David Green: Hobby Lobby Will Stay Open After Word From God

By

-

March 23, 2020

Though the list of retailers temporarily shuttering their brick-and-mortar stores due to the global pandemic is growing, it doesn’t yet include Hobby Lobby. The craft chain, led by conservative Christian David Green, is facing criticism for staying open—and for reportedly basing that decision on faith.

Over the weekend, a letter from Green to employees circulated widely online. In it, the Hobby Lobby president describes a message his wife, Barbara, received from God.

Message From God: ‘Guide, guard, and groom’

Calling Barbara the “prayer warrior” in the family, David Green writes, “Today, that title takes on such a different meaning than I ever imagined before because we are at war with this latest virus.” He continues: “In her quiet prayer time this past week, the Lord put on Barbara’s heart three profound words to remind us that He’s in control. Guide, Guard, and Groom. We serve a God who will Guide us through this storm, who will Guard us as we travel to places never seen before, and who, as a result of this experience, will Groom us to be better than we could have ever thought possible before now.”

Though the future is uncertain, Green writes, “God is in control.” Hobby Lobby’s leaders “are doing all they can to balance the need to keep the Company strong and the need of employees,” he writes, adding that “we may all have to ‘tighten our belts’ over the near future.”

Hobby Lobby has ‘proactively implemented measures’

On its website, Hobby Lobby says it’s monitoring developments and has “proactively implemented measures” such as “enhanced store cleaning” and restricting travel. Any employees who develop virus symptoms will be sent for medical care and self-isolation, the company notes.

When the company posted new ads and coupons online yesterday, social media users lambasted the decision to remain open, with some criticizing the chain’s lack of sick leave for hourly workers. One person tweeted: “Closed on Sundays for church but won’t protect employees from a pandemic. Separation of church and craft!” Another tweeted: “We all know David Green & the lovely Barbara aren’t staffing any Hobby Lobby registers during plague season. No, they’re safely ensconced at home or on a yacht, far away from the plebes they’re putting in harm’s way to keep their $$ trickling in.”

David Green, worth an estimated $6 billion, is no stranger to controversy. In 2014, his company successfully challenged an Obamacare mandate about providing birth control coverage for employees. His family’s Museum of the Bible unknowingly purchased smuggled antiquities and displayed fake Dead Sea Scrolls fragments.

For now, Hobby Lobby’s competitors—including Michaels and JOANN—also remain open. In other industries, retailers have switched to curbside pickup or online ordering.

Some people are defending Hobby Lobby, saying customers can take responsibility. One Facebook user writes: “Is it Hobby Lobby’s fault that people leave their homes and release themselves from quarantine because they need a jar of glitter … no. If no one was coming into the store they would close. … So police yourselves, stay home. Everything non-essential would shut down and we will all get out of this faster.”

Drive In Church Helps People Who Are ‘starting to feel it’

By

Jessica Lea

-

March 23, 2020

As churches struggle to figure out what worship services look like during the pandemic, leaders across the country have come up with a creative solution: drive in church. That is, congregations are holding their services drive-in-movie style.

“The word of God is so important, and here at The Rock Church we are family,” said Myron Jamerson, who pastors in Watertown, New York. “I just didn’t feel like doing it all online when we could come here and at least wave at each other. We might not be able to touch, but at least we can wave to one another and say hello.”

Organizers set up this past Sunday’s drive in service outside The Rock Church, where Jamerson preached to the cars facing him as he stood on a trailer. He told reporter Ben Muir that he got the idea for a drive in service from another church in Florida: “I thought ‘That’s unique. I have never seen that before, let’s do that here.’” People who attended the drive in service honked their car horns instead of clapping their hands like they would during a normal church service.

“This is just a way for us to all be together without having to end up getting sick,” said worshiper Desiree Zimmer. “I think this is going to be an interesting way of having church.”

Congregations Across the U.S. Hold Drive In Church

It looks a little different everywhere, but congregations organizing drive in church are united in their goal of doing their best to support their members while still complying with official guidelines intended to help contain the virus.

Piedmont Church in Macon, Georgia, also held its drive in service outside its church building. Attendees either rolled their windows down to listen or tuned in from their car radios. Said lead pastor Chris Barbee, “With all of the craziness in our world, what we wanted to do was obviously stay within our government’s request and keep the gatherings low.” George Jones, who attended the service with his family, said, “I think it’s awesome. I think it’s a great opportunity to get the kids out that have been cooped up in the house and come to as much of a live worship as we can.”

One church in Indiana actually held its drive in service at a drive in theater. Eric Gawura pastors Our Redeemer Lutheran church in the city of Knox. He told WSBT 22 News that his church has been holding summer services at a drive in for over 20 years, and now, “They’ve graciously allowed us to use the theater and open up early…so that people can get together and worship while their churches are closed.”

The church practiced social distancing by not taking an offering and by requiring people to stay in their vehicles and listen to the sermon via their car radios. Congregant Dorene Lloyd said, “In a time like this, when we’re separated from the whole world, it’s nice to be able to at least see other people.”

In a similar fashion, churches in Newville, Pennsylvania, are collaborating with a local drive in theater to provide drive in church for people in town. Cumberland Drive-In owner Jay Mowery told PennLive.com that he and Pastor Jeffrey Kettering realized that a drive in church service was important for people who have limited resources and are unable to livestream. Said Mowery, “We wanted to comply with the Governor’s request on gatherings, but we realize that some people are not connected to the Internet.”

“When it comes to drastic situations,” said Kettering, “you have to think outside the box.” Mowery said they would have been happy to see 50 cars show up to drive in church on Sunday morning, but what actually happened was 300 cars showed up—meaning there could have been anywhere from 600 to 800 people in attendance. Said Mowery, “I was just trying to fill a void for people. We are a community of faith in this little area. It was a testament to our community that this many people came out.”

Many are acknowledging how thankful they are to get out of their homes and see other people, and this ability is particularly important to those who have mental health challenges. Ahnna Jackson, who attended The 3D Church’s drive in service in Lithonia, Georgia, said, “I have anxiety, and mental health is a huge thing, and so being around like minded people, while being safe in our cars, is a huge relief.”

Other states that have churches implementing the driven in service idea include Texas, Tennessee, Iowa, and Washington State. Retiree Patty Book attended the drive in service held by Shadle Park Presbyterian Church in Spokane, saying, “It’s so different, yet I think it’s a great thing to have happen.” She added, “I think everybody is starting to feel it.” The church passed out sanitary communion supplies and also handed out activities for kids by using long claws. Organizers with Shadle Park Presbyterian even provided food for members by placing meals in the trunks of their cars.

The church is joining many others in doing its best to help people be safe while still providing them with emotional support. As lead worshipper Terry Echegoyen commented, “Even though we are socially distant, we are not spiritually distant.”

Manny Pacquiao ‘not afraid to die’ to Help Others

By

Megan Briggs

-

March 23, 2020

Christian boxer and Filipino senator Manny Pacquiao is committed to doing everything he can to fight the coronavirus. In addition to donating 50,000 test kits (with the help of Alibaba founder Jack Ma) and 600,000 face masks, the senator is now saying he will continue making public appearances in support of those vulnerable populations, like the poor.

Stating he’s “not afraid to die” in order to continue serving the public, Pacquiao is taking a bold stance as the Philippines battles the virus.

“You have to lead and let people see that you are with them,” Pacquiao said to the Manila Bulletin. For this reason, Pacquiao continues to make public appearances in an effort to show people that they should take precautionary measures but should not fear the virus.

The politician also warned that looting may result from the fear and lack of resources people are experiencing. Pacquiao sympathizes with the poor, especially during this uncertain time caused by the coronavirus. “I grew up poor. I know what they feel,” he told the Manila Bulletin.

Pacquiao recently donated five buses to the government to transport health workers around metro Manila.

In addition to his public appearances and donations, Pacquiao has also proposed a new bill intended to help stop the spread of the virus. Senate Bill No. 1406 or the “Anti-Spitting Act of 2020” would make spitting in public an offense. The proposed bill states that those who spit or “intentionally” expel “saliva, phlegm, or mucus” in public would be fined between 5,000 and 50,000 pesos. “Considering the gravity of the situation, there is an urgent need to institute a concrete preventive measure to stop the spread of the disease that has become a global health emergency,” Pacquiao wrote in the bill’s explanatory note.

Most recently, Pacquiao co-authored a bill along with 12 other senators, which gives President Rodrigo Duterte additional power as the country faces the coronavirus crisis. Senate Bill 1413, known as “We Heal as One Act,” declares a state of emergency in the Philippines and allows the President “for a limited period and subject to restrictions, to exercise powers necessary and proper to carry out the declared national policy.” The bill allows Duterte to implement measures such as preventing people from hoarding, putting limitations on traveling, lowering interest rates, and potentially directing the operations of privately-owned hospitals and medical and health facilities.

Pacquiao was planning on returning to the boxing ring in July, but the boxing world, like many other sports, has been sidelined indefinitely by the virus. Pacquiao, who is 41, juggles his time in public office and boxing professionally. He has won 12 world titles during his lucrative boxing career.

Pacquiao has been serving in the senate since 2016; he is currently serving a six-year term. Previously, he won a seat in the House of Representatives in the 2010 and 2013 elections.

There are currently 396 registered cases of coronavirus in the Philippines, including 33 deaths, but testing has been slow and encumbered and many fear there are thousands more cases waiting to be confirmed.

Why You Can’t Shame People Into Repentance

By

Stephen Altrogge

-

March 23, 2020

Social media has made us experts at shaming.

We see something outrageous on Facebook (which happens approximately every 3 minutes), and we immediately start lobbing shame grenades.

How could they do such a thing? What a lousy scumbag! Humanity has sunk to a new low! They should be utterly ashamed!

It feels so good in the moment. So uplifting. So self-affirming. As the shot of self-righteousness courses through us, we thank God that we aren’t like those people. We thank God that our moral standards are still intact in the face of the cultural onslaught. We thank God that we, the remnant, still remain.

And we don’t only play the shame game with non-Christians.

We shame each other.
We shame our children.
We shame pastors who have fallen into sin.
We shame parents whose children have wandered away from the faith.
We shame those who are struggling with same-sex attraction.

We treat shame like a spiritual weapon which we can use to bludgeon people back to Jesus.

But it doesn’t work. It never works.

Why?

Because we can’t shame people to repentance or godliness.

We think we can because in the moment, shaming makes us feel powerful. Strong. In control. When we shame someone, we feel like we’re putting them in their place. When we shame our kids, we feel like we’re controlling them. When we shame those in the church, we feel like we’re keeping moral boundaries in place.

But in Scripture, we rarely see examples of Christians shaming other Christians to repentance (1 Corinthians 6:5 and 15:34 being exceptions – but then again that was the Apostle Paul, and we’re not him).

We repeatedly see God bringing people to shame, often out of a desire to bring them to repentance. God brought shame upon the Israelites when they abandoned him.

But you don’t see shame as a discipleship technique used between believers.

I suspect one of the primary reasons for this is because we can’t dispense shame appropriately. When we dispense shame, it’s way out of proportion to the actual offense. The amount of shame we discharge far exceeds the sin committed. Shame is like fire: very easy to start, very difficult to control.

Additionally, shame isn’t redemptive. Shaming doesn’t bring believers closer together in fellowship. Shame doesn’t lead believers in paths of repentance and righteousness. Rather, shame causes people to hide. It causes them to withdraw. To disappear.

Think about your own experience. The times you’ve been shamed by other Christians. Did that produce godliness in you? Did it increase your love of other Christians? I suspect not. Shame is destructive rather than redemptive.

Finally, when we shame others, it puts us in the position of God. People should be ashamed of their sins against God. That is the right kind of shame. But God is the one who, by his Spirit, creates that shame in a person for the purpose of leading them to repentance. When we try to shame people, we are saying that they should be ashamed of their sins against us. We are putting ourselves on the judgment seat and rendering a verdict.

Our churches should be places where sinners can feel safe. Where those struggling with sin can find a refuge. Where weary, worn-out sinners can find peace.

Yes, we will call them to repentance. Yes, we will point them to Scripture.

But we will also make them feel safe, loved, and accepted.

I love how Ray Ortlund puts it:

Gospel + safety + time. It’s what everyone needs. A lot of gospel + a lot of safety + a lot of time.

God is the one who does the saving and he’s the one who does the changing. When we forget this reality, we resort to shaming.

College Degrees, Religious Faith Contribute to Longevity in Marriage

By

Toni Ridgaway

-

March 23, 2020

A story in the Washington Times examined marriage cultural statistics and found that two haven’t changed in 30 years: 8 in 10 women will marry by the age of 40, and 20 years later, 52 percent of those women will still be married. These came from a report released by the National Center for Health Statistics this week.

The report said marriages that lasted at least 20 years were associated with having a college degree, having a religious life, not cohabiting before marriage and not having previous marriages or children from previous relationships.

Divorces took an “underlying shift” in that the rate of divorce since the ’70s has increased for those with moderate education and decreased for those with college degrees. William J. Doherty, professor of family social science at the University of Minnesota, commented that college graduates have “figured out how to do marriage in this century.”

Sociology professor W. Bradford Wilcox, who also directs the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, commented on these results that a major reason why divorce rates remain high “is because Americans have largely embraced the individualistic ethos ushered in by the 1970s, and are often unwilling or unable to navigate marital difficulties that creep up after several years of married life.”

What It’s Like for Special Needs Families During Coronavirus

By

Nichole Huggins

-

March 23, 2020

Special needs families prepare all year for school breaks. We have to. The bulk of our budget and resources go towards therapies, activities, specialized babysitters (not just anyone will do), and supports to make it through. We plan around ESY (Extended School Year) and know that without that extra structure, our kids would be at an extreme disadvantage. Although Summer brings fun and sun, it also looms over our calendar and financial planning as a heavy weight. For many who have special needs, summer is the most vulnerable time. Long breaks, if not executed with the utmost care, can result in regression and lasting effects.

What happens when there is an unexpected long break from school or even more, what if summer comes early? For the family with a child who has special needs, the ramifications of such a thing are tremendous.

But here we are at home. There was no month of reading a social story to prepare our children for the extended break. There was no gathering of sensory supplies to throw together a quick classroom. What takes us all year to plan for and agonize over has come crashing in with no warning. Many of us parents find ourselves balancing work with becoming our child’s speech therapist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, special education teacher, and behavioral therapist overnight. There is no “down time” or “let’s chill” time in the world of special needs. Our kids are high strung, thrive on schedules, and need constant direction. For many of us, the only “chill time” is Velcro-ed to a visual schedule for a 15-minute interval that still requires supervision and “directed play.”

Many parents feel ill-equipped to provide the education and supports our special kids need. Although many school districts are going above and beyond to provide IEP’s, worksheets, resources, and websites, the actual implementation of these great tools will take place at home, with the parents. Just yesterday a mom contacted me explaining the great fear she has–her son has come so far and has worked so hard. She’s terrified she’s going to “mess it all up and he will regress.” Regression in the world of special needs can take years to regain. We live in a different time continuum than everyone else. Every day counts.

What about finding someone who will come help during this extended time at home? We have three people currently who are equipped and able to care for our son who has autism when we are not home. Two of those people are family members who live far away. It takes weeks or even months of planning to be apart from our child who has special needs for even a day. Because of the nature and severity of his autism, only a person with special training and a unique understanding of his needs can care for him.

Furthermore, many of our kiddos have compromised immune systems. We love that you might want to help, but quite honestly, it’s not worth the risk. Many of our kids don’t understand being sick and it scares them. It takes two adults to get medication in our kid. Recovery from an illness notoriously takes twice as long since our kids are still getting the hang of blowing their nose and what it means to cough and clear out the “junk”. Sickness is just different in our world so while we would love the help, we must protect.

Our family’s situation is more the rule than the exception when it comes to the predicament that special needs families find themselves in.

There’s so much more that I could share here, but hopefully this paints just a little picture of what it means to be a special needs family during this time. So now, what can you do to help?

Let a special needs family know you care. Most special needs families aren’t going to take the time to explain to you what our life looks like right now. We don’t want to burden anyone. We are also currently working in the trenches. So, send a text or make that phone call. Even if we don’t answer right away, just knowing that you thought of us will mean the world to us. Besides physical isolation, there is often emotional isolation and disconnect between us and the outside world. This has just been elevated to an all new high. Just today a mom of a special need’s child reached out and said, “it’s only day two and I’m already dying”. What if you were the one who reached out to tell her you have been praying for her today? What if you became the bright spot God used in her day to remind her that she has a friend praying her through? What if, because of you, she was reminded that she is not alone?

Drop off a care package. It is estimated that 28% of U.S. children with disabilities live below the federal poverty threshold. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the cost of raising an average child to the age of 18 is roughly $240,000. Autism Speaks estimates that the lifetime cost for an individual with autism and or intellectual disabilities averages $1.4-$2.4 million. The difference is staggering and there are so many reasons. Financially speaking, it is possible that some special needs families will struggle immensely during this time. Medications for our children must go on. Supplies for teaching them at home are desperately needed. Many special needs families live in a precarious lurch of paycheck to paycheck and weighing the greatest needs of our children above all else. Drop off some sensory supplies, leave some canned goods and if you find baby wipes or flush-able wipes send them over! Special needs families are not able to go from store to store seeking out toilet paper and bread. It’s just not something we can do.

Pray. Partner with special needs families through the power of prayer. Could it be that God might be using this time to force our society to “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10)? If you could, spend some time being still and lift in prayer families of special needs children. Pray for peace to fill our homes. Pray for patience as we maneuver uncharted waters. Pray for provision as our needs are great. Pray for an umbrella of grace for ourselves and our children. Pray for breakthroughs in the lives of our children, because God is able. Pray dear friends! And then, reach out and let special needs families know that you have been praying for them. Prayer is one of the greatest ministries you can offer us.

Seek out a special needs family. Let them know they are not alone. Meet needs if you are able. Most importantly, keep them in your prayers. This vulnerable population needs our attention. Let’s be the hands and feet of Jesus!

This article about Special Needs Families originally appeared here.

Tolerance: Befriending and Belonging in an Age of Scorn

By

Scott Sauls

-

March 23, 2020

In my role as a “public Christian” who values spirited discourse about the issues of our time, I want to nurture environments where people can openly wrestle with their beliefs—but without the fear of being caricatured, labeled or demonized. In other words, I am for disagreeing in an agreeable way. I guess you could say that I am an advocate for tolerance.

My friend and former colleague Tim Keller says that tolerance does not require us to abandon our convictions. True tolerance, says Keller, is revealed by how our convictions lead us to treat people who disagree with us. Tolerance that tolerates only people who think like us is not tolerance. It is covert prejudice, scorn with a mask of niceness.

For the Christian witness to be taken seriously in an increasingly pluralistic and secular environment such as the West, Christians must learn the art of being able to:

1) have integrity in our convictions;
2) genuinely love, listen to and serve those who do not share our convictions; and
3) consistently do both at the same time.

Otherwise, rather than being a light to the culture, we run the risk of becoming products of the culture.

I believe that an effective Christian witness—especially when the prevailing tone in virtually all public discourse is outrage, not civility—depends on Christians adopting a tone that is counter-culture to the norm.

I appreciate what a former Harvard chaplain says about bridging relational divides between people who disagree, even on the most fundamental level. He writes:

“The divide between Christians and atheists is deep … I’m dedicated to bridging that divide—to working with atheists, Christians and people of all different beliefs and backgrounds on building a more cooperative world. We have a lot of work to do … My hope is [to] help foster better dialogue between Christians and atheists and that, together, we can work to see a world in which people are able to have honest, challenging, and loving conversation across lines of difference.”

The Harvard chaplain’s name is Chris Stedman. He is an atheist. Yet, his perspective and tone are deeply Christian and biblical.

The Israelite spies came alongside Rahab, a working prostitute, to advance the work of God’s Kingdom. Joseph served alongside Pharaoh, Nehemiah alongside Artaxerxes, and Daniel alongside Nebuchadnezzar. Jesus, a Jewish male, received a drink from a promiscuous Samaritan woman. Paul, a Messianic Jew, affirmed secular poets and philosophers as he quoted their works from memory to Athenian intellectuals.

All these were faithful, non-compromising people of faith in deeply secular pluralistic environments who:

1) had integrity in their convictions;
2) genuinely loved, listened to and served those who did not share their convictions; and
3) consistently did both at the same time.

Free Memory Game Printable: Easter

By

Daniel So

-

March 23, 2020

Free Memory Game Printable

Download and print these memory game cards to help teach your kids about Easter.

Instructions:

Download and Print: Click the link to download the memory game cards. Print them out on sturdy paper or cardstock for durability.
Cut the Cards: After printing, carefully cut along the lines to separate the cards.
How to Play: Shuffle the cards and lay them face down in rows. Players take turns flipping over two cards at a time, trying to match pairs. The player with the most pairs at the end wins!

Card Designs:

Cross – Symbolizing the crucifixion.
Empty Tomb – Representing the resurrection of Jesus.
Lamb – Symbolizing Jesus as the “Lamb of God.”
Easter Lily – Representing purity and resurrection.
Palm Branches – Symbolizing Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
Crown of Thorns – Representing the suffering of Christ.
Bread and Wine – Symbolizing the Last Supper.
Angel – Representing the angel who announced Jesus’ resurrection.
Easter Egg – A symbol of new life.
Butterfly – Representing transformation and resurrection.

This memory game is a fun and educational way to teach kids about the significance of Easter while enhancing their memory skills. Perfect for home, Sunday school, or any Easter-themed activity!

Get Download Now

Download Instructions: To download this resource, right-click on the “Get Download Now” link above and choose “Save As.”

7 Tips on Getting and Keeping the Attention of Teenagers

By

Greg Stier

-

March 23, 2020

God has blessed me with the privilege of speaking to groups of teenagers for the last twenty-five years or so. From small youth groups to medium-sized camps to arenas full of students, I have known the thrill and terror of trying to get and keep the attention of teenagers who are adrenalin-filled and twitchy.

Here are seven lessons I’ve learned when it comes to getting and keeping the attention of teenagers:

1. Hook the attention of teenagers with humor, then impact them with truth.

During the first five to ten minutes of my talk to a teen audience I’m usually telling a story about something I did that was really crazy/stupid/funny. I can’t tell a funny joke for the life of me, but I can tell funny stories. So I tell the funniest story I can think of for that particular audience and, once they’re laughing hard, I flip the switch. I use a transition statement to turn the talk toward the spiritual point I’ll be preaching on in that particular message.

For me, humor is a means to the end. It’s a door opener for the Word of God to do its work. Once you have them laughing you can quickly turn that energy into getting teens excited about the subject you’ll be preaching/teaching on that day.

2. Preach sound truth in sound bytes to capture the attention of teenagers.

At our Dare 2 Share conferences, every six to eight minutes we use a video clip, an interactive exercise or a sketch to keep the audience engaged. In a youth group this could be using an illustration every six to eight minutes to keep the teen audience tracking with your point. It could be an interactive question you have them wrestle with in groups of three. It’s important to do more than just hook them in at the beginning. You must keep them engaged all the way through your talk. We don’t want our teenagers to miss any of the life-changing truths we are teaching from God’s Word so we must work hard to keep them riveted to every word.

3. Be painfully authentic to capture the attention of teenagers.

I have found that when I share with teens an area of struggle that I have (losing my temper, relational mess-ups, missed evangelistic opportunities, etc.) they identify with me in a deeper way. Too many times too many youth leaders only share their “victory” stories. But hearing too many of these can actually discourage a teenager. If they always hear stories of how we conquered our spiritual mountains they may think that they’re losers because they seem to be stuck in the valley all the time. It’s okay to share overcoming stories but also share ones where you failed miserably.

4. Preach with intensity and authority to capture the attention of teenagers.

500 years ago or so the great Puritan preacher, Richard Baxter, exhorted pastors to preach every sermon as if it were their last, “as a dying man to dying men.”

That’s how I try to preach. Veins pop, sweat drips and arms flail because I want to grab the audience by the heart and, through the power of the Holy Spirit, get them to embrace the truth I’m preaching on. The authority I preach with has nothing to do with me, but everything to do with the Word of God. It penetrates with power and cuts with conviction into the hearts of those who hear it. Hebrews 4:12 reminds us, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

Our job as youth communicators is to wield it with precision, intensity, humility and authority.

5. Prepare like you’re going to war if you want to capture the attention of teenagers.

Because you are going to war. When you or I stand before a teen audience of ten or ten thousand we are in a battle with Satan, cell phones and a myriad of other distractions and attractions that vie for the attention of those teenagers. Every point of our talk should be prayed over and thought through.

Struggle through your text, illustrations and application until your talk is fully ready. Winging it is for wimps. Sharpen your sword and strap on your armor because you are fighting the Prince of Darkness for young souls every time you crack open your Bible to teach teenagers.

6. Take them seriously if you want to capture teenagers’ attention.

One of the things that makes Dare 2 Share work as a conference is that everything we do screams to teenagers, “We believe you can do this through the power of Christ!” We don’t dumb down the content, we amp it up! We don’t water down the challenges, we fire them up! It’s almost as though I can hear the teenagers thinking, “These dudes really believe we can do this!” It is this unstated feeling that encourages them to go for it.

Do the same thing when you speak to teenagers. Take them seriously. Raise the bar, then expect them to rise to it … and they will!

7. And if you seriously want to capture the attention of teenagers, don’t forget to tie your shoes.

Before I walk out onto the stage to preach I tie my shoes. As I kneel I’m reminded to pray. In this bowed position I remember that any impact from my preaching will be due to the power of the Holy Spirit, not from my own powers of persuasion. I ask God to fill me up with the Holy Spirit and then fully use me to impact every teenager in the audience.

When John Wesley was asked to describe his preaching style he answered, “I set myself on fire and people come to watch me burn.” My prayer is that these seven practical truths will become fuel for you to set yourself ablaze every time you speak to teenagers. From this fire, may an inferno of revival consume your teenagers and your community for Christ!

9 Things About America That Surprise Returning Missionaries

By

Chuck Lawless

-

March 23, 2020

I spend a lot of time with missionaries. In many cases, I’m with missionaries who’ve returned to the States for various reasons (e.g., health issues, aging parents, new position, etc.). I often ask them what most surprised them when they returned to the States. Here are some of their most common responses:

The breakdown of the home. They know what they’ve heard from a distance, but seeing it firsthand is painful.
The apparent shallowness of the American church. These missionaries have often been serving in places where sacrifice is the norm for believers—and the American church doesn’t always show that commitment.
The cost of living. In many cases for the missionaries with whom I work, our denomination has provided them with salary, housing, and benefits (sometimes including a vehicle). For these returnees, making the financial commitment to buy things like a car and a home can be daunting.
The vast number of choices we have. Consider the missionary whose breakfast has typically been two or three options at best—but who now must choose among dozens of cereals at the local grocery store. It’s overwhelming.
The church buildings. We take them for granted, but that’s not the case for missionaries who’ve worshiped under trees, in huts, in simple buildings, etc. In fact, they sometimes view our buildings as opulent.
The geographic ignorance of Americans. We give too little attention to what’s happening around the world. In fact, we have little knowledge of other countries in general.
The amount of food that people eat. Sometimes, a single serving we get in a restaurant is more than others around the world eat in a day. We pile—and often waste—food on our plates. Missionaries who’ve served needy people especially grieve our waste.
The fast pace of life. Everyone seems to be in a hurry, and nobody seems to have time for relationships—a big change for many missionaries who’ve served among highly relational peoples.
The silliness of many local church and denominational battles. When you’ve been in places where the gospel is just now taking root and the number of believers is minimal, you find our “Christian squabbles” a bit absurd.

If you’re a missionary, what would you add? If you’re a pastor, how might you use this information to equip your church?

This article originally appeared here.

8 Habits of a Life-Changing Small Group Leader

By

Mark Howell

-

March 22, 2020

I’ve written recently about the 8 Commitments for Small Group Leaders as well as how to design your group meeting for life-change; two helpful angles from which to think about building a thriving small group ministry. But what about the habits that help create the kind of man or woman who operates as an agent of life-change?

Here are the 8 habits of a life-changing small group leader. Life-changing small group leaders:

1. Make time with God a daily priority. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Mark 1:35 NIV

2. Follow the best example and offer a good example. “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV

3. Have clear priorities. “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 NIV

4. Put the interests of others ahead of their own. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:3-4 NIV

5. Know they haven’t arrived. “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” Philippians 3:12 NIV

6. Clear up relationships. “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:23-24

7. Give and receive scriptural correction. “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Hebrews 3:13 NIV

8. Follow spiritual leadership (within scriptural limits) and make it a joy for their leaders. “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.” Hebrews 13:17 NIV

Are these habits prerequisite to beginning? Not in the least. Instead, they become the preferred future of a life-changing small group leader. Can you imagine a better destination? How do you help small group leaders move in the right direction? Help them build the habits that will take them there.

Although many people have influenced my thinking, I have to acknowledge Harold Bullock and Hope Church in Fort Worth, Texas and their heart attitudes.

The Secret to Peace and Contentment

By

Jon Bloom

-

March 22, 2020

The secret to Christian peace and contentment is not a gnostic secret. It is not concealed knowledge only revealed to those who achieve higher degrees of holy enlightenment. This secret is hidden in plain sight throughout the Scripture and is available to anyone who is willing to believe it.

The Secret

God has not only gone public with this secret, but he invites us and longs for us to know it. He does not want us to merely know about this secret—not to merely preach it, explain it, enjoy the idea of it, or wish for it—but to know it by experience.

Jesus described the kind of experience he wants us to know:

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. … [For] your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.” (Luke 12:22, Luke 12.30–31″>30–31)

Paul, from prison, shared his experience of the secret with all who would listen:

“I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:11 –13)

The secret to contentment is very simple. And it does not require heroic acts of piety. No, in fact it requires a childlike response from us. The secret is beautifully summed up in this phrase: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart” (Proverbs 3:5).

Could It Really Be So Simple?

Is it really that simple? Just trust God? Yes. So simple, but its reality is revolutionary.

God designed us to operate on trust. We are reasoning creatures made in God’s image. But God did not make us gods; he made us in small measure like God. He did not give us his capacities to contain all knowledge and all wisdom. We only contain very small amounts of each. Nor did he give us his power to bring into being whatever we wish. Our power is very limited. God designed us to trust him in whatever knowledge, wisdom and strength he provides us and to trust his knowledge, wisdom and strength when ours reach their limits.

Brandon Cox: Plug In to These 7 WordPress Add-ons

By

Brandon Cox

-

March 22, 2020

WordPress is powerful. But it gets even better. WordPress is open source software, supported by a huge community of web developers who are continually finding ways to make it do more through the use of plugins. A plugin is just an add-on, and there are a few that I consider pretty much essential to an effective website and I use them repeatedly.

This is a list of my favorites…

1. Yoast SEO for WordPress

In the Wealthy Affiliate hosting, when you launch a blog, it comes pre-installed with a plugin called All in One SEO. It’s fantastic. I just prefer Joost (pronounced “yaost”, hence the name) de Vaalk’s plugin because of some of its social media functionality.

This plugin lets you create customized titles, meta information, and all kinds of other customizations. It also spits out a Google-friendly sitemap.

Check out Yoast SEO

Also, there is a premium version of Yoast’s plugin, which I use on just a couple of sites, but the free version will do just fine for most sites.

2. Thirsty Affiliates

Thirsty Affiliates is the plugin I use to cloak and organize affiliate links. You can take a long, ugly link like “http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/8285808/type/dlg/https://www.touchofmodern.com/sales/jetbeam-9c71ec5d-1e9a-4c2d-93d2-f81dfa04291b/jetbeam-msr26” (an actual link to a flashlight) and make it something more like “youramazingblog.com/recommends/flashlight.”

There are add-ons that allow you to auto-link words and phrases, measure stats, and further extend the functionality, but the free version works great in most cases.

Check out Thirsty Affiliates

3. Google Analytics

This one is simple. You install it, then go to the settings page and log into your Google account and it grabs the code needed to track all of your site’s visits appropriately. I like this one because it gives a simple line graph in the main WordPress dashboard for a quick view of your site statistics.

Check out Google Analytics

4. EasyAzon

If you want to insert Amazon affiliate links into your content, or even build entire Amazon stores, this is the plugin you need!

Once installed, it lets you search Amazon and insert graphics, buttons, and more right inside the WordPress post editor panel. It’s powerful!

Check out EasyAzon

5. Bloom

Bloom is a powerful plugin that helps you collect email addresses. You can easily add pretty pop-ups, inline opt-in forms, create widgets, and more.

And, it integrates with most major email marketing providers. I use MailerLite, which isn’t on the list, but I can easily use the MailerLite-provided html within Bloom.

Check out Bloom

6. Monarch

Monarch, like Bloom, is offered by Elegant Themes. So if you buy either Bloom or Monarch, the other plugin, plus the Divi Builder plugin AND 81 awesome WordPress themes all come with your membership!

Monarch displays beautiful social sharing buttons on your posts and social follow links in your sidebar.

Check out Monarch

7. AdvancedAds

How do you insert ads into your blog? And mix them up? And rotate them, put them in groups, use code or images or custom html? AdvancedAds. It does it all.

And it’s easy to use!

Check out Advanced Ads

What did I miss? Do you have a favorite plugin I didn’t include?

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

Should Christian Leaders Ask For Money?

By

Scott Morton

-

March 22, 2020

Should Christian leaders ask for money? (This article is excerpted from What the Bible Actually Says About Money: 31 Meditations by Scott Morton)

Do we not have a right to eat and drink [at the expense of the Church]? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the Gospel of Christ. – 1 Corinthians 9:4 and 12

Some believers look down on mission agencies or churches that ask for money. They say that if Christian leaders truly trusted God, they would not lower themselves to ask for money. It’s unspiritual. Stories abound of miraculous last-minute funds arriving when all seemed lost. So leaders are advised, “Don’t ask, just pray. God’s will done in God’s way never lacks God’s supply.”

“Telling only God” was accidentally popularized in the late 1800s by the legendary orphanage director, George Mueller. Knowing his history helps explain his views on asking. As a child in Germany, Mueller habitually stole money from his father’s desk. Then, as a young man, Mueller checked into hotels wearing expensive clothes, but he ducked out without paying.

But in early adulthood, Mueller became a dedicated Christian and eventually a pastor in England. In those days, churches were financed by renting or selling pews to parishioners. Mueller believed this violated the partiality teaching in James 2—welcoming a rich man but ignoring a poor man. So Mueller placed a chest at the back of his church for free-will gifts and promised his congregation he would say nothing about money.

Similarly, at his orphanages, Mueller never asked for money, but he and his team shared answers to prayer about miraculous financial deliverances—like the day the milk wagon broke down in front of the orphanage the very morning they ran out of milk. Plus, he published reports of orphanage finances. Technically, he didn’t ask, but he indirectly informed prospective donors that the orphanage had financial needs and gave them a way to respond.

Today, Evangelicals have narrowed Mueller’s practice into: “Tell only God.” As a result, many mission workers and Christian leaders don’t speak about money. Often, feeling a sense of shame, they silently try to copy the faith of George Mueller, hoping money will miraculously roll in.

This “no-ask” method is attractive because it avoids the risk of rejection and appears more spiritual, but the Bible contains several examples of asking to advance God’s kingdom:
• Moses asked the Israelites to give for the desert tabernacle (Exodus 35:1–9).
• Nehemiah asked King Artaxerxes for timber to build Jerusalem’s walls (Nehemiah 2:4–8).
• Elijah asked a Gentile widow for support (1 Kings 17).
• Paul asked the Roman Christians to fund his ministry to Spain (Romans 15:20–24).
• Jesus instructed the Twelve and the Seventy to seek worthy hosts for lodging—twice (Matthew 10:5–15 and Luke 10:1–12).

Some say Jesus Himself never asked, but is that true? He asked to borrow a boat, a donkey, and an upper room, and He asked John to care for His mother. He asked people to deny themselves and come after Him (Luke 9:23). My friend, is it asking that bothers you or is it the pushy fundraising of some gospel ministries? Paul declares that he and other gospel workers had the right to be supported by the Church—by believers. But he does not demand his right (use this right) because of relational and moral problems in the Corinthian church. Receiving money from the Corinthians would cause a hindrance to the gospel. It’s the same today. Pushy fundraising dishonors Christ and hinders the gospel—speak up when you see that! But your annoyance at being asked does not de-legitimize the right of God’s messengers to ask for money to support God’s Kingdom.

Yes, we’ve heard wonderful stories of last-minute deliverances, but we don’t hear stories where time ran out and God did not supply. “God’s will done in God’s way” usually involves inviting others to join you in accomplishing God’s will.

Scott Morton is the International Funding Coach for the Navigators.

https://resources.churchleaders.com/shop/what-the-bible-actually-says-about-money-31-mediations/

Pastoral Care and Cells

By

Joel Comiskey Group

-

March 22, 2020

by Jim Wall

I remember the day I read Exodus 18:21-23 with understanding. I was pastoring a growing church; trying to preach all of the services, pastor all of the people, lead all of the meetings, etc. etc. etc. (If you are in church leadership you know what I’m talking about!) I wasn’t dealing with the numbers that Moses was, but the image was becoming familiar; i.e. Moses falling into bed every night, exhausted. People being sent away from his tent every day, disappointed.

The understanding came for me on a Friday. Earlier in the week, I promised a lady I would pray with her before gall bladder surgery on Friday. On Thursday night, I got a call from another family whose father was going into open heart surgery. “Pastor you have to come and pray with him. He’s not ready to meet the Lord,” they pleaded. The problem was the two surgeries were in different hospitals at the same time. I told the lady having gall bladder surgery I would have to see her later in the day. As I left home that Friday morning, the phone rang. Another family was calling to say their daughter had died during the night. What do I do now? How can I be in three places at the same time?

As I fell into bed that night I knew I had tried, and failed, to give real care to any of them. It was in that context that I read Exodus 18:21 NIV, “Select capable men from all the people…appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.” I wasn’t sure how to do that, but it sounded good. When I got to verse 23, I was convinced, “…you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.” I remember thinking, “That’s a deal I can live with.”

I remember the day—after the long journey of transitioning our church to the cell/celebration model—I walked into a hospital room to visit a member. Her cell group was there surrounding her with love. They welcomed me. We had a nice visit. They barely noticed when I left. The body was ministering to the body. As I walked away, I thought again, “That’s a deal I can live with.”

Comments?

Jim

Korean blog (click here)

Portuguese blog (click here)

Spanish blog:

Cuidado Pastoral y de las células

Por Jim Wall

Recuerdo el día que leí Éxodo 18:21-23 entendiéndolo. Yo estaba pastoreando una iglesia en crecimiento, tratando de predicar todos los servicios, pastoreando toda la gente, Liderando todas las reuniones, etc., etc., etc. (Si usted está en el liderazgo de la iglesia ya sabes lo que estoy hablando!) Yo no estaba tratando con los números que Moisés lo hizo, pero la imagen se estaba convirtiendo en algo familiar, es decir, Moisés cae en la cama cada noche, exhausto. Las personas se les despedían de su tienda todos los días, decepcionados.

El entendimiento llegó para mí el viernes. A principios de semana, le prometí a una señora que iba a orar con ella antes de que tuviera una cirugía de la vesícula ese viernes. El jueves por la noche, recibí una llamada de otra familia cuyo padre estaba entrando en una cirugía de corazón abierta. “El pastor tiene que venir y orar con él”. No está preparado para reunirse con el Señor”, declaró. El problema fue que las dos operaciones fueron en hospitales diferentes al mismo tiempo. Le dije a la señora que tenia la cirugía de la vesícula que tendría que verla más tardeen el día. Al salir de casa aquella mañana del viernes, el teléfono sonó. Otra familia estaba llamando para decir que su hija había muerto durante la noche. ¿Qué hago ahora? ¿Cómo puedo estar en tres lugares al mismo tiempo?

Cuando cai en cama esa noche, supe que lo había intentado, sin éxito, para dar atención real a cualquiera de ellos. Fue en ese contexto que leí en Éxodo 18:21 NVI, “Selecciona hombres capaces de toda la gente… nombrar como funcionarios a través de miles, cientos, cincuenta y de diez.” No estaba seguro de cómo hacerlo, pero sonaba bien”. “Cuando llegué al versículo 23, yo estaba convencido, “… usted será capaz de soportar la tensión, y toda esta gente se irá a casa satisfecho.” Recuerdo que pensé: “Esa es una oferta con la que puedo vivir.”

Me acuerdo del día-después de que el largo camino de la transición de nuestra iglesia a la célula / el modelo celebración-Entré en una habitación de hospital a visitar un miembro. Su grupo de células era sus alrededores con amor. Me dieron la bienvenida. Tuvimos una agradable visita. Apenas notaron cuando me fui. El cuerpo estaba ministrando al cuerpo. Mientras me alejaba, volví a pensar: “Esa es una oferta con la que puedo vivir.”

Joel

An Audience of One

By

Frank Viola

-

March 22, 2020

“How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?”

~ John 5:44

Charles Spurgeon once said that the jewels of the Christian are his/her afflictions.

I’d add that those jewels are rarely seen by human eyes.

The word “blessing” means to speak well of. Blessing is the word from which the term “eulogy” is derived. (The Greek word translated “blessing” in the New Testament is eulogia.)

Sadly, most of us wait until someone dies before we eulogize (bless, speak well of) them. (I’ve written on this previously, in fact.)

Let’s be clear. We have but one Person to please. Impressing people isn’t the name of the game. Today’s heroes are tomorrow’s zeros. The story of Paul and Barnabas in Lystra teaches us this lesson in spades.

The story is found in Acts 14:11 & 19. In the space of 8 verses, the same people who set out to worship Paul and Barnabas were ready to send them to their deaths. What changed their minds about the two apostles so radically and rapidly? The “evil report” (rumors) leveled by Paul’s detractors in Pisidian Antioch and Iconium.

“The power of death and life is in the tongue” (Prov. 18:21).

Such is the nature of fallen mortals.

Recently someone wrote the following on their Facebook wall. Here’s what they said:

Over the years, I have watched Frank Viola respond to misrepresentation, unjust criticism, and the like. In my limited experience, he has been the most gracious and mature of anyone (including myself ) in his responses online to criticisms and in the way he addresses issues with a real gift for treating people with respect even when there is sharp disagreement.

This surprised me. Why? Because I assumed no one notices.

I’ve raised a standard of my life to not care if people notice such things or not. Because I have but one Person to please. And so do you.

At the same time, such “Barnabas-lifts” have a way of encouraging us on the journey. They are gracious reminders that God does in fact notice when we lay our lives down for His sake. With that thought in mind, let me leave you with three related thoughts to ponder:

Make a daily decision to live unto God rather than unto humans. Seek to please Him alone. As difficult as it is, lay down the desire to be a “man pleaser.” If you live to please humans, you’ll have your reward here and now (Matt. 6:5). Also, remember what happened in Lystra. Some who will sing your praises today will end up condemning you tomorrow.

If you see someone doing or saying something that inspires and encourages you in the Lord, let them know about it. You don’t know what difference it could make in their lives. It may be a needed word given in due season. One of my spiritual disciplines (practices) is to express gratitude and appreciation to those who have touched or enriched my life in some way. I try to never let that slip.

An exhortation from one beggar to another: Keep sacrificing. Keep losing. Keep laying your life down. Keep loving your enemies. Keep blessing those who despise you. Keep refusing to return fire upon those who bad-mouth you. Keep pouring your life into others, even if those same people never acknowledge it and others never notice. Keep freely sharing what God gives you, even if some steal your words and make them their own without giving you credit. Keep faithfully serving your Lord without looking back.

Why? Because there is One who is watching. And only His opinion matters.

I find it fascinating how Jesus connects having faith with seeking God’s approval alone:

“How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?” (John 5:44, ESV)

To lose sight of this is to live on the mere human level where numbers, praises, applauses, Twitter followers, Retweets, blog views, etc. determine your happiness.

In other words . . . live before an audience of One.

Monday is for Missiology: Answering Questions about God’s Mission

By

Ed Stetzer

-

March 21, 2020

One of the challenges of being an author is that you get asked to help a lot of students. I always try to help my students at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Southeastern Seminary, but I also try to help other students as I can (since I remember being on the other side, doing research for my D.Min. and then my Ph.D.). So, to do that, I try to respond to one interview request each month.

Recently, a doctoral student sent me some questions. Here are a few of the answers I gave.

On the mission of Christ in the world:

Christ’s mission is to glorify God by establishing the kingdom of God on the earth through His life, death, and resurrection and through the sending of the spirit-empowered Church. He accomplishes this mission primarily by redeeming people from their sins and equipping them to live a life of love for the advancement of the kingdom.

On the missional objective(s) of the church:

The missional objective(s) of the church are (in Lesslie Newbigin’s words) to be a sign and instrument of the kingdom of God. The believers/church do this by showing the redemptive power of God through transformed lives that are lived in the community of faith for the good of their world. They also do this by sharing the redemptive message of the gospel which is necessary for the eternal salvation of people.

On the importance of the missional “movement”:

God-honoring Christian movements occur because God in his kindness and wisdom chooses to bless a leader or leaders to mobilize people and churches. The church needs clear and courageous godly examples to point us to what God wants to do and is doing in our world. When God raises us such examples, the church should pay attention.

I believe God is doing this now in our generation with a number of different leaders and movements. The dangerous is always to see the movement as a end in itself rather than a mobilizing force for the cause of the kingdom for God’s glory (which is the ultimate end).

Movements, networks, and denominations are tools that God uses to encourage the church in its mission and to strength churches to accomplish more for the kingdom than they are able to alone.

I think we can plan and strategically work towards movements through networks and denominations, but we should remain rightly aware that true spiritual movements are not planned and organized by us. There are a gracious work of God for the building of his church.

Feel free to weigh in with your thoughts.

Do You Understand the Psalms?

By

Megan Briggs

-

March 21, 2020

This video gives a great overview of the historical background and intentional design of the book of Psalms.

“Blessed is the man who meditates on the law.” (Psalm 1)

May this help you understand and be transformed by the unique messages of the Psalms.

If you enjoyed this video from the Bible Project, you’ll like these as well:

Animated Explanation of ‘The Messiah’

This Animated Description of Holiness Will Permanently Change the Way You Worship God

Understanding the Book of Proverbs

The Gospel of the Kingdom

Can’t Do an Easter Egg Hunt? Easter Photo Scavenger Hunt Alternative

By

Christina Embree

-

March 21, 2020

Years ago, I put this Easter Photo Scavenger Hunt together for my church family but recently I’ve been seeing lots of posts looking for alternatives to Easter Egg Hunts. This family-focused Easter activity does not require social interaction, other than family members, and utilizes the outdoors, technology, and some creative storytelling to help families engage with the Easter story.

We’ve all got our smart phones in hand; why not put them to good use and use them to tell our children the story of Easter? After families find each “clue” the family takes a selfie together with the object they found so that by the end, not only do they have fun, faith-filled memories, they have seven new family pictures.

Feel free to use this Easter Photo Scavenger Hunt with your church and/or family and may we all be blessed as we consider together the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord!

Easter Photo Scavenger Hunt Clue #1 – Birth – Luke 2:6-12

This story begins in a different way

The Baby Jesus was sleeping on Hay

He was the Messiah, God’s Only Son

But His journey began as a quiet, humble one…

With your family, find a barn or manger and take a selfie together beside it. Think about what it meant that Jesus wasn’t born rich or mighty, but as a humble baby, just like us. Talk about why that is important to us as we follow Him.

Easter Photo Scavenger Hunt Clue #2 – Baptism – Matthew 3:13-17

As He grew, he gained respect from God and man

And His calling to save us, He began to understand

He declared He came to set the captives free

And was baptized by John to begin that journey.

John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. See if you can find a stream, a pool, a river, anything with water for your family selfie. Take some time to think about what happened when Jesus was baptized, how God spoke from heaven and what John said about Him.

Easter Photo Scavenger Hunt Clue #3 – Ministry – Matthew 4:18-20

Jesus began to teach all the people

They’d come to hear him, no building or steeple

He’d talk in the mountains and down by the sea

And to those who would listen, He’d say “Come, follow me!”

Jesus went to places where people were to talk to them about God’s Love. If Jesus were here today, where do you think he would teach? Take a picture of your family in the place you thought of and write down a little explanation of why you picked that place!

Easter Photo Scavenger Hunt Clue #4 – Miracles

Many people came to Jesus in need

Some sick and some lame, some broken indeed

And often Jesus would heal, touch or feed

News of Him spread around Israel with speed

There are many stories of Jesus’ miracles in the Bible. With your family pick your favorite story and read it together. There are several ways to take your family selfie – you can all point to the Scripture reference and take a pic; you can re-enact the story and take a pic; or you can take a video of your family reading or telling the story!

Clue #5 – Last Supper – Matthew 26:20-30

But some of the people did not like God’s Son

And started a plan to get rid of the One

So Jesus gathered his friends for a Passover meal

And shared what would happen; it seemed so unreal

During the Last Supper, Jesus explained that he would die and rise again, but the disciples didn’t understand his words. It was here that Jesus first described communion – the bread representing his body and the juice representing his blood. After this, he left and went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray before the soldiers came to arrest him. With your family, go find a garden or a patch of flowers. Take your picture together and consider how just a few weeks ago this ground was cold and dead, but today there is hope and new life. Jesus came that we might have new life and have it for all eternity!

***Easter Photo Scavenger Hunt* Clue #6 – Crucifixion – Matthew 27:32-56***

Betrayed by a friend, Jesus was arrested

He was tried by a court and his death was requested

On that saddest of days, our Savior did die

But within that dark moment, our salvation did lie

When Jesus died on the cross, his disciples and his friends lost all hope. But God had a bigger plan. A beautiful plan that was way bigger than they could see in that moment. We remember the cross as a place of suffering but also as a place of hope for all eternity. With your family, find a cross and take your picture and talk about how we can have hope in Jesus.

*Parents, this can be a difficult subject to approach with children. You know your kids best and what is the best way to share this part of the story. While I have included the Scripture reference, use your discernment and discretion when you share.

Easter Photo Scavenger Hunt Clue #7 – Resurrection – Luke 24:1-12

Some may think that our story is done.

But they would be wrong! It has only begun!

For after 3 days, Jesus rose from the dead

To give us New Life forever…just as He said!

Our greatest hope comes in knowing that we will get to spend all of eternity with Jesus and with all who follow him! We don’t have to be slaves to sin. Jesus can help us to live with joy and life now. That is what Easter is all about! Take a picture of your family celebrating with GREAT JOY that Jesus is ALIVE!

This article about an Easter Photo Scavenger Hunt originally appeared here.

Church Planter Explains Impact of Coronavirus Response in Italy

By

Reid Karr

-

March 21, 2020

God is at work and the church is rising up during the coronavirus response in Italy. A church planter in Rome gives his firsthand account.

Since Italy is a country that has experienced years of decreasing birth rates and is now considered an elderly country; the death rate in Italy is reflecting that reality. Currently travel is severely restricted, and stores and restaurants are all to remain closed until further notice. Only grocery stores and pharmacies are permitted to remain open, with some industries operating with restrictions. Going to a friend’s house for lunch or dinner is not allowed.

IMB church planter Reid Karr baptizes new believer, Akille De Chirico. The baptism took place in De Chirico’s home when the church was not able to meet due to the coronavirus outbreak. Church members watched the baptism online via a livestream.

These restrictions are of course having a significant impact on religious and church meetings of any kind. Churches have had to cancel services and find creative ways to meet and have community. Modern technology has been a huge blessing and help for many seeking corporate worship.

On Sunday, March 8 in Rome, Italy, the evangelical churches Breccia di Roma San Paolo and Breccia di Roma centro (downtown) were to meet together to celebrate the baptism of Akille De Chirico. Akille was adopted as a young boy from Ethiopia into an Italian family. His family has loved him unconditionally and walked with him through good times and difficult times. His father is a faithful pastor and his mother is a dedicated nurse.

Akille spent his childhood in a home where the gospel was taught and lived, and he followed his family to church where the gospel was faithfully preached. For Akille, however, Christianity was just one religion among many and had no claim to absolute truth. Akille began attending the church plant Breccia di Roma San Paolo in September 2018. The Lord built on the foundation of his many years of exposure to the gospel and opened his eyes to the exclusive truth claims of the good news of Jesus Christ. The Lord revealed to Akille that forgiveness of sins, redemption, salvation and eternal life are found in Christ alone. Akille made the decision to follow his profession of faith in Jesus with believer’s baptism.

The evening before his baptism, however, the government implemented new regulations that forbid all religious meetings and ceremonies. The churches simply could not meet for the baptism. Relatives had traveled in from out of town and were themselves worried about getting home with new travel bans.

While the churches planned to respect the government regulations, they did not want to forego the opportunity to celebrate the new life Akille has in Christ and the testimony of his baptism. Church leaders made the decision to move the baptism to his house. He would be baptized in the bathtub and those present would witness a visible demonstration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Members of Breccia di Roma San Paolo and Breccia di Roma centro watch a livestream of a worship service, which included the baptism of a new believer in a bathtub. Church planter, Reid Karr, says the churches will continue to livestream prayer meetings and worship services as long as government restrictions are in place.

While a handful of church members and relatives gathered at his house, others participated in the service thanks to a livestream of the celebration. Approximately 40 church members streamed the baptism live, and to date approximately 1,500 people have viewed the baptism online. The churches are thankful for the technology that permits them to celebrate the gospel in unusual circumstances, such as the coronavirus outbreak.

Akille’s baptism, and its broadcast, is an example of God bringing glory to Himself during this crisis. Adopted into a loving family here on earth, Akille has now also been adopted into a heavenly family by an eternal and loving God. Coronavirus or no coronavirus, church members and hundreds more witnessed Akille’s baptism that visibly testifies to his eternal adoption and his new life in Jesus Christ. To God be all the glory, and may He continue to be at work through the church to bring more to a saving faith in Christ.

Reid Karr is a church planter in Europe. He lives in Rome, Italy, with his wife, Stephanie, and three daughters.

This article about the Coronavirus Response in Italy originally appeared here.

Message From God: ‘Guide, guard, and groom’

Hobby Lobby has ‘proactively implemented measures’

Congregations Across the U.S. Hold Drive In Church

There’s so much more that I could share here, but hopefully this paints just a little picture of what it means to be a special needs family during this time. So now, what can you do to help?

Free Memory Game Printable

Here are seven lessons I’ve learned when it comes to getting and keeping the attention of teenagers:

1. Hook the attention of teenagers with humor, then impact them with truth.

2. Preach sound truth in sound bytes to capture the attention of teenagers.

3. Be painfully authentic to capture the attention of teenagers.

4. Preach with intensity and authority to capture the attention of teenagers.

5. Prepare like you’re going to war if you want to capture the attention of teenagers.

6. Take them seriously if you want to capture teenagers’ attention.

7. And if you seriously want to capture the attention of teenagers, don’t forget to tie your shoes.

The Secret

Could It Really Be So Simple?

1. Yoast SEO for WordPress

2. Thirsty Affiliates

3. Google Analytics

4. EasyAzon

5. Bloom

6. Monarch

7. AdvancedAds

Easter Photo Scavenger Hunt Clue #1 – Birth – Luke 2:6-12

Easter Photo Scavenger Hunt Clue #2 – Baptism – Matthew 3:13-17

Easter Photo Scavenger Hunt Clue #3 – Ministry – Matthew 4:18-20

Easter Photo Scavenger Hunt Clue #4 – Miracles

Clue #5 – Last Supper – Matthew 26:20-30

Easter Photo Scavenger Hunt Clue #6 – Crucifixion – Matthew 27:32-56*

Easter Photo Scavenger Hunt Clue #7 – Resurrection – Luke 24:1-12

New Articles

New Podcasts

***Easter Photo Scavenger Hunt* Clue #6 – Crucifixion – Matthew 27:32-56***