The latest theater of conservative evangelicalism's multiple-front spiritual warfare cosplay is being dubbed the “War on Technology” by Cypress Baptist Church of Benton, La. It began as a gathering in October 2022 that promised to “help families win the technology...The post Is it weird that Mike Johnson's underage son is his porn accountability partner? appeared first on Baptist News Global.

Four Challenges Missionaries Face and How Your Church Can HelpAdam FridenstineMon, 11/06/2023 - 01:11 We read in Philippians 4:10–19 that the Philippian church greatly encouraged Paul. What was it that was so meaningful to him? It wasn't just their financial support, but it was also their continued care for him and their desire to be part of his work.As missionaries, Esther and I have often been incredibly blessed by churches who encourage us in our work here in El Salvador. The prayers, support, and communication from state-side churches has often come at just the right moment to lift our spirits and strengthen our hands in the work of the Lord. Churches who support missionaries want to be a blessing. But sometimes well-meaning people in those churches don't know how specifically to do that. Life on a foreign field is full of challenges many Christians back home never face. Understanding these challenges can help supporting churches know how to help their missionaries.Cultural Adjustments Learning a new language and culture is more challenging than anyone who has not experienced it can comprehend. At the same time a missionary family is struggling to learn a foreign language, they are usually working through complicated legalities and often spending 20–40 hours per week navigating paperwork, foreign bank transactions, immigration, paying bills, and more. It's frustrating for them to have so much time eaten up by these necessities that would be non-existent or far simpler in their home country. Especially at the beginning, the missionary will often feel as if they are not fulfilling the Great Commission due to all the time these needs require. Pray diligently for your missionaries during this time, and communicate that to them. Be patient with them, as they would rather be doing other things as well. Recognize that it may take months or even years to see an established work, depending on the language and culture.Balancing many rolesAs missionaries strive to make a difference in the place that God has called them, they are often involved in many outreach ministries as well as building the church. Depending on the situation, they may have no trained help for several years, and there are no Bible colleges from which to hire help. There is a constant pressure to always be ready for the next church service, the next event, the next witnessing opportunity. Did they know this was part of what they signed up for? Absolutely! But it is still a lot on one's plate!You can help by initiating communication with the missionary, even when you are not asking something from them. Reach out with love and encouragement. Ask direct and love-loaded questions about the missionary and his family, marriage, health, etc. Give time and reminders when you are asking for a special update or personal communication.Discouragement and emotional needsThough not exclusive to foreign ministry, your missionaries will undoubtedly experience a multitude of discouragements and emotional needs on the field. The difference for missionaries is that there is likely a greater lack of a support team on the foreign field. Sometimes there are no other mature Christians nearby to help through their valleys. A missionary should never come off the field feeling lonely or unloved.Purpose to be a support team for your missionaries. Ask your church members to adopt a missionary family. (We have had many churches do this, rotating missionaries each year. Through the years, the missionary family has been loved by several families, and eventually the whole church feels as though they know the missionaries personally.)Financial BurdensMissionaries will spend many months on deputation raising funds to go to the field. They try to anticipate all financial needs for the foreseeable future in a place they have never previously lived. Although it is true that the income of a foreign missionary will often be higher than the nationals living in that same area, there are also many ministry expenses that a national would not have. Even with the best laid plans, good stewardship and constant support, things like inflation can make a huge difference in the monthly budget of a missionary. And even when churches always support on time and faithfully send the same amount for many years, those support dollars do not go as far as they used to depending on the economy in that particular country. The cost of living continually rises, while the missionary's support generally remains unchanged. How can your church help with the financial burdens of missionaries? Be sensitive to the economic challenges of living internationally on a fixed income. We have been blessed on a couple of occasions when a church reached out and purchased a new appliance to replace a broken one we were not able to replace at the time. Washing machines and refrigerators are luxuries, but they sure are blessings! You can also plan for occasional unannounced offerings for special projects. Communicate with your missionaries about their needs, and evaluate adjusting your support levels according to those needs.Without the financial support of churches, missionaries couldn't go. Without the prayer support, emotional support, and encouragement, missionaries will seldom go as far as they could. Category Missions Tags Missions

Four Ways Christian Education Strengthens FamiliesEric LeeTue, 07/11/2023 - 13:24 The objective of all true educators is to provide learning to students. But the framework in which that takes place in a Christian school is clearly distinctive from its secular counterparts. Our colleagues in the arena of public education see the state as the party responsible for educating a child. As Christians, we view this responsibility differently because we see it through the lens of Scripture which plainly declares that this weight rests on the shoulders of parents: “And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up” (Deuteronomy 11:19). “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). A Christian school can assist parents as parents delegate part of this responsibility to trustworthy educators. Christian education, rather than competing with parental responsibility, can greatly aid parents. Here are just a few of the ways that Christian education strengthens families.1. A Biblical Wordlview“Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church” (1 Corinthians 4:16–17).Godly teachers can reaffirm the biblical worldview already being taught in the home. The student's forming and acceptance of biblical beliefs is aided by the compounding effect of hearing the same truth from multiple angles and perspectives. When the message from Sunday is echoed by the math teacher on Monday, its ability to penetrate the heart is enhanced. When the verse discussed during family devotions Thursday night is the memory verse in Bible class, there is a cumulative effect.Conversely, a number of competing secular influences consistently attempt to chisel away at the biblical foundation laid in a Christian home. Sunday's message and Thursday's family devotions can be drowned out by the varied opposing voices of the secular world. The Bible warns that a young person is not to listen: “Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge” (Proverbs 19:27). Parents are in a key position to protect their children from those voices.2. Daily Exposure to Godly Mentors and Role Models“He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed” (Proverbs 13:20).The mentors and role models a young person is exposed to on a daily basis in a Christian school can be spiritually strengthening. The coach of the sports team, school administrator, cafeteria volunteer, music teacher, classroom instructor, and guest chapel speaker are just some of the individuals God can use in a young person's life. These servants of God can inspire transformation in the lives of students. God certainly worked in my life this way, and I am eternally grateful for the influence of men like my high school coach who God used to call me into that same ministry. 3. Wholistic Development“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:52). Mankind is a multi-faceted creature with physical, emotional, and social needs. Sports, music, and extracurricular opportunities are key components in most schools. A wholistic development, though, must include spiritual development. Christian education not only provides Bible classes, but it also infuses and integrates Scripture and a biblical worldview into every aspect of education. Christian education strengthens families by providing an education of the total student in a wholistic way that education which deemphasizes the spiritual nature of man and often promotes anti-Christian views cannot provide.4. A Nurturing Environment “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Corinthians 15:33).It would be foolish to claim that Christian education is immune from sinful behavior. Unfortunately, the sins of society penetrate the walls of a Christian school too. But Christian education actively seeks to create a habitat that exposes these destructive attitudes and actions for what they truly are. In a biblically-based way Christian education provides a nurturing environment that is the kind of spiritual soil necessary for young people to experience consistent growth. This Christian greenhouse is extremely beneficial for a young person as they establish their foundation for life. While this brief list is far from exhaustive in outlining the benefits of Christian education to the Christian family, it does provide a taste of the type of joy-filled partnership that can result from this biblical model. The fruit of this partnership between parents and Christian educators is well worth the time, money, and energy involved in laboring to train the next generation of Christian leaders. Together the home and Christian school can experience the incredible blessing of seeing God continue to develop laborers for His harvest. Category Family Helps Tags Christian Education Parenting Family Helps Family

Samaritan's Purse has gifted 16 houses to families who lost their homes in a 2021 tornado in Western Kentucky.

Bethlie and I regularly encourage, love on, and pray with people who are hurting over their adult children. We don't judge or criticize families that are broken and hurting. None of us should do that!

A couple from Massachusetts is suing the Department of Children and Families (DCF) after they were reportedly blocked from fostering children due to their beliefs on gender, sexuality and marriage.

Friends,The seminar last weekend in Norman, Oklahoma, was well received by those who attended. Many people thanked me. A couple of families drove two hours

During the month of June, I will be writing a number of articles entitled “Hope for the Home,” a series intended to help strengthen relationships in our families. Today—more than ever—our homes are under fire and imperiled as never before. Our busy schedules, financial pressures and the loss of time together threaten to make our [...]

An Iraqi official says the number of Christian families fleeing violence in the northern city of Mosul since last week has reached 1,390 -- or more than 8,300 people.

Dozens of Christian families in Pakistan's second largest city refused to vacate their homes Tuesday, November 11, despite the expiration of an order from authorities to leave immediately, Christian rights investigators said.

Americans still remain the most generous people on the earth, but studies show they are giving less to churches.  Americans today are forced to make tough financial decisions.  Many families face the challenge of deciding what gets cut from the budget.  A recent Gallup poll found that the percentage of people giving to religious organizations [...]

It was a beautiful Christmas program this year. Everyone did a wonderful job of telling the story of Jesus. We would like to thank all the families that allowed their children to participate. Students Who Participated: Cheyenne Branch, Makala Branch, Shay Branch, Alexis Bridges, Jonathan Bridges, Tyler Dunn, Colton Dunn, Jace Dunn, Brandon Dunn, Brittany Green, [...]