Does Same Sex Attraction Disqualify Someone From Ministry?

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May 16, 2022

thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

We’ve all seen the ever-increasing barrage of Christian posts, comments and opinions about the LGBT movement in America. Many have responded with angry rebuttals and a fearful cowering to a culture that so openly celebrates and affirms same sex sexual activity and marriage. Others, even whole denominations, are joining the culture in celebrating and affirming same sex sexual activity and marriage. Then there’s the question of same sex attraction but not same sex activity. So, who holds the right perspective?

Does Same Sex Attraction Disqualify Someone From Ministry?

The Bible states that the only place for God-honoring sexual activity is within the confines of a marriage between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:23–25). God never changes his mind on marriage and sexuality because there are such beautiful realities about him on display in it. Therefore, we cannot afford to change our minds about it, either. But does the Bible speak about same sex attraction as something different?

A response of angry fist-shaking and fearful finger-pointing does not reveal that we are standing humbly and confidently in an unshakable gospel. Instead, it shows the world that our hope was ultimately in a system of government and a shrouded sense of prioritized American citizenship. Joining the cultural celebration of homosexual activity and marriage does not prove that we are more advanced or loving; it shows we have abandoned the biblical teaching and regressed from the love embodied and called for in the gospel. We must be courageous enough to stand on the Bible and advance sacrificial gospel love without fear, and without anger.

Back to the Bible

If we could overcome our natural responses of fear and anger, we could again stand on the sure foundation of what Scripture actually says. The problem is that too often we do not appeal to the Bible for answers, but rather to our emotions. Many of us miss the fact that same sex sexual activity was a reality 2,000 years ago, and are surprised when it occurs now (1 Corinthians 6:9–11).

This is not an us versus them issue, because there are people—God-fearing, Christ-exalting people—living with same sex attraction in many of our churches. Is there a place for people with same sex attraction in the church? How about in your church? Could there even be a place for same sex attracted people to serve and lead in ministry?

Free Church Bulletin Board Ideas: 11 Kid-Friendly Creations

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Stephanie Martin

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May 15, 2022

Free church bulletin board ideas are always in high demand. So we wanted to share some favorites we’ve seen online!

In the digital age, it’s important to keep ministry websites and social media pages current. But don’t overlook the role of low-tech yet high-impact bulletin boards. Kidmin hallways, Sunday school classrooms, and children’s church areas can use bulletin boards to share schedules, news, photos, and Bible verses. To help, we’ve assembled 11 fun free church bulletin board ideas for you.

Bulletin board ideas range from Bible studies and themes to seasonal and holiday displays.

For fall and back to school, a bulletin board can welcome new children and families, provide directions and classroom assignments, showcase teacher and volunteer photos, and even feature pockets filled with forms and handouts.
As winter approaches, bulletin boards can keep people updated about Christmas rehearsals, family-focused activities, and donation and service opportunities.
During spring, use bulletin board ideas to chart attendance, memory-verse progress, fundraising goals, and more. Easter bulletin boards can celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. Be sure to publicize Promotion Sunday too, congratulating children for moving up to a new class — or to the next age-based ministry within your congregation, such as preteens or youth.
Summer bulletin board ideas for church include VBS, camps and daycare programs, and updates about worship schedules.

Craft stores and the internet are filled with supplies to help you bring free church bulletin board ideas to life. If you’re short on time, ask a creative parent or youth volunteer to contribute their ideas and know-how.

To jumpstart your brainstorming, we’ve gathered 11 innovative, free church bulletin board ideas for children’s ministry. Try them out to capture the attention of everyone who walks through your church or children’s space!

11 Free Church Bulletin Board Ideas

1. Children of God

At the start of a new Sunday school year, welcome kids with this brightly colored photo display. “I Am a Child of God” appears across a rainbow, with room underneath for children’s photos and first names.

2. Sing It Out!

Publicize children’s choir, worship, concerts, and programs. This music-themed bulletin board idea is based on Colossians 3:16.

3. All Aboard for Bible Fun

This railroad-themed bulletin board is based on Proverbs 3:4. Its message reminds young learners to “Stay on the Right Track.” This display is sure to be a big hit with toddlers and preschoolers.

Finding Contentment In The Multiverse Of Madness

By

Tamara Chamberlain

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May 14, 2022

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is the first MCU movie to hit theaters in 2022. And while I’m one of the least likely people to see just about any movie on opening day, there I was in the theater with my popcorn and Red Vines, excited about an evening without cleaning dinner off the floor and urging toddlers to keep the water inside the tub during bath time.

Now, I’m ready to talk about the movie.

By no means am I attempting to write a critical review that will share deep insights into the Marvel Cinematic Universe of characters and intersecting storylines. I’ve been told that there are a lot of exciting connections between this movie and other movies and Disney+ series.

So if you’re into all of those exciting details, I’m sorry, I will most certainly disappoint you.

Another disclaimer: if you haven’t seen the movie yet and don’t want me to spoil anything for you, I suggest you stop reading now. But, please, come back after you watch the movie!

Plot And Major Themes Of Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness

The movie opens with a version of Doctor Strange in a dream sequence fighting a demon in order to prevent it from taking America Chavez’s multiversal traveling powers. Things get out of hand, and Doctor Strange is clearly losing. So he attempts to take America’s powers, because it seems to be the only way to keep them from falling into the hands of the demon. Doing so will certainly kill her.

But before this can happen, America inadvertently opens a portal into a different universe to save herself. This version of Doctor Strange dies.

Strange wakes up from what we think is just a bad dream. He then gets dressed to attend the wedding of his former love interest, Christine Palmer. What follows is the first introduction to a theme that will appear throughout this movie. At the wedding, Christine asks Strange if he’s happy. Of course he says, yes.

But you get the sense that his answer isn’t honest.

Then a giant, one-eyed octopus-type creature begins wreaking havoc in the city, so Strange leaps away to save the day.

Again, America Chavez is being attacked. During the fight sequence, Strange realizes his dream from earlier wasn’t a dream. America Chavez has the ability to travel through multiple universes and she’s being targeted for this power. Once Strange realizes this, he goes to the one person he can think of to help him: Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch.

It turns out she’s actually the one behind all the attacks on America.

Preschool Coloring Pages: 12 Activity Sheets for Young Learners

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Stephanie Martin

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May 13, 2022

Preschool coloring pages engage young learners while introducing them to Bible lessons. Developmentally, many toddlers and preschoolers can begin coloring. Plus, they love to create and experiment! So provide kid-friendly supplies such as large crayons and washable markers.

For content, it’s best to offer simple coloring sheets that won’t overwhelm kids. Avoid sheets with lots of small details and words. Instead, look for free downloadable preschool coloring pages that feature large shapes and smiling faces.

While searching for coloring pages, you can filter by Scripture verse, Bible story, book of the Bible, Bible character, and more. Favorite Bible stories for young students include anything with animals (Creation, Noah’s Ark, the Good Shepherd) and accounts of Jesus interacting with children.

Use preschool coloring pages in Sunday school classrooms, the church nursery, after-school day care, and more. Incorporate the pages into each week’s lesson, either during craft time or as take-home papers.

Options abound for using preschool coloring pages in your children’s ministry. For example, you can insert them in children’s bulletins so kids can create quietly during worship. Find a sheet that matches that week’s sermon theme. Or you can mail coloring pages to preschoolers, maybe in birthday or get-well cards.

Also consider displaying children’s finished masterpieces throughout the church. Kids will love pointing out their drawings to friends and parents!

To help you get started, we’ve found a dozen fun, Bible-based preschool coloring pages. We hope you enjoy this wide range of resources!

Preschool Coloring Pages Your Kids Will Love

1. Free Printables for Kids

Scroll down to access fun coloring pages that are ideal for preschoolers and younger kids.

2. Creation Coloring Pages

We love these simple yet meaningful coloring pages about the days of Creation.

3. Print-and-Fold Bible Story Books

These “create your own” books featuring Bible stories are kid-friendly and free!

4. Daniel and the Lions’ Den

Ideal for children under 5, this free coloring page features brave Daniel.

Bullets Interrupt Woman Sharing Gospel on Facebook Live

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Jesse T. Jackson

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May 13, 2022

Jacksonville, Florida, resident Loveyd Walker was preaching the gospel on Facebook Live Wednesday night when stray bullets from a street fight pierced through the walls of her home, nearly hitting her.

According to First Coast News, three bystanders were shot outside of Walker’s home while she was preaching on Facebook. An estimated 50 bullets rang out during a street fight that broke out around 8:45 p.m. Stray bullets made their way into cars and homes, one of which was Walker’s.

Around the 33:27 mark of Walker’s live video, the barrage of gunfire can be heard. A startled Walker looks around in an attempt to interpret the noise, which sounds like fire-crackers, when bullets pierce through the walls of her home, sending drywall debris into the air.

Walker leaps to the ground for safety as at least one more bullet can be heard hitting something in the room.

After the gunfire stops, Walker slowly appears back in view of the still-streaming Facebook Live video and immediately calls out the devil for trying to stop her from preaching the gospel.

“Oh my God, they just started shooting,” Walker said into the camera. “Do you see the devil? When you try to do something that has something to do with God and try to expose him, you see how the devil does.”

“He doesn’t know me,” Walker said while clapping, indicating that she isn’t going to stop preaching.

Walker didn’t know exactly what had happened outside, but she knew that someone was shot. “Look! [The bullets] literally came through,” Walker told those watching, holding up a cup that appeared to have been struck by one of the bullets.

“That was crazy,” she exclaimed. She then jumped right back into preaching. “Let’s go back to the Word,” she said, “because who’s not going to stop me—is the devil.”

Still visibly shaken, Walker said, “The devil is so freaking wicked,” sharing that, for a moment, she thought she had been shot.

“To God be the glory,” Walker said, saying that God “curved” the bullets so they’d miss her.

“The devil really thinks that he was gonna stop me from preaching the gospel. Nope. He could have never. He wanted me to get shot for trying to tell his secret. That’s what it was. But guess what? The God that I serve covers me. [Satan], sorry that you don’t know how to cover your people,” she said, referencing the gunmen.

Walker went on to say that the devil doesn’t love you, nor does he care about you.

“Bullets flying in the house. Ain’t afraid to preach the gospel. Ain’t afraid to get up and still preach the gospel. Because the God I serve is not going to let nothing hurt, harm, or endanger me—so to God be the glory,” she said.

Democrats and Republicans Should All Feel Welcome at Your Church, Says Andy Stanley

By

Jessica Lea

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May 13, 2022

andy stanley — Photo courtesy of Andy Stanley

Is your church welcoming to all people, whether they are Democrats, Republicans or affiliated with another political party? It should be, said Andy Stanley in a recent interview on the Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast.

“If the Democrats are as evil and as anti-family and as anti-God as they have been made out to be,” said Stanley, “then they are the mission field. Well, if they are the mission field, why in the world would we want to position our church so that the people we’re convinced are lost and hell-bound aren’t welcome in our church?”

Andy Stanley: Don’t Politicize Your Church

Andy Stanley is an author and pastor who founded North Point Ministries in 1995 in Atlanta. He joined Ed Stetzer and co-host Daniel Yang to discuss his new book, “Not in It to Win It: Why Choosing Sides Sidelines the Church,” released on May 10. Because the interview was recorded before Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s draft was leaked, the discussion did not touch on Roe v. Wade or the current debate among some evangelicals about what it means to be truly pro-life.

Stanley emphasized the danger of churches becoming politicized and said that at a very surface-level, most Christians would agree with him on that point. Yet many don’t understand that true believers can come to different conclusions about which political party they will support. He said,

If I were to do a message on, ‘Don’t wrap your faith around your politics, you need to adjust your politics according to your faith,’ everybody listening to me would go, ‘That’s exactly right. And that’s exactly what I’ve done—the reason I’m a Republican is because I’m a Christian.’ And there’s another group that’s like, ‘No, the reason I’m a Democrat is because I’m a Christian.’ And so it is so difficult to tease this out and figure this out and to be honest with ourselves and to listen to others.

Pastors need to be aware of how their comments from the pulpit could unnecessarily alienate people in the congregation, said Stanley. His point was not that church leaders should avoid taking a moral position on a particular issue. Rather, pastors should be cautious about indicating if they are for or against a particular political party. Stanley explained:

The cheap shots pastors take about Biden or Trump or any other local official, to preach in such a way or use illustrations in such a way that it’s very, very clear that if I’m a Democrat, I’m probably not going to love it here. If I’m a Republican, [I won’t feel welcome].…that’s politicizing. It’s elevating a political party or a political platform with political terminology over the purpose of the local church. And it’s so anti-missional…and it is so anti-Great Commission.

It can be difficult for Christians to see when they are politicizing their faith, said Stanley, but one way for them to tell if they are is to evaluate if they are supporting their party no matter what. He said, “If I’m not willing to break ranks with my political party when my political party gets it wrong on an issue where the New Testament…is clear, then I have elevated my party over my faith.”

Another sign of danger is if Christians are not willing to be truthful and open with others about their disagreements with their party. “If I just remain silent in order not to rock the boat or not to lose friends on the Left or Right,” said Stanley, “as a Christian, I have just said not, ‘One nation under God.’ I’ve said, ‘My God, under my nation.’ That’s what I’m declaring.”

Yet while many Christians would agree that elevating one’s country over God is wrong, Stanley believes many of us do so without realizing it. “Because of the nature of what’s happened in our culture politically and because everything is so politicized, so many Christians, I think unintentionally end up there,” he said. “And it’s our responsibility as church leaders to call that out and, of course, to examine our own hearts, because we are all so susceptible to that.”

In Wake of Roe’s Possible Overturn, Differing Visions Within Pro-Life Movement Come Into Focus

By

Dale Chamberlain

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May 13, 2022

For nearly five decades, the pro-life movement in America has been united in its vision to overturn Roe. Now that it appears that vision may be soon realized, the ensuing discourse among pro-lifers has brought into focus the fact that this big tent movement is far from monolithic.

After a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion revealed that Roe may soon be overturned, returning the question of abortion’s legality to individual states, cascading battles to pass responsive legislation have ensued.

On Wednesday (May 11), Democratic senators presented a bill that would federally protect abortion rights, which was ultimately struck down by a 49-51 vote.

Had it passed, the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) would have provided federal protections for abortion rights up to the point of birth, striking down regulatory laws surrounding abortion at the state level. Every Republican senator voted against it, and Democratic senator Joe Manchin crossed party lines to join them.

Conversely, a Louisiana state bill proposed that women who procure abortions should be subject to criminal prosecution and imprisonment. The reasoning behind the proposed law is that the intentional killing of an unborn child should be treated the same under the law as murder.

While a subset of the pro-life movement favors this line of reasoning, another contingency of pro-lifers strongly opposes legislation that would impose criminal prosecution on mothers who have sought an abortion.

In response to such possible legislation, leaders from 66 different pro-life organizations signed an open letter to all state legislators, arguing that women who have abortions are “victims” and “require our compassion and support as well as ready access to counseling and social services in the days, weeks, months, and years following an abortion.”

“If the Supreme Court does overturn Roe v. Wade, they will be honoring the unambiguous division of powers described in the Constitution, returning abortion policymaking back to our elected state and federal legislators,” the letter says. “This will be a tremendous opportunity for states to create durable policy that can stand the test of time. But in seizing that opportunity, we must ensure that the laws we advance to protect unborn children do not harm their mothers.”

“In fighting for our country’s future generations, we are called to act with love and compassion as we seek fairness, justice, and liberty for unborn children and their mothers,” the letter goes on to say. “Criminalizing women is antithetical to this charge…We call upon all pro-life legislators to stand with us.”

The sponsor of the Louisiana bill abruptly pulled the proposal from debate Thursday night after House members voted 65-26 to totally revamp it, eliminating criminal penalties.

Among those to sign the open letter to state legislators was Brent Leatherwood, acting president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), which is the public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). The appearance of Leatherwood’s name on the document drew sharp criticism from some within his own denomination, including one pastor vying for the SBC presidency this June.

Beware Spiritual Attacks in Your Home, Warns Christian Actress Candace Cameron Bure

By

Stephanie Martin

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May 13, 2022

candace cameron bure — Screenshot from YouTube / @Jeannie Ortega

When family members’ moods go haywire, don’t discount Satan’s efforts to chip away at your faith and peace. That’s the message Christian actress Candace Cameron Bure shared online this week.

In an Instagram story Wednesday, the mother of three admits that her home’s atmosphere felt weirdly “cranky” for three days. Although her family members are “usually really peaceful and happy,” lately “everyone’s been irritable, including me, and everyone is just like at each other.”

Candace Cameron Bure: Don’t Overlook Spiritual Attacks

Bure, who stars on “Fuller House” and in many Hallmark Christmas movies, says she finally realized all the irritability, crankiness, and confusion were signs that “the enemy’s attacking.” Spiritual attacks can be easy to overlook, she says, causing family members “to just blame one another when things go wrong.”

The devil is “a very real and powerful enemy at work every single day of our lives,” says Bure. She rebukes Satan, saying he “has no control or authority in my home.” Instead, “Jesus has all authority, all power in my home, and reigns in my home!”

In her video post, Bure calls on the Holy Spirit and prays out “any evil spirits that are in here.” She says she fills her house with worship music, Scripture, and God’s power and truth. The actress encourages anyone facing tough times or “unexplainable” things to “not forget what’s going on in the world around us.”

Candace Cameron Bure Inks Media Deal With GAC Family

Last month, Bure jumped ship from the Hallmark Channel to partner with its newest competitor. She signed a deal with the rebranded GAC Family, accepting an executive role. Bure will develop, produce, and star in films and TV shows, create year-round seasonal content, and be involved with the company’s Great American Christmas.

“I’m very excited to develop heartwarming family and faith-filled programming and make the kind of stories my family and I love to watch,” Bure says. “I am constantly looking for ways that I can inspire people to live life with purpose.” GAC is a great fit for her “brand,” she adds, because “we share a vision of creating compelling wholesome content for an audience who wants to watch programming for and with the whole family. Great, quality entertainment with a positive message is what my partnership with GAC is all about.”

Facing 20 Years in Prison for Child Pornography, Josh Duggar Pleads With Judge for Mercy

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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May 13, 2022

34-year-old former “19 Kids and Counting” reality star Josh Duggar is pleading to a federal judge for mercy before his sentencing on May 25, 2022. Duggar was convicted of receiving and possessing child pornography last December.

Duggar and his wife Anna have been married 13 years and have seven children. Anna’s husband was arrested on April 29, 2021 by U.S. Marshals for child pornography found on a computer he used at his Arkansas car dealership. Since his conviction, Duggar has been in prison awaiting sentencing.

Although he was charged with one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography, which involved sexually explicit images of girls under the ages of nine and one that showed torture and abuse of an infant, Duggar maintains that he is innocent.

Federal prosecutors are seeking a 20-year sentence, detailed in a memorandum submitted this past Wednesday. Prosecutors cite that Duggar is a “grave” risk to commit similar crimes again, referencing his “prior sexual exploitation of multiple minors,” that is, the molestation of his four sisters and babysitter when he was a teenager.

“Duggar has a deep-seated, pervasive, and violent sexual interest in children and a willingness to act on that interest,” the memorandum said.

Prosecutors further argued that Duggar’s computer expertise increases the likelihood he will reoffend.

“Duggar is a very sophisticated computer user with a history of downloading, installing, and utilizing peer-to-peer file-sharing programs and an understanding that his use of those programs would—and, indeed, did—result in the distribution of the material to others,” prosecutors said.

Duggar‘s attorneys are requesting a sentence of only five years with supervision after his release. In their own memorandum, Duggar’s attorneys paint their client as a victim, saying his life “has already been shattered. His reputation, career, and family have all suffered.”

The computer seized from Duggar’s car dealership wasn’t only used by their client, the attorneys have argued, suggesting the possibility that another employee downloaded the illegal images.

Duggar’s attorneys are attempting to make the case that whoever downloaded the explicit underaged material only viewed some of it, “deleted all of it within a few days, and then never sought anything like it ever again.”

“It is only fair that this Court place the allegations into the context of cases of this nature,” the attorneys said. “And, in that way, this is less severe than the lion’s share of child pornography cases that end up in federal court.”

Dallas Church, Investors Snag Real Estate Award for Grocery Store in Food Desert

By

Diana Chandler

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May 13, 2022

DALLAS (BP) – When Cornerstone Baptist Church began developing a grocery store in a food desert in southern Dallas, a local college professor railed that a store without beer, wine, lottery tickets or cigarettes wouldn’t attract clientele, senior pastor Chris Simmons lamented to Baptist Press.

The professor’s assessment proved only an insult. Southpoint Community Market, offering fresh meats, vegetables and other items to residents at deep discounts, captured the Dallas Business Journal’s award for “Best Real Estate Deals of 2021: Neighborhood Impact.”

“It is an effort, because we are in a food desert, to bring fresh and affordable items to the neighborhood so that individuals don’t have to pay a $5- to $6- bus ride to get some of their basic essentials,” Simmons told Baptist Press. “It’s been a great success. We’ve seen a 600 percent increase since we opened. The community is really responding.”

Dallas Business Journal honored the market April 21, choosing it over finalists the City of Dallas Fire Station #6 and The Pocket Sandwich Theatre.

“Located at 2839 S. Ervay St., Southpoint Community Market is a nearly 1,300-square-feet store providing access to affordable and healthy food for residents in the area,” the Dallas Business Journal wrote in announcing the award. “In its first month, the store made about $2,500 in revenue, and last month, the store generated about $14,000.”

In addition to Simmons, Cornerstone Community Development Corporation Program Director Donald Wesson, The Real Estate Council’s (TREC) Associate Leadership Council Class of 2020 and TREC Community Investors including Mike Galindo, Jacob Prince and Matt Ballard are identified as key players in the real estate deal.

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Funding the deal was a $78,000 grant from TREC Community Investors and $273,000 in in-kind and pro-bono services secured by the Associate Leadership Council class.

“One thing we were able to do is get a donor who was able to help us, and so we’re able to bring some of the items that they’re not able to get on the EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer card) down to affordable prices,” Simmons said. “He (the developer) is able to go to the dollar store and get paper towels, toilet paper, and then we charge half of what he pays for it. They all pay something because we want them to have the dignity of paying something, but they don’t pay the full price.”

The market is one of many outreaches by Cornerstone Baptist Church and the Cornerstone Community Development Corporation to serve the community, including a kitchen, a medical clinic, a laundromat, a clothes closet, a shower room and other services.

“Our vision was to bring 7-11 convenience at a Walmart price, so individuals could still affordably shop in their neighborhood,” the Dallas Business Journal quoted Simmons. “We discovered that we’re in a poor community, but people have access to funds and will spend money if you provide the items that they need and want, so that’s been very encouraging.”

The market is open six days a week including Sundays and employs one fulltime and three part-time workers. Wesson and church volunteers also staff the market. Local business owners can sell their items there.

Measuring COVID-19’s Effect: Southern Baptists Report 19% Attendance Drop

By

Adelle M Banks

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May 13, 2022

(RNS) — Anecdotally, clergy have talked about the disruption in worship attendance in this pandemic age. Now, Southern Baptists have statistics to prove it.

The average in-person weekly attendance at Southern Baptist Convention churches declined 18.75%, from 4,439,797 in 2020 to 3,607,530 in 2021.

Christian education saw an even larger decrease of 22.15%, with Sunday school, Bible study and small groups reduced from 2,879,130 to 2,241,514.

The Annual Church Profile, a compilation from the denomination’s state conventions, was released Thursday (May 12) by Lifeway Christian Resources, the convention’s data gathering division.

Researchers also blamed COVID-19 for the slowdown in baptisms in the past two years. While there has been a 26% annual increase in baptisms at Southern Baptist churches, from 123,160 in 2020 to 154,701 in 2021, overall baptisms are nowhere near the total of 235,748 reported in 2019, the year before the pandemic began.

Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, said the recent rise in baptisms was due not only to churches’ reopening as the pandemic eased earlier this year, but to the increased evangelism the easing allowed.

“Some people could have been ready to be baptized but delayed it until their church was meeting again,” he told Religion News Service. “But we attribute most of the growth to individuals and churches resuming activities where they have shared the gospel with others.”

Willie McLaurin, the SBC Executive Committee’s interim president and CEO, said in Lifeway’s announcement of the 2021 profile that he rejoiced at the “uptick” in baptisms.

“I am incredibly proud of local churches that have stayed steady with evangelism during the pandemic,” said McLaurin. “The increase in baptisms highlights that local pastors and churches prioritize soul-winning, evangelism and discipleship.”

The only other growth Southern Baptists saw in 2021 was in financial giving. Contributions increased by $304 million for a total of $11.8 billion overall.

But membership is continuing its decline of many years with a 3% loss, from 14,089,947 in 2020 to 13,680,493 in 2021.

‘My Body Is Not a Prayer Request’ Imagines a Disability-Centered Church

By

Kathryn Post

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May 13, 2022

(RNS ) — “God told me to pray for you!” is about the last thing Amy Kenny wants to hear when she cruises into church riding Diana, the mobility scooter she has named after Wonder Woman.

It’s not that she has anything against prayer. Kenny, a Shakespeare scholar and lecturer at the University of California, Riverside who is disabled, would simply like other Christians to quit treating her body as defective. “To suggest that I am anything less than sanctified and redeemed is to suppress the image of God in my disabled body and to limit how God is already at work through my life,” Kenny writes in her new book, “My Body Is Not a Prayer Request.”

The book, which comes out this month, invites readers to consider how ableism is baked into their everyday assumptions and imagines a world — and a church — where the needs of disabled people aren’t ignored or tolerated, but are given their rightful place at the center of conversations.

Kenny combines humor and personal anecdotes with biblical reflections to show how disabilities, far from being a failure of nature or the Divine, point to God’s vastness. She reframes often overlooked stories about disability in Scripture, from Jacob’s limp to Jesus’ post-crucifixion scars. Abolishing ableism, she concludes, benefits disabled and nondisabled people alike.

Religion News Service spoke to Kenny about making the church what she calls a “crip space,” her belief in a disabled God and why she prefers Good Friday over Easter. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

At what point did you begin seeing your disability as a blessing?

I was told often by doctors that my spine and my leg and my body was crooked. I began seeing how crooked and jagged creation is, the way elm trees have snaking branches and maple leaves are ragged and kangaroos don’t walk but hop. I didn’t have any trouble thinking about those elements as beautiful and divine. Yet when applied to humans, disability was thought of as dangerous and sinful. That just didn’t make sense to me. So based on the idea that creation is delightfully crooked, I started to think about how my body, too, is made in the image of the Divine and its crookedness isn’t anything to be ashamed of.

Can you explain the difference between curing and healing?

I think of curing as a physical process, usually a pretty rapid one — in Western society, going to the doctor and wanting a fix for whatever illness you are experiencing. Healing is much richer than that. It’s deeper. Healing is messy and complex. It takes time. It’s about restoring someone to communal wellness.

What is “crip space” and what does it look like in the context of a church?

Crip space is a disability community term that is reclaiming what has been used as a derogatory slur against us, cripple, as a way of gaining disability pride. It’s saying that we are not ashamed to be disabled, that our body-minds are not embarrassments. Crip space puts those who are most marginalized at the center and follows their lead. So folks who are queer, black, disabled people.

Generally, churches want a checklist or a list of don’ts. It’s much more nuanced and human than that. It’s noticing that there’s no ramp to the building you’re in, or no sensory spaces for people to take a break. It’s noticing that the language of the songs or the sermon is ableist and changing those words. It’s recognizing when the community is missing disabled folks. I’ve often had that as an excuse: “We don’t have any other disabled people but you.” Well, I wonder if that’s related to your lack of accessibility.

Could you share why you use the term body-minds?

It’s a disability community term that is attempting to undo some of that mind/body dualism. And it’s asking for us to think about how our bodies and our minds work in concert with one another. It’s also a way of being inclusive, making sure that when we talk about disability, we’re not just talking about mobility issues. We’re not just talking about visible disabilities. We’re also talking about hidden disabilities.

Women Settle Suit Alleging Liberty Mishandled Assault Cases

By

Sarah Rankin

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May 13, 2022

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit twelve women brought last summer against Liberty University, accusing the Christian institution of fostering an unsafe environment on its Virginia campus and mishandling cases of sexual assault and harassment.

A notice of dismissal filed Wednesday by the plaintiffs’ attorney, Jack Larkin, said the case had been settled but provided no details about the terms.

In a statement Thursday, Liberty said a settlement had been reached with all the plaintiffs and all but two additional women Larkin represented. The university did not disclose the terms of the agreement but outlined a number of other changes it has undertaken in recent months to improve campus security and review how it responds to incidents of sexual harassment or violence.

“Liberty University president Jerry Prevo made it clear when the Jane Does filed their lawsuit that, despite certain claims being potentially outside of the statute of limitations, the university was committed to doing what it could to ‘make things right’ with the plaintiffs,” the statement said.

Larkin did not respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. But he told TV station WDBJ the settlement terms were confidential.

The development comes as the prominent evangelical school in Lynchburg faces continued scrutiny over its handling of sex assault cases. It is facing other lawsuits that raise similar allegations and recently acknowledged to news outlets that the U.S. Department of Education is reviewing its compliance with the federal Clery Act, which requires colleges and universities to maintain and disclose crime statistics and security information.

In a statement, the department acknowledged the oversight work was ongoing but said no further comment would be provided until “the outcome officially has been communicated to the institution.”

The recently settled lawsuit was filed in federal court in New York and made various claims under Title IX, the federal law that protects against sex discrimination in education.

It alleged that Liberty’s strict honor code makes it “difficult or impossible” for students to report sexual violence. It said the university had a “tacit policy” of weighting investigations in favor of accused male students, and it said the university retaliated against women who did make such reports.

The women, former students and employees, all filed suit anonymously and were identified as Jane Doe 1-12. Their allegations spanned more than two decades.

Some plaintiffs in the lawsuit described being raped or sexually harassed and having their cases mishandled or effectively ignored. One woman alleged pregnancy discrimination.

A status report filed in the case in February said that if it was not resolved “amicably” an amended complaint would be filed adding new plaintiffs, including a current student.

In its statement, Liberty said it has spent over $8.5 million on campus security upgrades, including the installation of security cameras, blue light emergency call boxes and enhanced lighting, along with a new cellphone app for emergency reporting.

Liberty said it has made donations to community sexual assault response programs and is reviewing its counseling services to ensure there are more services available from licensed mental health providers, “including in rapid response scenarios resulting from sexual assault.”

The university is also revising its amnesty policy to “better communicate” that it will not discipline parties who engage in behaviors, in connection with a case of sexual harassment or assault “that would have otherwise violated its student honor code.”

Liberty has also been in the spotlight recently for its acrimonious split with former president and chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. in 2020. Litigation between Falwell and the school is ongoing.

This article originally appeared here.

No More Murder Charge for Women in Louisiana Abortion Bill

By

Kevin McGill

-

May 13, 2022

abortion bill — Anti-abortion demonstrators outside the Louisiana Capitol show support for legislation that would subject women who get abortions to possible murder charges on Thursday, May 12, 2022 in Baton Rouge, La. The legislation was to be debated Thursday night by state House members. (AP Photo/Kevin McGill)

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The sponsor of a bill that would have subjected Louisiana women to murder charges for having abortions abruptly pulled the proposal from debate Thursday night after House members voted 65-26 to totally revamp the legislation, eliminating the criminal penalties.

The controversial bill would have ventured farther against abortion than lawmakers’ efforts in any other state. It would have made women who end their pregnancies subject to criminal homicide prosecutions.

“This is a thorny political question, but we all know that it is actually very simple. Abortion is murder,” Rep. Danny McCormick, a Republican from Oil City, proclaimed as he opened debate. He noted that a majority of Louisiana lawmakers in the heavily Republican Legislature say they are anti-abortion, and briefly chided those abortion opponents who also oppose his bill. “We’re faltering and trying to explain it away.”

But McCormick’s measure had drawn increasingly strong opposition from many anti-abortion stalwarts. Gov. John Bel Edwards, an anti-abortion Democrat, said he would veto it. Louisiana Right to Life, the Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the National Right to Life Committee were among the prominent anti-abortion opponents of the measure.

Edwards, a devout Catholic, declared prosecuting women for abortion “absurd.”

McCormick had just as strongly disagreed, saying a woman who has an abortion should be in the same legal position as a woman who takes the life of a child after birth. “When I give equal protection to the unborn, that’s the possibility,” he said in a Wednesday evening phone interview.

Supporters of the bill were adamant. Scores of them gathered at the Capitol to pray and show support. As the group watched from the House balcony as the bill was pulled, one shouted “Shame.”

The House had not yet started debating the controversial legislation when the building was temporarily evacuated Thursday after the speaker interrupted proceedings and said an unknown, unclaimed package had been found in the capitol’s Memorial Hall — a gathering area between House and Senate Chambers.

It came on a day when legislation was already moving slowly as lawmakers tried to find a compromise on McCormick’s bill. The House recessed for more than an hour while lawmakers broke into groups behind closed doors to discuss the legislation.

Pending at the time was the amendment by Rep. Alan Seabaugh. The Shreveport Republican is an anti-abortion stalwart. But his amendment overhauled McCormick’s bill, declaring that women would not face criminal penalties for abortion. It also allowed abortion to save the life of a pregnant woman. And it eliminated language in McCormick’s original bill that appeared to make contraceptive drugs and at least some aspects of in vitro fertilization illegal.

The amendment also stripped language from McCormick’s bill widely regarded as blatantly unconstitutional — a declaration that any federal law, regulation or court ruling that allows abortion is void and that any judge who blocks enforcement of the bill’s provisions could be impeached.

“We can’t grant ourselves the power to order a court to rule future acts unconstitutional,” Seabaugh argued.

Freedom and Comfort in Truth

By

Randy Alcorn

-

May 13, 2022

As Nanci dealt with suffering and faced her death, I saw greater joy and more profound happiness in her than ever before. She had been happy in Jesus all our marriage, but great suffering is a big test. She didn’t merely pass it, she aced it. Sure, she had tough days where she longed for relief and release. But her light didn’t gradually go out; it shined brighter until the last week or so where it really did fade, as her eyes were looking at another world. A far better one.

In October 2018, Nanci wrote in her journal that she was “above all, eternally thankful for the incredible growth in my heart spiritually. I honestly would not trade this cancer experience to go back to where I was—which wasn’t bad. I believed and experienced God’s hand on my life before cancer. But these last months have been used by God to propel me into a deeper understanding and experience of His sovereignty, wisdom, steadfast love, mercy, grace, faithfulness, immanency, and trustworthiness and omnipotence.”

Nanci’s journals have so much Scripture and so much Charles Spurgeon woven into them, way more than personal details of her battle with cancer. In her own words, she expresses the depth of her trust in the love and sovereignty of God. She is a wonderful example of seeking comfort and perspective in God’s solid truth, just like I talk about in today’s blog, excerpted from 90 Days of God’s Goodness:

I am laid low in the dust;
preserve my life according to your word.
I recounted my ways and you answered me;
teach me your decrees.
Let me understand the teaching of your precepts;
then I will meditate on your wonders.
My soul is weary with sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word.
Keep me from deceitful ways;
be gracious to me through your law.
I have chosen the way of truth;
I have set my heart on your laws.
I hold fast to your statutes, O Lord;
do not let me be put to shame.
I run in the path of your commands,
for you have set my heart free.

(Psalm 119:25–32)

Don’t you love the heartfelt honesty of the words God has chosen to include in the Bible? “My soul is weary with sorrow.” It’s the burden of life in a hurting world that causes the writer to turn to Scripture for strength: “Preserve my life according to your word.… Strengthen me according to your word.”

If abuse, rape, desertion, paralysis, debilitating disease, or the loss of a loved one has devastated you, then the issue of evil and suffering isn’t merely theoretical, philosophical, or theological. It’s deeply personal. Logical arguments won’t satisfy you; in fact, they might offend you. You need help with the emotional problem of evil, not merely the logical problem of evil. Like children at times, each of us must snuggle into our Father’s arms, and there receive the comfort we need.

But remember this: you are a whole person. Truth matters. To touch us at the heart level—and to keep touching us over days, months, years, and decades—truth must work its way into our minds.

Never seek comfort by ignoring truth. Comfort in falsehood is false comfort. Jesus said, “The truth will set you free” (John 8:32). When you try to soothe your feelings without bothering to think deeply about ideas, you are asking to be manipulated. Quick-fix feelings won’t sustain you over the long haul. On the other hand, deeply rooted beliefs—specifically a worldview grounded in Scripture—will allow you to persevere and hold on to a faith built on the solid rock of God’s truth.

In writing His magnificent story of redemption, God has revealed truths about Himself, us, the world, goodness, evil, suffering, and Heaven and Hell. (I capitalize those terms as proper nouns because they are actual places, like New England or Saturn.) Those truths God reveals to us teem with life. The blood of man and God flows through them. God speaks with passion, not indifference; He utters fascinating words, not dull ones. To come to grips with the problem of evil and suffering, you must do more than hear heart-wrenching stories about suffering people. You must hear God’s truth to help you interpret those stories.

‘Beam Me Up’…Pastor? Holographic Technology Allows Pastor To Be in Nine Locations at Once

By

Jesse T. Jackson

-

May 12, 2022

Pastor Randy Bezet of Bayside Community Church in Bradenton, Florida, is using something straight out of Star Trek to preach to the church’s nine campuses simultaneously.

Bazet uses a new holographic technology called PROTO, a device that, according to its developer, “lets people beam themselves to a location thousands of miles away and interact with people there.”

The holographic technology allows Bezet to interact with those in the congregation, even though he’s not actually there. The PROTO Epic model has a camera on it, so the pastor can see the people he’s “beaming” to. Unlike a traditional live video stream, Bazet can actually hear sounds from the congregation.

“This really is, I think, putting me in nine locations at one time or has the potential to do that and make it much more personal than if it was just a video or kind of a flat-screen,” Bazet told Fox 13 News.

The hologram producing device can be operated with an iPad or cell phone and can be used to play pre-recorded videos as well. However, the tech doesn’t come cheap, starting at a hefty price tag of $100,000.

Bazet said, “We’ll do whatever we can to actually reach and impact as many people as we can, and, in this case, try a new technology like this.”

The church says that “whether it be through our high-energy weekend services, small groups, missions trips, youth services, counseling, or growth classes, Bayside believes in giving you the tools you need to gain a deeper relationship with God.”

Samuel Rodriguez, senior pastor of New Season Church in Sacramento, California, used similar technology to deliver a sermon on July 4, 2021 to a church in New Zealand. Rodriguez described the experience to CBN News as an “encounter between Star Trek and Christianity.”

Conservative Christian Leaders Blast Democrats for Attempting to Codify Abortion Rights

By

Jesse T. Jackson

-

May 12, 2022

“You can no longer pretend to support life and vote Democrat. Period,” former Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee member Rod Martin tweeted yesterday after Senate Democrats forced a vote in an attempt to codify the right to an abortion into federal law.

Every Senate Democrat except Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia voted in favor of advancing the bill, called the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA).

The bill would have not only preserved abortion rights but would have allowed for abortion to take place up until the moment of birth, as long as a medical professional deem the pregnancy a threat to the mother’s life. (Emotional health is included in that evaluation.) Further, the bill would have barred states from placing any restrictions on abortion.

The Senate vote failed 49-51, because Manchin voted with every Senate Republican to strike the bill down.

Democratic Senators pushed to pass the bill in light of last week’s leak of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s draft opinion, which signaled the possible overturn of Roe v. Wade. Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said, “For the first time in 50 years, a conservative majority—an extreme majority—on the Supreme Court is on the brink of declaring that women do not have freedom of their own bodies.”

“All of us will have to answer for this vote for the rest of our time in public office,” Schumer told fellow Senators before the vote. “Before the day is over, every member of this body will make a choice to stand with women to protect their freedoms or stand with MAGA Republicans to take our country into a dark and repressive future.”

After the bill failed to receive the necessary votes, Vice President Kamala Harris told reporters, “Sadly, the Senate failed to stand in defense of a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body.”

In a statement released by The White House, President Joe Biden scolded Republicans for not supporting the WHPA.

“Republicans in Congress—not one of whom voted for this bill—have chosen to stand in the way of Americans’ rights to make the most personal decisions about their own bodies, families and lives,” the statement said.

“To protect the right to choose, voters need to elect more pro-choice senators this November, and return a pro-choice majority to the House,” Biden continued. “If they do, Congress can pass this bill in January, and put it on my desk, so I can sign it into law.”

Reiterating his commitment to codifying Roe, Biden said, “While this legislation did not pass today, my Administration will not stop fighting to protect access to women’s reproductive care.”

Last week, Biden said he believes that being “a child of God” gives someone the right to an abortion.

‘Good, Good Mother’—On Mother’s Day, Texas Church Worships God As Female

By

Stephanie Martin

-

May 12, 2022

At Austin New Church in Austin, Texas, several parts of last Sunday’s Mother’s Day service featured feminine pronouns and imagery for God.

A video shows the worship team altering the chorus of the song “Good, Good Father” by Housefires featuring Pat Barrett. Also during the service, female pronouns for God were used in recitations of Psalm 23 and the Lord’s Prayer.

Austin New Church describes itself as a progressive community “based on belonging, not beliefs.” Brandon and Jen Hatmaker founded the congregation in 2008 but are no longer mentioned on the church website. The couple divorced in 2020, after 27 years of marriage.

Austin New Church: ‘Now We Know Better’ Than To Limit God

In her message, Creative Pastor Samantha Beach Kiley says, “We profess that we all bear the image of God, but how can we see God in ourselves if we don’t see ourselves in God? If God is only male, if God is only white, what possibilities does that limit for those of us whose identity markers are different?” She quotes from Christena Cleveland’s book “God Is a Black Woman,” about how a “narrow” view of God restricts our imagination.

Kiley admitted the topic was daunting and full of “landmines”—including the risk of “just setting up another binary” by labeling God as female.

About Psalm 23, Kiley says, “David wrote as if God were Father. How could he not?… That was the outermost tree ring of revelation during his time, but now we know better… We get to read our Scripture with a more expansive method of interpretation.” She adds, “Even when David wrote to God as Father, God was already Mother. God was already both. God was already neither. Even if David couldn’t see it yet.”

Kiley was joined by her mother, Nancy Beach, who shared some Scriptures that use mothering imagery for God and Jesus. Then Beach asked, “What if God transcends gender?… How would our picture of God and our relationship to God be different and more whole if we could embrace this idea of God as Father as well as Mother?”

‘Great Faith Systems…Have Always Understood’ God As Female

In his message, Lead Pastor Jason Morriss said that as expansive as God-as-Mother might seem, it’s something “we should always have understood—that God is not contained in the binaries of our linguistic symbols.” For example, “We have always known that God is relentless in pursuit…and unconditional in love. These are the hallmarks of mothering.”

David Platt’s McLean Bible Church Prepares for New Elder Election Following Lawsuit

By

Dale Chamberlain

-

May 12, 2022

McLean Bible Church, an evangelical multisite church with several locations in the Washington, DC area, is preparing to elect new elders for the first time since a legal dispute surrounding the congregational voting process in June 2021.

McLean lead pastor David Platt had become the center of controversy after speaking to issues of racial justice in America, causing some within the broader evangelical movement as well as within his own church to doubt his leadership, stoking a conflict that came to a head in a bitter dispute over the 2021 McLean Bible Church elder selection process.

According to Platt, a small group of disgruntled church members had begun a whisper campaign against him during the spring and summer of 2021, accusing him of planning to sell church property to a Muslim group to be used for a Mosque. This group also allegedly spread rumors that Platt was going to change the church’s pro-life stance, as well as broaden its definition of biblical sexuality. None of these claims were true.

Nevertheless, on the strength of these claims and the alarm they caused, this group then campaigned to call together members, former members, and inactive members of McLean Bible Church to vote down any elder candidates presented at the June 2021 congregational meeting.

The campaign was successful, and for the first time in the church’s nearly 60-year history, the three new elders presented to the congregation failed to receive the required three-quarters vote.

Aware that a number of votes were cast by former and inactive members who traveled to the church specifically to vote down elder nominees, McLean church leadership presented three new elder nominees in a subsequent meeting, requiring identification for current members and giving provisional ballots to inactive members. The three new elders received 80% of the vote and were subsequently confirmed.

Following that meeting, five members of McLean Bible Church filed suit against Platt and other church leaders, alleging that they violated the terms of the church constitution in order to silence the voices of those who disagreed with them.

Almost a year later, McLean now faces the task of nominating a new class of elders, and McLean leadership is hoping to do so without incident.

To that end, the church’s website is extending an invitation to church members to approve a clearly defined course of action, accounting for the various contingencies that may occur in the election process.

Department of Interior Releases First Report Detailing US Indian Boarding Schools

By

Emily McFarlan Miller

-

May 12, 2022

(RNS) — The United States operated 408 boarding schools for Indigenous children across 37 states or then-territories between 1819 and 1969 — half of them likely supported by religious institutions.

That’s according to the first volume of an investigative report into the country’s Indian boarding school system that was released Wednesday (May 11) by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

“Our initial investigation results show that approximately 50% of federal Indian boarding schools may have received support or involvement from religious institutions or organizations, including funding, infrastructure and personnel,” Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland said at a news conference on the progress of the department’s Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative.

The report revealed nearly 40 more schools than the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition previously had identified in the U.S. — and nearly three times more than the number of schools documented in Canada’s residential school system by that country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

It also recorded the deaths of more than 500 children and identified marked or unmarked burial sites at more than 50 schools across the Indian boarding school system. The department expects those numbers to go up as it continues to investigate.

The findings also compiled previous reports describing an “unprecedented delegation of power by the Federal Government to church bodies.”

The Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative was announced last summer by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to investigate the history and lasting consequences of the schools. That announcement came as Indigenous groups across Canada confirmed the remains of more than 1,000 Indigenous children buried near former residential schools for Indigenous children there.

The Department of the Interior was “uniquely positioned” to undertake such an initiative, according to the report released Wednesday, because it had been responsible for operating or overseeing the boarding schools.

From 1819 through the 1960s, the U.S. implemented policies establishing and supporting Indian boarding schools across the nation. The report includes the first-ever inventory of those federally operated schools, including profiles and maps of each school.

The boarding schools supported a “twin United States policy” to culturally assimilate Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian children and to seize Indigenous land, according to Newland, a citizen of the Bay Mills Indian Community (Ojibwe).

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