R - PEOPLE FILES
- Steve Rabey - Soong-Chan Rah - Jess Rainer - Sam Rainer - Thomas S Rainer - John Ramirez - Pete Ramirez - Otis G Rankin Jr - Jason Rapert - Jonny Rashid - Tim Rask - Paul Rasmussen - Mike Ratliff - Paul Brandeis Raushenbush -
==steve rabey======
 Steve Rabey
Family Research Council has praised Tuberville’s courage in a series of fundraising emails, hailing his “David vs. Goliath standoff with the Biden administration’s Department of Defense and even fellow senators in order to protect unborn lives and the rule of law. … For months he has courageously stood firm. …What if every Bible-believing Christian in America took seriously the calling of Jesus for each of us to be salt and light in the darkening world around us?”
Family Research Council also claimed the Defense Department is acting in bad faith: “Let’s be absolutely clear: The Pentagon’s new abortion policy has everything to do with activist politics and nothing to do with Congress’ obligation to raise and maintain armed forces to provide for the common defense.” ..Gary Bauer of the James Dobson Family Institute said the military has gone “woke” in promoting “abortion, transgender ideology and Critical Race Theory / anti-American history.” He claimed this shift is hurting recruitment because “millions of American families will not encourage their sons and daughters to serve in such a military.” Focus on the Family’s Daily Citizen also praised Tuberville: “In Washington, D.C., it’s rare for politicians to follow through on commitments they’ve made. But so far, Sen. Tuberville has done exactly that.” --Steve Rabey; Baptist News Global; Christian groups applaud Tommy Tuberville’s blockade of military promotions 9.8.23 |
==Soong-Chan Rah======
'Threat to democracy' or media phantom? Christian nationalism debate takes violent turn
Soong-Chan Rah, a professor of evangelism at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, describes himself as a nonpartisan progressive evangelical and a “prophet speaking to broken systems.” Though he’s never endorsed a candidate before, he said the stakes of this election are so high that he wanted to throw his public support behind Harris. “Not only do I find this candidate, Trump, repugnant and repulsive,” Rah said, “it is to such an extreme that I want to endorse his opposition.”
(Seattle Times 9/19/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Soong-Chan Rah, a professor of evangelism at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, describes himself as a nonpartisan progressive evangelical and a “prophet speaking to broken systems.” Though he’s never endorsed a candidate before, he said the stakes of this election are so high that he wanted to throw his public support behind Harris. “Not only do I find this candidate, Trump, repugnant and repulsive,” Rah said, “it is to such an extreme that I want to endorse his opposition.”
(Seattle Times 9/19/24) READ MORE>>>>>
==JESS RAINER======
Jess Rainer
“Though the Christian population of this generation is likely no higher than 15 percent, these young people may well turn the world upside down with their commitments and causes. Millennial Christians are not content with business-as-usual churches. To the contrary, they will connect with churches on if those churches are wiling to sell out for the sake of the gospel.”
--Jess Rainer; The Millennials; Feb 2019
“Though the Christian population of this generation is likely no higher than 15 percent, these young people may well turn the world upside down with their commitments and causes. Millennial Christians are not content with business-as-usual churches. To the contrary, they will connect with churches on if those churches are wiling to sell out for the sake of the gospel.”
--Jess Rainer; The Millennials; Feb 2019
June 8, 2011: Christianity Today: Leadership Book Interview: Jess Rainer on The Millennials
Today Jess Rainer is at the blog to discuss The Millennials: Connecting to America's Largest Generation, a book that he co-wrote with Thom Rainer and based on a LifeWay Research project.
Today Jess Rainer is at the blog to discuss The Millennials: Connecting to America's Largest Generation, a book that he co-wrote with Thom Rainer and based on a LifeWay Research project.
==sam rainer======
Tom Ascol, Sam Rainer, and Willy Rice Among FL Pastors Bracing for Hurricane Milton
“Let me explain how we deal with these storms. The professionals will get basic infrastructure running first—clearing roads and debris,” Rainer said. “While we will be without power, internet, and cell service, most everyone has food and water. Floridians are truly a tough bunch. We know how to manage these storms.”
The pastor said that people who are interested in helping can do so best by giving financially to local churches, as opposed to sending actual items. “Our grocery stores will be restocked before the supplies you mail arrive,” he said. “Everything happens fast here.” (Church Leaders 10/9/24) READMORE>>>>>
“Let me explain how we deal with these storms. The professionals will get basic infrastructure running first—clearing roads and debris,” Rainer said. “While we will be without power, internet, and cell service, most everyone has food and water. Floridians are truly a tough bunch. We know how to manage these storms.”
The pastor said that people who are interested in helping can do so best by giving financially to local churches, as opposed to sending actual items. “Our grocery stores will be restocked before the supplies you mail arrive,” he said. “Everything happens fast here.” (Church Leaders 10/9/24) READMORE>>>>>
==thom S. rainer======
Thom S. Rainer was born (July 16, 1955) in Union Springs, Alabama. Rainer is the president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources (LifeWay.com). Among his greatest joys are his family: his wife Nellie Jo; three sons, Sam, Art, and Jess; and six grandchildren. He was founding dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism, and Church Growth at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. His many books include Surprising Insights from the Unchurched, The Unexpected Journey, and Breakout Churches.
May 19, 2023: Only Sky: The Southern Baptist Convention had its worst EVER membership drop in 2022
On the plus side, Lifeway’s new president, Ben Mandrell, reports that the organization had “revenue growth” last year (p. 62). After how much Thom Rainer, the previous president, apparently mucked things up, I bet Southern Baptist Convention folks will be glad to hear that news.
On the plus side, Lifeway’s new president, Ben Mandrell, reports that the organization had “revenue growth” last year (p. 62). After how much Thom Rainer, the previous president, apparently mucked things up, I bet Southern Baptist Convention folks will be glad to hear that news.
March 30, 2023: Thomas Rainer: Outreach Magazine: 5 Things to Consider When Services Have Fewer People
Mar 19, 2023: Thom S Rainer: Christian Post: 4 types of church members based on their frequency of attendance
September 29, 2020: It was announced that Lifeway filed a lawsuit against Rainer after he allegedly violated a non-compete agreement by publishing a book with Tyndale Press.
September 30, 2020: It was announced that Lifeway decided to seek a non-litigation resolution
October 5, 2020: It was announced that Rainer agreed to end his relationship with Tyndale and avoid litigation
September 30, 2020: It was announced that Lifeway decided to seek a non-litigation resolution
October 5, 2020: It was announced that Rainer agreed to end his relationship with Tyndale and avoid litigation
November 11, 2010: Rainer received the Donald A. McGavran award for outstanding leadership in church growth from the Great Commission Research Network
==john ramirez======
John Ramirez, who spoke at an Intercessors for America event last year, is a former occultist whose book "Out of the Devil's Cauldron: A Journey from Darkness to Light" detailed his account of leaving Santería after he was initiated when he was a boy. A mix of Roman Catholic teachings and occult spiritism, Santería emerged in Cuba during the 19th century and was banned in the country for decades. Now an evangelist, Ramirez maintained to Fox News Digital that Satanists are messing with real forces despite what they claim, and likened people who do not believe in spiritual warfare to someone who does not believe in gravity before jumping out a window.
"These people are a bunch of jokes because this is how they trap people," Ramirez said of The Satanic Temple and those like them. "I lived in the satanic kingdom for 25 years. I lived in the shadows of the demonic for 25 years. I would talk to Satan all day long, all night long." Ramirez claimed that when he was steeped in the occult, he would project his consciousness into the spiritual realm with the intention of cursing entire regions with "the highest levels of witchcraft." Following a supernatural experience during which he said he experienced hell, he became a Christian.
"So these people tell you they're a temple, they're a religion, but they don't serve Satan, which is all hogwash," he said. "They do."
On the front door, they say, 'We call ourselves Satanists, but we don't serve Satan.' But then that's like a Christian saying, 'I'm a Christian, but I don't serve Jesus.' How can you be a Christian not serving Jesus? Either you have one master, or you have the other."
Ramirez claimed Satanists set up temples in various cities "so demons and spirits can work in the atmosphere of those regions to really bring destruction to the people."Ramirez said the influence of the demonic is becoming increasingly apparent in American culture. "We make Sodom and Gomorrah look like kindergarten," he said. "We are darker by the minute. This society has lost its conscience of right from wrong. We don't even blush anymore."
"Whatever is right in people's eyes, that's what they do," he added.
"We support people's First Amendment right to engage in prayer and fasting as means of protest," a spokesperson for The Satanic Temple told Fox News Digital. "It is hard to respond to accusations of ‘tapping into demonic power’ in the same way that it is hard to respond to accusations of having ‘cooties’ without implicitly validating the mindset of a 3-year-old."
--Jan 31, 2023: Fox News: Christian 'prayer warriors' raise alarm over Boston's SatanCon 2023: 'Using the supernatural'
"These people are a bunch of jokes because this is how they trap people," Ramirez said of The Satanic Temple and those like them. "I lived in the satanic kingdom for 25 years. I lived in the shadows of the demonic for 25 years. I would talk to Satan all day long, all night long." Ramirez claimed that when he was steeped in the occult, he would project his consciousness into the spiritual realm with the intention of cursing entire regions with "the highest levels of witchcraft." Following a supernatural experience during which he said he experienced hell, he became a Christian.
"So these people tell you they're a temple, they're a religion, but they don't serve Satan, which is all hogwash," he said. "They do."
On the front door, they say, 'We call ourselves Satanists, but we don't serve Satan.' But then that's like a Christian saying, 'I'm a Christian, but I don't serve Jesus.' How can you be a Christian not serving Jesus? Either you have one master, or you have the other."
Ramirez claimed Satanists set up temples in various cities "so demons and spirits can work in the atmosphere of those regions to really bring destruction to the people."Ramirez said the influence of the demonic is becoming increasingly apparent in American culture. "We make Sodom and Gomorrah look like kindergarten," he said. "We are darker by the minute. This society has lost its conscience of right from wrong. We don't even blush anymore."
"Whatever is right in people's eyes, that's what they do," he added.
"We support people's First Amendment right to engage in prayer and fasting as means of protest," a spokesperson for The Satanic Temple told Fox News Digital. "It is hard to respond to accusations of ‘tapping into demonic power’ in the same way that it is hard to respond to accusations of having ‘cooties’ without implicitly validating the mindset of a 3-year-old."
--Jan 31, 2023: Fox News: Christian 'prayer warriors' raise alarm over Boston's SatanCon 2023: 'Using the supernatural'
==pete ramirez======
California Baptists Cut Staff, Citing Decline In Cooperative Program Giving
State Baptist officials have drawn on reserves to cover shortfalls over the past three years. The staff cuts, including four layoffs and two voluntary retirements, mean the state convention will not need to draw on reserves — as long as giving does not decline. “The stewardship that God has given me as the Executive Director in assuring we continue to have a healthy and sustainable future is a heavy burden,” Pete Ramirez, the state convention’s executive director said, according to Baptist Press. Giving overall to the SBC’s Cooperative Program is down just under 2% in the current fiscal year. The SBC’s annual budget called for $148 million in donations to be given to national and international causes, but actual giving to date is $145.4 million, according to a recent report posted by the SBC’s Executive Committee.
(Julie Roys 7/5/24) READ MORE>>>>>
State Baptist officials have drawn on reserves to cover shortfalls over the past three years. The staff cuts, including four layoffs and two voluntary retirements, mean the state convention will not need to draw on reserves — as long as giving does not decline. “The stewardship that God has given me as the Executive Director in assuring we continue to have a healthy and sustainable future is a heavy burden,” Pete Ramirez, the state convention’s executive director said, according to Baptist Press. Giving overall to the SBC’s Cooperative Program is down just under 2% in the current fiscal year. The SBC’s annual budget called for $148 million in donations to be given to national and international causes, but actual giving to date is $145.4 million, according to a recent report posted by the SBC’s Executive Committee.
(Julie Roys 7/5/24) READ MORE>>>>>
==0tiS G rANKIN JR======
Bishop Otis G. Rankin, Jr. is pastor of First United Gospel Assembly-one of the most dynamic churches on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. His pursuit for the manifest presence of God has driven him to long hours at the feet of Jesus and has enabled him to be a conduit of restoration for fallen leaders. He, his wife Debra, his three children and fourteen grandchildren reside in Gulfport, Mississippi.
Release date:
June 11th, 2013
by
Otis G Rankin Jr
Debra S Rankin
"It's lonely at the top" is certainly a true statement. However, it is very unfortunate for those in church leadership positions to suffer this fate. Many times, leaders are not only alone but are also lonely-starved for empathy-for someone to understand their struggle. In the church, there should be a safety net for leaders to be able to express their conflict between their carnal and spiritual nature. Too often, they seek solace in the wrong people and the wrong things in an effort to relieve the spiritual, mental and physical constraints placed on them by the position of leadership. Much like an extra-marital affair, when a spouse is overwhelmed with the pressures of marriage, he/she may seek fulfillment in unhealthy sources. Regrettably, the encumbrance of living two lives becomes increasingly unsettling which leads to detachment and ultimately to failure. Nevertheless, this is part of the process needed for growth. In order for grass to grow, it must be fertilized and we all know the best type of fertilizer-mess. The biggest mess of your life precedes your greatest blessing. In this book, you will read several accounts of leaders who have gone through a process of reproof and have awakened to a better life than they ever thought possible.
Xulon Press (January 29, 2008)
Beyond The Anointing by Bishop Otis G Rankin Jr
Oh, God! Where are You?
The Body of Christ has reached a point where everything is being labeled "anointed." This has caused many believers to become stagnant and complacent. But there is a remnant of frustrated and disgruntled believers who are searching for something more than the hype of what has been labeled as "anointed services." They are crying out for more than what the Body of Christ is offering them now. But how can the Body of Christ take someone beyond his or her present limitations? The answer can only be found at the feet of Jesus, where our limitations meet His infinite wisdom and where our anointing takes backstage to the Anointed One. This is the place where His manifest presence can be found. Are you ready for this? If your answer is "yes," let God take you to that place
Oh, God! Where are You?
The Body of Christ has reached a point where everything is being labeled "anointed." This has caused many believers to become stagnant and complacent. But there is a remnant of frustrated and disgruntled believers who are searching for something more than the hype of what has been labeled as "anointed services." They are crying out for more than what the Body of Christ is offering them now. But how can the Body of Christ take someone beyond his or her present limitations? The answer can only be found at the feet of Jesus, where our limitations meet His infinite wisdom and where our anointing takes backstage to the Anointed One. This is the place where His manifest presence can be found. Are you ready for this? If your answer is "yes," let God take you to that place
==jason rapert======
Oct 7, 2024: Christian Nationalist Jason Rapert Says The LGBTQ Movement Is "Of The Devil Tweet"
Arkansas children, and adults, should have the freedom to read
The ruling strikes at the heart of an argument recently made by former state Sen. Jason Rapert, a leading proponent in Arkansas of library book banning, albeit by another name. Rapert, founder of the Holy Ghost Ministries and member of the Arkansas State Library Board, has tried repeatedly to defund public libraries that offer books he finds objectionable for minors — mostly those with LGBTQ+ themes. Recently, he suggested he wasn’t trying to “ban” books but merely wanted to “segregate” them “to an appropriate space” away from children. Yet Holmes’ (U.S. District Judge P.K. Holmes III) ruling makes it clear that segregating books because we disagree with their viewpoints is unconstitutional under the First Amendment no matter how we describe the practice. (Arkansas Times 10/4/24) READ MORE>>>>>
The ruling strikes at the heart of an argument recently made by former state Sen. Jason Rapert, a leading proponent in Arkansas of library book banning, albeit by another name. Rapert, founder of the Holy Ghost Ministries and member of the Arkansas State Library Board, has tried repeatedly to defund public libraries that offer books he finds objectionable for minors — mostly those with LGBTQ+ themes. Recently, he suggested he wasn’t trying to “ban” books but merely wanted to “segregate” them “to an appropriate space” away from children. Yet Holmes’ (U.S. District Judge P.K. Holmes III) ruling makes it clear that segregating books because we disagree with their viewpoints is unconstitutional under the First Amendment no matter how we describe the practice. (Arkansas Times 10/4/24) READ MORE>>>>>
America engaged in ‘battle of worldviews,’ Mike Johnson tells Christian lawmakers group
The NACL was founded in 2019 by former Arkansas state Sen. Jason Rapert, a Republican. The group claims it is “the first formal national association of Christian lawmakers” who seek to “save the nation” by merging church and state. The group’s stated mission is “to bring federal, state and local lawmakers together in support of clear biblical principles by meeting regularly to discuss major issues, propose model statutes, ordinances and resolutions to address major policy concerns from a biblical worldview.” The group claims, “America would be better off if more Christians would run for elected office at the local, state and federal levels. … We need to elect more godly leaders in our national at every level.”
(Steve Rabey/Mark Wingfield/Baptist News Global 12/7/23) READ MORE>>>>>
The NACL was founded in 2019 by former Arkansas state Sen. Jason Rapert, a Republican. The group claims it is “the first formal national association of Christian lawmakers” who seek to “save the nation” by merging church and state. The group’s stated mission is “to bring federal, state and local lawmakers together in support of clear biblical principles by meeting regularly to discuss major issues, propose model statutes, ordinances and resolutions to address major policy concerns from a biblical worldview.” The group claims, “America would be better off if more Christians would run for elected office at the local, state and federal levels. … We need to elect more godly leaders in our national at every level.”
(Steve Rabey/Mark Wingfield/Baptist News Global 12/7/23) READ MORE>>>>>
Jason Rapert has likened himself to an Old Testament seer, conveying hard truths on behalf of an angry God. On his broadcast Save the Nation, the 50-year-old preacher and former Arkansas state senator calls himself a “proud” Christian Nationalist, insisting: “I reject that being a Christian Nationalist is somehow unseemly or wrong.”............Thanks to Rapert, the Christian Nationalist movement now commands a burgeoning political powerhouse, the National Association of Christian Lawmakers. A first-of-its-kind organization in U.S. history, NACL advances “biblical” legislation in America’s statehouses. These bills are not mere stunts or messaging. They’re dark, freedom-limiting bills that, in some cases, have become law. ...........By the time that bill passed in Texas in Sept. 2021, it had been adopted by NACL as model legislation. The reproductive-rights group NARAL later tracked copycat legislation in more than a dozen states. Rapert takes substantial credit for that spread: “NACL was the first and only para-legislative organization in the country to adopt the Texas methodology as a model law,” he tells Rolling Stone, “and we promoted it to be passed in every state.”
The NACL logo is a crusader’s shield: red emblazoned with a white cross. Rapert says the red represents “the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross as a sacrifice for the salvation of all humanity.” The emblem, he says, is meant to evoke the biblical “shield of faith” that promises to “extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”
Yet far from the defensive posture suggested by its shield, NACL is unabashedly on the offense. Rapert brags that NACL is at “the forefront of the battles to end abortion in the individual states” and also seeks to drive queer Americans back into the closet. “For far too long,” Rapert insists, “we have allowed one political party in our nation to hold up Sodom and Gomorrah as a goal to be achieved rather than a sin to be shunned.” ........Rapert would not share NACL’s current legislative lineup, though he promised the group’s website would soon be updated with its model bills “posted for public viewing.” Meantime, Rapert shared that NACL’s top priorities include the fight to block “radical LGBTQ indoctrination in our public schools” and to halt “radical transgender ideology and irreversible genital mutilation of minor children.".......Rapert has touted NACL as “basically ALEC from a biblical worldview.” Rapert is a paradoxical figure, a man who wraps himself in language of Christian love while preaching a doctrine that sounds a lot like hate. Rapert calls gay marriage a “stench in the nostrils of God.” He sees the growing rights of trans Americans, whom he calls the “transgenders,” as a mortal threat: “Now is the time to fight to save the country,” he’s said. “Do you think that America is going to be free with a bunch of drag queens running this place?”
--Feb 23, 2023: Rolling Stone: The Christian Nationalist Machine Turning Hate Into Law
The NACL logo is a crusader’s shield: red emblazoned with a white cross. Rapert says the red represents “the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross as a sacrifice for the salvation of all humanity.” The emblem, he says, is meant to evoke the biblical “shield of faith” that promises to “extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”
Yet far from the defensive posture suggested by its shield, NACL is unabashedly on the offense. Rapert brags that NACL is at “the forefront of the battles to end abortion in the individual states” and also seeks to drive queer Americans back into the closet. “For far too long,” Rapert insists, “we have allowed one political party in our nation to hold up Sodom and Gomorrah as a goal to be achieved rather than a sin to be shunned.” ........Rapert would not share NACL’s current legislative lineup, though he promised the group’s website would soon be updated with its model bills “posted for public viewing.” Meantime, Rapert shared that NACL’s top priorities include the fight to block “radical LGBTQ indoctrination in our public schools” and to halt “radical transgender ideology and irreversible genital mutilation of minor children.".......Rapert has touted NACL as “basically ALEC from a biblical worldview.” Rapert is a paradoxical figure, a man who wraps himself in language of Christian love while preaching a doctrine that sounds a lot like hate. Rapert calls gay marriage a “stench in the nostrils of God.” He sees the growing rights of trans Americans, whom he calls the “transgenders,” as a mortal threat: “Now is the time to fight to save the country,” he’s said. “Do you think that America is going to be free with a bunch of drag queens running this place?”
--Feb 23, 2023: Rolling Stone: The Christian Nationalist Machine Turning Hate Into Law
==Jonny Rashid======
Jonny Rashid is the pastor for West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship and author of Jesus Takes A Side. An abolitionist and a housing activist, he is also an avid cook, who blogs at jonnyrashid.com. Jonny studied journalism, education and history at Temple University and completed his MDiv at Palmer Theological Seminary.
Jonny Rashid
“Is there any god besides me?” is a political question. The rhetorical question calls to a radical political reorientation that not only challenges us to not worship other gods, but also to divest of oppressive power. For those who worship God, whether they are Jewish, Christian, or Muslim, God’s call to fidelity, as is demonstrated in the passage from Second Isaiah above, finds its fulfillment in personal loyalty to God, as individuals express that in worship and prayer. And while that is valuable, God’s call is political in that it asks us to cease worship of other gods and be devoted to only God.
The writer of The Wisdom of Solomon expresses this very devotion in the twelfth chapter of the book, “For neither is there any god besides you whose care is for all people, to whom you should prove that you have not judged unjustly (v13).” Rather than focus on merely personal devotion, the writer elevates God’s actions and frames them as political. It is implied that God cares for all people and does not judge without justice.
In an environment where God has other cultic gods that “compete” with God, the application of the call in Isaiah is, in a sense, simpler. God asks for fidelity, so God’s followers must not betray God with the worship of other gods. It is not enough for them to demonstrate fidelity to God through sacrifice, God requires thanks and love, to use the Psalmist’s words, with “our whole hearts.” But in an environment where other gods are less apparent, or at least mutually tolerated, the call to worship no god but God may fall on deaf ears. Most of us have enough trouble worshiping one god, let alone finding devotion in others.
Are we then off the hook because we are not seeking the love of other gods? Perhaps not. Even though the gods we worship that violate God’s fidelity are less apparent, we must still interrogate ourselves where we may fall short. After all, the infidelity of Israel was not also apparent to it, either.
For Israel, worshiping or fraternizing with foreign gods was just a matter of political practicality. The frail and divided nation found itself often in a weakened state against the warring empires that surrounded it. Rather than being crushed by them, Israel and Judah’s kings often allied with them against the words of their very prophets. For Israel, and for us, finding safety in worldly gods or worldly power is often just a matter of survival and prudence. But the steadfast love of God asks for transcendings the temptations of practical matters. In fact, engaging in accumulation of personal power in this way is an affront to the faithfulness of God. It is an action that says to God that we don’t trust God.
--Jonny Rashid; Political Theology; When we serve the least among us, we serve God 7.18.23
The writer of The Wisdom of Solomon expresses this very devotion in the twelfth chapter of the book, “For neither is there any god besides you whose care is for all people, to whom you should prove that you have not judged unjustly (v13).” Rather than focus on merely personal devotion, the writer elevates God’s actions and frames them as political. It is implied that God cares for all people and does not judge without justice.
In an environment where God has other cultic gods that “compete” with God, the application of the call in Isaiah is, in a sense, simpler. God asks for fidelity, so God’s followers must not betray God with the worship of other gods. It is not enough for them to demonstrate fidelity to God through sacrifice, God requires thanks and love, to use the Psalmist’s words, with “our whole hearts.” But in an environment where other gods are less apparent, or at least mutually tolerated, the call to worship no god but God may fall on deaf ears. Most of us have enough trouble worshiping one god, let alone finding devotion in others.
Are we then off the hook because we are not seeking the love of other gods? Perhaps not. Even though the gods we worship that violate God’s fidelity are less apparent, we must still interrogate ourselves where we may fall short. After all, the infidelity of Israel was not also apparent to it, either.
For Israel, worshiping or fraternizing with foreign gods was just a matter of political practicality. The frail and divided nation found itself often in a weakened state against the warring empires that surrounded it. Rather than being crushed by them, Israel and Judah’s kings often allied with them against the words of their very prophets. For Israel, and for us, finding safety in worldly gods or worldly power is often just a matter of survival and prudence. But the steadfast love of God asks for transcendings the temptations of practical matters. In fact, engaging in accumulation of personal power in this way is an affront to the faithfulness of God. It is an action that says to God that we don’t trust God.
--Jonny Rashid; Political Theology; When we serve the least among us, we serve God 7.18.23
==tim rask======
Feb 13, 2023: The Daily News: Orthodox Church offers 'new' denomination of Christianity
Tim Rask, whose home church was in Friendswood, was an international, evangelical missionary committed to bringing the gospel to an unreached country in Asia. He explained his own feeling about moving to Orthodoxy.
Tim Rask, whose home church was in Friendswood, was an international, evangelical missionary committed to bringing the gospel to an unreached country in Asia. He explained his own feeling about moving to Orthodoxy.
==paul rasmussen======
SMU Perkins’ Grad Adam Hamilton Tackles Doubt, Faith, Hope
When Paul Rasmussen began pursuing his Master of Divinity in 2000, a pastor who graduated a dozen years earlier already had legendary status at SMU’s Perkins School of Theology. “There was always this guy out in front of us named Adam Hamilton who we looked to for everything I did at that time,” the now Rev. Rasmussen recalled recently. “Every time I was in his company, I learned, and I learned a whole lot,” Rasmussen said. “He was what we aspired to be back in the day in seminary.” After graduating from Perkins, Hamilton returned to the Kansas City area to start a church for the non-religious or nominally religious.
Founded in 1990, the Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, now has five locations and is the largest United Methodist church in the United States. (People Newspapers 3/4/24) READ MORE>>>>>
When Paul Rasmussen began pursuing his Master of Divinity in 2000, a pastor who graduated a dozen years earlier already had legendary status at SMU’s Perkins School of Theology. “There was always this guy out in front of us named Adam Hamilton who we looked to for everything I did at that time,” the now Rev. Rasmussen recalled recently. “Every time I was in his company, I learned, and I learned a whole lot,” Rasmussen said. “He was what we aspired to be back in the day in seminary.” After graduating from Perkins, Hamilton returned to the Kansas City area to start a church for the non-religious or nominally religious.
Founded in 1990, the Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, now has five locations and is the largest United Methodist church in the United States. (People Newspapers 3/4/24) READ MORE>>>>>
==mike ratliff======
Mike Ratliff
4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world sets himself as an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? 6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” 7 Be subject therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and cry. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. James 4:4-10 (LSB)
I pray that you have seen very clearly my brethren that when the Word of God addresses self-righteousness that what is really being examined is a form of pride. What is the opposite of pride? It is, of course, humility. The proud may believe that they are prosperous in God’s economy, but, in fact, they are spiritually blind and, in our Lord’s own words from Revelation 3:17, “wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.”
Those who are truly self-righteous are spiritually blind yet they do not perceive that this is so. Their blindness is deep and humility is something to which they give lip service. These people do not have a true self-knowledge nor do they have a correct knowledge of God. The humble, on the other hand, are those who have had a true revelation of God and then have meditated or contemplated themselves in that light. Humility, then, is honestly assessing ourselves in light of God’s holiness and our sinfulness. If we take that definition then look at our Lord’s assessment of the Church at Laodicea we see a people much like most professing Christians in our time. --Mike Ratliff; Possessing The Treasure; A Biblical Example of Self-Righteousness 9.27.23
I pray that you have seen very clearly my brethren that when the Word of God addresses self-righteousness that what is really being examined is a form of pride. What is the opposite of pride? It is, of course, humility. The proud may believe that they are prosperous in God’s economy, but, in fact, they are spiritually blind and, in our Lord’s own words from Revelation 3:17, “wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.”
Those who are truly self-righteous are spiritually blind yet they do not perceive that this is so. Their blindness is deep and humility is something to which they give lip service. These people do not have a true self-knowledge nor do they have a correct knowledge of God. The humble, on the other hand, are those who have had a true revelation of God and then have meditated or contemplated themselves in that light. Humility, then, is honestly assessing ourselves in light of God’s holiness and our sinfulness. If we take that definition then look at our Lord’s assessment of the Church at Laodicea we see a people much like most professing Christians in our time. --Mike Ratliff; Possessing The Treasure; A Biblical Example of Self-Righteousness 9.27.23
==Paul Brandeis Raushenbush======
Paul Brandeis Raushenbush
“It is disheartening to hear of today’s planned House impeachment vote, which is a frivolous political maneuver that seems more focused on scoring points than upholding its members’ duty as our elected representatives. The unfortunate reality is that many of our representatives seem willing to abuse the Constitution for short-term gains, eroding the very foundation that holds our democracy together. Rather than succumbing to partisan theatrics, Congress should redirect its focus to fighting our nation’s pressing challenges — the historic rise in hate that threatens the fabric of our society and passing critical federal spending bills to ensure the functioning of our democracy and safeguard the health and safety of our communities. Across diverse faiths and philosophies, Interfaith Alliance members remain united by a shared and unwavering faith in the U.S. Constitution and the democratic system of government it represents. As we witness today’s political maneuvering, let us remember the principles that bind us — the values of democracy, justice, and a commitment to the common good.”
-Paul Brandeis Raushenbush; Interfaith Alliance 12/12/23
-Paul Brandeis Raushenbush; Interfaith Alliance 12/12/23
As U.S. House opens impeachment probe against Biden, religious leaders are silent
The only apparent same-day reaction from a religious leader came from Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, president of Interfaith Alliance, who opposes the effort to impeach the president. “It is disheartening to hear of today’s planned House impeachment vote, which is a frivolous political maneuver that seems more focused on scoring points than upholding its members’ duty as our elected representatives,” he said before the vote was taken. “The unfortunate reality is that many of our representatives seem willing to abuse the Constitution for short-term gains, eroding the very foundation that holds our democracy together.
(Mark Wingfield/Baptist News Global 12/13/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
The only apparent same-day reaction from a religious leader came from Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, president of Interfaith Alliance, who opposes the effort to impeach the president. “It is disheartening to hear of today’s planned House impeachment vote, which is a frivolous political maneuver that seems more focused on scoring points than upholding its members’ duty as our elected representatives,” he said before the vote was taken. “The unfortunate reality is that many of our representatives seem willing to abuse the Constitution for short-term gains, eroding the very foundation that holds our democracy together.
(Mark Wingfield/Baptist News Global 12/13/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
