The 3 - October 15, 2011

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

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

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

Baptist Press published this analysis.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 3 - October 7, 2011

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

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

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

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

Here's a report from Christianity Today.

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

Here is an excellent summary from The Christian Post.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1 - Values Voter Summit encourages, equips, and informs

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

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

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

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

The 3 - October 1, 2011

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

3 - Iranian pastor faces death sentence

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2 - Military makes allowances for same-sex marriage ceremonies

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 3 - September 24, 2011

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

3 - Rob Bell steps down from Michigan pastorate

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

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



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

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

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

2 - Angel Food Ministries announces its closing

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

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

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

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

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

The Christian Post had this report.

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

The 3 - September 17, 2011

This week on my week-in-review feature, "The 3", a look at a letter sent out by a Christian legal advocacy organizations to Tennessee schools who recently received some so-called "guidelines" on religious expression, or the lack thereof, Also, a report was released by the U.S. State Department on religious persecution worldwide. And, the top story: Christians all across America have been involved in a coordinated effort to invite people to come "back to church".

3 - ADF sends letters to TN schools to correct ACLU constitutional errors

Across the nation, we are seeing examples of schools and school districts that have restricted the rights of students and teachers to live out and speak out about their faith. From the hideous example in Santa Rosa County, Florida, where the school district and the ACLU made a pact that resulted in teachers and administrators living under the threat of jail time merely for praying, to the instance in Mount Dora, Florida, where a teacher was temporarily suspended because of posts on his personal Facebook page that underscored a Biblical worldview, the lines have become blurred regarding religious expression on school campuses.

Just this week, Fox News ran a story about a charter school in Idaho that was closed by the state school board because it dared to teach from "religious texts", including the Bible, in a history class. Its appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was turned back. And, a teacher in California who was ordered to remove banners in his classroom because they contained "religious" references and had received support from a Federal judge was told by the 9th Circuit to remove the banners - again.

Well, the ACLU wanted to "clarify" the rights of students and teachers in the state of Tennessee with regard to religious expression, and in a guide sent out to school districts basically stated that any public on-campus exercise of religion was illegal. The Alliance Defense Fund set out to counter the misinformation, and sent a letter to underscore the constitutionality of many forms of religious expression. The letter said that:

The truth is that students, teachers, and administrators enjoy robust First Amendment [protected] rights at school, and school districts have nothing to fear in permitting the free exercise of those rights...

Here is the information on the ADF's letter, including the types of religious freedom that the ACLU said were not legal in the state. Some of the forms of religious speech and action targeted by the so-called "guide" were:
1) student-led prayer at school, graduation, and sporting events;
2) participation of students, teachers, and administrators at baccalaureate services with religious content;
3) equal access to school facilities and literature distribution programs;
4) equal access and funding for religious student clubs and organizations;
5) students’ right to participate in events such as See You at the Pole and the National Day of Prayer;
6) the religious expression of teachers, coaches, and administrators; and
7) “objective” teaching about religious holidays.

These go above and beyond the court precedents that have been set and upheld throughout the years. Some school districts, fearing reprisals and the potential for court action, have moved to deny students and school officials their constitutional rights to religious freedom. Fortunately, you have organizations such as ADF, Liberty Counsel, and others who are well-versed in the Constitution and have made themselves available to defend students, teachers, and administrators who are concerned about their ability to speak and act in a religious manner being unfairly restricted. For more information on ADF, you can go to www.alliancedefensefund.org.

2 - International Religious Freedom report released 9/13/11

This week, the U.S. State Department released its most recent International Religious Freedom Report, which outlined the nature of threats to religious freedom worldwide, as well as the countries where persecution of religious groups, including Christians in many cases, is the greatest.

Here is a report from periodic guest on The Meeting House, Emily Belz of WORLD Magazine.

There are 8 countries that have received the designation as Countries of Particular Concern (CPC): Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Uzbekistan. Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan had reportedly been given waivers in the past. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, an arm of the government that operates independently, had urged the State Department to add Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, and Vietnam.
The blog, Religion Clause, had this report. The blog quotes Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as saying:

In the Middle East and North Africa, the transitions to democracy have inspired the world, but they have also exposed ethnic and religious minorities to new dangers.... Now, the people of the region have taken exciting first steps toward democracy—but if they hope to consolidate their gains, they cannot trade one form of repression for another.

This report serves as a reminder of the many around the world who are facing persecution for the faith. The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church gives Christians an opportunity to pray for those who are facing threatening situations on a consistent basis. This year, it is scheduled for Sunday, November 13th. For more information, you can visit the website, www.onewiththem.com.

1 - National Back-to-Church Sunday this weekend

Today, thousands of Christians across America were encouraged to take an intentional step and invite someone to visit church with them. This year's third annual "National Back-to-Church Sunday" has been designed to build on the successful track record of this particular occasion, and has been embraced in a significant way.

According to a press release from the Back to Church Sunday website, a study by LifeWay Research and the North American Mission Board of over 15,000 Americans had found that 67 percent say a personal invitation from a family member would be effective in getting them to visit a church. Fifty-six percent say an invitation from a friend or neighbor would likely move them to respond.

Since the inception of NBTCS, more than 3.5 million invitations from some 7400 churches have been issued, and churches that participated last year saw a 26 percent increase in the attendance that weekend. When you consider the huge disconnect between the number of professing Christians in America and the percentage of Americans that actually attend church on any given Sunday (83% claiming to be Christians vs. 20% attending church), this emphasis has the potential to be a significant step for churches as they seek to increase the number of people coming through their doors and becoming involved in their local bodies, so that they might grow spiritually.

The 3 - September 10, 2011

It's the 10th Anniversary weekend of the September 11th attacks, and it's no surprise that would be the top story on this edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature at www.meetinghouseonline.info. Also, this week had a couple of notable court cases, including 2 rulings from the same Federal court on the health care law, one of which was brought by a Christian university. The other notable court action was a hearing concerning the marriage amendment from California.

3 - 4th Circuit rules against Christian university's health care reform lawsuit

Following the passage of the massive new Federal health care law, a number of lawsuits were filed, including the action of 26 state attorneys general and other parties, protesting the requirement for individuals to purchase health insurance. Recently, a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in that case that the so-called "individual mandate" was unconstitutional. A panel of the 6th Circuit came to the opposite conclusion on the mandate. And, this week, a three-judge panel of the 4th Circuit basically came to a "no decision", ruling that the Attorney General of Virginia did not have the right to bring the case against the health care law and the mandate, because he had not been personally harmed by its enactment. The court, therefore, turned back the state's challenge.

And, that same court, in another ruling, determined that the mandate for employers to provide health insurance for its employees was a "tax", and since legal proceedings cannot be brought against a tax until it is in effect, the plaintiffs, Liberty University, would have to wait until the taxes were levied. When it comes down to it, in neither instance did the court rule on the constitutional merits of the respective cases, rather they were rejected because 1) the Virginia AG, they said, wasn't eligible to argue the case and 2) the tax couldn't be challenged until collected.

Here is a press release from the attorneys for Liberty University, legal advocacy group Liberty Counsel.

All indications are that one or more of these cases, and perhaps a combination thereof, will be eventually settled at the U.S. Supreme Court. The Administration is still intent on implementing this health care law that presents a number of concerns and is quite unpopular, according to survey data. Businesses and corporations are unsure on the economic effect, and Christian leaders have expressed concern about the provision to fund abortion using tax dollars and the structure, which would ration health care and perhaps deny the proper care to the most vulnerable in society.

2 - California Supreme Court holds hearing on marriage amendment

The long legal saga surrounding Proposition 8, the California amendment defining marriage as one man and one woman, continued this week in the California Supreme Court - a body that had temporarily conjured up a "right" to gay marriage in the months prior to the amendment's passage. This time, the Court held a hearing, including its newest member, Goodwin Liu, who had been thwarted in his bid to become a member of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, due to his legal philosophy being regarded as radical, including his support for legalizing gay marriage. The purpose of the hearing was to determine who would represent proponents of Proposition 8 before the 9th Circuit, which was considering a ruling made by a lower Federal court judge that the amendment was unconstitutional, thereby creating a "right" to gay marriage. Typically, the legal team of the state where an amendment is passed would defend a constitutional amendment, but the former Governor and former Attorney General (now Governor) of California refused to do that.

So, the question at hand is whether or not the Protect Marriage group in California has "standing", or eligibility, to defend Proposition 8, which it was instrumental in helping to pass. Once the state "standing" issue is settled, it's back to the 9th Circuit, who will determine if Protect Marriage can legally represent the proponents on a Federal level. The next step, assuming that the group could continue its defense of Prop. 8, would be a ruling by the appeals court on the constitutionality of same-sex marriage.

Here's a report from CitizenLink.

Bruce Hausknecht, Judicial Analyst for CitizenLink, an affiliate of Focus on the Family, came on Friday's edition of The Meeting House and discussed both the Proposition 8 hearing and the 4th Circuit rulings.



The battle over Proposition 8 is critical, since it represents potentially another step in the legitimization of gay marriage across America. The redefinition of traditional marriage has the potential to further erode our social fabric and bring greater instability for children, as this "faux" marriage cannot provide the structure that research shows is best for the raising of children.

1 - Christians honor the fallen on 9-11

I believe it is impossible to separate God's presence from the tragic events of September 11, 2001. I mean that in the sense that He did not cause 9-11, but He made Himself very real to people in the aftermath. In the moments and days following the terrorist attacks, so many turned to faith and looked to God to provide comfort for their troubled hearts. For example, members of Congress gathered on the Capitol steps in Washington to sing "God Bless America" and dignitaries assembled in the National Cathedral for a service where President Bush and Billy Graham invoked the need for spiritual strength in these times.

And, so now, as people across the country commemorate the events of that infamous day in history, it is no surprise that the name of God and His presence are invoked once more. Even though some 62,000 signatures were collected by the Family Research Council and others requesting that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg allow clergy in the dedication service for the new 9-11 Memorial at Ground Zero, the mayor did not reconsider his decision. Nevertheless, President Obama, former President Bush, and former Mayor Giuliani invoked the name of God in their comments - the President reading from Psalm 46, the former President reading a prayer from Abraham Lincoln, and the former mayor reciting from the book of Ecclesiastes.

Here is the report on the New York City events, from The Christian Post.

And, Christians, churches, and Christian organizations marked the occasion in a variety of ways. A special ceremony on September 10th in New York City was scheduled to begin at St. Paul's Chapel, followed by a walk to Ground Zero. On the evening of September 11th, Anne Graham Lotz, whose father had so eloquently shared from his heart and provided perspective and comfort in that National Cathedral service almost 10 years ago (click here to read text), had organized a special event called, "A Wake-Up Call for God's People", emphasizing repentance and revival. The event was heard on radio nationwide, and was simulcast into various locations, including a host of churches, as well as into homes via the Internet.

Times of crisis give us the opportunity as Christians to minister the love and hope that can only come from Jesus Christ. 9-11 not only was an occasion through which we could point people to the saving grace of God, but it served as a reminder that we live in desperate times for our nations, and it's vital that we turn to God, who I believe established our nation, and will sustain it, if His people turn to Him.

Here is a conversation aired last week on The Meeting House with Dr. Joe Savage, Director of the University of Mobile's Center for Leadership and the Twelve23 Movement. Dr. Savage has written a book called, "We Forgot! The 7 Unlearned Lessons of 9-11".

The 3 - September 3, 2011

Labor Day weekend is here, and I've selected 3 stories from the past week impacting the Christian community. What has become an ongoing trend is the sentiment in some segments of corporate America that will punish groups and individuals for their support of traditional marriage, and we have another instance announced this week. Also, a new pro-life law went into effect in one state this week, while a similar one in another state was challenged in court. And, as we prepare for the commemoration of the 10th Anniversary of the September 11th attacks, the Mayor of New York is keeping clergy members and first responders off the program of the Ground Zero event.

3 - Corporations continue to act against those who support traditional marriage

The list continues to lengthen of corporations that have taken action against groups or individuals because of their support of traditional marriage and opposition to so-called "same-sex" marriage. From Apple's removal of the apps for the Manhattan Declaration and Exodus International to companies that withdrew their participation in the Charity Give Back Group because some of the beneficiaries oppose gay marriage, there are pockets of corporate America where it is definitely not the correct position to buck the gay agenda.

Now, according to a Christian Post article, consultant Frank Turek announced this week that he had been dismissed from his position with Bank of America just days before he was scheduled to present a motivational seminar. Allegedly, the sticking point was that he had written a book called, "Correct, Not Politically Correct: How Same-Sex Marriage Hurts Everyone". He was also dismissed from his position from Cisco Systems earlier this year as a result of the same book.

Turek will be meeting with a Bank of America official soon, but in the meantime, he says that
he wants all corporations to "stop trying to indoctrinate employees into accepting certain sexual behaviors, particularly homosexuality." Unfortunately, because of the current corporate climate and the pressures being brought to bear by gay activists, companies are choosing to side with these activists, in the name of inclusion and sensitivity.

2 - Fetal pain law goes into effect in Alabama, challenged in court elsewhere

It was a cause for rejoicing this week in Alabama, as a law took effect that would prevent the abortion of unborn babies 20 weeks and up, the time of gestation at which they have been found to be capable of feeling pain, according to scientific research. But in a stark reminder of how the abortion issue is being addressed by some in our society - by filing litigation - a similar law in Idaho has been taken to court. A 33-year-old woman (who terminated a pregnancy last year) has filed suit, claiming that the new law lacks a provision to protect the mother's "health". Remember that is language that has been used with regard to past abortion legislation (such as the ban on partial-birth abortion), as a means of trying to provide loopholes in a law and allow abortion, even in circumstances in which a law was trying to ban it.

Here is coverage from CitizenLink.

According to the article, Dr. Sean Patrick Kenney, an assistant clinical professor at the Creighton University School of Medicine, said only one or two women in every 5,000 would need an abortion to preserve her own health after the twentieth week of pregnancy — and the bill’s language adequately provided for those.

So, here we have common-sense legislation that is intended to incrementally reduce the number of abortions in 6 states across America, and one person in one of those states is attempting to have a judge overturn the acts of the state Legislatures. Just this week, a Federal judge ruled that the state of Kansas had to fund Planned Parenthood, in spite of a new law that prevented tax dollars from going to that organization, the nation's largest abortion provider. And, this week, a Federal judge has put on hold a Texas law requiring abortion providers to perform an ultrasound and share or describe the image with the woman seeking an abortion. These instances illustrate why it's important that new laws are written to withstand the charges of unconstitutionality, as lawsuits trying to block pro-life legislation are quite commonplace.

1 - Exclusion of clergy from 9-11 ceremony ignites Christian leaders

Plans are being made for commemorative events across the country for the 10th Anniversary of the 9-11 attacks on America.

One of the most high profile gatherings will be in New York City, but controversy has arisen because Mayor Bloomberg's office has planned the program, without one of the key elements of the aftermath of the tragedy - the clergy. The planned program will apparently not have a representative of the faith community.

According to an update in The Christian Post:

A spokesperson for New York's City Hall told The Wall Street Journal that previous 9/11 anniversary memorials did not include religious leaders and they wanted to strike a similar tone with the 10th anniversary. “There are hundreds of important people that have offered to participate over the last nine years, but the focus remains on the families of the thousands who died on Sept. 11,” the spokesperson said.

City Council Member Fernando Cabrera, a pastor at New Life Outreach International, told The Wall Street Journal that religious leaders were “one of the pillars that carried us through. They were the spiritual and emotional backbone, and when you have a situation where people are trying to find meaning, where something is bigger than them, when you have a crisis of this level, they often look to the clergy.” Apparently, first responders are being left out, as well.

Click here to read the piece from The Christian Post.

The Family Research Council is leading an effort established to collect 50,000 signatures to present to Mayor Bloomberg on September 9th. So far, some 55,000 have been gathered. The FRC said this in a press release:

Pastors are not invited to the event, as Mayor Bloomberg apparently thinks that the invited politicians will be able to offer enough comfort to the families. But Mayor Bloomberg's glaring omissions from the event do not end with clergy. The very people who hallowed the ground, the living embodiment of selfless courage we vowed "never to forget" -- New York's first responders -- won't even be invited.

This past weekend, as large areas of New York City were evacuated in preparation for Hurricane Irene, first responders were on vigilant alert, prepared at a moment's notice to place their lives in harm's way for others. If anything, this should have served as a reminder for Mayor Bloomberg of the sacrifices these men and women are prepared to continually make and the recognition they deserve.

For additional information, you can go to FRC's website at www.frc.org.

Dr. Richard Land, President of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, shared his perspective on a recent edition of The Meeting House.



The ERLC website can be found at www.erlc.com.

The 3 - August 28, 2011

As we reflect on this last full week of August, "The 3" is back to look at an ministry opportunity for Christians reaching out with the love of Christ to help the victims of Hurricane Irene. Also, a Florida teacher who came under fire for a politically incorrect Facebook post was allowed to go back in the classroom. And, our top story involves a decision announced this week that directly affects the freedom of speech for Christian broadcasters.

3 - Christian relief agencies prepare to respond to Irene destruction

As Hurricane Irene made its slow trek up the East Coast of the United States, bringing high winds and widespread flooding, Christian relief agencies were prepared to swing into action. With damage, especially from flooding, expected to reach a large area, many will need that helping hand and word of encouragement.

Operation Blessing is headquartered in Virginia Beach, which is in an area that received a direct hit from the storm, and it pre-staged staff and equipment, according to this piece in Charisma News.

And, Southern Baptist disaster relief teams were planning to move into the affected areas, partnering with churches and ministry organizations throughout the entire coastal region, according to this report from Baptist Press.

We remember, as tomorrow is the 6th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, that one of the storylines of that disaster was the role that the church played in helping the region get back on its feet. And, no doubt, there will be many from North Carolina to Maine that will receive necessary assistance as the church reaches out with physical and spiritual support.

2 - Florida teacher reinstated after suspension resulting from Facebook post

I would imagine that the veteran teacher saw it as an opportunity to share his personal opinion and perhaps engage some of his students. Afterward, the words became grounds for his suspension and subsequent reinstatement.

His name is Jerry Buell, last year's "Teacher of the Year" at Mount Dora High School in Lake County, Florida. As he viewed news coverage of the state of New York's legalization of gay marriage, he was disappointed that the state had engaged in this affront to the traditional, Biblical definition of marriage. He also was repulsed by the sight of two "grooms" kissing. He posted his opinion on his personal Facebook page. A graduate of the school almost a decade ago reported the comments to school board officials, and Jerry Buell, an exemplary teacher, became another example of the way that some people in authority these days are intimidated by the gay agenda to the extent that they would punish someone, anyone, who dares to criticize the homosexual lifestyle.

Harry Mihet, Senior Litigation Counsel of legal advocacy organization Liberty Counsel, who agreed to represent Mr. Buell, shared some of the details and free speech issues of the situation in an interview on The Meeting House last week.



It was announced on Wednesday that Jerry Buell had been reinstated to his position effective immediately, for which there was celebration. But, another issue has emerged - according to Mihet, a "written directive" was placed in Buell's personnel folder, and some statements of his faith that Buell had placed on the school website and in his syllabus have allegedly been questioned - in fact, on the website, where Buell had written that he tries to "teach and lead my students as if Lake Co. Schools had hired Jesus Christ himself" have been removed. Here's a report from the Orlando Sentinel. So, while Jerry Buell has been allowed to go back into the classroom, there may be an issue concerning his freedom of expression that will be explored.

1 - Fairness Doctrine removed from FCC's regulations

At one time, the Federal Communications Commission, which regulates broadcast programming in America, had instituted what is known as the "Fairness Doctrine", requiring broadcasters to provide commentary presenting both sides of a controversial issue. Until this week, that provision had been part of the FCC's book of regulations. However, the Doctrine had been rescinded during the Reagan administration, in 1987.

The reversal of the Fairness Doctrine that year marks a significant event in broadcast content - after that point, you saw the rise of talk radio, with hosts that presented one particular viewpoint of the issues of the day. Conservative talk radio is believed to have grown because it reflected the perspective of a sizable portion of the population, and the genre was quite popular, driving listeners to the AM band and generating revenue - many broadcast outlets were able to sell commercial time during these programs as they became more popular. Christian radio also showed growth in its dedication to dealing with the issues of the day with a Biblical perspective. Broadcasters were no longer burdened with having to present multiple sides of an issue. And, as the Internet became more popular and there were an increasing number of cable television outlets, there was no shortage of variety regarding views on significant issues.

Following the election of President Obama, who was not particularly popular with a number of these types of outlets because of his policies (not his personality), there were some who were calling for the Fairness Doctrine to be reinstated. However, with the free speech concerns of many across the political spectrum, there was never enough traction in Congress for it to be reinstituted.

And, this week - it was officially removed from the FCC's regulatory book. Dr. Frank Wright, President of National Religious Broadcasters applauded the ruling, saying that:

We are delighted that FCC Chairman Genachowski has followed-through on his promise to fully eliminate this pernicious rule, which enabled the FCC to compel broadcasters to air opposing viewpoints on controversial issues that the government decided to be of public importance.

Here is the complete statement from NRB.

Now, it's important that broadcast free speech advocates are vigilant regarding attempts to implement the spirit of the Fairness Doctrine, under the guise of a concept called "localism", where advocacy groups could organize to intimidate stations to broadcast certain types of programming on a local level. These groups could also threaten protests over an outlet's license renewal if these "local" matters are not reflected in the programming. This would be an affront to nationally-syndicated programs that broadcast a conservative and/or Christian perspective. As Dr. Wright said,

There are many voices calling for increased scrutiny of broadcast programming under the guise of ‘localism,’ and we see such proposals as a Fairness Doctrine in different garb.

Stuart Shepard of CitizenLink and Family News in Focus joined me to discuss free speech issues, including the removal of the Fairness Doctrine from the official annals of the FCC.

The 3 - August 20, 2011

Welcome to this week's edition of "The 3" - featuring 3 stories of relevance to the Christian community. The role of faith in Presidential politics is a topic that will likely not go away over the next 15 months, and the spiritual dynamics have changed just a bit even over the past week. Also, another attempt to drive a wedge between corporate America and charitable organizations is underway. And, the top story involves one of those consequences of a state moving away from traditional marriage.

3 - Faith becomes subject of scrutiny in 2012 Presidential race

The trajectory that has been set in this Presidential campaign is that candidates, especially on the Republican side, will be challenged with respect to their faith. In 2008, Barack Obama's faith was scrutinized, especially with respect to his membership in Jeremiah Wright's church for 20 years, but as Obama distanced himself from the pastor, I don't recall that Obama's religious faith was that major of an issue. Now, there are many Americans that believe the President to be a Muslim, but again, he has made enough statements about his Christian faith, plus there are so many critical issues that have been facing the country over the past few months, that who Obama follows or prays to seems to be of little consequence overall.

That may or may not change in the 2012 campaign, but depending on who the Republican nominee becomes, faith may be a decisive issue with some Americans, especially with regard to how that faith perspective affects policy decisions. Already, we're getting a sense of how the media will spin the candidates' faith with respect to Michele Bachmann and new entry Rick Perry. I would imagine that Mitt Romney's Mormon beliefs will become a more prevalent topic of discussion, especially among evangelicals. (And, Romney apparently puts his money where his faith is, according to a new piece on the WORLD magazine website.)

Rick Perry's entry into the race does introduce a new spiritual dynamic - a member of an Austin Methodist church who attends a megachurch there, Perry made headlines by his involvement with a large prayer rally in Houston recently that drew some 30,000 people. There were attempts to paint Perry as some sort of religious extremist because of some of the views that are held by members of the speaker team, but his record and rhetoric show that his personal theology and policy positions might be in line with a majority of evangelicals. The spiritual balance of the race changed last weekend when former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, a professed evangelical, bowed out following his third-place finish in the Iowa straw poll.

But, the majority of the spiritual scrutiny recently has been focused on U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann. From earlier associations with a church denomination that has allegedly held some pointed negative positions on Catholicism (she has since withdrawn from that demonination) to questions about her views on submission in marriage, her husband's views on whether or not homosexuals can change to the recent "Meet the Press" salvo from David Gregory about whether or not she communicates with God, Bachmann is attempting to navigate the potential spiritual minefields while trying not to detract from her political capital. As the race continues, the religious beliefs of the 3 "top-tier" candidates - Bachmann, Perry, and Romney - will be a consistent storyline of the 2012 campaign. While Obama's faith is seen and portrayed in the media as virtually non-threatening, based on past history, the beliefs of the Republican trio may be characterized as toxic, which will be an unfortunate occurrence.

2 - Change.org strikes again - gay activists and charities in tug-of-war with corporations in the middle

Over the past few months, a small but potent group of activists has formed, who are intent on portraying in a negative light Christian and charitable organizations that do not share their views on homosexuality or traditional marriage. We have seen Apple pull two apps from its app store - one was the app for the Manhattan Declaration, affirming life, religious liberty, and...the big one for the strident activists - traditional marriage! The other app pulled was the one belonging to Exodus International, which has a strong track record of helping those who wish to exit the homosexual lifestyle to actually do so. Last week, through a petition posted on the website, Change.org, a small group of activists stirred up enough rancor to force Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz to withdraw from the speaker lineup for a satellite conference at Willow Creek Church, attempting to paint the church as intolerant.

This week, the public knowledge increased about another effort by activists to infect the business community against faith-based organizations. Another petition at Change.org claimed that corporations participating in the Charity Give Back Group supported charities that were so-called "hate groups" simply because they did not embrace the homosexual lifestyle and supported the Biblical view of marriage. This tug-of-war was highlighted in a piece in the Denver Post. Through the CGBG, shoppers designate a percentage of their purchases through the retailers who participate to go to their choice of charities.

Representatives of the CGBG have gone on the offensive, meeting with corporate leaders and highlighting the work of the charities that are being supported with donations that shoppers make. They also stress that groups such as Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council are not "hate groups", and instead of trying to engage in rhetorical conflict, they are attempting to demonstrate the love of Christ and relate the stories of how people are being helped through these charities.

Kevin McCullough, radio, TV, and Internet journalist, came on The Meeting House recently to discuss this overall story and how the CGBG has made a quality decision to push back against those who would engage in mischaracterization:



What a refreshing response - instead of responding in kind, the CGBG leadership has chosen to emphasize love and charitable effectiveness. Simarlily, Bill Hybels did not take the conventional or expected path, responding with grace to Howard Schultz and his withdrawal from the Willow Creek Summit. So often, we as Christians are rightly or wrongly portrayed as being reactionary, but if we respond in love, with grace, communicating positively, creatively, and constructively, we demonstrate to the world the character of Christ.

1 - Judge says Illinois can ban adoptions through organization that refuses same-sex adoptions

How might the authorization of same-sex marriage or civil unions in states that have voted to legalize them affect the ability of gay couples to adopt children? Well, recent action in the state of Illinois might give some unfortunate clues - a state circuit court judge has said that the state had the right to discontinue its contract with Catholic Charities, which had provided a significant percentage of the state's adoption and foster care cases. The ACLU had claimed that Catholic Charities discriminated against same-sex couples.

But, attorneys for Catholic Charities claim they are the ones being discriminated against, and that the religious freedom components of the new civil unions law are not being upheld. Here's the story from The Christian Post.

CitizenLink published an excellent analysis of how statistics show that children thrive best in an environment where there is one mother and one father in a marriage relationship. However, those that promote the so-called gay agenda are attempting to reinvent the family structure - in so doing, there is a tendency to create less-than-optimal situations that can be detrimental to the child, according to decades of research.

The 3 - August 13, 2011

It has been quite a newsworthy week - so many are grappling with the ups and downs of the stock market and perhaps making some financial adjustments, the identity of the new "supercommittee" to come up with ideas to reduce the national debt has been revealed, and Presidential politics is moving more into national awareness, with a debate in Iowa and the announcement of another Republican candidate. These all affect the Christian community, no doubt, and all could have been included in "The 3" this week. 2 of the stories I selected this week have their foundation in the church, such as the move of God through the notable Harvest Crusade in Southern California and the thought-provoking series of events at the Willow Creek summit. I also thought it would be important to highlight the latest developments in the implementation of the health care reform law, which has been a major discussion topic for many months now, and in some respects, has contributed, I believe, to some of the economic woes the nation has been experiencing. So, here goes...

3 - Harvest Crusade touching thousands in-person, online

For 22 years, Orange County, California pastor Greg Laurie has hosted the annual Harvest Crusade, and thousands flocked again this year to Angel Stadium outside Los Angeles, many of them standing in line to get a choice seat for the event, which opened up with music from the David*Crowder Band (which has announced its retirement at the end of this year) and Kutless. Opening night also included a testimony from Bethany Hamilton, upon whose story of courage and determination the movie, "Soul Surfer", was based.

These Harvest Crusades are an excellent depiction of passion for Christ, as well as compassion for the lost. On the first night, Pastor Laurie encouraged those attending to bring someone to the Crusade who does not know Christ.

Here's the treatment that one of the local media outlets, The Orange County Register, gave to the event.

This is one example of a long-standing evangelistic event that the Lord has used to bring scores of people to Himself. Now, with the online element, the Crusade has another effective avenue through which to communicate the message of Christ.

2 - Starbucks CEO rejects Willow Creek invitation

Each year, Willow Creek Church outside Chicago hosts its Leadership Summit, which is designed to teach leadership principles to Christians and non-Christians throughout the U.S. via satellite, as well as around the world. Not all speakers are professing Christians, but it is hoped that the information that is shared can be used by Christians in their respective spheres of influence. And, it does give an opportunity for those who don't know Christ to come into a church setting and gain valuable information.

This year, Pastor Bill Hybels and the leadership team of the conference invited the CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz, to address the event. Just days before he was scheduled to appear, it was announced that he would not be speaking. The reason was not immediately clear, but the information emerged that the reason Schultz would not speak was the direct result of a petition posted on Change.org, charging that Willow Creek practiced intolerance toward gay people. Between 700 and 800 people had signed the online petition, quite a stark contrast to the some 150,000 people who viewed the summit at the various host satellite sites. Nevertheless, Schultz withdrew, and was allowed to do so without penalty.

Now, Willow Creek was charged with intolerance due to its relationship with Exodus International, a Christian ministry that has an impressive success rate in helping people overcome unwanted same-sex attractions and to reject homosexuality. However, for whatever reason, Willow Creek had ceased its association with Exodus in 2009 - so the small group of protestors didn't have their facts straight in the first place.

And, Pastor Hybels encouraged those attending to show goodwill, continuing to support Starbucks and to write a kind note to the company letting them know that Schultz is welcome to attend and speak at the Summit at any time. Here, Hybels is showing the leadership of Starbucks that Willow and the Summit are not being closed-minded and intolerant, after all. Now, Pastor Hybels did include in his statement some brief insight into how the church stands on the issue - that Willow supports marriage as one man for one women, and encourages abstinence and purity for those outside of the marriage relationship. The church apparently offers programs for helping those struggling with same-sex attraction and homosexuality.

Here is just one of the multiple articles on the controversy, as reported by Christianity Today.

Apparently, Hybels and his team plan to confront those who started the petition. I do think it was notable that the Pastor lamented the tendency in society to throw stones first and ask questions later. With the abundance of means to share opinion and to incite action, its more important than ever that we as Christians are communicating truth in a manner that engages without provoking. We can be firm in our convictions without driving people away from the heart of the gospel message.

1 - Appeals court rules health care mandate unconstitutional

Opposition to and concern about the new national health care law, also known as ObamaCare, is building in a number of ways. Some states have passed legislation that would exempt them from implementation of the law, others have sought to prevent tax dollars from funding abortion in the new state health exchanges which are established by the law. Corporations, fearing the financial ramifications of providing health insurance for employees (including those who supported Obama in the 2008 campaign) have requested exemptions from some of the aspects of the new plan. And, 26 state attorneys general filed suit in Federal court, contending that the law is unconstitutional because it forces citizens to purchase health insurance.

A number of Christians and Christian groups have spoken out against the health care law for various reasons, including its provision for tax dollars to be used for abortion in the plan, the lack of conscience protection for health care professionals, the framework for rationing that would hurt senior citizens and people with special needs, as well as the law's provisions for growing the size of government.

On Friday, a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the individual mandate was, in fact, unconstitutional. The ruling was 2-1. This was in response to an appeal of a lower court ruling finding that because the individual mandate was not severable from the remainder of the plan, the entire health care law was unconstitutional. The 6th Circuit had ruled that ObamaCare was constitutional, and we are still awaiting word from the 4th Circuit in two cases. Nevertheless, the health care law is headed for the U.S. Supreme Court, where it is unclear what the outcome may be.

Here is the report from CitizenLink.

This ruling is significant in that the case was originally filed by over half the states' attorneys general. There is a sense that the Federal government is intent on overreach, as seen in the passage of the health care law, the massive spending that the government continues to engage in, and the overabundance of regulations to which some attribute, at least in part, the chill on the growth of small businesses. I believe that when a governmental entity exceeds the provisions of Romans 13 regarding God's purpose for government, there are some serious implications, and we are seeing those manifest. It's so important that we are praying for our leaders!

The 3 - August 6, 2011

This week on "The 3", a new survey was released on how homosexuality is portrayed on TV, even as 2 large corporations team up to present family-friendly programming. Also, the courts continue to be a battleground for the lives of the unborn, with some developments this week on new state pro-life laws. And, as the response to "The Response" in Houston continues to be generated, the meeting attracted thousands and prayers for America were offered.

3 - New survey tabs "gay-friendly" programming, another Family Movie Night offered by corporations

I know it's frustrating for Christians who are searching for family-friendly entertainment, perhaps even television program to watch as an entire family, or who are attempting to monitor current TV programs with respect to their appropriateness for their young children or teens to watch. Fortunately, Walmart and Proctor & Gamble recently offered another of their "Family Movie Nights" to provide an entertaining alternative to abundance of prime-time television programming that runs contrary to our deeply-held values. "Who is Simon Miller?" was a compelling, well-written spy drama that could appeal to people of all ages (with the exception of the very young, due to some of the small number of violent implications contained within it).

A number of Christian organizations have championed these Family Movie Nights, believing that in some small way the concept can a positive step to showing the television industry that there is a market for family-friendly prime-time programming. (I think it's ironic that Proctor and Gamble is receiving acclaim from Christian organizations, especially after so many, including no doubt a number of Christian people bought into the false notion that the former P&G logo was rooted in Satanic symbolism and the false rumor that P&G's president went on the Phil Donahue Show and said that a portion of the corporation's proceeds went to the Church of Satan.) For more information, visit www.familymovienight.com.

By the way, a good resource concerning the suitability of television programming for the family is the Parents Television Council website at www.parentstv.org. In fact, prime-time network programming is rated according to its family-friendliness. Interestingly enough, very few network shows listed there get a "green light", indicating the program is suitable for families.

It should come as no surprise that the organization, GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) has found a number of broadcast and/or cable networks to be "excellent" or "good" regarding their inclusion of and treatment of gay characters. ABC Family, with 55 percent of its hours including gay characters or discussions about homosexuality, received an "excellent" rating in its Network Responsiblity Index, released this week. Other network ratings included:
Showtime - 37 percent
CW - 33*
TNT - 33
HBO - 31
Fox - 29*
AMC - 29
ABC - 23*
SyFy - 22
These all placed in the "good" category (* - denotes broadcast network). So, with the desensitization toward the gay lifestyle depicted in broadcast and cable television, it presents a challenge for Christian parents who do not wish for their children or themselves to be exposed to this material. For the Baptist Press report on this survey, click here.

2 - Pro-life legislation passed in record numbers in states, some face court challenges

State legislatures who passed pro-life legislation this year designed to reduce the number of abortions in their states are increasingly finding themselves in court. The good news is that, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which has been an arm of Planned Parenthood, some 80 laws restricting abortion have been passed in statehouses across America in 2011, up from the previous high of 34 back in 2005. However, some of these laws are being challenged in court, and that trend was highlighted in several states just this week:

Texas: a law allowing a woman to see an ultrasound image of her baby 24 hours prior to an abortion has been challenged, and Texas-based Liberty Institute filed a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of 2 Texas lawmakers who sponsored the legislation to defend the law against a lawsuit filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights.

North Carolina: Planned Parenthood this week filed a lawsuit against the state of North Carolina, whose legislature recently overrode a gubernatorial veto of a bill that includes a 24-hour waiting period before a woman can have an abortion in the state and the opportunity for a women to see an ultrasound image of her unborn child.

Kansas: This week, the Attorney General of Kansas indicated he would appeal a Federal court ruling blocking the state's new law to prevent tax dollars from funding the nation's largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood. A Federal judge on Monday said that Planned Parenthood operating in the state would suffer irreparable harm if the law were allowed to take effect. The law's supporters say that numerous organizations can provide the non-abortion women's services that are funded under Title X Federal grants to the state.

Indiana: this week, the Thomas More Law Society filed a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of the state of Indiana, which was taken to court as a result of a new law preventing taxpayer funds from being used for abortion. The state has filed an appeal of a Federal judge's decision preventing the law from taking effect.

These are just 4 instances where pro-abortion organizations are attempting to block action taken by state legislatures, who have offered common-sense, pro-life bills. Ultrasound bills become problematic for Planned Parenthood and their ilk, because they are powerful tools in order to show abortion-minded women the truth about the life that is growing within them. Bills to prevent tax dollars from going to abortion providers are indicative of the pro-life sentiment that has been apparent in polling data and in activity in statehouses across America.
1 - "The Response" calls Christians to pray for the nation

There were 8000 people who pre-registered for it, and there were those who wanted to see 1 of the people attending "The Response" stay home. But, a Federal lawsuit could not keep Texas Governor Rick Perry away from Reliant Stadium in Houston, where he had been chief organizer, along with local and national leaders, of the prayer meeting that was called in order to pray to God on behalf of our nation. That lawsuit was thrown out of court.

The Christian Post had this early report on "The Response". Some media outlets are now saying that some 30,000 people attended the gathering. One estimate I saw puts the crowd as high as 50,000.

Dr. James and Shirley Dobson were the first speakers for the gathering, and notables such as Dr. Richard Land, Dr. Tony Evans, Jim Garlow, John Hagee, and others were at the podium throughout the day. The Governor spoke during the gathering's second hour, reading Scripture and praying for our nation, including President Obama, its challenges, and for our troops.

Here are some of Gov. Perry's comments:


Here is the link to the New York Times video of Governor Perry, including his prayer.

Does Governor Perry have the right to express his faith perspective in a public setting? Of course he does. Were his comments extremist or theocratic? Of course not. So, was "The Response" worth the media getting all worked up about? Well, I hope that media outlets in the days to come will have plenty of material about God's answers to the prayers offered at "The Response" and by his people throughout our troubled nation who truly desire to make Him famous.

Well, I will say this, God has promised to hear the prayers of His people who come before Him with humility and repentance - our nation is facing problems that the mind of man cannot solve; it will require Godly wisdom, and I believe it will require the people of God submitting ourselves before Him, so that His Spirit might move in a profound and powerful way - for the glory of God and God alone.