Lifestyles of the Rich and Infamous: Whose house is this house? See story * below.
We’re back with our weekly look at faith-related stories, as they appear to us living one international border removed from much of the action. I told my wife that the U.S. network TV shows weren’t on last night because it was Super Tuesday. She asked, in all seriousness, “That’s football, right?”
■ Coronavirus and the Shincheonji Church in South Korea: “In the largest outbreak outside of China, the majority of the country’s more than 4,335 confirmed cases are members of the secretive group, labeled a cult in South Korea and by the Christian community, according to a spokesman for the church. ‘You would be 5 centimeters away from the person who sits next to you, and have to say ‘Amen’ after every sentence the pastor speaks — it’s the best environment for the virus to spread,’ An So-young, a 27-year-old who left the group, told Reuters.” …
■ …And the virus means some SBC missionaries may need to be redeployed to other countries. International Mission Board President Paul Chitwood said, “For missionaries who are at the epicenter of the virus, in places where the risk is high and also where interaction with other human beings has almost been totally shut down, what we have said to them is, ‘If you have small children or health issues, we want you somewhere else quickly.'” …
■ …and in Italy, in the all-important season of Lent leading up to Passion Week, the Roman Catholic Church has congregations scrambling for alternative ways to say the Mass, including streaming live on the internet.
■ Nagmeh Panahi, former wife of Saeed Abedini, shares her story with Pastor Neil McClendon and the congregation of Grand Parkway Baptist Church in Richmond Texas (58 minutes). (Interesting quote: “The first time I saw a commercial airplane it was really scary; I couldn’t understand that there could be airplanes that weren’t meant to drop bombs.”)
■ Tornado hits Nashville: Joel and Luke Smallbone of for King and Country report, “Many of us were up through the night listening to sirens, searching for information on what was taking place around us, and checking in with loved ones around Nashville. By God’s grace, we’re all unharmed, but the same cannot be said for our city- which has taken quite a hit.”
■ N. T. Wright on what the Bible says about women preachers. “Wright said the same question would elicit a yawn in the U.K. ‘We settled this one years ago,'”
■ Parenting Problems: Why it’s increasingly difficult for Christians to work within the constraints of publicly funded fostering programs. This is a devotional article, but you want to at least read the anecdote.
■ Polyamory: In 2020 this is a definite “no” for Evangelicals. But 2030? Look what happened with homosexuality. To consider this:
- First, it’s helpful to read this Wikipedia entry for the term Overton Window if you’re not familiar with it.
- Second, if you need it, the same online encyclopedia’s definition of Polyamory.
- From there, you have some context to read a conservative critique of a piece that appeared in Christianity Today and weigh the possibility that CT “articles like this subtly encourage readers to accept at least part of polyamory as a good thing.”
■ Know anyone in this category? “There is a tendency for the parachurch to become a quasi-church. In other words, the tendency is for the parachurch to become the functioning church of its participants. It becomes the hub around which the Christian lives of its participants revolve.” The writer says such organizations are not a proper substitute for the local church.
■ If you see someone on Twitter or Facebook asking for prayer, pray for them. And then let them know you’re praying. Prayer request of the week is for Olivia, daughter of @BibleBacon. (See Feb. 21, 22, 25, 26.)
■ A prominent Reformed writer asks his denomination if they are taking the Bible seriously when it comes to teaching on Satan and the demonic realm. (Kicks of a series of articles.)
■ Your Church is not a cafeteria: Thom Rainer offers seven reasons the two are not the same.
■ * Got $1.9M? James MacDonald’s house is for sale. (More info in the comments section.)
■ John Ortberg returns to Menlo Presbyterian this week after completing a “Restoration Plan” with church leadership.
■ Honored: On May 5th a Christian publisher’s association will award Stormie Omartian for “the outstanding contribution of The Power of a Praying® series, both to the industry and to society at large.” “The series’ collection of 20 books, published by Harvest House Publishers, has achieved more than 31 million in sales worldwide.” (Note to self: Don’t forget the ®.)
■ Lauren Daigle and Hillsong topped the list of the top Christian songs streamed on Spotify in 2019.
■ New Music ♫ This item got omitted last week, but apparently some people must thing the new Hillsong Young and Free song isn’t Jesus-y enough for worship use. At least, something sparked this short article. (Video embedded.)
■ New Music ♫ Paul Baloche is back with a new album, Behold Him. Check out the lyric video for What a Good God.
■ New Music ♫ Back on October 2nd, this Bethel Worship musician’s picture topped our Wednesday Connect column with the announcement of his run for Congress. Check out his new song, Raise Our Voice.
■ Meet Naomi: Not a faith story, but on the climate change front, Greta’s got competition.
■ Finally, last week’s burning theological question: Was Jesus buff?
Someone wasn’t taught to close their eyes for prayer.
Photo: Reuters News
■ Tweet of the Month for February:
Top Clicks from last week’s Connect feed:
- If there were only 100 Christians…
- Guest Post at Julie Roys: What happened at Willow Creek
- Julie Roys at Julie Roys: Son of John MacArthur in trouble
- At what point do we say that the “unreached” have been “reached?”
- The Akiane art theft we never knew about
- American Idol contestant leads judges in a prayer
Click to see them all at this link.
Thinking Out Loud 
May God give us a cure for this rapidly spreading virus. God bless you guys!!
Comment by laycistercians — March 6, 2020 @ 3:02 am