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• Research: Americans Turn to God & Generosity after Natural Disasters
• Rhythms of Grace: An Interview with Mike Cosper
• Church Music Conflicts: Have We Really Always Done It "That Way"?
• Memorial Day: Bought With a Price

Church Signs of the Week

This church sign might be the boldest we've seen yet.

So this is a common Easter sign, but the name of this church is what gets it mentioned today.

Finally, I'm all for creation care, but this takes things to a whole new level.

Thanks to Stephen Miller, David Woll, and Hugh Carson for these. As always, send your signs via Twitter to @EdStetzer. 

So last week in the wake of the historic EF5 tornado which devastated parts of Oklahoma we polled Americans about their interest in God, responding by donating to relief agencies, their trust in faith-based agencies, and whether or not prayer can avert natural disasters.

In response to the question, "How do you feel about God when suffering occurs that appears unfair?" we found:

• "I trust God more" (33 percent).
• "I am confused about God" (25 percent).
• "I don't think about God in these situations" (16 percent).
• "I wonder if God cares" (11 percent).
• "I doubt God exists" (7 percent).
• "I am angry toward God" (5 percent).
• "I am resentful toward God" (3 percent).

More from the release:

Nearly six in 10 Americans (57 percent) agree with the statement, "When a natural disaster occurs, my interest in God increases." Thirty-one percent disagree and 12 percent don't know. Nearly two-thirds of respondents living in the South agree (62 percent), compared with just over half in the West (54 percent) and Northeast (51 percent). Women, people with a college degree, and those who attend worship services once a week are also likely to be more interested in God during a disaster.

Despite their increased interest in God following disasters, most Americans doubt prayer can avert natural disasters. Fifty-one percent disagree that praying can avert natural disasters, with a third (32 percent) strongly disagreeing. Still, 34 percent believe prayer can avert natural disasters. American's in the South (40 percent) are more likely to believe than those in the Northeast (26 percent) and West (28 percent).

Thirty percent of Americans post on social media that they are praying for specific people or things. Sixty-seven percent do not post topics of prayer on social media and three percent don't know.

Among those who do post prayers on social media, most take a moment to actually pray rather than consider the post itself a form of prayer. When asked to complete the statement, "If I post a prayer on social media ...," 23 percent say they always take a moment to actually pray and 10 percent consider posting the update to be form of prayer. Sixty-four percent complete the statement by saying they don't post prayers.

When a natural disaster occurs, Americans trust faith-based groups to be more responsible than secular groups with their donations by nearly a two to one margin. Fifty-six percent agree they trust faith-based groups more, while 28 percent do not. Those who live in the Midwest and South, men, and those who do not have a college degree are more likely to trust faith-based charities, while those in the Northeast and Americans ages 45-64 are not as likely.

Almost 60 percent of Americans donate to relief agencies in the wake of natural disasters. Thirty percent donate to both faith-based and secular relief agencies, 15 percent donate to faith-based relief agencies only and 12 percent donate to secular relief agencies only. A third of Americans (32 percent) don't donate to any relief agencies.

The Difference Between Original Autographs and Original Texts -- Michael Kruger

If you're looking for a way to critique the authority of Scripture, there are seemingly endless options. There are historical critiques (e.g., many of these books are forgeries). There are logical critiques (e.g., the Gospels contradict themselves). There are moral critiques (e.g., God is immoral to order the slaughter of entire cities). And there are hermeneutical critiques (e.g., no one can agree on what the Bible means).

In recent years, however, a more foundational challenge has arisen. All of the above critiques are essentially the same; they all argue the words of the Bible are not true. But this newer and more foundational challenge is not about whether the words of the Bible are true, but whether we have the words of the Bible at all.

At the core of this challenge is the fact that we only have handwritten copies of these books we treasure. And, in reality, we only have copies of copies of copies. And given that scribes made mistakes, and that the transmission process was imperfect, how can we be sure that these texts have been preserved? How can we be sure we actually have the words of Scripture?

Bart Ehrman's best-selling book Misquoting Jesus focuses on this issue as it pertains to the New Testament text:

What good is it to say that the autographs (i.e., the originals) were inspired? We don't have the originals! We have only error-ridden copies, and the vast majority of these are centuries removed from the originals and different from them . . . in thousands of ways.

If Ehrman is correct, then he has uncovered the single thread that would unravel the entire garment of the Christian faith. There is no need to critique the content of the New Testament if we don't even have the New Testament.

But is this argument cogent? I think not. There are two places it can be challenged: (1) the role of the autographs and (2) the degree of corruption in the extant manuscripts.

Stephen Um has some great advice on reaching a city.

How to Be on Mission in the City -- Stephen Um

What do you need to know in order to live on faithful gospel mission in this urban future? Here is what I believe are five necessities for faithful gospel mission in an urbanized world.

1. GET GROUNDED IN THE GOSPEL - A faithful presence of Jesus' gospel in the city hinges on his gospel itself. There are great needs in your city, and there are many doing important work, but the gospel itself will be the unique contribution that you bring to your city.

2. LEARN YOUR CITY'S STORY - Every city has a story, a story that tells the overarching belief system that drives how the city functions. You can get to know your city's story in the same way that you would come to learn one of you neighbor's stories: Ask questions. Listen. Observe. Interact.

3. ENGAGE IN THE LIFE OF YOUR CITY - Faithful gospel mission in an urbanized world is not something that you can do on paper. Much like exiled Israel, we are called to "seek the welfare of the city" in which God has placed us. We must "pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare" (Jer. 29:7). In other words, we need to engage the life of our cities.

4. DISCERN YOUR CITY'S IDOLS - All cities are centers of worship, and urban dwellers are some of the most passionate worshipers on earth.

5. RETELL YOUR CITY'S STORY WITH THE GOSPEL - The gospel doesn't destroy a city's story, but brings completeness to it. Once you have engaged your city and determined the nature of its idols, the key is to retell the story of the city in such a way that its idols are found to be wanting and its hopes are seen to be fulfilled in Christ alone.

Christena Cleveland has been doing some fascinating writing at her blog. Here, she shares how people of privilege can listen well to the disenfranchised and marginalized.

Listening Well as a Person of Privilege -- Christena Cleveland

I did a short series on listening well as a person of privilege because I often encounter privileged people who sincerely desire to stand in solidarity with oppressed people but don't really know how to go about it in an honoring way. As a result, their well-intentioned attempts to listen well often result in clumsy and oppressive interactions that counterproductively widen the divide between the privileged and oppressed. In order to honor the image of God in oppressed people, we need to think deeply about what it means to listen well as a person of privilege-- hence, this series. I hope you'll join in and share your thoughts.

As someone who identifies with both privileged (highly educated, upwardly-mobile) and oppressed (black, female) groups, I've experienced both ends of the privileged-oppressed spectrum. As a result, I've played the part of the privileged perpetrator of oppression as well as the oppressed target of oppression. And within the reconciliation context, I've often had to ask for grace and I've often had to give grace. These thoughts on listening well as a person of privilege are based on my experiences as a privileged person and an oppressed person.

See the full series.

When I was speaking at the Exponential Conference, the good folks at Reformed Theological Seminary asked if I would come by and do a forum with the seminary President, Don Sweating. We had a good time and talked about a variety of issues including the Emerging Church, the mission of God, and Calvinism.

Subversive Kingdom -- Ed Stetzer

Also, this Sunday, I preached at Journey Church in Amelia Island this past Sunday. My musician daughter pointed out how similar the church musically to our own. Same pace, welcome, song, announcements, message timing, etc. It had a similar feel to it, unlike the times (we discussed), when we were at All Saints in South Carolina, just up the coast.

Simply put, our church has a liturgy. Our liturgy, with a few more scripture readings and a creed now and then, is very similar to, well, all the contemporary churches around the world. We just don't call it a liturgy, though Mike Cosper things we should.

So back to Mike and his new book Rhythms of Grace. Mike is one of the founding pastors of Sojourn in Louisville where he serves as the pastor of worship and arts. He is also founder of Sojourn Music and has helped us with elements of The Gospel Project.

Rhythms of Grace shows how the gospel is all about worship and worship is all about the gospel. In the book Mike ultimately answers the question: What is worship?

Mike will be hanging around the comments on the blog today, so if you have a question about the book or the interview, feel free to ask them below.

Liturgy is an important theme throughout the book. Why do you think it is important in the church?

Liturgy simply means order, or work. It's how we describe what the church does when they get together - the work we have to do together. Every church has a liturgy - an order that governs what they do when they gather, or a bit of "work" they're trying to accomplish. We need to give attention to our liturgies - whether they're intentional and planned or not. What are we doing when we gather? Why are we doing it? What's the goal? What's the center? Who's the hero of the story we're telling together ?

What are the different elements or "rhythms" that should be incorporated into a gospel-centered worship service?

"Rhythms" is shorthand for two dynamics. The first is big-picture - the gathering and scattering that the church does in the world. The weekly gathering of the church is a rhythm that brings us together, reminds us of our gospel story, and sends us once again out on mission.

Second, rhythms refers to the collection of practices that the church does together: Rhythms like adoration, confession, assurance, passing the peace, reading the word, and sending one another. Together, these are a way that we remember and rehearse the gospel story. We remember that God is Holy, we are sinners, Jesus saves us, and Jesus sends us.

Really, these practices are nothing new at all; it's what the church has done throughout history.

What would you recommend for a church that doesn't want to follow a traditional liturgy, but does want to format the service in a way that retells or traces the entire gospel story?

I think one beautiful aspect of Church history is the window it provides into the pastoral theology of previous generations. Resources like church liturgies and prayer books are often seen as dusty, stodgy "tradition" - the kind of thing most contemporary Christians and non-Christians would struggle to comprehend. But if we get below the level of language, and if we look hard at what the men who created these resources were trying to accomplish, we get to the pastoral theology - and there's some beautiful stuff there. Traditional liturgies were one way of saying, "Let's reenact the gospel story in the gathering."

I think there's a lot of room to take what's gone before us, reimagine it through new language (and where appropriate, new technology) and try to tune it with the spiritual formation of our congregations in mind.

Frankly, I think everyone should be aiming at fresh language, fresh metaphor, and fresh creativity in the ways we are spurring on and encouraging our churches.

In what way is worship connected to our spiritual formation?

This may be bold, but I think it's central. The gospel makes us members of a new family, and when the church gathers, it provides a unique and powerful expression of that identity - a place where explicitly, we gather, remember the story, and join our voices in commitment to that story. Those gatherings are the place we learn the fundamental language and practices of the faith.

You use the terms "gathered" and "scattered" to describe the two different aspects of worship. Please define those terms and explain how the two types of worship affect each other.

Worship, in the New Testament, is revealed as an all-of-life reality. So where the people of God, in the Old Testament, gathered in specific times and specific places in order to worship, in the New Testament, worship is in Spirit and Truth (John 4) - a matter of approaching God the Father through the Son (the Truth - John 14:6) by the power of the Holy Spirit.

So worship is all of life, and the church worships as "scattered" people wherever they are (Romans 12:1, Colossians 3:17). But nonetheless, we continue to gather and worship together with the purpose of letting God's word dwell richly amongst us (Colossians 3:16) and spurring one another on in the midst of a fallen world (Hebrews 10:23-25).

How can we tell the difference between a church service that is driven by a "hunger to display the gospel" and a service that is compelled by something else, such as emotional catharsis?

The question to ask is this: to what are we fundamentally responding? Are we responding to the power of the music and the compelling emotions of the preacher? Or are we responding (even emotionally) to the wonder and power of the gospel?

Another way to ask the question is this: Who is the hero of our story?

Often, in the church, the gathering has another hero. It can be a personality or a concept - like marriage, or discipline or morality. But the Bible leaves no room for other heroes.

I think emotion is good. We should have gatherings that are emotionally stirring - but that should all flow as a response to the Gospel, and it requires care to create an architecture in our service that marries the two. That's what good liturgy and good service planning can do.

You mention that worship through singing should come from our hearts. How would you advise someone who doesn't feel worshipful during gathered worship?

First, when we don't feel like singing, we can find some encouragement from the voices around us - the voices that are declaring truth to one another (Colossians 3:16). Second, I think the practices of the faith - singing, reading the scriptures, praying, communion, etc. - have a way of reorienting our minds and hearts. In other words, the actions of the faith can often be the very means God uses to refresh our faith. In many ways, the worst thing we can do when we feel spiritually dry is disconnect ourselves from God's word and God's people.

Many small churches have limited resources, both financially and in terms of musicians. What can those churches do to introduce new musical diversity, working within their means?

Find out what's there. Musical diversity doesn't have to cost any money at all. Who's there in the church? What kind of music do they naturally gravitate towards? What skills and musical "voices" are present that aren't being utilized and enabled to serve the gathering?

Musical diversity should flow naturally from the context - the people that God has drawn together.

What can individuals who are not worship leaders or pastors intentionally do to participate in or contribute to gospel-centered worship?

First, they can come to church prepared. They can seek out opportunities to learn the songs the church sings regularly, they can pray for "ready hearts" for the gathering, and they can show up to church on time. As a pastor of worship, I would love to know that my church is attending prayerful and expectant.

Second, they can pray for their pastors. Pastors get endless suggestions - "We should do this, we should sing that..." - but I think most of them could use far more intercessory prayer from their members. Pray that the gospel is vibrant and fresh in their lives and in their families. Pray that they find opportunities to make the gospel fresh and to help the church "sing a new song."

How America Gains 600,000 New Christians Each Year--Without Evangelism -- Christianity Today

America has been gaining more than 600,000 new Christians each year--all without the help of any evangelism efforts.

According to a new report from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, 620,000 Christian immigrants received green cards in 2012, joining the nearly 250 million Christians in the U.S. overall.

The data presented in Pew's latest, wide-ranging analysis are based primarily off of estimates, since the government doesn't track specific religious affiliation for new permanent residents. Even so, the report contains interesting findings, including the fact that the majority of U.S. immigrants--both authorized and unauthorized--are Christian.

Pew estimates that the share of new, Christian legal permanent residents (LPR) decreased seven percent over the past 20 years, down to 61 percent in 2012. Meanwhile, the shares of LPR immigrants who belong to minority faiths including Islam and Hinduism increased, and 1 in 4 green card recipients now is a religious minority. This corresponds with a rising share of immigrants from regions other than Latin America, including southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

By contrast, unauthorized immigrants mainly come from Latin America and the Caribbean, where countries have established Christian (usually Catholic) majorities. As a result, an overwhelming majority (83 percent, or 9.2 million people) of unauthorized immigrants are Christian. According to Pew, that's more than the Christian percentage of the U.S. population as a whole, which clocked in at 80 percent in 2010.

Ron provides some tips to help us through situations when we may have offended someone.

5 Steps When You've Offended Someone -- Ron Edmondson

Recognize that you will offend some people. - Actually, that should come before the incident. Even the most gentile-minded, peace-pursuing people are occasionally offensive. Sometimes the person on the other side of the offense has issues that make them easily offended. Sometimes we just say or do the wrong thing. It's working to do so less often and never intentionally that should be our goal.

Pursue peace - Our goal should be to be at peace with others, as much as it depends on us. This too should be set, as a goal, before it's needed, so you'll respond accordingly when it is needed. Strive not to say or do things which are offensive. This often means learning to think before you speak.

Ask forgiveness and seek to rebuild trust. - Sometimes the best thing a person can do is to say they are sorry. Many times people want to pass blame, make excuses, or wait for the other person to make the first move towards reconciliation. If you know a perceived offense has occurred, put your "big boy pants" on and break the ice of forgiveness. Don't be afraid to take the blame if it will bring peace in the end. Remember though that trust is built over time, so don't be "offended" if it is not given to you instantly. You can release your own guilt once you've sought forgiveness.

Examine your life. - If you seem to consistently find yourself in situations where others feel offended by you; maybe the problem is you. Don't be afraid to look at the "speck" in your own eye. Examine areas of your life where you are consistently offending others.

Stay true to God's plan for your life. - While we should attempt to live at peace with everyone, we should never avoid offending people at the sacrifice of God's plan for our life. Jesus' best work was offensive to many. If you are being obedient to God, you will find it offends some (maybe many.) Don't let that distract you from doing God's will. And, don't hide in the offense you made. Move forward.

Yesterday, my guest on the Exchange was Christian hip-hop superstar, Lecrae. In case you missed the show, here it is in its entirety. Dont forget to join me every Tuesday at 3:00 PM Eastern for The Exchange.

The Exchange with Lecrae -- Lecrae

Music can be one of the most controversial issues in the body of Christ. Each person has his or her own unique taste in music. Christians listen to, enjoy, and are edified by all of these kinds of music. But should they?

In seeking to determine what is the right music for a church, it is important that we apply biblical principles to evaluate our music. That is not always easy, as the Bible contains no music notes and God indicates no musical preferences. Though, as I've written before, I do believe there are seven tests based on biblical principles that can help determine the suitability of music.

This evaluation is not a new thing. Music has always been a struggle within the church. It seems odd to hear Christians today insist that a certain style of music is best or act as if the recent "Worship Wars" were an anomaly in church history. Any Christian who knows our past would know that neither of those is the case.

Take a look at the patterns throughout the centuries, which Elmer Towns and I detailed in the book, Perimeters of Light:

"Get rid of that flute at church. Trash that trumpet, too. What do you think we are, pagans?"

200s: Instrumental music was almost universally shunned because of its association with debauchery and immorality. Lyre playing, for example, was associated with prostitution.

"Hymns to God with rhythm and marching? How worldly can we get?"

300s: Ambrose of Milan (339-397), an influential bishop often called the father of hymnody in the Western church, was the first to introduce community hymn-singing in the church. These hymns were composed in metrical stanzas, quite unlike biblical poetry. They did not rhyme but they were sometimes sung while marching. Many of these hymns took songs written by heretics, using the same meter but rewriting the words.

"The congregation sings too much. Soon the cantor will be out of a job!"

500s: Congregations often sang psalms in a way that "everyone responds." This probably involved the traditional Jewish practice of cantor and congregation singing alternate verses.

"Musical solos by ordinary people? I come to worship God, not man!"

600s: The monasteries, referencing "Seven times a day I praise you" (Ps. 119:164), developed a seven-times-daily order of prayer. The services varied in content, but included a certain amount of singing, mainly by a solo singer, with the congregation repeating a refrain at intervals. The services were linked together by their common basis in the biblical psalms in such a way that the whole cycle of 150 psalms was sung every week.

"Boring, you say? Someday the whole world will be listening to monks sing these chants."

800s: Almost all singing was done in chant, based on scales that used only the white keys on today's piano. The monastery was the setting above all others where Christian music was sustained and developed through the Dark Ages.

"How arrogant for musicians to think their new songs are better than what we've sung for generations."

900s: Music began to be widely notated for the first time, enabling choirs to sing from music. Thus new types of music could be created which would have been quite out of the reach of traditions where music was passed on by ear.

"Hymns that use rhyme and accent? Surely worship should sound different than a schoolyard ditty!"

1100s: The perfection of new forms of Latin verse using rhyme and accent led to new mystical meditations on the joys of heaven, the vanity of life, and the suffering of Christ.

"This complicated, chaotic confusion is ruining the church!"

1200s: Starting in France, musicians began to discover the idea of harmony. The startling effect of the choir suddenly changing from the lone and sinuous melody of the chant to two-, three-, or even four-part music did not please everyone. One critic commented how harmony sullied worship by introducing "lewdness" into church.

"Don't try to sing that hymn at home; leave it to the professionals at church."

1300s: Worship in the great Gothic-era cathedrals and abbeys used choirs of paid professionals, "a church within a church," sealed off by screens from the greater building. Ordinary people generally had no place in the spiritual life of these great buildings, except perhaps in the giving of their finances.

"It's too loud, and the music drowns out the words."

1400s: Music became increasingly complex (Gothic sounds for Gothic buildings), prompting criticisms that only the choir was allowed to sing. As reformer John Wycliffe had complained, "No one can hear the words, and all the others are dumb and watch them like fools."

"They want us to sing in today's language. Shouldn't God-talk be more special than that?"

1500s: The new prayerbook, pushed by King Henry VIII of England decreed that all services would be in English, with only one syllable to each note.

"Now they're putting spiritual words to theater songs that everyone knows."

1500s: Martin Luther set about reforming public worship by freeing the mass from what he believed to be rigid forms. One way he did this was by putting stress on congregational singing. He used hymns and music already familiar to the majority of people in Germany.

"Okay, men on verse 2, ladies on verse 3, and the organ on verse 4."

1600s: The organ played an important part in Lutheranism, Anglicanism, and Roman Catholicism, while in the Reformed churches there was much opposition to it. Initially the organ was not used to accompany congregational singing, but had its own voice. As a result, the organist would often play a verse on the congregation's behalf.

"Our children will grow up confused, not respecting the Bible as an inspired book."

1700s: Isaac Watts gave a great boost to the controversial idea of a congregation singing "man-made" hymns, which he created by freely paraphrasing Scripture. Charles Wesley paraphrased the Prayer Book, and versified Christian doctrine and experience. Wesley's songs were said to have had at least a great as influence as his sermons.

"Their leader is just asking for trouble when he says, 'Why should the devil have all the best music?'"

1800s: William Booth, founder of The Salvation Army, used rousing melodies with a martial flavor to set the tone for his Army. He is credited with popularizing the "why should the devil" question referenced above.

"These Christian radio quartets are on a slippery slope. Don't they realize that the airwaves are the domain of Satan, 'prince of the power of the air'?" (Eph. 2:2).

1900s: When radio was in its infancy, a handful of Christian pioneers such as Donald Grey Barnhouse and Charles E. Fuller began featuring gospel music and evangelistic teaching over the airwaves. Many Christians initially showed skepticism.

"Christian Rock is an oxymoron. The music of the world must not invade the church."

1970s: Larry Norman sang, "I want the people to know, That He saved my soul, But I still like to listen to the radio...They say that rock and roll is wrong...I know what's right, I know what's wrong and I don't confuse it: Why should the devil have all the good music...'Cause Jesus is the Rock and He rolled my blues away." He founded what became known as Contemporary Christian Music... and it is still controversial today.

Conclusion

As you can see, music has played a central, but contentious role through out church history. There is no reason to believe the disagreements will stop any time soon. Being aware of the changes and movements of the past, however, should encourage us to be more humble about our own preferences and more open to other styles of music used to worship God and point people to Christ.

photo credit: Photon Phisher

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Responding to Graffiti with Consideration -- Episcopal Cafe

Grace Episcopal Church in Randolph, NY found scrawled graffiti on the side of its church: "can I still get to heaven if I kill myself".

Their virtual response on Facebook response:

Despite the inappropriateness of the forum, the message of despair and the theological question are very real. After a time of consideration, the Rector and Wardens decided that this question needed a visible and public response, and so this morning Grace Episcopal Church boldly proclaims that GOD LOVES YOU WITH NO EXCEPTIONS! Our prayer is that this message will ripple out into our community and set people's hearts on fire with the truth of the Good News.

The Rev. Thomas Broad and wardens of Grace Episcopal Church in the rural hamlet of Randolph, New York engaged in a remarkable act of social media ministry this week.

I learned about this on Facebook, when a photo was posted on the church's page. But this digital post is not the act of social media ministry to which I refer. Rather, I'm talking about the small parish's decision to recognize the church building itself as a communication medium.

Chad Brand provides a nice balance between autonomous and cooperative churches.

Cooperative Ministry in the New Testament -- Chad Brand

Are churches independent or interdependent? I'd argue that the New Testament answer is "both." That is, local churches are not subject to the authority of any external body or individual. And yet in order to fulfill their ministries, they must cooperate with each other in tangible ways. This article will explore New Testament precedents for cooperative ministry between local churches.

In Acts 8 Peter and John travel to Samaria. Philip the evangelist had been engaged in a great ministry there. When the apostles in Jerusalem hear of this work, they dispatch Peter and John to the city (Acts 8:14).

We ought not to see this as a presumptuous act on the part of the Jerusalem apostles, but rather as their glad participation in and assistance to the new Samaritan Christian experience. The new work "was endorsed, received, and enthusiastically participated in by the whole church."[1] Upon arriving, Peter and John pray for them, and the Samaritans then receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (8:17). After the Spirit falls upon the Samaritans, Peter and John return to Jerusalem after first preaching in other Samaritan villages (8:25), and even Philip is led by an angel to leave in order to witness to the Ethiopian eunuch (8:26-39).

The Jerusalem church did not attempt to govern the Samaritans from afar, but rather joined in the work in this new location, not to "supervise" it, but only to share with it what it had to give.

A second example of cooperative ministry concerns a church that will itself later commit to cooperative work. The stoning of Stephen had sparked a wave of persecution of the Jerusalem Christians (Acts 8:1-3). That wave of animosity sent many Christians packing out of Jerusalem to other places. Fear of reprisal, however, did not cause them to be silent about their faith. Instead, they became powerful evangelists for the cause of Christ in places such as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, "speaking the message to no one except Jews" (Acts 11:19).

Some daring men of Cyprus and Cyrene took a different approach in Antioch and preached the gospel to Gentiles. This was not an innovation, since Peter had already done the same thing at the house of Cornelius; but it is still the case that evangelism of the Gentiles was uncommon before this experiment. Luke writes that "the Lord's hand was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord" (Acts 11:21 HCSB). Again, the Jerusalem church heard about this evangelistic effort and sent a favored son, Barnabas, to visit.

Simply fascinating... though I might add Azuza Street, particularly if we asked that question 50 years from now and the charismatic / Pentecostal movement continues its current growth in the Two Thirds World.

What Day Changed the Course of Christian History? -- Joe Carter

For the inaugural article in our new series "Big Questions," The Gospel Coalition asked four Christian historians, "After AD 70, what day most changed the course of Christian history?"

Robert Louis Wilken - A good case can be made for the Muslim invasion of the Middle East in mid-seventh century, let us say AD 650. No event during the first millennium was more unexpected, more calamitous, and more consequential for Christianity than the rise of Islam. Few irruptions in history have transformed societies so completely and irrevocably as did the conquest and expansion of the Arabs in the seventh century. And none came with greater swiftness. Within a decade three major cities in the Byzantine Christian Empire--Damascus in 635, Jerusalem in 638, and Alexandria in 641--fell to the invaders. Most of the territories that were Christian in the year 700 are now Muslim. Nothing similar has happened to Islam. Christianity seems like a rain shower that soaks the earth and then moves on, whereas Islam appears more like a great lake that constantly overflows its banks to inundate new territory.

George Marsden - I think it has to be the day that Constantine was converted to Christianity. That had huge effects both for good and for ill ever after.

Philip Jenkins - I would choose May 29, 1453, known throughout the Eastern churches as "the day the world ended." Although the Byzantine Empire by that point was a pale shadow of its former self, it was still a ghostly shadow of the Roman Empire, and the seat of the Orthodox Church that once dwarfed the Catholics in power and prestige. On that day, though, the Roman capital of Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks, beginning a period of long centuries when most Eastern Christians would survive under the grudging tolerance of Islamic rule. The event may be symbolic, but it still marks a decisive turning point in Christian history.

Thomas S. Kidd - On October 19, 1740, the First Great Awakening's most compelling preacher, George Whitefield, spoke at the church of the Great Awakening's most compelling theologian, Jonathan Edwards. This moment signaled the beginning of evangelicalism, the most dynamic movement in modern Christian history. Although Edwards and Whitefield did not always see eye-to-eye, they represented two aspects of evangelicalism at its best.

Eric Mason recently joined me on The Exchange for a conversation about masculinity and his new book Manhood Restored. Join me every Tuesday at 3:00 PM Eastern for The Exchange. Today's show features an interview with the one and only Lecrae.

Redeemable Masculinity and Redeemable Feminity -- Eric Mason

If you've been following along with me on Twitter this weekend, you're well aware that I am in the midst of an extended family reunion in Florida with my (very loud, Irish extended family). And while my family is still proud of our Irish heritage (some of them maybe a little too much), we are also deeply thankful to share in the freedoms the United States offers.

For those of you reading this outside of the US, today is Memorial Day-- a holiday celebrating those who died fighting for our country and her freedoms. These freedoms that my family enjoy came at a great cost. And that cost was not just monetary, but blood-bought in wars and conflicts, some name and some now.

For example:

• American Revolutionary War - 25,000 deaths
• War of 1812 - 20,000 deaths
• Mexican-American War - 13,283 deaths
• US Civil War - 625,000 deaths
• Spanish-America War - 2,446 deaths
• Philippine-American War - 4,196 deaths
• World War 1 - 116,516 deaths
• World War 2 - 405,399 deaths
• Korean War - 36,516 deaths
• Vietnam War - 58,209 deaths
• Persian Gulf War - 258 deaths
• Iraq - 4,486 deaths
• Afghanistan - 2,145 deaths

That's a lot to remember. That's a lot of people who gave their lives for others.

I get that this is a picnic and barbecue day. Nothing wrong with that. But, in the midst of the summer kickoff, be sure to take some time to pray for the families of those who lost their loved ones-- parents, children, siblings, and more.

And, contrary some of the comments you may see on social media, it's OK to be thankful for those who are serving now (or have served) as well, as President Bush modeled in his 2007 Memorial Day speech, honoring the fallen and being thankful for those who serve today. He explained:

Good morning. This Memorial Day weekend, Americans honor those who have given their lives in service to our Nation. As we pay tribute to the brave men and women who died for our freedom, we also honor those who are defending our liberties around the world today.

Yet, the main focus should be on the "memorial," remembering those who have fallen-- who gave their lives for something greater than themselves, or just to serve along side a comrade.

At times like this, I'm always struck by the teaching of Jesus where he said, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). And, yes, I immediately connect that to Christ. In other words, on a day when we remember those who gave their lives I'm drawn to dwell on the fact that Christ laid down his life.

So, thank you soldiers-- past and present-- for the freedoms you protect. And, thank you that because of those freedoms, we can tell the good news of the gospel of the perfect one who laid down His life.

Oklahoma tornadoes: Where was God? -- Dave Sterrett

So, are natural disasters evidence against God's existence or his care for mankind? Some eastern religions, like Hinduism and types of Buddhism, will suggest that evil is ultimately an illusion. On the other hand, some atheists do believe that evil really does exist, and it isn't something invented by cultures or individuals. On the other hand, a theist (Jew, Muslim, Christian) may respond to the atheist saying, "If atheistic naturalism is true, what makes a natural disaster, evil?

You may not personally prefer such an invent like a tornado to occur, but to call such a natural event like a tornado, "evil" seems to be delving into a metaphysical area of reality which is beyond the physical."

When atheists use natural disasters as a time to rebuke individuals of faith, there may be some indication that their argument against God is more of an emotional objection, rather an intellectual problem. However, with some atheists, it seems to be a genuine intellectual objection that dates back to the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus and later, David Hume.

Some atheists, following Hume, who are watching natural disasters or experiencing true evil, will often hold that the two statements: "An all-powerful and all-good God exists" and "Evil exists" are logically inconsistent. But other logicians will note that there is not an explicit contradiction in these statements. The atheist is often assuming that if God is all good, then He would prefer to create a world without evil than to create a world in which evil exists.

The reality is that natural disasters and so-called problems of evils, are not just something for the Christian to try to answer, but a reality that every worldview, whether atheist, Buddhist, Muslim or agnostic, should consider.

This fascinated me. I'm not sure this is the right path, but (as I have done before), I'd encourage affirmative action for increasing denominational diversity.

Methodists May Discourage Those Over 45 from Becoming Pastors -- Christianity Today

The overall average age of retirement is creeping slowly upward, but one regional United Methodist conference is promoting changes that would limit ordination opportunities for anyone over the age of 45.

The Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC) has proposed new guidelines for candidates entering ministry. The guidelines encourage those over the age of 45 to "to pursue other expressions of lay ministry," and they aim to recruit younger clergy.

According to the UMC, "The Rev. Carol Bruse, the chair of the conference's 70-member board of ordained ministry, said the aim of the proposed standards is to help the conference plan for future needs. The policy would not affect current clergy or clergy candidates in the Texas Conference."

But the UMC also acknowledges that ordination is a lengthy process. As a result, "elders 35 or older made up more than 94 percent of all provisional and ordained elders [in 2012], and 53 percent of all elders were age 55 or older."

Some critics of the proposal have called it "outright ageism," and others say the emphasis on younger leaders could misinterpret the mission of the church.

Comprised of nearly 285,000 members, the Texas Conference is one of the largest UMC conferences in the U.S., and it could be an influential leader among other conferences when it comes to lowering the average age of clergy. In any case, the conference does not plan to make its final decision on the proposal until October.

Note the location of the story-- the New York Times.

Then note that even the Times gets the horror of China's policy.

China's Brutal One-Child Policy -- New York Times

According to Chinese Health Ministry data released in March, 336 million abortions and 222 million sterilizations have been carried out since 1971. (Though the one-child policy was introduced in 1979, other, less-stringent family planning policies were in place before it.)

These figures are easy to quote, but they fail to convey the magnitude of the horror faced by rural Chinese women. During a long journey through the hinterlands of southwest China in 2009, I was able to find some of the faces behind these numbers.

On ramshackle barges moored on the remote waterways of Hubei and Guangxi, I met hundreds of "family-planning fugitives" -- couples who'd fled their villages to give birth to an unauthorized second or third child in neighboring provinces.

Almost every one of the pregnant women I spoke to had suffered a mandatory abortion. One woman told me how, when she was eight months pregnant with an illegal second child and was unable to pay the 20,000 yuan fine (about $3,200), family planning officers dragged her to the local clinic, bound her to a surgical table and injected a lethal drug into her abdomen.

For two days she writhed on the table, her hands and feet still bound with rope, waiting for her body to eject the murdered baby. In the final stage of labor, a male doctor yanked the dead fetus out by the foot, then dropped it into a garbage can. She had no money for a cab. She had to hobble home, blood dripping down her legs and staining her white sandals red.

It is not surprising that China has the highest rate of female suicide in the world. The one-child policy has reduced women to numbers, objects, a means of production; it has denied them control of their bodies and the basic human right to determine freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children.

I had the pleasure of hosting Robert Coleman on The Exchange recently, in partnership with the Exponential Conference. Don't forget to join me every Tuesday at 3:00 PM Eastern for The Exchange. I've got Lecrae on the show tomorrow. You won't want to miss this one.

Becoming More Godly -- Robert Coleman

• My Article in USAToday: "We Still Cry Out to God When Tragedy Strikes"
• The Next Church Planting Leadership Fellowship: African American and Urban Planting
• Why Cities Matter: An Interview with Justin Buzzard
• I Believe..." -- The Apostles' Creed & the Church: Your Input Requested
• Oklahoma Tornadoes and Beyond: 5 Ways to Get Involved in Disaster Relief
• Monday Is for Missiology: What Missional Is and Why It Matters
• Sunday Spotlight: All Saints (Anglican) Church in Pawleys, SC
• Grace and the Mission of God: An Excerpt from The Gospel Project

Church Signs of the Week

The lack of accurate spelling on church signs continues to confound me. It rilly isn't that hard.

Speaking of friends...But I do wonder what FOTSS stands for. Any ideas?

If The Fonz from Happy Days was ever responsible for a church sign, I imagine it would have messages like this.

Thanks to Christopher Andrews, Stephen Newell, and Dave Faber for these. As always, send your signs via Twitter to @EdStetzer. 

From the release:

According to the survey, 66 percent of American churchgoers agree Christians should seek out honest feedback about their spiritual life from other Christians.

Churchgoers also seem to think they live out their faith in a manner that is evident to others. Just 14 percent of churchgoers agree with the statement: "Many people who know me are not aware I am a Christian," while 72 percent disagree with the statement.

However, the survey also shows churchgoers often leave important elements of faith unspoken. Nearly a third (29 percent) agree "Spiritual matters do not tend to come up as a normal part of my daily conversations with other Christians," while 50 percent disagree this is the case.

Still, the survey reveals 57 percent of churchgoers agree they openly share about difficulties they are experiencing when they talk with Christian friends, while 1 in 4 do not.

To help pastors, churches and individuals measure spiritual development, LifeWay Research used the study's data to develop a questionnaire for believers, called the Transformational Discipleship Assessment (TDA). This online evaluation delivers both individual and group reports on spiritual maturity using the eight attributes of biblical discipleship. The TDA also provides helpful and practical suggestions on appropriate next steps for spiritual development.

I'm often struck by just how secular many people perceive the United States to be, even though statistics point a different direction. If you go around the world, people see us as very religious-- and in some ways that is correct.

It seems that many in the establishment are embarrassed to talk about faith-- until a tragedy comes. Then it comes out... and people feel comfortable talking about, well, God.

It is amazing how reporters are willing to ask questions of faith, even being surprised by an awkward answer-- as Wolf Blitzer was here in this video:

What made it fascinating was that, perhaps cause he had heard so many speak of God, Wolf was quick to ask.

But, some would say, "But that's Oklahoma..."

Yet, I still vividly remember the first Newtown Elementary School parent to speak out was Robbie Parker about his 6-year old daughter, Emilie. His comments echoed around the world as he drew from his faith to speak compassionately to the family of the shooter.

Frank Newport of the Gallup organization explained in God Is Alive and Well: The Future of Religion in America, just how religious we still are, even though lots of people want to tell (and sell you) a different narrative:

Importance of religion actually increased slightly at points over the last several decades from its low point in the late 1970s. More recently, it has nudged down. But at 55% today, it's no lower than it was 30 years ago. There is no indication that there has been a continuous drop in the personal aspect of religion in recent years.

When we put it all together, we get the image of a basically religious American population whose underlying religiousness has not changed a lot in recent decades.

(You can watch my interview with Frank here.)

Now, I do not think that America is a Christian nation and I think that Christianity is not longer the chaplain to the culture it once was. Actually, I think biblical Christianity has, in many ways, lost its home field advantage. But, that does not mean we are not still a religious people with spiritual interest and connections.

With that in mind, I wrote an article for USAToday yesterday, explaining:

Often times, research like this and other anecdotes about the waning influence of Christianity on the public square are presented as proof that America is no longer a religious nation. This supposedly demonstrates that we have left our religious traditions in history's dustbin. Then, a tragedy strikes...

Many are embarrassed by this national identity-- until it is time to grieve. Then, politicians, celebrities and reporters can unashamedly say they are praying for those affected. News networks will show church bells ringing in memory of those lost. Nightly news shows feel the need to broadcast excerpts from sermons delivered by pastors in the area. Journalists interview religious leaders about how God can help us through...

Others simply ask the question, "How could God allow this to happen?" These are hard questions and there are no easy answers. For me, I can say that moments like this remind me that I am desperate for a Savior, and they show me a world crying out for rescue.

Yes, Americans remain a religious people. It is not simply personal observations that bear this out. A closer look at the statistics demonstrates the staying power religion has in America, especially during difficult times...

Be sure to read the whole article here, and like or share it on Facebook of Twitter.

Needless to say, I am a Christian so during these times of grief, I look to God. Although He does not give all the answers, He does give us Himself. He is enough.

As many have said this week, times like this remind us to call out to God-- and it is worth remembering we are still a nation with deep connections to things of faith. That's not the same as being Christians, but it should remind us that we are not as secular of a nation as some would have us believe.

'No Religion' Is Increasingly Popular For Canadians -- Ron Csillag

A new national study shows that while Canada remains overwhelmingly Christian, Canadians are turning their backs on organized religion in ever greater numbers.

Results from the 2011 National Household Survey show that more than two-thirds of Canadians, or some 22 million people, said they were affiliated with a Christian denomination.

At 12.7 million, Roman Catholics were the largest single Christian group, representing 38 percent of Canadians; the second largest was the United Church, representing about 6 percent; while Anglicans were third, representing about 5 percent of the population.

Observers noted that among the survey's most striking findings is that one in four Canadians, or 7.8 million people, reported they had no religious affiliation at all. That was up sharply from 16.5 percent from the 2001 census, and 12 percent in 1991.

The Canadian trend seems to mirror but even exceed levels of non-affiliation in the United States. A 2012 survey from the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life pegged the ratio of religiously unaffiliated Americans at just under 20 percent.

But Pew also has found that more than one-quarter of American adults (28 percent) have left the faith in which they were raised in favor of another religion -- or no religion at all.

Big news out of New York and a victory for religious freedom. I've written on this extensively, including providing some research directly on the question of whether churches should be allowed to rent to schools, including a New York subsample and an opinion piece I wrote on the subject.

No More Church Evictions from Public Schools, Says New York City Council -- Christianity Today

Churches threatened with eviction from New York City public schools are celebrating the city council's passage today of a resolution calling on state lawmakers to protect their right to rent worship space on Sundays.

"Right to Worship Resolution passes NY City Council by 38-11," noted A Journey Through NYC Religions, which broke the news in a brief post. "Council steamrolls over Speaker Christine Quinn's opposition to resolution."

"This is one of the first times in recent memory that the city council has responded to faith-based groups and, despite significant opposition, passed a resolution supporting their rights," said Tony Carnes, editor of the Journey site, which chronicles religious life in NYC. "That's a remarkable change, and certainly will catch attention."

Carnes pointed to a Journey poll indicating that nearly 70 percent of the neighbors of schools that rent to churches do not see the rentals as a problematic endorsement of religion.

The long-running legal standoff between churches and the city's education department over whether or not schools can ban worship has been pending since a judge blocked the city's ban last June and the city appealed. The Supreme Court declined to hear the relevant lawsuit by the Bronx Household of Faith. A previous attempt by lawmakers at the state level to permit church rentals failed.

My friend Justin Holcomb does a great job talking about why growing awareness of social issues should be encouraging. Justin and I are friends (as you can see in this video) and I am looking forward to being back with him at Re:Train next year.

Why the Rising Social Awareness in the Church Should Encourage Us -- Justin Holcomb

Recently, we have begun to see an encouraging trend in Christian circles: a greater awareness of violence and oppression (such as human trafficking), as well as an increased concern for rescuing and caring for victims. We are seeing an explosion of attention to social justice issues in organizations like Passion, International Justice Mission, and the World Evangelical Alliance, and with the publication of books like God in a Brothel and The White Umbrella. Everywhere you look, churches, parachurch organizations, and individual Christians are waking up to the hidden world of injustice, violence, abuse, and slavery around us--and taking action.

The Bible does not hesitate to depict the harsh reality of violence and oppression, and in fact God's people are clearly called to fight for justice and mercy for all people. Throughout the entire Bible, God is portrayed as one who is just and merciful in his dealings with humanity. Psalm 68:4-5 says, for example, that God is "a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows." Theologians from a wide variety of backgrounds--from Gustavo Gutierrez to Nicholas Wolterstorff to Tim Keller--have concluded that God has a special place in his heart for the poor and vulnerable. Indeed, part of Israel's vocation was to enact social justice, not for its own sake, but because in so doing Israel would reveal the character of God to the surrounding nations, as a city set on a hill.

I had the pleasure of hosting Francis Chan on The Exchange recently, in partnership with the Exponential Conference. It was quite an interview.

Don't forget to join me every Tuesday at 3:00 PM Eastern for The Exchange. We talked about the discipleship deficit and had some fun about "going Francis Chan" on your church.

Discipleship Deficit -- Francis Chan

Francis Chan and the Discipleship Deficit - Highlight of The Exchange from Ed Stetzer on Vimeo.