Is faith in Jesus Christ enough for salvation? It is definitely required, but is it all that is required?
In Acts 20:21, Paul tells us he went “testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”

He speaks of two things: repentance toward God and faith in Christ. We can acknowledge that Christ is our lord and Savior, but this is not the end of it.

Romans 6:11-14 tells us to “Likewise reckon yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey its lusts. Neither yield yourselves as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and yourselves as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace.”

Those under the Law of Moses did not have the grace available for them to be lifted out of concupiscence or the law of sin, which is our tendency toward sinning. Faith in Jesus Christ is required for this; then, repentance toward God requires us to yield to God to receive grace from Him through Christ in order to be lifted from the law of sin: “For when we were yet without strength, at the set time, Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6).

In Romans 6:19, 22 Paul says: “I speak after the manner of men because of the weakness of your flesh: for as you have yielded yourselves servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield yourselves servants to righteousness unto holiness…But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” Holiness comes from being God’s servants by yielding to Him. Paul tells us to “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). Holiness is required for everlasting life.

Paul also says: “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if you live after the flesh, you shall die: but if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:12-14); and in Galatians 5:16, 24: “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh…And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” The Spirit enables us to avoid sinning, and not our own efforts at righteous living, without strength from God.

Trying to obey religious law for righteousness, as was required under the Law of Moses, doesn’t enable us to avoid sinning, because the law of sin remains in us. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:12 and Roman 4:8: “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient; all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any…Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” All things are lawful because sinning is not imputed or legally charged as it was under the Law of Moses; but Paul asks in Romans 6:15-16: “What then? Will we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know you not that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are whom you obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”

The Christian motivation for not sinning is that “Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:34). Continued sinning will enslave us.

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Click here: for my free online book on Biblical Higher Power Spirituality for Inner Peace and Strength.

Jesus Christ alone is Lord and Savior. He is our Healer, Restorer, Forgiver, Redeemer and Provider. Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life, and whoever believes in Him will have eternal life. His Word is living, inspired, and eternal—a light that never grows dim and truth that never fails.

For 3.4 decades, I have prayed and fasted for the salvation of my family. Yet they all remain unsaved. With a heart that is utterly desperate for their salvation and water baptism, I humbly ask fellow believers and intercessors to join me in prayer and fasting on their behalf.

We stand on the promise of 2 Corinthians 6:2 (NIV):

For He says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

Prayer for Salvation

Please pray for:

Nargis, Mehru, Sam, Nergish, Nazneen, Frazer, Kayomerz, Rayomand, Goshpi, Darius, Sunita, Yvonne, Cyra, Zinaida, Jasmine, Bryce, Rayshad, Adil, and Aran.

Prayer Focus

Please pray:

• That those named above would come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and receive water baptism.
• For longer life, health and wholeness, as God granted to King Hezekiah (2 Kings 20; Isaiah 38).
• For healing in body, soul and spirit through the power of the Holy Spirit and the renewing of their minds.
• For their adoption into the family of God and citizenship in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
• For Kingdom transformation in every area of their lives.
• That they would seek the Bible, study it daily, and live according to its truth.
• For financial provision and breakthrough, trusting Christ as Provider (Luke 6:38; Malachi 3:10–11; Psalm 37:25).
• For hearts filled with worship, psalms, hymns and spiritual songs unto Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:19).
• For strong and unwavering faith in Jesus Christ.
• For the restoration of honor, credibility and testimony.
• For the Holy Spirit to draw each person into the saving knowledge of Christ.
• That they would experience the love, grace, and kindness of Jesus Christ in a personal way.

Lord, Send Laborers

I believe only Jesus Christ can reach the hearts of my loved ones.

Please pray that God will raise up Spirit-led believers to share the gospel with them, teach them the Scriptures and disciple them in the ways of Christ.

May the message of the gospel reach them with power, clarity and love.

A Call to the Body of Christ

We ask believers everywhere to join us in fasting and prayer—in private devotions, home groups and church prayer meetings—for the individuals named above, as well as for your own family members and friends.

Revival often begins one soul at a time, touching families, homes and entire communities.

Specific Prayer Requests

For Mehru

Pray for the restoration of her eyesight and healing from macular degeneration. May God’s light fill her vision and bring complete healing.

For Nargis

Pray for divine health and protection from disease, injury, and danger, including cancer, pulmonary illness, neurological disease, heart attack, stroke, blood disorders, blood clots, immobility, falls, broken bones, blindness, deafness and kidnapping.

We ask for longer life (beyond 110 years, as promised in Isaiah 38:4–6), strength, salvation, immunity, wisdom, peace, joy, faithful Christian prayer partners, provision and continual renewal according to God’s promises.

For Nargis, Kayomerz, and Our Family

Pray for deliverance from deception and spiritual hindrance. May the Lord rescue them from the domain of darkness and transfer them into the Kingdom of His beloved Son (Colossians 1:13–14).

May they be wise as serpents and innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16).

Please pray that they would be delivered from attraction, desire, temptation, admiration, allegiance, peer pressure and fear related to all gods and religions apart from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pray also for God’s protection over them, especially from kidnapping.

For Rayomand

Pray for healing, immunity, strength, and restoration of his heart, blood, blood pressure, eyes, lungs, skin and knee.

He currently struggles with blood clots, fluctuating blood pressure, and the effects of triple bypass surgery. Due to advanced glaucoma, he is unable to read the Bible. Please pray for healing and restoration.

A Prayer of Gratitude

We thank God for the miracles He has already accomplished, especially Nargis’ healing from cancer.

We are grateful for the grace of Jesus Christ and for the medical care that contributed to her recovery.

Thank You, Lord, for Your faithfulness and mercy.

Believing God for Miracles

We believe the Lord hears the prayers of His people.

May His Kingdom come and His power be revealed in our homes, families and communities.

In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, amen.

A Prayer of Blessing

Lord Jesus Christ, we ask Your blessing upon:

• President Donald Trump, his family and the current U.S. administration
• The Charisma Media family
• Every family, church and believer who joins in this prayer
• Israel and the Jewish people
• The United States of America

May Your grace, wisdom, power, strength, favor and protection rest upon them.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Prepared by Charisma Media Staff.

Sin is not merely a deed. It is a darkness of the soul. It is a lawlessness that found refuge in the human heart. It is the venom of the Serpent flowing through humanity, pulsating rebellion against God and all that He is. No one escaped this venom. From the first child of Adam who murdered his own brother, to the most “innocent” of persons in our day, “all have sinned,” Jesus Christ being the only exception to that absolute truth.

Jesus described sin as the slave master that causes people to commit the acts of sin. This evil presence is what defiles a person before God. Carnal religion seeks to control and restrain it. Jesus Christ takes it away!

What gives sin such power? It is the seed of rebellion that Adam and Eve received into their heart from the Serpent. It is as a single cell of cancer that never stops spreading. There is no cure until the whole is taken away. The power of sin is in its presence. Only where sin has no presence does it have no power.

Consider these two examples: One man has wrestled with lust for years. He has prayed, fasted, and taken every step possible to keep it subdued. So far, this man has kept himself from fulfilling the unclean desires that are within. He has never committed an act of adultery or fornication and does not partake of pornography. This man has power over the unclean lusts that are within him, but it is a constant battle that never ceases. In the best of times, the uncleanness seems to be dormant, but it is always ready to revive and roar.

Another man does not struggle with such things. He faces the same tests of living in this world with all the opportunities for sinful acts that are common to men. He also does not commit adultery, fornication or partake of pornography. In fact, he never even contemplates such things. It is just not in his heart to desire or to do anything of that nature.

I cannot help but have respect for the first man. He lives every day in a battle with lusts, but keeps himself from fulfilling the act of the sinful thing. His determination and fortitude are to be admired. Yet with all the power he exercises over the sin, he is not free from it. If at any time he lets down his guard, he will fall into its darkness and shame.

You cannot rightfully claim that the second man has power over unclean lusts. In fact, no one knows what course he would take if these things were actually in his heart. Would he be weak? Or would he be strong? He might fail on the first encounter. But this second man does not need strength to overcome sin because it not in his heart. The truth is that no one needs power over sin if it has no dwelling place in their heart.

Many teachers offer you wisdom they say will give you power over sin. That is not God’s promise to you. Jesus Christ came to take your sin away. His blood was shed to wash it from your heart; to wash it from your nature. Do not scoff at the mention of truly being free. This is what Jesus promised to do when he said, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed!

As long as you believe that you must always be a sinner and sin must always remain in you, both will be true for you. But if you will believe the word of God, you can, and will, be free.

Simply Christ Gospel Insight is shared weekly by Pastor Keith Surface with believers in over 150 nations. For more information about this ministry or to subscribe free, visit

Mission trips are built on community support in the form of prayer, giving and updates that help people back home feel connected. Photos, short videos and quick posts can encourage supporters and remind families why the trip matters.

But the same posts that build connection can also create unwanted exposure. In recent years, ministries have been paying closer attention to a scam that targets families back home, not the team overseas. It often starts with an urgent call claiming a traveler has been kidnapped, arrested or hospitalized, backed by just enough personal detail to sound believable. The goal? Use pressure tactics to force a loved one into sending money before they can confirm what’s true.

“Most teams prepare for what could happen during the trip. What often gets overlooked is how something like this can impact families at home in a matter of minutes,” said Brad James, Brotherhood Works. One of his responsibilities is working through the risks with groups and individuals preparing for mission trips and helping them make sure they have the right mission travel coverages.

Panic Powered by Partial Information

Virtual kidnapping relies on a predictable human response: when someone you love might be in danger, you want to act immediately. Scammers take advantage of that moment, especially when the loved one is traveling and harder to reach due to time zones, full schedules and limited connectivity.

“Criminals don’t need much to sound credible,” said James. “Public social posts can reveal names, relationships, church connections and travel details. Even small bits of information can be pieced together into a story that feels real in the moment.”

A Scenario Worth Discussing

To help churches prepare, it can be useful to talk through how a call like this might unfold.

“Let’s say a mom receives a call from an unfamiliar number that looks international,” said James. “The caller claims her son has been kidnapped and pressures the mom to act immediately.”

James explains that the caller may include specific details such as names, location references or mentions of the mission trip. All to make the situation feel legitimate. There may be shouting or distressing noise in the background. The mom is told to stay on the line and send money right away.

In reality, the traveler hasn’t been taken at all. The son may be in a team meeting, doing outreach, on a bus or away from his phone, completely unaware that panic is unfolding at home.

According to the FBI, schemes like this are designed to keep victims engaged so they don’t verify what’s happening. Perpetrators often work to keep the conversation going and prevent contact with the supposed victim.

If you ever get a call like this, the most important step is also the hardest: slow the situation down.

“Scammers rely on urgency,” said James. “If they can keep you reacting instead of thinking, they have a much better chance of getting you to comply.”

The FBI advises focusing on staying calm, buying time, and verifying the situation before acting. Recommended steps include:

• Try to reach the traveler another way. Call or text them from another device while staying on the line.
• Ask to speak directly with your loved one. Request proof they are okay.
• Use a family codeword. Ask a question only your family member would know.
• Keep your voice low and steady. Don’t argue or escalate the situation.
• Repeat the caller’s instructions to buy time. Let them know you’re writing things down.
• Avoid sharing additional information. Don’t give details the caller can use to strengthen the story.
• Be cautious about payment demands. Scammers typically insist on immediate digital payment because it is fast and difficult to reverse.

“If something feels off, take that seriously,” said James. “Verification should always come before action.” If you cannot confirm your loved one’s safety or believe there could be a real threat, contact local law enforcement right away.

Consider covering these safety tips with your team and their families early in the trip planning process:

• Set expectations for online updates. Ask them to avoid posting real-time locations, schedules or lodging details.
• Make social media settings private. Keep personal information and contact details from being publicly visible in posts or on a feed.
• Have a communication plan. Identify who families should contact first if they receive a concerning call, email or message.
• Use a prearranged codeword. A simple phrase can help confirm a mission travelers identity quickly.
• Encourage delayed or limited public posting. Sharing highlights after the trip reduces real-time exposure.

You Can’t Always Trust What You Hear

While these scams have existed for years, they are becoming more sophisticated. Generative AI tools now make it easier to create highly convincing fake content, including voice cloning for proof of life. The FBI warns that scammers can use deepfakes and synthetic media to carry out imposter scams, extortion, and financial fraud.

“That doesn’t mean every scam call involves AI. But it does mean ministries and families should be prepared for a moment when something sounds real, even if it isn’t,” said James.

For more guidance on mission travel planning and mission-related risk management resources, visit

Karen Belcher is a senior risk management writer for Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company. She works closely with the company’s risk control, underwriting, claims and legal staff, and with outside experts to research ways ministries can protect and care for their people, property, and programs.

Christians often speak of being “saved,” but what does this actually mean? Before we can answer this question, we must consider the definition of the word “saved.” The words used in the Bible for “saved” mean “to deliver or protect.” Think of a person trapped in a burning building. They are “saved” when they are delivered from the flames. The same is true for a person who is being attacked or kidnapped. For them to be “saved,” they must be rescued from those doing them harm. To understand Biblical salvation, we must then discover what Jesus actually saves us from.

Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, prophesied of Jesus Christ and the salvation he would bring. He said God has “…raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us.” This great deliverance from our enemies is the essence of salvation. But then, who are our enemies?

The Apostle Paul gave insight into who our enemies are when he wrote, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” If you think your enemy has a human face, you are mistaken about who your enemy really is. Your true enemy is that thing which seeks to destroy your life and your soul. The Bible defines this enemy as “spiritual wickedness” and “rulers of darkness.” At times, these are outside forces, but sometimes the greatest enemy resides within.

Satan believes that he owns you, but Sin is the evil power he uses to possess and control you. Sin is not merely an action, but an evil presence that has dominion in the heart of fallen humanity. Jesus described it as a slave master that controls a person and is the source of their evil deeds. This evil master in the heart is what Jesus came to “take away.” I John 3:5. The angel told Joseph of this deliverance shortly before Jesus was born, saying, “you shall call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

The Apostle Paul described how Jesus’ death on the cross delivers us from Sin. He wrote, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him (Christ), that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” This is the reason Christ Jesus was born into this world with a human body. His body became the vehicle by which He carried our “body of sin” to the cross so it would be destroyed when He died. Through faith in Jesus Christ, this great deliverance from Sin becomes our present reality.

The same death of Jesus Christ on the cross, which delivers us from sin, also delivers us from Satan and every other power of evil. The Bible tells us Jesus was made flesh and blood, “that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” Not only is Sin destroyed on Jesus’ cross, but also Satan and every other power of evil. None of it has any power or presence in those whose trust is in Jesus Christ.

“Salvation” is the work Jesus accomplished upon the cross to deliver you from sin, Satan, and every other power of darkness. Just as a person saved from drowning is no longer sinking beneath the waves, a person Jesus saves from their enemies is no longer controlled by sin, Satan, or any evil thing. They have been Saved!

Simply Christ Gospel Insight is shared weekly by Pastor Keith Surface with believers in over 150 nations. For more information or to subscribe free, visit .

Jesus Christ alone is Lord and our Savior. He is our healer, restorer, forgiver, redeemer and provider. Jesus is the resurrection and the life, and whoever believes in Him will have eternal life. His Word is living, inspired, and eternal, a light that never grows dim and truth that never fails.

Though I have prayed and fasted for decades for my family’s salvation, they remain unsaved. I am utterly desperate for my family’s salvation and water baptism. I humbly ask intercessors to stand in prayer and fasting for the salvation of my family.

We remember the promise found in 2 Corinthians 6:2 (NIV): “For He says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”

Prayer for Salvation

Nargis, Mehru, Sam, Nergish, Nazneen, Frazer, Kayomerz, Rayomand, Goshpi, Darius, Sunita, Yvonne, Cyra, Zinaida, Jasmine, Bryce, Rayshad, Adil, and Aran.

Prayer Focus

That those named would come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and receive water baptism.

• For longer life, health, and wholeness, as God granted to King Hezekiah (2 Kings 20; Isaiah 38).
• For healing in body, soul, and spirit through the power of the Holy Spirit.
• For their adoption into the family of God and citizenship into Jesus Christ’s Kingdom.
• For Kingdom transformation.

That they would seek the Bible, study it daily, and live according to its truth.

• For our financial provision and breakthrough, trusting Christ as provider (Luke 6:38; Mal. 3:10–11; Ps. 37:25).
• For hearts filled with worship, psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs for Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:19).
• For strong and unwavering faith in Jesus Christ.
• For the restoration of our honor, credibility, and testimony.
• For the Holy Spirit to draw each person into the saving knowledge of Christ.

That they would experience the love, grace, and kindness of Jesus Christ in a personal way.

Lord, Send Laborers

I believe only Jesus can reach the hearts of my loved ones.

Please pray that God will raise up Spirit-led believers who will share the gospel, teach Scripture, and disciple them in the ways of Christ.

May the message of the gospel reach them with power, clarity, and love.

A Call to the Body of Christ

We ask believers everywhere to join us in fasting and prayer, in private devotions, home groups and church prayer meetings, for the individuals named above and your own family members and friends.

Revival often begins one soul at a time, touching families, homes, and communities.

Specific Prayer Requests

For Mehru:

Pray for the restoration of her eyesight and healing from macular degeneration. May God’s light fill her vision.

For Nargis:

Fill her with divine health. Protect her from all disease, injury, and danger, including kidnap, assault, cancer, pulmonary illness, neurological diseases, heart attack, stroke, blood diseases, blood clots, immobility, falls, broken bones, blindness, and deafness.

We ask for longer life (beyond 110 years, as promised in Isa. 38:4–6), strength, salvation, immunity, wisdom, peace, joy, faithful Christian prayer partners, provision, and continual renewal, according to Your promises.

For Nargis, Kayomerz, and our family:

Deliver them from deception and spiritual hindrance. Rescue them from the domain of darkness and transfer them into the kingdom of Your Son (Colossians 1:13–14). Make them wise as serpents and innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16). Deliver them from attraction, desire, temptation, admiration, allegiance, and fear of all gods and religions except Lord Jesus Christ, please.

Protect them all from kidnap and assault.

For Rayomand:

Pray for healing, immunity, and restoration of his heart, blood, blood pressure, eyes, lungs, and knee. He has a weak heart, blood clots, and fluctuating blood pressure. He recently had heart triple bypass surgery. He is unable to read the Bible due to advanced glaucoma.

A Prayer of Gratitude

We also thank God for miracles already accomplished, especially Nargis’ healing from cancer. We give thanks for the grace of Jesus Christ and the medical care that helped make her recovery possible. Thank you, America, for providing her with a Christian environment in a third-world country.

Believing God for Miracles

We believe the Lord hears the prayers of His people.

May His kingdom come and His power be revealed in our homes, families, and communities.

In the powerful name of Jesus Christ, amen.

A Prayer of Blessing

Lord Jesus Christ, we ask Your blessing upon:

• President Donald Trump, His family, and the current US administration
• The Charisma Media family
• Every family, church, and believer that joins in this prayer
• Israel and the Jewish people
• The United States of America

May Your grace, wisdom, power, strength and protection rest upon them.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Prepared by Charisma Media Staff.

Her name is Lindsey Eryn. She writes about faith and design on Substack. Growing up in the Word of Faith movement, she went to the Southwest Believers’ Convention last summer, really expecting nothing.

Lindsey had been to Fort Worth before. She knew the drill.

What she didn’t expect was ending up at the altar, on national television, sobbing with her sisters while a pastor and TV broadcaster named Keith Moore spoke about something from the pulpit she’d been mourning for months.

“That summer, I was drowning—in depression, in grief, in pain that felt too loud even to name,” she wrote afterward. “At the end, he gave an altar call for those battling grief. Not just depression or general sadness. Grief. My mom nudged my sisters and me. We were all still battling the grief of losing my dad. We held hands and walked to the front.”

Lindsey hadn’t known she needed healing. She had thought that the altar call at Southwest Believers’ Convention was for someone else.

It wasn’t.

SWBC Is Not What You May Think

This six-day faith event at the Fort Worth Convention Center has happened for 45 consecutive years—through a pandemic, through cultural upheaval—and has never charged attendees a dollar.

Free admission. No catch. Registration required at

This year marks the 46th annual SWBC, which runs July 27 through Aug. 1, and is called The Homecoming. After more than 55 years of global ministry travel, Kenneth Copeland Ministries has followed a mandate from the Lord to bring the work home—a shift that redirected the ministry’s trajectory.

The Numbers (and What They Can’t Express)

Last summer, the Southwest Believers’ Convention drew nearly 18,000 registered attendees from all 50 states and 54 countries, including 871 pastors—eclipsing pre-COVID attendance. The economic impact of Kenneth Copeland Ministries on Fort Worth topped $8.8 million.

But here’s what a spreadsheet can’t measure: Dozens were baptized. Hundreds made first-time decisions for Christ. Thousands walked out reporting physical, emotional, financial and relational healing.

Nick Nance played college football and sustained injuries that led to CTE diagnoses—the kind that reframe your future. He attended SWBC 2023. He left healed. An 8-year-old who joined the street evangelism team in 2024 led more than 100 people to Christ in a single week.

The Fort Worth Convention Center has hosted thousands of events. Not many end with people walking out differently than they walked in. That’s why SWBC is considered a faith event.

Who’s Actually Showing Up In the Room

The generation arriving at SWBC now grew up alongside deconstruction culture, ambient anxiety, and a well-earned wariness of institutions that overpromise. They’re not looking for polish or performance. They’re looking for what Lindsey Eryn found — something that meets them where they are, no performance required.

Six days of morning and evening services move through identity in Christ, faith under pressure, healing, purpose and spiritual authority. The corporate prayer sessions have become what longtime attendees point to as the least explainable and yet most significant part of the week. One phrase keeps surfacing from people leaving Fort Worth: “I didn’t know how empty I was until I got full.”

SWBC is built for families, too. The 14forty program runs parallel services for teenagers ages 13 to 18, while Superkid Academy serves younger children—one of the few large-scale faith events that allows all family members to receive a unique experience.

What the Livestream Can’t Replicate

SWBC broadcasts live on Victory Channel, YouTube and social media, and hundreds of thousands watch from their homes around the world. But people who make the trip say the same thing: There’s something different about being in the room.

Something about being present among thousands, sustained in unified belief. Something about worship ceasing to be something you observe and becoming something you experience.

Hebrews 10:25, AMP has been quoted from these stages for 45 years: “Not forsaking our meeting together…but encouraging one another; and all the more…as you see the day [of Christ’s return] approaching”. In an era when real community is harder to find and easier to fake, that verse lands differently than it used to.

The Room Is Open

What: 46th Annual Southwest Believers’ Convention

When: July 27-Aug. 1, 2026

Where: Fort Worth Convention Center, Fort Worth, Texas

Cost: Free

Register: or 817-566-7777

Advance registration helps. Families registering children for Superkid Academy must complete a separate registration and sign a parental waiver.

Lindsey Eryn walked in last summer, hoping for a touch from God, but thinking the altar call would be for someone else. She got more than she expected, leaving Fort Worth better than she could have imagined.

That’s been the pattern for 45 years. People arrive with few expectations—or none—and leave with something they didn’t know they needed.

The building is a convention center. What happens inside it is something else entirely.

Register free today at

Kenneth Copeland Ministries has served believers worldwide for nearly 60 years. The Southwest Believers’ Convention is open to all. Although registration is required, admission is always free.

“The body won’t go where the mind has not already been.”

Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to talk with a lot of security professionals who have said something very similar to this statement. They are talking about how important it is to not only train, but to practice different scenarios that could happen at your church.

“Training is the learning ground, it’s where you can make mistakes and explore ways to improve,” said Craig Cable, director of ministry and safety for Lightwell Insurance Advisors, a national network of independent insurance agencies. In addition to his role with Lightwell, Cable is a ministry safety advocate serving as head of security for a multi-ministry organization in northern Colorado. With over a decade of experience, he has led volunteer teams, developed church safety training programs, and served in law enforcement.

While training for a high impact situation like an armed intruder is key, safety and security teams also should practice scenarios such as a medical emergency, disruptive individual, severe weather, and lost child.

This helps pressure test your policies and practices to improve your team’s effectiveness. Setting up scenarios in the environment where the event is likely to occur helps volunteers see the opportunities and challenges in that space. For example, practice disruptions in the sanctuary, kid-based scenarios in the children’s ministry area, or medical emergencies in gathering spaces.

“Whether it’s a couple arguing in the parking lot, disruptive individual during service, or custody dispute in the children’s wing, emotionally charged situations can quickly escalate,” said Cable. “If volunteers aren’t trained to deal with the added stress, their own emotions can take over, leading to poor decisions and the potential for injury or liability for your ministry.”

Finding the WIN

Training also is an opportunity to see how team members will react during stressful situations. This enables the team to practice appropriate responses to verbal challenges and allows participants to adjust their approach to help calm the situation. It also helps volunteers see the ministry opportunity in helping people through stressful or emotional situations. Cable explains this helps security team members to see the person, not just the problem.

“Using your words to help find common ground, and getting people to comply with the ask, can resolve issues peacefully, and that’s what we call the WIN,” he said.

WIN stands for “What’s Important Now,” and it’s a helpful reminder to maintain proper perspective. For most situations, Cable advises, “You need team members who can pull back on the things they want to say and focus on the things they need to say.”

To help security team volunteers learn how to safely de-escalate potentially threatening situations, they need to first learn how to control their natural reactions. Realistic training scenarios introduce stress in a controlled environment, helping your team prepare to handle chaotic scenes with composure and calmness.

Introducing Stress Inoculation

Without proper preparation, small disagreements can turn into full-blown shouting matches. What starts with a request to leave the building can end in a physical altercation. Even mild-mannered volunteers can unintentionally escalate a situation if they lack the training to keep their emotions in check. “To help successfully resolve situations, security team members need to be inoculated from the stress,” he said.

Using realistic training scenarios can help volunteers become more accustomed to controlling their emotions. As a result, they can think more clearly and stay focused on safely resolving the confrontation. This helps protect the volunteer, the ministry, and the individual causing the disruption.

TRAINING SCENARIOS

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. – Proverbs 15:1

The following scenarios test “tactical communication,” which is how your team uses words strategically to get individuals to willingly comply with a request. While this is a good place to start, get creative, adding variables and new scenarios as your team becomes more proficient.

Pressure Test 1: Sanctuary

During regular church service, an individual draws the attention of your security team. He’s not disruptive, but he is acting abnormally. He’s wearing sunglasses, a ball cap, and long coat. He’s mumbling to himself.

• What’s your plan for monitoring him?
• What’s your plan if he walks toward the stage or retrieves something from his vehicle?
• How will you engage him in conversation?

Pressure Test 2: Youth Room

A father thinks his daughter’s boyfriend is a bad influence and asks that she not see the teen anymore. The teen shows up to a Sunday service and is stopped by the father in the lobby. An argument breaks out.

• How will your team navigate this potentially volatile situation?
• Who is the aggressor?
• What is your goal for this situation (What’s Important Now)?

Pressure Test 3: Lost Child

Following worship, a mom attempts to pick up her daughter from the nursery. The volunteer is unable to find the child. The mom immediately becomes frantic. The dad learns of the situation and becomes outraged.

• How do you get productive info from the upset parents?
• How will your team locate the child?
• How will you coordinate bystanders that want to help?

Get more risk management guidance with free resources for churches from the Brotherhood Mutual Safety Library, including the Violence in the Church Checklist and this article on Developing a Volunteer Safety and Security Team.

Brian Lindquist brings a unique perspective on this topic as a leader with his church safety and security team and as a senior risk management writer for Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company. He works closely with risk control, underwriting, claims and legal staff, and with outside experts to research ways ministries can take action to operate safely and reduce loss.

I was nineteen years old, and so very far from God. One evening several friends and I were drinking when someone decided to make prank phone calls. They dialed the number of a girl who was still in high school, and handed me the phone. I knew the young lady only by name, but when the home answering machine picked up, I left a message, which, in very vulgar terms, claimed to personally know her to be horribly immoral. A few days later, I heard that her parents, who were Christians, were the ones who checked and heard the vile lies I had spoken.

About five years later, having come to Jesus Christ, I called an air conditioning service man to my house. The man who came was the young lady’s father. He was kind and helpful to me and even discounted his services. When I realized who he was, the memory of that night came rushing back and I knew what I must do. That evening, I called their home and the mother answered the phone. I told her who I was and what I had done those several years ago. I expressed my sorrow and asked for their forgiveness. The words she spoke broke my heart even further. “Keith,” she said, “We always knew it was you, and yes, we do forgive you.”

Almost forty-five years later, if I think of that foolish night, tears will fill my eyes as I consider the hurt I brought to that young lady and her parents. It is not that I think about these things often, but when I do my heart feels the same brokenness over that period of shame. I do not live in condemnation. If fact, I consider these memories to be a friend in my walk with God. My sorrow over such things of the past reminds me even more of how gracious God has been to me.

True repentance is not just words that we speak at the time of conversion to Christ. It is an ever-present condition in our heart. The Apostle Paul spoke of a “godly sorrow” which “works repentance to salvation not to be repented of.” This “godly sorrow” over past sins is actually a blessing that causes us to cling ever closer to Jesus Christ. It is as Jesus spoke concerning the woman who washed his feet with her tears, saying, “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

The Apostle Paul personally understood the lifetime effect of “godly sorrow.” Before coming to Christ, he had been a great persecutor of the early church. Then known as Saul of Tarsus, he dragged believers from their homes, cast them into prison, and gave witness against them when they were put to death. This was the reason, that even as an Apostle of Christ, he referred to himself as the chief of sinners

This “godly sorrow” over past sin never left Paul. In his latter years he would write, “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” This was not a pretended humility. Paul never forgot what he was before experiencing the grace of Christ.

The Bible also speaks of a “sorrow of this world” which “works death. This kind of sorrow will drive a person into darkness and condemnation. It will destroy them instead of drawing them close to Christ. Yet, what we see often in the church today is a complete lack of sorrow over sin. They may say the words of repentance, but it is not real in their heart, Many can laugh and even brag about the things they did in darkness. Yet, Paul describes the past sins of a believer as “…those things whereof ye are now ashamed.” If such things can be spoken of without “shame,” something is very wrong. When there is no sorrow for sins of yesterday, people usually have no concern about it being in their life today.

True repentance with godly sorrow will be in a person’s heart as long as they abide in Christ. When it ends, it usually takes with it the reality of their walk in the Lord. This “godly sorrow” is in fact part of what gives them joy at the mention of Jesus’ name. It is manifest in their worship, their walk, and their desire to ever be close to Jesus Christ. It is truly a blessing from God!

Simply Christ Gospel Insight is shared weekly by Pastor Keith Surface with believers in over 150 nations. Subscribe free at .

Mission work carries significant risks for travelers. From illness to onsite injuries to vehicle accidents, there are many ways a medical emergency can quickly compromise a mission trip.

“You can prepare as much as you want for a trip, but you never know when something is going to go wrong. And something almost always goes wrong,” said Tyler Ward, a missions and ministry manager with Brotherhood Works and Faith Ventures, who works closely with mission organizations supporting both international and domestic travel.

As a short-term mission worker himself, Ward has seen firsthand the challenges faced in the field. Now, he spends much of his time helping organizations and individual travelers prepare for the unexpected—offering peace of mind and practical support when it is needed most.

“I find that many short-term mission workers and volunteers are unaware of the physical dangers and financial risks they face, especially if it’s their first trip,” said Ward. “I really want them to understand how important it is to have a safety net in place before they even pack their bags.”

Ward offers this scenario to think about: It’s the last day of a trip, and a mission worker becomes ill with an infectious disease and, due to government restrictions, is not permitted to leave the country. The rest of the team has no choice but to return home. This person is now alone – 150 miles from the nearest medical facility capable of providing appropriate care – without transportation. Meanwhile, the worker’s sponsor struggles to coordinate care from overseas.

“This is where mission travel insurance really comes into play,” said Ward. It’s not just about reimbursing lost luggage or canceled flights. “Emergency medical coverage becomes critical when an injury or illness forces you to seek immediate treatment, like in the scenario we just talked about.”

That added protection is key. “Most U.S. health insurance plans generally provide little to no coverage outside the United States,” Ward explained. “For some people, their coverage doesn’t even extend out of state.” Without international coverage, finding skilled medical care, medications, and emergency transportation often requires local connections that are not readily available.

“Travel insurance is protection for the things you can’t imagine happening, but do,” said Ward. When medical emergencies occur in the mission field, time, distance, and cost can all become barriers to care. Without preparation, short-term mission workers may find themselves in dangerous and expensive situations, relying on unfamiliar systems and individuals.

“Let’s say you break your leg,” Ward said. “A friend of a friend of a friend offers to drive you 300 miles to the nearest hospital, but only if you can pay in cash. A lot of cash. And that’s assuming locals are willing and able to help.”

The cost of emergency transportation, ambulance services, or medical airlifts can far exceed a mission worker’s budget. “Medical and security evacuations aren’t cheap,” Ward added. “Without coverage, the traveler may be responsible for arranging and paying for emergency transportation, hospital stays, and care on their own.”

Despite these risks, Ward says some mission leaders overlook travel coverage as an option assuming it is unnecessary or too expensive – an assumption that can leave travelers vulnerable. When something goes wrong, the impact often extends beyond the individual. “Word spreads quickly when an organization doesn’t protect its people,” Ward cautioned. Reputational damage can affect relationships with families, future participation, and long-term ministry sustainability.

Many travelers also assume their sending organization will automatically cover them. Ward says responsibility for medical preparedness is often left to the individual and addressed late in the planning process, if at all. As organizations think more intentionally about caring for their travelers, Ward encourages mission leaders to address medical preparedness early in trip planning.

For anyone getting ready to take part in mission travel, whether you’re an individual traveler or part of a group, Faith Ventures offers travel insurance designed for faith-based trips, with individual plans starting at $30. Visit , the travel card might just be the most important item you pack along with your passport and Bible.

Karen Belcher is a senior risk management writer for Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company. She works closely with the company’s risk control, underwriting, claims, and legal staff, and with outside experts to research ways ministries can protect and care for their people, property, and programs.