By David Roach, Baptist Press NASHVILLE (BP) -- At least three mainline Protestant denominations have celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court's nationwide legalization of gay marriage, and others say they are divided on the issue. With a new Associated Press poll suggesting decreased support for same-sex marriage among Americans generally, a watchdog group that monitors mainline bodies said gay-affirming denominations are more progressive regarding marriage than the culture. "By and large, [mainline denominations] have been more liberal than the culture in compromising their sexual standards before the country itself compromised its laws on marriage," said Mark Tooley, president of the Institute on Religion and Democracy. Average church members in mainline denominations, Tooley told Baptist Press, are "close to where the nation is as a whole" on gay marriage, but the "governing bodies" of those denominations are "certainly much more liberal than the country is." The AP poll, conducted in conjunction with the German market research organization GfK, found 42 percent of Americans favor legalized same-sex marriage, down from 48 percent in April. The 1,004 adults polled were almost evenly split on whether local government … [Read more...]
Duck Dynasty ‘first family’ shares a pro-life message of redemption & restoration
By Will Hall, Message Editor NEW ORLEANS -- At the National Right to Life Convention Prayer Breakfast July 11, three members of the “first family” of Louisiana bared the sin, repentance and redemption of their experiences with abortion—in order to proclaim in agreement that all life is precious. Oldest son Alan Robertson, his wife Lisa and his mother “Miss” Kay shared their individual stories of poor choices to have sex before marriage, and the real life consequences of those decisions, but also stressed how God’s grace healed their hurts and reclaimed their lives. It is a part of the Duck Dynasty story that has not made it into one of the episodes of the A&E blockbuster reality show, even though the family has been faithful in sharing this testimony around the country. STRONG FOUNDATION As a young girl in a little bitty town, Miss Kay said the best thing that happened to her was being raised by her grandmother. “She was a Christian lady. She only went to school until she was 13 or 14, I think. And at 15, she married and moved out.” “So she had a limited education, but it didn’t matter,” she said. “She had a heart of gold and she loved God, and she loved the Bible.” Those foundations shaped her grandmother … [Read more...]
Sturgis volunteers ready for more miracles of faith
By Victor Lee, Baptist Press STURGIS, S.D. (BP) -- Amid thousands of bikers, often with debauchery nearby, Southern Baptist volunteers will share their redemption in Jesus during the 75th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Aug. 3-8 in South Dakota. Baptist volunteers Roger Persing and Lyn Hanson work to draw passersby into a hospitality tent at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in 2010 where they heard testimony of God's power to change people. Hill and a team of 200-plus volunteers have a tight, proven plan for sharing the Gospel at a 40-by-30 tent on one of the town's streets. The volunteers venture to Sturgis from across the Midwest, Southeast and elsewhere to work one of four three-hour shifts each day. "Catchers" -- those who invite guests into the tent -- greet passersby, telling them they will be registered for a giveaway of a $21,000 Harley Road King if they go into the tent and listen to a three-minute Gospel presentation, which is the presenter's personal testimony of their life before Christ, how they came to know Christ and their life since salvation. "This is how we do it, no other way," Hill said. "Our catchers ask for three minutes, and three minutes is all we take." An estimated 35,000 people have … [Read more...]
Syrian refugees long for happier Ramadan
ZAATARI REFUGEE CAMP, Jordan (BP) -- For many who escaped from the violent civil war in Syria, this is their fifth Ramadan in a foreign country. Families in the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan are going through a challenging time as they recall happier Ramadan holidays in Syria. Ramadan, which ends today (July 17), is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, during which Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. This season is often known for family gatherings when Muslims will prepare a table with abundant food and celebrate together as the sun sets. However, the civil war has taken away those happy moments for these Syrian refugees. Ahmad,* a 60-year-old Syrian man, misses the days when his family was together. He said with tears, "I was able to escape from Syria, but my daughter's family is still there." The civil war took away not only the joy of family celebrations, but also their cozy and secure homes. Seven years ago, Abu Badr* built a large house in his hometown with the money he made from more than a decade of hard work in Africa. But he had to flee Syria with empty hands when the civil war broke out, and now he lives in the dusty, windy conditions of Zaatari. The desert sun is merciless on the refugee tents in the … [Read more...]
Louisiana Baptist churches hosting South Korean children for next two weeks during Camp USA
By Joe Dupree, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE/PONCHATOULA – The sights and sounds of children laughing, talking, and having fun will be the norm around area churches when Camp USA gets underway in the Central Louisiana area over the next week. In 2003, when David Cranford was pastor at Tioga First Baptist, he and Charles Lowery (then a member of First Baptist Pineville) met with Paul Lim of the Korea Baptist Church Development Board and began discussing bringing South Korean children to the United States as part of a camp experience. “Korean parents are willing to send their children abroad because it gives them a chance to be exposed to different cultures from other countries and a chance to learn about those cultures,” said Cranford current pastor at First Baptist Ponchatoula. When Cranford became the new pastor at First Baptist Ponchatoula, he brought with him the work of Camp USA to Ponchatoula, where they hold a music camp for the Korean children. They will also be presenting a musical on Sunday evening, August 2, at 6:30. The thriving ministry dates back more than 40 years when the Korea Baptist Convention’s Home Mission Board and the Louisiana Baptist Convention collaborated as part of REACH Missions … [Read more...]
Planned Parenthood and allies claim abortion provider was unfairly attacked
By Gregory Tomlin, Christian Examiner NEW YORK – Caught red handed by an undercover video exposing its practice of exchanging the body parts of aborted fetuses for financial "reimbursements," the national leadership of Planned Parenthood is digging in its heels, insisting its practices are legal and it – the nation's largest abortion provider – has been defamed. Shortly after the video surfaced showing Dr. Deborah Nucatola, head of the organization's medical services department, discussing over a salad and glass of wine how she kills infants in a way that preserves their vital organs for medical research, Planned Parenthood's vice president of communications claimed the video was full of false and discredited accusations. "A well-funded group established for the purpose of damaging Planned Parenthood's mission and services has promoted a heavily-edited, secretly-recorded videotape that false portrays Planned Parenthood's participation in tissue donation programs that support lifesaving scientific research," Eric Ferrero said in a statement. "These groups have been widely discredited and their claims fall apart on closer examination, just as they do in this case," Ferrero said. In the video, shot by the Center for … [Read more...]
Religious freedom ‘under attack,’ Judge Roy Moore warns as God’s ‘natural order’ overturned
By Michael Foust, Christian Examiner MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- America is undergoing a sexual revolution that is defying "God's natural order" and will leave young children confused about whether they should be a boy or a girl, Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore warned members of a Baptist church in his state this week. Moore made the comments at Magnolia Springs Baptist Church in Theodore, Ala., a day after speaking to members of the Fresh Anointing House of Worship in Montgomery. Christians may be upset over the Supreme Court's controversial decision, but the primary "issue is not about same-sex marriage," he said, according to Al.com. "It's about a sexual revolution. It's about having people decide whether they are male or female," Moore said, speaking the same week that Bruce Jenner, now known as Caitlyn Jenner, received the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the ESPY's. "You're talking about overturning God's natural order." Moore expressed concern over what happens "when you start teaching kids that they have the right to choose whether they are male or female." "They don't know much. [But] they may learn fast," Moore said. "And when they get in their mind they can be a man if they're a girl or a woman if they are a … [Read more...]
A ‘titanic’ shift in church culture & ‘mockery’ of Christian worldview led to confusion over homosexuality, Biblical apologist says
By Kimberly Pennington, Christian Examiner NORCROSS, Ga. -- Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias issued a call July 16 for Christians to apply the Gospel in three ways – what he calls "bridges" - to the current cultural divide on homosexuality. In his July 15 blog post, Zacharias, founder and president of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries and teacher of Let My People Think radio broadcasts, explained how society's division on gay marriage began several decades ago. "As Christians, we often look outside of ourselves and wonder why the world is so different from us. We seldom pause and ask how the Church of today has become so different from what it was and so indifferent to the world around us," Zacharias wrote. "Liberalism is not just a political term. What has happened in our world was foreseen a few decades ago. Changes were underway then and we were taken by storm from within," he continued. "Culture at large moved unabashedly towards the mockery of the Christian worldview . . . But the Church is really where the titanic shifts in the culture started," he continued. "As the liberal church swung to the extreme of religion without absolutes, the evangelical church flirted with emotionalism without intellect, … [Read more...]
Pioneering for Christ at this year’s RA Camp
By Joe Dupree, Message Staff Writer WOODWORTH - This year's RA camp featured good fun and important lessons in life. During this year's Royal Ambassador (RA) Camp at Tall Timbers, 52 campers from six churches not only got to experience what it was like to be a pioneer but they also got an opportunity to spend some quality time with their fathers and other godly men who come into their lives. The camp, which is for children first through sixth grade, took place June 22-25. "One of the main things we wanted to focus on was Christian men spending time and having fun with these young boys while being a good Christian person," said Mike Collie, Royal Ambassadors state director. "Additionally, it provided an opportunity for the boys to grow in their relationship with Christ." Besides the worship and Bible study, campers also got an opportunity to do archery, shoot BB guns, swimming, bazooka ball, tackle the challenging high ropes course and use the paddle boats there at the camp. "We had a lot of fun," said Collie. "We instructed our boys in shooting and archery. We also played bazooka ball, swam and completed a ropes course." Corey Olivier, BCM director of New Orleans Metro, was the camp pastor for the week. On … [Read more...]
Iran deal: persecuted church ‘left behind’
VIENNA (BP) - The nuclear deal struck by Iran and six world powers led by the United States has drawn criticism from evangelicals for its potential ill effects on Israel and persecuted Christians in the Persian nation. The American Center for Law and Justice lamented that the deal, which was announced today (July 14) in Vienna following 20 months of negotiations, apparently does not include the release of American pastor Saeed Abedini from an Iranian prison. Johnny Hunt, a former Southern Baptist Convention president who has led First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Ga., to do extensive mission work in Iran, said the Obama administration's willingness to negotiate with Iranian leaders likely encourages the regime to continue persecuting Christians and threatening Israel. "I fear for Israel and other Middle Eastern countries in light of Iran's hatred of Israel along with their many threats," Hunt told Baptist Press in written comments. "I find it so difficult for us as a nation to trust nations that are publicly known for their religious persecution. The lack of accountability of Iran in light of all their inconsistencies with the United Nations leads me to believe that [America's diplomatic engagement with Iran poses] an … [Read more...]
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