The 3 - December 29, 2019

This week's edition of The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, offers information about a large United Methodist church that has voted to leave the denomination as the result its fight over homosexuality.  Also, a video of Christians being killed by Islamic State in Nigeria has been released.  And, an editorial by the editor of a noted Christian publication calling for a new President for the nation has generated quite a bit of response.

Large Texas church decides to leave United Methodist denomination

The United Methodist Church is facing a huge division in the next few years, as the result of a vote taken earlier this year, in which delegates approved a plan that would continue to uphold Biblical teaching on homosexuality; there are many within the denomination who wish for congregations with differing views to be allowed to leave without penalty.

In an interesting development, a church with close to 3,000 members in Texas has said it has had enough, according to The Christian Post, which reported that Grace United Methodist in Katy, Texas has announced that it has voted to leave the UMC and perhaps associate with the Free Methodist Church.  Pastor Jim Leggett is quoted in the article, and said that congregation members desired “to remove ourselves from the dysfunctional fighting going on in the United Methodist Church so that we can fully devote our energies to fulfilling the mission and vision that God has given to us.”

He went on to say: “At one point, we looked up and noticed that we were spending easily 30 percent of our leadership meeting time discussing the issues of the UMC, and we realized that this was not good stewardship of our time and resources for the Kingdom of God," adding, “In the last year, it has become clear to us that despite having biblical standards of morality on paper in the denomination’s Book of Discipline, the leadership of the United Methodist Church is unable or unwilling to live by those standards.”

Meanwhile, the Capstone Report has been reporting on churches that are leaving the Southern Baptist Convention over the infiltration of LGBTQ acceptance in that denomination. It reports, "Pastor James Pittman of New Hope Community Church of Palatine, Illinois announced on YouTube his intention to leave the Southern Baptist Convention over the leadership of J.D. Greear on issues of LGBTQ rights."  The story goes on to say:

...Pittman examined some of the shocking and controversial statements made by J.D. Greear. Pittman expressed concern over the direction of the SBC on important theological issues during Greear’s tenure.

Pittman played video excerpts of Southern Baptist Convention president J.D. Greear apologizing to the gay community on behalf of Southern Baptists.

You may be aware that lately, Greear has stated his intent to extend what is called, "pronoun hospitality," according to The Christian Post, which quoted the SBC President in a recent article: "If a transgender person came into our church, came into my life, I think my disposition would be to refer to them by their preferred pronoun when we want to talk about gender...I will be clear with him on the truth. The question is: Is that the battlefront that you want to choose?”

Meanwhile, the denomination is facing turmoil not only over the LGBT issue, but also the role of women in leadership and the application of philosophies of Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality. The Capstone Report also reported in October about four SBC churches who left due to their perception of increasing liberalism within the denomination.  And, as the Disrn website reported later that month, a large Alabama church has announced its intent to leave over matters circling around female authority in the church.

Islamic State releases video of beheadings of Christians in Nigeria

There is disturbing news out of Nigeria, where Islamic State released a video the day after Christmas, in which 11 Christians were murdered, 10 of them by beheading, according to The Daily Caller, which reported that:

As part of a campaign to avenge the death of former IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the Islamic State released a video that they say shows the killing of 11 unidentified Christian men who IS “captured in the past weeks” in the north-eastern Borno State in Nigeria, according to the BBC.

The story said that analysts related to the BBC that the release was designed to coincide with Christmas Day. The article states: "The beheadings are probably the work of ISWAP or the 'Islamic State West Africa Province,' the BBC notes, a faction of the Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram that broke away in 2016.

Christianity Today ignites new wave of evangelical reaction for, against Trump

First it was an editorial by the outgoing editor-in-chief of Christianity Today.  Then, it was the pushback over that editorial, followed by the publication's President and CEO standing in solidarity with his editor.  For the past two weeks, Christians have been writing lengthy articles, blog posts, and social media posts regarding the President of the United States and those who "support" him, whatever that means.

Disrn reported on the editorial written by Mark Galli, editor-in-chief of Christianity Today, calling for the removal of the President.  Galli wrote, "The facts in this instance are unambiguous: The president of the United States attempted to use his political power to coerce a foreign leader to harass and discredit one of the president's political opponents. That is not only a violation of the Constitution; more importantly, it is profoundly immoral."  Galli also stated:

"Trump's evangelical supporters have pointed to his Supreme Court nominees, his defense of religious liberty, and his stewardship of the economy, among other things, as achievements that justify their support of the president . . . None of the president's positives can balance the moral and political danger we face under a leader of such grossly immoral character."

Some of the swiftest reaction came from evangelist Franklin Graham, who wrote on Facebook, according to the article:

"Yes, my father Billy Graham founded Christianity Today; but no, he would not agree with their opinion piece. In fact, he would be very disappointed. I have not previously shared who my father voted for in the past election, but because of this article, I feel it is necessary to share it now. My father knew Donald Trump, he believed in Donald Trump, and he voted for Donald Trump. He believed that Donald J. Trump was the man for this hour in history for our nation."

CBN News and other news outlets reported on a letter to Galli and Christianity Today President and CEO Timothy Darylmple, signed by around 200 evangelical leaders, which stated, in part:

...We are, in fact, not ‘far-right’ evangelicals as characterized by the author.

Rather, we are Bible-believing Christians and patriotic Americans who are simply grateful that our President has sought our advice as his administration has advanced policies that protect the unborn, promote religious freedom…and ensure that our foreign policy aligns with our values while making our world safer, including through our support of the State of Israel.

The Christian Post posted the entirety of the letter. Signers included Faith Radio programmers Jim Garlow, Robert Jeffress, Greg Laurie, Barry Meguiar, Tony Perkins, and Mat Staver, as well as James Dobson, who posted on Facebook, according to CBN, "While Christianity Today is making its case for impeachment, I hope the editors will now tell us who they support for president among the Democrat field." 

Other notable signers, according to the Post, included Mike Huckabee, Harry Jackson, Alveda King, Eric Metaxas, Penny Nance of Concerned Women for America; pastors of large Southern Baptist churches Jack Graham (Prestonwood Baptist) and Gregg Matte (Pastor of First Baptist Houston), as well as denominational leaders Tim Hill of the Church of God and George Wood of the Assemblies of God. 

Jim Daly of Focus on the Family wrote at FoxNews.com:

We are in an age of upside-downism, where right is wrong and wrong is right. Values many of us were taught by the wisdom of ancient texts, in our churches and in our schools are now condemned as bigotry. 

When we cast our votes as citizens, we vote not for a pastor or priest. We vote for a fighter who understands the moment we are in and is willing to preserve those basic rights that made America the shining example that it is. Yes, even with the imperfections.

Dalrymple wrote his own piece in support of Galli at Christianity Today, as well.  There's more, and I will offer some commentary on this whole developing story tomorrow on The Meeting House on Faith Radio.