The 3 - September 23, 2018

This week's edition of The 3, spotlight three recent Christian news stories, includes a ruling in favor of the free speech of pregnancy resource centers in Hawaii, which was issued as a result of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on a punitive California law.  And, the violence by radicalized Muslims toward Christians in Nigeria continues.  And, Chinese Christian leaders are pushing back against new regulations that have restricted the religious freedom of Christians there.

3 - Pro-life victory in Hawaii related to recent Supreme Court decision

Not too long ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of pregnancy resource centers, who would have been forced to violate their deeply held beliefs and share information about where clients could obtain an abortion.  The implications of the Supreme Court ruling have now reverberated to the state of Hawaii.

Alliance Defending Freedom announced on its website that:

A federal district court struck down a Hawaii law forcing pregnancy centers and pro-life doctors to advertise for the abortion industry Thursday, in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision affirming free speech in NIFLA v. Becerra.

“No one should be forced by the government to express a message that violates his or her beliefs, especially on deeply divisive subjects like abortion,” said Kevin Theriot, Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel and Vice President of the Center for Life. “In NIFLA v. Becerra, the Supreme Court affirmed that we don’t force people to say things they don’t believe. For that reason, the district court was correct to permanently halt Hawaii’s enforcement of Act 200’s compelled speech requirement.”

The state of Hawaii had passed a law, Act 200, that according to the website, "required pro-life pregnancy centers to direct women to a state agency that provides abortion referrals and funding. It would have required pro-life centers to post large signs or provide notice to clients that the state of Hawaii 'has public programs that provide immediate free or low-cost access to comprehensive family planning services,' which include abortion-inducing drugs."  A Calvary Chapel-related pregnancy resource center had challenged the law.

ADF reports that even the Attorney General of the state had "agreed that the compelled speech mandate at the heart of the law was unconstitutional," in light the the NIFLA decision."
2 - Radicals in Nigeria continue to kill Christians

Over the last two months, Fulani radicals in Nigeria have taken the lives of more than 250 Christians in the nation, according to a story on the ChristianHeadlines.com website, which relayed a report from International Christian Concern about the bodies of a nine- and ten-year old which had been "found riddled with bullet holes and machete slashes." ICC stated, "The Nigerian government continues to be complacent in dealing with the problem of the Fulani militants, who have in 2018 killed nearly three times as many people as Boko Haram..."

The article, published on Thursday, September 20, points out that there are challenges that the government is mischaracterizing these attacks:

In August, board chairman of Intersociety Emeka Umeagbalasi, told The Christian Post that the Nigerian government is trying to characterize these murders as conflicts between farmers and herders. But what is really happening, he said, was a calculated attack designed to kill and drive Christians out of Nigeria.

Intersociety reported on Sunday that no fewer than 250 Christians have been killed in the last two months. They obtained this number by combining the statistics and news reports of killings since July.

Michael Brown of The Stream, has been speaking out on the plight of Nigerian Christians, to the extent of having his Twitter account temporarily suspended.  He wrote at The Stream:

Babies are being hacked to death. Children kidnapped. Women raped and savaged. Young and old burned alive. Houses destroyed, livestock plundered. Muslim herdsmen are massacring their Christian neighbors while the Nigerian media misreports and the Nigerian government refuses to act. Some even claim the government is complicit in these attacks.

President Buhari, as the watching, worldwide community, we appeal to you to act decisively and put an end to this horror. Right now, sir, many believe there is blood on your hands. Please show the world that this is not true.

He quoted from a Professor, Gerald McDermott, whom Brown described as "a respected educator and Anglican Church leader:"

The Fulani herdsman, who are Muslims, have lived in peace with their Christian neighbors for decades. Also, they cried out “Allahu akbar [Allah is great]!” as they swooped in upon these villages with death and terror.

The real story, Christians tell me, is that Islamists from other countries (like Niger and possibly Saudi Arabia) have radicalized previously-peaceful Muslim herdsmen. And the government, which is controlled by a Muslim administration, is taking advantage of this to consolidate its hold on this Middle Belt of Nigeria. Right now Jos is majority-Christian. But if the government can use these radicals to drive Christians out, Jos can become a majority-Muslim area.

1 - Chinese Christian leaders release document of solidarity concerning religious freedom

Chinese Christian leaders are pushing back against what they see as an increase in state oppression of Christians.  Faith McDonnell reports at the Institute on Religion and Democracy website:

In the midst of a campaign by the Chinese Communist Government to “Sinicize” religion and demand unswerving loyalty to the Communist Party, Chinese Christian leaders have declared their unswerving loyalty to Jesus Christ.

The article states that as of last Tuesday, the 18th, according to the St. Charles Institute, an advocacy group for persecuted Christians, over 340 leaders had signed the declaration.

McDonnell writes that, "The declaration opens with the Chinese church leaders’ affirmation of the gospel and their accountability before God to share it with the world," and adds:

It goes on to list what churches in China believe, their right to practice freely their religion, their value to and love for their country, and their refusal to compromise with the state. The courageous leaders have all identified themselves both by name and by church, and their concluding statement is a sober one, “For the sake of the gospel, we are prepared to bear all losses—even the loss of our freedom and our lives.”

The St. Charles Institute website states:

Since the official “Regulations on Religious Affairs” came into effect on February 1, 2018, the state has enforced a dramatic tightening of controls over religious matters. The new regulations have emboldened relevant governmental departments in charge of religion, and a fresh wave of attacks on religious gatherings, places of worship, and individuals have since erupted.

The site mentioned the ban on online retailers selling the Bible. A more "Sinicized" Bible is being developed. The site also reports:

Other physical manifestations of the “Sinicizing” order includes forcing churches to sing “Red songs,” or songs sung during the Cultural Revolution, praising the Communist Party of China (CPC), and advocating for support of the CPC. There have also been many churches, including official Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM) churches, who have been forced to take down crosses and Christmas trees, and instead, replace them with photos of Xi Jinping or the national flag.

Many house churches, which the government views as “uncontrollable,” have been subjected to harsher treatment.

The 3 - September 16, 2018

This week's edition of The 3, focusing on three stories of relevance impacting the Christian community, includes the story of a minister facing eviction from a senior living facility for his role in leading a Bible study.  Also, a Federal court has ruled that a large cross in a park in Pensacola in unconstitutional, while criticizing the precedent for the decision.  And, a large group of pro-life organizations has rebuked the FDA for purchasing fetal tissue from aborted babies.

3 - Pastor in trouble for hosting Bible study

An 86-year-old semi-retired Lutheran minister living in an a senior living facility in Fredericksburg, VA, is facing being evicted from his home there in a series of events related to a Bible study that he has held at a meeting room there.  According to a story about the plight of the pastor, Ken Hauge, on the Christian Headlines website:

The study was held for several months until July 23, when religious activities were banned in the community room, First Liberty said. Further, on the same day, Hauge received a notice saying his lease would be terminated unless he “stopped leading the Bible study entirely, either in his private apartment or in the Community Room,” according to a letter of complaint from First Liberty to management.

First Liberty asserts, the actions by the apartment complex violate the Fair Housing Act.

The article points out that:

Douglas Erdman, president of Community Realty Co. – which owns the apartment complex – told The Free Lance-Star newspaper that First Liberty did not “accurately portray the situation.”

Hauge and his wife have “at no point ... been denied the right to practice their religion in their apartment, nor have any other of the residents,” Erdman added.

That Free Lance Star article, referring to comments by First Liberty attorney Hiram Sasser, stated:

The manager approved Hauge’s request to use the club room in January, Sasser wrote. But he claimed other tenants attempted to interfere with the Bible studies on several occasions, and the complex released a new policy last month prohibiting religious activities in the club room.

The Evergreens continues to permit nonreligious activities, including birthdays, baby showers and wedding receptions.

2 - Federal circuit court rules against Pensacola cross, laments precedent (again!)

For what appears to be the second time in the past few weeks, a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has issued a ruling while decrying court precedent in the case.  One such incident occurred in a case involving an abortion ban that was passed by the Alabama Legislature, in which the judge's upheld a lower court's ruling against the law, but two of the judges expressed dissatisfaction with the precedent by which the ruling should be made.

Now, in the case of a 34-foot cross displayed in a park in Pensacola, according to Baptist Press:

Judges said their hands were tied by the 1983 ruling in the nearly identical case of ACLU v. Rabun County, when the Eleventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ordered a cross be removed from Black Rock Mountain State Park in Georgia.

"Given the parallels between the two cases -- and crosses -- we think it clear that Rabun ... controls our analysis and requires that we affirm the district court's decision," the three-judge panel in the current Eleventh Circuit Court wrote in its Sept. 7 decision.

The story goes on to say that:

Two of the three judges in the latest ruling, Charles Ashley Royal and Kevin Newsom, said the precedent itself should be revisited and reversed by the full Eleventh Circuit slate of judges.

"There is no injury, no harm, and no standing to support jurisdiction in this case, but there is an Eleventh Circuit rule that directs us to affirm the district court based on this flawed precedent," Royal wrote in his concurrence. "Rabun County needs to be reversed, and this Court needs to devise a practical standing analysis."

Both Royal and Newsom called the precedent and other legal jurisprudence in the Establishment Clause "a hot mess."

According to the article, attorneys with the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty indicate they will file an appeal.

1 - Pro-life leaders call on government to stop buying fetal tissue from aborted babies

In light of recent revelations that the Food and Drug Administration had reached an agreement with a company that had acquired fetal body parts from aborted babies from Planned Parenthood to purchase the organs for research purposes, a consortium of some 45 pro-life organizations have contacted the Department of Health and Human Services to register their dissatisfaction, according to the website of the Susan B. Anthony List website, which posted a portion of the letter sent to the FDA, which stated:

“We were shocked and dismayed at the news report that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has signed a contract to purchase ‘fresh’ aborted fetal organs from Advanced Bioscience Resources, for the purpose of creating humanized mice with human immune systems. We expect far better of our federal agencies – especially under the leadership of a courageous pro-life president – entrusted with the health of American citizens. It is completely unacceptable to discover that the FDA is using federal tax dollars and fomenting demand for human body parts taken from babies who are aborted. …The federal government must find ethical alternatives as soon as possible, and should end all association with those who participate in any trafficking or procurement of aborted baby organs. No taxpayer dollars should continue to go to this gruesome practice.”

The article points out that a Planned Parenthood affiliate, one of four referred by the Justice Department for criminal investigation, had been harvesting organs from aborted babies and selling them to ABR for over 10 years.

Meanwhile, the President of the SBA List weighed in on the selection of Dr. Leana Wen as the new President of Planned Parenthood, replacing Cecile Richards.  In a press release, Marjorie Dannenfelser is quoted as saying, "Planned Parenthood’s selection of a doctor to be their next president is an opportunity to clean up their sorry record,” adding, Planned Parenthood is America’s largest abortion business with 35 percent of the national abortion market. In 2016, according to their latest annual report, abortions made up 96 percent of Planned Parenthood’s services for resolving a pregnancy while prenatal services, miscarriage care, and adoption referrals together made up less than 4 percent." She stated, "The best thing Dr. Wen could do for Planned Parenthood is to help them live up to their claim of being an authentic women’s health care provider.”

The 3 - September 9, 2018

In this week's edition of The 3, highlighting current stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is a move underway to deprive faith-based adoption agencies of their freedom to make decisions according to their faith beliefs, and a recent example comes from Buffalo, NY.  Also, Christians in Iran are facing stiff challenges to the practice of their faith, and current imprisonments can no doubt cause concern.  And, there is a new statement, drafted by a diverse committee of Christian leaders, attempting to evaluate the concept of "social justice" from a Scriptural perspective.

3 - Faith-based adoption agencies facing opposition

Those who claim to be the purveyors of tolerance display a stunning amount of intolerance for any sort of disagreement.  The agenda does not seem to contain an allowance of differing points of view, but to force others to adopt their perspective.

This has been seen over the past few years in the arena of faith-based adoption agencies: even though, out of religious convictions, they would prefer for other agencies to place adoptive children in homes headed by same-sex couples, that doesn't satisfy those who want to advance the LGBT agenda.

The Daily Signal published a comprehensive article recently detailing some instances where these agencies have been so harassed that they have closed.  One such example is Catholic Charities in Buffalo, New York.  The article states:

The agency can no longer cooperate with the government there because the state will not allow Catholic Charities to operate consistently with its religious mission.

It goes on to say:

Catholic Charities places children in homes with both a father and a mother in accordance with Catholic teaching on marriage and the family.

Unfortunately, the state now considers that belief to be discriminatory against LGBT individuals. New York issued an ultimatum: Abandon your beliefs, or quit your ministry. Catholic Charities is unable to comply with these rules and now must shut down, leaving the state with even fewer agencies to meet the needs of kids.

The Daily Signal article also reports that:

Earlier this year, the city of Philadelphia canceled its contracts with Catholic Social Services due to its religious beliefs about marriage, displacing hundreds of children in the process.

Meanwhile, the ACLU and Lambda Legal are litigating in Michigan and Texas in hopes of making these shutdowns the new normal nationwide.

And, there are other locales:

California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C., have already driven out religious providers through similar policies. They did so even though religious agencies are unique assets to the child welfare system, with great track records for overall recruitment and for finding homes for difficult to place children.

Fortunately, some states are fighting back regarding this religious liberty issue.  As Jim Daly of Focus on the Family wrote just prior to Kansas and Oklahoma passing legislation to protect faith-based adoption agencies:

The good news is that seven states (Alabama, Michigan, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, and Virginia) have passed legislation to protect such agencies’ religious beliefs, despite strong opposition by secular groups, including the ACLU. Other states are introducing similar bills. An important bill has been introduced in Congress – The Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act – which requires any government entity at the federal or state level that receives and administers federal dollars specifically targeted for adoption purposes, to respect the beliefs and practices of faith-based agencies.

The Daily Caller reported on the passage of the Kansas and Oklahoma bills in May and had another story on the Federal bill in July, stating:

The House Appropriations Committee adopted a measure that would ensure federal funding for faith-based adoption agencies that object to placing children with same-sex couples.

GOP Rep. Robert Aderholt of Alabama introduced the measure, which is an amendment to an upcoming funding bill, as a way to curb further discrimination against faith-based adoption agencies.

2 - Iranian Christians face significant prison terms resulting from their faith

Four Iranian Christians have been sentenced to a combined total of 45 years in prison, according to a
CBN News story that states that these Christians were "allegedly conducting 'illegal church activities' and spreading propaganda which reportedly 'threaten national security.'"

Mike Ansari from Heart4Iran is quoted as saying: "These Christians were solely arrested for practicing their Christian faith, including attending Christmas gatherings and organizing house churches..."

The article reports:

In 2014, Pastor Victor Bet-Tamraz was arrested when plain-clothed security forces raided his home during a Christmas party. In 2017, an Iranian Revolutionary Court sentenced him, along with Hadi Asgari, to 10 years in prison for "forming a group composed of more than two people with the purpose of disrupting national security" in relation to their church activities. The same court sentenced Amin Afshar Naderi to five years in prison for allegedly insulting Islam.

In January 2018, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran sentenced Shamiram Issavi to five years in prison for "membership of a group with the purpose of disrupting national security" and another five years in prison for "gathering and colluding to commit crimes against national security."

Issavi is the wife of Pastor Bet-Tamraz.

And, another Iranian pastor, Youcef Nadarkhani, is back in prison.  Another CBN story, from early August, reported:

More than 70,000 people have signed a petition calling for the release of jailed Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani.

According to the American Center for Law and Justice, plain-clothed Iranian authorities raided Nadarkhani's home on July 22 and arrested him in front of his family. Several other church members were also arrested.

He's been reportedly sentenced to ten years in a prison notorious for persecuting Christians. Pastor Nadarkhani was also sentenced to two extra years of "internal exile" for allegedly "promoting Zionist Christianity."

The ACLJ website reports that number is now over 107,000 signatures.

The story provides a reminder that, "Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani has been in and out of prison for his faith numerous times. Six years ago, Pastor Nadarkhani was sentenced to death for converting from Islam to Christianity. He was later acquitted." And, it points out that, "In May 2016, the pastor was arrested again along with several other Christians during multiple home raids. They were later freed on bail, according to the ACLJ."

1 - Christian leaders craft statement calling for Biblical approach to justice issues

Thousands have affixed their names to The Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel, which I believe is a serious attempt to address some areas that have resulted in division in the body of Christ and to provide some Scriptural perspective on matters related to justice.  It has brought some spirited discussion on social media and even yielded a host of fake, even vulgar signatures, which seem to have been cleared up. The introduction states:

Specifically, we are deeply concerned that values borrowed from secular culture are currently undermining Scripture in the areas of race and ethnicity, manhood and womanhood, and human sexuality. The Bible’s teaching on each of these subjects is being challenged under the broad and somewhat nebulous rubric of concern for “social justice.”

On matters concerning race, in section 12, the statement offers this perspective:

We deny that any divisions between people groups (from an unstated attitude of superiority to an overt spirit of resentment) have any legitimate place in the fellowship of the redeemed. We reject any teaching that encourages racial groups to view themselves as privileged oppressors or entitled victims of oppression. While we are to weep with those who weep, we deny that a person’s feelings of offense or oppression necessarily prove that someone else is guilty of sinful behaviors, oppression, or prejudice.

The section declares that “'Race' is not a biblical category, but rather a social construct that often has been used to classify groups of people in terms of inferiority and superiority."
Section 14 talks about racism, and declares:

WE AFFIRM that racism is a sin rooted in pride and malice which must be condemned and renounced by all who would honor the image of God in all people.

It also says that,

We deny that the Bible can be legitimately used to foster or justify partiality, prejudice, or contempt toward other ethnicities. We deny that the contemporary evangelical movement has any deliberate agenda to elevate one ethnic group and subjugate another. And we emphatically deny that lectures on social issues (or activism aimed at reshaping the wider culture) are as vital to the life and health of the church as the preaching of the gospel and the exposition of Scripture.

While much of the discussion seems to have centered on what the statement has to say in the area of race, there are also pointed comments with regard to other matters, such as homosexuality.  Section 10 states:

We reject “gay Christian” as a legitimate biblical category. We further deny that any kind of partnership or union can properly be called marriage other than one man and one woman in lifelong covenant together. We further deny that people should be identified as “sexual minorities”—which serves as a cultural classification rather than one that honors the image-bearing character of human sexuality as created by God.

The group of initial signers includes Voddie Baucham and Darrell Harrison, who are both African-American, as well as John MacArthur and James White, who are Biblical teachers who are white.  Subsequent signers have included Ted Baehr, E.W. Jackson, and Kelly Kullberg.  Over 6,000 signatures have been affixed online to the statement.  It appears that around six dozen church bodies have signed on, as well.

The 3 - September 2, 2018

Another week, another edition of The 3, spotlighting three relevant stories to the Christian community.  One story involved a cheerleader unit that has been in and out of court for some six years over the issue of Scripture on football posters through which the players run before a game.  Also, there was an event at the White House this week involving around a hundred Christian leaders.  And, a sudden turnaround in California, where a bill that could have had a chilling effect on pastors and counselors was withdrawn by the sponsor.

3 - Another round in court goes to the Kountze cheerleaders

I don't know how the high school football team in Kountze, Texas is doing on the field, but the school's cheerleaders are on a winning streak. Just this week, KDFM.com reports that "...the Texas Supreme Court today denied Kountze ISD's petition for a review of a lower court ruling allowing cheerleaders to create Bible verses on run-through football banners, according to information David Starnes, the attorney who represented the cheerleaders, provided to KFDM/Fox 4 News."

The Kountze Independent School District has been filing a series of legal challenges essentially against its own students ever since the Freedom from Religion Foundation contacted officials and said the banners were unconstitutional.  This was in 2012.  The television station's story stated:

The Ninth Court of Appeals in Beaumont sided with the cheerleaders in a September opinion, then denied the district's request for a rehearing in October.

The Kountze ISD attorneys responded by saying the appeals court opinion, "that the run-through banners are neither government speech nor school sponsored speech, leads to absurd results."

Kountze ISD requested the Texas Supreme Court clarify the opinion, citing conflicts with precedent set by previous rulings in federal court.

Hiram Sasser of First Liberty, one of the attorneys for the cheerleaders, in a quote on the law firm's website, is quoted as saying: "As the football season kicks off across Texas, it’s good to be reminded that these cheerleaders have a right to have religious speech on their run through banners—banners on which the cheerleaders painted messages they chose, with paint they paid for, on paper they purchased. School districts everywhere should learn an important lesson from this failed litigation by the Kountze Independent School District: stop harassing cheerleaders and accept that they are free to have religious speech on their run through banners."

2 - Evangelical leaders dine at White House

There is a significant number of Christians who made the choice in 2016 to vote for Donald Trump for President, believing that he was a better option than his opponent.  He has acted strongly on behalf of pro-life policies, has appointed two traditionalist judges to the U.S. Supreme Court, one of which stands confirmation hearings beginning this week, and has been a clear defender of religious freedom.

So, it's not surprising that the White House would invite a number of Christian leaders, about 100 in all, for a special dinner recently.  Religion News Service reported on the occasion.  The report stated:

Calling America “a nation of believers,” President Trump said at the event that they had gathered to “celebrate America’s heritage of faith, family and freedom.”

“As you know, in recent years the government tried to undermine religious freedom, but the attacks on communities of faith are over,” the president said. “We’ve ended it. We’ve ended it. Unlike some before us, we are protecting your religious liberty.”

Reports about those in attendance include a the names of number of Faith Radio programmers, including Jim Garlow, David Jeremiah, Greg Laurie, Eric Metaxas, and Tony Perkins.  Franklin Graham was also in attendance.

The President ended his remarks, according to the story, by saying, "The support you’ve given me has been incredible, but I really don’t feel guilty because I have given you a lot back — just about everything I promised, and, as one of our great pastors just said, ‘Actually, you’ve given us much more, sir, than you’ve promised,’ and I think that’s true in many respects.”

Some of the reporting, including this story, has centered on the apparently non-formal remarks that were recorded and sent to the New York Times, in which the President encouraged those in attendance to make sure their constituents voted and made reference to those that would overturn the gains on religious liberty, "quickly and violently."

1 - California bill that would have limited freedom of speech pulled by sponsor

After the California Senate passed a bill, AB 2943, that could have resulted in the banning of counseling for people seeking to overcome unwanted same-sex attraction and the sale of resources in the state to that end, it looked as if a pending vote in the other chamber, the Assembly, would go in a similar direction; after all, the chamber had originally passed the bill and had to vote again because of Senate changes.

However, on the final day the bill could be passed before being sent to the governor, the sponsor, Assemblyman Evan Low, pulled it from consideration.  The Los Angeles Times reported:

But after religious groups assailed the proposal, calling it a threat to their right to practice their faith, Low went on a listening tour to meet with clergy across the state. Low ultimately decided to pull Assembly Bill 2943 before final approval in the Assembly, he said.

“I believe we are on the side of the angels on this issue,” Low said. “Having said that, in order to get it right, why wouldn’t we want to engage in meaningful, thoughtful, transformational relationships and conversations?”

The article goes on to say:

The bill was staunchly opposed by practitioners and adherents of “conversion therapy,” who argued it deprived adults of the choice to pursue such a practice. Others said the measure infringed on religious practices and could even be used to ban the Bible or other printed materials. The bill was amended to clarify that only services, not goods, would be subject to the law.

Still, faith leaders considered the bill’s language to be overly broad, sparking fears that pastors or church counselors could be subject to lawsuits if they ministered to people grappling with their sexuality.

One of those was Azusa Pacific University chaplain, Kevin Mannoia, who was one of those clergy with whom Low met.  Mannoia had written in an op-ed in the Orange County Register this week, “The breadth of the language in AB2943 will limit the ability of California’s pastors to engage fully with the real struggles of their people,” adding, “Mr. Low has said that is genuinely not his intent. I am hopeful that he and the LGBTQ Caucus may still collaborate with churches and institutions to preserve their freedom of ministry while at the same time protecting LGBTQ people from harm.” In the op-ed, he took a swipe at so called, "reparative therapy," calling into question its effectiveness, which is a position that is certainly not universally held by Christian leaders, especially those who work in the area of helping a person experience freedom in Christ.

Jonathan Keller of the California Family Council stated:

“AB 2943 would have tragically limited our ability to offer compassionate support related to sexual orientation and gender identity, and even to preach Jesus’ message of unconditional love and life transformation.”

The 3 - August 26, 2018

This week's edition of The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes a ruling by a Federal appeals court against an Alabama abortion ban, in which two of the judges criticized the court ruling responsible for making abortion legal in America.  Also, a bill that would have created another gender category for Massachusetts driver's licenses went down to defeat due to some clever action by an opposing legislator.  And, an Army chaplain and his assistant will no longer face charges due to their work in a situation involving a same-sex couple that wished to attend a marriage retreat.

3 - AL abortion ban ruled unconstitutional by Federal appeals court

In 2016, the Alabama Legislature passed a ban on what are called "dismemberment" abortions, which, according to a National Review story, typically occur between 15 and 18 weeks of pregnancy. The law was blocked by a Federal court judge, and recently, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit upheld the lower court decision by a unanimous vote, but what is interesting is that, according to the article, "two of the judges criticized the precedent set by the Supreme Court in the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case."

According to the National Review story:

“In our judicial system, there is only one Supreme Court, and we are not it. As one of the ‘inferior Courts,’ we follow its decisions,” Chief Judge Ed Carnes wrote in the ruling. “Our role is to apply the law the Supreme Court has laid down to the facts the district court found.”

The judge also wrote, “Some Supreme Court Justices have been of the view that there is constitutional law and then there is the aberration of constitutional law relating to abortion,” adding, “If so, what we must apply here is the aberration.” 

The article also stated that:

While the judges acknowledged that the state has an interest in reducing the “gruesomeness and brutality” of abortions, they found that the ban on dismemberment abortions constituted an “undue burden,” under the precedent established by Roe.

2 - Bill allowing additional gender designation on driver's licenses stopped in MA

It looked like that in liberal Massachusetts, adding a third gender choice for driver's licenses would be a slam dunk.  A bill to authorize that had already passed the Senate and was heading for passage in the House, until one representative pulled an incredible legislative maneuver.

The Christian Post reports that...

...the bill was ultimately withdrawn due to the efforts of one Republican Rep. Jim Lyons of Andover, MA, who decided to challenge it on its merits and utilize the legislative procedures at his disposal at a critical time.

Lyons moved to require the chamber to vote on dozens of other gender options in addition to the "X" designation for trans-identified persons the bill originally called for. He put forward 73 amendments, demanding a vote on each of the available genders that he had tallied on Facebook, among them "cis woman," "gender fluid," "gender variant," and "genderqueer."

Andrew Beckwith, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute, told the Post that "Rep. Lyons called their bluff and demonstrated where the logic of this uncoupling of identity from reality ultimately leads..."
1 - Chaplain and assistant exonerated in case of same-sex couple and marriage retreat

Early Friday (August 24), it looked as if Army Chaplain Scott Squires and his assistant, Staff Sergeant Kacie Griffin, were perhaps on their way to a court-martial for "dereliction of duty," because the Chaplain had scheduled a same-sex couple for a marriage retreat other than the one he was conducting, due to his endorsing agency, the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, having a prohibition on its chaplains demonstrating approval for same-sex marriage. Griffin assisted him in the rescheduling process.

But, as the law firm representing them, First Liberty, announced on its website, things shifted on Friday. The site stated:

Today, the United States Army announced that it has rejected the findings of an investigation, and will abandon charges of “dereliction of duty” against First Liberty Institute clients Chaplain Scott Squires and Chaplain Assistant, SSG Kacie Griffin. An earlier Army report recommended Squires be disciplined for following the rules of the Army and taking three business days to reschedule a marriage retreat he was prohibited by his denomination from facilitating.

“We are grateful that the Army has rejected and abandoned these baseless charges,” said Mike Berry, Deputy General Counsel and Director of Military Affairs to First Liberty. “The United States military is no place for anti-religious hostility against its own military chaplains. Chaplains like Scott Squires assistant Kacie Griffin do not have to give up their First Amendment rights in order to serve their fellow soldiers.”

The 3 - August 19, 2018

On this week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is a development concerning an Air Force General's prayer-centered website; the Department of Defense has been asked to investigate.  Also, a controversial bill in California that would stifle freedom of speech concerning God's plan for sexuality has crossed another hurdle. And, Colorado baker Jack Phillips is facing more opposition from a Colorado board, the same one that was called out by the U.S. Supreme Court for hostility toward Jack in the recent case before the high court.

3 - Air Force general with prayer page facing pushback

An Air Force Brigadier General is receiving some opposition to a website devoted to prayer, according to an article on the Los Angeles Times website. The newspaper reports that the website of Brigadier General E. John Teichert is "called 'Prayer at Lunchtime for the United States,' in which the commander says he encourages 'Bible-believing Americans to take time to specifically pray for our nation at lunchtime every day.'"

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation has requested an investigation.  The Times website states:

The foundation has asked the Defense Department to determine whether Teichert’s conduct “interferes with or violates the civil liberties of service-members and civilians under his command” or “the diversity or equal opportunities of service-members and civilians under his command.”

And, true to form, the foundation claims that there have been multiple complaints.

Teichert is the installation commander at Edwards Air Force Base.  The story states:

On his religious website, Teichert goes only by “John,” and writes that he is an active duty brigadier general who has served in the Air Force since 1994, “and who was saved by grace through faith in Christ in 2004.”

“The Lord has blessed his career while burdening his heart with the need for our nation to return to its Christian foundation,” his bio reads.

The website features a prayer list, which includes “President Trump, Vice President Pence, and the Trump administration,” “a return to our Biblical foundation,” “recognition of God’s preeminence in our lives and in our land” and “the unborn,” among others.

2 - California Senate passes bill banning materials offering hope to gay individuals who wish to break free

The bill has been on the radar of a number of Christian groups throughout this year, and the California Senate has now passed bill AB 2943.  The California Family Council reports that...

...AB 2943 is the radical bill from Assemblymember Evan Low and the LGBT Legislative Caucus. With Thursday’s vote, elected leaders told churches and those with biblical beliefs about gender and sexual orientation that advocating for their views could get them sued.

The article goes on to say, "This bill attacks the freedom of Christians...to find the services and resources from counselors, schools, and faith-based organizations that help them live out their biblical convictions regarding sexual behavior and gender identity." It also states, "Legal experts confirm that by targeting financial transactions, AB 2943 threatens religious non-profits, churches, and pastors who provide paid resources to help people practice their faith."

So, materials that point to the Biblical perspective that people who struggle with same-sex attraction or homosexuality would be banned in the state.

However, there is a small ray of hope.  The Senate made some small adjustments in the bill, so it has to go back to the other chamber, the Assembly, which has until August 31 to pass it.

1 - Jack Phillips possibly heading back before Colorado Civil Rights Commission

It looks as if Colorado cake baker Jack Phillips, fresh off his victory at the U.S. Supreme Court that allowed him to decline to provide a cake for a same-sex wedding celebration, may be back before the Colorado Civil Rights Commission again.

The Alliance Defending Freedom website reports that:

On June 26, 2017, the same day that the Supreme Court agreed to take up Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, an attorney asked Phillips to create a cake designed pink on the inside and blue on the outside, which the attorney said was to celebrate a gender transition from male to female. Phillips declined the request because the custom cake would have expressed messages about sex and gender identity that conflict with his religious beliefs. Less than a month after the Supreme Court ruled for Phillips in his first case, the state surprised him by finding probable cause to believe that Colorado law requires him to create the requested gender-transition cake.

The website states: "Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing Phillips and his cake shop filed a federal lawsuit late Tuesday against those officials for doubling down on their anti-religious hostility."

The Supreme Court had already chided the Colorado commission for hostility toward Phillips, and ADF contends that the body is at it again. ADF says:

As the new lawsuit explains, “The Constitution stands as a bulwark against state officials who target people—and seek to ruin their lives—because of the government’s anti-religious animus. For over six years now, Colorado has been on a crusade to crush Plaintiff Jack Phillips…because its officials despise what he believes and how he practices his faith. After Phillips defended himself all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and won, he thought Colorado’s hostility toward his faith was over. He was wrong. Colorado has renewed its war against him by embarking on another attempt to prosecute him, in direct conflict with the Supreme Court’s ruling in his favor. This lawsuit is necessary to stop Colorado’s continuing persecution of Phillips.”

The 3 - August 12, 2018

On this week's edition of The 3, exploring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, a former high school football coach in Washington state has found some support by a legendary college coach and other high-profile people.  Also, a well-known evangelist has had billboards advertising an upcoming crusade in California removed.  And, a Midwestern university has taken strong action against a number of campus organizations, including faith-based groups.

3 - Legendary college football coach stands with high school coach who lost job for praying

Joe Kennedy is the former assistant high school football coach in Bremerton, Washington who, for years, would walk to midfield to pray following games - that is, until the school district stepped in to restrict him from doing so.  Even after he was told not to do it, he believed that he had a constitutional right to pray in the way he did, and he was terminated.

He has gone to court and has been rejected by a Federal district and appeals court - so he has his eyes set on the highest court in the land, according to Tallahassee.com, which reported on former Florida State head football coach Bobby Bowden becoming involved in the case by filing a friend-of-the-court brief in support of Kennedy.  The newspaper's website stated:

The former Florida State football coach has joined members of Congress, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and 12 attorneys general in their effort to have the U.S Supreme Court hear the case of a former high school football coach suspended for praying on the field.

Multiple amicus briefs – including Bowden’s – were filed this week on behalf of Joe Kennedy to the nation's highest court. There is no guarantee the Supreme Court will accept the case that has attracted national attention.

The article also said:

According to his amicus brief on Kennedy’s behalf, Bowden said he believed "no coach should have to set down their faith when they pick up a whistle."

The brief further explained, "In coach Bowden's view, the Circuit Court's opinion jeopardizes an observant coach's ability to impart these life lessons and otherwise strips them of their spiritual identity while in the presence of their student-athletes by categorically eliminating at the public schoolhouse gate their First Amendment rights to engage in any form of religious expression."

2 - Crusade ads removed from Southern California mall

This coming weekend, thousands will converge on Angel Stadium in Los Angeles for the Harvest Southern California Crusade, featuring evangelist Greg Laurie.  But, one attempt to promote the crusade has been eliminated, according to ToddStarnes.com.  Starnes reported that;

Billboards depicting evangelist Greg Laurie holding a Bible were removed from a popular outdoor mall in Southern California after numerous complaints and at least one “serious threat.”

The management of Fashion Island declined to say why they took down the billboards, but the contract between Harvest Crusade and the shopping mall includes a clause about the right not to display any materials that could be construed as “vulgar or offensive.”

The billboards were promoting the upcoming SoCal Harvest gathering – expected to draw tens of thousands of people to Angel Stadium, CBN News first reported.

Todd also reported:

After the initial complaint, the Christian organization revised the advertisements to include only the word “Harvest” with the dates of the event.

Harvest executive director John Collins is quoted as saying, "Then they came back and said they just wanted the ads completely removed and they refunded us..."  Starnes also reported that:

Collins told CBN News. “It’s sad that our culture is at this degree of intolerance…There’s such intolerance against Christianity that we aren’t allowed to state that or to publicly advertise this event. That’s amazing.”

On his blog, Laurie wrote:

We enjoyed working with the Irvine Company and displaying our banners in their amazing malls. I hope to work with them again in the future.

Everybody needs to just relax a little bit. I see images on billboards and displays in stores that I find offensive all the time. I do not complain or boycott. I just think as Christians we ought to have “equal time” and a voice in the marketplace.

1 - IA Christian student group rejects LGBT leadership

The University of Iowa is currently conducting a purge of student organizations that it seems to believe is discriminating against other students. ChristianHeadlines.com ran a story about the Christian organization, Business Leaders in Christ, which, according to the article...

...says it has the right as a religious group to require members to affirm a statement of faith. The controversy began in 2016 when the group refused a leadership position to a gay student because he did not affirm its beliefs.

The article goes on to say:

“The University is discriminating against [us] because of our religious beliefs, while allowing other student groups to form around their shared values and beliefs,” Jacob Estell of Business Leaders in Christ told The College Fix. “We have not changed our mind or caved in to the University’s wishes.”

According to Christian Headlines, "The university stripped the group of its official status, but the group sued and won in court earlier this year. That lawsuit is still pending."  Earlier, the Gazette, based in Cedar Rapids, had reported that:

The University of Iowa has deregistered another 38 student groups after a federal judge found it unequally enforced its human rights policy by kicking off campus a student organization that had barred an openly gay member from becoming a leader.

At least 22 of the newly deregistered groups are organized around religion, culture or ideology.

It looks as if the Business Leaders in Christ lawsuit set off a disturbing series of events, according that publication:

Although merits of the case have yet to be decided, with a jury trial scheduled for March 2019, a U.S. District Court judge agreed BLinC was singled out and ordered the university let the group remain on campus until the legal dispute is resolved.

Before the judge’s ruling, UI attorneys said the school did not proactively enforce compliance with its policy but rather responded only to complaints.

After the ruling, the university in late January and early February reviewed hundreds of its student organizations’ governing documents and found 356 were out of compliance by failing to have the full and correct human rights clause in their constitutions.

That large group has been whittled down to the 38 that have been dismissed from campus, with some Greek organizations having until September 4 to comply.

The 3 - August 5, 2018

This week's edition of The 3, my weekly blog post dealing with three stories of relevance impacting the Christian community, I spotlight a ruling against prayer at the beginning of school board meetings in a district in California.  Also, a women who had encountered a man in the ladies' locker room at a Michigan health club has received a favorable court ruling.  Plus, the U.S. Attorney General has announced a task force to support religious liberty.

3 - 9th Circuit strikes down prayer at beginning of governmental meetings

There does seem to be more confusion about the issue of prayer before public meetings of government bodies. It could have been concluded that the 2014 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in the case involving the town of Greece, New York, may have settled it, but more appeals court rulings have muddied the waters.

Advocates for Faith and Freedom reports on a case it has been involved in, regarding the Chino Valley Unified School District in California.  It states in a recent press release:

...the Ninth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals ruled that the Chino Valley Unified School District board policy that allows invocations before the start of school board meetings is a violation of the Establishment Clause. The Fifth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals came to a different conclusion in 2017 in American Humanist Association v. McCarty.

Robert Tyler of Tyler & Burch, LLP and legal counsel for the district, is quoted as saying, “This requires the Board to censor or otherwise remove individuals who attempt to say a prayer, or anything that might resemble a prayer, during the public comment period,” adding, “Such an overbroad injunction is a clear violation of the right of private citizens to address their local representatives in public meetings and is dangerous to the First Amendment.”

The press release also says:

In 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld ceremonial prayer at city council meetings in Town of Greece v Galloway. In that decision, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy noted the historical significance of such invocations. “Ceremonial prayer is but a recognition that, since this Nation was founded and until the present day, many Americans deem that their own existence must be understood by precepts far beyond the authority of government…,” Kennedy wrote.

During the previous session of the high court, it refused to hear a case out of North Carolina, in which the 4th Circuit had ruled against prayer before government meetings. UPI.com reported:

The Supreme Court's decision not to hear the case leaves in place a lower court's 2017 decision that Rowan County, N.C., commissioners' practice of leading mostly Christian prayers before public meetings and inviting the public to join violates mandated separation of church and state in the First Amendment.

And, earlier this year, the 6th Circuit, in a ruling involving the entire court, according to The Christian Post, ruled "...in favor of a Michigan county's invocation policy for monthly public meetings that allow commissioners to give prayers." The article stated:

In a decision released by the full court on Wednesday, a majority of the Sixth Circuit concluded that Jackson County Board of Commissioners' invocation policy was constitutional.

So, you seem to have different decisions coming up of multiple circuits on similar cases; that could mean the high court will accept one or perhaps more of these in the future.

2 - Court rules in favor of woman in gym dispute

A Michigan woman who had filed a lawsuit against Planet Fitness because of an "unwritten" policy allowing men who identify as women to use the women's locker room received a positive ruling from the Michigan Supreme Court recently.

Liberty Counsel reported:

Yvette Cormier's lawsuit against Planet Fitness was filed in Midland County in 2015 after her membership was canceled because she warned fellow gym members over several days about seeing a biological man, who claims to be “transgender,” in the women’s locker room. Planet Fitness told her that it allows people to use the locker room that matches their “identity.” Midland County Circuit Court Judge Michael J. Beale dismissed the lawsuit in 2016. Cormier then appealed the decision to the Michigan Court of Appeals. The appeals court affirmed Beale's ruling in June of 2016, but Cormier then took her case to the Michigan Supreme Court, which reversed and sided with Cormier.

Liberty Counsel has an interest in this case, certainly: as it states on its website:

Liberty Counsel represents “Mrs. H” whose membership was canceled at Planet Fitness in Leesburg, Florida, because she objected to a man in the women’s locker room.

Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, stated: “This is a safety issue for women who understandably do not want to share a locker room with men. This is also discrimination based on sex and violation of state law. Planet Fitness cannot have secret policies and expect to get away with it..."

1 - Sessions announces Religious Liberty Task Force

The U.S. Department of Justice has sent a strong message to people of faith in America: we hear you and we will defend your First Amendment rights to freedom of religion.  This past week, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the formation of a Religious Liberty Task Force.

The National Religious Broadcasters website reported:

Attorney General Jeff Sessions this week announced, “The Task Force will help the Department fully implement our religious liberty guidance by ensuring that all Justice Department components are upholding that guidance in the cases they bring and defend, the arguments they make in court, the policies and regulations they adopt, and how we conduct our operations. That includes making sure that our employees know their duties to accommodate people of faith.”

This announcement follows previous action, as the website points out: "Per the direction of President Donald Trump in his May 2017 executive order signed on the National Day of Prayer, the DOJ last year issued an extensive guidance for all federal agencies on religious freedom."

Jerry A. Johnson, President and CEO of NRB, stated: “Just one week after the State Department’s historic ministerial, the creation of this new DOJ task force is yet another powerful testament to the seriousness of the Trump administration as it seeks to defend religious freedom,” adding, “I am encouraged by top leaders working to right wrongs against people of faith here in the U.S. and abroad. While such action is common sense to many Americans, it sadly is not to many ‘progressive’ elites.”

I spoke with Jeremy Dys, Deputy General Counsel of First Liberty Institute, about the formation of this task force, as well as two recent incidents involving religious freedom in the military.  You can listen to or download that conversation here.

The 3 - July 29, 2018

In this week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is a development at a Wyoming Air Force Base involving a POW/MIA table, in which a Bible is being replaced.  Also, a group of pro-life sidewalk counselors received a court victory recently.  And, world leaders gathered in Washington in a meeting centered around the topic of worldwide religious freedom.

3 - Bible replaced at table of honor at Air Force Base

A Bible that been displayed at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming as part of a ceremonial remembrance table has been replaced, according to Todd Starnes' website.  Starnes writes:

The ceremonial remembrance table is a tradition that was started after the Vietnam War, according to the Naval History and Heritage Command Communication and Outreach Division.

The table traditionally includes a Holy Bible to represent “faith in a higher power and the pledge to our country, founded as one nation under God.”

Ultimately, it seems another "book of faith" will be used.  Starnes quoted from base commander Col. Stacy Huser, who, in a statement, said:

"One of our focus areas … is increasing the sense of belonging for all our Airmen; a large part of that effort is ensuring the religious and non-religious feel included and cared for. This concern being brought to our attention only helps us work toward meeting the needs of all Airmen. The 90th Missile Wing is scheduled to replace the Bible on the POW/MIA table with a ‘book of faith’ containing spiritual writings and prayers from the five DoD (Department of Defense) Chaplain appointed faith groups and a sixth set of blank pages to represent those who find solace by other means.”

Starnes reports that Bibles have been removed from POW/MIA tables at "Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals from Ohio to Texas to New York." Leading the charge, as he points out, is the so-called Military Religious Freedom Foundation, which Starnes says is a "militant organization that has fought against Nativity scenes, Bible studies and any outward expressions of the Christian faith on U.S. military installations."

2 - Sidewalk counselors in New York win court victory

Throughout America, there are courageous individuals who stand in front of abortion clinics and offer Christ-centered viewpoints on the decision that those who enter are about to make. A group of such counselors in New York, according to the Thomas More Law Center, were the targets of a Federal lawsuit filed by then-Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.

The Law Center's website reports on the AG's press conference, at which he announced the suit against 13 sidewalk counselors and stated that this is “not a nation where you can choose your point of view.”

On Monday (July 23), the TMLC announced a victory in court for the counselors, stating:

In a 103-page opinion issued last Friday evening, U.S. District Judge Carol Bagley Amon rebuked the efforts of the New York Attorney General’s Office to silence sidewalk counselors who regularly assembled outside of Choices Women’s Medical Center (“Choices”), a Queens abortion clinic, to plead for the lives of the unborn.

Attorney Tyler Brooks made these comments: “A radical state attorney general abandoned his duty to enforce the law fairly in favor of pursuing an ideological campaign intended to silence pro-life Christians. The federal court, however, has seen through the State of New York’s efforts and made clear that the free speech of Christians will not be censored simply because some people on the left do not like it.”

The article said that the Attorney General's office...

...alleged that the thirteen sidewalk counselors violated federal, state and New York City laws prohibiting the obstruction of abortion facilities, and harassment and intimidation of women who were seeking abortions. It petitioned the federal court to create a sixteen-foot buffer zone around Choices abortion premises and levy fines, attorney fees and compensatory damages against the Defendants.

1 - State Department hosts event on religious freedom

A special event occurred this past week in the nation's capital - it was called the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, convened by the U.S. State Department and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.  The National Religious Broadcasters website stated that "more than 80 foreign delegations, as well as NRB and other religious and civil society leaders from around the world, gathered in Washington, D.C., at the invitation of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for a Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom."

The story pointed to an op-ed in USA Today, in which he wrote: “Countries that champion individual freedoms are often the most secure, economically vibrant, and prosperous in the world. Religious freedom is an indispensable building block of free societies.”  According to the NRB website, Pompeo also said in his speech on Thursday: “When religious freedom flourishes, a country flourishes.”

The NRB story also reported:

The Secretary of State also announced new funding and programs to advance the cause of religious freedom around the world. In particular, he highlighted a new Potomac Declaration and Potomac Plan of Action. “These documents reassert the United States’ unwavering commitment to promoting and defending religious freedom. They recommend concrete ways the international community and governments can do more to protect religious freedom and vulnerable religious communities,” Pompeo said.

Other speakers included Vice President Mike Pence and U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback.

In a letter, Dr. Jerry A. Johnson, president & CEO of NRB, told Secretary Pompeo: “Religious liberty is a source of strength and stability for societies, and the focus that President Donald Trump and his administration have placed on this core principle sends a powerful message within our nation and to governments abroad.”

CBN News reported that documents emerging from the Ministerial state:

• People ought to be able to change their beliefs, to convert to a new religion.
• Religious communities ought to be able to do things like print, import and distribute literature. 
• Religious speech should not be suppressed under the guise of national security.
• Nations have no right to pick and choose which religions will be tolerated in their countries.
• Blasphemy laws should be repealed.
• Nations should not require people to register their religious beliefs with the state.

The 3 - July 22, 2018

In this week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is news of a guide released by the gay advocacy group, the Human Rights Campaign, which is designed to make accommodation for LGBT individuals and their identity and behavior in local churches.  Also, an American pastor continues to languish in a Turkish prison after his third court hearing.  And, a Federal judge has ruled against Planned Parenthood in its bid to receive funding from Title X grants.

3 - Gay advocacy group releases guide for integration into evangelical Church

Recently, the pro-LGBT advocacy group, the Human Rights Campaign released a "guide" that purports to accept gay practice and identity in the Church.  According to the Christian Post:

Last week, the Washington-based Human Rights Campaign released "Coming Home to Evangelicalism and to Self," a 32-page guide containing resources, advice, and testimonials for evangelical Christians who are "on the journey toward living fully in their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and in their faith and its traditions," according to its website.

The guide features personal stories and practical suggestions from what they call a "wide variety of evangelical voices" in order "to spark new ideas, new dialogue and new courage," citing recent surveys and polling data showing rising support for same-sex marriage among younger generations.

The voices featured all favor more liberal LGBT iterations of the Christian faith, among them Brandan Robertson, Mercer University ethicist David Gushee, and author Matthew Vines.

The article referenced Robert Gagnon's Facebook page, in which he said:

"If 'Coming Home to Evangelicalism and Self' means denying Jesus' teaching on a marital binary and destroying what Scripture treats everywhere as the foundation of God's standard for sexual ethics, then, yes, 'come home' Evangelicals to a world and self-made in your own image rather than God's."

Gagnon, according to his Facebook page, was recently removed from Facebook temporarily due to a post on the upcoming Revoice conference, which attempts to blend affirmation of LGBT identity with Biblical teaching.  He was reinstated.  In that post, he stated seven "consequential concerns."  One of which is:

2. The adoption of terminology for self-identity that cannot be sanctified and inevitably brings in the whole "LGBTQ" baggage ("sexual minority," "gay," "transgender"). This terminology is normally associated with self-affirmation rather than sin and switches the obligation of the church from a call for repentance and restoration to a call for inclusion and diversity that celebrates what should be mortified. The fact that evangelical proponents of the "sexual minority" language are unwilling to use it of those with a pedophilic or polyamorist orientation should tell us all something.

In a piece on the PJ Media website, Tyler O'Neil, an Assistant Editor for the website, who has written for the Christian Post, Breakpoint, and others, in commenting on the HRC guide, says:

Christians must be careful to preserve the teachings of Jesus while extending His grace to those who struggle with these issues. God calls Christians to love LGBT people, but not to affirm LGBT identity, and HRC's "guidance" undermines that crucial mission.

O'Neil also states:

The HRC guide is peddling a falsehood in saying LGBT people can "remain faithful both to God and to their understanding of themselves." No true disciple of Jesus can remain true to his or her psyche — that must go. This is part of what Paul meant when he said, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Repentance from all sin is a fundamental aspect of this transformation. Jesus constantly calls on His followers to repent. Even in the famous John 8 passage where Jesus offers forgiveness to a woman caught in adultery, he urges her to "go, and from now on sin no more" (John 8:11).

Not only does the HRC report conveniently leave out the call to repent, but it also peddles the idea that people are somehow "worthy" in their own right to receive God's grace.

2 - American pastor will stay in prison in Turkey after hearing

American pastor Andrew Brunson, who has been in a Turkish prison charged with terrorism and espionage, has now faced three hearings in front of a court there, and will face another in October, according to WORLD Magazine. WORLD reports:

Brunson lived in Turkey for 23 years and pastored Izmir Resurrection Church. He faces up to 35 years in prison if found guilty. The case was adjourned until Oct. 12.

Turkish judges previously denied his requests for release on April 16 and May 7. In the courtroom, Brunson said the court had no concrete evidence as he denied the testimony of two witnesses who claimed he supported Kurdish militants. “The disciples of Jesus suffered in his name, now it is my turn,” he said, Reuters reported. “I am an innocent man on all these charges.”

The report states that outside the courtroom, a U.S. official said, “Our government remains deeply concerned about his status," and denied that there was any evidence that Brunson had "committed any offense," according to the article.

The day of the latest hearing, President Trump tweeted out: "A total disgrace that Turkey will not release a respected U.S. Pastor, Andrew Brunson, from prison. He has been held hostage far too long."  he President stated that President Erdogan, "should do something to free this wonderful Christian husband & father. He has done nothing wrong, and his family needs him!"

1 - Judge rules in favor of Administration's attempt to cut off one of Planned Parenthood's funding streams

Earlier this year, the Trump Administration had issued new rules governing Title X grants, which, according to LifeNews.com, "fund family planning programs across the country." The article stated, "In February, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services introduced a new grant application that prioritizes sexual risk avoidance strategies, including abstinence. That decision would leave abortion businesses like Planned Parenthood out of the funding equation."

The report said that Planned Parenthood had filed a lawsuit against the new rules, even though no funding has been denied as of yet.  Life News states:

A federal judge has ruled in favor of the Trump Administration and its impending decision to defund the Planned Parenthood abortion business from the Nations Title X family planning program. The Planned Parenthood abortion company has multiple federal funding streams, but cutting off the taxpayer dollars it gets from Title X would zap its second largest source of federal funding.

The article quotes from Students for Life of America President Kristan Hawkins, who said: "Planned Parenthood and abortion vendors seem terrified that people will discover just how easy it will be to live a healthy life without them,” and added, “People make many medical choices that don’t include Planned Parenthood, and the Trump Administration is to be commended for attempting to redirect Title X dollars away from abortion vendors. … The greed of the abortion lobby is on display as once again they go to court to force taxpayers to fund their enterprise.”

The 3 - July 15, 2018

In my weekly post, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, I will be sharing information about some opposition in the United Kingdom to an upcoming Franklin Graham evangelistic event.  Also, a number of church groups were adversely affected by recent unrest in Haiti.  And, Christians are weighing in on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.

3 - Franklin Graham's upcoming event in U.K. dealt promotional blow

Franklin Graham is scheduled to visit the United Kingdom for a Festival of Hope in September in the city of Blackpool.  The task of spreading the word about the evangelistic event just got a bit tougher, according to the Faithwire website, which reports that:

As a result of increasing pressure from LGBT groups, the local governing authorities have decided to remove promotions for the event, which were placed on the side of the town’s buses.

Managing director of Blackpool Transport, Jane Cole, is quoted as saying, "Blackpool Transport is a proud ongoing supporter of the Pride and LGBT+ communities and in no way did we intend to cause any distress or upset,” adding, “All buses carrying the advert will remain off the road until they have been removed.”

The article reported on a radio interview with Franklin Graham on Premier UK, during which he said, “I’m not coming to preach hate, I’m here to preach about a savior, Jesus Christ who can make a difference in our lives if we put our faith and trust in Him,” adding, “We’re not here to preach against anyone, we’re here to talk about God.”  Franklin Graham noted that his father, the late Billy Graham, had received opposition when he went to preach the gospel in the UK.

2 - Church missions groups return from Haiti in wake of protests 

Recently, sections of the island nation of Haiti were plunged into protest as the result of a government proposal to raise the gasoline tax.  This adversely affected individuals and organizations intent on doing ministry there, according to WORLD Magazine, which stated: "A number of U.S. church mission groups stranded in Haiti amid violent protests have returned home as the capital city slowly returns to normalcy."

Groups affected include:

- Cornerstone United Methodist Church in Bear, DE, which had a group of 15 teenagers and five adults return home last Wednesday night.

Also...

- Kensington Church in Troy, MI., posted on its Facebook page Thursday morning that all its missions teams, including a group of high school students, had come back.

- Vermontville Baptist Church in Michigan, according to the story, "canceled a planned mission trip for its members after the U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory for Haiti." The church's pastor, Joseph Benedict, told Grand Rapids TV station WOOD-TV: "We decided that it would be in our best interest to maybe try and find a different place to go or at least keep ourselves out of harm’s way,” adding, “We know that God has a special plan for us. That is secure. But how are we going to get to that point? And that’s why we daily walk with Christ: to figure that out.”

- Plus, on its Facebook page, Montgomery's Frazer Church stated: "...Our missionary families are safe back home and Beryl has been downgraded to a tropical storm...Continue always to pray for Haiti and its many challenges as well as the missionaries there." The post expressed appreciation for prayers.

1 - Christian groups embrace Trump Supreme Court nominee

On Monday night, President Trump announced his nomination of Brett Kavanaugh of the D.C. Circuit Court to replace retiring justice Anthony Kennedy on the U.S. Supreme Court.  According to Bruce Hausknecht, Judicial Analyst for Focus on the Family, writing on the ministry's website, Kavanaugh has "...An originalist and textualist judicial philosophy. He does not believe – and his judicial record backs this up - in legislating from the bench." Hausknecht went on to say, "What we know so far about his 12-year judicial record appears to back up his White House nomination speech. On issues of religious freedom and life and free speech, among others, his court opinions and dissents portray a judge who deeply values our God-given rights guaranteed by the Constitution."

Hausknecht was a recent guest on The Meeting House on Faith Radio.  So was Rachel Alexander, Senior Editor of The Stream.  She visited with me prior to the announcement.  Here's what she wrote about Kavanaugh before he was nominated:

He served in several positions under George W. Bush, including legal counsel. He played a lead role under Kenneth Starr drafting the 1998 Starr Report, which recommended impeaching President Bill Clinton.

In Priests for Life v. HHS, Kavanagh opined that Obamacare’s requirement that Catholic religious organizations provide free contraceptives violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Kavanagh dissented from an opinion that required the government to obtain an abortion for an illegal immigrant teen in U.S. custody. He clerked for Anthony Kennedy.

A number of evangelical leaders and organizations have expressed support of Kavanaugh. The National Religious Broadcasters website reported that in an e-mail to the NRB membership, President and CEO Jerry Johnson stated, "As I said in my statement, filling this vacancy may be a generational opportunity to secure a strong majority on the Supreme Court committed to the Constitution, especially our First Amendment liberties..."

The NRB article added:

In light of the importance of the seat, Johnson urged NRB members to do the following:

1. Pray. “Scripture repeatedly teaches us that we are obligated to pray for governing authorities,” Johnson noted. “Please pray for the Senate as it considers this nomination, and pray for God to strengthen Judge Kavanaugh in the midst of the confirmation process, which is likely to be very difficult.”

2. Personally engage their two Senators, urging support for the confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh. “Write letters, send emails, and call their offices to make your voice heard,” Johnson said.

3. Use their platforms — broadcasting, print, digital, social, etc. — to urge their audiences to become engaged in this confirmation battle. “The involvement of your audiences could make the difference in the confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh,” Johnson stated.

The 3 - July 8, 2018

This week's edition of The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, the clock continues to tick on the bill in California that could chill free speech for those who want to speak truth regarding God's will for sexuality; lawmakers are now in their month-long summer vacation.  Also, there has been a court ruling from Canada in favor of a three people in a polyamorous relationship who have been allowed to legally adopt a child.  And, laws emphasizing our national motto have taken root in a half dozen states.

3 - More time to oppose California speech bill

The California State Senate is now in its summer vacation; that means it will be just about another month before that bill, AB2943, which has already passed the lower chamber, could come up for a vote.  According to the advocacy group, SaveCalifornia.com, on its website: "...On July 2, this unconstitutional bill was sent to the Senate floor without a hearing and without any amendments...On June 12, this anti-freedom, anti-choice bill passed the Senate Judiciary Committee ..."

The website states that: "...AB 2943 would, for all practical purposes, prohibit California adults from choosing to obtain professional, expert counseling to help them overcome their unwanted homosexual desires or gender confusion."

The site also says:

As Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) explains:

At its core, AB 2943 outlaws speech, whether offered by a licensed counselor, a best-selling author, or even a minister or religious leader. It targets a specific message—that an adult who is experiencing unwanted same-sex attraction or gender identity confusion can find help to address those issues—for censorship.

SaveCalifornia.com, the Campaign for Children and Families, has published action steps regarding communication with legislators in the state.  The recess ends on August 6.

2 - Canada recognizes three parents in polyamorous relationship

The potential effect of the redefinition of marriage on child adoption can be clearly seen in a court ruling from Canada.  According to Christian Headlines.com:

Three adults living in a polyamorous relationship can be the legal parents of a child, according to a ruling by a Canadian judge in what is believed to be the first ruling of its kind in the nation.

The case involves two men living with a woman, who is the mother of the child born in 2017, according to the CBC. It was a Newfoundland and Labrador court.

The judge is quoted as saying, "Society is continuously changing and family structures are changing along with it,” adding, “This must be recognized as a reality and not as a detriment to the best interests of the child.”

The piece quotes from ChristianNews.net, which includes comments from Answers in Genesis founder Ken Ham, who said: “Yes, it’s a detriment to the child because there’s only one definition of a true family when God created this institution with one man one woman (Genesis 1&2)..."  He went on to say, “The ‘best interests of the child’ are when they’re taught the truth God created them, they’re made in God’s image and very special, and they have a sin nature so God provided a free gift of salvation for them in God’s Son Jesus who died and rose from the dead.”

1 - Multiple states pass laws to display "In God We Trust"

In 1956, Congress approved a resolution designating, "In God We Trust," as our national motto.  And, there is a move throughout the country for state legislatures to affirm that motto by having it prominently displayed in public schools.  According to the ReligionNews.com website, that move is being led by the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation, an "offshoot" of the Congressional Prayer Caucus.  The site says:

This year, five state legislatures passed laws mandating that every public school prominently display the U.S. motto, “In God We Trust.” The addition of Arkansas, which passed such a law in 2017, brings to six the number of states with public school mandates, including Alabama, Florida, Arizona, Louisiana and Tennessee.

Those laws, mostly sponsored by legislative prayer caucuses in about 30 states, were inspired by the foundation’s 2017 manual known as Project Blitz, a 116-page guide for state legislators listing 20 model bills of which “In God We Trust” is the first.

The story quoted Tennessee state Rep. Susan Lynn, who, according to the article, "sponsored the bill that passed in that state in March..." She said, in a quote from the newspaper, the Tennesseean, included in the Religion News article: "Our national motto and founding documents are the cornerstone of freedom and we should teach our children about these things..."  The Religion News story also says:

Project Blitz writers acknowledge that “In God We Trust” bills may seem symbolic, but they serve a larger purpose, which is to lay the foundation for future efforts.