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This is the ninety-third lesson in author and pastor Mel Lawrenz’ How to Live the Bible series. If you know someone or a group who would like to follow along on this journey through Scripture, they can get more info and sign up to receive these essays via email here. See Mel Lawrenz’s book, How […]The post How to Live the Bible — Set Apart for God’s Purposes appeared first on Bible Gateway Blog.
- 20 hours ago 19 Feb 20, 6:01pm -

By Melanie Shankle Here’s the thing about me—and I tell you this because you’re my friend and I’m comfortable with this personal character assassination of myself. I say a lot of dumb stuff. I’d like to pretend that my impulse to lie to a cashier at Target® about what kind of dogs I own is […]The post My Words Matter appeared first on Bible Gateway Blog.
- 2 days ago 18 Feb 20, 7:37pm -

According to a Gallup poll, 72% of Americans believe the state of moral values in the USA is getting worse. In a world of social media snapshots and sound bites, unseen personal character seems to take a back seat to glamorized material success, no matter what it takes to achieve it. Bible Gateway interviewed James […]The post Build Your Character and You Won’t Have to Worry About Your Reputation: An Interview with James Merritt appeared first on Bible Gateway Blog.
- 2 days ago 18 Feb 20, 1:16pm -

The following is a Bible Gateway exclusive Sneak Peek and First Listen of It’s Not Over: Leaving Behind Disappointment and Learning to Dream Again (Thomas Nelson, 2020) by Joshua Gagnon (@joshgagnon). Order the book and unabridged audiobook on CD in the Bible Gateway Store. By Joshua Gagnon While God-sized dreams often begin with our response […]The post Sneak Peek: Don’t Ignore Your God-Sized Dream appeared first on Bible Gateway Blog.
- 3 days ago 17 Feb 20, 3:49pm -

By Robert Morgan I now make it my earnest prayer that God . . . would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed Religion […]The post God’s Instructions to a New Nation appeared first on Bible Gateway Blog.
- 3 days ago 17 Feb 20, 6:55am -

The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee voted to disfellowship a Texas church for having a pastor who is a lifetime registered sex offender.
- 1 day ago 19 Feb 20, 9:34am -

A seminary president has warned The Episcopal Church leadership will cease to have any Sunday worship attendance in 30 years at the current rate of decline.  
- 2 days ago 18 Feb 20, 2:39pm -

Concerned that the Southern Baptist Convention is being "torn apart' by the devil, author and Bible teacher Beth Moore addressed the subject of women preaching, a contentious issue within the denomination that doesn't allow women to be pastors.  
- 2 days ago 18 Feb 20, 10:36am -

The International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention has created a new position aimed at preventing and responding to sexual abuse.
- 2 days ago 18 Feb 20, 9:37am -

Miami pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr. is showing the people who recently stole his car the love of God by offering them an internship at his church. 
- 3 days ago 17 Feb 20, 1:09pm -

The Old Testament is vital for understanding the New Testament. It’s also indispensable all by itself.The Old Testament has always been an easy target for critics of Christianity. On the surface, its harsh moral codes and ancient cultural norms come across today as obsolete at best, barbaric at worst. While this is hardly new, it has led recently to louder calls to downplay its significance, such as when prominent pastor Andy Stanley suggested in 2018 that Christians should “unhitch” the Old Testament from their theology. But many Bible experts disagree. This is the first in a six-part series of essays from a cross-section of leading scholars revisiting the place of the “First Testament” in contemporary Christian faith.—The EditorsAlready in the second century, the arch-heretic Marcion pressed this question and came to the conclusion that the Old Testament offered almost nothing to Christianity. He was excommunicated for his views. In the 20th century, the Nazis enacted a remarkably successful elimination of the Old Testament from Christian faith and countless “German Christians” followed suit—to horrific ends. In more recent days, preachers from micro-congregations to multi-campus megachurches struggle with what to do with the Old Testament. Many do their best, many less than that. Some see no way forward but to “unhitch” the two testaments of the Christian Bible.All of this difficulty with the Old Testament is unfortunate because every page of the New Testament depends on it—extensively, almost exclusively. The very first verse of Matthew is a case in point: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (ESV). Without the Old Testament, readers have no clue what “Christ” means, who David and Abraham ...Continue reading...
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As we enter into 2020, challenges to evangelism continue to rise. We need to face them to help us prioritize the spread of the gospel.As we enter 2020, we must continually confront challenges to evangelism to prioritize the spread of the gospel.The first significant challenge to evangelism relates to how we see the mission.A major shift in missions stemmed from two significant deaths in 2018: missiologist David Hesselgrave and missionary John Chau. Hesselgrave devoted his life to traditional missions. His death in 2018 at 94 years old signified a shift from traditional missions to new approaches to evangelism and mission.Missionary John Chau’s death at age 26 showed how the world’s views of the missionary enterprise have changed. I wrote numerous articles about his death, which showed the unfortunate reality that the world does not want to see the propagation of other people’s faiths. Today, our world doesn’t see the Christian desire to convert people as normal or acceptable.In the first century people were required to burn a pinch of incense to the emperor and announce Caesar as Lord. People of other religions such as Judaism could continue to practice their faith so long as they burned their incense. Christianity was radical because of their unparalleled allegiance to Jesus as Lord. Their exclusivistic view went against the norms of the time.Today, people burn a pinch of incense to a different emperor called tolerance. Tolerance has become a virtue and conviction a vice. Our conviction of Jesus as the only Savior flies in the face of tolerance.Most people think that as long as Muslims, Hindus, Christians, and people of other religions get along, each religion is tolerable and acceptable. That is, until one religion tries to convert the other. This is why Chau’s death garnered as much media outrage as it did; it was seen ...Continue reading...
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But victim advocates say the denomination hasn’t gone far enough.The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has disfellowshipped a west Texas congregation that knowingly employs a registered sex offender as pastor, the first church to lose its ties with the denomination amid a heightened push to combat sexual abuse.The decision came Tuesday, during a meeting of the SBC Executive Committee at its headquarters in Nashville. Based on a recommendation from the convention’s repurposed credentials committee, the Executive Committee acted unanimously to declare that Ranchland Heights Baptist Church in Midland, Texas, should “no longer be considered in friendly cooperation with the Convention.” Practically, that means it will no longer be eligible to send messengers to the SBC annual meeting.Previously, churches had only been disfellowshipped from the SBC over LGBT-related issues and racism, though a Houston church voluntarily withdrew from the convention last year after the Houston Chronicle reported its pastor pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a teen girl more than two decades ago.Ranchland Heights pastor Phillip Rutledge was convicted of sexually assaulting two preteen girls in 2003. A deacon at the church told the local CBS affiliate in 2016 that “the vast majority” of members knew about Rutledge’s child sex offender status. The deacon added that the church ensures children “are never by themselves” with the pastor. Ranchland Heights’ Facebook page, which was removed following the decision, had listed its motto as “the church of second chances.”Though the church may appeal the Executive Committee’s decision to the full SBC, credentials committee chairman Stacy Bramlett said they do not anticipate an appeal. Ranchland Heights ...Continue reading...
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A pastor and former CDC medical officer considers the outbreak’s real threats to churches.“Should we cancel or change the way we serve Communion?” The question arose in our weekly staff meeting. Fear from the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak consumed the hearts of our pastors. Our church sits at the intersection of Chinatown and the Lower East Side in New York City. We have a thriving outreach to international Chinese students at nearby New York University. Several days earlier, these overseas students returned from China for their spring semester.To welcome them back, our church planned a significant fellowship event. Although there were no confirmed cases of the coronavirus in New York City, we canceled the event for fear of contagion. Some of our pastors had experienced the effects of the 2003 SARS epidemic on their communities in China; their worries were legitimate. Due to heightened global coverage of COVID-19, many stateside Chinese Churches scratched Lunar New Year events, prayer meetings, and other ministries. Protecting their congregations and families was a top priority.Still, the returning Chinese students desired to worship, gather for fellowship, and pray. One student in particular approached me in tears: Would I pray for the health of her family, friends, and neighbors in China? As I laid hands on her and prayed, I realized the duplicity of our church’s pending decisions. How could we say we loved our neighbors yet consider shutting our doors in their time of greatest need? If we believed in a Savior who healed the sick, bestowed sight to the blind, and touched lepers, why did we doubt his power to reign over this coronavirus?I am a former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention medical officer and global health professor. Now, as a pastor, I believe the church must lead in ...Continue reading...
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Identifying, equipping, and releasing leaders is critical to church health and growth. Every church on a mission to make disciples and represent Christ must keep leadership development as a priority. Identifying, equipping, and releasing leaders is critical to church health and growth. While this is true of every church, this doesn’t happen the same way in every context. The demographics of your community make an impact on your leadership.“Talent is equally distributed, opportunity is not.”[1] This saying is commonly applied to areas of poverty because this reality is more obvious there. It’s also true of various contexts where churches serve their communities.Every church has people capable of leadership roles. But not every church is in a place where opportunities to develop as leaders happen easily whether within the church or in the community. Let me compare two very different contexts to illustrate.Pastoring in Drained CommunitiesFirst, I planted an inner-city church in Buffalo, New York, among the urban poor. What I learned is that the demographics there work against the development of new leaders.It's not because leadership potential is absent but is because either (1) the opportunities for leaders to be trained are rarer in these communities or (2) people who have leadership ability tend to migrate away from the inner city as they develop personally.In other words, I found I couldn’t find many people ready to lead in the inner city. Yet I had to raise up and train leaders. When I did that, I also found that sometimes when I made leaders, they changed life skills and actually ended up moving away.Many friends in urban contexts tell a similar story.Redemption and LiftIn missiology, we call this redemption and lift. Donald MacGavran introduced the term in his book Understanding ...Continue reading...
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Pope Francis — a week after the dust settled from his decision not to create an Amazonian rite that would have allowed married men to serve as priests and women as deacons — continues to garner news coverage as Catholic progressives and traditionalists debate what it all means.The mainstream press, often too concerned with propping up Francis’ progressive bona fides, has largely not reported on why the pope decided to go the way he did. The factors that resulted in the pope’s decision came from a variety of camps inside the church. And what about this question: Did conservatives in the Vatican hierarchy, led by Cardinal Robert Sarah (helped by the recent intervention of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI), raise enough concerns to tip the decision in their favor?The Amazonian rite, however, was never only just about South America. The pope’s decision could have had global ramifications. The tug-of-war mostly involves German bishops pushing the pope to allow all clergy to marry (along with other changes in discipline and doctrine), while on the other is conservative prelates warning against doing away with the 1,000-year church tradition.Once again, much of the backstory behind Francis’ decision can be learned from reading the religious press, both Catholics on the doctrinal left and right.The mainstream press largely missed these angles, meaning readers had to delve really deep into internet news sources (with help from social media) to get analysis of how Francis reached his decision and whether the issue of married clergy/women deacons will rage on.In the end, much to the chagrin of the mainstream press, Francis decided in favor of Catholic orthodoxy and tradition. What the mainstream press saw, but failed to report, was the Francis defies typical contemporary political categories.
- 1 hour ago 20 Feb 20, 1:00pm -

Over and over, this recent Washington Post news feature proclaims “This is not a political story,” “This is not a political story,” “ This is not a political story.”Thus, the headline proclaims: “Greetings from the alternate universe where Oprah and Michelle Obama are running for president.”But, of course, the whole point is that there are many blue zip-code Americans who wish, wish, wish this was a real political story. They are looking for a savior, with a small “s.”Then again, this article — in addition to not being a political story — is not a religion story.Maybe. It depends on how one defines “religion” right now, in the giant shopping mall of self-empowerment lingo that is American public discourse. See if you can spot a clue or two in the overture: NEW YORK — It wasn’t long after Oprah Winfrey took the stage … for her 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus tour — equal parts Weight Watchers pitch, gospel revival and wellness fair — before she said what was on the tip of the audience’s tongues. “In the early stages of the tour, we had trouble coming up with the right title,” she said. “We did talk about ‘Oprah 2020.’ And then I thought you would get the wrong idea.” No, for the millionth time, Oprah is not running for president. And neither is her guest of honor that day, Michelle Obama, the nation’s most famous empty-nester, who told Winfrey she’s trying to figure out “how I want to spend the rest of my life.” “President!” came a shout from the audience. “White House!” yelled some others.OK, I will ask: What does “gospel” mean in this context?Anyway, that reference opens the door for a rush of semi-spiritual lingo in this piece — even though there is no attempt to reference a brand-name religion of any kind.
- 1 day ago 19 Feb 20, 2:20pm -

It’s one of the major challenges of writing for GetReligion.What are we supposed to do when major news organizations make the same error over and over or professionals leave the same religion-shaped holes in major stories? Are we supposed to write the same posts over and over?Actually, what we usually do is write new posts about the new errors and link back to the old posts, thus, noting that what we are hearing are echoes of the old errors.Yesterday, Julia Duin wrote that kind of post — but with a major difference. She noted that a new job notice for a New York Times religion-beat reporter (hurrah for the creation of that national beat slot) contains some strange language that we have heard before (as in a 2017 Times job notice for a similar religion-news job).In other words, it’s time to quote Yogi Berra — again. In this case I would like to do something that I have never done before, which is re-up my entire post from two years ago about that earlier Times job search. By doing this — especially one day after the new Duin post — I am trying to stress how important it is that Times editors use this hire to address their national religion-news concerns in a way that reflects the symbolic role their newsroom plays in American journalism.So here we go. Back to 2017.Readers: Feel free to use our comments pages to offer your views on this journalism puzzle.
- 2 days ago 18 Feb 20, 6:33pm -

Few politicos at the National Prayer Breakfast were shocked when President Donald Trump brandished copies of The Washington Post and USA Today to celebrate their "ACQUITTED" headlines.But it was a Harvard University professor who did something even more provocative -- quoting strong words from Jesus of Nazareth -- during an event known for its meek Godtalk and vague calls for unity.America's "biggest crisis," said Arthur Brooks of the Kennedy School of Government, is a culture of contempt that is "tearing our society apart.""I want to turn to the words of the ultimate original thinker, history's greatest social entrepreneur, and as a Catholic, my personal Lord and Savior, Jesus," said Brooks, author of books such as "The Conservative Heart" and "Love Your Enemies." He is the former leader of the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank.The key passage for this era, he said, is found in Gospel of Saint Matthew, chapter 5, verses 43-45: "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven."Brooks added: "Love your enemies! Now that is thinking differently. It changed the world starting 2,000 years ago, and it is as subversive and counterintuitive today as it was then. But the devil's in the details. How do we do it in a country and world roiled by political hatred and differences that we can't seem to bridge?"Trump declined to take part when Brooks challenged prayer-breakfast participants to raise their hand if they loved someone who disagreed with them about politics.As the next speaker, the president responded to Brook's remarks with words that unleashed a week of online debate among conservative religious believers -- early Trump supporters and reluctant Trump supporters alike -- who have debated the degree to which they can embrace his take-no-prisoners approach to national leadership.
- 2 days ago 18 Feb 20, 2:00pm -

Early last week, the New York Times posted an ad for a national correspondent for its religion, faith and values beat. It was part of a trifecta of hires of reporters *not* based in the Big Apple. One position is for someone to cover rural communities. Another is for someone to cover suburbs in a fast-growing place like Phoenix or Las Vegas.It’s great that they’re trying to get out of the New York-Washington echo chamber. The rural areas job is especially intriguing.These job postings are aimed at areas where the Times’ coverage is lacking. We all know the Times doesn’t get religion. Here are the quotes from executive editor Dean Baquet saying just that.Here’s the job posting for a national correspondent covering religion, faith and values: We are seeking an ambitious correspondent to explore the ways that religion and faith shape American life. This reporter, who must be a team player and expressive writer, should be relentlessly curious and offer readers fresh perspectives on belief and spirituality, and the shifting nature of faith in a country where a record number of Americans count themselves as nonreligious. You should have a record of creativity, boldness and breaking stories thanks to your deep sourcing. This correspondent won’t need to be an expert in religious doctrine but should demonstrate a willingness to understand and empathize with diverse communities in their reporting. Only applicants eager to live outside of New York and Washington and to travel extensively around the country should apply.So, what sentence there jumps out at you? How about this phrase: “This correspondent won’t need to be an expert in religious doctrine. …”Like, this writer need not understand the Nicene Creed, which forms the base of worldwide Christian belief? Or why Orthodox Christians have major differences with the filioque phrase at the end? (More basically, shouldn’t this writer know what the filioque is?)
- 3 days ago 17 Feb 20, 6:00pm -

In an email to Acts 29 members over the weekend, embattled president, Matt Chandler, responded to questions stemming from the 2015 removal of five Acts 29 staff who complained about abuse by former Acts 29 CEO Steve Timmis. “I don’t want you to think that five employees complained about abuse, and we fired them because … Matt Chandler Responds to Questions: “I Don’t Want You to Think That Five Employees Complained About Abuse, and We Fired Them Because of It.” Read More »The post Matt Chandler Responds to Questions: “I Don’t Want You to Think That Five Employees Complained About Abuse, and We Fired Them Because of It.” appeared first on Julie Roys.
- 3 days ago 17 Feb 20, 5:32pm -

Five years ago, the U.S. staff of the church planting network, Acts 29, approached Acts 29 President Matt Chandler with a letter outlining concerns about “bullying” and “misuse of power and authority” by the group’s CEO, Steve Timmis. The staff expected to have their concerns heard and considered. Instead they were fired, forced to sign … Acts 29 President Matt Chandler Under Fire for Removing Staff Alleging Abuse & Changing Story About Removal of CEO Read More »The post Acts 29 President Matt Chandler Under Fire for Removing Staff Alleging Abuse & Changing Story About Removal of CEO appeared first on Julie Roys.
- 7 days ago 13 Feb 20, 5:34pm -

How should Christian media refer to people who identify as transgender? Should we refer to someone who’s biologically female, but identifies as male, as a man? And which pronouns should we use when referring to a trans man or woman? He? She? They? This issue recently surfaced when multiple Christian news outlets and I reported … He? She? They?—How Should Christian Media Handle Transgender Issue? Read More »The post He? She? They?—How Should Christian Media Handle Transgender Issue? appeared first on Julie Roys.
- 13 days ago 7 Feb 20, 2:47pm -

About a year after being fired from Harvest Bible Chapel for conduct “harmful to the best interests of the church,” disgraced former pastor, James MacDonald, has launched a new online ministry and Home Church Network. MacDonald’s new website features dozens of video sermons recorded during MacDonald’s more than 30-year tenure at Harvest Bible Chapel. More … James MacDonald Launches New Ministry & Home Church Network Read More »The post James MacDonald Launches New Ministry & Home Church Network appeared first on Julie Roys.
- 15 days ago 5 Feb 20, 10:43pm -

In the mid-1980s, Ellen Maxwell (now Ellie Cowan) was a young and trusting student at the evangelical flagship, Wheaton College. So, when her professor, a well-respected author and near celebrity at the school, invited her to his office to collaborate on a writing project, she was flattered and unsuspecting. What happened next shocked and deeply … Wheaton College Coeds Say Bilezikian Sexually Harassed Them; College Accused of Mishandling Reports Read More »The post Wheaton College Coeds Say Bilezikian Sexually Harassed Them; College Accused of Mishandling Reports appeared first on Julie Roys.
- 16 days ago 4 Feb 20, 4:44pm -

On Valentine's Day, former executives from two Jang- affiliated enterprises pleaded guilty to a $35 million money laundering and fraud scheme after long denying any guilt and claiming that their companies were not connected to each other or to Jang. 
- 22 hours ago 19 Feb 20, 4:08pm -

The Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee will launch a task force to examine the activities of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, the convention’s public policy organization headed by the theologian and author Russell Moore. 
- 23 hours ago 19 Feb 20, 3:33pm -

In 2017, he heard about Redemption Ink, a nonprofit that has created a national network of tattoo parlors that are helping desperate people like Michael afford the long painful process of altering or covering tattoos that promote racial hatred, gang violence, and sexual trafficking.  
- 2 days ago 18 Feb 20, 3:32pm -

The Boy Scouts of America filed for bankruptcy protection early today. The long-anticipated move is the latest in a long series of legal and financial troubles for the youth organization.  The Chapter 11 filing took place in Delaware Bankruptcy Court overnight. In 2010, the Boy Scouts lost a $20-million child sexual abuse case, and that […]
- 2 days ago 18 Feb 20, 1:34pm -

Organizers of a major Southern Baptist pastors conference are standing by their choice to feature a spoken word artist and pastor named Hosanna Wong despite a growing controversy over whether Wong's presence contradicts the Southern Baptist Convention's doctrine on women pastors. 
- 3 days ago 17 Feb 20, 5:40pm -

Liberians want changes in separation plan; Think tank to look at GC2020 possibilities; Loss always comes with separation, divorce
- 17 hours ago 19 Feb 20, 9:20pm -

The commission that plans General Conference has named a group to look at how delegates can process legislation “the best way possible.”
- 18 hours ago 19 Feb 20, 8:47pm -

An African conference’s resolution calls for major amendments to a plan to let traditionalist groups leave The United Methodist Church to form a new denomination.
- 19 hours ago 19 Feb 20, 7:40pm -

North Carolina pastor prays that separating parties in The United Methodist Church can find renewal and peace in division.
- 23 hours ago 19 Feb 20, 3:45pm -

2019년 선교분담금 헌금액 비율은 최근에 비해 낮았지만, 하락 폭은 당초 예상만큼 심각하지 않았다.
- 23 hours ago 19 Feb 20, 3:22pm -

The top Democratic presidential candidates battled each other and latecomer Michael Bloomberg on Wednesday night in Las Vegas over the question of electability. Recent rule changes by the Democratic National Committee allowed Bloomberg into the debate for the first time this campaign season ahead of the Nevada caucuses on Feb. 22.Which candidates clashed? They all piled on Bloomberg, the billionaire former mayor of New York City. Former Vice President Joe Biden, Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, and former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg took aim at Bloomberg’s past controversial comments and policies about race and his alleged instances of sexual harassment. Warren said Democrats “take a huge risk if we just substitute one arrogant billionaire for another.”Bloomberg, meanwhile, argued President Donald Trump would defeat any Democratic opponent who favored abolishing private health insurance. He and the other candidates sparred over healthcare, socialism, climate change, and other topics. Near the end, one moderator asked whether the candidate with the most delegates by the time of the Democratic convention this summer should earn the nomination, even if they did not have a majority. None of the candidates except Sanders endorsed the idea.Dig deeper: Read my report in The Stew about how the Democratic field has narrowed in the past week.Image: Category: ElectionsArticle Title: Gloves come off at Nevada debateKeywords: PoliticsCampaign 2020DemocratsDemocratic PartyDemocratic Presidential PrimaryElectionAuthor: Harvest Prude
- 59 mins ago 20 Feb 20, 1:25pm -

The Sacred Heart Community Clinic in Round Rock, Texas, had 6,300 visits last year, all of them from low-income, uninsured patients. Liz Burton-Garcia started the clinic nearly 10 years ago on the campus of St. William Catholic Church, where she is a member. Her sales background helped her drum up local support: Doctors donated their time, construction companies donated materials, and many others offered money and prayer.The clinic now has five full-time staff members and 150 volunteers. To get care, patients cannot have health insurance and must demonstrate their financial need.“Some of them lost their jobs,” said Wendi Baird, the clinic’s development director. “Some of them have fallen through the cracks and maybe work two or three part-time jobs and don’t have a full-time job with benefits.”Sacred Heart does not accept any federal funding. That allows it to avoid onerous paperwork and wait times to get pre-approval to see new patients. Baird said the clinic relies on local grants and donors to stay in business: “Whenever we get a big donation, we’re always grateful for it, but we always go, ‘Oh boy, this means that there’s going to be a big need coming down the road!’ It’s like God always knows, before we do, what’s needed.”Clinics that are willing to jump through government hoops can get funding to help care for the poor. The federal Community Health Center Program started more than 50 years ago to help medically underserved areas. Participating clinics must use a sliding fee scale, offer certain services, serve a particular patient population, and meet other operational requirements. The National Association of Community Health Centers reported last year that the centers served more than 29 million patients, including 14 million people in poverty and 1.4 million people experiencing homeless. Most patients were uninsured or insured through Medicaid. In fiscal year 2019, the federal government spent $5.6 billion on more than 1,400 community health centers.Some community health centers are explicitly Christian. Hope Christian Health Center in Las Vegas received $693,021 in fiscal year 2019 to carry out its stated mission “to glorify God as we demonstrate Christ’s love to the Las Vegas community by providing excellent, affordable care to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay.” Beacon Christian Community Health Center in New York got about $2.2 million from the government last year. Beacon CEO David Kim previously told WORLD that despite the red tape, his clinic has a calling “from God to be a ‘faithful presence’ in that world, even as Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were in theirs.” Associated Press/Photo by Michael A. McCoy Attorney General William Barr Sanctuary battlesThe U.S. Department of Justice last week filed a lawsuit against some local policies that hinder immigration officers from arresting illegal migrants. The “sanctuary” policies put law enforcement officers “in harm’s way” and violate federal law, U.S. Attorney General William Barr said.New Jersey prohibits state and local law enforcement officials from sharing information about whether inmates are in the country illegally. King County, Wash., home to Seattle, passed a policy blocking the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from using the city’s airport to deport illegal immigrants.Other state and local governments are tussling with the Trump administration over immigration enforcement. After New York passed a law allowing illegal immigrants to get driver’s licenses, the Trump administration expelled the state from the “trusted traveler” program that allows some travelers to avoid long lines when entering the country. The state sued the administration to get back in. New York also limits information-sharing with immigration officials. The Justice Department has subpoenaed both New York City and Denver regarding illegal immigrants the cities were about to release from prison. The administration sued California over a sanctuary law in 2018. —Rachel Lynn Aldrich Associated Press/Photo by Patrick Semansky Tony Rankins (front left) with Ivanka Trump (front center) and Jared Kushner (right) at the State of the Union address on Feb. 4 Not quite rightThe “opportunity zone” success story at this year’s State of the Union address wasn’t as straightforward as it seemed.President Donald Trump honored Army veteran Tony Rankins during his speech to Congress on Feb. 4. He said Rankins, formerly homeless and addicted to drugs, turned his life around after getting a job at a Nashville, Tenn., construction company that took advantage of the tax breaks offered through the administration’s opportunity zones program to help economically distressed areas.Though Rankins credits the opportunity zones program for his success, he doesn’t work at a site within one of the designated areas. The company he works for, R Investments, has hired hundreds of homeless people to work at its buildings and takes advantage of various tax breaks, according to CEO Travis Steffens. But only one of its buildings is in an opportunity zone. It functions as a storage site, and the company hasn’t yet taken advantage of the associated tax breaks. Rankins plans to start working at the company’s Cincinnati location next month.He said he felt honored by the invitation to attend the State of the Union address. —R.L.A.Facebook-enabled policing?A homeless man is suing the city of Los Angeles for using social media against him. City residents sometimes use dedicated Facebook pages to talk about and post photos of homeless encampments, the Los Angeles Times reported. Rex Schellenberg, 81, who is homeless, and his attorney claim that police a few years ago harassed him based on some of the posts. The city later ended up telling its police officers to stay off the Facebook pages. —R.L.A. Image: Deck: Examining two approaches to Christian healthcare for the poorCategory: Effective CompassionKeywords: Effective CompassionCompassionHealthcareMedicinePovertyCharityImmigrationJustice DepartmentHomelessnessSocial MediaTechnologyState of the UnionSlug: CompassionArticle Title: Caring—and paying—for needy patientsAuthor: Charissa KohDigital Branding: CompassionHide from Archive?: 0
- 18 hours ago 19 Feb 20, 8:21pm -

Interviewing a criminalNew YorkPrisonsCrimeCultureSometimes reporters don’t have all the details they want when writing a profileCrimeEmily BelzA New York moment: I recently went to a maximum security prison north of the city to interview serial killer David Berkowitz, who now describes himself as a Messianic Jew. At the same time, I happened to be working on a piece on the rise of anti-Semitism, and Berkowitz mentioned after our interview that he has been following that trend as well, and praying for the Jewish community. I had some follow-up questions for him after our interview, mainly about whether he has community in and out of the prison walls, or if he feels lonely. Since I can’t pop into a maximum security prison or give him a phone call, I wrote him a letter. At the end of January, he wrote back, using his prison-approved typewriter. He hadn’t yet seen the now-published article about him.To answer my question on community he said, “Yes, as a whole, many who are now members of the body of Christ and remain incarcerated, do sense varying degrees of loneliness and detachment from the body of Christ. I thank God for those who are involved in jail and prison ministries. The Lord uses such to bring prisoners much needed encouragement and hope. But prison ministry is not for everyone.” He insisted that he is "not lonely for fellowship” and has “a number of dear and faithful friends.” He said he has received a “fair amount of acceptance from the Christian community as a whole,” but added, “Of course, there will always be a certain amount of skeptics.” This is a nice answer, but doesn’t provide much specificity. That’s not necessarily Berkowitz’s fault, but rather the journalist must draw specificity out of a subject. If we were talking more in person, I could press him. Who do you talk with most regularly inside prison? Who do you talk to most outside of prison? How much time in the day are you by yourself? We had two hours to talk face-to-face in prison, but I had to decide in the moment what to prioritize in that short time. He insists he isn’t lonely; I came away with a different impression, that of someone who has sporadic visitors and has no contact with his family.Sometimes you have to draw a portrait of a subject without as much interview time as you would like, with a limited window into someone’s life, with only a sketch of his psychology, and you pray that what you gathered is fair and true. Worth your time:  Writer George Packer gave a wonderful speech on the purpose of writing, which I think can apply to any endeavor in these polarized times. I’ll be going back to this piece regularly. He seems to be on the same page as Alan Jacobs in his wonderful book, How to Think, which emphasizes the importance of empathy in our arguments over important issues.Packer says the current mentality in much writing is needing “a community behind you, vouching for you, cheering you on, mobbing your adversaries and slaying them.” But he counters: "Writers are individuals whose job is to find language that can cross the unfathomable gap separating us from one another.”This week I learned: The new order blocking immigration from Nigeria (among other restrictions on other countries) affects many people around me in New York, including people in my church, who have family back in Nigeria. This segment on WNYC helped explain, mostly in an informative and balanced way, the details of what the order means.  A court case you might not know about: A New York appellate court has upheld a lower court ruling that fantasy sports bets are illegal gambling.Culture I am consuming: Kirk Douglas died on Feb. 5 at 103, which brought to mind a great film Douglas starred in, Ace in the Hole, from writer/director Billy Wilder. Nearly seventy years after its release, it still feels like a relevant look into the media environment. Based on real events, the story follows an ethically challenged journalist looking for his big break so he can leave a small town paper and head to the glittery newspapers of New York. It’s a dark film, unlike most of Wilder’s work, but it is one of the great take-downs of journalists’ hubris, which I think is needed alongside the movies like Spotlight or All the President’s Men. Email me with tips, story ideas, and feedback. ebelz@wng.org New YorkMetro Minute
- 19 hours ago 19 Feb 20, 7:24pm -

As Democratic Party presidential candidates promise to cancel Americans’ $1.6 trillion in student loan debt, President Donald Trump wants to end the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and eliminate subsidized federal loans.The president has proposed dropping the loan forgiveness program in every budget he’s submitted, including the 2021 fiscal year proposal released last week. Congress has not acted on his recommendation.Created in 2007, the program forgives student debts once participants complete 10 years of monthly payments while employed full time as teachers, nurses, police officers, or as nonprofit or government workers. The first eligible borrowers started claiming their benefits in the last three years.But those claims have not gone smoothly for many who say they made their 10 years or 120 payments only to learn they did not meet the program’s complex eligibility rules.Librarian Lynn Wallace has student loan debt and complained in the Tulsa World about the program’s complex regulations: “Fraudulent information about the Public Service Loan Forgiveness has left me with five extra years in repayment status.” Only 62 of her 118 payments counted toward the required 120, she said.Trump and other critics of the program say it unfairly favors some careers over others. This year’s budget proposal, like those in previous years, recommends closing the program to new applicants while keeping it open for current participants like Wallace.The president’s proposed budget also calls for the elimination of federally subsidized loans, in which the government pays the loan’s interest while students with financial need attend school or qualify for grace periods. The changes would end complicated formulas that determine which type and amount of loan qualify for subsidies, but the burden for repaying the interest would shift completely to the student.Other proposed changes would reward faithful repayment and protect students and parents from overborrowing in the first place. These changes would cut the U.S. Department of Education’s budget by 8 percent.Borrowers shouldn’t plan for these reforms anytime soon. The president’s proposed budget is merely the first step in a lengthy process governed by competing ideologies. Associated Press/U.S. Attorney’s Office Lawrence Ray ‘Unspeakable abuse’Police last week arrested the father of a former Sarah Lawrence College student and charged him with starting a sex cult in his daughter’s dorm. The charges include nine counts of sex trafficking, extortion, forced labor, and money laundering.Prosecutors described how 60-year-old ex-convict Lawrence “Larry” Ray convinced his sophomore-year daughter and her friends to allow him to stay in their campus housing upon his release from prison in late 2010. Ray forged relationships with the young women, allegedly taking on a “father figure” role and conducting “therapy” sessions with them.Ray reportedly groomed and exploited five students at the private liberal arts college in Yonkers, N.Y. He allegedly abused them physically, sexually, and psychologically and claimed they owed him money. Prosecutors said Ray directed his victims to drain their parents’ bank accounts and work for no pay at his family’s property in North Carolina. He also reportedly forced one into prostitution.“Ray subjected his victims to almost unspeakable abuse,” U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said, citing a time Ray reportedly tied one young woman to a chair and placed a plastic bag over her head, nearly suffocating her. —L.E. Associated Press/Photo by David Zalubowski (file) A vigil for victims of the shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch Guilty as chargedThe younger of the two teens charged in the May 2019 deadly shooting at a suburban Denver high school pleaded guilty earlier this month to 17 felonies, including a first-degree murder charge. The attackers at STEM School Highlands Ranch wounded eight people and killed 18-year-old student Kendrick Castillo as he rushed shooters Maya “Alec” McKinney, 16, and Devon Erickson, 19. Under Colorado juvenile sentencing rules, McKinney could be eligible for parole after 25 years.Erickson has pleaded not guilty to the same charges. His lawyers have characterized McKinney, a girl who identifies as a boy, as the ringleader and claim the younger student pressured Erickson to participate in the deadly attack.Castillo received wide praise for his heroic actions. Officials said he kept the assault from becoming a larger tragedy. —L.E. Image: Deck: White House considers canceling loan cancellationCategory: EducationKeywords: EducationFinanceDebtHigher EducationSexual AbuseCrimeColorado ShootingCourtsSlug: EducationArticle Title: Unforgivable debtsAuthor: Laura EdghillDigital Branding: SchooledHide from Archive?: 0
- 19 hours ago 19 Feb 20, 7:02pm -

The Utah state Senate unanimously voted Tuesday to ease the penalties for polygamy. The bill would treat the practice as an infraction similar to a parking ticket with punishment limited to a maximum $750 fine and community service hours. The bill now moves to Utah’s House of Representatives.Why allow polygamy? Supporters of the bill say it would permit people in plural marriages to report abuse without fear of punishment. Opponents of the bill say it would normalize the practice and won’t help underage victims. Current law considers polygamy a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison.Dig deeper: Read Kiley Crossland’s report in Relations about groups seeking to normalize polyamory.Image: Category: MarriageArticle Title: Utah considers decriminalizing polygamyKeywords: FamilyLegislationMarriageState GovernmentPolygamySocietyAuthor: Harvest Prude
- 21 hours ago 19 Feb 20, 5:36pm -