Zach Zehnder's Blog, page 10

The Greatest Fake-Out Fade-Out of All-Time

The Fake-Out Fade-Out is a wonderful technique that some artists use to create emotion, add a surprise, and build an ending. Another term for this device is a false ending. It happens when a song or film comes to an expected end, goes completely silent, and then bursts back on without warning for a grand finale.

One famous music group that used this technique is the Beatles in their song Hello, Goodbye. Other artists that have tricked their audience with Fake-Out Fade-Outs are Bryan Adams in (Everything I Do) I Do It For You, Natasha Bedingfield’s song Unwritten, or the highly acclaimed SpongeBob SquarePants Movie! The Fake-Out Fade-Out works well because that happened in THE STORY.

 

The Fake-Out

The best Fake-Out Fade-Out was Good Friday. Jesus’s death on the cross faked everyone out.

From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

Matthew 27:45, 50-54

Here are the reasons Jesus had to fake-out everyone for three days. 

1) The third day is essential to God. Creation gives us this clue. There are two three-day sections in creation. On the third day, plants and livestock are made of the first set of three. At the end of the second set of three, animals and humans are made on the sixth day. God made the environment hospitable first and then introduced a new creation. This contradicts the idea that plants, animals, and people have had to adapt as their environment changes. Instead, through creation, God says, “I will make it ideal for you first, and then put you in. You were in my mind the whole time I was making the elements of the Earth. If things go wrong, it was not how I originally made them.”

2) Three days is referenced many other times in the Old Testament. Listed below are just a small sampling of those references:

Abraham’s test on the third day.God came down to Moses after three days. Jonah was in the whale for three days. The prophet Hosea tells the Israelites that on the third day, God will redeem them.Lazarus was dead for three days.  

3) It seals the reality of the loss. It proves Jesus was dead. There was no coming back from that. Three days were the test to make sure someone was dead. 

4) Jesus predicted it 21 times in the gospels. We know that the disciples and Jesus’s followers were not anticipating Jesus’s death because of their reactions. Sadness, fear, and grief are responses to unmet expectations. I don’t think they just missed the multiple times Jesus warned them of his death. Instead, they explained it away. And in doing so, they were shocked at the cross. The fade-out faked them out.

 The Fade-Out

To fundamentally change, you need a liminal period. A liminal space is the place during a transitional period. This can be physical (a stage curtain or drive-through window), emotional (a death or breakup), or symbolic/metaphorical (a choice or decision to be made.) Jesus was in a liminal period for three days. In the events of Good Friday, you can observe all three elements of Jesus’s liminal period: the physical, the emotional, and the symbolic.

Physical: Jesus physically died, and His body was buried.

Emotional: Jesus’s heart was broken on the  cross. The abandonment from God the Father 

was more than He could bear. He called out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” That separation destroyed him.

Symbolic: Jesus’s death wasn’t the death of one man or even one God. It was the death of 

every single person who ever walked the Earth. The punishment of every one of us was on Him. But the crucifixion was more than symbolic; it was a substitutionary death for the entire world. 

Here’s what terrifies me about all this; life continued on Saturday. The next day, markets opened, and streets bustled. People woke up, ate breakfast, went to work, argued, took baths, kissed, and laughed. It was like any other day. 

 The Silent Saturday Before Easter

Imagine a jet plane full of people with one pilot. And then that pilot dies, and no one is flying the plane anymore. It soars through the air in the same direction the pilot leaves it. Now, peek inside the plane: people sleeping with eye masks, some working on their laptops, a newlywed couple on their way to their honeymoon, a young mother holding her sleeping infant, a teenager eating snacks, a man watching a movie. They are all clueless that they are headed for death because nothing immediately changed about their circumstances. The reality was: everything has changed, but everything stays the same. They are slowly fading out, and they don’t even know it. 

The sky darkened when Jesus died, but people thought it was fake because Saturday morning the sun came up again. On Good Friday, the curtain ripped in two, but a temporary replacement was hung the next day. After Jesus took His last breath, the Earth shook to its core, but farmers returned to their fields the next morning. What a relief, they thought. Nothing is permanently changed, it was just a little fake-out. But their fade-out had begun. 

Like the disciples when Jesus warned them of His upcoming death, after Jesus died everyone explained away the unexplainable and then went about their business.

That’s what scares me, the fact that you won’t know it right away. Death results from a million little choices you made along the journey. Each little angry, selfish action you make contributes to where you end up.

That comment you made that ruined a friendship forever.The move you make that changed your children’s lives for the worse.The final bill that drives you to bankruptcy.The final argument you have with your dad before you never speak to each other again.The bitter silence that finally shoves you over the brink and into a divorce.

The unbearable truth is we are all fading out of this life. You are off track, like a plane without a pilot headed slightly off its path. Over time, that tiny insignificant difference widens into a chasm so big you can’t get back on course.

God told Eve that the day she ate the fruit, she would die. THE DAY. But when she ate it, she didn’t die, did she? God wasn’t lying when He warned that day she would die. He was right. At that moment, everything changed, and yet everything stayed the same. Death came the moment she ate the fruit. It was just a matter of time.

The Bible mentions eight times that people wanted to kill Jesus before He died. This crucifixion wasn’t out of the blue. It was fanaticized about, planned, discussed, attempted, failed, reorganized, and set into place. The world was without a pilot when it happened, coasting to its death.

 The Grand Finale

You need a transformation or your fade-out is permanent. You need to be saved from the million decisions that got you to the point of no return. Someone had to know how to go back to where it all started. 

You don’t just need a new outcome. You have to go back and change the journey you took to get to where you are. Someone needs to retrace your steps and change every little selfish decision, irreparable heartbreak, and painful knife twist. That’s the only way to fix all this hurt. And that is what Jesus did.

Jesus died, faked out everyone, and survived the fade-out. The devil never saw it coming. Sunday is our hope after a dark and silent Saturday.

That is what Easter Sunday is all about: retracing and rewriting the story we all should have had. It’s not a new life but a new retelling. It is a grand retelling of a story that ended in tragedy and faded to black. 

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Matthew 28:5-6b 

Jesus salvages the scraps of your life’s beautiful moments. He takes those pieces and makes you whole. It all was possible the morning He rose from the grave. And it is coming again at His second return. It will all come to pass.

Sit still and wait. Resist the temptation to get up and run out when the screen fades to black, the song ends, and life stops. The fade-out happened, but so did the fake-out.

The grand ending in history is coming.

The post The Greatest Fake-Out Fade-Out of All-Time appeared first on Red Letter Living.

Discover Your Spiritual Gifts

How to Discover Your Unique Spiritual Gifts

To help you better understand more about your spiritual gifts, below we offer a FREE spiritual gift test as well as brief descriptions of each spiritual gift.

What are spiritual gifts?

A spiritual gift is an “extra ability” given by the Holy Spirit to accomplish a ministry. Every Christian has at least one gift, and it’s possible to have several gifts, although one may be dominant. All the gifts should operate in love for the glory of God and the advancement of the church. The main purpose of a spiritual gift is to be used for the advancement of God’s church in this world. While many of the spiritual gifts could also be considered talents or gifts that could be used in a secular setting as well, we are particularly interested in using these gifts to edify and build up the church. 

Every one of us has a spiritual gift, not one of us has every spiritual gift.

Ephesians 4:12-13 explain that all of us have a role in the church. The Apostle Paul says that those in church leadership are called, “to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

If the church is ever going to live up to the fullest expression of Jesus then every single person in the church needs to discover and put to use their spiritual gift(s). 

So, let’s do this!

So, how do I know what my spiritual gifts are?

If you’ve not yet taken the Red Letter Spiritual Gift Test please take the quick test at www.spiritualgifts.me. The entire 130-question test only takes about 15 minutes to complete and you will be emailed your results.

Spiritual gift tests as well as honest conversations with others that know you well go hand-in-hand to help you discover your unique spiritual gifts.

The majority of spiritual gifts are from Bible verses like 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, and Ephesians 4. Biblical scholars agree that these lists are not exhaustive. 19 of the 26 spiritual gifts we test for can be found in those three lists from the New Testament.

In addition to those, especially due to the nature of frequency of how often these show up in the Bible, we have included craftsmanship, prayer, missionary, and music as four additional spiritual gifts that are often used to edify the body of Christ.

Then, finally, with the wisdom of much godly counsel, I have added three gifts that are regular functions of many churches in the digital and technological world we live in today: Production, Next Generation, and Communication/Marketing.

So, take the test now at www.spiritualgifts.me and then come back and find quick descriptions of your top three spiritual gifts.

How do I understand more about my spiritual gifts?

Here are quick descriptions of each spiritual gift as well as companion Bible readings that go along with them. They are listed in alphabetical order. Thanks to Tyndale, Holy Cross Lutheran, and C. Peter Wagner for providing many of these descriptions.

Administration

The ability to help steer the church, or a ministry, toward the successful completion of God-given goals, with skills in planning, organization, and supervision.

Apostleship

A person sent to new places with the gospel. You may have heard of missionaries going to different countries to help spread the Word; they could be described as apostles. An apostle can also provide leadership to other churches or ministries and offer advice on spiritual matters.

Communication/Marketing

The unique ability to take a message, project, or event and communicate it effectively to a broad audience using a variety of medium. This person may have gifts in graphic design, editing software, and online tools to be able to maximize the impact.

Craftsmanship

A person who has a trade or craft that they can use for the good of the church. Typically this person enjoys serving with their hands to meet tangible needs and may be described as a “handy” person.

Discernment

The wisdom to recognize truth from untruth by correctly evaluating whether a behavior or teaching is from God or another, ungodly source.

Encouragement

Competence in offering encouragement, comfort, and support to help someone be all that God wants them to be.

Evangelism

The ability to successfully communicate the message of the gospel, especially to nonbelievers. They are able to do it in a winsome fashion that men and women become not just believers but followers of Jesus.

Faith

People with this gift have possess extraordinary confidence in the power and promises of God that they can stand strong in their belief, no matter what may try to shake them. They can also stand up for the church and for their faith in such a way as to defend and move it forward.

Giving

Those who have this gift are particularly willing and able to share what resources they have with pleasure, and without the need to see them returned. 

Healing/Miracles

A capability used by God to restore others, be that physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. They serve as human intermediaries through whom God performs powerful acts that are perceived by others to have altered the ordinary course of nature.

Hospitality

A natural ability to make people—even strangers—feel welcome in one’s own home or church as a means to disciple or serve them.

Interpreting Tongues

The supernatural ability to interpret and make known to the public another language that has not been learned. This interpretation is done for the mutual edification of the church.

Knowledge

This is the gift of someone who actively pursues knowledge of the Bible. This person may also enjoy analyzing biblical data. They have the ability to discover, accumulate, analyze and clarify information and ideas that are pertinent to the growth and well-being of those in the church.

Leadership

This aptitude marks a person who is able to stand before a church or a ministry of the church, to direct the body with care and attention, and to motivate them toward achieving the church’s goals.

Mercy

This is the defining trait of a person with great sensitivity for those who are suffering. It manifests itself in offering compassion, empathy, and encouragement, for both Christians and non-Christians. That compassion often translates into giving practical help to someone in need.

Missionary

A person with this gift has a heart to share the Gospel in another culture. They work well with colleagues of different racial, cultural, religious, and sociopolitical backgrounds. They are typically willing to sacrifice the comforts of their own environment in order to reach those in another community, culture, or even country.

Music

This person is able to express their personal faith, provide inspiration and comfort through their music ability. This could come in the form of a musical instrument, singing, or both. When they are involved in music, it provides encouragement, joy, and inspiration to others.

Next Generation

This person is passionate about reaching the younger generations, students, and/or kids with the Gospel.

Pastoring

The Spirit-given ability to nurture and care for God’s people. Many times, this will include being able to use God’s Word to guide others into Christian maturity. This gift could be but is not limited to the office of pastor.

Prayer/Intercession

The ability to pray for extended periods of time on a regular basis and see frequent and specific answers to prayers to a degree much greater than that which is expected of the average Christian. They possess a gift of empathy towards others and believe in the power of God answering prayers. 

Production

Those who have this gift love utilizing technology to bring forth the Gospel in modern ways. They are not intimidated by cameras, computers, lights or cables, but rather see the potential in using these tools for excellent purposes to help grow the church.

Prophecy

The ability to speak the message of God to others. This sometimes involves foresight or visions of what is to come. This skill should be used only to offer encouragement or warning.

Serving/Helping

Someone with this gift is able to support or assist members of the body of Christ so that they may be free to minister to others. A talent for identifying tasks needed for the body of Christ and using available resources to get the job done. 

Speaking in Tongues

The supernatural ability to speak in another language (one that has not been learned) a message from God.

Teaching/Preaching

The skill to teach from the Bible and communicate it effectively for the understanding and spiritual growth of others.

Wisdom

The gift of being able to sort through facts and data to discover what needs to be done for individuals or the church. A person with this gift is often sought out for counsel and advice.

The post Discover Your Spiritual Gifts appeared first on Red Letter Living.

045: Joshua Brown on His Journey from a Drug Addict to a Pressure Washing Pastor, and How Business Leaders Can Do Ministry in the Marketplace Like Jesus

Joshua Brown has found that the best way for him to make disciples is by using water, literally. The Pressure Washing Pastor became not just his nickname, but his life calling. From being homeless on the streets to going through Bible college, Brown is on a mission to serve and coach others to be ministers in the marketplace.

 

https://youtu.be/33SDFwR0QKc 

Today’s episode is brought to you by the Red Letter Leaders Facebook Group!

Imagine a private group that encourages one another, shares resources and best practices, and genuinely cares for one another. Though it sounds too good to be true, that’s exactly what this group is! It is THE place where we are having the most personal discussions on discipleship for your church. So, get in! And invite your pastor and church leader friends to join! Find out more here. 

 Resources mentioned in the episode: 

While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks: 40 Daily Reflections on Biblical Leadership by Timothy Laniak

The Pressure Washing Pastor

 Key insights from the episode:  

God started speaking to me through a Tupac song, “Heaven for a G.” – Joshua Brown

I gave the pastor my pot and God my heart. – Joshua Brown

Whatever you do repetitively, you’ll become an expert at it. – Joshua Brown

I didn’t need a program, I needed a person. – Joshua Brown

We have too many pastors wanting their feet washed instead of washing others’ feet. – Joshua Brown

If Jesus ran a business, he would treat people like team members, and not employees. – Joshua Brown

When a community sees people that enjoy working together and doing things, they want to be a part of it. – Joshua Brown

Joshua Brown’s Challenge: Whatever you push against the most, investigate it in the Scriptures. 

 

Lead yourself (and your church) to find freedom in forgiveness.  

Before we can truly bring reconciliation to others in the world, we need to be reconciled to God. Thankfully, He doesn’t withhold His grace of forgiveness from anyone of us. It’s time to receive the freedom that comes with the forgiveness of God because a forgiven person becomes a forgiving person!

We’d love to introduce you to the 40-Day Forgiving Challenge.

The Forgiving Challenge takes you on a life-changing journey to experience the gift of God’s grace so that you can share it with others. It also helps you identify and walk through the five phases leading to freedom. 

You can learn more about the challenge here!

 

Watch the entire season for free: 

We’ll be uploading every episode of season one of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube Channel. If you aren’t subscribed already, you can do so here

The post 045: Joshua Brown on His Journey from a Drug Addict to a Pressure Washing Pastor, and How Business Leaders Can Do Ministry in the Marketplace Like Jesus appeared first on Red Letter Living.

044: Mel Gravely on Why He Wrote Nineteen Letters About Racism to His White Friends, and How and Why Christians Need to be Intentional to Fight Racism

When Mel Gravely saw pain and confusion on both sides of racism, he began to write letters. Those nineteen letters are now a book called Dear White Friend that breaks down barriers, confusion, and misconceptions about racism. Gravely is hopeful for a common good, a faithful community, and a united nation.

 

https://youtu.be/33SDFwR0QKc 

Today’s episode is brought to you by Red Letter Living. Pastors and church leaders, we create 40-day challenges that have helped more than 800 churches produce greater disciples. Not only this, but our resources grow small groups by more than 40%. If you are a pastor or church leader, not only can you find out more at this link, but you can also request a FREE 40-day challenge mailed to your door there.

As you plan for the end of this Fall or even the start of the New Year, we’d love to partner with you and we have some amazing deals with our ready-to-go church packs. But, first, get a FREE copy on us.

 

 Resources mentioned in the episode: 

Dear White Friend by Mel Gravely

Dear White Friend Discussion Guide

TriVersity Construction

 Key insights from the episode:  

I sit in a privileged seat to have one foot in both worlds. – Mel Gravely

There is no excuse for people who want to know about racism not to know. – Mel Gravely 

Authenticity and intentionality can be one and the same. – Mel Gravely

Sometimes the most powerful conversations about race are white people talking to white people without black people around. – Mel Gravely

You don’t need black people in the room to raise your empathy level. – Mel Gravely

There’s a deeper understanding of racism that we are all invited into. – Zach Zehnder

God didn’t create our world so white people would have 98% of all the good stuff. – Mel Gravely

When we study their story, 1)  duration, 2) magnitude, and 3) what happened should all be considered. – Mel Gravely

I don’t like white privilege, I like benefitting bystander. – Mel Gravely

I want to be hopeful. – Mel Gravely

Sunday is a segregated time. – Mel Gravely

The gospel isn’t relevant if it’s easy in 2023. – Mel Gravely

Mel Gravely’s challenge: Ask the question, “Why are things the way they are?” five times.

 

Lead yourself (and your church) to be more like Jesus. 

For so many Christians, the discipleship process isn’t very clear.

They know they need to go to church, pray, not sin, and maybe attend a small group. While these are great things, they don’t outline a clear path leading people to live more like Jesus. 

We’d love to introduce you to the 40-Day Red Letter Challenge.

When you and your church take the challenge, you’ll have a clear 40-day discipleship path that will help you master five key areas of discipleship.

You can learn more about the challenge here!

In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will get results back immediately and be presented with the following steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.

You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here.

 

Watch the entire season for free: 

We’ll be uploading every episode of season one of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube Channel. If you aren’t subscribed already, you can do so here

The post 044: Mel Gravely on Why He Wrote Nineteen Letters About Racism to His White Friends, and How and Why Christians Need to be Intentional to Fight Racism appeared first on Red Letter Living.

11 Tips to Improve Your Church Announcements and Hosting this Weekend

If you are like me, you love the church. You love the worship service. You think about it constantly. You are a student of worship services and dwell on each aspect of the service and how to improve it. I have struggled, however, for years on how to best lead the “announcement” or “service hosting” moment. Where should this moment fall in the service? Why does it sometimes feel like it takes the energy, vibe, or spirit out of the room? How can we do this more effectively?

So, today, let’s tackle the “announcement” time at your church.

The reality is that this is a crucial moment in your weekend worship experience. Below, I’ve got 11 tips to breathe new life into this moment of worship. 

1. Change your mindset from “I’m giving the announcements” to “I’m moving people to action.” 

Rich Birch of UnSeminary has a “Church Hosting Clinic” video series to help those doing serving hosting at their church. He makes the case that the hosting moment is not about giving the announcements, but rather, it is the time in the service to move people to action. In his studies, this hosting moment averages five minutes. Those five minutes’ primary purpose should be to drive people to action. If we have no call-to-action, we likely aren’t including the right announcements or using this moment as effectively as we should. So, our job is to provide a clear call-to-action rather than overloading information.

2. Build trust with the audience in the first 7 seconds. 

Author Vanessa Van Edwards has studied public speaking and analyzed thousands of Ted Talks. She claims that the biggest question people are asking of public speakers is, “Can I trust in you? Can I rely on you?” She also reminds us that first impressions are vital, and so there are strategic things we can do in the first seven seconds to build trust with those attending. She recommends that in the first seven seconds, never waste your words on “please be seated.” She also believes that positive body language is vital. Two great things you can do with your body in the first seven seconds are 1) smile and 2) make sure your hands are visible and open. This shows you are not concealing or hiding anything. 

Also, according to Van Edwards, here’s a fun fact regarding body language. The most popular Ted Talks use 465 hand gestures, while the least popular use 272 hand gestures in 18 minutes. 

Finally, on this point, author Steven Robertson also reminds us that Gen Z has a highly sophisticated 8-second attention span or filter. So, use those first 7 (or 8) seconds wisely!

3. Spend 20% of your time building rapport with the audience.

Suppose you have 5 minutes to do service hosting. In that case, it’s entirely appropriate to spend 1 of those 5 minutes (or approximately 20% of your time) building rapport with the audience. This is the time to share some of your personality in a fun or unique way. It could be that you have a joke you want to share, a current event to talk about, or something personally happening to you that would help the audience trust you. Whenever I receive the service hosting notes for the upcoming service, I think of quick ways to engage with the audience.

4. Practice beforehand to eliminate any script. 

The single best practice you can do when it comes to service hosting is practice. Practicing beforehand will help you test the overall time, your transitions, etc. It also provides the benefit of knowing your material well enough to not need any prompt, card, or manuscript. Not having any card or prompt in your hand shows you know your stuff, which helps build rapport. It also keeps your hands open to develop more gestures into your moment. 

5. Answer the question, “What’s in it for me?” that your audience may be thinking about.

The number one question marketing agencies ask is, “What’s in it for me,” also known as the WIIFM. Marketing agencies know their customers well enough to understand how their product, event, or program will help their customers. Our churches should operate similarly. At the end of the day, we are not building our churches to make our own name or ministry great. We are building our churches for the sake of helping not only those who attend become greater followers of Jesus but also to help reach those who aren’t even a part of our churches yet. If the announcements we mention aren’t helpful to our people in some way, shape, or form, they don’t deserve stage time.

6. Focus on the benefits and not the features.

Borrowing again from Rich Birch and his hosting clinic, too many service hosts focus more on the features than the benefits. It’s easy and natural to get too far into the weeds and list out the details of an event, program, or ministry. What’s better, however, is to talk about the “why” of any particular announcement. A great question to ask of any announcement is, “How will this help people grow in their faith?”

If your church is like mine, your communication team usually does a great job of displaying all of the correct information on the side screens. Usually, the event, program, or ministry details are listed, as well as the website or where to go for more information. Your job as the host is to keep things simple and help people see how this will help them grow in their faith. 

A quick example of this would be if you are talking about launching a new season of small groups. Rather than just listing out a website or the details on where to sign up, mention why small groups are important. Relationships happen in small groups, and we are wired for relationships. We live in a more disconnected world than ever, and loneliness is rising. So, now, you could share about a relationship you have developed or grown in your own small group. This is far more effective, speaking of which… 

7. Tell stories and testimonies.

Stories and testimonies are more compelling than information. They move people to action more than anything else. Suppose you are getting ready to announce an annual event that you have done in the past. In that case, it is extremely wise stewardship to review this event from the past year and find a story or testimony to highlight. For example, if it’s a servant event, you can focus on its impact on someone else’s life or even the life of someone who served at the event. 

To go along with this, ensure that after events, ministries, or programs, follow-ups or surveys go out to those who participated. It’s often in those answers that you can craft really compelling stories to share with the church.

8. Eliminate the words “we” and “us” from your service hosting moments.

Nothing makes me cringe more than when a service host says, “We need you to volunteer at our upcoming _____.” Nope, sorry. That’s not compelling or engaging at all. This language doesn’t have the concerns of the ones attending the church in mind. It is only thinking of filling slots for something the church is doing.

So, a tip to help you get away from using this type of language is to try your best to avoid saying the words, “we”, “our”, and “us” from your service hosting moments. This is likely the hardest tip on this blog to put into practice. So, hear me say this. It’s more about the spirit of the law than the letter of the law. But, by trying your best to eliminate these words from your hosting moment, you will automatically be thinking about the person who attends your church.

If you take out the words “we” and “us,” then you can focus on using the most powerful word in serving hosting, which is “you.” Again, remember this moment is a call to action. This is where you get to invite someone into living for something beyond themselves. So, as you share about a servant event, for example, you can use language like, “Here’s what you can expect if you serve at this event: You can expect to see smiles. You can expect to experience fulfillment. You can expect to help change someone’s life.” 

9. If you give a “Free Gift” to guests, tell people what the free gift is.

Typically, in most service hosting moments, you will welcome any guests (this is highly recommended by the way). This is just a pet peeve of mine, but too many churches settle into some announcement that says, “If you fill out this card, we’ll give you a free gift.” I love that churches are generous. But nobody signs up or gives their information out anywhere else without knowing what gift they are getting in return. So, tell people what gift you are giving to them. And a side note: if you don’t think the gift is that mentionable, you probably need a different free gift you can be proud of.

10. Avoid filler words. 

Every public speaker has them. Whether it’s because of nerves or just out of habit, we can fall back on saying the same word, words, or utterances. Early on in my days, it was “um.” Then it was “you know.” Lately, especially in the hosting or transitional moments, I’ve noticed myself saying the word “excited” a lot. And while my excitement typically is genuine, I don’t need to say it as much.

11. Watch yourself back.

The only way I even knew, or have known, what my filler words are is to watch myself back. There was a great service not long ago in which I led a baptism moment at the church for 12 baptized people. The moment felt right. It was amazing to see lives changed. When I watched it back, I saw God move, but I also noticed I said “excited” at least once every minute. It was just too much. So, not only can watching yourself back be a good exercise to locate your filler words, but it will also show you other things about yourself. You’ll be able to see your body language, how you use gestures, etc. 

If we spend all of this time preparing to do the service hosting, we might as well take up the opportunity to watch it back to get better the next time.

I hope these tips were helpful to you. Here are a couple of challenges I would offer to you for this upcoming week: 

Challenge 1: Don’t use the words “we,” “our,” and “us.”

Challenge 2: Don’t say, “please be seated,” or waste your first seven seconds. Show your hands and be creative with the first seven seconds.

The post 11 Tips to Improve Your Church Announcements and Hosting this Weekend appeared first on Red Letter Living.

043: Sasha Berscheid on Gaining Victory Over Alcoholism and Discovering Her Purpose through Serving Single Moms

Sasha has discovered the perfect line between providing care and preserving dignity that all non-profits need to take notice of. Project Intentional was birthed from her longing for single moms to feel seen and cared for. Her ingenious idea of Hope Lockers provides people with basic necessities while preserving their dignity.

 

https://youtu.be/dFPiZaZdEMg

Today’s episode is brought to you by Red Letter Living. In today’s episode, you’ll hear of an amazing servant Sasha Berscheid. She is not only serving the needs of her community, but also finding the life she is made for. Wouldn’t that be something that you would like for you and everyone at your church? If so, you’ll love our newest resource, a 40-day challenge to serve like Jesus entitled Serving Challenge. Get ready to embark on a 40–day journey that leads to more personal fulfillment than ever. 

You were made for more than just believing and existing until you die. You were made to follow the way of Jesus. You were made to serve. 

Right now churches are jumping into the First Wave of Serving Challenge. The resource will be ready to launch in churches worldwide on October 1, 2023. You can lock in the best pricing you’ll ever see by joining the First Wave right now at www.servingchallenge.com. Have questions? Go to this web link or email us at hello@redletterchallenge.com. But hurry, First Wave ends at the end of July 2023.

 Resources mentioned in the episode: 

Project Intentional

Abide Omaha

Sasha Berscheid’s LinkedIn

 Key insights from the episode:  

I can breathe in, I can breathe out, I don’t drink in-between, and therefore, I can celebrate life. – Sasha Berscheid

I wanted to become 1% better than I was yesterday. – Sasha Berscheid

It is humanly fundamental to be a part of a community. – Sasha Berscheid

The opposite of addiction is community. – Sasha Berscheid

The devil works best when we are in isolation. – Chris Johnson

Single moms are OUTSTANDING. – Sasha Berscheid

If you need help, and you are not reaching out to ask for help, you rob someone else of joy. – Sasha Berscheid

I know shame; I’ve held shame, and shame has held me. – Sasha Berscheid

Sometimes we know why, sometimes we don’t, but the answer is still obedience. – Zach Zehnder

It’s one thing to give something out; it’s another to educate and empower. – Sasha Berscheid

You were made to be you. – Sasha Berscheid

Take a step and see where it leads. – Zach Zehnder

You are the answer to someone else’s prayer. – Sasha Berscheid

Sasha Berscheid’s challenge: 1) Drink your water. 2) Practice an attitude of gratitude.

 

Are you following Jesus? 

Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. So we extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.

In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will get results back immediately and be presented with the following steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.

You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here.

 

Watch the entire season for free: 

We’ll be uploading every episode of season one of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube Channel. If you aren’t subscribed already, you can do so here

The post 043: Sasha Berscheid on Gaining Victory Over Alcoholism and Discovering Her Purpose through Serving Single Moms appeared first on Red Letter Living.

042: Mark DeYmaz on How to Discover Your Strengths, Removing Segregation in the Church, and Why Diversity is a Discipleship Matter

Mark DeYmaz is a man of action and didn’t believe that the church was a place for him. From atheist to being the founding pastor of Mosaic Church in Arkansas, he still believes that movement and action are what Christ intended for discipleship. He is passionate about fighting for a united church and removing segregation from congregations. 

 

https://youtu.be/unS_wJqPCPc

Every pastor knows small groups are important, yet a lot aren’t too happy with where their small groups are right now. You can grow your small groups right now. That’s right. We have helped more than 800 churches grow their small groups, and it’s not as hard as you think. Our super-simple, easily-doable 5-step guide to grow your small group strategy is found by clicking on this link.

 

 

Resources mentioned in the episode: 

Mosaic Church Central Arkansas

Mosaic Conference

markdeymaz.com

 

Key insights from the episode:  

We want the best ideas to win, not the person’s position to win. – Mark DeYmaz

Don’t work on your weaknesses; staff to your weaknesses. – Mark DeYmaz

The best way to find out who you are is to find out who you are not. – Mark DeYmaz

In America, we think we’ve got to be independent people and pull ourselves up by the bootstraps; that’s not the way of God. We need one another. – Mark DeYmaz

We are in a Matthew 5:26 century. It’s not so much sitting in a room and studying the Bible but getting out and doing the works of the Bible. – Mark DeYmaz

American discipleship is top-heavy with explanation and low on demonstration. – Mark DeYmaz

The collective is so much more powerful than the individual. – Mark DeYmaz

By 2042, one in every two people in America will be non-white. – Mark DeYmaz

It’s not about forcing something; it’s becoming intentional. – Mark DeYmaz

The arch of the Biblical narrative bends towards multi-ethnicity. – Mark DeYmaz

You cannot preach a message of God’s love from a segregated pulpit and expect it to be believed. – Mark DeYmaz

Mark DeYmaz’s Challenge: Read Romans 16:25-27 and ask yourself, “What is the Gospel that Paul is referring to?” 

Today’s episode is brought to you by Red Letter Living. At its core, Red Letter Living creates resources to challenge all people to be greater disciples of Jesus. One of our integral FREE resources is a Red Letter Challenge Assessment. It only takes 7-10 minutes to complete. 

 

Are you following Jesus? 

Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. So we extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.

In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will get results back immediately and be presented with the following steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.

You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here.

 

Watch the entire season for free: 

We’ll be uploading every episode of season one of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube Channel. If you aren’t subscribed already, you can do so here

The post 042: Mark DeYmaz on How to Discover Your Strengths, Removing Segregation in the Church, and Why Diversity is a Discipleship Matter appeared first on Red Letter Living.

The Key to Unlock a Life of Serving

The Painful Cut of Forgiveness Scissors

2012’s Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was the biggest in US history. Scarlett Lewis lost her son Jessie, but she was determined not to be swallowed by her grief. Not only did she forgive her son’s killer, but her forgiveness motivated her to make a change. Since her son’s funeral, Scarlett has urged people to change their angry thoughts into loving ones. It all started with an amputation. Here is how she described it,

 

“Forgiveness felt like I was given a big pair of scissors to cut the tie and regain my personal power. It started with a choice and then became a process.”

 

For Scarlett, forgiveness was the start of a life of service.

 

Another mother’s act of forgiveness and service left a judge stunned. Mother Ady Guzman-DeJesus toured with her daughter’s killer for over a year to serve others by speaking about how, without proper training, guns can be dangerous. In 2014 during the trial, she asked the judge for a shorter sentence for Jordyn Howe, the young teen who accidentally shot her daughter while showing off a gun on the bus. As she hugged the young man, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Ellen Sue Venzer was moved to tears. She said,

 

“In 20 years, I’ve watched human tragedy unfold in this courtroom. I could have never imagined a victim’s mother embracing her child’s killer.”

Heart-wrenching forgiveness didn’t get things back to what they were before. Instead, they propelled individuals into service they would never have been able to do.

 

AA’s famous Twelve Step Program follows this same order. After admitting in the first step that you are powerless over the addiction and acknowledging that you hurt others in the 5th step, the 7th step is all about accepting that forgiveness. But forgiveness gets you only halfway. In steps 8,9 and 10, there is a progressive journey of turning your own forgiveness into service. When true forgiveness happens, it creates space for incredible acts of service.

 

The Space Forgiveness Leaves

 

When happily married Christy got an email from a woman claiming she will no longer be dating Christy’s husband, Christy was stunned, shocked, and broken. “Forgiving him was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do,” she said. “But his honesty made it easier.” The two later went on to renew their wedding vows. “Our marriage is stronger for it. I have no regrets,” she said. Forgiveness gave Christy and her husband space to build something even better than before.

  

Salakh: The Ultimate Forgiveness

 

When God issues forgiveness, something happens that is larger than human capabilities. His forgiveness creates space for service that is far greater than any human.

 

Read Psalm 130:3-4 NIV. Notice the order of forgiveness and service:

 

If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
    Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness , (translated for Hebrew word salakh)
    so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

 

When the Bible was translated into English, all forms of forgiveness were lumped into one word that we use today. But the specific Hebrew term for forgiveness in this verse is salakh. It is used in the Bible only of God – never does this word refer to people forgiving each other. When God issues forgiveness, radical opportunities for service beyond our capability are created.

 

Biblical Examples of Forgiveness Leading to Serving

 

We see the same pattern of forgiveness followed by a radical act of service all over Scripture.

 

Job
God forgave Job for assuming he had to fully understand God’s actions and responses during suffering. This led to his story being one of the best books on understanding suffering.Rahab
Being a prostitute didn’t disqualify Rahab from being used to conquer Jericho. She had great faith as a result of God’s forgiveness of her sin. She was able to help two Israeli spies and as a result, saved her family.Moses
Moses killed an Egyptian and ran away. He was called by God in an astonishing act of forgiveness when God called him to return to Egypt and let his people go. Before Moses was able to perform that great act of service, he had to be greatly Peter
After realizing he couldn’t keep the vow to be faithful to Jesus for even 24 hours, Peter had given up on himself and returned to fishing. Jesus came to him, called him out of the boat (again), and reinstated him as a fisher of men. Without being given forgiveness first, Peter’s life of service, and leading the early church, would have never happened.Paul
Paul’s forgiveness journey was an amputation, as Scarlett Lewis described it. He had to be blinded by Jesus and left to sit alone and come to the realization of what he was doing. God’s forgiveness leads this self-righteous murderer to a life of humble service to the world. He was our first missionary and went on to write at least 13 of the books of the Bible. What This Means for Me

 

If you haven’t gone through our 40-day Forgiving Challenge, we strongly encourage you to do so. The salakh, the God’s-only forgiveness that is offered to you is LIFE-CHANGING. If you have gone through it, then you are primed and ready for the next season of service that God has made space for in your life. The fields are ripe!

 

In John 4 Jesus says, “Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” John 4:35 

What was different about that point in history as opposed to every other? What made it the opportune time for people to begin serving?

Because forgiveness had been supplied. 

Jesus had the authority to say the fields are ripe because He was the forgiveness offering that was given to the world. Forgiveness has to come first, and it did in Jesus. That’s why He could say your service is waiting. Forgiveness propels you toward service. You can take some next steps toward serving by checking our Serving Challenge. 

 
Even now the harvest workers are receiving their reward by gathering a harvest that brings eternal life. Then everyone who planted the seed and everyone who harvests the crop will celebrate together. John 4:36

 

Challenge: Since forgiveness propels serving, take the freedom that God has given to you through His forgiveness, and now, out of that freedom, serve someone else.

The post The Key to Unlock a Life of Serving appeared first on Red Letter Living.

041: Patrick O’Connell on The Movement of the Church, Changing the Scorecard for Disciples, and What American Disciples Can Learn from Disciples Overseas

Patrick O’Connell believes the church needs to be on the move. In this episode, Patrick will share his journey of being baptized in his 30s which led him to pastoring a small church, and now serving as Global Director of New Thing. In this episode, Patrick will share what American disciples can learn from those overseas and how the scorecard for what disciples shoot for needs to change.

 

Today’s episode is brought to you by Red Letter Living. At its core, Red Letter Living creates resources to challenge all people to be greater disciples of Jesus. One of our integral FREE resources is a Red Letter Challenge Assessment. It only takes 7-10 minutes to complete. 

Are you following Jesus? 

Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. So we extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.

In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will get results back immediately and be presented with the following steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.

You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here. 

 Resources mentioned in the episode: 

New Thing

Patrick O’Connell on Missional Imagination

FREE Ebook Together, written by Dave Ferguson and Patrick O’Connell

 Key insights from the episode: 

The church started as a movement, and it works best as a movement. – Patrick O’Connell

I get stoked about movement, and I want to see motion in the church. – Patrick O’Connell

During my season of despair, I had women and men who showed me the love of Jesus. – Patrick O’Connell

It takes other committed faith-filled people to get people out of their own despair. – Zach Zehnder

I see a generation who are open to following but in an authentic and honest way. – Patrick O’Connell

We have to recapture the ethos that we are part of a movement. – Patrick O’Connell

We need to be more about the kingdom than the castles. – Patrick O’Connell

Let’s admit that the scorecard needs to be tweaked. – Patrick O’Connell

Discipleship is the win of the current century. – Patrick O’Connell

Discipleship is a relationship, not just cognitive. – Patrick O’Connell

The simple question in our discipleship path is, “Are you committed to following Jesus?”. – Zach Zehnder

Sunday is the only place on earth left where you can experience the gifts of God. – Chris Johnson

We’ve turned discipleship transactional, but it’s a relationship. – Patrick O’Connell

Discipleship is not a destination, it’s a journey. – Patrick O’Connell

A church is just the outpost of the kingdom. – Patrick O’Connell

New churches have a missional edge, they can cross boundaries that older churches can’t cross. – Patrick O’Connell

What the 20-somethings struggle with is all the systems. – Patrick O’Connell

Jesus said, “Go make disciples,” not “Go plant churches.”  – Patrick O’Connell

Patrick O’Connell’s Challenge: Pray and ask someone to share their story.

 

Lead yourself (and your church) to be more like Jesus.

For so many Christians, the discipleship process isn’t very clear.

They know they need to go to church, pray, not sin, and maybe attend a small group. While these are great things, they don’t outline a clear path leading people to live more like Jesus. 

We’d love to introduce you to the 40-Day Red Letter Challenge.

When you and your church take the challenge, you’ll have a clear 40-day discipleship path that will help you master five key areas of discipleship.

You can learn more about the challenge here!

 

Watch the entire season for free: 

We’ll be uploading every episode of season one of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube Channel. If you aren’t subscribed already, you can do so here!

The post  041: Patrick O’Connell on The Movement of the Church, Changing the Scorecard for Disciples, and What American Disciples Can Learn from Disciples Overseas appeared first on Red Letter Living.

040: Sam Black on What Age Parents Should Talk to Their Kids about Pornography, The Reason Churches Don’t Talk about It, and How To Fight Against Pornography

Sam Black has spent decades helping people find freedom from pornography. From early exposure to repetition through adolescence and finally using pornography as escapism, Sam believes that healing from any stage of pornography is possible. He offers the church tools to lead their people to freedom.

 

 

https://youtu.be/XU2i4zZMS_Y 

 

Lead yourself (and your church) to find freedom in forgiveness.  

 

 

We talk about the power of freedom in today’s episode with Sam Black. And we’d now love for you to go on the journey to not only forgive others, but to receive God’s forgiveness for your life. Before we can truly bring reconciliation to others in the world, we need to be reconciled to God. Thankfully, He doesn’t withhold His grace of forgiveness from any of us. It’s time to receive the freedom that comes with the forgiveness of God because a forgiven person becomes a forgiving person!

We’d love to introduce you to the 40-Day Forgiving Challenge.

Forgiving Challenge takes you on a life-changing journey to experience the gift of God’s grace so that you can share it with others. It also helps you identify and walk through the five phases leading to freedom. 

You can learn more about the challenge here!

 Resources mentioned in the episode: 

The Healing Church: What Churches Get Wrong About Pornography And How To Fix It by Sam Black 

Covenant Eyes

Victory App by Covenant Eyes

Good Pictures Bad Pictures Jr.: A Simple Plan to Protect Young Minds by Kristen A Jenson M.A.

Good Pictures Bad Pictures Porn-proofing Today’s Young Kids by Kristen A Jenson M.A.

Pure Desire 

Be Broken

 

Key insights from the episode: 

Early exposure to pornography, repetition through adolescence, and the use of escapism as an adult create a pattern of addiction. – Sam Black

The church falsely claims that men will struggle with pornography their whole lives. – Sam Black

We need mind, body, and spirit healing to escape the grips of pornography. – Sam Black

Parents are afraid to say anything about pornography because they are afraid that it will make them curious. – Sam Black

If you want to teach a kid to hide, shame them about pornography. – Sam Black

You should begin having conversations about pornography when your child is 5,6 years old. – Sam Black

We need to equip our kids, not if they get exposed, but when they get exposed to pornography. – Sam Black

Knowledge proceeds to understand, and understanding proceeds to change. – Sam Black

Anger is a common trigger for pornography. – Sam Black

93% of churches do nothing to address pornography. – Sam Black

Food addiction and porn addiction are shockingly similar. – Sam Black

Sam Black’s Challenge: Be the friend you would like to have.

 

Lead yourself (and your church) to find freedom in forgiveness. 

 

 

Before we can truly bring reconciliation to others in the world, we need to be reconciled to God. Thankfully, He doesn’t withhold His grace of forgiveness from anyone of us. It’s time to receive the freedom that comes with the forgiveness of God because a forgiven person becomes a forgiving person!

We’d love to introduce you to the 40-Day Forgiving Challenge.

The Forgiving Challenge takes you on a life-changing journey to experience the gift of God’s grace so that you can share it with others. It also helps you identify and walk through the five phases leading to freedom. 

You can learn more about the challenge here!

 

Watch the entire season for free: 

We’ll be uploading every episode of season one of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube Channel. If you aren’t subscribed already, you can do so here!

The post 040: Sam Black on What Age Parents Should Talk to Their Kids about Pornography, The Reason Churches Don’t Talk about It, and How To Fight Against Pornography appeared first on Red Letter Living.