The Art of Pursuing Real Work Versus Busywork

Free Classifieds Ads.

When we focus on our real work over busywork, we see intentional progress toward a focused vision or goal, rather than just checking things off a list.

What Every Pastor Needs (But Won’t Tell You)
Sat, 22 Jun 2024 11:03:36 +0000

I'd like to share what every pastor needs, but won't tell you. Fortunately, the Bible does.

The Mental Healthcare Gap, Task Shifting, and the Local Church
Fri, 21 Jun 2024 20:58:09 +0000

Task shifting is a viable solution to mitigate the global mental healthcare gap by making efficient use of available human resources, enhancing the capacity of the healthcare system, and ultimately improving access to mental health services for underserved populations.

Televangelist James Robison Denies He Knew Robert Morris Allegedly Committed Child Sex Abuse
Fri, 21 Jun 2024 20:23:36 +0000

Following the recent resignation of Robert Morris as Gateway Church’s senior pastor, Life Outreach International, formerly known as The James Robison Evangelistic Association (JREA), released a statement saying the organization was unaware of the Morris' alleged sexual abuse of a 12-year-old.

‘Bonhoeffer’ Film Trailer Promotes November Release by Angel Studios
Fri, 21 Jun 2024 18:51:18 +0000

An official trailer dropped this week for the upcoming Angel Studios movie, "Bonhoeffer.” The historical drama, which releases in November, tells the true story of German Lutheran Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was martyred near the end of World War II.

Youth Pastor Charged With Child Sex Abuse; Church Says SBC Database Would Have Prevented Him From Getting Hired
Fri, 21 Jun 2024 17:57:59 +0000

A North Texas youth pastor has been arrested and charged with two counts of sexual assault of a child and one count of aggravated sexual assault. Luke Cunningham, 41, was arrested on June 19.

How the Church Can Support Families Going Through a Medical Crisis
Fri, 21 Jun 2024 17:36:43 +0000

Because we live in a world with sickness and disease, church leaders will encounter families navigating a child medical crisis either first or secondhand. The more proactive the church can be in serving these families, the better.

Baptists Have Historically Had ‘No Trouble’ Affirming the Nicene Creed, Says Gavin Ortlund
Fri, 21 Jun 2024 17:19:29 +0000

Baptists should have no hesitation with affirming the Nicene Creed, said author and theologian Gavin Ortlund, in a video where he made the case for his position from church history.

Outspoken Papal Critic Risks Excommunication for Inciting Schism
Fri, 21 Jun 2024 13:49:28 +0000

In a defiant social media post, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, an outspoken papal critic, announced Thursday (June 20) that he had been summoned to the Vatican to answer charges of having committed the crime of schism.

Mastering the Art of Communication: How To Leave Your Audience Wanting More
Fri, 21 Jun 2024 11:07:55 +0000

If you communicate on any level, what’s your goal? What do you hope happens during and, more importantly, after you speak?

The Disciple Making Movement Urban Settings Calls for New Methods
Fri, 21 Jun 2024 11:03:41 +0000

At the heart of the Disciple Making Movement are key habits that Jesus modeled and taught. These practices are the foundation of all effective disciple-making in all cultures and contexts, but their application will take different forms in different settings

How To Improve Your Preaching
Fri, 21 Jun 2024 11:01:02 +0000

Recently, a company of pastors--of which I have been a part for 8 or so years––was discussing what practical steps a minister can take in order to improve his preaching.

Top 10 Challenges Facing the Church
Fri, 21 Jun 2024 06:54:45 +0000

Here are the top 10 challenges facing the church and one practical suggestion for each you can implement today.

3 Priorities for Every Pastor
Fri, 21 Jun 2024 06:17:10 +0000

I’ve learned that if I prioritize a few key choices, my life and leadership dramatically improve and my ministry becomes more effective. I encourage these three priorities for every pastor.

Writing Worship Songs: It’s an Inspired Collaboration
Fri, 21 Jun 2024 06:10:42 +0000

Biblical writers searched intently, but the Spirit did not leave them alone. It was an inspired collaboration.

4th of July Snacks: Fruit Flags for Celebrating Our Freedom
Fri, 21 Jun 2024 05:00:42 +0000

Use these healthy, yummy 4th of July snacks to teach children about our freedom in Jesus.

Spiritual Growth Goals to Set for Yourself This Summer
Fri, 21 Jun 2024 05:00:30 +0000

Spiritual growth isn't just for teens. Discover three questions to ask yourself about growing closer to Jesus this summer.

Masks
Thu, 20 Jun 2024 20:40:56 +0000

Day after day, we dress ourselves up and wear masks to put on the image we want others to see. Meanwhile, we know the real us. To live and lead wholeheartedly, we must remember that God’s love for us is not dependent on whether or not we deserve or have earned it.

Dr. Tony Evans’ Son Talks of Father’s Return, Was Told ‘No More, No Less’ About Evans’ Unnamed ‘Sin’
Thu, 20 Jun 2024 19:54:05 +0000

Dr. Tony Evans' youngest son, Jonathan, told the Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship (OCBF) congregation during a Father’s Day message on Sunday that his father didn't share any more information about his unnamed sin than he did with the whole church.

I Went to Israel Looking for Moral Clarity. Here Is What I Found.
Thu, 20 Jun 2024 18:42:46 +0000

When I arrived in Israel, I hoped that I would find a greater sense of moral clarity. What I left with was a deeper sense of grief.

10 Commandments Must Be Displayed in Louisiana Classrooms by 2025
Thu, 20 Jun 2024 18:40:02 +0000

By January 2025, every classroom in Louisiana must feature a poster-sized display of the 10 Commandments with large, readable font. Louisiana has become the first state to mandate that all public-school classrooms—from kindergarten to college—display the biblical commands.

The African Church and Its Global Significance, Voices from the Global Church, part 2
Thu, 20 Jun 2024 17:12:44 +0000

Christianity in Africa dates back two millennia. The early Christian movement spread from Jerusalem to every direction, taking on local cultural expressions throughout the ancient world, starting barely 10 days after Jesus’ ascension.

Daystar Television Network Removes All of Robert Morris’ Programming
Thu, 20 Jun 2024 15:54:52 +0000

Daystar Television Network announced Tuesday night (June 18) that all of Robert Morris' programming has been removed from its broadcasting schedule.

The Problem with Perfectionism
Thu, 20 Jun 2024 11:07:26 +0000

Perfectionism often leads to a less than desirable outcome. 

How You Really Should Be Measuring Church Growth
Thu, 20 Jun 2024 11:03:47 +0000

Whenever we talk about church growth, the first thing that comes to mind is attendance. However, while helpful, it is not the best metric.

The First Steps To Becoming a Dynamic Leader
Thu, 20 Jun 2024 11:01:22 +0000

Tied to being a dynamic leader is innovation. To be innovative you must have one eye on where you are and another eye on where things will be. The innovator is able to build a path between the two!

On World Refugee Day, Relief Organizations Celebrate Partnerships With Churches
Thu, 20 Jun 2024 10:59:44 +0000

Thursday, June 20, marks World Refugee Day, an international day to recognize and celebrate refugees around the world. 

Small Groups 2.0 – The Discovery Group Format
Thu, 20 Jun 2024 06:59:10 +0000

\The Discovery Group format focuses on listening to and immediately obeying the Bible. The change is subtle but powerful and brings wonderful results.

How to Use Digital Intentionally
Thu, 20 Jun 2024 06:47:13 +0000

To succeed in your church’s digital spaces, you need to focus on integration, not addition of technology. We must use digital intentionally.

Bible Study on Depression: Help Teens Find Hope & Life in Jesus
Thu, 20 Jun 2024 05:00:40 +0000

A Bible study on depression can help you reach teens who are hurting. By studying Scripture together, you share the joy and full life that Jesus provides.

Sunday School Curriculum: How to Choose Materials for Children
Thu, 20 Jun 2024 05:00:00 +0000

Choosing Sunday school curriculum is an important decision, and options abound. Learn how to select lessons for children.

Gateway Church Learned of Robert Morris’ Crime in 2005, Says Abuse Survivor Cindy Clemishire
Wed, 19 Jun 2024 21:45:47 +0000

Sexual abuse survivor Cindy Clemishire released a statement yesterday (June 18) after Gateway Church announced that Robert Morris had resigned as its senior pastor.

‘But First…Let Me Thank God’—Celtics Head Coach Joe Mazzulla’s Postgame Shirt Says It All
Wed, 19 Jun 2024 20:19:28 +0000

With just a few years of experience as a basketball head coach, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla led his team to win the 2024 NBA Championship.

What Children’s Ministry Will Look like in 10 Years
Wed, 19 Jun 2024 15:54:42 +0000

Children's ministry: What will it look like in 10 years? Here are my thoughts.

Daniel Im: How Not To Let the Consumers Drive the Strategy of Your Church
Wed, 19 Jun 2024 15:26:58 +0000

Daniel Im joins “The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast” to explain how pastors can lead more effectively in a “post-everything” world and why their communities contain more than just the non-Christians and the Christians.

Episcopal Church Grapples With ‘Transformative Role’ in Native American Residential Schools
Wed, 19 Jun 2024 14:31:23 +0000

The Episcopal Church has begun to reckon with the outsized role it played in the history of Indigenous children from Florida to Alaska being taken away, sometimes by force, to residential schools run by the government and often by denominations that operated under government contracts.

Richard Smallwood, ‘Total Praise’ Composer, To Receive Juneteeth Tribute in D.C.
Wed, 19 Jun 2024 14:27:22 +0000

For decades, Richard Smallwood has been on stages from Carnegie Hall to churches, at the piano or at the microphone, performing music that features his distinctive genre-bending blend of gospel and classical.

Ascension Catholic Hospitals Outsource Staffing To Private-Equity-Owned Partners
Wed, 19 Jun 2024 14:12:57 +0000

According to a letter Sen. Chuck Grassley sent Ascension, whistleblowers disclosed proposed changes to staffing with SCP Health, the new firm overseeing physician staffing, that could have hospitalists seeing twice the national average of patients per day.

4 Behaviors of a Thriving Worship Ministry
Wed, 19 Jun 2024 11:03:15 +0000

Over the past 18 months, I have served 50-plus churches as a worship team trainer and guest worship leader. I’ve noticed some interesting trends in thriving worship ministries that are healthy, growing and happy.

12 Ways To Respond in a Spiritual Rut
Wed, 19 Jun 2024 11:01:55 +0000

I wrote yesterday about signs to see if you’re in currently in a spiritual rut. Today, here are some options for getting out of the rut.

UMC Settles Sex Abuse Case Involving Former New York Pastor, Foster Parent Who Ran a Clown Business
Tue, 18 Jun 2024 21:32:12 +0000

The United Methodist Church, along with New York’s Warren County, has reached a financial settlement in a sexual abuse case involving former UMC Pastor Richard Reynolds. Troy resident John Smith claimed that Reynolds, who served as Smith's foster parent, abused him as a child.

‘Straight Up, a Hot Mess’—Allen Parr Calls Out Taylor Swift’s New Album as ‘Anti-Christian’
Tue, 18 Jun 2024 21:21:22 +0000

Taylor Swift released her 11th album this year and has already broken records. But YouTuber Allen Parr warns parents and all Christians about her "explicit" content on "The Tortured Poets Department," calling it "anti-Christian."

Robert Morris Resigns as Gateway Church’s Senior Pastor Following Sexual Abuse Allegations
Tue, 18 Jun 2024 21:02:51 +0000

Following the revelation of sexual abuse allegations against Gateway Church founder and senior pastor Robert Morris, Church of the Highlands announced that Morris has resigned as one of its overseers.

‘Bling Bishop’ Lamor Whitehead Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Fraud, Extortion, Lying to Federal Agents
Tue, 18 Jun 2024 17:25:38 +0000

Bishop Lamor Whitehead has been sentenced to nine years in prison and ordered to pay $85,000 in restitution and forfeit $95,000 as a result of being found guilty of ​​fraud, attempted extortion, and lying to federal agents.

Imprisonment of Two Christian Teenagers Approaches Five Year Mark
Tue, 18 Jun 2024 13:46:16 +0000

Sunny Mushtaq and Noman Asghar, both Christians, were arrested on June 29, 2019, in Pakistan on blasphemy charges for receiving cartoon drawings of the Prophet Muhammad on the popular messaging app WhatsApp. 

Growing up on the Inside, Forever
Tue, 18 Jun 2024 11:07:40 +0000

When you realize that your spiritual growth can be an ongoing, never-ending process of renewal and development, each new day matters as much as the last.

The Measure of Our Success
Tue, 18 Jun 2024 11:03:00 +0000

I’ve personally wrestled with this; and I’ve watched thousands do the same; and it’s literally killing many of us! Thus, this “impassioned plea to pastors” is for all of us to radically alter the measures of our success.

10 Questions More Important Than ‘What Was Your Sunday Attendance?’
Tue, 18 Jun 2024 11:01:59 +0000

On any given Sunday, even the smallest, simplest church service juggles an amazing array of complex issues. From set-up to attendance to events. Set-up to tear-down Relationships to administration Spiritual to emotional Planned events to unplanned interruptions and more. But too often we reduce the value of this beautiful, multi-layered gathering of believers, seekers, skeptics […]

Beatitudes Children’s Activities: 14 Sunday School Ideas
Tue, 18 Jun 2024 05:00:58 +0000

Do you need Beatitudes children’s activities? Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is a great Sunday school topic. Check out all these resources.

Faith Over Fear Bible Study: Keep Teens Grounded in God’s Word
Tue, 18 Jun 2024 05:00:44 +0000

A Faith Over Fear Bible study is a key lesson for kids—and adults. And it’s a promise they’ll turn to again and again. Check out these resources about choosing faith over fear.

Dignity Health Medical Groups Blog

 Your Community's Superhero: Urgent Care!

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 19:35:14 GMT

A conversation with with Dr. Roger Hicks, Dignity Health Medical Group — Sierra Nevada

Roger Hicks, MD is the medical director of Dignity Health Medical Group — Sierra Nevada’s urgent care location at 107 Margaret Lane in Grass Valley. He is on the Board of Directors of the College of Urgent Care Medicine and the founding president of California Urgent Care Association.

How stress impacts your physical and mental health (and what you can do about it)
Tue, 04 Jun 2024 17:57:33 GMT

Stress affects every facet of our lives and can have a profound impact on our long-term health. It’s important to find healthy ways to cope with stress for our overall well being.

Maybelle Ursales, MD and Alexis Lyon-Claus, LMFT, a behavioral health clinician with Dignity Health Mercy Medical Group share the signs and consequences that stress can have on our physical and mental health, in addition to effective tips for stress management in our everyday lives.

Congratulations to our 2024 PE Vision Award winners
Wed, 01 May 2024 22:08:05 GMT

We are proud to announce our 2024 CommonSpirit Health Physician Enterprise Vision Awards winners for the California Region.

The annual program is intended to recognize and celebrate clinical excellence throughout the Physician Enterprise, which includes our Dignity Health Medical Groups. Anchored in the CommonSpirit Health vision statement, the PE Vision Awards are based on the common goal of providing a “healthier future for all – inspired by faith, driven by innovation, and powered by our humanity.

Preeclampsia: What is it and what causes it?
Tue, 30 Apr 2024 22:05:13 GMT

Preeclampsia is a complication of pregnancy and affects approximately 2-4% of pregnancies globally.

It can be concerning to hear you have developed preeclampsia, so we spoke with Phillip Kintner, MD, OB/GYN with Dignity Health Medical Group — Sierra Nevada, who shares insights on this condition. 

Debunking menopause myths
Thu, 18 Apr 2024 15:10:42 GMT

Despite being a natural stage in a woman’s life, there are many misconceptions about menopause. Lisbeth Chang, MD, an OB/GYN with Dignity Health Medical Group — Northridge, debunks common menopause myths below.

Strep throat: How contagious is it?
Tue, 16 Apr 2024 17:00:35 GMT

Atalie Lim, MD, pediatrician with Dignity Health Medical Group — Inland Empire, shares how easily strep throat can spread, and how to minimize your risks of catching the bacterial infection.

Dignity Health Mercy Medical Group, Dignity Health Woodland Clinic Clinicians Voted “Top Docs”
Mon, 18 Mar 2024 17:40:17 GMT

We are proud to announce that 93 physicians from Dignity Health Mercy Medical Group, and 49 from Dignity Health Woodland Clinic have been voted SacTown Magazine’s Top Doctors in 2023. The “Top Docs” honor is an annual list of the area’s best doctors as voted by their peers.

Dignity Health Mercy Medical Group, Dignity Health Woodland Clinic earn Elite Status Award
Tue, 12 Mar 2024 22:07:47 GMT

Dignity Health Mercy Medical Group and Dignity Health Woodland Clinic have been awarded Elite Status from America's Physician Groups (APG), the nation's leading professional association for accountable physician groups. The medical groups are two of just 70 organizations nationally to achieve Elite Status (the highest recognition) in 2023.

Elite Status is earned through participation in APG's Standards of Excellence Survey, which evaluates the coordinated care infrastructure and value-based care performance of the organization’s physician group members.

Dignity Health Advanced Imaging opens in Redding
Wed, 06 Mar 2024 19:45:54 GMT

(L-R) Rob Marchuk, vice president of operations, Dignity Health Medical Foundation; Dr. Amjad Rasheed; Dr. Reed Grabow; Richard Slepicka; Mike Davis, director of imaging services, Dignity Health Advanced Imaging — Redding; Todd Smith, President, Mercy Medical Center, Redding; Dr. Rhonda Wyatt; Dr. Philip Baker; Dr. Greg Shaw; Dr. Ewa Bauer; Dr. Don Chin; Dr. Adam Attoun; Dr. Stephen Hofkin; Dr. Douglas Hughes; Rich Martinez, executive director, Dignity Health Advanced Imaging

Dignity Health Advanced Imaging (DHAI) is pleased to announce the opening of its newly acquired imaging practice in Redding. The practice, which includes offices at 2020 Court St. and 2380 Bechelli Lane in Redding, offers a full range of imaging services, including mammograms, PET scans, interventional radiology, computed tomography (CT scans), MRIs, ultrasounds, X-rays and more.

Understanding behavioral health for you and your loved ones
Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:54:00 GMT

We asked Alexis Lyon-Claus, LMFT, behavioral health manager at Dignity Health Mercy Medical Group, to help explain behavioral health and share advice on what you and your loved ones can do to continue to navigate your mental health journey.

Died: Disgraced Southern Baptist Leader Paul Pressler

 The Texas judge behind the political strategy for the “conservative resurgence” molested and assaulted teenage boys, according to allegations eight men made in court.

The things that Paul Pressler did in private changed the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) radically and irreversibly.

In private, in a French café in New Orleans in 1967, Pressler planned the takeover of the largest Protestant group in America with Baptist college president Paige Patterson. He came up with the political strategy for the “conservative resurgence.”

In private, in an airport hotel in Atlanta in 1978, Pressler and Patterson gathered a group of ministers and established an informal network. They instructed those men to organize messengers to go to the SBC’s annual meeting and elect a president committed to using the position’s appointive powers to wrest control of the convention away from leaders they considered too liberal, too bureaucratic, and insufficiently committed to the doctrine of biblical inerrancy.

When a reporter with the Baptist Standard asked the Texas appeals court judge at the time if he was meeting with groups of clergy as part of a hardball campaign to elect the next SBC president, Pressler adamantly denied it. Then he questioned what would even count as a “meeting,” given the many possible ways you could define that word.

Then he allowed he was, in fact, doing some things in private.

In private, in a sauna at a Houston country club in the late 1970s, Pressler touched a young man’s penis, according to sworn testimony given in a lawsuit that was settled last year.

And in private, around the same time, Pressler started to molest and rape a 14-year-old, telling the teenager he taught in his Southern Baptist youth group that he was “special” and their “relationship” was special but needed to be kept secret because “no one ...

Celebrating Fatherhood: Honoring the Pillars of Strength in Our Lives

Celebrating Fatherhood: Honoring the Pillars of Strength in Our Lives: Fountain of Hope Church -GPHI Jakarta is a place where people can find hope, love, and support. Join us for a meaningful experience.

As we approach Father's Day, it's a time to reflect on the invaluable role fathers play in our lives. They are not just providers and protectors but also mentors, friends, and the steady hands that guide us through life's challenges. This day is a heartfelt tribute to all fathers, grandfathers, and father figures who have shaped us into who we are today.

A Father's Love Knows No Bounds

From the tender moments of reading bedtime stories to the firm guidance in teaching life lessons, a father's love is a steady anchor in the tumultuous sea of life. Their unwavering support and encouragement often lay the foundation for our dreams and ambitions. Whether through quiet acts of kindness or bold displays of strength, fathers leave an indelible mark on our hearts.

Lessons Learned and Memories Treasured

Each father imparts unique wisdom garnered from their own life experiences. From learning to ride a bike to navigating the complexities of adulthood, fathers are our first teachers. Their wisdom is a beacon that lights our way forward, instilling in us values of resilience, perseverance, and compassion.

The Bond Between Father and Child

Beyond the roles of provider and caregiver, the bond between a father and child is a profound connection that transcends words. It is a bond forged through shared moments of laughter, tears, and mutual understanding. Whether biological, adoptive, or chosen, this bond forms the bedrock of our sense of belonging and security.

Honoring Fatherhood Today and Every Day

On this Father's Day, let's take a moment to express our gratitude to the father figures who have shaped our lives. Whether they are near or far, their influence continues to resonate within us. Let's celebrate their sacrifices, their wisdom, and the unconditional love that knows no bounds.

To all fathers and father figures, we thank you for your strength, your guidance, and your enduring love. Happy Father's Day!

Christianity Today

Be Quick to Listen, Slow to ‘Therapy Speak’ 

When I went to fill out the intake questionnaire before my first appointment, I regurgitated what I’d heard. I was seeking therapy to “establish healthier emotional boundaries because of a codependent relationship that had left me traumatized.”

It’s not like these words were entirely inaccurate. It’s that they’d become clichés, shorthand that kept me from understanding the nuances of my own experience. I wasn’t undergoing “trauma.” But I was scared of what another romantic relationship would look like and worried about whether it would turn out the same way this one had.

But after a few sterile sessions full of the jargon I’d picked up from friends and the internet, I stopped using these terms—trauma, codependence, emotional boundaries. I was using language to distance myself from reality. I was confusing self-preservation for emotional maturity.

I’m not alone in my use of “therapy speak.” Thanks to social media, terms once confined to clinical settings are ubiquitous in everyday conversations. A difficult roommate is “toxic”; conflict is “abuse”; every ex-boyfriend is a “narcissist”; and stress is always “trauma.” We are all “victims”; we are all “gaslit.”

Sometimes, of course, these words are warranted. With mental illness on the rise, it’s helpful to have common language at our disposal. 

I was going through a breakup when I started therapy post-pandemic. My friends were telling me that I needed to work on healthier emotional boundaries. They said I was probably experiencing trauma from a toxic ex. Most likely, I’d been in a codependent relationship.

Around the bonfire at church camp on the Oregon coast

We sang “River of Life” to get warmed up, and then, to mellow the mood for the gospel presentation, “Seek Ye First.” A haunting descant rose over the melody, swelling my 12-year-old heart with grateful longing. I walked forward to accept Jesus into my heart, and a counselor prayed for me, shadows from the flames flickering across our faces.

Back home again, I needed to learn how to pray. I thought it was weird for the Lord to expect me, gangly and grappling with my fleshly nature, to carry on what felt like a nonreciprocal relationship with an invisible, inscrutable, and ineffable God—but I was willing to give it a shot.

My self-examination concluded, I tendered other requests, like to make the premier soccer team and for a boy to return a crush. When those things didn’t happen, I swallowed a slight doubt. Perhaps James 4:3 was at play here: “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” Maybe I had bad motives.

Only I couldn’t tell if I was doing it right. “God is not a vending machine,” our youth minister told us. “You have to pray according to his will.” So I began by asking for help in various areas of self-improvement: I should be nice to my brother. I should have a cheerful attitude when vacuuming with the heavy canister Electrolux and not slam my bedroom door when I got mad. I needed to avoid Judy Blume books that celebrated masturbation and stop sneaking the M&Ms my mom hid in the freezer. God, please help me to be better.

What Believers Can and Can’t Affirm in Those Who Affirm Same-Sex Marriage

Whichever position you might find yourself in, Rebecca McLaughlin’s new book will point you to precisely the place in the Bible where you should begin—with the gospel and Jesus. More about that in a bit.

Maybe you believe that the Bible opposes same-sex sexual relationships. Where in the Bible would you begin to explain your view? Maybe you doubt that the Bible opposes same-sex sexual relationships. Where in the Bible would you begin to build an argument for affirmation? Or maybe you are unsure whether the Bible affirms or opposes same-sex sexual relationships. Where in the Bible would you begin to inquire about the matter?

One trend is believers who experience same-sex sexual attraction, or self-identify as “gay,” writing first-person accounts about their journeys of faith and sexuality. This trend includes: Wesley Hill’s Washed and Waiting (2010); Christopher Yuan’s Out of a Far Country (2011); Rosaria Butterfield’s The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert (2012); Gregory Coles’s Single, Gay, Christian (2017); Jackie Hill Perry’s Gay Girl, Good God (2018); David Bennett’s A War of Loves (2018); and Rachel Gilson’s Born Again This Way (2020).

These writers, each in their own style, recount their calling to be followers of Jesus and consider how to live and love faithfully and fruitfully according to the gospel. Together, they set forth a spiritual vision of holiness and righteousness that is relevant for every believer and the whole church.

The book, Does the Bible Affirm Same-Sex Sexual Relationships? Examining 10 Claims about Scripture and Sexuality, brings together two recent trends of books by evangelical writers.

Anglican Bishop Removed as Clergy Call for Transparency in Investigation

On Monday, a group of ACNA clergy published an open letter expressing concern that there have not been public updates about a promised church trial for Ruch since November 2023. The letter pushes for regular updates on the trial’s progress and for information about why Ruch has not been inhibited, or limited in his duties, because of his alleged laxity in the past.

Nearly three years ago, Bishop Stewart Ruch of the Anglican Church in North America’s Diocese of the Upper Midwest admitted “regrettable errors” in handling sexual abuse allegations against a lay minister, before taking a leave of absence. An acting bishop took over the diocese and another ACNA bishop, Todd Atkinson, was tapped to assist him.

But Ruch’s absence hasn’t quelled the simmering controversy in the diocese, a sliver of the small, theologically conservative denomination that split from the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada in 2009 over those two denominations’ acceptance of LGBTQ clergy and marriage for same-sex couples.

Atkinson’s misconduct dates back to at least 2012, six years before he joined ACNA, according to the church court’s order. In 2014, Atkinson began overseeing a Canadian church planting initiative called Via Apostolica that was later grafted into ACNA’s Diocese of the Upper Midwest in 2020. The church court found Monday that Atkinson repeatedly fostered exploitative relationships with multiple women under the guise of being their “spiritual father.”

On the same day, Atkinson, the assisting bishop, was removed from ordained ministry after a church trial found he had engaged in inappropriate relationships with women and interactions with minors.

The Flannery O’Connor Novel 

Flannery O’Connor was an inveterate rewriter, working, reworking, and deleting episodes from her stories and novels. Her archives, collected at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, bulge with deleted scenes and alternate versions of characters scarcely recognizable as the people who inhabit the published versions of her stories.

O’Connor spent five years crafting Wise Blood, her first novel. It took her seven years to complete a draft of her second novel, The Violent Bear It Away—and it was only 45,000 words long! (In her defense, she was simultaneously producing some of the best short stories ever written.)

When O’Connor died in 1964 at the age of 39, she left behind scraps and pieces of a third novel called Why Do the Heathen Rage?—a dozen or so episodes repetitively, even obsessively rewritten. In the early 1980s, the scholar Marian Burns described these literary oddments as “an untidy jumble of ideas and abortive starts, full scenes written and rewritten many times, several extraneous images, and one fully developed character.”

In the intervening decades, Why Do the Heathen Rage? has been mostly ignored. But in the last few years, author and Pepperdine University professor Jessica Hooten Wilson has dived into that untidy jumble, hoping to make sense of it for the rest of us. The result is Flannery O’Connor’s “Why Do the Heathen Rage?”: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at a Work in Progress, a book that alternates between Wilson’s explanatory essays and scenes from the novel that might have been.

DOJ Issues First Indictment in Southern Baptist Investigation

“As alleged, Matthew Queen attempted to interfere with a federal grand jury investigation by creating false notes in an attempt to corroborate his own lies,” said US Attorney Damian Williams of the Southern District of New York in a statement. “The criminal obstruction charge announced today should exemplify the seriousness of attempts by any individual to manipulate or interfere with a federal investigation.”

A former Southern Baptist seminary professor and interim provost has been indicted on a charge of obstructing justice in a sexual misconduct case, the Department of Justice announced Tuesday.

Matt Queen, who was previously an administrator and professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, allegedly gave the FBI falsified notes during an ongoing investigation into alleged sexual misconduct at the seminary, which is in Fort Worth. He was arraigned Tuesday, according to the DOJ.

Queen, who was named pastor of Friendly Avenue Baptist Church in Greensboro, North Carolina, earlier this year, could not be reached for comment.

News of the DOJ investigation followed the release of a report from Guidepost Solutions showing that SBC leaders had mistreated abuse survivors for years, denied responsibility for the actions of local churches and downplayed the number of sexual abuse cases in the nation’s largest Protestant denomination.

The indictment is the first official acknowledgment by the DOJ of an investigation into the Southern Baptist Convention and its entities. Southern Baptist leaders announced in 2022 that they had been subpoenaed by the Department of Justice and promised to cooperate.

How to Be a Christian Influencer Worthy of the Good Name

Yet I’m also persuaded it’s possible for Christians to speak faithfully in that tension, and that we do ourselves no favors by running away from the reality of social media’s influence.

There’s good reason for the church to be wary of social media influencers—particularly those who speak to spiritual matters. We aren’t wrong to be disconcerted at the idea of Christians being led by online personalities who might be more charismatic than theologically sound or more creative than credible, especially when the influencers are disconnected from church discipleship and discipline themselves. Algorithms, monetization, and viral moments create endless temptations and adverse incentives that can seduce even well-meaning creators into serving themselves and the worst elements of pop culture.

Those risks are not as new as they may seem. In John 7, Jesus’ brothers essentially tell him that he’s not maximizing his potential as a pre-digital influencer. He needed to be more outward-facing, they argued, and show off his miraculous works more frequently because “no one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret”.

I was reminded of this while attending this month’s Black Christian Influencers (BCI) Conference, where founder Jackie Horbrook succeeded in curating an atmosphere that was both aesthetically dope and substantively gospel-centered. Christian creators in fields as varied as theology, activism, and fashion came together to discuss how to use their platforms to glorify God—and how to navigate the risks that come with staying on the cutting edge of culture while centering Christ.

Moral Failures by Christian Leaders Are a Huge Problem. Can New Standards Help?

It’d be the biggest change to ECFA’s standards in 45 years.

For decades, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) has established guidelines around financial transparency, stewardship, and governance. This year, the organization announced plans to add a new requirement to address the integrity and character of a ministry’s leaders.

The accreditation agency for over 2,700 evangelical nonprofits wants to raise its standards to address “one of the greatest financial risks” posed to churches and ministries today: moral failures by leadership.

First introduced in March 2024, the proposed standard states, “Every organization shall proactively care for its leader and support the integrity of its leader in conformity with ECFA’s Policy for Excellence in Supporting Leadership Integrity.”

ECFA members and experts in the Christian nonprofit agree with the idea of the new standard but aren’t sure exactly how to implement it.

“There’s consensus around the idea … that the board has an opportunity and responsibility to come alongside a leader to help leaders be in a position where they can best thrive,” Martin said.

In 2021, ECFA surveyed more than 800 of its member ministry leaders and board chairs, and 94 percent said leadership failures are impacting donor trust.

In an interview with Christianity Today, ECFA president and CEO Michael Martin likened the standard to a guardrail. While no written policy or accountability measure could eliminate sinful behavior by leadership—each leader ultimately bears responsibility for their own integrity—organizations can be doing more to help keep them in check.

How to wash your eyes

 

Bagaimana saya dapat menemukan harapan di dalam Kristus?

 Bagaimana saya dapat menemukan harapan di dalam Kristus?

https://www.fohmint.com/hope