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INFLUENCE MAGAZINE

1445 N. Boonville Avenue Springfield, MO 65802-1894

Influence magazine is published by The General Council of the Assemblies of God.

Publisher: Douglas E. Clay

Executive Editor: George P. Wood

Lead Editor: Christina Quick

Designers: Steve Lopez, Josh Thomassen

Advertising Coordinator: Ron Kopczick

CONTRIBUTORS

Stephen Blandino, James T. Bradford, Doug Clay, Ryan Darrow, Rollie Dimos, Rick DuBose, Ryan T. Hartwig, Alan Johnson, John W. Kennedy, Meghan D. Musy, Kristi Northup, Ruthie Edgerly Oberg, Kayla Pierce, Julie Pratt, Joy E.A. Qualls, Charlie Self, Ron Sellers, Keisha B. Spivey, Allen Tennison, Austin Westlake, George P. Wood

SPECIAL THANKS

Donna L. Barrett, Malcolm Burleigh, Douglas E. Clay, Wilfredo De Jesús, Rick DuBose, Greg Mundis

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Ready Now Recovery is a small-group ministry for those who cannot or will not go into residential treatment designed to meet them where they are. With a Biblical perspective, a loving community, and relevant resources, the groups will guide participants through the transformation process using trained facilitators and curriculum. Affordability, location, safety, and resources are essential to recovery.

Ready Now Recovery offers in-person and virtual groups to provide safe locations. There are resources for referral to professional care and residential programs when necessary

We’re ready when she is.

She was finally ready and we were waiting.

There are over 46.3 million individuals struggling with life-controlling issues in the U.S.

FROM THE EDITOR 8

DEPARTMENTS

The Assemblies of Good Works flow from theology | GEORGE P. WOOD

Becoming a Spirit-Led Visionary

A 10-week study for leadership teams | STEPHEN BLANDINO

The Church Has Left the Building

Taking ministry to the streets | KEISHA B. SPIVEY

LEADERSHIP

Committed to the Mission

A conversation with Gregory M. Mundis | JOHN W. KENNEDY

Renewing Your Mind

Ten habits for better mental health | RYAN DARROW

Where Two Gather

Praying as a ministry couple | JAMES T. BRADFORD

Do We Really Need to Meet?

Creating meetings people want to attend | RYAN T. HARTWIG

The Artificially Intelligent Sermon

How to navigate AI ethically | JOY E.A. QUALLS

Statistically Speaking

Using data responsibly in ministry | KAYLA PIERCE

Trailblazing Pastor

Esther Melendez Gamez opened doors for Hispanic women in ministry | RUTHIE EDGERLY OBERG

• Women in Ministry

• Foundations for Spirit-Filled Christianity | GEORGE P. WOOD

The Assemblies of GoOd

By GEORGE P. WOOD

ears ago , when my father served as general secretary of the Assemblies of God, he received a letter misaddressed to the Assemblies of Good.

Dad always liked that name. Even if it was the result of an inadvertent spelling error, it captured an important biblical principle: Theology and ethics go hand in hand. Who God is shapes who we are and how we act.

But there’s a negative version of this corollary, too. Paul takes religious hypocrites to task in Romans 2:17–24, underscoring his point with a quotation from Isaiah 52:5: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you” (see Septuagint). Bad living leaves a bad witness.

To head off a potential ob ection, I should point out that ethics and missions do not operate mechanically, as if ethical living always results in evangelistic success.

Remember, Jesus lived a sinless life, but sinners still crucified him. And e perience shows that people can come to genuine faith through — or maybe despite — the ministries of bad preachers.

Even so, it’s better for theology, ethics and missions to be moving in the same direction: a good God producing good works through people leaving a good witness to others.

All of which raises a good question: If the churches or ministries we lead stopped e isting tomorrow, what effects would it ha e on our communities

If the answer to that question is “very little” or “none at all,” then we’ve got work to do.

We see two versions of this principle in 1 John 4. Negatively, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love” (verse 8). Positively, “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them” (verse 16).

The biblical principle has a missiological corollary: Ethics and missions go hand in hand. How we act shapes how people respond to the gospel.

Jesus articulated this corollary in the Sermon on the Mount when He said, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Good living is a good witness.

After all, shouldn’t the presence of a local church ha e a net-positi e effect on the community it ser es Shouldn’t the poor find help, the sick find healing, and the lost find hea en Shouldn’t our good works be a window through which nonbelievers see God

If we’re going to be the Assemblies of God, we must also be the Assemblies of Good.

GEORGE P. WOOD is executive editor of Influence magazine.

Staying oat in Ministry

What a study reveals a out t e nan ial ealt o AG ministers

By RON SELLERS with ROLLIE DIMOS

Does it seem you ha e lost ground financially over the past few years? Amid the pandemic, inflation, and talk of a looming recession, have your money concerns increased as your available cash decreased?

If so, you are not alone.

The average Assemblies of God (AG) minister’s total ministry compensation rose 12% over the past si years. owe er, during that same period, inflation surged nearly 24%. In other words, wages are not keeping pace with skyrocketing costs.

This was one of the findings from a 2022 study of 1,326 AG ministers across the U.S., which Grey Matter Research conducted for the Assemblies of God national o ce. The research updated a similar pro ect from 201 . oth studies included church pastors, missionaries, evangelists, chaplains, and a variety of other non-retired ministers.

The latest study revealed a mix of stress and hope among ministers.

Struggling Ministers

Three groups of ministers tend to have greater financial challenges than others.

The first is pastors of smaller churches. The smaller the church, the smaller the church’s income, which means less money is available for compensation.

Median retirement sa ings are 40,000 for white ministers and ,000 for e eryone else.

Nearly half (46%) of minority ministers have no personal savings (excluding retirement), compared to 21% of white ministers in this situation.

The third group dealing with significant financial challenges is staff pastors. In general, they earn considerably less than senior pastors and have fewer benefits. In fact, 2 of staff pastors ha e no benefits at all.

Some of these pastors serve their churches full time, but far more are part time or even unpaid. And those working full time ha e lower salaries and fewer benefits than their peers at larger churches.

While of pastors in churches of 00 or more say their church’s finances are solid, this figure falls as attendance drops. ust 0 of pastors in churches with fewer than 0 people report solid church finances.

Two-thirds of pastors in the smallest churches report depending on just a few givers, without whom their ministries would be in trouble.

The pandemic has only exacerbated these issues. The economic fallout was particularly damaging for smaller churches. Three in 10 pastors leading churches of 00 or more report a negati e financial impact from the pandemic, compared to 51% in the smallest churches. And while 38% of the largest churches received federal COVID relief funds, this was true for just 6% of the smallest churches.

Racial and ethnic minorities make up the second struggling group of AG ministers. Minority pastors are 4 more likely than white pastors to say their church has financial concerns. They are 2 less likely to recei e housing benefits, and 2 less likely to recei e benefits beyond housing.

Staff pastors are far more likely than senior pastors to use at least one negative term when describing their church’s culture surrounding finances and compensation. They are also less likely to say they have a positive relationship with those determining compensation.

About one-third of staff pastors report dissatisfaction with their compensation and believe the church could afford more for them. ust 1 in 10 senior pastors say the same. This is a recipe for potential dissension within churches.

Of course, those three groups are not the only ones with money concerns. Two subjects — savings and debt — are common stressors for ministers across all demographics.

Savings

Ministers who carry debt

82%

When ministers name their financial stress points, the top three relate to sa ings. utting aside sucient funds for retirement is a stressful issue for 46% of respondents. And 28% worry about saving enough for both emergencies and major purchases.

Savings-related concerns eclipse worries about medical insurance, student loans, making ends meet, or managing regular expenses.

mong working ministers and older, have nothing saved for retirement, and another have less than , .

Financial advisers recommend people begin saving for retirement in their 20s. et in 10 ministers under age 45 have no retirement savings.

Even more concerning are the statistics for older ministers. Among working ministers 0 and older, 1 ha e nothing sa ed for retirement, and another 29 ha e less than 0,000.

It’s not ust retirement allocations that are lacking. One-quarter of ministers have no personal savings outside of retirement funds. No wonder saving money is a major stress point for so many.

Debt

Eighty-two percent of ministers carry debt. And 66% have debt in non-mortgage categories, including credit card (41%), student loan (26%), medical 19 , and other .

AG ministers are 44 more likely than the typical American to carry student loan debt, and the amount ministers owe is 15% higher. Ministers with credit card debt owe 61% more than the general population.

While higher wages can increase borrowing power, the lowest earners are most likely to owe non-mortgage debt. Ministers with shaky personal finances and high le els of financial stress also tend to hold more debt.

In other words, the people who can least afford debt are the ones who have more of it.

Ministers with no finan cial stressors

Stress

at some point due to financial stress, including 1 who ha e strongly entertained the idea. Staff pastors and .S. missionaries are the most likely to have considered departures.

urther, 2 say they ha e recei ed offers for non-ministry employment with higher pay. Sadly, more than three- uarters of ministers know someone who has left ministry for financial reasons.

Hope

It’s not all bad news — far from it, in fact. For one thing, many ministers do not e perience significant financial struggles. Although 22 of AG ministers have no retirement savings, about as many (21%) ha e sa ed at least 200,000 for retirement.

ust describe their household finances as mostly or ery shaky with many concerns, while nearly 11 times as many say their finances are mostly or very solid with few real concerns.

13%

Two-thirds of ministers have something in their financial profiles they consider a major stress point. The average AG minister reports 2.8 ma or financial stress points and 4.6 minor ones. Only 13% of all ministers report no financial stressors in their li es.

Unfortunately, the ultimate impact is that 38% of all ministers have considered leaving the ministry

Only 11% of ministers say they experience tremendous or considerable financial stress. Another 16% have quite a bit of stress. However, most experience only some , not ery much 2 , or none (11%).

Despite the financial strain some are e periencing, just 4% of ministers failed to tithe last year. An overwhelming majority report either tithing onetenth of their earnings (14%) or giving even more (82%).

Money is not a major source of marital discord. About half say they and their spouse are in total

More than three uarters of ministers know someone who has left ministry for financial reasons.

agreement about finances, with another 9 largely in agreement.

Most pastors feel good about church finances. Three- uarters report the financial situation at their church is solid, with few concerns.

Additionally, 68% of pastors call their church’s culture “respectful” on the topic of leadership compensation, while only 2% say the culture is “divisi e. More than in 10 report positi e relationships with those who determine their compensation.

Nearly all ministers (92%) have some source of household income outside of ministry. This can include a spouse’s job (62%), a second job or supplemental employment (39%), pension or retirement funds 2 , or in estments 2 . On a erage, 54% of household income is from ministry, while 46% is from other sources.

to other local ministers in similar roles, ust 1 say they are worse off, while half assess their situation as better.

Financial struggles are not unique to ministers. In some ways, ministers are faring better than other Americans. acing an une pected 1,000 e pense, 83% of ministers say they could cover this out of savings (retirement savings, in some cases), 13% would have to borrow the money, and 4% would have no recourse.

y comparison, 44 of all .S. adults say they could co er a 1,000 e pense out of sa ings, 4 would have to borrow, 15% would have to cut e penses, and would ha e no recourse, according to a 2022 ankrate sur ey.

.S. Census ureau data shows that only about half of all Americans aged 55–66 have any retirement sa ings. Among working AG ministers aged 0 and older, ha e some retirement sa ings. However, the median amount these ministers have saved for retirement is 54% lower than the median within the U.S. population as a whole.

In other words, AG ministers’ money situations are a mixed bag of stress and hope. Overall, most ministers are doing OK financially with some strain and struggles, but an ultimately positi e outlook.

Ne ertheless, too many are in trouble financially, and some may end up leaving the ministry because of it.

What Now?

Ministers’ attitudes about money are positive for the most part. Eighty-fi e percent of pastors are mostly or completely confident managing church finances, and of all ministers are confident handling household finances.

An encouraging 61% feel good about their household’s financial future. When comparing themsel es

These are challenging economic times for many ministers and churches. If you are a minister who is e periencing financial stress, don’t be afraid to ask for help.

The Assemblies of God offers resources for na igating di cult financial seasons through Empowering Stewardship.

verall, most ministers are doing financially with some strain and struggles, but an ultimately positive outlook.

ncome from sources other than ministry 46%

or guidance on managing personal finances, request a free copy of Balanced Budget, Balanced Life at EmpoweringStewardship.com/Requests. This workbook simplifies the intimidating process of creating a financial plan.

In addition, one-time 1, 00 grants are a ailable for AG ministers. These can assist with starting a retirement fund, reducing school debt, or paying bills. Visit EmpoweringStewardship.com/Grants for more information.

If you are a board member or church leader making budget decisions, consider how you can help pastors and staff members who may be struggling

financially. erhaps there is margin for pay increases that will offset the rate of inflation.

e sure the church is offering benefits, including health insurance. Establish retirement contributions for staff members, or create an employer-sponsored retirement plan with AG Financial.

Additionally, organize a small group or Sunday School class on giving generously while faithfully stewarding God’s resources. Empowering Stewardship offers a free leader’s guide and teaching slides to complement the book. This is a great way to help church members take control of their finances.

These sur eys highlight the financial plight of many AG ministers. Unfortunately, money worries have caused some to leave, or consider leaving, their ministries. To combat this problem, churches need to embrace a culture of generosity — not only toward the various ministries they support, but also toward the ministers who support them.

A goal of Empowering Stewardship is bringing to light ministers’ financial struggles and offering practical solutions. Even though this is a deeply personal subject, ministers and church board members must have honest conversations about personal and church financial health.

Reducing pastors’ financial stress makes it easier for them to minister to others. This is a win not only for church leaders, but also for the entire body of Christ.

RON SELLERS is president of Grey Matter esearch onsulting, a firm that regularly serves hristian ministries, denominations, and churches to solve their information needs.

ROLLIE DIMOS

is director of nternal udit for the ssemblies of God S , as well as director of mpowering Stewardship, a ministry of the G general treasurer s office.

goal of mpowering Stewardship is bringing to light ministers financial struggles and offering practical solutions. ven though this is a deeply personal sub ect, ministers and church board members must have honest conver sations about personal and church financial health.

Grow here. Go anywhere.

Committed to the Mission

A conversation with Gregory M. Mundis

By JOHN W. KENNEDY

Three years ago , it seemed unlikely Gregory M. Mundis would complete his third four-year term as Assemblies of God World Missions (AGWM) executive director.

During March 2020, as the first patient with COVID-19 in a Springfield, Missouri, hospital, Mundis nearly died three times. He spent 60 days in four hospitals and underwent an additional seven weeks in outpatient rehabilitation.

Yet while immobilized in a hospital bed, Mundis recalled the words of Zephaniah 3:17: “The LORD … will rejoice over you with singing.”

Mundis attributes his full recovery to the grace of God and prayers from thousands of people. Now 72, he retires Sept. 30, following the election of a new AGWM leader during General Council.

The pandemic was a pivotal event not only for Mundis, but also for AGWM overall. More than three years after the onset, the movement of some global workers remains constrained.

“COVID-19 has impacted our global workers beyond the emotional, psychological, physical and spiritual issues,” Mundis says. “Government policies have restricted their leaving or arriving in several countries.”

Nevertheless, he says global workers have been resilient, devising new methods of spreading the gospel. Mundis presides over a missionary force of 2,640 across 252 nations, territories and provinces.

Throughout his tenure, Mundis placed a strong emphasis on unreached people groups, establishing

indigenous churches, upgrading global worker training, and restructuring for a more effecti e and e cient organi ation.

“In addition, the partnership with U.S. Missions and Chi Alpha in the World Missions Summit has been a great feeder of workers into the world’s harest fields, Mundis says. The MA Missionary Associate program has accelerated our efforts to identify men and women who have a call of God for overseas service.”

Our mission is to establish the Church among all peoples everywhere by reaching, planting, training and serving. This integrated pattern isn’t archaic; it’s biblical.

— Gregory M. Mundis

Under Mundis, AGWM also has strengthened relationships with national Pentecostal fellowships around the world. Thus, when the Russia-Ukraine war broke out, pastors and laypeople in Poland drove vehicles to the Ukrainian border, collected displaced citizens, and housed them in churches. Likewise, AGWM’s partner in Germany established more than 30 congregations among Ukrainian refugees who fled into that country.

While some denominations have abandoned church planting and evangelism, Mundis insists they remain crucial to AGWM’s purpose.

“Our mission is to establish the Church among all peoples everywhere by reaching, planting, training and serving,” Mundis says. “This integrated pattern isn’t archaic; it’s biblical. Nothing can replace global workers sharing the good news.”

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies from Central Bible College and serving a four-year stint as youth pastor at Central Assembly of God in Springfield, Missouri, Mundis and his wife, Sandie, became AG missionaries to Austria in 1980. They served there 18 years, co-founding Vienna Christian Center, which now has more than 2,000 weekly attendees.

Following seven years as area director for Central Europe, Mundis in 199 became the first AGWM regional director for Europe. In 2011, he succeeded the retiring L. John Bueno as AGWM executive director.

Along the way, Mundis earned a master’s degree in theology from Assemblies of God Theological Seminary and a doctorate in ministry from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Compared to when Mundis began his missionary service, those spreading the gospel around the world face increasing opposition, including rising nationalism and tribalism, deepened geopolitical and historical divisions, sectarian extremism, difficulties obtaining isas, and growing numbers of people viewing Christians as a detrimental force in society. The latter also can be a problem in the U.S.

“The rapid deconstruction of our American

morals and traditions, as well as a growing class of people skeptical of Christianity and the Great Commission, has challenged evangelical believers to update their apologetic of Scripture,” Mundis says. “How do we communicate with a society that is in deconstruction mode without being perceived as bigots or racists?”

Even so, Mundis is bullish on the future of AGWM, saying the agency is poised for increased e cacy among unreached, lost and underser ed people groups.

“I believe doors closed to the gospel will be cracked open,” Mundis says. “Although I see a lot of di cult storms in the future, I see a lot of sunshine, too. The fields are ripe unto har est.

Mundis believes the best is yet to come for AGWM because of a growing workforce, generous donors, and faithful prayer partners.

“I’m not retiring from life or ministry, just my position,” Mundis says. “I am willing to serve where I am wanted or needed in the United States or overseas.”

Meanwhile, Mundis plans to spend more time with Sandie, his wife of 52 years, and the couple’s eight grandchildren — all of them teenagers.

When Mundis was hospitalized in 2020, his two children ollie McClaflin, then an o erseas missionary, and Greg Jr., a surgeon — put their careers on hold and rushed to his side as he hovered between life and death for weeks.

“COVID taught me a new appreciation for the grace of God,” Mundis says. “It sharpened my focus again about reaching the unreached, particularly Buddhists and Hindus.”

That health scare wasn’t the first time Mundis realized his plans could be interrupted in a heartbeat. In addition to his brush with death during the pandemic, Mundis came close to dying from meningitis in 1963, a car crash in 1969, hepatitis in 1975, and a severe reaction to a shingles vaccine in 2017.

Each time, Mundis met the giant on the battlefield And by the grace of God triumphed.

“God is sovereign, and every time I’ve been spared, I’ve tried to find out the Lord’s ne t purpose for me,” Mundis says. “Until I die, God is in charge and has something left for me to finish.

In 2022, Mundis wrote a Proverbs-based book, Wisdom to Lead: The Guided and Guarded Heart, specifically for his grandchildren.

July marks the release of a book Mundis wrote with Sandie, Patient # 1: Embracing Hope in Times of Despair. It details his traumatic COVID ordeal, which included double viral pneumonia, respiratory failure, kidney dialysis, a tracheostomy, sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, fungemia, blood clots, and an induced coma. All proceeds from the book will benefit AGWM.

Assemblies of God General Superintendent Doug Clay says Mundis has been a great source of strength and encouragement to him.

Greg’s burden for the lost and passion to finish the Great Commission is contagious,” Clay says. “Greg shares a commitment to see a healthy church in every community that is known for Bible engagement, Spirit empowerment, and missions participation.”

JOHN W. KENNEDY is a freelance journalist. He recently retired from his position as editor of AG News in Springfield, Missouri.

Gregory and Sandie Mundis

Renewing Your Mind

Ten habits for better mental health

By RYAN DARROW

Ministry can be difficult work, as evidenced by the high number of church leaders today who are burning out and dropping out.

Many ministers are suffering from the same issues I regularly encounter in my counseling practice, including relational problems, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and addiction. In fact, these are so common I call them the fi e mental health defaults.

Let’s take a brief look at each of these struggles in turn.

Mental Health Defaults

The first comes from isolation in the face of conflict. During times of stress, people often

distance themselves from others as a defense mechanism.

Perhaps you’ve done it. After receiving a phone call from an upset church member, you go silent for 12 hours. You shut out others by going to the garage or working late at the church — anything to retreat from the pain.

There’s nothing wrong with seeking solitude. But when isolation becomes a pattern, it negatively impacts relationships.

The second issue is an iety when o erwhelmed. Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.

Uncertainty can be overwhelming, and ministry

is fertile soil for worst-case scenarios to grow in hearts and minds. Unaddressed, long-term anxiety can lead to both isolation and depression.

That rin s us to the third issue depression in the face of opposition. Believers are not immune to di culties or feelings of despair.

The psalmists experienced it. Psalm 38:4 laments, “My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.” And Psalm 42:5 asks, “Why, my soul, are you downcast?”

Even Jesus was deeply anguished in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:38).

Seasons of sadness are part of life, but persistent lows can turn into depression. If you are suffering from depression or another mental health issue, seek the help of a doctor or counselor.

ourth is insomnia durin seasons of usyness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one-third of adults are not getting the recommended amount of nightly sleep.

We might like to think of insomnia as an opportunity for midnight productivity, but losing sleep is harmful. Sleep deprivation contributes to a multitude of health-related issues, from heart disease to depression.

inally there is escape. I use this as an umbrella term to describe various harmful ways of coping with stress or trauma, including substance abuse, unhealthy eating habits, compulsive spending, pornography, gambling and e en infidelity.

People often tell me, “I didn’t do that thing because it was better. It was simply an escape from a place I didn’t want to be.”

Ministry has always been fraught with stressful situations and human struggles. In fact, the writer of ebrews wrote, a e confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account.

Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you 1 1 , emphasis added).

In other words, there is a real risk that watching over the souls of others can and will be anything but joyful.

That doesn’t mean we have to be miserable or unhealthy, however. There are things we can do to maintain our joy as we lead.

Biblical Strategies

I often use cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in my mental health practice. Among other things, CBT focuses on changing outcomes by changing habits and thought patterns.

As a minister, I also recognize this goal is consistent with Scripture. A victorious, transformed life requires a transformed mind. That’s why the apostle Paul said, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).

Following are 10 biblical strategies I have found effecti e for mental and spiritual renewal

1. n a e in spiritual disciplines. There is no substitute for spending time in God’s presence. Pray, read the Bible, and listen to what the Spirit is saying. Trust that the Lord will use this time for your good and His glory.

. c nowled e emotions. Experiencing and e pressing emotions is part of reflecting the image of a God who feels anger, joy, sorrow and grief (Deuteronomy 31:17; Psalm 147:11; Isaiah 62:5; John 11:35; Ephesians 4:30).

No one wants to walk through sadness or disappointment, but di cult seasons are ine itable (Ecclesiastes 3:4). Acknowledge negative emotions rather than repressing or ignoring them. But don’t let their ebb and flow become the dri ing force in your life.

. ccept limitations. None of us can do everything or be everywhere. God does not ask us to fulfill someone else’s calling or function in another person’s spiritual gifts. Accepting limitations

There are things we can do to maintain our joy as we lead.

frees us to concentrate on areas where we excel.

. edirect an ious thou hts. Assessing threats is a natural survival mechanism. However, disciplining the mind not to dwell on negative hypotheticals is essential to good emotional health. The apostle Paul said, “We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Worry can sap your peace and hinder your Kingdom effecti eness. ut Isaiah 2 says of God, ou will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”

We don’t learn to trust because of the presence of peace. Rather, we can live in peace when we learn to trust. Choose trust daily, and God’s peace will follow.

5. See God s appro al a o e people s. Yes, rejection and betrayal hurt. But living for human approval is a misguided mission.

Instead, walk in step with the Spirit, striving to please God above all others.

. ind healthy outlets for stress. Practice the sabbath principle by taking time to rest and recoup. Take up a hobby. Ride a bike, start music lessons, work out, hike, paint, read, garden, or join a sports team.

. aintain inte rity. Duplicity and hypocrisy are not only spiritually and relationally damaging, but they are also emotionally draining. Repent of any wrongdoing, and consistently honor God publicly and privately.

. dentify unhealthy thou ht patterns. In counseling, I often ask clients to call out the thoughts behind their feelings. A person might feel angry and want to act on it, for example, but the real challenge is digging down to identify the thought driving emotions and behaviors.

Perhaps you worry about being a failure in the pulpit an hour earlier. That negative feeling leads to unfair treatment of a server or family member

during lunch. If you want to change, isolate the thought, call it what it is, and deal with it before it creates bigger problems.

. ractice mental discipline. That moment immediately following an irrational thought is powerful. This is the time to decide what occupies space in your mind.

Choose to focus on God and His Word (Philippians 4:8). This requires discipline, practice, and daily help from the Holy Spirit.

An undisciplined mind follows the path of least resistance. That path is typically neither helpful nor holy, especially during times of anxiety, exhaustion or discouragement.

1 . m race imperfections. Aside from God, no one is perfect — and that’s OK. Your spouse isn’t perfect. Your kids aren’t perfect. Your church members aren’t perfect. And neither are you.

A desire for excellence in ministry can become an unhealthy drive for perfection. Unrealistic demands ultimately make you and everyone around you miserable.

Human weakness reminds us of our need for God’s grace (2 Corinthians 12:9). So embrace imperfections by giving and receiving grace and leaning on the One whose way is perfect (Psalm 18:30).

The emotional load in ministry can be heavy at times, but it doesn’t have to break us. God has provided everything we need to walk in freedom and joy.

RYAN DARROW, Ph.D., is a counselor in Olathe, Kansas, a member of the Assemblies of God Mental Health Committee, and an ordained AG minister.

We don’t learn to trust because of the presence of peace. Rather, we can live in peace when we learn to trust. Choose trust daily, and God’s peace will follow.

Where Two Gather

Praying as a ministry couple

By JAMES T. BRADFORD

Afew months into our courtship, the woman who would become my wife turned to me in the car and asked, “Why don’t we ever pray together?”

Sandi and I had been single throughout our 20s. We finally disco ered each other while she was teaching music at North Central Bible College in Minneapolis and I was pastoring a university church nearby. Our schedules were overloaded most of the time, but this new relationship was quickly gaining more of our time and attention.

At first, Sandi’s uestion caught me off guard. I thought, How could I have missed that? But then my defensiveness kicked in.

“I’m a pastor, and I pray with people all the time,” I said.

I was immediately shocked that those words had just come out of my mouth. I was essentially saying, “I’m paid to pray. Praying is my job, and

you’re not my job.” Nothing I believed, either theologically or relationally, was even close to that sentiment.

Prayer is more than a line item on a job description. It is what fuels the life of the Spirit in every part of a Christian’s walk. How could prayer not be a part of our closest relationships?

So I reeled back in what I had said to Sandi, and she and I started having a prayer time together at the end of every date. It was a good and holy way to say “goodbye” each night. In fact, it helped our bond continue to grow as we progressed to engagement, marriage and parenthood.

Umbrella of Grace

Intimacy ideally starts at a spiritual level. According to Acts 2:42, the early believers devoted themselves not only to fellowship, but also to praying together. Prayer was one of the core disciplines shaping the Church’s community life.

Praying with those closest to us also invokes the power of agreement. Jesus said, “If two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven” (Matthew 18:19). Some commentators limit the context to matters of church discipline, but Jesus concluded His conversation about that subject with a rather far-reaching pronouncement: “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (verse 20).

Could it be that there is a special with them dimension of the Spirit’s activity when a husband and wife pray together? And might agreement come more easily when two people are one flesh, living in a relationship that mirrors Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:31–32)?

Praying as a couple invites the presence of God into our marriage and daily family life. To this day when praying with Sandi, I picture us coming under a spiritual umbrella of God’s grace.

Making Space

I’ve heard ministry couples say they struggle with praying together more than anything else. Perhaps this shouldn’t be surprising. After all, the enemy of our souls does not want us to pray agreeingly. Satan acti ely resists such efforts.

It takes more than good intentions or a sense of obligation to overcome this tension. Persistence in prayer requires resolve and dependence on God, along with a plan.

Early in our marriage, Sandi and I agreed we wanted our prayer time together to involve more than short, perfunctory petitions mumbled before falling asleep at night.

Before we had children, we turned off the TV and dedicated one e ening weekly to praying together in a more extended way.

When our two daughters came along, Sandi and I settled on a prayer time of Tuesday nights at 9 after the girls were in bed.

Once the children started school and my pastoral schedule allowed me to take ridays off, Sandi and I started spending the first part of that morning in prayer. Afterward, we had lunch together, walked the beach, or even wandered through Sandi’s favorite decorator stores.

Now that our daughters are grown and have families of their own, Saturday evenings are a regular prayer time for Sandi and me. It is a meaningful way to prepare our hearts for Sunday, without the distractions of entertainment or even other people.

Through all life’s changes, we have remained consistent in our commitment to praying together. It has been our weekly habit for 40 years now.

Finding a Format

During those years, Sandi and I have developed a format that works well for us. We sit in our family

Prayer is what fuels the life of the Spirit in every part of a Christian’s walk. How could prayer not be a part of our closest relationships?

room and start by asking each other, “How can I pray for you?”

We can often guess what the other is going to say, but asking is still important. That simple question frequently leads to deeper conversations about our lives, our anxieties, and our marriage.

Some weeks, it’s hard to find other times to talk deeply. But this on-ramp can lead to 30 or 45 minutes of personally transparent conversation before we even begin praying.

We then spend the next 45 minutes to an hour in prayer together. There is no pretense or spiritual performance. We just pray conversationally back and forth. It starts with praying for each other, and then for our daughters and their families, followed by our siblings and their families.

Some people might prefer a more free-flowing approach, but having a structure seems to help us. What’s important, though, is that we do it.

Sometimes we linger on a particular person or topic as we sense the travail of God’s heart for that moment. Otherwise, we simply name people and requests before the Lord with faith that He will intervene.

During this time, we don’t usually pray a lot for the church I pastor, other than for the services the next day. We mostly dedicate this time to praying about us, our family members, and a few close friends.

However, there are times when Sandi and I pray for God to inter ene in a di cult situation at church. We often see a direct correlation between

what we focus on in prayer one week and what happens at church the following week.

Once Sandi laid hands on me during our prayer time when I was experiencing a puzzling kind of ongoing pastoral discouragement — and it broke.

We’ve come a long way since Sandi asked me, “Why don’t we ever pray together?” Week after week, our marriage has been enriched by regularly experiencing what it means to come under the umbrella of God’s grace and pursue spiritual intimacy with each other.

Most importantly, Jesus has always kept His promise to be there with just the two of us, as we gather in His name.

JAMES T. BRADFORD, Ph.D., is senior pastor of Central Assembly of God in Springfield, Missouri, and former general secretary of the Assemblies of God.

Through all life’s changes, we have remained consistent in our commitment to praying together. It has been our weekly habit for 40 years now.

THE PROCESS IS TEMPORARY, THE PROMISE IS PERMANENT

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Do We Really Need to Meet?

Creating meetings people want to attend

By RYAN T. HARTWIG

Humor columnist Dave Barry once quipped that a ma or difference between meetings and funerals is the latter have a purpose.

Inside and outside the ministry world, meetings have a bad reputation — and with good reason. During my time as a church consultant, some of the most common complaints I heard from staff members had to do with unproductive yet unrelenting meetings.

Attendees came unprepared or just didn’t show up, thwarting meeting goals and prompting even more meetings. Thoughtfully crafted agendas fell apart when the first distraction arose. An entire staff silently watched a 15-minute conversation between the senior pastor and one other person.

When such meetings proliferate, work suffers. In fact, a team of researchers from three U.S. universities found a correlation between meeting satisfaction and overall job satisfaction.

Eliminating staff meetings altogether is not the answer, however. Collaboration is essential for teams, and that requires bringing people together. Meetings can introduce diverse perspectives, inspire creativity, generate ideas, build a sense of teamwork and rapport, and harness synergy.

The key is creating meetings people actually want to attend. Keeping that goal in mind before, during, and after a meeting can make all the difference.

Before a Meeting

I once worked with a pastor whose staff meeting regimen looked like this:

• Everyone gathered on Tuesday mornings at 10, without exception. Whether there was something significant to discuss was irrele ant.

The pastor re uired all staff members to attend, regardless of whether they had anything meaningful to contribute.

• There was no real agenda. The pastor decided what to cover after everyone arrived. The ending time was a moving target. Exactly how long each session would last was anyone’s guess, making it impossible to schedule around.

Does this sound familiar? Many church leaders fall into a trap of holding long, recurring meetings for no reason — and then wonder why their team members struggle with time management.

Before anyone walks into a conference room or logs on to a ideo call, create a specific plan for the meeting. Even 10 minutes of preparation is better than none at all.

There are six important questions to ask during the planning phase:

1. s it necessary Nonessential meetings should become nonexistent. If no one needs the meeting, no one should have to attend it. Social events can be beneficial, but meeting simply for the sake of

packing everyone into the conference room erodes morale and wastes time.

There are personnel and opportunity costs to consider. For example, a 45-minute meeting in ol ing fi e staff members making $40,000 annually costs $105, according to an online calculator from Harvard Business Review. Seriously evaluate whether this is the best use of those resources.

Sometimes a meeting is worth the investment. Other times, a simple email or video announcement can accomplish the goal at a lower cost and with less hassle.

. hat is the purpose A focused meeting is an e cient meeting. It’s hard to cover everything in one gathering and maintain a group’s attention the entire time.

A short meeting with a single, defined purpose is more likely to yield positive results than a marathon session with a multi-page agenda.

. hat is the plan Identify the what (the crucial topic and intended outcome) and how (a clear process, including the time allotment for the meeting).

One ministry team leader asked members to nominate items for the next meeting agenda. The leader then culled the suggested topics, determining which ones to cover and in what order.

. ho needs to attend There should be a clear reason for each person’s inclusion in a meeting. If the meeting is about children’s ministries, for example, the senior adults leader probably doesn’t need an invitation.

At least a day or two before the meeting, inform participants of the purpose and plan, clarifying each person’s responsibilities for preparation and involvement.

5. hat is the est approach Avoid the pitfall of sticking with a meeting routine simply because that is the way it has always been done.

Instead, strategically determine the most appropriate time and venue based on the meeting’s goals and team members’ needs.

One pastor I know hosts staff meetings in his home. Team members say it is an ideal environment for creative thinking.

Another pastor conducts morning meetings with everyone standing rather than seated. This approach helps keep the daily gatherings short and focused.

. hat details need attention Consider issues such as materials, remote connections and refreshments so these things don’t become distractions later.

Careful planning keeps the small details in the background where they belong. No one wants to sit through 10 minutes of awkward fumbling with a malfunctioning projector or wait while someone runs to find coffee creamer or make additional copies of the agenda.

During a Meeting

Once a meeting starts, the priority is staying focused. When the conversation wanders, return to the agenda. Monitor the time carefully as well.

Recognizing a tendency to become sidetracked during meetings, one church leader compiled a list of important but off-topic items that came up during discussions. The leader then planned separate meetings — with the right people at the right times — for working through those issues.

Collaborate with team members to establish a

set of meeting guidelines. Then hold one another accountable for honoring them. Examples might include arriving on time, starting every meeting with prayer, and maintaining a respectful tone.

Rather than having one person record the minutes, ask all attendees to take notes on action items. This helps people pay attention and gives everyone a personal record of the discussion.

Before closing the meeting, take a few minutes to review and summarize the main points. Consider what was accomplished and what still needs attention.

Schedule the next meeting, and ask each person what he or she plans to do by that time.

After a Meeting

Check in periodically to be sure people are following through on their action steps. When team members share a vision and move together toward common goals, an energizing atmosphere of collaboration will carry over from the conference room to the o ce spaces and beyond.

inally, take time to assess the effecti eness of meetings. Ask each participant to note one strength and weakness of the interaction, or assign one person to obser e and offer feedback. Also consider inviting an outside observer to attend and provide coaching advice.

With planning, intentionality and follow through, you can create staff meetings people actually want to attend — and make the most of every opportunity to advance your church’s mission.

RYAN T. HARTWIG, Ph.D, is provost and vice president of academic affairs at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, California, a professor of group and organizational communication, and co-author of The Resilience Factor: A Stepby-Step Guide to Catalyze an Unbreakable Team.

When team members share a vision and move together toward common goals, an energizing atmosphere of collaboration will carry over from the conference room to the o ce spaces and beyond.

he rtificially ntelligent Sermon

How to navigate AI ethically

By JOY E.A. QUALLS

Iwas scheduled to speak on Sunday and had not budgeted my time wisely. Despite thinking often that week about the Bible passage I planned to preach from, I was behind in my preparation. As I finally sat down to work on the message, I wondered whether I really needed to put in a late-night study and writing session. Opening an artificial intelligence AI app, I started typing “Construct a sermon on a passage from … .”

Perhaps you can understand the temptation. Those of us who preach and teach need all the help we can get. I am grateful for my commentaries and study aids. I also appreciate digital tools that make crafting and delivering sermons easier, from online Bibles and lexicons to PowerPoint and spell check.

But are there limits to what we should use when preparing sermons? AI is rapidly changing the way people think about technology — and raising some serious ethical concerns. With a few prompts, large language model artificial intelligence systems, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard, can churn out passable school essays, lectures, and even sermons.

Some religious leaders are already experimenting with artificial intelligence, including a rabbi who presented an AI-generated message, a pastor who used AI to write an article she published on her church’s website, and a theologian who asked AI to compose a Christmas sermon.

Although these leaders disclosed the use of AI to their audiences, such stories suggest no space is beyond the reach of this technology.

There are a number of questions one could ask at this point. Can a machine really exegete Scripture? What does all this mean for the future of ministry? Will robots one day replace pastors?

For ministers of the gospel, however, the most fundamental question hasn’t changed: What is our purpose and calling? We are not just content creators developing personal or church brands.

Jesus commissioned His Church to go and make disciples, teaching them to obey Him (Matthew 28:19–20). This is the purpose of ministry and the essence of our calling. How we present Christ’s message should matter to us because it matters to Him.

Biblical preaching is personal, credible, and Spirit empowered. These three characteristics must guide our sermon preparation ethics.

Personal

If preaching were simply a matter of relaying information concerning theology or the Bible, AI might have some limited usefulness.

However, our assignment involves much more than that. God calls transformed people to share transforming truth.

The apostle Paul wrote, “God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles” (Galatians 1:15–16).

A personal relationship with Jesus informed Paul’s proclamation. The apostle’s message, life, calling, and testimony pointed to Christ’s redemptive grace.

Additionally, Paul became personally invested in the lives of many who heard his preaching. He told the Thessalonians, “Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel but our lives as well” (1 Thessalonians 2:7–8).

Paul’s ministry and message demonstrated Christ’s love and compassion. Paul walked with people on their spiritual journeys and saw God transforming their lives. This is why Paul was able to say to the Corinthians, “Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? … That is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were ustified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9,11).

What AI lacks is not just a soul, but also human warmth, empathy, relational connections, and an understanding of the community to whom a message is delivered.

Paul told Timothy, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

When we have a clear sense of purpose and believe our voices and investments of time and energy matter to the people God calls us to lead, we will embrace sermon preparation as the privilege and responsibility it is.

Credible

Effecti e preaching also re uires trust. When we preach, people are evaluating the credibility of our testimony.

What AI lacks is not just a soul, but also human warmth, empathy, relational connections, and an understanding of the community to whom a message is delivered.

Paul told Timothy, “The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be ualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2).

Taking credit for work AI created would be deceptive, unethical, and a form of plagiarism.

Further, the information AI produces is only as good as its programming and the digital content it gleans. And of course, not everything online is true.

Using AI-generated material comes with risk. These systems provide no source documentation and often present incorrect statements as factual. Repeating such information undermines the believability of our message.

We must not sacrifice our credibility. ames 1 says, “We who teach will be judged more strictly.” This is not just because of our position of authority. It’s also because eternity is at stake.

Jesus said, “If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit” (Matthew 15:14). A lack of integrity in ministry can ha e far-reaching effects.

Empowered

The Bible speaks often about partnering with the Spirit in the proclamation of the gospel. Paul said, “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power” (1 Corinthians 2:4).

There is simply no replacement for Spirit-empowered preaching.

A sermon is more than just a speech. Preaching is my spirit speaking to your spirit through the Holy Spirit. The Spirit guides the message, empowers the message, and draws people to God in response to the message (John 6:44; 16:13; Acts 1:8).

There is no shortcut for this process. AI does not have a spirit, nor can it be filled with the oly Spirit.

The information my AI prompt generated was generally correct, but it wasn’t my work. It wasn’t even my own research. It was simply information about a passage that lacked insight or analysis.

But what the AI material really lacked was my voice, engagement with the Holy Spirit, and discernment concerning what God wanted to say to the congregation.

I closed the AI program and instead asked the Lord to meet me where I was and help me with my sermon preparation. Then I got to work.

The message I ultimately delivered wasn’t just information. It was a conversation with our community and the Holy Spirit. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

JOY E.A. QUALLS, Ph.D., is an associate dean and associate professor of communication studies at Biola University in La Mirada, California.

as good as its programming and the digital content it gleans. And of course, not everything online is true.

Statistically Speaking

Using data responsibly in ministry

By KAYLA PIERCE

Statistics are powerful communication tools, so it is not surprising that 62% of pastors use them.

A statistic can capture attention, inform and motivate. However, improper use of statistics can undermine a minister’s credibility, erode trust, and become a stumbling block to the gospel.

Consider the statistic above. Does it raise any red flags It should. I did not pro ide a source. There was no mention of a researcher, report title, or research organization. Also, to what “pastors” is the statistic referring? American pastors or pastors worldwide Does the figure account for all Protestant pastors or just evangelical ones? Without a erifiable source, it’s impossible to know.

I have a confession: The statistic in the opening sentence is fake. I made it up to illustrate a point. The reality is many statistics are biased, and some are outright bogus.

The Word of God is always true, but the same cannot be said of statistics. Ministers have an ethical duty to use statistics responsibly, and that requires keeping some guiding principles in mind.

Fight Con r ation ias

There is a danger in trumpeting research findings that reinforce what you believe while avoiding or ignoring those that don’t. This is easy to do when searching specifically for statistics to complement existing sermon content.

Even when intentions are good, everyone is susceptible to confirmation bias the tendency to

notice, favor, and recall information that supports what we already believe or value.

When it comes to statistics, integrity requires ob ecti ity. ight confirmation bias by acknowledging your biases, staying open-minded about what you might discover, and rethinking what you initially believed based on new evidence.

case, pay attention to how the methodology varies.

If a study is making broad claims about the millennial generation, for example, but researchers only surveyed millennials living in rural areas of Georgia, the results may not reflect the iews of urban millennials or millennials in other parts of the U.S.

Also, notice how researchers recruited the respondents. Did they use an online survey? If so, the data will exclude those without internet access, who may be older, lower income, or in rural areas — factors that could dramatically change the outcome. Different recruitment methods come with various types of biases.

God is the author of truth, and His followers should be truth seekers. When searching for data on a topic, search broadly. In fact, searching for evidence that contradicts expectations is a good practice. unt for multiple sources of data. Do different reports present conflicting information If so, proceed with caution. Resist the urge to cherry pick statistics that con eniently fit a script.

Reject Low-Quality Data

I occasionally hear the phrase, “Numbers don’t lie.” But as a social scientist, I know they can. People frequently use statistics in intentionally misleading ways. That’s why vetting data to be sure it is legitimate and trustworthy is so important.

There is a science to generating high-quality research, which explains why many research careers require a Ph.D. However, you don’t need an advanced degree to consume research critically.

Start by considering the sample size. How many individuals responded to the survey? A poll of 2,000 people usually yields more reliable results than one with 500.

Additionally, discover who the survey respondents were. Ideally, researchers gather a random sample of the population in question. When this is not the

Bias can also creep in through the phrasing of a survey question, so watch out for leading questions that nudge people in a specific direction.

No study is perfect, but some are better than others. Be mindful of a study’s limitations. And remember, using no statistics is better than citing faulty ones. When in doubt, kick it out.

Rely on Experts

Use reliable sources whose reputations hinge on rigor and accuracy. Pew Research Center and Gallup are examples of trustworthy sources, and both have hundreds of free reports that are relevant to church leaders.

High-quality research also comes from academics who publish their work in peer-reviewed journals. Experts rigorously vet this material in a double-blind review process. Editors of scholarly journals reject research that does not meet their standards, so getting past peer review is a mark of quality.

Many peer-reviewed journal articles are accessible through public and university libraries, as well as through Google Scholar.

Avoid using data from people with no professional research training. It is also best to stay away from research in ol ing ob ious conflicts of interest. Does the funding come from a company that

People frequently use statistics in intentionally misleading ways.

That’s why vetting data to be sure it is legitimate and trustworthy is so important.

benefits from the data skewing a certain way If so, be wary.

Provide a Paper Trail

Providing sources is an easy, but often overlooked, step. Not only should you name your sources verbally, but you should also aim to cite them in writing. During preaching, you can do this by including them in a slide presentation or alongside other sermon resources, such as a fill-in-the-blank sermon outline.

Share the name of the research organization that produced the work, along with the publication year. If you are citing an academic source, state the name of the researcher and perhaps his or her university or the journal that published the study. This gives credit to the researchers, brings authority to your statement, and allows people to investigate if they are interested in learning more.

Giving congregants the tools to verify claims will become even more important in the years ahead.

According to a 2020 report from Pew Research Center, Generation Z (born after 1996) is on track to become the most educated American generation, which could make them especially skilled at consuming content critically.

These digital natives are likely to pick up their phones and fact check what they hear. When they do, it is important that they can locate any statistics you cite and verify their trustworthiness. If they can’t, you will lose legitimacy and trust, both of which are di cult to rebuild. And if people cannot trust the statistics you share, how can you expect them to trust what you have to say about the Bible?

The religious landscape of the U.S. has shifted over the past decade. According to a 2021 Pew Research Center report, 3 in 10 American adults are now religiously una liated. The burden is on us to build the trust of these nonbelievers.

Additionally, more churches are streaming sermons and reaching larger, more diverse audiences. However, people who discover a church online and lack a personal connection to it may be especially cautious. Sharing high-quality statistics, along with sources, can help put them at ease.

Proverbs 12:22 says the Lord “delights in people who are trustworthy.” Handling statistics in a trustworthy manner requires a little extra preparation and intentionality, but maintaining integrity and honoring God are always worth the effort.

KAYLA PIERCE, Ph.D., is a social psychologist and ministry research consultant.

If people cannot trust the statistics you share, how can you expect them to trust what you have to say about the Bible?

Trailblazing Pastor

Esther Melendez Gamez opened doors for Hispanic women in ministry

By RUTHIE EDGERLY OBERG

Although the body of literature on the influence of women in entecostalism is growing, the significant contributions of many Hispanic women remain underreported. One such woman is Esther Melendez Gamez.

Born in 1929, Gamez grew up in Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico. Her father died when she was an infant, and Gamez lived with her grandmother until her mother remarried. Her stepfather was a baker, providing a modest living for the family that soon numbered 11.

As a young girl, Gamez was a dedicated Catholic, lighting candles at Mass every Sunday. Despite being unable to understand the Latin service, she was curious about all the things she saw at church.

Each Sunday, Gamez walked past a display of Bibles and wondered what secrets they held. When she finally asked the priest, he e claimed, No No No Only priests are allowed to read that book

Happiness in Christ

At age 10, Gamez attended an Easter service at her aunt’s Assemblies of God (AG) church, Asambleas de Dios Mission. The girl was amazed to hear a sermon in Spanish. She listened closely and understood every word.

The message title was “Felicidad en Cristo,” which means “happiness in Christ.” The word “felicidad” captured the young girl’s attention. But the highlight of the service for Gamez was receiving a Bible in Spanish to take home and read.

That night, Gamez sat in her kitchen reading the new Bible. She did not understand all the things she read, so Gamez stopped and asked God to help her understand the secrets of this valuable book.

Gamez went outside and looked up at the night sky, imagining “felicidad” spelled out in the stars. Returning to the house, she picked up the Bible and read Psalm 8: “When I consider your heavens … the moon and the stars … what is mankind that you are mindful of them?” (verses 3–4).

An overwhelming feeling came over Gamez, who began to weep.

She prayed again, “Is this You, Jesus? If it is, I want this joy that the man spoke about. Please forgive me of all my sins and make me Yours.”

Gamez wept, prayed, and read all night until it was time for school.

After this, Gamez went to her aunt’s house every weekend and attended the church without telling her Catholic parents. At Christmas, when the entire family attended the AG church together at the aunt’s invitation, they were surprised to see young Gamez take the stage with the congregation’s other children.

Gamez started praying and fasting for her family. She eventually led her parents, grandmother, and siblings to faith in Christ. The AG church’s pastor, Alberto Torres, baptized Gamez alongside her family members.

Answering the Call

Even though she did not see other women speaking in her church, Gamez felt a growing desire to study the Bible and share it with others.

When Gamez was 15, a physician in the community recognized her intellectual potential and offered to pro ide tuition for her to attend medical school. However, Gamez felt drawn to ministry and developed a plan to work in a local Bible school’s o ce to pay for classes there.

Around this time, Torres asked Gamez to speak during a Sunday night service. The teenager fasted the entire week, while praying, studying and writing. After her sermon, many responded to the altar call. Gamez knew this was what she was supposed to do with her life.

In 1945, Gamez became a licensed AG minister.

Opposite page: The congregation in La Noria. Above: 1) Gamez around the time of her conversion; 2) as a student at Latin American Bible Institute; 3) on horseback during the building of Templo Betania; 4) and with her husband, Mario.

She wanted to attend the district meeting in Chihuahua but had no money to buy bus fare or the hosiery women were expected to wear at the time. Her mother took out a loan to help with these expenses.

Soon, Gamez started preaching in northern Mexico and across the border in Texas. With no steady income, she lived on whatever offerings she recei ed. Game did a lot of fasting during this time — sometimes intentionally and sometimes of necessity.

With the help of fellow ministers Demetrio Bazan Sr. and Alice Luce, Gamez also attended Latin American Bible Institute in Los Angeles for a year.

Church Planting

When Gamez was 17, Torres, who was serving as presbyter, asked her to plant a church in Carreras, a town in Durango, Mexico.

A young man had previously tried to plant a church there but uickly left town as people fired guns at him and shouted, “We do not want Protestants in our illage

Hoping the men of the village would not shoot at a teenage girl, Torres handed off the assignment to Gamez.

Gamez held Bible studies in the homes of some

Gamez prayed, “Is this You, Jesus? If it is, I want this joy that the man spoke about.”

sympathetic community members. Two women from the group donated lots for the building of an adobe church.

Traveling across the border into Visalia, California, as a field worker, Gamez picked cotton, grapes and oranges. With her earnings, she hired workers for the building project.

Gamez and seven other teenagers carried water from a nearby river to make adobe bricks for the new church, Templo Betania. After finishing the construction, Gamez led the congregation as pastor for nearly four years.

The church still stands today. Gamez preached during a service marking its 50th anniversary. Several members of the teenage construction crew who went on to become ministers attended the celebration.

Persevering

During her time in Carreras, Gamez received a letter in English from church o cials asking her to declare “on what scriptural basis you are pastoring a church as a young woman.” (Upon hearing a full translation of the letter, she realized it was mostly her age and inexperience that were causing concern.)

Gamez wrote back, saying, “The Lord is saving children and adults, baptizing them in the Spirit with signs and wonders, men and women are being delivered at the altar from a stronghold of Catholicism mixed with ‘hechizerias/brujerias’ (casting of evil spells).”

After returning the letter to her presbyter for mailing, Gamez heard nothing else regarding the matter.

Gamez went on to pastor a church in La Noria, Durango, and two churches in California.

After marrying Mario Gamez in 1954, she copastored with her husband until they retired, both

at 85. Gamez says Mario, who died in 2017, was her biggest supporter and encourager in ministry, even typing her sermons during their final years together.

Game also ser ed as the first Women’s Ministries director of the AG’s acific Latin American District, establishing conventions and ministries for women and young girls while encouraging them to embrace God’s calling on their lives.

In 1990, Gamez became the first woman in the district elected to serve as a sectional presbyter.

Ongoing Ministry

At 94, Gamez continues to preach. A member of Visalia Assembly of God in Visalia, California, she also teaches a Spanish class for seniors and serves in a ministry to the Jewish community.

Six years ago, Latin American Bible Institute awarded Gamez an honorary doctor of ministry degree. And in 2020, the Assemblies of God recognized her for 50 years of service as an ordained minister, capping off years of full-time ministry.

Gamez embodies the pioneering spirit many early Hispanic Pentecostal women exhibited while pursuing their callings in little-known places. They blazed a trail for the hundreds of Spanish-speaking women now serving as evangelists, pastors, missionaries, church planters, and district and national leaders.

RUTHIE EDGERLY OBERG is an ordained Assemblies of God minister and a conference speaker for the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center in Springfield, Missouri.

Top: Esther and Mario Gamez co-pastored until they retired, both at 85. Bottom: Esther Gamez received an honorary doctor of ministry degree from Latin American Bible Institute.

REVIEWS by GEORGE P. WOOD

Women in Ministry

Awell-regarded California megachurch was recently expelled from its evangelical denomination because it ordained women as pastors.

“The issue of women serving in the pastorate is an issue of fundamental biblical authority,” one minister said in defense of the expulsion (emphasis added).

The authors of two new books read the same Bible but reach the opposite conclusion.

In Tell Her Story, Nijay K. Gupta writes, “There is ample evidence inside and outside the New Testament that women were actively involved in ministry, at the frontier of the gospel mission, as respected leaders in the church, and even as primary leaders of household congregations.”

And in The Bible vs. Biblical Womanhood, Philip B. Payne argues that “men and women are equal not only before God but also in practice in the body of Christ — namely, in church life.”

Gupta and Payne are New Testament scholars. Early on, both were complementarians, believing only men could serve as church leaders. But closer study of the Bible in its original languages convinced them the New Testament Church’s practice of ministry was egalitarian.

Although both authors paint an egalitarian picture, they focus on different aspects of it. Gupta e amines what he calls hidden Christian figures in the New Testament’s background. Payne concentrates on controverted texts typically in the foreground of debates about women in ministry.

Each approach adds value to the discussion, so it is a good idea to read both books.

Gupta says many erroneously believe the ancient world was “neatly constructed into leaders (men) and followers (women).” The ancient world was

indeed patriarchal, but there were opportunities for women to exercise leadership roles, especially if they belonged to higher classes.

Tell Her Story debunks three myths about GrecoRoman women: that they were always under their husbands’ authority, couldn’t own property, and remained confined to their homes.

This warrants a second look at women in the New Testament. Like their Greco-Roman contemporaries, these women were actively involved in public life. More to the point, they were actively involved in ministry.

Gupta demonstrates this by surveying all the women Paul names in his letters, especially Romans 16, where 10 of the 26 named individuals are female. He comments, “What Paul saw in this group was not the virtues of a particular trait, like sex or skin color, but grit and ambition, the will to labor and suffer for the sake of the gospel.”

Gupta devotes a chapter each to Phoebe (Romans 16:1–2), Priscilla (16:3; cf. 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 4:19; Acts 18:1–4,18–27), and Junia (Romans 16:7). Paul calls Phoebe a “deacon” and

Two new books make the case for egalitarianism

Junia an “apostle,” while Priscilla seems to have gained renown as a teacher.

Biblical descriptions of women actively involved in ministry lead Gupta to draw this conclusion: “Where men have sometimes said, ‘Women can’t,’ the Old and New Testaments testify: they did.”

churches.” Taken literally, this contradicts 11:2–16, which permits women to prophesy in the church. Many commentators thus soften the prohibition, saying it applies only to disruptive question-asking during worship (14:35).

The crucial text for many is 1 Timothy 2:8–15, especially verse 12: “I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man.” Complementarians interpret this as an absolute, universal prohibition of female church leaders. Gupta interprets it contextually: “Because of a local ‘battle of the sexes’ in Ephesus, bold restrictions were necessary to extinguish the false teaching and to help restore healthy relationships.”

Payne similarly interprets that passage as a timebound, local restriction. He goes on to consider other texts complementarians interpret as limiting the ministries of women, including 1 Corinthians 11:2–16; 14:34–35; 1 Timothy 3:1–13; and Titus 1:6–9.

Payne notes that 1 Corinthians 11 permits women to prophesy alongside men. The key issue was doing this in a socially responsible manner. As for the meaning of “head” (Greek, kephal , ayne argues the word connotes “source” rather than “superior rank.” In other words, the passage does not imply male leadership over females.

Regarding ualifications for church leaders in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, Payne says the grammar in both texts is “inclusive and gender-neutral.” So the KJV translation of 1 Timothy 3:1 (“If a man desires”) should be replaced by the more accurate “Whoever aspires” (NIV) or “If anyone aspires” (ESV). Anyone includes women.

The longest — and most controversial — chapter of Payne’s book concerns 1 Corinthians 14:34–35, which begins, “Women should remain silent in the

Like Gordon Fee, Payne argues these verses are later, scribal additions to the text. He offers two reasons for this conclusion. First, verses 34–35 appear in two different places in the manuscript tradition: after verse 33 and after verse 40. Second, Codex Vaticanus, a fourth-century Greek Bible, marks these verses as a scribal emendation. Only time, and more evidence from textual criticism, will tell whether this argument gains acceptance.

Payne also considers passages related to male-female relationships in the home, including Ephesians 5:21–33 and 1 Peter 3:1–7. He argues both passages teach “mutual submission” rather than male leadership.

Payne and Gupta arrive at an egalitarian destination not only by different routes, but also with different tones. ayne adamantly insists New Testament Christianity was egalitarian from the get-go, at church and in the home. Gupta acknowledges patriarchal attitudes persisted within Christian households, but says Paul’s teaching set the Church on a trajectory toward “equal marriage.”

Regardless of these differences, both books make a valuable contribution to our understanding of what the Bible teaches about male-female relationships. If we accept biblical authority, we will welcome the ministry of women alongside men.

Books Reviewed

Nijay K. Gupta, Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2023).

Philip B. Payne, The Bible vs. Biblical Womanhood: How God’s Word Consistently Affirms Gender Equality (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2023).

Although both authors paint an egalitarian picture, they focus on different aspects of it.

New Series Recommendation

Foundations for Spirit-Filled Christianity

Assemblies of God scholars Jerry Ireland, Paul Lewis, and Frank Macchia are editors of a new series of textbooks from Baker Academic.

Titled “Foundations for Spirit-Filled Christianity” and written for use in the global Pentecostal/ charismatic movement, the series explores “primary topics of interest in the fields of biblical studies, church ministries and practical theology, church history, theology, and missions.” The series is designed primarily for undergraduate and graduate students and secondarily for ministers and church members who want to deepen their understanding of Christian faith and practice.

The first two books in the series are Introduction to Theology by Macchia and Introduction to Spirituality by Gary Tyra. Both authors are ordained AG ministers and professors at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, California.

Macchia surveys standard topics in systematic theology: theological method, theology proper, Christology, pneumatology, ecclesiology and eschatology. e defines theology as “speech about the wonders of God that seeks to reflect on and guide the praise and witness of the church toward greater loyalty to the good news of Jesus Christ.”

Macchia’s work interacts with a broad range of Christian theologians and theological traditions,

both ancient and modern, from the West to the Global South.

The series is designed for global use by Spiritfilled Christians, so AG readers should not e pect Macchia’s book to be an exposition of the AG Statement of Fundamental Truths.

What Makes Introduction to Theology useful is not merely its treatment of Pentecostal distinctives, but also its thoroughgoing trinitarianism. Macchia shows the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit cooperating in the works of creation, judgment, salvation and glorification.

Tyra’s Introduction to Spirituality outlines the convictions, commitments, and customs of an authentically Christian spirituality.

“It is possible for a Christian spirituality to be theistic — to have room for God in it — but only in a philosophical, conceptual sense,” Tyra writes. Yet he says Pentecost makes it possible for Christians “to really know and experience their Creator in some real, phenomenal, life-story-shaping ways.”

For Tyra, this theologically real spirituality entails keeping in step with the Spirit, experiencing an ongoing mentoring relationship with Jesus, and living in accordance with God’s mission.

Pentecostals will especially appreciate Chapter 6, which includes an extended discussion on praying in the Spirit. Tyra cites interesting evidence from the social sciences to show the benefits of this practice to Christian spirituality.

Forthcoming series installments in 2024 include Introduction to Biblical Interpretation by Lewis and Jacqueline Grey and Introduction to Missions by Rob Gallagher and Sarita Edwards.

This series fills an important gap in global entecostal education and is well worth reading.

GEORGE P. WOOD is executive editor of Influence magazine.

acts witnesses outpouring scripture

witnesses

… as we keep in step with the Spirit

By Doug Clay

boldness sma ostal global church

What is the future of Christianity?

If you look at statistical trends, the answer is mixed.

There are hopeful signs, especially for Spiritfilled belie ers. Gina urlo, co-director of GordonConwell Theological Seminary’s Center for the Study of Global Christianity, acknowledges the rapid ad ancement of entecostalism.

entecostal Charismatic Christianity is the fastest growing segment of World Christianity today,” urlo writes in Global Christianity

That segment includes classical entecostals such as the Assemblies of God , charismatics within historic churches, and independent charismatics. According to urlo, these groups share an interest in Spirit baptism, spiritual gifts, and spiritual experiences.

During the 20th century, Spirit-filled Christianity grew by . annually. As urlo notes, this is four times the growth rate of both Christianity o erall and the global population.

The trend has slowed since 2000. Ne ertheless, urlo predicts that from 2020 0, entecostal and charismatic mo ements will still grow twice as fast as both the Christian and world populations.

Most of the growth o er the past century took place in the global South. Africans now constitute . of all Spirit-filled Christians, Latin Americans 0. , and Asians 19. , according to urlo. This is cause for rejoicing.

Unfortunately, there are worrisome statistical trends, too, especially the demographic expansion of Islam and the continuing decline of Christian a liation in the .S.

According to the ew-Templeton Global Religious Futures project, Muslims will comprise 29. of the world’s population by 20 0, up from 2 .2

in 2010. Meanwhile, researchers e pect Christianity to remain static at 1.4 . rom a demographic perspecti e, it is unclear which religion will claim a plurality at mid-century.

Closer to home, the number of Americans identifying as Christian continues to plummet. In 200 , of Americans claimed Christian a liation, compared to in 2021, ew Research Center reports.

These losses do not represent con ersions to other religions. Increasingly, Americans are disaf filiating from religion entirely. rom 200 21, the religiously una liated or nones nearly dou bled their share of the .S. population, rising from 1 to 29 .

So, what is the future of Christianity?

The answer cannot come from which point in contradictory directions. God’s peo ple must look instead to

scriptural truths

Acts 1 is a key erse for understanding Christi anity’s future. esus said, ou will recei e power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in erusalem, and in all udea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Notice the future tense of the erbs. This is a promise, not just a prediction. The Holy Spirit would come, and Spirit-filled belie ers would go.

Acts 2 tells the story of how esus started fulfill ing that promise. It is more than a history lesson, howe er. Together with the entire ook of Acts, this passage offers a paradigm for church health in any time, at any place, among any culture.

That paradigm consists of three elements ismatic power, Christ-centered proclamation, community practices.

Charismatic Power

how little you ha e, and lea e God out of the picture. Imagine the erusalem belie ers prior to the Day of entecost. esus had gi en them the great task of world e angelism Acts 1 , but there were only 120 of them 1 1 , many on the lower rungs of the socioeconomic ladder. Worse, their leader, eter, had abandoned esus after is arrest Luke 22 4 2 , and hidden in fear with the other apostles following the Crucifi ion ohn 20 19 . et in Acts 2 we une pectedly find eter at the head of the Ele en boldly proclaiming the gospel to the masses. What had changed?

On the Day of entecost, the oly Spirit entered

When we think about entecostal power, dramatic displays might come to mind. Certainly those were present on the Day of entecost. There was a sound like the blowing of a iolent wind, and tongues of fire rested on each belie er Acts 2 2 . Afterward, the apostles performed many wonders and signs 2 4 .

ut in Acts 2, speech became the primary e pression of power. All of them were filled with the oly Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them 2 4 .

In addition to tongues of praise Acts 2 4,11 , Luke describes Christ-centered preaching 2 14, and the gift of prophecy 2 1 1 as results of Spirit baptism.

This connection between Spirit and speech continues throughout Acts. Then eter, filled with the oly Spirit, said 4 summari es the pattern that follows 4 1 10 11 2 1 9 .

No wonder our Statement of Fundamental Truths links Spirit baptism to the enduement of power for life and ser ice, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry” (Article . And the recurrence of tongues at crucial moments in Luke’s narrati e, whether e plicit or implicit Acts 2 4 1 10 44 4 19 , is the reason we say tongues is “the initial physical sign” of baptism in the Holy Spirit (Article . a e you e er wondered why God chose tongues as e idence of Spirit baptism Acts 2 11 supplies the answer. When Jewish pilgrims from around the world heard the belie ers speaking in tongues, they said, “We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues. As a sign, tongues point to the ends of the earth 1 , to the nations Christ commands us to disciple Matthew 2 19 .

pelled aul to go to erusalem 20 22 .

The larger question is why Acts 2 links the Spirit and speech including preaching and prophecy so closely. The answer seems to be that God appeals to

ithout the Spirit, our task is simply too large and our resources too small.

us on the basis of lo e and persuasion rather than authority and force. Verse 40 describes the conclusion of eter’s sermon this way e pleaded with them, Sa e yoursel es from this corrupt generation.’ God wants us to recei e esus Christ willingly.

God in ites people into relationship with im He doesn’t impose a relationship on them.

If the Spirit is the force multiplier in missions, how do we recei e im esus told is disciples, “Wait for the gift my Father promised Acts 1 4 . The disciples didn’t interpret this as an e cuse for passi ity, howe er, but as an occasion for prayer. “They all joined together constantly in prayer 1 14 .

We must pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit on our ministries, and for people in our churches to recei e the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

E en esus, the Word of God Incarnate ohn 1 14 , relied on the oly Spirit as the dri ing force of is ministry.

The Spirit descended upon esus during is baptism in the ordan Luke 22 , dro e im into the wilderness to confront the de il 4 1 2 , anointed im to proclaim the gospel to the poor 4 1 , and inspired is oyful praise 10 21 .

If Jesus needed the Spirit to accomplish the mission the ather ga e im, how much more do we need the Spirit to accomplish the mission Christ has gi en us Without the Spirit, our task is simply too large and our resources too small.

Christ-Centered Proclamation

In Acts 2, charismatic power erses 1 1 results immediately in Christ-centered proclamation erses 14 40 . This is the purpose of Spirit baptism in Acts. Spiritual immersion empowers ordinary

belie ers to ser e as Christ’s witnesses to the ends of the earth Acts 1 .

What should we say Acts 2 14 40 records eter’s speech to his erusalem audience. This sermon pro ides a pattern for sharing the gospel. Spirit-empowered gospel proclamation should consider context and content, and call for a response.

No sermon takes place in a acuum. Each message is for a particular people at a particular time and place. This context does not change the gospel, but it does influence the presentation.

Take the conte t of eter’s sermon. The oly Spirit fell on belie ers, a crowd gathered, and people asked, What does this mean erse 12 . A few e en accused the disciples of drunkenness erse 1 .

eter started his sermon by answering the uestion and rebutting the accusation erses 14 1 . At the end of his sermon, eter addressed another uestion What shall we do erse .

Attenti eness to conte t including honest uestions and hostile accusations keeps gospel proclamation grounded in the real world of listeners. It establishes a point of contact a shared agreement with which we can start e en when the message ends with a challenge.

Appropriate contextualization is a hallmark of

pirit-filled believers speak wherever there are people who need to hear the gospel, not just in church settings.

the speeches in Acts. When eter or aul spoke to fellow Jews, they started with Scripture. Compare Acts 2 1 4 and 1 1 2, for e ample. oth sermons are rich with Old Testament citations.

Yet when he preached to the Athenians (Acts 1 22 1 , aul used a different starting point.

ecause these people did not acknowledge biblical authority and truth, aul started with their religiosity, which included worship of an unknown god.

aul e en cited Greek poets to make his points.

Where er we start our gospel proclamation, we must lead hearers to Christ. He is the content of our message.

In Acts 2, eter pointed to esus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Through is death, resurrection, and ascension to hea en, Christ inaugurated the kingdom of God and poured out the oly Spirit. eter said, Therefore let all Israel be assured of this God has made this esus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah erse .

Although aul started with the Athenians’ spiritual e perience in Acts 1 , he still made esus the center of his message. aul said God has set a day when he will udge the world with ustice by the man he has appointed. e has gi en proof of this to e eryone by raising him from the dead erse 1 .

Whether we are proclaiming the gospel to the biblical literate or functionally pagan, our ob is pointing to esus. e is the fulfillment of biblical prophecy and human desire. Where er people start their spiritual journey, Christ is the destination.

Finally, gospel proclamation should include a call for response. pon hearing eter’s entecost sermon, people asked, What shall we do Acts 2 . eter had a response ready Repent and be bapti ed, e ery one of you, in the name of esus Christ for the forgi eness of your sins. And you will recei e the gift of the oly Spirit 2 .

Like eter, we should pro ide a clear ne t step. We want people to draw closer to God, and our speech should shine a light on the path.

Of course, a sanctuary isn’t the only place proclamation can happen, and credentialed ministers aren’t the only ones who can spread the good news

of esus. reaching weekly to a gathering of congregants is important, but it’s not the only form of Christ-centered proclamation.

In fact, Acts often portrays Spirit-filled belie ers proclaiming the gospel in non-church settings, both public and pri ate.

eter addressed a crowd of non-Christians on the Day of entecost, in the icinity of the temple. e did so again sometime later at Solomon’s Colonnade 11 . ollowing his arrest, eter proclaimed Christ before the Sanhedrin 4 12 2 2 , as did Stephen 1 . urthermore, eter e angeli ed the household of Cornelius 10 2 4 .

hilip spoke publicly to Samaritan crowds Acts ,12 and pri ately to the Ethiopian eunuch 0 9 .

aul preached Christ in the synagogues of Damascus Acts 9 20 after his con ersion, establishing a pattern for the remainder of his ministry 1 ,1 41 14 1 1 2 ,10 1 4,19 19 .

owe er, aul also spoke in a ariety of other forums, such as the city gates Acts 14 1 1 , the open air by a ri er 1 1 1 , a ailer’s home 1 0 4 , in the marketplace 1 1 , at a meeting of the Areopagus 1 19 1 , before the Sanhedrin

2 1 , to political leaders in Caesarea 24 1 2 , and from his home while under house arrest 2 0 1 .

I cite these e amples to make a simple point Spirit-filled believers speak wherever there are people who need to hear the gospel, not just in church settings

Christ-centered proclamation doesn’t ha e to be a monologue in which a speaker acti ely talks and an audience passi ely listens. When belie ers speak in Acts, it is often in dialogue with nonbelie ers.

or e ample, eter’s entecost sermon is a response to questions or challenges from the audience Acts 2 12, , as is his reply to the Sanhedrin 4 2 . The same is true of Stephen’s speech 1 .

aul’s ministry often in ol ed dialogue literally. Acts repeatedly portrays aul reasoning with people about the gospel 1 2,1 1 4,19 19 . The

Greek word in these passages is dialegomai, from which we get the English word dialogue.

ust as Spirit-filled belie ers speak where er there are people who need to hear the gospel, they also speak in ways that are most useful to persuading others to believe. A sermon can be an effecti e way to share the gospel, but so can an earnest con ersation. Christ-centered proclamation is any form of speaking, in any enue, to any person, where Christ is the content of the con ersation.

Community Practices

In Acts 2, charismatic power erses 1 1 translates into Christ-centered proclamation erses 14 40 . These lead to community practices erses 41 4 that is, the Church.

Today, many people like esus but dislike the Church. Gi en the failures of some high-profile church leaders, this sentiment isn’t surprising. The Church needs to do a better ob of representing Christ to the world.

What we cannot do is gi e up on the community of belie ers. esus is not only sa ing indi iduals, but He is also forming a community. He is the Head, and indi idual belie ers are members of the ody 1 Corinthians 12 12 1 . We really do need one another.

Certainly the new belie ers on the Day of entecost felt they needed community. The response to eter’s sermon was astounding Those who accepted his message were bapti ed, and about three thousand were added to their number that day Acts 2 41 .

According to our most recent statistics, . of .S. Assemblies of God churches report fewer than 200 people in weekly ma or worship ser ice attendance. Only 1. of .S. AG churches ha e more than 1,000.

Can you imagine your church growing from 120 Acts 1 1 to ,000 in one day Although most pastors would likely be thrilled, assimilating so many newcomers at once would be challenging.

How did the Jerusalem church manage this rapid growth?

Acts 2 42 says, They de oted themsel es to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

The Church instituted four common practices that shaped the authenticity of each member’s faith, as well as the solidarity e eryone felt for one another

1. Learning. They de oted themsel es to the apostles’ teaching.”

When I became Assemblies of God general superintendent, I wanted our Fellowship to excel in ible engagement. One fruit of that desire is the ible Engagement ro ect. This free curriculum is designed to help congregants of all ages interact with Scripture and apply it to their li es.

There are other ways of learning about the ible, of course, including personal study, Sunday School, and expository sermons. We should prioritize all these things, understanding the importance of allowing the Word of God to form e ery aspect of our li es.

2. Sharing. They de oted themsel es to fellowship.”

We tend to think of fellowship as time together before or after a worship ser ice, en oying coffee and donuts in the foyer or a meal in the fellowship hall. We assume fellowship simply means being with people.

In the Jerusalem church, fellowship included e tending generosity to the poor. The Greek word for fellowship in Acts 2 42 is koinonia. Two erses later, Luke uses the ad ecti e koinos (translated “in common . All the belie ers were together and had e erything in common. They sold property and pos sessions to gi e to anyone who had need erses 44 4 .

-

Acts 4 indicates this was a oluntary choice made by indi idual belie ers. It’s not clear whether other New Testament congregations followed this e ample. What is clear is sacrificial generosity toward those in need is a gospel irtue.

3. Remembering. They de oted themsel es to the breaking of bread. reaking bread can refer to ordinary meals

Luke 9 1 24 0, Acts 2 4 2 or the Lord’s Supper, which belie ers celebrated when they gathered for worship Luke 22 19 20 1 Corinthians 10 1

11 2 2 .

irst Corinthians 11 1 4 seems to indicate the Lord’s Supper was part of an ordinary meal belie ers shared when they worshipped together. This may be what ude 12 meant by lo e feasts.”

As an ordinance, breaking bread in ol es remembering and proclaiming the gospel 1 Corin-

y breaking bread, we remind oursel es Christ is

The pandemic taught us the incalculable alue of community. Isolated from human contact, watching the world through a screen, many redisco ered the need for face-to-face relationships.

They de oted themsel es

During esus’ day, ews obser ed set times of prayer throughout the day, a practice the Jerusalem church continued. These were corporate times of prayer. Christians should worship indi idually, but

Notice all the plural pronouns throughout this passage they Acts 2 42,4 ,4 , e eryone erse 4 , and all erse 44 . Although we come tian faith communally. Each of us is a part of the

ou probably remember the oy of reuniting with friends the first Sunday your church reopened. We should seek to li e our li es as Christians in healthy communities that continually produce that kind

sions from 19 9 9 , often said, ou don’t measure yourself by your success, but you measure yourself

As entecostals, we celebrate the phenomenal

o accomplish what God is calling us to do, we must go all in. The whole Church must wholeheartedly take the whole gospel to the whole world.

growth of the Church o er the past 12 years, especially in the global South. Luke wrote, The Lord added to their number daily those who were being sa ed Acts 2 4 . Likewise, we gi e God the glory for the hundreds of millions who ha e come to faith through the ministries of Spirit-filled belie ers.

ut we must also commit anew to doing the greatest e angelism that the world has e er seen, as delegates to the Second General Council put it in 1914.

The Acts 2 Church remained de oted to the things of God. Are we all in

Whole gospel. esus is Lord and Messiah Acts 2 . e commands our obedience in all areas of life. eyond that, e fulfills the promises of God and deepest desires of the human heart. When proclaiming the good news, we should make sure the message touches on e ery aspect of our hearers’ existence.

The unfinished task is huge. If 1.4 of the world’s population is Christian, that means .

Whole world. Finally, we must remember those who ha e yet to hear. We are witnesses of Christ “to the ends of the earth” Acts 1 . e has poured out the Spirit on “all people 2 1 . The promise of the Father is “for all who are far off for all whom the Lord our God will call 2 9 . Our urgent, unfinished task is to reach them.

I end where I began, with a uestion What is the future of Christianity?

To accomplish what God is calling us to do, we

Our answer should focus on inputs, rather than outputs on faithful ser ice, not numerical growth. As aul put it, I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow 1 Corinthians .

sionaries play important roles in the spread of the gospel, but all Christians should do their part. The areto rinciple must gi e way to the entecost rinciple. We don’t need 20 of workers doing 0 of the work. We need 100 of Spirit-filled belie ers regardless of se , age, social status, and race or ethnicity Acts 2 1 1 doing the work.

Wholeheartedly. I lo e this erse from William ierson Merrill’s hymn, Rise p, O Church of God

Rise up, O Church of God a e done with lesser things

Gi e heart and soul and mind and strength

To ser e the King of kings.

If we recei e the Spirit’s power, proclaim Christ’s message, and practice authentic Christian community, we ha e done all we can. The rest is in God’s hands.

The future, then, is entecostal. All we ha e to do is keep in step with the Holy Spirit, who is leading us there.

DOUG CLAY is general superintendent of the Assemblies of God USA.

e should make sure the message touches on every aspect of our hearers’ existence.

Where Heaven and Earth Meet

The six altars of an effective prayer ministry

By RICK DUBOSE

hile most church people who hear the name Daniel think of a lions’ den, I think of prayer. What truly distinguished Daniel was his commitment to pray.

As a young man living in exile, Daniel knew the pressures of a pagan culture and government that opposed his faith. Yet nothing deterred Daniel from praying. Consider Daniel’s response after King Darius issued a decree outlawing prayer:

He went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before (Daniel 6:10).

Perhaps Daniel could have prayed quietly and privately with his window shut and no one would have noticed. However, Daniel was determined to seek God unashamedly, whatever the cost.

No wonder Daniel’s prayers moved heaven. Years later, as Daniel was fasting and seeking God, an angel came to him and said, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them” (Daniel 10:12).

The angel went on to explain that a heavenly war was taking place as a result of Daniel’s praying (10:13–14).

That’s the power of prayer. When God’s people diligently seek Him, things begin to change.

Desperate Prayer

It was with some reluctance I finally submitted to God’s call and took a job as a youth pastor. I had not planned to pursue ministry as a full-time occupation. In fact, I had dreams of going into business.

Despite growing up in a pastor’s home, I had no clue what it meant to be a pastor myself. I knew God was calling me, and I finally admitted it, but I wasn’t sure how to fulfill that call. I knew nothing about leading, preaching or managing a ministry schedule. And I didn’t know where to turn for help.

ow, as a paid staff pastor, could I admit I didn’t know what I was doing? It was helpless fear that drove me to that small room at the far end of the church I ser ed. There, hidden away from tra c, behind the choir room, I did the only thing I could think to do. I began to pray.

I was honest with God. I confessed to Him that I didn’t know what to do. I had seen enough professional ministry to realize I needed more than just talent or charisma. I needed God’s empowerment and guidance.

So, I cried out to God, “If You really called me to be a pastor, would You help me do it? Would You teach me?”

Nothing profound happened in that moment. The sky did not open. There was no voice from heaven or

fresh outpouring of the Spirit. But looking back, I did receive something that has never left me: a hunger for prayer.

What started in desperation became a daily habit. I took everything to God in prayer, and things began to change. Young people responded. Miracles happened. Increasingly, I saw evidence that prayer works.

Many years ha e passed since I first uttered that desperate prayer as a young pastor. I have held a number of different ministry positions, but I ha e never lost my dependence on prayer. I remain convinced that praying is the most powerful and effecti e thing I can do.

A life of prayer takes a lifetime. Prayer is not a static practice or a task on my to-do list but a spiritual discipline in which I am continuing to grow.

To this day, I’m still learning and asking God to show me more. I want to pray with greater faith and see God change lives, starting with mine.

Prayer isn’t complicated. Mostly, it requires a commitment to show up. Nevertheless, it seems churchgoers who talk about prayer greatly outnumber those who actually pray.

I want to do more than just talk about praying. I want to seek the Lord and help others do the same.

What we need are altars — spaces in our lives and calendars for encountering God.

Building Altars

In Old Testament times, altars were often the places where people brought what they had and offered it to God as a sacrifice.

resh off the ark, Noah’s first impulse was building an altar (Genesis 8:20).

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob built altars to mark the places they heard from God and memorialize the promises He made (Genesis 12:7–8; 13:18; 26:25; 33:20; 35:7).

Moses built an altar after a decisive victory against the Amalekites (Exodus 17:15).

Elijah built an altar on Mount Carmel, where he prayed, and fire fell 1 Kings 1 1 9 .

Zerubbabel and other returning Jewish exiles prioritized rebuilding the temple’s altar (Ezra 3:1–6).

Jesus recognized the temple with its central altar was meant to be a house of prayer (Matthew 21:13).

Altars were constant reminders of the connection between heaven and earth. The history of God’s people can be traced along the path of the altars they built. Those altars demonstrated their commitment to knowing God and interacting with Him.

An altar exists because someone built it. It takes work and intentionality.

Looking back, I now recognize that as a young man kneeling in the back of that old church room, I was building an altar. I was constructing a place to which I would regularly return to sacrifice my will and receive from God.

In this sense, an altar is a place and time for meeting with God. We no longer offer animal sacrifices, of course. We may not install physical altars at all, but continually seeking God should be a priority in our churches and individual lives.

We must carve out space for prayer. We need to offer our time, emotions, finances and plans as a sacrifice.

As the apostle Paul wrote, “I urge you, brothers and sisters, in iew of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a li ing sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1).

An altar of prayer may be a familiar pew or

The history of God’s people can be traced along the path of the altars they built.

the back of a closest. It might even be a recliner in the basement (which is where you’ll find me praying most mornings).

What matters is having times and places for lingering in God’s presence. We all need regular reminders to kneel before the Lord, offer our lives, and pray.

Leading in Prayer

There is little chance of leading others in prayer if we aren’t willing to cultivate a personal discipline of prayer. After establishing a personal altar, however, it is a leader’s responsibility to disciple others in prayer. We need churches that know how to pray. So much depends on it. We need pastors, emboldened in faith as a result of their own prayer lives, who can step forward and build powerful prayer ministries.

What would happen if we placed as much emphasis on personal and corporate prayer as the New Testament Church did?

I believe with all my heart God is stirring our nation. The Spirit is moving. Our way forward into all God has for us will be prayer.

Going to God in prayer is the starting point for change. Prayer is the place where heaven and earth meet, where we seek God’s will on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).

Prayer is not just a church program or strategy. Rather, it is a way of life that should permeate our church culture.

There are six altars of prayer I believe every pastor and church should be intentional about building. These altars are key to creating an effective prayer ministry and a more prayerful church.

1. The personal altar. If you want to lead your church or family into prayer, the first and most important altar is your personal altar of prayer. You cannot lead others to pray if you are not willing to prioritize prayer in your own life.

Therefore, prayer ministry begins in the privacy of your prayer closet. You must develop a regular habit of returning to that altar, offering your life daily. This is where you die to your will and submit to God’s.

It’s within that secret place of prayer God shapes your identity. He reveals who you are and strengthens the relationship you share.

If you are a pastor, your personal altar is the lid of your church’s vitality. If you are a parent, it’s the lid of your family’s spiritual health. You cannot lead what you will not live. A culture of prayer starts at your personal altar.

2. The home altar. Many churches lack prayer because congregants haven’t learned how to pray. They’ve seen others pray, but no one has taught them about prayer.

esus’ disciples specifically asked for teaching on this topic (Luke 11:1). The Lord responded by taking the time to pray with them and instruct them on prayer (verses 2–13).

It’s not enough to listen to someone else pray during worship gatherings. Believers should have opportunities to pray with others and learn to pray as a child learns from a parent.

We need families that value prayer and pray together outside of church as well. Raising a new generation that knows how to pray is essential.

If you’re going to establish a culture of prayer, you must teach and encourage families to pray. Family prayer times don’t have to be long, but they need to be a priority.

3. The community altar. The Book of Acts is filled with accounts of prayer meetings, from daily gatherings in the temple courts (2:46) to intercession at the home of Mark’s mother, Mary (12:12).

The Church started in an Upper Room prayer meeting (Acts 1:14) and continued in prayer. Peter was praying when the Lord directed him to take the gospel to a Gentile’s house (Acts 10). It was a prayer meeting that led to the sending of Paul and Barnabas as missionaries (Acts 13:1–3).

What would happen if we placed as much emphasis on personal and corporate prayer as the New Testament Church did? Like the home altar, the church prayer meeting needs to be a priority — not just a service starter or an occasional event.

A church that regularly gathers to pray in agreement will grow in unity, righteousness, receptiveness to the Spirit, and supernatural power.

4. The core altar. While all Christians should live prayerfully, God often calls certain individuals

to carry a heavier load of prayer.

Pastors have a responsibility to pray for their churches, but they shouldn’t have to do it alone. When God calls individuals to ministry, He also calls helpers to come alongside them.

There are people in your congregation God is calling to pray with you — and for you and the church. Identify those individuals, and equip them in this important area of ministry.

When you establish a core altar prayer group, you’ll discover not only greater strength and encouragement but also an intensification of prayer at your personal altar.

Just as Aaron and Hur held up Moses’ hands during the battle at Rephidim (Exodus 17:10–13), you need a team of believers supporting you through prayer.

5. The miracle altar. Signs and wonders accompanied the New Testament Church. Miracles demonstrate the power of God to a lost world and establish a platform for proclaiming the gospel.

As church leaders, we all want to see more miracles. When we don’t witness them, it is not because God is distant or unwilling. God desires to do the miraculous. ut e often finds people unprepared or unwilling to ask.

Perhaps we don’t see more miracles because we don’t pray for them as often as we should. We don’t want to take the time, or we worry about what people will think if a miracle doesn’t happen. Yet the Bible encourages us to trust God for great things (Genesis 18:14; Matthew 17:20; John 14:12).

ames offers specific guidelines on praying for physical healing:

Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up.

If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effecti e erses 14 1 .

This text calls for church leaders to step up and pray, trusting God to respond. If we don’t seek God with boldness and faith in our gatherings, why should we be surprised when He doesn’t work miraculously among us?

God wants to do miracles in our churches, but we need to provide space for inviting people to receive from God.

James 5 goes on to say, “Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops” (verses 17–18).

Elijah built an altar and asked for a miracle. So should we.

6. The salvation altar. All these altars support the proclamation of the gospel. They are steps to the salvation altar.

Each person who encounters Christ must decide whether to accept Him as Lord. We must be intentional about creating space in our worship services and small group meetings for people to experience the life transformation esus offers.

If we do not give people opportunities to come to Christ, they may never do so. We should pray for salvations and invite people to respond to Jesus during every service and event.

The mission of the Church is making disciples. We pray for the lost, seek God for miracles, and anticipate the Spirit’s work in and through individual lives.

People will come to Christ at altars we build for them. And as we teach them to create personal altars and join other believers at corporate altars, prayer will change the spiritual landscape of our communities.

Prayer matters. Calling out to God with a sincere heart changes things like nothing else can (2 Chronicles 7:14). Our churches need prayer. Our nation needs prayer. We all need prayer.

God is calling us to pray. He’s calling you and me to lead in prayer and build the altars.

Let us be like Daniel, unwilling to cease praying no matter what. When we are faithful in this task, our prayers will move heaven and push back the darkness of our day.

RICK DUBOSE is assistant general superintendent of the Assemblies of God USA.

God wants to do miracles in our churches, but we need to provide space for inviting people to receive from God.

WHOEVER CONTROLS THE ALTAR CONTROLS THE OUTCOME

WHOEVER CONTROLS THE ALTAR CONTROLS THE OUTCOME

With real-world application and inspiration, international leader Rick DuBose shows the path back to five forgotten altars—and ultimately, the path to your place in heaven’s throne room. This book will help you ignite a fire for e ective prayer, create a culture of prevailing prayer in your church, and build spaces to encounter God. It’s time to storm the altars and pray with humble authority that moves heaven and unleashes victory here on earth.

“In this inspiring work, you will be provoked not only to return to God’s presence can be manifest in a tangible way.”

your private altar but also to build one in the public square where God’s presence can be manifest in a tangible way.”

JOE ODEN, DIRECTOR, ASSEMBLIES OF GOD WORLD PRAYER CENTER

JOE ODEN, DIRECTOR, ASSEMBLIES OF GOD WORLD PRAYER CENTER

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Who Will Go?

The priority of reaching Buddhists and Hindus with the gospel |

By ALAN JOHNSON

y calling to cross-cultural missions began as I learned there are still large populations with little or no access to the gospel.

When my wife, Lynette, and I approached Assemblies of God World Missions (AGWM) leaders with a desire to proclaim Jesus in such a setting, they directed us to the Buddhist world.

In 1986, we arrived in Thailand, a nation whose population is 95% Buddhist and just 1% Christian.

That first year, while in language school, I attended weekly prayer meetings at the field chairman’s apartment. There I saw eteran missionaries weeping before the Lord of the har est Luke 10 2 , asking im to send more workers to oin them in the task.

Such desperate prayers are common among missionaries to Buddhist and indu nations. Through the years, I ha e often heard missionaries in these places describe their work as o erwhelming.

When I contemplate the massi e populations of sprawling Asian cities or fly over vast expanses of land dotted by village after village without a church, the size and comple ity of the task is indeed staggering at times.

Seeds sown in prayer are bearing fruit. Over the past four decades, a number of missionaries have arrived to help carry the load. Yet the need remains great.

Earlier this year, AGWM announced its uddhist indu riority. The ision of this fi e-year initiati e includes a greater emphasis on prayer and funding for these missionaries, as well as a commitment to send 1 0 new, church-planting missionaries to minister among uddhist and indu peoples.

I am grateful the Spirit is still calling and sending workers to unreached places, ust as e did in the ook of Acts.

Why a Priority?

The uddhist indu riority takes seriously the two billion uddhist and indu people who need to hear the gospel. It also recogni es the di culty of communicating the gospel to people who are influenced by a uddhist or indu world iew. induism dates to around 2000 .C. uddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama, who was born in what is now Nepal around the fifth century .C. While there are differences, induism and uddhism share a number of beliefs.

For both religions, the heart of the human dilemma is a continual cycle of birth, death and rebirth called samsara. Driving this cycle is karma, a law of cause and effect.

Adherents of induism and uddhism seek to break free from the material world, which they belie e is a karma-induced illusion. ow to achie e such liberation and where that ultimately leads are points of divergence between the two religions.

Three ma or challenges will confront new workers who answer the Spirit’s call to go to uddhist or indu peoples.

The first challen e is a lac of ospel access. When trying to explain the critical need of gospel access for billions of people, the pushback I often get is perplexing.

One pastor I spoke with said, our neighbors are lost in angkok, and my neighbors are lost here in America. What’s the difference

Among those living in societies with little gospel access, an estimated 86% do not know a Christian personally. Whether a person is in angkok or Dallas, the condition of spiritual lostness is the same. What varies is the opportunity — the likelihood of meeting someone who can tell the gospel story in a culturally relevant way and lovingly invite listeners to follow Jesus.

When I talk with someone about esus in Thailand, I am often the first Christ follower he or she has encountered. After all these years, that reality still moves me.

This is precisely why we need to change our thinking when it comes to participation in God’s redempti e mission. Most church leaders and church members think about missions in terms of gi ing. More critical is our congregations sending those who are dearest to us — church members and family members — as long-term, career, cross-cultural workers, so they can become the first Christians someone meets.

What the apostle aul said in Romans 10 14 1 is still true today. That is, people cannot belie e in esus if they ha e not heard about im, and they cannot hear about im unless we send workers to proclaim the good news.

One AGWM couple has spent years li ing in a remote, mountainous indu region, tra eling dangerous roads and hiking to distant illages. Most people they meet ha e ne er known a Christian or heard a ible story.

This is typical of ministry in uddhist and indu nations. reaching the gospel to people who have no paradigm for such a message requires long-term commitment and daily reliance on the oly Spirit.

Preaching the gospel to people who have no paradigm for such a message requires long-term commitment — and daily reliance on the Holy Spirit.

The Church needs God’s heart and ision for the uddhist and indu peoples and a willingness to go and send as e directs.

The second challen e is one of world iew. The uddhist and indu worldiews are e tremely comple , which complicates the task of e plaining the gospel and making disciples.

During my early years in Thailand, I was constantly ha ing to go back to the drawing board and figure out how to e plain something from the ible in a way that would make sense to a uddhist.

For example, in Thai the most common word for sin is bpaap, which carries connotations of demerit, e il or wrongdoing. owe er, the idea of breaking relationship with God is not present. Bpaap is simply the negati e side of karma.

ears ago, I spoke with a Thai woman whose epileptic daughter had a sei ure, fell into a pool of water, and drowned. The woman attributed the tragedy to kamwen, a retributi e form of karma. She assumed her daughter’s death was the result of some evil she or her daughter had committed in a present or past life.

The most fundamental elements of the gospel God’s lo e, esus the Son, atonement, udgment, and eternal life in God’s presence are particularly dicult for uddhists and indus to comprehend. rom their perspecti e, the world is an illusion, all actions have consequences that play out over thousands of lifetimes, and liberation is an individual pursuit for which no help is available. uddhists and indus belie e they already ha e a kind of eternal life, and this is e actly what they are trying to escape. They need the oly Spirit to help them understand God’s truth.

The third challen e has to do with social arriers. As challenging as gospel communication is in the uddhist and indu worlds, the biggest barriers are social ones.

These highly organized religions also involve intricate social systems. Being uddhist or indu is not so much about what a person belie es as it is a way of life and a sense of personal, familial, and ethnic or national identity.

uddhist and indu people can belie e e erything or nothing. They can strictly follow religious precepts or transgress them all. They can visit temples and observe religious rituals and festivals or limit their participation to family births, weddings and deaths. In most cases, a person is not considered less of a uddhist or indu because of their beliefs and practices.

owe er, it is a different matter when someone decides to follow esus. To uddhists and indus, members of their communities who con ert to Christianity are leaving their ancestral ways, discarding their ethnic or national identities, becoming foreigners, and shaming their families.

This can lead to some tense situations. At a house group I worked with, members brought a newcomer who started manifesting demons. After we prayed to cast out the spirits from the young woman, she calmed down and talked with us.

The belie ers encouraged this woman to trust in esus and pray to im. They knew she would need Christ’s power to remain free from demonic influences.

When some members of the house group later went to visit this woman at her

The most fundamental elements of the gospel are particularly difficult for Buddhists and Hindus to comprehend.

home, the woman’s parents blocked the door. The parents said they would rather have their daughter demonized than living as a Christian.

The uddhist indu riority addresses such challenges by sending long-term workers to li e among people who ha e little access to the gospel so they can bear witness to esus. Sincerity cannot make up for a lack of training or commitment to remain in the community.

Workers must embark on a lifelong ourney that includes growth in spiritual formation, language skills, cultural competence, and biblical missiology.

Spirit-filled missionaries who prioriti e such essentials will be prepared to preach the gospel in these di cult places. E en more importantly, they will be able to help local Christians reach their uddhist and indu neighbors for esus.

Trained missionaries can also help local Christians find appropriate ways to remain connected to their families and societies while faithfully following Jesus.

ears ago, Western missionaries in uddhist and indu nations often encouraged converts to reject everything that had any connection to their birth religions. This led Christian communities to withdraw from society and use culturally insensiti e and ineffecti e e angelism methods.

We need cross-cultural workers who can come alongside local Christians, helping them develop healthy indigenous church movements.

What to Do

In Announcing the Kingdom, Art Glasser suggests the scope of esus’ missional mandate was the reason for the prayer meeting in Acts 1 1 . The reali ation that the ob was too big for one church network dro e the belie ers to prayer and fasting.

Significantly, the Spirit’s answer was sending forth people for the work to which e had called them.

The complexities of gospel access issues, worldview challenges, and social barriers in uddhist and indu worlds all speak to the need for highly trained, language and culturally competent, Spirit-filled, apostolic church planters.

We need cross-cultural workers who can come alongside local Christians, helping them develop healthy indigenous church movements.

These workers will come from churches that remain committed to the Great Commission. There are three ways to make your church a seedbed for producing new missionaries for the uddhist and indu worlds.

irst as the Spirit to i e con re ants a sense of hrist s compassion for the multitudes of uddhists and Hindus needin to hear the ospel atthew . A missions emphasis must start with spiritual brokenness before the Lord.

The uddhist indu riority seeks to raise up 0,000 intercessors across the United States as pastors lead their people to pray earnestly to the Lord of the ar est.

That prayer will lay the groundwork for reaching the financial goal of raising 1 million and the personnel goal of recruiting and training 1 0 new career workers.

Second pray and tal specifically a out the need for wor ers. ray personally and corporately that within the ne t fi e years your congregation will send at least one career missionary to join a church planting team in the uddhist or indu world.

Add to your prayers ad ocacy for the uddhist and indu worlds. Talk about this goal, preach about the need, and provide opportunities during services for people to respond to God’s call.

Address young people in youth and college groups, encouraging them to consider a career in missions and praying for the Lord to guide them according to is will.

In ite missionaries from the uddhist and indu worlds to speak during services and small group gatherings.

ray for spiritual breakthrough among uddhist and indu peoples. Ask God to speak to them through dreams and isions, signs and wonders, and di ine appointments with missionaries and local Christians. ray also that new believers will be bold in sharing their faith.

inally em race your church s role as a seed ed for the rowth of cross-cultural wor ers to unreached places. eople from your church can become part of the answer to prayers for new missionaries.

A heart for evangelism and discipleship often begins at home. Teach and encourage people to engage with non-Christians of all kinds. Start by prayer-walking neighborhoods, keeping lists of the names of people you meet and interceding for them.

Encourage church members to befriend uddhist and indu people wherever they encounter them.

Joe Gordon, a veteran missionary with experience in both the Buddhist and indu worlds, encourages Christians to in ite uddhists and indus into their homes and li es. e says sharing personal testimonies can lead to deeper spiritual conversations.

Although Americans are often hesitant to discuss faith with someone from a different religious background, uddhists and indus expect others to talk

Ask the Spirit to give congregants a sense of Christ’s compassion for the multitudes of Buddhists and Hindus needing to hear the gospel

(Matthew 9:36).

about their beliefs. In fact, uddhists and indus admire religious de otion. Gordon says, Start with, Look at how ama ing esus is.’

This is good advice for sharing Christian faith with anyone. Too often people start with differences, which uickly become con ersation closers.

Christians in uddhist and indu nations know that condemning idolatry outside of a relational connection will not only end a con ersation but make a relationship impossible.

This is why we teach our new missionaries to engage people naturally, not in a pushy or aggressi e way. We tell them to talk about esus early and often, letting others know we are esus people and ible people.

Ask the Spirit to guide you and your congregants toward effecti e on-ramps for spiritual con ersations. A willingness to learn and ask uestions is a great starting place.

As you build relationships with uddhist and indu people, talk about what esus has done for you and others. Offer to pray for them when they open up about problems or needs, and belie e God for signs and wonders to confirm the gospel.

If we do these things, I believe we will see people come to faith, our churches renewed, and new global workers called to uddhist and indu peoples.

The 1 0 new workers the uddhist indu riority seeks to recruit are ust the firstfruits of this initiati e. They will multiply as churches e perience fresh inspiration from the Spirit to take the gospel to those without access both near and far.

ALAN JOHNSON is a veteran AGWM missionary to Thailand. He serves as leader of the Missiological Resources team within the Partnership Development department.

We teach our new missionaries to engage people naturally, not in a pushy or aggressive way.

What We Believe About ...

ARTICLE 4

The Fall of Man

The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct (2 Timothy 3:15–17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21).

By ALLEN TENNISON

Before the word “gospel” appeared in the New Testament, the term was already in use throughout the Roman world. It signified the ictory of a new king whose reign ushered in a time of peace.

One famous archeological e ample of this is found in the riene Calendar Inscription, which calls Emperor Augustus both sa ior and god. A decade before the birth of esus, this monument celebrated the emperor’s birthday as the beginning of the good news gospel for the world.

The message of good news announced a change in the world. If the change was positi e, then what e isted before wasn’t. eople recei ed the news as good because they understood why the situation before this news was bad. Augustus ended a bloody conflict. Therefore, the Romans understood his reign as gospel.

When the New Testament authors used gospel to describe the message of esus, they were aware of the political o ertones. Emperors may bring peace for a time by killing their enemies, but esus offered eternal sal ation through is death and resurrection. esus’ ictory is good news for all people, in all places, for all time

or Christ’s message to be recei ed, people would need to understand why it is good news. From the beginning, Christians ha e declared that esus died on the cross to sa e people from their sins 1 eter 1 . owe er, we cannot assume e eryone is aware of the horror of sin or their need for a Sa ior because of it.

If people don’t see sin as the problem, they won’t appreciate the gospel as the solution. Without a sense of our helplessness in light of sin, the gospel won’t be recei ed for what it is. eople may respond to the gospel as an offer of the good things we can achie e on our own wealth, status, etc. rather than the promise of that which only God can gi e.

undamental Truth No. 4, The all of Man, lays out the bad news. It e plains humanity’s need for sal ation. This truth initially referred to the good news as well under the title Man, is all and Redemption. It was rewritten as The all of Man in 19 1. Man in both undamental Truths No. 4 and No. refers to humanity, following the rules of English grammar from another time.

The all of Man can be summari ed in three

points God created humanity without sin, humans choose to sin, and the conse uence of sin is separation from God.

npacking those points re uires a di e into the meaning of the all itself. Why is it called the all What was the nature of the first sin ow did that sin impact the rest of humanity What does it mean to be a human being created by God

God’s Good Creation

Article 4 offers the only line in the Statement of undamental Truths S T on the specific creation of humanity. The S T does not pro ide a detailed doctrine of creation. or more on that topic, see the AG position paper on the Doctrine of Creation. What the S T does emphasi e is the goodness of our creation in the image of God.

God did not make sinners. As the S T notes, God created humanity good and upright, according to is image Genesis 1 2 1 .

What does it mean for humanity to bear God’s image One popular iew highlights our intellectual and moral ualities, such as the ability to reason and e ercise free will.

Another theory focuses on our capacity for community, noting that when God created humanity in is image, e made them male and female Genesis 1 2 . ealthy relationships reflect the image of a relational God.

Still others argue humanity best reflects God in our calling to care for creation. We represent the authority of God as caregi ers for all life.

The Assemblies of God has not settled on one meaning for the image of God. owe er, we can say the following

1. Humanity reflects somethin that is also true of God. Our dignity and alue come from our creation in God’s image. At the same time, being in God’s image means we only re ect God, and are not meant to replace God. Attempts to put oursel es in place of God fail spectacularly in Scripture, beginning with the Fall.

to be human incarnationally, relationally, eschatologically, and ocationally.

esus came as the Logos of God in human flesh ohn 1 14 , taking on our full humanity. is death on our behalf both pro es God’s lo e for us and e emplifies our lo e for one another ohn 1 9 1 Romans Ephesians 2 1 ohn 4 10 .

Rising from the dead, esus re ealed God’s intended destiny for all humanity 1 Corinthians 1 20 21 . esus ascended to God’s right hand as the Lord o er hea en and earth Matthew 2 1 1 eter 22 . Whate er it means to be created in God’s image, esus fulfills it.

esus also e perienced temptation as we do. et e ne er sinned ebrews 4 1 .

If esus can be fully human without sin, then sin is not part of our human nature by God’s design. Sin is not a reflection of our humanity but a corruption of it, leading us away from the God we were created to reflect.

. eople remain in the ima e of God e en after the all. Genesis 9 and ames 9 maintain our ongoing alue as God’s image bearers, a status with implications for how we treat one another.

. Human identity as God s ima e oes hand in hand with our call to o ersee creation. At creation, God commissioned male and female to be fruitful and multiply so they could fill the earth and take charge of it Genesis 1 2 2 . Adam and E e had a specific calling to culti ate and protect God’s garden Genesis 2 1 .

. esus re eals the ima e of God as a human ein . esus demonstrates what it means

We do not sin because we are humans created in God’s image. We sin because we are fallen. ut what does this mean

Fallout From the Fall

It was during the first four centuries of the Church that the phrase the all emerged as a description of humanity’s earliest sin. esus used this language in Luke 10 1 to describe Satan’s e iction from hea en.

Some applied the language of the all to the Genesis narrati e from Adam to Noah, highlighting how damaged humans damaged creation Genesis ,11 12 . Most commonly, howe er, the all describes humanity’s e iction from the Garden of Eden.

Sin is not a reflection of our humanity but a corruption of it, leading us away from the God we were created to reflect.

Did we lose something more in the Fall than access to the Garden or some early Christians, the all was a loss of a state of human perfection, while others saw it only as a loss of innocence.

E e decided they could determine good and e il for themsel es. With that choice, they were already separating their will from God’s will.

After Adam and E e e perienced shame for the first time, they desired e en more of a separation from God. At the first opportunity to spend time with God, Adam and E e hid instead. y separating from their Creator and the Gi er of all life, Adam and E e turned away from life. Separation from God in ites death.

As the ne t chapters of Genesis illustrate, fallen humans filled the world with corruption and iolence Genesis 11 . When people re ect God’s authority, they damage their calling and ability to care for and culti ate all God created.

Many interpreted the all as a change in the created human orientation toward God. rom that time on, natural human inclination bent toward the things of this world rather than God.

The all could also represent the loss of God’s trust in the stewards of is creation. God intends people to care for creation in community as e ual bearers of is image. The all damaged our relationships with one another, creation, and God. Adam turned against E e when God confronted him Genesis 12 . Their work for creation, in both farming and family, became more laborious erses 1 19 .

There were multiple conse uences from the all, but none so significant as separation from God. y choosing to belie e the serpent o er God, Adam and

That death would be the result of sin illustrates the se erity of transgressing God’s commands. Sin affects our relationships with God, one another, and creation. We no longer desire and trust God as we should, and we no longer lo e and ser e one another or take responsibility for the rest of creation as we should. Sin mars the world God created. If sin is so horrible, why would anyone choose to sin

Nature of Sin

There has been some debate regarding the nature of the first sin Adam and E e committed. Candidates for that first sin include co eting they desired what should not belong to them , doubt or disbelief they trusted the serpent o er God , and pride they desired to be like God .

Others ha e argued the first transgression came from se eral temptations. or e ample, Millard Erickson compares Genesis to 1 ohn 2 1 the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride

When people reject God’s authority, they damage their calling and ability to care for and cultivate all God created.

of life . Erickson argues that the first act of disobedience arose from the desire to ha e the fruit was pleasing to the eye , the desire to do it was good for food , and the desire to be eating it was desirable for gaining wisdom what went against God’s command Genesis 2 1 . In other words, Adam and E e disobeyed for the same reasons we do.

One assumption in this centuries-long discussion was that identifying the first sin would pro ide insight into the nature of sin itself. The word sin is the English translation of numerous ebrew and Greek words in Scripture, with meanings that include missing the mark, per ersion, rebellion, lawlessness, transgression, in ustice, and ungodliness.

Sin may describe a moral failure, re olt against God, or a state of e il itself. It can refer to any behaior that fails to meet God’s standards, iolates is commands, or damages is creation. ecause sin always wrongs or fails God in some way, resol ing the problem necessitates is forgi eness.

Burdens, stains and debts are among the biblical metaphors for sin, and they shape our imagery regarding forgi eness. If sin is a weight one bears, then forgi eness is a lifting of that burden, sometimes by transferring it to another Le iticus 1 22 Isaiah 11 . Sin as a stain leads to a description of forgi eness as washing or cleansing Isaiah 1 1 eremiah 2 22 echariah 1 1 . The resolution for sin as a debt in ol es redemption, payment or cancellation salm 1 0 Matthew 12 1 21 Luke 41 4 Colossians 2 1 14 Titus 2 14 .

The impact of sin goes beyond indi iduals. Sin may also weigh down, stain, or infect institutions and cultures. Sinners may collecti ely tolerate and e en ustify a shared sin.

Throughout history, institutions, cultures, and nations ha e uietly assumed and openly embraced racism, iolence, se ual immorality, pride, and greed, building their institutions and practices around the in ustices that come with those e ils.

What is abhorrent to God may seem normal to those who cannot see past their cultural biases. As a result, to borrow a phrase from Cornelius lantinga r., what is not the way it’s supposed to be becomes ust the way it is. In such en ironments, participation in certain sins might seem as natural as breathing or as easy as flowing with the cultural current.

Li ing within a sinful culture is not a su cient e planation for the uni ersality of human sin, howe er, because sinful cultures come from sinful people. uman beings are seemingly born with an inclination or propensity to sin, something we sometimes call a sin nature. Why is this so

What is abhorrent to God may seem normal to those who cannot see past their cultural biases.

Original Sin

ow do we e plain the uni ersality of human sin without blaming God for creating flawed human beings On the one hand, if sin is a iolation of God’s will, how could God be responsible for creating sinners On the other hand, if God is not responsible, why is sin a ubi uitous human predicament

Not e eryone has agreed on the uni ersal nature of sin. The early Christian teacher elagius taught that any person could li e sinlessly. Church leaders re ected this iew. In response, they de eloped the doctrine of original sin to account for the uni ersality of human sin Romans 2 without laying that blame at the feet of God.

This doctrine e plains why and how the first human disobedience in Genesis impacted the rest of humanity. owe er, there are arious theories of original sin across Christian traditions.

These theories differ in how they describe the connection between our sinfulness and the first sin of Adam and E e, including the e tent of that link. There are arious interpretations of aul’s discourse on esus and Adam in Romans 12 21 which, along with Genesis , is a primary te t for understanding original sin.

Most recently, some Christians ha e argued that the story of the all is symbolic, not historical, proiding a picture of human failure. owe er, this does not e plain why all people sin. It also raises uestions about aul’s treatment of Adam as historical in Romans .

One iew associated with Eastern Orthodo y offered an en ironmental e planation for how the first sin damaged humanity, based on one way of translating Romans 12 death came to all people,

for which reason all sinned. The transgression of Adam and E e means humanity now li es in a world go erned by death. And since humans cannot ha e e erything they might want in one short life, they iolate moral boundaries somewhere. According to this iew, then, mortality leads to immorality.

Another Christian tradition e plained our corruption biologically. If Adam and E e were the parents of all humanity, then all human life was present at the first sin. The inclination to sin passed from Adam and E e to e ery child thereafter.

Some rotestants re ect the idea of a biological cause for moral corruption but argue that Adam and E e acted as representati es of humanity, which led to e ery person being born with a sin nature.

Additional debate within both rotestantism and Catholicism occurred o er the e tent of original sin. Did we inherit both guilt and corruption from Adam and E e, or ust a sinful inclination If we are guilty of sin from birth, we need God’s forgi eness from the womb. This concern accounts for the widespread practice of infant baptism among Catholics and some rotestants.

The Assemblies of God has traditionally followed an understanding of original sin that sees humanity’s fall in terms of uni ersal corruption understood in a representati e sense but re ects the idea of uni ersal guilt from birth. We do not bapti e infants, nor do we warn of damnation for anyone incapable of making moral choices.

The all of Man does not go into this kind of detail, howe er. undamental Truth No. 4 emphasi es human culpability for sin as a oluntary transgression and not the original intention of

God. The result of such transgression is not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God. This e plains why we need sal ation, setting the stage for a proclamation of good news.

Pastoral Practice

Much of pastoral leadership re ol es around e angelism, discipleship and worship. In e angelism, we confront sin. Through discipleship, we help people resist sin. And in worship, we celebrate God’s grace o er sin. If we want to lead people fully into that life of grace, we cannot ignore the topic of sin.

The gospel is not a self-help guide to li ing up to our self-image. It is God’s way of bringing us back to is calling as is image. eople need to know God will udge them according to is standards, not human measures.

One way to emphasi e this is by highlighting the common recognition that our world is not OK. Those who are not comfortable or familiar with the notion of sin still recogni e in ustice another biblical word we sometimes translate as sin . If we begin with the wrongs of the world people can see, we may help them recogni e the wrong in themsel es that calls for God’s grace.

While some church leaders ha e not taken sin seriously enough, others ha e gone to the opposite e treme, labeling everything sinful. This dilutes the horror of sin. E erything nonbelie ers do or en oy is not automatically a sin. God sends gifts to the righteous and unrighteous alike Matthew 4 .

reaching against sin is only half the ob. The reason we talk about the bad news is so we can e plain the good news of esus.

The testimony of the gospel is that where er sin increases, grace increases e en more Romans

In declaring the gospel, we may ha e to reintroduce people to the horror of sin. Some people belie e we sin only when we fail to li e up to our self-imposed standards. The mark we miss is the target we created for oursel es. In this iew, there is no uni ersal standard for right and wrong. Our gospel proclamation must address and correct this.

20 . We preach against sin so we can preach in fa or of grace. No preaching is complete without pointing to the forgi eness and life esus offers.

Worship becomes our opportunity to celebrate God’s grace as a community. The church understands sin and grace not only from sermons but also from songs, testimonies, prayers, ordinances and more. When we celebrate the gift of God in Christ, we are declaring God’s power o er sin and death.

Preaching against sin is only half the job. The reason we talk about the bad news is so we can explain the good news of Jesus.

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As pastors, we o ersee the gathering of belie ers. We can set the tone for that gathering as a celebration of what the gospel is all about. If our songs, testimonies, and other acti ities focus only on those things we could do for oursel es, our worship is less a celebration of the gospel and more a celebration of oursel es.

God has sa ed us from sin and death, and that is worth celebrating

We must create an atmosphere of acceptable ulnerability where people feel safe re ealing their struggles. Christians should ne er be embarrassed to admit to struggling with sin. After all, their fight is proof that they ha en’t gi en up.

Any church culture that encourages hiding behind a eneer of spirituality to feel accepted is an en ironment that is hostile to disciple making. Church should be a space where Christians can e perience freedom, rather than shame that causes them to conceal their weaknesses.

If Christians do not feel the liberty to admit their struggles in our congregations, how can we e pect sinners to freely repent of their sins God calls the Church to be a school for sinners and a family for the forgi en. It must not feel like a platform for the perfect.

Discipleship can in ol e a ariety of pastoral practices, including mentorship, e uipping and counseling. It also includes e angelism, which is the beginning of personal discipleship, and worship, the e pression of discipleship in community.

A lifelong process of discipleship helps belie ers de elop and mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ Ephesians 4 1 . This entails li ing a life free from the bondage of sin.

Disciples need to know ictory o er sin is possible. While we may ne er li e free of temptation, we can be free from a life of habitual sins transgressions a person returns to again and again. We can also be free from any desire to li e a double life hidden from others.

undamental Truth No. 4 is necessary for eplaining the gospel, but it is not enough without the message of the gospel. If our only message is the horror of sin, then all we ha e to offer is death.

Sin brings condemnation. ut as the apostle aul said, Thanks be to God, who deli ers me through esus Christ our Lord Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ esus Romans 2 1 .

ALLEN TENNISON, Ph.D., is a professor of theology and dean of the College of Church Leadership at North Central University in Minneapolis. He is chair of the AG Commission on Doctrines and Practices.

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Seek and Save

Reaching the lost — one city at a time

By JOHN W. KENNEDY

In early 2022 , Rob Ketterling, lead pastor of River Valley Church in Minneapolis, asked Assemblies of God General Treasurer Wilfredo “Choco” De Jesús what he would do with a $150,000 gift. De Jesús quickly responded that he would invest the money in e angeli ation efforts across four American cities.

Ketterling, who serves on the 21-member AG Executive Presbytery with De Jesús, came through with the money from his church. As a result, Seek and Save outreaches took place in Yuma, Arizona,

and Chicago during 2022. This past spring, two more followed in Detroit and Newark, New Jersey.

Named for Christ’s mission statement in Luke 19:10, Seek and Save involves local congregations partnering with AG districts. With additional funding from constituents, congregations, and a liates, the Seek and Save tour is spreading to seven cities and regions this summer and fall: St. Louis; Columbus, Ohio; Aurora, Colorado; Southern California; Memphis, Tennessee; Los Angeles; and Oklahoma City.

Another two cities — Tampa, Florida, and Charlotte, North Carolina — will be targeted early next year, with an additional 10 on the drawing board for 2024.

The collaborati e efforts bring hope to communities as AG churches and ministries, in conjunction with nongovernmental charities, provide spiritual and material help to under-resourced neighborhoods. The fi e-day campaigns in urban areas

mobilize church volunteers, Chi Alpha Campus Ministries team members, FREE International staff, outh Ali e student missionaries, and Con oy of Hope workers.

De Jesús believes the comprehensive ministry is especially necessary in metro areas. In recent decades, church planting and revitalization have tended to focus on growing suburbs instead.

“We think people are going to come to our church just because we’re in that community, but that’s not so,” De Jesús says. “So we need to go out like Jesus did and find those who are lost.

De Jesús is familiar with urban ministry. Before starting his national post in 2019, he spent 19 years

as senior pastor of New Life Covenant (AG) in Chicago. The megachurch regularly ministers to people in crisis, including the homeless, prostitutes, drug addicts, and victims of violence.

“America has drifted, and the answer to that drift is the Church of Jesus Christ,” De Jesús says. “We need to go out into the streets, be present, and pray for folks.”

De Jesús says he didn’t want to go to comfortable spots, but instead chose locales in desperate need of the gospel. At the Chicago Seek and Save last year, 68 congregations came together and more than 400 people accepted Christ as Savior.

One aim of each outreach is revitalizing an

America has drifted, and the answer to that drift is the Church of Jesus Christ.

— Choco De Jesús

existing church or planting a new one so ongoing ministry results.

Before an event, trained U.S. Missions prayer teams from Chi Alpha, Adult & Teen Challenge USA, and elsewhere mobilize for intercession. Pastors seek the cooperation and input of local o cials, including the police chief, mayor, and school principals.

“We must engage agencies that exist in the community and bring them together,” De Jesús says. “Collaboration is crucial for the local church to have some sort of meaning.”

Each Seek and Save experience starts on a Tuesday and goes through Friday, involving 50 teams of fi e indi iduals can assing neighborhoods, walking the streets, knocking on residential doors, connecting with business owners, and offering to pray with people.

Prayer team members ride metro buses and trains in an effort to engage residents. Missionaries with FREE International (an AG U.S. Missions organi ation combating human tra cking work with local law enforcement authorities. Youth Alive teams conduct assemblies in local schools.

The culmination of each outreach is a Saturday block party. This includes grocery distribution, inflatables for kids, li e music, a clear presentation of the gospel, and opportunities for visitors to receive prayer.

From his experience as a pastor in America’s third largest city, De Jesús knows a presentation of the gospel may not be effecti e without accompanying compassion. As an example, he recalls New Life Covenant helping a homeless family that lived under a bridge.

“They needed blankets, they needed something to eat, they needed clothes, they needed shoes,” De Jesús says. “For me to go in there with a bullhorn and start preaching is not what they needed at the time. The gospel and compassion work together.”

By ministering to physical needs, a church gains credibility in the community, according to De Jesús.

The first ispanic member of the AG’s E ecuti e Leadership Team, De Jesús says the Seek and Save

ministry makes a concerted effort to bring together Hispanic, Black and white churchgoers.

“We want to galvanize the churches of those particular cities, go out for one week, and throw the seed of the gospel — the seed of bringing hope and love to people,” De Jesús says.

Temple Rock Community Church (AG) in Newark served as the hub church for the Seek and Save outreach in New Jersey’s most populous city in June. Pastor Pablo Pizarro Jr. says the collaboration allowed the inner-city church to expand e isting efforts, including its food pantry and grocery distribution ministries.

A church of 500 regular attendees, Temple Rock partners with seven schools in Newark’s North Ward, providing everything from uniforms to drinking water for students. Thus, the church had access to those schools to conduct Youth Alive rallies with speakers during Seek and Save.

On-the-spot baptisms took place during the Saturday block party. Twenty individuals won free bicycles — which they picked up the following day during a Temple Rock service.

“We reached out to the marginalized, the lost, the disenfranchised, prostitutes, the hurting,” Pizarro says. “There will be lasting fruit from this. The Lord himself tells us the harvest is plentiful. The Assemblies of God helped turn the soil.”

Pizarro says national executives coming to the inner city to serve impressed him, as did De Jesús getting his hands dirty by driving a forklift.

De Jesús brought his bent for compassion from the pulpit to the AG national o ce. As general treasurer, he has spearheaded summits on human tra cking, foster care, and disaster relief that ha e spurred participants to join forces.

JOHN W. KENNEDY

is a freelance journalist. He recently retired from his position as editor of AG News in Springfield, Missouri.

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How to Preach

Proverbs

Wisdom for today’s world

By MEGHAN D. MUSY

People are constantly seeking life hacks and advice, turning to everything from newspaper columns and books to YouTube videos and TikTok accounts. What they really yearn for is wisdom.

Theologian James Crenshaw described the quest for wisdom as the reasoned search for specific ways to ensure personal well-being in everyday life, to make sense of extreme adversity and vexing anomalies, and to transmit this hard-earned knowledge so that successive generations will embody it.”

In short, we all just want to live well.

The Bible’s wisdom books — Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs — often crop up in personal devotions or small-group settings. Yet they are less likely than their narrative, epistle, and prophetic counterparts to be the features of sermon series.

The ook of ro erbs in particular offers practical and accessible wisdom the world needs. We should

be preaching it from our pulpits, but how can we do this well?

Good preaching begins with being a reverent and responsible reader. Proper hermeneutics is the foundation of faithful proclamation.

Context — in a historical-cultural and literary sense — is the most significant factor for reading any biblical passage well. So, the first step in preparing to preach from the Book of Proverbs is reading it in light of its context.

Following are some contextually appropriate ways to preach Proverbs.

Life Advice

Think about the original audience. Old Testament scholar John Walton often says, “The Bible isn’t to you, but it’s for you.”

In ancient Israel, scribal schools, homes, and royal courts were all settings for transmitting wisdom. The setting for most of Proverbs is the king’s household and administration. The Book of Proverbs contains life advice from a parent to child or monarch to heir.

So, preach Proverbs as wise counsel or reminders of what godly parents should have taught us.

Teachable Moments

Only Proverbs 10–29 are made up of proverbs. The rest of the book is discourse — instructions from father to son (Chapters 1–7), speeches from Woman Wisdom (Chapters 8–9), sayings of Agur (Chapter 30), sayings of King Lemuel (31:1–9), and the epilogue (31:10–31).

As these speeches demonstrate, ancient Israelites believed individuals can acquire and transmit wisdom through teaching. E perience is an effecti e teacher, but there is something better than learning

from your mistakes: learning from others’ mistakes and experiences.

The Hebrew word for “wisdom” (hokmah) can refer to artistry and craftsmanship (Exodus 31:2–5). Its adjectival form sometimes describes those with certain skill sets, such as the ability to grieve well (Jeremiah 9:17–18) or pilot a ship (Ezekiel 27:8).

Wisdom is not just knowing what to do or say. It is also knowing when and how to do or say it. Preach the discourses of Proverbs like a parent’s teachable moments, exhorting your church to pick up the skills of living well.

General Principles

Proverbs are pithy sayings that communicate basic truths or practical wisdom for life. In Preaching with Variety, effrey Arthurs calls them short sentences long remembered.” These maxims are not promises or guarantees. They are simply general principles.

Every culture has proverbs. Consider this Welsh proverb: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

The principle is good nutrition contributes to better health. Hearing this as a proverb, people don’t assume eating apples eliminates the need for medical care. That would ignore the genre of proverbs and misapply it.

Consuming fresh produce is generally a healthy habit. This is not a wellness guarantee but a guiding principle.

The same idea applies to biblical proverbs. They are part of the inspired Word of God, and God chose to communicate through these writings. At the same time, sound hermeneutics takes into account the genre.

For example, Proverbs 22:6 says, “Start children off on the way they should go, and e en when they are old they will not turn from it.” It would be inappropriate to preach this proverb as a guarantee that no child receiving good discipleship will ever stray from God. (If that were the case, the people of Israel would not have gone into exile. Every individual in each generation has free will.)

Instead, preach this text as an exhortation to the Church to invest in younger generations. It is

Wisdom is not just knowing what to do or say. It is also knowing when and how to do or say it.

more likely children will remain faithful to God as adults if they receive the right training.

Proverbs are intended to provide guidance and instill good values. People can make all the right choices in life and still experience bad things, such as an illness or loss.

The Book of Proverbs teaches that when it is up to you, do the right thing: work hard, engage in good business practices, choose a life partner who makes you a better person, and invest in your children. There are many things in life we don’t understand and can’t control, but we can still make wise choices.

As Don Cox, an Assemblies of God minister in the Potomac Ministry Network, says, “You can’t let the things you don’t understand keep you from doing the things you do understand.”

Universal Truths

Preaching Proverbs should not be an occasion for making sexist or stereotyped jokes.

The Book of Proverbs exhorts everyone to neither be foolish and wicked nor partner with those who are.

Proverbs does not diminish women, and neither should we. Translate the gendered language of Proverbs to apply to everyone in the congregation.

My mother was teaching a Girls Ministries lesson about the Ten Commandments to a group of

first- and second-graders when one of the girls asked about the meaning of the word “adultery.”

Mom responded, “Not committing adultery means you can’t have a husband and a boyfriend.”

All the girls seemed satisfied with that answer. Of course, the prohibition against adultery also applies to men. But knowing her audience was a group of young girls, my mother used gendered language.

In the same way, the Book of Proverbs uses gendered language because the original audience was predominately male. It was not written to us, but it is for us — men and women alike.

When preaching from Proverbs, remember God calls all people to wisdom. The advice to a son is useful for daughters as well. A critical husband is just as problematic as a quarrelsome wife (Proverbs 21:9). And why not preach Proverbs 31 sometime other than Mother’s Day, making it applicable to everyone?

Spiritual Guidance

Arthurs says, “Proverbs are not prescriptions for the American dream. They are prescriptions for how to live skillfully in a world created by the sovereign, generous, and fearsome Master.”

While the ook of ro erbs offers instruction on how to live life well, its goal is not winning at life — at least not by worldly standards.

The instruction of Proverbs is an exhortation to live well in light of the knowledge of and in relationship with the Lord. It is about spiritual formation that impacts even the menial parts of daily living.

The Book of Proverbs is all about living in the presence of God. And that’s a great starting point for any sermon.

MEGHAN D. MUSY, Ph.D., is associate professor of Old Testament at Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri, Girls Ministries director for the Assemblies of God Potomac Ministry Network, and an ordained AG minister.

The Book of Proverbs teaches that when it is up to you, do the right thing: work hard, engage in good business practices, choose a life partner who makes you a better person, and invest in your children.

Polished, Produced … and Pentecostal?

How technology can help — and hinder — worship

By KRISTI NORTHUP

Ask any worship leader about his or her biggest struggle, and the answer will likely ha e something to do with finding the right people for the platform.

These leaders are constantly looking for singers and musicians with the skill, energy, and

dependability to make a worship set come alive. Some churches pay worship leaders and musicians, but most still depend largely on volunteers. Assembling a worship team, training people, and filling acancies without missing a beat can be challenging.

Filling the Gaps

About 10 years ago, a trend emerged that is changing this dynamic.

Perhaps you’ve attended a worship service and thought, That sounded amazing! How did they pull it o with such a small group of people? Chances are that team was using some form of multitracks.

Musical tracks are nothing new. When I was growing up during the 1980s, it seemed every church ser ice featured an offertory solo, performed to a cassette soundtrack. But worship music has come a long way since that time.

Multitrack technology allows church musicians to purchase the stems — the original recordings of separate instrumentation. Running these through a MacBook or iPad, worship leaders can select the parts they need.

If a band is missing an electric guitar, for example, it can add the guitar track. When there are no singers for the background vocals, bringing those harmonies into the li e mi fills the gap. This creates the illusion of a full band, and most congregants will ne er know the difference.

The use of multitracks has revolutionized worship in churches of all sizes. In smaller settings, the technology makes it possible for worship teams to add layers of sound without finding multiple guitarists or keyboardists.

It has also taken the guesswork out of where to go next, keeping musicians on track. In-ear monitors allow band members to hear the rhythm and the upcoming changes with prompts such as, “One, two, three, four. One, two, three, chorus!”

In larger churches, multitracks have elevated

production quality to a whole new level. Musicians can use existing stems or create their own tracks and loops. It takes some technical ability, but the basic skills are easy to learn.

There are a variety of platforms. Among the most popular for church use are Ableton, MultiTracks, and Loop.

The advantages of this technology are obvious. Multitracks solve an immediate problem: the lack of skilled people who are willing to work long hours for free or nearly free. Pastors can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing the drummer who doesn’t always show up on time can no longer derail the entire song service.

These tools can also help musicians improve their skills. There are companion video tutorials and integrated chord charts, as well as click tracks for helping everyone stay on tempo.

Technical Di culties

Despite these benefits, there are some potential drawbacks. While I appreciate the new world that has opened up to me as a worship leader, I sometimes wonder whether we are becoming too dependent on technology.

Necessity is the mother of invention. Yet it’s possible to rush into things that only seem necessary.

The most obvious impediment is the cost. Churches have to buy or rent stems and acquire the e uipment to run them. And in some settings, finding people who can navigate the technology may be challenging.

There are deeper considerations as well. It can be easier to deal with a computer than a young bassist who isn’t as good as he thinks he is. But if we don’t

Technology itself is neither good nor bad. It’s just a matter of finding what works without sacrificing the things that are most important.

disciple and invest in people, how will we raise up worshippers and skilled musicians?

Developing a worship team requires leadership and relationships. Although video tutorials are helpful for learning a specific riff, such tools can’t take the place of actual mentoring.

People are messy. Yet there’s nothing I love more than seeing high school and college students playing in the band next to moms and grandpas, or people from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds harmonizing together.

about the dying art of Pentecostal worship. I know it’s technically possible to modify a track in real time. But the noise in my head sometimes keeps me from entering that spontaneous and responsive space between the presence of God and the people in the room.

Where the whisper of the prophetic once flowed so freely, now it seems easier to stick to the form.

The longer I lead worship, the harder it is to untether from the plan and let God take the lead. I recognize the well-worn path of production quality can become a hindrance to worship. The recording shouting in my ear, telling me where to go next, threatens to drown out the Spirit’s voice.

We can use multitracks and still have dynamic and diverse worship teams. In fact, technology should make it easier to bring people together. As in other areas of society, however, automation can reduce our need for one another.

Technology itself is neither good nor bad. It’s just a matter of finding what works without sacrificing the things that are most important.

Recently, I discovered online training that teaches music fundamentals specific for worship. With short lessons in bass, guitar, keys, vocals and sound, our entire team is learning and improving for less than it costs one student to take traditional lessons.

This technology is meeting a need for our church, but it is not a panacea. I still need to lead and pastor my team.

I want to see singers and musicians growing, learning, and creating for their Creator through technology in ways I never imagined. Most of all, my desire is that they will experience the thrill of glorifying God with their music and lives and inspiring others to do the same.

Pressing Pause

All of this requires training and guidance, as well as sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.

From a spiritual perspective, I have real concerns

I find the use of multitracks greatly beneficial on balance. But as I have learned with my smartphone and other electronic devices, boundaries are important. To make the most of technology, I need to harness its potential rather than letting it hamper mine.

The pursuit of honoring God — not adhering to a music track — should drive my church’s worship. There is nothing I love more than making music to the Lord with His people. But for that to happen, sometimes I need to pull out my in-ear monitor and simply be in the moment.

If you haven’t done that in a while, try it. Listen to the congregation singing. Lean into the spontaneous flow of altar time or uiet, contemplati e worship. Offer up a simple song of praise with your team around an acoustic guitar.

Step out of production mode. You might be surprised by what you hear.

KRISTI NORTHUP is executive pastor and worship leader at Saints Community Church (AG) in New Orleans. She is director of CMN Women.

The well-worn path of production quality can become a hindrance to worship.

"Dr. Keisha B's passion for spreading the gospel outside the church walls, her genuine compassion and interest in others, her hands-on approach to ministry and her strategic leadership skills make her an invaluable asset to any organization."

Pastors Ronald & Frances Thompson

Telling the Greatest Story

Bible lessons that capture kids’ attention and hearts

By JULIE PRATT

The Bible is the greatest story ever written and the most thrilling adventure ever told. Yet all too often in children’s ministry, kids groan with boredom when it’s time for the Bible lesson.

It doesn’t have to be that way. As children’s leaders, we can share God’s truth in such a compelling manner that kids hang on every word. And while we have their attention, we can help children see their part in the divine narrative.

Interacting with Scripture is critical for the spiritual growth of young people. In fact, reading the Bible during childhood is the biggest predictor of whether a person will practice Christianity as a young adult, according to a 2017 study by Lifeway Research.

Lifeway found those who read the Bible growing up demonstrated greater overall spiritual health during their early adult years (aged 18–30) than those who did not read Scripture. The most spiritually healthy young adults identified as Christians and practiced such disciplines as regular Bible reading, evangelism, church involvement, serving, and supporting missions.

A lifetime of Bible engagement starts with developing a love for God’s Word. Even before kids become readers, they can begin learning the truths of Scripture through storytelling.

One of the simplest ways to make Bible storytelling more effecti e is by remembering the word SOAR. This acronym stands for sounds, objects,

actions and repetition. Each time I plan a Bible lesson, I try to include all four elements in my story presentation.

Sounds

Interesting auditory experiences aid kids in retaining information.

Consider singing a song or playing a video each week to mark the beginning of Bible story time.

Also find creati e ways to work sounds into the stories. Often, there are some obvious places to do this.

If animals play a role in a story, kids can imitate the vocalizations those creatures make, from the monkeys and elephants aboard Noah’s ark to the cattle and sheep at the nativity.

Make a trumpet noise and lead children in a shout while telling the story of the battle at ericho. Mimic the shu ing sound of feet as you talk about the boy Samuel running to Eli during the night.

Have kids recreate the noise of the storm Jesus calmed. Or invite them to snore as they learn about the disciples sleeping in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Try incorporating audio sound effects as well. A musical cue can highlight key words or phrases, such as, “God can do anything!”

Game show sounds, such as a chime or bell for correct answers, adds to the fun when posing questions.

Objects

Introduce objects that will help children visualize the Bible story. This can include props, puppets and even costumes.

Bring to class an item that appears in the Bible lesson, such as a staff, fishing net, or pitcher of water.

Use a surprise bag to tell the story, pulling out objects for kids to see, smell or touch as the narrative unfolds. Children will pay close attention, wondering what will come out of the bag next.

During the application portion of the lesson, a simple object lesson can make it easier for kids to

understand di cult concepts. or e ample, swapping out a dirty, crumpled piece of paper for a clean, new one could illustrate the fresh start esus offers.

Actions

Kids love moving, and there is no shortage of action in the Bible. Include movement to pique the interest of young listeners and encourage their active participation.

Choose action words — such as run, climb, leap and splash — combining them with motions.

Use dramatic gestures and expressions during storytelling. And give kids an opportunity to respond.

Imitate the swinging of David’s sling. Sway back and forth to show how the storm rocked Jonah’s boat. retend to pass out bread and fish to a hungry crowd like Jesus and His disciples did. Have kids reenact the healing of the lame man in Acts 3 by walking, jumping and praising God.

When inviting kids to engage in movement or dramatic actions, create an atmosphere that is safe and fun. Encourage participation, but don’t force it. Clearly explain when kids should join in, what they should do, and when they should stop.

You might say, “I’m going to tell a story about Daniel and some lions. Whenever I put on my hat, you’ll start acting like lions. ut when I take it off, you’ll stop. Let’s practice.”

Repetition

Repetition is an important learning aid, especially during early childhood and elementary school

One of the simplest ways to make Bible storytelling more effective is by remembering the word SOAR. This acronym stands for sounds, objects, actions and repetition.

years. Hearing the same information over and over increases kids’ retention and boosts their confidence.

The more they hear about God’s love and forgiveness, the more likely children will be to receive it and even talk about it with others.

In addition, repetition can establish a storytelling routine. A verbal cue at a certain point in every story helps kids anticipate what comes next.

For example, to signal the application portion of a lesson each week, you might say, “Everything we read in the Bible has something to do with you and me and our everyday lives. So, what does this story have to do with you and me?”

Capitalize on repetition that naturally occurs within a story, and have kids say key words or phrases out loud. An example from the creation account is, “God saw that it was good!” For young children who can’t remember that many words, start the phrase and ha e them fill in the word good.

Look for repetition within a series of events. For instance, in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, three individuals encounter the injured man on the road. Each time someone approaches in the story,

invite the children to join you in saying, “Please help!”

Craft rhyming phrases that are easy to repeat. When I tell the story of Paul, I often say something like, “Let’s talk about Paul, who used to be Saul, who did not like Christians at all, until God changed his ways.”

Storytelling is more than just entertainment. Children learn through stories. So make the most of every opportunity to instill in them the truths of Scripture.

There are many ways to teach kids the stories in the Bible. The best storytellers combine careful and thoughtful preparation with a warm sense of spontaneity. Don’t worry about having everything perfectly scripted. Learn to improvise and interact with children as you go.

Keep your young listeners in mind as you prepare. Consider their ages and developmental stages, and choose words and illustrations that will be understandable, relatable, and memorable for them.

Use your unique gifts to communicate the story as only you can. Tell it from your heart, smile, and have fun.

Value this time of connection. After all, if you don’t enjoy it, the kids probably won’t either.

Ask the Holy Spirit to work through you to help kids fall in love with the greatest story and the greatest Storyteller of all.

JULIE PRATT

is director of discipleship for Assemblies of God Children’s Ministries in Springfield, Missouri.

Storytelling is more than just entertainment. Children learn through stories. So make the most of every opportunity to instill in them the truths of Scripture.

Bible-Engaged Teens

Connecting students to God’s truth

By AUSTIN WESTLAKE

For more than 25 years, John Fitzpatrick served as executive director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York. Although his primary passion was the study and conservation of birds, Fitzpatrick also enjoyed golf.

While watching the 2000 PGA Championship on television, Fitzpatrick noticed something strange — not about the tournament itself, but about the bird songs in the background.

Fitzpatrick recognized the distinctive call of the white-throated sparrow. He also knew this bird’s

range was nowhere near Louisville, Kentucky, where the tournament was taking place.

A perplexed Fitzpatrick contacted producers at CBS, who admitted the chirping came from a recording they added to the program’s audio. The embarrassing incident prompted networks to abandon the practice of enhancing golf broadcasts with canned nature sounds.

How did Fitzpatrick recognize this media sleight of hand? In short, he knew his birds. Fitzpatrick spotted the lie because he understood the truth.

Biblical Lens

In a world of confusing and often deceptive messages, young people need the foundation of Scripture. As youth leaders, we want students to become so familiar with God’s truth they will recognize the world’s lies. This requires intentional discipleship.

According to the apostle Paul, when Christians grow “in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature,” they will no longer be taken in by “deceitful scheming” (Ephesians 4:13–14). For that to happen, believers need church leaders investing in their lives, equipping them, and building them up in the faith (verses 11–12).

This text is both exciting and challenging. We are eager to see students become Bible engaged and mature in their faith. But we also know what we’re up against.

American Bible Society’s 2023 State of the Bible Report revealed that Generation Z adults were less likely than older generations to interact with Scripture. Just 30% of Gen Z members (aged 18–25 at the time of the survey) reported reading the Bible at least three times during the past year, compared to 33% of millennials (26–41) and 48% of the oldest respondents (77 and older).

Leading the Way

To develop long-term habits of reading Scripture and applying the truths of God’s Word, young people need role models who are actively demonstrating these things.

During my childhood, I often heard my grandfather, George Westlake, tell the congregation he

pastored, “As your children get older, they will not do as you say. They will do as you do.”

In other words, people need more than just a mandate. They need a template. Whether we’re leading a youth group or parenting our children, who we are will ultimately make a bigger impression than what we say.

As leaders, we must prioritize daily time in God’s Word and talk with teens about the difference it makes in our lives.

Five Steps

While leading by example, help students take specific steps toward greater ible engagement. I always emphasi e the following fi e principles

1. Choose a time and place. One of the keys to building a habit is consistency. This applies to spiritual disciplines as well.

Encourage students to block out time in their daily schedules for prayer and Bible reading. They should find a uiet place for regularly meeting with God and studying His Word.

2. Take notes. Teenagers hear and read countless messages every day — from social media, texts, conversations, advertisements, classroom lectures, and more. Amid this information overload, it can be di cult to remember anything for long.

Hand out blank journals, and challenge students to ot down some notes or reflections on each day’s reading. Recording what they notice God saying through His Word will make it easier to recall and review the insights gleaned.

Follow up by providing opportunities for students to discuss what they’re reading and ask questions.

3. Set boundaries. Some say constant distractions are simply a reality of modern living. It is often true — but only when we allow it to be.

Ask students what keeps them from focusing on Bible reading, and brainstorm steps they could take to minimize those distractions.

Silencing phones during their devotional time — or, better yet, leaving them in another room — is an ob ious e ample. Turning off the tele ision and turning on worship music is another.

In a world of confusing and often deceptive messages, young people need the foundation of Scripture.

4. Involve others. As students establish devotional habits, encourage them to hold one another accountable for sticking to their commitments.

We all need someone to walk with us on our faith journey. Remind students to seek the support of Christian friends.

5. Go to Scripture first. When believers face difficult situations or tough decisions, their first source of wisdom and inspiration should be the Bible.

Going to a search engine or social media app might be the initial impulse of many young people. ut as they practice turning first to prayer and the unchanging truths of Scripture, they will learn to rely on the Lord’s guidance in all things.

Explain to students that God promises to provide wisdom to those who seek it (James 1:5).

Walking in Community

The goal of youth ministry is helping students become lifelong learners and followers of Jesus. Leaders want young people to develop great devotional habits, but we also long to see God’s truth shaping their everyday lives.

Discipling teens within the context of godly community is the best way to set them up for longterm spiritual growth. In a longitudinal study of Assemblies of God students, Ste e ulis identified involvement in Bible-centered small groups as a top predictor of continued faith after high school.

Beyond youth activities, we also need to encourage students to engage with the larger congregation.

Scripture highlights the importance of participation in a local body of believers.

Hebrews 10:24–25 says, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

My 6-year-old son, Jude, loves to explore new places. Jude gets so excited at times he outpaces the rest of the family. During a recent vacation, my wife and I constantly reminded Jude to slow down and wait for us. Sometimes Jude would stop on his own and look back at us, realizing he didn’t know where he was going.

Despite his enthusiasm, our son doesn’t yet know how to navigate the world safely and successfully. He still needs care and guidance.

Jude is beginning to recognize he can go faster alone but further when we are together. This is how community works, especially when it comes to next generation discipleship.

Youth leaders have the privilege of walking with students as they take their first steps in a lifelong journey of faith. We must not fail to engage them in Scripture and integrate them into the life of the Church.

As young people learn to recognize the lies of the world, cling to the truths of Scripture, and walk out their faith in Christian community, they will grow into the mature men and women God wants them to be.

WESTLAKE is director of student discipleship for Assemblies of God Youth Ministries in Springfield, Missouri.

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Mind the Gap

whole-life discipleship

It’s a familiar phrase in the United Kingdom, warning rail passengers to watch their step when moving between trains and

Perhaps we should post a similar message near our church exits. After all, pastors often lament the disconnect between what churchgoers say they believe and how they live at home and in the

What’s the solution? In a word, discipleship. I’m not talking about another church program. Discipleship is a holistic process of becoming more like Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is what Jesus had in mind when He told His followers to “make disciples,” “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew

It’s what the apostle Paul envisioned when he said God’s grace “teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (Titus

Biblical discipleship touches every aspect of human life, with the evidence of the Spirit’s transforming work following Christians wherever they go filling the gaps between Sunday profession

To set this process in motion, we must address fi e dimensions of whole-life discipleship.

Discipleship starts with spiritual formation. The foundational dimension of Christianity is loving God completely, in response to His great love

for us (Matthew 22:37–40; John 13:34–35; 1 John 3:16; 4:7–10).

This is the motivation for spiritual disciplines, including prayer, listening to God’s voice, practicing solitude, church participation, biblical living, and sharing the gospel.

A pastor I know in California sought God’s wisdom for teaching basic spiritual disciplines to a congregation of busy professionals. He sensed the Spirit leading them to start with a few minutes at a time throughout each day.

The pastor asked several busy lay leaders to join him for several weeks. He trained them to memorize Bible verses and meditate on them. The pastor reminded them to quiet their hearts before God during stressful times at work. He taught them to practice forgiveness and grace.

Despite intense schedules, the results were encouraging. There were enthusiastic testimonies of greater spiritual, emotional, and relational health.

The second discipleship dimension is personal wholeness, or emotional maturity.

Outcomes include a positive self-image based on identity in Christ (Romans 8:15–17; 2 Corinthians 5:17); hope for the future (Romans 8:18–39; 1 Peter 1:3–4); self-discipline (Galatians 5:22–23; 2 Peter 1:4–9); an ability to manage negative emotions (Psalm 37:1–11; Ephesians 4:31; James 1:19–20); a clear conscience (Romans 5:1–11; Hebrews 9:14; 1 John 1:9; 2:1–2); and generosity (2 Corinthians 9:6).

In The Emotionally Healthy Leader, Peter Scazzero points out there is no biblical distinction between spiritual and emotional maturity.

Of course, mental health struggles can hinder an individual’s progression toward personal wholeness. Most pastors lack the training and resources to care for these needs. Therefore, I recommend developing a referral list of Christian counselors, doctors, and other professionals.

I made many referrals during my years as a pastor. As a result, I saw marriages restored, people overcoming addictions, and individuals working

through trauma. Several believers also listened to their doctors and changed their diet and exercise habits.

Attentive church leaders, a loving community of faith, and skilled Christian professionals are valuable partners in the discipleship process.

The third dimension is healthy relationships, or neighbor love. This includes interaction within families, church communities, neighborhoods, workplaces, and online spaces.

In the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37), Jesus taught that Christian love extends to people groups outside our own — even to those we might otherwise think of as enemies.

The apostle John warned believers not to separate God’s love from the command to love others (1 John 2:3–11). The love described here is agape lo e selflessly desiring the best for one another.

Agape love sent Jesus into the world (John 3:16–1 . It was the reason e willingly suffered and died for us on the cross (Mark 10:45).

This relational dimension of discipleship focuses on outcomes such as forgiveness (Matthew 6:12,14; Colossians 3:13); hospitality (Hebrews 13:2; 1 Peter 4:9); unity within marriages (1 Peter 3:7); biblical attitudes toward sexuality (1 Corinthians 6:18–20; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–8); and sensitivity to the marginalized (Luke 7:36–50).

In a self-centered world, churches should be communities of grace and truth, pointing people to hope and redemption through Christ.

The fourth area of concern is vocational

Attentive church leaders, a loving community of faith, and skilled Christian professionals are valuable partners in the discipleship process.

clarity. The word “vocation” comes from the Latin vocare, meaning “calling.” This is about more than where a person works. God calls all believers to honor, obey, and worship Him, and to share His truth with others.

Believers also have particular callings, talents, fields of ser ice, and spiritual gifts Romans 12 4 8; Ephesians 2:10). Professions and workplaces are aspects of vocational clarity, but disciples should also understand that any labor can be Kingdom work.

Ministers can help congregants discover their spiritual gifts and talents and find ways to use them inside and outside the Church. As people mature, the Lord will reveal the spaces He is calling them to influence.

Other practical outcomes include the formation of mentoring relationships (2 Timothy 2:2); teamwork and unity (1 Corinthians 12:12–31); and a desire to seek the common good (Matthew 5:16; 1 Timothy 2:1–4).

The fifth dimension is daily participation in the world of economics and work. Work encompasses all meaningful and moral activity apart from leisure or rest. It includes paid and unpaid labor, leading and reporting to a leader, and home and professional life. It involves what we do for pay and how we participate in local and global economies.

Johan Mostert suggests that when Christians pray, “Give us today our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11), they are praying for a good economy. Yes, God can send manna and multiply bread and fish, but His blessings of food, clothing, and shelter usually come through our work and the work of others.

Outcomes in this dimension include workplace ethics (2 Thessalonians 3:11–12; Colossians 3:17,23–24); creativity and innovation (Exodus 31:1–11; Psalm 78:72); and care for the environment (Genesis 2:15).

Jesus is not just saving souls. He is redeeming whole persons — body, mind, and spirit. Discipleship is for every part of life.

Closing Gaps

With a fresh vision of whole-life discipleship in view, there are three questions to consider.

1. How can our church reflect a whole-life perspective in all communication — from mission and vision statements to preaching?

Think about how the church’s mission statements apply to an average congregant’s life on a Tuesday afternoon.

“Glorifying God,” for example, isn’t just for the worship ser ice. It can also in ol e offering daily work as worship. “Growing together” is something that can take place in small groups, but it can also happen in marriages.

2. What can we do to highlight whole-life discipleship across all our ministries? Every age and stage should have a holistic focus.

A children’s and family life pastor in one church reframed the fi e dimensions as a rmations e en elementary-age kids could understand: “I feel close to Jesus” (spiritual formation). “I like me” (personal wholeness). “I am getting along with family and friends” (healthy relationships). “I know what I am good at” (vocational clarity). “I am doing my chores and schoolwork for Jesus” (work).

It would be great if all the adults in our churches could say those things!

3. How well are we preparing congregants for Monday? This starts with treating daily work as inherently good and a way to serve God.

Whole-life discipleship closes the sacred-secular divide — and the Sunday-Monday gap — as people begin to see everything they do as worship and a vital part of the Church’s witness.

CHARLIE SELF, Ph.D., is visiting professor of church history at the Assemblies of God

Theological Seminary in Springfield, Missouri, an ordained Assemblies of God minister, and co-author with Johan Mostert and Jamé Bolds of Life in 5D: A New Vision of Discipleship.

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A 10 -Week Study For Leadership Teams

What Is Make It Count?

Make It Count is a leadership development resource for use indi vidually or with staff, volunteers, or board members.

Each installment is also available online as a downloadable PDF, along with interactive pages for group member use. The underlined words and phrases in the following text correspond to fill-in-theblank sections on team member pages. Access these free resources at influence magazine. com/Downloads.

These lessons are writ ten by STEPHEN BLANDINO , lead pastor of 7 City Church in Fort Worth, Texas, and the author of several books.

Becoming a Spirit-Led Visionary

By STEPHEN BLANDINO

Visionary leaders move things forward. They have the ability to see possibility, cast inspiring vision, and mobilize people to pursue the ision. ut there’s a difference between isionary leaders and Spirit-led visionaries.

Spirit-led visionaries aren’t simply chasing a vision. They listen first to the voice of the Spirit, and then they allow the Spirit to birth His vision for the future.

This installment of Make It Count examines 10 qualities Spirit-led visionaries cultivate. As you envision the future, lead team members toward it, and walk in step with God, consider how you are doing in each of the following roles:

1. Spirit-Led Leader. Spirit-led visionaries are more concerned about being Spirit-led than vision-led. This posture keeps them from imposing

personal preferences, past traditions, or human visions onto the future of the church.

2. Faith-Filled Thinker. Spirit-led visionaries believe God is able to do immeasurably more than they can ask or imagine. Like the faith-filled leaders of Hebrews 11, their mindset is predisposed toward faith rather than fear, and abundance rather than scarcity.

3. Growth-Focused Learner. Spirit-led visionaries have a lifelong learning posture. They possess a growth mindset, embrace growth systems, and exhibit a willingness to make changes so the Church can fulfill its redempti e potential in the world.

4. Future-Oriented Architect. In addition to celebrating what God has done in the past, Spirit-led visionaries look ahead to what God wants to do next. Rather than simply repeating the past, they become architects of the future.

5. Careful Vision Creator. Unclear visions only create confusion and frustration. After dreaming of the possibilities, Spirit-led visionaries translate those dreams into something specific, measurable, inspirational, and timebound that people can understand.

6. Inspiring Vision Caster. God-inspired dreams are usually bigger than the talent and resources of a single individual. That’s why Spirit-led visionaries master the art of vision casting to inspire people toward a better and brighter future.

7. Practical Strategic Planner. Spirit-led visionaries recognize every vision requires a plan, people, provision and way to measure progress. They’re daring dreamers, as well as practical planners.

8. Courageous Risk Taker. Some Spirit-led visionaries are adventurous, while others are cautious. Either way, they have the courage to step into the unknown and boldly pursue God’s vision for the future.

9. Innovative Problem Solver. Every leader faces opposition. Spirit-led visionaries are innovative and creative, always looking to enlarge their growth inputs and engage their teams to solve tough problems.

10. Resilient Hard Worker. Leaders often encounter setbacks that cause their visions to stall or even retreat a few steps. Spirit-led visionaries cultivate Spirit-inspired grit so they can persevere to the end and see God’s vision fully realized.

As you read and discuss each lesson, cultivate the qualities to help you become a Spirit-led visionary who leads the church toward the future God has prepared.

BECOMING A SPIRIT-LED VISIONARY Spirit-Led Leader Assess

What kind of qualities does a Spirit-led leader exhibit?

Insights and Ideas

Visionaries help make the world a better place. They envision possibilities and picture a preferred future. But the greatest visionaries don’t rest solely on their bold ideas or intuitive sense about the future. They are Spirit-led.

Spirit-led leaders don’t view the Holy Spirit as an addition to their leadership but the Source of everything they do. They operate from a posture of dependence on the Spirit’s leadership. Consider the following distinguishing characteristics:

1. Filled with the Spirit. The Early Church arose from a prayer meeting as the first leaders e perienced the baptism in the oly Spirit. Acts 2 4 says, All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

Later, the apostle aul told Christians in Ephesus to be filled with the Spirit or, as the International Standard Version puts it, to keep on being filled with the Spirit Ephesians

1 . The infilling of the Spirit was meant to be an ongoing part of the belie er’s life.

2. Shaped by the Spirit. To be shaped by the Spirit is to model His fruit. Spirit-led leadership demonstrates love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control Galatians 22 2 . These ualities de elop as leaders cooperate with the Spirit’s life-shaping process.

. Gifted by the Spirit. The ible teaches there are different spiritual gifts within the Church. Some believers have a gift of healing, teaching, administration, or showing mercy. Others have a gift of discernment, encouraging, giving, prophecy, or wisdom. Still others have the gift of leadership Romans 12 . Leaders use their Spirit-endowed gifts not only to ser e the body of Christ but also to fulfill Spirit-inspired ision.

4. Submitted to the Spirit. Spirit-led leaders understand it’s not enough to be filled, shaped and gifted by the Holy Spirit. They recognize a constant need to walk in step with the Spirit. Daily reliance on the Holy Spirit is what keeps leaders from imposing personal preferences and human visions. A posture of submission creates the environment for the Spirit to birth His vision for the future.

These four ingredients separate worldly visionaries from Spirit-led visionaries. These markers put us in a position to receive Spirit-inspired visions rather than creating visions we simply ask God to bless.

Reflect and Discuss

1. Why is being Spirit-led critical to visionary leadership?

2. What steps are you taking to become a Spirit-led leader?

. Which of the four ualities most challenges you Why

Apply

If we’re not careful, we can separate our leadership from the oly Spirit’s influence. Car e out some time to welcome the Spirit’s work into your leadership. In ite God’s Spirit to fill, shape and gift you as He chooses. Then submit your plans to Him. Ask the Spirit to inspire in you His vision for the ministry He has called you to lead.

BECOMING A SPIRIT-LED VI SIONARY Faith-Filled Thinker

Team Review

How has the Holy Spirit been working in your life as you’ve submitted your leadership to Him?

Assess

Who is the most faith-filled thinker you know, and how does that person’s faith inspire you Insights and Ideas

God’s Spirit does not make us timid 2 Timothy 1 . e leads people out of fear and into a life of faith. That’s why Spirit-led isionaries are faith-filled thinkers. They know God is able to do immeasurably more than all they ask or imagine Ephesians 20 .

A.W. Tozer saw a low view of God as the cause of a hundred lesser evils but a high view of God as the solution to 10,000 temporal problems. Simply put, what’s holding us back isn’t the issues we face but the attitude we embrace. Our biggest problem is our small view of God. There are three steps to becoming a faith-filled thinker

1. Study the lives of faith-filled thinkers. Hebrews 11 contains a list of leaders who believed God to do the impossible. Before pointing to the faith of individuals such as Noah, Abraham, Sarah and oseph, the chapter opens with these words Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for ebrews 11 1 2 .

Studying the lives of leaders commended by God strengthens our faith.

2. Adopt faith as a mindset, not a moment. It’s easy to iew faith as a specific point in time when we believed for a favorable outcome or took a step that required trust. But faith isn’t ust a moment it’s a mindset. The apostle aul said, We li e by faith, not by sight 2 Corinthians .

Li ing by faith is a continual process an ongoing mindset. When we adopt this perspective, it shapes how we live and lead.

. Replace scarcity with abundance. When we have a scarcity mindset, we worry about not ha ing enough whether it’s finances, olunteers or ability. While learning to trust God in supplying what we need, we can adopt an abundance mindset.

Spirit-led visionaries lean in the direction of abundance as they rely on God to provide for the vision He inspired.

aith-filled thinkers don’t li e each day with their heads in the clouds. Instead, they lift their heads to see that with God all things are possible.

Reflect and Discuss

1. In which direction do you most naturally lean in your leadership: faith or fear?

2. How can you make faith your mindset?

. What are the differences between scarcity and abundance thinking in leadership

Apply

Read Hebrews 11. Identify which Bible hero’s faith most inspires you, and pinpoint the areas in which a scarcity mindset is currently impacting your life and leadership. Finally, submit your fears and doubts to God, asking im to fill your heart with faith.

BECOMING A SPIRIT-LED VI SIONARY Growth-Focused Learner

Team Review

What scarcity mindset have you begun replacing with an abundance mindset?

Assess

What roles do learning and growth play in a visionary’s life?

Insights and Ideas

One of the biggest impediments to vision for the future is the tradition of the past. This is evident in the Gospel of Mark when Jesus’ disciples ate with unwashed hands. The Pharisees and teachers of the law were quick to point it out, asking Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands Mark .

Jesus’ response was direct, getting to the real root of the issue: “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions Mark .

I wonder how often we do the same thing in ministry today. How many times have yesterday’s traditions become today’s idols? How many times have past practices become present-day inhibitors to experiencing what God wants to do next?

Spirit-led visionaries anchor their hearts in the Word of God and the work of the Spirit without losing the ability to embrace new ways of doing ministry. This approach keeps human traditions from stifling better ways of reaching and discipling people.

Vision implies change. Spirit-led visionaries are listening to the Spirit’s voice for what He wants to do next. What’s next will look different from what’s now. But if we are unwilling to learn new things, we might miss what God wants to do.

Rate yourself on a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 representing the strongest agreement in the following areas:

• I’m not afraid of growth and change.

• My first response to new ministry ideas is curiosity rather than suspicion or mistrust.

• I ha e a clear and specific growth plan to help me improve as a leader.

• I have developed a regular practice of exposing my mind to new ministry ideas, strategies and resources.

• I pay careful attention to the shelf life of our current ministry strategies and have a way to evaluate their le el of effecti eness.

• I have a track record of changing ministry strategies that have stopped working or are in decline.

our answers to the first two uestions re eal your growth mindset. Your answers to the second two questions reveal your growth system. And your answers to the final two uestions re eal your willingness to make changes

Reflect and Discuss

1. In your e perience, when has a tradition gotten in the way of effecti e ministry

2. Which of the six statements above most challenged you?

. In which area do you most need to grow de eloping a growth mindset, embracing a growth system, or having a willingness to make changes?

Apply

Take some time to reflect on the si statements abo e. Then put together a clear and specific plan to improve your growth mindset, growth systems, and willingness to make changes.

BECOMING A SPIRIT-LED VI SIONARY Future-Oriented Architect

Team Review

What additional discoveries have you made as you’ve evaluated your growth mindset, growth systems, and willingness to make changes?

Assess

When was a time you not only envisioned a better future, but also actively pursued it?

Insights and Ideas

There is nothing wrong with reflecting on the past. In fact, it’s good to celebrate the things God has done and express gratitude for His faithfulness through the years. There are also valuable lessons to learn from looking back.

ut when leaders are Spirit-led, faith-filled and growth-focused, they also learn to think about the future. They celebrate what God did, and then they look ahead to what God wants to do next. Rather than simply repeating the past, they become architects of the future.

A great e ample is the apostle aul. As Acts 20 22 24 shows, four ualities of a future-oriented architect were evident in Paul’s life and ministry.

1. Future-oriented architects are compelled by the Spirit. Paul said, “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to erusalem erse 22 . The ision came from the Spirit, not aul’s wants and whims.

The word “compelled” suggests this was not a slight nudge. The Spirit urgently guided aul into his ne t mission field.

2. Future-oriented architects step into the unknown Paul went on to say he did not know what would happen to him in erusalem erse 22 . We often want the future to be clear before we take our first step. owe er, aul stepped into the unknown. In a sense, he was building the plane while in the air.

. Future-oriented architects don’t expect an easy path. A Spirit-inspired dream is rarely easy. Paul said, “I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me erse 2 . aul didn’t sign up for the easy path. e knew the mission was bigger than him.

Future-oriented architects are willing to pay the price to build a dream according to God’s design, even when it’s hard.

4. Future-oriented architects don’t give up. Paul concluded with these words: “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord esus has gi en me the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace erse 24). Despite the uncertainty and uneasiness of the mission, Paul refused to quit.

Reflect and Discuss

1. Have you ever allowed the past to undermine what God wanted to do in the future?

2. How do Paul’s words about his journey to Jerusalem challenge you?

. uture-oriented architects pay a price. What does that price usually entail today, and how do we maintain faith when the price is high?

Apply

What can you do now to start building for the future? Let Paul’s words challenge you, and then ask the Holy Spirit to inspire a fresh vision for the future in your heart.

BECOMING A SPIRIT-LED VI SIONARY Careful Vision Creator

Team Review

What vision has the Holy Spirit placed in your heart? Assess

How do unclear visions frustrate the people we lead?

Insights and Ideas

Spirit-led visionaries recognize the importance of making vision extremely clear. After they’ e en isioned the possibilities, they translate those dreams into specifics that people can understand and process.

Creating vision doesn’t mean we invent it. Instead, we take what God has revealed to us and make it clear to others. Habakkuk 2:2 says, “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it emphasis added .

People can’t run with an idea unless it’s plain. The greater the clarity, the greater the speed a ision can mo e toward fulfillment.

If you don’t understand the vision, you’ll have trouble getting anyone else on board with it. So, be sure each of the following descriptors apply:

1. Specific. A oid nebulous language, opting instead for clear, specific communication. A vision of giving to missions and helping the poor is vague. But a vision to invest $250,000 in missions and sponsor 100 children through a feeding program in Africa is unambiguous.

2. Measurable When a ision is not measurable, it’s easy to let oursel es off the hook when the path becomes di cult. The ision abo e is measurable because it has specific numbers attached to it. Sometimes a vision won’t be numerical in nature. Instead, it might be a vision to create or launch a new ministry, program or initiative.

. Inspirational. Carefully crafted visions should introduce a future beyond where the church is now. A vision to repeat what we’ve always done lacks inspiration. Vision inspires people toward a goal they can only attain with God’s help.

4. Time-bound. Great visions have clear deadlines. Using the example above, we could say our vision is to invest $250,000 in missions and sponsor 100 children through a feeding program in Africa within the next 12 months. Now we’re working against a deadline, believing God to do something extraordinary.

A ision that is specific, measurable, inspirational and time-bound is highly actionable. It proides clear direction and offers people something to rally around.

Reflect and Discuss

1. What is the current vision of our church or area of ministry?

2. Which of the four characteristics above does our current vision lack?

. ow can we clearly state our ision

Apply

Do you have a clear vision for your area of ministry? If not, seek the Lord for a Spirit-inspired vision. Then make it as clear as possible. Without clarity, you’ll struggle to motivate others to action.

BECOMING A SPIRIT-LED VI SIONARY Inspiring Vision Caster

Team Review

What ision statement did you craft for your church, ministry, or department, and is it specific, measurable, inspirational, and time-bound?

Assess

What is your biggest challenge when it comes to casting vision?

Insights and Ideas

God-inspired dreams are usually bigger than the talent and resources of a single individual. That’s why Spirit-led visionaries master the art of vision casting. The story of Nehemiah provides a great example.

Nehemiah had a dream to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. He cast the vision with these inspiring words: “‘You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of erusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace’

Nehemiah 2 1 .

Nehemiah told the people about how God had guided him and prepared the way. “They replied, Let us start rebuilding.’ So they began this good work erse 1 .

Notice fi e steps of Nehemiah’s ision casting

1. Define the problem Vision casting doesn’t start with the vision but with the problem you’re trying to sol e. If you don’t define the problem, people will see no need for the ision.

Nehemiah defined the problem by describing erusalem’s tragic condition.

2. Share the solution Nehemiah proposed rebuilding the wall. This was the solution needed to start getting the city back in order.

. Explain the benefit. Once the problem and solution were clear, Nehemiah appealed to the people’s hearts, saying, We will no longer be in disgrace. The people would benefit from the restoration of dignity and respect.

4. Point to God’s fingerprints. Nehemiah’s vision wasn’t simply a good idea. It was a God idea. Nehemiah shared his testimony of how God had led him and given him favor with the king. When people see the fingerprints of God on a ision, they will feel inspired to get in ol ed.

5. Invite participation. Nehemiah didn’t just cast an inspiring vision. He gave the people an opportunity to make it their vision. And together, they went to work.

When people can give and serve the vision, it becomes personal and profound to them.

Reflect and Discuss

1. How does Nehemiah’s approach challenge you?

2. Which part of the vision-casting process do you tend to skip?

. sing Nehemiah’s approach, how should you cast your ision to others

Apply

Take the ision God has gi en you, and start crafting a ision message using the fi e steps in Nehemiah’s model. You might even share your vision message with a few trusted advisors who can help you make it even better.

BECOMING A SPIRIT-LED VI SIONARY Practical Strategic Planner

Team Review

How did Nehemiah’s example help you create a vision-casting talk?

Assess

Are you more spontaneous by nature or more of a planner? What are the pros and cons of each approach when it comes to pursuing a vision?

Insights and Ideas

Every vision requires strategy. Spirit-led visionaries leverage the gifts and abilities of others to collaborate, plan, prepare and work toward a preferred future.

In addition to being an effecti e ision caster, Nehemiah was a strategic planner. e re uested the king’s help in getting timber to rebuild the walls Nehemiah 2 . Nehemiah also ga e the people assignments so they could complete the pro ect in an e cient manner Nehemiah .

To de elop a strategic plan for fulfilling a ision, we need to answer four important uestions

1. Plan: How will we get from here to there? Author Bob Briner said, “A plan puts you in charge of your energies and activities.” Without a plan, whatever problem or crisis screams the loudest may thwart your efforts.

Craft a plan that includes long-range ob ecti es co ering a period of 12 24 months and short-range goals three to si months .

2. People: Who will help us, and what roles will they fill? Every vision requires a team to carry it out. When forming your team, answer this question: Who will do what by when? Connect the people to the plan, and set a deadline to make sure things are getting done in a timely manner.

. Provision: What resources do we need, and how will we acquire them? Visions require money, time and energy. The bigger the vision, the longer the runway you need to get it airborne. If the ision re uires e tensi e financial resources, you may need to launch a ision campaign to fund it.

4. Progress: How will we track progress? Ron Blue said, “You can’t manage what you can’t measure.” That’s why you need a systematic way to track progress toward the vision. Otherwise, you’ll be in a constant state of distraction. A great way to handle this is by creating a dashboard that shows progress on a weekly or monthly basis. A plan, people, provision and progress are all part of a strategic system.

Reflect and Discuss

1. What does Bob Briner’s quote mean to you: “A plan puts you in charge of your energies and activities”?

2. Which of the four parts in strategic planning most needs your attention?

. ow do we track progress toward our ision, and how can our tracking impro e

Apply

ut together a strategic plan that includes the four elements abo e a plan, people, pro ision and progress. You might even include some key leaders from your ministry or department in this planning process. Then monitor your strategic plan regularly, making any necessary adjustments to help you reach your vision.

BECOMING A SPIRIT-LED VI SIONARY Courageous Risk Taker

Team Review

What progress have you made toward creating and implementing your strategic plan?

Assess

Which do you prefer: making plans or taking action?

Insights and Ideas

Planning isn’t enough to see a ision fulfilled. Spirit-led isionaries take those plans and put them into action. This requires courage and a willingness to step into the unknown.

God entrusted oshua with a huge ision leading the Israelites into the romised Land. ut with that ision came an e ually important command e strong and courageous oshua 1 9 . Without strength and courage, Joshua and the Israelites would not have experienced all God had for them.

With carefully crafted plans and thoughtfully developed teams, leaders will be equipped to move. No one can accomplish the plan without movement. If there is no forward progress, the vision will become bogged down, and team members will feel underutilized.

Some leaders are adventurous, and others are more cautious. Adventurous risk takers are quick to jump into action. Cautious risk takers are careful not to proceed until they have welldeveloped plans to help them maximize the opportunity.

Both types of leaders are courageous enough to take steps of faith in the face of uncertainty. And both types have potential weaknesses.

Following are three ways to mitigate the potential weaknesses of adventurous leaders:

1. Focus. You may become bored once a vision launches. Place people in your inner circle who can help you maintain focus.

2. Explanation. You may become impatient with team members who are not as quick to move. Communication is key. Answering questions and providing explanations will help get everyone on the same page.

. Follow through. Carry the project through to completion before taking on new opportunities.

Below are three ways to mitigate the potential weaknesses of cautious leaders:

1. Dream. Don’t be afraid to dream big. If e erything must fit neatly in your detailed calculations, you might calculate God’s infinite ability out of your e uation.

2. Action. Once you gather 0 of the information, you probably ha e what you need to make a decision. Don’t get trapped in paralysis by analysis.

. Empowerment You can’t control everything when you take a risk. Be willing to release power to others so they can help carry the load.

Reflect and Discuss

1. Are you adventurous or cautious when it comes to risk taking?

2. Which of the tips to mitigate your weaknesses is most challenging to you?

. ow can ad enturous and cautious people work together for the good of the church Apply

Acknowledge which kind of risk taker you are. Then reflect on the tips to mitigate potential weaknesses, and make a plan for heading off problems.

BECOMING A SPIRIT-LED VI SIONARY Innovative Problem Solver

Team Review

How have you implemented the tips to mitigate potential weaknesses in risk taking?

Assess

How do you typically go about creatively solving problems?

Insights and Ideas

R.T. Kendall once said, “The greatest opposition to what God is doing today comes from those who were on the cutting edge of what God was doing yesterday.” Opposition and vision go hand in hand, and when opposition comes, Spirit-led visionaries must remain focused on their isions but fle ible with their methods.

Jesus said, “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins Mark 2 21 22 .

The new wine of your vision probably won’t work inside the old wineskin of your methods. This is why inno ati e problem sol ing is so important. Adaptability and fle ibility allow us to innovate solutions to our toughest problems.

As Albert Einstein observed, “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Therefore, to increase your innovative problem-solving capacity, you’ll need to do two things:

1. Enlarge your inputs Leaders sometimes struggle with “mindless mingling.” Because they always mingle with the same people, they lack fresh perspective. As a result, they don’t have the innovative capacity to solve new, unfamiliar problems. The solution is enlarging growth inputs for learning. Attend new conferences, visit other churches, read different authors, and access new coaches. Each person’s reser oir is only so deep, and sometimes you need to start drinking from additional wells to think more creatively.

2. Engage your team. Don’t tackle problems alone. As John Maxwell says, “Some of my best thinking is done by others.” Discover the strengths of your team members and utilize them to help you innovate solutions to tough problems. When people share new ideas, don’t shoot down everything they suggest. Your job is to listen, learn, discuss and then decide.

Reflect and Discuss

1. When you encounter problems, do you usually try to solve them yourself, or do you seek input from others?

2. Think of a problem you’re facing right now. How can you enlarge your growth inputs to solve that problem?

. As a team, brainstorm a solution to the problem.

Apply

Consider a problem you’re experiencing in your department or ministry area. What are three inputs such as books, resources or tools you could access that are outside of your normal inputs for problem solving? Which team members could help you tackle this problem? Access the inputs, and then invite the team members to help you innovate a new solution.

BECOMING A SPIRIT-LED VI SIONARY Resilient Hard Worker

Team Review

What progress have you made toward solving a problem in your area of ministry?

Assess

What is the biggest challenge for you when you experience setbacks?

Insights and Ideas

The path to a vision is rarely a straight line. You’ll encounter setbacks that cause the vision to stall. In these moments, it’s easy to lose focus or even call it quits. Pursuing a vision is seldom easy. Before telling the church in Ephesus that God could do immeasurably more than they could ask or imagine Ephesians 20 , aul said, I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being erse 1 .

The “immeasurably more” requires “power through his Spirit.” Spirit-led visionaries need Spirit-inspired strength. The good news is the Holy Spirit has access to unlimited resources. When you feel like throwing in the towel, keep three truths in front of you. Remembering these truths will build your resilience so you can bounce back from your setbacks.

1. If you walk away, you will abandon more than a problem. Di culties and opposition are all we see when we feel like quitting. However, quitting means walking away from more than just a problem. It’s also walking away from the vision. We’re saying goodbye to everything God intends to do, including the blessings we haven’t yet experienced.

Don’t quit. There’s a reward on the other side of resilience.

2. Your problems are the pathway to growth. Author Sam Chand says, “You’ll only grow to the threshold of your pain.” Simply put, your pain can be the cap or the catalyst to your growth. You get to choose.

Growth always requires change, but change always produces pain. Therefore, between the changes you need to make and the growth you want to see, you’re going to encounter some degree of pain. Push through the pain because growth is waiting on the other side of it. . Seasons aren’t permanent cycles. Di cult seasons are ust that seasons with a beginning and an end. Winter doesn’t last forever. Spring will eventually come. Be careful not to view the di culty of a season as a permanent cycle that will ne er end. Weeping may stay for the night, but re oicing comes in the morning salm 0 . Pursuing a God-inspired vision involves facing resistance. But these three truths will help you remain resilient as you work to see the ision fulfilled.

Reflect and Discuss

1. If you quit right now, from what vision would you be walking away?

2. What kind of pain or opposition have you faced in the past when pursuing a vision, and how did you get through it?

. Which of the three truths abo e most speaks to you

Apply

When we encounter resistance to our vision, prayers and words of encouragement are life giving. Take some time to pray for and encourage one another.

Experience the lands of the Bible with us.

STUDY TOURS & BIBLE RESOURCES

The Church Has Left the Building

(Continued from Page 136 )

Even as I prayed for strength, I began sobbing uncontrollably. In desperation, I finally cried aloud, “Lord, help me!”

This has always been my go-to prayer in times of trouble. Within minutes, I felt such a tangible sense of peace I knew it was from God.

In my mind, I saw a vast body of water. I sensed the Lord saying it was a sea of sorrow, too large for any individual to navigate alone. As I pondered this, I saw small ripples forming on the water’s surface.

God spoke to my heart: “I want you to become a ripple maker in the lives of hurting people and teach others to become ripple makers.”

During that moment, my ministry assignment became clear. Going to church and serving the people who showed up was no longer enough. I love and appreciate local churches, but I knew God was calling me to a unique ministry.

I felt a burden for people who were stumbling in darkness, individuals who had never experienced the light of the gospel. I could not shake the weight of their desperate plight.

Everywhere Christians go, the Church goes. So, I set out to take the Church to the spiritually lost people around me. Since I was already ministering to teens, I started by spending time in middle schools and high schools. As I got to know unchurched students, I quickly realized most of their parents were far from God.

My husband, Eric, and I launched a street church ministry, holding services in low-income communities. So many people responded to the messages and accepted Christ, we purchased an inflatable pool and started conducting neighborhood baptisms.

Later that year, I resigned my church staff position to focus exclusively on this untraditional form of ministry, which we called Ripple Effects. This ministry grew from a concept to a community center for people seeking to break cycles of despair and hopelessness.

Eventually, we expanded our programming to include transitional housing for homeless families,

feeding programs for elderly and disabled people, second-chance education opportunities for at-risk youth, and personal development resources for adults.

We also opened a Ripple Effects Center in Oyugis, Kenya, offering programs similar to those in North Carolina. While we faithfully made ripples at home, God expanded our reach 8,000 miles away.

Wherever we go, our goal is sharing Christ’s love in word and deed. Jesus was always on the move, meeting people where they were and ministering to them with love and compassion. We left the church building to follow His example.

When COVID-19 hit and many churches shuttered temporarily, we ramped up our outdoor services and compassion programs. We also led Bible studies in the homeless shelter and hosted community events in a nearby park.

During this time, I was completing my doctoral degree in ministry. As part of my dissertation, I examined the practices of the Early Church. The more I researched, the more I realized God never designed the Church to remain behind walls.

I am grateful for the beautiful buildings and comfortable environments we call churches, but I now see such facilities as places believers gather so we can become equipped to scatter and fulfill the Great Commission.

There is a lost and needy world just beyond the doors of our churches. People are waiting for Christians to leave the building.

KEISHA B. SPIVEY, D.Min, is executive director of Ripple Effects Group and an ordained Assemblies of God minister.

Jesus was always on the move, meeting people where they were and ministering to them with love and compassion. We left the church building to follow His example.

The Church Has Left the Building

By KEISHA B. SPIVEY

Looking in the mirror that Monday morning in April 2014, I saw a woman staring back who needed to hear from heaven. My eyes were swollen from crying. I felt like I had been living a nightmare from which I could not awaken.

The previous Friday, a student at my children’s high school in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, had committed suicide. No one saw it coming.

On Saturday, two kids playing at a local church’s playground were shot and killed by stray gunfire from warring gangs. Our community was devastated.

And on Sunday evening, my aunt found her son’s lifeless body hanging from an extension cord tied to the basement ceiling. My cousin had lost all hope.

Amid the grief and fear, I was struggling to reconcile this tragic series of events with God’s goodness. I trusted the Lord, but I did not understand His plan. Still, I knew I needed to press on in faith.

As a youth pastor, I led hundreds of students. These young people were looking to me for encouragement and guidance. What would I tell them?

(Continued on Page 135 )

I felt a burden for people who were stumbling in darkness, individuals who had never experienced the light of the gospel.