Zach Zehnder's Blog, page 6
April 29, 2024
Miles Davis and God’s Redemption: Turning Wrongs into Rights
In November 2011, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) officially designated April 30 as International Jazz Day. What made jazz popular was its ability to break out of traditional “music rules” and use unexpected notes or elements in its structure.
Famous musician Miles Davis was called a ‘one-take’ musician. He would intentionally not give his band members the songs they would perform until the day. He wanted their performance to be spontaneous and have intentional mistakes. He loved live-sounding music that had an unpolished quality to it. Even when recording an album, unlike other musicians who worked to try to make it sound perfect, he wanted it to sound rough around the edges. He was ok with mistakes.
Because jazz music allows mistakes, famous jazz musicians had recovery strategies to use when things went inevitably off track and all required repetition. In jazz music, repetition gives the audience a sense of security or emphasizes a moment or line. Repetition was the safety net that allowed artists the freedom to try new things.
1) They could repeat the phrase and emphasize the mistake.
2) They could repeat the phrase with the correct notes.
3) They could turn the mistake into a cycled pattern and resolve it.
Listen to Kind of Blue, the best-selling jazz record by Miles Davis. What repetition can you hear? Can you catch any “fixed mistakes”?
How The Bible Is Like Music
Mistakes and off-beat sounds in jazz are balanced with gentle, rhythmic, and smooth sounds like a single instrument playing the same notes. This is called repetition. In the Bible, you will often see the same message repeated to emphasize something or to give the reader a sense of security. If the author has something very important to say, they will often write it more than once.
There is repetition all over the Bible. For example, Genesis 1 and 2 repeat the story of God creating the world. The Ten Commandments are written twice, in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. You will also find repetition in the Psalms, which are poetry. Look up Psalm 136. How many times is the phrase ‘His love endures forever’ repeated? *see bottom for the answer
The last book found in the Old Testament is Malachi. While Malachi is only 55 verses, it has much to tell us about God’s plan for the Israelites and His plan for you. Malachi uses repetition to emphasize the most important parts. A repeated message helps you discover what is most important.
Read Malachi 1:10-14 below.
10 Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. 11 For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. 12 But you profane it when you say that the Lord’s table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. 13 But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord. 14 Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations. Malachi 1:10-14
In this passage, God is unhappy that the people do not respect Him with their offerings. The people were bringing lame, sick, and stolen animals for the offering even though God told them it had to be an unblemished male animal that was healthy. God was frustrated with their second-rate offering and their poor attitudes. Some of these words seem harsh. God doesn’t leave us guessing when we are missing the mark.
But even as He offers correction, He has another message for the people. Reread the scripture. What phrase or words are repeated three times?
The phrase repeated three times is ‘My name will be great among the nations.’
At first, this can seem like a strange thing to say. Why is God repeating that over and over? What do other nations have to do with the sacrifices that the Israelites bring? What message is God getting across to the Israelites?
God shares His main purpose for all He does with and through the Israelites. From the beginning of their nation, when God told Abraham he would have many descendants and his family would be great (the Israelites), it was never just about them. It was always about all nations. Read what God promised Abram:
The Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people, and your father’s family. Go to the land I will show you.
“I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”
God wanted the Israelites to be a nation that would bring God’s love and salvation to the rest of the world. He planned to save the whole world through them. That message was started in Genesis, continued in Malachi, and still stands true today. It never changed, no matter what happens.
God repeated the phrase, ‘My name will be great among the nations’ for a reason. He didn’t want the Israelites to be separated from others and only care about themselves at the expense of others. God wanted His people to be a part of making His name known, making him great to ALL NATIONS so that He could bless and help them.
Other nations believed their offerings were made to earn favor. They had to keep their gods happy, so they offered many sacrifices. The Israelites’ sacrifices weren’t about making Him happy or appeasing Him. They were about getting close to Him.
God wanted to dwell with His people, but to love all people of the world, he had to deal with their sins. God could remove their sin through the right sacrifices and live with them. God knew that the animals would not be enough. Those sacrifices were only signposts pointing forward to the ultimate sacrifice.
Jesus would be born 300 years later. He would serve the world, bringing His message through the Israelites that He offered all people salvation. In Malachi, the sacrifices weren’t to separate them from other people but to bring them close to others.
From Mistakes To Music
In an article in Open Culture, musician Herbie Handcock describes what it was like to work with Miles Davis. While playing with David, Hancock hit a very obvious wrong cord. “Miles paused for a second,” he says, “and then he played some notes that made my chord right… Miles was able to turn something that was wrong into something that was right.”
“What I realize now is that Miles didn’t hear it as a mistake. He heard it as something that happened. As an event. And so that was part of the reality of what was happening at that moment. And he dealt with it…. Since he didn’t hear it as a mistake, he thought it was his responsibility to find something that fit.”
Let’s be clear: God sees our sin as sin. This isn’t Bob Ross calling mistakes “happy accidents.” There is nothing cute or happy about our sin. Sin separates us from God, and He can no longer be around us. God was direct to the Israelites and us about our sins, but He didn’t leave us to fix our problems. As Miles Davis did for Herbie Handcock, God corrected our mistakes. Jesus took your sin on the cross and died in your place. He rose and defeated death once and for all so you can, like God said, make His name great in all the nations.
Mistakes will happen in jazz; mistakes will also happen in life. Approaching our trials the way Miles Davis approached mistakes in jazz music will give you the boldness to hand your sins to God. God doesn’t give up on his plan. Over and over, through a constant cycle of faithfulness, He gives humanity the opportunity to serve Him and then be rescued by Him when they fail. The repeated message of the cross is new every morning.
Miles Davis said, “My future starts when I wake up every morning. Every day I find something creative to do with my life.”
You have an opportunity every day to create a joyful noise in honor of your Lord, mistakes and all!
Challenge:
“There’s no such thing as mistakes, only opportunities.” – Miles Davis
Turn your mistakes into opportunities to share the goodness of God’s redemption plan in your life. One of the challenges in Red Letter Challenge is to record your story and share it at www.redletterstory.com. It is a way to take your story and go to all nations, just as God always planned for you.
If you are not ready for that, simply write your story down. Putting words down on paper helps prepare you for when you can share your story.
*The phrase ‘his love endures forever is repeated 26 times in Psalm 136.
The post Miles Davis and God’s Redemption: Turning Wrongs into Rights appeared first on Red Letter Living.
April 22, 2024
074: Gregory Baumer on How God Taught Him Generosity at Harvard, Plus the One Question Every Disciple Should Ask about Money
While taking a course at Harvard Divinity School, Greg Baumer’s world was turned upside-down. He discovered that when it comes to money, God wants something for us, not from us. Since that time, Greg has become convinced that God offers a unique joy to those who choose to live generously. As he explored the words of Jesus around generosity, he believes every disciple of Jesus should ask the question, “How much do I need to keep?”
Today’s episode is brought to you by Dwelling 1:14. Led by Pastor Greg Finke, Dwelling 1:14 is a discipleship organization that comes alongside pastors and leaders to help them intentionally disciple their people. Greg has worked with hundreds of churches and tens of thousands of people. He has developed a year-long training process that helps your church produce greater disciples in their everyday lives. He’s an experienced practitioner and mentor, and he’s ready to help your church. You can contact him and learn more about this year-long process here.
Additionally, on May 16th, from Noon-1PM Central, I’ll be hosting Greg Finke for a church leaders webinar called Creating a Discipleship Plan for Your Church that Transforms Lives. You can register for free by clicking here or the image below.
True Riches by Gregory Baumer and John Cortines
God and Money by Gregory Baumer and John Cortines
The Bible Project Story: God and Money
FREE Red Letter Spiritual Gift Quiz: spiritualgifts.me
Key insights from the episode:
Key insights from the episode:
The point is, do I believe all I have belongs to God? – Greg Baumer
In a culture where our most pervasive sin is materialism, we’ve lowered the bar on what good stewardship looks like. – Greg Baumer
The question every disciple of Jesus should ask: “How much of God’s money do I need to keep for myself? – Greg Baumer
The best teaching on generosity is not on what we should do but rather on what [God] has done. – Greg Baumer
Almost all of Jesus’s teachings on money are warnings. – Greg Baumer
Most elder board members at church are wealthy people. – Greg Baumer
It’s critical that we, as Christ’s followers, understand why God asks us to give. If we don’t know why, the tactics don’t matter. – Greg Baumer
The three most frequent causes Jesus said to give money to are 1) to the poor, 2) to spread the gospel, and 3) to build the local church. – Greg Baumer
Greg Baumer’s Challenge: Give generously according to the cause God has uniquely designed for you.
Are you following Jesus?Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. 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 next 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 The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube Channel. If you aren’t subscribed already, you can do so here.
The post 074: Gregory Baumer on How God Taught Him Generosity at Harvard, Plus the One Question Every Disciple Should Ask about Money appeared first on Red Letter Living.
April 15, 2024
073: Michael Koulianos Breaks Down Misconceptions of Healing, The Mystery in a Healing Service, and Why Pastors Have to Be Willing to Be Embarrassed
Michael Koulianos lives in Orlando, FL, and leads Jesus Image, Jesus Image Church, Jesus School, House of Bethany: Worship Academy, and Jesus School Online. Millions have been impacted worldwide by the preaching of the pure Gospel and the desire for the presence of Jesus. He has a powerful healing ministry and absolutely loves Jesus.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Red Letter Living. We create resources that challenge all people to be greater followers of Jesus. Part of being a great disciple of Jesus is knowing how you are gifted AND putting that gift to work. So, how are you gifted?
Spend 15 minutes taking our brand-new FREE spiritual gift test at www.spiritualgifts.me. After taking the test, email us at hello@redletterchallenge.com and let us know what your top spiritual gift is and how you will put that gift into practice this week!
The Jesus Book: Fall Recklessly in Love with Jesus by Michael Koulianos
Key insights from the episode:
The Scripture must be the ultimate and supreme authority of Jesus. – Michael Koulianos
Jesus is God the Father’s only sermon. – Michael Koulianos
Healing is a matter of God’s nature. – Michael Koulianos
Jesus is the perfect doctrine. – Michael Koulianos
If healing is not for today, then what else about Jesus has changed? – Michael Koulianos
In the midst of healing, there’s a mystery. – Michael Koulianos
A spiritual formation occurs if you are willing to be embarrassed before men to be obedient to God. – Michael Koulianos
“I love people most when I love Jesus most. I love people best when I love Jesus best.” – Michael Koulianos
Michael Koulianos’s Challenge: Consume the word of God. (Go into your room, close the door, and pray the scriptures daily, if not twice a day.)
Are you following Jesus?Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. 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 next 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 073: Michael Koulianos Breaks Down Misconceptions of Healing, The Mystery in a Healing Service, and Why Pastors Have to Be Willing to Be Embarrassed appeared first on Red Letter Living.
April 8, 2024
072: Kenny Jahng on the Proper Use of AI, Why AI Is Not a Vending Machine, and How AI Can Help with Sermon Writing
Kenny Jahng is an entrepreneur, pastor, and strategic advisor. He’s also the Founder and CEO of Big Click Syndicate, which creates marketing plans that work for Christian ministries and organizations. Kenny is a leading voice regarding artificial intelligence and what that means for the future of our faith.
Watch here: https://youtu.be/n5zf1gRQMD4
Today’s episode is brought to you by Red Letter Living. We create resources to challenge all people to be greater followers of Jesus. And today’s resource that we are highlighting is the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment.
Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. 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 next 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:https://www.bigclicksyndicate.com/site/about
Facebook Group: AI For Church Leaders
Key insights from the episode:
Over the last quarter, 3,000 AI-specific tools have been launched. – Kenny Jahng
AI will eliminate many tasks and roles as has been with every innovation front, but what opportunity will it open up? – Kenny Jahng
AI is not here for your job, but the next guy who understands AI will be. – Kenny Jahng
Everyone has FOLO: fear of looming obsolescence. – Kenny Jahng
AI is not the solution or savior for everything. – Kenny Jahng
There can be divinity in the digital. – Kenny Jahng
Use AI to prioritize serving, life-giving, justice, and privacy. – Kenny Jahng
You have to have a willing suspension of disbelief to appreciate AI and what it does. – Kenny Jahng
Kenny Jahng’s Challenge: Do self-reflection on AI and technology: 1) Did God give us technology as a gift, or is it a curse? 2) Is there divinity in the digital?
Are you following Jesus?Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. 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 next 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 072: Kenny Jahng on the Proper Use of AI, Why AI Is Not a Vending Machine, and How AI Can Help with Sermon Writing appeared first on Red Letter Living.
April 3, 2024
From Local to Global: The 7 Key Benefits of Short-Term Mission Trips for Your Church
Our churches cannot be the greatest expression of Jesus if we aren’t on global mission. When I think of someone who is practically reaching the lost on a global scale like Jesus would have reached the lost, I think of my good friend Pastor Jeff Mueller, the founder and president of Child Beyond International. In today’s blog, Jeff will help each church understand how global short-term mission trips transform not only the lives of those on the receiving end, but especially those from the sending church.
As you read, I hope you are stirred to action and plug in more with their great organization. And, for further study, sign up for our FREE webinar where I’ll interview Pastor Jeff Mueller on April 11th. It’s called “Helping Churches Do Outreach that Actually Reaches the Vulnerable.”
Without further ado, here are his words.
Why should churches be involved in a global mission?In my over thirty years as a pastor, church planter and missionary, I have learned that churches who focus on both the local mission field (neighborhood, community, town, city) and at least one specific long-term global mission field, not only fulfill our Lord’s Great Commission in a much-greater capacity, but grow stronger, more faithful disciples, both across the street and across international borders.
It is my firm conviction based on God’s clear Word and my own personal experience that every alive and well, Spirit-led, Bible-believing, Christ-following Christian ministry is heavily involved in the “both/and” mission of Jesus. In fact, this is so important that Jesus’s very final red letters before He ascended into heaven points to this very truth. He says, in Acts 1:8: But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Spiritually healthy churches and those who lead them are passionate about reaching the lost and the most vulnerable. Their #1 mission is rescuing and restoring the “least of these”. They desire to fulfill the red letters of the Gospels as their primary purpose. “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me.” Matthew 25:40
Spiritually healthy churches know that they have been rescued to rescue!
By God’s grace, power and design, Child Beyond International (CBI) has become a proven, effective and impactful global children’s rescue ministry.
And while there are hundreds of worthy global mission opportunities for a church to choose from, I believe that working with Jesus to rescue and restore abused, abandoned and neglected children is at the top of the list! I’ll talk more of Child Beyond International’s strategy for reaching the vulnerable in our world with Pastor Zach Zehnder, author of Red Letter Challenge, in a FREE webinar on April 11th.
But, for today, one of the things that is often misunderstood about global mission trips is the benefits that short-term mission trips can have on the sending church. Here are seven key benefits that we have seen in our organization through short-term mission trips.
The 7 Benefits of Short-Term Mission Trips for Your Church1) The Gumby Effect – Mission trips stretch people.Every person that goes on one of our mission trips is generally stretched beyond their comfort zone. These trips build enormous confidence in people and allow them to more freely trust God in the future. “When you go beyond the levels of your comfort…you experience parts of God you would otherwise miss.” (Zach Zehnder – Red Letter Challenge pg. 213)
2) The New You Effect – Mission trips change hearts.
When teams come and interact and relate with the local people, especially children, God uses it to change their hearts and refocus their priorities.
3) The Growth Effect – Mission trips increase spiritual maturity.
Christians who go on mission trips are more open to digging deeper in the Word when they return which results in spiritual growth.
4) The Giver Effect – Mission trips increase stewardship.
Followers of Christ who go on mission trips tend to give more in the future.
Typically, those who go on short-term mission trips are more likely to give financially toward missions ongoing. They’ve seen the need firsthand, and their hearts have been softened to respond to the need. Jesus once said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be.”
5) The Others First Effect – Mission trips motivate more service.
People who go on international short-term trips tend to serve the poor more actively at home when they return. They don’t use their trip as an excuse to sit on the sidelines as if they’ve met their serving quota. Generally, it’s quite the opposite.
6) The Go Effect – Mission trips inspire Christians to action.
For many people, short-term mission trips are a life-changing catalyst for them. Through short-term mission trips, when people experience serving God on a daily basis, they come back with renewed purpose. Many even make major life-altering decisions with their vocation, finances, etc.
7) The Gratitude Effect – Mission trips increase gratitude.
Short-term mission trips give American missionaries a more accurate perspective of their lives and blessings which creates a lasting sense of gratitude.
There are other positive effects the Spirit brings about through a short-term mission trip, such as discovering the value of teamwork; less focus on materialism; an enhanced cultural awareness and appreciation; new high-value friendships and much more.
Short-term mission trips with Child Beyond International have been the catalyst for an entire church’s rebirth of its bi-focal mission. Sending “rescue teams” down to Guatemala has been the launch pad for greater mission fervor not just globally but right across the street. Going on a seven-day mission adventure with other members of the congregation or sending others out to rescue and restore through their prayers and finances builds maturity of faith, a growing awareness of the needs of others in faraway cultures, and a stronger unity of purpose as the Body of Christ!
I invite you to learn more about Child Beyond International at the links and websites below. Together, we can rescue and restore orphaned children, one at a time, with truly effective and eternity-impacting strategies. And, at the same time, we can grow the Great Commission passion and spiritual maturity of your church!
Let’s do this!
Learn More About Child Beyond International:
1) Check out our website.
2) Contact Pastor Jeff Mueller via email with any questions you may have: pastorjmueller@gmail.com
3) Watch Jeff Mueller on the Red Letter Disciple Podcast Link here.
4) Sign up for the Red Letter Leaders Webinar on April 11th: 
The post From Local to Global: The 7 Key Benefits of Short-Term Mission Trips for Your Church appeared first on Red Letter Living.
April 1, 2024
071: Pastor Jeff Mueller on Pastoring in Hawaii, A New Model for Rescuing Children, and How Compassion is the Catalyst to Sharing The Gospel
Jeff Mueller is currently the senior pastor of Waikoloa Lutheran Church in Waikoloa, Hawaii. Mueller has planted churches and ministries, including Child Beyond International. This organization is committed to rescuing vulnerable children, specifically in Guatemala.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVuIL...
Today’s episode is brought to you by our partner Child Beyond International.
Through this incredible mission rescue organization, you and those in your church can be changed in just 10,000 minutes! Why 10,000? Because 10,000 minutes is the exact amount of time spent on a seven-day mission trip. Child Beyond International has everything set up for you and your church to experience a powerful overseas mission trip that will rescue the life of a child in Guatemala. Not only this, but it will change the lives of those who go on the mission trip as well. You and your church can be transformed in just one week. Personally, mission trips change my perspective, restore my purpose, and grow my faith unlike anything else.
Mission trips are one of the most effective faith-building discipleship opportunities God provides for us, not only to make a huge spiritual difference in the life of one soul at a time, but in each one of our own spiritual lives as well! So, today, I invite you to check out the great work of our partner at their website www.childbeyond.org.
Additionally, I’ll be doing a FREE webinar with Pastor Jeff Mueller, founder and president of Child Beyond International, on April 11th at Noon-1PM CT. The webinar will help your church create a global mission strategy that reaches the vulnerable. You can register for that here.
Waikoloa Lutheran Church in Waikoloa, HI
Red letter Leaders Webinar with Jeff Mueller
Key insights from the episode:
Every disciple should ask, “God, what are you blessing, and can we be a part of that?” – Jeff Mueller
At the end of our lives, it’s my goal to say, “What a ride!” – Jeff Mueller
The shifts in discipleship have been seismic over the last few decades. – Jeff Mueller
We can, and we must learn new ways to share the gospel. – Jeff Mueller
Pastor Jeff Mueller’s Challenge: Memorize Matthew 9:36 and share compassion with others this week.
Register for the FREE Red Letter Leaders WebinarRemember to register for the FREE webinar with Pastor Jeff Mueller, founder and president of Child Beyond International, on April 11th at Noon-1PM CT here.
“Helping Churches Do Outreach that Actually Rescues the Vulnerable”
In this webinar, Pastor Jeff Mueller, will help your church create a global mission strategy that actually reaches the vulnerable. Churches are passionate about reaching the lost and the most vulnerable. But, how do you know if you are truly effective? Are your outreach programs, your global missions, etc., actually accomplishing this end? In this dynamic webinar tailored for pastors and church leaders, we will delve into the heart of effective outreach, focusing on strategies that genuinely rescue and uplift the vulnerable in our world. Jeff Mueller leads Child Beyond International, a rescue missions organization in Guatemala, and is passionate about helping churches form strategies that actually reach the most vulnerable. Drawing from both biblical principles and his wealth of experience, pastors and leaders will be well on their way to ensuring that their church is reaching the lost, just like Jesus.
Again, You can register for that 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 071: Pastor Jeff Mueller on Pastoring in Hawaii, A New Model for Rescuing Children, and How Compassion is the Catalyst to Sharing The Gospel appeared first on Red Letter Living.
March 25, 2024
070: Kevin Seo on How Sonic the Hedgehog, Food, and Community can Impact the World For Jesus
Kevin Seo is a Start-Up Expert and a serial entrepreneur. He has primarily been in the Food Business and not long ago, launched the SonicSpeed Cafe, combining video games, food, and community all in one. He’s also the host of the Good Service Podcast and loves talking about faith, the service industry, and Jesus.
Today’s episode is brought to you by our partner Child Beyond International.
Through this incredible mission rescue organization, you and those in your church can be changed in just 10,000 minutes! Why 10,000? Because 10,000 minutes is the exact amount of time spent on a seven-day mission trip. Child Beyond International has everything set up for you and your church to experience a powerful overseas mission trip that will rescue the life of a child in Guatemala. Not only this, but it will change the lives of those who go on the mission trip as well. You and your church can be transformed in just one week. Personally, mission trips change my perspective, restore my purpose, and grow my faith unlike anything else.
Mission trips are one of the most effective faith-building discipleship opportunities God provides for us, not only to make a huge spiritual difference in the life of one soul at a time, but in each one of our own spiritual lives as well! So, today, I invite you to check out the great work of our partner at their website www.childbeyond.org.
Additionally, I’ll be doing a FREE webinar with Pastor Jeff Mueller, founder and president of Child Beyond International, on April 11th at Noon-1PM CT. The webinar will help your church create a global mission strategy that reaches the vulnerable. You can register for that here.
Resources mentioned in the episode:
KBOP Korean BBQ in Monrovia, CA
Key insights from the episode:
I’m always asking God, “Where is your work?” and “Take me there.” – Kevin Seo
No matter where you are career-wise, you can be a disciple in your field. – Zach Zehdner
Jesus won’t show you the way; he is the way. – Kevin Seo
Entertainment comes from creativity, which is an attribute of Jesus. – Kevin Seo
The church has created a lot of believers but not a lot of followers. – Kevin Seo
Before I do great work, I gotta get me and God right. – Kevin Seo
Holiness gives boldness its bite. – Kevin Seo
I pray for boldness in every conversation. – Kevin Seo
Kevin Seo’s Challenge: Go silent for 10 minutes a day.
Register for the FREE Red Letter Leaders Webinar
Remember to register for the FREE webinar with Pastor Jeff Mueller, founder and president of Child Beyond International, on April 11th at Noon-1PM CT here.
“Helping Churches Do Outreach that Actually Rescues the Vulnerable”
In this webinar, Pastor Jeff Mueller, will help your church create a global mission strategy that actually reaches the vulnerable. Churches are passionate about reaching the lost and the most vulnerable. But, how do you know if you are truly effective? Are your outreach programs, your global missions, etc., actually accomplishing this end? In this dynamic webinar tailored for pastors and church leaders, we will delve into the heart of effective outreach, focusing on strategies that genuinely rescue and uplift the vulnerable in our world. Jeff Mueller leads Child Beyond International, a rescue missions organization in Guatemala, and is passionate about helping churches form strategies that actually reach the most vulnerable. Drawing from both biblical principles and his wealth of experience, pastors and leaders will be well on their way to ensuring that their church is reaching the lost, just like Jesus.
Again, You can register for that 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 070: Kevin Seo on How Sonic the Hedgehog, Food, and Community can Impact the World For Jesus appeared first on Red Letter Living.
March 20, 2024
The Biggest Challenge that Pastors are Facing and What to Do About It!
Consider this startling fact: According to a Pew Research Study, in the United States, 63% of people still identify as Christians. That number, based on what I hear from media reports, and experientially what I feel in this nation, seems very high. With 63% of people believing in Jesus we ought to have crazy influence in every sector! But we don’t.
Why is this? Because, according to a recent Barna study, only 25% are practicing Christians.
By the way, the bar for what it takes to be a practicing Christian, according to Barna, isn’t all that high. This is Barna’s definition of a Practicing Christian:
Those who attend a religious service at least once a monthThose who say their faith is very important in their lives Those who self-identify as a Christian.
We’ve emphasized faith and God’s grace, but the crucial work of building disciples has been neglected. This disparity calls for introspection. The word ‘Savior’ appears 37 times in the Bible, whereas ‘LORD’ is mentioned over 7000 times, indicating a call not just for belief but for active following.
American churches have created many believers but very few followers.The need for discipleship has never been clearer, yet the path forward seems increasingly confusing.
The urgency of this situation is underscored by a study from Lifeway Research in 2022, revealing that the number one skill pastors felt they needed to develop was disciple making.
This collective realization signifies our acknowledgment that the current methods are ineffective. But this chart also shows me that while we recognize the need for a more clear disciple making strategy in our churches, many of us aren’t confident in our path forward.
Sam Gibson is a pastor in New York City that was preaching on revival. In this sermon, referencing Barna’s study and all the charts and trends moving in the wrong direction, he noted two things needed to stop what Barna said is otherwise an irreversible decline in our churches: a move of God and intentional discipleship.
We can’t make God move, but we can make room for God to move.
That’s what disciples do.
This is our moment to rise above accidental discipleship and lead with purpose. It’s an opportunity to shape the future of our churches, revive the Christian spirit, and redefine the perception of Christianity in our communities.
We stand at a critical juncture: either embrace intentional discipleship or witness irreversible decline in the church. But, again, how do we transform believers into followers of Jesus?
I’ve spent the last decade helping more than 1000 churches produce greater followers of Jesus, and now, I want to help you.
And I believe that you need this.
You, the pastors and leaders, are here because you refuse to accept mediocrity. You recognize the untapped potential within your congregations. You long for your church to embody the true essence of Christianity. The solution lies in intentional discipleship and a move of God. It demands wholehearted commitment, purposeful leadership, and deliberate actions.
And, friends, it’s not impossible.
That’s why I created The Disciple Making Playbook. The goal of this online course is to give you everything you need to develop a Jesus-centered disciple making playbook that everybody in your church can get excited about.
What Church Leaders are Saying
You can expect more than just theoretical knowledge. We will delve into practical strategies, engage in meaningful discussions, and provide actionable insights to guide you in your disciple-making journey.
So, let’s embark on this journey with hope, determination, and an unwavering faith. Together, we will create a disciple-making playbook that not only will revitalize your church but also together, we will help reshape the Western Church. Get ready to lead with intentionality, disciple with purpose, and experience the miraculous move of God in your congregation. Welcome to a new era of discipleship.
Buy Disciple Making Playbook or Preview Session #1 now.
Let’s do this!
Buy Now 
Preview Session #1 The post The Biggest Challenge that Pastors are Facing and What to Do About It! appeared first on Red Letter Living.
March 18, 2024
069: Katherine Norland on Being a Disciple in Hollywood, Working with YouTube Star Dhar Mann, and How to Deal with More than 900 Rejections
Katherine Norland is an actress in Hollywood with more than 100 credits. In this episode, Katherine will talk about what it’s like to be a disciple in Hollywood and how to deal with more than 900 rejections in her acting career. Hear her story of how she overcame self-doubt and is now helping others fully step into their calling.
Today’s episode is brought to you by The Disciple Making Playbook. Want to elevate both the quality and quantity of disciples at your church? Get $100 off this online course for the month of March only. Stephanie Gutierrez recently went through the online course and said this, “I just finished watching the DMP series this weekend, and I can genuinely say it surpassed my expectations. The quality of the content, action-ability of the ideas, and loads of supporting materials (assessments, links, e-books, challenges) were outstanding.” So, enroll today in this online course, you’ll get lifetime access to 10-power packed video modules that will help you with all of the following:
It’ll help you and your church create a Jesus-centered unique disciple making playbook that gets maximum buy-in from everybody at your church.It’ll help you develop discipleship targets you can measure at your church. Because in life we measure what’s important. It’ll help you maximize what you are already doing to grow your church by utilizing some of the practical tools along the way. It’ll elevate both the quality and quantity of disciples that are a part of your ministry.Though the world is constantly changing, it’ll give you the confidence to communicate your plan, knowing that it will help people be greater disciples of Jesus!Go to www.disciplemakingplaybook.com for more information. But hurry, the $100 off is only good through the end of the month. Just enter “podcastdmp” at checkout.
Dhar Mann Studios YouTube Channel
Dhar Mann Bonus Videos (geared to adults)
Katherine Norland YouTube Channel
PoeticPrescriptions.com/freebook
Key insights from the episode:
God can bring the audience when he decides to bring the audience. – Katherine Norland
People can only see the tip of us, but the entire glacier is there when God decides to recede the waters! – Katherine Norland
We gather information to prove ourselves right. – Katherine Norland
When we compare, we’re not content no matter what we have. – Katherine Norland
I am a fool and weak, but God can still use me. – Katherine Norland
Nobody relates to the person who has it all together. – Katherine Norland
God continues to use broken, messy, and unworthy people. – Zach Zehnder
Katherine Norland’s Challenge: Practice micro-acts of obedience. Whatever God tells you to do, do it!
Hurry, act now for $100 off of The Disciple Making Playbook
Get $100 off this online course for the month of March only. Pastors and church leaders, if you need help creating a disciple making strategy or plan at your church, this course is for you. Here’s what Tonna Heinemann, the discipleship director at Good News Church in Omaha, NE said, “The Disciple Making Playbook is very well-done. Not only are the videos relatable and enjoyable to learn from, but the content is also well thought and applicable to today’s ever evolving church. The gospel is the same, but our culture has shifted dramatically, even in the past 5 years, so helping people grow as true disciples of Jesus has never been more important.” You don’t have to go at this alone. We can help. Find out more or purchase here: www.disciplemakingplaybook.com. Remember to enter code “podcastdmp” for an extra $100 off through the end of March.
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 069: Katherine Norland on Being a Disciple in Hollywood, Working with YouTube Star Dhar Mann, and How to Deal with More than 900 Rejections appeared first on Red Letter Living.
March 13, 2024
Theology on Tattoos: Answering the 4 Big Tattoo Questions: Ten Years Later
There is great debate about whether or not a Christian should get a tattoo. When I was pastor of theCross in Mount Dora, FL, our church found ourselves at the center of this debate for a few weeks exactly ten years ago. I remember preaching a sermon telling anybody if they wanted to get a tattoo of the logo of our church (see below) that the church would find money to pay for it. I was joking that it would be great marketing for our brand new church.
Even though I said it sarcastically, several members took me seriously and wanted to go forward. After some godly counsel and prayer, I decided it would be appropriate to move forward. To see a 4-minute video of the full back-story click here. Over the coming weeks, 24 people took me up on the opportunity to receive a free tattoo of our church logo.
Media found out about the event and began covering the story. Eventually it went viral as news outlets like Yahoo, Huffington Post, and more picked it up. Secular news companies were talking about Jesus. How cool?! Well, not everyone was on board. In fact, me and my little church were getting blasted by many other so-called Christians. Through all of the comments, both positive and negative, I decided to write a blog on our decision to move forward with paying for church logo tattoos. Here is the content of the blog, ten years later, with just a few updates.
In this blog, I’ll answer the 4 questions that many have when it comes to tattoos and if it’s appropriate for Christians to have any tattoos.
Question 1: Doesn’t Leviticus 19:28 forbid us to get tattoos?The number one verse that is often quoted against tattoos is Leviticus 19:28. Here is what it says:
“Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves.”
It seems pretty obvious from that, right? Tattoos are not acceptable. Well, let’s take a closer look. In this chapter, God is giving His people, the Israelites, rules for how to live. He’s telling them what they ought to look like and how they are to be holy, or set apart, and different from the rest of the world.
Part of Verse 26 and Verse 27, the two verses directly in front of the verse on tattoos says this:
‘Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it.
‘Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.”’
God is wanting the Israelites to look different from the rest of the world. And He had something specific in mind. His people, in that day, in order to look and be different would not eat red meat, they would grow out their beards and sideburns, and would never get tattoos or piercings. The Duck Dynasty guys would be conflicted living back then because they love the beards but hate the fact that they wouldn’t have been allowed to eat red meat!
God called Israel for the sake of the world. Exodus 19:4-6 tells us that the Israelites were to show the rest of the world who their God was. God’s plan was to take an itty-bitty nation that was enslaved and rise them up into prominence through victory in battle and by acquiring the best land possible. By rising this nation from the ground up, and by the people looking and being different from the rest of the world, the hope was that other nations and people would come to believe in the promise of Jesus Christ.
Today, most people don’t have a problem with eating red meat, with a man shaving his beard or a person cutting their sideburns. Most people don’t have a problem with men or women getting their ears pierced and wearing earrings, which verse 28 also forbids. So why are many so against the idea of Christians getting tattoos? It seems like they discard other verses in that chapter, so why do people care if Christians get tattoos or not? There seems to be a double-standard amongst Christians who quote this verse and are against tattoos but have no problem with piercings.
Lastly, regarding this verse, the reason that God didn’t want them to get tattoos and pierce their bodies is because back then tattoos and piercings were commonly associated with pagan rituals and practices. There is nothing wrong with the actual act of tattoos and piercings. The problem was, that in doing these things, they would be identified with other pagan gods and thus be a horrible witness of who God was calling them to be. If their call was to be holy, set apart, and different, then of course, getting a tattoo or a piercing would be wrong for them because then they would be just like everyone else.
Paul deals with a similar issue in 1 Corinthians 8 with the Corinthian church on whether or not they could eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols or other gods. Paul’s main concern was not whether they could eat the meat, but rather, what kind of witness the people would be if they partook of this practice. In fact, in 1 Corinthians 8:8, he says, “Food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.” In essence, he says, the meat itself doesn’t matter. What matters is what kind of witness you will be if you eat the meat.
We could make the same case with tattoos and piercings today. Unless the tattoos and piercings today are commonly associated with pagan rituals and practices, people ought to feel free to exercise their Christian liberty and get a tattoo or a piercing if they want. I believe that even if something came out of pagan ritual and practice, our goal as Christians is to redeem what was once bad and turn it into good. I believe that is exactly what happens when someone gets some ink on their bodies in the shape of a cross. It points glory to Jesus. They are marking themselves permanently on the outside as a follower of Jesus. The tattoo is an expression of what is happening in their hearts.
Question #2: Why do we take some Old Testament laws literally and others not?This is an excellent question!
Let me start by saying God’s Word is inspired. He gives us the Bible to learn and grow in our faith in Jesus Christ. The New Testament fulfills and completes the Old Testament. At first glance, it can appear that Christians take some verses literally and others not in order to promote whatever agenda we are wanting to promote. Whenever Christian leaders and pastors do this, it is tragic.
God gives us the story of the Israelites and the Old Testament so that we can learn from it. We learn both about the promise of Jesus Christ coming into the world to save us from our sins and we also gain wisdom and knowledge through the experience of our people in the Old Testament. The Bible’s message of Jesus Christ crucified and risen for the sake of the world is what the Bible is all about. We also learn what it looks like to follow after Jesus today in our world from the Bible.
In the Bible, there are certain things that are contextual. In other words, they are written for a certain time at a certain place for a certain people. We see this not just in the Old Testament with the Israelites as mentioned earlier from the Leviticus passages, but we also see this in some words in the New Testament as well, as referenced earlier with the passage from 1 Corinthians 8. Some issues are timeless and others are not. We deal with different stuff than the Israelites and the Corinthians did. It would have been weird for God to have written about automobiles, AI, and social media. for the Israelites or Corinthians because they didn’t have to deal with that. In America, we don’t have to deal with some of the issues that the Israelites and Corinthians had to deal with.
So how do we know whether something in the Old Testament is still applicable to us today?
The main thing I look at is what did Jesus say about it? What did the authors in the New Testament say about it? Nowhere in the New Testament does it mention anything about tattoos being wrong. God was silent on this issue. In fact, you could make the opposite case for tattoos based on Revelation 19:16.
So far, we have concluded that Leviticus was contextual for the Israelites. Some of the things mentioned in the great lists of rules that God gives to His Israelites are reaffirmed in the New Testament, and wherever that is the case, then we are still called to uphold those rules. But where God is silent, and where Scripture neither commands nor forbids us, we are free to exercise our Christian liberty.
Question #3: How do you understand 1 Corinthians 6:19 with regard to tattoos?This is the verse that talks about our body being a temple of the Holy Spirit. The temple is a sacred place where God has lived. God has always wanted to be with His people. In the Old Testament, God dwelt with His people on numerous occasions. He was with the Israelites in a pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. They built an ark of the covenant which housed God’s presence, and then later, an actual temple for God to dwell with them. Then Jesus came in the flesh and dwelt among us, and now we, his followers, are called the temple of God. God lives inside of us!
Here is the whole verse: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.” Some argue that since God lives inside of us, and our bodies are His dwelling place, that we ought not get tattoos. But even a cursory look at 1 Corinthians 6 shows us that Paul was not speaking against tattoos; he was speaking against sexual immorality. Paul is telling us to honor God with our bodies sexually. The previous verse, 1 Corinthians 6:18, says “that any other sin we commit is outside of our body, but when we sin sexually we sin against our own body.”
God, when He came in Jesus, dwelt many times with what society would tell us are the outcasts. He hung out with prostitutes and sinners. He was okay going into any sort of situation because He knew who He was and He never compromised His identity. I believe that as His followers we are also called to do the same. We are called to interact with and befriend those that some in society would shun. Being the temple of God doesn’t mean that we can’t hang out with those that are unlike us. It also doesn’t mean we have to all look the same. God dwells inside of each of His followers, and to reach the world, we need to look different and use whatever personality and hobbies God has given us to reach the lost. 1 Corinthians 6:19 is not a good text to prove that Christians shouldn’t get tattoos. To put it bluntly, it’s not relevant to the topic and speaks against sexual immorality.
Question #4: What can the collective Church learn from this story?The funny thing in all of this is I am not a tattoo guy! I don’t have one or ever plan on getting one. My wife told me she didn’t want me to get one, so that’s good enough for me! Whether or not a person gets a tattoo and whether or not you like tattoos is a matter of preference. Those that have tattoos see them as artwork and every tattoo comes with a story. Every tattoo tells a story and story is the most powerful tool for evangelism that we have today. All of the people who are getting the tattoos will have an opportunity to tell the story of the cross of Jesus Christ.
I believe that the church needs to be continually looking for new, relevant, and exciting ways to engage the culture. The church, for far too long now, has been losing. We cannot sit idly by and do the same old stuff and expect for the church, and ultimately, God’s Kingdom, to grow. We have to remain true to our theology and our principles, but how we implement that theology and principles in our world must change if we want to be faithful in introducing more people to Jesus. Depending on which stats you read, 30-40% of Americans have a tattoo, and that number for Millennials is even higher. To be against something that Scripture neither forbids nor commands puts you at odds with 30-40% of an age group and people that we desperately need to bring back into the church.
The church logo that the members had tattooed was primarily the sign of a cross. The cross is the ultimate symbol of victory for us as Christians. These men and women will have an opportunity to tell the story of Jesus to people that I never would be able to. Two days after our story aired on CBS, a woman came to our church. This woman, by the way, has many tattoos. She hadn’t been to church in over 10 years. Her perception of the church was that it was judgmental, hypocritical, and unfriendly. Two members from the church had been asking her to come for over a year but nothing happened. After seeing the story of our church, she finally made her way through the doors of our church. After the worship gathering, she sent me a message about how welcoming the church was and how excited she was to walk with us in the future. That is what it is all about.
We continued to have many people in the tattoo community that came into our church family through the years and found their home with us.
We were a mixed bag of people. We had people that featured multiple tattoos, while others were opposed to them. We had people who struggled with drinking, smoking, and gambling. At the same time, we had others who continued to drink, smoke, and gamble. We had others who had never done those things and never will. We had people who listened to music and movies that others think are offensive. We had meat-eaters and vegetarians. We had some that thought and still think that home-school is the answer, others that would say private is the way to go, and still others were only sold on public. We had Democrats and Republicans. We had people with multiple piercings and others that think that’s disgusting. We were a mixed group of people. But what I loved most is the fact that as we put our differences and our Christian liberties aside and focused on spreading the message of Jesus Christ crucified and risen for the world, God worked through what many would call a messy church. God always does His best work in the mess.
If I learned one thing in this experience is that the world is craving a church that is known more for what it is for than what it is against. Let’s be for Jesus and continue to look for creative ways to share the story of Jesus with others.
The post Theology on Tattoos: Answering the 4 Big Tattoo Questions: Ten Years Later appeared first on Red Letter Living.
