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The Gospel According to Essential Oils

By
Andrea Burke
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I have hesitated to write this for years. My social circles are full of people who use, sell, market, and make a living off of these tiny bottles of “plant juice,” as they’re affectionately called. But, as someone I used to know once said, I love you more than I’m afraid of you. And before you get all up in arms with me, before you roll your eyes and slam your laptop shut in irritation with someone who “just doesn’t get it” or who is overly-sensitive about something that God gave us, I’d ask that you just listen.​ And to listen to what the Gospel says.

And, full disclosure: I am not anti-oils. I have no doubt some of them work. I have a few staples on my shelf that we’ll use for cleaning and clean breathing, for good sleep and cozy baths. I cook with a few. I diffuse others. There’s no better smell to me than a home filled with the scent of cloves, cinnamon, and lemon in lieu of Lysol. ​

I am not against you, friend.

I’m against the golden calf that I’ve seen built in your midst.

I’m passionately for you and your health, and passionately opposed to anything that has the form of godliness and calls for all your gold to fashion it. I’m all for subduing creation and cultivating what God has given to us from the ground to use for our health and body. I also know that this is our tendency as children of God — to be led away from pure and simple devotion to Christ. ​

We have traded the Holy Spirit for bottles of plant juice. We have added to the gospel through smells and scents, and promised those we lead that joy is found in something you apply to your skin and not something that happens to your heart. We’ve said forgiveness is enabled by sandalwood and lavender, and have placed the power of the cross on a back burner, after we’ve diffused some angelica for a bit. ​

We’ve traded the things of heaven for the things of earth. And isn’t this the subtle lie that seeps beneath every contortion of the gospel? The belief that sure, Christ is enough. Yes, he’s sufficient. Of course the Holy Spirit works within us. But maybe we could do our part too to make the magic happen. ​

Some could argue — you take medication, right? How is this any different?

My concern is this: I don’t take Tylenol for my unbelieving heart. I don’t pop an ibuprofen for when I’ve run out of money. Zoloft and Xanax may help your head process thoughts in a more balanced way, but anyone who takes them will also tell you that they are not the ultimate source of joy. The concern is not that they help; the concern is that they’ve become our Helper.  And there’s already one person who has that role and He doesn’t get diffused. You are right in one thing — we were meant to be utterly and completely dependent on something. The error is when we begin to think it comes in a vial.​

I’m worried that the influencers and those who garner a paycheck at the end of the day are first going to hand you a bottle of “Hope” before they point you to the hope of Christ. That when the struggle of life hits your bank account or fridge, you’ll be tempted to diffuse “Abundance” before asking the Spirit for his fruit. And I highly doubt when we read through Hebrews 11, we’re reading about how the heroes of our faith applied an essential-oil blend before they faced the circumstances at hand. (And yes, “Faith” is an option for purchase through one company.)

8 Characteristics of ‘The Best Leaders I’ve Known’, According to Incarcerated Men

By
Chuck Lawless
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This week I spent some time teaching a group of incarcerated men about the topic of leadership. These men are, to say the least, honest in their opinions. I asked them to describe the best leaders they’ve ever known, and their words echoed with these characteristics:

  1. The best leaders have integrity. The men I taught whose own decisions have cost them their freedom know how easy it is to be fake—but they also know the value of a true, honest, and faithful heart.
  2. They’re transparent. That is, they don’t live in hiddenness. They’re real. They’re willing to talk about their own struggles, helping others to see that they, too, desperately need God’s help.
  3. They help others develop their own gifts. They see their role not as the one who simply displays his giftedness and abilities, but who guides others to become all that God wants them to be. The best leaders raise up the next generation and equip them.
  4. The best leaders are self-sacrificing. They’re not interested in building their own kingdom, because they know the work is not about them in the first place. In what may seem almost contradictory, these leaders point away from themselves.
  5. They’re passionate about what they do. Their energy is apparent. Their zeal is obvious. You just know that they believe in their work—so much so, in fact, that you want to be on their team.
  6. They don’t give up. Leadership is sometimes frustrating and difficult, but the best leaders don’t quit. Even if they’re the only ones still pressing forward, they’re willing to walk on. No mountain gets in the way of their faith.
  7. They’re humble. My students in this class know what ego is—and how destructive it can be. When they see humility, it catches their attention. They see when a leader deflects attention and praise.
  8. They delegate. They know that their organizations will accomplish more when more members are involved in the work. In addition, these best leaders then don’t burn out under the burden of leadership.

Any surprises here for you? In what areas do you still need to grow?

This article originally appeared here.

Hounded by Hesed

By
Andrew Kerr
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It is always good to be reminded of God’s grace. There are few better places in the Bible to go to study this and the love of God, than the cherished twenty-third psalm.

The goodness and mercy spoken of in Psalm 23 verse 6 has been explained by some as two sheepdogs rounding up and following the flock. The original text of this poem, however, uses a very picturesque verb – it signifies pursuit, and can even mean persecute.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever – Psalm 23:6

Perhaps it for this reason that the earliest Greek translation of the Bible, known as the Septuagint, translates the Hebrew verb by a term that is used in the New Testament to describe the actions of the Saul of Tarsus – he hounded out the Christians, dragged them from their homes, threw them into gaol and would not let them escape.

It is for these reasons, I suggest, that a better way to picture the goodness and mercy in this psalm is to see them not as sheepdogs but as hound-dogs in pursuit. Like the same way bloodhounds chase foxes, goodness and mercy track the scent of God’s sheep, and follow hard the LORD’s flock, until they find them out, to overtake them with love.

Perhaps rather than bloodhounds, a friendly Labrador is closer to the mark – when these dogs overtake us, they practically lick us to death with divine love, so that there is no place, time or circumstance in the life of true believers, when saints are out-of-sight, or beyond the reach, of the goodness and mercy of God.

Goodness and mercy are probably to be taken together as a single idea – God’s good mercy or the LORD’s merciful goodness. The phrase sums up all the Covenant blessing of God, promised in the Old Testament, and purchased by Christ’s blood.

So whether we walk in sickness, sorrow or suffering, or emerge from dark valleys into bright, open, sunny meadows, we never can escape God’s hot pursuit of love.

I guess we can see this as the Old Testament’s own version of what the New Testament states in slightly different terms in Romans chapter 8:35-39.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord – Romans 8:35-39 ESV

We may be in despair, debilitated, distressed, distracted or even facing death. Indeed we may be exhausted or isolated nursing beloved relatives. We may even be perched in vigil at the bedside of a terminally ill parent: but whatever the case, child of God, dearly loved, be very sure of this: no-one, nothing and nowhere can create any conceivable circumstance that will drive a wedge between us and the hotly-pursuing love of God in Christ.

This article originally appeared here.

New Technology Doesn’t Always Mean “Best Technology”

By
Nick Nicholaou
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Years ago my firm researched the current tech directions and strategies in play at the time and decided to buy what looked like a very promising technology platform. It meant our computer would cost a bit more than most, but the benefits looked promising. The new technology built into that very expensive computer, though, was never adopted by software companies.

Lesson Learned
The lesson we learned is helpful to churches: New and better technology, unless already being widely adopted, may never pay off. We didn’t feel terrible about having bought that system since it performed so well, but we spent a lot more than we needed to and ended up with only a marginal performance improvement that probably wasn’t worth the extra money spent.

In technology, there’s a term known as “bleeding edge,” which describes the newest and latest innovations that some individuals and organizations love to adopt. Based on my firm’s lesson, though, I’ve become convinced churches don’t want to be on the “bleeding edge,” but rather, the “leading edge.”

Tips for Considering New Technologies
When considering new technology, keep in mind these three tips for being on the “leading edge”:

  1. Don’t get caught up in others’ enthusiasm. When talking with the people trying to advance new tech products, it’s easy to get caught up in their enthusiasm. With the bleeding edge, there’s a tendency to want the latest and greatest, but don’t let others’ enthusiasm distract from sound decision-making.
  2. Resist pride. There’s nothing like the feeling when someone sees that new technology-based solution in our possession and says, “Wow! That’s very cool!” That can be dangerous.
  3. Give it some time and research. Use the wisdom and experience of someone like me who has seen new technologies come and go over time.

A new technology solution often comes with more than just the higher cost of being new. Those who adopt it are, knowingly or not, agreeing to be the “lab” that will be used to improve and perfect it. That usually (but not always) means lower reliability and higher support costs. Those translate into lower productivity.

Find new technology that is well supported and reasonably priced. These are technologies from the leading edge–already widely adopted and supported–that propel users forward to accomplish their goals. It is the strategy most likely to earn the response, “Well done, good and faithful steward.” That’s a standard that far exceeds anything we can experience with bleeding-edge technologies.

 

This article originally appeared here, and is used by the author’s kind permission.

When a Superior Person Struggles With Envy

By
James Faris
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Of struggles with envy, Jonathan Edwards wrote: “Envy may be defined to be a spirit of dissatisfaction with, and opposition to, the prosperity and happiness of others as compared with our own.”

We usually think of envy as it is expressed by a person who is a comparative inferior. But, a person struggles with envy when it fills the hearts of those who have superior prosperity and happiness too. Either way, when a person struggles with envy, he is fixated on the gap between himself and the person with whom he compares himself. Such fixation will kill a person.

Proverbs 14:30 reminds us that “A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones.”  It is the nature of envy to be willing to suffer, so long as others suffer even more. Yes, even a person of superior prosperity and happiness is willing to suffer when he struggles with envy.

An older friend of mine once told the story of his college classmate at a small liberal arts college many years ago. His classmate was the smartest person in their class, and everyone knew it. My friend noticed the young man went to all of the extra study sessions that afforded Q&A time with the professors, but he never asked any questions.

So, my friend asked him, “Why do you come to the study session if you never ask any questions?”

The man responded something like this, “I listen to the other questions and answers to make sure I’m not missing anything. But, I know I’m smarter than anyone else in the class. If I ask questions publicly about the things I’m thinking about, it would give an advantage to the rest of the class by provoking questions in your minds which you otherwise wouldn’t begin to consider. Then, you would close the gap. I protect the curve by not asking questions. I figure I’m better off investigating those topics privately or even remaining ignorant than by asking questions publicly that would risk closing the gap.”

He was probably right in the short term. But, in the long run, his envy would only cause everyone to suffer more; the whole of society would be impoverished.

Such an attitude is directly the opposite of Jesus Christ. The gap between Jesus and the rest of mankind was immeasurable, and yet he humbled himself to serve and close that gap (Phil. 2:1-11). Indeed, he came to draw people to himself and unite us to God. Furthermore, he came to raise us up with him and seat us with him in the heavenly places.

In Christ, we see the antidote for every superior who struggles with envy. Be consumed with a desire for the glory of God. Love the person under you, not the gap between you. Give to them of yourself. Raise them up. Pray for them. Delight in their success.

Short-term sacrifices will mean long-term joy for everyone. Jesus, for the joy that was set before him, was willing to endure the cross and despise the shame. Today, he is seated at the right hand of the throne of God and he takes pleasure in his people whom he has raised up to be with him.

This article about struggles with envy originally appeared here.

You Need to Be Inconvenienced for the Church

By
Tyler Greene
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What does it mean to be inconvenienced for the church?

Jesus said, “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” (1 John 3:16)

I once read about a revival which took place among some of Scotland’s rural churches in the 1800s. Many of the believers who belonged to these churches lived in the middle of nowhere and would travel long distances for gathered worship. Bear in mind, this was before the emergence of automotive technology! What’s more, the revival came during winter months, which made the commute treacherous due to weather conditions—especially since the mountainous terrain was not ideal for travel.

Needless to say, meaningful participation in the life of the local church wasn’t easy for these believers. Nevertheless, they were faithful and God visited them in a powerful way as one minister from that time noted:

“It was often a stirring sight to witness the multitudes assembling during the dark winter evenings—to trace their progress as they came in all directions across moors and mountains by the blazing torches which they carried to light their way to the places of meeting. The Word of the Lord was precious in those days; and personal inconvenience was little thought of when the hungering soul sought to be satisfied.”

As we look to the example of these believers, let’s make one crucial observation: those who are hungry for Christ consider it their joy to be inconvenienced for the sake of His church.

Unfortunately, this is in stark contrast to the way many people treat the church today. Countless multitudes attend church regularly, but view it as a commodity—a conveniently located provider of spiritual goods and services for which they make no real sacrifice.

Of course, such a perspective can be manifested in different forms. In some cases, it assumes the form of total avoidance of any sort of participation beyond semi-regular attendance on Sundays. However, in many other cases, it is far less obvious than that.

Most of us don’t mind some level of participation. We have no qualms about signing up to serve for an hour on Sundays, or joining a small group. In such cases, the problem isn’t one of whether we’re participating in the mission of the church; it is one of how we’re participating. As advantageous, over-scheduled Americans, our participation is often subject to our convenience. Far too seldom is it something for which we readily adjust our schedules or re-envision how we live.

Instead, we settle for being involved enough to feel like we’ve done our due diligence before God, but without any disruption of our everyday lives. Or, to put it more plainly, we’ve resorted to negotiating our participation in the church’s mission when we should be completely surrendering it. God isn’t after the win-win; He’s after our full devotion.

Let’s boil this down so we can see what’s really at stake. Our aversion to being inconvenienced for the church reveals our lack of hunger for Jesus. For those who hunger for Him above all else will joyfully love what He loves and value what He values no matter the cost. Or as the Apostle John put it, those whose hearts have been apprehended by the love of Jesus lay down their lives for the brethren (see 1 John 3:16, quoted above).

Therefore, when it comes to life in the local church, we have two choices before us—we can have convenience or we can have more of Jesus. We must decide. We can’t have both. So for you, which will it be?

As you consider that question, read this insight from Ray Ortlund:

If your relationship with your church is ambiguous and sporadic and subject to convenience, the problem is not your relationship with your church. The problem is your relationship with Christ. He has made his loyalty clear. He even delights in his church. He is committed to the revival of the world through the revival of the church. To God, the most important thing in all of created reality is his church, a crown of beauty in his hand. Your own greatest happiness is the revival of your church.

Want to experience true happiness in Christ? If so, your local church must feel like an inconvenience; its mission must cost you something. God is calling us to make adjustments in the areas of our lives that are hindering us from costly participation in the mission of the church—not because He wants to take anything away from us, but because He wants to give us more joy in Christ.

For the sake of greater satisfaction in Jesus, let’s stop orienting His church to our lives, and begin orienting our lives to His church. When that happens, we’ll no longer be treating the church like a commodity that is subject to our convenience. Instead we’ll be delighting in it as the precious bride for which Christ laid down his life.

This article about being inconvenienced for the church originally appeared on For the Church. 

Deacon With Down Syndrome Follows God’s Call

By
Scott Patton
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As pastors, we love to lean on the adage of “He doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called.”

I’m reminded of 1 Pet. 5:10 “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”

God’s calling is unique, but the one constant is we never know who and how he will call his servants. I had been praying that the Holy Spirit would call one or possibly two men to serve as deacons in our church. I had made the petition public and had spoken to several men about possibly becoming deacons.

 

deacon
Barry Asenap, bottom right, participates in a deacon ordination service. Pastor Scott Patton, top left, is one of the church leaders who prays over the men being ordained.

 

One day during a church fellowship meal, a church member approached me with a private issue he wanted to discuss outside.  This is not uncommon for pastors, but the person wanting to speak with me in private is unique.  Barry Asenap is not your typical 51-year-old.  He has been living with Down Syndrome. Although he is 51, you would mistake his appearance to be much younger.

Despite his outward disability, Barry is an absolute mainstay in our congregation. Barry and his mother Margala have embraced the stalwarts of servanthood. When you see Barry, you see Jesus, and when you hug him you feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. To say Barry is beloved in our congregation is an understatement.

When we stepped outside for our private conversation, I could see in Barry’s eyes that he had an extremely heavy heart, and he was anxious.

He grabbed my hand and said, “You have been asking people to be deacons. I prayed. I will be your deacon.”

At first, I didn’t completely understand him.  And I asked for clarification.

Barry said, “Like Jay Dee (one of our current deacons), Jesus told me to be a deacon.”

I was moved and touched, to say the least. Many thoughts went through my mind like “Maybe we make him an honorary deacon” or “What would people think?” or “Is this making a mockery of deaconship, or are we making a mockery of Barry?”

Then the Holy Spirit slapped me on the head and said, “Seriously, who are you to question My call? Barry meets the requirements of 1 Timothy better than you!”

The same Holy Spirit that called Barry to be a deacon is the same Holy Spirit that called me to preach; and the same Holy Spirit that called Moses to walk into Pharaoh’s court and say “Let my people go.” He is the same Holy Spirit that said, “Go build an Ark, Noah.”

 

deacon
Barry with his mother Margala and Pastor Patton who is holding a Native American ceremonial blanket that was a gift to Barry.

 

The church’s response was overwhelming. We had an ordination council. Barry brought his testimony before the church. After a moving service, he was affirmed unanimously.

Barry’s call to servanthood through the deaconship is just getting started.  He also serves as our church sergeant of the arms, assists with the small group attendance sheets, and he helped launch our “Whose Your One” campaign with a social media commercial.

 

deacon
Every year, Indiahoma, First celebrates Barry with a “Birthday Bash.” The celebration this year raised more than $1,500 for scholarships for students to attend summer camp at Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center.

 

In September, he helped the church raise more than $1,500 for Falls Creek Scholarships, during the annual Barry’s Birthday Bash.

God created and shaped Barry for His purpose and strategically placed him at Indiahoma, First, and we are so blessed to have him.

This article originally appeared on The Baptist Messenger. Used with permission.

Mother Emanuel Under Investigation for Handling of Donations

By
Stephanie Martin
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South Carolina authorities confirmed this week they’re looking into the finances of Charleston’s Emanuel AME Church, also known as Mother Emanuel, site of a 2015 mass shooting. After a white supremacist killed nine black Bible study participants, Mother Emanuel received an outpouring of monetary gifts. But suspicions have lingered about how those donations were handled and distributed.

Now the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has opened an investigation into the church’s books, including gifts received following the massacre.

Donations Flooded Mother Emanuel After Tragedy

The tragedy, which included the murder of Emanuel’s pastor and most of its ministry staff, moved people worldwide to open their wallets. Donors sent cash and checks, sometimes in envelopes marked with the names of specific victims’ families. Others tacked cash to makeshift memorials outside the church. Financial donations totaled about $3.3 million.

Less than two months after the shooting, Emanuel didn’t renew the contract of church secretary Althea Latham. She claims that’s because she raised concerns about how monetary gifts were being processed. Latham reported seeing church members opening envelopes addressed to families of victims and survivors. Those families, in turn, say the church passed along mail that was addressed to them but had been opened. Some envelopes were labeled “empty.”

Arthur Hurd, whose wife was killed, sued Emanuel for an accounting of donations. He also claimed he’d seen church members open envelopes and remove money without recording it.

Liz Alston, the congregation’s historian and a former trustee, welcomes the SLED investigation. “I do hope some accountability will come out of this,” she says. “Financial accountability is a big problem at Emanuel.” Visitors drawn by the tragedy continue filling the church’s pews and offering plates, she adds.

Emanuel’s current pastor, the Rev. Eric Manning, said the state hadn’t yet informed him about its investigation. The Rev. Norvel Goff, Emanuel’s interim pastor for seven months after the massacre, hasn’t yet commented. Previously, congregational leaders have denied any wrongdoing, and Goff even called a local newspaper “satanic” when it reported on concerns.

Payout Causes More Hurt Feelings

This investigation is the latest in a lengthy controversy about Emanuel’s finances. Victims’ families and survivors also were upset by how the church distributed donations. Of the $3.3 million received, the church gave $1.5 million to families and kept $1.8 million for its building fund, an endowment, a memorial, and scholarships.

Goff, now a presiding elder in Emanuel’s district, said at the time, “The church in its benevolence has made what we feel is a tremendous gift out of honor to the victims’ families and to the survivors, too.”

Andy Savage, a lawyer for some of the families, said they were grateful but “perplexed regarding the formula” used for making payouts. This week he confirmed that he and his clients are cooperating with the SLED investigation.

Donations made in the wake of mass shootings regularly cause concerns about fairness and transparency. As The Atlantic wrote two months before the tragedy at Emanuel, “Accepting the money turns out to be the easy part. Deciding how to give it away equitably is where the trouble starts.”

5 Ways to Fight Sin

By
J.D. Greear
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Trying to tame sin rather than killing it is as silly as people making pets out of predatory animals. Check out these 5 ways to fight sin.

I once read an article with the headline, “Pennsylvania Woman Killed by Pet Bear.” This woman had raised a black bear named Teddy from cubhood, and for nine years, there were no incidents. But then, one day, as she was cleaning his cage, the bear mauled her.

Some of the neighbors acted surprised. One said, “She was a good person; we just thought she had a strange hobby.” I don’t doubt the woman was a good person. But it doesn’t matter whether you’ve named your pet bear Teddy or not—my kids are not coming over to hang out. Because bear taming is not just an unusual hobby like stamp collecting. And sooner or later, bears do what bears do.

Just like sin will do what sin does.

As a Christian, you have to acknowledge the predatory nature of sin, which means you also have to be continually fighting back.

But, as the Apostle Paul says, it’s only by the Spirit you can hope to do this: “If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:13 CSB).

Many people feel defeated by sin because they’ve been trying to fight the impulses of sin through the powers of the flesh. You have to fight in the power of the Spirit.

How exactly do you fight sin in the Spirit rather than in the flesh? Here are five steps to fight sin in the Spirit:

1. Humble Confession

The opposite of confession is hiding your faults or keeping them to yourself so that you can maintain an illusion.

But that is a mistake because God can only heal your sin when you bring it into the light. Sin is like a kind of moral mildew on the soul that you can only get rid of by exposing it to the light of God’s presence. The Bible says, “Confess your sins to one another … so that you may be healed” (James 5:16).

2. Total Surrender

This is in contrast to a negotiated settlement with God.  Most people only want to ask, “What do I have to do to be considered a ‘good Christian’?” But that won’t work because God is not a force to employ; he’s a person to surrender to. When you say “no” to him, even about a small thing, you cut yourself off from fellowship with him—and his power.

3. Reassurance in the Gospel

The Spirit breaks sin’s hold on you by reminding you of your full acceptance with the Father.

This is counter-intuitive, but it is always how Jesus changed people. He told the woman caught in adultery, “’Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more’” (John 8:11 ESV). He put acceptance before change because only through knowing she was accepted would she have the power to change.

Gallup Research: What Keeps People Coming Back to Church Week After Week Isn’t the Cool Music

By
Joshua Pease
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keep people coming back to church
Adobe Stock #806273628

What causes people to stay or leave their church? What can keep people coming back to church? It’s a question that’s spawned hundreds of articles, books and arguments, but it’s also a question that—for many—is personal. I grew up in a Christian high school and college and have at least a dozen friends who no longer consider themselves Christian.

According to new Gallup research, the answer is simple: They stopped seeing the church as a relevant source of spiritual truth. When adults who attended church growing up were asked why they stopped, the top three answers were because they “prefer to worship on their own,” “don’t like organized religion” and “aren’t very religious.”

Gallup

On one hand, these results can’t simply be described as a failure of the church. We all know people who were raised in Christian families, taught the Bible, encouraged to live it out in a real way and yet still walked away. The mystery of how God draws people to himself and how they respond involves more than just a “well the church needs to do ______.”

What Can Keep People Coming Back to Church?

However, Gallup also asked regular church attenders what the most important aspect of a church is. What it found is that while many leave the church seeking spiritual relevance, it’s also the primary reason why people are staying, and they’re looking for it in the sermons. Respondents said their biggest felt need is to hear sermons that teach them about Scripture (83 percent) and help them connect religion to their own life (80 percent). If people left the church because they stopped sensing its relevance to their daily life, those who are attending are desperately in search of it.

Gallup

Want to keep people coming back to church? The encouraging part of this for pastors is this: Despite how it might feel some Sundays, people are listening. Our sermons matter to people and every week they are showing up hoping to hear the good news of the Bible explained in a way they can bring into their work, families and internal worlds.

This also means that the “expositional vs. topical” preaching debate is missing the point. In some way, on some level, people need both. Whether it’s couched topically or expositionally, in every sermon attendees are hoping to understand the Bible in a way they can immediately put into action the following day.

Because at the end of the day in an increasingly “spiritual but not religious” world, what people need to hear is that God’s kingdom is coming right here, right now, and transforming everything. People need to know, through the sermons and the community of our church, that the spirituality they’re searching for finds its fulfillment in Jesus. And that’s what can keep people coming back to church.

Your Handy Video Production Guide – For Beginners!

By
Duke Taber
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If you are new to the world of video production, then it is completely normal to be overwhelmed, as there is a lot to learn and to take into consideration before you can start making professional videos that are impressive and get your point across. Because you’re overwhelmed, it’s a good idea to take time before you pick up a camera to ensure that you are prepared for the best video production experience. This will ensure that you know what to expect and that your filming goes smoothly. Using a video production guide for beginners to help walk you through the three main steps of video production is important.

By using a guide, you can make sure that you understand how to plan ahead, what equipment to use, and how to keep the process as simple as possible by filming shorter segments.

Plan Ahead

One huge mistake that beginners make when they are going to start with video production is that they jump right into filming without taking any time to plan ahead. While working on a video project is a lot of fun, it does take a lot of planning to ensure that it runs smoothly and to make sure that you get the professional-looking results that you want.

Most people know that you need to think about the budget that you have to work with, and while this is an important part of planning ahead, this step goes much deeper. You also have to outline the goal of your video so that you can make sure that every shot you take brings you one step closer to meeting your goal. If you are filming and the shots aren’t in line with your goal, then you are simply wasting time and money.

You also have to consider who your audience is so that you can make sure that your finished video will appeal to them. Who you want to reach will play a huge role in your script, how you shoot and edit it, and whether you include any effects in the video.

This is also a good time to consider where you want to film and to have a backup in mind in case the first location doesn’t work out for some reason. The purpose of your film and your audience will play a huge role in what location you chose. Real backgrounds that are natural will make your video look more comfortable and approachable. Consider backgrounds in and around the church or other business, but skip any blank walls and busy offices. These won’t add to the value of your video and can actually detract from it.

Use the Right Equipment

Once you have your video planned out and know that you completely understand not only the purpose of the video but also where you are going to film and who you want to reach, then you can start looking at the equipment that you’re going to use. Video production equipment can vary widely, from a smartphone to professional camcorders and editing software.

You not only need to make sure that you have something that can be used to record your video but also equipment that will manage your set light and help you capture audio. Many beginners by default will resort to using their cell phone for recording video, which is fine, but it won’t meet the lighting and audio requirements that you will have.

While natural lighting is clearly the best option for any video, sometimes this lighting isn’t available. Shooting indoors won’t result in a video that looks as natural and well-lit, but you can add a variety of lighting sources to improve the appearance of your video.

Make sure to add a variety of sources so that overhead lighting isn’t the primary or only source of light. This type of light does a great job of lighting up a room, but it can be very harsh. Adding lamps and other ambient light sources is a good idea.

It’s also important to use an external microphone to ensure the best audio capture. No cell phone or camcorder will do as good of a job of picking up sounds and voices as an external microphone will. Using one will automatically improve the quality of the video.

Keep It Simple by Filming Small Segments

It’s much better to film in small segments than it is in larger segments. Not only will this make it easier and faster to reshoot something if the scene didn’t work correctly, but it also makes the post-production process more flexible.

Being able to quickly reshoot a small take and then to easily cut or edit the work later ensures that the video looks cohesive and not choppy. Many beginners want to film long segments because they think that it will make them look more professional, but the opposite is actually true.

By embracing small segments, you will have a lot of control over what gets used in the final video, and you will find that it is much easier to piece together the shots and information that you want to share.

Conclusion

Even though video production can be daunting at first, these three steps of this video production guide will help to make the process a lot easier for any beginner. While it can be very tempting to jump right into filming, having the forethought to plan ahead and to make sure that you understand the purpose of the video and how you are going to accomplish your task is important.

With the right equipment, lighting, and location, any video will automatically look higher quality. With his video production guide even beginners can create amazing videos that really stand out when they spend a little extra time focusing on how they are going to improve a shot.

Finally, working in small segments is every beginner’s secret weapon and will prevent them from wasting a lot of time and energy on trying to perfect longer shots. By using the tips in this guide, even a true beginner will be able to create professional videos and help their church or business stand out, represent who they are and what they believe in, and reach more people.

 

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

TobyMac Starts Foundation in Son’s Honor: ‘Dreams Are So Important’

By
Jessica Lea
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Christian rapper TobyMac has started a foundation in honor of his son, Truett McKeehan, who died suddenly last week at the age of 21. The foundation will benefit children who do not have the money to pursue their love of music.

“Too many children do not have the financial ability to pursue their dreams,” says the foundation’s website. “We want to use this fund to help kids do just that: to get an education—to pursue music—to get the chance to chase their dreams. Truett would love that.”

Inspired by Truett McKeehan

The McKeehan family has launched the Truett Foster Foundation in partnership with the Global Orphan Foundation, a nonprofit that works to “care for children [that] the world’s left behind and prevent child abandonment.” TobyMac made the announcement Tuesday in a Facebook post, saying the foundation is inspired by Truett’s dedication to pursuing his own dreams: “Truett Foster McKeehan had an untamable grand personality and dreams to match. Since the age of 12, he knew he wanted to make music.” 

According to USA Today, funds donated to the foundation will go toward college scholarships with the hope that the kids who receive them will use their musical talents to serve God and others.

Truett McKeehan’s Sudden Passing

Truett McKeehan passed away early last week at home in the Nashville area. Officials are still investigating the cause of his death, although The Heavy reports he suffered cardiac arrest and authorities do not suspect foul play. 

Truett was an aspiring rapper who was pursuing a career in L.A. His stage names included Truett Foster, Shiloh and Tru. Shortly after the tragic news broke, TobyMac issued a statement saying that his son was a “true artist” who hated being put in a box. “His first show was a week ago, and it was nothing short of electric,” wrote the singer, who was present at the show. TobyMac described it as “the culminating moment of a dream that [Truett] had since he was 12.”

Even though TobyMac acknowledged that “Our music, and what we say lyrically couldn’t be more different,” he added “the outcome was much the same… offering a room full of people a few minutes of joy in a crazy world.” Truett was not a “cookie cutter Christian,” said his father, but he did have a “soft spot for God.” 

“Give me a believer who fights to keep believing,” he wrote. “Give me a broken man who recognizes his need for a Savior every time. That’s who Truett was and how he should be remembered.”

TobyMac emphasized that he and his wife, Amanda, want everyone to know that while they are grieving, they are also trusting in God’s faithfulness: “We don’t follow God because we have some sort of under the table deal with Him, like we’ll follow you if you bless us. We follow God because we love Him. It’s our honor.”

The Christian rapper included the last two lines of his statement in his announcement about Truett’s foundation: “He is the God of the hills and the valleys. And He is beautiful above all things.” 

Church Fears Racism Cost Strong Candidate the Pastorate

By
Megan Briggs
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Update: The leadership of First Baptist Church Naples gave an update to the congregation on Saturday, November 3, 2019 about Marcus Hayes and the voting process that they believe was compromised. You can read about that here.

Any church that has gone through hiring a new senior pastor with the help of a pastoral search committee knows it can be stressful. Disagreements between laypeople, elders, and staff members can abound. Usually, these disagreements blow over after a little while, even if they caused a lot of discomfort during the selection process. But First Baptist Church Naples in Florida (FBCN) might have a more difficult time overcoming their latest search for a new pastor. The church was on the final step of approving an African American pastor named Marcus Hayes when a racist campaign against Hayes entered the equation and, the leaders of FBCN believe, swayed the congregation’s vote to appoint Hayes. 

“We are grieved for Marcus and Mandy that they had to endure such vileness,” the leaders of FBCN wrote in an email to congregants. “We are deeply grieved that the wonderful name of our Lord and the reputation of First Baptist Church Naples was affected by this campaign against Marcus Hayes.”

Marcus Hayes’ Impressive Resume

Hayes, who most recently served on staff at Biltmore Church in Asheville, North Carolina, has also worked under Jack Graham at his Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas. Graham, who mentored Hayes, told Religion News Service he is “very angry” about the way the vote went and the circumstances leading up to it. 

In addition to these positive points on his resume, Hayes also serves on the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention as well as the North American Mission Board African American Leadership Team. He attended Moody Bible Institute and obtained an M.A. in Theological Studies from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. 

What Happened at First Baptist Church Naples?

It is a common practice among Southern Baptist Churches (the denomination to which FBCN belongs) to form a senior pastor search committee when they need to replace their pastor. In this case, Hayes was being considered to replace Pastor Hayes Wicker, who led the church for 27 years. 

Another common practice for a church, after the committee is almost positive they have found a candidate that will be a good fit for the position, is to invite that candidate to come to the church to preach and then have the congregation vote either in favor or against hiring the candidate (also known as “in-view-of-a-call”). In FBCN’s case, the leadership had spent six months searching for and vetting Hayes, and, judging by the tone of their email to congregants, were all but certain the congregation would approve. 

According to FBCN’s constitution and bylaws, the candidate must be approved by an 85 percent majority vote. The email noted a record 3,818 people were in attendance over the weekend of October 26-27 when Hayes preached. Despite the fact that “the energy and excitement was like nothing we have ever seen before,” the vote did not go in Hayes’ favor. While he garnered 81 percent of the vote, it did not meet the 85 percent necessary. The email makes no secret of the fact that the church leadership is “disappointed that the minority vote has thwarted the will and desire of the majority.” 

The email doesn’t stop there, though. It goes on to say that “unscrupulous, divisive, and false accusations” were used by some in the minority to try and sway the vote. “Last week, through social media, texting, phone calls, and emails, racial prejudice was introduced into our voting process.” The email names “Voices of FBCN” and “Group of Concerned FBCN Members” as having a hand in the racist campaign on social media. The email describes the campaign as “sinful” and calls on those involved to confess and repent. The Baptist Blogger obtained a copy of the email in full, which you can see here. 

What Other Leaders Are Saying

The situation in Naples, Florida has not gone unnoticed by other evangelical leaders. Pastor Derwin Gray of Transformation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, called it “demonic”.

Malcolm Yarnell, a research professor at Southwestern Seminary in Forth Worth, wrote the following:

Jared Wellman, pastor of Tate Springs Baptist Church in Texas, wrote, “Any church would be blessed to have @marcusdh3 [Marcus Hayes] as their Pastor. Shameful act by those in this congregation who say they want to ‘know Christ and make Him known in SW Florida and beyond,’ yet, ironically, would not call Jesus as their own Pastor because of the shade of his skin.”

Wade Burleson, pastor of Emmanuel Enid in Oklahoma, referred to Hayes as an “outstanding preacher.” Burleson sees the church’s decision as fitting into a larger narrative that has plagued the Southern Baptist Convention since its inception. “The Southern Baptist Convention began with racism, and the Southern Baptist Convention, unless there is radical, deep, personal and corporate repentance, will continue in latent racism,” he wrote.

Toward that end, Burleson offers an unconventional solution to FBCN: Make some adjustments to their constitution to allow for a lower threshold to approve a pastor, and then vote again. In this way, they might be able to secure Hayes as their pastor after all.

Others advocate for an even more drastic approach, such as the anonymous voice(s) behind the Baptist Blogger and Pastor Dwight McKissic. This group thinks the events that unfolded at FBCN warrant an inquiry into whether the church should be “disfellowshipped” from the convention. 

As of the publishing of this article, Hayes has not offered any public comments and neither has FBCN, besides the email it sent to its congregants.

Some Help for the Boring Adult Sunday School Teacher

By
Jamie Dunlop
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In our adult Sunday School classes at Capitol Hill Baptist Church, we ask teachers to use a manuscript and most of the classes are lecture format. As a result, our teachers sometimes think that all we care about is good content, and it doesn’t matter if they are boring. Quite the contrary. Engagement and insight are critical aspects of teaching, even for laypeople teaching adult Sunday school classes. Content isn’t everything.

Why? Here are three reasons why adult Sunday school teachers of the Bible shouldn’t be boring—and four strategies to avoid boring teaching.

REASON #1: GOD IS INTERESTING

As Martyn Lloyd-Jones put it: “There is something radically wrong with dull and boring preachers. How can a man be dull when he is handling such themes? I would say that a ‘dull preacher’ is a contradiction in terms. . . . With the grand theme and message of the Bible dullness is impossible.”[i]

What is more beautiful, more awe-inspiring, and more rewarding than intensely studying the glories of our Savior, his work on our behalf, and his perfect plans for us? Jesus described teaching as bringing out treasures from a house, both new and old (Matt. 13:52). Boring classes reflect poorly on the magnificent treasures we teachers get to talk about.

REASON #2: TEACHERS SHOULD BE GENTLE

Paul in 1 Timothy 3:3 tells us that elders are to be gentle with those they oversee. And if a church’s primary teachers should be gentle, shouldn’t others who teach aspire to that same goal?

Part of being gentle means meeting your people where they’re at. Very often, the people who show up for your classes on Sunday morning are tired, distracted, and discouraged. That’s real life. A gentle teacher will recognize that and draw the class into the day’s topic rather than simply assuming interest.

REASON #3: TEACHERS SHOULD BE LEARNERS

When teachers are boring, it means that either they themselves have not been captured and moved by the awesome truths they teach or they are unskilled at sharing such amazement with their class. Usually, the problem is the former. “Oh the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!” Paul exclaims (Romans 11:33). How can we not also be moved when we encounter the wisdom and knowledge of God?

As a result, boring teaching cannot be addressed merely with tips and tricks for better classroom engagement. Very often, at the root of boring teaching are teachers who themselves must comprehend the glory of what they teach before standing up in front of a class.

To that end, here are three strategies for helping adult Sunday school teachers (especially lay teachers) become more engaging in their teaching.

STRATEGY #1: ASK WHAT EXCITES YOU

Before getting up to teach, a teacher should always ask, “What are the two or three truths I’m about to present that I’m most excited about?” Mark those in the notes, and be sure to emphasize them in teaching. The class knows that the teacher has spent more time looking at the material than they have; when a teacher points out what was most impactful during that time of preparation, people will generally share that enthusiasm.

By the way, this is a good standard for knowing when you’re prepared enough to teach your class. Do you struggle to come up with two or three truths you’re excited about? If so, you’re probably not yet ready to teach.

STRATEGY #2: INTERACT WITH YOUR CLASS

One reason why classes at my church are in a lecture format is because we’ve designed our adult Sunday School program to be an easy on-road to teaching—and it takes less skill to manage a lecture than to manage an unpredictable class-wide discussion. In other words, we’ve designed our classes to be a teacher-training factory; we’ve designed them for inexperienced teachers.

But just because the classes are formatted as lectures doesn’t mean that we don’t want to hear from the class. A skilled teacher will know this innately; newer teachers will need a nudge in this direction. In particular, newer teachers need to be reminded that the best classroom discussion generally happens not in response to a student’s question but in response to a well-designed question posed by the teacher to the class.

A good question has multiple right answers, it’s clear, and it’s simple to ask (if it’s too long for you to ask it without looking down at your notes, it’s too long). A good teacher will include at least a few of these in a class, especially at the beginning when people need to be lured into engagement with the material.

By the way, don’t forget to call on people by name. Or ask them their name if you don’t know it—even if you’re embarrassed that you don’t remember their name because they’ve introduced themselves to you three different times. Model humility and ask them their name.

STRATEGY #3: USE A HANDOUT

No matter how clear you think your teaching is, a handout always helps. A good handout identifies what is most important in your teaching, it helps your class take notes, and it shows the underlying logic of your argument by showing them your outline. I ask all of our adult Sunday School classes to have a handout each week, and I work hard to encourage the teachers to use the handout. After all, the handout is generally a more important tool than the teacher’s notes since the handout is what students will walk away with at the end of the class. Ideally, a teacher will refer to it throughout the class.

Some teachers prefer Powerpoint or Keynote slides on a screen instead of a handout. Personally, however, I would rather my class look at me than at the screen behind me (see Strategy #4), and the slightly darkened room that works best for viewing a screen is not well-suited for people trying to read their Bibles. If we have to choose between slides and Bibles, let’s go for the Bibles every time.

What makes for a good handout?  Here are a few suggestions:

  • Make sure the handout includes the outline of what you’re teaching. Generally, I recommend that a handout list the class’s main points and subpoints (a two-level outline).
  • The handout should include any Scripture references you’ll note so that people can focus on how you’re applying those references rather than taking time to write them down.
  • Include any definitions you’ll get to in your teaching—especially if those definitions are lengthy or complicated.
  • The handout should include enough space so that people can write notes (which will encourage them to write notes).
  • The handout should be sparse enough that reading every word on the handout does not distract your students from your teaching.

STRATEGY #4: GET YOUR EYES (AND HANDS) OFF THE PODIUM

This is perhaps the simplest strategy—but it’s amazing how often new teachers struggle to engage with a class simply because they’re not looking at the people they’re teaching.

Here are a few tips I give to our adult Sunday School teachers:

  • Read through your notes at least five times out loud before you teach. (You can get away with fewer reps if you’re an experienced teacher). This will help you edit out the parts of your notes that don’t sound natural; it will get your mouth used to saying what you’re going to say so it sounds like you; and it will give you the freedom to look down at your notes less often because you’ll know the material better.
  • Print your notes in large font and stand a few feet back from the podium. You can do the geometry in your head: If you stand a few feet back, then looking down at your notes is a subtle glance with your eyes rather than a turn of your head. It takes less time and many in your class won’t even notice that you looked down. I generally print my manuscript in 16-point font, 1.5 spaced. This is a trick I learned even before I became a pastor when I was a business speaker. Since so much money was at stake in each round of teaching, my firm required all of us to learn to speak from a manuscript in a way that’s engaging. Little did they know they were training a preacher!
  • When you move from one page of notes to the next, pass the pages over each other rather than flipping them. That makes page turns less easily noticed. Ideally, you’ll have enough space on your podium to put two pages side-by-side. That way, you never have to pause as you flip pages because you’ll move page 2 over to cover over page 1 (and reveal page 3) just after you finished with page 1. If you do this, you’ll end up with your notes stacked in exact reverse order when you finish.
  • Loose your hands from the podium and your elbows from your sides. That way you’ll naturally gesture, and your gestures will be natural.

Are these tips largely mundane and not particularly spiritual? To be sure. But I pray that as you learn to engage with your class, you will become increasingly skilled at pointing them to the treasures Christ has given us in the Scriptures.

* * * * *

[i] D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Preaching and Preachers (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1972), 87.

This article for adult Sunday school teachers originally appeared here.

Your Church Is a Lampstand

By
Richard Holdeman
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Note: This article about Your Church Is a Lampstand is part of a series.

Revelation 1 reveals that the church is a lampstand: 12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band… 20 “The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.” (Revelation 1:12-13, 20, NKJ)

The book of Revelation gives us several beautiful, and often overlooked, pictures of the church.  The reason these pictures are often missed has to do with interpretive approaches to Revelation that project the book’s symbolism onto the future rather than anchoring it in the Old Testament, where it originates.  Another common interpretive fallacy is to view the book as all or mostly dealing with the future and ignoring the fact that it speaks about the church and to the church in all ages.  In this series of articles, we are looking at a number of these pictures with the hope that we will grasp some profound truths about the church.  Since the images of Revelation come from God, we need to remind ourselves that this is how He sees the church.  Our view from earth is often quite different.  It is good to get our perspective re-oriented!

The first picture of the church we get in Revelation is that the church is a lampstand (Revelation 1:12-13).

In John’s initial vision, he hears a heavenly voice, then turns to see “One like the Son of Man.”  John, using the imagery of Daniel 7:13-14 to describe the glorified Savior, sees Jesus “in the midst of the seven lampstands.”  Not every passage in Revelation so helpfully self-interprets, but this one does.  In verse 20 of the text, we are told that the “seven lampstands… are the seven churches.”  So the image of the glorified Messiah walking in the midst of the lampstands is a picture of Jesus moving among His churches.  What can we learn from the picture?

Golden lampstands are something the recipients of John’s letter would have readily identified.  This is part of the sacred furniture of the tabernacle and the temple.  The tabernacle had one lampstand (Exodus 25:31f) and the temple had ten of them (1 Kings 7:49).  The “menorah,” as it was called in Hebrew, was to be made of solid gold, have six branches, and hold seven oil lamps.  Most significantly, it was to be perpetually lit (Leviticus 24:2).  The people of Israel lived in tents as they came out of Egypt.  The tabernacle was set-up as a glorious dwelling place for God in the midst of His people.  In Exodus 25:8, God said, “And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them” (NKJ).  The tabernacle was therefore designed to be analogous to a Jewish home.  There was a table with bread on it, various utensils, and a light (among other things).

The perpetually burning light meant that there was always a glow coming from within the tent of meeting.  In essence, the message was that the lights were on and the Occupant was home at all times.  It was meant to comfort the people and to remind them that the God of the universe had made His home with them.  It was also meant to point them ahead to the day when God would send His Son into the world as the light of the world (John 8:12) and the One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11).  God dwelt with His people symbolically through the tabernacle and temple but then dwelt with them in the flesh in the person of His Son.  God dwells with His people today through the abiding power of the Holy Spirit (John 14:18).  When the Spirit was poured out on the first disciples at Pentecost (Acts 2:3), it was pictured as fire.  Fire is a symbol of the abiding presence of the Spirit of God with His people (Exodus 13:21).

With this background we can begin to understand the message of Revelation 1.  The church is a lampstand because it is the dwelling place of the Spirit of God on the earth.  Churches are the keepers of the light of God’s truth and salvation in a lost world.  Jesus, the Lord of the church, walks in the midst of her.  The individual congregations are repositories of the light of God’s presence.  Revelation 1:20 says that the seven lampstands are the seven churches.  The book of Revelation uses a lot of numbers.  The numbers are part of the symbolism.  Seven is the number of perfection or completion in the Bible.  The seven churches addressed in chapters 2-3 of the book are real churches but are meant to represent the totality of the church on the earth.  The seven golden lampstands similarly represent the seven churches addressed in the letter but also the totality of the church in the world.  So here we have a glorious picture of how God views the church as it exists on the earth until Christ returns.

The Church Is a Lampstand Because It Lights the Way to God

The world is not impressed by the church.  There are times when we are not impressed by the church.  The church can look weak and ineffective and completely without relevance in the world.  And yet, God says the church is like sacred, golden lampstands carrying the perpetual fire of God’s presence with His people through His Spirit.  We need to be reminded of this reality.  Where do people encounter the presence of God on the earth? Where do people find the dwelling of the Holy Spirit in our world?  It is in the people of God.  But the emphasis here is not on individual Christians spread out in isolation; the emphasis is on the congregation of God’s people.  The seven lampstands are the seven churches.  The word used for “church” is “ekklesia,” the assembly of God’s people.

There are several implications of this truth.  One is that we need to act like we are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.  In other words, as congregations we need to pursue holiness in all of life.  Another implication is that we need to learn to see the visible church as God does and to respect and honor the corporate body appropriately.  A third implication is that we need to value the corporate worship of the church as the meeting place of God.  A fourth implication is that we must insist that the church faithfully proclaim the light of gospel truth.  Finally, we should affirm the truth that every Christian should be attached to a local congregation and serving God as part of a local body of believers.

Revelation also contains an important warning.  In Revelation 2:5, the Lord says to the church of Ephesus, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place– unless you repent.”  This is not a threat to remove individual believers from the family of God; it is a warning to a congregation.  A congregation may lose the privilege of being a carrier of the eternal fire of the Holy Spirit.  Sadly, this has happened to many, many churches in our land.  Jesus promises that His church generally will never be overcome on the earth but He never promises individual congregations that they will last forever.  When a church stops loving Jesus, harbors sin in its midst, or stops teaching the truth of God’s word, it is in danger of losing its status as a keeper of the eternal flame of God’s presence.

The church is a lampstand. Let us embrace the breathtaking privilege of being part of churches, which are the receptacles of God’s Spirit, designed to display His divine light to the world.  Let us thank God for the congregations of which we are a part.  Let us pray that we would be ever more faithful at holding up His perpetual light for all to see.

This article about Your Church Is a Lampstand originally appeared here.

ACLJ Takes Case of U.S. Pastor ‘Detained for Christian faith’

By
Stephanie Martin
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For almost a month, U.S. Pastor Bryan Nerren has been detained in India, apparently because of his Christian faith. His family and attorneys at the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) are rallying for the pastor’s swift return. As of Wednesday noon, a petition to free Nerren had almost 40,000 signatures.

Nerren, 58, is senior pastor of International House of Prayer Ministries in Shelbyville, Tennessee. After a 2002 missions trip to Nepal, Nerren started the Asian Children’s Education Fellowship, a non-profit that trains Christian Sunday school teachers in India and Nepal. Earlier this month, he and two other American pastors traveled to conferences in those countries.

What Happened to Pastor Nerren?

According to the ACLJ, when the October 5 flight landed in New Delhi, all three pastors proceeded through the e-visa line, passport station, and baggage claim without incident. While going through security for the next flight to Bagdogra, however, a security agent noticed Nerren’s money and summoned customs.

Nerren “was carrying the funds to cover the expenses for the two conferences with 1,000 attendees, as well as for expenses for the 13 ministers for [a] two-week trip,” the ACLJ reports. For an hour, customs officials questioned Nerren, asking if he was a Christian and if the money was going toward Christian purposes. They eventually cleared the pastor but gave him no paperwork to complete.

By the time Nerren arrived in Bagdogra, customs had ordered his arrest for violating India’s Foreign Exchange Management Act and lacking proper forms. He was jailed, denied visitors, and taken to a hospital for medical treatment. The doctor reportedly asked if Nerren was a Christian and spit on the floor upon hearing his answer.

After six days, Nerren was released on bail, but a judge confiscated his passport. A hearing scheduled for October 22 never occurred, and the next one is set for December 12. Nerren’s wife and ACLJ attorneys have contacted U.S. officials to facilitate the pastor’s release.

“My husband has done nothing wrong,” says Rhonda Nerren. “His only crime is living out his steadfast love for Jesus.” She adds that he’s needed at home, where they have a daughter with special needs and young grandchildren.

Christian Persecution in India Has Been Increasing

India’s constitution promises religious freedom, and the country signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Yet in the latest 2019 Open Doors World Watch List, India ranks tenth for Christian persecution. Hindu nationalists associated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP political party have been cracking down on Christians, with 325 reports of faith-targeted violence in 2018.

At the International Christian Concern, William Stark says they’re “most concerned by reports that Pastor Nerren was targeted by Indian customs officials after he told them he is a Christian.”

The ACLJ urges Christians to sign the petition to free Nerren, who’s “essentially being held hostage” for his faith. The pastor remains active on social media, recently posting the words of Philippians 4:10-13 after identifying himself as “a follower of the teachings of Jesus.”

‘This Is the Awakening,’ Says Kanye to His Doubters

By
Jessica Lea
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Kanye West and his gospel choir made an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, where Corden presented a twist on “Carpool Karaoke” and West shared how he sees God working in his life.

“God’s always had a plan for me,” said West, “and He always wanted to use me, but I think He wanted me to suffer more and wanted people to see my suffering and see my pain and put stigmas on me and have me go through all the experiences, the human experiences. So now when I talk about how Jesus saved me, more people can relate to that.”

Carpool Karaoke Becomes Airpool Karaoke

Corden has a segment on his show called “Carpool Karaoke,” where he goes on car rides with celebrities, chats with them, and sings along with them to their music. This time, the host called the segment, “Airpool Karaoke,” and instead of getting in a car, got on an airplane with West and the rapper’s gospel choir. On the flight, Corden interviewed West between renditions of various songs, such as “Jesus Walks” and “Selah,” which is from West’s new album, Jesus Is King. 

Corden was curious about when West decided to pursue holding his Sunday services, and the rapper said that he got the idea a few years ago when he was in the hospital. While there, he wrote down that he wanted to start a church in Calabasas, California. West said that starting a church was something God put on his heart, and “now, He just keeps on taking me to new levels and taking us to other levels that we didn’t even imagine before.”

While a lot of people might be surprised to hear West talking so openly about God, Corden thinks that thread has always been in the rapper’s music. The talk show host specifically mentioned the last line of the song, “Jesus Walks,” which says, “I need to talk to God, but I’m afraid cause it’s been so long.” Corden was curious about West’s journey from the fear mentioned in that line to his current boldness.

West explained that there were a lot of people praying for him when he was “all the way gone,” alluding to the infamous moment when he interrupted Taylor Swift onstage at the MTV Video Music Awards. But even though the people in his family were praying for him, they couldn’t do anything about the choices he was making, and it was ultimately “God that came and put this thing on my heart.” 

When Corden asked if West had any regrets when he looked back on his past, the singer responded, “I have no regret and no shame.” He drew a connection between shame and the need to be perfect, saying, “You know that’s the biggest thing, me being a perfectionist. That’s such a blasphemous statement to think that, as a man, you could perfect anything. God is the only thing that’s perfect.” When West and his choir performed “Jesus Walks,” West ended the song by changing the last lyrics to: “I want to talk to God, I ain’t afraid.” 

When Corden asked West about his family life, the rapper said he likes being home with Kim and their children as much as possible. On a typical night, he and Kim eat dinner and play with the kids, and after the kids go to bed, Kim likes to watch Dateline while West reads the Bible. 

“For real?” asked Corden. “Seriously? You sit and read the Bible?” “Yes,” said West.

Corden and West also discussed marriage, as well as the fact that West sees his financial success from this past year as a direct blessing from God for the rapper’s devotion to Him. “Kanye West works for God,” he said. “God is using me to show off.”

At the end of the carpool karaoke interview, Corden wanted to know what West would say to people who don’t believe he’s had a true spiritual awakening. West answered by emphasizing the difference between being asleep and awake: “People who don’t believe are walking dead. They are asleep, and this is the awakening.”

Tony Evans Requests Urgent Prayer for Wife Lois Evans

By
Megan Briggs
-
thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Pastor Tony Evans gave an update about his wife, Lois, and her battle against cancer. Evans said chemotherapy and radiation are no longer options to treat Lois’ condition. Despite the dire news, Evans said the family still has hope that God can intervene and do “what man is unable to do.” 

“Lois spent all of last week in the hospital due to severe pain related to her biliary cancer,” Evans wrote in a status update on social media. “The doctors were able to manage her pain, and they released her from the hospital for home care,” he said.

This is the second time Lois has battled gallbladder cancer, which is a rare condition. In April, Evans announced Lois’ cancer had returned and that they were searching for an “effective treatment.” 

Evans indicated in his recent post that even though chemotherapy and radiation are no longer options, Lois is pursuing alternative forms of treatment. He wrote, “While we wait on our miracle, Lois is continuing with natural therapies, supplemental treatments and is surrounded 24/7 with the love of her nuclear and extended family as well as the support of our church and national ministry.”

As ChurchLeaders reported in April, the Evans family has faced a series of tragedies over the last couple of years:

The Evans family has suffered several significant losses over the past year or so. Dr. Evans’ niece, Wynter Evans Pitts, died suddenly in her sleep in the summer of 2018 at age 38. Pitts was the founder of the ministry For Girls Like You and mother of actress Alena Pitts, who played Danielle Jordan in the movie War Room. And only six months before Wynter’s death, Dr. Evans lost his brother. 

Adding to these tragedies, Evans lost his sister, Beverly Johnson, unexpectedly in January of this year. 

In April, Evans said his faith was being tested in a way he’d never experienced before, but that he was trusting in God. It is clear that he and his family are clinging to their faith in God again.

“We know God is still on the throne, and our faith is in Him and His Word, and His love for us has not wavered in the least,” Evans wrote.  

He also included a Bible verse in his update on Lois’ condition: Ephesians 3:20-21, which speaks about God’s ability to do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.”

 

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The pastor of Oak Hills Bible Fellowship in Dallas thanked his followers for praying for Lois and his family. Lois helps Evans lead his radio broadcast ministry, The Urban Alternative. Lois Evans is also the founder of Pastor’s Wives Ministry. 

The couple has four grown children, among them speaker and author Priscilla Shirer, Jonathan Evans, a former professional football player turned minister, Gospel artist Anthony Evans, and Chrystal Evans Hurst, creator of The Sister Circle Show. Tony and Lois Evans are also proud to have 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Steve Cuss: The Anxiety That Is Unique to Church Leaders

By
Jason Daye
-
thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Steve Cuss is the lead pastor of Discovery Christian Church just outside of Denver, Colorado. He has a heart for ministry leaders and understands the pressures they experience when it comes to dealing with anxiety. Steve has spent many years helping leaders and their teams find freedom from unhealthy patterns. He is the author of the book, Managing Leadership Anxiety, in addition to hosting a podcast of the same name. Steve is married to Lisa and they have two sons and one daughter. 

Key Questions for Steve Cuss About Dealing with Anxiety

-What do you mean by “leadership anxiety” in contrast to plain anxiety? Why do we need to differentiate between the two when dealing with anxiety?

-How does dealing with anxiety relate to our desire to perform well?

-What are some tools and practices pastors can use to better manage leadership anxiety?

-How can we as ministry leaders help those around us with their anxiety?

Key Quotes from Steve Cuss

“My first ministry role out of college was as a trauma chaplain…I was 24 and I had never seen a dead body, I had never had any real experience with grief, and that was definitely the year that showed me how much anxiety I carry and how much anxiety actually I think all church leaders carry.”

“Sometimes I would be really surprised by the way anxiety would show up.”

“I think church leadership puts us under tremendous pressure, every one of us.”

“What caught me off-guard is how much I learned as a chaplain translated into local church ministry.”

“Chronic anxiety happens anytime we don’t get what we believe we need in any given moment.”

“If somebody sends you a critical email or if you’re about to go into a board meeting and you know that you’re anxious about it, leadership anxiety is the deficit that you’re carrying when you’re not getting what you think you need.”

“My thesis is that what causes church pastors to burn out has way more to do with chronic anxiety, or leadership anxiety, than it ever does with how much is on your plate. It’s usually because you’re a people pleaser and there’s just been too much criticism and it’s really putting pressure on your people pleasing.”

13 Evidences of the Transforming Power of the Gospel

By
Chuck Lawless
-
thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

This post is really simple. I’ve been thinking about people I’ve known over the years who were dramatically changed by the gospel—and I want you to know some of their stories. I’ve chosen to use only their first initials, but they know who they are.

  1. C. He was my dad. We prayed for him for 30+ years, and God grabbed his heart when my dad was in his early 70s (see the story here). Words cannot adequately describe how much he was changed.
  2. M. She was really young when she got saved, but her persistent faithfulness over 50+ years is evidence of God’s saving and sustaining power. Today, she’s a pastor’s wife.
  3. T. Saved out of the background of another world faith, T made a life-changing commitment when he heard about Jesus and saw Him modeled in others.
  4. G. He was one of the hardest, harshest men I’d ever met until the Spirit of God melted him. He became one of the most faithful members of my first church.
  5. C. I met her long after she became a believer, but she modeled for us what it means to be fully committed to Christ. Her servant heart was unbelievable.
  6. L. As a kid, he seemed almost out of control during church services. When the Lord saved him, though, he threw his enthusiasm into honoring Him. “Redeemed energy” is cool to behold.
  7. T. I still remember the night he surrendered his heart to Jesus. In his living room talking with an evangelist, he said “yes” to Jesus. Everything changed for him then.
  8. A. Drugs and alcohol couldn’t stand in the way of God’s grace in his life. Freed from addiction, he now regularly leads others to know Jesus.
  9. M. His girlfriend invited him to church, where he heard the true gospel for the first time. His life would never be the same after God pursued him.
  10. R. In one of the few instances I’ve seen like this, she called the church to see if someone would come tell her about Jesus. Eventually, she led her entire family to follow Christ.
  11. C. He was a college student when God intervened in his life, saved him, and gave him victory over lusts and addictions that had consumed him.
  12. A. He turned to Christ when a missionary told him the gospel. His faith cost him, but he pressed on with perseverance.
  13. N. All of his plans changed when he met Jesus and gave him his life. Today, he’s a missionary in Asia.

What’s my point today? It’s simply to offer encouragement, hope, and prayers for all of us who are seeking to lead others to Jesus. He still changes lives.

This article about the power of the gospel originally appeared here.

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