The 3 - May 10, 2020

This week's edition of The 3 features news out of New York City, where Samaritan's Purse is closing out its work there.  Also, a large Texas church is one of the churches in the U.S. that has resumed in-person services, taking necessary precautions to help ensure the health of its attendees.  And, an ordinance granting special classes for sexual orientation and gender identity has received a state appeals court ruling against it.

Samaritan's Purse phasing out field hospital in NYC

The Samaritan's Purse field hospital in Central Park is no longer accepting new COVID-19 patients, according to NBC 4 News in New York. The station reports that a spokesperson for Mt. Sinai Hospital, which had partnered with Samaritan's Purse, said: "In March, with the survey in critically ill COVID patients growing, NY hospitals were tasked with growing their capacity 50%. Now that the surge in hospital admissions is reaching manageable levels, we will stop admitting new patients to the Central Park field hospital as of May 4."

However, the reporter who filed the story, in a Tweet posted in the story, indicated that an unnamed source told her that Samaritan's Purse would be leaving over concerns over their views on LGBTQ individuals. Samaritan's Purse is a Christian organization but does not deny treatment to anyone.  The article says that, "Local officials, including City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, had called on Mount Sinai Hospital to close the field hospital over Samaritan's Purse's practice of requiring staff to sign a pledge against same-sex marriage."

Todd Starnes, writing at ToddStarnes.com, quoted the City Council speaker: 

“It is time for Samaritan’s Purse to leave NYC,” said New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson. “This group, led by the notoriously bigoted, hate-spewing Franklin Graham, came at a time when our city couldn’t in good conscience turn away any offer of help. That time has passed.”

Johnson, a notorious anti-Christian bigot, said the ministry’s continued presence in New York City “is an affront to our values of inclusion, and is painful for all New Yorkers who care deeply about the LGBTQ community.”

State Senator Brad Hoylman is quoted by Starnes, as well, saying: “It was bad enough that Donald Trump’s failure to prepare the nation for this pandemic forced New York to accept charity from a bigot like Franklin Graham,” adding, “Inviting Graham to stay on longer is an insult to LGBTQ New Yorkers and sends the dangerous message that homophobia and transphobia are acceptable.”

Apparently, those who worked with Samaritan's Purse in New York City, as well as others in the health care field, will be required to pay state income tax, according to FoxNews.com, 
which reported:

The issue first arose when Samaritan’s Purse was setting up its emergency field hospital, according to New York City-based PIX11 News. The charity’s comptroller noticed that a New York state law requires anyone working in the state for more than 14 days to pay income tax.

Governor Andrew Cuomo responded, saying: “We're not in a position to provide any subsidies right now because we have a $13 billion deficit,” adding, “So there's a lot of good things I'd like to do, and if we get federal funding, we can do, but it would be irresponsible for me to sit here looking at a $13 billion deficit and say I'm gonna spend more money, when I can't even pay the essential services.”

Church reopening provides model for future

Across the nation, churches are beginning to plan for their reopening - a number of states have relaxed restrictions on in-person church gatherings, but that does not necessarily mean that churches are moving forward with opening up their worship centers to congregants, taking a prudent approach: just because the government says you can doesn't mean you should - just yet.

But, a Texas church has provided what could be considered a template for church reopening.  Ed Young is the senior pastor of Fellowship Church in Grapevine, in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and the son of longtime Second Baptist Church of Houston pastor Ed Young.  The Christian Post reported on what things were like on the first Sunday of May:

The church has the capacity to hold roughly 4,000 people, but it planned to limit the attendance at the sanctuary to 25 percent to voluntarily follow the restaurant guidelines. And for that, the megachurch had asked congregation members to make reservations. Those who attended also were asked to wear face masks, in accordance with CDC guidelines.

The church also had planned to disinfect the church and park vehicles in every other space. Young's sermon was on "the new normal," according to the Post, which stated: "Young preached about essential lessons that God is teaching Christians during this time of social distancing, helping them change the way they view change."

Former sportswriter George Schroeder, who now serves in leadership for and writes for Baptist Press, covered the re-opening, stating:

"People desire this," Young said. "It's the physicality of the church. We love online church. We've been online for a long time. The numbers are ridiculously big, and that's great. But there's nothing like the physicality (of gathering)."

And the depth of emotion of those who gathered was surprising, according to John Cross, president of C3 Global and C3 Conferences, a ministry of Fellowship Church designed to equip and encourage pastors to grow the local church.

"There were people weeping with joy because, 'We get to worship in person,'" Cross said. "Albeit with social distancing and (adhering to) CDC guidelines, there's still something so special and exciting about being together as God's people. That totally was amazing to me."

Opponents of Jacksonville human rights ordinance win court victory

A Florida appeals court has ruled in favor of challengers to a Human Rights Ordinance in Jacksonville, one of these local pieces of legislation granting special status to individuals based on "sexual ordination" or "gender identity (SOGI)."  Liberty Counsel represented, according to its website, "Jacksonville residents and businesses in their challenge to invalidate an amendment to the HRO, because its authors and sponsors illegally hid the effects of the ordinance through intentionally deceptive drafting and messaging."

After defeats twice at the trial court level, the case was appealed, and the unanimous ruling was rendered. Roger Gannam of Liberty Counsel said: “This decision exposes the deception of the HRO authors and sponsors and rejects the city’s attempt to cover it up with its own deception in the form of clever procedural maneuvers in the city council. A city ordinance that cannot be passed openly and honestly is good for no one. The fair and honest people of Jacksonville should not be forced to participate in others’ celebrations of same-sex relationships under threat of fines or loss of their businesses, and Jacksonville’s women and young girls should feel safe from predatory men in their own restrooms and facilities..."

The 3 - May 3, 2020

On this week's edition of The 3, with three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is good news out of Kentucky, where a Federal appeals court has allowed a Louisville church to meet this weekend, despite restrictions that have been handed down by the state's governor.  Also, a Tennessee city has reversed its previous ban on drive-in worship services.  Plus, a Federal judge in California has directed individuals involved in exposing Planned Parenthood's abhorrent dealing in the body parts of aborted babies to pay stiff fines in excess of a million dollars.

Federal appeals court issues ruling favoring Kentucky church, state attorney general sides with congregation

A church in Kentucky that was visited by Kentucky state troopers handing out citations and quarantine demands received some court relief over the weekend, according to the website for Liberty Counsel, which is defending Maryville Baptist Church in Louisville.  According to the site:

Liberty Counsel won an emergency injunction from a unanimous three-judge panel on the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, prohibiting the enforcement of Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear’s March 19 and 25 COVID-19 orders against church services at Maryville Baptist Church and its pastor Dr. Jack Roberts. The rare Saturday injunction protects this church services this weekend.

This comes after a friend-of-the-court brief from the state's Attorney General, Daniel Cameron, who, according to the Liberty Counsel site, said:

“The freedom to practice one’s faith is a defining feature of American liberty… But in the wake of executive orders shutting down in-person worship services in Kentucky in response to the Covid-19 crisis, this guarantee is on shaky ground. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has allowed certain secular activities to continue in Kentucky if social distancing guidelines are followed, but has refused the same treatment for religious entities. Pandemic or not, the Constitution prohibits the targeting of religious exercise for disfavored treatment.”

The Court made direct statements in its ruling, such as this one: “Orders prohibiting religious gatherings, enforced by police officers telling congregants they violated a criminal law and by officers taking down license plate numbers, amount to a significant burden on worship gatherings…The breadth of the ban on religious services, together with a haven for numerous secular exceptions, should give pause to anyone who prizes religious freedom.” The Court referred to the "soul-sustaining group services of faith organizations...," and wrote:

“Assuming all of the same precautions are taken, why is it safe to wait in a car for a liquor store to open but dangerous to wait in a car to hear morning prayers? Why can someone safely walk down a grocery store aisle but not a pew? And why can someone safely interact with a brave deliverywoman but not with a stoic minister? The Commonwealth has no good answers. While the law may take periodic naps during a pandemic, we will not let it sleep through one.”

Chattanooga reverses course, OK's drive-in services

The city of Chattanooga, Tennessee, is one governmental entity that has reversed course and avoided further court action by deciding to allow drive-in worship services within the city limits, according to the Alliance Defending Freedom, which had filed a Federal lawsuit against the city on behalf of the Metropolitan Tabernacle Church.  The ADF website reported that mayor Andrew Berke, on the Thursday before Easter, April 9...

...posted a message aimed at churches on the city website and on his official Facebook page regarding the order, stating that “drive-in services…even in their cars with the windows rolled up, for any length of time, will be considered a violation of our shelter-in-place directive.” That forced Metro Tab Church and other area churches to cancel drive-in Easter services and brought about the lawsuit. In the face of the suit, the city reversed its position and agreed to allow drive-in services, which Metro Tab Church and other congregations held for the past two Sundays without any threat of being singled out. Because of that, Metro Tab Church agreed to dismiss its lawsuit.

ADF Senior Counsel Ryan Tucker, director of the ADF Center for Christian Ministries, stated, in part: “We commend the city for changing its policies and respecting the constitutionally protected freedoms of area congregations, which can now participate in alternate versions of worship during this pandemic that are specifically designed to comply with all applicable health and safety recommendations.”

Pro-life journalists hit with big fines

The citizen journalism of the Center for Medical Progress, headed by David Daleiden, resulted in the exposure of the practices of Planned Parenthood in selling the body parts of aborted babies.  The organization was cited by Congress, but a Federal judge believes that the journalists, not the abortionists, are the wrongdoers.

The Christian Post reports that:

U.S. District Court Judge William Orrick of the Northern District of California released an order Wednesday against individuals connected to the Center for Medical Progress.

The judge's ruling was consistent with a jury's determination last year that the named individuals violated the Unfair Competition Law, "a claim brought by Planned Parenthood and the plaintiffs California Business & Professions Code," according to the website.

The Post reports that:

In addition to issuing an injunction banning those named from attending Planned Parenthood events, Orrick also found them liable for large sums of money.

This includes $1,259,370 in damages related to Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, plus other damages and attorneys’ fees.

The 3 - April 26, 2020

This week, on The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there was positive court action in a Federal appeals court stopping most abortions in Arkansas during the COVID-19 crisis as a court order for another state, Texas, is over due to the expiration of a stay-at-home order.  Also, religious freedom concerns are spotlighted in California, where drive-in services can now occur, but in-person services cannot.  Plus, religious content has been removed from the Facebook page of an Army fort in New York.

Federal courts split on abortion decisions

The availability of abortion during this time of crisis, especially when "non-essential" surgical procedures are banned in a number of areas, is troubling.  Legitimate medical professionals have been unable to sustain their regular practices, yet the heavy-handed and life-taking practices of the abortion industry continue.

The state of Arkansas is one place where most abortions are now banned, based on a court decision from a Federal appeals court.  National Review reported that...

...the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals determined that Arkansas may restrict most surgical abortions as part of its prohibition on elective procedures during the COVID-19 outbreak. Earlier this month, a federal judge had temporarily blocked the policy and ruled that the state could not lawfully restrict abortions as part of its overall order.

In the article, Sen. Tom Cotton is quoted as saying, “Medical resources—especially during a pandemic—should be used to preserve life, not end it,” adding, “The Eighth Circuit Court upheld the rule of law, rightly supporting Arkansas’s decision to dedicate its health-care system to saving the lives of Arkansans.”

The 5th Circuit had also allowed temporary restrictions on abortion in Texas to stand, but apparently, that period is over, according to the Texas Tribune, which stated this week:

A ban on nearly all abortions in Texas during the coronavirus pandemic appears to be over, as clinics began offering the procedure again Wednesday and state lawyers ceded in a legal filing that there is no longer any "case or controversy."

The near-total ban has been the subject of weeks of litigation — starting in late March when Gov. Greg Abbott postponed all surgeries not “immediately medically necessary” to preserve medical resources for coronavirus patients. Attorney General Ken Paxton said the ban extended to abortions, and the politically conservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals largely sided with state officials.

And, while Alabama's stay-at-home order included elective surgical procedures being temporarily suspended, WSFA reported that the 11th Circuit upheld a lower court order allowing abortions to continue.  The article said:

Alabama abortion providers can continue performing abortions during the state’s coronavirus health order, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday.

Appellate judges said the state can’t limit abortions during the coronavirus outbreak.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in March challenging Alabama’s COVID-19 state health order, which requires dental, medical and surgical procedures to be postponed during the pandemic.

California opens up drive-in worship

How churches can worship during the COVID-19 crisis has been a major point of contention in a number of areas of the country, and while some faith voices seem to have dismissed these skirmishes as "no big deal," there are definite implications for religious freedom, and Christian legal advocates certainly take these threats seriously.

LifeSiteNews reported that a lawsuit in California "...brought by the Center for American Liberty in California, prompted Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Xavier Becerra to back down, Fox 26 reported. The article went on to say:

The state will now permit drive-in church services, provided worshippers observe “social distancing” while doing so – which would presumably be a moot point, as every attendee remains inside his or her own car.

At its website, the Center for American Liberty stated that the ruling did not go far enough after a judge refused to grant a request for a temporary restraining order that would have allowed other forms of in-person worship.  The organization's CEO, Harmeet K. Dhillon, stated:

"...We rapidly obtained the right of all Californians of faith to be able to communally worship by drive-in services, and many churches are already taking advantage of this great development, but they still cannot worship inside their churches using the same social distancing practices we are now all familiar with in grocery stores and other retail establishments deemed “essential” by the government,..."

Dillon added, “We commend the Governor and San Bernardino and Riverside Counties for recognizing their error in barring drive-in services, and hope we can continue to make progress on overcoming the other barriers the government has artificially placed in the way of the faithful.”

LifeSiteNews also reported on Mendocino County in California, which limited even the type of worship that could be conducted online.  That article stated:

The directive, which is in force until May 10, limits events, including live-streamed events, to four individuals. It goes on to state:

No singing or use of wind instruments, harmonicas, or other instruments that could spread COVID-19 through projected droplets shall be permitted unless the recording of the event is done at one’s residence, and involving only the members of one’s household or living unit, because of the increased risk of transmission of COVID-19.

The article quotes Tyler O'Niel of PJ Media, who wrote that the ban "sounds like something out of a dystopian nightmare.” He also said, "“The coronavirus has brought many petty tyrants out of the shadows, and it appears Mendocino County is home to some of the most abominable tyrants in America..."

Army removes inspirational message from fort's Facebook page

At the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division Sustainment Brigade at Fort Drum, New York, statements about religious practice have been removed from the installation's Facebook page, according to The Christian Post.  Videos by chaplains Scott Ingram and Amy Smith were found to be objectionable.  According to the article:

One of the videos in question was posted on April 2 by Chaplain Ingram in which he cited Isaiah 41 to call on people to put their trust in God during the coronavirus crisis.

“Change is never easy, but together we can walk forward in supernatural strength in the confidence that we are not forsaken,” Ingram says in the video.

Two videos by Chaplain Smith were removed, including one posted on April 8.  The Post reported:

In an April 8 video, Smith encouraged the Fort Drum community to visit the Fort Drum Labyrinth. She called the obstacle a great spiritual tool to use “especially during this COVID-19 epidemic.”

“It’s going to feel like you are walking in circles. But sometimes in life, that is what you feel like,” she said.

“Sometimes you will be toward the outside. At times in our walk with God, we can be asking God, ‘Where are you? Where are you in the midst of this COVID-19?’ Other times, you will be more toward the center and you can hear God’s voice and you can hear Him and you can sense Him, even in the midst of all the craziness that is going on with all the worry, fear and anxiety.”

After the Military Religious Freedom Foundation claimed to have received complaints and after it contacted base leadership, the videos were removed from the fort's Facebook page and posted solely on the page for the installation chapel.

Mike Berry of First Liberty was quoted by Fox News; he said: "I cannot believe the legendary U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division raised the white flag of surrender to an anti-religious freedom zealot. Every president, from Washington to Trump, has publicly prayed for our military. If the commander in chief can pray, then our soldiers can, too."

The 3 - April 19, 2020

With three stories of relevance to the Christian community, this is The 3.  The lineup for this week including statements from the U.S. Department of Justice regarding religious freedom.  And, two states (so far) have been sued because of their orders regarding church gatherings.  Plus, an atheist group has been awarded a significant sum of money as the result of a graduation prayer that one Federal judge found to be unconstitutional.

Department of Justice issues statement on religious freedom, indicates interest in Mississippi drive-in church service situation, city mayor backs down

Just before Easter, the U.S. Department of Justice was anticipated to provide religious freedom guidance for churches and government officials, to ensure that First Amendment concerns continued to be upheld during the Coronavirus crisis.  On Tuesday, the 14th, Attorney General William Barr issued a statement and announced that it had filed a statement of interest in the case of a Mississippi church, where attendees at a "drive-in" worship service were fined $500.  According to the Department of Justice website, the Attorney General said:

But even in times of emergency, when reasonable and temporary restrictions are placed on rights, the First Amendment and federal statutory law prohibit discrimination against religious institutions and religious believers. Thus, government may not impose special restrictions on religious activity that do not also apply to similar nonreligious activity. For example, if a government allows movie theaters, restaurants, concert halls, and other comparable places of assembly to remain open and unrestricted, it may not order houses of worship to close, limit their congregation size, or otherwise impede religious gatherings. Religious institutions must not be singled out for special burdens.

The statement also said:

As we explain in the Statement of Interest, where a state has not acted evenhandedly, it must have a compelling reason to impose restrictions on places of worship and must ensure that those restrictions are narrowly tailored to advance its compelling interest. While we believe that during this period there is a sufficient basis for the social distancing rules that have been put in place, the scope and justification of restrictions beyond that will have to be assessed based on the circumstances as they evolve.

WREG Television in Memphis reported on Thursday: "After drawing national attention, including lawsuits brought by two local churches, the mayor of Greenville, Mississippi has reversed his decision to ban drive-in church services." The article went on to say:

After receiving “clarification” from Gov. Tate Reeves, Greenville Mayor Errick Simmons says he’s reversing an April 7 order saying all churches would be closed, including drive-in services, as part of Mississippi’s shelter in place mandate.

Alliance Defending Freedom had filed suit on behalf of Greenville's Temple Baptist Church, and First Liberty took action on behalf of King James Bible Baptist Church.  The television station quoted Jeremy Dys of First Liberty: "There’s no pandemic exception to the First Amendment and so thankfully, today worshipers in Greenville are experiencing a greater degree of freedom than they did yesterday..."

The television station stated, "The city of Greenville will allow drive-in and parking lot services in the city, so long as families stay in their cars with windows up."

Christian legal advocacy organizations sue states

In order to preserve religious freedom rights for churches, there has been legal action that has been taken by Christian legal organizations against the acts of two governors. The Alliance Defending Freedom filed suit in Federal court on behalf of two Kansas churches against the state's governor, Laura Kelly, according to the ADF website, "to challenge a provision of her statewide shelter-in-place order that singles out churches from holding gatherings of 10 or more people while allowing numerous secular gatherings that exceed that number, including bars, restaurants, libraries, and shopping malls."

The website reported on Saturday that the Federal court had granted a temporary restraining order against the governor's policy.  ADF Senior Counsel Ryan Tucker, a recent Meeting House guest on Faith Radio, stated, "...We’re pleased that the court halted the governor from subjecting our clients to that type of targeting and agreed that the churches are likely to prevail on their claim that doing so violates the First Amendment. The order specifies that our clients are to abide by their own proposed, rigorous social distancing practices for the time being while our case continues in court, which these churches are obviously happy to do, since they proposed those rules themselves for everyone’s health and safety."

Liberty Counsel, according to its website, filed suit in Federal court against the governor of Kentucky, on behalf of a Louisville church, for "...violating their religious freedom by targeting churchgoers on Easter Sunday."  The organization's website stated:

On Easter Sunday, Kentucky State Police troopers came to Maryville Baptist Church, wrote down license plate numbers, and placed notices on every car in the church parking lot. The church set up speakers outside for parking lot service. The state troopers did not go inside the church where a small number of people were spread far apart in a 700-seat sanctuary. Following Gov. Beshear’s threat to target anyone who attended a church service, they placed quarantine notices on each car, including those where people stayed in their cars for the drive-in parking lot service. Anyone who did not drive off were given notices, including two media vehicles.

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver is quoted at the website, stating: "Governor Beshear has clearly targeted this church and violated these church members’ religious freedom. The only reason these people were given notices is because they were in a church parking lot. Had they parked in the nearby shopping center they would not have been targeted. This is clearly Gov. Andy Beshear’s discriminating against churches."  According to WAVE 3 Television: "A motion for a temporary restraining order filed by a Hillview baptist church against an order by the Beshear administration has been denied by a District Court Judge on Saturday."  This was a reference to Maryville Baptist.

Federal judge rewards atheist group in graduation prayer case

Seemingly on an annual basis, there is confusion over the free speech rights and right to religious expression of students regarding graduation ceremonies.  A troubling decision was handed down recently by a Federal court concerning a school in the Greenville, S.C. school district -ChristianHeadlines.com reported:

A federal judge this week awarded an atheist group more than $450,000 in attorney's fees and expenses after the organization successfully fought against high school graduation prayer as part of a 2013 lawsuit.

The group is the American Humanist Association which, according to the article, "sued the school on behalf of parents of a student who objected to students leading prayers at a graduation. The organization also objected to the graduations being held in off-site chapels."  Last year, the judge, Bruce Hendricks, "...ruled for the group and said in a 2019 decision that 'the district shall not include a prayer – whether referred to as a prayer, blessing, invocation, benediction, inspirational reading, or otherwise – as part of the official program for a graduation ceremony.'"

The school district may appeal; it issued a statement which said, in part: "the School District has argued that students, like other citizens, have the right to free speech, including that of a religious nature..."

The 3 - April 12, 2020

In this week's edition of The 3, there are several stories regarding religious freedom in light of the COVID-19 crisis, including attempts in Mississippi and Kentucky to limit religious expression through "drive-in" church services.  Meanwhile, in Virginia, church members were arrested for exceeding a governor's order, the same governor who signed two pro-abortion bills in the past week.  And, Colorado baker Jack Phillips was back in court recently, defending himself from being forced to endorse a message with which he disagrees due to his Christian beliefs.

Attempts to "crack down" on church services, including drive-in events, during Easter week

One of the stories that has emerged during the Coronavirus crisis has to do with religious freedom and the balancing of this First Amendment freedom with public health.  Some states regard churches as being "essential" during this time, others do not.  There are some who question why it's OK for liquor stores and abortion clinics to be open during the crisis while churches are closed.  And, some have questioned why people can go to some retail stores and mix with dozens or even hundreds of people but are not allowed to go to church, especially if social distancing is used.

But, we have to keep in mind we are in a public health crisis, so there are rules and regulations that have, well, evolved.  Unfortunately, there have been some blatant violations of religious freedom that have been occurring.

Take, for instance, a situation in Greenville, Mississippi, where law enforcement officials showed up at a "drive-in" church service and began to fine people $500.  According to ToddStarnes.com, last Thursday...

As many as 20 police officers showed up at the King James Bible Baptist Church in Greenville, Mississippi threatening to issue citations to the pastor as well as church members.

It is the second day in a row that the city’s police department has been used to crack down on “drive-in” church services.

On Wednesday, nearly two dozen people attending a “drive-in” prayer service at Temple Baptist Church were slapped with $500 fines.

ToddStarnes.com reported on the state's governor's response:

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves issued a warning to local elected leaders who are cracking down on religious liberty.

“If you send police after worshippers trying to social distance, you are going to have Mississippians revolt,” the governor wrote on Twitter.

Starnes noted: "Temple Baptist Church and King James Bible Baptist Church held 'drive-in' services that appeared to be in line with state-mandated social distancing guidelines."  Apparently, the city added its own rules limiting church activity.

Alliance Defending Freedom has now become involved in the situation there.

And, in Louisville, Kentucky, the mayor there decided to clamp down on these "drive-in" services.  Mayor Greg Fischer, according to WDRB Television, "said he couldn't allow 'hundreds of thousands' of people to drive around town this weekend in observance of Easter festivities when they need to be home riding out the pandemic." The story says that On Fire Christian Church "...sought to 'block (Fischer's) prohibition on churches holding drive-in services during the COVID-19 pandemic,' according to the First Liberty Institute, which filed the lawsuit on behalf of the church."

On Saturday, a Federal judge agreed with the church; the television station reported that Judge Justin Walker granted a temporary restraining order allowing it to hold "drive-in" services.  The article states: 

In his ruling, Walker blasted the mayor's decision to prohibit drive-in church services as "beyond all reason" and akin to what one might find only in a dystopian novel. Fischer, however, said that in a global pandemic, he is simply trying to save lives.

The station also reported:

"In this case, Louisville is violating the Free Exercise Clause 'beyond all question,'" he wrote. "Here, Louisville has targeted religious worship by prohibiting drive-in church services, while not prohibiting a multitude of other non-religious drive-ins and drive-throughs — including, for example, drive-through liquor stores."

And, U.S. Senate Majority Leader tweeted out his support:

"Grateful for this strong, eloquent ruling defending Kentuckians' religious liberty from Judge Justin Walker ... Of course church parking lots cannot be singled out with unfair standards that differ from other establishments," he wrote. McConnell, who attended Walker's swearing-in ceremony in March, recently sent a letter to Fischer urging him to permit church services that adhere to CDC guidelines.

According to the Lexington Herald-Ledger, the governor of Kentucky seems to be OK with drive-in services.  So is the state's attorney general.  However, Gov. Andy Beshear has decided to place church attendees under what amounts to house arrest - quarantine for 14 days if their license plate numbers are identified by law enforcement.  FoxNews.com reports:

Under the new rules, people seen taking part in in-person events will have their license plate numbers recorded by authorities, who will provide the information to local health departments, Beshear said. Health officials will contact each participant and require them to go into quarantine for 14 days.

The governor also warned that those attending drive-in services must stay in their cars, park six feet away from their neighbor and not pass items between vehicles.

Virginia governor signs bill that repeals previous abortion restrictions

The governor of Virginia, who has been under fire for some time over his statements indicating a lack of the respect for the right to life for abortion survivors certainly seems to have his priorities out of line - strengthening the so-called right to abortion while not protecting religious freedom.

Live Action News reported that:

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed two bills into law today, which he referred to as “The Reproductive Health Protection Act.” Together, the two bills, SB 733 and HB 980, repeal Virginia’s laws requiring a 24-hour waiting period and an ultrasound before any abortion, and overturn multiple other regulations and safety standards meant to keep women safe.

As previously noted by Live Action News, the Act “will do away with common-sense requirements, such as ambulatory surgical center standards for abortion facilities, a 24-hour waiting period, delivery of informed consent materials, and a transabdominal ultrasound before an abortion. The bill would also non-physicians such as physician’s assistants, nurse practitioners, and certified-nurse midwives, to commit abortions.”

Live Action News stated that, "Governor Northam’s so-called Reproductive Health Protection Act has nothing to do with health or keeping women safe. It’s simply another step from a pro-abortion governor seeking to make abortion as widespread as possible in Virginia."

Meanwhile, the Liberty Counsel website, there is this report:

Police served a summons to the pastor of Lighthouse Fellowship in Chincoteague Island for holding a church service for 16 people spaced far apart in a sanctuary that seats 293.

The charge is violating Virginia Governor Northam’s COVID Order 55 with a penalty up to a year in jail and/or a $2,500 fine. Liberty Counsel is representing Pastor Kevin Wilson and Lighthouse Fellowship Church.

The site quotes Mat Staver of the organization, who is heard on Freedom's Call on Faith Radio; he stated: "We need to balance the First Amendment with protecting the health and welfare of people. Using an arbitrary number of 10 people for every church is not the answer.”

WRIC Television reported on a resident of the state who attempted to block the governor's executive action against gatherings of over 10 people:

A man from southwest Virginia hoping to have churches reopen on Easter filed a lawsuit against Gov. Ralph Northam on Monday claiming the governor’s executive orders limiting gatherings of more than 10 people has had “a chilling effect” on his right to religious freedom. On Thursday, a judge denied the man’s temporary injunction to block Northam’s orders.

The suit, filed by Larry Hughes in Russell County, argues Northam’s order violates the Virginia Constitution’s guarantee of the enjoyment of life and liberty. Hughes’ suit also claims Executive Order 55 violates the constitution’s guarantee that people are the source of power in the commonwealth, that laws may not be suspended without the people’s consent and the guarantee of the the free exercise of religion.

Jack Phillips back in court

It is now becoming more uselessly complex to keep up with the legal action being taken against Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado.  He won a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2018 involving his declining to provide a cake celebrating gay marriage; the high court ruled that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had exercised hostility toward the baker.

The Alliance Defending Freeedom website reports that in 2017, while the original lawsuit was still being litigated, an attorney filed a complaint with the Commission against Phillips over his denial for a cake celebrating a gender transition. ADF states: "The commission filed charges against Phillips but abandoned the claim in the wake of more evidence of the state’s hostility toward religious freedom—hostility that the U.S. Supreme Court had first condemned in a separate lawsuit that began years earlier but that Phillips won in 2018. Instead of appealing the commission’s decision to drop its action on the 2017 complaint, the attorney filed a new lawsuit in state court that seeks monetary damages of more than $100,000 against Phillips in addition to legal fees."

ADF Senior Vice President of U.S. Legal Division Kristen Waggoner, who represented Phillips in arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court, stated, “It’s time to move on and leave Jack alone. This new lawsuit is nothing more than an activist’s attempt to harass and ruin Jack because he won’t create custom cakes that express messages or celebrate events in conflict with his conscience..." Arguments were made before a state court this past Thursday.

The 3 - April 5, 2020

In this week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is news from Idaho about new legislation that would prevent males who are transgender from participating in competition in female sports.  Also, in the name of "social distancing," law enforcement officials in North Carolina have been arresting pro-life people who come to minister and protest at abortion clinics.  And, Texas is still abortion-free, thanks to a Federal appeals court ruling that upholds state law that abortions are elective procedures and should be banned under state law designed to combat the Coronavirus.

Idaho passes legislation preventing boys who are transgender from competing in girls' sports

One of the emerging stories over the months prior to the Coronavirus becoming the dominant news story had to do with boys who were attempting to transition into being girls competing in - and winning - in girls' sports.  The state of Idaho took decisive action to address this growing problem, passing legislation recently that would prohibit biological males from participating in female sports categories.

A piece on the Family Policy Alliance website, written by Blaine Conzatti of the Family Policy Alliance of Idaho, stated that the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act "ensures only biological females can play in girls’ school sports."  The article also points out that, "state lawmakers passed the Idaho Vital Statistics Act, which ensures the accuracy of birth certificates, the most important state vital record;" it prevents people from changing their gender determination on these documents.

The article says that:

Most Americans believe that boys shouldn’t play in girls’ high school and college sports—a common-sense approach that was legally buttressed with the advent of Title IX in 1972.

Yet that which was once unthinkable is becoming an increasingly common occurrence in school sports around the country. It has gotten so bad that three female high school track runners in Connecticut have sued their state athletic organization because several boys, who say they’re girls, keep winning championships, breaking records, and taking opportunities from hardworking girls.

And, as The Christian Post has reported, the Department of Justice "has sided with three female high school athletes suing Connecticut public schools over allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports," citing a misinterpretation by the governing body over school athletics in the state of Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination.

Protestors at abortion clinic in NC arrested, including David Benham

There continues to be discussion within the pro-life community about why abortion clinics are continuing to operate during the COVID-19 crisis, when abortion certainly can be considered to be "elective" surgery.  Abortionists utilize medical supplies that could be used in saving lives that are threatened by the Coronavirus, instead of taking lives through abortion.  And, it is discomforting to think that abortion clinics are allowed to operate in many areas while churches are closed across most of the country.

There is disconcerting news out of North Carolina, where sidewalk counselors at a Charlotte abortion clinic were arrested over the weekend, despite their contention that the gathering was legal and that they were practicing "social distancing." One of those counselors was noted Christian speaker and author David Benham. The Charlotte Observer reported:

Police on Saturday charged eight Charlotte abortion protesters with violating North Carolina’s COVID-19-related ban on mass gatherings.

The arrests went national late Saturday when U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas criticized Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police.

“This is an unconstitutional arrest,” Cruz, a runner-up for the Republican presidential nomination in the 2016 election, tweeted. “@BenhamBrothers exercising core First Amendment rights. PEACEFULLY. In a way fully consistent w/ public safety. Because elected Dems are pro-abortion, they are abusing their power—in a one-sided way—to silence pregnancy counselors.”

The article said that a crowd of around 50 had originally gathered outside the clinic, but police asked them to leave; 12 stayed and were cited, then the remaining 8 who stayed, including David Benham, were arrested. 

On Twitter, the Benham Brothers tweeted out: "The sidewalk counselors stayed over 6’ apart and there were less than five of them. Yet this officer selectively enforced the law, even though Cities4Life had less than 10 people."

The Observer also noted that:

Video posted to the Facebook page of Love Life, a Charlotte-based group that opposes abortion, shows Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police cars outside the clinic Saturday.

On Thursday four people affiliated with Love Life filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Greensboro mayor and a lieutenant with the Greensboro Police Department after they were arrested March 28 for violating the stay-at-home orders of that city and Guilford County while protesting outside an abortion clinic there.

Federal appeals court says no abortions in Texas

While abortions continue to be performed across America, in the state of Texas, thanks to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, abortions apparently have been brought to a halt.  Last Monday, the appeals court issued the decision, according to the Susan B. Anthony List:

Today the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowed temporary enforcement of Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s order stopping elective procedures, including abortions, pending appeal. The order is part of the state’s efforts to fight the spread of COVID-19.

Planned Parenthood and other abortion advocates have filed similar lawsuits in four other states, and Planned Parenthood reportedly has kept its doors open in Ohio despite a directive from Governor Mike DeWine and the urgings of national, state, and local government officials to suspend all elective surgical procedures at this time.

SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser is quoted as saying: “At a time when millions of Americans are making heroic sacrifices to protect the vulnerable, and legitimate health care workers risk their own lives to care for COVID-19 patients with crucial protective equipment in short supply, the abortion industry led by Planned Parenthood demands special treatment and diverts scarce resources. We thank Governor Abbott, Attorney General Paxton, and the governors of a growing number of states for their strong leadership."

Meanwhile in Alabama, a Federal judge, in response to Governor Ivey's March 27 order banning elective surgeries, allowed abortions to continue until April 13, according to WSFA. 

The 3 - March 29, 2020

In this week's edition of The 3, there are concerns about religious freedom during this time of unprecedented government action on combating the Coronavirus.  Also, a large Christian university has allowed certain students back on campus, which has drawn strong reaction against it, but the university claims strong reasons.  And, another large Christian denomination has announced it will be cancelling its scheduled meeting later this year.

Church gatherings face restrictions in face of Coronavirus

During this time, in which governmental authorities are enacting emergency regulations in response to the Coronavirus, it is important that Constitutional protections continue to be in force, including First Amendment guarantees of religious freedom.  The Christian legal advocacy organization, First Liberty, issued three recommendations for ensuring religious freedom is preserved.  They are:

1. Religious institutions should continue to serve their local communities.
2. Temporary, evenly applied restrictions may be permissible.
3. Extraordinary state action to limit the peaceful gathering of American citizens must be temporary.

CNS News released a story about new Virginia guidelines that raised concerns about the religious freedom rights of churches.  The story opens up by saying:

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam issued an executive order on Monday that is aimed at stopping the new coronavirus — and, in the process, makes it a criminal offense to hold a church service attended by more than 10 people.

Yes, his order makes it a crime for more than 10 people to gather in a church.

The writer of the article, Terry Jeffrey, who saw that churches were not specifically mentioned in the article, reached out to the governor's office, and received this response from a spokesperson: "The Governor's EO 53 bans assemblies of more than 10 people, statewide. That includes gatherings at private schools, private clubs, parties, as well as any other social get-together, and religious services."  Jeffrey points out:

Virginians now live in a state where holding a church service attended by 11 people has been unilaterally declared a crime by the governor.

The same executive order that creates this church-attending crime also declares that Virginia's state-owned liquor stores are "essential retail businesses" that "may remain open during their normal business hours."

By contrast, according to the Montgomery Advertiser, Governor Ivey's ban on certain "non-essential" businesses does not include churches.  The article says:

Faith institutions are not included in the non-essential business closures. However, non-work related gatherings of more than 10 people are prohibited. Non-work related gatherings of any size that "cannot maintain a consistent six-foot" distance between people are prohibited.

It is a near-unanimous recommendation from medical professional and public health officials to avoid communal gatherings like religious services.

And, like Virginia, Alabama's liquor stores continue to operate.

A Christian Post article from this past Thursday states:

Authorities in countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda and Greece have evacuated church services and arrested pastors in recent days as governments have prohibited large gatherings in an attempt to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

As governments across the globe have taken measures to ensure that citizens engage in social distancing so that they don’t spread a virus that has already killed at least 21,000 people worldwide as of Thursday, some religious leaders have continued to hold worship services anyway.

Liberty University opens to some students while complying with law

During this crisis, it's important to get your information from trusted sources, and to be able to discern when a particular agenda is being pursued.  Take, for instance, the recent reporting on Liberty University opening its facilities to some students.  There are people who are hostile to President Jerry Falwell, Jr. because of his seemingly close relationship with President Trump.  And, that, I believe was reflected in the reporting on Liberty's recent actions.

Baptist Press told the story:

Liberty University (LU) students began returning to campus Monday (March 23) from spring break while the school transitioned most classes to online instruction to deter the coronavirus (COVID-19). But certain classes will still convene on campus, LU said on its website.

Students, employees, prospective students and their families, and those doing business with LU are allowed on campus, but others are met with "no trespassing" signs, according to a story posted at liberty.edu.

Why would Liberty take such action? The article relates:

Keeping residence halls open allows LU to accommodate hundreds of international students unable to return home, a university spokesperson told BP. Also, the university worked to accommodate commuter students unable to break leases at residences they occupy while attending LU.

According to the story on the school's website, signs have been posted "in the academic buildings, computer labs, and throughout the social gathering areas on campus ... to take certain seating out of service so students follow social distancing guidelines." The story added that "members of Liberty's student leadership team are also helping to enforce the new rules along with faculty and staff."

There, of course, was plenty of criticism online for Falwell, including an editorial published by Religion News Service criticizing his actions.  The aforementioned Governor of Virginia, Ralph Northam, also criticized the university, to which the school responded:

The Governor was quoting scripture today about Christian duty to protect our students. That's exactly what Liberty has been laboring tirelessly to do over the last couple of weeks. We really think it's un-Christian to turn students away and push any problems off on someone else. Most of our residential campus students are not in the Lynchburg area. Only about 10 percent of our residential students are currently here on campus. Many of those are international students who did not leave the country on Spring Break and have nowhere else to go. The Governor should understand that.

These students are in their living spaces attending classes and convocations online, not in classrooms or the Vines Center. They are getting their dining plan food by takeout instead of eating in the dining halls. The campus is fairly spacious and uncrowded, so they are spread out and observing social distancing. They are not working out in our fitness centers, not bowling in our bowling alley, not skating in the ice rink, and not engaging in our sports, intramurals, or student organization activities. Touchpoints across campus are being sanitized several times a day.

The Central Virginia Health District came to Liberty yesterday, Tuesday, March 24, for an unannounced inspection, and they did not find Liberty in violation of any of the State of Virginia's Executive Order 53 – the Governor's order that placed temporary restrictions on restaurants, businesses and gatherings.

A manager at the health district stated, "All operations appeared to be in compliance with the Governor's emergency order..."

Southern Baptists cancel annual meeting in Orlando

I had reported that the greatly-anticipated United Methodist General Conference, scheduled for May in Minneapolis had been cancelled due to restrictions that were put in place by the venue due to the Coronavirus.  At that meeting, delegates were expected to approve a plan to create a new denomination that would uphold traditional Biblical teaching on homosexuality, while the existing denomination would be allowed to change its stance and perhaps pursue a path to ordain gay clergy and to allow clergy to perform same-sex weddings.  That action will have to wait.

Now, another large denomination has announced it will cancel its planned meeting this year. The Southern Baptist Convention has cancelled its 2020 annual meeting in Orlando in June.  The convention's website states:

In light of the COVID-19 global pandemic which we believe constitutes a grave emergency, it is in the best interest of the SBC to cancel the Annual Meeting—for the first time in 75 years—out of a deep concern for the health and safety of messengers and attendees.

We are calling on all Southern Baptists to pray for an end to this global pandemic and that God will bring His Church together at this time to sharpen our focus like never before.

This is not a time for Southern Baptists to shrink back in timidity and fearfulness or be paralyzed with uncertainty. This is not the time to retreat. This is a time for us to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every person in every town, every city, every state and every nation.

Officers and committee members will remain in place until the next annual meeting, presumably in Nashville in 2021. This may represent a "cooling-off" period for Southern Baptists, who in the past year have sparred on a variety of topics. These range from the controversial Resolution 9, passed at last year's convention, which has been criticized for failing to completely renounce the theories of Critical Race Theory and intersectionality, to the formation of a new Conservative Baptist Network to call the denomination back to a Biblical foundation on issues such as Resolution 9, and the launching of an investigation by the SBC Executive Committee into actions and viewpoints of ithe SBC's public policy arm, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.  Those have allegedly resulted in some churches withholding funds from the denomination's Cooperative Program.

The 3 - March 22, 2020

This week's edition of The 3 features three stories related to the Coronavirus, including a dramatic rise in the number of people watching online services over the first weekend of the crisis over one particular platform.  Also, while so many "non-essential" services are being curtailed, the abortion industry continues to take the lives of unborn children.  And, Chinese authorities are reportedly using the crisis to enact further destruction of church facilities.

Churches move to online only services and studies, online interaction way up

This past Sunday was actually the first Sunday in which you had practically a nationwide limit on churches meeting together, opting, when possible, for online services.  And, I would dare say that the availability of online content has proliferated within the past week. Christian Headlines reports on an example of how the number of people accessing online church content spiked last week:

The Church Online Platform, operated by Life.Church, saw a total of 4.7 million devices streaming church services Sunday, four times the average attendance for a typical weekend.

The platform has seen more than 6,000 new churches sign up during the past week and serves more than 20,000 churches worldwide. It allows churches to stream their own services with chat and one-on-one prayer features.

As the article states:

President Trump on Monday issued new guidelines urging Americans to avoid groups of more than 10 people for 15 days. The recommendations are a companion to CDC guidelines that recommend “mass gatherings” with 50 or more people be canceled or postponed for eight weeks.

Abortion agenda advances during virus emergency

Last week, I reported to you about the attempt to use legislation designed to provide relief in the Coronavirus crisis to circumvent the Hyde Amendment, which prevents Federal taxpayer money from being used to fund abortion.  Even though government authorities are trying to prevent the loss of life from the virus, abortion advocates are trying to keep the loss of life for unborn babies continuing.  This comes even as citizens are being asked, in some cases, and mandated in others, to postpone "elective" surgeries.

One state attorney general decided that he would do something about that.  According to the Columbus Dispatch, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has told abortion clinics to cease providing abortions.  The article says:

In his letter to abortion providers, Yost said, “You and your facility are ordered to immediately stop performing non-essential and elective surgical abortions. Non-essential surgical abortions are those that can be delayed without undue risk to the current or future health of a patient.

“If you or your facility do not immediately stop performing non-essential or elective surgical abortions in compliance with the (health director’s) order, the Department of Health will take all appropriate measures.”

Planned Parenthood is adamant in continuing to provide abortions in the state.  Good insight was provided by Aaron Baer, president of Citizens for Community Values, who e-mailed a statement, saying: “Abortion is not health care, and abortionists shouldn’t be using valuable life-saving medical equipment to destroy life. Attorney General Yost is standing up for our most vulnerable during this crisis and saving countless lives.”

Meanwhile, LifeSiteNews reported:

A statement released earlier this week by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the Society of Family Planning, and a number of other medical professional member organizations has called on fellow medical professionals “to ensure abortion access is not compromised” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The article pointed out the hypocrisy in this declaration, stating:

Earlier this week, many of the same organizations said the pandemic “is a public health crisis that requires the full attention and resources of our health care systems” and have called on hospitals to suspend elective surgeries.

LifeSiteNews also reported on how some abortion activists are demanding that the government allow so-called "webcam" abortions during this time of crisis.  And, some are questioning why abortion clinics are still allowed to operate, but churches are having to close to public worship services.

While China faces criticism re: Coronavirus, mistreatment of churches continues in the open

With the worldwide spread of the Coronavirus from its apparent origins in China, authorities there have been attempting to curb the impact on its people, with reported success.  But, the Chinese government has also seemingly leveraged the virus into cracking down further on churches, according to a Faithwire article, which surmises, "...the shuttering of churches to stem coronavirus infections has presented the state with a key opportunity to ransack sanctuaries and strip worship centers of their Christian symbolism."

Case in point: "On March 13, and with residents in self-isolation, a church in Guoyang County, Anhui Province, had its cross removed in broad daylight...Though the church usually has around 40 people attending Sunday service, authorities reportedly exploited the nationwide shutdown by heading into the church and removing the cross while it was empty."

The article also says that, "China Aid’s Bob Fu shared shocking footage of a church in Yixing city, Jiangsu, being razed to the ground. 'Religious persecution continues even in the midst of #WuhanVirus,' he wrote."

Faithwire states:

According to International Christian Concern, most of the country’s churches — underground or state-approved — have been meeting online since the shutdown began. There is a worry, however, that the government will roll out a brutal crackdown on these virtual gatherings as soon as the virus response begins to settle down.

The 3 - March 15, 2020

This week's edition of The 3 includes responses to the Coronavirus, including calls to prayer from the President and a major Christian denominations.  Plus, amidst action by Congress to get something done regarding legislation to help combat the virus, there was at attempt to insert language that would permit Federal funding of abortion.  And, minors in the state of New York can now change the gender designation on their birth certificates.

Church services impacted by the Coronavirus; Americans called to pray

I don't think that you could completely say that the Church was closed on Sunday, but it was uniting people in certainly a different way, as especially large congregations across the nation indicated they would not be meeting at their facilities; a number of churches went to online gatherings.  God's Word was faithfully preached, and His people were united, albeit in a virtual way.  Some areas restricted gatherings to certain sizes or at least there were recommendations; for instance, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey had suggested that people avoid gatherings of more than 500 people.

There were also calls to pray in the midst of the Coronavirus crisis. President Trump called for a National Day of Prayer on Sunday, March 15.  According to CBN.com, he tweeted out:

"It is my great honor to declare Sunday, March 15th as a National Day of Prayer," the President tweeted. "We are a Country that, throughout our history, has looked to God for protection and strength in times like these....

The President also tweeted, "....No matter where you may be, I encourage you to turn towards prayer in an act of faith. Together, we will easily PREVAIL!"

The President also tweeted out that he had tested negatively for the virus and that he would be watching the Free Chapel worship service online on Sunday morning; that's the church pastored by Jentezen Franklin, who was a recent guest on The Meeting House and prayed for Mr. Trump in a much-publicized evangelical gathering in Miami several months ago.

Plus, CBN reported that Southern Baptist leaders had earlier called for Sunday to be a Day of Prayer.  Leaders had encouraged prayer in several areas:

• Ask God, in His mercy, to stop this pandemic and save lives—not only in our communities but around the world, particularly in places that are unequipped medically to deal with the virus. (Isaiah 59:1-2)
• Pray for President Donald Trump and other government leaders—international, federal, state, and local—to have the wisdom to direct us in the best courses of action for prevention and care. (Romans 13:1–4)
• Scripture says—teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts. Pray that the Lord will give us wisdom in this moment of fear as the foundations of what we know are shaken, that others would realize how fragile life is and how real eternity is, and they would see their need to turn to God. (Psalm 90:12)

House speaker attempts to insert abortion into Coronavirus bill

The Coronavirus has caused great concern around the world, and U.S. citizens have depended on governmental officials to provide direction and resources to lessen the risk to Americans and to curb the spread of the virus.

So, it is troubling when you have some officials who use a piece of legislation designed to control a public health crisis to promote one of their political agenda items, such as...abortion.  Focus on the Family's Daily Citizen website reports:

According to The Daily Caller, senior White House officials allege that, “while negotiating the stimulus with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Pelosi tried to lobby for ‘several’ provisions that stalled bipartisan commitment to the effort. One was a mandate for up to $1 billion to reimburse laboratory claims, which White House officials say would set a precedent of health spending without protections outlined in the Hyde Amendment.”

The article says that, "The Hyde Amendment is a legislative provision that prohibits federal funds from directly paying for abortions." It includes a quote from a tweet from Texas Representative Kevin Brady, in which he stated, "This is disgraceful even for Pelosi! Dems are holding bill to deal with the Wuhan Virus hostage unless they get permanent new funding free from Hyde Amendment protections,” adding, “This will mean direct, government funding of abortions. Extremists sinking to new low.”

The Coronavirus aid package is set to pass Congress laterlast week.  Plus, President Trump, by declaring a state of emergency, loosened up Federal funds to help combat the spread of the virus.

Minors in NY can now change sex on their birth certificates

In the state of New York, children and teens ages 16 and younger can apply to have their gender changed on their birth certificates, according to a ChristianHeadlines.com story that states:

According to the office of the New York Attorney General Letitia James, the new policy will allow individuals under the age of 16 to apply for their sex to be changed on their birth certificates without the need for a medical affidavit.

Now, they will need parental permission. The article says: "The rule's goal is to allow transgender or nonbinary individuals to alter the sex marker on their birth certificate to reflect their gender identity." It also states:

The change in policy came in the wake of a lawsuit filed by a native transgender New Yorker who now resides in Houston, Texas. The plaintiff in the case, M.H.W., identifies as a boy but is biologically female, The Christian Post Reports.

“This is awesome,” M.H.W., who uses he/him pronouns, asserted. “Now all my identity paperwork matches, and I can go forward not having to worry about legal documents conflicting with who I am again. I get to just go on being me.”

That Christian Post article also relates:

In an interview with The Christian Post last January about New York City's allowance of a third gender marker on birth certificates, philosopher Daniel Moody, author of The Flesh Made Word, stressed that the purpose of a birth certificate is to capture truth in language, thereby connecting persons to laws — not only for the sake of the individual but for society as a whole.

The 3 - March 8, 2020

This week's edition of The 3, spotlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there has been another court development on Coach Joe Kennedy's way back to the U.S. Supreme Court. Also, West Virginia lawmakers have passed a bill protecting abortion survivors.  Plus, the Coronavirus has resulted in the quarantine of some Christian leaders and a tour group.

More court action regarding football coach who prayed after games

A high school football coach in Washington state suffered another court defeat recently, but the attorneys representing him have promised to appeal.

Joe Kennedy is the Bremerton, WA coach who, after every game for seven years, went to the 50-yard line and bowed in prayer.  His school district ultimately suspended him, and First Liberty Institute joined to file court action against the district.

First Liberty's website has information on Coach Kennedy and his motivation.  The website reported on Friday, March 6:

Yesterday, federal district court judge Ronald Leighton granted the Bremerton (WA) School District’s motion for summary judgement in the case of Coach Joe Kennedy. Bremerton School District fired the longtime football coach because he took a knee in brief, silent prayer after football games. Kennedy’s case attracted nationwide attention from the media, Hall of Fame coaches and players, and even President Trump. In January, President Trump invited Coach Kennedy to the Oval Office as he announced new actions to protect religious freedom in America’s public schools.

As the legal advocacy group pointed out, "Last January, the Supreme Court of the United States declined to reverse a previous decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upholding Kennedy’s 2015 firing." But, there was a ray of hope, as First Liberty points out: "in a separate statement filed by Justice Alito and joined by Justices Thomas, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh, the justices explained that the Court needed more information in order to resolve the matter." They wrote, “the Ninth Circuit’s understanding of the free speech rights of public school teachers is troubling and may justify review in the future.”  It was sent back to the district court level, which issued the decision.  As The Christian Post reports, that is the same judge that issued the original court decision against the coach.

West Virginia legislators protect abortion survivors

The West Virginia Legislature passed, and Governor Jim Justice has signed a bill that would protect babies who survive abortion attempts in the state, according to Liberty Counsel, which reports:

HB 4007, known as the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, requires physicians to use “reasonable medical judgment” to preserve the life and health of the child as given to any other child born alive at the same gestational age, including immediate transportation to a hospital and mandatory reporting of violations.

The governor is quoted as saying: “This is an absolute no-brainer as far as I’m concerned. I’ve said for a long time, even back before I took office as Governor, that I would support measures like this because every human life – born or unborn is precious and truly a gift from God..."

This bill, as Liberty Counsel points out, is "very similar" to the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Act that failed to get the 60 votes necessary to move forward in the U.S. Senate, thanks to 41 Democrat Senators who voted against it. A consortium of Christian organizations representing over 30,000 medical professionals stated that under the circumstances, "There is no scientific or legal reason to distinguish between human beings born after an attempted abortion and human beings born after attempted live birth...There is no medical reason to intentionally kill that fetal human being.”

Pastors exposed to Coronavirus in quarantine

The Coronavirus continues to be a menace, and while Christians are told in Scripture not to fear, it is important to be aware and take necessary precautions, heeding instructions from governmental officials and medical authorities.  According to the Religion News website, as of last Wednesday, March 4, Life.Church pastor Craig Groeschel and Bobby Gruenewald, another leader in the church, attended a conference "...which had about 7,400 attenders..." It was "cut short after one presenter became ill with COVID-19, according to organizers. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the new coronavirus."

The article reports:

“Pastor Craig and I are at home and healthy,” Gruenewald, innovation leader for Life.Church, told Religion News Service in a statement. “While en route home from Germany, we were made aware of the situation at the conference. We immediately notified health authorities and have followed every recommendation. Out of an abundance of caution, we have been isolated in our homes the entire time, even limited from interaction with our families. We have no symptoms, and someone is checking on us regularly.”

And, Baptist Press reports on an Alabama connection, involving a church group that had traveled to Bethlehem.  The article relates:

Pastor Chris Bell and 12 members of 3Circle Church based in Fairhope, Ala., were tested with nose swabs for COVID-19 Friday (March 6) and expect results within a day, he told Baptist Press. They have been quarantined since Thursday at the Angel Hotel in Beit Jala after a hotel resident tested positive for the virus.

"It is impossible for me to believe that God does not have a plan for this," Bell told BP, "because how in the world could we end up in the hotel where the epicenter of this thing takes place?

"And we are convinced -- we don't like it, we don't want it -- but we're convinced God's going to use this. We're convinced that He knows exactly where we are, and He has not forgotten us. And we believe that deeply."

The article says that "Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee President Ronnie Floyd contacted White House and U.S. State Department officials Friday to ensure they are aware of Bell's situation, Floyd told BP."  Baptist Press relates that "Floyd had scheduled a conference call for Monday, March 9 to 'discuss best practices and prevention strategies, and to pray for churches, communities and the U.S.'"

The 3 - March 1, 2020

This week's edition of The 3, includes how Christians and Christian organizations are responding to the Coronavirus.  Plus, U.S. Senators failed to move two pro-life bills forward this week.  Meanwhile, a Federal appeals court has allowed an Administration regulation to go into effect that would prevent abortion provides from receiving family-planning funds from the government.

Christian organizations respond to Coronavirus

As the Coronavirus continues to generate worldwide concerns, there is an effect on churches and church organizations.

South Korea has been the nation with the most Coronavirus cases outside of China.  According to Christian Headlines, South Korean’s Culture Minister Park Yang-woo addressed church gatherings, stating: “I earnestly ask [such groups] to refrain from any religious services and gatherings for a while in order to prevent further coronavirus infections and the extension of the situation..."  The article went on to say:

Seoul’s Yoido Full Gospel Church, considered the largest church in the world by membership (approximately 800,000), suspended public services and said it would launch online services for members, Yonhap News reported.

Seoul’s Myungsung Church — a Presbyterian congregation with 80,000 members — suspended services after two members, including a pastor, came down with coronavirus.

The Christian Post reported:

A Bible school and Christian holiday center in the United Kingdom has quarantined six students and a teacher who returned from a trip to Italy, which is suffering an outbreak of coronavirus. Several schools in the country are closing or sending pupils home over fears of infection.

Capernwray Hall in Lancashire said it was nothing more than a precautionary measure as the students and the teacher came back after working with a partner church in Milan, which is 40 miles from the lockdown areas in northern Italy.

And, Southern Baptists are crafting a response to the Coronavirus.  Baptist Press reports "...the International Mission Board announced Friday (Feb. 28) a coronavirus task force to address implications for IMB personnel and partners, including church volunteer mission teams." The article goes on to quote a press release from IMB President Paul Chitwood, who said: "We recognize the concern that coronavirus is causing, and we are grateful for individuals and churches who are praying for IMB personnel and for people around the world directly affected by the virus," adding, "We are continually monitoring the global situation and remain in frequent contact with our missionaries to take the best precautions possible related to their health and safety."

The article also states:

Southern Baptists ministering in certain high risk areas have reported a rising receptivity to the Gospel, Chitwood said Thursday during a luncheon address at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

"The reality of death sets in on us in a way that is so undeniable," SWBTS quoted Chitwood. "So we're praying for a great movement of the Holy Spirit; for more and more people to be saved."

Senators reject two pro-life bills

U.S. Senators had an opportunity to pass two pro-life bills this past week, but the Senate was unable to reach the 60-vote threshold necessary to move either bill forward.  Disrn.com reported:

Forty-one Democratic senators successfully blocked the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act on Tuesday, filibustering the legislation to prevent it from receiving a final vote. The bill would have required doctors to provide medical care to newborn infants who survive abortion procedures.

Three Democrats supported the legislation and three did not vote because they were campaigning for President, but they had voted against a similar bill last year.

Disrn.com also reported:

The Senate voted on whether to stop the Democrats' filibuster on the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act on Tuesday, falling just seven votes short of taking the bill up for debate. The bill would have banned abortions after 20 weeks and highlights how unborn babies feel pain during abortions.

Court upholds Administration's "Protect Life" rule

The Trump Administration had implemented a regulation that would prevent Federal Title X family-planning funds from being distributed to abortion providers under what is called the "Protect Life" rule. Life Site News reported:

The Trump administration may continue to enforce a rule mandating that recipients of federal planning funds, such as Planned Parenthood, separate themselves from abortion activities, the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday.

The article gives some background:

The administration’s Protect Life Rule requires “clear financial and physical separation between Title X-funded projects and programs or facilities where abortion is a method of family planning” and bans “referral for abortion as a method of family planning.” The abortion lobby has responded with multiple lawsuits, and Planned Parenthood chose to withdraw from Title X rather than comply with the new conditions. Abortion proponents have dubbed the rule a “gag rule.”