The 3 - November 18, 2012

This week, there is quite a variety of news stories affecting the Christian community, as I outline here in this week-in-review feature, "The 3".  First up, another challenge to the contraception mandate from the Obama Administration, and a court victory for a major Christian publisher.  Also, last Sunday, November 11th, was a significant day in order to honor and support 3 distinct groups of people - the persecuted church, orphans, and U.S. veterans.  The top story involves the nation of Israel - under fire and at war...it's a series of events that is extremely relevant to principles in the Bible and to Christians and Christian organizations who stand with Israel.

3 - Bible publisher receives relief from court on contraceptive mandate

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' contraception mandate continues to make headlines, and this past week, a well-known Bible publisher that had filed suit concerning it received some relief in court.  Tyndale House Publishers joined the ranks of companies and Christian institutions filing suit against the mandate, and those ranks have swelled to some 40 lawsuits involving 110 plaintiffs.   Those who are challenging this mandate as part of the national health care law contend that being forced to provide free contraception and abortion-inducing drugs to their employees via their health care plans violates their religious freedom rights.   And, in the Tyndale case, a Federal district judge seems to agree.

According to a report on the Christian Post website, U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton granted a preliminary injunction to stop enforcement of the mandate against Tyndale.  The judge wrote,
"Although there is arguably a public interest in the uniform application of the ACA (Affordable Care Act) and the contraceptive coverage mandate there is undoubtedly also a public interest in ensuring that the rights secured under the First Amendment and, by extension, the RFRA (Religious Freedom Restoration Act), are protected...Indeed, First Amendment rights are among the most precious rights guaranteed under the Constitution."

The judge also said that, "The contraceptive coverage mandate ... places the plaintiffs in the untenable position of choosing either to violate their religious beliefs by providing coverage of the contraceptives at issue or to subject their business to the continual risk of the imposition of enormous penalties for its noncompliance. Such a threat to the very continued existence of the plaintiffs' business necessarily places substantial pressure on the plaintiffs to violate their beliefs."

The relief is only temporary, as Judge Walton issued a preliminary injunction.   But, it is clear that the judge recognized the contention of Tyndale, which is consistent with host of other Christian organizations who have been placed in a position of either compromising their beliefs or paying penalties.   

2 - Churches remember orphans, persecuted church, veterans

Sunday, November 11th was a day that was set aside to remember three groups of people who are significant, representing some ministry needs that the body of Christ, especially the church in America, can address.

The second Sunday of November is traditionally the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, and but some churches and organizations observed it on the 4th.  Open Doors and Voice of the Martyrs are two of the key organizations who reach out to persecuted believers around the world, and they observed the 11th, while the actually International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church website, www.idop.org, named the date as the 4th, but said the people were free to choose.

Regardless of the day, the cause is dire - believers are facing persecution at the hands of hostile governments around the world.  Through its website, www.onewiththem.com, Open Doors is offering prayer wristbands in order to help remind people to pray for persecuted Christians.

The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention reports these persecution facts:

• More than 43 million Christians have been killed for their faith since the crucifixion of Jesus.
• It’s been estimated that more Christians were martyred in the 20th Century than in all the prior 1,900 years combined.
• There were more than 26 million documented cases of martyrdom in the 20th Century alone.
• More than 200 million Christians in over 60 nations face persecution each day, 60% of these are children.
• 150,000 to 165,000 are martyred each year.

ERLC states that Christians today are the most persecuted group in the world.  Persecution is on the rise because of Communism, the expansion of Islamic and Hindu extremism, and because of the sparsity of freedom-honoring governments around the world.

Also, last Sunday was commemorated by a number of churches as Orphan Sunday, as we are reminded that James 1 instructs us to care for widows and orphans.  Now, the Christian Alliance for Orphans had designated November 4th, but you can find a number of instances of churches celebrating that day on the 11th.  The Christian Alliance for Orphans is seeking to add a unified voice and coordinated effort to the many worthy efforts that preceded this year.

Here's a little background on Orphan Sunday:  While attending a church service in Zambia, an American visitor, Gary Schneider, was struck by the pastor’s passionate call to care for orphans in the local community, which had been ravaged by AIDS and poverty.  Members of the church faced deep need themselves.  But as the service ended, one after another stepped forward with money, food and other goods-some even taking off their own shoes and placing them in the offering for orphans.   Gary began to help Zambian leaders coordinate Orphan Sunday efforts in that nation, and efforts spread to the U.S. in 2003. 

Churches are using this occasion to mobilize their members in reaching out to children in need, through prayer for those without parents around the world, through encouraging Christians to provide foster care or support for foster families, and actually adopting children from countries around the world, including here in America.   In following the Biblical call to care for orphans, there is a growing trend in churches to promote these and related opportunities.

I think it's interesting that there may have been some disparity about the dates these occasion were commemorated - because, it is true that it's more about the cause than the date.   And, these are areas of need that transcend a particular day.

Finally, November 11th is always Veterans Day, a time to recognize the sacrifices that brave men and women have made and continue to make to preserve our freedom and promote the cause of freedom around the world.   This day can serve to remind us about the contributions of our military, our veterans, and our Guard and Reserve units, as well.   We can also reach out to families to have faced deployment, and help to minister to those who are left behind.   Our military friends understand, in a unique way, the concept of service, and we appreciate the way that they serve not only in their military duties, but in their communities, as well.

For instance, I am reminded of the way that Christians in the Maxwell Air Force Base community partner with a variety of ministry and other charitable organizations to do good in the name of Christ, and how military and other Federal employees support charities, including Faith Radio, with their dollars given through the Combined Federal Campaign.  We greatly appreciate how they partner with our area!   By the way, the Heart of Alabama CFC is winding down, and state employees can still participate through the end of the year through the Alabama State Combined Campaign. 


1 - Christian leaders and organizations stand with Israel in light of attacks

The violence in Israel is something that is quite relevant to Christians, for several reasons.   The Bible tells us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and we recognize the spiritual significance of the land and people of Israel, God's original chosen people.   Even today, there are Christians and Christian organizations who are encouraging us to stand with Israel.  Here are some of the developments reported by author and Bible prophecy speaker Joel Rosenberg, founder of the Joshua Fund, who has been in Israel.

* All signs point to Israel preparing a massive ground invasion of Israel (sic). Massive numbers of Israeli Merkava (chariot) tanks, armored personnel carriers, and combat engineering equipment is being moved hour by hour to the Gaza border. When several colleagues and I were driving north to Galilee today, we passed mile after mile of Israeli military vehicles heading south towards Gaza from their bases along the Lebanon and Syrian borders. Some 75,000 Israeli reserve soldiers are being mobilized as we speak. What’s more, Israeli officials are telling the nation to prepare for at least 7 weeks of fighting...

* That said, Israel is awash with rumors tonight of an imminent truce (“hudna” in Arabic) – some media reports are speculating a cease fire could begin soon.

* There is also much speculation that the Egyptian leadership is pressing Hamas hard to stop firing at Israel. The Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Kandil visited Gaza on Friday to meet with Hamas leaders. During a press conference Saturday with Turkish leader Erdogan, Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi said “there are some indications a cease fire could be soon.”

* Israel, however, says it is “not interested” in a cease fire — has many more terror targets still to hit and destroy. (Times of Israel)

* Meanwhile, Hamas and other terrorists in Gaza have not stopped firing missiles and rockets at Israel — about 100 rockets were fired at Israel on Saturday.

Hundreds of rockets have been fired at Israel from Gaza this week, and the missile defense system, the Iron Dome, has intercepted a significant number of them.  Israel has responded by carrying out hundreds of air strikes this week.

Christian organizations are declaring their support for Israel.  Christians United for Israel is providing regular briefings on the situation in Israel through its website at makeadifference.cufi.org.   Also, an organization that has involved a number of evangelical leaders, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, founded by a Jewish rabbi to facilitate cooperation between those two religious groups, is offering daily updates, and has responded with a $2.7 million aid package.

Not only are Christians speaking out on Israel and its right to defend itself, but we also must recognize the prophetic significance of these events.   For instance, when you read Ezekiel 38, you see that in the last days there will be an alignment of nations that will stand in opposition to Israel - it will be invaded, and God Himself will turn back the invasion.   After that occurrence, Israel will turn to the Antichrist for protection - ultimately, the Antichrist will occupy a rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem.

This incursion demonstrates the hostility that seems to be mounting against Israel - Hamas, which is the authority in the Gaza Strip, is supported by some powerful allies, such as Iran and Egypt.  Some of the rockets that have been launched into the suburbs of Tel Aviv were manufactured by Iran.  This is an explosive situation, and it calls for prayers and vigilance.  Many Christians are hopeful that the United States will provide the necessary support for Israel in the face of violent opposition.

The 3 - November 11, 2012

Election results permeate this edition of my week-in-review feature, "The 3".   In the number 3 slot, there is new leadership in 2 church bodies - one smaller one, and a rather large one, but both significant in our world today.   The top 2 positions involve Election Day: the traditional marriage position losing at the ballot box in 4 states, and the size of and choice by the evangelical vote.


3 - New leadership for Coptic Christians, Anglican church

This week, there were 2 high-profile appointments to leadership positions over church bodies in the world.   The much-maligned Coptic Christian church, meaning the church in Egypt, appointed a new leader, a pope, this week.  Pope Tawadros II was appointed last Sunday to replace Pope Shenouda III, who died in March after leading Egypt's Orthodox Christians for four decades.   And, the new leader is speaking out in favor of an inclusive constitution for the country, in light of fears that the Muslim Brotherhood would institute sharia, or Islamic, Law.

He is quoted by The Christian Post, citing a Reuters story, as saying that, "The beauty of Egyptian society is the presence of Muslims beside Christians. Diversity is strong and beautiful."   He went on to say that,  "If a good constitution is presented in which every person finds himself [represented], there is no doubt Egypt will develop...But if the constitution addresses one part of the community and ignores another it will take society backwards."

The Copts are thought to have between 5 and 20 million adherents.  We remember this group of believers, as well as other persecuted Christians on this, the International day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.

Also, in Great Britain, it was announced that a new Archbishop of Canterbury has been named, the culmination of a long selection process that eventually resulted in a committee making a recommendation, and the Queen of England giving final approval.  The Archbishop is the head of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Bishop of Durham Justin Welby, who is believed to be strongly in the evangelical wing of the communion, including being opposed to same-sex marriage, has a background in business, in the oil industry. 

CBN.com quotes Welby as saying that he felt privileged and astonished to be chosen to lead the Church at "a time of spiritual hunger."

Regarding same-sex marriage, he said, "We must have no truck with any form of homophobia in any part of the church," adding that he planned to "listen to the voice of the LGBT communities and examine my own thinking."    He supports allowing women to serve as bishops, an issue that is scheduled to be voted on later this month by the Church's governing General Synod.  

Welby, who replaces the retiring Rowan Williams, will have his work cut out for him, as he attempts to lead a large group - an estimated 77 million members - with a diversity of views while maintaining his sense of conviction on delicate issues that have adversely affected the church.

2 - Ballot measures on legalizing gay marriage pass in 3 states, traditional marriage amendment fails in 1

While the majority of political eyes were on the Presidential and Congressional races, there was quite a bit of attention on the 4 ballot measures concerning marriage, in 4 states that were won by President Obama, and have gained a reputation for being generally liberal.

In Washington and Maryland, traditional marriage supporters had gained enough signatures to get a referendum vote put on the ballot to rescind what the legislature of those 2 states had done in approving gay marriage, and Maine also had a vote on whether or not to legalize same-sex marriage.   In Minnesota, where gay marriage is currently illegal, voters were asked to decide on defining marriage in their state as one man for one woman, as over 30 other states had done.

In the end, by around 5 percent or less in all states, those who support traditional marriage found themselves on the losing side - Washington, Maryland, and Maine deciding to legalize same-sex marriage, Minnesota deciding not to define marriage in the traditional way.   The outcome there did not legalize gay marriage, however.

According to WORLD Magazine, Joseph Backholm, chairman of Preserve Marriage Washington, said in a statement. “The results show only that in a deep blue state, with a huge financial advantage, gay marriage activists can win—barely.”

I came across an interesting piece on National Review Online, by Charles Donovan, President of the Charlotte Lozier Institute, which is an arm of the Susan B. Anthony List.  Referring to a chart on social issues that he included in the article, he is quoted as saying that:

We did not win much and will take a media beating over it. But all of our issues ran better than the GOP headliner in the eight states listed, with the exception of Florida’s disappointing results on the abortion and Blaine Amendment issues. The social issues are not to blame.

For example, in the gay marriage states, here are the results (based on early returns):
Maine - 6 percent loss on gay marriage, Romney defeated by 16%
Maryland - 4 percent loss on marriage, Romney loss of 24%
Minnesota - 3 percent loss on marriage, Romney defeated by 8%
Washington - 4 percent loss on marriage, Romney off 12%

There are some differences as totals have come in; for instance, it appears that the Maine referendum to legalize gay marriage won by 5 points.

So, while a shift in the electorate's position on gay marriage is being triumphed, you still have to consider that even in these deep blue states, the conservative, traditional positions were not rejected by an overwhelming majority.   Amidst the calls to moderate on social issues, the fact remains that there are still over 30 states that have traditional marriage amendments on the books, the size of the gay community is still relatively small (4%), despite the vocal nature of its constituency, and marriage remains a bedrock component of a stable society.


1 -  Evangelicals go for Romney, but not enough


This past Tuesday, the orderly process of selecting leaders in a constitutional republic took place once again, and while there were a few irregularities reported in some areas, it is amazing to see that over 120 million people went to the polls and cast ballots in the general election without incident.  And, after all the money spent, the time taken to campaign, and the immense amount of attention concentrated on it, America voted really for four more years of a similar leadership breakdown - re-electing a President, a Senate with 2 more Democrats than before, and a House that is majority Republican.   And, what of the evangelical vote? - there were pundits that said prior to the election that the evangelical vote could make a difference in the election.

Two studies have been released about the participation of evangelical Christians, and CitizenLink has a report:

According to “How the Faithful Votes: 2012 Preliminary Analysis,” released by the Pew Research Center, the percentage of white evangelicals voting in the presidential election bumped slightly upward, from 23 percent of all voters in 2008 to 24 percent in 2012. Of those, 79 percent voted for Mitt Romney, while 20 percent said they voted for President Obama. That’s roughly equal to the number of evangelicals who said they voted for George W. Bush in 2004, but more than former Sen. John McCain received in his presidential bid in 2008 (73 percent).

The Faith and Freedom Coalition, had slightly different numbers: Its polling data revealed that the evangelical vote increased to 27 percent this year, with 78 percent of them voting for Romney and 21 percent for Obama.

As in other recent elections, those who attend religious services most often demonstrate the strongest support for the Republican presidential candidate, according to Pew:  Nearly 60 percent of those who say they attend religious services once a week voted for Romney, while only 39 percent voted for Obama.

What are some lessons that we can learn from the 2012 election, as Christians?   I offered 8 different items on my radio show on Wednesday.   Here's a recap:

1 - Essentially, the American people voted for the status quo.  And, this result comes even in light of polling data that shows that 6-in-10 Americans believe the country is on the wrong track.

2 - Economically, we are on an unsustainable path.  Congress and the President must come together within the next 2 months to avert the fiscal cliff that we face, with the expiration of the Bush tax cuts and the deal that Congress made to enact cuts, which will deeply affect the military and other areas.    And, with the growth in entitlement spending and the proliferation of an entitlement culture, there is a tremendous need for wisdom to address these issues.

3 - There is little silver lining today on Americans' views on the so-called social issues.   It is certainly a reflection of a significant element of our society that does not embrace the Biblical definition of marriage, and it is seen in a variety of other areas, as well.

4 - We have a tremendous clash of worldviews in our culture.   We have to define our approach and strategize in order to reach people who do not hold to the same beliefs as we do.   Ultimately, our solutions do not come by who is in the White House, but how we function as God's house.   Winning hearts and minds with God's truth, and winning souls to Jesus ultimately is our Lord's Great Commission and should be our aim and consuming passion.

5 - Passion can be misplaced.   I have to think, if the time that I spend digesting political analysis through a variety of sources were to be channeled into strengthening my spiritual walk, I would have a deeper relationship with Christ and He would use me more powerfully.   We have to really evaluate our passions - if we were stronger in the Lord and more grounded in Him, we would unleash an exponentially more powerful force on this earth than politics.

6 - We need to pray for our President.  I am thrilled that there were so many prayer efforts leading up to the election.  Now that the results are known, I don't think we should let up in our fervency for prayer.   There are positions that Mr. Obama holds that are contradictory to those of many evangelical Christians, but that doesn't mean that God cannot or will not use him in His divine plan for America. 

7 - There is so much for which to give God praise - so rejoice today.  He loves you, and has brought you into a relationship with Himself through Christ.   We can hope in Him.   Praise Him for your family and the people around you.   Give Him glory for His protection and His provision.   Blessing the Lord for His blessings can help to change our perspective amidst discouragement.

8 - God is still on the throne.  Ultimately, He is the One who is in control.   There is abundant Scriptural evidence that He places kings in power and deposes them.   The Bible says the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord - and even when kings, or presidents do not govern the way we think they should or the way that God hoas prescribed, that doesn't mean that somehow God's ultimate purposes are thwarted.  Ultimately, all people, including those in governmental authority, will stand before the King of Kings, the ultimate Judge, who rules and reigns.

We recognize that our ultimate hope is not in politics, but in Almighty God.   I don't believe we withdraw from the political process, but we have to be very intentional regarding our involvement, realizing that to move hearts, we have to be winning in our ways and our words, so that people will want to listen to and consider what we have to say.

The 3 - November 4, 2012

On this week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature, a look at a college campus which has seen two recent incidences of religious expression being affected negatively, reminding us that school campuses can become areas of concern regarding free speech.  Also, it was an active week concerning the mandate that organizations, including many religious entitites, provide free contraception and abortion-inducing drugs in their health care plans.   And, the top story - Christian churches and ministries were once again on the front lines providing assistance to storm victims, this time in the Northeast.

3 - Religious expression at LSU under scrutiny 

As the frenzy at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge built to a fever pitch at the prospect of a near-upset victory by LSU over #1 Alabama, in the midst of that throng was a group called the "Painted Posse".   These are actually Christians who paint their bodies to show their dedication to the Golden Tigers, but they also paint a cross near their shoulder to express their devotion to Christ.

There was a picture of some of their number that had been circulated by the university after the LSU victory over South Carolina earlier this season - there was one small problem:  the crosses had been "photo-shopped" out.   According to Baptist Press, LSU spokesman Herb Vincent claimed they altered the photo from the Oct. 20 game because they didn't want to offend anyone.

"We don't want to imply we are making any religious or political statements, so we airbrushed it out," Vincent said. "It was just a straight sports communications message, no politics involved, no religion."

Following that incident, the Posse members reportedly asked themselves, "What would Jesus do?" They publicly forgave the university for the incident and are urging everyone to put the incident behind them - with one caveat.

The members offered a press release, which said, in part:

"We encourage anyone who would like to honor Jesus Christ to join us by wearing a cross on November 3rd. We strongly discourage the wearing of a cross as a way to protest the university or its recent decision. We desire that no further negative light would be shone upon the university that we love. We acknowledge the efforts of the LSU administration and look forward to serving the university as both fans and students."

I'm not sure how many Tiger or Tide fans may have shown support for the Posse during the game Saturday night.  But, the story has attracted national attention, and illustrates how sporting events can be platforms to express faith in Christ.

And, speaking of sports and faith, the Marbury High School cheerleaders greeted their football team in its game at Wetumpka Friday night with a bold Scripture banner for them to run through.   Based on Romans 1:16, which involves not being ashamed of the gospel, the banner was allowed by the Autauga County Superintendent, which apparently has no intention of responding to a challenge by the Freedom from Religion Foundation, which had written a letter to the school district stating the banners are unconstitutional.

Back to LSU, now - there is a new religious freedom controversy brewing there.  CitizenLink reports that the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) filed a lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of a student prohibited from distributing pro-life literature beyond a 1,000 square-foot area on the LSU campus.

In October, a student who wanted to participate in the Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity by handing out pro-life materials was told by LSU officials  that she could do so only in the school’s “Free Speech Alley — the one  place on campus where students and organizations are permitted to distribute printed materials.

ADF Legal Counsel Matt Sharp argues that the idea of this "Free Speech Alley" restricts religious freedom, saying that colleges and universities should encourage, not shut down, the free exchange of ideas:

“By limiting the distribution of material and free speech to less than 1 percent of the campus, Louisiana State University is violating the constitutionally protected freedoms of students who should be free to express themselves on the sidewalks and open spaces at the university,” he explained.

A number of college campuses have become zones where free speech and freedom of religious expression become restricted, and Christian students who wish to express themselves are finding that there are administrators that want to limit their ability to share and express their faith, and to choose leaders and members of Christian organizations that adhere to their beliefs.   

2 - More court action on the HHS contraception mandate

It was an active week concerning the mandate from the Department of Health and Human Services that forces employers, including those with religious objections, to provide free contraception and abortion-inducing drugs through their health care plans.   CitizenLink.com had quite an assortment of stories.

One plaintiff, the large craft store chain, Hobby Lobby, was in court this week before a Federal court in Oklahoma.  Also, on Thursday, Criswell College, a Christian university in Dallas, Texas, filed a challenge to the mandate, bringing the count up to 39 separate lawsuits involving more than 110 plaintiffs.

Also this week, Grote Industries, a secular business based in Indiana that makes lights for cars and trucks, which is owned by a Catholic family, filed suit against the mandate.   Christian book and Bible publisher Tyndale House had a court date that was postponed due to Superstorm Sandy.

And, there was a victory in one of the cases this week: Weingartz Supply Company, which is owned by a Catholic, became the second organization to receive a court-ordered preliminary injunction stopping the mandate. In July, a federal court ordered an injunction saying Hercules Industries, a Catholic-owned business in Denver, is exempt from it while its lawsuit proceeds.

Thomas More Law Center Lead Counsel Erin Mersino, said the judge’s opinion “is not only a victory for our clients, but for religious freedom.”

In his ruling, Federal District Court Judge Robert H. Cleland said the loss of First Amendment freedoms, even if for a short period of time, will injure the plaintiffs by infringing on their religious beliefs.

“The balance of harms tips strongly in Plaintiffs’ favor,” Cleland concluded.  He said, “A preliminary injunction is warranted,” as the case continues.

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, who filed an amicus brief supporting the plaintiffs on Sept. 27, called Cleland’s ruling an “important step” in defeating an unconstitutional mandate.

So, despite claims by the Administration that no one is forced to provide these objectionable drugs, business owners, school administrators, and now judges are recognizing that this mandate is an infringement on religious freedom.
 
1 - Churches, ministry organizations respond in the wake of Superstorm Sandy 

Superstorm Sandy, the convergence of a hurricane with a major winter storm, has caused widespread damage and the loss of dozens of lives along the Northeast coast.    And, as we commonly see in times of crisis, Christian organizations in the New York City area were already in position to help, and national and international ministries, such as Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, the Salvation Army, Samaritan's Purse, the Billy Graham Rapid Reponse Team, and World Vision, were significantly involved in the relief effort, providing physical and spiritual assistance.

Emily Belz covered the situation in the Northeast for WORLD Magazine, and wrote about some of the relief efforts.   She cited Hope for New York, a nonprofit affiliate of Redeemer Presbyterian Church, as it helped to coordinate relief efforts between churches and nonprofit groups, posting needs on its website.  All Angels Church on the Upper West Side requested hygiene kits and blankets. New York City Relief asked for clothing and food. Other churches in Queens sent out foot patrols to check on their neighbors.

“This is the time for the church to respond and to serve our city as Christ has so well served us,” wrote Apostles Church NYC on its website Tuesday, enumerating ways for parishioners to help.

Churches planned relief efforts even as they bailed out their own buildings. In Queens Tuesday morning, members of Trinity Grace Church helped clean out the flooded church offices at Skyline City Church. World Vision reported that its storehouse in the Bronx flooded, damaging a “great deal of assets.”

The Bowery Mission, a Christian group that primarily serves the homeless in the city, opened its emergency shelter Monday to more than 150 needing a roof over their heads. The mission said on Tuesday that it had lost power and its food pantry was dwindling—but the mission had initially tripled its normal capacity.   And, people from other shelters began to flock to the Bowery.

So, in a time of need, the church and ministry organizations provided needed food and shelter, and will no doubt be major players in the cleanup efforts in areas where homes were damaged due to flooding and wind.   When the storms come, it's important that the church is prepared and engaged to display the hands and feet of Jesus Christ.

The 3 - October 28, 2012

This week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature highlighting 3 stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes court decisions on tax dollars being used to fund abortion, a controversy surrounding a Senate candidate's views on life, and a major online conference strengthening thousands of church leaders.

3 - Circuit courts issue decisions on Planned Parenthood funding

There were a couple of decisions on the Federal circuit court level this past week regarding then funding of the nation's largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood.  One of the decisions, out of the 7th Circuit, ruled that an Indiana law that prevented the state from funding Planned Parenthood was unconstitutional.   Meanwhile, in the 5th Circuit, that court refused to strike down a Texas law that restricted the state from funding the abortion seller.

Here are the stories, from LifeNews.com:
In the Indiana case, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago upheld a lower court judge’s ruling that the state of Indiana cannot defund Planned Parenthood via the state Medicaid program.

The ruling, from a three-judge panel, indicated that Indiana can’t enforce a state law signed by Governor Mitch Daniels disqualifying Planned Parenthood from participating in family planing program because it does abortions.

In May of 2011, Indiana became the first state of several to remove the abortion business out of its program in May 2011. A provision of the law would prevent Medicaid patients from obtaining services at Planned Parenthood and other facilities that provide abortions, with the exception of hospitals and ambulatory care centers. The law prohibits state agencies from providing state or federal funds to “any entity that performs abortions or maintains or operates a facility where abortions are performed.”

In response to the law, the appeals court wrote, "Although Indiana has broad authority to exclude unqualified providers from its Medicaid program, the State does not have plenary authority to exclude a class of providers for any reason—more particularly, for a reason unrelated to provider qualifications.”

Indiana had argued that Planned Parenthood makes no effort to separate the services funded by Medicaid from the other streams of its business, including abortions.

And, unfortunately, there is this false notion that Planned Parenthood provides unique forms of women's medical care that cannot be obtained elsewhere.   There is also the erroneous information circulating that the abortion seller provides mammograms, which has been repeatedly disproven.

Conversely, the 5th Circuit came to a different sort of conclusion regarding the Texas state law that prevents taxpayer funds from being sent by the state to Planned Parenthood.   The court refused to grant an additional hearing to the abortion provider regarding the state's legislation to end taxpayer funding of abortion companies.  The decision apparently effectively ends the legal controversy surrounding the law and affirms Texas’ right to stop taxpayer dollars from flowing to abortion providers.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry applauded the decision, saying, “Today’s ruling affirms yet again that in Texas the Women’s Health Program has no obligation to fund Planned Parenthood and other organizations that perform or promote abortion. In Texas we choose life, and we will immediately begin defunding all abortion affiliates to honor and uphold that choice.”

The bottom line is that the majority of Americans, in poll after poll, identify themselves as pro-life.   But, pro-abortion lawmakers who receive thousands from Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers and supporters are obligated to these high-powered donors, so they ignore the will of the majority in order to protect their friends who promote abortion.   But, the aggressive manner in which Planned Parenthood sells abortions has received a greater amount of attention, and I expect no shortage of bills that will continue to attempt to guarantee that taxpayer funds do not go toward the termination of human life.

2 - Indiana Senate candidate affirms that all life is a gift of God

There has been much debate about the significance of the so-called "social issues" on the campaign trail.  It is interesting to me that the issue of abortion, under the guise of "women's rights", continues to be a major factor.   And, the nuances among candidates in the Republican party have been highlighted by Democratic opponents.

Take, for instance, the issue of abortion in cases of rape.  Even politicians who do not support legalized abortion have typically supported exceptions in those instances, as well as incest and danger to the mother's life.   And, the small number of children conceived in the brutal circumstance of a rape have been placed in the spotlight, as opponents of Mitt Romney have attempted to highlight the legislative differences between the candidate and his running mate on that issue.  And, indeed, people of the same political stripe can disagree on a variety of issues while still remaining akin politically.

Abortion and birth control have been exploited so much in the current campaign season, as if to say that the only things that women care about are reproductive in nature.   Which leads us to an issue that became big news, temporarily, in the campaign this past week...

Indiana state treasurer Richard Mourdock, after defeating veteran Senator Richard Lugar in the Indiana Republican primary, is facing Joe Donnelly, an avowed "pro-life Democrat", who joined Bart Stupak in voting for the health care law after opposing it because of its inclusion of taxpayer funding of abortion.  In a debate the other night, Mourdock used these now-famous words, in response to a debate question on whether abortion should be allowed in cases of rape or incest:

"I struggled with in myself for a long time, but I came to realize that life is that gift from God.  And, I think, even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen."

Politicians and pundits jumped on those words, attempting to tie Mourdock to Romney and to paint the Senate candidate as insensitive to women.   Mourdock reiterated afterward that he was saying that all life is a gift from God.

And, ultimately, Mourdock gained defenders from left and right.   The Christian Post quotes Penny Nance of Concerned Women for America:

"I think the entire issue has been blown out of proportion...The bottom line is that life begins at conception and babies in the womb are completely innocent."

And, Dr. Al Mohler quotes liberal columnists who may have disagreed with Mourdock, but thought that the reaction against him was overblown.

Amy Sullivan of The New Republic:

Take a look again at Mourdock’s words: “I came to realize that life is that gift from God. And…even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen.” The key word here is “it.” I think it’s pretty clear that Mourdock is referring to a life that is conceived by a rape. He is not arguing that rape is the something that God intended to happen.”

According to Mohler, Amy Sullivan also acknowledged that Mourdock’s position is “a fairly common theological belief.”   Mohler illustrates that is also a point made by Kevin Drum, writing in Mother Jones, who registered his disagreement with Mourdock’s argument, be he was bold to ask the obvious — “can’t we all acknowledge that this is just conventional Christian theology?” He added, “What I find occasionally odd is that so many conventional bits of theology like this are so controversial if someone actually mentions them in public.”

Using the horrific incident of rape in order to score political points is offensive.   And, in a tight Presidential race, as well as the battle for the U.S. Senate, anything and everything can be used to influence a voter.   Those who are pro-choice believe that the support of abortion, as well as birth control, are winning issues, even to the extent of excoriating those who have deeply held religious convictions on those topics.

1 - "The Nines" instructs, inspires Christian leaders

This past Thursday and Friday, Leadership Network presented another installment of "The Nines" conference, which was an online event expected to attract some 40,000 church leaders.   There were more than 99 speakers who were scheduled to present 5-minute segments on a variety of what were called, "hot-button" topics. 

Speakers for this year's event included Pastor Mark Driscoll from Mars Hill Church in Seattle; Pastor Craig Groeschel from LifeChurch.tv; author and speaker Francis Chan; and Pastor Rick Warren from Saddleback Church in California.

"Leadership Network is excited to support the local church and assist churches with implementing their ideas to have a greater impact in their community," said Todd Rhoades, producer of The Nines. "The Nines allows church leaders all over the world to gain new insight that can help them greatly enhance their ministries and outreach programs."

The talks by the various speakers were streamed online and there were study materials that were available, as well, to coincide with the various speakers.  

At one point, the hashtag #thenines was one of the trending topics on Twitter.  

Speaking of Francis Chan, he and David Platt, of Birmingham's Church at Brook Hills, have teamed up for a simulcast event, called, "Multiply" - available November 9th and 10th for 3 hours either evening.  It's intended to help believers in Christ be involved in making disciples, and for more information, you can go to www.mutiplymovement.com.

The 3 - October 21, 2012

You could say that 2 out of the 3 stories in this week's edition of "The 3" are centered around one topic - religious freedom - and that topic is involved in the top story of the week, as well.   The lineup for this week includes rallies dealing with religious freedom that were held across America on Saturday, as well as the challenge to the religious freedom rights of some Texas high school cheerleaders and a court victory this week that has propelled them further into the national spotlight.  And, the top story involves America's most well-known Christian figure and his campaign to encourage voting according to Biblical values - and that includes a defense of religious freedoms. 


3 - Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rallies scheduled across America 

This past Saturday, "Stand Up for Religious Freedom" rallies were taking place in cities all across America - from Des Moines, Iowa to Huntsville, Alabama, from Kalamazoo, Michigan to a large gathering in Chicago, people took to the streets again to pray for our nation and to stand in solidarity against efforts to restrict religious liberties in America.   The linchpin of the rallies: the mandate that employers, including religious entities, provide free contraception and abortion-inducing drugs through their health insurance plans.

You can read reports at the www.standupforreligiousfreedom.com website.  These rallies were a follow-up to similar events held last summer.

At the Chicago rally, for instance, speakers included Chris and Mary Anne Yep, owners of Triune Health Group, which was named the “Best Workplace for Women” by Crain’s Chicago Business earlier this year. The Yeps are among dozens of plaintiffs who have filed lawsuit against the Department of Health and Human Services over the contraception mandate.

Stand Up Rally Co-Chairman Eric Scheidler pointed out that the fight against the HHS Mandate is all about preventing the state from infringing on the rights of individuals to act in accord with the dictates of their conscience and their faith.

Dr. Erwin Lutzer, senior pastor of the Moody Church, spoke about the “intolerance of ‘tolerance,’” and noted how assaults on religious liberty have become increasingly common in recent years as a result of a deeply flawed understanding of the First Amendment in which “all things seem to be an ‘establishment of religion.’”

He then pointed out that the First Amendment also states that Congress shall pass no law “prohibiting the free exercise [of religion]”—but that adherents of the “new tolerance” all too often forget that.

The crowd at the Chicago rally was estimated at some 1700 people.

Some 140 or more cities were sites for rallies, indicating that religious freedom has emerged as a key political issue today - this mandate has contributed to quite a bit of emotion among Christian voters, and could be a major factor in the turnout among religiously-motivated voters, including evangelicals, on November 6th.

2 - Texas cheerleaders win in court - again

Supported by some rather high-profile leaders in the state of Texas, namely Attorney General Greg Abbott and Governor Rick Perry, the cheerleaders at Kountze High School in Hardin County, Texas have survived another legal hurdle to preserve what they see as their constitutional right to free speech - placing Scripture verses on the signs that the football team runs through before each game.  This week, according to the Houston Chronicle,  State District Judge Steve Thomas said that a ban imposed by the Kountze Independent School District appears to have violated the cheerleaders' rights to religious expression. The trial on the matter has been set for June 24th.

According to CitizenLink, Abbott says the banners do not violate the Constitution in any way.

“The State of Texas intervened in this case to defend the cheerleaders’ right to exercise their personal religious beliefs — and to defend the constitutionality of a state law that protects religious liberties for all Texans,” he said in a statement. “Those banners, which the cheerleaders independently produce on their own time with privately funded supplies, are perfectly constitutional.”

Liberty Institute is defending the cheerleaders, who, along with their parents, sued the Kountze Independent School District last month after the district banned the banners.  CitizenLink quotes Liberty Senior Counsel Michael Johnson as saying, on KBMT News:  "The law is very well established that so long as the speech — be it religious in nature or otherwise — as long as it is initiated by the students, led by the students, which this certainly was, then it’s fully protected under the Constitution."

The banners were challenged by the Freedom From Religion Foundation - interestingly enough, the FFRF is not directly involved in the lawsuit, even those its aims are being supported by the school district in its action against the students.  And, there's an indication of the FFRF tactics - they send letters in order to intimidate, but infrequently litigate.   In Kountze, and other cities across America, citizens who embrace religious freedom are standing strong and fighting back, hoping to receive favorable court rulings, and perhaps even reverse a trend that has resulted in the limitation of rights of students and public officials to communicate their belief in God.
 
1 - Graham releases new campaign to vote according to Biblical values

When you have America's top evangelist intersecting with the ongoing top news story in our nation, it automatically becomes huge news.  And, that's the case with Dr. Billy Graham, who is featured in a series of full-page newspaper ads and other material that can be downloaded for church bulletins, and to use as posters and flyers.   These ads encourage people to vote according to Biblical values, emphasizing the critical nature of the election coming up on November 6th.

According to a piece on the Baptist Press website, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association said friends who support the ministry have contributed funds designated for the purchase of advertising space using Graham's image to call for the support of candidates who support biblical values.

"The number of states, papers and times the ads run will depend on the amount of funding provided and designated for this project of the BGEA," the association said. "The ads intentionally do not mention any candidate, political party, or contest, urging instead for readers to cast votes for candidates -- at all levels -- based on their support for biblical values."

The statement added that Graham "recently expressed a desire to publicly call America back to God and to prayer, and to draw attention to moral issues that are clearly addressed in the Bible and have increasingly become part of a national political dialog."

A full-page ad featuring Graham has already appeared in The Wall Street Journal and USA Today.  Ads will be placed in reportedly as many as a dozen states.   As I have said on my radio show, it's important that we allow the Bible to shape our perspective on all the issues of life, and that includes our political views.   As we embrace Biblical truth, then we can evaluate the actions and stated positions of candidates to determine whether or not they line up with our deeply-held beliefs. 

The 3 - October 14, 2012

In this week's edition of my week-in-review feature, "The 3", an official at a D.C. university has been suspended because she signed a petition to rescind the law passed by the Maryland Legislature legalizing same-sex marriage.   Also, the blasphemy law in Pakistan is taking its toll on children and their families - a young man and his family are now in hiding as a result of charges brought under the law.   And, the most impactful news story involves pastors across America, going into pulpits on October 7th to preach sermons about political issues and candidates.

3 - D.C. university official suspended for support of MD gay marriage repeal

The voters of Maryland will be going to the polls to attempt to undo what was done by the state legislature when they legalized same-sex marriage.   There were some 160,000 signatures gathered on a petition to place a measure on the ballot to repeal that law, and one of the people who signed has been suspended by her employer as she exercised her free speech rights.

According to the Christian Examiner, the President of Gallaudet University, which caters to hearing-impaired students, has placed the school's Chief Diversity Officer, Dr. Angela McCaskill, on paid administrative leave.

Gallaudet President T. Alan Hurwitz wrote on the university's Facebook page that, "It recently came to my attention that Dr. McCaskill has participated in a legislative initiative some feel is inappropriate for an individual serving as Chief Diversity Officer."

Senior Counsel at the American Freedom Law Center Robert Muise said all Americans have the right to sign petitions.

“This is just a microcosm of a really larger problem that I’m seeing across the country — Christians who want to engage in  their religious belief and express their views are being punished,” Muise told CitizenLink.
Hurwitz stated he would use this time to determine the next his steps regarding McCaskill.

McCaskill is the first deaf African-American woman to earn a doctorate from Gallaudet University..

So, the message here - it's OK to be diverse as long as you hold to one specific position.   Can't Dr. McCaskill still embrace "diversity" and express her own political views?   Isn't it interesting that those who espouse diversity or tolerance seem to be intolerant of other points of view, and do not allow others to express their positions on issues?   Sounds rather non-diverse to me.

2 - Children charged under Pakistan blasphemy law

A 16-year-old Pakistani boy is in hiding, accused of sending text messages denigrating the prophet Muhammed to friends and neighbors in the city of Karachi.   The Christian Post reports that
Ryan Stanten has been charged under the nation's controversial blasphemy law.  He and his family have been in hiding since Tuesday night, when the cleric of the local mosque, Maulvi Ghulam Qadir, spoke to them about the text messages, according to a report in The Express Tribune.   His mother was suspended from work on Wednesday, the day a complaint was lodged at the local police station.  The same day, protesters broke into their house, threw the furniture and electric appliances on the road outside the colony, and set fire to them.  No arrests have been made.

According to the Post, an unnamed Christian activist was quoted as saying that the boy's friends had taken away his cell phone and sent the messages, saying: "Ryan had no idea who the messages were sent to and what kind of messages they were."

And, the story of a mentally challenged minor girl in the country, Rimsha Masih, continues - she was initially charged under the blasphemy laws, then it was alleged that she was framed by a local imam.  Witness have reportedly decided not to testify on her behalf, saying they had been tortured by police into recording their statements against the imam.  

According to Compass Direct News, she is due to appear in an Islamabad juvenile court this Tuesday.  Originally charged in regular court where the potential penalty is life imprisonment, the girl’s case was transferred to the juvenile court after her age was certified and evidence surfaced that she was framed by a local imam.

“We will ask the judge to quash the charges against her,” attorney Tahir Naveed told Open Doors News.

And then, he said, the girl’s family will try to settle back into something resembling a normal life.

“The family will live in Pakistan and they have already voiced their intention publicly,” Naveed said. “For now it’s certain that the family of Mizrek Masih will not seek asylum outside Pakistan. We will relocate them and also help in arranging employment for the father.”

Meanwhile, it is tense in Rimsha's neighborhood, according to Compass Direct.  Other Christians who fled Islamabad’s Meherabadi neighborhood to avoid Muslim anger over Rimsha’s alleged offense have tried to return home, too. Naveed, who is a member Punjab state Legislative Assembly, said his All Pakistan Minorities Alliance party is looking after the needs of returning Christians and that relations with Muslims are calm.

Not everyone sees it that way. “Some members of Rimsha’s congregation, who gathered last Sunday for worship at the church in the affected area, were stopped from playing the harmonium and tablas when they were singing hymns,” said a Christian pastor identified as Ahsraf, who said he provided shelter to several Christians fleeing from Meherabadi at his church in Islamabad’s Sector G-8. “The tension is pretty much out there.”

Ashraf said about 450 Christians took shelter in the 66 Quarters area of Awami Colony in the suburbs of the Islamabad.

So the conflict continues surrounding this law, which is largely regarded as an affront to the freedom of speech and freedom of religion in that country.

1 -  Record number of pastors participate in Pulpit Freedom Sunday

Last Sunday, some 1,600 pastors in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico registered to participate in what is known as "Pulpit Freedom Sunday", which has been promoted by the Alliance Defending Freedom.  This number represents more than twice as many as took part last year.

Participating pastors committed to preach sermons that present biblical perspectives on the positions of electoral candidates. ADF states that by doing this, they will exercise their constitutionally protected freedom to engage in religious expression from the pulpit despite an Internal Revenue Service rule known as the Johnson Amendment that activist groups often use to silence churches by threatening their tax-exempt status. The Johnson Amendment was passed by Congress in 1954 as an amendment to section 501(c)(3) of the federal tax code. The Amendment states that entities who are exempt from federal income tax cannot "Participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of – or in opposition to – any candidate for public office."

Under the Amendment, churches or ministries that speak out Biblically on the positions of political candidates could risk the loss of their tax-exempt status. 

ADF Senior Legal Counsel Erik Stanley is quoted as saying that, “Pastors should decide what they preach from the pulpit, not the IRS...It’s outrageous for pastors and churches to be threatened or punished by the government for applying biblical teachings to all areas of life, including candidates and elections. The question is, ‘Who should decide the content of sermons: pastors or the IRS?’”

Alliance Defending Freedom hopes to eventually go to court to have the Johnson Amendment struck down as unconstitutional for its regulation of sermons, which ADF believes are protected by the First Amendment.

The 3 - October 7, 2012

In the past week, the next steps proceeded after the California legislature passed a ban on any therapy that is designed to help people change their sexual orientation from gay to straight and lawsuits that have been filed to overturn the legislation.    Also, another lawsuit was filed challenging the mandate for employers to provide free contraception and abortion-inducing drugs, this time from a Christian book publisher.   And, a major conference in Atlanta could have a strong impact as leaders take the knowledge they gained and apply it in their churches and communities.

3 - California governor signs bill banning therapy for gay teens who wish to change sexual orientation; lawsuits filed

Early last week, California Governor Jerry Brown announced he had signed legislation that would ban therapy for gay teens who desire to change their sexual orientation.   According to coverage in the Christian Examiner, the law states that "being lesbian, gay, or bisexual is not a disease, disorder, illness, deficiency, or shortcoming" and that "sexual orientation change efforts can pose critical health risks to lesbian, gay, and bisexual people."

"Under no circumstances shall a mental health provider engage in sexual orientation change efforts with a patient under 18 years of age," the law states.  Any mental health providers who attempt such counseling could lose their licenses.

Brown was quoted by CNN as saying such therapy "will now be relegated to the dustbin of quackery."

Here is the coverage from the Christian Examiner.

Saying that the law violates religious liberty, two Christian legal advocacy groups almost immediately promised to file lawsuits, and followed through this week.  Brad Dacus, President of Pacific Justice Institute said, "This outrageous bill makes no exceptions for young victims of sexual abuse who are plagued with unwanted same-sex attraction, nor does it respect the consciences of mental health professionals who work in a church. We are filing suit to defend families, children, and religious freedom. This unprecedented bill is outrageously unconstitutional."

Mat Staver, Founder of Liberty Counsel said, "The California governor and legislature are putting their own preconceived notions and political ideology ahead of children and their rights to get access to counseling that meets their needs...A number of minors who have struggled with same-sex attraction have been able to reduce or eliminate the stress and conflicts in their lives by receiving counseling of their choice which best meets their needs and religious convictions..."

The governor signed two other bills this week that were pushed by the gay rights community, according to CitizenLink.   He signed a law allowing clergy to opt out of performing same-sex wedding ceremonies without being punished by the state.  Under the legislation, championed by state Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), churches won’t lose their tax-exempt status if they don’t perform same-sex ceremonies.

Brown also signed into law last Sunday a bill requiring foster parents and other caregivers to undergo training focused on sensitivity and cultural competency for kids struggling with same-sex attractions and gender identity.


2 - Christian Bible and book publisher latest to sue government due to contraception mandate

The Alliance Defending Freedom reports that its attorneys, representing Tyndale House Publishers, have filed a federal lawsuit against the Health and Human Services mandate that employers, even religious entities, provide free contraception and abortion pills through their health insurance plans.  Tyndale House is one of the world’s largest privately held Christian publishers of books, Bibles, and digital media, but it is a for-profit corporation, and therefore considered to be "non-religious".   It is owned by a non-profit foundation that  provides grants to help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world.

“Bible publishers should be free to do business according to the book that they publish,” said Senior Legal Counsel Matt Bowman. “To say that a Bible publisher is not religious is patently absurd. Tyndale House is a prime example of how ridiculous and arbitrary the Obama administration’s mandate is. Americans today clearly agree with America’s founders: the federal government’s bureaucrats are not qualified to decide what faith is, who the faithful are, and where and how that faith may be lived out.”

On July 27, ADF attorneys obtained the first court order against the mandate on behalf of Colorado’s Hercules Industries and the Catholic family that owns it. That order temporarily suspends the mandate only against Hercules Industries while its lawsuit goes forward in court.  


1 - Catalyst conference attracts thousands of church leaders to Atlanta

This past Wednesday through Friday, thousands gathered in the Arena at Gwinnett Center in Atlanta to hear from a stellar lineup of speakers, emphasizing the importance of leadership consistent with Biblical truth, energizing and equipping attendees to implement strategies that can impact their churches and communities.  A crowd estimated at almost 13,000 filled the arena with energy and anticipation.

Catalyst has become an annual destination for many church leaders from throughout the country, and a destination for an impressive cadre of speakers.   Here is some of the coverage from the website, www.catalystspace.com.   This is just a synopsis of the 2nd day of conference: 

Andy Stanley, Senior Pastor of North Point Ministries, opened the day with three highlights of what makes a leader: unexpected opportunity, unavoidable adversity and unquestionable calling.  He explained that we have no control over any of these things except for one critical piece - they way we respond to them. 

Susan Cain spoke on the power of introverts in an extrovert-dominated world.  Patrick Lencioni of The Table Group, Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative, Mary Frances Bowley from Wellspring Living and the White Umbrella Campaign were just some of the speakers throughout the day.


Perry Noble, Senior Pastor of NewSpring Church, impacted attendees by addressing the frustrated leaders...He called us to, "Stop screaming at the world, ‘Discover me!' and start screaming at God, ‘Develop me!'"


Mark Burnett, Executive Producer of The Voice, Survivor, and The Apprentice and his wife, Roma Downey, previewed the new ten-hour docudrama series on The Bible:

After audience members were amazed by the clips shown at Catalyst, Mark inspired us by explaining his heart behind the series: to drive masses of people into the church so that the church can help them untie the knots.

Christine Caine, Founder of the A21 Campaign, brought attendees a powerful message by explaining to the crowd that they were made to run the race of faith and that it is not about who is the biggest, best or fastest, but rather it is about all of the people who are running in the same lane.  She shared that it is better to be marked by God than marked by man.  She called us to fix our eyes on Jesus and focus on faith.

During the final session of the day, leaders learned about the impact that Charity:Water is making on countries throughout the world by providing clean water and joined AdoptionJourney.com in celebrating the adoption process for one family with a donation of $5,000 and the potential for so much more through interaction from the audience.

Francis Chan, closed the day with a convicting message reminding those attending that in order to successfully make disciples, leaders must act more like Jesus.

And that's just day two...

Day one featured Mark Batterson, Michael Hyatt, and Jon Acuff, among others.   The theme for the event was "Make" - in other words, to attempt to "make" something of their experience, of their lives and of what God has called them to do, according to the Catalyst Space blog.

This really reminds us God is providing opportunities for us to make an impact - it's so important that we are obedient to Him and reliant on His equipping to fulfill His call.

The 3 - September 30, 2012

This week on "The 3", my week-in-review feature, we concentrate on some of the religious implications stated in some of the speeches at the United Nations this past week.   Also, the importance of prayer is underscored through the student prayer event called "See You at the Pole".  Plus, the beginning of numerous prayer efforts in advance of Election Day, November 6th, qualifies as the most impactful story concerning Christians this week.

3 - World leaders invoke spiritual themes

The United Nations convened another General Assembly last week in New York City, and host of world leaders paraded to the stage to address issues of importance to their various nations.
I thought there was a significant religious component to the speeches that were given, including the end-times scenario presented by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.  Here is the commentary from Joel Rosenberg's Flash Traffic Blog:

Ahmadinejad told the leaders of the world gathered in Manhattan that he had come this time “to voice the divine and humanitarian message…to you and to the whole world.”

“God Almighty has promised us a man of kindness, a man who loves people and loves  absolute justice, a man who is a perfect human being and is named Imam Al-Mahdi,  a man who will come in the company of Jesus Christ, peace be upon Him, and the righteous,” he said. Calling the Mahdi “the Ultimate Savior,” Ahmadinejad said his arrival on earth “will mark a new beginning, a rebirth and a  resurrection. It will be the beginning of peace, lasting security and genuine life.”

According to Rosenberg,

Islamic theologians say Muslim political leaders today are supposed to set into motion the annihilation of Judeo-Christian civilization as we know it and create the conditions of chaos and carnage to hasten the arrival of the Twelfth Imam. Then the Mahdi is supposed to turn all these wars and killings to his advantage and establish justice and peace.

In response to the Iranian President's speech and the threat of Iran's nuclear weapons program, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recognized it:

“Iran’s apocalyptic leaders believe that a medieval holy man will reappear in the wake of a devastating Holy War, thereby ensuring that their brand of radical Islam will rule the earth. That’s not just what they believe. That’s what is actually guiding their policies and their actions.”

And, Mohamed Morsi, the new President of Egypt, member of the Muslim Brotherhood, which supports a worldwide caliphate and dominance by Islam said, according to the Christian Post:

Morsi, who repeatedly referred to himself as the "first, democratically elected, civilian president of Egypt," said his country respects freedom of expression, but "one that is not used to incite hatred against anyone, one that is not directed toward one specific religion or cult."

Yemen President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi, seconded Morsi. "There should be limits for the freedom of expression, especially if such freedom blasphemes the beliefs of nations and defames their figures," he said.

There is a move for so-called blasphemy laws to be implemented by the United Nations - but, of course, you have to be concerned with who will determine what is or isn't considered blasphemy. 

U.S. President Barack Obama also weighed in on matters of religious freedom, saying, according to a report in Christian Today:

Obama, and other administration officials, have continued to blame the recent uprisings on an anti-Islam video produced in the United States.   Others disagree.  Obama repeated the assertion in his U.N. speech.

"I know there are some who ask why we don't just ban such a video. The answer is enshrined in our laws: our Constitution protects the right to practice free speech," Obama explained. "Here in the United States, countless publications provoke offense. Like me, the majority of Americans are Christian, and yet we do not ban blasphemy against our most sacred beliefs. Moreover, as president of our country, and commander-in-chief of our military, I accept that people are going to call me awful things every day, and I will always defend their right to do so. Americans have fought and died around the globe to protect the right of all people to express their views -- even views that we disagree with."

Critics were concerned that the President has taken a such a hard line against the poor-quality, relatively obscure video that is alleged to denigrate Muslims, especially in light of the inexcusable violence which rose up in over 20 nations in the Middle East around the anniversary of 9-11 and was responsible for the loss of life of American officials in Libya.   Obama also reiterated the discredited theory that the video was responsible for the violence, rather than well-organized terrorists.  

It is quite revealing that world leaders enunciated the importance of religion in world politics.   Hopefully, American officials will recognize the spiritual component in so much of the world's unrest and develop an understanding and a strategy to deal with the rising tide of extremism.


2 - Thousands of young people participate in "See You at the Pole"

The annual event known as "See You at the Pole", attracting primarily junior high and high school students to school flagpoles at the start of the school day, took place this past Wednesday, September 26th.  Since the event is observed in some 20 countries, it is difficult to estimate the numbers, and reports range from 1 million to as high as 3 million students.

See You at the Pole started in 1990 when a small group of teenagers gathered in Burleson, Texas, and is described on its website as "simply a prayer rally where students meet at the school flagpole before school to lift up their friends, families, teachers, school and nation to God."   SYATP is student-initiated, student-organized and student-led, although you will find that youth ministers will encourage their students to participate, and even help to facilitate their involvement.

According to a piece in Baptist Press,

"SYATP helps launch teenagers and college students -- in unity -- to minister to their peers," said Daryl Nuss, executive director of the National Network of Youth Ministries, which coordinates promotion of the event.

"See You at the Pole empowers students in prayer at the beginning of the school year to take leadership at their schools. What better way is there to begin a semester than to pray for their friends, community and nation?" Nuss added.

The theme for his year's See You at the Pole gatherings was "Awaken", based on Ephesians 3:14-21, where the apostle Paul encourages the church at Ephesus to pray for a greater awareness of God's love.


1 - Christians prepare for election with 40 days of prayer, America for Jesus draws thousands to Philadelphia 

This past week marked 40 days until Election Day, on November 6th.   I would encourage you to register to vote for this important opportunity to make your voice heard.   One website that has been set up to help you register is www.commit2vote2012.com.  

One of the most, if not the most, important factors leading up to Election Day is prayer.   This past weekend, on historic Independence Mall in Philadelphia, perhaps as many as 10,000 people or more took part in America for Jesus, which blended a number of high-profile Christian leaders who joined together with those who gathered at this historic site to intercede for our nation.   Here is a link to some coverage of the event by The Christian Post.

The event was being billed as a prayer event, not a political or partisan event.  John Blanchard, the executive pastor of Rock Church International in Virginia and national coordinator for the event, was quoted by The Christian Post as saying, "We are praying that God would touch America. We're not Democrats and Republicans. We're Christians."


Family Research Council President Tony Perkins urged the crowd to also pray for President Barack Obama.   FRC is one of the partners in the nationwide "Your Money, Your Values, Your Vote" bus tour, which stopped in Philadelphia for the rally.

There are other national efforts of prayer and fasting for 40 days leading up to the election:
- Eric Metaxas, author and the speaker on Breakpoint, is calling on people to join him in a time of prayer and fasting.  Find out more at www.ericmetaxas.com.
- Max Lucado, author and the speaker on Upwords, has organized "40 Days of Prayer for the USA", and the website is election.maxlucado.com.
- America's National Prayer Committee has also launched a 40-day prayer effort; go to www.40daysofprayer.net to learn more.
- And, a number of high-profile Christian leaders are featured on www.ifmypeople2012.com, with Stephen Arterburn, Henry Blackaby, Vonette Bright, Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Anne Graham Lotz, Mike Huckabee, Harry Jackson, and many more participating.

These numerous prayer efforts should challenge us as devoted Christian believers concerned about the future of our nation and desiring God to pour out His Spirit on our land to be on our knees in diligent intercessory prayer.   

The 3 - September 23, 2012

This week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature, includes a story that has garnered some response in the Christian community - a centuries-old fragment that makes reference to a wife for Jesus.  Also, religious expression is at the heart of a debate over football game banners in Texas.  And, the top story involves more media coverage for a large restaurant chain built on Christian values - and it's more than just commercials featuring cows saying "Eat Mor Chikin".

3 - Fragment reportedly shows a reference to Jesus' wife, Christian leaders respond

There has been quite a bit of coverage this past week, as well as discussion, about an archaeological fragment which contains 12 lines in Aramaic.  In one of those lines, there is a report of Jesus referring to "my wife".   Gary Manning, a professor at Biola University, wrote a compelling background story on The Good Book Blog.   He basically said that even though it's too early to tell whether or not the fragment is authentic, it does point to some of the Gnostic writers of the day.   The discovery was released, in fact, by a modern-day Gnostic writer named Karen King, who teaches at Harvard.

Manning writes:

The Gnostics wrote a number of short collections of sayings that they attributed to Jesus: the Gospel of Philip, Gospel of Judas, Gospel of Mary Magdalene, and others. Technically, these are not really gospels, at least when compared with the canonical gospels. The four gospels in the New Testament are full biographies of Jesus, directly tied to eyewitness accounts, and written within 25 to 60 years of Jesus’ death and resurrection. The Gnostic gospels, in contrast, are short collections of sayings, with little or no biographical material. They are written by people more than a century removed from Jesus, with no connection to the eyewitnesses. Generally, these works are easily identified because they try to make Jesus sound like a Gnostic. This newly discovered fragment has a few lines that sound like the Gospel of Philip, the Gospel of Thomas, and the Gospel of Mary Magdalene.

A piece on the Religion Today website features commentary by other Christian scholars.   Darrell Bock of Dallas Theological Seminary is quoted as saying that, if this papyrus was authentic, it would be the only text among many to suggest that Jesus had a wife.  He said that, "It represents "a very small minority in a much later period than original Christianity...It is a fourth-century text in a fringe gnostic group that is not representative of the larger groups that are [part of] Christianity."

Dr. Joel B. Green of Fuller Seminary said,  "We have no evidence at all of any debate among the earliest followers of Jesus regarding Jesus' martial status. This debate surfaced later. It's important to put this in context. Popular literature (say, from the third and fourth centuries) made all sorts of claims about Jesus ... These claims really don't tell us anything about Jesus of Nazareth, the historical person who lived in the first third of the first century."

And, the Culture and Media Institute of the Media Research Center took the media to task for trying to portray this non-traditional discovery as something more genuine than it has actually been proven to be.   Here is their piece on the coverage.   One of the lines in the piece says that some media outlets failed to mention that there are several places in the New Testament where the church is referred to as the bride of Christ.

What does Gnosticism teach?  According to Watchman Fellowship: 

The Gnostics promoted three basic teachings: 1) matter is evil, and thus Jesus only appeared to be a man; 2) because the Bible teaches that God created matter, the God of the Old Testament Jews is an evil deity who is distinct from the New Testament God, Jesus Christ; and 3) ultimate Truth is a mystery that is available only to those who are initiated into the secret teachings and practices of the Gnostic groups. 

Gnosticism has seen a resurgence since the mid-20th Century with the 1945 Egyptian discovery of the Nag Hammadi library, a collection of Gnostic writings.  Modern Gnosticism teaches that Truth can be found by combining the beliefs and practices of numerous religions.  Interestingly enough, Karen King has written a book called, What is Gnosticism?


Truth is, there are many today who are attempting to paint a different picture of the Jesus portrayed in Scripture.  That is why it is so important that we as believers in Christ stay grounded in the Scriptures, firm in what we believe, and making sure that we are walking in discernment.

2 -  Texas cheerleaders hold the line on Scripture banners, FFRF faces pushback

The cheerleaders at Hardin County High School in Kountze, Texas have a proud tradition of holding up banners for the football players to run through prior to their games.  Part of that tradition includes the display of Scripture verses, such as Philippians 4:13, on them.   Last week, in response to a letter of complaint by the (you guessed it!) Freedom From Religion Foundation, that appears intent on disrupting time-honored forms of religious expression, especially at school football games, the cheerleaders were told by the school superintendent that they could no longer display those signs.

Response was swift and sizable - a Facebook group was started, that, as of this writing, has almost 42,000 members - it's called "Support Kountze Kids Faith".  (You can request to join it, if you like.)  And, the cheerleaders enlisted the support of attorney David Starnes and legal advocacy group Liberty Institute, which went to court.   On Thursday, a Federal judge handed down a temporary restraining order, allowing the banners for 2 more games and giving the Hardin County Independent School District until October 4th to explain why they have outlawed the banners.   Here is the play-by-play by CBN News.

Liberty Institute President Kelly Shackelford is quoted as saying:

"These government school officials will never learn that students' religious rights are protected"..."We have successfully passed state laws protecting student religious speech and have won restraining orders to final judgments protecting student religious speech."

FFRF has made a practice to contact school officials in a variety of districts about such common practices as prayer before football games and other forms of religious expression.   And, there are just a handful of cases in which they get involved that actually go to court.  In some cases, a school district or government officials will capitulate.   But recently, we've seen where officials have stood strong against their tactics.   Last week, for example, the Chancellor of the University of Tennessee rejected a challenge to pre-game invocations at UT football games.   And, we've seen other instances where school and government officials have realized that attempts to restrict religious expression, primarily by FFRF, are not valid.

Students have a chance to participate in legal, Constitutionally-protected prayer at their school flagpoles this Wednesday, September 26th - it's See You at the Pole, with this year's theme, "Awaken".

1  - Gay activists play media game of "chicken" with Chick-Fil-A

The storyline came so quickly, and a number of media outlets bought the statement out of Chicago, where a group called The Civil Rights Agenda (TCRA) issued a report that Chick-Fil-A, a company that was founded on Christian principles and continues to operate on those premises today, had issued a statement that included language stating that it would be considerate of all customers, regardless of sexual orientation.  This is actually a position that the company has always held, and was stated even before Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day on August 1st, where thousands visited local restaurants to show support of company president Dan Cathy's views on traditional marriage.  The statement also suggested that Chick-Fil-A would re-evaluate its financial support of organizations that had a political or social agenda.  The coverage began to take a life of its own, and the storyline emerged that CFA would no longer support groups that have been described as so-called "hate groups", such as Focus on the Family and the National Organization for Marriage.   These are groups that have been supportive of the Biblical definition of marriage.

This story caused quite a stir in the Christian community, who felt that (as some reports suggested) that CFA had "caved" to gay activist groups just to place a restaurant in Chicago.   The problem is that the reports were not true, and Chick-Fil-A moved to issue a statement on Thursday setting the record straight.  Cathy later posted a statement on Mike Huckabee's website saying that "we have made no concessions".

Baptist Press, which closely followed the story of reaction to Dan Cathy's earlier comments on his support of traditional marriage, had an excellent, timely report.   In it, Cathy is quoted as saying:

"There continues to be erroneous implications in the media that Chick-fil-A changed our practices and priorities in order to obtain permission for a new restaurant in Chicago. That is incorrect. Chick-fil-A made no such concessions, and we remain true to who we are and who we have been." 

Chick-Fil-A has also stated its dedicated to supporting marriage enrichment programs through its WinShape  Foundation.

Of course, we recognize that supporting traditional marriage and holding to a Biblical view of homosexuality does not make someone anti-gay, bigoted, or intolerant.    Those are our deeply-held convictions based on our study of the Scriptures.   People are welcome to disagree with those beliefs, and make their case, without resorting to name-calling and distortion, which Chick-Fil-A, as well as a host of Christian ministries, continue to be unfairly subjected to.  Pray for the Cathys and Chick-Fil-A as they navigate through this difficult area of cultural involvement.

CitizenLink, the public policy affiliate of Focus on the Family, covered the story well.   Stuart Shepard of CitizenLink appeared on The Meeting House on Friday, and here is that conversation, including extensive coverage of the Chick-Fil-A flap.

The 3 - September 16, 2012

On this week's edition of "The 3", we begin with the major gathering in Washington, DC that embraces Christian, pro-life, and pro-family values.   Then, it's on to court action taken by a large Christian-owned
chain of craft stores, standing against the attempt by the Federal government to force them to provide free contraception and abortion-inducing drugs through their health care plans.   And, it's on to the Middle East, where violence is erupting and Christians in various nations are in greater danger.


3 - "Values Voters" join together in D.C.

This past weekend, the annual Values Voter Summit took place in Washington, D.C.   Sponsored by Christian, pro-family organizations such as the Family Research Council's affiliate FRC Action, as well as Liberty Counsel and others, the Summit routinely brings together thousands of conservatives who come to be educated and inspired regarding the issues of the day.

High-profile speakers such as Republican Vice-Presidential nominee Paul Ryan, former candidate Rick Santorum, current Senator Rand Paul, Rep. Michele Bachmann, and actor Kirk Cameron were just a few of the host of people who addressed the gathering.   Even Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney participated by video.   Here are some of the elements of the content from FRCAction.org:

Ryan was forthright in his support for life, saying,  "And in this good-hearted country, we believe in showing compassion for mother and child alike. We don't write anyone off in America, especially those without a voice. Every child has a place and purpose in this world. Everyone counts, and in a just society, the law should stand on the side of life."

Bachmann discussed the crisis in the Middle East.  Representatives James Lankford (R-Okla.), Jeff Fortenberry (R-Nebr.) and Tim Huelskamp (R-Kansas), spoke on a panel on protecting the family and religious liberties.   Sen. Jim DeMint spoke on the importance of voters not listening to Washington and making a difference and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Virginia), in a speech he reportedly rewrote on the way over from Capitol Hill, brought the house down as he spoke passionately on why the values we all share are the reason real change needs to come to Washington.

The Values Voter Summit, which posted record attendance last year, has developed into an event where strong ideas consistent with a Christian worldview perspective are explored, and can be an opportunity for attendees to be encouraged and energized.

2 -  Large evangelical-led company files lawsuit against HHS contraception mandate

So far, there have been almost 30 lawsuits filed by a variety of religious institutions and businesses against the mandate from the Administration that they provide free contraception and abortion-inducing drugs through their health care plans.   Prior to this week, the only lawsuit filed by a private business, Hercules Industries, resulted in a temporary exemption for the company from participating in the mandate, pending further court action.

Now, the second private company has filed suit, and it's a large one.   Hobby Lobby, a chain of hundreds of craft stores across America, is requesting an emergency injunction to prohibit what it calls the "unconstitutional" Health and Human Services policy from being enforced, according to a report on the Christianity Today website.

Hobby Lobby reportedly faces "crippling fines up to 1.3 million dollars per day" if it refuses to comply with the mandate.

Hobby Lobby CEO and founder David Green said in a statement that his company would not "abandon our religious beliefs to comply with this mandate.”

“By being required to make a choice between sacrificing our faith or paying millions of dollars in fines, we essentially must choose which poison pill to swallow,” he said.

In an op-ed piece for USA Today,  Green writes:

I know people will say we ought to follow the rules, that it's the same for everybody. But that's not true. The government has exempted thousands of companies from this mandate, for reasons of convenience or cost. But it won't exempt them for reasons of religious belief. So, Hobby Lobby — and my family — are forced to make a choice. With great reluctance, we filed a lawsuit today, represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, asking a federal court to stop this mandate before it hurts our business. We don't like to go running into court, but we no longer have a choice. We believe people are more important than the bottom line and that honoring God is more important than turning a profit.

My family has lived the American dream. We want to continue growing our company and providing great jobs for thousands of employees, but the government is going to make that much more difficult. The government is forcing us to choose between following our faith and following the law. I say that's a choice no American — and no American business — should have to make.

Well said!   Christians who want to live their lives according to God's principles are collectively saying that they should not have to face opposition from the government in order to live out those beliefs.  We are certainly in an unprecedented time - as the Family Research Council and Liberty Institute remind us in their new study of religious hostility in America (www.religioushostility.org), freedom of religion is facing multiple threats.   It's important that Christians continue to be vigilant, prayerful, and firm in our faith, without resorting to demonstrating hostility ourselves. 

1 - Middle East violence presents challenges for Christians in the region

The Tuesday attacks in Libya and Egypt by Muslim extremists on American embassies in those countries have spread to other nations throughout the Middle East.  Much of the attention has been focused on a little-known film that allegedly insults the prophet Mohammed, the founder of Islam.   But, as information continues to emerge, there is speculation that the attacks were premeditated and represented the results of planning and coordination.

The film may have been one of the catalysts, or merely the scapegoat or a straw man, but there is a significant challenge for the current Administration to mitigate the violence, and they are enlisting help from leaders in the affected nations, as well as sending in U.S. personnel to help.  Pray for a reduction and the eventual elimination of this sweeping set of violent attacks.

Republicans are saying that the attacks represent a failure in U.S. policy in the Middle East, while those supporting the Obama Administration state that the policy is not at fault; rather the violence was perhaps instigated by this film - therefore, they have decried that type of expression, as well as the violent reaction.

Unfortunately, the filmmaker is described as a Coptic Christian, who is reportedly living in America.   These Egyptian Christians, while not warmly embraced by the Mubarak regime, are certainly not feeling secure under the Muslim Brotherhood leadership.  

Open Doors USA spokesperson Michael Wood is quoted in a report on its website:

“But it is the unpredictable momentum that suddenly creates a wave of protests and anger. Many of the Muslim fanatics link the U.S. with Christianity. So that puts believers in these hot spots such as Libya and Egypt directly in the line of fire.”

Wood adds that Christians in Egypt, who compose 10 percent of the population, and the small community of believers in Libya need our prayers now more than ever before. “Pray that the violence over this film does not spread to other countries…that is the No. 1 prayer request,” he says.

This is a wave of violence that has strong religious roots and implications.  Whatever the catalyst might be, it demonstrates that there is a significant, and growing, number of radical Islamists who desire to strike back at Americans.   I believe the U.S. represents to them a set of values rooted in Judeo-Christian ideals, which stand at odds with the views of these fundamentalists, who view Jews and Christians as infidels, and the U.S. and Israel as their principal  enemies because these countries symbolize these values.