Month: August 2023

25 years of answered prayer with Kie Bowman

In November, the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention will mark 25 years of answered prayer at its Annual Meeting at Cross City Church in Euless. Each month leading up to the meeting, the Texan will feature a brief conversation with past SBTC presidents about how they have seen God answer their prayers for the convention over the past quarter century and how they are praying God will bless the convention moving forward. This month, we feature past SBTC president Kie Bowman (2019-2021).

What were some of your earliest prayers for the SBTC?

I was the new senior pastor of Hyde Park Baptist Church in Austin when I heard the SBTC was forming. The conservative resurgence at the national level was making huge strides, but so many of us felt like that wasn’t the case at the state convention level. So honestly, my first prayer for the SBTC was a prayer of thanksgiving and praise to God that it was beginning! Later, I thanked God that Jim Richards would be the leader. Those were exciting days of big challenges and really unbelievable growth, so there was a lot of praise and thanksgiving.

How have you seen God answer some of your prayers regarding the convention?

When I became more involved with the SBTC, it was not organizationally connected to the larger prayer movement I saw emerging everywhere. Nathan Lino’s presidency was the first sign of a major focus on prayer I saw. … Much later, I was a member of the search committee that brought Nathan Lorick as the new executive director. Lino and Todd Kaunitz were also on the committee, and by that time both had experienced major spiritual awakening in their churches. Both outpourings were directly associated with prayer. When we interviewed Nathan Lorick, he had connected with [The Brooklyn Tabernacle Pastor] Jim Cymbala and was passionate about prayer. This has been the biggest answer to prayer I’ve had for the SBTC. These men are making prayer a central part of the convention’s identity and focus. I’m convinced it’s evidence of God at work.

During your service as president, how were you praying for the convention?

Serving as president of the SBTC was an honor and opportunity I will never forget. My presidency, however, was unusual for two reasons. First, I was president during the global pandemic when most of our churches were shut down or greatly restricted for a time. My prayers were constantly for our churches—many of them smaller with limited resources—and for the pastors carrying the leadership burdens we all carried. My prayers were also for our state convention leadership and our financial strength. Second, Jim Richards began confiding in me that he was seriously considering a transition process. That process was on my heart every time I prayed.

What is your prayer for the next 25 years of the SBTC?

We live in a time of radical social change. Texas is a mission field with some of America’s largest and most cosmopolitan cities. I pray the SBTC never loses the courage to build on our confessional foundations. Biblical inerrancy is always threatened by the gravity of a lost culture and the possibility of organizational mission drift. I pray we stay focused on reaching lost people, working together around our commitment to biblical inerrancy, and that we emerge as the premier leader in the growing prayer movement in the Southern Baptist Convention.

Maui churches after Lahaina fire: ‘We’re not going back to normal.’

MAUI, Hawaii—As the Aug. 8 Maui fires raged out of control in Lahaina, local churches on the island that were outside the burn area immediately began grappling not with whether they would respond but how.

Pastor Jay Haynes of Kahului Baptist Church in Kahului preached a pair of messages of the last two weeks on grief and lament to help his congregation spiritually and emotionally navigate the trauma, including a message on Psalm 42 Aug. 20.

“We’re not going back to normal. There’s not really ‘going back to normal.’ There’s no way to move forward acting like nothing happened, that everything’s fine,” Haynes said. “We’re still going to have various rooms on this property being used as shelters. We’re still going to have rooms being used for storing donations and distributing donations to people who need.”

Stoked by winds up to 80 mph, flames engulfed the town and many of its terrified residents with deadly speed. So far, 114 are reported dead, making the wildfire the worst in modern U.S. history. Maui’s mayor reported Aug. 21 that 850 people are still unaccounted for. Some 2,200 structures were destroyed, causing an estimated $6 billion in damage.

In the immediate aftermath, Haynes, along with fellow pastor Rocky Komatsu of Waiehu Community Church in Wailuku, helped deliver supplies on trucks down into Lahaina to help meet the most pressing physical needs of those displaced by the wildfire that consumed nearly the entire town of Lahaina. Haynes’ message Sunday underscored their resolve to continue helping survivors who lost everything.

Valley Isle Fellowship in Wailuku became a staging ground for relief ministries that needed a base of operations, and its pastor Nick Love has been serving in his role as a chaplain to support the efforts of the Hawaii National Guard and U.S. Air Force as they maintain order and utilize cadaver dogs to identify human remains.

The process of searching for bodies is highly specialized and very time-consuming, meaning those carrying out the task have been putting in extremely long hours.

“Hearing their stories has finally started catching up to me,” Love said. “Hearing what they’re seeing and what they’re going through. They’re professional, but it’s difficult on them.”

During the same time, Love, who only came on board in April of this year, has continued leading Valley Isle Fellowship.

Bryant Wright, president of Send Relief, spent the weekend and part of Monday meeting with pastors and other ministry leaders on the island of Maui to encourage those directly impacted as well as those who have been key in responding to the ongoing needs.

“Many of the pastors we’ve been meeting with have been young pastors,” Wright said. “They’re in the midst of leading churches to engage their communities in the fallout of one of the most historic tragedies, not only in Hawaii’s history but in the history of the United States.”

Gay Williams and her husband John have been leading disaster relief efforts for the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention (HPBC) as Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) volunteers from around the Hawaiian Islands have joined the effort.

“Here on the ground in Maui, we have been working with some of the first responders and other partners in response with their housing,” Williams said. “We are preparing to bring in our teams who will eventually do personal property recovery, or ash sifting, for the homeowners when they are allowed into their properties.”

Williams anticipates that there will be opportunities for SBDR teams from the continental U.S. to serve in the efforts to help residents recover their belongings, such as jewelry or other items, that may have endured the inferno.

On Aug. 21, Send Relief sent a shipment of fire recovery supplies to Maui to assist SBDR teams as they serve families who have lost everything. The shipment left Send Relief’s warehouse in Ashland, Ky., and was packed with protective gear including Tyvek suits, N-95 masks, goggles and more.

Wright, along with Robert Miller, director of regional ministries for the HPBC, began exploring ways to connect churches on the mainland with those on Maui.

“The recovery here will take years as there are thousands of people who have lost loved ones and their homes,” Wright said. “Beyond that, even though Maui and Hawaii remain open for people to visit, there has been an impact on the tourism industry and some have also lost the ability to earn a living. And there will be needs for these churches in Hawaii to meet for weeks, months and years to come, and we want to see mainland churches explore ways to empower the local church for ministry.”

To learn more and support the response, visit SendRelief.org.

Ministry with roots in SBTC church helps missionaries with a set of wheels while home on furlough

HOUSTON—Upon returning stateside on furlough from two different assignments while serving the International Mission Board as overseas missionaries, Nate and Barbi Sprinkle found themselves with several essential needs.

The first occasion was in 2006-2007, when the young family was returning from serving in Nepal. The second occurred after they served nearly seven years in Northern India. On both occasions, they needed a vehicle to help them get around while back in the states.

And on both occasions, they turned to the Macedonian Call Foundation (MCF) for help.

Founded in 1980 by Harvey and Charlene Kneisel, MCF is a Houston-based non-profit organization that provides vehicles to missionaries furloughed in the U.S. Missionaries pay $250 per month, which includes use of the vehicle and full insurance coverage. They are also responsible for fuel costs, oil changes, and minor repairs while they are driving an MCF vehicle, which can be loaned for up to a year.

“[The fact] we were able to borrow a car from MCF both times was a Godsend,” said Nate, who now serves as senior pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Rosenberg.

Doug Miller and his wife, Cathy—longtime members at Sugar Creek Baptist Church in Sugar Land—took the helm of MCF in 2013. They became aware of the ministry through an article printed in the Southern Baptist Texan, the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention’s newspaper.

“Here, you like cars,” Cathy told Doug as she showed him the article. “You should do this.”

That was the beginning of a now decade-long relationship that has seen the Millers volunteer their time to minister to missionaries.

In the past year and a half, MCF has loaned vehicles to missionaries serving in 48 countries. Mr. Miller, MCF’s president, said the organization works hard to add a personal touch to those it serves. For example, MCF board members often assist with picking up missionaries at the airport so they are welcomed home by a smiling face. There’s a fringe benefit to such service, as those MCF servants often get firsthand accounts of the work God is doing around the globe.

MCF loans vehicles to missionaries and their families an average of 50-70 times per year. While sending agencies, including the IMB, frequently send referrals to MCF, Miller said it can still be a challenge letting missionaries around the world know the ministry exists.

“The challenge we have is to get the word to churches who sponsor missionaries and to the sending agencies so that they can spread the word to the people coming and going every year and every day,” Mr. Miller said. “There are so many missionaries who could use the service if they just knew about it.”

Another challenge? Keeping MCF’s fleet of donated vehicles on the road. The ministry owns 31 vehicles, 26 of which are currently operational (two are undergoing maintenance and three are scheduled to go out soon). The average age of an MCF vehicle is 13.5 years old and donations of vehicles have slowed since COVID began.

With stacks of cards and letters of support as reminders, the Millers say they are confident God will continue to provide and use the ministry for years to come.

“This ministry that we’re involved in is a huge blessing to many, many people who don’t have any other alternatives,” Mr. Miller said. “The foundation makes transportation one less thing [for missionaries] to worry about when they’re coming home.”

For more information, visit mcftx.org or email dougmiller@mcftx.org.

SBTC Executive Board hears reports on partnerships, student ministry

GRAPEVINE—The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Executive Board heard a pair of encouraging reports regarding a growing network of partnerships outside the state, as well as a summer full of activity in student ministry that led to hundreds of decisions for Christ, at its regularly scheduled triannual meeting on Aug. 15.

Missions Mobilization Associate Colin Rayburn spoke about the strategic partnerships that have been developed with the Convention of Southern Baptist Churches of Puerto Rico and the Nevada Baptist Convention. Through those partnerships, the SBTC has provided strategic vision opportunities for four of its churches in Puerto Rico, while also helping resource a retreat for pastors and their wives on the island—the first such event that had been offered to them in many years.

Rayburn also reported the Nevada Baptist Convention recently hosted an Equip Conference similar to what the SBTC hosts in Texas annually. Additionally, a vision trip which will aim to connect SBTC churches with strategic partnerships with Southern Baptist churches in Nevada is scheduled for Sept. 11-13.

Student Ministry Associate Brandon Bales gave a report on what turned out to be an incredible summer for M3 and Youth Week camps. Bales said attendance at the camps totaled 4,582 students. Of those, 394 students made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ, 240 were baptized, and 316 answered a call to ministry. Additionally, Bales reported the SBTC Student App has been downloaded more than 1,400 times since being launched in August 2022, with more than 133,000 engagements this year alone.

CP receipts down after giving slows in June, July

SBTC Chief Financial Officer Joe Davis reported to the board that Cooperative Program giving was significantly lower in June and July, resulting in a 5% year-to-date budget shortfall and a 5% reduction from the same time last year.

“We’re continuing to manage expenses and watch the budget closely as we steward Cooperative Program dollars,” Davis said after the meeting.

Board to ask messengers for extension on constitutional interpretation at AM

Messengers to the 2023 Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Annual Meeting in November will be asked to consider extending the effective date of a constitutional interpretation referring to the office of pastor for currently affiliated churches.

At the 2022 Annual Meeting in Corpus Christi, messengers approved a motion requiring the convention to interpret its constitutional requirement that the “office of pastor be limited to men” be applied “not only to the titles of senior pastor or lead pastor, but to any role designated by the noun ‘pastor’” beginning Jan. 1, 2024. At the Aug. 15 meeting, the Executive Board voted in favor of the Executive Committee’s recommendation to request the messengers at November’s Annual Meeting to consider extending the effective date to Jan. 1, 2025.*

The SBTC Credentials Committee is already operating under the new interpretation for churches being newly considered for affiliation.

In August, Baptist Press reported a similar request made by Southern Baptist Convention President Bart Barber, pastor of the SBTC-affiliated First Baptist Church of Farmersville. Barber asked state conventions and local associations to “press pause on any ongoing work they may be conducting or motions they may be considering that involve the nature of what it means to be a church in friendly cooperation with sister Southern Baptist churches.”

Such a pause, Barber said, would allow a newly seated “cooperation group” to engage in “high-quality research, dialogue, prayer, and contemplation about the nature of cooperation among Southern Baptist churches and our needs going forward.”

The 2023 SBTC Annual Meeting is scheduled for Nov. 13-14 at Cross City Church in Euless.

* Editor’s note: This article constitutes first notice of this motion.

The power of presence

My wife and I recently returned from a trip to Hawaii to see our son, who serves in the U.S. Marine Corps, and his wife. We also saw our daughter, who traveled ahead of us to spend a few extra weeks with her brother after finishing her junior year of college in Oregon.

While in Hawaii, we saw many of the sights popular with tourists. We visited Pearl Harbor, ate fresh pineapple at the Dole Plantation, and of course, swam in the crystal-clear waters of the Pacific Ocean. It was a trip we’ll never forget.

Despite all the beauty we saw and experienced, our most cherished memories from the trip were made not on sun-bleached beaches or standing in the shadows of giant battleships, but sitting at a kitchen table laughing until we cried playing Uno and battling it out on the pickleball court late into the warm, breezy Hawaiian nights.

In the weeks leading up to the trip, I began to catch myself daydreaming about hugging my kids. We hadn’t seen our daughter since Christmas break and it had been almost a year since we’d seen our son and daughter-in-law. To have all our adult kids together—to be in one another’s presence—that was the real treat.

Now hold that thought for a moment …

While it may not get name-checked as one of the most important spiritual disciplines, I’m more convinced now than ever before that seeking the manifest presence of our Lord is, in fact, the most important thing I can do as a believer. Sometimes I can be so structured in my faith, with my Bible reading plans and extrabiblical study aides and prayer lists, that I forget that what my Father really wants is for me to spend time by His side and bask in the glory of His presence.

"I know the depth of love I feel for my children. How much more then must my God, who loves with a perfect love, feel about me as His child?"

jayson larson Tweet

How do I know that? Well, the Bible tells me so. But I also feel it in the deepest parts of me, where God has planted in my heart a desire to be in an eternal relationship with Him. And when He blessed me to be a father, He allowed me to experience just a touch of how He feels about me as a son. I know the depth of love I feel for my children. How much more then must my God, who loves with a perfect love, feel about me as His child?

I want the best for my children. I don’t want them to struggle. I want them to be successful in whatever the Lord leads them to do. But more than anything, I want to be in a constant, intimate relationship with them. I want them to reach out to me when they’re troubled. I want them to call me so I can celebrate their victories with them. And sometimes, I just want to sit with them, quiet and still with no particular agenda. I want to enjoy being in their presence, and I want them to enjoy being in mine.

The same goes when it comes to our Father in heaven. That’s what He wants with us. May we never forget that.

May I never forget that.

First Dallas anuncia el lanzamiento de First Dallas en Español

DALLAS— Por primera vez, en los más de 150 años de la historia de la iglesia, First Baptist Dallas anunció durante un almuerzo el 6 de agosto que lanzará un ministerio completamente en español, First Dallas en Español.

El almuerzo atrajo a 350 hispanos de más de 18 países hispanoparlantes, los cuales expresaron interés en ser parte de este nuevo ministerio.

Hay alrededor de 64 millones de hispanos en los EE. UU., de los cuales alrededor de 12 millones viven en Texas. El cuarenta y dos por ciento de la población de Dallas es hispana.

“En First Baptist Dallas, creemos que la iglesia debe parecerse al cielo, llena de personas de todas las razas, etnias y orígenes adorando a nuestro Señor Jesucristo juntos”, dijo el Dr. Robert Jeffress, pastor principal de First Dallas. “Hoy, First Dallas ya es una de las congregaciones más diversas en el Metroplex de Dallas/Fort Worth, y estamos emocionados de ver cómo Dios usará a First Dallas en Español para ministrar a la comunidad hispana en Dallas y alrededor de todo el mundo”.

El almuerzo de lanzamiento comenzó con un tiempo de oración, seguido por la introducción del ministerio por parte de Ryland Whitehorn, pastor ejecutivo de ministerios en First Dallas. Él se dirigió a los participantes y dio una cariñosa bienvenida al pastor de First Dallas en Español, al Dr. Humberto González, y su familia.

“Estoy muy entusiasmado con este ministerio. Este es el resultado de muchos años de oración. Queremos que esta iglesia esté en el corazón de First Dallas”, dijo Whitehorn. El agregó que First Dallas ha estado orando por un ministerio completamente en español y, al llamar a González, en el “encontró a un hombre con la misma pasión y visión”.

“Apoyamos completamente la misión y visión de Humberto, proporcionaremos recursos, dinero, etc., para este ministerio”, dijo Whitehorn. “Somos una sola familia y vamos a alcanzar a ésta ciudad para Cristo. First Dallas se compromete a hacer lo que sea necesario para alcanzar a nuestra comunidad hispana”.

First Dallas en Español ofrecerá escuela dominical completamente en español para niños y adultos de todas las edades. El ministerio se centrará en cumplir la Gran Comisión al alcanzar a los hispanos de primera, segunda y tercera generación, incluyendo a aquellos hispanos que solo hablan inglés, y todo lo lograrán a través de usar las cuatro estrategias clave de la iglesia: adorar, equipar, servir e influir.

“Estamos haciendo historia en First Dallas”, dijo González. “Este será su hogar para la verdad bíblica en comunidad. First Baptist Dallas sirve en el corazón del centro de Dallas y ahora también servirá y será un hogar para hispanos de todas partes del mundo”.

First Dallas announces launch of First Dallas en Español

DALLAS—First Baptist Dallas announced during an Aug. 6 luncheon that it is launching an all-Spanish ministry, First Dallas en Español, for the first time in the church’s more than 150-year history.

The luncheon attracted 350 Hispanics from more than 18 Spanish-speaking countries who expressed an interest in being part of the new ministry.

There are about 64 million Hispanics in the U.S., of which about 12 million live in Texas. Forty-two percent of Dallas’ population is Hispanic.

“At First Baptist Dallas, we believe the church should resemble heaven—filled with people of all different races, ethnicities, and backgrounds worshipping our Lord Jesus Christ together,” said Robert Jeffress, senior pastor of First Dallas. “Today, First Dallas is already one of the most diverse congregations in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, and we are excited to see how God will use First Dallas en Español to minister to the Hispanic community in Dallas and around the world.”

The kickoff luncheon started with a time of prayer, followed by an introduction of the ministry by Ryland Whitehorn, executive pastor of ministries at First Dallas. He addressed participants and gave a warm welcome to the pastor of First Dallas en Español, Humberto González, and his family.

“I am really excited about this ministry. This is the result of many years of prayer. We want this church to be at the heart of First Dallas,” Whitehorn said. He added that First Dallas has been praying for a complete ministry in Spanish and, in calling González, “found a man with the same passion and vision.”

“We fully support Humberto’s mission and vision, will provide resources, money, etc., for this ministry,” Whitehorn said. “We are one family and we are going to reach this city for Christ. First Dallas is committed to doing what it takes to reach our Hispanic community.”

First Dallas en Español will offer Sunday school completely in Spanish for children and adults of all ages. The ministry will be focused on accomplishing the Great Commission by reaching first-, second-, and third-generation Hispanics, including those who only speak English, through the church’s four key strategies: worship, equip, serve, and influence.

“We are making history at First Dallas,” González said. “This will be your home for biblical truth in community. First Baptist Dallas serves at the heart of downtown Dallas and now it will also serve and be the home for Hispanics from all over the world.”

State of the Bible: Gen Z changed through Scripture despite decline in use

PHILADELPHIA (BP)—Most Gen Z adults say their lives have been transformed through Scripture despite their three-year decline in Bible engagement, the American Bible Society (ABS) said in the latest chapter of the 2023 State of the Bible.

The oldest Zoomers were toddlers when the world was abuzz with turn-of-the-century Y2K projections, and many still live with their parents. Some Zoomers are as young as 11, too young even to be included in the ABS study limited to ages 18 and above.

“Gen Zers have been described as curious, digitally savvy, and advocates for change. We see all of this reflected in our research, but we also see a generation struggling to find their footing with faith,” ABS Chief Ministry Insights Officer John Farquhar Plake said in announcing the latest release from the report.

While only a 10th of the generation regularly engages with the Bible, Zoomers still confess a significant interest in the Bible and its message.

“Ministry leaders may be surprised to find how open Gen Z adults in their communities are to discussions about God’s Word,” Plake said. “And if the trends we’re seeing continue, it’s crucial to be having those conversations now.”

The fifth chapter of the study holds key findings about Zoomers and the interest in Scripture:

44 percent of Zoomers are “extremely curious” about Jesus, but the interest is higher among the youngest adult Zoomers.
56 percent of Zoomers ages 18-21 said they are curious about Jesus or the Bible, but only 34 percent of Zoomers ages 22-26 said the same.

Curiosity has sharply declined since 2022, when 77 percent of all Gen Z adults reported curiosity in Scripture.

Scripture engagement among Gen Z adults registers at 10 percent, down from 12 percent in 2022 and 14 percent in 2021. Despite low Scripture engagement:

49 percent of Zoomers ages 18-21 say the Bible’s message has transformed their lives, and 52 percent of those 22-26 say so.
58 percent of Zoomers identify as Christian, including Catholic, Protestant and “other” Christian traditions, ABS said.
34 percent identify as agnostic, atheist or having no religion.

Even non-practicing Christians and non-Christian Zoomers are open to Scriptural experiences and conversations. ABS found:

A quarter of non-practicing Gen Z Christians would accept a Christian friend’s invitation to stream a church service, watch a TV show or movie about Jesus, or attend a Christian concert.
18 percent percent non-Christian Zoomers said they’re open to eating a meal in a group where biblical issues are discussed.

The ABS expanded the State of the Bible this year to explore the various ways people connect with God, incorporating nine spiritual temperaments bestselling author and former Southern Baptist pastor Gary Thomas presented in the 1996 book “Sacred Pathways.”

The ABS found that the largest chunk of Zoomers—27 percent of those 18-21, and 32 percent of those above 21—identify as naturalists and connect best with God while in nature.

The smallest portion identify as intellectuals, including 2 percent of younger adult Zoomers and 6 percent of older Zoomers. Intellectual Zoomers connect best with God when they learn something new about Him.

The State of the Bible annually looks at the Bible, faith and the church in America. The ABS collaborated with the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center (NORC) in designing the study conducted online and via telephone to NORC’s AmeriSpeak Panel. The 18-minute survey, conducted Jan. 5-30, produced 2,761 responses from a representative sample of adults 18 and older within the 50 states and D.C.

This article originally appeared on Baptist Press.

Third season of Vindication set to begin streaming Sept. 1

Jarod O’Flaherty, producer, writer, and director of the faith-based crime drama Vindication, understands cliffhanger endings. Fans of the PureFlix original series have awaited the premiere of the eight-episode third season since 2021, when season two ended with a shocking finale placing the fates of several main characters in jeopardy.

Vindication fans won’t have to wait much longer.

The first two episodes of season three are set to premiere on PureFlix Sept. 1. Episodes will be released every Friday through the end of the season.

The series is a production of Retta Baptist Church of Burleson. Throughout the first three seasons, church members have appeared as extras, served on crews, provided locations for filming, and otherwise been integrally involved.

“We’ve used almost everyone in our church. We have to wait for new members to join,” O’Flaherty said with a chuckle. He noted that many “rooms, corners, and paved surfaces of the church” appear in season three, albeit camouflaged.

Vindication offers story arcs which present the gospel during the narrative without such scenes feeling forced. Actors can look directly into the camera and share their faith as they speak to incarcerated felons or Bible study attendees.

Season three promises more of the same, with actors Todd Terry, Peggy Schott, Venus Monique, Emma Elle Roberts, and T.C. Stallings, among others, reprising their season two roles.

“To have a story about Texas cops with a powerful faith message, that’s what Vindication is all about.”

Jarod O’Flaherty Tweet

The series has been streamed in Turkey, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, South and Central America, and various Russian-language markets, O’Flaherty confirmed, adding that viewership has been in the millions, with more than 1 million YouTube views in Latin America alone.

Many of the lead actors are Christ followers, O’Flaherty said, but not all the crew or other actors are believers—yet. One crew member accepted Jesus after the filming of season three, he said. Another actor admitted there is “something different” about the set that was “shaking her up inside.”

“Our core has so many strong Christians,” O’Flaherty said. “So there were goosebumps everywhere when she said it.” They all knew the actor was referring to the work of the Holy Spirit.

“To have astory about Texas cops with a powerful faith message, that’s what Vindication is all about,” O’Flaherty added.

Even before season three premieres, Retta Vision inked a deal to begin production of season four, and filming began July 22. PureFlix, which recently merged with the Great American Channel, generally does only three seasons of any series, so Vindication’s fourth season will likely stream on Redeem TV or another outlet depending upon distribution agreements.

Fans wanting to catch up on the first two seasons before watching the third can see them with a subscription to PureFlix or for free on Redeem TV, a donation-based streaming service.

Protestant pastors say congregations fear for future of nation, faith

BRENTWOOD, Tenn.—“Fear not” is a frequent command in the Bible, but most pastors feel churchgoers aren’t getting the message.

A Lifeway Research study finds almost 7 in 10 U.S. Protestant pastors (69%) believe there is a growing sense of fear within their congregations about the future of the nation and world. Additionally, more than 3 in 5 (63%) say their churches have a similar increasing dread specifically about the future of Christianity in the U.S. and around the world.

“The Bible tells followers of Jesus Christ to expect trials, tribulations and suffering,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “However, Scripture doesn’t prescribe fear as the response to adversity. Instead, it frequently encourages rejoicing and faithfulness as anxieties are cast upon God.”

Concern for the future

Pastors are more than twice as likely to agree than disagree that their congregations are fearful about the future of the nation and world. Seven in 10 (69%) agree, including 25% who strongly agree, while 29% disagree.

White (71%) and Hispanic pastors (62%) are the most likely to say they see fear for the future in their congregations. African American pastors are the least likely to agree (42%) and the most likely to disagree (55%).

Pastors at non-denominational (75%), Methodist (74%), Baptist (72%) and Lutheran (72%) churches are more likely than Pentecostal pastors (53%) to spot fear among their congregants.

Those leading the smallest churches, with fewer than 50 in attendance at weekend worship services, are among the most likely to say their congregations have a growing fear about the future of the country and world (72%).

Less concerned than in the past

Despite so many Protestant pastors saying their churches are fearful, the percentage is down compared to previous studies.

In 2010, 76% said there was a growing sense of fear within their congregations about the future of the nation and world. In 2011, 73% said the same. The percentage remained similar (74%) in 2014, before falling to 69% today.

Over the same period, the percentage of pastors who disagree and don’t feel their churches have a growing fear about the future has increased to 29% today after 21% in 2010, 26% in 2011 and 24% in 2014.

“Compared to a decade ago, a few more churches today are avoiding the impulse to fear changes and adversity around them,” McConnell said. “But a large majority of pastors see their congregations moving toward fear rather than away from it.”

Faith-based fear?

While 69% of pastors say their congregations have a growing sense of fear about the future of the country and world, slightly less, but a still significant majority (63%), say their churches have a growing sense of fear about the future of Christianity specifically. Around 1 in 5 (21%) strongly agree, with 36% disagreeing.

“The number of people in America embracing the Christian faith is on a downward trajectory. So it isn’t surprising congregations are afraid of this trendline,” McConnell said. “Unfortunately, the growth of Christianity in other parts of the world is not bringing American Christians much comfort.”

Mainline pastors (40%) are more likely than evangelical pastors (33%) to disagree that a growing fear about the future of Christianity exists in their churches.

Among those more likely to spot fear in their pews, white pastors (64%) are more likely than African American (47%) pastors. Pastors in the Midwest (67%) are also more likely than those in the West (54%).

Denominationally, non-denominational (76%), Baptist (68%) and Methodist (66%) pastors are more likely than Presbyterian/Reformed pastors (49%) to see a rising concern for the future of Christianity.