Solomon’s Colonnade | Issue #18—A World View with a Biblical Lens
Calling out Kings and Sticking to Scripture!
Women Pastors in the Southern Baptist Convention—The Law Amendment
On Sunday afternoon, our Church members overwhelmingly voted, via secret ballot, to affirm the SBC Law amendment into the SBC constitution, which states: Affirms, appoints, or employs only men as any kind of pastor or elder as qualified by Scripture. Outside forces have made the vote of the SBC Law Amendment a strategic priority to defeat. We are at ground zero! My interpretation of Women Pastors has been the interpretation for 2000 years, is deeply rooted in our historical understanding, and has been part of the SBC legacy interpretation for hundreds of years. It's important to note that in 1956, when the Presbyterian and Methodist Church in 1974 started ordaining Women Pastors, this interpretation was never questioned in any mainstream denomination!
This debate is not about how God calls Women to serve! The role of women in Christ's Church has been enormous and worldwide for centuries; their contributions are invaluable. Let me also say that we could not function as a Church without the incredible blessing of the ladies who serve here in our local capacity, and our Church is a microcosm of Churches worldwide. However, the issue at hand is the invasion of an Unholy Trinity in the SBC! Marxism, Multiculturalism, & Genderism are making headways, threatening the long-standing tradition of male-only pastors.
Ron Rothenberg contends that evangelicalism is fundamentally shifting from “orthodox Christian doctrine to the heresy of the unholy trinity, which entails changes in worldview.” This unholy trinity is impacting not only churches but also our entities, seminaries, mission agencies, and publishing arms. It is throwing the house at the SBC and trying its best to get the SBC to cave on Women Pastors. If you or your Church is part of the Southern Baptist Convention, you must send messengers to Indianapolis this Summer and vote YES to affirm male-only pastors in accordance with scripture! Your vote can make a difference in preserving Biblical Authority!
Pray for Israel
The hate for Israel is starting to run deep in America. In Dearborn, Michigan, Hammas supporters chanted, “Death to America and Death to Israel”! It's a good thing they're not praying at an abortion clinic! While Congress and the Southern Baptist Convention continue to focus on Biden's Boondoggle in Ukraine, last week, Iran launched an unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel, to which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had vowed to respond. In retaliation, Israel launched multiple missile attacks on Iran on Thursday night. Isn't it amazing that all of this began on October 7th last fall, when Hamas, Iran's proxy force, started the blood bath by attacking innocent Israeli civilians? Killing over 300 Israelis, injuring 1,590, and taking multiple hostages. Wake Up America! Remember the prophet Ezekiel?
Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. Ezekiel 37:11-12
Tucker Carlson Interviews with Doug Wilson and Megan Basham
Tucker Carlson conducted two of the most consequential interviews since starting the Tucker Carlson Network. This past week, he interviewed Doug Wilson and Megan Basham. Wilson is a Reformed and evangelical theologian and Pastor at Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho, rapidly becoming one of the Boldest Disciples in America. Why? Because the Marxist left hates his preaching and daring truth-telling to the rotted culture! Watch the interview here: it's well worth your time!
Megan Basham is a culture reporter for The Daily Wire and a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. She regularly contributes to Morning Wire. Megan is a devout Southern Baptist who routinely criticizes many of the Liberal Elites from the Southern Baptist Convention, and she brings receipts! Her latest book, Shepherds for Sale: How Evangelical Leaders Traded the Truth for a Leftist Agenda. The book will be published on July 30th. You can pre-order the book here: Shepherds For Sale
As Pastor John MacArthur states: This may be the most important book on modern Evangelicalism in recent years. It is bold, clear, and very well-researched. Watch Megan’s interview with Tucker Carlson here:
Calling out Kings
The image of Jesus is often distorted to suit current political narratives, which aim to discourage Christians from participating in the political process or speaking out against non-biblical issues that are being imposed on our churches, families, and children. Dr. Luke recounts when Jesus had just finished preaching about the narrow gate to enter the Kingdom of God. The Pharisees would tell Jesus to depart the region and warn him that King Herod would kill him. Jesus’ reply to the Pharisees was bold and cunning:
And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’ Luke 13:32
Calling the most potent political ruler of the day a Fox was radical! This is not the Jesus portrayed by most Pastors today. The Pharisees were trying to control the message of Jesus Christ. Sound familiar? Consider the modern-day Pharisees colluding with Marxist political operatives in the Church today. Look no further than Christianity Today Editor Russel Moore, New York Times columnist David French, and President of the SBC Ethics, Religious, Liberty Commission Brent Leatherwood. The aforementioned are trying to control a political narrative, not a Gospel narrative!
As Disciples of Jesus, sometimes he requires us to Call Out Kings! Remember, we were not on a political timetable, and our kingdom is not part of this world. Let's look to Christ as an example. Jesus followed a “divine timetable,” and nothing could harm Him. He was doing the will of God according to the Father’s schedule. Who do you fear? The government or God?
Our Lord’s enemies only helped fulfill God's will, which is what is so composed about this text! Jesus pokes such a divine mockery in His reply. He compared Herod to a fox, an animal not held in high esteem by the Jews. In Jewish culture, calling someone a fox was considered horrid and hateful. The fox was a cunning creature known for deceptiveness and was a fitting comparison to the crafty Herod. Like today's operatives inside the wire! Despite Herod's attempts to thwart him, Jesus would complete his work, for he walked in the light while foxes hunted in the darkness.
Herod, on the other hand, was serving the very demons that Jesus was casting out. Likewise, like many of the foxes who serve their political masters today, they serve their interests and Satan’s demons rather than those of God’s people. Beware Shepherds, and Go Bold Disciples!
Notes:
https://sbcamendment.org/fidelity-clarity-and-unity/
https://centerforbaptistleadership.org/the-unholy-trinity-marxism-multiculturalism-genderism/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-october-7-2023/
https://nypost.com/2024/04/08/us-news/anti-israel-protesters-chant-death-to-america-death-to-israel/
https://www.amazon.com/Shepherds-Sale-Evangelical-Leaders-Leftist/dp/B0CRWMKXN4