The Pursuit of...

Out of our faith walk with the Lord can emerge a sense of His joy and peace.  As we worship Him,
we can know that inner satisfaction and have a heart of thankfulness. Psalm 37 states:
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.

People are seeking to be happy; and sometimes that sense of happiness will be rooted in external circumstances.  Our happiness as believers is determined by the level that we abide in Christ - and we can experience inner satisfaction, expressed through joy and peace, flowing from the knowledge that we are right with Him and that He is sustaining us, no matter what the externals might tell us.  Our joy is not of this world but comes from His presence in our hearts.

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Even in the midst of enduring hardship, we can have an abiding joy in the Lord; the knowledge of
Him brings satisfaction - some might even call it happiness. James 5 states:
11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord--that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.
12 But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your "Yes," be "Yes," and your "No," "No," lest you fall into judgment.
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.

Going to church can contribute to a person's happiness; that sounds like a simple, commonsense statement of cause and effect, doesn't it?  A recently released Pew poll explored the connection between church attendance and well-being, and Baptist Press reported on the results.

The article states:

"This analysis finds that in the U.S. and many other countries around the world, regular participation in a religious community clearly is linked with higher levels of happiness and civic engagement," Pew said, citing civic activities such as voting, joining community groups and volunteering.

The story points out that, "Pew describes actively religious people as those who identify with a religious group and attend church services at least monthly."

The survey found that, "In the U.S., 36 percent of actively religious people said they were very happy, compared to 25 percent of inactive religious people and 25 percent of those unaffiliated with any religious group."  According to the story, the poll seems to indicate that religious affiliation is not enough to bring about greater happiness and civic participation; it's religious activity that makes a difference.

Some other snapshots: only about a third of these religiously active Americans say they are in "very good health." 96% of the group indicated that they "avoid frequent drinking," and "85 percent don't smoke, 64 percent exercise several times a week, and 72 percent are not obese."

With respect to community involvement, just over two-thirds of religiously active Americans vote in national elections versus 48% of the religiously unaffiliated.  Also, 58% belong to at least one non-religious group, vs. 39% of religious unaffiliated people.

How does the U.S. compare to other countries? According to the report, "Surveys found the highest rates of very happy people among religiously active people in Mexico, 71 percent; Colombia, 58 percent; and Ecuador, 56 percent."  The Pew survey included the U.S. and 25 other countries.

All right, let's consider this: What constitutes true happiness?  Some think that the externals, such as pastor and former corporate executive Stu Fuhlendorf was relating, contribute to our happiness.  Others look to be happy through sinful behavior.  Truth is, God wants us to experience His joy, which is a deep-seated satisfaction in Him; happiness, which is thought to be more externals-based, can be a fickle concept.  Others say God doesn't want us to be happy, rather to be holy -  I would submit that if we are right with God, internally, we can walk in His joy, which is listed among the fruit of the spirit.

We can pursue what God has in store for us and we can be satisfied as we allow Him to work in our lives.  If we are pursuing God, we can certainly have that deep knowledge in our souls that we are pleasing Him; that can make for a happy, or a joyful life.  All in all, our joy in the Lord is determined by inward factors, rather than external circumstances.

Streets of London

Chapter 4 of the book of Luke describes Jesus preaching in the synagogue, and He preached from a
passage in Isaiah that outlined His call by God:
18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

That is the call of Jesus, and as He prepared to leave this earth, He commissioned His followers to go everywhere and proclaim His truth.  He has come to redeem humanity, to bring hope and liberty.  He has defeated the power of darkness, and He calls us to walk in His wonderful light.  He wants to open our eyes and the eyes of those with whom we interact to His truth.  In the power of God, we can communicate who Christ is and what He desires to do.

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In Acts 4, we find that Peter and John had been used by the Lord to pray for a man, who was healed.
They proclaimed:
11 This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.'
12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

Over the past few days, there has been a rapidly-growing chorus that has been publicized regarding  an unfortunate event on the streets of London.  Faithwire has picked up the story of the arrest of a street preacher; the report states:

In a video of the incident posted to Twitter, officers can be seen forcefully asking the African man to stop, before arresting him on a rather baffling charge of “breaching the peace.”

According to the published exchange with an officer near the Southgate Underground station, after the preacher is accused of "breaching the peace," the policeman says: “It’s what you’re doing at the moment...You’re causing problems — you’re disturbing people’s days and you’re breaching their peace. If you won’t go away voluntarily, we will have to arrest you.”

The preacher said, "I will not go away, because I need to tell them the truth — because Jesus is the only way, the truth and the life..."  The Faithwire account continues:

“But nobody wants to listen to that,” the officer snapped back. “They want you to go away.”

At this point, the officer handcuffs the man, before an additional officer snatches his Bible out of his hands.

“Don’t take my Bible away,” the man cried.

“You should have thought about that before being racist!” the officer replied.

 Racist?  Well, Faithwire reached out to the Metropolitan Police.  What did they find?

The police admitted that, despite the officer’s comments accusing the preacher of being “racist,” nothing of this nature had been said by the Christian man. They also noted that “no language of this nature was used in the presence of officers.”

“The initial report suggested some Islamophobic language had been used,” the police force told Faithwire. “However nobody has made a formal allegation to this effect and no language of this nature was used in the presence of officers.”

Now, it has been reported that the man was "de-arrested."  Yet, the account provides a chilling look at a clear case of bias against someone preaching the gospel.  As Faithwire reports:

Many have called on the police to apologize for the incident. Christians and atheists alike have expressed their outrage at the incident. Anglican clergyman and former chaplain to the Queen, Rev. Dr. Gavin Ashenden, was one of those to speak out.

“The police have closed down freedom of speech and become Christianophobic,” he wrote on Twitter. “If we fail to protest we will lose our freedom under the law.”

Obianuju Ekeocha, who is described in the story as a "Christian and pro-life activist," had posted one of the early accounts of the arrest of the preacher. Ekeocha also tweeted out a video of the arrest of the Christian preacher side-by-side with an incident in which UK police responded to a Muslim preacher shouting "Allahu Akbar;" shall we say it was a "friendlier" exchange.  The source of that video was the Leave.EU Twitter account.

Certainly, this central event is illustrative of the clash of worldviews in which we find ourselves.  Christianity has become a target, while worldviews aligned with Islam are tolerated and even found to be favorable.  Radical Islam is a serious threat, yet there has been a determined effort to downplay or eliminate the religious element; witness how media and politicians are reticent to label acts of terror as being connected with Islam.  And, yet to criticize Islam become bigoted and Islamophobic; criticizing Christianity is an accepted practice.

But, that's just par for the course, according to Jesus, and we have to be careful that we don't make ourselves out to be religious victims.  He told us we would experience tribulation and persecution. But, we can continue to exhibit confidence in our Savior and allow Him to live His life through us.

We do acknowledge that there are those that will challenge the Christian faith; we can study the Word and rely on the Spirit, prepared to defend it.  We can make a reasonable, determined defense of the truth of the Bible and adopt that attitude reflected in Romans 1, that we are not ashamed of the gospel.  We can certainly be bold for Christ.

Finally, there is a simple purity that is exhibited in this image of a preacher on the streets, proclaiming the Gospel.  In a day when we find church members and leaders debating a number of issues and incorporating worldly philosophies and constructs in our churches, we can continue to adhere to communicating the true, pure gospel, the good news that changes lives.

While They're Young

We have to determine that we will think Biblically about the issues and decisions with which we are
confronted. Colossians 2 states:
18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

There does seem to be a lot of errant philosophy that is out there these days; the knowledge of God is being challenged by the fruitless thinking of humanity.  There are those who would distort God's intent on so many things, including our biology - there is teaching that our gender is fluid, or can be changed; hardly a scientific concept.  Plus, there are those that deny the science and think that an unborn child or even a child who survives an abortion are not worthy of living.  As a culture, there is an aggressive departure from the ways of God.

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Each human being reflects the glory of his or her Creator - God, who has an intent for all humans to
come into a relationship with Himself through Christ and fulfill His purpose. Genesis 1 says:
26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

In pockets of our culture, we are finding that evil is called good and good is called evil, and people, in the name of "inclusion," are allowing unacceptable behavior to flourish.  One example of this is the phenomenon known as the Drag Queen Story Hour, which, astonishingly, has been allowed in public libraries.

One such event occurred recently in Lansdale, PA.  It was a presentation by one Eric Torres, described by ChristianNews.net in this way:

As previously reported, Eric Torres of Philadelphia chose the name “Annie Christ” for his stage name out of his “love of gothic themes, horror movies, and bands such as NIN.” His Instagram page features a mix of photos from his everyday life as Eric—such as his interest in mudding—and his alter persona as a drag performer—some of which are gory, some with grandiose wigs and makeup, and one where Torres painted an upside down cross on his forehead.

The library director did say there were calls of complaint, but he believed that “a lot of the parents are interested in … the message of the story time about acceptance and inclusion.”  And, there was a protest that was organized by local Christian believers.  But, the mayor of the city, Garry Herbert, sided with Torres in an embarrassingly strong way.  ChristianNews.net reports:

“I was approached with a petition from community members asking to commemorate the day where Lansdale showed its dedication to inclusion and diversity,” Herbert told North Penn Now. “After speaking with staff, we agreed to declare Feb. 2 as ‘Inclusion Day in Lansdale,’ where we will celebrate our diversity and our commitment to that cause.”

The Christian protest organizer contends that cause - is sin!  The story states:

Steve Piotrowski, who organized the initial prayer rally outside of the event, expressed disappointment that the borough has chosen to celebrate sin. He released a statement sharing the gospel with those who would read his words, noting that the right kind of inclusion is inclusion in the kingdom of God—and there are conditions for entry.

And, a South Carolina legislator has taken a step to ban public libraries from hosting these drag queen events in his state. ChristianNews.net also reported on a proposal by Republican Rep. Garry Smith, who had "proposed a budget amendment that would have required all state-funded libraries to abide by the Standards for Health and Safety Education Act, which currently solely applies to public schools and determines what is 'age appropriate' for children."  Smith addressed the House Ways and Means Committee, saying that “four men dressed as women to talk to 3-to-8-year-olds about being transgender and those issues" would not comply. The committee, unfortunately, tabled the recommendation.

The website notes that a recent event in Greenville has left city officials with a bill for funding the security for it.  The story says:

According to local television station WYFF, costs total $47,829.82, which include “feeding lunch to 170 people for nearly $1,600 and the purchase of four megaphones for about $100,” as well as the use of “drones and barricades supplied by county codes to cover the event.”

No doubt, there is an agenda here.  In a piece at LifeSiteNews.com, we read:

Drag queens are deliberately "grooming" the next generation to accept LGBT ideology when they read to children in public libraries at drag queen “story hour” events, a U.S. drag queen admitted.

Dylan Pontiff, a drag queen who helped organize one of these story hour events for children as young as three at the Lafayette Public Library in early October, is shown in a video making that shocking admission to the Lafayette City-Parish Council in Louisiana during a Sept. 17 meeting.

"This is going to be the grooming of the next generation. We are trying to groom the next generation," said Pontiff, who when dressed in drag goes by the name Santana Pilar Andrews.

This is such blatant sinful expression, plain and simple - and it's being marketed to children.  We continue to see the proliferation of ideologies that conflict with the Christian worldview. Christians should be diligent in identifying, praying against, and standing up regarding this corrupt action that is contrary to God's design and intent for gender.

We can recognize that there is a concerted effort to teach children, with impressionable minds, an errant viewpoint on gender.  For instance, I have reported on curriculum being made available to schools, in a kid-friendly package. The enemy specializes in desensitizing people to God's truth.

And, there is the false notion that gender is "assigned" at birth and determined later in life by the person himself or herself.  It is true, gender is assigned, but it is done by the Designer, who has wired it into our DNA.  Gender is not a psychological construct, it is biological, it is not fluid and it is not our individual choice. 

Mostafa's Miracle

Studying the early Church can be a source of great inspiration as we seek to apply God's principles
and follow Him today. In Acts 4, in the face of opposition, the believers prayed:
29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,
30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus."
31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Our world can be shaken and our mouths can be opened to speak God's Word when we are filled with the Spirit.  We relinquish control over our words, our thoughts, and our deeds as we allow His Spirit to fill us, to govern our actions, and to flow through us so that Christ is glorified.  We can possess a sense of boldness to do the will of God and to share His love.  Even in the face of opposition, God will be faithful to His people.

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In Romans 1, we find a passage that can challenge us in our walk and our proclamation of gospel
truth:
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."

Mostafa was from Upper Egypt and was dispatched by his family on a mission - to spy on his cousin, Mohammed.  What had Mohammed done?  It was believed that he had become a Christian.

The Open Doors website tells their story.  The site states that in Egypt:

In Muslim families, any member who leaves their Muslim beliefs and upbringing subjects themselves to tremendous pressure from their immediate and extended family to renounce Christ and return to Islam. Some are locked up, others are isolated, tortured or even killed.

So, Mostafa made the journey to a church in Cairo, knowing that he would have to kill his cousin if the information the family had received were to be verified.  The story says:

Mostafa found his cousin in a church listening intently. Quietly, he slipped into the seat behind Mohammed and waited for the service to end. But then he noticed something strange. The words he was hearing—the prayers, especially the worship—didn’t disgust him.

Mostafa related that he told his cousin, Mohammed:

"I came all the way from our family’s village to spy on you and see if you had indeed become a Christian,” he said, wiping a tear from his cheek. “I should inform your family about what I saw, but I just can’t. I think the choice you made might have been the right one. Can you tell me more? Why did you leave Islam for Christianity?”

Mostafa went to Mohammed's house that night and they talked about the gospel. Then, Mostafa had a dream. According to the article, "He saw Jesus on the cross, looking at him and saying: 'I did all of this because I love you, and I want you to be free from your sins.'”

The Open Doors article reminds readers:

Mostafa’s vision is similar to what many Muslim converts describe. Many sources have reported the same phenomena. Dreams and visions like Mostafa’s are repeatedly cited as specific ways God reaches Muslims throughout the Arab world and beyond.

In the morning, Mostafa related to Mohammed what he had seen, and they prayed for Mostafa to receive Christ.  As he cried, Mostafa cried out to God: “I planned to kill my cousin, Your follower. But now I am prepared to give my life for You myself.”

The story continues:

The following month, Mostafa was baptized with his cousin standing next to him. He hasn’t told his family that he and Mohammed are now followers of Jesus. Currently, the two young men are living as secret believers, following Jesus in the place He has provided for them.

Open Doors relates:

New believers in hostile places like Egypt hide their Bibles and connect to other Christians online or visit secret meetings. They follow Jesus’ teachings in their actions, hoping that how they live their lives will influence those around them for the gospel. Only when they think it’s safe do they share their new faith with others...

"Mostafa's Miracle" can inspire us with several principles.  For one thing, we recognize that God is working to bring people to Himself; even using dreams and visions to reach out to Muslim believers.  No one is beyond the reach of our Savior.

Remember also that Christians and Muslims do not worship the same God.  We serve a loving God who is full of mercy and grace; our God is a God of freedom.

We can also be inspired by those who live in these predominantly Muslim countries, and other countries who persecute Christians, who are not ashamed of the gospel, risking their lives to follow Christ.  We can consider if we possess that adoration for Christ and determination to follow Him.

Super?

In an age where the Church is being challenged to be relevant, I think we have to make sure that we
are being reverent toward God and His Word. Psalm 89 reminds us of His majesty:
6 For who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the Lord?
7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him.
8 O Lord God of hosts, Who is mighty like You, O Lord? Your faithfulness also surrounds You.

In the quest for relevance, I see instances where there is a lack of reverence.  We can make sure that we are never sacrificing a sense of awe for God by trying to package Him or brand Him in a way that we think will increase our numbers or popularity.  It's not about our popularity; it's about making Him famous.  The one true God does not need to be repackaged - sure methods may change in order to reach people, but we should be grounded in the fear of the Lord, with a sense of awe in His presence.

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Jesus is worthy of all our praise, and we should seek to give Him the honor He deserves.  Hebrews 12 says:
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
29 For our God is a consuming fire.

We certainly know that Jesus is Lord of all, so our efforts to defend Him fall far short of His might and majesty; yet, He is deserving of reverence and respect.  When that is missing and He is being denigrated, then it's highly appropriate for those who believe in Him to speak out.

Some 200,000 people spoke up for Jesus when they discovered that a major comic book company, DC Comics, was planning to do a highly disrespectful and even blasphemous depiction of Christ.

Faithwire reports that:

“Second Coming,” a television series produced by DC Comics, has been canceled after 200,000 people signed a petition against its release on the grounds that it was “blasphemous.”

The series was based on a character with a Messiah complex — fitting because the main character was Jesus. The plot line follows the return of Jesus to Earth, where he teams up with a superhero named Sun-Man to fight evil.

According to the article, the plot summary contends that Jesus comes back to earth to "learn what it means to be the true messiah" from his superhero roommate. It states: “But when Christ returns to Earth, he’s shocked to discover what has become of his gospel — and now, he aims to set the record straight."

Writer Mark Russell disputes the "blasphemy" charges; Faithwire reports that the proposed show, according to an interview Russell did with the website, Bleeding Cool, "is about Jesus coming down and being appalled by what he sees has been done in his name by Christianity in the last two thousand years. He goes by a megachurch and they have a billboard of this Tom Brady-looking Jesus Christ throwing a football and he doesn’t even recognize himself which is a metaphor for him not recognizing what’s been done with the religion that bears his name.”  The article notes that Russell "grew up in the church."

One of the sticking points has to do with the Jesus character not knowing that things on earth had spun out of control.  Who knows, this may pop up again; DC cancelled the show, but Russell has the rights to it back. Oh, by the way, according to Faithwire, Russell has authored a book, God Is Disappointed In You, which was "billed as a condensed version of the Bible."

So, what can we take away from this unfortunate story?   Well, first of all, I think we can reflect on showing the appropriate respect for the things of God.  I still believe that we should demonstrate reverence for the Lord, and never bring Him down to our level.  We should possess an attitude of exaltation for our Savior.

The writer has a mistaken notion on the work of redemption that Jesus came to do.  He is not about "setting the record straight;" true, humanity without the Lord is under God's judgment - by its choice!  But, we can also choose to accept what He has done for us on the cross.  He is all about redeeming humanity and establishing His kingdom.

And, I don't want to get into the analogy of Jesus as a superhero; I don't think we need to reduce Him to that level.  True, His "superpowers" are unlimited and do not contribute to self-exaltation; rather, to exalt the Father - not to show off, but to show up in a mighty way.

The Black Bible Experience

God has established His Church, on the firm foundation of His Word and His faithfulness to it.  In
Ephesians 2, we read:
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone...

The Church is a powerful institution and is comprised of flawed people who worship and serve a flawless God.  In spite of our imperfections, God will use us to share His message to a world that needs to see and hear it.  He will use people from various racial and cultural backgrounds, of various geographical heritage, in order to express His nature.  We are one body, one Church, made, as Acts 17 states, from one blood - we can pursue what makes us united in Christ; and our devotion to the Word is a key component.

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In Matthew 16, we see that Jesus asks His disciples a very important question:
15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
16 Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17 Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

Jesus is building His church, based on what God the Father has revealed.

During this Black History Month, I want to consider to share how God is at work in the lives of African-Americans, with some results from the American Bible Society's State of the Bible survey.

At the ABS website, we find this proclamation:

African-Americans have higher levels of Bible engagement than the general U.S. population, which is demonstrated by their beliefs and practices, according to the latest State of the Bible survey by American Bible Society. For many African-Americans it is more important to start the day with the Bible rather than coffee as 37 percent chose the Bible over coffee (17 percent), sweets (26 percent) and social media (20 percent). Of those considered Bible Centered 60 percent use the Bible every day.

Roy Peterson, President and CEO of American Bible Society, is quoted as saying, "African-Americans know that Bible engagement can impact all areas of their lives for the better,” adding, “The Bible is the source of ultimate hope and joy. People who devote time in it can discover for themselves how the Word of God can help make sense of life.”

And those with "higher levels of Bible engagement" want more, 90% of those in the two highest categories: Bible Centered and Bible Engaged.  

In the survey, a significant number of African-Americans also shared insight and exhibited hope for our culture. 45 percent believe the "Bible has too little influence on society." 83% are "concerned about the decline in morality," higher than the 79 percent of all Americans who are. The summary states, "Many cite the lack of Bible reading as the reason for the decline (23 percent)." But, "51 percent of African-Americans are still more optimistic about the future than Whites (32 percent) or Asians (24 percent)."

Interestingly enough, "61 percent believe the Bible is the moral fabric of the U.S. compared to 39 percent who believe the U.S. Constitution is."

And, 48% of African-Americans would listen to a church leader, versus 9% who would listen to a business leader.  Over 90% have a Bible in their homes and around three-quarters of those surveyed wish they would read the Bible more.

This snapshot from the American Bible Society survey reminds us of the necessity of Bible engagement for all of our lives.  Truth is, we all need more of God's Word.  We can rejoice in the faith journeys of African-Americans and draw strength from God's faithfulness. We can learn to appreciate one another's stories about how He has moved according to His Word.

We also realize that we have been called to be unified with one another around the principles of God's Word.  When people of various cultural and denominational backgrounds hold God's Word high, what incredible things He will do through His Church.

We can all be challenged to base our viewpoints and decisions on the Bible; what a strong impact that can make on our culture!

We can be encouraged that as we face the future, the Bible produces real hope.  

Weighing the "Empire"-ical Evidence

We can't believe everything we see and certainly should exercise discernment regarding the information we receive.  There is such a free flow through various forms of media; we have to take to heart Paul's words in Colossians 2:
8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

We have to strive to not be deceived.  And, that is especially important in the spiritual realm.  The enemy will try to paint a picture for us that is contrary to the truth.  He will speak lies about God, ourselves, and others; we have to be determined to know and believe the truth.  We need trusted sources so that we can avoid deception.  We can't afford to believe everything we hear; even the devil will disguise himself as an "angel of light."

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The Bible teaches the principles of discernment, saying in 1st John 4 to "not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

1st Thessalonians 5 states:
21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.
22 Abstain from every form of evil.
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.

The names Olibingo and Amimbola Osundario may have little meaning to a lot of people, but consider that the evidence is now pointing to them, in cooperation with a high-profile actor with an intersectional ax to grind, and you have an explosive mix that has charged up and embarrassed many in the entertainment and political industry.

According to reports, the Osundario brothers, who are from Nigeria, may have helped to stage an elaborate hoax, in which actor Jussie Smollett, an actor on the TV show, Empire, who is African-American and gay, claims to have been assaulted at 2:00am on the streets of Chicago, to have had bleach poured on him and a rope tied around his neck by two white men who allegedly said, "This is MAGA country."  MAGA is the acronym for Make America Great Again.

Outpouring of support for Smollett came from various corners of American life.  Trouble is, as time and police work have marched on, the story is unraveling.   Al Perrotta has a creative piece on The Stream website.  He says:

Sources on the Empire set tell TMZ the brothers — Olibingo and Amimbola Osundario — are no supporters of Trump. The rope? Purchased by the brothers at a local hardware store. According to multiple outlets, the brothers told police Smollett paid them $3500 to help carry out the hoax. CBS Chicago reports the trio even rehearsed the assault.

The Osundario brothers are from Nigeria.

And, of course, there was the blaming of the resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  Perrotta calls out other instances where Trump and his supporters, once called a "basket of deplorables," have been villified, falsely accused, and worse:

How about the endless stream of fake stories blaming Trump and supporters for all sorts of bad business? From Trump supposedly removing the MLK bust from the Oval Office on Inauguration Day … to the Muslim student in Louisiana who “fabricated” being attacked by MAGA thugs … to the vandalism that turns out to be the work of liberal activists … to nooses on campuses that turn out to be hoaxes … to the MAGA hat-wearing Covington Boys being falsely accused of taunting a Native American elder.

But, Perrotta, in responding to a CNN host that took Trump supporters to task for being giddy over these latest developments, said that the "giddiness is short-lived. Underneath, and far deeper, is grief. Sadness. A Chicago blues."   He is grieved over the "utter corruption this episode has exposed," as well as an "indifference to the truth," adding, "The ends justifying the meanness."

Perrotta highlights this incident as an expression of the pursuit of an agenda.  So does Andy Ngo at National Review, who writes:

Jussie Smollett’s hoax is symptomatic of America’s illness. Because of the mainstreaming of academia’s victimhood culture, we are now in a place where we place more value on being a victim than on being heroic, charitable, or even kind. Victims or victim groups high on intersectionality points are supposed to be coveted, treated with child gloves, and believed unreservedly. Their “lived experience” gives them infinite wisdom. Those who urge caution are treated as bigots.

Truth can be sacrificed at the altar of a divisive agenda.  That is the lesson here, and this latest chapter has been a sobering reminder of the division that we are encountering as a culture, and how the dangerous labeling of victim and victimizer has torn the fabric of our society, and threatens to tear a schism in the Church, as well.  And, people will go to great lengths to perpetuate their power and politics.  Smollett may or may not have saved his spot on the Empire show; there were rumors that he was about to be written out - he may be convicted of fraud, but I would imagine he'll reach some sort of deal and get probation, not spend a day in jail, and perhaps have greater notoriety than he would have gained from being a supporting actor in the cast of a television program.

I think, like never before, we have to make sure that we are acting in the love of Christ.  Perrotta writes:

Whatever Jussie Smollett’s personal motive, brokenness is behind it. And we must pray for his healing. Pray that his false witness can be turned to true witness. Smollett is a gifted performer. I pray he will learn to use his God-given gifts for bringing harmony rather than furthering hate. I pray his next act is to seek forgiveness.

That is very charitable; and while we may never meet someone whose name is plastered in the media, still we can consider how we respond to the broken people around us.

We can also make sure that we slow down a bit; wait a little while before you draw conclusions!  We are skilled in our humanity in jumping to conclusions - God would want us to pray about the information that is shared with us and carefully weigh evidence.  And, He certainly calls us to be silent rather than spread gossip and slander.

You know, everything you see or read may not be true - that is why we should carefully consider or closely examine the evidence before we speak.  Discernment is so critical in these times; the Word and the Spirit are powerful to help us to process information and determine our response.

Hollywood's Ode to Faith

We can consider how the Lord would use us to influence the people around us and to display the
character of God. 1st Peter 2 says:
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Think about it - each of us has been chosen by the Lord Most High; and He has a unique and special purpose for each of us.  He wants to express Himself through us, and through our churches, so that in our communities, Christ may be exalted.  We can consider, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, how we can lift Him high and make Him known - we have been chosen and equipped for this purpose, as His ambassadors.

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We are called and empowered to have influence in the world around us; to the spheres in which God
has placed us. Matthew 5 offers this reminder - these are the words of Jesus:
13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

The year was 1883. Daeida and Harvey Wilcox had "made a fortune in real estate," and moved to Los Angeles from Topeka, KS, according to a recent Religion News Service article, which states:

The couple bought 120 acres centered at what would become the intersection of Hollywood and Vine, and after Harvey’s death and Daeida’s subsequent remarriage, Daeida began creating her vision of a Christian preserve.

The article says that:

The first laws passed by the town involved bans on liquor, pool halls, bowling alleys, riding bicycles on sidewalks, the use of firearms and speeding. In 1905, the Los Angeles Times described it as a place where “the saloon and its kindred evils are unknown.”

The new city, which was established in 1903, was "filled with churches that had taken up Daeida’s offer of free land, regardless of denomination."  The name of the city was...

Hollywood.

Now, there is a tour, a Walk of Faith in Hollywood, not to be confused with the Walk of Fame.  April Clemmer started it.  The article says:

Clemmer, a Los Angeles resident and a Baptist herself, came up with the Walk of Faith tour last winter, after spending a decade researching Hollywood history. To her surprise, the deeper she looked, the more she found that the place synonymous with the American movie industry — and now clogged with lingerie stores, tobacco shops and fast-food outlets — was founded as an alcohol-free Christian community.

The piece goes on to say:

While the typical Hollywood tour might include tourists, the majority of the Walk of Faith attendees are locals — and that’s how Clemmer wants it.

“It’s important for local Christians to know there is a foundation of faith in Hollywood and that it’s something that can be reclaimed,” she said.

As for that original foundation of faith, the article points out that the town had grown to some 5,000 residents, and a water shortage resulted in Hollywood being absorbed into Los Angeles - then the saloons came, and as Religion News puts it, "by the time Daeida died in 1914, her vision was doomed as well."

The article says that Clemmer "recently gave a tour to Karen Covell, who directs the Hollywood Prayer Network, an organization of and for entertainment industry Christians. Covell is encouraging her members to take the tour." Covell is quoted as saying, “She walks people through the decades, within a few blocks’ area, giving insight into the vision of Christians, the passion of filmmakers and the hand of God throughout the last 100 years in Hollywood,” adding, “It’s important to know what God has done in order to fully embrace what he’s doing and is going to continue to do in our community.”

It was certainly informative and gratifying to read about the history of a place that is now a center of the entertainment industry.  I was reminded about how the Church has been at the center of civic life in communities across America.  Think about cities where the various churches are located in a central hub.  The geography is still there; and you would hope that the influence is still there, as well. And if that influence has been lost or diminished, we can consider how can we recapture that in our local areas.

We can also personalize the story and ask ourselves: Is our relationship with Christ and His Church at the center of our lives?   When we consider our thoughts and activities, we can evaluate the level to which we allow Him to control us.

While so much out of Hollywood and the entertainment industry is inconsistent with Biblical principles and inappropriate for families, we can continue to support good entertainment that is consistent with our Biblical values.  This Friday, February 22, the film, Run the Race, will be in theaters.  In the Faith Radio broadcast area, it will be at the Festival Plaza 16 and Chantilly 13 in Montgomery, Tiger 13 in Opelika, and Dothan Pavillion 12.

Tim Tebow, executive producer of the film, along with his brother, Robby, was on Hannity on Fox News the other night.  A FoxNews.com story related:

It's said to center around two brothers with different points of view, and their high school football and track teams.

“People need to hear the story because it's a hard world, but people need to be encouraged,” he said about the film which first caught his attention six years ago.

He described it as a faith-based film but also a “real film” to which most people could relate.

So, that's Run the Race on Friday.  And, on March 29, the story of a former Planned Parenthood director who left the abortion industry, Unplanned, debuts.  There's also an animated version of Pilgrim's Progress ahead.  Plus, the film, Breakthrough is the survival story of a young man who fell through the ice on a frozen lake and what occurred in the aftermath.

Thread of Freedom

There is an incredible, panoramic view of God's people gathered around His throne in Revelation
chapter 7, which states:
9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

Recognizing that there will be one "great multitude" in heaven, I say we should get started on that now!  God desires, I believe, to express Himself through His people, and show to the world through though we might have differences - and all of us are unique - we can collectively reflect His glory. He has worked throughout history through the lives of people who are open to His Spirit moving through us, and it is certainly apparently through the African-American Church today, which is something we can observe and celebrate during Black History Month.

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We have been given so many wonderful cultural traditions, which, infused with Biblical truth, can be a visible expression of God's love and unity. Acts 17 states:
26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,
27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'

It is President's Day, which is celebrated the third Monday of February, recognizing the accomplishments of Presidents through our nation's history.  One of those, of course, is Abraham Lincoln, whose action to free African-Americans from slavery is a turning point in our overall history.

We also celebrate the accomplishments of African-Americans during Black History Month, which is also in February.  As a piece on the Christian History Magazine website states:

When we honor Martin Luther King Jr. (1929–1968), we also honor black Baptist spaces and leaders that formed him. When we observe Black History Month, we pay homage to its founder, Carter G. Woodson (1875–1950), from the Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington, DC. First-ever female bank president and legend of the black freedom struggle Maggie Lena Walker (1864–1934) was a long-time member of the First African Baptist Church of Richmond, Virginia.

The article is devoted to Black Baptists, but incorporates elements of the struggle for freedom, as well as the hope of the gospel.  The history lesson continues:

The Great Awakening of the eighteenth century introduced the power of the evangelical message of salvation. That compelling message led many churches to grow—chiefly Methodist and Baptist churches. Many new members were enslaved people of the southern states. The traditional religions of their African ancestors provided a foundation consistent with Christianity. But it soon became apparent that in practice, Christian slaveholders behaved inconsistently with the spirit of a religion focused on freedom.

But, during the first half of the nineteenth century, as the article points out, "By the end of the eighteenth century, white Baptists licensed enslaved men across the South as preachers." Examples included:

In Georgia the Buckhead Creek Church licensed and ordained George Liele (1750–1820) “to perform missionary labors among slaves on other plantations in the surrounding area.” He also organized the First African Baptist Church in Savannah, Georgia, with Andrew Bryan, and later became a missionary to Jamaica.

In Mississippi Joseph Willis—a free African—was licensed to preach the Gospel in 1798. He became the first moderator of the Louisiana Baptist Association in 1818, after serving as a pastor and church organizer. Another preacher enslaved from birth, “Uncle Jack” (c. 1746–1843), earned his freedom and impressed white church members during his Baptist ministry in the 1790s, mostly in Virginia. He was so captivating that a white Presbyterian minister, William White, wrote a biography about him, The African Preacher (1849).

I would certainly contend that the yearning for freedom from slavery intensified with spiritual fervor. Indeed, the abolition of slavery, as well as the Civil Rights Movement, had a strong spiritual component.  While many white Christians were intent on preserving the error of the past, black Christians were embracing their freedom in Christ.  The article goes on to say:

As an oppressed people, African Americans sought to challenge longstanding institutions of white supremacy; as part of the larger Baptist family, their energy and influence led to conversations about Baptist commitment to real freedom. 

Fast forward now to the twentieth century and the desire to see freedom in Christ, freedom from slavery, and freedom from policies that continued to treat African-Americans as being lesser citizens. An article at the Fuller Studio website, an arm of Fuller Theological Seminary, which included a reference to Acts 17:26, said:

Almost since the beginning of the Black presence in this country, African Americans have responded to a biblically based gospel that they have tested and proved. They have shared spiritual experiences and passed on the evangelical heritage with concern, creativity, and gusto. The development of Black evangelical churches and denominations stands as historical proof.

It goes on to say:

Black evangelicals have been neither deficient in their theology nor delinquent in their witness. Firmly convinced that Scripture is the Word of God for all of life, and aware of implications of the scriptural statement that “from one ancestor [God] made all nations to inhabit the whole earth” (Acts 17:26 NRSV), they have long questioned and protested against the racist barriers that made separate Black congregations and denominations necessary.

The article points out that, during the time of and shortly after the Civil Rights Movement, "The 'increasing awareness' among evangelicals about being more socially responsible as Christians was stimulated either directly or indirectly by the clear ethical demands that victimized Blacks had been calling attention to across the nation." The author writes of an instance at a major conference in the mid-60's:

While attending the World Congress on Evangelism held in Berlin, Germany, in November 1966, those of us who were delegates heard many position papers that treated aspects of the Congress theme: “One Race, One Gospel, One Task.” Interestingly, and problematically, as we listened across ten days, we African American delegates discovered that no attention had been devoted in any position paper to the first part of the Congress theme, “One Race,” nor had any official paper about race been distributed for private reading. The Congress delegates had been drawn together from across the world, literally, and the vast assemblage—representing the largest ecumenical and evangelical gathering of the church since Pentecost, A.D. 33—reflected great diversity of backgrounds, nationalities, geographical locations, and color distinctions, and yet no major statement about the oneness of the human race had been voiced or written.

African-American delegates asked the chair, Carl F.H. Henry, if they could draft a statement about race. Those named included: "Robert 'Bob' Harrison, Howard O. Jones, Ralph Bell, Jimmy McDonald, Louis Johnson, and James Earl Massey." (It appears that Massey wrote the Fuller piece.) They worked "late into the night." The article says:

We wrote forthrightly about human equality as a biblical principle based on the oneness of the human family under God as Creator. We stressed the importance of agape-love in our dealings with all humans and the need to reject racial and national barriers that forbid full fellowship and cooperative ministry. Our statement did not offer any distinct strategies for dealing with racism, but our concern at that point was not to prod decision about strategy. Our concern was rather to give a basic statement that declared our biblical understanding of human oneness, with racism understood as a social evil, an unjust pattern in society, and a barrier to cooperative evangelism. As it turned out, what we prepared was viewed as the strongest statement evangelicals had ever made on the subject of race until that time.

You may recognize Howard Jones and Ralph Bell as two men who ministered with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Bell conducted a crusade in Montgomery in the early 1990's.

It's interesting and informative to consider the impact of African-Americans in evangelical Christianity and to consider how we can boldly unite as one body to impact a divided world for Christ. And, we can rejoice that, regardless of race, culture, and background, God will express Himself, and He expresses Himself to people and through His people in many cases through cultural traditions. Consider the vast array of musical styles or preaching styles - if God's truth is being related, we can find Him.

We remember that our cultural traditions should not be used to divide us, but to help us appreciate how God fosters unity even in the midst of diversity. Now, diversity has become a popular word these days, and that concept has been misused to divide people of different races and to force people to accept lifestyles that are unbiblical. True diversity occurs when we can appreciate our differences and work toward a common goal; Biblical diversity takes place when we see how God will work through our differences to produce common ground and unity in Christ.

And, through it all, through the years, God uses His people to win others to Christ. I am grieved and fairly irritated when I see people mixing it up on social media and spend time attacking one another over racial issues in the body of Christ. We should be spending time sharing the love of Christ, even toward one another, and proclaiming the transformative message of salvation through Christ, who heals and unites.

Working Through It

In responding to leaders who had questions regarding divorce, Jesus shared His vision for marriage. We find His words in Matthew 19:
4 And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,'
5 and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?
6 So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

God has great intent for marriage, and He desires to reflect His glory through couples who are fully surrendered to Him.  Even in the difficult times that marriage relationships might face, they can walk in His love and apply His principles, making sure that they continue to pray, to talk, to exhibit determination to work through conflict.  And, through the trying times, they can experience the strength of the Lord.

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In Ephesians 5, the apostle Paul is addressing the sanctity of marriage, underscoring that it is to
reflect Christ and the Church. We can read:
31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."
32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

They're married already?  That was a bit of a shock for me, but Hailey Baldwin, daughter of actor Stephen Baldwin and niece of Alec Baldwin, is now Hailey Bieber, wife of pop superstar Justin Bieber.  And, they're opening up about some the intricacies and challenges of their relationship and the role of faith in their journey.

A Christian Headlines story relates:

Pop sensation Justin Bieber and supermodel Hailey (née Baldwin) opened up about their young marriage and how church was always the one thing that brought them back together before they tied the knot.

According to the Christian Post, in a cover story interview with Vogue Magazine, the pop singer revealed that his Christian faith encouraged him to break the chains of drug and sex addiction right before he met his now wife.

The story says that Bieber, known for his bad behavior and high-profile relationships, was "determined" to "stay chaste until marriage," after making a commitment to follow God.  He is quoted as saying, “[God] doesn’t ask us not to have sex for Him because He wants rules and stuff. He’s like, I’m trying to protect you from hurt and pain.” Bieber added, "I think sex can cause a lot of pain. Sometimes people have sex because they don’t feel good enough. Because they lack self-worth.”

Bieber said, "I wanted to rededicate myself to God in that way because I really felt it was better for the condition of my soul. And I believe that God blessed me with Hailey as a result."

The article says that the now-Biebers met through their parents, didn't really hit it off at first; they later saw each other at church, became "best friends," and had a dating relationship which ended with "betrayal and heartbreak."  Three years later they reconnected at a conference, and the rest is history, you might say.

The Christian Headlines article says:

Hailey told Vogue that church always brought them back together. She said, “The common denominator, I promise you, is always church. By then we were past the drama. I just gave him a hug. By the end of the conference, he was like, ‘We’re not going to be friends.’” A month after the conference the two were engaged.

They are apparently determined to make it work and are seeing a counselor regularly. Hailey also says, "We’re two young people who are learning as we go. I’m not going to sit here and lie and say it’s all a magical fantasy. It’s always going to be hard. It’s a choice. You don’t feel it every single day. You don’t wake up every day saying, ‘I’m absolutely so in love and you are perfect.’ That’s not what being married is."

The couple was married in a civil ceremony last September, and a more public ceremony could occur within the next few months, according to a People magazine story.  The singer is apparently taking part in counseling, perhaps on his own, to deal with some issues.  The story states, citing an unnamed source;

“They will have a wedding ceremony with family and friends eventually,” says the source. “However, right now, Justin’s focus is getting well mentally.”

The source adds: “Justin is doing okay. He is very focused and committed to getting help. Hailey is very supportive — Justin is very open about that Hailey does nothing but help him. He would feel even more lost without Hailey — he is very grateful. They are both focused on having a happy marriage.”

Well, I certainly will not hold Bieber and Baldwin up as the perfect Christian couple, but their story does provide us with some material to consider.

One is this: Following God's principles regarding purity can positively affect a marriage.  God has specific standards for purity outside of marriage and faithfulness to one's spouse once married.  Adhering to these principles make for strong, Christ-centered marriages that reflect the relationship between Christ and His Church.

We also must recognize that marriage is intended to be a lifelong commitment, and it takes work.  It doesn't just organically happen; while two people may be incredibly well-suited for one another, still, there will be pressures and unanticipated circumstances that can place great pressure on a marriage.

And, in order to follow through, we have to get the help we need.  It's reported that the Biebers are already walking through counseling together - in light of their fishbowl lives, I would think that is a good idea.  Hundreds of couples will be gathering at the Renaissance in downtown Montgomery for the FamilyLife Weekend to Remember, which has as its purpose to make good marriages better, and to provide direction for couples who are struggling.  Living out God's principles is a key to seeing a marriage thrive in Him.

Gifts and the Greatest Gift

Earlier this week on The Meeting House, I talked about responding to Christ's invitation to follow Him.  God, our Heavenly Father, has made it possible to be saved and to be in relationship with Him
through His Son, whom He sent as an expression of His love, a free gift. Romans 6 says:
22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We did not deserve to have a relationship with God - it is nothing to be earned, rather, it is received through faith, believing on Jesus and accepting Him into our hearts.  Our God loved us so much that He saw us in our sinful state, apart from Him and destined to stay that way, and sent His son to die so that in Him we might live.  It's been characterized as an exchange, or as a song from quite a few years ago put it, a "great" exchange:  God giving His life for ours, so that we, by laying down our lives, can experience his eternal and abundant life.

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There is certainly an emphasis on gifts this special day, and for believers, we can concentrate on the
great giver, our God, who has given us His Son to be our Savior. James 1 states:
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

It's Valentine's Day, and it has become a popular holiday when people show acts of love and devotion to one another and celebrate in many cases by sharing gifts - lots of them!  According to a survey by WalletHub, this year, just over one-third of those surveyed, 36%, expected their "Valentine" to spend between 50 and 100 dollars on gifts.  However, almost half, 44% said they only planned to spend 49 dollars or under, with 32% saying they planned to spend in that 50-100 range.

Number 1 gifts: candy, with 52% saying they planned to buy that; 44% said they planned to buy greeting cards.  The "most wanted" Valentine's Day gift - gift cards, with 3-in-10 characterizing it as best; the "least wanted:" gift cards; 2 out of 10 said a gift card was the worst.

The survey took a turn toward the area of "Money & Relationships," and revealed some important considerations.  80% of those surveyed said a partner's bad credit should be a concern, with 38% of people overall saying they would not date someone with bad credit: 45% of women said this, 31% of men did.

4 in 10 people said "irresponsible spending is a bigger turnoff than bad breath."

The worst type of money problems in a relationship?  35% said financial secrets, 27% said irresponsible spending.  This somewhat contradicts, though, the answers to a question about the best way to avoid money problems.  40% said that separate accounts would do the trick, only 21% said joint accounts would.  But, just under a third said that discussing purchases is the best way for couples to avoid money problems.

On this Valentine's Day, it is inspiring to reflect on the One who loves us greatly, who loved us enough to die on a cross so that we can be brought into a relationship with Himself.  And, with all this talk of gifts, we recognize that our Heavenly Father is a giver of all good gifts, and gave us the greatest gift of all when He sent His Son for us.

And, He enables us to have healthy relationships, and has provided sound principles in order to guide our relationships, predicated on His love.  Jesus said He did not come to be served, but to serve, and that attitude of putting others first, especially our spouse, can contribute to strong, God-honoring relationships.

Regarding marriage, one component to a strong marriage is communication, one of the areas mentioned in the survey.  And, communicating about money is key.  It's been said that one of the main contributing factors to marriages breaking apart is money.  "No secrets" is an excellent motto with regard to properly managing finances within a home.  And, a couple can get away from the concepts of "yours" and "mine" and adopt the mindset of "ours."  That's good in the area of money, and in other areas, as well - marriage is intended by God to be a "one flesh" relationship.

Abuse in the Church

The Bible is very clear about God's expectations in matters of sexuality.  1st Thessalonians 4 relates
His heart:
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;
4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,
5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God;
6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified.

When you think of the Lord as an "avenger" in matters of sexual immorality, that underscores just how serious He is about these matters.  We have been given the principles, tools, and resources in order to resist temptation and to combat uncleanness in our lives.  He has set before us a holy standard that we cannot meet by depending on ourselves; we have to appropriate His holiness and develop a determination to root out the areas in our lives that are not pleasing to Him - certainly a lifelong pursuit, but the prescription for a life of freedom.

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The Bible offers a "zero-tolerance" policy on matters of sexual immorality, and calls us to be holy
people, not out of our own strength, but through Christ. Ephesians 5 states:
3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;
4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Another translation says there should "not be even a hint" of sexual immorality.  That is the standard for the Church.

The numbers are breathtaking...the Houston Chronicle has published the findings of a study, done in cooperation with the San Antonio Express-News, which found that, according to the first story in the series:

In all, since 1998, roughly 380 Southern Baptist church leaders and volunteers have faced allegations of sexual misconduct, the newspapers found. That includes those who were convicted, credibly accused and successfully sued, and those who confessed or resigned. More of them worked in Texas than in any other state.

They left behind more than 700 victims, many of them shunned by their churches, left to themselves to rebuild their lives. Some were urged to forgive their abusers or to get abortions.

About 220 offenders have been convicted or took plea deals, and dozens of cases are pending. They were pastors. Ministers. Youth pastors. Sunday school teachers. Deacons. Church volunteers.

One person being abused in a church setting is too many.  And, multiply that by hundreds and you have the makings of a despicable trend.  380 people in authority misused that authority to take advantage of one or more human beings.  Fortunately, over half of those have either been convicted or accepted plea deals and there are more cases pending.

These instances involved abuse of women by men, as well as men by men.  Who knows how many of these abusers were exposed to or addicted to porn, allowing a abhorrent view of sexuality, rather than the fresh truth of God's Word to shape their view?  In an age in which we see the culture, and even the Church, softening its stance on homosexuality, some of these instances of abuse involved a male being abused by another male.

One of the stunning aspects of the report is that, "At least 35 church pastors, employees and volunteers who exhibited predatory behavior were still able to find jobs at churches during the past two decades. In some cases, church leaders apparently failed to alert law enforcement about complaints or to warn other congregations about allegations of misconduct."

Plus, the article stated that, "Several past presidents and prominent leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention are among those criticized by victims for concealing or mishandling abuse complaints within their own churches or seminaries."

But, the big question circulated in Southern Baptist churches is: what do we do about this?  The Chronicle talked to the interim head of the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee, Augie Boto, who "helped draft the rejection of reform proposals in 2008. In an interview, he expressed 'sorrow' about some of the newspapers' findings but said the convention's leadership can do only so much to stop sexual abuses."  Local church autonomy has been said to prevent the Convention from having centralized control over the issue. The article goes on to say, "Because of that, Boto said, the committee 'realized that lifting up a model that could not be enforced was an exercise in futility,' and so instead drafted a report that 'accepted the existence of the problem rather than attempting to define its magnitude.'"

Most recently, certainly, the Convention has been aware of the scourge of abuse in its midst.  Messengers to the annual Convention in Dallas last year passed resolutions on abuse, as well as affirming women.  And, a Baptist Press article reported on the announcement of a Sexual Abuse Study Group, in partnership with the Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.  A release from Convention President J.D. Greear's office stated, "The group's purpose...will be to consider how Southern Baptists at every level can take discernable action to respond swiftly and compassionately to incidents of abuse, as well as to foster safe environments within churches and institutions. This group will study both how Southern Baptists are currently engaging these issues and develop recommendations in consultation with relevant SBC entities on strategies and resources for ministering to victims and protecting people and churches from predators."

The article said that the names of members of the group would be released "at a later date," but I have not been able to locate any names.  Apparently, the ERLC is running the study.  Another Baptist Press article reported that the study was "underway." You can only hope that credible and experienced people in this area are being consulted with in order to bring solutions that match the gravity of the situation, without politicization.

There are a number of principles that we can consider in light of this report.

First of all, we can acknowledge that abuse is real, and it is taking place in church settings.  We have to open our eyes, and be prepared to confront evil where it exists.  There are authorities, inside and outside the church, who need to know that instances of abuse are occurring.

We should develop an awareness of what is taking place.  And, we should take all the necessary precautions in our churches to reduce the conditions under which abuse could occur, including proper supervision of church activities, protection in ministry to children, and the teaching of a healthy sexual ethic.  People should be loved enough in the Lord to tell them the truth.  One of the major threads of the Chronicle story is that people who had been involved in abuse in one church were allowed to work at another.  Proper vetting of potential pastoral staff members, as well as volunteers, is critical.

We have to refine our attitude toward sexual abuse.  It has come to our doorstep.  Now, there is certainly debate about how the organizational structure of the Southern Baptist Convention could have contributed to widespread abuse.  And, while Baptist leadership debates organizational controls, one of the key elements has not received a lot of play, as I see it - the preaching of holiness from the pulpit and its practice in the pews.  In a culture steeped in moral relativism, where so-called "progressive" ideas are taking root and tolerance is the buzzword of the day, we have to align ourselves with the Bible's "zero tolerance" policy for sin.  While some denigrate the proclamation of the gospel in dealing with injustice; truth is, many of our issues concerning justice would be eliminated or reduced with the injection of Biblical truth.  When you consider that, according to Faithwire, 60% of Christian men view porn at least once a month, you can see how men are taking their cues about sexuality and interpersonal relationships from sources that are anathema to the Bible.

There is a better way, and that is to appropriate truth.  Truth about freedom in Christ rather than coddling or covering up sin.  Truth about properly resisting temptation.  And, seeking the truth about those who are chosen to lead God's people.  God has set up leadership roles for men and women, and while there are some who would blame the frequency of abuse on the so-called "patriarchy" in the Church, truth is, it is not a problem with the structure; rather those who would take advantage of it for power and worldly pleasure.

Finally, we should seek accountability  Corporately speaking, regarding the Southern Baptist Convention, that can be tricky.  Terry Mattingly has a great analysis at GetReligion.org.  He writes:

This has nothing to do with good intentions or bad intentions. Many Southern Baptist leaders are horrified by the facts exposed by the Chronicle and News-Express investigation.

But what can they afford to do legally and financially, given the realities of SBC church life — where the ultimate power is at the local level?

Yes, I know that some associations have tossed congregations out for veering left on sexuality, the ordination of women and similar issues. I could see Southern Baptists, in the future, tossing some churches out of fellowship because they refused to discipline predators or declined to take part in VOLUNTARY efforts to prevent abuse and shelter victims. But that is not the same thing as creating a new institution that would be legally responsible for tracking and investigating abusers, while reporting their status to all Southern Baptists at the local, regional and state levels.

He cites an "update" from this study of sexual abuse, which says, "Once resources and strategies have been developed, the implementation phase will launch a wide-scale, comprehensive effort to educate, saturate, and motivate Southern Baptist churches, entities, and leaders to embrace and incorporate the recommendations and findings of the study."  [his emphasis added]

He asks the questions, "But what does it mean to say that SBC “entities” will “embrace and incorporate” these changes? Will that involve SBC associations and conventions taking on legal responsibilities and financial liabilities that they never have in the past? How about the creation of a national SBC agency to legally handle all of this?"  I would point out that local church autonomy is certainly not something to hide behind, or use as an excuse for past inaction, but it is also a distinctive of Southern Baptist life; and it seems as if information-sharing and corroboration of best practices can be helpful, but centralization of power for the denomination's churches may be an unnecessary bridge too far.  As Mattingly says, "Stay tuned."

Call to the Altar

We should be reminded that the Church is full of sinners, like you and me, who desperately need to
know and experience the saving grace of God. Romans 3 says:
21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus..

Recognizing that we all sin, we can also see how the Word of God will set us free, as we know and apply its principles.  And, when we do sin, our response is not to ignore it or try to cover it up, but to confess it.  At times that may be counterintuitive; we don't want people to know what we have done, so we hide that transgression away.  But evil thrives in the darkness, and we have to bring forth our sinful behavior into the light, place ourselves in agreement with God, who already knows about it, and allow Him to forgive us and provide the strength to overcome the power of indwelling sin.

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Jesus desires for all people to be saved, to come into a relationship with Him through a saving
knowledge of Christ. Romans 10 outlines the process by which a person becomes a Christian:
8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

When I was at an elementary school camp, I responded to the youth pastor's invitation to give my life to Jesus.  Perhaps that is your story; in a church service or special assembly, you responded to the Spirit and accepted Christ as your Savior.  Or, in a small group or just by yourself, you surrendered your life to Him.  Romans 10 relates how we are to accept Christ and be saved.

An altar call is simply a method.  However, there has been a mini-debate recently about the validity of altar calls.  It stems, apparently, from a video featuring a Dallas pastor, Todd Wagner.  The Christian Post reported on it:

Todd Wagner, senior pastor of Watermark Community Church in Dallas, Texas, believes altar calls are not “unbiblical” but “they’re also not a required biblical act.” Thus, he does not issue an altar call very often at his megachurch.

One major problem with altar calls that many pastors and theologians have identified is that they have led to false conversions. Those who responded spontaneously by going forward and saying a prayer to receive Jesus Christ might have done so out of emotion rather than out of conviction.

Wagner had written, "The altar call relies on the powers of emotion, rhetorical persuasion, and social pressure to induce people to make a hasty and premature decision. And producing professions is not the same thing as making disciples...”

The Post article said, "Famous evangelists who have employed altar calls include Dwight Moody, Billy Sunday and Billy Graham. Generally, they invited people to come forward after a sermon to make a public confession of faith." But, the article related that Wagner thought that Charles Finney was too "manipulative."

Evangelist Greg Laurie, who incorporates altar calls in his Harvest Crusades ministry, posted the Christian Post article on Twitter along with these comments:

Public invitations are Biblical and very important.

Peter invited people to believe on the day of Pentecost.

3000 responded.

@BillyGraham responded to a “Alter call”.

So did I.

We call these ‘professions of faith”.

Time will tell if they are conversions.

The Christian Post article linked to a previous Post column by a pastor named Shane Idleman, who wrote:

...anytime we give an honest appeal for a person to turn to God, it's a good thing. But in our zeal to "get people into the kingdom," we sometimes run the risk of offering false assurance. This is a very real danger in the church today. Many come forward after a sermon, but do they change? Often, it's the "I'll give Jesus a try" attitude, rather than a broken heart desperately seeking a Savior — the American gospel versus the true gospel.

The success rate of genuine conversions at crusades hovers between 5% to 15%. Some may argue, "But seeds are planted." Yes, seed are planted, but are they seeds of salvation or seeds of false assurance?

I have great respect for men such as Billy Graham and Greg Laurie, and for the mass crusades that draw thousands to hear the gospel. I wish that there were more. I'm not challenging this type of ministry...I'm challenging the "overall" approach to altar calls.

He stresses that "genuine faith produces genuine fruit."

I think the bottom line is that the altar call is an invitation for a person to respond to Jesus and the work He desires to do in a person's life.  He is the One who invites, He is the One who calls, and the spoken word, the word of truth, without manipulation, can be powerful in opening up the human heart to Jesus.  But, the call to the altar offers a moment that a person can point back to and say - this is the time; this is when I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

Now, it's also important that we remember and relate what it means to be saved and to encourage people to pursue holiness.  While salvation is a one-time occurrence, the process of discipleship and sanctification is life-long.  Our acceptance of Christ is not the end, it is the beginning of an adventure in which we know Him and reflect His glory.

In light of discussions about moral failures in the Church and widespread sinful behavior, it's important that we pursue holiness and we allow the power of Christ to change us.  We have to keep a clean slate before Him, confessing our sins, having an attitude of repentance and experiencing His restoration when we miss the mark.  In a culture in which the power and effect of sin are minimized, we must uphold God's standards for righteous living.

Church Plant

Our culture is in a state of upheaval, but God's people have the resources to confront cultural trends that are harmful and unbiblical.  Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world, 1st John 4 says.  There's a passage in Isaiah 59 that is reminiscent of the passage in Ephesians 6, describing the
armor of God. We can read:
17 For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, And was clad with zeal as a cloak.
18 According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, Fury to His adversaries, Recompense to His enemies; The coastlands He will fully repay.
19 So shall they fear The name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.

It seems the enemy is working overtime to destroy and discredit the Church, and we have to make sure that God's Word is being proclaimed in culture.  It's important that His words concerning abortion, sexuality, marriage, racial issues, and more are being accurately communicated to a culture and Church which are being infiltrated by ideas that don't line up with Scripture.  The enemy will come to deceive; we can raise up God's standards in our own individual lives and culturally, as well, so that people will see the power and presence of Jesus.

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There are numerous areas of spiritual warfare in which God is calling us to engage.  As we will talk about on today's Meeting House program, this is certainly applicable in the area of sexuality.  And, it is certainly seen in the area of our attitude toward the unborn.  Ephesians 6 tells us:
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

We've seen so-called people of faith and church leaders who have cozied up to Planned Parenthood, which is the nation's largest abortion provider.  CBN reported on a dedication for a new clinic in Ohio:

Billed as an "interfaith gathering," the Ohio Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice dedicated a new abortion clinic in Cleveland, Ohio Monday by having a United Church of Christ minister on hand to bless "the sacred space of decision."

This was published in October.  The story also related:

On Nov. 9, the group will also have "faith leaders" perform a blessing of a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Columbus, Ohio. The "blessing" will feature prayers, "testimonies about receiving and providing abortion care," and a message from Rev. Susan K. Smith of Crazy Faith Ministries, according to the website Christian Headlines.com.

Franklin Graham responded strongly, saying: "Can you believe that? In reality, they are 'blessing' murder. They are blessing actions that are against the laws of God. That would be like priests standing outside the gas chambers at Auschwitz and blessing the murder of innocent Jews. Such evil."

LifeNews.com published a report this past fall on an attempt by a church in Berea, Kentucky to welcome Planned Parenthood there:

Planned Parenthood tried to have a sneaky meeting at Union Church (the pastor said having PP in town would be “good for business” – we aren’t sure what that’s supposed to mean). But over 100 pro-life advocates showed up to protest and make sure Planned Parenthood knew they aren’t welcome. They even made local news!

Hopefully it’s clear to Planned Parenthood that they aren’t welcome in Berea, despite what the aggressive pro-abortion population in town has to say. We don’t need Planned Parenthood – not in Berea. Not anywhere.

The article mentioned how the state of Kentucky is down to one abortion clinic, and it isn't even a Planned Parenthood center.

And, a group of churches in Spokane have banded together to form what is now known as The Church at Planned Parenthood, but it's not what you might think!  Its website says:

The Church at Planned Parenthood is NOT a protest. It’s a worship service at the gates of Hell. The Church at Planned Parenthood is a gathering of Christians for the worship of God and the corporate prayer for repentance for this nation, repentance for the apathetic church and repentance of our blood guiltiness in this abortion holocaust.

Founder Ken Peters, pastor of Covenant Church in Spokane, told CBN News that "We gotta put legs to our faith," adding, "We've gotta find that balance between being mean and nasty and yelling, we've got to find the balance between that and doing nothing."  He believes the Lord directed the church to plant another church right there at the clinic site.

The article says:

Peters and members of his congregation go to the local Planned Parenthood and share a message of God's love and hope. They host a full service complete with a worship band and prayer teams.

It goes on to report:

Peters added that as news of his church has spread, other ministries are joining in.

"Our last service, we got about 65,000 people viewing in live on my personal Facebook feed," he said. "We had over 300 people there outside in the freezing cold, cars driving by. It's been unbelievable."

The website lists six area churches that have partnered together to "corporately support The Church at Planned Parenthood and the spiritual fight against this abortion holocaust."

We can be reminded of a few principles from this story.  For one thing, when we see that the enemy is engaging the Church, we have to engage him.  Not shy away, but armed with the full armor of God, including the Sword of the Spirit, we may be called to be part of directed spiritual warfare.  We don't go looking for it, but quite frankly, it has been brought to our doorstep.

This story gives us a picture of the Church unconstrained.  God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.  This is applicable to trends in the culture, and harmful trends in the Church - we must not allow ourselves to be held back, but empowered and equipped to speak and act boldly.

Sometimes that will involve communicating the message in fresh ways.  We first have to be grounded in truth, and depend on the Lord to show us how we can live it out.  And, in this particular arena of pro-life activity, that comes from a position of having developed a passion for life, and allowing that passion to motivate us to action.