K - PEOPLE FILES
- Val Kalende - Mike Kalstrup - Kapya Kaoma - Jim Karch - Mary Kathryn - Brian Kaylor - David Kaywood - Stephen Kaziimba - Mike Keahbone - Chris Kearney - Craig Keener - Lyndsay Keith - Michael Kelly - Rodney Kennedy -
==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.
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.”
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.
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======
SBC Executive Committee member once again criticized for sexually crude social media posts
While Executive Committee leadership might agree with that necessity, it isn’t so easy, according to Mike Keahbone, an Oklahoma pastor who also serves on the latest iteration of the SBC’s sexual abuse response task force. Keahbone tweeted: “As a member of the @SBCExecComm I am aware of the inappropriate tweets made by one of our members. Our leadership is aware and is currently walking through the biblical process of confronting a brother. Organizationally, our bylaws only allow removal from the board by the messengers at the annual meeting. Our next meeting is in June. Our board has the option of censuring or issuing a reprimand of the offending action. This will come after the biblical process has finished its course. There is no debate: the comments by our member were awful and will not be tolerated.”
(Mark Wingfield/Baptist News Global 3/2/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
While Executive Committee leadership might agree with that necessity, it isn’t so easy, according to Mike Keahbone, an Oklahoma pastor who also serves on the latest iteration of the SBC’s sexual abuse response task force. Keahbone tweeted: “As a member of the @SBCExecComm I am aware of the inappropriate tweets made by one of our members. Our leadership is aware and is currently walking through the biblical process of confronting a brother. Organizationally, our bylaws only allow removal from the board by the messengers at the annual meeting. Our next meeting is in June. Our board has the option of censuring or issuing a reprimand of the offending action. This will come after the biblical process has finished its course. There is no debate: the comments by our member were awful and will not be tolerated.”
(Mark Wingfield/Baptist News Global 3/2/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
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.
==michael kelly======
Michael Kelley is director of Discipleship at LifeWay Christian Resources and the author of Growing Down: Unlearning the Patterns of Adulthood that Keep Us from Jesus.
Michael Kelly
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:13–16). In this context, what do salt and light have in common? It’s that they are both meant to be used. For flavor. For sight. For enhancements. For making things more clear. When we believe the gospel, we are meant to serve this same role.
--Michael Kelly; Outreach Magazine; Is it Possible to Be Too Focused on Heaven? 5/17/24
--Michael Kelly; Outreach Magazine; Is it Possible to Be Too Focused on Heaven? 5/17/24
==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.”
