Shopping for Souls

At the end of Hebrews chapter 11, which is known as the "faith chapter" of the Bible, we can read these words:
35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.
36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
37 "For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him."

When we surrender our lives to the Lord, we can have an expectation that He will lead us in His ways - He has given us His Word, teaching us His principles, and His Spirit will empower us to be able to be obedient to Him.  We also can depend on Him for inspiration, to give us ideas, heavenly vision, in order to carry out what He desires for us to do. And, our creative God will also provide instruction and strength so that we can glorify Him and fulfill His calling.

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The apostle Paul wrote these words, found in Romans chapter 15 about possessing confidence in the Lord:
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
14 Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

For years in Ponce de Leon Mall in St. Augustine, Florida and similar centers across the country, people have ventured there to shop, to visit multiple stores under one roof.  In many areas, this concept has declined, including that particular center in Florida.

However, a different type of "shopping" experience is about to commence in that coastal city. A local church, Anchor Faith Church, has announced it will be buying the mall, according to CBN News, which reports:

One Florida church raised over one million dollars to purchase an empty shopping mall in hopes of creating opportunities that will give back to the community.

Anchor Faith Church in St. Augustine announced on its website that it plans to fill the once-bustling storefronts at Ponce de Leon Mall with local businesses as a way to create job opportunities for the unemployed.

The article said that the church first became involved with the mall back in 2009 when it needed more space. Pastor Earl Glisson sensed that God was directing the church to buy the rest of the shopping complex. And, throughout the five-year process of raising the initial 1.1 million dollars, as the pastor said, he "...never wavered that we would be able to obtain it. I just kept the faith. I would drown out any other voices," adding, "In those moments, I kept standing on the Word. Every day I would say, 'Thank you Lord for 2121 US Hwy 1 South.' I made choices not to lean on my own understanding and to trust that He was able to perform what He was able to do for me." 

The church's website states, "We will be able to create space for local businesses and entrepreneurs to open up shops, boutiques, and stores. Proceeds from these rented spaces would help to directly fund outreach opportunities here in Saint Augustine, but to our ministry partners in the rest of United States, Central America, Africa, and Asia," adding, "We'll be able to open a distribution center to get necessities in the hands of those in need, such as clothing, food, and furniture." 

The pastor says, "The role for believers is to be a light wherever they're at...We have an opportunity for the church to impact the marketplace directly. As tenants come, we are going to bless them."

Yesterday, the church was scheduled to hold a dedication center for this new extension, to, as Pastor Glisson says, "advance the kingdom of God."

Two things are apparent to me here.

First of all, since we serve a Creator God who is the author of creativity, we can depend on Him to give us creative vision.  He can produce in our hearts ideas that will bring Him glory, with the potential to touch and change lives. And, not only that, He provides the power and wisdom to carry that out.  We can depend on Him for inspiration to do His work.

We can also remember to have confidence and walk by faith.  The vision was given, the price tag was set, and the pastor and congregation continued to trust in the Lord to provide the financial resources in order to take the next step.  This was reportedly a down payment, and now it's up to the church to follow through, with God's help.  I think it can be helpful to remember the faith milestones along our journey - and just because we reach a goal, we know there will be more opportunities.  We cannot rest on our laurels, but continue to press on to what God has in store.

Unclear

Our view of the world around us can be governed by the philosophies of this world, which can get us off course. Or, we can apply a Christian worldview - Colossians 2 tells us:
6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
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.

There are plenty of ideologies that run rampant throughout this world, yet, as believers, our view of the world should be centered around one thing - the authority of the Word of God.  The Bible speaks to so many of the issues that we are dealing with as a society today - matters of sexuality, crime and justice, economic struggles, and the essence of the sanctity of life itself.  In a world in which people are looking for answers, we can point to the teachings of Scripture.

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In the book of 1st Corinthians, the apostle Paul contrasted the wisdom of this world with the wisdom of God and calls us to be spiritually-minded. He wrote in 1st Corinthians 3:
18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their own craftiness";
20 and again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile."

A recent episode of the Dr. Phil show featured a rather unique premise that certainly should be addressed and debated.  And, kudos to Dr. McGraw for bringing on a panel to discuss gender identity.  The lineup, according to the Daily Citizen website of Focus on the Family, consisted of "two 'non-binary,' 'transgender' activists," along with a commentator who is a professing Christian.

You might think that the Christian had the deck stacked against him, but that was not a problem for well-known influencer Matt Walsh.  The article says:

Walsh, with truth, respectfulness and civility, countered and questioned the ideology of LGBT activists Addison, born male but now identifying as “non-binary,” and Ethan, who was born female but now says she’s “non-binary/trans-masculine.”

The conversation went like this, according to the article, which says:

The activists spent a lot of time trying to explain to Dr. Phil McGraw, host of the show, transgender language and ideology. They worked to separate the physical reality of sex – being male or female, from so-called “gender identity” – how a person feels or thinks.

Addison said, “We need to realize that ‘transwomen’ are women and ‘trans men’ are men, too.”

Walsh said, “Well, this is one of the problems with this left-wing gender ideology, is that no one who espouses it can even tell you what these words mean.” He then asked, “What is a woman? Can you tell me what a woman is?”

Ethan said, “No, I can’t. Because it’s not for me to say. Womanhood looks different for everybody.”

Addison said, “Womanhood is something that, as Ethan just explained, I cannot define, because I am not myself a woman.” Addison later reduced “being a woman” to a person’s self-identity – to an individual’s subjective thoughts or feelings – untethered from reality.

Again, so there's no confusion: Addison is a biological man.  Ethan is a biological woman.  They have supplanted biology with ideology. 

The Daily Citizen went on to state:

The wide-ranging conversation went on to discuss pronouns, along with activists demands that people be forced to use gender-confused individuals’ pronouns of choice. Addison said that his pronouns are “they/them,” while Ethan said her pronouns are “he/they.”

Walsh said, “You can have whatever self-perception you want. But you can’t expect me to take part in that self-perception, or to take part in this kind of this charade, this theatrical production.

The article was written by Jeff Johnston of Focus on the Family, who offered these comments:

Walsh tweeted posts from Addison and Ethan saying they’ve “been experiencing a heightened level of anxiety,” nightmares and “depression spirals” since the taping. They claimed they were “attacked by another guest and played by the producers” and asked people to send them “good vibes.”

Rather than sending vibes, believers should pray for the salvation and healing of these troubled individuals.

Walsh was a model of civility and respectfulness – even when completely disagreeing with LGBT activists and allies on Dr. Phil. He didn’t attack them as individuals, but he did question their beliefs and explain the truth.

There are several angles that we should explore:

For one thing, we should not be afraid to discuss hard issues and present a Biblical perspective. That means we should be equipped by the Word of God in partnership with the Holy Spirit, to give us the keenness of mind and tongue in order to speak as God directs.

Now, we should be reasoned and civil, not angry or unprepared.  We should keep in mind that we are called to love people, regardless of whether or not we agree with their ideology.  If we resort to personal attacks because we perceive we are losing an argument, we are not furthering the cause of Christ.

While there are conclusions about gender that are totally unfounded, nevertheless there are a number of people who have a lack of clarity about who they are including their gender.  The enemy is feeding false ideas about sexuality, and it is devastating.  And, it must be terribly frustrating to those who have these struggles.  But there is hope - those struggling with gender issues need the truth of the Scriptures and a relationship with Christ.  

Made To Order?

The body of Christ is made up of the individual components who have been knit together by God in order to reflect His glory. It is not solely a matter of what we can receive from the Church, but of what we can give. Romans 12 reminds us:
4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,
5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them...

We have to reject a "consumer mentality" with regard to Church - it's not a "made to order" proposition according to what we want, but it's the following of a Savior who has His desire to express through the church body what He wants.  There will be benefit to each of us, because we are encouraged and exhorted through our faithful church attendance, but we are also called to service, and the Church gives us a place to allow God to work through us corporately. 

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A picture of the work and function of the local church can be found in the book of 1st Corinthians, chapter 12. We find these words in that chapter:
(24b) But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it,
25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.
26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

We do not come to Christ on our own terms; we come to Him, recognizing that we are sinners in need of a Savior.  And, ideally, we don't participate in the local church on our own terms - certainly, we can select areas of teaching and ministries, but by affiliating with a local church, we recognize that we cannot demand that 100% of all that transpires will be to our liking - and that of everyone else.

Now, there are other elements of accessing truth that you could consider "on demand" - you can choose to listen to Faith Radio or access our content online.  There are other content providers, including Bible teachers, who have online content available, and we should make those choices in order to grow in Christ, not necessarily what makes us feel good about ourselves.

That being said, there is some interesting data that has just been released that does give some insight into attitudes about the practices of the local church.  It seems that the "lede" that I have been seeing has something to do with shorter sermons - however, as The Christian Post reports:

Fewer than 10% of Evangelical Protestants want to have shorter sermons during worship, while nearly a third want more in-depth teaching, according to recently released survey data.

Grey Matter Research and Infinity Concepts released a new report last Friday titled “The Congregational Scorecard: What Evangelicals Want in a Church.”

According to the report, "only 7% of respondents want sermons to be shorter, while 85% believe the sermon lengths are acceptable as they are. About 8% percent said they wanted sermons to be longer." The Post article also notes, "These trends were fairly consistent across generations..." 

The article quotes Mark Dreistadt, CEO of Infinity Concepts, who stated, “The most surprising insight was that 30% of evangelicals want more in-depth teaching than their church is currently providing...," adding, “This demonstrates an opportunity for pastors to go deeper into the Word of God. This is good news at a time in our culture when biblical literacy is so low — there appears to be a desire among Evangelicals to deepen their understanding of biblical truth.”

There has been much analysis of the relationship between faith and politics, and this survey actually shows that a majority of those surveyed did not mind political content in sermons; the article says that the "report also found that around two-thirds of respondents liked the political messages or political involvement of their churches, while 22% wanted less political involvement from their churches."

The survey apparently covered a laundry list of topics; including how much music and the type of music; also, according to the article, "Respondents were asked for their thoughts on their churches’ focus on evangelism, social issues, outreach, overall service length, congregation size, racial diversity, how often donations are requested and the number of women in leadership."  On average, around 3/4 of people were "content" in these areas.

We cannot go to a kiosk somewhere and order up the church that completely fits our liking - but that's not the point.  Our decision to affiliate and participate in the local church means that we have chosen to serve the Lord together with a group of people who love God and are committed to drawing closer to Him, serving one another and serving the community.  If we have prayerfully considered where to attend church, then we can be convinced of God's call to fulfill His purpose in and through that congregation.  

It may not be perfect, but we don't do ourselves or the church any favors if we develop a cynical attitude or a hyper-critical point of view.  If we find ourselves becoming divisive or frustrated, then perhaps the problem is not with the church. And, to adopt a "grass is greener" attitude and think things might be better somewhere else, you might just find that another church won't meet your expectations, either. 

While the local church may not be perfect, it is the instrument that God uses to exalt His name.  Our ambition should be to find our place in the body of Christ and identify where God wants to use us. The work of the local church is made more effective through the obedience of the various members - I have said that Faith Radio, as a support to the local church, is devoted to helping believers grow in their walk with the Lord, which makes for stronger churches.  As part of the body, we are directed to use our gifts for His glory through His Church.

Finally, we should pray and support our pastors and church leaders and make sure that we possess a humble and obedient attitude. And, we can pray for one another, that God would have His way in all our lives.

Banned

The presence of Jesus in our hearts means that we can rely on Him, fellowship with Him, and walk with Him daily. He has freed us to be obedient to Him, so that we might walk the surrendered life. In Luke chapter 4, we see Christ's bold proclamation of His identity; we can read:
16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.
17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
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."
20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.
21 And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

Healing and liberty - those are two of the themes of this teaching in the synagogue by our Lord.  He is the One who is near to us, who wants to set us free from what holds us back in developing a strong relationship with Himself.  He frees us up from the power of sin in order that we might experience His holiness. He comforts us in our time of need and is available to us when we call upon His name.  His Spirit empowers us to walk an overcoming life. 

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All around us, it seems, the responsibility we have to live out our faith faces barriers - some are from the culture, others are from our errors. Paul cautions the Galatians in chapter 5 of the book bearing their name:
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

Later in the chapter, he writes about not allowing those barriers to hold us back:
7 You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?
8 This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you.
9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump.

Yesterday, in The Meeting House commentary, I shared the story of a young lady who needed the help of our Savior - she was drug-addicted and looking for answers.  Because a Canadian church had decided to remain open during the pandemic in the face of severe restrictions, she came in and discovered a relationship with Jesus Christ.  Neither the impact of a worldwide virus or the initiatives of hostile government officials can stop the work of the Church.  And, by the way, our freedom to practice our faith is not ultimately granted by government, because, as it's been pointed out, government can take it away.

And, in Canada, overzealous officials have made a decision to ban counseling for people who are dealing with unwanted same-sex attraction. The pastor of the church to which I referred yesterday, Jacob Reaume of Trinity Bible Chapel in Waterloo, commented on what is known as bill C-4 in a piece at The Daily Wire, which said:

While describing C-4, Reaume — whose church incurred over $100,000 in fines last year for refusing to shut its doors in defiance of Canada’s COVID-19 lockdowns — noted that the edict will “make the preaching of the biblical gospel a criminal act.”

“The biblical gospel is a message of conversion, whereby Christ causes sinners to be born-again, thus converting them from sinful propensities to godliness,” he explained. “The bill’s language is vague enough that many think it might criminalize a biblical call to forsake sodomitic propensities to embrace righteousness.”

The article also quoted Tim Stephens of Fairview Baptist Church in Calgary:

Stephens — who was jailed in a maximum-security facility last summer for refusing to close his church — added that “the law is overly broad in defining conversion therapy,” thereby enshrining “progressive gender ideology and queer theory as normative.”

“All societies that live according to the biblical ethic” — in other words, creational norms — “have flourished,” he continued. “This is now called harmful. Ironically, this law promotes a truly harmful type of ‘conversion’ using puberty blocking chemicals, surgeries to remove functioning breasts and sexual organs, regular hormone treatments, and truly harmful counseling that has led to exorbitant suicide rates.”

Pastor Tim Coates of Grace Life Church in Edmonton, who was also imprisoned for defying lockdown orders, made contact with an American pastor out of concern for the new law. That pastor wrote:

I am eager to support our Canadian brothers and to preach on biblical sexual morality on January 16, and I invite you as a faithful pastor to do the same. Our united stand will put the Canadian and the U.S. governments on notice that they have attacked the Word of God. We are all well-aware of the evil power and destructive influence of the homosexual and transgender ideology. Our government is bent on not only normalizing this perversion, but also legalizing it, and furthermore criminalizing opposition to it.

That pastor can be heard weekday afternoon at 1:30pm on Grace To You on Faith Radio - none other than John MacArthur.  And, an estimated 4000 pastors joined Dr. MacArthur in preaching on Biblical sexual morality that day, according to FoxNews.com.  CBN News quoted some of MacArthur's comments that day; he proclaimed:

"There is no such thing as transgender. You are either XX or XY, that's it. God made man male and female. That is determined genetically, that is physiology, that is science, that is reality."

"On the one hand, the reality of that lie and deception is so damaging, so destructive, so isolating, so corrupting that it needs to be confronted, but on the other hand, that confrontation can't exaggerate what already exists, which is a sense of feeling isolated in relationships," he said.

But YouTube removed MacArthur's sermon from its platform and told conservative commentator Todd Starnes that MacArthur's video presentation was "hate speech."

"Our team has reviewed your content, and, unfortunately, we think it violates our hate speech policy," YouTube said, according to Starnes. "We've removed the following content from YouTube: 'There is no such thing as transgender. You are either XX or XY. That's it. – Pastor John MacArthur.'"

By the way, MacArthur, who in his stand for the freedom of pastors and counselors to share Biblical truth regarding sexuality, as well as his church's own stand against overzealous civic officials in trying to prevent worship during COVID, has demonstrated by his actions his commitment to religious freedom, according to the U.S. Constitution.  Not according to those who say they champion religious freedom yet seek to curb it.  There has been criticism of the pastor recently because of words apparently taken out of context.  A report at The Daily Wire points out:

A one-minute-and-forty-seven-second clip of influential pastor John MacArthur speaking about religious liberty began circulating on social media Monday. Some critics claimed it proved the longtime teacher of the Grace To You radio ministry doesn’t believe the U.S. should protect religious freedom. Others insisted his words meant he advocates for fascism, state religion, and forced conversions.

The clip was, according to the article, "...was taken from a sermon immediately after President Joe Biden’s inauguration in January 2021. MacArthur shares that he wasn’t impressed by an evangelical publicist who assured him the new administration would uphold religious freedom."  So, he said: “I don’t even support religious freedom,” adding, “Religious freedom is what sends people to hell. To say I support religious freedom is to say I support idolatry. It’s to say I support lies. I support hell. I support the kingdom of darkness.”  He later cautioned against lobbying the government for religious freedom.

Phil Johnson of Grace To You told The Daily Wire:

“MacArthur is certainly not advocating the theonomic notion that Christians today should commandeer governments in order to force Christianity on the world,” Johnson told The Daily Wire. Referring to Matthew 20:25-27 and Revelation 2:27, he further clarified the intent of the clip:

Because Christ is perfectly righteous, He has the right and the authority to rule the whole world without tolerating the kind of spiritual free-for-all that people today call “religious freedom.” But because human governments are run by fallen people who tend to misuse power, we do not believe Caesar should have authority over people’s consciences when it comes to the question of whom and how they worship.

Seems to me that MacArthur exhibited a clear understanding of where rights come from.  And, his actions over the last year or so have clearly shown he embraces what Christians might call "religious freedom."  But, he also realizes that belief systems that are based on anything other than God's Word do not contribute to knowing Christ. 

That didn't stop critics, even those whom you could refer to as evangelical thought leaders, from taking the clip and running with it, taking the opportunity to denigrate the seasoned pastor.  Radio host Erick Erickson wasn't buying it; the Daily Wire story relates:

“He was not talking about the ability of different faiths to worship in a multi-ethnic country of different faiths,” Erickson said. “He was talking about Christians believing Christianity is true and all other religions are false and don’t really give you freedom.”

Erickson went on to point out that secular governments often persecute Christians while claiming they support religious freedom.

Don't have a knee-jerk reaction when you read a story that doesn't quite fit.  Don't draw conclusions without having an understanding of the facts - and consider context!

There is developing news on the religious freedom front - the attempt to share freedom in Christ with people who are struggling with same-sex attraction is under assault, not only in Canada, but in the U.S.  One example: David Closson, Director of the Center for Biblical Worldview at Family Research Council points out, in West Lafayette, Indiana...

...the city council recently proposed an ordinance prohibiting the practice of so-called “conversion therapy” by unlicensed counselors. While these counseling bans are not new, the scope and reach of the proposed ordinance go beyond almost anything we’ve seen previously. By intentionally targeting unlicensed professionals, the ordinance would subject pastors and counselors to hefty fines for having conversations with church members and counselees about what the Bible teaches about unwanted same-sex attraction and/or gender dysphoria.

It can be very easy to be discouraged, but we can really be appreciative of how blessed we are to be able to share our faith and participate in public worship.  It is a gift of God that has been hard-wired into our Constitution.  But, if we buy into the erroneous beliefs that our freedoms are given by humans, we become keenly aware that they can be taken away.  We do have incredible freedom in Christ, which can never be taken away - so we can be encouraged to proclaim it and live it!

Not Closed

The Church is built on the firm foundation of the truth of Christ - it is the truth of Scripture, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the anointing of God that sustains the work of the Church in the earth. In Matthew 16, we find this encounter between Jesus and His disciples, especially Peter:
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.
19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

1st Timothy 3 refers to the "church of the living God."  Because our Savior is alive and seated at the right hand of God, and Jesus is alive in the hearts of His people, we can be convinced that we are empowered to carry out the mission of the Church. Our purpose, as His representatives, is to reflect the presence of God in the earth, to show to those around us that Christ is alive, that He loves every person, and that He came to redeem fallen humanity.

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God's intent is that His Church would be glorious, with a powerful witness on the earth. We see in Scripture that the husband and wife relationship is a representation of Christ's relationship with His bride - the Church. That is why embracing same-sex marriage is an affront to the message of the gospel, because it perverts God's intent. Ephesians 5 states:
24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

Perhaps you have been following the plight of churches in our national neighbor to the north, where Canadian churches have been facing fines and even pastors have been arrested because they have resisted stringent restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

One such church is Trinity Bible Chapel located about 80 miles west of Toronto, according to a CBN News article from last year.  In February of 2021, the church was charged fines and fees amounting to $83,000. The church was shut down in April and had to pay another round of fines. 

The article notes that:

Senior Pastor Jacob Reaume makes no apologies for opening his church's doors to anyone who wants to come. In his blog on the church's website, he noted, too, that their area is at low risk for COVID.

The article also says the pastor wrote: "We do not place our ultimate hope in governments and their plans to keep us safe. Our hope is in Jesus Christ... Our greatest threat is not a virus that 99.937% of Canadians have not died from. Much rather our great threat is the sin in our hearts which leads to hell, an imminent danger to 100% of Canadians."

That describes the spiritual state of one Jennifer Scott.  According to CBN.com, she stood before Trinity's congregation recently and declared: "I was a slave to darkness...I grew up going to church, but I wasn’t saved.”  The story goes on to say:

Scott’s journey led her into chaos and drug use. She eventually found herself “smoking and shooting 7 grams of cocaine a day,” but life started to change after she agreed to attend a prayer meeting at her son’s request.

“My son asked me to come to a prayer meeting at Trinity,” she said. “In my small ground, I asked for prayer to help me stop.”

And after Scott posted a comment on a church YouTube video, the pastor reached out and started encouraging her. Eventually, the church helped her secure a bed at a sober-living house — and her life was suddenly transformed.

“I have been clean and sober now for over seven months,” she said. “The body of Christ here at Trinity has helped me with furniture and other things.”

Jennifer made these statements just before she was baptized in front of the congregation. And, she punctuated her comments with these words: “None of these things would have happened if Trinity closed it doors and was solely online,” adding, “I know for a fact I’d be dead right now if God had not used this church in my life.”

The church declared, “Refuse to close your doors. Refuse to turn people away. This testimony is one among many that are similar,” adding, “We’ve witnessed over 100 baptisms at TBC since June 2020; all glory to God!” It used the hashtag, #OpenYourChurch to reinforce the message.

In many ways, the Church has never been "closed" during the COVID pandemic.  Some have ceased to meet, and many have launched or augmented online ministries.  Others have been so bold as to defy or challenge local restrictions, such as Trinity Bible Chapel and others in Canada, Grace Community Church in California, and others.  I hear and read reports of churches that have continued outreach in their communities, and as I reported to you recently, a survey shows that over half of churches identified as "Christian" have started new ministries during the pandemic.  

We can be reminded that when there are barriers or perceived barriers to living out our faith, we can depend on the Lord to show us the way forward. The Bible tells us in Galatians 6:9, "...let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."  The enemy would want to bring discouragement, but the Holy Spirit will encourage our hearts and equip us to do the work of the Lord, even amidst the challenges.

We can also allow the teachings of Scripture about salvation to motivate us.  Jennifer Scott recognized that she might have been dead from substance abuse had she not been invited to a prayer meeting at that Canadian church.  The church recognized that the possibility of spending eternity in hell is "an imminent danger to 100% of Canadians."  The virus of sin is so pervasive, but the love and power of God provide the 100% effective remedy.

At the Cross

Jesus gave His life for us on a cross and calls us to die to self and live for Him, by the power of the new life we now have in Him. In Mark 8, Jesus used the image of the cross to call His disciples to a life of self-sacrifice; the Word says:
34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.
36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Each day, we can make sure that we are living that surrendered life to the Lord.  We should not be motivated by selfish motives, but by the love of Christ, to love Him, as Jesus taught, with the entirety of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to allow that love to flow from us and touch the lives of others who need to see the hope of the Lord. We are not to adopt a "me-first" mentality, but we are called to make Him the Lord of our lives. 

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It is helpful to reflect on the death of our Savior on a cross, giving His life so that we might come into a relationship with Him and experience His new life. Colossians 2 addresses the significance of the cross, reminding us that He has, according to verse 13...
(13b) ...forgiven you all trespasses,
14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

The presence of a cross can provide a reminder of what Christ has done for us. For this reason, it is common to see a cross adorn a church sanctuary and other venues, as well.  Throughout the years, Faith Radio has been gratified by the number of people who have come by our studios and other locations in our coverage area to obtain 7-foot crosses to be displayed during the Christmas season.  I would also invite you to consider displaying your cross during the Easter season, as well, as we communicate what Jesus has done for us.  I remember the listener who challenged others who tune in to Faith Radio to display crosses during the height of the coronavirus pandemic as a symbol of hope.

A recent article at The Alabama Baptist made me aware of churches throughout the state who have placed or are in the process of placing crosses at their locations.  One example is Riverview Baptist in Troy.  According to the article:

A few months ago, Malone Chandler, bivocational pastor of Riverview Baptist Church in Troy, invited Terry Long, spiritual renewal and evangelism specialist with the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, to share the concept of his book, “100 Days at the Cross: One Man’s Journey to Understanding the Power of the Cross of Christ.”

The church family decided to go through the book together. A cross was built and set in the ground; stationed around it are two concrete benches providing a place to sit or even kneel. There is a weatherproof box for prayer requests.

That 100-day effort ended earlier this month. The article relates that: "Chandler has been amazed to see and hear about the number of people who take the time to pull off the busy highway and come to the cross. People stop simply to pray; others pray and put requests in the box, which are then reviewed by the pastor, and members pray over them."

The Alabama Baptist piece goes on to say that "Long has been encouraging churches to erect crosses and promote prayer efforts around the cross for quite some time. In 2012, Long put up an 11-foot wooden cross at the intersection of Highway 63 and 613 along the Mississippi Gulf Coast."  This occurred when he was pastoring there; he has been with the Choctaw Baptist Association in Alabama since 2015 as associational missions director.  And, he reports a new wave of churches erecting crosses; the article, published earlier this month, says:

Overall, Long said 10-12 crosses have been erected since November 2020. Currently, several churches, including Eden Westside Baptist in Pell City, are in the process of erecting a cross.

When asked about his vision for the future Long said, “I would love to see a cross go up in every association in Alabama. Danny Dean, associational missions director for Butler [County Baptist] Association, led them to put one up last year, and he is making plans for two more in 2022.

Jesus invites us to join Him at the cross, so that we might know His forgiveness - we die to self, we die with Him, so that we might experience new life.

Jesus also invites us to take up our cross daily.  Before He died - on that cross - He spoke about that act of sacrifice; it was not accident or coincidence that He used the word picture of the cross to describe devoted discipleship.  The question before us each day is whether or not we will pursue selfish ambition or self-adulation rather than pursue a life of surrender to Christ.

Looking More Deeply

Within our minds, we can be convinced of the authority and reliability of the Word of God and purpose to abide by His truth. In 2nd Peter 1, we can find these words:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

When we have our doubts, we can press in to Scripture and call upon the Holy Spirit to show us more about Jesus. Instead of running from God in our times of crisis, we can make sure that we are running toward Him, opening our hearts to what God wants to do inside of us. His Word tells us about a faithful God who loved fallen humanity so much that He sent His Son in order that we might be redeemed through Him.

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We have the opportunity to grow in the Lord and to renew our mind with the truth of His Word. 2nd Timothy 2 invites us to experience His faithfulness and grow in faith; it says:
11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.
12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Everybody knows Ray Romano, right? Or at least know the name or who he is? Ray was the star of the long-running TV series, Everybody Loves Raymond.  But, probably very few know his brother, Richard. That may be about to change - even though Richard took a decidedly different path that his show-business brother, he has a movie that was released back in 2013, but has a new life through its release through streaming service, PureFlix.com.

CBN.com reported on Richard's journey as a policeman who served in New York City.  The article relates:

“I wanted to be a police officer and help people,” he said during an interview with Pure Flix.

And while Romano proudly served as a New York police officer, the harrowing experience taught him a lot along the way. There were some truly difficult lessons that deeply impacted him.

“I was kind of like a naive kid … when I got in there, I was in for a shock in the sense that just seeing the sometimes dark side of humanity and the sadness and the pain of people,” he said. “It was an adjustment for me.”

Eventually, Romano came to a place on his journey where he started to doubt his faith — a real-life story that serves as the basis of “The Investigator,” a movie he wrote about a veteran police detective who becomes a criminal justice teacher and baseball coach at a local high school before embarking on the “most important investigation of his life.”

The article recounts that Richard began to doubt "the existence of God." He says, “[I wondered], ‘How can God be here when all these innocent people get hurt and whatever happens to them?’ … It was depressing for times and I struggled to keep my faith and sanity.”  This caused him to do his own investigation.

Richard was teaching at a school, and a student asked him about Jesus, and he was frustrated that he couldn't give an answer. He shares: “I was so despondent and sad because I didn’t know the answer and I had my doubts,” adding, “I felt something, in that moment, with God saying to me, ‘I am real and you’re going to do an investigation on it and you’re doing to write a screenplay on it.'”

The Investigator is now on PureFlix.com. 

I think there's a real challenge here - Richard Romano experienced what appears to be what is called a "crisis of faith."  And, he set out to do something about it - and he crafted a movie that parallels, it seems, his own faith journey.  When we have questions or experience doubts, we can be motivated to look more deeply, to allow those to propel us to learn more about Jesus, not to walk away from Him or "deconstruct" our faith.  As I've said before, if our faith isn't working for us, it's not God's fault - He invites us to learn more about Him.  His Word is true, His claims are accurate, and the fact that He is risen from the dead after a cruel death is a compelling piece of evidence that He is who He says He is. 

The Bible directs us to study the Word, we must prioritize and press in to Scripture - we can see ourselves and see the human condition.  We can learn about a loving God who came to earth in the form of a man, His only Son, so that we might have a relationship with Him.  We see a God who has given us what are termed "exceedingly great and precious promises" and who has fulfilled them. We can conclude that He is totally faithful and His Word is authoritative, infallible, and reliable.

Inside the Numbers

The power of a unified Church, full of believers who have truly embraced the term, "Christ-followers," cannot be underestimated. In Ephesians 4, we can read a description of a devoted Church:
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.

You could say that our commonality as believers, who are committed to praying, worshiping, and serving in agreement with one another, has the potential to be a powerful force in this world. The Church has been placed here to bring a manifestation of the glory of God, and we each have been gifted and directed so that we might carry out His mission and display the truth.  With God's Word as the foundation, we have been sent out to a world that needs to know Jesus.

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The expression of the truth of God in our culture has been entrusted to the Church, and in 1st Timothy chapter 3, Paul writes:
14 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly;
15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

It was late last year when Pew Research released some new numbers about the religious practice of Americans, and you might say there's a "good news, bad news" scenario - a majority of Americans self-identify with Christianity, but the number is declining.

A summary on Pew's website gives us more information. A key statement says: "Self-identified Christians of all varieties (including Protestants, Catholics, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Orthodox Christians) make up 63% of the adult population." So for the purposes of this survey, some who would not be necessarily considered to be "Christian" are included. And, just under 3 out of 10 American adults are considered to be religious "nones" These are: "people who describe themselves as atheists, agnostics or 'nothing in particular' when asked about their religious identity.

The decline in the percentage of Christians in America is concentrated over on the Protestant side, with 40% identifying in that group, a 10% drop over the past 10 years.  The survey summary also notes that:

Currently, 60% of Protestants say “yes” when asked whether they think of themselves as a “born-again or evangelical Christian,” while 40% say “no” or decline to answer the question.

The summary adds: "24% of U.S. adults describe themselves as born-again or evangelical Protestants, down 6 percentage points since 2007."

There are a few other talking points that I'd like to mention.  Almost a-third of those surveyed indicated they attended a religious service at least once or twice a month, with 25% saying they go once a week, at least. This is slightly down, only about 2 percentage points, from 2020.  Just over half of Protestant Christians attend at least once a month, with almost 2/3 of born-again or evangelical Christians attending monthly, according to the survey data.

Almost 8 out of 10 self-identified born-again or evangelical Protestants say they pray every day. 45% of all American adults indicate daily prayer.  But, a third of American adults don't pray at all or do so seldomly.

80% of born-again or evangelical Christians indicate that religion is important to them - that's double the percentage of the population at large.

While these are not overwhelming numbers, still born-again Christianity continues to possess significant numbers, but we have to build on that - quantity is important, but if it is not being leveraged to win souls and change lives, then we have to be concerned about the quality of our overall corporate walk. You know, every American could claim to be Christian, but if that faith, that proclamation is not controlling his or her life, then we still have a spiritual deficiency.  But, if we are taking part in passionate prayer and engaged participation in worship, there is the potential for an expression of the power of God through His body. 

We can also consider what each of us brings to the corporate worship setting.  Certainly, each of us benefits from hearing God's Word each week and worshiping together, but what we experiencing corporately is affected by our individual practice of faith. Do we have time set aside for personal worship, Bible study, and prayer?  And, furthermore, what is the fabric of our prayers?

Evangelical Christianity has the numbers; on paper, you might say, we are a formidable force - and it is certainly written that we can impact the world.  But, we have to live it out.  We are not called to be a statistic, but a sold-out believer in Christ.  I have heard the term, "Christ-follower," used nowadays rather than Christian. That can be helpful in considering the extent to which we are living out our faith.

The Right Narrative?

The antidote to a wicked heart is the presence of a willing heart - a heart willing to follow Christ. He is the one who offers us the way to salvation. Jeremiah 17 states:
7 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord.
8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
10 I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.

We can look around us and be discouraged by the evil we see - just this past weekend, a man walked into a house of worship and took hostages.  We hear about crime statistics in our major cities.  We see the fruit of people being divided and hating one another.  The level of anger perhaps has reached a boiling point.  And, the enemy can take our divisiveness and turn us against one another. But Jesus brings the ultimate solution - He gave His life so that hearts might be changed and purified, that lives might be brought out of darkness into light.

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In our world today, we have to recognize the presence of pure evil.  The centrality of our problem with 
crime is not flesh and blood, as 2nd Corinthians 10, but the work of the enemy to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus was very clear about the wickedness of the human heart. He said in Matthew 5:
21 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'
22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.

If a person is not walking with the Lord, he or she becomes prone to do harm to others. And, so often, we reject the spiritual dynamics at play.  

Take the recent events near Fort Worth in a synagogue this past Saturday.  A man enters the building during a service and takes four hostages, including the rabbi of the congregation - in a rescue operation, he loses his life. But, there were initial reports that the fact that the site of the incident, a Jewish synagogue, was merely incidental to the motive of the hostage-taker.  So, then, why not go into a department store?  A crowded theatre?  A police station?  You have to at least consider that the fact that there was a motive dealing with religious matters. 

Todd Starnes pointed this out on his website over the weekend, writing:

The terrorist had demanded the release of Aafia Siddiqui, also known as “Lady Al-Qaeda,” a convicted Islamic terrorist who had tried to kill U.S. soldiers.

He quoted an FBI agent who said, “We do believe that, from engaging with the subject, he was singularly focused on one issue and it was not specifically related to the Jewish community,” adding, “We will continue to work to find motives and we will continue on that path in terms of the resolution of the incident.”  

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that:

Before the Facebook livestream was taken offline about 2 p.m., an angry man could be heard ranting, at times talking about religion. The video did not show what was happening in the building. The man repeatedly mentioned his sister and Islam and used profanities. He was heard asking for his “sister” to be released from prison. The man said a few times he didn’t want anyone hurt, and he mentioned his children. He also said repeatedly he believed he was going to die.

The Guardian reports:

The British man who took hostages at a Texas synagogue had been under investigation by MI5 as a possible Islamist terrorist threat as recently as 2020, Whitehall sources acknowledged on Tuesday morning.

British intelligence closed the investigation, however, after officers had concluded Malik Faisal Akram from Blackburn posed no threat, and as a result he was able to freely travel to the US and purchase a gun.

Newsbusters featured the networks' coverage of this situation over the weekend, pointing out that the networks had stayed away from the phrase, "Islamic extremist" when describing the case. But, the website posed this question:

Back in December, the networks quickly abandoned a bigoted, anti-Semitic criminal as he drove his SUV into a Wisconsin parade, murdering six. After a day and a half, the networks have covered the synagogue hostage situation for 45 minutes. As more details come out, will they drop this story too?

On December 13, Newsbusters said:

It has now been 22 days since a bigoted, anti-Semitic criminal drove his SUV into a Wisconsin, parade, murdering six. Yet, not long after the Waukesha slaughter, the networks stopped mentioning the name of alleged killer Darrell Brooks. By December 7, ABC, CBS, and NBC had completely abandoned the story altogether.

The story says goes on to chide news organizations for using language that the attack was carried out by "the SUV."  

Miranda Devine, writing for the New York Post, has a theory on the reason for the silence concerning the Waukesha tragedy. She says:

There’s a reason the media are incurious about the hate-filled, anti-white social-media posts of suspect Darrell Brooks.

Waukesha is of no interest to these people, not just because the story does not serve their political purposes, as the Kyle Rittenhouse case did when they wanted to paint Donald Trump as a white supremacist.

No, they are burying the Waukesha story because it threatens the very core of the progressive revolution convulsing the country: criminal-justice “reform.”

Six people would still be alive if Milwaukee had not been hijacked by progressive prosecutors.

She takes Milwaukee District Attorney John Chisholm to task, writing: "His office let out Brooks on $1,000 bail Nov. 16, after he allegedly punched his girlfriend in the face and deliberately ran over her with the SUV he allegedly used in Sunday’s attack. Brooks’ criminal record is over 50 pages long." Devine adds:

Chisholm feigns dismay at the low bail now, but it was part of his plan.

He knows what happens when you let violent, recidivist criminals out of jail, if you handicap police and strip them of their powers, if you break the adversarial system, turn prosecutors into social workers, and close prisons.

Everyone knows. Crime and violence skyrocket, along with mental illness and homelessness. There is nothing compassionate or equitable about progressive criminal-justice reforms. They tyrannize the weakest and most vulnerable, the elderly, the infirm, and women and children.

But she contends that the DA "knew but he didn't care."

It seems you have politicians who are taking the "criminal" out of criminal justice - with lower bail for those caught damaging property in the summer of 2020 and reduced sentences for certain crimes in New York City.  We continue to see crime rising in major cities across America, and while it is certainly justified to point the finger at so-called "progressive" officeholders who have created an atmosphere in which crime can fester, we also have to understand the spiritual dynamics.

Jesus was clear about the evil that resides in the heart of individuals.  If we have hate toward another person or allow anger and bitterness to have a place inside, we have a time bomb that is ticking within our souls.  The enemy's scheme is to cause us to be divided, and hate is a powerful weapon.  So is 
anger. Those components in our hearts become toxic to us personally, and to our culture. Jesus also taught in Matthew 15:
18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.
19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

In order to combat crime, it is helpful to understand why a person engages in criminal behavior, and those are heart issues.  That is why we must be faithful to display the truth of God to a needy world.

And, we should certainly not harbor hate toward another person because of his or her religious practice. Each person has the right to choose the religion, or not religion, that he or she will follow.  And, there will be disagreements.  We should actually love a person of a different faith so much that we want that person to come into a saving knowledge of Christ, rather to hate him or her because they believe something different.  And, when we disagree over religion - or anything else - we should do so in a spirit of Christ's compassion.

Spreading the Word

There is a dramatic need for the teachings of God's Word in our culture today, and God desires to use each of us in order to bring a greater awareness of Him. In 2nd Timothy 4, Paul writes to Timothy:
2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;
4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Spiritual readiness comes through our careful consideration of the principles of Scripture. We can study God's Word with the intent of learning from Him, hearing from Him, and we can submit ourselves to the teaching of our pastors, as well as other Bible teachers, such as those heard on Faith Radio. The presence of God's Word in our minds and our hearts can help us to reject the philosophies of this world and to accept and apply what God teaches us.

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In 2nd Corinthians 2, Paul demonstrated the leadership of the Holy Spirit in his life in order that the Word of God might be spread. We can read in that chapter:
12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord,
13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia.
14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

Over three years ago, a Virginia elementary school teacher named Hannah Salisbury had an idea - she was devoted to prayer walking in her school, and God spoke to her through one of her students.  ChristianHeadlines.com states: "...one of Sailsbury's second-grade students approached her with a Bible from the school library, expressing interest in learning more about it."

Hannah says, according to the article:

"And God really opened my eyes to realize if we have this old Bible in our school, how come we don't have a more engaging Bible that's fun, that has pictures in it?" she asks in a promotional video on her YouTube channel.

The article says, "That day would lead Sailsbury...to launch Bibles in Schools in 2019, which has provided over 1,500 Bibles to school libraries in 43 states. The organization would also reach six countries across the globe. The organization's website states, quoting Salisbury:

After rallying a team of friends, family, and people from my church, we donated the Action Storybook Bible in all of the 38 public elementary schools in our county.

It started a movement and people began to get excited that we have every right to donate Christian literature in our schools. People began joining the mission and the movement is spreading to other counties and states! I never thought that my prayers would become a movement to make Jesus known in schools all across the nation.

The Christian Headlines article says:

In light of the great need for God's Word, Sailsbury told CBN News that she resigned from teaching to devote herself to Bibles in Schools full-time.

"I never pictured going full-time with this. I was doing this because I saw God moving; I saw Him working," she noted. "And I knew I had to be obedient to what He had called on my life, and this is what He wanted me to do. And I could see the need!"

Bibles in Schools went international when she was contacted by a Kenyan mother who had learned about the program and contacted Hannah - this mom needed Bibles for an afterschool program, but with limited resources, could not afford them.  Bibles in Schools partnered with another organization and the Bibles were sent to her.

The organization's website notes: "Students are yearning for truth and hope in our world today. What better way than to give them the best selling book of all time, the Bible! The Bible is full of adventure stories and a love that lasts for eternity."

Christian Headlines notes that: "Bibles featured on the Bibles in Schools' website are The Action Storybook Bible for elementary school students, The Action Bible for middle school students and The NIV Study Action Bible for high schoolers."

The launch of this amazing ministry all started with prayer - in response to her prayers for her school,  God used a child to ask a question, which generated a response from Hannah. We don't have to see the entire picture when following the will of God - we are called to be faithful in the small things, and then God will bring growth according to his plan.  From one library to an entire county to now countries around the world, God has acted to bring His Word to children through school libraries.

God wants us to develop a sense of trust and willingness in our hearts - Hannah's faithfulness to the Lord resulted in a change in her life: to give up teaching and devote herself to this new endeavor.  We can trust Him with the course of our lives, knowing that He is fully reliable and that He has a good plan for us. 

Just

God's goals for us as the body of Christ have been stated in a passage in Ephesians 4, in which the apostle Paul discusses spiritual leadership, and says:
(14) ...we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ--
16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

The world has its own ideas about how we should relate to one another, but the Bible teaches how we can respond to each other in love - the love of Christ.  The world wants to tell us that someone has to lose in order to for another to be successful; the Scriptures tell us that if we lose our own lives, we can be exalted in Him. We should not be devoted to what we can take from someone else, but instead we should be motivated to give to another.

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The body of Christ is constructed in a certain way so that we follow God's intent in using His unique abilities and characteristics in order to accomplish His purposes. 1st Corinthians 12 paints a valuable picture:
13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.
15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?
18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.

The Reverend, as it was underscored for me in an interview several years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is known as an effective leader on behalf of the cause of civil rights, a cause that was rooted in the worth of the individual and was devoted to changing the law at the time to reflect a more just perspective. But, King did not wield racial division as a sword, rather, he saw the opportunity to bring racial harmony, calling for people to be judged not on the color of their skin, but the content of their character.

Unfortunately, you have people today who claim to be opposing racism by practicing racism.  The so-called "anti-racists" actually embrace racist ideas but put them in a new package, and some advocate discrimination for the sake of combating what they perceive as injustice.

Here's the opening paragraph in a recent FoxNews.com story:

Guidance issued by the Biden administration states certain individuals may be considered "high risk" and more quickly qualify for monoclonal antibodies and oral antivirals used to treat COVID-19 based on their "race or ethnicity."

In a fact sheet issued for healthcare providers by the Food and Drug Administration, the federal agency approved emergency use authorizations of sotrovimab – a monoclonal antibody proven to be effective against the Omicron variant – only to patients considered "high risk."

The article adds, "Some states, including New York and Utah, have made it clear they will prioritize certain racial minorities over other high-risk patients when it comes to the distribution of particular COVID treatments."

There is quite a bit of enthusiasm for monoclonal antibodies as effective treatment, and it is concerning and even perplexing that these potentially life-saving treatments have not been distributed in an aggressive, widespread way.  And, here you have governmental officials who are trying to manipulate the process, it seems.

And, it seems that some in authority reject Dr. King's message of not viewing individuals by the color of their skin.

In a piece from the Answers in Genesis website, Brandon Clay offers this perspective:

Ibram X. Kendi, one of the prominent critical race theorists and author of How To Be An Antiracist, wrote, “The only remedy to racist discrimination is anti-racist discrimination. The only remedy to past discrimination is present discrimination. The only remedy to present discrimination is future discrimination.” Kendi is bold in his assertions.

Kendi is not alone in his aim to discriminate against people not of his “race” with the hope of correcting oppression experienced among that group. Another author wants to hate “white” people so much, she prays for it. According to Disrn, Chanequa Walker-Barnes, a self-proclaimed “public theologian and ecumenical minister” wrote in her book, A Rhythm of Prayer: A Collection of Meditations for Renewal, “Dear God, Please help me to hate White people. Or at least want to hate them. At least, I want to stop caring about them, individually and collectively. I want to stop caring about their misguided, racist souls, to stop believing that they can better, that they can stop being racist.”

One adjustment: that book is actually a collection of essays compiled by author Sarah Bessey.

Clay writes:

CRT-inspired theorists, ministers, and actors overtly aim to elevate some “races” over other races and discriminate in the process. This is the very definition of racism or biblical ethnocentrism. If you were to flip the script on these statements, it may appear more obviously problematic. For instance, take the prayer posted earlier, insert “black” instead of “white,” and consider the result. You could also insert “Hispanics,” “Asians,” or any other evolution-inspired race into Walker-Barnes’ prayer. Her ethnocentrism is made all the more glaring when the tables are turned. And if it sounds wrong to hate one “race,” it should sound just as wrong for any “race.”

Why is that? Because God’s Word opposes ethnic discrimination. One “race” is not better than another “race.” We are all made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). God didn’t create “blacks” or ‘whites” in his image. All people, regardless of skin color, were made to reflect the Creator’s image.

I believe you could make the case that the basis for the teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. and much of the civil rights movement is a Biblical understanding of race and justice.  The Answers in Genesis piece concludes by noting:

Thankfully, we don’t have to follow the false religion of critical race theory to have hope for ethnic tensions to fade. God has given us an opportunity to be reconciled to himself through Jesus and the good news of the gospel. Moreover, Christians have a robust, biblical worldview that acknowledges distinctions between ethnicities and promotes ethnic reconciliation. God has graciously given us a solution to racism and division between people groups through Christ. There is no reason to be swayed by critical race theory. We have everything we need in Christ.

There is much to consider regarding the teachings of Dr. King, and this day gives us an opportunity to think about Biblical justice.  It's not "an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth;" rather, we should keep our eyes open for ways to make things right.  Instead of trying to level the playing field, we should be devoted toward elevating all people and ultimately bringing restoration. 

Each of us is a unique creation of God, and in our differences, even through our differences, we can see God do a powerful work.  We should never allow our differences to divide us and turn us against one another, but we can recognize what each of us brings to the mission of God on the earth. In our humanity, we have to guard against turning against one another, rather Christians should set an example and build one another up in Christ's love.

The Pandemic Church

Scripture teaches us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He never changes, and if we build our lives on His foundation, we will be able to navigate the changes around us. And, our mission or, as it's been described, our "assignment" from God may change, but we can be totally reliant on Him. Hebrews 10 states:
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

In the midst of change and uncertainty, we can continue to proclaim through our words and deeds the reliable nature of an all-powerful God, knowing that He is faithful. And, we can encourage one another to be involved in the work of the Lord, as the Church mobilizes and moves together in Him to touch people's lives at the point of their need.  We can, essentially, cheer one another one a we follow Christ and do His will.

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We each have a purpose in Christ, and we have been equipped by the internal presence of Christ to be involved in external service for Him. Philippians 1 says:
27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,
28 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

It does seem like that we have been facing a mighty adversary for the past two years. Even though church attendance has been dramatically affected during the last two years due to the coronavirus, a new study shows that churches are using the crisis to launch new opportunities.

The Hartford Institute for Religion Research has issued a new report and, according to ReligionNews.com:

If their findings are representative of the roughly 320,000 Christian congregations in the country, the institute said, the researchers estimate that nearly 175,000 churches launched or expanded ministries, funds and supplies in response to the pandemic over the past two years.

The article says that these latest findings, from the second in a series of surveys, are "based on a collaboration among 13 denominations from the Faith Communities Today cooperative partnership and institute staffers." Religion News goes on to say: "Less than three-quarters (73%) agreed in 2020 that their congregations were willing to change to meet new challenges. That increased to 86% in November."  The survey also found that churches' attitude toward be willing to be involved in their  community increased over that period - from 70 to 82%.

The article also notes:

The project’s first report, based on responses from summer 2021, showed that about a third of congregations had increased requests for food. About a quarter received more requests for financial assistance during the pandemic. The November survey found that 22% said they had added or increased food distribution and 21% had enhanced or begun financial assistance for their community.

The report also found that 28% of churches "have started or expanded community support ministries, using phone trees to inform and encourage members and nonmembers or offering elder care options, such as providing rides to medical appointments." Plus, with the use of church buildings limited, "about a quarter of congregations expanded the use of their buildings for other activities, from helping homeless people to offering child care and tutoring."

The Hartford Institute report itself stated that, "When asked if they started a new ministry or expanded and increased an existing one, over half of congregations (54%) said they had. On average, these churches had begun or expanded over three of their outreach ministries. Many of these churches also did not feel constrained or limited by their resources to try something new, with 46% of congregations responding that they felt they had the resources to pursue new ministry opportunities."  Just under 3/4 of churches related they have offered "some form of community service or ministry" during the pandemic.

And there is promising news regarding church attendance; ReligionNews.com notes:

While attendance remains depressed, the survey found the rate of attendance decline between 2019 and 2021 was 9%. It had been down 12% in the summer.

The number of congregations reporting a severe decline of 25% or more fell from 35.2% in the summer to 30.3% in November. And the number reporting growth of 5% or more increased from 28% to 37%.

There is no question that crisis brings opportunity. We can become discouraged in our pain and struggle, or we can allow our adversity to embolden us to walk more deeply with the Lord and to be prepared to reach out to those in need. The Spirit of God will mobilize and equip us to do the work foR the Lord.

We can also consider what God is calling us to do - specifically.  As Pat Bradley of Crisis Aid International was discussing on The Meeting House earlier this week, when he saw the needs of people in South Sudan in Africa, he realized that to do nothing was not an option. Perhaps there is a new work that God will use us to start - we can pray and ask the Lord how we can help and depend on Him for the direction and resources we need to carry it out. 

The effect of COVID can be devastating - while there has been a negative impact on church attendance, which seems to be rebounding, God has raised up new forms of communicating the gospel through technology.  And, church people, as this survey indicates, are more open and involved in their communities. We can be challenged to remain open to the movement of the Holy Spirit through us.

Big Ben

The man who wrote a large part of the New Testament once rejected the gospel. Until God took hold of his life in dramatic fashion on the road to Damascus. Paul was faithful to tell his story, even when he had been arrested and stood before King Agrippa to defend himself. In Acts 26, we can read Paul's account after encountering a bright light on his journey; he said:

14 And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'
15 So I said, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
16 But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.
17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you,
18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'

Paul was someone who you could have written off - after all, He was killing Christians!  Certainly this man could not be saved, right?  This man stands as an example to each of us that no one is beyond the saving grace of God. All of us were considered to be sinners and headed for eternity apart from God - but Jesus loved each of us so much that He was willing to die for us and to bring us into a saving knowledge of Himself.  Praise His name - we can be hopeful and expectant that as we are faithful to tell our story, that God may use that as a seed to bring someone, even someone far apart from Himself, to Jesus.

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The apostle Paul, as we know, was a changed man - the one who once opposed the Church and was hostile toward Christ came into a relationship with Him. He wrote to Timothy in 1st Timothy chapter 2:

5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,
6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,
7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle--I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying--a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

It was in a conference room in Murfreesboro, Tennessee when I had my first in-person conversation with author Del Duduit. He was sharing about one of his early devotional books, First Down Devotions: Inspiration from NFL’s Best.  In this series, which now has a sequel, he highlights the Christian walk of a number of players and principles that Christians can apply to their own lives.  There are also 2 Dugout Devotions books, too. 

The conversation included his comments regarding someone who has been getting quite a bit of attention these days as he nears his last NFL game, which could come as soon as this weekend, depending on the outcome of the Pittsburgh Steelers wild-card playoff game against the Chiefs. 

For Ben Roethlisberger to be mentioned in an interview about Christian athletes may have seemed odd - it certainly did for me.  After all, wasn't there a scandal that involved an incident with a woman in a Georgia hotel room a few years ago?   Maybe the real question is, can Jesus save someone like "Big Ben?"

A recent Movieguide piece stated:

Despite past addictions to alcohol and pornography, Roethlisberger is candid about his faith journey.

“We sin like everybody else. I am no different. We make mistakes. We get addicted to things. We sin. We’re human,” he said in 2020. “I think sometimes we get put on this pedestal where we can’t make mistakes. I’ve fallen as short as anybody. I’ve been addicted to alcohol. I’ve been addicted to pornography, which makes me then not the best husband, not the best father, not the best Christian I can be.”

“You have to dedicate yourself and understand that you can get out of it because of the grace of God and him saying, ‘Listen, you’re good enough for me the way you are. You don’t have to be perfect,'” he added.

The article quoted from Sports Spectrum, which reported on the ManUp Conference in Pittsburgh, at which Roethlisberger spoke. He said, “Three years ago I got baptized,” adding, "I was baptized as a kid; my parents took me as a baby. But I didn’t make that decision. So three years ago now I made the decision to be baptized because I felt like I needed to do that. I wanted to have a closer walk, a better relationship with Jesus, with my wife, with my kids, with my family – become a better person.”

And after a victory over the Cleveland Browns two weeks ago, Ben said, “I’m just so thankful for the fans, my family, obviously,” adding, “The good Lord has blessed me in so many ways. We still got another game and I’ll be excited and ready to go for that, but this is just an awesome place.”  

This past Sunday, the Steelers put themselves in a position to earn a playoff berth in dramatic fashion.  After Indianapolis lost its game, Pittsburgh was still in the playoff picture, and Roethlisberger led the Steelers in a defeat of Baltimore to earn the berth. 

In my own experience, I think there is a tendency to think that a person who has a bad reputation is perhaps somehow beyond saving.  You think that the way a person behaves today determines how he or she will respond tomorrow.  But, the simple fact is this: no one is beyond saving, no one is beyond the grace of God.   

A prevalent Biblical example supports this: the apostle Paul - a persecutor of Christians, who certainly was not walking with Jesus for a period of his life. But, Jesus entered his life in a dramatic way, appearing to him on the road to Damascus, and using him as a chosen vessel to write a significant portion of the New Testament. And, essentially, that's the story of each of us - you may not have a reputation as an enemy of the cross, but no matter how bad or good you think you may have been before coming to Christ, we all were separated from God by sin.  If you don't know Christ, your sins of the past will not keep you from experiencing the unlimited, unconditional love of God. 

None of us are perfect in our actions, even today. But, we have been made new creations in Christ Jesus. We have all made mistakes prior to our coming to Christ, and in our redeemed state, we will still sin against God - but fortunately, as the Bible says, we have an Advocate, a mediator, who stands for us, to whom we can come when we sin.  He forgives our sin, and by the Holy Spirit who is in us, He provides the power in order to follow Him.