Does the World See Your Love?

This interesting quick read came to me by email this morning from Breakpoint. It is about Ana Marie Cox (pretty much the creator of blogging) and her fear of publically confessing her Christian faith and commitment. Before reading further, I tried to figure out and predict why a newly converted believer would fear publically professing their faith in Christ. I couldn't have been more wrong...

(After reading this, which Scriptures come to mind? Thanks to Biblegateway.com, I count 19)

Why Ana Marie Cox Feared Coming Out as a Christian by Breakpoint

In 2004, a new player in what might be called Washington’s Political-Entertainment Complex was born, the blog known as “Wonkette.” A combination of satire, gossip, and sarcasm, “Wonkette” was the creation of Ana Marie Cox, who helped define the form of writing that would come to be known as “blogging.”

Cox left “Wonkette” and eventually Washington, but she never stopped being a symbol for a kind of liberal and snarky sensibility, which is why what she recently wrote about herself at the Daily Beast caused such a stir. Actually, it knocked my socks off, metaphorically speaking, of course.

She wrote that “Since leaving Washington, I have made my life over and I am happier, freer, and healthier in body and spirit and apparently it shows.” People ask her “what changed?” and “how did you do it?”

“The honest answer,” Cox writes, is “I try, every day, to give my will and my life over to God. I try to be like Christ. I get down on my knees and pray.”

This isn’t an answer she felt free to give in conversations with her colleagues in the media. She recalled telling people at Fox News about her faith and, to put it in less colorful language than she used, it didn’t go over very well.

To those who might see her previously “closeted Christianity as evidence of a liberal media aversion to God,” she replied that it had “nothing to do with fear of judgment by non-believers.” Instead, she was “nervous to come out as a Christian because [she worried that she was] not good enough of one.” Her fear wasn’t that “non-believers [would make her] feel an outcast.” She worried that Christians would.

Why would she worry about that? She saw the exchanges about whether the president is a Christian and wondered if, because of her liberal politics, they would ask the same questions about her. She admits that “the Word is still a second language I speak less than fluently” and wonders if she, too, is not a Christian in any “meaningful sense,” as was said of the president.

It’s an especially poignant question. Especially coming from someone who wrote that the fact she is “completely whole and loved by God without doing anything” is a “painful and reoccurring” stumbling block in her journey of faith.

The good news is that Cox’s willingness to share and be vulnerable touched a chord with many of the same Christians whose reaction she worried about. In a follow-up piece, she wrote that she “was proven wrong in the most wonderful way: I found amazing warmth and generosity that far outweighed criticism and negativity.”

She continues, “Many wrote to say that it was my brief discussion of my own insecurities that resonated the most strongly.” Others acknowledged that they have treated liberal Christians judgmentally.

In the end, instead of being the occasion of rejection, the public confession of faith prompted the “best response” she had ever received in her professional life.

Praise the Lord that Cox’s fears were proven wrong. This doesn’t mean that we can’t have real discussion about what it means to be a Christian and whether that should affect our political beliefs, because that’s something that I often do and think we all should do. But the question is, how do we do it? Now if we’re honest, we have to admit that sometimes we don’t love our fellow Christians as we should. Especially those with whom we may have disagreements. But if the world doesn’t see us love one other, will they know we are Christians at all?

BreakPoint is a Christian worldview ministry that seeks to build and resource a movement of Christians committed to living and defending Christian worldview in all areas of life. Begun by Chuck Colson in 1991 as a daily radio broadcast, BreakPoint provides a Christian perspective on today’s news and trends via radio, interactive media, and print. Today BreakPoint commentaries, co-hosted by Eric Metaxas and John Stonestreet, air daily on more than 1,200 outlets with an estimated weekly listening audience of eight million people. Feel free to contact us at BreakPoint.org where you can read and search answers to common questions.
Eric Metaxas is a co-host of BreakPoint Radio and a best-selling author whose biographies, children's books, and popular apologetics have been translated into more than a dozen languages.
Publication date: March 12, 2015

A Biblical Meditation on the ISIS Execution of 21 Egyptian Christians

by Tom Schreiner

Most of us have read the story of 21 Egyptian Christians kidnapped in Libya. An ISIS video showed about 12 of them being beheaded, and it is quite certain that all of them were murdered.

We Are Not Surprised

Jesus told us to expect persecution, teaching his disciples that unbelievers would hate us just as they hated him (John 15:18-20).

Jesus predicted that some of those who kill us “will think” they are “offering service to God” (John 16:2).

Even though most of us won’t lose our lives for Christ’s sake, we should not be surprised if we do. All of us need to be ready to surrender our lives for Christ. “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26).

We Are More Than Conquerers

Jesus calls us “to be faithful unto death” to receive “the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10).

Jesus also calls us to rejoice when persecuted, for it is a great honor to die for our Lord and Savior, and our reward will far exceed our suffering (Matt. 5:10-12; Acts 5:41). Naturally, we may be frightened and scared at such a prospect, worried that we don’t have the strength to suffer. And we don’t have the strength in ourselves, but God promises to be with us in the fire and the flood (Isa. 43:2), and he promises to give us grace to endure the hardest things. “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work” (2 Cor. 9:8).

In dying for Christ’s sake, in not loving our “lives even unto death,” we are not losers but winners; we are not overcome by evil. Instead, we are “more than conquerors” (Rom. 8:37; Rev. 12:11). Those who are slain for Christ’s sake come to life and reign with Jesus Christ (Rev. 20:4).

We Grieve with Those Who Grieve

Paul says that “to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). Still, the matter is not simplistic, and life is not easy. We “weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12:15). Paul said that if Epaphroditus had died he would experience “sorrow upon sorrow” (Phil. 2:27). Grief floods the hearts of those left behind.

We Pray for Both Our Enemies and Our Suffering Brothers and Sisters

We need a special grace to pray for the salvation of those who have done such a great evil.

We also pray for our brothers and sisters suffering around the world; we plead that God would grant them his joy and strength and perseverance to endure until the end.

We pray that God would protect them and sustain his church.

We Plead for God’s Just Judgment

At the same time, like the martyrs under the altar in Rev. 6:9-11, we cry, “O Sovereign Lord . . . how long?” When will you act and bring justice to this world? When will you vindicate your saints and judge the wicked for the sake of your great name?

The day of judgment is coming, the day when everything will be made right. Meanwhile, God is calling out many more to be his children, even among those who persecute us. We praise God both for his saving love and for his just judgment. And we pray, “Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).

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Thomas R. Schreiner is the James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation, Professor of Biblical Theology, and associate dean of the School of Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. His latest commentary is on the book of Hebrews for the Biblical Theology for Christian Proclamation Commentary (B&H) and he is currently completing a commentary on the book of Revelation for Crossway’s 12-volume ESV Bible Expository Commentary.

5 Ways to Teach Your Children to Hate the Ministry

Pastors' Kids are prone to hate Church ministry. Why? How can it be avoided? | Ed Stetzer

     

To put it bluntly, a lot of pastors' children hate Church ministry. My team interviewed 20 pastors' kids who are adults now. They provided some insights that were both inspiring and disturbing.

Children with a pastor-parent can grow to hate the ministry for many reasons, but there are five guaranteed ways you can make sure they hate being a pastor's kid (PK).

1. Put the ministry before your family.

Let's face it, ministry is demanding. Sometimes church members make you feel like you have hundreds of children to rear. It feels like neglect not to address their needs. So, you leave your own children to minister to someone else's family. After all, your family will understand your being gone "just this once."

If you have to be away, it may be beneficial to bring members of your family with you on ministry opportunities. One PK reflected on his childhood, "My father included me in everything. We would spend summers in Spain planting churches. He took me on most of his global mission endeavors as well as many of his speaking engagements. The experience with my dad made me love ministry (I am in the pastorate) and I wouldn't change my experiences for anything."

If you have to be away, it may be beneficial to bring members of your family with you on ministry opportunities.

Your kids need to believe that you would rather hang out with them than with the people of the church. Children will learn to hate the ministry if you put the needs of everyone else ahead of your family's needs.

2. Tell them how much is expected of them as a pastor's kid.

"Your actions are going to ruin my ministry," a middle-aged PK woman bitterly quoted her father's oft-repeated words. Pastors can put excessive expectations on their kids because the church wrongly puts these expectations on the pastor's family. One minister's kid said, "It was VERY stressful being a PK because EVERYONE judges you differently, like you're supposed to be perfect. And then if you did mess up it was a bad reflection on Dad. We were told that by my parents often."

PK's often rebel for a number of reasons. High expectations led one PK into rebellion as he reflected back, "I felt an enormous amount of pressure to keep up appearances, something which I could not do for long. This eventually led me into a state of rebellion and anger toward my parents and people in the church."

The expectations are not limited to behavior, but also include the child's participation in church functions. The pressures on kids to help the pastor look good in front of his congregation can be overwhelming to a child. "I think my father viewed our family as the model family for the church," said one PK man in his early 20s. "So every place where volunteers were needed, his family served: weeding flower beds, singing in the choir, working VBS, or showing up for Sunday afternoon organ recitals."

3. Tell them about church conflicts as often as possible.

Ministry includes relational conflicts. Pastors will need to practice some level of transparency with their children so they won't assume Dad's and Mom's emotional upheaval is a result of the child's actions. Your children will take it very personal when you are angry.

A young man said, "Even when Dad tried to keep it just between him and Mom, you pick up on things." Try to explain to your children why you are frustrated but guard the details from them. The fact is, you will resolve most of the relational strains and will resume relationships. Be sure to tell the kids. Otherwise, they will become angry and bitter for you.

One PK explained it this way:

"The most difficult thing being a PK was watching my dad remain faithful to a church that wasn't. To see my dad as he prayed, loved, and shepherded men who stabbed him in the back was hard. It was extremely hard. By the time I left for college I was so mad at church, I would have gladly left."

Children will take up an offense for their pastor-parent and may not be mature enough to handle the complexities of relationships—especially church governance.

4. Look godlier at church than when you are at home.

Children will grow bitter about watching a parent live an insincere lifestyle. They will assume the faith was all an act, turning them away from you and the gospel (because they've not seen the real thing). One lady PK said, "He treated my mother awful. He ruled the house with an iron [fist], never was grace given. I knew most of the stories in the Bible, but I never learned from observation how to apply them to my life."

Your family needs to hear you confess your shortcomings more than anyone else.

This is problematic for a pastor's family. "Dad always showed more affection to mom at church than he did anywhere else," a lady said with sadness. "Work got his best," said one young man. "Work took a lot out of him so he was very short [tempered] and easily frustrated by his kids. He had a strong devotional life but found it hard to show grace to the family while showing vast amounts of grace to the flock."

Your family needs to hear you confess your shortcomings more than anyone else. Tell them you are sorry. Ask for their forgiveness regularly and then repent from any actions that are sinful. Your child's needs from their parents are not intrinsically different from any other profession.

Integrity always matters-- but if a Christian leader is different in public than in private, the gospel is dishonored and people are eventually disillusioned. When that involves your children, expect them to walk away from the gospel—disillusioned.

5. Act more like a live-in, full-time pastor at home, rather than a parent.

Your kids need a parent, not a live-in pastor. One 22-year old PK explained it this way, "I am not a rebellious, spiteful PK because I am not really a PK. I am just a guy whose dad also happens to be a pastor. Sure, having a pastor-dad is different, but I think one of the biggest reasons PK's get so rebellious is that they don't really have a dad—they have a live-in, full-time pastor who treats his kids more like a member of his congregation."

One middle-aged PK lady pleaded with ministry parents, "Please, be a parent first to your kids and their pastor second. I don't call my father my pastor. He is simply my daddy. And I thank God for that every day."

How to help them love church ministry

Not all children of pastoral parents hate the ministry. We must do what is best for their overall well-being, fight our own insecurities, and then trust the grace of God to do the rest. One well-adjusted young man encouragingly said, "Being a PK with godly and realistic parents, I've also had an example for what it looks like to love Jesus and cherish His word. The example of my parents and wonderful people in the church has encouraged me to follow Jesus because I see what He's grown in their lives, and I want that. And I want my friends to have that too."

If you have adult children who were PK's, maybe you need to go to them and ask for forgiveness.

If you have adult children who were PK's, maybe you need to go to them and ask for forgiveness. We heard from so many grown adult PK's who are hurt, bitter, angry or disillusioned. They need to hear from their parents how much they are loved in spite of all of the mistakes you made while serving in ministry.

If you are still raising your little PK's, ask the Spirit to show you where your children are adversely affected by your actions. Humbly ask their forgiveness—even if they are preschool. Then, raise a generation of PK's who see their parents in need of a Redeemer and who are resting in the grace of God more than they fear the accusations of a congregation.

Source: http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2014/january/5-ways-to-teach-your-children-to-hate-ministry.html?paging=off

Are You Blessing Your Children?

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers. (Prov 17:1)

This year was especially eye opening as a parent. I was always told from the time my son was a newborn, that it wouldn't be until much later that I would feel like a "Dad." "You're a father now but you will feel like a Dad later," said a dear older friend of six. I feel like a new leaf sprouted in my parenting relationship with my son. His spiritual formation is as much a priority as his physical growth. God has come through, conquering all my fears and proving faithful, gracious, sovereign and merciful. This year I won my son's hearing by doing an act I felt was really small. One Saturday morning while my son was watching Ninjago, and patiently waiting for breakfast, I sat with him and asked him what he was watching. Immediately he stopped the show, assuming I didn't want to watch it. I asked him why he stopped the show and prompted him to continue. To his surprise he continued, asking me, "you like like this show Daddy?!" I replied, "I do." He nestled close to me and we enjoyed the show. It was an exhilarating moment and I won his hearing and heart. 

I always want to make sure my son receives all that he needs. And as much as God has blessed my soul and life I want my son to receive the same. I wanted to share this helpful article excerpted from "The Love Dare for Parents," by Alex and Stephen Kendrick. Their writing challenges and displays how Christian parents can become more than mere care-taking and stewardship but to also be a blessing to my children - to bring them closer to God.

"One of the great joys of parenting is the opportunity to know and love another person from the moment of their birth. To watch them discover the world with wonder. To see them grow physically and relationally. Day after day. Season after season. Firsthand and front row.

Enjoying the journey of seeing them ... become. But a hidden key to children truly becoming the persons God created them to be involves a parent's influence in that direction—not by manipulation or force but by the intentional watering of the seeds God has planted. By giving them a blessing. 

But what exactly is a blessing?

Consider this contrast. No parent hopes their child grows up to be a failure. Our love wants nothing but health, happiness, and God's best for each of them. A blessing is simply a God-ordained way to handle these loving desires for our children, turning them from hopeful wishes into future realities. 

To bless someone actually means "to speak well of." It's a parent using their God-given authority to verbally affirm their children for who they are, while also encouraging and inspiring them toward future success.

In a blessing, powerful words and wishes combine with prayers and praise. God instructed Moses to teach the high priests how to bless the sons of Israel. "Say to them: 'The LORD bless you, and keep you; the LORD make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.' So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I then will bless them" (Numbers 6:24-27).

As heavenly Father, God set up a pattern of blessing for His people: verbally affirming His acceptance and support of them, painting vivid pictures of their expected future, and investing Himself and His resources to make His words a reality.

The Bible is filled with dynamic blessings. From the beginning of recorded time, God "blessed" the first man and woman with the responsibility of being fruitful and multiplying (Genesis 1:28). He blessed Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who in turn blessed their children after them. Jacob uniquely blessed each of his 12 sons "with the blessing appropriate to him" (Genesis 49:28). Often in Scripture, people would place their hands on little children or take them lovingly into their arms to bless them (Genesis 48:14; Luke 2:28; Mark 10:16).

Through blessings, God continually inspired His people toward lives not only of usefulness, faith, and service, but also of hope, peace, and honor. His blessing urged them forward, renewed their confidence, and prepared the ground beneath their feet. It strategically launched them on a path of purpose toward spiritual prosperity.

After Jesus was baptized, a voice came from heaven: "You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased" (Mark 1:11). God the Father publicly affirmed and blessed His Son, and then invested in Jesus' future success by immediately sending His Holy Spirit to fill Him (Luke 3:22). This powerful experience set Jesus up to completely fulfill the will of His heavenly Father during His earthly ministry.

Many children, even grown adults, long for but rarely if ever hear statements of love and approval from their parents. By simply saying, "You are my son (my daughter) and I dearly love you; I am so pleased with you and hope and pray God's very best for your life," you can change their lives forever. You can build the ideal setting for future wings to take flight.

Pointing out a child's skill or character could be part of a blessing. Say things like:

"I could see you becoming a great ..."

"With your strengths and abilities, you could probably ..."

"What impresses me is your giftedness and heart for ..."

Then follow these words of blessing by your investment. Prayer. Encouragement. Introducing them to individuals of influence in that area. Giving them opportunities and the things they will need to help them succeed. This is not about pre-determining a college major or planning their career path. God will lead them through those matters in His time. But your ongoing encouragement will keep fresh wind in their sails as they navigate which paths to take.

Your blessing can enable them to see themselves as a chosen part of God's plan and His word on Earth within their generation. It can remind them of the grander reasons why He has endowed them with such talent, surrounded them with specific opportunities, and made them "His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand" (Ephesians 2:10).

As your blessing soaks into their hearts, they can progress without feeling the need to find outside approval from unhealthy sources. They will stop living insecurely and start living confidently, free from fear and self-doubt.

When God blesses us, He is forecasting His favor, guiding us toward abundant life. So don't be afraid to speak your own words of blessing over your children. Don't fail to cast a vision that spurs them on to consider what wonderful things God could accomplish through them. The lives they could touch. The difference they could make. The blessing they could be. 

Today's Love Dare: Write out a special blessing for each of your children, incorporating what you see in them and what you encourage them to pursue as God guides and provides. Read it or speak it aloud to them as a family. Pray over them that God would bring His perfect plans to pass in their lives."

Source: http://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/parenting/foundations/spiritual-development/are-you-blessing-your-children#.VJ_2koAAN_

Three Ways to Make the Bible Easier for Kids

by Bobbie Jamieson

Teaching children the Bible is actually a whole lot easier than I thought. All you need is passion and integrity. After all, if you cannot reach children with God's Word how do you expect to connect with adults. As with everything it starts with baby steps. We're talking half of a Bible chapter. Most children's Bibles are actually super legit. Bobbie Jamieson provides some top notch tips on connecting your kids with the Word.

"Now, I’m a grade-A theology nerd, but I didn’t actually set out to found a preschool seminary in our home. The parallel only struck me after we’ve been doing this for a few years, and it struck me because of the way these three basic habits all reinforce each other and help our kids engage God’s Word. So, we recently read of Jesus’ promise to give the Spirit in our story Bible, and our older daughter exclaimed, “Dad, that’s "where we are!”—meaning we’d just read of Jesus’ same promise to give the Spirit in John 16 in morning Bible. And when a character from the Old Testament is mentioned in one of the Gospels, she’ll often say, “Hey, I know him! He’s in my Bible!

  

“All told, this takes maybe fifteen minutes a day. Ideally we do all of this every day, but realistically we do most of it most days—maybe five days a week. We read about ten verses or half a chapter of Scripture at breakfast, along with catechism questions. And we read a story from the story Bible before bed. That’s it. But we can already see these habits radically shaping our kids’ minds, hearts, and lives.

We’ve had to shift our routine plenty of times when it just wasn’t working. We’ve found breakfast a good time for more active teaching since the kids have energy and, while they’re eating, are as close as kids get to being a captive audience.

“Kids love structure, and they thrive on routine. One of the best things about this ‘seminary curriculum’ approach is that you don’t have to think too much about it: just read the next few verses, teach the next few questions, read the next story.

Plus, the structure itself does a lot of explaining for you. Your kids won’t encounter the Trinity as an abstract puzzle to be solved, but as the Father, Son, and Spirit who work together to save us. And while they’ll ask questions you can’t answer, the catechism gives them plenty you can.

“If this seems overwhelming, start with just one piece of the puzzle, like reading a story Bible before bed. If you can cement that one habit, consider building on it. When it comes to teaching kids the whole counsel of God, a little every day goes farther than you can imagine."

Source: http://www.christianity.com/bible/bible-study-tips/3-ways-to-make-the-bible-easier-for-kids.html?p=2

When Risking it All for God Means Staying Where You Are

Why 'taking a risk for God' often means opening our eyes to confront the uncomfortable realities right where we are.

A great think-piece from Kris Beckert. As we settle down from the maniacal beginnings of 21^st millennium Christianity, something to think about is how close our walk with God really is. What are we doing with our lives and why? This is the big question we should ask especially for those chasing relevance, or perhaps fame, all the while doing it for the glory of The Lord.

“What are we willing to risk for God, and what are we doing about it?"

Here's Kris:

I’ve sat in multiple small group gatherings when that question came up as part of a speaker’s discourse on a teaching DVD or within the paragraphs of a glossy study guide.

Usually, most of us in the room, myself included, squirm as we hear stories of missionaries moving to Africa, folks who gave up careers to move across the country or to take a job that was beneath their education level, Christian musicians who risked everything to go on tour with their families or nonprofit founders who ate Ramen for months on end.

When it comes time for sharing, we nod our heads about “stepping out of the boat,” to leave everything behind, to take that big risk for God by going somewhere in the wilderness or pursue a profession that serves others but doesn’t make much money.

Step, leave, go, abandon—these are the words we normally associate with risk.

In a society that is constantly telling us to chase the latest and greatest, what if, more often than not, the riskier thing to do for God is to stay where you are and keep doing what you’re doing for the time being?

And we shouldn’t be surprised—it’s how we’re taught. Risk-taking is a big deal—and a big industry—in our society. Skydiving, free-climbing, wilderness hiking, whitewater rafting, obstacle course racing, alpine skiing—the list of activities goes on and on. There’s a pride and honor that comes with going somewhere or doing something “out there”—even if your adventure is tethered to steel beams or conducted through a travel agent.

Posting a selfie on top of a mountain or falling out of the sky solicits a lot of attention. Participation in these kinds of “safe” risks enables us to feel alive, bold and accomplished—without actually having to put too much on the line. We “go” to say we’ve gone. There’s admiration that comes along with it. And many of us in Christian circles come to applaud “risk-taking for God” in the same way.

But in a society that is constantly telling us to chase the latest and greatest and change ourselves with the seasons, what if, more often than not, the riskier thing to do for God is to stay exactly where you are and keep doing what you’re doing for the time being? What if instead of jumping from here to there, thinking God will do a miracle when we’ve chosen the right thing, person or place, we should really be standing firm? What if we should be allowing our feet to sink in a while and keep at the hard, dirty, messy work in which we’re involved? In the words of Ecclesiastes 11:6, “Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know which will grow—perhaps it all will.”

What if God wants you to start a ministry where you are instead of going to one? What if it’s actually more God-honoring to deal with an uncomfortable family situation than moving away from it? What if instead of leaving this position and that location again and again to “find ourselves,” we should be staying put? What if instead of leaving church after church, we should just keep coming to the same one? What if instead of abandoning all that is ours, we should be continuing to invest ourselves, our gifts, our resources?

What if “taking a risk for God” were less about jumping off cliffs and going and more about examining our motives and opening our eyes to how God might be wanting to use us right where we are, embracing the uncomfortable in our midst? Maybe God is wanting to use you as a change-agent in your workplace, as the glue in your neighborhood, as the light in your social circles and family. It’s possible that quitting your job or moving your family across the country right now to be “risky for God” is exactly what God wants you to do, but I think that more often than not, it could actually be counter to what God wants.

Reflecting on my own 30-something years of life, I can say that the risks I’ve taken to follow God have come in many forms and actions. I’ve quit a job and moved to another state to pursue a calling to ministry by going to seminary. I’ve stayed put in a place during a very difficult time when it would have been easier to go—and now look back to see the fruit God was bearing. I’ve jumped for the sake of “taking a risk for God” and found that I was really just following my own desire to be somebody—and landed flat on my face. I’ve stayed in a place when, looking back, it was clear God wanted me to move on—but I was too scared to do so. In any case, God used my decision, my risk, my going and staying, and I learned something through it, something about myself, something about Him.

Has God revealed to you any hidden motives? Are you assured that you are already loved and that doing something “risky for God” is not going to make Him love you more?

So how do you know whether taking a risk for God means staying or going? In my experience, it helps to consider a few things:

1. Scripture: Is leaving it all behind detrimental to the things God holds precious—marriage, promises, responsibility, etc? Or is fear alone keeping you where you are?

2. History: Did you just take a risk to go somewhere or do something new last week? Are you running away from something or someone?

3. Wise Counsel: What are trusted mentors, teachers, elders, your spouse or best friend saying to you? Has God revealed to them that the risk He wants you to take is to go, or to stay?

4. Peace: Can you have peace where you are or is there peace that comes with making a change? Has God revealed to you any hidden motives? Are you assured that you are already loved and that doing something “risky for God” is not going to make Him love you more?

As I’m reading Scripture, I see countless stories of men and women whose biggest challenge is not stepping out to go and follow God but continuing to follow Him. The biggest risk is often continuing to live in a God-honoring way, day in and day out, when it doesn’t feel like much of an adventure. It seems that many of us are in the same boat—where Jesus might be calling us to step out and walk on water, but He also might want us to just keep paddling.

Source: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/taking-risk-god#Emid0jjD7uL9D8kV.99

Why Mark Driscoll's Fall and Mars Hill's Breakup Issues a Warning for Megastar Pastors

by Sarah Pulliam Bailey | Religion News Service | Friday, November 07, 2014

Can a megachurch survive the departure of its megastar pastor?

For Seattle’s Mars Hill Church, it’s an open question.

Mars Hill announced last week that it would dissolve the multisite network of 13 churches across the Northwest that took root under pastor Mark Driscoll, who stepped down in October after supporters lost confidence in a high-wattage leadership style that was criticized as bullying, hypermacho and intolerant.

For many megachurches, a pastor can become larger than the church itself — particularly for multisite churches where the pastor’s sermon is the only thing binding disparate congregations connected by little more than a satellite feed. Before his resignation, the name “Mark Driscoll” was more widely known than “Mars Hill.” The dueling brands sometimes clashed along the way; some say Driscoll once told staff “I am the brand.”

Driscoll’s edgy personality built up a congregation of an estimated 14,000 people at 15 locations across five states. Weekly attendance is now reportedly about 7,600. In August, the church saw a budget gap of nearly $650,000 as expenses exceeded revenues.

According to Mars Hill leaders, by the start of 2015 locations within the Mars Hill network will either become independent, self-governing churches, merge with another church or disband completely.

Mars Hill’s existing church properties will either be sold or the loans on the individual properties will be assumed by the newly independent churches. Central staff in Seattle will be laid off as the formal Mars Hill organization dissolves.

Megachurches across the country have faced similar dips in attendance once their popular pastor left, a problem that can plague any church but one that can be exacerbated in a megabrand context. If the CEO of McDonald’s left, for instance, the company would face fewer questions about its survival than “The Colbert Report” will when its star leaves.

“It’s not uncommon for CEOs to say the first agenda item is to talk about ‘What happens when I’m not here anymore?’” said William Vanderbloemen, co-author of the recent book “Next: Pastoral Succession That Works.” “The key is to have an emergency succession plan.”

After former megachurch pastor Rob Bell’s controversial book “Love Wins” raised debates over whether hell exists, his Grand Rapids, Mich.-based church experienced a loss. Current pastor Kent Dobson said the church lost about 1,000 people during the controversy and now has about 3,000 attendees.

Every megachurch pastor wrestles with challenges of brand and leadership, said Mark DeMoss, who handled some public relations for Mars Hill before Driscoll resigned.

“If the pastor is the best communicator and preacher and pastor in that local context, I think you can make a good case for that’s who ought to be up there,” he said. “The dangers are sometimes in succession.”

Not all churches with large followings experience a loss in attendance after a pastor’s departure. After Joel Osteen’s father died unexpectedly from a heart attack in 1999, his Lakewood Church in Houston surged from 5,000 to more than 50,000 today.

Attendance at Jerry Falwell’s Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Va., was about 4,000 when he died. Under his son, Jonathan Falwell, the church now boasts about 10,000 attendees.

Similarly, Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., founded by the Rev. D. James Kennedy, an icon of the religious right, had an average attendance of about 1,000 (and a broadcast reach of about 3 million) when he died in 2007. After facing turmoil during the transition, under Tullian Tchividjian, Billy Graham’s grandson who is a popular pastor in his own right, the church’s membership is around 2,400.

Driscoll’s fall from grace came after a combination of growing scrutiny of church finances, plagiarism allegations concerning his books and comments he made under an online pseudonym. Much of the criticism came from bloggers and on social media from people who did not even attend the church.

Could Driscoll make a comeback at another church or ministry? For an evangelical movement that values forgiveness, redemption and second chances, anything is possible.

For one, Driscoll’s resignation did not reach the scandalous level of Jim Bakker or Jimmy Swaggart in the 1980s. Bakker was accused of fraud related to time shares, while Swaggart was accused of adultery. Both men remain active in the ministry but aren’t seen much beyond late-night cable TV.

Other high-profile pastors have stepped down and attempted to come back with varied success.

After allegations of gay sex and drug use were made by a male escort, Ted Haggard stepped down from his Colorado Springs church (and as head of the National Association of Evangelicals) but has since started another church.

In 2011, Sovereign Grace Ministries founder C.J. Mahaney took a leave of absence from his church-planting network amid charges of “various expressions of pride, unentreatability, deceit, sinful judgment and hypocrisy.” Mahaney was reinstated after a year, and he is now pastoring a local church in Louisville, Ky.

In 2010, John Piper took an eight-month leave from Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, explaining that his soul, marriage, family and ministry pattern needed “a reality check from the Holy Spirit.” He returned for a few years before retiring.

Some evangelicals see high numbers as a measure of success for a minister — something that could be hard for Driscoll to reproduce in a second act.

“If (Driscoll) can continue to draw people in and have a successful ministry, then his authority — even if it has been questioned — will still rest on what he’s producing,” said Scott Thumma, a megachurch expert at Hartford Seminary.

Some critique evangelicalism as a tradition that encourages a drive for more and more numbers, regardless of the costs. Wendy Alsup, who attended Mars Hill from 2002 to 2008, said she sees a growing movement of evangelicals asking whether bigger actually is better.

“There’s a big reaction among some to identify with something that has longevity,” Alsup said. “They’re rejecting fast growth and going back to the slow, methodical structure.”

Source: http://www.christianheadlines.com/news/why-mark-driscoll-s-fall-and-mars-hill-s-breakup-issues-a-warning-for-megastar-pastors.html