‘Missionary’ Gets Life in Prison for Abusing Children in Cambodia

January 31, 2019

thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

A judge has sentenced Daniel Stephen Johnson, a resident of Coos Bay, Oregon, to life in prison. Johnson sexually abused children at an unlicensed orphanage he ran for several years in Cambodia. Said the U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon,

The despicable nature of this defendant’s conduct is beyond understanding. Whether you are abusing children in this country or abroad, you will be pursued and held accountable in a court of law. The fact that this defendant abused children under the guise of being a missionary and orphanage operator is appalling.

Johnson has been convicted on six counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place, one count of travelling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, and one count of aggravated sexual assault with children. He has received life in prison for the latter conviction and 30 years for each of the other seven, to be served consecutively.

The orphanage was located in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where during 2005 through 2013, Johnson “systematically and repeatedly” abused at least 10 children ranging from seven to 18 years old. The children would sometimes awake to Johnson molesting them, and he would occasionally give victims small portions of food or money afterward.

According to a report from KLTV News, Johnson worked as a Christian missionary for a nonprofit called Hope Transitions, based in Gladewater, Texas, and funded the orphanage through support from various churches.

Authorities Crack Down

U.S. officials located Johnson overseas after a warrant was issued for his arrest in an unrelated case in Lincoln County, Oregon. Cambodian National Police (CNP) arrested him in 2013 based on the testimony of children at the orphanage and while working in collaboration with the FBI. A non-governmental organization that works to protect children, Action Pour les Enfants (APLE) was also involved. In addition to arresting Johnson, Cambodian authorities ordered the orphanage to pay $1000 in fines. At the time of his arrest, Johnson claimed that APLE had bribed the families of the children who were accusing him.

While Johnson claimed that his accusers were being pressured into testifying against him, there were indications that he was actually pressuring his victims to drop their complaints. Several in fact did so.

Cambodian authorities sentenced Johnson to a year in prison in May 2014, and after his sentence was complete, handed him over to the FBI, who escorted him back to the U.S. pending trial. While building their case, the FBI interviewed over a dozen children and adults who had been at the orphanage. During that time, Johnson apparently again attempted to pressure witnesses into not testifying against him. Before his trial, he pled “not guilty” to all charges.

FBI Special Agent Renn Cannon said, “This case should serve as a warning to those predators who believe they can hide their crimes—whether here at home or half-a-world-away. We will always stand with the victims, and we will always work to bring justice in their names.”

6 Physical Factors That Can Impact Your Worship Service

Rick Warren

January 30, 2019

This week, walk around your church campus and try to see it through the eyes of a first-time guest.

We become so familiar with our surroundings that we become oblivious to the faded paint, the frayed carpet, the chipped pulpit, the stack of stuff on the piano, or the burned-out light bulbs overhead.

One way to combat this tendency is to do an Environmental Impact Report on your church. Take pictures throughout your facilities and show them to your leaders in order to figure out what needs to be changed.

6 Physical Factors That Can Impact Your Worship Service

1. Lighting: Lighting has a profound effect on people’s moods. Inadequate lighting dampens the spirit of a service. Shadows across a speaker’s face reduce the impact of any message.

Most churches are far too dark. I’ve noticed that even churches with plenty of windows often cover them up. Somehow, churches have gotten the idea, maybe from funeral parlors, that dimming the lights creates a more “spiritual” mood. I completely disagree.

I believe that church buildings should be bright and full of light. God’s character is expressed in light. 1 John 1:5 says, “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” I believe churches should be the brightest public buildings. Light was the very first thing God created. God said, “Let there be light!” (Genesis 1:3) Today, I think God would like to say this to thousands of churches.

If you want to wake up your services, brighten up your environment. Take the curtains off your windows. Throw open the windows and doors. Turn on all the lights.

Here’s an experiment: This week secretly replace all the light bulbs in your worship center with twice the watts, then notice the change in mood in next weekend’s service. You may have revival!

2. Sound: Invest in the best sound system you can afford. If you’re trying to cut costs, do it in some other area. Don’t skimp here. Saddleback grew for 15 years without its own building, but we’ve always had a state-of-the-art sound system.

It doesn’t matter how persuasive the message is if people can’t hear it in a pleasing manner. A tinny, fuzzy sound system can undermine the most gifted musician and incapacitate the most profound preacher. And nothing can destroy a holy moment faster than a loud blast of feedback.

3. Seating: Both the comfort and the arrangement of your seating dramatically affect the mood of any service. The mind can only absorb what the seat can endure! Uncomfortable seating is a distraction that the Devil loves to use.

If you can get away with replacing the pews, I’d advise it. In today’s culture the only places people are forced to sit on benches are in church and the cheap bleacher section at ball games. People expect to have their own, individual chairs.

Personal space is highly valued in our society. This is why box seats are prized at stadiums. If people are forced to sit too close to each other, they get very uncomfortable. There should be at least 18 inches between people if you’re using chairs and 21 inches between people if you’re using pews.

If you use moveable seats, set them up so people can see some of each other’s faces. It will dramatically improve how people respond to the service. If you are planting a new church always set up fewer chairs than you need. It’s encouraging to your people when additional chairs must be brought in as people arrive. On the other hand, it’s very discouraging to worship in a service when surrounded by empty chairs.

4. Temperature: As a pastor who has preached for years in un-air-conditioned gyms and unheated tents, I say this with the utmost conviction: The temperature can destroy the best-planned service in a matter of minutes! When people are too hot or too cold they simply stop participating in a service. They mentally check out and start hoping for everything to end quickly.

The most common mistake churches make regarding temperature is to allow the building to become too warm. Some usher sets the thermostat at a reasonable setting before the service without realizing that when the building is actually filled with a crowd, the body heat of all those people will raise the temperature substantially. By the time the air conditioning has cooled everything down, the service is nearly over.

Always set the thermostat several degrees cooler than what is comfortable before the service begins. Cool it down before the crowd gets there. The temperature will rise quite quickly once the service starts. Keeping the temperature on the cool side will keep the crowd awake.

5. Clean, safe nurseries: If you want to reach young families, you’ve got to have sanitized and safe nurseries. There should be no mop-buckets in the corners and the toys should be cleaned each week.

6. Clean restrooms: Visitors may forget your sermon but the memory of a foul-smelling restroom lingers on…and on…and on! You can tell a lot about a church by checking out the cleanliness of its restrooms.

This article originally appeared here.

An Exciting Battle to Quickly Strengthen Small Groups

Corey Ray Jones

January 30, 2019

Do you host an event built on small groups where both the students and the leaders are excited to be there? Do you leverage this event to build the weekend services and draw small groups closer, or is your event one and done? Each year we host a Turf War, which is a sure-fire event to quickly strengthen the small groups in our ministry. If you want to create a competitive event the students will become obsessed with there are a few things you need to consider.

Before Launching, Determine Your Battle

You are going to want to create a game or activity where small groups can compete against each other. This should be something that will be attractive to both the boys and the girls in your ministry. We have played game like “Capture the Hair Product” which is a mashup between multi-team Capture the Flag and a hairstyle contest, “Funnoodles,” which is an Olympics style battle using pool noodles in each competition, and “Triangulation,” which is an innovative game of 18 simultaneous activities to earn points for your small group. Before launching and advertising your Turf War determine which game you will be playing, but keep the actual game confidential to build excitement.

As You Introduce Turf War, Build Energy

Don’t make the announcements informative but rather use your stage time to build competition. We place a graphic on the screen that reveals that important information and team colors and our host will rile up the competition by talking about how the blue team will annihilate the red team. The host reminds the kids that the bigger teams will have an advantage and to start bringing their friends each Sunday to grow their team. We never reveal the actual battle between the small groups, but we might give clues to build excitement.

Leading Up to the Event

There are so many opportunities to take advantage of prior to the day of the event. You can begin rewarding bonus points toward the turf war. Maybe you see students helping with putting away chairs and want to reward them, just give their small group Turf War Points. Or when students compete in an on-stage game, instead of giving them a physical prize you could give their small group bonus points. The week before the event you could even tell the kids to come dressed in their small group color and award points for those who participated. To track our points and display them live in services we used the “Color Wars” presentation from DYM’s Sidekick App.

Bottom Line: Small Groups have something to look forward to together and the event builds such a strong community. Take my advice and look for an innovative way to build and strengthen your small groups. If you have an idea for a future game that could be used for a Turf War, leave it in the comments!

5 Don’ts of Healthy Communication

Ron Edmondson

January 30, 2019

In my career, I work with a lot of people in a lot of settings. You might say my job involves a lot of relationships. In the process, I have learned the key to healthy relationships is communication.

Communication is an art of sorts. Some are better at it than others.

I have seen relationships destroyed because of poor communication. I know marriages that could improve if we improved the communication in the marriage. I’ve seen people avoid other people because they know how the communication will go when they encounter them. I’ve known people who are short on quality relationships, and, honestly, many times it is because they never learned or don’t practice healthy communication techniques. Careers are made and destroyed by a person’s ability to communicate effectively—or not.

So, sincerely, this post is intended to help. I want to share some things not to do in attempting healthy communication. We are all guilty or some of these at times—this blogger/pastor included.

Here Are 5 Don’ts of Healthy Communication:

Don’t always have a bigger story.

This is the one I’ve been guilty the most of these five. Someone is telling you their story and their experience reminds you of your experience. So, naturally, you interrupt their story, or don’t appear to be listening closely, because you want to share your story. But, remember, right now they are sharing “their” experience. It is important enough to them to share it with you. Don’t try to trump their story. It is rude and it shuts them down. Discipline yourself to wait for the right opportunity—and be OK if it doesn’t come—sometimes your only role is to listen.

Don’t talk more than you listen.

This will address the person you’re thinking of in the first point that is always sharing their story. They never listen. They don’t give you a chance to share yours. If this is you, stop talking and listen. Ask questions. Show genuine concern. Be interested in what others have to say too. You’ll find people more interested in what you have to share when it’s your turn.

Don’t always be negative.

All of us are negative at times. Life is hard and it impacts us. That’s partly what friendships are for—to share our burdens with one another. But every conversation and every comment we make shouldn’t be negative. It makes it difficult to build a sustainable, healthy relationship, because sometimes the other person needs you to be positive on the day they are especially negative.

Don’t consistently have the last word.

Sure you’ve got one more word to share. We get it. Most likely you’ve already proven that point. But, sometimes let the other person say the final word. It’s humbling for you—and good—for you and them. And, the conversation. And, the relationship.

Don’t speak before you think.

This is so important. Maybe the most important one. It includes the saying, “If you can’t say something good, don’t say anything—or nothing at all.” (If you want to be like Thumper.) If we could catch our words before they exit our mouths, filter them through the power of love and grace, then release them, we could keep from injuring those with whom we are trying to communicate. And, relationships could thrive apart from the injury of inappropriate or awkward—often even mean-spirited words.

OK, be honest, upon which of these do you need to improve?

Remember, I shared mine. Now your turn.

This article originally appeared here.

3 Reasons Winning at Work Is Easier Than Winning at Home

Carey Nieuwhof

January 30, 2019

How’s it going at home…really?

Here’s what I’ve come to believe.

Ultimately, everything rides on how you lead at home.

The stakes are high.

Lead well at home, and you will inevitably become a better leader in your ministry or organization.

The difficult issues you work through in your marriage and parenting will make you a wiser, stronger leader organizationally. My wife, Toni, and I tell how we worked through some very hard seasons here.

The discipline of loving someone for a lifetime will help you love the people you serve and work with through their ups and downs. Working through the issues at home actually makes the issues at work easier.

Leadership at home is more difficult than leadership organizationally for most people. Because respect is earned at home, and no one is interested in your title or corner office, you have to lead with love. It’s the only thing that works long term.

Lead poorly at home, and the consequences will play out in several ways in your leadership:

You may win in ministry but lose the heart and affection of your family. Most of us have met leaders whose family is still together but deeply resents the leader’s organization.

Your leadership in ministry might be permanently stunted as unresolved character issues leak from home into your organizational leadership. Your flaws tend to eventually impact everything you lead and touch.

You might lose it all—the collapse of your family might lead to the collapse of your ministry and leadership. How many times have we seen an affair, an addiction or other moral failures take out a leader whose gifting outweighed his character?

See what’s at stake?

Even though so much ultimately rides on how you lead at home, you will be tempted (as I am) to resist leading well at home.

In fact, many people pour all their skill development into leading at work and will let the home front slide.

I know in seasons I’ve done that.

But here’s the truth. If you’re winning at work but losing at home, you’re losing.

Why?

Here are three reasons winning at work is easier than winning at home.

1. RESPECT IS OFTEN EASIER TO GET AT WORK THAN IT IS AT HOME.

Men, in particular, crave respect. So it’s easy to skip home, work harder and become even more ‘celebrated’ in your field.

Respect at work often comes from your accomplishments and sometimes your position.

At home, it comes from your character.

No one at home is impressed by your resume, your sales, your growth or your war stories. Which makes it easier to keep working.

2. AT HOME, THERE IS NO ESCAPE FROM WHO YOU REALLY ARE.

People at home see you as you really are—in your weaknesses, in your most vulnerable moments. They see you uncut.

Many leaders prefer the edited version of themselves, but our families never get that.

Because at home there is no escape from who you really are, some leaders are tempted to escape from home (back to the office, to friends or to some time-consuming hobby).

3. THE WINS AT HOME ARE LONG TERM WINS

You can get quick fixes to problems at work. At home, you are primarily working on things that take a lifetime to achieve.

Great marriages are measured in decades and ultimately in fractions of a century. The relationship with our kids last throughout our lives. God is working on our character over a lifetime, not just in Q3. You can change your job. You can get a promotion. But our family relationships are forever. That makes them much harder, but so much more worthwhile.

I realize this post doesn’t resolve the tension. It raises it.

But maybe for some of us, that’s where we need to leave it for now.

Sometimes when I think about what’s at stake and why I resist, it ups my motivation to change. My next post will outline several ways leaders can lead better at home.

But in the meantime, let’s leave it there.

And let’s think and pray about what’s at stake.

Stop Losing at Home. Start Winning at Home and at Work.

If you really want to start winning at home and at work, the High Impact Leader course can help.

This course is everything I’ve learned in the past decade since burning out, and I show you how to elevate your leadership at home and create more time for yourself and family.

Today, I still have bigger goals than ever before, but I’ve made fundamental changes that have led to a healthier, happier lifestyle without sacrificing my family and vastly increasing my productivity at work. I’ve taken what I’ve learned during this journey and put it into the High Impact Leader course.

You can complete the three-hour course at your own pace. It’s the most comprehensive content I’ve ever created for leaders to help you reclaim HOURS every day so you can become more effective at work and more present at home. When your time, energy and priorities are all working together for you, it’ll impact everything you do.

You become a better leader, because you’re doing what you do best when you’re at your best.
You become a better spouse, because you’re focused at home.
You become a better parent, neighbor and friend, because you actually have time off to relax and engage.

These principles will free you to thrive in every area of your life.

You can learn more and gain instant access today.

What’s Been Hardest for You at Home?

This article originally appeared here.

Why Being Too Nice Is Bad for Leadership

Ron Edmondson

January 30, 2019

I was talking with a leader recently. She’s an incredibly kind and gentle person. She’s smart, hard-working and loyal. She’s a relational leader and usually brings out the best in people, so she’s had success in leadership. She is currently experiencing problems in a new position and asked for my help.

In talking through the specific situation, it quickly became obvious that she has one weakness and it is currently affecting her entire team. It’s a common weakness among leaders. At times, most of us will struggle in this area.

Her weakness?

She is being too nice!

Granted, that doesn’t sound like it could ever be a weakness. And it has made her well-liked in the organization. She’s incredibly popular. And, she likes that. But it also has made her team less successful than it could be. And she knows it.

Currently, a few team members are taking advantage of her niceness by underperforming in their roles. She hasn’t challenged the problems, even though she knows she should. She’s losing sleep over it, but doesn’t know what to do. The relational leadership in her, which is a positive about her leadership style, is not working with these team members.

Perhaps you’ve seen this before in an organization. Maybe you’ve been on either side of this issue. If this is your situation, you have probably even thought or said things such as, “I gave them an inch and they took a mile.”

I am not suggesting one become a mean leader. That would be wrong. It certainly wouldn’t be biblical leadership.

I am suggesting one become a wise leader. Wisdom learns to guide people in the direction that’s best for them, the leader, and the entire team or organization. In the situation above, I advised my friend to take off her “nice hat,” at least temporarily, to address the few people causing the majority of the problems that are impacting the entire team.

As hard as it will seem at first, in the end it will be a blessing for the entire team…and my leader friend.

I have learned that people accept the ‘what’ better if they first understand the ‘why’…so then I shared with her why I feel her default niceness is causing current problems for the team.

Here are three problems with being too nice as a leader:

1. It’s bad for the leader.

The leader ends up stressing over the wrong things. Instead of worrying about the big picture, the leader is focused on a few problems with usually only a few people.

The leader feels unsuccessful, even like a failure at times, as the team achieves less than desired results.

The Most Important Coaches on the Field at the Super Bowl

Stephanie Martin

January 30, 2019

As the Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots prepare for Super Bowl LIII on Sunday, some players say their Christian faith—plus the guidance of team chaplains—helps them put football into proper perspective.

Both rosters contain men who are outspoken about following Jesus. Brandin Cooks, who was traded from the Patriots to the Rams last April, frequently tweets Bible verses, prayers and encouraging words. Rams offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth, who donated a game check to survivors of a mass shooting in California last fall, says, “I accepted Christ at a young age, but it took many years of failure and pain for me to realize what it means to follow and seek God in every aspect of my life.”

For the Patriots, Duron Harmon, Matthew Slater and Devin McCourty are particularly outspoken about their faith. “Football is temporary,” says Slater. “It’s going to be over for all of us at some point. But when you look at a relationship with Jesus, you understand you’re living for eternity. And if you can’t get excited about that, I don’t know what you can get excited about.”

The Team Chaplain Values Faith Over Football

To encourage players during each season’s highs and lows, most teams rely on a chaplain, whether a paid staffer or volunteer. For the Rams, that role is filled by Kevin Nickerson, director of the Los Angeles County chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Nickerson, who played pro football for seven years, credits a former team chaplain for being “very instrumental in my faith walk.”

Now as a chaplain himself, Nickerson says he plays a “big brother” role, befriending and serving players, no matter their beliefs. “I treat everybody the same in the locker room,” he says. “Jesus said, ‘I didn’t come for the well. I didn’t come for the righteous and those who don’t need a doctor. I came for the sick.’ … My mentality is that we’re all sick. … I’m just as big of a sinner as those who don’t know Jesus.”

For the Patriots, chaplain and “character coach” Jack Easterby receives kudos for providing genuine affection to players and personnel. He “offers love with no strings attached,” says Slater, a special teams player. “As macho as we are in the locker room, we all want to be loved.”

Easterby, who’s known for his bear hugs, encourages players as they deal with injuries and personal issues, whether joyful or tragic. “As men, sometimes we don’t know how to deal with different emotions,” Slater says. “We don’t grieve the way we should, experience sadness the way we should, or express joy the way we should, because we’re so focused on the job. Jack has been there to say, ‘It’s OK to be down. It’s OK to have heartache.”

Life Lessons Beyond the Gridiron

While serving as chaplain for the Kansas City Chiefs, Easterby helped them through heartache in 2012 when linebacker Jovan Belcher killed his girlfriend and then committed suicide in the team’s parking lot. “My heart, my mind, were conditioned through that moment,” Easterby says. “I think it’s prepared me for a lot of things that I don’t even know that it’s prepared me for.”

The next year, Easterby joined the Patriots and helped them cope with player Aaron Hernandez’s arrest on murder charges. Easterby, who took seminary classes at Erskine College and Liberty University, was drawn to coach Bill Belichick’s challenge to be “the seeds and water of truth, love and support to grow people and have them be encouragement-oriented.”

Slater says many of his teammates had been praying for that type of spiritual mentor. Easterby leads Bible studies, conducts premarital counseling, and is available any time of the day or night. “If it’s washing a guy’s car, meeting him for dinner, playing Wiffle ball in the back yard, my best ability is my availability—2 o’clock in the morning, 3 in the afternoon,” he says. “When I do that, I show a little glimpse of who God is. Because God doesn’t sleep. God doesn’t turn away when your problem’s too big. My goal in a small way is to mirror that the best I can.”

Easterby Emphasizes Servanthood and Character

Through his website, GreatestChampion.com, Easterby helps athletes and teams remember that true victory comes through Jesus. When asked to sum up his job description with the Patriots, he says, “Servant. To serve anybody and everybody in the building, to help us be prepared on and off the football field. To be prepared as men, as people. … And also to be the glue for our team.”

Amid the roller coaster of each season, Easterby’s mission is to “grow people” and “leave everyone I interact with better than I found them.” Players agree he’s accomplished that. McCourty calls Easterby “a godsend” who creates “better men.” And Slater says, “I can only hope and pray to be half the man that [Jack]’s been and impact lives the way he has.”

Some football fans don’t associate the word “character” with the Patriots, who’ve dealt with scandals such as Spygate and Inflategate. But ESPN reporter Seth Wickersham says that “for all the attacks on their character,” the Patriots “have actually invested more [in] their team’s character than any team in the NFL.”

Broadcasting Faith in Jesus

For Sunday’s big game, Christians are represented beyond the playing field and sidelines. Color analyst Tony Romo, who will be in the broadcast booth, frequently speaks about his faith. The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback attributes his trademark poise on the field to his relationship with Jesus. “As long as he has control, I’m at peace,” Romo says. “Having Jesus in your life gives you everlasting peace, which never goes away.”

Being a spiritual leader is important to Romo. “For me, my greatest peace of mind, my greatest success, you might say, is when I walk the spiritual journey, when I’m a spiritual leader to my family and the people I’m around,” he says. “That’s what I’m striving for, and that’s where I hope to continue to go and grow.”

Justin Moxley: The Critical Need to Plant More Churches

Jason Daye

January 30, 2019

Justin Moxley is the Partnership Development Executive for Stadia, an organization that helps church planters. Growing up in a rural church, serving in a mega church and leading a new church, Justin has been involved in nearly all aspects of the church and church planting. Justin is on the teaching team of his local church, has served as an adjunct professor and currently serves on the board of a local non-profit. He has been married to Tiffany for over 23 years, has a son Zane and a daughter Savannah. He loves the beach, Kansas City BBQ, and watching his kids play college soccer.

Key Questions for Justin Moxley

– Recently some research was released about church plants. What do we learn from this research?

– Why plant a church instead of try to grow an established church? What do church plants offer that is unique from other churches?

– How can a church know if they’re ready to plant another church or another site?

Key Quotes from Justin Moxley

“I think church planting is just about as hard as it has ever been in the history of the U.S.”

“For years the closure rate of churches was about 3,700 a year, and they’re anticipating that that number will move to about 5,500. All the while, there’s going to be probably another 100 million people that will come to the U.S. in the next seven years, either through birth or immigration. So the need continues to grow and grow and grow.”

“We need to be planting about 8,100 churches per year just to keep up with the population and the closure rates.”

“Of the new churches that Stadia serves, 42 percent of the attendance of those churches is made up of first time believers.”

“There’s a difference between being burdened and being called and equipped by God to [plant churches].”

“Every one of us should be a part of church planting. The question is what role should we play?”

“There are new expressions of the church that constantly need to be telling the true, same Gospel story, just in a way that [unchurched people] can understand and that they can grasp.”

“Churches that are under the age of 10 are 2.3 times more likely to plant a campus or a church than churches that are over 10 years old. Just like new Christians reach new Christians, new churches plant new churches.”

Mentioned in the Show:

Pinetops Report
StadiaChurchPlanting.org
Stadia on Facebook
Stadia on Twitter
Exponential Conference
Latest Multisite Trends Report

Abortion: The #1 Cause of Death in the World

Ronnie Floyd

January 29, 2019

If I asked you what the leading cause of death in the world is, I imagine the first answer to pop into your mind would be a disease such as cancer. It wouldn’t be a bad guess—cancer kills more than 8 million people every year. But it’s not the right answer.

You might then consider AIDS or smoking or alcohol-related deaths—or perhaps even traffic accidents? Combined, the four are responsible for the deaths of over 11 million people around the world.

But the leading cause of death in the world is none of the above. In fact, it kills more people than all of them combined.

Abortion: The #1 Cause of Death in the World

In 2018, 41.9 million pregnancies were prematurely terminated, making abortion the no. 1 cause of death in the world. The staggering figure was tallied by Worldometers, a site which aggregates statistical data from sources such as the World Health Organization (WHO).

Yet unlike most of the other leading causes of death in the world, abortion is almost 100 percent preventable. Case in point: In the U.S., 9 out of 10 abortions are elective. That is to say they are performed not due to medical reasons but because the baby is not wanted.

I wonder what would happen if we viewed abortion the same way we view smoking or cancer. Would it remain the leading cause of death in the world if we ran public service campaigns to dissuade women from seeking abortions, as we do for smoking? Or if we spent billions of dollars on research to save lives, as we do with cancer?

The sad truth is our culture doesn’t discourage abortion; on the contrary, we champion and celebrate it. One pro-choice group took it to the next level when it recently released a video of its founder talking with children about why abortion is good.

“They just suck the pregnancy out. It was like a really crappy dentist appointment or something…like a body thing that’s kind of uncomfortable,” she explains to two pre-teen girls in the video.

Notice the choice of words: They suck the pregnancy out. An abortion does not suck a pregnancy out; it forcefully removes, often through suction and cutting, a fetus—or in other words, a baby—from the womb.

That’s the message our culture is communicating to our children today—a baby is only valuable when it doesn’t interfere with your life and your happiness.

Believe it or not, as outrageous as this may sound, many of our elected officials believe it. On its very first day in session, the 116^thCongress—hailed for having a record number of women—voted on a spending bill. But beyond providing funds for the federal government, the bill would also restore funding to organizations that provide abortions overseas, which stands in direct contravention to the many recent decisions that have prevented taxpayers’ money from financing abortions.

Today, January 22, is the National Sanctity of Human Life Day. On this date, 46 years ago, the Supreme Court legalized abortion across all 50 states. That one fateful decision has led to the deaths of over 61 million babies in America. That’s roughly the combined populations of California and Florida.

There is nothing in this world more valuable than a human life. The Bible tells us God made us in his image and likeness. This means that, regardless of race, gender, age, place of birth or socioeconomic status, every human life has intrinsic, unalienable value. From the womb, all the way to the tomb, life is precious.

I pray America will choose life.

This article originally appeared here.

6 Reasons We Need Revival Meetings

Brad Graves

January 29, 2019

6 Reasons We Need Revival Meetings

Revival Humbles Us

God bless those of you who were at this altar crying to God this week. In my book, people who are at the altar are the ones who are right with God, and the ones who avoid the altar are usually not listening to His voice. If you were perfect then you would already be in heaven. Repentance needs to happen and Revival creates the opportunity for it.

Revival Refreshes Us

The music, seeing lives changed, and being challenged and encouraged are all refreshing. I needed it and tried to apply every sermon I heard immediately. God wants to search us and call out sin and build up righteousness. Revival is refreshing because we can encounter God in a different way.

Revival Makes Us Become Evangelists

If you brought someone to the revival that God saved, you became an evangelist for the Lord! We always see people saved and baptized.

Revival Unifies Us

It’s hard to disagree with someone when you are at an altar praying with them over your own sin. It’s easier to empathize with one different than you when you cry with them at an altar.

Revival Promotes What Is Best About Us

Sometimes in church you can become known for what you are against. Or the worst thing that has happened to you…or just whatever rumor people want to create. But when you have a Revival it tells your community that we are serious about God, fearing Him, knowing Him, being right with Him, and bringing people to Him.

Revival Stretches Us

Bringing people to hear the Gospel stretches all of us. You come out every night, some of you worked all day, came straight from work, home to bed, some went back to work, some had to get up at 4 a.m….it stretched you for God’s glory! I am proud of you for that. It stretches you to listen to a different speaker, one that contrasts me. It stretches you to listen to others for truth. And if God can stretch you with Revival—then what else can He stretch you with?

This article originally appeared here.

How to Choose a Children’s Ministry Curriculum

Matt Morgan

January 29, 2019

One of the questions that comes up when I’m with other children’s ministry leaders is how to choose a children’s ministry curriculum.

This week, I’m attending INCM’s Children’s Pastors Conference with about 2,000 other Children’s Ministry leaders. It’s such a great time of learning, networking and refreshing for the work we are called to.

As I walk the halls, I hear many of the same questions… How do we get more volunteers? How do I love, train and keep the volunteers I have? What children’s ministry curriculum do you use and do you like it?

That last question in an interesting one. The first two questions are universal. We all need volunteers and want to be good stewards of those God brings into our ministry. But the curriculum question really sparks the most interesting conversations.

Some people are die-hard fans of a curriculum. Others have tried everything available and are still searching. As the conversation fills with the reasons for likes and dislikes of the curriculum options, many of the comments are based on how well the curriculum engages or entertains the kids, how easy it is to implement for the leader or volunteers, or how much it costs.

While all of these are extremely important factors, I’m concerned that we’re missing the most crucial factor in choosing a curriculum:

Does this children’s ministry curriculum teach the Bible in a way that allows kids to clearly see who Jesus is and what He has done?

This should be our main concern in choosing a curriculum (and any other resource or event we choose for our ministry). I know we believe every curriculum should fit into this category, but sadly it doesn’t. Sure, you can make edits and rewrite to include the Gospel, but it’s not the same as when the Gospel takes center-stage from the start. When choosing resources or curriculum for kids ministry, I will always choose to one that teaches the Bible in a way that allows kids to see how the entire story of Scripture points us to Jesus and our need for Him. That is my foundation. I can build in creativity, crafts, skits, take-home resources and other important features, but the Gospel message must be at the center from the start.

Here are a couple of other tips to consider when choosing a curriculum:

Pick a children’s ministry curriculum that engages the heart before the hands.

We all want the curriculum to be engaging for kids. I’m a big proponent of fun, but never at the expense of the truth about Jesus. I feel that a curriculum that focuses on engaging the heart of kids with the Gospel will naturally be more captivating than any craft, game or creative element.

Decide first what kids need to know so that you can evaluate whether a curriculum meets your needs.

This is a major reason why Gospel centrality is important to me. I know that’s what we all need most. If you feel strongly that kids need to have an understanding of our call to missions, then make sure you carry that value into your curriculum search.

Educate yourself on the ideas and concepts that kids can appropriately grasp at each age.

While Gospel centrality is most important, it is only effective when it is presented in terms and ways that each age can understand. I want to be sure that I evaluate what kids can understand about God at each age so that the curriculum can present Truth in a receivable way.

Pick a children’s ministry curriculum that you, your leaders and your church leadership will be passionate about.

Once again, this is why I believe gospel-centrality is the most important factor in choosing a curriculum. We are all passionate about Jesus and sharing His message of salvation. If you can find a curriculum that effectively shares who He is and what He has done to kids, it will energize you and your leaders.

This article originally appeared here.

Walking With Students Through Depression

Carl Dodd

January 29, 2019

Recently I opened up Facebook to yet another post from a youth pastor friend sharing about a student overwhelmed by darkness and despair. Sadly, darkness had consumed the 16-year-old’s life and ultimately ended it. This tale is far too common amongst the students we minister to. As I connect with youth pastors, I repeatedly hear these stories; stories of students battling depression and of leaders feeling ill-equipped to help.

According to suicide.org, we are ministering to a culture where about 20 percent of teens experience depression before reaching adulthood. Although not all depressive states lead to suicide, it is still the third-leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 24. If you are currently supporting someone suffering from depression, know that you are needed—and you’re not alone.

Depression can look different in every person. If a student starts to talk with you about depression, then let them talk. The fact they trust you enough to talk about this…that’s a big deal! As you give them space, you’ll learn more. Try and keep calm so that you don’t add any more emotional energy to the mix.

Some of the most common expressions that may indicate depression are darkness, a pit, quicksand or a trap that a person just can’t seem to get themselves out of. Our students need support if they are walking through this level of despair: They know they are not able to fix this themselves, because they’ve already tried.

I’ve laid out some key ideas for walking with teens through depression. But before you start, you need to pray! You will need God with you on this. You will need the Holy Spirit’s guidance and the strength of God as you journey into the darkness with your student. Here are a few more tips:

1. Know yourself

As you help a student, it is important to check yourself at the beginning. For example, if you’re driven to find solutions quickly and solve problems, you may need to slow down the pace. While this instinct can be an important driving force for you, depression has no quick-fixes. Or, if you are driven by empathy, you may be at risk of losing the objectivity that your student needs from you. Know what motivates you, know your strengths, and make sure you also know how they could be a weakness as you support a student in crisis.

2. Provide a safe space

More often than not, you’ll become aware of a student’s struggles either because of a crisis event or because the student feels safe enough to open up to you about what’s going on. Perhaps you’ve noticed your student has started to withdraw, has gone through a significant behavior change, has started engaging in unhealthy or risky behavior, or something else that is outside the norm. Create a safe space for your student. If he or she feels they can talk with you without risk of over-reaction or judgment, then they will feel safe enough to talk about some of their struggles.

3. Listen and understand

Show your student you’re listening. Make sure your phone is turned over and on silent. Use good eye contact with the student (but don’t make it weird!). As you’re listening, avoid quick responses and accept what you are hearing without jumping to judgment. Avoiding phrases like “you shouldn’t feel that way,” “that’s just stupid,” or “that’s not a big deal” will keep you from devaluing the very real feelings and emotions your student is experiencing. When you sit down with your student, have some follow up questions and feed back what you hear him or her saying to make sure you’re on the same page. Bring God’s light into their situations at appropriate moments by reminding them of His promises and offering to pray.

3 Surprising Reasons to Love the Wrath of God

Stephen Altrogge

January 29, 2019

Do you love the wrath of God?

That sounds like a somewhat deranged question, right? I mean, when was the last time you had a conversation about how beautiful the wrath of God is? I don’t think I’ve ever had that conversation.

Or when was the last time you sang a worship song that focused on the wrath of God? It’s not quite as catchy to sing about the furious wrath of God as it is to sing about the reckless love of God.

Have you ever read a book extolling the glorious virtues of the wrath of God? Survey says, “Probably not.” I certainly haven’t.

The simple truth is that we (myself included) don’t really like to talk about God’s wrath. It makes us moderately uncomfortable. It doesn’t jive well with our modern sensibilities. We prefer to talk about how God is loving, kind and merciful, all of which are gloriously true.

If you talk about God’s wrath on a regular basis, people start avoiding you at parties and giving you the distant side eye—the look that says, “Stay far away from this strange person.”

But it’s equally true that God is wrathful, and the wrath of God is just as glorious as his love and mercy.

Wait, what? The wrath of God is just as glorious and beautiful as God’s love?

Yes, it is. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but we should prize and treasure the wrath of God just as much as any other part of God’s character.

Here are three reasons why.

What Is the Wrath of God?

First, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page regarding the wrath of God. Depending on your background, you may have all kinds of unhelpful preconceived notions that keep you from truly treasuring God’s wrath.

So what is God’s wrath?

The wrath of God is God’s holy, righteous, absolutely morally pure opposition to and punishment of unrighteousness.

Living in the Aftermath of Suicide

Al Hsu

January 29, 2019

More than 42,000 people die by suicide every year in the U.S., and each one leaves behind on average six to 10 survivors—spouses, parents, children, other family and friends who are devastated by the loss. That’s hundreds of thousands of people every year who are grieving this kind of death. And yet most of us typically feel isolated and alone in grappling with the reality of it all. Those of us who have lost a loved one to suicide need to know that we are not alone in this loss.

Most of us experience survivor’s guilt and blame ourselves for our loved one’s death. We think, “I should have seen it coming,” or, “I should have done something to prevent this.” As I interviewed other survivors, one of the main themes they wanted to communicate to other survivors is this: It’s not your fault. While we may always wonder if we could have done more to prevent the suicide, ultimately the choice was not ours. Our loved ones made the decision to do this, and survivor’s guilt should not keep hold over us indefinitely.

I lost my father to suicide; he was 58. I come from an Asian-American cultural context where people don’t talk about things like depression or suicide because they’re seen as shameful, and we don’t want to bring further shame to the family. It took some months and years to have experienced enough healing to share what had happened. I talked with my mother and asked her if it would be OK for me to write publicly about my dad’s death. She gave me her blessing and said that my dad always kept things bottled up inside, so she was glad that I was able to explore and express my grief more openly.

For the most part, the church was helpful and comforting. Even if people didn’t know what to do or say, they were present with us in our grief and helped out with practical needs. The pastor who conducted my father’s funeral was very sensitive in how he interacted with us. His sermon framed things in terms of depression being a battle that people fight against themselves, which was a helpful metaphor for understanding the realities of mental illness.

What was hurtful were some of the well-intentioned but painful comments that people said, clichés like “God doesn’t give us anything we can’t handle” or “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Even if there’s some truth to these kinds of sayings, it usually comes across as a pat answer rather than true empathy or comfort. In the immediacy of my grief, I didn’t want to hear anything about God’s secret plans to turn all this for good. I needed to mourn and cry, and for the church to mourn with those who mourn.

Because churches care about their members’ emotional and spiritual health, churches have an opportunity to walk with those who struggle, and to support their loved ones and family members. Churches can provide soul care and minister to a whole range of spiritual and emotional issues. In general, churches have not always had a great track record in knowing what to do for those with mental illness, but awareness seems to have improved in recent years. While no church can do everything, most churches can do at least a few things, from modeling transparency from the pulpit to providing support groups or small groups for particular areas.

Losing my father to suicide has made me more aware of the realities of mental illness, and more sensitive to the fact that all of us face challenges and struggles of many kinds. It has helped me recognize the preciousness of all life and that this life is worth living. While my personality temperament tends to avoid suffering and pain, I’ve learned to acknowledge the realities of pain and loss, and to be present with others in their various kinds of suffering.

As a parent, I am more aware of the fragility of life. My younger son has Down syndrome and autism and experiences significant sensory issues and social anxiety. His developmental disabilities and behavioral challenges can be overwhelming at times, but I have learned to be more present with him in the midst of those challenges and to value him even when it’s hard. Overall, I find myself all the more grateful for my family and relationships and no longer take anything or anyone for granted.

Some Christians have a tendency to overspiritualize everything, to assume that every issue has a spiritual solution or that every problem is the result of sin or demonic activity. But someone who is struggling may not need to repent of some mysterious sin as much as they need to take antidepressants. Medicine and counseling are not antithetical to Christian ministry; a better understanding of neuroscience and brain chemistry can help us minister more effectively to one another.

Don’t be afraid of raising the topic with someone who appears to be at risk. While people who are depressed or struggling with suicidal ideation may want to die, in most cases part of them also desperately wants to live. I highly recommend Karen Mason’s book Preventing Suicide, which provides suggestions for how pastors and church leaders can teach and preach on mental health issues and provide emotional and spiritual hope for their parishioners.

This world is desperately broken, and so many today struggle with depression and mental illness. But Christians have hope that death does not have the final word. In Christ, God has overcome the power of death and is making all things new, where people no longer struggle and every tear will be wiped away.

For more information on this topic, check out Grieving a Suicide: A Loved One’s Search for Comfort, Answers and Hope.

This article originally appeared here.

Pastor Succumbs to Suicide After Struggling With Mental Health

Jessica Lea

January 29, 2019

Jim Howard, a megachurch pastor in Santa Clarita, California, fatally shot himself on January 23. Howard was the Family Life pastor at Real Life Church’s (RLC) Valencia campus and had a history of struggling with his mental health. In a statement posted the day after Howard’s death, Lead Pastor Rusty George said,

Sadly, Jim suffered in private with mental health challenges—some of which he bravely discussed in public—and was wrestling with some personal issues in recent months. This week he made the tragic decision to end his pain. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, the RLC family and all those who were blessed to know him.

Paramedics were dispatched to Howard’s home just before 3:40 p.m. last Wednesday after getting a report about a gunshot wound. Homicide detectives were later called in to investigate. Sgt. Tim O’Quinn of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau could not officially confirm the cause of death, but he did confirm that Howard did not die as the result of a “criminal incident.”

A ‘Devastating Shock’

Speaking in the front of the church following Howard’s death, George called what had happened a “devastating shock,” despite the fact that Howard was always open about his struggles with depression and mental illness and had even recently taught on those topics. Said George,

Because of some deeply personal issues he was wrestling with recently, he actually chose to resign last weekend. And we were working with him to help him into a season of healing and preparation for his next season of ministry, wherever that might be…and unbeknownst to us, we didn’t know how deep the darkness was inside of his own mind.

George said that not even Howard’s closest friends were aware of how deep his struggle was, particularly because he was so energetic, encouraging and fun to be around. However, George did say that certain comments Howard had made in the past now made more sense in light of his death.

RLC is using this tragedy as an opportunity to encourage people to take mental health challenges seriously and is offering online resources in addition to talking about the issue from the pulpit. George noted that while suicide rates are declining worldwide, they are rising in the U.S., a fact confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Among other data, the CDC reports that the national age-adjusted suicide rate increased by 33 percent from 1999 to 2017. George also stated that the Santa Clarita Valley has one of the highest suicide rates in the country, particularly for men in Howard’s age range.

Many people have expressed their condolences on Facebook. In the comments on RLC’s statement, one user said,

The Apostle Paul wrote, “If one member suffers, all suffer together” – 1 Corinthians 12:26. This tragedy is not simply a Real Life Church heartache, but a shared grief for the Body of Christ in our city. As the broader body of Christ let’s lavish our prayers on the brothers and sisters at Real Life Church.

Asia Bibi Is Really Free This Time

Megan Briggs

January 29, 2019

On Tuesday, Pakistan’s Supreme Court upheld its October 2018 decision to acquit Christian mother Asia Bibi of blasphemy charges. Bibi will finally be able to join her children in Canada, where they have been given asylum.

“I am really grateful to everybody. Now after nine years it is confirmed that I am free and I will be going to hug my daughters,” Bibi told a friend who asked to remain anonymous for fear of the angry mob that is not happy with the judges’ decision.

Bibi watched the decision on television from an undisclosed location where she has been hiding since October. Following the court’s initial decision to free her, an angry mob, led by the extremist Muslim group Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP), took to the streets in protest.

One of the three judges on the court, Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, indicated Bibi’s accusers presented false evidence and were guilty of perjury. In fact, he said if the case hadn’t been so sensitive, her accusers should be jailed for life. Some of the leaders involved in the protests following the October decision were jailed on charges of terrorism and have not been released yet.

Extremist Muslims Upset by Asia Bibi News

Authorities in Pakistan anticipated more protests with this final decision from the court and attempted to stay ahead of them. According to AP News, on Monday local police had already arrested hundreds of people associated with the TLP in Pakistan’s biggest cities: Islamabad, Lahore and Rawalpindi. Security was particularly tight at the courthouse as well. Police in riot gear surrounded the building and had concertina wire (large, coiled razor wire) ready to block off main roads if need be.

A leader of the TLP, Mohammad Shafiq Amini, sent a video to the group’s followers condemning the decision from the judges. Amini called it “cruel and unjust” and that Muslims should feel ashamed Bibi was not executed. Amini urged followers to fill Pakistan’s jails by protesting.

On the other hand, Justice Khosa sees the actions of these Muslim protestors as a poor representation of Islam. “The image of Islam we are showing to the world gives me much grief and sorrow,” he said.

Others are rejoicing over the decision and what it means for Pakistan, which is often roiled by people using charges of blasphemy to attack personal enemies and religious minorities. “I am happy because the judges spoke out strongly against giving false evidence,” Joseph Francis, a Christian activist, said.

Bibi’s lawyer, Saiful Malook, was critical of the Pakistani government after it allowed the Supreme Court’s original decision to be appealed. At the time, he said the government couldn’t even implement an order of its highest court. After Tuesday’s decision, however, Malook deemed it a victory for Pakistan’s constitution and rule of law and he is hopeful the decision will deter future false blasphemy charges.

The next stop for Bibi, after years behind bars and a very tenuous several months in hiding, is Canada where she will be able to hug her children again.

5 Perspectives That Help Me Deal With Criticisms

Thom Rainer

January 28, 2019

I am thin-skinned. I do not like criticisms.

Perhaps many of you can say both of those statements with certitude. I know exactly how you feel. As one who has received criticisms over the years, I want to share with you personally five perspectives that have helped me deal with them. To be transparent, I don’t always focus on these perspectives. But, when I do, I find God working in me in a redemptive way.

5 Perspectives That Help Me Deal With Criticisms

I deserve criticisms. My first reaction to criticism is usually defensiveness. I want to show why I am right and the critic is wrong. But the truth of the matter is I am wrong quite often. I am truly a sinner who has fallen short of God’s glory. Who I am to say, “I don’t deserve those criticisms”?
No one made me accept this position of leadership. If you lead, you will be criticized. If you don’t want to be criticized, don’t lead. It’s easy to get excited about the fun aspects of leadership. But it comes with struggles, pain and criticisms. Leadership is not always fun and easy.
I need to pray for my critics. I don’t know what’s taking place in the lives of most of my critics. I don’t know their own hurts and struggles. I need to look out for the interests of others (Philippians 2:4). “Others” in that verse includes those who criticize me.
Most criticisms last for a brief season. I should do a better job keeping the long-term perspective. I can remember too many times when I reacted viscerally to criticisms, only to forget about them in a week. Even though some of the criticisms become a part of the indelible world of blogs and social media, most are forgotten quickly.
I need to have a better perspective of the cross. There is no trial, struggle or criticism that comes close to the pain of the cross. My Savior suffered for me. He died for me. I should be ashamed of myself when I act like my world is falling apart because of petty criticisms.

Many of you readers are pastors and other church leaders. You get your share of criticisms. You know the pain. While I think I am unqualified to teach you anything about dealing with critics, I hope my own personal reflections have helped a bit.

This article originally appeared here.

Living With a Confident Expectation of the Goodness of God

Matt Brown

January 28, 2019

The Amplified Bible explains the biblical concept of hope as “the confident expectation of good.” This phrase has been rumbling around in my heart for the past half of a year. I sense a confident expectation of the goodness of God in my life. Even when I don’t see how God is working, or how he will come through, I have great hope in my heart that He is working things out for my good, and His glory. My circumstances can’t cause me to doubt that God cares for me, fights for me, and will come through for me in whatever ways He knows is best.

Where do you need God to work in your life? What areas do you feel have grown cold or stale in the waiting? You, too, can trust that God cares more than you know, He’s working more than you can see right now, and when you look back over your life, you will see the surprising goodness of God at every turn.

A good part of our lives are spent in God’s waiting room. Waiting for God’s direction. Waiting for God’s help to follow His call. Waiting on God’s promises. Waiting for God’s mercy and grace in the situations and needs of our life. And in these waiting seasons we can always have hope that God’s goodness is very real and present. We can wait with “eager expectation” that something very good is coming our way, both in this life, and especially in eternity with God.

God is working more than we can see right now. He has our best interests in His mind and heart for us. Even a human father with all his imperfections would do absolutely anything to care for what is on His child’s heart, and we have a perfect Father in heaven who also promises to care for us. His heart is for us like a lovesick father for his child. Many times Scripture shows this analogy of God as our heavenly Father, because God wants us to think of His love and care that way. Romans 8:15-16 tells us, “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” This is God’s Father heart to show us His great love for us, and how much He cares for us as His own children when we have put our trust in Christ. You can live with a confident expectation of God’s fatherly care in your life.

Here are five biblical reminders for your own heart, when you long for a confident expectation to rise up in your heart:

A confident expectation that God has a good plan for my life

God sees everything, and He knows everything. He has the 10,000-foot view for our lives and our futures. Circumstances that don’t make sense to us now are not surprising to our God in heaven with perfect knowledge of us, our future and everything else on earth.

We can trust and follow God’s plan for our lives, and know that it is for our good—the instructions in the Bible about our conduct and attitudes, and the specific gifts, and leading we sense God has created us for.

When I started out in Bible college, I had been leading worship many times each week, and even though I had a growing sense of God’s calling on my life to evangelism, I thought I would study music. God began to direct my heart to study toward preaching ministry. It didn’t make sense to me back then, but I see how God has clearly and graciously guided my steps. He will do the same for you if you follow Him.

2. A confident expectation of God’s goodness even in the midst of suffering

This life is not always easy. But we can bear all things, and endure all things through a strength and grace that is not our own. We have the resources of the God of heaven behind us. He promises to be with us, to help us, to give us the grace that is sufficient for all circumstances we might face in our lives.

Romans 8:28 reminds us, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” I have a confident expectation of the goodness of God in my life. Even in my pain. Even in my hardships. Even in my disappointments.

Earlier in verse 18 and 23, Paul says, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed… We ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.”

Are you going through a hard time? Are you struggling to see God’s care for you? He wants to help you and strengthen you. He wants to give you an assurance of His great care over your life. He loves you, and He will continue to work on your behalf.

3. A confident expectation that God will provide for my needs

Over and over again I have seen God provide abundantly in my life. God may not do everything I hope He will, but He often does beyond what I ask or imagine. God surprises and delights me as His child, and He teaches me about what truly matters in life. God cares about the things that concern me.

The Bible tells us, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).

4. A confident expectation that other people can’t interrupt God’s plan for my life

Romans 8:31-38 reminds us that if we’ve been cleared by God, no one can condemn us or keep us from His goodness. No one can separate us from His love.

Listen, if the love of God is over your life, everything else is peripheral. You can walk around full of faith and confidence, because there is a God in heaven who loves you with an eternal love.

5. A confident expectation of all the benefits that come from seeking Him

The Bible lays out a basis for true faith in Hebrews 11, sometimes called “The Faith Chapter” of the Bible. Without faith it is impossible to please God. God is a God of faith. That is what He calls for from His people, and so we shouldn’t be surprised when the circumstances of our lives require us to have faith in God and His goodness. Faith is what it takes to follow God in a broken world.

So, the writer of Hebrews tells us, we must believe God exists, and then that God is a rewarder of those that seek Him. That’s it. That’s the basis of what it means to live by faith. The essential belief is that God is real, and that God will reward you when you seek Him and follow Him. There are always greater blessings on the other side of our obedience to Jesus. God calls you to follow Him for a reason—because He wants to bless and reward you. You will experience the goodness of God when you seek Him—when you press in in faith even when the world around you is trying to pull you away in doubt.

The Psalmist also expressed this when He said “forget not all His benefits.” There is a common grace for every person on earth. Everyone experiences the goodness of God to some degree. Every person experiences the warmth of the sun, and the refreshment of rain. But only those who seek God, believe God and follow Christ experience the rewards, benefits and grace of His work in our lives. We access these many benefits by our hope and faith in His goodness that leads us to seek and press into His promises.

So believe again. Hope again. God will reward you. He is with you, and He fights your battles when you wait for Him. You can trust in and experience His goodness even in the midst of the pain and chaos of our world. If you need more hope in your life, I encourage you to read and re-read Romans 8, until you feel this confident expectation of the goodness of God rise up in your soul.

This article originally appeared here.

5 Ways You Can Easily Partner with Public Schools

Brandon Horst

January 28, 2019

Public Schools are a massive missions field that, though closed off in some big ways, still have many open doors for ministry.

Having started going to elementary school lunches this year, I can also say that there is a huge curiosity and interest in God among kids who don’t go to church.

It’s so interesting to see that the idea of God is so natural to kids.

It’s also interesting to see how much kids trust their parents’ words and examples; almost universally, kids who say they don’t believe in God do so for no other reason than a parent told them.

With that said, here are five simple ways to get started in ministering to a local public school.

1. Bring snacks for staff and teachers

This is something super simple that makes a big impact.

About once a month when I come to school to have lunch with the students, I’ll bring snacks for the teachers’ lounge.

On the last Sunday of every month, we do a snack for the kids in church, so we normally just use the leftovers from that and this doesn’t even cost us anything.

But even if you have to pay, it’s not very expensive to get bakery cookies from Walmart, Dunkin Donuts, cake, snack-sized bags of chips (I’m just now realizing how much junk food we give teachers).

I’m always surprised by how excited everyone is to get free food.

2. Have lunch with a kid (I talk more about how you can leverage this in a different post: How to Go to Kids’ School Lunches…and Do It Effectively)

I already mentioned that I have lunch about once a week at a public elementary school.

Some schools are extremely open to this, and some schools are very closed off.

My biggest suggestion is to ask a parent to contact the school and sponsor you to have lunch with his or her child; instead of contacting the school directly.

You’ll be amazed at the conversations that come out of this.

3. Help out the teachers of kids in your church

We focus on the teachers who have kids from our church in their classes simply because we can’t afford to do this for every teacher in a school, even though we’d love to.

There are two basic ways we help teachers out.

First, at the beginning of the year, we ask if there are any supplies they think they’ll be short on and provide those.

Second, we offer to bring lots of food to any parties they throw for their classes (parties around Christmas are one of the only school board approved events in which outside food is allowed to be brought in and shared within our public school system).

4. Partner with drives the school already does.

Doing this will really make inroads with school principals, who are key to continuing and strengthening a partnership.

Here are some things our local schools have done:

Recycling Drive
Honoring Current Military & Veterans
Collecting Pennies for a Fundraiser

5. Ask schools if they know of any families who could use a blessing during the holidays.

Whether you’re in an affluent or struggling area, there will always be families in need of help.

If you ask the right people, you’ll be able to figure out what’s most needed.

It could be food for Thanksgiving or Christmas, or presents for kids, or even extra school supplies.

Just ask, and then do what you can to meet the needs; something is better than nothing.

Application Questions:

How do you partner with public schools in your area?
What is one thing you could easily start doing to partner with a public school within the next month?

This article originally appeared here.

Meet Generation…Alpha

James Emery White

January 28, 2019

What do you make of Generation Alpha — a generation of young children who don’t want a puppy?

They want an iPad instead.

Welcome to Generation Alpha, “the tech-savvy young children of Millennials whose rising influence could soon make Gen Z an afterthought.” As a recent article in Advertising Age revealed, “they’re already playing an outsized role in household buying decisions, even though the oldest among them are only 9 years old.”

A bit of generational catch-up.

The three big generational groups that most are familiar with are Baby Boomers, followed by Baby Busters (Generation X), followed by Millennials (Generation Y).

The newest cohort receiving attention is Generation Z, those born between 1995 and 2010. My own book, Meet Generation Z, was designed to introduce their distinguishing marks—currently the largest of the generations—and how they can be reached for Christ.

Generation Alpha, arguably too early to name and too early to designate, are those born beginning in 2010 (the same year Apple debuted the iPad).

And while early in the generational game, there are some interesting characteristics to take note of. Here are three:

They are more comfortable swiping a tablet or speaking to a voice assistant than most of their adult relatives. Hotwire issued a report that found that 81 percent of parents in the U.S. say the habits and needs of their children influenced their last technology purchase. “This makes them a critical gateway for marketers looking to get in good with their parents.” Fitbit, Crest and Walgreens are already developing “Alpha strategies.”
They are going to be a large generation. Mark McCrindle, a social researcher in Australia who coined the phrase “Generation Alpha,” estimates that more than 2.5 million of them are born every week. He also sets 2025 as the last year Alphas will be born. By then, McCrindle estimates there will be more than 2 billion. This will slightly eclipse even Generation Z, which will reach 1.8 billion globally at that time.
They will be a well-equipped generation. “Generation Alpha will be the most formally educated generation ever,” says McCrindle, “the most technologically-supplied generation ever, and globally the wealthiest generation ever.”

Anything beyond these three broad assessments lies in the realm of prediction, such as the idea that most of them won’t start having children until at least 13 years after graduating from high school. Or that “more than one in three Alpha women will never have children.” Or that while they will live longer than earlier generations due to medical intervention, “they will experience more health problems largely related to increasingly sedentary lives.”

Um…the oldest member of Generation Alpha is nine. I don’t think they are thinking about when, or if, they are going to start having children.

But McCrindle is probably wise with his suggested name for this new generation. It’s not just about starting the alphabet over again (After “Z” where else is there to go?), but also to “signify this different generation will be raised in a new world of technological integration.”

We’re only just beginning to learn what that means for Generation Z. It will be fascinating or terrifying (or both) to watch it unfold even more organically among Alphas.

Sources

Adrianne Pasquarelli and E.J. Schultz, “Move Over Gen Z, Generation Alpha Is the One to Watch,” Advertising Age, January 22, 2019, read online.

“Generation Alpha,” Hotwire, re ad online.

This article originally appeared here.

Authorities Crack Down

6 Physical Factors That Can Impact Your Worship Service

Before Launching, Determine Your Battle

As You Introduce Turf War, Build Energy

Leading Up to the Event

Here Are 5 Don’ts of Healthy Communication:

Here are three reasons winning at work is easier than winning at home.

1. RESPECT IS OFTEN EASIER TO GET AT WORK THAN IT IS AT HOME.

2. AT HOME, THERE IS NO ESCAPE FROM WHO YOU REALLY ARE.

3. THE WINS AT HOME ARE LONG TERM WINS

Stop Losing at Home. Start Winning at Home and at Work.

She is being too nice!

1. It’s bad for the leader.

The Team Chaplain Values Faith Over Football

Life Lessons Beyond the Gridiron

Easterby Emphasizes Servanthood and Character

Broadcasting Faith in Jesus

Key Questions for Justin Moxley

Key Quotes from Justin Moxley

Mentioned in the Show:

Abortion: The #1 Cause of Death in the World

6 Reasons We Need Revival Meetings

Revival Humbles Us

Revival Refreshes Us

Revival Makes Us Become Evangelists

Revival Unifies Us

Revival Promotes What Is Best About Us

Revival Stretches Us

Does this children’s ministry curriculum teach the Bible in a way that allows kids to clearly see who Jesus is and what He has done?

1. Know yourself

2. Provide a safe space

3. Listen and understand

What Is the Wrath of God?

A ‘Devastating Shock’

Extremist Muslims Upset by Asia Bibi News

5 Perspectives That Help Me Deal With Criticisms

Here are five biblical reminders for your own heart, when you long for a confident expectation to rise up in your heart:

A confident expectation that God has a good plan for my life

2. A confident expectation of God’s goodness even in the midst of suffering

3. A confident expectation that God will provide for my needs

4. A confident expectation that other people can’t interrupt God’s plan for my life

5. A confident expectation of all the benefits that come from seeking Him

1. Bring snacks for staff and teachers

2. Have lunch with a kid (I talk more about how you can leverage this in a different post: How to Go to Kids’ School Lunches…and Do It Effectively)

3. Help out the teachers of kids in your church

4. Partner with drives the school already does.

5. Ask schools if they know of any families who could use a blessing during the holidays.

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