disagreeing while five fingers up means strongly agreeing. Have each of your teens hold their response (hand) up to the camera after you read the statement.

The statement is where you can work your lesson or the theme of the meeting into the game. Perhaps you’re discussing ways prayer can help combat anxiety during that meeting. A statement such as “I’ve never had a bad prayer time” might be a good place to kick the evening off. After students show their responses, go down the list of participants, noting (verbally) each of their responses. Ask each one if they’d like to comment on why they responded the way they did. If a student doesn’t want to share, no worries! Simply move on to the next one.

2. Two Truths and a Lie

You may be familiar with this game as well, which can be used in a physical gathering. For this game, each participant tells the group three things about him or herself: two of those things are true and one is a lie. After the participant has said his or her three things, have the group vote (using their fingers) on which statement they think is the lie. As the leader, figure out the consensus of the group and announce it. “Ok, I guess most of us think statement two is the lie. Were we right?” Then the participant explains which statement was the lie. This can get interesting if the participant has a really amazing true statement or two thrown in there and leaves the whole group stumped. It’s a good idea to have your statements ready beforehand so you can go first to demonstrate how the game works.

3. Sketch your neighbor

(This idea taken from Beth Kanter’s blog)

This is a great game to get teens to laugh. Have each student grab a piece of paper and writing utensil. If you’re using Zoom, there is a grid function that allows you to see each of the meeting’s participants in a grid. Using this function, assign each person another person to sketch. For instance, you might look at the grid and have each person sketch the person on their right. Then message each participant individually (don’t send to the whole group) and tell them who they should sketch. Give the students two minutes to sketch their person. When time’s up, call out participants one by one to hold up his or her sketch. The rest of the group has the task of guessing who the object of the sketch is. This will likely get a good laugh unless, of course, the participant is a talented artist. Make sure to communicate to your students that this is all in fun and that no one is expected to be perfect.

4. Introduce your pet

This may seem a little juvenile to have students show the group their family pet, but honestly, who doesn’t like to see a dog or cat video? Most teens are keen to show off their pets, too, just as many adults are. If a student doesn’t have a pet, have him or her show a picture of a pet they once had and tell the group something about the animal. If they’ve never had a pet, have them describe the kind of pet they would like to get one day.

Arson Fire Destroys Mississippi Church That Fought to Reopen

By

Stephanie Martin

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May 21, 2020

Arson is suspected in an early-morning fire that destroyed First Pentecostal Church (FPC) in Holly Springs, Mississippi, on Wednesday. In the church parking lot, investigators found graffiti reading, “Bet you stay home now you hypokrits [sic].”

For the past month, FPC has been in a legal battle with the city of Holly Springs, which deemed churches nonessential in its stay-at-home order even though Republican Gov. Tate Reeves had deemed them essential. Investigators haven’t linked the court fight with the arson but are offering a reward for tips in the case.

Church Has ‘no enemies that we know of’

Pastor Jerry Waldrop, who’s led FPC for 31 years, says church leadership has “racked our brains” but not come up with “anyone that we even think could be capable of doing something like this.” The church has “no enemies that we know of,” he adds.

Waldrop, who’s determined to rebuild, says FPC has “a tight group that’s been faithful” and will use “whatever means is necessary” to start over. The pastor wouldn’t comment on his church’s lawsuit, which was awaiting a ruling on an emergency appeal.

City Attorney Shirley Byers claims that 35 to 40 congregants attended an Easter-weekend worship service at FPC and didn’t maintain proper distancing. The church was cited for violating the Holly Springs emergency order, which temporarily banned in-person gatherings. (In late April, the order was changed to permit drive-thru services.)

In its complaint against the city, the church says it held outdoor services when weather allowed and practiced social distancing indoors during poor weather. FPC claims that police officers interrupted a midweek Bible study as well as the Easter service.

Governor: ‘What is this pandemic doing to us?’

News of the suspected arson is “distressing” to Stephen Crampton, the church’s attorney. The church, he says, has been “grieving the inability to gather as a congregation since the COVID-19 pandemic stay-home orders forced the closure of their church home, and now they must grieve the loss of this spiritual home, their place of worship.”

Crampton says police officers threatened Bible study attendees and churchgoers, making them fearful to meet in person. “These were outrageous violations of these parishioners’ rights,” he says, adding that everyone was complying with safety requirements.

Speaking with Fox News, Crampton says FPC had been the target of “bad comments” on social media during the recent legal proceedings. “I don’t think it’s any secret that there’s a growing hostility toward churches across the board,” he says. “And now, here are churches…that are sort of stirring up the waters by being outspoken and somewhat firm about seeking to protect their Constitutional rights.”

Crampton, who works with the Thomas More Society, adds, “There is just a segment [of the population] that takes issue with the church standing up, and the church just being the church.”

This morning, Gov. Reeves tweeted: “I am heartbroken and furious. In Mississippi, a church was just burned to the ground. They had been trying to open services.” He added, “What is this pandemic doing to us? We need prayer for this country.”

Ravi Zacharias Tributes Continue to Pour In

By

Jesse T. Jackson

-

May 21, 2020

Editor’s Note: After the publishing of this article, an independent investigation found allegations implicating Ravi Zacharias of sexual abuse to be credible. Prior to this report, ChurchLeaders had published multiple articles about Ravi Zacharias and his ministry. Although our editorial team believes his work still has value since it involved articulating the truths of God’s Word, we would be remiss not to disclose the painful truth of Mr. Zacharias’ personal actions that have come to light following his death. For further reading, please see: Sexting, Spiritual Abuse, Rape: Devastating Full Report on Ravi Zacharias Released The Story Behind the Ravi Zacharias Allegations (Part 1): Lawsuits, NDAs, and Email Threads The Story Behind the Ravi Zacharias Allegations (Part 2): ‘Cursory’ Investigations and More Accusations

On the morning of May 17, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) posted on their site that one of the great apologists of our era, Ravi Zacharias, had entered the throne room of Jesus Christ after battling a rare form of cancer. ChurchLeaders.com reported last week that Zacharias’ daughter, Sarah Davis, posted that her father had returned home to Atlanta, Georgia, to be with family until Jesus took him home.

After the news of Zacharias’ diagnosis, many tributes started to appear on social media thanking Zacharias for the impact he has had on so many people. Tim Tebow and Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae posted videos last week.

Ravi Zacharias was a Indian-born Canadian-American Christian apologist. He was a world-wide evangelist, and authored over 30 books. Zacharias founded Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) in 1984. According to RZIM’s website they have nearly 100 speakers that address students on college campuses, government officials, business leaders, and people in the arts for the gospel of Jesus Christ. RZIM academy has trained over 10,000 people in apologetics.

Ravi Zacharias Tributes

Here are just some of the many people around the world expressing their deep appreciation for the life of Ravi Zacharias that God blessed us with.

Vice President Mike Pence: “Deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Ravi Zacharias…”

Deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Ravi Zacharias, a Christian apologist whose ministry for the gospel of Jesus Christ impacted millions around the world. Ravi was a man of faith who could “rightly handle the word of truth” like few others in our time & he was my friend.
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) May 19, 2020

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany: “Billy Graham was the great Evangelist. Ravi Zacharias was the great apologist.”

‘God’s Not Dead’ actor Kevin Sorbo: ” Classy man. You should look at his speeches.”

Classy man. You should look at his speeches. I met him a few years ago at Oxford. RIP, Ravi.

Ravi Zacharias Dies of Cancer https://t.co/5nABYyFixD via @CTmagazine
— Kevin Sorbo (@ksorbs) May 20, 2020

Pastor John Hagee: “My friend, Ravi Zacharias, has heard the words we all long to hear — ‘Well done, good and faithful servant…'”

My friend, Ravi Zacharias, has heard the words we all long to hear — ‘Well done, good and faithful servant…' (Matt. 25:21) I pray for his loved ones who grieve over their loss that they may find joy in the hope that we will all see him again in our home in heaven. pic.twitter.com/7LZz6xQ4R9
— Pastor John Hagee (@PastorJohnHagee) May 19, 2020

Dave Ramsey: ” Incredible man of faith, with amazing ability to communicate and with a world class intellect.”

RIP Ravi Zacharias. Incredible man of faith, with amazing ability to communicate and with a world class intellect. Graduating too young at 74.
— Dave Ramsey (@DaveRamsey) May 19, 2020

Lee Strobel: “…he found hope and purpose through Christ and became a renowned evangelist.”

If you or someone you know is wrestling with depression, consider this: @RaviZacharias attempted suicide at 17. But he found hope and purpose through Christ and became a renowned evangelist. There’s hope for all through Jesus!
— Lee Strobel (@LeeStrobel) May 19, 2020

David Platt: “Add my name to the list of countless people whose lives have been shaped by the Influence of @RaviZacharias.”

Add my name to the list of countless people whose lives have been shaped by the Influence of @RaviZacharias. He joins a great cloud of witnesses in Heaven who beckon us to proclaim the truth and grace of Christ with passion on earth. https://t.co/bETd4w9jPK
— David Platt (@plattdavid) May 19, 2020

Josh McDowell: “He has been an incredible source of Truth as an evangelist to the thinking person.”

.@RaviZacharias will be greatly missed by family, friends & all who thirst after Truth. He has been an incredible source of Truth as an evangelist to the thinking person. Ravi exemplified Christ as a husband, a father, a friend, and an advocate of having a "thinking faith." Josh pic.twitter.com/U657QwMSJB
— Josh McDowell (@josh_mcdowell) May 19, 2020

Samuel Rodriguez: “A true world changer that advanced the gospel of Jesus like few others.”

Ravi Zacharias, a teacher of truth, a preacher of hope, a builder of wisdom, an equipper of faith, a disciple of grace, a follower of Christ, a friend of God; a true world changer that advanced the gospel of Jesus like few others. #ravizacharias pic.twitter.com/u1FuOP737G
— Samuel Rodriguez (@nhclc) May 19, 2020

Franklin Graham: “@RaviZacharias, one of the great Christian apologists of our time, has stepped into the streets of glory & into the presence of the King of kings & Lord of lords.”

.@RaviZacharias, one of the great Christian apologists of our time, has stepped into the streets of glory & into the presence of the King of kings & Lord of lords. He is pictured here w/me & our friend, Sami Dagher, in 2017 at the World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians. pic.twitter.com/cjLdTGulmQ
— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) May 19, 2020

Jackie Hill Perry: “For anybody who was impacted by Ravi, today we grieve but not without hope.”

Rest well Ravi ❤️ pic.twitter.com/cGcri8hoEQ
— Jackie Hill Perry (@JackieHillPerry) May 19, 2020

Louie Giglio: “I join the thunderous applause of Heaven.”

View this post on Instagram

// h u m b l e g i a n t // I join the thunderous applause of Heaven. Ravi Zacharias March 26, 1946 – May 19, 2020 #thankyouravi @rzimhq

A post shared by Louie Giglio (@louiegiglio) on May 19, 2020 at 5:22am PDT

Tim Tebow: “To my friend, my mentor and a great hero of the faith @RaviZacharias – Thank you.”

View this post on Instagram

#ThankYouRavi

A post shared by Tim Tebow (@timtebow) on May 19, 2020 at 7:51am PDT

NFL Pro Ben Watson: “Thank you Ravi for being steadfast and faithful in your calling and for demonstrating Christ’s love in explaining our hope!”

View this post on Instagram

Woke up today incredibly grateful for men like @ravizacharias who exhort instruct and challenge us all in truth and love. Thank you Ravi for being steadfast and faithful in your calling and for demonstrating Christ’s love in explaining our hope! I count myself among the millions who have been impacted by your voice, your life and your legacy. Now enjoy the glorious presence of our wonderful Savior!! Well done good and faithful servant. We rejoice in sadness. Your family and ministry will remain in our prayers.

A post shared by benjaminswatson (@benjaminswatson) on May 19, 2020 at 8:16am PDT

Kirk Franklin: “Today one of my heroes left his earthly tent to be with the living word.”

View this post on Instagram

Today one of my heroes left his earthly tent to be with the living word. We will miss this genius of a man…Well Done sir🙏🏾@ravizacharias

A post shared by Kirk Franklin (@kirkfranklin) on May 19, 2020 at 8:16am PDT

David Crowder: “Today heaven rejoices and welcomes home a giant of the faith.”

View this post on Instagram

Today heaven rejoices and welcomes home a giant of the faith. Today we miss and mourn the loss of a friend and a teacher. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “When you come to a religion, you come to a place. When you come to Jesus Christ, you come to a person.” Ravi Zacharias Today Ravi meets Jesus in person. That’s amazing.

A post shared by Crowder (@crowder) on May 19, 2020 at 6:21am PDT

Greg Laurie: “We lost a real treasure and champion of the faith today.”

We lost a real treasure and champion of the faith today. @RaviZacharias has gone to Heaven. Ravi was scheduled to speak at our Church this month, but that was meant to be. Thank God for the thousands of lives he touched.
— Greg Laurie (@greglaurie) May 19, 2020

Many more can be found on Twitter under the hashtag #RaviZacharias. This article originally appeared here.

Pastor Todd Tilghman Is the New Winner of ‘The Voice’

By

Jessica Lea

-

May 21, 2020

Todd Tilghman, a pastor, husband, and father of eight, has just become the new champion on NBC’s The Voice. The 42-year-old told Access Hollywood that the entire experience has been extremely surreal.

“Honestly, I think it’s going to take some time for me to even realize that I was on The Voice at all, much less like, I won the entire thing,” said the pastor. “Honestly, I’m just really grateful. I don’t know another word to say.”

Tilghman leads Cornerstone Church in Meridian, Mississippi, and he and his family gathered in the church building Tuesday night to await the final results. Tilghman said he blacked out when he heard his name, as his family shouted and celebrated around him.

And the WINNER of #TheVoice is… 🥁 pic.twitter.com/H3QahVm3oI

— The Voice (@NBCTheVoice) May 20, 2020

The pastor and his wife plan to use his winnings to take their kids to Disneyland. “That’s all the prize money right there, plus some,” said Tilghman, laughing.

Pastor Todd Tilghman Crushes It on ‘The Voice’

Tilghman was one of five finalists who competed in the show’s finale, which also featured performances from artists such as Bon Jovi, Lady Antebellum, and the Jonas Brothers. Since social distancing measures have gone into place, the contestants and judges have been appearing on the show virtually from their respective homes.

“It was like magic, what they did to make [the finale] happen,” said Tilghman. “Because it wasn’t like there was this one control center somewhere in California and then we’re all in our own hometown. No, literally, almost every single person working on this was working from home. You know? And so it was insane.”

During the finale, Tilghman performed MercyMe’s “I Can Only Imagine,” an original called “Long Way Home,” and John Mellencamp’s “Authority Song,” which was a duet with Tilghman’s Voice coach, Blake Shelton.

The pastor’s performance of “I Can Only Imagine” moved show judge Kelly Clarkson to tears. She said, “You’re so moving, and it’s because you’re a pastor, it’s because you have such a bigger belief inside of you than just yourself…I would love to come to your church just to hear you speak, not only sing. You’re very special.” Tilghman responded, “You’re invited! You’re special.”

Shelton concurred with Clarkson, saying, “You sing with so much passion, so much precision, you’re just a special dude, man, and America agrees. That’s why you’re in this finale, so congratulations.”

Tilghman has never received professional training and had never even performed before appearing on The Voice. He wowed the show’s judges with his blind audition, receiving a “four-chair turn.” The pastor credits his wife and high school sweetheart with giving him the encouragement he needed to go through with auditioning. “My wife, Brooke, told me I would regret it if I didn’t go,” he said. “Thank God for her and thank God I changed my mind.”

On Twitter, Tilghman expressed how grateful he is for his experience.

I wish I knew how to say thank you. And I wish y’all knew how much I respect and admire my new friends and fellow artists/contestants on @NBCTheVoice. I don’t know how long it’ll take me to process, but I sure am #grateful for every moment. @blakeshelton #TheVoice

— Todd Tilghman (@todd_tilghman) May 20, 2020

The pastor’s original song became the number one song on iTunes overnight following his performance.

Glenn Packiam: Racial Healing Is Not a Sidebar to the Gospel

By

Jessica Lea

-

May 21, 2020

The shooting of Ahmaud Arbery shocked the nation, and church leaders of different ethnicities widely condemned the killing. But what can believers and pastors—particularly those of us who are white—learn from that incident in order to move toward racial healing in its aftermath? Glenn Packiam, who is an Associate Senior Pastor at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, believes it is crucial to recognize that our need for racial reconciliation is first and foremost a need for the gospel.

“When we understand Jesus as the King who tears down these divisions and creates a new community in his name,” said Packiam in an interview with ChurchLeaders, “then all of sudden, we start thinking about racial reconciliation not as some sort of sidebar, hobby interest, or social agenda, but we see it as, ‘This is what the gospel does.’”

Arbery’s Death and Our Need for Racial Healing

Ahmaud Arbery’s killing has generated outrage for several reasons, not least of which is that two white men chased down and shot a black man. The shooters, who allegedly suspected Arbery of committing burglaries in the area, were armed, but reports do not indicate that Arbery was. He was out jogging when the two men cornered and killed him. What’s more, the men who shot Arbery were only arrested after video footage of the incident was leaked months after the shooting occurred. Some have pointed out that Arbery had a criminal record, but there is nothing in our laws that justifies two people tracking down and shooting someone simply because they suspect him of committing a crime. In an article responding to Arbery’s killing, Dr. Russell Moore said, “The arguments, already bandied about on social media, that ‘Arbery wasn’t a choirboy’ are revolting.”

In Packiam’s view, the encouraging part about the church’s response to Arbery’s shooting is how many people from different backgrounds and ethnicities were willing to publicly voice their outrage and grief. But, the pastor pointed out, it is tragic that it takes an extreme situation for so many people from the majority culture to speak out against racism. “When you listen to what African Americans describe as their experience,” he said, “they would say, ‘Well, actually, this stuff happens in small ways every day of our lives.’”

Something else to consider is this: Even though we are outraged now, are those of us in the majority culture going to stop thinking about racial injustice as the days go by simply because we are unaffected by it? “We respond when there’s a clear wrong,” said Packiam, “but are we equally empathetic, and are we equally aware of the experience of African Americans on a daily basis?”

Bringing Racial Healing by Being the Church

To help bring racial healing to our society and our congregations, said Packiam, we first need to recognize that only the gospel can truly bridge the separations between us. “The only way walls of division get torn down,” he said, “the only way reconciliation truly happens is in Jesus Christ.

Breaking down the walls that exist between people is inherently part of what it means to be the church. For a biblical basis for this point, we need only look to the early church, which bridged deep-seated social divides between people that had existed for hundreds of years. These included the class divisions among the Romans and the Greeks, as well as the separation between Jews and Gentiles. “Christianity became the first transnational, transethnic, transcultural movement,” said Packiam. Tearing down the walls that divide us is simply what the gospel does.

Living out our identities as followers of Jesus and moving toward racial healing means we need to become better at listening to people who are not like us. “All of us tend to gravitate to people who are like us, like-minded,” said Packiam. “Some of that is natural—it’s how friendships form. But if we’re going to remember that the church is a reflection of a kingdom that goes beyond one nation and one culture and one ethnicity, then we’ve got to get better at listening to people outside of our own tribe.”

Packiam believes it is easier for those in the majority culture to challenge the majority culture than it is for those in the minority to do so. “I’ve experienced this even as a person of color,” he said. The pastor is a first-generation immigrant from Malaysia, and while he would in no way equate his experience with that of African Americans, he said, “I do understand the idea of coming as an outsider to a new context and to a new culture.”

Even when Packiam posted some of his reflections on Arbery’s killing, he got a few private messages from people who pushed back on his words and asked if he had considered other aspects to the situation. This was in contrast, he said, “to my colleagues who are white, who only got applause.”

“It’s very hard for a person who’s in the minority to challenge the majority,” said Packiam, “even in situations like this. We’ve got to get better at hearing the voices, the laments, the critiques of those outside of our own homogeneous group.”

Another encouragement Packiam has specifically for pastors is to preach the gospel, as the first Christians did, in a way that challenges existing social boundaries and tendencies in our sin nature. He said, “We live in a context in America right now where people are being discipled more by political talking points than they are by the preaching of the New Testament. As pastors, we’ve got to confront that.”

20 Questions to Ask Before Kids Gather Back to Church

By

Dale Hudson

-

May 21, 2020

Who would have ever thought we would experience weeks and even months away from gathering in person?

Hopefully, soon we will be able to gather back together.

But there will be things that are new to everyone as we walk into this new normal.

It’s important to think through what your strategy will be when they return. What should you do? What should you not do?

20 questions you can ask kids to help you formulate what your strategy will be before kids gather back at church.

1. Should we require masks to be worn?

2. What extra precautions should we take by cleaning and disinfecting our toys, books, rooms, etc.?

3. How will we communicate our plans to parents?

4. What will we tell older volunteers who are at a higher risk if they catch the virus? Will we ask them to wait until there is a vaccine to start serving again?

5. What will we do if we are limited to having 10 people at a time in the service? 50? 100?

6. Will we host VBS this summer or do it online or cancel it?

7. Should we switch to family worship and not have children’s worship starting out?

8. Will we continue to post kids’ services online since we started them because of the pandemic?

9. How can we get kids and families excited about coming to church?

10. Will we still offer snacks and juices for smaller children?

11. If lots of volunteers step down, what will we do to maintain our rooms and ratios?

12. Will our greeters take precautions and adjust what they do?

13. Do we need to adjust our budget and resources since offerings are down?

14. Are we going to postpone mid-week services and activities?

15. How will we do small groups?

16. Will we send hard copy take home papers or switch to all online?

17. Will we be able to run the program with the amount of volunteers we may have?

18. Can kids bring their own hand-sanitizer?

19. How can we keep kids 6 feet apart?

20. How can we reduce expenses since offerings are down?

This article about 20 Questions to Ask Before Kids Gather Back to Church originally appeared here.

“He took them in his arms.”

Jesus Responds to Our Longing

1. Jesus invites us to draw near… when we long for Him.

2. Jesus makes His presence available… when we come to Him unhindered.

3. Jesus welcomes us into God’s kingdom… when we have faith like a child.

Jesus Blesses Faith Like a Child

[1] Charles Spurgeon, Preface to The Chequebook of the Bank of Faith, revised and updated by Tim Chester (Wheaton: Crossway, 2019), 3.

[2] Spurgeon, Preface to The Chequebook, 2.

Here are three of things to help you be a better Bible teacher:

1. You are only as good as your preparation.

2. A passion for the Bible is caught as much as it is taught.

3. See yourself as a facilitator, not as a speaker.

Christian Conflict Resolution

Why Do Christians Struggle With Conflict Resolution So Much?

1. Invest the time

2. Earn their trust

3. Listen with empathy

CDC Guidelines for Churches Has Become a Political Football

What Churches Must Consider

What Is Partiality?

Why Does God Hate Partiality So Much?

There are six practical steps this passage gives to help those who’ve lost their job:

Those who’ve lost their job can embrace our humiliations.

Those who’ve lost their job can remember that God owns the clock.

Those who’ve lost their job can cast their cares on Him.

Those who’ve lost their job can stay alert.

Those who’ve lost their job can understand that we are not alone.

Those who’ve lost their job can see what God is doing.

Consider these five ways to pray for your pastor.

1. Pray for him to entrust his flock to the Chief Shepherd.

2. Pray for him to bear up under the shadow of death.

3. Pray for your pastor to sleep and take a day off.

4. Pray for your pastor to be given grace to go on interceding.

5. Pray for your pastor to keep his eyes on the final “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Some Theological Thoughts About Memorial Day 1. Being a Christian does not remove ethnic and national identities.

2. Patriotism, like other earthly “prides,” can be a virtue or vice.

3. Allegiance to God and allegiance to your country are not inherently incompatible.

How To Help A Child Focus

1. Encourage dialogue.

2. Build relationships.

3. Give them clear expectations.

4. Use hands-on, real-life examples.

5. Use cooperative learning.

6. Use peer-to-peer learning.

7. Use different learning styles.

Mute Yourself

Turn on Your Video

Use the Chat Feature

The Free Account Is Probably All You Need

Only Password-Protect Your Highly Sensitive Meetings

8 Virtual Icebreakers for Youth Group Meetings

1. Agree or Disagree

2. Two Truths and a Lie

3. Sketch your neighbor

4. Introduce your pet

Church Has ‘no enemies that we know of’

Governor: ‘What is this pandemic doing to us?’

Ravi Zacharias Tributes

Vice President Mike Pence: “Deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Ravi Zacharias…”

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany: “Billy Graham was the great Evangelist. Ravi Zacharias was the great apologist.”

‘God’s Not Dead’ actor Kevin Sorbo: ” Classy man. You should look at his speeches.”

Pastor John Hagee: “My friend, Ravi Zacharias, has heard the words we all long to hear — ‘Well done, good and faithful servant…'”

Dave Ramsey: ” Incredible man of faith, with amazing ability to communicate and with a world class intellect.”

Lee Strobel: “…he found hope and purpose through Christ and became a renowned evangelist.”

David Platt: “Add my name to the list of countless people whose lives have been shaped by the Influence of @RaviZacharias.”

Josh McDowell: “He has been an incredible source of Truth as an evangelist to the thinking person.”

Samuel Rodriguez: “A true world changer that advanced the gospel of Jesus like few others.”

Franklin Graham: “@RaviZacharias, one of the great Christian apologists of our time, has stepped into the streets of glory & into the presence of the King of kings & Lord of lords.”

Jackie Hill Perry: “For anybody who was impacted by Ravi, today we grieve but not without hope.”

Louie Giglio: “I join the thunderous applause of Heaven.”

Tim Tebow: “To my friend, my mentor and a great hero of the faith @RaviZacharias – Thank you.”

NFL Pro Ben Watson: “Thank you Ravi for being steadfast and faithful in your calling and for demonstrating Christ’s love in explaining our hope!”

Kirk Franklin: “Today one of my heroes left his earthly tent to be with the living word.”

David Crowder: “Today heaven rejoices and welcomes home a giant of the faith.”

Greg Laurie: “We lost a real treasure and champion of the faith today.”

Pastor Todd Tilghman Crushes It on ‘The Voice’

Arbery’s Death and Our Need for Racial Healing

Bringing Racial Healing by Being the Church

20 questions you can ask kids to help you formulate what your strategy will be before kids gather back at church.

New Articles

Some Theological Thoughts About Memorial Day

1. Being a Christian does not remove ethnic and national identities.