A social justice opportunity for American churches

Sharp

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Charles Colson is a man whom I respect. Jesus Christ has transformed his life and given him a heart of compassion for prisoners and their families. That same compassion extends to the unborn and to those tempted by homosexuality. Colson believes (rightly) that we are in a cultural war for the heart and soul of western civilization. Here is one way he is helping the church protect true marriage as part of that war. Please provide your pastor with this useful, free service.

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on the marriage amendment sometime after September 20 and in response, Sunday, September 19 has been declared Marriage Protection Sunday. I encourage your church to participate on September 19 by taking a stand for marriage. To give churches and pastors the resources they need to join this fight the Wilberforce Forum, created by Chuck Colson, has created the National Preaching Initiative. This new and exciting program is designed to equip pastors to address their congregations on God's design for marriage, families, and civic duty. Your church can find excellent resources and sample sermons by clicking on the link below. Help us get the word to churches and pastors across the nation and join in this preaching effort on Redefining Marriage: A Crisis for Children.
Learn More About the Wilberforce Forum
http://www.frc.org/index.cfm?i=LK04H43&f=WU04H11&t=e
This brief quote is from an email by the Family Research Council at frc.org
You can sign up for their free daily briefing as part of your own social justice ministry. The FRC is commited to the Bible and staffed by born-again Bible-believing Christians.
 

Sharp

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A ministry idea for Black Christians. The sad state of the Black family is reason for so much suffering. Children do best with one father and one mother. The Bible says the way of sinners is hard (meaning painful and difficult). That is especially true of unwed parents. They suffer and their children suffer. The church can help, but nothing will replace a father and mother. The Black Church is starting to wake up to its social and moral responsibility. Here is good news.

Brief excerpt from email update by Focus on the Family and Dr James Dobson. See their site at family.org
Saturday marks the 41st anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's famed "I Have a Dream" speech, and conservative black leaders are planning to commemorate the day by calling for support of the Federal Marriage Amendment.

"We've looked at 40 years of trying to fix these things politically, and they've all backfired on the black family," said Star Parker, founder of the Coalition on Urban Renewal and Education (CURE). "We are just not going to allow the homosexual activists to define marriage during this critical state of our affairs."

Parker gets angry when she hears gay activists comparing their struggles with those of African-Americans who braved fire hoses and vicious dogs to secure basic rights like voting and getting a proper education. She noted that Dr. King appealed to God's moral law in his fight against discrimination and segregation.

"You can imagine how it makes you feel," she said, "when you consider just the stealing of the language and the insistence that Dr. King would have had it this way."

According to CURE, 60 percent of black children grow up in fatherless homes, and more than 300,000 African-American babies are aborted every year.

Pastor Daryl Foster said marriage is one of the answers to healing his community.

"What we want to do is speak to black America," he said, "to let them know how important it is for us to uphold the traditional definition of marriage and family."
Please pray for our Black churches that they will motivate young people to return to Biblical marriage and purity.
 
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Sharp

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rainbowprism said:
I pray that there won't be churches just for blacks, just for whites, just for asians, just for whatever single group. I pray that we can all have churches with diversity, that together, strive towards Biblical ideals.
That's a great idea! Why didn't I think of that? I agree with you about not segregating the church.

Churches and race are not matters of excluding people by race or money class. That is a sin. It is more a matter of people finding a comfort level with others like themselves. We Christians need to leave our own comfort levels, but not expect non-Christians to do the same to meet with us. The issues are still unclear. One thing is sure, we must not reject anyone from membership or fellowship due to race.

What language should those Asian and Latino church members use in mostly English-speaking congregations? Should our services use or abandon classical or gospel music? Or use only Christian Rock? Or use only Asian, or Indian or African music? Is there ever a reason for people to attend churches in their neighborhoods? Could it be that there are evangelistic advantages to attracting people based upon culture? I don't suppose you've heard of the 'homogeneous unit principle' or the 'church growth movement', eh? I agree with you about not segregating the church, but it is not easy to make happen as long as people are free to choose for themselves. There is some lesson in that somewhere.

In the meantime, any comments upon these examples of Christians helping people?
 
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rainbowprism

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"I agree with you about not segregating the church, but it is not easy to make happen as long as people are free to choose for themselves."
Sharp, come on now. Did I ever imply that a racially diverse church would mean it would ask those of 'diverse backgrounds' to become just like 'us'? There's example of mulit-racial churches in the Bible itself...I don't think it's too lofty an ideal. We are all, in fact, God's people. And I can think of plenty white people that have broken down the concept of family....it's not a racial issue.
 
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Sharp

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rainbowprism said:
Sharp, come on now. Did I ever imply that a racially diverse church would mean it would ask those of 'diverse backgrounds' to become just like 'us'?
What? I don't know if you ever implied it or not. I suspect that the opposite is the case. You probably have never even considered it. And you should. Look up the homogeneous unit principle and the church growth movement. It is not as easy or as simple as you make it sound.
There's example of mulit-racial churches in the Bible itself...I don't think it's too lofty an ideal. We are all, in fact, God's people.
I like it. What's the problem with believers of different races and cultures fellowshipping in one congregation? No Biblical problem, but some practical problems with human nature. Need I explain? I'd rather you reseach this for yourself. The question for believers is when does the natural human desire to be in familiar and comfortable surroundings build a wall unintentionally that makes those of different backgrounds feel less confort? That is the whole reason in a nutshell for segregated churches... by race, or class, or language, or wealth, or music, or culture.

And I can think of plenty white people that have broken down the concept of family....it's not a racial issue.
I hope we are both talking just about interracial adoption, right? Or marriage? You aren't trying to help the democrats redefine marriage to meet the demands of those who reject the Bible's family values.
 
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Sharp

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Treasure the Questions said:
Sharp, can you please explain where you think social justice is involved here?

Karin
Yes, the church is the key to social reform. Gov't can help a little -- perhaps best by staying out of the way.

Real reform is transfromation from above, by God's power. What can the gov't do to cure the blight of fatherless families? Nothing. The solution is in morality, and that can only come from faith.

Chruches have to enjoy and use the power of the pulpit to preach reform. That power is being denied them by deceptive and misleading propaganda. I intend to enable pastors to speak freely on social justice issues.

The Defense of Marriage constitutional amendment is the single most important social justice issue facing America today. This is a moral, make or break a nation choice. I hope and believe we Americans will do right on it.
 
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Treasure the Questions

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I'm not sure social reform is necessarily the same as social justice. Where is the injustice in the current marriage laws in your country? You may be worried about immorality, but that's not the same as injustice. Who is being treated unjustly? I suspect the proposals you're supporting could cause more injustice.

Karin
 
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Sharp

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rainbowprism said:
My Lord, you are taking every single thing I said and turning it around and perverting it to be the opposite. I never said or insinuated anything you suggested I did. Stop it.
Homer Simpson pounds his forehead and says, "Doh!" Honestly, RainbowPrism, I was asking a clairifying question. Okay we Americans and British are one people divided by a common language. I had to ask sincere and worrisome questions. I had hoped that you were not advocating gay marraige, but I didn't know for sure. That's why I asked. Thank you.

Sorry if my questions alarmed you. If I don't ask, I don't know.
 
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Sharp

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Treasure the Questions said:
I'm not sure social reform is necessarily the same as social justice. Where is the injustice in the current marriage laws in your country? You may be worried about immorality, but that's not the same as injustice. Who is being treated unjustly? I suspect the proposals you're supporting could cause more injustice.

Karin
I see social action of any kind as part of Christian social ministry. The purpose of Christian politcal and social action is to please God, to help fellow man, and to buy us time and opportunity for evangelism and discipleship. The difference between justice and reform are two sides of the same coin... the same thing to me.

As to protecting marriage from redefinition, the injustice is against all of society and against the children that would be harmed by a redefinition of marriage. I see immorality as causing harm to us all as a society... especially the innocent children. My proposals about protecting marriage should continue to honor God's definintion of marriage since the very begining. There is no chance of injustice in that.

I hope you can share my enthusiasm for these things. Even if non-Chrsitians do not share our Christian ethics and morals, they still benefit as human beings and citizens.
 
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