Perhaps the most important question asked in the Supreme Court during the two days of argument on gay marriage was a rhetorical question posed by Associate Justice Antonin Scalia to pro-gay marriage attorney Ted Olson. “When did it become unconstitutional to exclude homosexual couples from marriage?” Implicit in the question “when did it change” is the question “who changed it?” The answer to those questions exposes the fundamental difference between two competing worldviews in the … [Read more...]
MBC to appeal ruling on Windermere
JEFFERSON CITY - The Executive Board of the Missouri Baptist Convention has voted to appeal a Camden County judge’s decision April 3 granting summary judgment in favor of Windermere Baptist Conference and other defendants. The Executive Board will appeal to the Southern District Court of Appeals in Springfield. The convention is seeking the return of 1300 acres of Windermere real estate, which was removed from MBC control when Windermere’s board secretly voted in 2001 to become … [Read more...]
Religious liberty of child care providers threatened
JEFFERSON CITY – Church child care ministries will no longer be exempt from government regulations if a bill filed by Rep. Jeremy LaFaver, D-Waldo, becomes state law. “House Bill 493 is a threat to religious liberties,” said Kerry Messer, lobbyist for Missouri Baptist Convention’s Christian Life Commission. The question of licensing such ministries has been a recurrent effort in the Missouri General Assembly, but Messer calls HB 493 “the most direct frontal assault on church child care … [Read more...]
Lawmakers consider rights protection measures
JEFFERSON CITY–The rights of parents and health care workers are being addressed in bills recently filed with the Missouri General Assembly. Speaker of the House Timothy Jones, R-Eureka, is sponsoring House Bill 457 (HB 457), which seeks to protect the conscience rights of health care workers who decline to participate in medical procedures or research that violates their consciences. Jones is joined by 57 other representatives in sponsorship of the bill. “The bill protects employees in … [Read more...]
Missouri layman lead counsel in religious liberty / Obamacare win
JEFFERSON CITY – A Missouri-based plumbing products manufacturer, whose lead legal counsel is a Missouri Baptist layman, has won the opening legal battle over whether the company must comply with the ObamaCare mandate and provide abortion-inducing drugs in its health care coverage to its employees, even though it violates the conscience of the company’s owners. Kansas City-based Sioux Chief Manufacturing Co., does not have to immediately comply with the ObamaCare mandate until the 8th U.S. … [Read more...]
Pro-life pastor, lawmaker stands strong
JEFFERSON CITY – Rep. John McCaherty, R-Murphy and pastor of First Baptist Church, Murphy, and 41 other members of the Missouri House of Representatives believe that a mother should not be coerced into having an abortion simply because she wants a child of the opposite sex. They have joined together to sponsor House Bill 386 (HB 386) which would also protect unborn babies who have been diagnosed with possible physical or mental disabilities. “We are trying to stop the sales process,” … [Read more...]
‘Daycare Bill’ could impact churches’ childcare exemptions
JEFFERSON CITY – A bill in committee would force Missouri Baptist churches that offer daycares to become licensed or shut down that portion of their ministry. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jeremy LaFaver, a Democrat from Jackson County, strikes current portions of Missouri law which exempt churches from those that must be licensed to offer day care. Removing those exemptions and forcing licensure would make children safer, LaFaver testified, noting that some church-based daycares have become … [Read more...]
First Branson pastor offers 2-minute resource
BRANSON - Neil Franks, pastor, First Baptist Church, Branson, is into “The 2.” That is his rank among Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) officers right now as he serves as first vice president. That is also his smartphone identity. Thanks to an innovative app creation, Franks is The 2-Minute Pastor. “We’re not trying to become important or big,” Franks said. “We just think there’s a niche out there. There’s a gap in the market of good, biblical content in short bursts.” As of March 1 … [Read more...]
ACLU withdraws objection to Franklin County prayer
UNION — After filing suit against the Franklin County Commission last summer for declaring that prayers offered before meetings instituted a government-forced religion, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has now withdrawn legal action to stop these invocations. “I think it is good they dropped the lawsuit,” said Jim Plymale, director of missions for the Franklin County Baptist Association. “Now there will be no further legal expenses or clouds over the County Commission in this … [Read more...]
Tax credit bill passes House
JEFFERSON CITY – Pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) and several other charitable entities will benefit from tax credits if a proposed bill continues to smoothly make its way through the legislative process. House Bill 87 (HB 87), sponsored by Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Springfield, won 149-2 approval Feb. 7 in the House of Representatives and was sent to the Senate. The bill would allow taxpayers to claim credits against their state income taxes for contributions they make to those … [Read more...]
A Christian perspective on beauty
As Christians talking about beauty, we must begin with the Apostle Paul’s exhortation to stop being conformed to this world. We are to have transformed minds, renewed by thinking on God and His ways. Only then will discernment reign, and only then will our lives be marked by beauty. First, let’s begin by stating the problem. Defining beauty is like nailing Jell-O to a wall. We have all heard the dictum, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” and certainly there is truth in this. … [Read more...]
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