Purge

In 1st Peter 4, the writer is teaching on living according to the will of God, "in the Spirit," as verse 6
suggests. The next three verses say:
7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."
9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

The Bible offers tremendous perspective on sin and its effects on our lives - and in Proverbs, we are cautioned not to hide our sins.  But, the love of God can enable us to experience forgiveness for our sins, which releases a right relationship with Him and with other people.  Once we repent, as we confess our sins and ask forgiveness, we can be confident that He will cast our sins from the east to the west - bring total and complete healing. But, we must be willing to acknowledge what we have done, allowing God to do His work.

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There is wisdom for us today in the 28th chapter of Proverbs, where we read this:
13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
14 Happy is the man who is always reverent, But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

It was certainly an electric day in Atlanta on Sunday - one of the legendary Braves heroes, Chipper Jones was being inducted into the Hall of Fame; meanwhile, the home team was trying to halt a four-game losing streak against one of another of Major League Baseball's powers, the L.A. Dodgers.

On the mound for the Braves, the young pitcher Sean Newcomb.  Through eight innings, he had not allowed a hit.  With two out in the ninth, the Dodgers got their first hit. Still an amazing performance, but I'm sure there was disappointment in the end, missing ever-so-slightly the first no-hitter for the Braves since before Chipper joined the club.

But, then, instances from Newcomb's Twitter feed in which he used gay and racial slurs emerged, as if timed to coincide with a major accomplishment.  Also that day, Trae Turner of the Washington Nationals experienced a similar revelation.  This comes days after Josh Hader of the Brewers had tweets exposed.  You may remember around the time of the NFL Draft, one of the highly-rated quarterbacks, Josh Allen, had online material exposed.

According to Bleacher Report:

"This is something that obviously can't be happening," Newcomb said, per Kelsey Wingert of Fox Sports South. "I feel bad about it. I don't mean to offend anybody. I definitely regret it."

Newcomb wasted no time addressing the old tweets and explained his decision to discuss them in the immediate aftermath of Sunday's contest.

"I felt that it would be good to address it right away and just let people know that I meant nothing by it," he said, per Wingert. "I didn't mean to offend anybody and I'll make sure it doesn't happen again. I'll be smarter."

The story included a statement from the Braves, in which the team said Sean "is taking full responsibility."  The team also put the notion of youthful indiscretion to rest, saying that even though he was 18 or 19, "it doesn't make them any less tolerable," and that they would work with Sean "towards mending the wounds of the community."

The revelation of offensive tweets has become a trend in Hollywood, too.  A recent story on the Variety.com website stated:

In wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, Hollywood’s zero tolerance mentality has started applying to offensive statements as well. Gunn’s controversial firing came shortly after Amy Powell was ousted as head of Paramount TV for allegedly making “racially charged” remarks about African-American women. Weeks earlier, ABC canceled its revival of “Roseanne” when series star Roseanne Barr tweeted racist comments about former White House adviser Valerie Jarrett.

It also referred to the firing of James Gunn from directing the next Guardians of the Galaxy movie due to his tweeting activity:

Gunn has since apologized for his tweets and said he understands the business decisions involved with his firing.

“My words of nearly a decade ago were, at the time, totally failed and unfortunate efforts to be provocative,” Gunn said. “I have regretted them for many years since — not just because they were stupid, not at all funny, wildly insensitive, and certainly not provocative like I had hoped, but also because they don’t reflect the person I am today or have been for some time.”

The lede of the Variety story centered on Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson's announcement that he had deleted some 20,000 of his past tweets.

And, just days ago, cast members set to be part of the new Guardians film issued a statement of support for Gunn, according to the Hollywood Reporter:

"We fully support James Gunn. We were all shocked by his abrupt firing last week and have intentionally waited these ten days to respond in order to think, pray, listen, and discuss," began the letter, signed by Pratt, Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Michael Rooker, Sean Gunn and Pom Klementieff. "In that time we have been encouraged by the outpouring of support from fans and members of the media who wish to see James reinstated as director of Volume 3, as well as discouraged by those who were so easily duped into believing the many outlandish conspiracy theories around him."

As the story pointed out, the tweets dealt with pedophilia and rape.  The story said:

In announcing Gunn's firing on July 20, Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn said, "The offensive attitudes and statements discovered on James' Twitter feed are indefensible and inconsistent with our studio's values, and we have severed our business relationship with him."

So, despite the evidence and Gunn's admission of wrongdoing, the Guardians stars doubled down:

"There is little due process in the court of public opinion. James is likely not the last good person to be put on trial. Given the growing political divide in this country, it's safe to say instances like this will continue, although we hope American from across the political spectrum can ease up on the character assassinations and stop weaponizing mob mentality."

One of the stars, Chris Pratt, who has been known for Christian statements in the past, posted the statement on Instagram saying he didn't support the tweets, but felt Gunn was a "good man."  He had also tweeted out James 1:19 recently about being quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry - not sure about the context there.

Coming up on The Meeting House, I will feature a conversation with Tim Winter of the Parents' Television Council about the responsibility of studios to be consistent - basically, if you're going to take action against people because of their tweets (as should be done), then you should take action against offensive content that is proceeding from your studios.  And, as he will point out, Disney is one of the main offenders.

There are a number of principles we can consider:

Indiscretions of the past can affect the future - sins can be revealed, and the brokenness resulting from sin affects the way we behave in the present.  We can turn to God, who is able to forgive our past sins and to bring restoration to our hearts.

Also, in the present, we can think about how we can take steps to refrain from statements or actions that can come back to haunt us in the future.  Our reputation and character are shaped by the words we speak and how we behave.  We can make sure that we are attempting to reflect the nature of Christ through our interactions.

For instance, we should take steps on social media to be disciplined in what we post.  In a blog post, Jim Daly of Focus on the Family related this about a previous Meeting House guest:

Dr. Emerson Eggerichs did a study about effective communication and concluded that there are four components, like legs on a table.  If one of the four is missing, your communication will be poor.

Before you hit Send, ask, “Is my statement…”

True?

Kind?

Necessary?

Clear?

And, we may have to take some steps to purge our past - offensive material, if there is any, may not be able to be permanently removed. Nor can the lasting effect of offensive action. That's something good to keep in mind.  We can go to God and confess our sins, and there may be occasion to take steps to make things right in a relationship.  If we want to be totally free from the past, we can rely on the Holy Spirit to walk us back through our errors, exercise true repentance, and learn from our lapses.

In Sync

We are called to be bold in the expression of our faith in Christ and our love for Him. Paul expressed in Romans 1:
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."

These verses represent to us a standard, the measuring stick, by which our lives can be evaluated. We can examine our own dedication to living out the gospel, and not doing it secretly, but openly expressing the life of Christ through us.  As people of faith who are convinced about the power of the gospel in true life change, we can walk with enthusiasm about what God has done in our lives through Christ and minister to others in sharing His love.

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In Romans 13, the apostle Paul writes about how we are to regard those who are placed in
governmental authority. We can read:
1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.
4 For he is God's minister to you for good.

A few weeks ago, a sheriff's deputy in Texas wanted to help build community relations, so he recorded a video in which he was lip syncing a popular song, according to an ABC News story. When the sheriff's office touted the deputy's lip sync skills, other law enforcement officers saw it as a challenge, and so it was on.

One man who took up the challenge, whom I mentioned a few weeks ago, was Jason Hepler, the police chief in Hollywood - Alabama, that is.  He and his canine partner recorded a video of the classic MercyMe song, I Can Only Imagine.  Hepler said in a press release, according to Huntsville TV station WHNT:

"I Can Only Imagine is a song that has been there for me in some of my darkest hours, when I was at the lowest points whether caused by bad decisions or because of things I was dealing with seeing from work this song would be my go to when I needed some uplifting..."

The video caught the attention of the national organization K9s4Cops, which raises funds to provide dogs for law enforcement organizations and schools.  Even Bart Millard's mom reached out to the chief with kind words.

But, Hepler also attracted the attention of another national organization, the Freedom from Religion Foundation, who is apparently not keen on the idea of those who serve and protect lipsyncing Christian songs.  FFRF, according to CBN, has also called out the Crandall, Texas police department, which recorded a lip-sync video of the Newsboys' song, God's Not Dead.  The CBN story related:

When Crandall Police Chief Dean Winters was asked by Pure Flix Insider about his response to the FFRF request, he responded with the emoji for a wink and a smile – a colon and a parenthesis.

Winters, a devout Christian, says despite the online debate, his community has rallied around the department's music video.

"Our community has come together and posted pictures and videos in support of the police department's 'God's Not Dead' video," Winters said. "We've also received numerous emails and letters from citizens and officers from all over the nation and people from a handful of other countries, expressing their gratitude to the officers in our department."

And, the chief echoed the sentiment of the original law enforcement lip-syncer, according to the article, which stated, "The chief is hoping his department's music video shows citizens in the Crandall community that his officers are 'just normal people.' He thinks this will help portray the men and women who wear the police uniform as human – as people just like them."

There's a website called CourageousChristianFather.com, which is keeping up with other Christian songs that have been used in lip-sync videos by law enforcement.  There's Chief David Benjamin of Aberdeen, Ohio, who did his routine to another MercyMe song, Grace Got You.  And, Chief Jeff Blake of Amboy, Illinois also did his to I Can Only Imagine.

And, there's a song written by a future Meeting House guest who will be featured at the free Christian music festival, En Fuego...Speak Life by Ryan Stevenson, which was also recorded by Toby Mac.  A Sergeant in Royse City, Texas performed that one.  

No matter what your walk of life might be, it's important that we allow our faith to inform how we perform the tasks at hand.  That's a key takeaway here, and it's certainly applicable to those who are charged with protecting our communities, who are described in Romans 13 as "God's minister to you for good."

In an age in which there are some who would want to vilify police officers in general, this is a reminder that yes, they are human beings and their charge is to serve people.  So, there should be no dividing line between the citizenry and those who are called - by God - to enforce order.  And, yes, those who have broken the law or are suspected of it should, as verse 4 of Romans 13 says, "be afraid" - "if you do evil," that is.

It's gratifying to see officers and even police chiefs who are allowing their light to shine, to not be ashamed of their faith in Christ. And, even to not be intimidated by those who would want to silence the expression of that faith.  We can rejoice that these people called ministers take that call very seriously.

Running the Show

Because Christ has made it possible for us to stand before God and to communicate with Him, we can discern His ways and be obedient to His direction.  2nd Corinthians 3 talks about how there is no
longer a veil between God and us, and we read:
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

This is a Scripture reference that a television producer used in a recent interview...we're told in verse 18 that as in a mirror, we can see the glory of the Lord, i.e. when we look at ourselves, we should see the presence of God.  We also know that we can walk in that presence and know the Spirit's instruction - in Him we live, and move, and have our being, Paul said in Acts 17.  If God's glory can be seen in us, then we can know that God is guarding His treasure that He has placed in us and will express His nature through His people.

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In Philippians 2, Paul has just finished pointing to the name of Jesus as above every name and
relating that ultimately that every knee will bow and every tongue confess to his Lordship. He then writes this:
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Butch has left the building.

A former producer for the Nickelodeon cable network is moving on to other challenges, including beginning his own entertainment network.  His name is Butch Hartman, and he actually did a video for YouTube to explain his move.  The website, The Stream, reported:

The cleverly produced “Why I Left Nick” soon gained nearly six million views. It’s a rarity for a 14-minute video essay. The longtime Nickelodeon showrunner and father of two girls sprinkled in Scripture references as he broke the news of his departure from the #1 kids TV network.

“If you’re thinking you want to get into this industry, it’s awesome,” he says to his young viewers. “But it is very difficult. … You have to really step up when given that chance. There’s another scripture in the Bible that says, ‘To whom much is given, much is required.’ When you’re given a lot, it’s going to require a lot out of you.”

What's next?  The article states that Hartman will be producing shows on a platform called Pocket.watch, plus he's involved in "mobile app development," but..."What animates Hartman the most is an on-demand network called Oaxis — a play on the words oasis and axis. In a Kickstarter launch video, he says it 'has high-quality, family-friendly entertainment as its central mission.'"

Why leave Nick - in the Stream article, Hartman waxes Biblical. He said, "I believe we go from glory to glory, and it was just time to go to the next glory. I had been at Nick for 20 years. I was given the chance to do a few things, but I always wanted to do more there." He said, "To be quite honest with you, God was calling me to something that was a higher situation."

He adds...

The Scriptures tell us that God will give you the desires of your heart. As the years went by, this network idea really germinated in my heart. I’ve always wanted to impact culture in a big way. God has been calling me to do this because that way he can work through me, without anyone else bogging it down.

While with Nick, Hartman was involved with shows such as The Fairly Oddparents, Danny Phantom, and others. He says, "What sets them apart is that I’m a Christian guy. Now you wouldn’t hear the word “Jesus” on these shows, because they never would have made them that way," but he relates that, "These shows were a platform to explore eternal truths. What do love, family, relationship and things like that really mean? We showed those ideas lived out. If you get even one Christian reference in there, that’s a good thing."

His vision for Oaxis? "Oaxis is going to be 100 percent family-focused. We are all about bringing families back together." He adds:

Why do we have to have a show about a kid who commits suicide? Why can’t we have shows about kids who help stop their peers from committing suicide? When we show people positive role models of families and being a friend, audiences might be surprised and intrigued.

I think there are some interesting points that we can consider from Butch's latest moves.  For one thing, he does have a sense of God's hand upon his life.  He used Scripture relative to using the gifts God has given you, integrated that verse about going from glory to glory, and talked about God giving us the desires of our hearts.  I think he presents an example for us of someone who follows the principles of recognizing the work you are called to do and being discerning about what form it takes.

Our vocation can be an expression of God's handiwork in our hearts.  And, we can trust Him to provide opportunities to walk in that.  Not all are called to do Christian institutional ministry, but we are all called to be involved in the work of ministry.  Hartman is not planning to do Christian entertainment, per se, but he desires for the entertainment he generates to reflect Christian values.

We also be confident in knowing that when God directs, He provides.  We can be sensitive to the leadership of the Spirit and follow Him, whether He tells us to move or to stay put.  Fact is, He is capable of using us wherever we are and desires for us to maximize our efforts as He gives us strength.

Boom

The Lord has given us the resources by which we can know Him better, through which we can grow
and to become more effective in fulfilling His direction. 1st Peter 2 says:
2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,
5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

He has transformed our hearts, and He is calling each us to a deeper walk with Him - He has removed, as we see in Scripture, a stony and rebellious heart that does not desire the things of God and placed within us a heart that wants to know and follow Christ, because we have been born again. So, out of the abundance of the new heart, we recognize the potential we have as believers and develop a desire to obey Him in all things.

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God desires for us to grow in Him, and by His Spirit and through His servants, He teaches us how we are to live - we have potential to grow and He will place us in a position for growth and usefulness.
1st Thessalonians 5 says:
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

The generation known as the Baby Boomers consists of people who were born between the years of 1946 and 1964 - so, these are my people, my generation.  And, the results of a 45-year study shows that they are getting more involved in church!

Thom Rainer, President and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, reported this information on his website, and he's pretty pumped about it, it seems.  He's someone who discusses church trends and developments, and described this data as "amazing."

Rainer writes:

One of the most significant longitudinal studies (a study over many years) ever done provides a treasure trove of information for church leaders.

And one of the most significant findings is the increasing number of baby boomers becoming more involved in religious activity like churches.

This discovery is the major finding from the latest wave of data collected from the Longitudinal Study of Generations, which was originally developed in 1970 at USC by then-assistant professor Vern Bengston. His successors have collected a ninth round of data in this 45-year study. The research was funded by the John Templeton Foundation.

He writes, "Here is the gem in the study: One in five boomers have increased their religious and church activity in the past few years."  Rainer calculates, "That’s approximately 19 million boomers when the percentage is applied to the entire generation."

The study yields three "major" reasons for these developments:

1. Boomers have more time, and they want to use that extra time pursuing a more meaningful life, including church.
2. Boomers are becoming more aware of the brevity of life and are seeking answers to questions they had not previously asked.
3. Boomers are more aware of the fragility of life. They don’t have the young and healthy bodies they once had. Such an awareness is driving them to find more meaning in the lives they do have.

So as we see a significant number of Baby Boomers becoming more involved in church, there is the potential for spiritual growth in their lives - and Boomers in general are poised to become more significant influencers.

Karl Vaters, writing for Christianity Today, challenges Baby Boomers in three areas. He says that, "you need to know that our primary mission at this stage of our lives is to become the elders and equippers that every generation of the church always needs."

He also points out that the latest generation is in need of mentoring, writing:

...this new generation is as open, maybe even more open to being mentored by their elders than Boomers ever were. We’re the ones who came up with the phrase “don’t trust anyone over 30”, remember?

If we will step up, they will listen. But we can’t become the elders the church needs by complaining, demanding or whining about them.

The three areas are, briefly:

1. Stop Isolating, Start Engaging

2. Stop Complaining, Start Encouraging

3. Stop Demanding, Start Equipping.

So, we recognize the potential of these individuals in our local churches.  And, we can also recognize God's positioning.  We can realize the place to which God has called us and seek for Him to use us more effectively in that place.  And, we can be sensitive to His hand as He moves us to where He wants us to flourish for His Kingdom's sake, and for the advantage of future generations.

Post Christian

In Philippians 3, Paul presents a clear delineation between those who are of this world and those who are not. We can read:
18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame--who set their mind on earthly things.
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

We can recognize that by virtue of our coming to know Christ, we have been declared to be citizens of heaven, we are part of His Kingdom, and we have the bright promise that we will reside in heaven with Him forever.  But, until then, we have a responsibility - we are called and empowered to be obedient to Christ and to fulfill that calling to be faithful to do as He says, to honor Him and His Word, and to follow Him in demonstrating His love.

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1st Peter chapter 3 contains what might be described as a "mission statement" for the child of God, as we take seriously our citizenship in the Kingdom of God and our duty to represent our Lord well:
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;
16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.
17 For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

When you see, as I did, that the Washington Post had done a story that featured a church congregation in a city in our coverage area, that certainly arouses curiosity, and, quite admittedly, a bit of fear and trembling.

To read the story, as I did, you see a glaring example of writing to fit a particular narrative and agenda.  The premise of the story: how do evangelicals in a Southern Baptist church justify their support of Donald Trump, with the air of mystery: will the pastor, who is preaching a series on the 10 Commandments and has come to "Thou shalt not commit adultery," mention Trump in his sermon?

Not that it would do any good, but there are many in the media who seemingly don't realize that the election took place in 2016 and that Donald Trump won.  He drew a high percentage of white evangelical Christian support - and the reason is simple: there was generally no endorsement of his behavior, which the majority of Christians do not condone, but they supported Trump because they could not support a candidate whom they saw did not support the sanctity of life, the sanctity of marriage, and religious liberty; they could not support someone who believed that those who held to a different viewpoint than she needed to be re-trained.  It's very simple, and the reporter actually heard that from several of the congregants.

The tone of the article, though, bordered on contempt; the reporter was Stephanie McCrummen, who won a Pulitzer for her story on those allegations against - Roy Moore.  She also spent an inordinate amount of time prior to the election profiling a mentally ill lady who was a Trump supporter.

In this latest article, she accused one member of the congregation of a "blatant moral compromise."  Here's that compromise:

“I hate it,” he said. “My wife and I talk about it all the time. We rationalize the immoral things away. We don’t like it, but we look at the alternative, and think it could be worse than this.”

The story went on:

“She hates me,” Terry said, sitting in Crum’s office one day. “She has contempt for people like me, and Clay, and people who love God and believe in the Second Amendment. I think if she had her way it would be a dangerous country for the likes of me.”

Crum is Clay Crum, the pastor of First Baptist Church of Luverne, who actually received some pretty fair coverage from McCrummen, except for one thing, which I'll cover later. The story said:

He gave up on church. He started drinking some and went a little wild, dabbling in world religions and having his own thoughts about the meaning of life until one day when he was listening to Christian radio on a truck haul. He remembered the preacher talking about salvation and suddenly feeling unsure of his own.

“So I just prayed to the Lord while I was driving,” he said. “I want to be sure.”

The pastor related how God had led him into the ministry, led him to preach on the Ten Commandments, as of late, and to vote for Donald Trump...the story said: "...it was the same voice of God that had led Crum to vote the same way most of his congregation had voted in one of the most morally confusing elections of his lifetime." He called it, "A crossroads time."

The story goes on:

The dilemma was that Trump was an immoral person doing what Crum considered to be moral things. The conservative judges. The antiabortion policies. And something else even more important to a small Southern Baptist congregation worried about their own annihilation.

“It encouraged them that we do still have some political power in this country,” said Crum.

When he prayed about it, that was what the voice of God had told him. The voice reminded Crum that God always had a hand in elections. The voice told him that God used all kinds of people to do his will.

But, the pastor did not mention Trump in his sermon that day.  Bobby Ross Jr. at GetReligion.org responded to the Post piece, in an article called, "Hit piece or masterpiece? Digesting that Washington Post story on rural Baptists who voted for Trump."

Ross made three observations; number one included these words:

Sometimes, Post stories — particularly those written by reporters other than the paper's religion specialists — read as if church and politics are one and the same. Perhaps that's true for some churches. Maybe that's true for this particular church, although I don't think this story proves it.

Nonetheless, the entire narrative makes it seem as if the biggest issue in the pastor's sermon on adultery is Trump. Yet the pastor doesn't even mention Trump in his sermon. I would love for the Post to have engaged the issue of whether this pastor — like the Post itself — is fixated 24/7 on Trump.

He also wrote:

2. Similarly, I'm not sure this story does a great job of humanizing the folks at this church. The sources quoted seem more like caricatures. I feel like I'm seeing these people through the lens of a Beltway publication with a certain position on Trump as opposed to an unfiltered lens that would present a more complicated picture of these "rural rubes," as the one Twitter user described them.

Ross chided some of the outlooks on "immigration, race and other biblical matters."  He added, "But I never got the feeling reading the piece that I was seeing a full portrait of these people." I disagree with what some of the congregation members had to say, especially in those matters Ross referred to; and, I did sense some fear, especially in some of the older congregation members who are concerned about the direction of our society.

Ross' third observation included: "There's a whole lot of generalizing in this story and long stretches of text — particularly in trying to explain evangelicals in general — that read more like an editorial than an impartial news story."

Was it a hit piece?  I think that even though there was some sensitivity shown toward Biblical viewpoints, I think that the net effect was to denigrate the people of this congregation and to portray them in a negative light.  And, of course, to associate them with the big boogey man himself, the man who resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., who also lives in the heads of many in the media and even some Church leaders these days. 

Did the congregation members help contribute to the image that was spun?  Perhaps, but it's not every day that the Washington Post comes to your church.  Wonder if the reporter identified herself as such. Did she quote the members of First Baptist accurately?  Did she really capture the spirit of the congregation or use sound bites to paint a toxic picture of Christianity?  All in all, even though the piece had its moments, I thought generally it was an insensitive example of using real people as characters in a play to further an agenda.

Jeff Poor, writing at the Yellowhammer News website, offered a similar opinion:

Trump’s churchgoing supporters weren’t looking for someone that adhered to The Washington Post’s shallow understanding of the Bible and Christianity that seemed to have completely missed the part about the Grace of God as laid out in the New Testament.

Without saying it, the readers’ takeaway was supposed to be: “But, it says ‘THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.’ Why are these rubes with their Bibles still voting for this guy?!?!?”

It is a bad idea to treat any place in America as some alien culture worthy of a 5,000-word Washington Post story full of superfluous details about their way of life. But then again, when have our Fourth Estate been concerned about how they are viewed by the public?

It’s condescending. It’s demeaning. It’s par for the course when national media come to Alabama to validate a bias.

Well, there are certainly some areas to consider.  For one thing, we have to examine the role of politics in the Church.  We are to participate in politics, and we are to be informed; I actually saw some areas of critical thinking among the church members portrayed.  But, we can participate without being consumed by politics - and as Ross points out, church and politics are not "one and the same." We should develop a well-crafted opinion of the issues of the day, and be able to express them clearly.  

That leads us to another takeaway, and that is the role of proclamation in our culture...it's unfortunate in this culture that many do not know what real Christianity is.  And, we have been charged by God to show people what it means to love Jesus, to follow Him as Savior, and to live a life of love toward others.  We are certainly His ambassadors, to the reporter from Washington or the neighbor next door.

And, finally, a little bit of an aside - there is the role of perspective of the earthly and the heavenly...that was a thread of the article that was explored, but I'm not sure how well it was portrayed.  I think the point for some of these fine residents of Luverne was that we should not become so entangled in earthly pursuits because we have a heavenly reward.  We have to be clear on our citizenship - we are not of this world, we belong to a Kingdom that is established on Christ; we have a mission here on earth, and when God is done with us, it will be time to go be with Him. We can live each day discerning and pursing that calling.

Keep Walking

Colossians 3 reinforces the concept of doing what we do in order to please God:
23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

The Bible teaches the concept of personal responsibility - every person will stand before God and will be accountable for his or her decision to follow Christ as Savior.  We have a personal calling upon our lives, and God desires for us to follow Him wholeheartedly in fulfilling what He desires to do through us.  We can exhibit a devotion to excellence in all we do, knowing that we are representatives of the Lord Most High.

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Proverbs 6 addresses the issue of personal responsibility.
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise,
7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler,
8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest.
9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep--
11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.

A young man from Homewood, Alabama recently faced a dilemma - he had just been hired by a moving company and he was assigned to go to a house in Pelham, about 20 miles away, on his first day.

ABCNews.com reported on the unusual first day on the job for Walter Carr.  It states:

After Walter Carr’s car broke down, he was faced with the dilemma of how to get to his job site the next morning -- it was going to be his first day with Bellhops moving company. He decided to leave his house in Homewood at midnight, after sleeping for four hours, and begin the trek to the home of the family he was going to help move.

He was around halfway there when he sat down to rest.  A Pelham police officer stopped to talk with him, and he was soon joined by two other officers - they took Walter to breakfast.  The story continues:

At 6:30 a.m. Saturday morning, another officer, Scott Duffey, brought Carr to the home of Jenny Lamey, where was set to meet his new colleagues and begin helping her family move.

Duffey told Lamey about Carr's trek and asked if he could hang out at the home until the rest of the Bellhops crew arrived.

Carr rejected Jenny's offer of food and a couch to lie down on - no, Walter was ready to get to work.  ABC News reported:

Lamey said she thought about his all-night walk and how he now would lift heavy boxes in the excruciating heat and it blew her away.

"I burst into tears a couple times," she said.

Lamey discovered that Walter would soon receive an Associate's degree and join the Marines; he also related that he and his mother lost their home in New Orleans in Katrina.

Jenny Lamey was certainly touched - and motivated. She contacted the CEO of Bellhops, Luke Marklin, she shared Walter's story on Facebook and even established a GoFundMe page to raise funds for Walter to get his car repaired.

But, that effort to fix the car was all for naught.  Marklin hopped in a Ford Escape and drove from his home in Chattanooga to Pelham.  When he arrived, the Lamey family, Pelham police officers, and Walter's colleagues were all there waiting to have lunch with him.  Marklin presented the keys to the Escape to Walter.

The article says:

"Walter truly raised the bar," Marklin said.

Lamey said her family will be inspired by him whenever they have tough times.

"He’s like the poster boy for no excuses," she said. "He’s just got this deep faith, he wasn’t alone."

Carr said he was so happy that he had touched people with his story and that he was blessed to bless others.

Marklin told ABC: "Walter is incredible, and what he did is incredible," adding, "It’s everything our company stands for."

Franklin Graham caught wind of Walter's story and posted this on Facebook:

Walter turned his moment in the spotlight into a great testimony. He told the media, “I want to thank God because without Him I wouldn’t be here. God blessed me to be a blessing. Whatever challenges God puts in front of me, I know it’s for a reason.” Congratulations Walter—you’ve inspired a lot of people, including me! Your commitment and goals are admirable. I’m sure you’ll do well in your new job, in school, and as you pursue serving in the military. God will continue to use you and direct your steps if you look to Him—that’s a promise in Proverbs 3:5-6!

Along his walk, Walter inspired quite a few people - the Pelham police officers he encountered, the family whom he had been assigned to help move, his new boss and co-workers, and those who learned about his story.  So, we can consider this: who are we inspiring in our walk?  The way we carry ourselves, the way we allow Christ to live through us - these ingredients make for an effective witness for the Lord.

One characteristic of Walter's journey was that he was determined to reach the destination.  He was committed to reaching the goal - when he encountered a rather big obstacle - no car, Walter changed plans and set out on foot.  He did not allow discouragement to keep him from moving forward.  When we have goals or ambitions in life, we can make it an aim to keep walking, to keep pursuing, to keep trusting God and His faithfulness.

Finally, Walter demonstrated the character of a desirable worker.  He showed a devoted work ethic - he almost instantly won over the CEO of his company.  As believers, we can examine the quality of our work product.  We can adopt a "just getting by" attitude or we can reflect a sense of responsibility and pursue excellence in all we do - it shows we are dedicated to doing our work unto the Lord.

Comfort

Our lives are marked by human frailty; we are deeply flawed, but we can rest in the comfort of knowing that God has made us new in Christ.  In our times of trouble, we can look to Him for
confidence. 2nd Corinthians 4 states:
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

Paul, who wrote these words, was no stranger to adversity - he had been opposed by the religious leaders, his life had been repeatedly threatened, and he wrote much of the New Testament from prison.  But, in the middle of it all, he expressed confidence that the "life of Jesus" would be expressed through Him.  We can also look for ways to call attention to, to give glory to, our Savior in the difficulties we experience.

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Psalms described God as our "ever-present help in trouble."  The Holy Spirit, according to Jesus, was
given as our Comforter, and we read in 2nd Corinthians chapter 1:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

By now, you've probably heard the tragic story - what is called a "duck boat," which is a vehicle that can travel on land or sea, embarking on a journey on a lake near Branson, Missouri.  A storm turns violent, rocking the vehicle with 31 people aboard.  17 of them lose their lives, including nine who were members of the same family.  One of the family members, Tia Coleman, lost her husband and three children in the tragedy.

On Saturday, she was talking to the press at the hospital, where she was recovering from her injuries, sustained in the course of a fight for her life.  She is from Indianapolis, and the hometown newspaper, the Indianapolis Star, reported on her comments. Tia was very honest; she said: "I don't know if there is a recovery from it," adding, "The biggest thing is a lot of prayer. A lot of prayer, a lot of support. It's only the beginning so I don't know."

She related her own survival story; the newspaper article stated:

After the boat capsized, Coleman said, "I thought I was dead. I didn't know how to get out."

The water was cold, so she knew she was near the bottom of the lake. People on the boat were told the lake stays warm near the surface.

"I just remember kicking and swimming up to the top, and I was praying," Coleman said. "I said, Lord, 'Please let me get to my babies. I got to get to my babies.'"

Coleman floated to the surface, swallowing a lot of water while trying to survive.

"The waves were crashing over my face and every time I'd get my head a little bit above water, I screamed, 'Help. Help,'" Coleman said. "And finally I came up to the surface. I saw a great big boat, like a riverboat. Oh, my God, they were jumping in, saving people. They were throwing life rafts to everybody. Somehow I managed to get to the boat.

"When they pulled me up, I didn't see any of my family, but I believe I survived by God and good samaritans."

The article said, "Faith was a consistent theme in her answers to reporters' questions. Someone asked if she could find a reason for what happened." Her response, "It's not a thinking matter for me. I tried it," adding, "It's something I can't comprehend, I can't explain. I don't have the capacity to understand it. The only thing is, God must have something for me because there's no way I should be here."

A subsequent article on the newspaper's website explored the response of people of faith in Indianapolis. It reported that the pastor at Zion Tabernacle Apostolic Church announced Tia was coming home.  The story stated:

"We all have been touched by it and we're all struggling because we all love Tia," said Beverly Reese, a member of Zion Tabernacle since 1985 who has known Tia Coleman since she was a little girl. "I had her through children's ministry. I was there when she graduated from high school. She is just a very, very sweet child, and we just want to tell her that we love her and we're praying like never before because we know this takes God and him only.

Zion Tabernacle's pastor, Thomas Griffith, said that Tia "grew up" at Zion Tabernacle and her mother still attends. The article said, "Coleman and her immediate family have since become members of God's Love Christian Church, where Victor Morrissey is the pastor," adding, "God's Love was closed Sunday as Morrissey has been by Tia Coleman's side in Missouri."

Griffith related that, "The church has gotten condolences and well-wishes, really not just from across the country, but from various parts of the globe," adding, "There are people right now praying for this family and this situation, and this story has just made it around the globe. … We really want to hold this family up in prayer."

Some observations about this lady who survived a tragedy, that claimed the lives of her immediate family and members of her extended family, as well as some principles we can apply.  

For one thing, she was quick to acknowledge God's hand.  As the pastor told the Indy Star, "She came forth as a witness. Every third or fourth word out of her mouth was giving glory to God, and that is where the rubber meets the road...In situations like that, you've got to have it down in your heart." She certainly believed that God enabled her to survive, and that prayer is going to play a critical role in the recovery from losing members of her family.  It's important that we maintain the proper perspective in the troubles we encounter - we may be tempted to look away from the Lord, but He is calling us to look to Him.

When we look to Him, we can know that He is not unacquainted with trouble.  We encounter disappointment and loss throughout our lives, and while we may question why those things may occur, we can still look for His presence, so that we can know His comfort and peace.  He is in the midst of the storm with us, and we can continue to acknowledge how we see His faithfulness.

Tia Coleman related that God enabled her to survive for a reason; and certainly, she was testifying about Him in that press conference on Saturday.  We can think together: if we're here on this earth - still here - there is a reason for that.  He desires to receive glory through His expression of His life through us.

Tough

Perseverance is a theme that runs throughout the Scriptures. We can be encouraged by our knowledge that God is with us, even in our difficulty. 1st Corinthians 16 states:
13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.
14 Let all that you do be done with love.

We can stand strong because of the power of Christ.  When we are beset by difficulties or disappointments, we can know that God is walking with us, if we have placed our trust in Him. And, even when someone may not be walking closely with Christ, God can use those times of challenge to bring him or her to Himself.  So, we can remain hopeful in our trials, knowing that He is doing a work in order that we may grow and that He may be glorified.

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In James chapter 1, we see a powerful passage that can remind us of God's presence in our trials and
His performance of His will in the midst of out troubles:
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

The sports world has their own awards show that somewhat mirrors the Oscars and the Emmys - it's called the ESPYs, and it's presented by ESPN.

I very rarely watch network television, but the other night, I was scrolling through and landed on ABC, where the ESPYs were being televised - there was a feature package that was airing that I realized was about Buffalo Bills great Jim Kelly.

Kelly was then announced as the winner of the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, given in honor of former college basketball coach Jim Valvano.  I was familiar with Kelly's struggle with cancer, as well as the death many years ago of his young son.  So, I watched the speech - delivered on stage as his two daughters stood by him, as well as legendary quarterbacks John Elway and Dan Marino.

Sports Spectrum reported on the speech:

The Hall of Fame quarterback has been in and out of the hospital, undergoing surgery for oral cancer since first being diagnosed in 2013. After announcing in March, less than a year after his father passed away, that his cancer had returned, Kelly remains in recovery from a reconstruction of his upper jaw, as ESPN reported. He’s also long been an advocate for raising awareness of Krabbe disease, which claimed the life of his 8-year-old son, Hunter, in 1997.

In accepting the Jimmy V Award for his courage on Wednesday, however, Kelly was nothing but humble. Rather than tout his own battle with cancer, he used almost all of his five-minute speech to thank others — God first among them. Saying he’s “always lived by the four F’s” — fun, family, friends and fans — the Buffalo Bills legend emphasized that his journey of perseverance has been since redefined.

“The one I had but changed was ‘fun,'” he said. “Even though I still have fun, I put the one in there that means more to me now than it ever has. And that’s my faith — my faith in the good Lord that He has plans, He has plans for my life.”

Sports Illustrated columnist Peter King spent time with the Kelly family in a hospital room back in 2014. His wife, Jill, and daughters Erin and Camryn, were with him.  King writes:

“There is no way I’d be here without my faith,” Jim Kelly said. “It’s been such a roller coaster. So many things. The Super Bowl losses, the fabulous career, my son born sick, making the Hall of Fame, my son dying, two plates and 10 screws in my back after major surgery, one plate and six screws in my neck after another surgery, a double hernia, the cancer, surgery on my jaw, the cancer coming back, now what I’m facing. But …”

He looked at Erin.

“When you’re going through pain, you’re what?” he said.

Not even a millisecond elapsed.

“Kelly tough,” said the eldest daughter of Jim Kelly.

Also in 2014, Jim, Jill, and Erin spoke at Liberty University.  A report on the school's website said:

Jim Kelly said it was his wife’s transformation by God’s grace that led him to find peace in Christ and is what gave him a foundation he would later need to endure treatments for cancer in his upper jaw.

He was so confident in God’s love that he told NBC last year that he was not afraid to die. That was something that resonated with Erin.

“I remember growing up, my dad always said to me, ‘You have to be Kelly Tough,’” Erin said, citing the family motto and the title of her upcoming book. “I didn’t understand the fullness of what that meant until I actually saw my earthly father be weak. It just drew me to seek the strength of my Heavenly Father.

The story of Jill's witness to Jim is included in a story from the Democrat and Chronicle website.  It's entitled, Kelly Tough:

Jill became a Christian shortly after Hunter was diagnosed with his fatal neurological disease just four months after his Valentine's Day 1997 birth, which happened to be Jim's 37th birthday. It took a while for Jim to join her.

Much has been documented in the book Jill wrote in 2010, Without A Word, about the marital troubles the couple had and the incredible heartache they suffered throughout Hunter's struggle. Jim did not want to share specifics — it's there to read — but in explaining his decision to become a Christian in 2009, he simply said that he realized he was not the man he wanted to be, and he had to stop hurting Jill and his daughters.

"I wanted to make sure after I was out of town, I could walk through my front door and (my girls could) look at their daddy with respect," he said. "I knew I was losing a lot of that and as a father, you need to accept that responsibility for your kids. And I wanted to make sure that I will see Hunter again, hopefully later than sooner; I was losing all that. I was losing a woman who took care of my son, raising two kids, and I knew I needed to change my life, and thank God I did."

And, a health update from Kelly.  USA Today reports:

Following an undisclosed issue regarding his recovery from surgery in March to remove oral cancer, former Buffalo Bills quarterback and Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Kelly will travel to New York for an "unexpected" checkup, ESPN reported Tuesday.

That visit is scheduled for the second week of August.

Even though Jim Kelly has reached what many would call the pinnacle of football greatness, reaching four Super Bowls and being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, there have been trials that have marked his life.  And, almost 10 years ago, his perspective was adjusted through a relationship with Christ. That certainly helped to prepare him for the health challenges he is currently experiencing.

The phrase, "Kelly Tough," has a new meaning - while it was a family motto, Jim Kelly now knows the source of supernatural strength that helps him endure, that provides hope in discouragement.  He can endure because of the presence of Christ within him, and that gives him an outlook through which he can stand on a stage and exhort people to touch the lives of others.  According to Sports Spectrum, he said at the ESPYs: “Make a difference today for someone who is fighting for their tomorrow,” adding, “When I look across this arena, and when I talk to people, you don’t need to be a Russell Wilson or an Aaron Rodgers to make a difference out there. Every single person in this room can be a difference-maker. You can be a normal person that gets up every morning and goes to work. But you can be a difference-maker, putting smiles on those faces … If you have somebody out there who’s suffering … what you say to them, that can be the difference.”

He also declared that basically, God wasn't finished with him yet - that the Lord had plans for his life.

His wife, Jill, also has demonstrated perseverance.  She became a Christian before Jim, and he admits it was her witness that drew him to Christ.  This can be encouragement for spouses and family members of those who don't yet know the Lord.  A Christian example in the home can speak powerfully.

Finally, you may not see God at work, you may not see the fruit or grasp the outcome, but that doesn't mean He's not working.  And, life's circumstances can be tools through which a person comes to Christ.  Through brokenness, the Kellys discovered the life-giving love of a Savior, and Jim has discovered a strength that is helping Him endure the cancer struggle and providing hope for the future.  Even in our adversity, we can be confident in God's power and presence.

Inviting

In Matthew chapter 9, we find Jesus hard at work, sharing about the Kingdom of God and ministering to the needs of people. We can read:
35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.
37 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."

The Bible shows us how we are to carry on as citizens of the Kingdom of God, as believers who have been entrusted with the life-giving message of salvation through Christ.  We are called to possess compassion, which comes from having Him living in our hearts.  There are many who do not know Jesus, including those who claim to believe in God, but do not practice the Christian faith.  We can be dedicated as instruments in His hand, in order to powerfully testify to the world that Jesus Christ is Lord.

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In Romans chapter 10, we read about how a person enters into salvation through Christ and the
responsibility that believers in Him have to share that message:
13 For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!"

Yesterday on The Meeting House, author of the best-selling book Don Piper talked about his forthcoming book, which is entitled: People I Met at the Gates of Heaven: Who's Going to Be There Because of You?  If you're familiar with Don's story, he is someone who was declared to be dead, yet returned from the dead with a story of having traveled to heaven.  In this latest book, he relates that he saw people who had an impact on his life.  But, he challenges Christians to impact the lives of others and to share what it takes to get to heaven.

There's a LifeWay Research study that has been released that explores the concept of inviting people to come to church, where hopefully they will hear that life-giving message of Christ and experience His love in the local church.  A Baptist Press story states:

Nearly two-thirds of Protestant churchgoers say they've invited at least one person to visit their church in the past six months, according to a new LifeWay Research study.

"It's a fairly easy thing for churchgoers to do," said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research, based in Nashville. "In any six-month stretch, there are major Christian holidays and often other special events that are perfect occasions for churchgoers to invite friends and acquaintances."

With regard to the frequency of invitation, the article says: "Seventeen percent said they extended an invitation. Twenty-one percent extended two invitations, while 25 percent extended three or more. Nine percent said they didn't know how many invitations they extended."

There was also a question about why respondents did not invite people.  The story states:

Thirty-one percent said "I don't know why" when asked why they didn't invite more people. Twenty percent said people have refused their invitation. Seventeen percent said they didn't know anyone to invite, while 11 percent said they weren't comfortable asking people to come to church.

Only 4 percent said inviting people isn't their job.

We can certainly think about the priority of sharing our faith.  And, that can include inviting someone to come to church - someone who is unsaved and/or unchurched.  People need to hear the life-giving message of Christ, and we are the ones who have been commissioned to share Christ's love and communicate His message.  Simply inviting someone to church can be an important step in what God wants to do in a person's life.

There was an effort organized ten years ago that is pertinent to this discussion.  It's called Back to Church Sunday and it is celebrated on the third Sunday in September - this year, it's September 16.  Its website has these statistics from the past ten years:

• 5,296,234 – Invitations Sent for Back to Church Sunday
• 13,399,472 people reached
• 38 Videos created
• Over 120 different denominations and affiliations have participated since its beginning in 2009
• The average church sees a 25% increase in attendance on Back to Church Sunday – even small churches

You can learn more at BackToChurch.com.  The concept of going "back to church" implies that a person or family had attended church in the first place.  Perhaps someone needs a nudge in the right direction to experience that dynamic of the local church in his or her life again.

We can also develop a passion for sharing Christ's love.  As we grow in our love for Him, we can be so filled with adoration for our Savior that it overflows, that it spills out or radiates to the people with whom we interact.  We can be challenged to fall in love with Him to the degree that He walks with us and through us to touch the lives of other people; people who need to see and experience the hope of the gospel.

Summit

We recognize that God's heart is for reconciliation and restoration - with Himself, with ourselves,
seeking wholeness in body, soul, and spirit, and with one another. Hebrews 12 states:
12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees,
13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord...

You could say that God wants to lift us up, to strengthen "hands which hand down" and "feeble knees."  He wants to heal us and heal the breach that had come into existence through the sin of humanity.  He desires for us to pursue holiness, to recognize that God wants to transform us completely, to take what doesn't honor Him and replace those desires with His divine nature. He wants to transform relationships with one another as well, so that God's love is expressed and He is glorified.

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The Bible gives us the admonition to pursue peace, and in Romans 14, we can read:
17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.

The recent summit in Helsinki, Finland, has raised a number of questions regarding the relationship between the U.S. and Russia.  And, at the risk of sounding ultimately simplistic, by and large, those who support President Trump have been either positive about his performance there, based on the news conference; and of course, the event gave those who are generally negative about the President more ammunition to criticize him.

There are some, like Newt Gingrich, who, presumably based on the press conference, believe that the President was not tough enough on Putin.  Michael Brown of The Stream, after mentioning the complimentary comments from Rand Paul about the summit, wrote this:

Yes, it’s true that our president allowed partisan politics to play into the Helsinki news conference. But those very politics — specifically, the Mueller investigation — were about the only thing the media spoke of for days. And these were the issues raised by the media in the immediate aftermath of the summit. Why is it so shocking that Trump addressed it from his perspective, with lots of distrust towards our intelligence?

The big thing for me is this: Did Trump positively engage an adversary? Did he open a door wider that previously had been almost shut? In 5 or 10 years, will our countries be on better terms?

It could well be that some of Trump’s public comments were ill-advised, if not indefensible. But maybe, just maybe, he also did something very positive. Maybe he worked toward befriending an enemy. Time will tell.

I mentioned Al Perrotta's column at the same website yesterday.  He wrote this:

For those who still can’t understand Trump, let’s translate what Trump really said.

I’m not going to stand here and bash Putin in public. I know you people. The minute I do that, you will run headlines shouting “Trump Admits Putin Helped Him Win Election.” I gain nothing. Showboating against Putin does nothing. He’s a fighter. I know what punches he threw. He knows what punches he threw. But publicly, I’d rather say he didn’t lay a glove on us.

Here’s the thing: I don’t trust Putin. But what reason do I have to trust the U.S. intelligence community either?

And, of course, the President's revision of his Helsinki comments yesterday included his endorsement of the current intelligence community.

Gary Bauer of American Values, in Monday's End-of-Day Report listed actions taken by America against Russia during the Trump presidency:

Trump is sending anti-tank missiles -- serious military aid -- to help Ukraine thwart Russia's aggression.

Under Trump, NATO forces conducted military exercises near Russia's border with Poland and the Baltic nations.

Trump has imposed multiple rounds of sanctions against Russia. (Here, here and here.)

He added, "When Russian-led mercenaries approached U.S. positions in Syria, Trump authorized our forces to defend themselves. Dozens, if not hundreds, of Russian mercenaries were killed."

Plus, Bauer notes the increase in defense spending and, "he got commitments from NATO nations to boost their own military spending to counter Russia's aggression."

But, the media and some lawmakers are pounding the President for looking "weak" on the world stage.  I have a question, and this is instructive for believers in Christ: were you in the room?  

There, amidst all the speculation, people are drawing conclusions based on the press conference.  

And consider this, perhaps the President's performance was less-than-stellar, but what did you expect?  To bash and denigrate an adversary - what would that accomplish?  

In our own interactions, we have to learn that hearsay and second-hand statements are not to be the basis for our responses.  The two leaders met one-on-one; how do we really know what was said?  There could have been any number of subjects addressed.  But, for our lives personally, we have to consider that just because so-and-so said such-and-such about someone else, that doesn't necessarily make it true or actionable.  We have to be measured in our response when we receive information.

We also have to make sure that we are following a path of peace. The President tweeted out concerning the summit, "I would rather take a political risk in pursuit of peace, than to risk peace in pursuit of politics."  There is a pattern developing: in his dealings with China, North Korea, and Russia, it does appear that he is committed to strike a conciliatory tone - publicly.  Yet, privately, it may or may not be a different story.  I think there is a takeaway for us: we can be prone to criticize another person to someone else, without ever taking direct action with that person.  The Bible does not teach public rebuke - first - rather, Jesus teaches going directly to a person with whom we have conflict.  Not renouncing them or spreading harmful information about them, but speaking directly. Personal confrontation is far superior to public condemnation.

But, in the summit's aftermath, we do need to consider what is unfolding on the world stage.  We do read in Scripture, in Ezekiel 38, about an alignment of nations. I believe Russia is part of that alignment that will come against Israel in the last days, along with an Islamic alliance.  So, ultimately, we recognize the sovereign hand of God in bringing about the fulfillment of Bible prophecy.

We also acknowledge that Russia's set of values and worldview are not compatible with our own. Even though there may be opportunities to work together, there are still remnants of the Cold War, and we can't trust them completely.  We also recognize, spiritually speaking, that Christianity is in peril in Russia. But, the Lord is working there. A recent Christianity Today article documented evangelistic work taking place in the nation during the World Cup.  Mission Eurasia was involved in what was described as a "striking evangelistic project."  The article said:

That project—a nationwide effort to use the tournament as a platform to share the gospel—has already reached hundreds of thousands of Russians, according to Mission Eurasia, a ministry that has equipped Christian leaders in the former Soviet Union for the last three decades.

Across Russia, about 400 churches have attracted more than 10,000 people to live screenings of World Cup games so far. The screenings and their accompanying programs double as outreach events. Over the course of the tournament, half a million pieces of evangelistic literature, including Russian Bibles and special editions of John’s gospel that include directions to local churches, have been handed out.

Pavel Tokarchuk, director of Mission Eurasia’s Russia office, is quoted in a recent press release: “People are excited, and that has provided a real opportunity for sharing the gospel..." The article states, "National pride, both in hosting the world’s most popular sporting event and the success of the home team, has fueled an optimism around Russia. People are more willing to engage in spiritual conversations, Tokarchuk said."

The article does say that:

The evangelistic uptick comes amid increasing persecution from the Kremlin.

The Yarovaya law, a 2016 policy that bans evangelism outside of government-approved churches, has hampered believers from sharing the gospel—and landed scores with heavy fines and even some deportations.

It adds, "...for the second year in a row, Russia was listed as a Tier 1 country of concern for religious freedom in the US Commission on International Religious Freedom annual report."

Even though three evangelical teams were "detained by Russian authorities," the enthusiasm remains strong, according to the president of  Mission Eurasia, Sergey Rakhuba, who, according to the article, "said the backlash hasn’t been as intense as anticipated. Nor has the missiological zeal waned."

Ancient Truths

In order to navigate this world effectively as servants of Christ, we need to have a working knowledge of the wisdom of God. In Proverbs 3, we can read:
13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding;
14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace.

How to we acquire and develop this wisdom?  We know that it comes from an exposure to and a absorption of Scripture.  We fill our minds with the knowledge of God, and the Spirit of God teaches us how to incorporate that knowledge and apply it to the decisions we make and the way we conduct ourselves.  We need God's wisdom in order to put to death the desires of the flesh, which are being tantalized by the influences of our culture.  His wisdom, which comes from His Word, enables us to walk in His light.

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The 119th Psalm offers a beautiful exposition about the authority and beauty of God's Word.  We
read, beginning in verse 10:
10 With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You!
12 Blessed are You, O Lord! Teach me Your statutes!

Sometimes you just don't know what you'll find when you go through that old closet or cabinet.  And, you might even find something that spurs a memory or that you have been missing for a long, long time.

Well, in New Zealand recently, leaders at an Anglican church there found quite a treasure.  According to a piece on the Christian Headlines website...

Officials at an Anglican church in New Zealand were shocked to discover they had been housing a 400-year-old Bible in a cabinet – and they still don’t know how it got there.

The congregation, St Peter's Church in Palmerston North, was founded in the early 1900s. The 1616 King James edition Bible was discovered in a cupboard in 2012 wrapped in a towel, and was pulled out again this month ahead of National Bible Day on July 15, according to the New Zealand website Stuff.co.nz.

Amy Houben of the church is quoted as saying, "I feel quite sorry for this old girl in a way,” adding, “They were made to be read and held. They weren't made to be locked in a glass coffin.”

Nevertheless, the Bible has a new cover and it is now on display in a cabinet.

It does appear to be unclear how that old 1616 Bible got there - one theory mentioned in the article is that someone who came to New Zealand from Great Britain brought it there. Nevertheless, it is a rare artifact - the article says, "Supposedly, only 30 copies of the print run of the 1616 Bible still exist."

There are some principles related to the Bible that you can take away from this story.  For one thing, the ancient words of Scripture still ring true today.  Even though we see attempts to redefine its meaning in order to somehow make it more relevant, we recognize that God's Words are timeless. We also consider that Jesus, the Word made flesh, is the same - yesterday, today, and forever; so we have to be careful that we are not either changing the meaning or picking and choosing what to believe.  

We know that there are treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden in the Scriptures - so we don't lock them away, never to be found, but God desires that we bring them out through careful study and meditation, seeking His wisdom and considering how it may apply to us.  There are incredible discoveries just waiting for us, but they will be kept from us if our Bibles are hidden away or displayed on the coffee table or a shelf.

Rather than lock God's Word away, He wants us to lock those truths in our consciousness.  Rather than hide the Bible on a shelf, He wants us to hide the Word in our hearts.   The Word of God is living and active, fresh and applicable for our lives and the times in which we live.

Responsive

In Mark chapter 6, we see an incident in which Jesus and the disciples were about to leave a place,
yet, because they desired to hear from Him, He was moved to teach them. We read:
34 And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.

Oh, and by the way, this was after Jesus had received the news about John the Baptist's death.  This can certainly encourage and challenge us in our response to the needs of people.  The disciples were weary, Jesus was grieving the loss of His cousin, yet He drew on the resources of heaven in order to minister in the situation at hand.  We may be tired, disappointed, troubled, or burdened - but God gives us the capacity to identify and respond to the people around us with His love.

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In Colossians 3, we see the description of qualities that believers can possess, because of the presence of Christ within, so that we may be responsive to those who need to see the love of our Savior.
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

The complex immigration crisis provides opportunities to do ministry.  And, in a climate where there has been much distortion and political posturing, one Texas congregation has taken a generous donation and is using it to serve children who are in America without their parents.

There is a facility called Youth for Tomorrow that is located in Virginia.  According to The Christian Post, it is a 215-acre facility that "is one of over 113 foster facilities nationwide that have partnered with the federal government to take care of undocumented immigrant children while they're processed and connected with family members in the United States or placed in foster care."

And, while there are those that would want to blame the current Administration's current policy to enforce immigration law for the separation of children at the border, there is a significant number that entered the country without their parents, i.e., the parents were the ones culpable for separating their children.  Or, children were being trafficked.

The pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas, Jack Graham, was one of a group of evangelical leaders who visited Youth for Tomorrow recently and reached out to the 165 children there.  The Post article said:

According to Graham, most of the children at the campus entered the United States as unaccompanied minors from Central American countries — most predominantly Nicaragua and Honduras. He added that most children are held at the facility for an average of about two months.

In speaking with the staff at the campus, Graham said that around 90 percent of the immigrant children there were trafficked into the country in some way.

Graham, who was accompanied by other leaders, including Harry Jackson and Johnnie Moore, stated that there is an untold story about the current crisis:

"There are a lot of sad stories about how they're here and why they're here, the violence in which they came and their families," Graham, a former Southern Baptist Convention president, said. "The coyotes who run for the drug cartels are very involved in this. That is the story that needs to be told."

"Most of these children were sent here either by parents or family or they came as a result of the trafficking movement that is coming out of these countries," he added. "It is a very bad situation. It is the trafficking that we need to stop."

The children "were treated to fun and games and were also given backpacks, duffle bags, new soccer balls, toiletries and school supplies courtesy of Prestonwood Baptist Church..."

Several weeks ago, the pastor had announced a $50,000 donation from Ivanka Trump to help the children at the border.  Another Christian Post article stated:

"HHS officials have told us that the basic needs of the children are being taken care of," Graham said. "What the kids really need most is someone to brighten their day. They need someone to give them hope. Our plan is to create an event for the children that will encourage them and make them smile. Of course, we will also focus on how we can provide financial aid to families to assist them in their situation."

Although the physical needs and education are being provided to the immigrant children, Prestonwood is seeking to provide things such as money, volunteers and Vacation Bible School-type activities.

Graham said, "Churches everywhere are contacting us, and Christians and people of faith who want to be a part of the solution," adding, "And that's the beauty of what churches can do in the midst of all this confusion and chaos around this issue. It's going to be a while before immigration is solved. But that doesn't stop us from going and being present and serving and making a difference in people's lives."

I think this article does contribute to a more complete picture of the situation involving children. While the Administration works to reunite over 2,000 children that have been separated from their parents, the degree to which these children are being used a pawns in a dangerous game - in many cases, without their parents - is appalling. The Church can exhibit compassion by sharing the love of Christ to those who are in desperate situations.

And, a further note - yesterday in Prattville, Tajuan McCarty spoke to a group of women and girls at First Baptist Church.  Maybe you heard the interview last week - if not, you can access it online.  She is directly involved in trying to rescue young ladies who are being trafficked; and that is an issue that affects communities all across our land, and not necessarily big cities.  She encouraged attendees to be vigilant in identifying and reporting suspicious behavior.  She is someone who is demonstrating God's love to those who are seemingly helpless.

So, what do we take away here?  First of all, I think you can consider how we use the resources God has provided to do effective ministry.  Prestonwood received a donation to help with ministry to children at the border; they have developed a strategy to utilize those funds.  So, we can think about what God has given to us - individually and in our churches and ministries, in order to make an impact.

We can also make sure that we are following a Biblical response to the issue of immigration.  There are those who would take Scripture and try to make a case for more liberal immigration policy, even to the extent of open borders - I certainly disagree with that.  Others make the case that the Bible teaches concepts relative to walls and borders.  And, quite frankly, you could contend, as one particular writer from whom I quoted recently did, that the Scripture does not necessarily address U.S. immigration policy.  But, in the midst of the morass that is the current border situation, we can seek ways to minister with the love of Christ.