Lifeway Research: Few Americans Confident They Could Tell Biblical Christmas Story

December 1, 2021

Most people in America may hang Christmas decorations and exchange gifts on December 25, but few say they could give all the details about the biblical Christmas story.

A Lifeway Research study finds 9 in 10 U.S. adults say they celebrate Christmas, including many non-Christians. Overall, 91% of Americans celebrate the Christmas holiday, unchanged from 2010.

“Americans may celebrate the Christmas holiday in many different ways, but very few skip a Christmas celebration completely,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “Even many of those who aren’t as familiar with the story of Jesus’ birth find ways to observe the holiday.”

Catholics (99%) and Protestants (97%) are most likely to commemorate the day of Jesus’ birth. Still, significant majorities of Americans of other religions (74%) and those with no religious affiliation (82%) also celebrate Christmas. Women (94%) are more likely than men (89%) to observe the holiday.

Geographically, the most Christmas spirit may reside in the Midwest (94%), as residents there are more likely to say they celebrate than those in the Northeast (88%).

Christmas Confusion

In a 2018 Lifeway Research study, 65% of Americans said Christmas should be more about Jesus. While 2 in 3 may want more Christ in Christmas, most couldn’t give you all the details of Jesus’ birth story.

Slightly more than 1 in 5 Americans (22%) say they could accurately tell the Christmas story found in the Bible from memory. A plurality of U.S. adults (31%) say they could tell the story but may miss some details or get others wrong. Another quarter (25%) could only give a quick overview and 17% say they couldn’t tell any of it.

“While fictional Christmas stories seem to multiply each year, the biblical account of Jesus Christ’s birth is unchanged since it was recorded in the Bible,” said McConnell. “Yet almost half of Americans do not think they could share the Christmas story somewhat accurately from memory. Of all the Christmas programs churches offer in December, possibly the most important is simply reading the biblical account of the Christmas story itself.”

Anti-Vax Christian Broadcaster Marcus Lamb Dies of COVID-19; Son Said Lamb’s Illness Was a ‘Spiritual Attack’

Dale Chamberlain

December 1, 2021

Marcus Lamb, a Christian broadcaster who is known for his vocal opposition to the COVID-19 vaccination, passed away from complications related to the coronavirus on Tuesday, November 30. He was 64.

Lamb was diabetic, which is a risk factor for COVID-19 complications.

Daystar Television Network, of which Lamb was the co-founder, president, and CEO, confirmed Lamb’s passing in an announcement made on Twitter. “It’s with a heavy heart we announce that Marcus Lamb, president and founder of Daystar Television Network, went home to be with the Lord this morning,” the announcement read. “The family asks that their privacy be respected as they grieve this difficult loss. Please continue to lift them up in prayer.”

In a November 23 broadcast of Daystar’s “Ministry Now,” Lamb’s son, Jonathan, who was guest hosting during his father’s absence, said of Lamb’s illness, “You know, there’s no doubt in my mind that this is a spiritual attack from the enemy.” At the time, the elder Lamb was in the hospital with COVID-19 related pneumonia. Lamb was seeking to combat the virus with ivermectin, which has not been approved by the FDA in the treatment or prevention of COVID-19.

“As much as my parents have gone on here to kind of inform everyone about everything going on in the pandemic and some of the ways to treat COVID, there’s no doubt that the enemy is not happy about that,” the younger Lamb continued. “And he’s doing everything he can to take down my dad. But we are standing strong in prayer.”

Daystar, which has claimed to be the second-largest Christian television network in the world, has been a vocal dissenter of COVID-19 vaccinations and pandemic protocols, releasing programs such as “Vaccines: The Unauthorized Truth,” “Exposing COVID & Revealing Protocols,” and “Uncensored Science: Plague of Deception.”

In a program called “Truth Variant,” Lamb’s wife, Joni, hosted Dr. Peter McCullough, who is an advocate for the use of hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19 and has been accused of spreading misinformation about the pandemic.

For programs like these, Jonathan Lamb believes that demonic forces brought upon Lamb’s contraction of COVID-19 in an effort to suppress what he believes to be the truth about these unapproved medical practices in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments in Case that Could Overturn Roe

Dale Chamberlain

December 1, 2021

On Wednesday, December 1, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which many predict could be the most pivotal abortion case since Roe v. Wade.

Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization centers on a 2018 Mississippi law that banned abortion at 15 weeks of pregnancy, except for in cases of medical emergencies or severe fetal abnormality. The law has been challenged as unconstitutional by those who argue the law violates the precedent set by Roe v. Wade, establishing the standard of fetal viability at 24 weeks.

Unlike the Texas Heartbeat Act, the law enacted by Mississippi would be enforced by the state. The Texas law, which bans abortion after six weeks and is enforceable only through private civil litigation, is also pending a Supreme Court decision in the case of Whole Woman’s Health v. Jackson.

These cases have invigorated pro-life activists, with many of them hoping that the conservative leaning SCOTUS will render a decision in favor of greater abortion restrictions. Many evangelicals cite President Donald Trump’s nominations of conservative justices to the Supreme Court as the reason for voting for him, hoping that a conservative SCOTUS would overturn Roe. Those nominations include Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanuagh, and Amy Coney Barrett. Barrett replaced the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

In anticipation of the Supreme Court’s decision, many evangelicals have been rallying together in prayer. On November 28, New Horizon Church in Jackson, MS hosted an event called Pray Together for Life. The historically Black congregation also broadcasted the prayer rally to locations around the nation.

While the Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a ruling may not come quickly. Some are predicting that the justices will not announce their decision until “much later in the term.”

Watch the livestream of the oral arguments for Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization below.

Gerardo Martí: What Pastors Need to Learn From the Collapse of Robert H. Schuller’s Megachurch

Jessica Lea

December 1, 2021

The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast · Gerardo Martí: What Pastors Need to Learn From the Collapse of Robert H. Schuller’s Megachurch

Dr. Gerardo Martí is a professor of sociology at Davidson College and president-elect of the Association for the Sociology of Religion. His research and teaching focus on race, religion, and social change. Gerardo is the author of several books, including “The Glass Church: Robert H. Schuller, the Crystal Cathedral, and the Strain of Megachurch Ministry” (with Mark Mulder), “Latino Protestants in America: Growing and Diverse” (with Mark Mulder and Aida Ramos), and “The Deconstructed Church: Understanding Emerging Christianity” (with Gladys Ganiel).

Other Ways to Listen to This Podcast With Dr. Gerardo Martí

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Key Questions for Dr. Gerardo Martí

-What modern church leaders are influenced by Robert Schuller?

-How did Robert Schuller’s Crystal Cathedral church collapse, and what lessons can church leaders take from this story?

-Is the megachurch model inherently problematic? Are smaller churches better?

-How do you measure success in ministry?

Key Quotes From Dr. Gerardo Martí

“Robert H. Schuller was one of the most prominent leaders who not only built his own church but provided a paradigm for how to have a successful church. And what Robert Schuller seemed to have solved was how to have a stable and strong church that you would be able to count on being there for generations. And the surprising aspect of this ministry that influenced thousands of other church leaders is how quickly it imploded.”

“Schuller thought that you should manage your church like a firm. And he had no problem calling himself the president, not the pastor, of the Crystal Cathedral.”

“You’ve got to have constituents, charisma and capital. But if any of those go out of whack, then that out of whack can create a spiral, you see. That’s really what happened over time with Robert Schuller.”

“I think that Schuller never really believed that anybody else could carry the ministry in the same way because they wouldn’t be able to attract the funding in the same way that he had for many years. So he believed that the constituents were faithful to him, not necessarily the church, that the charisma was unique to him and could not be easily shared with anybody else, and therefore that the capital was also tied to his person.”

“We moved into the 2000s, post-9/11, you have the bankruptcies and the financial crises that happen in 2008-2009—those are all things that affected Robert Schuller’s ministry. So then when Robert Schuller said, ‘You know, we just need one more project’ and created yet another project, built another building, made another architectural marvel, the price tag was just too high.”

5 Things Men Should Know About Submission

Dave Willis

December 1, 2021

How do you understand submission in the Bible?

I have a distant relative who loves his church, loves his children and seems very sincere in his faith and his convictions, but he’s had two divorces in the past five years. He had always been a faithful husband and a hard-working provider, so he seemed genuinely shocked when two consecutive marriages dissolved because both women wanted a separation. Both divorces left him reeling and asking questions that seemed to have no clear answers.

It’s not my place to judge why either of these marriages ultimately ended, but I’m firmly convinced that one factor was his misunderstanding of the Biblical concept of “submission” in marriage.

In our years of doing marriage ministry, my wife, Ashley, and I have seen that one of the most controversial, misused and misunderstood marriage teachings in the Bible is on this issue of submission. Taken out of context, some men have used the Apostle Paul’s exhortation for wives to submit to their husbands as a license to enforce their will over their wives with an iron fist. Some have used this verse as a trump card to end every disagreement and to make sure his preferences always came before hers. Here is the Scripture:

“For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.” –Ephesians 5:22-24

I’m not saying this is what happened in my relative’s failed marriages, but I have heard him often refer to these submission passages with a feeling of righteous indignation when his wife would not see things his way. On more than one occasion, I would see a look of hopelessness, frustration or despair as he again quoted the passage leveraging the Bible verse as an authoritative tool to justify whatever demand he was making.

See where I’m going with this? Paul doesn’t mention anything about doing what one feels like doing in Ephesians 5. He simply tells wives to respect their husbands, and he tells husbands to love their wives. He offers these as wise choices and behaviors that lead to a godly, thriving marriage.

It probably seemed to his family that the verse about submission Bible was the most important passage of Scripture to him when it came to how he wanted his household to run. In their own words, I’ve heard each of those two women express their heartache over never feeling truly loved or adored by him.

If the legalistic, chauvinistic, misogynistic application of this submission concept leads only to bullying, heartache and divorce, then we must be off base. That’s certainly not God’s vision for marriage, so it cannot be the correct interpretation of this concept. I want to humbly offer a new way of viewing this concept of submission in the Bible.

Submission in the Bible

In light of all the Bible teaches about love and marriage, I believe there are five important factors men need to understand about submission in the Bible. In no particular order…

1. Submission in marriage always begins with MUTUAL submission to Christ.

This passage about how husbands and wives should act and interact in marriage begins with a call to mutual submission in Christ (Ephesians 5:21). He is the head of the marriage and ultimate leader and authority. If we are not submitting to His word and His will, we will never be able to live, lead or love the way God intended.

2. God is offended when his daughters are mistreated or bullied.

Men, did you know that one of the few behaviors the Bible lists as something that will actually hinder your prayers is being harsh with your wife (see 1 Peter 3:7)? The tone of your words will shape the tone of your marriage. God is giving us husbands a clear mandate to treat our wives with tenderness, respect, support and encouragement.

3. It’s never a husband’s job to “make” his wife submit.

This passage of Scripture never instructs the husband to enforce anything over his wife. In fact the Bible warns of Gentiles (unbelievers) who lord authority over others. In Christ, leadership is about serving.

Modesty, Yoga Pants and 5 Myths You Need to Know

Phylicia Masonheimer

November 30, 2021

(This post about modesty is written to Christian women and is based on a biblical worldview, supported with Scripture. Since the writing of this post, a sequel has been written, 5 Reasons Men Should Be Modest, Too.)

Hurriedly I raked through my second dresser drawer in the dim light of the unlit closet, scrambling for pants of some kind. Finding some, I grabbed a workout shirt, jammed feet into tennis shoes and breathlessly answered the door for Mr. M.

“Ready for breakfast?” he asked.

We cooked breakfast together and headed downtown to go for a walk by the James, where a paved path was perfect for running. By the time we got there, however, our plans changed to the farmer’s market (our Saturday favorite), Estate Consignments and coffee at a little shop beside the bank.

As we walked into the estate store Mr. M glanced at my outfit. The pants I had found in my harried search were workout capris—otherwise known as yoga pants. “You know … ” he said. “You are dressed a lot like those girls you always comment on at the gym.”

We had talked about this before. Mr. M has requested, not commanded, that I refrain from wearing the pants to the gym, and really not in public at all. But I’d ignored the request, and here I was walking down the sidewalk in them.

“I was kind of surprised you wore them,” he said sadly.

I picked at the tag on a buffet table, glancing at myself in a mirror in the corner. It was just one request he had made—a request based on what he knew of his own male mind and the minds of the men around him. But I wanted MY way, so I ignored it.

(For those who wonder why my husband felt comfortable advising me on my clothing, read Is Biblical Submission Dangerous?)

I like those pants. I like them because not only are they comfortable—as all yoga pants are—but I look trendy. I look like one of those suburban moms with a ponytail, pushing her children through the market in a twin-seat stroller. And I like that look, regardless of the consequences.

But there are consequences.

The issue here is not that I wore yoga pants. The issue isn’t yoga pants at all, but the principle of the matter. The pants are skin tight. You can see every curve of my lower body. Not only is it attractive to Mr. M, but from several informal interviews, comments and input from other men, it’s a recurring blind spot with Christian women everywhere. It’s about how hot I look, or how I want to dress, regardless of what anybody thinks.

Former Bethel Pastor Addresses ‘Wild Rumors’ About Grave Sucking and Gold Dust

Jessica Lea

November 30, 2021

A woman who was a pastor at Bethel Church and a student at the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM) has addressed a number of the controversies surrounding Bethel, including scandalous accusations that the church practices “grave sucking” and rejects modern medicine.

“Many wild suggestions have been made of the activity within these walls of ‘wacky cheer,’” wrote Carrie Loyd, in a Nov. 15 column for Premier Christianity. “Whatever prosecution may come our way, the one thing we will plead guilty to is our attempts to take risk, to seek him beyond our unbelief. However barbaric, or wacky it may seem. For it is an environment of testimony, and miracles require serious, often humiliating, risk.”

Bethel Church in the Headlines

Bethel Church is a non-denominational megachurch in Redding, Calif., that is known for its focus on the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit and for Bethel Music, a worship collective that creates music used in congregations across the U.S. The church is also known for the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, which offers to “equip you to walk in the gifts of the Spirit, prepare your noble character, and empower you to follow Jesus as He moves powerfully on the earth today.”

Carrie Loyd is a journalist, podcast host, and author of three books who was involved with Bethel for 10 years. In a video for BSSM published in June 2020, Lloyd shared that prior to attending BSSM, she saw God as “wrathful.” At age 25, she rejected him and became an “angry atheist”—but God pursued and “hounded” her.

Prior to attending BSSM, Lloyd said that she had “compartmentalized God.” But her teachers and mentors at BSSM led her to see God as attractive and worth pursuing with her whole heart. What’s more, it was while she was there that God showed her she was his daughter, an experience Lloyd said was “the key to opening up my heart to a whole idea of actually what the whole gospel was about.” Lloyd called BSSM an “adventure for the soul” and “not for the fainthearted.” Now, God is “more real than ever,” and she feels more comfortable than she ever has being vulnerable and being herself.

People have found Bethel Church to be controversial for some time. In the Premier Christianity column, titled, “Grave sucking and gold dust: I spent 10 years at Bethel. Here’s the truth behind the wild rumours,” Lloyd said she has held off on speaking out on behalf of the church “for fear of looking like the defensive child, fending for the name of its family.” However, the lies and divisiveness Lloyd sees Christians perpetuating about Bethel have led her to finally say something. She writes:

Such rumors have not cooled, and have spread wilder than the summer fires that haunt the territory of Redding; and in the many years of Bethel’s momentum, they have been privy to a bevy of gossip: ‘grave soaking’ which then turned to ‘grave sucking’. The buckets left at the front of the stage for vomiting (they’re actually for our offering). The suggestion that us pastors hit the heads of students against a wall until they bleed. The refusal for ambulances when someone is in cardiac arrest, as we teach the students instead to pray for healing. The swimming pool that we recently built in order to teach the students how to walk on water (I only dream of the money this would save on paddle boards). The manifestations of “glory clouds,” a term coined by the on-lookers not the leaders themselves. The suggestion that we have aligned with the far right politically and therefore no room for diversity or discussion. That we are heretics, esoteric and simply “wrong.”

Kanye West’s Thanksgiving Prayer Goes Viral; Ye Admits He Was a ‘Self-Righteous Christian’

Jesse T. Jackson

November 30, 2021

This year on Thanksgiving, Kanye West, who is now known as Ye, posted a 5-minute prayer to Instagram that not only gain over 3 million views but expresses what he feels some Christians need to hear.

In the video, West recited his prayer over audio of the Sunday Service choir singing “Puer (You Reign Forever),” and the prayer is very vulnerable. The prayer West recites could be understood as meant for his fans or perhaps taken as his personal prayer to God confessing sin, and asking for God’s help.

Either way, West pleads to God that his wife Kim Kardashian would come back to him. West said that he thinks every day about how to get his family back together again, and that he takes responsibility for the pain he has caused them.

Many Christians could probably relate to West, as he confessed his struggles with alcohol, describing how he would drink in order to “take the stress away and knock the edge off,” but also how it affected his health and those around him because of the way it increased his “hair trigger” temper.

West confessed that he allows his ego to become overbearing instead of strictly a motivator for his artistry. The “Jesus Is King” musician said, “There are ways to show confidence without arrogance,” then admitting that his temper resulted in screaming that didn’t help keep his family together.

West told God that he was a “self-righteous Christian” when he first came to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, explaining that his already sinful nature made him a Molotov cocktail, just ready to be thrown at whoever disagreed with him. “I was arrogant with my Jesus,” West said. “Like I just got me some Jesus at the Gucci store with a stimulus check.”

The successful entrepreneur also talked about his finances and how he has spent money like “crazy,” but wants to be responsible. West made a Biblical analogy, referring to himself as the priest of his household, saying, “As the priest of my home, I must watch my own money and secure our finances.”

“I’m thankful for the family that my wife has given me. I’m thankful for the life that God has given me,” West began his closing.

Then West concluded by thanking God for His time, attention, and patience.

Kanye West’s Thanksgiving Prayer

Read West’s prayer in its entirety below:

Hello my name is Ye and this is my super, super, super, super, super long Thanksgiving prayer. On this Thanksgiving, I’m so thankful for family. My blood family, my fans, and our haters—we love you too. On Thanksgiving, on Christmas morning, not the night before, not the day before, just the morning. We’re thankful for our current civilization of 8 billion people, our ancestors and our children. I’m writing this prayer on my way back from taking my mini me to his first football game. Saint got to play catch with Tom Brady before the game; this is a god’s dream. My mini me is a mix of two of my favorite things, me and my wife’s face. All I think about every day is how I get my family back together and how I heal the pain that I’ve caused. I take accountability for my actions. New word alert…misactions.

20 Truths from ‘Spiritual Detox: Discovering the Joy of Liberating Confession’

Howard and Holly Satterthwaite

November 30, 2021

I am delighted to feature Howard and Holly Satterthwaite’s new book, “Spiritual Detox.” As I wrote in my endorsement, the most dangerous person in your church is the one who forgot he or she is a sinner. Or, as C.S. Lewis put it in Screwtape Letters, “Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one.”

The regular practice of confession of sin to God helps us to avoid the gradual road toward ignoring sin and its devilish effects. In this inspiring and helpful book, Howard and Holly Satterthwaite walk the reader through the why, the what, and the how of a life of confession before the Lord.

Filled with biblical teaching and helpful application, and interspersed with stirring stories of believers set free through confession, this book is a must read for any believer, but especially for those who struggle with understanding how great is our God’s grace and how full is his forgiveness.

— Ed Stetzer

20 Truths—Spiritual Detox: Discovering the Joy of Liberating Confession

By Howard and Holly Satterthwaite

1. Confession is not a journey of depressing introspection but life-transforming liberation; heavenly joy that transcends earthly circumstances. If we see it as an unpleasant duty rather than an invitation to freedom we’ll struggle to make it a regular part of our daily lives. (11)

2. The challenging climb of confession, although it begins with a descent, will be worth it. Abundant life, joyful forgiveness and intimate fellowship are found at the end of its journey, which, it turns out, is more of a walk. (25)

3. You can choose the way of flourishing or floundering, confessing or concealing. Which will it be? Our hope, of course, is that you’ll say yes and daily confess because your prosperity but also your community’s prosperity depends on it. (26)

4. Failing to confess is like not taking the bin out, the stench of guilt blocks out the aroma of Christ; you lose fellowship with God. This is the context of 1 John 1:9: fellowship, fellowship, fellowship, fellowship. (42)

5. So what exactly is confession? We’re glad you asked. One of our favorite confession definitions comes from seventeenth-century English Puritan Thomas Manton. “Confession is an act of mortification; it is as it were the vomit of the soul.’ (42)

6. This is typically how we can approach God in confession; it’s interesting to note that even our confessing can be tainted with sin. True confession, by contrast, begins with accepting responsibility. It is coming out from hiding, dragging your sins into the open, and siding with God against them. (44)

Lauren Boebert in Call Refuses to Apologize for Anti-Muslim Remarks

Brian Slodysko

November 30, 2021

WASHINGTON (AP) — Days after firebrand conservative Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado was harshly criticized for making anti-Muslim comments about Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat whom she likened to a bomb-carrying terrorist, the two spoke by phone.

By both lawmakers’ accounts, it did not go well.

Monday’s conversation, which Boebert sought after issuing a tepid statement last Friday, offered an opportunity to extend an olive branch in a House riven by tension. Instead, it ended abruptly after Boebert rejected Omar’s request for a public apology, amplifying partisan strife that has become a feature, not a bug, of the GOP since a mob of Donald Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6.

Boebert previously apologized “to anyone in the Muslim community I offended,” but not directly to Omar.

It’s just the latest example of a GOP lawmaker making a personal attack against another member of Congress, an unsettling trend that has gone largely unchecked by House Republican leaders. It also offers a test of Democrats’ newfound resolve to mete out punishment to Republicans.

Earlier this month conservative Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona was censured over a violent video. In February Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia was booted from congressional committees for her inflammatory rhetoric.

After Monday’s phone call, Omar and Boebert quickly issued statements condemning each other.

“I believe in engaging with those we disagree with respectfully, but not when that disagreement is rooted in outright bigotry and hate,” Omar said in a statement. She said she “decided to end the unproductive call.”

Boebert shot back in an Instagram video: “Rejecting an apology and hanging up on someone is part of cancel culture 101 and a pillar of the Democrat Party.”

The chain of events was set in motion over a week ago when a video posted to Facebook showed Boebert speaking before constituents, describing an interaction with Omar — an interaction that Omar maintains never happened.

In the video, the freshman Colorado lawmaker claims that a Capitol Police officer approached her with “fret on his face” shortly before she stepped aboard a House elevator and the doors closed.

“I look to my left and there she is — Ilhan Omar. And I said, ‘Well, she doesn’t have a backpack. We should be fine,’” Boebert says with a laugh.

Newell: Church, Government Can Help Amid Adoption Decline

Tom Strode

November 30, 2021

NASHVILLE (BP) – Caring for orphans and vulnerable children in the United States and around the world calls for multi-faceted ministry by followers of Jesus and helpful public policies amid the dramatic decline in adoptions by Americans, says a leading child-welfare advocate.

The number of children adopted from other countries has fallen by more than 90 percent – from a peak of 22,989 in 2004 to 1,622 in the fiscal year that ended in September 2020, according to the U.S. State Department. Meanwhile, total domestic adoptions in the United States dropped from 133,737 in 2007 to 110,373 in 2014, according to the latest estimate by the National Council for Adoption (NCFA).

In observing National Adoption Awareness Month in November, Herbie Newell, president and executive director of Lifeline Children’s Services, told Baptist Press the church should exercise a three-pronged approach regarding child welfare.

The strategy for Christians should be “caring for the family on the front end and helping them stay together” and “helping put those families back together once those kids have left the house,” he said in a phone interview. “[L]et’s not let kids languish when those aren‘t possibilities, and let’s find opportunities for them through adoption both domestic and international.

“We’ve got to be about building families back,” Newell said. “Adoption is beautiful. Adoption is something we should support. But the first best is that the child would not become vulnerable, would not have to be separated or would not have to be taken away from their family.”

At the same time, adoption needs to increase, he said. Lifeline has experienced excellent results in its family reconciliation work domestically and internationally for more than a decade, “but we’re still seeing kids that that’s not a reality for them,” Newell said. “The truth of the matter is with 140 million orphans in the world, not every single one of them is going to be reconciled and restored to their family.”

Lifeline, which is based in Birmingham, Ala., performs child-welfare work in 23 countries, but most of the 17 with which it partners in intercountry adoptions ask if the agency has more families to receive children into their homes, he said.

Southern Baptist policy specialist Chelsea Sobolik affirmed the need for Americans to adopt children from overseas.

“Every child deserves a safe, permanent and loving family,” said Sobolik, director of public policy for the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), in written comments. “For some children around the world, their only opportunity for a family is through intercountry adoption.

“In some cases, the decline in intercountry adoption is because courts are more open to domestic adoption and foster care, which ought to be applauded,” said Sobolik, who was adopted from overseas and is in the process with her husband Michael of adopting children from India. “But we know that not every child will have the opportunity for a permanent family in their country of origin, and intercountry adoption must be a viable option. Our government and our policies must prioritize the care and adoption of vulnerable children abroad.”

Pope Francis and Macron Meet at the Vatican Amid Clergy Abuse Scandals in France

Claire Giangrave

November 30, 2021

Pope Francis Emmanuel Macron — Pope Francis shakes hands with French President Emmanuel Macron during a meeting at the Vatican, November 26, 2021. Photo by Vatican Media

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — French President Emmanuel Macron met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Friday, where they discussed the future of Europe and the results of the COP26 environmental summit in Glasgow in November.

Macron and the pope spoke in private at the Vatican before meeting with Francis’ right-hand man at the Vatican, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who heads the Vatican’s powerful Secretariat of State. Macron also spoke with Archbishop Paul Gallagher, who handles the Holy See’s relations with states.

“In the course of the talks, a number of international issues were discussed, including environmental protection in the light of the outcome of the recent COP26 in Glasgow,” read a statement from the Vatican (Nov. 26). “There was also an exchange of views on the prospects for the forthcoming French presidency of the European Union, as well as France’s commitment in Lebanon, the Middle East and Africa.”

Macron gifted Pope Francis with two books on the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the pope’s religious order.

The visit by the French president takes place at a time when the Catholic Church in France is undergoing significant turmoil, largely due to clergy abuse scandals that have marred the church’s credibility. Once called the “firstborn daughter of the Catholic Church” in Europe, France is seeing faithful leave the church in droves.

An independent commission called for by the French bishop issued a report on Oct. 5 showing that about 3,000 members of the clergy sexually abused 216,000 minors between 1950 and 2020. The leader of the French bishops’ conference, Archbishop Éric de Moulins-Beaufort, said the staggering numbers stirred “shame and horror” in the church.

Pope Francis meets with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Vatican, November 26, 2021. Photo by Vatican Media

During a public audience Oct. 6, Pope Francis expressed his closeness to the victims of abuse in France — “and also my shame, our shame, my shame for the inability of the Church for too long to put them at the center of its concerns.”

French bishops held a conference Nov. 2-8 in Lourdes where they addressed the report about the sex abuse scandals and promised to start “a vast program of renewal” to prevent further abuses in the future.

Before meeting with Pope Francis, the French president signed a treaty at the seat of government in Rome, the Quirinale, cementing relations between France and Italy in the context of an increasingly divided Europe.

The Italian prime minister and former president of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, called the signing of the treaty “a historic moment,” aimed at addressing today’s global challenges. Relations between France and Italy had cooled over the past few years, with the Italian government frustrated by France’s refusal to cooperate in the resettlement of immigrants and refugees.

The welcoming and promotion of immigrants and refugees has been a cornerstone of this pontificate, with Pope Francis making repeated appeals for countries to share in the responsibility. In December, Francis will be visiting Cyprus and Greece, where the question of migrants and their perilous journey across the Mediterranean Sea will likely take center stage.

James Merritt Declines SBC Seminary’s Visiting Professor Invite After Controversy Surrounding Gay Son’s Sermon

Jesse T. Jackson

November 30, 2021

Last week, the Conservative Baptist Network (CBN) and other Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) pastors called out Dr. James Merritt, an SBC pastor and visiting professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS), for endorsing a sermon given by his outspoken gay son (Jonathan Merritt).

In a statement released by the CBN (an unaffiliated network of the SBC), the CBN shared their concern that an SBC pastor and seminary employee was promoting a sermon by an “unrepentant” homosexual. The CBN called it dangerous, saying, “To present to Southern Baptists a man living in unrepentant sin as someone to whom they should listen for a sermon that is ‘faithful to the gospel,’ as the elder Merritt tweeted, is wholly illogical and demonstrably dangerous.”

The CBN specifically called upon the SEBTS board of Trustees and its president, Daniel Akin, to consider giving the “grievous” situation “sincere attention,” arguing that Merritt’s promotion of his son’s sermon goes against the SBC’s “commitment to Scripture as inerrant, sufficient, and authoritative and opposes the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.”

Charles Stanley, Mike Huckabee, Tony Perkins, Rod Martin, and Mike Stone are all on the steering counsel for the CBN.

In addition to the CBN, Tom Buck, who is the pastor of the SBC affiliated First Baptist Church of Lindale, Texas, directed stern words towards Merritt for saying his son’s sermon speaks the “truth” of the gospel.

Buck said that Jonathan Merritt’s sermon was “completely VOID of THE gospel” and called it disturbing that a professor at SEBTS was publicly promoting a sermon given by “an openly homosexual man.” While Merritt described the sermon as “faithful to the gospel and coming of Jesus,” Buck argued that the sermon was anything but.

“If this is the gospel at @sebts, we’re in trouble,” Buck said.

SEBTS President Shares Merritt’s Request

Akin shared on Monday, a week after Merritt promoted his son’s sermon, that Merritt had declined the invitation to serve as a visiting professor at SEBTS. Merritt said that he did not want to be a distraction to the school.

Akin’s tweet read, “Today my dear friend @drjamesmerritt asked me to allow him to decline serving as a visiting professor @SEBTS, not wanting to be a distraction to the school. I have honored his request. His integrity, character & love for the gospel is a model for us all. A great man & friend!”

Canadian Pastor Artur Pawlowski Receives Surprising New Ruling in COVID-19 Restrictions Case

Dale Chamberlain

November 30, 2021

An appellate court has stayed a judgement against Canadian pastor Artur Pawlowski that required him to provide a disclaimer when publicly sharing his opinions about government implemented pandemic restrictions. Pawlowski has been arrested twice for offenses related to his refusal to comply with COVID-19 guidelines, and he has been a vocal opponent of masks, social distancing, and vaccination.

Pawlowski and his church became widely known for feuding with Alberta police who were seeking to enforce restrictions on in-person gatherings. Pawlowski has often compared public health requirements to nazism and North Korean dictatorship. He was most recently arrested on September 27 upon arriving at an airport in Calgary, after having spent the summer in the United States attending and speaking at events that claimed public health requirements related to the pandemic were tantamount to religious persecution.

Rebel News, which has been helping to crowdfund Pawlowski’s legal defense, reported the ruling on YouTube, calling it a “huge victory,” saying the original ruling was “bizarre and unconstitutional.” Pawlowski tweeted the video report, saying, “It’s a great beginning! More Victories (sic) to come!”

According to the ruling made by Adam Germain, whenever Pawlowski spoke publicly about the pandemic, he was required to acknowledge that his views were in contradiction to a majority of medical experts with regard to the effectiveness of masks, social distancing, and vaccinations. That requirement has now been lifted until his appeal is heard.

On Tuesday, Pawlowski tweeted about an event where his church served food to the under resourced members of the community, saying, “Since the [Alberta Health Services], [former Minister of Justice and Solicitor General of Alberta Jason] Kennedy, [current Minister of Justice and Solicitor General of Alberta Kaycee] Madu and the Corrupt judge Adam Germain do not not (sic) consider what we do as community service, we have to find an organization that does not require illegal medical requirements and illegal segregation policies to serve the 120 hours forced upon us by them.”

In the ruling against Pawlowski, he was required to complete 120 hours of community service. His remarks seem to indicate that the work he does at his church does not count toward those service hours.

In reference to the ruling against Pawlowski being lifted, Rebel News’ Ezra Levant said, “This is the first major court win in the age of the pandemic.”

While Pawlowski and his supporters celebrate this judgment that has stayed enforcement of Germain’s ruling, Pawlowski still faces the possibility of legal consequences for his refusal to comply with public health requirements. After Pawlowski’s full appeal is brought before the court, a final ruling will be made. That court hearing will be held on June 14, 2022.

When Interruptions Become Disruptions

Gavin Adams

November 30, 2021

How would you describe the pandemic’s effect on your church?

More specifically, how would you describe the pandemic’s effect on your ministry model?

That question may not seem significant on the surface. After all, a post-pandemic world is sure to arrive eventually. But your answer most likely goes in one of two directions, and that, my friends, is significant.

Interruption or Disruption

It’s evident that many leaders see the pandemic as an interruption. A significant interruption, but an interruption nevertheless.

Interruptions are no doubt problematic. Interruptions are like pause buttons. Interruptions give us time to reflect and adjust. These moments can be constructive encouragement to look at things differently.

But, and this is critically important, interruptions mostly pause our way of executing our current model. We may look at something differently during an interruption, but looking isn’t behaving. When the interruption ends, and you press the play button again, we resume “business as usual.” Some things might look different, but these alterations are primarily surface changes, not strategic adjustments.

That’s the difference between an interruption and a disruption.

Disruptions aren’t simply more extensive interruptions. Disruptions are destructive. Disruptions force innovation and require leaders to look and behave differently. Disruptions challenge leaders to swallow their pride. Admitting a strategy and model you created and implemented no longer works is not easy. Disruption causes leaders to look and behave differently. Disruptions devastate the old way of doing things. That includes your tried and true ministry model of yesteryear.

If interruptions drive introspection, disruptions demand innovation.

So, Is the Pandemic an Interruption or a Disruption?

Complete and utter disruption! Leaders who interpret the pandemic as an interruption are currently attempting to wait it out until things can “return to normal.” That ain’t happening, folks. The old normal is just that — old. It’s gone for good. The pandemic is not a pause button. Churches cannot return to prior ministry strategies and experience previous levels of success.

If you hear yourself saying, “When more people are vaccinated…”, or, “Eventually people will feel comfortable gathering again…”, or even, “Church is meant for in-building gatherings…”, you’re seeing this moment in time as an interruption.

These are interruption assumptions. And these assumptions are wholly incorrect. Sure, vaccinations help, and people will most likely feel more comfortable with crowds in time. But the pandemic didn’t create the downturn in attendance frequency. This trend was alive and well before the pandemic. Like most crises, the pandemic didn’t create but instead accelerated the trend.

What Makes It Possible for the Christian to Rejoice in the Midst of Pain and Anxiety?

R.C. Sproul

November 30, 2021

In 1993, my wife and I were involved in an historic train wreck. The crash of the Sunset Limited into an inlet from Mobile Bay killed more passengers than any Amtrak accident in history. We survived that eerie accident but not without ongoing trauma. The wreck left my wife with an ongoing anxiety about being able to sleep on a train at night. The wreck left me with a back injury that took fifteen years of treatment and therapy to overcome. Nevertheless, with these scars from the trauma we both learned a profound lesson about the providence of God. Clearly, God’s providence in this case for us was one of benign benevolence. It also illustrated to us an unforgettable sense of the tender mercies of God. In as much as we are convinced that God’s providence is an expression of His absolute sovereignty over all things, I would think that a logical conclusion from such a conviction would be the end of all anxiety.

However, that is not always the case. Of course, our Lord Himself gave the instruction to be anxious for nothing to His disciples and, by extension, to the church. His awareness of human frailties expressed in our fears was manifested by His most common greeting to His friends: “Fear not.” Still, we are creatures who, in spite of our faith, are given to anxiety and at times even to melancholy.

As a young student and young Christian, I struggled with melancholy and sought the counsel of one of my mentors. As I related my struggles, he said, “You are experiencing the heavy hand of the Lord on your shoulder right now.” I had never considered God’s hand being one that gave downward pressure on my shoulder or that would cause me to struggle in this way. I was driven to prayer that the Lord would remove His heavy hand from my shoulder. In time, He did that and delivered me from melancholy and a large degree of anxiety.

On another occasion I was in a discussion with a friend, and I related to him some of the fears that were plaguing me. He said, “I thought you believed in the sovereignty of God.” “I do,” I said, “and that’s my problem.” He was puzzled by the answer, and I explained that I know enough about what the Bible teaches of God’s providence and of His sovereignty to know that sometimes God’s sovereign providence involves suffering and affliction for His people. That we are in the care of a sovereign God whose providence is benevolent does not exclude the possibility that He may send us into periods of trials and tribulations that can be excruciatingly painful. Though I trust God’s Word that in the midst of such experiences He will give to me the comfort of His presence and the certainty of my final deliverance into glory, in the meantime I know that the way of affliction and pain may be difficult to bear.

The comfort that I enjoy from knowing God’s providence is mixed at times with the knowledge that His providence may bring me pain. I don’t look forward to the experience of pain with a giddy anticipation; rather, there are times when it’s necessary for me and for others to grit our teeth and to bear the burdens of the day. Again, I have no question about the outcome of such affliction, and yet at the same time, I know that there are afflictions that will test me to the limits of my faith and endurance. That kind of experience and knowledge makes it easy to understand the tension between confidence in God’s sovereign providence and our own struggles with anxiety.

Romans 8:28, which is a favorite for many of us, states that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (NKJV). There’s no other text that demonstrates so clearly and magnificently the beauty of God’s sovereign providence than that one. The text does not say that everything that happens to us, considered in and of itself, is good; rather, it says that all things that happen are working together for our good. That is the master plan of God’s redemptive providence. He brings good out of evil. He brings glory out of suffering. He brings joy out of affliction. This is one of the most difficult truths of sacred Scripture for us to believe. I’ve said countless times that it is easy to believe in God but far more difficult to believe God. Faith involves living a life of trust in the Word of God.

As I live out the travail that follows life on this side of glory, hardly a day goes by that I am not forced to look at Romans 8:28 and remind myself that what I’m experiencing right now feels bad, tastes bad, is bad; nevertheless, the Lord is using this for my good. If God were not sovereign, I could never come to that comforting conclusion — I would be constantly subjected to fear and anxiety without any significant relief. The promise of God that all things work together for good to those who love God is something that has to get not only into our minds, but it has to get into our bloodstreams, so that it is a rock-solid principle by which life can be lived.

I believe this is the foundation upon which the fruit of the Spirit of joy is established. This is the foundation that makes it possible for the Christian to rejoice even while in the midst of pain and anxiety. We are not stoics who are called to keep a stiff upper lip out of some nebulous concept of fate; rather, we are those who are to rejoice because Christ has overcome the world. It is that truth and that certainty that gives relief to all of our anxieties.

This article about rejoicing in the midst of pain and anxiety originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

12 Signs You Are a Modern-Day Pharisee

Frank Powell

November 30, 2021

What is a Pharisee? The Pharisees are mentioned in pulpits and classrooms all over the world. They are the source of jokes. The topic of sermons. Man, I wish I had a penny for every time a Christian teacher referenced the Pharisees. I wouldn’t be here. Maybe in the Caribbean somewhere. But not here. #truth.

Here is the reality … Pharisees still exist today. And nobody wants to be a modern-day Pharisee. It just happens. Kind of like eating at Ruby Tuesday. No one knows how you end up there. But it happens. Then you are stuck eating below par food at an above par price. Not good.

Most Pharisees begin with good intentions. But somehow those intentions and motives morph into something not so good.

Here is my hope and prayer … you will read this and do an inspection on your heart. The following things flow from my own personal struggles with legalism and being a Pharisee. In many ways, I am a recovering Pharisee. I still have a long way to go. But I am thankful the grace of God allows me to stumble. Allows me to struggle. And still be His child.

What Is a Pharisee? 12 Signs You Are One

1. You believe showing up for worship every Sunday makes you right with God.

What is a Pharisee? Well, modern-day Pharisees try to measure everything. They must have metrics and barometers. Something to measure their righteousness. Anything to give them some security with God.

And I am not against barometers or metrics. Not at all. Barometers can reveal trends and expose inconsistencies. But modern-day Pharisees see metrics as essential to righteousness and salvation. Worship is not a time to draw into God. Worship is another check off the list.

For modern-day Pharisees, Christian living is not so much about transforming into the image of God. It is more about living up to the standard of God. And no one can live up to God’s standard. Except Jesus.

2. You spend more time talking about what you are against, not what you are for.

Pharisees love to argue. They love to spend their time convincing others. If they had to list the actions and issues they are against, the pencil would run out of lead. But turn around and ask them to list what they are for? The pencil would not have to be re-sharpened.

Pharisees believe their job is to defend God and legislate morality. So they are against drinking, smoking, cursing, short skirts, talking back to parents, holding hands before marriage, and so on. And all of these things come before the gospel. Or maybe they are the gospel. Modern-day Pharisees can’t tell the difference.

3. You believe God actually needs you.

Modern-day Pharisees believe God needs them on His team. They believe the church is dependent upon them.

Let me be real with the modern-day Pharisees. If God needs a human being for His church to survive, He is not a God worth serving. Or worshipping. Or following. God needs no one. God simply allows us to play a role. He allows us to play a part.

We just need to know our role. Play our part. And don’t think too highly of ourselves. God’s got this.

Youth Discussion Topics: 7 Urgent Issues You Must Address

Youth Ministrycom

November 29, 2021

What are the top cultural forces teenagers face today? And how can youth ministers be sure we’re “majoring on the majors”? Read on to discover the most important youth discussion topics.

As we pastor students, we must understand cultural challenges. Instead of avoiding tough issues, we need to confront these youth discussion topics head-on.

7 Youth Discussion Topics to Tackle Right Now

1. Suicide

Suicide is the third-leading cause of death among adolescents. Boys are more likely to complete suicide. But girls are more likely to attempt it. Risk factors include a history of previous attempts, family history of suicide, and a history of depression. Other factors are anxiety or mental illness, alcohol or drug abuse, and stressful events or losses. Also consider access to lethal methods and exposure to the suicidal behavior of others.

What’s not true about responding to suicidal kids:

Once a teenager decides to commit suicide, nothing will stop them.
If you ask teens if they’re planning to kill themselves, you might plant the idea in their head.
Most kids talk about suicide just to get attention. So it’s best to ignore the topic.

2. Physical and Digital Bullying

Between a quarter and a third of U.S. students say they’ve been bullied at school. And one of eight has experienced cyberbullying. More than half of LGBTQ teens say they’ve been cyberbullied. Almost a third of students admit they’ve bullied someone. Three-quarters say they’ve witnessed bullying.

The top risk factor is being perceived as different from peers. Boys are more likely to bully face-to-face. But girls are more likely to cyberbully.

What to do about bullying:

Help kids grow in assertiveness.
Challenge them to stick up for anyone, anywhere.
Show kids how to block bullying online and reduce exposure to bullies.

‘Plunge Parties,’ Hot Tubs, and Non-Traditional Baptistries—Baptisms Today Break the Mold

Jesse T. Jackson

November 29, 2021

An article by Wheaton College grad Ruth Graham (no relation to the famous evangelical family of Grahams) titled “Horse Troughs, Hot Tubs and Hashtags: Baptism Is Getting Wild” highlighted churches that have replaced their traditional baptistry with new and easier methods to perform baptisms within their buildings.

Graham featured the comparison of Russell Moore’s baptism and Moore’s 14-year-old son who recently got baptized. Moore is Christianity Today’s public theologian and director of Christianity Today’s Public Theology Project

Moore also currently serves alongside lead pastor TJ Tims, Ray Ortlund, Sam Allberry, Scott Thomas, John Farmer, and Barnabas Piper at Immanuel Nashville as minister in residence. On October 31, 2021, Moore baptized his son, Jonah, and posted a caption on his Instagram page, saying, “What a joy this morning at @immanuelnash to baptize my son Jonah as my brother in Christ.”

By contrast, Moore’s baptism in 1983 involved organ music playing in the background and a picture of the Jordan River hanging behind the baptistry. The elder Moore donned a long white robe during his baptism, while his son wore a t-shirt and professed his faith in a farmer’s watering trough. Jonah’s baptism didn’t have soft organ music playing in the background; it had a full worship band rejoicing in song when he came up out of the water as the congregation joined in with applause.

Immanuel Nashville featured two troughs, one on each side of the stage, to minimize the time between each person’s baptism.

The Salvation Army Denies ‘Going Woke’ After Getting Slammed for Racism Guide

Jessica Lea

November 29, 2021

The Salvation Army (TSA) is losing donors and facing accusations of “going woke” because of an internal guide TSA created to promote conversations about racism. TSA has defended the guide, titled “Let’s Talk About Racism,” although the organization has since removed it in order to evaluate whether it needs clarification.

“Although we remain committed to serving everyone in need—regardless of their beliefs, backgrounds, or lifestyle—some individuals and groups have recently attempted to mislabel our organization to serve their own agendas,” said TSA in a Nov. 25 statement responding to the controversy. “They have claimed that we believe our donors should apologize for their skin color, that The Salvation Army believes America is an inherently racist society, and that we have abandoned our Christian faith for one ideology or another. Those claims are simply false, and they distort the very goal of our work.” The statement continues:

The truth is that The Salvation Army believes that racism is fundamentally incompatible with Christianity, and that we are called by God to work toward a world where all people are loved, accepted, and valued. Our positional statement on racism makes this clear. These beliefs and goals are critically important because we know that racism exists, and we are determined to do everything the Bible asks of us to overcome it.

The Salvation Army’s Guide on Racism

The 67-page guide, “Let’s Talk About Racism,” reportedly released in April, states at the beginning that it is “voluntary” and “designed to stimulate gracious discussion among Salvationists who choose to participate…It is not a position or policy statement, and it does not replace, supersede, or act as an addendum to The Salvation Army’s International Positional Statement.”

The purpose of “Let’s Talk About Racism” is to help people understand how racism has impacted American society, how those situations diverge from God’s purposes for people, and how participants can address racism in their own contexts. TSA’s goals for those who go through the guide include that participants will “lament, repent and apologize for biases or racist ideologies held and actions committed” and “develop action steps for continued personal and corporate growth towards a posture of humility and anti-racism.”

The guide is divided into five sections that people can work through on their own or in a weekly discussion group. The authors emphasize the importance of listening to other people’s perspectives and the need for patience in a challenging conversation. “Be open to the Holy Spirit’s leading as you deal with a difficult topic that requires a lot of grace,” they write. “Each conversation should begin and end in a time of prayer.”

Criticisms of the guide include the fact that it presents racism as both an individual and a structural problem, denounces “color-blindness” as “dangerous,” and encourages participants to evaluate their own potential biases. The guide encourages people to lament and repent of personal and corporate sin, including passiveness, in relation to racism.

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What Is a Pharisee? 12 Signs You Are One

1. You believe showing up for worship every Sunday makes you right with God.

2. You spend more time talking about what you are against, not what you are for.

3. You believe God actually needs you.

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1. Suicide

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