Angel Studios Dispels Rumors That AMC Is Sabotaging ‘Sound of Freedom,’ Asks Fans To Support the Theater

July 14, 2023

Sound of Freedom AMC — Screengrab via YouTube / @ Angel Studios

Angel Studios’ “Sound of Freedom” made a splash with its Independence Day release, drawing a mixture of praise and criticism. Some are saying the film promotes conspiracy theories. Others allege that it is the victim of one.

The movie centers on the story of Tim Ballard, a former U.S. federal agent who rescued child sex-trafficking victims in South America. Ballard is played by Jim Caviezel, known for portraying Jesus in “The Passion of the Christ,” and more recently for his association with the QAnon community.

Given Caviezel’s penchant for QAnon conspiracy theories, many of which allege grand schemes of child sex-trafficking, critics of the film have sought to cast doubt on the veracity of the real-life account it portrays, characterizing the movie as “QAnon adjacent.”

“Those tuned in to the eardrum-perforating frequency of QAnon…have heeded a clarion call that leads right to the multiplex,” wrote Charles Bramesco in a review for The Guardian, further arguing the Caviezel “betrays an evident messianic complex by announcing that his movie could very well be the most important ever made, going so far as to compare it to Uncle Tom’s Cabin in its campaign to shine a light on 21st-century slavery.”

Miles Klee argued in an article for Rolling Stone that the film depicts a “grossly exaggerated ‘epidemic’ of child sex-trafficking, much of it funneling people into conspiracist rabbit holes and QAnon communities.”

Others, including anti-trafficking experts, have offered more nuanced critiques, arguing that while child sex-trafficking is a real problem, the solutions to it are more multifaceted than the film might lead viewers to believe.

“We’re not taking doors down. We’re not taking people over our shoulder,” Jeff Shaw, chief program officer for Frontline Response, a Christian anti-trafficking organization, told Christianity Today. “It’s complicated.”

Supporters of the film have responded to the harsher critiques from left-leaning publications and media figures with indignation, and many have taken to social media to declare that “child sex-trafficking is not a conspiracy theory” and “God’s children are not for sale.” The latter statement is a line from the film.

“Sex trafficking is real and horrific,” tweeted pro-life advocate Lila Rose. “Those downplaying it and mocking incredible films like Sound of Freedom are only enablers of the abuse.”

Conservative commentator Erick Erickson tweeted, “It really is wild to see leftwing outlets attack Sound of Freedom as ‘QAnon’ because it is about the true story of someone who fought human trafficking. You guys do know human trafficking is real, right?”

Pope Francis’ Cardinal Appointments Emphasize Unity Ahead of Synod

Claire Giangrave

July 14, 2023

Pope Francis cardinal appointments — Pope Francis arrives for his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, March 8, 2023. The pope announced this week that he would be appointing 21 new cardinals. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — When Pope Francis announced Sunday (July 9) that he would be making 21 new cardinals, Vatican observers agreed that the aging pontiff, who has named more than two-thirds of the men who will vote for his successor, was aiming to solidify his legacy. But history shows that the College of Cardinals has its own mind when it comes to voting, a fact Francis, elected by three decades’ worth of conservative popes’ appointees, likely appreciates.

Instead, the new crop of cardinals may say more about Francis’ focus on a college built for reconciliation and overcoming divisions within the church.

These qualities will be crucial to the success of the summit of Catholic bishops and lay people that begins Oct. 4 in Rome, meant to address some of the most divisive issues in the church and in broader society: the inclusion of women and LGBTQ people. The consistory, the ceremony when the new cardinals will be made, will take place Sept. 30, only days before.

“Let’s be honest, we live in a very polarized society. It’s a difficult world today. People are separated by ideologies,” said Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the Vatican’s representative in the United States and one of those who will be made a cardinal, in an interview Wednesday. “The mission of the church is especially to live in this society which is polarized and divided, but not to repeat the polarization but cure this society,” he said.

Rather than merely strengthening Francis’ hold on the church, Pierre said, he views his mission as a cardinal will be to hold the tension in the deeply divided U.S. church.

Certainly some of Francis’ new appointments are clearly designed to give weight to other recent appointments in the Vatican hierarchy. His decision to give a red hat to Archbishop Víctor Manuel Fernández, a longtime friend and fellow Argentine recently appointed to oversee the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, suggests that the pope wanted to further emphasize papal approval for Fernandez’s leadership.

The same can be said for the elevation of American-born Archbishop Robert Prevost, who heads the Vatican department overseeing bishops. The red hat for Archbishop José Cobo Cano, recently tapped to lead the Archdiocese of Madrid, is an important bit of housekeeping, giving Spanish-speaking cardinals a leading voice at a future conclave.

But there is an easily traceable thread of unity running through the resumes of many of the cardinals-to-be.

“For us in Southern Africa the church has a very important role to play in terms of healing relations,” Archbishop Stephen Brislin of Cape Town, South Africa, said in a Zoom Wednesday. Brislin said he views his appointment as a message for reconciliation born from the experiences of segregation and racism during his country’s long era of apartheid.

Brislin, formally at the head of the South African Bishops’ Conference, also pushed back against the idea that the next consistory is merely aimed at electing a like-minded successor to Pope Francis.

“It’s not all about looking out for his legacy,” Brislin said, adding that he believes the appointments are aimed at promoting a church that is close to the people. Unity can be achieved even through diversity, he said, underlining that “a lot can be done at the local level, without breaking obviously from the universal church.”

Diversity has been a theme of Francis’ cardinal appointments; he’s made 113 cardinals from 64 countries, including some that have never been home to a cardinal. He extended this record with the first cardinal from the Muslim-majority country of Malaysia, Bishop Sebastian Francis of Penang. Archbishop Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla will become the first cardinal in the embattled African nation of South Sudan.

Why ‘Collective Might’ Is the Future of the Church

Scott Beck

July 14, 2023

collective might — Screengrab via YouTube / @HeGetsUs

When I helped develop Angie’s List (now Angi’s), a database enabling users to search for home service contractors, I knew those listing their services weren’t necessarily happy being displayed alongside their competitors. Yet something unexpected happened as more and more opted in: they built a community that was benefitting millions of people looking for home help. This, in turn, benefitted the service providers as well.

In my work with other large chains (Blockbuster, Boston Market, and Einstein/Noah Bagel to name just a few), I became fascinated with a concept I call “collective might,” which is simply the idea that joining together unlocks benefits we wouldn’t have access to individually. Or in biblical terms, “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor” (Ecclesiastes. 4:9).

And in business terms, collective might involves consolidating contributions (money, information, goods and services) to get the benefit of scale—merging and streamlining so that everyone wins.

In fact, collective might is absolutely central to the mission of the Church today. God actually designed us to collaborate. In a time when leaders are tired, weary of division, and unable to scale the ways they want to serve, leveraging the power of collective might—with each of us playing our unique part—is the best way forward. And collective might doesn’t just apply to large-scale ecosystems like the Church, but rather, it can be released at every level—from cities and associations to any given church and its members.

For collective might to be released, certain factors need to be present, namely relationships and connectivity.

This is what led us to start Gloo, the platform that releases the collective might of the faith ecosystem. Every day, we connect ministry leaders to people, opportunities, content, and more so they can ultimately change more lives.

One example is He Gets Us, the biggest national ad campaign inviting people to explore Jesus. The campaign’s message—that Jesus understands our human struggles—shows up online, at sporting events on billboards and in TV ads, including two spots in the 2023 Super Bowl, which reached over 100 million people.

One group alone couldn’t handle the creative, marketing, funding, prayer and connection points needed to power a movement that reaches people at this scale. Gloo stepped in to create more connection between the campaign and churches who want to get involved. An effort this big has only come to fruition through multiple participants contributing their talents, skills, and resources together.

Collective might creates opportunities that may otherwise not have existed. At Gloo, we work with partners that connect with new people through outreach ads, content, prayer and events. When individuals intersect with these partners and respond with questions about faith, or a need for prayer or support, we connect them with nearby churches or ministries.

With more than 200,000 connections made, we’ve only scratched the surface of our potential. These connections showcase the power of collective might to create opportunities to help every person be all they were born to be.

R.C. Sproul: John 3:16 and Man’s Ability To Choose God

R.C. Sproul

July 14, 2023

It is ironic that in the same chapter, indeed in the same context, in which our Lord teaches the utter necessity of rebirth to even see the kingdom, let alone choose it, non-Reformed views find one of their main proof texts to argue that fallen man retains a small island of ability to choose Christ. It is John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

What does this famous verse teach about fallen man’s ability to choose Christ? The answer, simply, is nothing. The argument used by non-Reformed people is that the text teaches that everybody in the world has it in their power to accept or reject Christ. A careful look at the text reveals, however, that it teaches nothing of the kind. What the text teaches is that everyone who believes in Christ will be saved. Whoever does A (believes) will receive B (everlasting life). The text says nothing, absolutely nothing, about who will ever believe. It says nothing about fallen man’s natural moral ability. Reformed people and non-Reformed people both heartily agree that all who believe will be saved. They heartily disagree about who has the ability to believe.

Some may reply, “All right. The text does not explicitly teach that fallen men have the ability to choose Christ without being reborn first, but it certainly implies that.” I am not willing to grant that the text even implies such a thing. However, even if it did it would make no difference in the debate. Why not? Our rule of interpreting Scripture is that implications drawn from the Scripture must always be subordinate to the explicit teaching of Scripture. We must never, never, never reverse this to subordinate the explicit teaching of Scripture to possible implications drawn from Scripture. This rule is shared by both Reformed and non-Reformed thinkers.

If John 3:16 implied a universal natural human ability of fallen men to choose Christ, then that implication would be wiped out by Jesus’ explicit teaching to the contrary. We have already shown that Jesus explicitly and unambiguously taught that no man has the ability to come to him without God doing something to give him that ability, namely drawing him.

Fallen man is flesh. In the flesh he can do nothing to please God. Paul declares, “The fleshly mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom. 8:7, 8).

We ask, then, “Who are those who are ‘in the flesh’?” Paul goes on to declare: “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you” (Rom. 8:9). The crucial word here is if. What distinguishes those who are in the flesh from those who are not is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. No one who is not reborn is indwelt by God the Holy Spirit. People who are in the flesh have not been reborn. Unless they are first reborn, born of the Holy Spirit, they cannot be subject to the law of God. They cannot please God.

God commands us to believe in Christ. He is pleased by those who choose Christ. If unregenerate people could choose Christ, then they could be subject to at least one of God’s commands and they could at least do something that is pleasing to God. If that is so, then the apostle has erred here in insisting that those who are in the flesh can neither be subject to God nor please him.

We conclude that fallen man is still free to choose what he desires, but because his desires are only wicked he lacks the moral ability to come to Christ. As long as he remains in the flesh, unregenerate, he will never choose Christ. He cannot choose Christ precisely because he cannot act against his own will. He has no desire for Christ. He cannot choose what he does not desire. His fall is great. It is so great that only the effectual grace of God working in his heart can bring him to faith.

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

You CAN Rule Your Heart – It’s a Part of Worship

Ray Hollenbach

July 14, 2023

Do you have to be in a good mood to worship? I’ve always been intrigued when the scriptures sometimes seem to command emotion from us. It’s as if God expects you to rule your heart. (Spoiler: he does!)

Let the priests, the Lord’s ministers, weep between the porch and the altar (Joel 2:17)
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. (Psalm 100:1-2)
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. (Colossians 3:15)

As a worship leader, one of the most beneficial things we can do for our congregation is to demonstrate how to rule your heart, and bring forth praise–not because we do (or don’t) feel like it, but because God is worthy. In our era it has become commonplace to believe we are not responsible for our emotions and thoughts. But perhaps we are responsible. In fact, I think so.

Rule Your Heart

Some events—and the emotions that go with them—are indeed beyond our control: unexpected loss, good news beyond all expectation, hurt inflicted by a loved-one. Yet in the everyday-ness of living our emotions are largely the result of our habitual thoughts. If we could discern the map of our heart and mind, I suspect we would discover the well-worn pathways of our thinking and feeling. We train ourselves to think and feel in repeated ways.

And if you can train your emotions, you can rule your heart.

(This is where I should cite studies from some Journal of Psychiatric Studies or an authoritative-sounding publication, but no: I’m just going to share what I’ve observed about myself and others during my few decades of living.)

Former SBC President J.D. Greear Shares Why He Does Not Support Amendment Banning Women Pastors of ‘Any Kind’

Jessica Mouser

July 13, 2023

J.D. Greear, pastor of The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, and a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), has outlined his concerns with the constitutional amendment proposed by Mike Law that would stipulate only men may hold the title of “any kind” of pastor in a Southern Baptist church.

“While supportive of the desire to affirm complementarianism, I want to suggest that this amendment is not the way to do that,” said Greear in a July 12 post on his blog, “and that it will have deleterious effects far beyond what most Southern Baptists intend, as evidenced by this open letter by our National African American Fellowship, who are pleading with us to slow down and consider the implications of what we’re doing.”

My thoughts after #sbc23 on my discomfort with the Law Amendment, honest history about office confusion, and the basis of our cooperation.https://t.co/M5qgRzxJnh pic.twitter.com/1qVNGzZmJh

— J.D. Greear (@jdgreear) July 12, 2023

Background to J.D. Greear’s Concerns

At the 2023 annual meeting of the SBC in New Orleans in June, messengers (i.e., delegates) voted by a two-thirds majority in favor of a constitutional amendment stating that a church in cooperation with the denomination “affirms, appoints, or employs only men as any kind of pastor or elder as qualified by Scripture.” The primary proponent of the amendment is Mike Law, senior pastor of Arlington Baptist Church in Arlington, Virginia. Messengers must again pass the amendment by a two-thirds majority at the 2024 annual meeting in order for the change to the SBC constitution to take effect.

Also at the 2023 annual meeting, messengers upheld the decision by the SBC Executive Committee to oust Saddleback Church (Lake Forest, California) and Fern Creek Baptist Church (Louisville, Kentucky) from the convention over those churches’ decisions to allow women to be pastors. While the lead pastor of Fern Creek is a woman, the lead pastor of Saddleback is not. Saddleback has, however, ordained women as pastors, and lead pastor Andy Wood’s wife, Stacie, is a teaching pastor at the church and preaches during services.

On July 3, Pastor Gregory Perkins, president of the SBC’s National African American Fellowship (NAAF) wrote a letter, published on the NAAF’s website, to SBC president Bart Barber, saying that he was troubled by the decision to disfellowship Saddleback and Fern Creek, as well as by Law’s amendment.

Perkins said those actions violate local church autonomy and “may disproportionately impact NAAF affiliated congregations. Many of our churches assign the title ‘pastor’ to women who oversee ministries of the church under the authority of a male Senior Pastor, i.e., Children’s Pastor, Worship Pastor, Discipleship Pastor, etc.” Perkins said the NAAF represents over 4,000 SBC congregations.

The NAAF president emphasized the importance of diversity in unity and requested “vigorous, yet constructive dialogue” about the matter. Barber responded by calling the request “Christ-honoring” and saying, “I will make sure that the entire SBC family has ample opportunity for prayer and dialogue throughout the coming year leading up to our meeting next June in Indianapolis.”

J.D. Greear on the Law Amendment

“I want to be clear,” said J.D. Greear in his blog. “I don’t oppose this amendment for theological reasons, but constitutional ones.”

Matt Redman Says He’s Trying To ‘Heal’ From Alleged ‘Harmful Behaviors’ of UK Pastor

Stephanie Martin

July 13, 2023

On social media, worship leader Matt Redman revealed that he was impacted by an alleged abuse scandal at Soul Survivor, a U.K. Christian youth festival held annually from 1993 to 2019.

“I feel particularly strongly on this issue as I myself experienced first-hand the harmful behaviors that have been described,” the Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter wrote in a July 13 Facebook post. “I have spent years trying to fully heal from my time at Soul Survivor—and, painfully, I now know this to be the case for a lot of other people too.”

Redman, 49, co-founded Soul Survivor as a 19-year-old. The other founder was Mike Pilavachi, 65, who’s currently under investigation by the Church of England’s National Safeguarding Team (NST). (“Safeguarding” is the British term for abuse prevention.)

In May, Pilavachi was suspended from Soul Survivor Watford, a U.K. church he had been leading. On July 11, Pilavachi resigned from his position as associate pastor. A spokesperson said the church appreciates Redman’s “openness and honesty” and is taking all abuse allegations “very seriously.”

Matt Redman: ‘There Are Victims Here’

Matt Redman wrote that he has tried to “trust the process” and hadn’t “intended to disclose this on social media,” but Pilavachi’s resignation statement—and some replies to it—“compelled me” to speak out. (According to an Instagram screenshot, Pilavachi stated, in part: “The Church needs to heal and…my continued presence will hinder that process. I seek forgiveness from any whom I have hurt during the course of my ministry.”)

In his Facebook post, Redman wrote: “At this point in time over a hundred people have reported being mistreated under Mike’s leadership, and the allegations cover a whole spectrum of harm—physical, psychological, spiritual, etc.” Redman said he has “testified directly to the ongoing investigation,” adding that he and his wife, Beth, previously disclosed “being mistreated—but were ignored, patronized or gaslit by those in leadership” at Soul Survivor.

Redman alleged “a failure of care” and addressed the importance of accountability. The worship leader encouraged other victims to come forward, adding that he and his wife send all survivors “our deepest love and support.”

Some victims allege that the Church of England shouldn’t be conducting an investigation into one of its own organizations. Others, in addition to Redman, accuse Soul Survivor and the denomination of not taking the allegations seriously at first. Some people allege that Pilavachi’s behavior was an “open secret” for two decades but that church leaders failed to act.

In a May 20 statement about suspending Pilavachi, Soul Survivor Watford noted, in part: “It has become clear that this more decisive action should have been made earlier and we have acted to correct this now.” Last month, the church suspended two other staff members regarding “concerns over the handling of allegations that were raised before the NST investigation began.”

Allegations Against UK Pastor Mike Pilavachi

According to media reports, allegations against Pilavachi include grooming and abusing teenage boys and youth men associated with Soul Survivor. Victims allege that the ministry leader had them undress before giving them full-body oil massages. They also reportedly describe lengthy wrestling competitions and emotional manipulation.

Christian Singer Denies He Is Homophobic After Anti-LGBTQ+ Pride Songs Chart on iTunes, Billboard

Dale Chamberlain

July 13, 2023

Jimmy Levy — Left: screengrab via YouTube / @ Mayor Of Magaville; Right: screengrab via YouTube / @ Bryson Gray

While LGBTQ+ Pride Month has come to a close, the controversies it generated continue to loom large in the national conversation.

Target has been plagued by criticism since the waning weeks of May, when it unveiled its 2023 Pride Collection, which featured satanic imagery and products marketed to children, leading to calls from Christians and other conservatives to boycott the superstore.

Around the same time, the Los Angeles Dodgers likewise courted controversy when the team announced that it would honor the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a queer activist group whose members dress as nuns in drag, at its annual Pride Night.

In the weeks that followed, both organizations were denounced on conservative cable news programs, in online videos and podcasts, and in at least two hip-hop songs.

The pair of anti-LGBTQ+ Pride songs even briefly charted on Billboard and iTunes.

The song “Boycott Target” by rapper Forgiato Blow and Christian singer Jimmy Levy reached No. 1 on both charts when it dropped at the end of May, according to Fox News Digital.

The lyrics, which carry an explicit content warning, say in part, “You think that gay ѕh*t gonna get yоu paid? / Yeah, we gon’ see / It’s Mar-a-Lago 2024 / We Trumpin’ baby.” The rap also features a slur directed at trans individuals and a threat directed toward Target that “God is coming for revenge.”

Later in the song, Levy sings, “We need а clean up on every aisle / inside this storе, Satan resides / wash it with the blоod of Christ / it’ѕ needed here, so don’t think twіce.”

The music video for “Boycott Target” has over a million views on YouTube.

On June 16, “Reclaim the Rainbow,” a song by Christian rappers Bryson Gray and Shemeka Michelle, and which also features Levy, was released. Aimed at criticizing the Dodgers, the song briefly claimed No. 1 on Billboard’s rap digital song sales chart and No. 3 on the iTunes sales chart.

“They turned the rainbow to sin / but they don’t know what it mean / it is a promise / it isn’t pride / God said he would no longer flood the earth / Now it’s for abominations when they put their flags outside their churches,” Gray raps.

Later in the song, Michelle raps, “Love is love, nasty / taste the rainbow / no thanks, I’d rather die.”

Afghanistan’s Christians Fight To Survive Under the Taliban

International Christian Concern

July 13, 2023

Afghanistan (International Christian Concern) – Since the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, religious and civil liberties have rapidly deteriorated under Taliban rule. Under the current regime, former government officials and civil servants, and religious minorities like Christians endure intense governmental and societal pressure and scrutiny. They face regular raids on their homes by the Taliban, frequently receive threats against their jobs and families, and lack access to educational opportunities.

The Taliban are attempting to cut contact between Afghani citizens and any Western groups and have practically eradicated on-the-ground relief efforts by NGOs. Any group looking to provide long-term relief efforts, such as livelihood relief, must be wary of Taliban spies among their workers.

The state of religious freedom and Christian tolerance in Afghanistan has not improved since ICC reported Afghanistan as one of the worst places in the world to be a Christian in the 2022 Persecutor of the Year report. The Taliban are working to completely erase Christianity or any religious minority from the country, even stating that there are no Christians in Afghanistan, an obviously false claim. Many Christians have gone underground to avoid being kidnapped by the Taliban “courts.”

Poverty, Betrayal, and Torture

The rising starvation rates and increasing poverty in Afghanistan create an even higher security threat to these believers since now the Taliban are offering financial compensation to anyone who reports on Christians. In an interview with Mission News Network, Lana Silk, CEO of USA at Transform Iran, said, “The Taliban are offering money for Afghans to turn in any Christians they know. And Afghans are desperate, further heightening the security risk [to] Christians.”

Unless ransomed by their families, Christians captured by the “courts” face brutal torture and even death. If redeemed, the survivors and their families, often bankrupt from the exorbitant ransom demands, must flee their homes to avoid repeated kidnappings from the various Taliban gangs.

Pakistan’s Refugee Crisis

Because of the persecution, many Christians escape to Pakistan and risk capture and death by the Taliban. Even if they make it to Pakistan, they must conceal their faith for fear of receiving worse treatment in already poor conditions. Some Christian refugees decide to return to Afghanistan, deciding they have a better chance of survival under the Taliban than in Pakistan.

The Pakistani government, unprepared for the influx of refugees, has begun to crack down on immigration. Many immigrants cannot find work to provide food or rent for themselves and their families.

Many hoped that Pakistan would simply be a holdover point so they could get to countries like Taiwan, Brazil, or Canada. But even with appropriate travel visas, they lack the necessary financial resources to leave the country.

Taliban Politics and the West’s Response

The West’s response to the regime has been ambivalent at best. The international community continues to employ heavy economic sanctions against Afghanistan, devastating its economy. While no government has officially recognized the Taliban, 30 countries have engaged with them in diplomatic talks. Some countries have expressed support for the new regime, including Turkey, Pakistan, China, and Russia.

While the Taliban are striving to be recognized as a legitimate governmental entity by the West, the regime is dealing with its own political turmoil. Though its leader Haibatullah Akhundzada maintains an appearance of strict totalitarian control, a recent report by the UN Security Council notes divisions between his highly conservative followers in Kandahar and the more internationally minded faction in Kabul. The conflicts mainly revolve around certain policy decisions, such as the suppression of women’s education and efforts to increase personal control and resources within the government. These power struggles raise concerns because of their implications for Afghanistan’s persecuted minorities.

The Light Shines In the Darkness

Despite the Taliban’s best efforts, the gospel still finds an audience in Afghanistan.

In the country’s rural mountainous regions, people are hungry for the gospel, leading some Afghani believers to make regular trips on foot to these remote villages to preach and mentor new converts. Increasing poverty rates, Taliban brutality, and repression of civil liberties have left many Afghani Muslims dissatisfied with their religion, leaving their hearts and minds open to Christianity, and despite the dangers, Christians are reaching out to them.

In her interview, Silk noted, “There are secret prayer meetings and teaching sessions; people are giving each other encouragement and hope. They are reaching out and evangelizing the lost around them, which is incredibly courageous, considering the implications.”

If you’d like to sign up to receive the 2023 Persecutor of the Year report when it comes up, sign up here.

This article originally appeared here.

How an Upstart Conservative Group Is Taking Christian Nationalist Politics Local

Jack Jenkins

July 13, 2023

Christian nationalist — CDF Co-Founder Steve Maxwell delivers a speech to CDF supporters during a broadcasted meeting. Video screengrab from CDF video

ORLANDO, Fla. (RNS) — Last summer, when Miami-Dade County’s school board reversed itself, voting to reject two sex education textbooks for use in its middle and high schools, The New York Times reported that the school board had folded to “pressure from parents empowered by a new state education law” — specifically Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Parental Rights in Education Act, more familiarly known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

Yet, according to accounts of the July public comment session where the vote was taken, all but two of the 38 who came to the microphones voiced their support for the sex ed curriculum. The pressure to ban the textbooks, local activists say, came instead from conservative groups, particularly Citizens Defending Freedom, which gave interviews to local media and pressured board members to ban references to abortion or gender identity “ideology” in schools.

“I think it was like two or three people from Moms for Liberty, and then one or two people from CDF,” recalled Maxx Fenning, executive director for Prism, a South Florida organization which advocates for LGBTQ inclusion that championed the two textbooks in Miami-Dade.

While CDF is hardly a household name, its activists have become regular voices before school boards and in other public meetings across Texas, Georgia and especially Florida since the group was founded roughly two years ago.

Retired Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn speaks at an event for County Citizens Defending Freedom in Dade County, Fla. Video screen grab of CDF Facebook video

Rooted in religion and endorsed by figures such as former Trump adviser Michael Flynn, CDF members have been acting as foot soldiers in a broader culture war, fighting small, local battles to slow COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, back abortion bans and remove books they find objectionable from schools — including targeting books (or events) that promote LGBTQ equality or detail the experiences of LGBTQ people.

Fenning described the CDF as a segment of an emerging conservative activist coalition that includes the Florida-based Christian Family Coalition and the increasingly national Moms for Liberty.

“We see them as Moms for Liberty in suits,” Fenning said of CDF.

The inspiration for CDF, according to insiders, came in 2021, when Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul spoke with a group of faith and business leaders meeting at Mar-a-Lago, former President Donald Trump’s Palm Beach resort. Steve Maxwell, CEO of Highland Packaging Solutions, which makes plastic clamshells and other containers for produce, later told the newspaper Florida Today that he was impressed with Paul’s frank assessment of Washington as rife with corruption. Shortly afterward, Maxwell founded CDF with John Durham, a fellow entrepreneur Maxwell attended church with during a stint in Texas.

The model for CDF’s activism is an old one, utilized by religious right groups going back to the late 1980s. Organizing nationally but working on the county level — CDF was originally named County Citizens Defending Freedom — Christian conservatives take over school boards and other local political entities, where their influence is at the classroom level and in local voting precincts and scrutiny from the political opposition and the press is low.

“The fight to save America begins at the LOCAL level,” reads an early CDF brochure for funders that details plans to expand into 100 counties nationwide. In a recent promotional video, Maxwell said CDF would focus on the counties he called the nation’s “most corrupt.”

Beginning in Polk County, in central Florida where Maxwell is based, CDF has rapidly created about 20 visibly active county-level chapters, each representing itself as a local group, which send representatives to agitate for causes at public meetings like the one in Miami-Dade. Last month, CDF leaders in Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa, addressed a school board meeting about plans to declare June Pride Month.

7 Ways To Increase Safety at Your VBS This Summer

Tom Ellis

July 13, 2023

A time-honored tradition for many churches, Vacation Bible School (VBS) introduces children and their families to faith in a relaxed setting. Often the largest evangelistic outreach event of the year, these affordable, fun-filled “mini-camps” open the doors of the church to the community and foster spiritual development for both frequent attendees as well as guests.

Anyone who thinks running a VBS is easy has probably never done it. Churches do it because it’s worth the time, effort and investment to witness new relationships formed, seeds planted, and hearts transformed for eternity.

Naturally, the number one concern of parents when registering their kids for summer Bible programs is safety. It’s critically important for churches to have a plan in place and cover all their bases. Church leaders can use the following eight tips as a safety checklist for their VBS program:

1. Background Checks

Every VBS volunteer should undergo a background check. This may sound extreme, but churches, overflowing with children and largely run by volunteers, are a top target for predators, be they sexual or otherwise. In fact, many insurance companies require background screening on all volunteers. A mandatory background check can help deter criminals and be a first step in creating a safe and secure VBS environment.

2. Safety in Numbers

Many parents are hesitant about children’s programs because they’re unaware of the measures in place to ensure their child is never in a vulnerable position with an adult leader or student volunteer. Understanding all policies and procedures relating to who is allowed to walk with a child to the restroom, for example, will be top of mind for parents.

Create and enforce a “two-person rule” that requires at least two adults (or an adult with a student volunteer) be present with anyone under the age of 18 at all times. Volunteers should never be allowed to enter the bathrooms with children, but rather they should wait outside. Two volunteers should always be with a child when they are walking in the hallway for any reason and there should always be at least two volunteers serving in every VBS classroom.

3. Check-In and Check-Out

Whoever drops a child off at your summer program should be the same person who picks that child up. Family is complicated, and it can be even more so in church. Just because a child’s grandpa shows up without the parents’ confirmation and consent at the end of the day doesn’t mean he is cleared to pick that child up. The church staff needs verbal and written confirmation from the parent first. There are cases where failure to keep this in mind has put a child in the hands of a predator. Though the logistics are daunting, get contact info from every person (or couple) who drops off a child, and then make sure that same person checks the child out or indicates who is permitted to do so.

4. Food Allergies

Food allergies are no small issue. Many children have severe reactions to foods such as peanuts, which might be overlooked when a plate of cookies is brought by a parent to VBS. Include a food allergy question on your VBS registration form. As you check children in, it is also wise to ask their parents about any known food allergies. Write down anything important and share that info with other volunteers who might serve with the same child.

7 Ways To Overcome Satan

J.D. Greear

July 13, 2023

We must overcome Satan because the Bible makes it clear: we’re in a battle. It’s a battle we can’t escape with an Enemy we can’t see. As long as we confess Jesus as Lord and have the Spirit of God within us, Satan will do everything he can to destroy our faith. That’s why we’re told to “stand firm” against his schemes (Ephesians 6:13).

So how do we fight? How do we overcome Satan’s attacks?

At the end of his letter to the Ephesians, Paul lists out seven pieces of spiritual armor for us to take up in the battle against Satan. As a kid, I thought the spiritual armor were these mysterious weapons used to ward off demons, like magic amulets or Harry Potter spells. But I’ve come to learn that when Paul talks about the spiritual armor, he’s simply giving us ways to apply the gospel to our lives. Putting on the armor of God is another way of saying we should clothe ourselves in the gospel.

Just as a soldier’s entire body is covered with armor, so should the gospel cover our entire lives. The gospel is your greatest defense against Satan, because where the gospel has fortified you, Satan cannot attack you.

7 Ways to Overcome Satan

Cover your life in the gospel—and overcome Satan himself—with these seven pieces of armor:

1. Stand Firm in Your Identity in Christ.

Paul first tells us to “Take up…the belt of truth” (Ephesians 6:13-14). We tend to think of truth primarily as a what, but in Scripture, it is first a who (John 14:6). Paul is saying to us, “Gird yourself up with Jesus. Stand firm in your identity in Christ.”

I’ve always heard it said that your identity is based on what the most important person in your life thinks about you. Is Jesus the most important person in your life? If so, have you made what he thinks about you the core of your identity?

Whatever controls your heart also controls your identity. Once Christ is the center of who you are, then you have an identity that Satan can’t shake.

2. Put on Christ’s Righteousness.

Next, Paul says, “Take up…the breastplate of righteousness” (Ephesians 6:14). Similar to the first piece, this means embracing our identity in Christ. Putting on Christ’s righteousness means believing that when God looks at us, he sees Jesus’ perfect record in our place.

But this is also referring to obedience. Because we are covered in Christ’s righteousness, we conform our lives to Christ’s righteousness. Satan’s focal point of attack will be whatever part of you isn’t surrendered to God and conformed to his truth. This may be a sinful habit, a bad relationship you won’t let go, or just an area of your life that you haven’t put under God’s control.

Wherever you close yourself off to obedience, you leave an open door for Satan. But once you put off the sin you’re holding to, then you can put on the righteousness of Christ and be guarded against Satan’s attack.

3. Preach the Gospel to Others.

Paul continues, “As shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15).

I’ve often heard that the sword of the Spirit is the only offensive weapon in the Christian arsenal. That’s simply not true. Your feet are offensive weapons, too, because they carry you into battle. Paul says we overcome Satan by going on the offensive with the gospel.

As long as Satan can keep us from sharing the gospel, our neighbors will be under his power (Ephesians 2:1). But once they hear the good news, then they can become children of God under his grace. What better way to fight against the darkness of Satan than to preach the gospel of light?

4. Preach the Gospel to Yourself.

It’s not just our neighbors who need to hear the gospel. We need to hear the gospel—every single day.

The fourth piece of armor is “the shield of faith, by which we extinguish the fiery darts of the wicked one” (Ephesians 6:16). Satan’s main weapons are the lies he shoots into our hearts like fiery darts. We’re not supposed to use logic to duck away from Satan’s lies. In the face of Satan’s lies, God calls you to hold up the shield of faith, hiding behind what God has told you is true in the gospel.

So Satan shoots his fiery darts at you, saying, “You’re no good. After what you did, do you think God still loves you? You can never make a difference.” That’s when you hold up the shield, block off the Enemy’s lies and preach the gospel to yourself: “I am saved by grace through faith. I have not received the spirit of fear, but the Spirit of adoption as sons. If God is for me, who can be against me? Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life!”

5. Remember Your Salvation and God’s Faithfulness.

Paul tells us, “Take up…the helmet of salvation” (Ephesians 6:17). The helmet is used to guard our heads, the center of our thinking. Paul is telling us to let the truth about our salvation and God’s faithfulness in our lives permeate our minds.

There’s a simple way you can put on the helmet of salvation each day. One of the things I tell myself every morning is: In Christ, there is nothing I could do to make You love me more; nothing I have done that makes You love me less. I encourage you to do the same.

6. Be Saturated in the Bible.

Paul ends his list with two offensive weapons. The first is our sword, which is the Word of God. Your ability to overcome Satan is directly proportionate to your knowledge of the Word of God. Trying to fight off Satan without knowing the Word is like running into battle without a sword.

If you want to overcome Satan, you must read the Bible, learn the Bible, meditate on the Bible and memorize the Bible. You should be so saturated with it that when life cuts you, you bleed God’s Word.

7. Devote Yourself to Bold Prayer.

The final piece of armor is prayer. Paul wants to make sure that through our battle with Satan, we are “praying at all times in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18).

People often don’t include prayer in the list of weapons. But it is. In fact, it’s our main weapon. Prayer is not something we do in preparation for the battle; prayer is the battle. Samuel Chadwick wrote,

“The one concern of the devil is to keep saints from prayer. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.”

When we boldly ask much of God for his kingdom, we put the gospel to action and overcome Satan with our faith.

God has not left us alone in our battle with Satan. In Christ, we have a resurrected Savior who defeated the worst of Satan’s attacks. In him, we have a newfound identity that cannot be shaken. In him, we have every piece of spiritual armor we need to overcome Satan’s activity in our lives.

For more, be sure to watch the entire message here.

This article originally appeared here.

The Royal Lesson: 3 Ways to Serve Small Groups

Chet Gladkowski

July 13, 2023

serve small groups — Adobestock #529037373

Much of the world was brought together last year through the death of Queen Elizabeth II. After a 70-year reign, the longest in British history, many mourned her passing and remembering her significant accomplishments. How did she stay at the task for that long? How did she remain faithful for all those years? To understand her character (and to understand how to serve small groups ), you don’t have to look any further than the speech she gave on her 21^st birthday in Cape Town, South Africa.

To accomplish that we must give nothing less than the whole of ourselves. There is a motto which has been borne by many of my ancestors – a noble motto, “I serve“.

“I serve” is a short but powerful statement of her life’s goal and purpose. Whenever she wondered what to do, that simple phrase guided her. It was her dedication to the idea that her life wasn’t a life of privilege, but one of service.

When Charles, her eldest son became the Prince of Wales in 1969, he was given a ring with the symbol of his new title and position. And now that William has become the Prince of Wales, that ring and symbol are passed on to him.

That symbol is called the Prince of Wales’s Feathers. It consists of three white ostrich feathers coming out from a gold crown with a blue ribbon. On that ribbon is the motto that is to represent the entire life of the Prince of Wales. It says “Ich dien” which means “I serve.”

Yes, the Prince does enjoy the benefits and resources that come with the title. There is also a certain amount of respect that goes along with the title. But all of this is to be used in service to his people and his country.

And that service isn’t just some theory out there, somewhere. Service isn’t something just to be talked about. Or written about. But true service, real service is always, always, always practical. It accomplishes something real and tangible.

While we may not hold any earthy royal titles, we have been given a heavenly title. An eternal, imperial position.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 NIV

In Christ, we’ve been chosen and appointed as a royal priesthood. This royalty isn’t to just sit around on a throne while people come up and bow in front of us. No, this royal priesthood has been given for action. It is an office and place to serve and speak for God the Father, Jesus His Son, and the church, his people. And why? Because we were in darkness, but through Jesus, we’ve been transported into God’s wonderful light.

And I can’t think of a more strategic place to speak and serve God’s wonderful light than to serve small groups.

Discover 3 Keys on how to serve small groups on Page Two

Missions Should Be Flipped: A New Perspective on Youth Mission Trips

Youth Ministrycom

July 12, 2023

Missions and outreach are key to most church youth group programs. Personally, I can’t believe how many opportunities I’ve wasted taking students on mission trips. I know I’m not the only one. Yes, mission trips are an amazing idea in theory. But what we tend to do with them (or not do with them) is the real issue.

How many of us have seen all the positives on a trip eventually fizzle out in teenagers who were once on fire from their experience? That’s why I got together with a friend who’s been a career missionary to start “Flipping Missions” upside down. We came up with a “before-during-after” strategy we really believe in, with a book that does three things:

Fundamentally flip students’ perspectives on missions so short-term trips don’t end up hurting more than helping. For a trip to most benefit those being served (and those serving), students must learn to see the trip from the perspectives of their leaders, their hosts, and especially the people they’re serving.
Intentionally address all three major stages of a mission trip: before, during, and after. We believe everyone needs a foundation, spiritually and culturally, weeks before the trip. They also need an anchor of guidance while on the trip. Then they need an “off-ramp” afterward to make what they learned and experienced part of their everyday lives. This all-in-one concept reclaims all the missed opportunities I had leading others on trips. I wish someone would have afforded me that perspective.
Offer two different perspectives. Between what my missionary buddy has seen when short-term trips came to him, as well as what I’ve seen taking students and adults on trips, we discerned plenty of personal stories and advice.

Here’s a slice of Flipping Missions:

Week 1, Day 1: Helping or Knowing?

Imagine moving to a new town and attending a new school. As you walk into your first class, you’re not sure where to sit until a few students invite you to an empty desk. You take your seat and begin talking with them before class. Without learning anything about them, you start spouting off your opinions about what they should do to fix their lives. Do you think they’ll appreciate your help?

After class, you notice another student carrying a stack of books and papers. The student slips on a newly waxed floor. School supplies fly everywhere. You’ve never met this student, and you worry he’ll feel awkward that a stranger is helping him. You hurry past without helping. Do you think the student cared whether or not you knew him?

Which should come first, getting to know people or helping them out? Which is more important? We choose option three: all of the above.

Flip Missions

Imagine going on a mission trip where you aren’t allowed to do anything. You can’t dig wells, repair fences, or paint buildings. No one lets you distribute supplies to kids. Your only job is to get to know the people you’re visiting.

The ad for this trip might read: Join us on this cross-cultural experience to fix nothing! Your job is to come, be still, and encounter others right where they are. You won’t be expected or allowed to do anything about their hardships. You’ll merely observe and listen.

Now imagine another ad describing a very different trip: Join us on this cross-cultural experience to swoop in, do some work, and zip out, all without meeting the people you’re helping. You’ll build a school, paint a building, and construct a jungle gym. Do they want these things? Do they need them? Who knows? But you’ll feel like the answer to their prayers one way or another!

Both trips are obviously off track, but they could become something amazing if they were merged together. They might even resemble how Jesus spent his time on earth, first living among humanity relationally for 30 years, then filling his last three years with intentional acts of service, teaching, and investment. More than 20 centuries later, we’re still feeling the impact of his “mission trip.”

How to Retain Volunteers: Why the Best Helpers Regularly Return

ChildrensMinistry.com

July 12, 2023

Once you’ve recruited kidmin assistants, you need to know how to retain volunteers. Discover 5 reasons why the best helpers return to pitch in year after year!

PRO TIP: Although this article deals specifically with how to retain volunteers for a VBS program, the ideas extend to Sunday school, children’s church, nursery, and more!

You worked hard to recruit an amazing team of VBS volunteers. How can you ensure they’ll want to join your VBS teams year after year? Maybe you can even recruit your VBS team to help throughout the year!

5 Tips for How to Retain Volunteers

Invest in people’s hearts! Here’s how to have motivated, equipped, and passionate volunteers year after year.

1. Celebrate success together.

Once VBS is over, take time to marinate in the wonder of what you just pulled off—together. Tell success stories and share God Sightings. Giggle over minor catastrophes and high-five each other over the way you overcame obstacles. The program may not have been perfect. But the fact that your team came together and poured into children is worth celebrating.

2. Rest.

It’s no secret: VBS is a monumental effort of time, energy, and resources. Take a short break to allow your VBS team to recoup, rest, recharge. Don’t think about ministry for a week or two to thrive. You can have volunteers take time off to get space from church responsibilities. Bring them to training and buy their lunch! Investing in them is investing in the longevity of their service.

3. Train together.

“For a team of volunteers, VBS is a little like a CrossFit workout,” says Jody Brolsma, executive editor and VBS champion for Group Publishing. “It’s a new experience every day. VBS pushes them beyond their comfort level. It leaves them exhilarated…and exhausted. But it also leaves them stronger and more unified. A training program keeps those ministry muscles primed and ready. Post-VBS training fuels enthusiasm, giving a team practical tools right while the memory of what God did through VBS is still fresh in their hearts.”

Pastor Says Trump Rally Is Second ‘Most Amazing Thing’ To Happen at His Church Behind People Committing Their Lives to God

Jessica Mouser

July 12, 2023

Pastor Jimmy Morales, who introduced former president Donald Trump at a campaign rally hosted at the Morales’ church Saturday, July 8, told attendees that the rally was the second most remarkable event that had ever happened at the church behind people giving their lives to God.

“I am so excited about what’s going on here today,” said Jimmy Morales, founding and senior pastor of Fervent church in Las Vegas. “This is the most amazing thing that’s ever happened at this church, other than you giving your life to the Lord.”

Jimmy Morales: ‘We Are in a Battle for the Soul of This Nation’

Pastor Jimmy Morales made his comments at a volunteer recruitment event held for Trump at Fervent. Commenting that he was “so blessed to have President Trump here,” Morales said that “the upcoming elections are the most important elections this country has ever faced. We are in a battle for the soul of this nation. We are in a battle for the unborn, and we are in a battle for the church because never have our Christian values been under attack like they are now.”

Christians “need a nation of pastors with backbone,” said Morales, and “a president who’s got our back.”

The pastor prayed for the event, asking God to help Christians stand for what is right and requesting that “we wouldn’t be woke, but we’d be awake.”

“If we can take Nevada back, we can take the country back,” Morales told those in attendance. Prior to Trump taking the stage to speak, the pastor introduced him as “the 45th and 47th president of the United States.”

Trump told his supporters that his campaign was doing extremely well, and he criticized the current leaders of the United States as “evil” and “incompetent.” The former president repeatedly referenced the false claim that the 2020 presidential election was “rigged” and said that his campaign was prepared for “cheating” in 2024.

Trump, who has criticized President Joe Biden numerous times, said he would not have criticized Biden three weeks ago, but now the “gloves are off.” Inflation and illegal immigrants are among the problems Trump said he will address if elected, and he also promised “to obliterate the deep state,” ban critical race theory and transgender ideology from schools, and stop men from competing in women’s sports.

Matthew West Encourages Christians To Stand for Their Faith No Matter the Opposition

Jesse T. Jackson

July 12, 2023

Award-winning contemporary Christian musician Matthew West recently encouraged fellow Christians never to be ashamed of Jesus, no matter what opposition they may face.

On the red carpet of the 10th annual K-Love Fan Awards, ChurchLeaders had the opportunity to ask West about how Christians should react in a world filled with adversaries wanting to tear down and discourage followers of Jesus.

West encouraged Christ followers always to be prepared to answer for what they believe in and to be “willing to stand up for your beliefs, despite what opposition might come your way.”

The “My Story Your Glory” singer shared that “even from a musical perspective, you might, as an artist, be tempted to water down your message, so you can maybe reach more people or whatever. But, you know, at the end of the day, my faith in Christ is the most important part of my life and the driving force of my life.”

“So whether you’re a musician or a plumber, whatever you do,” West continued, “do it all for the glory of God. And never be ashamed to stand up for the one who’s changed your life. That’s why we sing the songs we sing: because we want the whole world to know there is a source of hope—[the] hope of all hope—and our hope has a name. And that’s the name that we’re lifting up at the K-Love Fan Awards tonight.”

Later that night, West performed “My Story Your Glory,” a track he describes as the anthem of his latest record, in front of fans inside the iconic Grand Ole Opry.

West also joined Steven Curtis Chapman, Mac Powell, and Bart Millard for a medley of Chapman’s song, “Don’t Lose Heart.”

Watch the full show, which includes performances by Lauren Daigle, Cody Carnes, Brandon Lake, Colton Dixon, Mercy Me, Katy Nicole, and many others here.

‘Working on the Show Has Changed My Life’—Brandon Potter Opens Up About Playing a Villain on ‘The Chosen’

Janna Firestone

July 12, 2023

Brandon Potter is no stranger to the big screen, whether he is behind the scenes or in front of the camera. But as he has spent the last four years on the set of “The Chosen,” Potter realizes he’s happened on something pretty special.

In the biblical series, Potter plays the role of Quintus. Now, before you grab your commentary or search online, Quintus is not an actual character in the Bible. His role is closely based on the many Roman centurions who interacted with Jesus.

Potter described his role in portraying Quintus as “one of the great joys of my life.”

Brandon Potter Plays Quintus, a Villain in ‘The Chosen’

Potter recently sat down with Jeanne Ortega Law of The Christian Post for an interview on his role and work on the set of “The Chosen.”

For more than four years, Potter has played Quintus—a Roman magistrate in Capernaum. In Season 1, Quintus displayed all of the characteristics of a rough and dedicated Roman soldier. He is shown interacting with and supervising Matthew, who was a tax collector before he followed Jesus.

When asked about the series’ wholesome content, Potter replied, “Well, the world is a big, complicated place.”

“And, this story—a beautiful story, told beautifully—is meaningful to a lot of people for just those reasons,” Potter continued. “You can find light in a world that can feel dark sometimes.”

Potter went on to describe the pleasure he experiences just showing up for work on the set. Of course, the fans make it fun. But the actor spoke even more highly of those on the production staff: “The people who make ‘The Chosen’ also believe in it and love it.”

“A show this big with this many moving parts can sometimes feel anonymous,” Potter said. “You feel like a mercenary, just kind of a gun for hire. You show up and do your job and leave. And that’s not the way that this show is.”

Potter mentioned that the cast and crew share a WhatsApp thread, where they interact with one another and provide one another with life updates. “The Chosen” also has an app where viewers can post how certain scenes impact them personally.

“In terms of favorite scenes, I always go back to the scene that I got to do with Jonathan Roumie, the man who plays Jesus. It’s just the two of us sitting and talking,” Potter said, continuing:

The reason why I love that scene is, first of all, because of the writing. You never get a scene in television where it’s just two people talking for something like six or seven minutes. That never happens. There’s no dialogue that long in any kind of show. Usually, it cuts away, or there’s an action sequence or cut to a commercial. So I was excited to do this scene just for that because it felt sort of like a play.

This scene was met with unexpected challenges, as it was shot out of sequence. There were a number of additional people there to ensure a successful take.

What Do Evangelicals Believe About Social Justice?: A Brief History

Dale Chamberlain

July 12, 2023

A Brief History of Evangelicals and Social Justice — Adobestock #423478925

What do American evangelicals believe about social justice? This is not an easy question to answer because it largely depends on which evangelical you ask and at what point in time you asked them.

Broadly speaking, social justice refers to the equitable distribution of privileges and opportunities in society across racial, ethnic, and economic spectrums.

Throughout the decades, various issues of social justice, including racial equality and economic justice, have been debated on the pages of evangelical publications, in elder meetings, at congregational gatherings, and during denominational conferences. Further, these debates have often been shaped by historical and cultural contexts as much as they have been by underlying theological commitments.

Looking over the history of the evangelical movement, attitudes toward issues of social justice have never been monolithic. However, patterns have emerged that are instructive for evangelicals today who are seeking to understand how their faith ought to inform their civic engagement and vice versa.

Below is a brief overview of the historical controversies and movements within American evangelicalism with regard to social justice, beginning with a theological debate that began over a century ago.

1900s-1930s: The Modernist-Fundamentalist Controversy and the Social Gospel

Oddly enough, this discussion about evangelical attitudes toward social justice begins with Charles Darwin—and the theological shakeup in American Christianity that followed his rise to prominence.

When Darwin published his seminal work “On the Origin of Species” in 1859, setting forth his theory of evolutionary biology, he sent shockwaves not only through the scientific community but also the Christian church, calling into question literal interpretations of the creation account found in Genesis.

Coupled with the popularity of higher criticism, which rose to prominence around the same time and cast doubt on traditionally held views about the authorship and proper interpretation of certain biblical texts, many Christian thinkers began to reconsider certain theological commitments that had long defined Christian orthodoxy.¹

Among the commitments being reconsidered were the literal virgin birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, his miracles and atoning sacrifice on the cross, and the inspiration of Scripture. What emerged was a “modernist” version of Christianity that bore little resemblance to orthodox Protestantism.²

For example, Friedrich Schleiermacher, who would today be considered a progressive Christian and who was an early influencer in the higher criticism movement, once said, “The essence of religion consists in the feeling of an absolute dependence.” To Schleiermacher, whether Jesus literally rose from the dead had little effect on this theology.

Nevertheless, by the end of the 1930s, the modernist theological framework took hold of most mainline Protestant denominations and seminaries, resulting in conservative Christian leaders founding their own denominational networks and learning institutions.³ These conservative thinkers came to be known as fundamentalists, a name that was not yet derogatory and was derived from “The Fundamentals,” a series of 90 essays about essential Christian doctrines published between 1910 and 1915.

¹ Bruce L. Shelley, “Church History in Plain Language,” 2nd ed. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995), 397-400.
² Edward Engelbrecht, ed., “The Church From Age to Age: A History From Galilee to Global Christianity” (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Pub. House, 2011), 818-819.
³ Ibid., 857-858.

Daniel Darling: For Christians, Kindness Is Not a Tactic—It’s a Command

Jessica Mouser

July 12, 2023

The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast · Daniel Darling: For Christians, Kindness Is Not a Tactic—It’s a Command

Daniel Darling is the director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Assistant Professor of Faith and Culture at Texas Baptist College. He has served in churches in Illinois and Tennessee, and he is also a bestselling author of several books, including “The Original Jesus,” “A Way With Words,” and his latest, “Agents of Grace: How to Bridge Divides and Love as Jesus Loved.”

Other Ways To Listen to This Podcast With Daniel Darling

► Listen on Amazon
► Listen on Apple
► Listen on Google
► Listen on Spotify
► Listen on YouTube

Key Questions for Daniel Darling

-Why do you think Christians are so divided right now?

-How do church leaders approach divisions among God’s people, particularly when we’re facing events like another presidential election?

-As we look toward the 2024 election, what can pastors do to remind members to root themselves in their biblical identity?

-How do pastors fight cynicism amid the divisiveness they have dealt with over the past three years?

Key Quotes From Daniel Darling

“I think what’s happening in the church is mirroring what’s happening in the culture…Christians should actually be countercultural in this way in that despite deep disagreements, we’re able to unify around the things that matter.”

“Part of the problem is Christians today, when we’re fighting over tertiary issues—we’re spending all of our time and energy on those things—we actually take time and resources away from fighting for really good and important and ultimate things.”

“I think it’s not necessarily that we shouldn’t fight. It’s how we fight and what we are fighting for.”

“If we are losing our place in the culture, this is the time to unify.”

“If we spend all of our time on petty things, we don’t have time for the really important things.”

“We have so many digital inputs. We have to teach people how to manage their lives in a digital age. And in many ways it’s a spiritual formation issue.”

Rule Your Heart

Background to J.D. Greear’s Concerns

J.D. Greear on the Law Amendment

Matt Redman: ‘There Are Victims Here’

Allegations Against UK Pastor Mike Pilavachi

1. Background Checks

2. Safety in Numbers

3. Check-In and Check-Out

4. Food Allergies

7 Ways to Overcome Satan

1. Stand Firm in Your Identity in Christ.

2. Put on Christ’s Righteousness.

3. Preach the Gospel to Others.

4. Preach the Gospel to Yourself.

5. Remember Your Salvation and God’s Faithfulness.

6. Be Saturated in the Bible.

7. Devote Yourself to Bold Prayer.

Discover 3 Keys on how to serve small groups on Page Two

Week 1, Day 1: Helping or Knowing?

Flip Missions

5 Tips for How to Retain Volunteers

1. Celebrate success together.

2. Rest.

3. Train together.

Jimmy Morales: ‘We Are in a Battle for the Soul of This Nation’

Brandon Potter Plays Quintus, a Villain in ‘The Chosen’

1900s-1930s: The Modernist-Fundamentalist Controversy and the Social Gospel

Other Ways To Listen to This Podcast With Daniel Darling

Key Questions for Daniel Darling

Key Quotes From Daniel Darling

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