"NOT EVEN SERMONS ARE SAFE ANYMORE" - David Closson, Washington Update, October 22, 2019; https://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=WA19J44&f=WU19J14 [AS I SEE IT: While this story might intimidate some pastors into continuing to be silent on cultural issues in - and out of - the pulpit, my hope is that it will challenge the majority to see that they have a Biblical responsibility to speak out on issues that clearly go against Biblical truth. If they don't speak out, then who else with their authority - given by God - then who else speaks for God to our society? - Stan]
The Crossing Church from Columbia, Missouri has been in the news recently -- and for all the right reasons. Just last month, the church garnered national attention when it helped members of their community pay off unpaid medical bills. Through partnership with RIP Medical Debt, a nonprofit organization that helps people pay off outstanding medical debt, church members donated more than $430,000 which was used to pay off more than $43 million of medical debt by negotiating with debt collectors. At the time, Pastor Keith Simon explained the motivation behind his congregation's generosity: "We do this because we feel like God has been incredibly gracious to us. He's paid our debts. We think those who follow Jesus should be radically generous with their time, their talent, their treasure."
Today, the Missouri church is in the news for something else: their pastor preached a sermon on October 13 titled "Male and Female. Ancient Text. Modern Debate." Using Genesis 1:27 as his text, Pastor Keith Simon preached on God's design for sexuality and transgenderism. Displaying pastoral sensitivity, Simon walked through the Bible's teaching on gender and reflected on how Christians can minister to those who identify as transgender. With love and compassion, the pastor explained how men and women are created in God's image and how the transgender movement does not align with the Bible's teaching on sex and gender complementarity.
But despite Pastor Simon's efforts to discuss the topic from a loving, biblically informed perspective, local LGBT activists immediately cried foul, launching a petition and demanding local businesses cut ties with the church. Last Thursday, Sager Braudis Gallery, a local art gallery, was the first to cave to activist pressure. Although the church had financially sponsored the gallery for five years, the gallery said they were severing ties to show "solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community" and to register their protest "against institutions who perpetuate and use their powerful platforms for content of this nature."
While skirmishes over marriage and human sexuality have become commonplace, this latest incident reveals an alarming level of intolerance among progressive activists. An honest observer would be hard pressed to find anything in the sermon that could be construed as vindictive or hateful. In fact, Pastor Simon went out of his way to avoid politics, at one point saying, "We're not talking about partisan politics or the culture wars." Instead, Simon wanted to show what Jesus taught on these contentious issues, regardless of the current cultural moment.
Throughout the 40-minute sermon, Pastor Simon modeled the way Christian ministers should discuss transgenderism from the pulpit. He straightforwardly explained that the issue is unavoidable; transgenderism is a regular topic in the media, entertainment, sports, and legal communities. According to Simon, the issue is so prevalent that it would be "weird to talk about this everywhere but the Church." Moreover, the topic cannot be ignored because the Bible speaks to it. In fact, the first chapter of the Bible reveals that the two sexes were God's idea, and that part of what it means to be made in God's image is to be created "male and female." In other words, the issue "shows up in the text." Therefore, pastors who want to preach the whole counsel of God's word have no choice but to teach on sex, gender, and God's design and purpose for marriage and sexuality.
But not only did Simon base his sermon in the Bible (he discussed Genesis 1 and Matthew 19 at length), he was honest about the church's past failings in regard to the LGBT community. He explained that too often the church has taught unbiblical stereotypes and offered a picture of masculinity and femininity that is out of step with the Bible. However, Simon insisted that "gender is not superficial to who we are," and that faithfulness to God's Word requires affirming the Bible's sexual ethic, even when that ethic is out of step with the culture.
During the course of the sermon, Simon asked two poignant questions. First, speaking to LGBT activists, he asked, "Are we sure this is best?" Is buying into the transgender narrative good for women? Is it good to give puberty blockers to children even though 80 percent of children who identify as transgender eventually identify with their biological sex? The obvious answer is "no." [italics and colored emphasis mine]
Second, Simon asked, "Do we really want people's subjective, internal feelings to define reality?" He explained that we don't do this with other issues. If someone's mind tells them a lie, we try to counteract that lie by pointing them to objective truth. We don't go along with the lie. Thus, rather than encouraging someone to embrace a gender identity other than their biological sex, we should help people see the goodness of their God-given gender.
At the close of his sermon, Simon explained that the issue of transgenderism boils down to a question of authority. Who has authority when it comes to our bodies and how we use them? Is it contemporary culture or Jesus? Ultimately, Simon explained, "Jesus is Lord over us, culture, and our bodies." He finished by exhorting his congregation to show love and compassion to those struggling with gender dysphoria. "Speak the truth in love," he exhorted.
The church could not have been clearer that the Bible affirms that all people are made in God's image. Speaking of people who identify with different sexual lifestyles, they stated: "[w]e affirm their full personhood, dignity, and worth. We believe that our government bears a responsibility to protect their lives, dignity, welfare, and all other rights afforded to every other person in this country."
Indeed. Yet this may not be enough for those opposing what the Bible teaches on this matter. From the halls of Congress to state legislatures, town halls to school board meetings, many are unified in opposing biblical truth on the issue of human sexuality. May all Bible-believing Christians unite to defend the truth in the public square -- before it is too late.
[italics and colored emphasis mine]
PRAISE GOD for the continuing recent successes againstISIS ! Pray that coalition forces will be able to fully destroy the leadership and infrastructure of ISIS .
Today, the Missouri church is in the news for something else: their pastor preached a sermon on October 13 titled "Male and Female. Ancient Text. Modern Debate." Using Genesis 1:27 as his text, Pastor Keith Simon preached on God's design for sexuality and transgenderism. Displaying pastoral sensitivity, Simon walked through the Bible's teaching on gender and reflected on how Christians can minister to those who identify as transgender. With love and compassion, the pastor explained how men and women are created in God's image and how the transgender movement does not align with the Bible's teaching on sex and gender complementarity.
But despite Pastor Simon's efforts to discuss the topic from a loving, biblically informed perspective, local LGBT activists immediately cried foul, launching a petition and demanding local businesses cut ties with the church. Last Thursday, Sager Braudis Gallery, a local art gallery, was the first to cave to activist pressure. Although the church had financially sponsored the gallery for five years, the gallery said they were severing ties to show "solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community" and to register their protest "against institutions who perpetuate and use their powerful platforms for content of this nature."
While skirmishes over marriage and human sexuality have become commonplace, this latest incident reveals an alarming level of intolerance among progressive activists. An honest observer would be hard pressed to find anything in the sermon that could be construed as vindictive or hateful. In fact, Pastor Simon went out of his way to avoid politics, at one point saying, "We're not talking about partisan politics or the culture wars." Instead, Simon wanted to show what Jesus taught on these contentious issues, regardless of the current cultural moment.
Throughout the 40-minute sermon, Pastor Simon modeled the way Christian ministers should discuss transgenderism from the pulpit. He straightforwardly explained that the issue is unavoidable; transgenderism is a regular topic in the media, entertainment, sports, and legal communities. According to Simon, the issue is so prevalent that it would be "weird to talk about this everywhere but the Church." Moreover, the topic cannot be ignored because the Bible speaks to it. In fact, the first chapter of the Bible reveals that the two sexes were God's idea, and that part of what it means to be made in God's image is to be created "male and female." In other words, the issue "shows up in the text." Therefore, pastors who want to preach the whole counsel of God's word have no choice but to teach on sex, gender, and God's design and purpose for marriage and sexuality.
But not only did Simon base his sermon in the Bible (he discussed Genesis 1 and Matthew 19 at length), he was honest about the church's past failings in regard to the LGBT community. He explained that too often the church has taught unbiblical stereotypes and offered a picture of masculinity and femininity that is out of step with the Bible. However, Simon insisted that "gender is not superficial to who we are," and that faithfulness to God's Word requires affirming the Bible's sexual ethic, even when that ethic is out of step with the culture.
During the course of the sermon, Simon asked two poignant questions. First, speaking to LGBT activists, he asked, "Are we sure this is best?" Is buying into the transgender narrative good for women? Is it good to give puberty blockers to children even though 80 percent of children who identify as transgender eventually identify with their biological sex? The obvious answer is "no." [italics and colored emphasis mine]
Second, Simon asked, "Do we really want people's subjective, internal feelings to define reality?" He explained that we don't do this with other issues. If someone's mind tells them a lie, we try to counteract that lie by pointing them to objective truth. We don't go along with the lie. Thus, rather than encouraging someone to embrace a gender identity other than their biological sex, we should help people see the goodness of their God-given gender.
At the close of his sermon, Simon explained that the issue of transgenderism boils down to a question of authority. Who has authority when it comes to our bodies and how we use them? Is it contemporary culture or Jesus? Ultimately, Simon explained, "Jesus is Lord over us, culture, and our bodies." He finished by exhorting his congregation to show love and compassion to those struggling with gender dysphoria. "Speak the truth in love," he exhorted.
The church could not have been clearer that the Bible affirms that all people are made in God's image. Speaking of people who identify with different sexual lifestyles, they stated: "[w]e affirm their full personhood, dignity, and worth. We believe that our government bears a responsibility to protect their lives, dignity, welfare, and all other rights afforded to every other person in this country."
Indeed. Yet this may not be enough for those opposing what the Bible teaches on this matter. From the halls of Congress to state legislatures, town halls to school board meetings, many are unified in opposing biblical truth on the issue of human sexuality. May all Bible-believing Christians unite to defend the truth in the public square -- before it is too late.
[italics and colored emphasis mine]
---------------------------------------
PRAYER MATTERS:
"To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against
the disorder of the world. - Karl Barth
the disorder of the world. - Karl Barth
"Prayer is inviting God into a seemingly impossible situation and trusting/resting in His love and grace to accomplish His perfect will in His perfect time and for His greatest glory. Intercession is one of the great privileges AND responsibilities for EVERY believer."- Stan
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“INTERCESSORS ARE THE RUDDER” – A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT - Wanda Alger, June 28th, 2017; https://www.getamericapraying.com/blog/I was recently given a word by my good friend, Bill Yount. His word greatly encouraged me as an intercessor. Working for Intercessors for America
James 3:4 talks about the power of a small rudder to steer a large ship. In this scripture about the power of our tongue, consider the power of prophetic intercession! In the Forerunner Commentary on this verse we read, “…rudders manipulate the course of immense ocean vessels with a slight movement of a pilot’s hand. Since it is underwater and aft, the rudder of a ship does its work UNSEEN. A passenger is ignorant of its movements most of the time. Yet, when it is in proper working order, the rudder holds more power over the ship than the wind. The wind will blow, toss, even destroy the ship’s rigging, but the rudder guides the ship exactly where it directs.”
This is God’s promise to the intercessors in this hour of national turbulence. Don’t stop praying! Your prayers have great power to turn the ship! Continue praying, interceding, and discerning the workings and movements of the Holy Spirit, being faithful to God’s commands. As we come together to declare God’s faithfulness, this nation will, once again, head in the direction that God intends. Don’t give up and don’t give in. Regardless of the winds of adversity and the fires of the enemy, God’s people have a power that cannot be matched. Let us join in faith and continue to pray and speak of God’s faithfulness in order to bring God’s people and this nation into the fullness of God’s plans. Note this additional encouragement from God’s word:
Colossians 2:15 – “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” (ESV).
Psalm 33:8-11 – “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. The Lord foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”
Wanda Alger, IFA Field Correspondent
PRAY FOR AMERICA : THANK GOD for His many blessings on America AMERICA America "but instead "God be merciful towards America
PRAY FOR OUR LEADERS: 1) Pray for President Trump and his advisers, that they would select Godly leaders at the federal level who will be accountable to do an excellent job (or be fired!) ; that he would seek God's wisdom and be enabled to lead our country effectively in the years ahead; and 2) Pray our leaders at every level of government will Spirit-filled, leading us with Godly wisdom and integrity; that they will only pass legislation and enact policies that will benefit Americans today as well as future generations and NOT do any lasting harm.
SUPREME COURT: PRAY that the justices will only hand down decisions that are Constitutionally sound and in the best interests of our country now and for future generations.
World-Wide Prayer Requests:
PRAISE GOD for the continuing recent successes against
*For believers in Syria
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Praying Through the Open Doors World Watch List for persecuted believers:https://www.opendoorsusa.org/take-action/pray/monthly-prayer-calendar/
Monthly Focus | NORTH KOREA-In North Korea (No. 1 for 18 consecutive years on theWorld Watch List), parents can’t risk telling their children about their faith. Some wait until their children are old enough; others never feel that freedom. This month, join us in praying for secret believers in North Korea.
October 27 | PAKISTAN - This time last year, the Supreme Court overturned the death sentence for Christian mother Asia Bibi. Pray with her and her daughters as they heal in their new home in Canada. Ask God to restore what was stolen from them.
*Names changed to protect identities
*Names changed to protect identities
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