K - PEOPLE FILES
- Walter C Kaiser - Val Kalende - Mike Kalstrup - Kapya Kaoma - Jim Karch - Mary Kathryn - Brian Kaylor - David Kaywood - Stephen Kaziimba - Mike Keahbone - Chris Kearney - Craig Keener - Lyndsay Keith - Rodney Kennedy - Brandon Kimber - Leona Kimes - Sheryl Kinder-Pyle - Betty King - Jacki C King - Zach Kingery - David Kinnaman - Martin Kiogora - Ashley Morgan Kirk - Charlie Kirk - Daniel Kirk - Scott Klusensdorf - Thomas Knapp - Monte Knudsen - Joseph Kohm - Rocky Komatsu - Denys Kondiuk - Steven Kopp - Greg Kouki - Michael Koulianos - Rich Kozlovich - Deborah Krause -
walter C Kaiser
Walter C. Kaiser Jr. (born April 11, 1933) is an American Evangelical Old Testament scholar, writer, public speaker, and educator. Kaiser is the Colman M. Mockler distinguished Professor of Old Testament and former President of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, retired June 30, 2006. He was succeeded by James Emery White. For many years he served as professor of Old Testament and as dean and vice president for education at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Deerfield, Illinois). A frequent speaker at churches, camps, and conferences, he has written numerous books, including Toward an Exegetical Theology, Toward an Old Testament Theology, Toward Old Testament Ethics, and The Messiah in the Old Testament.
Walter c Kaiser Files
“Torah is not merely a collection of prohibitions, rigid strictures and boring observances. Rather, it is a narrative of the blessings and promises of God initially offered to one person and family, but through which the whole world will ultimately be blessed.”
― Walter C. Kaiser Jr.
Walter c Kaiser Files
"Oftentimes the believer has not been aided or prepared by solid exposition of Scripture or a theology of suffering to cope with the suffering as it comes in national disaster, death, depression, separation, rejection, or the like. Too frequently the only place many turn in such circumstances is to medically trained clinicians. This is not to say that a referral to the medical profession is not altogether appropriate at times; but we do maintain that 'grief management,' as the phrase goes these days, is the business of the gospel as well."
― Walter C. Kaiser Jr., A Biblical Approach to Personal Suffering
Walter c Kaiser Files
"No book of the Bible is more of an orphan book than Lamentations; rarely, if ever, have interpreters chosen to use this book for a Bible study, an expository series of messages, or as a Bible conference textual exposition. Our generation's neglect of this volume has meant that our pastoral work, our caring ministry for believers, and our own ability to find direction in the midst of calamity, pain, and suffering have been seriously truncated and rendered partially or totally ineffective." ― Walter C. Kaiser Jr., A Biblical Approach to Personal Suffering
Walter c Kaiser Files
It is no secret that Christ’s Church is not in good health in many places of the world. She has been languishing because she has been fed, as the current line has it, “junk food;” all kinds of artificial preservatives and all sorts of unnatural substitutes have been served up to her. As a result, theological and biblical malnutrition has afflicted the very generation that has taken such giant steps to make sure its physical health is not damaged by using foods or products that are harmful to their bodies. Simultaneously a worldwide spiritual famine resulting from the absence of any genuine publication of the Word of God (Amos 8:11) continues to run wild and almost unabated in most quarters of the Church.
--Walter C Kaiser; Toward an Exegetical Theology
--Walter C Kaiser; Toward an Exegetical Theology
Walter c Kaiser
The Church and the Scripture stand or fall together. Either the Church will be nourished and strengthened by the bold proclamation of her Biblical texts or her health will be severely impaired. ― Walter C. Kaiser Jr.
Walter c Kaiser Files
“The cure for many of the ills afflicting the church and the seminaries of the day is to be found in the faithful exposition of the Word of God. Faithfulness in this area is the primary prerequisite for alleviating the deepest concerns currently held by the church and society.”
― Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Preaching and Teaching from the Old Testament: A Guide for the Church
Feb 4, 2022: The Christian Index: Why would God send a bear to maul children?
II Kings 2: 23-24: “From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking up the path, some small boys came out of the city and harassed him, chanting, ‘Go up, baldy! Go up, baldy!’ He turned around, looked at them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of the children.”
Gleason Archer puts everything in perspective when he describes this large roving band of teenagers as “a serious public danger, quite as grave as the large youth gangs that roam the ghetto sections of our modern American cities.” The Apologetics Study Bible explains: “The Hebrew phrase for ‘small boys’ refers to adolescents from 12 to 30 years old (see I Samuel 20:35; I Kings 3:7; 11:17). It is unlikely that these youths were younger than 12 years old.” Contrary to the caricature, Elisha was a young man, probably in his mid twenties, though obviously bald.
We are also reminded that the real issue was not how this gang showed contempt and “disrespect for God’s prophet,” but revealed utter “disrespect for the Lord.” Therefore, “a strong message was sent to the city and parents” reminiscent of Leviticus 26:21-22. This Scripture tells how hostility toward God and an unwillingness to obey Him can result in being besieged by plagues and wild animals.
The message was a corrective message to address current attitudes and behavior that if heeded would ward off worse sins and greater judgment. The gang was shocked and silenced when mauled (not necessarily killed) by the bears, and their parents and community were warned to repent of their sins (reflected in their children) and obey God before worse judgments befell them!
Walter C. Kaiser writes how the eventual fall of Israel “would have been avoided had the people repented after the bear attack.” They did not.
According to II Chronicles 36:16 we read how “they kept ridiculing God’s messengers, despising His words, and scoffing at His prophets … As Kaiser wisely states: The “bear attack shows God trying repeatedly to bring his people back to himself through smaller judgments” so that they could avoid a worse “full force” judgment.
II Kings 2: 23-24: “From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking up the path, some small boys came out of the city and harassed him, chanting, ‘Go up, baldy! Go up, baldy!’ He turned around, looked at them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of the children.”
Gleason Archer puts everything in perspective when he describes this large roving band of teenagers as “a serious public danger, quite as grave as the large youth gangs that roam the ghetto sections of our modern American cities.” The Apologetics Study Bible explains: “The Hebrew phrase for ‘small boys’ refers to adolescents from 12 to 30 years old (see I Samuel 20:35; I Kings 3:7; 11:17). It is unlikely that these youths were younger than 12 years old.” Contrary to the caricature, Elisha was a young man, probably in his mid twenties, though obviously bald.
We are also reminded that the real issue was not how this gang showed contempt and “disrespect for God’s prophet,” but revealed utter “disrespect for the Lord.” Therefore, “a strong message was sent to the city and parents” reminiscent of Leviticus 26:21-22. This Scripture tells how hostility toward God and an unwillingness to obey Him can result in being besieged by plagues and wild animals.
The message was a corrective message to address current attitudes and behavior that if heeded would ward off worse sins and greater judgment. The gang was shocked and silenced when mauled (not necessarily killed) by the bears, and their parents and community were warned to repent of their sins (reflected in their children) and obey God before worse judgments befell them!
Walter C. Kaiser writes how the eventual fall of Israel “would have been avoided had the people repented after the bear attack.” They did not.
According to II Chronicles 36:16 we read how “they kept ridiculing God’s messengers, despising His words, and scoffing at His prophets … As Kaiser wisely states: The “bear attack shows God trying repeatedly to bring his people back to himself through smaller judgments” so that they could avoid a worse “full force” judgment.
val kalende
Val Kalende is an LGBT activist from Uganda. After coming out as a lesbian in 2003, she became involved in Ugandan LGBT activism. In 2018, she stated she was no longer a lesbian, having been "transformed by God's love." In 2003, Kalende came out as a lesbian, which led her Christian family to break ties with her. As a student at Makerere University in Kampala, she co-founded the country's first lesbian activist organization, Freedom & Roam Uganda. Weeks after the introduction of The Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2014, which made homosexuality punishable by life imprisonment, Kalende accepted to be interviewed about her sexuality in a cover story for the national newsmagazine The Daily Monitor. In 2012, after being active for 10 years in Uganda, in a Huffington Post blog post, she denounced that "coming out" as lesbian procured her verbal abuse, alienation, being abandoned as a teenager and having experienced homelessness at a tender age.
March 19, 2023: Foreign Policy: How U.S. Evangelicals Helped Homophobia Flourish in Africa
In 2018, Val Kalende, an LGBTQ+ rights activist who even went on a U.S. State Department-sponsored tour in 2010 for her activism, went on TV during a church service to renounce lesbianism. Kalende in 2022 wrote an op-ed titled “Unchanged: A lesbian Christian’s journey through ‘ex-gay’ life,” in which she apologized to Uganda’s LGBTQ+ community for her renunciation.
In 2018, Val Kalende, an LGBTQ+ rights activist who even went on a U.S. State Department-sponsored tour in 2010 for her activism, went on TV during a church service to renounce lesbianism. Kalende in 2022 wrote an op-ed titled “Unchanged: A lesbian Christian’s journey through ‘ex-gay’ life,” in which she apologized to Uganda’s LGBTQ+ community for her renunciation.
Val Kalende
The creation story (He created them male and female – Genesis 5:2) is often used by anti-gay Christians to argue against same-sex relationships. But grace is so ungendered that people’s obsession with gender norms fails to fit into the true meaning of the Gospel. (There is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus – Galatians 3:28). This scripture simply tells us that God’s standards are so high he doesn’t see people in categories of race, class, or gender. This is the Gospel queered; to embrace the Gospel as queerness is radical faith. We see this when Jesus heals people on the Sabbath. On several accounts Jesus performs miracles to the agitation of religious leaders who plot to kill him because he has done what is scripturally unlawful to do on the Sabbath. The Bible doesn’t say same-sex love is forbidden. But it has a lot to say about gang rape and violence (Judges 19:22-25); lust and idolatry (Romans 1:24-27); greed, arrogance, and not helping the poor (Ezekiel 16:49-50). --Val Kalende; Erasing 76 Crimes: Unchanged: A lesbian Christian’s journey through ‘ex-gay’ life 2.22.22
mike kalstrup
In 1978, Michael Kalstrup and his young family moved back to Treynor, Iowa. After much prayer, the decision was made to start a church. Starting in one home, then moving to one with more space, the need to search for a location with more space was evident. After time, an old tractor implement building became available one mile south of Oakland, Iowa. Again, with much prayer and counsel, he knew that the time for the church to have a permanent location had finally come. On July 5, 1979, Fellowship of Faith began Sunday services in the building. The church remodeled the existing building holding services during construction. In the 1980's, plans were made for a building to be built north of the existing building to accommodate the growing need for a place for children's ministry and a fellowship hall. Fellowship Church continues to thrive as it has from it's very inception. In March of 2015, a second campus was launched, designed to meet the needs of the city of Council Bluffs. Fellowship Church offers ministry to all ages from newborns to adults, such as Fellowship Kids and Fellowship Youth for teens, to meet the needs of this generation. Under God’s direction, Pastor Mike has created a ministry based on excellence. Together with his pastoral staff and many volunteers who serve, the church continues to reach and build families with the message of Jesus Christ.
July 13, 2023: Politico: DeSantis is hoping Iowa evangelicals can make his campaign born again
“Within the church world, there are many that do like DeSantis quite a bit,” said Mike Kalstrup, a pastor of Fellowship Church in Oakland, Iowa. “My guess is that he’s probably going to have a pretty strong showing in Iowa.”
“Within the church world, there are many that do like DeSantis quite a bit,” said Mike Kalstrup, a pastor of Fellowship Church in Oakland, Iowa. “My guess is that he’s probably going to have a pretty strong showing in Iowa.”
- daniel kanter -
Kapya Kaoma
March 23, 2023: Religion Unplugged: Is Pope Francis ‘The Only One Who Can Make A Difference’ In Uganda’s Anti-LGBTQ Bills?
The Episcopal priest who first documented links between U.S. evangelicals and an anti-gay bill in Uganda, the Rev. Kapya Kaoma, says that the “only person who can make a difference now in Africa is Pope Francis.”
The Episcopal priest who first documented links between U.S. evangelicals and an anti-gay bill in Uganda, the Rev. Kapya Kaoma, says that the “only person who can make a difference now in Africa is Pope Francis.”
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Rev. Dr. Kapya Kaoma is PRA's Senior Religion and Sexuality Researcher. He was the original researcher to expose the ties between U.S. right-wing evangelicals and the anti-LGBTQ legislation in Uganda, and has testified before Congress and the United Nations. He is the author of "Globalizing the Culture Wars" and "Colonizing African Values," and appears as an expert voice in the 2013 documentary God Loves Uganda. He received his doctorate in Ethics from Boston University. |
Sept 8, 2021: The Leaflet: Why India must criminalize gay conversion therapy
THE Supreme Court, in 2018, through its judgment in the case of Navtej Singh Johar and Ors. vs. Union of India decriminalized consensual sex among all adults, including those within the LGBTQIA+ community. The Court struck down a part of the colonial-era provision of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which had criminalized ‘unnatural sex’—reversing its 2013 decision in Suresh Kumar Koushal vs. Naz Foundation. This was hailed as a landmark decision in the fight for equal rights by the LGBTQIA+ community in India.
Apr 8, 2015: Kapya Kaoma: Political Research Associates: Christian Right Culture Warriors Don’t Understand the Word “Family”
THE Supreme Court, in 2018, through its judgment in the case of Navtej Singh Johar and Ors. vs. Union of India decriminalized consensual sex among all adults, including those within the LGBTQIA+ community. The Court struck down a part of the colonial-era provision of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which had criminalized ‘unnatural sex’—reversing its 2013 decision in Suresh Kumar Koushal vs. Naz Foundation. This was hailed as a landmark decision in the fight for equal rights by the LGBTQIA+ community in India.
Apr 8, 2015: Kapya Kaoma: Political Research Associates: Christian Right Culture Warriors Don’t Understand the Word “Family”
Dec 3, 2014: Kapya Kaoma: Political Research Associates: Top Uganda Politician: Western Gays Adopting Children to Turn Them Gay
Sept 17, 2014: Episcopal Cafe: 30 African Theologians & Scholars Back LGBT Equality
The event was organised by Adee, who is also an elder in the US Presbyterian Church, and Kapya Kaoma, a Zambian Anglican priest, from Political Research Associates.
Aug 28, 2014: Christian Century: Standing with LGBT people around the world
Today, 30 LGBT-affirming African religion scholars and faith leaders begin meeting in South Africa. The purpose of the consultation is to build an African faith foundation for the acceptance of LGBT people. It was organized by Kapya Kaoma of Political Research Associates and Michael Adee of the Horizons Foundation’s Global Faith and Justice Project. Kaoma is an Anglican priest from Zambia; Adee is an elder in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Sept 17, 2014: Episcopal Cafe: 30 African Theologians & Scholars Back LGBT Equality
The event was organised by Adee, who is also an elder in the US Presbyterian Church, and Kapya Kaoma, a Zambian Anglican priest, from Political Research Associates.
Aug 28, 2014: Christian Century: Standing with LGBT people around the world
Today, 30 LGBT-affirming African religion scholars and faith leaders begin meeting in South Africa. The purpose of the consultation is to build an African faith foundation for the acceptance of LGBT people. It was organized by Kapya Kaoma of Political Research Associates and Michael Adee of the Horizons Foundation’s Global Faith and Justice Project. Kaoma is an Anglican priest from Zambia; Adee is an elder in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
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Mar 31, 2014: Political Research Associates: ITN News’ Channel 4 and PRA’s Kapya Kaoma Take Down Scott Lively
PRA’s senior researcher Kapya Kaoma joined ITN News’ Channel 4 (England) in a spotlight feature about Scott Lively’s involvement in the creation of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill. The piece includes PRA’s exclusive video of Lively’s presentation at a Uganda anti-gay conference in 2009. March 23, 2014: Kapya Kaoma: Los Angeles Times: Op-Ed: How anti-gay Christians evangelize hate abroad
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jim karch
Mar 7, 2023: Christian Post: Eastview Christian Church hires law firm to conduct investigation after pastor resigns
“We as a church have retained Kelly Fabian Story with Wagenmaker & Oberly as the lead of a trauma-informed third-party investigative team,” Jim Karch, an elder at Eastview Christian Church announced at the end of a service at the church on Sunday morning.
“We as a church have retained Kelly Fabian Story with Wagenmaker & Oberly as the lead of a trauma-informed third-party investigative team,” Jim Karch, an elder at Eastview Christian Church announced at the end of a service at the church on Sunday morning.
mary kathryn
Feb 24, 2023: The Christian Index: Hundreds pray for revival across Georgia campuses on Collegiate Day of Prayer
Mary Kathryn, a BCM worship leader at UNG Dahlonega, stated, “We pray that He will give us, his believers, a boldness, and a courage that will surpass any fear so that we can spread the gospel and help further His kingdom. It’s a beautiful thing to me to be able to hear the many prayers of my friends who have a heart for the people of this school and a heart for the Lord and His mission for us.”
Mary Kathryn, a BCM worship leader at UNG Dahlonega, stated, “We pray that He will give us, his believers, a boldness, and a courage that will surpass any fear so that we can spread the gospel and help further His kingdom. It’s a beautiful thing to me to be able to hear the many prayers of my friends who have a heart for the people of this school and a heart for the Lord and His mission for us.”
brian kaylor
Brian Kaylor (PhD, University of Missouri) is the author of For God's Sake, Shut Up! (2007) and Presidential Campaign Rhetoric in an Age of Confessional Politics (2011). He is the Communications and Engagement Leader for Churchnet and a contributing editor for Ethics Daily. He previously taught political communication at James Madison University.
Brian Kaylor (PhD, University of Missouri) is the author of For God's Sake, Shut Up! (2007) and Presidential Campaign Rhetoric in an Age of Confessional Politics (2011). He is the Communications and Engagement Leader for Churchnet and a contributing editor for Ethics Daily. He previously taught political communication at James Madison University.
May 15, 2023:
Following are a few of the most bizarre things that was preached last night at the REAwaken Tour, which is essentially a Christian Nationalist Lovefest for Donald, the sexual predator, Trump. Michael Flynn's remarks (below) are dehumanizing and dangerous.
MAGA cultists gathered at The Trump National Doral resort last night for a "Pastors For Trump" event that kicked off with a prayer asking God to "intervene in the affairs of this nation" by giving Trump "divine wisdom" and "divine discernment."
Self proclaimed "Prophet" Amanda Grace, in one of the most bizarre messages, warned of technologically advanced “mermaids and water people” spreading perversion and told the crowd, “we are meant for hand to hand combat.”
Ex-American Idol contestant and Flat-Earther right-wing activist Jimmy Levy resurrected a conspiracy theory that was championed by QAnon. These people are drinking the blood of children," Levy proclaimed. "These (Hollywood) people are injecting a chemical called adrenochrome that they extract from children that are scared." (apparently because he was on American Idol he is an expert on all things Hollywood ¯\_(ツ)_/¯).
Pastor Mark Burns cited the Bible to suggest that violence is needed to take power: "You got to get to the point where you realize that when they smack you in the face you smack them back two times harder," Burns said, quoting Matthew 5:38-40, which reads, "If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also." He then suggested violence as he noted that the "Bible says the violent take it... and we take it by force," in reference to Matthew 11:12, which reads, "And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.""We are here ready to take this nation back," said Burns during the event this week. "And I believe without a shadow of a doubt, the only man that God has anointed him...to be the next President of the United States of America and that is Donald Trump. That's why we got to declare war on this transgender agenda that tried to destroy our children's minds in the United States of America."
Michael Flynn weighed in, of course: "The other side is an ideology that they don't have faith. They don't believe in God. They have no soul. They have no consciousness......When we think about something, we go, you know, black and white right and wrong, good and evil. They don't see things like that. They don't see in those terms."
Baptist Pastor Brian Kaylor said that Flynn's comment is a "dangerous dehumanizing rhetoric," and that he's "painting this as a battle between God's people & soulless creatures."
If they can keep pushing the idea that anyone left of them is soul-less..........they are doing the same thing Hitler did in German with the Jews. Soul-less people are easier to kill. And they will do it to purify whatever race or creed they are claiming. Last night, after he cancelled his Iowa rally, Trump called Michael Flynn and told him he would "bring him back" in his next administration. The "Reawaken" tour came to the Trump National Doral Miami for a three-day conference.
Following are a few of the most bizarre things that was preached last night at the REAwaken Tour, which is essentially a Christian Nationalist Lovefest for Donald, the sexual predator, Trump. Michael Flynn's remarks (below) are dehumanizing and dangerous.
MAGA cultists gathered at The Trump National Doral resort last night for a "Pastors For Trump" event that kicked off with a prayer asking God to "intervene in the affairs of this nation" by giving Trump "divine wisdom" and "divine discernment."
Self proclaimed "Prophet" Amanda Grace, in one of the most bizarre messages, warned of technologically advanced “mermaids and water people” spreading perversion and told the crowd, “we are meant for hand to hand combat.”
Ex-American Idol contestant and Flat-Earther right-wing activist Jimmy Levy resurrected a conspiracy theory that was championed by QAnon. These people are drinking the blood of children," Levy proclaimed. "These (Hollywood) people are injecting a chemical called adrenochrome that they extract from children that are scared." (apparently because he was on American Idol he is an expert on all things Hollywood ¯\_(ツ)_/¯).
Pastor Mark Burns cited the Bible to suggest that violence is needed to take power: "You got to get to the point where you realize that when they smack you in the face you smack them back two times harder," Burns said, quoting Matthew 5:38-40, which reads, "If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also." He then suggested violence as he noted that the "Bible says the violent take it... and we take it by force," in reference to Matthew 11:12, which reads, "And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.""We are here ready to take this nation back," said Burns during the event this week. "And I believe without a shadow of a doubt, the only man that God has anointed him...to be the next President of the United States of America and that is Donald Trump. That's why we got to declare war on this transgender agenda that tried to destroy our children's minds in the United States of America."
Michael Flynn weighed in, of course: "The other side is an ideology that they don't have faith. They don't believe in God. They have no soul. They have no consciousness......When we think about something, we go, you know, black and white right and wrong, good and evil. They don't see things like that. They don't see in those terms."
Baptist Pastor Brian Kaylor said that Flynn's comment is a "dangerous dehumanizing rhetoric," and that he's "painting this as a battle between God's people & soulless creatures."
If they can keep pushing the idea that anyone left of them is soul-less..........they are doing the same thing Hitler did in German with the Jews. Soul-less people are easier to kill. And they will do it to purify whatever race or creed they are claiming. Last night, after he cancelled his Iowa rally, Trump called Michael Flynn and told him he would "bring him back" in his next administration. The "Reawaken" tour came to the Trump National Doral Miami for a three-day conference.
Brian Kaylor
Christian nationalism did not suddenly appear in U.S. culture in the last couple years. As sociologists Philip Gorski and Samuel Perry noted in their book The Flag and the Cross, this ideology traces its lineage all the way back to the Puritans. What’s often ignored in contemporary denouncements is how mainline Christianity fueled its rise. Consider that when the National Council of Churches, of which the mainline denominations have long exercised leadership within, released the Revised Standard Version of the Bible in 1952, its leaders prominently gave the very first copy to President Harry Truman at the White House. Similarly, when work began on the Interchurch Center in New York City (often referred to as the “God Box” for its historical housing of mainline Protestant denominational offices and ministries), President Dwight D. Eisenhower laid the cornerstone.
In both instances, the presidents ritually affirmed and legitimated the work and witness of mainline Christianity. At the request of mainline leaders, Truman and Eisenhower signaled that their particular version of church and American identity reinforced each other. If Donald Trump had christened a conservative church building while president or made time to receive the first version of a new Bible in the Oval Office, it would be counted as evidence of his support for Christian nationalism—even more than when he held up a Bible outside “the church of presidents,” an Episcopal church located next to the White House. It should be no less so when discussing the actions of Truman and Eisenhower or the role played by the mainline denominations in their critical era that shaped our nation.
Then there’s the pesky issue of the American flag. Brought into mainline church sanctuaries in response to the wars of last century, Old Glory represents a powerful symbol of patriotism that makes for an odd fit in a sacred space devoted to worshiping a God who ostensibly rules over all the nations. To make matters worse, the U.S. Flag Code requires the banner to be placed in a “position of superior prominence.” This rule means that if a church decides to fly a Christian flag as well—in a nod to a two-kingdoms theology—the U.S. flag will by placement be the one of first allegiance. Even in moderate and progressive mainline congregations today, many preachers proclaim the word of God with the Star-Spangled Banner as their backdrop, helping to merge Christian and American identities.
Undoubtedly, many mainline Christians saw this kind of soft nationalism as harmless civil religion. Yet as the Boy Scouts led the Pledge of Allegiance on Scout Sunday during worship, as the U.S. flag stood near the cross in the sanctuary each Sunday, and as congregants turned to the patriotic hymns section of their songbooks on the Sunday closest to the Fourth of July or Memorial Day, they were discipled into a version of Christian nationalism that still affects how people today think about church and state. Mainline Christians, both past and present, arrived at church each week seeking to celebrate both God and country.
The events of Jan. 6, 2021, revealed what this legacy has wrought. The insurrectionists performed religious rituals, carried signs with Bible verses and Christian imagery, and prayed to Jesus as they desecrated the Capitol in their quest to “take the country back.” The long history of uncritically blending spiritual and temporal loyalties had unintentionally fostered an uncivil religion that threatened American democracy.
---Rev. Brian Kaylor; How Mainline Protestants Help Build Christian Nationalism; Religion & Politics; 1.4.23
In both instances, the presidents ritually affirmed and legitimated the work and witness of mainline Christianity. At the request of mainline leaders, Truman and Eisenhower signaled that their particular version of church and American identity reinforced each other. If Donald Trump had christened a conservative church building while president or made time to receive the first version of a new Bible in the Oval Office, it would be counted as evidence of his support for Christian nationalism—even more than when he held up a Bible outside “the church of presidents,” an Episcopal church located next to the White House. It should be no less so when discussing the actions of Truman and Eisenhower or the role played by the mainline denominations in their critical era that shaped our nation.
Then there’s the pesky issue of the American flag. Brought into mainline church sanctuaries in response to the wars of last century, Old Glory represents a powerful symbol of patriotism that makes for an odd fit in a sacred space devoted to worshiping a God who ostensibly rules over all the nations. To make matters worse, the U.S. Flag Code requires the banner to be placed in a “position of superior prominence.” This rule means that if a church decides to fly a Christian flag as well—in a nod to a two-kingdoms theology—the U.S. flag will by placement be the one of first allegiance. Even in moderate and progressive mainline congregations today, many preachers proclaim the word of God with the Star-Spangled Banner as their backdrop, helping to merge Christian and American identities.
Undoubtedly, many mainline Christians saw this kind of soft nationalism as harmless civil religion. Yet as the Boy Scouts led the Pledge of Allegiance on Scout Sunday during worship, as the U.S. flag stood near the cross in the sanctuary each Sunday, and as congregants turned to the patriotic hymns section of their songbooks on the Sunday closest to the Fourth of July or Memorial Day, they were discipled into a version of Christian nationalism that still affects how people today think about church and state. Mainline Christians, both past and present, arrived at church each week seeking to celebrate both God and country.
The events of Jan. 6, 2021, revealed what this legacy has wrought. The insurrectionists performed religious rituals, carried signs with Bible verses and Christian imagery, and prayed to Jesus as they desecrated the Capitol in their quest to “take the country back.” The long history of uncritically blending spiritual and temporal loyalties had unintentionally fostered an uncivil religion that threatened American democracy.
---Rev. Brian Kaylor; How Mainline Protestants Help Build Christian Nationalism; Religion & Politics; 1.4.23
Sept 12, 2022: Tampa Bay Times: What message is DeSantis sending with religious ‘full armor of God’ rhetoric?
“I think, at best, DeSantis is playing with fire,” said Brian Kaylor, a Baptist minister in Missouri who has studied the interaction between religion and politics for over two decades. “If asked, I’m sure he would tell you he is not telling people to literally go and fight. But this rhetoric in this political environment is dangerous.”
“I think, at best, DeSantis is playing with fire,” said Brian Kaylor, a Baptist minister in Missouri who has studied the interaction between religion and politics for over two decades. “If asked, I’m sure he would tell you he is not telling people to literally go and fight. But this rhetoric in this political environment is dangerous.”
david kaywood
David Kaywood
If the ant is the one who the sluggard should examine, that means the ant is living a life worthy of modeling. Are you? There is great power in a good example. You may not be the most attractive, the most talented, or the most successful, but you’ll do a great amount of good to more people than you realize if you consistently set a good, godly example.............Sleep is required for healthy living. No productivity advice worth anything will tell you to purposely and constantly avoid sleep in the name of being productive. If you need nine hours of sleep, get it. What is condemned here is not getting the sleep your body requires, but a lifestyle that seeks escape as a means to avoid earthly responsibility.............Planning is commended throughout Proverbs (Proverbs 11:14; 12:5; 14:8,15; 21:5). Your plans may not go how you want them to, and you may alter them as you go, but you should plan nevertheless. The ant provides his winter food in the summer. In other words, he plans and then acts by working ahead. It’s a sign of emotional maturity when you can work with diligence on a project today that is not due until six months from now. Christians who think that all planning is unspiritual and is the opposite of being “Spirit-led” are sadly mistaken. --David Kaywood; Gospel relevance; What We Learn About Productivity from the Ant in Proverbs
stephen kaziimba
June 16, 2023: Christian Post: Church of England Evangelical Council opposes Ugandan Church's support for criminalization of homosexuality
The Anglican Primate of Uganda, Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba, said he was "grateful" for the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023, which received presidential assent last month.
The Anglican Primate of Uganda, Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba, said he was "grateful" for the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023, which received presidential assent last month.
mike keahbone
Feb 21, 2023: Religion News Service: Southern Baptists oust Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church for naming a female pastor
Executive Committee member Mike Keahbone tweeted that any of the churches that were ousted Tuesday have the option of appealing to the messengers, or delegates, in attendance at the SBC’s next annual meeting, scheduled for June in New Orleans.
“Saddleback now has the option to appeal, which appears likely,” tweeted Keahbone, an Oklahoma pastor.
Executive Committee member Mike Keahbone tweeted that any of the churches that were ousted Tuesday have the option of appealing to the messengers, or delegates, in attendance at the SBC’s next annual meeting, scheduled for June in New Orleans.
“Saddleback now has the option to appeal, which appears likely,” tweeted Keahbone, an Oklahoma pastor.
chris kearney
Feb 24, 2023: Christian Chronicle: Addressing church decline one child at a time
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — On a recent Sunday morning, projection screens at the Windsong Church of Christ displayed Psalm 127:3: “Children are a heritage from the Lord.”
On stage, the church’s elders surrounded their preacher’s family in prayer.
Minister Chris Kearney’s infant daughter, Miah, looked out at the congregation.
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — On a recent Sunday morning, projection screens at the Windsong Church of Christ displayed Psalm 127:3: “Children are a heritage from the Lord.”
On stage, the church’s elders surrounded their preacher’s family in prayer.
Minister Chris Kearney’s infant daughter, Miah, looked out at the congregation.
craig keener
Craig S. Keener (PhD, Duke University) is F. M. and Ada Thompson Professor of Biblical Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary. He is author of thirty-three books, five of which have won major awards, more than seventy academic articles, several booklets, and more than 150 popular-level articles. One of his books, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, now in a second edition, has sold more than half a million copies. His books include commentaries on Matthew, Romans, 1-2 Corinthians, Revelation, a two-volume commentary on John and a four-volume commentary on Acts, plus a two-volume work on miracles, works about the Spirit, ethnic reconciliation, women in ministry, divorce and various other topics. Craig is the New Testament editor for the NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible. Craig is editor of the Bulletin for Biblical Research and the former program chair for the Institute for Biblical Research; he is coeditor with Michael Bird of the New Covenant Commentary series, and coeditor with Daniel Carroll R. of Global Voices, which includes interpretive contributions from readers from various cultures. (SOURCE:CBE)
Craig Keener Files
Some patriarchal husbands today quote Eph 5:22 (“Wives, submit to your husbands”) out of context, much the way slaveholders quoted Eph 6:5. But in Greek, there is no verb in 5:22; it simply says, “Wives, to your husbands. . . .” Of course, Paul is not saying, “Wives, just do to your husbands whatever you want.” Greek grammar presumes that we will carry over the verb from the preceding verse, and that verb is “submit.” But because the verb is carried over from 5:21, it cannot mean something different than it meant in 5:21. The wife’s submission is merely an example of mutual submission, as is the husband sacrificing his life for his wife.
Some object, “But submission is explicit only for the wife!” The command to love, however, is explicit only for the husband (5:25), yet we understand that all Christians should love each another (5:2). Likewise, all Christians should submit to one another (5:21). Although Paul is not trying to cover every circumstance, he offers us a general principle for how we should live: looking out for one another’s interests, listening to one another, loving others more than ourselves. Such advice is in keeping with his explicit teaching elsewhere (e.g., Rom 12:10, 13:8–10, 15:2–3; 1 Cor 13:4–7; Gal 5:14, 6:2), including in the preceding context (Eph 4:32)".
- Craig Keener; CBE International
Some object, “But submission is explicit only for the wife!” The command to love, however, is explicit only for the husband (5:25), yet we understand that all Christians should love each another (5:2). Likewise, all Christians should submit to one another (5:21). Although Paul is not trying to cover every circumstance, he offers us a general principle for how we should live: looking out for one another’s interests, listening to one another, loving others more than ourselves. Such advice is in keeping with his explicit teaching elsewhere (e.g., Rom 12:10, 13:8–10, 15:2–3; 1 Cor 13:4–7; Gal 5:14, 6:2), including in the preceding context (Eph 4:32)".
- Craig Keener; CBE International
lyndsay keith
June 2, 2023: Media Matters: American theocracy: Trinity Broadcasting Network’s nightly news program is spreading Christian nationalism
On March 23, 2022, TBN launched Centerpoint, a 30-minute nightly news program produced by former Newsmax CEO Michael Clemente and initially anchored by ex-Fox correspondent Doug McKelway. According to Axios, the network claimed the “programming isn't meant to be politically biased, but will lean into Christian values.” The anchor lineup has shifted multiple times featuring various Christian voices such as Pastor Allen Jackson and former politician Rob Astorino, but recently TBN successfully poached yet another Newsmax expat, Lyndsay Keith.
On March 23, 2022, TBN launched Centerpoint, a 30-minute nightly news program produced by former Newsmax CEO Michael Clemente and initially anchored by ex-Fox correspondent Doug McKelway. According to Axios, the network claimed the “programming isn't meant to be politically biased, but will lean into Christian values.” The anchor lineup has shifted multiple times featuring various Christian voices such as Pastor Allen Jackson and former politician Rob Astorino, but recently TBN successfully poached yet another Newsmax expat, Lyndsay Keith.
rodney kennedy
Jan 30, 2023: New Republic: Ron DeSantis and His Christian Crusaders Are Stealing Trump’s Religious Thunder
Trump’s more outspoken critics, for their part, have sought to explicate what exactly makes DeSantis so attractive. Many believe he’s smarter and more disciplined than Trump. Some note that DeSantis quite masterfully frames his crusades in religious, rather than political, terms. In the words of Rodney Kennedy, writing for Baptist News Global, “He fights like an evangelical culture war preacher.… Watching [him] fill the boards of universities with conservative trustees reads like a page out of the fundamentalist takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention.”
Trump’s more outspoken critics, for their part, have sought to explicate what exactly makes DeSantis so attractive. Many believe he’s smarter and more disciplined than Trump. Some note that DeSantis quite masterfully frames his crusades in religious, rather than political, terms. In the words of Rodney Kennedy, writing for Baptist News Global, “He fights like an evangelical culture war preacher.… Watching [him] fill the boards of universities with conservative trustees reads like a page out of the fundamentalist takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention.”
brANDON KIMBER
April 26, 2023: Grand Forks Herald: Kongsvinger Lutheran to host 'American Gospel' presentation at charity event to support campus ministries
Kongsvinger Lutheran Church, in rural Oslo, Minnesota, is hosting a charity event Friday, April 28, featuring a livestream presentation and dialogue with Brandon Kimber, director of the Christian docuseries “American Gospel.”
Kongsvinger Lutheran Church, in rural Oslo, Minnesota, is hosting a charity event Friday, April 28, featuring a livestream presentation and dialogue with Brandon Kimber, director of the Christian docuseries “American Gospel.”
leona kimes
Mar 12, 2023: Daily Mail: When good pastors go bad: From disgraced Carl Lentz's multiple affairs in Hillsong scandal to NYC's 'bling bishop', these are the biggest falls from grace
Leona Kimes, co-pastor of Hillsong Boston with her husband Josh, announced in a bombshell Medium post in May 2021 that she had been 'subjected to manipulation, control, bullying, abuse of power, and sexual abuse' by the Lentzes while working at their home as a nanny. The Lentzes strongly denied Kimes's allegations.
Leona Kimes, co-pastor of Hillsong Boston with her husband Josh, announced in a bombshell Medium post in May 2021 that she had been 'subjected to manipulation, control, bullying, abuse of power, and sexual abuse' by the Lentzes while working at their home as a nanny. The Lentzes strongly denied Kimes's allegations.
sheryl kinder-pyle
March 8, 2023: Religion News Service: In North Idaho, religious and secular activists work to fight Christian nationalism
“I stand in opposition to the use of the gospel for political gain,” the Rev. Sheryl Kinder-Pyle, a Presbyterian leader, told the crowd during the event.
“I stand in opposition to the use of the gospel for political gain,” the Rev. Sheryl Kinder-Pyle, a Presbyterian leader, told the crowd during the event.
betty king
Rev Dr Betty King is one of the UK’s most revered female ministers. She is pastor of Truthvine Church Wembley, and a leader who is prayerful, prophetic and philanthropic. Rev King hosts The Cry, a programme that is broadcast on GOD TV where she interviews Christians who are making an impact. In January 2023 Rev Betty launched ‘The Cry’ — an event where delegates from across the globe gathered at Wembley Arena. Akosua DF spoke to Rev King about her life, faith, ministry and desire to see revival break out throughout the nations.
Betty King
I believe that the spirit of conviction is falling on Great Britain. He is purging the church. People are talking about revival, but I believe that we are in revival. People are repenting and crying for change. I believe that Europe is poised for a move of God, and we are going to see people leave the streets and go into the church. This is why we need to contend for places of prayer. Sadly, the enemy is also making sure there are no real authentic mangers where the supernatural can be birthed. God is after birthing places — not organisations and structures that He no longer lives in. --Rev Dr Betty King; pastor of Truthvine Church Wembley; Keep The Faith;
jacki c king
April 7, 2021: Religion News Service: Beth Moore apologizes for her role in elevating ‘complementarian’ theology that limits women leaders
On Wednesday, Bible teachers in her mold, such as Jacki C. King, congratulated Moore for her words.
“I am so deeply grieved and sorry for the hurt and deep losses you have taken from your own,” tweeted King, who is also a Southern Baptist pastor’s wife. “It is the deepest sting and betrayal. Thank you for paving a way, for being faithful, for your example. I think and pray for you so often. Thank you sister.”
On Wednesday, Bible teachers in her mold, such as Jacki C. King, congratulated Moore for her words.
“I am so deeply grieved and sorry for the hurt and deep losses you have taken from your own,” tweeted King, who is also a Southern Baptist pastor’s wife. “It is the deepest sting and betrayal. Thank you for paving a way, for being faithful, for your example. I think and pray for you so often. Thank you sister.”
"Through nonviolent resistance we shall be able to oppose the unjust system and at the same time love the perpetrators of the system." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ; A Tough Mind and a Tender Heart
zach kingery
July 19, 2022: Aberdeen News: Churches in South Dakota, nationwide dealing with lower attendance, affiliation numbers
Zach Kingery, a pastor at two United Methodist Churches in southeastern South Dakota, said it is impossible to overstate the important role churches play in communities and the lives of individuals. “Every week we close the service and I tell people that they are sent out into the world to share the word of God and be the light of Christ, to be more like Christ, to reach out to others and to help people,” he said. “Peace, patience, joy, love, goodness, kindness, all the fruits of the spirit; those are meant to be shared with people.”
Zach Kingery, a pastor at two United Methodist Churches in southeastern South Dakota, said it is impossible to overstate the important role churches play in communities and the lives of individuals. “Every week we close the service and I tell people that they are sent out into the world to share the word of God and be the light of Christ, to be more like Christ, to reach out to others and to help people,” he said. “Peace, patience, joy, love, goodness, kindness, all the fruits of the spirit; those are meant to be shared with people.”
david kinnaman
Feb 10, 2023: Christianity Today: Data Shows that Americans Are Spiritually Open
Lucado joined David Kinnaman, author and CEO of Barna Group, and Ed Stetzer, executive director of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center to talk about the unprecedented possibilities open to Christians today.
“This cultural moment that we’re in is one that is challenging but also has great opportunity,” said Stetzer.
“There’s a lot of real hopeful data here,” said Kinnaman. One area that especially stands out, he noted, is the openness of two generations who are often thought of as resistant to Christianity: Millennials and Gen Z.
Lucado joined David Kinnaman, author and CEO of Barna Group, and Ed Stetzer, executive director of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center to talk about the unprecedented possibilities open to Christians today.
“This cultural moment that we’re in is one that is challenging but also has great opportunity,” said Stetzer.
“There’s a lot of real hopeful data here,” said Kinnaman. One area that especially stands out, he noted, is the openness of two generations who are often thought of as resistant to Christianity: Millennials and Gen Z.
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Feb 6, 2019: Christianity Today: Half of Millennial Christians Say It’s Wrong to Evangelize
Barna president David Kinnaman points to the rising cultural expectation against judging personal choices. Practicing Christian millennials were twice as likely as Gen X and four times as likely as Boomers and Elders to agree with the statement, “If someone disagrees with you, it means they’re judging you.” “Cultivating deep, steady, resilient Christian conviction is difficult in a world of ‘you do you’ and ‘don’t criticize anyone’s life choices’ and emotivism, the feelings-first priority that our culture makes a way of life,” Kinnaman said. “As much as ever, evangelism isn’t just about saving the unsaved, but reminding ourselves that this stuff matters, that the Bible is trustworthy, and that Jesus changes everything.” |
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martin kiogora
Martin Kiogora: a pastor, chaplain, professional counselor, content writer, and a budding web developer.
Martin Kiogora
The king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. (2 Samuel 24:24, NIV)
There is an old adage that says, “The best things in life are free. There is also a modification of the same adage which says,“There is nothing free in life. Someone must have paid for it.” This is very true — free things come at a price. There is a price to pay.
King David insisted on paying for the cost of the sacrificial animal instead of accepting a free offer from one of his subjects — Araunah. David understood that sacrifices must cost you something. To attain something, whether spiritual or material, there is always a price to pay.
Our salvation came at a price. The apostle Paul encouraged the Corinthian Christians, who were struggling with sexual immorality, that they had to lead and live a pure life because they were bought with a price.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20, NIV).
Our salvation is free because Christ, through his sacrificial death, paid the ultimate price. Christ, our elder brother preceded and prepared the way for us. Our Lord and Saviour smoothened the road for us.
- Martin Kiogora; I Will Not Sacrifice to the Lord Offerings That Cost Me Nothing
There is an old adage that says, “The best things in life are free. There is also a modification of the same adage which says,“There is nothing free in life. Someone must have paid for it.” This is very true — free things come at a price. There is a price to pay.
King David insisted on paying for the cost of the sacrificial animal instead of accepting a free offer from one of his subjects — Araunah. David understood that sacrifices must cost you something. To attain something, whether spiritual or material, there is always a price to pay.
Our salvation came at a price. The apostle Paul encouraged the Corinthian Christians, who were struggling with sexual immorality, that they had to lead and live a pure life because they were bought with a price.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20, NIV).
Our salvation is free because Christ, through his sacrificial death, paid the ultimate price. Christ, our elder brother preceded and prepared the way for us. Our Lord and Saviour smoothened the road for us.
- Martin Kiogora; I Will Not Sacrifice to the Lord Offerings That Cost Me Nothing
thomas knaPP
Thomas Knapp
I’m a fan of keeping the state separate from pretty much everything, especially religion. There’s pretty strong historical grounding for believing that’s what the people who created the system we live in intended. In addition to Jefferson’s letter to the Danbury Baptists, in which he posited a “wall of separation,” the 1796 Treaty of Tripoli is clear: “[T]the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.”
On the other hand, if we’re going to allow the federal government to exist at all, I’m with those guys, who also ordered that “no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.”
I’m not concerned with Johnson’s beliefs. In fact, since he’s a politician, I consider it foolish to assume that they bear any resemblance to his claims. For all I know he’s a closet Muslim, a secret atheist, or, most likely, a narcissist who sees God in the mirror when he shaves each morning.
His actions, however, are a different story.
When Johnson came to Congress, he swore an oath (in defiance of biblical command, by the way — Matthew 5:33-37) to “support and defend the Constitution.” That oath obligates him to certain things even if the Constitution contradicts his interpretation of scripture.
If it’s impossible to be true to both, he needs to pick one.
If he can’t bring himself to do the job as he swore to do it, he should resign rather than betray his oath, and certainly rather than seek and accept the position of Speaker.
Unfortunately, he seems to have missed 1st Corinthians 10:21: “Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils.”
--Thomas Knapp; Richmond Observer; OPINION: Religion and politics and Mike Johnson 11/8/23
On the other hand, if we’re going to allow the federal government to exist at all, I’m with those guys, who also ordered that “no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.”
I’m not concerned with Johnson’s beliefs. In fact, since he’s a politician, I consider it foolish to assume that they bear any resemblance to his claims. For all I know he’s a closet Muslim, a secret atheist, or, most likely, a narcissist who sees God in the mirror when he shaves each morning.
His actions, however, are a different story.
When Johnson came to Congress, he swore an oath (in defiance of biblical command, by the way — Matthew 5:33-37) to “support and defend the Constitution.” That oath obligates him to certain things even if the Constitution contradicts his interpretation of scripture.
If it’s impossible to be true to both, he needs to pick one.
If he can’t bring himself to do the job as he swore to do it, he should resign rather than betray his oath, and certainly rather than seek and accept the position of Speaker.
Unfortunately, he seems to have missed 1st Corinthians 10:21: “Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils.”
--Thomas Knapp; Richmond Observer; OPINION: Religion and politics and Mike Johnson 11/8/23
joseph kohm
Jospeh Kohm
"The last two years have shown that our public discourse has taken a nose dive in terms of incivility, rage, mania [and] just craziness. This is a golden opportunity for Christians because this is what we are commanded to do. It's the standard set [for] us by all the prophets, all the New Testament writers and advocates and by Jesus, especially. It's a huge opportunity to live our faith and to show that we are the sane ones. It's one of the best messaging lines we have."
-Joseph Kohm, director of public policy at Family Policy Alliance 8.26.23
-Joseph Kohm, director of public policy at Family Policy Alliance 8.26.23
Rocky Komatsu
Rocky Komatsu
“There is so much that is unknown. We don’t even know all the challenges right now. Things move slower here, and we are isolated, so we do know there are going to be lots of needs for a long time. It feels very overwhelming.”“I was shocked................It showed walls of flame that had engulfed the entire community behind Front Street.......We couldn’t connect with friends on that side, because the power was out so there was no reaching them. The only thing we could do was pray............I went into Lahaina on a plane Thursday morning with supplies, then later that afternoon Jay and I went in a convoy of trucks loaded with more supplies. It looked like what you see on the news when a country goes to war. It looked like a bomb had gone off and destroyed the entire town. It was heartbreaking. There wasn’t a ton of smoke because the fire was slowly dying. It was very somber. It didn’t feel real. It felt like a nightmare. We brought in things like food, water, diapers, baby wipes, adult wipes. Later we switched to propane and generators.My friend preached an excellent sermon on suffering from Romans 5 the Sunday after the fire. The following Sunday I preached on lament from Psalm 13. We are just trying to equip our people to grieve in a biblical way—to be honest and transparent with others and the Lord about the pain and questions and confusion. Then, like David in Psalm 13, we want to move from pain and sorrow to trusting the steadfast love of the Lord.............We really do think lament will be a key help for us in this time—and not just for ourselves. We also want to help our community understand how to lament. We don’t want to minimize suffering or escape it or fall into despair. Instead, we go to God and we trust in the gospel. A lady started coming to our church the week before the fire. Her husband is a firefighter, and he was on a crew that got trapped in the fires and almost lost their lives............Gathering supplies to fly to Lahaina. He lived, and he came to church on Sunday with his whole family. He said, “It’s been a very long time but it’s good to be back.” His wife said something like “I cannot believe that after I turned my back on God all these years, he would save my husband’s life.” That’s a little seed of gospel hope........We were also able to help a family who lost their home. Their family is hosting three other families in their parents’ house. We were able to give them some supplies. The daughter ended up coming this past Sunday with her family. They were able to hear the gospel presented to them, to hear they can find hope in Christ. Another family was holding 28 people in their home. We have been able to drop off supplies to them, and several of our church members able to pray with them...........I’ve been able to pray with a lot more people right now.What the community is going to lean on is “Maui Strong,” which is the collective efforts and love of our community together and their resolve to build back Lahaina. We support it 100 percent, but we also know it’s not enough. A community without the gospel is not going to be any better off. We are hoping to pass out copies of Mark Vroegop’s Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy. I read his book three years ago and then led our church through a series on some of the psalms of lament. I think it has given us categories for processing what’s happened here and is helping our people to minister to our community.
We are really praying the Lord would use this to bring a revival of the gospel back to this community—that they would realize their hope cannot be ultimately in building back Lahaina but in coming to see Christ as the King who can bring true, lasting healing and peace. --Pastor Rocky Kamotsu on Hawaii after the fires.
We are really praying the Lord would use this to bring a revival of the gospel back to this community—that they would realize their hope cannot be ultimately in building back Lahaina but in coming to see Christ as the King who can bring true, lasting healing and peace. --Pastor Rocky Kamotsu on Hawaii after the fires.
ashley morgan kirk
Ashley Morgan Kirk
Every week, [Resurrection Senior] Pastor Adam [Hamilton] meets somebody who has never walked into our physical doors before but has been worshiping online with us........We hear from people who aren’t ready to come back in person yet, who are faithfully attending online. … I talk with people each week who aren’t geographically close to us but who are identifying as Resurrection people.............online church has been a method” for some who regularly attended before the pandemic to keep up, her congregation has “also seen new people join us. ....For some in Kansas City who are new to us, online worship is their screen door to our physical front doors at our locations." ....She drew a parallel to Methodism founder John Wesley’s practice of itinerant preaching outside of church buildings........."I think this is the moment in history that’s allowing us one of the biggest opportunities to make the Gospel more available to the general public, just like the work that Wesley did.”
-Ashley Morgan Kirk, Online care and connection pastor; Church of the Resurrection; Kansas City, Kansas 2.2.22
-Ashley Morgan Kirk, Online care and connection pastor; Church of the Resurrection; Kansas City, Kansas 2.2.22
Charlie Kirk
June 12, 2023: Word & Way: With Turning Point Faith, Pastors Use Politics as a Church-Growth Strategy
The main event, however, was the pulpit talk given by Charlie Kirk, the fresh-faced 29-year-old founder of Turning Point USA. He began with an impassioned defense of Tucker Carlson, the Fox News host who had been fired days before, praising a video Carlson posted to Twitter after his show was canceled, in which he held forth the importance of truth in media.
The main event, however, was the pulpit talk given by Charlie Kirk, the fresh-faced 29-year-old founder of Turning Point USA. He began with an impassioned defense of Tucker Carlson, the Fox News host who had been fired days before, praising a video Carlson posted to Twitter after his show was canceled, in which he held forth the importance of truth in media.
daniel kirk
July 6, 2023: Presbyterian Outlook: On women pastors and biblical authority: A Presbyterian reflection
But as Daniel Kirk perceptively notes in Jesus Have I Loved, But Paul?: A Narrative Approach to the Problem of Pauline Christianity, viewing the genders through this lens seems to give “the last word to the curse of the fall rather than to the redemption of Christ.” Kirk continues: Does not the subordination of women in the church “as a norm for all times and places undermine the scope and power of God’s redemptive work and of our own calling to make the church the living story of new creation”? These are important questions with which to grapple!
But as Daniel Kirk perceptively notes in Jesus Have I Loved, But Paul?: A Narrative Approach to the Problem of Pauline Christianity, viewing the genders through this lens seems to give “the last word to the curse of the fall rather than to the redemption of Christ.” Kirk continues: Does not the subordination of women in the church “as a norm for all times and places undermine the scope and power of God’s redemptive work and of our own calling to make the church the living story of new creation”? These are important questions with which to grapple!
scott klusendorf
Mar 20, 2015: Wretched: Voddie Baucham and Scott Kluesendorf: Should we publicly display pictures of aborted babies?
Episode 1555
Episode 1555
mont knudsen
July 13, 2023: Politico: DeSantis is hoping Iowa evangelicals can make his campaign born again
Monte Knudsen, a pastor at Faith Christian Outreach Church in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, compared DeSantis to Pence — the former vice president and evangelical who hasn’t broken out of the bottom tier this election — saying he would “have greater confidence in DeSantis because of his track record.”
Monte Knudsen, a pastor at Faith Christian Outreach Church in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, compared DeSantis to Pence — the former vice president and evangelical who hasn’t broken out of the bottom tier this election — saying he would “have greater confidence in DeSantis because of his track record.”
denys kondiuk
March 24, 2023: Religion Unplugged: On The Front Lines: In War-Torn Kherson, Church Is A Symbol Of Hope And Resilience
“The longer people are at war, the less they are skeptical about God,” said Denys Kondiuk, the dean of a theological seminary located just outside Kyiv and pastor of the Protestant community New City Church in Ukraine’s capital. “Yet, people still die at war every day, and this is something that the church has to be ready to help its members or newcomers to process.”
“The longer people are at war, the less they are skeptical about God,” said Denys Kondiuk, the dean of a theological seminary located just outside Kyiv and pastor of the Protestant community New City Church in Ukraine’s capital. “Yet, people still die at war every day, and this is something that the church has to be ready to help its members or newcomers to process.”
steven kopp
Steven Kopp
The call to “cast all your anxiety on him” is linked logically and grammatically. English translators split these verses into two sentences, but in Greek verses 6-7 form a single sentence: “Humble yourselves… casting all your anxiety.” As we humble ourselves before God we should be casting our anxieties on him. His is a mighty, but also a loving, hand. He cares for us and so we can give our anxieties to him, trusting in his sovereignty. -Steven Kopp; Slasher Pastor; 1 Peter 5:6-14 Stand Firm 9/25/23
Greg Kouki
Greg Kouki founded Stand to Reason in 1993 and currently serves as President of Stand to Reason. He has spoken on more than 70 college and university campuses both in the U.S. and abroad and has hosted his own call-in radio show for 27 years, advocating for “Christianity worth thinking about.” He has debated atheist Michael Shermer on national radio and Deepak Chopra on national television. An award-winning writer and best-selling author, Greg has written seven books, including The Story of Reality—How the World Began, How It Ends, and Everything Important that Happens in Between; Tactics—A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions, and Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Mid-Air. Greg has been featured on Focus on the Family radio and has been interviewed for CBN and the BBC. He's been quoted in Christianity Today, the U.S. News & World Report, and the L.A. Times.
Greg received his Masters in Philosophy of Religion and Ethics at Talbot School of Theology, graduating with high honors, and his Masters in Christian Apologetics with honors from Simon Greenleaf University. He is an adjunct professor in Christian apologetics at Biola University.
Greg received his Masters in Philosophy of Religion and Ethics at Talbot School of Theology, graduating with high honors, and his Masters in Christian Apologetics with honors from Simon Greenleaf University. He is an adjunct professor in Christian apologetics at Biola University.
Greg Koukl
Relativism is the defining characteristic of the age and has influenced the church in subtle yet profound ways. When an objective claim (a verse) communicates completely different meanings (“truths”) to different subjects (people), that’s relativism. Since truth is not in the objective meaning of the words but in the personal, subjective experience of the reader—in this case, an experience allegedly caused by the Holy Spirit—a personal prompting can be “true for me but not for you.” Since there are different experiences for different people, there are different “truths” for each.
Let me speak plainly: There is no biblical justification for finding private, personal messages in texts originally intended by God to mean something else. This approach is the wrong way to read the Bible. One reason I know this is because of what the Bible teaches about itself.
The Bible on Bible StudyFirst, the Bible teaches that the written words of Scripture are inspired.
“All Scripture [graphe, Gr.—the “writing”] is inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16). The wording here is important. Paul says that the writing itself is “God-breathed,” not the thoughts, impressions, or private messages that occur to us when we read the writing.
God told Moses to speak to Pharaoh the specific words of God: “I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say” (Exodus 4:12). “Let them hear My words,” God said later at Horeb, “so they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth” (Deuteronomy 4:10). These are the “living words” that Stephen said have been passed on to us (Acts 7:38).
God told Jeremiah, “Write all the words which I have spoken to you in a book” (Jeremiah 30:2). He said to Isaiah, “My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring’s offspring” (Isaiah 59:21).
God has always been concerned with the words because precise words are necessary to convey precise meaning. That’s why Paul confidently refers to God’s revelation not as words of human wisdom, but as “words...taught by the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:13).
Second, the Bible teaches it is important to accurately understand these inspired words of Scripture.
Note Jesus in Luke 10:25–28:
And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And He said to him, “You have answered correctly.”
Jesus did not ask, “What does the Spirit say to you on this issue?” He asked, “What is written? How does it read?” Then he waited to see if the lawyer got it right.
There is a correct and incorrect way to read the Bible. Paul tells Timothy to handle the Word accurately to avoid bringing shame on himself (2 Timothy 2:15). Jesus scolded the Pharisees for not understanding the Scripture properly. He then made an argument for the resurrection that hinged on the tense of a word: “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is not the God of the dead but of the living” (Matthew 22:29–32).
Third, the Bible teaches that private interpretations do not yield the accurate meaning.
Peter is clear on this point. He writes:
But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation; for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. (2 Peter 1:20–21)
Because there is a divine author behind prophecy, the apostle argues, there is a particular truth—a determinate meaning—that God intends to convey. Individual, personalized interpretations that distort this meaning only bring danger (note the reference to false prophets and false teachers in the next verse).
-Greg Koukl; Stand To Reason; Silly Putty Bible Study; 9/1/23
Let me speak plainly: There is no biblical justification for finding private, personal messages in texts originally intended by God to mean something else. This approach is the wrong way to read the Bible. One reason I know this is because of what the Bible teaches about itself.
The Bible on Bible StudyFirst, the Bible teaches that the written words of Scripture are inspired.
“All Scripture [graphe, Gr.—the “writing”] is inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16). The wording here is important. Paul says that the writing itself is “God-breathed,” not the thoughts, impressions, or private messages that occur to us when we read the writing.
God told Moses to speak to Pharaoh the specific words of God: “I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say” (Exodus 4:12). “Let them hear My words,” God said later at Horeb, “so they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth” (Deuteronomy 4:10). These are the “living words” that Stephen said have been passed on to us (Acts 7:38).
God told Jeremiah, “Write all the words which I have spoken to you in a book” (Jeremiah 30:2). He said to Isaiah, “My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring’s offspring” (Isaiah 59:21).
God has always been concerned with the words because precise words are necessary to convey precise meaning. That’s why Paul confidently refers to God’s revelation not as words of human wisdom, but as “words...taught by the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:13).
Second, the Bible teaches it is important to accurately understand these inspired words of Scripture.
Note Jesus in Luke 10:25–28:
And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And He said to him, “You have answered correctly.”
Jesus did not ask, “What does the Spirit say to you on this issue?” He asked, “What is written? How does it read?” Then he waited to see if the lawyer got it right.
There is a correct and incorrect way to read the Bible. Paul tells Timothy to handle the Word accurately to avoid bringing shame on himself (2 Timothy 2:15). Jesus scolded the Pharisees for not understanding the Scripture properly. He then made an argument for the resurrection that hinged on the tense of a word: “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is not the God of the dead but of the living” (Matthew 22:29–32).
Third, the Bible teaches that private interpretations do not yield the accurate meaning.
Peter is clear on this point. He writes:
But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation; for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. (2 Peter 1:20–21)
Because there is a divine author behind prophecy, the apostle argues, there is a particular truth—a determinate meaning—that God intends to convey. Individual, personalized interpretations that distort this meaning only bring danger (note the reference to false prophets and false teachers in the next verse).
-Greg Koukl; Stand To Reason; Silly Putty Bible Study; 9/1/23
MICHAEL KOULIANOS
Feb 18, 2020: Mission Box: A Historic Event Marks a Generation Hungry for God — The Send Brazil
The Send is a collaboration between several ministries led by Daniel Kolenda, Lou Engle, Michael Koulianos, Todd White, Brian Brentt, Teo Hayashi and the teams point man, Andy Byrd. T
Dec 2, 2012: Youtube: Michael Koulianos-Raw Holy Spirit Power-Jesus Delivers Woman with Cancer of a spirit of infirmity
TURN VOLUME ALL THE WAY UP Jesus delivers woman with cancer of a spirit of infirmity when Michael Koulianos prays for her in Guatemala City. This is intense footage. Jesus is King. This is the power of the Holy Spirit in action.
- Jesus Image -
Evangelist, Author and co-host of Jesus Image's TV program "Living for Jesus", was born in Tarpon Springs, Florida. He gave his heart to Jesus Christ at the age of 12. That same year he preached his first message. At the age of 16, in a school founded by his parents, Theo and Evelyn Koulianos, Michael started a meeting with 6 students. Within a few weeks, these services grew to capacity crowds as the Holy Spirit began to draw young people from all denominations and backgrounds to Jesus Christ. Hundreds of lives were changed during these amazing gatherings.
Michael married his wife Jessica in 2004. Shortly thereafter, he was ordained into the ministry. He has assisted in some of the largest evangelistic meetings in history, with millions in attendance. In 2005, he was given the privilege of being the lead Pastor of World Healing Center Church in Orange County, California. After a series of supernatural events, in October of 2007, Michael’s life was forever changed in a church in Westport, CT. It was here that the power of God overwhelmed him like it did when he was a twelve year old. Now- Michael has one desire to love Jesus and introduce Him to as many people as possible. He believes that Jesus is the only answer to all of our needs. His life’s call is to be used of God to reveal His Son to the world by the Power of the Holy Spirit.
This would eventually lead to the founding of Jesus Image, the evangelistic ministry of the Koulianos family. Jesus Image is focused on winning cities, nations and the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Michael now travels the world ministering the Good News of Jesus Christ to the lost, praying for the sick and teaching the Word of God. The Lord is confirming His word with notable signs following. Thousands have come to Jesus and multitudes have been healed by the Power of God. Both Michael and Jessica frequently appear on worldwide television. He is also the author of the life-changing book – The Jesus Book
The Send is a collaboration between several ministries led by Daniel Kolenda, Lou Engle, Michael Koulianos, Todd White, Brian Brentt, Teo Hayashi and the teams point man, Andy Byrd. T
Dec 2, 2012: Youtube: Michael Koulianos-Raw Holy Spirit Power-Jesus Delivers Woman with Cancer of a spirit of infirmity
TURN VOLUME ALL THE WAY UP Jesus delivers woman with cancer of a spirit of infirmity when Michael Koulianos prays for her in Guatemala City. This is intense footage. Jesus is King. This is the power of the Holy Spirit in action.
- Jesus Image -
Evangelist, Author and co-host of Jesus Image's TV program "Living for Jesus", was born in Tarpon Springs, Florida. He gave his heart to Jesus Christ at the age of 12. That same year he preached his first message. At the age of 16, in a school founded by his parents, Theo and Evelyn Koulianos, Michael started a meeting with 6 students. Within a few weeks, these services grew to capacity crowds as the Holy Spirit began to draw young people from all denominations and backgrounds to Jesus Christ. Hundreds of lives were changed during these amazing gatherings.
Michael married his wife Jessica in 2004. Shortly thereafter, he was ordained into the ministry. He has assisted in some of the largest evangelistic meetings in history, with millions in attendance. In 2005, he was given the privilege of being the lead Pastor of World Healing Center Church in Orange County, California. After a series of supernatural events, in October of 2007, Michael’s life was forever changed in a church in Westport, CT. It was here that the power of God overwhelmed him like it did when he was a twelve year old. Now- Michael has one desire to love Jesus and introduce Him to as many people as possible. He believes that Jesus is the only answer to all of our needs. His life’s call is to be used of God to reveal His Son to the world by the Power of the Holy Spirit.
This would eventually lead to the founding of Jesus Image, the evangelistic ministry of the Koulianos family. Jesus Image is focused on winning cities, nations and the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Michael now travels the world ministering the Good News of Jesus Christ to the lost, praying for the sick and teaching the Word of God. The Lord is confirming His word with notable signs following. Thousands have come to Jesus and multitudes have been healed by the Power of God. Both Michael and Jessica frequently appear on worldwide television. He is also the author of the life-changing book – The Jesus Book
rich kozlovich
January 21, 2023:
Rich Kozlovich (a rabid right wingnut) opened a blog post with these statements:
"On December 30, 2022.............posted a piece noting, 17% of Assaults on NY Jews Were Carried Out By Muslims “64% of the assaults were committed by black individuals, 17% by Asians (Muslim/Arab).”
And he summized: "Did you know that? No? Why not? I did! Why? Because I’m searching news sources all the time, so the fact I know these things and most people don’t isn’t the fault of the people. It’s the fault of the media because they focus on “their” narratives, and mostly those narratives are misdirection, logical fallacies, lies of commission and lies of omission."
He then goes through small list of other issues of which he blames the media for not reporting on. But, interestingly, he was using a blog post, which can be shared to social media, and found in a Google search (How I found it) so I am to assume that only his chosen "media" is not the enemy but all the others are?
What emphasizes my assumption is the fact that the info was posted on quite a few right - wing propaganda sites...and it appears that the information has no solid source for legit reporting. This, however, is the way the right wing media operates: They decry every media that does not push their narratives (or use that stupid two word idiom: "Fake News") .
The right-wingers battle with themselves for the most part when it comes the evilness of a media that will not report their baseless arguments. And they will be the first..(tho maybe the only) to tell you how much wisdom is in their information.
Kozlovich ends his argument with:
"One has to conclude there’s something seriously wrong with these people, and have no doubt in your minds, they really hate us, in fact, leftists hate humanity, and truth be told, they hate themselves, and the media is the agar and Petri dish in which their hate and vile behavior grows, thrives and spreads like an infectious plague on humanity."
Just a reminder: "Evil" to the right wingers is simply anyone or anything that does not accept their information as hard cold indisputable facts. Hillary's emails, Hunter Bidens laptop, Benghazi (and more) are a important talking point to the Right Wing media. Just baseless and not important in the real world.
Rich Kozlovich (a rabid right wingnut) opened a blog post with these statements:
"On December 30, 2022.............posted a piece noting, 17% of Assaults on NY Jews Were Carried Out By Muslims “64% of the assaults were committed by black individuals, 17% by Asians (Muslim/Arab).”
And he summized: "Did you know that? No? Why not? I did! Why? Because I’m searching news sources all the time, so the fact I know these things and most people don’t isn’t the fault of the people. It’s the fault of the media because they focus on “their” narratives, and mostly those narratives are misdirection, logical fallacies, lies of commission and lies of omission."
He then goes through small list of other issues of which he blames the media for not reporting on. But, interestingly, he was using a blog post, which can be shared to social media, and found in a Google search (How I found it) so I am to assume that only his chosen "media" is not the enemy but all the others are?
What emphasizes my assumption is the fact that the info was posted on quite a few right - wing propaganda sites...and it appears that the information has no solid source for legit reporting. This, however, is the way the right wing media operates: They decry every media that does not push their narratives (or use that stupid two word idiom: "Fake News") .
The right-wingers battle with themselves for the most part when it comes the evilness of a media that will not report their baseless arguments. And they will be the first..(tho maybe the only) to tell you how much wisdom is in their information.
Kozlovich ends his argument with:
"One has to conclude there’s something seriously wrong with these people, and have no doubt in your minds, they really hate us, in fact, leftists hate humanity, and truth be told, they hate themselves, and the media is the agar and Petri dish in which their hate and vile behavior grows, thrives and spreads like an infectious plague on humanity."
Just a reminder: "Evil" to the right wingers is simply anyone or anything that does not accept their information as hard cold indisputable facts. Hillary's emails, Hunter Bidens laptop, Benghazi (and more) are a important talking point to the Right Wing media. Just baseless and not important in the real world.
- Deborah Krause - Paul Kroll - Bjorn Krondorfer - Don Krow - Michael J Kruger - Kris Kubal - Tim Kuepfer - Kunneman -