AD C H RIS TIAN STA N DAR D
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AD INT CHU
C H RIS TIAN STA N DAR D
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letter
FROM THE
publisher
I walked into the quiet room where a mom and dad sat stunned. Their only son, Mark, a boy of about 5, had been playing T-ball and complained he was having trouble seeing the ball. His mother took him to an eye doctor thinking he might need glasses. The concern on the face of the optometrist was obvious when he referred them immediately to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. Further tests revealed a very serious brain tumor. I sat with mom and dad as doctor after doctor came into the little room to report ever graver news.
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The first, an eye specialist, said the vision problem was caused by pressure being exerted on the back side of the eye, and that it would result in permanent blindness. The second, a bone specialist, said radiation therapy would cause the bone on either side of Mark’s head to cease growing, creating permanent deformity. The third, a neurosurgeon, said the tumor was inoperable. The mom asked the fourth specialist, an oncologist, if Mark could get better. The oncologist replied that, sadly, the tumor was cancerous, aggressive, and terminal.
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I could only watch as these parents were taken apart, piece by piece, until there was nothing left but to pray that God would be merciful. I can still hear the mom say through her anguish, “Mark will make a wonderful angel in Heaven.” I felt powerless in this horribly sad circumstance, but knew we have a God of limitless power to whom we pray. I asked mom and dad what they would like to pray for. Their request was very general in nature, as so many prayers are. I challenged them to be specific with God about the cry of their hearts. Mom said she wanted to pray that it wouldn’t be cancer, and so we prayed specifically for that outcome. A few days later, the doctors were embarrassed to admit they had misdiagnosed the tumor as a malignant cancer, but that it actually was a noncancerous growth. They informed the parents, however, that it was still growing and it would be terminal; the tumor was pushing on the brain and causing a cerebral hemorrhage. Doctors stopped the radiation treatments, so no bone damage occurred. Mom and dad were convinced it hadn’t been misdiagnosed, but that God had intervened, transforming the cancer into something benign. Once again, I asked mom and dad what they would like to pray for. Their desire was for the possibility an operation could improve their son’s condition, and so we prayed for that. A few days later, one of the doctors told the parents a doctor in Dallas had successfully performed a very invasive surgery once on a person with a similar diagnosis. The parents contacted the surgeon and scheduled an examination to determine whether he would attempt the operation. If performed, the surgery would require removing the face from the skull, and cutting the skull into sections to expose the tumor on the back shelf of the skull behind the eyes. It
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sounded horrible, but the doctor confirmed that it was operable. We prayed together the night before they flew to Dallas. I will never forget the phone call after the surgery was completed. The dad cried tears of joy as he informed me the surgery was a complete success and Mark looked fine. A few months later, I told our church students the story of the amazing power of prayer, ending the session with little Mark coming into the room, running around, and saying hi to everyone. Mom and dad were convinced God had transformed the impossible into the possible. Several articles in this issue deal with transformation, God taking the impossible and making it possible, reversing the irreversible, and swallowing up hopelessness with hope. In Matthew 9:18-34, Jesus healed a woman with an issue of blood, raised a dead girl to life, restored sight to two blind men, and enabled a mute to speak. That’s a lot of transformation for just 16 verses of Scripture. And while we might think physical transformation and healing would be the greatest gift of all, it doesn’t even come close to Jesus’ ability to transform a life, a future, and an eternal destiny if we entrust our lives to him.
Jerry Harris is publisher of Christian Standard Media and senior pastor of The Crossing, a multisite church located in three states across the Midwest. @_jerryharris /jerrydharris
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CHRISTIAN STANDARD —
FOUNDED 1866 BY ISAAC ERRETT Devoted to the restoration of New Testament Christianity, its doctrine, its ordinances, and its fruits.
The Staff Jerry Harris, Publisher Michael C. Mack, Editor Jim Nieman, Managing Editor Shawn McMullen, Contributing Editor Megan Kempf, Designer Abby Wittler, Designer Renee Little, Operations
Subscription Information To order Christian Standard for yourself, your church, or your group, visit christianstandard.com or contact Customer Service. Bulk pricing is available.
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Volume CLIV. Number 3. Christian Standard (ISSN 0009-5656) is published monthly by Christian Standard Media at 16965 Pine Lane, Suite 202, Parker, CO 80134. Periodicals postage paid at Parker, CO, and additional offices. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Christian Standard Media, 16965 Pine Lane, Suite 202, Parker, CO 80134. Phone: 1-800543-1353. SUBSCRIBERS: Send address changes to Christian Standard, 16965 Pine Lane, Suite 202, Parker, CO 80134. Send old and new addresses, complete with zip codes, at least six weeks before delivery date.
Christian Standard is published by Christian Standard Media, www.christianstandardmedia.com.
Copyright ©2019 by Christian Standard Media Email: cs@christianstandardmedia.com Website: www.christianstandard.com Printed in USA
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
FEA T U R E my life story . . . from GANG MEMBER to CHURCH PLANTER
by Gonzalo Venegas
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I N E V E RY I S S UE 2-3 | L E TTE R F RO M THE P UB L ISH E R
THE ‘PACKAGE DEAL’: how to choose a new church leader and his wife
Jerry Harris
by melissa brandes
6-7 | L E TTE R F RO M THE E DITO R Michael C. Mack
RAVI and ME
8-10 | ME TRIC S
Tra nsfor ma tio na l Trends Kent Fillinger
by Jack Cottrell
11-13 | e 2 : E F F E C TIV E EL D ER S a call to church leaders: how to overcome PHARISAISM in the 21st-century church
by Jeffrey Derico
The Ultima te Goa l: Spir itua l Tra nsformation David Roadcup
14-16 | IMAG INE
IN THE ARENA: women SHOULD NOT be in volved in church leadership and preaching roles
Be c o ming Postmodern We lls Mel McGowan
18-19 | MINISTRY L IF E
Learning the Ministry of Receiving Daniel Schantz
by Dale cornett IN THE ARENA: women SHOULD be involved in church leadership and preaching roles
20-24 | H O RIZO N S
Ho w Is ICOM Ma k ing a La sting Impa c t o n the Chur c h? Emily Drayne
by Lorelei Pinney Nij TRANSFORMING ABILITY: ministry rebrands to re ach the 1 billion-plus people in the world who live with a disability
by Ryan Wolfe
26-35 | F E ATURE ARTI CL E My Life Stor y . . . Fr o m Ga ng Me mber to Chur c h Pla nte r Gonzalo Venegas
79 | INTE RAC T
the fortification of the RESTORATION MOVEMENT
80 | B IB L ITIC AL LY C OR R ECT
by steve carr
Simulse r ve Chr istian Chur c h After Class Podcast C H RIS TIAN STA N DAR D
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letter
FROM THE
editor
As you read this issue, you may not agree with every writer’s viewpoint. Several articles contain debatable issues, and, in one case, we go “In the Arena” on a highly contentious matter: women’s involvement in teaching and leadership in the church. We believe it’s helpful to provide a forum in which readers can consider both sides of debatable issues. In churches large and small, leaders are discussing these issues, and we hope to provide biblical perspectives from others who have already done the hard work
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of studying, applying, and even teaching on these matters. I ask each writer to communicate their viewpoint objectively, civilly, and, of course, biblically. We ask you to do the same as you read and respond. My concern is this: We tend to dig in and entrench ourselves over issues such as these, thereby dividing ourselves and shutting the door on any opportunity for unity. And while Christian Standard seeks to educate, equip,
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and inform leaders for kingdom ministry—and discussing these debatable issues is certainly part of that—we are passionate about Christian unity. We believe our movement slogans ring true: In essentials, unity; in opinions, liberty; in all things, love. Where the Scriptures speak, we speak. Where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent. Let Christian unity be our polar star. We can live in Christian unity while disagreeing over matters of opinion. But do we? Sadly, from a quick review of certain social media pages and websites, the answer is no. But it’s more than an online problem. Last year at a brotherhood conference, I overheard a group of Christians slandering several churches and leaders in our movement over matters of style, practice, and methods. Perhaps I should have stepped in to defend Christ’s bride, to protect the body of Christ from . . . the body of Christ. I didn’t, but the incident saddened me. It left me with the same somber question Paul posed, “Is Christ divided?” (1 Corinthians 1:13). Too often the answer to that question is yes. Too often Christ’s body enters the ring against itself, wildly punching itself, giving itself a black eye . . . for all the watching world to see . . . over matters of opinion. We fight among ourselves over nonessentials while ignoring our primary call to go and make disciples of all nations. Yes, we can live in Christian unity while disagreeing over matters of opinion. This is one of those hard disciplines of following Christ—to choose unity in Christ over fighting for one’s position on a matter of opinion, to choose to honor Christ over “being right,” to choose love over the letter of the law.
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Does that mean we don’t take a stand for what we believe, even over nonessentials? No. We can speak the truth in love and maintain unity. Several writers have provided guidelines for how to deal with debatable issues, and one thing they all mention is humility. Any “fix” to this problem must start in our hearts. If you ever find yourself wondering if you cross the line when discussing these issues, I encourage you to read these articles: “How to Debate Debatable Issues: The Art of Godly Disagreement,” by Jon Weatherly, in our September 2018 issue; “Civil Liberty: How Christ Frees Us to Be Civil in Less-Than-Civil Times,” by Shawn McMullen, in our March 2018 issue; and “How to Have Influence in Dialogue with the Ignorant, the Obstinate, and the Belligerent . . . and with Those Sitting on the Sidelines,” by Michael McCann. (Search for the titles of these articles at www.ChristianStandard.com.) In “The Fortification of the Restoration Movement” in this issue (p. 64), Steve Carr discusses how our greater Restoration Movement has split and then fortified its positions over time. We should learn from the lessons of our past. When we become entrenched over debatable matters, it compromises our message, dims our light, and divides Christ’s body. Let’s never forget Jesus’ prayer for us: “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:22, 23). May it be so. @michaelcmack @michaelcmack @michaelcmack /AuthorMichaelCMack
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met rics BY KENT FILLINGER
Transformational Trends
Kent E. Fillinger serves as president of 3:STRANDS Consulting, Indianapolis, Indiana, and regional vice president (Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan) with Christian Financial Resources.
Since transformation is a main theme of this issue, I decided to explore three trends that are reshaping culture and will likely re-create the look and feel of our churches. My goal is not to stir up controversy but to change the questions we are asking in order to spark new conversations among church leaders.
/3strandsconsulting www.3strandsconsulting.com
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The Single Situation “Half of Americans ages 18 and older were married in 2016, a share that has remained relatively stable in recent years but is down 9 percentage points over the past quartercentury,” according to the article “8 Facts about Love and Marriage in America” posted on the Pew Research Center website last February. This means the number of singles is rising and that soon there likely will be more single adults than married adults in the U.S. Contrast this with a Barna study that found “less than a quarter of active churchgoers are single (23%)” (from “A Single Minded Church,” by Joyce Chiu, February 9, 2017). I’ve been a “single-again” dad for the last nine years. I’m in that small minority of single adults who is active in church every week. But the megachurch I attend, like most churches of any size I’ve experienced, is geared toward reaching the nuclear family—dad and mom and their kids. Singles aren’t thought of at all, based on my observations and experiences. Not a week goes by that our 30-something lead pastor doesn’t reference his wife in one of his sermon illustrations. But I couldn’t tell you the last time I heard any reference to single adults or when even an attempt was made to apply God’s truths to the realities of a single adult. It’s no wonder most singles skip church! Did you know November 11 is “Singles’ Day” in China? It’s an unofficial holiday chosen because that date, 11/11, resembles solitary stick figures. The holiday started in 1993 at Nanjing University, where some students came together to think of an initiative to celebrate singledom. It’s also the largest online shopping day in the world, generating billions of dollars in sales! Maybe the church could learn a lesson from this and begin to recognize the value and impact singles can make when we choose to invite and engage them.
Questions I’m Asking: Does it make sense for the church to ignore half of the U.S. adult population? Does your church need a marriage, C H RIS TIAN STA N DAR D
relationships, or family sermon series every year where you feebly assert that the messages apply to “everyone”? Why not select about a half-dozen examples of single adults in the Bible and teach about their lives and faith? How many singles—including dads or moms who’ve never been married—are serving on our church staffs? Remember, we attract what we are.
The Graying of America and Ministers The U.S. Census Bureau predicts that by 2035 older adults will outnumber children for the first time in U.S. history. In 2030, all baby boomers will be older than 65, and by then it is projected one in every five Americans will be retirement age.
Questions I’m Asking: How does this coming reality mesh with your current ministry model? I’m all for investing in and reaching the next generation (through staffing, building a children’s play space, or adding a community life center or gym), but is it wise to focus almost exclusively on what soon will be a minority segment of our total population? What will ministry to older adults look like in a few years? What opportunities can your church create to reach this aging demographic with the gospel? Would offering an older adult daycare center make more sense than a children’s daycare? The online “State of Pastors” conference led by the Barna Group in January 2017 shared the following: “There are more pastors over the age of 65 than under the age of 40 today.” Several possible reasons for this were suggested, including these: people are living longer and retiring older, many pastors have no retirement plan, millennials are interested in other careers, and churches struggle with healthy leadership succession. - 9 -
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My 14 years of research of Restoration Movement churches has consistently shown that church growth rates and the number of baptisms noticeably drop after the lead minister reaches age 55.
Questions I’m Asking: How can your church reposition a veteran minister for renewed effectiveness and continued ministry impact? What can you or your church do to encourage and help train up the next generation of church leaders? What are you doing to create and develop a better leadership pipeline? What is your church leadership doing to help your ministry staff plan and prepare for retirement?
‘The Third Gender Revolution’
A Time magazine story under the headline “The Third Gender Revolution” (from November 27, 2017) reported on a decision by Germany’s top court that the country must either create a third gender category or remove gender designations from public documents by 2019. This same article noted that Nepal legally recognized a third gender in 2007. At least eight countries, including Australia, have agreed to recognize more than two genders on passports and ID cards. You might assume gender-related issues will never come to your church, but I remember first encountering such an issue 20 years ago while serving as an associate minister at my home church in Columbus, Ohio. The lead minister had a meeting with a person we knew as Don, who had attended the church a few years prior with his wife and family. Since then, however, he had transitioned his gender and had begun living as a single woman named Dawn. My Bible college degree didn’t prepare me for this kind of ministry, and I’m guessing neither did yours. C H RIS TIA N STAN DA R D
My 15-year-old daughter got to know a girl named Chelsea last school year. This past summer, Chelsea announced via Instagram that she now wanted to be called Chase and would be living as a teenage boy (names changed to protect privacy). A ministry friend recently told me a teen in his church’s youth program had transitioned genders. The church’s leadership was trying to figure out how best to serve and love this teen and the family while still teaching a biblical view on gender differences. My friend noted sadly that several other teens had stopped attending student ministry events at the church because of this situation. This past September, California became the first state to legalize a third gender choice on state IDs. This includes but is not limited to some transgender individuals, those born with intersex traits, those who use genderneutral pronouns, and those who describe their genders as “agender, genderqueer, gender fluid, Two Spirit, bigender, pangender, gender nonconforming, or gender variant” (according to “California Legally Recognizes Third Gender Option on Birth Certificate, State ID Card,” from the Washington Free Beacon, October 17, 2017). Oregon and Washington, D.C., now offer nonbinary residents an “X” on official documents.
Questions I’m Asking: How should the church respond? Is there a seat in your church for a teen or adult who is transgender or some other gender identity? How can we best extend grace while still sharing biblical truths? What pronouns will you use when talking with these folks? Which name will you choose to call them? The one by which you originally knew them or the one they want you to use now? Paul wrote, “When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22, New Living Translation, emphasis mine). How can we best follow his example? - 10 -
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e 2: effective elders
BY DAVID ROADCUP
The Ultimate Goal: Spiritual Transformation This month I want to stir the church leadership pot with three pertinent questions:
1. What does God want from us with regard to shaping the lives of church members? In other words, what is to be the ultimate outcome of our ministry?
David Roadcup is cofounder and outreach director for e2: effective elders. He also serves as professor of discipleship and global outreach representative with TCM International Institute. He is on the board of directors of Christian Arabic Services.
Someone might say, “Why, evangelism, of course!” Evangelism is absolutely critical in God’s plan, but we need to go deeper. Someone else might say, “Discipleship and nurture.” Also true. Evangelism and discipleship are the two engines that drive us to fulfill God’s plan for his people. C H RIS TIA N STAN DA R D
/ e2elders @e2elders
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But God’s ultimate goal for his church is found in Paul’s personal mission statement for his ministry. Paul had a laser-like focus for his work in the churches. He communicated this ultimate goal in Colossians 1:28, 29: “He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.” The apostle said his ultimate purpose in ministry was to be able to present every person complete or mature (teleios) in Christ at the final judgment when all of our works will be tested by fire (1 Corinthians 3:10-15). Note that Paul did not say evangelism (as important as it is) was his ultimate goal. Nor were preaching, teaching, and other forms of ministry (as important as they are) identified as his ultimate goal. Paul said his ultimate accomplishment was to present each convert complete or mature in Christ. And spiritual maturity is always expressed in dynamic transformation of life in Christ. Without transformation, there is no maturity. This is our ultimate goal until Heaven. Paul described this transformative process for each believer in Romans 12:1, 2: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Paul was referring to the transformational process when he stated, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The word transformed in the Greek is metamorphousthe. C H RIS TIA N STAN DA R D
We recognize metamorphosis, a derivative of this word, from high school biology class. It is the description of a caterpillar entering a cocoon, fulfilling the gestation period, and emerging as a beautiful butterfly. Or tadpoles transitioning into frogs. A truly amazing work of nature and magnificent demonstration of God’s handiwork! It’s interesting Paul would use this word to describe what happens when a believer becomes a Christian. The key is this: Just as there is a change in the nature of a caterpillar as it becomes a butterfly, there should be a change in the nature of a person as he or she becomes a Christian. There is little change on the outside. Rather, the miraculous change is on the inside, in a person’s mind and heart. When we genuinely come to Christ and yield our lives to him in obedience, our nature, our hearts, our interior worlds change to reflect the mind of Jesus. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul added yet another point of clarification: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” Paul reminded us that our new life in Christ involves a change for the better. After Christ, we are not the same. There is a change. A dramatic change. The old is gone. The new has come.
2. Do the lives of the people in our church truly reflect the transformational change of nature and life Paul described? This is a hard issue for us to face. One of our struggles is that for decades, possibly without knowing it, we have developed an “easy believeism” in many of our churches. We have communicated to people that coming to worship, giving an offering, and being somewhat morally good is all that is required for transformation. The ideas of dying to oneself, surrendering to the lordship of - 12 -
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Christ, giving up sin, obedience, fellowship, and service have not been taught in many congregations. You may find it interesting that students of evangelism have identified classifications of people who need to be reached with the gospel. They are identified in the following manner: E-1: Evangelism that reaches people who are geographically near and of similar culture to the congregation E-2: Evangelism that crosses ethnic, cultural, and class barriers E-3: Evangelism that crosses linguistic barriers E-0: Evangelism that reaches the unconverted members of the congregation (also called “intra-evangelism”) In type E-0 evangelism, people in need of being reached are sometimes called “notional members.” These are folks who attend services, give financially, and would count themselves active participants of the activities and ministries of the church. The true situation is, while being active and attending services, they have never undergone an authentic conversion experience, having been transformed in their interior worlds. George Barna’s research indicates that in today’s typical congregation, approximately 44 percent of all adult Americans who participate in church life are unconverted!
3. What can we do to lead believers to a true, personal, transformational experience in their spiritual journeys? We must consider several key points:
A new approach may be necessary. If our past ministry approaches have not developed spiritual transformation, we must work together to develop a new approach/paradigm C H RIS TIA N STAN DA R D
to ministry. Change is hard, but if changing our approach to ministry will create authentic, transformed disciples, we must make that change. To take our people to places they have never been in their spiritual lives, we must consider doing things we have never done.
Scripture conveys what we need to know about creating personal transformation. Teaching people about cultivating a desire for a personal relationship to Jesus, personal surrender, dying to self, Bible engagement, heartfelt obedience, fellowship, and service are all keys to the transformation of the hearts and lives of believers. The key question is, “What would this look like in a new paradigm?” A relational approach to personal transformation is available. Discipleship.org is based on Jesus’ teaching and training methods. Jesus had a clear method of connecting with people and transforming their lives. When we use his methods, we see amazing results. Go to Discipleship.org, read about their annual training conference (the National Disciple Making Forum), and check out their free e-books. All of this will give you an excellent overview of Jesus’ relational method of discipling and how it can work in your church and ministry. The following books are some of the best on this topic: The Master Plan of Evangelism by Robert Coleman, 4 Chair Discipling by Dann Spader, Transforming Discipleship by Greg Ogden, and Growing Up by Robby Gallaty. Each will provide you with great information. Elder brothers, Jesus is calling each of us and each person under our spiritual care to genuine, spiritual transformation. Let us proactively move forward to be able to present to the Great Shepherd, upon his return, spiritually transformed followers, their hearts filled with Jesus and his grace. Lead well. - 13 -
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imag ine BY MEL MCGOWAN
Becoming Postmodern Wells // Demonstrating the Wild, OpenHearted Love of God in Las Vegas
I have been studying a story from the Bible that speaks directly to my heart—the story of the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. She was getting water, doing chores, going about her day. Then Jesus came to her in the midst of her daily activities.
Mel McGowan is cofounder and chief creative principal of PlainJoe Studios. He is a leading master planner and designer of churches in America.
It offers a powerful picture of how the people of God should function as the church— loving people right where they are. We must be the well, inviting people who are going about their daily lives, from all different backgrounds, to come and drink living water.
@visioneer /visioneer
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Grace in Sin City One of my favorite examples of a church that loves people right where they are, and which has made their building a welcoming reflection of their uncensored grace, is Central Church of Las Vegas, pastored by Jud Wilhite. From the beginning, Central Church has opened its arms to anyone who wanted to join in. Central is called “a place where it’s OK to not be OK.” Especially in Las Vegas, they knew it was important to be able to demonstrate the wild, open-hearted love of God to people, no matter how broken.
Sacred Storytellers
In my new book, Design Intervention: Sacred Storytellers, I highlight some of the pastors and ministry leaders who have influenced me in my thinking about the role of design in establishing churches as functional “wells” that draw people in and meet them where they are. These men and women have embraced the power of story to form and transform people. Not only that, they recognize the overwhelming power of infusing story into their gathering spaces. I call them “sacred storytellers.” Jesus was a sacred storyteller. He told an epic three-part “metanarrative” of creation, brokenness, and redemption. Jesus used more than just words to tell the sacred story that we call gospel, or “good news.” He used all of creation itself, adding his own spit to the dirt for just the right texture. There was a time when the church, his body on earth, led the world in sacred storytelling, by using then stateof-the-art technologies such as stained glass windows and the printing press to tell the transformational story of the gospel. Churches are beginning to rethink how they are using their space to meet the current, everyday needs of people. C H RIS TIA N STAN DA R D
When Jud shared with me about his heart for the people of the city and the church’s current needs, he said his building no longer reflected the growth and functionality of the congregation. They had recently celebrated 10 years in their building, which is about the time that most hospitality and events spaces should consider a face-lift. Because Central Church is such a community-driven church, Jud wanted the renovation modeled around the daily needs of church and life. It was the third time I have worked on design aspects of the church. I had worked on the church’s master plan, interiors, and graphics for the previous pastor, Gene Appel, and then I worked with Jud upon his moving to Las Vegas. This time, my team at PlainJoe Studios had the opportunity to perform another round of “design intervention” surgery to reflect the truly global ministry Central has become. Just as the hospitality industry in Vegas regularly updates brands and environments, Central’s Henderson campus updated and expanded. Instead of building additional square footage, the worship center stadium seating was expanded into the second floor while exterior - 15 -
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Powerful Stories A design aspect that was very important to Jud reflects something beautiful found within Central Church’s distilled ministry approach—that story has the power to change lives. The church loves to share in the testimonies of their members. They devote an entire section of their website to testimonies of how God has changed people’s lives. Jud wanted this aspect reflected on the walls of their buildings. These collected stories and mini-testimonies line the walls to remind people why they’ve come to church in the first place—transformation through connection to Jesus and each other.
paint and graphics created a new language to visually communicate to the thousands of motorists on the adjacent freeway. The entire campus was recently rededicated in conjunction with Jud’s vision of seeing Las Vegas through God’s eyes as “Grace City.” “Spaces communicate powerful things,” Jud said. “Sometimes we are aware of how our surroundings affect us and other times we are not, but we are still impacted. A space can help us feel welcomed and even inspire joy or faith.” C H RIS TIA N STAN DA R D
Communicating powerful stories through physically designed space goes beyond artists and architects to include dozens of disciplines from branding to building. When done correctly, it immerses and engages all five senses, triggering visceral or emotional responses that are the hallmarks of the top destinations on the planet. Design is a powerful tool. It can direct crowd flow, influence behavior, even foster connection or disconnection. As times change, the church’s message will stay the same. But methods and design can adapt to the current trends, and can certainly invoke a feeling of welcomeness and love so that people who are wandering in the desert of unbelief can find a well from which to drink the living water. - 16 -
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AD KORE
mini stry life BY DANIEL SCHANTZ
Learning the Ministry of Receiving
The best thing about teaching in a Christian college was that someone always needed me for something. “Professor, help! I need ideas! I’m teaching junior high boys in camp!” “Dan, you’re up for devotions in the faculty meeting tomorrow.” “Hey, Schantzy, you’re the car guy around here. . . . Is it normal for a transmission to smell like burnt pepperoni?”
Daniel Schantz is a professor emeritus of Central Christian College of the Bible, Moberly, Missouri. C H RIS TIA N STAN DA R D
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Now I have retired to a subdivision outside of town, where I have suddenly gone from being needed to being needy. The 10 families who live out here are rather independent. Only my wife needs me now, mostly to kill spiders. I have an acre of property to mow . . . and mow . . . and mow. Leaves to compost. Shrubs to manicure. Snow to rearrange. And I am poorly equipped for it. The men out here drive pickup trucks named after mountain ranges and dinosaurs. Their garages are stocked with mowers, chain saws, tillers, even log splitters. I drive a sedan. I have a mower, a shovel, a wheelbarrow, and an ax. When a blizzard rolled in from Kansas, our long driveway disappeared under 2 feet of snow. I didn’t know what to do, and I’m shy about asking for help. Not to worry. My neighbor Doug showed up, unbidden, and bladed out our drive with his little tractor. When our pear tree passed away, I chopped it down, but I couldn’t get the stump out. One day I was sitting at my desk when I saw a tree stump bouncing past my study window. My neighbor John had seen my dilemma, hooked a chain onto the stump, and was trucking it to our backyard. After pruning our trees, I had a mountain of limbs to take to the dump. Painstakingly, I chopped the limbs into smaller pieces that would fit into the trunk of my sedan. It was slow-going, until my neighbor Ray showed up with a flatbed trailer in tow. “I can take all those limbs in one load, Dan,” he said, and he did. My neighbors bring me vegetables from their gardens. They delivered meals when my wife had surgery. They offer to mow my lawn when I go on vacation. C H RIS TIA N STAN DA R D
These acts of mercy on an old man have helped me make connections with these private people. When Ray loaded my tree limbs, I rode along with him. I learned more about him in that half-hour ride than I did from living across from him for eight years. I have written a lot of thank-you notes, and I try to include a spiritual element—my way of letting them know I am willing to help out with their spiritual needs. “I thank God for good neighbors like you. Let me know if I can do anything for you.” “I’m enclosing a devotional book I wrote as a token of my appreciation.” It’s awkward, being a receiver of such widespread generosity. I am much more comfortable being a giver than a receiver. Yet, when I look at the ministry of Jesus, I see that he was always letting others help him. Did he really need a boy’s lunch to feed the 5,000? Hardly! But he welcomed it. When he asked the woman at the well for a drink, was he really parched, or was he cutting through gender and racial differences by asking for help? Someone loaned Jesus a boat for an offshore pulpit. Others provided lodging, meals, laundry, transportation, even a tomb for his burial. Was Jesus a freeloader? Of course not. He just understood that when people help you out, they come to feel like a part of your life and work. I’m not proposing that we become deadbeats. But when I am truly in need, I shouldn’t hesitate to ask for help. It’s what Jesus would do, I think. Did I mention I could use a little tractor to blade out my own driveway? Submit your own 500- to 700-word essay telling of an experience through which you learned a vital ministry principle by emailing it to cs@christianstandardmedia.com with “MinistryLife” in the subject line. See more information at www.christianstandard.com/contact-us/submit-articles. - 19 -
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hori zons BY EMILY DRAYNE
How Is ICOM Making a Lasting Impact on the Church? Youth conferences, weeks of camp, training conferences for adults, and mission trips are all mountaintop experiences. Participants come home refreshed, revitalized, and more passionate about the things they spent time focusing on. But life inevitably slows down, the daily humdrum returns, and the fire inside begins to flicker. There is at least one Great Commissionfocused event, however, from which there seems to be no post-event letdown: the International Conference On Missions. What makes ICOM different? I’m convinced it’s the on-fire vibe that permeates the conference. People attend ICOM to do something: win the world for Christ, find their place in the kingdom, and make a positive impact on their community and around the world. Participants at ICOM in Cincinnati Nov. 15-18, 2018, experienced all of this . . . and more.
Emily Drayne lives in North Carolina and has served with the International Conference On Missions since 2011. /emilydrayne @edrayne0530 @edrayne0530 www.theicom.org
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Getting Students Involved Student ICOM—or SICOM—is geared toward middle and high school students. It’s exciting to see hundreds of students serving and developing a heart for the unreached. SICOM helps prepare the next generation in several ways. Onsite projects help students experience a mini mission trip. They pack meals with Lifeline Christian Mission that go to third world countries to help meet basic food needs. This past year, student director Teddy Haubner wanted to make an impact in the local community. He spoke with youth ministers and organizations and learned that thousands of Cincinnati-area children do not have a bed. So, at SICOM 2018, students made 100 beds for local kids. The project provided children with a bed frame, mattress, sheets, pillows, and even a stuffed animal. What an incredible gift! Students also get to interact with missionaries. That’s been the case since the program started in 1997, making it one of the only places where young people can meet with, mingle with, and learn from missionaries serving on the field. Missionaries aren’t exclusively 60-year-old married couples serving in the African bush. Missionaries can also be a single woman ministering to college students in the United Kingdom or a young married family starting a sports ministry in an inner-city setting that provides kids with a safe gathering place. Missionaries can also be a man with a business degree who trains local farmers to create a sustainable income and provide food for their families. SICOM’s goal is to show students they can make a difference. Too often students are told they can’t do “this” or can’t accomplish “that.” It’s important to expose students to the world of possibilities before they go to college and choose a major. SICOM even sets aside time for students to mingle with Christian colleges and learn about possible career paths. Students should leave the conference knowing that anything is possible when they put their trust in God. C H RIS TIA N STAN DA R D
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Providing Resources In 2018, ICOM offered more than 170 workshops covering such topics as human trafficking, making disciples, business as missions, fund-raising/development, Bible translation, campus ministry, and much more. ICOM tries to offer something for everyone. The goal of these hour-long sessions is for people to come away with action items to implement in their own family, setting, or situation. Countless lives have been turned upside down—in a good way—by attending ICOM workshops. They provide current information and contacts in that field. The conference also features a Career Board that helps people of all ages find places to serve. These can be one-month to one-year internships or jobs with a missionary organization. The Career Board also allows missionaries to list job openings or internships. EnterMission is an initiative launched this year by ICOM, Johnson University, and Camp Allendale. “Typically, the path for a young person to go into missions/ministry is to go to a Bible college,” says ICOM director David Empson. EnterMission is a 10-month discipleship training program for 17- to 23-year-olds who may need more time to figure out where God C H RIS TIA N STAN DA R D
is calling them. Students who choose this training will experience both domestic and international sides of service, as well as training in ministry. “Today’s generation needs options outside of the norm,” Empson says. “This program is not an end in and of itself. This is a stepping stone to start their journey.” Students will come away with up to 12 hours of undergraduate credits from Johnson University. Chris Irwin, director of EnterMission, explains the idea behind the program. “Like most Christians, you’ve studied the Bible, heard lots of sermons, and gone to camps and conferences, yet you still hunger for a deeper experience with God,” Irwin says. “You don’t want to just believe, but [also] make a difference in the world.” Making a difference is the goal of EnterMission. The staff of ICOM and SICOM can’t wait to see what God does with these students. - 22 -
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Encouraging Both Missionaries and Church Members More than 7,000 people participate in ICOM each year, so a great deal of follow-up occurs during the conference’s “off” season. Staff members are constantly speaking with and encouraging missionaries on the field. Every year, ICOM hosts a “For Missionaries Only” preconference that focuses on missionaries as persons. Whether in the field or at “home,” missionaries rarely get to relax. ICOM provides meals, a one-night hotel stay, and a place where missionaries can feel at ease among one another . . . people facing the same challenges. This is an invaluable time for many of these kingdom servants. ICOM also stays in touch with those folks who have made decisions to enter missionary service at a conference, helping them find a place to serve or simply checking in to see how their journey is developing. In 2018, 40 people made public decisions at the conference. Many of these folks might have only their family or minister helping them through the process; ICOM serves as a professional resource for them. Representatives of the ministry also spend the year speaking with churches, families, youth groups, and individuals who are looking for a place to plug in. ICOM offers connections and provides a place where they can safely engage with missionaries and organizations so they can continue their journey.
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Hosting an International Conference A conference that gathers thousands of people for corporate worship is rare. ICOM’s mission is “to encourage, equip, and enlist workers for the harvest.” The 2018 event included 665 booths featuring organizations that serve in various areas of missions from all over the world. Most people say they attend ICOM to broaden their worldview, and there’s no better place for that than when surrounded by booths and people representing more than 300 organizations. “It was encouraging to know that we can make a difference while living here in Ohio,” said one participant. “While we were at ICOM on Saturday evening, our church was hosting a Thanksgiving meal with the Iranian community. . . . I can see where God may be able to use us as we reach out to these new friends.” I love that! It’s exactly what the ICOM staff wants to convey: You can make a difference no matter your location or life situation. Isn’t that the goal of the church, too? Shine the light of Jesus whether you’re at church, dropping your child off at school, or shopping for groceries. ICOM is much more than a four-day event; it’s a year-round ministry that is laser-focused on global evangelism. The 2019 conference is scheduled for November 14 to 17 in Kansas City, Missouri. Please make plans to join us. Come ready to dive into a further commitment to Christ and his global church! - 24 -
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//MY LIFE STORY . . . FROM GANG MEMBER TO CHURCH PLANTER
BY:
Gonzalo Venegas AS TOLD TO CHRISTIAN STANDARD
I was sitting in a prison cell, serving time for crimes I had committed as the leader of a street gang, when God spoke to me: “My children, my children—take care of my children.” I sensed his radical love. It is the only time I have ever heard from God in such an amazing way, and I cried because I knew exactly what he meant. God wasn’t talking only about young children, but all of his children. He was calling me to be a pastor.
I grew up in an abusive home with a father who was not the least bit affectionate. Our family lived in Palatine, Illinois, in Section 8 apartments, where gangs ran the roost. One of my two older brothers joined a street gang with our cousins and some of his friends; it was all fun and games to them until someone was murdered. At age 17, my brother was involved in a homicide with a group of his friends. He was frightened as soon as it happened. My brother was arrested because surveillance cameras captured the horrific incident. After his arrest, my brother made the ultimate mistake one can make in the ghetto: He became an informant in the homicide case. Soon after, my cousin Jose, who was in the same gang, found out that my brother was marked for death for cooperating with the authorities. Jose warned my brother and thought he could defend my family, but Jose eventually was killed for refusing to give our family’s address to the gang.
After Jose’s death, our family moved almost 200 miles away, to Holland, Michigan. We moved hoping for a better future, a new beginning. My brother even moved there when he was released from prison. The problem was, nothing inside of us changed; we were full of fear and hatred for the past. Soon after moving there, I joined a street gang in Holland and eventually became the leader. The gang was my life. I called the shots for gang members—not only in Holland, but in Fennville, Pullman, and as far away as Grand Rapids. We committed all sorts of crimes. We did horrible things. I dropped out of high school in 12th grade to go on the run, but eventually the law caught up with me too. A few years later, I went to federal prison because of my crimes and the crimes of my gang. When I got to federal prison, I knew I wanted to change my ways. My heart was broken. I was tired of life in the streets. But I was still involved with my gang in prison, and that gang was controlled by the Mexican mafia from California. In prison I completed my GED and worked toward my associate’s degree in psychology. I also began to study the Word of God. The more I studied and reflected on it, the more I realized how lost I was. I was so tired of the hatred in my life that I prayed to God to free me of it. I asked him to change my heart and fill it with the love, grace, mercy, and joy I had read about.
y m m o r f e m d e e r f e h f o i d t o a t h t g n i d l “I told Go within, I would be wil him. prison years in prison for 10 more t moment, In tha anged.� h c g n i h t y ever
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The more I tried to change, the more my gang opposed me. Eventually, my gang decided to try to get rid of me in prison. They wanted to kill me. I knew I couldn’t take their abuse anymore, but I couldn’t hurt them either. I refused to do that. I wasn’t that man anymore. In my fear, in my desperation, I prayed to God. I gave everything to him—all my anger, all my resentment. I decided to forgive all the people who cooperated against me. I was so scared of the old me that I prayed for a new me. I cried and repented of all I had ever done, and I thanked God for everything in my life. It was the most real and most difficult prayer I had ever prayed. I told God that if he freed me from my prison within, I would be willing to do 10 more years in prison for him. In that moment, everything changed. I repented of my sins. I was crying out to God and holding on to nothing but my faith in him. I wanted him and nothing else. In my cell, it was like a void was filled. No drug, alcohol, gang, relationship, or pleasure could come near to the feeling I experienced that day. I’ve never felt such love and regeneration; I could feel my entire being cleansed and purified. I cried and cried as I thought of passages I had read in Ephesians 2, and my favorite, 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” I cried out to God and asked, “Why me? I don’t deserve this.”
//MY MINISTRY IN HOLLAND, MICHIGAN Trying to follow Christ in prison put a target on my back, but by God’s grace and mercy, I survived. He protected me in prison. When I got out, I went back to Holland, to the same streets I had controlled as a gang leader. Now that I was saved, I had to do a lot of apologizing for the horrible things I had done. I had to ask for forgiveness. I was afraid to do those things, afraid to go back to the neighborhood where I had been a gang member. But God assured me it would be OK, and it was. It was more than OK. Because I chose to trust God when I returned to Holland, people there started to come to Christ. Through that process, I began to understand God has called me to the ministry of reconciliation. I have accepted God’s calling and been blessed as I have tried to serve him. Many people have come to faith, including my family, old friends, old rivals, and others. God has delivered me from evil and even death, and now he is using me to help deliver others. I began serving God at My Father’s House Church in Holland, a bilingual, multiethnic congregation. I attended seminary and was ordained and commissioned by the Reformed Church in America. In January 2017, at 30 years old, I became lead pastor of My Father’s House Church. Our nation was extremely divided at that time, as it is now, and many people in our community thought the church wasn’t needed. I believed our church needed to
reconnect with the community, to show the people we had the answers they were seeking. I suggested 40 days of prayer and fasting in our church before we did anything to try to reach our community. We held two services a day for 40 days—one in the morning, one in the evening—and during that time of prayer and fasting, families were healed and marriages restored. Those 40 days changed the culture of our church. Now we go out of our way to serve the community. This is God’s church and the community’s church. We as a church must belong to the community. We have a slogan: “We are more than a church. We are a family. Together we are better.” Our church has continued to grow as we have challenged ourselves to reach everyone in our community. We constantly try to disciple all kinds of people—especially people who don’t look like us. I don’t want my spiritual son to look just like me; I want him to look like Christ! I’m called by my heavenly Father to preach the Word of God and share the good news to different kinds of people. I can preach to gang members, youth, and adults, and impact them with a message, while upper-class people also receive the message with impact. I feel God has given me this gift to reach people from varied backgrounds with his Word.
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PLANTING ENCOUNTER CHURCH IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA Even as I have preached and pastored at My Father’s House Church, I have believed my family and I would someday leave to plant a new church to reach the lost. I want to serve in urban ministry, and even though I know that is my calling, I have wrestled with God about leaving Western Michigan. My wife and I spent a lot of time in prayer and fasting, and originally I thought we might move and plant a church in California or Chicago, but at Exponential, God revealed his plan for us to reach one of the most diverse cities in America. Later, God reaffirmed his plan at the North American Christian Convention in 2018.
Friends from the Christian church invited me to last summer’s NACC, where I met Ken Idleman. That was a turning point; Ken believed in our calling and was a great encouragement to us. While at the NACC, I also met Phil Claycomb with Nexus: church planting leadership (www.nexus.us). He later introduced us to Greg Marksberry from Florida Church Partners (www.floridachurchplanters.org). Through their shared guidance and much prayer and fasting, we accepted the call to plant Encounter Church in Orlando in 2020. Our family is moving from Michigan to Florida this spring along with our spiritual son and worship leader, Jeremy Delgado, to begin the process of launching Encounter Church. Our dream and our prayer is that Encounter will be a multicultural, multigenerational church. We will have one all-English service and one all-Spanish service, but the church will have one leadership team. Our goal is for Encounter Church to be a hub church that sends people out to reach other ethnicities, just as we have reached people from many ethnicities at My Father’s House Church. At 32, I am the oldest person on Encounter’s launch team. We are praying for older believers to join this mission, as well, because we also want Encounter to be intergenerational.
WHY I SHARE MY STORY I spent most of my life seeking love in all the wrong places. I made false assumptions about love and gratification. Now I know true love and I seek to tell others of what it has done for my life. I know I have a God who heals, as is seen in the ministry of Jesus. I believe and I pray that many people will find freedom in Christ through my story. That’s why I believe God wants me to share it. I pray you understand my heart is to glorify him who saved me, not myself. See, I no longer lead a gang, I serve the Most High God. I share the gospel every day. I preach Christ crucified, resurrected, and returning for all to hear. Once I served my own sinful kingdom. Now, my wife and I give our lives over to God’s will wherever it may lead to advance his kingdom. I once was a gang leader and a convict, marked for death. Now I’m known as “Pastor G.”
For more information on Encounter Church, visit www.EncounterOrlando.com. To support Encounter Church financially, go to www.FloridaChurchPartners.org.
@PastorGonzaloV
THE ‘PACKAGE DEAL’: HOW TO CHOOSE A NEW CHURCH LEADER
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After many months, the search committee finally zeroes in on their top choice for pastor. The formal interview goes very well. He seems a perfect fit. “Trial sermon” Sunday arrives. He preaches a solid biblical message with a great application. Later that afternoon, church leaders’ spouses take the potential pastor’s wife out for coffee while the men go boating on a lake. That evening, an elder asks his wife about the candidate’s spouse, but she hesitates. “She’s interesting,” the elder’s wife finally says, but not enthusiastically. “I guess she’s pleasant enough. Honestly I just don’t know her well, so I can’t say for sure.” The elder doesn’t know what to think. The elders meet two days later. After prayer, they discuss whether to formally invite the candidate to become the congregation’s lead pastor. All of the elders are enthusiastic about him, and for a moment no one dares mention the wife. But finally one elder speaks up as tactfully as he can. “My wife did express some concerns about his wife,” he says. The elders exchange glances. “My wife had some reservations as well,” another elder admits, but he quickly adds, “But we’re not hiring her as our pastor, we’re hiring him.” A few moments of uncomfortable silence go by, then more discussion, and then a vote to issue the call. The pastor accepts, and two months later he begins serving with the church. Everything goes well for awhile. Church attendance increases by about 25 people, people are happy, and the pastor’s preaching is consistently solid. But then a crack appears. The new pastor’s wife speaks rather freely about others’ personal issues, causing a bit of concern and discomfort. She helps with children’s ministries, but she does so grudgingly. And then, a few
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months later, the elders decide on an issue, but she disagrees and mentions it to some of her new church friends. Amid escalating unease, some relationships cool. The new pastor isn’t perfect, but he’s doing a decent job . . . and almost everyone likes him. People kind of like her, too. For the most part. But she’s a bit immature. The elders try to gently raise the issue to address it, but without success. The pastor stands with his wife. The wife feels judged, hurt, and angry. A rift is forming in the church. What should be done? Paul offers some guidance in 1 Timothy 3:8, 11: “Deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. . . . In the same way, the women [or wives] are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.” Apparently the behavior of leaders’ wives has been an issue since the beginning of the church. When Scripture says that two become one when they marry, this holds true in ministry as well. A church may hire a lead pastor or select an elder, but that person’s wife—no matter what she does or doesn’t do—has a role of shared authority. You cannot disconnect the two. When Scripture is ignored, a host of problems can unfold. The best way to deal with problems is to work to prevent them from ever occurring. But how?
1. Interview the Husband + the Wife Interviewing both husband and wife shows basic respect to both. It provides the wife a chance to ask questions, voice concerns, and be included in a life-changing decision. She is an important part of their joint ministry, so leaving her in the dark on some issues is unwise and disrespectful. Including her in the interview process conveys an appropriate sense of value, which is important as she and her husband begin their journey with your church. The joint interview is also a good time to make sure both husband and wife are a good fit for the church. The husband must be “worthy of respect,” and so must the wife. During the interview process, ask the husband to describe his wife’s role in the church and ministry. Make sure both he and his wife agree on that. Ask the wife questions such as these: ++ Do you feel called to ministry? ++ Describe your husband’s ministry, as you see it. What is your role in your husband’s work? ++ How does your husband view your role in the church? Are the two of you in agreement on that?
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The husband must be “wor thy of respect,” and so must the wife.
2. Observe How They Interact with One Another A good marriage blesses and inspires others. But ministry is stressful. Try to determine how a couple interacts with one another. Ask, ++ How have you handled stressful church situations in the past? ++ Do you share all sensitive information with each other? (To the spouse) Are you OK with not knowing some issues? ++ What roles do you think the church should play in helping you manage ministry stress? How could we demonstrate respect to you as a couple and as a family? As you interview them, try to observe: ++ Do they honor one another as they talk? ++ Does one or the other dominate the conversation? ++ Does their tone of voice reveal a mutual love for one another and an excitement for the opportunities ahead? Pastors’ marriages have ups and downs, heartaches and joys, triumphs and trials (as all marriages do). Yet ministry can intensify challenges. No marriage is perfect, but making sure healthy patterns are in place can be an important factor in choosing a leader. The best way to learn about a potential leader’s marriage and how husband and wife interact with one another is by interviewing both of them together.
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3. Ask Yourselves Some Hard Questions It’s important for the eldership and the entire congregation to have realistic expectations of the pastor’s wife. What do you hope she will do? Are you willing to offer grace, kindness, and space? Will you accept different ways of doing things? Will you commit to praying for your new minister’s family? No one is perfect . . . not even the minister’s wife. She will make mistakes, and get hurt, and say wrong things. Oftentimes the wives of ministers are judged more harshly. Will your grace be sufficient for her too? Additionally, churches often assume that hiring a pastor entitles them to his wife’s services as piano player, children’s teacher, kitchen manager, Communion preparer, etc. Any expectations of that sort should be made clear in the interview. Many years ago the minister’s wife was expected to stand alongside her husband at most church functions. Times have changed, and so has a woman’s ability to do all these things. More women are in the workforce—and it may be necessary to make up for the financial shortfall of a typical pastor’s salary in an increasingly expensive world. Expecting the pastor’s wife to fill the gaps in church work can ratchet up the pressure on the wife and the marriage. It can cause resentment. A healthy church will pray, support, mentor, and encourage the wife, while also giving her room to be her own person (and giving space for the children to be normal kids as well). Reasonable expectations among the elders and church are vital.
4. Consider the Perspective of Women Prior to Making Decisions Let’s move beyond the hiring decision for a moment. The way a church makes decisions will have an impact on how men and women in general, and husbands and wives specifically, work together. Let’s face it, women and men see things differently. When an elder or pastor goes home after a meeting, he sometimes will inform his wife of discussions and decisions. If she disagrees, it can cause him to doubt his former decision and cloud future meetings. It is better to include the voices of wives in some of the discussions. Our church has open elder meetings, though at times they will meet privately. But they seek to include the perspective of women, which they value. Listening to the voices of men and women is helpful in mitigating problems. It shows respect for a congregation comprised of both sexes.
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Many years ago the minister ’s wife was expected to stand alongside her husband at most church functions. Times have changed, and so has a woman’s ability to do all these things.
5. If a Red Flag for Potential Problems Is Raised for Either Spouse, Heed Paul's Wisdom Approach the selection of a new pastor or a new elder (and their spouse) with prayer and wisdom. If anything during the interview process raises a red flag in regard to the husband or wife, the eldership and congregation must take that into consideration. A red flag shouldn’t forever exclude a couple from leadership ministry, but it might indicate the timing isn’t right and that further mentorship is needed. It isn’t a matter of age, but one of character and maturity. There is a reason Paul wrote to Timothy, exhorting him clearly that ministry is always a joint endeavor with a spouse. If either of them is untrustworthy, issues will arise. Both must be followers of Christ who are “worthy of respect.” Concessions on this issue have caused too many congregations unnecessary heartache. A great husband-and-wife team can truly bless a church. Each can make a unique contribution. Hiring a married pastor or selecting a married man to be elder must be viewed as a package deal—the church is signing on both the leader and his wife. Be diligent and God-honoring in the process. Interview both the husband and wife. Have reasonable expectations. But when character issues and concerns in either one of them are revealed, failure to heed Paul’s admonition will come at a hefty price. Melissa Brandes is a graduate of Ozark Christian College (Bachelor of Theology) and Lincoln Christian Seminary (Master of Arts in New Testament) and has served as a Bible teacher around the world for more than 30 years. www.GracedFollower.com
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Ravi + Me Several years ago Ravi Zacharias and I were on the same program. Ravi accepted an invitation to speak at Cincinnati Christian University on April 29, 2014. He spoke twice, once in morning chapel and once for an evening banquet. About three weeks before the event, the school president, David Faust, sent me a request that said, in part, “As part of the program prior to Ravi’s speech in the evening, I would like to interview you briefly about the ongoing relevance of apologetics, especially as it relates to our work at CCU. . . . If you like, I can send you a short list of two or three interview questions to think about ahead of time.” I replied that I would appreciate having the questions ahead of time. Brother Faust sent the questions along with this warning: “We only have a few minutes for the interview, so we will need to keep our
by jack cottrell
comments concise.” What a challenge! Anyway, here are the questions he sent: • Over the last 90 years, our school has used the slogan, “Scholarship in an Atmosphere of Faith.” How do those two factors— scholarship and faith—fit together? • What do you personally consider the most compelling evidences that support faith in Christ and the Bible? • In the midst of a shifting and cynical culture, what advice could you give us about how to defend and explain our Christian faith? I buckled down and studied these questions, and decided how I would answer them. I wrote out some compact replies, and sent them to brother Faust ahead of time for his advice. The following are the answers I sent to him. I thought others might be interested in my brief answers.
‘MOST COMPELLING EVIDENCES?’ I will mention just three compelling evidences for faith in Christ and the Bible. 1. We can begin by using modern, updated, scientific versions of the venerable theistic proofs, the cosmological and teleological arguments. In today’s world we can use the big bang theory of origins to show that the universe had a beginning, and we can use “intelligent design” data to show that this beginning requires a beginner (creator) who is personal, ultraintelligent, and ultrapowerful. 2. We then can show that this creator is the God of the Bible and that the Bible is his Word by applying the ordinary rules of historical method and historical study to the historical claims of the Bible, especially to the data about the historical Jesus. Here we ask two
‘ADVICE FOR DEFENDING THE FAITH?’ My main advice for Christians in the early 21st century is this: Do not surrender the concept of truth to the pretentious proponents of postmodernism. Objective truth exists, and we can know it. Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:32, New American Standard Bible). What we believe is absolute, objective truth; the Bible is absolute, objective truth. As the Word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit and given to creatures made in God’s image, every biblical statement has a single correct intended meaning that we for the most part can discern and confidently teach. We must resist the temptation to relativize faith and doctrine, and to elevate experience above Scripture as our final authority. Brother Faust gave his approval, and the interview took place after the banquet meal as planned, followed by Ravi Zacharias’s lecture on “Apologetics in the 21st Century.” After the program, Ravi shook my hand and invited me that very moment to come work with him in his famous organization (Ravi Zacharias International Ministries) at double my CCU salary, and then travel with him and costar with him on all his speaking engagements. Well, I admit that last sentence is something I just dreamed up. The truth is, I do not remember how the program ended. But just knowing I was once on a program with Ravi Zacharias almost gives me goosebumps.
Jack Cottrell retired from 48 years of full-time teaching in 2015, and serves as part-time teaching minister with the First Church of Christ, Greendale, Indiana. He is in the process of producing “The Collected Works of Jack Cottrell” via the Christian Restoration Association, and is currently working on volume 14. www.jackcottrell.com
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questions: What proves the resurrection? and What does the resurrection prove? Ultimately it proves the validity of the Christian worldview. 3. We then can show that the Christian worldview is superior to all rival worldviews by applying the test of systematic consistency. The Christian worldview makes more sense of more data than all its rivals; it leaves fewer unanswered questions.
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‘SCHOLARSHIP AND FAITH—HOW DO THEY FIT TOGETHER?’ When we think of the assent aspect of faith, which is the part apologetics is concerned with, three questions must be addressed on a scholarly level: 1. How do we believe? This is the question of epistemology. What is faith, and how is it related to knowledge in general? Many go astray at this point by falsely assuming that faith is somehow different from objective, rational conclusions that can be supported by the ordinary rules of reason. It is not. 2. What do we believe? Here the goal is to construct the Christian worldview based on the totality of biblical teaching. Here is where most of our scholarly activity takes place, focusing on biblical exegesis and systematic theology. 3. Why do we believe? Answering this question is the main point of apologetics. Here is where reason, logic, and the rules of evidence come into play on the highest level of scholarship.
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ch leaders:LEADERS: to chTOurCHURCH a caAl CALL overcome PHARISAISM howTOto OVERCOME HOW he arisaism in tCHURCH IN THEph21ST-CENTURY st-century church
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BY JEFFREY DERICO
Two critical challenges facing churches and their leaders today are to identify hurdles that undermine relevant ministry and then to eliminate them. The stakes are high because failure to overcome either hurdle will result in countless people never hearing the gospel, and eventually that church will permanently close its doors—and neither of these are acceptable outcomes. Yet both are becoming more common as churches across America struggle to effectively live out the Great Commission and then decline to the point they can no longer afford to pay the bills. During nearly two decades of teaching and consulting with church leaders, I’ve heard many explanations for why churches struggle. Here is one of the most common: “Ministry is getting incredibly difficult because people outside the church increasingly view Christianity with indifference, disdain, and even hostility.” While the ministry landscape is indeed changing, the truth is unbelievers generally ignore churches by simply writing them off as irrelevant. Here’s the startling truth: Most problems facing churches aren’t coming from outside; they are self-inflicted.
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the root cause of church struggles
THE ROOT CAUSE OF CHURCH STRUGGLES
It might seem unimaginable that a church would choose to remain irrelevant or ineffective, particularly due to self-destructive attitudes and behaviors, but trust me, it happens more often than anyone would care to admit. And it’s likely you have witnessed it. For example, have you ever found yourself in a heated debate about changing the location of the Communion table, American flag, or organ? Has there been an argument about changing the order of service or design of the bulletin? If you have served in a church, you’ve undoubtedly been there. And all of these—and many similar issues—take up a lot of time and energy, even though they fall in the spectrum somewhere between “not particularly important” and “not at all important.” And yet ministers have been fired, churches have split, and churches’ reputations in the community have been irreparably damaged over issues such as these. The incongruity between their importance and their consequences surely is obvious, and the root cause to explain this disconnect is a 21st-century version of Pharisaism. You might reject the Pharisee implication and defend your flock by saying, “People in my church care very much about those things.” Fair enough; you are God’s agent in your congregation and people don’t like change. But just because people care about something doesn’t mean it’s worth idolizing, arguing about, protecting, damaging relationships, or allowing it to hinder the church’s effectiveness. And it certainly doesn’t mean you as a leader should embrace it, legitimize it, or perpetuate it. The Pharisees cared very much about their long list of rules and regulations, too. But Jesus consistently rebuked them for presenting and imposing manmade obligations under the guise of a divine mandate. Stated another way, Jesus condemned religious leaders for pretending things were doctrinally essential and critically important to God’s kingdom when they actually were nothing more than clubhouse rules that justified arrogance and restricted membership. These manmade rules and traditions produced only division, confusion, and misplaced allegiance, and they distracted people from God’s true mission.
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a guideline for making decision
A GUIDELINE FOR DECISION MAKING
The leadership challenge, then, is to distinguish between legitimate concerns (e.g., things to protect, such as the authority of Scripture, the role of baptism in salvation, and weekly Communion) from manmade traditions (e.g., things not worth arguing about, such as the position of furniture, the order of service, and the style of music). Fortunately, a simple guideline can be applied when making a decision, responding to a potential or unexpected change, or dealing with congregants who are unhappy about a change. It is this. Never make decisions based on the following values: WE’VE ALWAYS DONE IT THAT WAY . . . This destructive motivation for making decisions is one of the most common. We all generally agree we should no longer read Scripture in original languages from papyrus scrolls, yet many church leaders staunchly refuse to make basic changes to their current activities, programs, and environments, even when they are known to be equally inefficient, ineffective, or irrelevant. It should be noted we do many things in a particular way because they align with a biblical mandate. For instance, we share in Communion every week because that was the practice of first-century churches. A devotional given by an elder prior to Communion, however, is not a biblical mandate and therefore could be changed, particularly if the strongest argument for doing it is, “We’ve always done it that way.” The key principle to remember is that your role as a church leader is to pastor and protect the congregation; it is not to perpetuate the way your church looked, felt, or operated in the past. I PERSONALLY WANT/LIKE/PREFER . . . This motivation is the easiest to understand, though it arguably is the weakest reason to continue doing something a certain way because it boils down to selfishness. The obvious problem is the tendency to make decisions based on the belief that my desires are more important than your desires, or worse, that my comfort, security, or agenda are more important than the church’s efforts to achieve its mission and vision. That people don’t want to be somewhere or do something that is offensive or unpleasant is understandable, but let’s be honest: Not everything that falls outside “my perfect scenario” is synonymous with “offensive or unpleasant.” The key principle is this: Your role as a church leader is to help establish a culture where people willingly set aside their personal preferences for the sake of the kingdom, and then to make strategic decisions that promote cultural relevance and effectiveness.
IT WILL UPSET . . . Every congregation has a demographic that represents potential trouble if one or more of its members gets bent out of shape, but no group can generate more fear and trepidation than the primary financial givers. Make a wrong move and the regular tithers might get upset and either reduce their giving or stop contributing altogether. And where would that leave the church? In a state of disaster—at least, that is the commonly presented narrative. This motivation is a close cousin to “I personally like or prefer . . .”; the only difference being that instead of a church leader personally holding the value, the opinion is attributed to someone else who has the real or perceived ability to create substantial conflict, dysfunction, or financial ruin. And the all too common consequence is that the church’s mission and vision are held hostage. This is the key principle to remember: Your obligation as a church leader is not to make everyone happy. You can and should create alignment and buy-in, but your ultimate responsibility is to make strategic decisions that help your congregation live out its mission and achieve its vision.
a s a n o i t a g i l b o r u o Y AS A CHURCH LEADER ot n is r e d a e l h c r u h c IS NOT TO MAKE . y p p a h e n o y r e v e e k o ma tEVERYONE HAPPY. YOUR OBLIGATION
strategies for a healthy leadership culture
STRATEGIES FOR A HEALTHY LEADERSHIP CULTURE
If your church is struggling to define or build momentum around the mission and vision, or if it seems continually besieged by conflict and dysfunction, it is likely key decisions are being driven by one or more of the values identified above. But don’t despair, don’t let regret paralyze you, and most importantly, don’t allow it to continue. Instead, use the following strategies to develop a healthy and biblical leadership culture that will empower your church to achieve its vision:
FORMALIZE THE CHURCH’S MISSION AND VISION This step is essential because it establishes a rationale for why your church exists, what it seeks to accomplish, and how it engages the neighborhood, nation, and world. If you haven’t formally adopted a mission or vision, invest the necessary time and energy to create them, or simply revert to the Great Commission with an emphasis placed on presenting the biblical gospel in relevant and effective ways in the 21st century. Put your mission and vision on paper and ensure that all of your key leaders wholeheartedly affirm them. ADOPT NEW VALUES, ATTITUDES, AND BEHAVIORS A shared understanding and ownership regarding the church’s mission and vision are essential, but it will fail to produce the desired effects unless the church leaders break the cycle of Pharisaical decision-making described earlier. Publicly declare these two values (in order of importance): “We will be biblical” and “We will be culturally relevant.” If an opportunity doesn’t contradict a clear biblical mandate or pattern, if it is feasible, and if it will enhance the relevance of your church’s ministry or environments, make it happen. STANDARDIZE A DECISION-MAKING PROCESS Most change efforts don’t survive beyond the decision-making process because that typically is when the tension between the new values (relevant and effective) and the old values (comfortable and popular) comes to a boil. Avoid endless debates, political maneuvering, and bad decisions with this standard list of questions that reflect the new values: Would this contradict a biblical principle or mandate? Would this help us be more relevant or effective? Why wouldn’t we make this change? Cross-reference your answers against the Pharisaical values listed earlier.
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DEVELOP AN ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM Habits are hard to break, even when a structured decision-making process exists that reinforces new values, attitudes, and behaviors. Old patterns are often deeply embedded; the desire to revert to the tried-and-true, familiar, and comfortable can be overwhelming as doubt creeps in, attacks increase, and the path forward seems unclear. Cultivate an environment in which church leaders have permission to acknowledge temptations to revert to old habits, to safely process the tensions, and to hold each other accountable for making strategic decisions. ANCHOR STRATEGIC DECISION-MAKING IN THE CHURCH’S CULTURE Organizational culture is similar to fabric intricately woven from hundreds of strings to achieve a specific feel, design, and function. Instead of strings, though, a church’s culture is comprised of its communication strategies, the language it uses, its physical environments, its branding, how resources are allocated, how it engages the community, and many other factors. To make strategic decisionmaking a permanent fixture, ensure that it is reflected in and reinforced and facilitated by every aspect of your church’s culture. SEEK OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE After new decision-making values are adopted and grounded into the church’s culture, actively seek opportunities to improve them. This requires proactive leaders who regularly evaluate every aspect of the church (using suggestion boxes, surveys, interviews, or other tools) and who then advocate for changes when appropriate. The key is for the church’s leaders, teachers, and teams, along with the facilities, communication, equipment, environments, activities, and ministries, to be regularly evaluated to ensure that they are effective and relevant. Countless forces are actively working to undermine the relevance and effectiveness of the local church, and sadly, some of them are permitted, and even encouraged, by the people entrusted to lead the congregation. But Christ’s bride deserves better, and a lost world desperately needs more than an internally focused and out-of-touch church down the street. Help propel your church to its kingdom potential by eliminating tradition, pride, personal comfort, and fear as values that drive decision-making. Instead, replace them with innovation, humility, self-sacrifice, and trust that God is able to do more than all we ask or imagine.
Jeffrey Derico serves as content specialist for the Center for Church Leadership and instructor for Cincinnati Christian University. He specializes in coaching and mentoring church leaders on topics such as church health and effectiveness, organizational leadership, and discipleship. C H RIS TIA N STA N DAR D
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/jeffrey.derico @jeffreyderico www.myccl.org
ARE Q : SHOULD A: NO. No, I’m neither a chauvinist nor a misogynist. Yes, I realize how unpopular the “traditional” position I’m about to defend has become. I admit that my wife and two daughters are smarter than me. I recognize women’s capabilities. I want them to become all they can be. But I also want to be true to the Word of God. What I am about to say about women leaders in the church is simply my best effort to be faithful to God and his design for men, women, family, and the church. I must admit, here at the start, my disappointment with how many invalid arguments
BE INVOLVED IN BY DALE CORNETT are attempted against the position I hold. I see repeated examples of dangerous hermeneutics (pitting Jesus against Paul or the Jewish Paul against the Christian Paul); unlikely definitions (“head” means “source,” “submission” means “consensus,” “have authority” means “usurp authority,” “speak” means “gossip” or “create a disturbance,” “be silent” means “don’t argue”); unwarranted culturalizing (Paul’s commands are only because women in Corinth and Ephesus weren’t educated or capable); and the ludicrous claim that submission is an admission of inferiority. Let’s be more honest.
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This month, Dale Cornett and Lorelei Pinney Nij take opposing positions on women's roles in the church.
CHURCH LEADERSHIP & PREACHING ROLES?
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In the arena of ideas and opinions, there needs to be a place for Christ-centered and Christ-honoring debate on nonessential issues. We will occasionally feature a debate like this in Christian Standard.
Rejecting the Extremes
The Roles of Women in Ministry
There are two extreme positions about women’s roles in the church, and I reject both of them. The first extreme is that women have the right (even duty) to do anything that men do in the church (egalitarianism). That viewpoint contends women should be denied no leadership position (including elder or preacher) merely on the basis of their gender. This opinion is based on passages such as Galatians 3:28 (“There is neither male nor female . . . in Christ Jesus”*); Acts 2:17 (both sexes are gifted by the Holy Spirit); 1 Corinthians 11:11, 12 (male and female are interdependent and equal); 1 Peter 2:9 (all Christians are “priests”); etc.
People hold several positions between these two extremes, but I have concluded the best position is this: Women’s ministries for the kingdom are primarily informal and private rather than formal and public. Let’s examine what the Bible says.
People who hold this position argue that gender distinctions have been removed. In partial reply, I contend that Galatians 3:28 is clearly speaking of inherent equality in Christ as heirs of the benefits of salvation. Another apostle says the same thing in 1 Peter 3:7, that a husband is to “show [his wife] honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life.” The apostle said this after spending the six previous verses telling the wife to be submissive to her husband. The other extreme I reject is heirarchicalism, the view that women are never to be speakers, teachers, or leaders in any religious matter (some think in any matter whatsoever). Rather, they should always be passive followers and restrict their activities primarily (or only) to domestic concerns. The chief support for this position comes from 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 and 1 Timothy 2:11-15. We will look at these two passages below, as they are the chief verses for supporting my position, as well. However, I agree with the majority of commentators on these two passages that they primarily forbid women from being the authoritative spokespersons to the assembled church. It is not legitimate, in my opinion, to extend those prohibitions to all times, places, and circumstances.
Women ought not speak in the public assembly of the church but should be silent (1 Corinthians 14:34, 35). Most translations connect verse 33b with verses 34 and 35 so that it means, “As in all the churches of the saints . . . the women are to keep silent in the churches . . .” (emphasis mine); the command is not for Corinth only, but for all churches, without distinction, regardless of the capability of the women. There were prophetesses in the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 11:5), but they were to be silent (14:35) in the assembly, “not permitted to speak” (14:34), since it would be “improper” (14:35; aischros, literally, “shameful, ugly”) for them to speak. Evidently these prophetesses could speak in private settings, but, even then, had to keep their heads covered (11:5, 10—a sign of submission to the male authorities in Greek culture). Paul was careful to state this wasn’t simply his opinion; rather, “the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment” (14:37).
No woman is ever pictured as publicly preaching in the New Testament—or, for that matter, in the Old Testament. Miriam, a prophetess, led the women of Israel in dancing and singing (Exodus 15:20, 21). Deborah, a prophetess, held private consultations with “the sons of Israel” when they came to her for advice (Judges 4:5). Huldah, a prophetess, gave the insights of God regarding Judah’s future to several representatives of King Josiah (2 Kings 22:14-20; 2 Chronicles 34:22-28).
OF DANGEROUS HER MENEUTI C S, UNLIK ELY DEFI N ITI ONS, UNWAR-
R ANTED CULTUR ALI Z I NG , AND THE
LUDI CROUS CL AI M THAT SUB M I SSI ON I S AN ADM I SSI ON OF I NFER I OR IT Y.
Women ought not teach in the public assembly of the church, but should learn (1 Timothy 2:11, 12; cf. 1 Corinthians 14:35). No woman is ever pictured as publicly teaching in the New Testament (or, again, in the Old).
Women and Authority
Women ought not have authority over men in the church (1 Timothy 2:12) but should be submissive (2:11; 1 Corinthians 14:34). This masculine authority in the church seems to reflect the creation order (Genesis 2:18-20; There is no indication in Scripture that these 1 Corinthians 11:7-10; 1 Timothy 2:13) and bans on public speaking and teaching in the seems to be an extension of the masculine assembly are culturally based. In 1 Timothy 2, authority in the home (Ephesians 5:22-33; two reasons are given, neither of which is Colossians 3:18; 1 Peter 3:1-7). It is logically cultural: the priority of Adam in creation (v. improper, then, for a woman to dominate 13), and the priority of “the woman” (Eve) in men in any church function. deception (v. 14). The reasons go back to creation and the fall. It is seldom noted that the No woman is ever pictured as an apostle or word first in verse 13 is not an adverb, telling an elder (the authority positions) in the New when Adam was created (before Eve), but an Testament. Jesus had the perfect opportunity to show he wanted women to take posiadjective; Adam was formed “as first” or “to tions of leadership by appointing one as an be first” as a matter of position.
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I SEE REPE ATED E X AM PLES
apostle, but he didn’t. Elders are specifically to be “the husband of one wife,” or, a “onewoman man” (aner means male; 1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:6). The elders in the Jerusalem church were all “brethren” (Acts 15:23). There is no biblical example where this prohibition of female leadership is set aside. Though Miriam was a prophetess, when she tried to usurp authority over Moses, God struck her with leprosy and caused her to “bear her shame” for seven days (Numbers 12:1-15). Though Deborah was the prophet, it was Barak, a man, who led other men into battle against Sisera (Judges 4:14). Wider application of the above Scriptures suggest to me that women ought not give an offering or Communion meditation, and perhaps not even lead the congregation in singing/worship if they are going to (as they should) give little lessons or sermonettes between the songs. And 1 Timothy 2:8 suggests that it is God’s will for men (andras, male persons) to lead every congregation in public prayer. The Contributions of Women in Ministry
As I said above, women are super capable to serve God in a multitude of informal and private ministries. We must challenge them to assess their gifts, ascertain the church’s needs, and find places to serve. Women can even serve in the public assemblies. Nothing prohibits women from singing or playing an instrument as part of a music ministry (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; Ezra 2:65; Nehemiah 7:67); there were male and female singers in the temple services). Though Old Testament women could not serve as priests, they could serve in the tabernacle (Exodus 38:8; cf. Anna in Luke 2:36-38)—they served in positions of service, not authority. Similarly, women can usher, greet, pass offering and Communion trays, etc., in our assemblies.
Just as the Bible writers laud the service ministries of Priscilla, Phoebe, Dorcas, Euodia, Syntyche, Lydia, several Marys, and dozens of other women, churches today should openly affirm the contributions made to the kingdom by women. Women typically work harder than men and are more reliable. Their unique skills must be utilized. Older women are commanded to teach the younger women in Titus 2:3-5, though, admittedly, more on their practical duties as wives than on doctrinal matters. But one woman did, in fact, teach a man on doctrinal matters without any hint of disapproval in the text— Aquila and Priscilla taught Apollos “the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:26). I believe women should be employed as “deaconesses” (1 Timothy 3:8-11; Romans 16:1, 2) and leaders of certain ministry teams, especially those involving other women and benevolent ministries to care for the needy, abused, sick, elderly, widows, orphans, etc. (1 Timothy 5:10; Acts 9:36-42). Women should, like Priscilla, be engaged in evangelism. There are scores of ways women can serve God, but only a few where they should not. *All Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible. Dale Cornett recently retired in Boise, Idaho, following 37 years as professor of Greek and New Testament at Boise Bible College.
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Q: A:
SHOULD BE INVOL VED IN CH U R CH L E A D E R S HIP A ND P R E A CH ING R OL E S ? Y ES.
BY LORELEI PINNEY NIJ
It is incredible the modern church remains mired in the centuries-old debate of the role of women in ministry. In the late 1970s, when I was a senior at Dallas Christian College, one of my professors challenged me to examine this topic using only Scripture as my prooftext. It was enlightening and empowering to discover the principle limitations on women were not divinely inspired but were placed on them by men.
Jesus’ View of Women
Women in the New Testament Church
I explored this question first: “How did Jesus treat women and what did he teach about women?” It is relevant that Jesus overthrew centuries of Jewish laws and customs. He treated men and women as equals, which was contrary to normal behavior of the time. His actions toward women were revolutionary. Here are a few examples:
Not only does the New Testament speak of the revolutionary way Jesus validated women and went against cultural norms, many women are mentioned in the historical account of the early New Testament church. • Priscilla likely was at least as well educated as her husband, Aquila, and she probably held a higher social standing. Both Priscilla and Aquila were named as teachers of • He ignored the laws of ritual impurity the Way and both contributed to the mis(Mark 5:25-34). sionary education of Apollos (see Acts 18). • He spoke to foreign women (John 4:7-26). • Women opened their houses and shared • He entrusted a woman with the first dectheir resources for the betterment of the laration of his purpose on earth and she church: Lydia (Acts 16:13-15); Phoebe (Robecame one of the first evangelists (John mans 16:1, 2), whom Paul called a sister, a 4:13-42). deacon, and benefactor (the verb form of that last term is proistanai, which is used • Jesus used terminology that put women on of male church leaders elsewhere in the the same level as men (Luke 13:16). New Testament); and Junia (Romans 16:7), • Jesus forgave a woman’s sins (John 8:11). whom was referred to as an apostle. • He accepted women in his inner circle • Women were referred to as prophets, peo(Luke 8:1-3). ple who spoke for God. In the early church, • He appeared first to one or more women afprophets provided guidance (Acts 13:1-4), ter his resurrection (John 8:11-18; Matthew instruction (1 Corinthians 14:31), strength28:8-10). ening, encouraging, comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3), and the most desirable of the spiri• At his execution, among his followers, maintual gifts (1 Corinthians 14:1). Acts 21:9 says ly women were present (Mark 15:40, 41). Philip had four unmarried daughters who • Women were the first to testify of his prophesied. resurrection (John 20:18). • Jesus commended the faith and ac- • Women were identified as evangelists. Evangelists were men and women who tions of women as examples to be preached the gospel of the death and resfollowed. urrection of Jesus Christ. Euodia and Syntyche of Philippi were female coworkers of Paul, of whom he said had “contended at my side for the cause of the gospel” (Philippians 4:2, 3). Having established that women in the New Testament were evangelists, prophets, deacons, and one was even referred to as an apostle, we must move on to the difficult task of understanding the two prooftexts that have been used by men for years to silence women in the church.
M I N I S TRY, I DO NOT DESI R E TO RULE OVER MEN .
I S TO B E ALLOWED
TO TAK E THE MESSAGE OF CHR I S T
AND HI S LOVE TO THE NATI ONS, I N -
SI DE AND OUT SI DE OF THE A SSEM B LY. Women and Remaining Silent
Paul wrote, “Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church” (1 Corinthians 14:34, 35). The passage, in context, logically refers to speaking in “tongues” or prophesying. The Word laleo in Greek is often translated as “useless and senseless babble or gossip.” A literal reading of the text as proof that women are never to speak in the congregation would directly contradict 1 Corinthians 11 (the same letter) when Paul specifically said that when a woman prays or prophesies in the congregation she should do so with a covering on her head. (She would have hair, in other words, unlike the shaven heads of prophetesses of the time.) This portion of Scripture obviously was speaking of the assembly of the saints because it flowed directly into instructions about the Lord’s Supper. Why would Paul instruct women to pray or prophesy with their head covered (or under a sign of authority) and three chapters later instruct them to never speak?
The first problem is that in the preceding verses (1 Corinthians 14:26-33), Paul instructed both the people speaking in tongues and the prophets to remain silent. This text seems to apply to both males and females. Another problem is that the word frequently translated “women” can also refer to “wives”; since verse 35 refers to “their own husbands,” it is logical that “women” in verse 34 should be translated “wives.” Since the entirety of 1 Corinthians 14 refers to chaos and disorder during the church service, it is logical to interpret Paul’s instruction as not forbidding speech but, instead, banning distracting chatter . . . talking and asking questions out loud during the teaching. If a woman did not understand something, it is logical she would ask her husband to explain it to her. Thus Paul admonished women to listen in silence, and if they needed clarification, to ask their husbands when they got home. The message of this passage is clear: Respect one another during public worship. Show love by remaining silent when others are speaking so that those around you can listen and learn. Nothing more, nothing less.
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A S A WOMAN SERVI NG I N
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Women and Teaching/Authority
Paul also wrote the second prooftext in question: “A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man” (1 Timothy 2:11, 12). Again, Paul did not believe a woman must be silent at all times (recall his instructions in 1 Corinthians 11). This text says that the “woman should learn . . . in full submission.” However, are women to be in full submission to all men? Or should they learn in full submission to their man? In traditional translations of this passage, the most problematic issue is the rendering of the verb authentein as “authority.” This word is used only here in Scripture and rarely in extra-biblical texts, where it usually is associated with aggression and sometimes even murder. The Latin Vulgate translated this word as “domineering” and “aggression.” Since Paul usually used the word exousia when referring to the use of authority in the church, it is likely Paul was objecting to something other than the legitimate use of authority. It is possible the verb didaskein is linked to the verb authentein by a conjunction, making them equal and a single point. This would make the meaning of the passage, “I forbid women to teach in an abusive, aggressive, and domineering way.” This interpretation would be in harmony with the rest of the chapter. An interpretation should not contradict the rest of the author’s teaching. In Galatians 3:28, Paul expressly stated there is not “male and female,” thus giving prominence to equality. In other passages he mentioned both males and females as co-laborers in the gospel. Above all, interpretation should not contradict the overall teaching in the New Testament, especially the example and teaching of Jesus. In the
Gospels, Jesus never suggested that women’s roles were to be secondary or limited in the community of faith, even when he had the opportunity to do so. I honestly think, all exegesis aside, speaking from 40 years of teaching experience, that in 1 Timothy 2 Paul was addressing a problem of women trying to domineer and establish dominion and authority over others, not just men. I find it significant that Christ, from the beginning of his ministry, taught and exemplified that authority is established by an attitude of service. Paul used the word servant over and over when he referred to himself and his ministry. As a teacher, and especially when I instruct teenagers, I need to establish my authority in the classroom. I do not establish it by yelling, demanding, punishing, or even enforcing rules (law). My classroom authority is established by many things: my firm, quiet spirit; my confidence; my consistency; my knowledge; because the teenagers know I mean exactly what I say; and (most of all) because those teenagers know I love them dearly and will go to Hell’s gate if necessary to rip them from Satan’s grip. They know I will love them, defend them, and go to war for them, but they also know I will hold their feet to the fire, demand their best, and accept no excuses. I personally believe there were women in the church in Ephesus who perhaps used their economic status or some other means to try to domineer, control, and manipulate the church. I believe Paul was speaking to a heart attitude—an attitude of dominance. Over and over, Paul exhorted the early Christians to submit to Christ, their rulers, and each other. The instruction was always to submit to one another out of love (Ephesians 5:21-33), not dominate.
Weigh in! Tell us what you think on this issue by searching for the article title at ChristianStandard.com. Also . . . tell us what other debatable issues we should discuss “In the Arena.”
As a woman serving in ministry, I do not desire to rule over men. The only thing I ask is to be allowed to take the message of Christ and his love to the nations, inside and outside of the assembly. I ask to be allowed to teach the things that God in his grace and others in their wisdom have taught me. I ask to teach anyone who will listen. That is the fire that burns within me. As Amos said, “The lion has roared—so who isn’t frightened? The Sovereign Lord has spoken—so who can refuse to proclaim his message?” (Amos 3:8, New Living Translation). I ask this for myself and for hundreds of other devout Christian women who long to preach the Word, and teach others, and follow the calling Christ put upon their lives. Lorelei Pinney Nij directs and administrates Morning Glory Christian Academy, a private school in San Raymundo, Guatemala. She graduated from Dallas Christian College, attended Cincinnati Bible Seminary, and has worked on the mission field since 1979. She has taught Christian education classes at Colegio Biblico.
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Ministry Rebrands to Reach the 1 Billion-Plus People in the World Who Live with a Disability
II
TRANSFORMING ABILITY
by ryan wolfe
God is writing a story of transformation at Ability Ministry. Richard Rohr wrote, “Transformed people transform people.” It is a simple yet profound statement. An outward transformation in the world must start with an inward transformation. This was the case in September 1981 when Sam Stone, then editor of Christian Standard, went to visit his parents at Mount Healthy Christian Home in Cincinnati. Sam surely never realized the transformative work God would begin that day. At that senior housing facility, Sam met resident Marjorie Broxon, who had cerebral palsy and was in a wheelchair. She spoke slowly. “You know I like it here,” she said. “There are good folks operating the home. But all the other residents here are a lot older than me and I don’t have a chance to do many things I’m able to do and want to do. I wish our churches provided a home to help handicapped people.” “Well, yes, that would be nice,” Sam agreed, “but you know it would take a lot of money to build a facility like that.” Without hesitation, she responded, “It took a lot of money to build Mount Healthy Home, too.”
rebral palsy. As Sam considered Marjorie and Greg, he thought of the people affected by disability in the churches at which he had ministered. These people, along with Marjorie, all shared the same need: a place of belonging.
The Start of a New Ministry Long story short, Sam Stone acted on this conviction. He began meeting with several other Restoration Movement church leaders. After long periods of prayer and consultation, a new ministry was announced in the January 29, 1984, issue of Christian Standard. The Christian Churches Foundation for the Handicapped (CCFH) soon launched a residential ministry for adults affected by disability. And it was triggered by an interaction Sam Stone had with Marjorie Broxon, who desired to see her circumstances altered. Sam’s willingness to listen to God’s promptings helped to transform his worldview from the inside out. Dr. Jim Pierson became CCFH’s first executive director. Under his leadership, the first resident moved into Riverwood Christian Community in Louisville, Tennessee, in August 1986. The ministry grew, and a second home was added to the Riverwood campus in 1993.
Over the next 20-plus years, CCFH provided residential care with an unmatched level of excellence and Christian love. And to this day, Riverwood conThose words stuck with Sam. He knew firsthand tinues to transform the lives of 28 adults and their the challenge of helping people with disabilities. His wife Gwen’s youngest brother, Greg, also had ce- respective families.
TRANSFORMED people TRANSFORM people
IN 1984, A RESIDENTIAL MINISTRY FOR ADULTS AFFECTED BY DISABILITY WAS ANNOUNCED IN THE PAGES OF CHRISTIAN
STANDARD. IT WAS TRIGGERED BY AN INTERACTION EDITOR SAM STONE HAD WITH A WOMAN WHO DESIRED TO SEE HER CIRCUMSTANCES ALTERED.
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A New Name and New Vision for the Future
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In January 2009, CCFH welcomed Gary Spangler as its new executive director. Gary’s business background was needed because of CCFH’s financial situation. Gary quickly learned that providing top-notch residential care faced two financial hurdles: (1) CCFH accepted no government funding, and (2) the ministry relied on church and individual support. After several months of worrying about the organization’s finances, Gary’s wife, Becky, bluntly told him, “You know, it’s not your ministry. It’s God’s. I’m sorry, but you are not the focal point of whether this ministry succeeds or fails. It’s God’s decision.” Gary sought the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, and after several years, the ministry’s finances stabilized. Under his leadership, the organization was renamed the Christian Churches Disability Ministry (CCDM). And while CCDM continued to achieve good results, Gary again felt the stirring of the Holy Spirit. It seemed to him like something was missing. Gary knew CCDM was helping transform the lives of 28 adults and their families, but the world has more than 7 billion people. Far more people with disabilities needed Jesus. Gary felt the burden to expand CCDM’s ministry, but wasn’t sure where to start. He knew that if he changed nothing, nothing would change. So, Gary prayed that God would guide him.
That’s how Gary and I came to meet. At the time I was full-time disability ministry pastor at First Christian Church in Canton, Ohio. I shared some statistics and thoughts with Gary: - More than 1 billion people in the world live with a disability, making it one of the world’s largest unreached people groups and the only mission field that exists in every community around the world. - Fewer than 10 percent of churches in America have an intentional outreach to their disability community . . . more than 350,000 churches have no such ministry. - The Bible is not silent on disability ministry. Jesus commanded the religious leadership of his day to actively reach out to the disability community (Luke 14:21). Paul boldly stated that people affected by disability are indispensable to the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:22). God is the author of disability (Exodus 4:11, 12). God allows disability for a divine purpose (John 9:1-3). The Holy Spirit confirmed for Gary the need to move forward as an organization to reach the 1 billion-plus people in the world who live with a disability. Jesus told his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” (Luke 10:2), and Gary very much identified with that statement. He knew he could not tackle this task alone. He offered me a position in the ministry in September 2017, with the understanding I would eventually become president. Upon accepting the offer, I was charged with transforming the organization.
Transforming the Organization CCDM leaders consider residential ministry to be its heart and soul—it gave birth to the ministry and will always remain. Rhonna S. McBride leads the ministry’s Riverwood and New Hope communities with an unmatched level of excellence. Having said that, for CCDM to expand beyond its 28 residents, it needed to focus all its energy on building something new. In late 2017,
CCDM again changed its name, simplifying it to Ability Ministry. The name change came with a new focus and a total ministry rebrand. In just 12 months since then, Ability Ministry has witnessed God’s transformative power at work around the globe. Its victories include these: -The ministry is providing free consultation and training to almost 100 churches and organizations, with some training resulting in baptisms. -We are creating resources that are being used worldwide: a devotional study book (My Friends, My Teachers) designed to organically launch disability ministry outreach through small groups; partnering with Joni & Friends to publish Helping with Life Transitions; creating an online church locator tool; and creating 12 months of curriculum for teens and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. -Ability Ministry’s curriculum is being used in America, Canada, South Africa, Europe, and Australia. -Ability Ministry is influencing the leaders of today and tomorrow; its representatives speak at multiple conferences and also guest teach at Johnson University. With an eye fixed on reaching the 1 billion-plus people worldwide who live with a disability, Ability Ministry has many exciting plans for this year, including: centralized training for multiple churches; launching new children’s ministry curriculum; releasing a new adult sermon series for churches; expanding its church locator tool; building out its free resource library for churches; and expanding its residential ministry. Ability Ministry wants to help churches transform their view and outreach to the largest unreached community in the world. If churches won’t reach out to their communities, who will? Jesus wasn’t selective when talking to the religious leaders of his day in Luke 14. He issued a command for all in church leadership. It wasn’t a command just for megachurches. Ability Ministry is passionate about equipping and empowering churches to reach their disability communities for Christ. This ministry outreach is exciting and like no other. It needn’t be feared. It isn’t complicated. It may be the most fun you will ever have in ministry. Ability Ministry is so determined to reach the plentiful harvest, that we will work with your church for free, offering consultation. If your church is one of the more than 90 percent that currently don’t have any intentional outreach to the disability community, you should contact Ability Ministry today at www.abilityministry.com/consulting/.
Ability Ministry president Ryan Wolfe is passionate about equipping and empowering churches, organizations, and individuals to reach their disability communities for Jesus.
@ryanewolfe
@abilityministry
@ryanewolfe
@abilityministry /abilityministry
THE FORTIFICATION of the RESTORATION MOVEMENT BY STEVE CARR
PART T HREE of a th r e e -p a rt s e r ie s
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“Well I get that, but what kind of Christian?” “Um, just Christian.” Growing up on Cincinnati’s west side, where Roman Catholicism reigned supreme, I constantly had this exchange with kids at school. Raised in a Restoration Movement congregation, I was taught that our church was simply Christian—nothing more, nothing less. It wasn’t until years later in seminary that I learned another biblical name that could describe my tribe. Alexander Campbell was repulsed that some referred to his group as “Campbellites,” so he sought a more biblical description of our fellowship. Terms like Presbyterian or Episcopalian described a system of church governance, and no one in the New Testament claimed those titles. Additionally, names like Lutheran and even Campbellite emphasized an individual over Christ. Seeing that Disciple was frequently used to describe believers in the New Testament, Campbell used this term and it stuck. And yet, by the late 1970s and early 1980s, the moniker Disciples was despised by many Bible-believing Christians in the Restoration Movement. Many avoided it because they felt it had been misappropriated. In this final installment of this series, I want to discuss the fortification of the Restoration Movement. A term more familiar than fortification is gatekeeping—the idea that certain people get to define who is in or out of a group. Fortification was well established in the movement when I was reared: While we were Christians only, we were also extremely selective about whom we partnered with or read or listened to. Growing up, I thought fortification was always part of the movement’s identity. Apparently I was mistaken.
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"W hat rel i g ion a re you?" "Ch r i st ia n."
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T he O r i g i n s of T he olog ic a l L ib era l i sm
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Detailing the events that led to our split with the Disciples of Christ is challenging; it spans nearly a century, and most of the events that led to the fracture were anticlimactic—the result of smaller tremors that occurred years before. Additionally, many issues behind the rift were theological in nature and tend to be more complex than most of us care to explore. But more than anything, the conflict was over theological liberalism. First, let’s define liberal in this context. In America today, liberalism bears political baggage. In a political context, liberal is a comparative term—a position away from the median—meaning the opposite of conservatism. Generally conservatism is associated with tradition and liberalism with freedom. When thinking about the three streams of our movement, the median is regularly ascribed to our stream, the independent Christian churches. The more conservative position is that of the churches of Christ (noninstrumental), and the liberal position belongs to the Disciples of Christ. Theological liberalism is a counter-orthodox view of the Bible. It turns its back on thousands of years of biblical interpretation and considers the Bible to be more human and less divine. Its roots stem from Europe and developed years before our movement existed. Numerous books have been written on this topic, so I’ll refrain from going deeper now, but historical criticism, the social gospel, and Darwinism influenced some church leaders to create new ways of viewing the Bible. As a result, the authority of the Bible was weakened and the eternal mission of the church was minimized. Eventually this theology made its way across the Atlantic Ocean and, after the Civil War, changed the way churches would preach and teach the Bible. For a movement that spent its formative years calling for a return to New Testament Christianity, the stakes could not have been higher.
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T he I n f i lt rat ion of T he olog ic a l L ib era l i sm The influence of theological liberalism slowly appeared through various issues, but the simplest way to frame this conflict is to examine how it impacted pastoral training. While there were plenty of seminaries throughout America at the turn of the 20th century, very few taught our movement’s ideals. In the late 1800s some of our movement’s ministry students started to enroll at the University of Chicago. A robust gift from John D. Rockefeller helped establish Chicago’s divinity school as one of the Midwest’s most respected seminaries. Not only was it a Baptist institution, it was also a hotbed for theological liberalism. Herbert Willett founded the Disciples Divinity House at the University of Chicago in 1894. He wanted ministry students from the movement to have a stable base from which to navigate their theological training while gaining exposure to Restoration ideals. While Willett was educated at Campbell’s Bethany College, he also studied at Yale Divinity School, where he became a proponent of theological liberalism. Though the Divinity House taught the traditions of our movement, students were encouraged to integrate a theologically liberal view of the Scriptures into their ministry philosophy. The high view of the Bible, which was once inseparable from our movement, was taught as an archaic inconvenience. The theology taught at Chicago subsequently infected the College of the Bible in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded at the conclusion of the Civil War, it rivaled Bethany College as one of the most respected ministry training centers in our movement. At about the time Willett started Divinity House, J.W. McGarvey was named president at College of the Bible. McGarvey was an unquestioned conservative and made sure professors used the Bible as their primary textbook. Still, within just a few years of McGarvey’s death in 1911, the entire faculty at the College of the Bible was populated with professors influenced by the
theological liberalism of the University of Chicago. The shift at the school was largely unnoticed by movement churches until a student there mailed a letter to all the college trustees and supporting churches to reveal the liberalism. Immediately, movement publications began to argue about the teaching at College of the Bible; the controversy played out in the pages of Christian Standard. College trustees were coerced into conducting an investigation of the faculty, but the proceedings were a farce— the trustees were firmly behind the faculty and determined that they were without fault. This was a pivotal moment in our movement. To offset the theological liberalism taught in Lexington, ministry schools were started in Cincinnati, Louisville, and Grayson, Kentucky. Within a four-decade period, approximately two dozen new Bible colleges and seminaries were established. The battle lines had been drawn, and our movement fortified for the fight.
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T he Fi g ht A g a i n st T he olog ic a l L ib era l i sm Other church networks found themselves in similar fights with theological liberalism; in the following decades, many mainline denominations rejected biblical orthodoxy. In response to the erosion of both cultural and theological liberalism, many in our movement embraced fundamentalism. Fundamentalism elevated certain fundamentals of faith that one needed to endorse in order to be considered orthodox; this included affirming the inspiration of Scripture, the virgin birth, substitutionary atonement, and the belief in biblical miracles. Many in our movement fought under the banner of fundamentalism in their battle against the Disciples. My alma mater, Cincinnati Bible Seminary, became the movement’s flagship institution for fundamentalist values. As in any conflict, there will always be collateral damage, but the fight with the Disciples was far more traumatic than the split with the churches of Christ. The break with the Disciples not only included personal attacks but the filing of lawsuits; some movement leaders were forced to retain legal representation when they were sued for libel. The fight was so vicious people were forced to pick a side: Are you for or against the Disciples? In the late 1940s, Christian Standard began printing lists of leaders, churches, and organizations that were faithful to the Scriptures. And when these became too long, the McLean family in Springfield, Illinois, began publishing The Directory of the Ministry to serve as a more complete listing of the Bible-believing institutions in our movement. In 1948, a Disciples commission was created to explore a potential restructuring of their churches. Twenty years later, at the International Convention of Christian Churches, the Disciples of Christ voted to become a full-fledged denomination. Conflict continued to occur after 1968, but the fracture was complete; there were now
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Yet even after the split, our fellowship’s fortifying posture was not abandoned. Church leaders lived in fear of the next theological scandal and became paranoid of anything that had even the appearance of liberalism. While we insisted we kept “no creed but Christ,” there definitely was a creedal approach to our essentials. Fifty years after the split, our fortification prohibits us from living out our movement’s plea for unity.
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three distinct tribes within the Restoration Movement: the churches of Christ, the independents, and the Disciples.
EVEN OF
THE
APPEARANCE
LIBERALISM.
WE
INSISTED
WHILE
WE
KEPT
“NO CREED BUT CHRIST,” THERE A
DEFINITELY
CREEDAL
TO
OUR
WAS
APPROACH ESSENTIALS.
FIFTY YEARS AFTER THE SPLIT,
OUR
FORTIFICA-
TION PROHIBITS US FROM LIVING
OUT
OUR
MOVE-
MENT’S PLEA FOR UNITY. SO
HOW
SHOULD
MOVEMENT TY OUR WE
WHILE SOUL? MUST
SEEK NOT
OUR UNI-
LOSING
OBVIOUSLY, NOT
WAIVER
FROM OUR HIGH VIEW OF
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Bre a k i n g Dow n t he Wa l l s So how should our movement seek unity while not losing our soul? Obviously, we must not waiver from our high view of Scripture, but we must create space to walk with other believers. We could learn much from the ministry of James DeForest Murch (1892–1973). I’ll admit straightaway: Murch is my movement hero. Even though he passed away before I was born, I feel a kinship toward him. He wasn’t perfect, to be sure, but he was thoughtful—if not a tad arrogant. A few years ago, I was talking with an older movement leader who had spent considerable time with Murch. I asked him if my idolization was misplaced. “Was he a good man?” I inquired. And much to my relief, I learned that he was. Murch’s professional life took place in the midst of the Disciples conflict. While he was passionate about biblical fidelity, he couldn’t bring himself to vilify his opponents. He lifted up the authority of the Scriptures while refuting the Disciples’ positions in the pulpit and in publications. But Murch always led with love. As the Disciples became more liberal, Murch continued to fellowship with them; he disagreed with their view of biblical authority, but was convinced the Disciples would never return to the true faith if they
were shunned. He refused to blacklist people and, unfortunately, this hurt his reputation; he was routinely criticized for his resistance to fortification. Murch championed Restoration values beyond the conflict with the Disciples. While many in our movement built fortifications, he viewed the unity plea as an opportunity to collaborate with the growing evangelical movement. In 1950, Murch convinced a young revivalist named Billy Graham to come to Cincinnati for a crusade. Even though the event was a huge success, nearly all the movement churches in the city refused to participate. Until his dying day, Murch lived for the movement. In his autobiography he wrote, I love the Brotherhood. . . . Throughout the years I have maintained fellowship with a great company of brethren across extra-congregational lines—a fellowship which has not in the least caused me to compromise my convictions grounded in the Word of God. I shall continue to do this because I think Christ would have me do it and regardless of whether others like it or not. Not only am I a disciple of Jesus, when it comes to our movement, I think I’m a disciple of Murch as well.
Steve Carr is vice president of ministry development with CDF Capital. His thoughts on the Restoration Movement and ministry can be found at houseofcarr.com.
SPIRE
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The Beatles’ 1965 hit “Help!” with its lyr-
ics, “I need somebody . . . not just anybody,” seems to serve double duty—it’s both a song for joyful dancing with friends and a song for when we’re in pain and wondering how we can survive our current mess. All leaders of Restoration Movement Christian churches and churches of Christ have sat around a table at one time or another wondering how in the world they can achieve a great vision God has planted in their hearts. The lyrics of this song might well describe the emotions they feel as they sit praying together with heads bowed but without the tools they need to turn their vision into a reality.
Find the Right Tools If only growing the church were as easy as pulling out a recipe book and picking up the necessary items at a store. But what would we pull off the shelves and put into our shopping carts?
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Maybe we would start with a great pastor with a rock-solid marriage who inspires every person he meets by preaching biblical truth, proclaiming that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Maybe we would throw in an engaged and supportive elder board. Add to that, congregants who enthusiastically invite and bring their neighbors and friends. We would pick out a perfect new building with enough seats for the Easter crowd and a parking lot with enough spaces to accommodate every car that enters. We’d have to grab a marketing package with graphics and videos plus all the associated technical equipment necessary to create a great worship experience. We couldn’t forget a fabulous staff to cover every ministry need. We’d need a lender who believes in the potential of this great church and a friend who knows the ins and outs of construction projects to ensure our contractor is carrying out our plans. Let’s be honest, dreaming is cheap, but these items are hard to come by and include a hefty price tag, if one can find them at all! The value of key relationships and the impact they have on the productivity and growth of the Christian church has become increasingly clear. As a lead pastor walks the construction site of a potential new building and envisions the people he knows will come, he must consider several important things . . . plus the less important reality that he’s wearing the wrong shoes for this mud. This thought occurs to him: If I can’t even get my shoe choice right, how in the world am I going to communicate with construction workers in hard hats, call out change orders, ensure that costs aren’t getting out of hand, and sniff out exaggerations about the completion timeline? And if this weren’t enough, there’s the added weight of paying for this vision. Seminary doesn’t prepare a minister for construction jobs, capital campaigns, leadership meltdown, or negotiating with legal eagles representing a bigbox retailer whose recently closed property you are trying to purchase.
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Connect with the Right Counselors The Scriptures teach, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety” (Proverbs 11:14, English Standard Version). For a church to fully achieve its vision of reaching the lost, it’s imperative there be an abundance of good counselors surrounding a church leader. But how does one find these people? Certainly not by flipping through the yellow pages. With ministry professionals busier than ever before and conferences being either too general or too specific, where does one go to meet the right people? Dave Dummitt, lead pastor of 2|42 Community Church in Brighton, Michigan, called a friend who called a friend. Ultimately, that friend put boots on the ground and helped fulfill Dave’s vision of a community center full of soccer fields and children as they reached the community in the name of Christ. A retired pastor heard through the grapevine that Matt Wilson of Conway, South Carolina, was looking for help, so he knocked on Matt’s door. That pastor connected Wilson with people who helped bring to life his vision for Ekklesia Christian Church. Last September when Hurricane Florence hit the coast of South Carolina, Ekklesia had the highest spot in town and was able to lead a team that fed 3,500 people a day for weeks after the storm. Ekklesia tripled in size during construction of their building because they were faithful in the midst of a catastrophe. Orpheus J. Heyward of Renaissance Church of Christ (formerly known as West End
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Church of Christ) in Atlanta, Georgia, searched the Internet for the help he needed when every other bank kept telling him, “sorry, not right now.” Heyward’s searches led to relationships that helped fulfill his vision for a new 78,000-sqare-foot building. His perseverance did not go unnoticed by God! Elmer Sembly, who pastors the Church of Christ in Woodlawn in the Baltimore, Maryland, area, met a helpful friend through a lectureship meeting where a banker was given an award for courage. He asked questions, did his due diligence, and the church recently moved into a 25,000-square-foot converted office building. Their ministry is growing. Jeff Aenk serves as lead pastor with New Hope Christian Church in Thornton, Colorado, a very challenging part of Denver. Aenk met a friend through endless phone calls. New Hope was faced with losing their space in a retail center because their landlord planned to triple their rent. The congregation stepped up, purchased the old Thornton library, and converted it into a church. The church is a beacon of light to a neighborhood where there was little hope until New Hope showed up. Cleavon Matthews at Bold Believers Church of Christ in Dayton, Ohio, took a watchand-learn approach as he saw many of his church of Christ brothers and sisters call out for help. BBCC had outgrown its facility and ultimately found an old, abandoned Jewish synagogue and moved into it. Today the church is reaching more people for Jesus Christ.
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Make the Call! What do all these stories have in common? Each pastor and church called out for help. They picked up the phone, went through their contacts, searched the web, faithfully prayed that God would spread the word of their need, and worked every angle and contact they had. They persevered when they could have given up. Each of these leaders humbled himself to the fact that he needed a helpful friend to spread the news. “Help! I need somebody! . . . Not just anybody!” Cries for help such as these go out again and again. “Help! Our pastor has had moral failure.” “Help! The Denny’s diner that closed next door would make the perfect café for our church, but they won’t talk to me because I have no buying power.” “Help! I don’t have an elder board and have no clue how to set one up.” “Help! I need ideas for the best equipment to buy or rent for our worship center.” “Help! I have never run a capital campaign.” “Help! I need to put the engine of the local church to work in the way God designed.” Sometimes it feels as if there are two outs in the bottom of the 9th inning in the 7th game of the World Series; the count is full and the pressure is great. Concentration, dedication, focus, and timing can make the difference in hitting the walk-off homer! Does it have to feel like the doors are closing before you finally make that last call for help? It might be a call you have long avoided, but can put off no longer, no matter the pain involved. That is the story that brought help to Christian Standard and The Lookout two years ago. That very last call for help, the call made when the door was almost shut, was the call that enabled them to continue publishing. We are better together than apart. Leading is not always easy and many discover they learn the most when times are tough. Independence is one of the greatest attributes of the Restoration Movement . . . and it can also be our Achilles’ heel unless we take the initiative to network within our great movement. Reach out when you are in need and see what God can do! These are just a few of the stories of The Solomon Foundation! “Help churches get to the next step” is Solomon’s fourth core value. Helping is what we do best! Reach out to us at www.thesolomonfoundation.org or (855) 873-5873 and let us help you in your vision today!
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INTERACT YES . . . FREE! Thank you, friends, for making the e-version of Christian Standard available for free online! I heard from a “little bird” this might happen, and I’ve been checking back each week for when it was ready. I’ve got it now! Keep up God’s great work and sharing with the rest of the church family.
LeRoy Christian Church @LRChristChurch
Check out the Christmas edition of the @ChrStandard online. It’s free!
Aaron Lincoln via Facebook
We want to help get the word out. Christian Standard and The Lookout are now FREE! All you need to do is visit their website and sign up for free. I use it every week for study and devotions and prayer time. You can join with me in helping spread the word . . . please like and share! Matthew James Craig Senior Minister at First Christian Church of Scottsburg, Indiana via Facebook
SILENT NIGHT Appreciate this song so much more now that I have its historical context [“Silent Night: The Real Message of the Classic Christmas Carol . . . Then and Now,” by BJ Krug, p. 54, December 2018]. Well-written article for anyone who would like to learn more about a familiar song. Richard Riddle via Facebook
LESSON ON HOSPITALITY
SIMPLE AND PROFOUND
During my reading, I smiled and I cried [“The Gospel Comes with a House Key,” by Matt Proctor, p. 48, December 2018]. This lesson on hospitality is something I needed to hear. It’s a fresh look at the arrival of God’s biggest gift and it involves the key to my front door. Thanks for writing.
As usual from this author, both simple and profound at the same time [“The Christmas Vision,” by Daniel Schantz, p. 18, December 2018].
Ralph Shead via website
Anthony Beaverson via website
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BIBLITICALLY CORRECT The flagship publication of the independent Christian churches and churches of Christ doing satire [Biblitically Correct, “The Church of Christ Nativity Heist,” by After Class Podcast, p. 80, December 2018]. This just makes me smile. Bob Morehead via Facebook C H RIS TIA N STAN DA R D
For space, length, readability, relevance, and civility, comments sent to Interact may remain unpublished or be edited. We do read them all and prayerfully take them to heart. If we publish your comment, we will try to honestly reproduce your thoughts with those considerations in mind. Where we disagree, let’s continue to keep P.H. Welshimer’s words in mind to “disagree without being disagreeable.” - 79 -
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SIMULSERVE CHRISTIAN CHURCH From After Class Podcast Life is short. Who has time to work, sleep, exercise, entertain oneself, and go to church? Here at Simulserve Christian Church, we feel your pain. Come join us and experience transformative worship in the company of fellow believers each week without neglecting everyday tasks that simply must get done. Our state-of-the-art, multilevel worship silo is designed to serve busy people like you. Speedy elevators and moving walkways that surround the perimeter of our innovative 360-degree silo provide quick and ready access to a wide variety of personalized Simulsuites. Inside each one, you will enjoy front-row visibility of the centralized revolving worship platform plus the ability to check at least one major item off your to-do list. Need to burn some calories? Head to level 4 where treadmills, fan bikes, and elliptical machines line the balcony and provide optimal viewing of center stage. Need to decompress? Head to level 6’s Simulspa, where you can enjoy a healing touch massage or a timely mani-pedi before your big trip. Looking to make a buck? Place your bets on lucky level 7. Wager on how many times the preacher will touch his heart or tear up for dramatic effect. Or simply bet the over/under on his sermon lasting 30 minutes. We realize not everyone is looking to be so productive. So level 5 is lined with rocking chairs and front-porch swings—perfect for knitting, reading the latest Karen Kingsbury novel, or just basking in the Lord’s presence. It’s a Simulsenior favorite.
Those looking to kick the habit—or indulge in it—are encouraged to frequent our vaping lounge on level 8. Since we are providentially located in Colorado, other forms of recreational smoking are also allowed. More socially conservative couples may enjoy the privacy of level 9, where wives can ask their husbands questions about the sermon right there at church. Level 10 is a bit more progressive. There, husbands are free to ask their wives what the preacher just said. Of course, today’s youth need transformative worship, too! So drop them off at level 2. Toddlers can take in the inspiring music and powerful preaching while exploring our bouncing Bethlehem ball pit. Older children can amuse themselves in the Noah’s Ark petting zoo. Got troubled teens? Watch them spring into worship on our ginormous jump zone trampolines on level 3. Or they can just zone out all together in our all-encompassing social media VR room. We know that 45 minutes can seem like forever to young ones, so we offer gluten-free, nut-free, cage-free snacks to tide them over. As you can imagine, not everything is free here at Simulserve. While we take traditional offerings of cash and Bitcoin, we try to make giving simple, convenient, and fun. Simply link your Simulserve card to the bank of your choice, swipe it at the entrance to your favorite suite, and we’ll take care of your tax-deductible contributions. Or better yet, set up a Simulmatic monthly giving plan so that your generosity is automatically transferred from your account. Never give it another thought! Simulsaints all agree, it’s worth it!
The After Class Podcast guys are Bible and theology professors at Great Lakes Christian College; from left to right in the logo, they are Samuel C. Long, Ronald D. Peters, and John C. Nugent. They strive to engage provocative contemporary topics with wit and careful biblical scholarship. https://afterclass.libsyn.com/ C H RIS TIA N STAN DA R D
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