What is the Problem with Evangelism Ministry? Part 4 When Ministry Becomes A Mistress or Spiritual Adultery

I am a man who has been broken because I have failed in the most important human relationship created by God. It is a human relationship that God established, blessed, and devised to be a picture of how he deals both with His old covenant people Israel and His New Covenant people- the Church. 

A point of clarification: The church is the invisible and universal body of Christ. The members of the church are those who are born again by God, having repented of sin and trusted in (two sides of the same coin granted by God's grace Ephesians 2:8-9) Christ alone for their salvation. 

I will begin with a parable; There was a man who married a wife. He was in love with her, and desired to serve her and honor God with all of his being by loving her like Christ does the church. With this same passion, He also dove into ministry. As years passed, and children came into the home, and the cares of this world and the realities of married life crept in, this man began to pour his life into ministry. You see, at home, he did not feel the same respect that he did in ministry. People in his ministry hung on his every word, laughed at his jokes, and really were blessed what he had to say. He lost that at home, because his wife saw him act in dishonorable and non respectful ways. She did not hang on his every word, laugh at his jokes, and was often times not blessed, but cursed by him as stupid or not understanding. You see, the demands at home were not being met because he was pouring his life  and all of his energy into his ministry. His wife and kids got the leftovers. Eventually, his wife left him. She was seen as the bad person, She was condemned as the non Christian. 

At this point, you are probably thinking that the spouse is responsible for her own responses. Yes, that is true. However, the man sets the tone. The scripture is very clear that the man’s role in marriage is the one of headship, and with that great power comes great responsibility. Ephesians 5:23-33 details the husband’s role.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

        How does Christ want us to love our wives? Like Christ loved the church. It is agape love, something that Christian marriages strive to emulate. It is choosing to place love on a person, love without strings attached, love that prefers the object of the love above all others. How did Christ demonstrate Agape love towards the church? He laid down his life for the church. He gave up his human existence for the church. How can a man do that for his wife? By preferring her needs above that of his own; her need to be loved and feel loved above his need for respect and self-fulfillment. This example is found in Christ. There is nothing that Christ did not give. He left his heavenly home, laid down some of his attributes for a time, took on flesh, and the confinement of time to save His people- His bride. He gave it all, submitting to the Father before the beginning of time to lay down His life for His sheep. This is not a legalistic standard, it is an attitude.  It is a conviction. It is a decision to place the needs of the object of your love above that of your own life.  It is a act of gratitude for what Christ has done for you.

When a husband prefers ministry or elevates ministry (or work, or anything) over the obligation to love his wife, he is demonstrating a lack of understanding about the Gospel. I wonder specifically about para-church evangelism ministry: Why would a man travel across the country for days, weeks, or even months at a time to seek out a soul that is lost? He will say because he loves them and is concerned for their soul. He is commanded to seek and to save that which is lost. When he is willing to do that while leaving aside or downgrading the priority of loving his wife as Christ loved the church, is he serving God, or serving self? When the wife clearly communicates that she is not feeling loved, regardless if her motivation is pure, the priority is to listen, to hear, and to respond by laying down your life and even your ministry to love your wife as Christ loves the church. This brings more glory to God than any sermon ever preached.

²⁶ that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷ so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.^[a]

The next way that Jesus showed Agape love for His body, the church, was laying down his life to save her and also to sanctify her. It was not enough that Christ died to justify us before God and to make us righteous, His laying down his life also benefited us by cleansing us, making us holy. A man who lays down his life for his wife looks like a man who is concerned and intentional in making sure His wife is not only a Christian, but also strives to make her holy through the Word of God. He studies with her, reads with her, prays with her. When he sins, and he will, he confesses to her and seeks her forgiveness. He models the life as a Christian. He seeks to emulate Christ in all he does. And the focus, again, is on the object, his wife, who is loved and preferred above all else. Christ placed this focused love on His sheep, and his focused love was so intense that he laid down his life for the object loved. Men are commanded to do the same. We will never do it perfectly, but it should be our life’s focus.

Men in ministry and in industry will spend hours in study. Pastors I know take 16-20 hours a week preparing for their sermon. Men in industry prepare and study so they can be the top in their field. While men in ministry  hopefully are doing these things to the glory of God, and Christian men in industry do the same, I wonder if many even put a fraction of the energy into doing the job Jesus commands in sanctifying their wives? I do not know any man in ministry or industry who would give up just because someone is stubborn and does not want to listen. They will continue to pursue and strive because they want the best for that person. Why then do we lay down that responsibility at home, where we have been commanded to do it? 

²⁸ In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, ³⁰ because we are members of his body. ³¹ “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” ³² This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.

Christ’s agape love is demonstrated in that, while we were still sinners, He died for us (believers). He showed his love by preferring our need for righteousness above his need for life. When the scripture describes this love, it says several times that we ought to love our neighbors as ourselves, and here it says as our own bodies. I do not know about you, but when I am hungry, all I can think about is what I am going to eat, and where I am going to eat. It is my primary concern. That is the attitude we ought to have in dealing with our neighbor, and in a more intentional way with our spouses. Our love and preference for our spouses overrides and is on a higher level of importance than loving our neighbor. Christ is in us, we no longer live, but Christ lives in us (Galatians 2:20). In the spiritual realm, we are seen as righteous, because the Spirit of Christ now dwells in us. We are indistinguishable from Him in the heavenlies, and we are to become more like Him as we walk this earth. In the same way, we are to be one flesh with our wife. We are separate people (like Christ and Us) but we are one flesh in the spiritual realm. Our wives are our flesh. We are to nourish them spiritually, cherish them above all others. We do this to our own benefit, and if we fail to do it, it is to our detriment.

 It is here that we see that marriages are broken. If we do not love, nourish, and cherish our wives, then something spiritual happens. It is like a tear in our flesh. It is as though there is a wound that must be dealt with, and if it is not, the wound festers, becomes infected, and eventually can lead to amputation or even death. When we are not behaving like Christ to our wives, it is like a wound to our own flesh. She recognizes it in her spirit. If we do not deal with loving her spirit, and taking care of that wound, we are doing damage to our own flesh. Now, carrying through the illustration, when we deal with a wound, it is not always pleasant. It can hurt. The medicine that brings relief often stings. And the longer that it takes for the medicine to be applied, however, the worse it becomes. If you love your body, and you get a cut, you deal with it. We must be so attune to our wives’ spirit that if we wound her spirit, we need to be ready to bring the medicine of repentance, confession, and forgiveness to bear so that you can be healed.

What I hear and see all too often in ministry is a man who is self-centered and focused on building his own kingdom while claiming to build Christ's kingdom.  As stated above, in building our kingdoms in ministry or industry, we will strive to understand the mindset of the market in which we live, studying and gaining knowledge about how best to serve our congregation or our market. Yet, we spend little time and effort in an attempt to live with our wives in an understanding way (1 Peter 3:7) .

³³ However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

                So the command in this verse is clear: love your wife as yourself. This is the highest order. The man holds the burden of responsibility in the marriage to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The responsibility of the wife is to lovingly submit and to respect her husband. 

               

         But you retort- what if the wife just hates ministry? Are you a believer in the sovereignty of God?  Do you think that God chooses the one to whom we are supposed to be married so that our spouse can help us be built more into the image of Christ?  Or does God’s sovereignty end with our decisions about who we marry? Does not God make all things to work out for the good (Romans 8:28) so that we can be made into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29) or just some things?

Marriage brings together into one flesh two people who are sinful.  They are two people who need the Gospel. Every day. They need to realize that they are each broken and sinful people. They both need to realize that they are incapable of doing the things God has commanded them to do. The husband needs to realize that he cannot love His wife perfectly, but he will strive to with the help of Christ. When he fails, he will repent, confess, and seek forgiveness of both his wife and from God. He will receive grace and forgiveness and will be made whole. That is the gospel. When the wife does not submit to the husband or give him respect, she will realize it, repent of it, confess and seek forgiveness from her husband and from God, and she will receive grace and forgiveness and be made whole. That is the Gospel.  And when this is demonstrated in marriage, it brings more glory to God.

As ministers of the Gospel, we all must hold one another in the church to this standard of Gospel living before we do any gospel preaching. Again, we cannot do it perfectly. But we must strive to do it. When we fail, we must repent, confess our sin, and seek forgiveness. And there are seasons we must lay down the ministry to repair our marriage. 

Part one
Part Two
Part Three

Hate Crime Committed at Hillsong 'Church'

      The recent stories coming out about Hillsong church and the back and forth over the recent revelations that a unrepentant homosexual couple is ministering in music- one leading, the other in a choir. The statements below are both from October 2014: 

NOTE: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT TAKEN FROM PRESS CONFERENCE AUDIO  

Michael Paulson, The New York Times: Can I ask you to clarify something you said in regard to the relevance question? You brought up the subject of same sex marriage, and I wasn’t sure what you were saying. You’re now operating in New York and California where same sex marriage is legal. Can your pastors preside at same-sex marriages?

Brian Houston, Senior pastor of Hillsong Church: It can be challenging for churches to stay relevant. Because many mainstream churches upheld what they would believe is the long established view of what the Bible says about homosexuality. But the world has changed around and about them. On the subject, I always feel like there’s three things. There’s the world we live in, there’s the weight we live with, and there’s the word we live by. The world, the weight, and the word.

And to me, the world we live in, whether we like it or not is changing around and about us. Homosexual marriage is legal in [New York City] and will be probably in most Western world countries within a short time. So the world’s changing and we want to stay relevant as a church. So that’s a vexing thing. You think, “How do we not become a pariah?” So that’s the world we live in.

Then the weight we live with is the reality that in churches like ours and virtually any other church, there are young people who have serious questions about their sexuality. And who maybe, hypothetically speak to a youth pastor and says, “I think, you know, I’m gay.” And maybe they feel a sense of rejection there. Or maybe even their own Christian parents can’t handle it and exclude them at the time when they are most vulnerable in their life.

So you can have churches—not just our church, but churches—young people who are literally are depressed, maybe even suicidal and, sadly, often times grow up to hate the church because they feel that the church rejected them. So there’s the world we live in, the weight we live with, and then the word we live by.

The word we live by is what the Bible says. And it would be much easier if you could feel like all of those three just easily lined up. But they don’t necessarily. And that’s what Carl [Lentz] always says for us, it’s a conversation. For us, it’s easy to reduce what you think about homosexuality to just a public statement. And that would keep a lot of people happy. But we feel at this point, it is an ongoing conversation, that the real issues in people’s lives are too important for us to just reduce it down to a “yes” or “no” answer in a media outlet.

So we’re on the journey with it, aren’t we?

         Source  

Josh's Pastor, Carl Lentz, weighs in:  

Carl Lentz, pastor of Hillsong’s New York City location, made similar statements on CNN in June, saying Hillsong in New York City has “a lot of gay men and women” and he hopes it stays that way. But he declines to address the matter in public because, in part, Jesus never did. 

“Jesus was in the thick of an era where homosexuality, just like it is today, was widely prevalent,” Lentz told CNN. “And I’m still waiting for someone to show me the quote where Jesus addressed it on the record in front of people.  You won’t find it because he never did.” 

Lentz’s wife, Laura, chimed in: “It’s not our place to tell anyone how they should live. That’s their journey. 

Source

Which seem to agree with the testimony of Josh Canfield, seen in this twitter post from him: 

We’re writing this post in response to so many of you who have kindly reached out. You’ve been wondering why we have been getting so many hateful comments on all of our social media in the past week, in which some of you have been tagged or engaged.

The drama that is unfolding at the moment all revolves around the fact that we have been heavily involved in our church, Hillsong NYC. Josh has been with Hillsong for eight years in a variety of ways: choir director, vocal director, and worship team. I've been there since the beginning of our relationship, over three years ago, and eventually began singing in the choir and opening my apartment as the gathering place for a connect group for Hillsong members in the Broadway and theatrical communities.

We have been open and forthright about our relationship from the get-go.Due to our openness and very public appearance together on CBC’s “Survivor”, we have been in conversation with Hillsong NYC's lead pastors regarding the church's non-LGBT affirming stance. Hillsong has many campuses around the world, many in places where gay marriage is now legal, so this has been an ongoing dialogue trying to figure out how and where we, as part of the LGBT community, fit in. As a church family, we have been wading through these uncharted waters of shifting culture and social change. 

     So for the past eight years, Josh Canfield has been in a conversation with his pastors, who have stated  that "Hillsong in New York City has “a lot of gay men and women” and he hopes it stays that way." The Pastor's wife argues “It’s not our place to tell anyone how they should live. That’s their journey". 

     This is in opposition to scripture. A hate crime is being committed at Hillsong. 

     And it is not the only 'church' in which hate crimes are being committed in the name of relevance in a changing culture. Both my wife and I have personally experienced similar hate crimes in churches that we used to attend. We were personally and directly offended and affected by the lifestyle sins of others, and both of our (separate) pastors stated, as Laura Lentz stated above, "Its not our place to tell anyone how they should live. Thats their journey."

     It is clear that though Brian Houston has stated recently that he agrees with the teachings of the Apostle Paul that he and Pastor Lentz disagree with the ecclesiology of the Apostle Paul: 

1 Corinthians 5: 9-13 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you"

1. The Hate Crime that the Hillsong Church is committing is towards God Himself: This is called blasphemy. It is saying something about God, or Jesus, that is simply not true. When you affirm that someone is a Christian (bears the name of brother) by allowing a 'conversation' (translation: keep coming to church while we figure out if XYZ is sin or not) or when you refuse to judge someone in your church who is living an unrepentant and immoral lifestyle, you are blaspheming God- as are they by calling themselves Christians while they continue to live in unrepentant lifestyle. And this is not just about homosexuals- it is all sexual immorality (adultery, fornication)- as well as greedy people, idolaters, swindlers, drunkards- if these things mark the lifestyle of a person who calls themselves a Christian they are blaspheming God. If the church refuses to deal with it directly, they are also blaspheming God. 

2. The second hate crime is refusing to judge those who are in the body. Paul commands that we are not to judge or treat outsiders in this way, but those who are in the Church who are being immoral we are to judge, because it is a loving thing to do! It is loving to the sinner, for the hope of church discipline is that they will repent (Vs 5). It is also loving to the church as a whole for a little leaven - a little impurity- affects the whole body (Vs 6). So the disease of sin spreads, and weakens the entire body.  

3. The third hate crime is against scripture itself: Brian Houston equates  the world- culture- and the weight- the impact of how we deal with people- to the gravity and importance of scripture (the Word). In the church, the Word stands supreme as the unchanging standard. The culture shifts, the way people respond and feel shifts, but the Word of God stands firm. The church is a unique place in the world. By the nature of the church we are counter-cultural. We are not called to "stay relevant"- to compromise with the world system, we are called to be different (sanctified, set apart, holy 1 Peter 1:15-17, 2:9-12) because we are the Bride of Christ. The harshest penalties for God's people in the Old Testament is when they played the whore/adulteress with the cultures around them (God's words, not mine). The same is true with the Bride of Christ. We are called to be holy, separate, and unique. We are not to love the world (system of values opposed to Christ) or the things in the world (1 John 2:15). 

4. The fourth Hate Crime is against the sinner who is fooled into thinking he/she can still be a Christian and live in unrepentant sin. let us look at 1 Corinthians 6:9-10:

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 

When we try and compromise, and refuse to tell the truth as Pastors and ministers, we are shirking our sacred responsibility. We are joining hands with the deceiver. It is as though Carl Lentz and Brian Houston are saying "go ahead and be deceived for a while while we decide from the world and the weight whether God's Word has changed". In essence, Pastor Houston and Lentz and any other minister who refuses to warn people who are in their flocks are keeping them from the good news of the Gospel. It is not a conversation, or a negotiation- God commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30) and obey the Gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:8). Obedience is a result of repentance and belief in Jesus. Obedience flows out of a heart that is grateful and filled with the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6 continues with the good news result of the Gospel: 

11And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

It is the good news: We used to be that way, but when we repent and obey/believe the Gospel, we are washed clean of our sin, set apart for holy use, as we are declared NOT GUILTY of all the things we have done. We are also given the power of the Holy Spirit who indwells and empowers our new character and nature (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:10) so that we are no longer enslaved and controlled by sin. 

Before that can happen, however, we need to quit having conversations about what sin is and is not, and just put ourselves under the authority of the Word of God. However, too many churches have decided to fear man (this is where compromise and conversation come in) instead of God. Many modern mega churches have put their trust in the methodologies and methods of man to grow their churches (Hillsong is one of many). While this could be an amazing platform to proclaim the truth of the Gospel, the same methods produce the fear that if you don't compromise, or if you do proclaim the Word of God as written, you will lose members. The fear of man causes us to make small, incremental compromises with culture which soon leaven the entire lump, and at that point, they are no longer a Christian church. 

How do you fix this? 

1. Stand on the Word of God: When it comes to the Church, the Word of God is the only standard of faith and practice. We do not have to deal with the World, for we are not of the World. We do not have to deal with weight; for God will deal with those that are outside the church (and God the Holy Spirit is already doing His work on them).
2. Practice church discipline: When someone is living a lifestyle that belies the fact that they are a Christian or behaving in a manner which brings dishonor to Christ, we are called to confront them, and if they will not repent, put them out of our fellowship. It is with the hope that they will be restored.
3. Preach the Whole Counsel of God: Do not cherry pick various verses to support your theology (belief about God) but rather preach the whole counsel of God, which includes themes like sin, hell, judgment, wrath- as well as repentance, Gospel, regeneration (being Born Again) forgiveness and grace. 
4. Proclaim the Gospel: That man is dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1-3) but that God is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4) and sent his Son Jesus to live a perfect, sinless life, die a sinners death, and be resurrected on the third day (1 Corinthians 15) so that we may be born again (John 3:3, 5, 16-17) if we will repent (turn from our sins, turn to Christ) (Mark 1:15) and place our entire trust in Christ we can be saved (Romans 5:1, 10:9-10,
   2 Corinthians 5:17, 21). 

Brian Houston has issued a new statement; Let us read it with the eyes of scripture:

I wish to correct reports that Hillsong church has “an openly gay couple directing a choir” at our New York City campus. Hillsong’s position on homosexuality and gay marriage has not changed and is consistent with Scripture. As I have stated previously, I believe the writings of Paul are clear on this subject. Several months ago when one of our choir directors made an unexpected public statement regarding his engagement to a man who sometimes sang in the choir, it was a complete surprise to us as well. It is my understanding that they have not been involved in an active leadership or ministry role since. That said, we still love them and acknowledge that they – like all of us – are on a journey, and our role as a church is to assist them on this journey with grace and compassion.

Now let us consider how Paul, using scripture, might have written this statement: 

God's Word is clear on the sin of homosexuality (as well as all other sexual sins). Let us make something quite clear: If you are in a lifestyle of sin- any sin, our position is clear: We will confront you privately, remove you from ministry immediately, and observe you consistently before you are restored. The scripture is clear on the fact that we are to judge those within our fellowship. This is for the glory of God and the benefit of the other members. The members in question are on a journey in rebellion against God. It is the role of the church to shine the light of the Gospel on them and command them to repent- that is to turn from the journey they are on and turn to Christ. We will do so with grace and compassion so that we will not fall into sin ourselves. If they will repent, we will restore them. If they repent not, they will be on the outside looking in. 



The two men in question are still singing at the church, and encouraging their gay friends to remain and participate at Hillsong church. This is a tragedy, for clearly, there is not enough preaching the whole counsel of God that these men will feel uncomfortable and perhaps repent of their particular lifestyle sin. I suspect there are many greedy, swindlers, drunkards, and liars that feel very comfortable that their sin will remain hidden and blessed by their church. 

   

The Ghouls Among Us: Babies BORN ALIVE and Killed.....

The irony and deception of planned parenthood should be evident; except for those blinded by the god of this world- Satan- (Ephesians 2:1-3, 2 Corinthians 4:4).

• Planned Parenthood/The Pro-Murder crowd want to convince you that a baby in the mother's womb is just a blob of cells- Yet in two previous videos they are talking about harvesting tissues human organs from babies that they allow to be born partially and then crush the skull.

• In this video, we hear this 'doctor' proclaim "its a boy" - the same she and her cohorts claim is just a 'fetus'

• The president of PP, The president of the US, and all his liberal cronies in congress ignore the fact that this is happening, claiming that planned parenthood is a needed thing providing health services to the underprivileged. Since when does health care involve murder? 

Abortion at its root comes from a denial of God as creator, which devalues human life as simply a product of a host of changes over time. Evolution says that we are animals, and actually we have a lower value than some animals (see the uproar over Cecil the Lion).  Denial of what all humans know about God and His creative power leads to ungodliness, which leads to unrighteousness, which eventually turns into a depraved mind. 

Romans 1:18-32 18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.26For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.28And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

Are you giving approval through silence? 

     This leads to lack of conscience, which is evidenced in our country's continued support of 'a woman's right to choose'. You would think these videos would be enough to stop abortion in our country all together, but our nation is under the wrath of God (see above) evidenced by the society's blindness to this evil. Even professing christians are apathetic to this and other societal evidence that God is removing His hand of grace from our country as His wrath is being poured out.  Abortion is worse than the holocaust, and yet many who call themselves Christians continue to remain silent on the issue. They refuse to be 'one issue voters' and vote for people who will actually address the human justice issue of our time. They believe that if they make a stand for righteousness, they will be seen as unloving and judgmental. 

Though liberals deny it, the comparison to the holocaust is not that far off; Hitler was a negative eugenist, which has to do with the breeding of a 'master race' and ultimately included the murder of over 6,000,000 Jews. 

Nazi eugenics were Nazi Germany's racially based social policies that placed the biological improvement of the Aryan race or Germanic "Übermenschen" master race through eugenics at the center of Nazi ideology.^[1] Those humans targeted were largely living in private and state-operated institutions, identified as "life unworthy of life" (German: Lebensunwertes Leben), including but not limited to prisoners, degenerate, dissident, people with congenital cognitive and physical disabilities (including feebleminded, epileptic, schizophrenic, manic-depressive, cerebral palsy, neuroatypicals, muscular dystrophy, deaf, blind) (German: erbkranken), homosexual, idle, insane, and the weak, for elimination from the chain of heredity. More than 400,000 people were sterilized against their will, while more than 300,000 were killed under Action T4, a euthanasia program.^{[2][3][4] --Wikipedia}

Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, came before Hitler, as did the U.S. eugenics program. Have you ever wondered why a disproportionate amount of Planned Parenthood clinics murder mills are in communities dominated by people of color?  It is because Margaret Sanger (hero of Hilary Clinton) was also a negative eugenist. Check out these quotes from the one who Planned Parenthood says "Sanger’s early efforts remain the hallmark of Planned Parenthood’s mission.”

1) “[Our objective is] unlimited sexual gratification without the burden of unwanted children… [Women must have the right] to live … to love… to be lazy … to be an unmarried mother … to create… to destroy… The marriage bed is the most degenerative influence in the social order… The most merciful thing that a family does to one of its infant members is to kill it.” – Margaret Sanger (editor). The Woman Rebel, Volume I, Number 1. Reprinted in Woman and the New Race. New York: Brentanos Publishers, 1922 

2) “We should hire three or four colored ministers, preferably with social-service backgrounds, and with engaging personalities. The most successful educational approach to the Negro is through a religious appeal. We don’t want the word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population. And the minister is the man who can straighten out that idea if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members.”– Margaret Sanger’s December 19, 1939 letter to Dr. Clarence Gamble, 255 Adams Street, Milton, Massachusetts. Original source: Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, North Hampton, Massachusetts. Also described in Linda Gordon’s Woman’s Body, Woman’s Right: A Social History of Birth Control in America. New York: Grossman Publishers, 1976 

3) “Today eugenics is suggested by the most diverse minds as the most adequate and thorough avenue to the solution of racial, political and social problems.

“I think you must agree… that the campaign for birth control is not merely of eugenic value, but is practically identical with the final aims of eugenics… Birth control propaganda is thus the entering wedge for the eugenic educator.

“As an advocate of birth control I wish… to point out that the unbalance between the birth rate of the ‘unfit’ and the ‘fit,’ admittedly the greatest present menace to civilization, can never be rectified by the inauguration of a cradle competition between these two classes. In this matter, the example of the inferior classes, the fertility of the feeble-minded, the mentally defective, the poverty-stricken classes, should not be held up for emulation.

“On the contrary, the most urgent problem today is how to limit and discourage the over-fertility of the mentally and physically defective.”– Margaret Sanger. “The Eugenic Value of Birth Control Propaganda.” Birth Control Review, October 1921, page 5 

4) “Our failure to segregate morons who are increasing and multiplying… demonstrates our foolhardy and extravagant sentimentalism…

“[Philanthropists] encourage the healthier and more normal sections of the world to shoulder the burden of unthinking and indiscriminate fecundity of others; which brings with it, as I think the reader must agree, a dead weight of human waste. 

“Instead of decreasing and aiming to eliminate the stocks that are most detrimental to the future of the race and the world, it tends to render them to a menacing degree dominant…

“We are paying for, and even submitting to, the dictates of an ever-increasing, unceasingly spawning class of human beings who never should have been born at all.” – Margaret Sanger. The Pivot of Civilization, 1922, pages 116, 122, and 189. Swarthmore College Library edition 

5)  “Birth control must lead ultimately to a cleaner race.” – Margaret Sanger. Woman, Morality, and Birth Control. New York: New York Publishing Company, 1922, page 12 

6) “One fundamental fact alone, however, indicates the necessity of Birth Control if eugenics is to accomplish its purpose…

“Before eugenists and others who are laboring for racial betterment can succeed, they must first clear the way for Birth Control. Like the advocates of Birth Control, the eugenists, for instance, are seeking to assist the race toward the elimination of the unfit. Both are seeking a single end but they lay emphasis upon different methods.”– Margaret Sanger. “Birth Control and Racial Betterment,” Feb 1919 

7) The government ought to “apply a stern and rigid policy of sterilization and segregation to that grade of population whose progeny is tainted, or whose inheritance is such that objectionable traits may be transmitted to offspring.”

And the government should “give certain dysgenic groups (those with ‘bad genes’) in our population their choice of segregation or sterilization.” – Margaret Sanger, “A Plan for Peace.” Birth Control Review, April 1932, pages 107-108 

8) “The third group [of society] are those irresponsible and reckless ones having little regard for the consequences of their acts, or whose religious scruples prevent their exercising control over their numbers. Many of this group are diseased, feeble-minded, and are of the pauper element dependent upon the normal and fit members of society for their support. There is no doubt in the minds of all thinking people that the procreation of this group should be stopped.” – Margaret Sanger. Speech quoted in Birth Control: What It Is, How It Works, What It Will Do. The Proceedings of the First American Birth Control Conference. Held at the Hotel Plaza, New York City, November 11-12, 1921. Published by the Birth Control Review, pages 172 and 174 .

9) “There is only one reply to a request for a higher birthrate among the intelligent, and that is to ask the government to first take the burden of the insane and feeble-minded from your back. [Mandatory] sterilization for these is the answer.” – Margaret Sanger, “The Function of Sterilization.” Birth Control Review, October 1926.

10) “In passing, we should here recognize the difficulties presented by the idea of ‘fit’ and ‘unfit.’ Who is to decide this question? The grosser, the more obvious, the undeniably feeble-minded should, indeed, not only be discouraged but prevented from propagating their kind. But among the writings of the representative Eugenists [sic], one cannot ignore the distinct middle-class bias that prevails.”– Margaret Sanger, quoted in Charles Valenza. “Was Margaret Sanger a Racist?” Family Planning Perspectives, January-February 1985, page 44 .

11) Birth control: “To create a race of thoroughbreds.”– Margaret Sanger, “Unity.” The Birth Control Review, Nov 1921.

12) “Hordes of people [are] born, who live, yet who have done absolutely nothing to advance the race one iota. Their lives are hopeless repetitions… Such human weeds clog up the path, drain up the energies and the resources of this little earth. We must clear the way for a better world; we must cultivate our garden.”– Margaret Sanger. Birth Control: Facts and Responsibilities, 1925. 

     Not only are people who murder babies heartless, they are also racist at the core. Margaret Sanger is the founder of Planned Parenthood, and still seen as a 'hero' of that movement. One of her goals, like Hitler's, was to make a master race that looked like her. Again, however, the communities of color are blinded to this fact. Again, when one denies what they know about God, their understanding becomes darkened.

     What should we do about this? Speak up. Make people aware of the evils of abortion Gospel. Repentance and faith, and the ensuing change of character and nature is the only thing that will change a person's mind about life. It is the change of individuals that changes cultures. If you are a Christian, proclaim the Gospel far and wide so that people will be converted and immediately see the value of life.

Women in Ministry- Where to Draw the Line? Part 2: Spiritual Gifts

     When examining any question that concerns the Word of God, one must examine Himself and use sound hermeneutic principles. This is especially important when it is a man examining the roles of women within the Body of Christ. As an example, too many men have used Ephesians 5 to inappropriately dominate their wives and treat them poorly because the command to the women  is to submit and respect. I have heard many a sermon that practically gives license to a man to beat his wife verbally, emotionally, and physically- and many a counselor say to a woman she has to take it and ‘submit’. All this while neglecting the command a few lines later to love his wife as Christ loves the church- and forgetting what that looked like when He did. The same problem was illustrated by the many in 19th century America using the scripture wrongly to justify slavery.

     The problem has gone the opposite way as well; there are many from the more liberal bias towards scripture that use culture as a lens to interpret scripture. They believe, for example, that the clear roles laid out in scripture were only for that culture at that time. This has opened up the floodgates- we have genderless scriptures, genderless hymns, women who are Pastors and elders in churches- and now we have homosexual ministers as well as blessing and approval of homosexual marriage. What does that have to do with gender? When you break down gender roles while interpreting scripture through the lens of current culture, these types of errors become rampant. Every church that has negated clear biblical gender roles eventually must- and usually does- compromise on homosexual sin. And allow me to clarify- any church that allows a woman to have a eldership role over men- whether it be a pastor or the head of the board- has ceased to be a biblical New Testament church.

10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. 11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. (1 Timothy 2:10-14, ESV)

12γυναικι δε διδασκειν ουκ επιτρεπω ουδε αυθεντειν ανδρος αλλ ειναι εν ησυχια

     So for many, this is an emotionally charged topic, and it may cause them to throw away sound principles of hermeneutics and submit to their gender pride. This can happen on both sides of the sexes. One of the principles we must examine is the historical context as well as the ecclesiological context of the commands. I submit to you that within the scripture that there are gender roles laid out for both church life and everyday life. The command above is in context with specific instructions for the assembly of the church. Verse 12, in English and in Greek, is misinterpreted by laymen and pastors alike that hold gender bias. It is in the contest of the church. There is the pesky word or (GR oude) between teach and exercise authority- that shows two separate activities within the body of Christ, and the role in the church. This has been properly interpreted that a woman is not to be a preacher over an assembled congregation. It does not mean that a woman cannot teach authoritatively on scripture in the proper context- outside of the context of the church and church governance. She cannot hold the role of pastor or teaching elder within the church. But I submit to you that there is a boundary there. There are rules that apply differently in the church and in the home- and there are rules that cross all of those boundaries. The challenge is to put off our pride and our opinions- and especially our gender bias- and honestly look at what those boundaries and roles are.

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:4-13, ESV)

     The one shocking thing about this list of gifts in terms of this topic is that there is no gender differentiation in the gifts. There is no announcement from the Apostle Paul that these gifts are for men, these other ones are for women. In other words, shocking as it may be, women can have the gift of prophesy! You say, if she has that gift, then why can’t she use it?  She absolutely can- just not in a position of headship over a man (the pastors, the elders) in the context of the church. The question really is, in this context, where can she use that gift of forth-telling or proclamation of the word of God?

 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. (Titus 2:3-5, ESV)

     Herein lies the rub for so many people-the scripture states clearly the roles of wives, husbands, older men, older women, younger men, younger women etc. in the context of home and church. It does not speak clearly to the in between time- the time at work, the time at school, the time in the temple. Many people here on both sides of this question allow the scripture to speak from silence. In the example above, Older women have a role within the body of Christ, stated very clearly. It is a role of teaching and training younger women. But what of outside the body of Christ? Can a woman with children hold a job? Can she be a CEO? Can a woman be the head of a Christian organization that trains men and women to preach the Gospel? Can a woman proclaim the Gospel and the Word of God publicly on a street corner to non believers in the presence of male believers? The scripture is silent on these activities. We cannot stretch the principles made for the ecclesia- the church into life outside the context and scope of authority of the local church.

     What this means, quite simply, is that if a woman who is single, begins a ministry outside the church, but under the authority of the church/Pastor/Elders this is not a usurping of authority, nor is it in rebellion to the Word of God. If the church leadership recognizes a gift of teaching and, under the authority of the elders, a woman teaches Sunday School, this is not against the Word of God. She is under authority- the authority of the man- the head elder. If she goes to the Super Bowl- or any other evangelistic outreach- to preach- having been sent by the local church, under the approval of her husband (if she is married) or with her husband- and if with a ministry under submission to the leadership of that ministry- then she ought to be able to preach if she has that gift.

In Part 3- we will attempt to break down what the Bible does say about the roles of women and men inside the church and outside the church.

Posted in Adventures in Christianity, Bible, Change Collegian Network, College Ministry, Evangelism, Theology