The latest edition of "The 3" - 3 stories of relevance to Christians - includes the celebration of the anniversary of a noted Christian leader's birth, a potentially groundbreaking legal case involving religious liberty, and the meeting of a religious leader and a political leader in Europe.
3 - A Celebration of Calvin
This week in Geneva, Switzerland, Christians from around the world met to celebrate the 500th Anniversary of the birth of faith pioneer John Calvin - July 10, 1509. Special meetings included sermons, lectures, and the pondering of the effect that Calvin had on Christianity.
A couple of sources highlight the celebration of Calvin's birth - The Calvin 500 blog has a play-by-play of the week's activities in Geneva, plus another celebration, the Reformation 500, took place in Boston. Here's a link to Vision Forum's Founder Doug Phillips' blog.
2 - Keeping up the Pace
I've been following the history of the case involving religious expression in Santa Rosa County, Florida for a couple of months now. It was near the end of May when I found out about the rally that took place there on behalf of the attempt by the ACLU to stifle religious expression in that county, including the city of Pace, where two students had been removed from the graduation program at the local high school because there presumably was a fear they might mention God. At graduation at Pace High School, some 400 seniors stood up in the ceremony and spontaneously recited the Lord's Prayer. Here's an account from Liberty Counsel.
All the protest in Pace is the result of this consent decree, agreed upon by the ACLU and the school district, which has had a chilling effect on the rights of especially teachers and administrators to express their faith in a constitutional manner. In fact, the principal of Pace High and a teacher in the district could be found guilty of contempt of court because of seemingly innocuous actions. The Christian Educators Association International and Liberty Counsel have become involved in the case, and here is some information from CEAI's perspective, and Liberty's website.
This has the potential to be a groundbreaking case with respect to religious expression. It has been contented that school faculty do not leave their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse door, and this case is a major threat to the conduct of Christian teachers and administrators, as the result of an overreaching consent decree that has not even been heard in a court. Finn Laursen, Executive Director of CEAI, visited The Meeting House this week, and you can download the conversation from www.meetinghouseonline.info/download.
1 - The President and the Pope
Finally, when you have a major national leader and a major religious leader meet together, the mix means a significant relevant event for people of faith. Factor in the differing perspectives on the sanctity of life of the two individuals and you have quite an intriguing meeting.
So, as President Barack Obama concluded his European tour, he met with Pope Benedict XVI for less than an hour...they discussed some of the usual fare, such as Middle East peace, but what I found interesting were the post-meeting statements. Reportedly, the President pledged to the Pope to reduce the number of abortions in our country, which is interesting, considering Mr. Obama's has been highly criticized by members of the pro-life movement for his policies that do anything but contribute to the reduction of abortions. Furthermore, Mr. Obama's support for the expansion of embryonic stem cell research contrasts with the Pope's opposition to such research, which takes the life of a human being - an embryo - in order to perform research on it. Interestingly enough, in the exchange of gifts after the meeting, the Pope gave the President a document on bioethics, which reportedly give the basis for his opposition to embryonic stem cell research.
Here is an account from the New York Daily News.
Honorable Mention:
Coming up this week, it's the confirmation hearings for Judge Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court. This week, a number of female, pro-family leaders weighed in on the debate.
You might want to see what the Institute on Religion and Democracy had to say about Rick Warren's address before an Islamic group this past weekend. There are a couple of posts in July dealing with that topic.
Developing: Plus the latest undercover video from Lila Rose and Live Action has been posted, which has attracted the attention of law enforcement officials in Alabama, including Attorney General Troy King. Lila returns to the Meeting House on Tuesday.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Friday, July 03, 2009
The 3 - July 3, 2009
This edition of "The 3" - 3 news stories of interest or relevance to the Christian community, focuses on the continuing reaction to Governor Mark Sanford's indiscretions, the response to the death of Michael Jackson, and the relationship between President Obama and the gay agenda.
3 - An affair to remember
The highly publicized marital unfaithfulness of South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford is creating quite a bit of discussion as fellow politicians and fellow Christians are commenting on his tragic indiscretion involving an Argentine woman. Not only has he been speaking out, quoting Scripture in his press conference to describe the depths of his sin, without apparently statement of repentance, and stating that he and the woman had seen a "spiritual advisor" to try to end the affair. (Who is this spiritual advisor? Click here.) His wife, Jenny, has been speaking out, too, expressing a willingness to forgive even though she has been devastated. (Her latest statement)
Sanford's sin can be a cautionary tale, according to Chuck Colson in a recent "Breakpoint" radio commentary, documented in The Christian Post. Sanford was a rising star in the political realm and a member of an evangelical community in Washington, DC. This piece from The Daily Beast gives some insight into Sanford's public religious persona quotes a well-known Christian journalist who has been following Sanford for some time.
Even if someone declares himself or herself to be a person of integrity and morality, that person is not exempt from temptation and immune from a public, embarrassing incident - that's why we need the grace of God, recognizing our vulnerability to sin and the power of God that enables us to overcome it.
2 - The King of Pop and the King of Glory
The death of Michael Jackson has rocked the world, as artists and other celebrities have spoken out and talked about his profound influence on pop music. I think that Steve Fee said it well in his Twitter post:
Joanne Brokaw wrote a thought-provoking piece on BeliefNet regarding Jackson's and Farrah Fawcett's deaths, that reminds us that thousands died that same day - it's just that these 2 people had such a strong effect.
It is no secret that President Obama has been friendly to the suggestions, er, demands of the homosexual community. He has been on record as saying that he would like to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays in the military, has stated his support for civil unions, and supports so-called "non-discrimination" legislation that would prevent employers from refusing to hire someone because of his or her sexual orientation. Furthermore, he proclaimed June as LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) Pride Month.
Pastor Jack Graham has cancer
Rick Warren addresses Muslims
3 - An affair to remember
The highly publicized marital unfaithfulness of South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford is creating quite a bit of discussion as fellow politicians and fellow Christians are commenting on his tragic indiscretion involving an Argentine woman. Not only has he been speaking out, quoting Scripture in his press conference to describe the depths of his sin, without apparently statement of repentance, and stating that he and the woman had seen a "spiritual advisor" to try to end the affair. (Who is this spiritual advisor? Click here.) His wife, Jenny, has been speaking out, too, expressing a willingness to forgive even though she has been devastated. (Her latest statement)
Sanford's sin can be a cautionary tale, according to Chuck Colson in a recent "Breakpoint" radio commentary, documented in The Christian Post. Sanford was a rising star in the political realm and a member of an evangelical community in Washington, DC. This piece from The Daily Beast gives some insight into Sanford's public religious persona quotes a well-known Christian journalist who has been following Sanford for some time.
Even if someone declares himself or herself to be a person of integrity and morality, that person is not exempt from temptation and immune from a public, embarrassing incident - that's why we need the grace of God, recognizing our vulnerability to sin and the power of God that enables us to overcome it.
2 - The King of Pop and the King of Glory
The death of Michael Jackson has rocked the world, as artists and other celebrities have spoken out and talked about his profound influence on pop music. I think that Steve Fee said it well in his Twitter post:
There was great hope when a piece circulated on Facebook that Andrae and Sandra Crouch had related they had prayed with Michael to receive Christ just a few weeks before his death. Indeed, Andrae had posted a video link on his Facebook page and urged people to pray for Michael, which is a bit surreal, but he and his sister, Sandra, have had to release a statement that indeed Michael did not receive Christ, to their knowledge, even though they enjoyed a rich time of musical collaboration and friendship recently (read The Christian Post's take here). In this situation, we were too quick to believe this life-changing event occurred, something that we certainly wanted to believe, and perhaps the seeds that were planted resulted in a harvest of salvation. Who but God, the ultimate judge, knows?Crazy thought ... The "king of pop" stands before the "King of Glory" today ... Fame redefined.
Joanne Brokaw wrote a thought-provoking piece on BeliefNet regarding Jackson's and Farrah Fawcett's deaths, that reminds us that thousands died that same day - it's just that these 2 people had such a strong effect.
No matter how much fame we may achieve in this life, nevertheless only what is done for Christ will last and we all will stand before the throne of God. We all have influence and a writing a legacy to leave behind, and we can be challenged to make our lives count for Christ. Michael left a legacy as the "King of Pop", as well as a trail of some erratic behavior, and when he is remembered, I suspect it will be fondly, overall. But, again, as Christians, our mission is to follow Christ and allow Him to direct our steps - if that gains notoriety, fine, but faithfulness is the key!
1 - "Pride" and prejudiceIt is no secret that President Obama has been friendly to the suggestions, er, demands of the homosexual community. He has been on record as saying that he would like to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays in the military, has stated his support for civil unions, and supports so-called "non-discrimination" legislation that would prevent employers from refusing to hire someone because of his or her sexual orientation. Furthermore, he proclaimed June as LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) Pride Month.
To honor that occasion, he held a reception, attended by those who support the gay agenda. Having taken some heat for not moving fast enough on their issues, he pledged to fight for them, and said that essentially to watch his actions - they would be pleased with the finished product of the Obama administration. Focus on the Family Action's Citizenlink website provides some coverage of the reception and the issues at hand, and you can find the Focus Action Update at here. Also, Stuart Shepard, who produces those "Stoplight" videos at Citizenlink.com, came on my radio show, and we had a lively discussion about the topic - you can download it from www.meetinghouseonline.info/download - just scroll down and look for Stuart's name.
When it comes to our President, it's important that we pray for him and pay attention - to his actions, as well as his words.
Honorable Mention:Pastor Jack Graham has cancer
Rick Warren addresses Muslims
Saturday, June 27, 2009
The 3 - June 27, 2009
Enjoying the sunny beaches of Northwest Florida and keeping an eye on developments for the latest installment of "The 3"...The Southern Baptist Convention has concluded for another year, which affects many American Christians, plus a new denomination has been born this week. Also, a significant youth gathering makes its every-3-year impact. So, let's roll out another edition.
3 - DCLA points the way
The student gathering known as DCLA kicked off this week in Los Angeles - one of two cities that hosts the event every 3 years. The event actually reconvenes in Washington next month. Noted speaker Francis Chan rallied the youthful crowd on Thursday night with an overview of God's plan for humanity. Read The Christian Post story here.
2 - Anglicans aim high
The new Anglican Church in North America was unveiled this week, an effort to unify a number of Anglican groups and dioceses, many of whom emerged from the U.S. Episcopal Church due to differing views on the authority of Scripture. Bishop Robert Duncan of the Pittsburgh area was named the first Archbishop of this new denomination, which has been said to mark the largest launch of a denomination since the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) started in the 70's.
One of the supporting groups is the American Anglican Council, which released this information. Robert Lundy, Communications Director for the AAC, will appear on my radio show, "The Meeting House" on Monday, June 29th between 4:15 and 4:45 Central Time. Audio will be posted at www.meetinghouseonline.info/download.
1 - The Convention and our Commission
Southern Baptists gathered in Louisville in a 2-day meeting that drew over 8700 "messengers" representing various churches and denominational entitites. Leading up to the convention, there was some discussion of the Great Commission Resurgence document that had been released. Many saw this as a reaffirmation of the denomination's purpose, but there was some concern that its call for reform could adversely affect state conventions and local associations. While not voting on the document itself, messengers gave President Johnny Hunt the authority to appoint a task force, that would make recommendations for fulfilling the Great Commission at next year's convention in Orlando. The 19-member force, headed by Arkansas pastor Ronnie Floyd, included representatives of churches, seminaries, state conventions, and other Southern Baptist entitites.
The convention also passed a number of resolutions, including a calling on Southern Baptists to pray for President Obama, despite differences on policy. Other resolutions dealt with adoptive care and a Biblical view of sexuality.
The Baptist Press did an excellent job of covering the event, and you can find the wrap-up here. BP's blog can be found here.
Honorable mention:
National Association of Evangelicals names replacement for Richard Cizik.
S.C. Governor Sanford admits affair, quotes Scripture.
3 - DCLA points the way
The student gathering known as DCLA kicked off this week in Los Angeles - one of two cities that hosts the event every 3 years. The event actually reconvenes in Washington next month. Noted speaker Francis Chan rallied the youthful crowd on Thursday night with an overview of God's plan for humanity. Read The Christian Post story here.
2 - Anglicans aim high
The new Anglican Church in North America was unveiled this week, an effort to unify a number of Anglican groups and dioceses, many of whom emerged from the U.S. Episcopal Church due to differing views on the authority of Scripture. Bishop Robert Duncan of the Pittsburgh area was named the first Archbishop of this new denomination, which has been said to mark the largest launch of a denomination since the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) started in the 70's.
One of the supporting groups is the American Anglican Council, which released this information. Robert Lundy, Communications Director for the AAC, will appear on my radio show, "The Meeting House" on Monday, June 29th between 4:15 and 4:45 Central Time. Audio will be posted at www.meetinghouseonline.info/download.
1 - The Convention and our Commission
Southern Baptists gathered in Louisville in a 2-day meeting that drew over 8700 "messengers" representing various churches and denominational entitites. Leading up to the convention, there was some discussion of the Great Commission Resurgence document that had been released. Many saw this as a reaffirmation of the denomination's purpose, but there was some concern that its call for reform could adversely affect state conventions and local associations. While not voting on the document itself, messengers gave President Johnny Hunt the authority to appoint a task force, that would make recommendations for fulfilling the Great Commission at next year's convention in Orlando. The 19-member force, headed by Arkansas pastor Ronnie Floyd, included representatives of churches, seminaries, state conventions, and other Southern Baptist entitites.
The convention also passed a number of resolutions, including a calling on Southern Baptists to pray for President Obama, despite differences on policy. Other resolutions dealt with adoptive care and a Biblical view of sexuality.
The Baptist Press did an excellent job of covering the event, and you can find the wrap-up here. BP's blog can be found here.
Honorable mention:
National Association of Evangelicals names replacement for Richard Cizik.
S.C. Governor Sanford admits affair, quotes Scripture.
Friday, June 19, 2009
The 3 - June 19, 2009
This week, "The 3", which highlights 3 news stories of relevance to the Christian community, looks at the response of Christians to arguably the top headline of the week - the political situation in Iran. Also, the Senate anticipates a vote on "hate crimes" legislation, and the Federal "Defense of Marriage Act" tops the news.
3 - Iranian interest
The tug-of-war between factions supporting candidates Mussavi and Ahmadinejad continues in Iran, as massive gatherings have been held in the capital of Tehran for the past week. Some are likening the current waves of protest to the time surrounding the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Christians in the country have endured persecution under the current regime, and apparently were supportive of Mussavi as a possible agent of change. Read more in this press release from the ministry of Open Doors USA.
2 - Protection or intimidation?
The U.S. House of Representatives has already passed a hate crimes bill, and this week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid stated that passage of that legislation in the Senate was a top priority before the August recess. This bill, S. 909 provides for greater punishment for crimes that could be identified to be based on a person's hateful intent, including those committed based on a victim's sexual orientation or gender identity. This legislation would also write into federal law protection for individuals based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
But classifying crimes based on the motive or intent of the criminal opens up a door that could leave preachers and other Christians unprotected. The bill could lay the foundation for those who share a Biblical perspective on homosexuality to be criminally liable, if it could be proven that a crime was committed against another person based on the speech of someone that could have influenced the alleged criminal. This leaves a chilling open door for people of faith.
For some interesting information about the potential effect of this legislation, you can check out this link to a page at CitizenLink's web site. Also, the view of National Religous Broadcasters can be seen here from a Christian Newswire release.
1 - DOMA and domestic partnerships
Days after receiving criticism about his Administration's perceived affirmation of the Defense of Marriage Act (click here for Christian Post account), President Obama stepped forward to offer domestic and same-sex partners of federal workers certain benefits. Some experts, like Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, see this as a violation of the provisions of DOMA. Click here to read the FRC's press release.
This comes at a time when support for same-sex marriage could possibly be waning, according to a new CBS News/New York Times poll. The poll found that 33 percent of those surveyed favor marriage for same-sex marriage, down from a high of 42 percent in April. Here is that CBS News story.
Honorable mention:
The intersection of politics and pop culture - the Palin-Letterman dispute and some response from female, pro-family leaders
3 - Iranian interest
The tug-of-war between factions supporting candidates Mussavi and Ahmadinejad continues in Iran, as massive gatherings have been held in the capital of Tehran for the past week. Some are likening the current waves of protest to the time surrounding the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Christians in the country have endured persecution under the current regime, and apparently were supportive of Mussavi as a possible agent of change. Read more in this press release from the ministry of Open Doors USA.
2 - Protection or intimidation?
The U.S. House of Representatives has already passed a hate crimes bill, and this week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid stated that passage of that legislation in the Senate was a top priority before the August recess. This bill, S. 909 provides for greater punishment for crimes that could be identified to be based on a person's hateful intent, including those committed based on a victim's sexual orientation or gender identity. This legislation would also write into federal law protection for individuals based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
But classifying crimes based on the motive or intent of the criminal opens up a door that could leave preachers and other Christians unprotected. The bill could lay the foundation for those who share a Biblical perspective on homosexuality to be criminally liable, if it could be proven that a crime was committed against another person based on the speech of someone that could have influenced the alleged criminal. This leaves a chilling open door for people of faith.
For some interesting information about the potential effect of this legislation, you can check out this link to a page at CitizenLink's web site. Also, the view of National Religous Broadcasters can be seen here from a Christian Newswire release.
1 - DOMA and domestic partnerships
Days after receiving criticism about his Administration's perceived affirmation of the Defense of Marriage Act (click here for Christian Post account), President Obama stepped forward to offer domestic and same-sex partners of federal workers certain benefits. Some experts, like Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, see this as a violation of the provisions of DOMA. Click here to read the FRC's press release.
This comes at a time when support for same-sex marriage could possibly be waning, according to a new CBS News/New York Times poll. The poll found that 33 percent of those surveyed favor marriage for same-sex marriage, down from a high of 42 percent in April. Here is that CBS News story.
Honorable mention:
The intersection of politics and pop culture - the Palin-Letterman dispute and some response from female, pro-family leaders
Friday, June 12, 2009
The 3 - June 12, 2009
Welcome in to another installment of "The 3”, highlighting relevant news to the Christian community. Subjects today: religious symbols and the courts, a college student's freedom of expression restored, and a Supreme Court non-decision on military policy toward homosexuals. Here we go...
3 - Boxed in...
There's a storm in the desert that has been brewing, and religious liberties legal organization Alliance Defense Fund filed a friend-of-the-court brief to the U.S. Supreme Court this week in a case of a Veteran's memorial monument in the shape of a cross that has been, well...covered by a plywood box, if you can believe that! Various forms of the cross have existed at the location ever since 1934 when the Veterans of Foreign Wars, a private organization, placed it on what was then its own property. In 2001, the ACLU filed suit against the National Park Service. In 2004, Congress authorized the transfer of the one acre of land under the cross back to the VFW in exchange for five acres of other land, but the ACLU said the land transfer was unconstitutional, a federal district judge agreed, and that was upheld by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, setting the stage for an appeal to the nation's highest court, which has agreed to hear the case.
Click here to read ADF's account.
Want to see the monument in question? Also, you can go to http://www.donttearmedown.com/ to learn more.
Also, this week the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against a 10 Commandments monument in Oklahoma. In this case, the judge writing for the majority said the monument violated the "Establishment Clause" due to the motive of the private individual who donated the structure.
Alliance Defense Fund is considering an appeal. Here are the details.
2 - Bruin bravery
A UCLA student was offered an opportunity to have a personal statement read at graduation. However, the faculty member due to read those words apparently took offense to a reference to Jesus Christ and said that could not be done. Well, after pressure from former Navy chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt (Pray in Jesus' Name Project) and others, the school reversed its decision. This clears the way for Christina Popa's statement to be read.
Here is the story from The Christian Post.
Christina set up a Facebook page, and you can view it here. You can see the university's statement as of 6/9/09.
1 - Don't ask, don't tell, don't rule
The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a case challenging the military's policy on homosexuality, better known as "Don't ask, don't tell". This non-decision leaves the current policy intact. If the high court would have accepted the case, the Obama administration would have been forced to defend a policy that the President actually opposes. Allowing open homosexuality in the military would have detrimental and distracting consequences, and numerous military leaders have spoken out against reversing the policy. Matt Barber of Liberty Counsel had some strong and pertinent statements, and he is quoted in this article from LifeSite News.
You can download a copy of Matt's comments 6/12/09 on The Meeting House by going to the Intersection Download Center at www.meetinghouseonline.info/download.
Also, receiving honorable mention:
Carrie Prejean dismissed as Miss California USA.
3 - Boxed in...
There's a storm in the desert that has been brewing, and religious liberties legal organization Alliance Defense Fund filed a friend-of-the-court brief to the U.S. Supreme Court this week in a case of a Veteran's memorial monument in the shape of a cross that has been, well...covered by a plywood box, if you can believe that! Various forms of the cross have existed at the location ever since 1934 when the Veterans of Foreign Wars, a private organization, placed it on what was then its own property. In 2001, the ACLU filed suit against the National Park Service. In 2004, Congress authorized the transfer of the one acre of land under the cross back to the VFW in exchange for five acres of other land, but the ACLU said the land transfer was unconstitutional, a federal district judge agreed, and that was upheld by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, setting the stage for an appeal to the nation's highest court, which has agreed to hear the case.
Click here to read ADF's account.
Want to see the monument in question? Also, you can go to http://www.donttearmedown.com/ to learn more.
Also, this week the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against a 10 Commandments monument in Oklahoma. In this case, the judge writing for the majority said the monument violated the "Establishment Clause" due to the motive of the private individual who donated the structure.
Alliance Defense Fund is considering an appeal. Here are the details.
2 - Bruin bravery
A UCLA student was offered an opportunity to have a personal statement read at graduation. However, the faculty member due to read those words apparently took offense to a reference to Jesus Christ and said that could not be done. Well, after pressure from former Navy chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt (Pray in Jesus' Name Project) and others, the school reversed its decision. This clears the way for Christina Popa's statement to be read.
Here is the story from The Christian Post.
Christina set up a Facebook page, and you can view it here. You can see the university's statement as of 6/9/09.
1 - Don't ask, don't tell, don't rule
The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a case challenging the military's policy on homosexuality, better known as "Don't ask, don't tell". This non-decision leaves the current policy intact. If the high court would have accepted the case, the Obama administration would have been forced to defend a policy that the President actually opposes. Allowing open homosexuality in the military would have detrimental and distracting consequences, and numerous military leaders have spoken out against reversing the policy. Matt Barber of Liberty Counsel had some strong and pertinent statements, and he is quoted in this article from LifeSite News.
You can download a copy of Matt's comments 6/12/09 on The Meeting House by going to the Intersection Download Center at www.meetinghouseonline.info/download.
Also, receiving honorable mention:
Carrie Prejean dismissed as Miss California USA.
Friday, June 05, 2009
The 3 - June 5, 2009
This week’s “The 3” focuses on a religious liberties situation, a Presidential proclamation, and a tragic death that garnered response in the pro-life community.
#3 - San Diego Pastor exonerated
Perhaps you heard the story of Pastor David Jones from San Diego. Seems he and his wife have conducted a Bible study in their home for a number of years. Recently, a county authority came to his door, asked some questions about the meeting they were having, and told the Jones they would have to have a costly permit to conduct future studies in their home. This resulted in an outcry by a number of concerned citizens, and the chief administrator of the county rescinded the order, and issued an apology earlier this week.
Just what set off the initial contact is a subject of debate. Perhaps it was a complaint about a parking problem resulting from the study meeting in the neighborhood. It may have even been a small accident, which resulted in some damage, which the pastor said he paid for. Nevertheless, because it was apparently framed as an issue involving a “religious meeting”, it became a religious liberties issue. But at this point, all seems resolved.
Click here for a summary article about this incident.
#2 - Evangelical leaders respond to President’s proclamation of LGBT month
A proclamation issued earlier this week by President Obama seeks to recognize the rights of not only lesbians and gays, as President Clinton’s orders had done, but also to include bisexuals and transgender individuals. This has brought concern from a number of evangelical leaders. The proclamation features a laundry list of issues important to the gay community, including rescinding the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays in the military, emphasizing support for civil unions, and assorted “equal rights” initiatives.
For more information and response, click here.
#1 - Pro-life response to abortionist’s death
He was a noted abortionist, offering late-term abortions in his Wichita clinic. But pro-life leaders stressed this week that the taking of a life is not an acceptable course of action toward those who perform abortions, condemning the murder of George Tiller, who was shot in the foyer of his church. Even though there were those in the pro-abortion movement who sought to link Tiller’s death with the vocal criticism he has received, nevertheless pro-life leaders were united in their strong condemnation of the acts of the murderer. Scott Roeder, who is apparently not affiliated with any pro-life group, is charged with Tiller’s death.
For a summary of some pro-life reaction, click here. To read comments from Dr. James Dobson, click here.
Honorable mention this week includes:
Thousands come to hear Franklin Graham in his crusade in Estonia.
President Obama reaches out to the Muslim world.
Pop culture watch: Stephen Baldwin goes on NBC series on behalf of organization combating trafficking.
Stryper band member and former prostitute hear wedding bells.
#3 - San Diego Pastor exonerated
Perhaps you heard the story of Pastor David Jones from San Diego. Seems he and his wife have conducted a Bible study in their home for a number of years. Recently, a county authority came to his door, asked some questions about the meeting they were having, and told the Jones they would have to have a costly permit to conduct future studies in their home. This resulted in an outcry by a number of concerned citizens, and the chief administrator of the county rescinded the order, and issued an apology earlier this week.
Just what set off the initial contact is a subject of debate. Perhaps it was a complaint about a parking problem resulting from the study meeting in the neighborhood. It may have even been a small accident, which resulted in some damage, which the pastor said he paid for. Nevertheless, because it was apparently framed as an issue involving a “religious meeting”, it became a religious liberties issue. But at this point, all seems resolved.
Click here for a summary article about this incident.
#2 - Evangelical leaders respond to President’s proclamation of LGBT month
A proclamation issued earlier this week by President Obama seeks to recognize the rights of not only lesbians and gays, as President Clinton’s orders had done, but also to include bisexuals and transgender individuals. This has brought concern from a number of evangelical leaders. The proclamation features a laundry list of issues important to the gay community, including rescinding the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays in the military, emphasizing support for civil unions, and assorted “equal rights” initiatives.
For more information and response, click here.
#1 - Pro-life response to abortionist’s death
He was a noted abortionist, offering late-term abortions in his Wichita clinic. But pro-life leaders stressed this week that the taking of a life is not an acceptable course of action toward those who perform abortions, condemning the murder of George Tiller, who was shot in the foyer of his church. Even though there were those in the pro-abortion movement who sought to link Tiller’s death with the vocal criticism he has received, nevertheless pro-life leaders were united in their strong condemnation of the acts of the murderer. Scott Roeder, who is apparently not affiliated with any pro-life group, is charged with Tiller’s death.
For a summary of some pro-life reaction, click here. To read comments from Dr. James Dobson, click here.
Honorable mention this week includes:
Thousands come to hear Franklin Graham in his crusade in Estonia.
President Obama reaches out to the Muslim world.
Pop culture watch: Stephen Baldwin goes on NBC series on behalf of organization combating trafficking.
Stryper band member and former prostitute hear wedding bells.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Tweet, Tweet
This is my monthly column from "River Region's Journey" magazine, the June 2009 edition. You can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bobcrittenden.
Jerry was enthralled by the worship at his local church. The worship leader helped the congregation connect with God’s presence, and Jerry really liked to sing the strains of “How Great is Our God” at the top of his lungs. As the worship time transitioned to other things, Jerry took his cell phone out of his holster and typed out a simple message, “Worship was AWESOME today. Psalm 22:3”. Those 36 characters were fewer than the required 140-character limit for Twitter, a new social networking service that is being used in a number of rather creative ways, especially within the world of Christianity.
I admit, I got caught up in the Facebook craze – for a few weeks. It was fun to see who I went to high school or college with that was on the site, and to reconnect with some old friends. However, when the format changed to put a greater emphasis (in my opinion) on the status updates, I found that a few people basically dominated the conversation, and I didn’t care to jump through the hoops to regulate the banter. Plus, I grew weary of seeing who had played Celebrity Agent, or who had Easter Eggs hidden on their page.
I had, in the meantime, signed up for a Twitter account and discovered that by receiving these “tweets” (nickname for the short messages generated), I could keep up with a host of people and organizations of interest, including news and information sources, ministry leaders, and more. For my content-driven radio show, this became helpful to me in keeping up with the pulse of what was taking place in Christianity and the culture. I could also post information about “The Meeting House”, send it out, and embed it in my website, www.meetinghouseonline.info. So, I became Twitterized – not sure if the founders of Twitter, Evan Williams (creator of Blogger, which was bought by Google) and Biz Stone (originator of the cool name) envisioned what could be done with this catchy little service, but they, along with Jack Dorsey, have people across America “tweeting”, and in very unique ways of interest to people of faith.
TIME Magazine has picked up on this, and in a recent article, “Twittering in Church, with the Pastor’s O.K.”, writer Bonnie Rochman highlights a church in Jackson, Michigan, where the pastors educated their congregation about Twitter and began to encourage banter – during the service – with selected “Tweets”, pasted across the church’s video screens. The article mentions that those attending Mars Hill Church in Seattle regularly tweet during the service. At Trinity Church in New York City, attendees used Twitter messages during their Passion Play, detailing the story of Christ’s crucifixion in short bursts. Next Level Church in Charlotte is encouraging tweeted prayer as a means of expression to God.
Now, I am by no means endorsing this form of communication during your Sunday worship service. I am not planning to pull out my cell phone and start Twittering points of the pastor’s message, at least not anytime soon. I would imagine that this type of behavior could become a distraction, and you might miss a sermon point if you’re tweeting the previous one. But, I do believe that God has given us the Internet as a tool for our individual spiritual growth, and as a means of communicating what He has done in our lives. In that context, a Twitter message in a service might work, as long as it has the pastor’s blessing.
There are hosts of other ways that Twitter can be used for God’s glory. I located recent tweets from Max Lucado, who was in Honduras with evangelist Mike Silva – Max asked for prayer as he sensed the people’s hearts were not receptive to the message, then later on, gave God praise for a spiritual breakthrough…what a tremendous opportunity to ask for prayer, and track the hand of God!
Then, there’s the case of a young man named Scott Harrison – he left the high life in New York City to sign up for volunteer service with Mercy Ships, which takes free medical care to poor nations. After that experience, charity was part of the fabric of his life and he founded a charity to bring clean, safe drinking water to developing nations. In February of this year, the organization, charity: water sponsored “Twestivals” in a reported 202 cities around the world to build awareness and raise money for the effort, and in April, the first Twestival well was dug in Ethiopia. Twitter participants communicated offline and in-person to raise over a quarter of a million dollars!
Imagine how we can use this and other technological tools to communicate prayer needs, ministry updates, devotional thoughts, and ways we’re seeing God working in our midst - encouraging one another and reaching people for Christ!
Jerry was enthralled by the worship at his local church. The worship leader helped the congregation connect with God’s presence, and Jerry really liked to sing the strains of “How Great is Our God” at the top of his lungs. As the worship time transitioned to other things, Jerry took his cell phone out of his holster and typed out a simple message, “Worship was AWESOME today. Psalm 22:3”. Those 36 characters were fewer than the required 140-character limit for Twitter, a new social networking service that is being used in a number of rather creative ways, especially within the world of Christianity.
I admit, I got caught up in the Facebook craze – for a few weeks. It was fun to see who I went to high school or college with that was on the site, and to reconnect with some old friends. However, when the format changed to put a greater emphasis (in my opinion) on the status updates, I found that a few people basically dominated the conversation, and I didn’t care to jump through the hoops to regulate the banter. Plus, I grew weary of seeing who had played Celebrity Agent, or who had Easter Eggs hidden on their page.
I had, in the meantime, signed up for a Twitter account and discovered that by receiving these “tweets” (nickname for the short messages generated), I could keep up with a host of people and organizations of interest, including news and information sources, ministry leaders, and more. For my content-driven radio show, this became helpful to me in keeping up with the pulse of what was taking place in Christianity and the culture. I could also post information about “The Meeting House”, send it out, and embed it in my website, www.meetinghouseonline.info. So, I became Twitterized – not sure if the founders of Twitter, Evan Williams (creator of Blogger, which was bought by Google) and Biz Stone (originator of the cool name) envisioned what could be done with this catchy little service, but they, along with Jack Dorsey, have people across America “tweeting”, and in very unique ways of interest to people of faith.
TIME Magazine has picked up on this, and in a recent article, “Twittering in Church, with the Pastor’s O.K.”, writer Bonnie Rochman highlights a church in Jackson, Michigan, where the pastors educated their congregation about Twitter and began to encourage banter – during the service – with selected “Tweets”, pasted across the church’s video screens. The article mentions that those attending Mars Hill Church in Seattle regularly tweet during the service. At Trinity Church in New York City, attendees used Twitter messages during their Passion Play, detailing the story of Christ’s crucifixion in short bursts. Next Level Church in Charlotte is encouraging tweeted prayer as a means of expression to God.
Now, I am by no means endorsing this form of communication during your Sunday worship service. I am not planning to pull out my cell phone and start Twittering points of the pastor’s message, at least not anytime soon. I would imagine that this type of behavior could become a distraction, and you might miss a sermon point if you’re tweeting the previous one. But, I do believe that God has given us the Internet as a tool for our individual spiritual growth, and as a means of communicating what He has done in our lives. In that context, a Twitter message in a service might work, as long as it has the pastor’s blessing.
There are hosts of other ways that Twitter can be used for God’s glory. I located recent tweets from Max Lucado, who was in Honduras with evangelist Mike Silva – Max asked for prayer as he sensed the people’s hearts were not receptive to the message, then later on, gave God praise for a spiritual breakthrough…what a tremendous opportunity to ask for prayer, and track the hand of God!
Then, there’s the case of a young man named Scott Harrison – he left the high life in New York City to sign up for volunteer service with Mercy Ships, which takes free medical care to poor nations. After that experience, charity was part of the fabric of his life and he founded a charity to bring clean, safe drinking water to developing nations. In February of this year, the organization, charity: water sponsored “Twestivals” in a reported 202 cities around the world to build awareness and raise money for the effort, and in April, the first Twestival well was dug in Ethiopia. Twitter participants communicated offline and in-person to raise over a quarter of a million dollars!
Imagine how we can use this and other technological tools to communicate prayer needs, ministry updates, devotional thoughts, and ways we’re seeing God working in our midst - encouraging one another and reaching people for Christ!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Cracks in the Foundation
It's been a while - been devoting time and energy to different areas, but I want to try to "re-launch" this compartment of my life with another post from "River Region's Journey" magazine, the May 2009 edition.
Maybe you’ve experienced it – the shifting of the soil upon which your house is built results in cracks in your foundation. If there are not steps taken to prevent further erosion, the entire house is in danger of irreparable damage.
God established a foundational unit in the 2nd chapter of Genesis – the institution of marriage. We are told that a man and woman would leave their parents and cleave to one another and become “one flesh”. Marriage is a sacred union, and representative, as we find out in Ephesians 5, of the relationship between Christ and the church. We individually benefit from the incredible love that we can experience in the marriage relationship, and strong marriages become an effective example to society, bringing a strong moral component to our culture. And, within marriage, we provide a stable and loving environment for the next generation of young people.
Marriage is a fundamental unit of our society, and we see numerous countercultural trends that are building today that pose a collective threat to the foundation of the institution of marriage as we know it.
One of the most notable in the evangelical community is the redefinition of marriage. Some 30 states now have marriage amendments to their constitutions that define marriage as one man for one woman, consistent with the Biblical definition. While a Federal marriage amendment has gained no traction, nevertheless these state amendments can build a wall of defense against those who would redefine marriage to include same-sex relationships, which are incompatible with the teachings of Scripture. As of this writing, 4 states – Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, and Vermont – permit same-sex marriage – and only one, Vermont, has legalized this legislatively. Recently, the California Supreme Court crafted a right to same-sex marriage, which was overturned by a vote of the people last November in affirming Proposition 8, which defined marriage in the traditional sense.
While the prospect of gay marriage threatens the institution at large, marriage is facing an assault on a number of other fronts that can affect us personally. Adultery, or infidelity, can have a devastating effect on a marriage relationship, and in many cases (even though it doesn’t have to) can lead to divorce. Because of the secretive nature of these relationships, it is hard to gather reliable research on the subject, but studies I have read show that possibly half or more of Americans have cheated on their spouses. Allow that to sink in – we must build a hedge around this God-ordained relationship and take protective measures to regain a high view of this “one flesh” mentality that is critical to the survival of our marriages.
Even though a man or woman may not engage in physical infidelity, that person may be participating in mental infidelity through viewing pornography. Again, because of the nature of this sin, it is difficult to get accurate statistics, but here is some information reported by the organization Freedom Begins Here: Noted Christian leader Chuck Swindoll is quoted as saying that sexual addiction is the “#1 secret problem in your church”. As quoted from The Alabama Baptist, 7 out of 10 lay leaders in the church report visiting adult Web sites at least once a week, with 4 out of 10 pastors saying they do the same. There are 68 million porn search engine requests on a daily basis, and 42.7% of Internet users view pornography (according to Top Ten Reviews). This is a huge problem, and there is help available through the power of Jesus Christ, but confession and repentance must take place.
And, as it is depicted by Hollywood generally without the exploration of consequences, pre-marital sex and cohabitation can be powerful forces contributing to a lack of intimacy in a future marriage. A 2008 poll from the Census Bureau indicates 6.4 million cohabiting couples in the U.S., up 1.4 million from 2006. In a Baptist Press column, Mobile Pastor Ed Litton referred to an Alabama Policy Institute study of some 1300 couples showing that the longer a couple cohabits before marriage, the less satisfied they are with their marriage. Glenn Stanton of Focus on the Family says, "The American people are largely clueless on the measurable benefits of marriage and the negative impact of cohabitation…In fact, one of the best ways to sandbag a marriage before it starts is to live together before marriage.”
These and other factors can result in divorce, which is the antithesis of the “one flesh” relationship. “No-fault” divorce laws and the declining of stigmatization about divorce in our culture are just two contributing factors. Our duty as believers in Christ is to fervently love our spouses.
There are numerous Christian resources available to strengthen marriages, including attending a FamilyLife Weekend to Remember, and one is scheduled May 15-17 in Montgomery – for more information, go to www.familylifeweekend.com.
Maybe you’ve experienced it – the shifting of the soil upon which your house is built results in cracks in your foundation. If there are not steps taken to prevent further erosion, the entire house is in danger of irreparable damage.
God established a foundational unit in the 2nd chapter of Genesis – the institution of marriage. We are told that a man and woman would leave their parents and cleave to one another and become “one flesh”. Marriage is a sacred union, and representative, as we find out in Ephesians 5, of the relationship between Christ and the church. We individually benefit from the incredible love that we can experience in the marriage relationship, and strong marriages become an effective example to society, bringing a strong moral component to our culture. And, within marriage, we provide a stable and loving environment for the next generation of young people.
Marriage is a fundamental unit of our society, and we see numerous countercultural trends that are building today that pose a collective threat to the foundation of the institution of marriage as we know it.
One of the most notable in the evangelical community is the redefinition of marriage. Some 30 states now have marriage amendments to their constitutions that define marriage as one man for one woman, consistent with the Biblical definition. While a Federal marriage amendment has gained no traction, nevertheless these state amendments can build a wall of defense against those who would redefine marriage to include same-sex relationships, which are incompatible with the teachings of Scripture. As of this writing, 4 states – Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, and Vermont – permit same-sex marriage – and only one, Vermont, has legalized this legislatively. Recently, the California Supreme Court crafted a right to same-sex marriage, which was overturned by a vote of the people last November in affirming Proposition 8, which defined marriage in the traditional sense.
While the prospect of gay marriage threatens the institution at large, marriage is facing an assault on a number of other fronts that can affect us personally. Adultery, or infidelity, can have a devastating effect on a marriage relationship, and in many cases (even though it doesn’t have to) can lead to divorce. Because of the secretive nature of these relationships, it is hard to gather reliable research on the subject, but studies I have read show that possibly half or more of Americans have cheated on their spouses. Allow that to sink in – we must build a hedge around this God-ordained relationship and take protective measures to regain a high view of this “one flesh” mentality that is critical to the survival of our marriages.
Even though a man or woman may not engage in physical infidelity, that person may be participating in mental infidelity through viewing pornography. Again, because of the nature of this sin, it is difficult to get accurate statistics, but here is some information reported by the organization Freedom Begins Here: Noted Christian leader Chuck Swindoll is quoted as saying that sexual addiction is the “#1 secret problem in your church”. As quoted from The Alabama Baptist, 7 out of 10 lay leaders in the church report visiting adult Web sites at least once a week, with 4 out of 10 pastors saying they do the same. There are 68 million porn search engine requests on a daily basis, and 42.7% of Internet users view pornography (according to Top Ten Reviews). This is a huge problem, and there is help available through the power of Jesus Christ, but confession and repentance must take place.
And, as it is depicted by Hollywood generally without the exploration of consequences, pre-marital sex and cohabitation can be powerful forces contributing to a lack of intimacy in a future marriage. A 2008 poll from the Census Bureau indicates 6.4 million cohabiting couples in the U.S., up 1.4 million from 2006. In a Baptist Press column, Mobile Pastor Ed Litton referred to an Alabama Policy Institute study of some 1300 couples showing that the longer a couple cohabits before marriage, the less satisfied they are with their marriage. Glenn Stanton of Focus on the Family says, "The American people are largely clueless on the measurable benefits of marriage and the negative impact of cohabitation…In fact, one of the best ways to sandbag a marriage before it starts is to live together before marriage.”
These and other factors can result in divorce, which is the antithesis of the “one flesh” relationship. “No-fault” divorce laws and the declining of stigmatization about divorce in our culture are just two contributing factors. Our duty as believers in Christ is to fervently love our spouses.
There are numerous Christian resources available to strengthen marriages, including attending a FamilyLife Weekend to Remember, and one is scheduled May 15-17 in Montgomery – for more information, go to www.familylifeweekend.com.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Liar, Liar, Conscience on Fire
I want to share my January submission to "River Region's Journey" magazine, along with a related audio clip and commentary at the end.
A couple of months ago, I made mention of a Christian virtue that we in society would like to see expressed with greater regularity…civility. It came to my attention recently that there is another virtue, which could have devastating effects if it is not practiced. That virtue is honesty.
The Josephson Institute recently released the results of a survey of almost 30,000 high school students in the U.S. As the Institute press release stated, “The results paint a troubling picture of our future politicians and parents, cops and corporate executives, and journalists and generals.”
According to the Institute's 2008 Report Card on the Ethics of American Youth, there were three major areas – stealing, lying, and cheating – in which there were causes for concern.
Stealing. 35 percent of the boys and 26 percent of the girls – a total of 30 percent overall — admitted to stealing from a store in the past year. This is up from the 2006 rate of 28 percent. Honors students, student leaders, and those involved in service organizations were less likely to steal, but still more than one in five were involved in theft. Overall, the thievery included stealing from a parent or other relative (23 percent) or from a friend (20 percent). Boys were nearly twice as likely to steal from a friend as girls (26 percent to 14 percent).
Lying. 42 percent of those surveyed said they sometimes lie to save money – 49 percent of males, 36 percent of females. This represents a 3-percentage-point overall rise from 2006. More than eight in ten students (83 percent) from public schools and religious private schools confessed they lied to a parent about something significant, while the number was 78 percent of students attending non-religious independent schools.
Cheating. Almost two-thirds of respondents (64 percent) said they cheated on a test in the past year, with 38 percent doing so two or more times. This is up from 60 percent and 35 percent, respectively, in 2006. Alarmingly, 63 percent of students from religious schools cheated, while students attending non-religious independent schools reported a cheating rate of 47 percent. 36 percent said they used the Internet to plagiarize an assignment, up from 33 percent in 2006.
Interestingly enough, 26 percent confessed they lied on at least one or two questions on the survey.
But, do they know that these behaviors are wrong? Believe it or not, 93 percent said they were satisfied with their personal ethics and character and 77 percent said that when it comes to doing what is right, I am better than most people I know.
So…what do you make out of these figures?
1 – We have de-emphasized the expectation of telling the truth. 1st Timothy 4:2 (NKJV), says that in the last days people will be deceived, and they will speak, “lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron…” So while many of us were brought up with the belief that telling the truth is morally correct and the “right thing to do”, the next generation is clearly not getting the message. And, young people who are taught to tell the truth, lacking good positive examples in their fellow students, may encounter pressure to succumb to the strong wave that would lead a student away from being totally honest.
2 – Shades of gray are trumping black and white. A bit of fudging on an expense account…a denial of responsibility for an error…shifting the blame to someone who was not involved in a certain situation. These are examples of the way that we shade the truth for our own personal gain. Sometimes we think no one will ever find out, and maybe even periodically enjoy the thrill of being one step ahead or beating the system. But true character is how we behave when no one is looking, and for the Christian, we know that God sees, and our attempts to hide questionable actions are not acceptable in the sight of God.
3 – Integrity is not measured by degrees. You don’t champion personal integrity by just simply being better than the next person. Our integrity is measured by the plumb line of Scripture, and truth is truth in all circumstances. So we can’t delight in exceeding another’s level of deception, because even the slightest amount of impropriety does not meet God’s standard.
4 – We have become conditioned to cheat. Bend the rules a little here, be careless with the facts a little there, and before you know it, we become desensitized to what is right and what is wrong. Sharpening our discernment skills requires study and meditation of the Scriptures, so that we can earn the trust of others.
The world is becoming more and more “gray”, challenging Christians to follow God’s call of proclaiming and living in a “black and white” way.
That's the story from "Journey"...following the release of that Josephson Institute study, I had a chance to talk with Larry Fowler, Executive Director of Global Training for Awana, and author of the book, "Raising a Modern-Day Joseph: A Timeless Strategy for Growing Great Kids". He brought some good thoughts about the responsibility of Christian parents to train their children, and here's a portion of that conversation.
Listen
The Awana website is found at www.awana.org.
A couple of months ago, I made mention of a Christian virtue that we in society would like to see expressed with greater regularity…civility. It came to my attention recently that there is another virtue, which could have devastating effects if it is not practiced. That virtue is honesty.
The Josephson Institute recently released the results of a survey of almost 30,000 high school students in the U.S. As the Institute press release stated, “The results paint a troubling picture of our future politicians and parents, cops and corporate executives, and journalists and generals.”
According to the Institute's 2008 Report Card on the Ethics of American Youth, there were three major areas – stealing, lying, and cheating – in which there were causes for concern.
Stealing. 35 percent of the boys and 26 percent of the girls – a total of 30 percent overall — admitted to stealing from a store in the past year. This is up from the 2006 rate of 28 percent. Honors students, student leaders, and those involved in service organizations were less likely to steal, but still more than one in five were involved in theft. Overall, the thievery included stealing from a parent or other relative (23 percent) or from a friend (20 percent). Boys were nearly twice as likely to steal from a friend as girls (26 percent to 14 percent).
Lying. 42 percent of those surveyed said they sometimes lie to save money – 49 percent of males, 36 percent of females. This represents a 3-percentage-point overall rise from 2006. More than eight in ten students (83 percent) from public schools and religious private schools confessed they lied to a parent about something significant, while the number was 78 percent of students attending non-religious independent schools.
Cheating. Almost two-thirds of respondents (64 percent) said they cheated on a test in the past year, with 38 percent doing so two or more times. This is up from 60 percent and 35 percent, respectively, in 2006. Alarmingly, 63 percent of students from religious schools cheated, while students attending non-religious independent schools reported a cheating rate of 47 percent. 36 percent said they used the Internet to plagiarize an assignment, up from 33 percent in 2006.
Interestingly enough, 26 percent confessed they lied on at least one or two questions on the survey.
But, do they know that these behaviors are wrong? Believe it or not, 93 percent said they were satisfied with their personal ethics and character and 77 percent said that when it comes to doing what is right, I am better than most people I know.
So…what do you make out of these figures?
1 – We have de-emphasized the expectation of telling the truth. 1st Timothy 4:2 (NKJV), says that in the last days people will be deceived, and they will speak, “lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron…” So while many of us were brought up with the belief that telling the truth is morally correct and the “right thing to do”, the next generation is clearly not getting the message. And, young people who are taught to tell the truth, lacking good positive examples in their fellow students, may encounter pressure to succumb to the strong wave that would lead a student away from being totally honest.
2 – Shades of gray are trumping black and white. A bit of fudging on an expense account…a denial of responsibility for an error…shifting the blame to someone who was not involved in a certain situation. These are examples of the way that we shade the truth for our own personal gain. Sometimes we think no one will ever find out, and maybe even periodically enjoy the thrill of being one step ahead or beating the system. But true character is how we behave when no one is looking, and for the Christian, we know that God sees, and our attempts to hide questionable actions are not acceptable in the sight of God.
3 – Integrity is not measured by degrees. You don’t champion personal integrity by just simply being better than the next person. Our integrity is measured by the plumb line of Scripture, and truth is truth in all circumstances. So we can’t delight in exceeding another’s level of deception, because even the slightest amount of impropriety does not meet God’s standard.
4 – We have become conditioned to cheat. Bend the rules a little here, be careless with the facts a little there, and before you know it, we become desensitized to what is right and what is wrong. Sharpening our discernment skills requires study and meditation of the Scriptures, so that we can earn the trust of others.
The world is becoming more and more “gray”, challenging Christians to follow God’s call of proclaiming and living in a “black and white” way.
That's the story from "Journey"...following the release of that Josephson Institute study, I had a chance to talk with Larry Fowler, Executive Director of Global Training for Awana, and author of the book, "Raising a Modern-Day Joseph: A Timeless Strategy for Growing Great Kids". He brought some good thoughts about the responsibility of Christian parents to train their children, and here's a portion of that conversation.
Listen
The Awana website is found at www.awana.org.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
A Generic Christmas
Here is my December submission to "River Region's Journey" magazine. I trust you'll find it thought-provoking as we examine how our religious liberties are being challenged across America, especially during the Christmas season...
Could this possibly be the point of view of a non-Christian in December of 2050?
Recently, the signs of that December holiday began to be apparent again – yes, the ol’ orange and black retail decorations were swiftly replaced as if a magic wand had run amok in certain establishments. Brightly colored lights have begun to adorn yards and houses around our neighborhood, and the dates have already been set and invitation lists crafted for certain festive occasions.
It’s fun to celebrate, to spend happy times with family and friends. There once was a time when this season used to be known as Christmas. That was before certain retailers decided that it was too costly to offend customers who did not adhere to a certain set of religious beliefs. Slowly, but surely, the ads that used to say “Merry Christmas” were replaced by the more tolerant, “Happy Holidays”. Now no one even needs to specify which holiday – because they figure everyone knows. Society has a more sanitized, generic celebration, and those church people, well, they can have their ancient rituals celebrated in a more appropriate place – the church, inside their four walls, where no one has to be exposed to their archaic incantations.
I was, to say the least, quite pleased when our government got out of that “endorsing-of-religion” business a while back. Those scenes of Jesus in a manger, surrounded by the so-called, “holy” family, were an affront to those of us who wished to live our lives without being reminded that there are people who want to pass judgment on those of us who are not Christians. Christians claim they celebrate the birth of a baby who they say came to save the world – sure, he was a popular teacher in his day, but this mystical, “mind-over-matter” stuff was just a bit much for a reasoned society. So, those nativity scenes are no longer native to city hall grounds and courthouse squares, and those Christmas trees have become treated as symbols of family, friendship, and fun.
Sure, there are other holidays, which still retain their original names and personalities – Valentine’s Day is a celebration for lovers, the 4th of July has become a great reminder of tolerance and freedom of expression, and Halloween is just plain fun, with a dalliance or two with the dark side thrown in for good measure. But, none of these compare with THE holidays, the season, the winter festival, a way to break the monotony between the finality of fall and the promise of spring. It’s become much more carefree without the religious overtones – no more “war on Christmas”, when Christians would try to coerce retailers to put some mention of Christmas in their advertising, back when 95% of people in our country said they celebrated Christmas. It’s good that intimidation no longer rules the day and Christians keep their outdated religion to themselves.
When the courts began to enforce the Establishment Clause of the Bill of Rights, our governments, from Washington to cities and counties across our land, set a tone that church and state were to be absolutely separated. Even though for a while, certain high-profile Christians screamed that we were a “Christian” nation and that their freedom of expression was being limited, nevertheless there became so much hostility toward these people that their voices eventually were silenced. So now we don’t have to drive by a government building and be reminded of those 10 Commandments or walk into a store and have someone wish us “Merry Christmas”. We can now eat, drink, and be merry, and not pay a bit of attention to who we might offend. Freedom is a wonderful thing…
But, I’m really wondering why I end up rolling up a huge credit card debt this time of year to buy gifts for others, when I could be saving for that boat that I want so badly. Why am I looking for the right electronic gadget to enhance my light display? Why do we spend the time in preparation for a party that will be forgotten this time next year, or next week? Oh, yes, it’s THE holidays, the happy holidays, that are supposed to be bigger and better every year…but at the end of it all, after we shout “Happy New Year” (there’s that word, “happy”, again), it’s time to put it all back in the box. Is that what this has become – some instant gratification, some modicum of happiness that comes and goes as we load and unload boxes full of…glass…and cords? Wait a minute, I have a text, got to go pick up that holiday ham – there’s plenty to celebrate, isn’t there? You know, in a way, I miss those Christians and all there revelry this time of year…it just doesn’t seem the same without ‘em.
Could this possibly be the point of view of a non-Christian in December of 2050?
Recently, the signs of that December holiday began to be apparent again – yes, the ol’ orange and black retail decorations were swiftly replaced as if a magic wand had run amok in certain establishments. Brightly colored lights have begun to adorn yards and houses around our neighborhood, and the dates have already been set and invitation lists crafted for certain festive occasions.
It’s fun to celebrate, to spend happy times with family and friends. There once was a time when this season used to be known as Christmas. That was before certain retailers decided that it was too costly to offend customers who did not adhere to a certain set of religious beliefs. Slowly, but surely, the ads that used to say “Merry Christmas” were replaced by the more tolerant, “Happy Holidays”. Now no one even needs to specify which holiday – because they figure everyone knows. Society has a more sanitized, generic celebration, and those church people, well, they can have their ancient rituals celebrated in a more appropriate place – the church, inside their four walls, where no one has to be exposed to their archaic incantations.
I was, to say the least, quite pleased when our government got out of that “endorsing-of-religion” business a while back. Those scenes of Jesus in a manger, surrounded by the so-called, “holy” family, were an affront to those of us who wished to live our lives without being reminded that there are people who want to pass judgment on those of us who are not Christians. Christians claim they celebrate the birth of a baby who they say came to save the world – sure, he was a popular teacher in his day, but this mystical, “mind-over-matter” stuff was just a bit much for a reasoned society. So, those nativity scenes are no longer native to city hall grounds and courthouse squares, and those Christmas trees have become treated as symbols of family, friendship, and fun.
Sure, there are other holidays, which still retain their original names and personalities – Valentine’s Day is a celebration for lovers, the 4th of July has become a great reminder of tolerance and freedom of expression, and Halloween is just plain fun, with a dalliance or two with the dark side thrown in for good measure. But, none of these compare with THE holidays, the season, the winter festival, a way to break the monotony between the finality of fall and the promise of spring. It’s become much more carefree without the religious overtones – no more “war on Christmas”, when Christians would try to coerce retailers to put some mention of Christmas in their advertising, back when 95% of people in our country said they celebrated Christmas. It’s good that intimidation no longer rules the day and Christians keep their outdated religion to themselves.
When the courts began to enforce the Establishment Clause of the Bill of Rights, our governments, from Washington to cities and counties across our land, set a tone that church and state were to be absolutely separated. Even though for a while, certain high-profile Christians screamed that we were a “Christian” nation and that their freedom of expression was being limited, nevertheless there became so much hostility toward these people that their voices eventually were silenced. So now we don’t have to drive by a government building and be reminded of those 10 Commandments or walk into a store and have someone wish us “Merry Christmas”. We can now eat, drink, and be merry, and not pay a bit of attention to who we might offend. Freedom is a wonderful thing…
But, I’m really wondering why I end up rolling up a huge credit card debt this time of year to buy gifts for others, when I could be saving for that boat that I want so badly. Why am I looking for the right electronic gadget to enhance my light display? Why do we spend the time in preparation for a party that will be forgotten this time next year, or next week? Oh, yes, it’s THE holidays, the happy holidays, that are supposed to be bigger and better every year…but at the end of it all, after we shout “Happy New Year” (there’s that word, “happy”, again), it’s time to put it all back in the box. Is that what this has become – some instant gratification, some modicum of happiness that comes and goes as we load and unload boxes full of…glass…and cords? Wait a minute, I have a text, got to go pick up that holiday ham – there’s plenty to celebrate, isn’t there? You know, in a way, I miss those Christians and all there revelry this time of year…it just doesn’t seem the same without ‘em.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Toward a More Civil Society
Here is a copy of the November column that I submitted for "River Region's Journey" magazine.
The tone is unmistakable. We see it in the gestures made by drivers who feel like their fellow road warriors have gotten just a bit too close. We observe it in the children who show disrespect for parents and other authorities in their lives. We sense it on the athletic field, as the spirit of competition morphs into a spirit of outright cruelty. And then, there are those politicians who engage in mean-spirited attacks and change their focus from issues to personal nuances.
These examples, I believe are symptomatic of the type of society in which we’re living, where anger and rage have replaced honor and respect. But, it gives us as Christians a unique opportunity to provide a strong contrast to the behavioral norms that have developed, practicing the words of our Lord, as He told us to love our neighbor as ourselves.
I would like share a few principles on cultural civility, rooted in the Biblical ideals of the Golden Rule (which is not, “do unto others before they do it unto you”!) and the answer to the question, “who is my neighbor?”.
First, recognize that we have a unique opportunity. These are days in which the Scriptures can be tremendously relevant. In the midst of angry people and attitudes, we can reflect peace and longsuffering. People are upset these days over a wide range of circumstances, whether it be the economy, issues at home, or an overstressed schedule. To go against the grain and reflect the fruit of the Spirit can attract others to the presence of Christ within you.
A smile is an outward expression that cannot be underestimated. If I had to describe the general emotion of our culture today, I don’t think “happy” or “joyful” would be two of the adjectives I would use. A smile can be contagious, reflecting an attitude that stands in contrast to what many are experiencing these days.
Kind words diffuse emotional upheavals. I had the chance several months ago to talk with Dr. Gary Chapman, perhaps best known for his association with the 5 Love Languages. He lamented the lack of civility in our society, saying, “We’ve forgotten…how to dialogue and how to be civil to somebody, even if you disagree with what they’re saying.” Dr. Chapman essentially said we could recapture a sense of civility if we as Christians learn how to treat people kindly and courteously, and demonstrate all the other traits of love. In his book, Love as a Way of Life, he identifies 7 characteristics of authentic love: kindness, patience, forgiveness, humility, courtesy, generosity, and honesty. This conversation is posted on the Meeting House website at www.meetinghouseonline.info/download.
Acts of kindness are living examples of Christ’s mercy. I believe that the faith walk is more than just talking the talk, but it involves walking in Christ’s steps. I think we practice His love and mercy by not only toning down our rhetoric and choosing our words carefully, but also engaging the culture by doing acts that back up our words.
Be intentional about people to whom you can lend a helping hand.
Last year, I interviewed Dr. Crawford Loritts, Senior Pastor of Fellowship Bible Church in the Atlanta area. Several years ago, after concluding a series on giving, church members were given a total of $30,000 in small bills to use in a “Kingdom Assignment”. The people were told to invest the money in advancing the cause of the gospel. Dr. Loritts said that, “God did some remarkable things”. Examples included families giving out packets to the homeless in downtown Atlanta, providing an eye exam and glasses for a special needs child in a single-parent situation, drilling wells in Third World countries, and the purchase of an ad for a website for prayer – the word of that purchase spread through the newspaper office and landed the church on the front page of the newspaper!! I believe that we can identify special people and projects, in addition to being ready in and out of season to reflect His nature.
And, remember, you are an ambassador for Christ. Our family has learned this in special ways over the last few months. The four of us went on a missions trip to North Carolina to help in the building of a camp that will serve inner city youth. We participated in a service day with our church, and helped paint a house and do other chores at a special lady’s house. Plus, my wife and daughter ministered to the fair workers by assisting in serving them breakfast. It is in serving that we begin to lose ourselves and truly love our neighbors, and that brings joy to us personally and spreads the light of Christ to a world that needs to see the difference that is in us.
The interview with Crawford Loritts, to which I referred in the column, can also be found at www.meetinghouseonline.info/download.
The tone is unmistakable. We see it in the gestures made by drivers who feel like their fellow road warriors have gotten just a bit too close. We observe it in the children who show disrespect for parents and other authorities in their lives. We sense it on the athletic field, as the spirit of competition morphs into a spirit of outright cruelty. And then, there are those politicians who engage in mean-spirited attacks and change their focus from issues to personal nuances.
These examples, I believe are symptomatic of the type of society in which we’re living, where anger and rage have replaced honor and respect. But, it gives us as Christians a unique opportunity to provide a strong contrast to the behavioral norms that have developed, practicing the words of our Lord, as He told us to love our neighbor as ourselves.
I would like share a few principles on cultural civility, rooted in the Biblical ideals of the Golden Rule (which is not, “do unto others before they do it unto you”!) and the answer to the question, “who is my neighbor?”.
First, recognize that we have a unique opportunity. These are days in which the Scriptures can be tremendously relevant. In the midst of angry people and attitudes, we can reflect peace and longsuffering. People are upset these days over a wide range of circumstances, whether it be the economy, issues at home, or an overstressed schedule. To go against the grain and reflect the fruit of the Spirit can attract others to the presence of Christ within you.
A smile is an outward expression that cannot be underestimated. If I had to describe the general emotion of our culture today, I don’t think “happy” or “joyful” would be two of the adjectives I would use. A smile can be contagious, reflecting an attitude that stands in contrast to what many are experiencing these days.
Kind words diffuse emotional upheavals. I had the chance several months ago to talk with Dr. Gary Chapman, perhaps best known for his association with the 5 Love Languages. He lamented the lack of civility in our society, saying, “We’ve forgotten…how to dialogue and how to be civil to somebody, even if you disagree with what they’re saying.” Dr. Chapman essentially said we could recapture a sense of civility if we as Christians learn how to treat people kindly and courteously, and demonstrate all the other traits of love. In his book, Love as a Way of Life, he identifies 7 characteristics of authentic love: kindness, patience, forgiveness, humility, courtesy, generosity, and honesty. This conversation is posted on the Meeting House website at www.meetinghouseonline.info/download.
Acts of kindness are living examples of Christ’s mercy. I believe that the faith walk is more than just talking the talk, but it involves walking in Christ’s steps. I think we practice His love and mercy by not only toning down our rhetoric and choosing our words carefully, but also engaging the culture by doing acts that back up our words.
Be intentional about people to whom you can lend a helping hand.
Last year, I interviewed Dr. Crawford Loritts, Senior Pastor of Fellowship Bible Church in the Atlanta area. Several years ago, after concluding a series on giving, church members were given a total of $30,000 in small bills to use in a “Kingdom Assignment”. The people were told to invest the money in advancing the cause of the gospel. Dr. Loritts said that, “God did some remarkable things”. Examples included families giving out packets to the homeless in downtown Atlanta, providing an eye exam and glasses for a special needs child in a single-parent situation, drilling wells in Third World countries, and the purchase of an ad for a website for prayer – the word of that purchase spread through the newspaper office and landed the church on the front page of the newspaper!! I believe that we can identify special people and projects, in addition to being ready in and out of season to reflect His nature.
And, remember, you are an ambassador for Christ. Our family has learned this in special ways over the last few months. The four of us went on a missions trip to North Carolina to help in the building of a camp that will serve inner city youth. We participated in a service day with our church, and helped paint a house and do other chores at a special lady’s house. Plus, my wife and daughter ministered to the fair workers by assisting in serving them breakfast. It is in serving that we begin to lose ourselves and truly love our neighbors, and that brings joy to us personally and spreads the light of Christ to a world that needs to see the difference that is in us.
The interview with Crawford Loritts, to which I referred in the column, can also be found at www.meetinghouseonline.info/download.
Friday, October 17, 2008
7 Leadership Labels
I wanted to pass along my latest column from "River Region's Journey" magazine. It's so important that men and women of character are elected to public office, and that the leadership characteristics that are consistent with Scripture are demonstrated by God's people. So here are some thoughts that I submitted to Journey.
The 2008 elections will be here practically before we realize it, and it is definitely time to be praying for the choices that we will make. As I’ve said on my radio program, The Meeting House, on Faith Radio, it’s important that we exercise our right to vote and make prayerful and informed choices.
I have crafted a list of 7 characteristics – “leadership labels”, if you will, that can be qualities that each of us would want to emulate and that we can look for in the leaders we choose.
Character.
One’s character is the essence of his or her personality. I’ve heard it said that character is who a person is when there is nobody watching. I think that a person of good character is someone who can be trusted, who takes life seriously and soberly, and has a keen sense of his or her life’s purpose. I believe that one of the key elements of character is one’s…
Core Beliefs.
When examining candidates for public office, I think it’s critical that, whenever possible, we determine what drives a person – not merely what someone will say in order to get elected, but what activities in which he or she has participated, and with whom or what the person has associated. If one’s motivation can be discerned, then it can go a long way in determining how someone will behave when assuming the mantle of public trust. How willing is someone to govern based on those core beliefs? Do those beliefs become…
Convictions.
Convictions are solidly held principles that provide a strong foundation for how a person behaves. Unfortunately, some politicians say that they hold a certain set of beliefs, yet do not believe they should impose those beliefs on others. If one holds to his or her convictions, then that person will do the right thing, regardless of the political fallout. I believe respect can be gained if someone is willing to make policy decisions that reflect deeply-held convictions. I believe that faith has a key role in the development of public policy, and an important question for people of faith who aspire to high office is: how does your personal faith influence the decisions you make? And a person who has convictions will allow themselves to be governed by…
Conscience.
A conscience is grounded in a sense of right and wrong – a moral compass that helps one to make good decisions, even in the heat of the moment. A good leader, I believe, has an intuitive sense of how to act when leadership is needed or desired. And, if someone is dedicated to following one’s conscience, then it will be reflected in his or her…
Communication.
Words have meaning. A person of ideas is well-served if those ideas can be communicated in a clear, concise, and sincere manner. People who share candidly, from the heart, can make a distinct impression and use their influence for the good of others. Jesus was such a communicator – He understood the power of ideas, was able to relate to people on their level, and used words to paint effective pictures of the truth He desired for people to embrace. A person with good communication skills alone is not necessarily a good leader, but a person who backs his speech up with quality, consistent action is someone to whom we should pay attention. And we can be drawn by…
Creativity.
The ability to speak and act creatively helps someone stand out from the crowd - Not flashy, but fresh…not mundane, but motivational. If one is content with the status quo, then complacency can set in. But, if one is constantly evaluating, looking for ways to improve, some creative energy can be generated that can bring about the desired results. And, at all time, the good leader keeps in mind that it’s not all about him or her, but the focus should be…
Centered on Others.
Jesus came to earth, becoming one of us so that we might be saved. He said in Mark that He did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. Does a politician, someone aspiring to hold public office, recognize the calling he or she has to be a servant-leader? A quality leader is not looking to rule, but to serve…not to dictate, but to illustrate what it means to help other people.
Of course, issues are very important, and in examining potential leaders, I encourage you to evaluate the positions on a variety of issues, consistent with a Biblical worldview perspective. I believe that we are a country that has a tremendous leadership void, and that statesmen – quality leaders - are required in the future to address the significant challenges of our public entities.
The 2008 elections will be here practically before we realize it, and it is definitely time to be praying for the choices that we will make. As I’ve said on my radio program, The Meeting House, on Faith Radio, it’s important that we exercise our right to vote and make prayerful and informed choices.
I have crafted a list of 7 characteristics – “leadership labels”, if you will, that can be qualities that each of us would want to emulate and that we can look for in the leaders we choose.
Character.
One’s character is the essence of his or her personality. I’ve heard it said that character is who a person is when there is nobody watching. I think that a person of good character is someone who can be trusted, who takes life seriously and soberly, and has a keen sense of his or her life’s purpose. I believe that one of the key elements of character is one’s…
Core Beliefs.
When examining candidates for public office, I think it’s critical that, whenever possible, we determine what drives a person – not merely what someone will say in order to get elected, but what activities in which he or she has participated, and with whom or what the person has associated. If one’s motivation can be discerned, then it can go a long way in determining how someone will behave when assuming the mantle of public trust. How willing is someone to govern based on those core beliefs? Do those beliefs become…
Convictions.
Convictions are solidly held principles that provide a strong foundation for how a person behaves. Unfortunately, some politicians say that they hold a certain set of beliefs, yet do not believe they should impose those beliefs on others. If one holds to his or her convictions, then that person will do the right thing, regardless of the political fallout. I believe respect can be gained if someone is willing to make policy decisions that reflect deeply-held convictions. I believe that faith has a key role in the development of public policy, and an important question for people of faith who aspire to high office is: how does your personal faith influence the decisions you make? And a person who has convictions will allow themselves to be governed by…
Conscience.
A conscience is grounded in a sense of right and wrong – a moral compass that helps one to make good decisions, even in the heat of the moment. A good leader, I believe, has an intuitive sense of how to act when leadership is needed or desired. And, if someone is dedicated to following one’s conscience, then it will be reflected in his or her…
Communication.
Words have meaning. A person of ideas is well-served if those ideas can be communicated in a clear, concise, and sincere manner. People who share candidly, from the heart, can make a distinct impression and use their influence for the good of others. Jesus was such a communicator – He understood the power of ideas, was able to relate to people on their level, and used words to paint effective pictures of the truth He desired for people to embrace. A person with good communication skills alone is not necessarily a good leader, but a person who backs his speech up with quality, consistent action is someone to whom we should pay attention. And we can be drawn by…
Creativity.
The ability to speak and act creatively helps someone stand out from the crowd - Not flashy, but fresh…not mundane, but motivational. If one is content with the status quo, then complacency can set in. But, if one is constantly evaluating, looking for ways to improve, some creative energy can be generated that can bring about the desired results. And, at all time, the good leader keeps in mind that it’s not all about him or her, but the focus should be…
Centered on Others.
Jesus came to earth, becoming one of us so that we might be saved. He said in Mark that He did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. Does a politician, someone aspiring to hold public office, recognize the calling he or she has to be a servant-leader? A quality leader is not looking to rule, but to serve…not to dictate, but to illustrate what it means to help other people.
Of course, issues are very important, and in examining potential leaders, I encourage you to evaluate the positions on a variety of issues, consistent with a Biblical worldview perspective. I believe that we are a country that has a tremendous leadership void, and that statesmen – quality leaders - are required in the future to address the significant challenges of our public entities.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
"Fireproof" Catching Fire
Have you heard? The Kendrick brothers from Albany, Georgia and Sherwood Baptist Church are at it again - their next project is called, "Fireproof", and it's due in theaters on September 26th.
These are genuinely humble individuals who desire to touch the world from their hometown of Albany, and through the movie, "Facing the Giants", they presented a powerful gospel message against the backdrop of high school football. The miracle story of how a church-based production company made a movie for $100,000 and grossed $10 million at the box office is an incredible testimony to God's greatness.
Now, they are attempting to share a message of the sanctity of marriage and God's ability to save and revolutionize marriage through their film, "Fireproof".
A pastor and church leader screening is in the works for the Montgomery area, and I encourage you to visit the website at http://www.fireproofthemovie.com/. Here's a source for information on "Fireproof":
You can hear my interview with Stephen Kendrick of Sherwood Pictures, Producer of "Fireproof" at: www.meetinghouseonline.info/download.
These are genuinely humble individuals who desire to touch the world from their hometown of Albany, and through the movie, "Facing the Giants", they presented a powerful gospel message against the backdrop of high school football. The miracle story of how a church-based production company made a movie for $100,000 and grossed $10 million at the box office is an incredible testimony to God's greatness.
Now, they are attempting to share a message of the sanctity of marriage and God's ability to save and revolutionize marriage through their film, "Fireproof".
A pastor and church leader screening is in the works for the Montgomery area, and I encourage you to visit the website at http://www.fireproofthemovie.com/. Here's a source for information on "Fireproof":
You can hear my interview with Stephen Kendrick of Sherwood Pictures, Producer of "Fireproof" at: www.meetinghouseonline.info/download.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Religious Freedom Scorecard - Liberty 2, Suppression 1
I like to think that by tracing some of these instances where religious liberties are being called into question and...carried into court, that it will serve to embolden Christians to take a stand for our constitutional rights and to recognize the rich religious heritage that we have, which our laws were designed to uphold.
I have 3 situations to share -
#1 - Gainesville, Florida. A Christian-based fraternity, Beta Upsilon Chi ("Brothers Under Christ"), desired to be recognized officially on the campus of the University of Florida. However, the university refused to do so. Recently, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals handed down a ruling in favor of BYX, and the fraternity's Executive Director, Jason Hoyt, came on The Meeting House to talk about it.
Listen
You can find out more about the fraternity by going to www.betaupsilon.chi.org.
#2 - Fredericksburg, Virginia. In this Southern city, a city councilman, who also is a local minister, desired to participate in the prayer rotation at the council meetings AND close his prayers in the name of Jesus. The council adopted a policy allowing only non-sectarian prayers, and the minister filed suit. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, including former Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O'Connor, ruled against the minister. I was joined by former navy Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, who discussed this case with me:
Listen
You can discover more about this and the case I am about to highlight by going to www.prayinjesusname.org.
#3 - Baker City, Oregon. The City Council in this city took a look at its policy allowing only "non-sectarian" prayer to open its meetings, and decided to strike that requirements. Here again is Chaplain Klingenschmitt:
Listen
To download these 2 full interviews, you can go the Intersection Download Center at www.meetinghouseonline.info and find the .mp3 on the alphabetized list. Stay tuned to The Meeting House for regular updates concerning our religious liberties in America.
I have 3 situations to share -
#1 - Gainesville, Florida. A Christian-based fraternity, Beta Upsilon Chi ("Brothers Under Christ"), desired to be recognized officially on the campus of the University of Florida. However, the university refused to do so. Recently, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals handed down a ruling in favor of BYX, and the fraternity's Executive Director, Jason Hoyt, came on The Meeting House to talk about it.
Listen
You can find out more about the fraternity by going to www.betaupsilon.chi.org.
#2 - Fredericksburg, Virginia. In this Southern city, a city councilman, who also is a local minister, desired to participate in the prayer rotation at the council meetings AND close his prayers in the name of Jesus. The council adopted a policy allowing only non-sectarian prayers, and the minister filed suit. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, including former Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O'Connor, ruled against the minister. I was joined by former navy Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, who discussed this case with me:
Listen
You can discover more about this and the case I am about to highlight by going to www.prayinjesusname.org.
#3 - Baker City, Oregon. The City Council in this city took a look at its policy allowing only "non-sectarian" prayer to open its meetings, and decided to strike that requirements. Here again is Chaplain Klingenschmitt:
Listen
To download these 2 full interviews, you can go the Intersection Download Center at www.meetinghouseonline.info and find the .mp3 on the alphabetized list. Stay tuned to The Meeting House for regular updates concerning our religious liberties in America.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Great Expectations
One of the real challenges that I considered when starting this blog was making sure I kept it updated - sometimes I've gone to sites that may have had their most recent post from the previous year or two. So, that's not what I had in mind. Actually, the fact that I haven't updated the blog in a little over a month bothers me a bit, so I'm going to try to be real good and play catch up here. I wanted to include my monthly column from the current issue of "River Region's Journey", and to enhance that reading experience, I will insert some audio from a recent interview with Randy Singer, an author and pastor who is mentioned in the column. So, here goes...
Supernatural?!
The novel’s protagonist labored under a cloud of suspicion – you see, she had contacted law enforcement officials to share with them that she had been having these visions that revealed possibly incriminating evidence in a string of horrific murders. The recipients of this information concluded that since she knew so much, she had to be the perpetrator.
This is my attempt to summarize the basic premise of a new novel by attorney and pastor Randy Singer called, By Reason of Insanity. This novel certainly raises questions about the realm of the supernatural. In fact, when Randy joined me on The Meeting House on Faith Radio recently, he made reference to a legal proceeding documented in the book of Acts, where the Apostle Paul was told that much learning had made him “mad”.
Unfortunately, in today’s culture, the realm of the supernatural is something that is explored, and even glorified, as long as it does not involved Christ or Christians. It is acceptable for horror movies and creepy novels to journey into the paranormal, UFO’s become a cute diversion, and the existence of space aliens a source of curiosity. But, if it deals with miracles, well, there seems to be an element that just tosses it away as “insanity”.
Here are some of Randy Singer's comments now from a recent edition of The Meeting House radio program:
Supernatural?!
The novel’s protagonist labored under a cloud of suspicion – you see, she had contacted law enforcement officials to share with them that she had been having these visions that revealed possibly incriminating evidence in a string of horrific murders. The recipients of this information concluded that since she knew so much, she had to be the perpetrator.
This is my attempt to summarize the basic premise of a new novel by attorney and pastor Randy Singer called, By Reason of Insanity. This novel certainly raises questions about the realm of the supernatural. In fact, when Randy joined me on The Meeting House on Faith Radio recently, he made reference to a legal proceeding documented in the book of Acts, where the Apostle Paul was told that much learning had made him “mad”.
Unfortunately, in today’s culture, the realm of the supernatural is something that is explored, and even glorified, as long as it does not involved Christ or Christians. It is acceptable for horror movies and creepy novels to journey into the paranormal, UFO’s become a cute diversion, and the existence of space aliens a source of curiosity. But, if it deals with miracles, well, there seems to be an element that just tosses it away as “insanity”.
Here are some of Randy Singer's comments now from a recent edition of The Meeting House radio program:
Is God still working outside of our human understanding – today, in our midst? We hear the obligatory references to God’s hand of protection when a disaster might claim fewer lives that we would have expected, but is a fascination with how He is working - beyond our senses – something that Bible-believing Christians should be involved in? The International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention reports that a number of Muslims are coming to Christ through – yes, dreams and visions!! A note here – God’s primary method of communication is His Word, the Bible, and a person’s claim to have heard from God must line up with the principles and edicts of Scripture. If the Holy Spirit is truly leading us, then we certify His leading by ascertaining how it is lining up with God’s Word. But we also recognize that His Spirit is in the earth today, and He is capable and culpable in doing work that is outside the boundaries of what we can readily explain. He is moving in the hearts of believers, and He is communicating to us – and we can be challenged to discern whether are not we are truly hearing and listening.
Randy Singer, in that Meeting House interview, elaborated on being sensitive to the supernatural in a Christian sense:
Listen
The Bible depicts a spiritual realm in Ephesians 6, telling us that we are not waging “war” against flesh and blood, but against various legions of supernatural, evil forces. Angels and demons are truly all around us. In fact, the prophet Daniel was told by a powerful angel that an evil entity called, “the prince of Persia” hindered him for 21 days in attempting to bring a message to Him. So, what do we do with this information? I believe that we should be emboldened as believers to walk in a manner that certifies that, as 1st John 4:4 says, greater is He who is in us that He that is in the world.
Some final thoughts from Randy Singer on how to know that we are hearing God's voice or sensing His direction:
Listen
Super Potential!
I’ve been thinking about the notion of expectations – we’re promised in Scripture, in Ephesians 3:20, that God is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we can ask or think. So, we acknowledge the supernatural realm and allow God to increase our level of expectation in Him. We also recognize the God-given abilities that He has placed within us – the gifts and talents that He desires to use for His glory.
And, there’s no better time to see these innate abilities developed than during the teen years. This was driven home by a recent Meeting House interview with Alex and Brett Harris, founders of a movement of teens called The Rebelution, and the authors of the book, Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations. They are taking aim at, as Alex put it, “the modern notion of the teen years as really a vacation from responsibility.” In fact, they refer to something called the “myth of adolescence”.
I believe when our young people are challenged and energized, they can do amazing things and bring honor and glory to their Creator. It’s important that they are reinforced (lovingly, of course) in using those God-given abilities, and that we find ways to engage them in productive activities that take their minds off themselves and a sense of self-indulgence, and place it on God and others.
For more information on Randy Singer and his resources, you can visit his website at http://www.randysinger.net/. The brothers Harris have a website called http://www.therebelution.com/. Great and mighty is the Lord our God!!
The Harris brothers were featured in an earlier post here on the blog. Check out the May post, "Toward Higher Expectations", which has some .mp3 audio to which you can listen.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Who's Your Idol (from River Region's Journey)
The current edition of River Region's Journey magazine contains more Christian cultural commentary - in this piece from the June edition, I attempted to tie 3 threads from recent Meeting House programs together, and I hope it gives us all some thoughts upon which to reflect:
Around our house, Tuesday nights had morphed into quite a ritual – dinner in front of the tube, eyes and ears transfixed as the next “Idol” attempted to win the hearts of America. And while I’ve never been so crazy about the name, nevertheless the search for talent, the sense of competition, and the sharp comments of the judges make the program a regular part of life between March and May.
It’s funny what and who society tends to idolize and even place unrealistic expectations upon. I have to admit, as I wrote in my Meeting House blog, the finish to "Idol Gives Back" was absolutely incredible. I was thrilled that the end of the program featured the worship favorite, “Shout to the Lord”, and I wrote this:Yes, it stung that the name of Jesus was edited out of the first line of "Shout to the Lord", but I don't think that changes the meaning of the song to embrace some sort of Oprah-type generic religion…Sure beats some generic, so-called inspirational song like "We are the World".With regard to the choice of "Shout to the Lord" and the editing of the name of Jesus to "shepherd", I think we have to realize that the job description of the world is not to evangelize - that's our job...and we as Christians have been given a great opportunity to talk about the "Idol" show and perhaps get someone thinking about spiritual things and a relationship with Christ.
So, the inclusion of “Shout to the Lord” does not signify some sort of cultural epiphany, but I do believe it recognizes a place for faith in American life. And, I was glad that Jesus’ name was put back in when the contestants sang it the next night. Bob Kauflin talked about the event on The Meeting House and wrote about it on his blog at www.worshipmatters.com.
And, speaking of an “idol” in America and someone who has great expectations placed upon her, a moment about the whole Miley Cyrus/Vanify Fair deal. That high-profile story really gave Christian parents a dilemma – Do you show the pictures or even tell your teen or tween girls about the inappropriate photos that were shot by a Vanity Fair photographer who had a background in suggestive poses for her subjects? Well, I think that the whole situation becomes a teachable moment with our children as we can discuss issues of making right choices. When you get to be someone of Miley Cyrus’ stature, you have a greater responsibility – the stakes are higher, and it’s important that you remember that people are watching. Miley says her faith will keep her from ending up like Britney or Lindsay – let’s pray that she will be a good ambassador for Christ. To her credit, she was humble in apologizing for the Vanity Fair pictures and some Internet photos that circulated.
The practical lesson for each of is that as Christians, we are being watched closely – I just want to make sure that my life is a good representation of His glory…and that’s a great lesson to pass on to the next generation. For some insight, read recent Meeting House guest Kristen Fyfe’s piece, “Miley Media Mania” on the Culture and Media Institute website at www.cultureandmedia.com. Her colleague, Colleen Raezler, highlighted another subject that we can relate to the Miley meltdown - how society is bombarded with sexual messages, as she reviewed Carol Platt Liebau’s book, Prude: How the Sex Obsessed Culture Damages Girls (and America too!). Raezler, in paraphrasing Liebau, says that, “In consequence we are tolerating, even normalizing, sexual behavior among teens, to the detriment of girls above all.” It’s important that we as parents are cognizant of the messages that are being sent to our young people so that we can help them gird their minds with Biblical truth with regard to what is pure and appropriate.
And, finally, one of our longtime American idols – Oprah Winfrey – has bought into New Age spirituality, which Craig Branch of the Apologetics Resource Center and I discussed on the air. Some of latest higher-consciousness-we-are-all-part-of-God philosophy is seen in books such as The New Earth by Eckhart Tolle, who has been recently been featured in web seminars through Oprah’s website. Oprah herself discounts Jesus’ teaching that He is the way, the truth, and the life. Rhonda Byrne (The Secret) and Marianne Williamson (A Course in Miracles) are just two more of the teachers who embrace mystic self-as-God teachings. Truly, everything that’s spiritual is not necessarily Biblical. It’s critical that Christians evaluate what we see and hear in light of God’s word.
Idolatry comes in many personalities and philosophies, but it’s God who is the only One who can fulfill all our expectations.
You can visit the Meeting House website at www.meetinghouseonline.info to learn more about some of the topics being discussed on the program. I attempt to approach a variety of topics, including current issues, from a Christian worldview perspective, and I invite you to listen on Faith Radio and www.faithradio.org weekday afternoons between 4 & 6pm Central Time.
Around our house, Tuesday nights had morphed into quite a ritual – dinner in front of the tube, eyes and ears transfixed as the next “Idol” attempted to win the hearts of America. And while I’ve never been so crazy about the name, nevertheless the search for talent, the sense of competition, and the sharp comments of the judges make the program a regular part of life between March and May.
It’s funny what and who society tends to idolize and even place unrealistic expectations upon. I have to admit, as I wrote in my Meeting House blog, the finish to "Idol Gives Back" was absolutely incredible. I was thrilled that the end of the program featured the worship favorite, “Shout to the Lord”, and I wrote this:Yes, it stung that the name of Jesus was edited out of the first line of "Shout to the Lord", but I don't think that changes the meaning of the song to embrace some sort of Oprah-type generic religion…Sure beats some generic, so-called inspirational song like "We are the World".With regard to the choice of "Shout to the Lord" and the editing of the name of Jesus to "shepherd", I think we have to realize that the job description of the world is not to evangelize - that's our job...and we as Christians have been given a great opportunity to talk about the "Idol" show and perhaps get someone thinking about spiritual things and a relationship with Christ.
So, the inclusion of “Shout to the Lord” does not signify some sort of cultural epiphany, but I do believe it recognizes a place for faith in American life. And, I was glad that Jesus’ name was put back in when the contestants sang it the next night. Bob Kauflin talked about the event on The Meeting House and wrote about it on his blog at www.worshipmatters.com.
And, speaking of an “idol” in America and someone who has great expectations placed upon her, a moment about the whole Miley Cyrus/Vanify Fair deal. That high-profile story really gave Christian parents a dilemma – Do you show the pictures or even tell your teen or tween girls about the inappropriate photos that were shot by a Vanity Fair photographer who had a background in suggestive poses for her subjects? Well, I think that the whole situation becomes a teachable moment with our children as we can discuss issues of making right choices. When you get to be someone of Miley Cyrus’ stature, you have a greater responsibility – the stakes are higher, and it’s important that you remember that people are watching. Miley says her faith will keep her from ending up like Britney or Lindsay – let’s pray that she will be a good ambassador for Christ. To her credit, she was humble in apologizing for the Vanity Fair pictures and some Internet photos that circulated.
The practical lesson for each of is that as Christians, we are being watched closely – I just want to make sure that my life is a good representation of His glory…and that’s a great lesson to pass on to the next generation. For some insight, read recent Meeting House guest Kristen Fyfe’s piece, “Miley Media Mania” on the Culture and Media Institute website at www.cultureandmedia.com. Her colleague, Colleen Raezler, highlighted another subject that we can relate to the Miley meltdown - how society is bombarded with sexual messages, as she reviewed Carol Platt Liebau’s book, Prude: How the Sex Obsessed Culture Damages Girls (and America too!). Raezler, in paraphrasing Liebau, says that, “In consequence we are tolerating, even normalizing, sexual behavior among teens, to the detriment of girls above all.” It’s important that we as parents are cognizant of the messages that are being sent to our young people so that we can help them gird their minds with Biblical truth with regard to what is pure and appropriate.
And, finally, one of our longtime American idols – Oprah Winfrey – has bought into New Age spirituality, which Craig Branch of the Apologetics Resource Center and I discussed on the air. Some of latest higher-consciousness-we-are-all-part-of-God philosophy is seen in books such as The New Earth by Eckhart Tolle, who has been recently been featured in web seminars through Oprah’s website. Oprah herself discounts Jesus’ teaching that He is the way, the truth, and the life. Rhonda Byrne (The Secret) and Marianne Williamson (A Course in Miracles) are just two more of the teachers who embrace mystic self-as-God teachings. Truly, everything that’s spiritual is not necessarily Biblical. It’s critical that Christians evaluate what we see and hear in light of God’s word.
Idolatry comes in many personalities and philosophies, but it’s God who is the only One who can fulfill all our expectations.
You can visit the Meeting House website at www.meetinghouseonline.info to learn more about some of the topics being discussed on the program. I attempt to approach a variety of topics, including current issues, from a Christian worldview perspective, and I invite you to listen on Faith Radio and www.faithradio.org weekday afternoons between 4 & 6pm Central Time.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Toward Higher Expectations, Part II
Yes, I had to do it...I started out my interview with John Rosemond for May discussing keeping kids occupied during the summer, and before I knew it, I had changed tracks and begun to follow-up on a conversation highlighted here on the Meeting House Blog with Alex and Brett Harris, founders of The Rebelution and authors of Do Hard Things, about increasing the expectation level for teens and exploring some of the negative aspects about what is now called adolescence. John weighed in on that topic and provided plenty of fodder for thought and conversation:
Listen
When we look at some of the attitudes and aptitudes of American teens, John actually puts some of the blame on parents and their leadership styles. He provided this insight:
Listen
John Rosemond is a regular guest of The Meeting House on Faith Radio, and you can regularly download our conversations in the Intersection Download Center at www.meetinghouseonline.info. His websites are www.rosemond.com and www.parentingbythebook.com.
Listen
When we look at some of the attitudes and aptitudes of American teens, John actually puts some of the blame on parents and their leadership styles. He provided this insight:
Listen
John Rosemond is a regular guest of The Meeting House on Faith Radio, and you can regularly download our conversations in the Intersection Download Center at www.meetinghouseonline.info. His websites are www.rosemond.com and www.parentingbythebook.com.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Returning to Narnia
It did over $744 million at the box office since it was released during the Christmas season of 2005, and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe became one of those classic movies, based on the book by C.S. Lewis. The film gave Christians the opportunity to not only be inspired in their own faith walk, but to engage in conversations that could arise from those Biblical themes that ran throughout the book and the film.
Now, the partnership of Walden Media and Walt Disney Pictures has teamed up yet again to bring the 2nd movie installment, Prince Caspian, which is based on the 4th book chronologically in the Narnia series. It's over a thousand years later in Narnia, but only a year hence for the Pevansee children, and things are a bit askew in the magical land. Aslan has been away, an evil king is reigning over Narnia, and the rightful heir, Prince Caspian, is having some trouble assuming his rightful place. Enter the 4 children, who are legendary in the realms of Narnia, but in archival history. So the stage is set, and Christians once again may find plenty to talk about, within their spheres of influence, and even within their families.
Recently on The Meeting House, I talked with author Christin Ditchfield, who has written a number of "family guides" related to Narnia, including her latest, A Family Guide to Prince Caspian. Here's a highlight from that conversation:
Listen
You can download the full interview from the Intersection Download Center at the Meeting House website at www.meetinghouseonline.info/download.
Christin's website is http://www.takeittoheartradio.com/. Her Guide is also available at Focus on the Family's website at http://www.family.org/.
The main Prince Caspian movie website is at http://www.narnia.com/.
You can also get some info. at http://www.narniaweb.com/.
For Christian resources, you can check out http://caspian.interlinc-online.com/ or http://www.outreach.com/.
In addition to Christin's Family Guide, there are some other books that have been released that are designed as companions to the book, and could be used with the movie:
Finding God in the Land of Narnia by Kurt Bruner and Jim Ware
The Keys to the Chronicles by Marvin Hinten
Finding Purpose in Narnia: A Journey with Prince Caspian by Gina Burkart
A Reader's Guide to Caspian: A Journey into C.S. Lewis's Narnia by Leland Ryken and Marjorie Lamp Mead
Here's some more stuff to help you get ready for Prince Caspian!!
Now, the partnership of Walden Media and Walt Disney Pictures has teamed up yet again to bring the 2nd movie installment, Prince Caspian, which is based on the 4th book chronologically in the Narnia series. It's over a thousand years later in Narnia, but only a year hence for the Pevansee children, and things are a bit askew in the magical land. Aslan has been away, an evil king is reigning over Narnia, and the rightful heir, Prince Caspian, is having some trouble assuming his rightful place. Enter the 4 children, who are legendary in the realms of Narnia, but in archival history. So the stage is set, and Christians once again may find plenty to talk about, within their spheres of influence, and even within their families.
Recently on The Meeting House, I talked with author Christin Ditchfield, who has written a number of "family guides" related to Narnia, including her latest, A Family Guide to Prince Caspian. Here's a highlight from that conversation:
Listen
You can download the full interview from the Intersection Download Center at the Meeting House website at www.meetinghouseonline.info/download.
Christin's website is http://www.takeittoheartradio.com/. Her Guide is also available at Focus on the Family's website at http://www.family.org/.
The main Prince Caspian movie website is at http://www.narnia.com/.
You can also get some info. at http://www.narniaweb.com/.
For Christian resources, you can check out http://caspian.interlinc-online.com/ or http://www.outreach.com/.
In addition to Christin's Family Guide, there are some other books that have been released that are designed as companions to the book, and could be used with the movie:
Finding God in the Land of Narnia by Kurt Bruner and Jim Ware
The Keys to the Chronicles by Marvin Hinten
Finding Purpose in Narnia: A Journey with Prince Caspian by Gina Burkart
A Reader's Guide to Caspian: A Journey into C.S. Lewis's Narnia by Leland Ryken and Marjorie Lamp Mead
Here's some more stuff to help you get ready for Prince Caspian!!
River Region's Journey - Whatever Happened to Sin?
I do like to share my monthly column from River Region's (formerly Montgomery's) Journey magazine here on the blog. In May, I revisited a topic that I had explored here, in addition to giving a thumbnail sketch on how God is working around the world. Here is what I submitted for May:
In the 80’s, Christian musical artist and philosopher Steve Taylor gave this description of moral relativism:
Morality lies within
Consciences are restin'
Please repeat the question again
Whatever happened to sin?
Not only can we ask that question, “whatever happened to sin?” but we can also explore concepts such as, “What is sin?” and “What behaviors are defined as sin?” I have been a bit fascinated by a new study by Ellison Research that shows that a majority of Americans surveyed believe in a concept of sin, but differ widely on what activities actually can be defined as sinful. For the purposes of the study, sin was defined as "something that is almost always considered wrong, particularly from a religious or moral perspective".
So 87% of Americans believe in the concept of sin, and there were 30 behaviors that were listed for those taking the survey to give a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" regarding whether they believe that behavior (or lack of behavior) was sinful. Only 7 out of 30 were described as sinful by a majority of those taking the survey. Among those making the cut were adultery (81%), racism (74%), using hard drugs (are you kidding? - 65%), having an abortion (56%), and homosexual activity or sex (52%).
The surprise comes as we look at some of the items that were classifed as sinful by 50% or less of those surveyed - reading or watching pornography (50%), sex before marriage (45%), getting drunk (41%), and gambling (30%). You can find the results at www.ellisonresearch.com.
I think as we look at the whole notion of sin, we see that while there still may be a sense of right and wrong generally in our culture about some things, what defines right and wrong is often up to the individual. As Christians, we can have moral clarity as a result of the teachings of the Scriptures - we have a bearing for our lives. And as Christians, we can bring the world an antidote to the problem of sin through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
I had a fabulous conversation the other day on The Meeting House with Dr. Mark Roberts, who serves now in leadership at Laity Lodge in Texas, after pastoring a Presbyterian church in California. He made the excellent point that, “We are in a place where increasingly people are going to define for themselves…right and wrong…even if they acknowledge God and even if they acknowledge that they’re Christians. And that is troubling, but I think it also gives us our marching orders – in the sense that we need to engage with people, not merely to just go out and say, ‘Hey, this is sinful’; that’s not going to get us very far. But to live our lives in such a way that people are drawn to Christ, to live both individually and in the world together as we’re God’s people.” You can read his blog at www.markdroberts.com. Certainly, God has a moral code by which we are to live, not just to be prevented from doing certain things that we may want to do, but to participate in the “divine nature”, walking in the very best way of living for us.
And people all over the world are experiencing this new and abundant life in Jesus Christ. One of the exciting aspects of hosting The Meeting House radio program on Faith Broadcasting each weekday afternoon is to trace the hand of God at work around the world. William and Amy Stearns, authors of the book, 20/20 Vision: Amazing Stories of What God is Doing Around the World, have joined me previously on the show, and they publish a “Global Report”, available on their website at www.billandamystearns.info. Citing the Generous Giving website (www.generousgiving.org), they report that each day 166,000 people hear the good news of Jesus Christ for the first time, and that each year, 27 million people profess faith in Christ as Savior for the first time. A great example of the church’s growth is that the current 81 million believers in China are expected to swell to 135 million by 2025. By the year 2050, the 50 million believers in India are expected to swell to 125 million. Recently, author Joel Rosenberg appeared on the show, and reported the dynamic spiritual growth taking place in the Middle East. You can read about his research at www.joshuafund.net.
The light of Christ is shining throughout the world, as the burning torch of God’s righteousness is illuminating the darkness. As we embrace the truth that God’s way is best, we find we have the power to turn away from sin, and we can have a penetrating influence in our culture.
In the 80’s, Christian musical artist and philosopher Steve Taylor gave this description of moral relativism:
Morality lies within
Consciences are restin'
Please repeat the question again
Whatever happened to sin?
Not only can we ask that question, “whatever happened to sin?” but we can also explore concepts such as, “What is sin?” and “What behaviors are defined as sin?” I have been a bit fascinated by a new study by Ellison Research that shows that a majority of Americans surveyed believe in a concept of sin, but differ widely on what activities actually can be defined as sinful. For the purposes of the study, sin was defined as "something that is almost always considered wrong, particularly from a religious or moral perspective".
So 87% of Americans believe in the concept of sin, and there were 30 behaviors that were listed for those taking the survey to give a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" regarding whether they believe that behavior (or lack of behavior) was sinful. Only 7 out of 30 were described as sinful by a majority of those taking the survey. Among those making the cut were adultery (81%), racism (74%), using hard drugs (are you kidding? - 65%), having an abortion (56%), and homosexual activity or sex (52%).
The surprise comes as we look at some of the items that were classifed as sinful by 50% or less of those surveyed - reading or watching pornography (50%), sex before marriage (45%), getting drunk (41%), and gambling (30%). You can find the results at www.ellisonresearch.com.
I think as we look at the whole notion of sin, we see that while there still may be a sense of right and wrong generally in our culture about some things, what defines right and wrong is often up to the individual. As Christians, we can have moral clarity as a result of the teachings of the Scriptures - we have a bearing for our lives. And as Christians, we can bring the world an antidote to the problem of sin through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
I had a fabulous conversation the other day on The Meeting House with Dr. Mark Roberts, who serves now in leadership at Laity Lodge in Texas, after pastoring a Presbyterian church in California. He made the excellent point that, “We are in a place where increasingly people are going to define for themselves…right and wrong…even if they acknowledge God and even if they acknowledge that they’re Christians. And that is troubling, but I think it also gives us our marching orders – in the sense that we need to engage with people, not merely to just go out and say, ‘Hey, this is sinful’; that’s not going to get us very far. But to live our lives in such a way that people are drawn to Christ, to live both individually and in the world together as we’re God’s people.” You can read his blog at www.markdroberts.com. Certainly, God has a moral code by which we are to live, not just to be prevented from doing certain things that we may want to do, but to participate in the “divine nature”, walking in the very best way of living for us.
And people all over the world are experiencing this new and abundant life in Jesus Christ. One of the exciting aspects of hosting The Meeting House radio program on Faith Broadcasting each weekday afternoon is to trace the hand of God at work around the world. William and Amy Stearns, authors of the book, 20/20 Vision: Amazing Stories of What God is Doing Around the World, have joined me previously on the show, and they publish a “Global Report”, available on their website at www.billandamystearns.info. Citing the Generous Giving website (www.generousgiving.org), they report that each day 166,000 people hear the good news of Jesus Christ for the first time, and that each year, 27 million people profess faith in Christ as Savior for the first time. A great example of the church’s growth is that the current 81 million believers in China are expected to swell to 135 million by 2025. By the year 2050, the 50 million believers in India are expected to swell to 125 million. Recently, author Joel Rosenberg appeared on the show, and reported the dynamic spiritual growth taking place in the Middle East. You can read about his research at www.joshuafund.net.
The light of Christ is shining throughout the world, as the burning torch of God’s righteousness is illuminating the darkness. As we embrace the truth that God’s way is best, we find we have the power to turn away from sin, and we can have a penetrating influence in our culture.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Toward Higher Expectations
Recently on The Meeting House, I had the opportunity to interview brothers Alex and Brett Harris. These guys are the sons of Gregg Harris, who is known as a homeschooling pioneer and someone that brings challenging messages to families. Their brother is Josh Harris, author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye and now a pastor of a Sovereign Grace Ministries church in Maryland. So there is a great pedigree here.
I was thrilled to learn that the brothers Harris had served, at the age of 16, as interns in the office of Justice Tom Parker of the Alabama Supreme Court. They had attracted the attention of a staff member at Justice Parker's office as a result of the website they had launched called, "The Rebelution", and were brought on board. They made clear that no considerations were given to them based on their age - the expectation level was not compromised just because of their youth.
In their conversation with me, Alex and Brett recounted how their father had brought home some books, which helped to expand their horizons and begin to think about raising their level of expectation.
Listen
They learned quite a bit from their experience in Montgomery, Alabama, and teens are being impacted by the Rebelution website. They continue to challenge teenagers to make this time period known as adolescence a time to seize opportunities and "do hard things", and have written a book called, Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations. Here, Alex discusses what they term "the myth of adolescence".
Listen
Well, I'm on board with this one...I think parents can be motivated to help our teens live productive lives, even during the junior high and senior high school years. This is especially relevant with the summer months coming up - what grand opportunities young people to work on their spiritual lives and to allow God to use them doing acts of service - it sure develops their character and spirit much better than watching TV, playing video games, or catching rays by the pool all summer long.
So, it was a pleasure to talk with Alex and Brett and to be inspired by 2 young men who have definitely risen to a challenge and are working to motivate teens all across America to passionately serve God!
The full interview is available at the Intersection Download Center at the Meeting House website...check out www.meetinghouseonline.info/download.
I was thrilled to learn that the brothers Harris had served, at the age of 16, as interns in the office of Justice Tom Parker of the Alabama Supreme Court. They had attracted the attention of a staff member at Justice Parker's office as a result of the website they had launched called, "The Rebelution", and were brought on board. They made clear that no considerations were given to them based on their age - the expectation level was not compromised just because of their youth.
In their conversation with me, Alex and Brett recounted how their father had brought home some books, which helped to expand their horizons and begin to think about raising their level of expectation.
Listen
They learned quite a bit from their experience in Montgomery, Alabama, and teens are being impacted by the Rebelution website. They continue to challenge teenagers to make this time period known as adolescence a time to seize opportunities and "do hard things", and have written a book called, Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations. Here, Alex discusses what they term "the myth of adolescence".
Listen
Well, I'm on board with this one...I think parents can be motivated to help our teens live productive lives, even during the junior high and senior high school years. This is especially relevant with the summer months coming up - what grand opportunities young people to work on their spiritual lives and to allow God to use them doing acts of service - it sure develops their character and spirit much better than watching TV, playing video games, or catching rays by the pool all summer long.
So, it was a pleasure to talk with Alex and Brett and to be inspired by 2 young men who have definitely risen to a challenge and are working to motivate teens all across America to passionately serve God!
The full interview is available at the Intersection Download Center at the Meeting House website...check out www.meetinghouseonline.info/download.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
God at Work - Canada, Korea
One of the exciting aspects of The Meeting House radio program is to trace the hand of God at work around the world. I recently had the chance to sit down with two church leaders from two totally different parts of the world, as they shared the evidence of God's presence in their respective ministries.
Rick Lamothe serves as Lead Pastor of Sequoia Community Church in Ottawa, Canada, and has a vision for an Eastern Canada Ministry Centre that is designed to reach what is regarded as the largest unreached people group in North America, a corridor in Eastern Canada, to which Ottawa, Canada's capital city, is a key gateway. In a recent Meeting House conversation, he described the mindset of Canadian culture:
Listen
To learn more about being involved in this vital ministry, you can go to www.sequoiachurch.org or contact Montgomery's First Baptist Church at www.montgomeryfbc.org.
Dr. John Hong serves at Seoul Theological University, and was part of a group of some 2 dozen South Korean church leaders and their spouses, who are currently touring a number of churches across America. Their stop included Montgomery's Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church, and Dr. Hong, along with OMS International's President Emeritus Dr. J.B. Crouse, sat down with me for a conversation. I asked Dr. Hong to describe the work of the university there.
Listen
Stops on their American tour include Perimeter Church in Atlanta, Saddleback Church in California, Briarwood Presbyterian and Frazer Methodist in Alabama, Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, plus Willow Creek Community Church and Harvest Bible Chapel in Chicago. To learn more about the work of OMS, go to www.omsinternational.org.
Pastor Rick Lamothe has a bright future, as he is determined to share passionate Christianity in an innovative way. Dr. John Hong can celebrate a rich history of God at work in his nation, as this group of pastors gains information and inspiration to move forward in faith. We can be motivated in our service to Christ as we hear stories of how He is moving!
Rick Lamothe serves as Lead Pastor of Sequoia Community Church in Ottawa, Canada, and has a vision for an Eastern Canada Ministry Centre that is designed to reach what is regarded as the largest unreached people group in North America, a corridor in Eastern Canada, to which Ottawa, Canada's capital city, is a key gateway. In a recent Meeting House conversation, he described the mindset of Canadian culture:
Listen
To learn more about being involved in this vital ministry, you can go to www.sequoiachurch.org or contact Montgomery's First Baptist Church at www.montgomeryfbc.org.
Dr. John Hong serves at Seoul Theological University, and was part of a group of some 2 dozen South Korean church leaders and their spouses, who are currently touring a number of churches across America. Their stop included Montgomery's Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church, and Dr. Hong, along with OMS International's President Emeritus Dr. J.B. Crouse, sat down with me for a conversation. I asked Dr. Hong to describe the work of the university there.
Listen
Stops on their American tour include Perimeter Church in Atlanta, Saddleback Church in California, Briarwood Presbyterian and Frazer Methodist in Alabama, Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, plus Willow Creek Community Church and Harvest Bible Chapel in Chicago. To learn more about the work of OMS, go to www.omsinternational.org.
Pastor Rick Lamothe has a bright future, as he is determined to share passionate Christianity in an innovative way. Dr. John Hong can celebrate a rich history of God at work in his nation, as this group of pastors gains information and inspiration to move forward in faith. We can be motivated in our service to Christ as we hear stories of how He is moving!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Screens of Society (River Region's Journey ~ April 2008)
One of the things that I try to do with The Meeting House radio program and with my column in "River Region's Journey" magazine is to try to apply a Christian worldview perspective to cultural instances and trends. I was challenged by the recent Oscar awards to think about the nihilism that permeates society and potentially can negatively impact our minds. This was my submission for April's edition of the mag:
The images that penetrate our brains on a systematic basis can provide the building blocks for our worldview. I imagine that is why the movie theater has been described as the sanctuary for today’s culture. And the moviemakers are the ones who have the story to tell – with the endgame apparently being one of hopelessness and despair. Such was the case in the recent Academy Awards ceremony, as the Best Picture award went to the movie “No Country for Old Men”, which could be characterized as vile and violent, with little or no redemptive message. But, according to Dallas Jenkins, a filmmaker whose father is novelist Jerry Jenkins, this is generally the mindset of Hollywood – and he cites films such as his most recent, “Midnight Clear”, as a movie that shows real people in real situations, but also offers a theme of hope and redemption. In a recent interview on The Meeting House on Faith Radio, accessible at www.meetinghouseonline.info/download, he said that basically all the Best Picture nominees, with the exception of “Juno”, had a dark premise and a lack of a positive message. “Juno”, interestingly enough, was the best box office performer of all the nominees, featuring a look at some of the real consequences of teen pregnancy, not glorifying births outside of marriage, but dealing with some hard truths, but apparently, things turn out alright in the end.
The allure of the big screen…
And isn’t that why we used to go to movies, not only to be absorbed in the characters, but also to be uplifted in our lives? A trip to the theater can affect us in so many ways, and while life is not always full of happy endings, it does the soul good to not feel like taking an emotional shower when you leave the theater. But, as Dallas pointed out, the people voting on the Oscars are part of the Hollywood subculture, and become disconnected from the real consumers…this explains why some of the big box-office draws (such as, “Ratatouille”) didn’t come home with the awards. Furthermore, the big screen of the cineplex can reflect to the small screen of our heart, and that can have some dire implications on our culture as a whole.
…and the argument about a smaller screen…
Now on to a screen of a different size – a smaller screen, but highly significant. The second highest rated television program of all time was shown in homes and sports bars recently – but not many churches. Churches have seized an outreach opportunity by using a Super Bowl party to attract people to come into their buildings and perhaps hear the gospel. Resources have typically been made available as a tool to effectively share the gospel at an opportune moment before or during halftime of the game. Last year, it came to light that the National Football League had a policy that churches who hosted or sponsored viewings of the Super Bowl broadcasts on large-screen televisions infringed on the league’s copyright of the broadcast. NFL attorneys had reportedly warned officials at Falls Creek Baptist Church in Indianapolis against hosting a “Super Bowl Bash” to which church members and guests were invited to watch the game on a wall projector at the church.
According to media reports, NFL officials sent the church’s pastor John Newland a letter demanding that the party be cancelled. They objected to the church’s plan to charge partygoers a fee to attend, the use of the words “Super Bowl” in its promotions, the church’s plan to use a projector to show the game on a 12-foot-wide screen, and the church’s plan to show a video in conjunction with the game highlighting the Christian testimonies of coaches Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith. According to the legal organization The Rutherford Institute, which spoke out strongly against the NFL’s policy, a league spokesman defended the league’s actions, pointing to its longstanding policy against “mass out-of-home viewings” of the Super Bowl, even if they don’t charge admission, and requirement that hosts of parties only use one TV no bigger than 55 inches.
Well, the good news is that the NFL has revised its policy. In a Feb. 19 letter to Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has stated that the league will not object to live showings of the Super Bowl by religious organizations, regardless of screen size, as long as the viewings are free and are on premises that the church uses on a routine and customary basis. The NFL intends to implement the policy starting with next year’s Super Bowl. It’s good to know that there are organizations that speak out for our religious liberties, and in this instance, the voice of the people of faith was heard and heeded.
It’s important that Christians are strong and courageous, and allowing God’s word to show on the screen of our hearts so that we can be resolute in being an influence in the culture.
The images that penetrate our brains on a systematic basis can provide the building blocks for our worldview. I imagine that is why the movie theater has been described as the sanctuary for today’s culture. And the moviemakers are the ones who have the story to tell – with the endgame apparently being one of hopelessness and despair. Such was the case in the recent Academy Awards ceremony, as the Best Picture award went to the movie “No Country for Old Men”, which could be characterized as vile and violent, with little or no redemptive message. But, according to Dallas Jenkins, a filmmaker whose father is novelist Jerry Jenkins, this is generally the mindset of Hollywood – and he cites films such as his most recent, “Midnight Clear”, as a movie that shows real people in real situations, but also offers a theme of hope and redemption. In a recent interview on The Meeting House on Faith Radio, accessible at www.meetinghouseonline.info/download, he said that basically all the Best Picture nominees, with the exception of “Juno”, had a dark premise and a lack of a positive message. “Juno”, interestingly enough, was the best box office performer of all the nominees, featuring a look at some of the real consequences of teen pregnancy, not glorifying births outside of marriage, but dealing with some hard truths, but apparently, things turn out alright in the end.
The allure of the big screen…
And isn’t that why we used to go to movies, not only to be absorbed in the characters, but also to be uplifted in our lives? A trip to the theater can affect us in so many ways, and while life is not always full of happy endings, it does the soul good to not feel like taking an emotional shower when you leave the theater. But, as Dallas pointed out, the people voting on the Oscars are part of the Hollywood subculture, and become disconnected from the real consumers…this explains why some of the big box-office draws (such as, “Ratatouille”) didn’t come home with the awards. Furthermore, the big screen of the cineplex can reflect to the small screen of our heart, and that can have some dire implications on our culture as a whole.
…and the argument about a smaller screen…
Now on to a screen of a different size – a smaller screen, but highly significant. The second highest rated television program of all time was shown in homes and sports bars recently – but not many churches. Churches have seized an outreach opportunity by using a Super Bowl party to attract people to come into their buildings and perhaps hear the gospel. Resources have typically been made available as a tool to effectively share the gospel at an opportune moment before or during halftime of the game. Last year, it came to light that the National Football League had a policy that churches who hosted or sponsored viewings of the Super Bowl broadcasts on large-screen televisions infringed on the league’s copyright of the broadcast. NFL attorneys had reportedly warned officials at Falls Creek Baptist Church in Indianapolis against hosting a “Super Bowl Bash” to which church members and guests were invited to watch the game on a wall projector at the church.
According to media reports, NFL officials sent the church’s pastor John Newland a letter demanding that the party be cancelled. They objected to the church’s plan to charge partygoers a fee to attend, the use of the words “Super Bowl” in its promotions, the church’s plan to use a projector to show the game on a 12-foot-wide screen, and the church’s plan to show a video in conjunction with the game highlighting the Christian testimonies of coaches Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith. According to the legal organization The Rutherford Institute, which spoke out strongly against the NFL’s policy, a league spokesman defended the league’s actions, pointing to its longstanding policy against “mass out-of-home viewings” of the Super Bowl, even if they don’t charge admission, and requirement that hosts of parties only use one TV no bigger than 55 inches.
Well, the good news is that the NFL has revised its policy. In a Feb. 19 letter to Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has stated that the league will not object to live showings of the Super Bowl by religious organizations, regardless of screen size, as long as the viewings are free and are on premises that the church uses on a routine and customary basis. The NFL intends to implement the policy starting with next year’s Super Bowl. It’s good to know that there are organizations that speak out for our religious liberties, and in this instance, the voice of the people of faith was heard and heeded.
It’s important that Christians are strong and courageous, and allowing God’s word to show on the screen of our hearts so that we can be resolute in being an influence in the culture.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
"Idol" Gives A Lot to Think About - UPDATED
I have to admit, to me, the finish to "Idol Gives Back" last night was absolutely incredible.
Yes, it stung that the name of Jesus was edited out of the first line of "Shout to the Lord", but I don't think that changes the meaning of the song to embrace some sort of Oprah-type generic religion. And (in the words of Randy Jackson), CHECK IT OUT - the final 3 songs: a rather thought-provoking song by Daughtry (Christian radio artist), then Mariah Carey's song where Jesus did show up - I read the lyrics online last night...that could be a song used as a special in many churches in America. (Don't make too much out of Mariah doing a gospel song - "Fly Like a Bird" appears on the album, "The Emancipation of Mimi", which also includes "Stay the Night", which definitely does not present the same worldview, to say the least.). And, finally, "Shout to the Lord"!! Sure beats some generic, so-called inspirational song like "We are the World".
With regard to the choice of "Shout to the Lord" and the editing of the name of Jesus to "shepherd", I think we have to realize that the job description of the world is not to evangelize - that's our job...and we as Christians have been given a great opportunity to talk about the "Idol" show and perhaps get someone thinking about spiritual things and a relationship with Christ.
Now, the Ben Stiller piece at the very end did take some of the shine off...quite inappropriate. And, as the father of a BIG Miley Cyrus fan, I thought her second performance was a bit edgy, to the point of being suggestive in places. Miley has a tremendous platform, and needs our prayers.
Bob Kauflin, who serves as Director of Worship Development for Sovereign Grace Ministries appeared recently on The Meeting House program on Faith Radio and shared some of his thoughts...
Listen
That complete interview on worship can be downloaded at www.meetinghouseonline.info/download. Bob has written a book called, Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God. You can also read his blog at www.worshipmatters.com.
Want to see the "Shout to the Lord" finale?
How about Jason Castro singing at his home church in Rockwall, Texas?
That's all for now...I think it's Carly or Syesha getting the sendoff tonight.
Yes, it stung that the name of Jesus was edited out of the first line of "Shout to the Lord", but I don't think that changes the meaning of the song to embrace some sort of Oprah-type generic religion. And (in the words of Randy Jackson), CHECK IT OUT - the final 3 songs: a rather thought-provoking song by Daughtry (Christian radio artist), then Mariah Carey's song where Jesus did show up - I read the lyrics online last night...that could be a song used as a special in many churches in America. (Don't make too much out of Mariah doing a gospel song - "Fly Like a Bird" appears on the album, "The Emancipation of Mimi", which also includes "Stay the Night", which definitely does not present the same worldview, to say the least.). And, finally, "Shout to the Lord"!! Sure beats some generic, so-called inspirational song like "We are the World".
With regard to the choice of "Shout to the Lord" and the editing of the name of Jesus to "shepherd", I think we have to realize that the job description of the world is not to evangelize - that's our job...and we as Christians have been given a great opportunity to talk about the "Idol" show and perhaps get someone thinking about spiritual things and a relationship with Christ.
Now, the Ben Stiller piece at the very end did take some of the shine off...quite inappropriate. And, as the father of a BIG Miley Cyrus fan, I thought her second performance was a bit edgy, to the point of being suggestive in places. Miley has a tremendous platform, and needs our prayers.
Bob Kauflin, who serves as Director of Worship Development for Sovereign Grace Ministries appeared recently on The Meeting House program on Faith Radio and shared some of his thoughts...
Listen
That complete interview on worship can be downloaded at www.meetinghouseonline.info/download. Bob has written a book called, Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God. You can also read his blog at www.worshipmatters.com.
Want to see the "Shout to the Lord" finale?
How about Jason Castro singing at his home church in Rockwall, Texas?
That's all for now...I think it's Carly or Syesha getting the sendoff tonight.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
The Greatest Story Ever Told...Keeps Getting Told
One of the exciting aspects of hosting The Meeting House radio program on Faith Broadcasting each weekday afternoon is to trace the hand of God at work around the world. One of my consistently intriguing guests brought back a first-hand report of observing the growth of the church in the nation of Iraq, plus on the blog site of a ministry he founded, he showed how people are coming to Christ in phenomenal numbers across the Middle East.
Joel Rosenberg is an author of nail-biting, page-turning fiction that it set in the future and revolves around Biblical prophecy. His titles include, The Last Jihad, The Ezekiel Option, and his latest, Dead Heat. He is the Founder and President of The Joshua Fund, which is designed to minister in Israel and the Middle East. You can go the the blog site at joshuafund.blogspot.com and read the March 23 (Easter Sunday) entry and prepared to be inspired. Here are some of staggering and inspiring statistics, according to the Joshua Fund blog:
Joel Rosenberg is an author of nail-biting, page-turning fiction that it set in the future and revolves around Biblical prophecy. His titles include, The Last Jihad, The Ezekiel Option, and his latest, Dead Heat. He is the Founder and President of The Joshua Fund, which is designed to minister in Israel and the Middle East. You can go the the blog site at joshuafund.blogspot.com and read the March 23 (Easter Sunday) entry and prepared to be inspired. Here are some of staggering and inspiring statistics, according to the Joshua Fund blog:
Afghanistan. In that nation, there were only 17 known evangelical Christians in the country before al-Qaeda attacked the United States. Today, there are well over 10,000 Afghan followers of Christ and the number is growing steadily. Church leaders say Afghan Muslims are open to hearing the gospel message like neverJoel Rosenberg's website is http://www.joelrosenberg.com/ and the Joshua Fund site is http://www.joshuafund.net/.
before.
Uzbekistan. There were no known Muslim converts to Christ there in 1990. Now there are more than 30,000.
Iraq. There were only a handful of Muslim converts to Christianity back in 1979 when Saddam Hussein took full control of that country. Yet today, there are more than 70,000 Iraqi Muslim background believers in Jesus (MBBs), approximately 50,000 who came to Christ as refugees in Jordan after the first Gulf War in 1990-91, and another 20,000 who have come to Christ since the fall of Saddam Hussein.
Kazakhstan. In Kazakhstan, there were only three known evangelical Christian believers before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Today there are more than 15,000 Kazakh Christians, and more than 100,000 Christians of all ethnicities.
Egypt. More than 1 million Egyptians have trusted Christ over the past decade or so, report Egyptian church leaders. The Egyptian Bible Society report that they used to sell about 3,000 copies of the Jesus film a year in the early 1990s. But in 2005 they sold 600,000 copies, plus 750,000 copies of the Bible on tape (in Arabic) and about a half million copies of the Arabic New Testament.
Iran. In 1979 when the Ayatollah Khomeini led the Islamic Revolution, there were only about 500 known Muslim converts to Christianity. Today, interviews with two dozen Iranian pastors and church leaders reveals that there are well over 1 million Shia Muslim converts to Christianity.
Sudan. According to church leaders, more than 1 million Sudanese have made decisions to follow Jesus Christ just since 2001. Since the early 1990s, more than 5 million Sudanese have become followers of Jesus.
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