During their recent convention, the Evangelical Church of America (ELCA) passed a resolution pledging to reexamine its 2009 decision which allowed both conservative and liberal views on homosexuality, setting up the circumstances that will make it impossible for any remnant conservative pastors to remain.
Memorial C3 – Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust Revision: Authorizes (741-59) a reconsideration to revise the social statement “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust (2009)” so its wording reflects current church understanding, church policy, civil law, and acceptance of marriage of same-gender and gender non-conforming couples. The action includes identifying the cost of revision and the revenue source for such work, which could be considered as early as the 2025 Churchwide Assembly.
Whereas, at present, each church is free to operate according to its conscience, revising the statement would take away this freedom and make it so that only pro-sodomy pastors would be allowed to lead.
As the denomination becomes increasingly apostate, many in the church feel this policy needs to be amended so that LBGTQ members will feel welcome and accepted in all ELCA churches they attend, not just the affirming ones. Given the trajectory these Lutherans are on, its eventual approval and ratification is already a done deal.
(A Twitter thread posted by Grace (@graceisforyou) that we wanted to share.
“Nationalism is good because gratitude is good. Nationalism is simply gratitude that overflows from observing the little details that make your home distinct from some other home. It’s gratitude that you belong somewhere, and that somewhere belongs to you.
Nationalism is scary to people who want power because they know when people belong to something, they fight for it. If the people who love a place know what they have is precious and unique and can’t be found elsewhere or replaced with anything else, they’ll die to preserve it.
Interchangeability is the lie of soulless strategists who see human beings as resources, national mythos as child’s play, and land as mere real estate. They would like everything to be interchangeable.
Interchangeable genders. Interchangeable words. Interchangeable currencies. Interchangeable goods. Interchangeable food. Interchangeable neighborhoods. No boundaries to anything, no roots, no essences. There is nothing less romantic, less stirring, than interchangeability.
Those who see the human being as a machine have the least romantic story to tell about where we’ve been or where we’re going: strategy and logistics, development and Progress. Since we are machines, we couldn’t possibly have come from the dust, couldn’t belong to the land.
Nationalism is the ability to see the romance in human history. Nationalism is mythos carried from the ancient past into today. It’s knowing the roots of all our family trees are in real soil. We shape the land, the land shapes us. A nation in a country, a country in a nation.
Loving your nation is as natural as loving a generous and good parent. It’s a love you shouldn’t have to explain or apologize for. The way the soulless strategists are trying to *beat* this natural affection out of our brains shows how powerful a love of nation can be, how real.
I’m sad that I was ever for a second tricked into feeling guilty about being an American. I’m sad that many people are still tricked into thinking America isn’t worthy of honor, so that their natural and proper affection for her can be beaten out of them.
America will never be Heaven on earth. No place on earth can be. But all of earth will be a living hell if we are deceived into abandoning our good and natural affections for the places we call home while we’re here.
Pastor John MacArthur of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, has released an open letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom, blasting him for “the diabolical effects” of his worldview and policies, as well as the “many immoral decisions” he has “perpetrated against God and the people of our state.” MacArthur closes with a gospel message, encouraging him to repent and turn to Christ.
Governor Gavin Newsom September 29, 2022 1021 O Street, Suite 9000 Sacramento, CA 95814
Sir,Almighty God says in His Word, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Proverbs 14:3). Scripture also teaches that it is the chief duty of any civic leader to reward those who do well and to punish evildoers (Romans 13:1–7). You have not only failed in that responsibility; you routinely turn it on its head, rewarding evildoers and punishing the righteous.The Word of God pronounces judgment on those who call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20), and yet many of your policies reflect this unholy, upside-down view of honor and morality.
The diabolical effects of your worldview are evident in the statistics of California’s epidemics of crime, homelessness, sexual perversions (like homosexuality and transgenderism), and other malignant expressions of human misery that stem directly from corrupt public policy. I don’t need to itemize or elaborate on the many immoral decisions you have perpetrated against God and the people of our state, which have only exacerbated these problems. Nevertheless, my goal in writing is not to contend with your politics, but rather to plead with you to hear and heed what the Word of God says to men in your position.
“Let all kings bow down before Him, all nations serve Him” (Psalm 72:11).
“He who rules over men righteously, who rules in the fear of God, is as the light of the morning when the sun rises” (2 Samuel 23:3–4).
“It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts, for a throne is established on righteousness” (Proverbs 16:12).
What God said to Cyrus is a truth you should take to heart: “I am the LORD, and there is noIn mid-September, you revealed to the entire nation how thoroughly rebellious against God you are when you sponsored billboards across America promoting the slaughter of children, whom He creates in the womb (Psalm 139:13–16; Isaiah 45:9–12).
You further compounded the wickedness of that murderous campaign with a reprehensible act of gross blasphemy, quoting the very words of Jesus from Mark 12:31 as if you could somehow twist His meaning and arrogate His name in favor of butchering unborn infants.You used the name and the words of Christ to promote the credo of Molech (Leviticus 20:1–5). It would be hard to imagine a greater sacrilege.
Furthermore, you chose words from the lips of Jesus without admitting that in the same moment He gave the greatest commandment: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). You cannot love God as He commands while aiding in the murder of His image-bearers.
Psalm 50:16–19 speaks to people who pervert the Word of God for their own sinful ends:
But to the wicked God says, “What right have you to recount My statutes And to take My covenant in your mouth? For you hate discipline, And you cast My words behind you. When you see a thief, you are pleased with him, And you associate with adulterers.You let your mouth loose in evil And you harness your tongue for deceit.”
My concern, Governor Newsom, is that your own soul lies in grave, eternal peril. “Each one of us will give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). One day, not very long from now, you will face that reality. Nothing is more certain. “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). You will stand in the presence of the Holy God who created you, who is your Judge, and He will demand that you give an account for how you have flouted His authority in your governing, and how you have twisted His own Holy Word to rationalize it.
As you look over the precipice of eternity, what will your answer be? When you look ahead of you and see that nothing awaits you but eternal misery—the just punishment for your sins—what will
My plea to you, Sir, is that you would not let it come to that—that you would not go to that day of judgment apart from receiving forgiveness and righteousness through faith in Christ alone. In Psalm 50, after rebuking the wicked for uttering God’s words in a profane way, Scripture makes this promise: “Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver. He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies Me; and he who orders his way, I shall show the salvation of God” (vv. 22–23).
So there is salvation for those who repent. Christ purchased full redemption for all who will turn from wickedness, forsake their evil thoughts and actions, and trust fully in Him as Lord and Savior. Our church, and countless Christians nationwide, are praying for your full repentance. Please respond to the gospel, forsake the path of wickedness you have pursued all your life, turn to Christ, ask for forgiveness, and use your office to advance the cause of righteousness (as is your duty) instead of undermining it (as has been your pattern).
Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the LORD, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55:6–7).
Governor Newsom, “now is the acceptable time, behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).
For the Master, John MacArthur Pastor-Teacher
Editor’s Note. While the letter is quite excellent, we do have a quibble, which is the exegesis he provided in the first paragraph. He writes “Scripture also teaches that it isthe chief duty of any civic leader to reward those who do well and to punish evildoers (Romans 13:1–7)”
While those verses certainly say that the role of government is to punish evildoers, nowhere does it say in this verse or any other he citied that the chief duty is to “reward those who do well.” It may be true that this is what they should do, but that is not derived from the text he provided and is an incautious interpretation at best.
(Christian Headlines) A large majority of evangelicals describe legal immigration as “helpful” to the United States, according to a new Lifeway Research survey that also found that evangelicals support a balanced approach to immigration reform.
The poll, sponsored by Evangelical Immigration Table and World Relief, found that 83 percent of self-identified evangelicals describe legal immigration as “helpful,” with 40 percent saying it’s helpful and that the U.S. should maintain the current number of legal immigrants and 25 percent calling it helpful and saying the nation should increase the number of legal immigrants. Another 19 percent call it helpful but believe the U.S. should decrease legal immigration. A total of 17 percent of evangelicals describe legal immigration as “harmful.”
Meanwhile, evangelicals support an approach to immigration reform that is best described as “balanced.” For example, 90 percent of evangelicals say they support legislation that would “guarantee secure national borders,” and 78 percent back legislation that would “establish a path toward citizenship for those who are here illegally, are interested, and meet certain qualifications for citizenship.”
Asked the best way for Congress to address immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally, only 25 percent of evangelicals say they should be deported “to…to continue reading, click here.
Editor’s Note. This article was written by Michael Foust and posted at Christian Headlines.
(Capstone Report) International Mission Board (IMB) trustees reportedly pushed back after learning that ousted Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) President Adam Greenway would be given a job training missionaries for IMB.
Whether it was Adam Greenway’s financial incompetence, inhuman treatment of SWBTS faculty members, or mishandling sexual abuse allegations, the former SWBTS President will not be working for the IMB.
Greenway announced on social media that he would not be headed toward IMB.
Greenway said, “Carla and I are grateful for the many expressions of care and concern that have come our way since our transition from service at @SWBTS was first announced. While we initially thought our path would take us to the @IMB_SBC, We have not been able to find the Lord’s peace to move forward in that direction. We covet your prayers for ourselves and for our children as we seek the Lord’s direction regarding His next vocational assignment for us.”
Carla and I are grateful for the many expressions of care and concern that have come our way since our transition from service at @SWBTS was first announced. While we initially thought our path would take us to the @IMB_SBC, 1/2
On Protestia, David discusses SBC President Bart Barber mincing words over women pastors in the church, How Beth Moore is going to remind us just how racist white churches really are, discernment battles between Costi Hinn and Doug Wilson, and Adam Greenway’s ousting from SWBTS.
On the Bible Bashed Podcast Harrison and Tim discuss why the left targets children with reckless abandon, how we went from “legalize gay marriage” to child gender transitions, and whether or not this is a demonically motivated movement.
As usual, search for both these episodes on all your favorite podcasting apps today. Also, please consider supporting us at Patreon for extra content and to keep this library of resources building,
Famed Trinity-denier T.D. Jakes, who is loved and praised by 90% of evangelical Christian leaders and personalities, from Steven Furtick to Priscilla Shirer to Christine Caine, anointed his daughter, Sarah Jakes Roberts, as his spiritual successor during the final Woman, Thou Art Loosed! Conference this past weekend.
Jakes, who has continued to be platformed by those at the Christian Post and Charisma News, has gone on record saying he doesn’t believe that Jesus is the second person of the Trinity but rather is just a “manifestation” of God. In fact, even now, his church website reads, “There is one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in three manifestations: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”
During the service, which saw Jakes lay hands on her and ‘slay her in the spirit,’ he revealed that she and her husband would be taking over the conference going forward, which has been rebranded as ‘Evolve.’ Roberts presently co-pastors the Los Angeles and Denver branches of the Oneness Pentecostal paradise. Anointing her with oil, Jakes declared:
“With every drop of oil that falls upon your head, may the strength and power of the Almighty God rest upon your life. After 30 years of Woman, Thou Art Loosed! and 45 years of preaching the Gospel, the time has come that I must decrease, and you must increase. This is not an inheritance; this is a calling. You are not standing on this stage for family legacy. This is not a favor, but a divine assignment that Woman, Thou Art Loosed! must evolve.”
Rev. Scott A. Ressman, Pastor and Teacher at United Church in Rockville Centre, New York preached a whole sermon exploring how “Disney’s casting of a black actress to portray “The Little Mermaid” created controversy and sparked conversation” while suggesting in the same way people need to get over the notion of a black mermaid, they must get over the idea of the good old days “when life centered around the church and all of its activities” and “Sunday morning was reserved for worship and fellowship.”
As millions watch the video trailer of The Little Mermaid, people took to TikTok, and yes, this is I think the fifth week in a row that I’ve mentioned TikTok. They took to TikTok to record their children watching the trailer for the first time. And it made me cry, again, and again.
(Shows the church a video of these reactions)
So did you see them? Did you hear their words, ‘what’s going on here?’ For these children of colour, they are seeing someone who looks like them in the magical role of a main character.
No, they didn’t reason that out, but their child-centered intellect told them for the first time for some of those kids, they looked into the mirror of the television or the cell phone or the iPad or the computer screen and saw a reflection of their own being. They were seen, and their black identity was celebrated.
Being seen, that’s the thing that continues to stick with me when I watch these videos. And if you want to see more, just Google them you’ll see a whole bunch. There is such power in being seen, isn’t there? Many of us cannot imagine what it feels like to be invisible in the world, especially in the entertainment world. But even the young children in those videos realizes that a black mermaid is an anomaly.
So how does all of this speak to us as people of faith? In the church we’ve become accustomed to the way things are. When folks of a certain age speak of the church they recall with fondness The Glory Days of the church…when life centered around the church and all of its activities. And Sunday morning was reserved for worship and fellowship not just in the church but in the community as well.
But things have changed dramatically. Life no longer centers around the church and it won’t ever again, and like those who hold on to a white mermaid because it makes them feel in control and validates their need to have things be safe and familiar, sometimes we in the church hold fast to a bygone era that will never return, and quite frankly probably shouldn’t’ return.
Me: Nobody would do an entire "sermon" about the ginned-up controversy over the Little Mermaid trailer, would they?
Discernment Minister Mike Winger has been embroiled in a bit of controversy over the last few days, scrapping with Bible Thumping Wingnut and Doctrinal Watchdog about several theological points.
What we find distressing, and we take exception with, is that Winger doesn’t seem to have the discernment and theological fortitude to identify an arch-heretic as a false teacher who is definitely not saved. Far from it. Instead, he argues that Osteen “seems to proclaim the true gospel of Christ” and insists that he be shown where Osteen teaches a non-biblical gospel.
Primarily the biggest thing (my critics) say about me that’s true, it’s not a lie, is that I really do think that a lot of Christians are real Christians even though they have major issues in their lives. Whether it’s some doctrinal things that are wrong, or whether it’s even some practical like living their life, and there’s issues.
And maybe I’m less confident that they’re Christian because of the things I see, but I’m not going to call them ‘false brethren’ because of it. I’ve done this with several people who are even prominent teachers like Joel Osteen who I, yeah, I’ve got a reason to wonder whether that guy’s really saved or not, but I lean, and I lean hopefully on the side that, you know, he does seem to proclaim the true gospel of Christ. And if you say he doesn’t, show me specifically where he says “how you get saved is xyz” and it’s not the actual biblical gospel.
Like I haven’t seen that, so I can’t say that. And many are so quick to just call others false brethren, fake Christians, because on a secondary issue they differ than us. This is what I’m in trouble for.”
Discernment 101 is that Website Orthodoxy exists, a term we coined meaning someone who has an orthodox statement of faith on their website, but then ignores it entirely in their body of work, sermons, books or teachings. This describes Osteen perfectly. With Winger’s intellectual and spiritual abrogation made manifest, David explains where he goes wrong:
Here are the facts: Joel Osteen does not talk about the Christian Gospel. Joel does not follow in the footsteps of Paul and shares this message:
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve… 1 Corinthians 15:1-5
Rather, in the gospel of Joel Osteen, the “good news” that he brings is that “God loves you and wants to save you from life of mediocrity and small dreams. Therefore, if you believe in God and be obedient to him, God will give you a plan for your life that includes big dreams, self esteem, favor, health and wealth, influence, a better job, a positive self image and a fulfilled life free of negativity”.
That’s it. That’s what it’s all about. That is the sum of just about every book, every sermon, every media appearance, and every tweet of Joel Osteen, condensed into a few sentences.
That being said, there is something significant to understand about Joel Osteen: He does talk about God. A lot. You cannot accuse the man of not mentioning him because he’s all over that. Yet it’s never really in a personal sense. Joel talks about God, but it’s always in a vague, amorphous sense. There is undoubtedly nothing distinctly Christian or Biblical about it. There’s nothing doctrinal or theological about the way he talks about God. Instead, He is an ethereal, shapeless, formless, customizable, singular being thing that is out there called God that functions like a cosmic vending machine whose sole purpose is seeming to bless you and make your life better. Even when he mentions God, it’s not ABOUT God, but it’s about what God can do for YOU.
And while he talks about God a lot, he NEVER talks about Jesus. We did a survey of his Tweets one year and out of nearly a thousand tweets, he mentioned ‘God’ over 330 times and ‘Jesus’ just three time. GT notes:
More often than not, Osteen sounds like an inspirational life-coach, instead of a herald of the gospel. He often preaches about how people can improve their lives, be prosperous, and experience happiness. Noticeably absent in Osteen’s optimistic message is any mention of sin or repentance. The atonement of Christ provides us with healing and the abundant life, according to Osteen, but apparently receiving forgiveness from a holy God is not necessary.
In numerous interviews and writings, Osteen has failed to proclaim that Jesus is the only way to heaven. He has repeatedly refused to agree with the teachings of the Bible that certain behaviors are sinful. This is not a new convert being interviewed; it’s the leader of a church of tens of thousands. Osteen can’t bring himself to support fundamental doctrines of the faith he claims to preach. His words communicate relativism and demonstrate a profoundly poor understanding of the Bible.
When you don’t talk about sin—and Osteen purposefully does not—you’re not preaching the whole gospel. When you barely, if ever, call sin what it is, you’re not helping anyone, least of all the sinner who is enslaved to sin (John 8:34; 2 Corinthians 4:3). Joel Osteen’s teaching would lead us to believe that we are being saved from unhappiness and failure in life, not from sin and God’s wrath. Osteen does not teach that we need a divine rescue from judgment, but rather simply a self-improvement plan.
Can you trust a discernment minister who can’t identify a wolf like Osteen, the lowest hanging fruit in Christendom, and call him on it? We certainly don’t think so.
KOLD News 13 reports Planned Parenthood Arizona had to cancel a number of abortion appointments that it had scheduled for this week, although it did not say how many. Other state abortion businesses said they had to do the same.
The law protects unborn babies’ right to life by banning abortions except if the mother’s life is at risk. It is saving as many as 36 babies from abortion every day. For nearly 50 years, Arizona was not allowed to enforce the law, but the overturning of Roe in June changed that.
On Monday, however, Planned Parenthood Arizona president and CEO Brittany Fonteno said they appealed the judge’s ruling, arguing that the situation is confusing because the state also has a 15-week abortion ban.
“The court’s decision has allowed conflicting laws…to continue reading, click here.
Editor’s Note. This article was written by Micaiah Bilger and published at Life News.
