Wednesday, June 24, 2015

24 June 2015



“But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.” [Ezekiel 33:6]

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” [Ephesians 6:12]

Presbyterians Week Headlines










---


A 22 June 2015 Zionica article titled “Billy Graham’s Grandson Steps down from Florida Megachurch after Admitting an Affair” reports that Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church (Presbyterian Church in America) pastor Tullian Tchividjian has stepped down following his admission to an adulterous affair.

Tchividjian released the following statement to The Washington Post:

“I resigned from my position at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church today due to ongoing marital issues. As many of you know, I returned from a trip a few months back and discovered that my wife was having an affair. Heartbroken and devastated, I informed our church leadership and requested a sabbatical to focus exclusively on my marriage and family. As her affair continued, we separated. Sadly and embarrassingly, I subsequently sought comfort in a friend and developed an inappropriate relationship myself. Last week I was approached by our church leaders and they asked me about my own affair. I admitted to it and it was decided that the best course of action would be for me to resign. Both my wife and I are heartbroken over our actions and we ask you to pray for us and our family that God would give us the grace we need to weather this heart wrenching storm. We are amazingly grateful for the team of men and women who are committed to walking this difficult path with us. Please pray for the healing of deep wounds and we kindly ask that you respect our privacy.”

Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church released the following Official Statement from Coral Ridge Leadership:

“Several days ago, Pastor Tullian admitted to moral failure, acknowledging his actions disqualify him from continuing to serve as senior pastor or preach from the pulpit, and resigned – effective immediately.

We are saddened by this news, but are working with and assisting Pastor Tullian and his family to help them through this difficult time, and asking people to join us in praying that God will bring restoration through this process and healing to all involved.

The Leadership of Coral Ridge remain committed to promoting the transforming power of the Gospel. While we do not yet know whom God will direct to lead our congregation in the near future, we trust the Lord’s guidance during this transition period, knowing He is our hope.”


Several articles on the Internet on Tchividjian’s blog and other places written by Tchividjian are no longer available at their original locations including:



The editor in this and in other forums roundly criticized the leadership of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church and Tullian Tchividjian for some of their actions following the death of the Rev. Dr. D. James Kennedy, but takes this incident as a reminder that all of us including myself, pastors, elders, men, and women, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, must guard our hearts and our lives against πορνεία (porneia – fornication and adultery in all of its forms) lest we too fall into these sins which can so easily beset us. May God have mercy upon and bless the Tchividjians as they seek to salvage their marriage.



+ Presbyterian Church in America, 1700 North Brown Road, Suite 105, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043, 678-825-1000, Fax: 678-825-1001, ac@pcanet.org

+ The Washington Post, 1150 15th Street Northwest, Washington DC  20071, 202-334-6000, Contact Form



The Hungarian Human Rights Foundation on 15 July 2015 issued the following statement regarding church property in Romania:

Church Property Restitution in Romania:
Romanian Government and State Department Have 90 Days to Report
In an unprecedented move, the House of Representatives’ Appropriations Committee passed, on June 11, an amendment to the FY 2016 State Department Appropriation’s Budget on church property restitution in Romania. The unanimous vote by the full Committee came one week after the Washington visit by a delegation from the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ). 

Hungarian-American Caucus Co-Chairs Congressman Dr. Andy Harris (MD-R) and Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-D) introduced the language that calls upon the government of Romania, as well as the State Department, to submit a report within 90 days about the steps taken to implement the restitution of communist-era confiscated religious properties in Romania.

In her introductory remarks, Rep. Kaptur stated: “In partnership with our Hungarian American Caucus co-chair, Representative Andy Harris, we have included language expressing concern about the status of restitution of church property by the government of Romania. It is our responsibility to stand on the side of human rights and religious freedom, most especially in countries still dealing with the dark legacy of communism.” Congressman Andy Harris subsequently told HHRF that “The State Department has to take all possible steps to advance church property restitution.”
At the Hungarian Human Rights Foundation’s invitation, the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ) delegation headed by party President Hunor Kelemen met with decision-makers, human and religious rights experts from June 2-5.  Subsequently he told the media: “The strategic partnership between the United States of America and Romania does not only encompass provisions for security policy, but should incorporate respect for human and minority rights, property rights, rule of law, as well as strengthening democratic institutions. Therefore we believe that the U.S. should closely monitor what is going on in Romania. Many domestic events prove that even after 25 years, democracy’s foothold in the country is not firm: the renationalization of the Hungarian Reformed Church’s Székely Mikó High School, penalizing the use of community symbols, officially declaring minority rights aspirations a ‘threat to public safety’ are all intentionally retrograde steps. Romanian state institutions no longer face pressure from the West and hence do not always feel the need to respect the requirements of democracy,” said RMDSZ president Hunor Kelemen in Washington.

HHRF President László Hámos applauded the vote, saying that HHRF will keep on working to represent the legitimate claims of the Hungarian community in Transylvania, just as we have been doing for the past 39 years.”

May 2005 marks the 10th anniversary of H. Res. 191, which the U.S. Congress adopted unanimously urging the Government of Romania to provide “equitable, prompt, and fair restitution to all religious communities” for properties confiscated under the communist regime. Recently, letters by Members of Congress to Secretary of State John Kerry have requested focused attention on the issue. 25 years after the fall of communism, only a third of over 7,586 properties in question have been returned to their rightful owners.
_____________________________

The HUNGARIAN HUMAN RIGHTS FOUNDATION – HHRF has monitored for 39 years the human rights conditions of 2.5 million ethnic Hungarians living as minorities in Croatia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia and Ukraine, who collectively comprise the largest national minority in Central Europe. HHRF is the only professional organization in the West devoted to the rights of these communities.


+ Hungarian Human Rights Foundation, 120 East 90th Street, Suite 5D, New York, New York 10128, 212-289-5488, Fax: 212-996-6268, hamos@hhrf.org

+ Bulgária-telepi Református Gyülekezet (Reformed Church in Romania), 400628 Kolozsvár - Cluj Napoca, Arad út 8-10 szám, Romania, 0264 - 415 756



Christopher H. Wisdom, Vice-President, Erskine Theological Seminary, on 18 June 2015 issued the following statement:

“On behalf of President Kooistra, the administration, faculty, and staff of Erskine Theological Seminary, I am writing to inform all our Erskine family of this most recent tragedy and to extend our deepest condolences and Christian love to our brothers and sisters in the African Methodist Episcopal Church in South Carolina. We share this in light of the grievous loss of Pastor Pinckney and the other ministers and members who were victims of the heinous shooting that took place last night during the prayer meeting at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston.

“We have long treasured our relationship with our AME students and colleagues, and pray that the God of all comfort and the Father of mercies in Christ will Himself be the Shepherd of all those affected, and especially those most profoundly bereaved by the loss of loved ones to their church and their families.

“We stand in solidarity and support with the AME Church in South Carolina and across the country, with prayers that God’s mercy and peace will cover all the victims of this heinous crime, and that those responsible will be brought to justice swiftly and fully by the authorities who are in charge of investigating and adjudicating this crime.

“Prayerfully,

“Chris”


+ Erskine College and Theological Seminary, 2 Washington Street, Due West, South Carolina 29639, 864-379-2131, Fax: 864-379-2167, jguyette@erskine.edu

+ Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, 1 Cleveland Street Suite 110, Greenville, South Carolina, 29601, 864-232-8297, Fax: 864-271-3729



A local ordinance that blocked an Arizona church from maintaining signs advertising its services was a violation of free speech, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled on Thursday.

The case involved Clyde Reed, pastor of the Good News Community Church, in Gilbert, Ariz. The town has an ordinance that places time restrictions on outdoor “directional signs” to events while allowing political and ideological signs to be posted longer. Good News Community Church’s Sunday services were held at different locations and the church had posted signs with the time and location of that week’s services. The church received a citation for exceeding the time limits for such signs and for failing to include an event date on the signs.

Justices concluded that this was, in effect, an unconstitutional content-based restriction on speech.

Writing the opinion of the court in Reed v. Gilbert, Justice Clarence Thomas argued that the rule wasn’t narrowly tailored enough, even accepting that a local government has a compelling interest in regulating public safety.

“The Town has offered no reason to believe that directional signs pose a greater threat to safety than do ideological or political signs,” Thomas wrote. “If anything, a sharply worded ideological sign seems more likely to distract a driver than a sign directing the public to a nearby church meeting.”

He concluded, “A sign ordinance narrowly tailored to the challenges of protecting the safety of pedestrians, drivers, and passengers—such as warning signs marking hazards on private property, signs directing traffic, or street numbers associated with private houses — well might survive strict scrutiny. The signs at issue in this case, including political and ideological signs and signs for events, are far removed from those purposes. As discussed above, they are facially content based and are neither justified by traditional safety concerns nor narrowly tailored.”

Article was printed on the Washington Examiner website by Philip Klein found here:


You can read the background story and original ARP News post from January 2015 here:



+ Washington Examiner, 1015 15th Street Northwest, Suite 500, Washington DC 20005, 202-903-2000, Contact Page

+ Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, 1 Cleveland Street Suite 110, Greenville, South Carolina, 29601, 864-232-8297, Fax: 864-271-3729



-- Synod Prays, Weeps over South Carolina Shooting

 

-- Synod Launches Overhaul of Denominational Structure

 

-- Synod Votes to Bring Back Women Advisers

 

-- Synod 2015 Expands the Role of Deacons

 

-- Synod Addresses Issue of Sexual Abuse by Office Bearers

 

-- Synod Says Reformed Church in America Ministry Candidates Must Meet CRC Requirements

 

 

+ Christian Reformed Church in North America, 2850 Kalamazoo Avenue Southeast, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49560, 616-241-1691, Fax: 616-224-0803 crcna@crcna.org

 

+ Reformed Church in America, 4500 60th Street Southeast, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512, 800-968-6065, questions@rca.org



For the first time, the synods of the ARP Church and the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) met concurrently at Bonclarken, and, in my opinion, it was a success. The folks in the RPCNA are genuinely warm people, and their faithfulness to their theological principles and traditions is clear and admirable. Singing the Psalms with them a cappella was glorious to hear. I preferred to stand in the balcony to hear the voices of 600 men blend into sounds of glory. I want to invite them back again. I want to hear singing like that again.

Growing up in Winter Haven, Florida, we lived in hurricane alley. I can remember watching the roof of our house settle in the backyard and, later, playing on the ceiling of our living room. Watching the storm come in was both exciting and terrifying. The hours before the hurricane hit were windy and rainy and exciting, but excitement turned to terror when the monster of rain and wind arrived.

I am wondering if this meeting of synod is something like the excitement that comes before a terrifying storm hits and settles over your house.

The packet that was distributed before synod portended a calm meeting. Indeed, we had guests in the house and wanted to be on our best behavior. Nevertheless, the Erskine and ECJA reports had to be negotiated and both reports sparked a bit of excitement.

Like Superman,“Faster than a speeding bullet,” we flew through the adoption of the budget, “Special Committee Reports,” “Standing Committee Reports,” and “Synod Board and Agency Reports.”

Did anyone take time to notice how we stand financially? Did anyone notice that the budget is 1.2% less than last year? Did anyone notice that our support of ONA and World Witness is down, while our support of Central Services is up? That is, we are spending more and more to administrate less and less!

In American Presbyterianism, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OP) is our counterpart in size. At their recent General Assembly, the OPs reported an increase in congregations as the result of eight mission congregations being particularized and six new mission works started. The ARPs reported one mission congregation particularized and four mission works begun (two in the US and two in Canada [and that is an outstanding effort for the little Canadian Presbytery]). Also, the OPs reported their membership is up to 31,122 while ARPs reported their membership down to 32,842 (Minutes, 2014). Furthermore, the OPs reported their total giving as over 54 million dollars, while ARPs reported total giving at $51,304, 324 (Minutes, 2014). The ARPC and the OPC are now passing each other. One is heading up and one is heading down.

If you missed the obvious, we are headed down! Why were we so nonchalant and oblivious to something so distressing? Our battle song must be: “Backwards Christian Soldiers, Marching Like a Herd of Turtles.”

The Erskine report and the report of the Ecclesiastical Commission on Judicial Affairs (ECJA) were the two controversial affairs.
Report of Erskine College & Seminary

One recommendation of the Erskine report was returned to the Erskine board for reconsideration. The board has changed the bylaws governing Erskine, and the board was asking General Synod to change the Manual of Authorities and Duties (MAD) to reflect the removal of quotas regarding the choice of board trustees. Particularly, the quota regarding the number of ARP ministers serving on the board was changed in the Erskine bylaws. Many of the delegates felt that this was the tail wagging the dog. The board wants more monied trustees. With all that has taken place, the questions of ARP identity and evangelical direction at Erskine were foremost in the minds of the delegates.

A motion was made by Mr. Jeff Kingswood (Canada Presbytery) asking the Erskine board to consider closing the MEDCOM program. This is becoming a rite of passage for meetings of General Synod.

The MEDCOM DMin program for Army chaplains matriculates non-Christian clerics in the program; however, the program also brings in $300,000 a year from the Army in tuition fees which is the only thing presently between Erskine Seminary and insolvency and closed doors. So that the seminary does not violate the seminary’s mission, the program has been transferred to the college. Many of us feel this is a disingenuous move, for the program is administered and taught by the seminary. We are appalled that we advance the religious careers of non-Christian clerics at a Christian institution. In other words, we feel we are aiding and abetting those who would destroy the name and church of the Lord Jesus.

The debate was lively, and everything was said that could be said by those who wanted to say it. The only ugly moment was Mr. Mickey Rice’s insinuation that Mr. Kingswood’s motion and comments betrayed a conflict of interest because he is presently the chairman of the board of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary (GPTS), Greenville, SC. I do not know how Mr. Rice came to that conclusion. I know the people at GPTS. I do not believe that one could melt down the MEDCOM program in a pot and pour it on GPTS. Mr. Kingswood’s motion and comments are consistent with the position he has held for years. From the way the program was presented, Erskine Seminary is the only so-called conservative seminary that will take the MEDCOM program. The only other seminaries willing to touch the program are very liberal.

Of course, Mr. Kingswood’s motion failed. No one wants to be remembered as a part of the synod that voted to close the doors at the seminary — so, a protracted and unceremonious death continues. Furthermore, President Kooistra is asking for the unnited and enthusiastic support of the General Synod for Erskine College & Seminary, and that support will never come as long as the MEDCOM program is in place. This simply violates the conscience of too many of us in General Synod.

On Wednesday afternoon, there was a presentation on higher education with the presidents of Geneva College and Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary (RPTS) from the RPCNA and President Kooistra and Vice President of the Seminary Chris Wisdom from the ARPC. In President Kooistra’s presentation, he stated he wanted (1) an Erskine that was authentically Christ-centered; (2) prayer and money from the ARPC; (3) that Erskine has a spiritual problem that must be attended to in order for teaching to occur from a Biblical world and life view; (4) he was seeking unity among Erskine’s stakeholders: the ARP Synod, faculty, students, board, alumni, and friends (but how did the faculty, students, alumni, and friends become “stakeholders” when the ARPC and the board are the owners?); and (5) President Kooistra has set goals: {a} 700 students; {b} a decrease of the number of student athletes and an increase in tuition revenue by $3500; {c} a board that contributes 9% of the Annual Fund; {d} develop a hybrid liberal arts program — for example, the two most popular majors involve either business or athletic training; and {e} develop virtual classrooms and online programs.

Contrast President Kooistra’s presentation with the presentation of the President of RPTS. When President Jerry O’Neill took over ten years ago, he said the seminary was on the verge of financial collapse. He said he, the members of the board, and the members of the faculty made a commitment to stay true to their Biblical principles and wait on God. It was okay if God closed the seminary. It was okay if they were small. It was okay if they had financial struggles. It was not okay to abandon their Biblical principles. In so doing, President O’Neill’s testimony is that he has found God rarely early but always on time and faithful! It other words, the endeavor is not about money, money, and more money; rather, it is about faithfulness to principles. Something that many of us feel has been lost at Erskine.

And the woes continue for Erskine Seminary: it was reported that Dr. Mary Lowe has been reinstated as a full-time professor in order to redevelop the  seminary’s online program. Well, that may happen, but it will be done by someone new. Drs. Steve and Mary Lowe will be teaching at Liberty University this Fall. The online stream of revenue is now as dry as a North African wadi.

Reports out of Due West suggest that a similar faculty and staff exodus is taking place at the college as employees cast a vote of no confidence in the current administration by voting with their feet. Whatever President Kooistra’s plans for “a hybrid liberal arts program” may be, the discontinuation of the teaching of modern languages and the relegation of Bible and Religion instruction to the seminary sends the clear message that Erskine is no longer a liberal arts college. But the Editor seems to recall that the “Statement of Philosophy of Christian Higher Education” in the Manual of Authorities and Duties mandates that Erskine is to be a Christian liberal arts college. Since when are President Kooistra and the board allowed to unilaterally redefine the mission of Erskine College? Are they not supposed to be implementing the mission of Erskine as defined by the ARP Church? Are they not servants of the ARP Church?
Report of the Ecclesiastical Commission on Judicial Affairs

Last year, the complaint from Catawba Presbytery against Second Presbytery “requested that the General Synod of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church sustain the complaint and assume original jurisdiction in this matter concerning Mr. Wilson and ARPTalk through the Ecclesiastical Commission on Judiciary [sic] Affairs.” At that time, no one knew what that meant. Since appellate courts adjudicate decisions by lower courts, what does it mean for an appellate court to take original jurisdiction of a person? After a year’s work, hundreds and hundreds of man hours wasted, and thousands of pages written and printed, no one knows what is meant by the complaint.

As I count it, the report and the appendices are 126 pages long. It took 63,000 pages to print the report for 500 delegates. The report was late and sprung on General Synod at the last moment, and it took a two-thirds vote to authorize its distribution. The delegates only had about 24 hours to read and digest a complicated and convoluted mess that eluded the grasp of the members of the ECJA for a year. Indeed, the size of the report guaranteed that the report would not be read, and that was demonstrated in some of the goings on as the report was debated.

The conclusion and recommendations of the report were that the report be received as information and, if anyone wanted to bring charges against Chuck Wilson, let that person or persons file charges, but, as to the matters pointed out in the report, they are now three years old and beyond the one year statue of limitation.

The disposition of the ECJA’s report was in this manner: (1) an ad hoc committee will be appointed by the Moderator to investigate how we do judicial cases in the ARPC and the role of ECJA; (2) according to Mr. Mark Miller, a member of the ECJA, there are no charges against Chuck Wilson, and he moved that jurisdiction over Chuck Wilson be returned to Second Presbytery; and (3) a motion was made and passed not to receive the report as information.

At this point, a moment of silence needs to be observed and a Weeping Willow tree planted in front of the Youth Activity Building in memory of the trees sacrificed in printing the report of the ECJA. Good grief, ECJA Chairman Bob Wilson and Mr. Paul Bell, what were you thinking?

A motion was made and passed to discuss Internet domain names involving the letters ARP. After seven years, some folks expressed heartburn over ARPTalk’s name. Well, for all to know, the domain right to ARPTalk is held by Chuck Wilson through the blog administrator, and ARPTalk is a registered business in Oconee County, SC, in the name of Chuck Wilson. I suppose this new committee will work to establish the obvious.

On a humorous note: during one of the lulls, a number of people were discussing domain names with Mr. Chuck Wilson. Mr. Wilson replied, that, if he changed the name of ARPTalk to the name he originally picked, his wife would beat him and leave him. Then he added, “I don’t think you want to see the tender sensibilities of members of General Synod offended when someone rises and intones: ‘Mr. Moderator, I object to the articles in Balaam’s Ass!’”
An Impending Hurricane

Everything above is soft rain and gentle winds as compared to what looms in front of us as an evangelical denomination and Bible-believing Christians. There are two significant matters presently before the Supreme Court of the United States.

The first matter before the Supreme Court involves our ARP Good News Mission in Gilbert, AZ. It involves issues of signage. It involves a congregation’s freedom to put up signs so that the congregation can be found. Thankfully, the Alliance for Defending Freedom has taken on this matter as a freedom of speech issue. If the Supreme Court rules against our Good News Mission, it means that municipalities are free to limit or curtail the right of congregations to post signs.

Far more significant is the same-sex marriage issue before the Supreme Court. Whatever the Supreme Court does, a new normal is going to established this summer. This time next year, Bible-believing Christians who believe that marriage is between one man and one woman may be persecuted for their beliefs as hate-talkers. This time next year, ministers who refuse to perform same-sex marriages may be persecuted for their beliefs and their right to perform marriages withdrawn. This time next year, the congregations and agencies of Bible-believing churches may be persecuted by the federal government with the loss of tax exemption for their belief that same-sex marriage is a sin — an abomination before God.

There was no discussion of these serious matters at General Synod this year. We have made no plans for the cultural hurricane that is upon us.

Dr. Rosaria Butterfield is one of the prominent spokespersons on the matter of same-sex marriage in our theological circle. Her husband is a minister in the RPCNA. She was present with her husband at Bonclarken last week. She spoke before the RPCNA. Why was she not asked to speak to the General Synod on this important matter? Why was the opportunity wasted? Why are we making like a dumb ostrich with its head in the sand? I am sorry, but I simply do not buy the explanation that “It would have made our meeting too long!” Brothers and sisters, we may be on the verge of a hurricane that will blow the roof of our house off and into the backyard, and, then, we can play General Synod on the wrecked ceiling of our house.

These are my thoughts,

Charles W. Wilson



+ Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, 1 Cleveland Street Suite 110, Greenville, South Carolina, 29601, 864-232-8297, Fax: 864-271-3729
















+ LifeNews.com, Post Office Box 270841, Fort Collins, Colorado 80527, news@lifenews.com

+ YouTube, LLC, 901 Cherry Avenue, San Bruno, California 94066, 650-253-0000, Fax: 650-253-0001, press@youtube.com

+ The Guardian, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU, England, 0-20-3353-2000, reader@guardian.co.uk

+ LifeSiteNews.com, Incorporated, 4 Family Life Lane, Front Royal, Virginia 22630, 888-678-6008, Contact Page



Articles from the past week regarding kings and rulers setting themselves against the LORD and against his anointed:






+ The Sons of Liberty, P.O. Box 1126, Annandale, Minnesota 55302, 866-233-0747, info@sonsoflibertyradio.com



Articles from the past week about the religion of peace:

















+ Christian News Wire, 2020 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington DC 20006, 202-546-0054, newsdesk@christiannewswire.com





+ Assyrian International News Agency (Nineveh Software Corporation, 2317 West Farwell, Chicago, Illinois 60645, 773-575-5863, Fax: 773-761-8534)


+ Assist USA, Post Office Box 609, Lake Forest, California 92609, 949-380-1558, danjuma1@aol.com



Wednesday, June 10, 2015

10 June 2015




“But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.” [Ezekiel 33:6]

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” [Ephesians 6:12]


Presbyterians Week Headlines

[1] New Christian Observer Articles for June 2015


[2] Russian Orthodox Church Breaks Relations with Church of Scotland and the United Protestant Church of France over Denominations’ Embrace of Homosexuality

[3] The Trinity Foundation Publishes on Its Website “A Protestant View of Church History: The Early Church" by Dr. Ronald N. Cooke

[4] Post-Reformation Digital Library and Puritan Studies Program Information Available on the Wycliffe College Website

[5] Reformation Bible College Announces New Scholarships

---

[1] New Christian Observer Articles for June 2015


New Christian Observer articles for June 2015 include:

-- The Church by Design - by Christian Observer Contributing Editor David Brand – Christ’s design for his church from the perspective of a Congregational minister;

-- Reverse Discrimination Needs Reversing - by Christian Observer Contributing Editor Dr. Joe Renfro – The intentions of and the misuse of reverse discrimination, and the solution;

Plus
Daily Devotionals by Christian Observer Contributing Editor T.M. Moore, dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe.


+ Christian Observer, Post Office Box 1371, Lexington, Virginia 24450, christianobserver@christianobserver.org


[2] Russian Orthodox Church Breaks Relations with Church of Scotland and the United Protestant Church of France over Denominations’ Embrace of Homosexuality

A 5 June 2015 LifeSiteNews.com article by Fr. Mark Hodges titled “Churches Embracing Homosexuality Prepare Members to Accept the Anti-Christ: Russian Orthodox Leader” reports that the Russian Orthodox Church is ending "formal contacts" with the United Protestant Church of France and the Church of Scotland over the denominations’ embrace of homosexuality.

The chair of the Russian Orthodox Church Commission for Family, Protection of Motherhood and Childhood the Very Rev. Fr. Dimitry Smirnov said:

"We separated ourselves from them as from the plague, as it's contagious. The Russian Orthodox Church cannot support with its authority something that is just an iniquity from the Biblical point of view.

“These are not Christian communities anymore. This is another community with its own distinct name of 'LGBT.' Its future is simple and clear – the 'fire of Gehenna' – this is just what the Holy Scripture says.”

“…the former Christian peoples are preparing themselves for the solemn reception of the Anti-Christ."

The United Protestant Church of France was formed from a merger of the Reformed Church of France and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of France.



+ LifeSiteNews.com, Incorporated, 4 Family Life Lane, Front Royal,
Virginia 22630, 888-678-6008, Contact Page

+ Russian Orthodox Church, 75 East 93rd Street,
New York, New York 10128, 212-534-1601, englishinfo@russianorthodoxchurch.ws

+ Church of Scotland, 121 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 4YN, Scotland, 0131-225-5722

+ United Protestant Church of France, Contact Page

+ Reformed Church of France, 47 rue de Clichy - 75311 Paris Cedex 09, France, 01-48-74-90-92, Fax: 01-42-81-52-40, Contact Page

+ Evangelical Lutheran Church of France, 16, rue Chauchat 75009 Paris, France, 03-81-95-28-67


[3] The Trinity Foundation Publishes on Its Website “A Protestant View of Church History: The Early Church" by Dr. Ronald N. Cooke

The latest Trinity Review has been posted to The Trinity Foundation website. "A Protestant View of Church History: The Early Church" by Dr. Ronald N. Cooke is a needed antidote to much of the "Church Histories" written over the last two hundred years in which much of the history contained therein is Roman Catholic Church history, or what Dr. Cooke refers to as the Papal Dominion.


+ The Trinity Foundation, Post Office Box 68, Unicoi, Tennessee 37692, 423-743-0199, Fax: 423-743-2005, tjtrinityfound@aol.com


[4] Post-Reformation Digital Library and Puritan Studies Program Information Available on the Wycliffe College Website

The Post-Reformation Digital Library (PRDL) is a select database of digital books relating to the development of theology and philosophy during the Reformation and Post-Reformation/Early Modern Era (late 15th-18th c.). Late medieval and patristic works printed and referenced in the early modern era are also included. The PRDL is a project of the Junius Institute for Digital Reformation Research of Calvin Theological Seminary.

The Puritan Studies Program (PSP), an academic collaboration between the Jonathan Edwards Center Africa (JEC) and the John Wycliffe Theological College (JWTC) of Johannesburg, South Africa. JWTC was founded in 1996 to train qualified men as ministers of Christ. JEC was founded in 2009 through the strategic partnership of Yale University and the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa. As an international hub for the Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University, JEC Africa at UFS offers accessible, affordable, and academically credible programs in historical theology, primary sources, and religious history. JWTC and JEC Africa have identified the need to provide a quality academic graduate program for Puritan studies supported by dedicated scholars who share our vision and mission.


+ Calvin Theological Seminary, 3201 Burton Southeast, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546, 800-388-6034, Fax: 616-957-6101

+ John Wycliffe Theological College, Plot 172, Hyperion Drive, North Riding, Randburg, South Africa, 011-462-9478, 011-462-2647, library@wycliffe.edu


[5] Reformation Bible College Announces New Scholarships

Reformation Bible College (RBC) is pleased to announce new scholarships that make an education in God's Word even more affordable.

These new scholarships are available thanks to the generous support of RBC donors. All students enrolling in the new RBC Foundation Year certificate program will receive a US$2,000 scholarship. In addition, scholarships ranging from US$1,000 to US$3,000 are also available for other RBC programs and degrees.

For a limited time, RBC is waiving the application fee and is offering an additional one-time scholarship of $500 toward fall semester of 2015.


+ Reformation Bible College, 465 Ligonier Court, Sanford, Florida 32771, 888-722-1517, admissions@reformationbiblecollege.org



Wednesday, June 3, 2015

3 June 2015



“But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.” [Ezekiel 33:6]

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” [Ephesians 6:12]


Presbyterians Week Headlines








---


Reformed Presbyterian Church of , Manassas, Virginia on 30 May 2015 announced that they have adopted the following Statement on Biblical Marriage:

“1. The Reformed Presbyterian Church of Manassas, Virginia acknowledges only the Biblical teaching on marriage as being the union of a man and a woman in Holy Matrimony. So-called "Gay marriage"(and its variant designations) is a secular aberration of real marriage impinging on God's decreed will for marriage.

“2. The pastor of RPC is allowed only to perform marriages between a man and a woman.

“3. The authority of God's law-word on marriage supersedes the authority of the state in its various manifestations. The corruption of this matter by legal mischief is a violation of Holy Scripture, a violation of the free exercise of religion, and an act of tyranny.

“4. This issue concerning Biblical marriage opposed to homosexual marriage has the weight of status confessions and is supported by the Bible and by our Reformed Confessional Standards (The Westminster Confession of Faith, the Larger Catechism, and the Shorter Catechism).”


+ Reformed Presbyterian Church, 9400 Fairview Avenue, Manassas, Virginia 20110, 703-361.2300, pastor@rpchurchmanassas.org




D. James Kennedy Ministries, one of America’s most enduring and most acclaimed Christian media ministries, will now broadcast on Sirius-XM satellite radio.

The ministry’s popular nationwide radio program, Truth in Action, will air on Family Talk Channel 131 on Sundays at 12:30 p.m.  The Family Talk channel, hosted by the Salem Media Group, is the premier Christian teaching and talk channel on the Sirius-XM satellite platform.

James Kennedy Ministries, formerly Coral Ridge Ministries, is the media ministry outreach of the best-selling author and nationally-known evangelist. The addition of Sirius-XM to the ministry’s outreach continues a longstanding tradition, beginning with the launch of Dr. Kennedy’s first radio program in 1974.

As a weekly, nationally syndicated program, Truth In Action features the teaching of Dr. Kennedy, and is already impacting the lives of listeners across America with its clear proclamation of the Gospel and its commitment to biblical fidelity.

“We are committed to proclaiming the good news of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ, to helping people grow in grace as a follower of Christ, and to encouraging them to live out their faith in the world around them,” says Dr. Frank Wright, ministry president.
“With its enormous North American footprint and nearly 30 million subscribers,” Wright adds “we are confident that the Sirius-XM satellite platform, and our long-standing partnership with the Salem Media Group, will dramatically increase the impact of our Truth In Action radio program. ”

For more information about D. James Kennedy Ministries or Truth In Action, please contact Shirley Mayhue [s.mayhue@djkm.org; (954) 334-4367].


+ Truth in Action Ministries, National Processing Center, Post Office Box 6055, Albert Lea, Minnesota 56007, 800-988-7884, Contact Page



Evangelism Explosion International hosted celebratory dedication of its international headquarters building near Asheville, North Carolina on Friday, 29 May 2015. The dedication ceremony took place at the new headquarters facility, located at 10 Misty Valley Parkway, in Arden, North Carolina.

"We're eager to celebrate God's provision of this new headquarters building and to dedicate it to Christ's service," said Dr. John B. Sorensen, president of Evangelism Explosion International. The ministry trains people in more than 200 nations to share their faith in Jesus Christ.

"This building will be a vital hub in the work of Evangelism Explosion in the U.S. and overseas," said Sorensen. "Because of it, we're able to centralize staff and more effectively serve our worldwide ministry."

The new, two-story, 27,000 square foot building provides EE with ample and efficiently configured office space. It features

-- State of the art video and audio production facilities
-- The Kennedy Vision Center, with historic archives from EE founder, D. James Kennedy, Ph.D., as well as a visual display of EE's global ministry.
-- An auditorium seating 150 people

Among those attending the dedication will be Mrs. Anne Kennedy. She said her late husband, D. James Kennedy, "would be so thrilled to see this beautiful building the Lord has provided to support the work of Evangelism Explosion International."

An active EE trainer for more than fifty years, Mrs. Kennedy is "excited to see all the ways that God will use this facility to further His kingdom. Jim's motto was, 'Excellence in all things and all things to God's glory,' and this building exceeds all of our expectations. This is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes."

EE has relied, since its 1962 founding in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on rented space for its headquarters. "We own wonderful facilities overseas, but we've always waited for a place here in the U.S.," said Sorensen. "We're so grateful to have one now."

Evangelism Explosion trained more than one million people worldwide to effectively share the gospel in 2014. In addition, more than 8.4 million people professed faith in Christ through the witness of EE-trained believers last year.


+ Evangelism Explosion, 10 Misty Valley Parkway, Arden, North Carolina 28704, 888-567-3543, Fax: 828-687-7494, Contact Page



A 28 May 2015 Belfast Telegraph article by Lesley Houston titled “ISIS and Homosexuality Are God's Punishment on Europe, Claims Free Presbyterian Minister Ian Brown” reports that Free Presbyterian Church of Ulsterwww.freepres.org/ pastor the Rev. Ian Brown speaking at the late Rev. Ian Paisley's Martyrs Memorial Free Presbyterian Church in Belfast, Ireland said that Europe is being punished by God for its wickedness through homosexuality and the growing scourge of Islamist extremists.

Brown said the wrath of God had been felt throughout history, including in the rise of Hitler, and was in evidence again today. He said Europe had been punished for its greed, covetousness and wickedness prior to the Second World War and it was happening again.

Brown continued:

"That's why the dark spectre of ISIS is closing in on us today from the east and homosexuality closing in from the west, including ourselves as part of the west. God is saying something through this. He is shaking the nations," he maintained.

"This is his method through history. And he is shaking his Church. He shakes us up to send us back to himself….”

"In the west, do you know what army is on the march? It's the sodomites. I'm not saying that they all view themselves as blitzkrieg foot soldiers but I'll tell you what, the liberal elite are only too happy to use them, fund their causes, push their rights, promote their aims. And today in our Western world they are sweeping through the states of America compelling the states to capitulate and legislate in favour of same-sex marriage."

Brown added:

"And one state is falling like the next like a row of dominoes going down and they're being supported right up to the highest powers by Barack Obama, he's complicit like many others."


+ Belfast Telegraph, 124-144 Royal Avenue, Belfast BT1 1EB, Northern Ireland, 028-9026-4000, writeback@belfasttelegraph.co.uk

+ Free Presbyterian Church of Ulsterwww.freepres.org/, info@freepres.org



A 27 May 2015 The Christian Post article by Michael Gryboski titled “Conservative Presbyterian Sect Formed in 2012 Celebrates 200th Member Congregation After Break From PC(USA)” reports that the Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians (ECO) in early May 2015 gained the denomination’s 200th church that has broken from the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) after First Presbyterian Church of Griffin, Georgia, following a unanimous vote, joined the ECO.


+ The Christian Post, National Press Building, 529 14th Street Northwest, Suite 420, Washington DC 20045, 202-347-7734, info@christianpost.com

+ Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians, 8134 New LaGrange Road, Suite 227, Louisville, Kentucky 40222, 502-425-4630, email@fellowship-pres.org

+ Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, 888-728-7228, Fax: 502-569-8005









+ LifeNews.com, Post Office Box 270841, Fort Collins, Colorado 80527, news@lifenews.com

+ Assist USA, Post Office Box 609, Lake Forest, California 92609, 949-380-1558, danjuma1@aol.com



“You can truly grieve for every officer who’s been lost in the line of duty in this country, and still be troubled by cases of police overreach. Those two ideas are not mutually exclusive. You can have great regard for law enforcement and still want them to be held to high standards.” – Jon Stewart



+ THEBLAZE.COM LLC, 1270 Avenue of the Americas, 9th Floor, New York, New York 10036, contact@theblaze.com



Articles from the past week regarding kings and rulers setting themselves against the LORD and against his anointed:













+ Godfather Politics, 457 Nathan Dean Boulevard, Dallas, Georgia 30132


+ American Vision, 3150-A Florence Road, Suite 2, Powder Springs, Georgia 30127, 800-628-9460, Fax: 770-222-7269, Comments@AmericanVision.org

+ The Christian Institute, Wilberforce House, 4 Park Road, Gosforth Business Park, Newcastle upon Tyne NE12 8DG, England, 44-0-191-281-5664, Fax: 44-0-191-281-4272, info@christian.org.uk


+ Wall Street Journal, 200 Liberty Street, New York, New York 10281, 212-416-2000, wsjcontact@dowjones.com

+ Time Magazine, Time & Life Building, Rockefeller Center, New York, New York 10020-1393, 800-843-8463



Articles from the past week about the religion of peace:


















+ Assyrian International News Agency (Nineveh Software Corporation, 2317 West Farwell, Chicago, Illinois 60645, 773-575-5863, Fax: 773-761-8534)



+ Assist USA, Post Office Box 609, Lake Forest, California 92609, 949-380-1558, danjuma1@aol.com