Saturday, March 15, 2025

Saturday Lagniappe: '6 Things Discipleship Isn’t' And More


6 Things Discipleship Isn’t
"Why aren’t more Christians committed to making disciples as Jesus commanded (Matt. 28:18–20)? I wonder if such reluctance stems from misconceptions about what discipleship entails. Perhaps by understanding what discipleship isn’t, we can dismantle unnecessary barriers and more readily embrace Jesus’s call."

It’s not too late to abandon “Christian nationalism”
"Even if the left exaggerates the dangers of Christian nationalism, the way the term is being adopted on parts of the right, especially as an online phenomenon, should be equally concerning to serious Christians."

VOICES: Should religious charter schools be funded by public tax money?
"A recent New York Times column titled, 'The Urgent Supreme Court Case That’s Not Getting Enough Attention,' penned by Linda Greenhouse, a Pulitzer Prize-winning, longtime Supreme Court reporter, has a headline that should arrest the reader’s attention because it is, if anything, an understatement."

How a Republican Plan to Cut Universal Free School Meals Could Affect 12 Million Students
"... by one estimate, the Republicans’ plan would affect nearly a quarter of the students in the nation’s public schools." 

Pandemic fears as NEW coronavirus discovered by China-linked scientist
Discoveries like this one should concern Americans in light of the first Trump administration's mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic, the current Trump administration's withdrawal from the WHO and its dismantling of federal pubic health agencies, and the politicization of what are from a public health perspective proven, effectives measures to contain the spread of a serious epidemic. Considering what happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, it should particularly concern church leaders.

Trump brings back family separation policy, and protests ensue
Donald Trump’s return to detaining immigrant children and families is reviving a brutal process from his first administration and must be heavily protested, human rights advocate Amy Fischer said during a March 12 press briefing.

Trump admin deports 10-year-old U.S. citizen recovering from brain cancer to Mexico
A Texas family on their way to an emergency medical check-up for their 10-year-old daughter, who is recovering from brain cancer, was detained by immigration authorities and hastily deported to Mexico last month.

A Ukrainian Prayer
In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, John Rutter composed a musical setting to a Ukranian prayer.

Three months into 2025, US measles cases surpass total for 2024
Three months into 2025, the United States has surpassed the total number of measles cases in the country for all of last year. The high number of cases is driven by a multistate outbreak that has reached nearly 300 cases. As of Friday, Texas has reported 259 cases this year, New Mexico has tallied 35 cases and Oklahoma reported two. Experts say this is probably a severe undercount.
Related: RFK Jr. Has Already Broken His Vaccine Promise
Four Permissions to Give Yourself (and Others) 
"I once ran a leadership program led by Bill Selby, founder of the Center for Pastoral Effectiveness of the Rockies. At the beginning he counseled participants to give themselves four permissions. They are great guidelines for how to handle yourself, as well as treat others."

The Etiquette of Speech
"There are three grave errors I think we can fall into when it comes to speech etiquette, and we should be wary of each of them."

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