Current Events

Over the past several years, the term woke has been used to describe people who have been awakened to the injustices of society, particularly in regards to racism. Many Christians, committed to displaying God’s heart for the oppressed, have eagerly embraced the term.

We live in a day of amazing confusion. But what makes the confusion especially disorienting is that those who are creating it don’t act bewildered or perplexed. Instead, when we point out what seems obvious, they tell us with a straight face that we are confused, that these issues are more complex than we could understand, that the problem is with us.

It’s hard to read James 1:27 and see it meaning anything less than exercising compassion toward those in need: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

This Thanksgiving season we face several harsh realities—the ongoing election debacle, our biased media, civil unrest, indefinite restrictions as a result of COVID-19—I could go on and on.

Anyone who tells you that they have local church ministry during Covid-19 figured out is either delusional or far wiser than I am. Because after thirty-four years of pastoring, I am finding this season the most challenging—by far. I have never seen anything like it. The health, political, and social challenges are real.

Discerning Christians are aware that a revolution against God, godliness, and biblical teaching has been underway for the past few decades. We are currently seeing a rage in our society that resembles the description of Psalm 2 and will likely continue fomenting until our national election. Between the COVID-19 crisis and the anger in the streets, we need biblical Christians to discern the times and deploy with the gospel message.

The Declaration of Independence was a statement against all odds. To some, it could have been called, The Declaration of Insanity. How could thirteen fledgling colonies win a war against the mother country?

If there is any group of people who should believe in the dignity of every human because they are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), it is Christians. Indeed, Bible-believing Christians believe that regardless of any physical, national, or social differences, all people are created equal at birth and should be treated with dignity and respect (Romans 10:12).

The Judeo-Christian roots of our nation are showing up these days in places many of us have never even noticed, but simply assumed as normal.

I hope that by now you have seen California’s AB 2943 on the news or in your social media streams. This broad-sweeping piece of legislation is a threat to religious liberty and freedom of speech across the state and, by setting a precedent, across the country.

Tax returns can become very complicated very quickly. A small mistake can easily lead to a lengthy extended audit that becomes a paperwork nightmare for your ministry. If you are not confident about doing your church’s taxes correctly, you should certainly consider hiring a professional tax preparer to ensure your return is done accurately.

Like many churches around the nation, Lancaster Baptist had a time of prayer last evening for First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. Less than six hours earlier, twenty-six people’s lives were taken during the worship of that church.

Each year at this time, our ministry receives calls about liability for taking children to pumpkin patches, dairy farms, and other field trips. Is there a document that a church or school may have a parent sign whereby they will be released from all liability which arises in their ministry? NO!

Sometimes as Christians, we wonder how we can make a difference in a time like this. How do we respond to the vitriol and rhetoric with clear thinking and Christ-like decisions?

Often when voting, we look for “the lesser of two evils.” Perhaps a better way to say it is that we should look for which candidate is more likely to support vital issues as related to the teachings of Scripture and is most likely to preserve religious liberty for those who desire to propagate Scriptural truth.

As we begin Spiritual Leadership Conference, I am praying for the Lord to empower every moment of this conference for His glory and for the encouragement of His servants.

Last week President Obama made an interesting remark in the White House at the Nordic Leaders’ Summit Arrival Ceremony.

I don’t believe the response to every social evil is a boycott. But when a company publically and forcefully comes out on the wrong side of a moral issue, I don’t believe the correct response is to do nothing either. Especially in America, where we have freedom and our choices—whether they be at the voting polls or where we spend our money—make a difference.

Besides the looming presidential election, there are two key issues presently facing our country—both of which are issues in which you can make a difference. Of course, the most important actions Bible-believing Christians can take are to pray and to witness. These are the direct commands God has given Christians who live in any country and in every era of history.

I hope you’ve seen the pictures. Three-year-old Aylan washed up on the shore, drowned while escaping. Masses of refugees crowding streets under the shells of bombed out buildings. Inflated rafts spilling over with people fleeing war-torn Syria. The seventy-one suffocated bodies found in a refrigerated truck, all victims of human trafficking. Refugee camps stretched out acre upon acre of makeshift tents.