By Meredith Flynn
Illinois Baptist
It has been one year since I started a new job at our daughters’ school.
One year of working alongside teachers and administrators who I now know are choosing to do an exceedingly difficult job.
Specific prayers
One year of learning alongside students who have good days and bad days, sometimes within the same seven hours.
School is a challenge, for teachers and students. In my role in our school office, I’ve felt driven to pray more than in any job I’ve ever had.
Below are some of the specific ways I’m praying as we start a new school year:
For parents, from those sending a new kindergartner to school for the first time, to the ones facing a graduation in nine months.
Transitions are hard, especially when the children we send off still seem so vulnerable.
Help us, Lord, to change well. Compel us to trust you with our children. Help us loosen our grip when it should be loosened, but keep us sharp and wise to the messages they’re hearing away from home. Infuse our homes with the hope of the gospel.
For administrators, many who didn’t have much time to shake off the last school year before preparing for the one ahead.
In the face of all their plans, remind them the outcomes are ultimately in your hands. Help them lean on you. Give them words of peace to speak when tensions arise. Renew their joy when challenging situations threaten to steal it.
New measures
For teachers, who have spent their summers stenciling and cutting and moving and shuffling.
Bend their hearts to your will for the school year ahead. Give them new measures of faith and grace. Renew their strength regularly. For those who already know you, strengthen their resolve to love their students well and faithfully serve families in their care this year. For those who don’t, put parents and others in their paths who will point them to Jesus.
For students, Lord, soften their hearts. Help them brush off any remaining dust and rust from summer and focus their minds on the year ahead.
Put them in the paths of people who will protect and love and nurture them. Guide their friendships and give them kind words to say to one another.
Compel us to pray continually for the teachers and students we know, Lord, and remind us that this school year, like every year, is in your hands.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was originally published by the Illinois Baptist, newsjournal of the Illinois Baptist State Association.
Iranian ministry reports revival taking place
Recent events in the Middle East and “the oppressive rule of the Iranian government have sparked a revival causing many Muslims to turn to faith in Jesus Christ,” according to Iran Alive Ministries.
The group’s president, Hormoz Shariat, along with three Iranian believers plan to share their perspective on what’s taking place during an online forum Aug. 29 at 6 p.m. CDT/7 p.m. EST. They will outline evangelism and discipleship efforts taking place in Iran amid what they describe as “rising instability.”
“Iran has the fastest growing evangelical population in the world,” Shariat said. “The majority of Iranians have already rejected Islam. In fact, a British survey of 50,000 Iranians found that less than one-third of Iranians consider themselves Muslims.”
Open window
“There is a window unlike anything we have seen in history for the church to welcome new Iranian believers,” he added. “While the government prepares for war and internal strife, millions in Iran are waiting for hope and freedom. We must prepare our Christian brothers and sisters for a pivotal gospel movement in Iran.”
Since 2019, Iran Alive Ministries has been equipping and training Iranian believers through its 4:12 Leadership Training School — a comprehensive three-year program designed to disciple, equip and mobilize Iranian believers.
Iran Alive Ministries was founded in 2000 by Shariat with a vision to transform Iran into a Christian nation.
For more information, visit iranalive.org or email info@iranaliveministries.org. (Information provided by Iran Alive Ministries through A. Larry Ross Communications)
‘Carrying the clubs’ for pastors
By Luke Francis
Executive pastor, First Light Church in Vandalia, Ohio
I am a lifelong fan of golf, and after serving over a decade as an executive pastor, I have begun to see how my role is very similar to that of a caddie.
For serious amateurs and professionals, a caddie is a teammate whose knowledge of the golfer, the equipment, the course and the conditions are key to success.
Similarly, a second chair leader in the local church can best serve the pastor if they have a sober, honest and artful understanding of the church — her people and resources — and the surrounding community and can employ that to faithfully advance the mission and vision at hand.
A caddie can only give good counsel to the golfer as much as he knows the golfer’s capabilities. Similarly, a second-chair leader needs to know his lead pastor’s strengths and weaknesses. A deep, Kingdom-oriented friendship goes a long way to making sure the church is led by someone who is spiritually healthy and operating within their spiritual giftings.
Extensive knowledge
A second-chair leader also needs extensive knowledge of the course — the church, congregation and leadership team. He can serve the lead pastor best by being an expert in the church’s history, knowing the points of pride and even the darker moments. He helps navigate new initiatives by reading the congregation’s threshold for change.
Second-chair leaders will enhance the work of the local church as they embrace their unique opportunity to support the first-chair leader as he preaches and leads. If I may paraphrase Charles Spurgeon, “If God calls you to be a caddie, don’t stoop to be a golfer.”
“Do we find future weather patterns more interesting and the summer heat more concerning? Or does God’s priority to seek and to save the lost shape the priorities of our lives?” said Adam B. Dooley, pastor of Englewood Baptist Church in Jackson, Tennessee.
“It is important for our churches to see themselves as agents of development and transformational change and not simply a distribution site for emergency resources,” said Marsha Scipio, BWAid director.
“Don’t wait to get help. A lot of us think, ‘I can get through this, so I will give it some time and deal with it later’ or ‘Let me just get through this next event or this next season,’” said Preston Crowe, counseling pastor of Broadmoor Baptist Church, Madison, Mississippi. “If you’re beginning to feel it, now is the time to go on and meet with someone, talk to someone, and get some help in that regard.”
“For starters, The Baptist Paper’s got great information about missions and what’s going on not just across the world, but across the street,” said Ohio pastor Fran Trascritti, who leads Beacon Church in Cincinnati. He said many of the paper’s ministry feature articles have helped “ignite a heart of missions for our own church.” “Most of the time for me, I see churches that are doing something unusual helps us to get ideas. If somebody’s doing something that might work in their context, it might work in our context.”
“It never was ‘my’ kidney. I was just keeping it warm for Jesus until someone needed it,” said Patrick Johnson, a member of Cedar Crest Baptist Church, West Monroe, Louisiana, on donating his kidney to help a stranger in need.
He added, “There are a lot of people running around with healthy kidneys who probably haven’t stopped to think that they could be saving a life. If we can just get the awareness out there and maybe get a few more people on board, we could save more lives. I would do it again in a heartbeat if I had to turn back time.”
The power of the idols of our day is they don’t demand our gold or worship at some temple.
They demand our time, attention and love. We’ll expose our idolatry when we’re aware of what we scroll through, what we dwell on and how we orient our day.
Daniel Ritchie
@DanielRitchie on X
“Social media and church websites serve as vital tools for outreach, engagement and fostering community. In these digital spaces, compelling website and social media graphics play a pivotal role in capturing attention, conveying messages and enhancing the overall online experience for your audience. But you have to get them right,” said church communication expert Mark MacDonald.
“Let us be careful that we never exalt any minister, or sermon, or book, or friend above the Word of God.” —J.C. Ryle
Craig Carlisle
@brocraigc on X
Lord, I thank You that You are the perfect match for my every need.
I am weak. You are strength.
I am unable. You are capability.
I am hesitant. You are assurance.
I am desperate. You are fulfillment.
I am confused. You are confidence.
You are all that I need and so much more.
Lysa TerKeurst
@LysaTerKeurst on X
