CHICAGO (BP) – Supporters of the ministerial housing allowance should be hopeful about a federal appeals court’s anticipated ruling on the 60-year-old provision, a religious liberty lawyer said after oral arguments in the case. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago appeared Sept. 9 to lean toward either dismissing the case because the allowance’s challengers lack legal standing or upholding the allowance as constitutional, a lawyer with the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty … [Read more...]
Stopping church shopping, make disciple-makers
We’ll call them Brian and Victoria Samples. They are followers of Jesus, born-again, and church shoppers. Following the tried-and-true method of how to select a new church passed down from their parents, the young couple sits through several worship services, boldly leave their toddler in childcare, and pray about their fit with that church. Now, there’s another couple we’ll call Terrance and Charlene Goforth. They are followers of Jesus, born-again, and church shoppers, too. They have … [Read more...]
ERLC: Town’s sign code violates church freedom
WASHINGTON (BP) -- The Southern Baptist Convention's religious freedom entity has called for the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down a municipal sign ordinance it says violates a church's free speech and assembly rights. The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) joined in a friend-of-the-court brief filed Sept. 22 that contends the sign code of Gilbert, Ariz., discriminates against churches while favoring political and ideological messages. The brief, filed by the Christian … [Read more...]
Patiently Hanging on Every Word
If hanging onto reality is anything like hanging pictures, mine probably needs to go a little higher and to the right. I know, I know. There are all kinds of tools and methods to make picture-hanging easier. But I think I only feel I’ve put in the right amount of energy when I’m left with four or five holes for every one nail. Tap in a nail. Hang the picture. Eyeball it. Take down the picture. Pull out the nail. Put the nail closer to the right spot. Tap it in. Hang the picture. Eyeball … [Read more...]
Bible & generational curses
Many Christians struggling with addictive behaviors, bad relationships, or dire circumstances wonder if they are victims of generational curses. In other words, they worry that God is punishing them for the sins of their ancestors. Prosperity preachers like Joel Osteen lend credence to this notion. “The things you struggle with – they didn’t just happen to show up,” he says in a video message. “Somebody in your family line opened the door… . It will continue until somebody rises up and … [Read more...]
Stand for religious liberty
NASHVILLE (BP) – Southern Baptists must boldly proclaim the Gospel as they fight for religious freedom in the United States and globally, David Platt said in an interview conducted by the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Platt, newly elected International Mission Board president, participated in an interview with Dan Darling, vice president of communications for the ERLC, focusing on religious persecution. The ERLC posted the interview, which took place during … [Read more...]
Mohler: Osteen message ‘aims for so little’
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) – The evangelical world, joined by no shortage of secular observers, has been abuzz about the latest soundbite of note from the Pastors Osteen – this time offered by Victoria Osteen as her husband Joel beamed in the background. In her message, Victoria Osteen tells their massive congregation to realize that their devotion to God is not really about God, but about themselves. “I just want to encourage every one of us to realize when we obey God, we’re not doing it for … [Read more...]
Teams map 65 people groups in Missouri
JEFFERSON CITY – A dozen interns sent out by the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) canvassed Kansas City, St. Louis and Jefferson City for 10 weeks this summer, mapping out pockets of lostness in these cities. Late last month, the Missouri Baptist Convention released a report summarizing what they found in these Missouri cities: namely, more than five dozen people groups from around the globe that need to hear the gospel. The survey work—a joint project of the MBC, the North American … [Read more...]
Honor God by Honoring the Man of God
October is Pastor Appreciation Month The Lord has brought to this state, at this time in history, some of the finest pastors in the Kingdom. These men, who weep with the hurting and equip the saints to walk by faith, have humble hearts set on making others successful through ministries of service and preaching of the Word. Through the years, the challenges of leadership have a way of draining godly men of their physical, emotional and spiritual vitality. They know that the moment they … [Read more...]
Urgent to reach the lost, like firemen on 9/11
A high-profile pastor from New York City addressed a large conference for church planters and evangelism leaders. He gave a rousing cry for evangelism. He said the need is so urgent that we should be like the firefighters that went into the Twin Towers on 9/11. They didn’t pick certain people to help. They went in to save them all! The mental image of that story was very powerful. The spiritual need is great! Everyone is important. Do we abandon people group missions? Do we stop learning … [Read more...]
Who are Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims?
When the militant forces of ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) recently occupied a large portion of the Middle East and declared the establishment of a new country under an Islamic caliph (leader), it became apparent to the outside world that much of the conflict involved Muslims fighting one another. Specifically, the continuing conflict involves two major sects of Islam: Sunni (the sect of ISIS) and Shi’ite. This may prompt us to ask, “What’s the difference? Muslims are Muslims, … [Read more...]
A timeless message from a great preacher
R.G. Lee Payday Someday from Baptist Press on Vimeo. Some people have called it the most famous sermon of the 20th century. R.G. Lee, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis from 1927 to 1960, was best known for his sermon "Payday Someday," which used the story of Ahab and Jezebel from 1 and 2 Kings to portray God's judgment against sinners. Lee preached the sermon more than 1,000 times to some 3 million people and as a result saw more than 8,000 professions of faith in Christ as Lord … [Read more...]
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