Saturday Morning Commentary: Since When Is A Home Church Against The Law?

     I'm sure many of you are aware of the story of Michael Salman, of Phoenix, Arizona.  He has been sentenced to 60 days in jail, a $12,180 fine, and three years probation for ostensibly violating 67 building code laws.  What was he doing?  Holding Bible studies in his home.
     Apparently this legal battle has been brewing since 2005, when Salman, an ordained pastor, began holding Bible studies at his 4.6 acre residence.  In 2007, he received a letter from the city informing him that he could no longer hold these studies in his living room, because they violated construction codes.  A few months later, during a Good Friday get-together over hamburgers in his backyard, the Phoenix Fire Department broke up the fellowship, and threatened to call the police if the 20 guests did not leave the premises.

Pastor Salmon and his family

    In 2008, the fire department came again, and Salman ordered them off his property.  There was a standstill, of sorts, until Salman and his wife decided to build a structure in their backyard.  They secured the proper permits and moved their Bible studies to the new location.
     Then in 2009, nearly a dozen police, along with city inspectors raided their home.  Armed with a search warrant, police confined the Salman family to the living room as they combed the property looking for violations.  And found them, they did;  from a failure to post exit signs to a lack of handicap signs, Phoenix officials left no stone unturned, and were able to come up with 67 violations.  Apparently, the city of Phoenix wants to label the new structure a church.  Salman says it is not.
     And so, earlier this week, Mr. Salman began his jail sentence.  In a written statement, he said,  “They’re cracking down on religious activities and religious use. They’re attacking what I, as a Christian, do in the privacy of my home.”  It's enough to give every Christian pause.
     In an attempt to remain fair, I know there are two sides to every story.  Perhaps Mr. Salman and his wife did not adhere to every code; perhaps they pushed the envelope.  But I have to ask, as have so many others .... would the fire department have showed up at his home and asked guests to leave if their backyard barbecue was celebrating the Super Bowl?  What if it was a weekly Tuesday night Poker Club meeting at his home?  Would construction codes have been enforced?
     And where does this stop?  Can we no longer worship in the privacy of our homes without violating some city code?  What if I want to invite 4 or 5 of my neighbors in for a Ladies Bible Study?  Do I have to apply for a permit?  And can any building be designated a church just because you study your Bible there?
     Here's where this could lead --- in Matthew 18:20, Scripture says, "For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them."  In my mind, wherever He is, constitutes the Church.  And according to the dictionary, a church is a building used for public Christian worship.  But who is going to define what is "public"?  Could that mean me and my husband (who number two) could be designated a church, if we are conducting our morning Bible study in our home?
     If Mr. Salman's additional building was on his private property, and he did not advertise it as a church, but simply used it to hold occasional Bible Studies among friends, how can the City (which in this case is acting on behalf of the State) declare it a Church?
     And I am seeing a growing number of "home churches" spring up, where small groups of Believers decide to gather together once a week or once a month to worship together and study their Bible.  Will Mr. Salman's case set a precedence for the rest of us?
      It is very apparent to me, that very soon, all of us will have a choice to make --- just as Mr. Salman did.  We will have to choose whether to freely worship our Creator, or abide by man's laws.  Whenever possible, we should give Caesar his due.  But when Caesar begins telling us where and when and how we are to worship, or tries to limit our religious freedoms, then we must decide where our loyalty lies.  As for me, I will choose God first.  But it is a decision that I pray we do not have to make.  But the fact that a pastor sits in jail today does not bode well for us.

2 Thessalonians 1:4     "Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring."

Prophecy Fulfilled Before Our Very Eyes

     Now, before you decide to skip this post because it sounds "too church-y", give me one paragraph to change your mind.  If it doesn't interest you to take a look at events from a Biblical perspective, then I invite you to investigate these occurrences from a historical viewpoint.  If nothing else, the facts are compelling and the stories are captivating.

     As a student of the Bible, I love both the history and the prophecies of the Good Book.  It is not a book of fables and fairy tales, as some would have you believe.  And there is much to learn about the relationships of nations in our modern world from the chronicles of history reported in the Bible.  In addition, those prophets, that are often scoffed at and dismissed, did a pretty darn good job of predicting how world events would turn out.
     Did you know that experts have combed the pages of the Bible and found approximately 2500 prophecies --- of which nearly 2000 have already come true, or been "fulfilled", in Biblical terms.  Furthermore, these 2000 predictions, or forecasts, can easily be proven in the annals of history.  They are not like fortune-tellers, or mediums, or clairvoyants, whose predictions are sporadically accurate.  The Bible's prophecies have been 100% error-free.  Here are just a few that you might find interesting:

1)  In approximately 700 B.C. the prophet Micah named the tiny village of Bethlehem as the birthplace of Israel's Messiah (Micah 5:2). The fulfillment of this prophecy in the birth of Christ is one of the most widely known and widely celebrated facts in history.  (Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 105.)
2)  In the fifth century B.C. a prophet named Zechariah declared that the Messiah would be betrayed for the price of a slave—thirty pieces of silver, according to Jewish law-and also that this money would be used to buy a burial ground for Jerusalem's poor foreigners (Zechariah 11:12-13). Bible writers and secular historians both record thirty pieces of silver as the sum paid to Judas Iscariot for betraying Jesus, and they indicate that the money went to purchase a "potter's field," used—just as predicted—for the burial of poor aliens (Matthew 27:3-10).  (Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 1011.)

3)  The prophet Isaiah foretold that a conqueror named Cyrus would destroy seemingly impregnable Babylon and subdue Egypt along with most of the rest of the known world. This same man, said Isaiah, would decide to let the Jewish exiles in his territory go free without any payment of ransom (Isaiah 44:28; 45:1; and 45:13). Isaiah made this prophecy 150 years before Cyrus was born, 180 years before Cyrus performed any of these feats (and he did, eventually, perform them all), and 80 years before the Jews were taken into exile.  (Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 1015.)
4)  Jeremiah predicted that despite its fertility and despite the accessibility of its water supply, the land of Edom (today a part of Jordan) would become a barren, uninhabited wasteland (Jeremiah 49:15-20; Ezekiel 25:12-14). His description accurately tells the history of that now bleak region.  (Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 105.)
   

     These are just a few of the nearly 2000 prophecies that have already come true.  So, naturally, that leaves about 500 yet to be fulfilled since the Bible was written.  Think those haven't happened?  Here is perhaps the most prominent prophecy to come true in our lifetimes:  (Amos 9:14-15)  I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God.  This prophecy came true on May 14, 1948 when Israel became a modern state.
     So think that you'll never see a prophecy come true in your lifetime?  I submit to you that we are living in the midst of such a fulfillment this very day.  And it is happening in Egypt.  If you listened to the speeches of our Leaders, the "Arab Spring" was supposed to be about democracy coming to the Middle East.
     Instead we saw rioting in the streets, governments toppling and the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood.  Now there is a huge conflict between Egypt's new Muslim Brotherhood President Mohammed Morsi, their Parliament and the military.  The powerful Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which was running the country after Hosni Mubarak was ousted by a popular uprising last year, had dissolved parliament, after a ruling by Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court.  It now seems that hard-line Islamist President Morsi seeks to ignore the Court's ruling, and is trying to reinstate Parliament.  This struggle between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Military is being played out hour by hour.

     But beyond his own internal struggles, the new President is on record as supporting Sharia law; saying he wants to repeal the ban on female genital mutilation; and he wants to roll-back the laws against sexual harrassment, all of which would be a huge set back in womens' rights in Egypt.  One of Morsi's trusted allies, Cleric Safwat Hijazi, has openly called for Egypt to become a Muslim Super-State with Jerusalem as its capital.  Think the Bible doesn't have anything to say about this?  Think again.  I submit to you the prophet Isaiah in Chapter 19:2-4:  “I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian—brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.  The Egyptians will lose heart, and I will bring their plans to nothing; they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, the mediums and the spiritists.  I will hand the Egyptians over to the power of a cruel master, and a fierce king will rule over them,” declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.
     So, maybe you don't buy into the Bible as the Word of the Living God, or maybe you just can't come to grips with the fact that it is a book by which you can live your life.  But I invite you to explore its history and listen to what it is trying to tell you.  There is Truth at its core, and as this world is careening faster and faster out of control, it is a good anchor to cling to.  I promise; you will find encouragement to endure and to survive the powers that intend to destroy.  And above all else, you will find hope and that is something we will all need in the days to come.

Psalms 25:4-5      "Make me know your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.  Guide me in your truth, and teach me; for you are the God who saves me, my hope is in you all day long."

Saturday Morning Commentary: We Are Reaping What We've Sown

     My heart was saddened and my soul sickened by the news stories I read this past week.  If you are a Believer, just reading these headlines should have you on your knees:

---  New Film:  Jesus Wasn't Divine & He Was Born After His Mother Was Raped by a Roman Soldier
---  Atheist Activist Answers Your Questions About Jesus Christ & the "Completely Unreliable" New Testament
---  Atheist Victory?  Supreme Court Refuses To Hear War Memorial Cross Case
---  More Than 50% of Americans Would Vote For an Atheist Presidential Candidate
     
     Had enough?  This past week, on June 25th, was the 50th anniversary of the prayer ban in public schools.  And it was the beginning of the end for this country.  Do you know what the offensive prayer was that started this grievous offense against our Lord?   “Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our Country,”  That's it!  How could anyone find this prayer insulting?
     The parents that brought the lawsuit felt it violated their children's First Amendment rights.  The initial court ruling declared that it did not, as long as the prayer was voluntary (which it was).  But eventually the Supreme Court decided that government-endorsed prayer was unconstitutional.

      My obvious question is what about MY First Amendment rights?  Throughout the 50 years since this despicable decision, my rights to declare my faith have been slowly eroded.  And I would suggest that in the last 4 years, the assault on my ability to worship as I wish has speeded up the destruction of freedom of religion.
     When our children no longer receive instruction on the basic tenets of Christianity, you get a generation of selfish, unanchored kids who have no foundation of morality, and no impetus to better their society.  And they will be willing to vote for a President who has no such foundation.  A recent Gallup poll suggested that 54% of Americans would vote for a Presidential candidate who had no religious convictions.  Compare that with 0% in 1937, 18% in 1958 and 40% in 1978.  That Supreme Court decision in 1962 started the ball rolling!
     With religion taken out of the schools, it stands to reason that children who were not raised in a faith-based home would grow up to raise children of their own who would not know anything about God or the Bible.  And that's why people would so easily believe that Jesus's birth was not divine, or that his mother was raped by a Roman soldier, or that the New Testament was just a bunch of allegorical fables.  They say that Jesus is just like you and me, and the miracles and the resurrection did not happen.
     Do you know how this must grieve God's heart?  And anger Him, too?  We have made these choices, and there will be a price to pay.  I contend that we are seeing the consequences of our bad decisions in our failing economy, and poor marks in our education system.  South Korea has the most effective education system in the world's richest countries, with Japan in second place and the United States and Germany near the bottom.  Twenty years ago, we were at the top.  What happened?  I think you know.
     I'm not sure what, if anything, can be done to change this downward spiral.  I pity those who do not know the joy of a relationship with our Lord.  Only God can change the hearts of those who refuse to know Him.  And if the headlines I've cited are any indication, He may have given up on us.

Hebrews 3:18-19           "And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief."

Faith in God Is Dishonored in Our Military

     When I made my trip a few months ago to Fort Sam Houston to minister to our Wounded Warriors, our group spent a lovely morning with two Army chaplains.  They held an honest and frank discussion with us regarding their faith and serving in the military.
     They lamented the fact that they were being asked to compromise their faith and their values for "political correctness".  With the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", they are now required to counsel gay service members, without being able to state their religious beliefs.  It is not the counseling that they protest, it is the inability to express their faith.  In addition, Christian values are being suppressed in favor of promoting Muslim ideology.  Christian symbols are being taken down from chapels because the Military doesn't want to "offend" anyone.  These faithful and devoted men of God know that their time in the military is short.  There will soon come a day when they must stand for their faith and can compromise no longer.

     And lately there is more evidence.  Several dozen Republican House members have sent a letter to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta accusing the Air Force of creating a “culture that is hostile toward religion.”  Among the incidents cited in the letter:   a decision to change a Latin office motto to remove reference to God; no longer requiring staff to check for Bibles in Air Force Inn rooms; and suspending an ethics course because the material included Bible passages.
     The Air Force's response?  “Airmen are 'free to exercise their Constitutional right to practice their religion — in a manner that is respectful of other individuals’ rights to follow their own belief systems.'" Unfortunately, there are far too many outside groups that are eager to claim that the mere presence of a Cross in a Chapel is not "respectful" to another religion.  And it seems pretty plain to me that military personnel are to exhibit "respect" to all religions, except Christianity.
     Furthermore, the White House has made strong objections to H.R. 4310, which would protect military chaplains who refuse to perform same-sex marriages because it violates their religious beliefs.  Apparently, everyone else is allowed to follow their belief systems, except Christians.  Whether you agree with same-sex marriage or not, no chaplain should be forced to perform any ceremony against his beliefs, regardless of his faith.
     Then there is the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRRF) which calls military-themed Bibles a "threat to national security."  While claiming to advocate "diversity" for all religions in the military, the group seems only to have targeted Christian applications in the armed forces.  Under "Accomplishments" on their website, the atheist group cites the removal of the "Crusader" cross from an Army Hospital's emblem; the removal of Christian inscriptions from Trijicon rifle scopes; the removal of "Left Behind" video games from active-duty recreation areas;  raising awareness and criticism of Billy Graham-sponsored "Rock the Fort" Christian concerts on various Army posts; and numerous Nobel Peace prize nominations (that should tell you something).
     Other groups, such as the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers (MAAF) should give you a pretty good idea that Christianity in our military is under assault.  It seems to me that rather than making a move to create a non-discriminatory environment, the Military is going out of their way to bow to the demands of these atheist groups.
     I shudder to think of our Armed Forces devoid of God.  His "Divine Protection" has been a force in our military since the first ragamuffin patriots took the field at Bunker Hill.  I guess those groups who think He is "offensive" have forgotten that age-old truth .... There are no atheists in foxholes.  


Numbers 10:9     "When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the LORD your God and rescued from your enemies."

Where Is The Church?

     I am just going to come out and say it --- I am deeply concerned about the state of the Church in America.   For those who are Believers, please know that what I say comes from a place that reveres the Body of Christ.  And if you are not a Believer, please don't skip this post.  The Church has always been an important part of measuring where the conscience of our nation lies.  It should not be ignored.
     And please don't misunderstand; I am not condemning ALL churches or ALL pastors.   I would never dare question their commitment to their faith or their flock.  Nor would I doubt the state of their heart or their souls.  But I just don't understand how they can see the decay of our society and the moral and religious "falling away", and remain silent from the pulpit.

     It's one thing to effectively engage in winning souls for the Lord, and to preach about God's mercy and grace.  Heaven knows that the world needs to hear the plan for salvation.  And I personally know of many pastors and churches who are serving God just as He intended.  They are doing their best in a culture that's out of control, and are fighting the battle for righteousness the best way they know how. 

     But here's my problem.  Throughout the ages, the church has always influenced public policy and opinions.  During our own country's Revolutionary War, pastors gave fiery sermons against the tyrant King George and were instrumental in seeing that our new nation had no "State or National" Church.  After all, Jesus is to be King over His Body, the Church, not any mortal King or Government Head.  And there's the case for the Church's involvement in the abolition of slavery.  It was Church leaders who greatly influenced the demise of that abhorrent system.
     So I wish I could witness today's Church leaders being as bold and brave as their predecessors.  They know and see the evils being perpetuated on our society:  abortion; the attack on the institution of marriage; the enslavement of citizens through a corrupt welfare system; murder, rape and blasphemy.  They read the headlines the same as I do:  Christians Killed in Syria (or Egypt) (or Nigeria); Muslim Brotherhood Promoting Restoration of the Caliphate; Porn, Prostitutes and Sex Are Alive and Well in our Nation's Capital.  They know all this grieves God and is loathsome in His sight!
     So why are they silent on these matters?   They continue to preach the message of Grace, and ignore  the calling for accountability on these issues.  What are they afraid of?  My first inclination is to think that the American Church has become too business-like.  Pastors have to answer to Boards or possibly risk the favor of a generous donor if they speak out on controversial subjects.  Perhaps the threat of losing their precious 501(3) c status keeps many from standing up for God's principles and representing His character.
     Well guess what I found out?  According to an article by a grassroots organization out of Georgia, churches are automatically given tax-exempt status by virtue of being a church!  And churches have the right to speak out on the issues of the day.  But because the IRS has intimidated them, most avoid any conflict by keeping quiet on topics that might call attention to themselves.  But I contend, that by remaining silent, and not preaching what Jesus had to say about these offenses, they are losing a golden opportunity to teach about repentance.

     After all, in the Great Commission Jesus declared to the Apostles that He had been given authority in heaven and on earth.  And besides making disciples of all the nations and baptizing sinners in the name of the Holy Trinity, they were to "teach them to observe all things that I  have commanded you."   He didn't say, "Know everything that I have commanded you and then turn a blind eye if those commandments are violated."
     That doesn't mean that I am advocating excoriating judgment from the pulpit.  But I do believe it is the obligation of Pastors to boldly speak the Word, and to speak out on institutions, cultures, systems and actions that separate man from God.  Repentance and forgiveness are two of the most beautiful words in our faith.  But they cannot be achieved if the sin is not first identified and renounced.
     I see the moral decay of our society happening at such a fast rate, and yet millions of churchgoers receive the "feel good" message on Sunday morning that God loves them (and He does!), without receiving the call to renounce such immoral behavior.
     Make no mistake, in my youth I hated the "hellfire and brimstone" sermons with a passion.  They lacked the message of God's grace and mercy.  But I think, today, the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction in an attempt to show God's love.  We could use a little threat of eternal damnation .... before it becomes a reality!

Proverbs 28:1       "The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion."
 

Way To Go, Father!

     This week I received an email from a good and faithful friend.  He said he thought I would find the following video interesting.  Not only did I find it thought-provoking; I found it bold and inspirational.
     Father Andrew of St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Centennial, Colorado was recently invited to present the Invocation at the 2012 Colorado Republican State Assembly and Convention.  His opening prayer was of the usual order; asking God's help in knowing right from wrong, and good from bad.  Then he quoted Scripture from the Book of Revelation, Chapter 21, which is highly unusual for any clergyman today.  "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
     He then looked straight at his audience and began one of the most powerful, and honest, speeches I have ever heard.  You don't have to be a Catholic, or even a fan of the Catholic Church; indeed, even an opponent of the Church cannot deny the veracity of his words.  Because he spoke as an American first, and a priest, second.
     The premise of his speech was simple:  The moral challenges facing our country today are not caused by political affiliation, but rather by attacks on religious freedom.  He further stated that this is not an issue between Liberals and Conservatives; Democrats and Republicans.  It is an issue between Democracy and Socialism!  And he was only getting started!
     He cited two hallmarks of democracy that would never be compatible with socialism:  personal choice and private property.   Both of these elements were the reasons the Pilgrims found their ways to our shores, and Father Andrew goes on to point out that they are ordained as rights in our Declaration of Independence.  These "God-given" rights necessarily lead to personal responsibility and individual generosity, which are at the foundation of Christianity.  Socialists cannot allow them to stand if they hope to control the populace.  They want to take those responsibilities away from us.  Therefore it will always be their goal to restrict religious freedoms.  
     Father Andrew ends his short speech by inviting all good people of conscious to stand together and fight for our religious liberties.  They are at the center of our Democracy and will never be compatible with Socialism.  That's why they must be fought for!  Watch his impassioned speech below.  I think it will move you as much as it did me.

Job 33:3     "My words come from an upright heart; my lips sincerely speak what I know."