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#Post#: 16681--------------------------------------------------
Re: The fearless evangelist
By: patrick jane Date: August 26, 2020, 5:15 pm
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HTML https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2020/august/white-evangelicals-covid-concern-trump-biden-vote.html
Ahead of 2020 Election, White Evangelicals Still Concerned About
COVID-19
Those who know someone who suffered from the virus are less
likely to say they plan to vote for President Trump.
Months into the pandemic, facing mixed plans for reopening
churches and starting another school year, white evangelicals
are still worried about the coronavirus.
They are as concerned about the spread of COVID-19 as the rest
of the population and as likely to know someone infected with
the disease, according to a recent survey. Previous predictions
that some segments of the population would feel isolated from
the risks of the virus, or that evangelicals’ concerns may have
been dwindling, have not borne out.
This trend may have political implications. The outbreak has
become one of the top issues in the upcoming election, so
evangelicals’ continued worries over coronavirus are expected to
be a factor in how they vote.
Among both white evangelicals and the general population, 7 in
10 people personally know someone who had been hospitalized due
to COVID-19, according to a Data for Progress survey conducted
in late July. Half say that they knew someone who has died from
the virus.
[img]
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White evangelicals have not been insulated from the consequences
of COVID-19. For both questions, the differences between the
general sample and the evangelical subsample is not
statistically significant.
And though evangelicals’ level of concern over the coronavirus
dipped during some weeks over the course of the pandemic, most
are still as worried about the virus as they were back in April.
[img]
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The share of white evangelicals who said they were “very
concerned” about experiencing the coronavirus was around 35
percent from mid-April to mid-May before retreating to 25
percent by the end of June. The number has since crept back up
over a third by the end of July. Over 7 in 10 white evangelicals
said that they were either “very” or “somewhat” concerned.
The distribution of concern among white evangelicals is not that
different from the general population. There are weeks when the
gaps become larger, but in aggregate, their levels of worry tend
to be close to the rest of Americans (7 in 10 also “very” or
“somewhat” concerned).
This translates to only small differences in behavior. For
instance, by late July, 20 percent of white evangelicals said
that they were socializing in public places compared to 15
percent of the general population.
But, there’s another area where the personal impacts of COVID-19
might be felt: the upcoming presidential election.
[img]
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When asked who they intended to vote for in the 2020 election,
more than two-thirds (68.5%) of white evangelicals who did not
know someone who had been infected by COVID-19 said that they
would cast a ballot for Donald Trump. Among those who knew
someone who contracted the coronavirus, it was only 60.4
percent.
This 8 percentage-point drop in support for Trump, correlated
with how people have experienced the impact of the coronavirus,
carries over into the general population. Of Americans who knew
someone with COVID-19, Trump’s share of the vote was 33.9
percent in the survey. His support among those who did know not
someone with the virus was 41.1 percent, 7.2 percentage points
higher.
Trump’s baseline of support has always been robust among white
evangelicals. Many have been pleased with the administration’s
response to the coronavirus, including the president’s remarks
declaring churches “essential” during the pandemic. A
majority—whether they have seen the virus’s impact firsthand or
not—still say they will vote to re-elect the president.
The survey is one piece of evidence, however, that some white
evangelicals, feeling the brunt of the pandemic, may be
rethinking their stance in 2020. Ahead of a contentious
election, voters may see the response to the coronavirus become
an even more central issue in the final months of the campaign.
Ryan P. Burge is an instructor of political science at Eastern
Illinois University. His research appears on the site Religion
in Public, and he tweets at @ryanburge.
#Post#: 16683--------------------------------------------------
Re: The fearless evangelist
By: patrick jane Date: August 26, 2020, 5:19 pm
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[img]
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HTML https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2020/august/zimbabwe-evangelicals-catholics-mnangagwa-genocide-efz.html
Zimbabwe Evangelicals Defend Catholics from Government’s
‘Genocide’ Accusations
Pentecostal leader explains 90 days of prayer for “the Zimbabwe
God wants” as Christians lament problems under Mugabe’s
successor, President Mnangagwa.
Zimbabwe, in its 40 years of independent history, has “never
enjoyed life.”
And as the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) stands in
solidarity this week with maligned Catholic bishops accused of
fomenting genocide, its president, Never Muparutsa, told CT the
Southern African government is failing to honor its biblical
responsibility.
There are too many poor, amid official repression.
The problems predate the presidency of Emmerson Mnangagwa. In
1965, white apartheid settlers declared the independent nation
of Rhodesia; however, it was not until 1980 when Robert Mugabe’s
violent revolutionary movement achieved universal suffrage.
But failures in economic integration, anti-white racism, and
political corruption plagued the renamed nation of Zimbabwe.
After nearly three decades in power, an aged Mugabe was
overthrown by the military following sustained popular protests
in 2017.
Initially lauded across the continent as a pioneering African
nationalist, by the end Archbishop Desmond Tutu called Mugabe “a
cartoon figure of an archetypal African dictator.”
Mnangagwa, Mugabe’s vice president, was installed as his
replacement by the military, and ushered in a new period of hope
after he won election in 2018. He passed the National Peace and
Reconciliation Act to address the 1983–85 massacres in which up
to 20,000 civilians were killed.
But worsening economic conditions led to sometimes riotous
protests in January 2019, which were forcibly suppressed by
Mnangagwa’s administration, with hundreds arrested. One month
later, the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHCD)
launched the nation’s first National Leadership Prayer Breakfast
to appeal for dialogue.
Zimbabwe’s population of 14 million is 86 percent Christian, and
the ZHCD is the umbrella organization uniting the four primary
expressions of the faith.
The EFZ, comprising Baptist and Pentecostal churches, is the
nation’s oldest, founded in 1962. The Zimbabwe Council of
Churches (ZCC), representing the missionary-era efforts of
Methodists, Lutherans, some Baptists, and others, was founded in
1964 and affiliates with the World Council of Churches. The
Zimbabwe Catholic Bishop’s Conference, recognized by the
Vatican, was founded in 1969.
In 1993, the ZHCD helped organize the nation’s indigenous
churches, many of which are syncretistic in practice, into its
fourth member body, the Union for the Development of Apostolic
Churches in Zimbabwe.
In October 2019, the four groups collectively called for a
“seven-year political sabbath” to reset the nation and address
its polarization and economic decline.
But as inflation soared over 800 percent, protests scheduled for
July 31 last month were also squashed, with a prominent
journalist and opposition leader put in prison. The EFZ warned
the moment was a crossroads for the country, endorsing the
“Zimbabwean Lives Matter” hashtag.
And last Sunday, the Catholic bishops authorized the nationwide
reading of a definitive statement.
“Fear runs down the spines of many of our people today,” it
said. “The crackdown on dissent is unprecedented ... Our
government automatically labels anyone thinking differently as
an enemy of the country: That is an abuse.”
The government responded immediately by calling the bishops
“evil-minded,” seeking to lead the nation into the “darkest
dungeons of Rwanda-type genocide” in pursuit of a Western agenda
of regime change.
The next day, the EFZ responded.
“We stand with the truth that the Catholic bishops so ably
articulated,” read its statement, “the truth of a multi-layered
crisis of … economic collapse, deepening poverty, food
insecurity, corruption, and human rights abuses.
“We stand with the truth that the government is focused on
things other than national democratic priorities.”
CT spoke with EFZ president Never Muparutsa, presiding bishop of
the Pentecostal Assembly of Zimbabwe, about ecumenical
cooperation, the focus on accountability, and his hope in
launching 90 days of prayer and fasting:
With such Christian diversity in Zimbabwe, why did you pursue
unity?
It came from necessity. There are theological differences
between us over speaking in tongues, church authority, and
syncretistic practices. But for the purposes of moving our
mission forward, since all claim to be Christians, at the
ecumenical level we have to come together.
We realized that when we are divided, politicians take
advantage. We have not eradicated this completely; politicians
still divide us for particular agendas. But we have all agreed
that in national matters we must be united, in order to move
society in a positive direction.
What are your essential national issues?
The church must be nonpartisan, but at the same time be
concerned about the well-being of the general population. We
must be the voice of the weak and the voiceless. We must hold
our government accountable when it comes to looking after the
vulnerable.
Sometimes this makes us look like we are pro-opposition. But we
have nothing to do with the opposition, because they are not in
power. Our interactions instead are with those in power, because
they bear the responsibility.
But we must also come together to hold ourselves accountable, to
prevent our members from working against the government—or
benefitting from it.
How do you accomplish this?
Within its jurisdiction, each umbrella organization is expected
to intervene in areas of dispute, but with limited authority. We
go not to discipline, but to persuade. We approach the most
senior leaders, relying on our relationships.
Where there is a good relationship, there is a better chance to
achieve reconciliation or rebuke.
How does it work within the ecumenical umbrella?
We make decisions based on consensus, after each grouping has
gone back to its membership for feedback and support. It can be
cumbersome.
But with all that is going on now, we have to make sure we are
on the same page. Then we can ask together: Where is the nation
going, and how can we help our politicians and hold them
accountable?
Each group is encouraged to act where it is strong. Catholics
are good in issues of peace and justice. We are understood to be
people of prayer. The ZCC is known as being active in civil
society. Then we bring it all together, to forge our common
path.
Politicians come from society, so I imagine most are members of
one church or another. How do you navigate the affiliation of a
politician, who might want to leverage support from his church,
even if to do something good?
It is not easy. When we meet, we separate the issue from the
person. There have been casualties. We have individuals who have
been compromised by political prizes here and there. As leaders,
even when things are going well, you have to be above board,
because tomorrow your stance might compromise you, even if you
did not intend it at first.
We feel sorry for them, because we have to approach them at the
level of conscience, asking them to do what is right.
What has it been like through the political upheaval of the past
several years? Is ecumenical cooperation increasing, or is it
increasingly difficult to manage?
From 2004–2006, when our economy first came under pressure, our
cohesion and unity became more pronounced. As churches we
produced a document called, “The Zimbabwe We Want.” It was not
easy, amid many differences. But it produced a very powerful
statement, and was launched by the former president himself. And
our new constitution borrowed from it as well.
During this time, the church became very strong, and we are
getting stronger, especially when there is a crisis. When things
are calm, we tend to go back to our individual groupings. But
since that time, there is a more comprehensive cohesion, through
which we developed our values and vision.
So why is the situation so difficult now?
The former president left us with a system of misgovernance,
human rights issues, and international sanctions. We were all
very happy when [Mnangagwa] was elected, hearing that he would
turn over a new leaf. There was so much hope. Having been part
of the system, we expected he would learn the lessons of the
past and bring us back into the family of nations.
But with the COVID-19 pandemic, problems began to multiply. We
were already suffering, and our health situation became dire.
The majority of our people live hand-to-mouth. But as workplaces
closed due to the lockdown, there was civic upheaval because
people were hungry.
On June 1, we called for 90 days of prayer. On the 15th day, the
president called for a national day of prayer, and we supported
him. We don’t necessarily blame the president for all the
problems, but there is a lack of leadership to bring everyone to
the table.
And this is why you stood with the Catholics?
The Catholic letter was trying to provoke discussion, not give
an insult. It pointed out problems like all of us were doing.
But it received such a strong backlash.
We felt that given the situation in the country, if we just
stand by and watch, we don’t know what will happen. We have
journalists and activists in prison. There have been abductions
with perpetrators unidentified, making us all vulnerable.
So this prompted us to stand with the Catholics, because an
insult to one is an insult to all.
The 90 days of prayer will end on August 29. What are your hopes
for Zimbabwe, in how God might move on behalf of the church and
country?
We need a better future. We have suffered enough over 40 years,
having never really enjoyed life. Zimbabwe has been given many
natural resources and riches, and if our leaders are gifted
enough, they can exploit these for the benefit of the people.
We are praying that the church will raise up disciples, who in
the future will be good politicians. We blame ourselves. We have
what we deserve, because we have not done a good job.
We want God to help us achieve the Zimbabwe we want, with
freedom of speech, access to the wealth of the nation, and an
uprooting of corruption.
This is the Zimbabwe we believe God wants, too.
#Post#: 16685--------------------------------------------------
Re: The fearless evangelist
By: patrick jane Date: August 26, 2020, 5:22 pm
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HTML https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2020/august/baptists-russia-religious-liberty-putin.html
Russian Evangelicals Fined for ‘Missionary Activity’ During
Pandemic
Offenses include passing out tracts and telling people to invite
friends to hear the gospel.
Anatoly Chendemerov was handing out tracts that said “You must
be born again!” in the Volga Federal District in southeastern
Russia. He was fined 6,000 rubles, the euqivalent of about $80.
Sergey Krasnov was passing out Christian newspapers and New
Testaments in Krasnodar, a city in the South. He was fined 5,000
rubles, or about $65.
Seo Jin Wook, a South Korean, met with about 10 people in a
private home in Izhevsk, in the Western Ural Mountains, to talk
about the good news of Jesus Christ. He told the people they
should come back and bring friends. He was fined 30,000 rubles
(about $400) and deported.
More than 40 people have been charged with violating a Russian
anti-missionary law in the first six months of 2020, according
to a new report from Forum 18, a religious liberty news service
based in Norway. Govenment lockdowns and pandemic stay-at-home
orders did not substantially slow the multiyear crackdown on
unauthorized religious activity.
Russia passed a 2015 law that said all religious meeting places
needed to be registered and followed it in 2016 with an
anti-missionary law. The bill was labeled as anti-terrorism
legislation, meant to prevent foreign extremist from exerting
influence in the country. At the time, religious liberty experts
said it was hard to predict how the law would be applied and
what activity would be prohibited.
“It is broad and vaguely defined,” wrote Travis Wussow, of the
Southern Baptist’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, in
2016. “Of course, limiting expression and freedom in a vague way
is a tried-and-true tool of regimes to stifle speech beyond the
language of the law by creating fear of punishment.”
Four years later, the application of the law is clear. Local
police, sometimes supported by the Federal Security Service,
have fined roughly 100 religious people per year for practicing
their faith. Baptists distributing tracts and Muslims teaching
people the language skills necessary to read the Qur’an are
prime targets, alongside ongoing efforts to completely rid the
country of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
So far in 2020, local police have fined a dozen Muslim men for
teaching Arabic grammar, according to Forum 18. They have also
fined a sectarian Roman Catholic performing a Latin Mass, a
Pentecostal holding services in his home, and a dozen Baptists
distributing religious literature. Seventy percent of Russians
are Orthodox, though only about five percent go to church
regularly. Seven percent of people are Muslim and about 2
percent are Protestant—mainly Baptist and Pentecostal.
While the government has been targeting evangelical Christians,
the Russian constitution was also amended to include a reference
to God, define marriage as a union between one man and one
woman, and allow President Vladimir Putin to remain in power
beyond his fourth term, which ends in 2024. The Russian
legislature is also considering a law limiting religious liberty
to Russian citizens and permanent residents, banning
non-residents from practicing their faith in the country and
preventing Russian religious leaders from receiving theological
education abroad.
Putin has raised the status of the Russian Orthodox Church in
his fourth term and talked about the need to stand strong
against secularism and the “chaotic darkness” of the West, which
he says is “denying moral principles and all traditional
identities: national, cultural, religious, and even sexual.”
That political program includes clamping down on “foreign
religions,” such as Baptists.
“There is a sophisticated narrative … that Russian society and
culture are under siege,” Eric Patterson, a scholar in the
Robertson School of Government at Regent University, wrote for
the conservative website The Blaze, “and that Russia is
fortunate to have the bold, determined leadership of Vladimir
Putin and his United Russia party to stand up against all forms
of foreign influence and aggression.”
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
has recommended targeted sanctions in response to the violations
of religious liberty.
#Post#: 16687--------------------------------------------------
Re: The fearless evangelist
By: patrick jane Date: August 26, 2020, 5:25 pm
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HTML https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2020/august/republican-national-convention-speakers-trump-evangelicals-.html
Trump’s Faithful: Franklin Graham, Navajo VP, Freed Pastor
Andrew Brunson on GOP Convention Lineup
During this year’s event in Charlotte, evangelicals are praying
inside, outside, and remotely.
Three and half years after offering a prayer at President Donald
Trump’s inauguration, New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan opened the
Republican National Convention—which had officially nominated
the president to run for a second term—by praying for America
Monday night.
His prayer mentioned both parties and spanned a litany of issues
around this election, saying “pray we must” for COVID-19
patients, frontline workers, police, babies in the womb,
immigrants, trafficking, religious liberty, democracy, and the
electorate preparing to vote.
The convention speakers and panels, convened to make a case for
Trump’s reelection, were also punctuated with mentions of prayer
and freedom to worship, a sign that—like at the Democratic
National Convention the week before—faith remains a guiding
factor for how Republicans approach the 2020 race.
On the broadcast airing Monday night, a Montana businesswoman
described desperately praying for the Lord’s guidance before
receiving a Paycheck Protect Program loan to support her coffee
shop during the pandemic. Attorney and Trump advisor Kimberly
Ann Guilfoyle gave a passionate speech in favor of Trump’s
vision for a country where “we kneel in prayer and we stand for
our flag.” Football great Herschel Walker mentioned praying for
his friend, the president: “I pray every night that God gives
him more time. Give him four more years.”
During presidential election years, “I watch the key points of
both conventions to help me know how to pray for our country and
make sure Christians are involved,” said Greg Laurie, pastor of
Harvest Christian Fellowship, who has visited the White House
multiple times under Trump and applauded outreach to
evangelicals. “We need to both think and vote biblically. I
encourage every believer who cares about the future of our
country to do the same.”
Chaplains from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA)
have been on the streets offering prayer around the Charlotte,
North Carolina, convention center that’s hosting a downsized
version of the GOP event. BGEA president Franklin Graham is
scheduled to offer a prayer at the convention on Thursday.
While Graham—who also prayed at Trump’s inauguration— is the
biggest evangelical name on the lineup, he’s not the only one.
Myron Lizer, a former bivocational pastor in Arizona who now
serves as vice president of the Navajo Nation, will speak
Tuesday.
“I attribute it to God’s favor that I am in this position for
such a time as this,” he told CT. He suggested that perhaps the
Lord would use the Navajo to help the country out of turmoil,
like the role of the code talkers in World War II.
Lizer, who led a Southern Baptist congregation in Window Rock,
Arizona, said he has a unique perspective as a Christian and a
Native American. He knows what it’s like to feel the tension on
both sides and believes “right-wing and left-wing extremists are
taking America down the wrong road.”
While the Navajo leader praises what the Trump administration
has done for his people—including providing $714 million in
COVID-19 relief funding and establishing a task force to address
missing and murdered indigenous women —he knows many of his
fellow Navajo oppose Trump. Navajo President Jonathan Nez, for
example, is a Democrat. But the two fellow Christians pray
together each week.
Evangelical Presbyterian pastor Andrew Brunson made an unlisted
appearance at the convention Monday night, part of a panel of
overseas detainees returned to the US by the Trump
administration. Each briefly thanked the president for his role
in working toward their freedom. Brunson spent two years in a
Turkish prison on erroneous terrorism and espionage charges.
After a prayer campaign and through the efforts of the
president, State Department, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo,
he was freed in 2018.
Later this week, convention viewers are slated to hear the more
tragic story of a hostage who reportedly refused to recant her
faith and didn’t make it home. The parents of the late Kayla
Mueller—the Christian aid worker who was kidnapped, tortured,
and enslaved by ISIS leaders in Syria—have previously criticized
the Obama administration for not doing more to try to facilitate
their daughter’s release and thanked the Trump administration
for going after Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
Secretary of State Pompeo, who belongs to the Evangelical
Presbyterian Church, is slated to address the convention Tuesday
through remarks recorded in Jerusalem. While the location has
stirred debate over politicking while on government business, it
also evokes the significance of Trump’s Israel policy, including
moving the embassy to the capital—a decision heralded by US
evangelicals but far more contentious for believers in the
region.
Nikki Haley, the former ambassador to the United Nations,
described a vision for America under Trump “where every believer
can worship without fear” and “where every girl and boy, every
woman and man of every race and religion has the best shot at
the best life.”
During the first night of the convention, this vision, and
versions of it described by fellow speakers, was presented in
contrast to the Democratic platform.
As Wheaton University politics chair Bryan McGraw predicted,
Republicans’ message will declare “the Democrats are coming for
their churches, their schools, their families,” as an attempt
“to make evangelicals believe that unless they vote for
Trump—and vote for him in large numbers—they will be on the
receiving end of a kind of cultural revolution.”
“People of faith are under attack,” Donald Trump Jr. said.
“You're not allowed to go to church, but mass chaos in the
streets gets a pass. It's almost like this election is shaping
up to be church, work, and school versus rioting, looting, and
vandalism.”
Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk, who runs a think tank
affiliated with Liberty University, mentioned the importance of
pastors being able to reopen their churches without government
interference. Liberty’s Jerry Falwell Jr., who was an early
evangelical supporter of Trump in 2016 and gave a seven-minute
speech in his favor during the last convention, had not been
invited to speak.
In a Pew Research Center survey released last month, 82 percent
of white evangelicals and 55 percent of all Christians said they
planned to vote for Trump while 88 percent of black Protestants
supported Joe Biden. As CT reported last week, his campaign has
emphasized his Catholic faith.
Samuel Rodriguez, pastor and president of the National Hispanic
Christian Leadership Conference, said as a believer, he doesn’t
vote for “parties or for politicians but for policies that
advance the Lamb’s agenda of protecting the sanctity of life,
advocating for biblical justice, and protecting religious
freedom.”
Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Texas, had
a similar directive.
“Christians who are watching the major party conventions should
ask themselves this simple question: Do the policies being
discussed by these leaders align with our biblical values and
beliefs?,” said Graham, who has spoken out in favor of the
president’s pro-life policies. “This question should tell
Christians all they need to know.”
#Post#: 16776--------------------------------------------------
Re: The fearless evangelist
By: patrick jane Date: August 28, 2020, 4:01 pm
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Jerry Falwell Jr. Finally Resigns from Liberty Amid Sex Scandal
Board leaders decide return of Christian college’s president
wouldn’t be in its “best interest” after dueling accounts of a
sex scandal make news.
Monday was a big day for Liberty University. The school began
the first day of classes as President Jerry Falwell Jr.’s name
trended on Twitter due to recent news reports about the
involvement of a young man in the conservative Christian
leader’s marriage.
Falwell had been put on leave two and a half weeks ago after
sharing a provocative vacation photo on his Instagram account.
He told a Virginia publication this evening that he has been
“enjoying” his break, “except for the press.”
The new reports made it clear that it would not be in Liberty’s
“best interest” for him to return, the Christian college said
Monday night in a statement.
Leaders from the board of trustees met Monday morning, then
accepted Falwell’s resignation later in the day—only to have him
withdraw the decision, the college stated. Upon seeing news
reports of him leaving his position at Liberty, Falwell spoke
out Monday evening to call them “completely false.”
According to a Wall Street Journal update posted shortly after
midnight, the outgoing president reversed again to say that he
would resign because he wants “what’s best for the school,” but
that he was still due his full compensation.
Liberty’s board will meet again Tuesday as it waits for an
attorney to tender Falwell’s resignation letter.
“I call upon the University community and supporters to be in
prayer for the University and for all its leadership, past,
present and future, as we walk with the Lord through this stormy
time of transition,” said acting president Jerry Prevo, an
Alaska pastor who had served as board chair before he stepped in
to lead while Falwell was on leave.
Falwell joins a regrettable list of prominent evangelical
leaders brought down by sexual scandal.
Falwell said in a statement to the Washington Examiner Sunday
night that his wife, Becki, had an affair with a pool
boy-turned-business partner, alleging that he and his wife were
now being extorted. In a Reuters investigation published Monday
morning, the 29-year-old Florida man, Giancarlo Granda, said he
had been in a relationship with the Falwells, with Jerry’s
knowledge, from 2012 to 2018. Falwell said in his statement,
prior to Reuters airing Granda’s claims, that he was not
involved and called Granda’s account “90 percent false.”
Questions around Falwell’s ties to Granda and Falwell’s
investment in a Miami hostel previously came up in
investigations in Politico and the Miami Herald.
Critics also expressed frustration about the racial climate on
campus, brought to the forefront by a divisive tweet in May that
led several African Americans to cut ties with Liberty and
dozens of African American alumni to call for his resignation.
For the past few years, concerned members of the Liberty
community say they worried that nothing would be done. They
assumed because of Falwell’s influence at Liberty, and the
loyalty of a board made up of Jerry Falwell Sr.’s associates and
Falwell Jr.’s own appointees, he may never be held into account.
But then a viral photo turned up—not from media investigations,
but Falwell’s own Instagram account. He is posed next to a woman
and both have their zippers down. After backlash, Falwell agreed
to take an indefinite leave of absence, which he recently
characterized as a sabbatical, though it came at the board’s
request.
Some critics of Falwell told CT at the time they were shocked to
see the school take action.
The move also had trustees considering whether Falwell should
stay in his position, even before hearing the news about the
Falwells’ alleged sexual tryst.
The concerns could no longer be dismissed as baseless attacks
from the outside, said Suzanna Krivulskaya, a professor at
California State University San Marcos who writes about the
history of American evangelical sex scandals.
She likened Falwell’s narrative to the pattern of institutional
denial, then temporary leave, then permanent oustings Christians
have seen modeled around leaders such as Jim Bakker, Ted
Haggard, and Billy James Hargis. Krivulskaya observed that cases
involving “accusations of homosexuality and allegations of
bisexuality—where there’s another man involved” often prompt a
quicker response and swifter condemnation.
Falwell Sr., Falwell’s father and Liberty’s founder, knew how
sexual misdeeds could hurt ministry relationships and impede the
work of evangelism. He famously took over for televangelist Jim
Bakker after an “alleged sexual indiscretion” and coverup at the
PTL Club in the 1980s.
Among evangelicals, sexual scandals hit on several levels.
There’s the hypocrisy of a leader espousing sex between one man
and one woman while not obeying the teaching himself. But
there’s also the grief of how sexual brokenness damages people,
families, and ministries.
“The past 24 hours of news related to Liberty University and
Jerry Falwell Jr. and his family is sad. Whatever portion of it
is true, it is a reminder of just how deeply entangling sin can
become and our deep need for genuine spiritual renewal from
Christ each and every day,” said Virginia pastor and Liberty
alumnus Colby Garman, who signed a petition the week prior
calling for Falwell’s removal.
“As I have said before, it will be best for the school to make a
permanent leadership change immediately and allow the Falwell
family to work out these matters in private. Prayers for all
involved.”
The impact of Falwell’s departure will extend beyond the school.
Falwell is a big name in evangelicalism because of his father’s
legacy and the success of Liberty, which has grown to an
enrollment of more than 120,000 students. Lately, he has also
become known as a close friend of President Donald Trump. He
serves as a faith adviser to Trump and has hosted the president
on campus.
David Dockery, president of the International Alliance for
Christian Education, said, “The news will certainly have
implications for all who serve in Christian higher education as
well as for evangelicalism at-large, at least from the vantage
point of perceptions among those looking on from the outside.”
Liberty is somewhat of an exceptional example in the Christian
college landscape. It is not a member of the Council for
Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU), though fellow
evangelical schools, looped in with Liberty and its leader in
media accounts, “are surely embarrassed by Falwell,” Bill
Ringenberg, author of The Christian College: A History of
Protestant Higher Education in America, told CT.
Even at the helm of what was once the country’s largest
Christian college, Falwell never claimed to be the spiritual
leader in his family—that’s his brother Jonathan Falwell, who
succeeded their father as pastor of his other institutional
legacy, Thomas Road Baptist Church. Instead, Falwell had
positioned himself as steering Liberty like a business.
Many attribute that strategy as leading to Liberty’s massive
growth in online education, sports, and enrollment.
“Jerry has done a great job in building a tremendous school,”
Robert Jeffress, fellow Trump supporter and pastor of First
Baptist Dallas, told the Washington Post. “The allegations, if
true, should be a warning of the destructive power of sin.”
But his leadership has also tainted the school’s Christian
witness, critics say.
Quan McLaurin, who resigned as a diversity director at Liberty,
fears the board has only acted to hold its leader accountable
when the negative press stands to affect its bottom line. He
criticized leaders for not acting sooner or in response to the
racial matters that have come up on campus. He called Falwell’s
resignation “a great step in the right direction, but not
enough” and wants to see “true accountability” and ethical
behavior from the top.
Dockery, like many fellow Christian leaders, extended prayers
for Liberty’s leadership.
“With the amazing resources with which they have been blessed,”
he said, “we hope that the Board will prioritize their calling
to rigorous academics and an unapologetic Christian commitment
that will allow them to maximize their impact and influence in
the world of higher education as well as in their service to
church and society.”
Johnnie Moore, who previously served as the school’s vice
president of communications during his 13-year tenure at the
school, said its mission will continue even without a Falwell at
the helm.
“Liberty would not exist but for the Falwells. Yet, the
brilliance of its original mission and vision was transcended
long ago,” said Moore, founder of the evangelical marketing firm
The Kairos Company. “Liberty is an institution designed to
thrive for the cause of Christ today and for generations. I am
sure members of the community—past and present—will pray and
will work together to ensure that Liberty's best days are
ahead."
Additional reporting by Daniel Silliman.
#Post#: 16777--------------------------------------------------
Re: The fearless evangelist
By: patrick jane Date: August 28, 2020, 4:06 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=patrick jane link=topic=889.msg16776#msg16776
date=1598648501]
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Jerry Falwell Jr. Finally Resigns from Liberty Amid Sex Scandal
Board leaders decide return of Christian college’s president
wouldn’t be in its “best interest” after dueling accounts of a
sex scandal make news.
Monday was a big day for Liberty University. The school began
the first day of classes as President Jerry Falwell Jr.’s name
trended on Twitter due to recent news reports about the
involvement of a young man in the conservative Christian
leader’s marriage.
Falwell had been put on leave two and a half weeks ago after
sharing a provocative vacation photo on his Instagram account.
He told a Virginia publication this evening that he has been
“enjoying” his break, “except for the press.”
The new reports made it clear that it would not be in Liberty’s
“best interest” for him to return, the Christian college said
Monday night in a statement.
Leaders from the board of trustees met Monday morning, then
accepted Falwell’s resignation later in the day—only to have him
withdraw the decision, the college stated. Upon seeing news
reports of him leaving his position at Liberty, Falwell spoke
out Monday evening to call them “completely false.”
According to a Wall Street Journal update posted shortly after
midnight, the outgoing president reversed again to say that he
would resign because he wants “what’s best for the school,” but
that he was still due his full compensation.
Liberty’s board will meet again Tuesday as it waits for an
attorney to tender Falwell’s resignation letter.
“I call upon the University community and supporters to be in
prayer for the University and for all its leadership, past,
present and future, as we walk with the Lord through this stormy
time of transition,” said acting president Jerry Prevo, an
Alaska pastor who had served as board chair before he stepped in
to lead while Falwell was on leave.
Falwell joins a regrettable list of prominent evangelical
leaders brought down by sexual scandal.
Falwell said in a statement to the Washington Examiner Sunday
night that his wife, Becki, had an affair with a pool
boy-turned-business partner, alleging that he and his wife were
now being extorted. In a Reuters investigation published Monday
morning, the 29-year-old Florida man, Giancarlo Granda, said he
had been in a relationship with the Falwells, with Jerry’s
knowledge, from 2012 to 2018. Falwell said in his statement,
prior to Reuters airing Granda’s claims, that he was not
involved and called Granda’s account “90 percent false.”
Questions around Falwell’s ties to Granda and Falwell’s
investment in a Miami hostel previously came up in
investigations in Politico and the Miami Herald.
Critics also expressed frustration about the racial climate on
campus, brought to the forefront by a divisive tweet in May that
led several African Americans to cut ties with Liberty and
dozens of African American alumni to call for his resignation.
For the past few years, concerned members of the Liberty
community say they worried that nothing would be done. They
assumed because of Falwell’s influence at Liberty, and the
loyalty of a board made up of Jerry Falwell Sr.’s associates and
Falwell Jr.’s own appointees, he may never be held into account.
But then a viral photo turned up—not from media investigations,
but Falwell’s own Instagram account. He is posed next to a woman
and both have their zippers down. After backlash, Falwell agreed
to take an indefinite leave of absence, which he recently
characterized as a sabbatical, though it came at the board’s
request.
Some critics of Falwell told CT at the time they were shocked to
see the school take action.
The move also had trustees considering whether Falwell should
stay in his position, even before hearing the news about the
Falwells’ alleged sexual tryst.
The concerns could no longer be dismissed as baseless attacks
from the outside, said Suzanna Krivulskaya, a professor at
California State University San Marcos who writes about the
history of American evangelical sex scandals.
She likened Falwell’s narrative to the pattern of institutional
denial, then temporary leave, then permanent oustings Christians
have seen modeled around leaders such as Jim Bakker, Ted
Haggard, and Billy James Hargis. Krivulskaya observed that cases
involving “accusations of homosexuality and allegations of
bisexuality—where there’s another man involved” often prompt a
quicker response and swifter condemnation.
Falwell Sr., Falwell’s father and Liberty’s founder, knew how
sexual misdeeds could hurt ministry relationships and impede the
work of evangelism. He famously took over for televangelist Jim
Bakker after an “alleged sexual indiscretion” and coverup at the
PTL Club in the 1980s.
Among evangelicals, sexual scandals hit on several levels.
There’s the hypocrisy of a leader espousing sex between one man
and one woman while not obeying the teaching himself. But
there’s also the grief of how sexual brokenness damages people,
families, and ministries.
“The past 24 hours of news related to Liberty University and
Jerry Falwell Jr. and his family is sad. Whatever portion of it
is true, it is a reminder of just how deeply entangling sin can
become and our deep need for genuine spiritual renewal from
Christ each and every day,” said Virginia pastor and Liberty
alumnus Colby Garman, who signed a petition the week prior
calling for Falwell’s removal.
“As I have said before, it will be best for the school to make a
permanent leadership change immediately and allow the Falwell
family to work out these matters in private. Prayers for all
involved.”
The impact of Falwell’s departure will extend beyond the school.
Falwell is a big name in evangelicalism because of his father’s
legacy and the success of Liberty, which has grown to an
enrollment of more than 120,000 students. Lately, he has also
become known as a close friend of President Donald Trump. He
serves as a faith adviser to Trump and has hosted the president
on campus.
David Dockery, president of the International Alliance for
Christian Education, said, “The news will certainly have
implications for all who serve in Christian higher education as
well as for evangelicalism at-large, at least from the vantage
point of perceptions among those looking on from the outside.”
Liberty is somewhat of an exceptional example in the Christian
college landscape. It is not a member of the Council for
Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU), though fellow
evangelical schools, looped in with Liberty and its leader in
media accounts, “are surely embarrassed by Falwell,” Bill
Ringenberg, author of The Christian College: A History of
Protestant Higher Education in America, told CT.
Even at the helm of what was once the country’s largest
Christian college, Falwell never claimed to be the spiritual
leader in his family—that’s his brother Jonathan Falwell, who
succeeded their father as pastor of his other institutional
legacy, Thomas Road Baptist Church. Instead, Falwell had
positioned himself as steering Liberty like a business.
Many attribute that strategy as leading to Liberty’s massive
growth in online education, sports, and enrollment.
“Jerry has done a great job in building a tremendous school,”
Robert Jeffress, fellow Trump supporter and pastor of First
Baptist Dallas, told the Washington Post. “The allegations, if
true, should be a warning of the destructive power of sin.”
But his leadership has also tainted the school’s Christian
witness, critics say.
Quan McLaurin, who resigned as a diversity director at Liberty,
fears the board has only acted to hold its leader accountable
when the negative press stands to affect its bottom line. He
criticized leaders for not acting sooner or in response to the
racial matters that have come up on campus. He called Falwell’s
resignation “a great step in the right direction, but not
enough” and wants to see “true accountability” and ethical
behavior from the top.
Dockery, like many fellow Christian leaders, extended prayers
for Liberty’s leadership.
“With the amazing resources with which they have been blessed,”
he said, “we hope that the Board will prioritize their calling
to rigorous academics and an unapologetic Christian commitment
that will allow them to maximize their impact and influence in
the world of higher education as well as in their service to
church and society.”
Johnnie Moore, who previously served as the school’s vice
president of communications during his 13-year tenure at the
school, said its mission will continue even without a Falwell at
the helm.
“Liberty would not exist but for the Falwells. Yet, the
brilliance of its original mission and vision was transcended
long ago,” said Moore, founder of the evangelical marketing firm
The Kairos Company. “Liberty is an institution designed to
thrive for the cause of Christ today and for generations. I am
sure members of the community—past and present—will pray and
will work together to ensure that Liberty's best days are
ahead."
Additional reporting by Daniel Silliman.
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[size=18pt]Was Liberty’s Board Set up to Support Falwell or
Liberty?
The challenge of holding Christian ministry leaders accountable.
Jerry Falwell Jr. resigned as president of Liberty University on
Monday. The news came after Reuters reported that a friend and
business partner of the couple had sex with Becki Falwell while
Jerry Falwell Jr. watched. Falwell Jr. himself submitted his
resignation only to reverse course twice.
Falwell Jr. was already on an indefinite leave of absence after
he posted a picture on Instagram of him posing with his arm
around a woman at a party with their zippers down and
midsections exposed.
With one notable exception, Liberty’s board has stayed largely
silent in the wake of Falwell’s increasingly controversial
public statements and financial dealings.
For ministry boards that have run into moral or ethic issues
with their CEOs, one common mistake is allowing the CEO to
recommend too many board members, says Bob Andringa, the
managing partner of the Andringa Group who specializes in
governance and the relationship between boards and chief
executives.
“Who's a CEO going to recommend? They’re going to recommend
friends,” said Andringa, who has written several books on board
governance, including The Nonprofit Board Answer Book and Good
Governance for Nonprofits. “And so when it comes down to crunch
time, those friends have more loyalty to the CEO than they do to
the mission of the whole organization.”
Andringa joined global media manager Morgan Lee and editorial
director Ted Olsen to discuss the blind spots of Christian
boards, what encourages and discourages them in holding leaders
accountable, and why more retired people should serve on
boards.[/size]
#Post#: 16960--------------------------------------------------
Re: The fearless evangelist
By: patrick jane Date: September 1, 2020, 11:25 am
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The Apostle Paul: Partnership in Evangelism and Mission Part One
Four Pauline Principles for Mobilizing Believers to Evangelism
I’ve lived in the Global South my entire life and have served in
ministry in the nations of Botswana and South Africa. I love
what God is doing around the world, and especially in the
Majority World. For too long, Africa has been seen as the ‘dark
continent’, where the light of the gospel shines dimly. God is a
global God (let’s rejoice) and we need to pause and celebrate
the reality that the gospel is spreading globally and multitudes
in Africa (and many other places in the Global South) are
committing their lives to Christ daily. Yet, despite the growth
we have seen, there’s also an evident need for gospel depth in
the lives of Christians. Continued growth and depth will require
greater glocal (yes, that’s a word) partnership.
The Apostle Paul is a good example of someone who partnered with
others for the sake of the Gospel, and through relational
connections, accomplished the mission Christ gave him to fulfil.
This article will present four Pauline principles related to
successful ministry partnership based on Romans 15 and 16. Paul
states, in Romans 15:20: “My aim is to preach the gospel where
Christ has not been named, so that I will not build on someone
else’s foundation, 21 but, as it is written, those who were not
told about him will see, and those who have not heard will
understand.” Paul, in this passage, defines his ministry lane
and exposes important truths that must be applied for the
effective (yet simple) spreading of the gospel and for the
multiplication of gospel relationships that lead to deeper
cultural and societal permeation. Join me, in part one, as we
explore these multilateral ministry partnerships as described in
Romans 15 and 16 respectively. Congruent with the biblical
discipleship imperative, in part two, we will explore a
missional partnership matrix and on how to move believers toward
becoming multipliers in ministry, and not just consumers of
religious goods and services.
Paul’s Multilateral Partnership Plan
The Apostle Paul truly believed that the way Jesus modeled his
ministry was the best way to function in spreading the gospel in
a globalised Roman Empire. Paul’s passion for the gospel, love
for the Gentiles and ability to set in place systems led to the
multiplication of opportunities for believers to partner for the
sake of the Gospel. His letters bear testimony to Paul’s
commitment to movemental Christianity in the long haul; trusting
God to use believers to accomplish this end. Using Romans 15 and
16 as a catalyst I have listed four important principles below
that are derived from Paul’s ministry. These form an important
foundation for a ministry of multiplication.
1. Leadership Versatility
Throughout the New Testament, we read about Paul connecting with
numerous people in establishing the gospel throughout the Roman
Empire. Paul multiplied his ministry vision to the army of
committed believers and harnessed their skills, gifts and
abilities for the Kingdom good. Romans 15 (written on Paul's
third missionary journey c.a. AD 57) links beautifully with
Ephesians 4 (written c.a. AD 60 from Rome while imprisoned)
where Paul describes in verse 11 the diversity of roles God has
given for the equipping of the church. These roles describe the
versatility and diversity required of leaders and the need for
multiple inputs without relying on one leader for all these
qualities. In Romans 15: 14-21, Paul describes his leadership
and ministry lane in relation to the Missio Dei, while in
Ephesians 4: 11-17, Paul legitimises the gift of Christ’s
diverse body for the united task of reaching the world.
2. Team Dependency
The monopoly of ministry by the clergy will not rightly serve
the mission of God; the mission of God embraces all of God’s
people, utilises their full gifting in Christ and moves them to
places in the world where their gifting and the greatest need
exist. The danger of church redundancy will only grow in a
church culture that fosters the mentality that ministry is for
paid professionals and a select few. Paul continually testifies
to a better way. Throughout the New Testament, Paul mentioned
some 150 names of men and women who formed part of his greater
team. In Romans 16 alone Paul mentions many individuals and
families who were a blessing to Him and a help in spreading the
Gospel. Paul’s multiplication mindset ensured that he lived out
what he asked of Timothy in 2 Tim 2:2. Mission leads to a
multiplication of ministry for believers, not a monopoly of
opportunity for a few.
3. Spirit-filled Directionality
There is no doubt in my mind that the Apostle Paul depended on
God's divine leading for his ministry endeavours as he
attributes every success to the grace of God and God's rich
providence. Paul proclaims in Romans 15:22-23a: "That is why I
have been prevented many times from coming to you. 23 But now I
no longer have any work to do in these regions….” Paul had goals
and desires, like many of us do, plans to travel to a specific
place, or visit with our friends in ministry across the world.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with these desires and plans if
they are rooted in our leadership lane and if we complete the
task God has set for us to do. Paul writes about this principles
earlier in Romans 12:2 where he states: “Do not be conformed to
this age but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so
that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect
will of God.” This often-quoted text precedes a section on
Spiritual gifts and serves as a helpful reminder that in our
ministry a renewal of the mind will lead to a discerning heart.
The many options, paths and desires that exist in our hearts
must always be subject to God’s desire for glory and fame. May I
finish well and honour God and not set aside all he has in
store, even the difficult aspects.
4. Strategic Ministry Nexus
Paul’s ministry, his goals and objectives are not our own as
they were directed by God the Father in the power of the Holy
Spirit, to bring about a knowledge of Jesus and a repentant
heart. Yet one thing stands out to me in Paul’s ministry is that
he lived up to his calling and kept it simple by staying the
course and doing what God had instructed of him in simply
proclaiming the gospel where Christ was not known. If we are
honest, much of our ministry is limited to the boundary of our
comfort zone. I am heartbroken by the many opportunities to have
passed me because I have been too focused on other things, too
tired from ministry within the church and too busy with tasks
and duties that have landed on my lap. The truth is that we
always find time for what’s important to us, and Paul teaches us
as leaders that what needs to be central to our lives is the
reality that there are places where Christ is not known. Like
Paul, we need to consider the strategic importance of ministry
in areas and among people where Christ is not known and centre
our efforts and resources around reaching out and pioneering
work for Christ and His Kingdom.
We Need One Another
How did Paul accomplish all he did in ministry and manage to
finish strong? Paul saw himself as one of God’s servants, not as
God’s gift to mankind. Paul served alongside others and
championed the cause of many believers as they grew toward
maturity in Christ. As we have seen demonstrated above, the
Apostle Paul was led by the Holy Spirit and sought to keep the
main thing central to his life and ministry. We can learn much
from Paul about ministry and mission, but one thing is for sure;
Paul did not do it alone, he was intentional in cultivating
ministry relationships for gospel multiplication for the glory
of God and the good of the Church. This is exactly what we are
about at the Palau Association. Through our Global Network of
Evangelists, we seek to accelerate evangelism worldwide. We
would love to connect with you, so feel free to send us an email
at either gne@palau.org.
#Post#: 16962--------------------------------------------------
Re: The fearless evangelist
By: patrick jane Date: September 1, 2020, 11:28 am
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The Apostle Paul: Partnership in Evangelism and Mission Part Two
Overcoming the inhibitors of ministry through the Apostle Paul's
teachings.
Movements in Partnerships:
I have not yet met a church or ministry organization that does
not have an innate desire to move people along some form of the
continuum toward maturity in Christ. The hard truth is, though,
that most churches and ministry organisations do not have an
existing plan on how to move people forward in their faith and
in their ministry involvement to become multipliers in ministry
and not only maintenance-driven. Many have written about one
possible cause – a discipleship deficit – which continues to rob
evangelicals in particular of missional people serving the
purposes of God in a timely fashion. My diagram below, entitled
the “Partnership Matrix,” illustrates the movement of people
toward ministry involvement and multiplication. In this article,
I will explore the various stages in the process toward
multiplication and unpack several ministry inhibitors that
remain as obstacles for believers in moving to the next stage of
their growth in their conceptualisation, articulation,
involvement in the missio Dei.
Most people that have grown up in evangelical churches around
the world would appreciate the centrality of the Word and the
quintessence of the atonement of Christ to the Christian faith
and a need for repentance and conversion. These are important
themes in the evangelical discourse. Many, however, have had a
tainted understanding of mission and evangelism, believing that
these tasks were either for the professional, gifted, or were to
be in the realm of the pastorate. In other words, most
evanglicals held no responsibility for these central aspects of
the Christian faith. This has led to the current inertia
evangelicals have experienced in church life in recent decades
and a lack of engagement with their communities. Missions is for
the missionary and evangelism is for the evangelist, distilling
the role of Christians to pew warming and check writing! Paul
speaks of the Church as the body of Christ and as being
ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20; 1 Cor. 12:27). Below I
present five ministry inhibitors that become obstacles in seeing
God’s mission fulfilled.
MINISTRY INHIBITORS
Ignorance
There is an evident deficit of discipleship in so many of our
churches today. Along with this comes a weak, somewhat
superficial, uninformed Christian faith that is prone to either
Marcionism or misdirected activism. The current cultural
inclination can be found in bestsellers like The Shack with its
claims that "The Bible doesn't teach you to follow rules," God
doesn't need to punish sin, and its portrayal of God's justice
as a blood-thirsty God who runs around killing people all the
time. Additionally, our culture is averse to the concept of
suffering and remains uncomfortable with the concept of God’s
wrath. It seems that in our world, people desire a Christianity
where the attribute of God’s love eclipses all other attributes,
especially God’s justice and power. We embrace a narrative that
fosters spiritual ignorance and perpetuates baby Christians whom
the writer to the Hebrews describes as dependent upon spiritual
milk (Heb. 5:13). Perhaps the greatest ministry inhibitor to the
mission is a lack of biblical discipleship.
2. Complacency
For Christians to move from informed to interested in ministry
and mission, pastors and church leaders need to overcome
complacency– acceptance of the status quo. "A feeling of being
satisfied with how things are, and not wanting to try to make
them better." That is what Webster Dictionary tells us that
complacency is, and when we associate that with our walk with
Christ, it seems a little frightening, and is right where Satan
wants us to be. If we convince ourselves that we have reached a
point of satisfaction in which we are comfortable with our faith
and do not feel the need to move any further toward pleasing God
and getting out of our comfort zone, we have lost the battle,
and have been deceived by the Enemy. When we believe that our
spiritual life plays second fiddle to our life, we have been
defeated. Complacency is the most dangerous place we can be as a
believer. This is where we become lazy; this is where we become
lukewarm; this is where we are deceived.
3. Distraction
There are many well-meaning Christians who are not complacent,
they often see the brokenness and immense need in our world, yet
are not moved in their hearts to become concerned with gospel
ministry or to prioritize their time and life accordingly. Many
are still distracted by the many things in the world and by the
curse of busyness. "For to me, living means living for Christ,
and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful
work for Christ. So I don't know which is better." This is what
Paul wrote to Philippi in Philippians 1:21-22. Seeing the
commitment and the drive to work and glorify the Lord is nothing
new, and we also see it in Galatians 5:24 when he tells us
"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and
desires of their sinful nature to the cross and crucified them
there." When we’re distracted, we’re not as easy to deploy for
God’s purpose.
4. Frustration
This is probably where the most goes wrong concerning mission
and ministry. All other barriers previously presented have been
overcome, yet frustration often leads people to disengage and
allow life's busyness to distract them for a season. The most
common frustration people experience:
Lack of vision or purpose in leadership
Disorganisation
Mismanagement
Critical spirits
Controlling leaders
How can we foster a culture of serving and sending in our
churches that utilizes the gift of the body of Christ? What can
we change to enable people to serve rather than restrict people
from ministry?
5. Dependency
Partnership in the gospel is a marvelous thing and a necessary
endeavour, yet it can also be hurtful and harmful instead of
helpful. Our role as Christian leaders is not to create or
foster dependency, but rather to multiply ourselves and empower
others for ministry. We apply the principle found in 2 Timothy
2:2: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of
many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be
qualified to teach others.” Pastoral co-dependency hurts
everyone and the mission of God suffers in the end. The role of
those serving as leaders and pastors in the church is to equip
the body of Christ for works of service, not hog all the work to
themselves. Each of us needs to be committed to this end if we
are to see any significant change in our world.
On our own, we can only go so far! The Apostle Paul demonstrates
an important principle of partnership in ministry and mission
that gets the job done! The Global Network of Evangelists,
alongside The Message Trust is launching Advance Groups
worldwide. Will you join the movement? Do you have a desire to
see many come to faith in Jesus Christ? Do you seek to encourage
those around you to show and share their faith? If you are a
leader in church, a pastor or an evangelist, Advance Groups are
for you! Advance exists to promote and develop the calling of
evangelists, and is committed to the proclamation of the gospel
and the support of those who proclaim. Join the movement and
download your free material here:
HTML https://www.advancegroups.org
.
We’re currently working at completing close on 20 translations
and are already gaining traction in over a dozen countries so
far. Connect with us at gne@palau.org or nga@palau.org.
#Post#: 17032--------------------------------------------------
Re: The fearless evangelist
By: patrick jane Date: September 2, 2020, 9:16 pm
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What Happens at Liberty Doesn’t Stay at Liberty
The Falwell investigation has far-reaching consequences for
local churches in Virginia and beyond.
The Associated Press recently reported that Liberty University
is launching an independent investigation into the conduct of
former president Jerry Falwell Jr. and his wife, Becki. For some
evangelicals, the scandal elicits nothing more than a shrug for
the isolated actions of a few bad apples. For others, these
significant misdeeds will be swept away quickly in the tides of
history. Historian Grant Wacker makes this argument in a recent
Washington Post piece titled “Jerry Falwell Jr.’s downfall won’t
change anything for evangelicals.”
If you take a bird’s eye view of time, then he’s likely right.
But for those of us who inhabit space inside Liberty
University’s large sphere of influence, the truth is quite the
opposite. This scandal and its ensuing investigation have
far-reaching consequences, not only for parachurch practice but
also for local church polity. Put another way, the cautionary
tale of the Falwells carries implications for how believers here
and elsewhere think about the intricate bonds between the local
body of Christ and adjacent parachurch institutions.
My first glimpse into Liberty’s regional influence happened
roughly 20 years ago, when I came to visit the man who would
later become my husband. He’d lived his whole life in rural
southwest Virginia, where the primary force in his spiritual
formation was a small Baptist church that still sits atop a
knoll just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Driving through the
countryside those years ago, I was entranced by the passing
forests and hills dotted with small farms and rock churches. I
also remember the moment when I rounded a corner and came
face-to-face with a billboard for a local university. One of the
few on the route, it advertised a world-class Christian
education just two hours away in Lynchburg, Virginia.
A decade later, my husband and I moved back to work in local
church ministry an hour west of Lynchburg. During the ensuing
years, Liberty expanded in both size and prominence. It is by
now a powerhouse of online learning that has made Christian
education accessible not only for young people but for countless
working adults. This is especially significant in a region with
the lowest college graduation rate in the state.
It’s hard to understate the role that Liberty University plays
around here, both because of its institutional sway and because
of the shape of local church culture. Churches in this
region—including the one that my husband grew up in—tend to
eschew denominational hierarchy. They prefer to govern
themselves. Because they lack outside infrastructure, these
churches form partnerships where and when they can, often led by
the relational networks of pastoral staff.
For example, when church members want to pursue Christian
education, it’s not uncommon for pastors to recommend their own
alma maters. And if that school is fairly local, all the better.
(You may know Liberty University as one of the world’s largest
Christian universities, but we know it as the closest.)
These bonds are also reinforced through ministry partnerships,
as Liberty offers resources, training, and opportunities that
surrounding churches cannot offer themselves. When the church my
husband pastored wanted to update its constitution to reflect a
belief in traditional marriage, the staff used wording provided
by the legal minds at Liberty.
These stories are common. When a church in the region can’t
afford full-time staff for music or youth ministry, they look to
students from Liberty to step in and fill the gap. Add to that
church outings to Flames football games, men and women’s weekend
retreats hosted on campus, and free pastors’ conferences offered
by the school, and the picture is clear: Liberty University is
inexorably tied to the ministry of local churches in the region.
The bond between this independent university and the local
church means that when trouble hits the school, it also hits the
broader Christian community. The impact is deep and wide. In
this context, Liberty’s practices as a parachurch organization
carry significant weight, and the response of the university’s
board of trustees sets precedent far beyond the boardroom and
into the pews. The old adage is true: Attitudes are caught, not
taught.
In a recent New York Times op-ed, Liberty graduate Kaitlyn
Schiess describes a similar experience as a student. “At
Liberty,” she writes, “our minds may have been receiving correct
content, but our hearts were being trained to love wrongly: to
love political power, physical security, and economic prosperity
as higher goods than they are.”
Schiess is describing the power of culture formation—how small
signals and modeling from trusted sources nudge us in certain
directions, both as individuals and as communities. (This
phenomenon also sheds light on the significance of Jerry Falwell
Jr.’s endorsement of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump
during the Republican primary in 2016, when Trump’s support
seemed to be flagging among evangelicals.)
For local churches, this formation cuts both ways. As I look
around, I am dismayed by how the Falwells’ morally corrupt
influence has distorted the health and well-being of the
community I love. By contrast, cultural formation at its best,
guided by Scripture, gives me hope. For that reason, I am
cautiously optimistic about the board’s recent decision to open
an independent investigation. The board has decided not only to
study the case but also to set up a system of spiritual
accountability for those in leadership.
“The school is considering a separate move to reorient it toward
its ‘spiritual mission’ by establishing a post in the university
leadership dedicated to spiritual guidance for other leaders,”
write Sarah Rankin and Elana Schor for the Associated Press,
“ensuring they ‘live out the Christian walk expected of each and
every one of us at Liberty.’”
Arguably, these steps are the very least the board is
responsible to do, and thinkers like Wacker might rightly doubt
that these actions will have much effect on evangelicalism as a
whole. But from where I sit, I see this as a teachable
moment—not just for Liberty but for the multitude of churches
and ministries under its influence.
Insofar as the investigation is truly independent, the board of
Liberty University has the opportunity to do three key things:
Normalize standards of accountability and transparency; show
local church boards that they too must faithfully protect the
Lord’s work from abusive leaders; and remind leaders themselves
that the kingdom of God is not their private enterprise.
We see this calling laid out clearly in Scripture. In Luke 12,
Jesus tells a parable about an estate manager who begins to
abuse those under him while the master is away. But then
suddenly, like a “thief in the night,” the master returns and
catches the manager unaware. Punishment is swift, decisive, and
severe.
When the disciples ask who the parable is meant for, Jesus
directs their attention to the relationship between privilege
and responsibility, intimating that those who have the benefit
of his teaching are the ones most responsible to follow it. The
parable is for the disciples themselves. He then justifies the
master’s harsh punishment of the unfaithful manager, saying that
to “everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and
from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be
asked” (Luke 12:48).
In this moment, the Liberty University board is shaping cultural
norms in local churches and the ministries in their orbit. It is
not a question of whether their decisions will influence these
ministries but of how. Will they follow through and set
standards of transparency and accountability? Will future
leaders be chosen on the basis of spiritual maturity, or their
ability to dominate others? Will they fulfill their own
stewardship to represent the master until he returns?
For the sake of the local church and the cause of Christ, may
they be found faithful to the task.
Hannah Anderson is the author of Made for More and Humble Roots:
How Humility Grounds and Nourishes Your Soul. You can find more
of her writing at sometimesalight.com and hear her on the weekly
podcast Persuasion.
Speaking Out is Christianity Today’s guest opinion column and
(unlike an editorial) does not necessarily represent the opinion
of the publication.
#Post#: 17503--------------------------------------------------
Re: The fearless evangelist
By: patrick jane Date: September 12, 2020, 10:03 pm
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Train Up a Teen: Young Evangelicals Mostly Keep Their Parents’
Faith
Pew Research finds that even the most devout young believers
don’t agree with Mom and Dad on everything. Christian parents
weigh in on the challenges of teenage discipleship.
A majority of American teens still follow their parents’ lead
when it comes to religion. The trend holds whether families are
religious or not—but it’s especially good news for evangelical
Protestants, who care the most about their children sharing
their beliefs.
Evangelical teens, like their parents, stand out as the most
confident and active in their faith when compared to their
peers, according to a new Pew Research Center report on the
religious practices of 13-to-17-year-olds.
The religious makeup of today’s teens mostly resembles the
population overall. About a third are “nones” (identifying as
nothing in particular, atheist, or agnostic), the largest
category. After that, about a quarter identify as Catholic and
21 percent as evangelical.
Even as teens, over half of evangelicals surveyed say they
attend church at least weekly (64%), pray at least daily (51%),
and belong to a youth group (64%), compared to a minority of
teen respondents from other traditions. (It’s not just parental
pressure. In the survey, two-thirds of evangelical teens say
they attend church because they want to go, not to appease Mom
and Dad.)
Family plays a big part in young evangelicals’ devotional lives.
The vast majority say they enjoy religious activities with their
families (88%), with 55 percent reading the Bible together, 80
percent saying grace at family meals, and 88 percent talking
about religion, Pew found.
These practices correspond with a greater assurance in their
religious beliefs. While nearly all teens who belong to a
Christian tradition said they believe in God, 71 percent of
evangelicals said they are “absolutely certain” in their belief,
compared to just under of half of mainline (49%) and Catholic
teens (45%). Evangelicals were also the only group among teens
to agree that there is only one true religion.
But not all families fall on the same spiritual page once kids
hit the teen years. Twelve percent of teens with evangelical
parents don’t affiliate with a religion. Overall, about half of
today’s youth say at least some of their beliefs differ from
their parents, even if they still identify with the same
tradition. The most common way teens see their convictions
contrasting with Mom and Dad’s has to do with level of
certainty: 14 percent say that they have more questions or are
more unsure.
According to Pew, two-thirds of teens who don’t have “all the
same” beliefs as their parents say their family knows about the
differences, while a third say they don’t. Teens forming their
own religious views and approaches as they grow up can be
confusing for others under the same roof. Pew found that parents
who misjudged their kids’ convictions were more likely to
overestimate how important their faith was to them.
It can also be a sensitive topic for parents to broach. About
seven-in-ten evangelical parents consider it “very important” to
raise their children in their faith. They make it more of a
priority than any other major tradition—half as many mainline
Protestants say the same. But as much as they model their faith,
surround them with Christian community, and pray for their kids’
salvation, evangelical parents also know their sons and
daughters—God-willing, Spirit-empowered—will eventually have to
come to understand the gospel for themselves.
CT asked parents of teenagers how important it is for their
teenagers’ beliefs to align with theirs and how they approach
the children’s faith at this stage. Here are their responses.
Dorena Williamson, speaker, author, and co-founder of Strong
Tower Bible Church in Nashville:
I approach my kids’ faith with an understanding that it is not
easy growing up with parents who work vocationally in church. I
too was a PK (pastor’s kid) and know authenticity is key. I look
for ways to encourage their faith in the atmosphere set at home.
I always pray over them, seek out music they enjoy, and form
conversations about current issues important to them. Hopefully,
this communicates that I care about their interests. I don't
expect my kids’ faith journey to mirror my own. These times hold
new challenges and possibilities, and they have their own path
to walk. At this stage in their spiritual lives, I pray they
love God wholeheartedly and seek to love their neighbor. I know
that is pleasing to God and a legacy that will endure.
Beth Felker Jones, professor of theology at Wheaton College:
My biggest prayer for my older kids is that they would love
Jesus and throw their lives in with him. I don’t believe this is
something I can control, because it can only come as a gift, but
I pray for it and try to make way for it by talking with them
about faith and making sure they have a strong group of adult
Christians in their lives. I expect my teens to come to church
and youth group, to pray with our family, to read Scripture. I
hope they can talk freely with me and their father about
questions of faith.
I don’t think parents can turn kids into our clones, and when it
comes to nonessential matters, I try to hold very lightly any
hope that they would perfectly agree with me. If they become
adults who live with and for Jesus, my prayers would be
answered, and I would do my very best not to obsess about
whether they go to a different kind of church than I do or have
different beliefs about what baptism means. And this is
something I try to communicate directly to my teens: I don’t
hope to make them like me. I do hope they’ll love Jesus and
become like him.
John Starke, lead pastor at Apostles Church Uptown in New York:
Often when we talk about wanting our kids to align their beliefs
with ours, that means a kind of cultural form of beliefs, rather
than a biblical faith, and it tends to be a cloistered faith,
rather one of understanding. At the same time, we believe in a
heaven and hell, that God calls for repentance, and that our
culture seduces us towards disbelief and rebellion. My hope is
that they are given mercy and experience grace through faith.
We want them to understand our faith, recognize its cultural
counterfeits, but also sense the freedom to ask difficult
questions and fumble through “trying the faith on” as they grow
up. I would want my kids to feel that they share our faith in
common, since that would probably feel most secure and safe for
them as individuals as they mature and grow into their own
identities apart from us and as they grow and form their own
faith in Christ.
Jen Michel, author of Surprised by Paradox, Keeping Place, and
Teach Us to Want:
We’ve wanted to give our children the richest Christian
formation possible in our home, and of course we’ve done that
imperfectly. But as our children now leave home, one-by-one, we
realize that the faith they take with them must be theirs, not
ours.
I was just writing a very belated graduation letter to my
17-year-old son (soon to be 18). He would not call himself a
Christian, and that’s very hard. I want him to know the reality
of Jesus, but I also fully believe that he needs more than an
inherited faith. By contrast, our daughter, now a sophomore in
college, is walking with Jesus and serving in ministry on her
college campus. That’s been a great joy, and we thank God.
Melissa Cain Travis, assistant Professor of apologetics at
Houston Baptist University:
I consider it a particularly positive sign when my teenage sons
raise theological disagreement with me; it means they're
thinking deeply and critically about Christian doctrine! This is
far better than disinterest, and it sparks rich (and sometimes
very long) conversations in which I am able to demonstrate
intellectual respect for them while offering gentle guidance.
I work to foster a mere Christianity ethos in our discussions
but make it clear that secondary theological issues deserve
careful consideration. It truly pleases me when my sons arrive
at different yet well-thought-out conclusions on the
non-essentials. In those instances, I simply make sure that they
understand the merits of my perspective.
Kara Powell, executive director of the Fuller Youth Institute:
My kids’ relationship with Jesus is very important to me. As the
mom of a 19-, 17-, and 14-year-old, most days I pray more for
their faith than anything else. To be honest, a big part of me
wants my kids to believe like me and worship like me (and vote
like me, eat like me; the list could go on and on). But when I
peel back the layers, what I ultimately long for is that my kids
will know Jesus loves them and will love him in return. I want
them to know that Jesus offers the best answers to their
questions of identity, belonging, and purpose.
As our kids are owning their faith, the way they experience
God’s love, and express their love in return, already looks
different than mine. Based on research for our book Growing
With, I try to ask each of my kids two questions: “What do you
no longer believe that you think I do?” And, “What do you now
believe that you think I don’t?” I want us to be able to discuss
anything about Jesus and faith, especially when we disagree.
With our two high-school-aged daughters … they’re more
progressive on a handful of cultural issues and even more
passionate about justice. When those differences emerge in our
conversations, I’ve intentionally suggested, “When you’re older,
you might want to look for a church that reflects what you
believe.” Ultimately, I want my kids to love the church, not my
church.
Amy Whitfield, host of SBC This Week and an associate vice
president with the SBC Executive Committee:
Our shared faith in Christ, along with involvement in our local
church, is incredibly important in the life of our family. As
our teenagers have grown older, discipleship is definitely part
of our parenting, but the role that faith plays in our
relationship does change. When they were younger, we took a very
proactive leadership role, standing out in front and
systematically pointing them to the truths of the gospel. Now,
as they grow spiritually, we are beginning to walk alongside
them as older brothers and sisters in Christ, encouraging their
personal study of the Bible and helping them understand and
apply it to their lives.
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