‘We Had Faith’: TN Pastor Tackles Gunman During Church Service, Saving Many Lives

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November 8, 2021

Ezekiel Ndikumana tackles gunman — Screen grab from YouTube: @WKRN News 2

This pastor Sunday (Nov 7), Nashville Light Mission Pentecostal Church’s pastor Ezekiel Ndikumana tackled a man who took the stage, pulled out a gun, and started pointing it at congregants during the pastor’s altar call.

The gunman, who has been identified as 26-year-old Dezire Baganda, currently faces up to 15 charges of felony assault and will likely be given additional charges, according to Metro Nashville Police Department.

Baganda had been sitting in the front pew before walking up to the pulpit and pulling out a gun, pointing it at the men, women, children, and infants in the pews. Mere moments after Baganda threatened the church, he was apprehended by the pastor before he could harm anyone.

Ndikumana had just stepped away from the pulpit to the front row, because he was giving an altar call. Congregants were praying when Baganda made his move. In a surveillance video, Ndikumana can be seen slipping out a side door to get behind the stage. Ndikumana then tackled Baganda, wrapping his arms around Baganda’s and forcing him to the ground.

Multiple church members then assisted Ndikumana by taking the gun away from Baganda and holding him down until the authorities arrived.

Choir member Nzojibugami Noe, who was also in the front row, told WKRN News 2 that “no one was behind [Baganda] yet, so he could have done anything,” implying that the outcome could have resulted in fatalities.

Suspecting that the gunman had intent to kill, Ndikumana recalled the incident by saying, “I would say that God used me, because I felt like I was going to use the back door…and then I felt the feeling that I would go and grab him — and that’s what happened.”

WKRN News 2 reported that church members credit their pastor with saving the lives of the 40-plus people who were attending the service on Sunday. However, Ndikumana explained that their lives were in God’s hands and not his own, saying, “God wanted to show that he’s a powerful God. One main thing I said, we had faith.”

In another interview, Ndikumana said that God helped him, because he knows nothing about tackling an armed gunman. The pastor’s daughter said, “To hear that [God] was the one protecting him, I’m very happy because it could have went really bad.”

Baganda is not a church member but has attended the church off and on. Last February, he was asked to stop attending, because he frequently disrupted the church service while pastors were preaching. This was the first time he had ever shown any violence.

During his arrest, Baganda said that he was Jesus, and that all churches and schools need to be “shot up.”

Watch the raw video footage of the attempted attack provided by WKRN News 2 below:

Fatal Tragedy at Travis Scott Concert Sparks Satanic Conspiracy Theory

By

Dale Chamberlain

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November 8, 2021

travis scott conspiracy theory — Pictured: Travis Scott at Openair in Frauenfeld 2019 | Frank Schwichtenberg, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

On Friday (Nov 5), tragedy struck during a Travis Scott performance at the Astroworld Music Festival in Houston, as eight people died and hundreds of others were injured during what officials are calling a “mass casualty event.”

Over the weekend, a conspiracy theory began circulating on social media that the deaths were a result of Scott’s participation in a satanic ritual.

Tragedy Strikes Astroworld

The deaths and injuries occurred as the crowd surged toward the stage, resulting in many concertgoers being trampled. It is still unclear what exactly caused the surge, but apparently panic struck the crowd after several people passed out for unknown reasons.

Houston Chief of Police Troy Finner said in a news conference on Saturday, “This is now a criminal investigation that’s going to involve our homicide division as well as narcotics, and we’re going to get down to the bottom of it.”

The festival had a sold out crowd of 50 thousand attendees.

After the show, several attendees took to social media to wrongfully accuse Scott of callously ignoring the crowd surge. However, as Newsweek has reported, the livestream reveals that Scott stopped several times to call out for help for those in the crowd who were falling unconscious. Scott did not seem to know the full extent of what was happening in the crowd at the time.

Scott’s representatives told Variety that Scott will be refunding all Astroworld tickets, and he has canceled his performance that was set for November 13 in Las Vegas, citing that he is “too distraught to play.”

Satanic Conspiracy Theory Begins Circulating

Over the weekend, a conspiracy theory began to develop that Scott was somehow involved in the tragic deaths of the 8 concertgoers, by way of satanic ritual sacrifice. Some are even arguing that the express purpose of Scott’s performance was human sacrifice.

Those who are circulating this conspiracy theory are quick to point out the occult imagery used in Scott’s latest album and stage design. One person tweeted an image of Scott’s latest album artwork, claiming that he “literally shows himself as a demon in his new album cover…that whole astroworld (sic) was set up as a sacrifice ritual and no one will change my mind about that.”

Elements of Scott’s stage design were also inspired by Hieronymus Bosch’s painting, “Christ in Limbo,” which contains demonic imagery. A tagline of the festival was, “See you on the other side.” Though intended ironically, the phrase has become a tragic reality for some.

French Bishops Agree to Compensate Sex Abuse Victims

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AP News

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November 8, 2021

french sex abuse victims — FILE - In this Oct.5, 2021 file poto, Catholic Bishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, president of the Bishops' Conference of France (CEF), speaks during the publishing of a report by an independant commission into sexual abuse by church officials (Ciase) in Paris. Monsignor Eric de Moulins-Beaufort was received by the Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin Tuesday Oct.12, 2021 after Moulins-Beaufort said last week that secrets shared in the confessional are above the law, as the country reels from new revelations of large-scale child sex abuse within the Catholic Church. (Thomas Coex, Pool via AP, File)

PARIS (AP) — France’s Catholic Church announced on Monday that it would financially compensate sex abuse victims by selling property assets or taking out a loan if needed.

French bishops said in a written statement they will set up an “independent, national body” tasked with addressing compensation issues. They committed to allocating money to a specific fund “in order to compensate victims,” notably by selling property or through a potential loan.

They also called on Pope Francis to send “a team of visitors” to assess the church’s response regarding child protection.

Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, President of the Bishops’ Conference, hailed a “decisive step” in a speech.

He stressed that the Church has recognized its “institutional responsibility” and decided to go “on a path of recognition and reparation that paves the way for victims to get the possibility of a mediation and a compensation.”

The Bishops Conference held its annual meeting a month after a report revealed large-scale child sex abuse within the French Catholic Church.

The study released by an independent commission estimated that some 330,000 children were sexually abused over 70 years by priests or other church-related figures.

“We felt disgust and horror inside us when we realized how much suffering so many people had lived and were still living,” Moulins-Beaufort said.

The bishops acknowledged the church’s responsibility that implies financial compensation because the commission “strongly suggested that path” but also because “worshippers full of shame were expecting it from us,” he said.

The report published last month described “systemic” coverup of abuses by the Catholic Church, and urged the church to respect the rule of law in France.

It said the tally of 330,000 victims includes an estimated 216,000 people abused by priests and other clerics, and the rest by church figures such as Scout leaders and camp counselors. The estimates were based on a broader research by France’s National Institute of Health and Medical Research into sexual abuse of children in the country.

France is a traditionally Roman Catholic country, but adheres to a strict form of secularism in public life based on a 1905 law separating church and state.

This article originally appeared here.

Guarding Your Heart in the Pulpit

By

H.B. Charles, Jr.

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November 6, 2021

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warned his followers about guarding your heart. he said not to practice spiritual devotion with ulterior motives (Matthew 6:1-18). Do not give to the needy to be celebrated for your generosity. Do not pray to be heard by men. Do not fast so people will consider you spiritual. How do you avoid practicing Godward acts with man-centered motives? Jesus teaches that acts of devotion should be done in private, before God not man.

Preachers also struggle with the temptation to make their charge from God a performance before men. But we cannot overcome this temptation by moving the pulpit to our secret closets. Preaching is a public act of spiritual devotion. We may pray that God would hide us behind the cross as we preach. But there is no place to hide in the pulpit.

Let’s face it. The pulpit is a dangerous place. It can fill the preacher with pride that leads to his downfall. It call fill the preacher with discouragement that causes him to give up. It can fill the preacher with fear that prostitutes his divine message for human approval.

The old story is told about the young preacher who strutted to the pulpit, expecting to wow the congregation. He humbly walked out of the pulpit after the sermon bombed. “What happened?” he asked a senior minister. The wise, seasoned preacher counseled, “Son, if you would have gone up to the pulpit the way you came down, you would have been able to come down the way you went up.”

What steps can you take for guarding your heart in the pulpit? Consider these recommendations …

1. Guarding Your Heart: Come to the pulpit prayed up.

Sermon preparation is an exercise in believing prayer. We should thank God for the privilege of speaking for him. We should pray for illumination of the revealed scriptures. We should ask God to yield the wisdom of the writers we consult to us. We should confess our sins to God when the text convicts us. We should pray for help to personally obey teachings of God’s word. We should pray the Lord would enable us to speak faithfully and clearly. We should pray for a spiritual burden for those who will hear the message. We should pray that Christ would be exalted as the word is explained. We should even pray as we preach! Coming to the pulpit prayed up will help guard your heart as you preach.

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Sues OSHA Over Biden Vaccine Mandate

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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November 5, 2021

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Vaccine Mandate — FILE - In this Monday, Oct. 5, 2015 file photo, The Rev. R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, speaks to reporters about a conference in Louisville, Ky., focusing on homosexuality and how to offer pastoral care to gays. Mohler, a prominent leader in the Southern Baptist Convention says he was wrong to support a Kentucky pastor accused of covering up sex abuse. The Rev. Albert Mohler first addressed the issue Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019 in an interview with the Houston Chronicle .(AP Photo/Bruce Schreiner, File). OSHA logo: U.S. Government, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons U.S. Secretary of Defense, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) is joining a federal lawsuit against an OSHA ordinance that would require employers to enforce a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

SBTS president Albert Mohler tweeted the announcement on Friday morning, saying, “Religious institutions must not be turned into instruments of government coercion. That’s why we are taking this action. The @SBTS position is clear. Thankful for @AllianceDefends.”

SBTS, which is located in Louisville, Kentucky, has over 3,300 students and more than 300 employees. SBTS does not have an official position regarding the COVID-19 vaccine itself, though their website does “strongly encourage” employees to be vaccinated.

In his tweet, Mohler provided a link to the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life. ADF said that SBTS filed a lawsuit against the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regarding the Biden administration’s vaccine mandates that require compliance by January 1, 2022. OSHA’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard became effective November 5, 2021.

According to the ADF, the mandate requires all private employers who have 100 or more employees to require the COVID-19 vaccination for their workers or weekly COVID-19 testing. The mandate also requires employers to enforce a mask mandate for unvaccinated employees. Those who refuse to comply are subject to termination.

“It is unacceptable for the government to force religious institutions to become coercive extensions of state power,” Mohler said. “We have no choice but to push back against this intrusion of the government into matters of conscience and religious conviction. This institution exists for the purpose of educating ministers for churches. This seminary must not be forced to stand in for the government in investigating the private health decisions of our faculty and employees in a matter involving legitimate religious concerns.”

Asbury Theological Seminary (ATS) is also listed as a petitioner on the federal lawsuit. ATS is a multi-denominational seminary located in Wilmore, Kentucky and has over 1,700 students.

“We are glad to join with Asbury Theological Seminary in taking a stand against government coercion. The fact that the largest U.S. seminaries of the Baptist and Methodist traditions are here standing together against this mandate should send a clear and urgent message to Christians and to the nation,” Mohler said. “I am thankful for the excellent work of Alliance Defending Freedom as they present our petition to the court.”

SBTS’s president has stated that he isn’t against the COVID-19 vaccine. In fact, Mohler announced in December 2020 that he would be taking the vaccine, making that statement before the vaccine was even available. Mohler said that “medical treatment is an extension of God’s common grace, and Christians have always understood this. That is why, throughout history, where you found Christians, you found hospitals and the church treating the sick.”

Derek Carr Says God Is Faithful Through Raiders Turmoil; Gruden Attends Chaplain’s Church

By

Stephanie Martin

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November 5, 2021

On a new episode of the Harvester Sports podcast, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback and outspoken Christian Derek Carr discusses his calling and his victory in Jesus. The QB says he thanks God “no matter what” and has “praised God through the hardest times in my life,” including when his firstborn son needed emergency surgeries in 2013.

This season, in addition to facing off against NFL defenses, Carr is dealing with unexpected upheaval and leadership challenges. Last month, Raiders head coach Jon Gruden resigned in disgrace after offensive emails surfaced. And this week, the team released wide receiver Henry Ruggs III after he was arrested for allegedly killing a woman while driving drunk.

David Carr, a former NFL quarterback himself, says although “life has thrown a lot” at his brother lately, Derek is “up to the challenge” because of “his strong Christian faith and life experiences.”

Derek Carr Strives to Fulfill God’s Call

During this week’s podcast, Derek Carr speaks with his nephew Austin Carr, who credits his uncle with teaching him “from a young age what a true Christian Man should look like.” The 30-year-old quarterback says he believes God is faithful, awesome, and good through all life’s ups and downs, even when circumstances are beyond human understanding.

Carr also emphasizes that he’s playing football because that’s what God has called him to do right now. But he says people don’t need that type of high-profile platform to share the good news of Jesus with others. Carr encourages people who don’t happen to be pro athletes to proclaim the gospel to their own family, friends, school, and teachers.

In fact, Carr says he often has opportunities to preach the gospel off the field, including once at a Chipotle restaurant in San Francisco. The people he interacts with sometimes “aren’t even Raiders fans” or don’t know who he is. “You never know what God is doing,” the quarterback notes.

‘I’m Victorious,’ Declares Raiders QB

Despite the world’s love for sports, Carr is clear that football isn’t “the pinnacle of life.” In fact, he’s seen fellow athletes achieve success and fame yet feel empty and have their lives crumble. And although Carr admits he’d love to win championships for the Raiders organization and fans, he says, “At the end of the day…I’m already winning. Jesus won, so I already won. … I’m an overcomer. I’m victorious. I’ve already won because he won.”

Carr says many people choose to live their own way, or they misinterpret the gospel and who Jesus is. Others say, “I don’t like religion.” His response? “Well, I’m not religious either,” but “I have a faith that Jesus came, died, and rose again.”

Former Washington State Coach Appeals Firing Over Vaccine

By

Nicholas K. Geranios

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November 5, 2021

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Attorneys for former Washington State coach Nick Rolovich sent a letter to the university appealing his firing for refusing to get the coronavirus vaccine, contending school officials did not conduct a fair process to determine whether he should receive a religious exemption to a state mandate that all state employees must be vaccinated.

Attorneys Brian Fahling and Eric Kniffen’s letter to athletic director Pat Chun lays out their appeal of Rolovich’s firing for just cause.

The letter says Chun overturned a decision by the university’s Human Resource Services to grant Rolovich a religious exemption to the vaccination mandate. Rolovich has said he is Catholic. The Catholic Church has not prohibited vaccinations against COVID-19.

“This is your opportunity to step back, re-examine your illegal and unconstitutional conduct, and adopt a different posture toward Coach Rolovich before you and the university are forced to defend your conduct in the context of a federal court civil rights action,” the letter said.

Fahling has said Rolovich intends to file a lawsuit over his firing.

Chun did not immediately return messages left by telephone and email Thursday. A university spokesman said the school would have no comment on the letter.

Rolovich completed his application for a religious exemption on Sept. 28. School officials notified Chun on Oct. 6 that Rolovich was entitled to a religious exemption and that the athletic department needed to decide whether accommodations could be made for Rolovich to safely continue working as head coach, the letter contends.

On Oct. 13, the athletic department responded to the Human Resource Services that it could not safely accommodate Rolovich, the letter said.

Rolovich and four of his assistants were fired on Oct. 18. Rolovich was the first major college coach to lose his job over his vaccination status.

Defensive coordinator Jake Dickert was elevated to acting coach and the Cougars (5-4) have gone 1-1 since Rolovich was fired. They remain in contention for the Pac-12 North title and a bowl game.

Rolovich, 42, was the highest-paid state employee with an annual salary of more than $3 million. He was fired for cause, which means the university does not have to honor the rest of his contract.

This article originally appeared here.

Texans Vote to Prohibit Government From Limiting Religious Services

By

Timothy Cockes

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November 5, 2021

ALLEN, Texas (BP) – An amendment to the Texas constitution prohibiting the state government from imposing limits on religious worship services passed with 62 percent of the vote Tuesday (Nov. 2).

The legislation came in response to government restrictions on houses of worship during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Proposition 3 (officially termed TX HB1239) adds a clause to the Texas constitution that forbids the government from similar actions in the future.

The amendment passed with more than 900,000 votes, according to unofficial election results from the Texas secretary of state.

One of the bill’s original co-authors and supporters was Scott Sanford, a Republican representative who also serves as an executive pastor with Cottonwood Creek Church, a Southern Baptist congregation in Allen, Texas.

Sanford told Baptist Press in October that he felt churches were “unfairly singled out,” by local governments who imposed restrictions on religious gatherings, and this was “not constitutional or the right thing to do.”

“We felt this needed to be addressed, and we think this bill is a biblical and constitution way to address it,” Sanford said. “It’s very practical that ministries need to have the stable and legal environment in which to operate. Now from a church perspective, if there is a flare-up in the virus or if another pandemic or something else comes along, we have the assurance of knowing we’ll be able to continue on.”

Referencing the essential nature of churches, he said one of the roles of churches is to come alongside the government as they seek to serve the community and share the Gospel.

“Churches also do a lot to lower the burden of local government such as help with people suffering from addition or various domestic issues, and if the government had to take on all that burden themselves, they’d be overwhelmed. We are necessary and essential as it relates to the community.

“It’s simply that the community is held together by a lot of different institutions and none are more critical than places of worship and the ministries they provide. When you need us the most is sometimes when outsiders may think it would be a good time to close them.”

This article originally appeared here.

United Methodist Group Urges Bishops to Allow UMC Churches to Exit Denomination

By

Heather Hahn

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November 5, 2021

A group of United Methodists is urging bishops to allow congregations that want to do so to leave with property now — rather than wait for General Conference.

“As the writer of Ecclesiastes notes, ‘For everything there is a season,’ and the season for waiting on General Conference legislative solutions as the only way forward has passed,” says the group’s open letter, titled “A Call to Grace.”

The ad hoc group released its letter Nov. 2 — as the Council of Bishops begins its fall online meeting that goes through Nov. 5.

“We call bishops and annual conferences to use existing disciplinary authority to find grace-filled ways for these leaders and churches to follow their call now, allowing them to take their church property with them where appropriate,” the letter said.

As of its release early Nov. 2, more than 250 United Methodists had signed the letter. The document began circulating late Oct. 29.

Initial signers include General Conference delegates, lay leaders, pastors, district superintendents, seminary professors and other church members. Signers come from across the U.S. as well the denomination’s central conferences — church regions in Africa, Europe and the Philippines. The group now invites other United Methodists to sign.

“We hope the bishops receive this in the spirit which it is meant,” said George Howard, one of the letter’s initial signers and a General Conference delegate from West Ohio.

“We believe all in the UMC want to pursue mission and ministry. We encourage the bishops to consider all the available options open to people seeking a path beyond the UMC. We likewise encourage all who seek a different path to engage with their bishop and annual conference.”

Council of Bishops President Cynthia Fierro Harvey told United Methodist News that the letter serves as a reminder of one of the foundational values United Methodists hold — grace.

“The letter calls us to take a breath, to calm our minds and spirit and respond with grace in ways that will advance the kingdom of God,” said Harvey, who also leads the Louisiana Conference.

“The Council of Bishops will meet this week to continue exploring how to best honor its commitment to walk alongside one another in this in-between time and to use its agency to lead our conferences and churches to honor and respect one another, serve one another, and let love be our witness.”

Liberty University Set to Approve Third-Party Sexual Abuse Investigation

By

Dale Chamberlain

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November 5, 2021

The Liberty University board of trustees is set to vote on whether the school should move forward with a third-party investigation into whether the university has mishandled sexual abuse allegations from students.

Journalist Michael Alachnowicz reported on Thursday, “The @LibertyU board of trustees will take up a vote on approving a third-party investigation into the university tomorrow [Friday, November 5]. This comes after calls into a third-party review of the university’s handling of Title IX reports.”

“From what we were told, the executive committee approved the measure. But, the full board must still approve it before it’s official. Details from there are not clear as of now,” Alachnowicz added.

A Win for Survivor Advocacy Groups

If the Liberty board of trustees moves to approve a third-party investigation, Justice for Janes, an advocacy group for sexual abuse survivors at Liberty University, will have all their demands met. Those demands included the installation of blue light emergency boxes on campus, disciplinary amnesty for students reporting harassment or assault, and a third-party investigation.

“Last year, Liberty hired an accounting firm to review its finances,” Justice for Janes’ website reads. “How much more important is a review of the systems that are meant to protect Liberty students?”

Earlier this week, Liberty president Jerry Prevo announced that the school will spend about $8.5 million to install cameras and emergency call boxes around campus, something an anonymous abuse survivor says she asked the school to do following her assault 16 years ago.

In his announcement, Prevo emphasized his concern about potential false reports, saying, “If you’re doing something wrong, don’t claim that something happened to you that was false, alright?” Prevo’s concerns stands in contrast to research that found that only 2 to 10 percent of sexual assault claims can be flagged as false.

In the past, women who have reported sexual assault to the school say they have been silenced or even punished under the school’s morality code. Now, women reporting sexual harassment and assault will be given amnesty from punishment for allegedly violating what is called the “Liberty Way.”

“It’s been insinuated that if you are, let’s say, violating the Liberty Way, and during your violation of that Liberty Way, you are sexually abused, sexually harassed, sexually assaulted…you are not going to be disciplined for that if you come and you have a legitimate complaint that you have been sexually harassed, sexually assaulted, dating and domestic violence, you’re going to have what we call amnesty,” Prevo said.

Post Traumatic Church Disorder: 12 Symptoms and 5 Treatments

By

Ben Reed

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November 5, 2021

I’ve talked with a number of men and women in ministry, and I’ve noticed an alarming problem. It’s often felt but rarely talked about. Just below the surface, it affects daily interactions, vision casting and strategic planning. It affects how we relate to God and how we relate to others. I call it post traumatic church disorder. You’ve heard of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, right?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that’s triggered by a terrifying event—either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event. –MayoClinic.org

Post Traumatic Church Disorder:

PTSD happens after a terrifying event. PTCD, however, happens after a traumatic, stressful, chaotic, terrifying, painful experience or season in a local church. It can happen after events that our society would deem abusive (physical, sexual, verbal) and/or traumatic.

PTCD cuts deeply. If there’s a place where your spiritual, emotional and physical life should be safe, it is in a local church. But in a PTCD situation, the safety net you should feel there erodes. Finding abuse and traumatic events where a wall of safety and health should exist carves deep wounds on your soul. You may begin to deal with this issue after having been in an local church that is filled with one or more of the following features characterizing its leadership (whether paid staff, volunteer leadership or elders):

Unhealthy staff culture
Abusive (spiritual, emotional, verbal, physical or otherwise) leadership
Unwise leadership decisions
Controlling
Constant complaining
Fighting (open name-calling, character assassination, slander)
Gossip (behind-closed-door name calling, character assassination, slander)
Insulated leadership, refusing to be held accountable
Self-serving shepherds
Manipulative leadership
Bullying

Church staff/leadership teams can have these attitudes and behaviors creep in over time. And you’d be foolish to think that one person that’s dominated by one of these traits doesn’t seep its way into other staff members and into the church at large. One bad apple spoils the bunch, and one bad staffer can spoil the team.

These prideful character traits can destroy staff and church morale quicker than just about anything else.

How to Know You Have It

It doesn’t take long for Post Traumatic Church Disorder to set in. Just a season or two of a self-serving, manipulative, controlling leadership in your life can move your heart to a dark place. Trust is built over time but is torn down in a moment. Fortunately or not, our view of the local church greatly impacts our view of God.

12 Markers of Post Traumatic Church Disorder

A deep distrust of church leadership, despite anything specific that you see
A callousness toward church staff
Growing cynicism toward the church
Growing desire to gossip about leadership
When your pastor calls you, your first thought is “What have I done?” or “What’s he going to be mad about this time?”
A knee-jerk anger when your pastor asks to meet with you
A knee-jerk fear when your pastor asks to meet with you
Constant questioning of the motives of your church staff
Refusal to engage in serving and attending worship
Continual doubting of your pastor’s heart
Refusal to give financially to your local church because of your distrust
A growing anxiousness in dealing with church leaders

Post Traumatic Church Disorder – 5 Treatments

Be careful that Post Traumatic Church Disorder doesn’t wreck your heart. It can. And it will. Satan would love nothing more than to keep you from church by convincing you church is worth keeping from. By couching “church” in the category of pain, frustration and uselessness, you’ll sideline yourself when the church needs you and your voice.

Here’s how you can guard your heart from growing distant and calloused:

1. Pray.

Start here. End here. And fill every moment with asking God to guard you from bitterness, inaction and callousness. It realigns your heart with what pleases, and what breaks, the heart of God.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. –1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

2. Remind Yourself Who the Church Is.

The church is the bride of Christ. It’s the one for whom Christ suffered and died. And remember this: Jesus had to suffer and die because the church isn’t perfect. We’re a bunch of messed up sinners who continue to do battle against our flesh. Church leaders are sinners being redeemed, too. The church isn’t perfect, but its Redeemer is. And He loves His bride (Ephesians 5:21-33).

3. Help Make Better Decisions.

Instead of complaining, speak into the life and leadership of your local church. If you see things differently, that just might be a gift you could give. When you see a different path, point it out. When you see disunity, expose it. When you see poor, abusive leadership, blow the whistle. Terrible leadership begets terrible leadership unless you speak up.

Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools,
or they will become wise in their own estimation. –Proverbs 26:5

4. Serve Selflessly.

Keep serving. Give of yourself until it hurts. Give of yourself until it costs you something. This will help curb your tendency of thinking that your local church only exists for you. Yes, we’re broken. Yes, we’re imperfect. But the church is better when you serve. And as you serve, you become a part of the solution instead of a part of the problem.

5. Don’t Go It Alone.

Don’t be so foolish that you think you can work through Post Traumatic Church Disorder on your own. Masking problems doesn’t make them go away. Find someone you can be open, honest and transparent with. You need an outside perspective in order to biblically, helpfully and healthily walk through this issue.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! –Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Don’t give up on the local church. She is the bride of Christ, as broken and twisted as she sometimes can be. She’s worth fighting for. She’s redemption in process.

This article about Post Traumatic Church Disorder originally appeared here, and is used by permission..

Choosing Songs: 25 Ways to Pick Great Songs for Your Church

By

Tim Lucas

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November 5, 2021

Choosing songs for worship is no easy task. You have to choose a song that people will sing, that you like playing, has a good message…the list goes on. I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to fear finding the right music for your church. Sure, there’s a lot to consider, and you won’t get it right every time.

That’s OK.

You’ll learn more from your failures than your successes in this area. Still, you want to have a healthy tally in the “win” section, and that’s why I put together a checklist of 25 things to look for in a good worship song.

You certainly don’t have to hit all 25, but finding a good song is more like finding a good car or place to live. If you hit 70-80 percent of your wish list, you’re doing great.

Choosing Songs: 25 Ways to Pick Great Songs for Your Church

1. CHOOSE WORSHIP SONGS WITH A GREAT MESSAGE

Most worship songs have biblical, theologically correct lyrics.

Most.

But when you’re writing a worship song it’s easy to accidentally say something that’s not exactly theologically sound. Sometimes those songs gain traction and the church starts singing them en masse.

No one in your congregation is going to veer off the straight and narrow because of slightly off-base worship lyrics. Still, worship is teaching, so you want to avoid teaching the wrong things.

As a worship leader, you are a teacher and as James 3:1 says, “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”

So teach well with the songs you choose.

2. CHOOSE WORSHIP SONGS THAT HAVE ENOUGH “MEAT.”

Speaking of teaching, you might as well make sure you are teaching something when you are leading worship.

Sure, there are times when you want to sing the chorus of “I Could Sing of Your Love Forever,” well, forever. But make sure you are choosing other worship songs that teach the Bible and character of God.

To put it in food terms, serve some meat along with dessert. A good worship song is not only catchy, but has people processing the lyrics all week.

One of the best examples I’ve ever heard is Stuart Townend’s “How Deep the Father’s Love For Us.” It’s a musical and lyrical masterpiece, and teaches deep spiritual truths.

3. MAKE SURE THE LYRICS AREN’T DUMB.

This is related to the previous tip, but different.

Now, I’m sure a Christian worship song writer would ever compose “dumb” lyrics, but if that were to ever happen, please don’t sing the song.

When I was in youth group, I sang a song called “I Like Bananas.” There’s absolutely no reason anyone should ever sing this song. Seriously. Just don’t.

4. CHOOSE WORSHIP SONGS IN YOUR CONGREGATION’S STYLE.

If an electric guitar has never darkened the door of your church, maybe you don’t want to choose a mid-2000s Hillsong United tune.

Sure, you can move your church in a certain direction, but don’t do it too fast. Choose songs that are not too far outside your church’s current comfort zone stylistically.

But let’s say you really like a song whose original version is too wild for your church’s taste. It’s OK to tone it down while capturing the essence of the song. Use keys or an acoustic guitar to bang out the basic rhythm and feel of the song.

You can play good song a thousand different ways and it will still carry meaning and power.

5. CHOOSE A SONG THAT YOUR BAND CAN PLAY.

There’s nothing worse than biting off more than you can chew as a worship team.

Many of us would like our teams to have all the talent and skill of Elevation Worship or Crowder. And most of us would love to be that artistic.

But sometimes we just can’t pull it off.

The rhythm is too complex, the guitar part too intricate, and the vocal range too wide.

Don’t worry. No one will fault you for being realistic about your skills. It’s better to really nail a very basic song than to flub through a tough one.

6. FIND A SONG THAT’S “YOU.”

You know the feeling if you’ve tried this before. A song really moves you, and the record sounds amazing. You try it, and it’s just not you. I’ll probably never try a Kirk Franklin song. And I’m just not cool enough to pull off electronica.

8 Reasons We Have Delayed (Even Further) Getting Our Daughters a Phone

By

Eric Geiger

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November 5, 2021

Four years ago, I wrote a post about the wrestle of giving a kid a phone, of social media among teenagers, and what Kaye and I were planning our approach would be with our daughters. Kaye and I were in the midst of reading and researching and talking with other parents. Our daughters were 10 and 8 at the time. I imagined, and stated in the blog, that we would likely wait until our daughters were fourteen before they would have a phone with social media access.

Four years later, our oldest daughter has just turned fourteen and we still have not gotten her a phone. In many ways our position has only grown stronger. We talk regularly with our daughters about when we anticipate them having a phone and how much later social media accounts will be added to the phone. We talk together about the upsides and downsides of constant connectivity, increased technology, and the tool of social media — hoping to include them in the decision. By God’s grace, they both recognize that there are some inherent downsides to growing up on a phone. Here are 8 reasons we have decided to delay getting our daughters phones, especially social media. We talk about these reasons with them, and at this point we are all on the same page.

1. When they get a phone, everything changes.

Some great parents who deeply love their kids have shared with me their regrets in getting their kids phones “too early” or “too soon” because of how the relationship changes and their parental influence seems to immediately wane. I am hearing parents say about the phone what I used to hear parents say about their kid getting a driver’s license and a car. “When they get a car (now a phone), everything changes.”

2. We hear stories of bullying and regret.

I have heard horror stories of kids being bullied on group texts, Instagram, and Snapchat messages. The pain has been so severe to some that their confidence is completely shot.

3. Teenagers tell the truth.

I have been leading a group of guys who are high school juniors since they were freshmen I high school. These are great young men from amazing families and they have been transparent that social media has been a source of struggle for them. They are the ages we think our kids will be when we will give our daughters phones, and some of the teenagers in my group have said, “Don’t give your daughters phones for as long as possible.”

4. Adolescents are vulnerable to addiction.

Addictions can develop at any stage in life, but there is evidence that teenagers are more vulnerable to addiction. It has become increasingly clear that algorithms are developed to keep us on social media platforms, no matter what viewpoints we have, for as long as possible. The tools have been developed to be addictive. Thus, Simon Sinek was right when, several years ago, he compared giving a teenager a phone to giving him access to the alcohol cabinet.

5. This is your brain on social media.

When I was growing up the “war on drugs” was launched which meant commercials such as the egg being fried in a pan with the voiceover simply saying, “This is your brain on drugs.” Because we only have a few years of research on the implications of social media, we are still learning the affects. But the early research has been troubling. In her book iGen, Jean Twenge shares how teenagers on their phones are being trained to read in short chunks and don’t engage in long, transformational reading. They struggle to develop social skills. And they are less happy and more anxious than previous generations. In the midst of the pandemic, doctors are reporting a rise in Tourette-like symptoms that they believe may be caused by too much social media use – specifically too much time on Tik-Tok.

Cross Christmas Tree: A Unique Way to Remember Jesus

By

Youth Ministrycom

-

November 4, 2021

I recently saw an idea via a friend of a friend, and I love it! The concept is a cross Christmas tree, cleverly called a CROSS-mas Tree. Now we have this display in our church building too.

When I first saw the cross Christmas tree, I thought, “That’s awesome! It’s one more way to remind us what Christmas is all about. I must get my hands on that so other people can see Jesus through it.” The idea also made me realize that finding Christ in Christmas doesn’t have to be an uphill battle.

A Closer Look at the Cross Christmas Tree

As it turns out, I was able to go one step further. The idea intrigued me so much that I connected with its creator, Darren Howard, and his wife, Karley. Here’s a peek at our conversation:

What was your inspiration for this CROSS-mas Tree?

Darren: I wanted something for my family and household to remember Jesus more specifically. The normal Christmas tree is a very symbolic thing for many people, but when I look at it by itself, I don’t get what it represents. When Jesus was born for us, He wasn’t just some special kid; He was our Savior. I wanted something Christmas-like that symbolized this. So I thought I’d make a cross-shaped tree because it would be more visually engaging. I had a lot of prodding of the Spirit to work on this. It was a real God thing.

How did that play out, from idea to making your first one?

Darren: I first had the idea about four year ago, right around Christmas. A whole year went by, and then the next year I got kidney stones and wasn’t able to work for a week. God slowed me down and stopped me, reminding me of the idea. So I used that time to create the first prototype and displayed it at my house. After I got married, life got busy again. But then I finally buckled down this year and realized it was time to make a hard push to get more out there. That came from people who saw the trees and kept asking me how much I saved doing it myself. Then i realized nothing of this size or nature was available. So we have a patent on its design and hope to serve churches and households with it.

What comments have you heard from people?

Karley: We have a lot of friends over to our house, and this cross Christmas tree gives us another way of opening up to share Christ’s love with them. Not all of them are believers. It’s a great way to share the Gospel with them.

Darren: I also have a niece and nephew who visit, and I’ve never had anything that visually draws them in to Jesus and who He is. Everything is so visual in their generation. So it’s cool when they see a CROSS-Mas tree and have their own takeaways from it. They’ve asked questions about its shape. That helps us help them think about Christ’s birth, what gift-giving represents, etc. It’s not just about the presents. This display pushes them to think about why we give presents. It’s more of a visual aid as to why we do that.

I like how this can help our church focus in on Jesus. I imagine tit will help countless people hone in on Him during worship.

Darren: A lot more Christians do seem to magically pop up around church [during this season]. The cross Christmas tree helps the nominal Christian transition into Christmas more. They see crosses and they get more serious. It engages them to challenge people more to consider the symbolism. I don’t think a lot of people realize the history of evergreens, either. Their needles are resistant to fire in ways other trees aren’t. They have the hardest of bark. They hold up against almost anything. In the Old Testament, people put pine branches in the Tabernacle. It’s such a great symbol of eternal, non-dying life. That symbolism wrapped up in a cross represents Christ. Until I did research, I didn’t realize some of that stuff.

This idea is so simple yet so profound. What do you think of the cross Christmas tree? Would you want one for your church or youth room?

Tony Myles is a multi-faceted ministry veteran, conference speaker, and author with a passion for the future of the church. He’s served that calling as a Senior Pastor and Youth Worker, and leads the Student Ministry Team at Riverside Church in Big Lake, MN…and he really likes smoothies.

This article originally appeared here.

A Christian Town? This Controversial Church’s Goal Is to Make It Happen

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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November 4, 2021

Douglas Wilson Christ Church Moscow Idaho — Unsplash.com: @Anthony Chiado

Christ Church is a megachurch in the small town of Moscow, Idaho that’s quickly gaining national attention.

The Guardian recently released its findings on an investigation it conducted regarding the church’s goal to make the city of Moscow, Idaho a “theocracy,” or, in their words, a “Christian town.” Christ Church has an estimated 1000 congregants, which is roughly 4 percent of Moscow’s population of 25,000.

Christ Church’s Mission

Christ Church’s mission statement appears as follows on their website:

Our mission at Christ Church is summed up by the phrase “all of Christ for all of life.” Under the grace of God, this means that our desire is to make Moscow a Christian town through faithful and robust covenant renewal worship on the Lord’s Day, through proclamation of the gospel to unbelievers, while training additional evangelists who will continue proclaiming that gospel, through teaching men and women how to live together in harmonious Christian marriage, through establishing a family-friendly culture of Christian education in which well-loved and well-disciplined children will learn to stay the course, through outreach that brings people to church, accommodating them where they are while seeking to bring them into maturity in a structured way, through genuine cultural engagement that provides Christian leadership in the arts, in business, in education, in politics, and in literature, and through a regular series of church plants on the Palouse as we have gifted, trained and ordained men, willing congregants, adequate resources, and available facilities. And we seek to do all of this in gladness and simplicity of heart, as we pursue love for God and love for our neighbor.

The Guardian’s Investigation

In their investigation, the Guardian reveals how Christ Church has acquired “significant influence” in the city of Moscow and continues to extend its leadership’s “power” and “activities” in order to accomplish their mission.

Douglas Wilson is Christ Church’s pastor. Wilson is the author of over 100 books, and serves on the board of trustees at New Saint Andrews College (a small local Christian college affiliated with the church). Wilson also founded the college’s theology program and serves as its senior fellow.

The investigation said that “church figures have browbeaten elected officials over COVID restrictions, built powerful institutions in parallel to secular government, harassed perceived opponents, and accumulated land and businesses in pursuit of a long-term goal of transforming America into a nation ruled according to its own, ultra-conservative moral precepts.”

The Guardian attempted to show how the church leadership has been influencing the city by listing the ways many of Wilson’s family members are employed. The college employs Wilson’s son-in-law, Ben Merkle [president], other son-in-law, Luke Jankovic [trustee], son Nathan [fellow of literature], brother Gordon [senior fellow of natural history], and Christ Church’s associate pastor, Toby Sumpter [trustee]. All of those men also serve as elders at Christ Church.

The Guardian also revealed that Christ Church elder Andrew Crapuchettes was the chief executive of one of the city’s largest employers, a labor marketing data company called Emsi. Fifty-five of Emsi’s employees are graduates of New Saint Andrews College. That number is significant, given that the college has only graduated 635 in its lifetime. The Guardian additionally linked other church elders to senior positions within the company, including one of Wilson’s son-in-laws.

This isn’t the first time a news outlet has reported about the church’s quest. In 2019, an article from The Spokesman-Review titled “Controversial Church Aims to ‘Make Moscow a Christian Town’” quoted Wilson as saying that the idea of a “spiritual takeover” of the city originated with is dad, James Wilson, after he retired from the Navy.

Nebraska AG Finds 258 Victims of Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

By

Grant Schulte

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November 4, 2021

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska attorney general’s office investigation identified 258 victims who made credible allegations of sexual abuse against 57 Catholic church officials in the state going back decades, including many that high-ranking church leaders knew about and didn’t report to the authorities, according to a report released Thursday.

Prosecutors can’t charge against any current or former church officials with a crime because the statutes of limitations have expired in the vast majority of cases, Attorney General Doug Peterson said at a news conference announcing the findings. In one case where charges are still possible, Peterson said the accuser declined to participate in a prosecution.

The report outlines each known case in graphic detail, stretching from the 1930s to the 2010s. More than 90% of the victims were boys, usually young teenagers who served as altar servers.

“The extent of the physical and psychological harm caused by the perpetrators and the failure of the church to safeguard so many victims is gut-wrenching,” said Peterson, fighting back tears at several points during a news conference.

The investigation identified 57 church officials from Nebraska’s three dioceses who were credibly accused, including 51 priests, four deacons and two teachers. There were 97 documented victims from the Lincoln Diocese, 158 from the Omaha Archdiocese and and three from the Grand Island Diocese.

Most of the reported abuse took place in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, although 10 people reported abuse that took place in the 2010s.

Peterson said he was frustrated that prosecutors couldn’t file charges against anyone in the church, and would support efforts to loosen or eliminate old statutes of limitation for such crimes. Nebraska has since eliminated statutes of limitation for child sex assaults, but the change didn’t apply retroactively to old cases and the old law prevents those victims from filing lawsuits.

“This has in effect denied these victims justice and I am committed to setting this right,” said state Sen. Rich Pahls, of Omaha.

Pahls promised to introduce a bill during next year’s legislative session “to address this egregious and unacceptable state of affairs.”

In a joint statement, the bishops of all three Nebraska dioceses apologized to the victims and said they had taken steps to try to protect children and vulnerable adults.

“This report also points out mistakes made in the way dioceses received, reported and responded to allegations of sexual abuse in the past,” the bishops said. “We have been committed in recent years to comprehensive measures to protect young people and vulnerable adults, preventing abuse, offering healing for past victims of abuse and fully cooperating with civil authorities in these matters.”

Beth Moore: What Galatians Tells Us About How to Confront Church Leaders

By

Jessica Mouser

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November 4, 2021

Challenging other church leaders, says author and Bible teacher Beth Moore, can be grief-inducing and painful, but Scripture shows us that there are times to do so.

“I don’t like being at odds with people that I love so much, those that have been my peers, my co-laborers,” said Moore. “I hate that. I hate it. But there are times when leaders do have to say to other leaders, ‘Wait, this doesn’t seem in step with the gospel.’”

In January, Beth Moore released “Now That Faith Has Come: A Study of Galatians,” which she co-authored with her daughter, Melissa. In an interview on the Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast, Moore shared how the book of Galatians provides a framework for some decisions she has made recently, including her choice to leave the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). You can listen to each part of the interview by clicking on the links below:

Beth Moore, Part 1: How Galatians Is ‘Astonishingly Relevant’ to American Christianity

Beth Moore, Part 2: What It Was Like to Leave the SBC

Beth Moore Speaks Out

In March 2021, Beth Moore announced that she was leaving the SBC, saying at the time, “I love so many Southern Baptist people, so many Southern Baptist churches, but I don’t identify with some of the things in our heritage that haven’t remained in the past.”

Moore explained in the interview that her decision to leave came from “facing up to the fact that somehow, I no longer belong. And, you know, it began instantly with speaking out back in the fall of 2016. It was overnight.” Moore drew criticism in 2016 for calling out Christian leaders who supported former president Donald Trump, even after tapes were leaked in which Trump used lewd language to brag about assaulting women.

In December 2020, Moore was even more direct. She wrote on Twitter, “I do not believe these are days for mincing words. I’m 63 1/2 years old & I have never seen anything in these United States of America I found more astonishingly seductive & dangerous to the saints of God than Trumpism. This Christian nationalism is not of God. Move back from it.”

Moore has drawn heat in other areas as well, including for calling out racism in the church and for preaching at Sunday church services. It was regarding preaching to men that Pastor John MacArthur infamously said of Moore, “Go home,” in October 2019.

However, “the straw that broke the camel’s back for me,” said Moore, came from something that happened earlier that year. “It’s when I stupidly said something online to somebody else about speaking on Mother’s Day at my church. And you know, I would have known that it would have annoyed somebody. But that’s not what happened. It dropped like a bomb.”

The public criticism that followed “was very widespread and it broke my heart,” said Moore. “I felt that many bore false witness because it was, it sounded like, ‘She’s led the women astray.’” The reality, she said, is that the accusations did not reflect her teaching or actions throughout her ministry. “I have never tried to be a senior pastor. I have never been a minister at a church. My payroll experience at First Baptist was teaching aerobics.”

Oregon Church Continues to Offer Daily Meals for Homeless, Despite City Restrictions

By

Dale Chamberlain

-

November 4, 2021

Bernie Lindley, pastor of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Brookings, OR, has vowed to continue providing meals for the unhoused members of the community, despite a new city ordinance that restricts the practice.

St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church has been offering meals to those in need six days a week in response to meal services being halted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Neighbors of the church raised safety concerns as many unhoused individuals have flocked to the church, resulting in a city ordinance that bars any organization from offering free meals more than twice a week, for no more than a duration of three hours per day.

Rev. Lindley told CBN News that he and his church will refuse to comply with the ordinance. “They’re going to have to handcuff me and take me to jail, which they won’t do. So it’s not going to happen. We’re not going to stop feeding. We’re going to do what Christ compels us to do,” Lindley said.

At the beginning of the pandemic, St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church obtained permits from the city to house individuals without homes in its parking lot, and Lindley suspects that this is what caused neighbors to grow concerned.

“Some of the people who are emotionally fragile ended up having some psychotic breaks, manic episodes, stuff like that,” Lindley said. “So definitely, things got pretty dramatic for a while.”

Despite the challenges St. Timothy’s benevolence has created and the pushback from the community, Lindley sees providing these meals as integral to the church’s expression of faith, saying, “This is the way we express our religion, by feeding people.”

Further, Lindley said that obeying this ordinance would “disrupt their ability to get warm, nutritious meals for sure,” explaining that the meals that his church provides are the only meals some people eat.

St. Timothy has begun exploring legal options to challenge the city ordinance, as they see it as a violation of their first amendment right to freely express their religion.

Defense attorney Andell Brown told Fox News, “This church is simply following the commission of who they claim to follow: Christ…They’re Christians. [Jesus] fed the five thousand, and they’re feeding as many as they can in their neighborhood.”

“And it’s very important to them as part of their faith to take care of the less fortunate. This is an expression of their first amendment right to worship as they choose according to their conscience. And they see a community in need. They’re stepping up to help,” Brown added. “I think this ordinance, as well intentioned as it may be, is flat out wrong, and it just may end up being unconstitutional.”

Foes of Death Penalty Offer Spiritual Support at Executions

By

David Crary

-

November 4, 2021

NEW YORK (AP) — After Sister Barbara Battista, a Roman Catholic nun staunchly opposed to the death penalty, agreed to accompany a condemned man at his execution in federal prison, she wondered doubtfully, “Am I just part of this whole killing machine?”

“The answer is ‘No,’” she decided, proceeding with her mission to the death chamber in Terre Haute, Indiana, where in August 2020 Battista said a silent prayer while witnessing the lethal injection of Keith Dwayne Nelson, convicted of kidnapping, sexually assaulting and killing a 10-year-old girl.

“No matter how heinous the act, no matter how much I’m opposed to it, that person deserves to have someone who is there simply because they care,” she said.

Battista’s name is now on a friend-of-the-court brief submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court by the American Civil Liberties Union. Along with other spiritual advisers and former corrections officials, Battista argues against a Texas policy that prohibits a Southern Baptist pastor from praying aloud and laying hands on a condemned man, John Ramirez, as he is executed.

Ramirez, sentenced to death for the 2004 murder of a convenience store clerk, was scheduled to be executed Sept. 8, but the Supreme Court ordered a delay to consider claims that restrictions on the pastor’s role would violate his religious liberties. Oral arguments are scheduled for next Tuesday.

The ACLU has a long history of opposing the death penalty and also says that condemned prisoners, even at the moment of execution, have religious rights.

“If the state is going to engage in this practice, it should make every effort to honor the dignity and religious liberties of those it plans to kill,” said Daniel Mach, director of the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief

Intriguingly, the ACLU’s position in the Ramirez case is echoed by some conservative religious groups which support the death penalty and are often at odds with the ACLU on other issues, for example in cases where religious conservatives believe they have a right to discriminate against LGBTQ people.

The Southern Baptist Convention has an official position supporting “the fair and equitable use of capital punishment.” Last month the SBC joined six other faith-based groups in a friend-of-the-court brief making the same argument as the ACLU — that Ramirez’s pastor, Dana Moore, should be able to lay hands on him and pray aloud during the execution.

“Religious freedom doesn’t end as you approach the moment of death,” said Brent Leatherwood, acting president of the SBC’s public policy arm. “The state has yet to make a compelling reason for why Pastor Moore cannot minister to Mr. Ramirez in these final moments.”

Rachael Denhollander, Liberty Students to Hold Rally Calling for Abuse Investigation

By

Bob Smietana

-

November 4, 2021

(RNS) — A group of Liberty University students and alumni plans to hold a prayer rally on the school’s campus in Lynchburg, Virginia, on Thursday (Nov. 4), calling for an independent, third-party investigation of Liberty’s handling of sexual assault and harassment cases.

Abuse advocate Rachael Denhollander will speak at the rally, which will coincide with a dinner for Liberty’s board of trustees, which meets this week.

Denhollander, a former gymnast whose testimony helped lead to the conviction of former USA Gymnastics coach and serial abuser Larry Nassar, has become a leading voice in addressing sexual abuse among evangelicals.

This past summer, a group of 12 women, including former Liberty students and employees, sued the evangelical Christian school, alleging that its policies made it “difficult or impossible for students to report sexual violence.” In late October, the school’s former spokesman also filed a suit, claiming he was fired after criticizing school leaders, including President Jerry Prevo, for how they responded to sexual assaults on campus.

In addition, a recent ProPublica story said that several students who reported assaults were warned that they could be punished for violating the Liberty Way, the school’s honor code, which limits meetings between male and female students.

Under former Liberty President Jerry Falwell Jr., speakers who called for prayer rallies that criticized the school were banned from campus. In 2018, campus police escorted Christian author Jonathan Martin off school property the night before a planned protest, a decision Falwell later defended. Author and speaker Shane Claiborne was also barred from campus.Denhollander plans to hold a news conference at the Craddock Terry Hotel in Lynchburg before the rally, with Dustin Wahl, founder of the Liberty alumni group Save17; former Liberty professor Karen Swallow Prior; and members of Justice for Janes, a student group calling for campus reforms at Liberty.

Wahl said he hopes school officials will allow the prayer rally to go forward.

“We feel that someone of Rachael’s caliber will be listened to,” said Dahl.

A university spokesman said outsiders are not allowed to protest at the school.

“Liberty University’s campus activities are reserved for residential students, faculty and administration. Demonstrations that are planned well in advance, for which space is requested and reserved are permitted on Liberty University’s campus, as long as they involve residential students, not the general public,” the spokesperson told Religion News Service in a statement.

Organizers said they still plan to move ahead with the rally despite the statement from the university and that Denhollander still plans to be there.

Tragedy Strikes Astroworld

Satanic Conspiracy Theory Begins Circulating

What steps can you take for guarding your heart in the pulpit? Consider these recommendations …

1. Guarding Your Heart: Come to the pulpit prayed up.

Derek Carr Strives to Fulfill God’s Call

‘I’m Victorious,’ Declares Raiders QB

A Win for Survivor Advocacy Groups

Post Traumatic Church Disorder:

How to Know You Have It

12 Markers of Post Traumatic Church Disorder

Post Traumatic Church Disorder – 5 Treatments

1. Pray.

2. Remind Yourself Who the Church Is.

3. Help Make Better Decisions.

4. Serve Selflessly.

5. Don’t Go It Alone.

Choosing Songs: 25 Ways to Pick Great Songs for Your Church

1. CHOOSE WORSHIP SONGS WITH A GREAT MESSAGE

2. CHOOSE WORSHIP SONGS THAT HAVE ENOUGH “MEAT.”

3. MAKE SURE THE LYRICS AREN’T DUMB.

4. CHOOSE WORSHIP SONGS IN YOUR CONGREGATION’S STYLE.

5. CHOOSE A SONG THAT YOUR BAND CAN PLAY.

6. FIND A SONG THAT’S “YOU.”

1. When they get a phone, everything changes.

2. We hear stories of bullying and regret.

3. Teenagers tell the truth.

4. Adolescents are vulnerable to addiction.

5. This is your brain on social media.

A Closer Look at the Cross Christmas Tree

What was your inspiration for this CROSS-mas Tree?

How did that play out, from idea to making your first one?

What comments have you heard from people?

I like how this can help our church focus in on Jesus. I imagine tit will help countless people hone in on Him during worship.

Christ Church’s Mission

The Guardian’s Investigation

Beth Moore Speaks Out

New Articles

New Podcasts