Month: July 2022

Alcanzando y equipando a líderes hispanos en Odessa y Midland Texas

El 24 de junio en la Primera Iglesia Bautista de Odessa y el 25 de junio en el Templo La Hermosa en Midland, líderes de esas áreas se reunieron en una conferencia para capacitarse sobre cómo alcanzar a la próxima generación de hispanos, ministrar a las familias pastorales y sobre la Teología y los ministerios de alcance. La conferencia fue patrocinada por el Ministerio en Español de la Convención Bautista del Sur de Texas (SBTC), dirigida por Chuy Ávila y su asociado, Jesse Contreras. Las conferencias regionales de Capacitarte se enfocan en alcanzar a los perdidos, equipar a los líderes y miembros de la iglesia y enviar misioneros por todo el estado de Texas y en el extranjero.

Mario Bernal, pastor de la Iglesia Bautista Emaús en New Caney, Texas, embajador hispano del ministerio para la sanidad mental, Fresh-Hope en Español, y quien también forma parte del ministerio Red de Apoyo Pastoral (RAP) patrocinado por la SBTC, compartió cómo ministrar a las familias pastorales. “Como pastores, el primer ministerio que tenemos y la primera iglesia que Dios nos da es nuestra familia,” dijo Bernal. También agregó que “si no estamos bien espiritual, física, emocional y psicológicamente, no vamos a cuidar de manera efectiva y correcta a nuestras familias.” Bernal compartió que “los tres problemas de salud mental más frecuentes en la actualidad son el trastorno bipolar, la depresión y la ansiedad,” y animó a los pastores a buscar ayuda cuando la necesiten. El también los desafió a que comiencen a delegar, establecer prioridades, descansar, no tratar de impresionar a los demás, y enfocarse en agradar a Dios y no a los hombres (Colosenses 3:23-24). Bernal, específicamente se dirigió a los pastores y los desafío a cuidar de sus esposas, a quienes el llamó un tesoro. Bernal sufrió la pérdida de su esposa luego de que ella sufriera 5 derrames cerebrales en enero del 2021.

El Dr. Bruno Molina, Asociado de Idiomas y Evangelismo Interreligioso de la SBTC, compartió sobre a Teología y los ministerios de alcance. “Nuestro Dios es único y existe por sí mismo y para sí mismo y todo lo hace en su tiempo como está escrito en Eclesiásticos 3:1,” dijo Molina. Hizo hincapié en que, “El Dios omnisciente, todopoderoso, de amor y justicia, que nos ha llamado y nos ha dado el ministerio de la reconciliación, nos ha prometido que estará con nosotros. Esto debería ser un gran estímulo para nosotros mientras buscamos ser sus fieles embajadores y tener el gozo de compartir las buenas nuevas de salvación en Cristo.” Molina también habló sobre los atributos de Dios, la importancia de esperar que Dios nos dirija en el ministerio y la singularidad de Dios.

Molina también compartió sobre el ministerio Bless Every Home (BlessEveryHome.com) que se enfoca en ayudar a los cristianos a orar por sus vecinos, no creyentes, por nombre, ministrarle y compartir el Evangelio con ellos para que ellos puedan ser discipulados. Cada individuo e iglesia puede conectarse por medio de una aplicación para orar y alcanzar a otros para Cristo.

Daniel Moreno, pastor de la Iglesia Bautista Jezreel en El Paso, Texas, dirigió un taller sobre cómo alcanzar a la próxima generación de hispanos. Moreno dio una perspectiva general de los diferentes grupos generacionales de hispanos que existen y están representados en nuestras iglesias hoy, desde la generación silenciosa hasta la generación Z. El ha estado sirviendo como pastor por los últimos 30 años y por su experiencia les dijo a los pastores y líderes: “ No obstaculices el crecimiento de tu iglesia. Si no sabes cómo hacer algo, deja que otros lo hagan.” Moreno cree que a veces los pastores se enfocan en la forma en que las personas se visten, sus tatuajes, o la forma en que hablan, la tecnología que usan o la música cristiana que escuchan, en vez de considerar sus capacidades y disposición para servir a Dios. El también animó a los participantes a enfocarse en lo eterno, averiguar qué cambios necesitan hacer personalmente y descubrir cómo conectar a las diferentes generaciones representadas en su iglesia.

El Dr. Terry Coy, autor y profesor adjunto en el Seminario Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) y ex Director de Misiones en el SBTC, compartió la importancia de equiparse adecuadamente en un Seminario Bautista. Agregó que, “Es importante avanzar en su educación teológica y conocimiento bíblico; obtener una educación formal es clave.” Coy también trabaja para SWBTS, viajando por el estado de Texas para animar a los hispanos a aprovecharse de la educación teológica en español que ofrece SWBTS en línea.

La alabanza y adoración para los dos eventos estuvo a cargo de Aaron y Melissa Mireles junto con el equipo de alabanza de la Iglesia Bautista Jezreel. El equipo también fue parte del Concierto de oración en cada evento, dirigido por el Dr. Bruno Molina y su esposa Clara.

La conferencia también incluyó una cena para los pastores y esposas en el área, el viernes por la noche. Durante la cena Chuy Ávila desafió a los pastores que se cuiden y confíen en Dios mientras sirven. Ávila agradeció a los pastores Fernando de Luna y Ignacio Rubio por haber facilitado sus iglesias para los entrenamientos y también agregó: “Si queremos alcanzar a Texas para Cristo necesitamos enfrentar el gigante de la indiferencia y estar dispuestos a dar el primer paso para relacionarse con las generaciones venideras. La población de Texas seguirá creciendo día a día, eso es algo que no podemos retener, pero si podemos prepararnos como iglesia para construir puentes de impacto espiritual.”

Hispanic pastors, leaders encouraged at conferences in Midland, Odessa

On June 24 at Primera Iglesia Bautista de Odessa and, on June 25 in Templo La Hermosa in Midland, leaders gathered at a conference to receive training on how to reach the next generation of hispanics, minister to pastoral families, and learn more about the theology of outreach.

The conference was sponsored by the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention’s en Español Ministry, led by Chuy Ávila and his associate, Jesse Contreras. The Capacitarte regional conferences are focused on reaching the lost, equipping church leaders and members, and sending missionaries all over the state of Texas and abroad.

Mario Bernal, the pastor at Iglesia Bautista Emaús in New Caney, Hispanic ambassador of Fresh-Hope Español for Mental Health, and who is also part of the Red de Apoyo Pastoral (RAP—Pastoral Support Network) ministry sponsored by the SBTC, shared about “How to Minister to Pastoral Families.”

“As pastors, the first ministry that we have and the first church that God gives us is our family,” Bernal said. “If we are not well spiritually, physically, emotionally, and psychologically, we are not going to effectively take care of our families correctly.”

Bernal shared that the three most frequent mental health issues are bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety, and he encouraged participants to get help when they need it. That effort also includes delegating tasks when possible, setting priorities, getting rest, not trying to impress others, and focusing on pleasing God and not men (Colossians 3:23-24). He specifically encouraged pastors to take care of their wives, whom he called a treasure. Bernal suffered the loss of his wife after she had five strokes last January.

Bruno Molina, SBTC’s language and interfaith evangelism associate, shared about the theology of outreach ministries.

“Our God is unique and exists of Himself and for Himself and He does everything in His time like it is written in Ecclesiastics 3:1,” Molina said. “The all-knowing, all-powerful God of love and justice who has called us and given us the ministry of reconciliation has promised us that He will be with us. This should be a great encouragement to us as we seek to be His faithful ambassadors and have the joy of sharing the good news of salvation in Christ.”

Molina also spoke about the attributes of God, the importance of waiting on God to direct us in ministry, and the uniqueness of God. Additionally, he shared about the Bless Every Home ministry (blesseveryhome.com), which focuses on praying for your neighbors by name, caring for them, and sharing the gospel with them so they can be discipled. Every individual and church can get connected to pray and reach others for Christ, he said.

Daniel Moreno, pastor at Iglesia Bautista Jezreel in El Paso, led a workshop about how to reach the next generation of Hispanics. Moreno gave an overview of the different generational groups of Hispanics that exist today and that are represented in our churches, from the silent generation to Generation Z. He has been serving as a pastor for the last 30 years.

“Do not hinder the growth of your church. If you do not know how to do something, allow others to do it,” he said.

Moreno said believes that sometimes pastors focus on the way people dress, their tattoos, the way they talk, the technology that they use, or the Christian music they listen to instead of looking at their capabilities and willingness to serve God. He also encouraged conference participants to focus on the eternal, figure out what changes they need to make personally, and figure out how to connect with the different generations represented at their church.

Terry Coy, author and adjunct professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminar and a former SBTC director of missions, shared the importance of getting properly equipped at a Baptist seminary. Coy travels the state of Texas to encourage Hispanics to take advantage of SWBTS’ online, Spanish-language theological education.

“It is important to advance your theological education and biblical knowledge,” he said. “Getting a formal education is key.”

Praise and worship for the two events was led by Aaron and Melissa Mireles, along with the praise team from Iglesia Bautista Jezreel. They were also a part of the concert of prayer at each event, led by Molina and his wife, Clara.

The conference also included a pastors and wives dinner on Friday night, at which Chuy Ávila—who leads SBTC’s en Español department—reminded the pastors to take care of themselves and trust God as they serve.

As summer burns on, here’s 5 ways to recharge

Our phones recharge twice as fast when we put them in airplane mode. Likewise, ministers recharge faster when we unplug. Most pastors I know are tired, exhausted, or burnout. We are not tired of ministry, but we are tired from it.

Ministry sprints are common and usually seasonal, but too many of us have been on a two year sprint and need to take a strategic summer break – preferably two Sundays in a row. With a busy spring behind you and a packed fall calendar ahead, this is a great time to change your pace and recharge between sprints.

Here are a handful of ways I try to recharge each summer:

1. Finish a project that’s been mocking you

Start it, finish it, and then run screaming through your yard like you just scored a World Cup goal (warning: keep your shirt on!). Practice dominion on your yard, attic, garage, or closet. Replace that fixture or toilet before fall creeps up and steals away your margin.

After I replaced the antennae on my truck yesterday evening, I strutted into the house like rooster at the County Fair.

2. Enjoy a book that feeds you personally

Reading can be relaxing, especially if it is not related to your job. I have a tendency to read several books at a time without finishing any of them. My reads this summer are A Chapter A Day: Reading the Bible in 3 Years (YouVersion); The First 90 Days, Michael Watkins; Leaders Made Here, Mark Miller; GK Chesterton, Legacy Edition; Peterson’s Bowhunting Magazine. What are you reading that feeds your soul?

3. Go outside and play

I try to stay healthy in every way the Great Commandment defines it: heart, soul, mind, strength. The outdoors seem to help expidite pastoral wellness in all of these areas.

My wife and I enjoy walking together a couples of times a week. Additionally, our personal hobbies of backpacking, bowhunting, and tennis are done outdoors. We are never too old to be told to “go outside and play.” Too hot? Get creative and find a way to get some excercise that is fun. Pickleball is a fast growing sport that can be played on indoor or outdoor tennis courts. I’ve never tried it but I play competitive tennis every week somewhere in metro Dallas.

So what do you enjoy doing for fun?

4. Take a vacation

The average worker leaves an average of 8.1 days of unused vacation each year. That is about 500 million days collectively (TIME.com). Americans are now treating vacations as a luxury rather than a benefit. I believe that vacations not only benefit us personally, but also those we live and work with during the rest of the year.

Janet and I have scheduled a backpacking trip in Montana next month. I have also put in for vacation for a couple of bowhunting trips later in the fall. Don’t hope that margin happens, make it happen. Ministry demands that we stay flexible, but it does not serve as an excuse to neglect ourselves or our families.

Perhaps you have put off a vacation so long that you are tempted to throw together a guilt trip. My advice is to take the trip, but leave the guilt at home by simply asking your family what they want to do and making it happen.

5. Unplug and recharge

About two-thirds (67 percent) of vacationing Americans remain tethered to the office, while 93 percent of the French claim to “constantly, regularly, or sometimes” check work emails and voicemails while on holiday. Ninety-four percent of Indians and 91 percent of Mexicans do the same. Only 43 percent of Germans and 46 percent of the British remain tightly connected to work while on break (TIME.com).

I personally recharge much quicker when I unplug from ministry completely. I cannot completely go into “vacation mode” unless I first turn on the “airplane mode” or turn my tools off completely. Of course, your tools may also be your toys (books, music, games), so at least turn off your email and alerts. Some go further by going dark on all social media and phone. I personally turn my phone off and ask my co-workers and family to use my wife’s phone for emergencies.

Sound radical? It is.

It takes both faith and humility. Humility to concede that you are not so important that you have to ignore your health or the sabbath. Faith to believe that Jesus and His Bride can take care of things while you are gone.

Do your very best to unplug and recharge this summer. Fall will be much more fun and fruitful if you do.

This article originally appeared at markdance.net.

Coaches grateful for Supreme Court decision protecting religious liberties

SUNDOWN, Texas (BP)—Brannon Rodgers knows well how bright the lights burn over football fields in the Texas panhandle. They shine on teenagers barely old enough to drive as the main players on a stage, a stage that even in the smallest of towns, on Friday nights feels like the center of the world.

Rodgers experienced it as a quarterback and safety for the Petersburg High Buffaloes, where his dad, Steve, was defensive coordinator. Now a veteran coach himself, Rodgers has only recently begun to fully appreciate another aspect of the game he loves.

Coaches do more than coach. They are role models and parental figures. In motivating young athletes, a coach can’t turn off where he or she gets their sense of right and wrong, honor and thankfulness. The motivation to press on not only points toward the end zone, but a goal of eternal value.

Those truths are why he paid close attention to the recent Supreme Court decision of Kennedy v. Bremerton School District.

By a 6-3 margin, justices said that the school district violated the First Amendment rights of Joseph Kennedy, a football coach in Washington state, by removing him from his position after he refused to stop praying at midfield following games. Kennedy began the practice on his own as a way of expressing thanks to God for the opportunity to coach, but eventually athletes chose to join him.

“The case caught my attention from the beginning,” said Rodgers, who recently took the head coaching position at Sundown High School after five seasons at Jacksboro High, 52 miles northwest of Fort Worth.

Rodgers is a south plains guy with roots throughout the Lubbock area. Before going to Jacksboro, he coached for 11 seasons in Crosbyton, 35 miles southeast of Petersburg. A drive between them takes you through Floydada, his wife Misty’s hometown.

No masks

His head coach as a player, Joe Robertson, walked the sidelines with Steve Rodgers at Petersburg for well over 20 years. Their own Christian walk knew no boundary, however.

“They lived their lives in the field house, on the football field and in the community the same way,” Rodgers told Baptist Press. “They didn’t take off their Christian mask and put on their coaching hat. They led by example. We prayed before, after and during games. It was part of our fabric.”

Around Gadsden, Ala., the coaching influence of Charles and Kim Nails has spread across generations. Now at Southside High, they spent the majority of their careers with Gadsden High School – he as defensive coordinator for the football team and she as girls basketball coach. In between, Kim spent seven years as women’s basketball coach at Gadsden State Community College. Her husband has always been a common presence as an unofficial assistant on the bench.

Charles was lured out of coaching retirement at Southside in 2011 to help with the Panthers’ program. He and Kim both stepped down from football and basketball after the recent season, though Kim will continue coaching cross country.

Both know coaching success. Charles was on the sidelines when GHS brought home two state titles. Kim’s teams averaged more than 20 wins a season while claiming four region championships and five state tournament appearances. Twice at Gadsden State, the Cardinals claimed their conference title and bid to the national tournament.

True success had little to do with the scoreboard, though. It took Charles a little longer to learn that.

A change in perspective

“The Lord had to open the door for me to get back into coaching football,” he said. “When He did, I made it clear to everyone that I was a different coach than before. Every boy who played for us would know about the Gospel.

“It’s been an awesome experience. I’m the Fellowship of Christian Athletes huddle leader at the school now. It’s all really changed me and not something you have to ‘try’ to do once you’re tuned in to the Lord with your platform.”

Kim saw the basketball court as not only a place to teach drills, but develop life lessons.

“It became a mission field for me to help them grow spiritually and direct them to Christ. At Gadsden State, many of those players were away from home for the first time. We shared a lot of meals with them and things like that,” she said.

Any coach worth their whistle knows the inevitability of becoming involved with a player’s personal life to some degree. Relationships with family or a girlfriend, grades, what’s next after sports – all of those come up just as much as who gets the ball when facing a zone defense.

“If I only gave them basketball, I failed them,” Kim Nails said.

First Amendment protection

In a recent discussion with Executive Committee Vice President for Communications Jonathan Howe, acting Ethics & Religious Liberty President Brent Leatherwood spoke to the importance of the Supreme Court decision.

“The case gets back to something the Court said many years ago,” Leatherwood said. “A teacher or student does not shed their First Amendment rights simply because they enter the school house door.”

Kennedy’s actions on his own were not communicating a policy position on the part of the school, Leatherwood said, but the importance of faith in his life.

“It reaffirms the fact that you can be a teacher or a student and be a Christian in the public square, and that’s a good thing. … It’s a very good decision, one that I think Southern Baptists should be very happy with.”

The Nailses were “mildly surprised” at the SCOTUS decision.

“We’re ecstatic anytime there’s a law that’s in line with Christ and his teachings,” Charles said. Both are longtime members of MeadowBrook Church in Rainbow City, Ala., where Charles is a deacon and volunteers in the middle school ministry. Kim teaches a fifth grade Life Group on Sundays.

Knocks on the door

Sundown High’s mascot – the Roughnecks – isn’t random.

“These kids come from families that make their living from the oil fields,” Rodgers said. “They’re some of the hardest working people I’ve been around. They roll up their sleeves and go to work every day to provide for their families. The kids are great and take a lot of pride in their school work. I’m proud to be a part of it.”

A coach now for 24 years, he’s come to realize the lifelong impact the title carries.

It wasn’t unusual for a former player to knock on the front door of the family home and spend hours talking to Steve Rodgers. As is the case in many small towns, a lot of folks stay and paths cross at the hardware store, church and annual Fourth of July fireworks show. Young men grow from running backs into fathers and husbands, still with questions about the right direction to take.

“I’m having those same kinds of interactions now,” said the younger Rodgers. “I see them at weddings and their jobs. We’re building a house and the guys doing the electrical and HVAC work are some of my former players from Crosbyton.”

“He’s a quality guy who loves the Lord and applies his faith to his family, community and work,” Griffin said.

It’s not that it’s bad. It just doesn’t really add much and the story is long already. But if there’s a reason you think it needs to stay in, I’m open.

Rodgers credits the fellowship and support he gets from FCA and Coaches Outreach, whose discipleship materials he uses for his personal Bible study. Such organizations help him remain focused on his role as a coach and Gospel witness.

For example, the Sundown field house will soon have a board promoting a pyramid of success, modeled after the one made famous by UCLA coaching legend John Wooden. Philippians 4:13 will be at the top.

“We want to win state titles, but the ultimate goal is to press on toward the prize in Christ Jesus,” Rodgers said. “We don’t preach and give sermons, but point players in the right direction.”

And if the Supreme Court’s decision had gone the other way?

“I wouldn’t change a lick. That coach wasn’t going to, either,” he said. “You can’t separate Christ from who you are. We’ll continue to do what we’ve been doing.

“We’re not infringing on anybody, but just living our life and trying to influence and mold young people. If they see something they know is the truth they’re going to follow it. You can’t fake your way through that.”

We need each other

NASHVILLE (BP)—A few years ago, our family vacationed in California – the land of the great redwood forest. The author John Steinbeck wrote of them: “The redwoods, once seen, leave a mark or create a vision that stays with you always.”

There’s something worshipful that happens when you stand in front of a giant tree. I was reading about the mighty California redwoods recently, and came across this note online:

Redwood tree roots are very shallow, often only five or six feet deep. But they make up for it in width, sometimes extending up to 100 feet from the trunk. They thrive in thick groves, where the roots can intertwine and even fuse together. This gives them tremendous strength against the forces of nature.

Notice what keeps these huge trees from falling in the high winds of nature. It is not their depth, but rather, their relationship with surrounding trees. By joining underground arms with neighbors, they gain enormous stability. Conversely, a redwood standing all by itself is a fragile one.

Think about that metaphor in light of where we are as a family of churches. There is a spiritual truth in there, summarized in four simple words: We need each other.

What holds a denomination, or even a single local church together? It is the humility to say: we need others in order to be strong. It is not wise to stand alone.

In Hebrews 10, the author is switching from a doctrinal to a practical posture. Having established the weighty matters of Jesus Christ as the Great High Priest, the author now aims to motivate the believer to do something with it.

21 and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. 23 Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, 25 not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching. Hebrews 10:21-25

Each of these “let us” statements is connected to a key component of Christian living. Here we see what strong Christians do.

Strong Christians draw near to Christ in prayer (Hebrews 10:22)

As you know, the Old Testament practice in the temple restricted access to the Holy of Holies. Only the high priest could enter, and only for a short amount of time. But that era came to a close with the crucifixion of Christ. The final sacrifice was made, and every single Christian can freely enter the inner sanctum. And we do so by prayer.

One of the special people God put in my path this year is Bill Elliff, a pastor and revivalist in Little Rock, Arkansas. He spoke at a denominational meeting about the difference between prayer being in the side room of your house as opposed to the foundation of your house:

If someone gave you money to build a home, you would develop your plans with an architect. But you might discover that the money they provided was not enough. Back to the architect you’d go. You would downsize one room or another, maybe even deciding that some rooms would be nice, but unnecessary. But there is one part of the construction you could not eliminate: the foundation. Even though unseen, everything depends on the foundation.

And from there, Elliff makes the connection to the local church and to individual believers. Prayer has been moved to the periphery of our ministries, to the side rooms of our lives. It is not foundational. It is not our first reaction to conflict. It is not our natural reflex when we feel hurt by other believers.

If Hebrews had been written today, this verse might read: Too much tweeting; not enough praying. I believe that we all should be asking ourselves about the decreasing levels of prayer taking place with increasing levels of screen time.

Strong Christians hold on to hope in Christ (Hebrews 10:23)

One of the worst games ever invented is Tug of War. I always manage to pick the losing team. The game ends with my body being drug along the ground, as if I’m being pulled behind a vehicle. My hands blister from the wear and tear of clinging to that rope. Sometimes it hurts to hold on.

The author of Hebrews is speaking to a highly Jewish audience – a group of people who would not let go of the Old Covenant. They were holding onto the outdated rules which were abolished at the cross. Even worse, they were not holding on to the hope we have in Christ.

Last year, Lifeway Research conducted a study on the well-being of pastors, assessing their overall needs. The findings were fascinating, particularly in the pandemic season, when congregations were split down the middle due to masking and vaccination arguments. This is hard on the heart of the pastor who longs to see his people unified and focused on the mission.

What’s more, 66 percent of pastors confessed that they were wavering – that they did not feel solid in their belief that God would pull them through. In the words of Winston Churchill, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” Don’t give up. Take it one day at a time and believe that the Lord will see you through.

Recently, my wife Lynley and I were at a gathering of pastors and one of them was Gregg Matte from Houston’s First. Gregg was sharing what he has learned over the years about endurance, about hanging on in hard times. He shared two insights that stuck with us:

Today’s newspapers line tomorrow’s birdcages. Hard times will come, but remember that the news cycle is short. This too shall pass. The church belongs to the Lord, and He will preserve it.
The clouds are always moving. If you look above and see dark, overcast skies, just wait a few days, or months, or years; the sun will shine again. Don’t lose heart when it feels gloomy in your life. Conversely, when the sun is shining and all is well, be aware that James 1 is true – that trials are the tests we must undergo if we are to be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

There are seasons when the only thing God expects us to do is to hold on, to be faithful with what is in front of us, and to wait upon His rescue. Draw near to God in prayer.

Strong Christians provoke one another in love (Hebrews 10:24)

The Greek word for provoke is used in another place in the New Testament, describing an annoying behavior. It is used to explain how one person can negatively rub off on another, but here the word is used in the opposite way – to be a positive irritant. To disrupt a person’s life in a most inspiring way. This is the ministry of encouragement.

Former Lifeway president Jimmy Draper told me this year: be kind to everybody, because everybody’s having a hard time. It is kindness that truly impacts the people around us, not our condemnation. People need to be told how important they are to you.

This brings us back to the redwood tree. What makes those massive trees strong is their interlocking roots with neighbors. They draw strength from one another.

Now it becomes clear why Hebrews goes on in the next verse to say, “let us not give up the habit of meeting together.” Being in proximity, in the same room, our lives touching one another brings tremendous stability and joy to our lives. When we are rooted in a local church, we are far better people.

How to pass the baton to the next leader: A Q&A with Bryant Wright

Today the average clergy member is 57 years old, compared to 50 years old in 2000, according to the 2020 Faith Communities Today study. In the next 5-10 years, a wave of Boomer pastors will reach retirement age. Unfortunately, few churches plan for pastoral succession. And that transitional period is often difficult.

Bryant Wright, the former long-term pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, faced this issue. After decades of serving his church, the Lord led Wright to carry out a succession plan. His book, “Succession: Preparing Your Ministry for the Next Leader” (B&H Publishing), captures that journey from the first conversations about stepping down to the final sermon he preached before becoming president of Send Relief, an international relief organization that partners with local churches to provide help to those affected by a disaster or crisis.

Whether you can see retirement on the horizon, you’re leading your church through a season of transition, or you’re being called to be the successor to follow a long-tenured pastor, Wright has helpful insights for leading your church through seasons of change. We got to sit down and ask him a few questions about his experience creating and implementing a succession plan. Here’s a look at our conversation:

Why do you think so few churches have a succession plan for their senior leadership?

Bryant Wright: I read Bob Russell’s book, “Transition Plan,” where he says that when the pastor goes to the elders to talk about a succession plan, it’s a succession plan. But when the elders come to the pastor to talk about a succession plan, it’s a firing plan. A lot of pastors are hesitant to bring it up, wondering if the lay leadership will think, “Well, if you’re bringing it up, then it might be time for you to move on.” A lot of lay leaders in churches are hesitant to bring it up to the pastor because they love their pastor and don’t want him to feel they’re ready for him to retire.

Why is it so difficult for a pastor to leave a church? And leave well?

It’s difficult because most pastors love their churches and the people of their churches. The longer you’ve been there, the deeper and richer the love. So, it’s hard, humanly speaking, for the pastor to let go. It requires a supernatural grace from God when that time is right.

What are some traits of pastoral transitions that don’t go well?

Number one, the senior pastor, the long-tenured pastor doesn’t have a clear ending date and has a hard time letting go. That’s usually a major reason why it doesn’t go well. Second, the retiring senior pastor isn’t supportive of the pastor who’s following him. Thirdly, the wife of the retiring senior pastor has a hard time letting go. Fourth, the successor doesn’t show proper respect and honor to the long-tenured pastor they’re following.

How does a pastor know when it’s time to leave a church?

You just know. I remember asking my father as a young man, “How do you know you’ve met the right girl to marry?” He said, “You’ll just know,” and that really irritated me because that didn’t tell me anything. But then I met my wife, Anne, and I just knew. And it’s very similar when God is leading you—when the timing is right. But secondly, I experienced a lack of vision for future plans and direction of ministry. A lack of vision for the future certainly helps a retiring pastor know it’s time.

How do you know when it’s time to tell the lay leaders of your church and the congregation?

I spoke to the elders about developing a succession plan long before I was ready to retire. That’s the first step in the process to develop a general game plan for succession. Then, continue to be in prayer. When it’s time for the senior pastor to let go, he first tells the lay leaders, and then determines when and how to tell the congregation. It’s extremely helpful to the congregation to hear from the senior pastor’s wife, as well as him. This will assure the congregation that God is leading both of them.

How would you recommend that current pastors prepare themselves for the next ministry assignment or season of life?

Concentrate on your areas of passion. I was sure I was to retire from Johnson Ferry and hand the ministry off to a younger man, but I was not ready to retire from ministry. I wanted to continue to do what I was called to do—to preach the gospel, to preach the Word. The best advice I can give current pastors is to ask yourself, “What are my gifts? What are my passions I want to focus on when I retire?”

Experiment with some things before you retire to see if you could sink your teeth into something or do something that would be fulfilling when you retire. Having an idea of what to focus on is vitally important to helping current pastors prepare themselves for that new season of life.

You mention in the introduction of your book that all pastors are really “interim pastors.” Can you unpack that a bit?

If any church is going to last (and you sure hope it is), you realize that church is going to be around a whole lot longer than the tenure of any pastor. Whether it’s an interim pastorate for six months or an interim pastorate like I had for 38 years, we’re given a stewardship where God entrusts the leadership of a church and a congregation to us. It’s for a period of time. It’s healthier to see ourselves as interim pastors wanting to make the most of that role and lead faithfully in God’s will in that interim as long as He allows.

If pastors think they own the ministry of the church rather than lead the ministry of the church, it can set them up for unnecessary pain. How do a pastor and his wife come to realize they don’t own the ministry?

One, have a weekly Sabbath, where you let go for a 24-hour period once a week. Do that on a regular basis. The Holy Spirit has a way of whispering in a still, small voice in that Sabbath saying, “This isn’t your church, Bryant. This is My church.” Having vacation and sabbatical times are tremendous helps in realizing it’s God’s church.

You and your successor, Clay Smith, had a time of overlap in the transition. A lot of churches don’t plan for that. How important do you think that time was to the health of the church?

Extremely important! Clay and I shared the pulpit and did a sermon series together, throughout the four months we overlapped. There were a few other things that also happened. Number one: I moved out of the office—the pastor’s office—before Clay got there. I wanted the congregation to see Clay as the new pastor.

Secondly, we had a game plan where I led meetings for the first month, and Clay would see how I did it. The next month, we led meetings together with each of us having specific responsibilities for that meeting. In the third month, Clay led the meetings while I was in the room. The fourth month, Clay led the meetings, and I wasn’t there. The congregation was able to see a transition take place. On the last Sunday, Clay and I did the sermon together. I gave him one of my preaching Bibles. It was a picture to the congregation we wanted to continue to be a people of the Book and for Clay to continue to preach the Word. Then the elders and I laid hands on Clay asking for God’s blessing on his ministry. So, we painted a clear picture for the congregation of the transition occurring.

What is the departing pastor’s role once he’s stepped down from leadership to help the church and its new leader move forward?

It’s important that I’m not there that much. In two and a half years, my wife and I have attended about six Sunday mornings. We try to come in just a little late to sit in the back, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible. Obviously, that’s not always possible, as you see people and they gather to speak. But that helps the church move forward. Clay is there, and I am not. I always try to let people know how much I appreciate Clay and am excited for him to be the pastor. I think it’s key for me to affirm Clay for the church to move forward into the future.

Ministry by churches crucial in post-Roe world, advocates say

NASHVILLE (BP)—Churches and their members have essential roles to play in helping women and preborn children in a post-Roe world, Christians involved in pro-life ministry say.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s June 24 reversal of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision has given states the authority to put into effect abortion bans for the first time in almost 50 years. Nearly half of the states already have laws prohibiting abortion either throughout pregnancy or at some stage of pregnancy, although courts have blocked enforcement of some.

In states with abortion bans, the change in the legal landscape has placed a renewed focus on pro-life work – and on the ministry of the local church, Christian pro-life advocates said.

“What we want to see is the church is the first place that [a woman with an unplanned pregnancy] goes, that she feels that love and that compassion, that she feels that the church is going to be a refuge for her,” said Elizabeth Graham, vice president of operations and life initiatives for the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC). Her comments came during a June 13 panel discussion about the future of the pro-life movement that took place on the eve of the SBC’s annual meeting in Anaheim, Calif., and before the overruling of Roe.

Rick Morton, vice president of engagement for Lifeline Children’s Services, said, “We love crisis pregnancy centers [and] believe that there’s great necessity [in them]. And we believe in the church. We believe that ultimately the place that those women need — they need to be discipled, they need to be surrounded by community – is in the local church.”

Lifeline has prepared discipleship resources to provide churches with “the building blocks” to engage in ministering for the long term to women with unplanned pregnancies, Morton said.

Even before the Supreme Court overturned Roe, churches were asking how they could serve after a draft opinion annulling the 1973 decision was leaked in early May.

Churches reached out to Lifeline after the leak to say, “[W]e are recognizing that we need to do more, and so can you help us learn how to do more, can you help us figure out ways that we can get engaged?,” said Chris Johnson, the ministry’s national director of church partnerships.

The remarks by Lifeline officials came in a June 14 interview by Baptist Press at the site of the SBC’s annual meeting. Lifeline’s work includes pregnancy counseling, adoption and family restoration in the United States, with offices in 16 states. The 41-year-old ministry, which is based in Birmingham, Ala., offers international adoption in 18 countries.

In some ways, this is “a beginning” and “not an end,” Morton said. “[M]aybe some of the hope out of this actually is that there are people that are rethinking and reframing the issue in their own mind, and maybe some folks that haven’t been as active and haven’t really related their pursuit of Christ and the Gospel to this issue.”

It may be “a beginning point” for such Christians to say, “I’ll begin to get in and minister to women in crisis, to minister to those women and their unborn children, adoptive families,” he said. “I think there are all kinds of people that potentially God’s using this just to wake the church up.”

Sometimes that ministry is simple and practical, said Lori Bova, who has participated in pro-life work for more than two decades.

“I have learned that creating a culture of life often looks like meeting needs – driving women to appointments, buying diapers and wipes, providing childcare, etc.,” said Bova, chair of the ERLC’s trustees and a member of a Southern Baptist church in New Mexico, in written comments for BP. “We have a Savior who came to serve. It should be no surprise that this is our best means to change hearts and minds toward life, and ultimately the Gospel.”

Churches can seek to address the “systemic drivers” that pregnant women often say push them to choose abortion, including the need for affordable housing and childcare, as well as a sufficient salary, Graham said. Church members can provide childcare, help women find jobs, volunteer with need-meeting programs and open their homes to pregnant women to offer a “continuum of care” for the long term, she said.

“[W]e just need to connect with her, help her to feel safe, help her to know that she has other options and to walk alongside her,” Graham said. “These women know that the decision that they’ve made is a sin against God, but we can be there to show them compassion and grace and the cross.”

Herbie Newell, Lifeline’s president, said churches need to be “long-suffering and patient” and “lean in on” God’s call to disciple women and children, “walking with them through the long term and being the place where women and children find help, healing and rescue. And that’s in the arms of the Gospel and Christ Jesus.”

“[O]ne of the greatest things the church can do is to be a resource of social capital to a woman in crisis,” he said. “The truth of the matter is most of these women have nowhere to turn in their darkest hour and their need. And there need to be churches that they can turn to and that will be there and will do the hard and will do the messy.”

Churches can partner with Gospel-focused pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) in serving vulnerable women, pro-life advocates said.

PRCs form the “front line in this battle,” Carol Everett told BP in a phone interview. “I would really like to see the Baptist church come to the forefront and every church get involved with a pregnancy resource center. That doesn’t mean they have to start one. They can get involved with their local one, and then they can have volunteers in there that serve as local missionaries. It’s a wonderful place for us to act as missionaries without going to a foreign mission field.”

The Heidi Group, which Everett founded in 1995, is working to open PRCs in unserved locations, such as the 21 counties in central and west Texas without one, said Everett, a member of a Southern Baptist church.

PRCs in Texas have already experienced what ministry will be like when abortion is prohibited during much of pregnancy. The state’s ban on abortion when a preborn child’s heartbeat can be detected – which can be as early as five to six weeks into pregnancy – took effect in September 2021.

That ban produced an increase of 50 percent “in girls and women walking through the doors of our pregnancy centers in Texas, almost across the board” and eventually up to 90 percent in some cities, Everett told BP. Now that Roe has been reversed and “people start thinking that [abortion is] wrong, we expect another rush,” she said.

One way Southern Baptists have supported the work of PRCs is through the Psalm 139 Project, the ERLC’s ministry to help provide ultrasound technology to pregnancy centers and train staff members in its use.

The ERLC has nearly reached its goal of 50 ultrasound placements between December 2020 and January 2023, which would have been the 50th anniversary of the Roe ruling had it not been overturned. The Psalm 139 Project has 49 machines placed or committed to be placed by January and funding for machines to surpass that goal. Since 2004, Psalm 139 has helped place ultrasound equipment at centers in 16 states and one other country, Northern Ireland.

Lisa Cathcart, executive director of the Pregnancy Care Center (PCC) in Old Hickory, Tenn., for more than 13 years, told BP advocating for and financially supporting PRCs is a way churches can conduct pro-life ministry. Other ways churches can be pro-life in a post-Roe era, Cathcart said, include:

Teaching a “whole-life, pro-life view of human dignity” to their members.
Ministering in a Gospel-based way to the congregation, which includes post-abortive women and men.

PCC has “always worked for the dignity and welfare of BOTH [mother and child], and our work starts with her – the woman who needs compassion, hope and practical help to consider alternatives to abortion,” Cathcart said in a written statement after Roe was overturned. “Our work will continue, even increase, and we are prepared to meet this moment.”

Pro-life ministry also includes Christian families welcoming children born to vulnerable women into their homes in a post-Roe world, pro-life advocates say. Newell testified before committees of lawmakers in both Alabama houses in support of legislation to prohibit abortion.

In both chambers, Newell said, Democrats on the committees asked him, “If we ban abortion in our state, there will be more kids in foster care and there will be more kids that need to be adopted. Are there enough families?”

“And I unequivocally looked them in the face and I said, ‘If you take this bold step and you dignify life, we will be ready and there will be families for these children.’ And I wholeheartedly believe it.”

3 compelling reasons I am pro-life

The overturning of Roe v. Wade after 63 million preborn babies have been killed in our nation is leading to new dialogue. We are not only discussing it with our children, we are explaining to them why we are pro-life. It is simply a matter of time before a relative or neighbor or co-worker brings up the topic of abortion with you or you see an opportunity to talk about why you are pro-life. While much more could be said, these three reasons I am pro-life are those that I want to be on the tip of my tongue and that I hope will be helpful to you, too.

Because the Bible tells me so

A few years ago, I made a list of 15 sections of Scripture especially relevant to the pro-life cause to help me be better attuned with God’s heart on this subject before I would speak out against it. These sections of the Bible are: Genesis 1:27; Exodus 1:16–22; 4:11; 21:22–25; Job 10:11–12; 31:15; Psalm 14:4; 22:9–10; 127:3–5; 139:13–16; Isaiah 45:9–11; 49:15; Jeremiah 1:5; Luke 1:41–44; Galatians 1:15. I found myself in tears as the weight and impact of the Word built conviction and holy anger at our enemy, Satan, who deceives so strongly, stirred up love for the preborn and vulnerable mothers who are in difficult situations, and bestowed grace in my heart toward those who have had or been involved in an abortion.

God could not be more clear: “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” (Ps. 139:13-14). Let’s go deep in the scriptures before we go wide in sharing our beliefs. Let’s have God’s Word feed our minds and hearts, move our hands and feet, and open our mouths to speak for the preborn (Prov. 31:8).

Because science tells me so

The Mississippi law that challenged Roe at the Supreme Court banned abortion at 15 weeks of pregnancy. What is a preborn baby doing at 15 weeks? Taste buds are being formed and nerves are connecting them to the brain. The baby’s legs are growing longer than her arms now. She can move all of her joints and limbs, and in fact she moves constantly. At 15 weeks, eyelids, eyebrows, eyelashes, nails, hair, and well-defined fingers and toes have already been formed. As I write this, people are protesting and vandalizing around our country because an unlegislated “right” to kill a baby was ruled unconstitutional—a baby who has been sucking his thumb for 3 weeks, and who can yawn, stretch, and make faces.

All pro-life people need to have these realities handy, and all pro-choice people need to read these undisputed facts of science and ask themselves honestly why they believe it is OK to purposefully kill a human being at any stage of gestation. The claims of science are not just the result of religious presuppositions or a reading of Scripture’s command to care for the unborn. Rather, they are undisputed facts of biology and anatomy. I am pro-life because even if the Bible did not indisputably tell me so, the plain undisputed facts of science also tell me so.

Because human flourishing and love tell me so

Pro-choice arguments are based on fear and convenience, not truth and hope. For over 50 years, young women in our country have often been shamelessly counseled that their only viable option is to abort their child rather than consider adoption or raising their child. Young fathers have been told they don’t have any responsibility. There has been no accounting for the fact that this has caused the well-documented association between abortion and higher rates of anxiety, depression, substance abuse, traumatic symptoms, sleep disorders, and other negative outcomes.

It is true that having a baby changes everything, but it is also true that aborting a baby changes everything. Being pro-life means that I am pro-human flourishing.

In Vermont, where I live, the people will vote on a state constitutional amendment this fall that would make us the first state to have abortion as a right that “shall not be denied or infringed.” Yet we are one of the states in the U.S. that is struggling most with an aging population and not enough young tax payers. Nationally, the shortage in the Social Security system would have been more than replaced by the children who were aborted over the past five decades. From economics to the joy of being a mother or father, I am pro-life because I know it is best for human flourishing.

Yet, there is one more reason I am pro-life: love. It is out of love for the preborn that I continue to speak up, research, support foster parents, encourage pregnancy resource centers, and love vulnerable women and men who are going through difficult situations.

The post 3 compelling reasons I am pro-life appeared first on ERLC.

Americans believe religious liberty is declining, more believe Christians face intolerance

NASHVILLE—While most Americans say religious liberty is on the decline in the country, even more believe Christians are increasingly confronted with intolerance in the U.S. But some say American Christians complain too much about how they are treated.

More than half of Americans (54 percent) say religious liberty is on the decline in America, including 24 percent who strongly agree, according to a Lifeway Research survey of 1,005 Americans in September 2021. Nearly 1 in 3 disagree (32 percent), and 14 percent aren’t sure.

Although a similar percentage of males (53 percent) and females (54 percent) agree religious liberty is on the decline, more females say they are not sure. Males (36 percent) are more likely than females (29 percent) to say religious liberty is not on the decline in America.

Religious affiliation, worship service attendance and religious beliefs are also factors in a person’s belief about the state of religious liberty. Americans who are more engaged with their faith are among those most likely to believe religious liberty is on the decline in America. Those who are religiously unaffiliated are least likely to agree that it is declining (40 percent). And among Christians, those who attend a worship service at least four times a month (64 percent) are more likely to believe religious liberty is on the decline in America than those who attend less than once a month (53 percent). Furthermore, those who hold evangelical beliefs are more likely to say religious liberty is declining than those without evangelical beliefs (74 percent vs. 48 percent).

“Freedoms are not limitless,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “As some groups seek more freedom, it often encroaches on another’s freedom. It’s not surprising those who are more religiously active are the ones noticing reductions in religious freedom compared to those who don’t practice religion.”

Belief in declining tolerance for Christians in America

When asked specifically about how Christians are treated, Americans believe religious tolerance for Christians in America is declining. More than half of Americans (59 percent) say Christians are increasingly confronted with intolerance in America, including 24 percent who strongly agree. Fewer than 1 in 4 (24 percent) disagree, and 18 percent say they are not sure.

African Americans (68 percent) and white Americans (59 percent) are more likely to agree than people of other ethnicities (47 percent).

Those with more education are more likely to disagree. Americans with a bachelor’s degree (30 percent) or graduate degree (31 percent) are more likely to say Christians are not increasingly confronted with intolerance in America today than those who are high school graduates or less (21 percent) or with some college (20 percent).

“Intolerance is about cultural pushback,” McConnell said. “In the American marketplace of ideas, not all systems of thought are welcomed. The majority of all religions notice this pushback against Christians today.”

Again, religious affiliation, worship service attendance and religious beliefs are factors in a person’s beliefs regarding tolerance levels for Christians in America. Protestants are the most likely to agree that intolerance is increasing (69 percent), followed by Catholics (59 percent), people of other religions (53 percent) and the religiously unaffiliated (41 percent). Evangelicals (84 percent) are more likely to agree than non-evangelicals (52 percent). And among Christians, those who attend a worship service less than once a month (55 percent) are least likely to believe Christians are facing increasing levels of intolerance in America.

Too much complaining

More than 1 in 3 Americans (36 percent) say American Christians complain too much about how they are treated, including 14 percent who strongly agree. Nearly half (49 percent) disagree, and 15 percent aren’t sure.

“While people of faith have had real challenges to their religious liberty in recent years in the U.S., it’s easy to become known only for talking about these issues,” McConnell said. “It’s ironic that the very ones people of faith would like to convert are noticing what Christians say about what they’re losing rather than what good they have to offer.”

There are several demographic indicators of whether someone believes Christians complain too much about how they are treated. Males (40 percent) are more likely than females (32 percent) to agree. And those who are oldest or have the least education are most likely to say American Christians do not complain too much. Nearly 2 in 3 (64 percent) of those over the age of 65 say American Christians do not complain too much. And those who are high school graduates or less (56 percent) are the most likely to say the same.

When it comes to religious beliefs and practices, the religiously unaffiliated, Christians who attend church some and non-evangelicals are among the most likely to say American Christians complain too much about how they are treated. Those who are religiously unaffiliated (53 percent) are more likely to agree than Catholics (34 percent) and Protestants (27 percent). Among Christians, those who attend a worship service one to three times a month (44 percent) are most likely to agree Christians complain too much. Those with evangelical beliefs (61 percent) are more likely to disagree than those without evangelical beliefs (45 percent).

For more information, view the complete report and visit LifewayResearch.com.

What suffering has taught me

“I’ve learned to kiss the waves that throw me up against the rock of ages.”

This famous Spurgeon quote has been about the only thing on my mind lately, as I’ve found myself daily in a dark room, pleading with the Lord to lift the dark clouds. For the last eight months, I’ve not had the emotional, mental, or physical energy to fully love my wife, shepherd my two small kids, or pastor the flock God has given to me. Since October, the debilitating migraines I’ve experienced all day every day have taken everything out of me.

And because of this (not in spite of this), God is good. How? Because He brought me near and showed me a clearer picture of His love for me. For the second time in my life, God providentially allowed me to walk through intense physical suffering for His glory. Though there are countless lessons God is teaching me, here are three lessons I’m learning from physical suffering over the past year.

I’m learning to share my current burdens

In an attempt to not burden my members, I foolishly didn’t let people into my dark days until the clouds began to lift. Not only did I miss the opportunity for 68 members to pray alongside me, but I also missed the opportunity to model what it is to suffer well. I know the biblical command to bear one another’s burdens, but this assumes that the burdens are known (thus shared). As a burden-lifter who hates to be a burden-giver, I’ve learned that vulnerability with suffering opens doors to be carried by the hands and feet of God in prayer and care.

I’m learning to prioritize according to my limitedness

It took all my energy to simply focus at work. I would then get home completely depleted, yet called to give to and love my wife and kids. I had nothing to give to the three people that God called me to serve above all others. My wife helped me reorder my rhythms and reconsider my commitments to make sure that my responsibilities were given time and energy according to their priority. This means I had to say no to great opportunities, but it also forced me to trust and rest in God’s sovereignty and faithfulness to accomplish His purposes.

I’m learning to give patience

I’ve always known that patience is learned through tribulation (Romans 5; James 1). But this time, my lesson was not only in the patience I needed to receive, but also in the patience I needed to give. Those two are tied: I could not patiently parent a tired toddler without God’s patience. Because I cannot give what I don’t have, I depended daily on God’s provision for grace, patience, and love. God is still teaching me these principles. But as I continue to behold the cross of Jesus Christ, not only am I learning great lessons for my life, but I’m also finding great rest for my weary soul.