Unlike Esther of the Bible, an orphan who was born in Jerusalem and exiled in Babylon, Queen Rania of Jordan could not be more polar opposite.

? The "Population Bomb" scare was a dud. The opposite is now worrying scientists.

? Temple Baptist Church - 4-14-2024Psalm 119:113-120? Introduction:? A.? Psalm 119 – The Magnification of the Word of God.? 176 verses broken down into 22 stanzas with each stanza containing 8 verses.? Each stanza begins with one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet with each verse of the stanza in Hebrew beginning with the correlating letter.? An Acrostic. A masterpiece that only God the Word could have given to us.? B.? SAMECH – infinity or infinite – also used for support or ladder – The 15th? letter of the Hebrew alphabet – its numerical number is 60 which represents completeness.? It is one of the two closed letters with the other being found in MEM in its final form at the end of a word.? It is circular in form with no beginning or end and protects that which is within.? C.? We understand that we live in a sinful world and in sinful times.? ? 1.? In my lifetime, I have seen the world changing in so many ways as it downwardly spirals into utter depravity.? As God's children, we try to abstain from all appearance of evil while living in the midst of it.? 2.? More than ever before, we need to realize that God holds our lives in His hands.? We have a promise of perpetual protection as we walk with God within the Word of God.? ? 3.? We need to make sure that we remain within the “hedge” that God has placed around us.? Through willful sin and willful ignorance, we often remove ourselves to some degree out of the protection of our Lord.? D.? In Jewish tradition, SAMECH represents one's inner journey.? Verse 113 begins with the words “I hate vain thoughts.”? ? These words show the importance of maintaining the invisible man as well as the physical man.? Proverbs tells us “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7)? E.? While we can only see the outside, God is a Discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.? Who we are is what we are inwardly!? This 15th stanza shows the believer that there are Divine inner and outer protection available and this protection is found in God's Word.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? F.? God affords the believer “layers” of protection that will help to keep one's heart and mind (1) Stable and therefore (2) Stayed upon the Lord.? Then there is the outward layer of protection afforded the believer.? 1.? ? Verse 113.? Our Spirit.? The Word of God protects our thought life.? The godly man's hatred of vain thoughts.? Vain – to no avail or worthless.? The most dangerous battlefield known to man is the struggle of good and evil thoughts.? The greatest wars are waged in the mind of the believer.? Inherently, man has a God given understanding of both right and wrong.? I heard it said that man does not have a problem knowing right from wrong.? The struggle is choosing right over wrong.? Here, we once again find the love of God's Law as the deciding factor in our thought life.? ? 2 Corinthians 10:3-5? For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:? (4)? (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)? (5)? Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;? 2.? Verse 114.? Our Surety.? God protects our temporal life.? The child of God is hated by Satan, the world.? God is our infinite Refuge during the hard times of life, but it is through God's Word that we find our sanctity and peace.? When everything is going wrong in life, everything we need is in our hand tonight.? Protection from temporal calamities and persecutions.? God's Word is our chamber of retreat where we hide and find safety both physical and spiritual.? It is in the Word of God that we hide while taking the “shield of faith” in our hands.? The Word of God? supplies us grace, strength, light, life, and comfort here, and for glory hereafter.? Psalms 9:9? The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.? 3.? Verse 115.? Our Sanctification.? God protects our interaction with the world.? The world is a constant distraction of God's people and the ultimate state becomes defilement.? Our protection is through the Word of God.? We that are saved are not only separatist, we are separated from.? In this verse, we see the desire of the godly to distance himself from those who do evil.? This does not speak of staying away from every sinner for the Bible says that we would have to leave this world to do so.? It means to stay away from those who have a pattern of life that is wicked.? “Evildoers” is a persistent condition.? The Power of the wicked:? Psalms 37:35? I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.? 4.? Verse 116.? ? Our Stability.? God protects our feebleness in life.? The Word of God is the “Rock” upon which we stand.? Unmovable, unshakable, unerring, an anchor is an ever changing world.? Through the Bible, we can be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord according to 1 Corinthians 15:58.? Paul said, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”? Psalms 94:17-18? Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.? (18)? When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.? 5.? Verse 117.? Our Safety.? God protects us in the perils of life.? We live in perilous times.? In the news, all we hear is about the dangers of living in the greatest nation on earth.? Because sentence against evil works is not executed, people have no respect for law and order.? ? Ecclesiastes 8:11? Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.? Proverbs 21:31? The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.? 6.? Verse 118.? Our Sinfulness.? God protects us in our temptations in life.? One of Newton's Third Law of Motion states: “? For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”? Spiritually, though God is so often gracious to the sinner, with willful sin, for the most part it is followed by a willful judgment.? Their deceit is falsehood.? What they appear outward is not the reality of that which we see outwardly.? Hebrews 4:12? For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.? 7.? Verse 119.? Our Salvation.? God protects us from our enemies in life.? The Lord will take care of the wicked.? We just need to love and stay with the Word of God.? The wicked may seem to be on the winning side for a while but the justice of the Lord will be manifested.? Jeremiah 6:28-30? They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters.? (29)? The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away.? (30)? Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.? 8.? Verse 120.? Our Submission.? Our protection, “safety is of the Lord,” is perpetually in the hand of God.? Life is still hard at best, but remaining in the will of God through the Word of God affords the child of God a perpetual protection.? Proverbs 19:23? The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.

? The "Population Bomb" scare was a dud. The opposite is now worrying scientists.

Most of my time and effort go into our Revival Meetings these days. Our “Calendar” appears here on the Website. The Tab is at the top of the Home Page. The rest of the time is invested in our video Bible Studies. We are currently concentrating on the Epistle of 2nd Peter. Watch one and […]

Fractured TrustDr. John GoetschThu, 04/11/2024 - 00:10 Every relationship is formed and perpetuated by an invisible link called trust. That binding link is forged through loving communication, meticulous integrity, and honest transparent motives.Trust is defined as “confidence, faith, belief, sureness, reliance, certitude, and conviction.” By its very nature, trust is generally built over time, yet it can be fractured instantaneously by a single word, action, or attitude. Though it's not impossible to rebuild trust, once it has been fractured, it's like a fractured bone—it doesn't heal immediately, and it has a huge impact on every aspect of one's life.? Our relationship with Jesus Christ is built on this trust factor. Most of us did not get saved the moment we first heard the gospel. It took some time for the Holy Spirit to gently draw us to the honest truths of God's Word as they were preached or shared with us. We listened to others share their testimonies of their confidence in God and eagerness to grow in their relationship with Him. We realized something was missing in our life, but we wanted to be certain that our faith was based on something concrete, real, and trustworthy. We recall the overwhelming assurance we received from God the moment our sins were forgiven and we became a child of God. Our trust then grew as we worshiped Him, obeyed Him, and served? Him.? Satan knows that the only way we can truly please God is with this whole-hearted trust and unwavering faith. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews? 11:6). Because Satan knows this, he is wholly and completely set on fracturing our trust in God. Note that he is not content with a slight stress fracture of your spiritual pinky finger. He has a sledgehammer, and he wields it with every intent to break every bone in your spiritual being. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).How exactly does Satan go about fracturing our trust? Let's go back to the beginning. God provided a beautiful place called the Garden of Eden for the first man and woman to live. After placing them there, He gave them a commandment: “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17). This was a simple command, and in it God emphasized the freedom He was giving man: of all these trees “thou mayest freely eat.” God was in no way prohibiting man, but rather protecting him through His guidance and instruction.? When Satan enters the Garden in Genesis chapter 3 his strategy is quickly seen. He begins by planting a doubt in Adam's and Eve's minds about God. “. . . Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1). He plants the thought in their minds that God is not trustworthy—that He is perhaps withholding something good from them and that He really does not have their best interest in mind. Satan then proceeds to suggest the opposite of God's words: “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die” (Genesis 3:4). He is slandering the very character of God by challenging His holy integrity and the trustworthiness of His Word. Adam and Eve took the bait, and the entire human race plunged into sin. All because of a fractured trust!Now let's be honest: we are not looking at a myriad of trees in a garden trying to figure out what we can eat and what we cannot. But the subtle strategy of Satan never changes, and we must likewise guard against a fractured trust.? We clearly read in God's Word that God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1), but we entertain thoughts of perhaps other possibilities based on scientific theories.? We read that God made two genders—male and female (Genesis 1:27)—and we look in the mirror and know that we are one or the other yet wonder if perhaps we should choose the opposite.? We read that “marriage is honorable” and sanctioned by God (Hebrews 13:4), but we imagine we might be missing out on something by remaining faithful to our spouse.? We read that God founded, empowers, and protects the local church (Matthew 16:18), but we think we might be happier with less involvement or commitment.? Once we allow ourselves that sliver of doubt, uncertainty, question, fear, suspicion, or distrust—we are in trouble. We then begin to look at everything in God's Word through that lens of uncertainty.? So, what do we do when we have allowed Satan to fracture our trust in God? What do we do when we find ourselves with doubts that are subtly displacing the solid trust we had in? God?The answer is simple: we go back to the truth. We remind ourselves that it is never God who fractures our trust. “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19). Indeed, we serve a God who “cannot lie” (Titus 1:2).? Jesus Himself is the truth: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Rebuilding trust in God is a matter of turning to Him in faith and getting to know Him as He is. “And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee” (Psalm 9:10).Just as it would be nearly impossible to walk a mile with two broken legs or to carry a heavy object with two broken arms, it is impossible to love God and live wholeheartedly for Him with a fractured trust. But when we turn in trust to God, we are blessed. “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him” (Psalm 34:8).? ? Category Christian Living Tags Faith Christian Living

Unlike Esther of the Bible, an orphan who was born in Jerusalem and exiled in Babylon, Queen Rania of Jordan could not be more polar opposite.

? Our Student Pastor, Trent Cornwell, has started a series of blog article for our teenagers. The articles are written for teenagers but have strong applications to all of us. We would encourage you check out the website for our Student Ministry. You can subscribe to get articles and read this blog in its entirety. […]The post 5 Ways Phones Can Be Used to Help Your Christian Walk appeared first on Vision Baptist Church of South Forsyth.

Today's category: FarmersAll Booked Up? ? ? ? ? ? A newlywed farmer and his wife were visited by her mother, who immediately demanded an inspection of the place. The farmer had genuinely tried to be friendly to his new mother-in-law, hoping that it could be a friendly, non- antagonistic relationship. All to no avail though, as she kept nagging them at every opportunity, demanding changes, offering unwanted advice, and generally making life unbearable for the farmer and his new bride.? ? ? ? ? ? While they were walking through the barn, during the forced inspection, the farmer's mule suddenly reared up and kicked the mother-in-law in the head, killing her instantly. It was a shock to all no matter their feelings toward her demanding ways...? ? ? ? ? ? At the funeral service a few days later, the farmer stood near the casket and greeted folks as they walked by. The pastor noticed that whenever a woman would whisper something to the farmer, he would nod his head yes and say something. Whenever a man walked by and whispered to the farmer, however, he would shake his head no, and mumble a reply.? ? ? ? ? ? Very curious as to this bizarre behavior, the pastor later asked the farmer what that was all about. The farmer replied, "The women would say, 'What a terrible tragedy and I would nod my head and say 'Yes, it was.' The men would ask, 'Can I borrow that mule?' and I would shake my head and say, 'Can't, it's all booked up for a year.'"View hundreds more jokes online.Email this joke to a friend

Back in January I met Pastor T.J. Waters (Pine Haven Baptist Church in Jamestown Tennessee) at the Camp meeting in Alvarado Texas. He was interested in getting a website going. Pastor Cobb said he would have some people from the church contact me. I received a phone call from a couple of the church members […]The post Pine Haven Baptist Church – Jamestown Tennessee appeared first on Missionaries to Cyberspace.

What Is the State of Your Foundation? Tim RasmussenTue, 12/19/2023 - 01:17 Due to a population explosion in Southern California in the early 1920s, plans were made to create a large reservoir to help meet the region's growing water needs. Engineer William Mulholland had achieved a great deal of recognition and respect among members of the engineering community when he supervised the design and construction of the longest aqueduct in the world at that time—the Los Angeles Aqueduct, and he was chosen as the chief engineer for the new project.After conducting a thorough study of the topography and geological features of the area, Mulholland was convinced that San Francisquito Canyon, about forty miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, was the ideal site. Design and construction began in 1924, and at its completion on May 4, 1926, the magnificent St. Francis dam rose to a height of 185 feet above the canyon floor. The dam was an engineering marvel—the crown jewel of Mulholland's career.But there was a problem. Although Mulholland wrote of the unstable nature of the face of the schist on the eastern side of the canyon, he either misjudged or ignored it. As water began to fill the reservoir, several temperature and contraction cracks appeared in the dam, and seepage began to flow from under the abatements.Mulholland and his assistant chief engineer Harvey Van Norman inspected the cracks and judged them to be within expectation for a concrete dam the size of St. Francis. Workers were ordered to seal off the leaks, but they were not entirely successful. Late in 1927, a fracture appeared that ran diagonally across the dam. Mulholland inspected the cleft, judged it to be another inconsequential contraction crack, and left it? alone.On March 7, 1928, yet another leak was discovered by a dam employee. He was concerned not only because there was a new leak but also because the water in this runoff was muddy, indicating possible erosion of the dam's foundation.Mulholland and Van Norman inspected the dam and its various leaks and seepages, finding “nothing out of the ordinary or of concern for a large dam.” Both Mulholland and Van Norman made it clear that there just wasn't anything to worry about. Mulholland had a reputation to uphold. Surely there couldn't be any critical issues with his masterpiece. Acknowledging major engineering shortcomings would have jeopardized his hard-earned position and reputation.Two and half minutes before midnight on March? 12,? 1928, the St. Francis dam catastrophically failed. Within 70 minutes of the collapse, the reservoir was virtually empty as 12.4 billion gallons of water began surging down San Francisquito Canyon becoming a 140-foot high flood wave traveling eighteen miles per hour. Countless workmen and their families were never found. The flood left an appalling record of death and destruction, with hundreds of lives claimed. The St. Francis Dam disaster, which effectively ended the career of William Mulholland, remains the second greatest loss of life in California's history, after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire.Cracks in any foundation can have catastrophic effects, and the most catastrophic tragedies of all are the results of cracks in the foundations of lives. These cracks affect not only us but also those we know and love. In the busyness of life and with all the responsibilities of family and ministry, we need to ask ourselves if we are ignoring foundational issues of the heart that could lead to disaster.These cracks may not be visible yet to our family and friends, but the cracks are there nonetheless and have the potential to cause irreparable harm if not properly addressed. This is why Paul warned Timothy, “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (1 Timothy 4:16).A wise man will faithfully and conscientiously inspect his foundation and will be honest with himself and God when cracks are discovered.We would demonstrate great wisdom to inspect our lives for the following cracks, all indicators of a deeper spiritual need:We no longer have a vibrant and growing walk with the Lord.We have stopped guarding our hearts from temptation.We have allowed our thought lives to wander.We rationalize thoughts and behaviors that previously would have convicted our conscience.We put a priority on temporal things such as money, position, or recognition over essentials like holiness, godliness and integrity.We emphasize the public over the private.We dismiss “small” sins in order to protect our reputation.We stop seeking counsel from others and discourage others from requiring accountability of us.We begin to pridefully look to ourselves rather than focusing on Jesus.If we continue to ignore cracks in our integrity, we are positioning ourselves for an inevitable and monumental collapse, bringing great reproach—to our families, to our congregations, and to the cause of Christ. We are in grave danger of not finishing the race God has given us to complete.My oldest brother, Mark, has often challenged me with the following statement: “People remember how you start, and they remember how you finish.”Paul wrote of his daily decision to inspect his foundation and prevent cracks in his life: “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1 Corinthians 9:27).Are there cracks forming in your life—cracks that reveal deeper foundational issues? Let us take whatever steps necessary to shore up our foundation and seal up the cracks so that our lives will bring honor and glory to our Lord who saved us.How can we take steps to strengthen the foundation of our lives?By acknowledging cracks and sincerely seeking God in repentance: “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Proverbs? 28:13).By determining to live according to the Word of God:? “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).By attending church and exhorting others: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews? 10:25).By seeking God in prayer: John R. Rice said, “All of our failures are prayer failures.” “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice” (Psalm 55:17).By reading God's Word daily and committing it to memory: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11).By sharing our testimony with a lost and dying world and pointing them to Jesus Christ: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise” (Proverbs? 11:30).By intentionally meditating on God's standards: “But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Psalm 1:2).By guarding our thought life: “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2? Corinthians 10:5).By loving God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and loving our neighbor as ourselves: We desperately need a great commitment to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) and the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-38).Paul admonished us to build properly, from the ground up: “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon” (1? Corinthians 3:10).When we lay a proper foundation and continually build on it, we can look forward to one day hearing Christ say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”? Category Christian Living Tags Pastoral Leadership Integrity Christian Living Spiritual Growth

What Does “Woke” Mean? And Why Does It Matter?Dr. Paul ChappellFri, 03/01/2024 - 16:49 Woke is an odd word—and not just because it is a past tense verb that is now commonly used as an adjective. It's odd because it has vague connotations without clear definitions. This ambiguity allows those who appreciate the word's implications to write off those who criticize its implications as “just not understanding its meaning.”? In conversations like this, clarity is always our friend. That's why I was thankful when someone from our Sheriff's Department recently asked me what I meant in using the word woke. This individual is not a believer, and I was happy to answer his question from a Christian perspective.? Below is a lightly-edited copy of the letter that I wrote him. I thought it may be helpful to readers of this blog who have similar conversations with law enforcement or others who are seeking clarity on our concerns over the radical changes in our society that are being furthered under the banner of wokism.? Thanks for asking about the definition of “woke.” I wasn't sure if the question was asked personally or on behalf of the Sheriff, but I am happy to share a few thoughts.? Many of us had never heard the term woke until a few years ago. Prior to that time, it was used simply to describe people who felt awakened to the injustices of racism. In recent years, however, it seems the word has been highjacked by political activists who are often far-left or socialistic in their views and have a larger agenda in mind than standing against racism.? Although I cannot in this short space define the whole woke philosophy as is commonly applied today, I can point out a few frequently used terms and highlight some of their implications.? Social Justice: This is a broad term that often defeats the principles of “equal justice under the law.” Social justice focuses on enforcing equal outcomes for everyone. In this way, it leans into socialism. And amazingly, “social justice” doesn't bring justice to the average citizen, as it focuses on groups rather than on individuals' misconduct or good accomplishments. The end result, as philosopher Friedrich Hayek observed, is that people must be treated unequally in order to create equal outcomes: “And that's what social justice amounts to. It's a demand that the state should treat people differently in order to place them in the same position. . . .To make people equal a goal of governmental policy would force government to treat people very unequally indeed.”? Critical Race Theory (CRT): Under the guise of exposing racism, CRT actually suggests a reverse racism by insisting that the color of one's skin determines whether or not he or she is racist. As one author explained, “Even if a white person has never had a genuinely racist thought…he is still a racist, white supremacist, because he is white and belongs to the majority” (Ronnie W. Rogers, “Understanding the Terms…” blog post). This kind of insistence on seeing everything through the lens of race brings division to communities.LGBTQ Promotion: For many years, the LGBTQ movement has sought to align with the woke activists to gain influence, and that strategy is working. Woke activists aggressively promote sexual behavior and lifestyles through celebrations and legislation with new laws and vocabulary introduced regularly (cisgender, transgender, cultural appropriation, intersectionality, conscious capitalism, etc.). They have enshrined these numerous terms which are now being forced upon the public. The woke agenda also belittles the nuclear, or biblical, family model. Yet strong families are a strength in any society. While claiming to be marginalized, the woke and LBGTQ lobbies in this state are well-represented in government positions and dominant in political circles. Most concerningly, they are now targeting children and prohibiting parents and teachers from speaking up. For instance, CA Bill AB 957 which was put before the California legislature and passed both houses before being vetoed by the governor, said a non-consenting parent of an under-aged child would lose custody if that parent refused a mastectomy or castration (sex re-assignment surgery) for his or her child. Only the “gender affirming” parent is deemed fit to parent a child who may actually be suffering from dysphoria. Additionally, teachers have been fired from their jobs for refusing to go along with these new ideals. (One local example is Jessica Tapias, a teacher in Riverside County, who was fired just this year for refusing to hide gender transitions from parents of young children.)Economic Equity: This aims to reduce the income gap between the poor and middle class—not by increasing economic opportunity for minority groups, but by taking from the middle class by way of taxes and/or not prosecuting theft. Wealth redistribution is a common theme in woke literature.Again, this is a very high-end summary, and more could be said. But the larger point is that, while every American should stand against racism, wokism actually focuses on emphasizing differences between race and seems to have an end agenda of the disruption of society.? In particular, it leads to concerning philosophies as it relates to law enforcement. The interpretation of social justice by woke activists has led to practices such as zero-bail policies, refusing to prosecute crime, and large-scale defunding of and/or disrespect for law enforcement.? These policies, which are supported by left-leaning financiers such as George Soros and others, have been adopted by the Los Angeles District Attorney. The training of these policies has been disseminated throughout Southern Californian governmental agencies. What has been the result?? Increase in crimeIgniting class and race warfareDiscouragement and apathy among law enforcement, including many LA County deputiesFor instance, another bill recently passed the California legislature (AB 852) that requires judges to base their sentencing on race, rather than on crime. The essence of the bill is that someone who is a minority should not be prosecuted to the same extent as someone who is Caucasian because of past injustices. This is the actual opposite of Martin Luther King Jr.'s aspiration that people “not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”The woke philosophy applied to law enforcement has essentially emboldened the criminal element of communities. No doubt, you have seen this with grab-and-go robberies of high-end stores and hit and run accidents. In places where the criminal element of a community is emboldened, the rank-and-file deputies as well as law enforcement in general have become discouraged. I know the citizens of the Antelope Valley as well as anyone, and I can tell you they are discouraged by the emboldened attitude of those who run red lights, commit robbery, and worse.? As a pastor of thirty-seven years here in Los Angeles County, I care about the safety of our citizens and the wellbeing of our law enforcement community. I am concerned to see crime on the rise and criminals emboldened. I'm saddened, too, to see these issues tied to race. I've preached here in our community for nearly four decades against racism, and I know that all people are made in the image of God.? Theologically and biblically, I believe that all humans fall short of God's perfection (Romans 3:23). None of us are better than others. We have all broken God's law, and we all need redemption through the finished work of Christ for us (Romans 6:23). Whoever calls to God, acknowledges his or her sin, and receives Christ as Savior may have forgiveness and peace with God. I realize this last point is another, although related, topic. But I am happy to discuss it with you at some point in time.? I realize there is political pressure because many woke activists are political donors. Yet, I believe the Sheriff's Department must not be guided by the woke agenda, but by the law. Without law and order, nothing else works in society. Certainly, our new Captain in Lancaster or anyone in the department should be advanced based on integrity, respect, leadership, and a history of good policing. They should not be affirmed because of adherence to a particular dogma such as “wokism.”Thank you for your service to our community. Please know that I am here to help you and our law enforcement community in any way that I can.? Your Friend,Paul Chappell? P. S. I'm happy to provide additional resources on wokism and woke interpretations of social justice if these would be a help to you. A few that may be a help are Fault Lines by Voddie Baucham Jr. and Woke, Inc. by Vivek Ramaswamy. I have written a minibook on this topic titled Which Justice? which I would be glad to send you. Category Christian Living

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Four Keys for Raising Up a New Generation of MissionariesDr. Paul ChappellFri, 11/10/2023 - 16:24 One of the highlights to me of World Impact Missions Conference at Lancaster Baptist Church is seeing missionaries who grew up at Lancaster Baptist and/or graduated from West Coast Baptist College and and are now serving the Lord on mission fields around the world. (The picture above is of WCBC alumni who were here for Missions Conference '23 earlier this week and are now planting churches around the world.)? The Lord has allowed us to see many young people from our own church family—kids who grew up right here in our Sunday school classes and, in many cases, whose parents trusted Christ through the outreach ministry of our church—who are now preaching the gospel in foreign countries. Additionally, there are hundreds of WCBC alumni serving the Lord on over forty foreign fields.? One of the trends that concerns me, however, is a decline of young people across America surrendering their lives to missions. The world population is growing, but fewer American young people seem burdened to reach the world with the gospel.? Certainly God is still calling young people to surrender their lives to preach the gospel. Why then does it seem that fewer are responding?There are certainly many contributing factors we could cite to answer that question. But I believe there are four simple areas of emphasis that could change the trend. And when these four are working together, they can bring a monumental shift.? What is needed to raise up a new generation of missionaries?? 1. Parents who believe it would be a privilege if God calls their childChildren are the gift of God and entrusted by God to parents to raise for God's honor and glory.Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. (Psalm 127:3–5)Yet, too often Christian parents raise their children with goals of personal satisfaction. These parents are measuring by the world's goals of financial security and career success.? It's good for young people to grow up knowing that their parents' greatest goal for their lives is that they would serve God in whatever way He calls them—including the foreign field.? 2. Churches that emphasize missionsIn Acts 13–14, we read of the first organized program for missions in the New Testament. It began as the church at Antioch sent out Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey. After preaching the gospel through many cities and establishing churches, Paul and Barnabas returned to report on all that God had done.? And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. (Acts 14:27)Can you picture what it was like for the children and young people listening to this first missionary report? They heard about the hardships and the blessings, and I can imagine the sense of wonder and even adventure that Paul's stories stirred in their hearts. No doubt some of them eventually became missionaries themselves.? One of the great strengths of the independent Baptist model of missions, based on Acts 13–14, in which a church sends out missionaries who then come back and report of all God has done on the field, is that young people are exposed to missionaries on a regular basis.? To raise up a new generation of missionaries, churches need to keep the Great Commission of Christ—“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15)—before young people. Encourage children to pray for missionaries. Host regular missions conferences. And highlight the need for laborers in spiritually-dark places around the world.? 3. Christian schools with vibrant chapel services, emphasizing a life of surrender to JesusIn Acts 13, it was the Holy Spirit who called Paul and Barnabas to the work of missions.? As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. (Acts 13:2)But this calling happened in an environment of total dedication to Christ and service for the Lord. These were people who were already ministering to the Lord and fasting.? Effective Christian schools are not just a place to keep your children from the harmful influences of secular education and cultural brainwashing. They are places that proactively encourage a life of surrender to the Lord and are filled with teachers who model the joy of serving Christ.4. Bible colleges led by soulwinning pastors and instructors who teach missions and bring missionaries to campusIt was striking to hear how many of our West Coast Baptist College alumni who came as missionaries to this year's conference mentioned that they had sensed God's call to missions during their time at WCBC. Several even mentioned that it was during one of the Lancaster Baptist Church missions conferences.? Many young people who have surrendered to serve the Lord in full time ministry do not know right after high school in what capacity God would have them serve. Whether or not they ultimately serve as missionaries, being in a Bible college environment where missions is emphasized will strengthen their understanding of and commitment to being part of the Great Commission of Christ to go into all nations with the gospel.? Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19–20)About a year and a half ago, while hosting Spiritual Leadership Conference Egypt, I had the opportunity to visit the gravesite of William Borden in Cairo. Borden was a young American missionary living in Egypt to learn Arabic while preparing to preach the gospel to Muslim people in China. While still in Egypt, he contracted meningitis and died at age twenty-five.? As Terrie and I walked through the American cemetery there in Cairo, I was stirred to see the gravesites of other missionaries as well, many who, like Borden, gave their lives for the sake of the gospel on foreign soil. I couldn't help but pray that God will raise up a new generation of men and women who will fully and freely surrender their lives to the spread of the gospel around the world.Whether you are a parent, pastor, Sunday school teacher, Christian educator, or someone with any other influence in young people's lives, I challenge you consider how you can be part of helping young people obey the instruction of Christ to “Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest” (John 4:35). Category Christian Living

God and Country? (PG-13), released this month, “takes a closer look at the dangerous implications” of Christian nationalism and “explores how a base of Christians has radically stoked a movement erasing the line between Church and State,” its website advertises. Rob Reiner is a producer.

Bob had the pleasure of attending the South Central Texas Baptist Fellowship in January. At the fellowship, Bob had the honor of meeting Pastor Bill Keisling from Fort Victory Baptist Church in Crowley Texas. Brother Bill and I talked about websites, and it came to light that the domain for Fort Victory Baptist Church had […]The post Fort Victory Baptist Church, Crowley Texas appeared first on Missionaries to Cyberspace.

While attending the Great Commission? Camp Meeting at New Beginning Baptist Church in Edgewood, Texas, we had the pleasure of meeting Michael Ellzey, a missionary to Bolivia. Brother Michael and I discussed some of the advantages for a missionary to have a website, and he decided he would like to go ahead and get one up. […]The post Michael Ellzey, Missionary to Bolivia appeared first on Missionaries to Cyberspace.

One of our hosted servers are down. I have about 55 websites down. Ticket was opened 30 minutes ago. Host comments: This should be resolved, was an issue with New Yorks Internet Exchange (NYIIX) We dropped them from our network interface while they are having issues. Do let us know if you have any further […]The post Server Outage (Resolved) appeared first on Missionaries to Cyberspace.

Have you visited us for ChristmasTime at the Ark Encounter yet? If not, there's still time! This year's event runs through December 30.

On a hike in Arizona, he documented a rare bee's nest site in sandstone.

What Is the State of Your Foundation? Tim RasmussenTue, 12/19/2023 - 01:17 Due to a population explosion in Southern California in the early 1920s, plans were made to create a large reservoir to help meet the region's growing water needs. Engineer William Mulholland had achieved a great deal of recognition and respect among members of the engineering community when he supervised the design and construction of the longest aqueduct in the world at that time—the Los Angeles Aqueduct, and he was chosen as the chief engineer for the new project.After conducting a thorough study of the topography and geological features of the area, Mulholland was convinced that San Francisquito Canyon, about forty miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, was the ideal site. Design and construction began in 1924, and at its completion on May 4, 1926, the magnificent St. Francis dam rose to a height of 185 feet above the canyon floor. The dam was an engineering marvel—the crown jewel of Mulholland's career.But there was a problem. Although Mulholland wrote of the unstable nature of the face of the schist on the eastern side of the canyon, he either misjudged or ignored it. As water began to fill the reservoir, several temperature and contraction cracks appeared in the dam, and seepage began to flow from under the abatements.Mulholland and his assistant chief engineer Harvey Van Norman inspected the cracks and judged them to be within expectation for a concrete dam the size of St. Francis. Workers were ordered to seal off the leaks, but they were not entirely successful. Late in 1927, a fracture appeared that ran diagonally across the dam. Mulholland inspected the cleft, judged it to be another inconsequential contraction crack, and left it alone.On March 7, 1928, yet another leak was discovered by a dam employee. He was concerned not only because there was a new leak but also because the water in this runoff was muddy, indicating possible erosion of the dam's foundation.Mulholland and Van Norman inspected the dam and its various leaks and seepages, finding “nothing out of the ordinary or of concern for a large dam.” Both Mulholland and Van Norman made it clear that there just wasn't anything to worry about. Mulholland had a reputation to uphold. Surely there couldn't be any critical issues with his masterpiece. Acknowledging major engineering shortcomings would have jeopardized his hard-earned position and reputation.Two and half minutes before midnight on March 12, 1928, the St. Francis dam catastrophically failed. Within 70 minutes of the collapse, the reservoir was virtually empty as 12.4 billion gallons of water began surging down San Francisquito Canyon becoming a 140-foot high flood wave traveling eighteen miles per hour. Countless workmen and their families were never found. The flood left an appalling record of death and destruction, with hundreds of lives claimed. The St. Francis Dam disaster, which effectively ended the career of William Mulholland, remains the second greatest loss of life in California's history, after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire.Cracks in any foundation can have catastrophic effects, and the most catastrophic tragedies of all are the results of cracks in the foundations of lives. These cracks affect not only us but also those we know and love. In the busyness of life and with all the responsibilities of family and ministry, we need to ask ourselves if we are ignoring foundational issues of the heart that could lead to disaster.These cracks may not be visible yet to our family and friends, but the cracks are there nonetheless and have the potential to cause irreparable harm if not properly addressed. This is why Paul warned Timothy, “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (1 Timothy 4:16).A wise man will faithfully and conscientiously inspect his foundation and will be honest with himself and God when cracks are discovered.We would demonstrate great wisdom to inspect our lives for the following cracks, all indicators of a deeper spiritual need:We no longer have a vibrant and growing walk with the Lord.We have stopped guarding our hearts from temptation.We have allowed our thought lives to wander.We rationalize thoughts and behaviors that previously would have convicted our conscience.We put a priority on temporal things such as money, position, or recognition over essentials like holiness, godliness and integrity.We emphasize the public over the private.We dismiss “small” sins in order to protect our reputation.We stop seeking counsel from others and discourage others from requiring accountability of us.We begin to pridefully look to ourselves rather than focusing on Jesus.If we continue to ignore cracks in our integrity, we are positioning ourselves for an inevitable and monumental collapse, bringing great reproach—to our families, to our congregations, and to the cause of Christ. We are in grave danger of not finishing the race God has given us to complete.My oldest brother, Mark, has often challenged me with the following statement: “People remember how you start, and they remember how you finish.”Paul wrote of his daily decision to inspect his foundation and prevent cracks in his life: “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1 Corinthians 9:27).Are there cracks forming in your life—cracks that reveal deeper foundational issues? Let us take whatever steps necessary to shore up our foundation and seal up the cracks so that our lives will bring honor and glory to our Lord who saved us.How can we take steps to strengthen the foundation of our lives?By acknowledging cracks and sincerely seeking God in repentance: “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).By determining to live according to the Word of God: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).By attending church and exhorting others: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).By seeking God in prayer: John R. Rice said, “All of our failures are prayer failures.” “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice” (Psalm 55:17).By reading God's Word daily and committing it to memory: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11).By sharing our testimony with a lost and dying world and pointing them to Jesus Christ: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30).By intentionally meditating on God's standards: “But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Psalm 1:2).By guarding our thought life: “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).By loving God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and loving our neighbor as ourselves: We desperately need a great commitment to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) and the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-38).Paul admonished us to build properly, from the ground up: “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon” (1 Corinthians 3:10).When we lay a proper foundation and continually build on it, we can look forward to one day hearing Christ say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” Category Christian Living Tags Pastoral Leadership Integrity Christian Living Spiritual Growth

 French President Emmanuel Macron visited Notre Dame Cathedral on Friday, one year before its scheduled reopening in 2024.The post France's president visits Notre Dame a year before the fire-damaged cathedral's planned reopening appeared first on Baptist News Global.

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A well-known Catholic theologian says new archaeological evidence of a meteor explosion long ago in Jordan aligns with the biblical description of Sodom and Gomorrah and that the location likely is the site of the ancient event of Scripture.

The Woke Agenda and Its Influence on Churches and CollegesDr. Paul ChappellWed, 03/29/2023 - 13:30 Over the past several years, the term woke has been used to describe people who have been awakened to the injustices of society, particularly in regards to racism. Many Christians, committed to displaying God's heart for the oppressed, have eagerly embraced the term.The “woke movement,” however, has grown much larger than the early definition of the term. There is an agenda driving it that is anti-Christian and steeped in anti-God philosophies.A working definition of wokism is impossible since even its strongest proponents apply the word in fluid settings. As defined by Merriam-Webster, to be woke means to be “aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice).”1 In a broader, more practical sense, however, author Owen Strachan pointed out,Wokeness is first and foremost a mindset and posture. The term itself means that one is “awake” to the true nature of the world when so many are asleep. In the most specific terms, this means one sees the comprehensive inequity of our social order and strives to highlight power structures in society that stem from racial privilege.2Conversations and ideas with people who subscribe to woke philosophies have reached far beyond racism to involve any topics related to inequality including social justice, sexism, economic philosophies, and LGBTQ acceptance.The way in which Christians address these issues relates directly to their view of Scripture. Second Timothy 3:16–17 asserts, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”A Christian with a high view of the accuracy, sufficiency, and authority of Scripture sees every social topic in light of the relative theological positions and practical instructions of God's Word. A mature Christian is discerning of the underlying philosophies that drive these discussions and holds each up to Scripture.Christians with a weak view of Scripture are more likely to allow the culture to both describe the problem and prescribe the solution. These Christians are more likely to suggest that basic Bible truths don't apply in particular settings or that the biblical writers did not fully understand such modern issues. Often, Christians who don't use the plainly-stated truths of Scripture as their compass will instead build subjective arguments based on “God's heart for ” or how they believe Jesus would respond to various areas of need.This undiscerning attitude is furthered by prominent Christian leaders who have jumped on the woke bandwagon. They may have been drifting from previously-held positions, but their recent statements clearly identify with the woke movement. For example,Andy Stanley, pastor of a nondenominational, multi-campus megachurch in Atlanta, recently spoke positively of gay Christians who attend church as “having more faith than I do.”3Rick Warren, the founding pastor of Saddleback Church, a Southern Baptist, multi-campus megachurch in Anaheim, recently ordained women as pastors and, more recently, defended this position as something more churches should do.4A recent article pointed to three Christian leaders who have become outspoken on woke-related issues and commented, “The direction [Russell] Moore, [David] French, and [Beth] Moore are walking is not simply traditional evangelicalism, but a form of cultural accommodation dressed as convictional religion. The result is a religious respectability that promotes national unity, liberalism, and wokeism under the rhetorical guise of love for neighbor.”5These unrelated examples point out the pervasiveness of woke philosophies in the church today.Biblical leaders must develop the spiritual discernment to cut through the woke rhetoric to understand the philosophies behind current issues and allow Scripture to shape their response. I hope this article is an aid to that end.In the next few pages, we will look at six woke-related issues, briefly describing each and bringing scriptural truths to bear. Additionally, I have included questions to help form discussions on each topic.Most of these topics employ terms not directly used in Scripture (e.g. “social justice” or “intersectionality”). My desire here is not to split hairs over terms or to insinuate that everything touching a given term is ungodly. My goal is simply to hold up the underlying philosophies to Scripture and encourage you to stand on thoroughly-biblical convictions.With that background, let's get started.Social JusticeEvery Bible-believing Christian desires justice for the oppressed (Deuteronomy 24:14–21, Micah 6:8). But the social justice movement of today has more to do with insisting that categories of people, as opposed to individuals, have not received justice over time and thus should be treated differently today—even when there are not immediate instances of injustice in an individual's life.Additionally, some of the categories commonly cited for need in social justice are drawn from the whole or subsegments of LGBT identities, effectively equating different convictions regarding same-sex marriage or transgender inclusion with racism or other forms of discrimination over immutable characteristics, such as ethnicity. There is a real push through the social justice movement of today to undermine the basic definitions of male and female as well as the institution of marriage. Many who are driving the social justice agenda have openly-stated goals for the destruction of the nuclear family and the promotion of an LBGT agenda.One example is from the leaders of the Black Lives Matter organization that came to prominence after the death of George Floyd.6 These leaders not only sought the demise of the nuclear family, but they openly shared their Marxist ideals.7 That woke-leaning Christians don't see through to the anti-Christian agendas at play is deeply concerning.An additional area of concern to the social justice movement is the way in which it conflates helping marginalized people with the sharing of the gospel. There is value to serving one's community, and there is definitely value to reaching out to people who are oppressed or marginalized in a community. But we must not equate these types of care with sharing the gospel. The Bible is clear that faith for salvation comes through hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Yet, Timothy Keller, a pastor and author seems to equate the two. (Interestingly, Keller, a Christian apologist holds that God may have created the world through the evolutionary process.8) In Keller's church philosophy book Center Church, he writes, “Ministry in which Christians sacrificially serve the common good of the city is not only biblical but a necessary context for any convincing call to believe in Jesus.”9 In the same section he says that we cannot change culture simply “through lots of conversions.”10 This is simply not true. Scripture teaches that the truly converted become “a new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17). As someone grows in their faith, everything about their life will change, including developing biblical viewpoints on moral and social issues. Those who insist that a focus on social justice must accompany the gospel actually do the gospel itself an injustice by seemingly suggesting that conversion is not the answer.“Social justicians” often speak of redeeming the culture. Yet the Son of man came “to seek and to save” lost people (Luke 19:10). The “woke gospel” is another gospel, not the gospel of the New Testament. Instead of leading unsaved people to Christ, it leads people to social causes, some of which are anti-biblical. I have seen church buildings from Charlotte to San Fransisco displaying Black Lives Matter signs and rainbow flags, but those same churches are not sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and calling sinners to repentance. I am reminded of Paul's warning in Galatians 1:6, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.”Biblically defined, the gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:1–5). It is the satisfaction of the justice of God in the person of Christ paying for our sin, and it is the best news we can give to anyone who is not saved. We must not trivialize the actual gospel by hitching every social issue or injustice to it.Social justice, similar to the “social gospel” of the previous generation, is really a repackaging of liberal theology being presented as a substitute for the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19–20).Questions:Why is it important to distinguish between the gospel and social issues?Is salvation through Christ enough? Or does preaching the gospel require preaching social, racial, economic, etc. redemption as well?In what ways would a Christian with a biblically-shaped worldview differ from a woke agenda on social justice? Gender Distinction, Sexual Orientation, and Same-Sex MarriageThe front line of the anti-God agenda in the West today is being waged on the battleground of LGBT issues. There is clearly a concentrated effort in secular society to overturn the cultural norms concerning gender, sexuality, and marriage. From the state recognition of same-sex marriage, to the drag queen “story hours” taking place in public libraries,11 to the inclusion of biological males who identify as females in women's sports,12 the LGBT movement is rolling full-steam ahead, even if it means crushing children, women, and society as a whole in its agenda.In his book The Gathering Storm, Albert Mohler insightfully wrote,The church of Jesus Christ faces an unprecedented challenge: the collision between it and a new sexual ethic, a collision between revelation and revolution. The evolution is a sexual one, and it is indeed a revolution, demanding a complete reordering of society and civilization.13What is most surprising to me in all of this is that woke Christians are buying into it. In an effort to be accepting of people who struggle they have become affirming of sin. Some go so far as to deny that Scripture addresses these issues at all. They suggest that Jesus and Paul didn't really understand or address the modern understandings of sexual orientation or transgenderism.14 In recently-surfaced comments, Pastor Andy Stanley called the clear passages on this issue “clobber passages.”15But the Bible is clear here. In Genesis 1, God created human life in His image and designated male and female. In Genesis 2, He ordained marriage. In the New Testament, Jesus referred to both of these chapters as He said, “Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?” (Matthew 19:4–5). Romans 1:24–28 condemns homosexuality in the clearest terms. In 1 Corinthians 6:9, Paul includes such acts in a list of sins. Furthermore, the Bible teaches that true conversion leads to turning away from sin. “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him” (1 John 2:4–5).Yet, Christians who profess to believe and preach the Bible struggle to take a clear position on these issues.For example, the senior associate pastor of First Baptist Orlando in Florida read in a public church service a list of the variety of people attending and serving in the church. In these comments he said, “We have transgender, LGBTQ, straight, single, married, divorced, and cohabitating people. These same people attend, listen, serve, grow, and give.”16 I can appreciate the desire to let unsaved people with sinful lives know that the gospel is for them, but to indicate that people openly practicing—and even identifying themselves according to—unrepentant sin should become or continue as faithful congregants is, according to 1 Corinthians 5, a position that is foreign to the New Testament.Not only does First Baptist Orlando allow people living in open sexual sin to be members in good standing, however, it also allows these members to baptize new converts. Recent social media posts show Joe Mills, an openly gay man, currently “married” to another man, performing baptisms at First Baptist Church Orlando.17The problem is not ambiguity in Scripture. The problem is that Bible-believing Christians are either too cowardly or too confused to clearly state what the Bible actually says. In an effort to not offend, woke-leaning Christians take a position that these topics call for a more “nuanced” view.18Christians must study and come to firm convictions on what the Bible says about these issues. It is not unloving to say the truth to a world in need of a Savior.Questions:Do you believe Scripture is clear on its commands concerning sexual sins? Do you believe it addresses homosexuality and gender distinction clearly?Should a church welcome members who are engaged in any sexual activity outside of marriage?What is the most loving approach for a Christian in regards to someone who deals with same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria? Egalitarianism and Women Being Ordained for MinistryIn the 1970s Gloria Steinem used the phrase “A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle” to encapsulate and popularize the philosophy behind feminism. In an attempt to counter the unbiblical ideas embedded in feminism, biblical Christians coined the term complementarianism in the 1980s.19 The idea was to encapsulate the equality of men and women while differentiating their God-given roles in particular settings. The term was new, but the truths behind it are as old as Scripture.The New Testament is clear on the intrinsic value and spiritual worth of women. Both men and women are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), and both are equal in Christ through salvation: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).But the New Testament is also clear that God gave men and women different roles in marriage (1 Peter 3:7) and in the church. Regarding the church, the Bible gives straightforward directions in both 1 Timothy 2:12 and 1 Corinthians 14:35: “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” “And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.” My wife Terrie is an avid student of God's Word and a capable Bible teacher. She has spoken to ladies over the years and has occasionally given a testimony of thanksgiving in our church assembly. But scripturally, neither she nor I believe it is a woman's place to teach or preach the Word of God in a mixed congregation.These views are not new and have been held by biblical Christians since the first century. In more recent years, however, woke or woke-leaning Christians are using the term egalitarian to describe a position that insists that men and women not only have equal value but also hold equal or interchangeable roles in all settings, including the home and church.This egalitarian position has set the stage for woke pastors whose previous theological convictions were complimentarian to ordain women to pastoral roles in ministry.20 Rick Warren, who was one of the leaders of the “seeker-sensitive movement” of the '90s, has been one of the most vocal to recently ordain women,21 even though this was not his position for his previous decades of ministry. After being disfellowshipped from the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) over his new position, Warren was interviewed by Russell Moore, editor in chief of Christianity Today and previous president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. In the interview, Warren used poor exegesis to defend his culturally-popular views22 and stated he intends to seek to have the SBC decision overturned.23 But it's not just Warren. Other woke-leaning pastors have been quite willing to virtue signal their egalitarian views by inviting their wives to preach on occasion and making little or no distinction between themselves and their wives as pastors.Throughout the New Testament, we see women engaged in meaningful roles of ministry within the church. (See, for example, Acts 16:40, Acts 18:2, and Romans 16:1–2, 7.) When Christians cave to the accommodating stance of egalitarianism, they minimize the significant aspects of ministry God has given to women in the church.Questions:Do you believe Scripture differentiates between the roles of men and women in marriage and ministry? Do you believe women can biblically hold the title of “pastor”? Racism and Critical Race Theory Closely tied to woke philosophies is an adherence to Critical Race Theory (CRT). To once again quote Merriam-Webster, CRT refers to “the idea that race is a sociological rather than biological designation, and that racism pervades society and is fostered and perpetuated by the legal system.”24Racism is an ugly sin. Genesis 1:27 tells us that God made every person in His image, and Acts 17:25–26 affirms that we all have equal value in His sight. We are all of the same race—a fallen human race in need of a Savior (Romans 3:23–26). All of us come to God the same way—through Christ. Thus, the ground is level at the foot of the cross, and within the body of Christ, there is to be no favoritism (Colossians 3:11). The New Testament strongly condemns prejudice (James 2:8–9).The premise of CRT, however, is that “the very concept of race was constructed in order to benefit whites at the expense of people of color.”25 A result of this approach is that “Even if a white person has never had a genuinely racist thought or he has repented of past racism, he is still a racist, white supremacist, because he is white and belongs to the majority.”26This philosophy distorts the meaning of racism, redefining it from a sin of the heart to a result of one's skin color. Furthermore, this philosophy makes reconciliation with other believers and unity within a church impossible because it suggests that white church members will always be guilty of racism, not to mention the fact that non-white members cannot be guilty of racism. This is not only ridiculous, but it is actually sinister. It is ripping a real sin apart from its moral definition and making it responsible for all the ills of society.For a real-life example of how this plays out, here is a transcript from Matthew Hall, the former dean of Boyce College at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary from 2016-2019, as well as the former provost and senior vice president of academic administration at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary from 2019-2022, and also a former research fellow for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission from 2014-2022. In comments made as the guest of the Coffee and Cream podcast in 2018, Hall spoke to racial issues:I am a racist, okay, so if that freaks you out, if you think the worst thing somebody can call you is a racist, then you're not thinking biblically, because guess what, like, I'm gonna struggle with racism and white supremacy until the day I die and get my glorified body and in a completely renewed and sanctified mind. Because I am immersed in a culture where I benefit from racism all the time.27A few years ago, a pastor prayed at Baylor University's commencement exercises and denounced “a planet with too many straight, white men like me behind the steering wheel.”28 This type of virtue signaling is becoming more common even in evangelical circles.No one—especially no Christian—should think less of or despairingly toward someone because of their ethnicity, skin color, or background. And no one—especially no Christian—should assume they know the condition of another's heart based on his or her skin color.Questions:Does racism necessarily coincide with ethnicity or skin color? How did the churches of the New Testament experience and address racism and prejudice? (See Acts 10, Acts 15, and James 2.) Is their approach sufficient today?Intersectionality The idea behind intersectionality is something like a CRT-based point system in which you receive more points for the greater number of minority groups to which you belong. Or you could think of it as a Venn diagram with circles representing various oppressed or minority groups overlapping, creating an “intersectional” center that represents the most highly-oppressed. For instance, according to intersectionality, a straight white male would be considered to belong to three groups with no oppression (straight, white, and male) whereas a lesbian African-American female would be a highly-oppressed person belonging to three groups that experience oppression.Intersectionality divides the world into oppressors and victims. These divisions are built around group identities rather than personal experiences. And because there is no real way to right the wrongs of each group, intersectionality tends toward noisy virtue signaling without encouraging leaders to roll up their sleeves to discern and resolve underlying issues at play, preferring instead to perpetuate a sense of ongoing victimhood.Additionally, intersectionality gives victim groups the moral high ground based simply on the oppression they have suffered. This obliterates right and wrong in the biblical or moral sense, replacing it with victimization or oppression.One author described it this way:In the worldview of ideological social justice, authority is conferred, not by wisdom, age, position, or experience—but by victim status. Claims of oppression and victimization based on a subjective “lived experience” must be believed without question. The more intersectional victim-boxes one can check, the greater the moral authority. The greater the authority, the greater the power.29Concerning victimization, the Bible tells us that God personally cares for the oppressed (Psalm 9:9, 146:7). Jesus Himself “was oppressed, and he was afflicted” (Isaiah 53:7). In the Old Testament, God gave laws to Israel to prohibit taking advantage of vulnerable people such as foreigners, widows, fatherless, and the poor (Exodus 22:21–27). The Old Testament instructs, “Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow” (Isaiah 1:17). Likewise, the New Testament commands Christians to care for those in need and specifically to “visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction” (James 1:27).The contrast between intersectionality and a biblical approach to oppression is threefold: First, the categories for concern are specific to personal experience rather than to a broad group (e.g. being a widow versus being a woman or being fatherless versus having a particular skin color). Second, the biblical instructions are given to protect against actual crimes and to relieve actual suffering rather than to perpetuate labels of victimhood. And finally, Scripture—not categories of victimization—provides the moral authority for what is right or wrong. There are real victims in our fallen world. There are countless hearts shattered by sin (their own or others) and suffering who are in need of God's love. Biblical Christians care to relieve their suffering. That relief does not come through faulty philosophies of victimhood but through the forgiveness offered through the glorious gospel of Christ and the grace given through the precious promises of His Word. For those who are in bondage to sin, Christ promises, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). To those who know Christ, He promises overcoming power in a trouble-filled world: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).Questions:From a biblical standpoint, what concerns arise by including the LGBT community in groups of oppression? In what ways might people who struggle in these areas actually be oppressed, and what is a biblical approach to healing?In what ways does intersectionality create victimhood out of sinful practices?Do you believe the gospel and God's Word are sufficient to address the needs of the oppressed?Anti-Capitalism and Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) For reasons that seem more philosophical than practical, those who are woke are against free-market capitalism. This hatred for capitalism and the free market is part of what has given rise to Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) in financial sectors. ESG investing firms, banks, and government policies require those with whom they do business to support environmental causes, affirm anti-christian social stances, and maintain hiring quotas that are LGBT affirming.Not only are these philosophies unbiblical, but they are economically dangerous, as was seen in the recent collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). It wasn't until the aftermath of this bank's collapse that customers learned how ESG partially led to its demise. Due to woke hiring practices, only one member of the board of directors held previous experience in investment banking.30 And while the bank was tanking, its head of risk assessment was launching and leading LGBTQ programs instead of righting the ship.31 Additionally, before its shutdown, the bank “dropped an ESG report that outlined the company's focus on climate change.”32The dangers of ESG, however, are larger than the failure of a single bank or company. There is an underlying agenda to use ESG policies to strong-arm ordinary citizens into woke causes. For instance, during Covid lockdowns, those who protested against government policies in Canada had their bank accounts frozen.33 Already some Christian institutions are finding a need to switch banks because their accounts have been canceled for unexplained reasons.34 I believe that in the future, companies and churches that don't cooperate with ESG values will have their accounts canceled in greater number. It's possible that the ESG agreements will become a “mark or brand” businesses will be forced to take if they will get contracts and rates amenable to their success.Proponents of ESG dislike capitalism, claiming that it is systemically racist. If these claims were true, there would be good reason to look for another system. But these claims are not true, as author Owen Strachan points out: “Though woke leaders seek to replace the free market with state-controlled systems that will yield ‘equity' as they see it, the free market is actually a tremendous engine for good for all peoples. While not impervious to manipulation…the free market has fundamentally changed the world, lifting people across the world out of serfdom into freedom.”35 He continues with helpful statistics and details explaining how racism, such as slavery in the United States, actually hurts rather than helps capitalism wherever it is or has been practiced.36Scripture makes a direct connection between labor and provision: “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). The Bible instructs us to labor so that we might have and be able to give to others: “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth” (Ephesians 4:28). The New Testament strongly condemns men who do not provide for their household: “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” (1 Timothy 5:8). Economic systems that reward diligent labor with personal ownership of the fruits of that labor are to be commended. Christians who care for those in need should be discerning to see the woke hatred of capitalism for the pro-socialism agenda that is driving it. Although socialism promises to help the poor, it proposes this help based on other people's money and by building a larger government that will ultimately crush the poor. In reality, socialism has devastated the people and the economy of every country where it has been thoroughly implemented.37Questions:How does Scripture inform our view of money and economies? Every human system has weaknesses. What do you see as the greatest weaknesses in capitalism and socialism? ConclusionThere is a real need in our day for biblical Christians to be alert to worldly philosophies that masquerade as truth. I am concerned for the future orthodoxy of Christians who seek influence and ideas from those who are swayed by woke ideas. The practice of churches that exemplify woke and social justice philosophies today reveal their consumption of the “philosophy and vain deceit” spoken of in Colossians 2:8: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”John Adams, second president of the United States, pointed out, “It is the duty of the clergy to accommodate their discourses to the times, to preach against such sins as are most prevalent, and recommend such virtues as are most wanted.”38Christian leaders today must be willing to clearly and unapologetically state what the Bible says. They must be willing to call sin what it is and must be clear in proclaiming the gospel through Jesus Christ.Scripture commands us that we are to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3). As I have attempted to point out in these pages, the modern woke agenda is significant to “the faith” because it undermines the biblical understanding of such central truths as sin, forgiveness, and the gospel itself.If we are to make a difference in our world today, we must, like the apostle Paul, be willing to stand for truth under the stigma of the cross even when it seems strange to the world.“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).Dr. Paul Chappell has served as the pastor of Lancaster Baptist Church in Lancaster, California, for thirty-seven years. He and his wife Terrie have been married for forty-two years and have four married children serving the Lord in ministry.lancasterbaptist.orgEndnotesMerriam-Webster, s.v. “woke,” accessed March 22, 2023, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/woke.Owen Strachan, Christianity and Wokeness (Washington DC: Salem Books, 2021), 8.Adam Page, “What on earth…,” Twitter, January 23, 2023, https://twitter.com/AdamPage85/status/1617522150499577856.Russell Moore, “Rick Warren Reflects on His Legacy,” Christianity Today, March 8, 2023, https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/podcasts/russell-moore-show/rick-warren-legacy-saddleback-sbc-purpose-driven-life.html.Kylee Griswold, “Russell Moore Won't Celebrate Dobbs Because He'd Have To Admit Pro-Trump Christians Are Good At Loving Their Neighbors,” The Federalist, June 29, 2022, “https://thefederalist.com/2022/06/29/russell-moore-wont-celebrate-dobbs-because-hed-have-to-admit-pro-trump-christians-are-good-at-loving-their-neighbors/.Early in the wake of Floyd's death, blacklivesmatter.com included stated objectives on their homepage to “disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure,” “foster a queer‐affirming network,” and “do the work required to dismantle cisgender privilege.” I detailed this in an article titled “Counter-Cultural Christians Needed,” published July 2, 2020 (https://paulchappell.com/2020/07/02/counter-culturalchristians-needed/). The statements were still on blacklivesmatter.com at that time.The group was founded by Patrisse Khan-Callours, Alisha Garza, and Opal Tometi, who are self-described Marxists. Answering an interviewer's question about BLM's ability to organize, Callours said, “We actually do have an ideological frame. Myself and Alicia in particular, were trained organizers. We are trained Marxists. We are super versed on ideological theories.” Patrisse's book When They Call You a Terrorist also references this as she described how she developed her current ideas: “I read, I study, adding Mao, Marx and Lenin to my knowledge of hooks . . . .” See Patrisse Khan-Cullors and Asha Bandele, When They Call You a Terrorist (New York: Saint Martin's Griffin, 2017), Kindle edition.Tim Keller, “Creation, Evolution, and Christian Laypeople,” BioLogos, February 23, 2012, https://biologos.org/articles/creation-evolution-and-christian-laypeople.Timothy Keller, Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012), 291.Ibid.Charles Creitz, “Drag queen story hour slammed as ‘sexualizing children' after Maryland library hosts interactive event: Drag queen story time events for children are part of a growing trend across the country,” Fox News, October 28, 2022, https://www.foxnews.com/media/drag-queen-story-hour-slammed-sexualizing-children-maryland-library-hosts-interactive-event.David Gortler, “Allowing Biological Males in Women's Sports is Scientifically Unsound,” Newsweek, October 6, 2022, https://www.newsweek.com/allowing-biological-males-womens-sports-scientifically-unsound-opinion-1748900.R. Albert Mohler Jr., The Gathering Storm (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2020), 87.“Revisionist Gay Theology: Did God Really Say..?” Focus on the Family, July 29, 2019, https://www.focusonthefamily.com/get-help/revisionist-gay-theology-did-god-really-say/.Adam Page, “What on earth…,” Twitter, January 23, 2023, https://twitter.com/AdamPage85/status/1617522150499577856.“Prominent Southern Baptist Church Brags That Transgenders and Abortionists Serve in Their Church,” YouTube video, 00:37, posted by “The Dissenter,” February 7, 2022,Open, “Gay-Married” Homosexual Man Baptizes Other People at First Baptist Orlando, Disntr, March 13, 2023, https://disntr.com/2023/03/13/open-gay-married-homosexual-man-baptizes-other-people-at-first-baptist-orlando/.Jared Kennedy, “What do I do if my child doesn't seem to fit with typical gender norms?” Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, May 17, 2021, https://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/what-do-i-do-if-my-child-doesnt-seem-to-fit-with-typical-gender-norms/?fbclid=IwAR0sXHMpztssG8iua4M24uwxcYic7x_kO_yfUc-cDG1z5fjaHkHaWRfS6Vk.Denny Burk, What's in a name? The meaning and origin of ‘complementarianism,'” The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, August 1, 2019, https://cbmw.org/2019/08/01/whats-in-a-name/.Nate Schlomann, NAMB and SBC Egalitarrianism, Servants and Heralds, February 8, 2021, https://www.servantsandheralds.com/namb-and-sbc-egalitarianism/.Saddleback Church, “Yesterday was a historic night…” Facebook, May 7, 2021, https://www.facebook.com/saddlebackchurch/posts/-yesterday-was-a-historic-night-for-saddleback-church-in-many-wayswe-ordained-ou/10159190549013544/.Russell Moore, “Rick Warren Reflects on His Legacy,” Christianity Today, March 8, 2023, https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/podcasts/russell-moore-show/rick-warren-legacy-saddleback-sbc-purpose-driven-life.html.Denny Burk, “Rick Warren Has Done the SBC a Great Service,” Denny Burk, March 14, 2023, https://www.dennyburk.com/rick-warren-has-done-the-sbc-a-great-service/.Merriam-Webster, s.v. “Critical Race Theory,” accessed March 22, 2023, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/critical%20race%20theory.Shannon Craigo-Snell and Christopher Doucot, No Innocent Bystanders (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2017), 67.Ronnie W. Rogers, Understanding the Terms of Cultural Marxism (Social Justice): A Christian Response, Ronnie W. Rogers, June 29, 2020, https://ronniewrogers.com/2020/06/understanding-the-terms-of-cultural-marxism- social-justice-a-christian- response/.Jake Cannon and Matt Bryant, “Epidode 13: Seminaries And Radical Reconciliation With Matthew Hall,” YouTube video, 49:45, posted by “Coffee and Cream”, Jul 15, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwI82hKUTgI. Reference clip starts at 49:45.Todd Starnes, “Baylor University Prayer Denounces ‘Straight White Men,'” ToddStarnes.com, May 2, 2019, https://www.toddstarnes.com/faith/baylor-university-denounces-straight-white-men-in-graduation-prayer/.Scott D. Allen, Why Social Justice Is Not Biblical Justice, (Grand Rapids, MI: Credo House Publishers, 2020), 67.“More ‘woke' companies are going to fail, former CEO warns: SVB collapse was ‘perfect storm,'” Fox News, March 15, 2023, https://www.foxnews.com/media/woke-companies-going-fail-former-ceo-warns-svb-collapse-perfect-stormAubrie Spady, “Head of risk assessment at Silicon Valley Bank invested in LGBTQ programs in months leading up to shutdown,” Fox News, March 13, 2023, https://www.foxnews.com/politics/head-risk-assessment-silicon-valley-bank-invested-lgbtq-programs-months-leading-shutdownIbid.Siladitya Ray, “Canada Begins To Release Frozen Bank Accounts Of ‘Freedom Convoy' Protestors,” Forbes, February 23, 2022, https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2022/02/23/canada-begins-to-release-frozen-bank-accounts-of-freedom-convoy-protestors/.Dale Hurd, “Account Closed: Banks and Businesses Cancel Christians,” CBN News, January 3, 2023, https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2022/november/account-closed-banks-and-businesses-cancel-christians.Owen Strachan, Christianity and Wokeness (Washington DC: Salem Books, 2021), 124.Ibid.Benjamin Powell, “Hey, Millennials: Socialism Creates Poverty and Limits Freedom. So Stop Romanticizing It!,” Independent Institute, November 27, 2017, https://www.independent.org/news/article.asp?id=9206.Charles Francis Adams, The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States, Volume IV (Boston, MA: Charles C. Little and James Brown, 1851), 56. Category Current Events