John MacArthur on Social Justice: It’s Heresy

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August 24, 2018

thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

John MacArthur, noted pastor and author from Sun Valley, California, is raising the alarm over the latest movement in the church that he believes “has penetrated deep into the culture of the church, and the end effect is disaster.”

Ever since the book of Acts was recorded, church fathers have warned Christians about the greatest threat to Christianity: false doctrine rising in their ranks. And chief among those today who provide those warnings is John MacArthur who sees himself as the protector of the truth.

But is that truth the truth as MacArthur sees it? Could that truth be perceived through a generational lens that may, in fact, keep him and others from pursuing what God has called the church to do? Not everyone agrees with John MacArthur in his latest assertion that social justice is “the most subtle and dangerous threat so far.”

John MacArthur Targets “Evangelicals’ Obsession With Social Justice”

MacArthur’s latest concern is to call out the increasingly popular “social justice” gospel as a dangerous false doctrine. He writes, “It’s my conviction that much of the rhetoric about this latest issue poses a more imminent and dangerous threat to the clarity and centrality of the gospel than any other recent controversy evangelicals have engaged in.”

MacArthur writes on his Grace to You blog that “evangelicalism’s newfound obsession with the notion of ‘social justice’ is a significant shift—and I’m convinced it’s a shift that is moving many people (including some key evangelical leaders) off message, and onto a trajectory that many other movements and denominations have taken before, always with spiritually disastrous results.”

Is Social Justice a Dangerous Threat to the Gospel?

Other leading experts may agree with John MacArthur on some points, such as the danger of an exclusive “social justice” emphasis becoming THE ONLY mission of the church. However, theologians and church leaders like James Emery White, pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, write that “social ministry should not be paired against evangelism. We should extend the Bread of Life as well as bread for the stomach. But we must never begin, and end, with the stomach alone.”

‘Say Nope to the Pope’ Gaining Steam Before Dublin Mass

By

Bob Ditmer

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August 24, 2018

Furor over an investigation that revealed hundreds of children were abused at the hands of more than 300 priests in Pennsylvania dating back to the 1940s has spurred a protest against a planned mass in Dublin by Pope Francis.

A movement called “Say Nope to the Pope” has people applying for free tickets for this weekend’s mass with no plans to attend. Organizers hope the the sight of thousands of empty seats will be an effective silent and peaceful protest.

The campaign is urging its supporters to join survivors of clerical abuse for vigils on Sunday at the time of the mass.

The group’s Facebook page has 1,132 members with another 10,000 claiming to be attending or interested in the protest.

But it will be hard to determine just how many are taking part in the protest. News reports say some people had booked hundreds of tickets with no intent on filling the seats.

The Guardian reported, “One person claimed to have secured 1,312 tickets to the events, including several under the name “Jesus Christ,” and by booking coach loads of people under false transport company names.

“Another posted on the campaign’s Facebook page: ‘I have booked 800 tickets using three different email addresses. Some people have 50 or 60 tickets. We are just doing this simple, peaceful act of protest as resistance to the Catholic church recruiting in Ireland.’”

The campaign is being criticized by Leo Varadkar, the taoiseach, or prime minister, of Fine Gael, as “petty and mean-spirited.”

He suggested it would deny seats to people who wanted to attend the mass but couldn’t get tickets because protesters were hoarding them.

“Protest is legitimate and OK, but denying other people the opportunity to attend a mass or an event is not legitimate protest in my view and is most unfair. It should be condemned,” he said.

Half a million tickets were available to the public for the mass, with a further 45,000 for the papal visit to the Marian shrine in Knock.

Say Nope to the Pope Wants Church to Listen

Mary Coll who applied for two tickets but has no intention of attending the mass told the Guardian:

“This is not an anti-religion thing, it’s not about disrespect for people’s beliefs or their right to practice any particular belief. It’s about people like myself who were raised as Catholics, who were practicing Catholics, who suddenly went: ‘Hang on a second, these are terrible wrongs we’re hearing about.’ And we waited and we waited, and the church did nothing,” she said.

“There are no channels of protest within the church. The church is not interested in feedback. It’s not an organization where you can fill in a questionnaire on its service. They do things their way and they’re really not interested in what you think about it.”

Earlier this week, Pope Francis acknowledged “with shame and repentance” the Catholic Church’s failure to act over sexual abuse by clerics against minors going back decades, writing “we showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them.”

The Pope has made no mention of the abuse outside of his letter.

The protest is also being fueled by growing secularism in Ireland. In May, the country voted to legalize abortion, a stunning rebuke to the Catholic Church that campaigned heavily against the proposal.

Politics in the Pew: No Diversity, Thank You!

By

Bob Ditmer

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August 24, 2018

The Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. famously observed that the most segregated hour of Christian America is 11 o’clock on Sunday morning. The division, he said, was about race.

But a new study from LifeWay research suggests something else is dividing Christians—politics.

For many, religion and politics go hand in hand.

More than half (57 percent) of Protestant churchgoers under 50 say they prefer to go to church with people who share their political views. And few adult Protestant churchgoers say they attend services with people of a different political persuasion.

“Like many places in America, churches are divided by politics,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research. “And churchgoers under 50 seem to want it that way.”

For the study, LifeWay Research surveyed 1,010 Americans who attend services at least once a month at a Protestant or nondenominational church.

Forty-six percent agree with the statement, “I prefer to attend a church where people share my political views.” Forty-two percent disagree. Twelve percent are not sure.

More than half (57 percent) of churchgoers ages 18 to 49 agree. Fewer churchgoers ages 50 to 64 (39 percent) or ages 65 and over (33 percent) agree. Men (51 percent) are more likely to agree than women (43 percent).

Methodist (57 percent), nondenominational (51 percent) and Baptist (49 percent) churchgoers are more likely to agree than churchgoers from other denominations. Lutherans (33 percent) are less likely to agree.

“Only a third of churchgoers in the study had strong feelings on this subject,” said McConnell. Twelve percent strongly agree, while 22 percent strongly disagree.

Some Can’t Separate Religion and Politics

“Politics doesn’t seem to be a high priority for most Protestants when choosing a church to attend,” he said. “But for a small group of churchgoers, it’s really crucial.”

LifeWay Research also asked Protestant churchgoers if their political views match those of people in their church. Half agree (51 percent), while 19 percent disagree and 30 percent are uncertain.

Churchgoers ages 35 to 49 (61 percent) are more likely to agree than those ages 50 to 64 (47 percent) or those 65 and older (44 percent). Men (58 percent) are more likely to agree than women (46 percent). Those who attend services at least once a week (52 percent) are more likely to agree than those who attend once or twice a month (43 percent).

American churchgoers who hold evangelical beliefs (57 percent) are more likely to agree their political views match others in their church, compared to those who don’t hold evangelical beliefs (44 percent). Baptist (58 percent), nondenominational (54 percent) and Assemblies of God/Pentecostal (53 percent) churchgoers are more likely to agree. Lutherans (31 percent) are less likely.

Protestant churchgoers and other Americans who attend worship services at least once a month made up about half of voters (52 percent) in the 2016 presidential election, according to data from Pew Research.

While politics plays a role in a Christian’s decision about where to attend, a previous LifeWay Research study of Protestant and nondenominational churchgoers found only 1 in 10 (9 percent) would consider leaving their church over political views.

“More than a few churchgoers in the most recent study (30 percent) don’t know the political views of people besides them in the pews,” said McConnell.

“Politics isn’t the only thing that churchgoers care about,” he said. “In some churches, politics isn’t mentioned at all—at least in the pews.”

Pastor Matt Adair of Gridiron calls on churches to be politically diverse because Christians are political exiles. “The Bible should be our north star when it comes to political belief and practice,” Adair wrote on his blog. “And if that is true, then Christians will adopt a political philosophy that is sometimes more conservative than conservatives and at other times is more liberal than liberals.”

And he includes this advice for church leaders:

“As pastors, we should expect our churches to be politically diverse. There are faithful and thoughtful Christians in every mainstream political party…we must help our people never believe that their party of choice is God’s part of choice. No single political platform fully embraces the policies of the kingdom of God.”

While churches continue to work at being racially diverse, they should not overlook the importance of being politically varied as well.

Imagine That: The Power of Imaginative Bible Study

By

Doug Newton

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August 24, 2018

Fruitful Bible study often requires careful but creative use of imaginative Bible study. The problem is that many people perceive themselves to lack imagination. I’ve heard it many times: “I don’t have a very good imagination, so I couldn’t do what you do.”

But I always disagree as agreeably as I can. True, some people have incredible imaginations, people like J. K. Rowling. But everyone has an imagination that is plenty active and plenty creative. To prove my point I simply ask one question: Can you worry?

I’ve never met a person who says no. Everyone worries…a lot. What is worry other than a work of the imagination? Your mind projects itself into the future, thinks about scenarios, possibilities and outcomes that do not yet exist. Is that not imagination?

Over the years I have not only used my imagination in studying the Bible, but I have spent much time looking under the hood of how the imagination works. It turns out there are very practical processes for triggering and steering the imagination. Just like driving a car, if you learn these basic skills your imagination will take you somewhere beneficial. And just to be clear, the imagination does not necessarily take you into fantasy. It can just as readily take you into a clearer view of reality if you know how to use it.

Using “Experimental Variations” for Imaginative Bible Study

Just as scientists test hypotheses by changing one component of the experiment, called the variable, to observe what might happen differently, we can do that with a biblical narrative or parable. So in that chapter about loving your neighbor I simply asked the question, “What if after the Good Samaritan rescued the wounded traveler, the same thing happened again the next day, and then the next day?” Even though Jesus did not take the story there in the parable, there is value in meditating on what it might mean to love your neighbor if the same thing kept happening over and over.

That variation causes us to imagine how there would come a point when we would run out of time, money and strength to perform any more acts of rescue. We would have to take a different course of action. What might that course be? Put up streetlights perhaps (metaphorically speaking.) In other words loving your neighbor would require us to give our efforts toward prevention. What could we do to protect people from harm in the first place rather than simply tending their wounds after the fact? After all, if you come across a place or situation that keeps creating victims, loving your neighbor would require changing the environment or conditions that have been so harmful.

Admittedly, that is not the scenario Jesus spelled out in order to answer the Pharisees’ question about loving our neighbor. But I am sure He is pleased for us to take the point He did make about compassionate care for broken neighbors and extend its application into new scenarios. Is that not what meditating on the Word is all about? Following the trajectory of the text beyond raw data toward revelation.

More Insight for Imaginative Bible Study

Always remain in harmony with the written Word of God, of course. But let the imagination, harnessed to sound techniques, get up a head of steam. In the Fresh Eyes series, you’ll learn more techniques for making new discoveries in familiar Bible passages. It’ll be like you’re reading the Bible again… for the first time. Don’t worry. Use your imagination for more than that. You can do it.

My three-book Fresh Eyes series demonstrates 31 techniques for making inspirational discoveries in familiar passages of scripture. Those techniques are organized into three categories using the eyesight metaphor: magnifying lens, corrective lenses and virtual reality goggles. All three categories include techniques that involve simple thinking skills, but the “virtual reality” techniques are those pertaining to the imagination.

Pastor, Are You Keeping Your People From Learning God’s Word?

By

Doug Newton

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August 24, 2018

No pastor would ever want to but sometimes we can keep our people from learning God’s Word. Even with all the effort we put into trying to help them learn. There’s a better way than learning Greek!

Certainly pastors don’t mean to do it… and would probably feel terrible if they knew they were. Nevertheless they do. They unintentionally send signals that the most fruitful way into rich biblical insight is through the door of scholarship. Those signals come through the sprinklings of Greek and snippets of commentaries and scholarly quotes they use through the course of a sermon. Over time, the ordinary congregant subconsciously forms a couple of opinions:

The pastor has much more time to study the Bible than I do, so he can get more out of it; and
So much of what he teaches apparently requires knowing something about Greek, Hebrew, ancient traditions and cultures that he finds in big dictionaries and thick commentaries I can’t even afford much less understand.

Learning God’s Word Is Easier and Better Than Knowing Greek

Don’t get me wrong; I believe that the pastor’s study time should include scholarly effort in the Word of God. But scholarship is not the portal into meaningful interaction with God’s Word. God’s invitation is. His Spirit waits eagerly for us to simply open the pages to meet him there.

Then once inside, as if standing in a great hall, we are surrounded by doors leading into various chambers holding the promise of wonderful discoveries. Scholarship is one of those chambers. But there are many others that offer just as much opportunity for spiritual insight as gathering Greek and harvesting Hebrew words and phrases.

All my life as a pastor I have been committed to demonstrate this amazing fact. I have used, identified and now through the Fresh Eyes series am passing on techniques for fruitful Bible study that anybody can understand and practice without being a Bible scholar—and with just as much benefit to themselves and others.

Using “Conjunction Function” for Learning God’s Word

For example, productive Bible study often involves something as simple as treating grammatical conjunctions like speed bumps that cause us to slow down in our reading and ask about the conjunction’s function. Doing that will often correct the way we have gotten used to reading a familiar passage. I demonstrate that in the chapter called “The Flannelgraph Soldier” in Fresh Eyes on Famous Bible Sayings. In Ephesians 6:13-17 the Apostle Paul uses the imagery of a Roman soldier preparing for battle by dressing in battle gear he calls the “full armor of God”: breastplate, belt, shoes, helmet, shield and sword. Very familiar. But it is the common habit to end with verse 17, “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” as if that’s where Paul ends his point. As a result, we are left with the impression that this “battle preparation” is the prerequisite to heading out into the world to face our spiritual foe who “doth seek to work us woe” as Martin Luther penned.

However, that is not the end of Paul’s line of thought. If we simply paid attention to the “and’s” in this passage and notice that the next verse begins with the word “and” we would immediately recognize Paul is taking us to an unexpected venue for battle. The conjunction’s function indicates there is a continuation of action that moves from getting dressed for battle and…and…doing what? Pray. Five times in the next three verses Paul calls the people to prayer. It turns out the purpose of putting on the “full armor of God” is not to go out into the world, but into the prayer closet. That’s the primary venue for wrestling “not against flesh and blood, but … spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (6:12).

For most people that’s a motivational insight that occurs by simply using the Fresh Eyes technique I call “Conjunction Function.” Does it take a Master’s Degree to master this technique? Not at all. In the Fresh Eyes series I offer 30 more techniques just as accessible and useful for anyone who’s accepting the Lord’s invitation to meet Him inside the living Word of God. And I assure you, if you do that the Bible will not be Greek to you.

We Need Fresh Eyes for Scripture Today

By

Doug Newton

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August 24, 2018

We need fresh eyes for Scripture so we don’t tire of thinking we’ve seen it all and heard it all. Wouldn’t it be great if we could see Scripture in a new way? An exciting I-never-saw-that-before kind of way?

Developing Fresh Eyes for Scripture

Do you remember the Etch-a-Sketch? That prehistoric, low-tech flat screen instrument you could draw on by turning two knobs and make black lines on a gray screen? Remember how you could “delete” the image by turning it upside down and shaking it vigorously? That’s similar to what we often must do with our minds in order to see something new in a familiar Scripture passage.

Jesus’ teaching method often took the form “You have heard how it was said, but I tell you…” He invited his listeners to erase a well-worn way of thinking to see something new or different. There are many reasons why sincere Christians may have an incomplete or even incorrect understanding of some well-known passages of Scripture.

The passage may have become disconnected from its biblical or historical context.
A reader may not be aware of his own cultural, social or theological biases that limit or channel his insights.
In some cases an unquestioned dominant interpretation gets passed along like an urban legend.
A reader has heard the passage so often she has reduced it to one main point and cannot see anything new.

Whatever the reasons may be, many Christians are locked in to those fixed interpretations and applications. And they don’t even realize it.

Using the Fresh Eyes Technique

In the new Fresh Eyes series from David C. Cook, I reveal fresh biblical insights in familiar passages, but even more importantly I describe 31 Fresh Eyes techniques I used—always depending on revelation from God’s Spirit—to make those discoveries, so anyone can do it too.

Many people are already familiar with a handful of Bible study techniques, like cross-referencing, using a concordance, doing word studies, checking commentaries for historical and cultural data. Think of them as coming to Scripture with a magnifying glass. Skilled use of those techniques will often result in seeing passages with fresh eyes. However, in these books I also employ and describe other reflection techniques that are not in that classic category. Some of those techniques fall into a category I call “Virtual Reality Goggles.”

Fresh Eyes for Scripture With “Virtual Reality Goggles”

The new world of virtual reality technology is more than a novelty for video gamers. It allows surgeons to practice new skills, pilots to simulate emergency scenarios, engineers to construct models of everything from skyscrapers to bio-chemicals, and ordinary folks like us to “walk through” our future home before the foundation is even poured. It helps us ponder what things would be like before they exist.

In the same way, there is great value in looking at Scripture through the lens of virtual reality. Isn’t that what we often do? The Bible never talks about a world with cars and television and fast-food restaurants, so we have to imagine how biblical principles and practices work in a world the Bible does not depict. Our minds create scenarios (virtual reality) and “sample” various options of how we might think and act according to biblical standards and principles under those circumstances. And when we do that (isn’t that part of what it means to meditate on God’s Word?) the Holy Spirit often meets us to shine light on a course of action we have not yet seen except in our mind’s eye.

Using Imagination to Gain Fresh Eyes for Scripture

It’s also helpful to imagine different scenarios within the biblical text itself. What if you had been in the boat when Jesus invited his disciples to walk on the water? Would Jesus have been able to feed the multitude if the young boy had brought Jesus only three loaves and one fish? Although the rich young ruler went away sad after Jesus’ command to sell everything and give to the poor, does that mean he never did it? Jesus told Peter and the disciples to forgive people’s offenses 77 times. Is forgiving the third time easier or harder than forgiving the thirtieth time? All of these require speculation of course, and you mustn’t turn speculation into fact. But the Lord often uses our musings as we think beyond the text, stay within the boundaries of biblical truth and listen for his voice.

The point is we all need fresh eyes on God’s Word. It is living and powerful, but often our enthusiasm fades, because we don’t get anything new out of it. That’s what the Fresh Eyes series offers: something new. Designed for personal study or small group interaction, each chapter leaves readers excited, “I never saw this passage that way before!” But even better, these study and reflection techniques help readers make Spirit-assisted discoveries on their own. When that happens, the lessons are indelible. Not at all like the grainy gray lines on an Etch-a-Sketch.

Where’s the “Front Door” of Your Church? 3 Shifts You Need to Know

By

Mark Howell

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August 23, 2018

Disclosure: Depending on your own bias or bent, you might read this rant as either heresy, confirmation that I’ve lost it, or maybe something worth sharing with your team.

To start with, at some level I believe the missional community strategy and the current discipleship emphasis are both needed and smokescreens at the same time (I’ve wrestled quite a bit over this sentence).

Why? Just give me a few minutes. Trust me…I’m sure we’ll have a lot to argue about.

21st-century realities that shape my philosophy

As we move deeper into the 21st century, the front door of the church in America will shift from the auditorium to the home (or third place).

First, I am more and more convinced that as we move deeper into the 21st century, it will become more and more likely that the front door of the church in America will shift from the auditorium to the home.

Every indicator is screaming that we are rapidly moving in this direction. From Gabe Lyon’s The Next Christians, the widening 60 percent that are unreachable with the attractional model, and Barna’s study on the arrival of post-Christianity…let’s just say, we are not in Kansas anymore (even if you are in Kansas…you are probably already seeing the signs too).

The missional community strategy is mostly needed in churches whose weekend services are primarily designed for believers.

Second, I am coming to believe the missional community strategy is mostly needed in churches whose weekend services are primarily designed for believers. Even excluding fortress churches (where Christians huddle, isolating themselves from the evils of the world, sending their children to their church’s Christian school, etc.), it’s my belief that a high percentage of the vast majority of members of believer-focused churches don’t know their neighbors and don’t have friends at work (perhaps acquaintances, but not friends).

In that kind of environment, missional communities make a lot of sense.

On the flip side, in most of the churches I’ve served, where the weekend service is designed to be an inviting experience for friends and neighbors (attractional), it is very common for members to both know their neighbors and have friends at work. See also, Do You Know About This Game-Changing Connection Secret.

The discipleship emphasis is needed but should never be seen as an invitation to a more intensive program.

Third, the discipleship emphasis is needed but should never be seen as an invitation to a more intensive program. Rather, a small group is only the optimum environment for life-change when it is about becoming like Christ. When I look back at my own grouplife journey, my understanding is very much formed by Willow Creek’s small group ministry mission statement (circa early ’90s):

“To connect people relationally in groups of six to 10, where they can grow in Christ, love one another and further the work of the Kingdom.” (I might be off by a word or two, but you get the idea.)

Discipleship is an expectation. “Where they can grow in Christ.” It isn’t an add-on or an elective.

Assumptions that underpin my small group ministry philosophy

There are three assumptions that shape my philosophy of ministry as we’ve moved deeper into the 21st century in post-Christian America.

The small group is the optimum environment for life-change. See also, Life-Change at the Member Level.
Groups that are welcoming to neighbors and friends will increasingly become the front door to the Church in the 21st century. See also, Open Groups, Closed Groups and Specialized Groups.
Whatever you want group members to experience has to happen in the life of the leader first. See also, What Is the Role of the Coach?

What do you think? Have a question?

This article originally appeared here.

The Beautiful Distraction of Corporate Worship

By

David Santistevan

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August 23, 2018

Corporate worship is distracting. And I believe with all my heart that is a beautiful thing.

More than a few times I’ve heard from people who don’t care to attend church because they can have their “time with Jesus” at home. There’s nothing wrong with ‘Jesus time’ at home. But if it’s a replacement for the gathered singing of the people of God, it is a problem. And I don’t think Jesus would be happy with your decision.

But let’s be honest. Sometimes connecting with God is a challenge in church.

Picture this:

The LOUD, out of tune singer in front of you.
The stiff, bored teenager to your left who doesn’t want to be there.
The operatic harmonies [GOD those awful harmonies] of the woman behind you.
The loud worship team playing that annoying song again.
The visitor next to you who has never been in church and is just looking around.
The oblivious parent who WILL NOT take their screaming child out of the room.

Sure, it’s amazing when you’re in a room full of passionate people pursuing an all-glorious Savior. But there’s something beautiful and necessary about the mess of your church on Sunday.

It’s awkward.

It’s inconvenient.

And it’s beautiful.

Of course, it doesn’t look like Outcry Tour. Your band isn’t that good. Your production isn’t that good. Your budget isn’t that big.

But do you know what makes the CHURCH impressive? It’s not necessarily the creativity and production. It’s the fact that we are the BRIDE of Jesus—the inheritance of an all glorious Savior.

We are misfits from many walks of life gathered under ONE NAME. We are sinners who’ve screwed up our lives, gathered under ONE CROSS where there is mercy. We are orphans embraced under ONE FATHER, now called sons and daughters.

We are the large, we are the small. We are the rich, we are the poor. We are the smart, we are the uneducated. We are the talented, we are the glossed over. We are the brilliant, we are the broken. We are the church.

And we need your voice in the corporate gathering. And you need that beautiful distraction in your life. It’s a fairy tale to only listen to Bethel records in the comfort of your home. Whether you like the songs or enjoy your band or not, you need church. And the church needs you.

Open Your Eyes

How often have you heard this phrase?

Just close your eyes and focus on Jesus. Don’t look at the person on your right or your left. It’s just you and Jesus.

I’ve said those words before. But I disagree with them now. Matter of fact, I think more of us need to worship with our eyes open. It’s one of the distinctives of corporate singing.

Here’s what I mean: Obviously, there’s nothing wrong with closing your eyes and focusing on Jesus. No one will punish you for such an action. But corporate worship isn’t just about you and Jesus. You and Jesus can have devotions every day. Corporate worship is about being the church.

It’s about singing together. It’s about lifting each other up. It’s about being in the same room, in close proximity.

Remember the popular verse in Ephesians 5:19?

Speaking to one another in psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.

We are to speak to one another. Worship is vertical, but it is also horizontal.

So let’s lay aside the comparing and complaining. Let’s speak to one another. Let’s sing together. Let’s be with one another, proclaiming the Lord’s death until He comes.

Do you agree?

This article originally appeared here.

Singing Songs Isn’t Worship

By

Christina Embree

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August 23, 2018

Recently, a discussion on a popular Kidmin Facebook group grabbed my attention. The original poster shared her frustrations that Sunday worship time with the kids was a struggle. The kids just weren’t interested in joining the singing, despite her use of fun videos and songs with actions. Despite her many efforts at teaching and motivating kids to participate, they were more apt to play with their fidget spinners then to join in.

The commentary to follow listed everything from suggestions on other songs to use to the evils of fidget spinners (seriously, I could write a whole blog about this and how we major on the minors and minor on the majors, but just read this post about bottle flipping and you’ll get the gist). But I was disheartened as I read through the many suggestions and thoughts about worship to find that only one was able to separate the idea of worship from the action of singing. In fact, it seemed like the only way that most fellow ministers could have a conversation about worship was to talk about it in the context of song.

If worship were simply singing songs, much of the New Testament wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense. For example…

Romans 12:1 (NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Hebrews 13:15 (NIV) Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.

Continual singing? That doesn’t make sense. And how can we offer our bodies as a living sacrifice merely through song? There’s got to be more to the equation.

And as adults, we know that and we understand that. We know that singing is a part of worship (and honestly, it’s only a small part of worship). We should understand that worship is a much bigger thing. It encompasses so much more than just singing a few songs on a Sunday morning.

But is that what we teach our children when we talk about worship?

My husband, a pastor and church planter, recently wrote an article about worship in which he states,

Worship, for us, is a way of life. It is following Jesus into the everyday activities of raising families, working jobs, interacting with neighbors. Simply put, worship is Kingdom building. It’s the intentional act of inviting Heaven to earth; it’s making the ordinary sacred.

Or, as I have often told my kids as I’ve helped them explore worship, “Worship is putting the attention on God and not on us.”

With that in mind, if faced with a group of kids unenthusiastic about singing or dancing to music or doing actions to songs…maybe expanding the definition of what a worship service is could help them engage in true worship.

If we can help our kids understand that worship is a life lived, words spoken and hearts focused on giving attention to God, suddenly worship becomes far more than a song or two on Sunday morning. And if a life of worship becomes realized, singing those songs will come from heart that is already overflowing with worship, not just mouthing words or imitating actions.

Some worship ideas that might be used instead of songs.

Art – A lot of kids find art a perfect way to express their feelings. What if each child were offered the chance to draw or paint or sculpt Scripture? That could be a really cool worship service!
Thanksgiving – Giving thanks is one of the ways that the Bible says we worship God. Maybe a chalkboard wall for the kids to write their thanks on or a bunch of post-it notes to fill up a whole wall in the room?
Acts of service – These are the kinds of things that I’ve seen kids get very excited about; being able to do something for others. Consider creating Blessing Bags as a group and praying over them together. Finding ways to serve in and around the church. Writing notes to homebound members or coloring pictures for those who are sick.
Prayer – There are so many ways to pray. You can pray with words. You can pray in silence. You can pray with art and you can pray with action. You can pray together and you can pray apart. You can write out prayers. You can do popcorn prayer. You can connect them to the world through prayer. And prayer always brings attention to God and thus it is worship.
Liturgy – A lot of time we think of liturgy as oft-repeated and dry rhetoric, but the word liturgy actually means “the work of the people.” It’s a chance to do something communally, whether it be reading Scripture responsively, praying the Lord’s prayer together, taking communion together (so powerful with kids!), washing each other’s feet or just sharing in a spoken word together. To think that they’d be joining in word and practices that have been done by Christians for thousands of years is a very cool concept for children.

And then, what if, after doing all these things, which puts something in their hands besides a fidget spinner, a song of praise was offered up before leaving for the day or for the lesson? Could that, would that, change the reception of that moment? Could it maybe then truly be a time of worship, not just a time of singing?

Perhaps. Perhaps if worship truly was more than singing, not theoretically but practically, our children would want to engage more ways of expressing their love for and giving attention to God.

This article originally appeared here.

How to Make Time for Your Private Life

By

Jeremy Zach

-

August 23, 2018

I overly focus on my ministry and personal goals, which means I don’t focus enough time on my private life. In other words, my priorities tend to always be jacked up. I just keep going, going, going, going and going…without stopping to rest or refuel. I wrote about how I am trying to find a slowmo life here.

I love ministry.

I love the adrenaline.

I love loving on people.

So it is very easy for me to get sucked into the ministry vortex without reconnecting with Jesus, my family and myself.

My guess is that most busy youth ministry leaders struggle with finding and scheduling “time” to have a fun, recharging private life. This “DO ministry” and “GO, GO, GO” mentality is just reality for most youth pastors. No need to feel ashamed, embarrassed, guilty or convicted. It is just normal. Most youth pastors prefer the active ministry life over the reflective and slow-paced private life.

I have had philosophers (Aristotle, Seneca, Epictetus), Christian leaders (Henri Nowuen, Thomas Merton, Richard Foster, Craig Groeschel and Dallas Willard), mentors and youth ministry professors tell me over and over to be intentional in making time for my private life. It is one thing to know it, but it is an entirely different thing to keep doing it.

So the intent behind this post is to give you a reminder (or a swift kick in the buttox) on how to renovate the heart, soul and mind.

So here are a few reminders on how to have a great private life:

Spouse/Family

Your spouse and family are your primary ministry, they need you. Time belongs to you! You are responsible for your time—you always have a choice. You always have the option to leave or say no. No one will ever make you do anything. If your paycheck or the need to please others or a need to be needed controls you—that is adolescent behavior. Work hard and keep your priority and boundaries. Your marriage needs other married people in your life. Remember ministry is your job. Life is a gift, it is adventure! Life is awesome! Make sure you stop and smell the roses! Life is supposed to be fun!

If you are a single youth pastor—you will be the most taken of advantage person in the church. Draw boundaries. And don’t let others guilt you into the notion that you have a lot of time to give to the ministry since you aren’t married and don’t have kids. That is a lie.

Fellowship

Community (koine) is getting a small group of trusted people around you to speak truth into your life. In order to be a person of integrity, you need others calling you out when you are lying and pretending. Everyone pretends, everyone hides. You have to find relationships where you can be brutally honest. You need a place where you can share your dirt and really be you.

Plus you need to learn how to be the people of God before you do the work of God. You’ve got to figure out how to combine friendship and ministry. You need a friend that you can laugh with and just be silly with, or else your ministry job will rob you of your joy and laughter. Give your life to the FEW people you trust.

Mentoring

You at least need one person that speaks truth in your life and someone you are speaking truth into their life. Mentorship doesn’t have to be this professional or official thing. Sometimes we over-dramatize the mentorship role. You simply get a mentor by grabbing a cup of coffee and asking questions about their life. You look for mentors by looking for people who you want to be like. Find mentors who have a great private life and have great boundaries. These people are the people you want to surround yourself with Bottom line: You need someone ahead of you.

Counseling

There will be a time where you need to get counseling—especially if you are in your 20s, people have wronged you in ministry, or you are getting married or your marriage needs a refine tuning. Do not be afraid of counseling. Counseling doesn’t mean you hit rock bottom. I spent five years in counseling and it was the best and hardest five years of my life. Counseling not only keeps you humble and honest, it makes you extremely self-aware. If you can…get a Christian licensed therapist. If not, find a licensed professional. Many times when you hit crisis in your personal or ministry life, it is important to see someone who understands pastoral issues and dynamics.

Spiritual Life

Never confuse personal worship with ministry preparation. It is not a spiritual discipline when you write and prepare talks. Hebrews 3:1 and 12:2 remind ministers to fix their thoughts and eyes on Jesus. Get to know Jesus. Ministry flows out of our relationship with Jesus. God has given His chosen leaders to lead with His power (Acts 1.9). Youth pastors need to intentionally carve time out so they can spend a lot of time with Jesus so He can empower us to do the work of the ministry. Take quarterly retreats just to be. Jesus is your senior pastor.

The spiritual life is first of all a life. It is not merely something to be known and studied, it is to be lived.

?Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude

Solitude well practiced will break the power of busyness, haste, isolation and loneliness. You will see that the world is not on your shoulders after all. You will find yourself, and God will find you in new ways. Silence also brings Sabbath to you. It completes solitude, for without it you cannot be alone. Far from being a mere absence, silence allows the reality of God to stand in the midst of your life. God does not ordinarily compete for our attention. In silence we come to attend.

? Dallas Willard, The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus’s Essential Teachings on Discipleship

Personal growth and fulfillment

Be a student! Read and learn. Find a hobby. Set a time once a week for your personal time. If you don’t schedule it, you won’t do it.

Design a private life that is full of family and friendship, simplicity, solitude, and of course enjoy great food and movies.

How have you designed your private life as a busy, anxiety-driven and super stressed youth pastor?

Jury Convicts Saddleback Youth Mentor of Molesting Boys at Church

By

Bob Ditmer

-

August 23, 2018

On the heels of an article favorably comparing Saddleback Church to Willow Creek comes news that a former youth mentor at Rick Warren’s church in Lake Forest, California, was convicted by a jury Wednesday of molesting twin teenage boys.

Thirty-three-year-old Ruven (Ruben) Meulenberg was convicted of two counts of lewd acts with a minor younger than 14 and three counts of lewd acts on children 14 or 15 in an Orange county court, according to the City News Service.

The molestations occurred between May 2016 and May 2017 against twin boys that he mentored at Saddleback Church Youth Center. The actions took place off church property.

According to news reports, Deputy District Attorney Courtney Thom described for jurors an incident that happened when Meulenberg took the twin brothers to a movie theater. The youth mentor is said to have encouraged one of the boys to sit on his lap and proceeded to kiss the 14-year-old boy on the head, cheek and mouth.

Jurors were told Meulenberg asked the boy to switch seats with his brother after the boy said that he didn’t feel comfortable kissing Meulenberg. Meulenberg proceeded to molest the other boy in a similar fashion.

“This occurred in isolation in the back row of a darkened movie theater,” Thom said. “This is not saying hello or goodbye. This is the defendant manipulating his position of trust and confusing these young boys to see how far he could go.”

On the way home from the theater, Meulenberg had one of the boys sit between his legs in the backseat of a car, according to Thom.

Once the boys got home, they told their mother what had occurred. The mother contacted a church official, who called sheriff’s deputies.

In May of 2017, Saddleback issued a statement claiming Meulenberg was a volunteer and explaining the church goes to great lengths to investigate potential workers.

“To be considered for volunteering with kids or students, we require fingerprinting, professional background checks and personal interviews,” the statement reads. “We also use services that report any illegal activity to us immediately. In this case, the accused volunteer had no record of arrest or criminal charges. Also, our church requires volunteers who work with students or children to complete an annual training regarding appropriate conduct. Our system of safeguards has safely served over 40,000 students and children for 38 years.”

Meulenberg’s status with the church is being questioned by Lighthouse Trails, a Christian publishing company. In a blog post last summer, Lighthouse pointed to a 2014 article written by A. Larry Ross Communications, which handles public relations for Saddleback and Warren. Meulenberg and his twin brother, Efraim, were described as “being on staff” at the church in a September 2014 article about their video game endeavors.

Manafort Verdict Deepens Evangelical Divide

By

Bob Ditmer

-

August 23, 2018

On Tuesday, a jury found former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort guilty on eight of the 18 counts of tax and bank-fraud charges.

While Donald Trump received 70 percent of the evangelical vote in 2016, many evangelical leaders have been vocal in their opposition to his lifestyle, character and even his fitness to be president.

While not many evangelicals commented on the Manafort conviction and its implications for Trump’s presidency, those that did ignited a firestorm of comments from Christians both for and against Trump on Twitter.

Ed Stetzer, an outspoken critic of Trump and those who voted for him, tweeted shortly after the verdict was read in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia. Stetzer is the Executive Director of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College.

It never ends well when Christians tie their fate to a politician or party.

— Ed Stetzer (@edstetzer) August 22, 2018

While not defending Manafort or Trump, many took exception to Stetzer’s tweet. One was Phil McCutchen, Pastor of Bethany Community Church in Mendon, MA.

Think I should clarify my retweet of this thought: I agree with Stetzer that Christians cannot find the answer in politics. However, Christians who chose Trump over Hillary are hardly “tying their fate” to politics. They simply did the best they could with the choices available.

— Timothy Buttram (@TimothyButtram) August 22, 2018

Your statement more than implies that if we support a party/candidate, which is our civic duty, we are tying our “fate” to them. Yes, sometimes that support leads to a photo opp, but are we to give up an attempt to influence power?

— Phil McCutchen (@PastorPhilBCC) August 22, 2018

Another tweet that garnered quite a bit of reaction came from the other side of the political divide. Jerry Falwell Jr., president of Liberty University and an ardent supporter of Trump, suggested in his tweet that the verdict amounted to nothing.

This analysis of the impact on @realDonaldTrump of the Manafort and Cohen developments from yesterday is spot on! While @AlanDersh is no conservative, he is one of the most respected and unbiased legal scholars in the US! Libs who spiked the ball must feel foolish! https://t.co/EHDamhxwho

— Jerry Falwell (@JerryFalwellJr) August 23, 2018

Bryan Ayers, a software engineer from San Diego, echoed the sentiment of many.

Its embarrassing that you’re continuing to carry water for a guy who cheated on his wife with multiple women and then paid them off in order to keep Evangelicals from jumping ship on his campaign. You know if a Democrat did half of what he’s done you’d be livid

— Brian Ayers (@BrianAyers) August 23, 2018

Social media indicates evangelicals remain divided, and sadly it appears to be politics that is separating them.

United Methodists Are Not Very United These Days

By

Bob Ditmer

-

August 23, 2018

Fault lines are developing in the United Methodist Church following a recommendation by the Council of Bishops in May to adopt the One Church Plan at a special General Conference to be held in February in St. Louis.

The conference was called by bishops to help the denomination stay as unified as possible despite decades-old division over how accepting to be of homosexuality. But it looks like the lofty goal may be unraveling.

The One Church Plan will effectively give individual churches the right to decide whether they will perform same-sex marriages and ordain LGBT people as clergy. It would remove the denomination-wide position against homosexual acts and gay marriage.

Earlier this week the United Methodist Church’s Latino-Hispanic caucus (MARCHA) endorsed the plan at its annual assembly. Any pastor, lay leader, member, youth or staff from the United Methodist Church or the Puerto Rican Methodist Church can be a member of MARCHA.

The Reverend Eunice Vega, one of the two delegates to sponsor the resolution, argued that the One Church Plan was the best option because it allowed for “the coexistence of different theological positions.”

She also maintained that not accepting same-sex marriage and homosexual acts would mean stances against racism, exclusion, inequality, sexism and other expressions of injustices within the church “would probably disappear with the adoption of any of the other two models.”

The Rev. Rosita Mayorga spoke against the resolution, arguing that if the One Church Plan were passed, the result would lead to many theologically conservative churches leaving the denomination.

Many of those departing churches could come from Africa. Also this month, speakers at a gathering of the Africa Initiative offered support for the Traditional Plan.

United Methodist Church Also Considering Traditional Plan

The Traditional Plan calls for retaining the church ban on ordination of “self-avowed practicing homosexuals,” as well as the prohibitions on clergy officiating same-sex weddings or churches hosting them. It would retain the church’s official position that the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.

In addition, the Traditional Plan would call for greater enforcement of those restrictions including pushing out congregations and conferences into their own Methodist affiliations outside of the UMC if they won’t pledge to abide by church rules on homosexuality.

The Rev. Keith Boyette, president of the Wesleyan Covenant Association, was among the speakers.

“If The United Methodist Church decides not to follow Jesus Christ by adopting any plan other than the Traditional Plan, we the members of the Wesleyan Covenant Association will follow Jesus Christ,” Boyette told the Africa Initiative gathering.

Filipino Methodists discussed the options at a meeting in late July.

One of the Most Overlooked Ways to Get Your Church Solving Community Problems

By

Sam Rainer

-

August 22, 2018

The call to shepherd a church is a call to shepherd the community. When God led me to West Bradenton, He not only gave me a responsibility for pastoring a church but also a responsibility to serve our community. Churches are not islands in the community, set up to isolate believers from the ails of society. The walls of the church are not protective barriers to community problems. Quite the opposite—the church should be the vehicle by which people are sent into the hardest, darkest parts of the neighborhood.

But how? Most will agree the church should be part of the solution, at least in theory. You can get a lot of head nods and amens when you preach about solving community problems. Many churches have good intentions but do not know where to start. The hard part is putting the sermon to action. How does a church become part of the solution to improve a community?

The list of ideas is long. While each community will have neighborhood-specific problems, one issue stands out as a neglected nationwide solution most churches are not considering. Fostering is one of the most overlooked ways to get your church solving community problems.

Fostering connects you to the heart of community problems. Do you want to jump into the thick of evil? Whatever issues are producing foster children are often the core of a community’s sins. Take a foster child into your home, and you are immediately connected to some of the most difficult issues in your community. In Bradenton where I live, drug addiction, specifically heroin, is ravaging the city. We are the top county in child removal rates in all of Florida, due mainly to heroin addiction of parents.

Fostering is a way for pastors to lead by example. The foster movement at our church began with a couple of families and our student pastor. Now several families are fostering, including some of our staff. Do you want to practice what you preach? Then foster. You will live several sermons a week.

Fostering gets churches taking care of the most vulnerable. Fostering is one way to be both pro-life and pro-justice. A pro-life ethic and a pro-justice ethic are not diametrically opposed. When James wrote of widows and orphans, both life and justice are present in the text. When you foster a child, you are championing both ethics.

Fostering creates a culture of sacrifice. Foster parents lose privacy, money, security and a whole lot of sleep. Sacrifice is required from the moment you start going through the certification process. Get enough people fostering in your church, and a culture of sacrifice will form.

Fostering supports the biblical notion of church as family. While rules vary by state, many of the adults in your church will qualify to foster. You can be single and foster. You don’t have to have biological children to foster. Other options, like providing respite care, are also available if you don’t want to take on the full responsibility of fostering. Frankly, you will need the support of your church to foster. When a church has several foster children, the idea of a church being family becomes quite real.

Fostering gets people off the church island. Do you want to free your people from the concept of the church offering protective isolation? Start a movement of fostering. The church is not a fallout shelter from a radioactive world. You can’t be salt and light hunkered down in isolation.

My family forever changed when we started fostering. Our foster son brings joy, frustration, confusion and contentment—sometimes all emotions at once. It’s not easy, but I’m thankful.

This article originally appeared here.

How to Make Faith in God a Family Affair

By

Dema Kohen

-

August 22, 2018

With your responsibility to minister to children and families, have you ever wondered how to make faith in God a family affair?

There’s nothing like God’s Word.

What other sacred text can be described as alive and active (as in Hebrews 4:12)? How incredible is it that ancient words are relevant in our modern age? And what a gift that a book with such depth is also simple enough for kids!

FAITH IN GOD IS MEANT TO BE A FAMILY AFFAIR

The Israelites in Deuteronomy were instructed to diligently teach their children the ways of the Lord, and that stands true today. Jesus blessed children and taught that faith like a child was necessary to enter the kingdom of heaven. So we encourage and equip one another to grow together in faith as a family.

But, the thing is, kids and adults learn differently. What exactly does it mean to have childlike faith?

We can look to Jesus as our teacher, as He used stories and experiences to help His followers understand the kingdom of God.

We all love a good story, and the Bible is full of true tales of creation, adventure, love, intrigue, danger and battles. Christ used parables to explain difficult concepts.

Our kids need stories. They need to understand what is historical and what is symbolic, such as parables or prophecy. Kids also need guidance to navigate pages of Scripture at an age-appropriate pace. See? Faith in God is meant to be a family affair.

Parents are a tour guide through the complex Word of God, building a foundation of understanding, beginning with the cornerstone that is Christ. Begin by telling the stories. The narrative of the gospel is captivating, and stories were made to settle into our memory and remain in our hearts at every age.

Kids also need experiences to help them grasp challenging concepts and to boost memory. Adults benefit from this learning style, too! Jesus not only demonstrated healing, but He involved the disciples in miracles, too. The bread and wine of the last supper became an object lesson to prepare for the crucifixion and resurrection. Not only would the disciple carry with them the memory of that night in the upper room, but the taste of wine and smell of bread likely brought them right back to those sacred moments. Our senses are powerfully connected to our minds by God’s design. And hands-on activity will reinforce a lesson much stronger than hours of lecture and note-taking. Of course, kids are hard-wired for activity, so it’s incredibly necessary to adapt to—and take advantage of—their natural energy and reach their hearts with the love of God.

So what might this look like?

Every family is different, so of course we all approach the word of God in our unique, fearfully and wonderfully made ways. But here are a couple of ideas for family devotional time.

8 Ways to Get Your Students to Share the Gospel

By

Greg Stier

-

August 22, 2018

Getting your teenagers to share the gospel can be a challenge. These ideas will help spark them to action.

1. Get them to start praying for their unreached peers. When teenagers pray for their lost friends).

2. Take them on fishing trips. In other words, take them out to actually share the Gospel once a month or so. Jesus did that with his mostly teenaged followers, and we can do the same (Matthew 4:19). Of course we want them to learn to have Gospel conversations and not just make evangelistic presentations.

3. Train them how to bring the Gospel up in a natural way. Jesus used the subject of a drink of water to share the Gospel with the Samaritan woman (John 4:4-10). You can train them using the Ask-Admire-Admit strategy developed by Dare 2 Share to help you do this well.

4. Immerse them in Gospel fluency. Just like the Apostle Paul equipped the Corinthians with a Gospel creed he himself had put to memory (1 Corinthians 15:3 ,4), we must equip our teenagers to clearly articulate the Gospel message in a clear and simple way.

5. Have your teenagers role-play various faith sharing scenarios. You can do this during youth group or small group. Use these different worldviews to create Gospel sharing scenarios with your teenagers.

6. Program story sharing time into your weekly youth group meetings. One of the reason we love the book of Acts is that it is full of Gospel advancing stories. Faith sharing stories bring the theoretical into reality and make God’s truth come alive in the form of changed lives.

7. Have teenagers write down the names of teenagers who don’t know Jesus. Use this to help them begin to pray for these friends with passion, pursue them with love and persuade them with the truth of the Gospel. At Dare 2 Share we use THE Cause Circle to help your teens visualize and actualize this process.

8. Talk about the urgency of hell). The urgency that erupts from its flames can melt even the coldest hearts to evangelistic action.

What are some other ways to get your teenagers sharing their faith right away?

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Developing Fresh Eyes for Scripture

Using the Fresh Eyes Technique

Fresh Eyes for Scripture With “Virtual Reality Goggles”

Using Imagination to Gain Fresh Eyes for Scripture

21st-century realities that shape my philosophy

As we move deeper into the 21st century, the front door of the church in America will shift from the auditorium to the home (or third place).

The missional community strategy is mostly needed in churches whose weekend services are primarily designed for believers.

The discipleship emphasis is needed but should never be seen as an invitation to a more intensive program.

Assumptions that underpin my small group ministry philosophy

Open Your Eyes

Romans 12:1 (NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Hebrews 13:15 (NIV) Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.

But is that what we teach our children when we talk about worship?

Worship, for us, is a way of life. It is following Jesus into the everyday activities of raising families, working jobs, interacting with neighbors. Simply put, worship is Kingdom building. It’s the intentional act of inviting Heaven to earth; it’s making the ordinary sacred.

Some worship ideas that might be used instead of songs.

United Methodist Church Also Considering Traditional Plan

FAITH IN GOD IS MEANT TO BE A FAMILY AFFAIR

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