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  • November 30, 1999

Archives For November 30, 1999

The Briefing: Thousands protest Planned Parenthood

Lisa Misner —  August 25, 2015

The BriefingTHE BRIEFING | More than 65,000 protesters gathered outside Planned Parenthood Clinics across the U.S. August 22. The protesters demanded the halt of government funding for the organization which performs abortions, provides birth control medications, and other women’s health services.

The protests follow the release of several videos produced by the Center for Medical Progress which show Planned Parenthood employees bargaining over the sale of aborted infants’ body parts to research facilities.

The reported 342 demonstrations were organized by the Pro-Life Action League.

Gov. Rauner signs gay-conversion therapy ban into law

With little to no fanfare, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner has signed a bill into law which bans therapists from trying to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of anyone younger than 18.

Providers who don’t comply could face disciplinary action which could include losing their license to practice in Illinois.

California, New Jersey, and the District of Columbia already have such bans in place. Read more in the next issue of the Illinois Baptist newspaper on Aug. 31.

Chick-fil-A blocked from Denver airport

A committee of the Denver City Council has stalled what was expected to be routine approval of a Chick-fil-A restaurant at the Denver International Airport after at least four council members expressed disapproval of the company’s alleged opposition to same-sex marriage.

During an Aug. 18 hearing, council member Robin Kniech said she was concerned about a local franchise generating “corporate profits used to fund and fuel discrimination,” The Denver Post reported. Councilman Paul Lopez compared the pro-family stances of some Chick-fil-A leaders to presidential candidate Donald Trump’s comments about immigration and other issues, calling opposition to the airport restaurant “really, truly a moral issue.” Read more at BPnews.net

Critics ask president to abolish faith-based hiring bias

A coalition of 130 groups have petitioned President Obama to eliminate what they believe to be a faith-based hiring bias for organizations receiving federal funding.

The groups cite a “flawed” 2007 Justice Department memo which said the Religious Freedom Restoration Act provides for an override of nondiscrimination laws for government-funded religious organizations. They request the president direct a review of the memo by Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

Signatories include Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.

Injunction extended while GuideStone awaits appeal

The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Aug. 21 it would keep in place the preliminary injunction won by GuideStone earlier at the District Court level while GuideStone’s appeals it case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The preliminary injunction, which protects certain ministries from providing abortion-causing drugs or devices in their health plan, or face crippling fines, was first issued by a federal judge in December 2013. Upon the government’s appeal, a three-judge panel of the Tenth Circuit of Appeals ruled 2-1 to end the injunction. GuideStone, along with its co-plaintiffs appealed the Tenth Circuit’s ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court in July.

Churches and integrated auxiliaries of churches, including GuideStone, are exempt from the mandate and its penalties as religious employers. The current litigation was sought to protect other ministries it serves, such as children’s homes, colleges and other ministries not controlled by a church or association of churches, from the mandate and its penalties.

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Tuesday Briefing: Urban minister says ‘radical righteousness’ needed after S.C. shooting

Meredith Flynn —  April 14, 2015

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

After an unarmed man was shot and killed by a South Carolina police officer, urban ministry strategist D.A. Horton advocated “radical righteousness” instead of retaliation.

The_Briefing“Radical righteousness is lived out when we work to see a criminal receive proper punishment, instead of private revenge; public order instead of personal retaliation; and respond with practical righteousness in place of our personal rights,” said Horton during a chapel service at Charleston Southern University April 8. The North American Mission Board’s national coordinator for urban student missions said the church must pursue the “radical righteousness” Jesus prescribed in Matthew 5:38-42, according to Diana Chandler’s report for Baptist Press.

“I was not present for Mike Brown [in Ferguson, Mo.], for Tamir Rice [in Cleveland, Ohio], for Eric Garner [in New York City], for Ezell Ford [in Los Angeles] and for the multitude of names that have been going down. I wasn’t there when the officers got gunned down in Brooklyn,” Horton said.

“… But what I do know as a believer, there was a real world with real hurt. There [are] real issues going on out there. And if believers cannot look to the words of Christ, and be words of comfort and clarity to our culture, then we don’t need to be claiming to be the church.”

The American Humanist Association has dropped its lawsuit against a New Jersey school district, allowing students to continue saying “under God” during the Pledge of Allegiance. Read the full story at ChristianPost.com.

A prayer written by Southern Baptist pastor Jack Graham will be read around the country on May 7, the National Day of Prayer. Graham is a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention and current pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in the Dallas metro area.

“We repent of our sins and ask for Your grace and power to save us,” says Graham’s prayer, which will be read at Day of Prayer celebrations. “Hear our cry, oh God, and pour out Your Spirit upon us that we may walk in obedience to Your Word. We are desperate for Your tender mercies. We are broken and humbled before You.”

The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission is urging Christians to promote an April prayer emphasis with the hashtag #PrayforMarriage. Last week, the Southern Baptist ethics entity issued a challenge to pray at 10 a.m. (Eastern time) on April 28, the morning the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in several same-sex marriage cases. The web page ERLC.com/article/prayformarriage includes a sample prayer guide.

A majority of Americans believe politics would be more civil and effective if politicians read the Bible more. Read more in Christianity Today’s report on the 2015 State of the Bible study from the American BIble Society.

More news from the State of Bible report: Of the nearly 7,000 languages used as first languages, more than half lack a completed Bible translation. At the same time, 72% of Americans believe the Bible is available in all the world’s languages. Read more at Barna.com.

By the year 2050, Pew Research has forecasted, 38% of the world’s Christians will live in Sub-Saharan Africa. Meanwhile, Europe’s share of the global Christian population will continue to decline, from 66% in 1910, to 26% in 2010, to 16% projected for 2050.

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Tuesday Briefing: Indiana ruckus shows religious liberty is new ‘wedge’ in culture wars

Meredith Flynn —  April 7, 2015

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

The uproar over Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act continued as lawmakers introduced changes to the bill that opponents say put business owners at risk to be forced to compromise their beliefs.

The original RFRA, signed into law March 26 by Gov. Mike Pence, came under national fire from corporations, celebrities, and others who said it would allow discrimination against gay people. Supporters of the law said it would protect the religious liberty of business owners by shielding them from government action if they refused to provide services for same-sex weddings.

The_BriefingThe changes to the law, signed by Pence one week after he approved the original RFRA, say “no member of the public may be refused services by a private business based on sexual orientation or gender identity,” Baptist Press reports.

The controversy, wrote Philip Bethancourt of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, has served to make religious liberty “a new culture war wedge issue.”

“One indication of this change is the frequent use of ‘religious freedom’ in scare quotes, suggesting that it is merely a cover for something more malicious,” Bethancourt wrote on ERLC.com. “Danger arises when our first freedom becomes a second-class culture war issue.”

Christians in Kenya grieved on Easter Sunday for 148 people killed at a university last week by terror group al-Shabaab. The Associated Press reported on the Easter service at Our Lady of Consolation Church in Garissa, where Bishop Joseph Allessandro said, “We join the sufferings of the relatives and the victims with the sufferings of Jesus. The victims will rise again with Christ.”

During the April 2 terror attack at Garissa University College, the shooters separated Christian students from Muslims and killed the Christians, AP reported.

What do Americans believe about Jesus? According to new research by Barna, most say he was a real person, a little over half believe he was God, and 62% say they have made a personal commitment to him that is still important in their life today.

And what about the church? LifeWay Research found that while 55% of Americans say the church in America is declining, 65% believe attendance is admirable.

More interesting research: Pew says current trends forecast that Muslims will almost equal Christians in number by 2050, and the global percentage of “nones” who have no religious affiliation will actually decrease.

“We’ve got a long way to go” on race relations, said Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission President Russell Moore at a March summit on racial reconciliation and the gospel. “Our sin keeps wanting us to divide up. But to the faithful, Jesus promises, ‘You will be called overcomers.’” Read the Illinois Baptist‘s coverage of the summit here at ib2news.org.

Did you catch the premiere episode of “A.D.: The Bible Continues” on Sunday? Christianity Today is recapping each installment of the new miniseries produced by Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, which details the history of the early church following Jesus’ death and resurrection.

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Tuesday Briefing: First PC(USA) church leaves following marriage decision

Meredith Flynn —  March 31, 2015

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

Brighton Presbyterian Church in Rochester, N.Y., is the first church to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA) after a majority of the denomination’s districts voted to change its definition of marriage. The amendment to the group’s constitution, which will become official this summer, alters the marriage definition from “a man and a woman” to “two people, traditionally a man and a woman.”

The_Briefing“Our reason for leaving is centered on the status of biblical interpretation within the PC(USA),” Brighton spokeswoman Kerry Luddy told The Christian Post. “We believe that Scripture’s meaning and intent should not be altered to fit a current culture.”

“Heaven visitation resources” like Don Piper’s book “90 Minutes in Heaven” are no longer available from LifeWay Christian Resources. Spokesman Marty King told Baptist Press LifeWay stopped ordering “experiential testimonies about heaven” last summer, and has pulled the remaining products from stores and its website.

LifeWay’s decision followed the adoption of a resolution on “the sufficiency of Scripture regarding the afterlife” by messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting last summer.

Legislators introduced this month a bill that would allow adoption and foster care agencies to operate within their religious convictions concerning placing children with same-sex couples. “This commonsense bill simply ensures that these child welfare providers can keep doing what they do best and are treated the same as the rest,” said Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), according to a WORLD News Service report.

Illinois is one of four states where agencies have discontinued adoption and foster care services because they would have been required to place children with same-sex couples.

More than 83,000 Bibles were shipped to Cuba this month through a partnership between Southern Baptist agencies, churches and individual donors. The Eastern Cuba Baptist Convention, which will receive 32,000 Bibles, reported more than 29,000 professions of faith last year, said Kurt Urbanek, International Mission Board strategy leader for Cuba. “The growth is so incredible, that’s why Bibles are so important.”

“If it wasn’t for the Baptists, I don’t know what I would do,” said one homeowner whose basement was repaired after severe flood damage wrought by Hurricane Sandy. More than two years after the storm devastated parts of New York and New Jersey, volunteers working through Southern Baptist Disaster Relief are still rebuilding and repairing homes in the region.

 

 

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Tuesday Briefing: Ferguson churches launch ‘adopt a block’ strategy

Meredith Flynn —  March 24, 2015

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

Amid continuing tension in Ferguson, Mo., church members will engage in a block-by-block outreach initiative to promote relationships–and healing–in the St. Louis suburb rocked by violence and protests since the shooting of teenager Michael Brown last August.

The_BriefingJose Aguayo, a Ferguson pastor and chaplain with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, will lead the effort to send out teams of church members tasked with getting to know residents on their assigned block. Eventually, Aguayo told Baptist Press, ministries resulting from the outreach could include “sports teams, community outings and study assistance for children and adults.”

First Baptist Church in Ferguson, led by Pastor Stoney Shaw, is one of the churches participating. He told The Pathway newspaper in Missouri, “We want to join with other churches and minister. Walking the streets and praying is a simple yet powerful plan.” Read more at BPNews.net.

In other news from Ferguson, Christianity Today reports on a dialogue between Franklin Graham and other Christian leaders. Graham, CEO of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, posted March 12 on his Facebook page, “Most police shootings can be avoided. It comes down to respect for authority and obedience.” (Read the entire post here.) But according to a group of 31 Christian leaders who wrote an open letter to Graham, the issue is often more complicated.

Family is the most central factor in how Americans identify themselves, Barna found in a new study, followed by being an American at #2, and their religious faith at #3. But the answers change, depending on how old you are.

On the day marking the Iranian New Year, President Obama issued a statement calling for the release of Pastor Saeed Abedini, who has arrested in the country in 2012. “Saeed Abedini of Boise, Idaho has spent two and a half years detained in Iran on charges related to his religious beliefs,” Obama said. “He must be returned to his wife and two young children, who needlessly continue to grow up without their father.” Read more at ChristianityToday.com.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz spoke about Christianity and liberty at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., where he also announced he will run for President in 2016. Jerry Falwell, Jr., president of the Christian university, introduced Cruz but was careful to note Liberty was giving the candidate a platform rather than endorsing him, The Christian Post reported.

More than $2.5 billion is wagered on the annual March Madness basketball tournament, according to the FBI. But Christians would be wise not to throw any money in the pot, says Barrett Duke, a vice president for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. Read the full story at BPNews.net.

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Tuesday Briefing: What do Millennials think of your church?

Meredith Flynn —  March 10, 2015

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

While 30% of the Millennial generation say going to church isn’t important at all, 30% also say church attendance is very important. And 40% are in the middle. The reasons why vary, as detailed in research by Barna Group. Among all Millennials, the researchers found, 66% say American churchgoers are judgmental, and 44% believe it seems like an exclusive club.

Better news: 65% say church is a place to find answers to live a meaningful life.

A Peoria, Ill., woman committed to wear a traditional Muslim head covering during Lent in order to “remember what it feels like to be an outsider.” “People end up grouping all Muslims with extremists. I want to remember that people are individuals, and so by doing this I’m remembering to welcome and include people no matter what they look like,” Jessey Eagen told The Christian Post.

Phyllis Sortor, a missionary with the American Free Methodist Church who was kidnapped in Nigeria in February, has been released, The Christian Post reports. “It appears she was kidnapped by a criminal gang, and there is no evidence this event is associated with terrorism or religion,” said David W. Kendall in a news release from the denomination’s Board of Bishops.

Sortor’s kidnappers originally demanded $300,000 for her release, the details of which will not be discussed publicly, Kendall said.

Franklin Graham, son of famed evangelist Billy Graham and president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, told Fox News on Sunday, “I believe we’re going to see persecution in this country. We’ve already seen many laws that have been passed that restrict our freedom as Christians.”

The Washington florist who came under fire for refusing to provide services for a same-sex wedding said she would hug her accuser if he walked into her shop. “The same faith that tells me that I can’t be a part of Rob’s wedding is the same faith that tells me to love him as Christ does,”

Barronelle Stutzman told Baptist Press. The 70-year-old Southern Baptist church member was found guilty last month of violating her state’s non-discrimination law. She is appealing the verdict.

 

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Urging action on ISIS, Southern Baptist leaders send letter to Obama

Meredith Flynn —  March 3, 2015

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

Baptist Press reports Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd and 16 former SBC presidents sent President Barack Obama an open letter, calling him to action concerning ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria).

“The abuse, brutalization, and murder of children, women, and men that is occurring before the world calls our country to lead forward to bring this to an end,” reads the letter, which also calls ISIS “a continuing threat to world peace in a way unknown to us since the Nazis of World War II.”

The_BriefingIn February, ISIS beheaded 21 Coptic Christians in Libya, adding to a long list of brutal acts in the Middle East. The terror group also reportedly kidnapped more than 200 Christians in Syria last week.

Of the hundreds of Christians kidnapped by ISIS, 19 have been released, multiple media outlets reported March 1. Read more at ChristianPost.com.

Nebraska’s embattled ban on same-sex marriage faced another challenge Monday, when a U.S. District Judge issued an injunction against it scheduled to go into effect March 9. CBS News reports the judge, Joseph Bataillon, ruled the ban unconstitutional in 2005, but it was reinstated by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals the next year.

Bataillon’s Monday ruling was appealed by the state’s attorney general.

Christian media – books, TV, podcasts and radio – is largely consumed by Christians, LifeWay Research reports in a new survey. But movies with faith themes may reach a wider audience, the research found.

Speaking of movies, Barna’s report on what we watched in 2014 is out and offers an interesting look at how the year’s most popular films differ from those that received award nominations. Of 30 films studied, the top five were mostly sequels, based on comic books, or family-friendly fare, with not a Best Picture nominee among them. See the list at Barna.com.

 

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Tuesday Briefing: Florist ‘cannot sell’ freedom for financial settlement

Meredith Flynn —  February 24, 2015

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

The Washington florist found to be in violation of her state’s non-discrimination law rejected a settlement that could have mitigated some of the damage to her financial well-being, The Christian Post reports.

The_BriefingWhen Baronelle Stutzman refused to provide florist services for a same-sex wedding, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed suit against her. Following the Feb. 18 verdict, Ferguson offered to let Stutzman pay $2,001 in penalties and fees, as long as she committed “not to discriminate in the future.” Stutzman said no.

“Washington’s constitution guarantees us ‘freedom of conscience in all matters of religious sentiment.’ I cannot sell that precious freedom,” she wrote in a letter. “You are asking me to walk in the way of a well-known betrayer, one who sold something of infinite worth for 30 pieces of silver. That is something I will not do.”

Controversial author and former pastor Rob Bell told Oprah Winfrey that church culture is turning toward acceptance of same-sex marriage. “Lots of people are already there,” he said on the Feb. 15 episode of Winfrey’s “Super Soul Sunday.”

“We think it’s inevitable and we’re moments away from the church accepting it.”

Messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting this June will vote on a key change to the ministry statement of the North American Mission Board. If approved, according to Baptist Press, NAMB personnel could provide assistance to the International Mission Board in planting churches overseas.

“War Room” is the newest movie from the Georgia brothers who created “Facing the Giants,” “Fireproof,” and “Courageous.”

“This film is about the power of prayer, and the necessity of prayer in our lives,” Alex Kendrick says in a video on warroomthemovie.com. He and his brother, Stephen, produced their earlier films with Sherwood Pictures, based in their Baptist church. “War Room” will be distributed by Worldwide Distribution for Sony Pictures, Baptist Press reported. Bible teachers Priscilla Shirer and Beth Moore both appear in the film.

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Tuesday Briefing: Mourning for slain Egyptian Christians

Meredith Flynn —  February 17, 2015

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

As Egypt responded to the apparent beheadings of Egyptian Christians with airstrikes on ISIS in Lybia, believers in the west used social media to grieve for the 21 Coptic Christians believed to have been killed.

The_Briefing“These are my brothers, faithful unto Christ even unto death, Russell Moore posted on Instagram with an image from ISIS’ video of hostages and their captors. “King Jesus puts heads back on, and puts worlds back together. Maranatha,” wrote the president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.

In a guest post on thegospelcoalition.org, Southern Seminary professor Tom Schreiner offered a biblical meditation on the executions of the Christians.

“Paul says that ‘to live is Christ, and to die is gain’ (Phil. 1:21). Still, the matter is not simplistic, and life is not easy,” Schreiner wrote. “We ‘weep with those who weep’ (Rom. 12:15). Paul said that if Epaphroditus had died he would experience ‘sorrow upon sorrow’ (Phil. 2:27). Grief floods the hearts of those left behind.”

Only 22% of people agree with President Barack Obama’s 2014 statement that terror group ISIL (or ISIS) “is not Islamic,” LifeWay Research reported in a series of surveys conducted last fall. But almost half of Americans also say the group is not a true reflection of the nature of Islam.

CNN will start a six-part series March 1 that the news channel says “discovers fascinating new insights into the historical Jesus, utilizing the latest scientific techniques and archaeological research.” The Christian Post reports the series, titled “Finding Jesus: Faith, Fact, Forgery,” will feature commentary from Ivy League theologians and Los Angeles pastor Erwin McManus, among others.

Illinois’ Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services recently achieved Hague accreditation for its adoption program, meaning BCHFS can continue to do home studies for adoptions in countries that require it. The accreditation is also a first step toward being able to complete adoption placements internationally, but adoption specialist Regina Thompson stressed the agency isn’t equipped to do so now.

“Our main reason for getting Hague accredited,” Thompson said, “was so that we could continue to do international home studies.”

Christianity Today reports Family Christian Stores – the largest chain of Christian bookstores in the U.S. by number of stores – has filed for bankruptcy, but “does not expect to close any stores or lay off any employees.”

“We have carefully and prayerfully considered every option,” President and CEO Chuck Bengochea said in a Feb.11 statement. “This action allows us to stay in business and continue to serve our customers, our associates, our vendors and charities around the world.”

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Tuesday Briefing: State stats, Johnny Football, and the Court gets religious

Meredith Flynn —  February 10, 2015

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

Three-dimensional map of Illinois. USA.It’s “State of the States” time at Gallup, and the researcher is releasing new findings every other day. Last week’s data covered President Obama’s job approval rating, political party identification, and ideology–each measured by state. To see how Illinois ranked (a quick preview: The state had the 10th highest approval rating for the President), go to Gallup.com.

Phillip Bethancourt examines “Johnny Manziel, Rehab and the Gospel” on FaithStreet.com, in light of the Cleveland quarterback’s entry into a treatment center earlier this month. “As Christians, our response to the collapse of Johnny Manziel should not be an ‘I told you so’ triumphalism or an ‘anyone could see that coming’ dismissiveness,” wrote Bethancourt, executive vice president for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. “Instead it should be a ‘such were some of you’ recognition that, apart from Christ, we might also be there.”

Pew Reseach reports the U.S. Supreme Court could face some religion-themed decisions this year, including two very different cases related to employment. In one, a would-be employee at Abercrombie & Fitch is arguing for her right to wear a head covering. In the other, religiously affiliated non-profits say they shouldn’t have to comply with the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate.

At the Feb. 5 National Prayer Breakfast, President Barack Obama compared current acts of terrorism committed by ISIS and other groups to past movements–including the Crusades–he said were often committed or justified in the name of Christ.

“His flawed comparison to atrocities that happened hundreds of years ago minimizes the severity of ISIS and other groups that are brutalizing and killing innocent people,” Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd told Baptist Press. “Instead of focusing on the past, America needs heroic leadership in the present–leadership that champions religious liberty for all people.”

Christian rapper Lecrae Moore gave credit where credit is due during his Grammy acceptance speech Sunday night.  “…You can’t celebrate gifts without celebrating the giver of all gifts. So I want to celebrate Jesus for gifting us all with the gift of love and sacrifice.” Lecrae’s song “Messengers” (featuring for KING AND COUNTRY) won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Christian Song/Performance. Read more at ChristianPost.com.

 

 

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