Pro-Life Groups Fight to Stop Abortion Funding in Obamacare

Pro-life advocates are seizing on a deepening congressional standoff over Obamacare subsidies to push for long-sought restrictions that would block federal dollars from funding abortions.

They are warning that Democratic demands could lock in taxpayer support for the abortions indefinitely.

The federal government shutdown, now in its 3rd week, has pitted Republicans against Democrats in a battle over extending enhanced premium tax credits for the Affordable Care Act, set to expire at year’s end.  More than 90% of the roughly 24 million Americans enrolled in Obamacare plans rely on the subsidies, originally enacted as a COVID relief measure in 2021.

Leading pro-life groups, long critical of Obamacare’s structure, view the impasse as a pivotal chance to enforce Hyde Amendment protections — which bar federal funding for abortions except in very rare cases — on the program’s subsidies.  They argue the current system skirts those rules, effectively funneling taxpayer money to plans that cover elective abortions that kill babies.

“Democrats wrote Obamacare intentionally this way, specifically to avoid the Hyde Amendment, so that they could squeeze an abortion coverage in these plans and make sure that taxpayer dollars were propping these plans up,” said Kelsey Pritchard, a policy expert for SBA Pro-Life America.

In early September, SBA Pro-Life America joined 88 other pro-life organizations (including LifeNews.com) in a letter to lawmakers, urging opposition to any subsidy extension without Hyde compliance.  The group plans to track votes on the issue for its annual Pro-Life Scorecard, which grades lawmakers on abortion-related measures.

The standoff escalated as Democrats rejected multiple Republican proposals for a short-term spending bill, or continuing resolution, to avert the shutdown.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, (LA-R), accused Democrats of prioritizing partisan goals over essential services, noting the closure’s toll on 2 million federal civilian employees and 1.3 million active-duty service members who will miss paychecks.

“Although the Schumer shutdown is hitting many hard-working federal employees who deserve better treatment, it’s encouraging to hear that the Trump Administration is making preparation to meet the Democrats’ unprecedented intransigence with a stubborn refusal to be bullied,” said Quena González, senior director of government affairs for the Family Research Council (FRC).  “There is too much at stake in this debate to fold.  FRC is carefully tracking the Democrats’ central demand — to make the COVID-era subsidies for the ‘Affordable’ Care Act permanent — because those subsidies force taxpayers to pay for gender transitions and abortion.”

Last week, Sen. Josh Hawley, (MO-R), introduced legislation to prohibit Obamacare exchange plans from covering abortions or gender transition treatments for minors, embedding Hyde language directly into federal coverage terms.  “It’s time to ban abortion and gender-transition procedures for minors on the healthcare exchanges.  No more loopholes,” Hawley said in a statement.

In 12 states, all Obamacare plans must cover abortions, amplifying the issue.

House Speaker Johnson tied the subsidies to Obamacare’s broader failures, noting premiums have risen 60% since 2010.  “[N]ever forget when the government subsidizes something, it means it’s not working,” he said.  “Obamacare did not achieve what they promised everyone that it would.  It was supposed to bring down the cost of care.  It’s done the opposite.”

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

A Missions-Minded Shift to Protect the Preborn

In a context where abortion is a politically-charged issue, LIFE International challenges the Church to see the missional call to protect the People of the Womb.

Who are the People of the Womb?

Alissa Hollander says LIFE International began calling preborn children the People of the Womb to be more missional in their language.  The objectives of the ministry have not changed, but this way of speaking helps the Church orient the preborn to the Great Commission.

Hollander says, “It’s more or less a framework of thinking about how we approach the family structure that God has created, the Church that God has created for us.  And how the Great Commission really does call us as Christians to take our rightful place as the Church in defending the most innocent among us.  Putting the term People of the Womb on babies – people that are obviously human beings from the moment of conception – really does something in people’s hearts and minds to awaken them to the reality, not only the humanity of the preborn, but also our particular role as the global Church.”

A Practical Heart for People of the Womb

Practically this type of thinking in relation to the preborn helps reach more image-bearers with the Gospel.  LIFE International often talks about their call to join the mission field created by abortion.  Speaking about the preborn as People of the Womb highlights the missional opportunity.  It also reflects God’s heart for a vulnerable group in society.

LIFE International provides worldwide training for Christian leaders.  “Journey of a Life Giver” teaches both on biology and the theology surrounding life.  “It’s about a three - maybe four-day transformational training,” Hollander says.  “So, the training really creates the opportunity, not only for people to understand the theology and the biology of life, but also to assess within their region of the world, or the context that they live in, the ways that life is devalued around them.  And to ask the Lord to show them how they might participate in helping to either end abortion or some other way that they see life devalued.”

This training helps the Church see the truth about God’s image-bearers regardless of their context.  Hollander says that many attending this training never understood the biological truths of human conception and growth before.  For them, this can mean conviction.

“We also walk people through healing post-abortion, whether they themselves have had an abortion or they have gone with somebody, or counseled someone to get an abortion when that light bulb goes on for them and they realize the humanity and the image bearer that is in the womb, because most times we are interacting with people who are already professing Christians.  You’d be surprised how many places in the world don’t really realize what an abortion is, don’t realize the humanity of life in the womb, and that it is an image bearer from the moment of conception.”

Join the Cause

The Great Commission call to disciple the nations involves radical changes to lives. Some of that change includes rightly valuing God’s image-bearers – the People of the Womb.

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

 

College Students Identifying as Trans and Non-Binary Craters in Just 2-Years

The number of Gen Z Americans identifying as transgender or non-binary has rapidly declined since 2023, a new study has found.  Survey data out this year from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) shows approximately 3.6% of undergraduate students in the United States still claim to be something other than male or female.  However, that number represents a significant decline from the prior year, a report by the Centre for Heterodox Social Science found.

In 2024, 5.2% of U.S. undergraduates claimed a transgender or non-binary identity, and in both 2022 and 2023 that number was 6.8%, according to the data.  The most recent survey, conducted in 2025, found that just 3.6% of students identified as something other than male or female, a nearly 50% decline since 2023.

While several theories have circulated about what has been behind the rising adoption of nonbiological gender identities — such as social contagion, social media, or mental health related issues — the change in the trendline may itself point to some answers.

As the report’s author speculates, mental health disorders like depression and anxiety have begun declining over a similar time frame for American college students.  After an alarming 44% of university students showing signs of depression in 2022, that number dropped to 41% in 2023 and 38% in 2024, according to a survey from The Economist.  It marked the first positive trend in the data in more than 15 years.

Interestingly, the shift away from gender ideology does not appear to be part of a broader political shift. FIRE’s 2025 report found a rising number of students support leftist tactics such as using violence to stop speech they disagree with.

Social contagion is another widespread theory on what is behind the surge in young people who claim to be something other than a man or woman.  One 2023 study found that more than half of teen girls who claimed to be transgender had friends who also claimed to be transgender, and that teens of both sexes were more likely to claim a transgender identity when they have friends who are also transgender.  Even with politics among youth remaining stable and teens’ social media use remaining high, transgender identities may simply be growing less trendy.

Despite the promising statistics, a report published in August by the UCLA School of Law’s Williams Institute found that transgenderism among 13- to 17-year-olds is rapidly rising, with a whopping 724,000 kids, 3.3%, claiming not to identify with their biological sex.

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

Florida School Caught Promoting Witchcraft

Government school officials in Orange County, FL, were subjecting captive students to lessons teaching sorcery and witchcraft — literally.  The move sparked outrage among critics, and legal demands that West Orange High School stop the program immediately or at least give students the ability to opt out and promote Christianity.

According to news reports and Liberty Counsel, a Christian non-profit law firm that got involved in the case, every Wednesday, students at the school were shown witchcraft programming across the school’s TV system as part of the mid-week morning announcements.  There was no option to avoid the program.

Dubbed “Witchy Wednesday,” the video series shown schoolwide over the school’s TV system included lessons on casting spells, using magic, worshipping the moon, and other occult rituals.  The lessons also taught students to burn incense and fold papers to burn based on the moon’s cycle.

The video, shown on September 10, featured a student offering instructions on how to perform the rituals.  “You write your intuition down on your paper.  Fold it three times.  Burn your paper into your white candle.  Burn it completely and entirely to have your intention released into the universe,” the student reportedly said in the video shown to all students during the morning announcements. “That itself is your ‘Light of Insight’ at work.”

“There is a full moon coming up on September 18, where the energy is at its highest peak,” the video added before urging students to enjoy a “wicked” Wednesday.  “Creating simple things like moon water and releasing rituals are good ways to cleanse and recharge yourself during this period.”

Of course, the Bible, which was unlawfully banned by a rogue Supreme Court over 50 years ago, repeatedly and forcefully condemns such rituals.  In Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and other books, God refers to the practices as an “abomination” that is connected to the demonic realm.  And yet, the school had no problem exposing students to it until being called out.

Citing various Supreme Court rulings, Orange County Public Schools administrators and attorneys shut down the program recently — but only after being put on notice by Liberty Counsel.  “The segment was delivered over the school’s television system, on the school’s morning announcements under the supervision of school faculty,” wrote the school district’s general counsel John Palmerini in a letter to Liberty Counsel.  “As such, we cannot constitutionally allow such a segment to continue to take place in the future.”  “Consistent with the Supreme Court’s ruling in Santa Fe, we do not want any student, whether Christian or non-Christian, to feel like they are outsiders and not full members of the political community at West Orange High School,” he continued.  “As such, we can no longer allow the segment in question to continue.”

In its original complaint, Liberty Counsel suggested the school could also allow Christian students to share their faith in Jesus Christ over the school’s TV system during announcements.  But rather than allow students to hear about the Bible and Christianity, officials decided to stop the witchcraft programming entirely.

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver thanked the district, nevertheless.  “We commend Orange County Public Schools for taking action to discontinue the ‘Witchy Wednesday’ video segments,” he said.  “Witchcraft and teaching students how to cast occultic spells have no place in government schools.”

Palmerini, the district’s lawyer, acknowledged that promoting witchcraft lessons and spells at a tax-funded school was problematic.  But he also criticized Liberty Counsel for informing the media before the district had a chance to respond, as if parents and taxpayers did not have a right to know that children were being subjected to occult rituals at school.

This invasion of occultism and the demonic in government schools is becoming increasingly prevalent.  In 2021, California’s State Board of Education unanimously approved a program requiring children to chant to pagan Aztec deities of cannibalism, war, and human sacrifice.  They only stopped it after a lawsuit.

Earlier this year, The Newman Report exposed California’s “mental health” app for students.  It is filled with promotion of the occult, sorcery, transgenderism, homosexuality, extreme leftist political positions, and more.  The app included Tarot cards references as well.

Just a few months ago, The Newman Report explained that Chicago taxpayers were forced to pay millions of dollars to victims of the local government schools for similar outrages.  Among other concerns, the school was forcing students to participate in Hindu rituals and offer sacrifices to small demonic idols.

The connections between the demonic and government’s takeover of education go back to the beginning.  Robert Owen, the first contemporary figure to propose that the government educate children, admitted he was getting his ideas from “spirits.”  Today, numerous top educators openly boast of their collaboration with spiritual entities.

The occultism and the demonic is now ubiquitous in government “education.” They do not even bother to hide it anymore.  For the sake of sanity and children’s eternal souls, it is past time for parents and churches to reclaim control of education from the state.  Everything is at stake.

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

What Happens When the Church Refuses to Engage in Politics?

It’s one of the great paradoxes of our time.  Many conservative pastors courageously preach a biblical worldview from their pulpits — defending life, marriage, and religious freedom — yet when it comes to the political process, they retreat into silence.  They will preach about righteousness, but when Christian candidates who share their values ask for help — something as simple as gathering signatures to get on the ballot — they often decline.

This reluctance doesn’t just hurt individual candidates; it weakens the Church’s ability to influence culture.  It leaves the field open for those whose values are hostile to the faith.

Pastors on the Left have no such reservations.  Dr. Eric M. Wallace, author of the new book As The Heart of Apostasy points out, churches aligned with progressive movements openly support initiatives like the Black Church PAC, mobilizing voters and resources for liberal causes.  They see politics as an extension of their theology — a vehicle for advancing what they believe is justice.  Meanwhile, too many conservative pastors treat the political process as “unspiritual,” as if God’s sovereignty ends at the voting booth.

This is more than perplexing — it’s tragic.

The political cycle should be one of the greatest opportunities for discipleship in the Church.  Elections force us to confront moral questions about life, family, stewardship, and truth.  They reveal whether we truly believe that Christ is Lord over all of life — including government.  When pastors avoid this arena, they fail to teach their congregations how to live out their faith in the public square.

It’s not about partisanship; it’s about principle.  Pastors should help their people discern candidates who uphold biblical truth, not shrink back out of fear of “dividing the congregation.”  Division is not caused by truth — it’s caused by the refusal to stand on it. If a member of the congregation runs for office but holds values contrary to Scripture, that should not silence the Church; it should sharpen its teaching on what righteousness in leadership looks like.

When churches disengage, they unwittingly empower the very ideologies they preach against.  Silence in the face of moral decay is not neutrality — it’s complicity.

We’ve already seen the cost of silence.  Charlie Kirk lost his life engaging the Church, calling believers to stand for truth and courage in a time of moral confusion.  Dr. Voddie Baucham spent his final days warning the Church about the dangers of Cultural Marxism and the falling away from biblical orthodoxy in both the pulpit and the public square. These men did not shrink back; they gave everything to awaken the Church to its responsibility.  Their voices remind us that faith without action is dead — and that silence in the face of deception is itself a form of apostasy.

Our faith compels us to act.  Elections are not distractions from the Gospel; they are moments when the Gospel’s implications are tested in public life.  Helping a godly candidate get on the ballot is not “political.”  It’s obedience to Christ’s call to be salt and light in every sphere.

It’s time for pastors to rediscover their prophetic role — not as political operatives, but as shepherds who guide their flocks to think biblically about everything, including the ballot box.  The Church must stop viewing civic engagement as optional.  It is, in fact, one of the most spiritual acts a believer can perform: applying biblical truth to the stewardship of freedom.

If the Church won’t engage the culture when it matters most, then it has surrendered the moral authority to complain about the direction that culture takes.

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

The Vast Consequences of Pastors’ Neglecting the Topic of Sin

If you ask the average American, “Does sin exist?” you will probably get yes for an answer as a new study shows 84% of Americans do believe that sin exists.  And yet, despite the majority acknowledging sin’s existence, only half of Americans believe that everyone is a sinner—and a full third think they aren’t the problem!

Of course, we expect poor theology from those who don’t profess the name of Christ. But shockingly, the research found that 25% of those who claim to be born-again Christians don’t believe they are a sinner, and a whopping 7 in 10 say we’re all “basically good at heart.”

This sentiment comes from our culture, not from the Bible.  God’s Word is clear—not only does sin exist, but every single person is born a sinner standing under the judgment of death because of their sin.

In Romans 3:23, we read, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Romans 5:12 states, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.”

Romans 8:7–8, says, “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.  Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

1 John 1:8 additionally underscores, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

And then how about this one: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

And it’s not just individual Bible verses that teach this.  Think about the full scope of biblical history:

• God creates a perfect world with two perfect people; they sin.
• God cleanses the world, leaving just eight people; Noah and his descendants sin.
• All of humanity is one group, speaking one language, descended from the same righteous man (Noah); they all collectively sin.
• God chooses one man and makes a covenant with him; Abraham sins and his descendants sin.
• God miraculously brings His people, Israel, out of Egyptian bondage, giving them His law and providing for all their needs; they sin (over and over).
• God rules over His people; they sin.
• God gives them kings; the people and the kings sin.
• God sends His Son; God’s own covenant people kill His Son.
• God establishes his church; the church struggles with sin.

Whew—that’s a lot of sin!  Really, the Bible is a record of mankind’s failure to live up to God’s perfect standard no matter the circumstances (remember that next time someone tells you that most people are basically good and it’s just their circumstances that make them do bad things!).  We fail repeatedly because we’re born sinners, dead in our trespasses, and at war with God.  Even after we come to faith in Christ, we still struggle with “the old man” at war with the new creation that we are in Christ.

But you won’t hear this talked about in many churches.  To attract people and keep them in the pews, many churches downplay man’s sin, focusing instead on inspirational and uplifting messages.  This almost singular focus on the “positive” is unhealthy because it’s not what God does in His Word.  He shows us our sinfulness, even giving us His law as a mirror to highlight it!

Pastors must preach all of God’s Word—including the truth about sin.  After all, if someone doesn’t know they are a sinner, how will they understand the good news of the Gospel?  It’s only when we realize our hopeless state that we turn to Christ in faith, repenting of our sin and trusting in His death and resurrection on our behalf to cleanse us from sin and save us for eternity.

We need the bad news so we can know the good news!

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

Don’t Buy the Lie: Religion Should Not ‘Influence Political Decisions’

Some of the results of the 2025 State of Theology Survey published by Ligonier Ministries and Lifeway Research, were pretty appalling and showed a lack of Biblical knowledge, discipleship, and consistency within the beliefs of supposed Evangelicals. But there was one statement on the survey, reworded from previous years, that asked survey respondents to either strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree with the following statement: “Christians should not allow their religious beliefs to influence their political decisions.”

Over half (54%) of US adults agreed with this statement.  Filtered for those with Evangelical beliefs, the number dropped … but only to 29%.  That means nearly 1 in 3 supposed Evangelicals does not believe that their religious beliefs should impact their political decisions.  They don’t understand what a truly Biblical worldview is.

Ironically, at the same time, 95% of the same group believe that “The Bible has the authority to tell us what we must do.”  So, the Bible has the authority to tell us what to do—unless it’s a political decision. That’s inconsistent nonsense!

This idea that our beliefs shouldn’t impact our politics stems from the lie that there is such a thing as neutrality.  But there is no neutrality.  Scripture makes this plain: “Whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with Me scatters” (Matthew 12:30).

Politics is legislated morality.  And morality is the result of your worldview.  Leftists legalize the murder of unborn children, the genital mutilation of children and teens, and the perversion of marriage and sexuality because of their worldview (their religion).  They believe that absolute personal autonomy is the highest good, and they legislate in accordance with this belief.  They are not neutral, nor are they parking their religious beliefs at the door when they vote, propose legislation, or sign bills into law. They are actively employing their religion in the decisions they make.

Christians must do the same.  We cannot leave our Christian beliefs—our Biblical worldview—at the door when we engage in politics as a citizen or as a politician.  We’re not neutral, and neither is the sphere we’re entering.  We’re to seek the good of the nation we’re in and use our influence to be salt and light for such a time as this as we do the King’s business until He returns.

Allie Beth Stuckey (who has spoken at past Answers in Genesis conferences) frequently says on her podcast, “Politics matter because policy matters because people matter.” That’s true.  Christians should neither be “above politics” so that they make no impact on the future of this country (though they also must not, of course, resort to the sinful practices often employed in politics!) nor so involved in politics that their entire hope is wrapped up in elections and legislation.  We recognize that what happens in the White House matters, but God is sovereign over the affairs of men.

Don’t buy the lie that your religious beliefs don’t matter at the ballot box or in the halls of your state capitol.  Everyone has a religion, and it’s folly to pretend otherwise.  Christians need to be light and salt in politics.

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

The Church Had an Undeniable Impact on America’s Past — And Remains Urgently Needed Today

Reflect for a moment on the state of our nation—both where we’ve been and where we’re headed.

From the earliest settlers seeking religious freedom to the faith-inspired vision of our founding fathers, it’s clear that Biblical truth and Christian conviction have played a powerful role in forming the foundation of this country.  And yet, as we look around today, it’s just as clear that the need for the Church in America remains as urgent as ever.

God used the desire of ordinary men and women who hungered and thirsted for religious purity to leave the corruption of a morally secular country and traverse the Atlantic with hopes of establishing a colony rooted in God from which the Gospel of Jesus could be proclaimed.  Our founding fathers drew upon their Biblical knowledge to envision a tri-fold form of government vested in three branches, inspired by and modeled after the judicial, legislative, and executive aspects of God’s authority depicted in Isaiah 33:22.

Two of our nation’s first presidents (John Adams and Thomas Jefferson) – pioneers, patriots, and Christian men of faith who played pivotal roles in the conception of America – not only passed away on the very same day, but on the day fifty years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Clearly, the Lord’s involvement in the affairs of the United States through God-fearing Christians is nothing short of undeniable.

The Enduring Cultural Influence of the American Church

Were it not for the existence and impact of the Christian Church in America, our country would not be what it is today.  The abolition of slavery, the women’s suffrage movement, the cessation of racial segregation, and acquisition of civil liberties for African Americans are just a few examples where the Church’s influence on American culture helped to positively shape the morals, values, and policies of our nation.

Beyond our borders, the United States has long been one of the foremost nations in advancing the Gospel of Jesus across the globe—through Bible distribution, Christian media, online platforms, and global missions.  The impact of the American Church, both at home and abroad, has been nothing short of remarkable.

Why the Gospel is Still America’s Greatest Need

Yet for all the incredible contributions the Church has made, many Americans today view it as outdated—an irrelevant relic of the past with little to offer modern society.  Others see it as a threat: an institution whose moral convictions stand in contrast to the ever-evolving “virtues” promoted by many academic institutions, media outlets, and political movements.

Because many local churches still hold to a Biblically faithful worldview, they are often accused of being intolerant, uninformed, or harmful—especially when standing against cultural trends like abortion, relativism, spiritual syncretism, and DEI ideologies.  But now more than ever, America needs the Church.  And here are three reasons why:

1. America Needs the Church to Preach the Gospel

When Jesus gave His disciples the Great Commission to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19), it didn’t come with an expiration date.  That includes our nation today. Despite America’s long legacy of Gospel proclamation, large portions of the population are still unaware, uninterested, or misinformed about Jesus.

According to a 2025 research study led by renowned Christian statistician George Barna, “Americans are increasingly minimizing the role and influence of God in their lives – with a minority of only 40% who believe He exists or influences human lives.”  That makes our mission more important than ever. Every Christian in America has a role to play in sharing the good news of salvation in Christ.

2. America Needs the Church to Stand for Truth

Before His crucifixion, Jesus warned that deception would increase in the last days (Matthew 24:4,11,24).  We’re watching that unfold in real time.  Truth is being redefined as something personal and subjective, while Biblical wisdom is mocked and dismissed.

The Church must be a pillar of truth—preaching the Word boldly, correcting false ideas with love, and refusing to compromise on God’s standards.  When we stand for truth, we preserve the very values that make flourishing possible.

3. America Needs the Church to Protect Our Heritage

Our founders understood that human rights come from God, not government.  But as belief in God declines, so does belief in objective, unalienable rights.  That’s dangerous. If government becomes the source of liberty, it can also become the source of oppression.

That’s why the Church must be involved—not just through prayer and preaching, but also through civic engagement, support for righteous causes, and leadership in local and national arenas.  Protecting our heritage means standing firm in truth, promoting Biblical justice, and resisting apathy.

A Call to Action for Today’s Church

The Church has had an undeniable impact on America’s past—and our country needs it just as much in the present.  The question is whether we’ll rise to meet that need.  Will we continue to preach the Gospel?  Will we stand for truth?  Will we protect our spiritual and cultural heritage?

Every believer can influence this nation for Christ.  Whether through conversations at work, faithful service in the local church, or courageous leadership in the public square—God uses ordinary Christians to accomplish extraordinary things.

As Jesus said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” (Matthew 9:37).  May we be counted among the workers—faithful to the call, bold in our witness, and unwavering in our mission.  Let us demonstrate why America still needs the Church.

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

Meat vs. Sugar: The Need for Healthy, Strong Churches

Ligonier Ministries’ 2025 State of Theology study, conducted alongside Lifeway Research, was recently released, exposing some sobering statistics — particularly as it pertains to the nature of God, sin, the Bible, and more.  Its release came around the September 10 assassination of Christian and conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

Although church attendance and Bible sales were rising already, Kirk’s sudden death shocked many — both domestically and globally.  As a result, ministers have noticed a significant uptick in church attendance.  This convergence of events has sparked a critical discussion about the state of American churches and the substance of their teachings — a conversation that took place the other week during “Washington Watch” with Family Research Council President Tony Perkins and Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in California.

“[I]t’s interesting to see where the general American public is when it comes to their theological beliefs — or lack thereof,” Perkins observed.  He posed a pressing question: “What does the study reveal to us about the beliefs of American evangelicals, and what does it tell us about churches and how they may be shaping those beliefs?”  While the uptick in church attendance post-Kirk’s assassination is encouraging, Perkins asked, “What are they going back to?”

The State of Theology study revealed alarming trends: 47% of evangelicals believe God accepts the worship of all religions, 53% assert that most people are inherently good despite sinning occasionally, and 49% of U.S. adults view Jesus as a great teacher but not God.  These findings, as Hibbs and Perkins emphasized, directly contradict biblical teachings, raising concerns about the doctrinal fidelity of many churches.

Hibbs noted that the trend of returning to church predates Kirk’s death but has intensified since. “You’ve asked the great question: What are they going back to?” he said.  While only time will reveal the long-term impact, Hibbs expressed concern that many churches prioritize “liturgical practices” over substantive biblical teaching.  “If people are attending a church that has a lot of liturgical practices, but no meat, meaning no word, then what are we doing?” he asked.  Instead of nourishing congregants with the “meat” of Scripture, many churches offer “sugar” — superficial teachings that fail to anchor believers in truth.

Perkins highlighted the influx of young people, many unfamiliar with the gospel, who are “flocking to the altars.”  And yet, he added, “they don’t even know what an altar is.” While some leaders, like Pastor Carter Conlon, guide these seekers toward genuine transformation, Perkins warned that an “awakening” could falter if churches lack “orthodox, biblically anchored teaching.”  He questioned whether newcomers would encounter the transformative truth of Scripture or merely “cultural relevance” that leaves them spiritually empty.

Hibbs echoed this concern, drawing comfort from John 10:27, where Jesus declares, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”  He emphasized that Christ will guide His people to churches that faithfully proclaim His word.  “The bottom line is … [Jesus is] going to take care of [His] people.  He will lead them to a church,” Hibbs said.  And after putting faith in this truth, he added, the next step is to pray, “Dear God in heaven, please produce more Bible teaching churches.”

The discussion turned to the broader spiritual state of the culture.  “We are absolutely lost. We are rebels.  We’re shaking our fist at God,” Hibbs stated.  He critiqued churches that prioritize “unity instead of truth,” stating that it “leads to nothing but disaster.” Perkins pointed to Luke 9:23, where Jesus states, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”  Just earlier in the chapter, there’s a profound recognition of Jesus’s lordship as a foundational component of true faith. Without this, Perkins emphasized, Jesus becomes “just another figure from history.”

The study’s findings deeply troubled Hibbs, particularly the statistic that nearly half of evangelicals hold beliefs contrary to Scripture.  “You’re talking about 47 [to] 50 some odd percent of people that [have] actually now been inoculated against the truth.  They think they have the truth.  And to them, emotionally, that feels good.”  Many professing Christians believe that one can “just be sincere about whatever it is that you believe, and you’ll be okay.”  But Hibbs cautioned, “that is probably akin to how Satan whispered to Eve in the garden” — “that’s deception.  That’s just absolute, straight up deception.”

Perkins turned to the solution: “There is a vaccine that can keep you from being deceived” — the word of God.  Hibbs agreed, stating that people need to “pick up the Bible and start reading. … Jesus said it — ‘the Spirit of God will bear witness of whatsoever I have taught you.’ If people would just pick up the Bible … God will speak to you.  He will actually begin to articulate His truth into your life.  And He does it by the Word of God.”

Reflecting on Charlie Kirk’s legacy, Hibbs noted that Kirk’s growing focus on the gospel over politics stemmed from his deepening engagement with Scripture.  “What made Charlie’s witness so attractive is that Charlie knew what he believed,” Hibbs said. This conviction fueled Kirk’s passion for inviting others to church and advancing biblical truth — a passion that came with him being “more consistently [engaged in] the truth.”  And Perkins emphasized that immersion in Scripture cultivates conviction, which in turn fosters courage to stand against cultural deception.  He urged Christians to carry these convictions into all spheres, including politics.

Hibbs concluded: “How do we hold back evil?  We shine the light.  What is the light again?  The Word of God coming from us.  We’ve got to get involved in the culture, or else the culture is going to be taken by the other team, and they’re playing for keeps. We should do the same.”

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

One Day, The World Will Be Governed by the Perfect Ruler

The actions of many world leaders, particularly as it concerns Israel, is most certainly a cause for distress amongst the remnant church.  The quality of leadership which exists throughout the nations (with the exception of a few) is extremely poor.  Yet, we look ahead with confident assurance that one day, the world will be governed by the perfect Ruler and the redeemed will no longer be distressed or depressed!  No votes will be cast, no UN resolution will be sought, no social media poll will be taken.  Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords will reign, and He will do so from Jerusalem.  So, what can we expect when that glorious day arrives?

Global Government

The world is currently on the road to a one-world system.  The ruler of this system, known to us as the Antichrist, will hold a defiant, rebellious and antagonistic attitude toward God.  In short, he will have a blasphemous character.  The apostle John wrote in Revelation 13:6: “Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.”  The Antichrist will speak contemptuously of God and everything that God stands for.  Many will believe he is the answer to the world’s problems.  However, rather than receiving peace and freedom, the earth will be subjugated by a despot ruling the ultimate totalitarian empire.  The dream of a godless utopia, with people living together in perfect harmony, will morph into the world’s worst nightmare.

In the Millennial Kingdom, government will also be global, this time under perfect rulership.  Psalm 2:6-9 reads: “Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.  I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.  Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.  You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”

The rule of the Antichrist will only be for a short time but note how Daniel 7:14 records the reign of Messiah: “Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.  His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.”

Christ’s rule will bring about an ideal environment for all people, succeeding where all other human governments have failed!

Peace

Although the UN may believe it has the people, power, and acumen to bring peace to this world, the reality is far different.  Rather than being the peacemaking entity long desired, the UN has proven itself to be a corrupt and antisemitic body which fails to bring peace amongst its ranks, let alone amongst the nations of the world.  But universal peace will come when the Prince of Peace rules.  Isaiah 2:4: “He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”

In this age, nations would not dare turn their weapons into agricultural equipment but when Jesus rules, armed conflict will be no more.

The Righteousness of Israel

In Isaiah 61:11, we read: “For as the earth brings forth its bud, as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.”  This is yet another reason to believe that God is not finished with Israel.  Just as surely as His creative power brings forth natural life, in the Millennial Kingdom, so God will also cause righteousness and praise to spring forth from converted Israel.

Although the Hebrew word for “its bud” (semah) is often used to describe God’s work in the natural world, it is a word which is also used to refer to Messiah.  Therefore, the Millennial Kingdom is not just about God’s plan for Israel – it is about God’s plan for Israel through Messiah.  In Jeremiah 33:14-16 we read this: “ ‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD, ‘that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah: ‘In those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David a Branch [semah] of righteousness; He shall execute judgement and righteousness in the earth.  In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell safely.  And this is the name by which she will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.’ ”   Note also that Jeremiah 23:5, Zechariah 3:18 and Zechariah 6:12 all use “semah” in referring to the Branch (Messiah).

What a glorious day it will be when the saved of Israel shows forth the fruit of righteousness to the nations through their conversion and belief in the Branch of Righteousness.

Worship

The world of today adheres to the ABCs of worship: Anything But Christ.  However, in the Millennial Kingdom, universal worship of Christ will exist.  Malachi 1:11 says: “ ‘From the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; in every place incense shall be offered to My name, and a pure offering; for My name shall be great among the nations,’ says the LORD of hosts.”

Psalm 113:3 makes a similar declaration: “From the rising of the sun to its going down the LORD’s name is to be praised.”  Although some see a present-day fulfilment of Malachi 1:11, I believe in its future fulfilment.  A day is coming when all people will respond with proper worship to Jesus.  This will also cure the world of antisemitism.  Zechariah 8:23: “Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’ ”

What else can I say but this – what a day that will be!

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

What’s Going on with Israel and Palestine, and How’d We Get Here?

Nearly two years ago, on October 7, 2023, Hamas militants broke through Israel’s border, killing 1,200 people, and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza.  Israel immediately declared war.

It is just the latest conflict stemming from a millennia-old land dispute.

When did this start?

Back in Genesis, around 1700 BC, God promised Abraham and his descendants the land of Canaan (modern Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, and parts of surrounding nations). Over centuries, various empires ruled the land; the Romans displaced the Jews and renamed it “Palestine,” and hundreds of years later (638 AD), Muslim armies conquered Jerusalem and generally controlled it for most of the next 1,400 years, until after WWII.

In 1947, the UN proposed a two-state solution: 56.5% of the land for a Jewish state, the rest for an Arab state, with Jerusalem as an international zone.  Jews accepted; Arab nations rejected (unhappy that Jews only represented around ⅓ of the population and were getting a majority land allotment).

What’s happened since 1947?

Multiple wars followed, and Israel slowly took control of more and more land designated for Palestine.

Today, Palestinians control only Gaza and parts of the West Bank.

Why is it so contentious?

This land holds deep spiritual significance for both sides, none more so than a specific holy site in Jerusalem.

For Muslims, it is the Dome of the Rock, where they believe Muhammad ascended into heaven.  For Jews, it is the Temple Mount where Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac, which later became the Holy of Holies where God’s presence dwelled above the Ark of the Covenant.

Citing its spiritual significance, Hamas has declared “holy war” on Israel, vowing to destroy the country of Israel and reclaim all the land for Palestine.  Israel has, in turn, vowed to destroy Hamas.

Eternal Perspective

God has a peace plan.  It doesn’t need Israel’s or Hamas’s approval.  It doesn’t merely cover Gaza or even the Middle East.  It can’t be undone by rebels, and it won’t unravel decades later.

The Lord’s peace has been a done deal from the beginning of time, sealed with the death and resurrection of Jesus.  It’s global, it’s unending, and it’s open to all who would lay down their weapons.

“God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble. Therefore, we will not be afraid … Nations rage, kingdoms topple; the earth melts when He lifts His voice.  The LORD of Armies is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold” (Psalm 46:1-2, 6-7).

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

CCP Expands Control Over Religion with New Online Code of Conduct

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has issued new rules targeting the online activities of religious leaders, further tightening its control over faith groups.  Analysts say the measures are a part of the CCP’s broader effort to suppress public expression of religious beliefs and control ordinary citizens.

On September 16th, China’s National Religious Affairs Administration released a new code of conduct for the online behavior of religious clergy.  The new code bans religious figures from being involved in “foreign religious infiltration, extremist ideologies, cults, and pseudo-religions.”  It also emphasized that religious figures in China must endorse “patriotism, socialism, and the leadership of the CCP.”  

New Rules After Shaolin Temple Scandal Analysts suggest the move may be linked to the recent downfall of Shi Yongxin, the former abbot of the famous Shaolin Temple.  Shi was expelled from the Buddhist clergy in July and placed under investigation for alleged embezzlement, corruption, and maintaining romantic relationships that resulted in multiple children conceived out of wedlock, which is prohibited in Chinese Buddhism.  He was also accused of turning the temple into a money-making machine through ticketed attractions and commercial ventures.  

China current affairs commentator Li Linyi told The Epoch Times that although the scandal likely prompted Beijing to act, the new rules go far beyond one man.  “The so-called laws and regulations previously issued by the CCP had no effect on powerful figures like Shi Yongxin, who had political backing,” he said.  “Now that Shi has fallen, they have introduced a new regulation.  The authorities will also use this as a pretext to target normal religious activities, as a way to suppress human rights and to create new excuses for collecting fines everywhere.”

The new code of conduct prohibits clergy from using online platforms—including livestreams, short videos, online meetings, WeChat groups, and even personal social media accounts—to preach, conduct online services, or participate in activities such as prayers, baptisms, or ordinations.  It also stresses that online activities must uphold CCP leadership and must not contain content deemed to “subvert state power” or challenge the Party’s authority.  The rules apply not only within mainland China but also to religious personnel from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan and foreign nationals in China.  

Critics have said the policy is less about regulating religious leaders than about controlling public communication.  “On the surface, it targets clergy, but in reality it affects ordinary citizens,” said Lin Bin, who holds a PhD in political science from the University of New South Wales in Australia.  “For many Chinese people, WeChat is also a way to stay connected with the outside world.  Now that the CCP is tightening control even further, it is also affecting the ability of people in mainland China to communicate with Chinese communities overseas.”

A China-based independent scholar, who requested anonymity for safety reasons, told The Epoch Times the timing reflects the regime’s insecurity.  “The CCP’s ideology has collapsed, and with the economy worsening, people are seeking spiritual comfort,” he said.  “The CCP fears a rapid awakening among the public, so it bans this kind of expression.”  

Broader Campaign Against Religious Liberty Observers note that the new measures are part of a broader campaign against religious freedom under CCP leader Xi Jinping. More than three years ago, in March 2022, Beijing introduced the Measures on the Administration of Internet Religious Information Services.  That regulation required official approval for anyone disseminating religious teachings, services, or activities online through websites, apps, blogs, livestreams, or instant messaging platforms.  

At a 2022 congressional hearing in Washington, Nury Turkel, former chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, warned that the regulation created a “chilling effect” on faith communities in China, especially unregistered religious groups, by criminalizing much of their online presence.  Now, with the latest code of conduct, Beijing is using religion as a new frontier for surveillance and censorship, experts said.

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

Amid the Unimaginable Violence and Atrocities, Be Assured That Our Rescue is Coming

Have you had enough yet?  Violence and lawlessness seem out of control.  Senseless violence.  Snipers unleashing bullets carved with evil messages on them!  Who thinks this way?

The line-up of atrocities never ends.  An innocent Ukrainian woman coming home from her pizza job, casually scrolling on her phone on a train in North Carolina, is stabbed to death by a demonized thug.  She had left war-torn Ukraine for the supposed safety of America. Yet a monster lurked in the shadows and ended her young life.  And it was all captured on camera.

In Minneapolis, children in a Catholic school were mowed down by a lunatic.  The shooter blocked the church doors so that the children could not escape before he began shooting through the church windows.  Can you imagine?  I can’t.

Sure, the Bible says that evil is to get worse in the end-times (2 Timothy 3:13), but who can comprehend such barbarism?

They said that about 9/11, which we recently observed and remembered as well.  Even our national leaders admitted they didn’t have the imagination to anticipate the evil of Islam flying planes into buildings.

Don’t forget earlier this year, two Jewish believers were gunned down in Washington, D.C., and in June, an Egyptian terrorist set Jews on fire in Colorado a few days later.  If we dared look, the Colorado event was also filmed and aired.

Then on September 10th, we had a flashback to July 13, 2024, when there was an assassination attempt on President Trump.  This time, the target was Charlie Kirk, and this time, the shooter was successful.  But the assassins bullet that killed Charlie didn’t kill a movement.  It ignited many people to press on with truth-telling, love of country, and honoring God.

As one observer suggested, it is a reminder that speaking truth, particularly Biblical truth, is inherently dangerous in a world where truth sounds like hate to those who hate the truth.  When leftists rejoice at the death of godly people, as they are doing with Kirk’s death, it is a foreshadowing of the Two Witnesses of Revelation 11.  The world will rejoice over their demise as well. 

Very often, the perpetrators of the carnage are deeply involved in alternative lifestyles, and so they view conservatives, Christians, and the biblical worldview as the enemy.  We become their prime target just as the early martyrs of the church.  Constantly accusing righteous or conservative people of being fascists and Nazis has deadly consequences.

Charlie has now finished his race, his earthly course, and we celebrate his graduation into the presence of Jesus Christ and the glories of eternity.

The New York Post, not known as a spiritual publication, had an appropriate one-word headline—“Demonic.”  That accurately summarized the end-time fight we are in.  Satan is making his last stand before the church is taken in the rapture, which removes believers from this sin-wracked, violent world.

But this is today’s progressive movement: twisted and evil.  What a reminder that the last days will be as the days of Noah!

And to add to the lunacy, and what should convince us we are in a Romans chapter 1 society, is that the deranged Left celebrates some of this.  Again, this stretches credulity and is beyond our imagination.  It is last days delusion.  The prophet Isaiah told us that evil would be called good by some (Isaiah 5:20).

Take these daily evil reminders with the assurance that they are a sign that Jesus is coming again.  Our rescue is coming.  Soon.  Perhaps today.

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel