The Church vs. the Kingdom

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February 24, 2020

Too many followers of Jesus put the work of God into a box called the church with its services and programs.

Today, I’m launching a series of posts titled, Out of the Box and into the Kingdom. My goal is to stimulate Kingdom vision for church leaders that enables them to dream, think, and lead their people beyond the church-box paradigm.

THE SIZE OF THE VISION = THE SIZE OF PEOPLE!

There’s an old myth that claims that a goldfish will only grow to the size of its tank. What may not apply to goldfish definitely applies to people. People will only grow to the size of the vision that frames their lives.

Church leaders: God has called you to cast a macroscopic-panoramic-Biblical vision for your people that grows them into Kingdom people, not just church people. Which begs the question, “what’s the difference between church and Kingdom?”

THE KINGDOM IS BIGGER THAN THE CHURCH!

Jesus was the first Person to utter the word, “church.” Yet, He framed His ministry in terms of God’s Kingdom breaking into our world, not into a church building. Just look at how Jesus introduced His ministry:

Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14-15 ESV

Jesus framed His ministry in terms of the Kingdom of God, not the church. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not downing, dissing, or dismissing the church. The church is the Bride of Jesus (and we should love her – Eph 5:25), the church is the Body of Christ (and we should build it up – Eph 4:11-12). Yet, it was Jesus who framed the gospel as good news about a new reality (God’s Kingdom) through the presence of a new King (Jesus).

KINGDOM PEOPLE OR CHURCH PEOPLE?

Though the church and its activities can fit into the Kingdom, you cannot squeeze the Kingdom into the Church. When we try to fit the Kingdom into our church-box, we create church people, instead of Kingdom people! And there is a huge difference between the two:

Church people – have reduced ministry vision and can’t see past church-bound categories for ministry (i.e., usher, greeter, children’s worker, inviter-of-lost-friends, etc.).
Kingdom people – have Kingdom vision to think/dream/act outside the box (read church here). They want to heal the wounds in their neighborhood, workplace, and community (fatherlessness, addictions, marriages).

Church people – see the gospel in terms of good news about the afterlife (it’s how you can be sure you’re going to heaven after you die).
Kingdom people – see the gospel in terms of good news about Kingdom life (it’s about life in God and with God, both now and forever).

Church people – understand discipleship as primarily about enjoying a closer relationship with God that grows me to spiritual maturity.
Kingdom people – understand discipleship as the call to lose their life for Christ’s sake so they can participate in His family for His mission.

The Kingdom is not a means to a bigger church; the church is a means to demonstrating the Kingdom!

Over the next several weeks, I’ll post on the following topics: Jesus as King, Jesus and the Kingdom, the already-and-not-yet of the Kingdom, Kingdom Life, Kingdom Leadership, the Gospel of the Kingdom, and the Intersection of Kingdom/Church/Mission.

So let’s get OUT OF THE BOX and INTO THE KINGDOM!

Until next time, chew on this quote from NT Wright:

“It is clear that Jesus as Kingdom Bringer has been screened out of the church’s dogmatic tradition. Again and again, from the 3^rd or 4^th century onwards, the church managed to talk about Jesus while forgetting the thing that the Gospels kept on saying, the He was inaugurating God’s Kingdom.” – Wheaton Theology Conference – 2010.

The Dirty Truth About Honoraria

By

John Stackhouse

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February 24, 2020

The way some Christian churches and other organizations pay their speakers, it makes me embarrassed to be a member of the same faith.

A friend of mine is a gifted staff worker with a well-known Christian organization on a university campus. He is married, with three young children, and works hard and long at his job. Frequently, he is asked to speak at churches’ youth retreats or special events sponsored by other groups. Rarely is he paid well for what is, in fact, overtime work—for audiences other than the one that pays his regular salary.

One weekend, he left his family to speak at a retreat for more than 100 young people, each of whom paid to go away to a well-furnished camp for three days. My friend gave four talks and participated in a question-and-answer session—a typical, and demanding, schedule. But his work didn’t end there, of course. Retreat speakers are “on call” all weekend: for impromptu counseling, offering advice over mealtimes and modeling what they preach on the volleyball court or around the campfire. Make no mistake: There is very little relaxing in that role, however restful the retreat might be for everyone else.

Don’t Miss

So at the end of this tiring weekend, at the close of the Sunday luncheon, the leader of the group thanked him profusely at the front of the dining hall (he had gone over very well). Then he tossed the speaker a T-shirt emblazoned with the group’s logo while everyone clapped. It took my friend several minutes to realize that this shirt was his total payment for the weekend’s work. He got in his car, without even a check for gasoline, and headed back to his waiting family.

An isolated and extreme example? Not at all. Every professional Christian speaker has stories like these.

A widely respected author was asked to headline a fundraising banquet for a women’s organization. She prepared a talk on the subject requested, left her husband and children at home, drove herself in the family car across the city to the site of the meal, chatted with her tablemates, and then delivered her speech. Again, it was apparent from the applause and the warm remarks that greeted her when she took her seat that she had done her job well.

Church Culture Reveals the Heartbeat of the Church

By

Eric Geiger

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February 24, 2020

Since the 1950s, mountain climbers have traveled to Everest to stand on top of the world. They endure horrific conditions on a grueling climb to the top, including a difficult passage through the “death zone,” where lack of oxygen leads to exhaustion and the extreme cold will cause frostbite to any exposed part of the body. Despite the risks, people continue to flock to Everest, some paying permit and guide fees of up to $25,000.

On May 15, 2006, tragedy struck the mountain climbing community. David Sharp was on his descent from the top of Mount Everest, when he sought shelter under a rock in an area known as Green Boots Cave. The cave carries that name because an individual wearing green hiking boots died there in May 1996, and his body remains on the mountain. Almost ten years later, David Sharp would sit exhausted and alone in the same location just a few feet from the man known as “Green Boots.”

As Sharp sat, exhausted, in Green Boots Cave, a group of 40 climbers were ascending the famed Everest. These climbers were close to realizing their dream of reaching the top of the world. But to get to the top of the mountain, each climber would need to walk past David Sharp as he sat there dying.

In this moment, hikers were confronted with the choice of continuing toward the lifelong goal of reaching the peak of Mount Everest or attempting to help David Sharp (however futile that attempt may be). Every single climber walked past David Sharp on the way to the top, and Sharp died a few feet from the body of Green Boots. The climbers chose a fleeting moment on the top of a mountain over an attempt to save a life.

Some blamed the tragedy on the lack of safety messages and strategic systems. They pointed to the easy access regardless of experience level, lack of permanent rescue teams, and no formal contingency or evacuation plans. However, the first to summit Everest, the revered Sir Edmund Hillary, lamented the mountain climbing culture. He said,” I think the whole attitude towards climbing Mount Everest has become rather horrifying. The people just want to get to the top.”

According to Hillary, the tragedy was a result of the culture underneath the surface. The top of the mountain was of chief importance. People would have never said that. No one at a base camp on the foot of Everest would have sat in a circle and said, “I value the top of that mountain more than human life.” But the culture revealed what was truly of chief importance.

In a church, the culture—more than the confession—reveals what is of first importance to the people. The apostle Paul wrote the famous passage in 1 Corinthians 15 reminding the Corinthian believers that the gospel he preached and delivered to them was of first importance.

He wrote:

Now brothers, I want to clarify for you the gospel I proclaimed to you; you received it and have taken your stand on it. – (1 Corinthians 15:1)

Paul emphasized that the gospel was what the church was standing on, not merely what the church believed. If the gospel is of first importance in a church culture, the church does more than merely ascribe to its tenets. The church stands on the gospel. There is a great difference in merely believing the gospel for your doctrinal confession and standing on it for your church culture.

What does standing on the gospel look like for a local church leadership team? Here are a few examples:

The leaders of XYZ church are wrestling with the level of giving in their church. The data shows them some concerning stats: per capita giving is lower than before, new members seem to be consuming rather than contributing, etc. If the gospel impacts only their confession, they will limit their discussions to strategies, campaigns, slogans, and donor dinners. If they desire the gospel to impact their culture, they will prayerfully seek ways to remind the people of Christ who “though He was rich, for your sake He became poor so that through His poverty you might become rich.” The gospel will be the foundation for the discussion.

Another church might be wrestling with the lack of volunteers serving in ministry. The kid’s ministry is suffering, and there are few greeters to welcome guests. If the gospel is influencing the culture, the leaders are troubled because it seems that the hearts of many are not being warmed and refreshed by the reality that Christ first served us—He knelt down and washed our dirty, sinful feet. They long to challenge people to serve because of His sacrificial service.

The people in our churches need cultures that are centered on Jesus, not merely confessions centered on Him.

Why You Should Bring Your Students to ‘I Still Believe’

By

Matt Redder

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February 24, 2020

On March 13 the movie I Still Believe, the real-life story of chart-topping singer Jeremy Camp is coming to theaters. The film, made by the creators of I Can Only Imagine, is a powerful reminder that in the midst of life’s storms, true hope is only found in Christ.

Camp’s wife passed away unexpectedly months after they were married, sending Camp into a crisis of faith out of which his hit song “I Still Believe” sprung. This movie is the story not only of that song, but of how God brought something beautiful out of indescribable tragedy.

But more than just an amazing film, I Still Believe is an opportunity for student pastors everywhere to challenge, encourage, and build their ministries. Here are six reasons why you should take your students to a showing of I Still Believe.

I STILL BELIEVE IS A SPRINGBOARD INTO GREAT CONVERSATIONS

Jeremy Camp’s story touches on several deep topics that are extremely relatable to your youth. It addresses questions like “why do bad things happen to God’s people?” “Why isn’t life going the way I thought it would?” “What do I do when God seems a million miles away?” and “Does God really care about me?”

One way to use this movie in the life of your student ministry is to spend time discussing the film after it’s over, either as a whole or in small groups, and inviting your students to dive into these challenging questions. You could also base a sermon series around “life’s hard questions” either leading up to the film or following it.

Regardless of how you do it, “I Still Believe” is a great catalyst for addressing the honest questions your students might not know how to ask.

I STILL BELIEVE MODELS FOR YOUR STUDENTS HOW THE ARTS AND FAITH CAN MELD TOGETHER

More than likely, your student ministry is filled with kids with a variety of artistic gifts and abilities, including the areas of music, writing, drawing, photography, or graphic design. Taking your students to I Still Believe gives them a concrete example of how they can use their passion for artistic expression to point people toward the God who made them that way!

I STILL BELIEVE IS AN EVANGELISTIC OPPORTUNITY

There are students in your community who aren’t ready to attend a church service, but they will accept an invitation to a movie. Buy tickets to watch I Still Believe as a student ministry, and use the 2-week sermon series kit as a momentum-builder with your youth group. Tell your students that the movie will be discussing the topics you’re preaching on, and remind them that their friends, classmates, team members, and neighbors are struggling with the same issue—finding hope in the middle of pain—that they are.

As God works in your students’ lives, invite them to invite others to come see the movie with them, and to have conversations afterward. What a great chance to reach people who with the good news of Jesus!

IT’S A WAY FOR THE WHOLE CHURCH TO CONNECT

Far too often student ministries can feel like a sidelined or siloed ministry of the church. Use the movie as an opportunity for your whole church to buy out a theater and watch the movie together. Encourage different age groups to sit together, and discuss the move after. This could be a great opportunity for members of your church who rarely see each other to have meaningful conversations about life.

I STILL BELIEVE IS A CHANCE TO TEAM UP WITH LOCAL CHURCHES TO REACH YOUR COMMUNITY

You can also expand your reach and impact your city by teaming up with other student ministries to go through the sermon series and attend the movie together. This is a great way to demonstrate the unity of the church to your students, reminding them that God’s people exist outside your church walls. It’s also a powerful expression of unity to the community around you, and could lead to more student ministry team-up events in the future!

**USE THE FREE I STILL BELIEVE SERMON KIT AS A RESOURCE TO GO DEEPER**

I Still Believe and SermonCentral are partnering together to provide a free 2-week sermon series kit for your church. This kit contains slides, graphics, and messages for both adult and student services, and is a great lead up to watching the film. If you’re looking for a break from sermon planning or want to build momentum toward watching the film, this free kit is a great resource.

Tim Tebow: Saving Babies Matters More Than the Super Bowl

By

Jessica Lea

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February 24, 2020

At a banquet held by Kansans for Life on February 11, Tim Tebow affirmed that fighting for the rights of the unborn was more meaningful than winning the Super Bowl. Lamar Hunt, Jr., whose father founded the Kansas City Chiefs—the most recent Super Bowl champions—delivered opening remarks at the banquet. When Tebow got up to speak, he praised Hunt for “having courage” to support Kansans for Life.

“It really does mean a lot more than winning the Super Bowl,” said Tebow, according to National Right to Life (NRL) News. “One day, when you look back and people are talking about you and they say, ‘Oh my gosh what are you going to be known for?’ Are you going to say Super Bowl, or we saved a lot of babies?”

Tebow at Kansans for Life: We’re on a Rescue Mission

Hunt did not pull any punches in his words to the crowd of nearly 1,200. He said,

I do not think it is a cliché to say we are in a life and death battle for the truth and authentic dignity of the human person. We need your full attention. You need to drop what you’re doing and join us, and this can be in so many ways: prayer, assistance to those in need, emails, phone calls, in-person meetings. Get educated about what we’re fighting about here. Really listen in and tune in.

Kansas City Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt was also present at the event, and when Tebow spoke, he told Hunt and Colquitt that while winning the Super Bowl was “amazing,” if they stewarded that achievement well, it could have an even greater purpose. Said the Heisman Trophy winner, “What an accomplishment! But you know the best part of that accomplishment is that it gets you an even bigger platform”—a platform they can use to save children’s lives.

Fighting for the lives of the unborn is more than a charitable cause, said Tebow, but is rather “a rescue mission.” That term is significant because “it puts a timeline on it.” He went on to explain, “When’s the last time you heard a rescue mission taking place in a month or a few years? No, a rescue mission means now. It gives you a sense of urgency. It says we have to go not because it’s our time, but because it’s their time…while I might have time, they don’t.”

The pro-life cause is a personal one for Tim Tebow. In 1986, Tebow’s father prayed that God would give him one more child. But after Tebow’s mother, Pam, became pregnant, doctors told her she would die if she did not abort her son. “They didn’t even believe that I was a baby,” Tebow told the audience. “They thought I was a tumor.”

Pam Tebow chose, however, to see the pregnancy through, and she survived it. After Tebow was born, there was another surprise: the placenta had not been attached during the pregnancy. Pam’s doctor, who had been practicing for 37 years, told her, “This is the biggest miracle I’ve ever seen because I’m not sure how he’s alive.” Said Tebow, “I’m so grateful that my mom trusted God with my life and her life.”

Maintaining Perspective on What Matters

Speaking to Fox News shortly after his engagement, Tebow shared that while he is a driven athlete, his philanthropic work helps him to keep a healthy perspective on what truly matters. “Although I’m extremely competitive and driven in sports,” he said, “you’ve also got to remember that it’s just a game and that life is more important and people are more important and the way that you can impact them is more important.”

In addition to fighting for unborn children, Tim Tebow helps a variety of other vulnerable populations throughout the world. His foundation just sponsored the sixth annual Night to Shine event, which is a prom night celebrating people with special needs. At his CURE Hospital in the Philippines, children get to hear the gospel in addition to receiving medical care, and he also supports orphanages in several countries.

As he concluded his speech at the Kansans for Life banquet, Tebow affirmed the value of defending the vulnerable and challenged his listeners to be willing to suffer on their behalf:

What you’re doing here matters. You’re fighting for life. You’re fighting for people that can’t fight for themselves. And my question to you is: Are you willing to stand up in the face of persecution, in the face of adversity, in the face of criticism, when other people are going to say it’s not worth it, when other people won’t stand beside you? Maybe not everybody is going to be with you. Will you stand up for what’s right?

Militant Iranian Student Group Threatens to Destroy Esther’s Tomb

By

Stephanie Martin

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February 24, 2020

Calling President Trump’s proposed Middle East peace plan “a vicious act of treachery,” a militant student group in Iran is threatening to take revenge by destroying the tomb of Esther and Mordecai in Hamadan.

Basij, a group associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, recently warned “the United States and the Zionist regime…that the first act of fulfilling their filthy desires and the slightest attack on Palestine and the holy al-Quds (Jerusalem) means that they will no longer occupy a place as Esther’s tomb…we’ll turn it into a Palestine consulate.”

The Tomb in Hamadan Is a Pilgrimage Site for Jews

For Jews, the building believed to be the tomb of Queen Esther and her cousin Mordecai is the most sacred site in Iran. During the festival of Purim, many Iranian Jews visit the shrine, which is topped by a 50-foot dome. After marrying the Persian king, Esther prevented the slaughter of her fellow Jews.

A U.S.-based watchdog group, the Alliance for Rights of All Minorities in Iran (ARAM), is sounding the alarm about threats to the tomb. On social media, ARAM warned that Basij members tried to raid the landmark on February 15 and said “Iranian authorities” also were calling for its destruction.

Though not all reports have been confirmed, the U.S. State Department has expressed concern. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom tweeted: “USCIRF is troubled by reported threats to the tomb of Esther and Mordechai in Hamedan, Iran, and emphasizes the Iranian government’s responsibility to protect religious sites.”

Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti Defamation League, tweeted: “It’s disgusting that the Iranian government would violate a sacred Jewish site to press their political agenda. With less than a month before #Purim, people of all faiths should speak out before this desecration takes place.”

ISIS militants destroyed Jonah’s tomb in Mosul, Iraq, in 2014.

The Hamadan Cultural Landmark Has Some Protections

Under Iranian law, Esther’s tomb is protected because of its cultural heritage. When Ali Malmir, Hamadan’s tourism director, pointed that out, a Basij leader responded by saying Palestinian rights are more valuable than Jewish holy sites.

In 2011, the tomb’s status was downgraded, and a sign marking it as a pilgrimage site was removed. That occurred after protesters at the tomb denounced Israel’s excavation plans for a Jerusalem mosque.

Despite ongoing oppression, Iran has one of the world’s fastest-growing Christian communities. Iranians are proud of their Persian heritage, and many seek other faith options because they’re frustrated with Islam.

Religious persecution remains a fact of life in Iran, however. Open Doors, in its latest “World Watch List,” ranks the country ninth-worst for persecution. It’s illegal for Christians in Iran to share their faith, preach, hold church services, and produce Bibles. Arrests and raids are common, with violators receiving lengthy prison sentences. Many Iranian Christians seek asylum elsewhere.

The International Christian Concern, a persecution watchdog group, notes that “the targeting of these soft-sites”—such as Esther’s tomb—“often mask and foreshadow deeper problems of persecution within the country.”

Old Wine in New Wineskins Doesn’t Work

By

Scott Boren

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February 24, 2020

Over the last 40 years, authors and preachers have commonly used Jesus’ parable of the wineskins to argue for new ways of being and doing the church. In the early 1990s I was a part of a new wineskin, an organic/missional experimental church in Houston. Of course we did not call it organic or missional, but that’s what we were trying to be. We did not fit the normal patterns of church life as we tested new ways of forming and living in community. We saw many people embark upon a new relationship with Jesus, and we had a very strong leadership core.

We did NOT have traditional expectations of church life and if you spent any time with us this was very clear. However, we had many people join us who had had exposure to traditional church forms. Those who came to Jesus for the first time through the relationships in our church joined right into the life of the group quite well. I remember one person going on a vacation and sharing her shock at the way the traditional church she visited operated.

However, those who joined our church who had been shaped by the traditional church experience were a different story, myself included. It was not hard for us to commit to the vision. The hard part was to deal with the various hurts, fears, and expectations that we brought with us from our church experience. Even though we wanted to live on mission together, we were not prepared for it. We had the concepts right, but the church lacked a process that would form or equip people for missional life in the way we were living as a church. So we forced “old wine” into “new wineskins.”

And let me tell you “new wineskins” don’t transform “old wine” into “new.” Most of the time it just creates “whiners” who want to complain about what the church is not doing for them.

My point: Even new churches that are solely focused on the development of missional communities need a process that will equip people who have been shaped by traditional church expectations so that they can flourish in a missional environment. New wineskins are needed for new wine. Prepare people for missoinal community. Be very clear up front, in black and white terms, about the nature of the vision and ask them to join an intense discipleship process that will re-shape their imagination and form them for mission.

This post is part of series entitled “Is Both/And Possible.” Click here for the other posts in this series. More tomorrow.

Boko Haram Terrorists Attack Predominantly Christian Community in Northeast Nigeria

By

Morning Star News

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February 24, 2020

JOS, Nigeria (Morning Star News) – Islamic extremist militants from terrorist group Boko Haram on Friday night (Feb. 21) destroyed three worship sites and an unspecified number of houses in northeast Nigeria, sources said.

Thousands of people were displaced as the militants set three church buildings and the houses on fire in predominantly Christian Garkida, in Adamawa state’s Gombi County, area residents told Morning Star News.

“Please, pray for Christians in Garkida, Gombi LGA and its environs, that God will take control over the current situation they’re faced with,” one resident told Morning Star News by text message during the attack, which local sources said lasted from 7 p.m. until midnight.

The charred buildings belonged to the Church of the Brethren (EYN), the Anglican Church and the Living Faith Church, area resident Watirahyel Mshelia said.

“The Boko Haram insurgents were in hundreds and came into the town in nine trucks, while some rode on 50 motorcycles,” Mshelia told Morning Star News.

Another area resident, Manasseh Allen, said in a text message during the attack, “Our people in Garkida are right now running for their lives as Boko Haram carries out attacks on the community.”

Allen said reports about an impending attack by Boko Haram reached Christians in the town at about 1 p.m. on Friday, but that Nigerian armed forces took no proactive steps to protect them.

“In spite of all the local intelligence reports on the afternoon of Friday, after the terrorists were sighted around Kwarangulum in Chibok Local Government Area, which is close to Garkida, no effort was made by soldiers stationed in the area to preempt the attack,” Allen said. “I feel very sad about this.”

The attack broke up a meeting of EYN congregation’s Christian Women’s Fellowship, said another resident of Garkida, Yohanna Sunday.

Local media reported that the militants abducted an unspecified number of Christians. The number of casualties was unknown as many people had left town prior to the raid, though a military spokesman reportedly said one soldier had been killed and another wounded. The few remaining residents were said to have fled into hiding in the surrounding bushes upon sighting the Boko Haram invaders.

Adamawa Police spokesman Suleiman Nguroje confirmed the attack in a text message to Morning Star News.

“We have received a report that there is an attack in Garkida, and we’ve mobilized personnel to the area,” Nguroje said.

Residents told Nigerian newspaper the Daily Trust that the assailants first attacked a military checkpoint on Friday before razing public and private buildings in Garkida. Saying the attackers held the town for hours, ransacking and looting buildings, a local resident told the newspaper that the insurgents overpowered police and vigilante defenders before burning a police station, police barracks, church buildings, a hospital and a health center and the homes of two local officials.

The military had restored order and was patrolling the streets on Saturday (Feb. 22), a resident told the newspaper. The Daily Trust cited a security source as saying Boko Haram rebels, which seek to impose sharia (Islamic law) throughout Nigeria, acted unchallenged for hours despite the presence of soldiers in the town during the siege.

A resident told another Nigerian news outlet that Nigerian army soldiers engaged the Boko Haram rebels in gun battle but then pulled back for reinforcements, during which time the insurgents inflicted most of the damage. The terrorists reportedly advanced to neighboring towns after soldiers returned and drove them out.

Nigeria ranked 12^th on Open Doors’ 2020 World Watch List of countries where Christians suffer the most persecution but second in the number of Christians killed for their faith, behind Pakistan.

This article originally appeared on MorningStarNews.org.

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

The #1 Thing Every Church Can Do to Grow

By

James Emery White

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February 24, 2020

Yes, there is one thing that is arguably the most important thing a church can do if it wants to grow and spread the message of Jesus —besides pray, that is. And yes, I will tell you exactly what it is.

But first…

When Michael Dubin started Dollar Shave Club, it seemed insane. A start-up razor blade business? A giant global corporation (Gillette) already controlled 70% of the country’s sale of razors.

But Dubin clung to one simple fact: most men had to buy razor blades, but hated doing it. They hated the high prices. They hated having to go into a store to get them. They hated how difficult it was to purchase them once you were inside a store due to closed security cases requiring an employee to open them. So Dubin offered something different: quality blades at cheaper prices, purchased online and delivered to your door.

Dollar Shave Club succeeded beyond all expectations, with annual sales approaching $200 million when it was bought by Unilever for $1 billion in 2016.

As an article in the New York Times noted, the “direct-to-consumer brand revolution is one of the most dominant forces in the retailing business today. It began with a handful of start-ups, then grew to dozens, then hundreds – from mattresses (Casper) to bras (ThirdLove) to electric toothbrushes (Quip) to vitamins (Ritual) to tampons (Lola) to luggage (Away) to sneakers (Allbirds) to makeup (Glossier) to hair color (eSalon) to pet food (Farmer’s Dog) – and even thousands, counting the brands ﬁlling the endless digital aisles and shelves of Amazon Marketplace.”

There can be little doubt that technology and globalization have leveled the business playing field. Entrepreneurs like Dubin demonstrated you “didn’t need to start with a big advertising budget to get the attention of consumers. You didn’t need a manufacturing plant. You didn’t need to spend millions of dollars on research and development. You didn’t need a retailer to carry your product. By targeting a corporate giant’s weakness – high prices or inconvenience or a stodgy image – a clever start-up with the right strategy, the right message and the right product value could create a new national brand virtually overnight.”

But the real shift in strategy is “an obsession with connecting with the customer.” It’s not uncommon for every employee at such companies to be required to pull a shift in the call center as part of the customer experience team. The highest levels of management spend hours every month listening to customers’ complaints or suggestions.

This brings us to the #1 thing every church can do to grow.

Listen.

Determine who it is you want to reach, who you want to connect with, who you are hoping walks through your front door, and start listening to them. In my previous blog, that you can read HERE, I mentioned that since Meck’s beginning, we have sent every first-time guest we have record of a questionnaire that asks four things:

1. What did you notice first?

2. What did you like best?

3. How could your experience have been improved?

4. How did you hear about Meck?

The answers are compiled weekly and sent to me and several others on staff. As I mentioned in that blog, we are less interested in the comments from those who are obviously “churched” than we are those who clearly hadn’t darkened the doorstep of a church in quite some time, if ever.

When a church listens, it’s not to create a consumer culture that gives people whatever they want in the hopes of increasing attendance, as in abandoning orthodoxy to get warm bodies. That strategy doesn’t even work.

No, listening is about hearing what they hate about buying razor blades and doing what can be done to change that experience. For a church, it’s finding out what people do not like about attending a church – or just church in general – and then reflecting on what might be done in response. Most churches would find that the average person is not asking us to change our beliefs, but our behavior – how we actually do church.

When Meck started, we took a survey of unchurched people and found that the reason they were unchurched was because they hated the experience of attending a church. Specifically, they said there was no value in attending, churches have too many internal problems (divisions), churches ask for money too frequently, church services are usually boring, and churches hold no relevance for their life. The answers that came in last – dead last – were “I do not believe in God” or “I am unsure God exists.”

Message of Jesus

Does it take anything away from being true to the Christian faith and message to have there be value in attending, practice unity, handle money with integrity, not bore someone with the message of Jesus and be relevant to their felt needs?

Take a cue from the Dollar Shave Club—just as most men want to buy a razor, most people do, or want to, believe in God. They just hate the experience seemingly attached to it. There’s only one way to change that experience: find out what they hate and, if biblically allowed, address it. Remove every barrier between them and the message of Jesus except the message of Jesus itself.

Do this and you will grow. Period. But don’t forget what taking this step demands.

Listening.

This article originally appeared here.

How to Fast for Lent

By

Ben Sternke

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February 24, 2020

According to a recent Barna survey, 41% of Christians follow the liturgical year “very closely throughout the year,” with more people following it more loosely. This seems to represent a growing number of people over the past few years, according to informal conversations we have with those we coach and train.

Lent starts on Ash Wednesday (February 26 this year), and lasts until Easter Sunday (April 12th this year).

One of the traditional practices of Lent is fasting. We are told in Matthew 4:1-11 that Jesus spent forty days fasting in the wilderness and afterwards “he was starving.”

Many of us have fasted before – perhaps in advance of some surgical medical procedure, perhaps the religious tradition we grew up in practiced a Lenten fast (no meat on Fridays, e.g.), or maybe you’ve even fasted for some wild and crazy crash diet!

Fasting can be a powerful practice for a Christian, but it’s also significantly misunderstood, culturally challenging, and therefore decidedly under-practiced.

Lent would be a great time to experiment with fasting, but it’s important to understand what you’re getting yourself into! So we’ve written up a few pointers on how to fast for Lent (or any other time).

What fasting is and isn’t

Christian fasting isn’t the same thing as dieting, or going on a hunger strike, or punishing our bodies, or fasting for a medical procedure.

Christian fasting is not:

A way to suffer for God
A spiritual practice that demonstrates how pious or devout you are
Righteousness (i.e. it doesn’t equal holiness or sanctification)
A way of trying really hard spiritually that God will respond to
The same thing as repenting of sin (we don’t “fast” from sin, we confess it, receive forgiveness, and turn from it)
An addiction treatment program (if you feel powerless to break a dependence, reach out for help!)

Instead, Christian fasting is intentionally withholding something we’d normally partake in (normally food) for the purpose of creating space in our lives to feast on the presence of Jesus “directly.”

Christian fasting is:

Wisdom – it’s love and knowledge meeting together in a practice that avails us to God’s resources to meet our needs.
Training – it’s the indirect effort that gives us access to something we can’t try or make happen on our own.
Surrender – it’s a voluntary “making ourselves weak” so that we can know the strength and power of God (2 Cor 12:9-10).

Simply put: fasting is a way to place ourselves in the way of grace by withdrawing our reliance on earthly things so that we can feast on God’s presence and power.

How To Fast For Lent

If you’ve never practiced fasting before, an easy way into the practice is to engage in a partial fast. A partial fast can involve food and drink, or certain habits. Here are some possibilities for a partial fast:

Fasting from foods associated with “feasting”: chocolate, desserts, coffee/caffeine, alcohol, etc.
Fasting from media or entertainment: cell phone, TV, streaming video, radio, music, email, computers, video games, etc.
Fasting from habits and comforts: shopping, looking in the mirror, makeup, elevators, parking in a spot close to the store, finding the shortest checkout line, reading online, following sports, etc.

Here are some questions to help you discern a partial fast that will be challenging enough to be fruitful (from Aaron Damiani’s book The Good Of Giving Up: Discovering the Freedom of Lent):

What cravings have a hold on me?
What would be truly liberating to leave behind?
Short of an addiction, have I become dependent on a particular food, drink, substance, or activity?
What would be truly challenging for me to give up during Lent?
What is Jesus asking of me?

As you pray through these questions, try picking one food or drink and one media/comfort/habit to give up, and then share this with your spouse or a friend as a way to embrace accountability.

The Gospel of the Kingdom

By

Megan Briggs

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February 23, 2020

Jesus is described in Scripture as the King, the Messiah, the anointed and holy One.

Yet, his actions while he walked the earth as a man aren’t typical of a king. His actions aren’t even typical of a very important person.

The following video explains what Jesus’s kingdom is really like and why it is exactly what we need.

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

Animated Explanation of ‘The Messiah’

Do You Understand the Psalms?

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

Understanding the Book of Proverbs

God’s Promises—Comfort

By

Andrew Hess

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February 23, 2020

10 Commandments of Technology and Team

By

Lance Witt

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February 23, 2020

Virtually anything that can be productive can also be destructive. Whether it’s a car, a credit card, a knife, sex, or an iPhone, inappropriate use can do damage. There’s no question this principle applies to technology. Technology has opened unprecedented doors for the gospel. It has given ministries the opportunity to multiply their reach exponentially. It has made biblical knowledge accessible to billions. We live in a “more-faster-now” society. And ministry leaders love it because it means we can dream bigger, do more, and reach further.

But technology also has a dark side.

Technology has created opportunities for sexual predators. It has opened the floodgates to pornography and scam artists. Technology also has numerous subtle and more socially acceptable downsides. It has reduced our attention span, kept us more distracted, and raised the level of white noise in our lives. In his sobering Age of Speed, Vince Poscente writes, Crackberries have become the unofficial mascot of the Age of Speed, but mind your addiction. Research revealed that allowing frequent email interruptions causes a drop in performance equivalent to losing ten IQ points—two and a half times the drop seen after smoking pot. Addiction to speed and technology is just as prevalent in the church as in society. Many are choosing to live online rather than in person.

The implications are not limited to the individual; they’re also potentially toxic for the team. I have developed “Ten Commandments of Technology” that I believe, if followed, would create a healthier team environment.

1. Thou shalt not use e-mail to deliver bad news.

E-mail is great for relaying information but terrible for confrontation. E-mail works well for disseminating data but is lousy for navigating relationships.

With e-mail, there is no chance for the receiver to read your facial expression or body language. Nor can he or she hear your tone. When I’m simply reading an e-mail, I can hear whatever “tone of voice” I want. With e-mail, there is no chance in the moment for response and dialogue. There is no chance in the moment for clarification.

Quite simply, delivering bad news via e-mail is the coward’s way out. We dishonor and devalue people when we fire off harsh e-mails like Scud missiles. In a healthy culture, people sit down and have the hard conversations in person.

2. Thou shalt not put anything in e-mail that you would mind having
forwarded. . .because it probably will be.

I’ve learned this lesson the hard way. Several times I’ve had an e-mail forwarded to people I would not have wanted to receive it. So when an e-mail deals with anything delicate, I’m learning to ask myself, “Will I mind if this gets forwarded?”

3. Thou shalt not e-mail (or chat online) during meetings.

This was one of the team rules at Saddleback. It’s such a temptation to multi-e-task in a meeting, but the result is we disengage and check out. This is the antithesis of “team.”

4. Thou shalt not use “bcc.”

Most often, “blind carbon copy” is used to secretly include people in the e-mail without the recipient knowing it. No good thing comes from blind copying people on your e-mails. While it might have an appropriate use or two, the potential risks and negatives simply don’t make it worth using.

At one church I served, this issue caused some significant pain among the staff. We finally made a decision among the senior leadership that we would not use bcc in our e-mails.

5. Thou shalt be more personal than professional.

By its very nature, e-mail tends to come across as impersonal. Therefore, we have to work hard to come across as warm and personal. Make your e-mails more relational and less transactional. It takes a few extra seconds, but communicate as a friend.

Discipleship: The Foundation for Quality and Quantity

By

Scott Boren

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February 23, 2020

I once heard a pastor say that a healthy couple has to take precautions NOT to reproduce life. The same can be said for disciples. Healthy disciples reproduce life in other disciples. And healthy groups naturally reproduce new groups. In other words, quality will result in quantity. We see this in churches all over the world. In the North American many people adopted cell groups thinking that quantity would just happen. I guess we all assumed that we knew how to live in quality community that would reproduce itself. But the problem is that we adopted the small group pattern found in growing cell-based churches all over the world, while failing to embrace the relational discipleship pattern that actually produces quality disciples. So we’ve got groups of people who are not growing as disciples.

This resulted in two things. First, we decided that discipleship was an option. This is easy in America. Discipling people in North America where people think that attending meetings qualifies them as being good Christians makes real discipleship difficult. Being a Christian in North America costs us little and does not require discipleship. So we conclude that attendance means quality and therefore it’s enough.

It also resulted in compromising the meaning of multiplication. I see lots and lots of groups multiplying and small group systems growing leaps and bounds, and it’s not at all a result of discipleship. There groups are increasing in quantity when in fact they are simply grouping people who come and get their weekend fix at the big church in town. Quantity is high, but the quality is far from what one hopes when we think about what it means to be communities that live out the Kingdom of God.

Group quality, the kind that demonstrates the life of God’s kingdom, is a result of discipleship and spiritual formation that will naturally multiply. Growth that comes because a church has more money and better speakers and can organize groups better than others can lull us into thinking that our quantity is better than it is. The reality is that the quality might be far from what we want. Kingdom discipleship will result in the formation of communities that stands out as light and love in a land of darkness and hatred. Such communities of beauty cannot help but produce other disciples and groups. It usually starts slowly, but that’s the way the mustard seed of the kingdom of God works.

Comments?

Scott

Korean translation (click here)

Spanish blog:

Discipulado: La Fundación de Calidad y Cantidad

por Scott Boren

Una vez escuché a un pastor decir que una pareja sana tiene que tomar precauciones para no reproducir vida. Lo mismo puede decirse de los discípulos. Discípulos saludables reproducen vida de otros discípulos, y grupos sanos reproducen naturalmente nuevos grupos. En otras palabras, la calidad resultara en cantidad. Esto lo vemos en las iglesias de todo el mundo. En el Norte de América muchas personas adoptaron los grupos celulares pensando que la cantidad sucedería. Supongo que todos asumieron que sabían cómo vivir en comunidad de calidad que se reproduce por si misma. Pero el problema es que hemos adoptado el modelo de grupo pequeño que se encuentra en el cultivo de células basadas en las iglesias de todo el mundo, mientras que no para abrazar el modelo de discipulado relacional que produce realmente discípulos de calidad. Así que tenemos grupos de personas que no están creciendo como discípulos.

Esto dio lugar a dos cosas. En primer lugar, hemos decidido que el discipulado era una opción. Esto es fácil en Estados Unidos. Discipular a las personas en la región de América del Norte, donde la gente piensa que asistir a las reuniones los califica como buenos cristianos y esto hace el verdadero discipulado difícil. Ser cristiano en América del Norte nos cuesta muy poco y no requiere del discipulado. Así llegamos a la conclusión de que la asistencia es sinónimo de calidad y por lo tanto eso es suficiente.

También resultó en comprometer el sentido de la multiplicación. Veo montones y montones de grupos de multiplicadores y sistemas de cultivo en grupos pequeños con pasos agigantados y no es en absoluto un resultado del discipulado. Cada vez se incrementa grupos en cantidad, cuando en realidad son simplemente agrupar a las personas que vienen y obtener su dosis de fin de semana en la iglesia de la ciudad. La cantidad es alta, pero la calidad esta muy lejos de lo que uno espera cuando piensa en lo que significa ser comunidades que viven fuera del Reino de Dios.

La calidad del grupo, la clase que muestra la vida del reino de Dios, es el resultado del seguimiento y la formación espiritual que, naturalmente, se multiplican. El crecimiento que viene debido a una iglesia tiene más dinero y mejores altavoces y puede organizar los grupos mejor que otros pueden adormecernos en el pensamiento de que nuestra cantidad es mejor de lo que es. La realidad es que la calidad puede estar lejos de lo que queremos. El Reino del discipulado dará lugar a la formación de comunidades que se destacan como la luz y el amor en una tierra de tinieblas y odio. Estas comunidades de la belleza no pueden dejar de producir discípulos y grupos. Por lo general, comienza poco a poco, pero esa es la forma en que el grano de mostaza del reino de Dios funciona.

¿Comentarios?

Scott

The Perfect Age to Talk to Your Kids About Sex

By

Kenny Conley

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February 23, 2020

I hope the title wasn’t misleading, but I’m not sure there is a right or a wrong answer to the question, “what age is best for the sex talk?”

However, what I’m learning from Godly men and women who have gone down this path ahead of me as well as common sense from living in the over-sexed culture we live in, beginning the conversation about sex earlier is better than waiting too late. The tension to fight is how do I protect their innocence as long as possible without allowing a negative influence begin the conversation without me. Kids have the right to a childhood free of the stain of perversion; however, when the images, words and thoughts come into their minds, I want them all to be filtered though the truth I was able to expose them to first. Ultimately, each parent is going to have to decide when that it for their children.

So, what I’ve come to learn recently is that the conversation for my son (who is now three) really can begin now. Certainly we’re not going into graphic detail, but it’s time for him to learn about the body God’s given. He can even learn how girls are different and that’s the body God gave them. That’s where it begins. That’s the start of a foundation of healthy talks. Several people listed all kinds of great resources on this post yesterday. I plan to get them all. If you see any missing that you would recommend, put them in the comments of that post.

A really inspiring resource I recently came across is this blog where Chris Spradlin talks openly about talking to your kids about sex. No topic is taboo and I greatly appreciate his candor. Here are several posts you might consider reading.

Loneliness in the US, the UK, the Garden of Eden, and the Church

By

Eric Geiger

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February 22, 2020

Vivek Murthy, former Surgeon General of the United States, believes it is not good for you to be alone. In fact, the former Surgeon General is on a crusade against loneliness because of the damage that loneliness produces in people’s lives. According to Murthy loneliness is the biggest health problem facing our country. About his work, Murthy stated: “I came to a deeper appreciation for the science behind loneliness which tells us that loneliness and weak social connections are associated with a reduction in lifespan similar to that caused by smoking 15 cigarettes a day and even greater than that associated with obesity.”

Leaders in the United Kingdom have reached the same conclusion. And in recent years have appointed Tracey Crouch to a new position – the Minister of Loneliness. According to their research, millions of people in the UK struggle with the damaging effects of loneliness, and they have decided that it is not good for you to be alone.

It is not good for you to be alone. This is true in the US and the UK. It was even true in perfect paradise. Whether they realize it or not, their statements are echoing what the Lord declared a long time ago. According to the Scripture, God was the first One to declare that it is not good for man (Adam) to be alone (Genesis 2:18)

Unlike current life in the UK or US, Adam enjoyed perfect paradise, a perfect relationship with God, in a perfect body not yet corrupted by sin. So why was loneliness not good in perfect paradise? Many scholars have pointed to Genesis 1:26: “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness…” We see the beautiful mystery of the Trinity in the first chapter in the Bible – that God eternally exists in a loving community of Father, Son, and Spirit. While Adam could display many of God’s characteristics, Adam could not display the communal character of God without community. This is why it was not good that Adam was alone.

Ministry leaders, “it is not good for people to be alone” in our churches.

3 quick thoughts for us ministry leaders about loneliness in the church:

1. Just because a person attends church does not mean the person is in community.

I have heard, over the years, many leaders speak as if people are in community because they attend the church, hear the sermon, etc. But it is entirely possible to be surrounded by people and still not be in community. Most of the millions of people in the UK who are lonely are surrounded by people. The UK has 66 million people living “on an island smaller than the state of Michigan (which has less than 10 million residents).” We must not assume that church attendance equates community.

2. Even in healthy churches there are still lots of lonely people.

The Garden of Eden was more than healthy; it was perfect. As great as your sermons may be, as amazing as your worship gatherings may be, surely you don’t believe they compare to the perfection in the Garden of Eden. And if community was important in perfect paradise, how much more is it in our imperfect churches?

3. Loneliness has negative spiritual implications too.

I am grateful for people like Vivek Murthy who are passionately shining a light on the implications of loneliness. Loneliness also damages spiritual health and growth. God uses Christian community to sustain us and sanctify us, and without Christian community our hearts can quickly harden (Hebrews 3:13). We must be passionate for community too.

While we cannot create people like the Lord created Eve for Adam, we must be burdened for the disconnected and we must do all we can to help people get in community with others. It means we must do the hard work of launching new groups, training and developing leaders, and constantly shepherding people to places where they will be in community. As the Lord surveyed His creation and declared loneliness to not be good, we must survey the ministries we steward and echo His same declaration.

This article originally appeared here.

Two Simple Ways to Prevent Your Child’s Heart from Drifting

By

Andrew Linder

-

February 22, 2020

What if my children don’t like me anymore when they get older?”

“What if my child has a drifting heart as they age?”

A great fear that many parents have as their children get older is them gradually drifting away and losing interest in their relationship with mom and dad.

And granted, part of that’s natural as kids grow up, especially as they enter the preteen and teenage years. They are becoming more independent as they transition from childhood to adulthood.

But does the fear of losing a good relationship with your child have to be a reality that every parent must face? I don’t think so, and here’s the reason why.

“Kids most often drift away from their parents not because they’ve chosen to, but because their parents have inadvertently allowed them to.”

There’s a mistaken mindset that once a child becomes a teenager, we just have to start giving them their space and allow them to become their own person. But the great danger in that thinking is that parents begin to withdraw from their children at a time when their engagement in their life is needed possibly more than ever before.

Teens begin wanting to spend lots of time behind closed doors in their room, and parents allow them to do so, usually to the demise of both parties. It’s not healthy for kids to be allowed to disengage from family life, nor is it healthy for parents to lessen their influence in their child’s life at this stage.

No parent desires for their child’s heart to drift away from them, the family, or God, but the key to preventing a drifting heart is so much more simple than what most parents realize. I believe that it boils down to two main things. It is vitally important that you maintain:

Prevent A Child’s Heart From Drifting By:

1. REGULAR COMMUNICATION

As your kids get older, talk more, when the tendency is to talk less.

Schedule times to take your child out and spend time in conversation about life one-on-one.
Engage in regular and intentional conversations around the dinner table and other times throughout the day.
Go out of your way to communicate that you care about them, their life, and the issues that they’re currently facing.

They desire someone to talk to about their life, and mark it down, they will talk to someone. It can either be you… or whoever else will listen.

Don’t believe the faulty “family sitcom” mindset that the older your kids get, the less they want and need to talk to you. Truth is, they crave communication with you.

“Regular communication is preventative medicine for a drifting heart.”

Secondly, it is also vitally important that you maintain:

2. REGULAR INTERACTION

Yes, they are going to want to spend more time with friends and develop their independence, but it’s still of great importance that they keep spending quality time at home and with the family.

Make your home an inviting place for them to invite their friends. At our house, we have video games, tons of movies, a pool table, and many other fun indoor and outdoor options for our kids and their friends. We want our house to be the place to be – a fun place for them and their friends to hang out.

“No matter their age, never cease having fun with your kids. It’s part of the life-blood of your relationship.”

If we fail to maintain quality interaction with our kids at this crucial age, it’s no wonder that their friends’ influence within those few years seems to override all of our influence for the past 13+ years of their life.

Simply put, drifting happens when we fail to keep our kid’s heart within reach. When that happens, we open the door for other loyalties to form and dangerous distractions to pull their hearts in a different direction.

Sadly, most kids’ hearts start drifting long before their parents ever realize it. Seeds of parental passiveness have been planted, and the fruit is yet unseen. If possible, the key is never to let the drifting begin to take place. And as soon as it rears up its ugly head, quench its power with some good old-fashioned communication and interaction.

Yes, it’s possible to allow your teen to develop their independence while at the same time not allowing their heart to drift, but you must be intentional! As much as we’d like to believe there is another way, there is no substitute for these two things.

“It’s very hard for a child’s heart to drift from the heart of an engaged parent.”

I’m super thankful that our kids (two of them teenagers) still voluntarily give us a hug each night and say “I love you.” Nothing means more to me as a dad than that.

Do you agree with these two things, disagree? What thoughts would you add?

This article originally appeared here.

Are You Prideful? 20 Questions to Ask Yourself

By

Debra Fileta

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February 21, 2020

“You’re changing lives … and I’m so inspired by how you’re using your gifts for Jesus!!”

I was having a conversation with a friend of mine when she blurted out those words in a gush of enthusiasm. There was nothing in it for her, she wasn’t fishing for a compliment back, and she definitely wasn’t trying to butter me up. They were simply kind words. Kind words that were like water to my soul. And you know what else? It’s not uncommon for this particular friend of mine to speak words of life and encouragement.

Almost every time we’re together, I can count on her affirmation, her encouragement and her sincere compliments. They so genuinely pour out of her, like water flowing from a spring.

Have you ever met someone like that? Someone that just spoke words of life, and hope, and encouragement everywhere they went? Maybe you have …

But more likely, maybe you’ve met the opposite.

A person who is not known for their words of life, but rather for their words of criticism and negativity. A person who boasts, and brags, and tends to lift themselves up while putting others down.

As we examine today’s fourth characteristic of REAL LOVE in the #LoveIs series, I’m reminded that according to God’s word: real love is marked by humility. Real love does not boast, and it is not proud.

As I consider this concept it makes so much sense that these two qualities are listed together because if encouragement is the overflow of a humble heart, then boastfulness is the overflow of a prideful heart. And pride is focused solely on self. Prideful people have a hard time encouraging and uplifting others, because they’re too busy building up themselves. They have a hard time looking out, because their focus is far too often looking in.

But a humble person is someone who is secure in who they are in Christ … so there is no need to constantly seek to build themselves up. They have the capacity to fill up others, because by the grace of God, they feel full in and of themselves. Giving to others takes NOTHING away from them, in fact, they always have more to give.

Here’s a difficult question for you: Can you describe yourself as that kind of a person? Are you a person who resembles a prideful, boastful heart—or a person who is marked by humility and encouragement?

Whether in friendship, family or in romantic relationships—a prideful heart is like a cancer in a relationship. Consumed with self, it will slowly tear down, destroy, and sabotage intimacy and love … because pride ALWAYS comes before a fall.

As you take inventory of this aspect of your life, ask yourself some of these questions to determine whether or not your heart is filled with pride:

1. Do you find yourself looking down on others for their lack of talents, success or ambitions?

2. Do you tend to talk more about yourself in a conversation rather than give the opportunity to hear about others?

3. Do you find it difficult to confess when you’ve done something wrong?

4. Do you consider yourself “immune” to certain sins or behaviors saying things like, “I would NEVER do that …”?

5. Do you find yourself getting defensive and have a hard time accepting criticism?

6. When you accomplish something, is your first response to “pat yourself on the back” rather than to thank God?

7. When it comes to daily activities and routines, do you expect others to serve you rather than serving others?

8. Do you like to argue, debate and prove yourself right?

9. Is it difficult for you to encourage and compliment others?

10. Do you find yourself looking down on others when they make poor choices?

11. Do you find yourself interrupting people when they’re talking?

12. Do you tend to rely on your own abilities and strength rather than see your NEED for prayer and God’s word?

13. Do you have difficulty when you are given a suggestion or told what to do?

14. Are you slow to express thanks and gratitude to God and to others?

15. Are you easily offended?

16. Do you find yourself constantly thinking about how you look, how you’re acting and what people are thinking of you?

17. Do you hold on to hurts for an extended period of time?

18. Are you quick to criticize or point out the flaws in others?

19. Do you look for opportunities to talk about your accomplishments and success?

20. Do you tend to see your spiritual life and “walk with God” as better than others?

If you answered YES to some, many or most of these questions … then let’s do nothing less than commit these things to confession and prayer! Because like C.S. Lewis so eloquently says, “True humility is not thinking less of yourself … it’s thinking of yourself LESS.”

Because only as God empties us of ourselves, we will be able to be filled with His love.

Comment below: What other things have you found to be a good gauge of your level of pride?

This article originally appeared here.

N.T. Wright: The New Testament Is Clear on Female Preachers

By

Megan Briggs

-

February 21, 2020

what does the bible say about female preachers — Screenshot from Facebook / @N. T. Wright

When Pastor Miles McPherson asked N.T. Wright about his thoughts on women in ministry, the audience at Rock Church in San Diego erupted into enthusiastic applause. However, Wright said, the same question would elicit a yawn in the U.K. “We settled this one years ago,” Wright explained. Wright, who says he is asked about this topic nearly everywhere he goes outside of Britain, leans heavily on two passages of Scripture when it comes to answering the question “what does the Bible say about female preachers?”

“The usual idea that women were kept down in the ancient world and it’s only recently that feminism has brought them back up is quite wrong,” Wright argues. The theologian, who recently published a book called The New Testament in Its World, said women who had some authority in the church and society were not anathema in the ancient world. “There were lots of independent women in Paul’s world and that was something Paul worked with.”

What Does the Bible Say About Female Preachers?

Wright refers to the stories in John 20 and Romans 16 as “big stories” that should be used to shed light on less clear or difficult passages such as 1 Timothy 2.

In John 20, when Jesus is raised from the dead, the first person he meets is Mary Magdalene. “He does not say, Mary, I’ve got some really important news–I want you to go get Peter because I need to tell him so that he can then go and tell everybody else,” Wright explains. Instead, “he says, ‘Mary, go and tell my brothers–those men who are hiding at home because they’re scared–go and tell them I am ascending to my father and your father….’”

The news that the crucified Jesus has been raised from the dead and is now Lord of the world is “the foundation of all Christian ministry,” Wright says, arguing for the passage’s significance to Christian thought and belief. Speaking to ChurchLeaders podcast host Jason Daye, Wright says that when Jesus gives this news to Mary instead of one of his male disciples, it is “almost as huge a revolution as the resurrection itself.”

The other example Wright leans on to answer the question of whether or not women should be allowed to preach is in Romans 16. Wright says the letter to the Romans is “probably the most important letter ever written.” The fact that Paul entrusted this most important letter to Phoebe, who was a deacon in the church in Corinth, is very significant when considering the context of the time period and culture. “In the ancient world, the person who delivers the letter is the person who will read it out.” Phoebe was “presumably an independent business woman” who was traveling to Rome for business, Wright explains.

Additionally, there is a high possibility that Phoebe also explained Paul’s meaning when people had questions about the letter. In fact, it is “highly likely the first ever exposition of Paul’s letter to the Romans was done by a Christian business woman from the eastern port of Corinth,” Wright said. “Paul could easily have chosen some man to do that job,” he explained. Instead, he deliberately chose Phoebe.

What About 1 Timothy 2?

Wright argues that these two passages give context for other, more “difficult” passages to interpret which mention women. For instance, 1 Timothy 2 contains words that don’t occur in other places in the New Testament, making it hard to interpret. Wright, who has “wrestled with” the meaning of this passage for quite some time, thinks “it’s quite wrong to take one particular reading of 1 Timothy 2 and allow that to override what is coming through in those other, great passages which seem to me very, very clear.”

During our interview with Wright, he shared another passage of Scripture that also implies women should be allowed to preach. Wright calls 1 Corinthians 11 a “tricky passage” which can be hard to interpret. However, one thing is clear:

Paul is very adamant that when women are leading in worship, they should look like women and not look like imitation men. The fact that he is concerned about them being recognized as women…shows that a) he does want them to be leading in worship and b) he wants it to be clear that they are doing so as women.

Wright concludes the “narrative [of women communicating the word of God] is so clear” in the New Testament.

You can listen to our interview with Wright here:

N.T. Wright on the Dangers of Neglecting the History of the New Testament

To listen to Wright’s comments at Rock Church, check out the following video:

Please Pray for Ravi As He Heals from Emergency Back Surgery

By

Jessica Lea

-

February 21, 2020

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

Christian apologist and evangelist Ravi Zacharias had emergency spinal surgery on February 20 and so far is recovering well. He and his wife, Margie, have posted updates on the Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) website and on Zacharias’s social media channels. Thursday evening, Margie posted that his surgery had been successful.

“The surgery is complete and went smoothly, though it was long,” Margie wrote on Facebook. “I told the surgeon afterwards that he looked tired and he said, ‘Ravi gave us a lot of work to do!’ Ravi is well and he is resting. The doctor anticipates his pain now will be from the surgery itself, and we are praying for relief and comfort as Ravi begins the recovery process.”

Ravi Finds Out He Needs Emergency Surgery

On Wednesday, Zacharias posted on the RZIM website, explaining that he needed emergency back surgery and requesting prayer. He began, “Dear Friends, I seldom go to any lengths to talk about personal challenges but am making an exception because I know you will pray for me—and for my family and the team.” The apologist went on to say that he has had “serious back issues” for some time and has already had two back surgeries. God used the first surgery to bring him “comfort and strength” and “eighteen good years.” However, he said, “over the last year, I have battled several flare-ups, and after my last trip to the Philippines and Sri Lanka, it’s a miracle I got home on my own two feet.”

A subsequent CAT scan and MRI revealed that Zacharias, who is 73, needed surgery as soon as possible. The surgery involved removing two loose screws and anchoring Zacharias’s sacrum (which was fractured) to his pelvis in two places. His medical team cares about his ministry, said Zacharias, and they “want to see me positioned for the distance.”

Because of the surgery, Zacharias had to cancel a speaking engagement with Christian multimedia association National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) on February 25. His recovery will take about eight weeks, but Zacharias said he is confident that the team at RZIM is “more than capable of continuing their good work” during that time. The speaker also said he anticipated the healing process would be difficult: “It will be some days of pain and struggle. But by God’s grace and with my family, friends, and colleagues close at hand, I will make it.”

In her update on Facebook, Margie wrote, “Thank you again for your love and your prayers. It all means so much. I know the Lord has been present in the OR today, and I pray that He will give Ravi the ability to handle what is ahead for the next several weeks.”

A Lifetime Defending the Gospel

Ravi Zacharias grew up in India and trusted in Jesus after attempting suicide at age 17. He founded RZIM in 1984 and according to his website, “has spent the past 46 years commending the Christian faith and addressing life’s great existential questions of origin, meaning, morality, and destiny with eloquence and grace.” A gifted speaker, Zacharias has tackled many difficult topics, including whether God condemns people of other religions, if committing suicide sends people to hell, and why God does not stop evil from happening.

On his website, Zacharias said that while he is recovering, he plans to “pray, read, and write,” and he promised to keep people updated about how he is doing. As he anticipated “the pain and the discipline of healing,” he said he had total confidence in God’s faithfulness to him: “The Lord has never forsaken me and He is by my side. I am a blessed man.”

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2. Thou shalt not put anything in e-mail that you would mind having
forwarded. . .because it probably will be.