Evangelical Ethics Professor Rebuts Christianity Today Editorial

What struck me about Wayne Grudem's response to Mark Galli's Christianity Today editorial was he employed the kind of flawed logic one often hears teenagers use. "Well, everyone else does it." It is a common logical fallacy known as a "hasty generalization."

It is also the kind of flawed logic that some politicians and their supporters use. For example, it is argued that it is acceptable to engage in practices that are unethical, illegal, or otherwise shady because it is alleged that all politicians engage in such practices or the officeholder or candidate's political opponents engage in these practices.

What these individuals are arguing is that someone else doing something wrong justifies acting in a similar way. Unmarried couples, for example, will argue that it is acceptable to cohabit because other unmarried couples are cohabiting.

If one pursues this kind of thinking to its logical conclusion, then it is acceptable to engage in all kinds of practices which are contrary to God's revealed will. Adam could argue that he did nothing wrong in eating the fruit that God had forbidden him to eat. "After all, Eve ate it too. King David could argue that there was nothing wrong with forcing his attentions on Bathsheba, committing adultery with her, and then murdering her husband Uriah. Other kings and rulers were doing what he did.

I believe that Galatians 5:3-25 is applicable to this discussion:

"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God [emphasis added].

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."

When we seek to justify the acts of the flesh in ourselves or others we are not doing what the apostle Pail urges us to do.

New Year's Eve Edition: New Year Goals and More

5 Big Goals for Each New Year of Ministry

As you plan your preaching, prepare your budget and arrange your calendar, I’m convinced the following questions will help you to make more disciples, more effectively. Read More

SecureGive – Engage New Donors, Grow Your Giving, Fund Your Ministry

Too many churches are limited by stagnant giving. SecureGive has worked with thousands of churches for 15 years to grow giving through cutting edge technology, expert implementation strategy, and stewardship training and resources. Learn More

In case you are wondering, I have not and will not receive any remuneration for this post

“Printing Technology” Is NOT an Oxymoron!

We’ve got truly extraordinary technology available to the church today, but amid all that, don’t forget some of the tried and true tech tools that have been around the longest and are the technology workhorses in the church office, often overlooked. What I’m referring to here is printing technology: the copier/printing systems you use to create the pieces you print. Read More

How to Evaluate Your Pastor

The pastoral review can be one of the best and most rewarding ways to promote a healthy ministry. So what should it look like? Read More

5 Bad Habits to Break for a Better New Year

ven good leaders can have bad habits. There are some scary truths about bad habits that hinder our ability to break them. Read More

The 19th-Century Pastor Who Made TGC’s 2020 Reading Plan

This is part of TGC’s 2020 Read the Bible initiative, encouraging Christians and churches to read together through God’s Word in a year. Read More

10 Things You Should Know About the Lifting of Hands in Worship

Lifting of hands is part of worship in many churches. Worship involves our bodies as well as our hearts and minds. Our posture tells a story. It makes a statement to God and to others about the state of our souls and the affections and passions of our heart. Read More

"Do Not Fear for I Am with You"

By Robin G. Jordan

On Saturday I stopped at a Dollar General store near my home to buy a couple of loaves of whole wheat bread. Dollar General stores are ubiquitous in western Kentucky. They have filled the vacuum created by the disappearance of the corner groceries and five-and-dime stores of my youth. The woman in front of me was unfamiliar with the key pad on the credit/debit card reader and the cashier and I helped her to use it. "I am one of the people who don't like change," she complained. "We live in a changing world," I commented to the cashier after she left. The cashier agreed.

We do not live in a static world. Indeed we have never lived in a static world. There is no way of escaping it. Change is inevitable.

The pace of change may fluctuate. Sometimes it moves slowly. Other times it moves rapidly. But the world in which we live does not stand still. Even the Amish and Old Order Mennonites who farm western Kentucky and use horse-drawn buggies are sometimes seen with a cell phone in their hands.

Change is not always positive. Neither is it always negative. Change can be catastrophic. It can also bring with it unexpected blessings.

What we can anticipate in the new year and the new decade is that we will experience more change. While I do not believe that we should embrace it uncritically, I also do not believe that we should reject it without thought to the possible effects. I believe that we will need to use a high level of discernment in 2020 and the 2020s.

What are some of the things that we can anticipate in the new year and the new decade? The 2020 presidential election campaign will be a brutal one and will further polarize the nation whatever the outcome of the election. The campaign, the election, the next four years, and the remainder of the decade will be a test for Christians, not just evangelicals and charismatics, but mainline Christians and Catholics. It will be a test of faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ and to his teachings and example. Let us not forget what Jesus said to the apostle Peter. "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat." (Luke 22:31, NIV) Peter's faith was indeed tested. He would deny Jesus three times.

To love Jesus is to obey what he has commanded. Jesus said, "Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them." (John 14:21, NIV) He also said, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them." (John 14:23, NIV)

As God said to Cain, "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it." (Genesis 4:7, NIV)

Sin like a ravenous beast awaits us. If we stray from the narrow path, sin will pull us down and devour us.

Jesus taught that we should love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind and with all our strength and we should love our neighbor as ourselves. He further taught that our neighbor includes those whom we might hate and despise.

Among the implications of his teaching is that we should not make idols of political leaders and put them before God in our affections. We should be civil towards those who do not share our political views and treat them with kindness and generosity. While they may not act in a like manner, this does not justify lashing out at them. Jesus also warns against hanging onto anger and resentment and thereby giving the devil an opportunity to exploit our negative feelings to harm us and others.

Taken together, this means we are expected to live by a higher standard than those who are not his followers.

Will it be easy? No. But Jesus has sent us the Holy Spirit to help us. The Holy Spirit is no other than God himself dwelling in us. The Holy Spirit will guide, strengthen, and encourage us. He will spur us on to live as Jesus would have us live.

Christianity Today's Split with Trump Highlights Deeper Issue in White Evangelical America

After evangelical publication Christianity Today published a blistering editorial on what it called Donald Trump’s “grossly immoral character”, some church leaders and the U.S. president himself denounced the criticism as elitist and out-of-touch.

The Dec. 19 editorial sparked a Christmas holiday debate over religion in U.S. politics, and posed new questions about the close alignment between white evangelical voters and Trump, who has given their beliefs strong political support.

However, the coziness with the Republican president, who was impeached this month by the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, is exacerbating a long-term crisis facing white evangelicalism, some Christians say - it is being abandoned by younger generations.

There has been a big drop-off in white evangelical church participation among adults under 40, and publications such as Christianity Today and religious leaders are struggling to engage “Gen Z,” or those born after 1996. Read More

Also See:
Friends of Christianity Today Affirm Mark Galli’s Statement

10 Ways the World Changed Dramatically in the 2010s

Time flies. And while you’re busy leading, the world is busy changing, again.

While many of us remember 2010 like it was yesterday, it wasn’t yesterday. Things have changed, a lot. And we’re again on the verge of a fresh decade—the 2020s.

In leadership, it’s critical to know what’s changing and why it’s changing so you can keep leading well. Leaders who fail to notice the subtle or even significant shifts as they happen end up becoming irrelevant. Irrelevance matters in leadership only because relevance gives you permission to speak into the culture.

The culture has a habit of ignoring people it deems irrelevant (if you think about it, so do you). Relevance doesn’t necessarily mean agreeing with what you see around you, but it does mean understanding it.

So with that in mind, here are ten things that have changed a lot in the last decade, and then shifts you can make to help you lead well into it.

After all, it’s difficult to impact a world you don’t understand. Read More

Seven Trends for Churches in 2020

Offering trends are a worthless exercise if they have no connection to reality.

For over 15 years, I have suggested trends in churches that may become movements of reality. On an occasional basis, I review all of my prognostications to see if they came close to reality in just a few years forward. So far, my prediction accuracy rate has been almost 90 percent, depending on how long you allow the trend to become a reality. For me, three years is the timeframe by which I usually judge my accuracy.

To be clear, I am not the brightest bulb in the chandelier. Not close. But because we receive voluminous amounts of information from churches at Church Answers, I am able to see thousands of “dots.” I am then able to connect those dots and often see a trend in the making.

My list is not exhaustive but, as we head into 2020, I see seven major trends developing. They are likely to change the landscape of churches in the next few years. Read More

How to Study Your Bible in 2020

Ever heard the parable about the man who, in order to discern God’s will for his life, would open his Bible and read whichever verse he saw first?

One day, as he was going through a difficult time with his family, he sought the Lord’s guidance. Opening his Bible, he pointed to a random verse. His finger rested on Matthew 27:5: Then Judas went away and hanged himself. Puzzled by these directions, but still hungry for a word from God, he called a “do-over” and flipped to another page. His eyes settled on Luke 10:37: Go and do likewise. Flustered but chalking it up to coincidence, the man decided to give his method one last chance. Saying a quick prayer, he flipped the page and placed his finger on John 13:27. There, staring up at him, was a command from Jesus: What you are about to do, do quickly.

It’s a humorous anecdote, but it illustrates a serious point. Misusing the Bible is easy; “correctly handling” it is not (2 Tim. 2:15).

In my little book Before You Open Your Bible, I explored nine heart postures that are helpful, even necessary, for rightly approaching God’s Word. But what happens when the prelude ends and you begin reading? What then? Read More

This is an article that I believe pastors, Sunday school teachers, small group leaders, and others who recognize the importance of learning how to "correctly handle" God's Word will want to share with the members of their congregations, Sunday school classes, small groups, and anyone else who might benefit from reading it. For Gospel Coalition's reprint policy click here.

Old Paths for a New Year

This time of year is filled with all things new. We clean out our closets and drawers to make room for the new Christmas gifts we’ve received. We flip the calendar on a new year and consider all the upcoming year holds. We set new goals and resolutions to make needed changes in our life.

As Christians, we also sometimes look for the “new” for our spiritual lives. We look to new strategies and methods to help us grow in our faith. We look for new devotionals or books to inspire us in our growth. We may peruse blogs, listen to podcasts, attend conferences and retreats—all in the hopes of finding that one thing we haven’t yet tried that will help us grow in our faith.

While we’re grateful for new books and can often benefit from new resources, to grow in Christlikeness we don’t need a fundamentally new approach. We need an old one. The Lord has already given us everything we need, and it’s been available all along: the means of grace. Read More

Religion and Living Arrangements Around the World

Muslims and Hindus have larger households than Christians and religious ‘nones,’ in patterns influenced by regional norms

Our households – who lives with us, how we are related to them and what role we play in that shared space – have a profound effect on our daily experience of the world. A new Pew Research Center analysis of data from 130 countries and territories reveals that the size and composition of households often vary by religious affiliation.

Worldwide, Muslims live in the biggest households, with the average Muslim individual residing in a home of 6.4 people, followed by Hindus at 5.7. Christians fall in the middle (4.5), forming relatively large families in sub-Saharan Africa and smaller ones in Europe. Buddhists (3.9), Jews (3.7) and the religiously unaffiliated (3.7) – defined as those who do not identify with an organized religion, also known as “nones” – live in smaller households, on average.

Household size is one easy way to compare the lived experiences of people around the world. Bigger households are common in less-developed countries, where people tend to have more children and families share limited resources. Smaller households are prevalent in wealthier countries, which tend to have aging populations and lower birth rates.

But the number of people in any given household is only one dimension of living arrangements. Since households of the same size can be so qualitatively different from each other – a three-person household might consist of a couple and one child, a child with a parent and grandparent, a husband and two wives, or numerous other combinations – understanding the distribution of various types of households also is valuable. Read More

The Deepening Crisis in Evangelical Christianity - UPDATED

Support for Trump comes at a high cost for Christian witness.

Last week, Ralph Reed, the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s founder and chairman, told the group, “There has never been anyone who has defended us and who has fought for us, who we have loved more than Donald J. Trump. No one!”

Reed is partially right; for many evangelical Christians, there is no political figure whom they have loved more than Donald Trump.

I recently exchanged emails with a pro-Trump figure who attended the president’s reelection rally in Orlando, Florida, on June 18. (He spoke to me on the condition of anonymity, so as to avoid personal or professional repercussions.) He had interviewed scores of people, many of them evangelical Christians. “I have never witnessed the kind of excitement and enthusiasm for a political figure in my life,” he told me. “I honestly couldn’t believe the unwavering support they have. And to a person, it was all about ‘the fight.’ There is a very strong sense (I believe justified, you disagree) that he has been wronged. Wronged by Mueller, wronged by the media, wronged by the anti-Trump forces. A passionate belief that he never gets credit for anything.”

The rallygoers, he said, told him that Trump’s era “is spiritually driven.” When I asked whether he meant by this that Trump’s supporters believe God’s hand is on Trump, this moment and at the election—that Donald Trump is God’s man, in effect—he told me, “Yes—a number of people said they believe there is no other way to explain his victories. Starting with the election and continuing with the conclusion of the Mueller report. Many said God has chosen him and is protecting him.”

I recently exchanged emails with a pro-Trump figure who attended the president’s reelection rally in Orlando, Florida, on June 18. (He spoke to me on the condition of anonymity, so as to avoid personal or professional repercussions.) He had interviewed scores of people, many of them evangelical Christians. “I have never witnessed the kind of excitement and enthusiasm for a political figure in my life,” he told me. “I honestly couldn’t believe the unwavering support they have. And to a person, it was all about ‘the fight.’ There is a very strong sense (I believe justified, you disagree) that he has been wronged. Wronged by Mueller, wronged by the media, wronged by the anti-Trump forces. A passionate belief that he never gets credit for anything.”

The rallygoers, he said, told him that Trump’s era “is spiritually driven.” When I asked whether he meant by this that Trump’s supporters believe God’s hand is on Trump, this moment and at the election—that Donald Trump is God’s man, in effect—he told me, “Yes—a number of people said they believe there is no other way to explain his victories. Starting with the election and continuing with the conclusion of the Mueller report. Many said God has chosen him and is protecting him.”

The data seem to bear this out. Approval for President Trump among white evangelical Protestants is 25 points higher than the national average. And according to a Pew Research Center survey, “White evangelical Protestants who regularly attend church (that is, once a week or more) approve of Trump at rates matching or exceeding those of white evangelicals who attend church less often.” Indeed, during the period from July 2018 to January 2019, 70 percent of white evangelicals who attend church at least once a week approved of Trump, versus 65 percent of those who attend religious services less often.

The enthusiastic, uncritical embrace of President Trump by white evangelicals is among the most mind-blowing developments of the Trump era. How can a group that for decades—and especially during the Bill Clinton presidency—insisted that character counts and that personal integrity is an essential component of presidential leadership not only turn a blind eye to the ethical and moral transgressions of Donald Trump, but also constantly defend him? Why are those who have been on the vanguard of “family values” so eager to give a man with a sordid personal and sexual history a mulligan? Read More

Related Articles:
Trump Retweets Meme That Jesus Likes Him Better Than Obama. Critics Raise Holy Hell. NEW
Is Trump Losing Support among Evangelicals? NEW
One Surprisingly Simple Reason Evangelicals Love Trump
Are Trump’s Critics Demonically Possessed?
Trump Fights to Keep Evangelicals on His Side Ahead of 2020

David Virtue in his most recent newsletter drew to my attention to the article. "The Deepening Crisis in Evangelical Christianity." While it may not have been his intention, he also drew my attention to the dramatic shift in the editorial position of The Christian Post toward President Trump. These three articles, Donald Trump Is a Scam. Evangelical Voters Should Back Away (CP Editorial), Donald Trump Supporters: You're Being Duped!, and Donald Trump's Oblivious Followers, show how The Christian Post shifted from "never Trump" in February 2016 to "Team Trump" in December 2019, as evidenced in its recent editorial, Christianity Today and the Problem with 'Christian Elitism'

Why? Napp Nazworth, a former editor of The Christian Post, who resigned in protest of the editorial suggested that it was a "good business decision." The Christian Post did not want to loose its substantial evangelical readership by taking a position that was unpopular with these readers. What this development reveals is that politics has come to occupy such an important place in the evangelical community in the United States that it at times and on certain issues overshadows that community' commitment to the teaching of the Bible. This trend is one that should concern us. Evangelicals have historically given high priority to the teaching of the Bible. It is one of the marks of being an evangelical.

Pete Buttigieg was wrong in claiming that Jesus was born a refugee. But he was not far from the truth. Jesus did become a refugee when his family was forced to flee to Egypt for his protection. Jesus himself taught:

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’(Matthew 25:34-36)

"The stranger" to whom he was referring was "the stranger" of Levicitus 19:34:

You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

Buttigieg is in any event not likely to garner many votes from evangelicals due to his gay life style, which falls short of the Biblical standard of morality. In his case evangelicals are not willing to overlook his moral failings as they are President Trump's.

President Trump himself has been giving mixed messages on the issue of LGBTQ rights. On one hand he appears to want to court the vote of the LBGBTQ community; on the other hand he appears not to want to alienate the evangelical voters in his base.

During their stays in Palm Beach President Trump and his wife have been attending the liberal Episcopal church where they were married. They send their son Barron to an Episcopal school in Washington D.C. This Christmas Eve, however, the Trumps attended a more conservative Baptist church. The sudden switch in churches, the Guardian notes, caused both surprise and mild disapproval. It was apparently prompted by the fear of losing evangelical support. 

John Calvin Wouldn't Wear a Necktie

This last week in Sunday school we entertained an interesting question: what did a corporate worship service look like in the New Testament? As we discussed this question there were notable differences from what many are probably accustomed to today. For instance, the biblical picture we get is that it was likely very simple. As they met in homes or upper rooms they devoted themselves to the Apostles’ teaching, the breaking of bread, and the prayers. They sang the Psalms and there isn’t any indication that they used a praise band much less any musical instruments. Additionally, their gatherings may have lasted quite a bit longer than ours, and they sat where they could find a seat — even in a window! But, what did they wear?

Many of us are familiar with the well-known phrase: “Sunday best,” referring to the kinds of clothes someone should wear to church. We’ve also heard the tired and worn comparisons: “If you were going to meet the President wouldn’t you wear the nicest clothes in your closet?” I even had someone tell me that if I hope, as a pastor, to influence people I need to learn how to wear a necktie. I suppose one man’s influence is another man’s alienation (ahem…welcome to rural America).

Whether we like it or not a church’s “dress code” is a significant issue. There are those who have felt burdened by imposed expectations. It’s caused tensions and even divisions in congregations. It has reinforced people’s stereotypes of the church as stodgy and stuffy. It’s given as an excuse for people who feel uncomfortable or want to avoid a worship service. It’s also often explicitly mentioned on church websites helping direct visitors to what is or isn’t appropriate. To put it simply, quite unfortunately it’s an issue that has caused a lot of unnecessary offense. Read More

4 Financial Goals for Your Church in the New Year

Blink. That’s how fast it seems a new year approaches—and presents another opportunity to bring as many people as possible to the gospel.

Many ministry leaders look forward to developing disciples through a purpose-driven process. As you set goals for attendance and outreach in the new year, don’t overlook one fundamental that will help any church expand its capacity to grow: strong financials.

I think of financial goal-setting—as well as the process of measuring performance against those goals—as a road map for getting things done.

No organization can set its own direction without planning the resources required. In fact, insufficient financial resources are a common pitfall for achieving organizational goals, but it doesn’t have to be this way.

Whether your role is to serve as the senior pastor, church treasurer, or simply participate on a finance committee, keeping these four financial goals in mind will help your ministry approach the new year with the ability to accomplish your top priorities. Read More

This delightful image reminds me of a Japanese proverb, 猫に小判 , neko ni koban, or a golden coin to a cat. Cats have no appreciation for money except as playthings.

3 Small Tweaks That Can Make a Difference in Your Teaching

I happen to be part of the population that requires glasses to see correctly. My current pair of glasses have apparently plotted against me so that they never stay where they’re supposed to.

Instead, I find myself periodically stopping by the eye doctor so he can tighten and readjust my glasses. Each time I do this, I’m amazed at how a little adjustment can impact my vision.

One small tweak or a tightening of something that got loose can make all of the difference in the world. This can also be true about our communication of the Scriptures.

One minor adjustment where we tighten something that has become loose can change the way others hear our teaching and preaching. I believe there are three small tweaks every communicator of the Scriptures can make that will improve how their audience hears a message. Read More

Lead Your Church to Read the Bible Together in 2020

“I wish my congregation didn’t read the Bible so much!” said no pastor ever.

As an evangelical pastor in the Reformed Baptist tradition, I think I speak for all of us in saying we want our people to know the Bible, so that they can “grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18).

As pastors, we’re called to the ministry of the Word. We’re to feed our people the Word because that’s how faith comes and grows (Rom. 10:17; John 17:20). And we don’t just want them to listen to us read and preach it on Sundays; we also want them to read and meditate on it day and night throughout the week.

The question is, how can we help them do it? Of course, some won’t need your help. There’s a man in my church who’s been reading through the Bible yearly since before I was born. But many others do need help. There are probably numerous Christians in your church right now who’ve never read through the whole Bible. They would benefit from some pastoral direction.

There are probably numerous Christians in your church who’ve never read through the whole Bible. They would benefit from some pastoral direction. I have a suggestion for you.

As a fellow pastor, I have a suggestion for you. It’s not new, and it wasn’t my idea—both reasons I heartily encourage you to consider it. Read More

Also See:
Daily Bread, Being a Calendar for Reading Through the Word of God in a Year

Over the years I have used Robert Murray McCheyne's Bible reading plan as well as the table of lessons in The Book of Common Prayer in its various editions. Of the Prayer Book's table of lessons I prefer those of the 1662 BCP and the 1926 Irish BCP.

5 Tips for Reading the Bible in the New Year

Along with starting new diets or exercise habits, many Christians use the New Year to make commitments about reading the Bible.

But just as the gyms become emptier by March and the junk food returns to the cabinets, people often struggle to keep up their Bible reading plans.

That doesn’t mean we should give up, though. Bible reading is vital to our growth as Christians and our relationship with Christ.

LifeWay Research found regularly reading the Bible while growing up is the best predictor of whether a child becomes a practicing Christian as an adult. A previous LifeWay Research study also found reading the Bible is the number one indicator of spiritual growth.

It’s why LifeWay has developed a special website — LifeWay.com/ReadTheBible — to help Christians recognize the value of Scripture reading and get even more out of their time in the Bible.

Here are five tips to think through your Bible reading this year. Read More

Related Resource:
LifeWay.com/ReadTheBible

What Does Godly Encouragement Look Like?

Don't underestimate the impact your encouragement might have in someone's life.

If you’ve ever been in the wilderness, you know it can be a lonely place. And that’s when we most need the encouragement of a friend.

1 Samuel tells the dramatic story of David’s rise to Israel’s throne as the anointed king. But if you’re familiar with the story, you know it’s full of twists and turns. David is anointed by the prophet Samuel while still a very young man, and years go by before he is established as king. In the meantime, Saul is still on the throne, even though God had made clear his rejection of the Benjamite king.

By the time we get to chapter 23, Saul has massacred an entire Israelite town, Nob, and slaughtered all the priests with the exception of Abiathar, who manages to escape to David. Meanwhile, David is saving God’s people at Keilah from the plundering raids of Philistine troops, only to then discover that if they have the chance they will deliver over their heroic redeemer to Saul.

So there he is, in the wilderness, reeling from an avalanche of difficulties.

What did Jonathan do? He “rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God” (1 Sam 23:16). What does that mean? I like how the CSB translates the same verse: he “encouraged him in his faith in God.” What is genuine encouragement? Read More

5 Effective Ways to Convince a Church Guest to Return

We’re all hardwired to receive love differently.

That’s the lesson we learned in 1995 when Gary Chapman released the book that gave an “aha moment” to all of American Christendom. Seriously, if you’ve never read The 5 Love Languages, go buy a copy. It’s that important.

Chapman explained that each of us speaks a native language when it comes to giving and receiving love. My language is “Words of Affirmation.” My wife’s language is “Acts of Service.” This explains all the times when she has likely thought, He says he loves me but why won’t he show it by doing the dishes once in a while?

Chapman’s book has shown staying power beyond the realm of romantic love. Our church is using the same principles in how we welcome guests.

Our guest services ministry is designed to communicate with visitors through the love language they “speak.” After all, we want to communicate more than “We’re glad you’re here” or “We hope you come back.”

We actually want to communicate, “We love you. We love God and people made in His image. And we want to meet you with that love in the place where you are.”

So how do we say “I love you” to strangers who come to church? Read More

Also See:
Five Healthy Practices When Members of Another Church Visits Your Church [Podcast]

3 Questions to Evaluate This Year and 3 to Help Plan for Next Year

When December 31 rolls into January 1 there’s something within us that strives to do things differently. Maybe that involves making changes to our health, our spiritual growth, or the way we pastor our congregations.

I want to propose three questions to help you evaluate the present year and three questions to help you plan for the next. Read More

5 Ideas for Your New Year’s Sermon

After almost 40 years at Saddleback, I know how tough it can be to come up with a holiday sermon. I like preaching around holidays because I know I’m connecting to something that’s on people’s minds, but it’s hard to come up with something fresh and engaging year in and year out.

As we head into the new year, I know you’re probably preparing for one of your most important sermons of the year. Sure, Christmas and Easter sermons get lots of attention because you’re likely preaching to larger crowds. But the first sermon of the new year tends to bring in people who are trying to fulfill a New Year’s resolution to get back into a church.

So as you prepare your New Year’s sermon for the upcoming year, I thought I’d share with you five of the ways we’ve tackled New Year’s sermons at Saddleback through the years. Some of them started off a new series, while others were stand-alone sermons.

I hope these titles and topics give you some inspiration as you prepare your own message. Read More

Bible Reading Plans for 2020

Many Christians take the beginning of a new year to evaluate their Bible reading habits and then change or begin a Bible reading plan.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105)

For your convenience, we’ve compiled a list of Bible reading plans for you to choose from. Maybe in 2020 you will read more of the Bible each day. Perhaps you’ll slow down your reading and instead spend more time considering what you read. Whatever it is you’re looking for in a reading plan, you should find it below.... Read More

Sins of Omission

While sins of commission are often blatant and deliberate—transgressing a known law or command—sins of omission can be subtle and sneaky. We may not even realize that we have failed to do what God commands. While I might not ever commit adultery, for example, I could easily fail to love my wife as Christ loved the church (Eph. 5:25). In this example, committing adultery would be a sin of commission, while failing to love would be a sin of omission. When we consider and examine our own sins of omission, we should be humbled and flee any attempt to boast in self-righteousness. Read More

You’re Already a Missionary

No matter your credentials, there are only two things you need to do.

If you’re a follower of Jesus, you are called, commissioned and equipped to share your faith. It’s not a matter of having a special calling to full-time pastoral ministry or moving overseas as a missionary. You’re already a missionary to your culture.

Philip wasn’t a pastor or an apostle, but God used him to bring a great spiritual awakening to the people of Samaria. He didn’t have to have years of theological training or any denominational credentials. Philip simply needed to do two things.... Read More

Five Reasons Why Neighborhoods Matter

Your neighborhood is a complex and messy place.

If you take a walk around you will see signs of life, hope, movement, change, and beauty. There are people working for good in various places and spaces, but you will also notice elements of despair and decay as evidenced by crime, loneliness, violence, and other forces that lead to dehumanization.

What is your neighborhood like and how would you describe it? What kind of relationship do you have with your neighborhood? Are neighborhoods simply places we move in and out of as pilgrims and consumers, or can we develop a deeper connection that will help lead to the flourishing of the community where we live?

Here are some reasons why we believe that neighborhoods matter. Read More

Why the Intersection of the Multi-Site Movement and the Replanting Movement Is So Powerful [Podcast]

Dr. Kevin Ezell shares stories from the beginnings of the multi-site and replanting movement. Thom and Kevin discuss the strengths of these two movements coming together for Kingdom expansion. Listen Now

"Why a photo of dandelions?" You may ask. Because they are so prolific. They multiply and spread.  Rather than viewing them as a weed, I see them as reminder from God. They show how our churches should be--multiplying and spreading. 

Acquisition Versus Retention

In the business world, there is a clear understanding about the dynamic between acquisition vs. retention. Meaning the value of gaining new customers vs. keeping existing customers. Both, of course, are important.

What is clearly understood is that while it’s important to expand your customer base, it is imperative to keep your existing customers. Far too many businesses focus more energy on acquisition alone because...

... getting a new customer is harder than keeping a current one,

... getting a new customer is more expensive than keeping a current one,

... and getting a new customer to the “place” of a current customer takes time.

But keeping current customers and building loyalty is just as valuable.

Think about someone who buys a car. Smart car dealers know that this is not the end of the game, but the beginning. After the sale, there are oil changes and new tires, repairs and tune-ups.

Not to mention the buying, in the future, of new cars. Keeping that customer is gold.

Churches need to learn from this. I know, the crass consumerism in which this has been laid out is distasteful and not fully applicable to the Christ life, much less Christian community.

But play with it for a minute. Read More

Why Companies Are Trying to Normalize Pornography

And how it dehumanizes people in the process

Recently, a tweet by Netflix that read something like “What is something you can say during sex and while watching Netflix?” went viral. I highly discourage you from checking the replies as nearly every major brand (as well as everyday people) degraded themselves for a fleeting joke. The whole exchange revealed how sexualized humor has become normal in our society. Even well-known companies like Wendy’s and Hulu responded to the initial tweet. But one reply in particular stuck out to me. Pornhub, the world’s largest porn site, with over 42 billion visits in 2019 and over 115 million visits per day, tweeted “everything” which caused a big stir on Twitter.

Humanizing porn

Many users found it hilarious that a pornography company commented on the thread. Others jumped quickly on the bandwagon with similar language and even shared animated gifs of popular characters like baby Yoda indulging in the use of porn. With this type of social media engagement, Pornhub is trying to portray themselves as just another brand online. It is an attempt to show that real people are behind this massive entity. It’s also an effort to demonstrate that their product is a normal part of our society.

It’s important to remember, though, that Pornhub is not morally neutral. Their product is deeply corrosive in our society and dangerous for anyone to indulge in, especially our children. Pornhub, as well as the wider pornography industry, especially preys on the weak in our communities by objectifying those made in God’s image. Everything this platform does, from hardcore and amateur sex videos to virtual reality and augmented-reality porn, is driven by the intent to ensnare and debase its users in the name of profit. The entire design is to desentize us to the reality of pornography, to sear our consciences, and to keep users coming back for more. The industry knows that these things will never truly satisfy you and that you will pay good money in the search for a new thrill. Read More

All God’s Laws Are Equal. Are Some More Equal Than Others?

Why Jesus doesn’t give a straightforward answer to questions about the greatest commandment.

Jesus’ response is fascinating. In a sense, he accepts the premise of the question and gives a straight answer: “The most important one,” he says, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength’” (Mark 12:29–30). So there is a “most important” commandment: Love the Lord.

But in another sense, his response challenges the premise, as his responses (especially in this section of the Gospels) so often do. Rather than stopping after his apparently straight answer, Jesus continues: “The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (12:31). But notice: That wasn’t what the scribe had asked. He wanted the commandments boiled down to one; Jesus refused to give him fewer than two. In Matthew’s version, he even says that the second commandment is “like” the first, adding that “[a]ll the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments” (22:39–40). The most important commandment, then, is twofold: Love the Lord, and love your neighbor. If you keep the first without keeping the second, then you’re not really keeping the first. Read More

“Christmas Makes me Sad/Glad” and 3 Reminders for Us Preachers

Christmas season tends to bring out emotions in all of us – some emotions of sadness and some of gladness. A recent Google search of “Christmas makes me sad” turned up 347 million results with lots of articles telling us why Christmas makes us sad. Psychologist Ken Duckworth commented “Holidays are a great example of expectations exceeding reality for most people.” The office party is not as fun as the office planning committee promised it would be. The conversation over the Christmas family meal does not go as smoothly as hoped. We get our hopes built up for an amazing season and the reality of that season can fall short.

But others insist Christmas adds to our happiness. A recent Google search of “Christmas makes me happy” yielded 3 Billion results. Among those results are articles citing research that says putting up your Christmas decorations early actually makes you happier. To which some of us say “Bah humbug.” About putting up decorations early, psychoanalyst Steve McKeown said, “In a world full of stress and anxiety, people like to associate to things that make them happy and Christmas decorations evoke those strong feelings of the childhood.”

Because our situations in life change from year to year, some Christmas seasons will be more enjoyable and some will be marked with struggle. And we can experience both emotions in the same season. With the plethora of articles about Christmas sadness and gladness, here are three reminders for us preachers as we preach Christmas services.... Read More

The season of Christmas can be an emotional roller coaster ride for many people. In parts of the world which do not receive much sunlight during that time of the year, it can be coupled with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). When I was involved in child welfare work, it was one of those times of the year that we saw a sudden increase in referrals. It was a particularly stressful time for parents and other caregivers.

3 Common Mistakes We Make When Reading the Bible

Every January, many commit to reading through the Bible in one year. Incidentally, this commonplace is one reason why I love evangelicalism. We are Bible people. And as Bible people, we should pursue reading Scripture well by avoiding common mistakes that we sometimes make.

Here then are three mistakes that we sometimes make when we read the Bible. Read More

Related Articles:
All Bible Study Comes Down to At Least Two Things
Three Steps to Help You Read And Understand the Bible
How Do We “Get” Meaning from the Bible

How Pregnancy Resource Centers Offer Help and Hope in Jesus’ Name

When Rosa* first visited the pregnancy center where I volunteer, she was accompanied by her husband. He spoke only a little English, she none at all. She stood somewhat behind him as he and I attempted to communicate, her gaze fixed on the ground. After much gesturing and pointing, on my part as well as her husband’s, we were able to figure out what size diapers and clothing they needed for their children. Rosa never said a word.

Over the next few years, Rosa and her husband would come by regularly for diapers and other things. We learned that they were believers active in a local Hispanic church. Her husband would sometimes ask us for a Spanish Bible he could give away to someone in their church.

Rosa slowly gained more confidence both in her ability to communicate with us and in our center as a safe and welcoming place for her and her children. Eventually she felt secure enough that she came in alone. One of my fellow volunteers saw Rosa not too long ago in the parking lot of a local business. Rosa called out and waved, greeting the center volunteer as her friend. Read More

Why Many Children's Ministries Are in Decline

Across the U.S. there are many children's ministries that are in decline.

This article is not meant to be negative. There are some children's ministries that are growing and we would do well to take a close look at what they are doing.

What we do know is for every growing children's ministry, there are hundreds of ministries that are in decline.

As we take an honest look at what is happening in churches, we can identify some of the reasons why ministries are in decline and seek to find answers that will turn things around. Let's start the discussion. Read More

A Very Merry Christmas to Anglicans Ablaze Readers.

The word "merry" was first used in the English language in the 12th century. It was used in the sense of giving pleasure, being delightful, or highly-pleasing. A very merry Christmas is not just an occasion filled with rejoicing and festivity. It is an occasion, no a season, no a lifetime filled the delight of knowing the true joy of Christmas. With that thought in mind, I wish Anglican Ablaze readers the merriest of Christmases, a Christmas and a lifetime filled with the true joy that only God can give.

Editor Quits after Christian Publication Backs Trump Amid Evangelical Divide - MORE UPDATES

An editor at the Christian Post announced his resignation after the publication came out with an editorial in defense of President Trump.

Napp Nazworth's decision to quit comes amid a divide among evangelical publications concerning the president. Nazworth, who had been at the outlet for more than eight years, announced his resignation on Twitter Monday night, calling the decision a "difficult choice" and adding that he "can't be an editor for a publication with that editorial voice."

"Like so many other media companies, they've chosen to silo themselves," he continued. "They've chosen to represent a narrow (and shrinking) slice of Christianity. That might be a good business decision, short term at least. But it's bad for Democracy, and bad for the Gospel. It means there will be one more place where readers can go for bias confirmation, but one less place where readers can go to exercise their brains on diversity of thought." Read More

Also See:
Christian Post Editor Resigns Over Pro-Trump Editorial Slamming Christianity Today NEW
Christian Magazine Editor Quits in Row over Trump's Evangelical Support NEW
Let Billy Graham’s Legacy Speak for Itself
Evangelical Leader Say 'Christianity Today' Editor Opposed to Trump Would Call Jesus a 'Smelly Walmart Shopper'
Christianity Today Again Slams Trump, Raises Issue of 'Unconditional Loyalty'
As Faith Leaders Criticize CT Editorial, Subscriptions Surge

As well as an editorial blasting Mark Galli, the Christian Post has published a number of articles supporting the controversial presidency of the real-estate millionaire and reality TV producer and star Donald Trump. Several echo the views of Jerry Falwell Jr., president of Liberty University, who is himself a controversial figure. What is noteworthy is that these views are not new and have their origins in the 2016 presidential election campaign. They are talking points that Republican supporters of President Trump have used against their Democrat opponents.

The polarization of the United States and its evangelical community over the Trump presidency and the President Trump's own divisiveness is a welcome Christmas gift not only to the Kremlin but also to the devil. A divided nation is a weak nation and a divided church is a weak church. As we begin a new year and a new decade, let us pray that God will heal the rifts that are tearing the fabric of our nation and its evangelical community and unite us under the banner of the Prince of Peace whose birth we celebrate on the morrow.

What Is Sin?

What Is Sin?

In the little Children’s Catechism that we use at our church the question is answered this way:

“Sin is any lack of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God.”

‘Conformity’ is defined this way: “Not being or doing what God requires.”

‘Transgression’ is defined this way: “Doing what God forbids”.

That’s a pretty good start

Sin is acting or behaving in a way that does not conform with God’s character or commands. It is about crossing lines that have been laid down for us by God. Sin is thus an act of rebellion and distrust. It is us saying to God: “You don’t get to make the rules! I am capable of deciding right and wrong for myself!” Read More

On the eve of the day the Western Church celebrates the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Nazarene, God's Anointed One, we do well to reflect upon the nature of sin, the ways that sin can impact our lives, and how Jesus delivered us from its sway and restored us to a right relationship with God through his suffering and death upon the cross. The babe who was born in Bethlehem and laid in a manager would one day bear the sins of the whole world. 

9 Things You Should Know About the Christmas Story

The narrative of the birth of Jesus is one of the most famous stories in all of history. Yet much of what we believe about the event is rooted in folklore and popular tradition than in biblical scholarship.

To help you better appreciate the narrative, here are nine things you should know about the Christmas story.... Read More

C. S. Lewis Was a Grinch

Father Christmas

The writer loved the Incarnation. Not so much the Christmas holiday.

“If there were less good will,” C. S. Lewis often said in December correspondence, “then we might have more peace on earth.” Lewis found no pleasure in the giving of generic winter cards, gift guilting, and the overall hurried pace of the Christmas season.

Lewis went from saying “I hope I am not a Scrooge” in a letter in 1952 to admitting his “real name is Scrooge” in another letter in 1956. In short, C. S. Lewis wasn’t a fan of the most wonderful time of the year. This attitude only intensified as he aged.

When I visited Lewis’s home parish, Holy Trinity Church in England, an elderly woman working the small gift shop inside remarked that she knew Lewis when she was a child. “He was a grumpy old man,” she told me.

Many consider C. S. Lewis a warm symbol of holiday cheer, particularly given his inclusion of Father Christmas in the Narnia stories. Yet the more I read by Lewis on the topic of Christmas, the more I’m reminded of my conversation with the clerk at Holy Trinity Church. Read More

C.S. Lewis also hated church music.

Update on Church Welcoming Ministries: What's Missing?

The welcoming ministry at your church is incredibly vital to the growth of your church. Thom and Sam celebrate the progress being made and discuss how churches can continue to strengthen this ministry. Listen Now

7 Helpful Skills for Pastors Who Want to Grow Churches

I came close to titling these “essential” skills, but I knew that was unfair. God grows churches and He works through all different types of people. I have heard great pastors say — “I know how to teach and care for the people, but I’m not always sure how to lead.” They recognize the value in and the need for leadership, but were never trained to do it well.

In my experience, there are helpful skills for those who want to lead a church to care for and disciple people, but also grow and be healthy. A church can have momentum, unity and excitement around the vision of the Great Commission. That usually takes leadership. Read More

The Flag in the Whirlwind: An Update from CT’s President - UPDATED

Why our editor in chief spoke out against Trump, and why the conversation must continue.

Reader responses to Mark Galli’s recent editorial have spanned the spectrum. We have received countless notes of encouragement from readers who were profoundly moved. They no longer feel alone. They have hope again. Many have told us of reading the editorial with tears in their eyes, sharing it with children who have wandered from the faith, rejoicing that at last someone was articulating what they felt in their hearts. They felt this was a watershed moment in the history of the American church—or they hoped it would prove to be. Stay strong, they told us, knowing we were about to reap the whirlwind.

On the other hand, we have heard from many readers who felt incensed and insulted. These readers felt the editorial engaged in character assassination, or maligned a broad swath of our fellow evangelicals, or revealed that we prefer the Democrats to a President who has done a lot of good for causes we all care about.

Of course, we appreciate the support and listen humbly to the criticisms. But at the end of the day, we write for a readership of One. God is our Tower. Let the whirlwind come.

President Donald Trump would have you believe we are “far left.” Others have said we are not Bible-believing Christians. Neither is true. Christianity Today is theologically conservative. We are pro-life and pro-family. We are firm supporters of religious liberties and economic opportunity for men and women to exercise their gifts and create value in the world. We believe in the authority of Scripture.

We are also a global ministry. We travel the world and see the breadth and depth of what God is doing through his people all around the planet. It is beautiful, and breathtaking, and immense. The global Body of Christ—and the community of evangelicals—is vastly larger than our domestic political squabbles. But partly on behalf of that global body, we can no longer stay silent.

American evangelicals have always been a loose coalition of tribes. We have fought one another as often as we have fought together. We at Christianity Today believe we need to relearn the art of balancing two things: having a firm opinion and inviting free discussion. We need, in other words, both a flag and a table. Read More

Also See:
Evangelical Elites Are Out of Touch

The division in the evangelical community in the United States over the presidency of Donald Trump is far more complicated than a division between conservative and progressive evangelicals as some portray it or between out-of-touch evangelical elites and their fellow evangelicals as Carl Truman and others suggest. What concerns me most is the tendency in some quarters to see the president as the sole agent of God, to credit him with everything positive that happens during his presidency while discounting or minimizing his contribution to anything negative that is happening.

God works through a wide variety of agents and not just those in positions of authority. He works through ordinary people like ourselves - people who come from all walks of life. For an example of this one has only to look at the twelve disciples whom Jesus gathered to himself during his earthly ministry. Much of the positive developments for which the president receives credit or claims credit has not been his doing. On the other hand, most of the negative developments to which the president has contributed directly or indirectly are explained away or ignored completely.

A related tendency is the proclivity to make an idol of the president. I happened to hear a sermon in which the preacher equated the president with Jesus and those who did not support him with the Pharisees. The president, however, is not Christ or a Christ figure. God has only one Anointed and that is Jesus.

I am not suggesting that all evangelicals think this way but enough of them think this way to cause me concern. As Christians, evangelical or otherwise, our first loyalty is to Jesus. All other loyalties must take second place. Jesus has not commissioned us to make the evangelical community a political power in the United States but with making disciples of all people groups. That is the task with which he has entrusted us.

There is a very real danger of politics displacing mission in American churches, not just evangelical churches but other churches as well. This could not come at a worse time in the United States when church attendance is on the decline and many young people are abandoning organized religion. When one looks at the total picture, it appears to be both an upshot and a cause of church decline in the United States.

The 2010s: What Just Happened?

If you feel like you blinked and another decade has come and gone, you’re not alone. It’s hard to believe that we have come to the end of the 2010s. As with all milestones, it’s important to assess what happened. Or, in our increasingly fast-paced world, what “just” happened, as seismic changes seem to happen in… well.... a blink.

The New York Times ran its own cultural assessment, listing 33 dynamics of the last 10 years. Nine stood out to me.... Read More

Five Reasons I Am Hopeful for Churches in 2020

Perhaps my optimism is influenced by the Christmas season and the hope of the Christ child whose birth we celebrate in two days.

But I think it’s more than that. Much more.

Let me be clear. I know there are many struggling churches. I know there are many hurting and beaten up pastors. I don’t have my head in the sand. On the contrary, I deal with these churches and leaders almost every day.

My optimism is fueled by several indicators I have been noticing. While many of my data points are anecdotal and observational, I see them as nevertheless real and powerful. Let me put them out there and allow you the opportunity to respond. Read More