Lord, All I Have Is Yours

March 20, 2019

Jesus’ encounter with the rich young man has always unsettled me. I’m an American. I’m as middle-class as Americans go, which means I live in a level of affluence and abundance unknown by most of my co-inhabitants of this world today, and by a far, far lower percentage of people in history. In global and historical terms, I am that man.

The most disturbing thing about the young man is that he seemed so familiar with his affluence-shaped religious and cultural assumptions that he didn’t realize how out of touch with spiritual reality he was. I doubt that many around him discerned how out of touch he was. From the very brief glimpses of him we catch in the synoptics, and by Jesus’ response to him in Mark’s account, this man doesn’t seem to match the arrogant rich oppressor we envision when we read James 5:4–6. Those around him might have assumed his prosperity was God’s affirmative blessing.

After all, this man was spiritually earnest—running to Jesus and kneeling before him to ask him if there was more he needed to do to be saved (Mark 10:17). He had all the appearance of piety—having kept (or believed he did) the commandments Jesus listed since he was young (Mark 10:19–20). And he was sincere—Mark records that “Jesus, looking at him, loved him” (Mark 10:21). He was all these things, yet he lacked the kind of faith that saves.

Spiritually earnest, sincere, apparently pious—perhaps more than most around him. Isn’t that what faith looks like? No, not necessarily. Faith looks like trusting. And when it comes to what we really believe, trusting looks like treasuring. For when it’s all on the line for us, we always trust in what we truly treasure.

Show Me What I Trust

The most loving thing Jesus could do for this earnest, sincere young man was show him the god he trusted: “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me” (Mark 10:21). Then the man saw his real god, and he walked away from Jesus’ incredible invitation “sorrowful.” Why? “He had great possessions”(Mark 10:22). This led to Jesus’ devastating observation:

And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! … It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:23–25)

When it was all on the line for the young man, he trusted his wealth, his possessions, more than God. His wealth was his god, and that kept him from entering the kingdom. The thing is, he didn’t see this until he really had to choose.

Do you find that disconcerting? The disciples did: “Then who can be saved?” (Mark 10:26). As an affluent American living in the midst of unprecedented historical abundance, I do. I don’t trust my faith self-assessment (1 Corinthians 4:3). I can trust only God’s assessment (1 Corinthians 4:4). And since faith is really proven genuine only when it is tried (1 Peter 1:6–7; James 1:2–4; 2 Corinthians 13:5), we must be willing, like the young man, to say to Jesus,

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23–24)

And if Jesus doesn’t call us to leave our abundance, but to continue living faithfully in it—if we are to really trust God and not our abundance—then we need the faith to abound.

Faith to Abound

Paul said he had learned to be content in whatever situation he found himself:

I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:12–13)

If given the choice, most of us likely would prefer to be given the faith to abound rather than the faith to be brought low. I think that’s because we aren’t fully cognizant of the dangerous nature of material prosperity. Paul meant it when he said it requires God’s strength to “face plenty.”

“Abundance” (prosperity) and “need” (scarcity) are very different circumstances. They both require faith in order to handle them in ways that glorify God. But they demand the exercising of different sets of faith muscles. Scarcity requires faith muscles for trusting God in a place of needy desperation. Prosperity requires faith muscles for trusting God in place of bountiful material security.

Exercising faith in scarcity is not easy by any means. Most of us fear scarcity more than prosperity because the threat is clearly seen. But ironically, that’s one reason it can be easier to exercise faith in scarcity than in prosperity. Because in scarcity, our need is clear and our options are typically few. We feel desperate for God to provide for us and so we are driven to seek him—to exercise our faith.

But exercising faith in prosperity is different. It’s a more complex and deceptive spiritual and psychological environment. It requires that we truly trust—truly treasure—God when we don’t feel desperate for his provision, when we feel materially secure, when nothing external is demanding that we feel urgency. When we have lots of options that look innocuous and we can spend precious time and money on all sorts of pursuits and enjoyments. This environment is so dangerous that Jesus warns it is harder for people in it to enter God’s kingdom than for a camel to climb through the eye of a needle. Test yourself. When have you sought God most earnestly: in need or abundance?

When God Is Our Option

Christians have always found it harder to voluntarily give away security than to desperately plead for it. It requires different faith muscles to trust God in divesting ourselves of prosperity for his sake than to trust God to meet our scarcity for his sake. In some ways, it takes greater faith to trust God when you have other options than when he is our only option.

That’s why the laborers are so few when the harvest is so plenty (Luke 10:2). Few want to face worldly need in order to experience kingdom plenty. It makes the kind of faith that saints like George Müller and Hudson Taylor exercised so remarkable.

Yes, they trusted in God in scarcity. But what made this all the more remarkable was that they could have raised money in other legitimate ways to support their work and avoid many of those needy moments. But they voluntarily chose (which is different from being circumstantially forced) to place themselves in a position of desperation to demonstrate that God exists and rewards those who seek him (Hebrews 11:6). They, like Paul, learned the secret of facing abundance and need: fully trusting God, their Treasure.

Whatever It Takes

We Christians who live in abundance need to heed the story of the rich young man. We need him to unnerve us. For the whole history of the church bears witness to the general trend that the wealthier she grows, the more corrupt, indulgent and apathetic she grows. And the less urgent over lost souls she feels. It’s harder for people in our environment to be real Christians than for camels to pass through a needle’s eye.

But Jesus does not leave us without great hope. He announces, “With man [handling material abundance faithfully] is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27). So, let us run to Jesus—who has power to do what is impossible for us—kneel before him, and plead:

Whatever it takes, Lord, help me to truly trust you as my greatest treasure. I would rather lose my material security and gain the kingdom than gain the world and lose my soul. All I have is yours—my life, my family, my time, my money, my possessions, my future—and I will steward them as you wish, even if it means losing them (Philippians 3:8). And I invite you to search my heart and put my faith to the test.

This article originally appeared here.

The Goodness and Pleasantness of Community

Warren Peel

March 20, 2019

A few weeks ago I was reading Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers and was struck by the story with which he introduces the book. It’s about a little town in Pennsylvania called Roseto, founded by a wave of some 1,200 immigrants who came across from Italy at the end of the 19^thcentury and named for the village from which they almost all came. The people prospered and developed a little microcosm of their homeland there in Pennsylvania. Gladwell writes, ‘If you wandered up and down the streets of Roseto in Pennsylvania, in the first few decades after 1900, you would have heard only Italian spoken, and not just any Italian but the precise southern Foggian dialect spoken back in the Italian Roseto.’

In the late 1950s a professor from the medical school at the University of Oklahoma called Charles Wolf was having a drink with a local doctor near Roseto. The doctor happened to mention that after 17 years of practice he rarely found anyone from Roseto under the age of 65 with heart disease. He treated patients from all over the area for all kinds of ailments, but no-one from Roseto with that particular complaint.

This was more than a little unusual at that time, since before cholesterol lowering drugs heart attacks were the leading cause of death in the United States in men under the age of 65. Intrigued, Wolf was determined to find out if this was so and why.

An exhaustive field-study by Wolf in 1961 proved that the doctor’s impression was accurate. ‘In Roseto, virtually no-one under 55 died of a heart attack, or showed any signs of heart disease. For men over 65, the death rate from heart disease in Roseto was roughly half that of the United States as a whole. The death rate from all causes in Roseto, in fact, was something like 30 or 35 percent lower than it should have been.’ As John Bruhn, a sociologist who collaborated with Wolf, put it, ‘There was no suicide, no alcoholism, no drug addiction and very little crime. They didn’t have anyone on welfare. Then we looked at peptic ulcers. They didn’t have any of those either. These people were dying of old age. That’s it.’

The why of this phenomenon was harder to discover. Wolf looked for an explanation in the people’s diet and exercise, in their genes, and in their environment, but it turned out to be none of these things. Gladwell writes, ‘As Bruhn and Wolf walked around the town…they looked at how the Rosetans visited each other, stopping to chat with each other in Italian on the street, or cooking for each other in their backyards. They learned about the extended family clans that underlay the town’s social structure. They saw how many homes had three generations living under one roof, and how much respect grandparents commanded. They went to Mass at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church and saw the unifying and calming effect of the church. They counted 22 separate civic organizations in a town of just under 2,000 people. They picked up on the particular egalitarian ethos of the town, that discouraged the wealthy from flaunting their success and helped the unsuccessful obscure their failures… The Rosetans were healthy because of the world they had created for themselves in their tiny little town in the hills.’

In God’s common grace, the people of Roseto illustrated something of the truth of Psalm 133.1: Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! We were created to live in harmony with one another—the souls and even, as Roseto shows us, the bodies that the Lord has given us yearn for that community. Human beings do better in every way when we live as God intends.

But if the secular town of Roseto is a picture of this truth, how much more clearly then should the Church of Jesus Christ illustrate it!

Shortly after reading this I happened to be preaching on the picture Luke draws in Acts 2.42-47 of the new society God’s Spirit created on the Day of Pentecost:

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ⁴³ And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ And all who believed were together and had all things in common. ⁴⁵ And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Doesn’t that sound deeply appealing? Not least on a day like today when news reports are filtering in from Christchurch, New Zealand, of at least 49 people gunned down in a terror attack.

· A community where everyone is together—not just geographically in the same place; the phrase means more than that: everyone is together in spirit, pursuing the same goals, united by a common devotion to the apostles’ teaching.

· A community where people are so devoted to sharing with one another that they voluntarily sell their possessions to provide for one another’s needs, and not because they have been forced to do so at gunpoint by a police state.

· A community where people delight to spend time together, so that they are in and out of each other’s homes on a daily basis.

· A community of generous-hearted people, where no-one is trying to outdo anyone else or show off what they have.

All this is part of what the Spirit-filled church looks like. If the people of Roseto could achieve a secular version of this, how much more can we who have been ‘clothed with power from on high’ (Lk 24.49)? Here is an ideal to strive for that is not idealistic but realistic, thanks to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within his people. And it makes us long above all for our eternal home, the new Jerusalem, a city, a community where God’s people are perfectly and forever united as they bask in the light of the Lamb who is its lamp.

This article originally appeared here.

Christians, Bikers ‘Haka for Hope’ to Protect Muslims

Jessica Lea

March 20, 2019

Many came together Wednesday evening to show their love and support for the community of Christcurch, New Zealand, in the aftermath of the deadly shootings that occurred at two local mosques last Friday. After hundreds of people participated in a traditional Maori dance called the “haka,” dozens of people linked arms and silently stood protecting Muslims who had gathered to pray that evening.

“We are here because love is greater than hate, that’s the theme. We are here tonight for our Muslim whanau,” said biker and pastor Derek Tait, who spoke at the event. “Whanau” is a Maori term for extended family.

The Violence and Its Aftermath

On Friday, March 15, a gunman opened fire on worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, killing 50 people and wounding 50 more before authorities intervened. Police believe that the suspect, Brenton Harrison Tarrant, would have attacked a third location had he not been stopped. Tarrant, 28 years old, also live streamed himself going room to room, shooting people and was apparently motivated to commit his act of terrorism out of white supremacist ideology. Before the shooting, he posted a 74-page manifesto online called “The Great Replacement,” which according to Channel News Asia, “repeats popular far-right conspiracy theories about how white Europeans are being deliberately replaced by non-white immigrants.” Footage of the shooting was uploaded to the Internet afterward. Police urged people not to share it with one another and quickly worked to take it down.

In defiance of the violence and fear Tarrant incited, Muslim worshippers have continued praying in front of the first location he attacked, the Al Noor mosque. But Wednesday was different, as close to a thousand people attended “Haka for Hope,” an event hosted by Man Up Canterbury. Man Up Canterbury is a program that helps men to “become better fathers, husbands, brothers and leaders in their home and community” and which is affiliated with a biker club, the Tu Tangata Riders. Multiple biker gangs and clubs rode to the event and helped to lead attendees in the haka. The Maori dance is “a fierce display of a tribe’s pride, strength and unity” and involves “violent foot-stamping, tongue protrusions and rhythmic body slapping to accompany a loud chant.”

https://www.facebook.com/anifeau/videos/2549440878419003/

Derek Tait rides with Tu Tangata and is the senior pastor of Destiny Church Christchurch. He spoke to the crowd, emphasizing the unity that should be between people of all races and rhetorically asking, “What color are your tears?” He also noted that people’s efforts toward peace and unity should continue beyond that night: “It should be from here forward that we make a stand against any hate at all.”

A woman named Nuha Asad who lost her husband in the shooting deeply appreciated the support: “The New Zealand community really cares for us and we’re really together in this. It made us a little happier in the grief.”

Several biker gangs are planning to protect Muslim worshippers this coming Friday during Friday prayers.

On its Facebook page, Haka for Hope’s organizers said,

Such an incredible turnout at our Haka for Hope event tonight! At least a thousand people gathered to show their love and support for our Muslim brothers and sisters at the Deans Ave cordon.

Our city joined together as one to do the Tika Tonu haka, sing our National Anthem and finished with a waiata.

We would like to thank you all for coming along.

A big thank you to all the bike clubs and gangs who came together with one days notice and made it all happen.

A special mention to the Canterbury Police for escorting all the bikers with only hours of notice and to the officers who were holding it down at Hagley.

Thank you Thank you Thank you ❤️❤️

We stand with our Muslim community, and love is greater than hate. Tu Tangata!

LifeWay Is Closing Its Remaining 170 Stores This Year

Megan Briggs

March 20, 2019

LifeWay Christian Resources has announced it is moving all its product sales online. Put another way, the retail arm of the Southern Baptist Convention will be closing its remaining 170 brick-and-mortar stores in 2019.

The LifeWay Store Is ‘No Longer Viable’

“While we had hoped to keep some stores open, current market projections show this is no longer a viable option,” LifeWay CEO Brad Waggoner said.

The company announced in January it would have to close some of its stores, but this more recent announcement confirmed fears the last big Christian bookstore chain in the United States will soon be no longer.

LifeWay’s decision to close its physical stores will likely be met with disappointment from the communities that housed the stores. In addition to selling things like Bibles, books by Christian authors, Bible studies and Christian music, the stores also served as meeting locations for small groups and community events. Which is why Waggoner indicated “the decision to close our stores is a difficult one… LifeWay has developed close connections with the communities where our stores are located, and we have been honored to serve those communities.”

When each store will close will vary depending on the store location, but LifeWay expects all their 170 locations will be closed by the end of the year. An FAQ page on LifeWay’s website indicates store closing sales at each of its remaining locations will likely last two months.

Waggoner emphasized the move away from physical to digital is a strategic one for the company. “As the market continues to change, primarily through shifts in brick-and-mortar retail, we are taking steps to meet customer demand for digital shopping experiences and to expand our reach globally,” he said. Since more and more LifeWay customers are moving online, Waggoner believes “investing in a dynamic digital strategy allows LifeWay to better serve the church in its mission and only enhances our ability to provide biblical solutions for life.”

LifeWay Following the Footsteps of Family Christian Stores

LifeWay’s announcement comes just a couple short years after Family Christian bookstores announced it was closing its remaining 240 stores after a prolonged financial struggle it could not recover from. Family Christian was the largest chain of Christian retail stores in the world. They filed for bankruptcy in 2015, and in February 2017, the company (an arm of Zondervan Publishing) announced it had lost its financial struggle and would be closing all its doors.

After Family Christian closed, it seemed likely LifeWay stores would be able to pick up the slack and potentially increase their revenue. This does not appear to be the case, however. Apparently, the market for Christian resources is going the way of all other retail, which is increasingly moving online. A press release about the closing says that over the course of a month, “LifeWay interacts with five times as many people through its digital environments as it does through LifeWay stores.”

LifeWay has been selling books to equip the church since 1891, and Waggoner says they have no intention to stop doing that.

Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson: Pastors Are People, Too

Jason Daye

March 20, 2019

Justin McRoberts is a musician, author, and teacher. Justin has written three books, including Prayer: Forty Days of Practice. He also leads workshops on the creative process. He lives in the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and two children.

Scott Erickson is a touring painter and performance artist who mixes autobiography, biblical narrative, and aesthetics to create art that speaks to our deepest experiences. Scott and his wife, Holly, live in Portland with their three children.

Key Questions for Justin and Scott

– How can we invite people to engage in meaningful spiritual practices?

– Talk to us about the spiritual disciplines that you have found to be effective as ministers.

– How does creativity play into how we communicate the good things of God?

Key Quotes from Justin McRoberts

“Part of what has kept me from having the long term, healthy ongoing conversations about spiritual practice is we tend to narrow down what spiritual practice is into this realm of things that isn’t physical, it isn’t financial, it isn’t sexual, it isn’t emotional, it isn’t mental, it isn’t medical…”

“Compartmentalizing is a way to not face things. I tend to compartmentalize because there’s something in my life that I don’t want to face. I think it’s a defense mechanism.”

“You don’t really feel, as a pastor, that there are many spaces where you get to be a whole person.”

“If you call yourself a pastor or spiritual leader, you don’t get to be just another person in the room. That is a thing you sacrifice. It’s like being a therapist.”

“Sabbath-keeping has been the primary life-giving practice for me.”

“Steps for Sabbath: Cease from what is necessary, embrace that which gives life, and then figure out what you want to do.”

“How you rest is part of how you lead. How you step away is part of what you communicate to your congregation.”

“God is more important that the people in your life. And if you don’t get that right, then the people in your life get to suffer.”

Key Quotes from Scott Erickson

“What life is is sacred moments and fart jokes.”

“I wonder if a lot of people are leaving church because they’re actually thinking church is not ever speaking to these other things about their life and so they don’t know if God is in all these other aspects of their life.”

“One of the reasons you give up praying as you get older is because you don’t actually feel like you can be yourself…You think ‘these are the ways I have to pray.’”

“If you’ve been on a spiritual journey long enough, you know that doubt and faith are dance partners. They’re not opposing opposites.”

“I think a better way of viewing faith is seasonal. Like, you’re going to have winter months where it looks like everything’s dead, yet things are still working underneath. Spring will come.”

“If you don’t have a space [as a pastor] to be poor in spirit, that eventually leads to some other kind of outlets of self-sabotage, of medicating through substances, sites, people…”

“When you’re preaching, or if you do a lot of services, your body is pumping adrenaline to do all that, so you will have that low the next few days as your body is re-adjusting.”

“A function of creativity is it helps us get to that deeper truth.”

Mentioned in the Show:

Prayer: Forty Days of Practice
The Moth
Snap Judgment
This American Life
The Enneagram
The Rest of God: Restoring Your Soul by Restoring the Sabbath by Mark Buchanan
Justin McRoberts Instagram, Twitter
JustinMcroberts.com
Scott Erickson Instagram, Twitter
ScottEricksonArt.com

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

40 Reasons to Avoid Adultery

Daniel Henderson

March 19, 2019

Nobody gets married planning to commit adultery, but the enemy delights in the downfall of Christian leaders and works 24/7 in his temptations and snares to bring disrepute to Christ and His people by targeting pastors and other leaders. Moreover, the heartache and fallout from the moral failure of a Christian leader is deep and broad, sometimes lasting for decades, or even a lifetime. The best way to avoid all this shame and heartache is before it happens. Pure prevention is the best policy.

Considering these things, I wanted to reflect on a resource that I wrote a number of years ago. After seeing the devastation of a moral failure, as I followed a predecessor who did commit adultery, I was motivated to think of as many reasons as possible as to why we should avoid that path. I hope it will be a good reminder for us all. Feel free to pass it on to others.

40 Reasons Why I Do Not Want to Commit Adultery

1. I would violate my relationship with my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, who has loved, cared and died for me. This action would disregard the selfless and cruel death He suffered in order to give me power over this sin.

2. I would bring public shame and unnecessary disrepute to His most holy and precious name, which I have been privileged to represent.

3. I would have to someday face my gracious Savior, eye to eye at His judgment seat, giving an account for willfully squandering His abundant provision of purifying grace. At that moment of eternal consequences I would inevitably witness the results of my own disregard for the rewards of faithfulness and obedience He so desired to give to me.

4. I would choose to submit myself to a destructive process of self-deception and the dulling of my conscience, causing a lack of confidence in my future ability to walk in obedience and faith.

5. I would inflict unimaginable pain on my wife—my best friend, and my faithful and sacrificial partner in ministry and life—and would have to stare into her tear-filled eyes to explain this conscious violation of my vows and describe the stupidity of my behavior.

6. I would permanently damage my wife’s ability to trust me or believe my word. I would lose her respect in the future, giving her constant cause for suspicion and question.

7. If my pattern of deception were to continue, or if she were unable to forgive me, I would lose her as my wife and would be left to face ongoing regret, loneliness and pain.

8. In this case, I would permanently ruin my wife’s future fulfillment, causing her to face the remainder of her life feeling the struggle of rejection and dealing with the complications of single parenting or remarriage.

9. I would violate the love and trust of my precious children. In essence, I would be telling them, “Your mother is not a worthy person. Your father is a liar and a cheat. Honor is not as important as pleasure. My own selfish satisfaction is more important than loving my children.”

10. By destroying my own example and credibility with my children, I would lose future opportunities to influence them toward loving obedience and holiness and would plant within them a potential long-term resentment and bitterness toward the Lord and the ministry.

11 Things Leaders Do to Go From Ordinary to Extraordinary

Brian Dodd

March 19, 2019

Do you feel average? Does your church or business feel like it is just treading water? On a personal level, do you feel like you are “stuck in the mud”?

It has been said the difference between ordinary and extraordinary is just a little extra. As a leader looking to improve your team’s performance, you can apply the following key learnings to go from ordinary to extraordinary:

Take Advantage of Opportunities. There is a difference between sensing opportunity and seizing it. When opportunities present themselves, you must be prepared to take action.
Acquisition of Young Talent. Young talent bring fresh ideas and energy. Young talent keeps your organization green and growing.
Acquisition of Veteran Talent. Experienced personnel brings proven excellence to your organization.
Adversity Creates Cohesiveness. Calamity will either unite your team or tear it apart. The best teams leverage tough times to bond and bring their teams together.
Versatility. Do you have a broad base of skills personally or a team with many interchangeable parts?
Resilience Precedes Confidence. All successful teams have the ability to overcome challenges. This resilience gives teams the confidence needed to know they can still excel in the direst of circumstances.
Effort. The optimum scenario is when your top players are also the hardest workers on the team. They lead by example. What example are your veterans setting?
Consistent Execution. Teams that go the next level trust their preparation and continue to consistently do the things that make them successful.
Depth. All great teams have depth with each person contributing.
Every moment matters. There is a fine line between success and failure. Little things done consistently over time make a BIG difference.
Intangibles. Is there anything at your church or organization that creates that extra bit of incentive for you to succeed?

These 11 principles will give you the missing edge you have been looking for as a leader.

This article originally appeared here.

Two Questions About Pastors That Bug Me

Joe McKeever

March 19, 2019

“But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of some pastors, when I saw the success of those less gifted than me… Their strength is firm; they are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride serves as their necklace… Their eyes bulge with abundance; they have more than their heart could wish…” (Psalm 73…sort of… With apologies to the Psalmist.)

A pastor friend who has seen his share of troubles during his pastorates which total perhaps 25 years shared his questions with me.

One. Some pastors live their entire lives without problems, serving church after church with a string of unbroken successes. What sets these pastors apart?

Two. And yet other pastors seem to know setback after setback in their ministries. Are they to blame for this? What are the characteristics that lead some pastors to go from trouble to trouble in churches?

After posing the questions—good ones, I think most will agree—he said, “I expect there are so many reasons for this,” and he named a few. “God’s sovereignty, the pastor’s ability to deal with church politics, and temperament/personality.”

I promised him I would give this some thought and put the questions out here for our friends to comment on. (Consider this your invitation.)

One. Why do some pastors go from success to success without ever having to deal with an uprising of their leadership, a coup by the deacons, firings, diminishing statistics, scandals and such?

My first thought is that we might be surprised at how much trouble some of the megachurch pastors, the superstars in the denominational firmament, have had to deal with in their years. But because we are far removed from them and their PR people are so good, we never hear of it.

A lady in one of my churches came to services on her motorcycle, then would call me during the week to say she had no business attending our church (which was large and affluent by her standards). “I sat in Sunday School,” she would say, “with these fancy ladies in their fur coats. They live in mansions and send their kids to the big schools. I’m so out of place there.” On one occasion I said to her, “My friend, I saw where you sat for worship last Sunday. You might be interested in knowing that on the same pew was a family that has just lost a son as a result of an overdose. On the pew in front of you is a family facing bankruptcy. And not far behind you was a couple on the verge of divorce. You must not judge these people by the coats they wear and the cars they drive.”

In addition to the big three reasons my friend suggested—the sovereignty of God, the skill of the pastor in dealing with interchurch politics, and the temperaments of the pastors—we can think of a few more reasons why some pastors never are subjected to church bullies, rogue deacons and carnal personnel committees…

–Some churches are mature. When trouble arises, they deal with it.

–Some churches are blessed by faithful leadership who protect their pastor from slander, vicious (and malicious) attacks, and mean-spirited opposition.

–And some pastors are just…dare we say it?…lucky. (Is there such a thing as luck to Christians? And yet, there seems to be a certain randomness in some of these things. So, I’ll just put this out there, although I’m not sure of it.)

–One factor might be denominational standards and cultural expectations.

The pastor of a small Bible church was retiring after over 40 years there. He said to me, “I have not had a single instance of a group in the church trying to get me fired. Not one.” And yet, his church rarely if ever hit a hundred in attendance. My thought was, “Had this been a Southern Baptist church, the church-growth folks would have sent him packing.” If it’s not growing, it’s the pastor’s fault. Lord, help us.

–Finding the perfect fit between the congregation and the pastor may be another factor. I’ve known many pastors to be sent packing for no other reason than “He wasn’t a good fit for our church.” I even heard it about myself more than once.

Two. What characteristics lead some pastors to have multiple setbacks in their pastorates?

My wife Margaret had an Uncle Harold who pastored churches and served as a director of missions in Alabama. My observation was that wherever he went, trouble erupted. On more than one occasion he was asked to leave. He said to me once, “I guess I’m the Lord’s troubleshooter.” I was young and just beginning in the ministry, but the thought that came to me was, “Maybe you’re a troublemaker.” But I had no way of knowing.

Some people—as my friend suggested in his original note—simply have prickly personalities that rub people the wrong way, that push people away rather than draw them in. Those people are usually unable to see their problem and admit to their mistakes in order to repair broken relationships. So, they leave a string of fractured relationships in their wake, and eventually do one of two things: have an ever-decreasing membership, or keep moving on to other churches where they repeat the same process.

Do good and faithful pastors—effective, sincere, godly—sometimes pile up a string of “failures”? (Using the word in the human, accepted sense.). I think so. If the Lord sends the faithful, healthy pastor to a broken church, no one is surprised when bruised and hurting members turn against him. It’s a human thing. During a life-saving course in college, we were taught that the swimmer you are trying to save will often fight against you. The person is fighting for survival and not thinking rationally. There’s some of that in hurting churches. I pastored one of them.

Even so, I would do this…

If my pastorates all seemed to decrease under my leadership and if I was ousted from two pastorates in a row, I would seek help. I would try to find someone with skills in pastor-helping and church-analysis to take a look at my ministries and advise me. That is not to say I would enter this evaluation/counseling allowing someone else to determine anything about my calling or my ministry. I would, however, pay a good price to have a capable, veteran Christian analyze how I led a church and give me his/her verdict. Dr. Rob Paul has a ministry called Church Revitalization and would be one I would not hesitate to ask for input.

It’s a huge subject and one we will not resolve in a brief article.

This article originally appeared here.

40 Preschoolers Sing ‘Jesus Loves Me,’ Escape Tornado Unscathed

Jessica Lea

March 19, 2019

Forty preschoolers and 10 staff members were in Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Paducah, Kentucky, when a tornado struck, tearing off the church’s roof and damaging nearly every room in the building. The staff guided the children to an inner, concrete room and helped them to stay calm by having them sing “Jesus Loves Me” and “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” Remarkably, no one was hurt.

“The almighty hand of God has provided safety to our community,” said Sheriff Matt Carter to the West Kentucky Star. “This could have been an extremely high fatality rate, and we’re very fortunate and blessed.” While the storm did some significant damage to the area, only one minor injury was reported.

The Storm Strikes

Baptist Press says the tornado struck around 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 14, and covered about five miles. The twister caused significant damage not only to the church but also to several other buildings in the area. You can see photos of the damage done to the church building courtesy of WPSD News here and a video from Fox 17 News of the wreckage inside the church here:

Inside Mt. Zion Baptist Church.. the pastor says “We are just rejoicing in the Lord.” @FOXNashville pic.twitter.com/RfjokfgfVN

— Nicole Johnson Fox17 (@NicoleReporting) March 15, 2019

The roof is missing, debris is strewn everywhere, and the church’s sign is aslant. The room the children were in was the only one in the building that was not damaged during the storm.

“Even if no one was hurt, but the roof had been ripped off while those kids were in there, it would have traumatized them,” Senior Pastor Wes Connor told Fox 17.

WPSD reports that McCracken County Sheriff’s Deputy Ryan Wilcutt was in his car while the tornado was passing. He saw trees and power lines being uprooted and debris flying around him. All he could do was crouch down in his vehicle, which the tornado spun as he “prayed for the best.” The West Kentucky Star reports that the only known injury from the tornado, a small cut, was sustained by James Gardner, when the twister lifted a grain bin and wrapped it around his truck, flipping him over.

The storm did destroy some residences and seriously damaged others. One man who remained in his house during the tornado told WPSD that it lifted his barn a foot off the ground. Several roads had to close because of downed power lines and debris, and more than 5,300 homes lost power. Once the tornado was gone, winds remained high, so anyone walking outside in that area risked being hit by flying debris.

Life Is Precious, God Is Faithful

The church has already begun rebuilding and is continuing to hold classes and services in its Family Life Center. The preschool will likely reopen later in the week, but will be held in the gym.

Preschool director Michelle Rushing believes that God protected the staff and children. She also says that the experience emphasized to her how precious the children and life in general are.

“Church is not a building, church is the people,” Pastor Conner told Fox 17. “Buildings can be rebuilt, and frankly God is going to get us through this…we as a church family we are going to rally together.”

The Bill That Aims to Thwart Church-Hopping Sexual Offenders

Stephanie Martin

March 19, 2019

If passed, a bill in the Texas legislature would protect churches and other nonprofits that report sexual misconduct allegations against former employees. Texas House Bill 4345, the brainchild of several Southern Baptist groups and leaders, shields organizations from lawsuits when they disclose allegations, even if those allegations haven’t been proven and criminal charges haven’t been filed.

The bill is a response to the Houston Chronicle investigation into hundreds of sexual abuse cases within Southern Baptist churches. The denomination’s policy of local church autonomy was cited as a possible reason predators could travel from one congregation to another.

Leaders Join Forces, Hoping to Protect ‘innocents’

Two Southern Baptist pastors, Ben Wright and Bart Barber, set the legislation in motion with assistance from the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (SBTC) and the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), the public-policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Texas Rep. Scott Sanford, a Southern Baptist pastor, was recruited to introduce the bill, which has bipartisan support. Sanford’s spokesperson says the bill was “brought to us by faith leaders,” and the legislator “saw this as an important step to reporting and preventing sexual abuse.”

The goal of HB4345 is to “provide a safe environment for the vulnerable,” says Jim Richards, SBTC executive director. Churches “must do everything we can to protect the innocents from predators,” he adds.

The bill, which “all came together in the past month,” encourages honesty, according to SBTC spokesman Gary Ledbetter. When churches are asked to provide references for former employees, lawyers usually warn them to “say nothing except that the person did work here,” Ledbetter says. “This bill would encourage churches to tell the truth as best as they know.” He cites statistics indicating that 90 percent of sex offenders have no criminal record to check.

Churches have “a moral obligation” not to withhold character details about former employees, says Wright, one of the pastors who initiated the bill (which also allows churches to share information about adultery). To be protected from civil liability, churches must act “in good faith,” meaning that anyone who spreads allegations maliciously still could face lawsuits.

The ERLC’s Travis Wussow, an attorney who helped draft HB4345, says he hopes other states will consider the concept too.

‘Stick up for the victims’ As Well, Say Advocates

People who’ve been sexually abused by pastors and other church leaders say victims also deserve immunity for disclosing misconduct. Christa Brown, who was threatened with lawsuits after accusing her pastor of molestation, says, “For many victims, the mere threat of legal recourse is enough to perpetuate their silence.”

HB4345 is “a positive sign that [officials] are thinking seriously about reporting,” says legal scholar Marci Hamilton. “But on the other hand, I’d like to see them stick up for the victims.”

In light of the Houston Chronicle investigation, SBC President J.D. Greear said, “Changes are coming. They must.” And ERLC head Russell Moore said, “The church’s message to survivors should be a clear communication…that they are not troublemakers in the church but those who are helping the real ‘trouble’ to come to light.”

A Letter From Eugene Peterson on Christian Celebrities, Transition and the Megachurch

Daniel Im

March 18, 2019

Eugene Peterson has deeply shaped my outlook on life, spirituality, ministry and pastoring—probably more than anyone else. He will be deeply missed.

I’m not here to give you a synopsis of his last days, if you want that, you can read it here. If you want to hear ministry lessons on the life of Eugene from a wide range of church leaders, you can click here. And if you want to read about the one sermon Eugene preached, you can be inspired here.

A Letter from Eugene Peterson on Christian Celebrities, Transition and the Megachurch

What I want to share with you today is a letter that Eugene wrote to one of his friends after his friend had told him that he wanted to change churches because he felt that his gifts were being wasted where he was. His friend wanted more of a challenge and an opportunity to multiply his effectiveness. He wanted an opportunity that was more promising, so he was going to leave his small church for a larger one—one that was three times larger than his current pastorate.

LETTERS LIKE THIS ARE PRECISELY WHY I LOVE EUGENE PETERSON.

When I came back from Korea—bruised, hurt, devastated and in the desert, thinking that I wasn’t called to ministry anymore—God used Eugene to pick up the pieces in my life (you can read about it here). Not personally, but through his lectures at Regent College and his book on the life of David, Leap Over a Wall.

It’s sad that I never got the chance to personally thank him for just how much God used him in my life, but I guess now that he’s in glory, it doesn’t really matter.

I came across this letter from Eugene as I was preparing a talk for an upcoming conference.

I’ll be speaking at Exponential—a conference for church planters, pastors and ministry leaders. So while I was writing about the shift that needs to take place so that we can move from being the hero to becoming hero-makers, I immediately thought of this letter that he had written to a friend in his Memoir.

Although it had been several years since I read the book, for some reason, this letter had been seared into my soul as a warning. And am I ever glad that it was—and is—because I don’t want my story to go the way of the recent implosions of pastors that you might’ve come across in the news.

HERE IT IS, IT’S FROM PAGE 156 OF HIS MEMOIR:

Dear Phillip,

I’ve been thinking about our conversation last week and want to respond to what you anticipate in your new congregation. You mentioned its prominence in the town, a center, a kind of cathedral church that would be able to provide influence for the Christian message far beyond its walls. Did I hear you right?

I certainly understand the appeal and feel it myself frequently. But I am also suspicious of the appeal and believe that gratifying it is destructive both to the gospel and the pastoral vocation. It is the kind of thing America specializes in, and one of the consequences is that American religion and the pastoral vocation are in a shabby state.

It is also the kind of thing for which we have abundant documentation through twenty centuries now, of debilitating both congregation and pastor. In general terms it is the devil’s temptation to Jesus to throw himself from the pinnacle of the temple. Every time the church’s leaders depersonalize, even a little, the worshipping/loving community, the gospel is weakened. And size is the great depersonalizer. Kierkegaard’s criticism is still cogent: “the more people, the less truth.”

The only way the Christian life is brought to maturity is through intimacy, renunciation, and personal deepening. And the pastor is in a key position to nurture such maturity. It is true that these things can take place in the context of large congregations, but only by strenuously going against the grain. Largeness is an impediment, not a help.

Classically, there are three ways in which humans try to find transcendence—religious meaning, God meaning—apart from God as revealed in the cross of Jesus: through the ecstasy of alcohol and drugs, through the ecstasy of recreational sex, through the ecstasy of crowds. Church leaders frequently warn against the drugs and the sex, but, at least in America, almost never against the crowds. Probably because they get so much ego benefit from the crowds.

But a crowd destroys the spirit as thoroughly as excessive drink and depersonalized sex. It takes us out of ourselves, but not to God, only away from him. The religious hunger is rooted in the unsatisfactory nature of the self. We hunger to escape the dullness, the boredom, the tiresomeness of me. We can escape upward or downward. Drugs and depersonalized sex are a false transcendence downward. A crowd is an exercise in false transcendence upward, which is why all crowds are spiritually pretty much the same, whether at football games, political rallies, or church.

So why are we pastors so unsuspicious of crowds, so naive about the false transcendence that they engender? Why are we so knowledgeable in the false transcendence of drink and sex and so unlearned in the false transcendence of crowds? There are many spiritual masters in our tradition who diagnose and warn, but they are little read today. I myself have never written what I really feel on this subject, maybe because I am not entirely sure of myself, there being so few pastors alive today who agree. Or maybe it is because I don’t want to risk wholesale repudiation by friends whom I genuinely like and respect. But I really do feel that crowds are a worse danger, far worse, than drink or sex, and pastors may be the only people on the planet who are in a position to encourage an imagination that conceives of congregation strategically not in terms of its size but as a congenial setting for becoming mature in Christ in a community, not a crowd.

Your present congregation is close to ideal in size to employ your pastoral vocation for forming Christian maturity. You talked about “multiplying your influence.” My apprehension is that your anticipated move will diminish your vocation, not enhance it. Can we talk more about this? I would welcome a continuing conversation.

The peace of Christ,

Eugene.

Just so that we’re clear, I’m not anti megachurch.

In fact, I’ve pastored at two.

The reason Eugene’s words here are so poignant and applicable to us today is precisely because church size is such a temptation for pastors to place their identity in.

But pastor, your self-worth is not tied to how many people are at your church.

The size of your church is a not a reflection of God’s favor on your life.

And opportunities to pastor at bigger and better churches, while they might seem like opportunities from God, could actually be invitations from the devil.

Remember that phrase “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God” by William Carey?

Yeah, that’s not about you being the hero. It’s a call for you to rise up and become a hero maker.

The reason we know about William Carey today is not because he was a great evangelist. In fact, over the course of 41 years in India, he only saw 700 people make a commitment to Christ in a nation of millions.

The reason we know of him today is because he was a hero maker—missionaries like Lottie Moon, Hudson Taylor and David Livingstone, among many others, were inspired and influenced by his dedication and commitment to the harvest.

And the reason generations of Christians will know about Eugene Peterson, for centuries to come, is because he was a hero maker.

Thank you Eugene.

This article originally appeared here.

New Research and Insights on the Online Church

Thom Rainer

March 18, 2019

I see a pattern developing in online churches. Perhaps it is a trend. The overall pattern is that online ministries of churches are becoming a strategic part of the overall church ministry. They are not viewed today as much as a separate congregation than as an entry point for people ultimately to connect to the physically-gathered church.

New Research and Insights on the Online Church

The new research is from Vanderbloemen, Pushpay and Jay Kranda. All of the 176 churches participating in the study have an online church, so we are hearing from those who are presently very active in this ministry.

Definitions for the online church are evolving. Among those surveyed, the definition included an intentional effort to identify and minister to a group of people who are regularly viewing streaming services. The most common name for these digital gatherings were “online campuses” (36 percent) and “church online” (28 percent).

These churches typically had a person designated to lead these digital ministries, but the title of that person varied significantly. Only 16 percent of the churches surveyed had a full-time online ministry leader.

What are some of the key findings of this study? Here are nine insights:

The plurality of churches have a volunteer lead the online ministry. This ministry is led by a volunteer in about four of 10 churches. Another 35 percent give the leadership to a full-time staff person who has other responsibilities.
The dominant broadcast method is live streaming. Among these churches, nine of 10 congregations broadcast through live streaming. But over half also have the full service on demand.
The opportunity to reach local community members is significant. Over four of 10 of those attending online are people within a reasonable driving distance of the church. Most of the churches view the online community as a first step to move them toward the in-person gathering.
Most of these churches do count online attendance. Of the churches surveyed, 72 percent report online attendance, but keep it separate from in-person attendance. Fewer than 10 percent include online attendance as part of the overall total weekly attendance.
There is little consistency on how churches count online attendance. The most frequent response, but only by 26 percent of the churches, is “concurrent streamers at a given time.”
There is anecdotal evidence that indicates the online church is actually a growth source for the in-person church. Some of the church leaders see the online church as part of a process that may progress from social media to online church to community groups to in-person worship services.
Over half of the churches are considering using the online church to launch future churches and sites. Already, 17 percent of the churches are embracing this strategy. In total, over 60 percent are considering this strategy, or they are already doing it.
More older churches are using an online church strategy than younger churches. For example, churches over 50 years old accounted for nearly 30 percent of the total, while churches under five years old accounted for less than 15 percent of the total.
Five ministries are offered online by a majority of the churches. They are: prayer (81 percent); giving opportunities (72 percent); pastoral care (58 percent); serving opportunities (54 percent); and online groups (52 percent).

I am thankful to Vanderbloemen, Pushpay and Jay Kranda for providing this information. You can get the full study here.

We will continue to watch the changes and development of the online church. This study is fascinating. But we know there is more yet to come.

This article originally appeared here.

Easter Craft: Crafty Thursday-Triumphant Entry Donkey Balloon

Courtney Kirk

March 18, 2019

As many of us get ready for Easter and the events leading up to it, here’s a great craft for kids introducing them to Palm Sunday. Jesus enters Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey the week before his crucifixion. The disciples spread their cloaks on the donkey for Jesus to sit on. Many people came out to welcome Jesus. They laid their cloaks and palm branches before him and praised him.

Have fun teaching kids about “The Triumphant Entry” of Jesus entering into Jerusalem fulfilling another prophesy by making a fun balloon donkey on a stick or string to walk down halls after class. Talk with them about why he may have chosen a donkey instead of a horse. Teach them about Jesus being a servant and relating to the people. (Matthew 21:1-11)

What you’ll need: balloon, donkey template, scissors, tape, string (and colors if you’d like kids to color their donkey first)

Print copies of the donkey template on card stock.
Cut out donkey then color if you’d like.
Blow up balloon to desired size
Tape donkey head, legs and tail to balloon.
Tape string or stick to balloon.
Now you’ve got a donkey to walk down the halls and when asked what the donkey is for, kids should be ready to share the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey!

This article originally appeared here.

4 Reasons Why Every Pastor Should Lead a Small Group

Jim Egli

March 18, 2019

I’ve been in full-time ministry for 35 years. During that time I’ve served in a number of different roles such as a missionary, senior pastor, associate pastor and missions pastor. No matter what role I have been in, I am almost always leading a small group—sometimes more than one group.

There are four reasons why every pastor should lead a small group:

Small groups are at the heart of church health. The guys from Natural Church Development have done the most extensive research ever on church health involving over 50,000 churches. The results show that “holistic small groups” impact the numerical growth and the qualitative health of churches more than any other factor (Natural Church Development, p. 33). This is true of churches of all sizes, but the analysis reveals that groups become even more pivotal to health and growth as churches get larger.
Pastors’ involvement in small groups greatly multiplies the leadership base of the church. As John Maxwell so powerfully communicates in his best-selling book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, leaders attract leaders, and the higher level of leader you are, the higher level of leaders you attract. When pastors lead small groups it pulls high level leaders into the relational life of the church, igniting much needed leadership multiplication.
Jesus led a small group. I know this sounds trite but it’s very true. If you are a pastor, you should do what Jesus did and lead a group. Jesus’ small group was at the center of his ministry, enabling him to make disciples who make disciples, laying the foundation of the growing movement he was establishing. When I was doing my master’s research on Jesus’ leadership development methods, I was curious just how much of Jesus’ time he devoted to leadership training. Unable to follow Jesus with a stopwatch, I looked at the verses recounting Jesus’ ministry in the Gospel of Mark and tallied how many of these he is with just his small group—the 12 disciples. It’s a whopping 49 percent. Clearly, pouring into others through modeling, instruction, prayer and interaction was at the heart of his earthly ministry. It should be at the heart of our ministries too.
Finally, for your spiritual health you need to be in a small group. The New Testament is filled with dozens of different “one another” commands like “love each other,” “be devoted to one another,” “encourage each other,” “carry one another’s burdens” and “confess your sins to each other and pray for each other.” This kind of body life doesn’t happen in a Sunday morning service; it happens in the context of caring small groups. Every Christ-follower needs this kind of community. You need this kind of community if you are going to thrive in leadership.

This article originally appeared here.

Why ‘We Need to Reach Young People’ Might Distract Your Church

Mike Leake

March 18, 2019

“If you don’t reach young people your church is going to die”.

I have heard that sentiment quite frequently when thought leaders (whatever those are) get together and discuss revitalization in local churches. Logically it’s absolutely true. If an organization does not perpetuate it will not survive into the next generation. It is right for a church to be concerned if they only have gray heads. But there is an underlying theology within this statement which I believe will lead to death instead of life.

Peel off a layer of that onion and you see what dominates the conversation is self-preservation. It’s not unnatural to not want to die. It’s quite normal to not want a beloved organization to die. In fact, God can use a drive for self-preservation for His glory. A church which realizes it is dying is far better than one living in denial. A church which says “we’ll do anything to not die” is in better shape than one which says “we won’t change even if it means death.”

But a church cannot stay there. Because a church focused upon its own survival is a church just waiting to die. The church, just like disciples, is meant to be self-denying for the sake of the kingdom. Doing things which are motivated by self-preservation are opposed to the ethics of God’s kingdom. A church might even “turn around” by a good focused mission. But if the foundation is self-preservation instead of kingdom-expansion, don’t be surprised when the good news of Jesus becomes more explicitly secondary.

What about rather than saying “your church is going to die” we say “your church is going to lose its impact on the community for the sake of Christ’s kingdom”? This is getting at the real tragedy behind a church closing its doors. It’s not simply that a beloved institution which once gave great memories is now terminated. The real pain is that influence for the kingdom is no longer happening in this sphere.

There does need to be a focus on reaching young people with the gospel of Jesus. (Just as there is a focus on reaching for Christ all those made in God’s image). But if you start with self-preservation that focus is only going to go so far. Because what happens when you actually begin reaching “those” people and it changes the dynamic within your beloved institution? That old impulse of self-preservation is going to rear its ugly head.

The key question isn’t “do we want to reach the young people in our community?” Rather, the key question is whether or not our hearts are kingdom focused instead of self-preservation focused. That will help with asking the right questions about what our Lord calls our particular local church to do well. A particular local church might not ever be the church which reaches hordes of young people. Or it might. That’s up to Jesus. Our job is to be faithful with what we have been given in the place in which God has called us to serve.

Ask kingdom questions. Don’t ask self-preserving questions. That changes everything.

This article originally appeared here.

An Open Letter to Rachael Denhollander on #SBCToo

Eric Schumacher

March 18, 2019

Dear Rachael,

This past week, the Houston Chronicle published a three-part series on sexual abuse in the Southern Baptist Convention.

In response, you asked: “Pastors, where were you? When we were pleading for you to speak up against your peers or the leaders your support props up, where were you?”

This. So many tears, so much pain, over this question.

Pastors, where were you? When we were pleading for you to speak up against your peers or the leaders your support props up, where were you? https://t.co/dbw49ADEKc

— Rachael Denhollander (@R_Denhollander) February 12, 2019

I want (and need) to answer your question.

Ten years ago, I was 32 years old, almost three years into pastoring my second church. We were recovering from some heart-breaking and regrettable division while walking into new conflicts. I was in the throes of life-paralyzing depression, not knowing how to handle what was happening.

My heart and mind were (as they so often are now) a jumble of conflicting desires and aspirations. On the one hand, I sincerely desired to glorify God, preach the Gospel, and shepherd a healthy church. On the other hand, my heart nurtured ambitions of personal glory, wishing to be known for my preaching and be influential within reformed evangelical circles. To go back and separate my decisions—the righteous from the unrighteous—is like trying to untie the Gordian Knot. That can only be remedied by the sword of the Gospel.

I idolized pastors and theologians within my tribe (a struggle that long-preceded pastoring). I had attended the inaugural Together for the Gospel (T4G) conference in 2006 (and every conference afterward until 2018). To me, these men (including CJ) represented the pinnacle of evangelical leadership, the ultimate “inner ring.” What they said was received with little discrimination on my part. Their recommendations—whether of books, doctrine, practice or people—carried great weight.

I found my way into networks and friendships within these tribes. It felt good to be connected. I felt important. I met and became friends with remarkable pastors—men who I love, respect and admire to this day. Those partnerships did me spiritual good. They helped me learn to pastor better. They provided a support base through difficult times. I cannot overstate how helpful they were to me.

Nevertheless, at the same time, my sinful flesh perverted these relationships. An undiscerning loyalty grew in my heart. I refused to listen to concerns that might conflict with what these men said or did. Fear of losing these relationships kept me from listening to hard questions and pursuing good answers.

When Wade Burleson raised concerns about sexual abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention, I read them but did nothing. Why? Because I did not hear anything about it from the Southern Baptist leaders I trusted. (I am not here implicating these leaders. They may have spoken, and I simply did not hear it. I am condemning only myself. What they did or did not do is immaterial to my responsibility to listen, investigate and act as a pastor of a church in cooperation with the Southern Baptist Convention.)

At one point, a church member (and friend) asked of my awareness of concerns about sexual abuse cover-ups within Sovereign Grace Ministries (now Sovereign Grace Churches) and CJ Mahaney (one of the co-founders of T4G). He mentioned that evidence had been posted online that seemed worth considering. Though I was aware of such posts, I brushed them (and him) aside. I assured him that the other founders and plenary speakers would not be such close friends with CJ and partner with him in T4G if there were any warrant at all to the concerns. Based entirely on the implications of their on-going partnership and silence in the face of concerns, I refused to investigate for myself. This was sinful on my part. (On recalling this conversation, I contacted my friend and asked his forgiveness. I failed as a friend and as a pastor.)

At another point, a trusted acquaintance explained to me what was “really” going on in the lawsuit with CJ and SGC. (Due to the promise of confidentiality, I am not at liberty to share details.) The gist of the explanation was that the accusations were entirely baseless. My understanding was that this was little more than a liberal egalitarian attacking a complementarian pastor. When this lawsuit was settled, the accuser(s) would move on to another target. I believed this explanation. I shared it with friends and pastors to assure them that all was well. I did not investigate for myself. This was sinful. I cannot recall everyone with whom I shared such assurances—but to those that I did, please forgive me.

What Research Says About How Self-Centeredness Grows in Us

Eric Geiger

March 18, 2019

According to research, the more isolated you are the more self-centered you are. And the more self-centered you are, the more likely you are to live isolated. University of Chicago Professor John Cacioppo led a 10-year study on self-centeredness using a scale he called the “Chronic Self-Focus Scale.” He concluded that focusing on yourself causes you to feel more isolated which causes you to focus even more on yourself. A vicious cycle of self-centeredness and loneliness ensues. To put it plainly—a focus on ourselves grows when we are continually by ourselves.

Theologians throughout history would not be surprised by the results of the research. Augustine wrote that pride is the commencement of all sin—that all sin originates with a focus on ourselves and a desire to exalt ourselves. Pride causes us to run from community, not to community, because community inevitably confronts us with our shortcomings.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote: “Sin demands to have a man by himself. It withdraws him from the community. The more isolated a person is, the more destructive will be the power of sin over him, and the more deeply he becomes involved in it, the more disastrous is his isolation. Sin wants to remain unknown. It shuns the light. In the darkness of the unexpressed it poisons the whole being of a person.”

As I reflected on Cacioppo’s conclusions, I thought about why groups in a church are so important for the spiritual health of the people in the church. If you are a church leader, you must prioritize groups in your church, so that people can more easily be in community. If you are a Christian, get in a group! Here are three reasons why:

When we are not in biblical community, there are not people to confront us.

The more self-centered we are, the more senseless and stupid we are. When we are not in community with others, our foolishness grows. Community is always sanctifying and not being in community is to invite self-centered foolishness to grow in our lives.

When we are in community, we see God working in others.

We are reminded that life is not about us, that God is doing great things in others, that there is much to learn from others. Being in community helps us take our eyes off ourselves as we grow in awe of God’s handiwork in others and as we seek to encourage and help others.

When we are in community, we are more likely to walk in humility.

Pride grows when we are isolated, and as it grows so does our distaste for community. But the reverse is also true; humility increases when we are in community. We see a bigger picture of our world, a bigger picture of God’s grace, and thus we are more likely to develop an accurate view of ourselves. As we focus on the Lord and others, humility and happiness increase.

This article originally appeared here.

Francis Chan Responds to Accusations He Is ‘Leading People to the Wolves’

Jessica Lea

March 18, 2019

Former pastor Francis Chan has ignited controversy by speaking on February 23rd at The Send conference, a stadium event that included, among others, speakers Mike Bickle and Todd White. Adding fuel to the fire caused by Chan’s association with these men was a photograph that emerged online showing Chan with televangelist and prosperity gospel preacher, Benny Hinn. Chan has responded to recent criticisms in a post here.

I recognize, now more than ever, that sometimes my participation can give the impression that I align with every other speaker at the event. I’m not sure what to do about that other than to tell you that I don’t. Unless the elders of my church direct me differently, I will continue to be found preaching in venues with those I disagree…The elders and I are trying to come up with more safeguards for future events to hopefully prevent misunderstandings. Pray for us.

The Send Conference

The Send’s Facebook page says the conference aims to encourage people to pursue “a NEW ERA of Missions & Evangelism. A central part of The Send is making practical commitments to adopting a mission field.” There also seems to be a significant focus on prayer and fasting.

One post on the page says, “As we raised our shoes in Camping World Stadium, declaring our ‘yes’ before the Lord—our willingness, our yes, our desire to go anywhere for the sake of the Gospel, it was undeniable we were standing in a Holy Moment. There is no going back…we are unashamed of the Gospel.”

Why the Controversy?

Mike Bickle leads the International House of Prayer of Kansas City (IHOPKC). On its website, the ministry describes itself as “an evangelical missions organization that is committed to praying for the release of the fullness of God’s power and purpose, as we actively win the lost, heal the sick, feed the poor, make disciples and impact every sphere of society.” Some of the reasons why some see Bickle as controversial are his association with the charismatic movement and his ministry’s focus on prophecy and ecumenism.

White is controversial for a variety of reasons, one being that he is a “street healer.” He has also called prosperity gospel preacher Kenneth Copeland his “spiritual father.” In this video, White and Copeland discuss their belief that, as Christians, we have a “heavenly account,” and that we have to put something into it to get something out of it. “Jesus is the banker,” Copeland tells White, who nods and says “Amen.” How do people withdraw from this account? Copeland quotes Mark 11:23-25 and says the answer is sowing in the form of giving to the leaders of the church.

Chan’s Defense

In Francis Chan’s response to his critics, he spends a fair amount of time explaining why he rejects the prosperity gospel. He goes on to explain why he takes speaking engagements with people who have different theology than he does. One reason is that he believes it will benefit the attendees to hear from a variety of perspectives instead of listening to a group of speakers who all agree with each other.

Chan also says that he doesn’t research every teacher that he speaks with: “It has not been my practice to ask who will share the platform with me and to research the other speakers.” He argues that some of the people at the conferences he speaks at will potentially never hear biblical truth if he is not willing to go: “I might be fooling myself, but I feel like the Spirit enables me to lovingly confront difficult issues. And I have seen repentance result from it.”

Chan also explains that while he is willing to call out false teachers, he wants to be cautious as he does so and careful to collect all the relevant data he needs, particularly when there is so much misinformation available. He notes that he has wrongfully accused people in the past out of his own pride and does not want to make that mistake again. He writes, “As a dad, it’s a terrifying thought to know that I inappropriately slandered one of God’s sons or daughters.” Chan indicates that researching fellow speakers is something his team will now spend time on.

Regarding the photograph with Benny Hinn, Chan says that because he is a high-profile speaker with numerous speaking engagements, he ends up taking “thousands of pictures with complete strangers.” He believes it would be rude to refuse when people want a picture with him. This Twitter user observes that the reason Chan took a picture with Benny Hinn was because a conference attendee was going around getting pictures with famous people. Benny Hinn was not on The Send’s lineup of speakers, although he did appear on stage at one point and prayed for the attendees.

Critics Counter

In the video at the bottom of this article warning Christians that Chan is a false shepherd, Chan does appear to praise White, grouping him among “bold men of God.” The author of this article argues that Chan needs to stop associating with prosperity gospel preachers and points to 2 John’s exhortation not to show hospitality to false teachers. Yet another blogger believes that, while there is hope for his repentance, Chan has gone too far and that Christians should no longer see him as trustworthy.

For his part, Chan asks that as believers seek to identify false teachers, they be careful not to falsely accuse good ones: “As we diligently confront false teaching, let’s show equal fervency in defending those who are truly our brothers and equal zeal in confronting those who unnecessarily divide the body.”

Harvest Bible Chapel’s Accreditation Suspended With ECFA

Stephanie Martin

March 18, 2019

Citing “the emergence of new information,” the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) last week suspended its accreditation of Harvest Bible Chapel (HBC), the embattled Chicago-area megachurch founded and formerly pastored by James MacDonald.

The ECFA, founded in 1979, “provides accreditation to leading Christian nonprofit organizations that faithfully demonstrate compliance with established standards for financial accountability, fundraising and board governance.” Churches and other Christian organizations can voluntarily seek accreditation to assure donors that contributions are being used with integrity, based on the ECFA’s Seven Standards of Responsible Stewardship.

Harvest Reportedly Violated 4 of 7 Stewardship Standards

According to a statement from ECFA President Dan Busby, the “indefinite suspension” of HBC’s accreditation became effective March 14. That means Harvest “may not represent that they are an ECFA member or display ECFA’s membership seal.”

The ECFA launched a formal investigation of HBC November 28, Busby says, and a site visit in December led the council to believe the church was “in compliance with our standards.” But based on new information the ECFA received March 11, Busby adds, “We have concerns the church may be in serious violation of ECFA Standards 2, 3, 4 and 6.” An ongoing investigation will determine whether HBC’s accreditation status should be restored or terminated, Busby says.

Standard 2 deals with governance: “Every organization shall be governed by a responsible board of not less than five individuals, a majority of whom shall be independent, who shall meet at least semiannually to establish policy and review its accomplishments.” Standard 3 requires “complete and accurate financial statements,” including independent oversight. Standard 4 states that “all of the organization’s operations are carried out and resources are used in a responsible manner and in conformity with applicable laws and regulations, such conformity taking into account biblical mandates.” And Standard 6 is about using integrity to set the compensation of an organization’s top leader.

ECFA Acted Too Slowly, Critics Say

Julie Roys, a blogger who’s been investigating HBC, applauds the ECFA’s move but says it comes much too late. “It’s stunning to me that it has taken this long for the ECFA to act,” she wrote on March 16. Last December, Roys described how funds donated to MacDonald’s “Walk in the Word” broadcast were used to pay for a deer herd at the church’s camp in Michigan. And in February she reported MacDonald’s admission that HBC misused funds from Harvest Bible Fellowship, its former church-planting network.

“The fact that ECFA didn’t discover these violations itself is bad enough,” Roys writes. “But the fact that the group failed to act even after I reported these glaring violations is inexcusable. What it took to finally force the group’s hand was my report that MacDonald had funded African safaris, Florida vacations, and other luxury purchases with church funds. And even then, it took nearly a week for the group to act!” On March 9, Roys wrote a post titled “Former Harvest Employees Say James MacDonald Lived Large on Church’s Dime.”

In her March 16 post, Roys writes, “Given this stunning example of ECFA’s failure, I can’t imagine how anyone could put any trust in the group’s ability to hold any church or ministry ‘accountable’ as it claims. ECFA President Dan Busby has a lot of explaining to do.” Busby hasn’t responded to an interview request from Roys, she adds.

Last fall, HBC sued Roys and two other bloggers who criticized the church and their wives, but HBC dropped the suit. Criticism addressed areas ranging from MacDonald’s temperament and leadership style to his reportedly extravagant lifestyle.

The two other bloggers, former HBC members Scott Bryant and Ryan Mahoney, set up The Elephant’s Debt in 2012 to address concerns about the church. In a March 16 post titled “ECFA Closes Barn Door Years After the Horses Ran Out,” the bloggers write, “It would appear that the ‘watcher’ need [sic] watching.” Questions that need to be answered, the bloggers say, include “What did ECFA know, and when did it know it?” and “What would motivate [ECFA] to be so lax in their duties as an oversight and accrediting body?”

ECFA’s accreditation fees, which provide most of the council’s funding, may provide answers, according to The Elephant’s Debt. ECFA, the bloggers note, “began as a negotiated settlement between large evangelical institutions and some in the federal government that were seeking legislation to exercise greater oversight and provide greater transparency. When has self-policing ever been effective?”

Fallout Continues for HBC

In January, HBC’s elder board announced that MacDonald was on an “indefinite sabbatical.” In February, the elders fired MacDonald, saying he was “harmful to the best interests of the church.” All five members of the executive committee of HBC’s elder board announced they’d be resigning, as well. Soon afterward, MacDonald’s two sons, both pastors at HBC, resigned, and Moody Publishers stopped selling MacDonald’s books.

For the Second Time, Azusa Pacific University Lifts LGBTQ Ban

Megan Briggs

March 18, 2019

For the second time in less than a year, Azusa Pacific University has lifted its ban on same-sex relationships on campus. While an attempt at lifting the ban was quickly repealed last year, this time the Board of Trustees has put their stamp of approval on the controversial change in policy.

According to Provost Mark Stanton, a change in wording to the student handbook, which essentially brings about the lift of the ban, is consistent with APU’s “uniform standards of behavior for all students, applied equally and in a nondiscriminatory fashion.”

Proponents for the revised wording in the student handbook argue that the old language singled out LGBTQ students in a discriminatory manner and forbid them from engaging in any kind of romantic relationships.

Azusa Pacific University’s Statement of Beliefs

Now, the wording in the University’s statement of beliefs concerning sexuality simply states that those not engaged in a heterosexual marriage are to remain celibate:

As an evangelical community of disciples and scholars who embrace the historic Christian understanding of Scripture, Azusa Pacific University holds that sexuality is a gift from God and basic to human identity as well as a matter of behavioral expression. We hold that the full behavioral expression of sexuality is to take place within the context of a marriage covenant between a man and a woman and that individuals remain celibate outside of the bond of marriage. Therefore, we seek to cultivate a community in which sexuality is embraced as God-given and good and where biblical standards of sexual behavior are upheld.

Stanton says the University’s “values are unchanged the APU community remains unequivocally biblical in our Christian evangelical identity.” At the same time that they are seeking to maintain their evangelical identity, though, Stanton explains that the University is “an open-enrollment institution, which does not require students to be Christian to attend.” For this reason, Stanton says the handbook “conveys our commitment to treating everyone with Christ-like care and civility.

When the ban was first lifted in August last year, the Board of Trustees circled back to the original wording in the student handbook, stating it was not consulted in the matter. Upon review, the board decided to reinstate the ban and add the old language back into the handbook.

In response, students on campus organized campaigns to ask the administration to reconsider the ban. Students participated in a prayer demonstration and APU’s student government approved a resolution asking school administrators to either remove the ban or clarify three specific points related to the ban. The San Gabriel Valley Tribune identified the three points of clarity the students were seeking:

What punishments students in same-sex romantic relationships would face?

Why the student LGBTQ support group Haven was forced to change its name?

Which students or student groups administrators intend to work with to come up with solutions?

Brave Commons, a nonprofit organization for LGBTQ students on Christian colleges, also put pressure on the leadership of the school. Brave Commons organized an online petition that has garnered over 5,000 signatures since November.

While the leadership of Brave Commons is happy their campaigning had an effect on the University’s position, they also remain cautious. “This is an opportunity to continue to hold APU accountable,” Erin Green, Co-Executive Director of Brave Commons, said in a statement. Green also attended APU.

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Fallout Continues for HBC

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