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6 Reasons Christians Need to Learn to Lament

By
Mark Vroegop
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A Prayer in Grief

Lament should be your prayer when grief—of any kind—becomes a part of your life:

1. It is a language for loss.

Lament is the historic prayer language for hurting Christians. It provides a biblical vocabulary and a model for talking to God about our pain or helping those who are walking through suffering.

2. It is the solution for silence.

Too many Christians either are afraid or refuse to talk to God about their struggles. Whether because of shame, a fear of rejection, anxiety, or a concern of being irreverent, pain can give rise to a deadly prayerlessness. Lament cracks the door open to talk to God again—even if it’s messy.

3. It is a category for complaints.

Lament helps us see that complaining to God is not necessarily sinful. For hurting people, knowing that this expression of grief is a biblical and a God-given category can be a watershed moment. Vocalizing our pain or helping a friend express her heart is one of the life-giving aspects of lament.

4. It is a framework for feelings.

This biblical song of sorrow is more than the sinful spewing of every emotion in your soul. Lament validates the expression of pain while providing a framework—a God-centered structure—so we avoid falling into the trap of self-centeredness, which can take root in times of deep sadness. Lament endorses expression, but only the kind with the right objective.

5. It is a process for our pain.

Lament is more than a biblical version of the stages of grief (i.e., denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance). It invites God’s people on a journey as they turn to God, lay out their complaints, ask for his help, and choose to trust. Embracing the ongoing—often daily—process of lament requires that we walk by faith. Lament is more than something that comes out of you. It is part of the process happening in you.

6. It is a way to worship.

Too many people think real worship only means an upbeat and happy demeanor. But grief-filled prayers of pain while seeking God are among the deepest expressions of God-centered worship.

The Christian life should be marked by personal lament because, through this discovery, we open ourselves to God’s grace and his ability to shape and change us. Since life is full of sorrows, opportunities abound to make lament a vital part of our spiritual journey. The key is to determine how—and start to see the many ways lament can lead to God’s grace.

This article originally appeared here.

Why the Holy Spirit Is Not Casper the Friendly Ghost

By
Dr. Josh Buice
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When we hear people talking about the Holy Spirit, it’s not uncommon to hear people talking about the Holy Spirit in terms of an evangelical version of Casper the Friendly Ghost. At other points, evangelicals derail by putting all of their focus upon the Holy Spirit to the marginalization of Christ. When the Holy Spirit is cartoonized or overly emphasized and brought to the forefront of our worship—we grieve the Holy Spirit of God.

The Holy Spirit Is God

A proper understanding of the Holy Spirit is necessary in most evangelical circles today. John MacArthur has stated, “The Holy Spirit is the most forgotten, the most misrepresented, the most dishonored, the most grieved, the most abused, and the most blasphemed member of the Trinity.” That is a massive dose of reality concerning the present understanding of the Holy Spirit in our day.

Throughout the Bible we see various titles for the Holy Spirit:

  • Spirit of God
  • Spirit of Christ
  • Spirit of Grace
  • Spirit of the Lord
  • Spirit of Life
  • Spirit of Truth
  • Eternal Spirit
  • Comforter
  • Helper
  • The Holy Spirit
  • The Spirit

It should be noted that in the study of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit is no less God than the Father or the Son. As a member of the Godhead, he is co-equal and co-eternal. In other words, there has never been a time when the Holy Spirit did not exist. Therefore, with the proper understanding and reverence for the Holy Spirit, we should strive to live in such a way that does not “outrage the Spirit of grace” (Heb. 10:29). It is possible to live in such a way that “grieves the Holy Spirit of God” (Eph. 4:30). A life of holiness is our calling as Christians which prevents such grieving of the Spirit of God.

The Holy Spirit Leads us to Assurance

Have you listened to a pastor lead a person or a group of people through a sinner’s prayer? Often at the end of the prayer, the pastor will say something like this, “Congratulations, you are now a Christian!” Beyond the obvious fact that we never see anyone in the New Testament leading people in a prayer that “asks Jesus into their hearts”—we likewise never see anyone pronouncing someone as a Christian or providing them with that statement of assurance. Why not? Because that is the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit of God.

Rather than moving to the forefront—the Holy Spirit works and ministers in such a way as to point us to Jesus Christ. In modern days, the Holy Spirit has been twisted into a sort of drug that causes convulsions and strange speech patterns. In other circles, the Holy Spirit is the focus of the songs, the sermons and the service of the people.

As the Holy Spirit ministers to point us to Christ, his work is to lead us to assurance of our salvation. In Romans 5:5, Paul writes, “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” It is God’s love that has been delivered to us and revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.

In Ephesians 1:5-10, the focus is on the redemption that we have received through the riches of God’s grace in the blood of Jesus. If you read to the end of the chapter, you will discover that it is the Holy Spirit who seals us and becomes the assurance of our promised inheritance. Perhaps one of the most clear and obvious statements regarding the ministry of assurance of the Holy Spirit is found in Romans 8:16 where Paul writes these words, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”

The Holy Spirit Leads Us to Truth

The Holy Spirit is God and the Holy Spirit loves the Bible. How does the Holy Spirit point people to Jesus? It’s through the pages of Scripture. How does the Holy Spirit provide assurance of salvation in the hearts of people? It’s not based upon the remembrance of the sinner’s prayer—but by directing believers to the glorious truths of Scripture (such as Romans 8:1). We must not forget that the author of the Bible is the Holy Spirit and he leads us and guides us to truth through the sufficient Word of God (2 Pet. 1:21).

In Acts 8:29, the Spirit of God led Philip to go and speak to the Ethiopian man in the chariot. As he evangelized him, he began at that very same text (Isaiah 53) and directed him to Jesus Christ. From evangelism to discipleship—the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to direct us to God’s Word and to keep us rooted and grounded in the Word. Remember when Jesus introduced the Spirit to his disciples, he said the following:

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come (John 16:13).

If we are people of the truth, we must be led by the Spirit of truth who points us to what is good and acceptable and perfect. As we navigate the difficult roads of life and strive to make sense of the deep pain of death, the struggles of parenting, and the challenges of marriage—we have a Comforter who will lead us to the truth. This is why our prayers must not be generic and abstract, but rather rooted in the Word of God and pleading for clarity on God’s will from the basis of the Scriptures.

Worship God and have a proper reverence for the Holy Spirit who loves the children of God and is actively indwelling believers and ministering to us on a daily basis! The Holy Spirit is more than a cartoon and he leads us and guides us faithfully—deserving respect, honor and worship.

This article originally appeared here.

12 Traits of a Humble Leader

By
Dan Reiland
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Humble leadership can be difficult to define.

It’s subjective, and then there’s that pesky old saying that goes something like, “if you think you’re humble, you’re not.”

Well, that might be true, but it’s not very helpful if humility is something we should embrace. I mean, then how do you know?

Scripture is clear that humility is a good thing and indicates that it’s the opposite of pride (James 4:6). So, the concept of humility isn’t a mystery. In fact, Moses was known as the most humble man on the face of the earth (Numbers 12:3), and we know a lot about his life.

Jesus washed the disciples’ feet (John 13:1-17) and humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death (Philippians 2:8). So, again, we do have clear examples of humble leaders in action.

But I rarely hear conversations of someone trying to “achieve” humility. Yes, I’m smiling as I write that.

Should a leader focus on avoiding pride or aspiring to humility?

Part of the difficulty may reside in the fact that leaders need to be confident, strong and decisive. These, along with other virtues, don’t seem like natural partners with humility, but actually they are.

Humility is based more on the idea that you don’t feel superior or better than others because of what you have, your status or power, and equally, it’s not about feeling inferior to others.

Humility is not about your place on the org chart, it reflects the disposition of your heart. You can be the CEO and be humble or full of pride. You can be among those with the least formal status or authority in the organization and also be humble or prideful.

Humble leaders live for others more than they live for themselves. Humble doesn’t mean insecure. Don’t confuse the two. Humility is an attractive virtue, insecurity is not. Humility is directly connected to strength, insecurity is tied to fear and our weaknesses.

This does not suggest that humble leaders never struggle with insecurities, but recognizes that humility is based in strength not weakness.

My hope is to make this post on humble leadership very practical by offering a list of traits that are largely intuitive. And because they are somewhat self-explanatory, I’ll add just brief but helpful comments after each one.

12 traits of a humble leader:

1) Humble leaders are not easily embarrassed.

Humble leaders do not try to protect a reputation or project a certain public image. They aren’t worried about trying to look good. This doesn’t mean they don’t care how they’re perceived or what happens, but they just don’t take themselves too seriously. Humble leaders possess a healthy balance of self-awareness and self-confidence.

2) Humble leaders are not offended if they don’t receive credit.

When a leader isn’t looking for credit, they’re not offended when they don’t receive it. Every leader appreciates acknowledgement, but they don’t seek it out or need it in an unhealthy way. Humble leaders serve for the good of others, not for accolades.

3) Humble leaders are willing to lift others up.

Prideful or narcissistic leaders may try to keep you down or at least in your place, but a humble leader finds ways to lift others up. They will promote young leaders, give others opportunities, invite you to a seat at the table when they can, and freely give public recognition.

4) Humble leaders are not prone to gossip.

Gossip finds its root in jealousy, envy and pride. Gossip often puts others down in order to gain allies, gain an advantage or maneuver in position. These things are contrary to a humble heart.

5) Humble leaders have a good self-image but don’t need to tell you how good they are.

As I mentioned, humility comes from a place of strength, and therefore is nearly always connected to a good self-image. A humble leader knows their strengths and is not hesitant to talk about them if needed or asked, but they don’t have a need to constantly tell others of their worth, accomplishments or importance.

6) Humble leaders value kindness and respect toward others.

Humility finds part of its endearing quality in kindness and respect for others. Humble leaders are not afraid of influence, authority and power, but never use it for their personal gain or to take advantage of others. Humble leaders are intentionally kind and communicate respect by showing appreciation and valuing people’s time and skill. They demonstrate that they care about who the person is, not just what they can do.

7) Humble leaders inspire trust, authenticity and close teamwork.

Because leaders who exemplify humility rarely have a personal agenda, let alone a hidden one, they are easy to trust. They live more for others and therefore inspire trust in others. Their but encourages authenticity in the people they’re around and these two things, trust and authenticity, are part of the foundation for close teamwork.

How to Help Students Deal With Their Sin

By
Andy Blanks
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How to Help Students Deal With Their Sin

We’ve all been there … that “we need to talk” moment when a student approaches you with serious business in mind. And the confession comes … “I’ve been sleeping with my girlfriend.” “I stole something from my parents.” “I’ve been getting drunk with my friends.” “I lied about a speeding ticket.” “I’m pregnant.” One of the greatest privileges we have as youth workers, yet an equally great challenge, is helping students deal with their sin. Because of the role you play in their lives, you will be the one to whom many turn with a specific sin they are burdened with.

When a student confesses a sin and asks for your help in working through it, how do you respond?

How we respond to students in this situation may very well play a major role in their ability and/or willingness to put the sin behind them and move on in their life as a Christ-follower. Here are a few thoughts on how to help teenagers deal with their sin, and work through it:

Listen With Compassion, Not Judgment.

All people sin (Rom. 3:23). And like Paul expressed so effectively in Romans 7, the struggle with sin burdens Christ-followers who, in their hearts, long to live right lives. Resist the urge to be self-righteous. See the student as a Christ-follower who desires to do right, but has given in to his or her sin nature. Engage with empathy and compassion, not judgment.

Place the Sin in Context With God’s Word.

There is a reason Paul urged Timothy to use Scripture to “rebuke and correct” (2 Tim. 3:16). Sin is a deviation from God’s standard of holiness. When a student confesses a sin, and you have listened with compassion as they spell it out, your first move should be to basically affirm that they have indeed “fallen short” by showing them in Scripture where their actions come in conflict with God’s ways. This is important. If we don’t establish God’s Word as the authority for our lives, then we are really only teaching students a generic brand of nebulous morality. Show students exactly how their actions have gone against God’s Word.

Reinforce Forgiveness.

Remind students that God desires for them to confess their sins to Him (Matt. 6:12), and that God has forgiven their sins (1 John 1:19). Encourage them to see this forgiveness for what it is: an all encompassing grace that was purchased by Christ on the cross. Explain that the debt their sin earned has literally been paid by Christ, wiped away, never to be thought of again by God. Do not miss the opportunity to lead them in a prayer where they confess to God their shortcomings. But then to close a prayer like this assuring the student of God’s grace, love and mercy, and that our righteousness is found in Christ. Reaffirming these truths can help cut off feelings of shame that might emerge later.

Explain Repentance.

This is key, and seemingly gets passed over sometimes. Repentance is a HUGE aspect of our relationship with Christ. When Matthew denotes the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, he reveals the powerful simplicity of Jesus’ message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matt. 4:17). Repentance is the willful decision to stop sinning. It is the Spirit-empowered act of turning in the opposite direction of our sinful ways. It is not enough for students to confess their sin and be assured of God’s grace. You must impart to them the importance of turning from the sin in their life. And you must be willing to play a part of the equation, helping them wherever necessary.

Deal With Consequences, Relationally.

Once you have dealt with the spiritual issues surrounding the student’s sin, you must shepherd them through any consequences of their sin. Students may need help understanding the consequences of their actions. And based on their sin, you may need to help walk with them through this time. If it is an issue that necessitates a follow-up meeting with the student’s parents, take the lead in making it happen, and, based on your relationship with the family, possibly be present at the meeting. (It’s a good idea to make an appointment to talk with the student’s parents at some point. And tell the student that this is something you are going to do.) As painful as it might be, encourage the student to immediately begin to deal with the consequences. Waiting will only lessen the urgency of the situation. Help students move to working through the consequences as soon as possible.


We all know the painful reality of sin in our lives. But by shepherding students through this process, you may actually be facilitating a time of tremendous spiritual growth, where students grow closer to God through the paring away of sin in their lives.  

Want to Know Jesus More? Read the Old Testament

By
Chad Bird
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Want to know Jesus more?

What we today call the “Old Testament” is what Jesus simply called “the Scriptures.” During his earthly life, there were no Gospels, no letters from Paul, no Revelation. The “New Testament” was yet to be written.

So also, for the first Christians, the Bible consisted only of the Torah, the Prophets and the Writings. In those earliest days of the church, as believers gathered for worship, when they heard the Bible read and preached, they heard only Moses or Isaiah or the Psalms or another OT prophet or sage.

And yet, what did these Scriptures proclaim to them? What did Genesis teach? What did 1 Samuel or Proverbs reveal to them? Whom did they see in the Psalms? Jesus the Messiah. If they wanted to know more about Jesus, they read the Old Testament.

But for us, it’s different, right? We can read Matthew’s gospel. We can pore over Paul’s epistle to the Romans. Or, we can study Hebrews. We have the New Testament, so the Old Testament is no longer relevant or instructive or enlightening to us.

In fact, some parts of it not only confuse us, but trouble us. Some parts even embarrass us. Better to stick with the New Testament. That’s our go-to part of the Bible for learning more about Jesus.

How Jesus Viewed the Old Testament

If that’s your view of the Old Testament, then it’s high time to rethink that stance. To the extent that we ignore or downplay the Old Testament, we denigrate the very Bible that Jesus himself read.

In fact, these are not only the Scriptures from which he preached and taught, but they tell us all about him. As Jesus himself said, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me” (John 5:39).

And again, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me” (5:46). He fulfilled “all things which are written about [him] in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44).

And to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (24:27).

We cannot be followers of Jesus and unfollowers of his own Scriptures.

Therefore, it’s no different for us than for those earliest believers: When we want to know more about Jesus, we read the Old Testament.

What We Find in the Old Testament

We read, first of all, not only the promises that the Messiah will come, but also abundant details about who he will be and what he will do for us. When parents await the birth of a child, they don’t know much about that child. A sonogram may tell them the baby is a boy or girl, but that child’s future, personality and accomplishments are all unknown.

Not so with Jesus. In the Old Testament, we learn that his mother will be a virgin (Isaiah 7:14), he will be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), God will call him out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1), he will minister in Galilee (Isaiah 9:1-2), heal the sick (35:5-6), be rejected by his people (53:1-3), be forsaken by God during great suffering (Psalm 22:1), bear our iniquities (Isaiah 53:4-6), crush the head of the devil (Genesis 3:15), be vindicated by the Lord in victory (Psalm 22:22-24), and much more!

There’s a good reason that Isaiah, for instance, is called the “Fifth Evangelist.” Over seven centuries before Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, this prophet told us the story of Jesus in advance.

The whole Old Testament is a sort of pre-biography of the Messiah. It tells us in profound detail about the Savior of the world. Martin Luther captured the essence of the Old Testament when he called it “the swaddling cloths and the manger in which Christ lies.” Wrapped up in the pages of these Scriptures is Jesus himself.

“Dress Rehearsal” of Jesus’ Life and Ministry

Not only is the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament, we see a sort of “dress rehearsal” of his life and ministry in earlier people and events:

  1. Melchizedek, who was a priest and king, prefigured the Messiah’s priestly service and royal reign (Genesis 14:18-20; Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 7).
  2. Jonah’s three days in the belly of the fish foreshadowed Christ’s three days and three nights in the heart of the earth (Matthew 12:40).
  3. All the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament pointed toward him who is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
  4. The tabernacle and temple, as the house of God, the dwelling place of his glory, was the blueprint for the one who is the Word made flesh, who tabernacled among us, and revealed his glory (John 1:14; 2:19-21).

The Old Testament sketches out, in black and white, what the Messiah will show in full color. By reading these ancient Scriptures in light of Jesus’ accomplished work, we see portrayed in them the pre-portrait of our salvation.

“The new is in the old concealed; the old is in the new revealed.”

Augustine famously described the relationship between the Old and New Testaments this way: “The new is in the old concealed; the old is in the new revealed.” In other words, the two work in tandem. They cannot be separated from one another. They must be read as one continuous story, gradually unveiling the narrative of God’s saving plan.

As in a marriage, the man and woman become one flesh, so the Old and New Testaments are married. Their unity cannot be put asunder or put in opposition to one another. They are “one flesh,” one book, one proclamation that’s all about Jesus.

Each page, each story, from Genesis 1 to Malachi 4, is like a jewel or precious stone. All together they form the mosaic of the Messiah. Who he is. What he’s done for us. And our hope and salvation and life in him.

Do you want to know Jesus more? Read the Old Testament.

This article originally appeared here.

Why Discipleship Is Best Done in Groups (Not One-on-One)

By
Ben Sternke
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When it comes to discipleship, one of the assumptions many people make is that we’re talking about one-on-one meetings over coffee, but I think discipleship is better done in groups, where several people gather to meet with a leader to walk through the discipleship process.

This is how our coaching is organized, and how we train leaders to make disciples in their local context, and there’s a reason for it!

In fact, there are (at least) four reasons for it. Here they are: four reasons group discipleship is better than one-on-one discipleship:

1. Jesus did discipleship in groups

The first reason discipleship is best done in groups is pretty simple, and fairly obvious when you think about it: Jesus did almost all of his discipleship in groups! The pattern the Gospels show us is that, in general, Jesus discipled in groups and evangelized one-on-one.

There are reasons for this (see below), but it’s worth remembering that sometimes it’s worth trying something just because it’s the way that Jesus did it. How did Jesus make disciples? He called a group of 12 to be with him and learn from him how to be like him.

And they were together a lot. Much of the discipleship Jesus engaged in happened “along the way” as they traveled from place to place for Jesus’ “job” as an itinerant prophet, and almost all of it happened when they were all together as a group.

2. Learning is multiplied in discipleship groups

The second reason discipleship is best done in groups is that when everyone is together, the learning is multiplied. What one person is learning and growing into can be multiplied into other people’s lives just because they happen to be present!

There are a lot of examples of this happening in the Gospels, but Mark 10:35-45 gives us a typical scene: James and John come to Jesus and ask him if they can have the two most prominent positions in Jesus’ new government. Jesus tells them they don’t know what they’re talking about, and he won’t grant their request.

Then the other disciples hear about it and “they became indignant with James and John” (most likely because they wished they would have thought of doing that!).

How does Jesus respond? He “called them together,” and gives them some exhortation on what it looks like to be a leader in his kingdom (“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant”).

Now all the disciples get the benefit of learning about this new way of leadership. If Jesus had practiced one-on-one discipleship, none of this would have happened, because the disciples would never have heard the request of James and John (because they wouldn’t be together).

I’ve seen this happen time and time again in my own discipleship groups. We are processing a Kairos with one person, and it triggers all kinds of growth and learning for everyone else in the group as we walk through it.

3. Time is maximized in discipleship groups

A third reason discipleship is best done in groups is a practical one: The leader’s time is maximized when discipleship is primarily done in a group setting.

In the example above, can you imagine how much time it would have taken Jesus to schedule one-on-one meetings over coffee with each of the 12 disciples to discuss the leadership lesson he wanted them all to hear in that moment? If his disciples were as busy as most church members, it could have taken months!

Instead, because they’re all together, Jesus is able to deliver an important exhortation to all of them at the same time, and they all get the benefit of understanding why this leadership lesson was being given (because they were still all angry at James and John for trying to grab power!).

4. Community is fostered in discipleship groups

A fourth reason that discipleship is best done in groups is that community is fostered in discipleship groups.

Discipleship is not an individual sport. It’s not me as a private individual learning more facts about God and striving to be a better Christian.

Discipleship is about growing in union with God, and we can’t grow in our union with God if we’re not also growing in community with the Body of Christ, learning to follow Jesus together. Your discipleship will be stunted if you try to do it by yourself.

We need to walk together as disciples, because the challenges of learning to be a community will bring up the discipleship issues we’ll need to focus on (just like the request of James and John brought up the “content” for Jesus’ discipleship in Mark 10:35-45).

Plus, most of the commands of the New Testament are impossible to obey by yourself. It’s pretty hard to “love one another” if you’re the only person in the room.

How to get started

Part of our coaching is training leaders to invite people into and lead discipleship groups, and it typically takes 10 months or more to begin to learn the nuances and rhythms of it (!), but here are a few pointers to help you move the discipleship ball down the court:

  • If you don’t have any discipling relationships right now, write down a list of people that you think might be open to investment. Pray through your list and ask God to reveal who might be a good fit. Then think through how you’d invite them into a discipleship group.
  • If you have one-on-one discipling relationships right now, consider casting vision for gathering everyone into one discipleship group and see how they respond. What does their response indicate to you?
  • If you are currently leading a discipleship group, think about one takeaway from this article can you bring into your group. For example, many discipleship groups feel more like “classes” than communities…so if the community aspect of a discipleship group is often lacking in your group, think about ways to foster a sense of togetherness and mutual support in your group.

Questions for discussion

  • Does this challenge any assumptions or convictions you have about discipleship? How so?
  • Are there other benefits to group discipleship that you’ve experienced?
  • What have been your experiences in discipleship (one-on-one or in groups)?

This article originally appeared here.

Beware the Drones: Are You Secure?

By
Steven Sundermeier
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As I stood, slightly hunched, fighting the gravitational pull from the endless hours of working the conference show floor, I became aware of an ever-increasing volume of buzzing, as if a swarm of hornets had descended from the structural beams supporting the roof of McLean Bible Church. The buzzing increased in proximity and volume. Fellow conference exhibitors sprang to their fatigued feet, like red kangaroos in an Australian desert, also trying to catch a glimpse of the hissing culprit. We realized all the “buzz” was about an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), or more commonly known as a drone. It was fascinating. The Ritz-cracker shaped, battery-operated toy was cautiously yet expertly transporting vendor sponsored, attendee “prize patrol” giveaways including gift cards, and t-shirts: it was being piloted by our conference host technology director. Today’s drones come in all shapes, sizes, and costs. The same for drone security.

Multimillion-dollar military drones now resemble sleek aircraft once only seen in sci-fi movies. Commercial drones can cost thousands of dollars, such as those used in the agriculture industry, hovering high above crops, giving farmers a vivid picture of their fields. On the other hand, recreational mini “quadcopters” can be purchased for under $50.

As [the] size and use of drones [vary] significantly, so do the potential new threats they pose. Recently, the FBI warned that drones could soon be weaponized to facilitate chemical or biological attacks on stadiums, concerts, and other open-air venues. Due to the realistic likelihood of these attacks and additional surveillance worries, drones have been banned over national landmarks, nuclear sites, military bases, and other government facilities.

But we should take personal security precautions. Like most technology, drones have operating systems, network connections, and hardware susceptible to hacking and cyber mischief. Drone captured video footage and images can be compromised: captured drone recordings can be turned against an owner.

Here are a couple of precautionary tips when purchasing or flying a drone:

  1. When remotely controlling a drone from a smartphone, make sure that the phone has proper mobile security software installed. Like the high-profiled Apple’s FaceTime bug, phones and other connected devices are vulnerable to exploits.
  2. When flying your drone, be aware of your location and avoid flying in unsecured networks. Connecting your controls to open and vulnerable networks can result in similar consequences to laptops connecting to open wi-fi networks.
  3. Be aware of your physical surroundings. Civil and criminal penalties for flying your drone in a “no-fly” zone can carry fines up to $250,000 and [three] 3 years in prison.
  4. Purchase your drone from a reputable retailer. Otherwise, you won’t know what else was pre-installed with it or the whereabouts of its parts.

Flying drones is fun. It allows adults to have a toy again. I’m less adventurous: lately, my “adventure” escape from the ever-changing, fast-paced security industry has been the discovery of audiobooks. I am thrilled to say that I have been “reading” more, especially spy novels! (I hope you appreciated my attempt at a Michael Connelly-style introduction to the article.) So, if drones are your thing, stay alert to what all the buzz is about.

$1.9 M Raised for Burned Louisiana Churches After Notre Dame Fire

By
Jessica Lea
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thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Days after the burning of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, France, some good has come out of that disaster. As people donated millions of dollars toward the rebuilding of the historic landmark, social media influencers on Twitter encouraged their followers to remember the three black churches in Louisiana that were recently targeted by an arsonist. The result is the Louisiana churches have surpassed their fundraising goal of $1.8 million by more than a million dollars as of this writing.

“It’s a blessing. It’s going to help our community. What the devil meant for bad, God’s going to turn it into something good,” Rev. Gerald Toussaint told CNN. Toussaint is the pastor of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, which was targeted on April 4th. The other churches that were burned were St. Mary Baptist Church on March 26th and Greater Union Baptist Church on April 2nd.

Slow Progress at First

The GoFundMe campaign started on April 10th. Its original goal was $600,000, but was later revised to $1.8 million. However, the campaign had only raised just under $93,000 by the morning of Tuesday, April 16th, according to a screenshot taken by this Twitter user.

When the Notre Dame fire happened, French President Emmanuel Macron promised to launch a fundraising campaign in order to rebuild the cathedral. As millions of dollars started pouring in, Twitter influencers called for donations to the Louisiana churches. Journalist Yashar Ali in particular actively promoted the churches’ GoFundMe campaign. One of his tweets to that effect got over 31,000 retweets, 925 comments and over 62,000 likes.

Hillary Clinton, former NFL player Benjamin Watson, and news anchor Jake Tapper were among others who tweeted, encouraging people to donate. By Wednesday, the campaign met and exceeded its $1.8 million goal.  

Yashar Ali later tweeted a graph that GoFundMe sent him of the dramatic spike in donations after the buzz picked up on Twitter, saying, “Look at what Twitter did! Look at what you did!!”

The fire at Notre Dame, which is 850 years old, occurred on the evening of Monday, April 15th. While the cathedral’s spire was destroyed, the structure of the building survived, as well as many of its historic artifacts and artworks. Thankfully, no deaths were reported, and there was apparently only one injury.

Notre Dame’s fire is believed to have been an accident connected to the cathedral’s renovations, but authorities believe the Louisiana church fires to be related and criminal in nature. They have arrested 21-year-old Holden Matthews as a suspect and have charged him with arson and hate crimes at the state level, although he could face federal charges as well. Matthews has pled “not guilty.”

The finance secretary for the Seventh District Baptist Association, which is hosting the Louisiana churches’ GoFundMe campaign, says that the money raised will go toward all three churches equally. On the GoFundMe page, she expressed gratitude, asked for prayer, and concluded, “We will overcome this tragedy together because we are ONE BODY IN CHRIST!”

Crucifixion Illustration for Youth ‘went too far,’ Church Admits

By
Stephanie Martin
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thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

To demonstrate the suffering Jesus endured on Good Friday, an Ohio youth pastor encouraged students to hit him, spit in his face, and even cut him with a knife. After kids posted video of the incident to social media, parents were outraged.

During Monday’s after-school event, a shirtless Jaddeaus Dempsey, part-time associate pastor at Impact City Church in Pataskala, invited kids to hurt him “without any repercussions.” Although some students refused to participate, one asked if he could spit in Dempsey’s face a second time.

The whole experience was “weird and awkward,” according to a 12-year-old attendee.

‘They are supposed to be role models’

Complaints began as soon as parents saw the clips. “It was disturbing,” says Mandy, a mom whose son was handed the knife. After a friend informed her what was happening at the church, Mandy and her husband, Josh, rushed to pick up their son. The boy was upset and thought he was in trouble, so Josh assured him what the youth leader did “wasn’t OK.”

Another parent, Amanda Quick, says it was a poor decision to urge kids to hurt someone. Pastors “are supposed to be role models,” she says. “They are supposed to be people our children can look up to.”

One mom says, “I feel like there’s plenty of different ways [the pastor] could’ve gone about this.”

A writer says the illustration-gone-awry “became a parable about the readiness of children to perpetrate violence, sending a disquieting signal of how quickly some young people descend into the sort of savagery fictionalized in…Lord of the Flies.”

Intent Was Good, Pastors Say in Apology Video

By Tuesday, Dempsey and lead pastor Justin Ross had posted a video to Impact City’s Facebook page, saying, “The illustration went too far.”

“Many of you were hurt by this,” Ross says. “Many of you were very confused on why this would be taking place at a church and a youth event, and we agree. It was inappropriate for this audience, and there’s really no excuse for why it happened.”

Dempsey took responsibility, saying the idea was his and that it “crossed the line” and “was in bad judgment.” (You can watch the full video of the pastors’ apology below).

Ross emphasizes that social media footage doesn’t show Dempsey’s follow-up explanation to students. The youth pastor told them “about this guy named Jesus, who thousands of years ago, he was put on trial for a crime that he didn’t commit, and he was beaten, he was broken, he was whipped, he was crucified, and he died as an innocent man.” Dempsey was simply trying to “share” in Jesus’ pain, Ross adds.

The church’s board of directors will investigate the incident, according to another Facebook post, and staff members will reach out to students and their families.

In some cultures, inflicting physical pain is a Holy Week ritual showing repentance and a union with Christ’s suffering. Some people even endure being nailed to a cross, but the Catholic Church calls such practices a “misinterpretation of faith.”

How to Have an Impactful Prayer Time for Kids at Church

By
Dale Hudson
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thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Prayer should be a weekly part of your children’s ministry. Let’s look at how you can have an impactful prayer time for the kids in your ministry.

Establish a sense of reverence and awe. Kids should have a blast at church with lots of high-energy, loud games and activities. But when it comes time for prayer, bring the level down to prepare their hearts for prayer.

Start by explaining what prayer is. It is simply talking and listening to God.

Share a promise from God’s Word about prayer. Here are a few examples.

“Call to Me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Jeremiah 33:3

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” I John 5:14

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16

So, what does this look like in each age group. Here are some ways to incorporate prayer into these age groups.

Babies

Hold each baby and pray over them. Pray a prayer promise over each child. One great way to do this is to put some prayer promises up on the wall. This reminds team members to pray specific prayer promises over the child.

Even though babies can’t verbalize a prayer, you can plant memories of early prayer experiences that you led them through. Take their hands and hold them together like they are praying and say a prayer for them.

Preschoolers

  • Gather the kids into groups of six to eight kids.
  • Have them sit in a circle.
  • Go around and give each child the opportunity to share a prayer request.
  • Go around and give each child the opportunity to pray for one of the requests.
  • If any of the children are too shy to pray in a group, you can help them.

Another great prayer tool for preschoolers is finger prayers.

  • Thumb – pray for parent(s)
  • Pointer – pray for friends who need to be “pointed” to Jesus
  • Middle – pray for those who are sick
  • Ring  – pray for teachers
  • Little finger – pray for yourself

Elementary

  • Gather the kids into groups of six to eight kids.
  • Explain that prayer is talking to God.
  • Play soft, meditative music throughout this time.
  • Take prayer requests.
  • Have kids pair up and pray for each other’s prayer requests.
  • Explain that prayer is also listening to God.
  • Have the kids bow their heads. No one talking.
  • Have the kids sit in silence for one minute. Tell them to listen to anything God may speak to them about in the quietness of the minute.
  • After the minute is over, have kids share what God spoke to them about. You will be amazed at what they share.

We know that nothing of eternal value happens without prayer. If we are going to impact kids’ lives, we must teach them how to pray powerful prayers.

Today’s kids live in a very noisy world. There is always something coming their way. Text messages dinging on their phone. Notifications from dozens of apps vying for their attention. The action of mobile games beckoning them.

But if we can help kids learn the discipline of spending quiet, meditative time with Jesus, they can develop a close relationship with Him.

In Matthew 2:13, Jesus reminds us about the importance of prayer in church. He said, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer.’ ”

Your turn. What are some prayer activities or ideas you have used to teach children about prayer? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comment section below.

This article originally appeared here.

A Church for the Nones, the Dones and the Undones

By
Robert Butler
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thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

A little over eight years ago, a few of us began to plant an outpost for Christ in the far western suburb of Oswego, Chicago. We literally started without a plan and believed our reputation would be enough of a brand to bring people to the facility. We had the arrogant idea the rest of the area churches had failed in reaching the community. After all, less than 20 percent of the people were attending a faith community and only one church had any real growth in the area in the last 10 years. We weren’t all that original. We followed the formula given at so many of the church planting conferences and in 16 months launched a new church in the middle of a cornfield. Over 300 showed up on launch day. One year later, we had land, more parking and a great Sunday morning product. Yes. I said product.

It was a weekly production that took a lot of resources so people could come pick up their spirituality on a Sunday morning and drive off. We were the latest brand people were talking about. However, some of us had begun to sense something wasn’t right. I’ll never forget reading my first missional book and bringing the concept to the church lead team hearing: “Yes, it’s exciting but you can be missional and small. Or you can be attractional, encouraging and make it large.” The point was clear. The leadership may deride the current state of affairs in the church but we’re not ready to change anything other than offer a better product than everyone else.

A few years later, the entire launch team would disappear. The early adopters would be replaced by more institutional people. The old church ways would be implemented and coordinated, and the Sunday morning ritual sterilized. The church would still champion the idea of being a missional church in two locations. However, the church planting truth that whatever you do to bring them into the facility must be maintained or they will leave as fast as they came had set in. Today, the second site is less than half its launch size and the first location, which once stood over 800 in attendance, has fallen by two-thirds.

We believed in the church but thought there must be a better way.

We refused to accept the status quo and we believed the American Christian church of our fathers was crumbling. If we are to address what is working in our culture, the phenomenon of 12-step recovery has made its mark. A loosely based denomination of sorts with outposts in every town in America where the format to enlightenment comes with a simple process: admit, commit, submit and practice small group community. The simplicity is stunning and culminates in spiritual awakenings.

Equipped with this information, a love for sharing the gospel and willingness to not sit idle, a group of us formed a ministry for those people who are “Done”—with what we call church in America, “None”—claiming no religious preference when asked, and “Undone”—drowning in life by their actions or the actions of others. The concept is simple and encompasses the best of all great movements and heralds back to the original movement of Jesus. We are seeking to discover a life worth living that truly offers a foretaste of heaven. We call this movement Renew. Renew is founded on the vision that to discover a life worth living, you must first be in relationship with both God and others. Once either relationship begins, the authentic and compassionate nature of human beings fosters a greater understanding of the world around us.

Everything we do at Renew is about fostering growing relationships. Renew groups gather on a weeknight for a dinner and discussion and childcare is usually provided. We gather around a table to eat because it lowers the barrier to interaction with others. The experience is also about diffusing the tension of the world and infusing an everyday topic with a spiritual twist through the intersection of a spiritual and physical consideration. We offer music, art and a story to help everyone begin to think more critically before we break out into smaller affinity discussion groups.  It is a collection of many individuals and theologies. We have seen all types of people and viewpoints. We have laughed, cried, argued and even agreed to disagree. The process has been life giving. We have wondered about those first Christians as we discussed the differences between Christian thought, the human condition and culture bias.

The final component is service. We encourage everyone who comes to a Renew meeting to serve somewhere. It could be the neighbor down the block, the local mission or another not-for-profit. We recognize God works in these areas every day. He fosters our relationship with Him in these times and helps us to continue the expansion of our relationships, so others might discover a life through living as well.

While we admitted some church expressions are thriving, many are only the result of transfer growth of those who are discontent.  While the “cool” factor may bring them in, we know there’s not a fog machine, a strobe light, a celebrity pastor or a worship band that can reverse the decline.

The time has come for a wholesale change.

Excerpted from Renew: A Missional Movement for the None, Done and Undone. A DIY Manual for Kingdom Expansion

How God Sees Us: God Doesn’t See You As Ordinary, So Why Do You?

By
Nichole Chavez
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thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Giving a cup of water to a stranger is an ordinary act, but giving a cup of water on Jesus’ behalf makes the act extraordinary. There is no such thing as an ordinary act, there is no such thing as an ordinary life, and there is no such thing as an ordinary purpose IF our actions, lives and purposes are carried out on Jesus’ behalf.

The enemy wants us to believe that we can’t make a difference. Or that our purpose must be showcased on the world’s stage to be worth anything. But all Jesus wants from us is a willingness to step into the purpose He gives us to be blessed and multiplied.

When we compare ourselves to God, we are ordinary. But God doesn’t compare Himself to us because there is no comparison. He looks at us as His kids. We are the loves of His life. He wants good things and God things for us, and when He looks at us, He doesn’t see ordinary. He sees a masterpiece created on purpose with a purpose.

God doesn’t see you as ordinary, so why do you?

We have to change our way of thinking. Our battle with being ordinary exists in our minds—it is won there, and it is lost there. Sarah, the woman at the well, and several other mighty women in the Bible argued with God because what they thought about themselves did not match up with what God thought about them.

If you believe that you have a God-given purpose, then you believe you have an extraordinary purpose and that God is going to use that purpose in an extraordinary way. You don’t get to call yourself a child of God who was formed in your mother’s womb with a God-given purpose, and then, in the same breath, call yourself and your purpose ordinary. You don’t get to tell God that His masterpiece is average. You don’t get to tell God that His plan for your life in not big enough.

God is so good; He takes your purpose, blesses it and multiplies it. That makes it so much more than ordinary—it makes your purpose extraordinary.

Excerpted from Journey to Purpose: A Journey Worth Taking

These Easter Bloopers Will Make You All the More Thankful for Grace

By
Jessica Lea
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easter services
Screengrab via YouTube / @pastorunity

Easter is a time when we remember what Jesus has done for us through His death and resurrection. But the reality is sometimes our best efforts to remind people of the beauty of this story…go terribly awry.

And the reality is also that sometimes when this happens, it is hilarious. Here are four videos of churches that had a few mishaps during their Easter services.

You’ve Never Seen an Entrance Like This

It’s clear that the people participating in this Easter performance have wholeheartedly embraced the mantra, “The show must go on!” The video picks up the Easter story with Jesus dead in the tomb as a man from the congregation performs a song as a way of narrating what is happening.

As the music begins to crescendo, the singer proclaims Jesus’ victory and light starts coming from behind the tomb’s door. The only problem is that then the both the tomb and the door catch on fire. You can hear someone in the audience exclaim, “Uh oh! Go get it, go get it!” A man runs from the pews onstage just as the flaming door of the tomb flies open and the actor playing Jesus emerges from the burning tomb with his arms raised as though nothing unusual were happening.

The best part is the singer continues singing undisturbed, proclaiming “He is risen!” while the man from the congregation runs off the stage with the flaming tomb door and the audience cheers and applauds. Jesus continues crossing the stage dramatically as the singer perseveres in his song right to the very end. Meanwhile people from the congregation finally put out the flames with a fire extinguisher. After the song concludes, a man who is presumably the pastor says, “This has got to be the most exciting Easter I’ve ever had…You know the most exciting thing? I think we’re going to get new carpet!”

Hopefully, You’ve Never Seen (or Experienced) an Exit Like This

In this video, it seems that the actor playing Jesus was unaware he was going to not only be ascending into heaven but also rotating as he did so. From the front, he appears to be wearing a long, white robe, but as the cables cause him to turn, everyone can see that all he is really wearing is basically his underwear. #embarassing

Maybe He Needs a Doctor?

This next one is a little painful to watch. The mood is quite serious as people re-enact nailing Jesus to the cross to the somber singing of a choir. But as they raise the cross with the man playing Jesus attached to it, he turns out to be inadequately attached. As soon as they stand the cross upright, the actor falls to the ground with a thud as watching crowd gasps. The choir continues singing as men awkwardly try to get Jesus back on the cross and a woman keeps whispering, “Take him out!”

Not Quite the Object Lesson He Was Planning

In this last video, a pastor has a fake coffin set upright on stage for an object lesson. As he expounds on the fact that the members of his church are going to die one day, but that Jesus has defeated death, he walks into the coffin and holds the lid over it as he continues preaching. Then coffin tips over. Someone from the church apparently edited the rest of the video to make it an amusing lesson about the importance of persevering after falling down.

If nothing else, these videos are a good reminder of how messy life can be and how we could all use a little grace!

Pastors on Easter Be Like…

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

It’s that time of year where many churches are “ramping down” from the weekend of Easter. Extra practice for the Cantata is over, the shopping for the Easter dress or tie is but a memory, and all the Easter eggs have been hunted. There is a collective exhale from pastors and church staffs as they enjoy a brief respite until Mother’s Day.

Now that Easter season has come and gone this year, perhaps now you can laugh at the video John Crist put together that takes a humorous and slightly sarcastic view of the chaos that leads up to is Easter services in a lot of churches.

Like a ringmaster at a circus, imagine a pastor barking out a bunch of craziness like…

… Shuttles and golf carts in the parking lot… NOW!

…Has everyone shared our graphically designed Easter invitation on their Instagram? This is for the Kingdom!

…Who is trimming these hedges?? A youth intern??.. for Heaven’s sake!!

…We don’t have ministry time, but we do have a petting zoo outside.

…Connect cards, connect cards, and connect cards!

…Do we have the right mixture of haze in the fog machine?

…We don’t need new members, but do we have the rose petals in the visitor parking spaces?

…We are pro-Jesus and pro-Easter Bunny!

…Donuts? Check! Coffee? Check!

… Gluten free communion, fat free communion, whole thirty communion, vegan communion, paleo communion, non-GMO communion

Every Day, Two Churches in France Are Vandalized

By
Stephanie Martin
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church vandalism
Adobe Stock #1030271160

Although this week’s fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris wasn’t caused by arson, the incident is drawing attention to an alarming string of human-caused devastation at other French churches. Last year, 1,063 acts of vandalism and “anti-Christian acts” occurred at houses of worship, many of them Catholic.

“Every day, at least two churches are profaned,” says one lawmaker.

During the first two months of 2019, attacks on churches spiked 25 percent compared to the same months in 2018. Almost 50 attacks occurred in February 2019 alone.

France is now the “worst country in Europe” for “secularist, anti-religious intolerance,” according to Ellen Fantini, executive director of the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe, a Vienna-based watchdog group. In France, she says, attacking churches is considered a way to attack authority and the patriarchy.

Sacred Symbols Are Being Targeted

Throughout France, altars, statues, windows and cemeteries are being vandalized. Although some property thefts have occurred, destruction seems to be the focus.

Last month, the historic Saint Sulpice in Paris was reportedly set on fire just after noon Mass. And at a basilica built in 1135, vandals smashed stained-glass windows and caused extensive damage to an organ that’s almost two centuries old.

On February 4 at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Houilles, the altar cross was thrown to the ground and a statue of Mary destroyed. The next day, an altar cloth was burned and crosses and statues were smashed in Lavaur. And on February 6, vandals smeared feces on the cross at Notre-Dame des Enfants in Nimes. They also scattered consecrated host outside the church.

The Eucharist was scattered at the Church of Notre-Dame de Dijon in Cote-d’Or in early February, as well. Vandals there clearly wanted to hit the “heart of the Catholic faith,” says Father Emmanuel Pic. “Nothing of value has been broken, but it is the intent that is very shocking. This is what characterizes profanation.” The priest adds that the responsible parties obviously knew the host was “a very strong symbol” for worshipers, who believe it becomes Christ’s body after consecration.

Fantini, from the watchdog group, says targeting symbols points to “a very personal attack on Catholicism and Christianity, more than spray-painting a slogan on the outside wall of a church.”

Christianity faces ‘rising hostility’ in France 

Evangelical Christian churches also have sustained damage. At Hope and Life Church in Angoulême, vandals sabotaged the sound system and threw paint on walls, chairs, a piano and Bibles. Pastor Joseph Miall said the perpetrators, with their “willingness to destroy,” seemed to be trying to prevent worship from occurring.

Investigators don’t know if the attacks throughout France are linked. Only one arrest has been made, after a man confessed to the incident in Houilles.

“The perpetrators haven’t left many clues as to their identities,” says Fantini, “especially compared to similar incidents in other countries where political or social slogans are used in graffiti. We can surmise that the main actors are anarchist, feminist and Islamist activists, based on what we’ve seen in the past in France.” 

In 2016, Islamic jihadists killed Jacques Hamel, an 85-year-old Catholic priest, while he was celebrating Mass at a church in Normandy.

Kara Powell: Teens Want Faith, Not Church

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

Dr. Kara Powell is the Executive Director of the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) and a faculty member at Fuller Theological Seminary. Named by Christianity Today as one of “50 Women You Should Know,” Kara serves as a Youth and Family Strategist for Orange, and also speaks regularly at parenting and leadership conferences. Kara is the author or coauthor of a number of books, including Growing With.

Key Questions for Kara Powell

– What are some practical ways the church can help parents “grow with” their children in faith?

– What advice do you have for parents who are concerned about how their children are exploring faith outside the bounds the parent is comfortable with?

Key Quotes from Kara Powell

“If we only think of faith as a noun, we tend to think of it as something that is static, as something that doesn’t change, as something that doesn’t grow and evolve.”

“Some of my favorite questions to ask teenagers are: What do you no longer believe about faith and life that you think I still believe? And what do you now believe about faith and life that you think I don’t believe?”

“If we don’t ‘open a can of worms’ with our kids, that can of worms becomes a much bigger barrel of snakes.”

“When young people have the opportunity to explore and express those questions about God, that’s actually correlated with greater faith maturity…It’s not doubt that’s toxic to faith development; it’s silence that’s toxic to faith development.”

“I have an MDiv; I have a Ph.D. in practical theology; I’ve gone to 26 grades of school. No lie: My 12-year-old can stump me with her questions about God. Part of me takes comfort in that because if I could understand and explain everything about God then God wouldn’t be God. God would just be some kind of cool guy.”

“We need a new parenting posture that helps us grow together [with our kids]. The definition of ‘growing with’ is a mutual journey of intentional growth, for ourselves and our kids, that trusts God to transform all of us.”

“Much of the leadership of children’s and youth and young adult ministry is led by people who have never parented the age group that they’re overseeing.”

“What we’re seeing creative, innovative churches do is take advantage of when families are transitioning as a time when families are particularly interested in training.”

“The two things that often draw young people back are relationships and suffering.”

“One thing I ask myself often as a parent is ‘How can I be a wall of unconditional support?’”

“A lot of what parents think is a young person turning from faith is actually a young person turning from forms of church that make sense to the parent, and the young person figuring out a version of following Jesus that makes sense to them.”

“Young people are much more likely to distance themselves from the institutional church than they’re actually walking away from faith. So take heart, parents. Just because they’re not involved in church like you are, that doesn’t mean that they have turned their back on a relationship with Jesus.”

Mentioned in the Show:

Growing With
Fuller Youth Institute
Quiz on GrowingWithBook.com
Kara Powell on Twitter, Insta, Facebook.

Kara Powell on ChurchLeaders:

The #1 Reason Youth Leave the Church—And How to Reverse the Trend

Other Ways to Listen to this Podcast:

► Listen on Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-churchleaders-podcast/id988990685?mt=2

► Listen on Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/churchleaders/the-churchleaders-podcast

► Listen on GooglePlay: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/churchleaders/the-churchleaders-podcast

► Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NOo1CepdPQog17rmL7DuT

When Discipling Children Remember the 3 “Be’s”

By
Jason TIlley
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thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

If you teach children, whether as a Sunday School teacher or a small group leader, you are a spiritual influence in the life of a child be it good or bad.

First, you should know that this makes you a hero in my book and to many others as well.

“If I could relive my life, I would devote my entire ministry to reaching children for God!” — Dwight L. Moody

You have the potential to influence the next generation to follow Christ, and while it is not all on us to do (thank God), you do bear some responsibility.

Use the following “Be” statements to get in the right mindset to serve the children in your church.

Be Prompt
We live in a rush-around-always-behind world, but being on time when you promise to serve in any volunteer position is essential. Even more so when it comes to serving children. I’ll tell you why.

When parents show up to your ministry area, and you are late, it makes them uncomfortable. They may not say as much, but they feel it.

Your tardiness makes your ministry feel unsafe. It makes parents think their children are not important to your church. It also stresses out your ministry leader.

Being late once in a while is life. No worries. Being late habitually makes you look like you do not care.

Be Prepared
When you have a lesson to teach, take some time during your week to familiarize yourself with it.

Your lesson, whether it is a curriculum from a publisher or written by someone in your church, is the product of prayer, thought and study. You honor that effort by putting in your own effort to present it as it was intended.

Skimming the lesson five minutes before the service starts does not prepare you to teach well. Even if you are a skilled teacher, you don’t know the nuances of every lesson.
More importantly, the time you spend skimming and cramming in the back of the room or in a hallway would be better spent connecting with the children, their parents and your fellow volunteers.

Most lessons are only a few pages long, so take a half hour during the week to study and pray over the lesson. This will make your teaching more effective and your service less stressful.

Be Present
Being prompt and prepared sets you up well for this last one. You cannot put a price on your influence in the life of a child. That is why making sure you are fully present in the moment is so important.

If the child has some news, like “I scored a goal in my soccer game” or “ I read about Jonah, it was really scary,” that is an opportunity for you to celebrate and encourage the child.

Get down on the child’s level, take a moment to look them in the eye. Ask them follow-up questions, such as what they learned from the story or how it felt to score that goal. Tell them how proud of them you are for spending time reading God’s word.

Be prompt, be prepared and be present, and watch God use you to make a difference in the life of the children.

This article originally appeared here.

Dealing With Doubts in College (and Beyond)

By
Jeff Baxter
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thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

A Disciple’s Hesitation
It happened. It was done. Finished. Complete. Fulfilled. The proof had been on display with eyewitness accounts for more than 40 days (Acts 1:3). Forty days! That’s longer than a month. That’s longer than Christmas break.

Jesus’ closest friends had seen him repeatedly after the resurrection. They knew he’d been crucified, yet there he was again—alive. Put yourself in their sandals for a minute or two. Can you imagine seeing him again? You might have hugged him, shared a meal with him, laughed with him, cried with him, and heard him retell stories of events you’d seen firsthand. “Remember that storm on the lake?” he would say. “Remember the faith of Peter?”

As he spoke, you couldn’t stop staring at him. As he served you the bread on the beach (John 21:13), you couldn’t help staring at the holes in his hands. He was walking among you again. There was no reason for you to doubt the tomb was empty and Jesus was alive.

But according to Matthew, some of those closest to Jesus did doubt. Listen to his account of one of the final commissioning speeches from Jesus to his disciples:

Then the 11 disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. (Matthew 28:16-17)

Remember, this isn’t the first time the disciples spent time with Jesus after he rose from the dead; they’d been with him before. One time it was with a crowd of 500 (1 Corinthians 15:6)! Yet Matthew tells us some doubted. Some doubted? Why? How? These men and women had been with Jesus off and on for over 40 days. Yet they still had this place deep inside that questioned, that wondered, “Could all this be true? Is Jesus really alive in front of me? Is Jesus really the Messiah?”

And what about Thomas? He’s mainly known as a doubter—a bummer of a description to have written on his tombstone. But his first reaction to hearing the news that the other disciples had seen Jesus alive was, “No way! I’ve got to see it myself.” Nothing happened for a week. A week! Thomas might’ve laid awake thinking about it every night of the week, his doubts growing deeper each dark minute.

Then, a week later, Jesus appears to the disciples again—and this time Thomas was there (John 20:24-29). Jesus set up a personal worship experience with him. I can imagine Jesus telling Thomas something like, “Tom, come over here and put your fingers in the holes in my hands. Put your fingers in my side. Feel that? That’s from the spikes and spear. What do you think, Tom?” John tells us that doubting Thomas responded, “My Lord and my God!”

Do you think Thomas ever doubted again? We don’t really know. Maybe he did. But on that day he understood the true identity of Jesus.

What to Do With Doubts
Doubts about spiritual things come in all shapes and sizes. There are big doubts that plague all of us and hang around for a while. There are smaller doubts that quickly come and go. I can imagine sometimes when you’ve prayed you’ve felt like the prayers just bounced off the ceiling. I know I’ve had that feeling. You might be questioning if you’re heading to the right college or landing the right job. Maybe you’re wondering why that terrible tragedy happened or questioning whether God even cares about the details of your life.

Doubts make their way in. You can do your best to ignore them and get past them, but they keep knocking at the door of your heart. As a believer in Jesus, you might think, I’m not supposed to doubt, right? You might feel like others look to you for answers, but you’re filled with questions of your own. You begin to beat yourself up with guilt. What’s wrong with me? Why do I doubt God? I’m a believer. What will my friends and family think of me?

If you’re struggling with doubt, I’d encourage you to relax. Take a deep breath. Doubts are a normal part of the journey with Jesus, and they’re especially common in times of transition. As you journey out the door, customizing your life into all that God would have it become, you’ll face doubts. But your identity is in Christ, and placing your faith in him will help you work through those doubts.

Remember: Doubt is not the opposite of belief. The opposite of belief is unbelief. Authentic faith says, “I doubt like the rest, and I’ll be honest with my feelings.” I think the disciples were honest about their doubts, and Jesus helped them along as they kept following him. Maybe he had to hang around for 40 days after the resurrection just so they’d be convinced he was alive! The key is to stay true to your deep belief in God and follow Jesus wholeheartedly, even when doubts creep in. Don’t run away from God when you doubt; use it as an opportunity to get closer to Jesus like Thomas did. Get close enough to touch his hands and side.

Next page: 4 steps for dealing with the doubt

A Three-Legged Stool for Extraordinary Prayer

By
Daniel Henderson
-
thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Recently, I was privileged to lead a two-day prayer summit for some key denominational leaders at a Colorado retreat center. While these men collectively oversee thousands of churches that reach millions of believers across the globe, none had ever participated in a non-agenda, multi-day, community experience of Scripture-fed, Spirit-led, worship-based prayer.

In summary, the days we shared were personally transformational, collectively unifying and missionally clarifying. As we reflected on the impact of those two short days, three key ingredients seemed absolutely core to this powerful experience. We also recognized that the world, the flesh and the devil oppose each of these essential commitments. But without a resolute commitment of 1) Time, 2) Attention and 3) Community, our efforts to learn to pray in life-transforming ways will always fall short. You could call these elements the three legs of a stool, with the stool being an extraordinary life of prayer.

The Commitment of Time

In his classic book Spiritual Leadership, J. Oswald Sanders notes, “Mastering the art of prayer, like any other art, will take time, and the amount of time we allocate to it will be the true measure of our conception of its importance. To most, crowding duties are a reason for curtailing time spent in prayer.”[I]

The New Testament model is compelling. Certainly, Jesus’ prayer life serves as an inspiration. We see Him committing 40 days with the Father prior to beginning His ministry (Matthew 4:2), praying all night before choosing the disciples (Luke 6:12), often praying alone (Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16) and with His disciples (Luke 11:1, 9:28). The early church was launched out of 10 days of prayer, but too often we launch our day with less than 10 minutes in communion with God. Paul noted at the outset of many of his letters that he (and his companions) prayed “always” for the churches.

If we are sincerely committed to make prayer important and influential in our lives, we must give concentrated and consistent time to this vital engagement with God. The prayer summit experience with these leaders was powerful because we were able to devote two days out of our very busy schedules to make it a priority.

The Commitment of Attention

I’ve heard Jim Cymbala say many times, “The main thing God asks for is our attention.” But today, our prayer lives suffer from Spiritual Attention Deficit Disorder. SADD indeed. In a world of sound bites, 30-second commercials, 15-second spots and non-stop social media notifications, our brains are being remapped to expect rapid fire stimulation. Extended times of intense concentration and focus are becoming an endangered species.

Today our time with God suffers from relentless exterior interruption and interior wandering. The devil is incessantly launching weapons of mass distraction upon our lives. The resolve of David, “For God alone my soul waits in silence” (Psalm 62:1), seems unattainable for our pressured and preoccupied souls.

What made our days in prayer at our retreat center so rich was the opportunity to shut down technology, slow our pace, detox our souls, and give God our extended and united attention.

The Commitment to Community

Every time I enjoy these experiences of extraordinary corporate prayer, I am reminded that transformation is not just something that occurs in private. It is also fueled by praying in community with others.

The church was birthed in a 10-day prayer meeting (Acts 1:14, 2:1). They coped with crisis and persecution together on their knees (Acts 4:24-31). As the church grew, the apostles refused to become embroiled in administrative problems because of their resolute desire to model prayer in their leadership team (Acts 6:4). Through united prayer, they trusted God for miraculous, divine interventions in times of extreme trouble (Acts 12:5-12). They received ministry direction through intense seasons of worshipful prayer (Acts 13:1 & 2).

If you were then to ask, “Which is more important—private prayer or corporate prayer?” my answer will always be, “Yes!” It is like asking which leg is more crucial to walking. The right or the left?

In our Western culture, we have come to believe that it is more important to pray alone than with others. This is a symptom of our basic view of society. In his book The Connecting Church, Randy Frazee describes our culture of “individualism.” He notes that we are no longer born into a culture of community but a “way of life that makes the individual supreme or sovereign over everything.”[ii] Frazee documents this as a problem, especially for those born after World War II. He laments the impact on the church by observing that we have “all too often mirrored the culture by making Christianity an individual sport.”[iii]

Michael Griffiths reiterates this consideration when he writes, “In standard English, the second person singular ‘you’ and the second person plural ‘you’ are identical. Thus, New Testament Letters addressed to congregations are read (by us) as though they were addressed to the individuals. It is good and right that we should apply the Scriptures to ourselves personally, but it is unfortunate if we also apply the Scriptures individualistically and ignore the fact that the original intention was to instruct us not so much as individuals, but as whole communities of Christian people.”[iv]

To Live on Mission Will Never Fit Into Your Schedule. Try It Anyway.

By
Kristan Dooley
-
thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

As we talk with and coach leaders in missional living, one of the main hindrances is busyness. How can I live on mission when I’m already so busy? Can I really fit it into my schedule? Maybe it will be easier when things are less busy.

But the truth is mission will never fit into your schedule. The key is learning to live your whole life as mission, and seeing where that takes you, and how it shapes your schedule.

When a friend went missing

For weeks I had been hearing, “Mom, Yosselin was sick today. She wasn’t at school again. Do you think something’s wrong with her?”

Yosselin Randall was the little girl my then six-year-old sat next to in first grade. The truth is while I was concerned about her classmate, I didn’t know Yosselin, I wasn’t sure if something was wrong, and to be honest, I didn’t have time to figure it out.

The next morning as Ella again shared concern for her friend, the Holy Spirit stopped me dead in my tracks. “I’m speaking to your daughter. Her concern is from me.”

A devastating diagnosis

A week later we sat around Yosselin’s kitchen table as her grandparents told us she had stage four osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. The diagnosis was quick and the treatment and surgeries would be even quicker. This beautiful little girl now faced a year of chemotherapy, radiation and multiple surgeries.

The Randall family had been hit hard. In addition to the cancer diagnosis, recent flood damage had ripped apart the foundation of their small home. They were living in less than ideal quarters, working on renovations to fix the holes in the floor and ceiling from all the damage when the cancer diagnosis was delivered.

Responding to an invitation

After listening to their story and praying over their future, we left brokenhearted, feeling heavier than we had ever felt. That night I tossed and turned trying to get the day’s events out of my mind. Then God spoke to me very clearly: Somehow I knew He wanted us to build this family a new house.

I tried to ignore it and do my best to return to life as normal. But I just couldn’t shake it. I had no idea know how to build a house, but I knew God didn’t want them to fight this battle in a broken home.

For the next 10 months, we put all we had into the invitation we sensed God was giving us. My girls made bracelets to sell, raffled off tickets at football games, went to countless meetings with us, and played on the floor while we poured over details.

People showed up out of nowhere, everyone pitching in and playing a part. Our family and friends did so much, and in our effort, God met us and did more than we could imagine. In the end, we were able to hand the Randall family a key to a brand new, completely furnished, fully paid for, handicap accessible home.

Already busy enough

At the time this happened, my life was over-scheduled. I was too busy doing “really good things” to take time to notice the God things already happening around me.

I don’t remember all I gave up by stepping aside and pausing. It pales in comparison to all we’ve gained.

Mission will do that to you. It will draw you in so you can contribute, but it sends you out having been contributed to.

Jesus said it himself, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

3 steps towards change

Everyone’s life is busy these days. It seems like it’s just part of living in our culture nowadays. Here are a few things I’ve learned from our experience that have helped me continue to live on mission in the midst of a busy life:

1. Be a noticer

One of the core axioms we talk about in our coaching is that God is always present and at work, which means we always have an open invitation to join him.

It’s easy to get so wrapped up in the busyness of our schedules we forget to even notice what’s going on around us. Many times, the Bible says that Jesus paused and noticed someone or something. Some of His best work was done on His busiest days.

Noticing God at work is a muscle we develop as we use it. Before you walk into a store, a meeting or a restaurant—pause and ask God to help you notice where He’s working.

2. Turn aside

When God called to Moses from the burning bush it says Moses turned aside (Exodus 3:3). It was in turning aside to observe what he noticed that God then gave Moses his new assignment.

There are times I notice something and still don’t do anything with it. Sometimes it’s because of the many details in my head, other times I’m distracted by my kids arguing and, to be really honest, it is frequently the intimidation of not knowing what He might ask me to do.

But Moses was scared, too. In fact, He tried to talk God out of using Him, but I doubt at the end he looked back on his journey and wished he hadn’t turned aside to listen.

3. Join in

God is always inviting us to say “yes.” Our willingness paves the way to bigger things. Obedience is the key to opening the Kingdom of heaven.

The more we do say yes the more we become comfortable doing it. Find a small way to join in and say yes today. Notice what God might be doing and respond to Him. Join in and then see what happens!

Popping the bubble of busy

I don’t regret that our family invested 10 months of our lives to partner with God on mission for Yosselin’s family. I’m not sad we put some things on hold as we witnessed miracle after miracle. I’m not sad my girls got to experience a move of God that will forever change the way they believe.

I’m not sad my husband and I came together and popped the bubble of busy so we could be free to respond in a life-changing way. We paused our overbooked, ministry filled life and God gave us a taste of His under-utilized, but always overflowing power.

Mission will never fit into your schedule. It just won’t. But I’m telling you, do it anyway because it will change your life. Do it because there are families like Yosselin’s who have every reason to give up hope and who need to see a move of God.

And do it because there are families like yours who need to encounter the miraculous side of Him. Do it when the steps feel big and especially do it when the steps feel small because it’s often one step at a time that God builds a story.

Oh yeah, and about Yosselin…this year she is five years cancer free!

This article originally appeared here.

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