The 3 - October 28, 2012

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

3 - Circuit courts issue decisions on Planned Parenthood funding

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amy Sullivan of The New Republic:

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

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

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

1 - "The Nines" instructs, inspires Christian leaders

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 3 - October 21, 2012

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


3 - Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rallies scheduled across America 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2 - Texas cheerleaders win in court - again

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 3 - October 14, 2012

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2 - Children charged under Pakistan blasphemy law

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1 -  Record number of pastors participate in Pulpit Freedom Sunday

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

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

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

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

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

The 3 - October 7, 2012

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

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

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

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

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

Here is the coverage from the Christian Examiner.

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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


1 - Catalyst conference attracts thousands of church leaders to Atlanta

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

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

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

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


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


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

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

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

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

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

And that's just day two...

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

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

The 3 - September 30, 2012

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

3 - World leaders invoke spiritual themes

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

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

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

According to Rosenberg,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

According to a piece in Baptist Press,

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

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

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


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

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

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

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


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

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

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

The 3 - September 23, 2012

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

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

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

Manning writes:

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

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

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

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

What does Gnosticism teach?  According to Watchman Fellowship: 

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

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


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

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

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

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

Liberty Institute President Kelly Shackelford is quoted as saying:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 3 - September 16, 2012

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

The 3 - September 9, 2012

This week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature, includes: a Sunday night event in Charlotte, North Carolina, that is intended to encourage Christians to get involved in voting.  Also, from Charlotte, this week the Democratic National Convention took place there, and there were some "faith moments" at and surrounding the event.   The top story involves some good news in 2 instances in the Middle East where there has been religious persecution:  a pastor in Iran is now free and a teen in Pakistan has been released on bail.

3 - Christian leaders prepare for iPledge Sunday

The Faith and Freedom Coalition reports that 17 million evangelicals sat out the 2008 Presidential election. 

If Christians vote their values, it can make a significant difference in the outcome of elections. 

With that concept in mind, the Family Research Council and American Family Association have teamed up to present an impressive lineup of faith leaders in the iPledge Sunday event, originating from First Baptist Church of Charlotte on Sunday night.  Speakers including Tony Perkins, former Senator Rick Santorum, Bishop Harry Jackson, Kirk Cameron and other key Christian leaders are participating in  a 90-minute event celebrating Christian citizenship and exhorting Christians to rise up on Election Day to make their voices heard.   Hundreds of churches have signed up to be simulcast sites.

The goal is to mobilize Christians across America to pledge to: 
Pray for the upcoming election. 
Prepare by registering themselves and others. 
Participate by voting on November 6.

For more information, you can go to www.IPledgeSunday.org.   The website contains links to resources that can help encourage congregation members to get involved.   And, there's a link to a website called, www.IVoteValues.org, which offers information on conducting a voter registration drive in your church. 

There is also a voter registration site, which is a joint effort of a number of Christian public policy organizations - it's www.commit2vote2012.com.
 
2 - God, Jerusalem debated at Democratic convention; other faith elements present

The Democratic National Convention this week in Charlotte had some significant moments for pro-life and pro-traditional marriage Christians, as a litany of speakers affirmed their support for abortion and so-called "women's rights".   This really is a departure from the prevailing attitude of the administration of former President Clinton, who declared that abortion should be "safe, legal, and rare".   And, with the newly declared support of same-sex marriage by the Democratic standardbearer and the inclusion of that support for the very first time in the party platform, the national party and its supporters have made an intentional shift.  

On top of those instances, the party platform no longer contained the name of God, as it had in years past.   Party leaders attempted to rectify that by including language about "God-given potential".   And, in the same resolution, language recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was inserted in to the platform.  When the vote was taken, even though audio and video indicated that the numbers were fairly evenly split between those favoring the changes and those not in favor, the person in charge, the mayor of Los Angeles, determined that a two-thirds majority had been gathered in approval.  

The Christian Post headline read, "DNC: Christian Leaders Comment on Night 'Dems Booed God".


Jeff Myers, President of Summit Ministries, is quoted in the article as saying that his first reaction was "shock", and went on to say:

"I have many Democrat friends who believe in God and I guess it was a big wakeup call that the leadership of the party, those selected to be its representatives at the national level, are so anti-God...It answers a lot of questions about why faith-based organizations are receiving such hostility from the administration. People are policy."

LifeWay Research President Ed Stetzer was also quoted:

"Democrats are often seen as anti-faith – the 'God gap' has been widely polled and reported...That DNC floor moment did not help, particularly if the campaign desires to reach out to the evangelical community. They were very aggressive in reaching out to evangelicals in 2008 but much less so now – and this will make it harder."

Stetzer felt it was important to note that the vote to reinstate the position that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel should not be confused with adding the phrase "God-given" back into the text of the Democrats' party platform.

In other news concerning the DNC, the convention concluded with Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who is regarded as perhaps the nation's highest-ranking Catholic, bringing the closing prayer, as he had done at the Republican Convention.   And, he included language on the sanctity of life and religious liberty.   He said, “Grant us the courage to defend life…waiting to be born, welcomed & protected."  He also prayed that God would, “Renew in all our people a profound respect for religious liberty, the first, most cherished freedom."

Prior to the convention, there was a major faith event in Charlotte, organized by area church leaders.   Some 9,000 people gathered for "Charlotte 7:14", which was intended to call people together to pray for our nation.  


1 - Religious freedom victories:  Iranian pastor, Pakistani teen released

Some major news out of the Middle East regarding religious freedom this week:  Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who had been in prison approximately 1000 days for refusing to renounce his Christian faith, was released over the weekend.    According to WORLD Magazine, quoting the American Center for Law and Justice, the pastor was suddenly acquitted of apostasy charges. 

The ACLJ reported that the pastor had appeared in an Iranian court on Saturday for an almost 6-hour hearing on the charges brought against him.  In the end, his charges were reduced to evangelizing Muslims, and he was released with time served.   There had been a report that new charges might be brought against the pastor, but this weekend's events represent a sudden and welcome change of direction, the answer to thousands of prayers from around the world on Pastor Youcef's behalf and a possible response to international pressure calling for the pastor's release.   For whatever reason, he is now a free man, and there is celebration around the world.

And, there is celebration for the release of a young Pakistani girl who had been imprisoned under Pakistan's blasphemy laws because she had allegedly defaced an Islamic holy book, perhaps a Koran.  Unfortunately, she was released on bail, not unconditionally set free - her bail of over $10,000 in U.S. dollars was paid by a Pakistani advocacy group.  This past week, it was announced that the teenager, who has some sort of mental impairment, was allegedly framed by a local iman, who himself was arrested under the blasphemy laws.

These laws have been roundly criticized by other world governments, saying that they inhibit religious freedom.  Reuters reports that the laws have led to unrest, and even the death of opponents:


Last year, Punjab province governor Salman Taseer was shot dead by his bodyguard for suggesting the law be reformed.  Taseer had been defending a Christian woman, Asia Bibi, who was jailed on blasphemy charges. She is still in jail on death row.

Two months after Taseer's murder, Minister for Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti, a Christian, was killed by the Taliban for demanding changes to the law.

In 2009, 40 houses and a church were set ablaze by a mob of 1,000 Muslims in the town of Gojra, in Punjab province. At least seven Christians were burned to death. The attacks were triggered by reports of the desecration of the Koran.

Two Christian brothers accused of writing a blasphemous letter against the Prophet Mohammad were gunned down outside a court in the eastern city of Faisalabad in July of 2010.



These instances underscore the atmosphere that has apparently been created by the enactment of these laws.  But, the events of this week should provide Christians with motivation to be in prayer for those who are facing persecution, and should provide reinforcement for governmental leaders who have been speaking out in favor of religious freedom around the world.

The 3 - September 2, 2012

This week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature, includes some "Good News" out of a Federal appeals court concerning a Christian afterschool program.   And, the Republican National Convention had a number of Christian, pro-life, and pro-family leaders attending and participating in events.   The top story involved Christian involvement with people in need along the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Isaac.

3 - Court favors Christian club meeting after school

Some good news this week out of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.  Here's the backstory:  Child Evangelism Fellowship offers Good News Clubs, an after-school meeting for children ages 5 through 12.  And, under the law, if a school is offering other clubs the change to meet on school property after school, then under the principle of "equal access", a Christian or religious club can likewise meet on school grounds. 

This has given CEF the opportunity to establish the Clubs on campuses all across America, including the state of Minnesota, where the Minnesota Public Schools Community Partners has allowed the clubs to meet for some 12 years.  However, 3 years ago, an employee of one school district claimed that the club is "proselytizing", according to a report on the CitizenLink web site.   The district had removed CEF from its after-school programs in the 2009-10 school year and CEF had sued the schools for violating its constitutional right to free speech.

A lower court originally ruled that CEF’s message was sponsored by the school district, and therefore could not include prayer. On Wednesday, August 29, a three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that decision.   Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, is quoted as saying: “The law is crystal clear. Christian viewpoints are constitutionally protected. Public schools must provide equal access for Christian viewpoints and Christian clubs.”  In this case, the Federal court reinforced the law on allowing Christian clubs to meet on school property when other clubs and organizations are given the same access.

2 - Pro-life, faith element present at RNC

The storm-shortened Republican National Convention concluded in Tampa on Thursday night with Mitt Romney's acceptance speech.   And, among those in the Bay region for the Convention were a number of people who support the sanctify of life.  According to The Christian Post, a gathering on Thursday morning, sponsored by the Susan B. Anthony List, Concerned Women for America, Americans United for Life Action, and Citizenlink, an affiliate of Focus on the Family, honored a number of pro-life women, including New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte, Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, Lt. Governor Rebecca Clayfish of Wisconsin, and Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.    It was called a "Celebration of Pro-Life Women Leaders", and was intended to support life and to make the case, essentially, that to be pro-life is not to show opposition to women, as some would contend.

Bachmann was also among the honorees at a "Treasure of Life" event on Tuesday, hosted by Phyllis Schlafly, founder of Eagle Forum, and Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council, recognizing  Rep. Bachmann, Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas, Texas Governor Rick Perry and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum for their advocacy for the unborn.  The Post had this report.

With a nominee that is committed to protecting the lives of unborn children and with passionate pro-life people among the party faithful, the Republican Party has attempted to position itself in alignment with the majority of the American people, who would be characterized as pro-life.   The Party included a plank in its platform calling for a Human Life Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, that would ban abortion, except in very rare cases. 

Prior to the convention, there was also a prayer meeting featuring a number of high-profile Christian leaders, according to CitizenLink.  Held at a Tampa church on Sunday afternoon, Bishop Harry Jackson, Tom Minnery of CitizenLink, Pastor Jim Garlow, and others were all part of the event, which was called a "Prayer Rally for America's Future".  More than 2000 people attended to offer prayer for the future of our nation.

1 - Christian ministries respond to Isaac damage

And, across the Gulf while the Republican Convention was progressing in Tampa, there were millions of people who nervously watched a major weather system as it intensified.   Despite the comparisons to Katrina some 7 years ago, Hurricane Isaac was a different sort of storm, and the Southeast Louisiana area, which was believed to be the target of the wrath of Isaac and was the hardest-hit region, was a different sort of area, having learned valuable lessons in storm preparation from the events of that August in 2005.

Southern Baptists from around the South were on standby and mobilized to respond when the storm hit.  According to Baptist Press, Tom Long, the southeast region coordinator for Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief, said:

"I think this truly shows what the Great Commission is all about as far as reaching out to our own communities in our area," Long said. "Then the support we have as Southern Baptists from all across our convention, the gathering together of our workers and teams, has been tremendous. No matter what kind of problem may come up, we're able to respond and respond quickly."

Southern Baptist Disaster Relief was active in helping in the areas of feeding, cleanup, chaplaincy and childcare for the victims of Isaac.   Samaritan's Purse and their sister organization, the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team, were also active in the region, where there were just a handful of deaths, but hundreds of thousands left without power, and extensive flooding and widespread damage.

Perhaps hardest hit was Plaquemines Parish in Louisiana, and the Rapid Response Team was deployed there, according to this piece from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website.    Samaritan's Purse is ministering in the Biloxi and New Orleans areas and seeking volunteers at www.samaritanspurse.org.

A crisis gives Christians tremendous open doors to share hope and comfort in Jesus Christ - sometimes it will involve doing some home repairs, often it will involve a listening ear and a compassionate word.    These and so many other Christian organizations, churches, and individuals who are responding in the aftermath of Isaac do so much to share Christ's love and advance God's Kingdom.

The 3 - August 26, 2012

On this week's edition of "The 3", there was a lot of interest in the new game show based on knowledge of the Bible, and initial indications are that it made a significant impact.   Also, as Republicans face uncertainty about the weather in Tampa and a cancellation of the first night's activities, the proposed party platform has some clarity on life and marriage.  And, a major evangelistic event in Southern California over the weekend included those attending live, people watching on the Internet, and churches gathering to experience the event remotely.

3 -"The American Bible Challenge" brings largest GSN audience ever


This past Thursday, the greatly anticipated game show, "The American Bible Challenge" premiered on GSN, formerly known as the Game Show Network.   The show features teams of 3 people who answer Bible questions, playing for their favorite charities.   After a nationwide screening, 18 teams were chosen to be part of the first season.   The program is hosted by comedian Jeff Foxworthy, who has game show experience with, "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?", and who is a Christian who speaks about his faith.

Thursday night, the premiere yielded GSN's highest viewership in its 17-year history, according to entertainment website Deadline.com.   It brought in 1.7 million total viewers, easily besting the previous high of 1.2 for a 2003 documentary called, "Big Bucks: The Press Your Luck Scandal".

The show's executive producers are Michael Davies, who was executive producer of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire", and Tom Forman, creator of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition".  Consultant producers are Nick Stuart and Maura Dunbar of Odyssey Networks. 

Maura Dunbar visited with me on The Meeting House just prior to the premiere:
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 "The American Bible Challenge" airs Thursdays at 7pm Central on GSN.



2 - Party platform affirms sanctity of life, marriage

As Republicans from across the country have been making their way to Tampa, some slower than others due to Tropical Storm/Hurricane Isaac, the party platform committee met last week to decide on how the expressions of the core values of the party would be represented at the convention.  As a number of pro-life, pro-family leaders appeared in Tampa last week, respective committees met and made some bold decisions.

One was to include a strong pro-life plank.   According to CitizenLink, if Republicans adopt the draft platform, the party will endorse an amendment to the U.S. Constitution making it clear that preborn children have “a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed.”  The language included a call for the end of legalized abortion except in cases of danger to the mother's life.  Other planks include opposition to federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, support for the use of ultrasounds and full disclosure about fetal development before abortions, and support for state-enforced abortion clinic regulations.

Also, CitizenLink reports that the Republican platform will continue to uphold traditional marriage, despite two attempts to add language that would weaken it.   One proposal involved replacing the plank endorsing marriage as the union of one man and one woman with language advocating civil unions for both same-sex and heterosexual couples.  Another amendment would have added support for same-sex civil unions to the party’s support for the definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman.  Both proposals were defeated.   On the Democratic side, it is likely that delegates will approve at their convention in Charlotte, for the first time, a platform plank that would favor legalization of same-sex marriage. 
 
The proposed Republican party platform will go to the entire convention for approval.

Here's a conversation about the party platforms for The Meeting House, with Stuart Shepard, Senior Director of Media for CitizenLink (an affiliate of Focus on the Family).   During the first part of the interview, he gives analysis of the movie featuring Dinesh D'Souza, "2016:  Obama's America", which finished 8th at the box office during the weekend, according to preliminary estimates:
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1 -  Harvest Crusade one of America's largest evangelistic events

Greg Laurie, pastor of California's Harvest Christian Fellowship and featured speaker for the annual evangelistic event known as the Harvest Crusades, is the architect behind the most recent crusade, spanning 2 days, at Angels Stadium in Anaheim, California.

According to a report in The Christian Post, the Saturday sermon would address the topic of "How to Find Personal Happiness".  The title of the Sunday message was planned to be titled, "Is It Possible to Change Our Lives?".  Sunday's Harvest America was scheduled to be shown live by webcast and, through the use of other technology, transmitted to more than 1,800 host venues (about 1,000 are churches).  The event on Sunday was also set to be broadcast on two Christian TV stations and more than 500 Christian radio stations.   Musical artists over the weekend included David Crowder, Gungor, Third Day, Jeremy Camp, and MercyMe.

The Post reported that Pastor Levi Lusko, host of the Harvest events, had blogged, "In addition to these sites it will be going out to hundreds of thousands through webcasts and live radio coverage (and television)...This could potentially be the largest evangelistic event to ever occur in the history of the United States of America!"

Laurie's crusades have attracted thousands to the large venues in the Los Angeles area over the years, and the leveraging of Internet and other technology to bring the event into multiple homes and churches means a wide audience for that Sunday event.  And, as you combine the effective preaching of Greg Laurie and the power of God's word, that makes for a fabulous harvest of souls for the kingdom of God.

The 3 - August 19, 2012

In this week's edition of "The 3", we focus on two events relative to the state of Florida - first up, the Jacksonville City Council making a bold decision regarding special rights based on sexual orientation.  Then, an appeals court decision has kept the 10 Commandments monument in Cross City in place for a while longer.  And, the top story is the tragic event at the Family Research Council in Washington where lives were saved by a brave security guard.  The incident has brought about a discussion of the nature of policy disagreements.

3 - Jacksonville city council rejects sexual orientation ordinance

By an overwhelming margin this past week, the Jacksonville (FL) City Council defeated an ordinance that would have created a new protected class and special rights based on "gender identity or expression".  The measure would have created a way for gay-identified citizens and others who felt they were being treated unfairly to bring lawsuits against private citizens.   This would have applied to places of employments, as well as housing or public accommodations.   The final vote on the original bill was 17-2, after a substitute bill failed by a narrow 10-9 margin.

John Stemberger, President and General Counsel of the Florida Family Policy Council said, "This is an extraordinary victory for the people of Jacksonville who rose up and made it clear they were not going to allow some secret council of elite powerbrokers or activists from outside Jacksonville to force extreme policies upon them...I could not be more proud of the local residents who worked so hard to create a citywide movement to defeat this disaster of an ordinance.”

Anytime a major city or a state legislature takes up a piece of legislation dealing with gender identity or sexual orientation, you know that they are considering actions that would likely be offensive to people of faith who oppose same-sex marriage or special rights for homosexuals.  This type of ordinance could have opened the door to all sorts of legal action and a furtherance of the gay agenda.   And, as we are seeing, there are individuals and groups that are wanting to force acceptance of their lifestyle upon culture, overriding the moral objections of many people.  Unfortunately, you have a small, outspoken percentage who would like to make their sexual preference more than a private matter, to influence public policy in a manner that conflicts with the deeply held traditional values of a significant portion of society.


2 - Dixie County, Florida 10 Commandments display upheld in court

A 6-ton granite monument of the 10 Commandments, which provides a basis for moral law in our nation, stands in Dixie County, Florida, which is located just south of the Big Bend area of the state.  A few years ago, an ACLU member from North Carolina, who has never lived nor owned property in Dixie County, filed suit against the county, saying that the monument offended him.  Last summer, a Federal judge ruled that the monument had to be removed from the front of the courthouse, in the county seat of Cross City.  (wonder if anyone is offended by that town's name?)

This week, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the ACLU, and ordered the case back to the district level.  Apparently, the central issue here is not the constitutionality of the display, but the standing of the plaintiff, about which one of the appeals court judges, Judge Edmondson said: (the) “plaintiff’s theory of standing is makeshift in nature: some kind of cursory, drive-by theory of standing—insufficient to kick on our powers.”   The issue of "standing" concerns a person or entity's legitimate connection to the case.

According to Liberty Counsel, the plaintiff, referred to as "Mr. Doe", first testified that several things about the county bothered him, including the monument, a cartoon taped near a county employee’s desk, and a reference to a website known as “Patriot Properties.”  After the county moved for summary judgment on the basis of a lack of standing, Mr. Doe filed an affidavit in which he claimed that it was only the monument that offended him.

Liberty Counsel Attorney Horatio “Harry” Mihet said, “The citizens of Dixie County won today. To them and to people across America, the Ten Commandments has become a symbol of the rule of law, not an establishment of religion. The monument reflects the essence and foundation of American law.”

1 - Shooting at FRC ignites discussion on the atmosphere of debating policy

Referring to the events of Wednesday, August 15th, Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council, said:

On Wednesday, FRC was the target of what the FBI is calling an act of domestic terrorism. A gunman, identified as Floyd Corkins, invaded our headquarters in Washington, D.C. armed with a 9mm pistol, approximately 50 rounds of ammunition, and 15 Chick-fil-A sandwiches. The gunman was confronted by an unarmed member of the FRC staff, Leo Johnson. When the gunman pulled the gun from his backpack and aimed the weapon at Leo, Leo moved toward the gunman to disarm him. Despite being shot in the process, Leo was able to subdue the shooter and call for others on the staff, who helped admirably. One of the investigators, based on their preliminary findings, told me Leo's actions saved a lot of lives.

New information seems to be coming out all the time regarding this case.  Corkins apparently did say that he opposed the FRC's policies.  He worked at a gay and lesbian center in the nation's capital.  And, reports say that he had the name and address of another pro-family organization, the Traditional Values Coalition, in his possession.

It's one lone gunman here, who made some really errant choices.   Tony used this series of events to call attention to an atmosphere that is generated by...name-calling.   Because FRC, Chick-Fil-A, TVC, and countless other groups representing thousands and thousands of Americans dare to show support for traditional marriage, they have been mis-characterized...FRC as a "hate group" by other organizations, Chick-Fil-A's product as "hate chicken" by the mayor of Washington, DC or a product that "Tastes Like Hate" by vandal in California.

The shooting this week has ignited a discourse on labeling, or name-calling.   Family Research Council has been bold to point out some of the fallacies that are being furthered by those who embrace the gay agenda.  They, and so many other groups, present opinions based on research - on facts.  There are other groups that disagree with their interpretation of the facts - that's fair.   But, what is unfair, is that FRC and others become the victims of name-calling, i.e. "hate group", as a result of their presentation.   Let me read from FRC's website:

Family Research Council believes that homosexual conduct is harmful to the persons who engage in it and to society at large, and can never be affirmed.  It is by definition unnatural, and as such is associated with negative physical and psychological health effects. 

Strong language, for sure.  Hate speech, hardly.   Notice that the statement deals with "conduct".  To me, the Bible is clear about the definition of marriage and the unnatural nature of homosexual activity - not my opinion, but God's.  And, let's be honest, He is for all of us - he is not "anti-" any person.   He does hate sin, and in that sense He is "anti-sin", but that does not make Him or His people hateful by nature.   He loves us and wants the very best for each individual.   Homosexuality is not part of His plan, but that does not exclude any of us from forming friendships with members of the gay community so that they can experience God's true love through us.