Three Struggles Leaders Face Every Day

February 1, 2020

I consider it an honor to lead in multiple areas of Christian ministry. From my university ministry day job to working on staff at my local church, leading is part of what I do and who I am. I sometimes even write about some of the things I have learned about leadership here and on social media, but I’m far from an expert. Although I think I’ve been given some gifts in the area of leadership, learning to lead in a godly and effective way has been one of the hardest things I’ve done. Here are three leadership struggles I deal with on a daily basis:

1) Interacting with lots of people

FACT: I AM AN INTROVERT. I love people and enjoy being with them, but I can become drained quickly. When I’m responsible for large groups and many people need to interact with me, it can take an emotional toll if I’m not responsible and aware of how I am expending emotional energy. Self-awareness has been key for me in this area. Not to be overdramatic, but I’ve also noticed that for me to be able to give a lot of energy to many people, I have to make sure I’m sleeping and eating well too.

2) Actually leading instead of simply training

I enjoy absorbing knowledge. I then enjoy teaching other people about the things I have learned about. However, that’s not necessarily the same thing as leading. I have to remind myself that part of what I do as a leader is more than just equipping; it’s also about having a vision and inspiring other people to get there as I teach. John C. Maxwell said, “Leadership is influence.” Influence is a lot more than just regurgitating facts.

3) Communicating effectively

I used to think that because I read, write and speak fairly well, that meant I was a solid communicator. Was I wrong! I’ve had a lot to learn about how to communicate professionally and personally in ways that make sense to the person I am communicating with. I’ve learned that as a leader, it’s your responsibility to make sure your message is understood. In order to do this I’ve had to think hard about little things like my tone of voice, body language and the precise words I choose to use.

Identifying weakness or struggles is the first step to making progress toward improvement. Have you struggled in these same areas? What’s your biggest leadership struggle?

Seahawks’ Russell Wilson: “My Faith is Everything, God Comes First in My Life”

Andrew Hess

February 1, 2020

Whoever you’re rooting for in the Super Bowl later today, it’s hard not to get excited about the classy way Russell Wilson leads the Seattle Seahawks. Earlier this week, Wilson used an interview with the media to share openly about his faith.

“In terms of my legacy off the field, I want to be a Christian man that helps lead and helps change lives and helps serve other people. It’s not about me, you know,” Wilson said. “It’s not about me and it’s about just helping other people. So that’s kind of where I keep my focus.”

“In terms of my faith, my faith is everything: God comes first, family and friends come second, and football comes third,” he said. “I think when you keep it in that order, great things happen to you. You don’t stress out about much.”

When asked about the value of integrity, Wilson said:

“We all make mistakes or whatever, but we’re football players. We’re able to use our gifts. For me, I’m able to use my gift to glorify God. That’s what it’s about for me.”

Christianity Today reported that Wilson sent a message to the kids at the children’s hospital he visits weekly:

“To all the kids out there, I’m just praying for you guys, and praying for miracles”

At a time when many professional sports are lacking good Christian role models, Russell Wilson is a breath of fresh air. He’s the kind of guy who knows how to be both honest and winsome . Whether God has called you to play football on the largest stage or serve him elsewhere, we should all strive to represent Christ in word and deed the way Russell Wilson does.

Well done, brother. Go get ’em.

Christian Group Fights Sex Trade During Super Bowl

Toni Ridgaway

February 1, 2020

According to Justin Holcomb, pastor at Mars Hill and executive director of Resurgence, “the Super Bowl and other large sporting events like the Olympics and the World Cup are increasingly being recognized as magnets for sex trafficking and child prostitution. The 2010 Super Bowl saw an estimated 10,000 sex workers brought in to Miami, while the 2011 event resulted in 133 prostitution-related arrests in Dallas. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott acknowledged the Super Bowl as ‘the single largest human trafficking incident in the United States.”

Shared Hope International, a Christian group fighting human trafficking and the commercial sex trade, has launched a social media campaign hoping to create awareness and online advocacy in some of the over 12 million Super Bowl-related posts expected during the game. They are encouraging viewers to share their concerns about human trafficking and Facebook and Twitter and link to the “report cards” issued by the legal system of each state rating that state’s ability to prevent/fight sex crimes. (View your state’s report card here.)

“It’s time we encourage the masses tuning into the big game to know the real score that matters, for women and children all across our great nation,” SHI officials stated in The Christian Post. “As Christian abolitionists we believe trafficking survivors deserve the opportunity to be restored to dignity and purpose, regardless of their faith or system of belief. As Christian stewards we prayerfully seek to use wisdom and Biblical guidance for every dollar we spend. As Christian leaders we seek to inspire change by informing and empowering activists, providing strategic guidance to local shelter and service partners, and influencing policy makers and first responders.”

Learn more about SHI’s campaign here.

3 Guidelines For More Open-Handed Leadership

Dan Reiland

February 1, 2020

The longer you lead in any one organization, the more difficult it is to let go.

That’s natural.

You’ve invested more, so there is more to protect. Or at least be tempted to protect.

It’s not unlike the difference between a young adult who is twenty-five and a middle-aged adult who is fifty-five.

If you are a young adult who is just moving out of your parent’s place for the first time with a modest bank account and all you own in the back of an SUV, you are probably more willing to risk big because there’s not as much to lose.

If you are a middle-aged adult with decades of life invested, married with three kids, a mortgage, and your life savings set aside, you’re still willing to risk, but you think about things differently. You handle your money differently … you are more likely to hold onto it and for good reasons.

In leadership, however, it’s essential to be more open-handed with your authority, influence, and what you have built.

Partially because it doesn’t really “belong” to you, but ultimately because the future of your church matters more than control and comfort.

Continue to take risks and give away as much authority as possible if you want your church to remain healthy and grow.

If you hold on to all the influence, your church will get stuck.

Don’t misunderstand; it does matter who you hand off to, along with when and how, so keep developing leaders you trust and believe in.

Free eBook: "Holey, Wholly, Holy: A Lenten Journey of Refinement," by Kris Camealy

Daniel So

February 1, 2020

Free eBook

Download and share this eBook, Holey, Wholly, Holy by Kris Camealy, with your congregation as you journey through the season of Lent together.

From the author, “This is not meant to be a 40-day devotional, per se, but rather an aid in further reflection on the mystery and mercy of Jesus’ death on the cross and His ultimate resurrection. My hope is that you find the readings encouraging and stirring as you draw closer to Christ during your own Lenten journey.”

NOTE: This free download will expire on March 31, 2013.

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Resource provided by Kris Camealy

Download Instructions: To download this resource, enter your contact information in the fields provided and click on the blue “Subscribe to list” button.

What If Groups Were More Like a Super Bowl Party?

Allen White

January 31, 2020

Some pastors treat Super Bowl Sunday like the enemy of spiritual growth. Services get rescheduled reluctantly at some churches. Some persist with Sunday evening services and get very small crowds. I’ve even heard a few pastors over the years refer to those football-apathetic, church-loving types as “God’s Chosen.” After all, the “heathen” (a.k.a. the rest of the congregation) are at home enjoying the game and probably are watching those commercials too. But, what if Super Bowl parties actually promoted group life?

The Super Bowl is a natural gathering time. Friends get together with a boatload of guacamole and other snacks, cheer for their favorite team, or the winning team if their team isn’t playing, and hang out for several hours together. The kids run in and out, but nobody minds. (So much for the childcare issue.) What if your small groups looked more like a Super Bowl party than what people are afraid a small group might be? Groups could be fun, and casual, and fun!

The simple fact your people have friends to invite to a party is the first step toward group life. They already have a group! They just need something intentional and interesting to help them grow spiritually.

The Timing Is Amazing

One of the biggest obstacles to kicking off a church-wide campaign or even a small group semester in January is that there simply is not enough time to recruit leaders and form groups before the series typically starts in early to mid-January. If you try to recruit leaders and form groups in December, forget it. People don’t think about the new year until they are in the new year. But, what if your series ran between Super Bowl Sunday and Easter? And, even if your semester or church-wide campaign already started, who says you can’t start a few more groups out of Super Bowl parties? There’s no law against it.

It’s Not Too Late

If you haven’t planned a group launch, you still have time. Find an easy-to-use video-based curriculum. Ask your members to commit to a Super Bowl Party. Then, at the party have them casually mention they’re starting a small group, if anybody is interested. Instant groups!

By offering either a live and in-person briefing or an online briefing, you can give the new recruits enough to get them started with their group. Just cover the basics. Don’t overload them with details.

Ask your established group leaders to help by checking in on these new leaders over the course of the study. Each established leader should only be assigned to one or two new leaders, so the coaching doesn’t overwhelm the established leaders own small group. Read more basics about coaching here.

I realize I am springing this idea on some of you. Run a pilot. Do an experiment with a few people to see how groups can get started from Super Bowl parties. Try something new, and you could reach your small group goals for 2016!

D.A. Carson: The Ground of Assurance Before God

Megan Briggs

January 31, 2020

Why People Have No Interest in Your Youth Ministry

Chris Wesley

January 31, 2020

Why People Have No Interest In Your Ministry

I asked this teen after church one day if he wanted to come to our high school worship on Thursdays, he hesitantly replied, “I guess.” That’s when his dad stepped in and said, “Son, tell him the truth, you aren’t going to go, right?” and that’s when the son said, “Yeah, I don’t think so.”
I said, “Oh really? If you come I’ll give you a free Chick-fil-a sandwich.” The teen seemed more intrigued, but it looked like the dad was calling his son’s bluff with a look. I gave him an out and said that I would see them around.
I guess it was nice that the dad encouraged his son to tell the truth, after all he was being authentic but is that what I wanted?
Honestly, I don’t know what I wanted because if the teen had said, “Sure.” and never shown up, I don’t think I would have thought twice. That happens a lot. But the fact that the teen was called out by his old man, it made me wonder, “How do people really see the student ministry?” I can think of three images:

The Youth Group: This is probably how you refer to your student programs, but the image that comes to mind, is lock-ins, ski trips, games and no Jesus (except on the Jesus is my home boy t-shirt you are wearing). This image attracts teens looking for a social group and chases away parents looking for something deep for their kids and teens who are overcommitted.
Sunday School: Again maybe you call it this, but then again do people want more school? This image attracts the parents who’s teens don’t go to a Christian school and they want their teen to get “more religion” (not sure what that means either). This image chases away teens looking for meaning and purpose and parents who have teens in a Christian school.
The ?: This is when parents and teens have no clue that you have any kind of program, system or ministry in your church. Why is that? Lack of communication, lack of clarity, insider focus, the list goes on. If people have no clue about your ministry it could be the fact that they don’t pay attention to anything, but it could also be the case that you haven’t said enough.

What bothered me about the situation with the father and son is the fact that the dad didn’t ask me questions like, “So what is this youth thingy you do?” or “Why should my son come on Thursday?” I wouldn’t have minded the question because it would have sparked a conversation. In the end I can’t fully blame the parent because I could have been more persistent and persuasive. But the whole situation should make you think about the image you portray in your ministry. To make sure you do send out the right image you need to work on:

What you say, When you say it and How you say it.

When you can do that you’ll find these peculiar situations as opportunities to cast vision and invite a teen (and parent) into a conversation about what the local church can do for them.

Eight Reasons We Preach

Peter Mead

January 31, 2020

Another year. Another year of preaching. So why do we do it?

There are so many factors involved. I don’t want to ponder issues of pay (many preachers receive less than minimum wage for what they are doing). I don’t want to dwell on inappropriate motivations, even if they are significant for some. I will just mention some of them in passing.

Let’s take stock of some of the good reasons we preach.

1. We preach because God is a God who speaks—therefore, we have something to say. Actually, there are probably too many who are too confident they have something worth saying. I don’t think we have much that is worth saying, but the Bible is a revelation of God that is certainly worth proclaiming! That is why Paul could urge Timothy to “preach the Word!” in his final words to him. He wasn’t urging Timothy to chatter and noise and declaration of vain imaginations relating to societal ills and self-improvement principles. He wanted him to preach the Word.

Consequently the Bible must never become just a repository of preaching material. It must always remain the very exclusive fuel for the fire of our walk with Christ, through whom we can know the Father. When the Bible starts to feel dry to us, we have a real issue. Not because we need to squeeze a message out of its apparently dusty pages, but because something isn’t right in our relationship with the One whom we represent when we stand to preach.

2. We preach as an act of service to others. Paul views every gift given by the Spirit to the church as a gift given for the building up of others. Consequently, any gifts that relate to preaching must be offered to others in faithful service. So it can’t be primarily about our own fulfillment, and it certainly shouldn’t be about our own egos. We preach to build up others—to proclaim, to offer, to invite, to comfort, to challenge, to help.

Not to control—that would be self-focused. Not to cajole—that would be self-serving. Not to show off—that would be self-glorifying. We preach to serve.

3. Because the Gospel is thrillingly good news. The mission of the preacher is not merely to communicate ancient truths relevantly. God has given us a message. And that message is labelled as good news for a reason. The great sweep of redemption history involves the intra-trinitarian mission to rescue fallen creatures and restore them to full glorious fellowship with a loving and giving God.

It is not some sort of heavenly plan B to make the best of a bad situation and try to restore some semblance of respectability to a God who is on the throne but attacked on every side. When time is wrapped up and we have the benefit of both hindsight and eternal perspective, we will be gasping at the multi-colored and multi-faceted dazzling beauty of what God has done in Christ.

We get to proclaim that now!

4. Because people need to hear the Gospel. There are only two types of people in the world: Those who need to hear the Gospel and be saved, and those who need to hear the Gospel as they are being saved. While we may get beyond simplistic and trite presentations of some scaled-down version of the good news to some sort of legal loophole, we never move beyond the Gospel in its glorious richness.

What God is like, what He has done for us in Christ, how much we need Him, redeclaration of total dependence—justification, regeneration, reconciliation, adoption, fellowship. Preaching Christ so people will trust in Him. This is something our people can’t hear enough about. They need the hope, the faith and the love that is only found in the Gospel. We are not called to give tips for successful independent living, or to offer life coaching team talks. We are called to preach Christ and Him crucified, that all may trust in Him, know Him, enjoy Him.

Gospel preaching, why wouldn’t we want to do that?

The Coronavirus, Youth Ministry and Evangelism

Greg Stier

January 31, 2020

The Coronavirus is a hot topic among teenagers. Many are afraid. Most have never been exposed to the idea of a virus spreading and killing outside of the world of Zombie apocalypse movies and video games.

But the Coronavirus is real…and dangerous. Although it has not killed as nearly as many as the H1N1 Flu epidemic, many epidemiologists agree that, sooner or later, a sweeping flu virus could kill hundreds of millions of people.

In 1918 the Spanish Flu killed between 50-100 million people worldwide. With today’s population literally 6x’s bigger, if a similar flu bug spread globally today it could potentially kill hundreds upon hundreds of millions of people. The question with every new outbreak, like the Coronavirus epidemic in China, is, “Could this be the big one?”

For youth leaders we must preach, as one theologian used to say, “with a Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other.” We must tie in current events with the timeless truth of Scripture to help our teens have a Biblical worldview of, well, the world.

Because teenagers are talking about death now more than ever because of what’s in the news (i.e., the Coronavirus outbreak, Kobe’s untimely death, etc) it is an important conversation to have with our teenagers right away.

What does the Bible say about death and what our perspective should be of it? Hebrews 2:14, 15 gives us a healthy perspective, “Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who hadthe power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.” Hebrews 2:14,15

This passage gives us three key truths that can become talking points for our next youth meeting:

1. Jesus became one of us.

“Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood.” Hebrews 2:14

This is significant because our teens need to know, amidst of all the fears and dangers in this world, that we have a God who empathizes. He became one of us and understands the dangers of all kinds that we are facing.

2. Jesus died to break the power of death and the Devil.

“For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had^[the power of death.” Hebrews 2:14

As a human Jesus could die for other humans. As God that payment for sin was infinite. Jesus died as a human sacrifice for all of humanity’s sin. When he died he destroyed death and defanged the Devil.

Death has lost its bite and Satan has lost his teeth. Jesus took death upon himself so that all of humanity could live forever with him. This is all qualified upon whether or not they choose to put their faith in Jesus or not.

Chan: I Don’t Care If You Are Catholic or Baptist, Just If You Love Jesus

Jessica Lea

January 31, 2020

In the first talk he ever gave to a Catholic audience, Francis Chan shared that, far more than whether people label themselves “Catholic,” “evangelical” or anything else, he cares that people truly know Jesus. Chan made it clear he’s not on a one-man crusade to promote ecumenism. But he is concerned that many people who grew up in the evangelical and Catholic traditions are deceived into thinking they have peace with God.

“There’s a crisis in these two camps of all these people who are going through the motions,” said Chan. “It’s not an evangelical problem, it’s not a Catholic problem, it’s just a problem.”

Loving Jesus Leads to Ecumenism

At the beginning of his talk, Chan described the process of meeting people like Matt Maher and Audrey Assad (who are Catholic), seeing a true faith in God in them, and realizing it is possible to be Catholic while having a genuine faith in Jesus. Chan believes there is a tendency for evangelicals to see the problems in the Catholic church and for Catholics to see the problems in the evangelical church, all while each side thinks the other is oblivious to its own issues.

But then, Chan said he and a group of evangelicals got to have a meeting with the pope where the pope expressed his concerns that Jesus was not at the center of the Catholic church. That experience was eye-opening for Chan and helped him realize that Catholic church leaders did see the problems in their own community, just as he sees the problems in his.

So what is Chan’s main concern for evangelicalism? He believes that many people who attend an evangelical church simply grew up in church, but don’t really know Jesus. They might love Passion, Hillsong or John Piper, but they don’t love Christ. Chan compared knowing and loving Christ to being in love with a person, and he highlighted the expressiveness that being in love brings to people’s faces: “My biggest concern is when I talk to people who call themselves Christians, I don’t see that look in their eyes when they talk about the person of God.”

Chan referred to Matthew 7 several times during his talk, particularly verses 21-23 which read,

Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”

Chan has a deep concern for people in the evangelical church who think they are believers, but will one day face Christ only to have him say these words to them. “I’m not judging,” Chan said, “I’m just scared.” Francis Chan has a similar concern for people in the Catholic church who grew up observing the sacraments and think that following those rituals makes them right with God. He said, “I don’t know if Jesus Christ is really the Lord of their lives.”

Ecumenism Recognizes True Believers

But just as there are many people in the evangelical and Catholic traditions who don’t know Jesus, there are also true believers on both sides. Yes, there are times when you meet people who talk about Jesus without seeming to have a relationship with him. But, Chan pointed out, “There are those times when you meet people, you talk Jesus, you talk about the Scriptures and they just come alive. And then you find out later—wait, you’re Catholic?”

Chan emphasized the importance of moving away from focusing on labels, whether Catholic, Reformed, Charismatic or Baptist: “The more I talk to people and I get to know people and not care about their labels…I see the spirit of God in certain people.” And it is the Holy Spirit, said Chan, that empowers us to love our brothers and sisters, no matter which “camp” they fall into. He alluded to 1 John 4:20, which says, “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.”

“I can’t hate Matt Maher,” said Chan. “It’s impossible for me.” The transforming, indwelling love of God makes it impossible. Chan also addressed the criticism he’s gotten from certain people in the evangelical world for his ecumenism and for associating with believers of other camps, such as Mike Bickle, the director of the International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City, Missouri. Chan spoke at IHOP’s Onething conference, and he told his Catholic audience, “You guys have no idea how much flak I got for speaking at Onething the first time…It wasn’t fun.” People called him a false prophet, which was hurtful, but, “I can’t not love this other part of the family…I see the Spirit of God in them.”

While Chan’s view promotes ecumenism, he said he is not on a mission to unite the global church. He just wants, one step at a time, to be obedient to the Holy Spirit. He is hopeful, however, that the younger generation of believers cares less about labels and more about whether people are truly following Christ. Whether or not people know Jesus is what really matters and is at the core of what Chan himself cares about the most. “I care about that,” he said, “I don’t care what title you give yourself. I’m concerned you don’t know God.”

What Is It Like to Be a Team Chaplain for the NFL?

Megan Briggs

January 31, 2020

With the big game coming up this weekend, the health, grit, and mental states of the players of the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs are on the minds of many. But two people in particular—Marcellus Casey and Earl Smith—are concerned about the players’ spiritual states. Casey is the team chaplain for the Chiefs and Smith serves as team chaplain for the 49ers. Although they serve different players in different cities, these two men are really on the same team.

“There’s a really good friendship and fellowship among the chaplains,” Casey says in an interview with Sports Spectrum. “We all love each other, we cheer each other on, we pray for each other. Go Chiefs, go 49ers—let God’s will be done.”

Marcellus Casey – Team Chaplain for the Kansas City Chiefs

Casey says he knew from a young age he wanted to be a team chaplain, he tells Sports Spectrum. His father, Carey, served as a chaplain for a handful of teams, including the Dallas Cowboys and Chiefs, as well as the 1988 Olympic team. With the example of his father, Casey grew up knowing about the impact a team chaplain could have on a person’s life. Casey played football at Northwest Missouri State his freshman and sophomore years of college, then decided to stop playing so he could serve as the team’s chaplain his junior and senior years.

Like many other NFL chaplains, Casey fulfills a couple other ministry roles in addition to his chaplaincy role with the Chiefs. He’s the COO of Hope Center, which works with inner-city youth in Kansas City. He is also a lay-elder at Redeemer Fellowship Church.

Casey has been with the Chiefs for three seasons now. When he leads Bible studies, Casey says he likes to use a mixture of expository teaching and topical study. Even if they are talking about a particular topic, Casey says it’s really important that they are “walking through God’s word” as they do it. He also leans on the church calendar for topics, too, often devoting a section of study to Advent.

This season, Casey said he focused on prayer with the Chiefs. During the regular season, the group went through the Lord’s Prayer, slowly, line by line. Casey taught on how Jesus taught us to pray and connect with God. When the Chiefs made the playoffs, Casey took a different approach to the Bible study by putting the Lord’s Prayer into practice. Instead of teaching each week, Casey led the group in “praying and seeking God’s face.”

Casey’s wife, Stephanie, also leads a weekly Bible study for wives and girlfriends of the Chiefs players.

Earl Smith – Team Chaplain for the San Francisco 49ers

Smith has an incredible personal story. As a young man, he fell into a life of selling drugs. The choices he made led him to be shot six times. Incredibly, Smith survived, and God got ahold of him in the hospital. Smith believes God told him he was going to be a minister to the prisoners at San Quentin State Prison in California. Speaking to Sports Spectrum, Smith said “They left me on the gurney by myself and I hear this voice saying, ‘You’re not going to die. I have something for you to do. You’re going to be a chaplain at San Quentin prison.’”

Starting in 1983, Smith served at the prison for 23 years. At 27 years old, he was the youngest protestant chaplain hired by the California Department of Corrections. While serving in San Quentin, Smith coached the inmate football and baseball teams. His role at the prison had him rubbing shoulders with the vilest of offenders, including Charles Manson. He also worked with inmates on death row, earning him the nickname “Death Row Chaplain.”

Years into his prison ministry, Smith got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to extend forgiveness to someone. As he was walking through San Quentin one day, he recognized a prisoner behind bars; it was the man who shot him six times. Smith said he felt a conflict inside him, knowing that the tables had turned and now he was in a position of power over this man. Instead of seeking revenge, though, Smith thanked the man behind bars. “I need to thank you, because God used you to get to me,” he told his shooter.

Now, Smith serves as team chaplain for the 49ers and the Golden State Warriors. Smith even sees some similarity between his previous job and his current one. “The thing that’s interesting about prison and in working with athletes, it’s just men,” he told CBN. “They all wear numbers. There’s one segment that makes a lot of money for what they do. But at the end of the day they have some of the same conflicts in their lives; they have some of the same difficulties.”

A Player Turned Team Chaplain

Maurice Williams has a unique view of the chaplain-player relationship, having spent time on both sides of the equation. Williams played in the NFL for nine seasons. When he put away his football pads, Williams went to school to become a minister. Now Williams is an Athletes in Action chaplain for the same team he played for: the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Williams would like outsiders to know that NFL players are “real people;” they are more than “just football players or some superhero that this country would like to lift up.” Indeed, players have “real families, real issues, real emotional problems…they deal with losses in their families just like everybody else.”

Free eBook: Morning & Evening, by Charles Spurgeon

Daniel So

January 31, 2020

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Download this classic devotional from Charles Spurgeon and share it with your leadership team.

From Christianbook.com, “New generations can once again enjoy Spurgeon’s beautiful prose and elegant command of the English language in this completely revised edition. Morning and Evening offers readers the best of Spurgeon’s insight and wise counsel on themes that are as relevant to our day as they were in his day.”

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Ministering to the Magi—and All the Searchers—Among Us

Geoffrey Holsclaw

January 31, 2020

Wars and rumors of war are nothing new. On a dangerous journey at great cost to themselves, the Magi (Wise Men or Kings) were pressing through the difficult and the danger. They were looking for something. They were “seekers.” Or as some say, they were “searchers.”

Aaron Bjerke notes the neglected “searcher” demographic.

Seekers are people engaged with Christians in some way to explore the faith.
Skeptics are the doubters who reject faith.
But Searchers, as Bierke calls them, are looking for spiritual experiences through meditation, mindfulness, and other spiritual practices.

Searchers and Spiritual Practices

Basically, searchers are looking for “peace in a chaotic life” and they are looking at spiritual practices to find this peace.

Does it work?

Bierke claims these searchers are less interested in truth, and more interested in whether something works. They are pragmatists.

What this means for missions, evangelism, and the church, is that we need a faith that actually brings peace, that actually brings hope, actually brings life, and “life to the fullest” (John 10:10).

Something Dangerous? Back to the Magi

Bierke leaves off with some thoughts on how to leverage the Bible and prayer as an on-ramp for searchers.

But I want to return to the Magi.

The Magi were certainly “searcher”. They used their own pagan practices to discern that something was happening in the world. And they sought it out.

But they were also tempted. Their journey was almost hijacked by evil forces. King Herod tried to recruit them to his plan, for his gain. Only because of a warning by God were they kept from danger, and from endangering others.

And whether it is spiritual forces or just slick personalities, the “meditation market” makes also sorts promises of peace, productivity, happiness, and self-actualization. But too often it just delivers emptiness.

Something Better!

The church—through the Spirit of Jesus—offers something far better, more real, and more effective.

Jesus breathes on his disciples the Spirit of peace (John 14:26-27), and where the Spirit of Jesus is there is freedom (2 Cor. 3:17).

Like the Magi, people are searching.

Will we be, for these “searchers”, a light that will lead them to God in the flesh? Will we engage these “searchers” with a life in Christ that actually makes a difference?

QUESTION:

What do you see as the opportunity for the church in the burgeoning “meditation market”?

This article originally appeared here.

God is Good..Blah, Blah, Blah…

Nicole Cottrell

January 31, 2020

The other day, I was relating a story to my husband about something great God had done. “Yeah, and then God did this and then He did that. He healed them. He saved them! It was awesome. You know, God is good. Blah, blah, blah.”

My husband immediately caught my slip and burst out laughing. “God is good. Blah, blah, blah?” he asked.

I hadn’t even realized I’d said it, but I had meant it. I had be re-telling a story about God’s awesomeness, His power, His redemption and I just reduced His goodness to “blah, blah, blah.”

And the thing is, I think I do this more than I’d like to admit–downplaying God’s attributes. But why? Well, isn’t it obvious?

For starters, as Christians, we become really good at throwing around trite, over-used, phrases. You know, Christianese. “God is good,” “Jesus loves you,” “Our God is awesome.” Yadda, yadda, yadda. See, I did it again…

We use these phrases so often, so frequently, that they become common-place in our everyday vocabulary. Yet, we rarely consider the full meaning of these words.

Which leads me to the second reason I am so quick to disregard God’s character in everyday life. It is a struggle I have long dealt with–the idea that God definitely, certainly, undoubtedly, has something good for you, buuuuutttt, He probably doesn’t have the same plans for me.

Will He give you your hearts desire? Yes! Will He lead you, guide you, protect you? You better believe! Will he do the same for me? Um, I’m not so sure most days.

You see, I doubt for myself. I don’t doubt for anyone else, just me. I question His goodness towards me and so it becomes very easy for me to downplay His goodness with an almost callous “blah, blah, blah…”

Good. It is such a simple word. It is also commonplace and ordinary, used to describe everything from pizza to people. But have you ever wrapped your head around exactly what His goodness entails?

I was given a book a few years ago by my uncle, called The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer, that radically changed my understanding of the word “good”( I suppose if I was really paying attention and had remembered what I had once read, I never would have said those fateful “blah, blah, blah’s”).

In his book, Tozer describes God’s goodness as something far beyond the usual weight (or lack thereof) that we generally give to the word. He says:

“The goodness of God is that which disposes Him to be kind, cordial, benevolent, and full of good will toward men. He is tenderhearted and of quick sympathy, and His unfailing attitude toward all moral beings is open, frank, and friendly…That God is good is taught or implied on every page of the Bible and must be received as an article of faith as impregnable as the throne of God. It is a foundation stone for all sound thought about God and is necessary to moral sanity.”

Read that list of attributes again. It is God’s goodness that disposes Him to be kind, cordial, benevolent. And this is the part that really gets me. His goodness is the “foundation stone for all sound thought about God.” Come again?

Had you ever considered that it is God’s goodness that lays the very foundation for the ways in which we perceive and understand Him? Essentially, Tozer is saying that if we don’t understand His goodness, we do not understand Him.

I imagine Jesus, cloaked in goodness and kindness, welcoming and hospitable, to those who would receive Him. He was goodness walking upon the earth. Goodness personified. Goodness towards me…and you. He is still goodness and there is nothing else to say about it.

Have you ever downplayed, disregarded, or briefly forgotten God’s goodness? Or heck any of His other attributes? Tell me I’m not alone…

7 Strategies for Telling Better Stories

Ben Stroup

January 30, 2020

Everyone tells stories because we all want to communicate or share something. It may be in the form of services, products, expertise, talent, time, a message, etc. Regardless of the ministry type, everyone has to communicate something to those they are trying to reach. Many resist this reality because we have these images of what that communication means and what it requires…and it’s usually not pretty.

The art of communication is grounded in the art of telling. Seth Godin touches on the subject in his book, All Marketers Are Liars. We tell the stories we believe and hear the stories we want to believe.

Here are 7 things you should know about telling stories:

The listener doesn’t care about you or your stories. They care about what meaning it offers them.
People learn about themselves when listening to your stories.
The difference between an illustration and a story is that an illustration underlines your interpretation while a story has multiple interpretations.
Stories change meaning based on the point of view of the listener.
Stories transcend time and space because they contain elements that are universal to the human experience.
Stories appear in conversation, not monologue.
The truth of stories is not validated in the halls of academia. Rather, the truth of a story is determined by the listener’s ability to gain new insight, affirm a decision, or better understand their worldview.

Tell stories. Just don’t think you hold the only key to their meaning. Choose the stories you tell based on what you learn from listening to the other person involved in the conversation.

What suggestions can you offer to others about storytelling?

No Christian Funerals, Says Chinese Communist Party

Jessica Lea

January 30, 2020

Chinese funerals cannot be Christian funerals, according to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Watchdog group Bitter Winter reports that the CCP is furthering its oppression of Christianity and other beliefs by denying people the option of a religious burial. The news comes only days before the government is set to release new regulations restricting religious freedom.

“The new rules codify the Chinese Communist Party’s ideological and leadership supremacy over all religious affairs in China,” says Bob Fu, the founder and president of ChinaAid. “From now on, the Chinese Communist Party will become the head of the churches, temples, mosques, and other religious institutions. They will dominate every sphere of religion, from religious doctrines, leadership selection, financial management, and foreign exchanges.”

Regulating Even Chinese Funerals

ChinaAid says the CCP’s new regulations on religion, set to roll out on Saturday, February 1, 2020, will “extend the Chinese leadership’s leash to carry out acts against Christians.” The regulations have six chapters and 41 articles, the fifth of which says, “Religious organizations must spread the principles and policies of the Chinese Communist Party, as well as national laws, regulations, rules to religious personnel and religious citizens, educating religious personnel and religious citizens to support the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party.”

ChurchLeaders has reported extensively on the CCP’s increasing persecution of believers in China, as well as its efforts to “sinicize” religion in order to make it more Chinese and less Western. These efforts are part of a five-year plan President Xi Jinping has been implementing to reshape religion in the country. The government’s actions have included getting rid of religious language in student textbooks, preventing people from purchasing the Bible online, and demolishing churches.

Now, Bitter Winter has compiled reports that Chinese officials are stopping people from burying their loved ones according to their religious beliefs and forcing them only to have what authorities deem to be Chinese funerals. A county government in Zhejiang province recently adopted a set of policies called Regulations on Centralized Funeral Arrangement. The regulations, which came into effect on December 1, 2019, ban clergy from attending funerals and say that “no more than ten family members of the deceased are allowed to read scriptures or sing hymns in a low voice.” The purpose of these rules is to “get rid of bad funeral customs and establish a scientific, civilized, and economical way of funerals.”

Other local governments throughout China are imposing similar restrictions, and not just on Chinese funerals. A village official from Henan province told Bitter Winter that a document from a local government states that clergy must be “stopped from using religion to intervene in citizens’ weddings and funerals or other activities in their lives.”

Last October, Chinese authorities interrupted the Christian funeral of a woman in Hubei province (the province where the coronavirus outbreak originated) and arrested the woman’s daughter, who was praying. The daughter was released after her mother was buried without Christian rites. Officials apparently learned about the funeral because someone had informed on the family. As ChurchLeaders reported last year, people can earn substantial amounts of money for telling Chinese authorities that Christians in China are conducting “illegal religious activities.”

The government has been imposing similar restrictions on religious funerals in the country for the past several years. Said one church elder from a city in Henan province, “The government prohibits religious funerals, and doesn’t allow church choirs or orchestras to perform during them. Pastors can only sneak into believers’ homes for a hurried prayer. The situation is quite adverse, and some believers don’t even dare to accompany the deceased to the graveyard.” Authorities have also forced people to remove crosses and other religious symbols from funeral proceedings.

Persecution Roadmap

In addition to its ongoing oppression of Christians, such as Pastor Wang Yi of Early Rain Covenant Church, and the “cultural genocide” it is conducting against the Uighur Muslims, the CCP has been implementing facial scanning technology throughout the country. The point of this technology, says Morning Star News, is to “to collect data for the purpose of establishing a ‘social credit’ system to monitor perceived loyalty and dissent.”

Open Doors president and CEO David Curry recently said, “China is creating what I believe is a ‘persecution roadmap’ against religious faith. It is the greatest threat, in my opinion, to human rights today.”

Elizabeth Kendal with the Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin believes, “The days are coming when whole Christian families will find themselves unable to access not merely transport, but schools, hospitals, bank loans and jobs.”

Leaders of Apollo Quiboloy’s Church Charged With Trafficking

Stephanie Martin

January 30, 2020

An FBI investigation into human trafficking and immigration fraud culminated in Wednesday’s arrest of three U.S. leaders of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC). This is the latest in a string of legal troubles for the Philippines-based church, led by Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.

After raiding KOJC’s Los Angeles-area offices, federal authorities arrested three administrators for allegedly forcing immigrants to participate in a fundraising scam. As far back as 2013, say investigators, KOJC secured visas under false pretenses for church members. Once these volunteers, often called “miracle workers,” arrived, their passports were confiscated and they were forced to solicit money on streets. Though donations supposedly were being collected for poor Filipino children, the FBI’s Laura Eimiller says, “In reality, we believe the money is going to fund the lavish lifestyles of the leaders of this scheme.”

Workers Describe Abusive Conditions

According to the criminal complaint, church workers brought to the United States were told they’d be performing music. Instead, they had to work long hours to meet daily fundraising quotas—or else face physical and emotional abuse. Authorities say workers describe sleeping in cars, living at truck stops, and being forced into sham marriages to stay in America. Though almost $20 million was collected and sent back to the Philippines, the FBI says, little made its way to the church’s nonprofit organization Children’s Joy Foundation USA.

The arrested leaders include Guia Cabactulan, KOJC’s top U.S. official, who’s charged with overseeing the scheme. He and Marissa Duenas were arrested in California, while Amanda Estopare was arrested in Virginia. Authorities are continuing to search locations in California and Hawaii connected to KOJC, and the FBI has a hotline (with English and Tagalog speakers) for potential victims or anyone with information about the church’s operations: 1-800-225-5324

KOJC: This Is a ‘grand conspiracy’

A church spokesperson calls this week’s arrests part of a “grand conspiracy” to put KOJC and Quiboloy “to shame.” The allegations, says Israelito Torreon, are “lies concocted by former members of the kingdom who struck an alliance with forces who have an ax to grind against” the pastor.

Quiboloy, a prosperity-gospel televangelist and the self-proclaimed “Appointed Son of God,” founded KOJC in 1985. He’s a longtime friend of President Rodrigo Duterte, who has used the church’s TV and radio broadcasts to voice his opinions. Last year, Quiboloy claimed he prevented a major earthquake from striking the Philippines. Indigenous people say the pastor has grabbed their land for his compound in Davao City.

KOJC, which has about 6 million members, has been in hot water before. In 2018, a church leader in Hawaii was arrested for smuggling money and for helping Quiboloy avoid prosecution. That same year, a church member accused the pastor of running a child sex ring. In December 2019, another church member accused Quiboloy of sexual abuse and forced labor, saying the exploitation began when she was 12—and that church members justified it. Through his spokesman, the pastor calls the allegations “a pack of lies.”

On its website, the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry lists several warning signs of cult-like statements and behaviors by Quiboloy.

Violence in Plateau State, Nigeria Escalates with more Muslim Fulani Herdsmen Attacks

Morning Star News

January 30, 2020

JOS, Nigeria (Morning Star News) – At least 32 people were killed and a pastor’s house and church building were burned down in two nights of attacks this week by Muslim Fulani herdsmen in Plateau state, Nigeria, sources said.

The Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) building and home were destroyed in an attack on predominantly Christian Marish village on Monday evening (Jan. 27), one of three communities in Bokkos County hit in armed assaults that began the previous evening, area residents said. The attacks were the latest bloodshed in an escalation of violence in Plateau state, where herdsmen killed Christians in Riyom and Mangu counties earlier this month.

Herdsmen killed 17 people in Marish and Ruboi villages on Monday after killing 15 people in an attack on Kwatas on Sunday (Jan. 26), Titus Ayuba Alams, former speaker of the Plateau state House of Assembly, told Morning Star News.

“The attacks took place between the hours of 7 p.m. and 4 a.m. on Kwatas on Sunday, and also on Monday within the same time frame on Ruboi and Marish by the herdsmen,” Alam said.

Five people were wounded in the attacks and several houses were burned, area resident Theophilus Mancha told Morning Star News.

“A pregnant woman and 16 others have been killed,” Mancha said.

Kwatas, Marish and Ruboi are suburbs of Bokkos town, about 15 kilometers (nine miles) southwest of Plateau State University, Bokkos.

Kelly Kanang, another area resident, confirmed that Fulani herdsmen launched the attacks.

Benjamin Dogo of Kwatas informed Morning Star News in a text message, “Our people have been killed again. About 15 of the dead have been evacuated to the mortuary along with many others that sustained injuries during the attack on Sunday night.”

State police said 13 persons were killed and five injured in the attack on Kwatas. Police spokesman Ubah Gabriel Ogaba on Monday confirmed the attack by “unknown gunmen” on Kwatas in a press statement.

Ruboi and Marish were attacked after police issued the statement, and officers have provided no details on those attacks.

Plateau Gov. Simon Lalong condemned the attacks on the Christian communities in a statement through press spokesman Makut Macham.

“My heart again bleeds by this tragedy as lives of innocent citizens are cut short for no reason,” reads the statement issued on Monday. “Security agencies must go after those who are behind these attacks and their sponsors so they can face the law and be taught a lesson.”

Sen. Istifanus Gyang, deputy chairman of the Nigerian Senate Committee on Defense, said attacks on the Christian communities raise questions on the readiness of security agencies to protect people against herdsmen onslaughts.

“Only last week, Kombun village in Mangu LGA was attacked and now, it is Kwatas, Marish, and Ruboi villages in neighboring Bokkos LGA,” he said.

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 here. 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.

Erwin Brothers ‘Still Believe’ in Moviemaking Dreams

Stephanie Martin

January 30, 2020

Thanks to the success of their 2018 hit movie I Can Only Imagine, Andrew Erwin and Jon Erwin—known as the Erwin Brothers —have experienced what they call “enormous opportunities.” Yet they admit this career turning point wouldn’t have happened without earlier failures and lots of soul-searching.

Now, as they gear up for the March 13 release of I Still Believe, a biopic about Christian musician Jeremy Camp, the duo is reflecting on how their dream came to fruition and how they can encourage other budding businesses and creative types.

Erwin Brothers Go From Birmingham to the Big Screen

Andy Erwin, 41, and Jon Erwin, 37, are natives of Birmingham, Alabama, and sons of a U.S. senator and broadcaster. Their father, Hank Erwin, taught them to “dream big, dream bold, dream the impossible,” says Jon, Erwin Brothers’ CEO. The siblings got their start working on ESPN football broadcasts, directing Christian music videos (winning three Dove Awards for Music Video of the Year), and producing The Cross and the Towers, a 9/11 documentary.

By 2010, the pair focused on dramatic feature films, releasing October Baby, Moms’ Night Out, and Woodlawn before hitting it big with I Can Only Imagine. Though their first few movies were well-received by many Christian moviegoers, Jon admits they underestimated “the mountains that have to be climbed” to achieve success and profitability. And as Andy, the Chief Creative Officer, notes, a business model can’t be sustainable unless it makes money.

Although thousands of teenagers professed faith in Jesus after seeing Woodlawn, Andy says, financial goals weren’t met. So the team devoted significant time to reflection, hoping to learn from what worked and what didn’t. The result is what Jon calls a 175-page postmortem document that became a playbook for the “enormous win” of their fifth film.

I Can Only Imagine, starring Dennis Quaid and J. Michael Finley, tells the story behind Christian group MercyMe’s hit song of the same name. Despite a mere $7 million production budget, the movie became the top independent release of 2018, grossing more than $85 million. Andy says they had “a hunch” audiences would show up but never expected the movie would earn $17.1 million on opening weekend alone. Then—because “success…is the currency of Hollywood,” Jon says—I Can Only Imagine opened doors for the Erwin Brothers to further expand their outreach.

Joining Forces to Go Beyond Church Walls

Last year the Erwins, with partner Kevin Downes, announced a new production company, Kingdom Studios, which will develop Christian movies to be distributed through Lionsgate. Kingdom Studios will maintain creative control, and more directors will likely come aboard. At launch time, Jon Erwin told Baptist Press the partnership is similar to a “Christian Pixar or a Christian Marvel” studio, with a steady “pipeline of event movies” containing biblical themes.

On their own, says Andy, the Erwin Brothers could produce only about one film every two years. But now they’re discovering the “genius” of empowering other people, assembling great teams, and cooperating. That was the hard-won lesson of Woodlawn, Jon notes, realizing they needed to “invest more in our people.”

1) Interacting with lots of people

2) Actually leading instead of simply training

3) Communicating effectively

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