PODCAST: The Scripture & the Sense Podcast #404: Amos 1:2 (with Daniel Whyte III)

This is Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, with The Scripture & The Sense Podcast #404, where I read the Word of God and give the sense of it based on an authoritative commentary source such as the Bible Knowledge Commentary and the Matthew Henry Commentary. This podcast is based upon Nehemiah 8:8 where it says Ezra and the Levites “read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” The aim of this podcast is that through the simple reading of the Word of God and the giving of the sense of it, the church would be revived and the world would be awakened.

Today we are reading Amos 1:2.

2 And he said, The Lord will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.

________

That was Amos 1:2. Now here is the sense of it.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary reads:

The Lord’s roar was first against seven nations surrounding Israel, then against Israel herself. A murmur of approval might have rippled among Amos’ hearers as they heard the denunciation of Aram and Philistia, Israel’s historic and bitter enemies. But when the focus shifted to Tyre, a sometime ally, then in turn to Edom, Ammon, and Moab, blood relatives of Israel, the encircling review might have seemed “a noose of judgment about to tighten round their throats”. With the mention finally of Judah, Israel’s own “brother,” the conclusion was inescapable—God’s judgment would be impartial. For the locations of these and other places in Amos see the map “Israel and Surrounding Nations in the Days of the Prophets,” between Song of Songs and Isaiah.

For each nation the pronouncement of doom follows the same pattern: (a) a general declaration of irrevocable judgment, (b) a naming of the specific violation which caused the judgment, and (c) a description of God’s direct and thorough punishment.

____________

Thank you for listening to the Scripture & The Sense Podcast. Remember to read the Word of God each and every day and pray without ceasing to God for wisdom to understand it and apply it to your life. Most importantly, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Please stay tuned for a complete presentation of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ so that you can get your soul saved from Hell to that wonderful place called Heaven when you die. May God bless you and keep you is my prayer.

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Massive Delays Cause Democrats to Release Partial Results for Iowa Caucuses

Massive Delays Cause Democrats to Release Partial Results for Iowa Caucuses


Monday night, Iowans gathered to vote in the 2020 Iowa caucuses, but due to technical difficulties, the results have still not been reported in full.

Partial results for the Democratic party were first revealed around 4:00 pm on Tuesday, with 62 percent of the votes from all 99 countries reported. By 5 p.m. Tuesday evening, only 71 percent had been reported. The reporting remains at 71 percent at the time of this writing.

According to the partial results, former South Bend, Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg is the frontrunner with 26.8 percent of the vote. Following closely behind is Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders with 25.2 percent of the vote. The percentages fall significantly after Sanders with Senator Elizabeth Warren collecting 18.4 percent of the vote, former Vice President Joe Biden receiving 15.4 percent of the vote and Senator Amy Klobuchar receiving 12.6 percent. 

According to Fox News, the release of the results has been delayed following technical difficulties. Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Troy Price issued an apology for the significant delay on Tuesday but insisted that the data is accurate.

“I apologize deeply for this,” Price said at a press conference Tuesday afternoon. “We were faced with multiple reporting challenges and decided, out of an abundance of caution, to protect the integrity of the Iowa Caucuses and their results by taking the necessary steps to…

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PODCAST: Whyte House Daily Devotional Bible Reading #69: Leviticus 10, Psalm 16, and Luke 20 (with Daniel Whyte III)

This is Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International with the Whyte House Daily Devotional Bible Reading Episode #69. Where I read three chapters of the Holy Bible in the King James Version a day with my family as a part of our family devotions, to encourage you to read the Holy Bible in a year’s time. We are using a modified version of the Five Day Bible Reading Plan. It is modified because we read the Bible everyday and not just five days a week. The benefit of using the Five Day Bible Reading Plan is: you can read the entire Bible in a chronological reading plan that helps the Bible make sense. Today we are reading Leviticus 10, Psalm 16 and Luke 20.

Warren Wiersbe said, “The world changes – circumstances change, we change – but God’s Word never changes.”

Thomas Watson said, “Highly prize the Scriptures. Can he make a proficiency in any art, who doth slight and deprecate it? Prize this book of God above all other books..”

Leviticus 10
1 And Na’-dab and A-bi’-hu, the sons of Aa’-ron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not.

2 And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.

3 Then Mo’-ses said unto Aa’-ron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aa’-ron held his peace.

4 And Mo’-ses called Mi’-sha-el and El-za’-phan, the sons of Uz-zi-el the uncle of Aa’-ron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.

5 So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Mo’-ses had said.

6 And Mo’-ses said unto Aa’-ron, and unto El-e-a’-zar and unto Ith’-a-mar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Is’-ra-el, bewail the burning which the Lord hath kindled.

7 And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you. And they did according to the word of Mo’-ses.

8 And the Lord spake unto Aa’-ron, saying,

9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:

10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

11 And that ye may teach the children of Is’-ra-el all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Mo’-ses.

12 And Mo’-ses spake unto Aa’-ron, and unto El-e-a’-zar and unto Ith’-a-mar, his sons that were left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it is most holy:

13 And ye shall eat it in the holy place, because it is thy due, and thy sons’ due, of the sacrifices of the Lord made by fire: for so I am commanded.

14 And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall ye eat in a clean place; thou, and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee: for they be thy due, and thy sons’ due, which are given out of the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Is’-ra-el.

15 The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the Lord; and it shall be thine, and thy sons’ with thee, by a statute for ever; as the Lord hath commanded.

16 And Mo’-ses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burnt: and he was angry with El-e-a’-zar and Ith’-a-mar, the sons of Aa’-ron which were left alive, saying,

17 Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the Lord?

18 Behold, the blood of it was not brought in within the holy place: ye should indeed have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded.

19 And Aa’-ron said unto Mo’-ses, Behold, this day have they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord; and such things have befallen me: and if I had eaten the sin offering to day, should it have been accepted in the sight of the Lord?

20 And when Mo’-ses heard that, he was content.

Psalm 16
Mich’-tam of Da’vid.
1 Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.

2 O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;

3 But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.

4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.

5 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.

6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

7 I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.

8 I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Luke 20
1 And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders,

2 And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?

3 And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:

4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?

5 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?

6 But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.

7 And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.

8 And Je’-sus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

9 Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.

10 And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty.

11 And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.

12 And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out.

13 Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.

14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

15 So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?

16 He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.

17 And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?

18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

19 And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.

20 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.

21 And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly:

22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Cae’-sar, or no?

23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?

24 Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Cae’-sar’s.

25 And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Cae’-sar the things which be Cae’-sar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.

26 And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.

27 Then came to him certain of the Sad’-du-cees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him,

28 Saying, Master, Mo’-ses wrote unto us, If any man’s brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

29 There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children.

30 And the second took her to wife, and he died childless.

31 And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died.

32 Last of all the woman died also.

33 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife.

34 And Je’-sus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:

35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:

36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

37 Now that the dead are raised, even Mo’-ses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of A’-bra-ham, and the God of I’-saac, and the God of Ja’-cob.

38 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.

39 Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.

40 And after that they durst not ask him any question at all.

41 And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is Da’-vid’s son?

42 And Da’-vid himself saith in the book of Psalms, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

43 Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

44 Da’-vid therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?

45 Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples,

46 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;

47 Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

________

PRAY
________

When I was a teenager I wanted to get wisdom and knowledge, so I set out the read the big family Bible that many families had in those days. But I couldn’t get past Genesis 2 before I got bored with reading the Bible. I found out later in life that you have to believe on Christ and get saved before you can understand the Bible. So here is how I became a Christian and how you can too:

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 18:8: “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now that is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.

If you believed in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the Cross, was buried, and rose again, allow me to say, congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour! For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

If you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior today, please email me at [email protected] and let us know. There is some free material that we want to send you. If you have a prayer request, please e-mail that to us as well, and we will pray for you until you tell us to stop.

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

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Christians Boldly Share the Love of Christ on the Streets of China's Coronavirus Hot Zone

Christians Boldly Share the Love of Christ on the Streets of China’s Coronavirus Hot Zone

About 350 Americans are arriving home from China after leaving the coronavirus hot zone, touching down in California where they’ll be quarantined. The evacuations come as the virus is still spreading, infecting more than 24,000 people. China admits nearly 500 people are dead from the virus, but the actual numbers are unverifiable.  

At the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China, surgical masks are being used in two ways to further the spread of the Gospel.
 
First, Christians wear the mask themselves as they talk about Jesus to people on the streets. This not only helps prevent disease, but can also prevent prosecution by the Chinese government since the masks help conceal a person’s identity.

There are an estimated 100 million Christians in China, who often face persecution in the Communist nation. For that reason, most operate underground.  

Second, Chinese Christians are handing out masks to people on the street. Along with the masks, they’re also handing out Gospel tracts.  

CBN News Asia Correspondent Lucille Talusan said since the people of Wuhan are facing fearful uncertainty in the midst of the coronavirus epidemic, some have become more receptive to Christ at this time. 

“There are Christians, a ministry in Wuhan, they go out to the streets. They’re very courageous,” she said. “They give out masks and they say that they are Christians and they share the love of Christ and point to Jesus to bring hope to them and their families and the whole of China… This is really a break-through.” 

As the infection rate soars, Americans and other foreigners are evacuating. The 350 Americans who left Wuhan on two US State Department chartered airplanes landed at Travis Air Force base near San Francisco. The passengers from one of the planes will remain quarantined there for two weeks.   The other plane refueled and flew to Miramar Air Station in San Diego where they will remain quarantined for two weeks as well.  

The evacuees will be housed in hotels on the military bases and will not have any contact with base personnel, according to the US Department of Defense.

Although the number of coronavirus cases continues to climb, the World Health Organization meeting Tuesday stopped short of declaring the epidemic a global pandemic. While the number of cases has spread to dozens of other countries, the outbreak is still largely confined to China, where the government there is taking extreme measures to contain the virus.  

A hospital built in a mere 10 days cares for 1,000 patients and that’s not enough. A gymnasium and exhibition center have been converted into a temporary field hospital.  

Chinese officials use drones to spray disinfectant and to speak to citizens through microphones on the drones, telling them to put on masks, go inside, or disperse from gatherings where the disease can spread. 

Casinos in the Chinese territory of Macau, the world’s largest gambling hub, are closed for at least two weeks.

Off the coast of Japan, 3,700 people aboard a cruise ship are quarantined on board after 10 tested positive for the virus. 

The US and other countries have enacted stringent travel restrictions to and from China.

Health experts say the coronavirus appears milder than previously thought. The death rate hovers around 2% with the vast majority over age 60 with pre-existing health problems. And 700 people are confirmed to have fully recovered from the illness, approximately 200 more than the number of confirmed deaths.   

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the risk of contracting the virus is low.  The first American to have been diagnosed with the virus, a man in his thirties in the Seattle area, was discharged from the hospital Monday. There are 10 other confirmed cases in the US and zero deaths. Nine of the US cases contracted the virus in Wuhan, the other two are their spouses.  

 

Source CBN

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Who was the ‘designated survivor’ last night? A bunker mentality and the power of joy

If you’re not familiar with David Bernhardt today, be
grateful.

Mr. Bernhardt is the US Secretary of the Interior, an
important job that oversees the Bureau of Land Management, the United States
Geological Survey, and the National Park Service, among other duties.

But he made the news last night as the “designated survivor” during the State of the Union address.

This is a custom dating back to the 1960s when the US was
concerned about a potential nuclear attack during the Cold War. Every member of
the president’s Cabinet (except one) attends the State of the Union, along with
a joint session of Congress.

If, however, an attack was to destroy the building and kill
all those present, the government would be completely obliterated. So, a single
Cabinet member is taken to an undisclosed, secure location outside of
Washington, DC, until the conclusion of the event.

This year, that “designated survivor” was Mr. Bernhardt. Had an attack destroyed our government, you would obviously know his name today.

A bunker mentality and the power of joy

What would it have felt like to be David Bernhardt last
night?

In some ways, his status is a metaphor for evangelical
Christians in America. We can feel (rightly) that our culture is moving away
from Christian morality as quickly as possible and that we are the few who are
left on the side of truth. It’s easy to adopt a bunker mentality, to wait out
the storm until it passes in hopes of emerging again into the sunlight.

But such a negative mindset is wrong, for at least three
reasons.

One: God is still king, no matter what happens in his kingdom.

Our Lord is “the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the
only God” (1 Timothy 1:17). He alone is omnipotent and omniscient. We are
creatures, not the creator. He rules the universe as fully today as before he
created the first humans.

This is an important fact to remember in the face of
discouragement. When Elijah was…

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President Trump to Appoint Rev. Tony Lowden, First Black Pastor of Jimmy Carter’s Church, to Help Former Prisoners

President Donald Trump is expected to name the Rev. Tony Lowden, the first black American to lead Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, where former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, are longtime members, as the administration’s “reentry czar,” to help former prisoners reentering the workforce.

A White House official confirmed the pending announcement in a CNN report which also cited a statement from Carter praising Lowden’s selection.

“I cannot think of anyone better than Tony Lowden to lead a national effort to help those who have served time in prison get a true second chance once they are released,” Carter said in the statement praising Lowden, who previously worked on prison reform initiatives in Georgia and served as the director of the faith and justice initiative for former Republican Gov. Nathan Deal in his Office of Transition Support and Reentry.

“With support and resources, recidivism can decrease and former inmates can become productive members of their communities. The congregation at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains will help in any way we can.”

In a 2018 executive order Trump established a Federal Interagency Council on Crime Prevention and Improving Reentry that he tasked with developing recommendations for reform. Lowden will be named executive director of the council which Ja’Ron Smith, a deputy assistant to the president and member of the council, told McClatchy DC that Trump is fully committed.

“The president has been totally committed to second chances and this is that next step to pave the way, and really creating, and reducing recidivism,” Smith told the publication.

Source: Christian Post

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Discrimination against Christians? 7 UK Venues Cancel Franklin Graham Tour

Discrimination against Christians? 7 UK Venues Cancel Franklin Graham Tour


The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association says a 2020 Franklin Graham tour of the United Kingdom will go on, despite seven of the eight venues canceling agreements due to what critics say are Graham’s “homophobic views.”

Graham, the son of the late Billy Graham, is scheduled to speak in eight United Kingdom cities from May 30 to Oct. 4, but that is in doubt after seven venues canceled the contracts – or refused to sign them – under pressure from LGBT groups and activists. 

ACC Liverpool, an arena and conference center in Liverpool, was the first to cancel, as Christian Headlines previously reported in January. Since then, though, six more venues have done the same. The Graham Tour website lists “Location TBA” on every city except Newcastle, where it is scheduled to be held at Utilita Arena. The Planetshakers and Michael W. Smith also are scheduled to sing. 

Bryan Kerr, a Church of Scotland minister, launched a petition to pressure the Scottish Event Campus to cancel Graham’s appearance at Glasgow Hydro, an arena. It worked: Scottish Event Campus scrapped the booking.

Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken said “it would not be appropriate” for the event to go on, the BBC reported. 

Mainstream and LGBT media in the United Kingdom have labeled Graham “anti-gay” and a “hate preacher.” A BBC report noted Graham “has been criticised for claiming that…

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Kelly Edmiston on the Treatment of Women in Churches of Christ

Kelly Edmiston is the Youth Pastor at the Vineyard Church of Sugar Land/Stafford. She has spent the last thirteen years in ministry to students and families in domestic and international contexts. She holds a Masters of Divinity from Abilene Christians University. The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily represent those of BCNN1.

“Same song, different verse.” This is what comes to mind for me when I hear of the conflict at Lipscomb Academy regarding John Rich and Brittany Paschall. Lipscomb Academy is a preparatory school associated with Lipscomb University, a Church of Christ institution. Maybe you have heard of John Rich. If the lyrics, “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” sound familiar, then you are in luck. He’s your guy. He is half of the duo, “Big and Rich,” and lives in Nashville, TN where his two children attend Lipscomb Academy. You have likely not heard of Brittany Paschall. Paschall served as the Dean of Intercultural Development at Lipscomb Academy for the past year. She describes herself in this way, from her website, “I am a radical liberator, educator, minister, and organizer from Nashville, TN. Specializing in diversity, equity, and inclusivity practices, conflict + project management, and youth development.” Paschall is a young African American woman who is deeply committed to racial reconciliation and ministry to young people. https://btpaschall.com/

You can read all the details at the links below regarding the conflict Rich has with Paschall. Here are the highlights.

“Country musician John Rich has been railing against Lipscomb Academy’s dean of Intercultural Development, according to parents familiar with the situation. The singer, who’s one-half of the duo Big & Rich, criticized Dean Brittany Paschall and her past writings and speeches, and called for the removal of her supervisor, Lisa Bruce, due to his disagreement with school materials that discuss racism and white privilege.” https://www.nashvillescene.com/news/pith-in-the-wind/article/21112327/john-rich-is-angry-about-lipscomb-academys-dean-of-intercultural-development

Brittany speaks openly about racism and white privilege online, including her Twitter and Facebook pages and among other important matters. She has been involved in raising awareness regarding the history of slavery and lynchings in the South. She has organized rallies and spoken openly and proficiently about these matters.

“One parent tells the Scene that Rich wants to frame Paschall as a “radical liberal” for her writings about violence against black women, and for a post that she wrote on her personal website about experiencing racism in the Church of Christ.

https://www.nashvillescene.com/news/pith-in-the-wind/article/21112327/john-rich-is-angry-about-lipscomb-academys-dean-of-intercultural-development

Rich claimed that these topics are not appropriate for teenagers to discuss or read about. And therefore concluded that Paschall was not vetted properly by school administrators who hired her. Rich went on to conclude that Paschall must not be aligned with the doctrine of the school. Rich got more than what he bargained for. Not only did he get his way in the removal of Paschall from her position as Dean but he also managed to have several other administrators removed, including the Head of School. The supervisors were “transferred” to different roles at the University (with sabbatical time). I guess it’s true that money really does buy power.

Same song, different verse?

In typical “Church of Christ form,” the leaders at Lipscomb Academy succumbed to the bullying and power mongering tactics of John Rich. Rich’s bank account was a greater incentive for the Church of Christ leaders than doing the right thing, teaching the right thing, or standing up for the right thing. After-all, I am sure they reason, how could they survive without the generous fund raising parties and donations of men like John Rich and his buddies? This move was about money and power. Plain and simple. Paschall was faithfully executing the job that she was hired to do, raising awareness in a predominately white school about issues related to race. John Rich, a white rich man wasn’t comfortable with a black woman calling out white privilege so he used this very privilege to get rid of her. It is the irony of ironies that Rich’s denying the validity of white privilege is the very thing that exposes it.

Source: Christianity Today

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Hindu Extremists in Southern India Beat Christian Children, Accuse Worshippers

Hindu Extremists in Southern India Beat Christian Children, Accuse Worshippers


HYDERABAD, India, February 4, 2020 (Morning Star News) – Hindu extremists in southern India who beat Christian children during worship on Jan. 19 and then filed a police complaint against the congregation left them with a warning.

“If we hear that you stepped out of your homes and told anybody about this, we will set your homes on fire and will burn you alive,’” some of the 20 assailants told Christians gathered for worship on the terrace of a home in Malasamudra village, Karnataka state, according to those present.

The Christians had begun worship at 7 a.m. when the radical Hindus came up the stairs to the terrace, unnoticed. Soon the small congregation saw the intruders taking photos and videotaping them, said Mary Bellary, who along with her husband Hanumanthappa Bellary was hosting the worship.

“They flashed camera lights at children, and we requested them to please go and not disturb the prayers,” Mary Bellary said. “But they continued taking pictures, videotaping us and passed comments, saying, ‘Look! Christians gathered here on the terrace to carry out conversions.”’

When Bellary and other women tried to stop them from taking video of the 12 children present, the intruders pushed them away, she said. The Christians asked them to leave, and the intruders put their hands on the women’s chests and pulled their sarees, tearing them, she said.

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Scot McKnight on Reading and Teaching Romans Backwards

Scot McKnight is an American New Testament scholar, historian of early Christianity, theologian, and author who has written widely on the historical Jesus, early Christianity and Christian living. He is currently Professor of New Testament at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Lombard, IL. The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily represent those of BCNN1.

The most common question I get about the not-so-subtle title of Reading Romans Backwards is Why? And, along with that question, I’m asked How can it be taught that way? Read on.

First, since most who read Romans are swamped by the theological depth and debates about it, by the time they get to Romans 9 they may be exhausted and even more if they get to Romans 12. If we don’t read it first we may never get to it, and if we never get to it we will not be reading the letter in its own, fuller context.

Second, our readings of Romans, many of which are profound, will lack social realities if we ignore Romans 12-16. Here we encounter the mission of Paul to go to Spain, and Robert Jewett made (too?) much of this. Here we encounter the names of those in the house churches in Rome (16:3-16), and these names have been studied intensely by Peter Lampe and Jewett, revealing both a high proportion of slaves and the prominence of women. Here we encounter Phoebe, and I think she was a leader in a church next to Corinth and was a benefactor of Paul and others.

Most importantly here we encounter the Weak and the Strong. There are debates here, and I took sides, but whichever view one takes there are almost two chapters addressing them (and the same terms are used in 1 Cor, leading some to think the problems are not that different).

How can we read Romans well if we ignore these social realities? I’ve read many studies of Romans who seem to think we can’t bring these Strong and Weak folks into the picture until they get mentioned in Romans 14-15. I can assure you of this: they were sitting there at 1:1 and responding from 1:1 on.

Third, Romans becomes a pastoral, ecclesial letter the moment one learns to read the letter in light of Romans 12-16. It’s not abstract theology, which has its place, but pastoral theology front and center. There’s lament here: 9:3, 10:1, 11:1.

Fourth, once we begin to plumb Romans out of this social reality context we see things we may not have noticed, and one example is Romans 11:13. Why does Paul here suddenly say he’s now talking to the gentile believers in Rome? Was he talking to them from 9:1 on or was that for the Jewish believers in Rome? Once we read Romans this way the issue of reconciliation of two groups of Christians at odds with one another becomes paramount in Romans.

Source: Christianity Today

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