Hear What It Sounds Like to Sing in a Church With Perfect Acoustics

By

-

December 17, 2018

Malinda Kathleen Reese is a talented singer who grew to YouTube fame after a quirky idea to sing the lyrics produced after putting popular songs through Google Translate. While originally known for her “Translator Fails” profile, the singer recently took a trip to Spain, where she found herself in an 18th-century church. She soon discovered that the acoustics inside the church were nothing short of magical, and she took the opportunity to sing part of a beloved Christmas song those of us in the Christian tradition hold dear.

https://www.facebook.com/malindakathleenreese/videos/2197123046986541

The church Reese is singing in in the video is located in Montefrio, Spain. Iglesia de la Encarnacion is a Catholic church that was built between 1786 and 1802 and was modeled after the Pantheon of Agrippa in Rome, hence its circular shape.

The singer uploaded the video of herself singing a few bars from “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” to her Facebook page on December 10, 2018. Commenting on the brilliant acoustics of the church, she captions the video, “When you get a Pantheon style church with the 6 second reverb all to yourself…”

So far Reese’s video has been shared over 200,000 times and viewed 11 million times. This kind of attention is not foreign to Reese, whose Translator Fails YouTube videos have received as many as 10 million views.

The singer frequently vlogs on her personal YouTube channel. She talks about the unique space she occupies as a “YouTuber” in some of her video diaries. In one video, titled “I don’t want to be extraordinary,” Reese says she is aware that “Internet culture in particular rewards sensationalism” and that she constantly has to examine where the desire to “be in front of big crowds and play music and…be labeled as a YouTube sensation” comes from.

As far as the video of Reese singing in the Spanish church, I think it’s safe to say we are all glad she shared that one with the world. Perhaps people who are unfamiliar with “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” will be inclined to find out what the song means. And that can only be a good thing.

Bishop Makes Laywoman Official Head of Catholic Parish

By

Jessica Lea

-

December 17, 2018

A Catholic bishop has appointed a laywoman as parish life coordinator over St. Anthony of Padua parish in Fairfield, Connecticut. Dr. Eleanor Sauers, who teaches religious studies at Fairfield University, has been overseeing the parish since March following the death of Rev. John Baran. According to the Associated Press, she will take official responsibility over the parish this January.

Sauers’ appointment is “a significant step in the growing role of women leaders,” the Rev. James Martin said.

In a letter to the St. Anthony of Padua parishioners, Bishop Frank Caggiano said,

Her responsibilities, as it is with any priest or deacon appointed as Administrator, is to work with the parish community to develop and foster its pastoral vision and mission. She will continue to be present to the parish in times of celebration and sadness. Her education, formation and experience makes her professionally, academically and spiritually ready for this role.

What Is Unusual About This?

Bishop Caggiano has taken a somewhat unusual step in the level of authority he has given Sauers. According to the National Catholic Register, the Code of Canon Law provides several options for what to do in the absence of a parish priest. One is to put the parish under the care of a team of priests, with one of them leading. Another is to appoint a layperson as parish life coordinator. Churches are to use this option only in “exceptional circumstances” and not “for its own sake.” That is, appointing a layperson ought to be a last resort when a priest is unavailable.

Sauers will have authority over a team of priests, who will help her by carrying out sacramental ministries in the parish. In his letter, Bishop Caggiano explained that when making the decision to appoint Sauers, he considered the parish community, the work she had already done in the parish, and the precedent already set by other dioceses.

Sauers is the not the first woman to serve as a parish life coordinator, but she is the first in her diocese and among few women throughout the country. According to the AP, parish life coordinators are typically deacons (that is, men) or even nuns, but they are rarely lay people.

Something else that makes Sauers unique is she reports directly to the bishop. Usually the parish life coordinator would report to a priest with authority over the parish. This is not the first time a woman has had authority over a parish, but it is unique for the church to officially recognize such responsibility in this way.

Sauers has said she “cannot speak to the issue of women in the priesthood,” but that she hopes women will be more open to the Catholic Church because of her appointment.

The Church’s Historical Stance

The Catholic church has historically prohibited women from being ordained because of various passages in the New Testament. In an ecclesiastical letter in 1994, Pope John Paul II reaffirmed the church’s historical position when he said, “I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful.”

It will be interesting to see if putting women in higher positions of church leadership will be a growing trend in the church in the coming years. The church’s traditional stance is one that Pope Francis has so far been unwilling to reverse.

Their Son Died by Suicide…The Funeral Was NOT the Place to Call Suicide a Sin

By

Stephanie Martin

-

December 17, 2018

After giving a funeral homily that one Catholic leader calls “a pastoral disaster,” a Michigan priest has been pulled from preaching at funerals while he gets “assistance.”

Following the December 4 suicide of their 18-year-old son, Maison, Jeff and Linda Hullibarger met with the Rev. Don LaCuesta at their lifelong parish, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Temperance. They didn’t tell the priest how Maison died but requested that the funeral homily emphasize themes of family, love and kindness.

A Funeral Homily That Caused Deep Hurt

Instead, the parents and other mourners were shocked a few days later as LaCuesta repeatedly mentioned suicide and condemned the act. “There is hope in eternity even for those who take their own lives,” LaCuesta preached. “Having said that, I think that we must not call what is bad good, what is wrong right. Because we are Christians, we must say what we know is the truth—that taking your own life is against God who made us and against everyone who loves us. Our lives are not our own. They are not ours to do with as we please. God gave us life, and we are to be good stewards of that gift for as long as God permits.”

The priest continued: “The finality of suicide makes this all the worse. You cannot make things right again. … Things are left unresolved. … Now you will have to work through this pain by yourselves, or with those close to you now who will need to lean on you even as you lean on them.”

LaCuesta’s homily did include themes of hope, mercy and forgiveness. He said, “Because of his mercy, God can forgive suicide and heal what has been broken,” and, “No deed is too evil to be beyond the forgiveness of Christ.” But Maison’s parents say being blindsided by condemnation made the worst day of their lives even worse. “He basically called our son a sinner in front of everyone,” says Linda Hullibarger.

The Parents Tried to Intervene

After LaCuesta started mentioning suicide, Jeff Hullibarger approached the priest and quietly asked him to stop, but that didn’t work. Then the priest ignored the parents’ wishes to make statements. The Hullibargers had to stop the recessional music to celebrate Maison’s life. They told LaCuesta he wasn’t welcome at the burial, where they gave their own blessing.

In a statement, the Archdiocese of Detroit apologizes that “the family was not served as they should have been served.” It says LaCuesta won’t be preaching at funerals “for the foreseeable future” and a mentor will review his other homilies. Plus, he’ll receive “assistance…to become a more effective minister in these difficult situations.”

That isn’t enough, say the Hullibargers, who want LaCuesta dismissed from the priesthood. Empathy and discretion can’t be taught in a classroom, they say, and no other families should experience their pain. “We’re afraid…they’ll send him off and he’ll do it to somebody else,” says Jeff Hullibarger.

What the Catholic Church Says About Suicide

The Catholic Church has eased its position on suicide, once considered a mortal sin. Now the church says suicide can be forgiven when caused by “grave psychological disturbances,” among other factors. The church notes we shouldn’t “despair of the eternal salvation” of people who kill themselves.

But a divide still exists within the Catholic Church, with traditionalists maintaining a hard line on the issue. “There’s all these kinds of clashes…in Catholicism now because it’s so ideologically divided,” says professor Mathew Schmalz.

I Know God Loves Me, But Does He Like Me?

By

Mark Altrogge

-

December 17, 2018

When I once wrote that God doesn’t love us because we are lovable, a couple readers responded that they know God loves them, but aren’t sure he likes them. I can relate. I used to feel that God more or less put up with me because he had obligated himself by saving me.

Here’s part of how one reader, Billie, replied:

If you [have children], do you delight in your children? Do you love their little quirks and personality traits? I am, and I do. I know God is a much better parent that I can ever dream to be…would he delight in us (his adopted children) any less than we delight in our own? Or would he simply tolerate us for Christ’s sake? Zephaniah 3:17 says:

The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.

Does that sound like it gives him pleasure to have you as one of His children? I think it does. =)

Excellent Billie! God loves all people – He so loved the world he sent his one and only Son – but he has a special love for his blood-bought children. He rejoices over us with gladness. He exults over us with loud singing. Nowhere does it say he rejoices or exults over the wicked with singing even though he loves them.

God rejoices over me with gladness – wow, that’s hard to fathom. God exults over me with loud singing – what does that sound like?

I can see smiling angels turning their heads saying there he goes again with the singing!

In Philippians 1:8 Paul says, “For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.” Jesus had given Paul HIS affection for the saints. Affection for someone means you like them, take pleasure in them. You don’t simply tolerate them in an alright-I-love-you-because-I-have-to way.

Here’s another passage that shows how God feels about his people:

You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God…you shall be called My Delight Is in Her…for the LORD delights in you…as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. Isaiah 62:3-5

God delights in his redeemed people as a glittering crown, a royal diadem. He rejoices over us as a bridegroom over his bride. Hardly sounds like he’s just putting up with us. God’s people are his “treasured possession” (Deuteronomy 7:6), “the apple of his eye” (Deuteronomy 32:10).

Paul prayed that the Ephesians would “know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.” This is not mere head knowledge but a deep experience of Christ’s love.

If you’re a believer, Jesus loves you, has affection for you, delights in you, rejoices over you, and exults over you with loud singing. Yes, he likes you! Meditate on these things and ask him to make them real to you.

10 Really Big Questions About the Future of Church Attendance (and 10 Hunches)

By

Carey Nieuwhof

-

December 16, 2018

Talk to any church leader, and they’ll tell you it feels more challenging than ever to get people to come to church on a Sunday.

Even in growing churches (like ours), the competition for peoples’ time, attention and devotion seems to get more intense every year.

You’ve felt it too.

So what’s up? And where is future church attendance heading?

I’m a firm believer in the future of the church and the gathered church. It’s here to stay not because we always get it right, but because the church is Jesus’ idea, not ours.

Still, with everything in the culture changing, how do you navigate toward a better future?

One step is to start asking solid questions.

Why? Because usually the future isn’t pioneered by the clarity of the answers nearly as much as it by the quality of the questions.

Ask the right questions, and you’ll eventually get the right answers. Fail to ask the questions, and you’re sunk.

Here are 10 questions I’m asking right now and I’ve seen other leaders ask. I think they can help frame your discussion and move you toward better answers and a strategy to match.

I’ve also included my hunch when it comes to an answer to the questions, not because I’m certain it’s right, but because answering the question moves you toward a more strategic and proactive future.So, with that in mind, here are

10 really big questions about future church attendance.

1. WILL INFREQUENT CHURCH ATTENDANCE BECOME THE UNIVERSAL DEFAULT?

If you grew up in church, you were likely raised never to miss a Sunday. Well, those days are pretty much gone. I outline 10 reasons for that in this post.

Frequent church attendance (say two to three weeks a month) seems to be most prevalent among

Volunteers
Long time (and older) church attendees
Families with very young children
Some new attendees and new Christians (at least for a season)
Quite honestly, lower-income families for whom travel is not an option

For everyone else, regular church attendance is giving way to non-engagement or online attendance.

As infrequent in-person attendance becomes more normative, it raises a series of other questions.

Hunch

Infrequent church attendance is usually a sign that people don’t see value in what you’re doing. And that’s a problem.

When parents who never ever miss their kids’ soccer practice regularly miss church, it’s a sign that they’re more engaged in soccer than they are in church. In other words, they just don’t see the value in attendance.

Want to drive engagement? Here are some ideas.

2. DOES INFREQUENT ATTENDANCE LEAD TO LOWER DEVOTION AMONG CHRISTIANS?

Some might argue frequent church attendance is not an indicator of devotion to Christ. But the bigger question is Is infrequent church attendance a sign of lower devotion to Christ?

Obviously, there is nothing that inherently says that’s the case, but generally speaking, people are less committed to things they attend less often.

Naturally, the goal of faith is to get people to commit to Jesus, not to a local church, but still, as I outline here, Christ and his church are intricately connected.

But consider this: showing up at the gym once a month rather than three times a week usually communicates something. Skipping a weekly date with someone you’re supposed to be in love with is usually a sign of something deeper.

People usually commit to things they’re devoted to. Until they’re no longer devoted to them.

Hunch

Infrequent attendance is almost always a sign of lower devotion. We participate in the things we value most.

Infrequent attendance is almost always a sign of lower devotion. We participate in the things we value most. CLICK TO TWEET

3. WILL ONLINE CHURCH REPLACE IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE FOR MANY?

So if people aren’t attending church as regularly anymore, then what’s the new normal?

In addition to simply staying away, many are substituting online options for in-person attendance. The launch of Churchome’s Global App is one more step in that direction.

The last decade has seen an explosion of online options for Christians, most of which are free: from social media to podcasts and to services streamed both live and on demand.

The opportunities are endless and will only grow from here.

Even if your church doesn’t have any online presence, don’t worry—thousands of other ministries do. There’s no way to shield your congregation from a changing world.

And actually, come to think of it, there shouldn’t be. The church has always adapted to a changing world because Jesus loves the world.

Hunch

While I think that (at least at this point) increased in-person engagement almost always leads to higher devotion, for some people online will be their only form of church. I don’t love this, for reasons stated elsewhere in this post, but if you ignore your online strategy, you lose the chance to reach new people, even if it means some of your less-devoted people step back.

4. DOES ONLINE PARTICIPATION FEED CONSUMPTION OR DRIVE ENGAGEMENT?

One of the key goals for Christians is to engage the mission in front of us: to share the love and salvation of Christ with the world.

But does online participation drive Christians into deeper engagement with that mission or does it drive us deeper into consumerism?

The challenge with technology, of course, is that we are both its parent and its child. We shaped it, but we’re unclear on how it’s shaping us.

So, given the rise of digital options, are Christians increasingly seeing their faith as something to be consumed?

The Gospel by nature demands sacrifice, engagement and risk.

Christianity at its best has never been about consuming much and contributing little. We shouldn’t start now.

In many respects, online consumption builds the kingdom of me. We’re called to build the Kingdom of God.

Hunch

When you design your online strategy, you can shape it to fuel consumption or to fuel engagement. While many churches will shape it to fuel consumption, the more effective churches will shape it to fuel engagement.

5. WHAT HAPPENS TO EVANGELISM IN A LOW ATTENDANCE WORLD?

Of all the things that concern me most about lower attendance patterns, this one is the highest on my list.

If you’re consuming your faith online and only attending sporadically, how do you invite your friends into that? That’s right, you don’t.

Sharing a pin on Instagram is not the same as personally sharing your life with a friend.

Sure, theoretically, you can share your faith around a kitchen table. But let’s be honest, not many people actually do that. And something tells me that most people who attend infrequently rarely share their faith.

Christians should live like the good news is good, not just for them, but for everyone.

Hunch

Many Christians will continue to see their faith as something to be enjoyed, not shared. But they won’t be the future church.

The future church will be followers of Jesus who unite around a mission to change the world through the love and hope of Christ.

6. WHAT HAPPENS TO DISCIPLESHIP IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT?

Christian maturity is not marked by how much you know, it’s marked by how much you love.

And love has an outward thrust.

Sure, to grow as a disciple you need to consume. So listen to messages and podcasts, take online seminary classes…do what you need to do.

But consumption has never been the goal of true discipleship. Jesus never asked you to be a disciple; he called you to make disciples.

If your mantra in avoiding other Christians on Sunday and consuming what you feel like on Monday is to build yourself up, you’ve lost the mission.

Hunch

The future church will be filled with Christians who realize they’re called to make disciples, not just be disciples.

7. HOW MUCH OF A VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE ACTUALLY TRANSLATES?

With more and more congregations streaming their services, it raises the question of what happens on the other end?

First, I suspect the attention span of viewers and listeners is fractured and intermittent. Watching while running on the treadmill is not the same experience as being in the room live when something is taking place. Listening while cooking dinner and while the kids are running up and down the hall is not the same as being seated and attentive for a sermon. Sure, people have been distracted in church for centuries, but it’s a different kind of distraction.

Second, even if you sit in rapt attention to what’s being streamed on your device, is it the same as being in the room? If you only watched online for a year or attended for a year, would your faith be different?

Hunch

Because so much online content consumption is often done while people multi-task, it will lead to a distracted discipleship if that’s the only form of church people experience.

8. IS A DIGITAL RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRISTIANITY ENOUGH?

As physical attendance continues to decline and digital engagement increases, will it be possible to have 100 percent or near 100 percent digital relationship with Christianity, much the way you have a completely virtual relationship with gaming, movies or Hollywood?

I really think something gets lost by a mainly digital experience.

A high percentage of couples today meet online. But no couple who meets online wants to stay online: The goal is to meet in person and (maybe) start a life together. Should Christians be different?

If the goal is to do life together, to engage in a mission together, to quite literally change the world together, well…that involves actual human relationships.

But in a world where more and more are choosing virtual connection over real, we’ll have to see what that produces.

9. WHAT HAPPENS TO KIDS WHOSE PARENTS ONLY ATTEND ONLINE?

This one bothers me more than most. Parents will often skip out on attending church because they’re busy or want a day off.

And parents can easily catch up on a message and maybe even still get to a small group.

But what about kids?

We’ve built a relational ministry at our church for all ages based on the Orange strategy and curriculum because, well, I think the Gospel is inherently relational.

You can’t download a relationship or a friendship.

When parents skip church, kids lose far more than the parents.

What happens to a generation of kids who grow up relationally disconnected? Actually, I think we’re seeing the results of that already. Just read the news.

10. WILL FRAGMENTED INDIVIDUAL BELIEVERS CARRY THE MISSION FORWARD?

Whether the future trends are toward more online engagement or just more sporadic attendance with no online supplementation, the question is whether fragmented individual believers will carry the mission forward?

The church has always been strongest when it’s been a movement of people gathered around a common set of mission, vision, values and strategy.

The hyper-individualism of our current culture (I’ll do what I want when I want to) runs at crossed-purposes to the Gospel and the mission of the church.

I realize many Christians argue they’re done with church (I wrote about that here…the comments will curl your hair), but that still doesn’t change my view that the only one who believes Christians are better off alone is the enemy.

This article originally appeared here.

5 Ways Ministry Leaders Can Enjoy the Christmas Season

By

Greg Baird

-

December 16, 2018

There are very few “down” times for children’s ministry leaders. Christmas certainly is not one of them for most of us! Besides the Christmas kids program, we usually are doing something special on the weekend before Christmas, managing a sparse volunteer team (usually with many fill-ins), and getting lots of “extras” prepped for our programs (can you say crafts, Christmas projects, special snacks, volunteer gifts…).

Oftentimes this leaves us tired, cranky and unable to truly enjoy the Christmas season ourselves. We can’t let that happen!

But how do we avoid that? Here are five things I’ve learned to practice in order to personally enjoy the season:

Get things done.

There is a lot to get done at the Christmas season. During this period, especially, it’s important to make sure you stay organized, on task and get things done as early as possible. Delegate appropriately, get your follow-up systems in place and make sure to avoid as many “last minute” tasks as possible.

Take mental breaks.

Between home and church, the Christmas season can be nonstop. Find ways to take mental breaks—whatever works for you. Stop at Starbucks and sit down to enjoy your coffee on the way to work. Take a short walk around your church facilities to get out of the office. Play a game with your staff for no particular reason. Whatever works for you—10 or 15 minutes can make a big difference in your day!

Remind yourself of “the reason for the season.”

That can be such a trite little saying, can’t it? But the message behind it is important! You are not doing what you do to bolster the numbers, or put on an impressive program, or wow anyone with your facility decorations, or…or…or… You are doing what you do because of the very meaning behind this season. What reminds you of that? It could be as simple as using a coffee mug with that message on it. Read a portion of the Christmas story every day. Post a sign on your office door. Wear one of those pins with that saying on it (OK, that might be extreme for some of us, but you get the idea!).

Attend a worship service—strictly as an attendee!

Don’t even get me started on why attending church service needs to be a priority for Children’s & Family Ministry leaders! Whether you do regularly or not, make it a priority at Christmas. I get it—it’s hard sometimes and you are required to oversee program, etc. Find a way—even if that means attending another church’s service! Share this with your family as a parent and spouse—NOT as a children’s pastor.

Don’t sacrifice your family.

Taking #4 to the next level…don’t sacrifice your family—during the Christmas season or any other time. God did not call you to lead your children’s ministry at the expense of your family. It is so easy, especially during a season such as this, to allow our ministry to overtake our family. We all have to adjust to make sure this doesn’t happen, just find the ways that work for you.

How do you ensure you enjoy the Christmas season?

This article originally appeared here.

What Worship Leaders ACTUALLY Do

By

David Santistevan

-

December 16, 2018

What Worship Leaders ACTUALLY Do

Let’s be real. You’re not the best worship leader there is. Neither am I.

There will always be a better musician, a better singer, a more charismatic personality, a more organized leader. You’re not the best.

But isn’t it good to know that leading our churches isn’t about being the best? World class worship leading is about being hidden more than being noticed.

It’s important to distinguish what we actually do and facilitate as worship leaders:

Worship leaders don’t draw attention to themselves. They direct eyes and hearts to Jesus.
Worship leaders don’t sing for people. They sing with people.
Worship leaders don’t entertain a crowd. They engage a room.
Worship leaders don’t usher the church into an encounter. They spotlight the One who does.

Our praise doesn’t make God more glorious. He is completely glorious in and of Himself.

Our passion and desire don’t force the Spirit to move. We simply awaken to His ever present nearness.

I love how John Piper says it in his book Reading the Bible Supernaturally:

We do not magnify Him the way a microscope magnifies. We magnify him the way a telescope magnifies. A microscope makes tiny things look bigger than they are. Telescopes make huge things, which already look tiny, appear more like what they really are.”

What’s sad is that many of us worship leaders are putting ourselves under a microscope for the Bride of Christ to behold rather than helping the congregation see Jesus through a telescope. I know I’ve been there.

But strong, humble leaders help people look through the telescope—to help them see what they haven’t seen before. We don’t change anything about what we see—we simply make it clearer and draw more attention to its fascinating detail.

Our object of attention? The glory of God. More specifically, the glory of God shining most brightly in the person of Jesus Christ.

In every service, there are people who’ve never seen. This Sunday might be the day their eyes are opened. There are others who have grown cold to what they’ve seen. This weekend might be when the fire is sparked again.

Songs are our telescope. We sing in order to see clearer. The clearer we see, the more our hearts are moved and the deeper we worship.

Scripture is our telescope. The more we see in God’s Word, the more we can respond in Spirit & Truth.

Every tool we use as worship leaders is a telescope to help us see Jesus clearer. If it’s not helping us see Him, it’s not helping us.

Help people see. Respond. See more. Respond again. That’s what a worship leader does. Don’t use the stage to magnify your talent. Spend your life spotlighting the eternal facets of God’s glory.

There’s endless beauty to behold.

This article originally appeared here.

Rediscovering the Lost Art of Lament

By

Stephen Um

-

December 16, 2018

How does God want us to deal with the great difficulties of life?

Does he want us to ignore them, to get over them, to power through them, or to be crushed by them?

No.

He wants us to lament over them. That is the great lesson of a little-read passage in the Old Testament prophet Micah. Following Micah, we will see that God actually invites his people to lament over them. He wants us to honestly assess what we’re seeing, and also to pour out our great sorrow to him at what we see.

The Reality of Lament

What is lament? Lament is a passionate expression of grief and sorrow—to mourn, to grieve, to beat one’s breast in anguish. A lament is not whining, complaining, griping or grumbling. It is to say, “Woe is me!” (Micah 7:1): What misery is mine. It sums up the feeling of a grieving mother who has lost a child, or of a widow or widower facing their spouse’s funeral, or of a conquered nation. “Woe is me!” is only used in the most dire, grim, ruinous circumstances.

The Bible is not ashamed of lament. In the Psalms, 60 of the 150 are categorized as lament psalms—40 percent. There is one book in the Bible that is devoted to laments, and it is aptly named Lamentations. Why does the Bible embrace a lament? Because it is honest about human experience. It doesn’t settle for some superficially shallow way of describing what’s going on, as if to pretend that suffering is not serious or that it is just an illusion. We, too, must learn to meaningfully and honestly express the anguish of our hearts, if we are to avoid superficiality or pretense.

Lamenting and Hoping

Micah found many reasons to lament as he looked at Jerusalem in his day. First, godliness had disappeared because godly people seemed to have vanished: “The godly has perished from the earth” (v 2). Second, leaders were corrupt: “The prince and the judge ask for a bribe, and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul” (v 3). Third, society itself seemed to have gone rotten and trust was always misplaced: “Put no trust in a neighbor; have no confidence in a friend…a man’s enemies are the men of his own house” (v 5-6).

Perhaps some or all of those are not so far from our experience of life today!

So how are we supposed to respond? What does Micah do? He laments: “Woe is me!” (v 1). And then he hopes as he laments:

“But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me” (v 7).

This is how God’s people respond to the great difficulties of life. We lament, and we hope in our lament.

Melted by His Lament

Of course, Micah was not the last prophet to look at Jerusalem and lament—in Luke 19:41-42 Jesus wept over Jerusalem, and for the same reasons as Micah. And on the cross, we see Jesus’ greatest lament: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34; Psalm 22:1). He did not cry out for a physical remedy, but for the nearness of God. He cried out for his presence.

But where was God? Where was God’s fatherly care? Could he not have rescued his Son, or have come close to him? Yes, of course he could—but Father and Son both knew what needed to be done. Jesus had to go through this guilt-bearing process for people who could not save themselves. For this, the Father and Jesus experienced the reality of the separation that we face eternally. For this, Jesus cried out the most heartrending lament in all of history.

What causes pain over a separation? It is the depth of the relationship that you are being distanced from, and the length of time that you have been together with the other person. The greater the depth of the bond and the longer the time you have spent together, the worse the parting is. Scripture tells us that God the Father and God the Son were together in perfect unity, enjoying each other’s company and love, for eternity. Imagine the pain that comes in severing a bond like this!

This place where Jesus experienced forsakenness—this place of ultimate lament—is where we need to come when we are lamenting. When we cry out to God for his help, we can look to the cross and know that God will not turn his back on us. God’s rejection is what Jesus has already experienced, in our place. Jesus’ prayer for his Father’s nearness was rejected so that we can know that our prayers seeking nearness to him will never be rejected.

We need to let this truth of what Jesus has done for us melt our hearts and cause us to wait, to look, to slow down, to process and to lament ourselves. We lament in a confident sadness, knowing that our prayers will be heard because Jesus’ prayer of, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” was not heard. Through the cross, we are invited to run to our Father to let out our cries of lament. Because of Jesus, we can know that our lament is heard. We can cry our laments in hope, knowing that we cry to a Father who will never turn his face away. And so, whatever the cause of our lament—and there will be many, and they will cut deep—we always can say to ourselves, to others and to God:

“As for me, I will look to the Lord;
I will wait for the God of my salvation;
My God will hear me.” (Micah 7 v 7; emphasis mine)

For more on Micah, take a look at the newest addition to the God’s Word For You Family, Micah For You by Stephen Um. Available now.

This article originally appeared here.

The (Hidden) Theology and History of O Come, O Come Emmanuel

By

Daniel Im

-

December 14, 2018

If anyone had a side hustle or a gig, it was the Anglican priest and hymn writer John Mason Neale.

Neale (1818-1866) not only founded a nursing order of Anglican nuns, helped social welfare organizations care for orphans and young women, and was a warden of Sackville college, but he translated early and medieval Greek and Latin hymns in his spare time—focusing on the ancient ones that were written around “the feasts and the fasts of the Christian year.”[1]

HE IS MOST NOTABLY KNOWN FOR BRINGING US THAT BELOVED CAROL “O COME O COME EMMANUEL.”

While the hymn as we find it today was first published in the mid 19th century, its origins are actually found in a Benedictine Gregorian chant from the late eighth and ninth century. History tells us that beginning the week before Christmas, the monks would sing a verse a day to prepare their hearts and minds for Christmas.

What’s fascinating about the original seven verses is that each began with a Messianic title from the Scriptures that prophesied and foreshadowed Jesus’ coming:

O Sapentia (Wisdom)
O Adonai (God)
O Radix Jesse (Stem or root of Jesse)
O Clavis David (Key of David)
O Oriens (Dayspring)
O Rex genitium (King of the Gentiles)
O Emmanuel (God with us)

If you’re interested in how each verse points to Jesus, you can watch the sermon that I preached on this hymn at the bottom of this article.

I did want to highlight the last verse, which is actually the first verse of the version that we sing today:

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear

EMMANUEL—GOD WITH US.

We see this prophecy about Jesus the Messiah in Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.”

Jesus, the son of God, was going to leave it all, leave the right hand of God, to come and be with us, so that we can experience all that is talked about in the seven verses of this hymn…

What’s amazing about this verse in particular, and also the other ones, is that they have a double purpose.

In these seven verses, we realize that through Jesus’ first coming—his birth—he was going to be the ransom paid to set Israel and the nations free. So when we sing these verses, and many of our other beloved Christmas carols, what happens is that we are often seeing the world through the lens of those living in the first century.

You know…little baby Jesus who was born in a manger, on a silent night, with angels singing, and the wise men bearing gifts.

However, if you take a look at each of these seven verses again—with an eye toward Jesus’ return—you’ll discover that they all have a hidden meaning, or a double purpose.

Jesus is coming back.

When we sing the lyrics of this song, we’re not only celebrating the birth of our savior, Jesus, but we’re also preparing our hearts and growing in excitement for Jesus’ return, which we may actually witness during our lifetime.

So in a sense, each verse is helping us place our eyes on Jesus’ return by remembering his first coming and then anticipating, yearning, hoping, and aching for his second coming.

I love this quote by John Piper,

The Christian life oscillates between these two poles: the overflowing joy of the “already” redeemed (Ephesians 1:7) and the tearful yearning of the “not-yet” redeemed (Ephesians 4:30). Not that we ever leave the one or the other in this life. We are “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (2 Corinthians 6:10).[2]

I will be present tomorrow.

Now here’s the kicker. Take a look at the first letter of each verse in Latin (after O). As an acronym, it spells, SARCORE.

If read backward, the letters form a two-word acrostic, “Ero cras,” which means “I will be present tomorrow,” or I shall be with you tomorrow.[3]

Friends, Jesus is God with us. He has not only come in history, but he is coming again…

What a reason to rejoice!

End Notes:

[1] https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/ magazine/article/ o-come-o-come-emmanuel

[2] https://www.desiringgod.org/articles /o-come-o-come-emmanuel

[3] https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/ resources/history-of-hymns- o-come-o-come-emmanuel

This article originally appeared here.

Pastoral Covetousness

By

Darryl Dash

-

December 14, 2018

There’s something in us that discounts our current circumstances: our lives, our location, our role, our life. We look at others and want more. It’s sin, of course, a direct violation of the tenth word:

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s. (Exodus 20:17 )

I’m always struck by how comprehensive this command is. It goes into detail, because our hearts covet in detail. I’m also struck by how often we break this command without even noticing—even, maybe especially, pastors.

They Look So Good

Studies suggest that spending goes up with social media consumption. We see how others live, and we expect that we should be able to keep up.

I’m guessing that the same applies to pastoring. Every week I see images of full churches and read about how God is moving in churches across the world. I see pictures of baptisms and crowds.

I also hear the podcasts. I can’t possibly keep up with the best of the preaching out there.

It’s good when I can rejoice in how God is using others. It’s dangerous if I begin to envy the ministries of others.

The social media images and podcasts don’t give the full picture. Even if they do, they don’t mean that I deserve the same. Our churches aren’t always ready for social media, and that’s not a bad thing. This side of glory, churches are made to be messy.

Fighting Covetousness

We can fight pastoral covetousness in two ways.

Positively: cultivate contentment. Find satisfaction in your work and your place. Pray for joy. Base your identity not on how well your ministry is going, but who you are in Jesus.

After all, one day you’ll long for what you have now. Besides, I hear those who have larger ministries who long for a church like yours. Don’t miss the blessings that are yours that would be absent if your ministry was larger.

Second: love fellow pastors and churches. Pick one you’re tempted to envy, and pray for them. Ask God to give you joy when other ministries succeed. Ask God to free you from coveting their success. See their success as kingdom success, and remind yourself that we all work for the same master.

“Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot” (Ecclesiastes 5:18). What God has given is enough. We can enjoy it and praise God for what he’s given others.

Nothing will rob a pastor of joy as much as covetousness. Nothing will remove our focus from the good gifts that God has given us. Nothing will rob us of the partnership we’re meant to enjoy with our fellow laborers. Let’s recognize pastoral covetousness, and let’s commit to fight it for the sake of our souls and the health of our ministries.

This article originally appeared here.

5 Signs of Spiritual Abuse

By

Timothy Isaiah Cho

-

December 14, 2018

As someone who has been on the receiving end of severe, unrepentant spiritual abuse from Christian leadership, I want to begin by saying that it not only exists in the church, but that it is often empowered and propagated by other leaders and laypeople. Therefore, when you experience it for the first time, you may find yourself questioning whether you are imagining it or not, or whether you are blowing a minor incident out of proportion. Other people in your place of worship appear to either “go with the flow” or make it out to be a normal occurrence of church leadership. Let this both assure you and frighten you: It is more than likely that you are experiencing spiritual abuse.

Though this article is not exhaustive, it is a helpful checklist to help you quickly detect spiritual abuse so that you can make the wisest decision in response to it — flee or fight back. These are signs of spiritual abuse that I have witnessed in my own experience, and I pray that this may be helpful for others.

1. Spiritual Abuse Uses the Tactics of Gossip

I distinctly remember the conversation I had with a well-respected minister when he began to use the words, “Some people in church are saying X, Y and Z about you.” He then proceeded to poke and prod at the vulnerable spot of personal reputation in order to try to silence my dissenting opinions to a poor set of leadership decisions he and others had made. He wanted to let me know that unnamed people were talking ill of me so that I would speak no further about the leadership’s gross errors.

Spiritual abusers thrive off of using gossip, slander, hearsay and reputation damage against their victims. Instead of calling people to follow the command of Christ to come before a brother or sister privately about any (perceived) wrongdoings, spiritual abusers file away these accusations, half-truths and exaggerations for a rainy day, when they can pull them out to beat unwanted sheep into submission or expulsion.

2. Spiritual Abusers Are Often Well-Liked

I have yet to have encountered a spiritual abuser who was heavily unliked by other Christians. In fact, many of these spiritual abusers have had some of the most charming smiles and public personalities that could make anyone want to trust them. But behind closed doors — or, more aptly in our social media world, behind private messages — spiritual abusers show a side of themselves that they never show to the watching world. We should not think of spiritual abusers like obvious culprits in a poorly rated crime detective movie. They are often more subtle and cunning than that.

3. Spiritual Abuse Thrives in Private

I can’t number the amount of times that I underwent spiritual abuse through private phone calls, private conversations, private messages on social media, etc. Oftentimes, spiritual abusers give outwardly pious reasons to bring a public conversation into private quarters. But don’t let the appearance of holiness fool you — spiritual abuse thrives in the darkness of privacy. It is within the confines of a private phone call that spiritual abusers can get away with unhindered verbal abuse with no witnesses. Even if you manage to record the call, it is of no real value in the eyes of a court of any sort since it was recorded without permission. It is within a private message on social media that spiritual abusers can say things that they would never say in a public thread and get away with convincing other people in the church that you forged a transcript of the interaction. Be very, very careful when someone in authority tries to bring a conversation out of the public eye and into private quarters.

4. Spiritual Abuse Twists Truth to Uphold Power

Another conversation I distinctly remember is when a minister of a church I previously was a part of told me that it was distinctly Presbyterian to agree completely with what the presbyters (the elders) of the church said without question. Knowing that many members of theologically conservative churches want to be known as “conservative,” “Reformed” and “Presbyterian,” this minister attempted to twist Presbyterianism to uphold his power and authority and bring all dissenting opinions into shamed silence. Praise God that my own study of Presbyterianism at the time made me completely ignore his truth twisting, but many other sheep are not so fortunate. Be watchful of spiritual abusers who twist truth to uphold their power and authority.

5. Spiritual Abuse Speaks Before Asking, Always

Spiritual abusers will make assumptions about you, act on those assumptions, and treat you in light of those assumptions without ever getting your side of the story. And, in the event that you do get to provide your perspective and defense, they disregard it, belittle it and twist it to ruin your reputation, diminish your trustworthiness before the rest of the church, and make themselves out as the hero.

Spiritual abuse is no light matter. I am a beaten sheep who only continues to be a sheep because I have a true Shepherd that will one day vindicate me and tear down these false shepherds who have not only spiritually abused me but have likely gotten away with abusing many others throughout their ministries. If you believe you are a victim of spiritual abuse, it is more than likely that you are. Pray that God would give you the courage and strength to flee or fight back and know that Jesus is on the side of the abused and never on the side of your abuser.

This article originally appeared here.

John Crist’s New Video Pokes Fun at Consumer-Focused Churches

By

Jessica Lea

-

December 14, 2018

Are you tired of singing worship songs that annoy you, having to make small talk with strangers, or even making the effort to get out of bed to go to church? If so, comedian John Crist can show you what it would be like to go to “Virtual Reality Church,” where you can tailor your Sunday morning experience to your every whim.

Virtual reality church is “an option for people asking the question, ‘How can I make Sunday morning even more about me?’”

VR church allows you to enjoy church from the comfort of your own home. There, you can customize your service by choosing the amount of conviction you want to receive, how skinny you want your worship leader’s jeans to be, and which sermon topics you would like to avoid completely. With VR church, you can sleep during the sermon and get notifications about when your football game is starting. The software will also choose your outfit and post on social media for you.

How Close Are We to This?

In the YouTube comments below Crist’s video, one user said, “Give it a year and this exists.” This statement could be more true than she realizes.

Crist’s video calls to mind megachurches like Vous Church, Zoe Church, Hillsong NYC and Churchome. In addition to having huge numbers of people who attend them, these churches count celebrities like Chris Pratt and Justin Bieber among their attendees. They also have slick, highly tailored social media presences.

There is nothing wrong with celebrities attending church (this is obviously a good thing) or having a strong social media presence. However, these churches do raise a couple of concerns. One is that their pastors could come to care more about maintaining their fame and reputation than they care about speaking truth to their congregations. Another is that people generally tend to present the most attractive parts of their lives on social media. This would be an easy pitfall for churches to fall into as well.

Of course, the mere fact that these dangers exist is not enough to say these churches are in error. What might be more troubling is the recent Twitter announcement from Judah Smith that his church’s next church plant is “The phone in the palm of your hand” via an app called Churchome Global.

Again, there is nothing wrong with using technology to connect and educate people. But Churchome has presented the app specifically as a form of church. In doing so, it sounds eerily like John Crist’s satire.

Brian Welch of Korn Says God Led Him Back to the Band

By

Jessica Lea

-

December 14, 2018

Brian Welch, one of the founding members of the band Korn, has done another interview with I Am Second. In it, he explains why he rejoined Korn after leaving it when he became a Christian. Welch believes God led him back to the metal band. But why does he think that God led him back, especially to such a dark environment?

Welch says, “I know the music’s crazy, but mainly the lyrics are about pain, you know, and they come from a real and raw place. People need hope. There’s addictions like crazy in that world. There’s depression. There’s been a lot of suicide stories happening. What better place to be, having the meaning of life that I carry.”

Finding Hope

Korn formed in 1993 and quickly became successful after the release of the band’s first album. With that success came all the pleasures of life as a rockstar. Not only were there drugs and women, but Welch describes being on stage in front of ecstatic fans as similar to being worshipped. However, Welch says that while he enjoyed this lifestyle at first, it started to destroy his personality, relationships and everything else in his life.

A life-changing moment in Brian Welch’s life during this time was the birth of his daughter. He thought at first that his love for her would be able to sustain and satisfy him, but it failed to prevent him from spiraling out of control due to drug addiction.

At some point as Welch’s life was unraveling, his real estate broker shared a Bible verse with him and invited him to church. Welch accepted Christ that day. He did drugs one more time after he went home, praying that Jesus would take away his desire for meth. Welch says that after praying that prayer, he felt the love of God wash over him. The following day, he got rid of his drugs and quit the band. That was in 2005.

But life didn’t get easier for Welch in the years that followed. He lost his house and his cars. Everything he tried to do failed, even in his career. Eventually, while touring with another band, he ended up at a music festival Korn was playing at, and the band invited him to play with them. Welch agreed, and after an emotional performance and meeting with the band members, his “heart started to be informed” about what direction his future would take. He rejoined Korn in 2013, which he says surprised him as well as many other people.

“I Followed God”

Welch believes God led him to rejoin the band and reconnect with his fans. He describes that “crowd” (that is, Korn, his fans and other bands) as his family, adding, “I followed God right back into Korn, and He’s there, and I’m not separated from them or the fans any longer.”

Welch notes that talking about Christ at a rock concert is not “the most popular thing.” But he does it because meeting Christ is the most real experience he’s ever had in his life.

Welch compares leaving Korn and returning to the band to what happens when a baby is born. At first, the baby needs to stay separate from anything that could harm it until it’s strong enough to go out into the world. That’s what happened to him when he became a Christian. He left the band to get strengthened until he was ready to return to that environment.

Welch notes that scripture says God is going to restore all things. He says, “[God] gives you glimpses of that by restoring your life. He restored me in a way that’s unique to me.”

A “Full” Christmas (for Better or Worse)

By

Daniel Henderson

-

December 13, 2018

The Christmas season is filled with opportunities to celebrate some of the greatest gifts of this life—the coming of Christ into our world, the treasure of time with friends and family, and the joy of giving to those we love. However, like precarious thorns on the stem of a beautiful rose, the fullness of the holidays can also threaten our spiritual, emotional and relational equilibrium in unique ways.

A “Full” Christmas (for Better or Worse)

The Apostle Paul’s timeless wisdom in Philippians 4:6-9 provides a clear path to help us survive and thrive through the craziness of Christmas. His advice can be summarized in four words: Careful, Prayerful, Thoughtful and Peaceful.

We Will Be “Careful”

The holiday season is full of “cares.” Our expectations are often high. Disappointment lurks. We tend to get overcommitted, overburdened with holiday shopping, tempted with overeating and overwhelmed with relentless commercialization. We are saddened by our inability to be with the people we love at Christmas or can even recoil at the thought of having to spend time with strangers or extended family that we don’t enjoy being around. Financial worries are at an all-time high for many during the holidays. The “season of light” can get very dark for some of us.

When Paul wrote “be anxious for nothing” (Philippians 4:6a) he recognized that we will struggle with anxiety. Yet he also reassured us that we do not have to be overwhelmed with the cares of this life, even during the holiday crazies.

We Should be Prayerful

Paul’s primary antidote for anxiety is clear: “But in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (v. 6b). Greek scholar Kenneth Wuest provides a very literal and helpful translation: “Stop perpetually worrying about even one thing, but in everything by prayer whose essence is that of worship and devotion and by supplication which is a cry for your personal needs, with thanksgiving let your requests for the things asked for be made known in the presence of God.”

Paul’s word for “prayer” is the most common word to refer to spiritual pursuit, often associated with the worshipful offering of the heart to God. “Supplication” involves our crying out to God, trusting Him for our needs and concerns. “Thanksgiving” recognizes God’s faithfulness in the past along with His good provision now and in the future. When Paul writes “let your requests be made known to God,” he is not implying that God does not know our need until we tell Him. Rather, we are looking to God and God alone for the solutions to our issues and the source of our well-being. Our satisfaction is in the presence and person of God, through Christ.

We Must Be Thoughtful

Our thoughts always drive our emotions. Our emotions prompt our reactions. Our reactions fuel conflict, confusion and deeper concern. Knowing this, Paul challenges us to control and focus our thoughts. “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (v. 8).

In the disorder and disappointments of Christmas, the indwelling Christ literally gives us the grace to “fix our thoughts” on the God-honoring realities of the situation rather than the negative aspects of the moment. Instead of an obsession with complaining about circumstances and expressing criticism toward people, we can concentrate on the faithfulness and goodness of God, choosing to praise Him through it all.

We Can Be Peaceful

Paul then gives us this meaningful encouragement: “The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you” (v. 9). He calls the believers to look at these fruits in the model of his own life. Paul writes from prison. He has endured persecution, beatings, criticisms and conflicts beyond description. Yet, he has known the grace of a praying heart and the power of focused thoughts. He has shown them by example that peace is promised and possible.

Earlier, in verse 7, he explained, “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” In the midst of overwhelming cares, we can be prayerful and thoughtful, with the promise of a peaceful reality.

Paul teaches us that the peace of God, a reality beyond our human understanding or explanation, WILL “garrison and mount guard” or “stand sentinel” over our hearts and minds. He also says that God, whose very character is peace, will manifest His presence in our circumstances and hearts.

A Season of Fullness

So, this Christmas season will be full. No doubt, it will be full of care. However, if we access the provision of Christ, this celebration of His coming to earth can also be an experience of His coming and ruling in the daily reality of this busy month. The message of a “silent night” where “all is calm and all is bright” can be the experience of our hearts and homes. He gives us a peaceful “center” if, by His grace, we can be prayerful and thoughtful—for His glory and our good.

This article originally appeared here.

10 Reasons Middle Schoolers Are Awesome

By

Todd Jones

-

December 13, 2018

Everyone knows you can’t spell “Middle Schooler” without “awkward”…or something like that. Middle schoolers tend to get a bad rap because they come with many challenges. They can be high maintenance, annoying, have the attention span of a fly, and never sleep on trips. But middle schoolers are also awesome!! If you are a middle school youth worker you know this very well, and if you are a high school youth worker you think we are crazy. I have discovered over the past 10 years as both a middle and high school pastor, that there is just something special about middle schoolers. So here are 10 reasons why middle schoolers are uniquely awesome:

1. Not too cool

Most middle schoolers have not discovered what it means to be too cool for school yet. While there are always exceptions, most middle schoolers just want to have fun and have not determined that they are “above” whatever activity, game or message you are doing. They are able to cut loose and have fun even if it involves a silly, crazy or messy game.

They love the attention of adult leaders and don’t jump straight to judging the leader’s coolness as a determining factor of whether or not they can hang out with them. Middle schoolers are willing to try new things, and for the most part, being cool is not their main concern.

2. Tons of energy

For some this may be considered a bad thing but it can be used in an amazing way! There is always fun and energy in the room; students are never too tired or blah to do activities and have fun. As a leader, you can sell anything as awesome (no matter how terrible of a game it is) as long as you hype it up. Their mass amounts of energy, when properly directed and reigned in is one of their best characteristics.

3. Impressionable

Middle schoolers will listen and take what you have to say. They are at a very impressionable time in their life and could either dive deep into following Jesus or walk completely away. It is amazing that we get to speak into their life at this stage and make an impact for the rest of their life because of how impressionable they are.

4. In between kid and young adult

They are at such a unique place in their life. They are not kids and are starting to gain some freedom, but they are also still very dependent on adults. Because of their dependence, they will listen to adults. They are in the middle (appropriately named) and really get the best of both worlds from childhood and young adulthood.

5. Haven’t seen it all yet

Everything you do at youth group for a middle schooler is amazing because it is all new to them. Most high schoolers have already sat through it for years and are difficult to impress whereas middle schoolers are seeing it for the first time. When you pull out an old classic game, it’s fresh and new to them. When you tell them same old tired joke, it’s fresh and new to them. When you do something ridiculous or dress up crazy, it is still funny because they haven’t seen it 100 times yet.

6. Short memories

While this sounds incredibly negative, let me explain. Middle schoolers have short memories of their bad experiences and tend not to hold grudges. For example, if you play a game that totally flops and no one has fun, it probably won’t stop them from wanting to come back to youth group the following week. If they get in trouble for their behavior, they will probably still be back the next week. They are not going to hold that game or disciplinary action against you and immediately label youth group as boring or mean. Whereas high schoolers are more prone to hold onto those things.

7. Don’t have a lot going on

Middle schoolers tend to be a little less busy than most high schoolers. They usually have more time available for youth groups, events, camps and retreats. They don’t have jobs yet, and their social opportunities are more limited so youth group is more of a priority. They are a less complicated group to plan for and be able to reach out to.

8. Mass amounts of potential

Of course students of all ages have potential, but middle schoolers are at the very beginning. It has been said, “You grow the culture of your high school ministry though your middle school ministry” and it is so true. Middle schoolers have mass amounts of potential for the high school ministry, college ministry, church in general, and with the impact they can have on the world around them. Because of all of the factors we have already pointed out (not too cool, willing to take risks, time, etc.) they can radically change their world, and that is awesome!

9. Randomness

While all student ministry comes with the element of the unexpected, middle schoolers seem to constantly keep you on your toes. You never know what might happen, what they might say or do. Some of the funniest experiences, stories and completely unbelievable situations come from middle schoolers and that is awesome!

10. Authenticity

Middle schoolers are more likely to tell you how it is. They have had less time perfecting the act of faking it and haven’t truly realized all the things they “should” be showing or hiding yet. They will be honest with you when something isn’t done well, when something is done well, when they are convicted or when something doesn’t make sense. There are always exceptions but for the most part, middle schoolers are able to be more authentic more easily.

So when your middle school ministry makes you feel like pulling your hair out, just remember these 10 reasons why they are awesome!

This article originally appeared here.

6 Thoughts for Introverted Pastors (and Leaders)

By

Jon English Lee

-

December 13, 2018

Contrary to what some around me might think, I love people. I love to sit and watch people interact. I love to listen to people tell stories and share burdens.

However, I’m also an introvert. I know, it seems strange that an introvert would be in a profession that requires public speaking every week. However, not all introverts struggle with public speaking. For me, introversion means that relational activities, like the ones that are necessary and crucial for pastoral ministry, can be taxing and difficult. Some people conclude long conversations and feel like their batteries have been re-charged. I come out of long conversations and can feel spent.

As I’ve served in various leadership roles, I’ve tried to examine the relationship between my personality, my leadership style, my faithfulness and my effectiveness. Below are some strategies that I have tried to implement as I have been blessed to be an introvert in leadership.

1. Know yourself.

Know what your natural inclinations and gifts are, but also know where you are weak. Personally, I am more comfortable in my study than I am in the fellowship hall. As an introvert, I could sit in my study all day and read, pray and work on my computer, and I would be pretty content. I need to remember often that seclusion is not healthy for pastoral ministry, and that there are aspects of my ministry that cannot be fulfilled from my study. I must be among my flock.

2. Work alongside extroverts when you can.

Pastoral ministry (and leadership in general) requires small talk and mingling, which can be difficult for introverts. However, one way that I try to mitigate some of those relational weaknesses in my personality is to work alongside extroverts when I can. For example, I’ll take an extroverted pastoral intern or deacon along with me to make hospital visits; or, I’ll try to have my extroverted wife by my side at functions that will require lots of small talk. She has a gift for conversation, so I let her bless me (and others!) by taking the lead in mingling whenever I can.

3. Plan your time wisely.

This is related to my first point; part of knowing yourself well is knowing how to best schedule your time. Make sure your schedule includes time for recovery and rest. Because I preach most Sunday nights, I am usually physically and emotionally drained on Mondays. Therefore, I try to plan mostly administrative work on Mondays, and save the more emotionally and spiritually taxing ministry elements for later in the week (e.g., counseling meetings).

4. Be intentional about accountability.

One strategy that has been good (though sometimes challenging) for me is to be accountable to extroverts. I meet weekly with another pastor that is extroverted, and I’ve asked him to keep me accountable. I want him to make sure that I am working on being hospitable, both at church and at home. He lets me know how my actions may be perceived by others. My wife is also helpful in this area. She encourages me to get outside of my comfort zone and better love others by engaging them in conversation.

5. Remind yourself that people, not task lists, are the focus of ministry.

Most people tend to gravitate toward what is easiest. My temptation, as an administratively-inclined introvert, is to focus on what comes naturally to me, like emails, schedules, writing and reading. I can easily see my to-do list as an indicator of my ministry effectiveness and productivity. Rather, I have to constantly remind myself that the goal of ministry is to love people. When an unexpected visitor drops in and needs to talk, that visitor is an opportunity for me to love and serve, not a scheduling problem to be resolved. When I go on a hospital visit, I remind myself that the goal is not to get in, read a few verses, pray and get out, even if that’s what my to-do-list-oriented personality wants to do. The goal is to love the sheep by encouraging them with the word and prayer, and to seek to make them feel loved by genuinely listening and communicating with them.

6. Remember the Gospel.

Remember that you are a sinner, whose natural inclination is bent in toward yourself. But also remember that Christ has redeemed you from bondage to sinful self-centeredness. Christ was willing to give up his heavenly station to come down and take on flesh for me. He was willing to be beaten and killed for my sin. He was consumed with love for his bride, even at the cost of great personal sacrifice. And I’ve been given His very own Spirit. It is through prayerful dependence upon the Holy Spirit that I can serve in Christ’s strength, motivated by the love that he’s shown to me.

When I’ve really reflected on the grace and hospitality shown to me, then I can find the strength to be hospitable to others on Sunday morning. When I see that Christ has taken the initiative to reach out to me in love, then I can find the strength to initiate conversations with strangers. When I see that Christ has borne a huge load for me, then I find the strength to bear with others and their heavy burdens.

In sum, introversion is not necessarily sinful. However, introverted personalities can be tempted to sin in particular ways. The wise introverted leader will recognize those temptations, take steps to prevent succumbing to them, and will look to Christ for the strength to love others well, especially our relationally-oriented, extroverted brothers and sisters.

This article originally appeared here.

Seek First to Understand: Can Public Discourse Be Saved?

By

Glenn Packiam

-

December 13, 2018

We don’t understand each other.

And I’m not sure how hard we’re trying.

This is not a post about athletes or anthems, flags or protests. *Take a deep breath.* This is about how we talk—or more accurately—how we listen to one another.

Years ago, Stephen Covey wrote in his Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, we should ‘seek first to understand, and then to be understood.’ So in the effort to aid our understanding of one another, I’d like to offer some thoughts on how controversial and heated topics can become a pathway into empathy, and lead to better public discourse. I want to reflect for a moment on emotions, symbols and language.

I. Emotions.

We often think emotions are the problem. “Don’t be so emotional,” we say. “Just face the facts and forget your feelings.” We think this is how to “grow up,” as if the coldly logical Dr. Spock were the epitome of maturity.

But emotions are not flaws. They are part of the glory of being made in the image of God. The problem is not that we are “emotional”; the problem is that we do not know how to pay attention to our emotions.

Emotions, as Bob Roberts from Baylor has argued, are a mode of perception. They are a way of seeing the world based on what we care about. Or as my friend Adam Pelsar who teaches at the Air Force Academy says, emotions are the “eyes of our heart.”

When you’re angry, it’s because something that you care about is being obstructed. When you’re afraid, it’s because something you care about is being threatened. When you’re sad, it’s because something you care about has been lost.

Two people could have very different reactions to a rainy day. One could be sad, the other could be relieved. Rather than arguing by trying to convince each other that they should not feel what they feel, they could learn about the other by asking about what their emotion is saying. Perhaps the one who is sad about rain was hoping to go on a hike with their friend. Maybe the one who is relieved lived through a forest fire and was hoping for more moisture. You see, our emotions can be a way into understanding each other if only we’d stop being shocked or offended when someone responds to a situation with a different emotion than the one we’re feeling.

What if when we saw someone get emotional about something, or read an outburst on Facebook, we don’t respond with equal intensity to counter them? What if we learn to ask instead, “Tell me what are you most concerned about here?” “Help me understand why is this so important to you?”

Emotions can be a gateway into intimacy. If we learn to be attentive to our emotions, they can help us learn about ourselves. And better yet: They can help us gain empathy for each other.

II. Symbols.

Consider how symbols work. A symbol is not a code. A code has only one referent; a symbol has many. So what the flag means to one is not what it means to another. What the symbolic act of kneeling means for one is not what it means to another. That’s just how symbols work. And frankly, it’s what gives symbols their power. They are incredibly malleable and portable. They can easily be imported into very different contexts.

4 Possible Reasons Some Pastors Struggle Financially

By

Eric Geiger

-

December 13, 2018

Of the more than 700 pastors’ spouses surveyed in a recent LifeWay research project, more than half expressed that their income from the church is insufficient, and more than two-thirds are concerned they do not have enough saved for retirement. Why is this? Why do so many families in local church ministry struggle financially?

While there are likely many reasons, I want to offer four possibilities—three of which place responsibility on the church for not providing enough support and one that places responsibility on the pastor for not being a wise steward. In my more than 20 years of serving in local church ministry and working alongside pastors and churches, I have seen all four reasons at play.

1. Churches comparing apples and oranges in compensation

Early in my ministry I was in a committee meeting and heard someone make a complaint about a pastor’s salary. The printed number that the person was looking at was the total cost of compensation—which included social security tax at 15 percent, retirement, book allowance and health insurance. The person said, “I did not know we were paying this.” The reality is the pastor was not being paid that. And if asked about his own salary, the person making the argument would never have given total cost of compensation. You don’t budget or live on the total cost of compensation. While it is important for those who prepare budgets to understand total cost of compensation, total cost of compensation analysis can give the perception a pastor is being paid more than the reality.

2. Church members projecting old costs to a new context

Imagine someone who bought a house in a growing community 15 years ago. If a pastor moves in next door this year, the pastor will be paying much more to live in the same size house. The costs of property taxes and the price of the house (mortgage payments) are much higher. The person who has been there 15 years is locked in at a much lower cost. So people who have been in the church a long time can easily make decisions without really feeling the weight of how much it costs currently to live and start a ministry in an area.

3. Bad theology in a church

The first two reasons are common and can happen among good people who just are not thinking clearly. The third reason is erroneous thinking about the Lord, about spiritual growth and about the relationship between a church and the pastors. It is bad theology to believe it is a church’s job to keep a pastor humble by paying very little. It is the Lord’s role, not the role of the compensation package, to keep a minister on his knees. While it is scriptural malpractice to teach the godly will be wealthy and not suffer, it is also a disregard of Scripture not to take care of a church’s leaders. The Lord commands His people to take care of those who lead and preach and teach (1 Timothy 5:18). Sanctification ultimately comes through the Lord, not through poverty or prosperity.

4. Bad stewardship among pastors

Pastors are not immune to the temptation in our culture to live outside of one’s means, to accrue lots of debt, and to grow cold in generosity. Pastors who are bad stewards of their own finances lose credibility to manage the finances in a church. According to the apostle Paul, managing the home is no small matter for a pastor, and this includes our personal stewardship. “If anyone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?” (1 Timothy 3:5).

A local church does not benefit if her leaders are struggling financially. A church benefits when her leaders are able to serve with joy (Hebrews 13:17), and ministry leaders who are struggling financially are often distracted and filled with constant grief and worry.

This article originally appeared here.

United States Returns Balangiga Church Bells at Last

By

Jessica Lea

-

December 13, 2018

More than 100 years after the United States confiscated three bells from a church in the town of Balangiga in the Philippines, the U.S. has finally returned them.

Defense Secretary James Mattis said, “By returning the bells of Balangiga to our ally and our friend, the Philippines, we pick up our generation’s responsibility to deepen the respect between our people.”

Spain was the colonial ruler of the Philippines before handing over rule to the U.S. in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. Filipino nationalists rebelled against the United States, beginning the Philippine-American War. This war occurred from 1899-1902 and took a heavy toll on soldiers on both sides of the conflict, as well as on civilians.

The Balangiga Incident

In 1901, fighters from the town of Balangiga surprised a company of American soldiers while they were eating breakfast. The natives signaled the beginning of their attack by ringing the bells of St. Lawrence the Martyr Church. Forty-eight Americans (two-thirds of the company) died.

The American response was brutal. Gen. Jacob Smith ordered American troops to kill any weapon-bearing Filipino male over the age of 10. While it’s uncertain whether Americans followed through on these orders to kill civilians and children, what does appear clear is that the soldiers destroyed the village of Balangiga, including crops and animals. The result was the “massive devastation of the rural economic base” in Balangiga. And Americans confiscated three of the church’s bells as war trophies.

While some U.S. veterans have resisted returning the bells to the Philippines, retired U.S. Navy Capt. Dennis Wright argues that returning them is the right thing to do. He sees no compelling reason to continue holding the bells, plus there is a precedent for the U.S. returning bells to other countries, such as Japan and Russia. The U.S. has already returned the San Pedro bell, another bell Americans took from the Philippines during the Philippine-American War.

Says Wright, “[The Balangiga bells] are about the only bells that people didn’t want to relinquish. But church bells belong in churches calling the faithful to worship. They don’t commemorate military deeds.”

“They Represent Our Faith”

The townspeople of Balangiga are overjoyed to finally get the Balangiga bells back and are preparing the town for their delivery. Balangiga resident Fe Campanero says, “They represent our quest for freedom. They represent our courage. They represent our faith.”

The United States has already delivered the bells to Manila on an Air Force plane called the The Spirit of MacArthur. This was a deliberate nod to the fact that during WWII, Gen. MacArthur set the Philippines free from Japanese occupation.

Because the belfry of the church cannot currently accommodate the bells, those handling their return will temporarily place them in the garden area of the church. The diocese taking care of the bells said, “Please be assured that we will return the bells to their original religious purpose—and care and cherish them as a precious legacy of the profound faith, heroism and courage of our forebears.”

The formal turnover of the bells will take place in Balangiga on Dec. 15th.

Chinese Church Thanks God for Persecution at Hand of the Government

By

Stephanie Martin

-

December 13, 2018

Following the detention of its pastor and about 100 members earlier this week, a Christian church in Chengdu, China, is thanking God and preparing for even more hardships. Overnight on December 9 and 10, government officials arrested leaders and members of Early Rain Covenant Church, one of the country’s most prominent unregistered churches. Since then, some people have been released, while others are being closely watched. Some members report rough treatment while in custody.

“God has given us a reward”

Shortly before his arrest, elder Li Yingqiang wrote a letter to his church from a hiding spot. Describing the “large-scale persecution” as a “reward,” Li expresses confidence that the detainees are within God’s “sovereign providence” during their trials.

Citing 1 Peter 4:12-14, Li asks his fellow Christians, “Are you rejoicing in the fact that you are suffering with Christ because of this church? Do you know that we are blessed?”

He then thanks God for being present during the ordeal, “for training us through these days of hardship,” and “for sculpting us through today’s persecution.” Though the future is uncertain, Li says, he expects the crackdown on Christians to “become the status quo for us in the future.”

The Church Plans to Stand Firm

In his letter, Li relays the church’s contingency plans, urging elders who haven’t been detained to continue leading the congregation. No matter what happens, Li says, Early Rain must not alter its faith statement or its “path of openness.” He writes, “We will not register with the Religious Affairs Bureau.”

China has been cracking down on churches, requiring them to register and submit to government control. Most of the country’s Protestant house churches remain underground, but Early Rain operates and evangelizes openly. Earlier this fall, it received a warning from authorities.

Saying Early Rain “will not easily relinquish our church building,” Li urges worshipers to return to the sanctuary. If necessary, he says, worship will be held at a rented location or even outdoors. The “last resort,” according to his letter, is meeting in small groups.

“We are willing to pay an even greater price to bear witness to the…gospel,” Li writes. “We are willing to have 200, 300 or 500 people arrested and imprisoned.” He encourages Chinese Christians to “welcome, filled with hope, the even heavier cross and more difficult lives that lie ahead.”

Early Rain’s Pastor Wang Yi Faces Charges of Subversion

Wang Yi, pastor of Early Rain, is being charged with “inciting subversion of state power,” according to documents his mother was shown. Wang hasn’t been allowed to meet with lawyers or relatives, and his wife’s whereabouts are unknown.

The couple’s 11-year-old son is staying with Wang’s mother, who says officials are constantly stationed outside her home. “They follow us whenever and wherever we go,” says Chen Yaxue, adding that officials are urging her to send her grandson to a local school rather than Early Rain’s primary school.

Wang, a human rights activist and scholar who converted to Christianity, wrote an open letter to church members in September, giving instructions in case he went missing. He emphasized that he’ll employ non-violent means to oppose crackdowns against his faith. “My Savior Christ also requires me to joyfully bear all costs for disobeying wicked law,” Wang wrote.

What Is Unusual About This?

The Church’s Historical Stance

A Funeral Homily That Caused Deep Hurt

The Parents Tried to Intervene

What the Catholic Church Says About Suicide

God rejoices over me with gladness – wow, that’s hard to fathom. God exults over me with loud singing – what does that sound like?

10 really big questions about future church attendance.

1. WILL INFREQUENT CHURCH ATTENDANCE BECOME THE UNIVERSAL DEFAULT?

Hunch

2. DOES INFREQUENT ATTENDANCE LEAD TO LOWER DEVOTION AMONG CHRISTIANS?

Hunch

3. WILL ONLINE CHURCH REPLACE IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE FOR MANY?

Hunch

4. DOES ONLINE PARTICIPATION FEED CONSUMPTION OR DRIVE ENGAGEMENT?

Hunch

5. WHAT HAPPENS TO EVANGELISM IN A LOW ATTENDANCE WORLD?

Hunch

6. WHAT HAPPENS TO DISCIPLESHIP IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT?

Hunch

7. HOW MUCH OF A VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE ACTUALLY TRANSLATES?

Hunch

8. IS A DIGITAL RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRISTIANITY ENOUGH?

9. WHAT HAPPENS TO KIDS WHOSE PARENTS ONLY ATTEND ONLINE?

10. WILL FRAGMENTED INDIVIDUAL BELIEVERS CARRY THE MISSION FORWARD?

Get things done.

Take mental breaks.

Remind yourself of “the reason for the season.”

Attend a worship service—strictly as an attendee!

Don’t sacrifice your family.

What Worship Leaders ACTUALLY Do

The Reality of Lament

Lamenting and Hoping

Melted by His Lament

If anyone had a side hustle or a gig, it was the Anglican priest and hymn writer John Mason Neale.

HE IS MOST NOTABLY KNOWN FOR BRINGING US THAT BELOVED CAROL “O COME O COME EMMANUEL.”

I did want to highlight the last verse, which is actually the first verse of the version that we sing today:

EMMANUEL—GOD WITH US.

What’s amazing about this verse in particular, and also the other ones, is that they have a double purpose.

Jesus is coming back.

I will be present tomorrow.

They Look So Good

Fighting Covetousness

How Close Are We to This?

Finding Hope

“I Followed God”

A “Full” Christmas (for Better or Worse)

1. Not too cool

2. Tons of energy

3. Impressionable

4. In between kid and young adult

5. Haven’t seen it all yet

6. Short memories

7. Don’t have a lot going on

8. Mass amounts of potential

9. Randomness

10. Authenticity

I. Emotions.

II. Symbols.

1. Churches comparing apples and oranges in compensation

2. Church members projecting old costs to a new context

3. Bad theology in a church

4. Bad stewardship among pastors

The Balangiga Incident

“They Represent Our Faith”

“God has given us a reward”

The Church Plans to Stand Firm

Early Rain’s Pastor Wang Yi Faces Charges of Subversion

New Articles

New Podcasts