Christ Our King

On this day on which we commemorate the death of our Savior on Calvary - a day called "Good Friday," even though things didn't look so good.  Jesus suffered brutal humiliation, enormous pain, and ultimately, He surrendered to death.

But, death could not hold Him - He rose from the dead on that Resurrection Sunday, and He is seated at the right hand of God the Father.  He is the King, the Messiah who was promised.

In Acts 13, in a passage in which he recounts the history of Israel and stresses the significance of Jesus, the apostle Paul declared, beginning in verse 20:

20 After that He gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

21 And afterward they asked for a king; so God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.
22 And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.'
23 From this man's seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior--Jesus--

He spoke about the death and resurrection of Jesus and stated:
32 And we declare to you glad tidings--that promise which was made to the fathers.
33 God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.'
34 And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: 'I will give you the sure mercies of David.'

There is a certain connection between David and Jesus - and there's a new series that recently completed its first season on Amazon Prime.  It's called, House of David, and co-executive producer, and co-director of the series, Jon Erwin was a recent guest on The Meeting House on Faith Radio.

A Christian Post article recently quoted from Greg Laurie, Senior Pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in California and speaker on A New Beginning weekdays at 2:00 p.m. on Faith Radio.  He said: “I think this is one of the greatest evangelistic opportunities in recent history...No movie will ever take the place of the Gospel or the Bible, nor should it. But if it inspires people who've never read the Bible before or have no relationship with God to want to know more, then this is something we should be celebrating, not critiquing.”

The article goes on to say that Greg Laurie...

...served as a consultant on the series, helmed by “Jesus Revolution” filmmakers Jon Erwin and Jon Gunn, and produced a newly released documentary titled “Beyond the House of David,” which debuted the same day as the show’s premiere. He also authored a 30-day devotional to accompany the series, aiming to help viewers deepen their understanding of David’s life and legacy.

About that devotional, Laurie states:

“For me, it was like … David effectively kept a diary,” Laurie said. “He put many of his thoughts down on paper. Probably, many were originally songs. But it’s called the book of Psalms — David’s diary. He’s very honest. When he’s down, he talks about being down. But then he’ll say, ‘Hope in God, for I will yet trust Him.’ He laments, then corrects his own thinking.”

Laurie stressed that this raw emotional and spiritual honesty is why David is called “a man after God’s own heart.” “He didn’t put on pretenses. He was flawed. He knew it. But he had this heart for the Lord.”

The article also notes:

David’s story, of course, is not without profound failure, the pastor said, adding: “People remember David and Goliath, his greatest victory. And David and Bathsheba, his worst defeat. But we must not forget that God forgave David. His life was redeemed. He made it into the Messianic line.”

That redemptive thread, Laurie stressed, is critical for modern believers facing temptation, regret and spiritual distance. “There’s nothing new under the sun,” Laurie said, quoting David’s son, Solomon. “The same God that sustained David on a literal battlefield will certainly sustain the believer today.”

And, according to CBN.com, the lead actor, who plays the role of David, has been impacted by playing the title character.  Michael Iskander says: “I think David is one of the most interesting people because … there’s so much duality in him,” adding, “He’s the epitome of what it means to be human, to make mistakes, but to truly have a heart for God — and a heart that seeks after God’s own heart.”

The article continues by saying:

Iskander, who said he feels “blessed” to be able to tell this story, explained how his experience portraying David transformed how he sees Scripture and the people presented within it.

“Now, I view it from a point of view as just human beings,” he said. “And so I put the context of that time and of these people into the story … it just puts a whole different perspective on the Bible, and I think it makes it that much more interesting to read and to discover.”

Iskander said it’s exciting to be able to have such a fascinating lens into Scripture. He spoke about the importance of trusting God and allowing the Lord to guide His path, citing Proverbs 3:5-6. In the end, he knows “House of David” is entertainment for many, but believes the project is really all about the Lord.

So, on this Good Friday, we honor the Suffering Servant, the Man of Sorrows, according to Isaiah 53, who is our Savior, our Redeemer, and our King. The fifth verse of that chapter says, "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed."

The Bible is full of flawed characters, like David, who experienced the forgiveness and redemption of God.  We are all in need of a Savior, and Jesus, who defeated the power of sin and death and sits at the right hand of the throne of God, desires to sit on the throne of our lives - in Him, we find hope, redemption, true love, and true peace.  We can perhaps identify with David in some of his struggles, as we read about in the Psalms, but we can also see if we identify with Jesus, who paid the penalty for sin, we can also identify with Him in His righteousness and holiness.  We are cursed in our flesh, yet made alive in the Spirit. 

Jesus came to us as a man, and the Bible reminds us that we can follow in His footsteps.  He was an example for us, and He paid the ultimate price by dying for our sins, so that we can consider ourselves dead to sin in Jesus and allow His Spirit to take control of us.  We can worship and serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Christ Our Bread of Life

As He shared that last meal with His disciples, Jesus shared the bread and the cup - the bread communicating that His body would be broken and the cup representing that His blood would be shed as the perfect sacrificial Lamb, given for our sins.  Jesus taught us in Scripture that He was the bread of life, the all-sufficient One, who desires for us to find our identity in Him through salvation.  He taught in John 6:
48 I am the bread of life.
49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."

Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should recognize that His principles should be integrated into every sphere of life. His Word is sufficient to give wisdom, and we should bring our Christian perspective to the decisions we make and the actions we take.

We've heard a lot about so-called "Christian nationalism" these days - it has been used to denigrate Christian believers who bring their faith into the arena of government, believing that God's laws and principles should not be separated or relegated to their own separate place in our public life.

Now, an organization that seems to think it is doing some sort of public service by rooting out this "Christian nationalism" has now attempted to define it. It's the Public Religion Research Institute, or PRRI, and a couple of months back, it released its second American Values Atlas. And, it's targeted as Christian nationalism. But, in reading the statistics in the survey summary, I was struggling to find a definition - it had four categories it identified - Adherents, Sympathizers, Skeptics, Rejecters - but it seemed to be light on what they were responding to.

So, I went back to last year's summary, and lo and behold, here it was - so here we go:

Respondents in our American Values Atlas were asked whether they completely agree, mostly agree, mostly disagree, or completely disagree with each of the following statements:

• The U.S. government should declare America a Christian nation.
• U.S. laws should be based on Christian values.
• If the U.S. moves away from our Christian foundations, we will not have a country anymore.
• Being Christian is an important part of being truly American.
• God has called Christians to exercise dominion over all areas of American society.

Then we have the four categories:

Christian Nationalism Adherents (Score 0.75–1): These Americans overwhelmingly either agree or completely agree with all five statements in the scale. This group includes 10% of Americans.

Christian Nationalism Sympathizers (Score 0.5–0.74): These Americans agree with most statements in the scale, but they are less likely than Adherents to completely agree. This group includes 20% of Americans.

Christian Nationalism Skeptics (Score 0.01-0.49): These Americans disagree with most statements in the scale, but they are less likely than Rejecters to completely disagree. This group includes 37% of Americans.

Christian Nationalism Rejecters (Score 0): These Americans completely disagree with all five statements in the scale. This group includes 30% of Americans.

This year's survey is pretty much the same: "In 2024, three in ten Americans qualified as Christian nationalism Adherents (10%) or Sympathizers (20%), compared with two-thirds who qualified as Skeptics (37%) or Rejecters (29%)."

So, the survey divides Americans into groups based on their views on how influential Christianity should be in the nation. Then, it begins to poll certain attitudes, of course, attempting to paint a distorted picture of these dangerous Christian nationalists - those in the Adherent and Sympathizer groups as anti-immigrant, supportive of traditional gender roles, and possessing a propensity for political violence and even the murky QAnon philosophy. 

The fact is, Christians who love our country and are concerned about its direction should not be vilified.  In a nation where there is freedom of religion, our views possess validity, and because they are rooted in Scripture, they possess certain authority - absolute authority.  Now, we recognize there are people who do not share our faith perspective - and there is a place for them as citizens of our nation - and we should share the love of Jesus with them, firm in our convictions but rooted in compassion.

Fact is, part of the American fabric is the belief in the Bible - the Bible is foundational to our nation's laws. When faith or no faith becomes detrimental to that fabric, then it should be called out - but not in a harmful manner, and certainly not with violence.  Christians who are truly Christ-followers, unlike some groups, do not believe in doing harm to other people and attempting to silence and shut down those with whom they disagree. We've certainly been on the receiving end, though. 

Jesus gave His body and blood so that we could become redeemed people.  He gave His life for that.  And, in the Spirit of Jesus, the One who is risen from the dead and lives and loves through His people, we can seize the opportunities God gives us to reflect His presence, especially in a season in which His death and resurrection - and the new life that is made possible through those acts - are being commemorated.  Our beliefs have a place in this country, as we believe that it truly will take spiritual awakening in order to turn things around, for so many have rejected God.  We can rejoice in our all-sufficient One, the Bread of Life who truly satisfies. 

Christ Our Truth-Giver

We are called and empowered to raise a standard of truth - Jesus demonstrated that during His earthly ministry, and even during the final hours prior to His death, He was engaging with the religious leaders of His day. Throughout several chapters of the book of Matthew, it is recorded how Jesus engaged with those religious leaders, pronouncing "woes" upon them, calling them out for the hypocrisy. So, we come to Matthew 26:
1 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples,
2 "You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified."
3 Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,
4 and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him.
5 But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people."

Later in the chapter, though, Judas came to the chief priests and offered to betray our Savior. 

There will likely be consequences for standing on the truth of God, yet we are placed by Him to do just that.  

As I have reported to you this week, lawmakers in Colorado have begun to consider legislation that stands contrary to Biblical standards - when we see this, Christians should rise up in opposition.  The Center for Baptist Leadership, whose founder, William Wolfe, was on The Meeting House yesterday, reported that members of the Legislature "are advancing a slate of bills that would, among other things, provide taxpayer funding for abortions, empower the state to persecute Christians who refuse to bend the knee to radical gender ideology and compelled speech codes, and go so far as to steal children from parents who won’t affirm the “transgender” delusions of their kids."  A bill to do that latter item has already passed the House of Representatives in that state.

The CBL article went on to say:

Southern Baptist pastor Chase Davis worked to sound the alarm on the “transgender protections” bill at the Center for Baptist Leadership last week, warning that:

“If enacted, this bill would criminalize ‘deadnaming’ and ‘misgendering’ for any business. It would criminalize dress codes conforming to gender standards for schools. It threatens to strip parents of their parental rights who do not go along with the delusion that boys can become girls. It also broadly criminalizes any “coercion” by parents who, whether from their religious beliefs or just common sense, refuse to allow their confused children to “transition.” It would also empower the state to take children away from parents who refer to their kids by their given name and biological sex.”

And, a group of pastors has sent a letter to pastors of larger churches, encouraging them to speak out.  The article goes on to report: "...a group of pastors sent a letter to many of the larger churches in Colorado, hoping to rally the pastors of bigger churches to use their platform, reach, and resources to protect parental rights, freedom of speech, and the well-being of children in their state."

Chris Goble, the Lead Pastor of Ridgeline Community Church in Castle Rock, CO, explains that they “wrote and then sent this letter to the Pastors and Elders of the largest churches and faith organizations in Colorado, calling them to action and bring their sizable resources and platforms to bear for the sake of God’s Truth and His people.”

The Center also relates that it detailed this aggressive and dangerous agenda and implored pastors to "1) Post, 2) Preach, 3) Petition, and 4) Push others to do the same."

The letter lays out the legislative agenda that Christians are being asked to fight against - you can see it at the website, Fight1312.com:

For years, our state has been steadily undermined by liberal ideologies that erode our freedoms, threaten our families’ livelihoods, and reject the truth of God’s Word. As Psalm 11:3 warns, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” We recognize that faithful people may differ on these issues, and many of you have chosen silence or neutrality to preserve unity. That time is over.

A barrage of legislation—House Bill 25-1312, Senate Bill 183, House Bill 1309, and Senate Bill 129—marks a brazen assault on our God-given rights and biblical values. HB 25-1312 redefines misgendering as child abuse and discrimination, stripping parents of their authority (Ephesians 6:4) and exposing businesses, schools, and even churches to legal peril. SB 183 forces taxpayers to fund abortions, defying the sanctity of life knit together in the womb (Psalm 139:13). HB 1309 mandates “gender-affirming care” in all health plans, and SB 129 expands access to out-of-state telehealth abortion pills. These bills are a direct attack on the created order—“male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27)—and the sanctity of life.

You can find more information, including rolling updates on the fight against the legislation by going to the website. Also, on X, the CBL has announced that tomorrow, there will be a prayer walk in Denver at the State Capitol, followed by a pastors' press conference.

What you have here is a masterclass of how the body of Christ should operate when there are threats to the moral fiber of the areas where we live, over which I believe we have been given responsibility by God.  I witnessed last year how Christian and like-minded organizations stood together in unity against yet another threat to the state of Alabama by the expansion of gambling.  We are seeing citizens of Colorado mobilize and motivate others because they believe in the authority of God's Word and take their responsibility seriously.  And, this has begun to attract national attention. 

Before He died, Jesus taught, in what you might call firm and even provocative ways about the departure from truth that the religious leaders of the day had undertaken.  And, even now, there are churches in Colorado - and around the nation - who do not wish to take up the fight against attempts to impose an anti-Christian agenda on our citizens.  We must be bold to stand on truth and allow God to speak though us for the advancement of the Kingdom of God rather than the principles of darkness.

And, one further thing - in Alabama in the gambling fight and in Colorado in this particular battle, we find ourselves playing defense all too often.  But, we can also seek ways to go on offense.  That involves electing leaders who respect the Word of God and are willing to sponsor good legislation that is consistent with Biblical truth and benefits our citizens.  I spotlighted bills in the Alabama Legislature that have been introduced, but sadly, in looking over ALCAP's latest update, there are several bills that would provide for greater religious expression in our state that are labeled "No Movement."  We need to pray for our leaders - and pray for leaders who will boldly fight for truth.

Christ Our Clarity

It seems that there are so many who are confused these days - because they do not have the certainty of Christ in their lives and do not believe or adhere to His principles, they are easily swayed to believe the lies of the enemy. In John 8, Jesus says:
(42) ..."If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.
43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.
44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.

Some lies that seem to be common these days include, "I was born in the wrong body," or "the wrong gender was assigned to me at birth."  While it is true, people are struggling in that area, but that mindset is being exacerbated by various influences that speak what is not true.

A piece at the Daily Citizen website of Focus on the Family announced recently that those who wish to participate in women's track and field in the Olympics "will now be required to confirm their gender via a cheek swab or dry blood DNA test."  The article notes:

Sebastian Coe, who heads up World Athletics, the governing body of track, was clear-headed and resolute in announcing the new policy.

“We’re not just talking about the integrity of female women’s sport, but actually guaranteeing it,” Coe said. “And this, we feel, is a really important way of providing confidence and maintaining that absolute focus on the integrity of competition.”

Paul Batura, who wrote the article, went on to say:

Inexplicably, the International Olympic Committee has elected to leave this issue up to each sport’s international federation.

It’s this leadership vacuum that not only threatens the integrity of individual sports but also jeopardizes the health and safety of the athletes themselves.

He brought back memories of an Algerian boxer who had been disqualified by the International Boxing Association a few years before the previous Summer Olympic games because of an XY chromosome. Batura writes: "The International Olympic Committee (IOC) went along with Khelif’s charade and allowed the boxer to punch away on female athletes." He also noted, "Track and Field has been navigating this gender controversy since 2009 when Caster Semenya, a South African athlete with naturally high testosterone levels, first won a gold medal in 800 meters at the World Championships."

In this and so many other areas, we need the clarity of Christ. The Daily Citizen piece says:

Be aware that you’ll be reading in the coming days and weeks that World Athletics is banning “transwomen athletes” – but such a claim isn’t true. That’s because there’s no such thing as a “transwoman” – there are just two genders, male and female. Just because a man is pretending to be a woman doesn’t make it so.

The article goes on to state:

Trust but verify.

It’s been 125 years since women first appeared in the 1900 Olympics in Paris. There were just 22 of them out of a total of 997 athletes. These commonsense policies being implemented in Track and Field will ensure that the distinctiveness of female competition will be maintained and protected in the upcoming Summer Olympic games in Los Angeles in 2028.

The gender issue is just one out of many in which the world's ideas are being allowed to supersede and reject God's truth.  Batura wrote, "Just because a man is pretending to be a woman doesn’t make it so." There are many counterfeits in this world - Satan is the father of lies, the great deceiver, who even comes as an "angel of light," the Bible says.  But, just because something appears to be a certain way doesn't make it factual.   

I think it's helpful and instructive to examine our own set of beliefs and allow the Holy Spirit to shine His penetrating light into our hearts.  The standard is God's Word and the Holy Spirit will bring conviction and correction based on the enduring truth of God's truth.  The gender issue is foundational, because there are challenges to the authenticity and authority of God as creator, as stated in the book of Genesis.  During Holy Week, Jesus drove corruption out the Temple - we can drive wrong ideas out of our consciousness by rejecting lies and embracing truth.

Christ Our Refuge

Where there is despair and hopelessness, the presence of Christ brings hope. The Bible tells us that He is our refuge; He is the One who is near when trouble abounds. As we enter into this Holy Week, we can focus on the hope that He brings, the fulfillment of God's promises. The oppressed people of Jerusalem on that day of Palm Sunday shouted, "Hosanna!" which is commonly equated with salvation, or God's ability to save. Psalm 46 reminds us:
(1) God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling...

There's a ministry in the nation of Colombia that is translated "City of Refuge."  A CBN.com article related:

Colombia remains the number one destination for Venezuelan migrants, with over three million already in the country—a number that could triple by the end of the year. Thousands arrive daily, seeking food, water, shelter, and stability. Many end up homeless, exploited, and trapped in a cycle of addiction and poverty.

The article quotes missionary Douglas Calvano of that ministry, who says: "Not only the homeless, the migrants—the displaced people… I don't know if you heard, we have people coming from Cucuta… into Medellin. Displaced because of the guerrillas—it's becoming a bigger crisis than in the '90s..."  Then there's what you might term "home-grown" homelessness; CBN says: "Close to seven million Colombians are homeless in their own country, and on the streets, the worlds of addiction, poverty, and displacement collide."

I have observed first-hand some of the impoverished neighborhoods on the outskirts of the capital city of Bogota as part of a media team that traveled to the nation with Samaritan's Purse and Operation Christmas Child.  I sensed the deep love for Jesus in the midst of the pastors and the children who were being ministered to.  I saw that in the midst of economic deficiency, Jesus was sufficient for their souls. And, the kids - wow, what joy they displayed as they heard the gospel message and received their shoeboxes.

This ministry in which Douglas Calvano is involved has been serving the Medellin area for some 30 years, including an area "where open-air drug markets and rampant addiction paint a stark picture of the crisis."  CBN notes, "For many here, the future is uncertain—some may face arrest, while others might not survive the night. It's a stark reminder of the desperation and danger that define life on these streets."

Harry Dietrich, who leads the operations side of the ministry states, "If you wind up in 'The Bronx,' it's because you're at the end of your rope. You're at the worst of the worst in your life."  And, downtown, the ministry has a homeless shelter and offers a program where people can reform their lives through the power of Jesus. Dietrich relates: "Many of the homeless are just looking for a roof, looking for a bed, looking for a meal," adding, "But if they have any type of a heart for the Lord or restoration fully, we'll take them in and get them going in the program as soon as possible."

One visitor, a 26-year-old woman named Camila, whose addiction resulted in the loss of custody of her child, got into the program and not only found food and housing, but a job, as well.  No longer an addict, she has been "reunited with her daughter."  She is quoted as saying: "For me, it has been something supernatural...It is very beautiful to see how God is transforming our minds and our hearts every day, first of all. Because He is touching, He is touching the deepest part of our hearts. It has been the deepest thing in our hearts, and it makes us understand that the only thing that can save us is Him."

The ministry also has a church, and Calvano says: "I think the Church is awakening to the fact that—the Gospel is not just what we preach—the gospel is much more than that," adding, "We need to do things for people. People are tired of the right message, sermon—they want to see the gospel on the streets and see the church moving… that is happening in Colombia, thank God."

As we consider the final week of the life of Jesus, we can conclude that He represents for us so many things - He is our Savior.  He is our refuge.  He is our substitute who died in our place so that we might come into a relationship with Him.  And, in His death and resurrection, He brings hope to us. 

His death on the cross reminds us that He was the perfect sacrifice for our sins, removing the barrier that stood between humanity and God and making it possible for people - in any place, in any culture, any economic conditions, to experience a true heart change.  For the addict looking for the "fix" for his or her soul, He brings restoration.  He can fill the void that resides in the heart of everyone who does not know Him. 

So, this week, I encourage you to draw near to God - allow Him to heal the broken places, open your heart to more of His love and grace.  Allow the Spirit of God to awaken within you a greater appreciation of the cross, which represents hope in the midst of brokenness.

Near-Miss?

The Bible is clear: there is one way to God - through Jesus, who said that He is the way, truth, and life. And, there is one way to heaven. But, these days, there is a tendency out there to blur the lines - it's a product of seeing God as more tolerant of sin, redefined with a false sense of benevolence, even to the extent of admitting people to heaven that do not meet the Biblical conditions. Jesus taught in John 14:
1 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
4 And where I go you know, and the way you know."

The way you know, Jesus said - but Thomas probed further:
5 Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?"
6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

In a Biblical view of the afterlife, close does not count.  In order to live with God forever in heaven, we must embrace Jesus. But, Blake Shelton offers a different view in a new song called, Let Him in Anyway.

Plugged In describes it this way:

For Christians, it’s an agonizing thing when a close friend or relative dies before coming to know Jesus. And that’s precisely what country icon Blake Shelton is singing about in his tear-jerking new ballad “Let Him in Anyway.”

The review of this song states that the singer "...gets more specific about, it seems, his attempts to evangelize a friend that fell on a deaf ears and a resistant heart: 'I tried and I tried, he was startin’ to listen/I brought him to church, he was feeling conviction/But you took him away ‘fore I could convince him.'”  Plugged In goes on to say:

Shelton strongly implies that he believes salvation isn’t universal, as so many other voices in our culture suggest. Instead, he fears getting to heaven himself and finding that his friend isn’t there: “So I’m here on my knees, sayin’/Hey God/I know you know what I’m ’bout to pray, God/I just had to suck it up and say goodbye to my best friend/And I don’t ever wanna never see him again.”

A grain of Biblical truth is hijacked as Shelton sings, "And I know the only way to get in is through you/And he wasn’t quite the Christian he was supposed to be/And Lord, it ain’t my place/But could you let him in anyway?”  So, was this friend a Christian or not?  The review notes:

None of us are the Christians we should be, no matter how “good” we think we’re doing in our faith. That’s why Jesus gave His life on our behalf, because even our tears of repentance must be washed in His blood. Shelton hints that salvation is about God, not about our spiritual performance, but the waters get slightly muddier here when talking about whether someone was a “good enough” Christian to make it in.

Clearly, as the article points out, Blake Shelton suffers some guilt for not getting his friend into heaven.  And, while we should all be faithful to share with others about Jesus, it is ultimately up to the person who is being witnessed to to make the decision for Christ.  As Adam Holz, writing for Plugged In, states:

It’s not our job to convince someone that Jesus is who He says He is, “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Rather, my job and yours—if you’re a follower of Jesus—is to faithfully bear witness to who He is and to pray for our friends while they’re still with us. The rest is up to the Holy Spirit.

It seems like Blake Shelton did that in this case. I love that he’s singing about his passion for people to come to know Jesus, and that he understands the consequences of that not happening. But whether Blake’s friend is in heaven or not, in the end, is not because he ran out of time to coax him into the kingdom. And it’s important to keep that in mind, too, even if you’re reaching for the tissues to dab your eyes after listening to this beautiful song.

Well, certainly you should not expect accurate Christian doctrine in a forum - in this case, country music - that is not devoted to it.  That doesn't mean that God will not use various musical styles and genres to communicate His message.  But, we have to be careful these days.

Bottom line: there is no such thing as a "near miss" with regard to where you will spend eternity - Jesus is very clear.  The Bible says that "now" is the day of salvation, so here and now, we should all examine our lives and determine whether or not we believe in Jesus and have been saved. It's not a matter of how kind you are to people, even though true kindness is a fruit of the Spirit.  Nor, is it related to church attendance, although we are called to not forsake the assembly of believers together. Salvation comes through confessing that Jesus is Lord and believing in our hearts that God has raised Him from the dead.  That results in true life change.  

Embracing faith-adjacent concepts that are not Biblical can lead people astray and create a misunderstanding of what it means to be saved, what it means to be a Christian.  It's not done in our own strength, in the power of our own good works, but in the strength of the Lord as we allow Christ to live His life through us.  A 2021 article at The Christian Post said that, "Nearly 70% of born-again Christians disagree with the biblical position that Jesus is the only way to God, according to a new survey from Probe Ministries, a nonprofit that seeks to help the Church in renewing the minds of believers with a Christian worldview."  We must search and study the Scriptures to make sure that our beliefs line up with what the Bible teaches.

Parents + Church = Positive Growth

While parents are given the primary responsibility to raise their children and to teach them the ways of the Lord, the partnership with the local church can be vibrant and effective. Parents can rely on the Lord to strengthen their families and to mold a right relationship with their children. Deuteronomy 6 has this exhortation:
6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

The Lifeway Research website published a summary of a new study exploring the relationship between parents and student ministry. It announces:

A study from Lifeway Students and Lifeway Research explores the perspective of churchgoing parents of teenagers and those who lead student ministries in local churches. Both emphasize the spiritual health of their students and say they want to work together to see the next generation become disciples of Christ.

The indicators are good; for instance, the survey found: "Around 9 in 10 parents (89%) feel they have a great relationship with the leader of their church’s student ministry. For their part, only 16% of student ministry leaders say they feel tension with parents, while 79% disagree."

Lifeway surveyed just over a thousand parents with at least one student in grades 6-12. The report notes that "When asked their biggest priority for their student’s future, 2 in 5 (41%) say their main goal is spiritual well-being."

Around 7 out of 10 parents described as "churchgoing" report that they are "actively" promoting their children to practice the Christian faith, with a similar percentage reporting that effort has been successful.  But, high numbers of parents report concern over their students not pursuing that faith due to worldly influences.  

And, there's a significant percentage of parents who don't reflect confidence in their ability to perform the task of helping with their students' spiritual development. The summary states: "Most parents (62%) say they’re equipped to help their student develop spiritually, while 36% feel the opposite. Yet, 94% agree they want to become more equipped for this, and just 5% disagree." 72% say they are willing to partner with student ministry leaders.

Those ministry leaders are also desirous of partnering with parents; the Lifeway Research summary article says: "Around 7 in 10 say they’d want to increase their equipping of parents with tools to disciple their students (70%) and training of parents to disciple their students (67%)."

Over 7 out of 10 student ministry leaders say they see parents "concerned" about the spiritual growth of their students and involved in the process. But..."Despite all the desire to partner with parents and do more training, most student ministry leaders (57%) say they don’t have a clearly defined strategy for ministering to parents."

But, these church leaders report some difficulty in helping parents to teach their kids at home.  The summary notes:

Around 3 in 4 (73%) say they have sought to partner with parents to encourage spiritual activities at home, but some have been disappointed with the results.

More than 2 in 5 leaders who have tried to partner (43%) say parents don’t even try to engage at home in the spiritual activities they suggest, while 40% of leaders say the parents at least try it. Three in 10 (30%) say the parents like it, but half as many (15%) say the students enjoy it.

In the article, Chad Higgins, coauthor of a book called Define the Relationship: Growing a Parent Ministry that Brings Families and Churches Together, which correlates with this data, is quoted as saying, “For believing parents, a key goal is that their teenagers develop a genuine faith in Christ—a desire shared by student ministry leaders,” adding, “Both want students to grow spiritually healthy and mature in their walk with Christ. To align on this, we need to move beyond tracking church attendance as the sole measure of faithfulness and help parents understand and discuss terms like ‘spiritually healthy’ or ‘growing in Christ’ in meaningful ways.”

It does seem as if priorities is a big component here - if parents prioritize their children's relationship with Christ and student ministry leaders are doing the same thing, then the common goals could drive a productive relationship.  But, Christian parents should make sure that they realize that the primary responsibility is theirs to teach Biblical truth and to generate an atmosphere for growth in and through their homes. The Church is a great source of truth and direction and can be a valuable resource as it supports the work of the parents and is devoted to providing an excellent spiritual foundations for families. 

This research shows that there is a "want to" on the part of parents and student ministries, but the numbers could definitely be better. But, we can recognize that these two amazing institutions - the family and the Church - ordained by God - when working together, can produce incredible spiritual growth and impact the next generation in its knowledge of God and practice of Christian faith.