The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of BCNN1. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s).

While I am very sorry to hear of the painful divisions your denomination has been experiencing since the General Conference in 2019, I am writing to assure you that there is hope for the future through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Ah, but what is the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Does it, perhaps, change with time or is it — like Jesus himself — the same; yesterday, today, and forever?

The Anglican ministers who founded your denomination in the 18th-century (e.g., John Wesley and George Whitefield) had a very clear understanding of the Gospel.

The early Methodists were in complete agreement with Anglicans, Presbyterians, and Lutherans over the doctrine of Justification, but they felt that the doctrine of Sanctification had been neglected.

To be clear, Wesley saw Justification as an instantaneous experience of the new birth (or regeneration) and Sanctification as the process of becoming more holy.

As Wesley preached, he offered people not only the hope of immediate forgiveness of sin, but also the hope of gradually learning to sin less. This is “traditional methodism” and it has changed millions of lives for the better.

There is, sadly, a “new methodism” that would not only leave people in their sins, but even affirm and celebrate those sins. These are not the old sins of thievery, drunkenness, fornication, etc., but the very abomination that caused Sodom and Gomorrah to be wiped off the face of the earth: Homosexuality.

You will probably remember that before Sodom was destroyed, God graciously offered his people a way of escape. A man named Lot took that way of escape, but his dear wife, looking back, was turned into a pillar of salt.

This is the kind of pain that modern Methodists can expect to feel due to the recently announced “Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation”.

This “protocol” is essentially a way for “traditional” Methodist congregations to withdraw peacefully from the United Methodist Church. While the traditionalists should be thankful for a peaceful way of escape, they should also brace themselves for the pain that will undoubtedly be experienced.

SOURCE: Christian Post, Christian McShaffrey

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The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of BCNN1. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s).

Is anyone surprised that HGTV recently featured its first “throuple,” in this case, a man and two women? But what else should we expect? This is the inevitable direction of our society’s slippery moral slide. The avalanche goes down, not upward.

People Magazine reported on February 13, “With 17 seasons under its belt, House Hunters made HGTV history on Wednesday when it featured its first throuple — three people in a polyamorous romantic relationship — on one of its episodes.”

The episode was titled, “Three’s Not a Crowd in Colorado Springs.” And it featured one line in which one of the two women, named Lori, commented, “This is a couple’s kitchen, not a throuple’s kitchen.”

Polyamory is now as American as apple pie.

Of course, for years we were mocked for predicting this very thing.

For years we were vilified for saying that the redefining of marriage to include homosexual unions would soon lead to more radical redefinitions.

For years we were criticized for pointing to the presence of polyamorous groups marching in gay pride events. “We’re next,” they confidently proclaimed.

Now “throuples” are being mainstreamed too. But why not?

It’s the question that I’ve never had answered in all of my interactions with LGBT activists and their allies. (For a classic example, see my debate with Prof. Eric Smaw.)

Put simply, if marriage is not the unique union of one man and one woman, then what is so sacred about the number two? As I asked in a 2015 article, “If Love Is Love, Why Not Three Men ‘Marrying’?”

For that matter, if love is love, why not four or more? Or why even need formal marriage? Conversely, why not marry yourself?

As absurd as this may sound, “self-marriage” (sologamy) has been growing in recent years. But why not? If marriage can be so fundamentally redefined as to include no member of the opposite sex (think of it!), then why not?

It’s like saying a duet can have one singer (or three). Or twins can refer to three babies (or one).

That’s just like saying marriage can refer to two men or two women. It fundamentally redefines the very meaning of the term.

And once that is done, then there’s no reason you can’t have throuples (or more). And there’s no reason people cannot marry themselves.

SOURCE: Christian Post, Michael Brown

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The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of BCNN1. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s).

Millennia after our culture has disappeared, eternity will only have begun. Jesus promised the thief on the cross, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). What was “paradise” like for that convicted felon? What will it be like for you and me? Why does it all matter today?

A dear elderly saint was near death and gave her pastor a strange request: “When my casket is opened at the funeral, and all my friends come by for a last look, I want them to see me ready to be buried with a table fork in my right hand.”

She explained to her puzzled pastor, “I want you to tell the congregation, you know what it means when they clear the dishes from a big meal and someone says, ‘Keep your fork.’ You know that something good is coming—maybe a piece of apple pie or chocolate cake. ‘Keep your fork’ means something good is coming. Pastor, I want to be buried with a dessert fork in my hand. It will be my way of saying, ‘The best is yet to come.’”

And so it was. Everyone who saw her body in the casket saw her final witness. For her, death and judgment were not a disaster, but dessert.

How can that be true for you and me, when we stand before God in judgment one day?

Living for heaven is in your best interest on earth and in glory, in time and in eternity. The Bible has much to say about our judgment and rewards in heaven. We’ll look briefly at the subject, and relate it to our lives today.

Will your building last?

In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul paints the picture of life as a house we build. His discussion makes four facts clear.

Paul’s abilities and opportunities to be an “expert builder” were given to him by God. His relationship with Jesus Christ is God’s grace gift to him. All we have and are comes by his grace.

The doctrine of judgment does not teach a works righteousness. We cannot earn God’s love or favor. Judgment means that we are to be faithful stewards of the grace gifts and opportunities of God and are accountable for them. But no one deserves the rewards given at the judgment—they come by his grace.

He is the unchanging, stable rock upon which to build your life. Not just your religion, or your Sunday mornings, but every priority, commitment, and ambition. Your life must be bolted to him.

The foundation is determined. What we build on it is not. Some of us use “gold, silver, costly stones” such as marble and granite. We give God our best. We invest in that which is permanent and eternal. We put souls before success, family before finances, God before gold. When the “fire” of judgment comes, gold, silver, and marble stand the test. You’ve seen ancient marble ruins standing for thousands of years, ready to stand for thousands more. So with some of us.

On the other hand, some of us build our lives out of “wood, hay, or straw.” We give God what is cheap, convenient, or easy. He gets the leftovers. And when we are judged, our disobedience will be obvious to all.

One day the judgment will come–the “Day” (v. 13). Those who lived for God will be rewarded, as we’ll see in a moment (v. 14). Those of us who lived for ourselves, for this fallen world, for that which is temporary and inferior, will “suffer loss” (v. 15a). God cannot reward disobedience.

If we have made Jesus our Savior, we will be saved. Our eternal salvation is not in question. But our eternal rewards are, and if our house has been built out of wood, hay, or straw, we will “be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames” (v. 15b). How do people run out of a burning house? With nothing.

You’ve perhaps heard about the crooked building contractor who built a house for a wealthy friend, cutting corners wherever he could, inferior products and workmanship throughout. When the house was finished, the wealthy friend gave the man the keys and said, “It’s yours.”

There’s a story about a business tycoon who made a fortune in money and fame but gave little of himself or his wealth to God. When he died, Peter showed him to his home in heaven: a small shack. He protested loudly, and Peter shrugged his shoulders and explained, “I did the best I could with what you sent me.”

You and I are responsible for what we do with the lives God has given us by his grace. They are to be founded on Jesus as Lord, built of our best commitment to him. One day the Building Inspector will visit our house. And his judgment will be eternal.

These are the facts of God’s word. Now let’s ask some questions.

Will you be judged?

SOURCE: Christian Post, Jim Denison

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The US government made good on its warning to Americans who chose to remain on board a quarantined cruise ship in Japan, telling them they cannot return home for at least two weeks after they come ashore.

U.S. officials notified the passengers Tuesday of the travel restriction, citing their possible exposure to the new virus while onboard the Diamond Princess. More than 100 U.S. citizens are still on the ship or in Japanese hospitals.

A two-week quarantine of the Diamond Princess ends Wednesday. Over the weekend, more than 300 American passengers, including some who tested positive for coronavirus, left Japan on charter flights. Most of them remain under quarantine at military bases in California and Texas, although about a dozen have been moved to a hospital.

Some Americans decided to take their chances and stay on the ship. On Tuesday, they were told their names would be put on a travel restriction list. The letter from U.S. health authorities said the passengers would not be issued a boarding pass or allowed on a flight “until you are no longer at risk of spreading infection during travel.”

The letter also warned them against trying to enter the country through Mexico or Canada or at a seaport, saying “you will be stopped by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials.”

Copyright 2020 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 

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A pastor’s daughter, 27-year-old Renisha Ebony Lee, was shot and killed during a shooting Sunday in Orlando, Florida.

Stevelleo Stovall, pastor and anti-violence activist, says he and his wife “got a call that parent wants to have—no parent,” reports WFTV. “Now it’s me. It’s me and my wife.”

Police received a call around 6 p.m. Sunday about aggravated battery in the Palms Mobile Home Park, according to Fox News. When police arrived, they found Lee shot in her home. Lee was rushed to the hospital, where she died from her wounds.

“I’ve been in [that hospital] and talked to so many families, but now, here it is that I got to talk to my own wife,” Stovall says. “I got to be the one to tell my wife that, look, Renisha died. She didn’t make it. She’s gone. We can’t do nothing but call on the Lord, call on Jesus—that’s been my strength, Jesus.”

SOURCE: Charisma News

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United Parcel Services (UPS) has discriminated against employees’ religious freedom for voluntarily praying together before work. Several drivers also have been fired.

Liberty Counsel sent a demand letter to UPS stating that drivers’ prayer meetings must be allowed again, and the drivers who have been fired must be reinstated.

In July 2019, approximately 40 UPS drivers started voluntarily praying together each morning in the parking lot prior to their shifts. The group has since grown to between 50 and 60 drivers.

Employees reported to Liberty Counsel that the center manager told a driver on January 16, 2020 that the drivers “cannot pray anymore on company property because someone else may feel discriminated against.” Then January 20, the manager told a second driver that the drivers “could no longer pray on company property because it violates others’ religious rights.” The following week, the drivers met, but did not pray. Some bowed their heads in a simple moment of silence.

On January 27, a friend of the drivers posted a message on Facebook that UPS was prohibiting the drivers from praying. The post has since been shared more than 1,100 times.

Since then, several drivers with many years’ experience who regularly participated in the prayer meetings have been fired for what appears to be pretextual reasons. Other drivers are afraid of speaking out in the wake of this firing.

Employees at UPS and elsewhere should be allowed to voluntarily read the Bible, pray together, or discuss spiritual matters before their shifts begin for the day, during their lunch breaks or during any other off-the-clock time when they may otherwise read or discuss secular topics.

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, “An order that employees refrain from voluntarily praying together violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Employers are prohibited from discriminating against employees based on religion. These UPS drivers may voluntarily gather for prayer in the parking lot before they clock in for work. UPS must permit the drivers to continue praying together and reinstate the jobs of any who were fired,” said Staver. 

SOURCE: Liberty Counsel

Liberty Counsel is a nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics. Liberty Counsel provides broadcast quality TV interviews via Hi-Def Skype and LTN at no cost.

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A pastor of a local house church in the village of L.B. Patnam village, Andhra Pradesh in India was attacked and injured after he found several local residents trying to build a wall in front of his home to block people from attending services.

Morning Star News (MSN) reports Pastor Eswara Rao Appalabattula’s hand was broken in the Jan. 27 attack led by a local Hindu extremist.

“They wanted to build a wall right in front of the church and ban us from using the path,” Appalabattula told MSN. “I pleaded with them to not do so. But the group of at least six neighbors, both male and female, punched me in my stomach several times and pushed me to the floor.”

Someone in the group picked up a wooden pole and started beating his hands with it, the pastor said. 

“I was lying there on the floor screaming for help,” he said. “My wife came running and begged them to stop beating me – it was traumatic.”

Local police arrived on the scene after the attack was over. 

It was the latest incident by Hindu villagers against the pastor and his wife. The villagers are angry at the presence of a Christian church in their community. 

Earlier last month, a Hindu priest had led a group of villagers to his home where he threatened to kill the pastor’s wife Karuna as she was doing chores outside.

“I did not go to fight with them – but I was panicked,” Karuna Appalabattula told MSN. “I did not know what to do. I asked them, ‘What is this you are doing? Why are you after us?'”

The Hindu priest picked up a large log of wood and came running toward her, she said.

“He kept screaming that he would kill me,” she said. “I was crying for help. But their priest abused me in extremely foul language. They called me names they would never use for a mother, wife, sister or any female member of their families. He called me a Christian prostitute and warned me that he would kill my husband.”

The pastor also said the villagers last month had stopped members of the house church from attending services.

They would threaten and abuse them in foul language and not let them even park their motorbikes in the area,” he said. “Even before they stop at the church, they are chased and sent away.”

When the pastor notified the police, he was told to handle the situation himself. 

“He told me that these issues between religious groups may cause riots and advised me not to escalate the matter,” Appalabattula said. “We had kept quiet and were busy with the ministry, but the following Friday, Jan. 7 and the Sundays on Jan. 12, 19 and 26, the members of the church were stopped on the road and were threatened that they would be brutally attacked if they continued gathering in L.B. Patnam village.”

Police officers later arrested and booked the suspects for the attack on the pastor under Indian Penal Code sections for house trespass, voluntarily causing hurt using dangerous weapons, voluntarily causing hurt and acts done by several persons with common intention, according to MSN. 

Law enforcement officials told the Appalabattulas that the house church activities disturb the Hindu rituals and traditions followed in the village.

The couple feels lonely and deserted due to the constant attacks. Christians from other villages used to come to their home for worship services and fellowship almost daily, but now they are too afraid to come. 

“They were like our own children,” Karuna said. “I would prepare meals and feed them. We sang and worshipped together…We both are very old and weak and are in need of prayers and support.”

Pastor Appalabattula told MSN they are going through a very difficult time.

“I am ready to die for Christ. But the ministry we had started here has come to a sudden halt,” he said. “Not even four members are gathering for Sunday worship. The believers have been very scared, and nobody dares to come and see us.”

Alliance Defending Freedom-India, a non-profit legal advocacy group, contacted police officials and urged them to provide security for the house church and its members.

The pastor says his fight with the Hindus began in 2011 when they demolished his first house in the village.  

“The upper-caste Hindus have been opposing the ministry here since the day the church was established,” he said.

India ranks 10th on Open Doors’ 2020 World Watch List of the most dangerous places in the world to be a follower of Jesus Christ. 

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