VitalMagazine_01

WHY (AND HOW) THE CHURCH SHOULD OVERCOME RACIAL DIVISION

5 FINANCIAL RESOLUTIONS FOR YOUR NEW YEAR

V I T A L M A G A Z I N E . C O M

ISSUE _ 01 / JAN _ FEB 2015

Navigating marriage, singleness and everything in between

HERBERT COOPER SAYS IT’S TIME TO DREAM AGAIN

YOUR WORLD IN PERSPECTIVE

24/7 I F I T A F F E C T S Y O U R W O R L D , I T A F F E C T S Y O U R FA I T H .

V I TA L M A G A Z I N E . C O M I S A B O U T P R O V I D I N G Y O U W I T H T I M E L Y, C U T T I N G - E D G E C O N T E N T F R O M A S P I R I T - E M P O W E R E D P E R S P E C T I V E . W H E R E V E R Y O U A R E , W H E N E V E R Y O U N E E D I T, T H I S I S V I TA L .

VITALMAGAZINE.COM

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

A New Metric

p34

“Right living will never create right standing with God.”

p52 Called to Reconcile “Intentionality is the key. We cannot assume that racial unity will just happen spontaneously.”

What Love Has to Do With It “In Church and beyond, we should celebrate marriage and singleness equally.”

8 VITAL SIGNS 10 THE LEAD • At the Beginning

12 FEEDBACK 15 PULSE • World • Nation • Church

p44 28 THINKING ABOUT • Why I Love My Muslim

Neighbors • Bridging the Age Gap • Physical Health: A

Spiritual Discipline

34 WHAT LOVE HAS TO DO WITH IT Navigating marriage, singleness and everything in between

Worth Fighting For? You don’t have to be outraged when something offends you. Here’s another way to respond.

p28 Why I Love My Muslim Neighbors A missionary shares how she has found family—not fear—while living in a predominantly Muslim population

Noteworthy: Kent Ingle Plus: Oaks Worship, Undivided and the apps you should download next

p66

p77

44 CALLED TO RECONCILE Racial unity, the Pentecostal movement and why there’s still work to do

52 A NEW METRIC What values should guide our evaluations of the Christian life?

56 MULTIPLIERS • Olivia Klaus: Directing

Change • A Harbor for the City by the Bay • A Divine Setup

66 TEACHING • Worth Fighting For? • The Centerpiece of

Community • How to Dream Again • The Five Financial

Resolutions You Should Make • Vital Tips

77 NOTEWORTHY • Books • Music • Media

89 MAKE IT COUNT 96 ONE MORE THING

VitalMagazine.com

VITAL MAGAZINE 1445 N. Boonville Avenue Springfield, MO 65802-1894 Vital magazine is published by My Healthy Church.

President: Sol Arledge Vice President / Publications: Steve Blount CONTRIBUTORS Susanna Foth Aughtmon, Herbert Cooper, Kyle Dana, Cara Davis, Mikaela Hamilton, David Hertweck, Rob Ketterling, Ann Marie, Christina Quick, Derrick Rosenior, Scott Stevens, Tally Whitehead, George O. Wood, George P. Wood, Alyce Youngblood SPECIAL THANKS TO Wini Arledge, Susan Blount, James Bradford, Douglas Clay, Alton Garrison, Gregory Mundis, Gary Rhoades, Zollie Smith, Tim Strathdee, George O. Wood EDITORIAL For editorial information or queries, contact editor@vitalmagazine. com.

ADVERTISING Display rates available upon request. Contact advertising@ vitalmagazine.com. By accepting an advertisement, Vital does not endorse any advertiser or product. We reserve the right to reject advertisements not consistent with the magazine’s objectives.

SUBSCRIPTIONS To subscribe, go to vitalmagazine.com/subscribe or call 1.855.642.2011.

Individual one-year subscriptions are $15. Bulk one-year subscriptions are $12 per subscription, for a minimum of five or more. For additional subscription rates, contact subscribe@ vitalmagazine.com.

Please send all other feedback, requests and questions to feedback@vitalmagazine.com.

All rights reserved. Copyrighted material reprinted with permission.

All Scripture references taken from the New International Version (NIV) , unless otherwise noted.

Vital magazine (Issue #01 January/February 2015) is published six times a year in January, March, May, July, September and November for $15 per year by My Healthy Church (1445 N. Boonville Avenue Springfield, MO 65802-1894) . Periodicals postage paid at Springfield, MO and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Vital magazine: 1445 N. Boonville Avenue Springfield, MO 65802-1894.

Website: vitalmagazine.com Twitter: @thevitalmag Facebook: facebook.com/thevitalmag

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VITAL SIGNS

“... BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.” “U nf a ilin g lo ve, in al l i t s f or m s , is t o live like Ch r ist, l ooki ng f or o ppo r tu n ities to s er v e one anoth er ... yo u r spo us e, y our me nto r , yo u r fr ien d w al ki ng t hrough a divo r ce, y our s t ud ent , your pa sto r , yo u r co- w or ker . ” ( “Wha t Lo ve Ha s to D o W i t h It , ” page 3 4 )

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THE LEAD

AT THE BEGINNING

A new year, a new magazine

Y

ou hold in your hands Vital magazine’s Issue 01—the first official issue of a publication we hope will become a trusted spiritual companion to you.

It feels fitting to be joining you at the beginning of this new year and to hopefully bring fresh perspectives that accompany fresh starts.

Vital’s goal is to reach beyond the page, beyond the “pulpit,” beyond the screen—directly into your daily life.

As a result, in this issue and in the ones to come, you’ll find articles that address not only your faith, but also your finances (“The Five Financial Resolutions You Should Make,” page 72), your family (“The Centerpiece of Community,” page 68), your health (“Physical Health: A Spiritual Issue,” page 32) and more. In these pages, Christian leaders share on subjects that are important to the Church (“Bridging the Age Gap,” page 30; “Called to Reconcile,” page 44), and we also highlight individuals of various vocations doing creative things to advance the Kingdom (“Olivia Klaus: Directing Change,” page 56; “A Divine Setup,” page 64).

Our cover story (“What Love Has to Do With It,” page 34) delves into one of the areas that perhaps most greatly defines our day-to-day: relationships.

More often than not, someone hears

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the word “relationships” and thinks of it within a romantic context. After all, so much of our culture is steered by this kind of relationship status. It’s at the very top of our Facebook profiles, it affects our taxes, it moves the plotlines of the majority of the entertainment we consume, it shapes our social circles—and within the Church, it can become a central focus of both identity and ministry. But is this healthy? Is this the way it should be? How can we be sure that our approach to love and relationships—in our churches, homes and communities— is holistic and holy? With Valentine’s Day around the corner, and with the surge of studies and headlines pointing to shifts in society’s view of both marriage and singleness, it’s an important time to ask these questions.

Of course, if these subjects are worthy of discussion,

then they also require action.

Throughout Vital, as well as in the Make It Count section near the back (page 89), you’ll find links, resources and follow-up thoughts to help you make the most of what you read here.

Maybe it will give you ideas for resolutions, meaningful conversation starters for your morning drive with your kids or material at your next small group meeting. We believe good reading should get you thinking, if not moving.

Thanks for being here at the start of the Vital story. We’re grateful for your readership— and we want to hear from you!

Let us know how we’re doing and what you’d like to see more of at feedback@vitalmagazine. com.

Happy new year.

Online vitalmagazine.com Twitter @thevitalmag Facebook.com/thevitalmag

Rob Ketterling

Herbert Cooper

WHAT DO THESE LEADERS HAVE IN COMMON?

Bryan Koch

Wilfredo De JesĂşs

They chose AG Financial as their lending partner in church growth

Watch their stories of ministry growth at www.churchloans.ag.

FEEDBACK

WHAT’S ON YOUR HEART AND MIND?

PREVIEW ISSUE - NOV/DEC 2014

Got my hard copy today and all I can say is, “Love it! Love it!

Love it!”

Patrice B., Facebook Geneva, Illinois

Got the first copy of @thevitalmag @AwakenCC this week and I gotta say I was impressed. Solid articles, good design! Can’t wait for more. @RyanGutowski

JUST FINISHED READING THROUGH SEVERAL ARTICLES. MY COUNTENANCE WAS LIFTED SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR GEARING A RESOURCE BASED ON THE FUTURE NEEDS OF THE CHURCH. CAN’T WAIT TO BENEFIT FROM THIS WONDERFUL MAGAZINE. Steve M., Facebook, Batesville, Arkansas This is AWESOME!!! Not sure how often it will come out. Also, not on Facebook that I could find. You have done a great job.

April P., email San Francisco, California In print, Vital is a bimonthly magazine. Look again on Facebook! We are at facebook.com/thevitalmag.

I believe Vital magazine/ website will become a great tool to encourage the younger generation … to rise up and carry the torch of this great fellowship.

Justin I., email Montgomery, Alabama Vital is on a good track from the first issue, and I’m excited to see where it goes!

Joshua H., email Oak Creek, Wisconsin

I really like the new magazine and its format. Any chance of it appearing on iOS Newsstand?

Cameron R., email Janesville, Wisconsin Working on it! We hope to be there in early 2015.

Sign up for our newsletter or keep up with us on Facebook and Twitter to stay connected.

An interesting introductory article (“The Church of Tomorrow,” preview issue) for the new Vital publication. … I think building a bridge from the past to the present is crucial to provide continuity of what God has, is and will be doing. … I would like to see articles emphasizing our Pentecostal distinctive as the source for both power and ongoing service for people of

every age.

John H., email Seal Beach, California We agree—“The Church of Tomorrow” was an opportunity to envision what it will look like to build on the great foundation of the Pentecostal movement, not to move away from it. You’re right that including both old and young in this mission is key. We hope you’ll read George O. Wood’s thoughts on this subject in “Bridging the Age Gap” (page 30).

(Readers who are unfamiliar with “The Church of Tomorrow,” see the Vital preview issue: vitalmagazine.com/ firstlook.)

Your new online magazine looks sharp! … By the way, I write newspaper columns.

Connect: feedback@vitalmagazine.com Twitter: @thevitalmag Facebook.com/thevitalmag 12

Interested in seeing some?

Ron W., email Fayetteville, Arkansas We are always open to hearing from potential new writers! Send pitches and articles to editor@ vitalmagazine.com I would like to congratulate the team that has worked on the launch of Vital magazine!

I tried the feedback email as advertised in the magazine, but it bounced back at me rejected.

William M., email Springfield, Missouri That email is working now— and brought in some of the kind words we shared here! We’d love to hear more from our readers. Let us know what you think via social media or feedback@ vitalmagazine.com.

HEALTHY STUDENTS

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PULSE

KEEPING YOU CONNECTED WITH CURRENT EVENTS

CHURCH GIVING ON THE RISE

THE BIBLE APP ON A MULTILINGUAL MISSION

(LifeWay Research)

A positive sign in the United States’ slow-butsteady recovery from recession: Fewer churches are reporting a negative economic impact. For 2014, 74 percent of Protestant churches say offerings were at or above giving in the previous year.

FACE VALUE

More than 150 Bible publishers and translation agencies have partnered to create a collection of 1,000 Bible translations offered through the YouVersion Bible App. That means seven out of 10 people in the world have a Bible translation available via digital device (translations cover 87 percent of Christians with Internet access). “It’s unprecedented in history, having so many Bible versions in the palm of your hand,” YouVersion’s Bobby Gruenewald said.

(Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 2014)

“WHERE DID YOU HEAR THAT?” A closer look at the media habits of political opposites

CONSISTENT CONSERVATIVES

CONSISTENT LIBERALS

• 88% trust Fox News • 47% cite Fox News as main news source • 66% say close friends share similar views • 39% drive political discussions in conversations

• NPR, PBS and the BBC are most trusted news sources • 60% like or follow issuebased groups on Facebook • 44% have blocked or defriended someone who disagreed on social media

(Pew Research, “Political Polarization and Media Habits,” 2014)

“WE LOVE GOD WITH OUR MINDS, WHICH MAKES OUR CLASSROOMS AND LABS AND PRACTICE ROOMS AND ATHLETIC FIELDS AND STAGES AND EDITING BAYS AND COMPUTER LABS AND LIBRARIES AND CROWDED DESKS SACRED SPACES.” —Carol Taylor, president of Evangel University, in her inaugural address on Oct. 10, 2014

Looks like humans do judge a “book” by its cover. Studies show people make decisions based on the facial appearances of others. From voting to economic exchanges and legal judgments, facial features determine how a person is treated, more so than their gender, ethnicity or expression.

DON’T FEED THE TROLLS Who is least likely to play nice online? According to new research, millennial men. Other findings:

77% 72.5% 38

%

SAY ANONYMITY FUELS “TROLLING” (MALICIOUS ONLINE ACTIVITY)

OF TROLLING VICTIMS HAPPEN TO BE FEMALE MOST OFTEN SEE TROLLING BEHAVIOR RELATED TO RELIGION (TIED FOR 2ND PLACE WITH NEWS & CURRENT EVENTS, FOLLOWING POLITICS)

37%

SAY IGNORE THE TROLLS AND THEY’LL GO AWAY

28%

OF ONLINE USERS ADMIT TO TROLLING (YouGov, 2014)

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WORLD

KEEPING YOU CONNECTED TO THE HEARTBEAT OF THE WORLD

CHURCHES “VALIANTLY COPING” WITH THE EBOLA OUTBREAK H

ow has the Ebola crisis impacted churches in infected regions?

Greg Beggs, Assemblies of God World Missions regional director for Africa, says, “Assemblies of God (AG) national churches in Liberia and Sierra Leone are valiantly coping with this horrendous health crisis. We need to unite our prayers with them for God’s intervention.” The AG alone has 623 churches in the affected regions of West Africa, many of which are mourning members and pastors who have been taken by the disease.

“These days we go to church, we sing, but we no longer carry out the tradition of passing the peace,” Liberian Methodist pastor Amos Teah tells The Guardian. “We are even thinking about using spoons to serve communion … avoiding all contacts with that person. The church has placed strong emphasis on prevention.”

Chris Dudley, disaster services response director for Convoy of Hope, points to other needs emerging in the wake of this epidemic. “As the disease continues to affect so many in West Africa, an additional crisis is arising and that is the lack of food. So we are thankful that, through generous partners, we’re able to ship both food and supplies to the region.”

TODAY’S PROTESTANTS, YESTERDAY’S CATHOLICS IN LATIN AMERICA In past decades, 90 percent of Latin America’s population identified as Catholic.

Today, that number is 69 percent. The religious shift is more pronounced in certain areas. In Columbia, as many as 74 percent of current Protestants are former Catholics, Pew Research Center reports. In Paraguay,

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Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil and Nicaragua, more than half of current Protestants fall in this group. One reason for this trend could be the evangelical spirit of Protestants; the survey also shows Protestants are more likely to share their faith with others at least once a week.

PULSE : WORLD IN KENYA, POLITICIANS EARN

97 GREATEST DANGERS IN THE WORLD? What’s the greatest threat to the world? Depends on who you ask.

A new study conducted by the Pew Research Center finds Middle Easterners feel religious and ethnic hatred pose the greatest threat.

Europeans and Americans point to the growing gap between the rich and poor. Latin Americans and Asians cite several reasons to fret, including environmental problems and nuclear weapons.

IT’S NOT WHERE YOU’RE FROM, BUT WHERE YOU’RE GOING Which cities have the most foreign-born residents? GOOD magazine and Ford took a look, and some destinations were unexpected. N.Y.C. and L.A. have more than 10 million immigrants together, but San Jose and St. Petersburg attract more expats than Tokyo and Barcelona. Dubai boasts 83 percent foreign-born; Vancouver, 39 percent; Atlanta, 12 percent; and Rio, 1.1 percent.

TIMES MORE MONEY THAN THEIR CONSTITUENTS.

A PRAYER FOR FREEDOM There are more than 21 million people still living in slavery—and on January 10, the Global Center for Women and Justice and the Faith Alliance Against Slavery and Trafficking are joining with abolitionists around the world to pray for them. The Pray for Freedom Prayer Event 2015 will be hosted at Vanguard University, live streamed on YouTube and shown at various simulcast locations.

FOR RUNNERS, BERLIN PLACES FIRST Members of the United States Congress make $174k yearly, far above the median income in the U.S. The same is true of most every nation. The biggest inequality lies in Kenya, where National Assembly members are paid 97 times Kenya’s median income (a GDP per capita of about $1,800). In Norway, parliament members have relatively competitive salaries, due to their income distribution model.

Every marathon covers 26.2 miles—but those miles can feel very different, depending on the athlete and the location. For those hoping to get their best time, going to Berlin is a good bet. According to recent Wired magazine course visualizations based on elevation profiles, the BMW Berlin Marathon’s total change in elevation is 72 feet. More than eight miles are spent at a 0 percent grade, which could be why more marathon records have been set there than at any other race.

POWERHOUSE COUPLE’S NEW PROJECT: HELPING DISPLACED CHRISTIANS TV producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey have a $25 million plan to aid Iraqi and Syrian minorities displaced by ISIS. With the help of the Institute for Global Engagement, phase one will provide funds for churches to distribute to communities, weatherproof shelters and documentation of the region’s stories.

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PULSE : WORLD

THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS: HOW ARE WE DOING? And what are the next steps in the United Nations’ timeline?

In

2000, 189 member states of the United Nations gathered to outline eight ambitious Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)—and aimed to achieve them by the target date of 2015. A number of countries have achieved some major success, but progress has been uneven; several of the MDGs are likely to be missed in many countries when the deadline arrives.

As the plan enters its final year, here’s a brief look at what has been accomplished and where more effort is needed:

10 YEARS 700 MILLION $1.25 / DAY of children now enjoy primary 90% education in developing regions 17k CHILDREN malaria deaths have 3.3 MILLION been averted 6.6 MILLION $134.8 BILLION Global poverty has been halved in

still live on

The 8 Goals: 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2. Achieve universal primary education 3. Promote gender equality and empower women 4. Reduce child mortality 5. Improve maternal health 6. Combat HIV/ AIDS, malaria and other diseases 7. Ensure environmental sustainability 8. Develop a global partnership for development 18

under age five who would have likely died two decades earlier are saved every day

The number of lives with HIV that have been saved through antiretroviral therapy (ART)

has been dedicated in aid, but aid is shifting away from the poorest countries

What’s next? Discussions to define Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are in progress and will serve as the core of a universal post-2015 development agenda.

MAKE IT COUNT Tell the United Nations what issues are important to you at vote. myworld2015.org.

Give to urgent relief needs via AG World Missions at crisisresponse. ag.org.

Support sustainable businesses by buying certified fair trade products.

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NATION

KEEPING YOU CONNECTED TO THE HEARTBEAT OF THE NATION

WHO’S THE (BETTER) BOSS? A

2010

lthough studies show females make better managers, men and women still often say they favor working for “the man”—literally. In a Gallup, Inc. annual work and education poll, more Americans (33 percent) would prefer a male boss than those who would like a female boss (20 percent) in a new job—although 46 percent say it makes no difference.

The survey indicates that 51 percent of working Americans currently have a male boss and 33 percent have a female boss.

Women are more likely than men to say they would prefer a female boss, but overall still prefer a male boss.

However, research still supports the need for more female managers. They are more engaged at work, regardless of their age or if they have children. Managers influence 70 percent of employee engagement, and female employees who work for female managers are most engaged (35 percent), based on factors like growth opportunities and quality of work.

Male employees with male managers are the least engaged (25 percent).

2014

43%

49%

“Churches and other houses of worship should express their views on social and political issues.”

2010

2014

37%

41 %

“There’s ‘too little’ expression of religious faith and prayer from political leaders.”

2010

2014

24%

32%

“Churches should endorse candidates for political office.”

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RELIGION’S INFLUENCE WANING— BUT POISED FOR A COMEBACK Nearly three-quarters of Americans (72 percent) think religion is losing its influence in America—and many feel that’s a bad thing.

Perhaps that’s why there’s growing support for religion to play a role in United States’ politics, Pew Research Center supposes.

PULSE : NATION

81% HAVE PRIVACY CONCERNS ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA according to Pew Research Center.

EXTREME PARENTING Think parenting is stressful? Survey says: You’re not alone. American adults who have children younger than age 18 in the home experience greater stress than those who don’t (45.1 percent versus 36.8 percent). But there’s a silver lining: That group is also more likely to smile or laugh a lot (84.1 percent versus 79.6 percent), according to Gallup, Inc.

Americans also feel “not very/not at all secure” while using:

68% CHAT/IM

58%

TEXT MESSAGE

57%

FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, THE MORE JOBS, THE MERRIER When it comes to your resume, it’s possible that quantity may translate into quality. A new National Bureau of Economic Research report says people who jump between jobs in their early career may eventually make more money and feel happier about their profession.

Henry E. Siu, a professor behind the study, says these kind of workers are just more likely to find “better matches—their true calling.”

“WHEN I MADE THE DECISION TO RUN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE, I DID SO BECAUSE I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT MY GENERATION’S VOICE, FRESH PERSPECTIVE AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS CAN HELP SOLVE SOME OF OUR STATE’S MOST CHALLENGING ISSUES.” —Saira Blair, 18-year-old Republican from West Virginia, upon her election as the youngest state legislator in the United States

EMAIL

46%

CELL PHONE

GOD’S NOT DEAD, AND NEITHER ARE FAITH FILMS

SURPRISE! MILLENNIALS LOVE THE LIBRARY

Faith-based filmmakers show no sign of being left behind in 2015.

After a glut of successful Bibleinspired releases in 2014, several new films are set for the coming year, including God’s Not Dead 2, Pontius Pilate starring Brad Pitt, the biopic Mary and a new NBC miniseries, A.D., from the creators of The Bible miniseries.

Younger Americans are derided for digital dependance, but they still value a library card. Those ages 16-29 are more likely than older adults to have used a library in the past year (50 percent versus 47 percent), Pew Research Center says. Sixty-two percent under age 30 say “a lot of useful, important information” is not available on the Internet, compared with 53 percent of older Americans. Overall, 88 percent of young Americans read a book in the past year, compared with 79 percent of those over age 30.

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PULSE : NATION

NATIONAL EATING DISORDER AWARENESS Eating disorders are to be taken seriously. When more people get educated, more people get help.

E

ach year, the last week of February is designated as National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. Started by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), it’s a time for families, health care providers, counselors, churches and more to come together, shine a spotlight on the dark, but common presence of eating disorders and learn more about prevention and treatment.

In a time when disorders like anorexia, bulimia and binge eating are increasingly prevalent, it has never been more important for Christians—those who believe people are “fearfully and wonderfully made” and bearing the image of God (Ps. 139:14)—to be vocal and hopeful on the subject. It starts by being informed. Here are a few of the common misconceptions associated with eating disorders:

Myth: Only females suffer from eating disorders.

Myth: Someone with an eating disorder will be incredibly thin.

Myth: Eating disorders are a result of vanity.

Myth: You never really get rid of an eating disorder.

Though eating disorders occur less frequently in men, it’s estimated that 10 million men in the United States alone will suffer from one in their lifetime, NEDA reports. Often, the pressure men feel is more about gaining strength rather than losing weight.

Men are also less likely to get help when struggling.

Though eating disorders are commonly associated with images of very thin, underweight individuals, this is not always the appearance of an eating disorder sufferer.

Seemingly healthy athletes, obese people and every body type in between are still vulnerable. Learn to recognize behavioral signs of eating disorders, beyond size, shape or weight.

Genetics may account for as much as 83 percent of one’s risk for developing bulimia nervosa. Eating disorders may also be an unhealthy emotional coping mechanism or may co-occur with another mental illness. And body dissatisfaction and societal expectations are no joke; 42 percent of 1st through 3rd graders already say they would like to be thinner.

Though someone does not choose to have an eating disorder, they can choose recovery.

From inpatient facilities to family-based therapy, there are a number of medical, psychological and spiritual approaches to overcoming an eating disorder, and many find support and success.

Eatingdisorderhope.com is one place to begin seeking information and help.

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BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES Biopsychology* Criminal Justice Psychology (traditional & 5-year BS/MS) Social Work Sociology* BUSINESS Accounting Finance Human Resource Management* International Business* Management (traditional & online) Marketing Nonprofit Business & Social Enterprise COMMUNICATION Advertising/Public Relations Applied Communication* (speech) Broadcasting Communication Studies Digital Arts Electronic Media** Film Journalism Photography (comm. emphasis)* Political Communication EDUCATION Early Childhood Education Elementary Education Middle School Education Secondary Education Art, Biology, Business, Chemistry, English, French, Math, Music, Phys. Ed., Social Studies, Spanish, Theatre/Speech Special Education* HUMANITIES Art (graphic design, fine art) English French** Spanish Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)* Theatre Arts and Theatre/Music Photography (art emphasis)* Writing*

MICHAEL BOWMAN Fayetteville, Ark.

Evangel University is passionate about the call to serve. Our faculty and staff focus on educating and equipping students for their callings in business, government, church and home.

Michael Bowman has had a life-changing experience during his years at Evangel. “Even though I had scholarship offers from other schools, Evangel’s community stood out as the one that would help me find my calling.”

Michael is a marketing major, a football captain and a discipleship leader. His is just one story, but it represents many more.

We invite you to check us out.

Find your calling at Evangel University.

EVANGEL.EDU • 417.865.2811 1111 N. GLENSTONE AVE • SPRINGFIELD, MO 65802

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KINESIOLOGY Athletic Training Exercise Science: Pre-Physical Therapy Exercise Science: Personal Training Recreation and Sports Management MUSIC Music Music Industry (Music Business, Recording Tech.)

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*offered as a minor **offered as a concentration or minor

CHURCH

KEEPING YOU CONNECTED TO THE HEARTBEAT OF THE CHURCH

COLLEGE MINISTRIES IN A CLIMATE OF OPPOSITION

C MENTAL ILLNESS A STRUGGLE FOR 1 IN 4 PASTORS One in four American adults experience mental illness in a given year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness—and that goes for pastors too. According to a LifeWay Research survey commissioned

by Focus on the Family, nearly one in four pastors (23 percent) acknowledge they have “personally struggled with mental illness,” and half said they had been diagnosed. Even so, most still view it as a taboo topic in the pulpit; 66 percent say they address it rarely, if ever.

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ollege can be a test of faith, but campus ministries face an increased “climate of opposition,” InterVarsity Christian Fellowship says. InterVarsity’s latest troubles include groups losing official status after refusing to sign a non-discrimination policy at California State University.

Still, ministries are finding ways to thrive and remain recognized by their campuses. Eli Stewart, a pastor for Chi Alpha at Sam Houston State University, reports weekly meeting attendance exceeds 1,000. More than 200 students help lead the group this year.

“We navigate disagreement by fighting for both the truth of the Word and to replicate the tone of God’s voice,” Stewart says of their approach to conflict. He makes a distinction between private ordinances and public statutes, but says Christian students should cling to both.

Veritas, a group founded 20 years ago by Harvard students, hosts events aimed at engaging “students and faculty in discussions about life’s hardest questions and the relevance of Jesus Christ.” The mix of “intellectualism and faithfulness” fills an unmet need among students, The Daily Beast recently wrote.

THE FAITH QUESTIONS YOU NEVER THOUGHT TO ASK This past fall marked the annual meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion and the Religious Research Association, where demographers, psychologists and political and social scientists look at faith through a different lens. 2014 sessions included “The Six Types of Nonbelief,” “What the Social Brain Can Tell Us About the Religious Mind: Death, Risk, Society and the Japanese Martial Arts” and “Wage Differentials: Does Religious Participation Matter?” And you thought your small group was intense.

PULSE : CHURCH

REMEMBERING RELIGION MAY DECREASE HOSTILITY Having faith should bring peace to believers—and reminding them of that should bring peace to their other decisions and interactions, York University research suggests.

Even in high-stakes circumstances, “brief religious belief reminders … tend to promote more magnanimous, less hostile choices in threatening circumstances, ” professor Ian McGregor says.

FAITHFUL IN THE POLLS

25% OF AMERICANS SAY GOD ANSWERS PRAYER One in four Americans report that God answers all their prayers, while eight in 10 say at least some of their prayers are answered, according to LifeWay Research. Among Americans who pray, these are the most common prayer topics:

82% Friends or family

74%

A majority of people (53 percent) say they would be unlikely to vote for an atheist presidential candidate in 2016, according to a Pew Research Center survey. Among Protestants, that number is 71 percent. The trait that is most advantageous for a candidate is military service, with 43 percent in favor.

CHRISTIAN WOMEN LEAN IN A new leadership training program specifically designed for Christian women makes its debut on the campus of Liberty University for the spring 2015 semester. Propel, a new brand from Christine Caine, popular minister and head of the anti-human trafficking organization A21, aims to encourage Christian women leaders in the marketplace. The college program will feature inspirational videos, industry-specific articles, mentorship pipelines and events.

Problems/difficulties

42% Sin

12% Government leaders

13% Victory for a favorite team

7% Good parking

“OPEN YOUR BIBLES … OR NOT” The good news? The average American owns three Bibles. The bad news? They’re not reading them.

Bible engagement is on the decline, leading to an increasing number of Christians who lack spiritual depth, LifeWay Research says. Only 45 percent of those who regularly attend church read the Bible more than once a week. More than 40 percent read their Bibles occasionally (maybe once or twice a month, if at all), and 18 percent say they never read the Bible.

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PULSE : CHURCH

5 TRENDS OF THE CHURCHLESS

Secularization Is on the Rise More than one-third of America’s adults are essentially secular in belief and practice. “If nothing else, this helps explain why America has experienced a surge in unchurched people,” the Barna report states.

Behind the growth of secularism in America T h e n u mb e r o f a d u l t s i n Am e r i c a w h o a r e c o n sidered “u n c h u r c h e d” are more likely to come from a churchless background, research shows.

Un c h u r c h e d a d u l t s i n America have risen from 30 percent to 43 percent of the populat i o n s i n c e 1 9 9 0 . Yo u m i g h t w o n d e r w hy — and so did the Barna G r o u p. A f t e r e x t e n s i v e s t u d y, t h e y ’v e p r e s e n t ed five trends that contribute to the decline of people in the pews and describe the attitudes, assumptions, allegiances and behaviors of this rising group of p e o p l e . I f y o u’r e h o p i n g to make a case for the importance of church a t t e n d a n c e a n d i nv o l v e ment, here are some key things to know about the differing opinions.

65% 1994

People Are Less Open to the Idea of Church

47% 2014

Churchgoing Is No Longer Mainstream Nearly one-quarter of adults have never experienced regular church attendance, but the majority of churchless adults have, meaning they’re choosing not to go.

There Are Different Expectations of Church Involvement

8%

16

49% 26

Over the past 20 years, Americans have grown less likely to accept an invitation to church by a friend (47 percent, down from 65 percent).

%

The report talks about a “growing cultural indifference to church involvement,” with 16 percent (up from 8 percent) saying they wouldn’t have a preference of whether to be involved in one or multiple churches.

There Is Skepticism About Churches’ Contributions to Society When unchurched adults surveyed were asked to describe the positive contributions of Christians in America, almost half (49 percent) could not identify a single favorable impact.

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In From this Day Forward, Craig Groeschel details five commitments to make in order to fail-proof your marriage—all in a hard-hitting, humorous, and refreshingly transparent way.

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“But God” could very well be the two most powerful words in the Bible. And in his new book, Cooper unpacks how we can use them as a way to discover a new path and a hope for our lives.

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Find both books at your local bookseller or www.Zondervan.com

THINKING ABOUT

WHY I LOVE MY MUSLIM NEIGHBORS A missionary shares how she has found family—not fear— while living in a predominantly Muslim population ANN MARIE

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D

id you just call my “family” terrorists?

This thought crossed my mind when we last returned from the mission field, as some church members walked out of services and berated my family, including my children, for loving “terrorists.” I thought of the gentle people I knew overseas—Muslims who, for nearly a decade, had protected my family as their own.

My eyes filled with tears when I realized they were being lumped in with Islamic extremists.

Yet, I remember when my own opinions were negatively affected by my limited exposure to Muslims.

My family was first appointed as missionaries to Muslims in October

2001, one month after 9/11. I went to the field thinking I was going to “love my enemies” (Matt.

5:44). As I wandered the streets of a war-torn country, I looked at the broken sidewalks and bulletriddled buildings. My senses were overwhelmed by the sights and sounds around me. I thought, “How am I ever going to reach them?”

As I stood there, looking totally confused and out of place, a covered woman approached me and said, “Hi, welcome to my country. Would you come to my house for tea?”

The sincerity of the invitation and the gentleness in her eyes changed my perspective in a moment. This woman was not my enemy. She was a child of God, even if she did not

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know His Son. I am a missionary to a Muslim community, yet they were the ones who first taught me how to reach out. I tend to overthink, and it becomes a hindrance for me, but I am learning to keep it simple: Love is love. As a Christian, great love has been modeled for me, and it transcends languages, borders and beliefs.

In my corner of Central Eurasia, I am privileged to be accepted as family by my Muslim neighbors. They have taught me a great deal about community living.

It requires sharing your life with those around you.

It requires a sacrifice of time and self. It provides protection, a place to belong, where everyone’s abilities are utilized and respected. It can be messy, just like most families. Living closely means that you see the good and the bad. There is conflict, and therefore you are forced to learn conflict resolution—but there is also acceptance. There is a bond of love that comes with going through life together.

My mornings start around the stairwell with the other women, and the days are punctuated by tea breaks, discussions of our daily tasks or shared meals. Amidst the ebb and flow of the duties of life, we find laughter and tears, joys and sorrows, which we carry together.

My place in this community has been shaped by my personality. I am an introvert and love being in the kitchen cooking, serving and cleaning. I am the baker and often help prepare the desserts. I am also unusually tall, so I am called on to help clean those hard-to-reach places. I am the Christian who prays and frequently am asked if I might lift up friends who are hurting.

Where is your place in community? What is your personality? What are the gifts God has given to you to bless others? Share these things generously and with joy, regardless of who may surround you.

Christians need to be willing to take the first step to welcome Muslims. In Eastern cultures, they are taught to welcome and care for foreigners. The stranger is a guest to be watched over and provided for, not made to feel rejected, ignored or even feared. In the States, someone may not approach or include a Muslim, either because they have made generalizations about them or are concerned it would be an intrusion. But I encourage you to consider what a simple “hello” might lead to.

I recently spoke with a Christian in Minnesota who

is reaching out to Muslims in his area. He once asked a Muslim man over for dinner, and as their two families sat down to eat together, his guest announced, “This is a historical moment.” My friend asked why. He answered, “I have lived in this country for 16 years, and this is the first time I have been in an American’s home.”

I have been asked how Christians can better develop relationships with Muslims. In a time when some of those who claim Islam regularly make headlines for the pain they inflict and the terror they incite, what is a healthy and biblical approach to loving those in the broader Muslim world?

Well, let’s look at what the Bible says. It tells you to “love your neighbor as yourself ” (Mark 12:31). It encourages us to “overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony” (Rev. 12:11). It teaches, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Pet. 3:15).

I am not suggesting that we are to be uninformed or undiscerning. It is good to have information—but not to think of it as ammunition. We are not going to show anyone the love of Christ by arguing. No one can debate an individual’s testimony, however; it is a statement of fact and experience. It can be shared with everyone and stolen by no one.

In loving Muslims (or anyone with different religious views, really), the question is not how to degrade another’s faith, but how to strengthen MAKE IT COUNT your own faith in Jesus Christ. Is it strong and To learn more compassionate enough about the challenging to draw others? Would area where Ann they say to you, “Let us go Marie serves, with you because we have visit silkroad. heard that God is with live-dead.org. you?” (Zech. 8:23) For Christians seeking to better God is glorified and understand His Holy Spirit is evident Muslims, start when we choose to share with resources our lives—with Christians like the Global and non-Christians alike.

Initiative

Ann Marie has served with Assemblies of God World Missions since 2001. Her husband, Stan, gave his life to the field and is buried in a village in Central Eurasia. Ann continues the work their family began, working among both their mosque community in a major city and the villages along the ancient Silk Road.

(global initiativeinfo. com) and Say Hello (sayhelloinfo. com).

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BRIDGING THE AGE GAP How can old and young work together? It starts with our perception of the other.

GEORGE O. WOOD

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In

five decades of pastoral ministry, I have seen a dynamic play out repeatedly: The young want to change the world, but the old want to change the young. There are outliers, of course—stuck-in-themud youngsters and full-speedahead seniors. But as a statistical generalization, the dynamic holds.

The young want to change. The old want to conserve.

This dynamic is understandable, of course. The young have their lives before them. Their horizon of possibilities seems endless. The old, by contrast, have most of their lives behind them. They want to conserve the gains they have made.

They yearn for stability—and change is a threat to that.

When we look to the Bible for guidance, we see that both sides of the dynamic have a point. On the one hand, Paul summarized his missionary strategy this way: “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Cor. 9:22).

This required a willingness to change. On the other hand, Jude spoke of “the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people” (Jude 3). Some things must be conserved.

As Christians, the crucial question is how young and old can work together for the good of the Church and of society at large. How

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can we cooperate to change what is bad and conserve what is good? The key is to rethink how we relate to one another.

Here, we can learn useful lessons from the relationship between the older apostle Paul and Timothy, his younger protégé. Paul’s attitude in his relationship to Timothy has the ability to bridge the generational divide and bring young and old into a fruitful partnership. What are these lessons?

First, we are co-workers. In Greek, Paul described Timothy as his sunergos (Rom. 16:21, 1 Thess. 3:2), a word that literally means “to work with.” It is the root of the English words synergy and synergize. There is a huge difference, psychologically and practically, between working for someone and working with them.

Whether we are young or old, instigating change or promoting conservation, we are working toward the same goal: a revived Church and a reformed society.

Second, we are brothers and sisters. Paul referred to Timothy as a brother (2 Cor. 1:1, Col. 1:1, 1 Thess.

3:2)—though not as “Brother Timothy.” When I was young, Christians often referred to one another as Brother This or Sister That. They intended to communicate equality and intimacy by using those terms, but I wonder if it had the opposite effect. Real brothers and sisters don’t use titles, after all. They call one another by their first names. It is important that we cultivate real equality and intimacy between young and old, not just use the family lingo. Effective partnerships grow out of personal relationship, not organizational structure.

Third, we are fathers and sons, mothers and daughters. Paul described Timothy as his son (1 Cor. 4:17; Phil. 2:22; 1 Tim. 1:2, 18; 2 Tim. 1:2). The tension we experience in the change-conservation dynamic would lessen considerably if the young felt that the old believed in and supported them. On the flip side, the tension would also lessen if the young spent quality time with the old, learned their histories and took seriously their concerns. (This is an especially important lesson to remember as young leaders are put in positions that give them authority over their elders, or as older individuals find themselves asked to submit to the vision of someone younger.)

Fourth, we are servants of Jesus. Paul described both himself and Timothy as “servants of Christ Jesus”

(Phil. 1:1). One of my lifelong mentors was J. Robert Ashcroft. I was campus pastor at Evangel College (now University) when he was president there. I remember him picking up bits of trash whenever he found them on campus. Despite being the leader of the organization, he was willing to do even menial tasks. Or rather, because he was the leader, he was willing to do them.

Dr. Ashcroft modeled Jesus’ words: “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all” (Mark 10:42–44). Young or old, do we also serve this way?

Finally, we are all men and women of God. That’s how Paul described Timothy (1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 3:17). The title “man of God” was applied to prophets and kings in the Old Testament, and the term denotes divine anointing and charismatic empowerment.

When you know the Old Testament background to the term, you see its power in reference to Timothy. Too often, when the old look at the young, they see men and women of God “in the making.” We who are old need to remember that God’s Spirit is already making something great of the younger generation. “Your sons and daughters will prophesy,” Peter quoted Joel; “your young men will see visions” (Acts 2:17). By the same token, too often the young look at the old and see men and women past their prime. But didn’t Peter also quote Joel as saying, “your old men will dream dreams?” God doesn’t take age into account when anointing and empowering His messengers—and neither should we.

How we think shapes how we act. If Christians continue to think of themselves as “young” or “old,” as “change-seekers” or “conservation-promoters,” we lock ourselves into perpetual conflict. When we see each other as co-workers, family members, fellow servants and Spirit-empowered messengers, however, we begin to forge new relationships—ones that have greater appreciation for both the need to conserve what is best as well as to change what isn’t.

God doesn’t take age into account when anointing and empowering His messengers—and neither should we.

George O. Wood is general superintendent of the Assemblies of God (USA) and chairman of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship.

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PHYSICAL HEALTH: A SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE The key to wellness starts in your heart, not your body ROB KETTERLING

My

spiritual life looked A+ on paper: Our kids served at church, my wife, Becca, was in charge of women’s ministry, I was leading the church, and we were growing and doing well.

Yet, despite the health of my family and ministry, my physical health was bad ... really bad ... and only getting worse. I had developed wrong eating and exercise habits, and they were catching up with me. Fast.

It is easy to dismiss physical health as unimportant. After all, we get new bodies in heaven, right? But wellness goes beyond losing weight or hitting a goal. Physical health is the product of discipline and stewardship.

We have to manage the time and resources God gives us. When we aren’t good stewards, our

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message, work and lives are hindered.

Our physical health can act like a business card for our spiritual health. It can show how our actions and values align. Certainly, we have imperfect bodies in an imperfect world, and some conditions are out of one’s control. But if something is within your control, and you choose not to manage it, what does that say about you? I felt like someone could look at me and ask, “How can you, as a grossly unhealthy pastor, help me change my own bad habits?”

We know from 1 Sam. 16:7 that man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at our hearts.

I believe that. I take comfort that God, full of grace, knows my heart.

Man, however, sees the external—and I take some level of responsibility for that. I will fight to remove every barrier to God, my appearance, habits and physical health included.

God worked through me even in that physical state, and I know healthy living isn’t a requirement for God to move. However, my conviction was that I was not being a good steward of this body He formed.

That reality caused me to go to my doctor and change. I told him to treat me like a heart attack patient. Even my doctor was shocked. He had never had a patient come in and desire to change before the

catastrophe hit. We came up with a plan together.

After a lot of hard work, healthy eating and changed habits, I was down from a size XL to a size M, lost six inches off my waist and felt 10 years younger. I’ve learned the goal is not to look a certain way or to live more days, but to live better days. I have greater stamina, energy, influence and, ultimately, greater resolve to do God’s work. I am a better steward of the days God has given me.

This is the time of year when people make goals to be more active and embrace overall wellness. I hope my personal journey toward health can be an encouragement.

Any plan works if you do it. The plan you dream about, write down, have the best of intentions for—it never becomes reality if you don’t act on it. It may not be perfect, but it is better than the no plan you’ve been operating with for years, decades or a lifetime. Work the plan you have.

God wants us to live in strength, not vulnerability.

When we move from vulnerability to stability to vitality, abundant life overflows and blesses those around us.

Prov. 15:32 says, “Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, but the one who heeds correction gains understanding.” I think The Message version is even clearer: “An undisciplined, self-willed life is puny; an obedient, God-willed life is spacious.”

I don’t want a puny life. God can give “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Eph. 3:20). Let’s live spacious, God-willed lives. Let’s stop making excuses for our shortcomings and fix them now. Let’s change before we have to.

Rob Ketterling is founder and lead pastor of River Valley Church in Apple Valley, Minnesota. He is the author of Change Before You Have To (Influence Resources) and serves on the lead team of the Association of Related Churches.

Introducing

MAGAZINE

THE MAGAZINE COVERING IMPORTANT ISSUES FROM A SPIRITEMPOWERED PERSPECTIVE

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Navigating marriage, singleness and everything in between TALLY WHITEHEAD

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FE ATURES

remain unmarried indefinitely. As sociologists debate what this and similar studies mean for America’s future, faith leaders of varying denominations— Craig Groeschel, Francis Chan, Matt Chandler and more—continue to churn out books on what makes a successful marriage.

Meanwhile, the doors open in churches across America every weekend— to married and single people alike. Most often, these churches offer a message that promotes the godly path of marriage and family. But in light of recent news, is this a necessary part of the Good News? Will younger generations of Christians eventually marry like their parents and grandparents’ generations—and should we care if they don’t? More importantly, how will the Church remain an important part of their lives—regardless of their relationship status?

uring college, I visited a church while spending a summer in Wisconsin.

Within five minutes of the service ending, I unknowingly agreed to a lunch date with an older single guy—and his whole family—where I was interrogated about my plans for marriage and life. If ever there was an example of how young, unmarried visitors do not hope to be treated at church, this would be it.

While chances of this exact scenario repeating itself might be low, the number of unmarried church attendees in any given week will not be.

A few months ago, headlines were buzzing with a Pew Research Center report predicting a record-setting percentage of people choosing to remain single their entire lives. The study highlighted how younger people are waiting longer to marry—and may

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UNDERSTANDING THE RESEARCH (IT’S NOT AS ALARMING AS YOU THINK) A good first step in approaching some of these serious questions is to take a closer look at the research. I have had the unique opportunity to study marriage and divorce data for more than eight years with best-selling author Shaunti Feldhahn. Recently, we published a book, The Good News About Marriage, debunking (among other things) the reportedly high divorce rates in the Church. The most eye-opening thing we discovered was that much of what we regard as fact is simply not true. For instance, just because a website or person quotes a legitimate and reputable source does not mean the

study or statistic actually exists. Another red flag: when headlines dramatize a finding. TIME magazine’s article summarizing the Pew research announced “Why 25 Percent of Millennials Will Never Get Married”—this is a good example of a projection sounding like prophesy. It is possible they may not get married, but “will never” sounds like a done deal.

So what does the report say?

People are waiting longer to get married for a number of reasons, like not being financially prepared to marry or not having found what they are looking for. Young people waiting to marry can be good. The report even points out how those with college degrees have a lower divorce rate versus those without a college education. Considering the prevalence of student loans, being financially stable should be upheld as a prudent decision. These reasons reflect discernment and wisdom, not necessarily a flagrant disregard for the institution of marriage (although some might hold this view).

Secondly, most people will eventually marry—a fact so deeply buried in the Pew report that it is easy to miss. In 1960, eight percent of adults at age 64 were still single and had never married.

A half a century and a sexual revolution later, that number actually dropped one percent for 64-year-olds in 2012. Pew suggests that since millennials are not getting married as young, they may

… it’s a problem, even among the strongest, well-intentioned Christians, when we focus too much attention on finding God’s “perfect mate.”

never marry at all, but only time will tell.

Either way, millennials are remaining single longer. This reality should be embraced with hope for better marriages, when they occur, and without fear about the future demise of marriage in the Church or society at large.

Another minor point often overlooked is the enormous size of the millennial generation. “Millennials in Adulthood,” a separate Pew report released in early 2014, detailed the percentage of adults in the four living generations. Millennials have already eclipsed the adult population of Generation X, not including current teenagers under 18. Inevitably, with so many millennials (83 million) compared to Generation X (65 million), there will be more singles because there are simply more millennials.

Finally, Pew found older and younger generations, as a whole, see marriage differently. Older people surveyed thought marriage was more important than the younger generations did. This should not be that surprising; Pew asks respondents for their perspective at their current age. It seems obvious that young people at age 25 will feel a certain way about marriage, versus older people, many of whom have been married for years. Much has been written about people embracing more conservative values as they age, so again, time will tell whether millennials will continue to think less of marriage or change their attitudes as they age.

The above points represent some positive interpretations of the report which must be considered. That being said, Christians should concern themselves with the diminishing attitudes toward the importance of marriage, which started with baby boomers and has declined ever since. Even great societal progress—like more opportunities for women to go to college and enter the workplace— have coincided with other cultural shifts, such as increases in cohabitation and childbirth outside of marriage. These changes mark the major differences in the beliefs about and approaches to marriage among younger generations.

Cohabitation in particular has been a concern for Scott M. Stanley. In addition to being a senior fellow at the Institute for Family

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Studies, he has been a research professor at the University of Denver for years, and authors the blog “Sliding Versus Deciding.”

One of Stanley’s renowned studies on cohabitation found couples who lived together before marriage, especially before getting engaged, were more likely to divorce than couples that didn’t live together or “slide” into marriage.

When asked if he thought most people in this generation will eventually marry, he replied, “Most will—but fewer than ever before.”

This awareness highlights two important responsibilities for the Church. First, the public still needs lay people and ministers alike to model faithfilled marriages, built on biblical foundations and lived with integrity and joy. In addition, churches should put emphasis on single and young adults, either through designated ministry programs or simply by being mindful of and publicly addressing issues related to singleness.

A lack of emphasis not only negatively impacts the Church, but leaves singles to form their ideas about dating, identity and sexuality elsewhere.

THE TENSION BETWEEN SINGLES AND MARRIED COUPLES Tension may not be the perfect word—but there

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can be an uneasy feeling between singles and married couples, one you’ve undoubtedly encountered at some point in your career, community or church.

Even the biblical precedent for discussion of these two relational categories can seem like a mixed message. God created humans with the plan that they, as Scripture says, “become one flesh” (Gen. 2:24).

Biblical marriage is a holy union designed by a loving God that is intended for the good of those within it. But God didn’t save or redeem humanity through marriage. God sent His only Son, Jesus, as the means of our salvation. This messiah served as a single person on this earth, through His death and resurrection. Jesus even called people to leave everything to follow Him, demanding that they not even say goodbye to family (Luke 9:59-62).

Paul highlights this tension in his letter to the Corinthian church, where he tells them it is better to stay unmarried so they can serve the Lord wholeheartedly without the commitments a family brings (1 Cor. 7). This command makes perfect sense, since spouses and children do add extra obligations, even for the most devoted Christ-follower.

Cherishing Christ’s role in the Church should move us to create true families in our communities.

But then Paul writes in another letter that an elder should be placed in every town, specifying that he “must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe” (Titus 1:6). The Catholic Church notably seems to embody these contrasting messages: Even as they hold marriage highly as one of their seven sacraments, they usually command their priests and nuns to remain celibate. Meanwhile, the Protestant Church struggles to accept single persons as ministers.

Resolving these tensions in Scripture can be confusing, but it is also the first step in appreciating each of these relational callings as holy in their own right. Though they might fill the roles of leadership and ministry differently, married and single people can serve together with purpose.

Many of the heroes and prophets in the Bible, like Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Phoebe, Paul or even Jesus, would not be able to serve on many of today’s church boards that require their members to be married. It seems silly, but it’s also a serious reminder that nobody should be seen as inferior or unprepared for a leadership role based only on the fact that they are single.

In church and beyond, we should celebrate marriage and singleness equally. Couples that have been married 40 or 50 years are often recognized and honored in church—but is the single woman who has also served for 50 years equally applauded, without awkwardness or pity about her never marrying? When friends are planning get-togethers, do they at least extend the invitation to both married and single peers, or do they automatically cluster together based on relationship status? When we move beyond a hierarchy of marriage as the most sacred and revered status in a

THE STUDY OF LOVE Caroline Leaf, a cognitive neuroscientist, concludes the brain is actually “wired for love,” while negativity and fear are learned.

John Gottman is best known for a 1992 study in which he predicted divorces with 93.6 percent accuracy.

He says criticism, contempt, defensiveness and stonewalling lead to early splits.

In The Good News About Marriage, Shaunti Feldhahn and Tally Whitehead turn over the “fact” that Christians divorce at the same rate as non-Christians; the rate is actually quite lower, about 15-20 percent.

Tom Rath and Jim Harter of Gallup, Inc. report that having a best friend at work makes you seven times as likely to be engaged in your job.

Les and Leslie Parrott, founders of the Center for Relationship Development, initiated a researchbased marriage mentoring program—which has trained more than 250,000 mentors.

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community, we stand a better chance of cultivating relationships with and reaching all generations.

THE PRIORITY OF ALL RELATIONSHIPS In his book The Four Loves, C.S. Lewis defines love in four categories: affection (storge), friendship (philia), romance (eros) and charity (agape)—or, more simply, family, friends, lovers and God’s love.

Lewis explained, “There are four kinds of love, all good in their proper place, but Agape (charity) is the best because it is the kind God has for us and is good in all circumstances.”

All of these loves exist in our communities and should be cherished and weighed with similar value—except agape. Agape ranks above all other loves. Jesus, God’s gift of agape to us, should be the one true love for people, married or single. Jesus should reign in authority over our lives. He alone should be our first love, the lover of our soul, the only one who can meet our needs according to His riches in glory (Phil. 4:19).

Marriage is a sacred institution, and from the beginning of creation, God recognized the benefit for man and woman in covenant together. But it’s a problem, even among the strongest, well-intentioned Christians, when we focus too much attention on finding God’s “perfect mate.” Other relationships are sacrosanct as well, and the Bible gives numerous examples of these bonds. From friendship (in and outside the family) to mentorship, Scripture has wonderful illustrations of the four loves. Those associations appear most powerful when God is at the center.

Ruth crushes the modern-day notion of the ongoing war between in-laws with her devotion to Naomi, her widowed mother-in-law. Her words demonstrate Christ-like sacrifice when she promises Naomi, “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me” (Ruth 1:16-17).

The dedication and genuine love between David and Jonathan exemplifies that friends can truly become like brothers when the Lord is their king.

The connection between the Old Testament prophets Elijah and Elisha depicts the importance of mentoring, fatherly devotion and shepherding.

When Elijah goes up to heaven, verses in several different translations state the same reaction by

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Elisha: He cries out, “My father! My father!” (2 Kings 2:12) Elijah not only taught Elisha while on earth, he promised Elisha a double portion of his spirit if God allowed him to see Elijah lifted to heaven.

How will the Church remain an important part of [people’s] lives—regardless of their relationship status?

Perhaps one of the most vivid examples of love existed in Jesus’ relationships with the apostles. John’s Gospel account of the Last Supper first details Jesus washing the apostles’ feet (John 13), an act of humility and unconditional love. Then Jesus gives them a commandment “to love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Strong words indeed, but it is what He says next that the Church should most remember: “Greater love has no one than this: that he lay down his life for his friends” (v. 13).

Jesus gives the apostles the incredible affirmation of calling them not just servants, but friends. (It’s worth mentioning that the term friend appears more than twice as many times as marriage in the Bible.)

Not only are all these Scriptural relationships sacred and honorable, but they also set the stage for the most important relationship: the one between Christ and the Church, “the bride of Christ.” Paul pleads with us to honor this relationship.

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul addresses husbands and wives, but more broadly, he explains Christ’s

Are there other verses about love that you have applied too narrowly in your relationships?

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE …

The increased number of single young adults in the United States made the headlines, but there was much more to that Pew Research Center report. Here are some other findings:

role as the “head of the church, his body, of which he is the savior … Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Eph. 5: 23, 25).

Cherishing Christ’s role in the Church should move us to create true families in our communities. That means young and single adults should be treated like beloved brothers and sisters, not like distant, dysfunctional relatives to be tolerated.

THE HONEST ANSWER 1 Corinthians 13 has been read so often at weddings, it’s easy to forget it was not a section written specifically for a marriage ceremony.

This passage actually follows Paul’s writing about spiritual gifts and unity in the body of Christ. He showed great wisdom penning these verses in the context of love as the tie that binds all believers together. Paul explains

“there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other” (1 Cor. 12:25). Believers avoid division by first appreciating the different parts and gifts of the body and then embracing the call of unconditional love toward everyone.

Love that “is not self-seeking” (1 Cor. 13:5) might learn more about someone from a different generation, try to understand their needs and applaud their talents. Patient love (v. 4) might look like embracing cohabitating adults (even if you disagree with the lifestyle). Kind love (v. 4) might mean supporting the single parents in your midst. Unfailing

• There’s a growing education gap between genders; 53 percent of men and 62 percent of women over the age of 25 have pursued education beyond high school.

• Among nevermarried adults ages 25-34, there are 91 employed men per every 100 women.

• Fifty percent of those surveyed said “society is better off if people have other priorities outside of marriage and children.”

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love (v. 8), in all its forms, is to live like Christ, looking for opportunities to serve one another—whether they be your spouse, your mentor, your friend walking through a divorce, your student, your pastor, your coworker.

In a Barna Group study, when participants were asked to select one word to describe their “ideal” church, the overwhelming number one choice was “community.”

Generations may have different views about marriage, but their longing for Christ-centered community highlights their similarities. James teaches, “You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor” (James 3:18, The Message). With a little effort, “a robust community” grounded in love could emerge. Christians who heed the instruction of Philippians 2:5—“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus”—will forge bonds naturally.

For churches, inclusivity doesn’t hurt either. For example, when a church announces a men’s or women’s retreat and encourages members to “check with their spouses about going,” that comment excludes all the unmarried people.

But if churches have a passion for the corporate family found in Christ, they become more inclusive, in both language and intention, when it comes to fellowship with single adults.

Authenticity also matters, especially with millennials.

Churches and their members should practice talking openly about the issues facing this group, as well as single parents, divorced adults, blended families and the widowed today. More healthy and happy

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future marriages might certainly be an outcome for some—but the goal, for people of any relationship status, should be to become healthy disciples first and foremost.

God’s love has sustained all generations before and is the catalyst for reaching the next. His Holy Spirit is the ultimate guide for both married and unmarried adults. And His Son provided all believers a great roadmap for how to treat each other when He summarized all the commandments into this: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself ” (Matt. 22: 37-39).

Unlike culture, these words and their meaning will never change.

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How many friendships do you have with people of varying relationship statuses?

Make plans this week with someone in a different stage of life.

A SINGLE PERSPECTIVE How can the Church better include singles?

I think it varies church to church. I feel a real acceptance in my church, but whatever a church can do to help singles feel accepted … that makes a big difference.

What do you mean by “accept?”

To value singles, to listen to them, to have acceptance that provides encouragement, provides hope. It is no different than married couples wanting acceptance and to be a part of the church.

What does that acceptance look like in a church?

To come to me and say, “We are interested in your input as a single adult,” or, “This is something we are working on in our church body, and we want your input as a single adult.” [That is] very impactful and makes me feel accepted and valued.

Is it important for single and married people to be better about including each other in their circles? Why or why not?

I think singles need the friendships of married couples, to see healthy marriages, to understand the struggle of marriage and to see that it is OK to be single. It’s also helpful to hear the man and woman’s input and point of view in a marriage and see the dynamics in those marriage relationships. That helps us relate to singles and other people.

Do you have an example of what not to do as a church?

Recognize the wording and be more open on that; a “married couples’ Sunday school class” can be excluding to singles. I went [to one] anyway, and I think people were surprised. I think even the term “mother/ daughter banquet” is excluding—it should be [that] women and children are welcome to this event.

Any thing else to add?

Singles have to take a responsibility to step out and get involved, but anything a church can do to accept and appreciate singles … that is what is needed. In this day and age, people do not invite people out to lunch as much. Married couples, especially if they can financially afford it, could take [singles] out to lunch. Picking up a meal is such an encouragement.

Tally Whitehead, M.A.P.T., is a researcher and writer as well as director of Christian formation at her church.

She resides in the Columbus, Ohio area with her husband and four kids. To find out

D a r ci e D e c k e r s e rv e s i n s i n g l e a dul t m i n i s t ri e s i n R a p i d C i t y, S o u t h D a k ota . S h e i s o n t h e n a t i o n a l t e a m for Si n g l e A d u l t M i n i s t ri e s f o r t h e As s em b l i e s o f G o d .

more about her or her work with author Shaunti Feldhahn, go to tallywhitehead.com.

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Racial unity has been at the heart of the Pentecostal movement since its beginning—but there’s still work to do

DERRICK R. ROSENIOR

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his year marks 150 years since the end of the Civil War, that great national struggle that brought an end to the abhorrent institution of slavery. It also marks 50 years since the passage of the Voting Rights Act, a landmark law that prohibited racial discrimination in voting. In the years following those events, the United States has made great progress toward racial equality, perhaps most evidenced by the election of its first African American president.

Despite these substantial strides, however, racial division still exists and shapes our culture—in daily, quiet ways, as well as in a public, inescapable fashion. One can see this divide, for example, in the very different ways black and white Americans reacted to the Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown shootings.

Responses were equally passionate, but often polar opposite.

As you read this article, our country is about to celebrate another Black History Month, which gives us a chance to look back at how far we have come as a nation in regard to race relations. There is much to celebrate, of course, but still more work to be done. As Spirit-filled Christians, two of the most important questions we can ask ourselves are these: Where does the

Church stand in America’s racial divide? And what can we do to foster the work of racial reconciliation?

AMERICA’S MOST SEGREGATED HOUR Martin Luther King, Jr. once gave an oft-quoted sermon in which he called 11:00 on Sunday morning “the most segregated hour in America.”

Many decades later, even the most integration-minded churches still struggle to cross the cultural chasm that keeps Christians in America from worshipping together.

Pentecostals are no exception— though it was not intended to be this way.

The Pentecostal movement began at the start of the 20th century with great hopes for interracial Christian unity and the breaking down of institutional segregation in America.

William J. Seymour, the African American who initiated the Azusa Street Revival, firmly believed that, in addition to speaking in tongues, one of the signs of the infilling of the Spirit would be the removal of

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racial prejudice from the hearts of individual believers and the breaking down of the walls of racial division. Frank Bartleman, an early Pentecostal preacher, Azusa Street witness and amateur historian of the early days of the movement, boldly proclaimed that the “color line was washed away in the blood” at the revival.

Yet, within the first two decades of the movement, it had itself succumbed to the system of racial segregation; that old “color line” had been re-instituted. By 1948, when the Pentecostal Fellowship of North America (PFNA) was founded, interaction between white and black Pentecostals was basically non-existent or minimal at best. No black Pentecostal denominations or churches were invited to join the formation of this new body in October 1948.

The PFNA would remain an allwhite body for the next 46 years— until the Memphis Miracle event of October 1994.

About a thousand pastors, bishops, denominational executives, scholars and various other Pentecostal leaders gathered in Memphis, Tennessee that fall for a historic conference called “Pentecostal Partners: A Reconciliation Strategy for 21st Century Ministry.” The event would later be hailed by the press as the “Memphis Miracle.”

The significance of the Memphis location must have been evident to all; this city had played an important role in the unfolding civil rights events of the 1960s. It was there that King had given his “mountaintop speech” in 1968 at the famed Mason Temple, central headquarters of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC), a historic black church. It was also there, the next morning, that King had been

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assassinated. But the gathering in 1994 hoped that the city might be remembered for a great racial healing, rather than only for racial strife.

The Memphis Miracle was considered to be the highlight of racial reconciliation among Pentecostals.

White Pentecostal leaders repented of a history of prejudice toward their brothers and sisters of color— which culminated in an on-stage, spontaneous footwashing. Donald Evans, an Assemblies of God (AG) pastor from Florida, stated that he had felt called by God to wash the feet of the late Ithiel Clemmons, an African American COGIC bishop, as a sign of repentance and humility. In a moment of tearful contrition at the feet of bishop Clemmons, and on behalf of all white Pentecostals, he begged for forgiveness for the sins of racism and discrimination.

The picture of that moment soon became the symbol of both the event and of racial unity in the Pentecostal movement, used countless times in the national press and in numerous publications since then.

Twenty years later, it is appropriate to do some introspective soul-searching and ponder the progress of this community of faith in the area of racial reconciliation. Are things better now? Can Pentecostals—as a people, or as individuals—say they have achieved or are in the process of achieving true racial reconciliation? Has the color line once again been washed away in the blood?

Together with some pastors, educators and denominational leaders, we have sought some answers to these questions, in the hopes that we might also identify some solutions—for our churches, and for our daily lives.

THE SPIRITUAL ROOTS OF RACIAL DIVISION At that 1994 conference, Leonard Lovett, a COGIC theologian and ethicist, “named the names of demons” that plagued the Pentecostal movement in that day as far as race was concerned. He began, “In order for longterm systematic change to occur collectively, we must be disturbed deeply.” By that he meant there must be a deep sense of grief and sorrow over the sins of racism and prejudice. This leads to genuine repentance, which in turn leads to genuine transformation.

Lovett went on to name the “demons” of racism, identifying individual racism, institutional racism and cultural racism. Each one of these “demons” must be vanquished for true racial reconciliation to have occurred.

These three forms of racism come in two basic

Below: A quote from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “mountaintop speech,” given the day before he was assassinated, adorns a gate to the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tenn.

P hot o: C a r l Wy c of f

categories: blatant racism or subtle racism. While our communities have tackled, to some degree, the issue of blatant racism, we certainly need to address the more insidious manifestation of subtle, passive racism. This is that sin that keeps us silent, standing idly by. It prevents us from doing something and speaking out when we see instances of prejudice, discrimination and injustice in the world around us.

By engaging in passive racism, we become like the priest and the Levite in the parable of the Good Samaritan that Jesus told in Luke 10:25-37. We “pass by on the other side” instead of doing something about the injustice.

Subtle racism includes all the quiet ways we harbor stereotypes and prejudices about the “other” in our hearts, allowing them to take root and determine how we interact with

those who may be different from us.

In his paper presented at the Memphis Miracle event, Cecil M. Robeck, Jr., professor of church history at Fuller Theological Seminary, points out that prejudice, discrimination and racism are problems people face everywhere, even within Pentecostal, “Spirit-filled” circles.

Paul’s words to the Romans resound: “There is no one who is righteous, not even one” (Rom. 3:10).

This sentiment is echoed by Evans, lead pastor of Gateway Christian Center in Tampa, Florida and the minister who performed the foot-washing at the Memphis event. He says, “If racial divides have many roots, the taproot is in our fallen nature.” As children of God we have been called to confront the sins of prejudice, discrimination and racism, just as we are to account for the many other ways in which we have fallen.

Sadly, this is not often mentioned from our nation’s pulpits. As a professor at a Christian university, I teach a course on interracial

THE GROWTH OF LATINO PENTECOSTALS One of the most notable religious shifts in recent years has been the increase of Latinos turning toward Protestantism— especially Pentecostalism.

Within the Assemblies of God, a 41 percent nonwhite fellowship, 21.7 percent of adherents are Hispanic. As Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, has said, “We got a postcard from the future, and it told us that in the not-too-distant future, this country is going to be minority white. …

The future of many religious traditions in this country will depend upon the second-generation Latinos.” Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in California, told TIME magazine of this surge, “The greatest growth of all is coming in the Pentecostal or charismatic churches. It is the untold story.”

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P h o t o : Fl o wer Pen teco s tal Heritage Center

communication. I often ask my students in that class—many of whom have grown up in church their entire lives, some even as children of pastors and missionaries—how many times they have heard a sermon that specifically addressed racism, prejudice and discrimination. While some of my students of color may have heard such a message in their churches, the majority of white students have never heard those sins mentioned.

While many churches talk a lot about homosexuality, abortion, euthanasia and sex outside of marriage, the silence on the sin of racism is deafening. Christians must equally and relentlessly proclaim that harboring racial/ethnic prejudice of any kind must be repented of. These are issues of the heart that inevitably surface, and we must ask the Holy Spirit to search our hearts and remove any such sin found therein.

Robeck points out in his paper that racism and prejudice are frequently invisible, even to the perpetrator. He notes that racism is “insidious. It is camouflaged. It often comes in sophisticated and devious garb. … I would even venture to say that it is one of the most deniable of all sins in which white Christians, including Pentecostals, participate.”

We see this manifested in so many ways. I was recently at an event where a white Pentecostal minister publicly introduced another Pentecostal minister of color as “boy” without even realizing the racial implications. Debra Brown, a professor at University of Valley Forge, says that, as a pastor, she observed racially ethnic harmonious relationships in children’s church among parents and children alike. However,

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Above: Donald J. Evans washes the feet of Ithiel Clemmons in repentance of racism during the symbolic moment of the Memphis Miracle event.

when it was time for them to enter youth group, “white flight” occurred. Many parents did not want to deal with issues such as interracial dating, which may lead to more serious reflections concerning race relations. Debra Brown believes it might be more challenging for Christians to engage in racial reconciliation than non-Christians, because “religiosity can be a camouflage and prevent authenticity and transparency.”

Evans urges, “If we are reconciled to God by the blood of Jesus, we are ordained ministers of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:17-21).

We are ambassadors of Christ and committed to the word of reconciliation.” He notes that the whole context of this passage is concerned with believers living for Christ (v. 15), controlled by “the love of Christ” (v. 14), becoming “new creatures” in Christ (v. 17) and fulfilling the ministry of reconciliation. “This,” he says, “is not limited to one race of people. … Now the Spirit of God calls us yet closer and touches the evil of our prejudices.”

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Intentionality is the key.

We cannot assume that racial unity will just happen spontaneously.

Debra Brown notes that people tend to base relationships upon “consciousness of kind,” comfort and convenience. As a result, they are not challenged to examine barriers, fears, lack of tolerance and misconceptions they might hold about any ethnic group.

“True racial reconciliation,” Debra Brown says, “requires sacrifice and intentionality.”

Intentionality is the key. We cannot assume that racial unity will just happen spontaneously. We must be intentional to go out of our way, out of our comfort zones, to seek out ways in which we can include the “other” in all areas of our lives. We must pray that God, by His Spirit, will provide us with wisdom and opportunity to do this.

CREATING CLIMATES FOR RECONCILIATION I believe racial reconciliation must begin within the local church. Take a look at the neighborhood your church is in. Now look at your congregation.

Does it reflect the racial/ethnic makeup of your neighborhood? If it does, great. If it does not, how can it become more reflective of your

community?

Change is not often swift in coming.

Evans says, “Victories are incremental, very small and subtle signs of change.”

But there are a number of pastors and churches around the country that are becoming models of how to break down racial barriers.

One such church is Cincinnati’s Peoples Church, led by pastor Chris Beard. In 2001, when Beard came to lead the century-old First Christian Assembly, as the church was known then, almost all the attendees were white. The ethnic makeup of the city and the neighborhood in which the church was situated, however, was rapidly evolving. “I just began to wonder about our being so monoethnic in a multiethnic city,” Beard says. Although it wasn’t an easy process, Beard led the congregation toward greater integration through steps like addressing prejudice in sermons, expanding the styles of worship and organizing small group discussions about race.

Debra Brown points to Sheffield Family Life Center in Kansas City, Missouri as another example of a church living out an ethic of racial reconciliation. George Westlake, Jr., pastor emeritus of the church, prayed and asked God for a church to represent the Kingdom. It began with about 200 white attendees, but has now developed into a multiethnic community where, as Debra Brown points out, “the leadership reflected diversity.”

The story of the Assembly of God Tabernacle in Decatur, Georgia was told

by New York Times correspondents in the book How Race is Lived in America: Pulling Together, Pulling Apart. It chronicles the experiences and perspectives of two families—one white, the other black—that both attend the church as they struggle with the history of racism in the South, present-day race relations and interracial worship.

The Pentecostal community has, like most of mainstream America, made an effort to rectify the racism of the past. In 1994, for example, as a direct result of the

RETURNING TO MEMPHIS Recently, George O. Wood, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God (AG), was invited to be the keynote speaker at Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee for the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) founder Charles Mason. Here are his thoughts on that historic day: “Bishop Mason came to our first General Council in Hot Springs, Arkansas and blessed the formation of the AG. At the meeting where I spoke, I presented presiding bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr. with a bronze desktop statue of Jesus washing the feet of Peter. I said that the beginning of the Pentecostal movement gave a foretaste of what the Spirit wanted the Church to represent to the world—where the blood line washed out the color line. I also said we mistakenly yielded to the forces of a segregationist culture and went our separate ways, but in these days the Spirit was bringing the descendants of Azusa Street together again. As I handed the statue to Bishop Blake, I said, ‘Let this represent the AG washing the feet of the COGIC.’ I am delighted for this new day when the promise of Pentecost, represented in the multinational languages spoken, and the promise of the Azusa Street multiethnic revival is being fulfilled in our day.”

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Q&A: MICHAEL NELSON Michael Nelson is the president of the National Black Fellowship of the Assemblies of God. He is also the pastor of Peace Tabernacle Assembly of God in Jacksonville, Florida. Below, he shares why he’s passionate about a multiethnic approach to leadership and ministry.

On stereotyping: “By stereotyping, we infer that a person has a whole range of characteristics and abilities that we assume all members of that group have. Most stereotypes probably tend to convey a negative impression. While generalizing helps us navigate our lives, stereotyping puts us in a dangerous place in which societal members are limited from their true potential and face barriers to contributing their talents and assets to the societal mix.”

On achieving unity: “Taking a page from the foreign field when it comes to bridging the gap: Foreign missionaries who are addressing warring factions know that the Good News must penetrate cultures, and they know that they can best communicate cross-culturally when they learn the language and the culture of each party.”

On his future hopes: “The Gospel is not partisan.

The Gospel, in black and white, is this: There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one Church. Through the National Black Fellowship, we want to model the Gospel by reaching urban America for Christ and bringing more diversity to the leadership structure of our great fellowship. Statistics tells us that more than 41 percent of AG adherents in the United States are ethnically diverse. When you see people who look like you and others that are different from you working together, that helps tremendously.”

Learn more at nbfag.org.

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Memphis Miracle, the previously all-white PFNA reorganized as the racially diverse Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches of North America. Over the last two decades, the AG has restructured its national leadership bodies—the general and executive presbyteries—to expand representation of cultural and racial minorities. More recently, it has partnered with the United Pentecostal Council of the Assemblies of God, a group of black churches which split off from the AG nearly a century earlier because of racist AG policies. High-level talks between the AG and the COGIC, America’s largest Pentecostal denomination, are also ongoing in order to foster better relations and promote formal cooperation between the two bodies.

Even so, I submit that we still have some way to go. Where have we accepted “token” change in the place of transformational change? When we can point to the one woman in leadership who is supposed to represent all women, the one Hispanic who represents all Hispanics, the one Asian who represents all Asians and the one African American who represents all blacks, that is the classic definition of tokenism and does not represent genuine, all-inclusive change. Debra Brown says, “We have to lead by example in order to emulate racial reconciliation.”

Are we truly prepared for people of color in all areas of leadership— in our religious movements, as well as our workplaces, governments and communities—and not just in those areas where they are to be representatives of their particular ethnic group?

When that day comes, we can truly say we have achieved genuine racial reconciliation and transformation. As Lovett stated, “We long for the day when we will lay aside … our racial divisions, our gender divisions, our double standards, all in light of, and under the judgment of, the Kingdom that knows no end.”

MOVING FROM THE “WHY” TO THE “HOW” What are some things you can do in your daily life to foster more effective racial reconciliation?

Develop a spirit of genuine humility and repentance. Speaking of his own experience, Evans says, “I prayed and asked the Lord ‘How many times do I have to say … I am sorry for the wrongs of all white people in the past?’ I had an intuitive knowing that said, ‘As many as it takes.’ From that moment on, I stopped resenting having to apologize for something I had no part of and accepted the opportunity to be an instrument of healing.”

He adds, “There is no restitution great enough to equal the tragedy done to Native Americans, nothing can repay African Americans for the horrors of slavery, and nothing can take away my sin—nothing but the blood of Jesus. The amazing grace of God is the only factor that lets us get past our past.”

Like many sins, racism and prejudice are often hidden and not willingly admitted; it takes the conviction of the Holy Spirit for us to come to that place of genuine repentance. We must pray, “Search me, O God, and know my heart. … See if there is any wicked way in me” (Ps. 139:23-24). Let the Spirit of God illuminate those areas of your heart that may harbor anything against those of a different race or ethnicity.

Watch your words. Pay close attention to the way you talk about others.

Our words reveal the true state of our hearts. Jesus said, “Out of the

abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt. 12:34). Do you tell racial and ethnic jokes, shrug them off as “comedy” and ask those you offend to “get a sense of humor?” Have you perhaps said negative things about immigrants or stereotyped other races and ethnicities? Paul says, “Watch the way you talk. ... Say only what helps” (Eph. 4:29, The Message).

Consider your actions. How do you respond to others of a different race? For example, how would you react if your church were to become more ethnically diverse or hire a pastor of a race or ethnicity different than yours? Do you avoid certain types of media, areas of town or community events because of hidden prejudices? What would you do if your pastor began to address the issues of race and racial division directly on a regular basis?

Reach out to those who may be different than you. We must be intentional in including others who are different from us. Ephraim Espinoza, director of the Office of Hispanic Relations for the AG, believes that “intentionality is best demonstrated in actions. ... It must begin with including others in our circles of conversation, in our circles of fellowship, in our circles of work.”

You can open the doors of your home to individuals and families of ethnic diversity for a potluck supper, which can provide opportunities to expand your circle and your palette.

You could befriend a first-generation immigrant who might need help with translation, opening a bank account or applying for a loan. Having a friend can help provide a secure setting for those trying to assimilate into our American culture. At work, inclusiveness can mean accepting others of a different ethnicity, giving them a voice and a literal place at the table. In our communities, ethnic diversity can be celebrated

through community fairs that invite people to experience distinctive foods, music and culture.

Pray that God provides divine encounters and opportunities to love and interact with those who are ethnically different from you. As Evans says, “Is it possible that we would support a missionary to win the lost across the world, but not go across the street to love a person of color in our own city, town or village?”

Austin Channing Brown, a multicultural liaison for Calvin College who has also advised churches like Chicago’s Willow Creek Community Church as a racial reconciler, says, “There is no lack of possibilities, only a lack of imagination, desire, or courage.”

Educate yourself. There are many things everyone can and should do to create a climate for racial integration and reconciliation, not the least of which is being educated, Austin Brown suggests. While there are so many ways to learn about other cultures, I believe developing a personal relationship with someone of another ethnicity is one of the best teachers. As you develop such a relationship, you have the opportunity to observe their culture up close and are able to ask questions of each other in an atmosphere of true friendship and Christian love. In doing so, Austin Brown says, you make “a commitment to walk together and learn how to talk about racial injustice.”

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul exclaims, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28).

Pentecostal New Testament scholar Gordon Fee points out how this verse singles out the three most obvious ways people are separated from each other: race/ethnicity, social status and gender. Yet, in Christ, they are made one again. In Christ, all barriers, racial, ethnic and otherwise, are torn down.

Bartleman was right all those years ago when he said the “color line was washed away in the blood.” The blood of Jesus does and must remove all racial division which so easily separates us in the body of Christ. While there always will be the challenges of cultural differences and distinctives, there are no differences we cannot overcome through the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through us.

Derrick R. Rosenior, Ph.D. is a professor of communication studies and director of the Lewis Wilson Institute for Pentecostal Studies at Vanguard University, Costa Mesa, California.

He is married to Karine Rosenior and holds a master’s degree from Central Michigan University and a doctorate in rhetoric and intercultural communication from Howard University in Washington, D.C. Rosenior is an ordained Assemblies of God minister and is the teaching pastor at Orange County First Assembly of God in Santa Ana, California.

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A NEW METRIC What values should guide our evaluations of the Christian life?

DAVID HERTWECK

A

re my actions and words moral?

Do I go to church regularly?

Am I dressing, voting, parenting, associating with friends and posting on social media the right way?

So often, we focus on behavior or how we live as an indicator of spiritual health. We look at an individual’s life and ask questions like these. I have been involved with youth ministry for the last 15 years, and for much of that time, my default mode was to think “behavior.”

But over time, I have been challenged to go deeper and look at what I believe are far more important issues— questions and values that influenced more than how students behaved, but how they perceived themselves, their world and most importantly, their faith.

The wrong evaluation tools or metrics can lead us to measure the wrong things, ignore our real issues and bring us to the wrong conclusions. When it comes to evaluating spiritual health, I encourage us to ask three important questions: Are you Gospel-fluent?

Are you Spirit-dependent?

Do you have biblical community?

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FE ATURES

These questions are essential to all of us, regardless of age. We need to intentionally think through these values and how they are (or aren’t) playing out in our relationships with our spouses, children, friends, coworkers and the people in our everyday path.

Christ has given us right standing will lead to right living—not in an attempt to earn or perform, but in a response of worship. Only the Gospel comes in and changes our hearts. More than right living, we need the Gospel.

QUESTION NO. 1: ARE YOU GOSPEL-FLUENT? If you’re fluent in something, you think in it, dream in it, breathe it, live it—it comes naturally to you.

In earlier days of my ministry, when I would counsel a teenager who was struggling with behavior, I would resort to moralism—“here’s what you should do”—or “motivationalism”—“you can do it!” I would remind a young man that what he was doing was wrong and it would hurt him and others in the process. Then I would encourage him to do the right thing and share some biblical examples of people who did it right.

I wasn’t fluent in the Gospel. I didn’t know how to help him identify the sin beneath the sin and direct his wandering heart back to Jesus by reminding him of the Gospel. I thought a little instruction or a little inspiration would change his behavior when what he needed most was an invitation to believe the Gospel and the opportunity to grow in “Gospel fluency.”

While right living is an indicator of spiritual health, the reality is that we can generate and manufacture behavioral change that has nothing to do with the Gospel.

When our actions have a connection to a growing, vibrant love for Jesus, we find Him a beautiful treasure, instead of a useful tool we take off the shelf when we need something. At that point, He’s serviceable for getting what our hearts think is desirable: comfort, approval, influence.

When we’re fluent in the Gospel, Jesus and what He has done for us become the center from which we live. The Gospel is the only place where we find the assurance and unconditional approval our hearts so desperately crave. Apart from it, we have no assurance we are both completely known and completely loved.

Instead, we are left to our own pursuits and attempts to bring meaning into our lives.

Right living will never create right standing with God. But understanding how the person and work of

QUESTION NO. 2: ARE YOU SPIRIT-DEPENDENT? For many, the idea of walking with and depending on the Holy Spirit throughout the week is completely foreign. One of the best ways we can improve our spiritual health is to de-compartmentalize the Holy Spirit and see Him working throughout our days—not just on Sundays.

Perhaps the greatest argument I can make for you to be Spirit-dependent is to offer a closer look at the Spirit and the role He plays in our lives, 24/7: The Spirit pursues us when we are lost. He shines the light of the Gospel into the darkness of our hearts so we can accurately see our sin. He convicts us because He loves us so much and is completely committed to helping us know our need for a Savior.

I used to think salvation was mostly about what Jesus did. I’ve learned more recently that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit all are integrally involved in salvation.

The Spirit testifies about Jesus. He is always talking to our hearts about who Jesus is and what He did. Jesus told His disciples that the primary work of the Holy Spirit is to reveal Jesus to our hearts: “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me” (John 15:26).

The Spirit helps us look into our own hearts. The Bible teaches us that our hearts are wicked in ways we can’t even recognize. We desperately need the Holy Spirit to examine our hearts and to guide us into truth.

The Spirit empowers us to live on mission. God’s people are a people of the Spirit, which enables them to join the mission of God. Apart from that purpose, the power turns us into an eclectic social club and nothing more. There is nothing of eternal value that will happen in us or through us that isn’t directly tied to the work of the Holy Spirit.

… the reality is that you can generate and manufacture behavioral change that has nothing to do with the Gospel.

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QUESTION NO. 3: DO YOU HAVE BIBLICAL COMMUNITY? Genesis 1:26 reveals that human beings have been made in the image of God: “Let us make mankind in our image … ” Notice the words “us” and “our.” We have been created in the image of a God who has always existed in interpersonal relationships between the three persons of the Godhead.

In other words, God has always existed in community with and within Himself. Since we have been created in that image, we are intended for meaningful, productive, Godcentered community.

Think about how we are deeply wired to share life. We can barely have an enjoyable experience without immediately wanting to figure out how to share it with everyone via text threads or social media. Though our depravity and sinful nature can easily corrupt this desire for community, I believe the reason we have these desires in the first place is because we’re image-bearers.

Yet how many of us have biblical community— centered on Christ and His mission?

This kind of community is so deep and rich.

The Hiding Place, by Corrie ten Boom, offers a beautiful illustration of this kind of missioncentered community. In the book, ten Boom shares her hauntingly dark story about how she and her family protected persecuted Jews during World War II. I still remember reading about the Jews who were in hiding voting to welcome asthmatic Mary Itallie. She breathed with a loud wheeze and could have easily given away their location during a house search. A

man named Eusie articulated the feelings of the group: “We’re the orphan children— the ones nobody wanted.” He knew they could not reject another because they themselves had been accepted, despite being a danger to the ten Boom family.

When Christ is at the center of any community, we have a new way of sharing life. Being part of a church, small group, Bible study or volunteer outreach isn’t simply about having a reliable or safe social setting. It’s about lives being woven into the tapestry of the story of redemption.

No community is more powerful than one made up of Christian friendships built around a shared love for the Savior.

Gospel fluency, Spirit dependency and biblical community: I have come to believe that these are three of the key areas to focus on as we assess and improve our spiritual health. Practically lived out, this means being intentional to take time every day to meditate on the good news of the Gospel—through the songs you listen to, the Scripture you read, your prayer time and other spiritual disciplines. Of course, none of this can be done apart from the work of the Spirit; we are truly and fully dependent upon the Holy Spirit to create a desire within us for the things of God. Let the Gospel, the Holy Spirit and the community of believers work together to guard your heart and change you—from the inside out.

David Hertweck is director of youth ministry for the New York Assemblies of God and the author of The Word and the Spirit (Gospel Publishing House) and the forthcoming Good Kids, Big Events and Matching T-Shirts: Changing the Conversation on Health in Youth Ministry (My Healthy Church) .

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Olivia Klaus: Directing Change Why the filmmaker views her socially conscious documentaries as her “missionary work” ALYCE YOUNGBLOOD

W “Do I feel, when I come across a story, that I’m going to dedicate my life to [it]?”

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hen Olivia Klaus began volunteering at the California Institution for Women, her intent was simply to better understand victims of domestic violence.

She ended up committing to this volunteer work for years, befriending a group of inmates and creating two documentaries about their experiences.

With her independent production company, Quiet Little Place, Klaus directed 2009’s Sin by Silence, a film profiling imprisoned survivors of domestic violence who had murdered their abusive spouses. In 2014, they released Life After Manson, a project that focuses on Patricia Krenwinkel, a notorious member of Charles Manson’s “family” and the longest-incarcerated female inmate in the California penal system.

These are dark and previously untold stories— but they have challenged viewers and even lawmakers to think deeply about abuse cycles, consequence and restoration.

Klaus recently spoke with Vital about how her faith plays a role in her filmmaking and advocacy, and offered advice for creative Christians who hope to make meaningful work.

Vital: How did you become a documentarian?

Olivia Klaus: Growing up, I always knew I wanted to be a filmmaker, but I didn’t start as a documentarian.

I went to Vanguard University, which was Southern California College back then. It really helped mold me into the filmmaker I am today. I started working in L.A. in studio production, commercials, movies and television shows, but we kept doing these documentaries and nonprofit videos on the side. It turned into me leaving the Hollywood world behind and going down this documentary road to tell the stories of the voiceless.

A lot of people are called to missions, or called overseas or called to plant a church in their community.

This is my missionary work. This is my way of contributing back to the world and doing my service that God has called me to do. It wasn’t a question of how, or if or why. It was like, “Of course. Let’s do it.”

What makes a story worth telling?

For me, it really comes down to the conviction of my heart. Do I feel, when I come across a story, that I’m

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“We have to decide to do what is right over what is easy.” going to dedicate my life to [it]? With the stories we tell with Quiet Little Place, it really does just become a conviction of my heart, a passion to make change with the story. You’ve got to have that as a documentary filmmaker because it takes so much time. It really takes blood, sweat and tears to create these films. We’re trying to bring hope to this darkness.

What do you think of current cultural discussions of domestic violence?

There has been so much progress, and it’s definitely not the taboo subject of conversation that it used to be.

People are very open to talking about it. It creates this comfortable space for people who have experienced it to be OK with talking about it—to say, “Yes, this did happen to me, and I shouldn’t be ashamed about it because it happens to a lot of people.”

One in three women experience abuse. Whether it’s just verbal or physical, there are so many degrees of abuse. What’s discouraging to me is pointing fingers at the victim, like, “If that happened to me, I would just leave.” Well, it’s not that easy.

It’s been exciting to be a part of it with Sin by Silence … to see people start accepting those women behind bars as victims as well. It’s been a hard road, but a very rewarding road to see people be educated and enlightened and carry the torch for me. I’m just one person, so it’s nice, through the power of film, to inspire people to help the cause.

How can the Church help victims of domestic violence?

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It’s like our society has left it up to the government or these nonprofits to really help fix things, and they are so overwhelmed. They’re so under-budget. They just can’t do it all because when one out of three women experience abuse, there are just not enough resources in the communities.

The Church really could be a vital resource in communities. Just creating safe spaces in small groups for people to open up would be huge, as well as starting to sponsor the women’s shelter that is close in their community.

Start the conversation, because that’s the hardest part. Whether in the pulpit, in a small group, in a devotional group or wherever it needs to be, to know that it’s OK to talk about it is important.

What advice would you give to Christians working in creative fields?

I think there’s so much opportunity, and it’s really just about following your heart. How do you want to change the world? Whether that be in a film project, or in a documentary, or volunteering at a women’s shelter or whatever you may feel called to do, do it with your all and do it to change the world. We have to decide to do what is right over what is easy.

MAKE IT COUNT To learn more about Olivia Klaus, her production company and the films they work on, go to quietlittleplace. com.

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M U LT I P L I E R

A Harbor for the City by the Bay San Francisco is known for its innovation— but City Impact is more interested in its restoration CHRISTINA QUICK

F “You could do a lot of good works without the Good News, but it’s not going to save anyone.”

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rom the 1849 California Gold Rush to the modern-day technology boom in Silicon Valley, San Francisco has long been an epicenter of progress and prosperity. The Bay Area’s technology district is home to such Fortune 500 companies as Apple, Google, Yahoo, Adobe, Facebook, eBay and Hewlett-Packard.

But there is another side to this cyber metropolis. The Tenderloin district in inner city San Francisco—known for prostitution, homelessness, drug abuse and violent crime— is a striking contrast to all that glistens in the Golden City. That’s where City Impact is prospecting for souls, taking the light of the Gospel to the shadowy places most people would rather avoid. The ministry’s mission is threefold, involving relief, rehabilitation and development.

“The people in the inner city of San Francisco are like the forgotten people of the Bay Area,” says Christian Huang, executive director of City Impact. “No one talks about it. Very rarely do people engage in it. It’s just too messy to deal with.”

Christian’s father, Roger Huang, a Taiwanese immigrant, started the ministry.

Roger came with his family to San Francisco at age 15, left home at 17 and struggled to make ends meet and forge a path in a foreign culture.

Then his life changed forever at 27, when he heard the Gospel and accepted Christ as his Savior.

“In five or 10 minutes, I came to know the Lord, and that was my turning point,” Roger says.

Looking back on his years of loneliness and despair, he wondered why someone hadn’t told him sooner about the hope available in Jesus. A desire to share this transforming message with others began stirring in his heart.

While waiting for a tow truck in the Tenderloin district in 1984, he noticed a group harassing a young man. He sensed God asking him, What if they were picking on your son? Moved with compassion, Huang and his wife, Maite, made 50 sandwiches and returned to the streets the next day to distribute the food to homeless people.

“That’s all very good reading,”

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“I just like to talk to people one on one. That’s what this community needs.”

Roger says of the memory, “but we have to remember, before that, I was praying to God for a greater opportunity for me to serve Him.” That greater opportunity—City Impact—was born from this simple gesture, and it has greatly multiplied over the three decades since. City Impact now touches thousands of lives through 16 weekly outreach programs. In 2012 alone, the Huangs and the City Impact staff served more than 135,000 meals.

Much of their work is done through a rescue mission, where they host worship services, a food bank, a thrift store, a job placement center and a wellness clinic. Their adopta-building program reaches into the lives of 37,000 residents in 586 buildings, all jammed into less than one square mile in the heart of the Tenderloin. Through the City Academy, the first school in the district, they see more than 83 percent of graduates, many from dysfunctional upbringings, go on to attend college.

“Our ministry is first and foremost spiritual,” Christian says, adding that the poverty, sexual exploitation and substance abuse rampant in the inner city lead to trauma, addiction and isolation among the residents.

“These are really the recurring themes,” he says. “We’re believing people can come out of this addiction, they can be healed of this trauma, and they can be brought into family and break the isolation. … You could do a lot of good works without the Good News, but it’s not going to save anyone.”

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This is one reason Christian is especially passionate about City Impact Conference, a one-day annual event incorporating both worship and outreach.

“I can either criticize the Church or try to help it out,” he explains. “I love Christians. I think the hope of America is the Christian faith, and if we can do our part, I believe we can truly revive a nation.”

For Roger, the heart of City Impact still lies in the personal, relational moments from which it began.

“I just like to talk to people one on one.

That’s what this community needs,” he says.

“They really don’t know, and they don’t care, about who is the star or who is influential.

They just want someone to talk to them and listen to them.”

MAKE IT COUNT Volunteer opportunities with City Impact are available for both locals and visiting teams. Learn more at sfcityimpact. com. Read more about Roger Huang’s life in his book Chasing God: One Man’s Miraculous Journey in the Heart of the City (David C. Cook).

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A Divine Setup Comedian Michael Jr. says his standup isn’t just about getting you to laugh CHRISTINA QUICK

C

hristian comedian Michael Jr. did his first standup routine years ago after a malfunctioning projector stopped the film at a movie theater in Grand Rapids, Michigan. On a dare, the young man stood up and diverted the restless moviegoers with some impromptu jokes. The theater manager asked him to stop—but

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the delighted crowd insisted he stay.

Though he has since appeared on The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Comedy Central and other national stages, Michael Jr. says entertaining audiences isn’t his goal in life. He simply wants to offer people the gift of humor.

“God gave me a huge revelation a few years ago,” the performer says.

“Instead of going up on stage to get laughs, I should just go up there and give them the opportunity to laugh. It took all the pressure off. When you have a gift to give someone, your job is to present it.”

The comedian discovered his funny bone during childhood when he realized that reading was an excruciatingly difficult task for him. To find meaning in a world of undecipherable words, he developed unique ways of looking at things. And to his surprise, people often thought his quirky observations were hilarious. Even as a young boy, seeing situations from multiple angles allowed him to rise above frustration and find the funny elements in life.

Michael Jr.’s big break later came when he landed a gig performing at the Comedy and Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, California, famously frequented by Jay Leno. He soon became the first comedian to appear live via satellite on The Tonight Show. Since then, the venues have varied, but Michael Jr. is still getting laughs simply by being himself. The self-described introvert maintains he is the same guy on and off the stage, and fans often remark that Michael Jr.’s laid-back delivery style makes his routines seem more like conversations with a funny friend.

“We wanted our family picture taken, and that stuff is expensive,” the father of five shares in one monologue. “So what we did to save money is we all got in the front seat of the car, looked both ways and ran a red light.”

“I’m really not working that hard to make people laugh,” he admits offstage. “I’m just up there like, ‘Hey, this is what’s happening.’”

The greatest turning point in Michael Jr.’s career was when he accepted an invitation from a club manager to attend church. He had already made a commitment to “clean comedy,” but after hearing the Gospel and accepting Christ as Savior, the comedian realized his passion could have a greater purpose.

“I used to think I was just funny, but now I understand I’m funny for a reason,” he says.

He explains that, in the same way a good joke is told, God often works over time to bring about a joyous plan and purpose no one else anticipates.

“God was setting me up,” Michael Jr. says. “Everything happened for a reason, even me not being able to read as a child. Sometimes the

“I used to think I was just funny, but now I understand I’m funny for a reason.” setbacks are just part of the setup. Everybody has a setup, but how many ever know what the punchline is? Often people can’t find their punchlines because they’re too caught in the setup.”

In addition to comedy clubs and other traditional venues, Michael Jr. now takes his mission of mirth to unlikely places, from church sanctuaries and conferences to homeless shelters and prisons. And while some comedians only produce live specials and online series, he has also put out spiritual resources like Laughing on Purpose, a small group curriculum rooted in humor.

“A lot of times, if I’m performing at a church, people who love God and go to church will invite their friends to come see me,” he says, adding that Sunday morning services are often his favorite stops. “I want to reach as many people as I possibly can.”

Of course, he acknowledges that some might think they’re not supposed to laugh at church—but as usual, he’s undeterred.

“My response to that is, what good Father doesn’t want to hear His children’s laughter in His house?”

MAKE IT COUNT Watch videos that will make you laugh hard or think deeply at michaeljr.com/ videos.

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TEACHING WORTH FIGHTING FOR? You don’t have to be outraged when something offends you. Here’s another way to respond.

SCOTT STEVENS

D

oesn’t it seem like some people wake up looking for something wrong?

They walk into a gathering (or turn on their computer) with ears and eyes perked, on the hunt for a misstep. What can I call out?

Who can I judge? What can I find that offends me?

This behavior may be rooted in a dedication to a moral high ground—but could it also be about ego? Most of us want to be “right;” we want to win. And for one to be right, someone else has to be wrong. For one to win, someone else has to lose. Political attack ads, “gotcha” journalism, Twitter crusades, “denouncing” others for theological or political deviations … All of these trends encourage focusing on how others have been wrong. They shape our culture, as Americans and Christians, and often in negative ways.

When we are easily offended, we may be living out of selfish motivations instead of by the grace of God. Still, Romans 12:3

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tells us, “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought.”

I have found that being an “angry activist” is an easy thing to do. Listening, understanding and offering grace are much more difficult—but “a person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense” (Prov.

19:11).

We live in a society that is quick to call a foul, quick to judge, quick to get upset—but very slow to “overlook an offense,” as this Proverb advises. The word overlook here, in Hebrew, means to “pass over,” to gain some spiritual altitude and rise above.

Yes, there are times to get upset. There are times for righteous anger—but not all the time, or even most of the time. It should be a meaningful rarity. Righteous anger should be the result of injustice or of someone being abused, neglected, treated unfairly—not because of the style of a church’s worship or because a pastor wore blue jeans. (I mention those two because they are very real conversations I have had with people in the past month.) Criticism, good robust dialogue, compassionate advocacy and exchanging opinions and ideas for the good of others is always welcome. Picking up an offense and making accusations, however, are neither necessary nor helpful.

Concerning the Church specifically, there is great harm done when believers engage in battle with other Christians. We must stop walking into church or opening our web browser looking for things we disagree with. We must stop talking so poorly about other leaders and denominations. We must learn that reactionary vitriol and passive aggression are not the only ways to respond when people of faith disappoint. When we fight with each other, those who may be searching for faith have reason to pause. Those who have been wounded by a church in the past may choose not to return. Those who scoff at God have ammunition for their mockery.

In a culture that often applauds outrage, how can you become someone who values overlooking an offense?

One kind of overlooking requires inaction—it requires realizing that, in light of Christ’s grace given to you, you have the freedom to ignore an offense. You are able to give others grace in turn.

In my role as a lead pastor, I have days in my life that I call “100 decision days” when I am faced with so many responsibilities and choices. Even if I get 99 of those decisions right, it seems the one I miss will rattle a person who is looking to be offended.

Behind any offense, there may be a person having a horrible week, coping with bad news from the doctor,

We need to have thick skin and a soft heart, rather than thin skin and a hard heart.

struggling to relate to their children or facing 100 decisions. We need to have thick skin and a soft heart, rather than thin skin and a hard heart.

Once you have gained some spiritual altitude, ask yourself, “Really? Is this something I have to carry around? Is this a situation I must address? Is it necessary or for good that I correct this person?” You’ll be surprised how often the answer is no.

The other form of overlooking is, in contrast, a very active response: forgiveness.

Colossians 3:13 challenges us, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

Because of Christ’s generous mercy, I will forgive as I have been forgiven. This doesn’t mean I have to pretend I was not hurt by an offense. I can name it for what it is, and, if needed, I can confront the offender. I can even adjust a routine or relationship if the wound is severe.

But my motivation should always be to take active steps toward forgiveness and restoration, rather than to tightly grasp or bitterly relive the wrongdoing, focusing on myself and my “rightness” rather than God’s grace and goodness.

As followers of Christ, we have such a wonderful message. Let’s not belittle it or make it unattractive by being argumentative, but rather, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Eph. 4:32).

That is worth fighting for.

Scott Stevens is the lead pastor at North Way Christian Community and lives with his wife, Tina, and their two daughters, Alyssa and Erin, in their hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

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THE CENTERPIECE OF COMMUNITY God has done some of His best work around the table. Do you prioritize time at yours?

SUSANNA FOTH AUGHTMON

Photo: M ikaela Hamilt on

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T

here is a pot of spaghetti sauce bubbling on the stove.

Garlic bread is crisping in the oven, hot and fragrant.

Garden tomatoes and crunchy cucumbers drizzled with pesto vinaigrette are set on a scrubbed pine table. Popping my head out the front door, I call down the street: Dinner is ready.

With the hammering of running feet, my 8-year-old and 11-year-old are inside.

My husband shuts the door on the home office and comes down the hall to help set the table. My 13-year-old puts his history homework to the side. It’s time to wash up and eat.

In moments, we are seated, passing out napkins and sipping water. This is how it should be: all of us together, gathered around the table. We thank God for His overwhelming generosity toward us. We dig in. Between bites, the boys share the highs and lows of their day. We can’t help laughing at their stories. You get extra points for being funny in our family. We leave the table full, in body and spirit.

This meal stands in sharp contrast to a dinner we had earlier in the week.

After squeezing the boys’ homework, golf lessons, paddling practice and a bike ride into the two-hour window after school, we were left with little time for life around the table. We were tired. Dinner included pizza and cold breadsticks (with a handful of baby carrots thrown in to soothe my nutritional conscience). Television took the place of conversation. The focus of dinner shifted from an act of community to an act of survival.

As life gets busier, communal dinner takes a back seat to sports, burgeoning work hours and overcrowded schedules.

Our family is not alone in navigating this cultural shift. While there are billiondollar industries devoted to the growing and serving of food, there is a trend among families and singles alike toward meals on the run and solitary lunches in cubicles. The Hartman Group Consulting Firm reports that 46 percent of all adult eating experiences take place alone. Only

43 percent of American families say they sit down to eat together regularly—but the need for families to stay connected in this way is apparent. One Purdue University study revealed that kids who eat regularly with their families are less stressed, have better grades, weigh less and are less likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol. Vanderbilt University’s research shows that the act of eating with friends and family promotes health and strong relationships. Eating together builds you up inside and out. Eating while driving? Not so much.

Food is about more than regeneration at a cellular level. It is about family, friends, good meals, rich conversation and shared desserts. It is about celebration, connection, intimacy, relationship. It is about sitting down together, looking each other in the eye and saying, “We are doing life together. We love each other. Now, can you please pass the hummus?”

Inviting someone to sit at your table is an invitation to nourish both the body and the spirit.

I don’t remember dinner around the TV when I was growing up. I do remember a lot of family dinners with extra friends on the side. My dad, both a pastor and president of a small college, invited people to dinner on a whim. My mom always had food to spare and can still bake a mean apple pie at a moment’s notice.

We welcomed a wide variety of people to our family taco nights: architects, missionaries, professors, theologians, football coaches, scientists. Dinner time wasn’t just nutritional in our house; it was educational.

We learned about life overseas, being passionate about work and who was in the running for the Rose Bowl.

This bring-your-friends-to-the-table concept that my parents embraced is something that could enrich all of our lives—if we could just get past the pizza nights and survival mode.

Meals are central to our lives. God created food, and He created togetherness. He created mankind—in a garden, I might add. It is His bounty that keeps us full of health and vitality. It is no surprise that many of His miracles involve dinner time. He has done some of His best work around the table. In the Old Testament, we read of how He sent manna and quail for the Israelites and His miraculous meat and bread delivery service, by way of raven, for the prophet Elijah. During Jesus’ ministry, He demonstrates the first church potluck by serving up a never-ending fish and bread supper. His last night was spent around the Passover table with His disciples, breaking bread, drinking the cup, inviting them to a life lived in remembrance of Him. Breaking bread was not just elemental to their existence; it was also sacramental to their faith. It is the same for us today.

Breaking bread was not just elemental to their existence; it was also sacramental to their faith.

When we are following Jesus, we are called to community. He modeled it for us with the disciples. For three years, He shared His journey, His thoughts and His meals with them. Their hearts were knit with His through the dailiness of life. After He was crucified and the disciples thought all hope was lost, the resurrected Jesus showed up on the beach and invited them to a fish fry. With the tang of smoke in the air and the taste of seafood on their fingers, He cemented their calling: to “feed” His sheep. At the moment of their greatest need, He met them in the most basic way and spoke life into them. He nourished them with food and truth.

When we live life around the table, sharing our thoughts and our platters with those we love, the same thing happens. Our bellies get full. Our minds are enriched. Our spirits are encouraged. We are living life the way it was meant to be lived.

Susanna Foth Aughtmon is an author and speaker, mom of three and wife of Scott, lead pastor of Pathway Church in Redwood City, California. You can find her books and read her blog, Confessions of a Tired Supergirl, at tiredsupergirl.com.

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TEACHING

HOW TO DREAM AGAIN Five questions to take you from identity crisis to purpose-filled living HERBERT COOPER

Do

you ever feel like even though you’re an adult, you’re still trying to figure out what you’re going to be when you grow up? We’re expected to have our lives figured out by the time we’re adults, but the truth is that many of us find ourselves figuring out who we are throughout our lives. We chase after things that we hope will make us successful, which in turn will prove we’re significant and worthy people.

Unfortunately, they don’t.

Or maybe you felt you discovered early in life who you really are. You were scaling milestones when life suddenly threw you a curveball. The dreams you thought you had figured out got blurred by the circumstances of life. Now you’re at a crossroads you never expected to face.

No matter what you’re facing in life, whether you’re trying to figure out who you are and how you fit into life for the first time or the twentieth time, or you’re in one of those crossroads where your identity is being tested, you can rely on God to show you who He made you to be.

While there’s no magic formula for making these moments happen, I want to share with you five thoughtprovoking questions that have helped me experience a number of “but God …” revelations and discover my true purpose-filled identity.

1. What do you dream about?

What are the things that are on your heart?

What are the things that you envision for your life?

If you didn’t have to worry about working a job that paid the bills—if money were no object—what would you want to do for the rest of your life? That truly is the ten-million-dollar question.

This question may spark the dreams you’ve never allowed yourself to put into words or share with others. It’s ultimately not about money but about revealing the thing God wired you to do.

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2. What are you good at?

It’s important to have a God-inspired dream, but sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish between a daydream, a pipe dream or a God-inspired dream. One of the ways I’ve learned to determine if my dream is from God is by asking the question, Am I good at what I’m dreaming about?

Take a minute and think about the talents God has given you. You may have some things you “used to be good at” that you’ve put away because you think they have no value in your life anymore. You might have stopped using your strongest gifts because your current career doesn’t afford you the opportunity, so you put those gifts on the shelf—but God keeps bringing up opportunities where your gifts come to mind or, better yet, must be utilized. Recognizing the pattern of your gifts and talents can confirm your true God-given identity and purpose.

3. What do others say you’re good at?

What is it that others tell you you’re good at, even if that surprises you? Having mentors, close friends, coworkers and spiritual leaders affirm your talents can not only save you from a misguided American Idol tryout but can also put you on the fast track to discover your talents and accomplish your God-given purpose.

4. What are you passionate about?

It may seem to be a cliché for a pastor to say that he’s passionate about reaching people who are far from God, but that is where my heart is. I am passionate about doing whatever it takes to help that one person who hasn’t yet heard about Jesus get the message. I am passionate about helping people do what they need to do so that they can understand who the Savior is and know Him. I am passionate about seeing people grow in their faith. I try to achieve these things in many ways, but first and foremost is in my preaching every Sunday.

God gives us dreams. He gives us passions. No matter what season of life you’re in, God can do great work through you.

5. What moves you to action?

What makes us angry, what stirs our spirit and what pushes our buttons may signal what we care the most about. We see something that shouldn’t be, and we do something about it. Maybe, just maybe, who you are is a person created to solve a certain problem.

Your job may put food on your table, but it may not be the problem you were called to solve. What moves you to action? What lights your fire? What do you

feel God has made you for? Do you come alive when you’re serving the homeless in your community? Or leading on your church’s worship team? Do you serve at a home for battered women and feel, This is it!

Or maybe you’re fostering children to show them the love of Christ, or working in the youth ministry at church to develop the lives of teenagers. For you, it might be tutoring kids after school to help them get their education back on track. What makes you come alive whenever you have the opportunity to solve a particular problem?

One of the ways we can find our purpose in life is to recognize what moves us to action.

No matter what season of life you’re in, God can do great work through you.

Our identity should always be wrapped up in God’s purpose: advancing His Kingdom, sharing the Gospel and serving others. This is true no matter what your dream is. We’re all parts—different parts—of the same body, helping and complementing one another.

So what is it you’re chasing now? How do you define yourself? If you’re not experiencing the level of contentment that comes from doing what God created you to do, then I encourage you to return to your dreams and rekindle the sparks of greatness He ignited in you. If you know what you love doing, what you’re good at, what you are passionate about, then you know your God-given purpose.

Too often, we chase after what the world calls success to give our lives meaning, but God is the only One who can give us the passionate purpose that will ultimately satisfy us. We fall short of our full potential to lead a joyful and Kingdom-impacting life not because we’re careless dreamers, but because we’re careful realists settling for too little. If you want more satisfaction, more meaning, more joy in your life, then live out of who your Creator made you to be. If you want to experience real fulfillment, then passionately pursue your God-given purpose!

Herbert Cooper is the senior pastor of People’s Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This article is excerpted from his book But God: Changes Everything. Copyright © 2015. Use by permission of Zondervan. zondervan.com

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TEACHING

THE FIVE FINANCIAL RESOLUTIONS YOU SHOULD MAKE A brief guide to better money management in 2015 KYLE DANA

“T

he poorest of all men is not the one without gold, but the one without a goal.” Author unknown Where would you like to be financially by this time next year? One of the biggest obstacles to financial freedom is a simple lack of planning. To help guide your plan, here are five money management resolutions with the power to dramatically improve your financial outlook for 2015.

1. Reduce debt.

Debt is costly—and not just in terms of interest you pay. When funds are tied up in debt, they can’t be invested for your benefit. That means you also lose potential earnings you could have had if you’d been able to invest those funds.

Ideally, you want to bring your total debt load to no more than 25-30 percent of your income, and lower if possible.

Make a plan to reach this goal over time by identifying the debts you can most quickly eliminate. For example, if your smallest debt is $500 on a store credit card, direct as much money toward it as possible until it’s paid off. Then move on to your next larger debt and repeat the process. This allows you to see quick progress, a powerful motivator to keep up with this resolution.

One positive outcome of debt elimination is a better credit rating. As you reduce your debt load this year, you may want to obtain your credit score to see where you stand. Every adult is eligible for one free score each year through freecreditreport.com.

Additionally, you can consider ongoing credit monitoring with the Credit Karma Mobile app, also free.

2. Save strategically.

Debt reduction should be balanced with saving. It’s not a good idea to completely stop saving in favor of debt repayment.

Keep at least a small emergency fund of $500 to $1,000 to avoid having to take out additional loans when unexpected

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expenses occur. As you reduce debt, continue saving, even if you can only manage a small amount. Then, increase it as debts are eliminated.

Here are a few recommended savings goals to target in 2015: Emergencies. Aim for three to six months of expenses.

Then the inevitable, unforeseen costs of life—health deductibles, car repairs, roof replacements—won’t stress you.

Large purchases. Saving up for a car, home improvement project or other larger purchase requires discipline and time, but it is better to delay a purchase than to finance it. To help you reach your goal faster, consider investing your savings so it draws more interest than what is typically earned through a standard savings account.

Retirement. Wherever you stand in preparing for retirement, resolve to go one step further this year. For example, open a retirement account if you don’t have one. If you do, begin automatic payroll contributions or increase your current contributions. These small steps will have an enormous impact on your future.

3. Become an educated spender.

If you’ve adopted the first two resolutions to reduce debt and save strategically, don’t undermine your efforts by spending more than you need to for life’s necessities.

Beginning this month, investigate ways to spend smart, starting with the following: The mortgage. Because a mortgage is usually the largest single debt for most households, refinancing it is one of the best ways to significantly increase monthly cash flow. A general rule of thumb is that if you can save at least one percentage point on your interest rate, the money you’ll save over time is worth the cost to refinance. Keep in mind, however, that if your credit score is on the low side, you may need to wait until it improves before attempting a refinance; otherwise, you may not qualify for the best rates.

Insurance premiums. Comparison shop your home, auto, health and life insurance to find the best premiums for the coverage you require. In addition, take advantage of every possible discount you can. For example, most companies offer a discount when you bundle multiple types of coverage under them. And some auto carriers offer a discount for paying your entire premium all at once rather than monthly.

Tax withholding. Getting a hefty return every year is

not the best use of your hard-earned resources. Having too much taken out of your paycheck for taxes is the same as giving Uncle Sam an interest-free loan. Sure, you get the money back, but those funds could have been put to better use throughout the year by investing them or paying off debt.

4. Teach your kids about money.

As with most good habits, instilling long-term healthy attitudes toward money in kids is most effective if you start when they are young. This year, try some new ideas: Delay gratification. One of most valuable gifts you can offer your children is an understanding of the difference between wants and needs. Rather than immediately granting a request for a new toy or gadget, establish an age-appropriate waiting period. This does two things: pinpoints true desires, and increases patience and gratitude.

Fill a jar. Label a jar with the name of a toy or something else your child wants. Every time they are given money or their allowance, have them add a portion or all of it to the jar so they can watch their savings grow.

Practice tithing and giving. When they begin to earn an allowance or get paid for odd jobs, show your kids how to tithe and explain why. Practice generosity as a family by helping fund a missionary or supporting a special project you choose together.

5. Adopt a Kingdom view.

“But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving” (2 Cor. 8:7).

As believers, every part of our lives, including finances, should be centered on Christ. God offers financial provision for your needs and His work of sharing salvation with the world. We have the opportunity to use that provision for an eternal purpose. When you give, you’re practicing a spiritual discipline that has the power to increase your faith and your gratitude for all of God’s blessings, not just financial ones. So this year, MAKE IT COUNT commit your finances to God, asking Him to help For practical you honor His name and saving tips, download the trust in His provision. He free e-book 52 won’t let you down.

Kyle Dana serves as senior vice president of the retirement and investment divisions at AG Financial Solutions.

Ways to Save at www.agfinancial. org/52waysto save.

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VITAL TIPS

WORDS OF WISDOM FOR THE DAY-TO-DAY

HOW TO AVOID FLIGHT DELAYS

A BETTER WAY TO START YOUR MORNING You know drinking water is good for you—but when you choose to drink water is also important.

Move your first cup of coffee to the middle of the morning and opt for a couple glasses of water right after you wake up. You need to rehydrate after a night of sleep, and various research says starting your day with water should boost your focus, your metabolism and your energy.

Based on Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ data on every United States flight in 2013, Decision Science News suggests avoiding flights that leave between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. If that itinerary doesn’t work for you, well, you could be fine; 60 percent of flights recorded had no delay at all.

WHEN YOUR PRAYER LIFE IS LACKING Scott Wilson, lead pastor of The Oaks Fellowship in Dallas, Texas, offers some ideas to breathe new life into your quiet time.

WANT TO QUIT CHECKING YOUR EMAIL ALL THE TIME? Don’t leave everything in there. It seems simple enough, but most people return to their emails whenever they need to find phone numbers, instructions, dates or other information. When you get an email, look for anything that requires action, then bookmark it, download it, save it, add it to your to-do list—basically, organize it appropriately outside of your account. If the email itself is important, archive—otherwise, clear your head and your inbox by putting it in the trash.

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Bible Reading: “The more you systematically get His words into your heart, the more His Spirit becomes a part of your daily life.”

Prayer Covering: “Pray over each member of your family or household on a daily basis. Ask God to direct you [in] how to serve them and how to continue praying for them.”

Corporate Prayer: “Find other people to pray with.

Scripture says in Matthew 18:20, ‘Where two or more are gathered, I am there with them.’”

Fasting: “If you are struggling with your prayer life, fasting is a discipline every believer should practice.”

(From scottwilsonleadership.com)

Reaching the changing face of America through missionaries, chaplains, and project volunteers

Assemblies of God U.S. Missions 2015 Prayer Guide Item #72–2021

Join us in praying for our U.S. missionaries and chaplains.

Request your copy of the 2015 Prayer Guide

Assemblies of God

U.S. Missions 76

or use

the interactive prayer guide at www.usmissions.ag.org.

Order online at www.myhealthychurch.com or call (877) 840–4800.

...that none perish

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KENT INGLE

W

hen Kent Ingle learned he had diabetes, he knew he had to change. New diet and exercise habits were obvious steps, but Ingle took a larger and long-term view. “I started thinking about the stewardship of life and how it is my responsibility to manage everything God has entrusted to me,” he shares.

The result of that kind of thinking is his forthcoming book, 9 Disciplines of Enduring Leadership (Influence Resources). His last book, This Adventure Called Life, was intended to help readers discover their “divine design.” This followup 9 Disciplines of title builds upon that message, directing readers to develop their potential Enduring Leadership within that design. It’s a broadly applicable theme, whether you are a student Kent Ingle preparing for a career, a parent raising young children or an executive leading a large corporation (Ingle himself is president of Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida.)

Ingle’s nine disciplines include: self-awareness, self-management, self-preparedness, character, relationships, generosity, learning, opportunity and missional living. These disciplines go beyond career to calling. What we do with the gifts and talents God has given us is always far more than what we do for a living.

Ingle’s books, at their heart, are about self-leadership—about becoming who God made you to be—and, in the process, empowering others. As Ingle recently tweeted, “Be intentional about supporting people and helping them achieve success. Leadership is about setting up others to do what they do best.”

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3

Anxious: Choosing Faith in a World of Worry AMY SIMPSON

Live Dead—Joy: 365 Days of Living and Dying with Jesus DICK BROGDEN

(IVP Books)

(My Heathy Church)

Cultivating worry is easy—but counterproductive, causing emotional, physical and relational problems. As Amy Simpson writes, worry is serious, but can be overcome with “a reorientation around the truth about God, who is not threatened by what scares us.”

In this daily devotional, Dick Brogden shows through Scripture that sin, disobedience and misery die wherever grace, faith and joy in Christ live. Brogden is on a multinational church planting team, and the book includes a prayer guide for unreached Muslim people groups.

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Churchless: Understanding Today’s Unchurched and How to Connect with Them GEORGE BARNA AND DAVID KINNAMAN (Tyndale Momentum) Though churchless Americans are a minority, they are a country-size minority—and increasing rapidly.

“If we hope to stem the swelling tide of churchless adults,” George Barna and David Kinnaman write, “we must make a compelling case for the value of church life.”

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4

The Word and The Spirit DAVID HERTWECK (Gospel Publishing House) Though they’re often treated as if at odds, the Word of God and the Holy Spirit cooperate with one another to change lives. The key is to be attentive to both.

David Hertweck goes deep in this book for students, helping them both discover the truth about God’s Word and experience the Holy Spirit personally.

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Simplify: Ten Practices to Unclutter Your Soul BILL HYBELS (Tyndale Momentum) Exhausted.

Overwhelmed.

Overscheduled. If any of these words describe you, read Simplify by Bill Hybels. Drawing on the Bible and common sense, Hybels shows that “simplified living is about more than doing less.

It’s being who God called us to be, with a wholehearted, singleminded focus.”

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A.D. 30 TED DEKKER (Center Street) What would it have been like to be alive during Jesus’ earthly ministry—to have met Him along the way? Ted Dekker offers one narrative in A.D. 30. This time, the master of the thriller tries his hand at historical fiction.

The story of Maviah, a Bedouin slave, offers a moving first-person perspective of central events of Scripture.

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Unstoppable CHRISTINE CAINE (Zondervan) Through her ministry and anti-trafficking work, Christine Caine seems unstoppable herself, so this empowering book comes as no surprise.

In it, Caine is at her encouraging best, writing, “Christian life isn’t a one-person race. It’s a relay.” You’ll finish reading with a renewed commitment to your course and the team running alongside you.

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The Best Yes LYSA TERKEURST (Thomas Nelson) People-pleasers and over-analyzers, add this to your bookshelf.

Lysa TerKeurst offers sound soul-care advice for women who feel drained by daily life. Readers will be pushed to make better decisions and comforted that “imperfections will never override God’s promises.”

All titles available at MyHealthyChurch.com

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healthy women

love WOMEN FUNCTION BEST WHEN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS ARE RIGHT — BUT HOW DO WE GET THERE? DISCOVER WAYS TO GROW LOVE IN YOUR OWN LIFE. FOR RESOURCES TO PROMOTE YOUR OWN WOMEN’S EVENT, SEE MYHEALTHYCHURCH.COM

FIND THESE AND OTHER GREAT RESOURCES AT

MyHealthyChurch.com

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Want more music from Oaks Worship and Clayton Brooks? Here are other worship albums worth adding to your playlist.

OAKS WORSHIP Live from Seven Camp

O

aks Worship recorded their new album, Live from Seven Camp, at a retreat center in Hawkins, Texas in the summer of 2014. But the music had been in a refining process for some time. Earlier in the year, the band invited worship pastors, students and other leaders from their church, The Oaks Fellowship in Red Oak, Texas, to an informal preview night so they could read through and listen to the songs that had been on their hearts.

“It was great for us. I think it helped us know where we were at and if what we had was worth doing,” Clayton Brooks, lead vocalist and The Oaks Fellowship worship pastor, explains. “We were so full of songs from the last year or two and from what God had been speaking to us.”

Those 12 songs that now make up Live from Seven Camp include reverent, prayerful tracks like “Holy Fire,” “To Honor You” and “You Love Me (Ps. 18),” as well as energetic melodies like “We’re Coming Alive,” “My Reward” and “Dance in Your Freedom.”

Brooks says sometimes the songwriting occurs over time, as simple phrases emerge in the various settings and services of their local church.

“What we end up with is a prayer that was birthed by the Spirit, and that we joined hands with.”

This is just one of the reasons Oaks Worship also chose to make the album available as a free download online.

“I’m excited to give it away, because we really want people to hear what God is saying— not just to The Oaks, but to the Church.”

War in the Waiting OAKS WORSHIP (Oaks Worship) The previous full-length offering from Oaks Worship includes fervent original praise songs like the title track, as well as refreshing returns to classics like “Amazing Grace.”

We Believe Live ONE: A WORSHIP COLLECTIVE (Influence Resources/ Integrity Music) Brooks joins with other worship leaders for a powerful live recording from the 7:14 Prayer Conference at Southwestern Assemblies of God University.

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We Will Not Be Shaken BETHEL MUSIC (Bethel Music) Through the years, You’ll always be there, the title track of Bethel Music’s new album proclaims. From this refrain, the rest of this live worship experience pours forth, a testament to the fact that, even in uncertain times, we serve a God who is unchanging and has overcome.

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In Jesus’ Name: A Legacy of Worship & Faith DARLENE ZSCHECH (Integrity) The prophetic, passionate songs of Darlene Zschech’s worship ministry span decades and echo globally. Some of the best are gathered here on In Jesus’ Name, as well as the new track “My Highest Hope,” written during Zschech’s recent cancer battle.

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No Turning Back BRANDON HEATH (Reunion) Brandon Heath was inspired by two major life events when writing the hopeful No Turning Back: choosing to follow Christ in 1995 and marrying his wife last spring. Heath says, “These songs are written from the spirit of that … new believer, in awe of being forgiven.”

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Hallelujah for the Cross NEWSBOYS (Capitol) These veterans of the Christian music scene continue to evolve, and now they return to spiritual roots with an album of fresh takes on traditional hymns. “Jesus Paid It All,” “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” and “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name” are just a few of the classics that are about to be your new Newsboys favorites.

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7

I Will Trust FRED HAMMOND

Eye’m All Mixed Up TOBYMAC

(RCA)

(ForeFront)

After a serious surgery last year, awardwinning artist Fred Hammond’s recovery included returning to what he knows best: deeply personal and anointed gospel music.

I Will Trust is a lively and intimate ode to the God who heals.

TobyMac took home a Grammy for Eye on It, and now the award-winning album has gotten the remix treatment. With help from the likes of Capital Kings and Soul Glow Activatur of Family Force 5, TobyMac has given his fans something new to move to.

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Wake up the Wonder ELEVATION WORSHIP (Essential) Last fall, Elevation Worship gathered with 16,000 people in Charlotte’s Time Warner Cable Arena to sing, Holy Spirit fire / Burning ever brighter/ In our souls. That live recording is now their latest project, Wake up the Wonder, a straightforward, energetic call for revival based on the events of Genesis 28.

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I Must Find You YOUNG OCEANS (Street Talk Media) Spirit of God, for you I will wait / With every heartbeat, I’ll seek your face, Young Oceans declares, setting a patient, seeking tone for I Must Find You. Songwriter Eric Marshall penned these songs following a personal loss, and the result is a stirring album steeped in Scripture and sincerity.

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2 0 1 5

M I S S I O N S

T H E M E

More spiritually lost people wait for the saving message of Jesus than at any time in history.

In 1914 when our Fellowship was founded, there were 589 million Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims in the world.

Today that number has grown to 3.1 billion!

The task is greater than ever before.

We need the empowerment of the Holy Spirit more than ever to accomplish our Lord’s mission.

We must be EMPOWERED—so all can hear!

Theme resources available January 1st Call Toll Free 1(800)988-6568 I missionstheme.ag.org

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UNDIVIDED

T

hings were not good at Roosevelt High School in north Portland.

Gang violence contributed to a hostile, at times fatal, climate. One out of seven students was homeless. Parents struggled to meet the needs of children at home, so teachers struggled to meet their needs in one Undivided of the lowest performing schools in the state. One resident called it (Aspiration Media) “the poverty of the lack of intimate relationships with positive adults.”

Then SouthLake Church took an interest. At first, pastor Kip Jacob called his suburban congregation to participate in “a season of service” by giving the Roosevelt campus some much-needed sprucing up. But this “season” turned into a long-term partnership between the church and the school, one now documented in the film Undivided.

This hour-long journey through the relationship between SouthLake and Roosevelt, as well as other community and corporate partners who got involved, is a moving example of what faith should look like in action. As Charlene Williams, Roosevelt’s principal, says, “SouthLake’s approach is more of, ‘Let me show you, through the works, through my actions, what love really is.’ …This is a beautiful thing.”

Director Sam Martin captures conversations (ranging from the teary to the joyful) with educators, neighbors, journalists, church members and students. Their nuanced responses guide the film and give the impression that Portland’s history—and their lives—have been changed for the better by this partnership.

Undivided hopes this could be a model for other communities. The goal is to see 300,000 churches serving 100,000 schools nationwide. At a simulcast event on January 29, screenings will bring together musical guests, educators and athletes to discuss why they believe every school matters.

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TINYLETTER

SHE READS TRUTH

tinyletter.com

shereadstruth.com

MailChimp has distinguished itself as a newsletter service for businesses and brands, and they offer a stripped down version of their product to individuals through TinyLetter. If you are a blogger, starting a new venture or just wanting to keep your community in the know, this is a free and easy way to send updates people will want to click on.

She Reads Truth is for “women who are committed to reading God’s Word together.”

They do so through a shared reading plan available online, in a daily newsletter or via the She Reads Truth Bible + Devotional app. Follow along on your own, get a local study group together or engage in the She Reads Truth social media community.

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ACORNS acorns.com If choosing and managing your investment portfolio gives you a headache, pass that responsibility to Acorns. It uses an automated process developed by engineers, mathematicians and a Nobel Prize-winning economist to handle your portfolio for you.

Acorns even allows you to invest the spare change from your everyday purchases.

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MAILSTROM mailstrom.co How long has it been since your inbox was completely and gloriously empty?

Mailstrom can help make that happen, soon and often. With a little bit of guidance, it will work within your email client to sort messages, unsubscribe from irrelevant mailing lists and set guidelines for the emails to come (they’ll be there before you know it).

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SICKWEATHER

PRAY1TIM2

sickweather.com

pray1tim2.org

Tired of your kids bringing the flu home?

Hoping to make it through the winter without using all your sick days? Think of this app as a neighborhood checkup. A live map and Sickweather Alerts consult with Facebook and Twitter to let you know where there are signs of illness—and to keep you from catching them.

As a response to 1 Timothy 2:1-4, which exhorts Christians to pray for those in authority, this ministry of Capitol Commission gives you a daily list of political leaders to lift up by name. An interactive map lets you filter by region and state, and brief profiles tell you more about each politician.

Bookmark it on your browser, set your alarm and take a moment for this each day.

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GUNNAR gunnars.com Seventy percent of Americans suffer from digital eye strain, but avoiding all technology isn’t an option for most people today.

GUNNAR has come up with one solution: doctor-recommended “computer eyewear” intended for anyone who uses a screen more than three hours a day. Glasses come in a number of styles, as well as with prescription lenses.

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VITAL vitalmagazine.com When you’re done reading Vital in print, why not wander over to see what we’re up to online? Stop by to get some fuel for your spirit and your conversations, sign up for the newsletter and let us know what you think. (Come on, we’re working hard over here!)

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MAKE IT COUNT W

hat character traits define a true disciple?

You might think of kindness, knowledge of Scripture or perhaps a commitment to a ministerial vocation. But there are a number of other practical, daily and subtle qualities of a passionate disciple of Christ.

In his book The 360° Disciple, Alton Garrison, assistant general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, makes a case for maturity being a core characteristic of God’s

people. The mature believer is disciplined, measured, guided by character and conviction, intimate with God— and driven to inspire others toward life as a disciple.

Over the next few pages, you’ll learn more about what this kind of mature discipleship looks like. We hope these verses, thoughts and questions will challenge you to continue cultivating it in your own life.

This section includes excerpts from The 360° Disciple (Gospel Publishing House, 2009) by Alton Garrison.

CONNECT

GO

WORSHIP

GROW

SERVE

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MAKE IT COUNT

CONNECT “A

bove all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Pet. 4:8).

An attitude of community is important. This attitude has to do with our fellowship, our love for each other. Jesus indicated this attitude is the standard by which others will judge our discipleship. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love

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one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).

The Church of the 21st century will be challenged to demonstrate love in an increasingly hateful and hurtful world. Our visible love for each other and the world will identify us as the Church of Jesus Christ. Our love for each other will allow us to overcome differences of opinion and controversial issues.

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What does it look like to love someone you don’t really know? What about someone with whom you often disagree?

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Think of a time someone was unexpectedly kind and loving toward you. How did it change the way you viewed them?

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Who is the most loving person you know? Why?

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Think about God’s love. How is it evidenced in your life?

MAKE IT COUNT

GROW “If

you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:7-8).

Prayer is not primarily about learning or having an emotional experience; it is primarily an act of love. When we pray, in addition to expressing our needs, we communicate our love to

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our Heavenly Father. Then, in the quietness of our devotional time, He speaks words of hope, encouragement, strength, courage and healing to our spirits.

If our hearts are to stay uncluttered from the distractions of our world, they must be continually drawn to God and exercised in prayer. He wants to fill our hearts with His heart. That is His priority. Prayer is both God’s agency to bring us to Himself and an extension of His agenda into the world.

1

Do you have a daily prayer routine? What does that look like?

2

Recall the most meaningful times of prayer you have experienced.

What defined them?

3

What does it mean to you to “seek God?”

4

What have you learned about God through your prayer habit?

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MAKE IT COUNT

SERVE “I

am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:14-15) .

Jesus exemplified the quality of servant leadership.

Rather than coming to earth with a royal retinue, He came alone to a humble manger.

He gave up His life for our

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sin, illustrating the ultimate attitude of sacrifice.

The mature believer will in turn develop an attitude of service, often referred to as a “servant’s heart.” A believer with this attitude will willingly put others before self and will serve with a joyful spirit. This attitude allows you to view every task, chore or assignment as a m i n i s t r y, a n d i t i s a k e y t o m a t u r i t y.

1

Jesus “knew” the sheep He was willing to sacrifice for. How can you better know the people you hope to serve?

2

What are some other examples of how Jesus served people during His time on earth?

3

What tasks do you have on a weekly basis? How many of them do you see as ministry?

4

Are there service opportunities, in your Church or community, that you have been avoiding or doing half-heartedly?

MAKE IT COUNT

GO “T

herefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19) .

The simple message of the Gospel changes lives and transforms character.

Ask yourself this question: Who are the people around me whose lives are being so influenced by me that

NOTES

they too are becoming disciples?

It is a rare person who comes to the saving knowledge of Jesus without a messenger, someone to carry the divine invitation of the Gospel. Excited about personal transformation, a disciple cannot wait to see the same transformation occur in others. Effective disciples share what they have found.

1

Consider the way you talk about hobbies, books or topics that interest you. How does it compare to the way you discuss your faith?

2

If you were the only representation of Christ in someone’s life, how do you think they would perceive Him?

3

Who has been an influential disciple for you? What sets them apart?

4

What does the phrase “make disciples” mean to you?

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MAKE IT COUNT

WORSHIP “I

wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope” (Ps. 130:5).

Church is special. It is a wonderful privilege to worship in God’s presence. But sometimes we sing in the worship service, pray for requests and sit through a sermon, all without showing any interest. Why? Because we come without expectancy.

People with an attitude of expectancy are ready to receive

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something from God every time they come to church or open their Bibles in personal devotions.

Expectancy prompts people to listen intently, take notes and respond to challenges.

The person who lacks expectancy wonders, Why wasn’t I ministered to today? But perhaps such people are not fed because they are not expecting food. They are not looking to grow.

When we expect to receive, we receive.

1

What do you expect from God on a daily basis? What do you think He expects of you?

2

What is your routine during a sermon or personal Bible study? What study materials do you rely on?

3

How can you worship God through your presence, attention and expectancy?

4

How do you respond when you feel your expectations have not been met?

MAKE IT COUNT

IN THIS ISSUE Big thoughts and next steps for when you’re done reading

Connect

Grow

Serve

Go

Worship

“The Centerpiece of Community” (page 68) encourages spending more time with people around the table. You probably thought of the people you know and love as you read it—but what about strangers? What about people who otherwise would not have a meal?

Consider gathering a group and taking a meal to a park or community center to share with homeless communities or neighbors you may not meet anywhere else.

Herbert Cooper asks questions that should help you identify (or rediscover) your God-given dreams in “How to Dream Again” (page 70).

After you’ve sat with and prayed through your answers, the next step is to make a plan. Look at the coming month and determine one thing you can do each week to pursue that dream. Write it down, hang it up and do the same thing next month (no matter how much progress you have made).

Much of this issue deals with how different generations perceive important topics. In “Bridging the Age Gap” (page 30), George O. Wood makes the case for why old and young should work together for the Kingdom, regardless of their differences.

Think about your involvement at church: If you’re young, are there mentors or elders you can get to know better and learn from? If you’re in an older generation, is there a student ministry you can invest into?

In “A Harbor for the City by the Bay” (page 60), Roger and Christian Huang describe how they work as father and son to fulfill the mission of San Francisco City Impact. Do you make evangelism and compassion a family effort?

Include your children, parents or siblings in these callings. If you are already actively involved in ministering to unreached people, invite them along.

If you’re not, ask about your family’s passions and causes and see how you might share them.

Our finances are one area in which we can serve and worship God, as “The Five Financial Resolutions You Should Make” (page 72) reminds us. Being a good steward isn’t just about saving, tithing or giving generously; it also means you should think deeply and spiritually about what you do spend money on.

How many of your weekly purchases also bless God and bless others? What do your spending habits say about your priorities and values?

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ONE MORE THING

1 mile

Scripture tells us there is much to gain from good, ironsharpening-iron kind of friendships (Prov. 27:17) . Science also backs this up, showing that positive attributes are dynamic, not necessarily inherent, and will spread across social groups. For example, if you live within a mile of a happy friend, it increases the probability that you will also be happy by 25 percent, according to a study by sociologists Nicholas A. Christakis and James H. Fowler.

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THANKS to you we celebrated our 20th Anniversary this year by holding our 1000th community outreach event and reaching 67 million people served. Well done!

A legacy of resourcing ministry.

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As the financial services provider of the Assemblies of God, we remain dedicated to providing the tools you need to be financially healthy and maximize your Kingdom impact.

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