Tori Kelly Performs ‘Amazing Grace,' Bianca Juarez Olthoff Explains a Life-Changing Prayer and Danny McBride Opens Up About Being Hurt By the Church

AUGUST 28, 2019 [RELEVANT THIS WEEK]( THE BEST OF RELEVANTMAGAZINE.COM [Hero-5.jpg]( STORY OF THE WEEK [Bianca Juarez Olthoff Explains the Power of Prayers of ‘Lovingkindness’]( [rn-x.png] This week, author and Bible teacher Bianca Juarez Olthoff unpacks the power of the idea of “lovingkindness”—and how it can change the way we prayer. “Throughout the entire book of Ruth, we see a specific theme that occurs in every chapter. It is the blessing of ‘lovingkindness’ given as a prayer over those in need,” she explains. “The Hebrew word is hesed, a summation of the characteristics of God: loving, compassionate, kind, good.” Bianca writes, “There are many functions of prayer, but the one I want to focus on is this: Sometimes prayer changes the heart of the one who is asking.” Go here to see why the principle can be so life-changing. [READ NOW]( WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW [• Why the Church Needs More Practitioners and Fewer Preachers]( There is a rising debate taking place in churches in the West. It goes something like this: “Is the ministry of proclamation, the method of proclaiming the Gospel through trained preachers and teachers, the prescribed approach to missions and discipleship in the Bible?” This week, we look at why James tells early Christians that the Church doesn’t need more preachers and teachers, but actually needs more passionate followers of Jesus. [• Watch Tori Kelly and Jon Batiste Perform ‘Amazing Grace’]( Singer Tori Kelly recently joined Late Show musical director Jon Batiste for a stirring rendition of the hymn “Amazing Grace.” It’s seriously amazing. You can listen to it here. [subscribe]( [• Rev. William Barber Calls on Democrats to Host a Presidential Debate on Poverty]( Reverend William Barber is the co-founder of the Poor People’s Campaign, named for Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.’s final campaign. Barber’s ongoing mission to increase awareness and fight for social and political transformation in how we fight poverty in America is in the spotlight this week as he asked the executive committee of the Democratic National Committee to host a presidential debate about poverty. “For too long, faith has been hijacked by those who say abortion and sexuality are the only moral issues,” Barber told the DNC. “They tell religious people to vote their pro-life/pro-family values, then they use their political power to pass policies that keep families in poverty, separate families at the border, keep families from getting healthcare and endanger the lives of children in schools, worshipers in churches and the planet itself.” [• The Biblical Reasons for Going ‘Low Waste’]( The low waste movement has recently graduated from a low rumble to a giant sweep throughout our culture. Plastic straws have been canceled. Lunchboxes are cool again. Shampoo comes in bar-form. While it’s common and understandable for Christians to be skeptical of trendy cultural movements, the call to eliminate single-use products and excessive waste aligns with the Bible. Here’s why the movement is so essential for our call to care for creation. [•Danny McBride Opens Up About How the Church Hurt His Family]( Danny McBride is one of the stars of The Righteous Gemstones, a new HBO comedy that follows the lives of a wealthy, powerful family of televangelists as their grift gets out of control. McBride went on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast to talk a little about the show, and the subject of his own experience with the Church came up. “The people there turned their back on my mom and shamed her for getting a divorce,” he says. “I was little … but I remember seeing my mom and how much this church meant to her, and now she just didn’t even feel like she could enter the church.” [•7 Christian Superheroes Who Could Take Spider-Man’s Spot in the Avengers]( In the deal gone south heard around the world, Sony and Disney are apparently taking their toys and going home, leaving Marvel’s Avengers doomed to assemble one wall-crawler shy. It’s a strange reminder of the purse strings and business forms attached to Earth’s Mightiest Franchise and has left many Marvel fans distraught over what this means for Spidey’s cinematic future. Of course, the House of Ideas has plenty to choose from but on the off-chance they’re looking for a God-fearing superhero to take Spidey’s place, there are some options. Here are a few real Christian superheroes that should head to the next Avengers try-out. (Yes, Bibleman is on the list.) MOST SHARED [Hero-17.jpg]( GOD [What Does Spiritual Growth Actually Look Like?]( [bible.png]( LIFE [Are You in a Toxic Friendship?]( [Hero-4.jpg]( CULTURE [Watch the Video for Andy Mineo’s Single ‘OT OD’]( [rn-logo.png]( © 2019 RELEVANT Media Group. All Rights Reserved [Cover-96.png]( [SUBSCRIBE]( This email was sent to {EMAIL} [why did I get this?](    Don't want to receive these emails anymore?  [unsubscribe from this list](    [update subscription preferences]( RELEVANT Media Group · 55 West Church St. · Suite #211 · Orlando, FL 32801 · USA