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How to Help Your Teens Overcome Their Coronavirus Fear

By
Greg Stier
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Father’s Day program ideas for church

Everybody’s freaking out.

School districts are closing. Large events are cancelling. Heck, even Disney World is temporarily shut down!

In the words of Bill Murray and crew in the classic movie Ghostbusters, “Earthquakes, volcanoes! The dead rising from the grave! Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria!”

And teenagers are especially freaking out (I know because I have two of them.) Social media is fueling a hysteria with “news” that predicts millions of people dying to the shut down of the government to a potential zombie apocalypse.

Obviously the Coronavirus is a real threat and people need to take precautions, but fear-mongering are the words of the day. And this is especially true among Generation Z who often have no filter to discern fake news, real news and flat out crazy.

Church Guide to Coronavirus 1

So how do we help teenagers deal with the threat of the Coronavirus? How do we help them wrestle their fears to the ground? Here are 4 action steps you, as a youth leader or parent, can take right away.

How to Address Coronavirus Fear With Teens

1.  Talk about it.

It’s probably not the time to do business as usual. At Dare 2 Share we have a training philosophy called ALTernative teaching. It stands for: Ask, Listen, Teach.

Ask teens how they are feeling about the pandemic. Ask them to be open about their thoughts and fears.

Listen to what they are saying. Listen deeply and try to fully understand and empathize with how they are feeling.

Then Teach what God’s Word has to say.

Maybe, it’s time for a Corona-series.  You could do a Faith Not Fear series. Heck, years ago, I wrote a book called Outbreak…Creating a Contagious Youth Ministry Through Viral Evangelism. You could order a copy of that and do a series on viral evangelism.

Don’t Quarantine the Great Commission

By
Russell Moore
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Father’s Day program ideas for church

Russell Moore, the president of the SBC’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, writes about how the Great Commission can continue in your church, even if you have to suspend services for a time.

This week Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said in a press conference that churches, as early as this weekend, should consider suspending services in light of the threat of the coronavirus (COVID-19). That threat, as all of us know by now, is very real. Yesterday the World Health Organization stated that the coronavirus “now qualifies as a pandemic.” And Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned this week that we must “assume it is going to get worse and worse and worse.”

Gov. Beshear is not the only governor urging caution. Tuesday, Gov. Mike Dewine of Ohio urged religious institutions to “consider limiting practices that could cause spread of germs” and that those in at-risk groups should “please think about staying home.” Likewise Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington announced a ban on gatherings of 250 people or larger in the Seattle area aimed primarily at sporting events and cultural gatherings.

Virtually every church leadership team is having conversations right now about when and whether to cancel future worship services. Most churches will not be closing this weekend, including many in Kentucky, though those decisions will be made differently in different areas based upon how widespread the manifestations of the virus are in those areas. But worshipping together isn’t something that is dispensable or ancillary for Christians, and most churches are rightfully more reluctant to cancel worship services than, say, a city government would be to cancel a Saint Patrick’s Day parade. After all, the corporate worship of the people of God is both a vital and fundamental aspect of the Christian life, which is commanded in Scripture (Heb. 10:25). Every congregation I have spoken to recognizes that there are indeed circumstances that would warrant cancelling services and they are preparing for such circumstances should they arise.

Church Guide to Coronavirus 1

Many churches are right now taking several measures. Most congregations are reconsidering the timing of short-term mission trips until the threat has substantially subsided. Even if the threat to the mission team is low, they would not want to jeopardize others if the team members themselves are carriers of the virus. Churches that have nursing home ministries or prison ministries will want to understand if those facilities attempt to halt such activities given the high risk nature of the population therein.

Several steps seem to be immediately prudent. Churches that have a time of shaking hands to greet one another are often opting to temporarily do away with that practice. Even those churches that have not changed that practice are making hand sanitizer readily available. Churches are also thinking through their setup for Sunday School, particularly children’s Sunday School where many people each week are touching screens or writing on clipboards to sign children into their classes. And most churches are thinking through how to ensure that facilities are even more thoroughly cleaned or sanitized between uses.

As Dr. Fauci warned, all Americans should be prepared for the worst case scenario. This means that even if events never necessitate the cancellation of services, churches should take steps right now to prepare not only their leadership teams but also their congregations for such a possibility.

The Great Commission Must Continue

Some churches have the ability to livestream their services for at-risk populations. Not every church is equipped to do this. But for those churches that do possess this capability, now would be the time to remind members of the congregation how to access those. This may mean telling the less tech savvy members step-by-step how to do so, or encouraging those who do know to set that up for them or to tell them how.

Now would also be the time for pastors and church leaders to tell their congregations how to continue giving if worship services are cancelled for a time. Many people, especially younger people, already give to their churches online. But the reality is that many people simply forget to give if they are not gathered together in worship. Church leaders can, again, walk people step by step through how to continue giving to the mission of their church. Perhaps even reminders such as “Don’t let coronavirus quarantine the Great Commission” might be in order in some churches.

Again, we should all hope for the best case scenario, even as we prepare for the worst case. Prudence and precaution is not a sign of panic or fearfulness, but, as the Bible commands us, of bearing one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2) and thinking more highly of others than ourselves (Phil 2:3). And, above all, we should pray. We should pray for the doctors and medical researchers who are working to create a vaccine for this virus and care for those affected. We should pray for our leaders in office, including the President, Vice President, governors, and local officials as they guide us through this moment. And we should pray especially for those who are elderly or infirm, for whom this virus could be a matter of life and death.

This article originally appeared here. 

Learn to Fly in the Fellowship

By
David Mathis
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Father’s Day program ideas for church

It’s a shame the word “fellowship” has fallen on hard times in some circles, and is dying the death of domestication and triviality. It is an electric reality in the New Testament, an indispensable ingredient in the Christian faith, and one of God’s chief means of grace in our lives.

The koinonia — the commonality, partnership, fellowship — which the first Christians shared wasn’t a common love for pizza, pop, and a nice clean evening of fun among the fellow churchified. It was their common Christ, and their common life-or-death mission together in his summons to take the faith worldwide in the face of impending persecution.

Rightly did Tolkien call his nine a “Fellowship of the Ring.” This is no chummy hobnob with apps and drinks and a game on the tube. It is an all-in, life-or-death collective venture in the face of great evil and overwhelming opposition. True fellowship is less like friends gathered to watch the Super Bowl, and more like players on the field in blood, sweat, and tears, huddled in the backfield only in preparation for the next down. True fellowship is more the invading troops side by side on the beach at Normandy, than it is the gleeful revelers in the street on V.E. Day.

Partnership for the Gospel

Not only did the first Christians devote themselves to the word (the apostles’ teaching, Acts 2:42), and to prayer (Acts 1:14; Acts 2:42), but also to “fellowship” (Acts 2:42). First, their fellowship was in Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:9), and in his Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14). They had become fellow heirs (Romans 8:17; Ephesians 3:6), Jew and Gentile now were fellow citizens (Ephesians 2:19), and soon they shared “all things in common” (Acts 2:44; 4:32). From top to bottom, the gospel creates community like no other.

But this fellowship is no isolated commune or static, mutual-admiration society. It is a “partnership for the gospel” (Philippians 1:5), among those giving their everything to “advance the gospel” (Philippians 1:12), knit together for “progress and joy in the faith” (Philippians 1:25). It is the fellowship in which, as Paul says to the Philippians, “you are all partakers with me of grace . . . in the defense and confirmation of the gospel” (1:7).

In such a partnership as this, we need not worry too much that we will forget the lost and sequester the gospel. Real fellowship will do precisely the opposite. The same Jesus who joins us commissions us. The medium of our relationship is the message of salvation. When the fellowship is true, the depth of love for each other is not a symptom of in-growth, but the final apologetic: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

The Twin Texts of Fellowship

But true fellowship not only labors to win the lost, but serves to keep the saints saved. The relational iceberg, lying just beneath the surface of the Scriptures, is especially close to sea level in Hebrews. Here rise the twin texts of Christian fellowship, stationed as guardians of the heart of the epistle, lest we try to access grace as isolated individuals. First, the better known is Hebrews 10:24-25:

Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

The remarkable thing is not the summons to keep meeting together, but the instruction that when you do, look past your own nose to the needs of others. There’s no “how” in the original language. A literal translation is, “Consider each other for love and good deeds.” Know each other. Get close. Stay close. Go deep. And considerparticular persons, and interact with them, such that you exhort and inspire them to love and good deeds specifically fitting to their mix.

Here we taste how potent, and personal, is fellowship as a means of grace. As partners under God’s word, and in prayer, a brother who knows me as me, and not generic humanity, speaks the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) into my life, and gives me a word “such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29).

Be the Means for Your Brother

The twin, then, is Hebrews 3:12-13:

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day . . . that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Here the charge lands not on the drifting saint to get himself back on the path, but on the others in the community — to have enough proximity to him, awareness of him, and regularity with him to spot the drift and war for him against the sin. This means of grace, then, in such a circumstance, has a unique function in the Christian life. It is not laid on the spiritually weak to muster their will and do the discipline, but for the body to take up discipline on behalf of the wanderer, to mediate grace to the struggler, to preempt apostasy by putting words into his open ear hole and praying for the Spirit to make them live.

The Glorious Backstop of Grace

Fellowship may be the often forgotten middle child of the spiritual disciplines, but she may save your life in the dark night of your soul. As you pass through the valley of the shadow of death, and the Shepherd comforts you with his staff, you will discover that he has fashioned his people to act as his rod of rescue. When the desire has dried up to avail yourself of hearing his voice (the word), and when your spiritual energy is gone to speak into his ear (prayer), he sends his body to bring you back. It’s typically not the wanderer’s own efforts that prompt his return to the fold, but his brothers’ (James 5:19-20), being to him a priceless means of God’s grace — the invaluable backstop.

It is not only God’s word and prayer that are the means of his ongoing grace, but true fellowship among those who have in common the one who is Grace incarnate (Titus 2:11). The grace of God cannot be quarantined to individuals. The healthy Christian, introverted or not, of whatever temperament, in whatever season, seeks not to minimize relationships with his fellows in Christ, but maximize them.

God has given us each other in the church, not just for company and co-belligerency, not just to chase away loneliness and lethargy, but to be to each other an indispensable means of his divine favor. We are for each other an essential element of the good work God has begun in us and promises to bring to completion (Philippians 1:6).

Such is the true fellowship.

‘I Still Believe’ Brings You the Incredible Love Story Behind Jeremy Camp’s Hit Song

By
Bri Lamm
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Father’s Day program ideas for church

Jeremy Camp may be one of the most household names of all time. He’s been topping billboards in the Christian sphere since the early millennium. His nine studio albums have sold over 4.5 million copies, and he’s still releasing new music today.

His success as a Christian artist started young, right out of college. It was during that time when Jeremy also met his wife, Melissa.

Their love story is one that only God could write, and on March 13th, it’s coming to a theater near you.

I Still Believe tells the real life love story of Jeremy Camp, (played by KJ Apa), and Melissa Henning, (played by Britt Robertson).

A budding musician, Jeremy was leading worship one night at an outdoor small group when he looked out into the crowd and saw Melissa with her hands raised, worshiping the Lord.

“I remember thinking, ‘wow, she loves Jesus,’” Jeremy said in an interview of the night he met Melissa. “This girl’s special,” he added.

The two began dating, and like many young relationships do, they hit a rough patch early on and called it quits.

But everything changed when Jeremy received a phone call one night, telling him Melissa had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. He dropped everything and drove from his hometown of Lafayette, Indiana, where he was home visiting, to California to go visit her.

When he walked in the room, Melissa’s face lit up with a smile. She was at total peace with her diagnosis, and proceeded to tell Jeremy that if she dies and just one person gives their life to Jesus from her having cancer, it would all be worth it.

Through prayer and obedience to the Lord, Jeremy and Melissa got engaged and walked an incredible journey of faith together. They saw God heal Melissa in ways that no doctor could have ever seen coming, and they got married shortly after her cancer appeared to be in remission.

On their honeymoon, Jeremy wrote the hit single, “Walk by Faith,” before their trip got cut short due to Melissa’s cancer returning with a vengeance.

They worshipped the Lord and walked through fire together as they once again faced her cancer head-on with faith.

I won’t spoil the movie for you, but Jeremy’s hit song “I Still Believe” came out of a desperate cry to the Lord in 2001.

“Although I wrote the song ‘I Still Believe’ in 15 minutes, it’s something I feel I’ve been writing my whole life,” Jeremy says. “It’s surreal to have the perfect people come together so I can share my story of hope in the midst of pain. I hope you’ll be encouraged.”

For the last two decades, Jeremy and Melissa’s remarkable journey of love and loss has proven that there is always hope in the midst of tragedy, and that faith tested is a faith worth sharing.

Melissa’s faith and her battle with cancer didn’t lead to just one person giving their life to Christ, it led to hundreds of thousands of lives and eternities being changed for God’s glory.

Jeremy still shares their story today because it’s a tangible example of God’s incredible faithfulness and redemption — even when we can’t see what He’s doing.

“I still believe in Your faithfulness

I still believe in Your truth

I still believe in Your holy word

Even when I don’t see, I still believe”

I hope when you go see I Still Believe on March 13th, you’ll be reminded of God’s faithfulness in your own life. I pray that Melissa’s unwavering faith and confidence in the Lord inspires your soul and reignites any dry bones within you to be on fire for the Lord, even when you can’t see what He’s doing.

And I hope you see the beauty and redemption that only God can bring from hard, painful, and unfathomable circumstances.

Grab your tickets and your kleenex, and catch I Still Believe in theaters this Friday.

Jeremy Camp

Ravi Zacharias Has Rare Form of Cancer

By
Megan Briggs
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ravi zacharias health
Screengrab Facebook @Ravi Zacharias

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

After asking his followers to pray for relief from the extreme pain he was experiencing following emergency back surgery, Ravi Zacharias has shared another, sobering update on his health. The apologist has just learned that he has a rare cancer.

“While we have assumed this pain was a natural consequence of the surgery, we have learned in the past week that a biopsy taken during the procedure revealed that I have a malignant tumor on my sacrum—a very rare cancer called Sarcoma.” 

Zacharias posted the update about his health on his Facebook page, which has over 800,000 followers. 

The apologist mentioned the next steps for dealing with his cancer. The plan is to wait for his back to heal from surgery, which should take another four or five weeks. Then he will begin treatment to shrink the tumor. Zacharias does not plan on returning to speaking until at least the summer, if not longer. 

Despite the jarring news, though, Zacharias remains hopeful and is placing his trust in God. He writes:

We are trusting the Lord in this, and we believe we have already seen evidence of His hand. For example, the tumor did not show up on any previous scans and was only discovered by my surgeon identifying it during surgery.

We received literally thousands of messages from people all over the world saying you were praying. I have every belief God directed and prompted my surgeon to his discovery of this tumor. Margie and I and our family are so grateful for your continued prayers for the journey that lies ahead.

Zacharias assured followers that the work of his ministry would continue even while he is undergoing treatment. “Several of our remarkable speaking team members have been able to step in for me as I am off the road during this time of surgery and recovery,” he writes. 

Two years ago, Zacharias lost one of those team members, Nabeel Qureshi, to stomach cancer. Zacharias says his team is nearly 100 people strong and that they are “speaking hundreds of times in front of live audiences across the globe” in any given month.

Zacharias asks for those concerned to continue praying for him and his family, as this is a very trying time for all of them. He specifically asked for followers to pray about the pain he’s experiencing, which is acute at night: “Please do also pray that God will take away this horrific night pain, which is the most difficult part of waiting.”

The Gift of a Decline in the Stock Market

By
Eric Geiger
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Father’s Day program ideas for church

The stock market is declining and that could be a gift for many of us. Money is not the root of all kinds of evil, but the longing and lusting for it is (1 Timothy 6:10). Greed is the corruption of the good and God-given desire to manage resources well, to provide for your family, and to be fruitful in this life. Greed is the corruption of that desire to the point when the gift of money becomes our god. Just as we can struggle with pride if we have a low view of ourselves or a high view of ourselves because we are still focused on ourselves, we can struggle with greed if we are rich or poor, in plenty or in scarcity, because greed is about the focus of our hearts.

I heard Tim Keller say in a sermon that you can tell if something is an idol for you by how you respond when it is taken away.

A decline in the stock market is a gift for us Christians because it helps us evaluate how firm of a grip greed has on our hearts. Many people took a hit when the stock market dipped and found themselves still content because their ultimate hope is not in the number on the screen. Of course, they were disappointed, but they were not crushed. For others, a drop in the stock market felt as if more than their net financial worth took a hit. It felt as if they lost part of who they are, their hope, and their sense of worth. Having possessions is vastly different from possessions having us. Having an investment portfolio is vastly different from an investment portfolio having you. A decline in the stock market is a gift because it helps us evaluate if we are stewards or if we are owned by what we think we own.

One response to having less is seen in a man who asks Jesus for more. Jesus told the famous parable of the rich fool in response to a man who wanted Jesus to fix his portfolio – to step in and have his brother give him more of the inheritance (Luke 12:13-21). He was not content, and he viewed Jesus as a means to get more. He did not come to Jesus for Jesus but for Jesus to give him more money. He was willing to use people, even Jesus, to get more.

A very different response is the Apostle Paul – who wrote that he was able to do all things through Him who strengthened him (Philippians 4:13). He was not speaking about bench-pressing 400 pounds, getting his dream job, or dunking a basketball. He was speaking about being “content in whatever circumstances he found himself – with a little or a lot.” He was content with a little or a lot because his contentment came from One much greater – Christ who was his treasure and not his means to get something else.

While the stock market may decline, the Lord’s love for us never does. While stocks may ebb and flow, His commitment to us is consistent. We can be content because we already have the greatest treasure, the greatest possession – Christ Himself.

This article originally appeared here.

Understanding God’s Silence

By
Josh Weidmann
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Father’s Day program ideas for church

God’s silence is often difficult to understand. It reminds me of a long drive I once took.

I just needed to get away. The stress of ministry life, family life, and just life seemed to be overwhelming to me. I described my life as a stereo turned up all the way and the volume control was broken off. I didn’t need to just turn down the noise–I needed to turn it off.

After a particularly hectic and exhausting few months, I decided to find a quiet and secluded place to hide. I had heard about a caboose that was in the backyard of a rural property about a half hour east of my house. It had been taken off the tracks and plopped in a secluded place, retrofitted with a couch, a few blankets, a heater, and a table inside. The owner was more than willing to let me to use it for the day.

As I drove east, the four-lane highway soon became a two-lane street and finally a dirt road. I traveled farther from civilization and deeper into farming acreage of Parker, Colorado. Eventually–after passing some hills, horses, and barns–I came to the address of the home with the old red caboose in the back. True to the owner’s description, the small caboose looked like an enlarged version of the toy train car I played with as a kid. I let myself through the side gate, unlocked the caboose, and entered into . . . silence. There I sat smack-dab in what felt like the middle of nowhere. No traffic. No neighbors. No blaring car stereos. No helicopters thumping overhead.

And no Internet connection. Or cell signal.

It wasn’t an hour after I arrived for my “silent retreat” that I felt the undeniable symptoms of withdrawal. You know exactly what I mean. I quickly discovered that I am just as susceptible as anyone when there’s no Wi-Fi or cell signal available. As much as I tried to suppress the feelings, I grew anxious and uneasy. I got fidgety. I paced. I compulsively checked my phone to see if any bars magically appeared.

Most of us don’t like to admit it, but when we are not connected to the outside world through our devices, it feels like a major crisis. How in the world did people survive when they had to put letters in the mail and wait a week for a reply? Or find a payphone on the street corner to make a call? Or obtain news from a daily newspaper or weekly magazine? Those days are drastically different from the 24/7 connectivity we experience today.

Few things in our modern life are as important as having a connection. Chances are that right now you have a Smartphone nearby, or a tablet, or some other device that keeps you in touch with friends, coworkers, family, celebrities, and your go-to websites. When we lose connection, we feel lost, edgy, even desperate.

What applies to our cell phones also applies to our spiritual lives, with far more significant implications. Sometimes when we attempt to connect with God, it seems as if we can’t access Him. The line has gone dead. The signal has dropped.

I imagine that you and I have had similar experiences, probably many times: In the midst of a painful situation, you cry out to God, longing for connection with Him, only to find . . . nothing. Silence. No reply. Our prayers seem to bounce right off the ceiling and back into our lap. We wait for God to speak to us in that still, small voice, but He doesn’t appear eager to dialogue.

We might chuckle at ourselves for feeling antsy when we lose Wi-Fi connection, but there’s nothing remotely funny about the times you experience God’s silence. People of faith often say the most painful times in their spiritual journey are when they really need God and it feels like He’s really not there. We’re left to wonder, Doesn’t He care? Has He turned His back on me? Why would He allow me to go through life alone? 

NOTHING IS MORE DISHEARTENING THAN FEELING GOD’S SILENCE

I used to walk the streets of Chicago when it rained. I found this was the best time to have a good crying session because people couldn’t tell the difference between teardrops and raindrops. That was a season of my life when I felt that God was nowhere to be found. I was studying at Bible school, dating a Christian girl in hopes to make her my wife, even preaching most weekends. But I still felt far from God.

There were nights I would lay in my bed and bite down on the sheets as I cried, hoping no one in the house would hear me. It is a terrifying thing when God feels distant. The fear of messing something up, disappointing God, or acting in solitude will paralyze any soul. When we don’t sense God in our life, we experience confusion more than clarity and fear more than comfort.

Though my life has been relatively short, it has been filled with many trials and lessons that caused me to grow up quickly. Some of those are tied to major changes or decisions I had to make at a young age. Some of them are tied to loss of people or situations I never expected. If I am honest with myself, I can say that there was a sense of God’s presence in some of these situations, but not all of them. When I prayed, I sometimes felt like I was making a call and no one was picking up on the other end. All I wanted was clarity.

If God would have just told me which way to turn, I was willing to obey. Yet He wasn’t telling me anything. If God would have just explained the loss, I may not have questioned so much. Those were the times when God felt more like a math tutor, having me do it on my own first and then He would show me where I messed up after I already tried to solve the problem. While that may not have been true, that’s how it felt.

Then there are the mundane days of life when God’s voice feels muffled. The busyness of my job and family life cause Him to feel far. Everyone else seems to grab for my attention. Every other created thing—even the crickets—seems to have a louder voice than God. It’s like He is sitting in the corner refusing to talk until everything else is quiet. I can’t blame Him. He deserves the right to speak without other things distracting from His voice. But I can’t seem to slow down or silence the noise, so He stays hushed instead. As my caboose getaway reinforced, finding stillness and solitude is easier said than done, even when we make a concerted effort.

Kay Warren on the Sacred Privilege of Being a Pastor’s Wife

By
Kay Warren
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Father’s Day program ideas for church

Being a pastor’s wife has had its ups and downs, its highs and lows. I remember that first Sunday…

“They’re here! I can’t believe it—but they’re really here!”

It was a beautiful, sunny Easter Sunday morning in Southern California, and Saddleback Valley Community Church officially launched. For 12 weeks, we and a small band of believers had met together in our home to dream, plan and organize this launch day. We had hand-addressed and hand-stamped 15,000 letters to the community, introducing ourselves and our new church. We scoured yard sales and swap meets for used nursery equipment. We copied pages from coloring books for toddlers. We searched through lists of students from a local college to find childcare workers. I practiced the hymns (complete with updated lyrics to a few) on the piano to be certain my nervous fingers didn’t hit the wrong notes. We rented a portable sound system for the Laguna Hills High School Performing Arts Theater. Rick poured over the Bible for weeks, praying for God’s words to speak to the folks that might show up. We prayed. We fasted. We believed in faith. On April 6, 1980, we stood at the gates to Laguna Hills High School and waited nervously, hoping and praying that at least a few people would try our new church.

They came! First one car, then three, then a dozen, then more. People of all ages—families, singles, old, young and everything in between—began pouring out of the cars, quickly filling the parking lot. Rick and I enthusiastically greeted them all—hardly able to take in the truth that all our wild hopes were coming true. I remember smiling through tears at one point as I held out my hand in welcome to one of the 205 folks who read our mass mailing or heard about a new church for “those not interested in a traditional church” and decided to give it a shot. “God,” I whispered, “You are faithful. This is going to work!”

A church was born that day. Rick became a senior pastor, and I was given a sacred privilege: being a pastor’s wife.

In the nearly four decades since, we have had front-row seats to witness thousands upon thousands of men, women and children experience the grace of God to change their lives. This is their spiritual home, and we are family. These amazing people live sacrificially and give sacrificially so that others can know Jesus Christ as they do. These amazing people have taken the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every country in the world. These amazing people volunteer to wash windows, clean toilets, sort trash to buy Bibles, teach squirrelly toddlers and students, host small groups in their homes, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, teach English as a second language, tutor kids, walk the meanest streets to share God’s love with prostitutes and johns, courageously tell of how they’ve overcome their hurts habits and hang-ups through Celebrate Recovery, visit those behind bars, form care groups for people living with HIV and AIDS, adopt orphaned children locally and from around the world, embrace those living with mental illness, tear down the taboos of talking about suicide in church, offer grief support, take meals to families facing a crisis, use art to heal broken places in the soul, apply their gifts of technology, write music that honors God, help cranky and anxious drivers find parking spaces, and extend the love of Jesus into every corner of our community and beyond.

I have loved every second of being a pastor’s wife.

Well, almost every second. There were a few times…

  • I wished Rick had been anything but a pastor. A plumber…a pharmacist…a photographer…a principal—anything but a pastor.
  • I envied other families taking leisurely bike rides on a Saturday afternoon while my husband was feverishly finishing his message. I admit to being jealous of couples going on Friday night dates while my husband studied or being sad that other friends went out to lunch after church on Sunday while my husband came home and collapsed into bed after preaching as many as six services.
  • There have been times I resented the intrusion of the ministry into every Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Easter, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
  • Times when family vacation had to be moved to accommodate a major event at church.
  • Times my heart was shredded when people we had invested in, loved dearly, grown so close with left the church. Some went quietly, lacking the courage to tell us directly. Some made a lot of noise, telling everyone they could how terrible Saddleback was. All I knew was it hurt. Badly.
  • Times when my kids were treated unfairly; when too-high expectations by Sunday school teachers and youth workers and church members who thought the pastor’s family should be perfect all the time created pressure for them.
  • Times when the stress of living with a mentally ill child who threatened suicide on a regular basis made it almost impossible to do the standard meet-and-greet on the patio—clenching my teeth in a forced smile that belied the ache and anxiety in my heart.
  • A time when grieving my son’s death in public was a burden too heavy to carry and I couldn’t go to church for four months.

Yes, the cost of being a pastor’s wife has been high.

Not only has our family paid a price in ministry, we have been tested by breast cancer, melanoma, mental illness, chronic and debilitating illness, a brain tumor, suicide, catastrophic loss. Sometimes God has moved mountains and parted the Red Sea for us; sometimes he hasn’t. Sometimes I can hear God and sometimes I can’t. Trouble, disappointment and sorrow have grown a resilient soul.

How can you develop resilience? What does it look like to stay in ministry when the wheels come off the bus? Where do ministry families go for help when addiction, adultery, rebellious kids, financial ruin, cancer, soul-scarring criticism or a loved one’s death leave us burned out, bitter or broken? Is it really possible to not only survive but thrive? How do we release the God-given gifts and abilities to bless and grow the church? Is there such a thing as loving a life in ministry?

Sacred Privilege: Your Life and Ministry as a Pastor’s Wife takes a raw and honest look at those crucial questions. As I’ve traveled and listened to pastors’ wives from around the world, the questions, issues and challenges are identical. Even though we experience a variety of cultures, pastors’ wives need the same encouragement, inspiration and direction to become resilient in the reality of the pluses and minuses, ups and downs, joys and sorrows that come with a life in ministry.

I still say being a pastor’s wife is a sacred privilege, the highest privilege I can imagine.

This article about being a pastor’s wife originally appeared here.

Navigating the Tension Between System and Spirit

By
Dan Reiland
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Father’s Day program ideas for church

The church is a unique combination of the natural and supernatural.

  • The natural brings systems and structures.
  • The supernatural brings the Spirit of God.

When the two are balanced, the church can operate at its best.

  • All structure with no spirit can result in a lifeless organization.
  • All spirit with no structure can result in chaotic inspiration.

The goal is to bring the two together for spirit-filled Kingdom progress.

All of that is easy to say but challenging to live.

There is understandable tension wherever system and Spirit are expected to live in tandem.

When we combine natural and supernatural, we invite the unexpected.

Every church begins with a vision breathed by God and birthed by the power of His Spirit. However, the larger it gets it requires organization to move forward.

Churches and church leaders naturally resist systems and structure for three reasons:

  1. They don’t feel spiritual. (Like money doesn’t feel spiritual, but of course, it is significantly spiritual in nature.)
  2. They seem to contradict a relational approach.
  3. They demand a certain level of discipline that does not allow us to do whatever we want to do.

Let me offer a classic example we can easily connect with regardless of your personal church experience.

During a Sunday morning worship service, you sense the Spirit of God doing something special.

The worship is powerful, and the sermon is “extra-anointed,” so the pastor keeps on preaching, and the worship kicks back in for a few more songs. Many come forward for salvation and baptism.

The congregation walks out with their hearts filled, saying to everyone in the lobby and on social channels, “The service was powerful. It was like a modern-day book of Acts.”

This is what you pray for, right?!

Except that the service was supposed to end at 10:30 am so the next service can start at 11:00 am. And it’s 10:50 am.

Oops.

Enter holy chaos.

Guests are unhappy, and volunteers are frustrated.

The parking lot can’t empty because new people are trying to get in. The volunteers in the children’s ministry are so ready to be done, but they can’t leave, and their families are getting frustrated because they made plans for lunch!

People who did get in the parking lot are trying to check their kids in, but the kids in the previous service haven’t been checked out yet, so they can’t. The lobby is filling because they haven’t opened the doors to let the first group out yet.

Perhaps this story isn’t yours, but I’m sure you can substitute your story to fit. The leaders are emphatic that “somebody” needs to fix this because it’s the third time in five weeks.

Let’s take a very different situation.

The church board needs to make a major decision, but church policy and governance are blocking the heart and discernment of the board.

1/3 of the board is justifiably adamant about the rules, by-laws, and constitution. 1/3 third of the board is passionate about the heartfelt decision they believe is led by the Spirit. The final 1/3 third of the board remains silent because of the tension.

The larger the organization, the church, the greater the difficulty in integrating the freedom of the spirit and the structure of systems.

The marriage of system and spirit is a tension to manage, not a problem to solve.

Problems must be solved, and tensions can’t be solved.

If you achieve a “pseudo solve” to real tension, you have unintentionally tamed or neutralized an essential part of your culture.

What Is a Stronghold? Eric Mason Answers

By
Andrew Hess
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The word “stronghold” occurs over sixty times in the bible, most of those being in the Old Testament. But what does the concept of stronghold mean and why does it matter? Pastor Eric Mason of Epiphany Fellowship in Philadelphia tackles this question as it pertains to Godly masculinity. Watch the following video for Pastor Mason’s explanation.

Mason defines a stronghold this way: A mind set, a value system, or thought process that hinders your growth in Christ. This is important to remember because we typically think of strongholds as actions such as sexual trespasses, drug addictions, or alcoholism. But the Apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Corinth suggests that strongholds are accusations and lies that plant themselves in the minds of believers that demean the character of God. In fact, before we are addicted to sins we are first addicted to unbelief and this forms the nucleus of a stronghold. Read the following passage and be challenged by Pastor Mason:

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete. (2 Corinthians 10:3-6)

Church Audio Training Takeaways From the 2020 Worship Summit

By
Duke Taber
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Father’s Day program ideas for church

Last week I had the privilege of watching the free church production training put on at the Worship Summit Live conference sponsored by PTZ Optics. Their first session was audio training for churches. The first featured guest speaker was Dr. Barry Hill. Dr. Hill is the author of “Mixing for God” (see on Amazon) and the director of the Audio & Music Production Degree Program at the Lebanon Valley College of Pennsylvania. Dr. Hill spoke on the subject of church audio training.

Dr. Hill was very informative and taught this old rock n roller a few new things especially when talking about digital mixers and church audio training. Dr. Hill is not just a professor but a practitioner at his local church where he plays keyboards and manages the church sound training for volunteers.

Here is the free church audio training video that was presented at the conference.

Church Sound Training Seminar

Developing A Mental Model

Dr. Hill talks about how sound professionals look at a soundboard differently than volunteers. Professionals see processes and volunteers see a whole lot of knobs. He goes into how to show your volunteers how to think when they look at the soundboard. Especially where it relates to signal flow and how the signal flows through the mixing console.

Knowing The Components Of A Sound System

Dr. Hill talks about making a diagram of your sound system. From the point of origin of the signal to the final destination of the speakers. How each part hooks together and how it runs through the mixing console whether or not it is an analog mixer or a digital mixer.

He goes through the difficulties some volunteers have with understanding the signal processing in digital mixers and why he chose a Yamaha T5 for his church.

He later talks about why it is important to label everything in your sound system and where it connects to. He recommends the same for your computer systems and visual components of your worship experience.

Your volunteers need this information because if they do not know how everything hooks together and how the signal flows, then when something is not working, they will not know where to look to find the problem.

Knowing The Tools Of Your Sound System

Dr. Hill talks about the different tools your sound system can use to make your sound the best it can be. He talks about equalizers, compressors, and reverb units.

He goes into specific detail on how to set up each unit and what to watch out for so that you use the tools to their greatest ability.

Signal Levels

He then goes on to explain the use of signal levels and how those levels affect other parts of the system. What I found interesting is that if you use the mic preamp to adjust volume, you not only adjust house volume but you also adjust the monitor volume, so if not done properly, you will mess up the monitor levels for your musicians. He talks about your faders and how they will affect the entire sound. For some, this may be basic knowledge but for a volunteer this is crucial.

Setting Your Stage Volume

Dr. Hill says that the less sound that actually comes from the stage the better. He talks about using personal monitor mixers, in-ear monitors, guitar modeling units, and drum shields.

One of the things I learned was some great ideas on the drum shield and placing an insulated drum mat (see on Amazon) underneath the drums to help keep the boom down to a bare minimum.

Church Audio Essentials And Tips

Finally, Dr. Hill finished with some church sound tips and things to help in church audio training for your volunteers to competently run your church sound system. He talked about…

  • Teaching them to pay attention to detail. What to pay attention for.
  • How to teach them what is good sound quality.
  • How to keep things consistent.
  • How to know if somebody is willing to learn or they think they know everything.
  • How to train non-musicians how to listen to music like a sound engineer listens.

Final Thoughts On This Church Sound System Training Seminar

This session of the Worship Live Summit was excellent. I have been playing music since 1976 and still I learned some things I didn’t know. If you or your church volunteers are new to mixing sound for a church service, I highly recommend taking the hour or so it takes to watch the video and I suggest you get Dr. Barry Hill’s book Mixing For God at Amazon.

 

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

Opinion: ‘This Virus Is NOT About You’—A Plea to the Young and Healthy to Stop Being Selfish

By
Megan Briggs
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Father’s Day program ideas for church

An opinion piece about loving your neighbor in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak.

When I walked into the gym this morning, the instructor of the group fitness class I was attending politely asked me to wipe down the bike I would be using before and after I used it. “Sure thing,” I said. She smiled at me and thanked me for being so understanding. It seemed odd she felt the need to thank me for doing something so trivial, but then I understood when the next person walked into the room and rolled her eyes when presented with the same request.

I belong to the YMCA and there are several elderly people who also belong. There are also a lot of kids who play sports and attend after-school programs. There are moms who recently gave birth. There are people recovering from serious diseases that left their immune systems compromised. These people are vulnerable, but, just like the rest of us, are still in need of exercise (and community). 

Then there are people like me, relatively young and healthy and just looking for a good workout. And these are the people I want to address–my demographic. Folks, quit rolling your eyes when you’re asked to take an extra step or two for the sake of hygiene. Also, please have a little more understanding when church services, social events, flights, etc. are cancelled (as painful and disruptive as these things may be).

Church Guide to Coronavirus 1

This Is About Loving Your Neighbor

It’s up to us–those who aren’t necessarily at risk of being seriously affected by the coronavirus–to do whatever we can to help those who are vulnerable. This is the least we can do. Being circumspect in this season is how we can love our neighbors as ourselves.

Personally, I haven’t been all that affected by the virus. My daily routine is virtually undisturbed. But I know people who have been seriously inconvenienced. For instance, my supervisor took a trip to Italy before the quarantines in that country were in place. Her mother-in-law also passed away during that time, and upon reentry to the U.S., she and her husband realized they should self-quarantine. They had to make the painful decision not to attend the funeral due to the risk they might present to all of the elderly people who would likely be present. Imagine missing your mother’s funeral because you unwittingly ran into a virus and didn’t want to expose others who may be vulnerable to it. 

This is loving your neighbor. 

Pastor Craig Groeschel made a similar decision to self-quarantine after traveling to Germany for a conference. It’s not easy spending 14 days by yourself, which he has stated multiple times. He’s experienced loneliness and frustration. Yet he felt the need to protect his family and his congregation from being exposed. 

This is being a responsible human being who cares about the people around you. This is practicing common sense.

Stop Judging Other Churches

Another thing I want to address is all the judgment being placed on churches for the decisions they are making regarding services. At ChurchLeaders, we read a lot of comments on social media concerning the stories we write and curate. I can’t tell you how many comments I’ve seen all over the internet (a lot of them, unfortunately, coming from fellow believers) mocking Bethel Church for their decision to tell their students to hold off on visiting hospitals to pray and lay hands on people for faith healing. Believe me, I understand the irony of the situation. You may have your theological disagreements with Bethel Church, but please don’t mock them for following the advice of medical experts and practicing common sense. 

Every church is going to have to decide in the coming weeks whether or not it needs to stop meeting publicly and move to online services. We all need to understand that this is a community-specific decision that congregations need to make for themselves (unless, of course, the local government mandates you suspend services). Let’s stop insinuating that those ministers who decide it’s in the congregation’s best interest to suspend services for a while lack faith or are giving into panic. 

I found a Twitter thread that was very encouraging in the midst of all the confusion and opinions. Tish Harrison Warren, a minister in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, gave some insight into what goes into a church’s decision to suspend services for a period. Warren writes:

Former Muslim From Sudan Forced Into Hiding

By
Morning Star News
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Father’s Day program ideas for church

JUBA, South Sudan (Morning Star News) – It was more than a year ago that Muslims in the disputed area between Sudan and South Sudan noticed that Ahmed Alnour was no longer reciting his Islamic prayers five times a day.

The tribesman of the ethnic Misseriya Arabs was helping support his wife and seven children in Sudan working as a scrap trader at the Ameth common market in Abyei, a 4,072-square mile special administrative area on the border formed from the peace agreement that ended civil war in Sudan in 2005.

Alnour would soon have to leave that work, forced to flee when area Muslims confirmed that he had become a Christian.

“I saw them and heard them saying, ‘We will kill you because you left Islam and became infidel,’” he said of their attempt to burn down his home the afternoon of April 1, 2019.

Neighbors were able to douse the flames and he escaped unharmed, but on April 8 the assailants returned at 1 a.m. as he slept. He awoke to find his house in flames.

Alnour told Morning Star News that before Christians arrived to rescue him, he heard one of the assailants say in Arabic, “Let us throw him back in the fire, since he has abandoned Islam.”

The Christians took him to a hospital for treatment the following morning. He had lost all his possessions in the fire, including 600,000 South Sudanese pounds equivalent to US$6,000, but he had not lost his faith in Christ, he said.

The 43-year-old father of seven children ages 4 to 24 had put his faith in Christ just a few months prior. Paralyzed from an illness for three months in Agok, Abyei area, he received a visit from two evangelists who prayed for him and told him of salvation in Christ.

Alnour said he felt a conviction in his heart, and that after placing his trust in Christ he was healed.

“I was able to get up and walk after three months of sickness,” he said.

He was baptized at a church last Christmas. In hiding since the attacks last year, he has obtained a job and temporary quarters from church friends at an undisclosed village in the Abyei area.

Risks are growing as Muslims are looking for him, he said. Fear of Muslims’ reactions in Sudan and lack of economic opportunity keep him from going home to his family, but someday he hopes to be able to return and tell them about Christ, he said.

“I want to tell my family about my new faith in Jesus, and I am sure they will believe with me,” Alnour said.

In light of advances in religious freedom since Omar al-Bashir was ousted as president of Sudan in April 2019, the U.S. State Department announced on Dec. 20 that Sudan had been removed from the list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) that engage in or tolerate “systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom” and was upgraded to a watch list.

Sudan had been designated a CPC by the U.S. State Department since 1999.

Following the secession of South Sudan in 2011, Bashir had vowed to adopt a stricter version of sharia (Islamic law) and recognize only Islamic culture and the Arabic language. Church leaders said Sudanese authorities demolished or confiscated churches and limited Christian literature on the pretext that most Christians have left the country following South Sudan’s secession.

In April 2013 the then-Sudanese Minister of Guidance and Endowments announced that no new licenses would be granted for building new churches in Sudan, citing a decrease in the South Sudanese population. Sudan since 2012 has expelled foreign Christians and bulldozed church buildings. Besides raiding Christian bookstores and arresting Christians, authorities threatened to kill South Sudanese Christians who did not leave or cooperate with them in their effort to find other Christians.

After Bashir was deposed, military leaders initially formed a military council to rule the country, but further demonstrations led them to accept a transitional government of civilians and military figures, with a predominantly civilian government to be democratically elected in three years. Christians were expected to have greater voice under the new administration.

The new government that was sworn in on Sept. 8, 2019 led by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, an economist, is tasked with governing during a transition period of 39 months. It faces the challenges of rooting out longstanding corruption and an Islamist “deep state” rooted in Bashir’s 30 years of power.

Sudan ranked 7th on Christian support organization Open Doors’ 2020 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.

If you would like to help persecuted Christians, visit here for a list of organizations that can orient you on how to get involved.  

Craig Groeschel Encourages Lonely People in Quarantine

By
Jessica Lea
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Father’s Day program ideas for church

On the thirteenth day of his quarantine, Pastor Craig Groeschel of Life.Church shared some thoughts for those who might feel “a bit discouraged” or “a little bit alone” from being quarantined because of the coronavirus. 

“Today is number 13 of 14 days I’ve been completely isolated in a quarantine,” said Groeschel, whose quarantine is now over. “We were not created to be alone. In fact, isolation is a form of punishment or torture. This is not something that’s easy.” 

To anyone who might think his experience in quarantine was a restful, relaxing break from work, Groeschel said, “You’ve never been quarantined before.”  

Life.Church Pastor’s Advice for Those in Isolation

Being isolated for days on end is difficult and not what God intended for people. Groeschel said that a major key to rising above the discouragement that comes with unwanted solitude is to redirect what our minds are focusing on. “What you’re going to find is that no matter what you’re going through, most of life’s battles are won or lost in the mind,” said the Life.Church pastor. “The mind is so important. And so when I feel alone, when I feel discouraged, I redirect my mind toward truth.” 

Groeschel referenced Philippians 4:8, which says, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

“If you find yourself quarantined or discouraged,” he said, “let me just remind you: Think on things that are pure and lovely and excellent. Think about what you do have, don’t think about what you’ve lost.”

The pastor said that even though he did not then have the freedom to interact with other people, he reminded himself that many people throughout the world are in much worse situations and he has much to be thankful for.

Other Practical Advice for Those in Isolation

Groeschel encouraged people in quarantine to be proactive with their time. Start the day off, he advised, by getting up early: “Don’t sleep in, don’t feel lazy.” Get ready for your day like you normally would by taking a shower and putting on some “good clothes.” Said Groeschel, “Tell yourself, ‘I’m healthy, I’m whole.’ Then make some goals. Be productive. Don’t just be a bump on a log. You’ll feel depressed.” It’s also a good idea to exercise and eat well, even if you don’t feel motivated to do so. Instead of watching a lot of TV (which will also depress you), Groeschel recommended reading a book.

“Stretch your mind,” said the Life.Church pastor, circling back to his initial ideas about the war in the mind and the importance of thankfulness. As believers, we have much to be grateful for, not least of which is the comfort of our relationship with God. “You have the presence of God,” said Groeschel. “You have the power of his Word. You have his Holy Spirit dwelling within you.”

Church Guide to Coronavirus 1

Groeschel’s advice is timely as the coronavirus continues to spread in the United States, and many people, including other ministers, are being quarantined. For example, Reverend Timothy Cole tested positive for the coronavirus after returning to D.C. from the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes conference in Louisville, Kentucky, at the end of February. Even though Cole displayed no symptoms of the virus while at the conference (attended by over 500 people), authorities have recommended that anyone who came into contact with him self-quarantine.  

Other ministers who attended the conference have since tested positive for the coronavirus, including Father Robert Pace of Trinity Episcopal Church in Fort Worth and Reverend Janet Broderick with All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Beverly Hills.

ChurchLeaders has developed a comprehensive church guide to coronavirus for congregations seeking to help their communities navigate the outbreak. Pastors and church leaders should also be aware of this free online streaming service that will soon be available to help churches move their worship services online.

It is easy to be fearful about the virus and discouraged about being quarantined. But we should never forget, as Pastor Greg Laurie recently reminded us, that “God is bigger than the coronavirus.”

The Secret Sexual Revolution

By
Pete Wilson
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Father’s Day program ideas for church

Since I get to pastor a church with a high percentage of adult singles I found THIS article entitled “The Sexual Revolution” written by Tyler Charles very interesting. He writes…

And the reality is the numbers arenʼt going down. Of those 80 percent of Christians in the 18-29 age range who have had sex before marriage, 64 percent have done so within the last year and 42 percent are in a current sexual relationship.

In addition to having premarital sex, an alarming number of unmarried Christians are getting pregnant. Among unmarried evangelical women between the ages of 18 and 29, 30 percent have experienced a pregnancy (a number thatʼs actually 1 percent higher than among those who donʼt claim to be evangelical).

According to the Guttmacher Institute, nearly half of all pregnancies in America are unintended. And of those, 40 percent end in abortion. More than 1 million abortions occur in the United States each year. But perhaps the most disturbing statistic for the Church: 65 percent of the women obtaining abortions identify themselves as either Protestant or Catholic (37 percent Protestant and 28 percent Catholic). Thatʼs 650,000 abortions obtained by Christians every year.

The pregnancy stats are shocking to many—and the abortion stats horrifying— but the root problem is the willingness to have sex before marriage. Without sex, pregnancies and abortions donʼt happen.

There are the stats. I don’t think there’s a whole lot there that will be crazy shocking, but now we’ve got to ask why. Why is there little to no difference in how Christ followers and non-Christ followers handle themselves when it comes to sex before marriage? Is this some sort of new sexual revolution or are we just more open about it in today’s culture? The article continues…

The mediaʼs marketing of sex, the cultural endorsement of the “do what feels good” mentality, the prevalence of pornography and the widespread misunderstanding of sex that prompts people to chase after love and acceptance in unhealthy physical relationships are all factors that make it difficult to practice chastity. The reality is chastity is not the norm. And such a discipline is certainly not easy.

Godʼs picture of sex and marriage is certainly a beautiful one, but itʼs also … old. Biblical times were a lot different than current times. Is such a picture still relevant?

Scot McKnight, author of One.Life and professor in religious studies at North Park University in Chicago, is aware of the difficulties facing unmarried Christians and the shifts in the “reality” of living chastely.

“Sociologically speaking, the one big difference—and itʼs monstrous— between the biblical teaching and our culture is the arranged marriages of very young people. If you get married when youʼre 13, you donʼt have 15 years of temptation.”

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average age for first marriages for both men and women has been increasing for the last 45 years. In 1965, the average man first married at age 22.8; the average woman, 20.6. In 2010, the average age was 28.1 for men and 26.1 for women.

Abstinence messages have often been geared toward teenagers, but as the average marrying age creeps closer to 30, the time period when Christians are called to be chaste can easily extend a decade beyond their high school graduation—or much longer. So what does abstinence look like as Christians “grow up” and enter the real world but are still single?

And I think that’s a fair question. What does abstinence look like as Christians “grow up?”

Something tells me handing out promise rings to singles groups just isn’t going to cut it.

Praying for each and every one of you single adults who are trying to navigate these tricky waters with character and integrity. I can’t imagine the temptations you must face day in and day out.

Creating a Multi Sensory Environment (MSE) for Special Needs

By
Amy Fenton Lee
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Father’s Day program ideas for church

Two years ago a church contacted me after receiving a designated gift earmarked to start a special needs ministry.  The church was considering a number of ways to use the money.  One of the suggestions bounced around was to create a special needs play space either inside or outside the church building.  In search of ideas and contacts, I became familiar with Karen Pool, who is the sales manager for multi-sensory products with TFH USA (the company behind www.specialneedstoys.com).  At that time, Karen was in the in the final stages of installing a “Multi Sensory Environment” for a respite facility associated with a church on the east coast.

Since first meeting Karen I have become familiar with a number of churches who have created fantastic indoor spaces for their special needs ministry.  A couple of churches have even designed and installed a room that feels like an outer space experience, commonly referred to as a Multi Sensory Environment (MSE).    I was absolutely fascinated after seeing first-hand the surreal and almost magical experience the room provides through simulated sights, sounds, and touch.  I quickly understood how an MSE can engage someone with neurological differences so that they feel unparallel relaxation and pleasure.  Families can receive tremendous benefit by knowing that while they are attending their own worship and Bible study, their child with special needs is in such an enriching environment.  Instead of being a scary place outside a comfortable routine, a child with special needs may look forward to their time at church and in the MSE.  In addition, MSE’s are wonderful for churches that offer longer periods of care or respite events.

After several members of the Orange team had the opportunity to visit a church with an MSE, we decided it would be neat to expose other ministry leaders to this type of environment.  And because MSE’s can be considerably less expensive than a special needs-friendly playground, we thought there might be some practical use to providing a preconference workshop on this subject.

At the request of the 2012 Orange Conference, Karen Pool is going to show oodles of pictures and address the following topics in her preconference workshop, “HOW TO: Create a Multi Sensory Environment for Special Needs”.

  • How certain types of equipment and materials generate desirable experiences for individuals with special needs
  • The basic components of a Multi Sensory Environment
  • How to create an inexpensive but effective mobile Multi Sensory Environment
  • MSE materials and equipment for budgets of $500 to $20,000
  • Factors a church should consider as they determine how to outfit their special needs facility
  • Products for every budget and ideal for interactive, gross motor play areas
  • Best “bang for your buck” toys and tools for the special needs environment

Response to the Gospel Evident in the Balkans, Despite Challenges

By
Libby Donaldson
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Father’s Day program ideas for church

Before she met Jesus, Gryta* lived in the Balkans and had a very low self-esteem. Her past holds experiences of abuse, neglect and health issues. A few years ago, she met Amy Williams, an International Mission Board missionary, at an ESL class. Amy befriended Gryta and told her about the boundless love of the Savior. Gryta then went to a Bible study where she received more kindness and acceptance from other Christian women. Unfortunately, her patterns of destructive behavior continued.

Gryta lives in Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia. It is one of the ten countries that compose an area of Europe known as the Balkans. Missionaries Kyle and Jackie Kirkpatrick work in the Balkans and also know Gryta. In 2019, Amy and the Kirkpatricks saw a change in Gryta, who was facing another health crisis. Gryta asked God for healing, yet when she didn’t immediately experience her desired results, she continued to praise God. She declared His faithfulness to other patients, doctors and visitors to her medical ward. Through her witness, Gryta’s father chose to follow Jesus.

“Her testimony was that even though her health was still weak—and Macedonians believe that physical health is all-important—God had changed her heart through Jesus,” Kyle said. “[Gryta] began to put action to the words of faith that she had been hearing for years.”

Gryta’s story is one example of God’s life-changing power and eternal salvation in the lives of people who live in the Balkans. This part of southern Europe generally includes the countries of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia.

Religious Challenges

In this region, Eastern Orthodoxy is a dominant religion. It teaches that if you are in right relationship with the religious system, you are right with God. For those who practice Eastern Orthodoxy, “faith [is] defined as relying on the church’s teachings and participating in its liturgy and sacraments,” writes Preston Pearce, IMB’s theological education strategist for Eurasia. He says it also invites followers of this belief system to be more superstitious.

Preston continues: “Orthodox people today are caught between two cultural currents: their ancient, transcendent and pervasive Orthodox worldview, and the torrent of influence (good and bad) coming from the West. Unfortunately, they sometimes link the gospel to all the West offers—freedom, prosperity, questioning of authority and declining morality and religion.”

While Eastern Orthodoxy may be the most prevalent belief system here, the Balkans are also home to many followers of Roman Catholicism and Islam. More than half of the populations in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo officially claim Islam. Christian workers in traditionally Muslim areas report that many evangelical churches are small and believers face opposition from family members and friends who culturally cling to Islam and resist new faith ideas.

Economic Challenges

The Balkans face ongoing financial depression, which highlights the people’s desires for material possessions. For more than thirty years, this part of Europe has lagged behind in economic development. Still people are busy pursuing economic success and financial security. Families strive to place their children in the best schools. Those who are interested in the gospel find it difficult to make time for Bible studies or worship services. Yet they are frustrated with society and hungry for answers.

In the midst of these economic hardships, the Balkan people have lived through decades of military conflict. Seven of these countries didn’t exist in their current independence until a couple decades ago. One group of battles, the Yugoslav Wars, occurred from 1991-2001. Before then, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia were all a part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

These conflicts have had massive impact on how people in this part of Europe view themselves and their need of the gospel, which challenges deeply rooted ideas of identity.

“Faith in itself is secondary in importance to the identification with their ethnic group’s religious identity,” says Jeff Williams, IMB missionary in Macedonia. “But a person who has accepted an evangelical understanding of Christianity and has been baptized is considered in a sect and to some degree shunned.”

“Those wars reinforced for Balkan people that religion and ethnicity are deeply linked,” Kyle says, explaining that for many, to be Serb is to be Christian, and to be Bosnian is to be Muslim.

“This means that hearing the gospel is often asking someone to deny that they are a Christian in the first place. It is a redefinition of who one is and what it really means to be a Christian. Because ethnic ties run so deep in one’s heart there is a significant boundary to the gospel as defining faith, rather than faith being part of who you are from birth.”

Despite these challenges, missionaries see that younger generations are showing an openness to stepping away from their strong links of national and religious identity. Believers, like Gryta, are showing more boldness in their faith and workers are finding more opportunities for gospel-centered conversations. Within the Balkan countries, God is at work and more laborers are needed for the harvest.

*name changed

This article originally appeared here.

Billy Huffman: We Are Like the Two Thieves

By
Jesse T. Jackson
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Korn Guitarist Helps People Heal by Launching Wellness Centers

By
Jessica Lea
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Father’s Day program ideas for church

Brian “Head” Welch, guitarist and one of the founding members of the band Korn, has recently launched Zivel, a series of wellness centers designed to help people pursue healing of mind and body. At the same time, he and his daughter, Jennea, are continuing to help people pursue spiritual healing by sharing their story of redemption. To that end, they will be speaking at the Kingdom Youth Conference (KYC) in Oklahoma City at the end of March.

“Our hearts just go out to this generation with all the things that you guys have to deal with, so we’re really excited to come and share,” said Welch in an Instagram post about the conference. “We’re all going to be lifted up and inspired.”

According to the Kingdom Youth Conference website, KYC is a “fresh new youth event designed to impact students and leaders” with teens in church youth groups being the primary attendees. The goals of the conference include presenting “Christ vividly and unmistakably” and helping teens live out their faith in their daily lives. Welch and Jennea will be speaking at the March 27-28 KYC event at Church on the Rock.

Brian “Head” Welch’s Story Inspires Zivel

Brian “Head” Welch recently released his documentary Loud Krazy Love, which focuses on his relationship with Jennea and his own spiritual journey as it relates to his time in and out of Korn. Welch co-founded Korn in 1993 and the band soon shot to fame, engaging in all the excesses of the rockstar lifestyle. Yet despite the band’s popularity and the money he was making, Welch’s life was empty and full of self-destructive behavior. He eventually became addicted to meth. “I had to make people believe I was happy,” he said, but the truth was, “I lived a lie.”

Jennea’s birth was a life-changing experience for Welch. At the time, he thought his love for her would be enough to keep him from his self-destructive habits. But it was not—he only sank deeper into his addictions.

God, however, did not leave him there. After Welch’s real estate broker invited him to church, the guitarist encountered the peace and love of God, saying, “For the first time in my life, I felt like I was home.” He dedicated his life to Jesus, asking God to take away his desire for meth. Welch then threw away his drugs and quit the band. 

However, Welch’s life only got harder after that. He experienced a lot of financial and career failures. For her part, Jennea was going through deep emotional pain and was full of anger at her father. She was cutting herself and even attempted suicide. These challenges led Welch to lash out at God for letting his life fall apart even though he had dedicated himself to Jesus.

But the two started emerging out of this dark season after Welch checked Jennea into a therapeutic facility for troubled youth. He also rejoined Korn in 2013, something he believes God led him to do so that he could share the hope of Christ with the band’s fans.

“People need hope,” said Welch. “There’s addictions like crazy in that world. There’s depression. There’s been a lot of suicide stories happening. What better place to be, having the meaning of life that I carry.”

Brian “Head” Welch Launches Zivel

Now, Welch’s experience with overcoming his own pain has led him to found Zivel, a “performance and recovery suite” that offers a number of services, including flotation therapy, an infrared sauna, and cryotherapy. The first location opened in Bakersfield, California, where Welch is from, and there are now locations in Florida, Tennessee, and Texas. Additional facilities are set to open in Georgia, Arizona, and Washington State. 

Welch opened the centers in partnership with Dr. Matt O’Neill, a physical therapist who started working with Korn in 2017 to help the band with the mental and physical demands of being touring musicians. He and Welch opened their first test location in early 2018 and officially registered Zivel later that year. Their clientele includes college students, parents, and professional athletes, and their goal is to keep their services affordable while providing “a place where everyone can truly feel like a rock star.” 

In a statement, Welch said, 

In 2005, I found healing after years of struggling with addiction, depression, and suicidal ideation. I consider myself extremely blessed to have been made whole—body, mind, and spirit—and I’ve devoted my life to help others find the healing they deserve. The most exciting thing for me about Zivel is that our services can help revitalize every part of a person’s life—body, mind, and spirit—which again, is what I feel is my life’s purpose.

Bethel’s Hands-on Faith Healing Work Stymied by Coronavirus

By
Stephanie Martin
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Father’s Day program ideas for church

Churches and religious communities continue to adapt their practices amid the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, which the World Health Organization now officially labels a global pandemic. Among those is Bethel Church in Redding, California, known for its hands-on faith-healing work, including at hospitals.

With a Shasta County resident testing positive for COVID-19, leaders at Bethel, a charismatic megachurch, are asking members to suspend visits to medical facilities, stay home from worship if they’re sick, and cancel mission trips.

Bethel Is Following Social-Distancing Advice 

“Though we believe in a God who actively heals today, students are not being encouraged to visit healthcare settings at this time,” says spokesman Aaron Tesauro. “Through email communications, signage, and church announcements, we are actively encouraging health practices and precautions to our whole community.” No church members have been infected, as far as he knows.

The decision to limit interpersonal contact aligns with health officials’ recommendations to maintain more space between bodies in public, known as social distancing. Shasta County spokeswoman Kerri Schuette confirms that “having a healthy barrier between yourself and other people is a good way to protect yourself from any of the diseases that are circulating right now.”

The 2,400 students at Bethel’s School of Supernatural Ministry often travel throughout Redding, asking strangers if they can touch and pray for them. One woman recently filed a complaint at a local hospital, saying two students touched her child in an emergency room without her consent. 

Tesauro, who says the pair thought they had the woman’s permission, apologized “for any unintended offense.” Students “are taught that even under normal circumstances, they must receive permission from both the facility and the individual before engaging in prayer,” he adds. 

‘Medicine and faith are meant to work together’

According to Bethel’s Facebook page, the church’s Healing Rooms will remain open on Saturdays for healing prayers. In those rooms, Bethel says, “Passionate, joy-filled believers gather to host the presence of God and see him bring complete restoration and healing.” Last December, church members prayed for a worship leader’s 2-year-old daughter to be raised from the dead. After about a week, they ended their efforts.

“We believe that wisdom, modern medicine, and faith are meant to work together, and express the value for each in the pursuit of continued health and healing,” says Tesauro. But common sense is key, the spokesman adds. “Healing happens, but it’s foolish to take unnecessary risks with your health and the health of others.”

Not everyone who seeks healing leaves Bethel “well and whole” physically, admits founder Bill Johnson. “I refuse to blame God for this, as though he has a purpose in their disease,” he writes. “While Jesus did not heal everyone alive in his time, he did heal everyone who came to him. His is the only standard worth following.”

Critics, who already have a field day with Bethel’s beliefs, are addressing the church’s latest move. Michael Shermer, editor of Skeptic magazine, tells the Sacramento Bee, “It’s clear that when it comes to something really serious like coronavirus, their actions speak louder than their words. So, God is omniscient and omnipotent and can cure diseases if he wants, but just in case: wash your hands!”

Church Guide to Coronavirus 1

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