News & Comment - Spring 2005

(from AgapePress)

Pro-Homosexual United Methodists Urged to Exit Denomination Graciously

Pro-homosexual members of the United Methodist Church (UMC) are being asked to make a "gracious exit" from the denomination.

The United Methodist Action Committee of the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD) is calling for the "peaceful departure" of Methodist clergy who cannot abide by the church's standards on marriage and sex. Same-sex unions and the ordination of clergy sexually active outside of traditional marriage are officially barred by the denomination.

In a statement approved earlier this month, the Committee observes that the 11-million-member UMC "has made its decision on the issues of marriage and homosexuality. We recommend allowing a gracious exit for those who cannot or will not accept the essential beliefs on which the UMC is founded. The UMC should adopt a fair plan to permit their voluntary, peaceful departure, taking with them their local church property (if the congregation votes to leave) and pension rights."

Mark Craig,  Star Tribune
February 2, 2005

JACKSONVILLE, FLA. -- God, apparently, is an Eagles fan.

That's the view of Philadelphia Eagles receiver Terrell Owens, who said during Tuesday's Super Bowl XXXIX media day that God has decided Owens definitely will play on Sunday.

For the record, Dr. Mark Myerson, who performed surgery on Owens' broken left ankle 6½ weeks ago, has not cleared Owens to play.

"I respect Dr. Myerson and his decision to not medically clear me," Owens said. "But prior to going down to see him for that last visit, I can honestly say God had already cleared me. It really doesn't matter what a doctor says. I've got the best doctor of all, and that's God."

Campolo: Opposition to women preachers evidence of demonic influence

Jun 27, 2003

By Gregory Tomlin

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (BP)--Anyone who resists the notion of women preachers is functioning as a tool of the devil, Tony Campolo, founder and president of the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education, said during the opening session of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's general assembly June 26.

A sociologist by training, Campolo said that one of the primary reasons the CBF exists is because "another group" said it would not endorse the idea that women can serve as pastors. He characterized that statement as "about as evil a statement as one can make."

"It's one thing to be wrong, but that isn't wrong, that's sinful. The Bible says, 'neglect not the gift that is in you,' and when women are gifted with the gift of preaching, anybody who frustrates that gift is an instrument of the devil," Campolo said.

(from AgapePress)

...An Alabama lawmaker has found plenty of people who want to challenge his claim that the Bible does not define marriage as being between a man and a woman. During debate on the House floor over a proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, state Representative Alvin Holmes pulled a wad of money out of his pocket and offered $700 to anyone who could find a Bible verse defining marriage as being between a man and a woman. The House has since received dozens of calls from people wanting to point out Bible verses to Holmes. But Holmes -- who has upped the offer to $5,000 -- said no one has shown him a verse that specifically says marriage is between a man and a woman. He said he has received quotations of various Bible verses referring to a man and his wife or a husband and his wife, but none that specifically refer to a man and a woman.

Do we need more doctrinal preaching?

In the book Exploring and Proclaiming the Apostles' Creed (Eerdmans), Roger Van Harn notes, "When the confirmation class was concluding its preparatory sessions with a weekend retreat, Pastor Mary decided it was time for a no-holds-barred wrestling with church doctrines. The sessions to date were laced with 'what do you believe about . . . ?' and 'what would you do if . . . ?' questions. Discussions were animated. It seemed time to take on 'this is what the church believes about (creation, providence, covenant, atonement, etc.).' When she finished outlining the doctrine of the Trinity, a fourteen-year-old responded with, "I think I'm getting it, but it makes my head hurt."

from Agape Press ... The state judge at the center of the Terri Schiavo case in Florida has heeded a suggestion from his Southern Baptist pastor to withdraw his church membership. Judge George Greer has been consistent in his rulings in the Terri Schiavo case. He has repeatedly supported Michael Schiavo's demands that the feeding tube keeping his wife alive be removed. Through the years of these rulings, Greer has maintained his membership at Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater. But as the Florida Baptist Witness newspaper noted this week, his relationship with the church became strained in 2003. That is when he started to complain about the church distributing the Baptist newspaper, which was running editorials critical of his decisions in the Schiavo case. Earlier this month, Greer spoke about his relationship with his church in an interview with the St. Petersburg Times newspaper. According to the press reports, a few days after that story ran, his pastor at Calvary Baptist, William Rice, wrote him a letter suggesting it might be easier for everyone concerned if he left the church. The reports say Greer quickly complied with his pastor's request and resigned.

from Mikey's Funnies (and note the date) . . .

FRESNO, CA, April 1 — On Sunday morning at the 18,000-member Calvary Church, tithers flash green Costco-like cards at greeters, who let them in early and usher them to special seating areas.

"The seats have more padding, and they recline," says tither Dan Phelps, kicking back before the sermon. "I feel a little guilty, but you can't knock the comfort."

Calvary is believed to be the first church in America to use membership cards to dole out privileges to certain members. First-time visitors are offered the best seats — plush recliners in the orchestra section — while non-tithing attendees carry orange membership cards and are forced to sit in hard, stadium-style seats on the mezzanine.

"We give honor to whom honor is due," says pastor Jerald Dennis. "If you tithe or volunteer in some way, you deserve a special thank you."

Churches like his are drawing wealthier "church consumers" by promoting luxury and social stratification inside the sanctuary. As rich people attend, the theory goes, tithe revenues increase and the church better promotes the gospel.

At Life Family Center in Abilene, Texas, members at all levels earn "reward points" similar to frequent flyer miles for tithing and attending. The points add up to free hotel stays, vacation packages and tickets to NASCAR events.

Ringing the church's cavernous sanctuary are private skyboxes where groups watch the service while enjoying hors d'oeuvres and deep leather chairs. Some pay only occasional attention to what takes place on the platform.

"We compete with professional sporting events, not other churches," says pastor Lovey Pederson. "I would rather people come here than a football stadium, so I offer bigger perks."

This year, at least a dozen more mega-churches will introduce some form of "club card."

"The credit card commercial said it best: 'Membership has its privileges,'" says Pederson.

London Times & Brisbane Courier Mail . . .

Farmers in England may shoot at crows and other birds eating their crops, and sportsmen can still hunt birds for food, but only if they give the birds a chance by shouting or employing other "frightening techniques" first, the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has ruled. Only if the bird ignores it can they blast away. 

Failure to try to scare the bird before firing is punishable by a 5,000 pound (US$9,350) fine or six months in prison. Meanwhile, Glen Steinhardt, a farmer in Murgon, Qld., Australia, applied for a "damage mitigation permit" from Queensland's Environmental Protection Agency to shoot swarms of birds eating his crops. An estimated 5,000 birds per day are feasting on his sorghum and wheat. 

The EPA gave him the permit:  Steinhardt may shoot a total of 87 birds, but only if he spreads the kills over an 85-day period. Steinhardt says when trucks drive through the swarms of birds when they pass his farm, it's common for them to hit and kill "30 to 60 in one strike," but that sort of killing is considered accidental and not illegal.

from the Christian Standard, Sunday, May 8, "A Look at Parachurch Ministries" (emphasis added) -

This little ad actually appeared in the 5-25-05 edition of "SOJOMAIL - A weekly email-zine of spirituality, politics, and culture."  In case you don't recognize this, it is from Sojourners magazine.  If you are under 18 you should probably not read this or think about it very much without the permission of your parents . . .

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