Meg Meeker: What You Need to Know About Teen Sex, Depression, and Social Media Use

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January 22, 2020

Dr. Meg Meeker has spent almost 30 years writing, teaching, speaking and working as a practicing pediatrician. Her life’s work has been about equipping parents and children with the tools necessary for health and happiness. She is the host of the Parenting Great Kids podcast, and her parenting advice has been featured by many ministries, including Family Life, Focus on the Family, and Dave Ramsey, who refers to her as, “America’s mother.” Meg’s most recent book is titled, Raising a Strong Daughter in a Toxic Culture. She and her husband, Walter, have four children and five grandchildren.

Key Questions for Meg Meeker

-How is premature sexual activity connected to depression in young people?

-What can parents do before their kids are sexually active to encourage them not to compromise themselves?

-How does social media create added pressure, especially on girls, to act in compromising ways?

-How can parents and church leaders protect kids from the dangers of social media while also teaching them how to use it in a healthy way?

Key Quotes from Meg Meeker

“When I look at teenagers who are sexually active, I’ve noticed that more of them have self-esteem issues, are more anxious, and struggle with more depression. So I started researching this, and sure enough I found in the literature that sexual activity in the teen years is tied with depression.”

“Parents are just convinced, ‘[Having sex] is what kids are going to do, there’s nothing I can do.’ Well, there’s a lot parents can do.”

“We’re living in a hypersexualized culture. Everybody knows that. Anybody who wants to sell anything laces it with sexual innuendo…and they know that’s going to sell their stuff. The targeted market for a lot of this is teenagers and kids.”

“Depression is really about accumulated losses that get stuck in the heart and that aren’t grieved, that sort of well up inside of somebody. And when we think about it, there are a lot of losses that girls can feel on many different levels from being sexually active, and those can lead to depression.”

“First thing is you establish yourself as the go-to person when it comes to talking about sex. Now, a lot of parents are very uncomfortable with that, but that’s ok. You’ve got to get over it. Because kids are being talked to about sex, and you’ve got to jump in the arena.”

“We don’t want to project a negative sense about sex…we have to be very positive about it.”

“We need to live with our kids on a deeper level.”

“Girls, when they hit the teen years in junior high, are very self-conscious, and their self-esteem goes down. So they turn to the place where they feel they’re going to get a boost in their self-esteem, particularly if they haven’t gotten it at home…They turn to social media to get affirmation from their friends.”

“Social media really has an addictive quality because girls are going there to feel better about themselves, but it ends up making them feel worse about themselves.”

How Church Leaders Can Effectively Lead Through Today’s Political Fine Lines

By

Dan Reiland

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January 22, 2020

How can church leaders effectively lead through today’s political fine lines?

The Church is truly magnificent even with its flaws, and transformational when it’s at its best.

I admit it; I love the church. It’s the most fascinating, complex, and ever-changing organization and community of human beings who follow Jesus and those who come searching with questions.

I love that everyone is welcome, and there is no charge.

Some days the Church can be frustrating, but most days, it’s fulfilling – pretty much like real life.

If you are in leadership, you’ve experienced some political fine lines that can become land mines if you don’t know where you are stepping, and you can find yourself in trouble fast.

Rarely is anything about life, the afterlife, and human beings a clear-cut black and white issue, it’s nuanced and often challenging to define.

The gospel message of Jesus as Savior is clear, but there are so many interpretations of what to do with it, how to live it, and tough questions of faith and doubt that if we are honest, no one has all the answers.

The mission of the Church is not a lightweight or surface endeavor.

When you add the complexity of current culture, church trends, and people’s opinions, leadership becomes very challenging.

It’s easy for church leaders to lose their way when caught in the endless nuances of making the church work, so much so that our time can be drained away from tending to the primary purpose of the message of Jesus.

We can get lost between the political fine lines and grey zones when leading.

If we drift too far from the purpose, it can seem like we’re walking in a field of land mines hesitant to take the next step because we might blow something up. (Or be blown up.) That can make you hesitant to take the next step. Even hesitant to lead at all.

We can never remove the challenges of real issues, but acknowledging and understanding them more fully helps us know where and when to take the next step, what to say, and how to move forward.

It’s not an option to stop moving forward out of fear, but as a leader, it’s essential to know what you think and keep your values clear to navigate the complexity of church leadership today.

5 political fine lines that can become land mines:

(You could add more, but the point is not the political fine lines themselves, it’s how to lead in their reality.)

Political arena: This political fine line is typically found between saying too much and saying too little. And then, of course, saying the wrong thing which often results in division over unity.

Gender conversations: This political fine line of most ministry decisions related to gender will land a pronouncement of hater or compromise.

Financial stewardship: The fine line is often between too much risk or too conservative, but either way, few things bring greater tension than how financial resources are directed.

Global conservation: This political fine line involves the big question of what or how much responsibility the church has for saving the planet that God created. The views are wide and varied.

Diversity: This political fine line is often between what needs proactive energy and what should be natural and organic. The outcomes can range from beautiful to heartbreaking.

Here’s the tension, we don’t get to side-step these issues, yet if we allow it, they will consume and take over the central mission of the church – helping people become followers of Jesus.

I wish there were some grand simple answer, but there isn’t one.

Why Ministers’ Kids Don’t Want to Be Ministers…and How the Church Can Help

By

Chuck Lawless

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January 22, 2020

Over the past 24 years as a seminary professor, I’ve worked with a lot of students who had a parent who was a minister, but who were at first certain they would never follow in those steps. When I’ve asked what their first objections were, here’s what I’ve most often heard in no particular order:

“People always watch you.” My students had experienced the “fishbowl” life; some, in fact, used a “magnifying glass” image rather than the fishbowl. Either way, they didn’t want to put their own families through the same experience of always being in the public eye.

“My parent was always too busy.” It’s been difficult for students who love their parents to express these feelings, but the feelings are nevertheless real. They didn’t like it when church work got in the way of family. In general, young leaders today verbalize such a strong commitment to family first that they don’t want to risk breaking that commitment.

“Some church people are just mean.” The kids themselves didn’t always experience the meanness, but they saw it when their parents experienced it – even when parents thought they were keeping it hidden.

“I don’t want vacations and meals to be interrupted.” When I’ve pushed, I’ve learned that such interruptions didn’t happen often, but they were memorable to the kids. They didn’t want to complain, but they also didn’t forget.

“Ministry is emotionally hard work.” It is hard, of course, but the point is that kids often recognized that truth. They saw how hard their parent worked. They saw the tears, sensed the frustrations, and heard the honest complaints.

“We struggled financially too much.” It’s tough to watch when your friends have more than you do. It’s also difficult on the family when both parents are required to work simply to pay the bills. Ministry kids who lived that experience worry that their family will face the same struggles.

“Everybody said I’d be a pastor or a missionary.” Some of my students admit that they rebelled at first simply because they wanted to make their own career choice. They didn’t like the pressure of always hearing what others thought they would do.

So, what can the church do for ministry kids? Think about these suggestions:

Know their names. Define them by their first name rather than by their position.
Let them be kids. Give them room to grow.
Pray for them when you pray for your own kids.
Love them. Be a friend. Have fun with them.
Act like a Christian should act. Don’t give ministry kids any reason to be disappointed with the church.
Guard your pastor’s family time. Interrupt them only for genuine emergencies.
Give their parents annual time to attend a marriage retreat. A strong marriage will only help minister’s kids.
Pay your pastor well. More than one generation will be affected by your generosity.

What would you add to this discussion?

This article originally appeared here.

Satan’s Strategy: ‘What’s to Fear?’

By

Robert Spinney

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January 22, 2020

Satan tempts us to not fear sin, so that we will not keep a safe distance from it. That’s Satan’s strategy.

Brooks characterized this strategy as “making the soul bold to venture upon the occasions of sin.” Like many of the devil’s lies, it distorts a truth, namely that temptation is not sin. The Christian who is tempted only sins when he surrenders to the temptation; being outwardly tempted is not a sin. But the Tempter twists this truth into an untruth that says that there is no harm in getting close to sin or exposing yourself to temptations, so long as you don’t take the final step and do the sin. It goes like this:

“You need not keep a safe distance from sin. You are strong enough to resist temptation; you are strong enough to go near sin without falling into it. You need not avoid compromising situations. Sin is not so strong, and you are not that weak.”

Here’s how Brooks expressed this temptation:

“Saith Satan You may walk by the harlot’s door though you won’t go into the harlot’s bed; you may sit and sup with the drunkard, though you won’t be drunk with the drunkard … you may with Achan handle the golden wedge, though you do not steal the golden wedge.”

The Scripture’s primary teaching regarding temptation is to flee from it. Few Bible truths today are as neglected as this one. Our spiritual forefathers understood well both their own sinfulness and the alluring power of sin; for them, fleeing temptation was the Christian’s first strategy for growing in holiness. But today, we think far too little of sin’s power and far too much of our own spiritual ability. As a result, fleeing temptation is often regarded as a quaint notion, one popular in a bygone era when people were too uptight about sin.

But what do the Scriptures say? The Lord Jesus Christ instructed His followers to pray that they would not be confronted with temptations to sin (Matthew 6:13, 26:41). How can we sincerely pray, “Father, do not lead us into temptation” and then recklessly place ourselves in situations that overwhelm us with temptation? If I ask God to steer me away from temptation, then surely I must steer myself away from it as well! When the Apostle Paul counseled the young pastor Timothy, he told him to flee from the temptations of materialism and lust (1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:22). When the inspired apostle wrote to the Christians in Corinth, he directed them to flee from immorality and idolatry (1 Corinthians 6:18, 10:14). These New Testament instructions reaffirm Old Testament teaching: “Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not proceed in the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not pass by it; turn away from it and pass on.” (Proverbs 4:14-15)

To be sure, God sometimes calls His people to remain in situations where temptation is ongoing. For example, Christian policemen face their own special temptations that are almost capable. Living in a fallen world means believers can never completely insulate themselves from temptation. God does not command us to withdraw into present-day monasteries where temptations are allegedly minimized. But the first Christian response to sinful temptation is to get away from it, if possible.

Satan tempts us to not flee temptation.

The Devil encourages us to think that the temptation does not warrant fleeing because it is easy to resist. Satan strokes our self-esteem by telling us that we are sufficiently strong to say “no” to the temptation. The Father of Lies tells us something like this:

“You have identified the temptation. You see the sin. That’s all that is necessary. You are now adequately protected from the temptation: seeing it clearly makes you immune to its allure.”

We want to believe Satan, don’t we? Distancing ourselves from a temptation or removing ourselves from a tempting environment often involves cost. Fleeing may require extra work or create inconveniences. People who notice our sin-fleeing tactics frequently reward us with scorn or ridicule. Even church members will sometimes disdain your fleeing from sin as cowardice, legalism, self-righteousness, or surrender.

Sometimes we enjoy a small thrill from being close to a sin, almost like smelling a good meal but not eating it. As fellow Puritan Samuel Rutherford wisely observed, “To want temptations is the greatest temptation of all.” For many reasons, we would rather not go to the trouble of distancing ourselves from sinful temptations.

The Day God Led Me to Have a “Date” With a Prostitute

By

Josh Stoneman

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January 21, 2020

I never knew God would lead me to have a date with a prostitute. It turned out to be for eternity.

While in Malaysia in November, I had a weekend to rest and explore the city. I headed out without a plan, other than the goal to take pictures around the city and river.

After winding through huge markets and different areas of the city, I had finally made it to the river. Spotting a nearby bench, I sat down for a little while to scope out the surroundings.

Shortly after sitting on a small bench, a young woman came and sat next to me. I could see from her poorly done makeup and the way she dressed that I was probably a customer to her.

I suspected her business was prostitution.

She introduced herself as Anette*. I told her my name, and as we sat in silence, my heart began to break.

My question of, “How are you today?” broke the silence. Although she didn’t speak fluent English, she spoke it well enough for small talk. We spent a few minutes talking about the river and the city, small things like that.

Finally I asked what she did for work. She explained in broken English that her job was to have sex. When she said this I could tell she was partly ashamed to admit this and also partly wondering if I was interested.

I told her, “I am not a customer; I am a friend.”

By looking at her somewhat anorexic figure, I assumed she didn’t eat often. So I asked her what restaurants she recommended in the area. After she said the name of a place within sight, I offered to buy her lunch. She agreed and I wondered what I had just done! This woman’s appearance made it obvious about her trade … what would people think?

As we walked, I looked to see the faces turn to watch her. Other women looked at her in disapproving ways, men looked at her and then me as if knowing what was going on.

Out of insecurity of the situation, I explained to her again that I was not a customer and did not want anything in return. She said she understood so I let the situation play out.

When we sat down at this riverside restaurant, I could tell from her body language she felt out-of-place. “Have people taken you out to eat before?” I asked. She said “No, never!”

While waiting for our food, I got to know Anette a little better. She is 25 and travels back and forth from the rice fields for work. It’s the off season, however, so she doesn’t have any work back at her home.

Meaning she has to find an alternative to afford things like food, water and a place to live.

I asked her a little bit more about her work. She explained, “I don’t like my work but what can I do?” The way she said this made it obvious that she didn’t want to do this work at all.

But she couldn’t figure out another way.

Outreach Metrics for Offline Marketing

By

Brandon Schmidt

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January 21, 2020

Planning a major church outreach, campus launch, or holiday service takes hundreds of hours planning, preparing, and praying for. But it’s not just the event itself that gets so much forethought. As a church communicator, you know that just as much thought goes into announcing this event to your local community, and developing outreach metrics.

While social media is a powerful tool in marketing your outreach event, don’t be too quick to dismiss traditional marketing. Billboards, mailers, door hangers, and newspaper ads can be effective tools in reaching your intended audience when they’re part of an overall marketing plan. While these channels may not have all the detailed analytics that digital marketing channels provide, they are an affordable option for getting a lot of eyeballs on your ads.

How do you measure traditional marketing channels?

The problem with traditional, or print, advertising is measuring results. Billboard companies will tell you how many thousands of people will drive by your ad, and your print partner can give you a list of the hundreds or thousands of homes your mailer will be sent to, but neither is adequate at measuring success.

Fortunately, there are ways you can better track the impact traditional marketing has on your event.

Unique URL

The most common way to measure results is by setting up a unique URL (web address) for each ad. Instead of putting your church’s homepage on the ad, or even the regular URL for your event, create a separate URL just for that ad.

For example, if your landing page is examplechurch.org/easter, consider creating another URL for print that says examplechurch.org/eastervisit. This new URL will redirect to the regular landing page, but it would trigger in your analytics that they came from print.

You can also make a completely new URL just for this event (easterexamplechurch.org), which you would only use for traditional channels and would still lead to the main event landing page. Called a vanity URL in the marketing world, this is a really helpful way to see how many page visits came from an advertising channel.

Unique Phone Numbers

Similar to the vanity URLs mentioned above, you can use unique phone numbers for each print piece. The church phone would still ring as normal, but you would know that those people called after seeing your ad. You could set up a Google Voice number, or use one of the many call tracking solutions out there.

Coupon Code

If it makes sense for your event, a coupon code is another way to measure the reach and impact of a print mailer. Your offer could be for a free gift, a contest entry, or a donation to a local charity or cause.

Setting Up Analytics

Of course, in order to establish outreach metrics, you need to have analytics software set up on your website. I recommend Google Analytics, as it has plenty of features while still being free. Plus, I’ve found it to be more accurate than the tools built into Squarespace or added on to WordPress.

Measuring Results

The whole reason to for outreach metrics is to measure traditional marketing is to see what works in your community. The church across the state may have used mailers to great success, but it might not work for you. By measuring your results, you can see how effective traditional channels are in meeting your intended goal, whether that is a boost in attendance, more registrations, or increased donations.

There is also something to be said about using traditional marketing as brand awareness, a way of getting your church’s name and logo out to the greater community. These may not always lead to a measurable increase in attendance, but can still serve a role in your overall outreach metrics efforts.

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

10 Practices of a Great Small Group Facilitator

By

Rick Howerton

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January 21, 2020

This past week I had the opportunity to attend Real Life Ministries Immersion training. Real Life Ministries is an amazing church in Post Falls, Idaho, a church being the church to over 8,000 people in a community of 28,000. This amazing church is built on the biblical model of making disciples who make disciples, and this is taking place through small groups.

In most instances, when attending a conference of this nature, attendees are in plenary sessions much of the time, large group sessions are king and topical breakout sessions are offered. Not so at an Immersion Conference. Most of our time was spent in a small group. Attendees are learning to do what Real Life Ministries does in their small groups, and you’re doing it, not just hearing people talk about it.

The group I was in had an amazing facilitator. His name was Dave. Dave practiced some often overlooked or forgotten facilitator disciplines. He modeled the following facilitator practices as well as anyone I’ve ever seen.

1. Do ice-breakers that everyone participates in and that build individual trust and team unity.

2. Affirm each person when they speak, especially early in the group’s life.

3. Draw everyone into the conversation. When there is a person who seems slow to jump into the discussion, graciously ask their opinion or request their input.

4. Be relaxed yourself. A relaxed facilitator creates a relaxed environment.

5. When asking the group to speak of a sensitive life issue or situation, be the first to tell your story.

6. Involve your apprentice when possible.

7. Talk less than 30% of the time.

8. Converse with those in your group between group gatherings.

9. When you don’t know the answer to a question asked of you, say you don’t know but that you’ll try to find out and that you’ll get back to the group with the answer to the question.

10. React to delicate situations/moments with grace and sensitivity.

Should Tax Payers Pay for Christian School? SCOTUS to Decide

By

Jessica Lea

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January 21, 2020

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments Wednesday in what could be a landmark case impacting the separation of church and state. Three mothers from Montana are suing a state agency, saying it is unfairly denying them funds that they rely on to send their children to private schools simply because those schools are religious.

“This is grossly unfair to any parents of kids who go to religious school,” said Kendra Espinoza, according to Reuters. Espinoza is one of the plaintiffs in the case, and she says, “It’s not fair to us to be excluded (from) funds available to the general public.”

Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, disagrees: “They’re demanding the court require public funding of religious schools. This is a blatant affront to democracy…It would basically change 200 years of practice in the United States.”

Debating the Separation of Church and State

The case of Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue began in 2015 when the Montana state legislature created a tax credit program that provided dollar-for-dollar tax credits for individuals and businesses that donated up to $150 toward helping students attend private schools. The state allotted $3 million dollars per year for this purpose.

While the money was set aside for students attending any private school, religious or otherwise, ABC News reports that 69 percent of private schools in Montana are religious. And according to NBC News, 90 percent of schools that signed up for the scholarship fund had a religious affiliation. After the legislation was passed, the Montana Department of Revenue decided to stop any of those funds from going to schools with religious ties on the basis that allowing that would be unconstitutional.

The Montana Supreme Court heard the case in 2018, after which it decided to eliminate the tax credit program altogether. Scholarship recipients have, however, retained their financial aid for the current school year while the U.S. Supreme Court hears the case.

Arguments For and Against

Kendra Espinzoa is a single, working mother who could send her two daughters to public school for free, but instead relies on state money to help her send them to Stillwater Christian School in Kalispell, Montana. Espinoza told the Bozeman Daily Chronicle (BDC) that her daughters prefer attending Stillwater, where they are happy, instead of going back to public school, where they were “facing distractions, bullying and ostracism.”

Espinoza works three jobs, and she and her daughters do yard work, clean offices, and hold yard sales to make ends meet. She does not believe she should be prevented from deciding where to educate her children just because she wants to send them somewhere that teaches a Christian worldview. Espinoza and the other plaintiffs (who are supported by the Trump administration) argue that Montana’s actions go beyond neutrality to outright hostility toward religion.

Opponents of the case argue that if the plaintiffs win, the result could have widespread, negative consequences for the separation of church and state in the U.S. The head of the National Education Association called the situation “the latest stealth attack on public education.” The state of Montana has told the Supreme Court that adding private schools to the pool of schools that receive state funding will hurt the entire educational system and would compel some residents to financially support beliefs with which they do not agree. What’s more, the state says it is actually protecting religious freedom “by preventing the government from using its leverage to dictate religious policy.”

The BDC says the case’s opponents are worried about the potential outcome, while its supporters are optimistic about the Supreme Court’s decision, which should be handed down in late June. One reason the plaintiffs might feel they have a good shot at winning is that in 2017, the Supreme Court ruled that the state of Missouri could not stop a Lutheran school from requesting state money to restore its playgrounds. This was before Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh joined the Supreme Court, which now has a 5-4 conservative majority. However, Chief Justice John Roberts was careful to state that the court’s decision in the Missouri case does “not address religious uses of funding or other forms of discrimination.”

Montana is one of 37 states that prohibits public funding for schools with religious affiliations, and there is one point on which both sides of this debate are in full agreement: the Supreme Court’s decision will be highly significant for policies pertaining to the separation of church and state.

Weingarten fears the impact that a decision in favor of the plaintiffs could have on public education, saying it would “be a virtual earthquake.” Erica Smith, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs, agrees about the extent of that impact, saying that a decision in their favor “will provide momentum to the entire country.”

Thinking Through Missiology Together

By

Ed Stetzer

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January 21, 2020

Well, I must say that I am pleased. My MissionSHIFT discussion idea was just that– a (crazy) idea. The first installment was posted yesterday and the comments contain dozens of responses of people thinking seriously about missiology.

Sometimes it seems that everyone wants to talk about missiology without actually engaging in missiology. It is easier to just say, “Well, that’s not missional” rather than to understand the deeper thinking behind much of that conversation. I could not be more pleased with some of the interaction. I think it will bless and stretch you if you will wade into the conversation.

Below are some of the responses from yesterday. I will only excerpt them, so be sure to read each response in its entirety by following the links back to their own blogposts. Others were posted later, so I will add some later. And, I did not include all, just a few highlights. You can find all the links at the original post.

Some provided additional clarification around the definition of “mission.” Michael Kennedy explained:

In my estimation, any definition of “mission” that is not biblically faithful and culturally applicable will be problematic. We should vigorously discuss our understanding of “mission” with great love and humility. This, however, should not be the main focus of our attention. We must put into practice that which we know to be true:

1. The idea of “mission” originated with God when he sent His Son to “give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

2. God “desires all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4) and we are assured that people from “every tribe and language and people and nation” will be present in heaven (Revelation 5:9).

3. Followers of Christ have been entrusted with the message of the gospel (2 Timothy 1:14) and given the mission to make disciples wherever they go (Matt. 28:19-20, Mark 16:14-18, Luke 24:44-49, John 20:19-23, and Acts 1:4-8).

4. Even if we develop a definitive definition of “mission,” followers of Christ must still apply Jesus’ command to make disciples to their daily lives. I am not sure that we need more “head knowledge” as evangelicals as much as we need to put into practice what we already know to be true!

– Michael Kennedy

Ricky Kirk gives another “tentative” definition that is worth considering:

For me, the essence of mission is expressed in the following way: it is being sent by the commission of Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to make the name of God known among men. It involves presenting the gospel (there is another term that can yield a multitude of definitions) to man explaining that through repentance of sin and faith in the completed work of Jesus Christ at Calvary man can be reconciled to God, forgiven of sin, and subsequently they become sent as well. In the same way that Van Engen presents a ‘tentative’ definition, I do the same. How that ‘mission’ is described and acted upon today very well may be something different tomorrow. Using the very cliched phrase, the message doesn’t change, but the method may.

– Ricky Kirk

Like Ricky, Doug wants us not to lose the focus on disciple-making and he wants to keep things simple.

This is likely a severe oversimplification of mission. But nonetheless here it is. When I read the call of Jesus I can’t get past the fact that our mission is to make disciples. Somewhere along the way mission and discipleship had an unfortunate divorce.

– Doug Foltz

But, Chuck Huckaby called us to a simpler way… and called out Crystal Cathedral and Willow Creek in the process. (I think he is referring to the “rethink” that Willow took when they did the reveal study, since most would not see it as the same kind of failure that the Crystal Cathedral is experiencing right now.

Perhaps the failure of projects like the Crystal Cathedral and Willow Creek with time, brains, money and those related resources justify an attempt at a spartan missional simplicity like Jesus and the Pre-Constantinian Church?

In studying the Book of Acts, we find an identifiable apostolic “kerygma” – the apostles’ core proclamation of the message of Jesus presented to Jews and Gentiles. It presented the significance of our Lord’s coming and summoned all to repentance and a lifestyle commensurate with such repentance.

– Chuck Huckaby

Jeremiah is frustrated that the term missional has become trendy rather than leading to people engaging in God’s mission. I can’t disagree with him.

My view is that missional church is a very sad commentary on the Church as a whole. As Van Engen and many others have said, the church is God’s sent out ones. We are meant, in part, to help bring the Kingdom of God to the world, to our own communities. If we cease to do this we are nothing more than a club. The fact that the term missional church is now en vogue is a disappointing pointer to the fact that we, as the Church in general, have stopped being God’s sent out ones.

– Jeremiah

Justin proposes that we rethink our theology through a missional lens. In the comment stream yesterday, Caleb Crider pointed out that one of my favorite systematic theologies (Wayne Grudem) includes very little on mission. I know of several such projects in the word that would help with this– some completed and some in progress. Justin writes:

Historically, the word ‘theology’ was rarely used in the sense of unapplied theology until the Enlightenment. Theology then became fragmented into practical theology and spiritual theology. Practical theology became the driving force for the Church movement, whereas other disciplines became as “pure” science. As the Church advanced through the centuries and missionary efforts grew, there came a need to rectify this fragmentation. In the realm of theological education, this was done through (1) studying missions as one of the disciplines under practical theology, (2) introducing missiology as an independent discipline, and (3) incorporating the missiology into other disciplines. Of the three approaches, I find that the third came the closest, although all still fell short of how theology should be viewed. These approaches merely saw missiology as an extra subject or dimension, but failed to realize that theology ceases to be so if not for its missionary nature. Thus, there needs to be a shift from a theology of mission to a missional theology.

– Justin Peter

Justin — nice work on the historical perspective. When missiology was “separated” in the European academy, the intent was to elevate its status so that people might see it as a real discipline of study. I am not sure that was a good thing. First, I have to explain it every day (my favorite interaction being with Seth Godin who asked, “Is ‘missiology’ a real word?”) Second, my experience in academia has shown me that when mission is an afterthought in the theological track, we often produce knowledgeable people who are not prepared to engage (and lead others to engage in) God’s mission.

Chad warns us of that very thing and wants to see all of God’s people in mission.

The history of missions lends itself to the professionalization of missions. It focuses churches and organization as sending individuals with others supporting by finances and prayer. This has led to the view that “missions” is something only for a few select.

As I look at missions/missional living I understand that we all who choose to follow Christ are “sent ones. If we apply his definition to this paradigm of all being sent, we can then begin to see missions begin to take off. There will no doubt be those who we send and support, but we must realize that this process does not alleviate us from our responsibility in the process of missions.

– Chad Chute

Lilli gets the purpose of the book right. Books like these make us think and she is asking more questions.

To be completely honest, I have been challenged and even somewhat discouraged by the reading. I know that the goal of the book is to pull together essays and responses from some of the leading missiologist of our day and in that regard it is extremely successful. It is an impressive list of contributors. I firmly believe that information is good and by all means necessary, but in many cases, I feel that this book has only led to more questions than answers. I feel that the waters of my mind are more muddied. Maybe, this is the point of the book? To show us just how broad today’s view on the scope of mission is? To show us how far we have to go?”

– Lilli Mitchell

But, Lilli and several others commented that it is about action — joining God on mission.

And Aaron wants to remind us about the need for action rather than a dictionary!

The purpose of missions is so simplistic and practical, we need to apply missions before we define it. A church that is outwardly focused will find a variety of missions expressions based off the context they live in, the personality of the leadership, theology and the gifts of the people. The conversation of MissionSHIFT is most helpful in that it creates the desire for more missions laboratories to apply theories. These laboratories may be an evangelical crusade or a social initiative. The important part is activity and action that points people towards Jesus Christ.

– Aaron Allison

Marti puts it succinctly: “Do. The. Bible.” Nice.

When my husband and I first met 3+ years ago, he talked about “organic” church, “simple” church, “emergent” church, etc. I’m like “What are you talking about???” It truly sounded like a foreign language to me. In some cases, I still think that. We can get so caught up in language and verbiage that we miss the point entirely. I can boil it down to 3 words. Do.The.Bible. (As taught to me by one of my mentors, Don Coleman.) Do what the Bible calls us to do. Do what the Spirit leads me to do in the way the Spirit leads me to do it…which may be different than what He leads another to do. Do it prayerfully. Do it in accountability with others. Do it as a way of life individually and as THE church, not A church.

– Marti Williams

It seems that many people echoed my concern that some of mission will need to be “described” rather than defined. Now, that does not mean we should not work hard and consider the issues. That is the point of the book. But, the most important thing is not that we know all the missiological terms, but that we join Jesus on His mission. Books like these help us to think– and that is why we actually drew together scholars who think deeply on these issues.

But, we need to ask “how?” and “to what end?” do we involve people. We need to “be, do, and tell” good news. And, we need to do it with a discerning eye to scripture and, yes, history.

Ed Roden explained:

As you ground them theologically, how do you make them mission-focused?

People need it described, they need to see it in action. We need to send them. As we teach, we need to do. Start locally – helping out an elderly neighbor with some chores, volunteering at a rescue shelter, helping out the neighborhood school, being involved in a kids program at the local park, helping out at a local hospital, visiting a juvenile detention center on a regular basis.

– Ed Roden

We want to see God’s people engaged in God’s mission, but it would be naïve to not consider history. Many who went before us did not do well on these issues and the consequences were great.

This pendulum swing of social action has been noted by historians, but Glen calls it out as a false dichotomy.

I am most challenged by the unnecessary, but seemingly inevitable, pendulum swing between gospel proclamation and social justice. It is a false dichotomy, in my view, which has hampered the witness of ecclesial communities on either extreme. Holistic balance is a better way forward, although it is easier said than done. It cuts to the heart of where I now struggle. How can I enter into community with others in a way that holds dear the mutual vitality of gospel proclamation and practical service? Furthermore, how might I do this in a way that does not exclude the marginalized by requiring them to believe before they belong in community, yet also maintains the exclusivity of Jesus Christ as the way, the truth and the life?

– Glen Woods

Glen says it well and asks a good question. And, we would be foolish to think that those who went before us who lost clear gospel proclamation as part of their mission.

One of my favorite thinkers, Milfred Minatrea, agrees with the cautions about losing the gospel to other things. And, I agree with Milfred as he agrees with Chuck!

I respect Van Engen’s conservative word of caution, not that of an alarmist, but of an informed authentic mission practitioner, “In the twenty-first century Evangelical mission agencies are becoming increasingly committed and involved in humanitarian and compassion ministries, children-at-risk movements, and so on. Given these new emphases in Evangelical mission activism, it behooves us to consider carefully how Evangelical views of mission today may be tempted to repeat the same errors made when mission was redefined…” in a previous era. Let us hear the caution and continue with feet solidly grounded in both components of the Gospel of the Kingdom.

– Milfred Minatrea (from the comments )

There is no question that there are issues with which we need to wrestle. We are at a key time in the churches considering how to faithfully engage in God’s mission. Many voices are pointing different directions and, to be honest, some of them concern me.

But, Brad Andrews proposes a solution. Brad calls for “contextual orthopraxy” and it is worth your time to read:

I believe that as we reflect and dialogue on the implications of a Trinitarian grounding for mission, contextual orthopraxy will emerge. These questions strike me as helpful questions to ask ourselves as we use the filter of the Trinity for mission:

-What does the story of God tells us about how God interacts with His people? How does this inform us on how to interact with people?

-How does the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus show us how to live in such a way that the Gospel is attractive to those in our spheres?

-How can we pursue the leading of the Holy Spirit to make prayerful, discerning decisions about mission in our contexts?

– Brad Andrews

So, feel free to discuss. Do you agree or disagree with any of the things stated. What is your concern about mission?

I know of several books coming out trying to describe and consider mission. This is a good thing and an important subject. But, to be fair, some of what I hear concerns me. Some seem to make everything mission, a mistake we’ve seen before. Others seem to have a polemic spirit. And, to be honest, I’m biased against reading books that criticize churches on mission from those shouting from the sidelines, relatively unengaged in mission. Too many people are merely talking and not doing.

This is a dialogue that is desperately needed and best comes from theologians, practitioners, and missiologists in conversation, all engaged in and committed to the mission of God.

So, what do you think?

I’m in meetings in Chicago today so I will join the conversation later.

Pastor John Gray’s No Good, Very Bad Year

By

Stephanie Martin

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January 21, 2020

During New Year’s Eve worship services at The Relentless Church in Greenville, South Carolina, Pastor John Gray rang in 2020 by acknowledging, “We’re not even supposed to be here right now.” Though the headline-making pastor didn’t elaborate on his megachurch’s plans, as had been expected, he seemed determined to protect his congregation from “people who want to see this church die.”

Gray, who’s also an associate pastor at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston, formed Relentless in 2018. Since then his national profile has risen, but the publicity hasn’t always been favorable. Gray has faced criticism for lavish spending, addressed rumors of marital infidelity, and is now embroiled in two lawsuits—one of which involves possible eviction for Relentless. Last week, the Oprah Winfrey Network cancelled the pastor’s TV show, The Book of John Gray.

Lifestyle of Pastor John Gray Has Been Under Fire

For Gray and his wife, Aventer, who’s also a pastor at Relentless, controversy began soon after moving to South Carolina. Relentless Church reportedly spent $1.8 million on a home for the Grays. The church soon faced financial woes and layoffs, causing Gray to ask the congregation for $250,000 to replace the sanctuary roof.

In December 2018, Gray made headlines when he gave his wife a $200,000 Lamborghini Urus as an anniversary gift and posted her reaction on social media. Faced with backlash, Gray defended the purchase. “Not a nickel, not a penny from this church, Relentless Church, went toward the gift that I gave my wife,” he said in a video posted online. The purchase was possible, he added, because of “resources” he received through his books and TV show.

“I have created and been patient my whole life for this moment,” Gray said at the time. “I’m supposed to wait until I’m 70 to live my best life? And my best life is making my wife happy.”

Gray continued: “It wasn’t a pastor that bought the car; it was a husband that bought the car. Get that in your spirit. I’m a husband first. Don’t confuse what I do with who I am. What I do is I pastor God’s people. Who I am is a husband and a father. And I’ll do anything to honor them. And I won’t ask permission from anybody to do it. No man should.”

Aventer Gray defended her husband, posting on social media, “I don’t see anyone screaming about how basketball players drive what they do while you paying $$$ to see them play.” Before buying his wife the high-end car, John Gray had admitted to an “emotional affair”—but denied rumors of fathering a child outside his marriage.

During the Lamborghini uproar, Washington Post columnist Michelle Singletary wrote that she doesn’t care what John Gray does with his money, but she faults him for bragging. “When you hold certain positions, like that of a pastor, you should show restraint in the exhibition of your wealth,” she writes. “The optics of the anniversary gift was a mistake. It took the focus off his ministerial work and put it on his material wealth.” Singletary’s advice to Gray? “Live your best life without having to show the world how rich you are.”

In April 2019, Pastor Jomo Johnson urged John Gray to embrace minimalism and take #TheJesusChallenge. Gray also has been featured on the PreachersNSneakers Instagram page, which showcases church leaders decked out in expensive clothing.

The Grays are often seen with celebrities, pro athletes, and entertainers. Last week, Aventer Gray posted vacation photos from a yacht.

View this post on Instagram

I went to hear my friend pastor @warryncampbell preach outside in the middle of nowhere on an early Sunday morning some months back. I was skeptical. Who has church outside? Who dresses in the same outfits? (Oh yeah I forgot-Ushers, deacons, choir robes, first Sunday outfits-same stuff we do inside the church building) They sang songs I grew up singing in the choir. But they added a freedom and a joy that comes with a revelation of the finished work of Jesus. I was convicted that I was so fearful of….freedom. I could lift my hands outside of a church building and encounter Christ in a new way. Every song, every expression was lifting up Jesus. The message was the same. The messenger was new. And it’s exactly what the CHURCH needs. To watch God use someone unexpected to bring Him glory. Last night I saw an entire generation of young people hear about Jesus while listening to the classic songs of the church-but they were reimagined in a way we haven’t seen. It’s a move of God. No one can question the authenticity of a conversion moment. What I do know is that Jesus Christ was lifted up in beauty, creativity, excellence and liberty. People who would never think about coming into a church facility heard about Jesus through song. The seed has been planted. One plants, another waters, God gets the increase. Thank you @kanyesundayservices and @joelosteen and @jasonwhiteco and @philthekeys and @lakewoodchurch for allowing this expression from a man who has encountered Jesus Christ for real. #JesusIsKing

A post shared by John Gray (@realjohngray) on Nov 18, 2019 at 5:43pm PST

Amid Controversy, Relentless Is Also Known for Generosity

Negative press took a toll on John Gray, who admitted at the end of 2018 that he had battled suicidal thoughts and been on the verge of divorce. “I wanted to call it quits,” he said. At a pastoral conference in January 2019, Bishop T.D. Jakes prayed over Gray, saying, “You don’t get to quit.” Jakes added, “You’re gifted; you’re anointed. You’ve always been gifted because you’ve been broken. … And God is touching you. He’s using it to touch you. He’s going to make a man out of you.”

Despite all the criticism and turmoil, Gray and Relentless Church also have a reputation for helping others financially. Right before Christmas, the church gave more than $30,000 to congregants, employees, and regular visitors who were facing tough times. Grateful recipients were informed that the church was taking care of necessities such as electric bills, medical expenses, rent, and even a car. In the past, Gray has invited worshipers in need to take money from the offering plate.

5 Things All Youth Pastors Wish Their Senior Pastor Knew

By

Perry Noble

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January 21, 2020

I did some reflecting this past weekend of the time I spent in youth ministry…and the success and failures that I experienced. I have come up with the following list of things that I believe all youth pastors wish they could tell their senior pastor–here we go…

#1 – Pray for Me…And Tell Me That You Are Doing So!

There is something about a senior pastor that will pray over the area of youth ministry in the church that he serves. And there is something INCREDIBLE when a youth pastor is told by the pastor that he is being prayed for. I admit that I do not do this nearly enough…but that is changing after this week…Alden, Sandy–I GOT YOU!

#2 – Ask Me How Things Are Going!

I fear that all too often the senior pastor hires someone to do youth ministry…and then views that as the monkey off his back–when in fact I have rarely ever seen a successful youth ministry that didn’t have the support of the senior pastor. I try my best to make it around to Alden and Sandy every week to ask them how things are going–and NOT because I feel like I have to–but because I CARE. The pastor I served under before coming here, Bill Rigsby, modeled this for me in an incredible way!

#3 – Support the Ministry (and Me) from the Pulpit!

The pastor is the lead communicator and vision caster in the church…and if he is not speaking about youth ministry and modeling a desire to reach teenagers, then the church will think it is not important. I told our church this morning that our 2,500-seat sanctuary will one day be our youth building because these teens are so fired up that they are going to turn this entire county upside down for Jesus Christ. You should have seen the expression of the people–they were FIRED UP…along with our teens!

And let me say this–support the actual youth pastor from the pulpit–in many churches, this dude simply serves as “announcement boy” and various other activities…and is rarely recognized–this, once again, was modeled by my former pastor beautifully.

One more thing–I understand well that MANY youth pastors seem to be gifted with stupidity. They do really dumb things at times…I KNOW I DID! It seems like I was ALWAYS in trouble. But Bill always supported me…he never–EVER–lectured me from the pulpit and never talked bad about me when I messed up. He WOULD talk to me in private, behind closed doors–but NEVER did he EVER tear me down in order to appease a ticked off parent. He had my back!

#4 – Don’t Make Me Do Fundraisers!

I have NEVER–EVER–met a youth pastor that ENJOYS raising money–EVER! I have done it all: car washes, bake sales, t-shirt sales, youth auctions…you name it! And we would go out and work our tails off for $300–when there were several people in our church that could have written that check…had the senior pastor simply asked.

I know, I know, I hear the senior pastor’s argument, “Well, if they work for it–they appreciate it more.” Can I just say that if that is your attitude, then you are full of crap! They appreciate it more when a church believes in them enough to invest in them–period!

And my question is this–why is it that the senior pastor will make the youth group do fundraisers…but won’t ask the senior adults to do the same when they desire to go to the mountains and pick apples? And please don’t hand me, “Well–they pay the bills around here” crap–if they pay the bills and have a heart for missions, then they should realize that this world is not about them and that the largest mission field in America is teenagers!

So what do we do when a kid can’t afford to go? Simple–the church covers the cost–period. And don’t think that we can do that because we are a big church–I remember when we had 200 people coming, and I stood in front of our church and asked people to step up and write a check so that the kids could go to camp. As long as I am pastor–we WILL invest in kids and WILL NOT make them do fundraisers.

#5 – Pay Me Well!

I think I just heard a youth pastor shout, “Amen!”

Let’s be honest–you don’t go into youth ministry to make money–BUT youth ministers should NOT have to take a vow of poverty.

My first full time job in youth ministry, I made $16,000 a year…it’s hard to live on that. However, as I look at the national averages youth pastors, just aren’t making enough money–and it needs to be kept in mind that they need to be able to do things…such as eat and have a place to live.

Pastors–a good youth minister is worth the money! He, through an awesome ministry, will attract more than enough tithing families who will give enough to pay his salary and support the ministry he is called to do. Paying youth pastors well is the job of the senior pastor–step up and make sure these people are being taken care of…because if you don’t have an effective youth ministry–then you do not have an effective church.

To our parents and church members, let me say this–our entire youth staff is paid well–they are taken care of…and will always be–the leadership of this church will always make sure of that.

Let me also say to the parents of this church that awesome things are heading our way in regard to the youth AND children’s ministry–keep your eyes and ears open…and put your seatbelts on! It’s going to be awesome!

Christian Pastor Beheaded in Adawama by Boko Haram

By

Megan Briggs

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January 21, 2020

The minister kidnapped by Boko Haram in Nigeria, Rev. Lawan Andimi, has been killed by his captors. Terrorism and conflict reporter Ahmad Salkida broke the news that Andimi had been beheaded yesterday afternoon (Monday, January 20, 2020) in Adawama state.

“Reverend Lawan Andimi was beheaded yesterday afternoon, the video of the appalling executions with that of a soldier was obtained at 2:42pm,” Salkida wrote in a Twitter update. “I made sure that the family, the authorities and the church were duly informed before the news was put out to the public this morning.”

To break some news items can traumatize. I’m battling with one of such. Reverend Andimi, abducted by #BokoHaram was executed yesterday. Rev. Andimi was a church leader, a father to his children and the community he served. My condolences go to his family. pic.twitter.com/1G9n3RLQjk

— Ahmad Salkida (@A_Salkida) January 21, 2020

Andimi was the Adawama chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and also a leader of the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria (EYN). According to MorningStar News, Andimi was kidnapped on January 2 in Boko Haram attacks on Michika County and a nearby area in northeast Nigeria’s Adamawa state.

CAN has confirmed Andimi’s death and a spokesperson, Special Adviser to CAN President, Bayo Oladeji, says “We are working on our response.”

Another CAN leader, Bishop Dami Mamza, told reporters ransom negotiations were in the works with the terrorists, but ultimately broke down. The extremist group rejected a N50 million ransom deal and asked for N200 million instead. “They called his wife last week, informing her that they will be beheading him on Saturday, but somehow, they waited till Monday (yesterday),” Maza said.

On January 5, a video was released of Andimi pleading for help. While he asked his fellow church leaders to help him by soliciting Adamawa state Governor Ahmadu Fintiri to intervene, he was also resolute in his belief that God’s was in control of his situation—and no matter what happened it would good. “By the grace of God I will be together with my wife, my children and my colleagues…” Andimi says in the video. “If the opportunity has not been granted, maybe it is the will of God. I want all people close and far, colleagues, to be patient. Don’t cry, don’t worry but thank God for everything.”

In a statement released by the Director General, Media and Communications of Adamawa state, Governor Fintiri called Andimi’s death “gruesome” and expressed his sadness.

Andimi was 58 years old and leaves behind a wife and nine children.

How Moses Turned Into a Great Leader (and You Can, Too!)

By

Greg Stier

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January 21, 2020

As you scan the records of history there are few leaders who measure up to Moses. Who else could lead 2 1/2 million complaining and carnal Israelites out of Egypt and across a blazing hot desert for 40 years without imploding?

What a lot of Christians may not know is that Moses probably would have imploded if it wasn’t for his Father-in-law Jethro. Once Moses settled into his desert rhythm of leadership he invited Jethro out to the sand dunes to catch up on life. After all, a lot had happened since the burning bush. From 10 plagues to to walls of water to lots of manna and mayhem.

After Moses and Jethro spent time catching up and praising God for all He had done here’s what happened next,

The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, ‘What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?’ Moses answered him, ‘Because the people come to me to seek God’s will. Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.’ – Exodus 18:13-16

Moses was a hands-on leader. He liked to be in the thick of it and to lead from the front. What some would call micro-management he called his daily task list. But Jethro saw something different in Moses. He saw a leader whose potential was being throttled by “the tyranny of the urgent.” And so he did what any good father-in-law would do. He called him on it.

Moses’ father-in-law replied, ‘What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.’ – Exodus 18:17,18

The kind of leadership that Moses was exercising makes an impact but not a maximum one. This brand of leader is so busy tackling the urgent they have no time for the important. They don’t delegate and so they become the bottleneck for getting anything done. The result is exhaustion. Not only are the people tired, the leaders are tired too.

Suffice it to say that this kind of leadership doesn’t end well. Burn-out or bail-out are the only realistic long-term options.

But Jethro doesn’t just rebuke Moses, he gives him some priceless wisdom:

Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him. Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied. – Exodus 18:19-23

Jethro gives him 3 pieces of advice that you and I can apply as leaders in our particular ministry context. These action steps can turn us from good leaders into great ones:

1. Pray like your ministry depends on it (because it does!)

“You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him.”

The primary job of a spiritual leader is prayer. Whether you are a pastor, youth pastor or director of a Christian non-profit, your first and foremost job is prayer. Praying for the people you are ministering to and with. Prayer for wisdom, direction, provision and results. Praying down strongholds and praying up opportunities.

Many spiritual leaders, like Moses, are surrounded by people clamoring for their time, attention and priorities. When leaders cave in to these demands and let others dictate their schedules they actually do the people they are ministering to and with a disservice. Ten minutes in prayer is worth ten hours at the plow. Because after you pray it up and put your hand to the plow it will be propelled by limitless divine power and not paltry human strength. You’ll get more done in less time because your energy is flowing from the throne of God.

The apostles applied this same principle when the tyranny of the urgent was distracting them from their bigger priorities. In Acts 6:3,4 Luke wrote, “Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

Let’s learn from Moses and the apostles about the centrality of prayer in our job descriptions. Let’s make prayer our first priority.

2. Preach until they get it and live it!

“Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave.”

The second priority Jethro challenged Moses to make in his leadership was to preach and teach. He was to inspire and instruct God’s people to live out God’s truths in real and practical ways.

As the leader of a ministry called Dare 2 Share I’m growing to see the power of this principle, not just externally but internally. Externally I preach to thousands of youth leaders and tens of thousands of teenagers every year. But internally, with our small staff of 27 people at Dare 2 Share, I consistently preach and teach in our weekly staff chapel.

It’s during this time I cast our vision and teach God’s truth. I constantly remind our team the urgency of the mission before us and the principles we operate by. This is crucial to keep everyone pushing in the same direction for the same goal. It helps to align our ministry for the cause God has called us to accomplish.

As a spiritual leader your preaching/teaching counts. It needs to be thought through, fought through and talked through until your people have mastered the mantra and are living the vision.

3. Pick leaders who are already getting it done!

“But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves.”

This is not leadership development as much as it is leadership identification. Jethro tells Moses to identify the leaders who are already getting it done and then appoint them to official leadership positions. Their level of leadership depended on their level of integrity, ability and maturity. We see Moses developing leaders as he went but the initial work went into identifying who these leaders should be.

Who are the people in your ministry who are getting “it” (whatever that means in your ministry context) done? Pick them to become your leaders. Put them in charge of something, give them authority, publicly recognize them and develop them along the way.

WARNING: These leaders may not be the clean and shiny ones. They could be the rag-tag blue collar who are just really rocking it when it comes to actually getting ministry accomplished. Remember this described most of the early disciples.

Don’t choose leaders who could be leaders. Choose ones who are leaders…just without the title. And then give them the title.

Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. – Moses 18:24

In the same way, will you listen to God’s Word and then do it when it comes to your leadership?

Ananias and Sapphira … Who Drops Dead in the New Testament?

By

Bruce Lowe

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January 21, 2020

The story of Ananias and Sapphira in the New Testament stands apart from others.

You learn a lot about what matters to someone by what drives them to extremes. Think of a person camping out, lining up in the rain, to get concert tickets. Think of a couple paying physical and emotional costs to adopt a special needs child from overseas.

The same is true for God. In the New Testament, God does not normally strike people down. In fact, Jesus resists his disciples when they want this to happen (Luke 9:54). This kind of striking-down is rare in the New Testament; we only have two substantial cases of it occurring. The first is in Acts 5 (the story of Ananias and Sapphira) and the second is in 1 Corinthians 11 (the Lord’s Supper). These are the two well-documented moments of extreme judgment in the New Testament.

What do we learn from these incidents about what matters to God? The results may surprise you. Both cases show how God desires unity and equality in the body of Christ, and how he hates it when people destroy this by positioning themselves higher than others.

In the story of Ananias and Sapphira, we know nothing of the motives of this couple. Why did they hold money back from the sale of their property? The text doesn’t say. So we shouldn’t make this the point. What the text does say, of first importance, is that something extraordinary was happening at this moment of history, something of the magnitude of the Exodus or the giving of the Torah. The Spirit was being poured out on all God’s people, from the least to the greatest, in a way that had never happened before (Acts 2:17-18).

At this moment, the act of giving the Spirit was a sign pointing towards equality of the body. In the Joel prophesy, which Peter quotes, there is now equality between young and old, male and female. Further, we see in Cornelius’s conversion how the Spirit was poured out the same way on Gentiles as he was on Jews, at Pentecost. This showed that the Gentiles were equal members in the body of Christ. Then at the end of Acts 2, the believers had all things in common. People were selling goods so that everyone might have a share.

This same extraordinary unifying behavior was still happening in Acts 4, and what we should see from this is that the Spirit was being paraded as the one who brings unity to God’s people. Ancients dreamed of societies with such harmony. But while many wanted to engineer harmony, here in the Acts account it was happening miraculously as the Spirit moved people’s hearts.

Enter Ananias and Sapphira, who sell a field, but keep some money back. Why was this such an issue?

They were not being led by the Spirit. Instead they were seeking to engineer something. And what would have happened if people found out that they were keeping money back? It would have corrupted the sign of what the Spirit was doing, bringing the miraculous harmony into question. So a line was drawn, in order that the message would not be diluted.

What about the Lord’s Supper? This is also a debated passage, but all the best attempts to understanding it have had context firmly in mind. In Mediterranean culture, meals were used to honor certain people over others. People would invite some to their banquet whom they didn’t like, so they might serve as foils for those they did like! They would give these “lesser people” lower spots, and give them stingier proportions, so that it might communicate how much they loved those who were seated nearer and given more. This is the context for issues surrounding the Lord’s Supper in Corinth, as indicated in 1 Corinthians 11:20-22. So when it came to people not “discerning the body” (11:29), this most logically meant they did not recognizing the body of Christ, the Church. “That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died” (11:30).

There are therefore some remarkable similarities between the two passages. In both an important sign and symbol was being set up for what the Lord was doing – establishing unity and equality in the Church. And in both cases this was being corrupted with catastrophic consequences.

What then does this mean for us? It tells us that God takes unity and equality in the Church very seriously. How serious is it when someone uses the Church as a place to make a name for themselves? Serious! How serious is it when some people are lifted up, and others are put down? Serious! How serious is it when people do things that create dissention and division between Christians? Serious!

We might have expected people to be struck down for doctrinal error. Not so. May it be, therefore, that we take seriously in our midst what the Lord considers the most serious!

This article originally appeared here.

How to Transform Wounds Into Wisdom (for Pastors)

By

David Sanford

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January 21, 2020

Jolyn Davidson is a licensed psychotherapist in practice for over thirty years. Davidson has been a consultant for and trainer of pastors and leaders of non-profit Christian ministries and for-profit organizations here and abroad. She is a consultant to practitioners of a variety of disciplines, contributing author to several psychotherapy books, and author of the acclaimed book, Transforming Wounds into Wisdom.

In this Q&A, Davidson discusses some of her book’s applications to pastors and ministry for how to transform wounds into wisdom.

Do you hope pastors will use your book when they counsel others to turn wounds into wisdom?

Yes, but first read it for you. Here’s why: You will find answers to the questions you may have about why you feel, think, and act in certain ways.

You start by addressing past wounds. There is a saying, “Time heals all wounds,” right?

Time does not heal emotional wounds. Time also does not change what you think and believe, nor does it enable you to change how you act. Time also does not rewrite the lines of your life story that you have already written.

Instead, attitudes hold your past, present, and future in their arms. They determine how you remember and attribute meaning to past experiences. Attitudes also affect how you feel, think, and act in the present. Finally, they create the frame on which you build your future life and ministry.

Is it really possible to change my ingrained attitudes?

Thankfully, the brain’s ability to change nerve pathways and connections makes it possible for you to change any attitudes that aren’t serving you well. That requires time and work. Through this process, you can create new emotional, cognitive, and behavioral patterns that can transform your life and ministry.

What if a pastor doesn’t like change?

Outdated attitudes typically have negative effects on the meanings you make of your experiences and what you have come to believe about yourself, others, and church ministry.

What’s more, many pastors automatically attach negative meanings to emotions and connections with others. They have difficulty trusting. They are uncomfortable with intimacy, vulnerability, and dependence. But what happens as a result? Eventually, you realize you feel disconnected from others. Worse? You feel all alone. Even worse? You can become emotionally disconnected from others . . . and even from God.

Take all that two steps further. An endless search for someone to provide for your unmet emotional needs—combined with the belief you are helpless and yet entitled to have someone meet your needs—is a recipe for serious problems.

What else do you see in pastors?

Many pastors seek internal security and confidence either by controlling or competing with others, both of which are misguided. Either scenario provides only the illusion that you are important and powerful. You can win every power struggle and every competition. You can outsmart everyone you know. Still, you are not likely to feel emotionally secure.

What about loss? Pastors seem to go through a lot of that.

Because your attitudes are the core filters through which you process all of your experiences, they affect your emotional responses to loss, your beliefs about loss, and the ways you act when you experience a loss.

As an outcome of a healthy mourning process, acceptance involves knowing and coming to terms with what is real and true about the nature of your loss. It allows the fact—and impact—of your loss to be true without trying to deny it, pretend it is something else, or make it be something it is not.

Acceptance involves letting go of efforts to create a different outcome and making peace with the reality there is nothing you can do now to change what happened to you in the past.

After a loss, some people may try to help you move on with your life by saying, “Forget about the past,” or “Never look back.” However, remembering, or looking back, is not what causes problems in your life.

What you do with your memories of your past determines whether you are stuck in unhelpful attitudes and relationship patterns—or whether you move forward in healthy ways.

One of the biggest clergy killers is way too much stress. Why is that?

Emotional overload, regardless of its cause, interferes with effective emotional, cognitive, and behavioral functioning. It can traumatize the mind and body. When this occurs, you can develop a sensitivity to the bodily sensations associated with emotions, which narrows your window of tolerance.

Traumatic experiences negatively affect how you think and what you believe. These cognitive changes can occur when a singular major occurrence (e.g., a natural disaster, an accident, or the death of a close family member) overwhelms you emotionally. They also can also occur with minor distressing incidents (e.g., being criticized, being over-controlled, or being alone for long periods of study and sermon preparation).

You talk a lot about changing the way we think to turn wounds into wisdom.

All of us need two key thinking processes and capacities in order to update the cognitive components of our attitudes. Those two are (1) developing your ability to reflect and (2) managing your thoughts and beliefs. These abilities are critical to enhancing your life and relationships.

Many thoughts enter your mind every day. Some of your thoughts develop from perceptions that are reality-based, and these can be quite helpful. Other thoughts and beliefs emerge from your imagination, mental associations, re-enactments, or internalized beliefs.

These ways of thinking may or may not be congruent with external reality, even though they may feel very real. That’s because your internal attitude system can distort your perceptions of what is occurring externally.

Because of these potential discrepancies, it is important to be aware of your thought processes and to develop the ability to think about, and question, your observations, perceptions, and conclusions.

It is essential to try to stay as reality-based as possible.

Can’t we just decide to change our behaviors?

If you focus only on changing your behaviors, you are likely to find yourself falling back into familiar attitude scripts. Simply trying to act different will not achieve long-term changes in your attitudes.

Changing your behavior depends on how you deal with the intricate interplay between the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components of your attitudes.

This all takes some time, right?

Change is a learning process. It takes time, thoughtful effort, and courage to reroute the current neurological pathways and create new ones. The change process also requires a great deal of energy, as you learn to manage yourself and respond more effectively to others—others used to your current behaviors. Learning something new is always a challenge.

Nevertheless, what is easier in the short-term is not really easier from a broader perspective. Sitting and watching TV is easier than engaging in physical activity. In the end, however, you lose the energy, strength, flexibility, vitality, and health that come with being active.

What’s the reward?

As you transform your own wounds into wisdom, you can use the lessons you learn to enhance your life and the lives of those in your church. The wisdom gained from the transformational process will make it possible for people to relate to themselves, others, life, and ultimately, God in healthier ways.

Transforming Wounds into Wisdom is a journey—a heroic journey—that requires you to leave the only home you have ever known in order to create a new one.

Leaving old, familiar ways of being evokes uncertainty because you have not yet experienced the rewards of living differently. Remember, however, that like all heroes, you are taking action for a worthy cause.

That worthy cause is the goal of creating healthier attitudes and relational scripts. In turn, these will enable you to reach your potential and realize your God-given ministry dreams.

Excerpts from: Transforming Wounds into Wisdom: Change Your Attitudes and Save Your Life by Jolyn E. Davidson, LCSW, DCSW

What the Church Is … When Talking About the Church

By

Nicholas Batzig

-

January 21, 2020

Talking about the Church is actually quite a difficult task, since Scripture speaks of the Church in a variety of ways. More often than not, individuals have failed to rightly distinguish between the different ways in which the biblical authors speak about the church. This, of course, raises the question, What is the Church? In order to give the most biblically robust answer possible, we must consider the origin of the word “church,” scriptural titles for the church, theological categories by which the church is distinguished, and the defining attributes of the church.

What the Church Is … The Origin of the Word

The English word “church” comes from a translation of the Greek word κυριακόν. Geerhardus Vos suggested that it “comes from the Greek κυριακόν, the neuter of κυριακός, ‘what is of the Lord,’ ‘what belongs to the Lord^.’”1In our English Bibles, however, the word ekklēsia (ἐκκλησία) has been translated to the word “church.” The word ekklēsia carries with it the idea of something or someone being “called out.” Those who have trusted in Jesus have been “called out” of the world by God to be members of His kingdom. The word also carries with it the idea of being “gathered together.” On account of this, the English words “congregation” and “assembly” are translations of the Greek word ekklēsia. The church is the assembly of the saints who have been redeemed and called out by God in order to be gathered together to worship Him. This definition covers the teaching of Scripture both in the Old and New Testament. In his dying speech, the first New Testament martyr, Stephen, spoke of Moses as the “one who was in the congregation (ἐκκλησία) in the wilderness” (Acts 7:38). The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians over matters related to the Lord’s Supper, saying, ‘When you come together as a church (ἐκκλησίᾳ)…” (1 Cor. 11:18). From this word, the biblical meaning of “the church” is formed.

Scriptural Titles

There are a number of titles Scripture gives to the Church. In the Old Testament God addresses the sacred assembly (ἐκκλησία) by the name “Israel,” “the Daughter of Zion” (Ps. 9:4; Is. 1:8; 62:11; Micah 4:8), “The Daughter of Jerusalem” (2 Kings 19:21; Song of Songs 2:7; Lam. 2:13; Zeph. 3:14), “Jerusalem,” “Jacob” (Ps. 14:7; 53:6; Is. 9:8; 10:21; 27:9; Jer. 10:25), “Judah” (Ps. 76:1; 97:8; 108:8), “Ephraim,” “Zion,” and “the City of God.” In the New Testament, the Apostles refer to the the Church as “the people of God,” “the house of God” (Heb. 3:1-6; 10:21); “the Temple” (1 Cor. 3:16-19 ; Eph. 2:21), “the children of God” and “Israel” (Gal. 6:16). All these names and metaphors have specific meanings by which God represents various characteristics of His people.

In whatever respect Scripture refers to the Church, it always identifies it with Christ. He is the only head of the Church (Eph. 1:22; 4:25; 5:23; Col. 1:18; 2:19). The Apostle Paul refers to the Church as “the body of Christ” (1 Cor. 12:27; Eph. 4:12). Additionally, he speaks of the Church as “the bride of Christ” (Eph. 5:25-27). Jesus died for the Church in order to make her His bride. To Him all glory is due and from Him the church receives all of her ordinances and revelation. Everything in Scripture leads to Christ and is given by God to build up believers in Christ. The Apostle’s press home this truth by employing the metaphor of Jesus as the chief cornerstone and foundation of the spiritual Temple of God (1 Cor. 3:10-14; Eph. 2:20).

Distinguishing Categories

When distinguishing between the different aspects of the church in time and space, theologians have frequently used the following four categories: the invisible church, the visible church, the church militant, and the church triumphant.

If we focus on the nature of the “church,” we must first distinguish between the invisible and the visible church. The invisible church is the body of believers who are mystically united to Jesus Christ. Considered from this viewpoint, the Church is the totality of the elect on earth and in heaven—those who have been effectually called by God, redeemed by the blood of Jesus, trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins, and are savingly united to Him by faith. This is what Paul means when he speaks of Christ loving the church and giving Himself for her (Eph. 5:25). This is also that to which he refers when he charged the elders in Ephesus to “care for the church of God. which he obtained with his own blood” (Acts 20:28).

While we must form our understanding of the church by starting with our understanding of the invisible church, the visible church is that which is most often in view in the New Testament. The visible church is the collective group of baptized, professing believers and their children who gather together in order to worship the Triune God. It is the visible church—with its God-appointed leadership—to whom biblical revelation is addressed (Phil. 1:1; Rev. 1:4). God gave Old Testament revelation to the members of Israel and addresses New Testament revelation to particular visible churches throughout the world. For instance, the Apostle Paul wrote letters to the churches in Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossae, and Thessalonica. In each of them, God addresses particular circumstances in the life of each congregation. All of the “one another” passages, exhortations to obey elders, and warnings in the epistles are given to the visible church and are to be carried out, first and foremost, among the members of local churches. These congregations consisted of a mixed multitude of professing believers—some of whom were savingly united to Jesus and some of whom are hypocritical in their profession.

In addition to speaking of the visible church and the invisible church, theologians have referred to the church militant and the church triumphant. The church militant is the collective group of believers fighting their way to glory. The church triumphant is the collective group of believers who have finished their pilgrimage and have entered into their rest in the presence of God and the Lamb. When theologians refer to the church militant and the church triumphant, they are referring to the elect. Vos explains,

“The elect, be they already in heaven or still on earth or yet unborn, would then as such fall within the Church. One easily sees that the concept can be exchanged with that of the invisible church. At the same time, it already has within itself as a subdivision the distinction between the church militant and triumphant. Many of the theologians also begin with election in defining the church.”2

In this sense, the elect members of the visible church on earth—prior to the second coming of Christ—are one and the same as the church militant. Again, Vos explained,

“…the return for judgment is indicated as a glorious vindication of Christ and His own in the sight of their enemies. Despite His unlimited kingly power, until that day a segment of creatures will be permitted to oppose Him and fail to appreciate Him. Many will deny that He is glorified and exalted as the militant church believes Him to be glorified and exalted.”3

Defining Attributes

Finally, the attributes of the Church have been described in what believers confess in the Nicene Creed: “I believe in one, holy, catholic (universal) church.” These attributes capture the essence of the true Church. They describe not the external organization of the church, with its government, but the internal reality of the Church among the people of God.

The first attribute of the Church is unity. There is one body of blood bought people from every tongue, tribe, people and language, over whom Christ is the sole Head (1 Cor. 12:12; Eph. 1:22-23). It is because of each believer’s union with the Savior in the Spirit by faith that we are united to one another. With the unity of the church in view, believers live out their Christian lives in the visible church.

The second attribute of the Church is holiness. Since believers have received the imputed righteousness of Christ by faith alone and are being made subjectively more and more into His image and likeness, it may be said that the Church is holy. Additionally, the word holy sometimes refers to God setting something apart for a special purpose. In this way, we can speak of the church being holy in the world. However, we ought never forget that holiness is not what gives someone a right to entrance into God’s Church—since we are all dead in sins prior to God’s work of grace in our lives and continue to be sinfully imperfect in this life. Instead, holiness is a defining characteristic of those who have been savingly united to the righteous One, Jesus Christ, by the grace of God.

Another attribute of the Church is catholicity. The idea of the catholicity (i.e. universality) of the church is best summarized in the Westminster Confession of Faith, where we read,

“The catholic or universal Church, which is invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the Head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fulness of Him that fills all in all…

…This catholic Church has been sometimes more, sometimes less visible. And particular Churches, which are members thereof, are more or less pure, according as the doctrine of the Gospel is taught and embraced, ordinances administered, and public worship performed more or less purely in them.”

There is a universal solidarity among believers, throughout all time, based on their union with Christ and the biblical truth they confess.

The final attribute of Scripture is imperishability. When Jesus told Peter, “I will build My church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18), He was indicating that there would always be an invisible church and a manifestation of the church militant on earth until He comes again. As Vos explained, “The Church…can never completely disappear from the earth. The number of members of the true Church who fall within the church militant may continually change—are now more, then less; [yet] it is always there.”4 Jesus also meant that He would strengthen the church militant in the battle on its way to glory, and that there would be an ultimate day of victory for the church triumphant.

Samuel Stone drew together the many ways in which Scripture speaks about the church in his hymn, “The Church’s One Foundation” he wrote,

The Church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord,
She is His new creation
By water and the Word:
From Heav’n He came and sought her
To be His holy bride,
With His own blood He bought her
And for her life He died.

She is from every nation,
Yet one o’er all the earth;
Her charter of salvation,
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
With every grace endued.

The Church shall never perish!
Her dear Lord to defend,
To guide, sustain, and cherish,
Is with her to the end:
Though there be those who hate her,
And false sons in her pale,
Against both foe and traitor
She ever shall prevail.

Though with a scornful wonder
Men see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder,
By heresies distressed:
Yet saints their watch are keeping,
Their cry goes up, How long?
And soon the night of weeping
Shall be the morn of song!

’Mid toil and tribulation,
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace forevermore;
Till, with the vision glorious,
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious
Shall be the Church at rest!

Yet she on earth hath union
With God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
With those whose rest is won,
With all her sons and daughters
Who, by the Master’s hand
Led through the deathly waters,
Repose in Eden land.

O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we
Like them, the meek and lowly,
On high may dwell with Thee:
There, past the border mountains,
Where in sweet vales the Bride
With Thee by living fountains
Forever shall abide!

1. Geerhardus Vos, Reformed Dogmatics, ed. Richard B. Gaffin, vol. 5 (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012–2016), 13.

2. Ibid., p. 13.

3. Ibid., 241.

4. Ibid. 23.

This article originally appeared here.

10 Disciplines of a Godly Man

By

Jarrid Wilson

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January 21, 2020

Matt Chandler once said, “We’ve got a lot of boys with beards these days,” and I believe these words speak powerful truth.

Our world is constantly throwing out ideas of what it means to really be a man. The reality is that everyone has their own opinion, but as a Christian, the only blueprint men should mimic their life after is that of the Bible. To know what a true man is, we need look no further than the life of Jesus Christ himself. Makes sense doesn’t it? As the Son of God, Jesus is the epitome of manhood, manliness and what we should strive for in our attempt at being a reflection of true maturity in Christ.

Jesus was completely full of the Holy Spirit, not to mention he lived in complete dependence and obedience to the will of God. It’s a beautiful testimony. Easier said than done, but the strive for this lifestyle is one that will set apart men from the boys. Christ fully displayed the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and he did it with a righteous swagger. A true man of God will show evidence of these works.

Here are 10 other disciplines of a godly man.

1. Humility

“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” (Philippians 2:3-5)

2. Purity

“We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love.” (2 Corinthians 6:6)

3. Kindness

“Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart.” (Proverbs 3:3)

4. Patience

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.” (Galatians 5:22)

5. Forgiveness

“Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” (Colossians 3:13)

7 Reasons Adultery Is Just Plain Dumb

By

Bob Russell

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January 20, 2020

It is worth reflecting on the careers of two prominent political leaders whose careers came to an abrupt conclusion last year. All because they couldn’t discipline their sexual desires.

The mayor of San Diego lost his career, while a former congressman once considered the leading contender for the mayor’s seat in New York sank to the bottom of the polls after new allegations surfaced during the primary race. His political future appears to have little hope.

It might be easy to pass these off as aberrations, had we not seen numerous business, church and other leaders go through similar “flameouts” the past three decades.

Someone described idiocy as repeatedly doing the same thing but expecting different results. So all leaders who consider themselves immune to temptation should pay attention to what has happened to others—and Scripture.

A word to the wise.

A good portion of the first section of Proverbs counsels young men to avoid adultery and remain faithful to their wives.

It’s not surprising that King Solomon begins his book of wisdom with this subject because some of the smartest, richest, most influential people in the world have been ruined by illicit affairs. When their adultery is ultimately disclosed, the first reaction is not usually, “I have sinned,” but, “How could I have been so stupid?”

Solomon suggests several reasons why it’s wise for a young man to avoid sexual impurity. His wise counsel, sadly gained from first-hand experience, applies to both men and women.

Adultery’s dangers.

1. Eventually, the adulteress will turn against you.

“For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave” (Proverbs 5:3-5).

2. You waste a lot of energy and money.

“Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house, lest you give your best strength to others and your years to one who is cruel, lest strangers feast on your wealth and your toil enrich another man’s house” (verses 8-10).

3. You risk disease.

“At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent” (v. 11).

Free Small Group Study: Luke 17:11-19

By

Brian Daniel

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January 20, 2020

Here is a small group study based on Luke 17-11:19 that you can use if you find yourself between studies, waiting on books to deliver, or…whatever. This is a sample of the transformation model and discovery Bible study that you’ll encounter in many Serendipity House or LifeWay Small Group Bible studies. I’ve both been in a group that used this text with these questions as well as led a group conversation rooted in this same material. It’s a great entrée into the heart of spiritual transformation and formation:

11 While traveling to Jerusalem, He passed between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As He entered a village, 10 men with serious skin diseases met Him. They stood at a distance 13 and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 When He saw them, He told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And while they were going, they were healed. 15 But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and, with a loud voice, gave glory to God. 16 He fell facedown at His feet, thanking Him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus said, “Were not 10 cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Didn’t any return to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He told him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has made you well.” Luke 17:11-19 HCSB

1. What is our modern day leprosy? Point out the ways these groups and individuals are isolated, ostracized, and walled off by mainstream culture. Or maybe you’ll decide that some are actually embraced by the mainstream thus making the need for healing and salvation more difficult for them to acknowledge.
2. How does Luke describe the level of communication with Jesus (v.13)? There is both the acknowledgment of a need only Jesus can meet as well as the sense of desperation. Although it may appear to be more obvious with certain demographics, we’re all desperate for the sort of transformation only Jesus can offer.
3. Why do you think only one returned to thank Jesus? What’s up with the other nine? A great discussion question. Don’t let the group settle into simple “black and white” or “right and wrong” positions. This scenario is more about “good” and “greater good.”
4. What was the added benefit of the one that did return? What do you think is the difference between “well” and “healed”?
5. Read vv. 15-16. What steps to wellness and fullness emerge through an examination of this passage? I allowed a great deal of latitude here, but for the most part we landed at (1) acknowledgment (2) repentance (3) giving glory (demonstration) (4) worship (inner transformation).

Consider wrapping up with an application question that asks members to consider the “So what?” aspect of your conclusions. It’s not a difficult assignment to identify those who are most the desperate of our culture. But for for all those that have learned how to manage their greatest needs, others medicate these needs through various methods—not as easy to identify. For more on leading a small group Bible study or small group principles and practices, download the free Small Group Life Ministry Manual by clicking here.

Tim Tebow Marries Fiancée Demi-Leigh in Stunning Ceremony

By

Megan Briggs

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January 20, 2020

Tim Tebow married his fiancée Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters in Cape Town, South Africa on Monday, January 20, 2020. The couple shared pictures and details of the swanky ceremony with People Magazine.

“I’ve been waiting my entire life for someone special, who I can spend the rest of my life with. I was waiting for the right person to come along. And now I’m marrying Demi. I can’t wait to see what our future holds. All of my dreams have come true. It was 100 percent worth the wait,” Tebow told People magazine.

People Magazine shares the ceremony took place shortly before sunset and included approximately 260 guests. It was held at La Paris Estate in Cape Town, which was the farm and estate of a French Hugenot named Francois Retief. The estate was given to Retief in 1699. Today it serves as a restaurant, hotel, and event venue.

View this post on Instagram

Forever and Always @timtebow • • 📸 @hanrihumanweddings

A post shared by Demi-Leigh Tebow (@demileighnp) on Jan 21, 2020 at 12:46am PST

Nel-Peters told People it was important to the couple to keep the look and the feel of the ceremony traditional. “We definitely wanted it to be something that we could look back on and know that nothing was dated. We want to remember this day for the rest of our lives.”

The food served at the reception included both American and South African dishes. Tebow, who follows a Keto diet, requested a groom’s cake that was compliant with his diet. The requested cake came in the form of cheesecake.

A couple days ago, Tebow posted a video and images of what looked like a rehearsal dinner to his Instagram account. Guests close to the bride and groom shared words of encouragement and memories of the couple, including Louie Giglio.

Tebow gave a brief explanation for the couple’s decision to have the ceremony in Nel-Peter’s native South Africa. “Even when she was saying ‘oh, we could be here or different states in the U.S.,’ I could see it on her face that nothing would be the same if she wasn’t home.”

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Grateful… @demileighnp 🇺🇸 + 🇿🇦 • @zavionk @zavionkotzeeventscompany @haukeweddingfilms @kilowattavsa @chrystalace @saba_butler_academy

A post shared by Tim Tebow (@timtebow) on Jan 19, 2020 at 5:10am PST

Nel-Peters is a model and the winner of the 2017 Miss Universe competition. Originally from South Africa, Nel-Peters spent the year 2018 visiting various cities around the world before her reign as Miss Universe ended in December.

Tebow met Nel-Peters at a Super Bowl party and the couple got engaged in January 2019.

One of the things the couple has in common is a love for people with disabilities. Nels-Peters half-sister, Franje, was born with cerebellar agenesis, which is a condition where a person’s cerebellum (a key part of the brain) does not develop. Tebow’s Night to Shine events celebrate individuals with disabilities by throwing parties in their honor, similar in style to a prom.

To see a picture from the wedding, check out Tebow’s Instagram account.

Key Questions for Meg Meeker

Key Quotes from Meg Meeker

5 political fine lines that can become land mines:

I told her, “I am not a customer; I am a friend.”

How do you measure traditional marketing channels?

Unique URL

Unique Phone Numbers

Coupon Code

Setting Up Analytics

Measuring Results

Debating the Separation of Church and State

Arguments For and Against

Lifestyle of Pastor John Gray Has Been Under Fire

Amid Controversy, Relentless Is Also Known for Generosity

In this Q&A, Davidson discusses some of her book’s applications to pastors and ministry for how to transform wounds into wisdom.

Do you hope pastors will use your book when they counsel others to turn wounds into wisdom?

You start by addressing past wounds. There is a saying, “Time heals all wounds,” right?

Is it really possible to change my ingrained attitudes?

What if a pastor doesn’t like change?

What else do you see in pastors?

What about loss? Pastors seem to go through a lot of that.

One of the biggest clergy killers is way too much stress. Why is that?

You talk a lot about changing the way we think to turn wounds into wisdom.

Can’t we just decide to change our behaviors?

This all takes some time, right?

What’s the reward?

What the Church Is … The Origin of the Word

Distinguishing Categories

Defining Attributes

Here are 10 other disciplines of a godly man.

1. Humility

2. Purity

3. Kindness

4. Patience

5. Forgiveness

1. Eventually, the adulteress will turn against you.

2. You waste a lot of energy and money.

3. You risk disease.

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