Tag: Christmas

20 Bible Verses for the New Year

20 Bible Verses for the New Year

20 Bible Verses for the New Year

There’s no book that’s more hopeful than the Bible. For those of us that need fresh faith in the new year, there’s no better place to start than the Scriptures. Here are 20 Bible verses that can give us a renewed sense of hope, wonder, and faith in 2024.

The New Year is one of my favorite seasons of the year. It’s a time for fresh starts and new beginnings–a time to let go of what’s behind you, and press into hope for what lies ahead.

There’s no book that’s more hopeful than the Bible. For those of us that need fresh faith in the new year, there’s no better place to start than the Scriptures.

In the following article, we’ll take a look at 20 different Bible verses that can give us a renewed sense of hope, wonder, and faith in 2024.

What Does the Bible Say About the Start of a New Year?

In Jewish tradition, the start of the new year is traditionally celebrated in September or October during Rosh Hashanah (literally, “head of the year.”) Rosh Hashanah also marks the beginning of “The Days of Awe,” a 10-day period of “repentance and introspection.” The final day is Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. In Judaism, these are two of the most important holidays of the year.

Though we might celebrate the new year during a different month than in the Bible–and though most of us may not partake in Jewish traditions during this time–the new year can still serve as a significant time for followers of Christ.

That’s because the Bible is full of verses that encourage us to look ahead to the future with hope. Throughout Scripture, we are continually reminded to put our hope in God, let go of the past, and live with anticipation for the coming of Jesus.

20 Bible Verses for the New Year

Here are 20 Bible verses that can encourage you in the new year. Try reading through these carefully, asking the Lord for guidance, and praying through individual scripture passages to encourage you for the next 12 months.

Bible Verses About Letting Go of the Past & Looking to the Future

The Bible often encourages us to let go of what isn’t helpful and press on ahead to the future.

  1. Isaiah 43:18-19

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

  1. Philippians 3:13-14

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

  1. Proverbs 4:25-27

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

  1. Hebrews 12:1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us

  1. Isaiah 41:10

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Bible Verses About Hope for the Future

The Bible always, always encourages us to hope for the future.

  1. Isaiah 65:17-19

See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.

But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy.

I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.

  1. Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

  1. Romans 5:3-5

And not only this, but we also celebrate in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

  1. 1 Peter 5:10

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

  1. Ephesians 1:18-19

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

Bible Verses About Strengthening Yourself for the Future

The Bible does not encourage a passive faith, but a faith that actively presses into the truth of Scripture and the strength of God.

  1. Isaiah 41:10

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

  1. 2 Timothy 1:7

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

  1. 2 Thessalonians 3:3

But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.

  1. Hebrews 12:12-13

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,”so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

  1. Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Bible Verses About What to Expect for the Future

Finally, the Bible tells us what to expect for the future as believers in Christ.

  1. Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

  1. James 1:12

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

  1. Galatians 6:9

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

  1. Proverbs 19:21

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.

  1. Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Getting Your New Year Off to a Good Start

The best way to start the new year is with Jesus. Take some time to reflect on the past year, ask God for specific Scriptures to believe for the new year, and meditate on His faithfulness and promises. Remember–January 1st can be a fresh start and an exciting new beginning.

Article written by: Kelsey Yarnell

Article taken from here.

MinistryJobs.com/blog

4 Ways to Win Between Christmas and New Year’s Day

4 Ways to Win Between Christmas and New Year’s Day

4 Ways to Win Between Christmas and New Year’s Day

In the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, consider these four ways to refresh from a hectic ministry year.

Every job has its perks. Netflix doesn’t track vacation hours. Facebook has nap pods. Ben & Jerry’s rewards its employees with three pints of ice cream every day. And if you’re a ministry leader, most likely you get the week off between Christmas and New Year’s Day. (Hey, we’re not drawing comparisons here, just stating facts!)

 

The weeks leading up to Christmas can be some of the most joyful and impactful of our ministry careers. We often get a front-row seat to the radical generosity of our faith communities. We hear and celebrate stories of life change. On the other hand, these weeks are also some of the toughest on our minds, bodies, and families. After all the planning meetings, shopping, decorating, video shoots, rehearsals and services are finally complete, the seven days between Christmas and New Years are a welcome reprieve from the hustle. And while you may immediately begin to feel the urgency of the Spring calendar around the corner, remember that this week offers you some unique opportunities to grow as a leader (and a human) more than any other week throughout the year.

 

After a season of commitments to your ministry, here are four commitments you might consider making to yourself on the morning of December 26th.

 

1. Rest

 

Set your away message. Delete the Mail app from your phone. Disconnect in all the ways you have to and truly rest. Christmas services have likely emptied your tank, so find ways to refuel your mind and body in the ways you need most. Sleep, read fiction, laugh, go on a nature walk, eat three pints of ice cream, build a nap pod and then sleep some more. Find the ways that rejuvenate your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual ecosystem, and make a plan to give those things focused attention this week. As we’ve learned from our friend Candi Shelton, “Our leadership and ministry actually thrive when we are connected to the experience of being human.”

 

Read: Why Rest Matters for Human Leaders

 

2. Play

 

Discover ways to inject some fun into this week. In my own life, I’ve found that the moments I have been most exhausted or weary have also been the moments I’ve been completely disconnected from the unique things that give me life. This week, ask yourself, “What brings me joy?” and commit to making it happen. It might be pursuing something creative like art, dance, or scrapbooking, binge-watching your favorite movies from when you were a kid or planning an outdoor adventure with friends or family. See how much more inspired you’ll be to return to work when you’ve awakened your innate drive for play.

 

3. Learn

 

Leaders are learners. And, if we’re not intentional, ministry has a special way of keeping you working in it instead of on it. Consider carving out one day this particular week to learn about a subject you feel like you never have time for – work-related or non! Read a few chapters from your favorite author on leadership, find that podcast you saved ages ago, or review notes from a conference and create some action steps. You may also want to use this time to research and plan some time for individual or group learning next year. Think through book studies or online courses (like those from Orange Masterclass) that you may want to lead with your team or set new ministry goals based on learning from the past year utilizing tools like the Orange Assessment.

 

Remember

 

Lastly, this week offers the perfect opportunity to practice the art of remembering.

 

“Remember the wonders He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He pronounced” (1 Chronicles 16:12 NIV).

 

Take the time to reflect on the goodness of God throughout 2022. Note the highs, lows, your greatest lessons, and dream of how you want to grow and move forward as a leader next year. Worship is remembering! Personally, my favorite tool to use is called the Great Annual Examen. It is derived from a 400-year-old method of prayer by St. Ignatius of Loyola. Developed by Stephen W. Smith, it’s a simple question-and-answer exercise that invites you to review five categories of health – physical, emotional, vocational, relational, and spiritual – and then guides you through a process of thinking through how those may be improved or restored in the new year.

 

Win the week between Christmas and New Years and give yourself the greatest chance to enter 2023 with the strength and mental clarity necessary to reach the next generation.

Article written by: Daniel De Jesús

Article taken from here.

Find more blogs at MinistryJobs.com/blog

5 Things Executive Pastors Should Keep in Mind This Christmas

5 Things Executive Pastors Should Keep in Mind This Christmas

5 Things Executive Pastors Should Keep in Mind This Christmas

It’s no secret that Christmas can be a chaotic time for churches. It’s one of the most highly-attended seasons of the year—and you can expect a lot more unchurched people than usual. Christmas services are also a celebration of one of the greatest moments in history: When God made His dwelling among us (John 1:14).

Everyone and everything in your church needs to fire on all cylinders.

You’ve probably spent months preparing for this one weekend. You might’ve even started preparing a year ago! And on some level, you’re probably feeling pressure to out-do last year’s service. (Maybe church members or even staff are “reminiscing” about something awesome you’ve done in the past.)

As the executive pastor, you’re responsible for organizing, budgeting for, and foreseeing the challenges of your church’s biggest events. So there’s a lot on your shoulders during the holidays. We want to be sure your Christmas service goes off without a hitch and builds momentum as you head into the new year—so we put together five things you should keep in mind this Christmas.

1. Tis’ the season for burnout

You’re not the only one feeling the pressure right now. Many of your staff members are working under a lot more stress than usual. They might be wrestling with performance anxiety as their area of responsibility increases, or their routine tasks start affecting more people and other parts of the service. Every person on your paid and volunteer staff is more susceptible to burnout right now—and that means a few things for you.

Your church needs to be prepared for people to take time off when the holidays are over. Your team needs to rest. Even if people aren’t planning to take time off, you should encourage it. Make arrangements to cover roles, shift responsibilities, and potentially stagger time off so that everyone can get the rest they need.

It’s also important that you create (and model) an environment where people can feel comfortable talking about fatigue and stress—not so they can complain, but so that you can give them the prayer and support they need to make it through this time.

You should always affirm people when they do a good job, but now is a good time to make a point of hunting for things you can praise people for. Encourage your staff to do the same, and create a positive atmosphere that brings out the best in each other.

2. A tech failure will cost you more right now

You carefully budgeted for the entire year, taking into account any purchases you would need to make later in the year. But software and hardware don’t always follow our budget plans. Throughout the year it’s easy to take half-measures and “make do” with what you have to get a few more services out of your tech. If something goes wrong during a Christmas service though, it has a much bigger impact.

Your congregation has high hopes for this service, but they’ll be more forgiving when there are technical issues (although they may be a little embarrassed if they brought friends or family). But visitors are seeing your church for the first time. Making a good impression matters.

If you do purchase new tech for Christmas, make sure you give yourself plenty of time to test it out—ideally in an actual service (or several). But at the very least, you need to have backup plans ready for every possibility. As you set up for Christmas, you should constantly ask: “What will we do if this breaks? And who will be in charge of implementing the solution?”

3. This is the best time to start planning for next Christmas

At this point, there are some poor decisions, unforeseen challenges, and organizational issues you may just have to live with this year. But every time you find yourself saying, “I wish we’d thought of that earlier,” make a note of it. Now is the perfect time to build a list of things you want to stay on top of next year—then you can think of those things earlier.

4. Your giving platform is about to have a lot more transactions

During the holidays, generosity isn’t just a Christian mandate—it’s simply part of the “Christmas spirit.” People have been culturally trained to strive to be more open-handed during this time of year. And you’re going to have a lot more people in attendance than usual. So whether you make a big giving push or not, more people are going to give.

Digital giving is the most convenient way for people to give—especially if they didn’t bring cash or their checkbook. But it’s important to keep in mind: just as you had to prepare your facility to handle more people, you need to be sure your giving platform can accommodate more transactions.

Your giving solution might be fine as is. Or you may need to find a more reliable (or faster) online giving platform. Make sure you contact your customer support team to confirm your giving software can handle a sudden increase in activity.

(Pushpay is an enterprise-grade giving solution. Many of the largest churches in the US trust Pushpay for all their online giving needs. So we can support you, too.)

5. Volunteer training matters even more right now

Christmas is one of those seasons where churches desperately need anyone and everyone who’s willing to serve. Even churches that have well-defined volunteer training and onboarding processes may make exceptions at this time of year simply to make sure there are enough bodies on every service team.

But this isn’t an area you can cut corners. Your volunteers are going to be under more pressure than usual. Their familiarity with your procedures, their tasks, and the larger purpose of their role could make the difference between a visitor feeling valued and feeling neglected. Not to mention, flustered or unconfident volunteers in, say, the nursery, will leave parents feeling like they can’t trust your church to adequately care for their children.

Make this your best Christmas yet

As you scramble to make sure everything goes according to plan, it’s easy for little things to fall through the cracks. Take the time to support your staff and check-in on their mental health. Create backup plans. Save your future self some trouble next year with good notes. And make sure everyone and everything is ready to serve your community with excellence.

Article written by:

Article taken from here.

Find more blogs like these at MinistryJobs.com/blog

The 4 Boxes Your Christmas Service Must Check Off

The 4 Boxes Your Christmas Service Must Check Off

Christmas services are right around the corner.

The kids’ choirs are practicing their songs. UPS is scheduled to drop off the candles for the candle lighting by the end of the week. The special Christmas songs are already in PCO. Christmas service prep is fully in motion!

As all these special elements come together, I want to draw our attention to the people attending our services.

We must remember, everyone coming to our Christmas services are at different places in their walk with the Lord. Some are seasoned believers, others are brand new to the faith. Some are struggling in their faith while others are completely outside the faith altogether.

We must intentionally think about these 4 different groups of people and ask ourselves, “How is our Christmas service meeting them where they are?”

If everything catered to the seasoned believer, then those who are new to the faith or aren’t Christians at all will feel lost and potentially confused. If the whole service spoke to the on fire believers, then those asking questions and struggling in their faith could leave feeling even more isolated and alone.

Here’s something that we must remember: it’s human nature to cater towards where we are at personally.

Naturally we create things that most resonate with what we are passionate about, what we think, and what best connects to our story. So if you’re an on fire lover of Jesus, that’s the primary lens you’ll think and create through. But great leaders think beyond their lens and seek to reach everyone.

Achieving this, however, is definitely one of those good old-fashioned “easier said than done” kind of things. So today our hope is to connect you with ways your Christmas service can have a significant touchpoint with all 4 of those different groups of people.

1) The Seasoned Believer

Within this group of people are a huge variety of experiences. Those that have been around their faith for a long time and are fired up about celebrating the newborn King. You’ll also find individuals that wouldn’t be classified as struggling in their faith, they’re confident in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, but maybe the fire has subsided a bit.

For these individuals, it’s important that we remind them of the wonder of the Messiah.

The wonder of how we have direct access to Emmanuel, God with us, that has opened the door for us to live and walk in new life. The transformation, the healing, everything present in our lives, is because of the life of Jesus.

For the seasoned believer, let’s create moments of looking behind us at all that God has done throughout our past that can’t keep us from singing out o’come let us adore Him.

2) New Believers

No matter who you are, my point in the first section applies. Let’s fill these people with wonder and gratitude for all the Lord has brought them through to get here. But in addition to this, new believers have this amazing opportunity to be introduced to the depths of the Christmas story. So connect them with the beautiful language that we see in Silent Night, declaring “chains shall he break for the slave is our brother and in his name all oppression shall cease.”

At Christmas we have an amazing opportunity to continue to shape and reshape the understanding of those who are new to Christiantiy.

So take time to share why we are singing so many songs that celebrate the coming of the Messiah. Share how for so long the people of God were waiting on the promised Messiah to arrive. Some had completely lost hope and feared it wasn’t true and then He came in Jesus.

When we take time to explain the meaning and significance of the season, it connects those who are new to the heart of God in an even deeper way.

3) The Unbeliever

To keep in theme with the previous point, all of the above applies here too. Those outside the faith will more than likely be coming in with vague and minimal experiences with the songs, the traditions, and story. So how can you breathe new life and reveal the beauty of what they might already be familiar with?

In addition to these things, how can you connect to their story to make them feel comfortable?

I remember when I was a kid I went and visited my friend’s church for their Christmas service. The church service was extremely different than my church’s typical format. Tons of sitting and standing. At one point we left our seat to go up to the front to take communion out of this massive cup. All the people in front of me were doing different hand motions and saying all these different things. I was so anxious that I was going to do something wrong and stick out like a sore thumb.

And sure enough I did. The pastor turned his head in confusion when I got to the front of the line and then smirked. I felt like everyone around me was starring at me as I wrongly grabbed the cup and shrugged. Needless to say, I spent the service wishing I could climb underneath the pew in front of me and disappear.

We have to remember that we have tons of people coming to our Christmas services that have never been to our churches before. So let’s think through how we can make them comfortable.

Even simple things like letting them know what the service is going to look like. “You might see people raising their hands and getting excited. Well that’s because…” or “Today we’re going to sing a few songs, hear a short encouraging word from our pastor, watch the kids perform a special song, etc. During all that we want you to feel comfortable. So sit if you want to, sing along or not, keep your hat on, whatever allows you to feel comfortable. We are so stoked that you’re here and want you to know that this is your home.”

This might feel excessive, but making accommodations for these individuals to feel comfortable will allow them to have a beautiful experience, free of distraction and filled with uninterrupted encounter.

4) The Struggling Believer

To state it plainly, there will be people in your church services this year who are struggling. Whether it be tragedy, a crisis of faith, some painful things that Christmas brings up in their heart – there are people in real need that don’t want to sing Joy to the World.

The worst thing we can do for those who are struggling is create a service that overlooks where they’re at.

So genuinely, what can you do in your Christmas service to let these people know they’re not alone?

A few years ago, I wrote a song for our Christmas service that explicitly talked about being tired and without hope in the midst of a season that’s supposed to bring joy to the world. It was brutally honest and it didn’t resolve with a nice cute bow. At the end of the Christmas service weekend we were flooded with messages at how much it meant to so many people, who were coming into church that weekend struggling. It expressed to them that there was a place for them in our community.

When we acknowledge the things people are walking through & create space for it to exist in our gatherings, it teaches people that all of who they are is welcomed and safe.

Here’s the thing, they are already struggling. People are already coming in with heavy loads. Failing to acknowledge those things doesn’t make them go away. In some cases it only further isolates people. What sounds more like Jesus than creating a space for people to come into His presence truly as they are?

Now you don’t have to write a song that talks about the struggle.

But what if you took 30-seconds before you go into All Hail King Jesus to say, “For some of you, these words are really hard to sing. Know that God is with you in it, we are with you in it, and you are why the Messiah came. To draw near to you as Emmaunel, God WITH us. Even if He feels further than the moon, know He’s with you today!”

There are so many things you can do to reach these different groups of people at your Christmas service this year.

The point of this post is not to give you a step by step of the best ways to reach these 4 different groups of people. It’s simply for us as leaders to remember all who are coming. So that we can craft a Christmas service that creates significant moments for all.

Worship Leader, last thing to remember as you step into your Christmas services

There are people coming into your services who need what your community is presenting. And so in the midst of all the special planning and things, please know you are changing people’s lives. You are breathing fresh oxygen into weary souls. You are increasing the revelation of the Messiah in the hearts and minds of so many. What you do is significant. So, in the chaos may purpose strengthen your bones as you lead a community of people to adore the King of Israel.

Article written by: Josh Kluge

Article taken from here.

Find more blogs like these at MinistryJobs.com/blog

Making Resolutions

It’s that time of year again, that time of year when we examine what we don’t like about our life and make a resolution to change it in the New Year.

Can be I honest with you? I think your New Year’s resolution isn’t going to be as effective as you hope it will, if it works at all.

Is change important? Absolutely. Is commitment essential? Of course. Is improving your lifestyle a wise decision? Without a doubt. So I don’t want to discourage you from writing or keeping a New Year’s resolution. I do want to challenge the way you think about biblical change.

You see, Christianity simply doesn’t rest its hope in big, dramatic moments of change. The fact of the matter is this: the transforming work of grace operates in 10,000 little moments. More than it does in a series of two or three life-altering events.

In other words, the character and quality of your life won’t be defined by two or three life-changing moments. No, the character and quality of your life will be defined by the 10,000 little decisions, desires, words, and actions you make every day.

How you can you be a better you in 2015? Confess in 10,000 little moments of conviction. Be courageous in 10,000 little moments of faith. Obey in 10,000 little moments of decisions. Choose the kingdom over God over the kingdom of self in 10,000 little moments of desire.

You don’t need a big resolution to change your life, because your life isn’t established in big moments.

Your life is established in 10,000 little moments, and Jesus Christ is present and active in all those moments. In these small, seemingly insignificant moments, he’s delivering every redemptive promise he has made to you. In these 10,000 little moments, the Lord is working to rescue you from you and transform you into his likeness.

By sovereign grace, God places you in 10,000 little moments that are designed to take you beyond your character, wisdom, and grace so that you’ll seek the help and hope that can only be found in him. In a lifelong process of change, he is undoing you and rebuilding you again – exactly what each one of us needs!

Yes, you and I need to be committed to change in 2015, but not in a way that hopes for a big event of transformation. Your hope for change is a humble heart that finds joy in, and is faithful to, a day-by-day, step-by-step process of insight, confession, repentance and faith.

As 2014 gives way to 2015, wake up each day committed to live in the 10,000 little moments of your life with open eyes and humble hearts.

God bless

Reflection Questions

  1. What do you want to change about your life?
  2. Why is a New Year’s resolution so attractive?
  3. Why do New Year’s resolutions typically fail?
  4. How can you make changes in your 10,000 little moments of life?
  5. How can you encourage others in their 10,000 little moments of life?

Article taken from Christianity.com. Written Paul Tripp. Paul is the president of Paul Tripp Ministries, a nonprofit organization whose mission statement is “Connecting the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life.

20 really weird criticisms pastors receive (Merry Christmas!)

Back by popular demand, here are the latest really weird criticisms pastors have received, with special thanks to the responses at Church Answers and on social media.

  1. “You didn’t send me a thank you note for my thank you note.” Thank you.
  2. “You’re too happy!” I’ll make a point of being a total grump around you.
  3. “I will leave the church if you don’t put tissue seat covers in the bathrooms!” Please flush on the way out.
  4. “I’d be happy to take your wife to the store to help her select some appropriate clothes.” Please do, but don’t return.
  5. “I guess I have to die to get you to wear a suit and tie to church again.” The pastor did so the next Sunday. He’s waiting on the member to hold up his end of the deal.
  6. “Every sermon you preach is better than the next one.” Thank you . . . no, wait.
  7. “Why do we have to follow something an apostle wrote 2,000 years ago?” Yep, that Bible is overrated.
  8. “The VBS hot dogs are too cheap.” What? We got them at LifeWay!
  9. “You don’t tell enough jokes when you preach.” Yes, I do. I mentioned your name in my last sermon.
  10. “Stop talking about making disciples.” Yes, that criticism came from an elder.
  11. “When you changed the name from Sunday school to small groups, you took Jesus and the Bible out of the church!” I agree. Read Hezekiah 4:11.
  12. “You didn’t give good advice about the family vacuum.” Now, that’s important.
  13. “Heard you are going to cancel Christmas.” Yes, I consulted with the Grinch.
  14. “I don’t like the color of your beard hair.” Thank you. I plan to dye it pink.
  15. “Your hair color is too dark for someone in your profession.” Don’t worry. The more I hear from you, the grayer it gets.
  16. “Just because it’s in the Bible, you don’t have to talk about it.” I try to be selective.
  17. “Your wife used the wrong spoon in the coleslaw at the church social.” Thank you. She has agreed to be in timeout from church for one year.
  18. “We need to throw out the guitar to the streets. The piano is the only instrument that belongs in the church.” Yep, that’s what the Apostle Paul said.
  19. “You ended a sentence with a preposition in your sermon.” What is this criticism good for?
  20. “Your pregnant wife is faking morning sickness.” I would be happy for you to watch her throw up.
Some funny…sad and some angry.

All of them are reminders of the challenges of pastoral ministry.

Please tell your pastors how much you love them and appreciate them.

And to all you readers, thank you and Merry Christmas. You bring joy to my life!

Article taken from ThomRainer.com. Written Thom Rainer. Thom is the founder and CEO of Church Answers, an online community and resource for church leaders

How to Survive a Spiritual Winter – Sara Hagerty

A tree doesn’t survive the winter without healthy roots. Neither do we.

I remember that bleak February morning when my husband and I loaded up our car and drove through the stripped-bare forests of the Blue Ridge Mountains to move into my parents’ basement. Everything felt cold, including my heart. Weeks earlier, my dad was diagnosed with a fast-growing brain cancer which we were all still dazed by.

I left their house only for brisk runs through Ohio’s suburban sprawl, and I came home to more winter as I watched my dad decline. Couldn’t I just escape this season? I had entered into a spiritual winter.

A Holy Season

 

What I didn’t know then was that this was a holy winter. God was doing something underground that I couldn’t see.

In our early thirties, our friends were taking active steps towards impacting the world for God: sharing the gospel with neighbors over shared meals, moving into impoverished parts of a city with their hammers and prayers, and starting foundations to release women from bondage. This, while I was cooking tomato soup and playing euchre in my parents’ kitchen, watching my once-strong daddy die.

It all seemed so unfair.

When God saved me at fifteen, I responded by pouring myself into evangelism. Then, in my prime, I was unable to alleviate the pain for the man who’d raised his little girl to believe that life had no limits. My offering was now a cup of soup.

Yet it was in the dark basement of my parents’ home, listening to my dad restlessly putter upstairs through the dark night, that I started to see winter as holy.

A Tree in the Cold

 

Psalm 1 talks about the man who meditates day and night on the Lord:

He is like a tree
     planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
     and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers. (Psalm 1:3)

The deciduous tree knows seasons. It shoots out nascent sprigs of life and verdant leaf in spring. They and their accompanying fruit unfurl under the summer heat, lush and alive. In fall, the mossy-green alights into gold, but only for a flash before brown takes over and winter starts her pull. This tree is disrobed in winter, but not dead. Motionless, with roots resting and waiting, it ever so slowly grows.

The tree prospers in winter, fulfilling its God-intended purpose. Though, to the unknowing eye, it sure looks barren.

Without recognizing seasons, we might only see that barrenness. We see a prospering life in God akin to the opulent tree in early spring, with leaves and fruit intertwined. We forget that this blooming comes forth because of the preparation that winter provides.

Blessed Are the Thirsty

 

That holy winter — when I felt hidden, unseen by friends who weren’t familiar with long hours of care-giving, passing my days without visible accomplishments and apparent fruit — I started to see that I could cultivate an unseen, private life in God. My roots were still alive, albeit concealed.

In the basement, underground seasons of my life, his word and his whisper became fresh to me. I wanted it, not so that I could teach it or share it or sermonize it, but because I was thirsty. So thirsty. During my daddy’s restless nights, I needed God to highlight a phrase from his word to sustain my little-girl heart.

I wasn’t changing the world; I was changing my parent’s laundry. But through it, God was changing me. With his word cracked open on the counter, he whispered words of encouragement and promise: “even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death . . . my cup overflows” (Psalm 23:4–5).

The blessed man, likened to the tree in Psalm 1, found his delight meditatingon God, day and night (Psalm 1:2–3). Meditating on God’s word — singing it, crying over the pages, taking my angry heart to his word for answers and asking for a surprise rush of his Spirit’s lifting — took on new meaning when I was winterized.

In the winter, I fell in love. He became my delight — because he was all there was. His whisper, my winter song back to him. And this was to his glory.

New Practices for Cultivating Roots

 

For those who are in winter (perhaps even a prolonged winter), there are some reminders that might help sustain our roots:

1. Receive your season.

 

Rather than giving your energies towards wishing for another. The surrender, although painful, positions us to receive all that God intends for that particular season much better than if we fight against it. God is always oriented towards our growth, even in our winter. This is a truth given to us in John 15.

2. Create new spaces.

 

Find areas where you can fall in love with God afresh. Seemingly barren seasons might convince you that your roots are hardened. Not necessarily so.

Thwarted opportunities are a fresh chance to see God through his word in ways you haven’t before. Start a new habit of engaging with his word in the middle of your thwarted day. Write songs from his word. Take walks with your earbuds out, praying a verse back to him. Ask his Spirit to direct your eyes to the ways he is working in the small areas of your life. Winter is a time when the inside can be nourished even when what is outside feels barren.

3. Don’t forfeit your dream for fruit.

 

Our culture is largely oriented toward action. But dormant dreams are not dead dreams; they are often further opportunities for dialogue with God. He created you to desire fruit, and he desires fruit for you (John 15:8). Winter is a time to take those desires to God in prayer. Winter can also be a season where dreams are cultivated.

Thankful for Winter

 

My seemingly barren winter started even before my dad was diagnosed, and it lasted years beyond his death. But during that very long season, I had this single verse on a notecard, propped behind my kitchen sink:

“I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the Lord, who call you by your name, am the God of Israel.” (Isaiah 45:3, NKJV)

Now, during a kind of spring, I see that it all proved true. He cultivated my roots in winter and gave me treasures that are still producing fruit within me. And it wouldn’t have happened without my winters.

Article taken from DesiringGod.org. Written by Sara Hagerty. Sarah is the wife to Nate and mother of six children. She has written two books: Every Bitter Thing Is Sweet and, more recently, Unseen: The Gift of Being Hidden in a World That Loves to Be Noticed.

11 strategies to help you leverage Christmas to reach the unchurched

 

 

 

Any idea what the best outreach opportunity of the year at your church is?

You might think it’s an event you do, or perhaps it’s Easter. But whether Christmas has historically been your best opportunity to reach unchurched people or not, I believe it could be.

You may think it’s far too early to start thinking about Christmas but think again. Whenever I share these ideas about Christmas each year, people say “Hey, I wish you’d talked about this earlier.” So we are.

So why can Christmas become your very best outreach event of the year?

As our culture becomes more and more post-Christian, we’re seeing far fewer times when the holidays of the church and the holidays of culture sync.

I remember about a decade ago hearing a Toronto DJ refer to Easter as “the first long weekend of summer” (in Canada Good Friday is a holiday and schools still take Easter Monday off…a relic from Colonial days). Good Friday and Easter were completely lost on him. It was simply time off.

Christmas is completely different. It’s the one time each year mainstream culture still pays attention to a Christian holiday.

Our culture still loves Christmas. Sure, you can yell and scream that the motives are commercial.

But Christmas is the only time of year when you’ll hear restaurants, malls, radio stations and Spotify playlists belt out explicitly Christian songs like Charles Wesley’s “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing:”

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased with us in flesh to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel

Christmas is completely different. It’s the one time each year mainstream culture still pays attention to a Christian holiday.CLICK TO TWEET

LEADERS WHO COMPLAIN ARE FAR LESS EFFECTIVE THAN LEADERS WHO LEVERAGE

If you follow a lot of Christians on social media leading up to Christmas, you probably have noticed how many people lament over the culture’s disregard of Christ.

In my view, Christian leaders who complain about the culture are far less effective than leaders who figure out how to leverage it.

Well, you can see the obstacle. Or you can see the opportunity. I choose to see the opportunity. There are so many connection points with our culture you’ll miss if you only see the glass as half empty.

Christian leaders who complain about the culture are far less effective than leaders who figure out how to leverage it.CLICK TO TWEET

Christmas is no time for the church to be more cynical than the world, which still remembers something is different at Christmas, even if they’re not exactly sure what it is.

Stop complaining about the world. Reach it instead.

As the general population thinks less about the Christian faith, Christmas provides a unique opportunity to reach people who no longer ordinarily attend church.

What’s surprising is that many churches don’t really leverage Christmas to make the impact it could.

At Connexus Church, where I serve, our Christmas service wins hands-down every year for both overall attendance AND attendance by unchurched people.  Although from a theological viewpoint, Christmas will never be bigger than Easter, when we think of it in practical terms, our Christmas outreach is always bigger than Easter simply because the culture is paying more attention.

Our culture pauses for Christmas in a way it pauses for little else in the year.

TV and film celebrate Christmas in all of its expressions. Almost everyone decorates their homes, businesses, and cities.

On December 24th and 25th, the Western world comes as close to stopping as it ever does.

I’m not sure there’s any better time than Christmas to connect with those of your friends and neighbors who rarely, if ever, go to church.

So with that in mind, here are 11 strategies to make Christmas your best outreach of the year.

Christmas is no time for the church to be more cynical than the world. Stop complaining about the world. Reach it instead.CLICK TO TWEET

1. DESIGN AN EVENT FOR YOUR COMMUNITY, NOT FOR YOUR MEMBERS

So what’s the biggest mistake many churches make each Christmas?

Simple. Too many churches hold a quiet Christmas Eve or Christmas Day service for members and leave it at that.

Others will do little to nothing special.

That makes Christmas the biggest missed opportunity of the year.

Unchurched people want to celebrate Christmas. Why can’t your church help them?

Here’s a hint: if you design your services with the community in mind, your members will love it too. Especially if their friends come and it changes their lives.

Unchurched people want to celebrate Christmas. Too many churches fail to help them do it.CLICK TO TWEET

2. BRAND THE EVENT AROUND THE COMMUNITY, NOT YOUR CHURCH

One of the best decisions we’ve made in the last few years is to take our church’s name off the main branding for our Christmas services.

We simply use the names of the cities we’re in. So for Barrie, Ontario, we’re Christmas in Barrie. In Orillia, it’s Christmas Eve in Orillia etc. Sure, we let people know it’s hosted by a church, but people are looking for a place to celebrate and we want them to know we can host them and their family at an event designed for the city.

We’re expanding our Christmas outreach this year into four cities that are within an hour of each other (which makes specific theming more difficult), so we’re using Christmas Eve in the City as a larger brand.

You can see the way we designed it here. (Note: this is last year’s site. The 2018 site goes live in early November…but you can get the idea anyway).

3. BUILD A SPECIAL WEBSITE

If someone has to click through 15 pages of your website to find your Christmas services, they’ll probably give up. And even if you put it on the home page of your website, it’s still a church website.

We started building custom sites a few years ago for our Christmas services and have been thrilled with the results. Here’s last year’s version.

Again, people have Christmas on their mind, and when the site looks like Christmas and there are free tickets available (see below), it’s easier for people to say “I’m in.”

Sites like this don’t have to be expensive. Get a teenager in your church to design one. Or, for a thousand dollars or so, you can have a basic site put together.

Find an easy to remember URL (like ChristmasEveInTheCity.com or ChristmasInYourTown.com) that makes your site more findable, local and shareable.

4. EXPERIMENT WITH MULTIPLE SERVICE TIMES

Not everyone can make it to your ‘one’ service. This year we’re doing 8-10 services over two days (the 23rd and 24th) in four cities.

Yes, those are long work days for staff and volunteers, but you can reap a harvest all year long from that investment.

We always offer more than one service time, because the reality is that different families have different needs. Young families seem to prefer earlier services so they can get their kids to bed early or have dinner together. Retail workers need a later service. In past years, we’ve pushed our service times earlier and earlier (starting as early as 11 a.m.) at our broadcast site.

The reason? Providing multiple service times gives multiple families lots of opportunities to attend and to invite their friends.

For better or for worse, the investment you make in your Christmas service can determine your harvest all year long.CLICK TO TWEET

5. STRETCH YOURSELF AND EXPERIMENT

To be honest, pulling off Christmas services in four cities has stretched our team. But it’s a good way to test out new venues, new places and new communities in which you might one day have locations.

And it’s a great system test to see if you’re ready for more.

But as every church leader knows, to open a new campus or church in a new community takes time, money, risk and experimentation.

A few Christmases ago, we started experimenting with pop-up sites. In the same way you’ve seen the rise of pop-up restaurants or pop-up stores, you’ve seen more pop-up churches that open in a new location for a night or a month or a season.

You can rent old churches, theaters, restaurants, banquet halls or whatever to bring your church into a new community. It gives you a chance to test the waters for expansion and to bring the hope of Christ into a new place without making a massive initial investment.

We’re adding a new permanent location as a result of our experimentation and will be adding more in the future. It’s also helped massively grow our online reach to cities and communities in which we didn’t have a presence before.

Christmas is a great time to be innovative because unchurched people are rarely more interested in church than at Christmas.

Christmas is a great time to be innovative because unchurched people are rarely more interested in church than at Christmas.CLICK TO TWEET

6. GIVE YOUR CONGREGATION INVITATION TOOLS

Did you know that 82% of people would come to church if a trusted friend invited them?

Yet in a typical year, only 2% of Christians invite a friend to church. Heartbreaking.

Create some full-color cards with details on it which people can hand to their friends.

We’ve tied candy canes to Instagram-like cards to make them easier to hand out to friends. For years now, we’ve also done business-size cards and some full-size posters. The posters pop up all over our cities in places like Starbucks, hockey arenas, community centres and more.

It’s easier to invite a friend to something like Christmas than to a regular Sunday morning.

82% of people would come to church if a friend invited them. Only 2% of Christians bother.CLICK TO TWEET

7. USE SOCIAL MEDIA

Sure, maybe you don’t have the bandwidth to build fresh websites. Just do it for free using social media. Create a Facebook event or promoted posts. Use all your social media channels and get the word out.

Encourage your people to share with their friends. They are your number one source when it comes to promotion because they’re already invested and engaged.

Do a Photo Booth at your church that will create some fun Instagram moments with dressed up kids and people holding a “Join us for Christmas Eve” signs.

When people share your story on their own accounts, it’s far more effective than when a church shares it on its account.

8. DISTRIBUTE (FREE) TICKETS

Why not ticket your Christmas services? Free tickets, of course, but tickets help create demand.

They have also helped us manage fire code.  Eventbrite is an inexpensive and easy solution we’ve used for years now.

Plus, having tickets drive decisions and commitments to attend.

9. LOVE YOUR COMMUNITY

This year, we’re attempting to once again increase the amount of money we normally give to our community partners like the local food bank, right before Christmas.

We’re also participating in local Christmas parades and community events in ways that show our community that we’re for them and that God is for them. 

Love makes a pretty irresistible force when it’s unleashed on a city. And generosity makes an impression on unchurched people.

10. INVITE THEM BACK

Every year, without hopefully sounding like a commercial, we invite people back for January.

They get a card explaining the new series and dates, times and locations. Last year we even played the trailer for our January series during the services (here’s our 2017 kick off series promo), even though it was anything but “Christmassy.” Because our January series dealt with a felt-need (people don’t like their jobs and find life overwhelming at times), it created a huge buzz and many guests returned in January simply because they saw the trailer.

I know inviting sounds basic, but you’re dealing with unchurched people. Think about it, you would never go to a party unless you knew you were invited.

Unchurched people don’t know they’re invited unless you invite them. So invite them.

11. PLAN A CALL TO ACTION

God’s grace is sovereign. We’ve had people commit their lives to Christ during volunteer events and during series about tithing.  So God can do anything.

But you need to do your part. Don’t let people walk away bored or with just a big warm fuzzy. Challenge them. People will leave mostly unchanged unless you create a different expectation.

Almost every year, we give people an opportunity to surrender their lives to Jesus… and it’s amazing how many people do. And when we invite them back and offer them steps to take in the new year (like beginning Starting Point), Christmas starts a journey for them that often ends with them surrendering their lives to Christ.

Christmas can start a journey for many unchurched people that often ends with them surrendering their lives to Christ.CLICK TO TWEET

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF DURING AN INTENSE SEASON

Getting ready for the rush of Christmas is one thing, but how do you avoid burning out, taking shortcuts or otherwise ending up in a place you don’t want to be?

Article taken from CareyNieuwhofThis article is written by Carey Nieuwhof

7 New Albums That Will Make You Want to Worship Jesus This Advent

You might not enjoy hearing Christmas music, say, every time you go out shopping. But if you’re like many of us, you probably still have some favorite Christmas albums you’ll listen to while decorating your house. Maybe those even include some of our recommendations from 2017! Or perhaps you enjoy the opportunity to worship God with songs you don’t get to sing during any other time of the year.

Even if you have a set of favorite Christmas tunes, it’s fun to find something fresh now and then.

With that in mind, we’ve compiled a short list of Christmas albums released this year that we think you might enjoy.

Lauren Daigle, Behold (Deluxe)

Daigle has been in the news quite a bit lately and has re-released her 2016 Christmas album in a deluxe version. It contains a mix of traditional songs done in a soulful, jazzy style.

Featuring: Jingle Bells, Silent Night, O Holy Night, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Listen to Lauren perform “Away in a Manger

Hillsong Worship, Christmas: The Peace Project (Deluxe)

Another deluxe version re-release comes from Hillsong Worship. The album includes two new live recordings, as well as instrumental versions of the songs.

Featuring: Joy to the World, Hark, Prince of Heaven, When I Think Upon Christmas

Hark Lyric Video

Darlene Zschech & HopeUC, The Table: A Christmas Worship Gathering

Speaking of which, Darlene Zschech, whom you might recognize as formerly being with Hillsong, has released a new Christmas album with Hope Unlimited Church.

Featuring: The Mystery (feat. Luke Taylor), Do You Hear What I Hear (feat. Katie Smith), Away in a Manger (He Is Here) (feat. Coco Gleeson & Piper Rorke), Emmanuel (Glory to God) (feat. Laura Robertson)

Away in a Manger (He Is Here) (Official Audio)

Caleb and Kelsey, Christmas Together  

Another artist we recommend is husband and wife duo Caleb and Kelsey. Their Christmas album is distinguished by its beautiful piano music and the couple’s harmonies.

Featuring: Christmas Hallelujah, Snow Medley, What Child Is This? / O Come Emmanuel, This Christmas / Last Christmas

What Child Is This? / O Come Emmanuel

Matt Maher, The Advent of Christmas

Grammy nominee and Dove Award winner Matt Maher anticipates the coming of Christ with a creative album focused on Advent.

Featuring: Gabriel’s Message, He Shall Reign Forevermore, The First Noel, When I Think of Christmas

Gabriel’s Message (Official Audio)

116, The Gift: A Christmas Compilation

Are you looking for hip hop music to jam to while you’re making Christmas cookies? If so, this is the album for you!

Featuring: O’ Come (feat. Tedashii, CASS, nobigdyl.), Joy (feat. Trip Lee, Lecrae, Abe Parker), Noel (feat. Trip Lee, Dave James), We Three Kings (feat. Paul Russell, Lecrae, Abe Parker)

“Joy” (feat. Trip Lee, Lecrae, Abe Parker)

David Phelps, It Must Be Christmas

David Phelps used to sing with the Gaithers and is now a solo artist. Here are some of the tracks we enjoyed most from his new Christmas album.

Featuring: Go Tell It on the Mountain, Fall on Your Knees (feat. Charlotte Ritchie), Catching Santa, In the Bleak Midwinter

Watch David perform “Go Tell It on the Mountain” live!

 

Written by: Jessica Mouser – Jessica Mouser is a writer for ChurchLeaders.com.

5 Ways To Show Your Staff Appreciation During the Holidays

One of my favorite times of year being on staff at my church was always Christmas. The excitement of the season and the busyness of what needed to be done always made me look forward to the holidays. Despite all of the excitement, there was a lot of sleepless nights and tired energy for an entire month – or more!

What are you doing to show your staff that they’re appreciated during this time of year? What are you doing to thank them for the countless hours they’ve put into children’s productions, worship rehearsal, decorating, or putting together a message? Be sure to support your staff during the holidays. Here are a few ideas:

Pray.

Set aside time to pray with your church staff. Pray for God to provide the resources and volunteers to keep up with regular church attendance and for special events this time of year. Pray that God would use your staff to reach out to new guests. Pray against stress and frustrations because let’s be real, we all have it! Prayer brings your requests to God and closer as a staff.

Give them some encouragement.

Write an encouraging note or thank you card to let them know that you appreciate the work they’re doing and the time they’re putting forth to create a memory. Let your staff know that you value their work.

Lend a hand.

I know I’m not alone in this but sometimes I hate to ask for help, especially this time of year when everyone is busy. The best thing to hear during times like this is, “What can I do to help you out?” Asking this simple question will go far in showing someone that you care and support them.

Rest.

Although this may seem like an impossible feat, it’s nonetheless important. Be intentional about creating time for your staff to rest and spend time with their own friends and family during the season. Whether it’s a day off, coming into work later, or leaving earlier – make sure you take care of the physical and emotional health of your staff by allowing them to rest.

Bless them.

If your budget allows, set aside some money to bless your staff with a bonus. Whether it’s a monetary gift, a gift card or something special, giving an end-of-year gift honors their commitment to the church and the sacrifices they have made during the year.

Your church staff is essential for running your programs and services within your church. Don’t rush through the next few weeks and look back and regret not thanking your staff or showing some kind of appreciation. What are you doing to honor some of your staff this Christmas?

Written by Meggan Jacobus. Meggan is the staffing manager at Froot Group, a worship staffing and consulting company.