The 3 - November 27, 2011

This week on "The 3", a couple of stories involve religious expression, including developments regarding freedom of religion in the context of the U.S. military. Also, Presidential politics are found in this week-in-review feature, as some candidates enunciated their positions on certain family-oriented issues. And, with Thanksgiving being celebrated around the nation, we reflect on how American Christians can use this holiday as a opportunity of expressing their faith, as leaders have done in years past.

3 - Cross removed from Army chapel in Afghanistan, Marines face cross removal at Camp Pendleton

The use of religious symbols on U.S. military bases has come under scrutiny within the past few weeks. In the aftermath of a controversy at Camp Pendleton, a Marine base near San Diego, a cross that has provided inspiration for soldiers at an NATO base in Afghanistan has been removed.

First, the Camp Pendleton situation. According to The Christian Examiner, an atheist group called the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers (MAAF) has asked that a cross erected by Marines at Camp Pendleton to honor fallen troops be removed, citing it constitutes an establishment of religion.

The American Center for Law and Justice has become involved, sending a letter to the Camp's commanding officer, saying: "The Constitution does not prohibit honoring fallen troops through the use of a historic symbol merely because that symbol also carries religious significance. In fact, the Constitution forbids excluding religion from every aspect of public life, precisely the goal of the MAAF and other atheist groups.” The Marine Corps is reviewing the issue.

Meanwhile, half a world away, a cross was placed in front of a chapel at Camp Marmal, a German base housing NATO troops in Afghanistan. The interfaith chapel is under the supervision of the U.S. Army. The cross was an inspiration for troops, but the Army says it violates its regulations, which state: “The chapel environment will be religiously neutral when the facility is not being used for scheduled worship. Portable religious symbols, icons, or statues may be used within a chapel during times of religious worship.”

Here is the story from The Christian Post.

Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council charged that the decision secularized a religious building. He said, "There’s a sole purpose of a chapel and it’s to worship."

Some service members quoted in a Politico story felt the removal of the cross was an attack on Christianity:

The two characterized the removal of the cross as an attack on their religion and noted that there had been no complaints from Muslims — there are two mosques on the base — or Jews, who had recently conducted a service in the chapel without incident.

“I really don’t understand why Christians are always attacked. If it was a crescent moon on top of a mosque, it would never be taken down,” said an Army serviceman.

“We would just like to know where the line is. The chaplains wear different religious symbols on their uniforms depending on which religion they are. Is that the next thing to be targeted?” added a second service member.

Without having a knowledge of military precedent, one has to wonder what is at play here. Certainly, as Perkins contends, if the purpose of a chapel is to worship, and Christianity is the religion that is practiced at the chapel, should there be any restrictions on the symbols? Now, if the military has a "no symbol" policy, then those in charge were following the proper regulations - but does enforcement of those regulations constitute the denial of the free exercise of religion?

When the Navy attempted to place inappropriate restrictions on prayer a few years ago, Congress stepped in an overturned the rule. One particular Navy chaplain, who had been court-martialed under the rule and removed from his duties, claims that, since the rule was rescinded, then any action taken against him should also be removed from his record. There are forces at work that would like to place undue restrictions on service men and women who wish to freely live out their faith. The area of religious liberties will probably continue to be a significant source of tension in the U.S. military in days to come, exacerbated by the removal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

2 - Presidential candidates sign pledges

Last week, I cited the Thanksgiving Family Forum as the top news story of the week. In the aftermath of that event, which featured 6 out of the 8 GOP candidates sharing their heart motivation on a variety of issues, 2 of the Presidential candidates, just this week, took steps to try to bolster their standing with regard to family issues.

CitizenLink reports that Texas Gov. Rick Perry became the latest candidate to sign a marriage pledge offered by the sponsoring organization for the Forum, The FAMiLY LEADER of Iowa, promising to stand up for the federal Defense of Marriage Act, remain faithful to his wife, appoint “faithful constitutionalists” to the bench, and reform elements in divorce, tax and welfare laws that currently don’t support marriage.

Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum have also signed the pledge, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has said he would like to sign it, but only if he can make a few modifications first.

The FAMiLY LEADER has narrowed its field of candidates that it would consider endorsing to 4: Bachmann, Gingrich, Perry, and Santorum. Cain and Ron Paul were eliminated after the Forum last week.

Speaking of Cain, after been scrutinized for not signing a pro-life pledge from the Susan B. Anthony list, he actually signed it on Tuesday. The pledge includes promises to appoint strict constructionists as judges, selecting only pro-life people for key Cabinet positions, supporting legislation to permanently end taxpayer funding of abortion through Planned Parenthood and other agencies, and signing a Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act should such a bill reach his desk as president.

Cain had made comments in June, when he declined to sign the pledge, saying that he would sign any pro-life legislation passed by Congress, but that he could not, as president, “advance” it himself. Bachmann, Gingrich, Perry, Santorum and Texas Rep. Ron Paul have also signed the pro-life pledge; the only candidates still in the race who have not are former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman.

The Forum gave voters, many for the first time, the opportunity to hear from candidates regarding how their personal beliefs, including religious faith, played into their policy decisions. These are important elements as Christian voters attempt to prayerfully consider for whom they will cast a vote in the 2012 elections.

1 - Christians celebrate God's blessings on Thanksgiving Day

The Thanksgiving holiday gives Christians the distinct opportunity, in a collective sense, to give thanks to God for His blessings on us and His favor on our nation. When Presidents Washington and Lincoln issued Thanksgiving proclamations, they specifically encouraged Americans to express said thanksgiving TO GOD.

Heritage Foundation President Ed Feulner, in a recent Washington Times piece, recounted that Washington, when he issued a 1789n proclamation, called on all Americans that day to observe a day of “public thanksgiving and prayer” devoted to “the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be.” Lincoln, on the same day, October 3rd, some 74 years later, issued a proclamation, in the middle of the Civil War, calling on Americans to reflect on their blessings AND give thanks to Almighty God. Feulner writes:

Yet President Lincoln paused at this time of unimaginable crisis not only to urge Americans to give thanks, but to note how blessed our nation is. “The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies,” the first sentence reads. He lists those blessings in terms so strong and soaring one could almost forget this was one of our nation’s darkest hours.

He goes on to say that:

The second aspect of Lincoln's proclamation that is sometimes forgotten is the reason given for the holiday. To give thanks, yes, but not just in general - to give thanks to God. “No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things,” Lincoln wrote. “They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.”

So, we have a unique opportunity as Christians to inject gratitude to God into our national consciousness. Even as the priorities seemed to skew more toward staying up really late on Thursday to partake in Black Friday shopping experiences, we must be careful to remember Whom we worship and to give honor to Him. Some honored God by observing the Thanksgiving holiday by sharing in helping the poor and needy, and to provide encouragement to those who need to experience God's joy and peace.

And, Fox News analyst Todd Starnes took our current President to task, pointing out there was no mention of God in his Thanksgiving address. Starnes wrote:

The president said his family was “reflecting on how truly lucky we truly are.”

For many Americans, though, Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on how blessed and thankful they are.

The president said the “most American of blessings” is the “chance to determine our own destiny.”

He called the very first Thanksgiving a “celebration of community."

Mr. Obama did make the proper mention of the contributions of our military men and women, and emphasized the shared experience of living together as Americans. But I believe that the nature of the word, "thanksgiving", implies that there is someone to whom we give thanks, and in a nation founded on Judeo-Christian values and principles, I think it's important that we not shy away from the role of faith in the foundation and sustenance of our great nation.

The 3 - November 20, 2011

This week on "The 3", an emphasis on the Bible factors in to 2 of the 3 stories relevant to the Christian community, including the finals of the three-year-old National Bible Bee and a British observance of the 400th Anniversary of the King James Bible. And, the top story involves a unique display of 75% of the GOP Presidential candidates as they dealt with social issues and their process of making policy decisions in a forum in Iowa.

3 - National Bible Bee finals give young people change to demonstrate Bible knowledge

This weekend in Nashville, the finals of the third annual National Bible Bee were held, spotlighting Scripture memorization and Bible reading comprehension. Contestants had entered three categories: Senior - ages 15-18, Junior - ages 11-14, and Primary - ages 7-10. Over 5,600 students entered the competition from across the nation, and the final 300 gathered this week in Nashville.

The Bee is sponsored by the Shelby Kennedy Foundation, named after a young lady who died five years ago from cancer, and loved to memorize Bible verses. The Foundation provided some $260,000 in prize money. Winners included: Kari Erickson of South Dakota in the Senior category, Bethany Xiques of Florida in the Junior category, and Olivia Davis of Oregon in the Primary category.

According to The Christian Post, the National Bible Bee seeks “to help families strengthen their personal relationships with the Lord and dynamically impact the world as ambassadors of Jesus Christ.” All of the materials and events of the ministry are designed to be “enjoyable and family-centered as they encourage, recognize, and reward diligence in Bible study, Scripture memorization and prayer.”

The National Bible Bee is yet another effort designed to reinforce memorization and study of the Scriptures, challenging young people to learn God's Word. In this age in which Bible literacy has become an area of particular emphasis, events such as this bring a greater awareness about the importance of the Bible and the truths contained within it.
2 - Queen, British leaders celebrate 400th Anniversary of King James Bible

This entire year has been devoted to celebrating the 400th Anniversary of the King James Bible, commissioned by the British monarch in the early 17th Century, bringing together a group of scholars, translators, and theologians to craft a translation of God's Word that would bring a greater level of accessibility to the sacred text and become a crowning achievement of the reign of King James I.

This week at Westminster Abbey, Queen Elizabeth and other members of the royal family attended a special service featuring the Archbishop of Canterbury and some 2,000 worshippers. A copy of the "People's Bible", handwritten by some 22,000 people throughout the United Kingdom, was presented at the special service. Historic copies of the King James Bible were carried throughout the Abbey at the start of the service. The Christian Institute of Great Britain had this report.

According to the report, in the service the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, described the King James Bible as an “extraordinary text” which remains of “abiding importance”. The translation is notable in the way it communicated the message of the texts, as well as the ability to connect with the common people at large. It presented a mix of eloquence and ease of access, and has been established as the standard of accuracy for Bible translations. It's something worth celebrating, and gives another opportunity for an increased awareness of the power of God's Word.

1 - Thanksgiving Family Forum gives insight into faith, family issues

Numerous Republican Presidential debates, featuring the candidates in a variety of settings dealing with a wide range of issues, have given some, a rather limited, amount of insight into candidates' policy proposals. However, the fast-paced formats designed to accommodate a number of candidates leave little opportunity for someone to really see into the heart of those desiring to be elected to the nation's highest office.

So, with the Iowa caucuses approaching the first week of January, in a state where over a third of likely GOP caucus participants self-identify as born-again Christians, you would think that matters of faith would be important to the voters. A pro-family organization called The Family Leader organized a "forum" (not a debate), in order that candidates could answer questions about their belief systems, their factors in making decisions, and positions on issues important to evangelical voters. Moderated by noted focus group leader Frank Luntz, the event included discussions of a variety of what we might call, "heart", issues. 6 out of the 8 Republican candidates were present, the exceptions being Jon Huntsman, whose poll numbers did not meet the minimum threshold for an invitation, and Mitt Romney, who was campaigning in New Hampshire. Here's a report from Fox News.

CNN had this report on the forum.

Some of the conversations included Herman Cain's tearful recollection of his struggle with cancer, and his regrets about not being home more during his business career. Newt Gingrich, whose failed marriages have produced concern for some social conservatives, talked of going to God to seek reconciliation with Him in the aftermath of mistakes. Rick Santorum recounted the faith struggles he encountered after the birth of his now 3-year-old disabled daughter. Rick Perry mentioned the hole in everyone's heart that can only be filled by Jesus Christ. Michele Bachmann recalled her growing-up years and her parents' divorce. And, Ron Paul talked about his experience in "sharing new life" by delivering babies.

The plethora of Republican debates has been helpful for some, damaging for others, and has yielded plenty of sound-bite opportunities. But, if you want to know how these candidates will actually govern and their heart motivation for policy decisions, perhaps a venue like the Family Forum was satisfactory. You'll be able to watch the whole event at www.citizenlink.com.

The 3 - November 13, 2011

This week on "The 3", a 24-hour period of prayer and fasting was conducted in Detroit beginning on Friday night, voters in the state of Mississippi rejected an amendment to their Constitution which would have defined an unborn child as a person, and Christians gathered in America and other parts of the world to reflect on and pray for the plight of the persecuted church.

3 - Thousands pray and fast during TheCall in Detroit

It does seem that wherever TheCall shows up, there is a dramatic, renewed emphasis on revival and spiritual awakening. I think back on the throes of the Proposition 8 contest in California, where over 30 thousand came together in San Diego to pray in order to release God's power on that vote to confirm traditional marriage. In 1999, Lou Engle, inspired by the Promise Keepers "Stand in the Gap" event, began to develop plans to bring hundreds of thousands of young people to the National Mall in Washington, and in September of 2000, an estimated 400,000 gathered to call upon God.

In 2007, on 07.07.07, over 75,000 people gathered in Nashville to pray and fast together for God to do a profound work. On 11.11.11, TheCall came to Ford Field in Detroit for 24 hours of prayer and fasting. The event began at 6:00 on Friday night and continued through 6:00pm Saturday. The Detroit News estimated the attendance at 25 to 30 thousand at 7:00pm Friday...that publication claims its reporters were not allowed inside. But, here is their report.

Even though there were some local ministers concerned because of what some referred to as an anti-Muslim sentiment, which obviously will raise eyebrows in an area with a significant Muslim population, TheCall's focus was to proclaim Jesus and to promote an avenue of healing, based on God's Word. The Christian Post provided this story. When thousands of God's people participate in this type of effort - what some would call radical, but I believe would best be termed Biblical Christianity - it can have an incredible effect, changing the hearts of those He calls His own, and bringing a sense of His presence to a community and region.

2 - Mississippi voters reject Personhood Amendment

The results are in, and the amendment that was on the ballot in Mississippi, defining "personhood" from the moment of fertilization, failed by a 58 to 42% margin. While this is the second state where such an amendment has failed, the margin was much closer than in Colorado, where a similar measure has been defeated twice. Here is a report from LifeNews.com.
Baptist Press had this coverage.

For many, the "personhood" concept presents a strong statement about the sanctify of life, and I think the whole process helped people to consider their view of the unborn. A number of pro-life, pro-family organizations, including Family Research Council, Liberty Counsel, the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, and the Mississippi Baptist Convention, supported the measure. Filmmakers gave their support, such as Jon and Andy Erwin of "October Baby", which was brought into theaters by the American Family Association to support the personhood vote, and Ray Comfort, whose ministry sent out 600,000 e-mails with a link to his provocative video, "180", depicting people changing their minds on abortion. One tweet Wednesday morning basically described "personhood" as a new civil rights movement.

But, as we experienced even in Alabama when a personhood measure was being considered by the Legislature, and in Mississippi and other states, there are a significant number of pro-life individuals and some pro-life organizations that are not on board with such an amendment. National Right to Life and American Life League are two of those. There are some that would fear unintended consequences, such as the case of a pregnant mother whose life is in danger and a pregnancy is terminated...would there be legal ramifications in that situation? Some opponents believe that the amendment would be certain to be struck down as unconstitutional, and fear that if such a case were to make it to the U.S. Supreme Court that it would not be strong enough for the justices to overturn Roe v. Wade, therefore strengthening that decision. A number of pro-life advocates fear sending strong pro-life measures to the court system because of the current judicial atmosphere. And, these are valid concerns.

Many embrace the strategy of electing more pro-life lawmakers into Statehouses and Congress, and electing a pro-life president who would be certain to appoint justices to the U.S. Supreme Court who would view Roe as a dubious decision with questionable constitutionality, and would vote to overturn it. To some, "personhood" represented an "all-or-nothing" strategy, while many pro-lifers believe that "incrementalism" more effective. Yes, there are valid points on both sides.

The upside of the defeat of the Personhood Amendment in Mississippi is that the visibility of the referendum, you would hope, brought a new awareness of the issue of when life begins, as well as a fresh view of the sanctity of life. And, as of Tuesday, there were 6 other states where pro-life advocates are working to put a Personhood Amendment on their ballots - Florida, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, Nevada and California. A bill was pre-filed for the 2012 session of the Alabama Legislature that would include similar language to the Mississippi amendment.

This is a key issue in our culture, because our view of the sanctity of life will also color our positions on other issues, as well as the way that we regard others - if we believe that every life is beautiful, every life a gift of God, then the way we behave toward others can be radically transformed.

1 - International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church commemorated worldwide

The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, observed on Sunday, November 13th this year, is an opportunity to stand together in prayer for those who are facing suffering for the cause of Christ around the world. Open Doors is one of the leading sponsors, but there are many other organizations who are in partnership for this day to help bring awareness of the tremendous needs.

One of the dominant areas in which there is much concern for Christian persecution is in nations throughout the Middle East, where governments that are either fundamentally Islamic or lean that way routinely deny Christians their freedom to practice their faith. This has been seen in nations such as Iraq, where it is estimated that half of the indigenous Christians there have fled due to persecution and threats. Another nation is Eqypt, where the Coptic Christians have clashed with fundamentalist Islamic factions. And, we hear of reports out of Pakistan, where their blasphemy laws have placed some Christians under the threat of a harsh sentence for speaking out against Islam and converting to Christianity. And, in Afghanistan, even though their new constitution was framed with the assistance of the U.S. Government, there are many who embrace Sharia, or Islamic Law, which provides for a crime of apostasy, or converting from Islam to another religion.

On The Meeting House radio show this week, Mindy Belz, Editor of WORLD magazine, shared about Sayed Musa, who is now in exile in an undisclosed location, but was facing charges of apostasy. You can read the article here, and listen to the interview below.



Another high-profile area of persecution is on the continent of Africa, especially in and around the nation of Sudan. For years, the persecution of Christians has been prevalent inside Sudan, and now with the new nation of South Sudan that was established earlier this year, it was hoped that Christians could freely and safely practice their faith there. It came to our attention earlier this week from Samaritan's Purse that prayer was needed for over 20,000 refugees from Sudan that have entered the nation, and conditions are bleak due to a shortage of food and other supplies. Then, word came on Thursday that Sudanese extremists had dropped 4 bombs on the camp. Here is a report from Samaritan's Purse on this latest violence.

Open Doors has initiated the "One With Them" campaign to remind us to pray and stand with those who are facing various forms of persecution, including imprisonment and even death because they are Christians. Find out more at www.onewiththem.com. And, visit www.persecutedchurch.org for more information on the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.

The 3 - November 6, 2011

A wide variety of topics on this week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature. Churches across America are joining with various organizations to bring awareness to the plight of orphans and the opportunities to help meet their needs through support and even adoption. Also, as so many are gearing up for National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child, beginning next Monday, November 14th, a rather disturbing series of events has emerged at the Air Force Academy. And, in the top slot, religious liberties became a topic before the U.S. Supreme Court, where the justices let stand a lower court ruling against privately-funded roadside crosses on state property.

3 - Churches commemorate "Orphan Sunday"

It was an effort that was inspired in the African nation of Zambia and has now spread to the United States and other parts of the world - an effort to increase the awareness, among Christians, of the plight of orphans. It's called "Orphan Sunday", marked by a special emphasis in churches in some 45 states and a special Sunday evening webcast.

The Christian Post shared this story.

"Orphan Sunday" was originated as the result of an American visitor's observation in a church service in Zambia, where the pastor passionately called the congregation to care for orphans in the local community, which had been ravaged by AIDS and poverty. Even though members of the church faced deep needs, they stepped forward to contribute to a special offering to care for orphans.

According to Christianity Today, "Orphan Sunday" has become a catalyst for what the publication calls a “burgeoning orphan care movement", quoting event organizers, who also cite the most recent "State of Giving Report" from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), in which three of the top four categories for increased giving over the past two years have been directly related to adoption and/or orphan care.

"Orphan Sunday" is co-sponsored by the Christian Alliance for Orphans and Cry of the Orphan. A number of Christian organizations, such as Focus on the Family and Steven Curtis Chapman's effort, Show Hope, are involved in the observance. Across the nation, Christian families are embracing the call of Scripture, according to James 1:27 to "look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (NIV)

2 - Operation Christmas Child out at Air Force Academy, turned over to chaplains

This is that wonderful time of year as churches are encouraging their members to participate in the tremendously effective effort to reach out to needy children around the world, Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan's Purse, an international relief organization headed by Franklin Graham. Samaritan's Purse has built a track record of being very efficient and prompt in its response to disasters all around the world.

Well, it seems that some of the leadership at the U.S. Air Force Academy, seeing the quality work that is being done through this annual shoebox effort, encouraged their students to participate, or at least made them aware of the opportunity. But, true to form, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation filed a complaint, saying that the Academy leadership crossed the line. The Academy backed down and issued an apology. The responsibility for administering Operation Christmas Child on the campus now rests with the chaplains, and in a sense, that's OK, because the amount of publicity this story is receiving may result in an even greater response that it would have been.

Todd Starnes of Fox News issued this report.

Here's how the local newspaper, The Colorado Springs Gazette, treated the story.

This year, Operation Christmas Child is expecting to reach 8 million children around the world. Apparently, the Foundation had a beef with the fact that a Christian message is included within the shoeboxes. On The Meeting House program on Friday, November 4th, Stuart Shepard of CitizenLink, an affiliate of Focus on the Family, based in Colorado Springs, discussed the way the so-called "Establishment Clause" of the First Amendment has basically been twisted to be interpreted as an "acknowledgement". In fact, check out the audio from Stuart.

Is it so outlandish for a Christian charity to presenting its Christian principles in the work that it does? The Air Force Academy was not "establishing" anything by announcing the opportunity or even encouraging this effort. But, there has become such a stigma with a government entity being associated with anything religious. So even the mere presence of a gospel message, inserted in the shoeboxes during the distribution process, not by the cadets themselves, becomes, as the head of the organization said, "arrogance"? Can people not think for themselves, or does it take an organization like the MRLF to help filter religious information that they find inappropriate or in conflict with their own religious views? And, yes, those who attempt to silence Christians in the name of religious tolerance are, in effect, establishing their own religion - the religion of secular humanism - and are denying the free exercise rights of Christians and those who choose to support them, which, you know, can include government-related organizations.

1 - Supreme Court rejects appeal, Utah roadside crosses must come down

"Today the [Supreme] Court rejects an opportunity to provide clarity to an establishment clause jurisprudence in shambles..."A sharply divided Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit has declared unconstitutional a private association's efforts to memorialize slain police officers with white roadside crosses, holding that the crosses convey to a reasonable observer that the state of Utah is endorsing Christianity. The 10th Circuit's opinion is one of the latest in a long line of 'religious display' decisions that, because of this court's nebulous establishment clause analyses, turn on little more than 'judicial predilections."

Those are the words of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarance Thomas, calling for a review of the application of the so-called "Establishment Clause", in light of the hodgepodge of court rulings involving religious expression. The 10th Circuit decision served to prohibit the display of the Utah roadside crosses by a private organization, and the Supreme Court decided not to review it.

Here is UPI.com's analysis of Thomas' dissent and some insight into religious liberty cases.

The phenomenon of different types of rulings from different appeals courts can be seen in the issue of student-led prayer, which has flared up again in Alabama in two different school districts, where complaints have been filed seeking to eliminate prayers on the P.A. systems prior to high school football games. Appeals court decisions in the Santa Fe case out of Texas, and even the Chandler case out Alabama, indicate that prayers prior to football games, even it student-led and student-initiated are not constitutional, if the taxpayer-funded P.A. system is used. Eric Johnston of the Southeast Law Institute discussed the issue in a recent appearance on The Meeting House.

In fact, the high Court has rendered differing decisions on displays of the 10 Commandments in separate cases. You have to wonder if the application of the Utah decision regarding roadside crosses could also affect the display of crosses in cemeteries nationwide, such as the hallowed ground of Arlington outside Washington. Again, we're facing a redefinition of "establishment" to mean "acknowledgement". And this is the thinking of those who are attempting to remove the words "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance and to choose another national motto, rather than "In God We Trust" - that motto, by the way, was upheld this week by practically the entire U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 396-9. Because there is such as strong influence of the secular humanism agenda that has been embraced in so many corners of our government, including the courts, there has been an erosion of the religious liberties of students and others who would want to speak about their faith publicly in events that are sponsored by these entities. And, school districts, for instance, that are cash-strapped, do not have the budgets to defend themselves against the small number of complainers, so they capitulate. In order to have some definitive answers, it takes governmental officials who have the courage, the resources, and the public support, to stand up against this erosion.

The 3 - October 29, 2011

The importance of speaking Biblical truth into the culture is highlighted in the 3 stories I have selected for this edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature. A New Jersey teacher is facing disciplinary action for a personal post on Facebook regarding her school's celebration of gay history, a new movie that has gone viral online is helping to spread the truth about the sanctity of life, plus Federal law that defines marriage as one man for one woman marriage is being challenged in court and Congress.

3 - New Jersey teacher under scrutiny for personal Facebook post on homosexuality

We have been tracking this trend where people who express their honest views on homosexuality, in many instances consistent with Biblical truth, are ostracized and even face punishment. This took place recently in Florida, where teacher Jerry Buell was temporarily suspended because of personal views about the gay marriage vote in New York, which he posted on his Facebook page. In a sense, history repeated itself in New Jersey, where teacher Viki Knox is now being investigated because of personal comments she made on Facebook concerning her opposition to the commemoration of a gay and lesbian history event at her school. Sure, she expressed that the celebration glorified immoral behavior, and that's how the Bible describes it, too. Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey spoke out about the incident, taking the side of the school district, and saying that Ms. Knox's views were "disturbing".

Here's a report from the Family Research Council.

But, it seems in the eyes of some, those that believe that homosexuality is an incorrect lifestyle choice and speak out about it are the immoral ones. We're continuing to follow incidents in the corporate world where those that hold to a Biblical view of homosexuality are facing repercussions, such as the situations involving 2 organizations that had their apps removed from the iPhone store and companies that were encouraged to withdraw from a Christian shopping cooperative that benefits charities because of the views of some of the charitable organizations, such as the FRC and Focus on the Family.

But, when the Christian school hosting a special event for Americans for Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH) was vandalized by having 2 brick pavers with threatening message thrown through their glass doors, a prominent pro-gay organization refused to label the action a "hate crime", essentially saying that AFTAH and their friends got what they deserved. So, there are those that are begging for "tolerance" who are exhibiting extreme intolerance themselves.

2 - Provocative pro-life film goes viral on Internet, spreads to campus

Recently, Ray Comfort, founder of the ministry Living Waters and co-host (with Kirk Cameron) of the "Way of the Master" TV program, appeared on my radio show, "The Meeting House", to discuss a new video project that he has released called, "180".



In the midst of producing a documentary regarding the life and activities of Adolf Hitler, Ray began to ask a very challenging question, and the movie shows the way that young people - on-camera - changed their position on the abortion issue. During its first month of release, there have been some 1.2 million online views, qualifying for "viral" status, and this week, some 200,000 DVD copies of "180" were distributed on college campuses across the nation. Here is a report from LifeNews.com.

Ray Comfort is quoted as saying: “I am so thankful that people are open to change. While there are some who are very angry at us for making this movie, others are very thankful and write to tell us their story.”

Tony Miano, the coordinator of the massive giveaway said, “Emails have been pouring in from students around the country who not only took the DVD, but took the time to watch it.“ ‎

This is another example of how the God of creativity is using technology to communicate His truth. You can learn more by visiting www.180movie.com.

1 - DOMA under fire in U.S. Senate, Federal court

In 1996, Congress overwhelming passed the Defense of Marriage Act, which was signed into law by then-President Bill Clinton. Now, 15 years later, there are attempts to negate DOMA, which defines marriage in the U.S.A. as one man for one woman. This week, we have seen two fronts on which it has been challenged - in Congress, where it was announced that next week the Senate Judiciary Committee is due to consider legislation that would repeal the long-standing law, and in the courts, where a group has filed suit on behalf of same-sex military members, who just received a victory in the finalization of the repeal of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

It really became just a matter of time before there would be an attempt to legalize same-sex marriage in the military. The suit is challenging the right of same-sex partners to extend their benefits to each other and their children, according to an article in The Christian Post. Of course, there have been other lawsuits filed challenging DOMA, including one that resulted in a Massachusetts court declaring DOMA to be unconstitutional. We recognize there is a dedicated effort to legitimize homosexuality and to institute same-sex marriage through whatever means possible, and it's important that as Christians, we are dedicated to speaking truth consistent with the Bible regarding the activity and consequences of homosexual behavior.

The 3 - October 23, 2011

This week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature, includes a non-decision from the U.S. Supreme Court on a state law involving a "moment of silence". Also, a victory for religious freedom in actions concerning a Veterans' cemetery in Houston where there have been reports of religious references being suppressed. And, in the number 1 slot, Presidential politics and important issues to evangelical voters making the headlines and generating discussion this week.

3 - Illinois moment of silence in public schools upheld

While American law over the past few decades has attempted to place restrictions on the rights of religious expression by students in public schools, some states have acted to enact legislation that would allow for a so-called "moment of silence" at the beginning of the school day. While this period is not for the expressed purpose of prayer or silent reflection, it still allows for those who wish to pray to do so.

Interestingly enough, when Alabama attempted to establish a moment of silence, the law was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court, in the 1985 decision known as Wallace v. Jaffree. In that case, the High Court decided that Alabama legislators did not have a secular purpose for their law, since proponents had declared that their objective was to return prayer to the public schools.

In Illinois, even though the law is called the Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act, proponents wrote into the law the stipulation that the "moment of silence" would not be conducted as a religious exercise, in other words - a secular purpose. It is truly sad how far we have come when lawmakers have to write legislation that allows prayer, but then has to say that the vehicle allowing the prayer is secular.

Last year, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, when hearing the challenge of atheist Rob Sherman, defended by Michael Newdow - yes, the one who tried to take "under God" out of the Pledge of Allegiance, decided the moment of silence in Illinois did not violate the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The judge writing for the majority in the appeals court also stated that the law did not single out one particular religion and served that secular purpose.

According to a report by the Illinois Family Institute:
"Matthew Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, believes the federal courts have made the right call. 'A moment of silence does not endorse a religion contrary to the First Amendment. A moment of silence is just that -- a moment for a person to pray or meditate or do nothing. They are not forcing anyone to pray or not to pray. It's an accommodation of people who may choose to use this time for prayer.'"

Also, Judge Manion of the 7th Circuit "drew that distinction between the Alabama and Illinois statutes, saying that Illinois had 'offered' a secular purpose for their law, namely, 'establishing a period of silence...to calm the students and prepare them for a day of learning.' Illinois joins Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia in requiring a dedicated 'moment of silence' at the beginning of the school day."

And, while these states do offer the opportunity for prayer in a more official time that is set aside, students have broad rights to engage in religious conversation and activity on their own throughout the school day, as well as in non-instructional time, when Christian clubs can meet, with the same access as other school-sanctioned organizations.

2 - Houston veterans' cemetery case regarding religious discrimination settled

A controversy involving religious expression at the Houston National Cemetery has been simmering for months, and just this week, a proposed settlement agreement was accepted by the U.S. Veterans' Administration (VA). The Houston Chronicle had this report on the proposal.

Local groups had accused VA officials of limiting some forms of religious speech, including references to "Jesus" and "God", at special services at the cemetery. One instance involved local pastor Scott Rainey, who took the cemetery to court after he was asked to remove the name of Jesus Christ out of his planned Memorial Day speech. A Federal judge upheld his right to say the name, and he did so on that special holiday.

This case hopefully sends a strong message to Federal agencies who attempt to limit the First Amendment rights of free speech, freedom of expression, and freedom of religion. Veterans in the Houston area were bold to speak out about instances where they saw attempts to restrict the free speech rights that so many American service men and women had paid for with their lives.

1 - Candidates' positions on life, faith come under scrutiny

The issue of abortion and its role in the contest for the 2012 Republican Presidential nomination came to the forefront this week in light of comments by GOP frontrunner Herman Cain, when pressed for answers by Piers Morgan on the issue of abortion in cases of rape and incest. Apparently, what Cain had intended to say was that in those cases, families should have the right to make a decision without government interference. This is consistent with a view of many pro-lifers that abortion should be illegal, except in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the mother's life. But, many interpreted the comments more broadly, and sensed that Cain might be less pro-life than some had previously thought.

Cain attempted to clarity his remarks on Piers Morgan, as well as on "Meet the Press" on Sunday, with a statement on his website. His comments centered around his perception of the role of the President, who he said does not have the authority to "order" anyone not to seek an abortion.

The discussion of Cain's pro-life credentials can also be broadened to include the other candidates. CitizenLink, in a piece on the Cain controversy, shared a brief summary of the GOP contenders' views on abortion:

Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann had made statements similar to some of Cain’s in the past — that life is a fundamental right, and she is 100 percent pro-life “from conception” — without backing away. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman said he supports a right-to-life amendment and making second-trimester abortions illegal. Texas Gov. Rick Perry opposes federal funding for abortion and thinks it should only be legal in the case of rape, incest or to save the mother’s life. Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich said the government should “stop forcing pro-choice morality on religious organizations.” Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum says no abortion should be legal, even in the case of rape or incest. Texas Rep. Ron Paul has said he supports legislation defining life as beginning at conception and that abortion is murder, but also that abortion laws should be made at the state level and that emergency contraception allows for individual moral choices to be made. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney used to support abortion and now says he believes “in the sanctity of life from the very beginning until the very end.”

According to The Christian Post, candidates who visited the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition banquet on Saturday night attempted to appeal to evangelical voters, as they highlighted their positions on abortion and gay marriage. 6 out of the 8 major candidates spoke - the exceptions were Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman.

The issue of the candidates' religious beliefs is another topic that has been generating some press coverage, and Christianity Today published an excerpt of a particular part of the Tuesday night Presidential debate, dealing with the comments of First Baptist/Dallas Pastor Robert Jeffress' comments at the Values Voter Summit relative to Mitt Romney's Mormonism:

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who are both Roman Catholic, argued that faith says a lot about a candidate.

“It's a legitimate thing to look at as to what the tenets and teachings of that faith are with respect to how you live your life and how you would govern this country,” Santorum said. “With respect to what is the road to salvation, that's a whole different story. That's not applicable to what the role is of being the president or a senator or any other job.”

Gingrich offered a similar view. “None of us should rush in judgment of others in the way in which they approach God,” Gingrich said. “But I think all of us would also agree that there's a very central part of your faith in how you approach public life. And I, frankly, would be really worried if somebody assured me that nothing in their faith would affect their judgments, because then I'd wonder, where's your judgment -- how can you have judgment if you have no faith? And how can I trust you with power if you don't pray?”

Texas Gov. Rick Perry simply said his faith is ingrained. "I can no more remove my faith than I can that I'm the son of a tenant farmer," he said.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, as a Mormon, faced public resistance to his religion during his 2008 run for the nomination. The issue has only recently haunted his candidacy this cycle, highlighted again with comments made by a Southern Baptist pastor--and Perry supporter--Robert Jeffress’ that ignited a controversy at a summit hosted by the Family Research Council.

"I don't suggest you distance yourself from your faith any more than I would,” Romney told Perry. “[But] the founders of this country went to great length to make sure -- and even put it in the Constitution -- that we would not choose people who represent us in government based upon their religion, that this would be a nation that recognized and respected other faiths, where there's a plurality of faiths, where there was tolerance for other people and faiths.”

Romney took advantage of the topic to criticize “the concept that we select people based on the church or the synagogue they go to,” which he called “very dangerous and an enormous departure from the principles of our Constitution.”

Romney added, “With regards to the disparaging comments about my faith, I've heard worse, so I'm not going to lose sleep over that.”

In an op-ed for the Washington Post published Tuesday, Jeffress said critics were attempting to eliminate a discussion about religion from political discourse, arguing that “our religious beliefs define the very essence of who we are.

One anticipated topic of conversation in the weeks to come, I believe, will be the extent to which a candidate's religious faith should influence our decision about whether or not to vote for him or her. I commonly ask candidates how their religious faith affects their decisions - I want to know if a person's beliefs will guide his or her decisions on policy matters, rather than be kept separate. While the Constitution says there is no religious test for the office of the President, I still would feel more comfortable with someone who says that their decisions are guided by that faith.

Now, other factors are there, such as competency and experience - and I would rather elect a non-Christian who reflects my values and has a competent track record than a professing Christian in whom I could not place confidence that he or she could do the job. And, it is true that we are not electing a "clergy-in-chief", but isn't it contradictory to say that we would like Godly people to run for office and then turn around and state that a candidate's faith doesn't matter?

The 3 - October 15, 2011

This week's edition of "The 3" highlights a new study from a government agency that provides some encouragement for Christians as we reinforce the message of abstinence. Also, the U.S. House voted - again - to prevent tax dollars from funding the abortion industry. And, the top story involves communication between the President, his Administration, and some evangelical leaders.

3 - New CDC study on teenage sex reveals encouraging stats, Christian magazine examines young adult sexuality

This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a study regarding teenagers and their sexual habits and attitudes. The percentage of teens ages 15-19 that report having had sex has declined since 2002, when the last study was released, and the CDC reports that the percentage of females who have engaged in sexual activity has declined from 51 to 43 percent since 1988. Overall, 57 percent of girls and 58 percent of boys ages 15-19 said that they had never had sex. Of course, this means that greater than 4 in 10 teenagers have been involved in sexual activity. Of those who said they had never had sex, 41 percent of girls and 31 percent of boys chose "against religion or morals" as their main reason for not having had sex. Teenagers were least likely to choose "don't want to get a sexually transmitted disease" as the reason for not having had sex, the CDC said.

Baptist Press published this analysis.

Richard Ross, co-founder of the True Love Waits abstinence movement told Baptist Press that, "Adults have to decide whether teenagers are like barnyard animals, incapable of moral decision-making and at the mercy of primal urges," and went on to say that, "Adults who tend to believe that assume all we can do is try to prevent some of the consequences of their amoral behavior."

Early True Love Waits leaders stood in opposition to that sentiment and instead told teenagers, "We have great respect for you. In the power of the Spirit, we believe you are perfectly capable of choosing values, making promises and keeping those promises," Ross said. He cited the Obama Administration and Department of Health and Human Services, who question the effectiveness of the abstinence message, yet, "...the government's own Centers for Disease Control reports annually that rates of teenage sexual activity have dropped every year since True Love Waits and the broader abstinence movement came on the scene. Perhaps the Administration is making decisions based more on an ideology than on research."

Valerie Huber, executive director of the National Abstinence Education Association, said the study shows the sexual risk avoidance message is "not only resonating but also making a difference in the lives of youth." Huber expressed concern that the rate of condom use is increasing, but so is the rate of sexually-transmitted diseases: "...we must examine the connection between increased condom use and rising STD rates among teens. In an administration that professes to embrace science, these findings beg serious questions that need to be addressed with objectivity and for the health of our youth."

But, once young people exit the teen years, there is a great temptation for them to be involved in sexual activity, as the cultural and relational pressures are having an impact on young adults, especially young adults. Relevant magazine is examining the tendency of evangelical young adults to be caught up in premarital sex, even renouncing earlier pledges to stay pure. Here is an overview from the CNN Belief blog. According to the blog post,

Relevant theorizes about why it’s so hard for so many young Christians to wait, including the saturation of sex in popular culture, the prevalence of pornography and a popular “do what feels good philosophy.”

Yet the article also asks a question that rarely comes up in discussions about abstinence movement. Relevant notes that in biblical times, people married earlier. The average age for marriage has been increasing in the U.S for the last 40 years.

So, we can be encouraged that the teen sexuality statistics are showing that the idea of abstinence, consistent with a Biblical perspective, is working for teens. But, we can be concerned that young adults are seemingly showing a lessened amount of resistance - in fact, Relevant cited a December 2009 study, conducted by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, which included information on sexual activity. I think that the results may be a bit skewed, for whatever reason, but while the study's primary report did not explore religion, some additional analysis focusing on sexual activity and religious identification yielded this result, according to Relevant: according to the study, 80 percent of unmarried evangelical young adults (18 to 29) said that they have had sex - slightly less than 88 percent of unmarried adults. So, it becomes a challenge for churches in their college, career, and young adult ministries to continue to reinforce the message that God's design for sex is that it is for marriage, and is (still) worth waiting for.

2 - Obama meets with evangelical leaders, Administration officials preview new movie on global poverty

The same week that the President was continuing to make the case for not amending the health care law to include safeguards against tax dollars funding abortion, he was meeting with a group of evangelical leaders at the White House. While the issue of abortion was not part of the conversation, and participants touched on same-sex marriage and the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", the meeting with representatives of the National Association of Evangelicals covered a wide range of issues, including religious freedom. The group did commend the President on his support for Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who is facing a death sentence, and reportedly discussed matters of the right of religious organizations to adhere to a set of hiring standards, even while receiving Federal funds, as well as immigration reform.

According to writer Sarah Pulliam Bailey, who wrote for the Religion News Service, and whose story was published in the "On Faith" section of the Washington Post:

One participant in the meeting said Obama and NAE leaders acknowledged a “respectful disagreement” over same-sex marriage, and NAE officials advocated for the right of military chaplains to voice their opposition to homosexuality following the repeal of the Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell policy.

The NAE represents 40 denominations across some 45,000 local churches, and extends a request to meet with the president each year, according to NAE President Dr. Leith Anderson. This is the first time Obama has accepted. One could say that the acceptance of the invitation to the meeting was timed to coincide with the President's re-election campaign, as Obama hopes to peel off some evangelical voters, as he did in 2008, when around 1 in 4 born-again, or evangelical voters, went with him, according to exit poll data reported by Christianity Today.

According to the same report, the Wednesday meeting came on the heels of a Tuesday night screening of the new movie on global poverty called, "58". Leaders from several Christian agencies, such as Compassion International, World Relief, Food for the Hungry and International Justice Mission met with members of the Administration to watch the film and discuss ways to help the poor.“Poverty is no longer an abstract issue,” Todd said. “I think the risk in the current climate is that it becomes politicized. It’s not. It’s always been bipartisan.”

Stephan Bauman, president and CEO of World Relief, the NAE’s affiliated humanitarian arm, said that Christian agencies hope to see continued funding through President Obama’s Feed the Future program. Scott Todd of Compassion International, told Bailey that an upcoming study from the Barna Group suggests that 20 percent of Protestants and 16 percent of Catholics have traveled abroad on some form of ministry or mission trip. Christians under 35 are 50 percent more likely to give to causes to eradicate extreme poverty, the study suggests.

Tony Neeves, Producer of the "58" film, will be a guest on my radio show, The Meeting House on Monday, October 17th.

1 - House passes Protect Life Act, removes taxpayer-funded abortion from health care law

Even though it faces a certain Presidential veto and an uncertain future in the U.S. Senate, the so-called Protect Life Act was passed by the U.S. House this week. This represents a long-term solution in the new health care law to the issue of abortion. The Hyde Amendment prevents tax dollars from funding abortion, and this Act is designed to settle the issue in the health care legislation on a permanent basis. CitizenLink, an affiliate of Focus on the Family, had this report.

The Administration promised that the President would veto the bill, stating that it would infringe on the reproductive rights of women. But, then the White House referred to the Executive Order regarding taxpayer funding of abortion, signed by the President on the day the health care bill passed in order to attract votes from Democratic House members who had been regarded as pro-life - they essentially deemed the Protect Life Act as unnecessary. So, why not have Congressional certification of the content of the Executive Order, if the Order actually does what its proponents say it does? The day after the vote, legal experts said that the Order had no authority, and pro-family advocates have identified the language in the health care law as providing for taxpayer-funded abortion, which is an element that has clearly been supported by the Obama Administration.

The 3 - October 7, 2011

This week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature, includes some activity from the nation's highest court with respect to employment policies of religious organizations, 2 activities that attracted thousands of women over the weekend, and an event that drew the leading Presidential candidates, making their appeals to "values voters".

3 - Ministry employment before the high court: World Vision retains freedom to hire and fire, Lutheran school case has major implications

The fall session of the U.S. Supreme Court convened earlier this week, and a couple of cases dealing with religious organizations' employment policies have attracted some attention - one case that the high court did not rule on, but allowed a lower court ruling to stand, and another in which the high court held oral arguments on Wednesday.

The case the court did not hear was Sylvia Spencer et. al. vs. World Vision, a case where 3 former employees of the large Christian missions organizations claimed their employment was wrongly terminated because of their refusal to sign a statement of faith. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld World Vision's position, and its President Richard Stearns was relieved, saying: "Today's action by the U.S. Supreme Court represents a major victory for the freedom of all religious organizations to hire employees who share the same faith--whether Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, or any other religion." He went on to say that, "I am pleased, relieved and gratified with the court's action. After four years of litigation, we at World Vision U.S. may now put this matter behind us, and continue our policy of hiring Christians."

Here's a report from Christianity Today.

And, this past Wednesday, the court held oral arguments in the Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School vs. EEOC. This is a complicated case that deals with something called the "ministerial exemption", basically exempting churches and ministry organizations from some aspects of employment law. A number of Christian and religious groups have sided with the school in this case, fearing that a ruling against the school could open ministries up to potentially detrimental intrusion by the Federal government. The case centers around a former teacher at the Hosanna-Tabor school who developed some health issues and was dismissed. She believes her dismissal was unfair based on the Americans with Disabilities Act, but the school did not believe that she was performing her duties capably due to these health limitations, therefore in her case, they exercised a "ministerial exemption", which allowed the school to circumvent the ADA restrictions and terminate her employment. The government is arguing that the teacher does not qualify for such an exemption.

Here is an excellent summary from The Christian Post.

Again, this case could test the limits of how far the government might intervene in the employment policies of a religious organization.

2 - Women gather coast-to-coast to worship and grow - Sarah Palin headlines conference at Liberty, Women of Faith stops in Portland

It was quite the weekend for conferences, including 2 high-profile Christian events oriented toward women. One of those took place at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, where some 10,000 women, a sellout crowd, attended one of the extremely popular Extraordinary Women conferences (also known as "E-Women"). The President of E-Women is Julie Clinton, wife of the President of the American Association of Christian Counselors, Dr. Tim Clinton, and the E-Women conferences are staged at a variety of venues each year.

The Lynchburg event had as its keynote speaker a rather familiar name in American politics and evangelical Christianity, former Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, who announced definitively this past week she would not be seeking the Presidency. Here is a report from the website NewEraProgress.com, of Amherst, Virginia.

According to a press release, "The 2011 Extraordinary Women 'Everlasting Hope' tour also includes New York Times best-selling authors Lysa TerKeurst and Donna VanLiere, and noted Bible teachers Jennifer Rothschild and Carol Kent, along with inspiring music from awarding-winning Christian artists, Michael O'Brien, Meredith Andrews, Jeremy Camp, and Female Vocalist of the Year, Francesca Battistelli."

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Portland, Oregon, scores of women flocked to the Rose Garden arena to attend another in the 2011 series of Women of Faith conferences. Women of Faith has built a solid reputation for offering women high-quality speakers and passionate worships, and this year, attendees heard from Patsy Clairmont and Marilyn Meberg, two of the longstanding WOF speakers, as well as Sandi Patty, Brenda Warner, wife of former NFL star Kurt Warner, and former "Facts of Life" star Lisa Welchel, along with music from Mandisa, Selah, and the Women of Faith worship team.

Not only were women congregating at large venues in the U.S. this weekend, but some 13,000 Christian leaders were treated to high-profile speakers such as Andy Stanley and Mark Driscoll at the annual Catalyst conference in Atlanta. Here's a report from The Christian Post.

1 - Values Voter Summit encourages, equips, and informs

And while tens of thousands of Christians spent time in arenas over the weekend, the event that received the most coverage in the mainstream media was no doubt the Values Voter Summit in Washington, DC, sponsored by the Family Research Council and its partner organizations. The purpose of the Summit annually has been to inform and equip people who desire to have a greater voice in the public square and even the political arena, and while a number of speakers and workshops helped to facilitate that goal, the most significant aspect of the Summit, which enjoyed its largest attendance in history this year, at over 3000 people, was the presence of 7 GOP Presidential candidates.

And, attendees to the Summit participate in a Presidential Straw Poll. Interestingly enough, Ron Paul, the Republican with strong Libertarian leanings, won his first-ever Summit Straw Poll, with 37% of the overall vote this year. In second place, with 23% of the vote, was Herman Cain, and Rick Santorum had 16%. Mitt Romney, who finished third last year - behind Rep. Mike Pence and Mike Huckabee - finished with only 4% of the votes cast. According to CBS News, FRC President Tony Perkins was somewhat skeptical of Paul's strong finish, citing some 600 tickets that were purchased by Paul supporters, who left after their candidate spoke. Perkins told a press conference, "Let me just take you back four years to this event, when we had a straw poll. Mitt Romney won that straw poll...I think people are still in the process of deciding where they want to go."

The candidates were joined by a number of other high-profile speakers to compile a motivational lineup, underscoring the importance of casting ballots and communicating boldly with respect to the values upon which this nation was built - values consistent with Biblical truth.

And, there was a bit of a sideshow at the Summit, when the Pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas, Dr. Robert Jeffress, who introduced Texas Governor Rick Perry, basically said to the media that Mormonism is not considered a branch of Christianity, that Mormonism is considered a "cult", and that evangelicals should not support Mitt Romney. This has put the other candidates in a difficult position, especially those, like Perry, Cain, and Bachmann, who are considered to be the evangelicals in the race, as they were asked if they agreed with the pastor's position, which is actually held by a significant number of mainstream Christians. Here is a story from The Christian Post on the controversy. But, I think this is an issue that Christians will have to deal with - if someone believes Mormonism is a cult, which many Christians do - then can that person in good conscience support Mitt Romney as a candidate? And, if you hold to the belief that voting is a God-given right, and you face a choice between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, what will we do? If we believe that Obama has an agenda that stands in such stark contrast to our deeply-held Christian values, then would and could we support anyone else, no matter what their religious beliefs? Just a few questions that I believe that many, including myself, are pondering at this time...

The 3 - October 1, 2011

This week's edition of "The 3" reminds us of the persecution that Christians are facing in various nations of the world, including a number of Middle Eastern nations, one of which is the home of a pastor who faces death because of an apostasy charge. Also, military chaplains continue to face pressure in light of the reversal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, and new guidelines allow for chaplains to perhaps perform same-sex marriage ceremonies. And, the top story involves a new film from a church in Georgia that is making its entry on over 1100 screens across America.

3 - Iranian pastor faces death sentence

Another high-profile religious persecution instance is attracting national attention, as an Iranian pastor faces the death sentences on charges of apostasy.

According to The Christian Post, pastor Youcef Nadarkhani...

was arrested on Oct. 13, 2009, after protesting the government's decision to force all children, including his own Christian children, to read the Quran.

He was initially charged for protesting but the charges were later changed to apostasy and evangelism to Muslims. In 2010, he was sentenced to death and the ruling was upheld by the Supreme Court of Iran this year.

The Iranian government's official news agency is disputing reports about the pastor facing the death sentence, basically charging Western journalists with distorting the facts. The agency, Fars, is now saying the pastor was involved in extortion and even rape. However, Youcef's attorney says that he has been defending the pastor against the apostasy charge only, and is unaware of any other charges. This week, the pastor reportedly had refused to recant his faith in order to avoid the death sentence.

Christian leaders are speaking out against the threat to the pastor, which is being whitewashed by the state-controlled media in Iran. For instance, Franklin Graham is quoted as saying:

It is unfathomable to most thinking people that a person in the 21st Century can be put to death simply for espousing a faith that differs from that of his nation's ruling powers.

Iran is listed as the 2nd worst persecutor of Christians, according to Open Doors USA's World Watch List. And, as news about this case continues to disseminate, it reminds us that the reckless actions of the Iranian government, from placing pressure on Christians and other non-Muslims to developing weapons of mass destruction, call for stern international response.

2 - Military makes allowances for same-sex marriage ceremonies

The consequences of the lifting of the military's ban on openly gay behavior are continuing to unfold. We may have had a glimpse into things to come when it was announced earlier this year that the U.S. Navy had offered guidelines for hosting on-base same-sex marriage ceremonies. Opponents of this action cited that it would be a violation of the Federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and the military relented...then.

Now, the Pentagon has announced new guidelines, similar to what the Navy announced and then withdrew a few months ago, which would allow same-sex marriage ceremonies to be performed on military bases and allow military chaplains to perform such ceremonies on- or off-base. According to the Family Research Council, this not only contradicts DOMA but so-called "military DOMA" language found in the Defense Authorization Bill recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. According to the Wall Street Journal:

The ceremonies must not be official Defense Department events and can't be held in violation of local laws.

So, what the Department of Defense is apparently saying is that in states where gay marriage is allowed, these ceremonies could be performed. And, DOD officials are saying the guidelines don't mention "marriage" specifically. I have to ask, if a military base is considered to be Federal property, wouldn't the Federal Defense of Marriage act would be in effect, trumping the state law for these matters?

The agenda is clear, and it was underscored by none other than President Obama in his speech to leading gay activist group, the Human Rights Campaign, on Saturday night, calling for a "big America", as he continued his month-long effort to mobilize and energize constituencies that have been loyal to him in the past. Here is the Politico report.

In the name of tolerance, the full-court press to legitimize the gay lifestyle is being carried out in the political and economic arenas, where there is an attempt to marginalize those that hold to the view of traditional marriage that is consistent with the truth of the Bible - one man for one woman.

1 - "Courageous" scores on over 1,000 screens

The initial box-office estimates have been posted for the latest film from Sherwood Pictures, "Courageous", and Box Office Mojo puts it like this:

Sherwood Pictures' Courageous scored $8.8 million from just 1,161 theaters for a strong per-theater average of $7,580. That's up from the studio's last movie Fireproof ($6.8 million), though the average was off just a bit. The opening ranks fifth all-time for a Christian movie, and only trails The Passion of the Christ and the three Narnia movies. Courageous scored a rare "A+" CinemaScore, and the audience was 53 percent female and 77 percent over the age of 25.

Made outside of Hollywood without any major stars, Courageous managed to fly under most radars (including my own) until very recently. It's unfair to ignore the vast majority of church-going Americans for whom typical Hollywood fare isn't of great interest, though, and Sherwood Pictures has impressively found a way to mobilize this subset of the population. It will be interesting to see if Courageous can hold as well as Fireproof did when it went on to earn $33.46 million, or nearly five times its opening weekend, in 2008.

I actually went back and looked at Fireproof's opening weekend and did a little comparison of competition - Fireproof was the lone family-friendly offering that placed in the Top 10 that weekend in 2008. And, that is not to diminish the feat of finishing fourth on its opening weekend. The #1 movie that weekend was Eagle Eye, and other releases that weekend included Nights in Rodanthe and Igor.

With respect to Courageous, who would have thought that The Lion King would continue to shine at the box office, especially with the Blu-Ray release coming up on Tuesday? The family-friendly Dolphin Tale vaulted into first place this weekend - a film that has actually seen some marketing to the Christian audience. It's quite incredible that 3 out of the top 5 this weekend were family-oriented films (yes, I would definitely put Courageous in that category, even though the violence involved in the police melodrama yielded a PG-13 rating).

Locally, several churches bought out entire theaters (including my home church, with whom I saw the film for the third time today). There were reports of showings being sold out at the local theater, and the local action squad partnered with a local Chick-Fil-A restaurant to have a tent and display area outside the theater where moviegoers could place their comments on a display board and find out about resources available in order to follow up on the film. A local church also had a tent where first responders could receive a free voucher for 2 people, along with popcorn and a drink. All in all, Courageous has become a unique opportunity to communicate Biblical truth, to share some sobering facts about the importance of a godly father, and to challenge those who would see it to evaluate their lives and relationships with their family members.

The 3 - September 24, 2011

This week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature pointing out 3 stories of relevance to the Christian community, begins with the departure of a high-profile, yet controversial pastor from the church he founded, in order to devote more time to travel and to pursue new opportunities. Also, this week, a Christian charitable agency announced that it will no longer operate, leaving thousands who have depended on the low-cost food that it had provided searching for new sources of assistance. And, a group of Christian leaders took their message to churches and computers over the weekend, encouraging Christians to demonstrate Christ's character by making sound and "right" moral choices.

3 - Rob Bell steps down from Michigan pastorate

He's been an "out of the box" pastor for some time now, having founded a church in Michigan some 12 years ago, delighting readers and viewers with challenging and creative works. But, many thought that he may have pushed the envelope too far with his latest book, called, "Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived", which explored heaven and hell, who goes there, and how to get there. Even though the book was a best-seller, it still proposed some questions and advanced some principles that made a number of evangelical leaders uncomfortable.

Mark Galli, Senior Managing Editor of Christianity Today, shared this analysis of Bell's book on The Meeting House on August 25th:



Galli is the author of "God Wins: Heaven, Hell, and Why the Good News is Better than 'Love Wins'".

Bell has now announced that he will be stepping down from his position as Senior Pastor of Mars Hill Church in Grandville, Michigan. The CT website had this release about Bell's decision. While it is unclear if the dubious success of "Love Wins" contributed to the decision, the church's release was complimentary and seemed to be supportive of Bell's new endeavors, which will apparently include speaking and development of resources. He'll be speaking in a nationwide tour starting in November.

"Love Wins" was a book that questioned some truths that have been embraced by Christians since, well, the time of Jesus. Jesus taught extensively about hell during His earthly ministry, and I believe the Scriptures make it clear about the atonement of Christ and its sufficiency for our salvation. One of the leading criticisms of Bell's book was that it seemed to teach that you could go to heaven without accepting Christ and that ultimately everyone gets there. But reviewers struggled with what Bell was actually saying. One of the positive aspects of "Love Wins" is that perhaps it gave the opportunity for us to examine our own beliefs about these questions of heaven and hell, and to provide a Biblical perspective on these important eternal destinations in conversations with those who might be confused or doubting.

2 - Angel Food Ministries announces its closing

The economic conditions of the past 3 years, that have resulted in a greater scope of needs for families across our nations and have forced families to reevaluate their spending habits, have claimed a high-profile charitable victim. This occurrence could result in thousands of families in need looking to other sources for help.

Angel Food Ministries, which provided groceries to families in bulk at a significantly lower cost than they would pay at grocery stores, could no longer keep up the pace and has announced that it will no longer operate. There were some other issues, such as an FBI investigation, and increased legal fees, that contributed to the organization's demise, according to this extensive article from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Angel Food was founded 17 years ago by Monroe, Georgia pastor Joe Wingo and his wife, Linda. The idea was to buy food at a discount and then sell and distribute the food through a network of churches and volunteers. He would also provide a small donation back to the churches for their participation. Reportedly, some 5000 churches in around 45 states across America have been outlets for Angel Food. Now, thousands who have come to count on this monthly food delivery will have to examine other sources and pay a greater amount for their groceries during strained economic times. We can pray that perhaps God will raise up another ministry that will do a similar work and intervene in the lives of needy families.

1 - Colson, Christian leaders call on Christians to "Do the Right Thing"

Chuck Colson, the White House insider who turned into one of America's leading evangelicals, has said that the country is in an "ethical mess", and has built a Christ-centered message about the mess into a movement. The Colson Center for Christian Worldview sponsored a webcast that was hosted by a number of churches across the U.S. on September 24th. The webcast was based on a curriculum developed by the Center called, "Do the Right Thing", and featured a number of high-profile Christian leaders, including Colson and Dr. Robert George from Princeton University, who co-authored the Manhattan Declaration with Colson and Dr. Timothy George from Beeson Divinity School. Del Tackett, who developed "The Truth Project", and "Bonhoeffer" author Eric Metaxas were also part of the special event.

The Christian Post had this report.

Colson is hoping for Christians to be involved in an "ethics revolution", stepping up to do what's right even in the face of powerful temptations and incentives to do wrong. The Center has released a 6-part DVD series, dealing with topics such as:
How did we get into this mess?
Is there truth or a moral law that we can all know?
If we know what is right, can we do it?
What does it mean to be human, and why does it matter?
Ethics in the Market Place, and
Ethics in Public Life.
Colson encourages Christians to be actively introducing and discussing ideas consistent with absolute truth in the midst of a morally relativistic society, not in a way that is confrontational, but propositional. I believe that Christians who are living their lives to the glory of God, in obedience to Him, believing the Bible's teaching that there are indeed right and wrong actions, can make a powerful statement to the world around us as we simply do the right things and take the right actions.