Oklahoma GOP Likens Vaccine Mandates to Persecution of Jews

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August 2, 2021

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma Republican Party faced fierce criticism Friday for a Facebook post likening COVID-19 vaccine mandates to the persecution of Jewish people in Nazi Germany.

The post on the party’s official Facebook page urged people to call the lieutenant governor and ask him to call a special session to prohibit employers from requiring their employees to get vaccinated. It featured a picture of a yellow Star of David with the word “unvaccinated” on it and said: “Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it.”

Roberta Clark, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Oklahoma City, called the post “highly inappropriate” and urged party officials to apologize.

“To compare the actions taken by Nazi Germany to a public health discussion is ill-informed and inappropriate,” Clark said. “An apology is really appropriate, and it shows leadership and sensitivity to the harmful impact this has made.”

John Bennett, the party’s new chairman, didn’t immediately respond to a phone message left at the party’s headquarters.

The party’s vice chairman, Shane Jemison, said Friday he wasn’t certain who created the post, but called it “beyond abhorrent.”

“Equating the possibility of private entities requiring their employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to the Holocaust is beyond abhorrent, disgraceful and a gross misrepresentation of the Republican Party and its values here in Oklahoma and nationally,” he said in a written statement.

Last month, Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, of Georgia, apologized for comments she made comparing the required wearing of safety masks in the House to the horrors of the Holocaust.

It’s not the first time the state party, or Bennett, has faced criticism for posts on Facebook.

In 2015, then-Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman Randy Brogdon apologized for a post that likened food stamps to feeding wild animals.

The following year, Bennett, then a state lawmaker, posted a news story on Facebook critical of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and added the comment, “2 words … firing squad.”

At the time, Bennett defended the comments as “sarcasm,” and said he wouldn’t wish death upon anyone or encourage violence toward any candidate.

This article originally appeared here.

CDC Researcher Susan Hillis on How People of Faith Can Support COVID Orphans

By

Emily McFarlan Miller

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August 2, 2021

(RNS) — Susan Hillis, a member of the COVID-19 International Task Force at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, remembers the phone call she received from a director of a non-governmental organization in Zambia.

The NGO director was fearful for the children in Zambia. So many of them had lost their parents to AIDS and were now being cared for by grandparents. But with COVID-19 taking the lives of the elderly in particular, he worried, who would be left to care for the children?

That’s what led Hillis and other researchers from the CDC — along with the World Health Organization and a number of academic institutions and NGOs — to launch a study to determine how many children had been orphaned by causes related to COVID-19, according to Hillis.

Their report, released last week, estimated more than 1.5 million children around the world lost a parent or grandparent who lived with and cared for them in the first 14 months of the pandemic.

“We began to realize this is really a hidden pandemic no one has measured and no one is advocating for,” said Hillis, who has a PhD. in epidemiology and whose work addresses HIV/AIDS, violence prevention and orphaned and vulnerable children.

Hillis, who also coordinates faith and community initiatives for the CDC, describes herself as a Christian and regularly spends her time off volunteering around the globe with faith-based organizations. That includes collaborating with Pastor Rick and Kay Warren of Saddleback Church in California to address those orphaned in the countries most impacted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

She spoke with Religion News Service about how her Christian faith connects with her work for the CDC and how people of all faiths can support children and families devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Can you talk a bit about your faith and how it informs your work?

I would say my Christian faith is the singular driving, motivating, sustaining and rewarding value that drives my service at home, at CDC and also globally.

I do think faith undergirds a lot of values that are important and relevant for the kind of work we do at CDC: compassion, excellence, humility and collaboration. I think anyone with authentic faith has a similar kind of dedication to addressing disparities, inequities and areas of extreme need. What we would probably say, in a faith vernacular, is paying attention to what Jesus talks about in Matthew as “the least of these” in terms of where there is extreme need.

Can you help put the numbers in this report into perspective for readers?

What we found was staggering. Between March 1, 2020, and April 30, 2021, we found that the roughly 3 million deaths had left behind 1.5 million children who were either orphaned or had experienced the death of a grandmother or grandfather who lived with them and helped provide their care. Basically, it was that same group this NGO director was so worried about. What he was worried about was happening.

Engaging Culture Well: How to Share Your Faith Critically and Contextually Today

By

Ed Stetzer

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August 2, 2021

In every time period and historical context during which it has been shared, the gospel has confronted culture in one way or another.

During the years of Christ’s ministry, the truth of the gospel challenged the mistreatment of the poor.

During the Reformation, the gospel drove Martin Luther to condemn the selling of indulgences.

During the late 1700s, the gospel inspired William Wilberforce to abolish the slave trade.

The message of Christ’s redemptive love and free gift of forgiveness for all has been the force behind centuries of social change. Christians who understand the implications of this gospel can’t help but find ways to apply its principles as they live and work in secular society.

For obvious reasons, however, cultural engagement brings with it unique challenges and complications. Many find themselves wanting to charge in, speak prophetically, criticize openly, and then expect to wait and watch for meaningful change to occur. But as Christians work to identify issues of concern in communities—either our own or those elsewhere—a posture of respect becomes critical.

Ultimately, it’s not about forcing others into agreement or ‘winning’ a debate. It’s about sharing the message of hope that we have and trusting God to change hearts and minds.

Pursue Understanding

When we find ourselves in conversation with individuals from other cultures—particularly, those who don’t see eye to eye with us on spiritual matters—it can be easy to enter into ‘prophetic preacher’ mode. An attitude of superiority and condescension quickly clouds our witness and prevents others from receiving our message.

Sometimes, though, the most effective way to share is with our mouths closed.

When Paul visited Athens in Acts 17, we know he spent time reasoning with Jews, Greeks, and philosophers alike. But, he didn’t do so without first getting some context; he pursued understanding of these people’s culture before entering into the conversation.

We see him remark on observations of the Athenians’ religiosity—he tells an audience of Athenians that he “walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship,” reading their inscriptions and considering their philosophies (Acts 17:23).

10 Things That Ain’t Church (Thoughts on Decreased Church Attendance)

By

Carey Nieuwhof

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August 2, 2021

definition of church — Photo Credit: © Unsplash

It’s never been easier to avoid church, skip church or exit church than it is today. And it has a lot of church leaders and Christians scrambling to figure out what’s happening, why decreased church attendance is happening and what it all means. Those are great questions.

On the positive side, a lot of the social stigma associated with ‘missing a Sunday’ is gone, and that’s not a bad thing. Self-righteousness and judgment should never have felt at home in church anyway.

On the other side, though, what’s actually going on? Is decreased church attendance a good thing for Christians to rarely/never/infrequently attend church? If you watch online, does it count? If you do your own thing, is that a good replacement?

In the last few decades a whole new set of questions has arisen that we’re not sure we have the answer to. Church leaders are scrambling. People are coming up with their own answers. And I’m trying to figure it out, too.

Complete bias here: I’ve spent over two decades as church leader. I’m hardly impartial. And we’ve been fortunate to see our church reach a lot of people in an era where most churches have plateaued or are declining. And at least half of the people we’ve reached didn’t used to attend church.

But all that said (this is hard to admit), I’ve felt the impulses to question the value of church attendance too (I wrote this post on that here). And a few months ago, I missed weekend services three weeks in a row due to travel. Truthfully, at first, I was relieved to get a week or two off. I chose alternatives (church online and personal devotions), but by week three I was aching to be back.

I missed gathering together in Jesus’ name.

Sure, I fully understand that church is not something you go to, it’s something you are.

You don’t go to church, you are the church. But the “you” in you are the church is plural (we are the church), not singular. And church is bigger than you.

Defending the Faith without a PhD

By

Travis Kerns

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August 2, 2021

8.2-Defending-the-Faith-without-a-PhD — defending the faith

For many Christians, questions about our faith come on a regular basis. How can we believe a dead man rose from the grave? How can we believe that said dead man is risen and now lives in a physical, glorified body? How can we possibly believe the Creator of the universe spoke through humans to give us his written Word? For that matter, how can we even believe in a Creator at all?

For some believers, especially younger ones, these questions can cause a crisis of faith in one’s ability to defend his or her beliefs. Or, even worse, they can cause a crisis of faith in Christ. What’s more, young believers may end up feeling like they need to pursue a Ph.D. in apologetics to defend their faith. This is certainly not unhelpful, but it is also not necessary.

The good news is this: defending the faith is not only possible without a Ph.D. — it is completely expected because Jesus has already equipped you to do so! All the tools you need for defending the faith are sitting on your desk, on your nightstand, or in your phone. Your toolbox is nothing more or less than the Bible itself and it overflows with defensive capabilities. While there are plenty of helpful supplemental resources that can help us in defending the faith, they cannot replace God’s Word.

Defending the Faith Without a PhD

The Bible is rife with examples of believers using God’s Word and defending the faith. These examples can encourage young believers who seek to defend their faith in a complex religious culture that is not unlike what the early Christians experienced.

Isaiah’s Divine Commission

Isaiah 8 is a chapter filled with difficulty, trials, and tribulations. However, it is also filled with hope, mercy, and promises.

The difficulty, trials, and tribulations are all aimed at those who claim to be God’s people but do not act according to his Word. The hope, mercy, and promises are aimed at those who are God’s people indeed because they both believe his Word and act accordingly.

In Isaiah 8:12, God instructs Isaiah directly and tells Isaiah to make sure God’s people do not follow worldly, secular, unbelieving thoughts or actions. Believers are not to fear what the unbelieving world fears, follow what the unbelieving world follows, or think as the unbelieving world thinks.

God moves on in Isaiah 8:13 to a positive take and tells Isaiah to direct God’s people to him as holy, to fear Him, and to understand him as their place of rest and refuge. Believers are to read God’s Word, use God’s Word, worship God, and he will become a sanctuary.

Notice specifically the command of 8:16: “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” Also notice 8:20: “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.”

God’s instructions here are clear. His people are to use his Word for all areas of faith and practice. This includes Defending the faith: what God has said and what he commands.

The message is clear: God’s Word is effectual and will create in believers a sense of peace, rest, refuge, and sanctuary. And here’s the best part: God’s Word can do the same for unbelievers. All you need to do is share his Word and depend on the Spirit to do his saving work.

Paul’s Defense at the Areopagus

Most Christians are familiar with Paul’s defense of the faith at the Areopagus in Acts 17, but what is often missed is how Paul got invited there in the first place.

Acts 17 begins with Paul in Thessalonica where, according to his custom, he went into their synagogue and reasoned with them “from the Scriptures” (Acts 17:2).

For Paul, God’s Word was used to provide explanation and evidence of Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection (Acts 17:3). This means Paul didn’t rely on rhetorical arguments or fancy evidences to prove that Jesus was the Christ; he just relied on God’s Word. He did the same thing in Berea (Acts 17:10-11) and then in Athens (Acts 17:17).

Some of the philosophers in Athens accused Paul of being a “babbler,” which means “seed-picker.” The term was used to suggest that Paul was incoherent, as if he had picked pieces of various religions in his proclamations. However, the philosophers were intrigued enough to invite Paul to the Areopagus, a prestigious invitation, in order to know more about the teaching he was proclaiming (Acts 17:19).

The message is clear—God’s Word did not return to him void. Paul’s strategy was to use God’s Word in the cities he visited to prove Jesus was the Christ. The results in all three locations were that many came to believe that Jesus was the Christ (Acts 17:4, 11, 32).

Jude’s Exhortation

One of the smallest books of the Bible, Jude has only one chapter, but that single chapter is packed with encouragement for our discussion of the way in which the Bible teaches Christians to defend their beliefs.

Jude 3 is probably one of the most quoted verses in the Bible, alongside 1 Peter 3:15, concerning apologetics. The second clause of the verse reads, “… I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.”

The word “contend” simply means to spend considerable energy on behalf of something. In the context of the letter, Jude is telling his readers, and us, to spend considerable energy defending Christianity against false teachers.

Interestingly, Jude starts his apologetics course with a quick reminder of a few stories from the Old Testament. He then moves to why the false teachers are false teachers: they do not understand God’s Word and they reason like animals because they are not grounded in God’s Word.

Look now at verse 17: “But you, beloved, out to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jude points those who are contending for the faith back to the words of the first band of followers of Christ. He points them back to Scripture for answers.

Again, the message is clear: God’s Word is powerful enough to convict unbelievers and to remind believers to look to him and his Word for all things in faith and practice.

In the end, what is the best way to defend your faith as a Christian? Use God’s Word. Do you need a Ph.D. to do so? Absolutely not! You need the words of the very Creator of the universe. When God spoke in Genesis, the universe was created from nothing. As God speaks through his Word and the Holy Spirit moves, the unbelieving heart can be changed from stone to flesh (Ezekiel 11:19) and the unbeliever can be moved from death to life (John 5:24).

Trust God and his Word. Study the Bible; memorize passages; pray through sections of text. God will use it to give you the ability to defend your faith, both internally with your own questions and externally with questions from others.

This article on defending the faith was written by Travis Kerns and Jared Wellman. It originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

Ready to Be Resented? Stand Firm

By

Paul Alexander

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August 2, 2021

A fellow elder in our church recently warned us that false teachers don’t tell us to hate Jesus. Instead, they encourage us to think of Jesus differently, or elevate some other “value” over what Jesus taught and did. That’s happening today on the issues of sexual practice, sexual identity, and the politicizing of identity groups based on “race” and “gender” for self-righteous ends. But clearly Jesus disapproved all sexual activity, desire, and even imaginations, outside a lifelong heterosexual monogamous marriage—whether those extra-marital desires and imaginations are heterosexual or not. And clearly, the gospel commands that we “should not call any person common or unclean”—no one is beyond the reach of forgiveness in Christ—no matter what their color, culture, or crime, since Jesus “is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead [and] all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10:28, 42–43). On this we should stand firm. It is our sin that must be canceled in Christ, not someone else’s skin or backstory.

Just as clearly, there have always been gospel haters, even religious ones, who “incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, [and] stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district” (Acts 13:50). Unbelievers “stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers” (Acts 14:2). That too is happening still today—politicians and social influencers stirring up crowds and poisoning people’s minds against biblical Christianity, its ethic, and the people who hold to it.

But as Steven D. Smith notes, today’s battle is not so much between religion and atheism, as it is between a religion of transcendence and a pagan religion of immanence. As in the first century, so in the twenty-first, you’re free to worship the immanent all you want—anything internal, inherent, or innate—without incurring the ire of the mainstream. Everybody is fine with worshiping the creature— that’s what porn is about, or certain strands of environmentalism. You can feel free to “find your divine” in cosmic wonder or sexual ecstasy, in mind-altering substances or in the psychological self, in eastern meditation or yoga or the “god-within” of “spiritual” celebs like Morgan Freeman. The ubiquity of immanent spirituality is surely one of the reasons why the saccharine swoonings of boyfriend-Jesus ballads still waft over the airwaves of “Christian” radio.

But talk of a transcendent God—an objective Creator-Judge-Redeemer over all—and you incur vitriol and sometimes violence . . . usually resentment, at least contempt, often slander, sometimes cancellation, and increasingly, litigation. Sadly, the soft prosperity preaching of attractional evangelicalism remains as mute about these costs as a faith healer during a pandemic. But the Jesus of the Bible prepares us for persecution; so did his prophets and apostles. Pastors today should do the same.

So what are some ways that churches and pastors can equip us to stand firm against the world’s increasing opposition to the truth and ethic of the gospel, as well as those who proclaim it? Here are a few fortifications to stabilize our faith and calibrate our expectations so that we stand firm.

How to Stand Firm

Consider the worthiness of Jesus.

Heaven thinks Jesus is worthy of all “power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing” (Revelation 5:12). He’s worth losing all of that in this world in order to gain him forever. Why do they think that? Worthy is the lamb who was slain. The sinless Christ suffered for his people first. So he is worthy of their suffering, and their suffering for him is worth it. No one in heaven regrets suffering for Jesus on earth. Neither will you. The apostles took a beating from the Sanhedrin and left “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name” (Acts 5:41). Paul considered it a gift from God for Christians not only to believe in Jesus but to suffer for him and with him (Philippians 1:29). Paul found a kind of fellowship, a closeness with Jesus that he found nowhere else than in suffering for Jesus’s name (Philippians 3:8-10). Jesus is so worthy of our suffering that the apostles considered it a privilege. What is Jesus worth to you?

Consider the sovereignty of God.

Suffering with hope requires a robust view of God’s sovereignty over our suffering. For instance, Psalm 105:23–25 says, “Then Israel came to Egypt; Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. And the Lord made his people very fruitful and made them stronger than their foes. He turned their hearts to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants.” This appears to be happening today—God turning the hearts of unbelievers to hate his people. But that means God controls the intensity, pain, and duration of our suffering. And that is why we can suffer for Jesus with hope, because God has already sifted our suffering for us. It’s also why we can maintain a posture of forgiveness and compassion for those who persecute us, like Joseph did with his brothers (Genesis 50:20-22). Why did Saul try to pin David to a wall with a spear? “ . . . a harmful spirit from God rushed on Saul, and . . . he thought, I will pin David to the wall” (1 Samuel 18:10–11). David’s prayers in the Psalms are addressed to a God whom he knows to be sovereign … over all. He prays to the only one able to do anything about his suffering.

The early church in Acts 4 admitted in prayer that God was sovereign over the greatest injustice ever perpetrated by humanity—the crucifixion of the sinless Son of God (Acts 4:27–28). All suffering for Christ, then, is a lion on a leash. So it is still today. Those who reject Christ and lampoon his people do so because “… God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false . . .” (2 Thessalonians 2:11–12). God is sovereign over our suffering, and even over the unbelief and anger that drives people to persecute churches and Christians. And the Bible designs this sovereignty not for our confusion but for our comfort. God reigns over our suffering, and he will end it as soon as his good purposes for it are accomplished.

Consider the cruciformity of the gospel and the Christian life.

The gospel, the life it produces, is cross-shaped. Our life comes from Jesus’s death. Our glorified existence in heaven comes from Jesus’s shame on earth. The pattern of Christ’s own life and ministry—the whole logic of the gospel—is suffering before glory. And Jesus said in John 15 that if the world hates us for following him, then we should remember that the world hated him before it hated us (John 15:18–25). We follow a hated Savior. To know Christ so as to become like him, then, we must be hated like him. This is part of our vocation, our calling as Christians. “For to this you have been called . . .” (1 Peter 2:20–21; cf. Rom 8:17).

This is what we signed up for; so we shouldn’t be surprised (1 Peter 4:12–19). On his first visit back through the churches he planted, Paul told those new converts, based on his own experience, “through many trials we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). Church history is summarized in Revelation 12:13, 17:

When the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. . . . The dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

Suffering . . . then glory. But oh, the glory!

Consider the crown of glory.

Jesus opens the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes, which offer eternal reward for temporal suffering in his name. And the ones that get the most words are those about persecution:

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:10–12)

Paul suffered a lot, but the reason he didn’t lose heart is that “this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Peter likewise encourages suffering Christians to look forward to the “inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4).

Maybe our difficulty in hoping for that heavenly reward betrays the fact that our own theology has become so inundated by the immanent that we ourselves forget how to hope in the transcendent. Let’s remember how to hope beyond this world again. It bears repeating: no one in heaven regrets suffering for Jesus on earth. Neither will you—Jesus promises (Mark 10:28–30).

This article on how to stand firm in the face of resentment originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

Can You Be Reformed and Charismatic? Matt Chandler Thinks So

By

Bob Ditmer

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August 1, 2021

Reformed Charismatic or Charismatic Calvinist. They are terms you would expect to see on a list that includes “criminal justice” and “minor disaster.” You can almost hear the start of a joke, “a Calvinist and a Charismatic walk into a bar…..”

Reformed Charismatic…Really?

Is it possible the phrase isn’t the oxymoron many think it to be, but rather the synthesis of two dramatically different theologies finding common ground?

The possibility is gaining traction of late after messages by many pastors nationwide who admit they identify with the term.

THEOLOGICAL ORPHANS

One is Matt Chandler of the Village Church. In a message delivered earlier this month, he told his congregation that he often feels like a theological orphan. His anxiety is understandable. One group desires liturgy, order and consistency. The other revels in spontaneity, Holy Spirit manifestation, and experience. How can they possibly co-exist?

Many have tried and although the term is rare there is a history of Calvinists and Charismatics looking for a third way.

Dale M. Coulter, writing a First Things article in 2014 titled “A Charismatic Invasion of Anglicanism?”, traced the roots of a relationship all the way back to 1907 when a pentecostal preacher was invited to speak at All Saints Church in Sunderland. All Saints became the epicenter of early Pentecostalism in England.

In 2011, Sam Hamstra, pastor at Living Hope Church in Palos Heights, Illinois developed five points that describe a Reformed Charismatic.

As a Reformed Christian, I affirm the sovereignty of God the Spirit and believe that the Holy Spirit may work as the Spirit desire and may do so in ways well beyond my comprehension. Hence, I can’t limit the Spirit by putting the Spirit in a box, nor can I develop a foolproof scheme to experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
As Reformed Charismatic, I acknowledge that I am a sinning saint who, as a sinner, loves to control the way God works. For that reason I tend to limit the work of the Holy Spirit to ways that fit within my scheme. Hence, I admit that the Holy Spirit I worship is often an idol that I have shaped with my own hands, heart, and mind.
As a Reformed Charismatic, I believe that regeneration precedes faith and that when we receive the Holy Spirit we receive all of the Spirit. Still, I acknowledge that there is an ebb and flow to the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. At times I hinder the Spirit; at times I long to be filled with the Spirit; at times I experience that filling.
As a Reformed Charismatic, I believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit in my life represents God’s grace and, hence, I relish the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit. Without the Spirit, I am helpless in my attempts to follow the Lord. Without the Spirit, I can’t even hold on to my faith. For those reasons and more, I long to experience the fullness of the Spirit in both my life and in that of my congregation.
And here is perhaps the most distinctive conviction I hold as a Reformed Charismatic: I am a sinning saint who still wrestles with sin. Hence, I don’t trust the voice within me. Here’s my dilemma. I hear many Christians say things like “Last night, while I was out for a walk, the Lord spoke to me and told me I should ….” My response to that is “How do you know it was the Lord speaking to you?” How can you be so convinced that it was NOT your pride speaking to you? How do you know that you are not simply telling yourself what you want to hear?

IN SEARCH OF A THIRD WAY

Chandler represents the latest attempt to find a third way. In his sermon he recalled an experience he had while in college that he described as “crazy.’ He said a man he had never seen before walked up to him after a bible study. That man grabbed the sides of Chandler’s head and blew in his face.

“You probably think I’m insane,” the man said to a stunned Chandler, “but I am here, I have been sent here, I think, for you, and God has asked me to come here and blow on you and maybe that will make sense to you one day, and maybe it won’t. That’s all.”

The man then vanished.

Chandler told his congregation, “But here’s what I will tell you: From that day forward the effectiveness of my ministry, the power of my preaching, and the response to my preaching increased in a way that is hard to communicate.”

OBSTACLES TO THE MOVEMENT

There are detractors. Some Charismatics say any attempt to constrain the Holy Spirit through liturgy or in the belief that certain spiritual gifts ended at Pentecost denies the power and working of the Holy Spirit.

Some Calvinists fear the connection might lead to theological error. Well-known Calvinist R.C. Sproul, who himself had a charismatic experience in an effort to be more like his charismatic friends who had an ardor for prayer that he did not, left the pursuit out of fear that it too often leads to false doctrine.

Despite the concerns and warnings, Chandler hopes a third way is found because he says Christians needs both, a faith rooted in Scripture and an experience of God’s power in their lives.

Old School: 20 Vintage Worship Albums That Still Influence Us Today

By

Worship Leader

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August 1, 2021

Nearly thirty years ago Worship Leader published the inaugural issue of the magazine. With key editors and contributors such as, Chuck Fromm, Ron Allen, Chuck Kraft and Robert Webber it was designed to be a resource that shined a light on many practices of worship and gave those from different traditions a place to better understand one another. The first issue of WL had a grand total of two reviews of worship albums. Bethel Chapel’s The Glory of the Lord and Saddleback Church’s Saddleback Praises: Music With I.M.P.A.C.T. We get a few laughs around the office looking at the picture of Robert Webber with the permed hair and perennial mustache and Chuck Fromm’s shout out to his mentor Peter Drucker. And we are also proud when we think of the moments of worship we have witnessed and taken part in, and the movement of God’s children finding renewal in his spirit and truth.

Here is a statement in Chuck Fromm’s editorial in that inaugural issue of Worship Leader:

Our God is still seeking “true worshipers,” those who worship in spirit and truth. Our goal is to provide you with ideas, information, and resources to help you enhance and facilitate worship at your church.

We could still use that as a mission statement today! That is something that we certainly are proud of. So, we are asking you to join with us in a bit of celebration right now. It’s a celebration and a remembering of sorts. For fun and as a look down memory lane, we have chosen what we consider the top 20 most influential worship albums over the years. And we have asked a couple of our friends to share what some of those offerings meant to them.

20 Vintage Worship Albums That Still Influence Us Today

20. Offerings Third Day Essential Records (2000)

Why start a top 20 worship albums with a band that’s not a worship outfit? Because this record brought worship to the cars of more people than just about any other release. Offerings brought worship to the Christian mainstream.

**19. Break Through: Live At Saddleback Tommy Walker (2006)**

As a native Los Angelino no one represented our musical melting pot of Los Angeles like Tommy Walker. While cities like London, Melbourne, Houston, Mobile, and Atlanta were making their musical influence known around the world, Tommy Walker was our voice. His church, California Assembly in Eagle Rock became a beacon as well as a musical destination for any aspiring young worship leader or musician. Tommy’s ability to transform some of Los Angeles’ most seasoned session musicians into equal members of a communal worship team rivals LA Laker coach Phil Jackson’s ability to accomplish the same feat on the basketball court.

In the summer of 2005, Tommy and the CA crew traveled south on the 5 to Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church to lead worship at California’s other worship destination, The Purpose Driven Worship Conference. With close to 3,000 worship leaders in attendance, Thursday night’s evening of worship was recorded for what now is known as Break Through: Live At Saddleback. With an eight-piece band, five singers, and a 100-member choir lead by Stan Endicott, this live recording became a template for worship leaders around the country in how to engage your congregation to sing as one voice. This record gave us “Break Through,” “We Will Remember,” “To God Be the Glory” and the powerful and masterfully written “All the Saints Join In.” As Tommy continues to serve California Assembly and travel the world, this record stands out as Southern California’s contribution to modern worship.Written by Phil Sillas)

18. Eternity Misty Edwards Forerunner Music (2003)

Opening doors in the worship genre that appeal to passionate cries of the heart, Edwards’ influence can be heard far and wide amongst today’s worship artists.

17. Worship Michael W Smith Reunion Records (2001)

Smitty galvanized worship songs with this release. But beyond that, he lead worship. Worship showed artists that there is a difference between performing in a concert, and leading worship.

16. Hungry Vineyard UK Vineyard Records (1999)

This release captured the fire that was taking place in the late ‘90s in England. And introduced many of us to artists such as Kathryn Scott and Brenton Brown. And of course the influence of Brian Doerksen is felt throughout.

15. We Cry Out Jesus Culture (2007)

We Cry Out further articulates the heart-cry of a generation that God has gathered to himself through worship. This album beautifully captured raw passion and devotion for Jesus Christ. You can hear the authentic love for Him in every note. I’ve so appreciated the unhindered expressions of praise and space the album has provided for individual worship. The track that makes the album for me is John Mark McMillan’s “How He Loves” featuring Kim Walker-Smith. This song has become one of the anthems of our time, and I was so thrilled that Jesus Culture gifted the Church with such a standout version of this corporate favorite. “Fire Fall” featuring Chris Quilala and “Rain Down” featuring Melissa How are other notable tracks on the album.

The title cut, “We Cry Out” written by Brian Johnson (featuring Kim Walker) has served to fill my lungs with earnest prayer more time than I am able to count. It has enabled me to join my voice with the unnumbered multitude of brothers and sisters across the earth pleading for the mercy of God. “The Time Has Come” written by Joel Houston (featuring Melissa How) sums up not only the album, but also the intent of a people dedicated to living lives abandoned to the call and purposes of Jesus Christ. I’m so appreciative that a Jesus Culture is being cultivated in our day. “O God, We Cry Out!” (Written by Jennie Lee Riddle.)

14. Heart of Worship: Live ’97 Soul Survivor (1997)

This marked the British invasion and many people’s introduction to Matt Redman, Tim Hughes, and Kevin Prosch.

13. Donnie McClurkin Donnie McClurkin Warner (1996)

The self titled Donnie McClurkin record for me came into my life after I already had some experience hearing him live. At the time, I was so happy to hear a studio record done with such quality. It encompassed songs like the iconic “Stand,” “Jesus at the Mention of Your Name,” and “Speak to My Heart.” The conviction and character with which Pastor Donnie sings and communicates cuts through like a scalpel in any setting. Live. Studio. Television, etc. It’s no wonder that this record had profound effect on Oprah Winfrey who helped shortly after the release of this record to add to the platform God had already put under him. This recording affected me as well, and having listened to it all again it takes me back to a very pivotal place in my life and ministry. (Written by Israel Houghton)

12. A Collision or (3+4=7) **David Crowder*Band Sparrow/sixstepsrecords (2005)**

I started leading worship at a church called Jacob’s Well in 2001. I didn’t exactly go seeking that vocation, but instead found myself called into it by a group of friends. I had played in rock bands my whole life and though I certainly was a Christian, I felt a certain unease about Christian music and about leading worship. One of those friends introduced me to David Crowder’s music. I listened to the first few DC*B records with increasing interest. Then, in 2005, they released A Collision. It truly changed everything for me. Not only were there an abundance of fantastical worship songs, there was also a depth to the music and lyrics that was overwhelming. The music was curiously dense with glitchy-beats+sine-wavey-synths smashed into orchestral string sections, burnished-until-bronze layers of electric guitars colliding with a deft rock-and-roll rhythm section, beautifully recorded acoustic guitars, strange extended sections of bizarre musical interludes that were often dark and mysterious, and of course, Dave’s captivating voice! Then there were the lyrics—a true concept record with themes of death, darkness, sin confessed, and lament, all met with hope, joy, faith, quiet, waiting and ultimately, awe for all our God has done … is doing … will do for us.

When I heard A Collision, it did something for me besides giving me a slew of songs to play at our church. The DC*B provided me with a sense of hope. Records could be interesting, dark, strange, even “out there” and still worshipful. I thought, “Maybe I could make this kind of record for the Church.” It was like I had been given permission to do something strangely beautiful and started putting together our first Songs for Jacob’s Well. At the end of the record, when Dave sings,
And I’m just trying to make you sing
From inside where you believe
Like it’s something that you need
Like it means everything
And I’m trying to make you feel that
This is for real, that life is happening
That it means everything
I’m just trying to make you sing

I hope he knows they did exactly that with this record. I, for one, say thank you! (Written By Mike Crawford)

11. Shout to the Lord Hillsong (1996)

Great worship songs are those that provide an opportunity for personal encounter and intimacy with the Living God. Great choruses and songs of praise encourage the corporate exaltation of who God is, what he is like, and what he has done. Great Hymns of the church dispense theological truths that build faith, stir up hope, and call the believer to action. The 12 songs offered on Shout to The Lord collectively encompass all of these qualities, and moreover the title cut, “Shout To The Lord,” penned from the heart of worship leader and modern hymnologist, Darlene Zschech, dynamically and emotionally conveys all of these elements in a single, self-contained, skillfully wrapped musical package. Personal intimacy is lyrically expressed in the words: “my Jesus… my Savior… all that I am… I sing for joy… forever I’ll love you…” The corporate praise of God’s power and majesty are encouraged in: “…shout … all the earth… let us sing.”

In true Hymn-like fashion, the song pours forth the wonderful truth that God is our comfort, shelter, refuge, and strength, and that at the sound of his name, all Creation will indeed bow down and worship. Like most worship leaders, I have a huge collection of CDs, MP3 files, cassettes, and yes, even vinyl records. Each one contains songs, that over the years I have implemented in worship. There are a few albums that I come back to again and again. This is because I personally find myself drawn into God’s presence every time I listen. Shout to the Lord resides near the very top of the stack—always within easy access. (Written by Rick Founds)

Here’s the One Perfect Book for Each of the 16 Myers-Briggs Types

By

Paul Sohn

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August 1, 2021

I’ll admit it. I’m an MBTI junkie. In fact, in my coaching practice, I use Myers-Briggs Personality Type to help leaders become more effective by helping them become more self-aware and overcome their blind spots. So far, I’ve recommended a lot of books on my blog. A lot of people ask for which books they should read. I wondered, what if I could recommend books based on their Myers-Briggs personality type? So, here you go. Here are my top books for every single MBTI type. Enjoy!

(Not sure what your type is? Take the MBTI Assessment here.)

Myers-Briggs Type: INFP

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking (by Susan Cain)

How many introverts do you know? The real answer will probably surprise you. In our culture, which emphasizes group work from elementary school through the business world, everything seems geared toward extroverts. Luckily, introverts everywhere have a new spokesperson: Susan Cain, a self-proclaimed introvert who’s taken it upon herself to better understand the place of introverts in culture and society.

– Malissa Kent, Amazon Best Books of the Month

Forward From Conversion: How We Can Focus on Spiritual Growth and Transformation

By

Ed Stetzer

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July 31, 2021

spiritual growth — Adobestock #536485444

One of the most exciting moments within the life of a church is when someone comes to know Jesus Christ as Savior. We celebrate having new believers in our churches, but are we leading them to become lifelong disciples of Jesus?

Are we helping them continue through the transformation process or are we leaving them in convert mode?

Conversion is not the end. It is the glorious beginning.

We have become masters at getting “decisions.” Conversion is a powerful event in the life of the believer. It is a great moment. But it isn’t the end of the game. Converting those decisions into disciples must be part of the church’s purpose.

Conversion is a powerful event in the life of the believer. It is a great moment. But it isn’t the end of the game.

Sometimes we put such an emphasis on that moment, we make people think that is all we are after. The not-so-funny joke is that some people are willing to receive Christ just so the pastor will leave them alone. Our goal is often for conversions. But God’s goal is for transformation, which really just begins at conversion.

Paul remarks in his letter to the Philippians (1:6), “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.” Conversion is central to the beginning of new life, being relocated (spiritually) to another kingdom. Colossians 1:13 tells us that we are “transferred through the domain of darkness into the kingdom of the Son He loves.”

They have been born again, Jesus says in John 3. So there is now a spiritual life present that was not present before. The Spirit of God dwells in them. They have new life. They are a new creation in Christ even as Christ in them is the “hope of glory.” But that event is not the end. It is a taste of the ongoing transformation that will come.

Spiritual growth should always follow spiritual birth.

How do we follow up for spiritual growth?

It’s a really bad idea to give birth to a baby and leave them on their own. We call that abandonment. People go to jail for that—and rightfully so. But I think sometimes we do that in church.

I call people to trust and respond to Christ every week in our church service. We ask them to share that decision through a card. Others use an altar call where new believers are connected with an established believer.

Whatever you use, it is at this point the process of partnership in spiritual growth is now stewarded to you and your church. We need to prioritize the discipling of anyone who has trusted Christ in our church.

Spurgeon Suffered Depression – And Wrote About It

By

Adrian Warnock

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July 31, 2021

In 1856, my friends at Christian Heritage London reminded us that Spurgeon suffered depression. A great trial of depression was unleashed on him. We quite rightly think of him as a great preacher. But in an instant, he was transported into great depression. This was not the only time he experienced depression, either.

We should keep in mind that if Spurgeon suffered depression none of us is immune from the troubles of this world. Spurgeon suffered depression that was triggered by the carnage and death unleashed when someone cried out ‘Fire!’ during a gathering of 12,000 who were there to hear him preach. Seven people died and others were seriously injured. For us maybe the trigger is something altogether milder. The feelings may be similar, however.

I thought I would share with you, 160 years after these events, the way Spurgeon suffered depression and described both its effect on him, and how he experienced miraculous healing.

When, like a whirlwind, the destruction was overpast, when the whole of its devastation was visible to my eye, who can conceive the anguish of my sad spirit? I refused to be comforted; tears were my meat by day, and dreams my terror by night. I felt as I had never felt before.

“My thoughts were all a case of knives,” cutting my heart in pieces, until a kind of stupor of grief ministered a mournful medicine to me. I could have truly said, “I am not mad, but surely I have had enough to madden me, if I should indulge in meditation on it.”

I sought and found a solitude which seemed congenial to me. I could tell my griefs to the flowers, and the dews could weep with me. Here my mind lay, like a wreck upon the sand, incapable of its usual motion. I was in a strange land, and a stranger in it.

My Bible, once my daily food, was but a hand to lift the sluices of my woe. Prayer yielded no balm to me; in fact, my soul was like an infant’s soul, and I could not rise to the dignity of supplication. “Broken in pieces all asunder,” my thoughts, which had been to me a cup of delights, were like pieces of broken glass, the piercing and cutting miseries of my pilgrimage. I could adopt the words of Dr. Watts, and say—

“The tumult of my thoughts

Doth but enlarge my woe;

My spirit languishes, my heart

Is desolate and low.

“With every morning-light

My sorrow new begins.

Look on my anguish and my pain,

And pardon all my sins.”

Then came “the slander of many,”—barefaced fabrications, libellous insinuations and barbarous accusations. These alone might have scooped out the last drop of consolation from my cup of happiness; but the worst had come to the worst, and the utmost malice of the enemy could do no more.

Lower they cannot sink who are already in the nethermost depths. Misery itself is the guardian of the miserable. All things combined to keep me, for a season, in the darkness where neither sun nor moon appeared.

Continue

Whisper Campaign – When Church Leaders Become the Target of Gossip

By

Matthew Mitchell

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July 31, 2021

Pastor Owen (like all names in this article, this name is fictitious) was in trouble, but he didn’t know it yet. Over the last four months, Audrey, the church’s personable young secretary, had collected complaints about Owen that had found their way into the church office – a whisper campaign. Instead of taking them directly to Owen, Audrey had passed on these complaints to other people within the church. By the time Owen found out what was being said about him, the damage was already done. Five families, including Audrey’s, were in the process of leaving the church.

It hurts to be gossiped about. No one enjoys being the subject of a whisper campaign. Because church leaders are out in front, their lives can be closely scrutinized. In short, they make obvious targets. No leader is immune, no matter how godly.

Pastors minister out of the strength of their reputations, and their livelihoods often rest upon that reputation (1 Timothy 5:17-25). Nonvocational church leaders, on the other hand, are volunteers, and it’s tempting to give up when others spread rumors about them: “I didn’t sign up for this!”

Often, the worst part is that leaders are unaware when gossip is spreading. Something might “feel wrong” at church, but it’s hard to put a finger on it. Once Pastor Owen knew who the chief gossip was, it gave him a much clearer path to resolution. But for months, he was under attack and didn’t realize it.

It may be part of the job, but there’s nothing fun about being a church leader who is gossiped about, whether the gossip is simply careless or strongly malicious.

If You Become the Subject of a Whisper Campaign

1. Complain to your Lord

When life hurts because people are sinning against us, the Psalms provide the best model for our response. David and company knew how it felt to be attacked on all sides, including by slander. Take Psalms such as 35, 37, 41, 55, 59, 69 and 140 and shape your prayers around them.

Notice how the psalmists hold nothing back: They express their pain at being pursued, attacked and betrayed, and they also ask for relief and justice. They complain to God, in the best sense of the word. At the same time, they trust God; they put their situation in His hands. The psalmists know that while they can’t do anything about the whispers of their enemies, they know Someone who can.

2. Don’t strike back

You might be tempted to hurt those who are hurting you, but don’t sink to their level. Don’t gossip about the gossipers. Don’t whisper about the whisperers. Jesus didn’t. “When they hurled their insults at him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23).

And don’t use the pulpit to bully your bullies, even surreptitiously. Take the high road.

3. Live it down

If the circulating stories are not true, then make sure they don’t become true. Peter tells us to keep “a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander” (1 Peter 3:16). Do not live their story about you. Live it down.

Pastor Owen knew that people were getting a skewed version of the stories about him, and he believed that the most important thing for him to do was to steadily hold his current course. He might have done more to defend himself if it had seemed prudent, but he was convinced that perseverance over time would best reveal the truth.

4. Learn from it

We can profit from just about any criticism, even the ugly, behind-the-back kind. Just because our enemies are in the wrong does not mean that there isn’t something we can glean from the whispers.

Church leaders often miss this blessing-in-disguise. All we can see is, “They are going about it all wrong!” But sometimes we need to listen to the message, even if the medium is off-kilter. Because of who we are in Christ, we have nothing to lose.

Pastor Owen says, “I would never have asked for it to come that way, but I did walk away from my ‘gossip storm’ with new insights into my weaknesses and areas where I need to improve in my leadership.”

5. Love your enemies

Loving your enemies looks different in different situations. When the gossip is merely careless, it’s probably best to overlook it (Proverbs 19:11). Loving confrontation is often called for, however, when the gossip is malicious, slanderous and divisive (Matthew 18:15, 2 Corinthians 12:20).

In all cases, church leaders are called to love their enemies to show their resemblance to their Heavenly Father (Luke 6:35). The world is watching (John 13:34-35).

Pastor Owen decided that in his situation, Christ-like love meant confronting Audrey, and in God’s goodness, she agreed to meet with him. Owen carefully laid out his concerns about Audrey’s behavior and explained the consequences that he was witnessing.

And, guess what? God softened Audrey’s heart to see and own where she was in the wrong. The two were fully reconciled, and in time, three of the five disillusioned families returned. God turned around a potentially pastorate-ending situation and left a stronger ministry in its place.

Not all gossip stories will have such a happy ending this side of eternity. In fact, there will probably be more sober endings even when leaders try hard to handle things in a God-honoring way. Gossip storms are like tornadoes, leaving destruction in their paths.

But our God is faithful and will bring good out of every bad thing. Our job is simply to trust Him and keep on loving those we are called to lead, even when they are hurting us with their whispers.

This article about the whisper campaign originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

Candace Cameron Bure Apologizes to Fans for Her Bible TikTok Video

By

Stephanie Martin

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July 30, 2021

Social media posts can be tricky, especially for high-profile Christians. Actress Candace Cameron Bure found that out (again) this week, when a TikTok video she posted to Instagram sparked backlash from fans.

Unlike a previous incident, Bure apologized this time and removed the clip from Instagram. The outspoken Christian, who recently celebrated reaching 5 million followers, tells fans in an apology video, “Now I know what you don’t like.” The clip is still available on TikTok, where viewers received it more favorably, with some thanking her for using her “platform to share the word of God.”

Candace Cameron Bure’s Dancing Seemed Seductive to Some

In the brief clip, Bure lip-syncs some lyrics from Lana Del Rey’s song “Jealous Girl,” mouthing, “Baby, I’m a gangster too, and it takes two to tango. You don’t wanna dance with me, dance with me.” She sways and approaches the camera before picking up a Bible—her bestselling “One Step Closer Bible” from Dayspring—and gazing at it. The video’s caption reads, “When they don’t know the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Bure, 45, explains in the apology video that she’d been imitating her 22-year-old daughter’s post but wanted to do a faith-based version to convey that “nothing can trump the Holy Spirit.” But it fell flat among most of her Instagram audience, based on their negative comments.

“I usually don’t apologize for these things,” Bure says, “but a lot of you thought it was weird, and I’m sorry. That was not my intention. I was using a very specific clip from TikTok and applying it to the power of the Holy Spirit, which is incredible.”

She continues, “And so many of you thought that I was trying to be seductive, which clearly means I’m not a very good actress because I was trying to be strong, not sexy or seductive. So I guess that didn’t work.”

Bure, known for her role as D.J. Tanner on “Full House” and “Fuller House,” adds, “Maybe I was just trying to be too cool or relevant in a biblical way that didn’t work. Anyway, most of you didn’t like it, clearly. But there was a small percentage of you that appreciated what I did and understood my intention. But anyway, it’s gone.”

When Christian Celebs Run Afoul of Their Followers

Last November, Bure made headlines when fans were offended by a photo she posted. In it, her husband of (now) 25 years drapes a hand across her chest. Speaking on a podcast shortly afterward, Bure said she was “actually not sorry” for posting the image. “I’m glad we have fun together after so many years,” she said, adding that her husband, former NHL player Valeri Bure, “can touch me all day long.”

Candace Cameron Bure said sex within marriage isn’t shameful and should be celebrated. “Sex is the blessing of marriage,” she said, “and I hate when Christians are like, ‘No you have to pretend like you never had sex!’”

Another Christian performer who recently faced backlash on social media is singer Matthew West. After his “Modest Is Hottest” music video sparked an online debate about purity culture and whether it’s toxic, West removed it. The intention was satire, he said, adding that he didn’t mean to offend anyone.

Converse ‘Sells Out’ to Satan With New Pentagram Shoe

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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July 30, 2021

On July 27, 2021, American fashion designer Rick Owens, 59, launched a his version of the classic Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars shoes called Converse x DRKSHDW TurboDrk Chuck 70, which features a Satanic pentagram symbol on the tongue of the shoe hovering above the Converse brand name.

As of today, the $170 Converse x DRKSHDW TurboDrk Chuck 70’s have sold out, according to Converse’s website, which also provides a way to sign up for text notification when more become available.

Converse is promoting the shoes with a demonic-themed Instagram post. The image has two models dressed in all-black, leather jumpsuits with their faces painted white highlighted by black eye shadow and lipstick while holding a Satanic pentagram in their mouths. The models are wearing Owen’s new Converse x DRKSHDW TurboDrk Chuck 70s. In one of the images, the two models pose in formation to create a human pentagram.

Owens’ says his inspiration for the Satanic shoe comes from his fascination with the pentagram.

“I’ve been using this pentagram for a long time because obviously, it has adolescent occult associations,” he said. The fashion designer explained why he likes the symbol: “I like geometric diagrams like that because, in a very primal way, they are a culture’s grasp for control. And a way to organize thoughts and systems. And a pentagram, in this day and age with all of its associations…I like the fact that it refers to an alternative system. And that suggests openness and empathy.”

The pentagram “suggests the pursuit of pleasure, this pursuit of sensation,” Owens said. “But one of the main things that I think it suggests is empathy and a consideration of systems of living that might not be standard. So that leads us to be more accepting and tolerant of other systems, which I think is a good thing.”

The pentagram symbol used on the shoe’s tongue is known as the Sigil of Baphomet, which is the official mark of the Church of Satan.

In a interview with WWD, Owens called his Converse x DRKSHDW TurboDrk Chuck 70’s “a little grotesque” and said, “I always think of it as kind of corrupting something that exists.”

Owens described Converse’s brand symbol as “mega chunky” and chose to replace it with what he called a darker and younger symbol.

Nike Shuts Down Lil Nas X’s Satan Shoe

Earlier this year, Nike sued MSCHF for designing, marketing, and selling 666 pairs of Nike’s Air Max 97s, dubbed “Satan Shoes” in a collaboration with rapper Lil Nas X. Marketing boasted that the shoes contained a drop of human blood in the sole and sold out almost immediately. Nike won the suit, stopping MSCHF from shipping any future orders of the Satanic shoe.

State Finds LA Public School District Kept Millions From Catholic Schools

By

Alejandra Molina

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July 30, 2021

catholic schools — FILE - This July 18, 2012 file photo shows a student stapling colored paper to the wall of a classroom after summer school at Our Lady of Lourdes in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Grant Hindsley)

LOS ANGELES (RNS) — The state of California has found that the Los Angeles public school district violated federal law in the manner it slashed funding for low-income and disadvantaged students who attend Catholic schools. The decision will force the district to recalculate and likely reinstate millions of dollars to parochial schools run by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

The archdiocese filed a complaint against the district in September 2019, after only 17 schools were declared eligible for Title I funds, provided to help low-income students meet challenging state academic standards, according to a June 25 report. The previous school year, more than 100 schools were cleared to get money under the program.

Los Angeles Unified School District “has failed to provide equitable services to (archdiocesan) schools,” state officials said in the report, adding that the district “engaged in a pattern of arbitrary decisions” without consulting the archdiocese and in violation of federal and state law.

Paul Escala, senior director and superintendent of Catholic schools, said they serve about 13,000 students who qualify for services funded by the federal government through the school district.

“Even though they are not public school children, the school districts that they live in are obligated to provide them the resources necessary to supplement their educational programs,” Escala said.

Funding goes toward services such as tutoring, counseling and instructional coaches in reading and math.

LAUSD officials said in a statement sent to Religion News Service that the district “strives to comply with all applicable rules and regulations regarding the provision of Title I equitable services.”

The district, the statement read, “has appealed the matter to preserve its rights” and is engaging with the diocese to “resolve any issues.”

In three years prior to 2019, Los Angeles Unified received an average of $291 million annually in Title I funds and distributed between 2.17% and 2.54% to private schools, according to the report. But in the 2019-2020 school year, the private schools’ share decreased to less than 0.5%, even as the Title I funds the district received increased to more than $349 million.

The archdiocese said that in 2019-2020, its schools received $190,900, or 11% of a private school set-aside of $1.7 million, according to the report.

The California Department of Education gave the district 60 days to “engage in timely and meaningful consultation” with the archdiocese and to “recalculate the numbers of students from low-income families.” The state report found that the district made sudden changes in how it determines which schools qualify for the funding, and excluded schools whose paperwork it found to be insufficient.

After Uproar, Gender Identity Lessons Largely Scrapped in Nebraska

By

Grant Schulte

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July 30, 2021

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska education officials announced Thursday that they have largely scrapped plans for gender identity lessons in public school curriculum after an uproar from conservatives who argued that the topics weren’t appropriate for children.

The new draft of the proposed sexual standards from the Nebraska Department of Education came after agency officials faced intense criticism from parents, school boards, state lawmakers and Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts, who held town hall events to blast the proposal. Opponents flooded a meeting of the Nebraska State Board of Education, an elected board that oversees the agency.

“What we’re really trying to do is understand what Nebraskans as a whole accept as a standard and an expectation of what our students learn in school,” Matthew Blomstedt, Nebraska’s education commissioner, said Thursday at a press conference. “There’s always going to be a little bit of tensions over those types of issues, especially in this sense.”

Nebraska currently has no statewide sex education standards. Even if adopted, the proposal would just be recommendations that school districts could use or ignore.

The original draft would have suggested lessons about family structures, including same-gender families, for kindergartners, and a discussion about gender identity and stereotypes for first-graders. Sixth graders would have learned about a range of gender identities, and seventh graders would have been taught about different types of sex and how diseases are transmitted.

Most of those lessons were removed from the new draft, although seventh graders would still be taught that biological sex and gender identity may differ, raising concerns from social conservatives.

Blomstedt said school officials tried to balance the wishes of concerned parents and those of the LGBTQ community, whose members have argued that schools need to educate students about groups that feel excluded because of how they identify. He said the department also wanted to defer to local schools.

“Standards and structure will not solve all of those issues,” he said. He went on to add, “We’re going to have those challenges whether we adopted those standards or not.”

Still, advocates for the LGBTQ community blasted the decision to gut major parts of the first draft.

“Nebraska schools need to be welcome, safe spaces for all students,” said Abbi Swatsworth, executive director of OutNebraska. “This erasure does nothing to protect LGBTQ+ students. The fact that LGBTQ+ people exist should not be controversial. We will continue to advocate for medically accurate, inclusive standards for our community.”

Swatsworth said the new draft “largely omitted the reality of LGBTQ+ youth and families.”

State Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks, of Lincoln, said she was “completely disappointed” with the board’s decision and believes members “caved in” to political pressures. She said she understands the board’s situation but hopes state officials write another draft.

UPDATE: RZIM Leaders Resign to Wrestle With All That Has ‘Humbled,’ ‘Wrecked’ Them

By

Stephanie Martin

-

July 30, 2021

UPDATED July 30, 2021: RZIM leaders Joanna and Vince Vitale have announced that they will be resigning from Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) next week. Vince, who serves as the director of the Zacharias Institute, said that he and wife, who serves as the institute’s dean, want to “step into a substantial season of reordering.”

“Ever since the release of the interim report of the investigation into Ravi Zacharias on December 23rd, 2020,” said Vince Vitale in a Facebook post on July 28, “we have lived with three very strong convictions. One of these convictions was that God was leading us to take seriously what we personally needed to repent of—to spend far more of our prayers, thoughts, and words on our own mistakes and failures than on those of anyone else.”

As he and Joanna have leaned into repentance, said Vince, “God has graciously made that process deeply freeing, and one of our goals for the next season is to more actively embrace the gift of repentance in our hearts and in our family.”

Vince Vitale: Why We Are Resigning

The couple’s second, “most pressing,” conviction “was that RZIM’s response to the grave abuse that occurred was critically important—most crucially for the survivors, and also for the mission and witness of the wider church in sober recognition of the need to do far better to ensure that the vulnerable are seen and heard and valued and safe.”

“More than anything,” said Vince Vitale, “we longed for a response that would communicate the truth about victims—that they matter greatly, as does their suffering—and the truth about Jesus, because his concern for victims is so great that he was willing to face isolation and injustice in order to be present with victims and secure justice for them. It has been out of this concern that we have felt the importance of journeying with the team during this season when we had the opportunity to speak directly into significant decisions.”

Vince said that it has been a privilege to work with victims advocate Rachael Denhollander and Sarah Davis, RZIM’s CEO and one of Ravi Zacharias’ daughters, to make “rightful restitution to the courageous women who have come forward to share their stories in defiance of abuse.”

Vince and Joanna’s third conviction, the one that has led them to resign, “has been that once we had done what we could to encourage a victim-centered response, it would be important for us to step into a substantial season of reordering.” They are therefore stepping down as leaders of the Zacharias Institute “in order to embrace the time and space needed to allow ourselves to be deeply formed by all that we have been humbled by and wrecked over in the last year.” He continued:

One challenge we want to wrestle with is to what extent subconscious desires, for example to be thought well of or to preserve relationships, might have contributed to some of the ways we acted and failed to act…we are asking God for the strength to continue to walk a path of learning what it means to see, hear, and love others—especially the vulnerable— in all of the ways that he asks.

The Story Behind the Ravi Zacharias Allegations (Part 2): ‘Cursory’ Investigations and More Accusations

In a tweet Thursday, former RZIM leader Carson Weitnauer observed, “Sadly, the scandals at RZIM have just begun to be told. I believe so much more will be shared in the years to come.”

ChurchLeaders original article written on March 1, 2021:

The recent independent report detailing sexual abuse by late apologist Ravi Zacharias continues to make news, as people connected to him and his ministry weigh in. Some employees, such as Vince Vitale and his wife, Joanna, are issuing apologies, while family members are defending Zacharias, who died last May. Meanwhile, many others are addressing the scandal and Christians’ responses to it.

You Shall Not Commit Adultery (The 7th Commandment for Today)

By

Ray Ortlund

-

July 30, 2021

You shall not commit adultery. Exodus 20:14 ~ the 7th commandment. The Ten Commandments are rules, but they are not arbitrary, man-made rules. God’s Ten Commandments are big, bold, bright signs guiding us away from the regions of darkness and death, and toward the upland plains of light and life in Christ.

The problem is, in our sin, we hate being told what to do. We think we know better. We look at temptations that cannot make our lives better, and we think, “That would make my life better.” The Ten Commandments point toward Sodom and Gomorrah and warn us, “You don’t want to go there.” Yet we look over at that barren wasteland and think, “That must be our garden of Eden.” And off we go.

This is true of us both as individuals and as the human race. It’s not as though, as the generations of history go by, the hard lessons of the past open our eyes more and more, and make us all wiser. The truth is, we keep stepping on the same landmines over and over again. Every generation tends to think, “The people before us were primitive. We’re smarter now.” Which proves we’re not smarter now. The Bible bluntly declares, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). Obviously, we still don’t.

So, let’s look at the Ten Commandments with some openness. God wants to help us, by his grace, to die less and live more. Here then is the 7th commandment, “You shall not commit adultery,” with three ways the commandment meets us.

3 Ways the 7th Commandment Meets Us Today

1. The 7th commandment redefines sexual freedom.

The seventh commandment isn’t limited to adultery in a narrow sense — the violation of marriage vows. It’s about sexual integrity within a total way of being human. In their biblical context, all the Ten Commandments together dignify the people of God as the “treasured possession” of the Lord, “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:5–6). In Christ, our God-given privilege is to be a culture of humaneness in a world of brutality, for the display of his glory.

God considers our sexuality a glorious gift. But this one bestowment cannot be the whole of our identity. God has been so good as to honor us with his all-encompassing purpose. Our sexuality, therefore, finds its fulfillment not in our momentary impulses but within all that God created us for: “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).

Not many of us believe that anymore! The “truth” discovered by our generation is that freedom lies in remaking ourselves, including our sexuality, in any way we please. In the past — the story goes — we were held down by oppressive ideas of morality. But now we are finally breaking free, allowing our true innocence within, our creative individuality, to be expressed.

That message can sound good. But what if we choose an altered self only then to discover that both our original self and our altered self were dishonest? What if we make costly personal sacrifices to modify our sexuality, only to end up feeling betrayed? Did that “freedom” take us where we really want to go?

REAL SEXUAL FREEDOM

Jesus understood us better than we understand ourselves. He said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him” (Mark 7:20). In other words, our inner selves are not bundles of wonderfulness just waiting to be let out. The truth is, our messy inner selves, when unleashed, spread more mess. It’s what Jesus came to forgive and clean up.

Real sexual freedom is not when we give free rein to our sexual feelings, but when we follow Jesus on his path of wisdom. He created us for purposes so lofty only he can take us there. The 7th commandment alerts us to the sexual dimension of our true glory.

And the New Testament tells us more. We are sexual beings, ultimately, to embody the gospel (Ephesians 5:32). But if we refuse to offer our sexuality to Jesus, we trivialize and abuse his gift. It’s like using a smartphone to hammer nails. That just isn’t what a smartphone is for, no matter what we might feel. Hammering nails can only damage a smartphone. And haven’t we all done some damage?

But when we turn to follow Jesus, dedicating all that we are to him, we start growing into a more settled, confident, careful sexuality, with fewer regrets. How could it be otherwise? Jesus was sexual. He obeyed the seventh commandment fully. And he was the most complete, life-giving man ever. Isn’t that the freedom we want? Aren’t we always better off following him?

2. The 7th commandment redirects sexual energy.

By confronting adultery, God blesses our sexual activity within marriage only. Elsewhere in the Bible, God makes his point with a question: “Should your springs be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets?” (Proverbs 5:16). In other words, “Do you really want to squander and waste your sexuality?”

The seventh commandment redirects and focuses our sexual energy as a positive force for living well, whether married or single. All of us, for Jesus’s sake, can consecrate every kind of intensity God built into us to serve his purposes in this world. We have intellectual powers, emotional capacities, volitional drives, creative imaginations, sexual energies, and more.

We are total human beings, with a lot invested in us. And we will give ourselves to something. If not to Jesus, then to what? And why that? But devoted to Jesus, seeking his kingdom and righteousness first (Matthew 6:33), our scattered lives converge on a worthy, inspiring focal point. We’re finally ready to start creating good in a sinful and suffering world.

For example, rather than merely avoiding porn, why not use all our powers to create, in our dorms and homes and churches, safe places where people addicted to porn can get their freedom back? We can stop playing defense only and start playing offense too. God will be with us. Why not go for it?

3. The 7th commandment redeems sexual folly.

The 7th commandment calls us to faithfulness. One reason we married people took vows is that temptations to unfaithfulness do come our way. But marriage vows are a man and a woman saying, “Before that moment even arrives, I am pre-committing to stay true to you, as long as we both shall live.”

But do we stay true to our vows? Outwardly, maybe — even hopefully. But if outward behavior alone told the truth about us, we might pat ourselves on the back. Jesus said, “I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). Who of us has stayed true at that deeper level?

The seventh commandment redeems us sexual fools by pointing us to Jesus, who is faithful. He fulfills his vows. He stays true. He pursues his bride, even when we wander from him. He says to us, “I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord” (Hosea 2:19–20). He doesn’t despise us sexual sinners. He draws near to us through Christ.

Every one of us can admit to thoughts, feelings, looks, words, and actions that violate — and vandalize — the glories of our God-given sexuality. But our sins do not defeat our Savior. They are the reason he came to us, and he isn’t sorry he got involved. He is glad to receive us again and to revive us with “newness of life” (Romans 6:4). And your newly redeemed sexuality isn’t thanks to your faithfulness but to his. “The Lord is faithful. He will establish you” (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

Sexual Safety for Others

When, trusting him, we step onto the path of Christ and walk there — daily, gently, without drawing attention to ourselves — then something wonderful happens. The 7th commandment within us creates a social environment around us, where no one in our presence has anything to fear. Everyone can relax, open up to Jesus, and grow and rejoice and flourish without distraction or pressure or weirdness.

That’s what it looks like when we become “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” — including our sexuality.

This article on the 7th commandment originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

How to Use Journals in Preteen Ministry

By

Stephanie Martin

-

July 29, 2021

Although the age range of preteens may be rather narrow, the avenues for preteen ministry are vast and wide. Most kids this age are open to trying new activities, learning new skills, and meeting new people. For a meaningful preteen and tween activity that helps kids explore and grow their faith, consider breaking out paper, pens and markers.

Let’s look at why journaling is so effective for preteen ministry.

1. Journaling provides a creative outlet.

Because older-elementary kids experience rapid changes and growth, a lot is going on inside their minds, bodies and hearts. Provide opportunities for preteens to process all these emotions by setting aside some quiet time during your gatherings and group meetings. Tweens don’t need to be top-notch writers to benefit from journaling. Drawing, coloring and doodling also are great ways to harness creativity and get kids thinking about their beliefs, challenges and goals. Journaling Bible art, for example, is sure to be a hit with artists of all abilities.

2. When preteens journal, they can explore their faith.

The heart of preteen ministry is equipping young people to develop and nurture their relationship with Jesus. Journaling can help with that when you encourage tweens to write down their thoughts, concerns and prayer requests (and God’s answers). The process also helps provide clarity about who God is, what God’s plan is for the student’s life, and how kids can live out and share their faith.

3. Journaling helps build spiritual disciplines.

By using Christian journal prompts, preteens can develop lifelong habits of devotional time, Bible study and regular prayer. Journaling can include gratitude lists, deep-dives into individual Scripture passages, and acts of surrender and forgiveness. In addition, kids can openly reflect on various spiritual challenges and their faith goals.

Start by trying these journaling ideas in your own preteen ministry.

Use Bible-related journaling prompts that tie into one Bible book or chapter. Break down entries by a verse or two at a time, including thought-starter questions after each chunk of Scripture.
Ask preteens to choose a life verse, or even a verse of the week or month. Then have draw, doodle and journal about it for a few minutes each day at home.
Have kids jot down their talents and gifts. Also tell them to include ways they can use them to serve God and other people.
Encourage tweens to record their blessings, big and small. Plus, remind them to regularly take time to express thanks to God in their journals.
Have the members of your preteen ministry write letters, whether or not they send them. These letter can be to God, to loved ones, to people they need to forgive, and so on.
Kids can use their journals as private spaces to reflect on their failings and temptations. Then they can ask for God’s help in specific areas.
Journals are an ideal spot for recording sermon notes, Bible study insights, and topics that warrant additional digging.
Preteens can jot down inspirational quotes, blessings and lyrics they hear throughout their day-to-day life.
Kids can write original poetry, songs and stories about their faith and related topics.
At the end of every preteen ministry meeting, plan a five-minute “free writing” time. During that wrap-up, encourage kids to debrief what they’ve learned by writing and drawing.

How have you used journals or similar activities in your preteen ministry? We’d love to hear your ideas in the comments below.

Police Officer Says Jan. 6 Insurrectionists ‘Perceived Themselves to be Christians’

By

Jack Jenkins

-

July 29, 2021

WASHINGTON (RNS) — Describing insurrectionists who attacked the U.S. Capitol as “terrorists” who “perceived themselves to be Christians,” District of Columbia police officer Daniel Hodges told a congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection on Tuesday (July 27) that the crowd massing on the building’s West Terrace brandished banners steeped in Christian symbolism along with those bearing the name Trump.

Hodges’ emotional remarks came in testimony offered alongside three other officers who rushed to the Capitol that day to defend it from an unsuccessful attempt by supporters of then-President Donald Trump to stop the certification of 2020 election results.

“It was clear the terrorists perceived themselves to be Christians,” Hodges said. “I saw the Christian flag directly to my front. Another read, ‘Jesus is my savior, Trump is my president.’ Another: ‘Jesus is king.’ … Another had crossed rifles beneath a skull, emblazoned with the pattern of the American flag.”

Later, Hodges described one insurrectionist who wore a shirt that bore the slogan “God, Guns, and Trump.”

Images from Jan. 6 back up Hodges’ recollection, showing pervasive examples of Christian nationalist sentiment. A flag that waved above the first crowd to attack and overrun police officers was adorned with a fish painted in the colors of the American flag, positioned beneath the words “Proud American Christian.”

Jenny Cudd, an insurrectionist now facing federal charges, posted a video in which she justified her participation in the attack by declaring that God and country “are one and the same” and that “if we do not have our country, nothing else matters.” Still other insurrectionists led a prayer from the dais of the U.S. Senate after breaching the chamber.

An array of Christian leaders, including faculty from Wheaton College, an evangelical school, and former Southern Baptist leader Russell Moore, have since condemned religious expressions at the insurrection as satanic, blasphemous or heretical.

But Eric Metaxas — a conservative Christian commentator who admitted to assaulting an anti-Trump demonstrator in 2020 and emceed events in Washington protesting the 2020 election results in the weeks leading up to the insurrection — derided the House select committee on Tuesday, saying the U.S. is “at war.” He also claimed characterizing the events of January 6 as an insurrection amounts to “a lie.”

“If there was an insurrection, somebody’s brains would have been on the floor of the Capitol,” Metaxas said during an interview with Real America’s Voice.

When asked by Democrat Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland about his repeated use of the word “terrorist” to describe insurrectionists, Hodges read a section of the U.S. Code that defines domestic terrorism as “acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State” which take place in the U.S. and appear intended to “influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion” or “affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping.”

Hodges also expressed befuddlement that insurrectionists waved flags traditionally associated with defenders of law enforcement.

“To my perpetual confusion, I saw the ‘thin blue line’ flag — a symbol of support for law enforcement — more than once, being carried by the terrorists. They ignored our commands and continued to assault us,” he said.

Hodges became a fixture of coverage of Jan. 6 as footage showed him being crushed by a door while an attacker forcibly removed his gas mask. Hodges can be seen bleeding from his mouth as the mask is removed, screaming in agony throughout the ordeal.

Members of the select House committee investigating the insurrection played footage of that attack — which Hodges explained was one of many — and other violent incidents from that day during the hearing.

It is unclear if the committee plans to make the religious dimension of Jan. 6 a topic of discussion during the hearings.

This article originally appeared here.

Pursue Understanding

Defending the Faith Without a PhD

Isaiah’s Divine Commission

Paul’s Defense at the Areopagus

Jude’s Exhortation

How to Stand Firm

Consider the worthiness of Jesus.

Consider the sovereignty of God.

Consider the cruciformity of the gospel and the Christian life.

Consider the crown of glory.

Reformed Charismatic…Really?

THEOLOGICAL ORPHANS

IN SEARCH OF A THIRD WAY

OBSTACLES TO THE MOVEMENT

20 Vintage Worship Albums That Still Influence Us Today

20. Offerings Third Day Essential Records (2000)

19. Break Through: Live At Saddleback Tommy Walker (2006)

18. Eternity Misty Edwards Forerunner Music (2003)

17. Worship Michael W Smith Reunion Records (2001)

16. Hungry Vineyard UK Vineyard Records (1999)

15. We Cry Out Jesus Culture (2007)

14. Heart of Worship: Live ’97 Soul Survivor (1997)

13. Donnie McClurkin Donnie McClurkin Warner (1996)

12. A Collision or (3+4=7) David Crowder*Band Sparrow/sixstepsrecords (2005)

11. Shout to the Lord Hillsong (1996)

Myers-Briggs Type: INFP

Conversion is not the end. It is the glorious beginning.

How do we follow up for spiritual growth?

If You Become the Subject of a Whisper Campaign

1. Complain to your Lord

2. Don’t strike back

3. Live it down

4. Learn from it

5. Love your enemies

Candace Cameron Bure’s Dancing Seemed Seductive to Some

When Christian Celebs Run Afoul of Their Followers

Nike Shuts Down Lil Nas X’s Satan Shoe

Vince Vitale: Why We Are Resigning

3 Ways the 7th Commandment Meets Us Today

1. The 7th commandment redefines sexual freedom.

REAL SEXUAL FREEDOM

2. The 7th commandment redirects sexual energy.

3. The 7th commandment redeems sexual folly.

Sexual Safety for Others

Let’s look at why journaling is so effective for preteen ministry.

1. Journaling provides a creative outlet.

2. When preteens journal, they can explore their faith.

3. Journaling helps build spiritual disciplines.

Start by trying these journaling ideas in your own preteen ministry.

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**19. Break Through: Live At Saddleback Tommy Walker (2006)**

12. A Collision or (3+4=7) **David Crowder*Band Sparrow/sixstepsrecords (2005)**