Nationwide Teacher Shortage, Lingering Effects of COVID Shutdown Contribute To Massive Needs in Schools

April 22, 2022

WYOMING, Mich. (BP) – As a middle school counselor, Libbie Drake feels she’s seen it all. And at the same time, knows she’s going to see more.

Stressed teachers. Unmotivated students. Increases in failure rates, truancy and behavior issues. While responding to questions for this article, a sixth-grader told her one of his friends was vaping in the bathroom.

It’s not just at the urban school where she works, either. “It’s being seen around the country,” she told Baptist Press. “My brother teaches in a rural school and they’re having major behavioral issues. We’re also fighting social media trends that are encouraging kids to steal things.”

The role of the educator has long been labeled a calling. And while America’s public schools have endured unsteady times before – unrest in the 1960s and integration efforts come to mind – it’s difficult to nail down a season when a potential Great Resignation of teachers looms as students continue to recover in numerous ways from a worldwide pandemic.

At least a year before COVID-19 became a household term, a teacher shortage was seen as real, large and growing. Those schools with the greatest needs typically get hit hardest all while politicians and other leaders demand high test scores and attendance rates. It’s a situation leading many to ask “How bad could it get?”

Whatever the challenge, CrossWinds Church in Wyoming, Mich. will be there to respond, said David Drake, pastor and Libbie’s husband.

“Anything the school needs, they know they can call us,” said David, who was also an assistant high school football coach for 12 years before resigning so he could serve as a board member for Godwin Heights Public Schools. He continues to coach, though, now as an unpaid volunteer.

Those calls from the school have led CrossWinds to provide lunches and classroom supplies for teachers and backpacks filled with clothes and jackets for students.

“For years we provided hats and mittens to every student at one of the local elementary schools,” he said. “This week, we’re helping with kindergarten registration and providing school supplies.”

As at CrossWinds, several members at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Colonial Heights, Va., work and volunteer in area schools.

It took a number of years after Joe Mayes joined MPBC as student pastor, but eventually a level of trust was built with the local high school. Then, Garrett Oppel came on board as children’s minister and focused on the elementary schools.

“I started Good News Clubs there and it helped bridge a great relationship with those principals,” Oppel said. “We also started giving the schools money each month to help pay for students who couldn’t afford lunch.”

Christians in Mozambique Under Growing Islamic Attack

Diana Chandler

April 22, 2022

CABO DELGADO, Mozambique (BP) — Islamic insurgents have increasingly attacked northern Mozambique as Christianity increases there, the international evangelistic ministry Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) said in its latest special report.

Radical Islamists have killed nearly 3,000 and displaced more than 800,000 Christians and moderate Muslims “in recent years” who refused to recite certain creeds, VOM said in its report. A focal point includes Cabo Delgado where the Christian population has grown to 40 percent Christian since 2017. VOM cites an influx of Christians working in Cabo Delgado and growing conversions among Muslims.

In a 2020 attack that killed 70 residents of a Cabo Delgado village, Islamists decapitated all affirmed Christians.

“Islamists gathered everyone in Pastor Matateu’s village and asked each of them a single question: ‘What is your religion?’ Those who answered ‘Christian’ were decapitated, and pastors and their families were killed in especially gruesome, torturous ways,” VOM said. “The insurgents then reportedly raised an Islamic flag and declared the establishment of Sharia, or Islamic law. Pastor Matateu and his family hid in the bush for more than a month.”

The terrorists are members of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamaah, translated as “adherents of the prophetic tradition,” remnants of an extremist group from Tanzania. The group initially targeted police and government buildings, VOM said, but began targeting Christians and entire towns after pledging allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019. Locally, the insurgents are known as al-Shabab, but are not affiliated with the Somalian Islamists of the same name.

Among the towns that have been attacked is the Indian Ocean port city of Mocimboa de Praia, once home to 120,000 people, which has been devastated and largely abandoned since 2019.

Todd Nettleton, VOM chief of media relations and message integration, said pastors are especially persecuted.

“When one of our VOM staff members arrived in Pemba, Mozambique earlier this year, he was immediately taken to lunch with four pastors, all of whom had experienced Islamist attacks firsthand,” Nettleton said. “One pastor, who had been separated from his wife while fleeing attackers, still didn’t know if his wife was alive or dead months after the attack. And another pastor had suffered the traumatic experience of finding the mutilated body of his young son, who was murdered by the Islamists.”

Nettleton cited the pastors’ perseverance in faith and Christian service, encouraging prayers that Mozambique Christians remain faithful, be comforted as they comfort others, and have opportunities to show Christ’s love to their persecutors.

“Jesus is being lifted up in northern Mozambique. His great name is being glorified by men and women who value Jesus Christ more than their own safety or comfort, men and women who ‘loved not their lives even unto death,’” Nettleton said, referencing Revelation 12:11.

VOM quoted Matateu as saying, “What could separate me from God? Death, no! The war, no! So of course, I will continue to serve my God. Because He gave Himself, I will always give myself.”

Nationwide, 54 percent of Mozambique’s 32.3 million people are Christian, persecution watchdog Open Doors said in its 2022 World Watch List that ranked Mozambique as the 45th most dangerous country for Christians. It is the country’s first time on the list of the 50 countries where Christians suffer the most persecution and danger.

Constitutionally identified as a secular country with religious freedom, Mozambique “generally … has limited religious freedom,” Open Doors has said. “However, the persecution of Christians is severest in the northern Cabo Delgado Province due to ISIS-affiliated extremists carrying out violent attacks there.”

Open Doors also linked expanded persecution to Mozambique’s withdrawal of its army from the area and the presence of drug cartels.

VOM’s free report, “Mozambique: A Faithful Witness Amid a Brutal Islamic Insurgency,” is available here.

This article originally appeared at Baptist Press.

States Still Acting To Protect Life as They Await Supreme Court Ruling

Tom Strode

April 22, 2022

NASHVILLE (BP)—State lawmakers continue to adopt pro-life protections this year in hopes the U.S. Supreme Court will return abortion policy to their jurisdictions in a ruling expected by this summer.

Florida and Kentucky are the latest states to enact abortion prohibitions during legislative sessions that have seen more than 500 pro-life measures introduced in 2022. Those states, which both approved bans on abortion after 15 weeks gestation, joined others that have enacted pro-life laws that include a nearly total prohibition on abortion and bans at different stages of pregnancy.

Various states have taken such actions as the country awaits a decision by the Supreme Court regarding Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case regarding Mississippi’s 15-week abortion prohibition. Many pro-life and abortion-rights advocates believe the justices are likely not only to uphold the law but to reverse the 1973 Roe v. Wade opinion that legalized the procedure nationwide. Such a ruling by the Supreme Court would return abortion policy to the states.

“As states continue to pass laws to protect preborn life, we eagerly await the Supreme Court’s decision in the Dobbs case and are hopeful that a culture of life will be established in all states,” said Chelsea Sobolik, director of public policy for the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC).

“We must continue to advocate for laws that protect life, and Christians should simultaneously be working towards a day when abortion is also unthinkable and unnecessary,” she said in written comments for Baptist Press.

Denise Burke, senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, told BP, “[T]his has been one of the most consequential pro-life legislative years we have seen in a decade, demonstrating yet again that the vast majority of Americans oppose the Roe regime of unrestricted abortion-on-demand and that our officials are anticipating a significant ruling in Dobbs.

“Our laws should protect all innocent lives because life is a human right,” she said in written remarks. “Over 60 million American lives have been lost since Roe was decided in 1973. This devastating loss of innocent life results from refusing to recognize the dignity and worth of every human person.”

Burke also said, “Overturning Roe will place demands on all of us – the church, the state and the broader pro-life community — to resource, equip and build the vital institution of the family. Those that have worked to promote the pro-life cause are demonstrating true leadership and dedication to protecting the lives and health of unborn children and their mothers.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a 15-week abortion ban April 14, a day after Kentucky’s legislature overrode a veto by Gov. Andy Beshear of legislation that included prohibitions on abortion after 15 weeks gestation and the mailing of abortion pills. The enactment of Kentucky’s new law prompted the state’s two licensed abortion providers to close for the time being.

Florida and Kentucky are among nine states that have enacted a total of 33 pro-life laws so far this year, the Guttmacher Institute reported April 15. Another 28 pro-life protections have gained passage by at least one legislative chamber in 11 states, according to Guttmacher. A total of 536 abortion restrictions have gained introduction in 42 states in 2022, according to the report.

Guttmacher is a research and policy organization affiliated with the abortion-rights movement.

Among other pro-life laws enacted this year in addition to those in Florida and Kentucky in preparation for a possible post-Roe era:

— Oklahoma prohibited abortion except to save the life of the mother in a bill signed April 12 by Gov. Kevin Stitt. A person convicted of performing or attempting to perform an abortion may receive a maximum prison sentence of 10 years and/or a fine of as much as $100,000.

— Arizona banned abortion after 15 weeks gestation in legislation signed March 30 by Gov. Doug Ducey.

7 Money Lessons From the Wisdom of the Proverbs

Dale Chamberlain

April 22, 2022

Money is powerful. It’s a determining factor in where we live, what we eat, what we wear, and often what we do with our days. So we would be wise to consider how we can manage our money well.

But even more than that, in order to live a joyful and God-honoring life, we need to exercise wisdom in how we relate to money—how we feel about it, what space it has in our hearts, and how it factors into our relationship with Jesus. This conversation consumes key facets of our lives.

That’s probably why the bible talks about money so much. There’s so much to consider and seek to get right. In particular, throughout the Proverbs, Solomon gives us advice on a number of key topics related to money. Since he was both one of the richest and wisest men to ever live, we would be wise to listen to his words and apply them to our lives.

Here are seven money lessons from the ancient wisdom of the Proverbs.

1. Wealth Is a Good Thing, but It Isn’t the Ultimate Thing.

Too often, Christians assume that money is inherently evil. But what Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 6:10 isn’t that money is the root of all kinds of evil, but that an unhealthy love for it is.

Wealth, when you obtain it by honorable means, is actually a sign of God’s blessing on your life and the work that you do.

The blessing of the Lord brings wealth,
without painful toil for it.
(Proverbs 10:22)

Sometimes, God multiplies your efforts and gives you a return disproportionate to what you could have hoped or dreamed for. And that’s a good thing. You should be grateful to God for it.

But you should also always bear in mind that this blessing isn’t a guarantee. While God’s grace and his provision in your life will be a constant, he never promised us lifelong financial freedom. We live in a fallen world, and wealth is ultimately fleeting.

Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle.
(Proverbs 23:5)

Sometimes, you find yourself in financially difficult situations due to poor choices. But, other times, a person’s money seems to fly away through no fault of their own. In either case, wealth is a divine blessing but never a sure thing.

2. Greed is Toxic.

Throughout the Proverbs, Solomon sternly warns us against greed—especially when that greed causes us to deal underhandedly with others.

The greedy bring ruin to their households,
but the one who hates bribes will live.
(Proverbs 15:27)

If you’re motivated by greed, you will ultimately end up in a place where you self-destruct. And when you self-destruct, you tend to take down everyone around you. You’ll also stir up conflict wherever you go.

The greedy stir up conflict, but those who trust in the LORD will prosper.
(Proverbs 28:25)

No one wants to be around someone who is going to penny-pinch them. A person who’s obsessed with always “getting what they deserve” or “what’s owed” to them is typically a toxic person.

3. Debt is Dangerous.

Regardless of how much money you make or how hard you work, debt will always be a limiting factor in your financial goals. Those to whom you owe money have considerable control over your life.

The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is slave to the lender.
(Proverbs 22:7)

Sometimes, debt is unavoidable. Few of us can pay for our college educations, commute vehicles, or homes simply by writing a check. And it would be unreasonable to assume that we could–especially if you’re young and just starting out.

Thoughts on Restoration for Fallen Pastors

Jared C. Wilson

April 22, 2022

When a pastor has disqualified himself from his ministry, is he disqualified from ministry altogether? If so, for how long? Forever? Can he ever be restored? If so, how soon?

These sorts of questions are not new, but they do seem more relevant than ever. While there are lots of articles out there on “fallen pastors,” I’ve been surprised to discover few deal with these questions in an in-depth way. I won’t pretend to provide a comprehensive treatment of this difficult subject in this post, but I do want to share some biblical reflections and practical implications I’ve been ruminating on for a while. This subject hits fairly close to home, as I think it does for many. It behooves us to think carefully and biblically about these matters.

What Disqualifies a Pastor?

What I find interesting these days is not how many pastors have fallen into disqualification but how many have not. We live in a day and age where any guy with a speaking gift and an entrepreneurial, creative spirit can plant a church and even be successful with it. But gifting is not qualification. Some seem to discuss this subject as if we do not have clear biblical guidance on what qualifies a man for the office of elder/pastor. Except that we do. Here is a rough list, a composite from the three primary qualification passages (1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, and 1 Peter 5):

1. Sexually/maritally faithful
2. Good manager of household
3. Humble
4. Gentle
5. Sober
6. Peaceful
7. Financially responsible
8. Hospitable
9. Self-controlled
10. Upright in character
11. Committed to holiness
12. Able to teach
13. Spiritually mature (not a new convert)
14. Respectable (and respected by outsiders)
15. A good example to the flock

Evangelicals seem to most often discuss disqualification as it relates to adultery—which, to be clear, is disqualifying!—but we rarely bring in the disqualification conversation as it relates to short-tempered, argumentative or otherwise un-self-controlled pastors. The “fall” of Mark Driscoll is probably the closest my particular tribe has come to reckoning with the full-fledged (dis)qualifications for ministry, but it is still not a widely understood concept in the age of the celebrity minister. In fact, I think in many tribes and traditions, the “other biblical qualifications for ministry” have been neglected for a long time. How else to explain that it is typically only once a domineering, financially irresponsible, unsober pastor commits adultery that he is finally removed from his office?

The bottom line is that the bar for the pastoral office is set rather high. It is not open to anybody who “feels called.” Beyond giftedness and ambition, it requires maturity, testing and a long obedience in the same direction. Because of this, when a pastor has become disqualified, we are dealing with a problem at a different level than even the serious problem of discipline-worthy sins among the laity. It’s not because pastors are supposed to be super-Christians or have more favor with God than laypeople, but rather that the leadership office demands a higher standard.

Can Disqualified Pastors Be Restored?

The first thing we should say is that we are often talking about two different kinds of restoration without knowing it. Many of evangelicalism’s problems with the scandals of celebrity pastors who disqualify themselves stem from an inability—an unwillingness?—to distinguish between a restoration to vocational ministry from a restoration to the fellowship. In regards to the latter, the answer ought to be an unequivocal yes. Any believer who has fallen morally, pastor or not, ought to be fully restored to the Christian community, given their repentance and the restoration process of their church.

This is why we must be careful with our criticism, as well! Sometimes when we argue against the restoration of certain ministers to the pulpit, it sounds as though we are denying their ability to rejoin the fellowship of believers. And sometimes when we are upset about the high standard some set for the pulpit, we call others graceless when they are in fact ready to welcome any repentant sinner to the warmth of Christian fellowship.

Sharing the Peace – What Does it Mean?

Ben Sternke

April 22, 2022

Sharing the peace, often called the “Passing of the Peace” is one of the liturgical moves I wonder if we should modify now that we’re able to come back together for worship. If people are afraid to touch each other, obviously hugs and handshakes won’t work. Maybe we’ll do elbow bumps, or perhaps a “profound bow,” honoring the presence of Christ in the other. How should we continue sharing the peace?

Sharing the Peace

These liturgical disruptions are an opportunity to remember why we do these actions, and what they are meant to signify and effect. So what are we doing when we share the Peace with one another? Here’s what Theodore, Bishop of Mopsuestia wrote in his Catechetical Instruction in 428 AD:

Each of us gives the Kiss of Peace to the person next to us, and so in effect gives it to the whole assembly, because this act is an acknowledgement that we have all become a single body of Christ our Lord, and so must preserve with one another that harmony that exists among the limbs of a body, loving one another equally, supporting and helping one another, regarding the individual needs as concerns of the community, sympathizing with one another’s sorrows and sharing in one another’s joys.

Sharing the Peace is meant to signify the unity of the body, which is expressed not just in a single gesture on a Sunday morning, but in ongoing mutual love and support for one another, standing in solidarity with one another as one Body.

This unity is much easier to signify and remember when we sharing the peace on Sunday morning. When I see your face and touch your hand, I remember that I belong to you, and you belong to me, and that our lives are bound up with each other. But during “Coronatide,” and any other time we find ourselves physically distanced from one another, it is much more difficult to hold this unity in our minds and hearts.

One of the marvels of Paul’s letters to me is his deep affection and sense of connection to Christians he was physically distant from:

“God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:8).
“My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you” (Gal 4:19).

Whether or not we touch physically sharing the Peace with each other is to, through prayer, cultivate a greater awareness of our deep unity with and connection to each other as the Body of Christ.

This article about sharing the peace originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

Stressed Out Teens: 4 Ways Youth Ministers Can Ease Kids’ Anxieties

Youth Ministrycom

April 21, 2022

Want to help stressed out kids in your youth group and church? Want to help ease some of the pressures they face? Then ponder these tips from a veteran youth minister.

The current generation of students often faces fears of failure and public scrutiny. Everyone blames technology and social media for the pressure teens now face. Thanks to the likes of Instagram, kids must present themselves more as the person they want to be than who they truly are.

We expect perfection from teens at every turn. Constant access to information provides them with the inability to ever answer a question with, “I don’t know.” Today’s culture makes it confusing for kids to know who they are.

As we pour into this stressed out generation, youth ministers see the growing need for kids to have their identity settled in Christ. We know the only way to combat pressure is for them to grab hold of what Jesus thinks of them. Yet because stress constantly bombards teens, youth workers may find it difficult to get them to actually step out in the truth of who they are to God.

Now more than ever, youth ministers must be creative when addressing identity. How can you help this stressed out generation? Read on for four helpful suggestions.

4 Tips for Ministering to Stressed Out Teens

1. Go deeper.

First off, realize this. The days of merely saying, “Don’t believe that” or “Your identity is in Jesus” are over. We must give students safe places to question these statements and find out what they mean. Dig deeper than assemblies and large-group talks to deal with this topic.

Throwing around statements make us feel better because we’ve said them. But kids still wonder what it all means. They want to know how to apply the truth in their setting.

2. Stop treating stress as a one-sided issue.

Part of my frustration with talking about identity and insecurity is that we often label it as a “female” issue. Books, curriculum, and articles focus on girls’ emotions and pressures.

Having worked with teens for decades, I can say: Both girls and guys struggle to understand who they are in Christ. But they simply focus on different things. All students need to grasp the depth of who they are beyond who they present themselves to be.

Earth Day Craft for Children’s Ministry: New Life With Jesus

ChildrensMinistry.com

April 21, 2022

God’s creation is amazing. So is his free gift of eternal life through Jesus! Celebrate both in your Sunday school classes and children’s church with this fun Earth Day craft.

For this craft, you’ll get to clean up your supply closet and recycle leftovers. Plus, kids will learn about having a new life with Jesus! So enjoy “creating” this Earth Day craft with your little learners.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17

You’ll need:

Bible
green paper plates
blue play dough
various recyclables and extra craft supplies (toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, egg cartons, old bolts and screws, colored craft sticks, pompom balls, chenille wires, and so on)
permanent markers

Earth Day Craft: Salvage and Recycle

Say: This week we’re celebrating Earth Day. It’s a day set aside to appreciate and care for God’s creation. One thing we can do to care for the earth is recycle. That helps make the earth’s resources last longer. Recycling goes back pretty far in history. In fact, the Bible says Jesus recycled us!

Read 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Ask:

What do you think are some old things Jesus gets rid of in us?
How has Jesus transformed you into something amazing?

Say: Today we’re going to recycle and repurpose old things to make a new creation.

To begin this Earth Day craft, have kids roll the play dough into a ball and press it flat onto the center of the plate. Then kids can create their salvage sculptures by arranging supplies into the play dough base.

Women in Ministry Need More Than To Be Told They Can’t Be Pastors, Says Kristen Padilla

Jessica Mouser

April 21, 2022

Whatever you believe about women holding leadership roles in the church, all women in ministry have needs that are easy to overlook. This was a point Kristen Padilla emphasized in a recent interview on the Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast.

“Women are discipling women in the church,” said Padilla. “Whether we like it or not, they’re writing books, they’re speaking at conferences, they’re on podcasts, they’re writing hymns, they are discipling the women in your church.” The question is, has your church equipped them for these tasks?

Women in Ministry: What Do They Need From Churches?

Kristen Padilla has an M.Div. from Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama, and serves as Beeson’s marketing and communications director. In early 2021, she launched The Center for Women in Ministry at Beeson, and she is also the author of “Now That I’m Called: A Guide for Women Discerning a Call to Ministry.”

Some might assume that a discussion on the topic of women in ministry will be about supporting women as pastors. However, the Center for Women in Ministry serves students who are complementarian and egalitarian, and Padilla was clear that, whatever a church’s position on women in leadership, there is more that all churches can do to support the women in their midst.

One area Padilla drew attention to was the need to be proactive about supporting women in ministry. “If I had not had [supportive parents],” she said. “I don’t know that I would have pursued any kind of formal ministry leadership role.”

Churches can start by clarifying their vision for how to support women. “I would encourage churches to really wrestle with, write down, articulate a theological vision for both ministers and ministry and women—and make it clear,” said Padilla. “I think a lot of churches that I’ve encountered just haven’t done that…when the church does not communicate clearly what it believes, it can actually be hurtful for women.”

One of the most significant areas Padilla highlighted for churches to be aware of was that it is common for people to expect that men serving in ministry will have theological training, but they often do not expect the same of women. “Why is it,” she asked, “that when the men leave the room and we have women and children, we all of a sudden are not caring, so to speak, who’s teaching them or what kind of training they have?”

Regarding her own journey, Padilla said, “If I was going to be in ministry, I felt a very strong conviction that I needed to be theologically trained…I need to be an astute teacher. I need to do the same training that men are doing in preparation for ministry.”

She pointed out that neglecting to equip women to serve in their churches will have consequences whether or not church leaders see doing so as important. Said Padilla, “If women are being discipled or receiving teaching that is not according to God’s Word, it’s affecting their marriages, their homes, their workplaces. So we can’t just sit back and think, ‘Well, as long as we keep women out of this position or from doing X, we’re biblical.’”

Don’t Tell Unbelievers, ‘God Loves You’: Tweet by Texas Pastor Sparks Online Debate

Stephanie Martin

April 21, 2022

When Pastor Gabriel Hughes tweeted, “You should not tell an unbeliever, ‘God loves you,'” social media took note. He continued, “The apostles never shared the gospel this way. The Bible says God’s wrath is upon unbelievers (John 3:36, Romans 1:18). Help them see their sin, warn them of the judgment of God, and give them the gospel.”

The post has received more than 1,000 likes and dozens of replies. Hughes is associate pastor at First Baptist Church in Lindale, Texas, the congregation led by Southern Baptist Convention pastor Tom Buck. Last year, Hughes had a role in the Ed Litton plagiarism scandal, sharing a sermon clip that someone recognized as similar to the words of J.D. Greear.

God Loves You? What To Say to an Unsaved Person

Several people agree with Hughes. “One of the absolute worst things we can say to an unsaved person,” notes one. Another comment reads, “[A]men brother. We are a young church plant and had a family leave our church over this very truth being preached.” One reply states, “The jailer ask Paul and Silas ‘what must I do to be saved.’ ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved—you and your household.’ Don’t add to or take away.”

Others, however, point to apparent scriptural contradictions in Hughes’ words. Several people mention John 3:16. “Yikes,” reads one comment. “For God so loved THE WORLD. I’m so sorry if you’ve been shown otherwise. So very sorry. Truly.” Another person says John 3:16 reveals that “God’s LOVE was his MOTIVATION for sending Jesus to die for our sin. There would not be any Good news (Gospel) without God’s love.”

Also pointing to John 3:16, someone writes, “I know it might be outside your paradigm to understand the concept of God literally being the embodiment of love, but please try. The fact that God loves everyone doesn’t guarantee a great outcome for everybody, that’s clear; but let’s not pretend it’s not there for the taking.”

“We can’t stop at love but we surely are no effective witness without it,” someone writes. “Just love them,” says another. “That’s really all you need to do to share God.”

“This seems like love to me,” a reply states, quoting Romans 5:8. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

One comment calls Hughes’ tweet “a direct denial of Matt. 5:43-48,” noting: “Why would God call us to be like him by loving our enemies if he didn’t love his? You do not have authority to deny the love of common grace when Jesus himself calls it love with no ambiguity.”

In defense of Hughes, someone writes, “[Gabe’s] point, I believe, is that we need to not coddle people to Hell. We have to let them know that God is wrathful, and they will experience that wrath if they do not believe. I’m sure he understands common grace just fine.”

God Loves You: People Share Their Own Evangelism Experiences

In the conversation, some people point to their own experiences. “I shared Christ with three young men last week and in each occasion I told them God loved them enough to send His Son to pay for their sin against God,” one writes. “Each man received Christ with utmost joy. I’ll stick with that method while everyone else sits around and argues.”

SBC Presidential Candidate Bart Barber Responds to ‘Wild Accusations’; Shares Thoughts on CRT, Vision for Peacemaking

Dale Chamberlain

April 21, 2022

Bart Barber, who serves as pastor for First Baptist Church in Farmsville, Texas, is expected to accept a nomination for SBC president from SBC Pastors’ Conference president Matt Henslee at the annual meeting of the denomination in June.

Since his candidacy was announced on April 7, Barber has emphasized civility among Southern Baptists and has even begun using a Twitter hashtag to reflect that vision. On April 18, he tweeted, “Apparently, you’re supposed to have a hashtag. I think I’ll go with #ArmyOfPeacemakers.”

Fellow SBC presidential candidate Tom Ascol has been employing the hashtag #changethedirection, emphasizing his belief that the SBC has been drifting toward progressive ideologies and must alter course.

For the last couple of weeks, Barber has been fielding questions on Twitter about his vision for his SBC presidential bid, as well as a range of other topics. However, on Tuesday (April 19), he expressed frustration that, due to the nature of the platform, questions often splinter out into a complex network of threads.

“For that reason, later today I will be revealing a web page that will be a public repository of all of my answers to the questions most frequently asked of me,” Barber tweeted. “I’m not afraid of questions. I believe in transparency and accountability for people who serve our family of churches. I’m just trying to find the most efficient way to answer whatever good-faith questions people may have.”

On that webpage, which is housed on FBC Farmville’s website, Barber explains his understanding of how the role of the SBC president should function, why he is building his platform on the idea of peace, and the particulars of his theological convictions. He also shares his thoughts on Critical Race Theory and sermon plagiarism, and he responds to what he calls the “rogue’s gallery of wild accusations” against him.

Barber on His Vision for SBC Presidency

Barber, who says that he only chose to accept a nomination when he “came to the end” of his stubbornness, says that “the Southern Baptist Convention is healthier when we follow the consistent, long-term vision set by the messenger body than when a new vision arises every year or two as we elect new officers.”

“My vision, then, is to fix our focus not on ‘my vision’ but on our vision,” Barber says. “The president protects the rights of the messenger body by conducting the meeting fairly and according to our rules of order. The person holding that gavel on the platform is there not to advance an agenda but to receive one.”

Further discussing his hashtag #ArmyOfPeacemakers, Barber explains where the idea came from.

“I stared in disbelief and laughed out loud when, while performing research for my dissertation, I discovered that way back in 1902, when the Arkansas Baptist State Convention faced a looming split, they appointed a ‘Peace Committee,’” Barber says. “It was such a startling discovery for me because I had lived through the time when in 1987 the Southern Baptist Convention had convened a ‘Peace Committee’ during the Conservative Resurgence. Neither effort achieved its goals.”

Benedict XVI Turns 95 As Book Focuses on Anomaly of 2 Popes

Nicole Winfield

April 21, 2022

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI turned 95 this past weekend, a significant milestone on its own but even more given he has now been a retired pope longer than he was a reigning one.

To mark the occasion, a new book sets out to examine the current state of Vatican affairs not so much through the lens of Pope Francis’ nine-year papacy, but via Benedict’s nine-year retirement. And it isn’t pretty.

Veteran Italian commentator Massimo Franco’s “The Monastery,” published in Italy on Thursday, shifts the focus of most books about the Holy See by using Benedict’s retirement home in a converted monastery in the Vatican gardens as the prism to view the unprecedented anomaly of having two popes, one reigning and one retired, living together in the Vatican.

In real-life scenes befitting the Netflix drama “The Two Popes,” the book paints a picture of two papal courts that started out on excellent terms: Francis referred to Benedict as a “wise grandfather” to whom he turned for advice, and Benedict treated Francis with the deference owed to a pope.

But in retelling the past nine years with unusual access to Benedict’s team and his allies, Franco notes that Vatican turf wars and the progressive shift of the church in places like Benedict’s native Germany have essentially turned “The Monastery” into the symbolic headquarters of the Francis opposition. And Benedict, he writes, has become the unwitting and unwilling point of reference for right-wing, Catholic traditionalists who loathe Francis.

“The Monastery is the place where people hurt by Francis go to be healed,” Cardinal Gerhard Mueller, who himself was sacked by Francis early on as the Vatican’s doctrine chief, told Franco.

The book takes as its starting point Benedict’s 2013 revolutionary decision to retire — the first pope in 600 years to do so. Benedict stepped down because he said he no longer had the strength to carry on. But the book traces many of the problems afflicting the church today to the unhealed “trauma” that his abdication, and unexpectedly long retirement, have caused.

The problems “are not Francis’ fault or Benedict’s fault,” Franco said in an interview. “It’s the byproduct or the inevitable, unavoidable product, of The Resignation.”

For a church that prizes unity and sees in the figure of the pope Christ’s vicar on Earth, confusion about who is really pope or the specter of a parallel papacy is no small thing. And most Vatican watchers agree that Benedict’s experiment with resignation will have to be corrected and regulated with a set of norms before any future pope decides to follow suit.

Franco, a columnist with leading daily Corriere della Sera, recounts some of the key hiccups that have characterized the last nine years, starting with Benedict’s refusal in 2018 to endorse an 11-volume set of books about Francis’ theology because it included authors who had criticized his own papacy. Benedict’s endorsement had been sought by Francis’ then-communications guru, Monsignor Dario Vigano, precisely to show the continuity between the two popes and to quiet traditionalist critics who considered Francis’ theology wanting.

ERLC Event: Serving Refugees Part of Great Commission

Tom Strode

April 21, 2022

ERLC refugees — ERLC acting president Brent Leatherwood (top left) hosted panelists Bryant Wright (clockwise from top right), Matthew Soerens and Bri Stensrude to discuss how Christians can best s serve refugees in their communities.

NASHVILLE (BP) – Ministering to the world’s refugees can be an outgrowth of a Great Commission culture in a church, the audience for a Southern Baptist-sponsored webinar was told Tuesday (April 19).

The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) hosted an online event titled “How Christians Can Serve Refugees” at a time when millions of people have fled Ukraine, Afghanistan and other countries as a result of wars and political instability. While many Ukrainians and Afghans have left their homes in recent months for nearby countries, some are seeking resettlement in the United States, providing American Christians opportunities to serve them and share the Gospel of Jesus.

“[I]f there’s one thing that has unified evangelical Christians through the years and Southern Baptists through the years, it is the Great Commission,” Send Relief President Bryant Wright told the webinar audience. “Evangelical culture is passionate about the Great Commission, and [ministry to refugees] is an area to build on that passion of the Great Commission, of sharing the Good News with folks.

“[L]et’s begin with Christ’s mission. Let’s begin with the Great Commission,” Wright said when asked to give advice to pastors. “And when that culture begins to develop in the life of the church, then ministry to refugees is just one part of carrying out Christ’s Great Commission.

“[W]hen a church becomes passionate about the Great Commission, and a church begins to go, a church begins to send people on mission to the different people groups around the earth, then that church begins to have a different heart about the world, a different heart about people who are different from us.”

The Great Commission refers to Jesus’ message to His followers at the close of the New Testament book of Matthew to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.”

Care for refugees is one of the focus areas of Send Relief, the Southern Baptist Convention’s compassion ministry carried out through the cooperative efforts of the North American Mission Board and International Mission Board. Send Relief encourages churches to proclaim the Gospel while meeting practical needs. Its current projects in 2022 are serving nearly 487,000 displaced people in Eastern Europe. Last year, Send Relief served 171,287 people in its ministry to care for refugees and mobilized 2,445 people to serve.

More than 26 million people around the world are refugees, and a total of 84 million people are forcibly displaced, nearly 50 million within their countries, according to the latest statistics from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The UNHCR reported April 20 that 5 million people have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded in February. More than 10½ million people – nearly a quarter of Ukraine’s population – have been displaced either within the country or abroad as refugees, according to the U.N. agency.

People “are forced to make the decision to migrate for survival. That is the overarching reason for migration,” said Bri Stensrud, director of Women of Welcome, a nonpartisan group that advocates for refugees and immigrants.

The specific reasons for migration include war, civil unrest, persecution, political power struggles and decisions by world leaders, such as the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan last year and the Russian invasion of Ukraine this year, Stensrud said.

Archbishop Resigns From Anglican Church of Canada Over Sexual Misconduct

Kathryn Post

April 21, 2022

(RNS) — An archbishop in the Anglican Church of Canada has resigned due to “acknowledged sexual misconduct,” according to a letter from the denomination’s top official.

“With regret and sorrow, the Church announces receipt of allegations of sexual misconduct concerning Archbishop Mark MacDonald,” the April 20 announcement said, noting his resignation was effective immediately.

“This is devastating news,” the letter said. “The sense of betrayal is deep and profound when leaders fail to live up to the standards we expect and the boundaries we set.”

MacDonald had been national Indigenous Anglican archbishop of the ACC since 2019. He became the denomination’s first national Indigenous Anglican bishop in 2007, giving him oversight of Indigenous members of the denomination. He was previously bishop of Alaska in the Episcopal Church, from 1997-2007, and is known for his climate justice advocacy.

In March, MacDonald was awarded a Cross of St. Augustine by the archbishop of Canterbury “for outstanding service to support the Communion’s role in creation care and climate justice, including the voice of Indigenous peoples,” according to the archbishop of Canterbury’s website.

In MacDonald’s absence, ACC top official Primate Linda Nicholls has appointed Bishop Sidney Black, who is currently an Indigenous bishop within the Diocese of Calgary, as interim national Indigenous bishop.

“The ripple effects of this misconduct will be felt throughout the Church both in Canada and internationally, but most especially within the Sacred Circle and Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples,” Nicholls wrote in her letter. “We mourn with them.” Sacred Circles are national gatherings of Indigenous Anglicans, according to the ACC website.

Nicholls also called for prayers for the complainant, as well as for MacDonald and his family.

The announcement from the ACC’s General Synod, or governing body, said the group is in the process of reviewing its sexual harassment policy, especially in regard to trainings and procedures.

The Scientific Meltdown Over a Controversial Discovery of ‘Biblical Sodom’

Jerry Pattengale

April 21, 2022

Sodom — The archaeological site of Tall el-Hammam in western Jordan. Photo by Deg777/Wikipedia/Creative Commons

(RNS) — What everyone agrees on is that something unusual happened at Tall el-Hammam, an ancient settlement near the Dead Sea.

In a layer of ancient earth, archaeologists claim to have found evidence of an apocalyptic event: Melted rooftops. Disintegrated pottery. Unusual patterns in the rock formations that can be associated with intense heat. For another three to six centuries after 1650 B.C., the settlement’s 100 acres lay fallow.

But when Steven Collins, the principal archaeologist at Tall el-Hammam, considered the scientists’ evidence in an article that ran last year in the respected scientific journal Nature, he claimed that the incineration matched with the place and timing of the biblical account of Sodom and Gomorrah. This brought down on himself what in academic circles might be called hellfire.

That story of Sodom and its sister city Gomorrah is one of the Bible’s best-known stories. Abraham bargains with God to spare Sodom — even then synonymous with sin — to save its few righteous residents. The Lord was having none of it. “Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah,” the Book of Genesis says. Abraham looks back and sees “dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace.”

On the face of it, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to see possible connections between Tell el-Hammam. But in a real sense you do.

Led by Collins, dean of the College of Archaeology at Trinity Southwest University, 21 experts from 19 research institutions weighed in on Tall el-Hammam’s remains, concluding that the nature of the destruction suggested a massive airburst or comet.

“The proposed airburst was larger than the 1908 explosion over Tunguska, Russia, where a 50-m-wide bolide” — a meteor that explodes in midair — “detonated with 1000× more energy than the Hiroshima atomic bomb.”

These scholars, more than half with scientific posts, also claimed that the “destruction matrix,” which they put at around 1650 B.C., “is highly unusual and atypical of archaeological strata throughout the ancient Near East.”

What was unlike destruction caused by earthquakes or warfare were pottery shards with their outer surfaces melted into glass, some bubbled as if boiled, “bubbled” and melted building brick and plaster, suggesting some unknown high-temperature event. Objects of daily life, carbonized pieces of wooden beams, charred grain, bones and limestone cobbles were burned to a chalklike consistency.

But last month Steven Jaret, a postdoctoral fellow at the American Museum of Natural History, and R. Scott Harris, a space scientist at Atlanta’s Fernbank Science Center, challenged these conclusions of the 21 scholars, also in Nature, basically hinting that Collins’ group confused run-of-the-mill smelting and pottery processes with heat from an airburst.

A burgeoning group of scientists agree with these two, making much of the fact that Collins’ school is “an unaccredited Bible college.” Paul Braterman, blogging at Primate’s Progress, headlined his take, “an airburst of gullibility.”

“It certainly raises suspicions when an archaeologist makes dramatic claims like ‘this site is Biblical Sodom’ and that person is not credentialed as we expect,” said James Hoffmeier, emeritus professor of Near Eastern archaeology and Old Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, in an interview with Religion News Service.

The Silence of the Church on LGBT Issues and Steps Toward Change

Julie Harren Hamilton

April 21, 2022

I hesitated to write this article because I am not a pastor or a theologian. But I am a Christian counselor, working with the wounded, and desperate for the spiritual back-up of the Church. I often feel like a paramedic, out in the field, treating people on the scene, ready to send the wounded to the hospital, but finding hospitals no longer assist with these types of cases.

The wounded I treat are the victims of the sexual revolution which eventually led to the LGBT movement. They are bombarded with the lies of the culture—“born gay, can’t change; it’s harmful to try to change; gay is good; dissent is bad; gender is inconsequential.” As a former president of a research organization that reviewed the science behind the issue of homosexuality, I know those claims are false. And as a Christian, I know that God has a plan for people who have unwanted same-sex attractions—attractions that are neither genetic nor a choice. I know God also has more for people who are dissatisfied with their biological sex or who feel uncomfortable in their bodies. But part of the tragedy is that people who are deceived by the cultural lies are not hearing these truths.

The Silence of the Church

LGBT issues are the issues of the day. I meet with teenagers and young adults who are immersed in cultural deception. They say they have same-sex attractions, or they want to be the opposite sex. Their parents are telling them God’s Word says not to act on those feelings, that there are other options for them. However, their siblings, peer group, and culture are telling them God’s Word is outdated or misinterpreted and they would be denying their true selves if they did not act on their feelings. They are not sure whether to believe their parents or the culture. I ask them what their pastors say about it. They tell me their pastors and youth pastors say nothing about it.

As a therapist, one of my jobs is to help clients accomplish their goals. Yet some of the clients facing same-sex attraction or gender confusion are unclear about their goals. They seem to be more confused now than ever before. As the culture speaks louder on these issues, the churches and Christian schools seem to be going silent. As I try to help my clients navigate confusion and internal conflict, I often feel desperate to have the backup of their churches and Christian schools. While some churches and schools are effectively addressing these topics, many are not. I am not exactly sure why the Church at large has grown silent on these issues, but I have some theories:

Lacking Expertise—Some pastors are still willing to lovingly preach from God’s Word, including the sections related to biblical sexuality and prohibitions against all other forms of sexual activity. However, some who still teach Scripture may feel ill-equipped to tackle the specifics of homosexuality and gender dysphoria. In those cases, pastors can invite guest speakers to come and help address these issues and share personal testimonies.

Not wanting to detract from the Gospel—Some pastors and even school principals are concerned that they might turn people away from God if they tackle such controversial issues as LGBT issues. They want to keep the message of salvation open to all without getting caught up in trivial, divisive issues that might push people away from hearing the gospel. This is a great concept, but issues related to identity and sexuality are by no means trivial. For some, these may become issues of life or death and Heaven or Hell. Some who listen to the messages of the culture and embrace a gay or transgender identity will end up walking away from God completely. Without an understanding of God’s perspective on these issues, without a concept of why they have these feelings and what they can do about it, many will follow the powerful trend of our day and go the way of their flesh. The Bible is clear that a person cannot follow the flesh and yield to the Holy Spirit at the same time (Romans 8:5-13).

Jesus emphasized complete surrender, even at the risk of turning people away. When the rich young ruler asked Jesus how he could be saved, Jesus told him to go and sell all that he had and give to the poor. This man went away sad, knowing he could not fully surrender every aspect of his life. Jesus did not hold back, knowing the man would turn away and not receive the gift of eternal life. Jesus made it clear that total surrender is foundational to receiving salvation, and He addressed this man’s specific area of struggle (Mark 10:17-27; Matthew 19:16-22).

Avoiding Offense—In some cases, silence may stem from the influence of recent authors who encourage pastors and Christian leaders to be more “welcoming” and less offensive to the LGBT community. Christians should certainly be known for love, and sadly, Christians have not always been loving or welcoming to the LGBT community. However, in their attempt to be welcoming, these particular authors seem to advocate an unbiblical form of love. They advocate love at the expense of truth. Yet, love without truth is not really love at all. Both love and truth are needed. Either one without the other is incomplete. An unhealthy preoccupation with avoiding offense can lead to silencing the truth.

You Don’t Have to Panic (or Even Respond) to Every Social Media Critic

Phil Cooke

April 21, 2022

I had an interesting conversation recently with the social media director for a Fortune 500 company. A few years ago they had a disastrous PR situation when their advertising agency released a TV commercial that apparently wasn’t vetted well, and their customers – and the general public – hated it.

In fact, they hated it so much, social media lit up to the point that the company had 40-50 people monitoring their social media accounts 24/7. The social media director told me that the flare up lasted about two weeks, and then everything went pretty much back to normal.

In spite of that experience, I asked for his opinion about dealing with critics online and he was surprisingly calm. He told me that anytime you have a controversial message, take a bold stand, or deal with the culture at large you’ll get online critics.

His advice?

Accept it. Understand that it will happen, and don’t feel obligated to respond to every one. Certainly there are posts that should be responded to, and some critics can be taken offline so you can talk directly to the critic. On the other hand, there are also a lot of jerks and trolls out there who will dedicate an enormous amount of time to trying to destroy your reputation online. But as awful as it feels to see wrong information, lies, and misinformation about your organization, client, or you, you shouldn’t always or automatically respond.

Monitor it, and keep aware of what’s happening. But to focus on it – especially to the extent you neglect your future – is to let the enemy win.

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

How Our Men’s Group Experiences the Gift of Tears

Joe Long

April 21, 2022

Not many people attend a small group meeting expecting to experience the gift of tears.

“I don’t even know why I’m crying” – I’ve heard this statement more than once in my life. I’ve even said it out loud myself. But when I hear it in my prayer group, it has a different meaning.

Many men are taught at a young age that crying is a weakness. But tapping into and showing this type of emotion might be the most important aspect of deep community. But I’ve spent the majority of my life cut off from this type of vulnerability. I rarely saw it from my Dad, who saw it even less from his father. I was never told that men don’t cry or that it wasn’t OK, I just decided (based on my experience and what the world was saying
)that it was something only reserved for funerals and championship game defeats.

This has changed in the past few years thanks to a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit and a better understanding of myself. And one of the most common places I find myself in tears is at Prayer Dudes, a small group within our church where men come together to pray for each other. The name might lack depth but our times together do not. The process itself is simple yet challenging.

The Gift of Tears

We gather a couple times a month in groups of 4-8. A Psalm is typically read at the start to help us push away distractions and focus on God. Then, whoever is ready to share talks about what is going on in their life and then asks for prayer with that in mind. Everyone listens and might ask for clarity, but we do our best to shy away from counseling or advice: two things that are fantastic but not the point of our time together. Then we ask to be more aware of what the Holy Spirit is doing and saying.

Then we wait. And sometimes we wait a long time.

Because we believe that God wants to talk to us today but we aren’t great listeners, the silence is essential. The silence used to bother me and I felt like if I didn’t step forward and pray that it would be too awkward for the person that was receiving. But I’m getting more and more comfortable with the silence.

Inevitably, someone will feel like God is putting a scripture on their heart for the guy that is receiving. Sometimes we get pictures and do our best to explain them and see if what we are hearing is from God and if it makes sense to the person. There are times we are praying for physical healing as well.

And we do it all with a scripture from I Corinthians in mind:

. . . the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. (I Corinthians 14:3)

This short phrase really helps us all stay focused on what we are doing. Most of us have at one time or another felt like what we were sensing was from God but actually confirming that out loud was too intimidating. One way to vet those things out is to run things through those filters:

Is this strengthening?

Is this encouraging?

Is this comforting?

We lay on hands and pray out loud, with our eyes open while the man that is receiving often stands with his hands out in a posture of receiving. And sometimes, we can see the Holy Spirit move. Bodies shake, people feel heat, waves of peace arrive, and often, the dudes in our group cry. They experience the gift of tears.

Richard Foster’s amazing book (simply titled Prayer) talks about a time in the not too distant past when men sought after tears rather than trying to control them or repress their emotions. They called it the ‘charism of tears’ and felt that the men most to be pitied are “those who go through life with dry eyes and cold hearts.” I call it the gift of tears because I see the emotional release as a true gift from God that unlocks things that only he can unlock. It reminds us of the tenderness and love he has for us.

It’s also an invitation into more.

Of course, most of the time guys don’t shake and what God is doing beneath the surface isn’t obvious. But when we notice what the Spirit is doing, it gives us a chance to focus our prayers at that inflection point. And I’ve found that God always wants to do more when that happens.

After each guy receives prayer, they talk about what they were feeling and hearing during the prayer. This gives the rest of us a better idea of what God was doing beneath the surface and provides some clues about how we can pray for each other moving forward. And sometimes the gift of tears arrives at this point, showing us that God wants to do more and that we need to take some more time with that person.

Finally, each guy is tasked with some sort of to-do at the end. A self assigned item to respond to what God was doing and saying while they were receiving prayer. And when we gather again we ask how that went or how it is going. This accountability is sometimes the difference between a short but valuable experience and a lasting step into maturity and invitation from Jesus.

Overall, our sessions last over 2 hours because each guy receives prayer for about 20-30 minutes. And nobody can hide! You can’t “pass.” When it’s your turn you have to share and the men that are the most vulnerable typically get the most out of the experience.

It’s a commitment of over 2 hours on most mornings when we get together.

For most of us, it’s a time when we can grow deeper in relationship with each other and with God. No matter what happens when we are together, it’s the start of a conversation with our Creator. Taking what we heard or experienced to Him through the week and asking for clarity is the best approach, even though it’s easy to forget.

Finally, here are a few questions you might want to ask yourself .

- Do you have a group of men you can be vulnerable with?
- How about a group that practices listening to the Holy Spirit and delivering a thought or a word when it might not resonate?
- Are you accountable to anyone with the actions you want to take in response to what God is saying to you?

Joe Long is one of the elder/leaders of the Vineyard Church in Covington, Kentucky.

Final T4G Kicks off With Nearly 12,000 in Attendance; Cofounders Explain What Together for the Gospel Means ‘When We’re so Divided’

Jesse T. Jackson

April 20, 2022

Tuesday kicked off the ninth and final Together for the Gospel (T4G) conference in Louisville, Kentucky, which boasted over 11,500 in attendance. Most in attendance are pastors at local churches and represent a variety of evangelical denominations.

During the first panel titled “Addressing the Elephant in the Room: What Does Together for the Gospel Mean When We’re So Divided,” Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan, H.B. Charles, and Greg Glibert discussed why they believe there is so much division within the church over the last few years.

What does it mean to have this title “Together for the Gospel” when there as been so much division in evangelicalism, Dever asked the panel.

After Charles and Gilbert briefly shared their thoughts, T4G cofounder Duncan shared a conversation the panel had before they took the stage, saying, “The kinds of things that we struggled to overcome were different in 2006 than now. So we knew it when an interesting group of people came together at Louisville in 2006.”

“Continuationists and cessations, Baptists and Presbyterians—that’s an older division. But people from fundamentalist bodies, who were a little bit worried about folks that were associated broader evangelical circles, were intrigued by the fact that we were willing to draw really big, bold theological lines on the important doctrines,” Duncan went on to say. “In that moment in 2006, there was a lot of coming together for the first time. We saw different groups that didn’t normally associate or interact. And that was incredibly encouraging to all of us. And it remained encouraging for the next six years. There was a lot of excitement and encouragement.”

Duncan then pointed to Shai Linne’s book titled “The New Reformation: Finding Hope in the Fight for Ethnic Unity,” because of the timeline Linne provides regarding some of the issues that began to unravel their unity.

“Now the things in the last few years that have that have drawn a lot of attention have been things like race, social justice, police, politics, and pandemic. I’ve found that even in local churches that [they] are divided over how to handle the pandemic,” he said. “And I’ll speak to a pastor who says, ‘Well, you know, I’ve had members leave, because I’m not pro mask enough. And then I’ve had members leave because I’m not anti-mask enough.’”

This makes pastors feel caught in the middle of how they respond to the pandemic, Duncan continued. “Then politics, and then how to process what’s been going on in terms of racial and social justice in the culture—you’ll have the same guy, the same church, with two different groups of people disappointed that he’s been too-something and not-something-enough. So I’ve seen this playing out at the local level, not just at the conference level,” which shouldn’t be a surprise to any of us, he explained.

We are witnessing the same thing that has happened to churches over the last 500 years that has caused divisions within their denominations and local bodies, Duncan shared to conclude his answer. “I think we’re seeing that play out right now.”

Dever, T4G’s other cofounder, said that some people are using the fact that this the last T4G “as a chance to write the obituary for young, restless and reformed.” He shared that one writer made the comment that many people see T4G as a conference that stands for a “kind of moment,” and because the conference is will no longer be held, it is an identifying mark that the movement T4G stands for coming to an end.

‘Take and Eat’—Burger King Apologizes for Easter Ad Campaign Using the Words of Jesus

Jessica Mouser

April 20, 2022

A Burger King campaign in Spain released during Holy Week has backfired—thousands are calling, not for juicy burgers, but for a boycott. The campaign included the phrases “flesh of my flesh” and “take and eat of it,” the latter of which echoes the words of Jesus when he instituted the sacrament of communion.

“We apologize to all those who have been offended by our campaign aimed at promoting our vegetable products at Easter,” Burger King’s Spain account tweeted on April 17, which was Easter Sunday [Editor’s note: All translations of quotes in Spanish were obtained through Google Translate]. “Our intention has never been to offend anyone and the immediate withdrawal of the campaign has already been requested.”

Pedimos disculpas a todos aquellos que se hayan sentido ofendidos por nuestra campaña dirigida a promocionar nuestros productos vegetales en Semana Santa. Nuestra intención nunca ha sido ofender a nadie y ya ha sido solicitada la retirada inmediata de la campaña.

— Burger King (@burgerking_es) April 17, 2022

Burger King Campaign Angers Christians in Spain

About 60% of the population of Spain is Catholic and it is traditional for members of the Catholic Church to give up meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and Fridays during Lent. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis explains:

Since Jesus sacrificed his flesh for us on Good Friday, we refrain from eating flesh meat in his honor on Fridays. Flesh meat includes the meat of mammals and poultry, and the main foods that come under this heading are beef and pork, chicken and turkey. While flesh is prohibited, the non-flesh products of these animals are not, things like milk, cheese, butter, and eggs. Fish do not belong to the flesh meat category.

It is common for fast-food restaurants such as Burger King and McDonald’s to market vegetarian and pescatarian options during the season of Lent to appeal to their Catholic customers.

A photo circulating on Twitter shows two ads from the Burger King campaign. One pictures a burger with the text, “All of you take and eat of it,” noting the burger is vegetarian. The other says, “Flesh of my flesh,” phrasing that echoes the words of Adam when he first sees Eve as recounted in Genesis 2. In that ad, the word “flesh” is crossed out and “vegetable” is written in its place.

While some found the campaign funny and creative, the ads angered others. “Burger King has heavily insulted the Catholic Church in Spain by repeating the sacred words of the priests during mass,” tweeted one user. “Now they compare the Holy body of Jesus to burger meat.”

Twitter user P. Juan Manuel Góngora, whose profile says he is a priest and hospital chaplain, tweeted, “Hello @burgerking_es. Due to your offensive campaign against the Eucharist, I advise my more than 46,000 followers never to go to an establishment of yours again. Let’s see if that’s how we learn respect. #BoycottBurgerKing.”

#BoycottBurgerKing @burgerking_es @BurgerKingMX por la falta de respeto a #JesusCristo #Dios a la comunidad #catolica #cristiana #cristianos #SemanaSanta2022 pic.twitter.com/1SpFnAHXCB

— Jacob Herrera E (@JacobHerreraE) April 17, 2022

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