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Identifying self-defeating statements

Four Self-Refuting Statements Heard on College Campuses Across America

If I began this post by asserting, “I can’t write a word of English,” you’d probably recognize the contradiction. My sentence betrays its own claim, doesn’t it? Such is the nature of self-refuting statements. Wikipedia describes such utterances as “statements whose falsehood is a logical consequence of the act or situation of holding them to be true.” You might be surprised how often people are prone to saying something that is self-refuting, but there are number of common statements we hear (or use) every day that fall into this category:

“Don’t bother me, I am asleep right now”
“I’m not going to respond to that”
“I can’t talk to you right now”

There are times when our words collapse under their own weight. As I train university aged Christians around the country and listen carefully to their common college experiences, I’ve started to collect some of the more popular self-refuting statements uttered by college professors. Here are the top four:

“There is no objective truth” / “Objective truth does not exist”
Perhaps the most obviously self-refuting, this claim (or something similar to it) is still uttered in many university settings according to the students I train. Like all self-refuting claims, it can be cross-checked by simply turning the statement on itself. By asking, “Is that statement objectively true?” we can quickly see that the person making the claim believes in at least one objective truth: that there is no objective truth. See the problem?

“If objective truth does exist, no one could ever know with confidence what it is” / “It’s arrogant to assume you know the truth with certainty”
Once again, the professor who makes such a claim appears to be confident and certain of one truth: that no one can be confident or certain of the truth! The statement falls on its own sword the moment it is uttered.

“Science is the only way to determine truth” / “I only trust things I can determine through a scientific process”
University students report this statement often, and it may take a little more thought to recognize as self-refuting. When a professor makes this claim, we simply need to ask, “Can science determine if that statement (about science) is true?” or “What scientific experiment provided that conclusion for you?” It turns out that there is no scientific process or procedure can be employed to validate this claim. It is a presumptive philosophical statement that is outside the analysis of science.

“It’s intolerant to presume that your view is better than someone else’s’” / “Tolerance requires us to accept all views equally”
An even more hidden self-refuting statement lurks here in this common errant definition of tolerance. Folks who hold to this corrupted view say they accept all views as equally true. But if you make the claim that some ideas are patently false and have less value than others, they will quickly reject your statement. In other words, they will accept any view as equally valuable except your claim that some views are not equally valuable. See the inconsistency? People who embrace this definition of tolerance cannot consistently implement their own view of tolerance.

This last claim related to tolerance may be the future battleground of self-refutation. Most of us, as Christians, recognize this assertion and have been accused of intolerance at one time or another. The exclusive claims of Christianity related to salvation (through faith in Christ alone) place us in the bulls-eye for such criticism. In my next post, I’ll examine the true nature of tolerance as we help each other navigate the concept and learn to defend the classic definition.

J. Warner Wallace is a Cold-Case Detective, a Christian Case Maker, and the author of Cold-Case Christianity and God’s Crime Scene.

Comment or Subscribe to J. Warner’s Daily Email

Originally published here

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Save $3,500 by Dropping These 4 Everyday Luxuries

Things you can change today

You’re not splurging on luxury cars or flashy diamonds. But if you’re like most Americans, you may be losing a small fortune each year (nearly $3,500!) on relatively minor indulgences.

Instead of letting your money run wild, reevaluate your spending and revise your budget in these four everyday areas:

1. Daily Lunches Out

You had great intentions this year. You were finally going to start bringing your own lunch to work. But then someone invited you to that awesome hot chicken place down the street. And after that, you got a serious craving for some Tex-Mex. Fast-forward a few weeks, and you’re picking up lunch more than packing it. So what’s the big deal?

On average, Americans spend $20 per week eating out at lunchtime, a Visa survey reports. That’s $1,040 per year! Even if you just swing by a drive-thru, at $7-8 a pop, that’s a lot of lunch money. To curb your spending, budget a few special noontime meals per month. And when you do finally get that break from leftover casseroles and reheated quiches, you’ll appreciate this little luxury even more.

2. Premium Cable Packages

Be honest: How many of the hundreds of cable channels do you regularly watch? Ten? Maybe fifteen? Why shell out for a ton of unused channels when, for a fraction of the cost, you can fulfill all your binge-watching needs with online streaming? Even with today’s cheaper alternatives, millions of us are still paying around $66 per month for expanded basic cable, according to the Federal Communications Commission.

That’s a lot of money to blow on your favorite sports and movie channels. If the big game is really that important to you, just downgrade to basic cable and a sports-only package. Or go to a friend’s house with a big bag of chips and a Crock-Pot full of melty cheese-and-chili dip. Because no self-respecting basketball fan can turn down queso.

Related: 9 Cost-Effective Alternatives to Cable

3. Unused Gym Memberships

After a stressful day of 4-year-old tantrums or never-ending meetings, hitting the gym can give your body and mind a much-needed break. But that means you have to change clothes, get in your car, drive to the gym, and then try to outrun some stick-thin teenager on the treadmill next to you. Or you could just eat a pint of ice cream. Decisions, decisions.

Statistic Brain estimates we waste about $39 each month underutilizing our health clubs. So if cooking dinner, giving the kids a bath, and reading five bedtime stories is your reality, it could make more sense to run around the block rather than hit the gym. Do whatever works best for you. Just don’t blow $468 a year on best-laid plans.

4. Regular Coffee Trips

Coffee is a necessity for many of us. It’s like air—deliciously caffeinated air. But that’s no reason to blow an average of $3.28 per day on a cup of coffee, according to a Zagat survey. That amounts to about $23 per week. We know the talented barista down at Jittery Java handcrafts your beverage with love each morning, but let’s get real. If you buy some decent beans and add your own syrups and creams, your home brew will taste just as sweet. Plus, with savings of nearly $1,200 per year, you can now afford some darn good beans.

Hear us, America. Everything is good in moderation—even coffee and TV. But moderation often trips us up. That’s where the budget comes in. It’s okay to plan for occasional splurges, but make sure you’re not allowing small luxuries to run away with your future goals. Control your spending now, so you can live and give like a rock star later on.

Need help learning how to budget? Find a local Financial Peace University class near you!

Originally published Here

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Resource Risks Linked to Chronic Illness

Proactive Approach Trims Risks Linked to Chronic Illness among Children in Ministry Settings

Good planning limits ministry liability when handling children with infectious diseases

If a parent approaches a worker in your children’s ministry to say that his or her child has a serious chronic illness such as AIDS, hepatitis, or tuberculosis, will the worker know how to respond? How will workers respond if they learn that a child is being treated for temporary afflictions like lice, chicken pox, influenza, or the common cold? What if a parent or guardian wants to enroll a child who has not undergone standard immunizations?

For the health and safety of the children, ministry leaders should take a proactive approach and develop policies and procedures for handling children with infectious diseases. In many ways, this is a legal balancing act as ministry leaders must balance the interests of the infected minor with the ministry’s responsibility for the overall health and safety of all children and ministry workers. An infectious diseases policy can mesh legal requirements with generally accepted “best practices” for handling infectious diseases in settings involving minors.

Develop “Best Practices,” Policies, and Procedures

A good place to start is The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC has established infection control guidelines for health care workers that churches can adapt to meet the needs of their ministry situations. State health authorities and organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics also are excellent resources that can help ministries identify “best practices.” Brotherhood Mutual’s sample policy form includes standards adapted from CDC guidelines, attendance standards, and other logistical information that can be helpful as you develop such a policy for your church or ministry.

Guidelines related to including or excluding minors from church programs should follow the requirements set by the CDC and state and local health departments. Any infectious diseases policy you develop should itemize specific symptoms of short-term illness that would exclude minors from ministry activities.

If a ministry decides to accommodate an unvaccinated child or a child with a chronic communicable disease, a special medical needs agreement can facilitate the child’s participation in ministry programs and activities. Brotherhood Mutual has developed a sample medical needs agreement for that purpose.

Protect Minors’ Privacy Interests

Ministry leaders should be sensitive to the privacy interests of minors with chronic, communicable diseases and encourage parents to voluntarily notify the church if their child has such a disease. Develop a health information form that asks for health-related background information that ministry workers need to recognize a potential health emergency. Brotherhood Mutual’s sample health information form can provide the foundation for one you develop for your ministry.

A church can limit its risk of being the target of a privacy suit by making sure that private health information is shared only with ministry workers on a “need to know” basis. Generally, parents of other children in a church’s childcare program do not have a right to know about the health status of other children in the program.

Finally, ministry leaders should be aware of any legally mandated reporting requirements to state or local health departments or regulatory authorities when the church is aware of a minor with an infectious disease. State laws commonly name specific communicable diseases that designated mandatory reporters such as physicians and school nurses must report to authorities.

Ministry Worker Training Helps Ensure Effective Policy Implementation

Training of ministry workers is essential to the proper implementation of the ministry’s infectious diseases policy. Ministry worker training should instill a thorough understanding of the church’s policy and the significance of the special medical needs agreement for a child with a chronic communicable disease. It also should build the workers’ knowledge of applicable health, safety, and legal guidelines for church programs for minors. Workers should:

  • Be aware of signs and symptoms of illness.
  • Know procedures for handling sick children.
  • Understand standard guidelines to reduce the spread of infection.
  • Be informed of emergency care protocols and the location of first-aid supplies, the use of CPR, and first aid.
  • Clearly know the church’s expectations for handling the private medical information of children.

As employers, churches must comply with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements to develop an exposure control plan for blood borne pathogens if they have employees exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials. Training of employees is an important element of complying with OSHA requirements, and an important part of a church’s overall worker training program on infectious disease control.

Maintain Open Communication

Keep the lines of communication open with parents regarding the ministry’s policies and procedures pertaining to infectious diseases. Ministry leaders should ensure that all parents receive a copy of the ministry’s infectious diseases policy and know the church’s guidelines for protecting the privacy interests of minors.

In addition, if the ministry admits unvaccinated children, notify all parents and legal guardians, in writing, that there are—or may be in the future—unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children in attendance at the ministry facility. It’s generally permissible to address the importance of vaccinations and to include the possible consequences of not vaccinating children, such as unvaccinated children being excluded from attendance during an infectious disease outbreak. Also, inform parents that their children’s likelihood of contracting a vaccine-prevented illness may increase, as vaccines are not always 100 percent effective. Do not share the names of unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children, except with caretakers who have a need to know.

Consult an Attorney

Church leaders should consult with a local attorney who can provide guidance on the many complex legal issues involved in developing an infectious diseases policy and the related forms and procedural guidelines. A local attorney can provide important instruction to church leaders on relevant federal, state, and local laws that the church or ministry must follow, as well as important overall legal risk management guidance.

Originally Published Here

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Planning a Short-Term Mission Trip

Plan for the best trip possible

Short-term mission trips are wonderful ministry opportunities, but they also pose risks. Careful planning can help you anticipate problems on the field and devise ways to respond before your team leaves home.

Guidelines for Planning Your Trip

  • Decide the purpose of your mission trip early in the planning process.
  • Recruit an adequate number of experienced leaders. Leadership screening requirements should include cross-cultural “sensitivity” training and participation in previous ministry trips.
  • Develop a thorough screening procedure for participants. Examples of eligibility requirements include: good health; verification of personal health, life, and property insurance; and parental approval for minors.
  • Thoroughly explain the known risks to all participants and the parents of minors involved with the project. Legally document each participant’s assumption of risk.
  • Recruit someone with medical training to serve as a team member. Before you arrive at the mission site, know the location of the nearest hospital or medical facility. Establish an emergency plan, including how you plan to transport an injured participant.
  • Establish a communication plan for emergencies. Designate one contact person at home to relay information to families, the congregation, and reporters. Having a contact person at home allows you to focus on the situation.
  • Contact the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for health precautions related to your project destination. Check with them about required inoculations.
  • Ask participants to have physical and dental checkups. Team members who have chronic health problems should carry extra medication in case of delays in returning home. Store medication in its original container.
  • If traveling outside the U.S., know the location of the U.S. Embassy. Find out what services or advice embassy officials can provide.
  • Create a “master folder” for the team leader that contains vital paperwork and information. It should include:

– Photocopies of team’s passports and visas, if applicable

– Passport-sized photos of each traveler

– Emergency contact information for each traveler

– Information on special medical needs

– Medical release forms

– Insurance company contact numbers

– Back-up money in case someone’s wallet is lost or stolen

– Airline itinerary listing travelers’ names, in case airline tickets are lost or stolen

  • Mexico and other foreign countries require the purchase of a local auto policy. Failure to obtain the appropriate coverage could lead to uninsured exposures as well as serious legal entanglements with local authorities.
  • Brotherhood Mutual offers mission travel insurance products that can protect your mission teams from a variety of losses they could experience when they travel. Here are some examples of coverage benefits:
  • Accidental medical and sickness coverage.
  • Emergency medical evacuation.
  • Dispatch of a doctor or other medical specialist.
  • Access to legal assistance overseas.
  • Emergency family travel arrangement assistance.

 

Originally published Here

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To Drink or Not to Drink

 To Drink or Not to Drink: By Norman Geisler

A Sober Look at the Question

The Main Points

  1. The Bible condemns using strong alcoholic beverages and drunkenness.
  2. In Bible times, they used light alcoholic beverages in moderation.
  3. Today, given the many harmful results of alcohol and the many non-alcoholic alternatives, total abstinence is the best policy.

Many Reasons Not to Drink (or use other addictive drugs)

  1. It is Condemned
  2. The Bible Condemns Strong Drink as a beverage.
  3. Today’s Beer and Wine are Strong Drink.
  4. Hence, Today’s Beer and Wine are Condemned by the Bible as a beverage.
  5. We Should not do What God Condemns.
  6. Therefore, we should not drink today’s beer and wine as a beverage.

Bible Condemns Intoxicating Drinks

 “Wine is a mocker [yayin], intoxicating drink [shekar] arouses brawling, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise” (Prov. 20:1).

 “Do not look on wine [yayin] when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when is swirls around smoothly. At last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper” (Prov. 23:31-32).

 “Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints?…Those who linger over wine (Prov. 23:29-30).

 “Give strong drink [shekar] to him who is dying…” (Prov. 31:6).

 “Woe to those who rise early in the morning, That they may follow strong drink; Who continue until night till wine inflames them” (Isa. 5:11).

 “Strong drink is bitter to those who drink it” (Isa. 24:9).

 “Woe to men valiant for mixing strong drink” (Isa. 5:22).

 “But they [the priests and prophets] have also erred through wine, And through strong drink are out of the way” (Isa. 28:7 cf. 56:12).

 Only false prophets say: “I will prophesy to you of wine and strong drink” (Micah 2:11).

 “Do not drink wine (yayin) or intoxicating drink (shekar), you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of meeting lest, you die” (Lev. 10:9 NKJV).

 “When a man or a women makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to dedicate himself to the Lord, he shall abstain from wine yayin) and strong drink” (shekar) (Num. 6:2-3 NASB).

 To Samson: “Now drink no wine or strong drink…” (Jud. 13:7).

 To Kings: “It is not for kings, O Lemeul, It is not kingd to drink wine, Nor for princes strong drink” (Prov. 31:4)

 To all Israel (in the wilderness): “You have not drunk wine [yayin] or strong drink [shekar]; that you may know that I am the LORD your God” (Deut. 29:6).

 

Note:

1) Total abstinence from strong drink was God’s norm for all believers;

2) Total abstinence from all wine was the ideal for all believers, and

3) was exemplified by spiritual leaders

Drunkenness is Not the Only Reason to Abstain from Alcohol

  1. It slows the thinking process (Prov. 31:4-5).
  2. It makes one dizzy (Job. 12:25).
  3. It is associated with self-centeredness (Hab. 2:5).
  4. It causes sickness (Jer. 25:27).
  5. It causes forgetfulness (Prov. 31:6-7).
  6. It produces delirious dreams (Prov. 23:33).
  7. It results in sleepiness (Gen. 9:20-25).
  8. It produces complacence and laziness (Zeph. 1:12).
  9. It numbs one’s feelings (Prov. 23:31-35).
  10. It leads to poverty (Prov. 21:17).
  11. It leads to brokenness (Jer. 23:9).
  12. It results in sadness and depression (Isa. 16:9-10).
  13. It causes sorrow (Prov. 23:29-30).
  14. It produces blackouts (Gen. 19:33-35).
  15. It leads to immorality (Joel 3:3).
  16. It encourages sexual perversion (Hab. 2:15).
  17. It results in guilt (Isa. 24:20).
  18. It causes injuries (Prov. 23:35).
  19. It can result in insanity (Jer. 51:7).
  20. It makes one vulnerable to his enemies (1 Sam. 13:28).

Beer and Wine are Strong Drink

 Biblical wine was fermented but diluted 3 to 1.

 Jewish Talmud: Passover wine was 3 parts water to 1 part of wine (Pesahim 108a cf. Shabbath 77a)

 Inter-testamental Period: “It is harmful to drink wine alone, or, again, to drink water alone, while wine mixed with water is sweet and delicious…” (2 Mac. 15:39).

 

Some Pagan Mixtures:

 Homer: 20 to 1

 Pliny 8 to 1 (See Stein, “Wine Drinking in NT Times” Chirstianity Today, 6/20/75).

 At 3 to 1 ratio it took 22 glasses of NT wine to get drunk

 

It was basically a means to purify and sweeten water.

 Ancient Wine Mixing With Water “In ancient times wine was usually stored in large pointed jugs called amphorae. When wine was to be used it was poured from the amphorae into large bowls called kraters, where it was mixed with water…. From these kraters, cups or kylix were then filled” (Stein, “Wine-Drinking in NT….”

 

Taking Unmixed (Today’s) Wine Was Considered Barbarian by Pagans!

 Mnesitheus of Athens said: “Mix it half and half, and you get madness; unmixed, bodily collapse”!

 Early Church Father Cyprian: “Thus, therefore, in considering the cup of the Lord, water alone cannot be offered, even as wine alone cannot be offered” (Epist. 62.2.11)

 Clement of Alexandria added: “It is best for the wine to be mixed with as much water as possible…” (Instructor 2.2).

 

  1. It is Condemned
  2. The Bible Condemns Strong Drink as a beverage.
  3. Today’s Beer and Wine are Strong Drink.
  4. Hence, Today’s Beer and Wine are Condemned by the Bible as a beverage.
  5. We Should not do What God Condemns.
  6. Therefore, we should not drink today’s beer and wine as a beverage.
  7. It is Deadly
  8. We Should not take what is Deadly.
  9. Taking Alcohol is Deadly.
  10. Hence, we should not take Alcohol.

Evidence that taking Alcohol is Deadly

  1. It causes more deaths than any other drug (about 200,000 per year).
  2. It is responsible for 70% of drownings & chokings.
  3. It is involved in 50% of all “freak accidents.”
  4. It causes some 27,000 deaths a year by liver disease.
  5. 30% of all suicides are alcohol related.
  6. 20% of all airplane crashes are alcohol related.
  7. 50% of all murders are drunk when they kill.
  8. 50% of all fire deaths are alcohol related.
  9. It causes about a third of all traffic deaths (It would be higher, if blood test were given to the dead too). (Statistics are based on US government reports)

III. It is Dangerous

  1. We Should Not do What is Dangerous to Society.
  2. Drinking alcohol is Dangerous to Society.
  3. Hence, We Should not Drink Alcohol.

Evidence that drinking Alcohol is Dangerous

  1. It contributes to more deaths than any other drug.
  2. It leads to drug addiction (18 mill in US=8.5% of population).
  3. It is involved in both spouse and child abuse.
  4. It contributes to mental and physical diseases.
  5. 45% of the homeless are alcoholics.
  6. It causes 500,000 injuries per year.

During Prohibition (1920-1933): social ills decreased!

 Cirrhosis dropped 66%

 Insanity decreased 60%

 Arrest for drunk and disorderly conduct decreased 50%.

 Spouse and child abuse dropped to an all-time low.

 Addiction & consumption decreased for 55 years (up to 1975).

 

  1. It is Addictive
  2. We Should Avoid Addictive Drugs.
  3. Alcohol is an Addictive Drug.
  4. There are 16 million addicts in the US.
  5. Alcoholics outnumber all other addicts.
  6. 77% of high schoolers use alcohol.
  7. 29% of high schoolers drink heavily.
  8. 44% of 8th graders drink.
  9. 1 in 10 social drinkers will become addicts

 Question: Would you get on an airplane if there was a 10% chance it would crash?

 

  1. We should avoid alcohol.
  2. It is Unhealthy
  3. We Should Avoid Drinking What is Bad for our Health.
  4. Drinking Alcohol is Bad for our Health.
  5. So, We Should Avoid Drinking Alcohol.

Proof that drinking Alcohol is Bad for One’s Health

  1. It is the number three health problem.
  2. It results in 1/2 million hospital admissions.
  3. It impairs the function of vital organs.
  4. It causes liver diseases.
  5. It contributes to heart attacks.
  6. It increases the chances of cancer 3-6 times.
  7. It is the number three cause of birth defects.
  8. It can cause insanity.
  9. It can injure the nervous system.
  10. It can cause impotence and sterility.

It is Unhealthy

  1. We Should Avoid Addictive Drugs.
  2. Alcohol is an Addictive Drug.
  3. So, We Should Avoid Alcohol.
  4. It is Costly
  5. We Should Not Do What is Unnecessarily Costly to Society.
  6. Drinking Alcohol is Unnecessarily Costly to Society.
  7. Hence, We Should Not Drink Alcohol.

Evidence that alcohol is Unnecessarily Costly

  1. Special services $7 billion a year.
  2. Medical services $19 billion a year.
  3. Loss of future earnings by death is $37billion.
  4. Alcohol related illness is $86 billion.
  5. Fetal alcohol syndrome is $1 billion.
  6. Loss of earnings of crime victims $10 billion.
  7. Crashes, fires, and crime is $24 billion.
  8. Total cost of alcohol abuse is over $184 billion.

VII. It is a Bad Example

  1. We Should not be a Bad Example.
  2. Drinking Alcohol is a Bad Example.
  3. Hence, We Should Not Drink Alcohol.

Note:

1) Children are imitators, and if we take addictive drugs, then they will imitate us.

2) They won’t do what we say but what we do.

3) We won’t convince them to stop their drugs until we stop using our drug (which is worse).

VIII. It is not Edifying

  1. What is not Edifying Should be Avoided.
  2. Drinking Alcohol is not Edifying.
  3. Drinking Alcohol Should be Avoided.

 

 Paul wrote: “All things are lawful, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful, but all things do not edify (build up). All things are lawful, but I will not be brought under the mastery of any”(1Cor. 6:12).

 

  1. It Causes Others to Stumble
  2. What Causes Others to Stumble Should be Shunned.
  3. Drinking Alcohol Causes Others to Stumble.
  4. So, Drinking Alcohol Should be Shunned.

 Paul said: “It is good neither to eat meat nor to drink [diluted] wine, nor anything by which your brother stumbles…”(Rom. 14:21).

 Of course, strong (undiluted) wine is forbidden.

 

  1. It is Unnecessary
  2. We Should Avoid Doing Harmful Things That Are Unnecessary.
  3. Drinking Alcohol is a Harmful Thing That is Unnecessary.
  4. We Should Avoid Drinking Alcohol.

 Note: We have plenty of good drinks that are not as harmful–water, milk, fruit juices, coffee, tea, and others.

 

Conclusion

  1. Even one good reason is a good reason not to drink alcohol.
  2. Two or more reasons are very good reasons not to drink it.
  3. Ten reasons are overwhelmingly good reasons not to drink it.

Hence,

1) We encourage all Christians not to drink it.

2) We require all church leaders not to drink it. (Not because it makes you more spiritual but because it manifests your commitment and maturity

If God Didn’t Want Us to Drink It, Why Did He Make it?

  1. It is a sedative (Prov. 31:6): “Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish.”
  2. It revives the faint (2 Sam. 6:2): “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the desert.”
  3. It is an antiseptic (Lk. 10:34): “He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn….” took care of him.”
  4. It is a laxative (1 Tim. 5:23): “Stop drinking only water, and use a little [diluted] wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.”

Answering Some Objections

Objection 1: The Bible only condemns drunkenness, not taking strong drinks.

Answer: Not so. One of the reasons it condemns strong drink is because it leads to drunkenness, but it is not the only reason. Strong drink itself is condemned.

 It is also addictive and harmful in many other ways (physically, emotionally, psychologically, and socially).

 

Objection 2: Doesn’t the Bible actually commend using strong drink as a beverage in Deut. 14:26: “And you shall spend that money for whatever you heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine [yayin] or strong drink

[shekar], for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice with your household.”

Answer:

1) OT condemns strong drink as a beverage (see X).

2) Unclear texts like these should not be used to contradict clear ones.

3) It was bought in strong (undiluted) form for ease in travel and storage, and for use as a medicine–not to drink as such.

4) Whatever drinking they did was in diluted form (see I).

5) In whatever form, the use here was specifically for a Jewish festival and is not a norm for general consumption.

Objection 3: It is legalistic to make extra-biblical laws like total abstinence which the Bible does not make.

Answer: It is not extra-biblical since the Bible condemns “strong drink,” and today’s alcohol drinks are “strong drink.”

Further, not every extra-biblical rule is legalistic–only those used as a condition for meriting God’s grace, whether for getting justification or sanctification.

Objection 4: The Bible says it is OK to take a “little” wine (1 Tim. 5:23) as long as it is not too “much” (1Tim. 3:8); It does not teach total abstinence.

Answer: It is speaking about a “little” and not “much” diluted wine [Hb.: yayin], not the undiluted intoxicants [Hb.: shekar] such as wine, beer, and whiskey which people drink today. We should totally abstain from these.

Objection 5: What about nicotine and gluttony? Aren’t they addictive and destructive too.

Answer: Yes, but we must eat food to live, but we do not need to drink alcohol to live.

Nonetheless, Christians should avoid all nicotine (since it causes cancer) and all gluttony (since obesity is harmful to one’s health).

Objection 6: What about studies which show that regular use of alcohol helps prevent heart disease (by increasing good cholesterol)?

Answer:

  1. They have shown a statistical connection, not a causal one. It is also known that “statistics lie, and liars use statistics.”
  2. It may be due to antioxidants present, not the alcohol.
  3. Other studies show grape juice has similar results.
  4. Even the statistically favorable studies admit there may be other genetic and environmental factors at play.
  5. The American Heart Association does not recommend it.
  6. There are other non-alcoholic methods, such as diet, exercise, and non-addictive drugs that can be used.
  7. The end doesn’t justify the means–if they are wrong (e.g., stem cells from abortion or alcohol for pregnant women’s hearts).
  8. It is a fact that non-drinkers live longer (52% vs. 40% live to 75+).

Objection 7: It makes me relax and feel better.

Answer: Don’t make your happiness depend on addictive drugs. It is both deceptive and dangerous.

If you want a high without a hangover: “Do not be drunk with wine in which is excess; but be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Eph. 5:18).

Objection 8: I need it for my nerves.

Answer: There are non-addictive diets and drugs that can help your nerves.

Better yet–try God’s plan: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your heart and mind through Christ Jesus”(Phil. 4:6-7).

Total Abstinence is the Best Policy

 No one ever had the following alcohol related consequences who refused the first drink:

 No one ever got drunk without the first drink,

 Nor got an addiction to it w/o the first drink,

 Nor got a disease from it including: heart attacks, cirhossis, insanity,

 Nor engaged in spouse or child abuse DUI of it,

 Nor killed anyone in an accident DUI of it,

 Nor caused any debt or injury DUI of it,

 Nor caused anyone to stumble in their faith!

 

The Main Points

  1. The Bible condemns using strong alcoholic beverages and drunkenness.
  2. In Bible times, they used light alcoholic beverages in moderation.
  3. Today, given the many harmful results of alcohol and the many non-alcoholic alternatives, total abstinence is the best policy.

No Temptation is Too Strong!

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1Cor. 10:13).

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Coal Basket and the Bible

coal Basket

Trust and obey

The story is told of an old man who lived on a farm in the mountains of eastern Kentucky with his young grandson. Each morning, Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading from his old worn-out Bible. His grandson who wanted to be just like him tried to imitate him in any way he could.

One day the grandson asked, “Grandpa, I try to read the Bible just like you but I don’t understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bible do?”

The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and said, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring back a basket of water.”  The boy did as he was told, even though all the water leaked out before he could get back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, “You will have to move a little faster next time,” and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket,” and he went to get a bucket instead.   The old man said, “I don’t want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You can do this. You’re just not trying hard enough,” and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got very far.   The boy scooped the water and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, “See Grandpa, it’s useless!” “So you think it is useless?”

The old man said, “Look at the basket.” The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket looked different.  Instead of a dirty old coal basket, it was clean. “Son, that’s what happens when you read the Bible.  You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, it will change you from the inside out.  That is the work of God in our lives; to change us from the inside out and to slowly transform us into the image of His son.”

 

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Church Email Tips We’ve Learned

Here are seven church email tips we’ve learned that have made our efforts more successful:

1. The “From” Field Matters

More people open our emails when we include our church name and the email address of a high-profile ministry staffer. For example, our pastor Steve Sonderman is nationally known in men’s ministry, so for monthly men’s emails, the from field is “Elmbrook Men’s Ministry” and the sending email address is his email.

2. So Does the Subject Line

Only the first 50 characters show on some email previews, so keep the subject line short. We had less favorable response to subject lines that include “… and more” or the holiday du jour (e.g. “A New Year’s Resolution”) probably because it didn’t promise unique content. And maybe this is just a Wisconsin thing, but when we include a discount or special offer in the subject line, we always get higher open rates. In our church that can look like this: “Be the first to receive a copy of the new Advent devotional” or “Welcome to Elmbrook! Our gift to you.”

3. Older Audiences Care More About Consistency Than Content

Younger audiences care more about content than consistency. We get the best open rates on emails to older adults when we keep the subject line very similar each month (e.g. “February Prayer Requests”) and send it on the same day. Our young adult audience, though, is more likely to open an email with a subject line that promises some new information of value (e.g., “3 Ways to Shore Up Your Faith”). If things are quiet one month in young adults ministry, we’ll skip that month rather than make something up just for the sake of staying on schedule.

4. People Like Photos of the Author

In a church our size, communication from high-profile pastors and other staff gets the best open rates and click-through engagement. When we include their photo it helps even more, especially if most of the photo appears below the fold so readers have to scroll down to see it.

5. Personalizing Emails Isn’t Worth the Extra Work

For a while we experimented with using the merge tags in Constant Contact to add “Hello [first name]” to the subject line or salutation, but I didn’t notice any increase in open rate. And because not everyone on our list has given us their first name, it can get a little tricky. (For the record I know Constant Contact is able to swap in a different salutation in those instances. It just wasn’t worth it for us to spend more time figuring it out.)

6. You Can’t Count Clicks on Email Addresses

Our “Top Serving Needs” emails often have links to more than 20 contact names’ emails as the calls-to-action. I was discouraged when I saw low click rates month after month. After submitting a support request to Constant Contact, I learned that clicks on email can’t be measured. (If anyone has found a way around this, I’d love to hear from you!)

Women's ministry page email opt-in formHigh school ministry page email opt-in form7. Opt-ins Are Good to Gather in Places Where Your Audience Is Already

We added unique opt-in forms for each of our lists on their respective ministry pages and on their Facebook pages, and they get great traction. We also give visitors a chance to sign up for our two most popular emails (senior pastor updates and upcoming events) on the electronic forms found on iPads at our Fireplace newcomers’ reception and on a link on an opt-in text message series we have for newcomers.

– See more Here

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The One Leadership Skill That Impacts Overall Success

Big ideas are important, but being a good listener is just as critical a skill to develop.

 

[Photo: Rawpixel.com via Shutterstock]
Lydia Dishman 02.02.16 5:04 AM

The single most important skill of a good leader may not be what you think. Although it is important to be visionary and a strategic thinker, a new study suggests that it’s more rooted in their daily dealings with people.

According to DDI, the leader who’s mastered having successful conversations is most likely to do well steering their team and/or their business. “By the end of each day, leaders likely have had multiple conversations with a range of their constituents,” DDI’s researchers write. “Each of these interactions will collectively determine their ultimate success as a leader.”

This conclusion comes from a report called High-Resolution Leadership, which is the result of synthesizing assessments taken by 15,000 participants being considered for leadership from the front lines to executive levels at 300 companies in 18 countries. DDI evaluated the data from personality and intelligence tests as well as from “day-in-the-life” simulations that allowed participants to demonstrate their skills.

DDI drilled down further to assess which of eight standard interaction skills have the biggest impact on overall performance. The skills fell into two broad categories: practical and personal. Participants were scored based on data from the standardized first-level leadership assessment. DDI then asked the participants’ managers to independently evaluate them on decision making, coaching, engaging, and planning and organizing, in addition to their overall job performance.

Two things emerged from this analysis. One was the number of participants who were effective in certain skills. For example, 77% were effective at opening a conversation, but half were good at encouraging involvement, and only 40% were assessed as being able to listen and respond with empathy. Worse, just 33% were accomplished at maintaining or enhancing esteem.

Unfortunately, the empathy quotient (EQ) has a major impact on success, the researchers say. “Overwhelmingly, empathy tops the list as the most critical driver of overall performance.”

Following closely behind empathy is involvement. DDI researchers found “involving others is nearly equal to empathy in its impact on overall performance, and it highly relates to higher leader performance on two of the five domains: decision making and planning.”

©Development Dimensions International, Inc. 2015. All rights reserved.

They believe that shouldn’t surprise anyone, because involving the right people in planning and decision making influences better outcomes. If an organization’s leaders are skilled in empathy and involving others, the entire company has a better chance at success. There is substantial evidence to back this up.

Indeed, the top 10 companies on the Global Empathy Index, which includes Microsoft, Facebook, Tesla Motor, and Alphabet (Google), generated 50% more earnings than those ranking least. “Average earnings among the top 10 were up 6% this year, while the average earnings of the bottom 10 dropped 9%,” notes Belinda Parmar, CEO of the U.K.-based consultancy Lady Geek.

Even when scoring emotional intelligence gets subjective, such as when one member of a team rates a manager’s ability to empathize better than another coworker, leaders that demonstrate forgiveness and compassion led their teams to the most business growth.

According to KRW International, a leadership consultancy, CEOs whose characters were highly rated by employees had an average return on assets of 9.35% over a two-year period, almost five times as much as CEOs with low scores whose return on assets averaged just 1.93%.

Of course, all the quality conversations in the world don’t add up to much on the bottom line if the leader can’t execute strategy. DDI’s research indicates that though each skill differs in importance, they work best when used together.

“For instance, a leader uses empathy throughout a project meeting to help those involved feel less stressed and more engaged; but, if next steps aren’t clarified or agreed on, the meeting would be considered a failure.”

Overall, DDI’s findings suggest that leaders need both EQ and IQ to achieve maximum success. That includes honing money skills—perhaps the polar opposite of empathy—especially among lower-level leaders. The researchers point out that top leaders weren’t necessarily born with fiscal savvy, but acquired it through challenges and experience.

Organizations particularly interested in cultivating diverse leaders would do well by identifying highest-potential employees and channeling them into learning experiences that build their skills early. Especially for female staff, that means not necessarily funneling them into HR, legal, or other departments that don’t directly impact the company’s bottom line.

Balance should rule the day—and leadership development. DDI’s researchers say that while it’s true that organizations with leaders scoring higher in business management and leadership of people showed significantly greater net profit and return on assets, it’s important not to let one skill outshine another.

“Some top leaders become so famous for their business wizardry that they may even be excused for their leadership derailers,” they write, so make sure that emerging leaders are developed with balance. Otherwise, they caution, “without the ability to engage people, great business schemes aren’t worth the slide shows they’re projected in.”

Originally posted Here

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6 Tips for Managing Meetings Well

A pastor shares guidelines to help.

Jason Helopoulos
6 Tips for Managing Meetings Well

Few [people] enter the pastorate with any concept of how many meetings they will attend. The pastorate is filled with meetings, and you will often lead them. Small group, one-on-one, and staff meetings occur every week. While they are important to prepare for, these kinds of meetings are generally simple to lead. Therefore, [I’ll address here] the larger meetings that take place with elders, deacons, the congregation, and committees. As you think about leading large meetings, keep the following guidelines in mind.

Set an agenda. An agenda is always helpful. It allows the participants in the meeting to know the plan for the meeting, which will hopefully inform discussion, halt unnecessary tangents, and provide overall structure. In the agenda, allot time for each item. Be realistic in that allotment but also conservative in the estimated time given. This helps to move the meeting along at a quicker pace. In my first pastorate, many elder meetings began at seven o’clock in the evening and didn’t finish until midnight. On most occasions this was unnecessary. They ran late because the meetings weren’t led well. It is unfair for the layman, who has to rise early in the morning and be at the factory or office by six o’clock, to be kept that late by church business when a well-ordered agenda could have prevented it. Respect the men and women you labor with by setting an agenda and sticking to it.

Place important issues early in the agenda. It is often helpful for the first item on the agenda (after prayer and Bible reading) to be a simple issue that allows the participants to make a decision after limited discussion. This sets the tone for the rest of the meeting’s action and engages individuals right away in the business at hand. After you have dealt with a few simple items, tackle the harder issues on the agenda. If difficult matters are left until the end of the meeting when individuals are tired, the discussion will be less productive and possibly even more contentious. However, there are times when it is better to place a hard issue at the end of a meeting. If it is a topic that you don’t think should have much dialogue or could be unnecessarily contentious, then placing it at the end can be a wise move. Participants still have the opportunity to speak, but they will often be less verbose.

Get to know Robert’s Rules of Order. In large meetings, Robert’s Rules of Order is almost essential for order and agreement. While small meetings don’t usually necessitate the rigid order of Robert’s Rules, it can be helpful when a decision needs to be made. For example, a discussion on a particular item extends for a long period of time as everyone in the room weighs in on the topic at hand. Intense dialogue has taken place, but no decision has materialized. In this situation, suggesting that someone make a motion provides an actual opportunity for a decision to occur. This also helps to halt the continued pontification of opinions that have already been mentioned three or four times. A good leader knows Robert’s Rules and when to implement them.

If you are the leader of the meeting, then lead. Meetings become tedious, long, unruly, and unproductive when the leader does not lead. This doesn’t mean you need to be dictatorial, but it does mean that those in the room need to know that you are leading. Express your opinion, come with an agenda, and be willing to correct errors in the conversation. However, you also need to know how to listen, when to allow others to take control of a conversation, when and if it is necessary to be more directive, and when it is better to allow the group to find its own way on a particular issue.

If a meeting is getting “bogged down” with an agenda item, don’t be afraid to be creative. When a difficult motion would benefit from more discussion or concerted prayer, then table the agenda item until the next meeting. A good meeting leader also knows when to move a contentious or weighty item to a subcommittee; ask for a report to the larger body with a recommendation. Smaller groups allow for simplified and often more helpful discussions.

Don’t always insist on your own way. As a leader, lead, but don’t demand. While you may serve as the leader, chairman, or moderator, multiple people are involved—and for good reason. Lead the meeting, but do so humbly.

Adapted from The New Pastor’s Handbook: Help and Encouragement for the First Years of Ministry by Jason Helopoulos (Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, 2015). Used with permission.

For more information on Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, read Richard Hammar’s Church Law & Tax Report article on this topic.

This content is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is published with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. “From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations.”

Originally posted Here

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How long should ministry leaders and Pastors keep tax records?

How Long Should I Keep Income Tax Records?

Know what to hold on to after your form is sent in.
Richard R. Hammar
How Long Should I Keep Income Tax Records?

You must keep records so that you can prepare a complete and accurate income tax return. The law does not require any special form of records. However, you should keep all receipts, canceled checks, and other evidence to prove amounts you claim as deductions, exclusions, or credits. Records should be retained for as long as they are important for any income tax law.

In general, you should keep records that support an item of income or a deduction appearing on a return until the statute of limitations (the period during which the IRS can audit your return) runs out. Usually this is three years after the date a return was filed (or three years after the due date of the return, if later). However, in some cases it is wise to keep records for a longer period of time, since a six-year limitations period applies in some situations, and in others (e.g., no return was filed or a return was fraudulent) there is no time limitation on the authority of the IRS to begin an audit.

For how many years can the IRS question or audit your income tax returns? Consider the following three possibilities:

• Three years. In general, the IRS may audit your returns to assess any additional taxes within three years after the date a return is filed (or within three years after the due date of the return, if later).

EXAMPLE. Pastor W filed his 2012 tax return on April 10, 2013. The IRS ordinarily may audit Pastor W’s 2012 return only if it does so by April 15, 2016.

• Six years. The three-year period during which the IRS may audit your returns is expanded to six years if you omit from gross income an amount greater than 25 percent of the amount reported on your return.

• No limit. The IRS can audit returns without any time limitation in any of the following situations: (1) a false or fraudulent return is filed with the intent to evade tax; (2) a taxpayer engages in a willful attempt in any manner to defeat or evade tax; or (3) a taxpayer fails to file a tax return. IRC 6501(c).

KEY POINT. Whenever a taxpayer is requested by the IRS to extend the statute of limitations on an assessment of tax, the IRS must notify the taxpayer of the taxpayer’s right to refuse to extend the statute of limitations or to limit the extension to particular issues.

Section 6502(a)(1) of the tax code specifies that “where the assessment of any tax imposed by this title has been made within the period of limitation properly applicable thereto, such tax may be collected . . . within 10 years after the assessment of the tax.”

Adapted from the 2016 Church & Clergy Tax Guide by Richard Hammar.

Specific recordkeeping requirements with respect to the following exclusions and deductions are discussed in the 2016 Church & Clergy Tax Guide:

  • Housing allowances (Chapter 6)
  • Business expenses (Chapter 7)
  • Charitable contributions (Chapter 8)

Records of transactions affecting the basis (cost) of some assets should be retained until after the expiration of the limitations period for the tax year in which the asset is sold.

Originally Posted Here

This content is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is published with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. “From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations.”

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