Zach Zehnder's Blog, page 17
June 20, 2022
006: Adam Griffin on The Number One Problem Parents Face Today
After describing himself as lacking ambition, Adam Griffin seems to prove himself wrong. Whether he is investing in the personal lives of teens, transforming children’s lives as a public school teacher, writing books with Pastor Matt Chandler, or leading a church plant to become its own autonomous church, Adam is relentlessly devoted to making disciples who follow Jesus.
Pastors, all of us have different gifts and strengths when it comes to leading the church God has entrusted to us. For me, I’ve always leaned on experts to help when I’ve got a kingdom vision that requires raising funds. Some of the best experts in the field are our Season 1 Partner, The Giving Church. They’ve helped more than 1000 churches raise more than a billion dollars. Crazy! Go on over to www.thegivingchurch.com/red and download a FREE PDF for how to grow your church’s giving!
Resources mentioned in the episode:
Family Discipleship by Adam Griffin and Matt Chandler
Key insights from the episode:
A lot of the problems in youth ministry is that you are dealing with people who have adult-sized problems but child-sized maturity. – Adam Griffin
Throughout my ministry, I have struggled with a sinful lack of ambition. I have such crippling insecurity about things. I’ve always depended on the Lord to take me to the next thing. – Adam Griffin
Today, in American culture, there is an assumption that you cannot be both a Christian and be unbiased in a conversation. I don’t have to set aside the fact that I am a Christian to engage with culture. – Adam Griffin
We need to be training the next generation to be resilient. – Adam Griffin
Family discipleship is an ordinary everyday lifestyle. Let them see your flaws and share your own repentance. – Adam Griffin
You don’t have to be a theologian or scholar to fulfill the role God called you to follow Him and lead your kids to follow Him. – Adam Griffin
Most parents believe they are the primary spiritual leader of their kids, but hardly anyone has a plan to do that. – Zach Zehnder
There are tons of resources on doing family discipleship, but none on how to make a plan. – Adam Griffin
The three aspects of Family Discipleship are 1) Time, 2) Moments, and 3) Milestones. – Adam Griffin
I’m always trying to reinvent ways to read the Bible in new ways. – Zach Zehnder
A church cannot be built around anyone but the man of Jesus Christ. – Adam Griffin
It’s harder to revitalize churches than plant new ones. – Adam Griffin
We need every single type of church to be the fullest and greatest expression collectively of Jesus we can be in the world. – Zach Zehnder
The younger generation doesn’t love brilliance or humor; they love novelty. But just as easily as they love a new thing, that new thing gets old. The gospel is ageless and timeless. – Adam Griffin
Adam’s Challenge of the Week: Check your emotional health, especially on how you compare to other people. Do you look at others and see their weaknesses and feel better about yourself or do you look at others and see their strengths and feel worse about yourself? Where has coveting sought into your heart? – Adam Griffin
Lead yourself (and your church) to be more like Jesus. Red Letter Challenge
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!
People think that being a youth minister knows the rules of kickball, softball, and how much pizza to order. – Adam Griffin
I’ve had friends in Boston say they have never walked into a coffee shop in Texas and not seen someone reading their Bible. – Adam Griffin
Next time you are called to jury duty, don’t show up in your sequins jacket. – Zach Zehnder
The Dish Network renamed the town of Clark to Dish and gave them ten years of free cable. – Chris Johnson
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 006: Adam Griffin on The Number One Problem Parents Face Today appeared first on Red Letter Living.
June 13, 2022
005: Peter McGowan on What The Church Today Can Learn From Disney
What story is your church or life telling? Story is the thread that knit the entire history of the world together. Peter McGowan has dedicated his life to helping people tell their own stories in order to ultimately tell the greatest story of Jesus.
Season 1 of The Red Letter Disciple Podcast could not have been possible without our friends from The Giving Church. Helping more than a thousand churches raise more than a billion dollars for kingdom dreams to come to fruition, do not let financial lids limit what God can do through your church or ministry. Go on over to www.thegivingchurch.com/red and download a FREE PDF for how to grow your church’s giving!
Resources mentioned in the episode:
Harry Potter author reveals books’ Christian allegory
Key insights from the episode:
Story is not just oral or written tradition, it’s a broader vocabulary of design and interaction. – Peter McGowan
The Basic Idea: storytelling needs to be 1) emotional storytelling, 2) special storytelling, and 3) interactive storytelling. – Peter McGowan
Story can connect executive leadership with lower IT managers so that their visions are lined up. – Peter McGowan
The suspension of disbelief is what made Jesus a powerful storyteller. – Peter McGowan
Story is not some new marketing buzzword we just came up with; throughout human history, it’s been led by the storytellers. – Peter McGowan
The creator of the universe comes to this earth, he could have written the whole new testament, and the only thing he wrote down was something temporary in the dirt. – Peter McGowan
Steve Jobs invented the iPhone with a storyline of being able to do all of it without a keyboard. – Peter McGowan
Elon Musk is a modern-day storyteller the church should be listening to right now. – Peter McGowan
I don’t want to go back to the way we did things pre-Covid. – Zach Zehnder
The church is the only organization that does a new content service every week but it is a hamster wheel that burns them out. – Peter McGowan
Our ability to tolerate change and progress is what’s going to allow us to adapt. – Peter McGowan
So many churches think stewardship is saving everything they have and making every dollar stretch. We’re called to take risks and have that return on investment. – Peter McGowan
Peter’s Challenge of the Week: Ask a family or close friend a story or memory they have about the two of you. Why is that their favorite memory?
Lead yourself (and your church) to be more like Jesus. Red Letter Challenge
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!
Right after 9/11 is a great time to start a company. – Peter McGowan
Next time Peter talks to Marvel, he’ll pitch the idea: Superhero with Red Sequins.
Peter McGowan is one of maybe 3 on planet earth that started as an IT guy and moved into design and storytelling. – Chris Johnson
The BLOB was actually made by Christian filmmakers, it was going to be a Christian allegory. – Peter McGowan
60% of people resist change no matter what. – Peter McGowan
The only people that create new weekly content are the church and the WWE. – Chris Johnson
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 005: Peter McGowan on What The Church Today Can Learn From Disney appeared first on Red Letter Living.
June 8, 2022
Helping Your Church Respond to the Generosity Warning Signs
Are you concerned with where your church finances are? Is your church’s overall money or financial situation something that you think about more than you know is healthy?
Today, it is my privilege to feature a blog by our friends at The Giving Church. One of the five targets of discipleship that Jesus most often teaches is giving. In fact, out of the five targets we detail in Red Letter Challenge, this is the one that He most frequently mentions. I’m convinced with all that Jesus says, it’s impossible to be a stingy Christian! So, how do we steward generosity, not only in our personal lives but in our churches as well?
In today’s blog, Phil Ling, founder of The Giving Church, will help us see that generosity warning signs already exist. Not long ago, they commissioned a study of more than 4000 churches and uncovered some data that will help us see some warning signs around generosity. This objective data is crucial for us today because it allows us to respond well for our future.
If you’d like to connect with Phil and his team, his contact information is at the bottom. They’d also love to give you a free PDF to help your church grow in its giving. What pastor wouldn’t want that?! You can find the 5 Keys to Grow Your Church Giving here.
Without further ado, here are Phil’s words for us today.
When the 9.0 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Sumatra unleashed the cataclysmic tsunami on December 26, 2004, it propelled a storm estimated to have had the power of 23,000 Hiroshima-type atomic bombs. The storm radiated as far as 3,000 miles, and despite the several hours, it took from the time of the earthquake for the deadly waves to reach the devastated shores, nearly 230,000 people lost their lives that day. The puzzling part of the storm afterward was why some beaches, such as Phuket, Thailand, had been able to avoid disaster.
The answer was simple- they heeded the warning signs. In Phuket, a nine-year-old girl noticed quickly receding waters and a frothy foam head on the tops of the waves and immediately began to warn everyone. All 300 people on the beach were saved because they heeded the warning signs.
Two Big Warning Signs
The COVID-19 Pandemic has microwaved and accelerated warning signs for the American Church. The warning signs are clear as churches struggle to survive or face a very real financial lid to growth and world-changing ministries. Before the pandemic, our team studied the giving patterns of 4,000 churches. 45% of the average American church had givers that contributed less than $200 in a year. COVID-19 certainly has not impacted that number positively.
Church consumerism has created a mix-and-match buffet where families often identify with multiple churches in their community where the family attends different ministries. As donors become less attached to the church, discipleship of biblical generosity remains lacking, and leadership remains void. A storm is beginning to take shape that will place a lid on growth and ultimately extinguish churches. We have the warning signs.
The question remains: what will we do with them?
One Big Obstacle
What stops us from intentionally building and developing a culture of generosity? I’m convinced the answer to that question comes down to fear.
Amid the greatest depression ever seen, Franklin D. Roosevelt was sworn in as President of the United States on Saturday, March 4, 1933. On that day, he gave his 1,883-word, 20-minute speech that left a mark on Americans. He began the speech by dispelling the idea of fear by saying,
“Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is…fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”
I have seen fear bring paralysis to church leaders and pastors while turning advance into retreat when considering the concepts and ideas of teaching biblical generosity. Yet Jesus spoke and taught openly on the subject. I have seen churches take bold steps of caution because of a fear that permeates the topic.
So what can we do today in light of all of this?
Two Big Options
First, we can continue as usual. We can hope that the small minority who currently gives the majority continues to do so, and somehow, they will rub off on others. However, that strategy is short-sighted, and unfortunately, will only last as long as those donors survive within the church. It leaves the church open to disaster and destruction in the event of the death of a key donor or another critical crisis- such as COVID-19. At the most, this approach lasts for the current generation.
The second option is to prepare for the impending storm and build a generosity culture. Craft a clear, crisp, and compelling vision that elevates participation, creates momentum, solidifies unity, builds authentic relationships, and depends on a big God. Begin to teach biblical generosity and provide inception opportunities for new potential donors. Begin to embrace generosity as a critical ministry of your church from this point on- not just a plate passed on Sundays while we make announcements.
The options are simple. The outcomes are very different.
Churches that talk about generosity and genuinely begin to develop cultures of intentional generosity are the churches that will survive the impending storm. The warning system has been sounded. Will you heed the warning? Will you craft a clear, crisp, and compelling vision that elevates participation, creates momentum, solidifies unity, builds authentic relationships, and depends on a big God? If so, you will not just survive the impending tsunami but bring an impact to countless real lives for very real eternities.
About Phil Ling
Phil Ling is the founder of The Giving Church, helping churches leverage vision to grow cultures of generosity. Prior to providing energetic leadership and strategic direction to The Giving Church, Phil served as Vice President of Development for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and as Executive Vice President for INJOY Stewardship with John C. Maxwell, leading the mega-church capital campaign division. Phil has helped nearly 1000 churches realize their vision through generosity. If you’d like to reach out to Phil and his team at The Giving Church, click here.
The post Helping Your Church Respond to the Generosity Warning Signs appeared first on Red Letter Living.
June 6, 2022
004: Dave Ferguson on Church Planting in America Today
Church planting is the future of Christianity. This is why Dave Ferguson is so passionate about reaching his goal of seeing 16% of churches in America be either a reproducing or a multiplying a church. Dave also helps us see as individuals how we can love our neighbors well.
Season 1 of The Red Letter Disciple Podcast could not have been possible without our friends from The Giving Church. Did you know 45% of those that give to church give $200 or less in a year? The potential to increase giving is certainly in your church and The Giving Church can help you unleash greater generosity. Go on over to www.thegivingchurch.com/red and download a FREE PDF for how to grow your church’s giving!
Resources mentioned in the episode: Key insights from the episode:
Exponential Conference’s mission is to get 16% of the churches in North America to be level 4 (a planted church) or level 5 (reproducing churches.
Current Landscape of American churches:
35% declining35% plateau30% growingThe five different levels of church growth: 1) a church in decline, 2) a plateau 3) growing 4) reproducing church planting 5) multiplying: church multiplying itself. Usually, people only think of the first three levels of growth, but the goal ought to be level 4 and level 5. – Dave Ferguson
In order to get to level 4 or 5, you have to reproduce micro before macro. Make disciples inside the church before you can recruit disciples outside of the church. – Dave Ferguson
Overseas churches are rapidly reproducing disciples. Part of the reason we don’t see that same growth in the United States is that we can’t figure out how to multiply disciples. – Dave Ferguson
India and Africa are growing the fastest because they are planting the gospel and making disciples, not worrying about the logistics of the church. There it is less about the production and more about the relationship. – Dave Ferguson
When Dave gets it right, the practice he does to stay focused is his RPMs through Journaling: Read, Prayer, and Meditation.
Prayer doesn’t always need to start with talking, but with silence and meditation. Create space for the Holy Spirit to move. – Dave Ferguson
The 5 steps on how to love your neighbor (BLESS)
Begin with PrayerListenEatServeStoryDave’s Challenge of the Week: Have an “I See In You (ICNU)” conversation with someone. Encourage someone close to you and speak a blessing over them.
(Example: I see in you, Chris, a future on a video in Exponential Conference.)
Lead yourself (and your church) to be more like Jesus. Red Letter Challenge
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!
Some not-so-key insights:
Top Parenting Tip: DON’T LET YOUR KIDS WIN. Hang on to every bit of athleticism as long as you can, because you will eventually lose to them. – Zach Zehnder
Most speakers really enjoy being parodied at Exponential Conference. – Dave Ferguson
Bohemian Rhapsody was sung to Max Lucado, which frazzled Lucado so much that he gave the wrong talk.
Francis Chan has the largest hands to frame ratio.
Dave Ferguson’s disaster attempt at discipleship was verbally assaulting people at Applebee’s.
Chris is high charisma, but low intelligence.
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 004: Dave Ferguson on Church Planting in America Today appeared first on Red Letter Living.
May 30, 2022
003: Rebekah Gregory on Surviving the Boston Bombing
On April 15th of 2013, Rebekah Gregory was attending the Boston Marathon. She and her son were three feet away when the bomb went off, and miraculously, God protected them both. Today she shares what she’s learned from this tragedy and how it’s forever changed her life.
Did you know that a Boeing 747 is made up of over 6 million parts?! Even if we had all the parts, none of us would know how to put everything together. Only the experts would know-how. Speaking of experts, our friends at The Giving Church have helped more than a thousand churches raise more than a billion dollars for kingdom dreams to come to fruition. If you need help with anything financially, as small as coaching or consulting or as big as a capital campaign, let these experts help you put your kingdom vision together. Go on over to www.thegivingchurch.com/red and download a FREE PDF for how to grow your church’s giving!
Resources mentioned in the episode:
Here’s a great TikTok to introduce you to Rebakah’s sense of humor.
Here’s another hilarious TikTok
Key insights from the episode:
I believe it’s a privilege to struggle. – Rebekah Gregory
The emotional trauma had almost more of an impact than the physical trauma on me and my son. – Rebekah Gregory
There are very limited resources available to help kids work through PTSD. – Rebekah Gregory
It’s often where we’re most broken that our purpose is revealed. – Zach Zehnder
We’ve helped over 250 families receive therapy treatment for their trauma. – Rebekah Gregory
God makes good things happen out of the bad. – One of Chris’ mentors
Forgiveness isn’t for the other person. It’s for you. – Rebekah Gregory
I wanted him to look at me. I wanted him to know that he didn’t defeat me. – Rebekah Gregory
I got to stand in front of the biggest enemy of my life and tell him he didn’t win. – Rebekah Gregory
Throw your expectations for your life out the window and appreciate what it is right now. – Rebekah Gregory
Life is beautiful, and I’m very blessed. – Rebekah Gregory, amputee and survivor of the Boston Bombing.
Rebekah’s Challenge of the Week: Throw the expectations you have of your life out the window. Appreciate what you have right now. So, count your blessings, not your problems.
Lead yourself (and your church) to find freedom in forgiveness. Forgiving Challenge
Like Rebekah said in this interview, “Forgiveness isn’t for the other person. It’s for you.”
We’d love to help you and your church discover what freedom in forgiveness feels like by exploring the powerful forgiveness that Jesus offers to each and every one of us.
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!
Some fun insights about Rebekah:
Humor is key in Rebekah’s family.
Rebekah’s first new leg was named Felicia. Every new leg Rebekah gets has its own name and personality.
According to Rebekah, she’s on her last leg whether she likes it or not, so she’s going to have fun with it.
Rebekah is the coolest robot mom on the planet!
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 003: Rebekah Gregory on Surviving the Boston Bombing appeared first on Red Letter Living.
May 24, 2022
002: Zach Windahl on Why Reading the Bible Is So Hard
So many people start reading the Bible, get discouraged, and quit by Leviticus. Why does this happen? Today, Zach Windahl talks about the first time he understood the Bible, reconstructing his faith, and why he wrote The Bible Study.
Season 1 of The Red Letter Disciple Podcast could not have been possible without our friends from The Giving Church. Did you know 45% of those that give to church give $200 or less in a year? The potential to increase giving is certainly in your church and The Giving Church can help you unleash greater generosity. Go on over to www.thegivingchurch.com/red and download a FREE PDF for how to grow your church’s giving!
Resources mentioned in the episode:
B90X 90-Day Bible Reading Plan
Key insights from the episode:
Understanding the story of the Bible completely changes the reading experience. – Zach Windahl
So often, the Bible can be the most intimidating book in the world. – Zach Windahl
Whenever I’ve met someone struggling with their faith, it’s always been a problem with people. It’s never had anything to do with the Bible, Jesus, or their relationship with God. – Zach Windahl
Don’t let another person’s faith or actions justify your own deconstruction. – Zach Windahl
We need to actually give people the grace we preach about on Sundays. – Zach Windahl
God has incredible dreams for us if we’re open to hearing them. – Zach Windahl
When you look at the whole story of the Bible, you learn things that are hard to learn when you just look at pieces. – Zach Zehnder
If you’re struggling with believing in God, Luke and Acts are incredible books to start with. – Zach Windahl
If we don’t take care of ourselves physically, we aren’t going to become our best selves spiritually. – Zach Windahl
Did you know that studying Scripture is one of the 5 Keystone habits of Jesus? That’s right. If you want to go deeper into leading yourself (and your church) to building the habits of Jesus, we’d love to introduce you to the 40-Day Being Challenge.
Many Christians today aren’t great at maintaining the habits of Jesus.
Even the most “mature” Christians struggle with opening up in community, prioritizing prayer, and seeking regular solitude. But that doesn’t have to be your story.
The Being Challenge guides you through 40 days of practical, simple-to-understand challenges to help you learn, develop, and grow in the five keystone habits of Jesus.
You can learn more about the challenge here!
Some not-so-key insights:
Try to be as non-cheesy as possible. – Windahl
Chris is no longer allowed to sing on the podcast.
You probably shouldn’t name your coffee shop “He-Brews.”
Zach Zehnder purchased the entire P90X curriculum but only went through three days of it.
Chris has always dreamed of being a game show host.
Chris is not a totally fair game show host.
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 002: Zach Windahl on Why Reading the Bible Is So Hard appeared first on Red Letter Living.
May 17, 2022
001: Carey Nieuwhof on Leadership vs. Discipleship
Leadership and discipleship often look like two very different things. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Today, CEO, leadership expert, and founding pastor Carey Nieuwhof joins us for the first episode of the Red Letter Disciple Podcast.
Season 1 of The Red Letter Disciple Podcast could not have been possible without our friends from The Giving Church. Did you know 45% of those that give to church give $200 or less in a year? The potential to increase giving is certainly in your church and The Giving Church can help you unleash greater generosity. Go on over to www.thegivingchurch.com/red and download a FREE PDF for how to grow your church’s giving!
Resources mentioned in the episode:
Red Letter Challenge 40-Day Discipleship Challenge
The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast
Episode 1 of the Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast with Andy Stanley.
Key insights from the episode:
Don’t despise small beginnings. – Carey Nieuwhof
Good leadership and discipleship can often look very similar. – Carey Nieuwhof
Jesus calls us to do things leaders wouldn’t normally do. – Zach Zehnder
As a leader, use your power for the benefit of others. – Carey Nieuwhof
Sometimes, doing the right thing is going to cost you. It’s worth the cost. – Carey Nieuwhof
You have three to five highly productive hours a day. Do your most important work in those hours. – Carey Nieuwhof
As a Christian, do your devotional time during your most productive time. It’s the most important thing you do, so it deserves your best attention and focus. – Carey Nieuwhof
The superpower we all need is focus. – Carey Nieuwhof
More and more people aren’t even touching anything electronic for the first few hours a day. – Carey Nieuwhof
Prioritize your kids when they’re at home. – Carey
If you work with your mind, relax with your hands. – Carey
If you listen longer than most people listen, you hear things most people never hear. – Carey
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!
Some not-so-key insights:
“My mother always taught me that if I have nothing good to say, don’t say anything at all, so I’ll keep quiet.” – Carey when asked about people who have Traeger Grills.
Zach owns a Traeger Grill.
Chris occasionally mows the yard prematurely to avoid cleaning the house.
Off-brand Big Green Eggs are just as unacceptable as Traegers.
Carey still mows his own lawn.
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 001: Carey Nieuwhof on Leadership vs. Discipleship appeared first on Red Letter Living.
May 5, 2022
Everything You Need to Know about the Red Letter Disciple Podcast
Well, have you heard the news?! We are so excited to announce the first season of The Red Letter Disciple podcast is launching on May 17th!
Truly, I think this podcast could be the crown jewel for Red Letter Living! Before it launc hes, I wanted to write a quick blog about the vision behind this podcast!
Why launch a podcast?
Launching this podcast truly boils down to a stewardship issue for me.
For some reason, God put an idea in my lap 11 years ago: “The best way to follow Jesus is to follow Jesus.” I tried to be faithful to this, and over 7 years, I wrote Red Letter Challenge. After publishing the book, I thought that was the end of my stewarding that idea. But, as I continued to see God move mightily, and more and more of my colleagues were asking for next steps beyond the book, I felt called to continue to create resources that were Jesus-centered, simple to understand, highly practical, and challenging to complete.
What started as one book then turned into multiple books (especially with the help of my wife, Allison). Then, not long after, we added regular blogs, small group studies, ebooks, and YouVersion Bible reading plans.
In the past few years especially, I’ve come to understand that my unique role in this world is to continue to steward that original idea until the day that I die.
My life’s mission is to challenge people of all ages to become greater disciples. I am passionate about unleashing the greatest and fullest expression of Jesus possible. I believe that when we truly live as disciples of Jesus, the world will forever change. I want to do my small part in making that happen.
The podcast is a natural next step for us. As much as God is working through our printed resources, I want to continue to create different types of resources that engage with as many people as possible. I’m particularly excited about the podcast avenue because of the number of younger people listening to podcasts.
What’s unique about this podcast?
The podcast will feature 45-minute interviews with some world-class disciples and leaders.
In all of our resources, we try to be Jesus-centered, simple to understand, highly practical, and challenging. This podcast will be no different. In fact, the last question we ask every guest is to challenge our audience to do one thing in the coming week to grow as disciples. You are going to love hearing these challenges each and every week!
If there is something incredibly unique about this podcast, I think it is our desire and intent to bring great content and great entertainment. We believe that there is great joy in following Jesus.
I’ve brought my friend, Pastor Chris Johnson, onto the podcast as a co-host. Chris and I have worked together for years and built a great rapport. Chris and I will do our best to bring a bunch of humor and fun to the show. The number one phrase we heard from our guests on Season 1 was, “This podcast is unlike any other podcast I’ve ever been on.” Expect to laugh.
Who’s on the podcast?
Our podcast is bringing on some incredible guests. Over the last few years, we’ve had the privilege to meet some extraordinary disciples and leaders in our world. So who’s on the first season? It is an all-star cast filled with entrepreneurs, pastors, authors, leaders, survivors, etc.
When will the podcast episodes be released?
Our plan is to release the first episode on Tuesday, May 17th, and then the following Tuesdays. Season 1 is 12 episodes. We are planning to create additional seasons so that each and every week, you will have fresh discipleship content that you can access.
Where can I listen/watch?
All the usual places like Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Plus, they’ll all be available via video on YouTube.
How can I support the podcast?
Listen or watch our first 5-minute season preview. Once there, you’ll be able to subscribe to the podcast. Once you subscribe, you’ll start seeing new episodes pop into your feed or platform each Tuesday starting May 17th.
Please share the podcast via social media or through your own email campaigns. The podcast platforms feature share options that will help others to be able to access the content that much easier.
Also, if able, we’d love your 5-star review. Oh, did we mention? If you subscribe, give us a 5-star rating, and review on any podcast platform, you can enter to win a pair of Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones on June 9th. And, in case you are wondering, the headphones are red!
Finally, if you or someone you know is interested in sponsoring the podcast, please reach out to us at hello@redletterchallenge.com. We keep our sponsorships very limited but would love to hear from you.
ENTER TO WIN THIS SWEET PAIR OF BEATS STUDIO3 WIRELESS HEADPHONES
GO TO: https://redletterchallenge.com/red-letter-disciple-podcast
The post Everything You Need to Know about the Red Letter Disciple Podcast appeared first on Red Letter Living.
April 21, 2022
3 People to Talk to When You Are Suffering
The past two years have affected all of us in some way, shape, or form. For most of us, we’ve experienced some severe suffering. Loved ones have passed on far too early or all too sudden. Friendships have been ended all too early due to pandemic beliefs. Racial tensions are still at all-time highs, and divisions amongst political parties are way uglier than we like to admit. The last two years have left a whirlwind behind it. Names like JCPenney, Lord and Taylor, Nieman Marcus, Men’s Wearhouse, Hertz, GNC, Chuck E’ Cheeses have all filed for bankruptcy. Jobs have been lost, high school graduations, and sports seasons canceled.
If you’ve made it through the last couple of years completely unscathed, you are either an outlier or an outright liar!
On top of all of this, the church looks different. Most of our buildings are not as full. And we are still wrestling with how to do church online and the long-term ramifications of an online church. As a result, many pastors are thinking about whether they want to throw in the towel now.
Talking about it is an essential part of the healing process for those who have felt some loss, pain, or suffering. Thankfully, as we suffer, we can have some crucial conversations. I see three different conversations in the Bible, and the first is the most important.
Talk to Jesus
Because I wrote a book called Red Letter Challenge, I’m now known as the “Red Letter Pastor.” The red letters are in reference to the words of Jesus in the 4 Gospels of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. However, deeper in your New Testament, there are just a few places where we see more red letters of Jesus.
One of those places is 2 Corinthians 12:9, which we’ll look at in just a moment. But first, let’s understand the context.
Paul’s authority has come under question in this particular book written to the Corinthian church. To prove his authority, he goes through a list of qualifications. Chapters 11 and 12 highlights an impressive resume of suffering he has endured to follow Jesus. This proves that following Jesus does not equal escaping suffering in this world. And many times, it may be because we are following Jesus that we are suffering.
After listing his resume of suffering, Paul then turns his attention to a conversation he had with Jesus. Whether this happened on this earth or through an out-of-body experience or a dream is debated. But, in this verse, Jesus says these beautiful words to Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Not only do I love the specific words that Jesus gives to Paul here, but for our purposes today, I love the fact that in the midst of long-suffering, Jesus talks to Paul. We have a God who cares deeply for us and will enter into our stories of suffering with us.
Remember that one of the names of Jesus is “The Suffering Servant.” He knows what you are going through and can empathize with you in your weaknesses. So no matter what you are going through, especially if you are suffering, you have a God who wants to talk to you and encourage you.
The apostle Peter, who indeed relied on Jesus in his times of struggle, offers us this powerful advice in 1 Peter 5:7: “Cast all your cares on Him, because He cares for you.”
God promises He will never leave you or forsake you. Just because you are going through hard times doesn’t mean that our God isn’t with you. He has a history of coming down into the midst of turmoil and suffering to comfort us and rescue us.
The problem is when His rescue schedule or plans don’t match ours. As human beings, we tend to rush through suffering as quickly as possible, as if it is something to escape entirely. And while in heaven we are promised a time of no more tears, pain, or suffering, in this world, we are not. So rather than rushing through it, embrace the moment to lean into relationship with God. What is God trying to teach you through your suffering? Can you learn anything about the character of our God amid your suffering?
When I look back at my suffering, I have often found that pain and suffering have been some of my best teachers. Some of the most extraordinary things that have been against me in retrospect have been some of the best revelations of God that I’ve experienced.
Talk to a Christian friend
God set up the church to be filled with brothers and sisters who would care for one another, love one another, and be kind to one another.
Galatians 6:2 says, “Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
It can be very easy to keep to ourselves when we go through suffering, but we are not meant to carry our burdens by ourselves. We live in a world pulling us more and more towards isolation, but God has wired us for a genuine Christian community.
Amazingly, even though the relationship between man and God was perfect in the garden when God saw Adam, He said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” These ten words are the first recorded revelation of God to humanity. They highlight the importance of relationships with one another. He is declaring that as important as the relationship between man and God is, you were also made for relationships with others.
If you have been going at your suffering alone, be bold and challenge yourself to open up to a Christian friend. I highlight “Christian friend” because we often have to be careful who we are talking to and getting our counsel from. Bad theology and advice abound in particular when dealing with suffering. So it’s important to confide in someone who is strong in their relationship with God.
Talk to yourself
The harshest and rudest comments about myself often come from me. According to Cleveland Clinic, the average human has 60,000 thoughts per day, and of those thoughts, 80% are negative. That’s one thought per second in every waking hour. That’s a lot of negativity shouting at you every day.
It doesn’t have to be that way!
King David in the Old Testament was not immune to suffering. As he was following God, he recorded in Psalm 43 some adversity he faced. Many enemies were trying to overthrow him, and he even felt like God had abandoned him. But after reflecting on all of this in the first four verses, he decided to take a different posture and a new conversation in verse 5.
Look at this:
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
Amid great adversity and suffering, David preached to his own soul.
Rather than focusing on your circumstances, and even if you may not “feel” God at the moment, it’s important to remind and preach to your own soul the promises of God.
Suffering is hard. But it’s also an opportunity.
It’s an opportunity to talk to Jesus and come near to Him. God will reveal Himself to you. It’s an opportunity to come near a Christian friend and establish and grow in a real relationship with someone else. And it’s an opportunity to speak truth to your very own soul.
Which of the three do you need to talk to today?
The post 3 People to Talk to When You Are Suffering appeared first on Red Letter Living.
April 14, 2022
3 Steps to Address Sexual Brokenness in Your Church
For three years in a row, we did a sermon series at our church called “You Asked For It.” The pastoral team at our church provided a list of 20-25 questions and surveyed our people, asking what they wanted or, in many cases, needed to hear about from God’s Word. The top responses were usually along the lines of hearing God’s voice, how to deal with stress, how do I forgive, etc. However, each year, a question finished at the bottom: “How can I heal from my sexual brokenness?” Nobody wanted to talk about it. It made me think a good sermon series to preach would be “Things You Didn’t Ask for That You Need to Hear.”
Sexual brokenness is more than all around us; it’s something every single one of us deals with, or has dealt with. Rather than sweeping it under the rug, what if we took serious steps to deal with this?
In today’s blog, I’m inviting my good friend Chris Burns, a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist, founder of Rewrite Recovery, to help us as pastors know what proper next steps could look like in our churches. Chris Burns is one of the most talented people I’ve ever met, and if anyone would like to take this conversation further, you can see how to reach Chris below.
Without further ado, here are some beneficial words from Chris to us.
I often tell men that I work with that if shame were the antidote, everyone that struggled with unwanted sexual behaviors and porn addiction would be cured. Shame is a killer. Addiction, like sin, is both chronic and progressive, which means that it not only persists, it escalates and doesn’t just simply go away.
Porn destroys intimacy, marriages, and lives. Yet, porn is big business — it’s a 97 billion dollar industry. Late last year, the New York Times released a scathing opinion piece shining a light on the very successful PornHub, a website that garners 3.5 million visits a month. Individuals are consuming millions of pornographic images a day, including sexual child abuse and rape of women and girls. This is an insult to the Imago Dei — we are all children of God, created in His image. The church should be on the front lines of this battle, and the battle starts within the church’s walls.
The Conquer Series, a biblical anti-porn ministry, has recorded some shocking statistics regarding porn usage in the church:
• 68% of church-going men and over 50% of pastors view porn regularly.
• Of young Christian adults 18-24 years old, 76% actively search for porn.
• 59% of pastors said that married men seek their help for porn use.
• Only 13% of self-identified Christian women say they never watch porn – 87% of Christian women have watched porn.
• 33% of women aged 25-and-under search for porn at least once per month.
• 57% of pastors say porn addiction is the most damaging issue in their congregation.
• 69% of pastors say porn has adversely impacted the church.
• And perhaps one of the saddest statistics listed: only 7% of pastors say their church has a program to help people struggling with pornography.
So, What Can The Church Do?
1. STEP ONE: Recognize the problem (without shaming and judging)
Just like in the first step of the 12 Step Process, we (churches and pastors) need to admit there is a problem; we are powerless over the size and scope of the issue, and it has become entirely unmanageable. This initially looks like speaking openly about the problem — may be starting a small group that focuses on this issue — talking about it in a sermon series — or posting about it on social media. But be conscious about “how” you are speaking about it.
Often, churches will unwittingly shame their congregants, which only pushes the problem deeper into the shadows. Keep in mind the percentages posted above, and remember: most of the people in your church have struggled with this issue at one time or another (including you). If the church isn’t a safe place for individuals to be openly broken, then people will not share and seek healing. So let’s speak the truth to the problem but deliver it with grace.
“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
— JOHN 1:17
2. STEP TWO: Create a culture of redemption and restoration
You may think, “I do this every Sunday!” I know. Many churches can preach redemption and restoration, but can you see it? Can your church see it? In other words, who are the people that have come in broken and are now transformed by the Spirit? Do you know them? By name? We are called to share our stories of hope and healing, and one of the best ways to let people know that hope can be found in your church is through personal testimony.
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”
— REVELATION 12:11
You mustn’t rush this process, quickly scrambling to bring people up on the platform or trying to gather video footage of transformed lives. But you will need to be intentional about the process, being both prayerful and mindful of the comfortability level of individuals and respecting the confidentiality/anonymity of people’s stories (which is why you need STEP THREE).
3. STEP THREE: Develop ministries within the church that allow for healing
Let me first say that many churches understand the problem of sexual brokenness and unwanted sexual behavior. Maybe that is you and your church! If so, well done. But unfortunately, many pastors and church leaders feel stuck, out-gunned, and ill-equipped to face the problem. Do you have someone in your church, possibly a volunteer or staff member, that is a licensed therapist? Maybe someone who didn’t necessarily go to seminary but has the training to care for people you trust theologically? If not, find that person. Raise up that person. Dream with them about what a ministry focused on healing would look like in your church. Connect it to the vision of your church and give it a budget. It will be worth it.
Final thoughts: The hope is for the church to create a safe and sacred space where people can come, be known, and heal together in the context of a Christ-centered community. We live in a broken world, and we are all in need of healing and restoration. We know that Jesus is the Healer and the only one capable of restoring us. We have the Holy Spirit living inside of us, which is a Spirit of Restoration. We see this in Luke 7:21-23:
“At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
— LUKE 7:21-23
Let’s be the church and help some people.
__________________________
Chris Burns is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist. He is also the Healing Minister at theCross, a church in Mount Dora, Florida, where he oversees Restoration Nights, DivorceCare, GriefShare, Life Disciples, and the Stephen Ministry.
In conjunction with his private practice, Chris provides consultation services to pastors and churches in the United States. Are you in the 93% of pastors that say their church has no program to help your congregants struggling with pornography and other addictions? Contact Chris today for his consultation services.
LINKS:
https://www.rewrite-recovery.com/
https://twitter.com/RewriteRecovery
https://www.facebook.com/rewriterecoverycounseling/
EMAIL:
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