Month: April 2014
PGA Player Bubba Watson Doesn’t Think Golf is Important. What is…?
Posted on April 23, 2014 in Family by Nathan Cherry
From The Gospel Coalition: The Story: On Sunday Bubba Watson, one of the most untraditional golfers on the PGA Tour, was the winner of the 2014 Masters Tournament. But golf isn’t Watson’s top priority. What he considers most important can be gleaned from the description on his Twitter account, @bubbawatson (“Christian. Husband. Daddy. Pro Golfer.”) and his website, BubbaWatson.com (“Loves Jesus and loves sharing his faith”).
The Background: In an interview with Trevor Freeze of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Watson tells how he uses his Twitter account—along with his PGA platform—to share about his faith in Christ.
“For me, it’s just showing the Light,” said Watson. “There’s people who want to put down Christians. I try to tell them Jesus loves you. It’s just a way to be strong in my faith.”
Author Says Efforts to Defend Religious Freedom A Scam – Christians Haven’t Lost Any Rights
Posted on April 23, 2014 in Religious Freedom, Uncategorized by Nathan Cherry
I recently came across an article titled “The Christian Rights ‘Religious Freedom Law’ Scam” by Vanessa Sheridan, writing at the Huffington Post.
This might be one of the worst mischaracterizations of efforts to secure religious freedom through legislative action by anyone I’ve read in recent memory. The article is so full of misstatements and absurd claims that it’s hard to decide if it should be at The Huffington Post or The Onion.
Ms. Sheridan first accuses a small group of people of seeking to pass laws that would legalize open discrimination. She is, presumably, talking about laws like the one recently vetoed by Arizona governor Jan Brewer that would have protected the religious convictions of business owners from forced government violation. But in her words this bill would:
NBA Star Says He Believes in Creationsim
Posted on April 22, 2014 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
I’ve you’ve ever watched NBA star Blake Griffin dunk a basketball, you know why sports commentators often refer to him as a “freak of nature.” The man can jump and dunk a ball in a way that seems almost super-human. Or perhaps Griffin would say it is supernatural. Griffin has been open about his faith and his upbringing in a Christian home and going to a Christian school. So his answer should have been no surprise when he was asked whether he was “team creationism or team evolution.”
Griffin responded by saying:
“I was raised in a Christian household and went to a Christian high school, so I believe in creationisim, for sure.”
Somehow this “stunned” sports writers and reporters who then took to the media to criticize Griffin for his position and speculate whether or not he was kidding. I’m not sure why anyone would be surprised that a professing Christian raised in a Christian home would believe the biblical account of Creation. Maybe the sports writers were kidding. I really, really hope they were kidding.
So You Want to Tax Churches? Have You Considered…
Posted on April 22, 2014 in Public Policy, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
See if you can answer this question: why are churches tax exempt?
That is a hot button topic in the news, around lawmakers, and on the blogosphere these days. Many don’t know why churches are tax exempt and others simply don’t think they should be. They say that churches are corporations earning money like everyone else and should pay taxes. But is paying taxes really the primary goal of those advocating for the taxing of churches? First, let’s talk about why churches are tax exempt.
Alliance Defending Freedom senior legal counsel Erik Stanley explains that churches have always been tax-exempt since the IRS tax code was first established. And in every version of the code ever since, churches are tax exempt. But, as Stanley explains, many simply don’t know why.
Dr. James Dobson Beats ObamaCare HHS Mandate
Posted on April 21, 2014 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
A recent article reports that a federal court has issued an injunction against enforcement of the ObamaCare HHS Mandate against Dr. James Dobson and his “Family Talk” radio show. Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel Kevin Theriot commented on the injunction:
“Faith-based organizations should be free to operate according to the faith they teach and live out every day. If the government can fine Christian ministries out of existence because they want to uphold their faith, there is no limit to what other freedoms it can take away. The court was right to block enforcement of this unconstitutional mandate against Family Talk.”
Dr. Dobson said of the injunction:
Parkersburg South Wrestling Team Intimidated for Expressing Religious Freedom
Posted on April 21, 2014 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
A controversy over wrestling shirts is brewing in Wood County, West Virginia, at Parkersburg South High School. Thanks to the dubious Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) lodging a complaint with the school Superintendent the wrestling team has been asked to stop wearing their shirts which display the Bible verse Philippians 4:13:
“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
The Freedom From Religion Foundation makes a practice of sending threatening letters to anyone expressing their religious freedom in the public sector. The group seeks to use bullying and scare tactics to intimidate silence on the part of Christians seeking to live out their faith.
Biblical Illiteracy: It’s Not Just Younger Generations That Are “Embarrassingly Ignorant” of Their Faith
Posted on April 18, 2014 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
In recent years I’ve often said that one of the most challenging dynamics for churches to overcome is biblical illiteracy. Presently it seems to me that there is an abundance of biblical illiteracy in the church among both lay-people and leaders alike. That being the case it is easy to see how the church has lost much of its power, influence, and cultural relevance.
The church has experienced loss in a broad range of areas – numbers, giving, baptisms – over the last decade and a half as it simultaneously faces unprecedented persecution from government. Prominent pastors have publicly endorsed and embraced heretical doctrines (think Rob Bell’s “no hell” doctrine), while others have publicly endorsed sin (such as homosexuality). Constant in-fighting over non-essentials (alcohol, tribulation, carpet color) has also served to disillusion younger generations that see a lack of authenticity.
For me, personally, nothing is as pressing and critical as the issue of biblical literacy. This is far more than the ability to read the Bible and understand it; this is about being able to rightly govern one’s life through the filter of grace, redemption, and sanctification. What’s missing currently is a biblical worldview that shapes and informs every aspect of life to the place that sanctification becomes evident.
The picture in this post is that of Scotland Riles. Scotland was miscarried at 20 weeks. But this tragic story has an element of hope and purpose as the father, Tommy Riles, shares the story of his son. Rather than simply having their son removed and discarded as a mass of tissue, the Riles family, as a result of their faith, chose to go through labor and give birth to their son.
After the labor and delivery process, the Riles family spent time with their son, singing, praying, and talking to him. Tommy wrote a letter to his son in which he told him he was proud of his son. Part of that letter says:
The LGBT Movement is the New Fascism. Conform or Else! (Part 2)
Posted on April 17, 2014 in Marriage by Nathan Cherry
This is part 2 of my commentary on the the forced resignation of Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich and the “new fascism” that is the LGBT movement. Part 1 is here.
Even calm voices such as Dennis Prager is alarmed by the actions of Mozilla. In a recent blog for WND Prager actually told people to uninstall Firefox and boycott Mozilla entirely – something he has never done in his career. Prager warned America that the issue of totalitarianism is the most pressing issue in America right now and must be fought by lovers of liberty. He wrote:
“Worldwide…every genocidal totalitarian regime of the 20th century was leftist. And domestically, too, the left has much less interest in liberty than in forcing people to act in accord with its values. A totalitarian streak is part of the left’s DNA. How you think matters and what you do away outside of work matters: More than 20 states prohibit judges from being leaders in the Boy Scouts – because the left deems the Boy Scouts homophobic.”
Prager is right and that is a frightening thought. At this moment the left is not seeking rights and equality for everyone, the left is seeking conformity by everyone. This matters for two reasons:
Video: Did You Know This Week is a Holy Week for Jews…and Christians?
Posted on April 16, 2014 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
As Christians we often hear about Palm Sunday, and Easter Sunday. Both are important historical dates in the life of Jesus that we remember and celebrate in the life of the church. But the week between those two Sunday’s is equally important should be remembered and celebrated as well. This “holy week” is the last week of Jesus’ earthly life and conveys much about his passion to redeem mankind.
Watch the short video below featuring Justin Taylor, Dr. Douglas Moo, and Dr. Andreas Köstenberger as they explain a little about this final week between two of the greatest dates in history.
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