This Is Botham Jean: Worship Leader, Beloved Son and Brother

September 13, 2018

Botham Jean, a black man shot and killed in his own apartment last week by a Dallas police officer, was laid to rest today. “Bo,” as friends called him, was a worship leader and youth pastor at Dallas West Church of Christ.

On September 6, the 26-year-old was killed by Amber Guyger, a white officer who says she entered Jean’s apartment thinking it was her own. Assuming Jean was an intruder, she fired at the unarmed man when he didn’t obey commands. Guyger, 30, who’s been on the city’s force for four years, has been charged with manslaughter.

Family and Friends Remember Botham Jean

Music and worship were important to Jean, a graduate of Harding University who worked at PricewaterhouseCooper. At Harding, a Christian college in Arkansas, Jean was in the Good News Singers, a group that often led school chapel services and traveled to other churches.

At a campus vigil, university president Bruce McLarty says the community gathered “to worship God the way Botham so often led us in doing.” McLarty recalled when Jean was once asked to lead chapel with a hymn he didn’t know. The St. Lucia native called his grandmother in that country and asked her to teach it to him over the phone.

“His faith was very strong,” says Jean’s father, Bertram. “We will miss our boy.”

Brandt Jean, 17, remembers his brother as a “down to earth” adviser. “I would do stupid stuff at times, and he would tell me what I needed to hear, even though it might hurt me, even though I might cry.”

Jessica Berry, daughter of the minister at Dallas West Church of Christ, says Jean showed her what worship is all about. “There wasn’t a song that he [sang] halfheartedly,” she tells CBN News. “He believed in connecting with God during worship.”

Berry adds that Jean stepped up to lead while maintaining a “sweet, humble spirit.” Now she’s determined to advocate for her friend. “This situation will not go away,” she says. “It will not become stale. Botham would not want that.”

Seeking Justice for Botham Jean

Jean’s mother, Allison Jean, also is determined to seek justice. “Whoever did it to him needs to pay—a heavy price,” she says. “He was in his sanctuary, in the place he called home.”

When she learned the officer was white, Allison Jean wondered if race factored into the shooting. “If it was a white man, would…[the officer have] reacted differently?” At a church vigil, Jean said her son “loved mankind.” He “never saw color, never saw race. Botham wanted all of us to unite.”

Allison Jean expressed hesitancy about judging Guyger but wants answers. “We are Christians. We forgive. But I need to look into her eyes and ask her why did she do that to my son. She took away my heart. My soul. He didn’t deserve to die. The explanation does not make sense.” About the shooting, Jean says, “Somebody has to be crazy not to realize they walked into the wrong apartment. He’s a bachelor. Things are different inside.”

The shooting, which has garnered national attention, is sparking protests in Dallas. Some people are upset that it took authorities three days to charge Guyger—and that the charge isn’t murder. “This entire situation smacks of preferential treatment,” Shannon Toye tweeted to Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings. “There is no level playing field in America.”

This Is Why People Think This Red Calf Means Jesus Is Coming

Megan Briggs

September 13, 2018

thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

A red calf was born August 28, 2018, in Israel. The calf’s birth is causing quite the stir, both in the Jewish world and also among Christians. The reason? The calf’s presence could signify a new era for the world (or the end of it).

Jewish theology states the red heifer is a crucial part of the rebuilding of the third Holy Temple in Jerusalem. A red heifer will need to be sacrificed to complete the ritual of purification for the Temple when it is built. Jewish theology teaches that the rebuilding of the third Holy Temple will usher in the Messianic era.

The Temple Institute made the announcement about the red heifer on their Facebook page. According to the group, the calf has already been examined thoroughly by rabbinical experts. The experts “determined that the heifer is currently a viable candidate for the Biblical red heifer (para aduma) described in Numbers, chapter 19, and will be examined again in three months time to determine whether it continues to possess the necessary qualifications for the red heifer, a necessary prerequisite for the renewal of the Divine service in the Holy Temple.” The calf was born thanks to the Institute’s “Raise a Red Heifer” program. On their website, the Temple Institute states their ultimate goal is is to see “Israel rebuild the Holy Temple on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, in accord with the Biblical commandments.”

The Scripture that discusses the red heifer is found in Numbers 19:2:

This is a requirement of the law that the Lord has commanded: Tell the Israelites to bring you a red heifer without defect or blemish and that has never been under a yoke.

As Breaking Israel News explains, this red heifer could have profound spiritual significance for Jews:

The red heifer was the main component in the Biblically mandated process of ritual purification for impurity that results from proximity or contact with a dead body. Because the elements needed for this ceremony have been lacking since the destruction of the Second Temple, all Jews today are considered ritually impure, thereby preventing the return of the Temple service.

This Is One Very Special Calf (That Could Grow Into a Red Heifer)

While there have been a couple red calves born in Israel since the start of the Temple Institute’s Raise a Red Heifer program, those calves ended up not meeting the very strict qualifications for a heifer “without defect or blemish.” Breaking Israel News describes what is required for a heifer to be considered qualified:

The heifer, born from a natural birth, must be entirely red, with no more than two non-red hairs on its body. It must also never have been used for any labor or have been impregnated. The existence of such a heifer is considered a biological anomaly and very rare. Fortunately, the ritual requires an infinitesimally small quantity of ashes. From the time of Moses, who personally prepared the first heifer, until the destruction of the Temple, only nine red heifers were prepared. Nonetheless, this was sufficient to maintain the ritual purity of the entire nation for almost 2,000 years.

The calf is being called a “candidate” at this point because it will need to continue to meet these qualifications while maturing into a heifer before it can be used for sacrifice.

Rabbi Chaim Richman, the National Director of the Temple Institute, wrote about the significance of this red heifer’s presence on the Institute’s website.

If there has been no red heifer for the past 2,000 years, perhaps it is because the time was not right; Israel was far from being ready. But now…what could it mean for the times we live in, to have the means for purification so close at hand? With the words of Maimonides in mind, we cannot help but wonder and pray: If there are now red heifers…is ours the era that will need them?

The Other Side of the Mountain: Seeing Scripture in a Fresh Way

Doug Newton

September 13, 2018

Seeing Scripture in a fresh way reminds me of how Long’s Peak always captures my attention. Time and again I couldn’t resist pausing my work to gaze out my office window at the majestic sight. The towering 14,000-foot mountain always took my breath away—Long’s Peak. I couldn’t imagine a more captivating daily view. Why would anyone want another?

Although ten miles from my home office in Estes Park, Colorado, the Peak cast a silhouette that nearly filled my window’s frame. I could have sketched its shape from memory if you had asked. But if I had shown that artwork to someone who lived fifty miles away in the Grand Lake area, on the opposite side of Long’s Peak, and asked them to identify the mountain in my drawing, they might not have recognized its shape. Why? From their vantage point that massive mountain looked different. Same mountain, with a completely different profile.

My wife and I once climbed to the top of Long’s Peak. For novices like us it proved a real challenge. At one o’clock in the morning we started up the nine-mile trail from the trailhead 9,500 feet above sea level. By dawn we had hiked above tree line and could watch the rising sun pull back the blanket of darkness from the eastern plains to the city of Denver, which was waking below us fifty miles away.

At that point, we still had a four-mile trek remaining to the top—across huge boulders, through the famous keyhole, up several steep ascents, and pressed against rock walls as we inched our way along narrow ledges. The whole time we kept looking up toward the peak. But the sight didn’t look like the view I had from my office window. This mountain transformed from a gorgeous picture postcard to a gigantic, granite threat.

We eventually reached the top and then journeyed back down, in what probably remains the world’s record for the slowest trek up and down the mountain—nineteen hours! But after that ordeal if you had asked me to describe Long’s Peak, no drawing would have captured how I saw that mountain. From my new viewpoint Long’s was not a shape in my window, but an experience, a hardship, a fear, a victory, and a relief.

That Long’s Peak experience illustrates the value of seeing things from several vantage points. Not just mountains, but anything important can look different depending on your perspective. That is no less true for any Scripture passage you encounter. You have to move around to look at it from different angles to see its full splendor.

In my three-book series, Fresh Eyes from David C Cook, I demonstrate numerous techniques that help people approach Scripture passages from new angles.

Here are three ways to see Scripture in a fresh way.

1. Consider what’s not there. Whenever you encounter a list in Scripture, like the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23), it’s enlightening to notice not only what is included but what is surprisingly missing. That unexpected angle raises all sorts of interesting questions and reflections. For instance, why in the Fruit of the Spirit isn’t courage on the list? Or honesty? Or gratitude? Are not these traits also important as we live the Christian life? What might explain why they are not among the fruit of the Spirit? While speculation must be handled wisely, such questions still offer insight.

2. See it from another angle. Another change in vantage point comes through the “Scrabble Time” technique, which involves moving words and phrases the way you scramble the letters in Scrabble to discover new words to spell. This is never to create new truths, but to highlight the truths already given. So for example, try reading aloud the famous verse Psalm 111:10 (ESV): “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Then, do it again. This time rearrange the three key words fear, beginning, and wisdom. Start the verse with, “The beginning … .” and then finish the rest of the verse. Emphasize that shifted portion vocally to minimize the chance you’ll mentally emphasize fear or wisdom simply because you always have before. You’ll read, “The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.” Suddenly you find yourself considering the significance of the fear of the Lord being at the starting point of a person gaining wisdom.

3. Contemplate a different context. Look at the word neighbor in Jesus’ command to “Love your neighbor” from an angle other than someone who is near you geographically? For instance, in my chapter on “The Importance of Well-Built Septic Tanks” in Fresh Eyes on Famous Bible Sayings we look at “neighbors” as being people who are chronologically near you—meaning, people you may never meet but who will follow after you next year or in the next generation. Who are they? And how do you love them?

When you approach every Scripture passage prayerfully as a text worth examining from many angles, you will find that there will always be a mountain—a holy mountain—of insights to discover in the presence of God.

A Letter to the Church: The Problems of Moral Failure and Misconduct Are Real and Must Be Addressed. Now.

Ed Stetzer

September 12, 2018

I regularly receive notes from pastors and church members around the country on how to deal with the moral failures and abuses of so many leaders in the church today.

A few quick notes of clarification are needed here: the rash of leaders that we have seen fall within the past year and a half or so have nearly all engaged in moral failure. They have made wrong decisions regarding the proper and biblical way to act as leaders.

But, some have also abused power, which I’ve addressed quite often. There is a difference. It’s important to note this, even though my focus in this article is on how we might respond. YOu see, people are hurting in many churches, and leaders either often don’t know or aren’t responding as they ought to those who have serious questions and concerns.

This is unacceptable, and it’s time for change.

The Problems of Moral Failure and Misconduct Are Real and Must Be Addressed

So in this article I am addressing both how to deal with moral failures, as well as how to respond when those include abuse and victimization.

I am seeing two extremes happening as a response to this continual stream of news: Camp one is placing their proverbial fingers in their ears in denial over the serious and deeply troubling condition of many in the church today and camp two is standing with one foot out the door of the church, ready to shake the dust off their feet and walk out, unable to deal with so much silent sin.

I understand both sides. This is a very hard season for many churches, and frankly, a season in which many cannot yet see the end in sight.

It’s a time of lament.

As a Christian leader who has sought to live in a way that brings honor to God (though too many times I fail), it pains me over and over as I see colleagues fall as a result of unaccountability, pride, and a distorted view of the image of God in all.

I don’t think of myself above the temptation, but I am grieved by it.

As I wrote in an article in April 2018, “Christ is purifying his church, and it hurts. And, there is more to go.” In fact, in that article I shared three important takeaways as we deal with moral failure among our leadership. I encourage you to read (or reread) that piece.

We all seek answers. Where has the accountability been? How can so many fall into moral sin after so many years of ministry? Why has there not been ‘cities of refuge’ for so many victims? Where do we go from here? And of course, Where do we turn for help and answers?

Not new

Moral failure is not a new phenomenon.

In the Bible, we see the moral failure of many leaders and they act as a reminder to us that even those near to God are tempted to turn away. The carnality of all of us ought to daily bring us to our knees as we seek strength to fight against so many temptations to sin. This is magnified for those in leadership.

Moral failure is but one expression of the problem of sin. And for many in our churches today, it’s the expression that is causing real questions that need answers.

Although quite simplified, let me offer a starting place for both pastors and church leaders who now face very difficult questions from their congregants and for congregants who have more questions than answers.

Dear church leader:

Break the silence.

The proverbial elephant in the room is not welcome in the body of Christ. As leaders, our call is to speak what must be said and to lead our people into places of safety and openness. If your church members have questions over the moral failings of so many (and they do!), allow them to ask them in safe places and to receive affirmation and comfort that their concerns are valid and will be addressed.

This may be done in congregational meetings or during a series of meetings. It may also be done through sermon series and Q&A times. Perhaps even through FAQs sent via email in how your church is addressing critical issues like this.

But, don’t hide immorality. Instead, in regards to immorality, as far as the sin is known, the response to it should be repentence. And, in cases where repentence has come, as far as the sin is known, the repentence should be known.

Clean your own (personal) house first.

Your body is the temple of the Lord. Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit as you engage in sin. If you are engaged in sinful behavior (either one time or continual), you are dishonoring the Lord you claim to serve. Not only are you harming yourself, but your acts (whether you see it now or not) are harming all those around you.

Take time out from your schedule (whether it’s a few hours to start or a retreat with others who can hold you accountable) and assess your own relationship with Christ. For example, I have a group of close friends who constantly ask me tough questions to hold me to account.

This may be very painful and may bring you to a place where you must step down from leadership. However, as a church leader you have been called by God to be “holy and blameless.” This yardstick measure is not easy, but it is attainable through the forgiveness of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Don’t hide from people with hard questions.

All of us are busy—I get it.

Few of us actually have time to minister and care for those deeply wounded as they need to be cared for. But here’s the thing: Do it anyway.

Answer the questions of people who are hurting and confused because of a moral failure.

But, sometimes it’s more than just a moral failure—and that may take an honest conversation of a different kind. All of us must make time for those who have been victimized by another person. This is called following Jesus in serving others.

Loving a Broken Man (or Woman)

Gary Thomas

September 12, 2018

This post continues an ongoing series, begun last week, featuring the message of Loving Him Well: Practical Advice on Influencing Your Husband. Since the book is written for wives, the advice will focus on wives, but for the purpose of this blog, I’m adding a new section to the book excerpt that addresses husbands.

In my boyhood days, our family had a dog that loved to chase cars. One fateful afternoon, she finally caught one and was seriously injured. My dad ran out to the road to retrieve her, and our family pet became a monster. Frenzied with fear and pain, that dog kept biting my dad as he gathered her into his arms. He had rushed to help her and bring her healing, but the pain so overwhelmed her that she could only bite the very hands trying to nurture her.

Your husband can be like that. Even if he had extraordinary parents, he most likely still brings some woundedness into your marriage. Maybe his siblings teased him. Maybe a former girlfriend broke his heart. Maybe he had a cold and calculating mother or father. The possibilities are endless, except that he comes to you as a hurting man. Maybe you even married a deeply wounded man.

Unfortunately, hurting men bite; sometimes, like our dog, they bite the very hands that try to bring healing.

As I have stated many times over in this blog and my books, I am not talking here about accepting or condoning abusive behavior or a pattern of him threatening you. This post is not meant for those who need to escape their marriages because their marriage has become unsafe; it is meant for those who want to help their wounded but safe husbands learn how to be more gentle and understanding and learn how to process their frustration, anger and shame in more mature ways.

One of the ways to do this is to view your husband’s actions through this lens: “What if he is a deeply wounded man acting out of shame and pain?” Before a dating relationship morphs into a permanent commitment, many women see a hurting man and think, I want to help him. But something about marriage often turns that around and makes the same woman ask, Why does he have to be that way? The man’s needs once elicited feelings of nurture and compassion; now these same hurts tempt his wife toward bitterness and regret.

Can you go back to that dating mindset now that you’re married?

The time to make a character-based judgment (“Do I really want to live with this man’s wounds?”) is before you exchange vows. Once the ceremony is over, God challenges you to maintain an attitude of concern and nurture instead of one of resentment and frustration.

I realize marriage reveals more clearly a man’s heart. And men sometimes change after they get married. Having children, getting fired from a job or losing a parent can all be triggers that release the negative, buried propensities in a man, so I am not chastising you for a choice you made in the past. But you did make a choice. In light of that choice, can you maintain a soft heart over his past hurts, patiently praying for long-term change? Or will you freeze him in his incapacities with judgment, resentment, condemnation and criticism?

Which attitude do you honestly think is more likely to bring about healing and change?

I believe marital healing comes when one or both partners learn to maintain a nurturing attitude instead of a judgmental one. It really does help if you look at your husband’s faults through the prism of his hurt— not to excuse him, but to plot a strategy for healing and then positive change. It’s a legitimate question to question your husband over something he has done. But before you do that, reset your attitude by asking yourself, “Why do I think he might be inclined to act this way?” You’re not looking to excuse him, you’re looking to understand him. Hurt can lead us to make unwise choices and respond in unhealthy ways. Knowing that’s what we’re responding to can be part of the process to learn how to respond in better ways.

Look at it this way: How would you want your daughter-in-law to treat your wounded son? That’s likely how your husband’s heavenly Father wants you to treat his wounded son.

Let’s Do Lunch

Heidi M Hensley

September 12, 2018

I read a quote today, on Pinterest of course. That Pinterest, it’s a wealth of deep thought, baking addictions, decor and ministry ideas! ((end Pinterest rant))

As I sit here on my day off I read this quote, which isn’t gospel or even fully true, yet got me thinking.

“Jesus didn’t run projects, create ministries or put on events. He ate meals.”

My initial reaction was a smile, an ode to our over complicated life and over programmed churches. I promptly tweeted it, like I do with quippy quotes I love. (Yes, I know that’s not really a word.) But then I got to thinking.

Ministry was the life of Jesus and his followers. They sold all their possessions to follow Him, they were about sharing the gospel in every motion they made. I am sure there was never a harvest carnival, or a family Olympics, but does that mean they aren’t necessary?

While every family ministry person gasps at that last line, I assure you that wasn’t what I got from this quote. However, it got me thinking, have we programmed our families and churches to the point that we are effectively killing a community that an onlooking seeker would want to be part of?

Yesterday was Sunday, and I saw several people headed to actively worship and serve in various corners of our church. I will often ask people how they are and today’s common response, “busy.” This experience followed by a week of work and school paired with sports and maybe a midweek Bible study or a small group.

I just wonder what a person who is seeking, trying to find God, who is watching the motion of today’s church, sees. Is the question, “Is there room for me at that table?” or is it, “Is there a table?”

This week I will be more intentional about finding ways for those involved in our children’s ministry to experience community. I love that Jesus took something we all have to do (eat) and used it to build into something we all desire to do (fellowship).

May we Take His lead as we continue in life and ministry.

This article originally appeared here.

5 Things to Consider as You Schedule Your Christmas Eve Services

Brian Jones

September 12, 2018

Christmas affords a number of unique opportunities and challenges for churches this year.

Let me highlight some key considerations for your team to wrestle with to help you pick the right Christmas Eve service times:

Consideration #1: It will require a lot of energy to pull off good “normal” Sunday morning services, then come back on Monday night and pull off great Christmas Eve services.

I note this because no matter what direction you pick this year, your Sunday/Christmas Eve configuration will be out of the norm and require a lot from your team.

It’s like an NFL team playing a game on Sunday morning then coming back and playing again on Monday night. There’s simply not a lot of time to recuperate (though the impact of this can be mitigated if you offer the same service on Sunday and Monday, which I’ll explain in a second).

Just be mindful of this impact on your team as you plan.

Consideration #2: You already have a built-in desire from your people to want to worship on Sunday morning.

I’ve received countless texts and emails asking my advice about this year’s Christmas Eve service time(s) options, and the number one question is what to do with regular Sunday morning services. Keep them? Scrap them? Just do Monday services?

Here’s my thought: You’d be crazy to not have services on Sunday morning.

The reason is you already have built-in anticipation to gather that you want to capitalize on, not work against.

Why fight against that? Make it work for you.

Consideration #3: If you are doing Christmas Eve right, you have a stage design and rehearsal issue to address.

Flocked trees. Stage builds. Programmed light schemes. Vocal rehearsals. Band rehearsals. Speaking part rehearsals. Special seating configurations. Lobby set up. Etc. These are the kinds of things we leaders have to deal with when pulling off a community-wide Christmas Eve service(s) that attracts growing participation every year.

Here’s the problem this year: turnaround time.

99.999 percent of the payoff with a new Christmas Eve stage design is the way people are blown away when they come in the door. This is an integral part of what creates anticipation every year after year.

The problem this year is we don’t want to “steal our thunder” by having that stage already set up for our “regular” Sunday morning services.

But if we go all out with a creative set design for Christmas Eve the only way we could have “regular” churches services on Sunday morning and then set up the stage in time for Christmas Eve services is to hire U2’s 100 person road crew.

Throw in rehearsals on top of that and you make things that much more difficult.

Consideration #4: You need to take risks this Christmas.

The built-in disruption to our normal calendar afforded by this wonky Sunday-Monday configuration shouldn’t be wasted. We need to take advantage of this opportunity and take some risks. Normally we’re the ones who have to shake things up a bit to get our people to try new things. This year the calendar has done our bidding.

Think outside the box, take some risks with service times, and try some service times that you’d normally not try.

And finally…

Consideration #5: You need to grow. Period.

I don’t know of anyone across the country who has grown so rapidly over the last 18 months that they’re like, “You know what, we’re good. We need to cool it this year and take it easy for Christmas.”

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, if you want to grow by 100 people in 2019, you need to get 1,000 people to attend your church. Twenty five percent of those people are going to visit on Christmas Eve.

MY RECOMMENDATIONS:

While each congregation faces its own unique challenges depending on size and location, let me share with you what I’m encouraging the Senior Pastors that I coach to do this year:

1. Offer Christmas Eve services that start on Sunday morning and continue through Monday night.

In other words, I do NOT recommend offering “regular” Sunday morning services, and then turn around and offer different Christmas Eve service(s) with a different sermon and set of songs. Only offer one service: your Christmas Eve service.

Why?

Two reasons: energy and excellence.

If you’re creating the kind of community-wide event worthy of amassing an ever-growing cadre of participants—a vital part of a growing 21st-century church culture—you won’t have the bandwidth to do both well.

If you have “regular” Sunday morning services and then turn around and host a different Christmas Eve service(s), one of them will suffer, and I PROMISE YOU it will be your Christmas Eve service.

2. Offer Christmas Eve EVE Services.

This will be a new venture for many of you, but since it will be a service wedged between Sunday morning and Monday night it’s a low risk.

This is a great way to capture the participation of those going out of town to grandma’s for Christmas Eve.

At CCV we will offer two Christmas Eve EVE services on Sunday night.

The Persecution Driven Life

Dustin Benge

September 12, 2018

John Hooper, the English Reformer and pastor, was burned at the stake for his unwavering stand upon the truth of Scripture. In 1555, just three weeks prior to his martyrdom, John Hooper gave the following charge in a letter: “You must now turn all your thoughts from the peril you see, and mark the happiness that follows the peril… Beware of beholding too much the happiness or misery of this world; for the consideration and too earnest love or fear of either of them draws us from God.”1

In 2 Timothy 3:12, Paul states, “All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Paul was deeply persuaded that conflict is inevitable between the righteous lives of the saints and those living ungodly lives in the world. This is nothing less than a tension between light and darkness.

In the conclusion of his beatitude statements in Matthew 5, Jesus pronounces divine blessing upon those who suffer persecution because they exhibit the godly characteristics of the previous beatitudes. Jesus defines persecution as arising from two sources:

First, true disciples of Christ are persecuted “for righteousness” (Matt 5.10). The beatitude statements can be divided into two groups of four with each group ending with a reference to “righteousness.” The first group concludes in verse 6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,” and the second group in verse 10, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.” The three beatitudes that lead to “hunger for righteousness” are descriptions of a type of holy emptiness—blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are those who mourn over their needy condition, and blessed are those who are meek and give their cause over to God. These three descriptions of need are fulfilled in the form of mercy, purity and peacemaking. The inevitable result is persecution for this very righteousness. In other words, the righteousness exhibiting itself in the life of the Christian through the characteristics of mercy, purity and peacemaking provokes violence in those who do not know Christ. The ungodly observe the righteous lives of believers as a condemnation upon their own unrighteous behavior. In response, they lash out in ridicule and sometimes through severe forms of persecution.

Second, true disciples of Christ are persecuted “on my [Jesus] account,” or “because of me [Jesus]” (Mt 5:11, it is the title “Son of Man” that may have instigated the particular offense of unbelievers. This title identifies Jesus as a King of heavenly origin who will reign over a universal and eternal kingdom and who is worthy of worship by all peoples of the earth. This declaration was regarded as blasphemous and proved to be the key to the final condemnation and death of Christ on the cross. The world is OK when believers identify Jesus as a moral teacher or a great leader, but when a Christian attributes divine authority, kingship and universal rule to Jesus they become outraged and angry. Jesus was saying, “If you identify with me, if you proclaim me as the Son of God, if you proclaim me to be the rightful king, you will relentlessly face opposition, anger and persecution from those who disagree.” Jesus is saying that identification with him at this vital juncture of confession of him to be the “Son of Man” is what gives the righteousness of the Christian its distinct character.

Jesus proceeds in Matthew 5:11 by offering three expressions of persecution that his disciples experience in this world. First, he says they will “revile you,” which means that opponents of Christian righteousness and the gospel will mock and verbally shame you. Second, the word “persecute” in verse 11 means “to run after, pursue or run out.” The idea is that the disciples of Christ may be pursued from town to town with the evil intention of violently abusing them or turning them over to the authorities for prosecution. Third, verse 11 states they “will utter all kinds of evil against you falsely.” This means that the persecutors of Jesus’ followers will raise false allegations against them that have no basis but are in reality imagined lies.

A life devoted to righteousness and godliness, Jesus is blessing those who have identified with him and saying in response, “You are mine!”

Thomas Watson, the great Puritan writer, said of Christians, “Though they be ever so meek, merciful, pure in heart, their piety will never shield them from suffering. They must hand their harp on the willows and take up the cross. The way to heaven is by the way of thorns and blood. Set it down as a maxim, if you will follow Christ, you will see the swords and staves. Put the cross in your creed.”

Does this describe you? Are you ready to face opposition and persecution in order to identify with the Lord Jesus Christ in every way? For those who are free in Christ and joyful in persecution are indeed the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world.”

1. John Hopper, “A Letter Which Master Hooper Did Write to Certain of His Friends,” The Church of England Magazine (London: James Burns, 1836) p. 382

This article originally appeared here.

Meat Skewer Impales Boy’s Skull…His Father’s Prayer Will Break Your Heart

Megan Briggs

September 12, 2018

Xavier Cunningham fell out of a tree house when some yellow jackets started stinging him. Unfortunately, his fall was broken by a foot-long meat skewer. The 10-year-old from Kansas City, Missouri, was whisked to the hospital where he and his family spent a harrowing 24 hours as Xavier hung between life and death. His family prayed and asked their church to pray for a recovery that would require nothing short of a miracle.

“I want to see Jesus, but I don’t want to see him right now,” Xavier’s mother recalls him saying as he was fighting for his life. He told her he could feel himself dying.

miracle surgery — Image Credit: Malachi Aaron O’Brien

The skewer impaled Xavier’s head, just narrowly missing his left eye, brain and spinal cord. The accident occurred on Saturday, September 8, 2018, but doctors decided to wait until Sunday morning to perform surgery so they could gather the necessary team and prepare for the nerve-wracking operation to remove the skewer. Over and over again, they told the family there was a very good chance Xavier would not survive.

Xavier’s father posted a request for prayer early on Sunday before the surgery. He wrote:

🙏🙏🙏
My beloved Lord my God. I do not know the plans you have [for] us. If it’s your will to heal my son I ask that you do so quickly. But if you take him, I will forever be honored that you allowed me to call him my son, my boy, my own bear. I will still worship you my king. I will draw strength the from you as I grieve. I will take rest in knowing you love me. I will not forsake you, my God my king, I will forever praise you. Please have mercy on us, your will on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

miracle — Image Credit: Malachi Aaron O’Brien

It took a team of 100 doctors and other medical staff hours to remove the skewer. A family friend, Malachi O’Brien, describes the scene he witnessed as he visited the family in the hospital.

On Sunday morning around 8:00 am, while at KU medical, his surgery began. It was decided by a very large team of doctors from various hospitals to perform the procedure in Kansas City. This team was united in the efforts to save his life. They had tirelessly prepared all through the night for every possible scenario and outcome. The doctors made it clear that they were going to do all that they could to remove the stake. They also made it clear that there was no guarantee that he would live.

After several hours of surgery, I was in the waiting room in the family when they received the words that everyone wanted to hear and had prayed desperately to hear. “The stake has been removed.” It was an emotional tidal wave. Literally in the span of several hours, thousands of people had begun to pray for Xavier from across the city, state, nation and world.

The doctors came out in the middle of the afternoon to bring the news that the surgery was over and that he was being transferred to the Neuro intensive care unit. We heard many of them say that they had never seen anything like this in all their years and that this young man was incredibly “lucky.” It was a miracle.

One doctor, Koji Ebersole, also described the outcome as “miraculous.” He told The Kansas City Star, “I have not seen anything passed to that depth in a situation that was survivable, let alone one where we think the recovery will be near complete if not complete.”

You can be sure there are a lot of people praising God in Kansas City today.

The Key to Restarting the Worship Fire Each Week

David Manner

September 11, 2018

The Key to Restarting the Worship Fire Each Week

You’ve probably seen the 2000 movie Cast Away featuring Tom Hanks playing Chuck Noland, a lone plane crash survivor on an uninhabited island. Early in the movie, Noland realized he couldn’t live without fire. So in the following scene he offered us a glimpse of his resolve, despair, anger and even humor as he labored over trying to start a fire from scratch.

Worship leaders can experience similar emotions when they are expected to light a fire each Sunday with the opening song. And even though congregants might not have done anything to help stir those embers during the week, how easily they can blame the music or musicians when the spark is not there.

If we are not careful, our actions can imply that time and place worship is the primary, if not only, venue for worship, while the remainder of our life falls into another category.[1] Consequently, every Sunday can end up being a frustrating exercise in trying to start a fire from scratch.

Because of the laborious task of fire starting, ancient nomadic people began to use earthenware vessels called fire pots. They would carry embers or slow-burning fires in these pots with them as they traveled from one location to another. Just by adding small quantities of kindling for fuel they could keep those mini fires alive, enabling them to quickly ignite larger fires when they united as a group for their evening camps.

What if we had that same understanding of worship and saw it not as a fire to start each week, but a flame that can be taken with us? Then it could continue as we leave the service. It could happen in our homes, at our schools and through our work. It couldn’t be contained in a single location, context, culture, style, artistic expression or vehicle of communication. Consequently, instead of depending on our worship leaders to start the fire from scratch when we gather, they could just help us fan those flames that already exist.

“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1).

[1] Harold M. Best, Unceasing Worship: Biblical Perspectives on Worship and the Arts (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2003), 9.

This article originally appeared here.

If You Want People to Grow Spiritually, Quit Telling Them to Study the Bible

Jim Egli

September 11, 2018

I love to study the Bible, but recently my Bible study led me to a surprising conclusion: We should quit telling people to study the Bible, and start telling them to meditate on and delight in it.

What Do You Mean, ‘Don’t Study the Bible’?

This is what happened. I was teaching a class on how to study the Bible, and in preparation I decided to look at what the Bible itself has to say about Bible study. I was jarred by what I discovered. The Bible says almost nothing about studying the Bible! Very often we are told in the Bible to obey and meditate on Scripture, and there are many passages that tell us to remember and not forget God’s word and God’s acts. But study the Bible? It’s almost never mentioned in all of scripture.

Perhaps, like me, you immediately think of the passage, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God…” (1 Timothy 2:15, KJV). But this is a poor translation of the original Greek. All modern translations render this better, as the New King James version does, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God…”

The key emphasis in the Bible itself on how we are to relate to it is not to study it, but to meditate on it, delight in it, ponder it, obey it and not forget it. If you don’t believe me, do a quick word search on the words “study,” “delight,” “meditate” and “obey.” You will be shocked, as I was.

In other words, the problem isn’t that we are stupid. The problem is that we are forgetful. Or to put it another way, the issue isn’t that we need to learn more Bible, the problem is that a lot of us know quite a bit of the Bible, but we don’t enjoy it and let it soak in, so we forget it or don’t apply it. So we often miss the abundant life that it is calling us to.

The key passage in all of the Bible on how we should treasure God’s word is Psalm 119, the 176-verse acrostic on why and how we should love Scripture. Have you ever noticed that it does not mention studying the Bible even once. But 17 times it talks about obeying Scripture and eight times speaks of meditating on God’s word and his works. Notice, for example, verses 97-101:

Oh, how I love your law!
I meditate on it all day long.
Your commands are always with me
and make me wiser than my enemies.
I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your statutes.
I have more understanding than the elders,
for I obey your precepts.
I have kept my feet from every evil path
so that I might obey your word.

The problem with telling people to study the Bible is that most people hate studying. In fact most people heartily agree with Ecclesiastes 12:11: “Much study wearies the body.” So when we tell them to study Scripture, we are implying that it’s a textbook and people are repulsed. Who likes to read textbooks?

I recently asked on Facebook, “What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘study’?” I was hoping that at least 10 people would respond and was shocked that over 100 did. Some people reported feelings of joy when they heard the word study but many offered words like, “ugh!” “stress,” “boring,” “dread,” “anxiety” and “exhaustion.”

Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that Bible study is bad. It’s a wonderful thing. But the word “study” repulses most people. And careful Bible study itself reveals that study is not the primary way we are supposed to absorb and respond to God’s word.

Instead, we are invited to ponder, to meditate, to delight in and obey it. If you want some fresh ideas on how to respond to Scripture in life-changing ways, consider the simple Discovery Group and three-column approaches that are being used around the world in the rapidly growing disciple-making movement.

I hope you have a delightful time meditating on and responding to God’s word today!

This article originally appeared here.

When a Church Lets Kids Lead…Amazing Things Happen

Dale Hudson

September 11, 2018

I believe that God will pour out His blessings on the church that makes children’s ministry a priority. This has been demonstrated time and time again in churches across the country and around the world.

I also believe when a church realizes that children are not only the church of tomorrow…but also the church of today…and lets them lead now…that amazing things happen.

Each week our church gives kids opportunities to serve and lead throughout the church. And several times a year, they lead the adult worship service. This past weekend was one of those weeks. The entire church turned our focus to children’s ministry and watched as they led. And God did amazing things.

God’s Spirit rested upon the services as the kids led the church in worship.

Kids led in prayer during the service. One of the most powerful moments was when one of our kids spontaneously dropped to his knees and began to pray for our church and nation.

If you want to reach families…make children’s ministry a priority. The key to a parent’s heart is their child. When you take a child by the hand, you take a parent by the heart. Countless stories could be told of kids who brought their parents to church and the entire family was reached.

We also had lots of fun activities for kids and their parents after each service across our campuses. Here are a few pictures.

My prayer is this will inspire you and your church to go all out to reach kids and give them opportunities to serve and lead. Consider taking several weekends a year and having a church-wide emphasis on children’s ministry. On these weekends, give the kids the opportunity to lead the entire church in worship.

The next generation is hungry for God and is ready to serve Him. They are just waiting for you to believe in them and give them the opportunity to lead.

This article originally appeared here.

God’s Will Is Not a “Choose Your Own Adventure” Book

J.D. Greear

September 11, 2018

Do you remember “Choose Your Own Adventure” novels? They were some of my favorites as a kid. You’d get to a certain place in the story where you’d have a choice, like, “You’re being chased by a flock of rabid wolverines, and an old lady invites you into a house to escape. If you want to accept her invitation, turn to page 210. If not, turn to page 130.” And I’d accept the invitation, only to read on page 210, “Turns out she was a witch so she puts a spell on you and cooks you in her stew. The end.” And I would think, “Oh, if only I could have known, I would have chosen differently!”

(Side note: If you ever turned to the end and read these backward, that says a lot about you. And—let’s be honest—about me.)

We often see the will of God like a “Choose Your Own Adventure” story: We have two doors in front of us, and one probably leads to peace and prosperity and the other to doom and destruction. When things go wrong later, we look back and think, “If I had only known the right door!”

How do we know what God wants us to do in any given situation? Does he give us some warm, fuzzy feeling of peace when we think about the right decision? Do we learn to see God’s hand in strange coincidences or look for signs in our Cheerios?

Psalm 25 is a new favorite of mine, because it is about how God guides us and is a great template for how to pray for guidance today. There are two particular promises in Psalm 25 that are precious to remember when we seek God’s guidance for our lives.

2 Promises of God’s Will:

1. The sin others have committed against you does not disqualify you from God’s will.

All throughout this psalm, David talks about enemies who are trying to ruin his life. He declares, “My God, I trust in you. Do not let me be disgraced; do not let my enemies gloat over me. No one who waits for you will be disgraced” (Psalm 25:2–3 CSB).

Many people look back on their life and see how somebody really messed them up—a parent, sibling, business partner or ex-spouse. David had those people, too, and he said, “I trust that your promises are greater and more powerful than any of their evil intentions against me.”

It’s hard here not to think of Joseph, whose brothers sinned against him tremendously, bringing him a level of suffering few of us can imagine. But ultimately God used those things in his life as a way of fulfilling Joseph’s destiny. At the end of his life, Joseph was able to say to his brothers, “All these things you did to me, you meant them for evil, and they hurt me, but God meant them for good” (cf. Genesis 50:20).

It is this belief in God’s goodness that enabled Joseph to forgive his brothers. When he realized God had a greater plan, he was able to let go of the bitterness that comes from thinking someone else had ruined his life.

If the sovereignty of God is real, that means that no one can ever ruin your life. They can wound you, abuse you and betray you—but they can never ruin you. God’s goodness toward you remains: If you’re not dead, God’s not done.

**2. Your own mistakes do not disqualify you from God’s will.**

At least two times in this psalm, David asks God for forgiveness for past mistakes. Once is in verse 11: “Lord, for the sake of your name, forgive my iniquity, for it is immense.

“Immense” is certainly right. David was talking about big-league iniquity, heinous stuff that makes us cringe. And yet he still prayed for God’s guidance and perfect plan for his life, because he believed God’s promises were greater than his own mistakes.

You may think that God will let you continually suffer for your mistakes because you brought it on yourself. But while sins and mistakes bring consequences into your life that can be painful—and sometimes permanent—even those sins don’t disqualify you from God’s ultimate plan for your life.

Look at Jacob, who sinned against his brother Esau. That sin led him into exile. But while estranged from his family, he met the woman from whom would come the line of the Messiah.

Was this plan B? Did Jesus come out of the wrong plan? Not at all. It’s not OK that Jacob sinned, and that sin affected him the rest of his life. Yet the Messiah still came from his line!

The Apostle Paul said, “If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:13). You can count on God’s faithful, consistent love, because that love isn’t based on your goodness. It’s based on his. He doesn’t give up on you, even when you give up on him.

If you’re not dead, God’s not done.

This article originally appeared here.

6 Essential Strategies When Counseling Others

Josh Weidmann

September 11, 2018

When a person sits down with you and asks you to give them wisdom on something they are facing in their life, it can be nerve-racking.

What do I say? Will they like me and trust me? Can we build rapport fast so I can speak the truth in love?

These and other questions will plague the mind of a new counselor as they strive to take on their first case. While these are valid questions, we must remember the goal of giving biblical advice through loving relationship, for the sake of lasting change.

I constantly remind myself that while I desire to be liked, the Bible is the source by which I provide all counseling. It is not just a filter by which I pass all my theories and thoughts. Rather, the truth I impart comes solely from Scripture, and in doing so, I will provide biblical and practical care for my counselees. The following are six biblical strategies I use to develop a caring relationship with my counselees so that I can impart truth:

I will develop a caring relationship with counselees by praying for them.

The Bible tells me that I am to pray continually (1 Thes. 5:17). I will commit myself, daily, to pray for those who have been placed under my care (James 5:16), and make sure they know I pray for them regularly. I will pray for each of them by name, following Paul’s example in many of his letters, request Christ to be their continual strength, and the Word of God be their guide. I will also pray with them at the beginning and end of each session. I want them to remember that God is the change-agent and that I am simply an under-shepherd providing care.

I will develop a caring relationship with my counselees by encouraging them.

I want to be one of the most uplifting voices in my counselees’ lives. I will let them know what I see in their lives that they are doing correctly. I’ll use my words to build them up (Rom. 14:9) and encourage them to keep on the path of obedience (Heb. 10: 25). While we may spend a lot of time talking about what is wrong or painful in their lives, I will strive to save time, in each session, to talk about what is good, right and pleasing to God.

I will develop a caring relationship with my counselees by comforting them.

Life is full of pain and hardship. I will comfort them with the Word of God (1 Thes. 4:18, 5:11) and help them find hope in Christ. I know that there are some hardships that will never be solved by counseling. In these areas, I will help them find peace, joy and comfort in the one, true God and the power of the Spirit in their lives.

I will develop a caring relationship with my counselees by taking their counseling seriously.

I will strive to not allow sarcasm, lightheartedness or flippancy be a mark of my counseling. I want my counselees to know that I consider their issues genuinely. I want them to know they are important to me, because they are important to God. I will show tolerance for them (Eph. 4:2) when they are weak and accept them as image bearers of God (Rom. 15:7). I will manage my time so I can promptly start each session on time and end each session in the appropriate length of time.

I will develop a caring relationship with my counselees by listening to them.

I will listen before speaking or imparting what I believe counselees should do (James 1:19; Prov. 18). I know many of the people who sit in front of me in counseling feel like no one listens to them or values them—I do not want them to feel that around me. I will strive to not be prideful, thinking that I have all the answers on my own. When I speak, I will lace my words with the wisdom of God and the Spirit of God. I will wait until I have a full gathering of information in any given situation before imparting judgment.

I will develop a caring relationship with my counselee by sharing my life with them.

I value authenticity with my counselees. As they open up their lives to me, I should be willing to do the same, to the extent that is appropriate for each occasion. I will strive to show them what it means to be honestly genuine (Col. 3:9). By sharing my life with them, I will carry a similar posture as the Apostle Paul when he wrote, “Follow me as I follow Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). I will share God’s grace with them (2 Cor. 12) and identify with them as Christ did for us. This will develop rapport and show my patience with their brokenness (Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:13).

This article originally appeared here.

Culture Is the Hardest and the Last Thing Changed

Eric Geiger

September 11, 2018

Every ministry, every organization, every team has a culture. There have been numerous illustrations to try and capture what culture is and what culture means.

Some have said that the culture is the DNA of an organization.

And that just as every living organism has self-replicating material, every organization has a culture that will self-replicate. According to Medical News Today, DNA is what carries the instructions to your body on how to develop, grow and function. In the same way, the culture of a ministry or organization carries instructions on how people are to function together.

Some have compared the culture to a mattress.

You can place a heavy object on a mattress and impact the shape of the mattress, but once the object is removed the mattress returns to its original shape.

Others have compared culture to the dark colors on a darkly painted room.

You can paint over the dark colors but in time they will bleed through the newer, lighter colors.

All the illustrations about your organization’s culture point to the power it has to endure, and thus how difficult it is to change. You can alter someone’s DNA, but it is not easy and it is not painless. You can change how the mattress feels, but it will take a lot of consistent pressure. You can change the color of the room, but you are inexperienced if you think it will only require one paint job.

Rant alert: I frequently hear leaders talk about changing the culture as if it is their first order of business. An inexperienced and unwise leader declares, “I am going to change the culture.” Leader, if you change the culture, it will be the last thing you change. Not the first. You can’t simply speak a new culture into existence. You are not God. You may desire to influence the culture but you are woefully mistaken if you think you can show up and announce a new culture.

Perhaps the most popular book on change has been John Kotter’s work Leading Change. In his book, he offers eight steps to leading a change initiative. The first step is to establish a sense or urgency and the last is to anchor new approaches in the culture. In between the first and the last steps leaders must do the hard work of building a team and developing a strategy. But the last step is to anchor new actions in the culture.

Kotter is right: Culture transformation is the last step. It makes me wince when I hear leaders quote Kotter and others on the importance of culture and yet announce they are going to change it in short order.

The reality is that leaders do not create a new culture in order to make changes; instead, they make changes to create a new culture. This means that initiating the right behaviors in a ministry or organization can influence the culture, but the culture will not be crystallized unless the right behaviors are rooted in the right actual beliefs. Behaviors must be anchored in beliefs for the culture to be changed.

And that takes time. Culture is the hardest and the last thing changed. Leaders need to stop talking about it like it is an easy thing or the first thing.

This article originally appeared here.

One Pastor’s Battle With His iPhone

Erik Raymond

September 11, 2018

We tend to embrace technology without much consideration. Advancements must be good because, after all, they are advancements. If we can be more connected to people and process more information then it must be a win. Right? Why should we even give it a second thought?

The ubiquity of smartphones should cause us to think for a minute. According to Pew Research data, 58 percent of Americans have smartphones while 90 percent have a cell phone. This is a very connected society. It is also a very new phenomenon in history. This should cause us to think and ask some questions. Is this level of connection necessary? Is it good, harmful or indifferent? Is it changing me? Is it changing the way I relate to others and do my job?

I am a pastor. I also have an iPhone. As a result, I have had to think through a number of things and make some adjustments in terms of productivity and technology. It has been a process over the last several years. I think I am actually thinking about this and applying it in a healthy way now.

It’s been said before, and rightly so: Technology is a tool, not a master. It cannot dictate our lives. We cannot be frozen without it. Below are some considerations and conclusions based on my own personal examination. This is slanted towards pastoral ministry but not limited to it.

(1) An iPhone is neutral; it is not inherently bad or good.

We can fall off the cart on both sides here: Technology is bad, therefore stay away; or technology is awesome, therefore immerse yourself and your life in it. The technology is neutral. It has unfathomable potential, but the moral assessment of how it is used pivots on the user. This helps me keep the conversation where it needs to be: on me, not simply on technology.

(2) Our phones are more of a mirror and magnet than anything else.

The phone tells us what we truly value. Like a magnet, it pulls out of our heart what we think is important. What do we learn about the woman who is always on Facebook or Pinterest? How about the guy who is constantly refreshing the sports scores? What about the man who looks at pornography? How about the student who is obsessed with taking pictures of himself or herself and staring at pictures of others? How we use technology tells us who we are. It is a mirror and a magnet.

(3) Alerts are mislabeled: They are interruptions.

I used to have alerts for pretty much everything. New email? Alert. Someone tweets at me? Alert. Facebook like? Alert. Breaking News? Alert. You get the idea. You can guess what would happen. My phone would beep and buzz all day long. Then I’d get curious, “What is it? I should really check and see.” You know what happens then right? You become enslaved to whatever alert there is. And the odds are, whatever you are working on at the moment is actually much more important than whatever else “just happened.”

A number of years ago, I began turning off alerts, one by one. At present, I have no alerts on my phone except [for] a phone call or a text message. I cannot imagine it being any other way. If I want to know something, I go and find out, when it is convenient and appropriate. Limiting the alerts means limiting the interruptions.

(4) I don’t “need” to have email on my phone.

I used to think that I needed to have email on my phone. I felt as though if I could know something, then I should. I would check my email many, many times a day. You know what I found out when I assess this? If it was very important, somebody usually called or texted me. A lesson learned for me is, just because I have access to information does not mean that I need to know it in real-time.

Some people need to have email on their phones because of their job. My suggestion is simply this: If you don’t need to have it, then don’t have it. If you can, define the terms of your email. Perhaps you can afford a reasonable plan to check your email in the morning, at lunch and at the end of the days that you are working. This has been so very liberating for me (and my family).

(5) A pastor’s job should not be fundamentally changed by technology, but served by it.

I like to read the old guys with fantastic hair and beards: you know, the Puritans and Reformers. In so many ways, I want to be like them, emulating their commitment to Christ and his church. I got to wondering, how much different does my day-to-day ministry look than say, Thomas Watson? And why? Could I be a pastor in his church? Would I even know how to do it without my iPhone and laptop? In the ministry, the technology is to aid us, but I don’t think it should completely recast what we are doing so that it looks drastically different than it has throughout history.

The same could be said for being a mom. Sure, there are technological developments that enhance and simplify your life, but they do not completely reshape or replace the core elements.

(7) My phone (and technology in general) must be seen through the lenses of stewardship.

A steward is someone who is not the owner but the caretaker. He is the one who has been given something for the purposes of using it faithfully, even improving upon it, in view of giving an account. We are stewards of our lives. Therefore, everything we do should be seen in light of the reality of stewardship. Nothing, even when there appears to be nothing to do, escapes this reality.

(7) Saying “no” to things is saying “yes” to other things.

I love the standoff between my news apps and my Bible. It is a powerful moment of resolve and commitment to say “no” to something because when we do we are saying yes to something else. When I say “no” to distractions on social media or the news then I am saying “yes” to those around me. I am saying “yes” to thinking, planning, meditating, or praying. Saying “no” is a powerful sanctifying work to a flesh that loves to be told, “yes, you can have this.”

There is no doubt far more that could be written on this. I just want to encourage people to be thoughtful when using their technology. The fact that iPhones are not standard issue by our Creator should cause us to think carefully about how we can use them well, and potentially not so well.

5 Radical Ideas for Missional Living

Seth Barnes

September 11, 2018

Missional living? So many of us start out in our 20s full of dreams and idealism. We’re going to see the world. We’re going to address injustice. We’re going to touch the widow and the orphan.

And then—WHAM!!—reality hits. You get married, have kids, and get a job and a mortgage. Throw in the odd crisis—the loss of a job, sickness—and all those dreams fall by the wayside.

You feel the weight of responsibility, and who can blame you for giving up?

But the good news for any of you who wonder if life is passing you by is that you do have options. Here are five:

1. Prioritize Simplicity

Get a job that gives you the flexibility to live missionally. Who says you need to live at such a high standard of living? Why not buy a clunker instead of being strapped to a car payment? What if you were to rent an inexpensive apartment instead of buying a house? Take a Dave Ramsey seminar, and you might be surprised at the options that open up to you. If you had more time and money, you could be more missional. By living simply, my daughter Emily is leading a project in a Honduran orphanage right now. Downsize and you could join her.

2. Family Sabbatical

This is a great option if you’ve got a job that allows you significant time off. A lot of teachers have two months off in the summer, and some of them go on long mission trips. Beyond that, some people are able to take an extended leave of absence to volunteer somewhere. One of our best parenting decisions was to bring our kids with us on long mission trips to Mexico Swaziland, and Peru.

3. Go Off the Map

Quit your job, sell your house and do something radical. You have one life to live. Why not take half a year to address some challenging need somewhere in the world? Teri Frana did this, and her life has never been the same. Email me and I’ll be happy to give you suggestions. Young people in South Sudan need to be discipled. India needs the Gospel. Orphans the world over need hugs. Schools and clinics need to be started.

4. Take ‘Em Along

If you have children, you may feel anchored in your community. But our society can be too risk-averse about our kids. You can take your children to a lot of places. Eric and Jen Peterson took their kids to Nsoko, Swaziland. And now their whole family is making a difference in a desperate place.

5. Serve Locally

When our kids’ friends were home playing with their GameBoys, Karen, recognizing that the real challenge to their development was the kind of self-centeredness that society promotes, chose a different route. She asked our pastor where they could help at the church. After that, she and the kids cleaned the bathrooms.

As the kids grew older, they found their own ways to serve. As a high schooler, Estie would visit nursing homes. At 17, she graduated early and went to Africa and Mexico for a year. But growing up, she’d learned that you don’t have to go overseas to find ways to serve or build the kingdom. Opportunities are all around us.

At one time or another, the Barnes family has tried out all four of these options. Now that our kids are grown, they have all chosen to prioritize the kingdom over self-gratification. They’ve seen it’s a better way.

Karen and I have sought to hold our possessions lightly and to make ourselves available to follow God wherever he may lead. The adventures and the changed lives he’s given us in return have been priceless.

8 Things to Remember When It Feels Like the Devil’s Winning

Chuck Lawless

September 11, 2018

Sometimes it just feels like Satan’s winning the game. No matter how hard we want to believe otherwise, our heart and our mind struggle because of our apparent circumstances. If that’s the way you feel today, keep these truths in mind:

Satan’s not winning—he’s been cast down. I realize there’s debate about Ezekiel 28 and the fall of Satan, but the text does speak about someone “blameless” who was “expelled in disgrace from the mountain of God” and thrown “down to the earth” (vv. 16-17).
He’s not winning—God judged him in the Garden. He would crawl on his belly and eat dust because God ruled over him. He would ultimately lose because God would crush his head (Gen. 3:14-15).
He’s not winning—he knows God has placed hedges where He wants them. Satan wanted to destroy Job, but he also knew that God had placed a protective hedge about that upright man (Job 1:10).
He’s not winning—he’s a silenced accuser when God steps in. Satan stood ready to accuse Joshua the high priest (whose filthy garments indicated his guilt), but God quieted him before he ever said a word (Zech. 3:1-7).
He’s not winning—Jesus announced His victory at the Mount of Temptation (Matt. 4:1-11). Jesus had no intention of bowing down to the enemy. He had come to defeat him, and Genesis 3:15 was about to be fulfilled.
He’s not winning—Jesus disarmed the powers through His cross (Col. 2:15). He has triumphed over them.
He’s not winning—God uses him to accomplish His plan. So we see with Paul’s thorn in the flesh (2 Cor. 12:7-10). It was a messenger of Satan, but God not only allowed it, He also refused to remove it because He intended to keep Paul humble.
He’s not winning—he is headed for eternal judgment. John gives us that word in Revelation 20:10—“The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

It might seem today like Satan’s winning in your life or your church, but run to the God who’s already crushed him. Let us know how we might pray for you.

This article originally appeared here.

Michael Frost: The Church Needs to Get Back to Being Weird

Jason Daye

September 11, 2018

Michael Frost holds a PhD in “being and doing church” and is the author of several books. He is also the head of the missiology department at Morling College in Sydney, Australia. Michael co-founded the Forge mission training network. He and his wife, Caz, live in Sydney.

Key Questions for Michael Frost:

– How has the church tried to conform to suburban culture?
– In what ways do phrases like “Keep Portland weird” get things right?
– What does being weird have to do with discipleship?

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Key Quotes from Michael Frost:

“Churches do all kinds of crazy stunts and they think that that’s some kind of special form of being different to the world around them, but I think that they are just stunts.”

“Many churches…have molded themselves to contemporary suburban values which are things like conformity and privacy and consumerism and busyness.”

“The church needs to recover its identity as an alternative, redeemed society embedded within the particular culture of which it’s a part, demonstrating there’s another way.”

“The church hitched its star to the wagon of suburban values but the struggle is…suburbia is actually under enormous strain.”

“A lot of those yearnings that we’re seeing among younger people moving out of the suburbs are actually the very things that the Gospel calls us to be committed to in any case.”

“It’s Christian to want to respond to homelessness. It’s Christian to want to support local businesses. It’s Christians who want to contribute to the common good. It’s Christians who want to bring the values of justice and reconciliation and beauty and wholeness and healing.”

“Surely this is an opportunity for the church to say ‘We’re the original weirdos.’”

“Discipleship is actually about equipping people to be legitimately and biblically eccentric. We don’t disciple people to fit in.”

“The early church didn’t baptize you five minutes after you made a profession of faith. They took you into…almost a 12-month process of catechism during which you were taught and equipped and trained and disciplined to become an off-center person, to put Christ at the heart…Only then could you become a member of the church.”

“I don’t think the mission of God’s people is to grow God’s church.”

“The purpose of the church is to alert others to the reign of God—to glorify God, to point them to the reign of the magnificent Kingdom.”

“For Pentecostals the Kingdom of God is speaking in tongues and praise and worship; for progressives it’s a bit of social justice; for evangelicals the Kingdom of God is promoting certain ethical values.”

“I would say the Kingdom of God is actually the world as Jesus anticipated it should be.”

“We do not put our hope in politics to usher in the Kingdom of God. There’s no way any politician…is going to deliver the reign of God to us.”

Links Mentioned by Michael Frost in the Show:

Keep Christianity Weird by Michael Frost

The Patient Ferment of the Early Church by Alan Kreider

MikeFrost.net

Surprise the World

125 Women and the Ineffectiveness of South Korea’s Abortion Ban

Megan Briggs

September 11, 2018

Abortion is illegal in South Korea. That fact drew scores of women to protest in the capital city of Seoul this August. Their demonstration took a dramatic turn when 125 women simultaneously took pills meant to represent abortion-inducing medication.

While the protestors’ intention was to call for legal abortion, what they really drew attention to was the ineffectiveness of South Korea’s abortion laws.

The number of women is significant: Every hour, 125 women in South Korea get abortions, despite the fact that it is illegal. While Life Site news is reporting 125 women took the abortion-inducing Mifegyne, and another 30 protestors took vitamins, other sources question those numbers, saying that event announcements say only one protestor took Mifegyne and all the other participants were given vitamins.

Prior to taking the pills, the protestors read a statement that called for the repeal of the country’s abortion laws. The statement read that “abortion is not taboo or sin” and that women are punished when abortion is linked to promiscuity and single women. “Abortion is the most commonly performed surgery in the world and normal women choose to get abortions for various reasons,” the protestors stated. They also called the ban on abortion an infringement on “a basic right for women.”

Despite Being Illegal, Abortion in South Korea Is Frequently Performed

Abortion has been outlawed in South Korea since 1953. Exceptions for rape, incest and severe genetic disorders were put in place in 1973. Currently, those who help administer illegal abortions can technically be punished with a prison sentence of up to two years.

Despite this threat, however, illegal abortions are performed frequently. An article from the Economist reports a 2005 government study estimated that 44 percent of pregnancies in South Korea are aborted. Abortions are even performed in hospitals and clinics—meaning authorities often turn a blind eye. And as this demonstration shows, Mifegyne is easy enough to come by.

The government is attempting to crack down on the laissez-faire approach to abortion many doctors seem to adopt, however. On August 17, 2018, the Ministry of Health and Welfare issued a revised Medical Act, which calls surgical abortions an unethical medical practice, on par with sexual abuse, using unauthorized medicine, reusing single-use devices and ghost surgery (one doctor substituting for another without the patient’s knowledge). Under the revised Medical Act, those who perform abortions would be suspended for one month. However, one-month suspensions have not been enforced yet due to the immediate and vehement backlash that sprung from medical professionals.

Some claim the government’s renewed interest in enforcing the law is due to concern over the nation’s drop in fertility rate. “The government has made it more difficult for women to have an abortion to raise the nation’s fertility rate,” a group of medical professionals wrote concerning the revised Medical Act. “Doctors have taken women’s health and life as a hostage for their own benefits.”

The Pro-Life Movement in South Korea

Despite the protests, the pro-life movement is alive and well in South Korea. In fact, Rev. Jong-rak Lee, a pastor in Seoul, created the “Drop Box” to save babies who might otherwise be discarded by single mothers or parents who couldn’t bring themselves to raise a child with disabilities. There is even a film about Pastor Lee, whose idea spurred other countries to adopt the practice of allowing people to “drop” babies practically anonymously.

Life site news reports that since the Drop Box was installed in 2009, as many as 18 babies a month have arrived. Pastor Lee and his wife keep a lot of the babies in an orphanage they run out of their home.

Earlier this year, Ireland took a sharp turn from its Catholic history and culture by reversing a decades-long ban on abortion. The question remains what South Korea will do. But for now, there is hope in the example of Pastor Lee and other believers who see the value and sanctity of life.

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Here are three ways to see Scripture in a fresh way.

The Problems of Moral Failure and Misconduct Are Real and Must Be Addressed

Consideration #1: It will require a lot of energy to pull off good “normal” Sunday morning services, then come back on Monday night and pull off great Christmas Eve services.

Consideration #2: You already have a built-in desire from your people to want to worship on Sunday morning.

Consideration #3: If you are doing Christmas Eve right, you have a stage design and rehearsal issue to address.

Consideration #4: You need to take risks this Christmas.

Consideration #5: You need to grow. Period.

MY RECOMMENDATIONS:

The Key to Restarting the Worship Fire Each Week

What Do You Mean, ‘Don’t Study the Bible’?

2 Promises of God’s Will:

1. The sin others have committed against you does not disqualify you from God’s will.

2. Your own mistakes do not disqualify you from God’s will.

1. Prioritize Simplicity

2. Family Sabbatical

3. Go Off the Map

4. Take ‘Em Along

5. Serve Locally

Key Quotes from Michael Frost:

Despite Being Illegal, Abortion in South Korea Is Frequently Performed

The Pro-Life Movement in South Korea

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**2. Your own mistakes do not disqualify you from God’s will.**