Parsing the Church

As believers in Christ, we are called to be one body and to be bound together in one Spirit, the Holy Spirit, who enables us to walk in love toward each other and the world around us. Colossians 2 states this:
18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

When it comes right down to it, it is not worldly knowledge that is beneficial to us nor Biblical knowledge that is not rightly applied, it is the relationship with Christ through which we learn the Scriptures and grow in the Lord. We are identified with Christ and what He did for us through His death and resurrection, and if we embrace that, it can be a point of unity - there is much about which we agree in the Spirit, yet we have to be careful not to allow the world's wisdom or spiritual pride to divide us.

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If we have accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior and have been born again, we now belong to the body of Christ, a powerful organism through which God changes hearts and changes our culture. And, we are to be identified not by the labels we wear, but by the name of Jesus. 1st Corinthians 12 states:
12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.

We recognize that local churches throughout the body of Christ come in all shapes and sizes - we belong and participate in our local churches, some wear the name "evangelical," others identify with a particular denomination.  You have evangelical Baptists, Methodists, AME, and other flavors.  

The important thing is not the name of the church or denomination - or lack of a denomination - that you wear, but whether or not you are clothed in Christ.

The Public Religion Research Institute, or PRRI, has offered some unusual statistics that seem to be outliers in light of statistical data that has been available for the last few years.  A ReligionNews.com article states:

Clergy and other faith leaders will be perhaps most interested in PRRI’s finding that religiously unaffiliated Americans, or “nones” in religion demography parlance, have lost ground, making up just 23% of the country. The complex group — which includes atheists, agnostics and some people who say they pray daily but don’t claim a specific faith tradition — peaked at 25.5% of the population in 2018.

White Christians, meanwhile, have expanded their share of the population, particularly white mainline Protestants. That group sits at 16.4%, an increase from 13% in 2016, whereas white evangelicals — who PRRI delineated from white mainliners using a methodology researchers said is commonly utilized by major pollsters — now represent about 14.5% of the population, down from a peak of 23% in 2006. White Catholics now hover around 11.7%, up from a 2018 low of 10.9%.

The survey apparently doesn't attempt to identify why this is occurring, although PRRI CEO Robert Jones cites what he calls "circumstantial evidence" suggesting that there is a shift from evangelical churches to more mainline denominations.  And, I would submit that self-identifying evangelicals belong to a variety of denominations, not just those that might be considered to be "evangelical."

At GetReligion.org, Richard Ostling, known apparently as the "Religion Guy," offers these thoughts:

Here is the key: This PRRI survey at hand identified Mainliners by what they are not instead of what they are.

The 50,334 bilingual interviews (a huge sample with minuscule margin of error) conducted throughout 2020 asked, "Would you describe yourself as a 'born again' or 'evangelical Christian,' or not?" Non-Hispanic white Protestants who said no were labeled Mainline. The Guy would observe that "born again" can miss Evangelicals raised in the faith who never experienced a specific moment of conversion or Evangelicals who think of themselves under other labels.

Ostling does point out that:

Some might wonder if PRRI's liberal cast slanted its results. After all, founder and C.E.O. Robert P. Jones is the author of "White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity." PRRI's survey provided ammo for Michelle Goldberg, a liberal weather-vane columnist with The New York Times, who pretty much identifies evangelicalism as white nationalism and remains "frightened" by the "religious right" even if it's supposedly declining.

Seems to The Guy PRRI's numbers do not lie.

But. The media should understand that this survey catches popular moods and how people identify in socio-political terms as much as by religious belief and practice.

He did refer to a piece by Ryan Burge in his article; and I found another analysis by Burge at the Religion Unplugged website in which he wrote:

The one finding from their surveys that got the attention of lots of people on social media was that Protestants who do not identify as evangelical Christians have risen fairly substantially over the last few years, and now they outnumber the share who identify as evangelical Protestants. But that was immediately met with some skepticism by those who dug into the details of their classification methodology. In short, the question they face is one that all quantitative scholars of American religion face: if you are a Protestant, but you don’t want to be identified as an evangelical, do those people form a coherent religious group?

Burge points out that PRRI employed a strategy in which two questions are posed to respondents. He says, "The first question is about broad religious tradition," and, "Then, respondents are asked if they identify as 'evangelical or born-again' or not. The sorting is done as follows:

If they say that they are Protestants and self-identify as evangelical, then they are evangelicals. But, if they say they are Protestant but don’t identify as evangelical, then they are mainline. Using this approach compared to the denominational strategy can lead to slightly different estimates.

It appears to be a matter of semantics and labels. Yes, there are denominational structures in place and a wide variety of non-denominational churches, as well.  The so-called "mainline" denominations have been in a state of membership decline for a number of years.  But, there may be evangelicals who have chosen to affiliate with those churches.  Keep in mind, "evangelical" is not a denomination - it is a system of beliefs based on how someone interacts with Scripture.  Our standing with Christ is not based on where we go to church, but on whether we are born again and part of His Church.

I do sense another manifestation of the media's delight in reporting the decline of what it refers to as the "evangelicals."  The media and many in politics have used the term "evangelical," politicized it, and weaponized it against the Church.  We should be involved in speaking truth to our culture, and politics is a vehicle that can be used to do that. There will be those who disagree, and unfortunately, we have this trend now where people seek to silence those with whom they disagree. That is certainly not the way of the cross, and we should not be fearful of disagreement, but so convinced about the authority and reliability of Biblical ideas that we can skillfully and compassionately defend our faith.  And, we can demonstrate the work of the faith through us by ministering to the people who are brought our way. 

Modest

The apostle Paul emphasized that believers in Christ have personal freedom, as well as personal responsibility. He writes in 1st Corinthians chapter 10:
23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.
24 Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being. 

The decisions we face can be governed by Biblical considerations - and we can certainly ascertain whether or not the action we take is, as he writes, "helpful." He goes on to remind us that everything doesn't "edify."  Sometimes our personal choices do not glorify God in the way He would intend, and as verse 24 suggests, our decisions may serve to please self at the expense of serving others. We have to make sure that our actions are not distractions to the cause of Christ.

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The apostle Paul addressed issues surrounding how we, believers in Christ, are to be clothed, spiritually speaking, putting on Christ and putting off the old nature. He also, in 1st Timothy 2, had some words about proper physical attire. We pick up in verse 8:
8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;
9 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing,
10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.

The Bible, I believe, teaches us to have an attitude of and expression of modesty.  We have freedom in Christ, but that freedom should not result in inappropriate behavior. Perhaps youth pastor Bryce Brewer wanted to emphasize the former, but not the latter.  The New York Post stated that Brewer "apologized for banning bikinis from his summer camp after receiving backlash." The article says:

In a Facebook post on July 11, the Spokane Valley, Washington, preacher admitted that it was wrong for the “weight of purity” to be placed on the young girls instead of holding the boys accountable for their actions.

“I am sorry that I didn’t teach boys to control themselves,” the father of two wrote in the mea culpa. “I am sorry that we have deemed a young women’s body as something that ‘needs to be covered’ and let young men’s bodies be ok to be seen.”

So, is this pastor now advocating an "anything goes" mentality with regard to how a person dresses?  Yes, men of any age should practice self-control; but, as it's been pointed out, we should not be stumbling blocks to one another in the church. And, this is not an "either-or" proposition.

Megan Basham, who used to write for WORLD Magazine and is now with The Daily Wire, linked to the Post story and tweeted out these comments:

Perfect example of progressive women influencing church in unbiblical direction:

Pastor sets reasonable 1 Tim 2:9 standard for girls at camp to dress modestly in one piece bathing suits. Howling moms accuse him of “purity culture.” He grovels, backs down.

ChristianHeadlines.com, in its article on this story, said:

Brewer posted the comments as the wider Christian community is having a discussion about modesty. In June, Matthew West took down a music video for his "Modest Is Hottest" spoof song. Soon thereafter, singers John Cooper and Alisa Childers defended the song and the concept of modesty.

Cooper and Childers are not only excellent writers, but are Christian musicians - John leads the band Skillet and Alisa was a member of ZoeGirl. 

A little background here now from another Christian Headlines article:

West, in the song, urges his daughters not to dress like the Kardashians or Cardi B., a stripper-turned-singer who often uses strip poles in her videos.

The song is a parody, a satire, and Childers laments the lack of a sense of humor by some.  The article says:

Childers urged Christians to critique purity culture without “throwing the concept of purity out the window.”

“Because [purity is] a biblical concept,” she said. “That's something that the Bible calls men and women to do – is to be pure.”

Modern culture, she said, seems to be “deeply fundamentalist” and “utterly incapable of nuance.”

“I mean, isn't it possible to encourage our daughters to dress modestly – for lots of reasons, not just because of what it's going to do to guys – while at the same time helping them understand that they're not responsible for men's lust?” Childers asked.

Childers quoted 1 Corinthians 6:19: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.”

The article also notes that, in the podcast, which appeared on both their sites...

Cooper said 10 years ago, all dads, including atheist and pagan dads, would have agreed: “Nobody wants their daughter dressing like Cardi B on TikTok.”

Childers and Cooper also discussed Oklahoma pastor Jeremy Coleman's song that included the lyric to his own daughters, “If I catch you doing dances on the TikTok, wear what you want, girl, just go off.” Coleman was highly critical of West’s tune and received multiple mentions in mainstream media.

The Christian Headlines article closes by stating:

The Bible, she said, “is going to get all up in your business” for both men and women regarding “how you talk, what you wear, how you conduct yourself.” Part of “being a Christian,” Childers said, “is that we have the Bible as our authority, not the woke mob.”

Dannah Gresh of the ministry of True Girl and co-host of Revive Our Hearts offers a number of powerful statements in a Crosswalk.com article.  One of which is: 

We must teach women to celebrate their beauty while we teach them the self-control of modesty.

She also contends: 

There’s nothing wrong with teaching Christian young women that God wants nothing they wear to distract from the good works they do and the great minds God’s given to them so that they can be respected. In fact, from a biblical perspective it’s very right. AND . . . God directs the teaching at women. That’s why we do.

But she stresses that men have a responsibility, as well:

Are men off the hook? Does teaching modesty say: “If women dress modestly, men will not lust”? No. Lust is the responsibility of men themselves. Period. Women could all dress in burlap sacks, and if a man is training himself to think of them as sexual objects, he will.

On The Meeting House recently, we have been talking about freedom - and we recognize that Biblical liberty does not give you the permission to do what you want.  We are always called to place ourselves in submission to Christ and His Word and to make choices that honor Him. He calls us to exercise self-control and make sure that we are acting in a way that pleases Him. 

And, of course, there is the principle of loving our neighbor.  Men and women have their own unique set of instructions and responsibilities, and God directs us to not call attention to ourselves or create a "distraction," a word used by Dannah Gresh.  Our aim should be to bring glory to Him - in our inward thoughts and outward expressions.

Tower

Paul had an understanding of our origins, created by God, all descended from two individuals, whose story we find in Genesis, in the story of the Garden. Inside, we're the same, and Paul declared in Acts 17:

(25) He gives to all life, breath, and all things.
26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,
27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us...

So what do we derive from this? Well, I think it can determine how we treat one another - we are all creations by God, and Christians are new creations, possessing a heart that has been regenerated by Christ. So, we don't look at one another through worldly eyes, but through eyes of love for each other, a love given to us by Him.  As James teaches, we don't show partiality to each other - we recognize the dignity of the individual and treat each other as Christ has regarded us. 

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We can determine whether or not we are living to call attention to our Savior or to ourselves. In Genesis 11, we read about the people on the earth who were devoted to their own fame, rather than their Creator's. We can read:
3 Then they said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar.
4 And they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth."
5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.
6 And the Lord said, "Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.
7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech."

When I first read the news, I was curious to know if this was something taken from the satire site, The Babylon Bee, but, as they say in the world of sports broadcasting, "upon further review," I found the information to not only be true, but it made a lot of sense.

What I read was that the ministry of Answers in Genesis, led by Ken Ham, which operates the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum in Kentucky, was planning to add a new attraction adjacent to the large replica of Noah's Ark...a replica of the Tower of Babel.  You know, the large tower upon which construction began not too long after the worldwide flood.  The Lord intervened and confused the languages of the people who attempted to build this monument to themselves rather than to follow Him.

Sure enough, there was a Babylon Bee story from 2019, in which Ken Ham is allegedly quoted; the story says:

“Everyone loves seeing Bible stories come to life,” said Ham, CEO of Answers in Genesis. “When we sat down to brainstorm about what to do next, we asked ourselves ‘what did Noah’s descendants do next?’ They built a huge tower!” This, of course, is excluding Ham’s failed project The Table of Nations, which was literally just a big table with names of nations written on it.

The Bee went on to say:

The Tower is located near the Ark Encounter on a plain Ham has dubbed “Shinar.” Unfortunately, the project was quickly plagued with construction delays, from communication problems and translation errors to smiting from on high.

"こんにちは、バカ" shouted one worker as another put a beam in the wrong place. The other one shouted back, "Twoja matka była chomikiem!" Such arguing has stalled construction for the foreseeable future.

Ken Ham actually responded to the article on Facebook, saying:

The Babylon Bee (my favorite satire site) is having some fun again at our expense.

Actually, as part of our master plan at the Ark Encounter, we do have plans (for some time in the future) to build a Tower of Babel exhibit.

Our exhibit we plan on building would detail the events of Genesis 10 and 11 and also cover topics dealing with racism, genetics, the human race, etc. People often ask me when this exhibit will be finished. I jokingly reply: “Read the Bible—it never will be!”

Well, the time is now - or soon - it seems. The Answers in Genesis website has announced the beginning of the process for the Tower of Babel project, saying that the raising of funds will begin later this year, and it "likely will take three or more years to research, plan, and construct." The article goes on to say: "Among other things, the huge Babel structure will help people understand how genetics research and the Bible confirm the origin of all people groups around the world (and all people belonging to one biological race) and will tackle the racism issue."

The article also announced that the Ark Encounter attendance is "seeing record crowds, with attendance returning to pre-pandemic levels and beyond."  It goes on to relate:

On recent Saturdays, the Ark has drawn over 7,000 daily guests. As a result of excellent 2021 attendance, area hotels, restaurants, and other tourism-related businesses are booming. “An incredible number of visitors are coming to the Ark and Creation Museum and hotel occupancy in the region reflects that,” said Julie Kirkpatrick, president/CEO of the tourism group meetNKY. “Florence hotels ran close to 77% occupancy in May; the national average was 59.3% as reference.”

We need to have that discussion about our origins, including what happened at Babel, which doesn't negate the teachings of Scripture that we are one race - as it's been said, there are different ethnicities, but inside we are the same.  That can be helpful in building Biblical unity.  God will use our differences for His purposes, and in our differences, we can be one.  Each of us is uniquely created and equipped for specific roles in God's Kingdom.  In an age in which critical race theory has taken root, dividing people based on race and generalizing how people of different races are supposed to act, this certainly is an important topic to address. Racism is sinful, and we have to understand its harmful effects.

I think in the Tower of Babel story, we recognize the potential for impacting the world if we are submissive to carrying out God's will.  However, the people were motivated by worldly power and were not devoted to that mission.  We have to make sure we do not allow sinful desires for power and control to overshadow that desire to do the will of God. 

Humble

The apostle Paul highlights the importance of humility in the body of Christ, principles that can certainly apply to the marriage relationship. Philippians 2 states:
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

He goes on to elaborate on how Jesus humbled Himself, even to the point of death on the cross. And, in Ephesians 5, Paul likens the marriage relationship to that between Christ and His church.  He humbled Himself and we are called to humble ourselves before Him - mutual humility.  That can be operational in our homes, as well - we can find God's love and power at work as we are willing to view our spouse as the Lord does, and serve one another according to His will.

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In Colossians 3, the apostle Paul addresses the proper, Biblical attitude in whatever we undertake:
17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Then, he goes on to apply this principle to our marriages:
18 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.

We read early in the Bible, in the second chapter of Genesis, that God ordained the institution of marriage. Even though there are counterfeits and harmful substitutes, His definition has remained clear and marriage has been a necessary, beneficial building block for societies for thousands of years. Not only is the institution strong, but the potential for married couples to survive the challenges they face is also strong.

Witness the marriage journey of Tabitha Brown and her husband, Chance. A Christian Post article related:

The couple has been married for over 20 years. Brown said when they first moved to LA to allow her to pursue a career in show business, neither of them had a job. Once Chance became a police officer, he assured his wife that she would never have to worry about pursuing her dreams.

The article says that Chance told Tabitha, ‘We wouldn’t have to worry about one income being shaky. You would always be able to pursue your dream without having to have a real steady career outside of acting..."  In a recent video on YouTube, Tabitha announced that Chance had retired from the LAPD. In fact, her motivation to be successful in the acting field was so that her husband could retire, and after 15 years, that became reality.

This drew criticism from talk show host Wendy Williams, who said on her show: "Nope. I was married to one of those. I make the money and so and so forth. Go live your dreams, buy a business, stay with me but go, go, go. See how that turned out. I predict that this marriage is going to be on real rocky ground in a moment...Then they invest in stuff and lose the money. Then they invest in something else and the money gets swindled or stolen.”

Brown, who has 3.7 million social media followers, took the opportunity to respond to Williams:

“Wendy, the pain you must be in to feel this way, honey, I’m so sorry,” she said in a YouTube video. "But listen, let me tell you this: 23 years I’ve been with my husband, broke for a very long time, together. Struggled for a very long time, together. Succeeded for the last couple of years, together."

And, she attributed the longevity of their marriage to the Lord, saying: "God has blessed me. … I’ve been praying on this for a very long time and it has now come to pass. That is the power of God. It’s also the power of allowing God to be first in your marriage. That’s how it remains successful, we keep Him first. He is first in our marriage. Not money, not business, not success, but God. He’s first.” 

Then, in a remarkable display of grace, Tabitha related this to Wendy Williams: “I pray that someone will love you enough to see you when you are not well. To see when you need true support. To see you when you need compassion. To see you when you need kindness," adding, "I pray that somebody loves you enough to sacrifice their life for you. I pray that type of love finds you so that you can understand why I don’t want my husband to put his life on the line anymore, wearing a bulletproof vest if he don’t have to, and if it’s not his desire."

That's a commitment to a Biblical marriage, a marriage that lasts.  In a day where instant gratification is the norm and there is a distinct lack of willingness to work hard for things that count, this is a refreshing soliloquy.  We have to be willing to "do the work," as it's been said, in the area of marriage, especially when there are challenges. 

In that framework, we are called to put our spouse's needs above our own.  It's called humility.  If a husband and wife love each other deeply - and I am thankful that Beth and I do - we have the power in order to sustain and grow in what God has called us to be. 

Messenger

There is something distinctive about the believer in Christ, and by His power, and in conformity to Scripture, we can seek to be different from the world, possessing a sense of hope and deep faith. Titus 2 states:
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

We are not called to please people, as it's been said, but to please God. Not that we are to be so obnoxious that we trash our witness, but in our devotion to Christ, we present to the world a sense of love and hope - qualities that are severely lacking in our culture today. The grace of God working in and through us enables us to live that distinctive life - so that people can see the difference and so that they will wonder about the source of the hope that we display, as 1st Peter chapter 3 suggests. 

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What does it truly mean to be different? That is a question we can ponder as servants of the Lord, recognizing that in our ability to radiate Christ, we can communicate a message that is distinctive. The Bible tells us in 1st Peter 2: 

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

The King James translation uses the word, "peculiar" in verse 9, rather than special.

For those who have been following the NBA Finals, the series, which looked to be heading favorably in the direction of the Phoenix Suns, is now knotted at two games apiece as the series heads back to Arizona for Game 5 tomorrow night after the Milwaukee Bucks took two games at home. 

While there are certainly some compelling storylines in this series, perhaps there is none that exceeds the journey of Phoenix head coach Monty Williams. He has a strong faith story of trusting God even in the midst of loss and grief. As the New York Post reports, regarding Williams' late wife:

At age 44, Ingrid was killed in 2016 when her car was hit head on in Oklahoma, leaving behind her husband and the couple’s five children, aged between 5 and 17.

Williams, a former Knicks first-round pick, was then an Okalhoma City assistant. The driver who lost control of her SUV reportedly had methamphetamine in her system.

“Let us not forget there were two people in this situation, and that family needs prayer as well,” Williams said then. “We have no ill will towards that family. In my house we have a sign that says, ‘As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’ We can not serve the Lord if we don’t have a heart of forgiveness.”

Williams' former coach, Jeff Van Gundy, who is part of ABC's broadcast team for the Finals, said: "He’s a man of great faith — it was apparent when he gave one of the greatest, most graceful speeches at the service,” adding, “I remember watching his children. They were amazing. I think he’s an amazing man. I learned from him. I watch him.’’  Just an aside here: Charlie Ward, who will be speaking at the upcoming Gridiron Kickoff at Landmark Church in just over 2 weeks, was a rookie with Williams; their coach said, "He and Charlie, they were so dedicated to their occupation and their families and friends...Both have carried on. Charlie might not be in the spotlight but he’s still a great friend of Monty.’’

Sports Spectrum also took note of the Christian faith commitment of Monty Williams.  Its website states:

Williams spoke about the death of his wife and his faith on the Sports Spectrum Podcast in September 2019. He said he continued to trust in God despite all the pain.

“[God] is good,” Williams said. “He loves me. You go through a time like that and you tend to lose sight of that because you are hurting, but God is good.”

During the offseason this past September, Williams was also asked about his faith in Christ during a Zoom call with media. He referenced a few Bible verses that have impacted him, but wanted to emphasize that he’s nothing special.

“I’m a Christian but I’m also someone who’s a regular dude that’s jacked up, and I have this hope in Christ and I know that I can trust God with any situation that I have,” he said, adding, “When people look at me and they think of our faith, I hope that they see, ‘Man, if God can do that in his life, He can do it in mine.’”

And, sports commentator Jason Whitlock, writing at The Blaze said:

Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams is a disciple of Jesus Christ. Phoenix's most important player, point guard Chris Paul, is a believer as well.

He went on to say:

These playoffs have been joyful and super exciting. For the most part, the TV commercials don't annoy me.

But the real reason to watch is that God placed a messenger inside the NBA's secular madness. Monty Williams might be the most important man in sports. The 49-year-old former Notre Dame and NBA player is the leader and example America needs.

Whitlock also recounted Ingrid's funeral, at which Monty spoke; he said:

Monty Williams stood at his wife's funeral and delivered the most amazing seven-minute eulogy and testimony I've ever heard. He started with scripture.

Psalms 113:1, "Behold how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity."

Psalms 73:1, "God is good."

John 4:16, "God is love."

He then shared the story of the doctor who told him, as an 18-year-old freshman at Notre Dame, that if he continued to play basketball, he would die because of a heart condition. His wife, then his girlfriend, Ingrid, told him, "Jesus can heal your heart."

Williams played in the NBA for a decade.

He closed his wife's funeral by asking his family and friends to pray for the family of the driver who killed his wife.

Whitlock shared that quote from the funeral I included earlier.

I have been watching more basketball this year than I have in the past; part of the reason is that I was fascinated by my hometown, the effervescent Atlanta Hawks, who lost to the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals.  I started out the Finals wanting to see Milwaukee win. Then I learned about Monty Williams' testimony, and I guess I count myself with Whitlock in wanting to see Phoenix win.

Three more games.  We'll see - but God has given Monty Williams an enormous platform.  He is, as Jason Whitlock says, a "messenger" from God.  So, let's personalize that - do you recognize that God has placed you in a special, tailor-made set of circumstances so that you can be His messenger?  And, we can each consider if we're not only up to the task - which we are - but if we are fulfilling that call.

God has given us the resources to see clearly even in confusing and overwhelming times of trial.  When we encounter pain or are beset by fear, we can know His abiding, comforting presence, and He will give us the ability to see Him even though we may not understand what we are going through.

There is something distinctive about the believer in Christ, and that can certainly be refreshing in this culture.  We are called a peculiar people in Scripture, and in a world looking for answers, we can depend on God to help us to truly be different. We carry a different message - which doesn't mean that we try to redeem or appropriate the world's messages, but to carry God's unique message to the world around us. 

Leaven

In their own pride, the church at Corinth became vulnerable to corrupting influences - Paul wrote in 1st Corinthians chapter 5:
6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?
7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Jesus does indeed set us from from the corrupting influences of this world, and He has given us His Word so that we can not only identify streams of thought or points of view that run contrary to God's principles, but so that we can stand strong against them. 2nd Corinthians 10 tells us to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ - when we encounter false premises and contradictions to Scripture, we can replace our errant thinking with the accuracy of God's truth.

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Jesus spoke multiple times in His earthly ministry about leaven, which is a baking term; He used it to illustrate the operation of the Kingdom of God, and to pinpoint the presence of corrupting elements that would negatively impact His followers. In Luke 13, He uses this short parable:
20 And again He said, "To what shall I liken the kingdom of God?
21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."

In Luke 12, He declares:
1 In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 

Dictionary.com defines leaven in the following ways:

1. a substance, as yeast or baking powder, that causes fermentation and expansion of dough or batter.
2. fermented dough reserved for producing fermentation in a new batch of dough.
3. an element that produces an altering or transforming influence.

We have to make sure that God's Word is so present, so pervasive in our consciousness that we live according to its principles. And, we have to resist the ungodly leaven that corrupts.  That can affect us individually, if we accept unbiblical thinking and the Church, as we allow ideas that do not conform to Scripture to creep in.

Frank Newport of the Gallup organization has released a piece that includes data that analyzes ideas present within the nation's largest Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention.  The SBC has garnered its share of attention recently, and not necessarily in positive ways - part of that is due to the lack of understanding of mainstream media about religious matters; but the decline in membership and the display of division at the recent annual meeting have certainly not provided fodder for a positive portrayal.  Now, I want to affirm my affinity for Southern Baptists - I recognize the large number of Christians in our area who attend Southern Baptist churches; I grew up in the Southern Baptist church, and have a great respect for the SBC and would venture to say that we possess similar beliefs.

However, all churches, not just Southern Baptist, have to deal with leaven that can come in and have a negative effect.  But, Newport offers this analysis which shows how worldly ideas have taken root in a large, Christ-centered denomination.  It's a lesson to all of us. 

He writes:

The denomination's 2000 "Faith and Message" document states that "marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime" and that "in the spirit of Christ, Christians should oppose racism, every form of greed, selfishness, and vice, and all forms of sexual immorality, including adultery, homosexuality, and pornography." In a number of more recent statements, the Southern Baptists, meeting at their annual conventions, have reaffirmed their opposition to gay and lesbian relations.

Now, with the uniting force of Scripture and the Southern Baptists' own statement of adherence to it, you would think that there would be very little, if any, diversion.  Not true.  Newport states:

Half of Southern Baptists in Gallup's 2013-2021 sample say same-sex relations between consenting adults should be legal, below the 71% for non-Southern Baptists, but certainly not reflecting universal disapprobation. Over one-third of Southern Baptists favor legal marriage between same-sex couples, much lower than non-Southern Baptists -- but again, an indication of significant diversity of opinion on the issue.

Regarding the abortion issue, which was dealt with at the last SBC annual meeting, with two resolutions on the subject, there is also not uniformity, believe it or not.  The piece says:

Two-thirds of Southern Baptists identify themselves as pro-life, well above the national average of 47% for the 2013-2021 period, and also higher than for Protestants as a group and higher than the 52% of Catholics who identify as pro-life. The majority of Southern Baptists agree that abortion should be legal in at least a few circumstances, with only a third saying it should be totally illegal. And 24% of Southern Baptists in Gallup's sample say that abortion is morally acceptable, compared with 44% of non-Southern Baptists.

Now, keep in mind, these are presumably self-identified Southern Baptists, perhaps church members or people who grew up in the denomination; so, this may not be totally accurate - at least, it gives some information to consider.

Regarding political viewpoints, Newport writes:

Southern Baptists skew more conservative than non-Southern Baptists, as would be expected (58% vs. 36%, respectively), but over four in 10 Southern Baptists describe themselves as moderate (27%) or liberal (14%).

Again, I have a great affinity for Southern Baptist people and churches and Southern Baptist life is a significant part of my spiritual heritage.  This survey data, related by the highly-respected Gallup organization is evidence to me a what could be described as a "leftward drift" in a slice of Christianity.

But, there are those that claim there is no leftward drift, and the media narrative has thrown its support in with that point of view, saying that Baptists rejected the "hard right" in its convention. This data seems to support the contention that there is a drift, at least on those two issues.  And, there are those that believe that the Convention did not sufficiently deal with the issue of critical race theory at the latest annual meeting.

First and foremost, we have to make sure that there is no drift in our own individual lives.  Because teaching that doesn't line up with Scripture is everywhere.  At Faith Radio, we have made a concerted effort to present to you quality, proven Bible teachers, so that we can become a trusted source of Biblical truth.  Pray for us, that the material presented here each day is accurate and credible, and pray for wisdom and discernment in the programming decisions that we make.

And, in order to prevent drift, we have to recognize several things: 1) the enemy is out to steal, kill, and destroy - he works in the shadows and will attempt to corrupt our thinking 2) the fleshly desire to compromise has to be dealt with through spiritual tools, and 3) we have to put on the full armor of God every day and stay grounded in truth.  At NRB, Os Guinness spoke of Marxist ideas making a "long march" through our institutions. Those who are called to church and ministry leadership have to make sure the entities over which they have been given responsibilities are staying true to Scripture, being aware of cultural threats and trends and being prepared to defend the Church, the body of Christ. 

Genderflecting

We have to take great care that we do not buy in to the liberalization of our culture to accept an "anything goes" perspective regarding sexuality, because, as we have seen, it leads to corruption. We are surrounded by it today, and we have to resist the urge to accept unbiblical practices. Hebrews 13 states:
4 Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
6 So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

The opponents of the demand to allow people who identify as the opposite gender than their biological one continue to cry out against this faux "right," and recently, there have been instances that show what happens when these types of policies are actually enacted.

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Believers in Christ are called to uphold Biblical principles with respect to maintaining purity in our thoughts and actions. What we practice and what we tolerate should reflect our devotion to God's truth. 1st Corinthians 6 states:
17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.
19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

Stop 1 in a tour of the actual fruit of the faulty direction to turn aside from God's principles: Los Angeles.  According to The Daily Citizen website of Focus on the Family:

The internet has been abuzz with the story of a naked man who entered the women’s section of Wi Spa, a high-end Korean-style facility that offers hot and cold baths, sauna rooms, a fitness room, a restaurant and a playroom for kids.

When a “transgender woman,” a biological male who “identifies” as a woman, entered the sex-segregated women’s area, women and girls fled the room. One woman posted her response to the incident on Instagram (caution: language), and the video quickly spread on social media and in the news.

As the article points out, that woman's Instagram is "filled with Scripture." Her appeals to Wi Spa personnel essentially fell on deaf ears because, "both L.A. and California have laws protecting 'sexual orientation and gender identity' (SOGI) in public accommodations, such as restrooms, locker rooms, dressing rooms, spas and saunas."  

Here is a real-life example demonstrating the fallacies in these so-called SOGI laws.  The Daily Citizen website also says: "Focus on the Family has warned believers about the dangers when SOGI nondiscrimination laws elevate ill-defined, subjective characteristics and identities to the same level as race, sex and religion." 

And, when concerned citizens staged a protest at Wi Spa over the Fourth of July weekend, chaos ensued, according to Family Research Council...

...what started out as a peaceful protest over the store's refusal to protect its customers turned ugly when counter-protestors, carrying rainbow flags and transgender signs, decided to get in the faces of concerned men and women. Suddenly, the chants of "save our children" were drowned out by a crazed mob who started setting fire to dumpsters and chasing opponents down the streets.

Another example of this transgender madness occurred not in the Golden State, but in the more conservative environs of the state of Iowa.  The Daily Citizen states:

The Iowa Standard reported, just two weeks ago, that a teenage girl “was allowed to walk around the Pella Aquatic Center topless and use the men’s locker rooms with grown men and boys of all ages, exposing her breasts because she identified as a male.”

The center’s “policy says that anyone can wear the clothing necessary in line with their gender identity rather than biological sex,” an assistant manager told The Standard.

As the Standard reports, that Aquatic Center policy was set by the City Council.  

The article concludes by saying:

In this age of confusion about sexual identity, it’s important for Christians to understand the issues and speak the truth of God’s good design of man and woman, made in His image, courageously, wisely and kindly.

In addition, we must be aware so that we can protect our families – 17 states and hundreds of municipalities have public accommodations laws that protect “gender identity.” It’s incumbent upon us to speak up and act appropriately to protect privacy and safety for all people – but especially for women and children.

And I would add that the Equality Act would codify nationwide these local and state laws and ordinances and, I would say, trample on First Amendment guarantees of religious freedom.  What about the rest of us who don't want to buy in to this harmful agenda that disregards human dignity and respect for the Creator and His creation?  It certainly calls for prayer, vigilance, and doing our best to demonstrate the knowledge of God so that hearts can be changed.

I do want to give props to Alabama Attorney General - I was made aware of a FoxNews.com story regarding an Arkansas law that prohibits treatment for minors that would attempt to alter their gender.  The story says:

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall issued an amicus brief Wednesday with 16 other GOP-led states in support of the recent Arkansas ban on ‘experimental’ transition-related care for transgender minors.

The brief outlined why top legal officials in 17 states supported the controversial ban implemented in April.

"We are filing this brief because, like Arkansas, we are concerned about the surge in recent years of children suffering from gender dysphoria and other forms of gender-related psychological distress," Marshall said in a statement Tuesday. "Like Arkansas — and like those challenging the SAFE Act — we are concerned because these vulnerable children are suffering greatly and need help. The vital questions are, how do we help them, and how do we avoid serious irreversible damage."

A similar bill passed the Alabama Senate overwhelmingly, only to have time run out on an attempt to pass the bill in the House.  

Culture has to find an answer to its confusion in the Church, and unfortunately, in the name of tolerance, churches are marching lockstep with the LGBTQ agenda, as well.  We have to encourage our pastors and church leaders to stand against these deviant philosophies. What looks and sounds good on paper is now having real-life negative consequences.  Scripture shows us how to be a voice of reason when culture is imposing unscriptural principles.