Attention Word Slingers readers: Beginning December 11, 2019, all posts will be available at BaptistMessenger.com. Thank you for reading Word Slingers!
Moody Publishers are releasing a new devotional this week called “Cassie and Caleb Discover God’s Wonderful Design,” by Susan and Richie Hunt. It is a beautifully illustrated hardback book with short, story-centered devotions designed for kids 5-8 years old. Husbands, if you are looking for a Mother’s day gift, this might be a great idea for you.
I introduced the book to my five year old, Abby, a couple weeks ago. She loves it. The stories are applicable, the family is realistic (not sugar-coated Christians), and the truths are solid. The focus alternates from Cassie to Caleb so as to be useful for either gender. All of the lessons happen in the context of family, with secondary characters like grandparents, single moms, friends, etc… After each devotion, the “Let’s Talk” section leads you through discussion with your child, with the opportunity to look up verses and pray.
Most parents like me want to have these meaningful discussion with their children, but sometimes we lack the means to follow through. This is a great tool to put your desire into action. In the introduction, the authors identify five key truths they want to teach:
God’s design for gender roles
finding Jesus in all of Scripture
God’s Word as our authority
Church as significant spiritual family
the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives
The book is unapologetically complementarian, yet addresses the heart issues behind the differing roles. I have enjoyed this opportunity to talk with Abby about foundational issues and invest these spiritual truths into her life at such a formative age.
If you would like to put your name in to win a free copy, click here and leave a comment with your kids’ names and ages.
If you would like to purchase a copy, the book can be found here.
Back in middle school, I was a definitely what you would call a “band nerd.” Every day, I would loiter with my clarinet buddies in the office of our band director, Mary Jo Sharp, for hours. Over the course of my middle school career, my friends and I grew extremely close to our director, who would chat with us daily after school about anything we cared to discuss. Needless to say, she was the kind of teacher who always poured genuine concern into the lives of her students, a real example of Christ’s love.
It was no secret that Mrs. Sharp was a Christian, but when she resigned my freshmen year of high school to follow God’s calling into apologetics (the defense of faith,) all of her students were shocked. She returned to the University of Oklahoma, where she had received her bachelor’s degree in music education, and pursued a master’s degree in apologetics. Shortly thereafter, she began appearing on Christian radio shows, in Baptist publications, and on Internet podcasts with regular frequency as part of Confident Christianity. Before long, she wrote her first devotional, Defending the Faith, and was eventually offered a teaching position at Houston Baptist University, where she now serves as an Assistant Professor of Apologetics.
Often times, when I flip to the last page of a devotional to read about the author, I cannot help but wonder if these spiritual leaders truly adhere to the principles they teach. When I see Mary Jo Sharp’s name on the bottom of Defending the Faith, however, I recall the countless instances of Godly love where she patiently listened to the frivolous, daily worries of her middle school students, always equipped with kind words and Biblically-centered advice. It goes without saying that Mrs. Sharp greatly influenced the early stages of my walk with Christ and continues to do so now through her work with apologetics.
In college, your beliefs are tested daily as new ideas are thrown at you from every direction, which can unfortunately plants seeds of doubt in the back of any lifelong Christian’s mind. This is why I have taken a recent interest in Mary Jo’s work, as a proactive response to the doubts that are inevitable to the Christian faith. Although I have only begun to work through her devotional, I can connect to the honesty with which she discusses her doubts, personal spiritual struggles, and pursuit of hard answers through apologetics. Even though it has been seven years since I was her student, God is still using Mary Jo to meet my spiritual needs. Isn’t that amazing?
If you are looking to test the waters of apologetics or are in need of a new devotional, I would love to invite you to work through Defending the Faith with me. You can purchase the book either online, at Amazon, or at most Mardel stores. When I step back and observe the big picture of God’s plan for Mary Jo in my life, my trust in him is only renewed. It then leads me to a larger question: Am I allowing God to work through me in the lives of others? Are you? It’s funny how reflecting on the past, on the mentors that prayed and cared for us, can heavily influence our own future as a strategically-placed puzzle piece in God’s great plan.
New U.S. Census data shows that the number of births out of wedlock in Oklahoma is up. Way up. In fact, some 40 percent of births in Oklahoma in 2011 were to unwed mothers, which is higher than the national average. This represents a significant challenge and opportunity for churches in Oklahoma, which remains one of the most churched states in America.
While an increasing number of churches realize we should minister with and to single mothers, there has been a cost to the removal of stigma to out-of-wedlock births. Namely, more children are being born into broken homes.
Expectations matter. The script for those desiring children used to be, “First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby carriage.” Today, shows like Here Comes Honey Boo Boo too closely reflects the reality of women becoming pregnant out of wedlock.
The biggest loser in this equation of out-of-wedlock births is children. A close second, though, is the mothers who raise them. Coming off nearly Scott free are men, who sleep around and take no responsibility for their offspring. We have, in a way, catered to the barbarians in society. We have lost the whole idea of a “shotgun wedding.” This must change.
First, let’s face the fact that this is mostly the fault of men. A woman cannot become pregnant without a man, and the pool of guys out there is getting worse and worse. In his 2004 essay, “Wimps and Barbarians: The Sons of Murphey Brown,” Terrence O. Moore predicted we would see what we are seeing ten years later. Moore examined societal attitudes about single mothers, when Vice President Dan Quayle criticized fictional TV anchor “Murphey Brown” for purposefully becoming a single mother. Moore argues that Brown’s son would grow up to be one of two extremes, either a wimp or a barbarian.
Boys without fathers, as it turns out, often trend toward one of these extremes. By God’s grace, a single mother can raise godly children, but it is an uphill battle. Therefore, the church must respond in love by supporting mothers who are single, by telling men who abandon women and children they are living in sin and encouraging them to take responsibility for their actions, and by a recommitment to God’s best for a family, having a mother and a father.
Jesus, while compassionate to the woman at the well (John 4), did chide her for living with a man “who is not your husband.” Our Lord forgave her and restored her, as well as set her on a new path for life. Part of her old, sinful way was cohabitation. The church should not be afraid to tell women and men that God does not want them to have sex outside of marriage, nor does he smile upon cohabitation. God is not trying to spoil any fun. He is trying to protect us from ourselves.
Until a fundament shift in expectations occurs in society, we likely will continue to see the unwed birth rates climb. God’s people, though, can be accountable for our own and our actions. Let’s pray that we will take this Census news as a wake-up call and compassionately help young adult Christians stay on the best path.
Each of us reading this was born of a woman. In some circumstances, our birth mother was not the one to raise us, yet in a vast majority of cases, we each were raised and reared by the woman we call “Mother.”
Too often, we relegate honorable treatment of our mothers to one day a year—Mothers’ Day. Even at that, we let this Hallmark holiday sneak up on us, and we haphazardly voice some platitudes of compliments and hurriedly buy a card and flowers for Mom.
What God describes, instead, is a day-in and day-out honorable treatment of them. In fact, it is in Ten Commandments to honor our mothers. It has been said you will know how a young man will treat his future wife by looking at how he treats his mother. How are you treating your mother these days?
Not every woman, even among Christians, can fulfill the ideal we read of in Prov. 31. Yet by God’s grace, many women have attained to that level.
“A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.”
The passage goes on to describe a women who is virtuous, hard-working and compassionate to the poor. She is wise and industrious, as well as organized in her home.
Today’s society, meanwhile, glorifies only women who are beautiful or “sexy.” Even in outward beauty there is no restraint as “pretty” has given way to “hot.” Think of the very notion of “Desperate Housewives” to see how far we have digressed from God’s best.
What the Bible extols, however, is not outward beauty or youth. God extols something more lasting. When shopping for your mother (or wife or sister or daughter-who-is-a-mother) this year, try to think of gifts that underscore this lasting value. Do not buy her hair coloring so she will look younger or, heaven forbid, yoga classes so she can be trendy, or a self-help book. Invest in her lasting characteristics.
In Romans 1, the Apostle Paul describes human depravity as it sank to new lows. He talks about idolatry and lying and sexual immorality. He makes a most interesting statement, saying, “For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature” (Rom. 1:26). In this verse, he was condemning sexual sins, but he says, “even their women.” Paul knew that men are more likely to rush into sin.
Today, in our moral freefall, we are seeing that even women are being brought down with it. New statistics show that women are going along with the pornography boom. Women are toying with New Age religion more and more, and giving in to gossip in social media circles. Who will save us?
Thanks be to God, Christ Jesus helps us to stand firm, even in the darkest days. As we continue the downward spiral in America, it is increasingly important to uphold and praise the ideal. So in your own family, when you see the women of the family exhibit Proverbs 31 traits, let’s be like her family.
“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.’ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.” (Prov. 31:28-30)
With the summer vacation season right around the corner, today I wanted to share a handy website that I’ve used a couple of times in planning our trips. Especially when we’re on vacation, I always try to be a good steward of our resources and this service helps me do that! Have you heard of Vacation Rentals By Owner? It’s a site where you can search privately owned properties when looking for a great place to stay.
With some of the listings, you deal directly with the owner, but the majority are run by management companies. Sometimes you may be staying in a personal residence that is being rented out, or it may be a company-owned property.
We have used VRBO twice in the last few years, and always check it out when we’re headed somewhere new that we’re not familiar with. The first time we booked with VRBO was on our 15th Anniversary trip to New York City. We decided the general area of town we wanted to stay in, and then searched for nearby listings.
We were able to stay in a flat in a neighborhood near Times Square. It was a 1 bedroom with bath and full kitchen and living area. The rate was much less than we would have had for a tiny hotel room elsewhere. The kitchen was a major benefit (although we ate out more than we planned to!), and we really felt like locals when walking through the neighborhood up to the flat, rather than tourists heading towards the hotels.
Our place was not lavishlike a fancy hotel, but comfortable, and I guess spacious in NYC terms!
We also used VRBO for our beach vacation last summer. Once again, we were able to get a 2 bed, 2 bath condo with a full kitchen, washer & dryer in the room, and balcony overlooking the ocean, right on the beach, for less than we could have rented a standard hotel room for. We made 1 trip to the store for quick fix, easy meals and saved money by only eating out one time. I also really appreciate the washer and dryer-I love coming home from a trip with all of the laundry already done!
Nothing super fancy, but perfect for our needs and budget.
Best of all, this was our balcony. Right on the sand!
My only caution is to always make sure you know what’s included and not included…parking? towels? paper goods? etc. Usually the listing is very upfront but the owner or contact person is very helpful if you have any questions and need to contact them.
Once again, by doing a bit of research and being willing to cook and eat most vacation meals in, our family is able to be good stewards even while on vacation. VRBO is the first site we check when planning a trip. Have you ever used it?
“In this regard, it is expected of managers that each one of them be found faithful.”
Since long before TSA sucked all the fun out of air travel, airplanes have been my favorite form of commute. My favorite thing about flying? Naps. There’s no TV, no dirty dishes, nothing to distract you or demand your attention.
Unless you get seated next to a talker. Nothing ruins a good nap like a talker. I’ve even had someone try to sell me insurance on a flight!
On my last trip, I had a very frustrating day of travel. One flight left late, the connecting flight left early, and I was stuck in the airport waiting for the next available flight. I was hot, tired, frustrated, and hungry. The last thing I wanted was a “cattle car” experience to finish the trip. So I forked out the nominal fee and sprung for a First Class upgrade, hoping it would increase my odds of being seated alone or with someone who didn’t feel the need to share their life story.
The plane boarded and at first it looked like my hopes would be realized. My neighbor sat down with earbuds in and didn’t even make eye contact. I settled in with my book and prepared for a quiet trip home.
Then it was time to “turn off all electrical devices.” Out the earbuds came, and he dove into a two-hour long monologue about his childhood, marriage, career… As I listened to him talk, I couldn’t help think that I was being cheated out of my highly anticipated quiet time.
Commence guilt.
I recently finished a Bible study which included a brief discussion on the author’s view that airplane neighbors are divine appointments, God-ordained opportunities to share the Gospel to a captive audience. I appreciated her perspective, but decided that wasn’t for me. Plane time is my nap time.
Throughout the flight, that idea rolled around in my head, refusing to leave. Still, I said nothing. Partly that was because I didn’t know if I could get a word in edgewise. But also, I am shamefully out of practice when it comes to telling a complete stranger the Good News.
Finally we arrived at our destination and began to deplane. He started to leave and I said, “I really enjoyed talking to you. Every night, I like to pray for people I meet, is there something I could pray for you about today?”
And sure enough, after telling me all the wonderful things about his life, suddenly he confessed that there was an area that wasn’t as good as he originally presented it, and asked for prayer. We said goodbye and left.
It wasn’t the Roman Road, but I did pray for him that night, for his situation and the hope that someone taking an interest in him and offering to pray for him planted a seed that others would water.
Maybe next time I’ll be a little slower to curl up for my nap.
Perhaps you have heard the buzz going around about Plan B®. On Tuesday, April 30th 2013, the FDA approved the marketing and sale of Plan B®, a potent emergency contraceptive, to girls as young as the age of 15 with no prescription required. This move of Plan B® to over-the-counter (OTC) status bothers me greatly as a Christian, as a pharmacist, and more importantly as a parent. I hope in this post to provide you with sound information to navigate this tragic downfall of medical wisdom and blatant intrusion into the parent/teen relationship brought about by the FDA’s ruling.
First off, I want to speak to you from the unique perspective of a pharmacist and bi-vocational minister. I want to put my cards on the table early, and tell you I have never sold any form emergency contraceptive to any patient under any circumstance. My conviction that life begins at conception frequently puts me at odds with many in the medical community concerning issues of life and contraception. My aim is to hold fast to my beliefs and to educate others in the truth about emergency contraception.
As I did research on the proposed mechanism of action for emergency contraceptives, such as Plan B®, I found several proposed mechanisms for preventing pregnancy. Plan B®’s website list the following possibilities:
Plan B works mainly by stopping the release of an egg from the ovary. It is possible that Plan B One-Step® may also work by preventing fertilization of an egg (the uniting of the sperm with the egg) or by preventing attachment (implantation) to the uterus (womb).
The first two proposed mechanisms are similar to the way monthly oral contraceptives work, but it is the last possibility that prevents me from selling the product. The manufacturer says that this drug may prevent the implantation of an already fertilized and viable embryo into the uterus wall thereby causing the body to abort this viable life. Now I am not saying that in every case of emergency contraception use prevention of implantation is the only mechanism possible, but I am saying that in every case of use, it is possible. In most of the literature on emergency contraceptive, this mechanism is downplayed or ignored all together. To allow young girls access to such a drug without this vital information clearly violates the patient’s right to informed consent.
Another problem I have with the approval of the over-the-counter sale of Plan B® is the FDA appears to be setting a double standard. Levonorgestrel, the active ingredient found in Plan B®, is allowed this privileged OTC status only in emergency contraceptive product formulations such as Plan B® or Next Choice®. Levonorgestrel, found in 19 other formulations for routine monthly oral contraception, is still available only by prescription under the supervision of physicians and pharmacists. This prescription-only status stresses that the FDA believes monthly use of Levonorgestrel is best managed by doctors who can perform annual health screenings, such as pap smears, to rule out sexually-transmitted diseases and cervical cancer. With Plan B now available to teens with no screening or medical care, we are not promoting women’s health but in reality suppressing much needed care to some of our youngest patients. Two separate studies performed in both the U.K. and the U.S. have found that STD rates increase as much as 12% with OTC access to emergency contraceptives such as Plan B®. Without screenings and education, we are putting women at risk.
Finally, emergency contraceptives are not intended as primary means of contraception as Plan B®’s own website declares. Allowing unlimited, unsupervised use of emergency contraceptives will lead to overuse. I have seen this in my own practice as women come in time and time again for an emergency contraceptive that states on the packaging is not intended to be used as a primary means of contraception. Allowing Plan B® OTC to girls as young as 15 will further send the message that emergency contraception is a primary option for continual use. This exposes young girls to repeated high doses of Levonorgestrel leading to common side effects like: nausea, vomiting, fatigue, dizziness, lower abdominal pain, and menstrual irregularities. In fact each dose of Plan B One-Step® contains as much Levonorgestrel as 15 days of monthly oral contraceptives that require a prescription from a doctor. These high doses of hormones are not safe as primary means for contraception, and access to such drugs should be overseen by appropriate healthcare providers.
As a Doctor of Pharmacy looking at the debate over OTC availability to emergency contraceptives for teenage girls, I am baffled at the decision of the FDA last week. This decision will lead to overuse of high potency emergency contraceptives and reduce doctor/patient encounters for proper health screenings. This decision is a step backwards for women’s health.
Looking at this debate as the father of a little girl, I am outraged that the FDA would undermine parent’s involvement in the lives of their children. As parents, we have every right to be involved in all decisions concerning our children’s health. Now teenage girls are faced with enormous health decisions apart from parental involvement and without physician guidance. This is unacceptable!! Our children deserve better than this!!
The FDA granting OTC status of emergency contraceptives to girls age 15 and older should be a wake-up call to us all. Where we have opportunity, we need to speak out against foolish policies that are infringing upon our rights as parents, endangering the lives of our children, and most of all, taking the lives of the innocent. We must be vigilant in teaching our children to navigate such issues with godly wisdom. We should pray for God to change the hearts and minds of those in office making laws and judgments. The FDA ruling is stimulating conversations, and the truth will always triumph. I leave you with this from Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
In Ephesians 1:5 we read, “he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ.” This statement is number two in Paul’s presentation of the spiritual blessings for those who are in Christ. It is vitally connected to the first blessing in Paul’s list – that of being “chosen in him before the foundation of the world (v.4).” Setting aside the theological differences between those inclined toward a reformed (or otherwise) interpretation of this passage let’s simply look at Paul’s actual point. He is trying to get Christians in Asia Minor to understand the blessed reality of who they are in Christ. In the two verses above Paul is making the point that God picked them and decided to adopt them.
Paul is using adoption language to help us understand salvation. After all, in human adoption prospective parents look for a child and then choose that child for adoption – prior to the child’s knowledge. The parents then pursue that child ending in the transformation of a child’s status from “orphan” to a “son” or “daughter.” Is this not in the spiritual realm what God has done for us in Christ? Is this not Paul’s point?
What is described above is a Gospel-foundation for moving toward the orphan. Just as our heavenly Father brought us into His family, even so, we seek to bring orphans into our families. We believe that in doing so we display the heart of our adoptive heavenly Father.
God is doing something in our day – not something new; rather, renewed – for the purpose of His glory being seen as His people change orphans to sons and daughters. It’s one thing to theorize and even sympathize about the plight of the orphan. It’s an even deeper thing to go visit the orphan (overseas mission trip or local work of some sort). More impactful still is when a Christ-centered, Jesus lover brings an orphan home and changes that orphan to a son or daughter.
So how do we move toward the orphan? Do we even see where they are? Certainly we know there are orphans internationally. We’ve seen the pictures, heard the sad stories, perhaps even shed a tear, offered a prayer or donation of funds. But have we really seen the “orphans” who live next door? We more typically call these children a more common label: Foster Kids.
Did you know that about 500,000 kids are in the US foster system? Of that amount approximately 120,000 are available for adoption. In Oklahoma there are nearly 10,000 kids in state’s care. In Oklahoma County alone there are nearly 3,000. Did you know that over 1,000 kids in OKDHS care have a permanency goal of adoption? The orphan lives next door.
God has called His church to “care for widows and orphans in their distress (James 1:27).” He has also told us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31). Jesus is not simply talking about social ministry. Let us also not forget the directive to make disciples of ALL nations (people groups). When you mix all these biblical commands together and consider the legal orphans among us can we have any other response than to engage in orphan care evangelism? When we change the physical status of an orphan to a son or daughter we are bringing the mission into our living rooms, into the core center of who we are. Going on mission is great. Bringing the mission home is even better.
In an attempt to help the church move toward legal orphans in our state Council Road Baptist Church hosted the Oklahoma Foster Care Forum on April 25. The event, in partnership with Project 111, included a pastor’s breakfast. Nearly 50 pastor’s and ministry leaders enjoyed delicious food, and fellowship and were encouraged to consider helping their church move toward the orphan. About 350 people attended the Forum itself. Ministry leaders, including Micah Kersh (Henderson Hills), state leaders, former foster kids, and current foster parents made presentations that helped participants understand more clearly the needs of kids at risk in our own state. For more information about this event or to discover ways to get involved contact James Hunt at jhunt@councilroad.org.
The Food and Drug Administration has created a new policy that will almost certainly further the culture of death in America. To be specific, the FDA approved the so-called morning-after pill (“Plan B”), making it available over-the-counter without a prescription to women as young as 15 years old.
The FDA, with former President George W. Bush’s approval, first made it over-the-counter in 2006 (but not for minors). At the time, courageous leaders like U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, an Oklahoma medical doctor, warned that this was a tragic move.
Why, Dr. Coburn wondered, would the FDA make the super-dose of birth control, which can likely terminate a pregnancy, available over-the-counter, when the ordinary birth control pill requires a prescription? It does not make sense.
Further, we have done a disservice to pharmacists, who have now been degraded to mere vending machines for abortifascient pills through this policy. What’s more, there are serious side effects to these drugs for women, let alone their offspring who may be killed.
Regarding the abortion debate, much has changed since the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, and certainly many technological advancements have helped the pro-life cause, such as ultrasound.
These abortion-in-a-bottle pills, however, represented a significant shift in which the average abortion may not occur at a clinic, but result from a trip to the local pharmacy. In other words, while the culture is moving more and more against abortionists like Kermit Gosnell, it grows increasingly comfortable with abortion tactics like the FDA is offering here.
Some in the pro-choice camp are praising the FDA’s decision. Some, however, want to go even farther. According to the New York Times, “Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which filed the lawsuit that Judge Korman ruled on, said the decision on Tuesday was unsatisfactory. ‘We will continue our battle in court to remove these arbitrary restrictions on emergency contraception for all women,’ she said.”
In her mind, limiting so-called emergency contraceptives at all is too restrictive. It is a sad day in America when a trip to the local pharmacy could mean the end of a life. With Jesus Christ, however, there is always hope. Let us pray for those in leadership (1 Timothy 2:1-4) and that Christ Himself, who came to give us “life and life abundantly” (John 10:10) would save us from our own devices.
Before last year, I had never heard of Chris Broussard. He was featured on ESPN’s studio panel during the network’s coverage of the NBA last season.
The sports reporter has been in the business since 1990 and has worked for ESPN since 2004. Before, April 29, 2013, I would think Broussard would be considered a “no-name” in many social circles. But after his appearance on ESPN’s show “Outside the Lines,” that day, he caught the attention of many.
For most in the national media and throughout the NBA, this was the day to recognize Jason Collins, who admitted in a Sports Illustrated article that he is a homosexual. Collins is an NBA journeyman who played for six teams, most recently with the Washington Wizards.
Both the league and national media praised Collins for his admittance. He was admired for the bold move he made and is considered to be heroic.
Though he won’t be given the same fanfare, Broussard also made some bold statements during a panel discussion involving L.Z. Granderson, a sports writer who admitted to being homosexual. Here is the transcript of Broussard’s comments from “Outside the Lines”:
“I’m a Christian. I don’t agree with homosexuality. I think it’s a sin, as I think all sex outside of marriage between a man and a woman is. [ESPN’s] L.Z. [Granderson] knows that. He and I have played on basketball teams together for several years. We’ve gone out, had lunch together, we’ve had good conversations, good laughs together. He knows where I stand and I know where he stands. I don’t criticize him, he doesn’t criticize me, and call me a bigot, call me ignorant, call me intolerant.
“In talking to some people around the league, there’s a lot Christians in the NBA and just because they disagree with that lifestyle, they don’t want to be called bigoted and intolerant and things like that. That’s what LZ was getting at. Just like I may tolerate someone whose lifestyle I disagree with, he can tolerate my beliefs. He disagrees with my beliefs and my lifestyle but true tolerance and acceptance is being able to handle that as mature adults and not criticize each other and call each other names.
“… Personally, I don’t believe that you can live an openly homosexual lifestyle or an openly premarital sex between heterosexuals, if you’re openly living that type of lifestyle, then the Bible says you know them by their fruits, it says that’s a sin. If you’re openly living in unrepentant sin, whatever it may be, not just homosexuality, adultery, fornication, premarital sex between heterosexuals, whatever it may be, I believe that’s walking in open rebellion to God and to Jesus Christ. I would not characterize that person as a Christian because I do not think the Bible would characterize them as a Christian.”
Guaranteed, Broussard will be chastised for these comments. Though his remarks are just as bold as Collins’ remarks, Broussard won’t be acknowledged in the same light. Following the telecast, ESPN released a statement of apology regarding Broussard’s comments, saying, “We regret that a respectful discussion of personal viewpoints became a distraction from today’s news. ESPN is fully committed to diversity and welcomes Jason Collins’ announcement.”
As I said, Collins’ remarks are accepted, but not Broussard’s.
Bob Costas would consider Broussard to be a Neanderthal, as the NBC sports personality classified such a perspective on homosexuality during an interview on Dan Patrick’s sports talk show. Others will come out harshly against Broussard.
The fascinating thing about this whole experience, though, is this is done under a banner called “Tolerance.” However, it appears such tolerance only goes one way. Very few will actually address what Broussard said.
Critics will pull out portions and label him “anti-gay” and will not acknowledge he is willing to discuss the topic as mature adults without name calling. Even more, they will disregard the truth he spoke about living in unrepentant sin, not just homosexuality.
Just like the prophets of old, Broussard spoke the hard truth, and just like the prophets of old, he will face persecution, maybe not life-threatening, but society will not treat him favorably.
I introduced the book to my five year old, Abby, a couple weeks ago. She loves it. The stories are applicable, the family is realistic (not sugar-coated Christians), and the truths are solid. The focus alternates from Cassie to Caleb so as to be useful for either gender. All of the lessons happen in the context of family, with secondary characters like grandparents, single moms, friends, etc… After each devotion, the “Let’s Talk” section leads you through discussion with your child, with the opportunity to look up verses and pray.
