Presbyterians Week Headlines
[1] Christian Observer Highlights for August 2014
[2] Metokos Press Releases First of Eight Books by David Feddes on ‘Worldview Evangelism’ - Beyond the Sun: a Bible Study on Ecclesiastes – Ebook Available on Amazon for US$.99 through 13 August 2014
[3] Ligonier Ministries Offering Free eBook Surprised by Suffering: The Role of Pain and Death in the Christian Life by R.C. Sproul through 31 August 2014
[4] Ex-Leaders and Ex-Members Group from Mars Hill Church Delay Filing of Fifty-Three Charges against Pastor Mark Driscoll and Executive Elders
[5] Letter about Sexual Assault and Women in the Military from the Presbyterian and Reformed Commission (PRCC) on Chaplains and Military Personnel
[6] New Releases from the Banner of Truth
[7] News from the Deepest Recesses of Hell
[8] The Thinning Blue Line
[9] Raging Heathen and Vain Imagining
[10] The Religion of Peace
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[1] Christian Observer Highlights for August 2014
New Christian Observer articles for August 2014 include:
-- “Absent from Absolutes?: “Yes and No” – “Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?” – Romans 3:3 – Geneva Bible” - by Christian Observer Contributing Editor David Brand - Part 29 in a continuing series on the effects of changes to the meaning of the Greek pistis (faith) to faithfulness by the English Revised Version Committee that began meeting in February 1870;
-- “Coreless Indoctrination by the Common Core Curriculum” - by Christian Observer Contributing Editor Dr. Joe Renfro – Common Core – the new national public school curriculum that features anti-Christian philosophy, moral relativism, academic dumbing down, far-left programs, near absence of discipline, and persistent but pitiable rationalizations offered by government education professionals;
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] Metokos Press Releases First of Eight Books by David Feddes on ‘Worldview Evangelism’ - Beyond the Sun: a Bible Study on Ecclesiastes – Ebook Available on Amazon for US$.99 through 13 August 2014
Metokos Press has just released its newest book on Amazon - Beyond the Sun: a Bible Study on Ecclesiastes by David Feddes, which is the first book in a planned series of eight on the topic of ‘Worldview Evangelism’. The eBook in Kindle format is available through 13 August 2013 for US$.99 at the following link:
http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Sun-Bible-Study-Ecclesiastes-ebook/dp/B00MIYXWUG/ref=sr_1_1/191-2044467-2735008?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1407808529&sr=1-1&keywords=metokos+press%29
Metokos Press is committed to publishing books that express biblical truth in a variety of genres, all written in clear language that is accessible to everyday readers.
+ Metokos Press, don@metokas.org
+ Amazon.com, Inc., Post Office Box 81226, Seattle, Washington 98108
[3] Ligonier Ministries Offering Free eBook Surprised by Suffering: The Role of Pain and Death in the Christian Life by R.C. Sproul through 31 August 2014
Ligonier Ministries is offering a free eBook, Surprised by Suffering: The Role of Pain and Death in the Christian Life by R.C. Sproul through 31 August 2014 at the following link:
http://www.ligonier.org/blog/surprised-suffering-free-ebook/?utm_source=All+Things+Ligonier&utm_campaign=135edb53fb-surprisedsuffering_ebookfree&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_420f754c7c-135edb53fb-239922145
+ Ligonier Ministries, 400 Technology Park, Lake Mary, Florida 32746, 407-333-4244, Fax: 407-333-4233
[4] Ex-Leaders and Ex-Members Group from Mars Hill Church Delay Filing of Fifty-Three Charges against Pastor Mark Driscoll and Executive Elders
(H/T Warren Throckmorton and Patheos)
An 8 August 2014 press release from ex-Mars Hill Church deacon Rob Smith representing seventy-file ex-members and ex-leaders of the church announced that in the wake of Mars Hill Church and its pastor the Rev. Mark Driscoll being ousted from the Acts 29 Network, fifty-three new charges to be made against Driscoll and the church’s Executive Elders would be postponed for the time being.
The press release stated in part:
“….
“One of the charges that was to be filed today is that the current bylaws were passed in a sinful and unlawful manner that violated both the text and spirit of the 2006 bylaws under which the new bylaws were passed. If found to be true, the church’s current bylaws may be deemed invalid and repealed.
“Smith called on the church’s current leadership to examine the manner in which the current bylaws were passed, and to take the bold move to declare them invalid and reinstate the 2006 bylaws that govern the church by “a plurality of equal elders. A return to a classically Reformed church governance model, preached and taught so well by Pastor Mark Driscoll, will serve the future of Mars Hill Church well.”
“Smith also called for “an end to the order given to the Mars Hill Church members to shun Pastor Paul Petry, and for a complete exoneration of both Pastor Paul Petry and Pastor Bent Meyer for their valiant attempts to protect the church in 2007.”
“The church has frequently been in the news lately, rocked by various scandals involving it’s coarse-tongued, “tough-guy” persona pastor, including allegations of plagiarism, libel, using church funds to manipulate sales of his sex book onto the New York Times bestseller list, posting vulgar online rants demeaning to women under an assumed name, and most recently the revelation that solicited donations to the church’s global fund for missions to Africa and India were misappropriated and spent on acquisitions of real estate in Spokane and Everett, Washington.
“….”
+ Patheos, information@patheos.com
+ Mars Hill Church, 811 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98104, 206-816-3626, life@marshill.com
[5] Letter about Sexual Assault and Women in the Military from the Presbyterian and Reformed Commission (PRCC) on Chaplains and Military Personnel
(H/T to ARPTalk Editor Chuck Wilson)
THE PRESBYTERIAN AND REFORMED COMMISSION (PRCC) ON CHAPLAINS AND MILITARY PERSONNEL
Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (ARPC)
Korean American Presbyterian Church (KAPC)
The Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC)
Presbyterian Church in America (PCA)
Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA)
and chaplaincy endorsing body for the
Korean Presbyterian Church in America (Ko-Shin) (KPCA)
United Reformed Churches in North America (URCNA)
To PRCC Member Denomination Stated Clerks, Presbytery Clerks, Sessions, and Members of PRCC Congregations
Among the constitutional responsibilities of the Presbyterian and Reformed Commission on Chaplains is “keeping member denominations informed of significant developments, trends, issues and problems concerning chaplains and members of the Armed Forces and other institutions …”(1) This letter comes pursuant to that responsibility.
Many news media have reported the increasing and unprecedented number of sexual assaults on members of the military services, perpetrated by fellow service members, with parallel acknowledgments that widespread educational efforts to prevent this shameful state of affairs have failed. While this criminal activity is known to have occurred in almost all locations where military personnel are stationed, many of these assaults have taken place where women are assigned to remote locations, especially in combat areas of interest to U. S. forces.(2)
To underscore the importance of our concern, we are impelled to inform you that in the fiscal year ending in September 2011, 3,192 sexual assaults were reported; in the 2012 year 3,374; and in 2013, more than 5,000. In 2012 the Department of Defense, extrapolating from an all-service survey of 108,478 personnel, estimated that 26,000 active-duty personnel were victims of “unwanted sexual contact” (over 70 per day): 12,100 of the 203,000 women on active duty (ca. 6.1%) and 13,900 of the 1.2 million men on active duty (ca. 1.2%). Careful study of the Department of Defense Report reveals that the extrapolated number of male victims is 53% of the total number of victims. Victims in completed investigations of unrestricted reports in FY12 were 88% female and 12% male. Of “subjects” (alleged assailants), 90% were male, 2% female, and 8% of unidentified gender. Of the 26,000 incidents, 55% were rapes or aggravated sexual assaults and 6% were nonconsensual sodomy. The Veterans Administration has opened a unit in Florida to help male victims of military sexual assault.(3)
Both the problem and the military establishment’s response to it have been the subject of congressional hearings, press reports, and a presidential news conference. The 2014 National Defense Authorization Act requires dealing with the crisis, including additional training programs and changes in the military justice system. Whether these produce significant change in military culture remains to be seen. Thus far, educational efforts have been demonstrably ineffective. It also remains unclear how the military is to ensure the rights of the accused as well as victims in sexual assault cases.
The acknowledged overwhelming evidence of this ethical collapse is a painful and powerful reminder that personal moral integrity, especially in those in leadership positions, is crucial to maintaining combat readiness in our armed forces. These crimes are a threat to the spiritual and emotional well-being of service members as well. Maintaining a high standard of ethical conduct is much more difficult when a persistent, needless, and abnormal level of temptation has been introduced into any situation, which is precisely what occurred when the decision was made to include women in military combatant assignments.(4)
We respectfully remind you of the unanimous conclusions by three of our Presbyterian and Reformed denominations that “…biblical teaching does not give a nation warrant to employ women for military combat.”(5)
The purpose of this communication is to assist you in pastoral counseling of members of your congregations who are in or considering military service. While our sons and daughters are to be commended for their desire to serve God in the uniformed services (Luke 3:14), we believe it is imperative to counsel them of the risks to both women and men in the current military culture: of the dangers of temptation, of being assaulted, and of being wrongfully accused. Until the Department of Defense changes this policy, the Church must be ready to counsel and support military members who find themselves in these tragic situations.
If this disastrous policy is not reversed, many churches will be constrained to counsel daughters and other women against seeking to serve in any of our military services and to provide full legal support for women in our churches in seeking conscientious objector status when the draft returns.
We respectfully request that Clerks of Synods, Stated Clerks, and Clerks of General Assemblies distribute this communication to subordinate courts and they in turn to pastors and sessions for their use in pastoral counseling of families and individuals.
Respectfully Submitted,
Bentley B. Rayburn, Maj Gen, USAF (RET) Chairman of the PRCC
Notes:
(1) PRCC Constitution, Article II.
(2) In FY 2009, a total of 279 incidents of sexual assault were reported in combat areas of interest (CAI): 149 of those were in Iraq and 32 in Afghanistan. As US troops have been withdrawn from Iraq and have remained in larger numbers in Afghanistan, the proportion of sexual assault reports has reversed. In 2012 there were 23 in Iraq and 132 in Afghanistan. Department of Defense, Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military, 2 vols. (Fiscal Year 2012), I/84-87. Hereinafter DoD 2012 Report. In FY 2012 the number of assaults reported in CAIs was down to 239. Of the 212 Unrestricted Reports [i.e., the victim gave full information to military authorities], 23 (11 percent) were made in Iraq and 132 (62 percent) were made in Afghanistan. The remaining 57 were made in Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Djibouti, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Egypt, Oman , and Saudi Arabia. Of “subjects” (accused assailants), 90% were male, 2% female, and 8% unidentified. In addition, 54 US service members were sexually assaulted by foreign nationals, of whom all 54 were males.
(3) DoD 2012 Report, II/1-4. “Unwanted sexual contact” is defined as “intentional sexual contact that was against a person’s will or which occurred when the person did not or could not consent, and includes completed or attempted sexual intercourse, sodomy (oral or anal sex), penetration by an object, and the unwanted touching of genitalia and other sexually- related areas of the body.” Ibid., 1. This category excludes gender-related inappropriate harassment (innuendo, sexist remarks, offensive jokes, etc.). In addition, the definition of “unwanted sexual contact” in the Uniform Code of Military Justice was amended in 2004, 2007, and 2012. I/63, fn 71. For more detail, see UCMJ Art. 120 (“Rape, sexual assault, and other sexual misconduct”) and 125 (Sodomy), available online at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/USCODE-2010-title10
(10 USC 47). DoE 2012 Report I, p. 81 and 83; “Trapped in Trauma,” Tampa Bay Times, Aug 24, 2013.
(4) This includes women who are attached to, but not assigned to, combat units, and women in close support of combat operations (e.g., interrogating female prisoners and civilians). Beginning in 2016, the DoD plans to begin assigning women as members of combat units.
(5) RPCNA, Min. 186th Synod, 1998, p. 85-86; OPC 68th General Assembly, 2001, sec. 144 (accessed online 7 Jan 2014); PCA, 31st General Assembly, 2002, sec. 30-57 (accessed online 7 Jan 2014). Cf. PRCC Chaplains’ Manual (2012 ed.), pp. 22-26. The discussion in the Chaplains’ Manual is particularly useful.
+ ARPTalk Blog, 864-882-6337, wilson6114@bellsouth.net
+ Presbyterian Church in America, 1700 North Brown Road, Suite 105, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043, 678-825-1000, Fax: 678-825-1001, ac@pcanet.org
+ Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, 1 Cleveland Street Suite 110, Greenville, South Carolina, 29601, 864-232-8297, Fax: 864-271-3729
+ Korean American Presbyterian Church, kapc.org@gmail.com
+ The Orthodox Presbyterian Church, 607 North Easton Road, Building E, Box P, Willow Grove, Pennsylvania 19090, 215-830-0900, Fax: 215-830-0350
+ Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA), 7408 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15208, 412-731-1177, Fax: 412-731-8861
+ Korean Presbyterian Church in America, 303 Master Derby Drive, Havre de Grace, Maryland 21078, 443-502-2950, jacobsjang@gmail.com
[6] New Releases from the Banner of Truth
The Banner of Truth announces the following new releases:
A Reader's Guide to the Westminster Confession of Faith by Chad Van Dixhoorn
http://banneroftruth.org/us/store/theology/confessing-the-faith/
Douglas Higgins: Autobiography of a Yorkshire Christian
http://banneroftruth.org/us/store/history-biography/douglas-higgins/
+ The Banner of Truth Trust, P.O. Box 621, Carlisle, Pennsylvania 17013, 717-249-5747, info@banneroftruth.org
[7] News from the Deepest Recesses of Hell
-- Couple Who Abandoned Surrogate Baby with Down’s Syndrome: We Wanted Refund, Abortion
-- Global Warming Alarmist Calls Children ‘Carbon Legacies’
-- Planned Parenthood Ignored Rape of Teen Girl, Allowing Rapist to Rape Others
-- Strip Club Dancers Protest Topless Outside of Ohio Church during Sunday Service
+ LifeNews.com, Post Office Box 270841, Fort Collins, Colorado 80527, news@lifenews.com
+ LifeSiteNews.com, Incorporated, 4 Family Life Lane, Front Royal, Virginia 22630, 888-678-6008, Contact Page
+ Christian News Network, Post Office Box 30000, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, Contact Page
[8] The Thinning Blue Line
-- New Jersey Police Ticket Christian for Posting Scripture Sign on His Vehicle
-- Bridgeport, Connecticut Cops Are Stomping a Prone Suspect. What a Third Cop Does When He Pulls Up to the Scene Has Him Facing Ten Years in Jail
-- New York City Police Union Commissar: If You Resist, You Should Expect to Die
-- Barry Township, Michigan is Fed Up with Militarized Policing
-- Connecticut Cops Can Now Arrest You Just for Being Near Someone Else Being Arrested
-- New York City Police Falsely Accused Diabetic Teen of Murder and Stole His Insulin to Force Confession
-- Cedar Rapids, Iowa Man Threatened with Police Action for Growing Vegetable Garden
-- New York City Police Destroyed Evidence after Officer Killed Student with Police Car
-- Emergency Medical Technicians Allegedly Stopped Four New York City Police Officers Beating Handcuffed Man
-- New York City Police Raid Wrong Apartment, Pull Naked Woman out of Her Shower
-- Lakeland, Florida Tax-payers Shell Out US$25,000 to Woman after Cop Forced Her to Perform Demeaning “Bra Shakes”
-- Prominent Community Activist Viciously Beaten by Minneapolis Police for Requesting to See Warrant
-- Palo Alto, California Cop Tells Man to Stop Having a Seizure or He’ll Break His Arm - He Broke His Arm
+ Christian News Network, Post Office Box 30000, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, Contact Page
+ THEBLAZE.COM LLC, 1270 Avenue of the Americas, 9th Floor, New York, New York 10036, contact@theblaze.com
+ The Liberty Crier
+ Girls Just Wanna Have Guns, Contact Page
+ All American Blogger
+ The Free Thought Project, contact@thefreethoughtproject.com
+ Huffington Post, 560 Broadway, New York, New York 10012, 212-245-7844, info@huffingtonpost.com
[9] Raging Heathen and Vain Imagining
Articles from the past week regarding kings and rulers setting themselves against the LORD and against his anointed:
-- FedEx Indicted on 15 Criminal Counts for Drug Trafficking Despite Controlled Substances Act Exemption for Common Carriers
-- Obama Makes Surprise Appearance to Kick Off Gay Games
-- Liberty Counsel Attorney Matt Barber Wanted for Hate Crimes in Canada
-- U.S. Hospitals to Begin Monitoring Your Credit Card Purchases to Flag 'Unhealthy' Habits
-- Russian Strategic Bombers Conduct More Than Sixteen Incursions of U.S. Air Defense Zones
-- It’s Not Fear-Mongering or a Conspiracy Theory when Elitists Are on Record for Ninety-Five Percent of the Population to be Eliminated
-- Human Depopulation is the Real Agenda
-- Border Patrol Agent: Government Allowing Admitted Murderers into the U.S.
-- Whistleblower: NSA Goal Is 'Total Population Control'
-- United Nations and U.S. Government Plan to Fight Ebola with Tyranny
-- NFL Makes Stunning Announcement That Players Will Receive RFID Microchips for 2014 Season
+ Ben Swann, Contact Page
+ Clash Daily
+ GOPUSA, Contact Page
+ American Vision, 3150-A Florence Road, Suite 2, Powder Springs, Georgia 30127, 800-628-9460, Fax: 770-222-7269, Comments@AmericanVision.org
+ Jihad Watch and Dhimmi Watch
+ Freedom Outpost, 1116 North Market Street, Paris, Tennessee 38242, 73-644-2220, Contact Page
+ Girls Just Wanna Have Guns, Contact Page
+ The Christian Broadcasting Network, 977 Centerville Turnpike, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23463, 757-226-7000, Contact Page
+ Now the End Begins, Contact Page
[10] The Religion of Peace
Articles from the past week about the religion of peace:
-- U.S. Training The Taliban To Kill U.S. Soldiers - And Take Back Afghanistan
-- ISIS Boldly Declares That ‘We Will Raise the Flag of Allah in the White House’
-- Central African Republic President Names Country’s First Ever Muslim Prime Minister
-- Five-Year-Old Christian Iraqi Boy Cut in Half by ISIS Terrorists
-- Islamic State Beheads and Crucifies in Push to Dominate Eastern Syria
-- Iraq General: Seventy Percent of Yazidis on Mount Sinjar Are Dead
-- Iran Calls On “Palestinians” in Judea and Samaria to Take Up Arms against Israel
-- Much of the U.S. Aid to Yazidis “Useless” Because It Was Dropped from 15,000 Feet without Parachutes and Exploded on Impact
-- Iraq: Muslims Shoot Family of Eight in Face for Refusing to Convert to Islam
-- Congo: Muslims Murder Three Priests for Refusing to Convert to Islam
-- Photo: Australian Jihadi’s Son, Age Seven, Holds Severed Head
-- Genocide: the Communist and Islamic Versions
-- Iraqi Militants Execute 500: Some Buried Alive
-- Second ‘Flood of Noah’ Threatened after Seizure of Dam by Terror Group
-- Iran Calls on West Bank Palestinians to Take Up Arms against Israel, Encourages Violence
-- Islamic Militants Gang Rape Catholic Nurse in Libya after Beheading Construction Worker
-- Is Obama Attacking ISIS to Protect Shiite Muslims, Christians or Himself?
-- ISIS Buries 500 Yazidis Alive, Orders Others to Convert to Islam or Die
-- Emboldened ISIS Barbarically Slaughtering Christians in Iraq as Obama Golfs
-- Egypt Votes to Dissolve the Obama-Supported Muslim Brotherhood
-- Two Sudan Men Die after Sharia Floggings
-- ISIS, the Caliphate, is Evil Incarnate
-- U.S. Jets Strike at Islamic State Militants in Northern Iraq
-- Saudi Royal Family Will Not Allow America to Defeat Sunni Terrorists in Iraq
-- Muslim Mob in Libya Abducts Christian Nurse From Her Home and Gang Rapes Her Over And Over Again
-- Baghdad: Sunni Jihadists Murder Fifty-One with Car Bombs in Shiite Areas
-- ‘In 1971, Muslims Murdered 2.4 Million Hindus and Raped 200,000 Hindu Women’
-- Afghan Soldier Murders U.S. Army Major General
+ New York Post, 1211 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036, 800-552-7678, aaquilina@nypost.com
+ Now the End Begins, Contact Page
+ World Watch Monitor, Contact Page
+ Assyrian International News Agency (Nineveh Software Corporation, 2317 West Farwell, Chicago, Illinois 60645, 773-575-5863, Fax: 773-761-8534)
+ Jihad Watch and Dhimmi Watch
+ Renew America, Contact Page
+ Sky Media, 2nd Floor, 123 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9SL, England, 020-7032-2000, Contact Page
+ Assist USA, Post Office Box 609, Lake Forest, California 92609, 949-380-1558, danjuma1@aol.com
+ The Algemeiner Journal, Post Office Box 250746, Brooklyn, New York 11225, 718-771-0400, Fax: 718-771-0308, Contact Page
+ Inquisitr, editor@inquisitr.com
+ Godfather Politics, 457 Nathan Dean Boulevard, Dallas, Georgia 30132
+ Breitbart.com, 149 South Barrington Avenue #401, Los Angeles, California 90049
+ American Center for Law and Justice, Post Office Box 90555, Washington DC 20090, 757-226-2489, Fax: 757-226-2836
+ The National, Post Office Box 111434, Abu Dhabi, 971-2-4145328, newsdesk@thenational.ae
+ Christian News Wire, 2020 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington DC 20006, 202-546-0054, newsdesk@christiannewswire.com
+ Atlas Shrugs, writeatlas@aol.com
+ The Muslim Issue, Contact Page
