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Archives For October 31, 2016

Well, here we are

ib2newseditor —  November 9, 2016

Old Glory Flag

Though the majority of the nation is still surprised and in shock, half the nation is angry and hurting, and way more than half the nation is still overwhelmingly discontent with the outcome of last night’s election, here we are. The election process is over. Half of the country helped elect what they consider to be “the lesser of two evils” and the other half is stunned that the victorious candidate is considered by anyone to be “the lesser of two evils”.

As I have spent time reflecting on this election – this crazy, unbelievable, disappointing, and astonishing election – I have found myself ending up at the same place over and over again.

Though (I hope) few, if any, Christians would actually say this, most seem to view their political party of choice as the primary agent of cultural change and hope for our nation. Then again, I know many who would actually say that. But the idea that the Democratic Party is the party of God because it prioritizes things like diversity, equality, harmony, and caring for the poor, or, likewise, the idea that the Republican Party is the party of God because it prioritizes things like religious freedom, pro-life movements, and a conservative supreme court – needs to go.

Now, let me be clear – part of the beauty of our democracy is that we all have the freedom to care about certain issues and vote our conscience. That freedom is a gift from God for which every American should be grateful. But, Christians cannot continue to allow the church to become as polarized as our nation. Yes, our nation is more polarized than it has been in a long time because of this election and the events surrounding it. But in the face of such polarization, the church ought respond with unification, re-commitment to the Kingdom of God and the gospel message, and submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Our identity as the Church defines us infinitely more deeply and profoundly than our identity as Republicans or Democrats. To see so much passion and so much anger surrounding this election only reminds us that so many have slipped into the idolatrous idea that our government is our savior and king.

Neither candidate was messiah and neither party is God’s chosen agent of change in this world – His Church is that agent of change. Neither party will deliver us from evil – only God will. Neither party can save us from a downward spiral, only God can. Neither party can offer true hope, only God can. There is no easier day and no easier year to see these truths than on this day of this year.

American is not God’s chosen nation. The Democratic Party is not God’s chosen party. The Republican Party is not God’s chosen party. And most importantly, neither party is His great love. The Church alone is God’s chosen people, whom he has drawn to himself and called to be the greatest agent of change the world has ever seen. The church alone is God’s embassy of hope, left here to represent his kingdom in this foreign land.

As we begin a new four year “reign” under a new political regime, may we constantly remind ourselves that Jesus alone is King and that his gospel message is the only message that matters.

Noah Adams is associate pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Elgin, IL. He is also the son of IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams and wife Beth. This article was originally posted on Noah’s blog, Honest Thoughts About Church.

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Briefing: Why evangelicals are voting for Trump or Clinton, danger follows Christian refugees

ib2newseditor —  November 8, 2016

The BriefingExplaining the evangelical vote for Trump or Clinton
Last week, Donald Trump said that if evangelicals vote, he would win the 2016 presidential election. But while he commands a clear lead over Hillary Clinton for their support, surveys also show American evangelicals are much more divided this year compared to previous elections. Recent survey findings show how evangelicals are voting in 2016 and why.

High court accepts transgender case
The Supreme Court announced Oct. 28 it will review a lower court opinion regarding the right of a student to use the public school restroom that matches her gender identity rather than her biological sex. Oral arguments in the case likely will take place in early 2017, and an opinion is expected before the court adjourns next summer.

Danger follows Christian refugees to Germany
The situation of Christian refugees in German shelters is “unbearable” according to an updated report released this month and co-authored by Open Doors Germany. The report documents 743 cases of discrimination, death threats, and physical assaults against Christians by Muslim refugees between February and May of this year and claims the findings are only “the tip of the iceberg.”

Hatmaker books pulled over LGBT views
LifeWay Christian Resources has discontinued resources featuring bestselling Bible study author Jen Hatmaker just days after she voiced approval of gay marriage and the gay lifestyle. The Southern Baptist Convention entity has published several resources by the popular speaker and reality television star, including the bestselling B&H Publishing book, “7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess.”

The remarkable Billy Graham
Evangelist Billy Graham turned 98 November 7. Graham’s most obvious legacy is the three million men and women who registered commitments for Christ at his crusades. Graham’s legacy has also taken forms that are hard to measure but important to remember. We see them especially in the realms of evangelical beliefs, everyday life, American politics, and Christian hope.

Sources: Christianity Today, Baptist Press, World Magazine, Baptist Press, Christianity Today

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Lost in London

ib2newseditor —  November 7, 2016

london-sceneWhen you travel you have to make allowances for some of the local customs. In New Orleans, prepare for Cajun cooking and in coastal southern California enjoy the more relaxed pace of life. In foreign countries the differences can be even more pronounced. But if you’re traveling to another English speaking country it can’t be that different, right? Wrong.

A week the southwest of England shined a spotlight on some of those differences.

A crosswalk isn’t a crosswalk. It’s a Zebra (pronounced with a short “e” sound) crossing. Other types of pedestrian crossings are Pelican, Puffin, Toucan, and Pegasus (for horses and their riders.) Google them for fun.

No washcloths for you. Not all hotels provide “flannels” the English word for washcloths. They are considered too intimate an item to be washed and reused by another person, so bring your own.

Can I get ice with that? It’s true, most beverages are served lukewarm in England, except tea, which is hot of course. I was told that if you ask for a glass of ice to go with your Coke, you would get four cubes and a slice of lemon. That’s exactly what happened. It became a game to me to count the ice cubes. One nice server in London went over the apparent allotment and gave me five cubes.

We don’t have restrooms here. Don’t ask to use the public restroom or bathroom, they don’t have one. They do have a public toilet, or loo. It may cost you 20 or 30 thirty pence (about 35-50 cents), and may or may not be clean.

One word – scones. My fellow Americans, we have been lied to by bakery cafés (you know who you are). Scones are not hard triangular-shaped baked goods. No, they are soft and biscuit-like and so delicious topped with clotted cream (bad name, great taste) and jam.

Empty churches. Sorry folks, this one isn’t funny. England is filled with lovely old churches, but sadly, most have become tourist attractions. People line up for tours of Westminster Abby and St. Paul’s Cathedral and for the services, however most of those attending the services are tourists too.

The church grounds are beautifully landscaped and immaculate, and popular with the locals. They are great spots for enjoying a picnic lunch in the middle of a hectic work day.

Of course there are flourishing churches in England, but they are few and far between. England and the rest of western Europe culturally trend 5-10 years ahead of the United States. This isn’t a trend Christians in the U.S. shouldn’t follow.

Lisa Misner Sergent recently spent time in England and will be writing a series of articles about the state of Christianity and missions in that country in upcoming issues the Illinois Baptist newspapers.

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Resolution on Encouraging Illinois Baptists to Vote Biblical Values

ib2newseditor —  November 5, 2016

Vote Yeah

Editor’s note: Messengers to the 110th Annual Meeting of the Illinois Baptist State Association passed a resolution encouraging Illinois Baptists to vote biblical values when they go to the polls.

WHEREAS, God has ordained government to reward good and to punish evil (Romans 13:1–5, 1 Peter 2:13–14); and

WHEREAS, Jesus described His followers as “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13–16), indicating the Lord’s desire for believers to exercise a beneficent influence on their surrounding society; and

WHEREAS, believers in Illinois and in the United States enjoy a constitutionally granted opportunity to influence not only the nation, but also states, regions, and communities by voting for those seeking the country’s highest office and for other elected officials; and

WHEREAS, The Baptist Faith and Message affirms that “all Christians are under obligation to seek to make the will of Christ supreme in our own lives and in human society” and that “every Christian should seek to bring industry, government, and society as a whole under the sway of the principles of righteousness, truth, and brotherly love”; and

WHEREAS, ”every pastor is called to help his congregation think biblically about all aspects of life: including current cultural issues. The media, pop culture and political pundits relentlessly bombard your people with messages untethered from a Christian worldview. But you have the privilege of both helping your congregation filter those messages, and discipline your congregation in the practical theology of Christian living at the intersection of faith and politics.” (Christiana Holcomb, Alliance Defending Freedom); now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that Southern Baptists and all followers of Jesus Christ in the United States be reminded that the nation’s hope ultimately is not in political processes or governmental power, but in God alone; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the messengers to the Illinois Baptist State Association meeting in Broadview, Illinois, November 2-3, 2016, give thanks to God that He has placed us in a nation with freedom of expression and opportunity to influence our national and state governments, a freedom secured at a high price, even with shed blood on the battlefield; and be it further

RESOLVED, that we encourage Illinois Baptists and all followers of Jesus Christ to participate in the democratic process by voting; and be it further

RESOLVED, that we choose for our leaders wise leaders who reflect godly character; leaders who are righteous (Proverbs 16:12); are not greedy (Proverbs 29:4); practice self-control (Proverbs 31:4-5; 20:1); are sexually moral (Proverbs 31:3); have personal integrity (Proverbs 17:7; 20:28); fear God (Proverbs 1:7; 29:18); seek wisdom (Proverbs 8:15, 17:15; Romans 13:4; 1 Peter 2:14); and show compassion to the helpless (Proverbs 22:22-23, 29; 23:10-11; 29:7; 31:8-9); and be it further

RESOLVED, that we prayerfully urge our friends and neighbors to do likewise; and be it further

RESOLVED, that we prayerfully urge all candidates for political office to endorse the biblical values upon which society should rest; and be it finally

RESOLVED, that we commit ourselves to pray earnestly for God to bring spiritual, moral, ethical, and cultural renewal to our nation.

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The Curse is Gone

ib2newseditor —  November 4, 2016

What one Illinois pastor (and Cubs fan) learned from the World Series

cubs-logoEmotions in Wrigleyville soared high in the late innings of Game 7. With a three run lead, coming off a blowout win in Game 6, victory seemed inevitable. But then, there’s the curse.

The night before, Aroldis Chapman had been controversially brought in to prevent any hope of a late game rally, and ensure there would be a Game 7. As Chapman took the mound, the Cubs were only four outs away from reversing the curse. And then it happened. Ramirez scored on Guyer’s double, then Rajai Davis’s two run homer tied the game, and as the rain began to fall one had to wonder if the heavens were weeping over the unshakable clutch of “the curse.”

In 1945 William Sianis was asked to leave Wrigley Field after complaints were made about the odor of his pet goat, Murphy. It was Game 4 of the World Series, and as Sianis and Murphy departed Wrigley, Sianis uttered the words; “You are going to lose this World Series and you are never going to win another World Series again. You are never going to win a World Series again because you insulted my goat.”

The Cubs lost the 1945 World Series to the Detroit Tigers beginning Major League Baseball’s longest championship drought and the legacy of the “Billy Goat Curse.” For the next seven decades, the Cubs would not even appear in a World Series.

The Bible, also, warns of a curse. It is a curse that came as the consequence of open rebellion against God (Genesis 3:14-19). It crushes all hope of victory. Our inability to tame our addictions and carry out what we know to be right creates endless cycles of crippling frustration, guilt, and shame.

But the “Curse of the Billy Goat, “it is no more. Ben Zobrist’s opposite field double off Bryan Shaw put the Cubs ahead for good in an 8-7 victory that clinched the World Series and crushed the curse for good.

But what about our curse? What can bring an end to the curse, its frustrations, guilt, and shame? When will we experience the catharsis of victory over sin? Perhaps, just as Ben Zobrist’s bat provided the answer to the Cub’s curse in Game 7, maybe his words can be the catalyst for deliverance and hope from the Curse of Sin:

In a 2013 interview with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Zobrist made the following statement, “We all need grace. We all need Christ. I still have a lot to learn about what the love of Christ is like. That it’s not just knowledge, but it’s allowing the truth to change you, allowing Christ’s message of grace and hope and love through the cross, that that message is the message that changes the way we look at everything in our lives.

The Apostle Paul said, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’” (Galatians 3:13). Now, for those who place faith in him, he has crushed the crushed the curse for good.

Major Dalton is pastor of First Baptist Church in Winthrop Harbor, IL.

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Preachers stick to reconciliation, mostly steer clear of election

ib2newseditor —  November 2, 2016

Broadview | Whatever happens in the general election, preach the Word—and stick to the Word—speakers at the 2016 IBSA Pastors’ Conference exhorted their audience. The first day of the meeting at Broadview Missionary Baptist Church in metro Chicago coincided with the concluding games of the World Series, so several of the speakers got in on the Cubs banter, but ultimately the stuck to the Word.

david-sutton

David Sutton

“We think about what’s going on in our world today,” said pastor David Sutton of Bread of Life Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago, who also served as president and organizer of the event. “So much grief,” he said, referring to a record number of shootings in the city the previous weekend. “When I think about this being an election year, it seems to further exacerbate things—there are so many things we can allow to divide us—even where we live, if we live in a rural town or a large community.”

The theme for the conference is “Crossroads, our pathway to reconciliation,” building on the “Cross Culture” theme of the IBSA Annual Meeting which will follow the pastors’ gathering.

“I believe God has called us together for such a time as this, even as we stand together in such a divided time,” Sutton said, pointing out the dichotomies of Illinois’ geography and population. “We come from so many different groups and backgrounds, [but] even in our differences we can come together…. I heard one preacher say we may not agree on everything, but that doesn’t mean we can’t walk together hand-in-hand.”

The featured preachers built on that theme, repeatedly igniting the crowd of pastors from Northern and Southern Illinois, black and white and Hispanic and Asian, in cheers and applause.

fred-luter-2

Fred Luter

“If God can change you and me, the same God can change their lives,” said Fred Luter, pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, speaking of lost people, particularly those engaged in drugs, gang activity, and a litany of sinful lifestyles he enumerated.

“In your B.C. days, in other words, in your ‘before Christ’ days, what did it take to change you? Before you stopped drinking, before you stopped shacking up, before you stopped using the N-word, before you stopped going to casinos and playing the lottery (I hoped you stopped!)… you heard the gospel! You heard the gospel of Jesus Christ! You were transformed by the power of the gospel…. The same gospel can change our city and can change those knuckleheads in our streets!”

Luter, who served as the first African American president of the Southern Baptist Convention, urged the crowd: “Come on preachers, let’s preach the gospel of Jesus Christ! Come on teachers, let’s teach the gospel of Jesus Christ! Hallelujah, Jesus saves!”

scott-nichols

Scott Nichols

Illinois pastor Scott Nichols of Crossroads Community Church in Carol Stream, said “reconciliation is painful, hard work” but it’s our calling for “those in the grip of sin…because God’s done reconciliation in my life. Our purpose is not growing our church. The purpose is making us like Christ. The purpose is winning the world to Christ,” Nichols said.

Politics was overshadowed by Gospel in the preaching and in the breakout sessions. “Leave the political stuff alone, that is only going to divide,” said Ron Gray, pastor of The Connection Church in Chicago, in a breakout session.

“With all this is going on around us, someone should be asking ‘Is God trying to tell us something?” said H. B. Charles, Jr., a skilled expositor and pulpiteer from Jacksonville, Florida.

hb-charles3

HB Charles, Jr

“God speaks by his actions, but God also speaks by in his inactions.” There is the wrath that is due man’s rebellion, “and there is the wrath of abandonment” for those who persist in the sins listed in Romans 1, as God turns them over to the outcomes of their sins.

As several speakers said, whatever the outcome of the election on November 8, the next day God will still be on the throne and in charge. “I was tempted to label this sermon the unelected and unimpeachable king!” Charles said. “His almighty Son has already been appointed King, and he is not up for re-election.”

“Thank you, Lord!” came the reply from the pews.

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