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Saturday, February 03, 2024

Saturday Lagniappe: "Who is Alistair Begg, and why are American fundamentalists so upset with him?' And More


Who is Alistair Begg, and why are American fundamentalists so upset with him?
“I’m not ready to repent over this. I don’t have to,” Alistair Begg boldly declared in a sermon titled “Compassion vs. Condemnation” at the non-denominational Parkside Church in Cleveland last Sunday. The accusations being leveled against Begg are that he has caved to the LGBTQ movement after encouraging a grandmother he didn’t know to attend her grandson’s wedding to a transgender person.

Throw-Away Culture is the Spirit of the Sexual Revolution, Too.
The sound and the fury lately has centered on pastor Alistair Begg, who finds himself at the center of evangelical angst after it was revealed that he advised a grandmother to attend the wedding of her granddaughter to person who identifies as transgendered. Controversy was swift and ruthless; Begg’s widely beloved radio preaching show, Truth for Life, was dropped by a major brodcast ministry, and more such recriminations will likely follow.

In Defense of Alistair Begg
Pastor Alistair Begg has spent decades building a reputation as a gifted preacher and faithful exegete. In recent weeks, however, that reputation has been called into question after it was revealed that he advised a woman to attend her grandchild’s wedding to a trans person. In an interview given in September 2023, Begg recounted a conversation he had with the woman, who called him distraught about the possibility of losing her relationship with her grandchild.

How Did Jesus Act Toward Sinners?
Jesus modeled well for us how to treat sinners. Ever since the SCOTUS decision in the United States, which legalized gay marriage, there have been scathing comments from all sides and an overwhelming amount of questions about how Christians should respond to the culture around us. The best thing we can do is follow Jesus regarding how to treat sinners.

Oregon lawmaker suggests non-Christians are unfit for elected office
Rep. E. Werner Reschke, a Republican Oregon lawmaker, has suggested that “you don’t want” Muslims, atheists and other non-Christians to serve in elected office. Reschke made the comments in a Jan. 17, 2024, appearance on “Save the Nation,” a talk show streamed on Facebook that is affiliated with the National Association of Christian Lawmakers, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported Monday, Jan 29.
The First Amendment to the US Constitution states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." While they do not specifically mention the concept of seperation of church and state, these two clauses establish that concept and the Supreme Court has so interpreted them. This includes the prohbitions of the establishment of religous tests to hold public offices, a practice which was on of the reasons that the Founding Fathers adopted the First Amendment. In the United Kingdom only members of the established church, the Church of England, could hold public office.
Jesus told the disciples to make more disciples, baptize them, and teach them what he commanded . He didn't tell them to ensconce themselves in positions of authority in a country and impose their values on the country by edict. This is not the way that he taught the Kingdom of God spreads Rather it spreads by disciples making more disciples.
Why Your Church Should Shorten Worship
People have more worship options than ever before. Remote and asynchronous worship experiences have become standard for many people. But one thing you may not have explored is experimenting with the length of worship. In this article I want to make the case for why your church should shorten worship.

The Secret of Powerful Prayer
When Jesus teaches on prayer in Matthew 6:5–15 he warns that not all prayers are equal. Before he teaches his disciples how to pray, Jesus warns them not to pray like others in the world might. As he does so, he shows where the power for prayer really comes from.

7 Great Ways To Teach Kids To Pray
Getting to know God on a heart level involves talking with Him, not just learning about Him. Children talk naturally with their friends and family. Wouldn’t it be exciting if we could teach kids to pray and talk to God just as easily!

Most people of faith plan to increase their giving to houses of worship in 2024: report Over half of people of faith in the United States intend to increase their giving to charity and houses of worship in 2024 compared to last year, while more than a third plan to stay at about the same rate, according to a new report.

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