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Advent Activities for Children’s Ministry: Prepare Young Hearts for Jesus

Advent activities for children’s ministry
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Advent activities for children’s ministry build excitement for Christmas. By focusing on the season’s real meaning, pastors and Sunday school teachers help kids know that Jesus is God’s greatest gift.

During Advent, we wait expectantly for Jesus’ arrival in Bethlehem. We also prepare our hearts for his eventual return. So take Advent activities for children’s ministry beyond countdown calendars. Creatively engage young minds and hearts as they get ready to celebrate Jesus’ birthday!

10 Advent Activities for Children’s Ministry

Adapt these Advent activities for children’s ministry at your church:

1. The Jesse Tree: Following Jesus’ Ancestry

The Jesse Tree is a visual journey through the Bible. It features symbols representing people and events in Jesus’ lineage. Gather branches or a small tree. Then make or collect symbols (like small paper or felt ornaments) for each story you’ll share.

Each day, hang a symbol on the tree and tell a Bible story about a key figure in Jesus’ family. For example, start with Adam and Eve, include Old Testament people like King David, and end with John the Baptist. This activity shows how God keeps his promises throughout history.

Why it works: A Jesse Tree emphasizes God’s plan for salvation, showing how Jesus’ birth connects to a larger story. Kids enjoy watching the tree fill up.

2. Kindness Challenge: Gifts for Jesus

Instead of an Advent calendar with treats, issue a Gifts for Jesus challenge. Each day, kids draw a slip of paper from a jar or open a small envelope containing a kindness activity. Ideas include “Give a hug to a family member,” “Help set the table,” or “Tell someone why you’re grateful for them.”

Encourage kids to see each act as a gift to Jesus, inspired by his love and example. Keep track of acts of kindness on a chart. Or children can create a paper chain of gifts that grows.

Why it works: Kids learn that Christmas isn’t just about receiving. It’s about giving from the heart, just as Jesus gave himself for us.

3. Advent Storybook Time

Gather kid-friendly books about Christmas. Each day or week, read together and discuss the anticipation of Jesus’ birth. Options include:

Why it works: Storytime encourages curiosity and reflection. Pictures help kids visualize and understand the events of Christmas.

4. Light of the World Craft

Create simple candles to remind kids that Jesus is the Light of the World. You’ll need battery-operated tea lights, small glass jars, tissue paper, and glue. First have kids glue the tissue paper onto jars for a stained-glass effect. After that dries, place the tea light inside. Then have kids “light” their candle each evening to symbolize Jesus’ coming.

During the first week, introduce the Light of the World theme. Discuss what it means to have Jesus’ light in our lives. Each week of Advent, add a new theme like hope, peace, joy, and love.

Why it works: This craft offers a nightly reminder of Jesus’ presence, light, and love.

5. Advent Prayer Stations

Set up Advent prayer stations around the classroom, church, or home. Each represents a  theme or part of the Christmas story. Examples include Waiting, Angel’s Message, Bethlehem, and The Manger. At each station, kids engage in a simple activity. They can light a candle, draw a picture, or write a prayer.

As children move from station to station, they experience Christmas interactively. Do this in one session or revisit it weekly.

Why it works: Sensory experiences are ideal for tactile learners.

Giving Tuesday: A Stewardship Guide for Youth Ministries and Teens

Giving Tuesday
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Giving Tuesday, a global day of generosity, occurs the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. This year, it’s observed on Dec. 3. After Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday shifts the focus from consumerism to kindness and generosity.

Churches and youth ministries can use Giving Tuesday to teach stewardship and serving. Through creative campaigns, teens gain hands-on experience while making a difference. Plus, they can help fund projects that support their community and beyond.

So let’s look at the background and purpose of Giving Tuesday. Then we’ll share practical ways youth ministries can harness the event.

What Is Giving Tuesday?

Giving Tuesday, launched in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y in New York City and the United Nations Foundation, is a global movement of generosity. Individuals, organizations, and businesses support charities and causes they care about.

Giving Tuesday is a reminder to make a positive impact, especially during the holidays. For churches and youth groups, the day offers lessons in biblical giving and Christian support.

Why Should You Participate in Giving Tuesday?

Youth ministries can harness Giving Tuesday for biblical teaching. Plus, it’s a great way to fund vital programs. Participation lets teens:

  • Understand stewardship. Giving Tuesday teaches teens that giving isn’t just financial. It can include time, talent, and other resources.
  • Make an impact. By supporting programs that matter to them, teens witness the impact of their efforts. That might be through local missions, church projects, or international outreach.
  • Develop fundraising skills. Teens gain hands-on experience, from planning to communication.

Through causes that teens value, you inspire them to take ownership of projects and feel connected to the outcomes.

5 Creative Ideas for Giving Tuesday

A youth ministry Giving Tuesday campaign will raise funds while developing faithful young stewards. Here are some suggestions:

1. Mission-Driven Campaigns: “Give to Make a Difference”

First, focus on something teens are passionate about. For example:

  • Support local needs. Partner with a shelter or food pantry, setting a financial goal for Giving Tuesday. Teens can organize and lead the campaign, sharing stories of how the organization uses donations.
  • Fund a mission trip. Giving Tuesday is excellent for kickstarting fundraising efforts. Teens can tell congregants why they feel called to serve and what they’ll be doing.

Tip: Promote the campaign on social media and at services and events.

2. Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

Next, ask each teen or small group to reach a goal by contacting friends, family, and church members. This empowers teens to serve as ambassadors for the church and youth group. Examples include:

  • Scholarships for camp or retreats. For some teens, finances are tight. So use Giving Tuesday to ensure all youth can attend special events.
  • Youth mental health programs. Raising funds for counseling, workshops, or speakers benefits the whole community.

Tip: Equip teens with personalized donation pages, email templates, and social media graphics. Offer small incentives or recognition for reaching goals.

3. “Give and Serve” Day: Combine Fundraising With Service

Giving Tuesday can be more than a fundraising event. It’s also a way to give time. For example:

  • Community cleanup. Spruce up a local park, beach, or neighborhood. Sponsors can pledge donations for each bag of trash collected.
  • Holiday cheer project. Have teens assemble care packages for people in need. Donors can give a certain amount for each package.

Tip: Invite the congregation to support kids by serving with them. This makes the campaign more personal and brings people together.

Marriage and Ministry With Dr. Crawford Loritts

In this episode of “Transforming the Church,” Pastor Derwin Gray gets a chance to dive into a conversation with Dr. Crawford Loritts and hear his approach to navigating marriage and ministry.

NC Pastor Receives Full Pardon, Now Eligible for $400,000 in Restitution for Wrongful Imprisonment

darron carmon
Screengrab via @WITN News

Darron Carmon, who served eight years in prison for an armed robbery he didn’t commit, received a pardon on Wednesday (Nov. 13) from outgoing North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper. Carmon, who’s now a pastor, spent three decades fighting the charges against him.

Although he was exonerated in 2022, Carmon wasn’t eligible for restitution unless granted a “pardon of innocence.” Now he can receive $50,000 from the state for every year of incarceration.

As a 19-year-old college student, Carmon was arrested in 1993 for robbing a Winterville convenience store at gunpoint. But he didn’t match the eyewitness description of the suspect, and his defense attorney didn’t call all his alibi witnesses to the stand.

RELATED: Wrongfully Imprisoned NC Pastor Went From ‘Hero of the Year’ to Shunned by the Town

Carmon, who was convicted and sentenced to 40 years in prison, attempted suicide while behind bars. He was released for good behavior after eight years and then pursued a ministry career.

Pastor Darron Carmon Is Suing the City, Police Officers

Darron Carmon, the son of pastors, serves at two North Carolina churches: Rebuild Christian Center Church in Winterville and Greater Village Gate Church in Lewiston. He also started two nonprofits, adopted five children, and has been publicly recognized for his outreach efforts.

As ChurchLeaders reported, Winterville named Carmon its Hero of the Year in 2021 and 2022. He was set to receive that honor again in 2023, but Winterville withdrew its support after Carmon sued the city and two former police officers for civil rights violations and emotional distress.

The city also canceled what would have been the fifth annual day in Carmon’s honor, citing ongoing litigation. At the time, the pastor said that felt like being “victimized again.”

Carmon’s lawsuit alleged that police hid fingerprint evidence that proved his innocence. New interviews also revealed that clerks at the convenience store often reported fake robberies and kept the cash. In early 2024, Carmon filed a second lawsuit against Winterville. He has requested that the two filings be consolidated. The original lawsuit is scheduled for trial in December.

Pastor Darron Carmon Maintained His Innocence

After receiving news of the pardon, Darron Carmon expressed gratitude to the governor for doing “what a real leader would do.” He said, “A Black boy went to prison for a crime he didn’t do, and Gov. Cooper, from a state’s perspective, said, ‘I’ll do what we need to do.’ We need more leaders like that who are willing to accept responsibility.”

RELATED: ‘Don’t Be Afraid’—Former Army Chaplain Shares How Pastors Can Help Veterans Who Are Struggling With Suicide

Carmon’s attorney, Abraham Rubert-Schewel, said:

This pardon is a testament to Darron Carmon’s resilience and character. Most of us would have given up long ago, but he continued to fight, continued to profess his innocence, and that innocence has finally been recognized. We are incredibly grateful to Governor Cooper and [Pitt County District Attorney] Faris Dixon for recognizing the injustice that occurred over 30 years ago.

The attorney added that Carmon has received “every sort of accolade you can possibly imagine, from governors Republican and Democrat over the years. This is actually the first true assertion by any government of his innocence.”

Why Mental Health and Spiritual Health Must Go Hand in Hand

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Source: Lightstock

Separating mental health and spiritual health is a form of modern Gnosticism. The belief that we must divide the “spiritual” from the “mental” (or even the “physical”) creates an artificial dualism that resembles ancient Gnostic teachings. Gnosticism, in its early forms, proposed a strict division between the physical/material world, viewed as flawed or lesser, and the spiritual realm, which was deemed pure and superior. This separation led to the notion that the material aspects of life—such as the body and mind—were disconnected or even irrelevant to one’s spiritual journey.

Modern Gnosticism

Similarly, when mental health is treated as separate from spiritual health, it reinforces a dualistic mindset that undervalues the unity of the human person as created by God. Scripture and Christian tradition emphasize a holistic view of personhood, recognizing that humans are an integration of body and soul, both of which are essential to the image of God. Ignoring the role of mental health in spiritual formation implies that the mind and emotions are somehow detached from one’s spiritual life or that spiritual growth can happen independently of mental well-being. This reductionist view can inadvertently support a Gnostic framework, where mental and physical aspects of a person are seen as separate from the spiritual self.

Holistic Discipleship

In contrast, a non-Gnostic, holistic approach to discipleship affirms that mental health and spiritual health are deeply interconnected, shaping and influencing one another. The journey of discipleship, from this perspective, must encompass care for the whole person. Addressing mental health concerns—such as trauma, anxiety, or depression—within discipleship recognizes that emotional struggles impact one’s spiritual life and that spiritual practices can support mental wellness. By viewing mental health as integral to spiritual growth, Christians can honor the whole person, just as God does, and avoid the pitfalls of a Gnostic-like divide that denies the fullness of human experience.

Thus, integrating mental health into discipleship affirms a holistic, incarnational view of humanity, countering the reductionist tendencies of Gnosticism and embracing a truly biblical understanding of what it means to be fully human.

Mental Health Discipleship

Mental Health Discipleship is an approach to Christian discipleship that intentionally integrates an understanding of mental health and wellness. It implies that, while guiding people in spiritual growth and Christian teachings, leaders are also equipped to recognize, understand, and compassionately respond to mental health challenges. This approach includes creating a safe space within Christian communities for open conversations about mental health, offering resources for healing and support, and encouraging practices that promote holistic well-being, acknowledging the interconnectedness of mental, emotional, and spiritual health.

This type of discipleship recognizes that mental health struggles can impact one’s relationship with God, oneself, and others. By being informed about mental health, leaders can disciple more sensitively and inclusively, helping believers find peace and resilience without stigma or judgment. It also emphasizes the belief that mental health care and spiritual care are complementary, not opposing, disciplines.

Help for the Journey

In bridging mental and spiritual health, we honor the biblical vision of wholeness that defies outdated dualism. Rather than separating mental wellness from spiritual growth, a holistic approach enriches both, promoting healing and resilience. Embracing this unity isn’t just about achieving well-being; it’s about embodying the fullness of life God intended. For those interested in exploring deeper methods that integrate faith with mental health science, Neuroscience Informed Christian Counseling® offers a compassionate, evidence-based path. Discover how it can transform discipleship and support believers on their journey to holistic wellness.

REFERENCES

  1. How Gnosticism Shaped Early Christian Beliefs
  2. Uniting Faith & Psychology: A Path to Holistic Healing

This article originally appeared here.

Rest: It’s Not What You Think

rest
Photo by Hatice Baran: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-woman-sleeping-on-a-bed-with-a-pillow-28003135/

What’s the first thing that truly comes to your mind when you read Matthew 11:28?

Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Does your response lean toward a cynical, “Yeah right. Must be nice”? Maybe you naturally respond with hope swelling inside that you might be able to receive this rest you long for. Perhaps your response is a resounding, “YES and AMEN!”

Wherever you land as you respond to this verse, let’s talk about this concept of “rest” that has taken on quite the narrative in our culture. We have some myths to bust, and we have some Truth to dive back into so we can pursue the right kind of rest that is accessible here and now from a God who offers it to us freely.

What Rest Isn’t

In today’s culture, rest can be closely related to (and dependent on) how many hours you sleep, how quiet your surroundings are, the number of times you get to sneak away for a spa day, and your general level of relaxation.

And yet, we don’t find those kinds of definitions when we read Scripture. How can we find true rest when we’re not promised those things? If rest isn’t just about sleep and spa days, then what is Jesus promising us in Matthew 11?

What Rest Is

We find a clue for what rest is as we continue reading in Matthew 11:29-30:

Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

How is it that we are finding rest for our souls by tethering a wooden beam across our necks for manual labor? This verse can feel a little paradoxical, and yet the words Jesus uses are rest, easy, and light. There’s something worth pursuing here if you want to truly find rest for your soul.

When we take a step back and consider the state of our souls before life with Jesus, we are already wearing a yoke. We’re yoked with our sinful nature, our flesh, our independence, our self-reliance. And it’s anything but “rest,” “easy,” and “light.” It’s destroying us. It’s not how we were meant to live.

Churchgoing Woman in Gay Marriage Asks for Jackie Hill Perry’s Thoughts

Hardly Initiated
L: Nicole. R: Jackie Hill Perry. Screengrabs from YouTube / @HardlyInitiated

Author, hip hop artist, and Bible teacher Jackie Hill Perry had some compassionate yet challenging words for a woman named Nicole who called in to the “Hardly Initiated” podcast and asked for Perry’s thoughts on Nicole’s lifestyle. Nicole has been married to a woman for five years and says that she loves God but has a “cloud” over her.

“I have a love in my heart so much for Christ, and I want to be like him so much, but it’s like I have this, almost like a cloud that’s over my head when it comes to my lifestyle and religion,” Nicole said in a “Hardly Initiated” clip posted Nov 4. “And so I just wanted to ask someone who has been delivered and who has, you know, moved past it.”

‘Hardly Initiated’ Caller: ‘I’m Open to Whatever God Says’

“Hardly Initiated” is a podcast cohosted by Tysean Jackson and Ryan Catchings that is streamed live on YouTube twice a week. It has the tagline, “Shifting the culture’s perspective on faith, love and relationships.”

The conversation with Nicole took place during an episode streamed Aug. 7 with guests Jackie Hill Perry and Megan Ashley. The episode was the first in a series called “Fight the Flesh”; the second episode in the series features Perry’s husband, Preston, as one of the guests.

RELATED: Cam Newton’s Comments on Polygamy in the Bible Draw Pushback From Benjamin Watson, Derwin Gray

Nicole said she is 38 years old and lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She also told the hosts and guests that she had grown up in the church. “I’m not new to Christ,” she said. “I fast, I pray, I go to church, read my Bible. You know, I feel like I’ve definitely had interactions with Christ. However, I wanted to talk about desires because I feel like I can’t work in the church due to my lifestyle.” 

Nicole then revealed that she had been married to a woman for five years and asked for Perry’s thoughts. Jackie Hill Perry is the author of “Gay Girl, Good God: The Story of Who I Was and Who God Has Always Been.” Part of Perry’s story is how God led her to himself and out of acting on her same-sex attractions. Before giving Nicole any advice, Perry asked for her thoughts on Scripture passages about sexuality. 

Nicole said that people often bring up Leviticus and Sodom and Gomorrah to her. “I read it, and I fasted on it, and the only thing that comes up for me is that God knew me before he put me in my mother’s womb,” she said. “That’s what comes up for me. So where do I stand on in reading it? When I read it, I pray on it. But it’s still a level of—I won’t say necessarily conviction—but it’s, I’m open to whatever God says.”

Many people want her to feel guilty, Nicole said, but she doesn’t. “I don’t have a guilt, and I’m trying to be as transparent as possible and get my thoughts together because I’m nervous,” she shared. She expressed confusion at the fact that some people say, “Love is love,” but others point to the Bible.

Gateway Church Tithes Down by 35%-40%, According to Church Elder

Gateway Church financials
Pictured: Gateway Church's three remaining elders take the stage during recent congregational update (Screengrab via YouTube / @Gateway Church

The size of Gateway Church’s staff continues to be reduced amid scandal and financial hardship. Kenneth Fambro, one of the church’s three remaining elders, revealed in a video that was intended for staff members but leaked to social media that giving is down by 35%-40%. 

Gateway has languished since Pastor Robert Morris resigned in disgrace in June after allegations came to light that he had committed child sex abuse in the 1980s. For years, Morris, who founded Gateway Church, openly discussed an “inappropriate relationship” he had during his early 20s, prior to founding Gateway. 

However, when Cindy Clemishire came forward and claimed that Morris began engaging in sexual activity with her when she was just 12 years old, it became apparent that Morris’ story of a past affair was actually sexual abuse. 

Morris’ departure from Gateway has led to a wave of resignations, including that of James Morris, the son of Robert Morris, who had been expected to succeed his father as senior pastor. 

RELATED: Gateway Church Launches Formal Search for New Senior Pastor, Apologizes to Cindy Clemishire

The younger Morris is now in the process of founding a separate church

Some who have resigned or been asked to resign reportedly knew about Robert Morris’ alleged abuse or otherwise had information that ought to have triggered an investigation but failed to act. 

Gateway determined who would be asked to resign after receiving the results of a third-party investigation into all of the church’s internal communications. 

Gateway has also commissioned a comprehensive financial audit and is in the process of amending its bylaws to qualify for certification from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).

Nevertheless, the church is involved in more than one open lawsuit for its alleged mishandling of abuse allegations. In a recent update to the church, elder Tra Willbanks also indicated that Morris is seeking financial restitution for himself. 

RELATED: Gateway Church Members File Financial Fraud Lawsuit Against Robert Morris, 3 Other Pastors

Willbanks further said that a criminal investigation is underway, clarifying that it does not involve anyone currently in leadership at Gateway and that the church is cooperating with the authorities.

What Evangelicals Say They Want From a Second Trump Term

Donald Trump
A man wears a Make America Pray Again hat before former President Donald Trump speaks at the National Religious Broadcasters convention at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, Feb. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

(RNS) — Shortly after President-elect Donald Trump finished his victory speech last week in West Palm Beach, Florida, the room burst into a rendition of the Christian hymn “How Great Thou Art.” The moment, which was captured on video, was a reminder of Trump’s robust support among conservative evangelical Christians, who have consistently backed the former president with upward of 80% voting for him in all three of his elections.

Among the crowd in Florida on election night Tuesday (Nov. 5) was longtime Trump supporter Robert Jeffress, the pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, who preached a sermon to the businessman on the morning of Trump’s 2017 inauguration. Jeffress described the atmosphere at Trump’s victory party as “electric” and suggested the vibe was similar when he returned to his church last Sunday.

“Our people were elated, for the most part, over the election results,” Jeffress said.

RELATED: Christian Leaders React to Donald Trump Winning the Presidential Election

Conservative Christians have long celebrated what they see as the landmark successes of Trump’s first term, particularly his appointment of three conservative justices to the Supreme Court and their overturning of Roe v. Wade to end nationwide abortion access. This time, however, Jeffress and other evangelical advisers of Trump say they are hoping for more — although exactly what form those policies will take appears to be the subject of debate.

For Jeffress, a key policy concern for Trump’s second term is “protecting the religious freedom of all Americans.”

“The things (Trump) is most interested in is anything that will prohibit not only pastors from preaching what is in their heart, but what would keep laymen from exercising their faith in the workplace, whether it be doctors being forced to perform abortions or high school football coaches not allowed to pray before a football game,” Jeffress said.

Pastor Robert Jeffress and then-President Donald Trump pray after Trump signed a full pardon for Alice Johnson in the Oval Office of the White House, Aug. 28, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Trump, for his part, promised during his campaign to create a federal task force to fight “anti-Christian bias,” saying if he didn’t win, Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris would “come after Christians all over the country.” He also promised to get rid of the so-called Johnson Amendment — a part of the tax code that prohibits churches from endorsing candidates — “permanently the next time,” after signing an executive order that weakened the restriction during his first term as president.

“They didn’t want you to speak to people, and if you did they take away your tax-exempt status,” Trump told a group of mostly pastors in Powder Springs, Georgia. “And I said, ‘But these are the people that me and others want to hear from, and you’re not letting them speak. What’s that all about?’”

The Rev. Franklin Graham, son of famed evangelist Billy Graham and head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, said he hoped Trump would address a myriad of foreign policy concerns. He said he was especially hopeful Trump would “find a way to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine,” suggesting there should be a special ambassador appointed to go to Russia, which invaded Ukraine in 2022, to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

RELATED: John Piper Under Fire for Referring to Trump’s Re-Election as an ‘Evil’

“Democrats demonized the Russians so much that if you talk to them, it looks like you’re doing wrong,” said Graham, who also praised Trump’s efforts to forge a relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

People pray with Franklin Graham before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump takes the stage at a faith event at the Concord Convention Center, Oct. 21, 2024, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Graham also said he hoped Trump would work to establish peace amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip that has spread to southern Lebanon and the surrounding region, noting the president-elect helped bring about a bilateral agreement on Arab-Israeli normalization known as the Abraham Accords during his first term in office. Trump criticized Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war and has urged Israel to “finish the job” and destroy Hamas.

“Now (Trump’s) got somebody who can help restart that and come up with a comprehensive peace deal for that region,” Graham said, referring to Trump’s decision to appoint real estate tycoon Steven Witkoff as his Mideast envoy.

The Rev. Samuel Rodriguez and the Rev. Tony Suarez, the president and vice president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, and both Trump faith advisers, listed a desire for Trump to take action on “children’s and parental rights,” especially in regards to transgender children who seek out gender affirming surgery, something conservative Christians have grown increasingly vocal in opposing.

Trump campaigned on the issue, pledging to roll back civil rights protections for transgender students and running an ad that declared “Kamala is for they/them. President Trump is for you.” The president-elect has not detailed his plans to address the topic, although some conservatives have floated excluding transgender students from Title IX protections. Doing so could alter policies in public schools regarding bathrooms, locker rooms and which pronouns students use. Since Trump was elected, transgender youth have flooded crisis hotlines, according to The Associated Press.

7 Reasons Why You Should Have a Video Testimony

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Adobe Stock #244610513

I’m writing today’s post to encourage believers to audio or video record your Christian testimony for others. Given the technology available today, any of us can do a video testimony. Here’s why we should:

Why You Should Have a Video Testimony

  1. Doing so requires that you remember your life before meeting Christ, how you met Christ, and how He’s changed your life. It’s always good to think about what God has done. It’s even better to tell people what He’s done—and this strategy gives you opportunity to practice telling the story.
  2. Nobody’s story is exactly like yours, and somebody needs to hear it. You are unique, and God called you to Himself in whatever way He did. Only you can testify to that process in your life, but God will work through you to draw somebody to Himself. Only He knows how He’ll use your story.
  3. Your children and your grandchildren deserve to hear your story—and to have a recording of your telling it.Simply writing that story is a good start, but recording it is even better. The day will come when your loved ones long to hear your voice again, and they’ll be comforted by your recorded joy in Christ.

Help Your Small Group to Pray Outwardly

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I believe small groups are critical to the health of a church. Not only are they the place where we learn, grow, and fellowship, but they also ought to be a place of intentional prayer. Much of our praying, though, is focused only on ourselves. We must also pray outwardly.

Help Your Small Group to Pray Outwardly

In contrast, here are some simple ways to lead your small group to pray outwardly:

  1. Prayer progressive dinners. Plan a progressive dinner (where the group goes from house to house and eats courses of a meal together), but change the focus of the evening. After eating at each home, pray specifically for that family and for the neighbors they are trying to reach. You can cover several neighborhoods in prayer this way.
  2. “Focus on the Family” praying. Each week, pray the entire week for one particular family in your small group – and for one family the group is trying to reach. That is, pray for a family that attends and one that does not. Who knows what God might do as you pray for many families over the course of a year?
  3. Prayer outreach surveys. Do a simple survey in your neighborhood or even at your workplace, asking this single question: “Our church small group is praying for our friends and neighbors. Do you have any prayer requests we might include when we pray?” Record the information, pray, and then follow up later. You might build a relationship that leads to someone coming to know the Lord.

Planning a Youth Ministry Calendar: Tips for Looking Ahead

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Planning a youth ministry calendar is easier when you begin with the big picture. Learn tips from a veteran youth leader and use them as you plan ahead!

I love Google Maps. When you load the homepage, the default view is zoomed way out, showing you the whole country. Type in an address, and it zooms in quickly to show a specific region. Click “street view” and BAM! You’re looking at things as if you were literally walking through the neighborhood. Kinda creepy because Google is secretly stalking us. But kinda awesome at the same time! And it’s a great example of how we typically try planning a youth ministry calendar.

First we look at the big picture of our ministry. Then we zoom in on the season ahead. Finally we get a street view, all the way down to the current teaching series and events. Let me explain.

Planning a Youth Ministry Calendar: The Big Picture

To develop a big picture of your youth ministry, get away for a day. Take a break from the pace of ministry and distractions of email, voicemail, and texts. Then wrestle with an overview of your youth group.

For leaders who live in the world of ideas and vision, this is a simple task. For others, it’s challenging to stick your head above it all and get a glimpse of the whole. Key questions to ask at this big-picture stage:

  • Where do you think God wants to take students in the next year?
  • What worked well last year, and will it work again?
  • This year, what annual events will be effective again?
  • What needs to get the ax?
  • Have I blocked out my week of vacation?
  • Where are we strong, and where are we weak?
  • Do we have a good balance of God’s eternal purposes for our ministry (evangelism, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, worship)?

In broad strokes, paint what your youth ministry year will look like. Spend lots of time in prayer, asking God for discernment. Use a pencil!

The Season Ahead

Now you have an idea of the big picture. Next it’s time to specifically plan the next season. You have lots of options. I like to divide the year into three, unequal parts: fall, winter-spring, and summer.

This is the time to firm up specific teaching topics, series, and events. You probably already locked up bigger things like camp, trips, and retreats. So use this time to make final decisions. Key questions to ask at this stage:

  • What needs to be cut?
  • Am I keeping this program to satisfy a vocal parent/student or because it’s best for our ministry?
  • Where do I have momentum naturally, and where is it lacking?
  • What are the teaching topics for this season?
  • Who is the best person to teach?
  • Has my spouse seen this before I go public?

What looked good in the big-picture view might be too much, now that you’re zoomed in a bit closer. At this point, you’re still flexible enough for an audible. Use the eraser, if needed, but definitely not on your vacation time.

Sunday School Christmas Party Ideas: Holiday Activities Kids Will Love

Sunday school Christmas party ideas
Adobe Stock #675676581

Need fun new Sunday school Christmas party ideas? We collected a bunch for inspiration. The kids in your children’s ministry program will love these holiday ideas! They’re ideal for a Christmas celebration in your Sunday school or community. Plus, the activities work great as Christmas party games for children’s church.

So enjoy all these versatile Sunday school Christmas party ideas! Then share your favorite seasonal games in the comments below.

Sunday School Christmas Party Ideas

First read the Christmas story to children. Read the Nativity passage from Luke 2 from a kid-friendly translation. Or use a children’s Bible or book.

Good News of Great Joy: The Amazing Story of Jesus’ Birth

Next up, play group games. Choose Sunday school Christmas games that are age-appropriate. Pro Tip: Recruit youth group members to help!

  • Mini Marshmallow Toss (Have kids line up on either side of a table to play.)
  • Snowman Decorating Contest (Teams have five minutes to make the best or most creative snowman.)
  • Parcel Pass (Find directions here.)

Carnival-Style Sunday School Christmas Party Ideas

1. Candy Cane Hang

2. Face the Cookie

Kids have one minute to slide the most cookies into their mouth. (Be aware of any food allergies before trying this wacky game.)

3. Jingle Bell Toss

4. Christmas Smell Guessing Game

5. Merry Fishmas 

14-Year-Old Contestant on ‘The Voice’ Brings Snoop Dogg to Church While Singing a for KING + COUNTRY Song

'The Voice' Jaukeem Fortson Snoop Dogg
Screengrab via YouTube / The Voice

Jaukeem Fortson, the phenomenal 14-year-old singer currently competing on Season 26 of “The Voice,” continued to wow audiences across the country and received high praise from judge Snoop Dogg.

During his Blind Audition, Fortson received a three-chair turn from judges Reba McEntire, Michael Bublé, and Snoop Dogg. Gwen Stefani, the only judge who didn’t turn her chair around, told the young singer that she had “major regret” for not doing so. “I’m so excited for you because you have so much potential,” Stefani said.

The Elberton, Georgia, native told the judges that he has been singing since he began singing in church at the age of two.

Fortson chose McEntire to be his coach.

On Monday, a month after his Blind Audition, Fortson competed against Reba teammates Adam Bohanan and Cassidy Lee in the Knockouts Round. Fortson chose to sing “God Only Knows” by Grammy Award-winning Christian group for KING + COUNTRY.

RELATED: Impromptu Worship Service Breaks Out Among Contestants From ‘The Voice’

“God really knows, and I know if you just let him step into your life, he can do the miraculous,” Fortson told McEntire and mentor Jennifer Hudson during rehearsals.

“This song talks about how if you’re in a hard time, or if you’re struggling with something, that God could meet you where you’re at,” he added. Fortson shared that for KING + COUNTRY’s song has helped him during this year’s school year. The ninth grader explained that when his school work overwhelms him, “God Only Knows” has been instrumental in helping him “feel more calm.”

Fortson’s rehearsal brought Hudson to tears and got her to throw her shoe at him, an expression of extreme appreciation for singing ability. “You got an instrument on you young man,” she told him.

When it came time for him to sing in the Knockout Round, the 14-year-old’s performance got Snoop Dogg out of his chair and raising his hands in worship.

Following Fortson’s performance, Snoop Dogg told Fortson, “When you started singing, I looked [Reba] dead in the barrel of her eyes, and I said, ‘Father, God, help Reba see what I see.’” While referencing who he’d pick to go on to the next round, Snoop Dogg urged McEntire, “I would go with the youngster.”

Mike Huckabee, Former SBC Pastor, Tapped To Be Ambassador to Israel

Mike Huckabee
Former Governor Mike Huckabee speaking with attendees at the 2015 Iowa Growth & Opportunity Party at the Varied Industries Building at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa. Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Mike Huckabee, who served as a Southern Baptist pastor and state denominational leader before entering politics, is President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to be the next U.S. ambassador to Israel. If confirmed by the Senate, Huckabee is expected to continue supporting Israel and opposing a two-state solution.

On Tuesday (Nov. 12), Trump called Huckabee “a great public servant” who loves and is loved by Israel, saying, “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about Peace in the Middle East!”

RELATED: Christian Leaders React to Donald Trump Winning the Presidential Election

Huckabee, 69, pledged to carry out the policies of Trump, saying the former and future president secured “an understanding of the sovereignty of Israel” during his first administration. “From the moving of the [U.S.] embassy [to Jerusalem], recognition of the Golan Heights and Jerusalem as the capital. No one has done more than President Trump,” said Huckabee. “And I fully expect that that will continue.”

Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas, said the nomination of his “good friend” Huckabee is “great news” and a “great choice” by Trump. “I can tell you [Huckabee] will be a mighty instrument in God’s Hand for the peace and prosperity of Israel and US engagement in Israel and the Middle East,” Graham wrote.

Mike Huckabee’s Stance on Israel

Mike Huckabee has been critical of President Biden’s desire for a ceasefire in the ongoing war, saying, “The Biden administration has made it very clear they will make concessions to Hamas.”

Huckabee’s position on Israel is evident through how he talks about the area. “There’s really no such thing as a Palestinian,” he said in 2008. Then in 2017, while referring to the area commonly known as the West Bank, he said:

I think Israel has title deed to Judea and Samaria. There are certain words I refuse to use. There is no such thing as a West Bank. It’s Judea and Samaria. There’s no such thing as a settlement. They’re communities, they’re neighborhoods, they’re cities. There’s no such thing as an occupation.

Huckabee has said “plenty of land” for Palestinians is available in nearby Middle Eastern countries. Recently, he called himself an “unapologetic, unreformed Zionist.” Huckabee added that he likes “modernity” and doesn’t want “radical Muslims…to take us back to the seventh century.”

Israeli officials are congratulating Huckabee on his nomination, saying he’s a longtime friend who’s familiar with the area. Huckabee has said he’s visited Israel more than 100 times.

Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, who oversees West Bank settlements, said, “I have no doubt that we have won and together with [Huckabee] we will strengthen Israel’s security and strength and strengthen our hold in all its spaces.”

Opponents are taking issue with the nominee’s hardline approach. Luis Moreno, a former U.S. ambassador, wrote about Huckabee, “I unfortunately was exposed to him during his visits to Israel back in the day. Full blown (and knowledgeable) fanatic of the End of Times, Apocalypse, Israel’s destruction, etc. A true and utter nut case. Couldn’t be a more dangerous selection.”

From Pastor to Public Servant

Huckabee, an Arkansas native, served as that state’s governor from 1996 to 2007. He ran for U.S. president during the 2008 and 2016 campaign cycles.

Before turning to politics, Huckabee was a Southern Baptist pastor. He served for six years at Immanuel Baptist Church in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and then for another six years at Beech Street First Baptist Church in Texarkana, Arkansas. While at Immanuel, Huckabee urged the all-white congregation to welcome Black members.

RELATED: SBC 2024: What Happened at the Annual Meeting in Indianapolis

During his presidential campaigns, Huckabee was a favorite of many Christian voters. In 2007, he said at a “values voter” debate in Florida, “Many [evangelicals] will come to you. I come from you.” Publisher Steve Strang once urged his magazine readers to donate to Huckabee’s campaign.

In Huckabee’s book “Do the Right Thing,” he wrote, “It was never my desire to use my [political] position to push a particular religious doctrine through the official channels of government. Spiritual convictions should certainly be reflected in one’s worldview, approaches to problems, and perspective.”

Being a pastor was “the greatest preparation that a person can have for public service,” said Huckabee. “My experience dealing every day with real people who were genuinely affected by policies created by government gave me a deep understanding of the fragility of the human spirit and vulnerability of so many families who struggled from week to week.”

Dallas Jenkins Reveals ‘Very First Line That Was Ever Written’ for ‘The Chosen’

The Chosen Dallas Jenkins first line
Screengrab via YouTube / @Hope Nation

“The Chosen” creator Dallas Jenkins and Brandon Snipe, known as “The Chosen Sleuth,” have both watched the show, frame-by-frame, multiple times. Along with hundreds of millions of other viewers, their lives have been touched by Scriptures portrayed on screen.

“Having the context for the Jewish world is probably the thing that’s improved my faith the most,” said Spine.

But can Jenkins and Snipe recognize specific quotes and identify them as being from “Frozen” or “The Chosen?”

Dallas Jenkins and ‘The Chosen Sleuth’ Team Up for a Quiz, Identifying Quotes from ‘Frozen’ or ‘The Chosen’

Jenkins joined Snipe, The Chosen Sleuth, for a just-for-fun game. The duo worked together as random quotes were given to them. For each quote, they were to identify whether the words were from “Frozen” or “The Chosen.”

Throughout the game, Jenkins offered behind-the-scenes tidbits from “The Chosen.” He even revealed the first line ever written for the show.

“What we try to do with ‘The Chosen’ is not only give you these moments from Scripture, but set them up in a way that when they happen they really make sense,” said Jenkins. He and his team work to create “an emotional resonance in addition to spiritual resonance.”

The quick game consisted of eight quotes. Do you know if these quotes were said in “Frozen” or “The Chosen?”

“I like you. We’re on the same team, just don’t make me kill you.”

“Love is putting someone else’s needs before yours.”

“That was like a crazy trust exercise.”

“There is a lot you will give up, but what you gain is far greater.”

“How is this the second most incredible thing I’ve seen today?”

“I’m here. What do you need?”

“I was one way and now I’m completely different.”

“Oh look, I’ve been impaled.”

Answers are revealed on the next page.

Ohio Pastor of 35 Years Charged With Child Sex Crimes

George Bell
Screengrab via WSYX

A Columbus, Ohio, pastor has been arrested for alleged child sex abuse. George Bell, formerly of Anchor Baptist Church, faces six felony charges. 

Editor’s note: This article refers to reports of child sex abuse that some readers might find triggering and/or disturbing.

The charges against Bell, 72, include four counts of rape and two counts of gross sexual imposition. These crimes are alleged to have occurred between 2021 and 2024. According to The Columbus Dispatch, the alleged victim was less than 10 years old. 

According to the church’s website, Bell founded Anchor Baptist Church, a KJV-only Independent Fundamentalist congregation, in 1989. 

RELATED: New York Pastor and Anti-Gun Violence Activist Accused of Sexually Abusing Teen Boy

In July, the church announced that Bell had resigned as pastor of the church, citing “personal reasons.” At the time of Bell’s resignation, the church said that “there was nothing untoward involving church members or church property.”

However, the church amended its statement only days later, saying, “We now know that there was more to the unexpected resignation of our former pastor, George Bell, than we were originally led to believe.”

“It breaks our heart to discover that there have been serious allegations and an indictment that have been brought,” Anchor Baptist Church said. “Any conduct that is contrary to the Bible and our laws as citizens are unacceptable and not tolerated.”

The church said that it would cooperate with law enforcement, support victims and their families, and maintain transparency throughout the process. 

RELATED: MI Pastor Charged With Criminal Sexual Conduct Toward Young Boy

One church member, who said he has been with Anchor Baptist Church for 27 years, told WSYX that what has happened feels like “a betrayal.”

Mike Cosper: How Church Leaders Can Resist the ‘Banality of Evil’ and Stand Strong in This Moment

Mike Cosper
Image courtesy of Mike Cosper

Mike Cosper is known for producing and hosting “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill” podcast. He serves as the director of podcasts at Christianity Today and cohosts “The Bulletin.” Mike has authored several books, including “Land of My Sojourn: The Landscape of a Faith Lost and Found.” His latest is “The Church in Dark Times: Understanding and Resisting the Evil That Seduced the Evangelical Movement.”

“The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast” is part of the ChurchLeaders Podcast Network.

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Transcript of Interview With Mike Cosper

Mike Cosper on The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast.mp3: Audio automatically transcribed by Sonix

Mike Cosper on The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast.mp3: this mp3 audio file was automatically transcribed by Sonix with the best speech-to-text algorithms. This transcript may contain errors.

Voice Over:
Welcome to the Stetzer Church Leaders Podcast, conversations with today’s top ministry leaders to help you lead better every day. And now, here are your hosts, Ed Stetzer and Daniel Yang.

Daniel Yang:
Welcome to the Stetzer Church Leaders Podcast, where we’re helping Christian leaders navigate and lead through the cultural issues of today. My name is Daniel Yang, national director of Churches of Welcome at World Relief. And today we’re talking with Mike Kasper. Mike’s known for producing and hosting the podcast The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. He serves as the director of podcasts at Christianity Today and co-hosts The Bulletin. Mike’s authored several books, including Land of My Sojourn, The Landscape of a Faith Lost and Found, and his latest is The Church in Dark Times Understanding and Resisting the Evil That Seduced the Evangelical Movement. If you enjoy our interviews, make sure you like and follow us on Apple Podcasts. Now let’s go to Ed Stetzer, editor in chief of Outreach Magazine and the dean of the Talbot School of Theology.

Ed Stetzer:
Thank you, Daniel, for the introduction. Mike Cosper. We have been like, I’ve known you since you were a teenager, right? I mean, what is it like 19 years old? You were over my house when I was a professor for in Louisville for three years.

Mike Cosper:
You never had me to your house, but I did you in my. My friend Nathan Cuillo. Shout out to Nathan Cuillo and Quills coffee. I met you in in Nathan’s living room.

Ed Stetzer:
Oh, okay. It was a living room. Okay. I thought it was my house because. But. Okay. That’s fascinating. Met there. You’re just a kid.

Mike Cosper:
I have never been invited to the Stetzer home.

Ed Stetzer:
Well, there’s there’s a there is the restraining order. But anyway, um, moving on from there. So, so. And now, I mean, it’s so funny to kind of watch your journey. First of all, I make I make fun of you in one of my. I mean, years ago, I had this road sermon that you’ve heard me do and, and I talk about, you know, sojourn and, and your music that you played and then you didn’t want to sing any, you know, any commercial music. And then the joke I make in the sermon is and now they have their own, you know, they have their own album out and so and so you knew that but but and we kept in touch. But your life is we’re going to get to the topic of the book in just a minute. But your life’s kind of a weird journey that in many ways, of course, shapes the tone and tenor of the book. So you’ve been involved in all this media for two decades, you know, how does this kind of shape your perspective on the issues facing our churches today?

Mike Cosper:
Yeah, I mean, I don’t know, the book is much more a reflection of how those views have been shaped rather than shaping of the of the views. Um, but yeah, I mean, the church today is a media phenomenon, like the church has to function as a media phenomenon, whether they like it or not. And, you know, any church that the minute you start putting your sermons available online or sending emails or whatever else, like you’re, you’re trafficking in, you know, this, this, this new normal, Um, which can be used for good and can be used for ill and and um. Yeah, that’s that’s that it’s a complicated. It’s a complicated question, I guess. Yeah.

Ed Stetzer:
But it’s I mean, it’s it’s complicated, but you’re like, you’ve rushed into all of that, you know, it’s it’s the idea of this. I mean, even your expression that, you know, the church is a media experience now, which is something that we wouldn’t have said 50 years ago. And so, you know, I’m not saying you’ve rushed in uncritically, but you’ve certainly rushed in. I mean, the one of the world’s leading podcasts critiquing church. Um, now you have your own weekly podcast. You’ve done different forms of media. So, I mean, has that has, has walking through all that, like, how’s your heart? I mean, is it is it I’m concerned. I’m I think it’s great. I think it’s opportunities that all of the above because I mean, again, the title of the book is, you know, not exactly Sunshine and roses here. It’s the Church in Dark Times, but we’re going to get to subtitles understanding and resisting the evil that seduced the evangelical movement. But media certainly plays a part in your book and in this journey. So what are your current posture towards the very thing that you’re involved in?

Mike Cosper:
Yeah, I mean, I make a point in the book, I mean, for what it’s worth, like, I make a point in the book to to really sort of hold out the example of Billy Graham as somebody who from, from the very beginnings of modern media, understood its complexity, understood its temptations, um, really kind of created a whole set of boundaries and restrictions around himself to try to protect himself from the temptations that came from media. Um, and at the same time, you can’t understand the Billy Graham phenomenon without without recognizing that it was a media phenomenon. Like, he he saw it as an opportunity and unapologetically embraced the opportunity of media. So, you know, it’s like anything. Like there are there are trade offs and for the church to function, um, for the church to function in our particular moment, um, they have to figure out, okay, what are we going to do about media? Um, maybe, you know, there are some churches that are like, they’re going to embrace that, like sort of particular Baptist fundamentalist Baptist posture and say, we’re not doing anything online and we would never do multiple services, and we certainly wouldn’t, you know, livestream anything or whatever. But that’s the exception. The rule is church is trying to figure out, okay, how do we use this stuff judiciously? And, um, you know what? Well, that’s an element of what the book is talking about. The book is trying to sort of push at issues that are larger and broader than that, like the the framing behind all of that. Right, right. That says like, hey, what, what what is the church? What is the church about? What is what is possible for the church? What what can the church accomplish? And when when those questions, when the answers to those questions become really grandiose, it becomes really dangerous. Yeah.

Ed Stetzer:
And I think what, you know, it does address those questions, but also deeply addresses what happened to the church. And so, you know, so part of that, I want to get a little background in a sense, I’m also, I guess, asking what happened to you that you think that the church is in dark times? What is it? The famous question who hurt you? But you know, the of course you did the Rise and Fall of Mars Hill, which we’ve had you on the podcast to talk about that. And did that relate in any way or how did it relate to your decision to write The Church in Dark times? And maybe, if you can, what about your own church experience? How does that relate to writing the church in dark times?

Mike Cosper:
Yeah. So, um, for those who are unfamiliar with it, like my my story, I helped plant a church, uh, under the leadership of wise mentors like Ed Stetzer, um, helped plant a church mentor.

Ed Stetzer:
To be clear, I think we. I didn’t even know where we met. So let’s not put me in the mentor category.

Mike Cosper:
Anyway, I’ll still blame you. So year 2000 helped to plan a church. I was on staff there for 15 years. Um, our our church was one of the like we experienced and I mean this genuinely like we experienced the best of the church planting boom of the 2000. We, um, we planted at a time where there weren’t a lot of churches like us in the city of Louisville. The church blew up. Um, by the time I left, we had almost 4000 people meeting at five locations. Um, live preaching at every location. We never did video venue. Um, and then, you know, the church had this really vibrant arts and culture ministry as well. Like, we ran a center for the arts, and we started Sojourn Music. And you can go to Spotify and check out Sojourn Music, and you’ll be able to see what we did over the years. A lot of a lot of original songs, a lot of hymns, things like that. Um, I, you know, I treasure those days. I mean, I treasure that experience. It was, um, some of the best years of my life were were spent in that ministry, and, you know, it. It ended in a season where the church went through some unhealth. The church was probably unhealthy for the last 2 or 3 years that I was there. And then, um, within 2 or 3 years of my exit, I went through a bunch of transformations. And I think it’s I’m really happy to say, like, I’m still a member at this church. I still attend, uh, a sojourn campus. And I think all of those sojourn pastors would say, like, yeah, we went through a hard season and we, um, came out the other side in a, in a in a solid place. That definitely has affected the way I’ve approached it definitely affected the way that I approached the Mars Hill story, because what I recognized in the Mars Hill story.

Ed Stetzer:
Little connection with people is that sojourn was in acts 29 church. And so some connection there. Not now. And it wasn’t it didn’t stay for too long. But but so sometimes that connection is, you know, and then you do the rise and fall of Mars Hill. So talk to us about that right.

Mike Cosper:
Yeah. So we we joined acts 29 after we had been planted. We were not planted by them, but we joined them in like for I think Darren Patrick recruited us to come into the network in zero four. And then we left around 2010, um, as things were starting to get a little wild and hairy in there. And, and because we were kind of compelled and, um, felt called to, to start our own church planting network with a different vision. Um, but yeah, that definitely affected it. And, and what that did for me, I mean, the reason, I mean, for sure, the reason that I was able to do what I did with The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill was because during those years of participation in acts 29, I was able to build a lot of relationships with pastors, uh, in the acts 29 network and at Mars Hill. That became kind of key figures, key voices in that, in that story. And, um, and I would just say that, like, I think the importance of the rise and fall of Mars Hill is that it’s a story that’s very familiar to lots of pastors in lots of different situations. Um, not just Mark Driscoll, not just acts 29, not just a certain kind of church brand of church. Like there is a mars hill. Like what you see in Mars Hill is that there’s a way in which, like a certain ideology kind of takes hold of the leaders of a church and creates a permission structure in which all kinds of, you know, badly motivated activity can take place from there. Yeah.

Ed Stetzer:
And this is and that’s a key theme that kind of runs throughout the book. He talks about the banality of evil and more. Um, but when I think most people read the books coming out after the election. We’re recording this before the election. The reason I say that is we don’t know who’s going to be elected president at the time of this recording, but this will be out, like right after the election.

Mike Cosper:
But and we still may not know who the president is when it comes out either.

Ed Stetzer:
That’s fair. That’s fair. Wow, wow. That hurt, that hurt, that wounded my soul right there, brother. I’m not sure I’m ready for that again. Um, but but so here’s the thing. When people read the church in dark times, I will. I know that people who don’t know you might think, oh, this is a book that the right wing would write or publish, or maybe even, you know, more far right and say, we’re in dark times because of the rise of progressive and liberal ideologies is crushing. And, you know, this, this could be our last election. We’re going to lose our freedom. It’s it’s a dark time. And then people on the left would say, well, you know. Yeah, the authoritarianism. And if, you know, if we’re going to, we’re going to lose our freedom, you know, Nazi, all this sort of stuff. So it’s dark times and then there’s people I don’t know, I wouldn’t say center, but they could be like center and to each side there, like just the craziness all around us is dark times. So what? And again, I think, you know, people you know, people follow you on Twitter. You know, they’ve seen you and I found helpful you talking about this as an election of extremes and, you know, overplaying to the base and all that sort of stuff. So knowing that we don’t know who’s going to be president, but there’s hopefully will be have decided by then. What’s the dark times? Is it political? Overwhelmingly partly. Let’s start there.

Mike Cosper:
Yeah. So so there’s there’s a sense in which like the, the dark times have nothing to do with politics whatsoever. Um, uh, the politics are, I would even say like the politics are downstream of other sort of cultural realities in which a, a, a world full of people who are detached from, uh, uh, detached from a sense of like, uh, meaning and purpose. Um, they’re looking for something. You know, David Foster Wallace has this great quote where he says, we’re all dying to give ourselves away to something. And that’s a really dangerous reality. Um, particularly in a world where, where, where people don’t have these, like, deeply rooted senses of connection to to place, to family, to country, to vocation, to church, to, to whatever else and the, the power. And again, like the reason Mars Hill was such a great example of this, the power of Mars Hill was it provided a story for lots of people, especially young men, but but certainly broader than young men. It provided a place for them to find like a sense of story and purpose and belonging. Um, and it was it was wrapped around a certain vision of Christianity, a certain vision of masculinity.

Mike Cosper:
Um, which was really embodied by and represented by Mark Driscoll. And the problem was because it was so, so enmeshed, like that vision for what the church was about, because it was so enmeshed with Mark, it couldn’t outlive Mark. So when Mark had to, you know, when Mark left, the church collapsed and fell apart. And we’ve seen similar examples of this in other places. Um, you see this in political movements all the time. Like if you look throughout the 20th century, you see political movements that kind of function in the same way. So what I’m trying to warn the church with, with a book like this is, is not to say like politics are the problem or a certain kind of church or church growth strategy is the problem. What I’m trying to say is I’m trying to say ideology is the problem. These grandiose visions where we say, look, if we just if we can just get this one thing right, we can reach the city, we can reach the world, we can transform all of these things. That grandiosity itself is what, uh, what I think becomes so destructive down the line.

Ed Stetzer:
Yeah. Well, and I think that it’s not hard to see that people are becoming much more ideologically motivated. Now, people say that because they’re probably think someone else got there’s always this cycle of blame. I wrote an article in Outreach Magazine in my editor’s column on The Great Sort, where in the past, you know, people sorted themselves denominationally in the 50s, you could go to Lutheran Church, you go to another town, you find a Lutheran church. They sorted themselves out, probably more theologically and methodologically in the 80s and beyond. I want to find something that’s if I’m an evangelical, something that holds similar beliefs and sort of worships like I’m used to worshiping, but I could become a methodist and go non-denominational or whatever. But today, increasingly, people are sorting themselves ideologically, so pastors who are listening all have had people in the last five years leave their church to go to churches that are going to be more ideologically aligned with the people who left. And, you know, same. I mean, literally, they have the same ideological beliefs, even worship the same. But I need someone who punches harder to the left, or I need somebody who speaks up on issues that are important about my views of justice or whatever it may be. So part of that we’ve seen, but you’ve talked some more about how at it’s extremes, and you talk a lot about the power of the ideological movement itself. So and so what characterizes them and what makes them so dangerous? Because I think, I mean, I have an ideology. So what makes ideological movements so dangerous?

Mike Cosper:
Yeah. You know, something that I’ve thought a lot about this and I think if I, uh, if I had another round of edits on the book, I probably would take the time to do this.

Ed Stetzer:
I know your editor. So, you know, we can talk to her.

Mike Cosper:
Yeah. Well, um.

Ed Stetzer:
And by the way, she wrote a book called celebrities for Jesus. I’m coming back now because I was going to. And what was fascinating was she interviewed me for the book about Billy Graham, and when the book came out, it was the greatest marketing thing I’ve ever received. So if you’re watching this, you can say, that’s the greatest marketing Caitlin I’ve ever seen. Caitlin Beatty. She sent me and I guess everybody, because I saw people on Twitter like an album, like a like a full size record from Billy Graham. Celebrity for Jesus. And so I’m guessing whoever she talked to did that. So anyway, super cool. Sorry, but back to your if you had more time to make edits. So sorry for that.

Mike Cosper:
So so what I would do is I would distinguish between like lowercase ideology and uppercase ideology. And when I’m when I talk about ideology in the book and the ideology that I think is so problematic, it would be this uppercase I thing. And Miroslav Volf actually has defined it. He said, um, I think he’s provided the best definition of it. He said, it’s a little idea that’s supposed to change the world. It’s like, you have this. You have this one sentence, uh, this one sentence vision that says if we just get this issue right, it’s going to transform everything. So in politics, you know, in the 20th century, in politics, what you saw was for for Stalin, it was like you got to get rid of the bourgeoisie and the capitalists. And then, you know, socialist utopia is on the other, you know, communist utopia is on the other side of all of this. Um, for Hitler, it was you got to get rid of the Jews. Um, they’re this parasitic race in, in Europe. If we can get rid of the Jews, um, then the the superiority, the superiority of the Aryan race is going to prove itself. And, you know, the Third Reich is going to reign forever and ever, blah, blah, blah. The church does weird, kind of funny versions of this, um, and, you know, and again, like, Mars Hill ends up being an interesting example of, of the case because Mark’s whole idea was he said this all the time.

Mike Cosper:
He would say 90% of the world’s problems are caused by young men, which is true. I mean, I think he’s actually right on that. I think Mark was right on all kinds of stuff, frankly. Um, but what what he then did was he then said this idea build a church around young men, um, reach the young men. You’re going to change the city. You’re going to change the world. Became this, like, controlling feature. And so what what an ideology does is, is it then creates this kind of circular logic where anytime a criticism comes in, hey, maybe you should be more sensitive to the needs of the women in your church. It enters into the sort of the jaws of this logic and gets chewed up and gets, you know, and then the response that comes back is, oh, so you’re, you know, you’re a feminist or you’re a liberal or you’re weak or you’re not man enough or all this. And like anybody inside that church would tell you, those kinds of responses were very, very, very common for, for for critics and worse. I mean, there’s worse, uglier versions of it that I won’t sort of repeat here. Um, that happens all the time, though. It happens with all kinds of ideas, I think. I actually think Bill Hybels is a really interesting example of an ideological vision capturing a church and and leading its growth. For for Hybels, it was, you know, Hybels had this origin story that he loved to tell, and he told it all the time.

Mike Cosper:
I, I had a path into the business world. I was going to be a successful businessman. But I put all that aside. I put all that aside to, uh, to plant a church. Um, and and so his church became about reach business leaders and entrepreneurs and you’ll change the world. And, um, what what what becomes very easy. Like part of what ideology does is it can be, you know, it’s like a it’s like a black hole, like it bends gravity in its in its direction. The logic of a certain kind of story starts to bend gravity. It starts to bend morality so that, you know, when, when concerns come up or when conflicts come up, or when the leader themselves starts to behave in ways that are disqualifying you. The gravity of the ideology. This is so important, right? People are going to hell. We don’t want to we don’t, we don’t. We don’t want to disrupt the momentum of the mission and the movement because people are going to hell. Um, and, and so that’s important enough that we will ignore whatever the yellow flags are or red flags are. And it happens over and over and over again in ministries. You can you and I could probably sit here for an hour and name names and get very depressed doing so. Yeah.

Ed Stetzer:
And it is depressing. I mean it is, but and I would say that I mean, the book is not a sequel to The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. It’s it’s. But it does deal a lot with issues of church abuse. But not just church abuse is bad. But what what is the ideological frameworks that create the cultural context where church abuse is? It can happen. And it appears that that was what was.

Mike Cosper:
That was what was so important to me was the question I got over and over again is, how does this happen? Right? How does the church find itself in a place like this?

Ed Stetzer:
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Mike Cosper:
The more I pressed into it, the more I mean, ironically, like, the more it sort of led me to look at political ideology and how people get captivated by all of that. And, um, and to recognize that the, the structures like the, the ideological structures, the, the imaginary structures of, of such a thing, they’re the parallels were, uh, were really, really striking. And, you know, the book focuses a lot on Hannah Arendt and her thought.

Ed Stetzer:
And let’s unpack that a little bit with the banality of evil. And, you know, because you were drawn to her. Tell us why. Why her concept? Her this concept applies to the crisis we’re facing in evangelical churches.

Mike Cosper:
Yeah. So Hannah Arendt, she was a 20th century German social theorist, German-Jewish social theorist. She, um, you know, she fled Nazi Germany, uh, because she was doing work as a as a dissident and got caught. She managed to sort of talk her way out of, uh, Gestapo captivity. Um, that’s a whole story in and of itself. She flees to France. Uh, she she works to to help escaping Jews, uh, from France for a number of years. And then eventually, when Francis is captured, she she flees to England. Um. And then she. In 1950, she publishes a book called The Origins of Totalitarianism, which it’s one of those books where it’s like there’s a lot of theories about kind of how how the Nazi thing happened, how Stalinism happened, and all the rest. And it doesn’t matter where you land on the spectrum of of political theory around that stuff, you end up having to deal with Arendt like she’s she’s one of the titans of all of this. Um, then, you know, part of what’s really interesting is that when the Israeli government kidnapped Adolf Eichmann from Argentina and brought him to Israel to stand trial. I think it was 1961 that they captured him and all of that. She ends up going and covering the trial for The New Yorker and a series of articles that she, um, that she wrote for the New Yorker’s sort of dispatches on the trial were eventually published in The New Yorker and then as a book called Eichmann in Jerusalem.

Mike Cosper:
And that book is the book where the phrase the banality of evil was coined. Um. And her what? What’s so interesting about the whole deal is that, you know, she had spent years trying to understand what was behind the Nazi phenomenon and, um, the evil of the phenomenon. And in 1950, she writes about it and she refers to it as radical evil. It’s a reference to it’s actually a reference to Kant’s work of a certain kind of political, all consuming evil that can that can emerge when morality goes unrestrained. But then she, she basically does a correction like a self correction in, in the 1960s, after she encounters Eichmann because she sees him on the, she sees him on the witness stand and she’s like, this guy’s not radical evil. This guy is banal. He’s like, so normal. He’s so boring. He’s never had an original thought. All he does is he spouts cliches and catchphrases and, um, his to the extent that he’s an anti-Semite, he’s an anti-Semite because those are the stories he’s been told and he’s consumed and owned and all the rest. Now she doesn’t let him off the hook. The last chapter of Eichmann in Jerusalem is actually her she she she essentially she critiques the Israeli, uh, judgment against him and, and the reasons for which they sent him to, to be hanged.

Mike Cosper:
But then she offers her own, uh, condemnation and her own justification for his hanging. Um, based on his thoughtlessness. And so, so I, I mean, I’ve been enamored with Arendt’s work since I was in my early, early 20s and, um, just been captivated by her way of kind of seeing the world and what I think, what I think the parallels are, is when we look at churches where things go really bad there. You don’t walk away from this. I mean, this was definitely my experience at Mars with the Mars Hill thing. You don’t walk away from this going, oh, all these people are just sort of villains and monsters. And, um, they, they wanted to hurt people and they wanted, you know, whatever. No, they were captivated by, uh, they were captivated by a certain kind of story, a certain kind of vision. And that story and vision justified actions that ended up being very harmful for a lot of people. And that’s what Arendt’s work is all about. And that’s why she abandoned. The idea of radical evil. And she said, no, the evil is banal. It’s empty. It’s hollow. There’s no bottom to it. Which which I think actually has a lot of resonance with Christian theology of evil, where we talk about evil as being more about the absence of God. Than, you know, than some power of its own.

Ed Stetzer:
I was I was struck by that phrase in that part of what you wrote. I was, I was preaching a few weeks ago, I guess a few months ago now in a church in our in Florida and in Orlando, Florida. And and it was not a like it was. The message was not a I didn’t mention immigrants just I’ll explain the context. Just a minute. I just talking about kind of gospel truth that we want to love people and we can different than us and you know, and how we might do that and how the Christian role in that. And this woman came up afterwards and just was distraught. And she said, pastor, I just, I don’t. All I heard today was that I shouldn’t hate immigrants. And I’ve been listening to she said, talk radio and all I’ve grown is just this hatred towards immigrants. And, and and she said first it was illegal immigrants. Now it’s immigrants in general. And she said, so what do I what do I do? Remember, I didn’t mention immigrants, legal or illegal in the, you know, praying for people who are different, trying to engage them. And and I said to her, you know, that maybe that’s what the Lord has for you. Is he prompting your faith is a conviction of the Holy Spirit. And I said so. And and she said, you know, because I do, I’m really concerned about our country’s, uh, open borders and etc.

Ed Stetzer:
but in your message, just felt I’ve gone too far. And I said, well, let me just say, I think Christians can and should, uh, debate and and have opinions about border security. And none of that’s wrong. But if you felt your heart has been overtaken by something, where is that coming from? And she pointed to radio she’s been listening to, and I And I said, well, I think ultimately that your ideology is trumping your Christianity. And so it’s kind of taking over what’s there. And I think at the end of the day, she got we had a beautiful time of prayer. But what was fascinating to me was, was she was really down this rabbit hole and this what seems to happen. So you talk about and you can respond to that too, but you talk about the church needing to practice anti-ideology, which is man, I think people on the left and the right would say, but there’s got to be some ideological ramifications of biblical truths. Might use it differently, but, you know, but so so talk to me about that. Well how is it anti ideology and how would you like help a pastor. Because that was my encounter right. I wanted I was I thank God for that encounter. I’d love to see more of that kind of encounter. But how do pastors and church leaders get there and what is anti-ideology fit in?

Mike Cosper:
Well, I really think it comes back to telling a story that is bigger than us, bigger than our moment, bigger than our country, bigger than our, uh, certainly bigger than the next election. Um, you know, uh, the the beauty of the liturgy, the beauty of the historic liturgy is that it tells this. It tells exactly that kind of a story. Uh, every single week where it’s framing you inside this, you know, I mean, what’s the what’s the line when when they when they serve the Eucharist in the mass. But but the Presbyterians use it and the Anglicans use it, and lots of people use it. Baptists should use it. They say, um, as the mass is being served, as the Eucharist is being served, they say Christ has died, Christ is risen. Christ will come again. So past, present, future is all present there. And to me, that kind of that declaration, which is part of a much larger liturgy that’s telling that larger story. But that declaration, it just it just casts a massive shadow over the next election or the the current conflict or the problems at the border or, you know, whatever the controversy du jour is. It reminds you that, like, man, there’s something much, much, much bigger going on in the midst of all of this. And, you know, I think one of the unfortunate realities that that’s related to this is that the church has such a short memory for, uh, for conflict, for, um, persecution, for suffering, for its problems that, you know, we think being we think being challenged in an election with ideas that we don’t like or laws we don’t like or whatever we think of that as a crisis.

Mike Cosper:
And like most Christians throughout history and frankly, like go talk to Christians in Sudan right now. Yeah. That they they would be like, you know, truly rolling their eyes at our first world problems that that we want to absolutize. But there’s lots of people, there’s lots of pundits and, um, media figures and everything else that that are profiting from maximizing those kinds of crises and conflicts. And so, so, yeah, so ideology plays a massive role, because what they have to do then is they have to tell a story that absolutize their political cause and or absolutize that specific conflict. And I think what, what good theology, what good preaching, what good liturgy does is it says, um, you know, in one way, to put it would be like to quote John Whitley, um, good liturgy reminds people of their deaths and prepares them for their deaths and the reality of our death. The reality of the fact that our life is a breath, that we are dust, that we’re here today and gone tomorrow.

Mike Cosper:
Um, it’s a really sobering thing around the way the church engages with not just politics, but also with church growth. Like it should really humble us around some of our aspirations of we’re going to reach the city and we’re going to transform this, and we’re going to do that. And like, I love evangelism, I love evangelists, I love, you know, conversion, I genuinely don’t I mean, this surprises people all the time. I genuinely don’t have a problem with megachurches. Um, would I have a problem with is when the megachurch confuses itself for the universal church and confuses its, uh, purposes and its its mission with the universal church. Because once you do that, then you can justify all kinds of terrible in the name of, well, for the sake of the church, we got to do this, that or the other. Um, we need to be sobered up and recognize that, like, the mission of God is not going to be, you know, accomplished because of our efforts tomorrow. It’s going to be accomplished because of the efforts of the the universal church across the globe over years, months, you know, months, years, millennia, you know, who knows how long.

Ed Stetzer:
Yeah. I mean, I actually like your call to, you know, the kind of liturgy, liturgy of the ordinary, to quote some friends of our friend of ours and more. Um, I guess one of the things we learned and maybe why part of why you’re writing the book, one of the things we learned, I don’t know, from maybe 20 the last 5 or 10 years is that that the, the ecclesiology and discipleship did not hold an ideological ideology actually won the day. People were far more discipled by their cable news choices than their local church. I think it’s interesting. I’ve actually said now, keeping in mind that like, we have no idea how this election and the post-election response to it could be, but I think pastors have done a better job in 2024 because they got a little more accustomed to how to navigate some of these things. But but I also think that it’s an easier job in some ways, because the ideological sorting has taken place in their churches. So churches all across country tell me we’ve got new people coming in and and other people going to other churches. So now we’re sort of sorting ourselves into these ideological camps in church, which. So okay, so it kind of leads back to this. So I like the idea of I actually say the keys to our future are elevating our, our ecclesiology and more faithfully engaging the mission. Okay. You could I mean, I could overlay that with much of what’s in your book. So you have these practices for healing and renewal. But simultaneously, I mean, I don’t know. And these are dark and challenging times around some of these things. So if you’re a pastor or church leader, which is our audience. And where would you start? Where would you start with? Because a lot of people right now are just keeping their head down, talking about things less. Some people are talking more because they’re trying to draw people on ideological issues, and some people are basically trying to balance all of those things. So where do I start? What do I do if I’m a pastor and church leader?

Mike Cosper:
Yeah. I mean, I think I think it actually, I think I think for the church leader, it’s the same it’s the same challenge as it is for the church. And, you know, the old, the old axiom that, like, you can’t you can’t lead anybody anyplace. You haven’t gone. Like I think that applies here. Um, so to me, that part like the first thing I would say to pastors who are trying to figure out, okay, how do we lead through a season like this is like, reckon with your death, right? Like, reckon with the fact that, uh, you, you know, you might die of a heart attack in your sleep in 50 years, or you might get hit by a bus tomorrow. Um, is your ministry built in such a way that it. It can continue? Because the practices of the church, the life of the church, they’re not dependent on your personality, your persona, your performance. They’re they’re dependent upon the story of the gospel and the practices, the spiritual formation practices of the church, which are worship, prayer, uh, the Lord’s Table baptism, you know, uh, the habits of discipleship and all of that. Like, if those aren’t if those aren’t in place, if you can look at your church and go, man, they’d be really hosed if I, uh, got hit by a bus tomorrow. Then that’s a that’s a five alarm fire to me. Um, but I you know, I’m.

Mike Cosper:
It almost sounds catchphrase y to say reckon with your death. You know, as a as a response to that question. But but I really think, like, I really think it’s the answer. You know, I mean, Jonathan Edwards, this was like a daily practice for Edwards was to consider his death. What would happen when he died, what would happen to his church and his family and everything else? And where would he stand? And was he ready to stand before the judgment seat? Um, I, I just don’t think it can be. I don’t think you can reduce sobriety, uh, deeper than that. Um, because. Because then it applies to your church as well, which is you’re inviting your church to reckon with their death and and, you know, so that’s about, you know, on the one hand, that is about like, are you ready to stand before the judgment seat of God? But it’s also about what have you left behind you? Like, what has your life been about? What has mattered. And, um. Uh, Arthur Brooks talks about this all the time. He talks about the difference between, like, um, uh, uh, resume values versus eulogy values. You know, the things that people are going to talk about you, the things that people are going to say about you in your eulogy are very different than the things that you’re going to put into your resume, but ultimately, the ones that are really going to matter are the ones are the things that people say about you in your eulogy.

Mike Cosper:
And and so often so much of what, like, consumes our energy and our time and our, uh, our angst and our rage and everything else. Like we get worked up about all this stuff. And I think if we were honest with ourselves, like, boy, I sure hope nobody talks about political ideology when I’m eulogized, because that doesn’t matter to me. Like what matters to me is like, how have I loved my kids and my friends and my neighbors and my wife, you know, um, I hope that’s what stands out in a in a moment like that. Um, the corruption of political ideology, the corruption of ideology of any sort, the corruption of of, you know, what I call in the book evangelical ideology, the the corruption that says, um, we need to bend heaven and earth to, to grow this church because people are going to hell. You know, when that turns into a thing where you’re overlooking abuses, looking the other way on, on, you know, sin and failure among leaders justifying that kind of behavior. None of that is stuff that you’re going to want to be remembered for. And, um, it’s where the sort of the sobering encounter with our death, uh, is so key for the long term.

Ed Stetzer:
Mike Cosper, uh, ending on a not exactly a high note, but but an important note that maybe speaks to the situation of our day. I die daily, Paul writes. I love that and I appreciate you. Thanks for coming on the program.

Mike Cosper:
Love you. Editor. Thank you so much for having me on.

Daniel Yang:
We’ve been talking to Mike Cosper. Be sure to check out his new book, The Church in Dark Times Understanding and Resisting the Evil That Seduced the Evangelical Movement. You can learn more about Mike at Mike Cosper Dot net. And thanks again for listening to the Setzer Church Leaders podcast. You can find more interviews, as well as other great content from ministry leaders at Church leaders.com/podcast. And again, if you found our conversation today helpful, we’d love for you to take a few moments, leave us a review, give us a like and a follow, and that will help other ministry leaders find us and benefit from our content. Thanks for listening. We’ll see you in the next episode.

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Key Questions for Mike Cosper

-How does your experience in media shape your perspective on the issues facing our churches today?

-What are the “dark times” you’re referring to in your title?

-What makes ideological movements so dangerous?

-How does Hannah Arendt’s concept of the “banality of evil” apply to the crisis we’re facing in evangelical churches?

Key Quotes From Mike Cosper

“You can’t understand the Billy Graham phenomenon without recognizing that it was a media phenomenon. He saw it as an opportunity and unapologetically embraced the opportunity of media.”

“For the church to function in our particular moment, they have to figure out, what are we going to do about media?”

“What is the church about? What is possible for the church? What can the church accomplish? And when the answers to those questions become really grandiose, it becomes really dangerous.”

“The importance of ‘The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill’ is that it’s a story that’s very familiar to lots of pastors in lots of different situations, not just Mark Driscoll, not just Acts 29, not just a certain kind of church, brand of church…what you see in Mars Hill is that there’s a way in which a certain ideology kind of takes hold of the leaders of a church and creates a permission structure in which all kinds of badly motivated activity can take place from there.”

“There’s a sense in which the dark times have nothing to do with politics whatsoever…I would even say, the politics are downstream of other sorts of cultural realities in which a world full of people who are detached from a sense of meaning and purpose, they’re looking for something.”

“The power of Mars Hill was it provided a story for lots of people…It provided a place for them to find a sense of story and purpose and belonging. And it was wrapped around a certain vision of Christianity, a certain vision of masculinity, which was really embodied by and represented by Mark Driscoll.”

To Feel Safe in the Pews, Trauma Must Be Acknowledged, Spiritual Directors Say

church trauma
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(RNS) — Trauma-informed care is a growing movement across the world, and in the past decade, spiritual directors have increasingly used its methods to deal with clients who suffer from religious trauma and spiritual abuse.

Seminaries are now including trauma-informed care as part of their clinical pastoral education programs, and religious leaders in more progressive denominations say more needs to be done to make congregations healthy and safe places.

“When I look at the church and some of the culture of what’s happening right now with so many people not even wanting to come to the church, it highlights that sense of not having trust in the church, or not feeling safe in the church, not feeling a sense of belonging,” said Lisa Taylor, a soul-care practitioner with the CHRIS 180 Institute for Spiritual Health, where she trains clergy and spiritual care practitioners. “One of my greatest desires is for the church to become a sacred sanctuary where people can feel safe to be who they are.” 

Trauma-informed care became a wider phenomenon in the 1970s with the awareness of what combat veterans  experienced in Vietnam and how it spread to their children, said Taylor. 

Trauma-informed care posits that trauma happens in the body and that changing the mind does not address the underlying roots of the trauma. 

“Denying that something has happened is actually not very helpful to us because it’s in our bodies,” said the Rev. Shannon Michael Pater, a Fort Worth, Texas, pastor in a United Church of Christ congregation who also has a private counseling practice. 

Janyne McConnaughey, the author of “Trauma in the Pews,” said the church often frames issues of trauma as spiritual problems that might be remedied by reading the Bible or praying more. 

“This person’s been trying to do that for years, and it hasn’t solved the problem,” said McConnaughey, who lives south of Seattle. “They just leave more defeated than helped, and they have more shame about their failure.” 

A trauma-informed or integrated approach involves creating a sense of safety. It places an emphasis on the body and, therefore, many of the practices are body-based.

“I now very much notice body language,” said Karen Bartlett, a spiritual director with a trauma-informed approach in Wichita, Kansas. “I notice tone of voice. I notice words that are being used, and when trauma starts to emerge, I look at what they’re feeling in their body, and I’ll say, ‘Okay, what are you feeling right now as you’re speaking about this?’ And then, if it gets too uncomfortable, we’ll stop.” 

Danielle Tumminio Hansen, professor of practical theology at Emory University, cautions her students to resist making assumptions.

“Curiosity is one of their biggest assets,” she said. “Their ability to come in and ask open-ended questions, to be very good active listeners, will help prevent them from making judgments about people.” 

10 Characteristics of a Healthy Church

Healthy Church
Lighstock #202200

When Terrie and I came to Lancaster in the summer of 1986, our goal was not to build a large church but a healthy church, and to to reach people for Christ. Over the past 32 years, the Lord has done more than we ever could have dreamed, and we praise Him for that.

But our goal has not changed. We still want to reach people for Christ and to invest ourselves in Christ’s church.

After all, the church doesn’t belong to us; it is the Lord’s. He is the owner (Acts 20:28), corner stone (Ephesians 2:20), and foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11).

I often remind our church family that the Lord is more concerned with the health of our church than its size.

A healthy church is not simply a church wrapped up in continual introspection and self-purification. It is a church wholly in love with Christ and fully committed to His Great Commission (Matthew 28:19–20). It isn’t a church where members are consumed with their own feelings and preferences, but a church where members are growing individually and as a church family.

What is a healthy church?

1. Obedience

Obedience to the Lord is more important than the exercise of religious ceremony. It doesn’t matter how we feel about our church or our worship if we are not obeying the Lord.

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?—Luke 6:46

But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: herby know we that we are in him.—1 John 2:5

2. Humility

A healthy church isn’t wrapped up in preoccupation over its merit or worthiness. It is filled with members who willingly serve the Lord and one another.

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.—Philippians 2:3–4

3. Love

Biblical love is not an emotion; it is an act of sacrifice. Love is meeting needs of others.

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.—1 John 3:16–18

4. A Servant’s Heart

From the earliest days of the local church, there have been opportunities to serve others. (See Acts 6.) Sometimes people new to a church look at all that is already taking place and think that they are not needed. The truth is that every church has needs and that when God adds someone to the church, He is fitting them into a body that He knows needs them. When each member cultivates their spiritual gifts and grows in service, they add to the health of the church body.

For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.—Romans 12:4–5

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