Christian News reports:
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by several California churches over a state directive that they believe forces all faith-based employers to pay for abortion coverage regardless of their religious beliefs.
“[P]laintiffs have not alleged sufficient facts to make it plausible that the director has selectively applied the law to target the plaintiffs’ religious beliefs,” wrote U.S. District Court Judge Kimberly Mueller on Friday.
We’ll begin with a quote from a celebrity pastor:
“I don’t see myself as an influencer in fashion at all,” says [Chad] Veach. “I’ve been just really blessed to have guys that are close friends in the [fashion] industry.” Still, he acknowledges that dressing a certain way can provide a quick “in” with people who might otherwise write him off. “If I walk into a place and I’m wearing something that makes people go, ‘that’s a cool outfit,’ I am working with an advantage, rather than a disadvantage of like, ‘man, those are really whack sneakers.'”
Whitney Bauck of Fashionista tells us how “pastors” who are into fashion are winning back millennials who are leaving the Church in droves. According to Bauck, “there’s no doubt that fashion plays at least a supporting role” in bringing them back to what is considered a church these days.
Megachurch pastor Chad Veach
Hailey Baldwin considers “church wife” to be an aspirational look, according to her Twitter and her stylist’s Instagram.
If you mostly know Baldwin through social media, which features myriad images of the model wearing scanty lingerie or revealing dresses, that may seem incongruous. But if you know the churches she’s referencing — and the ministers that lead them — it’s less surprising.
Just as he promised during the campaign, Donald Trump is in the process of dismantling the “many, many left-wing remnants of Obama’s term,” says Edward Woodson of LifeZette. He writes:
You have to admit: Liberals are good at playing the victim. Former President Obama’s executive amnesty hasn’t even been around along enough for the Supreme Court to declare it unconstitutional, but as President Donald Trump prepared to announce its end, you’d think the world was ending.
My favorite part was the CEOs, now thoroughly addicted to cheap labor, acting shocked and disappointed that Trump is following through on one of his biggest promises during the campaign.
“There’s no issue that’s more gut-wrenching for us,” one tech exec anonymously told Axios’ Mike Allen, adding that some companies are considering smuggling their illegal alien employees abroad. Here’s an idea: How about take the money you would spend on that and use it to increase the wages of your employees?
Berean Research (BR) examines the dangerous inner healing and deliverance ministry known as SOZO. In an earlier piece, BR revealed that “SOZO prayer is the brain child of husband and wife team Bill (self-proclaimed modern-day apostle) and Beni (New Age guru) Johnson, both of whom are pastors of the infamous Bethel Church in Redding CA.” Supposedly the SOZO ministry will help participants solve problems that are blocking their spiritual growth. But what those who take part in this are unaware of is that some of the techniques used are drawn from occult methodologies.
Now to the first installment of a series on SOZO prayer:
Many churches are bringing a practice called SOZO into their ministry, at the peril of damaging the sheep and possibly shipwrecking their faith. SOZO Prayer is a technique based on psychology and used by so-called “inner healing ministries” sweeping churches today.
This psycho-spiritual deliverance and inner healing methodology is designed to exorcise demons from Christians. Not that a Christian can be possessed by demons, but that is one of many apostate teachings from the New Apostolic Reformation, or NAR. (See, What your church needs to know about NAR.)
According to Fox News:
Both the University of Missouri and Evergreen State College have been rocked by left-wing demonstrations, some of which administrators in both schools allowed. Now both have had to deal with falling enrollment and a decline in funds – and there are fears the situation could spread to other schools.
The defining issue is whether parents and donors see administrators as capable of containing clashes and responding firmly when protests get out of control, experts say.
Breitbart reports:
A federal judge temporarily blocked a Texas law that banned second trimester dismemberment abortions in which unborn babies are “torn limb from limb” and then extracted from the uterus.
Following a challenge by Planned Parenthood, U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel issued a two-week injunction Thursday against the law – signed in June by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) – that would have taken effect Friday.
The judge wrote that Planned Parenthood and the other plaintiffs satisfied a requirement for the temporary injunction showing that “threatened injury to the Plaintiffs outweighs any damage that the temporary restraining order might cause the State.”
“The National Day of Prayer includes Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, Hindus,” reminds Jeff Maples” and just about any other aberrant anti-Christ religion in the world who will stand in front of courthouses, government buildings, churches, streets…anywhere, and join hands in prayer to their false gods in the name of ‘restoring America.’”
So with this in mind, why would a former SBC president agree to take part in the National Day of Prayer? Berean Research reveals who the movers and shakers (literally) are that have hijacked the ecumenical event. Hint: NAR.
Former SBC President Dr. Ronnie Floyd will assume the role of President of the National Day of Prayer. For those of you who are unfamiliar, the ecumenical May event has been organized since 1952. It is a time when millions of people of all religions stop what they are doing and pray in unity with one another to whichever god they worship for the well being of America.
Says Floyd:
The National Day of Prayer must become a multi-church, multi-denominational, multi-ministry, multi-generational, multi-ethnic, and multi-lingual movement of prayer for America.
I believe this is possible by having strategic partnerships with churches, ministries, and denominations. We must create authentic relationships with all people regardless of who and where they are, whatever their age, stage, or vocation may be. With a convictional and competent staff team, we will exemplify servant leadership to all persons. Source
It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, l will hear. (Isaiah 65:24)
Quick work this! The Lord hears us before we call and often answers us in the same speedy manner.
Foreseeing our needs and our prayers, He so arranges providence that before the need actually arises He has supplied it, before the trial assails us He has armed us against it.
This is the promptitude of omniscience, and we have often seen it exercised. Before we dreamed of the affliction which was coming, the strong consolation which was to sustain us under it had arrived. What a prayer-answering God we have!
Following is a letter to the editor of Lighthouse Trails. The person who wrote the letter offers plenty of reasons parents should be concerned about their children’s participation in AWANA. Church leaders such as Sean McDowell recommend that our youth read books by Henri Nouwen, Dallas Willard, Rick Warren, N.T. Wright and others:
Dear Lighthouse Trails:
A while back I alerted you to the fact that Awana was joining forces with Josh Griffin who was the youth pastor for Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church. Josh Griffin is also associated with Youth Specialties, an organization that promotes occult [contemplative] practices to youth.
Unfortunately, Awana is continuing down the emergent road. Here are some examples:
1. On February 22, 2017, Steve Kozak, the executive director of Awana YM, (Youth Ministries) wrote a blog post encouraging youth leaders to promote Lent. Lent is very popular among those in the emerging church. Wikipedia says “The purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer through prayer, doing penance, mortifying the flesh, repentance of sins, and self-denial.”(1) Kozak in his blog said, “Teach your students to go without, so that they can experience an overflowing of Christ.”(2) Nowhere in the Bible is the practice of Lent mentioned.
Caleb Kolstad of Post Tenebras Lux answers the question:
I had not heard of the phrase “same sex attractions” (SSA) until I attended a Together For the Gospel conference a few years ago. During one of the Q&A sessions a pastor addressed the subject is God anti-gay and other questions about homosexuality, the Bible and SSA (I believe Sam Allberry was a guest during one panel discussion). Allberry says that these SSA “are part of what I feel but are not who I am in a fundamental sense. I am far more than my sexuality.”
These questions have been raised again at the Gospel Coalition. A recent article by Matt Moore titled, How I Discovered True Masculinity set the internet ablaze.
Pastor Phil Johnson of Grace to You responded to this article on Twitter and Facebook with these comments, “Yet another hazy, misleading sophism from TGC. Lusting for something sinful is not “obedien[ce] to God.”
Fox News reports:
Jason Chaffetz said former FBI Director James Comey has a lot of “explaining to do” in light of new reports that he began drafting a statement exonerating Hillary Clinton even before interviewing key witnesses, including the former secretary of state.
“He’s certainly got a lot of explaining to do. He could have perjured himself,” the former House oversight committee chairman said on “Fox & Friends.”
Why are some professing Christians promoting an online event that is all about “self”? In one workshop, New Age/New Thought grande dame Marianne Williamson “Explores the spiritual dimension of self-acceptance” plus she will guide you to “the source of unconditional compassion.” Berean Research shares the nuts and bolts of the event and gives some pretty good reasons why Christians shouldn’t even consider taking part in it:
A 10-day online event promises to make you a better you. It’s called the Self-Acceptance Summit, and I’ve seen several Christians promote it. The event is put on by a group called “Sounds True.” (Are you tempted to add the words, But Isn’t? I know I am.)
While Jesus tells us to deny self, pick up our crosses and follow Him, these spiritual leaders are doing the opposite: teaching hearers to worship self.
We urge our subscribers and visitors to our site to watch (or listen to) this video — and share it!
From Polemics Report:
This is a sermon from the Judge Not Conference, on the topic of “judging” as taken from Matthew 7 and a systematic theology of discernment. Is discernment ministry Biblical? Is it a sin to judge? Should discernment stay within the local church? JD Hall begins speaking at 5:25. (Source)
From Berean Research:
A manifesto written by evangelical leaders has drawn the ire of the LGBTQ community, the liberal press, and has Progressive Christians ticked off as well. Why? Because conservative evangelicals had the audacity to release a statement proclaiming that traditional sexual morality is based on the clear teaching of Scripture, not on the whims of an ever changing culture.
Liberals aren’t the only ones who have voiced their concern. Even some conservative evangelicals are apprehensive about the declaration. They point out that there are always risks involved with these sorts of issue declarations. And they’d like those who penned what is being called the Nashville Statement to address those concerns.
So – our advice is this: Before you sign it make sure your concerns are addressed. Ask yourself, do I really want my signature on a statement just because some of my favorite Church leaders signed it?
Being a Berean means doing your research. Bereans investigate. So for starters, go to the scriptures and find out what our Creator has to say about what it means to be a human being. What was God’s design for marriage from the very beginning? Then carefully read through the Nashville Statement. Does it line up with Scripture?
Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, was a speaker at the event in Nashville, TN where the manifesto was announced and a signatory as well. On August 30th Dr. Mohler began The Briefing with a lengthy explanation of what the Nashville Statement contains. Following is from the transcript:
In a time of confusion, one of the greatest gifts that can be given to and by Christ’s church is clarity, and clarity requires at times that matters of truth, matters of truth in particular times of trial, should to be put into words in order to bear the testimony of that clarity. A manifesto was released yesterday; it’s known as the Nashville Statement, it’s a coalition for biblical sexuality. A group of evangelical leaders had gathered in Nashville for a meeting to determine how the statement should be released, and it was released yesterday morning by the Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. I should say at the beginning, I was a speaker at the event and a signatory to this statement, and there are many others, as we shall see, who signed it as well. The big issue is this: What took place as released on August 29, 2017 was a statement by Christians who believe that it is our responsibility to speak clearly to issues of gender and sex and sexuality and biblical morality in a time when these issues are commonly confused. By late yesterday the Nashville Statement was one of the most often discussed issues in social media and it had gained a great deal of media attention as well. More on that attention in just a moment, back to the statement for now.
The statement begins with a preamble that states,
“Evangelical Christians at the dawn of the twenty-first century find themselves living in a period of historic transition. As Western culture has become increasingly post-Christian, it has embarked upon a massive revision of what it means to be a human being.”
LifeZette has the story:
For the past two weeks, media panels on CNN have painted a picture of America as a nation deeply divided by race. But the countless rescue stories out of Houston, and the images of men rushing in with boats to rescue whites, blacks and Hispanics from rooftops and flooded homes and streets have shown Americans something different.
“The racist thing is going out the window because of the hurricane that happened in Texas…” a Florida woman named Jennifer Santana who goes by the pen name Political Avenger said in a YouTube video that got a thousand likes on Monday.
According to Christian News:
A prominent professing atheist group has sent a letter to Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, urging him to stop sharing Bible verses on his official Twitter account, which they say violates the separation of Church and State.
The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) sent the letter on Aug. 22, noting that Rubio has tweeted over 60 Scriptures in the past three months. It asserted Rubio is violating the Constitution since he is posting the messages on what the group perceives as being a government-related account, not a private and personal account focusing on his home and family life.
From Churchwatch Central:
Could Joel Osteen have prevented Hurricane Harvey?
Sadly Osteen is a heretic (a person who promotes anti-Christian teaching under the guise of a Christian minister). Although the backdrop of his Lakewood church is of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), he has pioneered shaping his movement independent of the NAR to that of a Word of Faith (WOF) and Health and Wealth (HAW) cult. The dominionist aspect of NAR teaching is still there in his false doctrine (“I am the head and I am not the tail”), but it is clearly trumped by his positive confession and unhealthy focus on wealth.
“Friend, if you’ll do your part and speak words of victory, God will pour out His favor in exciting, fresh ways in your life, and you will live the abundant life He has in store for you.”
If Joel sincerely believes these false teachings – where was he using faith and taking dominion, by speaking against Hurricane Harvey? Where is Mr “I Am” when you need him? Where is Joel’s Army when Houston, Texas needed him the most?
The theology you are about to read below in no way represents any form of Christian teaching. You will find this teaching in the New Age movement, which means it is nothing more than occultism. This type of theology puts Joel Osteen and his church outside of the Christian faith and marks them as a cult: they are simply borrowing the Christian language to invent their own religion and making money out of people.
According to Seth Dunn, celebrity-pastor Louis Giglio will cancel church services on Labor Day weekend which very well could be because it’s a low church attendance weekend, “especially for seeker-sensitive churches like Passion City.” In his piece over at Pulpit & Pen, Dunn reveals that “The church’s website, while telling worshipers to stay home on Sunday, reminded them to still send in their gifts.” He writes:
I’m not making this up. I don’t think I could. This is actually happening. Louie Giglio’s Passion City Church has canceled its Sunday services on August 27th and September 3rd for what it has deemed a “Sabbath break”. The church’s pastor has instructed his congregation not to come to church on the Lord’s Day in order to “Stop. Rest. Remember”. A cursory biblical justification is given on the church’s website for canceling Sunday services for “Sabbath rest” but it’s not hard to discern that this course of action is a plainly ridiculous one for any biblically grounded church to take.
Chip and Joanna Gaines are giving aid and lending support to fellow Texans. LifeZette reveals what the couple is doing to help:
Two television celebrities want their fellow Texans to know they “will always have your back.”
The “Fixer Upper” stars, Chip and Joanna Gaines, are selling T-shirts that read, “Texas Forever,” to help victims of Hurricane Harvey.
Michelle Lesley has some observations and suggestions on how we can help the hurricane victims — from her own personal experience:
I originally published this article on August 21, 2016, just a few days after the historic flood in my own area last year. I am re-running part of it now (along with some current tips about disaster relief) because the situation in the Houston/Galveston/Corpus Christi area in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey is going to be nearly identical when it comes to flood relief efforts. If you have midweek services at your church this week, it might be a good time to get with your pastor and fellow church members to talk about how your church can help.
And just to drive home the point of how much help is going to be desperately needed in Texas, the one year anniversary of the Baton Rouge area flood was about a week ago, and we still have many people who are not yet back in their homes and need help rebuilding.
CNSNews has the story:
Frank Somerville, a news anchor for KTVU in the San Francisco Bay Area, published an article with the San Francisco Chronicle today describing his personal experience of attending a protest in Berkeley, where left-wing protesters dressed in black, chanting they were against hate, sought to intimidate other people.
“I experienced hate firsthand today,” wrote Somerville. “It came from these people dressed in all black at a protest in Berkeley. Ironically they were all chanting about no hate.
“Some had shields and gloves. Some had helmets. Some had gas masks,” wrote Somerville. “I was watching them and taking it all in. I came there on my own time. Because I wanted to see things first hand. I was dressed in shorts and a tank top.”
Newsmax reports:
Joel Osteen denied accusations that his Lakewood Church was closed to Harvey relief following the extreme flooding in Houston that has left thousands of people without shelter.
Osteen’s response came after his church received wide criticism for apparently refusing to provide shelter for those affected by Hurricane Harvey, USA Today reported. News stories with headlines implying the church wouldn’t be helping out were widely published.
Osteen, the senior pastor of Lakewood Church, issued a statement saying the accusations were false and that his church is more than prepared to be a place of shelter for Harvey evacuees.
Because the Orpheum Theater in Memphis has decided to ax “Gone With the Wind” from its schedule, Zachery Lehman of LifeZette wonders what films will be targeted next. “The idea that art is supposed to be ‘sensitive’ and that we should simply scrub away past works is beyond worrisome,” cautioned Lehman. He writes:
A 34-year-old tradition has ended in Memphis, Tennessee, due to concerns about being “insensitive.”
The board of directors of the Orpheum Theater Group decided to end its once-frequent summer showings of the 1939 film “Gone with the Wind” this month, mostly due to social media outrage.
“As an organization whose stated mission is to ‘entertain, educate and enlighten the communities it serves,’ the Orpheum cannot show a film that is insensitive to a large segment of its local population,” said the board members in a statement.
From Berean Research:
Hillsong’s Brian & Bobbie Houston
Two years ago Berean Research posted a piece by Churchwatch Central entitled “Brian Houston admits he can offer “no great answer” on gay stance.” They began by letting us know that “No one has a better handle on what’s going on with Hillsong’s background with the homosexual issue than Churchwatch Central, based in Australia. If you read and follow these well-researched sources, AND WATCH THE VIDEOS EMBEDDED (very important!), you will begin to understand an issue that has a lot of moving parts.”
So keep this in mind as you read the Christian News (CN) report we’re posting. The story includes Word of Faith prosperity preacher Brian Houston’s latest statement explaining what he believes the Bible teaches on homosexuality. Pay attention to how he carefully crafts his words to avoid offending the LGBTQ community. As Churchwatch Central (CWC) makes clear in their above piece, Brian Houston is deliberately vague on controversial issues such as the sin of homosexuality. According to CWC, Houston tries to give the impression he’s “tight-rope walking the issue [when] he has in fact made up his mind where he stands and simply [lies] about Hillsong’s position.” Lie is a strong word; however, in their reporting on the Hillsong empire over the years, CWC has demonstrated how Hillsong’s leadership has hidden the truth from its fans. And according to CWC, they’ve been grooming their followers to change their stance on homosexuality. As Amy rightly says, those who take the time to research all the Hillsong issues–there are a number of them–will discover that there are a lot of moving parts.
Again, keep what we’ve just told you in mind as you read CN’s report:
As Australians are soon set to participate in a postal plebiscite on the issue of same-sex “marriage,” Hillsong leader Brian Houston has issued a statement outlining that he believes the Bible clearly states that God created marriage to be between a man and woman, but also said that Christians shouldn’t condemn homosexuals and “dismiss their desire to pursue happiness.”
“For Christians, the issue is also a matter of faith and biblical teaching, something that should never be mocked or downplayed by those with opposing views,” Houston wrote. “I believe God’s word is clear that marriage is between a man and a woman. The writings of the apostle Paul in Scripture on the subject of homosexuality are also clear, as I have mentioned in previous public statements.”
Bible study author, speaker and blogger Michelle Lesley reminds us that “There is never any acceptable reason or excuse to say, ‘I can’t,’ when it comes to a command of Scripture. God expects us to be obedient,” says Lesley. Following are 8 ways we can move from all the excuses we come up with when we choose to disobey Him, to obedience. For example, consider that God is testing you. Will you pass or fail the test?
Now discover 8 ways you can stop making excuses and obey God’s commands:
Excuses, excuses.
We’ve all got them. We’ve all used them.
“The dog ate my homework.”
“I was going to, but…”
“I’d can’t, because…”
Sometimes there are legitimate reasons we can’t take part in certain earthly activities. Time conflicts: If a birthday party and a wedding are scheduled for the same date and time, you obviously can’t be in two places at once. Financial constraints: Maybe you’d really like to attend that conference, but there’s no money in the budget. Prioritized responsibilities and loyalties- you’d like to travel as much as you did when you were single, but now that you have a family, taking care of them comes first.
Most Christians seem to grasp this concept when it comes to one of the “big” commands. Take abortion, for example. We know that abortion is a sin regardless of the circumstances, even when those circumstances are huge and scary. We reach out to pregnant women with the gospel and with practical help so that they won’t commit that sin. We love the homosexual who wants to come to Christ but is being pulled the other direction by her lifestyle, living arrangements, and loved ones, by compassionately providing for her needs while holding firm to the biblical gospel that says she must turn from her sin in repentance if she wants to be saved.